Factors Associated with Clinical and Topographical Features of Laryngeal Tuberculosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Gustavo Corrêa Reis

Full Text Available Laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB is the most frequent granulomatous disease of the larynx and represents less than 2% of extrapulmonary TB cases. There are no pathognomonic clinical and endoscopic features of this disease and studies on LTB that can assist in its diagnostic characterization are lacking.To identify factors associated with clinical and topographical features of LTB.a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from the medical records of 36 patients with confirmed LTB diagnosis.Dysphonia and cough were the main symptoms presented by patients and the true vocal folds the most frequently affected site. The average of the duration of the disease evolution was significantly higher in patients with dysphonia than in patients without this symptom. We observed association between dysphonia and true vocal fold lesions and between odynophagia and lesions in the epiglottis, arytenoids and aryepiglottic folds. Odynophagia was more frequent in individuals with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites. Weight loss equal or above 10% of the body weight was more frequent in patients with odynophagia as first symptom and in patients with ulcerated lesion. Dyspnea on exertion was more frequent in individuals with more extensive laryngeal lesions. The percentage of smokers with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites was greater than that found in non-smokers. Laryngeal tissue fragment bacilloscopy and culture examinations were less positive than sputum ones.Smoking appears to be associated with the development of more extensive LTB lesions, and LTB with dyspnea on exertion and odynophagia with consequent impairment of nutritional status. We emphasize the need for histopathologic confirmation, once positive sputum bacteriological examinations seem not to necessarily reflect laryngeal involvement.

Factors Associated with Clinical and Topographical Features of Laryngeal Tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Reis, João Gustavo Corrêa; Reis, Clarissa Souza Mota; da Costa, Daniel César Silva; Lucena, Márcia Mendonça; Schubach, Armando de Oliveira; Oliveira, Raquel de Vasconcellos Carvalhaes; Rolla, Valéria Cavalcanti; Conceição-Silva, Fátima; Valete-Rosalino, Cláudia Maria

2016-01-01

Laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) is the most frequent granulomatous disease of the larynx and represents less than 2% of extrapulmonary TB cases. There are no pathognomonic clinical and endoscopic features of this disease and studies on LTB that can assist in its diagnostic characterization are lacking. To identify factors associated with clinical and topographical features of LTB. a retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from the medical records of 36 patients with confirmed LTB diagnosis. Dysphonia and cough were the main symptoms presented by patients and the true vocal folds the most frequently affected site. The average of the duration of the disease evolution was significantly higher in patients with dysphonia than in patients without this symptom. We observed association between dysphonia and true vocal fold lesions and between odynophagia and lesions in the epiglottis, arytenoids and aryepiglottic folds. Odynophagia was more frequent in individuals with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites. Weight loss equal or above 10% of the body weight was more frequent in patients with odynophagia as first symptom and in patients with ulcerated lesion. Dyspnea on exertion was more frequent in individuals with more extensive laryngeal lesions. The percentage of smokers with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites was greater than that found in non-smokers. Laryngeal tissue fragment bacilloscopy and culture examinations were less positive than sputum ones. Smoking appears to be associated with the development of more extensive LTB lesions, and LTB with dyspnea on exertion and odynophagia with consequent impairment of nutritional status. We emphasize the need for histopathologic confirmation, once positive sputum bacteriological examinations seem not to necessarily reflect laryngeal involvement.

Biodiversity and Topographic Complexity: Modern and Geohistorical Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Badgley, Catherine; Smiley, Tara M; Terry, Rebecca; Davis, Edward B; DeSantis, Larisa R G; Fox, David L; Hopkins, Samantha S B; Jezkova, Tereza; Matocq, Marjorie D; Matzke, Nick; McGuire, Jenny L; Mulch, Andreas; Riddle, Brett R; Roth, V Louise; Samuels, Joshua X; Strömberg, Caroline A E; Yanites, Brian J

2017-03-01

Topographically complex regions on land and in the oceans feature hotspots of biodiversity that reflect geological influences on ecological and evolutionary processes. Over geologic time, topographic diversity gradients wax and wane over millions of years, tracking tectonic or climatic history. Topographic diversity gradients from the present day and the past can result from the generation of species by vicariance or from the accumulation of species from dispersal into a region with strong environmental gradients. Biological and geological approaches must be integrated to test alternative models of diversification along topographic gradients. Reciprocal illumination among phylogenetic, phylogeographic, ecological, paleontological, tectonic, and climatic perspectives is an emerging frontier of biogeographic research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of patterned topographic features on the formation of cardiac cell clusters and their rhythmic activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, L; Liu, L; Magome, N; Agladze, K; Chen, Y

2013-01-01

In conventional primary cultures, cardiac cells prepared from a newborn rat undergo spontaneous formation of cell clusters after several days. These cell clusters may be non-homogeneously distributed on a flat surface and show irregular beating which can be recorded by calcium ion imaging. In order to improve the cell cluster homogeneity and the beating regularity, patterned topographic features were used to guide the cellular growth and the cell layer formation. On the substrate with an array of broadly spaced cross features made of photoresist, cells grew on the places that were not occupied by the crosses and thus formed a cell layer with interconnected cell clusters. Accordingly, spatially coordinated regular beating could be recorded over the whole patterned area. In contrast, when cultured on the substrate with broadly spaced but inter-connected cross features, the cardiac cell layer showed beatings which were neither coordinated in space nor regular in time. Finally, when cultured on the substrate with narrowly spaced features, the cell beating became spatially coordinated but still remained irregular. Our results suggest a way to improve the rhythmic property of cultured cardiac cell layers which might be useful for further investigations. (paper)

Quantitative topographic differentiation of the neonatal EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Karel; Krajca, Vladimír; Roth, Zdenek; Melichar, Jan; Petránek, Svojmil

2006-09-01

To test the discriminatory topographic potential of a new method of the automatic EEG analysis in neonates. A quantitative description of the neonatal EEG can contribute to the objective assessment of the functional state of the brain, and may improve the precision of diagnosing cerebral dysfunctions manifested by 'disorganization', 'dysrhythmia' or 'dysmaturity'. 21 healthy, full-term newborns were examined polygraphically during sleep (EEG-8 referential derivations, respiration, ECG, EOG, EMG). From each EEG record, two 5-min samples (one from the middle of quiet sleep, the other from the middle of active sleep) were subject to subsequent automatic analysis and were described by 13 variables: spectral features and features describing shape and variability of the signal. The data from individual infants were averaged and the number of variables was reduced by factor analysis. All factors identified by factor analysis were statistically significantly influenced by the location of derivation. A large number of statistically significant differences were also established when comparing the effects of individual derivations on each of the 13 measured variables. Both spectral features and features describing shape and variability of the signal are largely accountable for the topographic differentiation of the neonatal EEG. The presented method of the automatic EEG analysis is capable to assess the topographic characteristics of the neonatal EEG, and it is adequately sensitive and describes the neonatal electroencephalogram with sufficient precision. The discriminatory capability of the used method represents a promise for their application in the clinical practice.

Representation for dialect recognition using topographic independent component analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Qu

2004-10-01

In dialect speech recognition, the feature of tone in one dialect is subject to changes in pitch frequency as well as the length of tone. It is beneficial for the recognition if a representation can be derived to account for the frequency and length changes of tone in an effective and meaningful way. In this paper, we propose a method for learning such a representation from a set of unlabeled speech sentences containing the features of the dialect changed from various pitch frequencies and time length. Topographic independent component analysis (TICA) is applied for the unsupervised learning to produce an emergent result that is a topographic matrix made up of basis components. The dialect speech is topographic in the following sense: the basis components as the units of the speech are ordered in the feature matrix such that components of one dialect are grouped in one axis and changes in time windows are accounted for in the other axis. This provides a meaningful set of basis vectors that may be used to construct dialect subspaces for dialect speech recognition.

Seafloor Topographic Analysis in Staged Ocean Resource Exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeda, M.; Okawa, M.; Osawa, K.; Kadoshima, K.; Asakawa, E.; Sumi, T.

2017-12-01

J-MARES (Research and Development Partnership for Next Generation Technology of Marine Resources Survey, JAPAN) has been designing a low-expense and high-efficiency exploration system for seafloor hydrothermal massive sulfide deposits in "Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP)" granted by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan since 2014. We designed a method to focus mineral deposit prospective area in multi-stages (the regional survey, semi-detail survey and detail survey) by extracted topographic features of some well-known seafloor massive sulfide deposits from seafloor topographic analysis using seafloor topographic data acquired by the bathymetric survey. We applied this procedure to an area of interest more than 100km x 100km over Okinawa Trough, including some known seafloor massive sulfide deposits. In Addition, we tried to create a three-dimensional model of seafloor topography by SfM (Structure from Motion) technique using multiple image data of Chimney distributed around well-known seafloor massive sulfide deposit taken with Hi-Vision camera mounted on ROV in detail survey such as geophysical exploration. Topographic features of Chimney was extracted by measuring created three-dimensional model. As the result, it was possible to estimate shape of seafloor sulfide such as Chimney to be mined by three-dimensional model created from image data taken with camera mounted on ROV. In this presentation, we will discuss about focusing mineral deposit prospective area in multi-stages by seafloor topographic analysis using seafloor topographic data in exploration system for seafloor massive sulfide deposit and also discuss about three-dimensional model of seafloor topography created from seafloor image data taken with ROV.

Regional-scale airborne electromagnetic surveying of the Yucatan karst aquifer (Mexico): geological and hydrogeological interpretation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gondwe, Bibi Ruth Neuman; Ottowitz, David; Supper, Robert

2012-01-01

-spectral remote sensing imagery, shuttle radar topography data and frequency-domain airborne electromagnetic (AEM) survey data were used to map karst-aquifer structure on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Anomalous AEM responses correlated with topographic features and anomalous spectral reflectance of the terrain...... as ejecta from the Chicxulub impact (Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary), based on similar resistivity signatures found in borehole logs. Due to limited sensitivity of the AEM survey, the subsurface configuration beneath the low-resistivity layer could not be unambiguously determined. AEM measurements combined...

Three dimensional fuzzy influence analysis of fitting algorithms on integrated chip topographic modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Zhong Wei; Wang, Yi Jun; Ye, Bang Yan; Brauwer, Richard Kars

2012-01-01

In inspecting the detailed performance results of surface precision modeling in different external parameter conditions, the integrated chip surfaces should be evaluated and assessed during topographic spatial modeling processes. The application of surface fitting algorithms exerts a considerable influence on topographic mathematical features. The influence mechanisms caused by different surface fitting algorithms on the integrated chip surface facilitate the quantitative analysis of different external parameter conditions. By extracting the coordinate information from the selected physical control points and using a set of precise spatial coordinate measuring apparatus, several typical surface fitting algorithms are used for constructing micro topographic models with the obtained point cloud. In computing for the newly proposed mathematical features on surface models, we construct the fuzzy evaluating data sequence and present a new three dimensional fuzzy quantitative evaluating method. Through this method, the value variation tendencies of topographic features can be clearly quantified. The fuzzy influence discipline among different surface fitting algorithms, topography spatial features, and the external science parameter conditions can be analyzed quantitatively and in detail. In addition, quantitative analysis can provide final conclusions on the inherent influence mechanism and internal mathematical relation in the performance results of different surface fitting algorithms, topographic spatial features, and their scientific parameter conditions in the case of surface micro modeling. The performance inspection of surface precision modeling will be facilitated and optimized as a new research idea for micro-surface reconstruction that will be monitored in a modeling process

Three dimensional fuzzy influence analysis of fitting algorithms on integrated chip topographic modeling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liang, Zhong Wei; Wang, Yi Jun [Guangzhou Univ., Guangzhou (China); Ye, Bang Yan [South China Univ. of Technology, Guangzhou (China); Brauwer, Richard Kars [Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (India)

2012-10-15

In inspecting the detailed performance results of surface precision modeling in different external parameter conditions, the integrated chip surfaces should be evaluated and assessed during topographic spatial modeling processes. The application of surface fitting algorithms exerts a considerable influence on topographic mathematical features. The influence mechanisms caused by different surface fitting algorithms on the integrated chip surface facilitate the quantitative analysis of different external parameter conditions. By extracting the coordinate information from the selected physical control points and using a set of precise spatial coordinate measuring apparatus, several typical surface fitting algorithms are used for constructing micro topographic models with the obtained point cloud. In computing for the newly proposed mathematical features on surface models, we construct the fuzzy evaluating data sequence and present a new three dimensional fuzzy quantitative evaluating method. Through this method, the value variation tendencies of topographic features can be clearly quantified. The fuzzy influence discipline among different surface fitting algorithms, topography spatial features, and the external science parameter conditions can be analyzed quantitatively and in detail. In addition, quantitative analysis can provide final conclusions on the inherent influence mechanism and internal mathematical relation in the performance results of different surface fitting algorithms, topographic spatial features, and their scientific parameter conditions in the case of surface micro modeling. The performance inspection of surface precision modeling will be facilitated and optimized as a new research idea for micro-surface reconstruction that will be monitored in a modeling process.

US Topo: topographic maps for the nation

Science.gov (United States)

Carswell, William J.

2013-01-01

US Topo is the next generation of topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Arranged in the familiar 7.5-minute quadrangle format, digital US Topo maps are designed to look and feel (and perform) like the traditional paper topographic maps for which the USGS is so well known. In contrast to paper-based maps, US Topo maps provide modern technical advantages that support faster, wider public distribution and enable basic, on-screen geographic analysis for all users. The US Topo quadrangle map has been redesigned so that map elements are visually distinguishable with the imagery turned on and off, while keeping the file size as small as possible. The US Topo map redesign includes improvements to various display factors, including symbol definitions (color, line thickness, line symbology, area fills), layer order, and annotation fonts. New features for 2013 include the following: a raster shaded relief layer, military boundaries, cemeteries and post offices, and a US Topo cartographic symbols legend as an attachment. US Topo quadrangle maps are available free on the Web. Each map quadrangle is constructed in GeoPDF® format using key layers of geographic data (orthoimagery, roads, geographic names, topographic contours, and hydrographic features) from The National Map databases. US Topo quadrangle maps can be printed from personal computers or plotters as complete, full-sized, maps or in customized sections, in a user-desired specific format. Paper copies of the maps can also be purchased from the USGS Store. Download links and a users guide are featured on the US Topo Web site. US Topo users can turn geographic data layers on and off as needed; they can zoom in and out to highlight specific features or see a broader area. File size for each digital 7.5-minute quadrangle, about 30 megabytes. Associated electronic tools for geographic analysis are available free for download. The US Topo provides the Nation with a topographic product that users can

Ice Shell Thickness and Endogenic Processes on Europa from Mapping and Topographic Analyses of Pits, Uplifts and Small Chaos Features (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, K. N.; McKinnon, W. B.; Schenk, P.

2013-12-01

Constraining the thickness of the ice shell on Europa and the geological processes occurring in it are keys to understanding this icy world and its potential habitability. We focus on circular-to-subcircular features generally agreed to have been created by endogenic processes in Europa's ice shell or ocean: pits, uplifts, and subcircular chaos. Pits and uplifts are defined by their negative or positive topographic expression, respectively. Pits and uplifts generally retain pre-existing surface structures such as ridges, while chaos specifically refers to areas where the surface is broken up, in some cases to the point of destroying all original surface topography. We have mapped all features plausibly created by upwellings or other endogenic processes in the size range of 1 to 50 km in diameter, and incorporated previously unavailable topographic data as an aid to mapping and characterization of features. Topography was derived from albedo-controlled photoclinometry and crosschecked with stereo data where possible. Mapping was carried out over the medium-resolution Galileo regional maps (RegMaps) covering approximately 9% of Europa's surface, as well as over available high-resolution regions. While limited in extent, the latter are extremely valuable for detecting smaller features and for overall geomorphological analysis. Results of this new mapping show decreasing numbers of small features, and a peak in the size distribution for all features at approximately 5-6 km in diameter. No pits smaller than 3.3 km in diameter were found in high resolution imagery. Topography was used to find the depths and heights of pits and uplifts in the mapped regions. A general trend of increasing pit depth with increasing pit size was found, a correlation more easily understood in the context of a diapiric hypothesis for feature formation (as opposed to purely non-diapiric, melt-through models). Based on isostasy, maximum pit depths of ~0.3-to-0.48 km imply a minimum shell

Elements of the Chicxulub Impact Structure as revealed in SRTM and surface GPS topographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Kobrick, M.; Kinsland, G. L.; Sanchez, G.; Cardador, M. H.

2003-04-01

Pope et al have utilized elevations from the Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) gravity data files to show that the main component of the surface expression of the Chicxu-lub Impact Structure is a roughly semi-circular, low-relief depression about 90 km in diameter. They also identified other topographic features and the elements of the buried impact which possibly led to the development of these features. Kinsland et al presented a connection between these topographic anomalies, small gravity anomalies and buried structure of the impact. Shaded relief images from recently acquired SRTM elevation data clearly show the circular depression of the crater and the moat/cenote ring. In addition we can readily identify Inner trough 1, Inner trough 2 and Outer trough as defined by Pope et al. The agreement between the topographic maps of Pope et al, Kinsland et al and SRTM data are remarkable considering that the distribution and types of data in the sets are so different. We also have ground topographic data collected with a special "autonomous differ-ential GPS" system during summer 2002. Profiles from these data generally agree with both the gravity data based topographic maps and profiles extracted from the SRTM data. Preliminary analyses of our new data, SRTM and GPS, have uncovered features not previously recognized: 1) as shown by the GPS data the moat/cenote ring consists of two distinct depressions separated by about 10 km...perhaps separate ring faults, 2) in the SRTM data over the southern part of the crater and on southward for perhaps 20 km beyond the moat/ cenote ring there exists a pattern, as yet unexplained, of roughly concentric topographic features whose center lies at about 21deg 40min N and 89deg 25min W, about 50km NNE of the moat/cenote ring center. The corroboration and better definition of the previously recognized topographic features yielded by the two new forms of data strengthens the cases for these fea-tures and for their relevance to the underlying

Spatiotemporal Variability in Topographic and Vegetative Controls on Basin-Wide Snow Distribution in the Tuolumne River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Bolliger, I. W.; Molotch, N. P.

2017-12-01

An accurate empirical characterization of topographic and vegetative controls on snow distribution can lead to a greater understanding of the underlying physical processes and an increased ability to downscale lower-resolution observations. As improved water resource forecast methods are sought to address climate-driven nonstationarity in snow distributions, constraining our uncertainty in topographic and vegetative controls on these distributions becomes imperative. The Airborne Snow Observatory (ASO) LiDAR-based observation campaign provides a novel dataset with the necessary spatiotemporal extent and resolution for rigorous assessment of spatiotemporal variance in topographic and vegetative controls. In this study, we examine ASO measurements from 2013-2016 in the Tuolumne River Basin, exploring relationships to topographic and vegetation features derived from analogous snow-free LiDAR flights. To address nonlinearities in these relationships, we use single and ensemble regression tree approaches and assess metrics of feature importance, while for greater interpretability, we assess parameter values from multiple linear regression. These complementary analyses are performed for each flight date in 2013-2016 at resolutions between 3 and 500m. They are performed globally and for each of the 13 HUC12-level watersheds within the study area. Feature importance and parameter values are compared across features and across intra-seasonal, inter-seasonal, spatial, and model scale dimensions. Initial results demonstrate a consistent pattern to the changing influence of topographic and vegetative features over intra-annual timescales. They support previous findings that elevational gradients dominate local topographic and vegetative features in controlling both depth and SWE yet suggest a declining importance of elevation in the ablation period. Together, topographic and vegetative features explain more of the spatial distribution of depth and SWE observed during

Laser-ranging scanning system to observe topographical deformations of volcanoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, T; Takabe, M; Mizutani, K; Itabe, T

1997-02-20

We have developed a laser-ranging system to observe the topographical structure of volcanoes. This system can be used to measure the distance to a target by a laser and shows the three-dimensional topographical structure of a volcano with an accuracy of 30 cm. This accuracy is greater than that of a typical laser-ranging system that uses a corner-cube reflector as a target because the reflected light jitters as a result of inclination and unevenness of the target ground surface. However, this laser-ranging system is useful for detecting deformations of topographical features in which placement of a reflector is difficult, such as in volcanic regions.

Topographic mapping

Science.gov (United States)

,

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produced its first topographic map in 1879, the same year it was established. Today, more than 100 years and millions of map copies later, topographic mapping is still a central activity for the USGS. The topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry, and leisure. Much has changed since early topographers traveled the unsettled West and carefully plotted the first USGS maps by hand. Advances in survey techniques, instrumentation, and design and printing technologies, as well as the use of aerial photography and satellite data, have dramatically improved mapping coverage, accuracy, and efficiency. Yet cartography, the art and science of mapping, may never before have undergone change more profound than today.

Predicting aboveground forest biomass with topographic variables in human-impacted tropical dry forest landscapes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salinas-Melgoza, Miguel A.; Skutsch, Margaret; Lovett, Jon C.

2018-01-01

Topographic variables such as slope and elevation partially explain spatial variations in aboveground biomass (AGB) within landscapes. Human activities that impact vegetation, such as cattle grazing and shifting cultivation, often follow topographic features and also play a key role in determining

Topographical heterogeneity in transparent PVA hydrogels studied by AFM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pramanick, Ashit Kumar; Gupta, Siddhi, E-mail: siddhigupta@nmlindia.org; Mishra, Trilochan; Sinha, Arvind

2012-02-01

Physically crosslinked poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels have a wide range of biomedical applications. Transparent and stable PVA hydrogels synthesized by freeze-thawing method are potential candidates to be used as tissue engineering scaffolds provided they exhibit suitable topographical roughness and surface energy. The effect of processing parameters i.e., polymer concentration and number of freeze-thaw cycles on the resulting topography of the freeze-thawed transparent hydrogels has been studied and quantified using non-contact mode of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and image analysis. Simultaneously captured phase contrast images have revealed significant information about morphological changes in the topographical features and crystallinity of the hydrogels. Topographical roughness was found to decrease as a function of number of freeze-thaw cycles.

Effects of riparian vegetation on topographic change during a large flood event, Rio Puerco, New Mexico, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Perignon, M. C.; Tucker, G. E.; Griffin, E. R.; Friedman, J. M.

2013-09-01

The spatial distribution of riparian vegetation can strongly influence the geomorphic evolution of dryland rivers during large floods. We present the results of an airborne lidar differencing study that quantifies the topographic change that occurred along a 12 km reach of the Lower Rio Puerco, New Mexico, during an extreme event in 2006. Extensive erosion of the channel banks took place immediately upstream of the study area, where tamarisk and sandbar willow had been removed. Within the densely vegetated study reach, we measure a net volumetric change of 578,050 ± ˜ 490,000 m3, with 88.3% of the total aggradation occurring along the floodplain and channel and 76.7% of the erosion focusing on the vertical valley walls. The sediment derived from the devegetated reach deposited within the first 3.6 km of the study area, with depth decaying exponentially with distance downstream. Elsewhere, floodplain sediments were primarily sourced from the erosion of valley walls. Superimposed on this pattern are the effects of vegetation and valley morphology on sediment transport. Sediment thickness is seen to be uniform among sandbar willows and highly variable within tamarisk groves. These reach-scale patterns of sedimentation observed in the lidar differencing likely reflect complex interactions of vegetation, flow, and sediment at the scale of patches to individual plants.

Spatial features register: toward standardization of spatial features

Science.gov (United States)

Cascio, Janette

1994-01-01

As the need to share spatial data increases, more than agreement on a common format is needed to ensure that the data is meaningful to both the importer and the exporter. Effective data transfer also requires common definitions of spatial features. To achieve this, part 2 of the Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) provides a model for a spatial features data content specification and a glossary of features and attributes that fit this model. The model provides a foundation for standardizing spatial features. The glossary now contains only a limited subset of hydrographic and topographic features. For it to be useful, terms and definitions must be included for other categories, such as base cartographic, bathymetric, cadastral, cultural and demographic, geodetic, geologic, ground transportation, international boundaries, soils, vegetation, water, and wetlands, and the set of hydrographic and topographic features must be expanded. This paper will review the philosophy of the SDTS part 2 and the current plans for creating a national spatial features register as one mechanism for maintaining part 2.

Large Topographic Rises on Venus: Implications for Mantle Upwelling

Science.gov (United States)

Stofan, Ellen R.; Smrekar, Suzanne E.; Bindschandler, Duane L.; Senske, David A.

1995-01-01

Topographic rises on Venus have been identified that are interpreted to be the surface manifestation of mantle upwellings. These features are classified into groups based on their dominant morphology. Atla and Beta Regiones are classified as rift-dominated, Dione, western Eistla, Bell, and Imdr Regiones as volcano-dominated, and Themis, eastern Eistla, and central Eistla Regiones as corona-dominated. At several topographic rises, geologic indicators were identified that may provide evidence of uplifted topography (e.g., volcanic flow features trending upslope). We assessed the minimum contribution of volcanic construction to the topography of each rise, which in general represents less than 5% of the volume of the rise, similar to the volumes of edifices at terrestrial hotspot swells. The total melt volume at each rise is approximated to be 10(exp 4) - 10(exp 6) cu km. The variations in morphology, topography, and gravity signatures at topographic rises are not interpreted to indicate variations in stage of evolution of a mantle upwelling. Instead, the morphologic variations between the three classes of topographic rises are interpreted to indicate the varying influences of lithospheric structure, plume characteristics, and regional tectonic environment. Within each class, variations in topography, gravity, and amount of volcanism may be indicative of differing stages of evolution. The similarity between swell and volcanic volumes for terrestrial and Venusian hotspots implies comparable time-integrated plume strengths for individual upwellings on the two planets.

ToF-SIMS measurements with topographic information in combined images.

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Sabrina; Ziegler, Georg; Hutter, Herbert

2013-09-01

In 2D and 3D time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometric (ToF-SIMS) analysis, accentuated structures on the sample surface induce distorted element distributions in the measurement. The origin of this effect is the 45° incidence angle of the analysis beam, recording planar images with distortion of the sample surface. For the generation of correct element distributions, these artifacts associated with the sample surface need to be eliminated by measuring the sample surface topography and applying suitable algorithms. For this purpose, the next generation of ToF-SIMS instruments will feature a scanning probe microscope directly implemented in the sample chamber which allows the performance of topography measurements in situ. This work presents the combination of 2D and 3D ToF-SIMS analysis with topographic measurements by ex situ techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal microscopy (CM), and digital holographic microscopy (DHM). The concept of the combination of topographic and ToF-SIMS measurements in a single representation was applied to organic and inorganic samples featuring surface structures in the nanometer and micrometer ranges. The correct representation of planar and distorted ToF-SIMS images was achieved by the combination of topographic data with images of 2D as well as 3D ToF-SIMS measurements, using either AFM, CM, or DHM for the recording of topographic data.

The Influence of Topographic Obstacles on Basaltic Lava Flow Morphologies

Science.gov (United States)

von Meerscheidt, H. C.; Brand, B. D.; deWet, A. P.; Bleacher, J. E.; Hamilton, C. W.; Samuels, R.

2014-12-01

Smooth pāhoehoe and jagged ´áā represent two end-members of a textural spectrum that reflects the emplacement characteristics of basaltic lava flows. However, many additional textures (e.g., rubbly and slabby pāhoehoe) reflect a range of different process due to lava flow dynamics or interaction with topography. Unfortunately the influence of topography on the distribution of textures in basaltic lava flows is not well-understood. The 18 ± 1.0 ka Twin Craters lava flow in the Zuni-Bandera field (New Mexico, USA) provides an excellent site to study the morphological changes of a lava flow that encountered topographic obstacles. The flow field is 0.2-3.8 km wide with a prominent central tube system that intersects and wraps around a 1000 m long ridge, oriented perpendicular to flow. Upstream of the ridge, the flow has low-relief inflation features extending out and around the ridge. This area includes mildly to heavily disrupted pāhoehoe with interdispersed agglutinated masses, irregularly shaped rubble and lava balls. Breakouts of ´áā and collapse features are also common. These observations suggest crustal disruption due to flow-thickening upstream from the ridge and the movement of lava out and around the obstacle. While the ridge influenced the path of the tube, which wraps around the southern end of the ridge, the series of collapse features and breakouts of ´áā along the tube system are more likely a result of changes in flux throughout the tube system because these features are found both upstream and downstream of the obstacle. This work demonstrates that topography can significantly influence the formation history and surface disruption of a flow field, and in some cases the influence of topography can be separated from the influences of changes in flux along a tube system.

Diffraction of SH-waves by topographic features in a layered transversely isotropic half-space

Science.gov (United States)

Ba, Zhenning; Liang, Jianwen; Zhang, Yanju

2017-01-01

The scattering of plane SH-waves by topographic features in a layered transversely isotropic (TI) half-space is investigated by using an indirect boundary element method (IBEM). Firstly, the anti-plane dynamic stiffness matrix of the layered TI half-space is established and the free fields are solved by using the direct stiffness method. Then, Green's functions are derived for uniformly distributed loads acting on an inclined line in a layered TI half-space and the scattered fields are constructed with the deduced Green's functions. Finally, the free fields are added to the scattered ones to obtain the global dynamic responses. The method is verified by comparing results with the published isotropic ones. Both the steady-state and transient dynamic responses are evaluated and discussed. Numerical results in the frequency domain show that surface motions for the TI media can be significantly different from those for the isotropic case, which are strongly dependent on the anisotropy property, incident angle and incident frequency. Results in the time domain show that the material anisotropy has important effects on the maximum duration and maximum amplitudes of the time histories.

Historical Topographic Map Collection bookmark

Science.gov (United States)

Fishburn, Kristin A.; Allord, Gregory J.

2017-06-29

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Geospatial Program is scanning published USGS 1:250,000-scale and larger topographic maps printed between 1884, the inception of the topographic mapping program, and 2006. The goal of this project, which began publishing the historical scanned maps in 2011, is to provide a digital repository of USGS topographic maps, available to the public at no cost. For more than 125 years, USGS topographic maps have accurately portrayed the complex geography of the Nation. The USGS is the Nation’s largest producer of printed topographic maps, and prior to 2006, USGS topographic maps were created using traditional cartographic methods and printed using a lithographic printing process. As the USGS continues the release of a new generation of topographic maps (US Topo) in electronic form, the topographic map remains an indispensable tool for government, science, industry, land management planning, and leisure.

Large-scale Topographical Screen for Investigation of Physical Neural-Guidance Cues

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Tang, Qing Yuan; Jadhav, Amol D.; Narang, Ankit; Qian, Wei Xian; Shi, Peng; Pang, Stella W.

2015-03-01

A combinatorial approach was used to present primary neurons with a large library of topographical features in the form of micropatterned substrate for high-throughput screening of physical neural-guidance cues that can effectively promote different aspects of neuronal development, including axon and dendritic outgrowth. Notably, the neuronal-guidance capability of specific features was automatically identified using a customized image processing software, thus significantly increasing the screening throughput with minimal subjective bias. Our results indicate that the anisotropic topographies promote axonal and in some cases dendritic extension relative to the isotropic topographies, while dendritic branching showed preference to plain substrates over the microscale features. The results from this work can be readily applied towards engineering novel biomaterials with precise surface topography that can serve as guidance conduits for neuro-regenerative applications. This novel topographical screening strategy combined with the automated processing capability can also be used for high-throughput screening of chemical or genetic regulatory factors in primary neurons.

Vector Topographic Map Data over the BOREAS NSA and SSA in SIF Format

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, David; Nickeson, Jaime; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor)

2000-01-01

This data set contains vector contours and other features of individual topographic map sheets from the National Topographic Series (NTS). The map sheet files were received in Standard Interchange Format (SIF) and cover the BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Northern Study Area (NSA) and Southern Study Area (SSA) at scales of 1:50,000 and 1:250,000. The individual files are stored in compressed Unix tar archives.

Integrating bathymetric and topographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Teh, Su Yean; Koh, Hock Lye; Lim, Yong Hui; Tan, Wai Kiat

2017-11-01

The quality of bathymetric and topographic resolution significantly affect the accuracy of tsunami run-up and inundation simulation. However, high resolution gridded bathymetric and topographic data sets for Malaysia are not freely available online. It is desirable to have seamless integration of high resolution bathymetric and topographic data. The bathymetric data available from the National Hydrographic Centre (NHC) of the Royal Malaysian Navy are in scattered form; while the topographic data from the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) are given in regularly spaced grid systems. Hence, interpolation is required to integrate the bathymetric and topographic data into regularly-spaced grid systems for tsunami simulation. The objective of this research is to analyze the most suitable interpolation methods for integrating bathymetric and topographic data with minimal errors. We analyze four commonly used interpolation methods for generating gridded topographic and bathymetric surfaces, namely (i) Kriging, (ii) Multiquadric (MQ), (iii) Thin Plate Spline (TPS) and (iv) Inverse Distance to Power (IDP). Based upon the bathymetric and topographic data for the southern part of Penang Island, our study concluded, via qualitative visual comparison and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) assessment, that the Kriging interpolation method produces an interpolated bathymetric and topographic surface that best approximate the admiralty nautical chart of south Penang Island.

Assessment of current and proposed nature reserves of Mexico based on their capacity to protect geophysical features and biodiversity

Science.gov (United States)

Cantu, C.; Wright, R.G.; Scott, J.M.; Strand, Espen

2004-01-01

Mexico currently has 144 nature reserves covering approximately 9.1% of its land area. These reserves were established for a variety of reasons - often unrelated to the protection of biodiversity. In 2000 in response to a growing concern about the lack of organized conservation reserve planning to protect the important threatened biological and physical features of Mexico, the Mexican Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) proposed the establishment of 151 new reserves for Mexico covering 51,429,500 ha. We compiled a GIS analysis using digital thematic maps of physical and biological features to examine how the existing and proposed reserves serve to protect the biodiversity and physical features of the country. Using a conservation target of placing a minimum of 12% of the land area of each important biophysical feature in nature reserves, we found that the 144 existing nature reserves covering 18 million ha (9% of the country) only meet that target for elevation ranges >3000 m and areas with poor soils. These mountainous areas represent less than 1% of the country. The gaps in the existing nature reserves network occur mainly at lower and intermediate elevations (<3000 m) areas with xeric, tropical, and temperate ecosystems, and high productivity soils. The areas proposed by CONABIO increase the proportion of protected lands in the country to over 27% and most of the conservation targets for geophysical features, and land cover, categories are met. Whether this area would be sufficient to maintain viable populations and ecological integrity of species and ecosystems is unknown. Even with the new reserves, low elevation coastal lands would be below the conservation target in the nature reserves. To include a representative sample of these lands would be difficult as these are the same areas where the majority of people live. ?? 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of topographic structure and soil macrofauna presence at spoil heaps during spontaneous succession.

Science.gov (United States)

Walmsley, Alena; Vachová, Pavla; Vach, Marek

2016-04-01

This research was investigating whether topographic features, which determine soil nutrient and moisture distribution, in combination with soil fauna (wireworm and earthworm) presence, affect plant community composition at a spontaneously revegetated post mining area with an undulating surface. Two sites of different age with 3 types of topographic features were selected, soil moisture and nutrient content were measured, plant community composition and soil macrofauna community was sampled at each position. Wireworms were present at all positions and were most abundant at bottoms of waves at the younger site; their presence was correlated with several plant species, but the direction of the interaction isn't clear. Earthworms were only present at the older site and had highest abundance at flat sections. Earthworm presence affected the amount of nitrogen in soil - the most nitrogen content was at the site with highest earthworm density and was followed by higher diversity of plant community. The plant community composition was generally correlated with plant available nutrient content - especially P and N. We infer that topographic features affect nutrient and soil fauna distribution, which consequently influences plant community composition.

Relationship between the latest activity of mare volcanism and topographic features of the Moon

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Shinsuke; Morota, Tomokatsu; Yamaguchi, Yasushi; Watanabe, Sei-ichiro; Otake, Hisashi; Ohtake, Makiko

2016-04-01

Lunar mare basalts provide insights into compositions and thermal history of lunar mantle. According to crater counting analysis with remote sensing data, the model ages of mare basalt units indicate a second peak of magma activity at the end of mare volcanism (~2 Ga), and the latest eruptions were limited in the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), which has high abundances of heat-producing elements. In order to understand the mechanism for causing the second peak and its magma source, we examined the correlation between the titanium contents and eruption ages of mare basalt units using compositional and chronological data updated by SELENE/Kaguya. Although no systematic relationship is observed globally, a rapid increase in mean titanium (Ti) content occurred at 2.3 Ga in the PKT, suggesting that the magma source of mare basalts changed at that time. The high-Ti basaltic eruption, which occurred at the late stage of mare volcanism, can be correlated with the second peak of volcanic activity at ~2 Ga. The latest volcanic activity can be explained by a high-Ti hot plume originated from the core-mantle boundary. If the hot plume was occurred, the topographic features formed by the hot plume may be remained. We calculated the difference between topography and selenoid and found the circular feature like a plateau in the center of the PKT, which scale is ~1000 km horizontal and ~500 m vertical. We investigated the timing of ridge formation in the PKT by using stratigraphic relationship between mare basalts and ridges. The ridges were formed before and after the high-Ti basaltic eruptions and seem to be along with the plateau. These results suggest that the plateau formation is connected with the high-Ti basaltic eruptions.

Regionalization and classification of bioclimatic zones in the central-northeastern region of Mexico using principal component analysis (PCA)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pineda-Martinez, L.F.; Carbajal, N.; Medina-Roldan, E. [Instituto Potosino de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica, A. C., San Luis Potosi (Mexico)]. E-mail: lpineda@ipicyt.edu.mx

2007-04-15

Applying principal component analysis (PCA), we determined climate zones in a topographic gradient in the central-northeastern part of Mexico. We employed nearly 30 years of monthly temperature and precipitation data at 173 meteorological stations. The climate classification was carried out applying the Koeppen system modified for the conditions of Mexico. PCA indicates a regionalization in agreement with topographic characteristics and vegetation. We describe the different bioclimatic zones, associated with typical vegetation, for each climate using geographical information systems (GIS). [Spanish] Utilizando un analisis de componentes principales, determinamos zonas climaticas en un gradiente topografico en la zona centro-noreste de Mexico. Se emplearon datos de precipitacion y temperatura medias mensuales por un periodo de 30 anos de 173 estaciones meteorologicas. La clasificacion del clima fue llevada a cabo de acuerdo con el sistema de Koeppen modificado para las condiciones de Mexico. El analisis de componentes principales indico una regionalizacion que concuerda con caracteristicas de topografia y vegetacion. Se describen zonas bioclimaticas, asociadas a vegetacion tipica para cada clima, usando sistemas de informacion geografica (SIG).

Exhumation and topographic evolution of the Namche Barwa Syntaxis, eastern Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Rong; Herman, Frédéric; Fellin, Maria Giuditta; Maden, Colin

2018-01-01

The Namche Barwa Syntaxis, as one of the most tectonically active regions, remains an appropriate place to explore the relationship between tectonics, surface processes, and landscape evolution. Two leading models have been proposed for the formation and evolution of this syntaxis, including the tectonic aneurysm model and the syntaxis expansion model. Here we use a multi-disciplinary approach based on low-temperature thermochronometry, numerical modeling, river profile and topographic analyses to investigate the interactions between tectonics, erosion, and landscape evolution and to test these models. Our results emphasize the presence of young cooling ages (i.e., River, to the north of the syntaxis. Using numerical modeling we argue that a recent increase in exhumation rate is required to expose these young ages. Our river analysis reveals spatial variations in channel steepness, which we interpret to reflect the rock uplift pattern. By establishing the relationship between erosion rates and topographic features, we find that erosion rates are poorly to weakly correlated with topographic features, suggesting that the landscape is still evolving. Altogether, these results seem better explained by a mechanism that involves a northward expansion of the syntaxis, which causes high rock uplift rates to the north of the syntaxis and a transient state of topography adjusting to an evolving tectonic setting.

Influence of different topographic correction strategies on mountain vegetation classification accuracy in the Lancang Watershed, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhiming; de Wulf, Robert R.; van Coillie, Frieke M. B.; Verbeke, Lieven P. C.; de Clercq, Eva M.; Ou, Xiaokun

2011-01-01

Mapping of vegetation using remote sensing in mountainous areas is considerably hampered by topographic effects on the spectral response pattern. A variety of topographic normalization techniques have been proposed to correct these illumination effects due to topography. The purpose of this study was to compare six different topographic normalization methods (Cosine correction, Minnaert correction, C-correction, Sun-canopy-sensor correction, two-stage topographic normalization, and slope matching technique) for their effectiveness in enhancing vegetation classification in mountainous environments. Since most of the vegetation classes in the rugged terrain of the Lancang Watershed (China) did not feature a normal distribution, artificial neural networks (ANNs) were employed as a classifier. Comparing the ANN classifications, none of the topographic correction methods could significantly improve ETM+ image classification overall accuracy. Nevertheless, at the class level, the accuracy of pine forest could be increased by using topographically corrected images. On the contrary, oak forest and mixed forest accuracies were significantly decreased by using corrected images. The results also showed that none of the topographic normalization strategies was satisfactorily able to correct for the topographic effects in severely shadowed areas.

Advancing representation of hydrologic processes in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) through integration of the TOPographic MODEL (TOPMODEL) features

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J.; Wu, Y.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a study of the integration of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and the TOPographic MODEL (TOPMODEL) features for enhancing the physical representation of hydrologic processes. In SWAT, four hydrologic processes, which are surface runoff, baseflow, groundwater re-evaporation and deep aquifer percolation, are modeled by using a group of empirical equations. The empirical equations usually constrain the simulation capability of relevant processes. To replace these equations and to model the influences of topography and water table variation on streamflow generation, the TOPMODEL features are integrated into SWAT, and a new model, the so-called SWAT-TOP, is developed. In the new model, the process of deep aquifer percolation is removed, the concept of groundwater re-evaporation is refined, and the processes of surface runoff and baseflow are remodeled. Consequently, three parameters in SWAT are discarded, and two new parameters to reflect the TOPMODEL features are introduced. SWAT-TOP and SWAT are applied to the East River basin in South China, and the results reveal that, compared with SWAT, the new model can provide a more reasonable simulation of the hydrologic processes of surface runoff, groundwater re-evaporation, and baseflow. This study evidences that an established hydrologic model can be further improved by integrating the features of another model, which is a possible way to enhance our understanding of the workings of catchments.

Idiopathic ophthalmodynia and idiopathic rhinalgia: two topographic facial pain syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pareja, Juan A; Cuadrado, María L; Porta-Etessam, Jesús; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César; Gili, Pablo; Caminero, Ana B; Cebrián, José L

2010-09-01

To describe 2 topographic facial pain conditions with the pain clearly localized in the eye (idiopathic ophthalmodynia) or in the nose (idiopathic rhinalgia), and to propose their distinction from persistent idiopathic facial pain. Persistent idiopathic facial pain, burning mouth syndrome, atypical odontalgia, and facial arthromyalgia are idiopathic facial pain syndromes that have been separated according to topographical criteria. Still, some other facial pain syndromes might have been veiled under the broad term of persistent idiopathic facial pain. Through a 10-year period we have studied all patients referred to our neurological clinic because of facial pain of unknown etiology that might deviate from all well-characterized facial pain syndromes. In a group of patients we have identified 2 consistent clinical pictures with pain precisely located either in the eye (n=11) or in the nose (n=7). Clinical features resembled those of other localized idiopathic facial syndromes, the key differences relying on the topographic distribution of the pain. Both idiopathic ophthalmodynia and idiopathic rhinalgia seem specific pain syndromes with a distinctive location, and may deserve a nosologic status just as other focal pain syndromes of the face. Whether all such focal syndromes are topographic variants of persistent idiopathic facial pain or independent disorders remains a controversial issue.

Habitat features and predictive habitat modeling for the Colorado chipmunk in southern New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rivieccio, M.; Thompson, B.C.; Gould, W.R.; Boykin, K.G.

2003-01-01

Two subspecies of Colorado chipmunk (state threatened and federal species of concern) occur in southern New Mexico: Tamias quadrivittatus australis in the Organ Mountains and T. q. oscuraensis in the Oscura Mountains. We developed a GIS model of potentially suitable habitat based on vegetation and elevation features, evaluated site classifications of the GIS model, and determined vegetation and terrain features associated with chipmunk occurrence. We compared GIS model classifications with actual vegetation and elevation features measured at 37 sites. At 60 sites we measured 18 habitat variables regarding slope, aspect, tree species, shrub species, and ground cover. We used logistic regression to analyze habitat variables associated with chipmunk presence/absence. All (100%) 37 sample sites (28 predicted suitable, 9 predicted unsuitable) were classified correctly by the GIS model regarding elevation and vegetation. For 28 sites predicted suitable by the GIS model, 18 sites (64%) appeared visually suitable based on habitat variables selected from logistic regression analyses, of which 10 sites (36%) were specifically predicted as suitable habitat via logistic regression. We detected chipmunks at 70% of sites deemed suitable via the logistic regression models. Shrub cover, tree density, plant proximity, presence of logs, and presence of rock outcrop were retained in the logistic model for the Oscura Mountains; litter, shrub cover, and grass cover were retained in the logistic model for the Organ Mountains. Evaluation of predictive models illustrates the need for multi-stage analyses to best judge performance. Microhabitat analyses indicate prospective needs for different management strategies between the subspecies. Sensitivities of each population of the Colorado chipmunk to natural and prescribed fire suggest that partial burnings of areas inhabited by Colorado chipmunks in southern New Mexico may be beneficial. These partial burnings may later help avoid a fire

Topographic Effects in Geoid Determinations

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Lars E. Sjöberg

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, geoid determination is applied by Stokes’ formula with gravity anomalies after removal of the attraction of the topography by a simple or refined Bouguer correction, and restoration of topography by the primary indirect topographic effect (PITE after integration. This technique leads to an error of the order of the quasigeoid-to-geoid separation, which is mainly due to an incomplete downward continuation of gravity from the surface to the geoid. Alternatively, one may start from the modern surface gravity anomaly and apply the direct topographic effect on the anomaly, yielding the no-topography gravity anomaly. After downward continuation of this anomaly to sea-level and Stokes integration, a theoretically correct geoid height is obtained after the restoration of the topography by the PITE. The difference between the Bouguer and no-topography gravity anomalies (on the geoid or in space is the “secondary indirect topographic effect”, which is a necessary correction in removing all topographic signals. In modern applications of an Earth gravitational model (EGM in geoid determination a topographic correction is also needed in continental regions. Without the correction the error can range to a few metres in the highest mountains. The remove-compute-restore and Royal Institute of Technology (KTH techniques for geoid determinations usually employ a combination of Stokes’ formula and an EGM. Both techniques require direct and indirect topographic corrections, but in the latter method these corrections are merged as a combined topographic effect on the geoid height. Finally, we consider that any uncertainty in the topographic density distribution leads to the same error in gravimetric and geometric geoid estimates, deteriorating GNSS-levelling as a tool for validating the topographic mass distribution correction in a gravimetric geoid model.

Study on Site Conditions Based on Topographic Slope

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, X.; Wang, X.; Yuan, X.; Chen, M.; Dou, A.

2018-04-01

The travel-time averaged shear-wave velocity to a depth of 30m (Vs30) below the Earth's surface is widely used to classify sites in many building codes. Vs30 is also used to estimate site classification in recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs), and the distribution of Vs30 has been mapped in a region or country. An alternative method has recently been proposed for evaluating global seismic site conditions or Vs30, from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) DEMs (digital elevation models). The basic premise of the method is that the topographic slope can be used as a reliable proxy for Vs30 in the absence of geologically and geotechnically based site-condition maps through correlations between Vs30 measurements and topographic gradient. Here, we use different resolutions (3 arcsec, 30 arcsec) DEM data to get Vs30 data separately, analyze and compare the difference of Vs30 data and site conditions obtained from different resolution DEM data. Shandong Province in eastern China and Sichuan Province in Western China are studied respectively. It is found that the higher resolution data is better at defining spatial topographic features than the 30c data, but less improvement in its correlation with Vs30.

STUDY ON SITE CONDITIONS BASED ON TOPOGRAPHIC SLOPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Wu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The travel-time averaged shear-wave velocity to a depth of 30m (Vs30 below the Earth’s surface is widely used to classify sites in many building codes. Vs30 is also used to estimate site classification in recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs, and the distribution of Vs30 has been mapped in a region or country. An alternative method has recently been proposed for evaluating global seismic site conditions or Vs30, from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEMs (digital elevation models. The basic premise of the method is that the topographic slope can be used as a reliable proxy for Vs30 in the absence of geologically and geotechnically based site-condition maps through correlations between Vs30 measurements and topographic gradient. Here, we use different resolutions (3 arcsec, 30 arcsec DEM data to get Vs30 data separately, analyze and compare the difference of Vs30 data and site conditions obtained from different resolution DEM data. Shandong Province in eastern China and Sichuan Province in Western China are studied respectively. It is found that the higher resolution data is better at defining spatial topographic features than the 30c data, but less improvement in its correlation with Vs30.

Does Translational Symmetry Matter on the Micro Scale? Fibroblastic and Osteoblastic Interactions with the Topographically Distinct Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Hydroxyapatite Thin Films

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Material composition and topography of the cell-contacting material interface are important considerations in the design of biomaterials at the nano and micro scales. This study is one of the first to have assessed the osteoblastic response to micropatterned polymer–ceramic composite surfaces. In particular, the effect of topographic variations of composite poly(ε-caprolactone)/hydroxyapatite (PCL/HAp) films on viability, proliferation, migration and osteogenesis of fibroblastic and osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was evaluated. To that end, three different micropatterned PCL/HAp films were compared: flat and textured, the latter of which included films comprising periodically arranged and randomly distributed oval topographic features 10 μm in diameter, 20 μm in separation and 10 μm in height, comparable to the dimensions of MC3T3-E1 cells. PCL/HAp films were fabricated by the combination of a bottom-up, soft chemical synthesis of the ceramic, nanoparticulate phase and a top-down, photolithographic technique for imprinting fine, microscale features on them. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated an isotropic orientation of both the polymeric chains and HAp crystallites in the composite samples. Biocompatibility tests indicated no significant decrease in their viability when grown on PCL/HAp films. Fibroblast proliferation and migration onto PCL/HAp films proceeded slower than on the control borosilicate glass, with the flat composite film fostering more cell migration activity than the films containing topographic features. The gene expression of seven analyzed osteogenic markers, including procollagen type I, osteocalcin, osteopontin, alkaline phosphatase, and the transcription factors Runx2 and TGFβ-1, was, however, consistently upregulated in cells grown on PCL/HAp films comprising periodically ordered topographic features, suggesting that the higher levels of symmetry of the topographic ordering impose a moderate mechanochemical stress on the adherent cells

STM topographical images of C60

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Z.; Zhang, P.; Moskovits, M.

1991-01-01

In this paper STM topographical images of C 60 are reported. The images are consistent with a molecule approximately 9 Angstrom in diameter possessing the now-famous soccer ball structure. With the molecule deposited on gold, its atomic structure is not resolved. On graphite the structure of the within the borders of the C 60 molecule is dominated by that of the graphite forming a moire-like pattern. Some evidence of atomic structure is seen in multilayers of C 60 where some five- and six-membered rings are visible. These may, however, be features of fragments of the fullerene rather than whole molecules

Topographic processing in developmental prosopagnosia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klargaard, Solja K.; Starrfelt, Randi; Petersen, Anders

2016-01-01

deficit in visual processing or visual short-term memory. Interestingly, a classical dissociation could be demonstrated between impaired face memory and preserved topographic memory in two developmental prosopagnosics. We conclude that impairments in topographic memory tend to co-occur with developmental......Anecdotal evidence suggests a relation between impaired spatial (navigational) processing and developmental prosopagnosia. To address this formally, we tested two aspects of topographic processing – that is, perception and memory of mountain landscapes shown from different viewpoints. Participants...

Separating topographical and chemical analysis of nanostructure of polymer composite in low voltage SEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Q; Plenderleith, R A; Claeyssens, F; Rodenburg, C; Dapor, M; Rimmer, S

2015-01-01

The possibility of separating the topographical and chemical information in a polymer nano-composite using low-voltage SEM imaging is demonstrated, when images are acquired with a Concentric Backscattered (CBS) detector. This separation of chemical and topographical information is based on the different angular distribution of electron scattering which were calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation based on angular restricted detection was applied to a semi-branched PNIPAM/PEGDA interpenetration network for which a linear relationship of topography SEM contrast and feature height data was observed. (paper)

Topographical ability in Developmental Prosopagnosia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klargaard, Solja; Starrfelt, Randi; Petersen, Anders

2016-01-01

and topographical short-term memory (2 sec delay). The stimulus material consisted of computer-generated mountain landscapes shown from seven different viewpoints. In comparison with controls, the individuals with DP had no difficulty in perceiving the spatial aspects of the landscapes, but some were impaired...... in the short-term retention of these mountain landscapes. No systematic relationship (correlation) was found between recognition memory for faces and landscapes. Indeed, three cases with DP showed a statistically significant classical dissociation between these domains. Additional testing revealed...... that the deficit in topographical memory did not relate systematically to impaired visual short-term memory or recognition of more complex material. In conclusion, some individuals with DP show subtle deficits in topographical memory. Importantly, the deficits in topographical memory and face recognition do...

LANDSLIDES IDENTIFICATION USING AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING DATA DERIVED TOPOGRAPHIC TERRAIN ATTRIBUTES AND SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINE CLASSIFICATION

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K. Pawłuszek

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Since the availability of high-resolution Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS data, substantial progress in geomorphological research, especially in landslide analysis, has been carried out. First and second order derivatives of Digital Terrain Model (DTM have become a popular and powerful tool in landslide inventory mapping. Nevertheless, an automatic landslide mapping based on sophisticated classifiers including Support Vector Machine (SVM, Artificial Neural Network or Random Forests is often computationally time consuming. The objective of this research is to deeply explore topographic information provided by ALS data and overcome computational time limitation. For this reason, an extended set of topographic features and the Principal Component Analysis (PCA were used to reduce redundant information. The proposed novel approach was tested on a susceptible area affected by more than 50 landslides located on Rożnów Lake in Carpathian Mountains, Poland. The initial seven PCA components with 90% of the total variability in the original topographic attributes were used for SVM classification. Comparing results with landslide inventory map, the average user’s accuracy (UA, producer’s accuracy (PA, and overall accuracy (OA were calculated for two models according to the classification results. Thereby, for the PCA-feature-reduced model UA, PA, and OA were found to be 72%, 76%, and 72%, respectively. Similarly, UA, PA, and OA in the non-reduced original topographic model, was 74%, 77% and 74%, respectively. Using the initial seven PCA components instead of the twenty original topographic attributes does not significantly change identification accuracy but reduce computational time.

Corneal topographer based on the Hartmann test.

Science.gov (United States)

Mejía, Yobani; Galeano, Janneth C

2009-04-01

The purpose of this article is to show the performance of a topographer based on the Hartmann test for convex surfaces of F/# approximately 1. This topographer, called "Hartmann Test topographer (HT topographer)," is a prototype developed in the Physics Department of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. From the Hartmann pattern generated by the surface under test, and by the Fourier analysis and the optical aberration theory we obtain the sagitta (elevation map) of the surface. Then, taking the first and the second derivatives of the sagitta in the radial direction we obtain the meridional curvature map. The method is illustrated with an example. To check the performance of the HT topographer a toric surface, a revolution aspherical surface, and two human corneas were measured. Our results are compared with those obtained with a Placido ring topographer (Tomey TMS-4 videokeratoscope), and we show that our curvature maps are similar to those obtained with the Placido ring topographer. The HT topographer is able to reconstruct the corneal topography potentially eradicating the skew ray problem, therefore, corneal defects can be visualized more. The results are presented by elevation and meridional curvature maps.

Creation of next generation U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps

Science.gov (United States)

Craun, Kari J.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is 2 years into a 3-year cycle to create new digital topographic map products for the conterminous United States from data acquired and maintained as part of The National Map databases. These products are in the traditional, USGS topographic quadrangle, 7.5-minute (latitude and longitude) cell format. The 3-year cycle was conceived to follow the acquisition of National Aerial Imagery Program (NAIP) orthorectified imagery, a key layer in the new product. In fiscal year (FY) 2009 (ending September 30, 2009), the first year of the 3-year cycle, the USGS produced 13,200 products. These initial products of the “Digital MapBeta” series had limited feature content, including only the NAIP image, some roads, geographic names, and grid and collar information. The products were created in layered georegistered Portable Document Format (PDF) files, allowing users with freely available Adobe® Reader® software to view, print, and perform simple Geographic Information System-like functions. In FY 2010 (ending September 30, 2010), the USGS produced 20,380 products. These products of the “US Topo” series added hydrography (surface water features), contours, and some boundaries. In FY 2011 (ending September 30, 2011), the USGS will complete the initial coverage with US Topo products and will add additional feature content to the maps. The design, development, and production associated with the US Topo products provide management and technical challenges for the USGS and its public and private sector partners. One challenge is the acquisition and maintenance of nationally consistent base map data from multiple sources. Another is the use of these data to create a consistent, current series of cartographic products that can be used by the broad spectrum of traditional topographic map users. Although the USGS and its partners have overcome many of these challenges, many, such as establishing and funding a sustainable base data

Topographic characterization of nanostructures on curved polymer surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Feidenhans'l, Nikolaj Agentoft; Petersen, Jan C.; Taboryski, Rafael J.

2014-01-01

The availability of portable instrumentation for characterizing surface topography on the micro- and nanometer scale is very limited. Particular the handling of curved surfaces, both concave and convex, is complicated or not possible on current instrumentation. However, the currently growing use...... method with a portable instrument that can be used in a production environment, and topographically characterize nanometer-scale surface structures on both flat and curved surfaces. To facilitate the commercialization of injection moulded polymer parts featuring nanostructures, it is pivotal...... of injection moulding of polymer parts featuring nanostructured surfaces, requires an instrument that can characterize these structures to ensure replication-confidence between master structure and replicated polymer parts. This project concerns the development of a metrological traceable quality control...

TOPOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF MALYY NARYN RIVER WATERSHED BASED ON DIFFERENT DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Li

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This paper researched the influence on the topographical characteristics of watersheds by setting different catchment area thresholds based on different data sets, namely ZY3 DSM, SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM. Slope, hypsometric integral, river network density and river network discrepancy are analyzed and compared. The results are as follows: a Three data sets all can express the same rough terrain characteristics and the same degree of watershed topography development; b ZY3 DSM can reflect terrain information over the Malyy Naryn River watershed in most detail and it has the best expression effect on the terrain among the three data sets of ZY3 DSM, SRTM DEM and ASTER GDEM, followed by SRTM DEM, and the effect of ASTER GDEM is the worst; c The similarity of river networks extracted by ZY3 DSM and SRTM DEM is the highest, and the similarity between ZY3 DSM and ASTER GDEM is the lowest one.

THE DESIGN AND PRODUCT OF NATIONAL 1:1000000 CARTOGRAPHIC DATA OF TOPOGRAPHIC MAP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available National administration of surveying, mapping and geoinformation started to launch the project of national fundamental geographic information database dynamic update in 2012. Among them, the 1:50000 database was updated once a year, furthermore the 1:250000 database was downsized and linkage-updated on the basis. In 2014, using the latest achievements of 1:250000 database, comprehensively update the 1:1000000 digital line graph database. At the same time, generate cartographic data of topographic map and digital elevation model data. This article mainly introduce national 1:1000000 cartographic data of topographic map, include feature content, database structure, Database-driven Mapping technology, workflow and so on.

Ontology-based integration of topographic data sets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uitermark, HT; van Oosterom, PJM; Mars, NJI; Molenaar, M

The integration of topographic data sets is defined as the process of establishing relationships between corresponding object instances in different, autonomously produced, topographic data sets of the same geographic space. The problem of integrating topographic data sets is in finding these

An overview of the floristic richness and conservation of the arid regions of northern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Laura Arriaga; Elizabeth Moreno; Claudia Aguilar

2005-01-01

The arid and semiarid regions of Northern Mexico harbor diverse, highly endemic, and geographically complex ecosystems. These share topographic and biogeographic similarities that can be used as an analytical framework to assess biodiversity patterns. This study presents the current status of vascular plant inventories for Mexican Aridamerica. The spatial distribution...

Mexico tornado climatology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel Macías Medrano

2013-07-01

Full Text Available A brief introduction on some features of tornado database in Mexico is exposed showing its substantive criteria. We resent a brief analysis about main Mexican tornadoes´ characteristics, based on data collected between 2000 to 2010, talking about spatial and temporal expressions (historical, seasonal and horary in order to show the importance of it destruction capacity and also the people´s vulnerability in Mexico.

White Oak Creek Watershed topographic map and related materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrow, N.D.

1981-04-01

On March 22, 1978 a contract was let to Accu-Air Surveys, Inc., of Seymour, Indiana, to produce a topographic map of the White Oak Creek Watershed. Working from photography and ground control surveys, Accu-Air produced a map to ORNL's specifications. The map is in four sections (N.W., N.E., S.W., S.E.) at a scale of 1:2400. Contour intervals are 5 ft (1.5 m) with accented delineations every 25 ft (7.6 m). The scribe method was used for the finished map. Planimetric features, roads, major fence lines, drainage features, and tree lines are included. The ORNL grid is the primary coordinate system which is superimposed on the state plain coordinates

IMPACT OF DIFFERENT TOPOGRAPHIC CORRECTIONS ON PREDICTION ACCURACY OF FOLIAGE PROJECTIVE COVER (FPC IN A TOPOGRAPHICALLY COMPLEX TERRAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Ediriweera

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Quantitative retrieval of land surface biological parameters (e.g. foliage projective cover [FPC] and Leaf Area Index is crucial for forest management, ecosystem modelling, and global change monitoring applications. Currently, remote sensing is a widely adopted method for rapid estimation of surface biological parameters in a landscape scale. Topographic correction is a necessary pre-processing step in the remote sensing application for topographically complex terrain. Selection of a suitable topographic correction method on remotely sensed spectral information is still an unresolved problem. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of topographic corrections on the prediction of FPC in hilly terrain using an established regression model. Five established topographic corrections [C, Minnaert, SCS, SCS+C and processing scheme for standardised surface reflectance (PSSSR] were evaluated on Landsat TM5 acquired under low and high sun angles in closed canopied subtropical rainforest and eucalyptus dominated open canopied forest, north-eastern Australia. The effectiveness of methods at normalizing topographic influence, preserving biophysical spectral information, and internal data variability were assessed by statistical analysis and by comparing field collected FPC data. The results of statistical analyses show that SCS+C and PSSSR perform significantly better than other corrections, which were on less overcorrected areas of faintly illuminated slopes. However, the best relationship between FPC and Landsat spectral responses was obtained with the PSSSR by producing the least residual error. The SCS correction method was poor for correction of topographic effect in predicting FPC in topographically complex terrain.

Imprint lithography provides topographical nanocues to guide cell growth in primary cortical cell culture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xie, S.; Luttge, R.

2014-01-01

In this paper, we describe a technology platform to study the effect of nanocues on the cell growth direction in primary cortical cell culture. Topographical cues to cells are provided using nanoscale features created by Jet and Flash Imprint Lithography, coated with polyethylenimine. We

Topographic and sedimentary features in the Yap subduction zone and their implications for the Caroline Ridge subduction

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Dongdong; Zhang, Zhengyi; Bai, Yongliang; Fan, Jianke; Zhang, Guangxu

2018-01-01

The Yap subduction zone in the western Pacific presents some unique features compared to normal intra-oceanic subduction zones such as the subduction of an oceanic plateau. However, due to the relative paucity of geophysical data, the detailed structure remains unknown in this area. In this study, we present the latest high-quality swath bathymetry and multi-channel seismic data acquired synchronously in 2015 across the Yap subduction zone. The topographic and sedimentary features are intensively investigated and a modified evolutionary model of the Yap subduction zone is proposed. The two-stage evolution of the Parece Vela Basin (PVB) produced fabrics that are N-S trending and NW-SE trending. Our seismic data clearly reveal landslide deposits at the upper slope break of the forearc, to the north of the Yap Island, which was identified as the fault notch denoting a lithological boundary in previous work. The swath bathymetry and seismic profile reveal detailed horst and graben structures, including a crescent-shaped fault zone near the contact between the Yap Trench and the Caroline Ridge. A simple geometric model is proposed to explain the structure formation, indicating that the higher topography of the Caroline Ridge resulted in enhanced bending-related extension. A seismic angular unconformity (named R1) is identified in the Sorol Trough, marking the onset of rifting in the trough. Based on the sequence thickness and deposition rate by Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP), it is deduced that the Sorol Trough formed at 10 Ma or even earlier. A modified model for the Yap subduction zone evolution is proposed, incorporating three major tectonic events: the proto-Yap Arc rupture in the Oligocene, the collision of the Caroline Ridge and the Yap Trench in the late Oligocene or middle Miocene, and the onset of the Sorol Trough rifting in the late Miocene.

MorphoTester: An Open Source Application for Morphological Topographic Analysis.

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Julia M Winchester

Full Text Available The increased prevalence and affordability of 3D scanning technology is beginning to have significant effects on the research questions and approaches available for studies of morphology. As the current trend of larger and more precise 3D datasets is unlikely to slow in the future, there is a need for efficient and capable tools for high-throughput quantitative analysis of biological shape. The promise and the challenge of implementing relatively automated methods for characterizing surface shape can be seen in the example of dental topographic analysis. Dental topographic analysis comprises a suite of techniques for quantifying tooth surfaces and component features. Topographic techniques have provided insight on mammalian molar form-function relationships and these methods could be applied to address other topics and questions. At the same time implementing multiple complementary topographic methods can have high time and labor costs, and comparability of data formats and approaches is difficult to predict. To address these challenges I present MorphoTester, an open source application for visualizing and quantifying topography from 3D triangulated polygon meshes. This application is Python-based and is free to use. MorphoTester implements three commonly used dental topographic metrics-Dirichlet normal energy, relief index, and orientation patch count rotated (OPCR. Previous OPCR algorithms have used raster-based grid data, which is not directly interchangeable with vector-based triangulated polygon meshes. A 3D-OPCR algorithm is provided here for quantifying complexity from polygon meshes. The efficacy of this metric is tested in a sample of mandibular second molars belonging to four species of cercopithecoid primates. Results suggest that 3D-OPCR is at least as effective for quantifying complexity as previous approaches, and may be more effective due to finer resolution of surface data considered here. MorphoTester represents an advancement

Elements of the Chicxulub Impact Structure as Revealed in SRTM and Surface GPS Topographic Data

Science.gov (United States)

Kinsland, Gary L.; Sanchez, Gary; Kobrick, Michael; Cardador, Manuel Hurtado

2003-01-01

Pope et al. [1] utilized the elevations from the Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) gravity data files to show that the main component of the surface expression of the Chicxulub Impact Structure is a roughly semi-circular, lowrelief depression about 90 km in diameter. They also identified other topographic features and the elements of the buried impact, which possibly led to the development of these features. These are summarized in Table 1. Kinsland et al. [2] presented a connection between these topographic anomalies, small gravity anomalies and buried structure of the impact. Very recently we have acquired digital topography data from NASA s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Our subset covers 6 square degrees from 20deg N 91degW to 22deg N 88degW (corner to corner) with a pixel size of about 90m. This area includes all of the identified portion of the crater on land.

Postgraduate Professional Pedagogical Education in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Zhyzhko, Olena

2015-01-01

This article is the result of scientific comparative-pedagogical research, which purpose was to highlight the main features of postgraduate professional pedagogical education in Mexico. The author found that the postgraduate professional pedagogical education in Mexico is performed by public and private higher education institutions: higher…

Neural correlates of British sign language comprehension: spatial processing demands of topographic language.

Science.gov (United States)

MacSweeney, Mairéad; Woll, Bencie; Campbell, Ruth; Calvert, Gemma A; McGuire, Philip K; David, Anthony S; Simmons, Andrew; Brammer, Michael J

2002-10-01

In all signed languages used by deaf people, signs are executed in "sign space" in front of the body. Some signed sentences use this space to map detailed "real-world" spatial relationships directly. Such sentences can be considered to exploit sign space "topographically." Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we explored the extent to which increasing the topographic processing demands of signed sentences was reflected in the differential recruitment of brain regions in deaf and hearing native signers of the British Sign Language. When BSL signers performed a sentence anomaly judgement task, the occipito-temporal junction was activated bilaterally to a greater extent for topographic than nontopographic processing. The differential role of movement in the processing of the two sentence types may account for this finding. In addition, enhanced activation was observed in the left inferior and superior parietal lobules during processing of topographic BSL sentences. We argue that the left parietal lobe is specifically involved in processing the precise configuration and location of hands in space to represent objects, agents, and actions. Importantly, no differences in these regions were observed when hearing people heard and saw English translations of these sentences. Despite the high degree of similarity in the neural systems underlying signed and spoken languages, exploring the linguistic features which are unique to each of these broadens our understanding of the systems involved in language comprehension.

From nano to micro: topographical scale and its impact on cell adhesion, morphology and contact guidance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Anh Tuan; Sathe, Sharvari R; Yim, Evelyn K F

2016-01-01

Topography, among other physical factors such as substrate stiffness and extracellular forces, is known to have a great influence on cell behaviours. Optimization of topographical features, in particular topographical dimensions ranging from nanoscale to microscale, is the key strategy to obtain the best cellular performance for various applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this review, we provide a comprehensive survey on the significance of sizes of topography and their impacts on cell adhesion, morphology and alignment, and neurite guidance. Also recent works mimicking the hierarchical structure of natural extracellular matrix by combining both nanoscale and microscale topographies are highlighted. (topical review)

Mexico: An Evaluation of the Main Features of the Tax System

OpenAIRE

Jorge Martinez-Vazquez

2001-01-01

Mexico's tax system is a paradox. The tax policy and tax administration reforms of the late 1980s and early 1990s delivered a tax structure that is in many ways comparable, if not superior, to that in many OECD countries. However, Mexico's tax system continues to perform in some fundamental ways, in particular in its ability to raise adequate revenues, worse than the tax system of many developing countries. The basic objective of this evaluation is to try to explain this paradox. In doing tha...

CFD Prediction on the Pressure Distribution and Streamlines around an Isolated Single-Storey House Considering the Effect of Topographic Characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, J.; Zaini, S. S.; Aziz, M. S. A.; Majid, T. A.; Deraman, S. N. C.; Yahya, W. N. W.

2018-04-01

Single-storey houses are classified as low rise building and vulnerable to damages under windstorm event. This study was carried out with the aim to investigate the pressure distribution and streamlines around an isolated house by considering the effect of terrain characteristics. The topographic features such as flat, depression, ridge, and valley, are considered in this study. This simulation were analysed with Ansys FLUENT 14.0 software package. The result showed the topography characteristics influence the value of pressure coefficient and streamlines especially when the house was located at ridge terrain. The findings strongly suggested that wind analysis should include all topographic features in the analysis in order to establish the true wind force exerted on any structure.

Converting Topographic Maps into Digital Form to Aid in Archeological Research in the Peten, Guatemala

Science.gov (United States)

Aldrich, Serena R.

1999-01-01

The purpose of my project was to convert a topographical map into digital form so that the data can be manipulated and easily accessed in the field. With the data in this particular format, Dr. Sever and his colleagues can highlight the specific features of the landscape that they require for their research of the ancient Mayan civilization. Digital elevation models (DEMs) can also be created from the digitized contour features adding another dimension to their research.

VT 100K DRG USGS Topographic Maps

Data.gov (United States)

Vermont Center for Geographic Information — (Link to Metadata) The Vermont Topographic Maps dataset (TOPOVT100K) is a raster image of a scanned USGS 1:100,000 scale topographic map excluding the collar...

Topographic mapping of electroencephalography coherence in hypnagogic state.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, H; Hayashi, M; Hori, T

1998-04-01

The present study examined the topographic characteristics of hypnagogic electroencephalography (EEG), using topographic mapping of EEG power and coherence corresponding to nine EEG stages (Hori's hypnagogic EEG stages). EEG stages 1 and 2, the EEG stages 3-8, and the EEG stage 9 each correspond with standard sleep stage W, 1 and 2, respectively. The dominant topographic components of delta and theta activities increased clearly from the vertex sharp-wave stage (the EEG stages 6 and 7) in the anterior-central areas. The dominant topographic component of alpha 3 activities increased clearly from the EEG stage 9 in the anterior-central areas. The dominant topographic component of sigma activities increased clearly from the EEG stage 8 in the central-parietal area. These results suggested basic sleep process might start before the onset of sleep stage 2 or of the manually scored spindles.

CLASSIFICATION OF WATER SURFACES USING AIRBORNE TOPOGRAPHIC LIDAR DATA

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J. Smeeckaert

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Accurate Digital Terrain Models (DTM are inevitable inputs for mapping areas subject to natural hazards. Topographic airborne laser scanning has become an established technique to characterize the Earth surface: lidar provides 3D point clouds allowing a fine reconstruction of the topography. For flood hazard modeling, the key step before terrain modeling is the discrimination of land and water surfaces within the delivered point clouds. Therefore, instantaneous shoreline, river borders, inland waters can be extracted as a basis for more reliable DTM generation. This paper presents an automatic, efficient, and versatile workflow for land/water classification of airborne topographic lidar data. For that purpose, a classification framework based on Support Vector Machines (SVM is designed. First, a restricted set of features, based only 3D lidar point coordinates and flightline information, is defined. Then, the SVM learning step is performed on small but well-targeted areas thanks to an automatic region growing strategy. Finally, label probabilities given by the SVM are merged during a probabilistic relaxation step in order to remove pixel-wise misclassification. Results show that survey of millions of points are labelled with high accuracy (>95% in most cases for coastal areas, and >89% for rivers and that small natural and anthropic features of interest are still well classified though we work at low point densities (0.5–4 pts/m2. Our approach is valid for coasts and rivers, and provides a strong basis for further discrimination of land-cover classes and coastal habitats.

A suite of global, cross-scale topographic variables for environmental and biodiversity modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Amatulli, Giuseppe; Domisch, Sami; Tuanmu, Mao-Ning; Parmentier, Benoit; Ranipeta, Ajay; Malczyk, Jeremy; Jetz, Walter

2018-03-01

Topographic variation underpins a myriad of patterns and processes in hydrology, climatology, geography and ecology and is key to understanding the variation of life on the planet. A fully standardized and global multivariate product of different terrain features has the potential to support many large-scale research applications, however to date, such datasets are unavailable. Here we used the digital elevation model products of global 250 m GMTED2010 and near-global 90 m SRTM4.1dev to derive a suite of topographic variables: elevation, slope, aspect, eastness, northness, roughness, terrain roughness index, topographic position index, vector ruggedness measure, profile/tangential curvature, first/second order partial derivative, and 10 geomorphological landform classes. We aggregated each variable to 1, 5, 10, 50 and 100 km spatial grains using several aggregation approaches. While a cross-correlation underlines the high similarity of many variables, a more detailed view in four mountain regions reveals local differences, as well as scale variations in the aggregated variables at different spatial grains. All newly-developed variables are available for download at Data Citation 1 and for download and visualization at http://www.earthenv.org/topography.

Simulating and quantifying legacy topographic data uncertainty: an initial step to advancing topographic change analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Wasklewicz, Thad; Zhu, Zhen; Gares, Paul

2017-12-01

Rapid technological advances, sustained funding, and a greater recognition of the value of topographic data have helped develop an increasing archive of topographic data sources. Advances in basic and applied research related to Earth surface changes require researchers to integrate recent high-resolution topography (HRT) data with the legacy datasets. Several technical challenges and data uncertainty issues persist to date when integrating legacy datasets with more recent HRT data. The disparate data sources required to extend the topographic record back in time are often stored in formats that are not readily compatible with more recent HRT data. Legacy data may also contain unknown error or unreported error that make accounting for data uncertainty difficult. There are also cases of known deficiencies in legacy datasets, which can significantly bias results. Finally, scientists are faced with the daunting challenge of definitively deriving the extent to which a landform or landscape has or will continue to change in response natural and/or anthropogenic processes. Here, we examine the question: how do we evaluate and portray data uncertainty from the varied topographic legacy sources and combine this uncertainty with current spatial data collection techniques to detect meaningful topographic changes? We view topographic uncertainty as a stochastic process that takes into consideration spatial and temporal variations from a numerical simulation and physical modeling experiment. The numerical simulation incorporates numerous topographic data sources typically found across a range of legacy data to present high-resolution data, while the physical model focuses on more recent HRT data acquisition techniques. Elevation uncertainties observed from anchor points in the digital terrain models are modeled using "states" in a stochastic estimator. Stochastic estimators trace the temporal evolution of the uncertainties and are natively capable of incorporating sensor

[Cytopathologic features of childhood acute leukemia at the Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas, Chiapas, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Lepe-Zúñiga, José Luis; Jerónimo-López, Francisco Javier; Hernández-Orantes, Jorge Gregorio

Childhood acute leukemia cytological features are unknown in Chiapas, Mexico. Defining these features is important because this is a relatively isolated population with high consanguinity index, and these aspects could determine differences in responses to treatment and outcome. Eighty-one childhood acute leukemia cases treated at the Hospital de Especialidades Pediátricas in Chiapas were characterized by morphology, immunophenotype, genotype, initial risk assignment and status at the time of the study. The proportion of leukemic cell types found in this study was B cell, 75.3%; myeloid, 16%; T cell, 3.7% and NK 1.2%. In B cell leukemia, genetic alterations were present in 40.6% of cases and had a specific outcome regardless of initial risk assessment. Cases with MLL gene alteration died within a month from diagnosis. Translocations were present in 17.5% B cases; t(1;19) was present in those with a favorable outcome. The t(12;21) translocation was related to initial remission and midterm relapse and dead. Hyperdiploidy was present in 20% of B cell cases with good outcome. In 38.5%of myeloid cases were translocations and karyotypic abnormalities. Short-term outcome in this group has been poor; 69% have died or abandoned treatment in relapse from 15 days to 37 months after diagnosis. Relative frequency of different types of acute leukemia in patients treated at a tertiary level pediatric hospital in Chiapas, Mexico, was similar to the one found in other parts of the country. Patients' outcome, under a standardized treatment, differs according to the group, the subgroup and the presence and type of genetic alterations. Copyright © 2017 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Different Topographic Corrections for Landsat TM Data by Prediction of Foliage Projective Cover (FPC in Topographically Complex Landscapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sisira Ediriweera

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The reflected radiance in topographically complex areas is severely affected by variations in topography; thus, topographic correction is considered a necessary pre-processing step when retrieving biophysical variables from these images. We assessed the performance of five topographic corrections: (i C correction (C, (ii Minnaert, (iii Sun Canopy Sensor (SCS, (iv SCS + C and (v the Processing Scheme for Standardised Surface Reflectance (PSSSR on the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM reflectance in the context of prediction of Foliage Projective Cover (FPC in hilly landscapes in north-eastern Australia. The performance of topographic corrections on the TM reflectance was assessed by (i visual comparison and (ii statistically comparing TM predicted FPC with ground measured FPC and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging-derived FPC estimates. In the majority of cases, the PSSSR method performed best in terms of eliminating topographic effects, providing the best relationship and lowest residual error when comparing ground measured FPC and LiDAR FPC with TM predicted FPC. The Minnaert, C and SCS + C showed the poorest performance. Finally, the use of TM surface reflectance, which includes atmospheric correction and broad Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF effects, seemed to account for most topographic variation when predicting biophysical variables, such as FPC.

Capabilities of current wildfire models when simulating topographical flow

Science.gov (United States)

Kochanski, A.; Jenkins, M.; Krueger, S. K.; McDermott, R.; Mell, W.

2009-12-01

Accurate predictions of the growth, spread and suppression of wild fires rely heavily on the correct prediction of the local wind conditions and the interactions between the fire and the local ambient airflow. Resolving local flows, often strongly affected by topographical features like hills, canyons and ridges, is a prerequisite for accurate simulation and prediction of fire behaviors. In this study, we present the results of high-resolution numerical simulations of the flow over a smooth hill, performed using (1) the NIST WFDS (WUI or Wildland-Urban-Interface version of the FDS or Fire Dynamic Simulator), and (2) the LES version of the NCAR Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-LES) model. The WFDS model is in the initial stages of development for application to wind flow and fire spread over complex terrain. The focus of the talk is to assess how well simple topographical flow is represented by WRF-LES and the current version of WFDS. If sufficient progress has been made prior to the meeting then the importance of the discrepancies between the predicted and measured winds, in terms of simulated fire behavior, will be examined.

Research on Topographic Map Updating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivana Javorović

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The investigation of interpretability of panchromatic satellite image IRS-1C integrated with multispectral Landsat TM image with the purpose of updating the topographic map sheet at the scale of 1:25 000 has been described. The geocoding of source map was based on trigonometric points of the map sheet. Satellite images were geocoded using control points selected from the map. The contents of map have been vectorized and topographic database designed. The digital image processing improved the interpretability of images. Then, the vectorization of new contents was made. The change detection of the forest and water area was defined by using unsupervised classification of spatial and spectral merged images. Verification of the results was made using corresponding aerial photographs. Although this methodology could not insure the complete updating of topographic map at the scale of 1:25 000, the database has been updated with huge amount of data. Erdas Imagine 8.3. software was used. 

Topographic characterization of glazed surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Froeberg, Linda; Hupa, Leena

2008-01-01

Detailed characterization of surface microstructure, i.e. phase composition and surface geometry, has become an important criterion of glazed ceramics. Topographic characterization is an important parameter in, e.g. estimating the influence of additional films on the average roughness of a surface. Also, the microscaled and nanoscaled roughnesses correlate with the cleanability and the self-cleaning properties of the surfaces. In this work the surface geometry of several matte glazes were described by topography and roughness as given by whitelight confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Different measuring parameters were compared to justify the usefulness of the techniques in giving a comprehensive description of the surface microstructure. The results suggest that confocal microscopy is well suited for giving reliable topographical parameters for matte surfaces with microscaled crystals in the surfaces. Atomic force microscopy was better suited for smooth surfaces or for describing the local topographic parameters of closely limited areas, e.g. the surroundings of separate crystals in the surface

Topographic characterization of glazed surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Froeberg, Linda [Process Chemistry Centre, Abo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku (Finland)], E-mail: lfroberg@abo.fi; Hupa, Leena [Process Chemistry Centre, Abo Akademi University, FI-20500 Turku (Finland)

2008-01-15

Detailed characterization of surface microstructure, i.e. phase composition and surface geometry, has become an important criterion of glazed ceramics. Topographic characterization is an important parameter in, e.g. estimating the influence of additional films on the average roughness of a surface. Also, the microscaled and nanoscaled roughnesses correlate with the cleanability and the self-cleaning properties of the surfaces. In this work the surface geometry of several matte glazes were described by topography and roughness as given by whitelight confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Different measuring parameters were compared to justify the usefulness of the techniques in giving a comprehensive description of the surface microstructure. The results suggest that confocal microscopy is well suited for giving reliable topographical parameters for matte surfaces with microscaled crystals in the surfaces. Atomic force microscopy was better suited for smooth surfaces or for describing the local topographic parameters of closely limited areas, e.g. the surroundings of separate crystals in the surface.

History of the topographic branch (division)

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Richard T.; Frye, Helen M.

2009-01-01

From a very early period of the world's existence, man has endeavored to represent the earth's surface in a graphic form for the information of his fellow men, realizing that no oral or written description is capable of setting forth topographic facts so vividly and so clearly as a map. Mapping of the areas of the United States began with the charting of portions of its coast line by early explorers; the need for topographic maps was first recognized during the war of the Colonies for independence from Great Britain. On July 22, 1777, Congress authorized General Washington to appoint: 'Mr. Robert Erskine, or any other person that he may think proper, geographer and surveyor of the roads, to take sketches of the country and the seat of war.' By several acts during the Revolutionary War, Congress provided 'geographers' for the armies of the United States, some of them with the pay of a colonel, amounting to $60 a month and allowances. At the end of the War, a resolution of May 27, 1785, continued in service the 'geographer of the United States' for a period of 3 years. The War Department recognized the necessity of 'geographical engineers' and requested Congress to authorize their appointment, but it was not until the next war that Congress authorized on March 3, 1813, the appointment of eight topographic engineers and eight assistant topographic engineers under the direction of the General Staff of the Army. These officers formed the nucleus of the first Corps of Topographic Engineers in the Army, and that Corps continued to function as an independent unit until it was absorbed by the Corps of Engineers in 1863, during the Civil War between the States. Between the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, and the outbreak of the Civil War, more than a hundred exploring and mapping expeditions were sent into the vast territory lying west of the Mississippi River to investigate the natural resources of this newly acquired country and to find possible locations for wagon roads to

A new stereo topographic map of Io: Implications for geology from global to local scales

Science.gov (United States)

White, Oliver L.; Schenk, Paul M.; Nimmo, Francis; Hoogenboom, Trudi

2014-06-01

We use Voyager and Galileo stereo pairs to construct the most complete stereo digital elevation model (DEM) of Io assembled to date, controlled using Galileo limb profiles. Given the difficulty of applying these two techniques to Io due to its anomalous surface albedo properties, we have experimented extensively with the relevant procedures in order to generate what we consider to be the most reliable DEMs. Our final stereo DEM covers ~75% of the globe, and we have identified a partial system of longitudinally arranged alternating basins and swells that correlates well to the distribution of mountain and volcano concentrations. We consider the correlation of swells to volcano concentrations and basins to mountain concentrations, to imply a heat flow distribution across Io that is consistent with the asthenospheric tidal heating model of Tackley et al. (2001). The stereo DEM reveals topographic signatures of regional-scale features including Loki Patera, Ra Patera, and the Tvashtar Paterae complex, in addition to previously unrecognized features including an ~1000 km diameter depression and a >2000 km long topographic arc comprising mountainous and layered plains material.

Delineation, characterization, and classification of topographic eminences

Science.gov (United States)

Sinha, Gaurav

Topographic eminences are defined as upwardly rising, convex shaped topographic landforms that are noticeably distinct in their immediate surroundings. As opposed to everyday objects, the properties of a topographic eminence are dependent not only on how it is conceptualized, but is also intrinsically related to its spatial extent and its relative location in the landscape. In this thesis, a system for automated detection, delineation and characterization of topographic eminences based on an analysis of digital elevation models is proposed. Research has shown that conceptualization of eminences (and other landforms) is linked to the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of people. However, the perception of stimuli from our physical environment is not subject to cultural or linguistic bias. Hence, perceptually salient morphological and spatial properties of the natural landscape can form the basis for generically applicable detection and delineation of topographic eminences. Six principles of cognitive eminence modeling are introduced to develop the philosophical foundation of this research regarding eminence delineation and characterization. The first step in delineating eminences is to automatically detect their presence within digital elevation models. This is achieved by the use of quantitative geomorphometric parameters (e.g., elevation, slope and curvature) and qualitative geomorphometric features (e.g., peaks, passes, pits, ridgelines, and valley lines). The process of eminence delineation follows that of eminence detection. It is posited that eminences may be perceived either as monolithic terrain objects, or as composites of morphological parts (e.g., top, bottom, slope). Individual eminences may also simultaneously be conceived as comprising larger, higher order eminence complexes (e.g., mountain ranges). Multiple algorithms are presented for the delineation of simple and complex eminences, and the morphological parts of eminences. The proposed eminence

Multi-scale Analysis of Topographic Surface Roughness in the Midland Valley, Scotland

OpenAIRE

Grohmann, Carlos

2017-01-01

Surface roughness is an important geomorphological variable which has been used in the earth and planetary sciences to infer material properties, current/past processes and the time elapsed since formation. No single definition exists, however within the context of geomorphometry we use surface roughness as a expression of the variability of a topographic surface at a given scale, where the scale of analysis is determined by the size of the landforms or geomorphic features of interest. Six te...

A new approach to estimate the spatial distribution of solar radiation using topographic factor and sunshine duration in South Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jin-Ki; Das, Amrita; Park, Jong-Hwa

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Our goal is to create a map of solar radiation using sunshine hours and topography. • We found the empirical models based on sunshine hours performs significantly well. • The effect of topography on radiation is more significant in winter than summer. • Topographical impact is totally opposite in north and south facing terrain. • Though the extraterrestrial solar radiation flux is highest in June, at ground observed radiation is higher in May. - Abstract: Solar radiation is one of the important renewable resources, currently scientists are taking their interest in. Accurate solar radiation data is not only required for solar-power management but also is a vital input parameter in different biogeochemical and atmospheric models. But there are inadequate number of stations measuring solar radiation in comparison to stations dedicated for sunshine duration, temperature, humidity etc. Therefore, to overcome this problem, an empirical model is developed to estimate solar radiation from sunshine duration data over South Korea. As more than 50% of the area in Korean peninsula have a complex terrain, a topographical factor is applied to modeled data. Thereafter a map presenting monthly mean variation in incoming solar insolation is constructed using ordinary kriging method. The influence of topographical features like slope and aspect is found to be higher in winter than summer. Solar radiation is highest in May and lowest in December over Korea. Spatial variation of incoming radiation is mainly influenced by topographical and atmospheric features whereas latitudinal gradient is almost insignificant

Using UAV photogrammetry to study topographic change: application to Saskatchewan Glacier, Alberta, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Meunier Cardinal, G.; Demuth, M. N.; Kinnard, C.

2016-12-01

Glaciers are an important source of fresh water in the headwaters of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and ongoing climate warming could reduce their future hydrological contribution. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles UAVs) are an emergent technology that allow studying glacial processes with an unprecedented level of detail, but their usefulness for deriving accurate topographic data on glaciers has not yet been fully assessed. In this perspective we tested the use of a UAV platform to acquire images at a very high spatial resolution (using the Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithm. A detailed assessment of DEM errors was performed by cross-validation of an network of ground control points (GCPs) deployed on the glacier surface. The influence of checkpoint position in the network, border effects, number of photos calibrated and GPS accuracy were examined. Topographical changes were measured from the DEM difference and surface displacements estimated by applying feature tracking techniques to the orthomosaics. Further, the dominant scales of topographic spatial variability were examined using a semivariogram analysis of the DEMs. Results show that UAV-based photogrammetry is promising to further our understanding of high-resolution glacier surface processes and to perform repeat, on-demand monitoring of glacier changes, but their application on remote glaciers remains challenging.

U.S. Topographic Grid

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — isotop.bin - topographic data for conterminous U.S. projected on an 8 km grid. Projection is Albers, central meridian = 96 degrees West, base latitude = 0 degrees...

Accuracy of topographic index models at identifying ephemeral gully trajectories on agricultural fields

Science.gov (United States)

Sheshukov, Aleksey Y.; Sekaluvu, Lawrence; Hutchinson, Stacy L.

2018-04-01

Topographic index (TI) models have been widely used to predict trajectories and initiation points of ephemeral gullies (EGs) in agricultural landscapes. Prediction of EGs strongly relies on the selected value of critical TI threshold, and the accuracy depends on topographic features, agricultural management, and datasets of observed EGs. This study statistically evaluated the predictions by TI models in two paired watersheds in Central Kansas that had different levels of structural disturbances due to implemented conservation practices. Four TI models with sole dependency on topographic factors of slope, contributing area, and planform curvature were used in this study. The observed EGs were obtained by field reconnaissance and through the process of hydrological reconditioning of digital elevation models (DEMs). The Kernel Density Estimation analysis was used to evaluate TI distribution within a 10-m buffer of the observed EG trajectories. The EG occurrence within catchments was analyzed using kappa statistics of the error matrix approach, while the lengths of predicted EGs were compared with the observed dataset using the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) statistics. The TI frequency analysis produced bi-modal distribution of topographic indexes with the pixels within the EG trajectory having a higher peak. The graphs of kappa and NSE versus critical TI threshold showed similar profile for all four TI models and both watersheds with the maximum value representing the best comparison with the observed data. The Compound Topographic Index (CTI) model presented the overall best accuracy with NSE of 0.55 and kappa of 0.32. The statistics for the disturbed watershed showed higher best critical TI threshold values than for the undisturbed watershed. Structural conservation practices implemented in the disturbed watershed reduced ephemeral channels in headwater catchments, thus producing less variability in catchments with EGs. The variation in critical thresholds for all

Specification for the U.S. Geological Survey Historical Topographic Map Collection

Science.gov (United States)

Allord, Gregory J.; Walter, Jennifer L.; Fishburn, Kristin A.; Shea, Gale A.

2014-01-01

This document provides the detailed requirements for producing, archiving, and disseminating a comprehensive digital collection of topographic maps for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Collection (HTMC). The HTMC is a digital archive of about 190,000 printed topographic maps published by the USGS from the inception of the topographic mapping program in 1884 until the last paper topographic map using lithographic printing technology was published in 2006. The HTMC provides a comprehensive digital repository of all scales and all editions of USGS printed topographic maps that is easily discovered, browsed, and downloaded by the public at no cost. The HTMC provides ready access to maps that are no longer available for distribution in print. A digital file representing the original paper historical topographic map is produced for each historical map in the HTMC in georeferenced PDF (GeoPDF) format (a portable document format [PDF] with a geospatial extension).

Spatial recognition test: A novel cognition task for assessing topographical memory in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Havolli, Enes; Hill, Mark Dw; Godley, Annie; Goetghebeur, Pascal Jd

2017-06-01

Dysfunction in topographical memory is a core feature of several neurological disorders. There is a large unmet medical need to address learning and memory deficits as a whole in central nervous system disease. There are considerable efforts to identify pro-cognitive compounds but current methods are either lengthy or labour intensive. Our test used a two chamber apparatus and is based on the preference of rodents to explore novel environments. It was used firstly to assess topographical memory in mice at different retention intervals (RI) and secondly to investigate the effect of three drugs reported to be beneficial for cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease, namely: donepezil, memantine and levetiracetam. Animals show good memory performance at all RIs tested under four hours. At the four-hour RI, animals show a significantly poorer memory performance which can be rescued using donepezil, memantine and levetiracetam. Using this test we established and validated a spatial recognition paradigm to address topographical memory in mice by showing a decremental time-induced forgetting response and reversing this decrease in performance using pharmacological tools. The spatial recognition test differs from more commonly used visuospatial laboratory tests in both throughput capability and potentially neuroanatomical substrate. This test has the potential to be used to assess cognitive performance in transgenic animals, disease models and to screen putative cognitive enhancers or depressors.

A new Proposal to Mexico Valley Zonification

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Estrella, H. C.; Yussim, S.; Lomnitz, C.

2004-12-01

The effects of the Michoacan earthquake (19th September, 1985, Mw 8.1) in Mexico City caused a significant change in the political, social and scientific history, as it was considered the worst seismic disaster ever lived in Mexico. Since then, numerous efforts have been made to understand and determine the parameters that caused the special features registered. One of these efforts had began on 1960 with the work by Marsal and Masari, who published the Mexico Valley seismological and geotechnical zonification (1969), based on gravimetric and shallow borehole data. In this work, we present a revision of the studies that proposed the zonification, a description of the valley geology, and basing on it we propose a new zonification for Mexico Valley.

Comparative analysis of extracted heights from topographic maps ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Topographic maps represent the three-dimensional landscape by providing relief information in the form of contours in addition to plan information on which natural and man-made landmarks are quite accurately represented. Height information, extractible from topographic maps, comes in handy for most land use planning.

Nanoscale Topographical Characterization of Orbital Implant Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Salerno

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The search for an ideal orbital implant is still ongoing in the field of ocular biomaterials. Major limitations of currently-available porous implants include the high cost along with a non-negligible risk of exposure and postoperative infection due to conjunctival abrasion. In the effort to develop better alternatives to the existing devices, two types of new glass-ceramic porous implants were fabricated by sponge replication, which is a relatively inexpensive method. Then, they were characterized by direct three-dimensional (3D contact probe mapping in real space by means of atomic force microscopy in order to assess their surface micro- and nano-features, which were quantitatively compared to those of the most commonly-used orbital implants. These silicate glass-ceramic materials exhibit a surface roughness in the range of a few hundred nanometers (Sq within 500–700 nm and topographical features comparable to those of clinically-used “gold-standard” alumina and polyethylene porous orbital implants. However, it was noted that both experimental and commercial non-porous implants were significantly smoother than all the porous ones. The results achieved in this work reveal that these porous glass-ceramic materials show promise for the intended application and encourage further investigation of their clinical suitability.

Integrated biomechanical and topographical surface characterization (IBTSC)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Löberg, Johanna, E-mail: Johanna.Loberg@dentsply.com [Dentsply Implants, Box 14, SE-431 21 Mölndal (Sweden); Mattisson, Ingela [Dentsply Implants, Box 14, SE-431 21 Mölndal (Sweden); Ahlberg, Elisabet [Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, SE-41296 Gothenburg (Sweden)

2014-01-30

In an attempt to reduce the need for animal studies in dental implant applications, a new model has been developed which combines well-known surface characterization methods with theoretical biomechanical calculations. The model has been named integrated biomechanical and topographical surface characterization (IBTSC), and gives a comprehensive description of the surface topography and the ability of the surface to induce retention strength with bone. IBTSC comprises determination of 3D-surface roughness parameters by using 3D-scanning electron microscopy (3D-SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and calculation of the ability of different surface topographies to induce retention strength in bone by using the local model. Inherent in this integrated approach is the use of a length scale analysis, which makes it possible to separate different size levels of surface features. The IBTSC concept is tested on surfaces with different level of hierarchy, induced by mechanical as well as chemical treatment. Sequential treatment with oxalic and hydrofluoric acid results in precipitated nano-sized features that increase the surface roughness and the surface slope on the sub-micro and nano levels. This surface shows the highest calculated shear strength using the local model. The validity, robustness and applicability of the IBTSC concept are demonstrated and discussed.

The chang’E-1 topographic atlas of the Moon

CERN Document Server

Li, Chunlai; Mu, Lingli; Ren, Xin; Zuo, Wei

2016-01-01

This atlas is based on the lunar global Digital Elevation Models (DEM) of Chang'E-1 (CE-1), and presents CCD stereo image data with digital photogrammetry. The spatial resolution of the DEM in this atlas is 500m, with horizontal accuracy of 192m and vertical accuracy of 120m. Color-shaded relief maps with contour lines are used to show the lunar topographical characteristics. The topographical data gathered by CE-1 can provide fundamental information for the study of lunar topographical, morphological and geological structures, as well as for lunar evolution research.

2013 NOAA Oahu Topographic Lidar

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Oahu, Hawaii Elevation Data Task Order involves collecting and delivering topographic elevation point data derived from multiple return light detection and...

X-ray topographic studies and measurement of lattice parameter differences within synthetic diamonds grown by the reconstitution technique

Science.gov (United States)

Wierzchowski, W.; Moore, M.; Makepeace, A. P. W.; Yacoot, A.

1991-10-01

A 4 x 4 x 1.5 cu mm cuboctahedral diamond and two 0.7 mm thick slabs cut from a truncated octahedral diamond grown by the reconstitution technique were studied in different double-crystal arrangements with both conventional and synchrotron X-ray sources. The back-reflection double crystal topographs of large polished 001-plane-oriented faces intersecting different growth sectors, together with cathodoluminescence patterns, allowed identification of these sectors. A double-crystal arrangement, employing the -3 2 5 quartz reflection matching the symmetrical 004 diamond reflection in CuK(alpha 1) radiation, was used for measurement of lattice parameter differences with an accuracy of one and a half parts per million. The simultaneous investigation by means of Lang projection and section topography provided complementary information about the crystallographic defects and internal structures of growth sectors. Observation of the cuboctahedral diamond with a filter of peak transmittance at 430 nm revealed a 'Maltese cross' growth feature in the central (001) growth sector, which also affected the birefringence pattern. However, this feature only very slightly affected the double-crystal topographs.

a Standardized Approach to Topographic Data Processing and Workflow Management

Science.gov (United States)

Wheaton, J. M.; Bailey, P.; Glenn, N. F.; Hensleigh, J.; Hudak, A. T.; Shrestha, R.; Spaete, L.

2013-12-01

An ever-increasing list of options exist for collecting high resolution topographic data, including airborne LIDAR, terrestrial laser scanners, bathymetric SONAR and structure-from-motion. An equally rich, arguably overwhelming, variety of tools exists with which to organize, quality control, filter, analyze and summarize these data. However, scientists are often left to cobble together their analysis as a series of ad hoc steps, often using custom scripts and one-time processes that are poorly documented and rarely shared with the community. Even when literature-cited software tools are used, the input and output parameters differ from tool to tool. These parameters are rarely archived and the steps performed lost, making the analysis virtually impossible to replicate precisely. What is missing is a coherent, robust, framework for combining reliable, well-documented topographic data-processing steps into a workflow that can be repeated and even shared with others. We have taken several popular topographic data processing tools - including point cloud filtering and decimation as well as DEM differencing - and defined a common protocol for passing inputs and outputs between them. This presentation describes a free, public online portal that enables scientists to create custom workflows for processing topographic data using a number of popular topographic processing tools. Users provide the inputs required for each tool and in what sequence they want to combine them. This information is then stored for future reuse (and optionally sharing with others) before the user then downloads a single package that contains all the input and output specifications together with the software tools themselves. The user then launches the included batch file that executes the workflow on their local computer against their topographic data. This ZCloudTools architecture helps standardize, automate and archive topographic data processing. It also represents a forum for discovering and

True Polar Wander of Enceladus From Topographic Data

Science.gov (United States)

Tajeddine, Radwan; Soderlund, Krista M.; Thomas, Peter C.; Helfenstein, Paul; Hedman, Matthew M.; Burns, Joseph A.; Schenk, Paul M.

2016-10-01

Besides the relative motion of lithospheric plates, the Earth as a whole moves with respect to its rotation pole, as shown by paleomagnetic, astrometric and geodetic measurements [1]. Such so-called true polar wander (TPW) occurs because our planet's moments of inertia change temporally owing to internal thermal convection and to the redistribution of surficial mass during ice ages. Thus, to conserve angular momentum while losing rotational energy, Earth's axis of maximum moment of inertia aligns with its spin axis. Theoreticians suspect similar reorientations of other celestial bodies but supporting evidence is fragmentary, at best [2]. Here we report the discovery of a global series of topographic lows on Saturn's satellite Enceladus indicating that this synchronously locked moon has undergone reorientation by ~55°. We use improved topographic data from spherical harmonic expansion of Cassini limb [3,4,5] and stereogrammetric [5,6,7] measurements to characterize regional topography over the surface of Enceladus. We identify a group of nearly antipodal basins orthogonal to a topographic basin chain tracing a non-equatorial circumglobal belt across Enceladus' surface. We argue that the belt and the antipodal regions are fossil remnants of old equator and poles, respectively. These lows are argued to arise from isostasic compensation [7,8] with their pattern reflecting variations in internal dynamics of the ice shell. Our hypothesis is consistent with many geological features visible in Cassini images [9].References:[1] Mitrovica, J.X. & Wahr, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 39, 577-616 (2011).[2] Matsuyama, I. et al. Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 42, 605-634 (2014).[3] Thomas, P.C. et al. Icarus, 190, 573-584 (2007).[4] Thomas, P.C. Icarus, 208, 395-401 (2010).[5] Thomas, P.C. et al. Icarus, 264, 37-47 (2016).[6] Edwards, K. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 53, 1219-1222 (1987).[7] Schenk, P.M. & McKinnon, W. B

Forsmark site investigation. Interpretation of topographic lineaments 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaksson, Hans

2003-04-01

SKB performs site investigations for localization of a deep repository for high level radioactive waste. The site investigations are performed in two municipalities; Oesthammar and Oskarshamn. The Forsmark investigation area is situated in Oesthammar, close to the Forsmark nuclear power plant. The purpose of interpretation of lineaments from topographic data is to identify linear features (lineaments), which may correspond to deformation zones in the bedrock. The data will be combined with interpretations of lineaments from airborne geophysical data in order to produce an integrated lineament interpretation for the Forsmark area. This integrated interpretation will be combined with geological data in order to establish a bedrock geological map of the Forsmark area. The area for the lineament interpretation is the same as that selected for the bedrock mapping activities during 2002, i.e. the land area around Forsmark

USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior — USGS Historical Quadrangle in GeoPDF. The USGS Historical Quadrangle Scanning Project (HQSP) is scanning all scales and all editions of topographic maps published by...

Glacier development and topographic context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

López-Moreno, J. I.; Nogués-Bravo, David; Chueca-Cía, J.

2006-01-01

This paper analyses the topographic context of the remaining glaciated areas in the Maladeta Massif (Central Spanish Pyrenees). These ice-covered surfaces have been incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) in an attempt at correlating the presence of ice with a range of topographic...... and recent evolution of each glacial body. Thus, the joint effect of altitude, exposure to incoming solar radiation, slope and mean curvature is able to explain more than 70 per cent of the observed variance. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd....... variables obtained from a digital elevation model. The use of generalized additive models and binary regression tree models enabled us (i) to quantify the spatial variability in the distribution of glaciers attributable to characteristics of the local terrain, (ii) to investigate the interaction between...

Multi-scale Analysis of High Resolution Topography: Feature Extraction and Identification of Landscape Characteristic Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Passalacqua, P.; Sangireddy, H.; Stark, C. P.

2015-12-01

With the advent of digital terrain data, detailed information on terrain characteristics and on scale and location of geomorphic features is available over extended areas. Our ability to observe landscapes and quantify topographic patterns has greatly improved, including the estimation of fluxes of mass and energy across landscapes. Challenges still remain in the analysis of high resolution topography data; the presence of features such as roads, for example, challenges classic methods for feature extraction and large data volumes require computationally efficient extraction and analysis methods. Moreover, opportunities exist to define new robust metrics of landscape characterization for landscape comparison and model validation. In this presentation we cover recent research in multi-scale and objective analysis of high resolution topography data. We show how the analysis of the probability density function of topographic attributes such as slope, curvature, and topographic index contains useful information for feature localization and extraction. The analysis of how the distributions change across scales, quantified by the behavior of modal values and interquartile range, allows the identification of landscape characteristic scales, such as terrain roughness. The methods are introduced on synthetic signals in one and two dimensions and then applied to a variety of landscapes of different characteristics. Validation of the methods includes the analysis of modeled landscapes where the noise distribution is known and features of interest easily measured.

Vascular plants and a brief history of the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands

Science.gov (United States)

Donald L. Hazlett; Michael H. Schiebout; Paulette L. Ford

2009-01-01

Administered by the USDA Forest Service, the Kiowa and Rita Blanca National Grasslands occupy 230,000 acres of public land extending from northeastern New Mexico into the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas. A mosaic of topographic features including canyons, plateaus, rolling grasslands and outcrops supports a diverse flora. Eight hundred twenty six (826) species of...

The Role of Emotional Landmarks on Topographical Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmiero, Massimiliano; Piccardi, Laura

2017-01-01

The investigation of the role of emotional landmarks on human navigation has been almost totally neglected in psychological research. Therefore, the extent to which positive and negative emotional landmarks affect topographical memory as compared to neutral emotional landmark was explored. Positive, negative and neutral affect-laden images were selected as landmarks from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) Inventory. The Walking Corsi test (WalCT) was used in order to test the landmark-based topographical memory. Participants were instructed to learn and retain an eight-square path encompassing positive, negative or neutral emotional landmarks. Both egocentric and allocentric frames of references were considered. Egocentric representation encompasses the object's relation to the self and it is generated from sensory data. Allocentric representation expresses a location with respect to an external frame regardless of the self and it is the basis for long-term storage of complex layouts. In particular, three measures of egocentric and allocentric topographical memory were taken into account: (1) the ability to learn the path; (2) the ability to recall by walking the path five minutes later; (3) the ability to reproduce the path on the outline of the WalCT. Results showed that both positive and negative emotional landmarks equally enhanced the learning of the path as compared to neutral emotional landmarks. In addition, positive emotional landmarks improved the reproduction of the path on the map as compared to negative and neutral emotional landmarks. These results generally show that emotional landmarks enhance egocentric-based topographical memory, whereas positive emotional landmarks seem to be more effective for allocentric-based topographical memory.

The Relationship between Vestibular Function and Topographical Memory in Older Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fred Henry Previc

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Research during the past two decades has demonstrated an important role of the vestibular system in topographical orientation and memory and the network of neural structures associated with them. Almost all of the supporting data have come from animal or human clinical studies, however. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the link between vestibular function and topographical memory in normal elderly humans. Twenty-five participants aged 70 to 85 years who scored from mildly impaired to normal on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment received three topographical memory tests: the Camden Topographical Recognition Memory Test (CTMRT, a computerized topographical mental rotation test (TMRT, and a virtual pond maze (VPM. They also received six vestibular or oculomotor tests: optokinetic nystagmus (OKN, visual pursuit (VP, actively generated vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR, the sensory orientation test (SOT for posture, and two measures of rotational memory (error in degrees, or RMº, and correct directional recognition, or RM→. The only significant bivariate correlations were among the three vestibular measures primarily assessing horizontal canal function (VOR, RMº, and RM→. A multiple regression analysis showed significant relationships between vestibular and demographic predictors and both the TMRT (R=.78 and VPM (R=.66 measures. The significant relationship between the vestibular and topographical memory measures supports the theory that vestibular loss may contribute to topographical memory impairment in the elderly.

Stereo Pair, with Topographic Height as Color, Manicouagan Crater, Quebec, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

2003-01-01

Manicouagan Crater is one of the world's largest and oldest known impact craters and perhaps the one most readily apparent to astronauts in orbit. The age of the impact is estimated at 214 million years before present. Since then erosion has removed about one kilometer (0.6 miles) of rock from the region and has created a topographic pattern that follows the structural pattern of the crater. A ring depression (prominently seen as green) encloses a central peak. The ring depression now hosts the Manicouagan Reservoir and so appears as a distinct ring lake to astronauts and as a smooth and flat feature in this topographic visualization. A fine pattern of topographic striations trending south-southeast, most prominent within the crater itself, indicates the flow direction of glaciers that covered this area during the last ice age. Three visualization methods were combined to produce this image: shading, color coding, and synthetic stereoscopy. The shade image was derived by computing topographic slope in the north-south direction. Northern slopes appear bright and southern slopes appear dark. Color coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow, red, and magenta, to blue at the highest elevations. The stereoscopic effect was then created by generating two differing perspectives, one for each eye. The image can be seen in 3-D by viewing the left image with the right eye and the right image with the left eye (cross-eyed viewing) or by downloading, printing, and splitting the image pair and viewing them with a stereoscope. When stereoscopically merged, the result is a vertically exaggerated view of Earth's surface in its full three dimensions. Total topographic relief from the ring lake level to the central crater peak is about 600 meters (2000 feet). Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. The

Topographic precursors and geological structures of deep-seated catastrophic landslides caused by typhoon Talas, determined from the analysis of high-resolution DEMs

Science.gov (United States)

Chigira, Masahiro; Tsou, Ching-Ying; Matsushi, Yuki

2013-04-01

Typhoon Talas crossed the Japanese Islands between 2 and 5 September 2011, causing more than 70 deep-seated catastrophic landslides in a Jurassic to Paleogene-Early Miocene accretion complex. Detailed examination of the topographic features of 10 large landslides before the event, recorded on DEMs with a resolution of 1 m (based on airborne laser scanner surveys), showed that all of the landslides had small scarplets near their future crowns prior to the slide, and one landslide had linear depressions along its future crown as precursor topographic features. These scarplets and linear depressions were caused by gravitational slope deformation that preceded the catastrophic failure. Strains, defined by the ratio of the length of a scarplet to the length of the whole slope (as measured along the slope line), ranged from 5% to 21%, and are the first reliable numerical data relating to the topographic precursor features of large and catastrophic landslides. Careful examination of aerial photographs from another four large landslides, for which no high-resolution DEMs were available, suggested that they also developed scarplets at their heads beforehand, which are not precisely quantified. Twelve of the 14 landslides we surveyed in the field had sliding surfaces with wedge-shaped discontinuities that consisted of faults, shear surfaces that formed during accretion, and bedding, suggesting that the buildup of pore pressure occurs readily in a gravitationally deformed rock body containing wedge-shaped discontinuities. Other types of gravitational deformation were also active; e.g., flexural toppling and buckling were each observed to have preceded one landslide.

The Role of Emotional Landmarks on Topographical Memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massimiliano Palmiero

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The investigation of the role of emotional landmarks on human navigation has been almost totally neglected in psychological research. Therefore, the extent to which positive and negative emotional landmarks affect topographical memory as compared to neutral emotional landmark was explored. Positive, negative and neutral affect-laden images were selected as landmarks from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS Inventory. The Walking Corsi test (WalCT was used in order to test the landmark-based topographical memory. Participants were instructed to learn and retain an eight-square path encompassing positive, negative or neutral emotional landmarks. Both egocentric and allocentric frames of references were considered. Egocentric representation encompasses the object’s relation to the self and it is generated from sensory data. Allocentric representation expresses a location with respect to an external frame regardless of the self and it is the basis for long-term storage of complex layouts. In particular, three measures of egocentric and allocentric topographical memory were taken into account: (1 the ability to learn the path; (2 the ability to recall by walking the path five minutes later; (3 the ability to reproduce the path on the outline of the WalCT. Results showed that both positive and negative emotional landmarks equally enhanced the learning of the path as compared to neutral emotional landmarks. In addition, positive emotional landmarks improved the reproduction of the path on the map as compared to negative and neutral emotional landmarks. These results generally show that emotional landmarks enhance egocentric-based topographical memory, whereas positive emotional landmarks seem to be more effective for allocentric-based topographical memory.

Simulation of machine-specific topographic indices for use across platforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Ashraf M; Roberts, Cynthia; Lembach, Richard; Herderick, Edward E; McMahon, Timothy T

2006-09-01

The objective of this project is to simulate the current published topographic indices used for the detection and evaluation of keratoconus to allow their application to maps acquired from multiple topographic machines. A retrospective analysis was performed on 21 eyes of 14 previously diagnosed keratoconus patients from a single practice using a Tomey TMS-1, an Alcon EyeMap, and a Keratron Topographer. Maps that could not be processed or that contained processing errors were excluded from analysis. Topographic indices native to each of the three devices were recorded from each map. Software was written in ANSI standard C to simulate the indices based on the published formulas and/or descriptions to extend the functionality of The Ohio State University Corneal Topography Tool (OSUCTT), a software package designed to accept the input from many corneal topographic devices and provide consistent display and analysis. Twenty indices were simulated. Linear regression analysis was performed between each simulated index and the corresponding native index. A cross-platform comparison using regression analysis was also performed. All simulated indices were significantly correlated with the corresponding native indices (p simulated. Cross-platform comparisons may be limited for specific indices.

Subsurface structures of buried features in the lunar Procellarum region

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wenrui; Heki, Kosuke

2017-07-01

The Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission unraveled numbers of features showing strong gravity anomalies without prominent topographic signatures in the lunar Procellarum region. These features, located in different geologic units, are considered to have complex subsurface structures reflecting different evolution processes. By using the GRAIL level-1 data, we estimated the free-air and Bouguer gravity anomalies in several selected regions including such intriguing features. With the three-dimensional inversion technique, we recovered subsurface density structures in these regions.

2011 SWFWMD Topographic Lidar: Hillsborough County

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — SWFWMD regularly uses digital topographic information to support regulatory, land management and acquisition, planning, engineering and habitat restoration projects....

2011 SWFWMD Topographic Lidar: Pasco County

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — SWFWMD regularly uses digital topographic information to support regulatory, land management and acquisition, planning, engineering and habitat restoration projects....

Development and evaluation of a specialized task taxonomy for spatial planning - A map literacy experiment with topographic maps

Science.gov (United States)

Rautenbach, Victoria; Coetzee, Serena; Çöltekin, Arzu

2017-05-01

Topographic maps are among the most commonly used map types, however, their complex and information-rich designs depicting natural, human-made and cultural features make them difficult to read. Regardless of their complexity, spatial planners make extensive use of topographic maps in their work. On the other hand, various studies suggest that map literacy among the development planning professionals in South Africa is not very high. The widespread use of topographic maps combined with the low levels of map literacy presents challenges for effective development planning. In this paper we address some of these challenges by developing a specialized task taxonomy based on systematically assessed map literacy levels; and conducting an empirical experiment with topographic maps to evaluate our task taxonomy. In such empirical studies if non-realistic tasks are used, the results of map literacy tests may be skewed. Furthermore, experience and familiarity with the studied map type play a role in map literacy. There is thus a need to develop map literacy tests aimed at planners specifically. We developed a taxonomy of realistic map reading tasks typically executed during the planning process. The taxonomy defines six levels tasks of increasing difficulty and complexity, ranging from recognising symbols to extracting knowledge. We hypothesized that competence in the first four levels indicates functional map literacy. In this paper, we present results from an empirical experiment with 49 map literate participants solving a subset of tasks from the first four levels of the taxonomy with a topographic map. Our findings suggest that the proposed taxonomy is a good reference for evaluating topographic map literacy. Participants solved the tasks on all four levels as expected and we therefore conclude that the experiment based on the first four levels of the taxonomy successfully determined the functional map literacy of the participants. We plan to continue the study for the

Application of PALSAR-2 remote sensing data for structural geology and topographic mapping in Kelantan river basin, Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Beiranvand Pour, Amin; Hashim, Mazlan

2016-06-01

Natural hazards of geological origin are one of major problem during heavy monsoons rainfall in Kelantan state, peninsular Malaysia. Several landslides occur in this region are obviously connected to geological and topographical features, every year. Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are particularly applicable for detection of geological structural and topographical features in tropical conditions. In this study, Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR-2), remote sensing data were used to identify high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslide in the Kelantan river basin. Adaptive Local Sigma filter was selected and applied to accomplish speckle reduction and preserving both edges and features in PALSAR-2 fine mode observation images. Different polarization images were integrated to enhance geological structures. Additionally, directional filters were applied to the PALSAR-2 Local Sigma resultant image for edge enhancement and detailed identification of linear features. Several faults, drainage patterns and lithological contact layers were identified at regional scale. In order to assess the results, fieldwork and GPS survey were conducted in the landslide affected zones in the Kelantan river basin. Results demonstrate the most of the landslides were associated with N-S, NNW-SSE and NE-SW trending faults, angulate drainage pattern and metamorphic and Quaternary units. Consequently, geologic structural map were produced for Kelantan river basin using recent PALSAR-2 data, which could be broadly applicable for landslide hazard assessment and delineation of high potential risk and susceptible areas. Landslide mitigation programmes could be conducted in the landslide recurrence regions for reducing catastrophes leading to economic losses and death.

The Moon's largest craters and basins images and topographic maps from LRO, GRAIL, and Kaguya

CERN Document Server

Byrne, Charles J

2016-01-01

This most recent book from lunar expert Charles J. Byrne combines the latest comprehensive imagery, topography and gravity data from all three recent Moon missions, Kaguya, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and GRAIL. These major polar-orbit surveys are presented here in compact form for the convenience of amateur and practical astronomers concerned with the Moon. Chosen from the Near and Far Side's large craters and basins over 200 km in diameter, each of the 71 highlighted features is depicted with a two-page presentation of the data that includes false color topographic maps next to the mission images. Additionally, the features are presented in the estimated chronological sequence of their creation, based on a consideration of stratigraphy (overlapping layers from neighboring features) and the relative degradation of surface features.  Using this sequence as a way to convey the relative ages of lunar features, the author presents various theories concerning the Moon’s impact and thermal history ...

Topographic shear and the relation of ocular dominance columns to orientation columns in primate and cat visual cortex.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, Richard J.; Schwartz, Eric L.

1999-03-01

Shear has been known to exist for many years in the topographic structure of the primary visual cortex, but has received little attention in the modeling literature. Although the topographic map of V1 is largely conformal (i.e. zero shear), several groups have observed topographic shear in the region of the V1/V2 border. Furthermore, shear has also been revealed by anisotropy of cortical magnification factor within a single ocular dominance column. In the present paper, we make a functional hypothesis: the major axis of the topographic shear tensor provides cortical neurons with a preferred direction of orientation tuning. We demonstrate that isotropic neuronal summation of a sheared topographic map, in the presence of additional random shear, can provide the major features of cortical functional architecture with the ocular dominance column system acting as the principal source of the shear tensor. The major principal axis of the shear tensor determines the direction and its eigenvalues the relative strength of cortical orientation preference. This hypothesis is then shown to be qualitatively consistent with a variety of experimental results on cat and monkey orientation column properties obtained from optical recording and from other anatomical and physiological techniques. In addition, we show that a recent result of Das and Gilbert (Das, A., & Gilbert, C. D., 1997. Distortions of visuotopic map match orientation singularities in primary visual cortex. Nature, 387, 594-598) is consistent with an infinite set of parameterized solutions for the cortical map. We exploit this freedom to choose a particular instance of the Das-Gilbert solution set which is consistent with the full range of local spatial structure in V1. These results suggest that further relationships between ocular dominance columns, orientation columns, and local topography may be revealed by experimental testing.

Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Semaan, Leslie

The text explores Mexico's history, geography, art, religion, and lifestyles in the context of its complex economy. The text focuses on Mexico's economy and reasons for its current situation. Part I of this teaching unit includes: Teacher Overview, Why Study Mexico, Mexico Fact Sheet, Map of Mexico, the Land and Climate, History, Government,…

Topographical Hill Shading Map Production Based Tianditu (map World)

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, C.; Zha, Z.; Tang, D.; Yang, J.

2018-04-01

TIANDITU (Map World) is the public version of National Platform for Common Geospatial Information Service, and the terrain service is an important channel for users on the platform. With the development of TIANDITU, topographical hill shading map production for providing and updating global terrain map on line becomes necessary for the characters of strong intuition, three-dimensional sense and aesthetic effect. As such, the terrain service of TIANDITU focuses on displaying the different scales of topographical data globally. And this paper mainly aims to research the method of topographical hill shading map production globally using DEM (Digital Elevation Model) data between the displaying scales about 1 : 140,000,000 to 1 : 4,000,000, corresponded the display level from 2 to 7 on TIANDITU website.

Historical Evolution of the Hydrological Functioning of the Old Lake Xochimilco, Southern Mexico Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, T.; Ruvalcaba, A.

2012-12-01

The lacustrian area of Xochimilco is one of the remnants of the old system of lakes located in the Basin of Mexico. After the Spanish conquest, began a series of actions including hydraulic-works that have changed the original landscape of this region. This region had important springs that for more than 50 years supplied water to the Mexico City. Since 1960, the excessive exploitation of the aquifer and urban growth in the region exhausted the springs. Using historical information we were able to characterize the major phenomena that have substantially changed the hydrogeological functioning of the region, in some more than 100 years. Currently, the exploitation of extraction wells has caused a gradual decrease in their static level and the existing remnant of the old lake is maintained with treated water. Observable effects are presented. The topographic gradient has been modified occurs subsidence and fractures are visible besides a severe reduction in the lake area which has been reduced to 15% of its original extent.

2013 NOAA Topographic Lidar: US Virgin Islands Digital Elevation Models (DEMs)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The United States Virgin Islands Topographic LiDAR Task Order involved collecting and delivering topographic elevation point data derived from multiple return light...

Structural Damage in Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Hall, John F.; Beck, James L.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the structural damage in Mexico City caused by the September 19, 1985 earthquake. Photographs which illustrate various features of structural behavior are included. One explanation is presented as to why buildings with fundamental periods of elastic vibration considerably below the predominant two‐second period of the ground motion were most vulnerable to damage.

Fabrication of narrow surface relief features in a side-chain azobenzene polyester with a scanning near-field microscope

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramanujam, P.S.; Holme, N. C. R.; Pedersen, M.

2001-01-01

We show that it is possible to fabricate topographic submicron features in a side-chain azobenzene polyester with a scanning near-field optical microscope, Through irradiation at a wavelength of 488 run at intensity levels of 12 W/cm(2), topographic features as narrow as 240 nm and as high as 6 nm...... have been reproducibly recorded in a thin film of the polyester. These observations are consistent with the fact that at low intensities peaks are produced evolving into formation of trenches at high intensities in the case of amorphous side-chain azobenzene polyesters. This may find applications...

Evaluation of corneal higher order aberrations in normal topographic patterns

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Mirzajani

2016-06-01

Conclusions: Based on results in this study, there were a good correlation between corneal topographic pattern and corneal HOAs in normal eyes. These results indicate that the corneal HOAs values are largely determined by the topographic patterns. A larger sample size would perhaps have been beneficial to yield in more accurate outcomes.

a Semi-Empirical Topographic Correction Model for Multi-Source Satellite Images

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Sa; Tian, Xinpeng; Liu, Qiang; Wen, Jianguang; Ma, Yushuang; Song, Zhenwei

2018-04-01

Topographic correction of surface reflectance in rugged terrain areas is the prerequisite for the quantitative application of remote sensing in mountainous areas. Physics-based radiative transfer model can be applied to correct the topographic effect and accurately retrieve the reflectance of the slope surface from high quality satellite image such as Landsat8 OLI. However, as more and more images data available from various of sensors, some times we can not get the accurate sensor calibration parameters and atmosphere conditions which are needed in the physics-based topographic correction model. This paper proposed a semi-empirical atmosphere and topographic corrction model for muti-source satellite images without accurate calibration parameters.Based on this model we can get the topographic corrected surface reflectance from DN data, and we tested and verified this model with image data from Chinese satellite HJ and GF. The result shows that the correlation factor was reduced almost 85 % for near infrared bands and the classification overall accuracy of classification increased 14 % after correction for HJ. The reflectance difference of slope face the sun and face away the sun have reduced after correction.

A topo-graph model for indistinct target boundary definition from anatomical images.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Hui; Wang, Xiuying; Zhou, Jianlong; Gong, Guanzhong; Eberl, Stefan; Yin, Yong; Wang, Lisheng; Feng, Dagan; Fulham, Michael

2018-06-01

It can be challenging to delineate the target object in anatomical imaging when the object boundaries are difficult to discern due to the low contrast or overlapping intensity distributions from adjacent tissues. We propose a topo-graph model to address this issue. The first step is to extract a topographic representation that reflects multiple levels of topographic information in an input image. We then define two types of node connections - nesting branches (NBs) and geodesic edges (GEs). NBs connect nodes corresponding to initial topographic regions and GEs link the nodes at a detailed level. The weights for NBs are defined to measure the similarity of regional appearance, and weights for GEs are defined with geodesic and local constraints. NBs contribute to the separation of topographic regions and the GEs assist the delineation of uncertain boundaries. Final segmentation is achieved by calculating the relevance of the unlabeled nodes to the labels by the optimization of a graph-based energy function. We test our model on 47 low contrast CT studies of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 10 contrast-enhanced CT liver cases and 50 breast and abdominal ultrasound images. The validation criteria are the Dice's similarity coefficient and the Hausdorff distance. Student's t-test show that our model outperformed the graph models with pixel-only, pixel and regional, neighboring and radial connections (p-values <0.05). Our findings show that the topographic representation and topo-graph model provides improved delineation and separation of objects from adjacent tissues compared to the tested models. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topographic and Bioclimatic Determinants of the Occurrence of Forest and Grassland in Tropical Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaics of the Western Ghats, India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arundhati Das

Full Text Available The objective of this analysis was to identify topographic and bioclimatic factors that predict occurrence of forest and grassland patches within tropical montane forest-grassland mosaics. We further investigated whether interactions between topography and bioclimate are important in determining vegetation pattern, and assessed the role of spatial scale in determining the relative importance of specific topographic features. Finally, we assessed the role of elevation in determining the relative importance of diverse explanatory factors. The study area consists of the central and southern regions of the Western Ghats of Southern India, a global biodiversity hotspot. Random forests were used to assess prediction accuracy and predictor importance. Conditional inference classification trees were used to interpret predictor effects and examine potential interactions between predictors. GLMs were used to confirm predictor importance and assess the strength of interaction terms. Overall, topographic and bioclimatic predictors classified vegetation pattern with approximately 70% accuracy. Prediction accuracy was higher for grassland than forest, and for mosaics at higher elevations. Elevation was the most important predictor, with mosaics above 2000 m dominated largely by grassland. Relative topographic position measured at a local scale (within a 300 m neighbourhood was another important predictor of vegetation pattern. In high elevation mosaics, northness and concave land surface curvature were important predictors of forest occurrence. Important bioclimatic predictors were: dry quarter precipitation, annual temperature range and the interaction between the two. The results indicate complex interactions between topography and bioclimate and among topographic variables. Elevation and topography have a strong influence on vegetation pattern in these mosaics. There were marked regional differences in the roles of various topographic and bioclimatic

Topographic and Bioclimatic Determinants of the Occurrence of Forest and Grassland in Tropical Montane Forest-Grassland Mosaics of the Western Ghats, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Arundhati; Nagendra, Harini; Anand, Madhur; Bunyan, Milind

2015-01-01

The objective of this analysis was to identify topographic and bioclimatic factors that predict occurrence of forest and grassland patches within tropical montane forest-grassland mosaics. We further investigated whether interactions between topography and bioclimate are important in determining vegetation pattern, and assessed the role of spatial scale in determining the relative importance of specific topographic features. Finally, we assessed the role of elevation in determining the relative importance of diverse explanatory factors. The study area consists of the central and southern regions of the Western Ghats of Southern India, a global biodiversity hotspot. Random forests were used to assess prediction accuracy and predictor importance. Conditional inference classification trees were used to interpret predictor effects and examine potential interactions between predictors. GLMs were used to confirm predictor importance and assess the strength of interaction terms. Overall, topographic and bioclimatic predictors classified vegetation pattern with approximately 70% accuracy. Prediction accuracy was higher for grassland than forest, and for mosaics at higher elevations. Elevation was the most important predictor, with mosaics above 2000 m dominated largely by grassland. Relative topographic position measured at a local scale (within a 300 m neighbourhood) was another important predictor of vegetation pattern. In high elevation mosaics, northness and concave land surface curvature were important predictors of forest occurrence. Important bioclimatic predictors were: dry quarter precipitation, annual temperature range and the interaction between the two. The results indicate complex interactions between topography and bioclimate and among topographic variables. Elevation and topography have a strong influence on vegetation pattern in these mosaics. There were marked regional differences in the roles of various topographic and bioclimatic predictors across the

Topographic stress and catastrophic collapse of volcanic islands

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, S.; Perron, J. T.; Martel, S. J.

2017-12-01

Flank collapse of volcanic islands can devastate coastal environments and potentially induce tsunamis. Previous studies have suggested that factors such as volcanic eruption events, gravitational spreading, the reduction of material strength due to hydrothermal alteration, steep coastal cliffs, or sea level change may contribute to slope instability and induce catastrophic collapse of volcanic flanks. In this study, we examine the potential influence of three-dimensional topographic stress perturbations on flank collapses of volcanic islands. Using a three-dimensional boundary element model, we calculate subsurface stress fields for the Canary and Hawaiian islands to compare the effects of stratovolcano and shield volcano shapes on topographic stresses. Our model accounts for gravitational stresses from the actual shapes of volcanic islands, ambient stress in the underlying plate, and the influence of pore water pressure. We quantify the potential for slope failure of volcanic flanks using a combined model of three-dimensional topographic stress and slope stability. The results of our analysis show that subsurface stress fields vary substantially depending on the shapes of volcanoes, and can influence the size and spatial distribution of flank failures.

Spatial variability of soil carbon across Mexico and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, R.; Guevara, M.; Cruz Gaistardo, C.; Paz, F.; de Jong, B.; Etchevers, J.

2015-12-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is directly linked to soil quality, food security, and land use/global environmental change. We use publicly available information on SOC and couple it with digital elevation models and derived terrain attributes using a machine learning approach. We found a strong spatial dependency of SOC across the United States, but less spatial dependency of SOC across Mexico. Using High Performance Computing (HPC) we derived a 1 km resolution map of SOC across Mexico and the United States. We tested different machine learning methods (e.g., kernel based, tree based and/or Geo-statistics approaches) for computational efficiency and statistical accuracy. Using random forest combined with geo-statistics we were able to explain >70% of SOC variance for Mexico and >40% in the case of the United States via cross validation. These results compare with other published estimates of SOC at 1km resolution that only explain <30% of SOC variance across the world. Topographic attributes derived from digital elevation models are freely available globally at fine spatial resolution (<100 m), and this information allowed us to make predictions of SOC at fine scales. We further tested this approach using SOC information from the International Soil Carbon Network to predict SOC in other regions of the world. We conclude that this approach (using public information and open source platforms for data analysis) could be implemented to predict detailed explicit information of SOC across different spatial scales.

Quantitative assessment of the scope of content of selected topographic maps of Polish lands from the 19th and the first half of the 20th century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panecki Tomasz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The author presents an overview of the scope of content of selected topographic maps of Polish lands from the 19th and the first half of the 20th century in its quantitative aspect. 19 maps were analysed and a common conceptual model linked to the Database of Topographic Objects (DBTO10k was developed on the basis of catalogues of object types. Quantitative statistics were also prepared for the object types from maps before and after harmonization. Differences between their numbers within the same maps reflect the conceptual variety of said maps. The number of types of objects (before and after harmonization was then juxtaposed with selected thematic layers: water network, transport network, land cover, buildings, structures, and equipment, land use complexes, localities and other objects. Such factors as scales, publication dates and topographic services which created analysed maps were also taken into consideration. Additionally, the analysed maps demonstrate uneven levels of generalization. Inclusion of objects typical for large-scale cartography on topographic and general maps is one of the distinctive features.

Topographic relationships for design rainfalls over Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, F.; Hutchinson, M. F.; The, C.; Beesley, C.; Green, J.

2016-02-01

Design rainfall statistics are the primary inputs used to assess flood risk across river catchments. These statistics normally take the form of Intensity-Duration-Frequency (IDF) curves that are derived from extreme value probability distributions fitted to observed daily, and sub-daily, rainfall data. The design rainfall relationships are often required for catchments where there are limited rainfall records, particularly catchments in remote areas with high topographic relief and hence some form of interpolation is required to provide estimates in these areas. This paper assesses the topographic dependence of rainfall extremes by using elevation-dependent thin plate smoothing splines to interpolate the mean annual maximum rainfall, for periods from one to seven days, across Australia. The analyses confirm the important impact of topography in explaining the spatial patterns of these extreme rainfall statistics. Continent-wide residual and cross validation statistics are used to demonstrate the 100-fold impact of elevation in relation to horizontal coordinates in explaining the spatial patterns, consistent with previous rainfall scaling studies and observational evidence. The impact of the complexity of the fitted spline surfaces, as defined by the number of knots, and the impact of applying variance stabilising transformations to the data, were also assessed. It was found that a relatively large number of 3570 knots, suitably chosen from 8619 gauge locations, was required to minimise the summary error statistics. Square root and log data transformations were found to deliver marginally superior continent-wide cross validation statistics, in comparison to applying no data transformation, but detailed assessments of residuals in complex high rainfall regions with high topographic relief showed that no data transformation gave superior performance in these regions. These results are consistent with the understanding that in areas with modest topographic relief, as

Impact of evaporite dissolution and collapse on highways and other cultural features in the Texas Panhandle and Eastern New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpkins, W.W.; Gustavson, T.C.; Alhades, A.B.; Hoadley, A.D.

1981-01-01

Geological investigations in the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico indicate that regional subsurface dissolution of Permian evaporites has occurred and is an ongoing process. Evidence of removal of large volumes of evaporites (mainly halite) and collapse of overlying beds is demonstrated by cross sections constructed from gamma-ray logs. Surface manifestation of subsurface dissolution and collapse is clearly shown in Hall County, Texas, where over 400 sinkholes and undrained depressions have been identified from aerial photographs. Sinkhole diameters up to approximately 100 m (300 ft) and depths to 15 m (50 ft) have been observed. Eleven active northeast- and southwest-trending fractures and faults have been recognizd, some of which are demonstrated as patched sections of highways. Formation of collapse features and faults that damage highways is a recognized problem in the region. Stock tanks and large reservors are also affected to a lesser degree. Dissolution and collapse pose difficult problems for geologists, highway engineers, and maintenance crews. Areas of active subsurface dissolution have been identified, but development of collapse features and faults at the surface generally follows no predictable pattern. The history of, and potential for, evaporite dissolution sould be investigated in each area before construction of highways, reservoirs, and stock tanks. Areas with high densities of collapse features, fractures, and faults should be avoided when possible

2011 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Topographic LiDAR: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — These files contain classified topographic and bathymetric lidar data as unclassified valid topographic data (1), valid topographic data classified as ground (2),...

Topographic changes and their driving factors after 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Li, C.; Wang, M.; Xie, J.; Liu, K.

2017-12-01

The Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake caused topographic change in the stricken areas because of the formation of numerous coseismic landslides. The emergence of new landslides and debris flows and movement of loose materials under the driving force of heavy rainfall could further shape the local topography. Dynamic topographic changes in mountainous areas stricken by major earthquakes have a strong linkage to the development and occurrence of secondary disasters. However, little attention has been paid to continuously monitoring mountain environment change after such earthquakes. A digital elevation model (DEM) is the main feature of the terrain surface, in our research, we extracted DEM in 2013 and 2015 of a typical mountainous area severely impacted by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake from the ZY-3 stereo pair images with validation by field measurement. Combined with the elevation dataset in 2002 and 2010, we quantitatively assessed elevation changes in different years and qualitatively analyzed spatiotemporal variation of the terrain and mass movement across the study area. The results show that the earthquake stricken area experienced substantial elevation changes caused by seismic forces and subsequent rainfalls. Meanwhile, deposits after the earthquake are mainly accumulated on the river-channels and mountain ridges and deep gullies which increase the risk of other geo-hazards. And the heavy rainfalls after the earthquake have become the biggest driver of elevation reduction, which overwhelmed elevation increase during the major earthquake. Our study provided a better understanding of subsequent hazards and risks faced by residents and communities stricken by major earthquakes.

Topographically Engineered Large Scale Nanostructures for Plasmonic Biosensing

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Bo; Pradhan, Sangram K.; Santiago, Kevin C.; Rutherford, Gugu N.; Pradhan, Aswini K.

2016-04-01

We demonstrate that a nanostructured metal thin film can achieve enhanced transmission efficiency and sharp resonances and use a large-scale and high-throughput nanofabrication technique for the plasmonic structures. The fabrication technique combines the features of nanoimprint and soft lithography to topographically construct metal thin films with nanoscale patterns. Metal nanogratings developed using this method show significantly enhanced optical transmission (up to a one-order-of-magnitude enhancement) and sharp resonances with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ~15nm in the zero-order transmission using an incoherent white light source. These nanostructures are sensitive to the surrounding environment, and the resonance can shift as the refractive index changes. We derive an analytical method using a spatial Fourier transformation to understand the enhancement phenomenon and the sensing mechanism. The use of real-time monitoring of protein-protein interactions in microfluidic cells integrated with these nanostructures is demonstrated to be effective for biosensing. The perpendicular transmission configuration and large-scale structures provide a feasible platform without sophisticated optical instrumentation to realize label-free surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing.

Topographic precursors and geological structures of deep-seated catastrophic landslides caused by Typhoon Talas

Science.gov (United States)

Chigira, Masahiro; Tsou, Ching-Ying; Matsushi, Yuki; Hiraishi, Narumi; Matsuzawa, Makoto

2013-11-01

Typhoon Talas crossed the Japanese Islands between 2 and 5 September 2011, causing more than 70 deep-seated catastrophic landslides in a Jurassic to Paleogene-lower Miocene accretion complex. Detailed examination of the topographic features of 10 large landslides before the event, recorded on 1-m DEMs based on airborne laser scanner surveys, showed that all landslides had small scarps near their future crowns prior to the slide, and one landslide had linear depressions along its future crown as precursor topographic features. These scarps and linear depressions were caused by gravitational slope deformation that preceded the catastrophic failure. Although the scarps may have been enlarged by degradation, their sizes relative to the whole slopes suggest that minimal slope deformation had occurred in the period immediately before the catastrophic failure. The scarp ratio, defined as the ratio of length of a scarp to that of the whole slope both measured along the slope line, ranged from 5% to 21%. Careful examination of aerial photographs from another four large landslides, for which no high-resolution DEMs were available, suggested that they also developed scarps at their heads beforehand. Twelve of the 14 landslides we surveyed in the field had sliding surfaces with wedge-shaped discontinuities that consisted of faults and bedding, suggesting that the buildup of pore pressure occurs readily on wedge-shaped discontinuities in a gravitationally deformed rock body. Most of the faults were undulatory and were probably thrust faults that formed during accretion. Other types of gravitational deformation were also active; e.g., flexural toppling and buckling were observed to have preceded one landslide.

AlphaSpace: Fragment-Centric Topographical Mapping To Target Protein–Protein Interaction Interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Inhibition of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) is emerging as a promising therapeutic strategy despite the difficulty in targeting such interfaces with drug-like small molecules. PPIs generally feature large and flat binding surfaces as compared to typical drug targets. These features pose a challenge for structural characterization of the surface using geometry-based pocket-detection methods. An attractive mapping strategy—that builds on the principles of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD)—is to detect the fragment-centric modularity at the protein surface and then characterize the large PPI interface as a set of localized, fragment-targetable interaction regions. Here, we introduce AlphaSpace, a computational analysis tool designed for fragment-centric topographical mapping (FCTM) of PPI interfaces. Our approach uses the alpha sphere construct, a geometric feature of a protein’s Voronoi diagram, to map out concave interaction space at the protein surface. We introduce two new features—alpha-atom and alpha-space—and the concept of the alpha-atom/alpha-space pair to rank pockets for fragment-targetability and to facilitate the evaluation of pocket/fragment complementarity. The resulting high-resolution interfacial map of targetable pocket space can be used to guide the rational design and optimization of small molecule or biomimetic PPI inhibitors. PMID:26225450

Applying Topographic Classification, Based on the Hydrological Process, to Design Habitat Linkages for Climate Change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongwon Mo

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The use of biodiversity surrogates has been discussed in the context of designing habitat linkages to support the migration of species affected by climate change. Topography has been proposed as a useful surrogate in the coarse-filter approach, as the hydrological process caused by topography such as erosion and accumulation is the basis of ecological processes. However, some studies that have designed topographic linkages as habitat linkages, so far have focused much on the shape of the topography (morphometric topographic classification with little emphasis on the hydrological processes (generic topographic classification to find such topographic linkages. We aimed to understand whether generic classification was valid for designing these linkages. First, we evaluated whether topographic classification is more appropriate for describing actual (coniferous and deciduous and potential (mammals and amphibians habitat distributions. Second, we analyzed the difference in the linkages between the morphometric and generic topographic classifications. The results showed that the generic classification represented the actual distribution of the trees, but neither the morphometric nor the generic classification could represent the potential animal distributions adequately. Our study demonstrated that the topographic classes, according to the generic classification, were arranged successively according to the flow of water, nutrients, and sediment; therefore, it would be advantageous to secure linkages with a width of 1 km or more. In addition, the edge effect would be smaller than with the morphometric classification. Accordingly, we suggest that topographic characteristics, based on the hydrological process, are required to design topographic linkages for climate change.

Pan-American Highways: American Tourism to Mexico and 1950s Hollywood film

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Fuller

2014-10-01

Full Text Available This article examines American films from the early 1950s which feature journeys to Mexico.  Movies such as Where Danger Lives (John Farrow, 1950, Gun Crazy (Joseph H. Lewis, 1950, Out of the Past (Jacques Tourneur, 1947 and Wetbacks (Hank McCune, 1954 present journeys to Mexico as escapes from American life in which romanticised freedom is closely connected to mobility and automobiles.  The article explores the connection between the films’ cinematic vistas of Mexican landscapes and American tourism to Mexico in this period.  Through their journeys to and across the border, these films call the wider relationship between the US and Mexico into question as national identities are constructed through travel, landscape and touristic encounters.

Accuracy assessment of topographic mapping using UAV image integrated with satellite images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmi, S M; Ahmad, Baharin; Ahmad, Anuar

2014-01-01

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or UAV is extensively applied in various fields such as military applications, archaeology, agriculture and scientific research. This study focuses on topographic mapping and map updating. UAV is one of the alternative ways to ease the process of acquiring data with lower operating costs, low manufacturing and operational costs, plus it is easy to operate. Furthermore, UAV images will be integrated with QuickBird images that are used as base maps. The objective of this study is to make accuracy assessment and comparison between topographic mapping using UAV images integrated with aerial photograph and satellite image. The main purpose of using UAV image is as a replacement for cloud covered area which normally exists in aerial photograph and satellite image, and for updating topographic map. Meanwhile, spatial resolution, pixel size, scale, geometric accuracy and correction, image quality and information contents are important requirements needed for the generation of topographic map using these kinds of data. In this study, ground control points (GCPs) and check points (CPs) were established using real time kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK-GPS) technique. There are two types of analysis that are carried out in this study which are quantitative and qualitative assessments. Quantitative assessment is carried out by calculating root mean square error (RMSE). The outputs of this study include topographic map and orthophoto. From this study, the accuracy of UAV image is ± 0.460 m. As conclusion, UAV image has the potential to be used for updating of topographic maps

Spotlight on topographical pressure pain sensitivity maps: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alburquerque-Sendín F

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Francisco Alburquerque-Sendín,1 Pascal Madeleine,2 César Fernández-de-las-Peñas,3 Paula Rezende Camargo,4 Tania Fátima Salvini4 1Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Radiology and Physical Medicine, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain; 2Physical Activity and Human Performance Group, SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark; 3Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; 4Department of Physical Therapy, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil Abstract: Mechanical hyperalgesia defined as decreased pressure pain thresholds (PPTs is commonly associated with pain. In this narrative review, we report the current state of the art within topographical pressure sensitivity maps. Such maps are based on multiple PPT assessments. The PPTs are assessed by an a priori defined grid with special focus on both spatial and temporal summation issues. The grid covers the muscle or the body region of interest using absolute or relative values determined from anatomical landmarks or anthropometric values. The collected PPTs are interpolated by Shepard or Franke and Nielson interpolation methods to create topographical pressure sensitivity maps. This new imaging technique has proven to be valuable in various disciplines including exercise physiology, neurology, physical therapy, occupational medicine, oncology, orthopedics, and sport sciences. The reviewed papers have targeted different body regions like the scalp, low back, neck–shoulder, and upper and lower extremities. The maps have delineated spatial heterogeneity in the pressure pain sensitivity underlining the different extents of pressure pain hyperalgesia in both experimentally induced and disease-associated pain conditions. Furthermore, various intervention studies have proven the utility of topographical pressure pain

Financing options in Mexico`s energy industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKenna, J.J. [PricewaterhouseCoopers Securities, Houston, TX (United States)

1999-10-01

A series of brief notes accompanied this presentation which was divided into seven sections entitled: (1) capital markets update, (2) Mexican financial market update, (3) financing options in the energy industry, (4) the Venezuelan experience at La Apertura, (5) private and strategic equity alternatives, (6) Pricewaterhouse Coopers Securities, and (7) Mexico energy 2005 prediction. The paper focused on how the financial crisis and merger activity in Latin America will impact electricity reform in Mexico. It was noted that under Mexico`s Policy Proposal for Electricity Reform of the Mexican Electricity Industry, the financial community will seek to back companies in power generation, transportation and distribution. The difficulty of financing government businesses undergoing privatization was also discussed with particular emphasis on the challenge of accepting political and regulatory risks. The Latin private equity market and Canadian investment in Mexico was also reviewed. Since NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) went into affect in 1994, Canadian investment in Mexico has more than tripled. Canadian companies have invested more than C$1.7 billion in Mexico since NAFTA. Pricewaterhouse Coopers Securities is a global investment bank which sees large opportunities in the Mexican energy market. They predict that in five years, Mexico will experience a gradual liberalization of the oil and gas sector, and a full liberalization of the gas pipeline and distribution business and the power generation, transmission and distribution business. 3 figs.

Mexico Geoid Heights (MEXICO97)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This 2' geoid height grid for Mexico, and North-Central America, is the MEXICO97 geoid model. The computation used about one million terrestrial and marine gravity...

2009 SWFWMD Topographic Lidar: Peace River South (Florida)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — SWFWMD regularly uses digital topographic information to support regulatory, land management and acquisition, planning, engineering and habitat restoration projects....

ASSESSMENT OF THE VOLUNTEERED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FEEDBACK SYSTEM FOR THE DUTCH TOPOGRAPHICAL KEY REGISTER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Grus

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Since Topographical Key Register has become an open data the amount of users increased enormously. The highest grow was in the private users group. The increasing number of users and their growing demand for high actuality of the topographic data sets motivates the Dutch Kadaster to innovate and improve the Topographical Key Register (BRT. One of the initiatives was to provide a voluntary geographical information project aiming at providing a user-friendly feedback system adjusted to all kinds of user groups. The feedback system is a compulsory element of the Topographical Key Register in the Netherlands. The Dutch Kadaster is obliged to deliver a feedback system and the key-users are obliged to use it. The aim of the feedback system is to improve the quality and stimulate the usage of the data. The results of the pilot shows that the user-friendly and open to everyone feedback system contributes enormously to improve the quality of the topographic dataset.

Adaptive topographic mass correction for satellite gravity and gravity gradient data

Science.gov (United States)

Holzrichter, Nils; Szwillus, Wolfgang; Götze, Hans-Jürgen

2014-05-01

Subsurface modelling with gravity data includes a reliable topographic mass correction. Since decades, this mandatory step is a standard procedure. However, originally methods were developed for local terrestrial surveys. Therefore, these methods often include defaults like a limited correction area of 167 km around an observation point, resampling topography depending on the distance to the station or disregard the curvature of the earth. New satellite gravity data (e.g. GOCE) can be used for large scale lithospheric modelling with gravity data. The investigation areas can include thousands of kilometres. In addition, measurements are located in the flight height of the satellite (e.g. ~250 km for GOCE). The standard definition of the correction area and the specific grid spacing around an observation point was not developed for stations located in these heights and areas of these dimensions. This asks for a revaluation of the defaults used for topographic correction. We developed an algorithm which resamples the topography based on an adaptive approach. Instead of resampling topography depending on the distance to the station, the grids will be resampled depending on its influence at the station. Therefore, the only value the user has to define is the desired accuracy of the topographic correction. It is not necessary to define the grid spacing and a limited correction area. Furthermore, the algorithm calculates the topographic mass response with a spherical shaped polyhedral body. We show examples for local and global gravity datasets and compare the results of the topographic mass correction to existing approaches. We provide suggestions how satellite gravity and gradient data should be corrected.

Unveiling topographical changes using LiDAR mapping capability: case study of Belaga in Sarawak, East-Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Ganendra, T. R.; Khan, N. M.; Razak, W. J.; Kouame, Y.; Mobarakeh, E. T.

2016-06-01

The use of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) remote sensing technology to scan and map landscapes has proven to be one of the most popular techniques to accurately map topography. Thus, LiDAR technology is the ultimate method of unveiling the surface feature under dense vegetation, and, this paper intends to emphasize the diverse techniques that can be utilized to elucidate topographical changes over the study area, using multi-temporal airborne full waveform LiDAR datasets collected in 2012 and 2014. Full waveform LiDAR data offers access to an almost unlimited number of returns per shot, which enables the user to explore in detail topographical changes, such as vegetation growth measurement. The study also found out topography changes at the study area due to earthwork activities contributing to soil consolidation, soil erosion and runoff, requiring cautious monitoring. The implications of this study not only concurs with numerous investigations undertaken by prominent researchers to improve decision making, but also corroborates once again that investigations employing multi-temporal LiDAR data to unveil topography changes in vegetated terrains, produce more detailed and accurate results than most other remote sensing data.

Reduction of Topographic Effect for Curve Number Estimated from Remotely Sensed Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wen-Yan; Lin, Chao-Yuan

2016-04-01

The Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method is commonly used in hydrology to estimate direct runoff volume. The CN is the empirical parameter which corresponding to land use/land cover, hydrologic soil group and antecedent soil moisture condition. In large watersheds with complex topography, satellite remote sensing is the appropriate approach to acquire the land use change information. However, the topographic effect have been usually found in the remotely sensed imageries and resulted in land use classification. This research selected summer and winter scenes of Landsat-5 TM during 2008 to classified land use in Chen-You-Lan Watershed, Taiwan. The b-correction, the empirical topographic correction method, was applied to Landsat-5 TM data. Land use were categorized using K-mean classification into 4 groups i.e. forest, grassland, agriculture and river. Accuracy assessment of image classification was performed with national land use map. The results showed that after topographic correction, the overall accuracy of classification was increased from 68.0% to 74.5%. The average CN estimated from remotely sensed imagery decreased from 48.69 to 45.35 where the average CN estimated from national LULC map was 44.11. Therefore, the topographic correction method was recommended to normalize the topographic effect from the satellite remote sensing data before estimating the CN.

Topographic Beta Spiral and Onshore Intrusion of the Kuroshio Current

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, De-Zhou; Huang, Rui Xin; Yin, Bao-shu; Feng, Xing-Ru; Chen, Hai-ying; Qi, Ji-Feng; Xu, Ling-jing; Shi, Yun-long; Cui, Xuan; Gao, Guan-Dong; Benthuysen, Jessica A.

2018-01-01

The Kuroshio intrusion plays a vitally important role in carrying nutrients to marginal seas. However, the key mechanism leading to the Kuroshio intrusion remains unclear. In this study we postulate a mechanism: when the Kuroshio runs onto steep topography northeast of Taiwan, the strong inertia gives rise to upwelling over topography, leading to a left-hand spiral in the stratified ocean. This is called the topographic beta spiral, which is a major player regulating the Kuroshio intrusion; this spiral can be inferred from hydrographic surveys. In the world oceans, the topographic beta spirals can be induced by upwelling generated by strong currents running onto steep topography. This is a vital mechanism regulating onshore intruding flow and the cross-shelf transport of energy and nutrients from the Kuroshio Current to the East China Sea. This topographic beta spiral reveals a long-term missing link between the oceanic general circulation theory and shelf dynamic theory.

Topographic evolution of a continental indenter: The eastern Southern Alps

Science.gov (United States)

Robl, Jörg; Heberer, Bianca; Prasicek, Günther; Neubauer, Franz; Hergarten, Stefan

2017-04-01

The topographic evolution of the eastern Southern Alps (ESA) is controlled by the Late Oligocene - Early Miocene indentation of the Adriatic microplate into an overthickened orogenic wedge emplaced on top of the European plate. Rivers follow topographic gradients that evolve during continental collision and in turn incise into bedrock counteracting the formation of topography. In principle, erosional surface processes tend to establish a topographic steady state so that an interpretation of topographic metrics in terms of the latest tectonic history should be straightforward. However, a series of complications impede deciphering the topographic record of the ESA. The Pleistocene glaciations locally excavated alpine valleys and perturbed fluvial drainages. The Late Miocene desiccation of the Mediterranean Sea and the uplift of the northern Molasse Basin led to significant base level changes in the far field of the ESA and the Eastern Alps (EA), respectively. Among this multitude of mechanisms, the processes that dominate the current topographic evolution of the ESA and the ESA-EA drainage divide have not been identified and a number of questions regarding the interaction of crustal deformation, erosion and climate in shaping the present-day topography remain. We demonstrate the expected topographic effects of each mechanism in a 1-dimensional model and compare them with observed channel metrics. Modern uplift rates are largely consistent with long-term exhumation in the ESA and with variations in the normalized steepness index (ksn) indicating a stable uplift and erosion pattern since Miocene times. We find that ksn increases with uplift rate and declines from the indenter tip in the northwest to the foreland basin in the southeast. The number and magnitude of knickpoints and the distortion in longitudinal channel profiles similarly decrease towards the east. Most knickpoints probably evolved during Pleistocene glaciation cycles, but may represent the incrementally

Urban forest topographical mapping using UAV LIDAR

Science.gov (United States)

Putut Ash Shidiq, Iqbal; Wibowo, Adi; Kusratmoko, Eko; Indratmoko, Satria; Ardhianto, Ronni; Prasetyo Nugroho, Budi

2017-12-01

Topographical data is highly needed by many parties, such as government institution, mining companies and agricultural sectors. It is not just about the precision, the acquisition time and data processing are also carefully considered. In relation with forest management, a high accuracy topographic map is necessary for planning, close monitoring and evaluating forest changes. One of the solution to quickly and precisely mapped topography is using remote sensing system. In this study, we test high-resolution data using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) collected from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to map topography and differentiate vegetation classes based on height in urban forest area of University of Indonesia (UI). The semi-automatic and manual classifications were applied to divide point clouds into two main classes, namely ground and vegetation. There were 15,806,380 point clouds obtained during the post-process, in which 2.39% of it were detected as ground.

Uranium and thorium occurrences in New Mexico: distribution, geology, production, and resources, with selected bibliography. Open-file report OF-183

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLemore, V.T.

1983-09-01

Over 1300 uranium and thorium occurrences are found in over 100 formational units in all but two counties, in all 1- by 2-degree topographic quadrangles, and in all four geographic provinces in New Mexico. Uranium production in New Mexico has surpassed yearly production from all other states since 1956. Over 200 mines in 18 counties in New Mexico have produced 163,010 tons (147,880 metric tons) of U 3 O 8 from 1948 to 1982, 40% of the total uranium production in the United States. More than 99% of this production has come from sedimentary rocks in the San Juan Basin area in northwestern New Mexico; 96% has come from the Morrison Formation alone. All of the uranium reserves and the majority of the potential uranium resources in New Mexico are in the Grants uranium district. About 112,500 tons (102,058 metric tons) of $30 per pound of U 3 O 8 reserves are in the San Juan Basin, about 55% of the total $30 reserves in the United States. Thorium reserves and resources in New Mexico have not been adequately evaluated and are unknown. Over 1300 uranium and thorium occurrences are described in this report, about 400 of these have been examined in the field by the author. The occurrence descriptions include information on location, commodities, production, development, geology, and classification. Over 1000 citations are included in the bibliography and referenced in the occurrence descriptions. Production statistics for uranium mines that operated from 1948 to 1970 are also included. Mines that operated after 1970 are classified into production categories. 43 figures, 9 tables

2013 NOAA Topographic Lidar: U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The United States Virgin Islands Topographic LiDAR project collected topographic elevation point data derived from multiple return light detection and ranging...

A dedicated system for topographical working memory: evidence from domain-specific interference tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Piccardi, L; Nori, R; Boccia, M; Barbetti, S; Verde, P; Guariglia, C; Ferlazzo, F

2015-08-01

In the present study, we used single- and dual-task conditions to investigate the nature of topographical working memory to better understand what type of task can hamper performance during navigation. During dual-task conditions, we considered four different sources of interference: motor (M), spatial motor (SM), verbal (i.e. articulatory suppression AS) and spatial environmental (SE). In order to assess the nature of topographical working memory, we used the Walking Corsi Test, asking the participants to perform two tasks simultaneously (M, SM, AS and SE). Our results showed that only spatial-environmental interference hampers the execution of a topographical working memory task, suggesting a task-domain-specific effect. We also found general gender differences in the topographical working memory capabilities: men were more proficient than women, regardless of the type of interferences. However, like men, women performed worse when a spatial-environmental interference was present.

Ring distributions leading to species formation: a global topographic analysis of geographic barriers associated with ring species.

Science.gov (United States)

Monahan, William B; Pereira, Ricardo J; Wake, David B

2012-03-12

In the mid 20th century, Ernst Mayr and Theodosius Dobzhansky championed the significance of circular overlaps or ring species as the perfect demonstration of speciation, yet in the over 50 years since, only a handful of such taxa are known. We developed a topographic model to evaluate whether the geographic barriers that favor processes leading to ring species are common or rare, and to predict where other candidate ring barriers might be found. Of the 952,147 geographic barriers identified on the planet, only about 1% are topographically similar to barriers associated with known ring taxa, with most of the likely candidates occurring in under-studied parts of the world (for example, marine environments, tropical latitudes). Predicted barriers separate into two distinct categories: (i) single cohesive barriers (barriers - formed by groups of barriers (each 184,000 to 1.7 million km2) in close geographic proximity (totaling 1.9 to 2.3 million km2) - associated with taxa that differentiate at larger spatial scales (birds: Phylloscopus trochiloides and Larus (sp. argentatus and fuscus)). When evaluated globally, we find a large number of cohesive barriers that are topographically similar to those associated with known ring taxa. Yet, compared to cohesive barriers, an order of magnitude fewer composite barriers are similar to those that favor ring divergence in species with higher dispersal. While these findings confirm that the topographic conditions that favor evolutionary processes leading to ring speciation are, in fact, rare, they also suggest that many understudied natural systems could provide valuable demonstrations of continuous divergence towards the formation of new species. Distinct advantages of the model are that it (i) requires no a priori information on the relative importance of features that define barriers, (ii) can be replicated using any kind of continuously distributed environmental variable, and (iii) generates spatially explicit hypotheses of

Textural and geochemical features of freshwater microbialites from Laguna Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Castro-Contreras, Set I.; Gingras, Murray K.; Pecoits, Ernesto; Aubet, Natalie R.; Petrash, Daniel; Castro-Contreras, Saulo M.; Dick, Gregory; Planavsky, Noah J.; Konhauser, Kurt O.

2014-01-01

Microbialites provide some of the oldest direct evidence of life on Earth. They reached their peak during the Proterozoic and declined afterward. Their decline has been attributed to grazing and/or burrowing by metazoans, to changes in ocean chemistry, or to competition with other calcifying organisms. The freshwater microbialites at Laguna Bacalar (Mexico) provide an opportunity to better understand microbialite growth in terms of interaction between grazing organisms versus calcium carb...

Topographic Digital Raster Graphics - USGS DIGITAL RASTER GRAPHICS

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — USGS Topographic Digital Raster Graphics downloaded from LABINS (http://data.labins.org/2003/MappingData/drg/drg_stpl83.cfm). A digital raster graphic (DRG) is a...

Short communication: Multi-scale topographic anisotropy patterns on a Barrier Island

Science.gov (United States)

Houser, Chris; Bishop, Michael; Wernette, Phil

2017-11-01

Barrier islands exhibit a range of landforms that reflect the complex and varied combination of coastal and aeolian processes realized over the evolution of the island. A detailed analysis of the topography can be used to describe the evolution of a barrier island and provide insight on how it may be affected by a change in sea level, storm activity and wind exposure patterns. Topographic anisotropy, or the directional dependence of relief of landforms, can be used to determine the relative importance of different processes to island evolution at a range of scales. This short communication describes the use of scale-dependent topographic anisotropy to characterize the structure of Santa Rosa Island in northwest Florida. Scale-dependent topographic relief and asymmetry were assessed from a LiDAR-derived DEM from May 2004, a few months before the island experienced widespread erosion and overwash during Hurricane Ivan. This application demonstrates how anisotropy can be used to identify unique scale-dependent structures that can be used to interpret the evolution of this barrier island. Results of this preliminary study further highlight the potential of using topographic anisotropy to controls on barrier island response and recovery to storms as well as island resiliency with sea level rise and storm activity.

Enhancement of osteogenesis on micro/nano-topographical carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone–nanohydroxyapatite biocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu, Anxiu [College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Liu, Xiaochen [Center for Biomedical Materials and Tissue Engineering, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Gao, Xiang; Deng, Feng [College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Deng, Yi, E-mail: 18210357357@163.com [College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Wei, Shicheng, E-mail: weishicheng99@163.com [College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China); Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401147 (China)

2015-03-01

As an FDA-approved implantable material, carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFRPEEK) possesses excellent mechanical properties similar to those of human cortical bone and is a prime candidate to replace conventional metallic implants. The bioinertness and inferior osteogenic properties of CFRPEEK, however, limit its clinical application as orthopedic/dental implants. The present work aimed at developing a novel carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone–nanohydroxyapatite (PEEK/CF/n-HA) ternary biocomposite with micro/nano-topographical surface for the enhancement of the osteogenesis as a potential bioactive material for bone grafting and bone tissue-engineering applications. The combined modification of oxygen plasma and sand-blasting could improve the hydrophily and generate micro/nano-topographical structures on the surface of the CFRPEEK-based ternary biocomposite. The results clearly showcased that the micro-/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF ternary biocomposite demonstrated the outstanding ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of MG-63 cells in vitro as well as to boost the osseointegration between implant and bone in vivo, thereby boding well application to bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: • A novel micro/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF ternary biocomposite was developed. • The modified PEEK biocomposite promotes proliferation and differentiation of cells. • In vivo osseointegration of the micro/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF was enhanced.

Enhancement of osteogenesis on micro/nano-topographical carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone–nanohydroxyapatite biocomposite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Anxiu; Liu, Xiaochen; Gao, Xiang; Deng, Feng; Deng, Yi; Wei, Shicheng

2015-01-01

As an FDA-approved implantable material, carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFRPEEK) possesses excellent mechanical properties similar to those of human cortical bone and is a prime candidate to replace conventional metallic implants. The bioinertness and inferior osteogenic properties of CFRPEEK, however, limit its clinical application as orthopedic/dental implants. The present work aimed at developing a novel carbon fiber-reinforced polyetheretherketone–nanohydroxyapatite (PEEK/CF/n-HA) ternary biocomposite with micro/nano-topographical surface for the enhancement of the osteogenesis as a potential bioactive material for bone grafting and bone tissue-engineering applications. The combined modification of oxygen plasma and sand-blasting could improve the hydrophily and generate micro/nano-topographical structures on the surface of the CFRPEEK-based ternary biocomposite. The results clearly showcased that the micro-/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF ternary biocomposite demonstrated the outstanding ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of MG-63 cells in vitro as well as to boost the osseointegration between implant and bone in vivo, thereby boding well application to bone tissue engineering. - Highlights: • A novel micro/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF ternary biocomposite was developed. • The modified PEEK biocomposite promotes proliferation and differentiation of cells. • In vivo osseointegration of the micro/nano-topographical PEEK/n-HA/CF was enhanced

The Effect of Topographic Shadowing by Ice on Irradiance in the Greenland Ice Sheet Ablation Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Leidman, S. Z.; Rennermalm, A. K.; Ryan, J.; Cooper, M. G.; Smith, L. C.

2017-12-01

Accurately predicting runoff contributions to global sea level rise requires more refined surface mass balance (SMB) models of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Topographic shadowing has shown to be important in the SMB of snow-covered regions, yet SMB models for the GrIS generally ignore how surface topography affects spatial variability of incoming solar radiation on a surface. In the ablation zone of Southwest Greenland, deeply incised supraglacial drainage features, fracturing, and large-scale bed deformation result in extensive areas of rough surface topography. This topography blocks direct radiation such that shadowed areas receive less energy for melting while other topographic features such as peaks recieve more energy. In this study, we quantify how shadowing from local topography features changes incoming solar radiation. We apply the ArcGIS Pro Solar Radiation Toolset to calculate the direct and diffuse irradiance in sunlit and shadowed areas by determining the sun's movement for every half hour increment of 2016. Multiple digital elevation models (DEMs) with spatial resolutions ranging from 0.06 to 5m were derived from fixed wing and quadcopter UAV imagery collected in summer 2016 and the ArcticDEM dataset. Our findings show that shadowing significantly decreases irradiance compared to smoothed surfaces where local topography is removed. This decrease is exponentially proportional to the DEM pixel sized with 5m DEMs only able to capture a small percentage of the effect. Applying these calculations to the ArcticDEM to cover a larger study area indicates that decreases in irradiance are nonlinearly proportional to elevation with highly crevassed areas showing a larger effect from shadowing. Even so, shading at higher elevations reduces irradiance enough to result in several centimeters snow water equivalence (SWE) per year of over-prediction of runoff in SMB models. Furthermore, analysis of solar radiation products shows that shadowing predicts albedo

Surface forces between rough and topographically structured interfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thormann, Esben

2017-01-01

Within colloidal science, direct or indirect measurements of surface forces represent an important tool for developing a fundamental understanding of colloidal systems, as well as for predictions of the stability of colloidal suspensions. While the general understanding of colloidal interactions...... and manufactured materials, which possess topographical variations. Further, with technological advances in nanotechnology, fabrication of nano- or micro-structured surfaces has become increasingly important for many applications, which calls for a better understanding of the effect of surface topography...... on the interaction between interfaces. This paper presents a review of the current state of understanding of the effect of surface roughness on DLVO forces, as well as on the interactions between topographically structured hydrophobic surfaces in water. While the first case is a natural choice because it represents...

Complex Relationships of the Effects of Topographic Characteristics and Susceptible Tree Cover on Burn Severity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun-Joo Lee

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Forest fires and burn severity mosaics have profound impacts on the post-fire dynamics and complexity of forest ecosystems. Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between topographic variables and susceptible tree covers with regard to burn severity. However, these relationships have not been fully elucidated, because most studies have assumed linearity in these relationships. Therefore, we examined the linearity and the nonlinearity in the relationships between topographic variables and susceptible tree covers with burn severity by comparing linear and nonlinear models. The site of the Samcheok fire, the largest recorded forest fire in Korea, was used as the study area. We generated 802 grid cells with a 500-m resolution that encompassed the entire study area and collected a dataset that included the topographic variables and percentage of red pine trees, which are the most susceptible tree cover types in Korea. We used conventional linear models and generalized additive models to estimate the linear and the nonlinear models based on topographic variables and Japanese red pine trees. The results revealed that the percentage of red pine trees had linear effects on burn severity, reinforcing the importance of silviculture and forest management to lower burn severity. Meanwhile, the topographic variables had nonlinear effects on burn severity. Among the topographic variables, elevation had the strongest nonlinear effect on burn severity, possibly by overriding the effects of susceptible fuels over elevation effects or due to the nonlinear effects of topographic characteristics on pre-fire fuel conditions, including the spatial distribution and availability of susceptible tree cover. To validate and generalize the nonlinear effects of elevation and other topographic variables, additional research is required at different fire sites with different tree cover types in different geographic locations.

Estimating variability in placido-based topographic systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kounis, George A; Tsilimbaris, Miltiadis K; Kymionis, George D; Ginis, Harilaos S; Pallikaris, Ioannis G

2007-10-01

To describe a new software tool for the detailed presentation of corneal topography measurements variability by means of color-coded maps. Software was developed in Visual Basic to analyze and process a series of 10 consecutive measurements obtained by a topographic system on calibration spheres, and individuals with emmetropic, low, high, and irregular astigmatic corneas. Corneal surface was segmented into 1200 segments and the coefficient of variance of each segment's keratometric dioptric power was used as the measure of variability. The results were presented graphically in color-coded maps (Variability Maps). Two topographic systems, the TechnoMed C-Scan and the TOMEY Topographic Modeling System (TMS-2N), were examined to demonstrate our method. Graphic representation of coefficient of variance offered a detailed representation of examination variability both in calibration surfaces and human corneas. It was easy to recognize an increase in variability, as the irregularity of examination surfaces increased. In individuals with high and irregular astigmatism, a variability pattern correlated with the pattern of corneal topography: steeper corneal areas possessed higher variability values compared with flatter areas of the same cornea. Numerical data permitted direct comparisons and statistical analysis. We propose a method that permits a detailed evaluation of the variability of corneal topography measurements. The representation of the results both graphically and quantitatively improves interpretability and facilitates a spatial correlation of variability maps with original topography maps. Given the popularity of topography based custom refractive ablations of the cornea, it is possible that variability maps may assist clinicians in the evaluation of corneal topography maps of patients with very irregular corneas, before custom ablation procedures.

State Base Map for GIS – New Digital Topographic Map of the Republic of Macedonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zlatko Srbinoski

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The basic aim of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI built in accordance with INSPIRE directive is to standardize spatial data infrastructure on national level. In that direction, topographic maps are a basic platform for acquiring spatial data within geoinformation systems and one of the most important  segments of NSDI. This paper presents methodology of establishing the new digital topographic map of the Republic of Macedonia titled “State Base Map for GIS in Macedonia”. This paper analyzes geometrical accuracy of new digital topographic maps. Production of the new digital topographic map has been the most important cartographic project in the Republic of Macedonia since it became independent.

Texas-Mexico multimodal transportation: developments in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Boske, Leigh B.

1994-03-01

This presentation highlights the results of a recently completed study that examines the Texas- Mexico multimodal transport system already in place, current plans for improvements or expansion, and opportunities and constraints faced by each transport mode -- motor carriage, rail, maritime, and air. Particular emphasis is given to findings regarding transportation developments in Mexico. The study concludes that in Mexico, all modes are working at establishing new services and strategic alliances, intermodal arrangements are on the rise, and private-sector participation in infrastructure improvements is growing daily at Mexican seaports and airports as well as within that nation's highway and rail systems. This presentation looks at developments that concern privatization, deregulation, infrastructure improvements, financing arrangements, and new services in Mexico.

September 1985 Mexico City, Mexico Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The magnitude 8.1 earthquake occurred off the Pacific coast of Mexico. The damage was concentrated in a 25 square km area of Mexico City, 350 km from the epicenter....

An Improved Physics-Based Model for Topographic Correction of Landsat TM Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ainong Li

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Optical remotely sensed images in mountainous areas are subject to radiometric distortions induced by topographic effects, which need to be corrected before quantitative applications. Based on Li model and Sandmeier model, this paper proposed an improved physics-based model for the topographic correction of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM images. The model employed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI thresholds to approximately divide land targets into eleven groups, due to NDVI’s lower sensitivity to topography and its significant role in indicating land cover type. Within each group of terrestrial targets, corresponding MODIS BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function products were used to account for land surface’s BRDF effect, and topographic effects are corrected without Lambertian assumption. The methodology was tested with two TM scenes of severely rugged mountain areas acquired under different sun elevation angles. Results demonstrated that reflectance of sun-averted slopes was evidently enhanced, and the overall quality of images was improved with topographic effect being effectively suppressed. Correlation coefficients between Near Infra-Red band reflectance and illumination condition reduced almost to zero, and coefficients of variance also showed some reduction. By comparison with the other two physics-based models (Sandmeier model and Li model, the proposed model showed favorable results on two tested Landsat scenes. With the almost half-century accumulation of Landsat data and the successive launch and operation of Landsat 8, the improved model in this paper can be potentially helpful for the topographic correction of Landsat and Landsat-like data.

Directed ordering of phase separated domains and dewetting of thin polymer blend films on a topographically patterned substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandaru, Nandini; Karim, Alamgir; Mukherjee, Rabibrata

2017-07-21

Substrate pattern guided self-organization of ultrathin and confined polymeric films on a topographically patterned substrate is a useful approach for obtaining ordered meso and nano structures over large areas, particularly if the ordering is achieved during film preparation itself, eliminating any post-processing such as thermal or solvent vapor annealing. By casting a dilute solution of two immiscible polymers, polystyrene (PS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), from a common solvent (toluene) on a topographically patterned substrate with a grating geometry, we show the formation of self-organized meso patterns with various degrees of ordering. The morphology depends on both the concentration of the dispensed solution (C n ) and the blend composition (R B ). Depending on the extent of dewetting during spin coating, the final morphologies can be classified into three distinct categories. At a very low C n the solution dewets fully, resulting in isolated polymer droplets aligned along substrate grooves (Type 1). Type 2 structures comprising isolated threads with aligned phase separated domains along each substrate groove are observed at intermediate C n . A continuous film (Type 3) is obtained above a critical concentration (C n *) that depends on R B . While the extent of ordering of the domains gradually diminishes with an increase in film thickness for Type 3 patterns, the size of the domains remains much smaller than that on a flat substrate, resulting in significant downsizing of the features due to the lateral confinement imposed on the phase separation process by the topographic patterns. Finally, we show that some of these structures exhibit excellent broadband anti-reflection (AR) properties.

Basal-topographic control of stationary ponds on a continuously moving landslide

Science.gov (United States)

Coe, J.A.; McKenna, J.P.; Godt, J.W.; Baum, R.L.

2009-01-01

analyses of translational landslides should attempt to incorporate irregular basal surface topography. Additional implications for moving landslides where basal topography controls surface morphology include the following: dateable sediments or organic material from basal layers of stationary ponds will yield ages that are younger than the date of landslide initiation, and it is probable that other landslide surface features such as faults, streams, springs and sinks are also controlled by basal topography. The longitudinal topographic profile indicated that the upper part of the Slumgullion landslide was depleted at a mean vertical lowering rate of 5.6 cm/yr between 1939 and 2000, while the toe advanced at an average rate of 1.5 m/yr during the same period. Therefore, during this 61-year period, neither the depletion of material at the head of the landslide nor continued growth of the landslide toe has decreased the overall movement rate of the landslide. Continued depletion of the upper part of the landslide, and growth of the toe, should eventually result in stabilization of the landslide. Copyright ?? 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Unsupervised detection of salt marsh platforms: a topographic method

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, Guillaume C. H.; Mudd, Simon M.; Clubb, Fiona J.

2018-03-01

Salt marshes filter pollutants, protect coastlines against storm surges, and sequester carbon, yet are under threat from sea level rise and anthropogenic modification. The sustained existence of the salt marsh ecosystem depends on the topographic evolution of marsh platforms. Quantifying marsh platform topography is vital for improving the management of these valuable landscapes. The determination of platform boundaries currently relies on supervised classification methods requiring near-infrared data to detect vegetation, or demands labour-intensive field surveys and digitisation. We propose a novel, unsupervised method to reproducibly isolate salt marsh scarps and platforms from a digital elevation model (DEM), referred to as Topographic Identification of Platforms (TIP). Field observations and numerical models show that salt marshes mature into subhorizontal platforms delineated by subvertical scarps. Based on this premise, we identify scarps as lines of local maxima on a slope raster, then fill landmasses from the scarps upward, thus isolating mature marsh platforms. We test the TIP method using lidar-derived DEMs from six salt marshes in England with varying tidal ranges and geometries, for which topographic platforms were manually isolated from tidal flats. Agreement between manual and unsupervised classification exceeds 94 % for DEM resolutions of 1 m, with all but one site maintaining an accuracy superior to 90 % for resolutions up to 3 m. For resolutions of 1 m, platforms detected with the TIP method are comparable in surface area to digitised platforms and have similar elevation distributions. We also find that our method allows for the accurate detection of local block failures as small as 3 times the DEM resolution. Detailed inspection reveals that although tidal creeks were digitised as part of the marsh platform, unsupervised classification categorises them as part of the tidal flat, causing an increase in false negatives and overall platform

Unsupervised detection of salt marsh platforms: a topographic method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. C. H. Goodwin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Salt marshes filter pollutants, protect coastlines against storm surges, and sequester carbon, yet are under threat from sea level rise and anthropogenic modification. The sustained existence of the salt marsh ecosystem depends on the topographic evolution of marsh platforms. Quantifying marsh platform topography is vital for improving the management of these valuable landscapes. The determination of platform boundaries currently relies on supervised classification methods requiring near-infrared data to detect vegetation, or demands labour-intensive field surveys and digitisation. We propose a novel, unsupervised method to reproducibly isolate salt marsh scarps and platforms from a digital elevation model (DEM, referred to as Topographic Identification of Platforms (TIP. Field observations and numerical models show that salt marshes mature into subhorizontal platforms delineated by subvertical scarps. Based on this premise, we identify scarps as lines of local maxima on a slope raster, then fill landmasses from the scarps upward, thus isolating mature marsh platforms. We test the TIP method using lidar-derived DEMs from six salt marshes in England with varying tidal ranges and geometries, for which topographic platforms were manually isolated from tidal flats. Agreement between manual and unsupervised classification exceeds 94 % for DEM resolutions of 1 m, with all but one site maintaining an accuracy superior to 90 % for resolutions up to 3 m. For resolutions of 1 m, platforms detected with the TIP method are comparable in surface area to digitised platforms and have similar elevation distributions. We also find that our method allows for the accurate detection of local block failures as small as 3 times the DEM resolution. Detailed inspection reveals that although tidal creeks were digitised as part of the marsh platform, unsupervised classification categorises them as part of the tidal flat, causing an increase in false negatives

Rehabilitation in a complex case of topographical disorientation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwmeester, Lies; van de Wege, Anja; Haaxma, Rob; Snoek, Jos W.

2015-01-01

This paper describes the rehabilitation process of a patient with severe topographical disorientation. The study demonstrates the sustained effects of a tailor-made, meticulous rehabilitation programme based on the gradual development of compensatory strategies. The patient (RB) had a memory

Use of SRTM data to calculate the (RUSLE topographic factor - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i3.15792

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Tarso Sanches Oliveira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The topographic factor of the Universal Soil Loss Equation and its revised version (RUSLE are currently calculated by Digital Elevation Models (DEM integrated to Geographic Information Systems (GIS. However, some countries have no topographic information to calculate DEM. In this study we evaluated the use of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM data for computing the (RUSLE topographic factor. Furthermore, 90 m SRTM DEM, refined 30 m SRTM DEM and DEMs 30 m and 90 m derived from official topographic maps (1:100,000 scale were used. Using DEMs the topographic factor was calculated by USLE-2D software. The topographic factor calculated from SRTM data showed greater detail levels (especially in flat areas than those obtained from topographic maps. The reduction of spatial resolution of DEM-SRTM provided the topographic factor’s average rate decrease. SRTM data may be employed in further studies for soil loss predictions. The methodology may be useful in Brazil for the development of soil and water conservation programs.  

Improved Topographic Normalization for Landsat TM Images by Introducing the MODIS Surface BRDF

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Yanli Zhang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available In rugged terrain, the accuracy of surface reflectance estimations is compromised by atmospheric and topographic effects. We propose a new method to simultaneously eliminate atmospheric and terrain effects in Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM images based on a 30 m digital elevation model (DEM and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS atmospheric products. Moreover, we define a normalized factor of a Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF to convert the sloping pixel reflectance into a flat pixel reflectance by using the Ross Thick-Li Sparse BRDF model (Ambrals algorithm and MODIS BRDF/albedo kernel coefficient products. Sole atmospheric correction and topographic normalization were performed for TM images in the upper stream of the Heihe River Basin. The results show that using MODIS atmospheric products can effectively remove atmospheric effects compared with the Fast Line-of-Sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes (FLAASH model and the Landsat Climate Data Record (CDR. Moreover, superior topographic effect removal can be achieved by considering the surface BRDF when compared with the surface Lambertian assumption of topographic normalization.

Changes in Microbial Plankton Assemblages Induced by Mesoscale Oceanographic Features in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

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Alicia K Williams

Full Text Available Mesoscale circulation generated by the Loop Current in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM delivers growth-limiting nutrients to the microbial plankton of the euphotic zone. Consequences of physicochemically driven community shifts on higher order consumers and subsequent impacts on the biological carbon pump remain poorly understood. This study evaluates microbial plankton <10 μm abundance and community structure across both cyclonic and anti-cyclonic circulation features in the NGOM using flow cytometry (SYBR Green I and autofluorescence parameters. Non-parametric multivariate hierarchical cluster analyses indicated that significant spatial variability in community structure exists such that stations that clustered together were defined as having a specific 'microbial signature' (i.e. statistically homogeneous community structure profiles based on relative abundance of microbial groups. Salinity and a combination of sea surface height anomaly and sea surface temperature were determined by distance based linear modeling to be abiotic predictor variables significantly correlated to changes in microbial signatures. Correlations between increased microbial abundance and availability of nitrogen suggest nitrogen-limitation of microbial plankton in this open ocean area. Regions of combined coastal water entrainment and mesoscale convergence corresponded to increased heterotrophic prokaryote abundance relative to autotrophic plankton. The results provide an initial assessment of how mesoscale circulation potentially influences microbial plankton abundance and community structure in the NGOM.

Simulation and Analysis of the Topographic Effects on Snow-Free Albedo over Rugged Terrain

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Dalei Hao

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Topography complicates the modeling and retrieval of land surface albedo due to shadow effects and the redistribution of incident radiation. Neglecting topographic effects may lead to a significant bias when estimating land surface albedo over a single slope. However, for rugged terrain, a comprehensive and systematic investigation of topographic effects on land surface albedo is currently ongoing. Accurately estimating topographic effects on land surface albedo over a rugged terrain presents a challenge in remote sensing modeling and applications. In this paper, we focused on the development of a simplified estimation method for snow-free albedo over a rugged terrain at a 1-km scale based on a 30-m fine-scale digital elevation model (DEM. The proposed method was compared with the radiosity approach based on simulated and real DEMs. The results of the comparison showed that the proposed method provided adequate computational efficiency and satisfactory accuracy simultaneously. Then, the topographic effects on snow-free albedo were quantitatively investigated and interpreted by considering the mean slope, subpixel aspect distribution, solar zenith angle, and solar azimuth angle. The results showed that the more rugged the terrain and the larger the solar illumination angle, the more intense the topographic effects were on black-sky albedo (BSA. The maximum absolute deviation (MAD and the maximum relative deviation (MRD of the BSA over a rugged terrain reached 0.28 and 85%, respectively, when the SZA was 60° for different terrains. Topographic effects varied with the mean slope, subpixel aspect distribution, SZA and SAA, which should not be neglected when modeling albedo.

Cultivation of Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells on Topographical Substrates to Mimic the Human Corneal Endothelium

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Jie Shi Chua

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Human corneal endothelial cells have a limited ability to replicate in vivo and in vitro. Allograft transplantation becomes necessary when an accident or trauma results in excessive cell loss. The reconstruction of the cornea endothelium using autologous cell sources is a promising alternative option for therapeutic or in vitro drug testing applications. The native corneal endothelium rests on the Descemet’s membrane, which has nanotopographies of fibers and pores. The use of synthetic topographies mimics the native environment, and it is hypothesized that this can direct the behavior and growth of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs to resemble the corneal endothelium. In this study, HMVECs are cultivated on substrates with micron and nano-scaled pillar and well topographies. Closely packed HMVEC monolayers with polygonal cells and well-developed tight junctions were formed on the topographical substrates. Sodium/potassium (Na+/K+ adenine triphosphatase (ATPase expression was enhanced on the microwells substrate, which also promotes microvilli formation, while more hexagonal-like cells are found on the micropillars samples. The data obtained suggests that the use of optimized surface patterning, in particular, the microtopographies, can induce HMVECs to adopt a more corneal endothelium-like morphology with similar barrier and pump functions. The mechanism involved in cell contact guidance by the specific topographical features will be of interest for future studies.

Classification of topographical pattern of spasticity in cerebral palsy: a registry perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Susan M; Carlin, John B; Reddihough, Dinah S

2011-01-01

This study used data from a population-based cerebral palsy (CP) registry and systematic review to assess the amount of heterogeneity between registries in topographical patterns when dichotomised into unilateral (USCP) and bilateral spastic CP (BSCP), and whether the terms diplegia and quadriplegia provide useful additional epidemiological information. From the Victorian CP Register, 2956 individuals (1658 males, 1298 females), born 1970-2003, with spastic CP were identified. The proportions with each topographical pattern were analysed overall and by gestational age. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess temporal trends. For the review, data were systematically collected on topographical patterns from 27 registries. Estimates of heterogeneity were obtained, overall and by region, reporting period and definition of quadriplegia. Among individuals born <32 weeks, 48% had diplegia, whereas the proportion for children born ≥ 32 weeks was 24% (p < 0.001). Evidence was weak for a temporal trend in the relative proportions of USCP and BSCP (p = 0.038), but much clearer for an increase in the proportion of spastic diplegia relative to quadriplegia (p < 0.001). The review revealed wide variations across studies in the proportion of diplegia (range 34-90%) and BSCP (range 51-86%). These findings argue against a topographical classification based solely on laterality. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of Important Topographic Factors for Landslide Mapping Analysis Using MLP Network

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Mutasem Sh. Alkhasawneh

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Landslide is one of the natural disasters that occur in Malaysia. Topographic factors such as elevation, slope angle, slope aspect, general curvature, plan curvature, and profile curvature are considered as the main causes of landslides. In order to determine the dominant topographic factors in landslide mapping analysis, a study was conducted and presented in this paper. There are three main stages involved in this study. The first stage is the extraction of extra topographic factors. Previous landslide studies had identified mainly six topographic factors. Seven new additional factors have been proposed in this study. They are longitude curvature, tangential curvature, cross section curvature, surface area, diagonal line length, surface roughness, and rugosity. The second stage is the specification of the weight of each factor using two methods. The methods are multilayer perceptron (MLP network classification accuracy and Zhou's algorithm. At the third stage, the factors with higher weights were used to improve the MLP performance. Out of the thirteen factors, eight factors were considered as important factors, which are surface area, longitude curvature, diagonal length, slope angle, elevation, slope aspect, rugosity, and profile curvature. The classification accuracy of multilayer perceptron neural network has increased by 3% after the elimination of five less important factors.

Tsunamis generated by unconfined deformable granular landslides in various topographic configurations

Science.gov (United States)

McFall, B. C.; Mohammed, F.; Fritz, H. M.

2012-04-01

Tsunamis generated by landslides and volcanic island collapses account for some of the most catastrophic events. Major tsunamis caused by landslides or volcanic island collapse were recorded at Krakatoa in 1883, Grand Banks, Newfoundland in 1929, Lituya Bay, Alaska in 1958, Papua New Guinea in 1998, and Java in 2006. Source and runup scenarios based on real world events are physically modeled in the three dimensional NEES tsunami wave basin (TWB) at Oregon State University (OSU). A novel pneumatic landslide tsunami generator (LTG) was deployed to simulate landslides with varying geometry and kinematics. The LTG consists of a sliding box filled with up to 1,350 kg of naturally rounded river gravel which is accelerated by means of four pneumatic pistons down the 2H: 1V slope, launching the granular landslide towards the water at velocities of up to 5 m/s. Topographical and bathymetric features can greatly affect wave characteristics and runup heights. Landslide tsunamis are studied in different topographic and bathymetric configurations: far field propagation and runup, a narrow fjord and curved headland configurations, and a conical island setting representing landslides off an island or a volcanic flank collapse. Water surface elevations were measured using an array of resistance wave gauges. The granulate landslide width, thickness and front velocity were measured using above and underwater cameras. Landslide 3-dimensional surface reconstruction and surface velocity properties were measured using a stereo particle image velocimetry (PIV) setup. The speckled pattern on the surface of the granular landslide allows for cross-correlation based PIV analysis. Wave runup was measured with resistance wave gauges along the slope and verified with video image processing. The measured landslide and tsunami data serve to validate and advance 3-dimensional numerical landslide tsunami and prediction models.

Synthesis, Characterization, Topographical Modification, and Surface Properties of Copoly(Imide Siloxane)s

Science.gov (United States)

Wohl, Christopher J.; Atkins, Brad M.; Belcher, Marcus A.; Connell, John W.

2012-01-01

Novel copoly(imide siloxane)s were synthesized from commercially available aminopropyl terminated siloxane oligomers, aromatic dianhydrides, and diamines. This synthetic approach produced copolymers with well-defined siloxane blocks linked with imide units in a random fashion. The copoly(amide acid)s were characterized by solution viscosity and subsequently used to cast thin films followed by thermal imidization in an inert atmosphere. Thin films were characterized using contact angle goniometry, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confocal and optical microscopy, and tensile testing. Adhesion of micronsized particles was determined quantitatively using a sonication device. The polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) moieties lowered the copolymer surface energy due to migration of siloxane moieties to the film s surface, resulting in a notable reduction in particle adhesion. A further reduction in particle adhesion was achieved by introducing topographical features on a scale of several to tens of microns by a laser ablation technique.

An association between human hippocampal volume and topographical memory in healthy young adults.

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Tom eHartley

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The association between human hippocampal structure and topographical memory was investigated in healthy adults (N=30. Structural MR images were acquired, and voxel-based morphometry (VBM was used to estimate local gray matter volume throughout the brain. A complementary automated mesh-based segmentation approach was used to independently isolate and measure specified structures including the hippocampus. Topographical memory was assessed using a version of the Four Mountains Task, a short test designed to target hippocampal spatial function. Each item requires subjects to briefly study a landscape scene before recognizing the depicted place from a novel viewpoint and under altered non-spatial conditions when presented amongst similar alternative scenes. Positive correlations between topographical memory performance and hippocampal volume were observed in both VBM and segmentation-based analyses. Score on the topographical memory task was also correlated with the volume of some subcortical structures, extra-hippocampal gray matter and total brain volume, with the most robust and extensive covariation seen in circumscribed neocortical regions in the insula and anterior temporal lobes. Taken together with earlier findings, the results suggest that global variations in brain morphology affect the volume of the hippocampus and its specific contribution to topographical memory. We speculate that behavioral variation might arise directly through the impact of resource constraints on spatial representations in the hippocampal formation and its inputs, and perhaps indirectly through an increased reliance on non-allocentric strategies.

Scale-location specific relations between soil nutrients and topographic factors in the Fen River Basin, Chinese Loess Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Hongfen; Bi, Rutian; Duan, Yonghong; Xu, Zhanjun

2017-06-01

Understanding scale- and location-specific variations of soil nutrients in cultivated land is a crucial consideration for managing agriculture and natural resources effectively. In the present study, wavelet coherency was used to reveal the scale-location specific correlations between soil nutrients, including soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), and available potassium (AK), as well as topographic factors (elevation, slope, aspect, and wetness index) in the cultivated land of the Fen River Basin in Shanxi Province, China. The results showed that SOM, TN, AP, and AK were significantly inter-correlated, and that the scales at which soil nutrients were correlated differed in different landscapes, and were generally smaller in topographically rougher terrain. All soil nutrients but TN were significantly influenced by the wetness index at relatively large scales (32-72 km) and AK was significantly affected by the aspect at large scales at partial locations, showing localized features. The results of this study imply that the wetness index should be taken into account during farming practices to improve the soil nutrients of cultivated land in the Fen River Basin at large scales.

Detecting geomorphic processes and change with high resolution topographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Mudd, Simon; Hurst, Martin; Grieve, Stuart; Clubb, Fiona; Milodowski, David; Attal, Mikael

2016-04-01

The first global topographic dataset was released in 1996, with 1 km grid spacing. It is astonishing that in only 20 years we now have access to tens of thousands of square kilometres of LiDAR data at point densities greater than 5 points per square meter. This data represents a treasure trove of information that our geomorphic predecessors could only dream of. But what are we to do with this data? Here we explore the potential of high resolution topographic data to dig deeper into geomorphic processes across a wider range of landscapes and using much larger spatial coverage than previously possible. We show how this data can be used to constrain sediment flux relationships using relief and hillslope length, and how this data can be used to detect landscape transience. We show how the nonlinear sediment flux law, proposed for upland, soil mantled landscapes by Roering et al. (1999) is consistent with a number of topographic tests. This flux law allows us to predict how landscapes will respond to tectonic forcing, and we show how these predictions can be used to detect erosion rate perturbations across a range of tectonic settings.

Powering Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This article examines Mexico's demand for electricity and the market for independent power generation. The topics discussed in the article include the outlook for the 1990s for growth in Mexico's economy and energy demand, renewable energy, energy conservation, small-scale, off-grid renewable energy systems, and estimates of Mexico's market for electric power generating equipment

Surface topographical and structural analysis of Ag+-implanted polymethylmethacrylate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arif, Shafaq; Rafique, M. Shahid; Saleemi, Farhat; Naab, Fabian; Toader, Ovidiu; Sagheer, Riffat; Bashir, Shazia; Zia, Rehana; Siraj, Khurram; Iqbal, Saman

2016-01-01

Specimens of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were implanted with 400-keV Ag + ions at different ion fluences ranging from 1 × 10 14 to 5 × 10 15 ions/cm 2 using a 400-kV NEC ion implanter. The surface topographical features of the implanted PMMA were investigated by a confocal microscope. Modifications in the structural properties of the implanted specimens were analyzed in comparison with pristine PMMA by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. UV–Visible spectroscopy was applied to determine the effects of ion implantation on optical transmittance of the implanted PMMA. The confocal microscopic images revealed the formation of hillock-like microstructures along the ion track on the implanted PMMA surface. The increase in ion fluence led to more nucleation of hillocks. The XRD pattern confirmed the amorphous nature of pristine and implanted PMMA, while the Raman studies justified the transformation of Ag + -implanted PMMA into amorphous carbon at the ion fluence of ⩾5 × 10 14 ions/cm 2 . Moreover, the decrease in optical transmittance of PMMA is associated with the formation of hillocks and ion-induced structural modifications after implantation.

Topographic Anterograde and Retrograde Memory for Spatial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study was on the effects of haloperidol injection on anterograde and retrograde topographic memories for spatial behaviours in Long Evan rats. Twelve Long Evan albino rats weighing 0.5 – 0.8 kg (6 males, 6 females) were used for the study. Complex Maze Box of 14 unit T Alley from the Royal Institute of ...

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Chikungunya Virus Infections in Southeast Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Landeros, Erik; Delgado-Gallegos, Juan L.; Caballero-Sosa, Sandra; Malo-García, Iliana R.

2018-01-01

Chikungunya fever is an arthropod-borne infection caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Even though clinical features of Chikungunya fever in the Mexican population have been described before, there is no detailed information. The aim of this study was to perform a full description of the clinical features in confirmed Chikungunya-infected patients and describe the molecular epidemiology of CHIKV. We evaluated febrile patients who sought medical assistance in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, from June through July 2015. Infection was confirmed with molecular and serological methods. Viruses were isolated and the E1 gene was sequenced. Phylogeny reconstruction was inferred using maximum-likelihood and maximum clade credibility approaches. We studied 52 patients with confirmed CHIKV infection. They were more likely to have wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and knee arthralgia. Two combinations of clinical features were obtained to differentiate between Chikungunya fever and acute undifferentiated febrile illness. We obtained 10 CHIKV E1 sequences that grouped with the Asian lineage. Seven strains diverged from the formerly reported. Patients infected with the divergent CHIKV strains showed a broader spectrum of clinical manifestations. We defined the complete clinical features of Chikungunya fever in patients from Southeastern Mexico. Our results demonstrate co-circulation of different CHIKV strains in the state of Chiapas. PMID:29747416

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Chikungunya Virus Infections in Southeast Mexico

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Kame A. Galán-Huerta

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Chikungunya fever is an arthropod-borne infection caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV. Even though clinical features of Chikungunya fever in the Mexican population have been described before, there is no detailed information. The aim of this study was to perform a full description of the clinical features in confirmed Chikungunya-infected patients and describe the molecular epidemiology of CHIKV. We evaluated febrile patients who sought medical assistance in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, from June through July 2015. Infection was confirmed with molecular and serological methods. Viruses were isolated and the E1 gene was sequenced. Phylogeny reconstruction was inferred using maximum-likelihood and maximum clade credibility approaches. We studied 52 patients with confirmed CHIKV infection. They were more likely to have wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and knee arthralgia. Two combinations of clinical features were obtained to differentiate between Chikungunya fever and acute undifferentiated febrile illness. We obtained 10 CHIKV E1 sequences that grouped with the Asian lineage. Seven strains diverged from the formerly reported. Patients infected with the divergent CHIKV strains showed a broader spectrum of clinical manifestations. We defined the complete clinical features of Chikungunya fever in patients from Southeastern Mexico. Our results demonstrate co-circulation of different CHIKV strains in the state of Chiapas.

Rapid assessment of endemic bird areas in Michoacan, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Gilberto Chavez-Leon; Deborah M. Finch

1999-01-01

Non-sustainable land use practices in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, have perturbed endemic bird h~bitats for several decades. Endemic birds have a restricted geographic and ecological distribution. This feature makes them suitable to be used as indicators of biological diversity and environmental perturbation. Forty-one Mexican endemic species have been recorded in...

A Visual Framework for Digital Reconstruction of Topographic Maps

KAUST Repository

Thabet, Ali Kassem; Smith, Neil; Wittmann, Roland; Schneider, Jens

2014-01-01

, this method has broad applicability for digitization and reconstruction of the world's old topographic maps that are often the only record of past landscapess and cultural heritage before their destruction under modern development.

Reassessment of the Paleogene position of the Chortis block relative to southern Mexico: hierarchical ranking of data and features

OpenAIRE

Morán-Zenteno, Dante J.; Keppie, Duncan J.; Martiny, Barbara; González-Torres, Enrique

2009-01-01

The Paleogene location of the Chortis block relative to southern Mexico is presently a hotly debated topic, with various types and qualities of data brought to bear on the topic. There are currently three competing Cenozoic reconstructions: (i) the traditional model that places the Chortis block adjacent to southern Mexico, (ii) the near in situ model in which the Chortis block is located relatively near to its present position, and (iii) the Pacific model that places the Chortis block WSW of...

Ring distributions leading to species formation: a global topographic analysis of geographic barriers associated with ring species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monahan William B

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In the mid 20th century, Ernst Mayr and Theodosius Dobzhansky championed the significance of circular overlaps or ring species as the perfect demonstration of speciation, yet in the over 50 years since, only a handful of such taxa are known. We developed a topographic model to evaluate whether the geographic barriers that favor processes leading to ring species are common or rare, and to predict where other candidate ring barriers might be found. Results Of the 952,147 geographic barriers identified on the planet, only about 1% are topographically similar to barriers associated with known ring taxa, with most of the likely candidates occurring in under-studied parts of the world (for example, marine environments, tropical latitudes. Predicted barriers separate into two distinct categories: (i single cohesive barriers (2, associated with taxa that differentiate at smaller spatial scales (salamander: Ensatina eschscholtzii; tree: Acacia karroo; and (ii composite barriers - formed by groups of barriers (each 184,000 to 1.7 million km2 in close geographic proximity (totaling 1.9 to 2.3 million km2 - associated with taxa that differentiate at larger spatial scales (birds: Phylloscopus trochiloides and Larus (sp. argentatus and fuscus. When evaluated globally, we find a large number of cohesive barriers that are topographically similar to those associated with known ring taxa. Yet, compared to cohesive barriers, an order of magnitude fewer composite barriers are similar to those that favor ring divergence in species with higher dispersal. Conclusions While these findings confirm that the topographic conditions that favor evolutionary processes leading to ring speciation are, in fact, rare, they also suggest that many understudied natural systems could provide valuable demonstrations of continuous divergence towards the formation of new species. Distinct advantages of the model are that it (i requires no a priori information on the

Estimating continuous floodplain and major river bed topography mixing ordinal coutour lines and topographic points

Science.gov (United States)

Bailly, J. S.; Dartevelle, M.; Delenne, C.; Rousseau, A.

2017-12-01

Floodplain and major river bed topography govern many river biophysical processes during floods. Despite the grow of direct topographic measurements from LiDARS on riverine systems, it still room to develop methods for large (e.g. deltas) or very local (e.g. ponds) riverine systems that take advantage of information coming from simple SAR or optical image processing on floodplain, resulting from waterbodies delineation during flood up or down, and producing ordered coutour lines. The next challenge is thus to exploit such data in order to estimate continuous topography on the floodplain combining heterogeneous data: a topographic points dataset and a located but unknown and ordered contourline dataset. This article is comparing two methods designed to estimate continuous topography on the floodplain mixing ordinal coutour lines and continuous topographic points. For both methods a first estimation step is to value each contourline with elevation and a second step is next to estimate the continuous field from both topographic points and valued contourlines. The first proposed method is a stochastic method starting from multigaussian random-fields and conditional simualtion. The second is a deterministic method based on radial spline fonction for thin layers used for approximated bivariate surface construction. Results are first shown and discussed from a set of synoptic case studies presenting various topographic points density and topographic smoothness. Next, results are shown and discuss on an actual case study in the Montagua laguna, located in the north of Valparaiso, Chile.

[Rocky Mountain spotted fever in children: clinical and epidemiological features].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Medina, Miguel Angel; Alvarez-Hernández, Gerardo; Padilla-Zamudioa, José Guillermo; Rojas-Guerra, Maria Guadalupe

2007-01-01

To report the clinical features of the Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in children of southern Sonora, Mexico. Nine cases were studied at the Sonora State Children's Hospital. One case was defined by clinical features and positive serological tests (indirect immunofluorescence assay or reaction to Proteus OX 19). Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were registered. The study subjects were children from two to twelve years ofage. All patients have had contact with tick-infested dogs and had fever, as well as petechial rash. Laboratory findings included high levels of hepatic aminotransferase, hyponatremia and thrombocytopenia. Therapy with chloramphenicol and doxyciclyne was administered after the first seven days of the onset of illness. The mortality rate was 22%. This study supports the presence of RMSF in the state of Sonora, Mexico, which should be considered as a public health hazard, requiring immediate actions for prevention and control.

Topographically-controlled site conditions drive vegetation pattern on inland dunes in Poland

Science.gov (United States)

Sewerniak, Piotr; Jankowski, Michał

2017-07-01

The inland dunes of Central Europe are commonly overplanted by Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) monocultures in which the primary occurrence of the natural vegetation pattern is obliterated. We hypothesize that on naturally revegetated inland dunes the pattern is clear and driven by topographically-controlled site conditions. To test this hypothesis, we addressed the following research questions: (1) Does topography drive vegetation patterns on inland dunes and if so, what are main differences between vegetation in varying relief positions? (2) To what extent does topography involve the variability of microclimates and of soil properties, and how does the topographically-induced differentiation of these site conditions control vegetation patterns? We conducted interdisciplinary studies (applying floristic, pedological and microclimatic research techniques) on a naturally revegetated inland dune area situated on a military artillery training ground near Toruń, northern Poland. We investigated vegetation patterns with reference to three topographical position variants (north-facing slopes, south-facing slopes, and intra-dune depressions). We found distinct differences in vegetation characteristics covering the aforementioned topographical positions. This primarily concerned species composition of ground vegetation: Calluna vulgaris was dominant species on north-facing slopes, Corynephorus canescens on south-facing slopes, while Calamagrostis epigejos in intra-dune depressions. In comparison to dune slopes, the depressions were characterized by much higher biodiversity of vascular plant species. This followed the most favorable soil conditions for the existence of plants (higher moisture and nutrient pools) occurring in low topographical positions. However, tree succession was most advanced not in depressions, where the competitive impact of tall grasses on seedlings was recognized, but on north-facing slopes. Based on our results, we formulated some suggestions, which

Bilateral topographic symmetry patterns across Aphrodite Terra, Venus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crumpler, L.S.; Head, J.W.

1988-01-01

Western Aphrodite Terra, Venus, is characterized by a series of parallel linear structural discontinuities 2000--4000 km in length and 100--200 km wide, which strike at high angles to the general topographic trend of the Aphrodite Terra highlands. The broad chracteristics of the cross-strike discontinuities (CSDs) are similar to both strike-slip fault zones and terrestrial oceanic fracture zones. In an effort to distinguish between these two hypotheses, topographic profiles were taken across Aphrodite Terra to test for bilateral symmetry of the type associated with thermal boundary layer topography at divergent plate boundaries on Earth. In addition to a broad bilateral symmetry at a range of angles across Aphrodite Terra, detailed bilateral symmetry is observed within domains between linear discontinuities in directions generally parallel to the strike of the discontinuities. In addition, within a domain the centers of symmetry of several profiles define a linear rise crest that is oriented normal to the bounding CSDs and terminates against them

Sandmeier model based topographic correction to lunar spectral profiler (SP) data from KAGUYA satellite.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sheng-Bo; Wang, Jing-Ran; Guo, Peng-Ju; Wang, Ming-Chang

2014-09-01

The Moon may be considered as the frontier base for the deep space exploration. The spectral analysis is one of the key techniques to determine the lunar surface rock and mineral compositions. But the lunar topographic relief is more remarkable than that of the Earth. It is necessary to conduct the topographic correction for lunar spectral data before they are used to retrieve the compositions. In the present paper, a lunar Sandmeier model was proposed by considering the radiance effect from the macro and ambient topographic relief. And the reflectance correction model was also reduced based on the Sandmeier model. The Spectral Profile (SP) data from KAGUYA satellite in the Sinus Iridum quadrangle was taken as an example. And the digital elevation data from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter are used to calculate the slope, aspect, incidence and emergence angles, and terrain-viewing factor for the topographic correction Thus, the lunar surface reflectance from the SP data was corrected by the proposed model after the direct component of irradiance on a horizontal surface was derived. As a result, the high spectral reflectance facing the sun is decreased and low spectral reflectance back to the sun is compensated. The statistical histogram of reflectance-corrected pixel numbers presents Gaussian distribution Therefore, the model is robust to correct lunar topographic effect and estimate lunar surface reflectance.

Tensor SOM and tensor GTM: Nonlinear tensor analysis by topographic mappings.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwasaki, Tohru; Furukawa, Tetsuo

2016-05-01

In this paper, we propose nonlinear tensor analysis methods: the tensor self-organizing map (TSOM) and the tensor generative topographic mapping (TGTM). TSOM is a straightforward extension of the self-organizing map from high-dimensional data to tensorial data, and TGTM is an extension of the generative topographic map, which provides a theoretical background for TSOM using a probabilistic generative model. These methods are useful tools for analyzing and visualizing tensorial data, especially multimodal relational data. For given n-mode relational data, TSOM and TGTM can simultaneously organize a set of n-topographic maps. Furthermore, they can be used to explore the tensorial data space by interactively visualizing the relationships between modes. We present the TSOM algorithm and a theoretical description from the viewpoint of TGTM. Various TSOM variations and visualization techniques are also described, along with some applications to real relational datasets. Additionally, we attempt to build a comprehensive description of the TSOM family by adapting various data structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

2012 USACE Post Sandy Topographic LiDAR: Coastal Connecticut

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data has been acquired and developed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers ST. Louis District to collect and deliver topographic elevation point data derived from...

Topographic Signatures of Meandering Rivers with Differences in Outer Bank Cohesion

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, S. A.; Belmont, P.

2014-12-01

Within a given valley setting, interactions between river hydraulics, sediment, topography, and vegetation determine attributes of channel morphology, including planform, width and depth, slope, and bed and bank properties. These feedbacks also govern river behavior, including migration and avulsion. Bank cohesion, from the addition of fine sediment and/or vegetation has been recognized in flume experiments as a necessary component to create and maintain a meandering channel planform. Greater bank cohesion slows bank erosion, limiting the rate at which a river can adjust laterally and preventing so-called "runaway widening" to a braided state. Feedbacks of bank cohesion on channel hydraulics and sediment transport may thus produce distinct topographic signatures, or patterns in channel width, depth, and point bar transverse slope. We expect that in bends of greater outer bank cohesion the channel will be narrower, deeper, and bars will have greater transverse slopes. Only recently have we recognized that biotic processes may imprint distinct topographic signatures on the landscape. This study explores topographic signatures of three US rivers: the lower Minnesota River, near Mankato, MN, the Le Sueur River, south central MN, and the Fall River, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Each of these rivers has variability in outer bank cohesion, quantified based on geotechnical and vegetation properties, and in-channel topography, which was derived from rtkGPS and acoustic bathymetry surveys. We present methods for incorporating biophysical feedbacks into geomorphic transport laws so that models can better simulate the spatial patterns and variability of topographic signatures.

Validation of meter-scale surface faulting offset measurements from high-resolution topographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Salisbury, Barrett; Haddad, D.E.; Rockwell, T.K.; Arrowsmith, R.; Madugo, C.; Zielke, O.; Scharer, Katherine M.

2015-01-01

Studies of active fault zones have flourished with the availability of high-resolution topographic data, particularly where airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) and structure from motion (SfM) data sets provide a means to remotely analyze submeter-scale fault geomorphology. To determine surface offset at a point along a strike-slip earthquake rupture, geomorphic features (e.g., stream channels) are measured days to centuries after the event. Analysis of these and cumulatively offset features produces offset distributions for successive earthquakes that are used to understand earthquake rupture behavior. As researchers expand studies to more varied terrain types, climates, and vegetation regimes, there is an increasing need to standardize and uniformly validate measurements of tectonically displaced geomorphic features. A recently compiled catalog of nearly 5000 earthquake offsets across a range of measurement and reporting styles provides insight into quality rating and uncertainty trends from which we formulate best-practice and reporting recommendations for remote studies. In addition, a series of public and beginner-level studies validate the remote methodology for a number of tools and emphasize considerations to enhance measurement accuracy and precision for beginners and professionals. Our investigation revealed that (1) standardizing remote measurement methods and reporting quality rating schemes is essential for the utility and repeatability of fault-offset measurements; (2) measurement discrepancies often involve misinterpretation of the offset geomorphic feature and are a function of the investigator’s experience; (3) comparison of measurements made by a single investigator in different climatic regions reveals systematic differences in measurement uncertainties attributable to variation in feature preservation; (4) measuring more components of a displaced geomorphic landform produces more consistently repeatable estimates of offset; and (5

Validation of meter-scale surface faulting offset measurements from high-resolution topographic data

KAUST Repository

Salisbury, J. Barrett

2015-10-24

Studies of active fault zones have flourished with the availability of high-resolution topographic data, particularly where airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) and structure from motion (SfM) data sets provide a means to remotely analyze submeter- scale fault geomorphology. To determine surface offset at a point along a strike-slip earthquake rupture, geomorphic features (e.g., stream channels) are measured days to centuries after the event. Analysis of these and cumulatively offset features produces offset distributions for successive earthquakes that are used to understand earthquake rupture behavior. As researchers expand studies to more varied terrain types, climates, and vegetation regimes, there is an increasing need to standardize and uniformly validate measurements of tectonically displaced geomorphic features. A recently compiled catalog of nearly 5000 earthquake offsets across a range of measurement and reporting styles provides insight into quality rating and uncertainty trends from which we formulate best-practice and reporting recommendations for remote studies. In addition, a series of public and beginner-level studies validate the remote methodology for a number of tools and emphasize considerations to enhance measurement accuracy and precision for beginners and professionals. Our investigation revealed that (1) standardizing remote measurement methods and reporting quality rating schemes is essential for the utility and repeatability of fault-offset measurements; (2) measurement discrepancies often involve misinterpretation of the offset geomorphic feature and are a function of the investigator\\'s experience; (3) comparison of measurements made by a single investigator in different climatic regions reveals systematic differences in measurement uncertainties attributable to variation in feature preservation; (4) measuring more components of a displaced geomorphic landform produces more consistently repeatable estimates of offset; and (5

Topographic Brain Mapping: A Window on Brain Function?

Science.gov (United States)

Karniski, Walt M.

1989-01-01

The article reviews the method of topographic mapping of the brain's electrical activity. Multiple electroencephalogram (EEG) electrodes and computerized analysis of the EEG signal are used to generate maps of frequency and voltage (evoked potential). This relatively new technique holds promise in the evaluation of children with behavioral and…

Influences of oceanographic features on the distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, larvae in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Cornic, M.; Rooker, J. R.

2016-02-01

Summer ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) from 2007-2010 to characterize patterns of distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) larvae in this region. Yellowfin tuna larvae were moderately abundant representing 9% of the overall Thunnus larvae collected (18765) and had a percent occurrence ranging from 13 to 57% among surveys. Interannual variations were detected with highest mean densities observed in 2009 (2.2 larvae per 1000m3) and the lowest mean densities observed in 2008 (0.7 larvae per 1000 m3). Generalized additive models were used to investigate the influence of oceanographic conditions on abundance of yellowfin tuna larvae. Increased densities were associated with high sea surface temperatures, positive sea surface heights, and intermediate salinities, revealing that these physicochemical conditions may be favorable for yellowfin tuna larvae. These results indicate that the NGoM is an important spawning and/or nursery habitat for yellowfin tuna and suggest that mesoscale features and physicochemical characteristics of water masses may impact distribution and abundance of yellowfin tuna larvae in the NGoM.

An experimental and theoretical study of pendellösung fringes in synchrotron section topographs of silicon wafers.

Science.gov (United States)

Partanen, J; Tuomi, T

1990-01-01

X-ray section topographs of nearly perfect Czochralski-grown wafers were made with synchrotron radiation having a continuous spectrum. An intensity curve measured from the x-ray film is compared to the calculated curve obtained using the dynamical theory of x-ray diffraction. A computer simulation of the topograph is also presented. A good agreement between theory and experiment is found except in the middle part of the topograph.

Which Features of Spanish Learners' Pronunciation Most Impact Listener Evaluations?

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Kara

2015-01-01

This study explores which features of Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) pronunciation most impact raters' evaluations. Native Spanish speakers (NSSs) from regions with different pronunciation norms were polled: 147 evaluators from northern Mexico and 99 evaluators from central Argentina. These evaluations were contrasted with ratings from…

Generating Topographic Map Data from Classification Results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joachim Höhle

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The use of classification results as topographic map data requires cartographic enhancement and checking of the geometric accuracy. Urban areas are of special interest. The conversion of the classification result into topographic map data of high thematic and geometric quality is subject of this contribution. After reviewing the existing literature on this topic, a methodology is presented. The extraction of point clouds belonging to line segments is solved by the Hough transform. The mathematics for deriving polygons of orthogonal, parallel and general line segments by least squares adjustment is presented. A unique solution for polylines, where the Hough parameters are optimized, is also given. By means of two data sets land cover maps of six classes were produced and then enhanced by the proposed method. The classification used the decision tree method applying a variety of attributes including object heights derived from imagery. The cartographic enhancement is carried out with two different levels of quality. The user’s accuracies for the classes “impervious surface” and “building” were above 85% in the “Level 1” map of Example 1. The geometric accuracy of building corners at the “Level 2” maps is assessed by means of reference data derived from ortho-images. The obtained root mean square errors (RMSE of the generated coordinates (x, y were RMSEx = 1.2 m and RMSEy = 0.7 m (Example 1 and RMSEx = 0.8 m and RMSEy = 1.0 m (Example 2 using 31 and 62 check points, respectively. All processing for Level 1 (raster data could be carried out with a high degree of automation. Level 2 maps (vector data were compiled for the classes “building” and “road and parking lot”. For urban areas with numerous classes and of large size, universal algorithms are necessary to produce vector data fully automatically. The recent progress in sensors and machine learning methods will support the generation of topographic map data of high

Teaching Topographic Map Skills and Geomorphology Concepts with Google Earth in a One-Computer Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Hsiao-Ping; Tsai, Bor-Wen; Chen, Che-Ming

2018-01-01

Teaching high-school geomorphological concepts and topographic map reading entails many challenges. This research reports the applicability and effectiveness of Google Earth in teaching topographic map skills and geomorphological concepts, by a single teacher, in a one-computer classroom. Compared to learning via a conventional instructional…

Evaluation of topographic index in relation to terrain roughness and ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

of landslide susceptibility (Yesilnacar and Topal .... network. Topographic index is used by different researchers considering different DEM grid ...... TOPMODEL into GIS; Environ. .... ping: A comparison of logistic regression and neural net-.

2006 URS Corporation Bare Earth Topographic Lidar: Shawsheen River, Massachusetts

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — URS Corporation contracted EarthData International to aquire topographic elevation data for 82 square miles in Essex and Middlesex Counties, Massachusetts during...

Tuber aztecorum sp. nov., a truffle species from Mexico belonging to the Maculatum clade (Tuberaceae, Pezizales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo Guevara-Guerrero

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A new species of truffle, T. aztecorum, is described from central Mexico. Tuber aztecorum can be distinguished from other related Tuber species synoptically by a combination of morphological features including ascospore size, pellis cells with irregular thickness, cystidia, ascoma colour and associated host (Abies religiosa an endemic Abies species from central Mexico; sequence variation on the ITS rDNA also distinguishes T. aztecorum from related species. A phylogenetic analysis of the ITS rDNA demonstrates that T. aztecorum belongs to the Maculatum clade and is unique from other similar small, white-cream coloured Tuber species distributed in north-eastern Mexico such as T. castilloi and T. guevarai.

Surface topographical and structural analysis of Ag{sup +}-implanted polymethylmethacrylate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arif, Shafaq, E-mail: sarif2005@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Rafique, M. Shahid [Department of Physics, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Saleemi, Farhat [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Naab, Fabian; Toader, Ovidiu [Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory, University of Michigan, MI 48109-2104 (United States); Sagheer, Riffat [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Bashir, Shazia [Center for Advanced Studies in Physics (CASP), Government College University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Zia, Rehana [Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan); Siraj, Khurram; Iqbal, Saman [Department of Physics, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore 54000 (Pakistan)

2016-08-15

Specimens of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were implanted with 400-keV Ag{sup +} ions at different ion fluences ranging from 1 × 10{sup 14} to 5 × 10{sup 15} ions/cm{sup 2} using a 400-kV NEC ion implanter. The surface topographical features of the implanted PMMA were investigated by a confocal microscope. Modifications in the structural properties of the implanted specimens were analyzed in comparison with pristine PMMA by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. UV–Visible spectroscopy was applied to determine the effects of ion implantation on optical transmittance of the implanted PMMA. The confocal microscopic images revealed the formation of hillock-like microstructures along the ion track on the implanted PMMA surface. The increase in ion fluence led to more nucleation of hillocks. The XRD pattern confirmed the amorphous nature of pristine and implanted PMMA, while the Raman studies justified the transformation of Ag{sup +}-implanted PMMA into amorphous carbon at the ion fluence of ⩾5 × 10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2}. Moreover, the decrease in optical transmittance of PMMA is associated with the formation of hillocks and ion-induced structural modifications after implantation.

Acoustically sticky topographic metasurfaces for underwater sound absorption.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hunki; Jung, Myungki; Kim, Minsoo; Shin, Ryung; Kang, Shinill; Ohm, Won-Suk; Kim, Yong Tae

2018-03-01

A class of metasurfaces for underwater sound absorption, based on a design principle that maximizes thermoviscous loss, is presented. When a sound meets a solid surface, it leaves a footprint in the form of thermoviscous boundary layers in which energy loss takes place. Considered to be a nuisance, this acoustic to vorticity/entropy mode conversion and the subsequent loss are often ignored in the existing designs of acoustic metamaterials and metasurfaces. The metasurface created is made of a series of topographic meta-atoms, i.e., intaglios and reliefs engraved directly on the solid object to be concealed. The metasurface is acoustically sticky in that it rather facilitates the conversion of the incident sound to vorticity and entropy modes, hence the thermoviscous loss, leading to the desired anechoic property. A prototype metasurface machined on a brass object is tested for its anechoicity, and shows a multitude of absorption peaks as large as unity in the 2-5 MHz range. Computations also indicate that a topographic metasurface is robust to hydrostatic pressure variation, a quality much sought-after in underwater applications.

Ferromagnetic resonance in a topographically modulated permalloy film

Science.gov (United States)

Sklenar, J.; Tucciarone, P.; Lee, R. J.; Tice, D.; Chang, R. P. H.; Lee, S. J.; Nevirkovets, I. P.; Heinonen, O.; Ketterson, J. B.

2015-04-01

A major focus within the field of magnonics involves the manipulation and control of spin-wave modes. This is usually done by patterning continuous soft magnetic films. Here, we report on work in which we use topographic modifications of a continuous magnetic thin film, rather than lithographic patterning techniques, to modify the ferromagnetic resonance spectrum. To demonstrate this technique we have performed in-plane, broadband, ferromagnetic resonance studies on a 100-nm-thick permalloy film sputtered onto a colloidal crystal with individual sphere diameters of 200 nm. Effects resulting from the, ideally, sixfold-symmetric underlying colloidal crystal were studied as a function of the in-plane field angle through experiment and micromagnetic modeling. Experimentally, we find two primary modes; the ratio of the intensities of these two modes exhibits a sixfold dependence. Detailed micromagnetic modeling shows that both modes are quasiuniform and nodeless in the unit cell but that they reside in different demagnetized regions of the unit cell. Our results demonstrate that topographic modification of magnetic thin films opens additional directions for manipulating ferromagnetic resonant excitations.

Historic land use and grazing patterns in northern New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Carol Raish

1996-01-01

The entrance of the Spanish into what is now New Mexico in the 1500s permanently altered aboriginal land use and subsistence patterns by the introduction of domesticated animals such as horses, cattle. sheep, goats, and pigs. During the Spanish Colonial and Mexican periods, both the Puebloan groups and the Hispanic settlers practiced mixed farming featuring small...

An extended multivariate framework for drought monitoring in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Real-Rangel, Roberto; Pedrozo-Acuña, Adrián; Breña-Naranjo, Agustín; Alcocer-Yamanaka, Víctor

2017-04-01

Around the world, monitoring natural hazards, such as droughts, represents a critical task in risk assessment and management plans. A reliable drought monitoring system allows to identify regions affected by these phenomena so that early response measures can be implemented. In Mexico, this activity is performed using Mexico's Drought Monitor, which is based on a similar methodology as the United States Drought Monitor and the North American Drought Monitor. The main feature of these monitoring systems is the combination of ground-based and remote sensing observations that is ultimately validated by local experts. However, in Mexico in situ records of variables such as precipitation and streamflow are often scarce, or even null, in many regions of the country. Another issue that adds uncertainty in drought monitoring is the arbitrary weight given to each analyzed variable. This study aims at providing an operational framework for drought monitoring in Mexico, based on univariate and multivariate nonparametric standardized indexes proposed in recent studies. Furthermore, the framework has been extended by taking into account the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) for the drought severity assessment. The analyzed variables used for computing the drought indexes are mainly derived from remote sensing (MODIS) and land surface models datasets (NASA MERRA-2). A qualitative evaluation of the results shows that the indexes used are capable of adequately describes the intensity and spatial distribution of past drought documented events.

Topographic Data Development for Miami County 1m LiDAR

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Terrain data, as defined in FEMA Guidelines and Specifications, Appendix N: Data Capture Standards, describes the digital topographic data that was used to create...

Psychology in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, Eleonora Rubio

2011-01-01

The first formal psychology course taught in Mexico was in 1896 at Mexico's National University; today, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM in Spanish). The modern psychology from Europe and the US in the late 19th century were the primary influences of Mexican psychology, as well as psychoanalysis and both clinical and experimental…

Topographic Correction Module at Storm (TC@Storm)

Science.gov (United States)

Zaksek, K.; Cotar, K.; Veljanovski, T.; Pehani, P.; Ostir, K.

2015-04-01

Different solar position in combination with terrain slope and aspect result in different illumination of inclined surfaces. Therefore, the retrieved satellite data cannot be accurately transformed to the spectral reflectance, which depends only on the land cover. The topographic correction should remove this effect and enable further automatic processing of higher level products. The topographic correction TC@STORM was developed as a module within the SPACE-SI automatic near-real-time image processing chain STORM. It combines physical approach with the standard Minnaert method. The total irradiance is modelled as a three-component irradiance: direct (dependent on incidence angle, sun zenith angle and slope), diffuse from the sky (dependent mainly on sky-view factor), and diffuse reflected from the terrain (dependent on sky-view factor and albedo). For computation of diffuse irradiation from the sky we assume an anisotropic brightness of the sky. We iteratively estimate a linear combination from 10 different models, to provide the best results. Dependent on the data resolution, we mask shades based on radiometric (image) or geometric properties. The method was tested on RapidEye, Landsat 8, and PROBA-V data. Final results of the correction were evaluated and statistically validated based on various topography settings and land cover classes. Images show great improvements in shaded areas.

Role of interoceptive accuracy in topographical changes in emotion-induced bodily sensations

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Won-Mo; Ryu, Yeonhee; Lee, Ye-Seul; Wallraven, Christian; Chae, Younbyoung

2017-01-01

The emotion-associated bodily sensation map is composed of a specific topographical distribution of bodily sensations to categorical emotions. The present study investigated whether or not interoceptive accuracy was associated with topographical changes in this map following emotion-induced bodily sensations. This study included 31 participants who observed short video clips containing emotional stimuli and then reported their sensations on the body map. Interoceptive accuracy was evaluated with a heartbeat detection task and the spatial patterns of bodily sensations to specific emotions, including anger, fear, disgust, happiness, sadness, and neutral, were visualized using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) analyses. Distinct patterns of bodily sensations were identified for different emotional states. In addition, positive correlations were found between the magnitude of sensation in emotion-specific regions and interoceptive accuracy across individuals. A greater degree of interoceptive accuracy was associated with more specific topographical changes after emotional stimuli. These results suggest that the awareness of one’s internal bodily states might play a crucial role as a required messenger of sensory information during the affective process. PMID:28877218

Spatial genetic features of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) in the Gulf of Mexico: northward movement of a secondary contact zone

OpenAIRE

Anderson, Joel D; Karel, William J; Mace, Christopher E; Bartram, Brian L; Hare, Matthew P

2014-01-01

The eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica Gmelin) is an economically and ecologically valuable marine bivalve occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. This study builds upon previous research that identified two divergent populations of eastern oysters in the western Gulf of Mexico. Allelic and genotypic patterns from 11 microsatellite markers were used to assess genetic structure and migration between the previously described oyster populations in Texas. The main findings are as follows: (1) there a...

Evaluation and parameterization of ATCOR3 topographic correction method for forest cover mapping in mountain areas

Science.gov (United States)

Balthazar, Vincent; Vanacker, Veerle; Lambin, Eric F.

2012-08-01

A topographic correction of optical remote sensing data is necessary to improve the quality of quantitative forest cover change analyses in mountainous terrain. The implementation of semi-empirical correction methods requires the calibration of model parameters that are empirically defined. This study develops a method to improve the performance of topographic corrections for forest cover change detection in mountainous terrain through an iterative tuning method of model parameters based on a systematic evaluation of the performance of the correction. The latter was based on: (i) the general matching of reflectances between sunlit and shaded slopes and (ii) the occurrence of abnormal reflectance values, qualified as statistical outliers, in very low illuminated areas. The method was tested on Landsat ETM+ data for rough (Ecuadorian Andes) and very rough mountainous terrain (Bhutan Himalayas). Compared to a reference level (no topographic correction), the ATCOR3 semi-empirical correction method resulted in a considerable reduction of dissimilarities between reflectance values of forested sites in different topographic orientations. Our results indicate that optimal parameter combinations are depending on the site, sun elevation and azimuth and spectral conditions. We demonstrate that the results of relatively simple topographic correction methods can be greatly improved through a feedback loop between parameter tuning and evaluation of the performance of the correction model.

Topographical effects of climate dataset and their impacts on the estimation of regional net primary productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, L. Qing; Feng, Feng X.

2014-11-01

In this study, we first built and compared two different climate datasets for Wuling mountainous area in 2010, one of which considered topographical effects during the ANUSPLIN interpolation was referred as terrain-based climate dataset, while the other one did not was called ordinary climate dataset. Then, we quantified the topographical effects of climatic inputs on NPP estimation by inputting two different climate datasets to the same ecosystem model, the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS), to evaluate the importance of considering relief when estimating NPP. Finally, we found the primary contributing variables to the topographical effects through a series of experiments given an overall accuracy of the model output for NPP. The results showed that: (1) The terrain-based climate dataset presented more reliable topographic information and had closer agreements with the station dataset than the ordinary climate dataset at successive time series of 365 days in terms of the daily mean values. (2) On average, ordinary climate dataset underestimated NPP by 12.5% compared with terrain-based climate dataset over the whole study area. (3) The primary climate variables contributing to the topographical effects of climatic inputs for Wuling mountainous area were temperatures, which suggest that it is necessary to correct temperature differences for estimating NPP accurately in such a complex terrain.

Simulation of X-ray topographs: a new method to calculate the diffracted field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, C.A.M.; Epelboin, Y.

1993-01-01

The precision of the numerical algorithms used to integrate the Takagi-Taupin equations has been in the past a severe limitation for the simulation of accurate topographs. The intensity, especially in the direct image of the defect, is underestimated. This has forbidden the use of the reciprocity theorem for the simulation of traverse and white-beam synchrotron topographs. A new algorithm is described, based on two different methods of expressing the partial-derivative equations, which permits a faster and more accurate calculation. (orig.)

Influence of salt concentration and topographical position on water ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Water resource quality (WRQ) is affected by salt concentration and topographical position. Indeed, an increase in salt concentration, which decreases water availability for animal and plant nutrition, and lower altitude, which diminishes the potential for production of hydropower, negatively affects WRQ. Therefore, it is useful ...

X-ray Topographic Investigations of Domain Structure in Czochralski Grown PrxLa1-xAlO3 Crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieteska, K.; Wierzchowski, W.; Malinowska, A.; Turczynski, S.; Pawlak, D.A.; Lukasiewicz, T.; Lefeld-Sosnowska, M.; Graeff, W.

2010-01-01

In the present paper X-ray diffraction topographic techniques were applied to a number of samples cut from Czochralski grown Pr x La 1-x AlO 3 crystals with different ratio of praseodymium and lanthanum. Conventional and synchrotron X-ray topographic investigations revealed differently developed domain structures dependent on the composition of mixed praseodymium lanthanum aluminium perovskites. Some large mosaic blocks were observed together with the domains. In the best crystals, X-ray topographs revealed striation fringes and individual dislocations inside large domains. Synchrotron topographs allowed us to indicate that the domains correspond to three different crystallographic planes, and to evaluate the lattice misorientation between domains in the range of 20-50 arc min (authors)

Tactile Earth and Space Science Materials for Students with Visual Impairments: Contours, Craters, Asteroids, and Features of Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Rule, Audrey C.

2011-01-01

New tactile curriculum materials for teaching Earth and planetary science lessons on rotation=revolution, silhouettes of objects from different views, contour maps, impact craters, asteroids, and topographic features of Mars to 11 elementary and middle school students with sight impairments at a week-long residential summer camp are presented…

Rapid Topographic Mapping Using TLS and UAV in a Beach-dune-wetland Environment: Case Study in Freeport, Texas, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, J.; Wang, G.; Xiong, L.; Zhou, X.; England, E.

2017-12-01

Coastal regions are naturally vulnerable to impact from long-term coastal erosion and episodic coastal hazards caused by extreme weather events. Major geomorphic changes can occur within a few hours during storms. Prediction of storm impact, costal planning and resilience observation after natural events all require accurate and up-to-date topographic maps of coastal morphology. Thus, the ability to conduct rapid and high-resolution-high-accuracy topographic mapping is of critical importance for long-term coastal management and rapid response after natural hazard events. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) techniques have been frequently applied to beach and dune erosion studies and post hazard responses. However, TLS surveying is relatively slow and costly for rapid surveying. Furthermore, TLS surveying unavoidably retains gray areas that cannot be reached by laser pulses, particularly in wetland areas where lack of direct access in most cases. Aerial mapping using photogrammetry from images taken by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) has become a new technique for rapid topographic mapping. UAV photogrammetry mapping techniques provide the ability to map coastal features quickly, safely, inexpensively, on short notice and with minimal impact. The primary products from photogrammetry are point clouds similar to the LiDAR point clouds. However, a large number of ground control points (ground truth) are essential for obtaining high-accuracy UAV maps. The ground control points are often obtained by GPS survey simultaneously with the TLS survey in the field. The GPS survey could be a slow and arduous process in the field. This study aims to develop methods for acquiring a huge number of ground control points from TLS survey and validating point clouds obtained from photogrammetry with the TLS point clouds. A Rigel VZ-2000 TLS scanner was used for developing laser point clouds and a DJI Phantom 4 Pro UAV was used for acquiring images. The aerial images were processed with the

Application of Ifsar Technology in Topographic Mapping: JUPEM's Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Zakaria, Ahamad

2018-05-01

The application of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) in topographic mapping has increased during the past decades. This is due to the advantages that IFSAR technology offers in solving data acquisition problems in tropical regions. Unlike aerial photography, radar technology offers wave penetration through cloud cover, fog and haze. As a consequence, images can be made free of any natural phenomenon defects. In Malaysia, Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM) has been utilizing the IFSAR products since 2009 to update topographic maps at 1 : 50,000 map scales. Orthorectified radar imagery (ORI), Digital Surface Models (DSM) and Digital Terrain Models (DTM) procured under the project have been further processed before the products are ingested into a revamped mapping workflow consisting of stereo and mono digitizing processes. The paper will highlight the experience of Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (DSMM)/ JUPEM in using such technology in order to speed up mapping production.

75 FR 28555 - Executive Green ICT & Energy Efficiency Trade Mission to Mexico City, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-21

... Trade Mission to Mexico City, Mexico AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce... Trade Mission to Mexico City from September 27-29, 2010. This Executive led mission will focus on... & Energy Efficiency conference will take place at the World Trade Center in Mexico City. Relevant issues on...

United States National Grid for New Mexico, UTM 12, (1000m X 1000m polygons )

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This is a polygon feature data layer of United States National Grid (1000m x 1000m polygons ) constructed by the Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information...

United States National Grid for New Mexico, UTM 13, (1000m X 1000m polygons )

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This is a polygon feature data layer of United States National Grid (1000m x 1000m polygons ) constructed by the Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information...

Historical context and workers lifestyle in Mexico: San Rafael paper mill (1894-1940

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Gustavo Becerril Montero

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This article aims to describe the main features of the constructions made by the factories, mainly in the center and around the city of Mexico, since the late nineteenth century to the twentieth. The factories of Mexico in the nineteenth century were characterized by various constructive and technological elements that were giving them a unique profile within the productive landscape of the country. To observe the process of construction, mainly of spaces for the workers, the case of one of the most important factories attached role in Mexico, paper and addressed San Rafael. The San Rafael Company, established in the state of Mexico in the late nineteenth century, pursued since its founding supply the paper market. To achieve this goal, he implemented an ambitious production system, I need to build large apartments for the production of paper, and at the same time to concentrate spaces and ensure their workforce. So, in a few years he managed to develop an advanced, for the time, labor and industrial complex, giving their workers from living rooms to recreation and leisure spaces.

Unravelling spatio-temporal evapotranspiration patterns in topographically complex landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Metzen, Daniel; Sheridan, Gary; Nyman, Petter; Lane, Patrick

2016-04-01

Vegetation co-evolves with soils and topography under a given long-term climatic forcing. Previous studies demonstrated a strong eco-hydrologic feedback between topography, vegetation and energy and water fluxes. Slope orientation (aspect and gradient) alter the magnitude of incoming solar radiation resulting in larger evaporative losses and less water availability on equator-facing slopes. Furthermore, non-local water inputs from upslope areas potentially contribute to available water at downslope positions. The combined effect of slope orientation and drainage position creates complex spatial patterns in biological productivity and pedogenesis, which in turn alter the local hydrology. In complex upland landscapes, topographic alteration of incoming radiation can cause substantial aridity index (ratio of potential evapotranspiration to precipitation) variations over small spatial extents. Most of the upland forests in south-east Australia are located in an aridity index (AI) range of 1-2, around the energy limited to water limited boundary, where forested systems are expected to be most sensitive to AI changes. In this research we aim to improve the fundamental understanding of spatio-temporal evolution of evapotranspiration (ET) patterns in complex terrain, accounting for local topographic effects on system properties (e.g. soil depth, sapwood area, leaf area) and variation in energy and water exchange processes due to slope orientation and drainage position. Six measurement plots were set-up in a mixed species eucalypt forest on a polar and equatorial-facing hillslope (AI ˜1.3 vs. 1.8) at varying drainage position (ridge, mid-slope, gully), while minimizing variations in other factors, e.g. geology and weather patterns. Sap flow, soil water content, incoming solar radiation and throughfall were continuously monitored at field sites spanning a wide range of soil depth (0.5 - >3m), maximum tree heights (17 - 51m) and LAI (1.2 - 4.6). Site-specific response curves

Opportunity for America: Mexico`s coal future

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loose, V.W.

1993-09-01

This study examines the history, current status and future prospects for increased coal use in Mexico. Environmental implications of the power-generation capacity expansion plans are examined in general terms. Mexican environmental law and regulations are briefly reviewed along with the new sense of urgency in the cleanup of existing environmental problems and avoidance of new problems as clearly mandated in recent Mexican government policy initiatives. It is expected that new capital facilities will need to incorporate the latest in process and technology to comply with existing environmental regulation. Technology developments which address these issues are identified. What opportunities have new initiatives caused by the recent diversification of Mexico`s energy economy offered US firms? This report looks at the potential future use of coal in the Mexican energy economy, examining this issue with an eye toward identifying markets that might be available to US coal producers and the best way to approach them. Market opportunities are identified by examining new developments in the Mexican economy generally and the energy economy particularly. These developments are examined in light of the current situation and the history which brought Mexico to its present status.

Debris flow-induced topographic changes: effects of recurrent debris flow initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chien-Yuan; Wang, Qun

2017-08-12

Chushui Creek in Shengmu Village, Nantou County, Taiwan, was analyzed for recurrent debris flow using numerical modeling and geographic information system (GIS) spatial analysis. The two-dimensional water flood and mudflow simulation program FLO-2D were used to simulate debris flow induced by rainfall during typhoon Herb in 1996 and Mindulle in 2004. Changes in topographic characteristics after the debris flows were simulated for the initiation of hydrological characteristics, magnitude, and affected area. Changes in topographic characteristics included those in elevation, slope, aspect, stream power index (SPI), topographic wetness index (TWI), and hypsometric curve integral (HI), all of which were analyzed using GIS spatial analysis. The results show that the SPI and peak discharge in the basin increased after a recurrence of debris flow. The TWI was higher in 2003 than in 2004 and indicated higher potential of landslide initiation when the slope of the basin was steeper. The HI revealed that the basin was in its mature stage and was shifting toward the old stage. Numerical simulation demonstrated that the parameters' mean depth, maximum depth, affected area, mean flow rate, maximum flow rate, and peak flow discharge were increased after recurrent debris flow, and peak discharge occurred quickly.

Research Note Topographical units and soil types prove more ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The floristic data (species presence at each site) were grouped into Land Types, topographical units and broad soil types. Each group was analysed independently using multivariate detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and the mean similarity test. The floristic data in each Land Type showed a 42% range of ...

Modelling topographic potential for erosion and deposition using GIS

Science.gov (United States)

Helena Mitasova; Louis R. Iverson

1996-01-01

Modelling of erosion and deposition in complex terrain within a geographical information system (GIS) requires a high resolution digital elevation model (DEM), reliable estimation of topographic parameters, and formulation of erosion models adequate for digital representation of spatially distributed parameters. Regularized spline with tension was integrated within a...

Optimization of Structural Design for Sustainable Construction of Transmission Tower Based on Topographical Algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muda, Zakaria Che; Thiruchelvam, Sivadass; Mustapha, Kamal Nasharuddin; Omar, Rohayu Che; Usman, Fathoni; Alam, Md Ashrafu

2013-01-01

Optimization of transmission tower structures is traditionally based on either optimization of members sizes with fixed topographical shape or based on structural analysis modelling strategies without taking cognizance of fabrication and constructability issue facing the contractors . This paper look into an integrated optimum design approach strategies whereby size, shape and topology are combined together with the fabrication issues in the construction of the transmission tower. The topographical algorithm is based on changing the inclination degree of the legs of the tower at first with optimum individual members sizing and later rationalized member sizes are performed through member groupings for the ease fabrication and construction of the transmission tower. The optimum weight using topographical algorithm obtained for the transmission tower is 10,924 kg for singular members and 18,430 kg for element grouping at 10° inclination angle.

Topographic mapping support in the South African military during the

African Journals Online (AJOL)

andre

In doing so, the operational importance of topographic maps is also ...... Police and later the South African Defence Force tried to stem this growing tide and ... first annual intake of national service women, and though trained internally as.

Topographical memory analyzed in mice using the Hamlet test, a novel complex maze.

Science.gov (United States)

Crouzier, Lucie; Gilabert, Damien; Rossel, Mireille; Trousse, Françoise; Maurice, Tangui

2018-03-01

The Hamlet test is an innovative device providing a complex environment for testing topographic memory in mice. Animals were trained in groups for weeks in a small village with a central agora, streets expanding from it towards five functionalized houses, where they can drink, eat, hide, run, interact with a stranger mouse. Memory was tested by depriving mice from water or food and analyzing their ability to locate the Drink/Eat house. Exploration and memory were analyzed in different strains, gender, and after different training periods and delays. After 2 weeks training, differences in exploration patterns were observed between strains, but not gender. Neuroanatomical structures activated by training, identified using FosB/ΔFosB immunolabelling, showed an involvement of the hippocampus-subiculum-parahippocampal gyrus axis and dopaminergic structures. Training increased hippocampal neurogenesis (cell proliferation and neuronal maturation) and modified the amnesic efficacy of muscarinic or nicotinic cholinergic antagonists. Moreover, topographical disorientation in Alzheimer's disease was addressed using intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid β 25-35 peptide in trained mice. When retested after 7 days, Aβ 25-35 -treated mice showed memory impairment. The Hamlet test specifically allows analysis of topographical memory in mice, based on complex environment. It offers an innovative tool for various ethological or pharmacological research needs. For instance, it allowed to examine topographical disorientation, a warning sign in Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial Variation in Bird Community Composition in Relation to Topographic Gradient and Forest Heterogeneity in a Central Amazonian Rainforest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renato Cintra

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of landscape features and forest structure on the avian community at the Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke near Manaus, in the Brazilian Amazon. We sampled the landscape and forest in 72 50 × 50 m plots systematically distributed in the reserve, covering an area of 6,400 ha. The avifauna was sampled using mist nets and acoustic surveys near the plots. We found no significant relationships between landscape features and forest components in the plots and the number of bird species and individuals sampled. Results of Principal Coordinate Analyses, however, showed that bird species composition changes along a topographic gradient (plateau-slope-valley, and also in relation to leaf litter depth and distance to forest streams. We also found compositional differences in the avian community on the eastern and western water basins that compose the reserve. Our results suggest that although most bird species occur throughout the reserve, many species track differences in the landscape and the forest structure.

Elevational Shifts in the Topographic Position of Polylepis Forest Stands in the Andes of Southern Peru

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna M. Toivonen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The patchy distribution of high-Andean treeline forests has provoked discussion about the relative importance of anthropogenic and climatic causes of this pattern, both of which vary with topography. We aimed to understand the topographic controls on the distribution of Polylepis subsericans treeline forests in the Andes of southern Peru, and the changes in these controls along an elevational gradient. We mapped Polylepis forests in the Cordillera Urubamba, Cusco, using high-resolution aerial images and related forest cover to topographic variables extracted from a digital terrain model (30-m resolution. The variables were selected based on their expected biological relevance for tree growth at high elevations. We constructed logistic regression models of forest cover, separately for each of five 100-m elevational belts. To deal with spatial autocorrelation, models were based on randomized 10% subsampling of the data with 1000 repetitions. The results suggest a consistent shift in topographic preference with elevation, with forests at lower elevations showing a preference for topographically protected sites near rivers and forests at higher elevations being increasingly restricted to north-facing and well-drained sites. Our study offers the first indication of the ability of Andean treeline forests to benefit from the topographic heterogeneity of the high-Andes. Providing that dispersal and establishment are possible, local relocation between microsites could help these forests to persist regionally in spite of changing climatic conditions.

Reconstucted topographs of polycrystalline (110) Fe-3 wt% Si samples and the observation of their magnetic domain images using synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephenson, J.D.; Kelhae, V.; Tilli, M.; Tuomi, T.

1978-01-01

'White' synchrotron radiation topography has been employed to reconstruct almost complete, though slightly shape distorted topographs of polycrystalline samples. Those used in the experiments were commercial (110) Fe-3wt%Si crystals containing several misorientated subgrains and were of thickness between 0.15 and 0.20 mm. The topographs were reassembled 'jig-saw puzzle' fashion from photographically enlarged subgrain mini-topographs located near the centres of each film. Magnetic domains were observed in several subgrain topographs recorded in the Laue-reflection and Laue-transmission modes. The technique emphasizes one of the advantages in using 'white' synchrotron radiation to produce rapid high resolution topographs of polycrystalline samples in relatively hazard free radiation conditions. (Auth.)

U.S.-Mexico energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

This paper reports that while Mexico's petrochemical industry has grown rapidly, it now faces shortages both in investment funds and in supplies of basic petrochemicals due to a financial crisis in the 1980s. Mexico has undertaken a series of policy reforms aimed at encouraging foreign and private investment, but these efforts have generally failed to entice U.S. investment in Mexico. U.S. petrochemical companies have cited unfavorable market conditions, insufficient basic petrochemical capacity in Mexico, concern about the reversibility of Mexican reforms, inadequate Mexican protection of intellectual property rights, and lack of investment protection for U.S. businesses as impediments to investment in Mexico. Cooperation between the two nations in overcoming these obstacles could help U.S. petrochemical companies maintain their positions in a competitive global market, while at the same time provide Mexico with much needed capital investment and technological expertise

Comparison Between Topographic Expression of RADARSAT and DEM in Simpang Pulai to Pos Selim, Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.F.Ramli

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Radar and digital elevation model had been utilised in many structural studies. The main objective of this study is to compare the RADARSAT and digital elevation model for lineament interpretation which probably represent the main joints or faults along the Simpang Pulai to Pos Selim highway, Malaysia. These joints and faults may influence the instability along the highway. Manual comparison in terms of topographical aspect was undertaken between RADARSAT with 25 m spatial resolution and digital elevation model derived from 20 m contour interval of the topographical map. The previously interpreted lineaments of more than 2 km in the study area was draped over the RADARSAT and digital elevation model to compared whether the lineament concurred with the topographical representation. The interpreted lineaments were derived from Landsat TM of 1990 and 2002, where the DEM had been utilised in the negative lineament determination. It is concluded that the application RADARSAT is not very useful in terms of topographical expression in the structural geological interpretation for the study area compared to DEM derived from contour data. Further work is suggested before any conclusion can be confidently derived.

EEG-based recognition of video-induced emotions: selecting subject-independent feature set.

Science.gov (United States)

Kortelainen, Jukka; Seppänen, Tapio

2013-01-01

Emotions are fundamental for everyday life affecting our communication, learning, perception, and decision making. Including emotions into the human-computer interaction (HCI) could be seen as a significant step forward offering a great potential for developing advanced future technologies. While the electrical activity of the brain is affected by emotions, offers electroencephalogram (EEG) an interesting channel to improve the HCI. In this paper, the selection of subject-independent feature set for EEG-based emotion recognition is studied. We investigate the effect of different feature sets in classifying person's arousal and valence while watching videos with emotional content. The classification performance is optimized by applying a sequential forward floating search algorithm for feature selection. The best classification rate (65.1% for arousal and 63.0% for valence) is obtained with a feature set containing power spectral features from the frequency band of 1-32 Hz. The proposed approach substantially improves the classification rate reported in the literature. In future, further analysis of the video-induced EEG changes including the topographical differences in the spectral features is needed.

A critical source area phosphorus index with topographic transport factors using high resolution LiDAR digital elevation models

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Ian; Murphy, Paul; Fenton, Owen; Shine, Oliver; Mellander, Per-Erik; Dunlop, Paul; Jordan, Phil

2015-04-01

A new phosphorus index (PI) tool is presented which aims to improve the identification of critical source areas (CSAs) of phosphorus (P) losses from agricultural land to surface waters. In a novel approach, the PI incorporates topographic indices rather than watercourse proximity as proxies for runoff risk, to account for the dominant control of topography on runoff-generating areas and P transport pathways. Runoff propensity and hydrological connectivity are modelled using the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) and Network Index (NI) respectively, utilising high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to capture the influence of micro-topographic features on runoff pathways. Additionally, the PI attempts to improve risk estimates of particulate P losses by incorporating an erosion factor that accounts for fine-scale topographic variability within fields. Erosion risk is modelled using the Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition (USPED) model, which integrates DEM-derived upslope contributing area and Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) factors. The PI was developed using field, sub-field and sub-catchment scale datasets of P source, mobilisation and transport factors, for four intensive agricultural catchments in Ireland representing different agri-environmental conditions. Datasets included soil test P concentrations, degree of P saturation, soil attributes, land use, artificial subsurface drainage locations, and 2 m resolution LiDAR DEMs resampled from 0.25 m resolution data. All factor datasets were integrated within a Geographical Information System (GIS) and rasterised to 2 m resolution. For each factor, values were categorised and assigned relative risk scores which ranked P loss potential. Total risk scores were calculated for each grid cell using a component formulation, which summed the products of weighted factor risk scores for runoff and erosion pathways. Results showed that the new PI was able to predict

Mexico and Central America.

Science.gov (United States)

Bronfman, M

1998-01-01

This article reviews the literature on migration and HIV/AIDS in Mexico and Central America, including Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Most migrants travel to the US through Mexico. US-Mexico trade agreements created opportunities for increased risk of HIV transmission. The research literature focuses on Mexico. Most countries, with the exception of Belize and Costa Rica, are sending countries. Human rights of migrants are violated in transit and at destination. Migration policies determine migration processes. The Mexican-born population in the US is about 3% of US population and 8% of Mexico's population. About 22% arrived during 1992-97, and about 500,000 are naturalized US citizens. An additional 11 million have a Mexican ethnic background. Mexican migrants are usually economically active men who had jobs before leaving and were urban people who settled in California, Texas, Illinois, and Arizona. Most Mexican migrants enter illegally. Many return to Mexico. The main paths of HIV transmission are homosexual, heterosexual, and IV-drug-injecting persons. Latino migrants frequently use prostitutes, adopt new sexual practices including anal penetration among men, greater diversity of sexual partners, and use of injectable drugs.

Why Gas Hydrate Occurrenced Over Topographic Highs in Shenhu Area Northern South China Sea？

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, J.

2015-12-01

Methane gas hydrate has been drilled by China Geological Survey in shenhu area northern south china sea in 2007 .Shenhu area is located in the middle-lower continental slope and 17 submarine canyons are incised into the shelf,gas hydrtae was observed in boreholes over topographic highs,but origin of the hydrate is controversial.Accumulation of gas hydrate is depending on temperature-pressure field and supply quantities of methane and some other factors,in the same depth of the shallow sediments there is the same press,so temperature field and supply quantities of methane become the most important factors.Lachenbruch(1968) calculated the topographic disturbance to geothermal gradients,in shenhu area consistent local variations were observed, notably low heat flow values over prominent topographic highs and high heat flow values over the flanks of the topographic highs. At some localities over a horizontal distance of 2.5 km, heat flow increased by as much as 50%, from typical values of 65 to 100 mW/m2 .Some vertical fractures were observed beneath topographic highs in previous studies.Based on the profile across borehole SH7,we designed four experiments:A,uniform distribution of heat flux with no vertical fractures；B,Uniform distribution of heat flux with vertical fractures beneath geographic highs;C,uneven distribution of heat flux with no vertical fractures;D,uneven distribution of heat flux with vertical fractures beneath geographic highs.According to previous studies,we restored Palaeobathymetry,abundance of organic matters, sandstone-madstone ratio ,porosity and permeability of each,and parameters of vertical fractures.The result of experiment D shows the similar distribution characteristic with the drilling result,so We believe that low heat flux and Vertical fractures are the most important factors . This work was supported by the National Science Foundation of China(grant no. 41406080).

MGN V RDRS 5 GLOBAL DATA RECORD TOPOGRAPHIC V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set contains the Magellan Global Topographic Data Record (GTDR). The range to surface is derived by fitting altimeter echoes from the fan-beam altimetry...

Local topographic wetness indices predict household malaria risk better than land-use and land-cover in the western Kenya highlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Justin M; Ernst, Kacey C; Lindblade, Kim A; Vulule, John M; John, Chandy C; Wilson, Mark L

2010-11-16

Identification of high-risk malaria foci can help enhance surveillance or control activities in regions where they are most needed. Associations between malaria risk and land-use/land-cover are well-recognized, but these environmental characteristics are closely interrelated with the land's topography (e.g., hills, valleys, elevation), which also influences malaria risk strongly. Parsing the individual contributions of land-cover/land-use variables to malaria risk requires examining these associations in the context of their topographic landscape. This study examined whether environmental factors like land-cover, land-use, and urban density improved malaria risk prediction based solely on the topographically-determined context, as measured by the topographic wetness index. The topographic wetness index, an estimate of predicted water accumulation in a defined area, was generated from a digital terrain model of the landscape surrounding households in two neighbouring western Kenyan highland communities. Variables determined to best encompass the variance in this topographic wetness surface were calculated at a household level. Land-cover/land-use information was extracted from a high-resolution satellite image using an object-based classification method. Topographic and land-cover variables were used individually and in combination to predict household-level malaria in the communities through an iterative split-sample model fitting and testing procedure. Models with only topographic variables were compared to those with additional predictive factors related to land-cover/land-use to investigate whether these environmental factors improved prediction of malaria based on the shape of the land alone. Variables related to topographic wetness proved most useful in predicting the households of individuals contracting malaria in this region of rugged terrain. Other variables related to human modification of the environment also demonstrated clear associations with

Local topographic wetness indices predict household malaria risk better than land-use and land-cover in the western Kenya highlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vulule John M

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Identification of high-risk malaria foci can help enhance surveillance or control activities in regions where they are most needed. Associations between malaria risk and land-use/land-cover are well-recognized, but these environmental characteristics are closely interrelated with the land's topography (e.g., hills, valleys, elevation, which also influences malaria risk strongly. Parsing the individual contributions of land-cover/land-use variables to malaria risk requires examining these associations in the context of their topographic landscape. This study examined whether environmental factors like land-cover, land-use, and urban density improved malaria risk prediction based solely on the topographically-determined context, as measured by the topographic wetness index. Methods The topographic wetness index, an estimate of predicted water accumulation in a defined area, was generated from a digital terrain model of the landscape surrounding households in two neighbouring western Kenyan highland communities. Variables determined to best encompass the variance in this topographic wetness surface were calculated at a household level. Land-cover/land-use information was extracted from a high-resolution satellite image using an object-based classification method. Topographic and land-cover variables were used individually and in combination to predict household-level malaria in the communities through an iterative split-sample model fitting and testing procedure. Models with only topographic variables were compared to those with additional predictive factors related to land-cover/land-use to investigate whether these environmental factors improved prediction of malaria based on the shape of the land alone. Results Variables related to topographic wetness proved most useful in predicting the households of individuals contracting malaria in this region of rugged terrain. Other variables related to human modification of the

Topographic Pattern Distribution of Head And Neck Squamous Cell ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

FINEPRINT

value of 71% of SCC in Turkey. Nevertheless a similar report documented a relatively lower value especially in. Yemen where head and neck SCC constituted only 8% of all head and neck cancers. Reports from Yemen revealed that oral cavity SCC was the most common topographic site of all head and. 3 neck cancers.

Topographic controls on shallow groundwater levels in a steep, prealpine catchment: When are the TWI assumptions valid?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rinderer, M.; van Meerveld, H.J.; Seibert, J.

2014-01-01

Topographic indices like the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) have been used to predict spatial patterns of average groundwater levels and to model the dynamics of the saturated zone during events (e.g., TOPMODEL). However, the assumptions underlying the use of the TWI in hydrological models, of

New Mexico Math Pathways Taskforce Report

Science.gov (United States)

New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2016

2016-01-01

In April 2015 New Mexico faculty, Dana Center staff, and New Mexico Higher Education (NMHED) co-presented the need for better math pathways statewide. Faculty from 6 institutions (New Mexico State University, New Mexico Highlands University, Dine College, Eastern New Mexico University, El Paso Community College, and San Juan College) participated…

Synoptic evaluation of scale-dependent metrics for hydrographic line feature geometry

Science.gov (United States)

Stanislawski, Larry V.; Buttenfield, Barbara P.; Raposo, Paulo; Cameron, Madeline; Falgout, Jeff T.

2015-01-01

Methods of acquisition and feature simplification for vector feature data impact cartographic representations and scientific investigations of these data, and are therefore important considerations for geographic information science (Haunert and Sester 2008). After initial collection, linear features may be simplified to reduce excessive detail or to furnish a reduced-scale version of the features through cartographic generalization (Regnauld and McMaster 2008, Stanislawski et al. 2014). A variety of algorithms exist to simplify linear cartographic features, and all of the methods affect the positional accuracy of the features (Shahriari and Tao 2002, Regnauld and McMaster 2008, Stanislawski et al. 2012). In general, simplification operations are controlled by one or more tolerance parameters that limit the amount of positional change the operation can make to features. Using a single tolerance value can have varying levels of positional change on features; depending on local shape, texture, or geometric characteristics of the original features (McMaster and Shea 1992, Shahriari and Tao 2002, Buttenfield et al. 2010). Consequently, numerous researchers have advocated calibration of simplification parameters to control quantifiable properties of resulting changes to the features (Li and Openshaw 1990, Raposo 2013, Tobler 1988, Veregin 2000, and Buttenfield, 1986, 1989).This research identifies relations between local topographic conditions and geometric characteristics of linear features that are available in the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). The NHD is a comprehensive vector dataset of surface 18 th ICA Workshop on Generalisation and Multiple Representation, Rio de Janiero, Brazil 2015 2 water features within the United States that is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). In this paper, geometric characteristics of cartographic representations for natural stream and river features are summarized for subbasin watersheds within entire regions of the

Adobe Illustrator drawing showing geophysical and topographical survey data and interpretations

OpenAIRE

Wallace, Lacey; Ferraby, Rose

2016-01-01

Adobe Illustrator drawing at 1:2000 that shows the rasters and interpretations of the geophysics, the topographical contours, and the survey areas, with British National Grid coordinates and Ordnance Survey Master Map data included.

English Teaching in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Salazar, Denise

2002-01-01

Discusses teaching English in Mexico, a country with important social, cultural, and economic ties to the United States. Looks at the various English teaching situations as well as teacher education for teachers in Mexico. Concludes that the English teaching situation in Mexico reflects great diversity and growth, and that the knowledge of English…

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3464, Shahrak (411) and Kasi (412) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3266, Ourzgan (519) and Moqur (520) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3568, Polekhomri (503) and Charikar (504) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3366, Gizab (513) and Nawer (514) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3162, Chakhansur (603) and Kotalak (604) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3164, Lashkargah (605) and Kandahar (606) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Air quality modeling in the Valley of Mexico: meteorology, emissions and forecasting

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Reynoso, A.; Jazcilevich, A. D.; Diaz-Nigenda, E.; Vazquez-Morales, W.; Torres-Jardon, R.; Ruiz-Suarez, G.; Tatarko, J.; Bornstein, R.

2007-12-01

The Valley of Mexico presents important challenges for air quality modeling: complex terrain, a great variety of anthropogenic and natural emissions sources, and high altitude and low latitude increasing the amount of radiation flux. The modeling group at the CCA-UNAM is using and merging state of the art models to study the different aspects that influence the air quality phenomenon in the Valley of Mexico. The air quality model MCCM that uses MM5 as its meteorological input has been a valuable tool to study important features of the complex and intricate atmospheric flows on the valley, such as local confluences and vertical fumigation. Air quality modeling has allowed studying the interaction between the atmospheres of the valleys surrounding the Valley of Mexico, prompting the location of measurement stations during the MILAGRO campaign. These measurements confirmed the modeling results and expanded our knowledge of the transport of pollutants between the Valleys of Cuernavaca, Puebla and Mexico. The urban landscape of Mexico City complicates meteorological modeling. Urban-MM5, a model that explicitly takes into account the influence of buildings, houses, streets, parks and anthropogenic heat, is being implemented. Preliminary results of urban-MM5 on a small area of the city have been obtained. The current emissions inventory uses traffic database that includes hourly vehicular activity in more than 11,000 street segments, includes 23 area emissions categories, more than 1,000 industrial sources and biogenic emissions. To improve mobile sources emissions a system consisting of a traffic model and a car simulator is underway. This system will allow for high time and space resolution and takes into account motor stress due to different driving regimes. An important source of emissions in the Valley of Mexico is erosion dust. The erosion model WEPS has been integrated with MM5 and preliminary results showing dust episodes over Mexico City have been obtained. A

Fabrication of disposable topographic silicon oxide from sawtoothed patterns: control of arrays of gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Heesook; Yoo, Hana; Park, Soojin

2010-05-18

Disposable topographic silicon oxide patterns were fabricated from polymeric replicas of sawtoothed glass surfaces, spin-coating of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) thin films, and thermal annealing at certain temperature and followed by oxygen plasma treatment of the thin PDMS layer. A simple imprinting process was used to fabricate the replicated PDMS and PS patterns from sawtoothed glass surfaces. Next, thin layers of PDMS films having different thicknesses were spin-coated onto the sawtoothed PS surfaces and annealed at 60 degrees C to be drawn the PDMS into the valley of the sawtoothed PS surfaces, followed by oxygen plasma treatment to fabricate topographic silicon oxide patterns. By control of the thickness of PDMS layers, silicon oxide patterns having various line widths were fabricated. The silicon oxide topographic patterns were used to direct the self-assembly of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer thin films via solvent annealing process. A highly ordered PS-b-P2VP micellar structure was used to let gold precursor complex with P2VP chains, and followed by oxygen plasma treatment. When the PS-b-P2VP thin films containing gold salts were exposed to oxygen plasma environments, gold salts were reduced to pure gold nanoparticles without changing high degree of lateral order, while polymers were completely degraded. As the width of trough and crest in topographic patterns increases, the number of gold arrays and size of gold nanoparticles are tuned. In the final step, the silicon oxide topographic patterns were selectively removed by wet etching process without changing the arrays of gold nanoparticles.

New Mexico Parks

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This dataset provides an initial version of the locations of parks in New Mexico, in point form, with limited attributes, compiled using available data from a...

Formal Features of Headlines: notes on ten spanish speaking newspapers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Nadal Palazón

2013-02-01

Full Text Available As a reaction to the few existing descriptions of headlines, descriptions which in some respects often fail the empirical proof of comparing them to the observable newspapers reality, it is proposed an updated set of the most distinctive formal features of headlines, according to their distribution within a large corpus of current newspapers in Spanish. The set is summarized in four constant and four variable features. The constant features —relatively homogeneous throughout the corpus (although some of its variants have certain conditions— are: expressive bimembration, ellipsis, nominal structures and historical present. On the other hand, the variable traits —which show a not so regular distribution— are: impersonal third person, verb in starting position, quoting conditional and anthroponyms abbreviated by initializations. The analysis is based on a corpus of 3 689 recent headlines published in Spanish in the printed editions of the following newspapers: El País, from Madrid (Spain; La Opinión, from Los Angeles (United States; El Universal, from Mexico City (Mexico; La Nación, from San Jose (Costa Rica; Hoy, from Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic; El Tiempo, from Bogota (Colombia; El Nacional, from Caracas (Venezuela; El Comercio, from Lima (Peru; El Mercurio, from Santiago (Chile, and Clarín, from Buenos Aires (Argentina. Where appropriate, the diatopic factor is considered, and the inaccuracy of some frequent approaches is also demonstrated.

Topographic filtering simulation model for sediment source apportionment

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Se Jong; Wilcock, Peter; Hobbs, Benjamin

2018-05-01

We propose a Topographic Filtering simulation model (Topofilter) that can be used to identify those locations that are likely to contribute most of the sediment load delivered from a watershed. The reduced complexity model links spatially distributed estimates of annual soil erosion, high-resolution topography, and observed sediment loading to determine the distribution of sediment delivery ratio across a watershed. The model uses two simple two-parameter topographic transfer functions based on the distance and change in elevation from upland sources to the nearest stream channel and then down the stream network. The approach does not attempt to find a single best-calibrated solution of sediment delivery, but uses a model conditioning approach to develop a large number of possible solutions. For each model run, locations that contribute to 90% of the sediment loading are identified and those locations that appear in this set in most of the 10,000 model runs are identified as the sources that are most likely to contribute to most of the sediment delivered to the watershed outlet. Because the underlying model is quite simple and strongly anchored by reliable information on soil erosion, topography, and sediment load, we believe that the ensemble of simulation outputs provides a useful basis for identifying the dominant sediment sources in the watershed.

Relationships between Arctic shrub dynamics and topographically derived hydrologic characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, Adam T; Cairns, David M

2011-01-01

Shrub expansion is a global phenomenon that is gaining increased attention in the Arctic. Recent work employing the use of oblique aerial photographs suggested a consistent pattern of positive change in shrub cover across the North Slope of Alaska. The greatest amounts of change occurred in valley slopes and floodplains. We studied the association between shrub cover change and topographically derived hydrologic characteristics in five areas in northern Alaska between the 1970s and 2000s. Change in total shrub cover ranged from − 0.65% to 46.56%. Change in floodplain shrub cover ranged from 3.38% to 76.22%. Shrubs are preferentially expanding into areas of higher topographic wetness index (TWI) values where the potential for moisture accumulation or drainage is greater. In addition, we found that floodplain shrub development was strongly associated with high TWI values and a decreasing average distance between shrubs and the river bank. This suggests an interacting influence of substrate removal and stabilization as a consequence of increased vegetation cover.

A fast approach to generate large-scale topographic maps based on new Chinese vehicle-borne Lidar system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youmei, Han; Bogang, Yang

2014-01-01

Large -scale topographic maps are important basic information for city and regional planning and management. Traditional large- scale mapping methods are mostly based on artificial mapping and photogrammetry. The traditional mapping method is inefficient and limited by the environments. While the photogrammetry methods(such as low-altitude aerial mapping) is an economical and effective way to map wide and regulate range of large scale topographic map but doesn't work well in the small area due to the high cost of manpower and resources. Recent years, the vehicle-borne LIDAR technology has a rapid development, and its application in surveying and mapping is becoming a new topic. The main objective of this investigation is to explore the potential of vehicle-borne LIDAR technology to be used to fast mapping large scale topographic maps based on new Chinese vehicle-borne LIDAR system. It studied how to use the new Chinese vehicle-borne LIDAR system measurement technology to map large scale topographic maps. After the field data capture, it can be mapped in the office based on the LIDAR data (point cloud) by software which programmed by ourselves. In addition, the detailed process and accuracy analysis were proposed by an actual case. The result show that this new technology provides a new fast method to generate large scale topographic maps, which is high efficient and accuracy compared to traditional methods

Correction of systematic behaviour in topographical surface analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Quagliotti, Danilo; Baruffi, Federico; Tosello, Guido

2016-01-01

Four specimens in the sub-micrometre range and with different polishing were topographically investigated in fiveareas over their respective surfaces. Uncertainties were evaluated with and without correction for systematicbehaviour and successively analysed by a design of experiment (DOE). Result...... showed that the correction forsystematic behaviour allowed for a lower value of the estimated uncertainty when the correction was adequate tocompletely recognise the systematic effects. If not, the correction can produce an overestimation of the uncertainty....

Radon availability in New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLemore, V.T.

1995-01-01

The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources (NMBMMR) in cooperation with the Radiation Licensing and Registration Section of the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been evaluating geologic and soil conditions that may contribute to elevated levels of indoor radon throughout New Mexico. Various data have been integrated and interpreted in order to determine areas of high radon availability. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of these data for New Mexico and to discuss geologic controls on the distribution of radon. Areas in New Mexico have been identified from these data as having a high radon availability. It is not the intent of this report to alarm the public, but to provide data on the distribution of radon throughout New Mexico

Predicting the Occurrence of Cave-Inhabiting Fauna Based on Features of the Earth Surface Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Christman, Mary C; Doctor, Daniel H; Niemiller, Matthew L; Weary, David J; Young, John A; Zigler, Kirk S; Culver, David C

2016-01-01

One of the most challenging fauna to study in situ is the obligate cave fauna because of the difficulty of sampling. Cave-limited species display patchy and restricted distributions, but it is often unclear whether the observed distribution is a sampling artifact or a true restriction in range. Further, the drivers of the distribution could be local environmental conditions, such as cave humidity, or they could be associated with surface features that are surrogates for cave conditions. If surface features can be used to predict the distribution of important cave taxa, then conservation management is more easily obtained. We examined the hypothesis that the presence of major faunal groups of cave obligate species could be predicted based on features of the earth surface. Georeferenced records of cave obligate amphipods, crayfish, fish, isopods, beetles, millipedes, pseudoscorpions, spiders, and springtails within the area of Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative in the eastern United States (Illinois to Virginia and New York to Alabama) were assigned to 20 x 20 km grid cells. Habitat suitability for these faunal groups was modeled using logistic regression with twenty predictor variables within each grid cell, such as percent karst, soil features, temperature, precipitation, and elevation. Models successfully predicted the presence of a group greater than 65% of the time (mean = 88%) for the presence of single grid cell endemics, and for all faunal groups except pseudoscorpions. The most common predictor variables were latitude, percent karst, and the standard deviation of the Topographic Position Index (TPI), a measure of landscape rugosity within each grid cell. The overall success of these models points to a number of important connections between the surface and cave environments, and some of these, especially soil features and topographic variability, suggest new research directions. These models should prove to be useful tools in predicting the

On the historical account of disastrous landslides in Mexico: the challenge of risk management and disaster prevention

Science.gov (United States)

Alcántara-Ayala, I.

2008-01-01

Landslides disasters in Mexico caused more than 3500 deaths between 1935 and 2006. Such disasters have been mainly associated to intense precipitation events derived from hurricanes, tropical storms and their interactions with cold fronts, although earthquake triggered landslides have also occurred to a lesser extent. The impact of landsliding in Mexico is basically determined by the geomorphic features of mountain ranges and dissected plateaus inhabited by vulnerable communities. The present contribution provides a comprehensive temporal assessment of historical landslide disasters in Mexico. Moreover, it aims at exploring the future directions of risk management and disaster prevention, in order to reduce the impact of landslides on populations as a result of climatic change, urban sprawl, land use change and social vulnerability.

Mexico's nuclear paradox

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redclift, M.

1989-01-01

Opposition to Mexico's nuclear reactors at Laguna Verde has grown during the last two years. The nuclear programme is blamed for being expensive and wasteful, and the decision to rely on the USA contradicts Mexico's espoused policy of greater independence from the USA. The way in which petroleum revenues were used to precipitate the nuclear option is compared with the lack of urgency given to renewable energy and greater energy efficiency. From a social and environmental perspective, as well as an economic one, Mexico's nuclear programme is judged expensive and irrelevant. (author)

Modeling Change of Topographic Spatial Structures with DEM Resolution Using Semi-Variogram Analysis and Filter Bank

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunmei Wang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the way topographic spatial information changes with resolution was investigated using semi-variograms and an Independent Structures Model (ISM to identify the mechanisms involved in changes of topographic parameters as resolution becomes coarser or finer. A typical Loess Hilly area in the Loess Plateau of China was taken as the study area. DEMs with resolutions of 2.5 m and 25 m were derived from topographic maps with map scales of 1:10,000 using ANUDEM software. The ISM, in which the semi-variogram was modeled as the sum of component semi-variograms, was used to model the measured semi-variogram of the elevation surface. Components were modeled using an analytic ISM model and corresponding landscape components identified using Kriging and filter bank analyses. The change in the spatial components as resolution became coarser was investigated by modeling upscaling as a low pass linear filter and applying a general result to obtain an analytic model for the scaling process in terms of semi-variance. This investigation demonstrated how topographic structures could be effectively characterised over varying scales using the ISM model for the semi-variogram. The loss of information in the short range components with resolution is a major driver for the observed change in derived topographic parameters such as slope. This paper has helped to quantify how information is distributed among scale components and how it is lost in natural terrain surfaces as resolution becomes coarser. It is a basis for further applications in the field of geomorphometry.

Internet of THings Area Coverage Analyzer (ITHACA for Complex Topographical Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl Parada

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The number of connected devices is increasing worldwide. Not only in contexts like the Smart City, but also in rural areas, to provide advanced features like smart farming or smart logistics. Thus, wireless network technologies to efficiently allocate Internet of Things (IoT and Machine to Machine (M2M communications are necessary. Traditional cellular networks like Global System for Mobile communications (GSM are widely used worldwide for IoT environments. Nevertheless, Low Power Wide Area Networks (LP-WAN are becoming widespread as infrastructure for present and future IoT and M2M applications. Based also on a subscription service, the LP-WAN technology SIGFOXTM may compete with cellular networks in the M2M and IoT communications market, for instance in those projects where deploying the whole communications infrastructure is too complex or expensive. For decision makers to decide the most suitable technology for each specific application, signal coverage is within the key features. Unfortunately, besides simulated coverage maps, decision-makers do not have real coverage maps for SIGFOXTM, as they can be found for cellular networks. Thereby, we propose Internet of THings Area Coverage Analyzer (ITHACA, a signal analyzer prototype to provide automated signal coverage maps and analytics for LP-WAN. Experiments performed in the Gran Canaria Island, Spain (with both urban and complex topographic rural environments, returned a real SIGFOXTM service availability above 97% and above 11% more coverage with respect to the company-provided simulated maps. We expect that ITHACA may help decision makers to deploy the most suitable technologies for future IoT and M2M projects.

A recent perspective of the Circulation in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Candela, J.; Ochoa-de-La-Torre, J. L.; Sheinbaum, J.; Perez-Brunius, P.; Pallas-Sanz, E.; Kolodziejczyk, N.

2013-05-01

The flow through the Gulf of Mexico is an integral part of the North Atlantic Ocean Subtropical Gyre Circulation, known to be forced by the wind over the North Atlantic and by an equivalent contribution from the inter-hemispheric Meridional Overturning Cell. To the North Atlantic Circulation, the Gulf represents an important energy and vorticity sink through the particular behavior of the Loop Current within. Comprehending the structure and dynamics of the Loop Current System (which includes the Yucatan Current (YC), Loop Current (LC), the shedding of anticyclonic Loop Current Eddies (LCE) and peripheral cyclonic gyres) is fundamental for understanding the circulation in the entire Gulf. Within the Gulf, the eastern Loop Current and the western Campeche Bay (CB) regions are characterized by persistent eddy structures, with less structured eddy fields in between. Of these later ones, the northwestern Gulf is a geostrophic turbulence area, constantly perturbed by LCE, which represents, at the same time, an important dissipation and circulation forcing region for the Western Gulf. Important processes recently investigated that will be discussed: 1) The generation and maintenance of the Geostrophic Turbulence field in the north western Gulf. 2) The circulation in deep water induced by the surface geostrophic turbulence field. 3) The generation of intensive jets at depth by interaction of +/- gyres. 4) The generation of coastal trap waves by the interaction of LCEs with the western shelf. 5) The generation of deep topographic Roosby waves by topographic interactions of the LCEs with topography. 5) The characteristics of the Bay of Campeche Circulation, The Campeche Gyre and its interaction with LCEs. 6) The Gulf's response to the passage of hurricanes. 7) The trapping of inertial waves by the LCEs and the related enhanced mixing.

Combining 137Cs and topographic surveys for measuring soil erosion/deposition patterns in a rapidly accreting area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritchie, J.C.

2000-01-01

Narrow, stiff grass hedges are biological barriers designed to slow runoff and capture soils carried in runoff water. This study was designed to measure quantitatively the deposition of soil up slope of a narrow, stiff grass hedge using topographic and 137 Cs surveys. Topographic surveys made in 1991, 1995, and 1998 measured 1 to 2 cm yr -1 of recent sediment deposited up slope of the grass hedge. 137 Cs analyses of soil samples were used to determine the medium-term (45 years) soil redistribution patterns. Erosion rates and patterns determined using 137 Cs measured medium-term erosion near the hedge do not reflect the recent deposition patterns near the grass hedge measured by topographic surveys. Using the combination of topographic and 137 Cs surveys allows a better understanding of the role of grass hedges as barriers for capturing eroding soils and suggest that the recent deposition is associated with the grass hedge but that there is still a net loss of soil near the hedge position over the past 45 years. (author)

Topographic separation of two sympatric palms in the central Amazon - does dispersal play a role?

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes de Freitas, Cintia; Capellotto Costa, Flávia Regina; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Balslev, Henrik

2012-02-01

Despite broadly overlapping geographic distributions in the central Amazon basin, two congeneric palm species (Attalea attaleoides and Attalea microcarpa) have topographically separated distributions on a local scale in Reserva Ducke near Manaus. Our aim here was to determine if this local scale separation can be linked to (1) seedling stage specialization to different habitat conditions of the two species, and/or (2) environmentally-controlled seed dispersal. We assessed the role of these potential drivers by mapping the local distribution of the two species over a 25-km2 grid and testing for correlation to seed removal and seed germination patterns using seed sowing experiments. 360 seeds of each species were sown in 30 uniformly distributed plots (12 seeds of each species in each plot), and seed removal and germination were subsequently monitored. Adult populations of the two species showed opposite distribution patterns linked to topography. However, there was little evidence for specialization to different habitat conditions at the seedling stage: after 11 months, 26.1% of seeds of A. microcarpa had germinated along the entire topographic gradient, albeit with a tendency toward higher germination in more inclined areas. For A. attaleoides, only 2.2% seeds had germinated, and again along the entire topographic gradient. In contrast, there was evidence for environmentally-controlled seed dispersal: for both species, seed removal was higher in flat areas. Presence of adults did not affect germination or seed removal. Our results suggest that topographically differentiated distributions of A. attaleoides and A. microcarpa may be reinforced by steep slope avoidance by their seed dispersers. A direct environmental control mechanism remains to be identified to explain the consistent topographic associations, but our results show that this mechanism does not work at the seed germination stage.

Untangling Topographic and Climatic Forcing of Earthflow Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Finnegan, N. J.; Nereson, A. L.

2017-12-01

Earthflows commonly form in steep river canyons and are argued to initiate from rapid incision that destabilizes hill slope toes. At the same time, earthflows are known to exhibit a temporal pattern of movement that is correlated with seasonal precipitation and associated changes in effective stress. In this contribution, we use infinite slope analysis to illuminate the relative roles of topographic slope and climate (via its control on pore fluid pressure) in influencing earthflow motion at Oak Ridge earthflow, near San Jose, CA. To this end, we synthesize two years of shallow (2.7 m depth) pore fluid pressure data and continuous GPS-derived velocities with an 80-year record of historical deformation derived from tracking of trees and rocks on orthophotos along much of the 1.4 km length and 400 m relief of the earthflow. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that motion of Oak Ridge earthflow occurs as frictional sliding along a discrete failure surface, as argued for other earthflows. Spatial patterns of sliding velocity along the earthflow show the same sensitivity to topographic slope for five discrete periods of historical sliding, accelerating by roughly an order of magnitude along a 20 degree increase in earthflow gradient. In contrast, during the 2016-2017 winter, velocity increased much more rapidly for an equivalent increase in driving stress due to pore-fluid pressure rise at our GPS antenna. During this time period, Oak Ridge earthflow moved approximately 30 cm and we observed a relatively simple, non-linear relationship between GPS-derived sliding velocity and shallow pore fluid pressure. Rapid sliding in 2016-2017 (> 0.6 cm/day) occurred exclusively during the week following a large winter storm event that raised pore pressures to seasonal highs within only 1-2 days of the storm peak. These observations suggests that a mechanism, such as dilatant strengthening, acts to stabilize velocities for a given value of pore fluid pressure in the landslide mass

A FORTRAN program for the use of digital terrain elevation models of the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica of Mexico (INEGI); Programa en FORTRAN para el manejo de modelos digitales de elevacion del terreno del Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica de Mexico (INEGI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia Estrada, Gerardo [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos de la Comision Federal de Electricidad, Morelia (Mexico)

1996-09-01

A FORTRAN program is presented for the use of digital terrain elevation models with raster format of the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica of Mexico (INEGI). This program allows the selection of a data window that can be delimited, optionally, giving the extreme coordinates in degrees, minutes and seconds or in UTM (Universal Transversal Mercator) coordinates. Digital terrain data are selected to produce an output file in SURFER binary grid format with decimal degrees coordinates. Optionally an x, y, z output file in ASCII code permits the griding with commercial software to produce a map with planar rectangular coordinates. During the window selection a simple filtering process is performed to diminish numerical errors of the original file, and if it is wanted, an undersampling can be conducted to prepare less detailed maps of great coverage. This program has been extensively tested in the Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos de la Comision federal de Electricidad (CFE) in Mexico, where it is used to prepare base maps, automatically traced topographic profiles and boundary condition for thermal modelling. Another direct uses are the calculus of terrain and isostatic corrections for gravity studies, topographic height estimating based on known horizontal coordinates, climatic effects modelling, automatic calculus of material volumes and many more. [Espanol] Se presenta un programa FORTRAN para el uso de modelos digitales de elevacion del terreno con el formato raster del Instituto Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica de Mexico (INEGI). El programa permite la seleccion de una ventana de datos, la cual puede elegirse optativamente dando las coordenadas extremas en coordenadas geograficas en grados, minutos y segundos o en coordenadas UTM (proyeccion Universal Transversa de Mercator). Se seleccionan los datos del modelo digital y se produce una rejilla lista para su despliegue en formato binario UTM cuyo enrejillado permite

The Cretaceous-Paleogene transition and Chicxulub impact ejecta in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: Paleoenvironments, sequence stratigraphic setting and target lithologies

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte, Peter

2003-07-01

), and as microspar, suggesting that this area received ejecta mainly from shallow, carbonate-rich lithologies at the impact site on the Yucatán carbonate platform. Albeit the ejecta spherules are mostly altered to clay minerals and iron oxides, the microfacies and internal textures of the ejecta particles show a variety of distinct features, including welding and fusing of components and evidence for liquid immiscibility between silicic-silicic and carbonate-silicic melts. No evidence for binary mixing of ejecta phases was found. Therefore, it is assumed that ejecta in northeastern Mexico derived from less energetic parts of the ejecta curtain. The welding features of ejecta particles suggest an initial ground surge-like ejecta-dispersion mode. The specific morphological features and the compositional range of Chicxulub ejecta, as well as the results of petrological and rock magnetic characteristics reveal similarities to Chicxulub ejecta from K-P sections in the Gulf of Mexico area, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and Northern America (Western Interior). In addition, Mg-rich smectite, K-feldspar, and iron oxide-rich microspherules are characteristic for the K-P boundary clay layer in sections from the Atlantic and Tethyan realm, suggestive of a relationship between the Chicxulub impact event and the basal K-P boundary clay layer. EJECTA DEPOSITS: The Chicxulub ejecta deposits are commonly associated with an event deposit that shows a complex succession of deposition from high-energetic (channelized) debris flows or turbidity currents derived from multiple source areas, followed by a period of decreasing current energy and intermittent periods of reworking. The uppermost parts of these deposits are often bioturbated, pointing to longer periods of deposition, as also sustained by the complex internal subdivision of the K-P event deposits. In northeastern Mexico, Chicxulub ejecta is also locally embedded within latest Maastrichtian marls, though common soft

Mexico: Rasgos de Su Historia. (Mexico: Highlights of Its History).

Science.gov (United States)

Orozco, Cecilio

Intended for both teachers and students, this publication, written in Spanish, briefly traces Mexico's history from its Conquest in 1519 to the overthrow of Porfirio Diaz in 1910. The following are briefly discussed: Mexico's Conquest in 1519; events immediately after the fall of Tenochtitlan; the War for Independence; Texas' separation from…

Application of carbon nanotubes to topographical resolution enhancement of tapered fiber scanning near field optical microscopy probes

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, S. T.; Jarvis, S. P.

2003-05-01

Scanning near field optical microscopy (SNOM) probes are typically tapered optical fibers with metallic coatings. The tip diameters are generally in excess of 300 nm and thus provide poor topographical resolution. Here we report on the attachment multiwalled carbon nanotubes to the probes in order to substantially enhance the topographical resolution, without adversely affecting the optical resolution.

78 FR 14983 - Fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-08

... the Gulf of Mexico; Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting AGENCY: National Marine... of Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Spanish Mackerel and Cobia Stock Assessment Review Workshop. SUMMARY: Independent peer review of Gulf of Mexico Spanish Mackerel and Cobia stocks will be...

Binational Teacher Development: Teacher Ambassador Exchange Program, New Mexico, USA and Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Habermann, Mary Jean

The report describes the rationale for and history of an exchange program for Nuevo Leon (Mexico) and New Mexico bilingual education teachers. The program evolved from the need to help Spanish-speaking students maintain their own language and culture while in the United States. New Mexico's state policy concerning language-minority children and…

Topographic Correction of Wind-driven Rainfall for Landslide Analysis in Central Taiwan with Validation from Aerial and Satellite Optical Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-King Liu

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Rainfall intensity plays an important role in landslide prediction especially in mountain areas. However, the rainfall intensity of a location is usually interpolated from rainfall recorded at nearby gauges without considering any possible effects of topographic slopes. In order to obtain reliable rainfall intensity for disaster mitigation, this study proposes a rainfall-vector projection method for topographic-corrected rainfall. The topographic-corrected rainfall is derived from wind speed, terminal velocity of raindrops, and topographical factors from digital terrain model. In addition, scatter plot was used to present landslide distribution with two triggering factors and kernel density analysis is adopted to enhance the perception of the distribution. Numerical analysis is conducted for a historic event, typhoon Mindulle, which occurred in 2004, in a location in central Taiwan. The largest correction reaches 11%, which indicates that topographic correction is significant. The corrected rainfall distribution is then applied to the analysis of landslide triggering factors. The result with corrected rainfall distribution provides better agreement with the actual landslide occurrence than the result without correction.

Mesoscale air-sea interactions related to tropical and extratropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, James K.; Hsu, S. A.

1992-01-01

Observations of the lower atmosphere of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico from November 1982 to mid-February 1983 were studied in which seven significant cyclones were generated in the northwestern gulf. It was found that all seven storms occurred when the vorticity correlate of the horizontal air temperature difference was about 3-5 C above the climatological mean difference. It is shown that a maximum in the frequency of tropical storms within the Gulf of Mexico exists some 275 km south of the Mississippi delta at 27 deg N, 90 deg W. This maximum is a result of only those storms which originate within the gulf. Two plausible effects of the Loop Current and its rings on tropical storms are discussed. One is that these ocean features are large and consolidated heat and moisture sources from which a nearby slowly moving atmospheric disturbance can extract energy. The second is that of the cyclonic vorticity that can be generated in the lower atmosphere by such oceanographic features.

Topographical Short-Term Memory Differentiates Alzheimer's Disease From Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bird, C.M.; Chan, D.; Hartley, T.; Pijnenburg, Y.A.L.; Rossor, M.N.; Burgess, N.

2010-01-01

We used a recently developed test of spatial memory-the Four Mountains Test-to investigate the core cognitive processes underpinning topographical disorientation in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). Performance of these clinical groups was

Tracing the Base: A Topographic Test for Collusive Basing-Point Pricing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, Iwan; Schinkel, Maarten Pieter

2009-01-01

Basing-point pricing is known to have been abused by geographically dispersed firms in order to eliminate competition on transportation costs. This paper develops a topographic test for collusive basing-point pricing. The method uses transaction data (prices, quantities) and customer project site

Tracing the base: A topographic test for collusive basing-point pricing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bos, I.; Schinkel, M.P.

2008-01-01

Basing-point pricing is known to have been abused by geographically dispersed firms in order to eliminate competition on transportation costs. This paper develops a topographic test for collusive basing-point pricing. The method uses transaction data (prices, quantities) and customer project site

Topographic recording of the Slalom racing route in snow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.F. Giovanis

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of the present research was the study and evaluation of the theodolite’s (topographic speedometer use in tracing a path in slalom racing on snow conditions with 58 gates and also to record the optimal method of tracing a slalom route in relation to: a the "velocity" of the race track (degree of difficulty of slalom, b safety of tracing the slalom route. Methods: This research was based on methodology and measurements of a race track in giant slalom with 35 gates in the ski resort "3-5 Pigadia" of Naoussa - Greece. The topographic speedometer was fixed in place at the start of the route. From this point, measurements were taken, for the placement of all 58 gates throughout the route. The measurement was taken using the pole-prism, placed in each interior gate turn, at which the theodolite was aimed. With the help of topographic speedometer the following geometrical parameters have been registered: distance between the gates (Δs, altitude difference of points (Δh with an accuracy up to 1cm, terrain slope (θ, gate angular deviation (δ with an accuracy of up to 1 minute of the angle (°. This allows the creation of the top-view, side-view (profile and three-dimensional aspect of the track, under race conditions on snow and not on dry ground. Results: The correlation coefficient (r between the geometry factor (V.gs and average the above geometry parameters had the following respective values: V.gs -Ms = 0,15, V.gs -Mθ = - 0,52, V.gs -Mδ = - 0,29 for 58 gates on a level of statistical significance of p < 0,05. Conclusions: The first part comprised of 10 gates was the "fastest" (V.gs = 18 degrees of the total slalom route in Naoussa with 58 gates (V.gs = 14 degrees. With the above criteria, slaloms will be compared to each other and will be evaluated against age and safety.

3D Marine MT Modeling for a Topographic Seafloor

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, B., Sr.; Yin, C.; Ren, X.; Liu, Y.; Huang, X.; Liu, L.

2017-12-01

As an effective geophysical tool, marine magnetotelluric (MMT) exploration has been widely used in offshore oil and gas exploration. Accordingly, the MMT forward modelling has made big progress. However, most of the researches are focused on a flat seafloor. In this paper, we present a 3D finite-element (FE) algorithm for marine MT forward modelling based on unstructured grids that can accurately model the MMT responses for a topographic seafloor. The boundary value problem for the forward modelling is described by an Helmholtz equation together with the boundary conditions derived by assuming the electrical polarizations respectively along the x- and y-direction on the top surface of the modelling domain. Applying the Galerkin method to the boundary value problem and substituting the unstructured finite-element vector shape function into the equation, we derive the final large linear system for the two polarizations, from which the EM fields is obtained for the calculation of impedance apparent resistivities and phases. To verify the effectiveness of our algorithm, we compare our modelling results with those by Key's (2013) 2D marine MT open source code of Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Figure 1). From Figure 1, one sees that the two agree well, implying that our 3D modelling method based unstructured FE is an effective modelling tool for topographic seafloor. From the MMT modelling responses for other topographic seafloor models (not shown here), we further observe that 1) the apparent resistivities have a similar profile pattern to the topography at the seafloor; 2) at the edges of the topography, there exist sharp changes; 3) the seafloor topography may dominate the responses from the abnormal bodies under the seafloor. This paper is supported by Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China (41530320), China Natural Science Foundation for Young Scientists (41404093), and Key National Research Project of China (2016YFC0303100, 2017YFC0601900)

Automated Detection of Salt Marsh Platforms : a Topographic Method

Science.gov (United States)

Goodwin, G.; Mudd, S. M.; Clubb, F. J.

2017-12-01

Monitoring the topographic evolution of coastal marshes is a crucial step toward improving the management of these valuable landscapes under the pressure of relative sea level rise and anthropogenic modification. However, determining their geometrically complex boundaries currently relies on spectral vegetation detection methods or requires labour-intensive field surveys and digitisation.We propose a novel method to reproducibly isolate saltmarsh scarps and platforms from a DEM. Field observations and numerical models show that saltmarshes mature into sub-horizontal platforms delineated by sub-vertical scarps: based on this premise, we identify scarps as lines of local maxima on a slope*relief raster, then fill landmasses from the scarps upward, thus isolating mature marsh platforms. Non-dimensional search parameters allow batch-processing of data without recalibration. We test our method using lidar-derived DEMs of six saltmarshes in England with varying tidal ranges and geometries, for which topographic platforms were manually isolated from tidal flats. Agreement between manual and automatic segregation exceeds 90% for resolutions of 1m, with all but one sites maintaining this performance for resolutions up to 3.5m. For resolutions of 1m, automatically detected platforms are comparable in surface area and elevation distribution to digitised platforms. We also find that our method allows the accurate detection of local bloc failures 3 times larger than the DEM resolution.Detailed inspection reveals that although tidal creeks were digitised as part of the marsh platform, automatic detection classifies them as part of the tidal flat, causing an increase in false negatives and overall platform perimeter. This suggests our method would benefit from a combination with existing creek detection algorithms. Fallen blocs and pioneer zones are inconsistently identified, particularly in macro-tidal marshes, leading to differences between digitisation and the automated method

Mexico Wind Resource Assessment Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwartz, M.N.; Elliott, D.L.

1995-05-01

A preliminary wind energy resource assessment of Mexico that produced wind resource maps for both utility-scale and rural applications was undertaken as part of the Mexico-U.S. Renewable Energy Cooperation Program. This activity has provided valuable information needed to facilitate the commercialization of small wind turbines and windfarms in Mexico and to lay the groundwork for subsequent wind resource activities. A surface meteorological data set of hourly data in digital form was utilized to prepare a more detailed and accurate wind resource assessment of Mexico than otherwise would have been possible. Software was developed to perform the first ever detailed analysis of the wind characteristics data for over 150 stations in Mexico. The hourly data set was augmented with information from weather balloons (upper-air data), ship wind data from coastal areas, and summarized wind data from sources in Mexico. The various data were carefully evaluated for their usefulness in preparing the wind resource assessment. The preliminary assessment has identified many areas of good-to-excellent wind resource potential and shows that the wind resource in Mexico is considerably greater than shown in previous surveys.

Georadar Archaeological Prospection at the Historical Center of the Merida City, Yucatan, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Barba, L.; Ortiz, A.; Blancas, J.; Ligorred, J.

2007-05-01

This paper shows the results of the georadar archaeological prospection carried out by the Laboratorio de Prospección Arqueologica from the Instituto de Investigaciones Antropologicas (IIA) of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) verifing the archaeological and historical information recovered by the Departamento de Patrimonio Arqueologico y Natural del Municipio (DPANM) del Ayuntamiento de Merida en el Centro Histerico de la Ciudad de Merida under a joint project. The Historical Center of Merida has been classified as a "zone of high patrimonial value" after the topographic data and the historical documents recovered showed a long-term occupation, non interrupted since pre-Columbian times, when T Ho was the great capital of the northern region of the Maya area. For the rehabilitation program of the Historical Center of Merida has been a great priority to verify the existence of archaeological remains, pre-Columbian or colonial, under the present streets, gardens and plazas that could be damaged during the public infrastructure works. In order to prevent any damage to the patrimony a large georadar study was carried out pulling 200 and 400 MHz antennas of the GSSI SIR System 2 for 16500 m of the city streets, focusing in the areas where infrastructure works were imminent. After the analysis of the radar data it was possible to build up a map with the location of the most noticeable archaeological remains under the pavement of the streets that confirmed many of the topographic and documental proposed places. As a final result, by the first time a city government has available information to take present urban decisions, while preventing the damage to the archaeological patrimony of the same city.

Simulation and Analysis of Topographic Effect on Land Surface Albedo over Mountainous Areas

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, D.; Wen, J.; Xiao, Q.

2017-12-01

Land surface albedo is one of the significant geophysical variables affecting the Earth's climate and controlling the surface radiation budget. Topography leads to the formation of shadows and the redistribution of incident radiation, which complicates the modeling and estimation of the land surface albedo. Some studies show that neglecting the topography effect may lead to significant bias in estimating the land surface albedo for the sloping terrain. However, for the composite sloping terrain, the topographic effects on the albedo remain unclear. Accurately estimating the sub-topographic effect on the land surface albedo over the composite sloping terrain presents a challenge for remote sensing modeling and applications. In our study, we focus on the development of a simplified estimation method for land surface albedo including black-sky albedo (BSA) and white-sky albedo (WSA) of the composite sloping terrain at a kilometer scale based on the fine scale DEM (30m) and quantitatively investigate and understand the topographic effects on the albedo. The albedo is affected by various factors such as solar zenith angle (SZA), solar azimuth angle (SAA), shadows, terrain occlusion, and slope and aspect distribution of the micro-slopes. When SZA is 30°, the absolute and relative deviations between the BSA of flat terrain and that of rugged terrain reaches 0.12 and 50%, respectively. When the mean slope of the terrain is 30.63° and SZA=30°, the absolute deviation of BSA caused by SAA can reach 0.04. The maximal relative and relative deviation between the WSA of flat terrain and that of rugged terrain reaches 0.08 and 50%. These results demonstrate that the topographic effect has to be taken into account in the albedo estimation.

Taxonomic composition and endemism of the helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado-Maldonado, Guillermo; Quiroz-Martínez, Benjamín

2013-01-01

We examine the taxonomic composition and endemism of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes of Mexico, with regard to the main hydrological basins of the country. A presence-absence matrix, including every species of adult helminth parasites of freshwater fishes from 23 Mexican hydrological basins was compiled and examined in this paper. The helminth fauna of freshwater fishes of Mexico consists of a large group of Central American Neotropical species (S = 119) and another set, less rich of Nearctic species (S = 48), which are distributed along with the families of its fish hosts; insufficient data preclude the assignation of three species. This fauna is composed predominantly by nematodes, trematodes, and monogeneans, which together contributed 86 % of the total species recorded; cestodes and acanthocephalans being the taxa with the least species recorded. Current data suggests a 22 % (37/170) endemism amongst helminths of freshwater fishes of Mexico. Data suggests that the isolation of bodies of water in the Mexican territory, mostly in the Neotropical areas of southeastern Mexico and in the central Altiplano Mexicano (Mexican Highland Plateau), with well delimited basins separated by orographic features, provided peculiar conditions that have been conducive to the diversification of a unique helminth fauna.

US Topo—Topographic maps for the Nation

Science.gov (United States)

Fishburn, Kristin A.; Carswell, William J.

2017-06-23

Building on the success of 125 years of mapping, the U.S. Geological Survey created US Topo, a georeferenced digital map produced from The National Map data. US Topo maps are designed to be used like the traditional 7.5-minute quadrangle paper topographic maps for which the U.S. Geological Survey is so well known. However, in contrast to paper-based maps, US Topo maps provide modern technological advantages that support faster, wider public distribution and basic, onscreen geospatial analysis, including the georeferencing capability to display the ground coordinate location as the user moves the cursor around the map.

Stimulus encoding and feature extraction by multiple pyramidal cells in the hindbrain of weakly electric fish

OpenAIRE

Krahe, Rüdiger; Kreiman, Gabriel; Gabbiani, Fabrizio; Koch, Christof; Metzner, Walter

2002-01-01

Neighboring cells in topographical sensory maps may transmit similar information to the next higher level of processing. How information transmission by groups of nearby neurons compares with the performance of single cells is a very important question for understanding the functioning of the nervous system. To tackle this problem, we quantified stimulus-encoding and feature extraction performance by pairs of simultaneously recorded electrosensory pyramidal cells in the hindbrain of weakly el...

Dense image matching of terrestrial imagery for deriving high-resolution topographic properties of vegetation locations in alpine terrain

Science.gov (United States)

Niederheiser, R.; Rutzinger, M.; Bremer, M.; Wichmann, V.

2018-04-01

The investigation of changes in spatial patterns of vegetation and identification of potential micro-refugia requires detailed topographic and terrain information. However, mapping alpine topography at very detailed scales is challenging due to limited accessibility of sites. Close-range sensing by photogrammetric dense matching approaches based on terrestrial images captured with hand-held cameras offers a light-weight and low-cost solution to retrieve high-resolution measurements even in steep terrain and at locations, which are difficult to access. We propose a novel approach for rapid capturing of terrestrial images and a highly automated processing chain for retrieving detailed dense point clouds for topographic modelling. For this study, we modelled 249 plot locations. For the analysis of vegetation distribution and location properties, topographic parameters, such as slope, aspect, and potential solar irradiation were derived by applying a multi-scale approach utilizing voxel grids and spherical neighbourhoods. The result is a micro-topography archive of 249 alpine locations that includes topographic parameters at multiple scales ready for biogeomorphological analysis. Compared with regional elevation models at larger scales and traditional 2D gridding approaches to create elevation models, we employ analyses in a fully 3D environment that yield much more detailed insights into interrelations between topographic parameters, such as potential solar irradiation, surface area, aspect and roughness.

2012 USACE Post Sandy Topographic LiDAR: Rhode Island and Massachusetts Coast

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This topographic elevation point data derived from multiple return light detection and ranging (LiDAR) represents 354.272 square miles of coastline for Rhode Island...

Topographical characteristics and principal component structure of the hypnagogic EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, H; Hayashi, M; Hori, T

1997-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to identify the dominant topographic components of electroencephalographs (EEG) and their behavior during the waking-sleeping transition period. Somnography of nocturnal sleep was recorded on 10 male subjects. Each recording, from "lights-off" to 5 minutes after the appearance of the first sleep spindle, was analyzed. The typical EEG patterns during hypnagogic period were classified into nine EEG stages. Topographic maps demonstrated that the dominant areas of alpha-band activity moved from the posterior areas to anterior areas along the midline of the scalp. In delta-, theta-, and sigma-band activities, the differences of EEG amplitude between the focus areas (the dominant areas) and the surrounding areas increased as a function of EEG stage. To identify the dominant topographic components, a principal component analysis was carried out on a 12-channel EEG data set for each of six frequency bands. The dominant areas of alpha 2- (9.6-11.4 Hz) and alpha 3- (11.6-13.4 Hz) band activities moved from the posterior to anterior areas, respectively. The distribution of alpha 2-band activity on the scalp clearly changed just after EEG stage 3 (alpha intermittent, < 50%). On the other hand, alpha 3-band activity became dominant in anterior areas after the appearance of vertex sharp-wave bursts (EEG stage 7). For the sigma band, the amplitude of extensive areas from the frontal pole to the parietal showed a rapid rise after the onset of stage 7 (the appearance of vertex sharp-wave bursts). Based on the results, sleep onset process probably started before the onset of sleep stage 1 in standard criteria. On the other hand, the basic sleep process may start before the onset of sleep stage 2 or the manually scored spindles.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3564, Chahriaq (Joand) (405) and Gurziwan (406) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3364, Pasa-Band (417) and Kejran (418) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3466, Lal-Sarjangal (507) and Bamyan (508) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3670, Jam-Kashem (223) and Zebak (224) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3166, Jaldak (701) and Maruf-Nawa (702) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3362, Shin-Dand (415) and Tulak (416) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3462, Herat (409) and Chesht-Sharif (410) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Influence of the State of the Tungsten Tip on STM Topographic Images of SnSe Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ly, Trinh Thi; Kim, Jungdae

2018-03-01

Tin selenide (SnSe) has recently attracted significant attention because of its excellent thermoelectric properties with a figure of merit (ZT) of 2.6. Previous scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of SnSe surfaces showed that only Sn atoms are resolved in topographic images due to the dominant contribution of the Sn 5 p z states in tunneling. However, when the state of the tungsten (W) tip changes from a typical four-lobe d state such as d xy or {d_{{x^2} - {y^2}}} to a two-lobe {d_{{z^2}}} state, the atomic features observed on the SnSe surface in STM topography can be dramatically altered. In this report, we present the results of a systematic study on the influence of the W tip's states on the STM images of SnSe surfaces. Sn atoms are observed with much stronger corrugation amplitude and smaller apparent radius when the tip is in a {d_{{z^2}}} state. In addition, the atomic features of the Se atoms become visible because of the sharply focused shape of the W {d_{{z^2}}} state. We expect our results to provide important information for establishing a better understanding of the microscopic nature of SnSe surfaces.

9 CFR 93.427 - Cattle from Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cattle from Mexico. 93.427 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Ruminants Mexico 10 § 93.427 Cattle from Mexico. (a) Cattle and other ruminants imported from Mexico, except animals being transported in bond for immediate return to Mexico or...

Topographic variations in chaos on Europa: Implications for diapiric formation

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, Paul M.; Pappalardo, Robert T.

2004-01-01

Disrupted terrain, or chaos, on Europa, might have formed through melting of a floating ice shell from a subsurface ocean [Cam et al., 1998; Greenberg et al., 19991, or breakup by diapirs rising from the warm lower portion of the ice shell [Head and Pappalardo, 1999; Collins et al., 20001. Each model makes specific and testable predictions for topographic expression within chaos and relative to surrounding terrains on local and regional scales. High-resolution stereo-controlled photoclinometric topography indicates that chaos topography, including the archetypal Conamara Chaos region, is uneven and commonly higher than surrounding plains by up to 250 m. Elevated and undulating topography is more consistent with diapiric uplift of deep material in a relatively thick ice shell, rather than melt-through and refreezing of regionally or globally thin ice by a subsurface ocean. Vertical and horizontal scales of topographic doming in Conamara Chaos are consistent with a total ice shell thickness >15 km. Contact between Europa's ocean and surface may most likely be indirectly via diapirism or convection.

21 CFR 808.81 - New Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false New Mexico. 808.81 Section 808.81 Food and Drugs... and Local Exemptions § 808.81 New Mexico. The following New Mexico medical device requirement is... from preemption under section 521(b) of the act: New Mexico Statutes Annotated, section 67-36-16(F...

Topographic outcomes after corneal collagen crosslinking in progressive keratoconus: 1-year follow-up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro C. Tiveron Jr

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: We aimed to report and analyze topographic and refractive outcomes following corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL in patients with progressive keratoconus (KC. Methods: We performed a retrospective, analytical, and observational study of 100 eyes from 74 progressive KC patients who underwent CXL at the Eye Hospital of Paraná. Keratometric values were analyzed preoperatively as well as 3 and 12 months postoperatively. Results: For a total of 100 eyes, 68 belonged to male patients. The mean age of our study population was 19.9 ± 5.61 years. The average visual acuity and topographic parameters overall were stable after 1 year (p<0.05. After 3 months, steepest keratometry reading (K2 and maximum keratometry (Kmax were significantly decreased (p<0.05. Regarding topographic astigmatism (dK, there was no significant difference between the 3-month and 12-month follow-ups. When we made comparisons between genders following CXL, there were no significant differences related to the changes in Kmax, K2, and spectacle-corrected distance visual acuity (SCDVA. Conclusions: CXL promoted stabilization or improvement of keratometric values and visual acuity. We found that keratoconus apex stability may be achieved 3 months after the procedure. There was no significant difference in keratometric and refractive values measured between male and female patients.

Geochemistry and hydrodynamics of the Paradox Basin region, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hanshaw, B.B.; Hill, G.A.

1969-01-01

The Paradox Basin region is approximately bounded by the south flank of the Uinta Basin to the north, the Uncompahgre uplift and San Juan Mountains to the east, the Four Corners structural platform to the southeast, the north rim of the Black Mesa Basin and the Grand Canyon to the south and southwest, and the Wasatch Plateau and Hurricane fault system to the west. Some of these geologic features are areas of ground-water recharge or discharge whereas others such as the Four Corners platform do not directly influence fluid movement. The aquifer systems studied were: (1) Mississippian rocks; (2) Pinkerton Trail Limestone of Wengerd and Strickland, 1954; (3) Paradox Member of the Hermosa Formation; (4) Honaker Trail Formation of Wengerd and Matheny, 1958; (5) Permian rocks. Recharge in the Paradox Basin occurs on the west flank of the San Juan Mountains and along the west side of the Uncompahgre uplift. The direction of ground-water movement in each analyzed unit is principally southwest-ward toward the topographically low outcrop areas along the Colorado River in Arizona. However, at any point in the basin, flow may be in some other direction owing to the influence of intrabasin recharge areas or local obstructions to flow, such as faults or dikes. A series of potentiometric surface maps was prepared for the five systems studied. Material used in construction of the maps included outcrop altitudes of springs and streams, drill-stem tests, water-well records, and an electric analog model of the entire basin. Many structurally and topographically high areas within the basin are above the regional potentiometric surface; recharge in these areas will drain rapidly off the high areas and adjust to the regional water level. With a few exceptions, most wells in formations above the Pennsylvanian contain fresh ( 35,000 mg/l T.D.S.) reported. Most water samples from strata below the Permian are brines of the sodium chloride type but with large amounts of calcium sulfate or

Karst in evaporites in southeastern New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bachman, G.O.

1987-09-01

Permian evaporites in southeastern New Mexico include gypsum, anhydrite, and salt, which are subject to both blanket and local, selective dissolution. Dissolution has produced many hundreds of individual karst features including collapse sinks, karst valleys, blind valleys, karst plains, caves, and breccia pipes. Dissolution began within some formations during Permian time and has been intermittent but continual ever since. Karst features other than blanket deposits of breccia are not preserved from the early episodes of dissolution, but some karst features preserved today - such as breccia pipes - are remnants of karst activity that was active at least as early as mid-Pleistocene time. Rainfall was much more abundant during Late Pleistocene time, and many features visible today may have been formed then. The drainage history of the Pecos River is related to extensive karstification of the Pecos Valley during mid-Pleistocene time. Large-scale stream piracy and dissolution of salt in the subsurface resulted in major shifts and excavations in the channel. In spite of intensive groundwater studies that have been carried out in the region, major problems in near-surface evaporite karst remain to be solved. Among these are determination of recharge areas and time of recharge. 109 refs., 31 figs., 1 tab

UAS-Borne Photogrammetry for Surface Topographic Characterization: A Ground-Truth Baseline for Future Change Detection and Refinement of Scaled Remotely-Sensed Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Coppersmith, R.; Schultz-Fellenz, E. S.; Sussman, A. J.; Vigil, S.; Dzur, R.; Norskog, K.; Kelley, R.; Miller, L.

2015-12-01

While long-term objectives of monitoring and verification regimes include remote characterization and discrimination of surficial geologic and topographic features at sites of interest, ground truth data is required to advance development of remote sensing techniques. Increasingly, it is desirable for these ground-based or ground-proximal characterization methodologies to be as nimble, efficient, non-invasive, and non-destructive as their higher-altitude airborne counterparts while ideally providing superior resolution. For this study, the area of interest is an alluvial site at the Nevada National Security Site intended for use in the Source Physics Experiment's (Snelson et al., 2013) second phase. Ground-truth surface topographic characterization was performed using a DJI Inspire 1 unmanned aerial system (UAS), at very low altitude (clouds. Within the area of interest, careful installation of surveyed ground control fiducial markers supplied necessary targets for field collection, and information for model georectification. The resulting model includes a Digital Elevation Model derived from 2D imagery. It is anticipated that this flexible and versatile characterization process will provide point cloud data resolution equivalent to a purely ground-based LiDAR scanning deployment (e.g., 1-2cm horizontal and vertical resolution; e.g., Sussman et al., 2012; Schultz-Fellenz et al., 2013). In addition to drastically increasing time efficiency in the field, the UAS method also allows for more complete coverage of the study area when compared to ground-based LiDAR. Comparison and integration of these data with conventionally-acquired airborne LiDAR data from a higher-altitude (~ 450m) platform will aid significantly in the refinement of technologies and detection capabilities of remote optical systems to identify and detect surface geologic and topographic signatures of interest. This work includes a preliminary comparison of surface signatures detected from varying

Identification of distinct topographical surface microstructures favoring either undifferentiated expansion or differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Markert, Lotte D'Andrea; Lovmand, Jette; Foss, Morten; Lauridsen, Rune Hoff; Lovmand, Michael; Füchtbauer, Ernst-Martin; Füchtbauer, Annette; Wertz, Karin; Besenbacher, Flemming; Pedersen, Finn Skou; Duch, Mogens

2009-11-01

The potential of embryonic stem (ES) cells for both self-renewal and differentiation into cells of all three germ layers has generated immense interest in utilizing these cells for tissue engineering or cell-based therapies. However, the ability to culture undifferentiated ES cells without the use of feeder cells as well as means to obtain homogeneous, differentiated cell populations devoid of residual pluripotent ES cells still remain major challenges. Here we have applied murine ES cells to topographically microstructured surface libraries, BioSurface Structure Arrays (BSSA), and investigated whether these could be used to (i) identify topographically microstructured growth supports alleviating the need for feeder cells for expansion of undifferentiated ES cells and (ii) identify specific types of microstructures enforcing differentiation of ES cells. The BSSA surfaces arrays consisted of 504 different topographical microstructures each located in a tester field of 3 x 3 mm. The murine ES cell lines CJ7 and KH2 were seeded upon the BSSA libraries and specific topographical structures facilitating either undifferentiated ES cell growth or enhancing spreading indicative of differentiation of the ES cells were identified. Secondly serial passage of undifferentiated CJ7 ES cells on selected microstructures, identified in the screening of these BSSA libraries, showed that these cells had retained germ-line potential. These results indicate that one specific type of topographical surface microstructures, identified by the BSSA technology, can substitute for feeder cells and that another subset may be used to eliminate undifferentiated ES cells from a population of differentiated ES cells.

LBA-ECO LC-01 Topographic Data for Intensive Study Areas, Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set contains topographic/geomorphological data associated with the four Intensive Study Areas (ISAs) in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (northern...

LBA-ECO LC-01 Topographic Data for Intensive Study Areas, Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set contains topographic/geomorphological data associated with the four Intensive Study Areas (ISAs) in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (northern Oriente)...

Air pollution transport to the El Tajin archaeological zone in Veracruz, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kahl, J.; Bravo, H.; Sosa, R.; Sanchez, P.; Alarcon, A.; Soto, R.

2009-01-01

Features of atmospheric transport to El Tajin, an important archaeological site in Veracruz, Mexico, are investigated. The study is motivated by the need for an increased understanding of the meteorological processes contributing to acidic precipitation at Meso american heritage sites. Using a variety of meteorological resources and analysis techniques we find that both large-scale and local meteorological forcing favor transport from easterly and northerly sources. (Author)

76 FR 64248 - Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery; Closure of the 2011 Gulf of Mexico Commercial Sector for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-18

.... 040205043-4043-01] RIN 0648-XA766 Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery; Closure of the 2011 Gulf of Mexico... the commercial sector for greater amberjack in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico... Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico (FMP). The FMP was prepared by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery...

Hybrid image representation learning model with invariant features for basal cell carcinoma detection

Science.gov (United States)

Arevalo, John; Cruz-Roa, Angel; González, Fabio A.

2013-11-01

This paper presents a novel method for basal-cell carcinoma detection, which combines state-of-the-art methods for unsupervised feature learning (UFL) and bag of features (BOF) representation. BOF, which is a form of representation learning, has shown a good performance in automatic histopathology image classi cation. In BOF, patches are usually represented using descriptors such as SIFT and DCT. We propose to use UFL to learn the patch representation itself. This is accomplished by applying a topographic UFL method (T-RICA), which automatically learns visual invariance properties of color, scale and rotation from an image collection. These learned features also reveals these visual properties associated to cancerous and healthy tissues and improves carcinoma detection results by 7% with respect to traditional autoencoders, and 6% with respect to standard DCT representations obtaining in average 92% in terms of F-score and 93% of balanced accuracy.

New Mexico State Parks

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This dataset provides an initial version of the generalized physical boundaries of New Mexico State Parks, in polygonal form with limited attributes, compiled using...

Discourse Features of Written Mexican Spanish: Current Research in Contrastive Rhetoric and Its Implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Montano-Harmon, Maria Rosario

1991-01-01

Analyzes discourse features of compositions written in Spanish by secondary school students in Mexico, draws comparisons with those written in English by Anglo-American students in the United States, and discusses the implications of the results for teaching and evaluating composition skills in Spanish language programs. (29 references) (GLR)

Chikungunya fever: current status in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Nava-Frías, Margarita; Searcy-Pavía, Ricardo Efrén; Juárez-Contreras, Carina Aurora; Valencia-Bautista, Anayeli

Chikungunya fever is a tropical vector-borne disease that has been spreading rapidly around the world during the last 10 years, and which has been usually misdiagnosed as dengue. Nowadays, this disease is increasing in Mexico, mainly in the southern and central zones of the country, being significantly more common in women, children and young adults (28% in<20 years of age). The classical presentation includes fever, arthralgia, polyarthritis, back-pain, and skin rashes. Although symptoms and treatment are similar to those for dengue, there are key clinical features to differentiate these two diseases. Copyright © 2016 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

New Mexico Ghost Towns

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data provides locations and non-spatial attributes of many ghost towns in the State of New Mexico, compiled from various sources. Locations provided with...

Topographic Correction of GPR Profiles Based on Laser Data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Di; Zhong, Ruofei; Li, Jia Cun; Zeng, Fanyang

2014-01-01

Data obtained by GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) are displayed as a continuous cross-sectional profile. Surface, generally, is not flat. As a result, the image becomes distorted and the depth calculated from the surface no longer represents the true and exact position of electrically distinctive layers and objects in materials. In order to get real geologic cross section, GPR data must be corrected. This is paper discusses a new method using the color point cloud data obtained by a Vehicle-borne laser scanning system to compensate for elevation fluctuate. Elevation profile can be extracted from topographic data of survey site acquired using laser scanner, which can then be used to offset the error of GPR data. Through the discrete points in the survey line, each trace of the profile has its own elevation value showing a vertical difference from the reference profile with maximum elevation, then time shifts value of traces vertical offset versus the reference trace of profile can be obtained. At last, the results of topographic correction for radargrams that look extremely like the real geologic cross section are presented, which allows us to get a better profile interpretation and position of the objects and layers in the subsurface

Electric power and environment in Mexico; Energia electrica y medio ambiente en Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quintanilla, J. [ed.] [UNAM IIE-PUE, Ciudad Universitaria (Mexico)

1997-07-01

This volume is one of the three resulting volumes about the project named Document analysis and prospective organized by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) through it University Energy Program (PUE). It is a non-periodical publication collection of the variable content and extent that as a whole constitutes an information heritage and an original contribution about the energy problematic as International level as at the country context and the University activities. In this book the manners of producing electrical energy are discussed, so how satisfying the growing necessities of this energy in Mexico without contaminating environment and how doing rational and efficient use of energy. The content of each document of this book is however exclusive responsibility of authors, as in the information as in their told opinions. The following papers were presented: 1) Hydroelectricity, soils use and water management. 2) The electric generation in Mexico and its environmental impacts: Past, present and future. 3) The nucleo electricity and the radioactive materials management. 4) Exposure to electromagnetic fields and its association with leukemia in children. 5) The electric power in Mexico and the supportable development. 6) Potential of electric generation at great scale with eolic energy in Mexico. 7) Toward an electric generation scheme distributed with non-conventional energies. 8) Renewable sources of energy in Mexico at the Century 21. (Author)

Georeferenced Population Datasets of Mexico (GEO-MEX): Urban Place GIS Coverage of Mexico

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Urban Place GIS Coverage of Mexico is a vector based point Geographic Information System (GIS) coverage of 696 urban places in Mexico. Each Urban Place is...

Magnetic and topographic correlations in Co nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciria, M.; Arnaudas, J.I.; Huttel, Y.; Gomez, H.; Cebollada, A.; Armelles, G.

2007-01-01

We present a study of the magnetic domains structure in Co films grown on AlN composed of particles with nominal thicknesses between 3 and 15 nm. The images taken by using a scanning force microscope show that as the film thickness increases the domains have the magnetization vector pointing out of the plane, and that the magnetization in the particle tends to be in a single domain state with the particle boundaries being the main source for domains boundaries. The variation of the magnetic and topographic correlation functions in terms of the particle thickness suggests that the magnetic state is formed by a correlated super-spin glass structure

California-Mexico gas exports eyed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that two California utilities have proposed providing natural gas transportation services to Mexico. The arrangement would provide a second U.S. export sales point at the U.S.-Mexico border and perhaps help alleviate an expected surplus of gas pipeline capacity available to California. Mexico currently imports about 200 MMcfd of U.S. gas via pipelines in Texas

Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

The background notes on Mexico provide text and recent statistical information on the geography, population, government, economy, and foreign relations, specifically the North American Free Trade Agreement with US. The 1992 population is estimated at 89 million of which 60% are mestizo (Indian-Spanish), 30% are American Indian, 9% are Caucasian, and 1% are other. 90% are Roman Catholic. There are 8 years of compulsory education. Infant mortality is 30/1000 live births. Life expectancy for males is 68 years and 76 years for females. The labor force is comprised of 30% in services, 24% in agriculture and fishing, 19% in manufacturing, 13% in commerce, 7% in construction, 4% in transportation and communication, and .4% in mining. There are 31 states and a federal district. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita was $3200 in 1991. Military expenditures were .5% of GDP in 1991. The average inflation rate is 19%. Mexico City with 20 million is the largest urban center in the world. In recent years, the economy has been restructured with market oriented reforms; the result has been a growth of GDP of 3.6% in 1991 from 2% in 1987. Dependence on oil exports has decreased. There has been privatization and deregulation of state-owned companies. Subsidies to inefficient companies have been stopped. Tariff rates were reduced. The financial debt has been reduced and turned into a surplus of .8% in 1992. Mexico's foreign debt has been reduced from its high in 1987 of $107 billion. Agricultural reforms have been ongoing for 50 years. Land was redistributed, but standards of living and productivity have improved only slightly. Rural land tenure regulations have been changed, and other economic reforms are expected. Mexico engages in ad hoc international groups and is selective about membership in international organizations.

Distribution and habitat associations of billfish and swordfish larvae across mesoscale features in the Gulf of Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Rooker, Jay R; Simms, Jeff R; Wells, R J David; Holt, Scott A; Holt, G Joan; Graves, John E; Furey, Nathan B

2012-01-01

Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM) over a three-year period (2006-2008) to determine the relative value of this region as early life habitat of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus), blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), white marlin (Kajikia albida), and swordfish (Xiphias gladius). Sailfish were the dominant billfish collected in summer surveys, and larvae were present at 37.5% of the stations sampled. Blue marlin and white marlin larvae were present at 25.0% and 4.6% of the stations sampled, respectively, while swordfish occurred at 17.2% of the stations. Areas of peak production were detected and maximum density estimates for sailfish (22.09 larvae 1000 m(-2)) were significantly higher than the three other species: blue marlin (9.62 larvae 1000 m(-2)), white marlin (5.44 larvae 1000 m(-2)), and swordfish (4.67 larvae 1000 m(-2)). The distribution and abundance of billfish and swordfish larvae varied spatially and temporally, and several environmental variables (sea surface temperature, salinity, sea surface height, distance to the Loop Current, current velocity, water depth, and Sargassum biomass) were deemed to be influential variables in generalized additive models (GAMs). Mesoscale features in the NGoM affected the distribution and abundance of billfish and swordfish larvae, with densities typically higher in frontal zones or areas proximal to the Loop Current. Habitat suitability of all four species was strongly linked to physicochemical attributes of the water masses they inhabited, and observed abundance was higher in slope waters with lower sea surface temperature and higher salinity. Our results highlight the value of the NGoM as early life habitat of billfishes and swordfish, and represent valuable baseline data for evaluating anthropogenic effects (i.e., Deepwater Horizon oil spill) on the Atlantic billfish and swordfish populations.

Distribution and habitat associations of billfish and swordfish larvae across mesoscale features in the Gulf of Mexico.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jay R Rooker

Full Text Available Ichthyoplankton surveys were conducted in surface waters of the northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM over a three-year period (2006-2008 to determine the relative value of this region as early life habitat of sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus, blue marlin (Makaira nigricans, white marlin (Kajikia albida, and swordfish (Xiphias gladius. Sailfish were the dominant billfish collected in summer surveys, and larvae were present at 37.5% of the stations sampled. Blue marlin and white marlin larvae were present at 25.0% and 4.6% of the stations sampled, respectively, while swordfish occurred at 17.2% of the stations. Areas of peak production were detected and maximum density estimates for sailfish (22.09 larvae 1000 m(-2 were significantly higher than the three other species: blue marlin (9.62 larvae 1000 m(-2, white marlin (5.44 larvae 1000 m(-2, and swordfish (4.67 larvae 1000 m(-2. The distribution and abundance of billfish and swordfish larvae varied spatially and temporally, and several environmental variables (sea surface temperature, salinity, sea surface height, distance to the Loop Current, current velocity, water depth, and Sargassum biomass were deemed to be influential variables in generalized additive models (GAMs. Mesoscale features in the NGoM affected the distribution and abundance of billfish and swordfish larvae, with densities typically higher in frontal zones or areas proximal to the Loop Current. Habitat suitability of all four species was strongly linked to physicochemical attributes of the water masses they inhabited, and observed abundance was higher in slope waters with lower sea surface temperature and higher salinity. Our results highlight the value of the NGoM as early life habitat of billfishes and swordfish, and represent valuable baseline data for evaluating anthropogenic effects (i.e., Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the Atlantic billfish and swordfish populations.

The environmental policy in Mexico: Crisis and perspectives; La politica ambiental en Mexico: Crisis y perspectivas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urquidi, Victor [Colegio de Mexico, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

1997-12-31

In this paper some aspects of the environmental situation in Mexico are condensed. The main roll performed by the modality of the energy resources consumption and the evolution of the environmental policy in Mexico from 1971 to 1996 is analyzed. It is concluded that in Mexico it has not been able to define the environmental policy in all its extension requiring, therefore, a greater participation of all the sectors to protect Nature and fight against the industrial and municipal pollution [Espanol] En esta ponencia se resumen algunos aspectos de la situacion ambiental actual de Mexico. Se analiza el papel central desempenado por la modalidad del consumo de energeticos y la evolucion de la politica ambiental en Mexico desde 1971 hasta 1996. Se concluye en que la politica ambiental en Mexico no se ha podido definir todavia en todos sus alcances por lo que se requiere una mayor participacion de todos los sectores para proteger la naturaleza y combatir la contaminacion industrial y municipal

The environmental policy in Mexico: Crisis and perspectives; La politica ambiental en Mexico: Crisis y perspectivas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Urquidi, Victor [Colegio de Mexico, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

1996-12-31

In this paper some aspects of the environmental situation in Mexico are condensed. The main roll performed by the modality of the energy resources consumption and the evolution of the environmental policy in Mexico from 1971 to 1996 is analyzed. It is concluded that in Mexico it has not been able to define the environmental policy in all its extension requiring, therefore, a greater participation of all the sectors to protect Nature and fight against the industrial and municipal pollution [Espanol] En esta ponencia se resumen algunos aspectos de la situacion ambiental actual de Mexico. Se analiza el papel central desempenado por la modalidad del consumo de energeticos y la evolucion de la politica ambiental en Mexico desde 1971 hasta 1996. Se concluye en que la politica ambiental en Mexico no se ha podido definir todavia en todos sus alcances por lo que se requiere una mayor participacion de todos los sectores para proteger la naturaleza y combatir la contaminacion industrial y municipal

Making sense of sparse rating data in collaborative filtering via topographic organization of user preference patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Polcicová, Gabriela; Tino, Peter

2004-01-01

We introduce topographic versions of two latent class models (LCM) for collaborative filtering. Latent classes are topologically organized on a square grid. Topographic organization of latent classes makes orientation in rating/preference patterns captured by the latent classes easier and more systematic. The variation in film rating patterns is modelled by multinomial and binomial distributions with varying independence assumptions. In the first stage of topographic LCM construction, self-organizing maps with neural field organized according to the LCM topology are employed. We apply our system to a large collection of user ratings for films. The system can provide useful visualization plots unveiling user preference patterns buried in the data, without loosing potential to be a good recommender model. It appears that multinomial distribution is most adequate if the model is regularized by tight grid topologies. Since we deal with probabilistic models of the data, we can readily use tools from probability and information theories to interpret and visualize information extracted by our system.

Technical know-how for the investigation and modelling of topographic evolution for site characterisation - 59171

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doke, Ryosuke; Yasue, Ken-ichi; Niizato, Tadafumi; Nakayasu, Akio

2012-01-01

Geological hazard assessments are being used to make important decisions relevant to nuclear facilities such as a repository for deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. With respect to such repositories, topographic evolution is a key issue for description of the long-term evolution of a groundwater flow characteristics in time spans of tens to hundreds of thousands of years. The construction of topographic evolution models is complex, involving tacit knowledge and working processes. Therefore, it is important to externalise, that is to explicitly present the tacit knowledge and decision-making processes used by experts in the model building unambiguously, with thorough documentation and to provide key knowledge to support planning and implementation of investigations. In this study, documentation of the technical know-how used for the construction of a topographic evolution model is demonstrated. The process followed in the construction of the model is illustrated using task-flow logic diagrams; the process involves four main tasks with several sub-tasks. The task-flow followed for an investigation to estimate uplift rates linked to the task-flow for the modelling of topographic evolution is also illustrated. In addition, the decision-making processes in the investigation are expressed in logical IF-THEN format for each task. Based on the documented technical know-how, an IT-based Expert System was constructed. In future work, it is necessary to analyse the knowledge, including the management of uncertainties in the modelling and investigations, and to integrate fundamental ideas for managing uncertainties with expert system. (authors)

77 FR 56168 - Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Gulf of Mexico Individual Fishing Quota Programs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-12

.... 090206140-91081-03] RIN 0648-XC227 Reef Fish Fishery of the Gulf of Mexico; Gulf of Mexico Individual... red snapper and grouper/tilefish components of the reef fish fishery in the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf), the... INFORMATION: The reef fish fishery of the Gulf of Mexico is managed under the Fishery Management Plan for Reef...

Identification of sensitive parameters of a tropical forest in Southern Mexico to improve the understanding of C-band radar images

Science.gov (United States)

Monsivais-Huertero, A.; Jimenez-Escalona, J. C.; Ramos, J.; Zempoaltecatl-Ramirez, E.

2013-05-01

Forest areas cover the 32% of the Mexican territory. Due to their geographical location, Mexico presents heterogeneous climatic and topographic conditions. The country is divided into two different regions: an arid /semiarid zone (North) and a tropical/temperate zone (South). Due to the effects of climate change, Mexico has been affected in two ways. In the North, there has been a desertification of regions as result of the absence of rainfall and a low rate of soil moisture. On the other hand, in the South, there has been an increase in the intensity of rainfall causing serious flooding. Another effect is the excessive deforestation in Southern Mexico. The FAO has determined that Mexico could present one of the highest losses of forest areas mainly in temperate and subtropical ecosystems. The Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul is the protected area with the largest surface of tropical forest in Mexico. The Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul is located in the state of Campeche that the flora and fauna are being affected. The type of vegetation located in the reserve of Calakmul Biosphere is rainforest with high spatial density and highly heterogeneous due to multiple plant species and the impact of human activities in the area. The satellite remote sensing techniques becomes a very useful tool to monitor the area because a large area can be covered. To understand the radar images, the identification of sensitive parameters governing the radar signal is necessary. With the launch of the satellites Radarsat-2, ASAR-Envisat and ALOSPalSAR, significant progress has been done in the interpretation of satellite radar images. Directly applying physical models becomes a problem due to the large number of input parameters in the models, together with the difficulty in measuring these parameters in the field. The models developed so far have been applied and validated for homogeneous forests with low or average spatial density of trees. This is why it is recommended in a comprehensive

[Aging in Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras de Lehr, E

1986-01-01

Demographic social and economic aspects of the situation of the elderly in Mexico are described with special emphasis upon education programmes and types of care in nursing homes. Considering the future trends of an increase in Mexico's elderly population, the author calls for more efforts in research and training in the field of gerontology. First results in this area are reported.

Mexico and the CTBT; Mexico y el CTBT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aguirre G, J.; Martinez L, J.; Ruiz E, L. J.; Aragon M, I. B., E-mail: jaguirre@cnsns.gob.mx [Comision Nacional de Seguridad Nuclear y Salvaguardias, Dr. Barragan 779, Col. Narvarte, 03020 Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

2013-10-15

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty (CTBT) is a treaty that prohibits all the nuclear explosions by anybody and in any place, either on the terrestrial surface, in the atmosphere, under the sea or underground. From the adoption of this Treaty by the United Nations, Mexico has had interest for its entrance in vigor, as integral part to assure the international peace. For this reason, our country signed the Treaty since it was open in September 24, 1996 and three years later ratified it, due to Mexico is part of the group of necessary countries for their entrance in vigor. During 13 years, the country has been committed and helped to the installation of monitoring stations, actions that allow the strengthening of the International System of Surveillance. The purpose of this work is to divulge the Treaty,its technologies and benefits; and also to diffuse the works realized by Mexico regarding the radionuclides monitoring station and noble gases both certified ones for the CTBT. Besides the radionuclides technology, Mexico has taken charge of the installation and operation of the seismic stations and hydro-acoustics that have been certified too. The radionuclides station Rn-44 located in Guerrero Negro, BCS has two technologies, an automated sampler of suspended particles in air brand Cinderella/ARAME and a noble gases system Sauna used for the particles detection of radioactive material gamma emitting and Xenon radioisotopes product of nuclear assays. Both technologies are transmitting data in real time to the International Center of Data. These technologies are shown in this work. (Author)

How to design a cartographic continuum to help users to navigate between two topographic styles?

Science.gov (United States)

Ory, Jérémie; Touya, Guillaume; Hoarau, Charlotte; Christophe, Sidonie

2018-05-01

Geoportals and geovisualization tools provide to users various cartographic abstractions that describe differently a geographical space. Our purpose is to be able to design cartographic continuums, i.e. a set of in-between maps allowing users to navigate between two topographic styles. This paper addresses the problem of the interpolation between two topographic abstractions with different styles. We detail our approach in two steps. Firstly, we setup a comparison in order to identify which structural elements of a cartographic abstraction should be interpolated. Secondly, we propose an approach based on two design methods for maps interpolation.

Selective axonal growth of embryonic hippocampal neurons according to topographic features of various sizes and shapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine E Schmidt

2010-12-01

Full Text Available David Y Fozdar1*, Jae Y Lee2*, Christine E Schmidt2–6, Shaochen Chen1,3–5,7,1Departments of Mechanical Engineering, 2Chemical Engineering, 3Biomedical Engineering; 4Center for Nano Molecular Science and Technology; 5Texas Materials Institute; 6Institute of Neuroscience; 7Microelectronics Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA *Contributed equally to this workPurpose: Understanding how surface features influence the establishment and outgrowth of the axon of developing neurons at the single cell level may aid in designing implantable scaffolds for the regeneration of damaged nerves. Past studies have shown that micropatterned ridge-groove structures not only instigate axon polarization, alignment, and extension, but are also preferred over smooth surfaces and even neurotrophic ligands.Methods: Here, we performed axonal-outgrowth competition assays using a proprietary four-quadrant topography grid to determine the capacity of various micropatterned topographies to act as stimuli sequestering axon extension. Each topography in the grid consisted of an array of microscale (approximately 2 µm or submicroscale (approximately 300 nm holes or lines with variable dimensions. Individual rat embryonic hippocampal cells were positioned either between two juxtaposing topographies or at the borders of individual topographies juxtaposing unpatterned smooth surface, cultured for 24 hours, and analyzed with respect to axonal selection using conventional imaging techniques.Results: Topography was found to influence axon formation and extension relative to smooth surface, and the distance of neurons relative to topography was found to impact whether the topography could serve as an effective cue. Neurons were also found to prefer submicroscale over microscale features and holes over lines for a given feature size.Conclusion: The results suggest that implementing physical cues of various shapes and sizes on nerve guidance conduits

2005 Puget Sound LiDAR Consortium (PSLC) Topographic LiDAR: Lower Columbia River

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Terrapoint, on behalf of multiple agencies, collected topographic lidar of the Lower Columbia River area. Field data collection took place between the dates of...

2010 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Topographic Lidar: Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Terrain data, as defined in FEMA Guidelines and Specifications, Appendix N: Data Capture Standards, describes the digital topographic data that was used to create...

The commissioning instrument for the Gran Telescopio Canarias: made in Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Cuevas, Salvador; Sánchez, Beatriz; Bringas, Vicente; Espejo, Carlos; Flores, Rubén; Chapa, Oscar; Lara, Gerardo; Chavoya, Armando; Anguiano, Gustavo; Arciniega, Sadot; Dorantes, Ariel; Gonzalez, José L.; Montoya, Juan M.; Toral, Rafael; Hernández, Hugo; Nava, Roberto; Devaney, Nicolas; Castro, Javier; Cavaller, Luis; Farah, Alejandro; Godoy, Javier; Cobos, Francisco; Tejada, Carlos; Garfias, Fernando

2006-02-01

In March 2004 was accepted in the site of Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) in La Palma Island, Spain, the Commissioning Instrument (CI) for the GTC. During the GTC integration phase, the CI will be a diagnostic tool for performance verification. The CI features four operation modes-imaging, pupil imaging, Curvature Wave-front sensing (WFS), and high resolution Shack-Hartmann WFS. This instrument was built by the Instituto de Astronomia UNAM in Mexico City and the Centro de Ingenieria y Desarrollo Industrial (CIDESI) in Queretaro, Qro under a GRANTECAN contract after an international public bid. Some optical components were built by Centro de Investigaciones en Optica (CIO) in Leon Gto and the biggest mechanical parts were manufactured by Vatech in Morelia Mich. In this paper we made a general description of the CI and we relate how this instrument, build under international standards, was entirely made in Mexico.

Geothermal energy from deep sedimentary basins: The Valley of Mexico (Central Mexico)

Science.gov (United States)

Lenhardt, Nils; Götz, Annette E.

2015-04-01

The geothermal potential of the Valley of Mexico has not been addressed in the past, although volcaniclastic settings in other parts of the world contain promising target reservoir formations. A first assessment of the geothermal potential of the Valley of Mexico is based on thermophysical data gained from outcrop analogues, covering all lithofacies types, and evaluation of groundwater temperature and heat flow values from literature. Furthermore, the volumetric approach of Muffler and Cataldi (1978) leads to a first estimation of ca. 4000 TWh (14.4 EJ) of power generation from Neogene volcanic rocks within the Valley of Mexico. Comparison with data from other sedimentary basins where deep geothermal reservoirs are identified shows the high potential of the Valley of Mexico for future geothermal reservoir utilization. The mainly low permeable lithotypes may be operated as stimulated systems, depending on the fracture porosity in the deeper subsurface. In some areas also auto-convective thermal water circulation might be expected and direct heat use without artificial stimulation becomes reasonable. Thermophysical properties of tuffs and siliciclastic rocks qualify them as promising target horizons (Lenhardt and Götz, 2015). The here presented data serve to identify exploration areas and are valuable attributes for reservoir modelling, contributing to (1) a reliable reservoir prognosis, (2) the decision of potential reservoir stimulation, and (3) the planning of long-term efficient reservoir utilization. References Lenhardt, N., Götz, A.E., 2015. Geothermal reservoir potential of volcaniclastic settings: The Valley of Mexico, Central Mexico. Renewable Energy. [in press] Muffler, P., Cataldi, R., 1978. Methods for regional assessment of geothermal resources. Geothermics, 7, 53-89.

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3468, Chak Wardak Syahgerd (509) and Kabul (510) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3264, Nawzad-Musa-Qala (423) and Dehrawat (424) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Recolonization of wildlife on a coal strip-mine in northwestern New Mexico. [USA - New Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ireland, T.T.; Wolters, G.L.; Schemnitz, S.D. (US Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Junction, CO (United States))

1994-03-01

Recolonization by small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods was studied in 1988 and 1989 on The Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mine in northwestern New Mexico. Sites reclaimed in 1979, 1982, and 1986 were compared with unmined sites for differences in animal composition and abundance. Wildlife components were compared with vegetative composition and physical ground features to determine if these influenced wildlife recolonization. The greater species richness of small mammals and the greater abundance of reptiles on the control treatment suggests that reclaimed sites are not providing suitable rock or woody cover for some species. Positive correlations of rock cover and wood cover with small-mammal species richness and the total reptile and amphibian captures indicate that placing rocks and wood cover on reclaimed sites may be beneficial to several small mammal, reptile, and amphibian species.

Passive film growth on carbon steel and its nanoscale features at various passivating potentials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yuan; Cheng, Y. Frank

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Imaged the topography of passivated steel at various film-forming potentials. • Characterized the nanoscale features of passive films. • Determined the composition of passive films formed at various potentials. - Abstract: In this work, the passivation and topographic sub-structure of passive films on a carbon steel in a carbonate/bicarbonate solution was characterized by electrochemical measurements, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When passivating at a potential near the active-passive transition, the film contains the mixture of Fe_3O_4, Fe_2O_3 and FeOOH, with numerous nanoscale features. As the film-forming potential shifts positively, the passive film becomes more compact and the nanoscale features disappear. When the film is formed at a passive potential where the oxygen evolution is enabled, the content of FeOOH in the film increases, resulting in an amorphous topography and reduced corrosion resistance.

Geologic and topographic maps of the Kabul South 30' x 60' quadrangle, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2010-01-01

This report consists of two map sheets, this pamphlet, and a collection of database files. Sheet 1 is the geologic map with three highly speculative cross sections, and sheet 2 is a topographic map that comprises all the support data for the geologic map. Both maps (sheets 1 and 2) are produced at 1:100,000-scale and are provided in Geospatial PDF format that preserves the georegistration and original layering. The database files include images of the topographic hillshade (shaded relief) and color-topography files used to create the topographic maps, a copy of the Landsat image, and a gray-scale basemap. Vector data from each of the layers that comprise both maps are provided in the form of Arc/INFO shapefiles. Most of the geologic interpretations and all of the topographic data were derived exclusively from images. A variety of image types were used, and each image type corresponds to a unique view of the geology. The geologic interpretations presented here are the result of comparing and contrasting between the various images and making the best uses of the strengths of each image type. A limited amount of fieldwork, in the spring of 2004 and the fall of 2006, was carried out within the quadrangle, but all the war-related dangers present in Afghanistan restricted its scope, duration, and utility. The maps that are included in this report represent works-in-progress in that they are simply intended to be the best possible product for the time available and conditions that exist during the early phases of reconstruction in Afghanistan. This report has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a part of several broader programs that USAID designed to stimulate growth in the energy and mineral sectors of the Afghan economy. The main objective is to provide maps that will be used by scientists of the Afghan Ministry of Mines, the Afghanistan Geological Survey, and the Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office in their efforts

Geologic and Topographic Maps of the Kabul North 30' x 60' Quadrangle, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2010-01-01

This report consists of two map sheets, this pamphlet, and a collection of database files. Sheet 1 is the geologic map with two highly speculative cross sections, and sheet 2 is a topographic map that comprises all the support data for the geologic map. Both maps (sheets 1 and 2) are produced at 1:100,000-scale and are provided in GeoPDF format that preserves the georegistration and original layering. The database files include images of the topographic hillshade (shaded relief) and color-topography files used to create the topographic maps, a copy of the Landsat image, and a gray-scale basemap. Vector data from each of the layers that comprise both maps are provided in the form of Arc/INFO shapefiles. Most of the geologic interpretations and all of the topographic data were derived exclusively from images. A variety of image types were used, and each image type corresponds to a unique view of the geology. The geologic interpretations presented here are the result of comparing and contrasting between the various images and making the best uses of the strengths of each image type. A limited amount of fieldwork, in the spring of 2004 and the fall of 2006, was carried out within the quadrangle, but all the war-related dangers present in Afghanistan restricted its scope, duration, and utility. The maps that are included in this report represent works-in-progress in that they are simply intended to be the best possible product for the time available and conditions that exist during the early phases of reconstruction in Afghanistan. This report has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a part of several broader programs that USAID designed to stimulate growth in the energy and mineral sectors of the Afghan economy. The main objective is to provide maps that will be used by scientists of the Afghan Ministry of Mines, the Afghanistan Geological Survey, and the Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office in their efforts to rebuild

Simulated Climate Impacts of Mexico City's Historical Urban Expansion

Science.gov (United States)

Benson-Lira, Valeria

Urbanization, a direct consequence of land use and land cover change, is responsible for significant modification of local to regional scale climates. It is projected that the greatest urban growth of this century will occur in urban areas in the developing world. In addition, there is a significant research gap in emerging nations concerning this topic. Thus, this research focuses on the assessment of climate impacts related to urbanization on the largest metropolitan area in Latin America: Mexico City. Numerical simulations using a state-of-the-science regional climate model are utilized to address a trio of scientifically relevant questions with wide global applicability. The importance of an accurate representation of land use and land cover is first demonstrated through comparison of numerical simulations against observations. Second, the simulated effect of anthropogenic heating is quantified. Lastly, numerical simulations are performed using pre-historic scenarios of land use and land cover to examine and quantify the impact of Mexico City's urban expansion and changes in surface water features on its regional climate.

Uranium resources in New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLemore, V.T.; Chenoweth, W.L.

1989-01-01

For nearly three decades (1951-1980), the Grants uranium district in northwestern New Mexico produced more uranium than any other district in the world. The most important host rocks containing economic uranium deposits in New Mexico are sandstones within the Jurassic Morrison Formation. Approximately 334,506,000 lb of U 3 O 8 were produced from this unit from 1948 through 1987, accounting for 38% of the total uranium production from the US. All of the economic reserves and most of the resources in New Mexico occur in the Morrison Formation. Uranium deposits also occur in sandstones of Paleozoic, Triassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary formations; however, only 468,680 lb of U 3 O 8 or 0.14% of the total production from New Mexico have been produced from these deposits. Some of these deposits may have a high resource potential. In contrast, almost 6.7 million lb of U 3 O 8 have been produced from uranium deposits in the Todilto Limestone of the Wanakah Formation (Jurassic), but potential for finding additional economic uranium deposits in the near future is low. Other uranium deposits in New Mexico include those in other sedimentary rocks, vein-type uranium deposits, and disseminated magmatic, pegmatitic, and contact metasomatic uranium deposits in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Production from these deposits have been insignificant (less than 0.08% of the total production from New Mexico), but there could be potential for medium to high-grade, medium-sized uranium deposits in some areas. Total uranium production from New Mexico from 1948 to 1987 amounts to approximately 341,808,000 lb of U 3 O 8 . New Mexico has significant uranium reserves and resources. Future development of these deposits will depend upon an increase in price for uranium and lowering of production costs, perhaps by in-situ leaching techniques

Star Parties in Mexico extended to Colombia and China

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Peimbert, Silvia; Franco, José

2016-10-01

The preparation for The International Year of Astronomy 2009 stirred our interest in preparing star parties in Mexico. The lunar eclipse of February 20th 2008 was the perfect event for the first massive observation in Mexico City that attracted over 25,000 people. To accompany this event there were additional attractions: a massive astronomical lecture, more than 100 telescopes were set up for people to watch the sky, exhibits of astronomical images, children hands-on projects, rock concert, dance performance, and chats with astronomers. Already in 2009 a collective program was organized to involve more than 30 sites in Mexico to hold star parties at the same time once a year. These star parties were more in the spirit of science fairs, that include lectures, astronomy exhibits, children projects, as well as concerts and other cultural displays. The scope of each one of them depended on the local support from volunteers and from the local authorities. After the International Year of Astronomy the group that organized these star parties decided to continue its activities. The main attraction in these fairs has been the opportunity to see the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn (if observable) through a telescope. For this program the presence of the amateur astronomers has been crucial. They have brought their instruments to the sites and have generously taught the public how to look through the telescopes and pointed out to the interesting features on the sky.

Surface features on Sahara soil dust particles made visible by atomic force microscope (AFM) phase images

OpenAIRE

G. Helas; M. O. Andreae

2008-01-01

We show that atomic force microscopy (AFM) phase images can reveal surface features of soil dust particles, which are not evident using other microscopic methods. The non-contact AFM method is able to resolve topographical structures in the nanometer range as well as to uncover repulsive atomic forces and attractive van der Waals' forces, and thus gives insight to surface properties. Though the method does not allow quantitative assignment in terms of chemical compound description, it clearly...

Nanopatterning via Self-Assembly of a Lamellar-Forming Polystyrene-block-Poly(dimethylsiloxane Diblock Copolymer on Topographical Substrates Fabricated by Nanoimprint Lithography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dipu Borah

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The self-assembly of a lamellar-forming polystyrene-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS diblock copolymer (DBCP was studied herein for surface nanopatterning. The DBCP was synthesized by sequential living anionic polymerization of styrene and hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3. The number average molecular weight (Mn, polydispersity index (Mw/Mn and PS volume fraction (φps of the DBCP were MnPS = 23.0 kg mol−1, MnPDMS = 15.0 kg mol−1, Mw/Mn = 1.06 and φps = 0.6. Thin films of the DBCP were cast and solvent annealed on topographically patterned polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS substrates. The lamellae repeat distance or pitch (λL and the width of the PDMS features (dL are ~35 nm and ~17 nm, respectively, as determined by SEM. The chemistry of the POSS substrates was tuned, and the effects on the self-assembly of the DBCP noted. The PDMS nanopatterns were used as etching mask in order to transfer the DBCP pattern to underlying silicon substrate by a complex plasma etch process yielding sub-15 nm silicon features.

Subsidence Induced Faulting Hazard risk maps in Mexico City and Morelia, central Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Cabral-Cano, E.; Solano-Rojas, D.; Hernández-Espriu, J.; Cigna, F.; Wdowinski, S.; Osmanoglu, B.; Falorni, G.; Bohane, A.; Colombo, D.

2012-12-01

Subsidence and surface faulting have affected urban areas in Central Mexico for decades and the process has intensified as a consequence of urban sprawl and economic growth. This process causes substantial damages to the urban infrastructure and housing structures and in several cities it is becoming a major factor to be considered when planning urban development, land use zoning and hazard mitigation strategies in the next decades. Subsidence is usually associated with aggressive groundwater extraction rates and a general decrease of aquifer static level that promotes soil consolidation, deformation and ultimately, surface faulting. However, local stratigraphic and structural conditions also play an important role in the development and extension of faults. Despite its potential for damaging housing, and other urban infrastructure, the economic impact of this phenomena is poorly known, in part because detailed, city-wide subsidence induced faulting risk maps have not been published before. Nevertheless, modern remote sensing techniques are most suitable for this task. We present the results of a risk analysis for subsidence induced surface faulting in two cities in central Mexico: Morelia and Mexico City. Our analysis in Mexico City and Morelia is based on a risk matrix using the horizontal subsidence gradient from a Persistent Scatterer InSAR (Morelia) and SqueeSAR (Mexico City) analysis and 2010 census population distribution data from Mexico's National Institute of Statistics and Geography. Defining subsidence induced surface faulting vulnerability within these urbanized areas is best determined using both magnitude and horizontal subsidence gradient. Our Morelia analysis (597,000 inhabitants with localized subsidence rates up to 80 mm/yr) shows that 7% of the urbanized area is under a high to very high risk level, and 14% of its population (11.7% and 2.3% respectively) lives within these areas. In the case of the Mexico City (15'490,000 inhabitants for the

Lack of systematic topographic difference between attention and reasoning beta correlates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis F H Basile

Full Text Available Based on previous evidence for individual-specific sets of cortical areas active during simple attention tasks, in this work we intended to perform within individual comparisons of task-induced beta oscillations between visual attention and a reasoning task. Since beta induced oscillations are not time-locked to task events and were first observed by Fourier transforms, in order to analyze the cortical topography of attention induced beta activity, we have previously computed corrected-latency averages based on spontaneous peaks of band-pass filtered epochs. We then used Independent Component Analysis (ICA only to single out the significant portion of averaged data, above noise levels. In the present work ICA served as the main, exhaustive means for decomposing beta activity in both tasks, using 128-channel EEG data from 24 subjects. Given the previous observed similarity between tasks by visual inspection and by simple descriptive statistics, we now intended another approach: to quantify how much each ICA component obtained in one task could be explained by a linear combination of the topographic patterns from the other task in each individual. Our hypothesis was that the major psychological difference between tasks would not be reflected as important topographic differences within individuals. Results confirmed the high topographic similarity between attention and reasoning beta correlates in that few components in each individual were not satisfactorily explained by the complementary task, and if those could be considered "task-specific", their scalp distribution and estimated cortical sources were not common across subjects. These findings, along with those from fMRI studies preserving individual data and conventional neuropsychological and neurosurgical observations, are discussed in support of a new functional localization hypothesis: individuals use largely different sets of cortical association areas to perform a given task, but those

A Visual Framework for Digital Reconstruction of Topographic Maps

KAUST Repository

Thabet, Ali Kassem

2014-09-30

We present a framework for reconstructing Digital Elevation Maps (DEM) from scanned topographic maps. We first rectify the images to ensure that maps fit together without distortion. To segment iso-contours, we have developed a novel semi-automated method based on mean-shifts that requires only minimal user interaction. Contour labels are automatically read using an OCR module. To reconstruct the output DEM from scattered data, we generalize natural neighbor interpolation to handle the transfinite case (contours and points). To this end, we use parallel vector propagation to compute a discrete Voronoi diagram of the constraints, and a modified floodfill to compute virtual Voronoi tiles. Our framework is able to handle tens of thousands of contours and points and can generate DEMs comprising more than 100 million samples. We provide quantitative comparison to commercial software and show the benefits of our approach. We furthermore show the robustness of our method on a massive set of old maps predating satellite acquisition. Compared to other methods, our framework is able to accurately and efficiently generate a final DEM despite inconsistencies, sparse or missing contours even for highly complex and cluttered maps. Therefore, this method has broad applicability for digitization and reconstruction of the world\\'s old topographic maps that are often the only record of past landscapess and cultural heritage before their destruction under modern development.

9 CFR 93.325 - Horses from Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Horses from Mexico. 93.325 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Horses Mexico 18 § 93.325 Horses from Mexico. Horses offered for entry from Mexico shall be inspected as provided in §§ 93.306 and 93.323; shall be accompanied by a...

7 CFR 319.8-13 - From Northwest Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false From Northwest Mexico. 319.8-13 Section 319.8-13... for the Entry of Cotton and Covers from Mexico § 319.8-13 From Northwest Mexico. Contingent upon continued freedom of Northwest Mexico and of the West Coast of Mexico from infestations of the pink bollworm...

Surface features on Sahara soil dust particles made visible by atomic force microscope (AFM phase images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. O. Andreae

2008-10-01

Full Text Available We show that atomic force microscopy (AFM phase images can reveal surface features of soil dust particles, which are not evident using other microscopic methods. The non-contact AFM method is able to resolve topographical structures in the nanometer range as well as to uncover repulsive atomic forces and attractive van der Waals' forces, and thus gives insight to surface properties. Though the method does not allow quantitative assignment in terms of chemical compound description, it clearly shows deposits of distinguishable material on the surface. We apply this technique to dust aerosol particles from the Sahara collected over the Atlantic Ocean and describe micro-features on the surfaces of such particles.

Neuropathology of the recessive A673V APP mutation: Alzheimer disease with distinctive features.

Science.gov (United States)

Giaccone, Giorgio; Morbin, Michela; Moda, Fabio; Botta, Mario; Mazzoleni, Giulia; Uggetti, Andrea; Catania, Marcella; Moro, Maria Luisa; Redaelli, Veronica; Spagnoli, Alberto; Rossi, Roberta Simona; Salmona, Mario; Di Fede, Giuseppe; Tagliavini, Fabrizio

2010-12-01

Mutations of three different genes, encoding β-amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 and presenilin 2 are associated with familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recently, the APP mutation A673V has been identified that stands out from all the genetic defects previously reported in these three genes, since it causes the disease only in the homozygous state (Di Fede et al. in Science 323:1473-1477, 2009). We here provide the detailed neuropathological picture of the proband of this family, who was homozygous for the APP A673V mutation and recently came to death. The brain has been studied by histological and immunohistochemical techniques, at the optical and ultrastructural levels. Cerebral Aβ accumulation and tau pathology were severe and extensive. Peculiar features were the configuration of the Aβ deposits that were of large size, mostly perivascular and exhibited a close correspondence between the pattern elicited by amyloid stainings and the labeling obtained with immunoreagents specific for Aβ40 or Aβ42. Moreover, Aβ deposition spared the neostriatum while deeply affecting the cerebellum, and therefore was not in compliance with the hierarchical topographical sequence of involvement documented in sporadic AD. Therefore, the neuropathological picture of familial AD caused by the APP recessive mutation A673V presents distinctive characteristics compared to sporadic AD or familial AD inherited as a dominant trait. Main peculiar features are the morphology, structural properties and composition of the Aβ deposits as well as their topographic distribution in the brain.

Cucullanus pargi sp. n. (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) from the grey snapper Lutjanus griseus off the southern coast of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Solís, David; Tuz-Paredes, Vielka M; Quintal-Loria, Miguel A

2007-09-01

A new nematode species, Cucullanus pargi sp. n., is described from the intestine and pyloric caeca of the grey snapper, Lutjanus griseus (Linnaeus), off the southern Quintana Roo coast, Mexico. This species shows similar morphological features as cucullanids occurring in marine and brackish-water fishes; however, it differs from all other species in the length of spicules, arrangement and number of caudal papillae, position of the excretory pore and deirids. Cucullanus pargi is the third species of this genus described from fishes in Mexico and the second one from Mexican marine fishes.

Classification of Topographical Pattern of Spasticity in Cerebral Palsy: A Registry Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Reid, Susan M.; Carlin, John B.; Reddihough, Dinah S.

2011-01-01

This study used data from a population-based cerebral palsy (CP) registry and systematic review to assess the amount of heterogeneity between registries in topographical patterns when dichotomised into unilateral (USCP) and bilateral spastic CP (BSCP), and whether the terms diplegia and quadriplegia provide useful additional epidemiological…

Topographic asymmetry of the South Atlantic from global models of mantle flow and lithospheric stretching

Science.gov (United States)

Flament, Nicolas; Gurnis, Michael; Williams, Simon; Seton, Maria; Skogseid, Jakob; Heine, Christian; Müller, Dietmar

2014-05-01

The relief of the South Atlantic is characterized by elevated passive continental margins along southern Africa and eastern Brazil, and by the bathymetric asymmetry of the southern oceanic basin where the western flank is much deeper than the eastern flank. We investigate the origin of these topographic features in the present and over time since the Jurassic with a model of global mantle flow and lithospheric deformation. The model progressively assimilates plate kinematics, plate boundaries and lithospheric age derived from global tectonic reconstructions with deforming plates, and predicts the evolution of mantle temperature, continental crustal thickness, long-wavelength dynamic topography, and isostatic topography. Mantle viscosity and the kinematics of the opening of the South Atlantic are adjustable parameters in multiple model cases. Model predictions are compared to observables both for the present-day and in the past. Present-day predictions are compared to topography, mantle tomography, and an estimate of residual topography. Predictions for the past are compared to tectonic subsidence from backstripped borehole data along the South American passive margin, and to dynamic uplift as constrained by thermochronology in southern Africa. Comparison between model predictions and observations suggests that the first-order features of the topography of the South Atlantic are due to long-wavelength dynamic topography, rather than to asthenospheric processes. We find the uplift of southern Africa to be best reproduced with a lower mantle that is at least 40 times more viscous than the upper mantle.

Yes… Mexico is a racist country

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carrales, Juan Carlos Finck

2017-01-01

According to recent official statistics, in Mexico there is a relation between people’s privileges and their skin color: The lighter, the more privilege. However, social exclusion by racist practices in Mexico has been common practically since its Spanish conquest between 1519 and 1521, in which...... privileges where absorbed and monopolized by European settlers in Mexico (Spanish people: peninsulares) and their descendants (creole: criollos). As a consequence, currently in Mexico, the color of skin affects people’s economic and political privileges and powers in individual and social levels related...

New Topographic Maps of Io Using Voyager and Galileo Stereo Imaging and Photoclinometry

Science.gov (United States)

White, O. L.; Schenk, P. M.; Hoogenboom, T.

2012-03-01

Stereo and photoclinometry processing have been applied to Voyager and Galileo images of Io in order to derive regional- and local-scale topographic maps of 20% of the moon’s surface to date. We present initial mapping results.

Digital Preservation of Ancient Maya Cave Architecture: Recent Field Efforts in Quintana Roo, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rissolo, D.; Lo, E.; Hess, M. R.; Meyer, D. E.; Amador, F. E.

2017-08-01

The presence of ancient Maya shrines in caves serves as unequivocal evidence for the ritual appropriation of these subterranean spaces and their significance with respect to Maya religious practice. Detailed study of the miniature masonry temples and altar features in the caves of Quintana Roo, Mexico reveals a strong stylistic and likely functional correspondence between these structures and their terrestrial counterparts at Postclassic sites. The Proyecto Arquitectura Subterranea de Quintana Roo (coordinated by the Center of Interdisciplinary Science for Art, Architecture, and Archaeology, or CISA3, at the University of California, San Diego and in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia in Mexico) is conducting a survey and program of digital documentation of both the pristine and impacted cave shrines of the region. Once an area is developed and populated, and access is opened to caves containing ancient architectural features, they are soon vandalized - often resulting in the complete obliteration of these rare miniature buildings and their diagnostic architectural elements. This emergent situation necessitates the use of rapid reality-capture tools; however, the physical challenges of working in caves requires researchers of adapt increasingly common architectural documentation methodologies to more adverse field conditions.

A selective egocentric topographical working memory deficit in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease: a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchini, F; Di Vita, A; Palermo, L; Piccardi, L; Blundo, C; Guariglia, C

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether an egocentric topographical working memory (WM) deficit is present in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with respect to other forms of visuospatial WM. Further, we would investigate whether this deficit could be present in patients having AD without topographical disorientation (TD) signs in everyday life assessed through an informal interview to caregivers. Seven patients with AD and 20 healthy participants performed the Walking Corsi Test and the Corsi Block-Tapping Test. The former test requires memorizing a sequence of places by following a path and the latter is a well-known visuospatial memory task. Patients with AD also performed a verbal WM test to exclude the presence of general WM impairments. Preliminary results suggest that egocentric topographical WM is selectively impaired, with respect to visuospatial and verbal WM, even without TD suggesting an important role of this memory in the early stages of AD. © The Author(s) 2014.

Variable features on Mars. VII - Dark filamentary markings on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Veverka, J.

1976-01-01

The paper discusses the location, variability, and possible nature of well-developed patterns of dark filamentary markings in the Mariner 9 photographic records. Although not common on Mars, the markings are concentrated in at least two areas: Depressio Hellespontica and Cerberus/Trivium Charontis. In certain localities, strong winds are required to bring these markings into prominence. The dark filamentary markings seem to be true albedo features controlled by local topography, it being unlikely that they are free linear dunes. The distinctive criss-cross pattern seen in many of the pictures suggests that jointing provides the controlling topographic grid. At this stage it cannot be inferred whether the markings are erosional or depositional in character.

History of nonnative Monk Parakeets in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, Elizabeth A; Smith-Vidaurre, Grace; Salinas-Melgoza, Alejandro

2017-01-01

Nonnative Monk Parakeets have been reported in increasing numbers across many cities in Mexico, and were formally classified as an invasive species in Mexico in late 2016. However, there has not been a large-scale attempt to determine how international pet trade and national and international governmental regulations have played a part in colonization, and when the species appeared in different areas. We describe the changes in regulations that led the international pet trade market to shift to Mexico, then used international trade data to determine how many parakeets were commercially imported each year and where those individuals originated. We also quantified the recent increases in Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) sightings in Mexico in both the scientific literature and in citizen science reports. We describe the timeline of increased reports to understand the history of nonnative Monk Parakeets in Mexico. As in other areas where the species has colonized, the main mode of transport is through the international pet trade. Over half a million Monk Parakeets were commercially imported to Mexico during 2000-2015, with the majority of importation (90%) occurring in 2008-2014, and almost all (98%) were imported from Uruguay. The earliest record of a free-flying Monk Parakeet was observed during 1994-1995 in Mexico City, but sightings of the parakeets did not become geographically widespread in either the scientific literature or citizen science databases until 2012-2015. By 2015, parakeets had been reported in 97 cities in Mexico. Mexico City has consistently seen steep increases in reporting since this species was first reported in Mexico. Here we find that both national and international legal regulations and health concerns drove a rise and fall in Monk Parakeet pet trade importations, shortly followed by widespread sightings of feral parakeets across Mexico. Further monitoring of introduced Monk Parakeet populations in Mexico is needed to understand the

Analysis of the Gran Desierto, Pinacte Region, Sonora, Mexico, via shuttle imaging radar

Science.gov (United States)

Greeley, R.; Christensen, P. R.; Mchone, J. F.; Asmerom, Y.; Zimbelman, J. R.

1984-01-01

The radar discriminability of geolian features and their geological setting as imaged by the SIR-A experiment is examined. The Gran Desierto and Pincate volcanio field of Sonora, Mexico was used to analyze the radar characteristics of the interplay of aeolian features and volcano terrain. The area in the Gran Desierto covers 4000 sq. km. and contains sand dunes of several forms. The Pincate volcanio field covers more than 2.000 sq. km. and consists primarily of basaltic lavas. Margins of the field, especially on the western and northern sides, include several maar and maar-like craters; thus obtaining information on their radar characteristics for comparison with impact craters.

New Mexico Property Tax Districts

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This layer represents boundaries for New Mexico tax district "OUT" categories and incorporated/municipal "IN" categories as identified on the "Certificate of Tax...

THE USE OF MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES IN THE PROCESS OF TOPOGRAPHIC MAPS UPDATING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Cantemir

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The methods used in the process of updating maps have evolved and become more complex, especially upon the development of the digital technology. At the same time, the development of technology has led to an abundance of available data that can be used in the updating process. The data sources came in a great variety of forms and formats from different acquisition sensors. Satellite images provided by certain satellite missions are now available on space agencies portals. Images stored in archives of satellite missions such us Sentinel, Landsat and other can be downloaded free of charge.The main advantages are represented by the large coverage area and rather good spatial resolution that enables the use of these images for the map updating at an appropriate scale. In our study we focused our research of these images on 1: 50.000 scale map. DEM that are globally available could represent an appropriate input for watershed delineation and stream network generation, that can be used as support for hydrography thematic layer update. If, in addition to remote sensing aerial photogrametry and LiDAR data are ussed, the accuracy of data sources is enhanced. Ortophotoimages and Digital Terrain Models are the main products that can be used for feature extraction and update. On the other side, the use of georeferenced analogical basemaps represent a significant addition to the process. Concerning the thematic maps, the classic representation of the terrain by contour lines derived from DTM, remains the best method of surfacing the earth on a map, nevertheless the correlation with other layers such as Hidrography are mandatory. In the context of the current national coverage of the Digital Terrain Model, one of the main concerns of the National Center of Cartography, through the Cartography and Photogrammetry Department, is represented by the exploitation of the available data in order to update the layers of the Topographic Reference Map 1:5000, known as

Erpetogomphus molossus, a new species from Sonora, Mexico (Odonata: Anisoptera: Gomphidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Bailowitz, Richard; Danforth, Doug; Upson, Sandy

2013-11-08

Erpetogomphus molossus is described from 3 male and 3 female specimens (holotype and allotype in collection of Instituto Biologico de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México) from the intermittent pine-oak woodland of the Yécora municipio in east-central Sonora, Mexico. Diagnostic features of the new species include the seemingly bulbous tip (in lateral view) and prominent baso-ventral process of the male cerci and the notched and denticled posteromesal corners of the female subgenital plate.

Role of the Economic Commission for Africa as a principal investigator in the metric camera experiment and reports of the result of the assessment for topographic and revision of maps in populated and developed areas of the world

Science.gov (United States)

Olujohungbe, O.

1985-04-01

Spacelab metric camera photographs of the irrigation areas of the Al Gezira region of Sudan were used to assess the feasibility of using the camera for map revision and making in Africa. Results confirm the high resolution of the images, particularly details registered in the infrared, favorable for observation and identification of features, and rapid stereoplotting from space photographs for topographic and small scale mapping.

Development of the Regulatory Framework in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carreño Padilla, A. L.; Paz García Beltran, A.B.; Godínez Sánchez, V.

2015-01-01

The present study describes and introduces in a simplified way the process for issuing a Mexican Official Standard of Nuclear series, setting out the departments and agencies involved in this process, and also describing the main challenges identified for preparation, issuance and review of them. Furthermore, topics that are currently in the process of standardisation in Mexico in radiation and nuclear safety are mentioned. The National Commission for Nuclear Safety and Safeguards is the regulatory body empowered and commissioned in Mexico to issue and amends the Official Mexican Standards in nuclear and radiation safety, whose duties and responsibilities are set out in the Regulatory Law on Nuclear Matters of Article 27. The Mexican Standards are of social kind because they are focused to prevent risks that could affect human been health, animal or plants damages, and are also associated to safety in the workplaces, to avoid damages which may be irreparable to the environment and population. Normalization is the process by which all the activities concerning public health, environment protection, labor protection, among others, are ruled on in both, private and public sectors. Through this process, the rules, features or products specifications are set for a product or a regulated service. The objective of a standard is to get an optimum degree of order in a given activity. The objective of creating a regulation is to develop legal certainty, to avoid imminent harm or to reduce existing damages on health, the environment and the Economy. Currently, the regulation for nuclear and radiological safety, physical security, as well as for safeguards in Mexico, is under constant development, looking for to cover the safety needs of employees, licencees, environment and society in a whole; many of these needs are supported by the international recommendations of the IAEA. (author)

New Mexico Charter Schools Annual Report

Science.gov (United States)

New Mexico Public Education Department, 2013

2013-01-01

In 2011, the New Mexico legislature passed changes to the Charter School Act that provided more accountability for both charters and authorizers in New Mexico. As part of that law, the Public Education Department (PED) is asked to submit an annual report on the status of charter schools in New Mexico. This is the first report submitted under that…

Deep Residual Network Predicts Cortical Representation and Organization of Visual Features for Rapid Categorization.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Haiguang; Shi, Junxing; Chen, Wei; Liu, Zhongming

2018-02-28

The brain represents visual objects with topographic cortical patterns. To address how distributed visual representations enable object categorization, we established predictive encoding models based on a deep residual network, and trained them to predict cortical responses to natural movies. Using this predictive model, we mapped human cortical representations to 64,000 visual objects from 80 categories with high throughput and accuracy. Such representations covered both the ventral and dorsal pathways, reflected multiple levels of object features, and preserved semantic relationships between categories. In the entire visual cortex, object representations were organized into three clusters of categories: biological objects, non-biological objects, and background scenes. In a finer scale specific to each cluster, object representations revealed sub-clusters for further categorization. Such hierarchical clustering of category representations was mostly contributed by cortical representations of object features from middle to high levels. In summary, this study demonstrates a useful computational strategy to characterize the cortical organization and representations of visual features for rapid categorization.

Passive film growth on carbon steel and its nanoscale features at various passivating potentials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yuan; Cheng, Y. Frank, E-mail: fcheng@ucalgary.ca

2017-02-28

Highlights: • Imaged the topography of passivated steel at various film-forming potentials. • Characterized the nanoscale features of passive films. • Determined the composition of passive films formed at various potentials. - Abstract: In this work, the passivation and topographic sub-structure of passive films on a carbon steel in a carbonate/bicarbonate solution was characterized by electrochemical measurements, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. When passivating at a potential near the active-passive transition, the film contains the mixture of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and FeOOH, with numerous nanoscale features. As the film-forming potential shifts positively, the passive film becomes more compact and the nanoscale features disappear. When the film is formed at a passive potential where the oxygen evolution is enabled, the content of FeOOH in the film increases, resulting in an amorphous topography and reduced corrosion resistance.

Guidebook to Rio Grande rift in New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, J.W.

1978-01-01

Discusses the details of geologic features along the rift zone. Included are short papers on topics relative to the overall region. These papers and the road logs are of special interest to any one pursuing further study of the rift. This book is a comprehensive guide to the middle and late Cenozoic geology of the Rio Grande region of Colorado and New Mexico. Though initially used on field trips for the International Symposium on Tectonics and Magmatism of the Rio Grande rift, the guidebook will be useful to anyone interested in the Cenozoic history of the 600-mi-long area extending from central Colorado to El Paso, Texas.

The electric energy and the environment in Mexico. Volume 3; Energia electrica y medio ambiente en Mexico. Volumen 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quintanilla Martinez, Juan [eds.] [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D. F. (Mexico)

1997-12-31

This document is the third one of three volumes of the 1. Seminar on the Current Conditions and Perspectives of the Electric Sector in Mexico, organized by the Programa Universitario de Energia and the Instituto de Investigaciones Economicas (University Program of Energy and the Institute of Economic Research), both of them agencies of the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). The titles of the three volumes are the following: Volume 1.- The opening of the Mexican Electric Sector to foreign investment. Volume 2.- Concrete innovation and technological learning experiences at the Luz y Fuerza del Centro enterprise. Volume 3.- The Electric Energy and the Environment in Mexico. This third volume covers the following subjects: Hydroelectricity, land use and water managing; the electric generation in Mexico and its environmental impact, the nuclear electricity and the handling of radioactive materials; the exposure to electromagnetic fields and its association with children`s leukemia; the energy in Mexico and the sustainable development; potential of electricity generation in large scale with wind power in Mexico; towards a scheme of distributed electric power generation with non-conventional energies and renewable energy sources in Mexico in the 21Century. These documents were elaborated by specialists of the electric sector, from the sector itself as well as from private and public academic entities [Espanol] Este documento constituye el tercero de tres volumenes del Primer Seminario sobre Situacion y Perspectivas del Sector Electrico en Mexico, organizado por el Programa Universitario de Energia y el Instituto de Investigaciones Economicas, ambas dependencias de la Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). Los titulos de los tres volumenes son los siguientes: volumen 1: La apertura externa del sector electrico mexicano, volumen 2: Experiencias concretas de innovacion y aprendizaje tecnologico en la empresa Luz y Fuerza del Centro, volumen 3: Energia electrica

HSIP Hospitals in New Mexico

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — Hospitals in New Mexico The term "hospital" ... means an institution which- (1) is primarily engaged in providing, by or under the supervision of physicians, to...

Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan for the Gnome-Coach, New Mexico, Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreie, Ken [USDOE Office of Legacy Management, Grand Junction, CO (United States); Findlay, Rick [Navarro Research and Engineering, Inc., Grand Junction, CO (United States)

2016-06-08

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) prepared this Long-Term Surveillance and Maintenance Plan (LTSMP) for the Gnome-Coach, New Mexico, Site (the Gnome site). The Gnome site is approximately 25 miles east of Carlsbad in Eddy County, New Mexico (Figure 1). The site was the location of a 3-kiloton-yield underground nuclear test and radioisotope groundwater tracer test. The tests resulted in residual contamination and post-detonation features that require long-term oversight. Long-term responsibility for the site was transferred from the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office to LM on October 1, 2006. Responsibilities include surveillance, monitoring, and maintenance of institutional controls (ICs) as part of the long-term stewardship of the site. Long-term stewardship is designed to ensure protection of human health and the environment.

Behaviour of earth’s crust due to topographic loads derived by inverse and direct isostasy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein A. Abd-Elmotaal

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The behaviour of the earth’s crust due to topographic loads can be derived by either inverse or direct approach. As for the inverse approach, it is postulated that the density anomaly is proportional to the earth’s radius vector so that it is linearly related to topography by a convolution of the topography and an isotropic kernel function. Accordingly, one can prove that the attraction of the compensating masses is also a convolution of the topography and an isotropic isostatic response function. Such an isostatic response function can be determined by deconvolution. This paper gives the derivation of such a deconvolution by means of spherical harmonics. A practical determination of the isotropic isostatic response function needs the harmonic analysis of both the topography and the attraction of the compensating masses. Applying the principle of inverse isostasy, by which we aim to achieve zero isostatic anomalies, then the attraction of the compensating masses equals the Bouguer anomalies with an opposite sign. The harmonic analysis of the Bouguer anomalies is thus a combination of the harmonic analysis of the topographic potential and the already existing global reference models. As for the direct approach, consider that the earth’s crust is an infinite thin plate subject to topographic loads. The solution of such a bent plate represents the displacement of the earth’s crust due to topographic loads. The paper illustrates that the exact solution of the bent plate is given by the Kelvin function keix. A practical application has been carried out for both approaches using EGM96 and GPM98CR geopotential earth models as well as TUG87 and TBASE digital height models. The results show that the estimated isotropic isostatic response functions derived by the inverse approach behave similarly as that given by direct approach represented by the Kelvin function keix.

Simultaneous topographic and elemental chemical and magnetic contrast in scanning tunneling microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Volker; Preissner, Curt A; Hla, Saw-Wai; Wang, Kangkang; Rosenmann, Daniel

2014-09-30

A method and system for performing simultaneous topographic and elemental chemical and magnetic contrast analysis in a scanning, tunneling microscope. The method and system also includes nanofabricated coaxial multilayer tips with a nanoscale conducting apex and a programmable in-situ nanomanipulator to fabricate these tips and also to rotate tips controllably.

Extracting topographic structure from digital elevation data for geographic information-system analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jenson, Susan K.; Domingue, Julia O.

1988-01-01

Software tools have been developed at the U.S. Geological Survey's EROS Data Center to extract topographic structure and to delineate watersheds and overland flow paths from digital elevation models. The tools are specialpurpose FORTRAN programs interfaced with general-purpose raster and vector spatial analysis and relational data base management packages.

Geological Features Mapping Using PALSAR-2 Data in Kelantan River Basin, Peninsular Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Pour, A. B.; Hashim, M.

2016-09-01

In this study, the recently launched Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2) onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2), remote sensing data were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan river basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. A ScanSAR and two fine mode dual polarization level 3.1 images cover Kelantan state were processed for comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. Red-Green-Blue (RGB) colour-composite was applied to different polarization channels of PALSAR-2 data to extract variety of geological information. Directional convolution filters were applied to the data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results derived from ScanSAR image indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ) in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. Combination of different polarization channels produced image maps contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units for the Kelantan state using fine mode observation data. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends were identified in the study area using directional filtering. Dendritic, sub-dendritic and rectangular drainage patterns were detected in the Kelantan river basin. The analysis of field investigations data indicate that many of flooded areas were associated with high potential risk zones for hydro-geological hazards such as wetlands, urban areas, floodplain scroll, meander bend, dendritic and sub-dendritic drainage patterns, which are located in flat topograghy regions. Numerous landslide points were located in rectangular drainage system that associated

GEOLOGICAL FEATURES MAPPING USING PALSAR-2 DATA IN KELANTAN RIVER BASIN, PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. B. Pour

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this study, the recently launched Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2 onboard the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2, remote sensing data were used to map geologic structural and topographical features in the Kelantan river basin for identification of high potential risk and susceptible zones for landslides and flooding areas. A ScanSAR and two fine mode dual polarization level 3.1 images cover Kelantan state were processed for comprehensive analysis of major geological structures and detailed characterizations of lineaments, drainage patterns and lithology at both regional and district scales. Red-Green-Blue (RGB colour-composite was applied to different polarization channels of PALSAR-2 data to extract variety of geological information. Directional convolution filters were applied to the data for identifying linear features in particular directions and edge enhancement in the spatial domain. Results derived from ScanSAR image indicate that lineament occurrence at regional scale was mainly linked to the N-S trending of the Bentong-Raub Suture Zone (BRSZ in the west and Lebir Fault Zone in the east of the Kelantan state. Combination of different polarization channels produced image maps contain important information related to water bodies, wetlands and lithological units for the Kelantan state using fine mode observation data. The N-S, NE-SW and NNE-SSW lineament trends were identified in the study area using directional filtering. Dendritic, sub-dendritic and rectangular drainage patterns were detected in the Kelantan river basin. The analysis of field investigations data indicate that many of flooded areas were associated with high potential risk zones for hydro-geological hazards such as wetlands, urban areas, floodplain scroll, meander bend, dendritic and sub-dendritic drainage patterns, which are located in flat topograghy regions. Numerous landslide points were located in rectangular drainage system

New Mexico State Forestry Districts

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This dataset contains boundaries of the New Mexico Forestry Districts, plus the names of the district offices. It is in a vector digital structure digitized from a...

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3570, Tagab-E-Munjan (505) and Asmar-Kamdesh (506) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3566, Sang-Charak (501) and Sayghan-O-Kamard (502) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

Topographic Map of Quadrangle 3262, Farah (421) and Hokumat-E-Pur-Chaman (422) Quadrangles, Afghanistan

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Robert G.

2006-01-01

This map was produced from several larger digital datasets. Topography was derived from Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 85-meter digital data. Gaps in the original dataset were filled with data digitized from contours on 1:200,000-scale Soviet General Staff Sheets (1978-1997). Contours were generated by cubic convolution averaged over four pixels using TNTmips surface-modeling capabilities. Minor artifacts resulting from the auto-contouring technique are present. Streams were auto-generated from the SRTM data in TNTmips as flow paths. Flow paths were limited in number by their Horton value on a quadrangle-by-quadrangle basis. Peak elevations were averaged over an area measuring 85 m by 85 m (represented by one pixel), and they are slightly lower than the highest corresponding point on the ground. Cultural data were extracted from files downloaded from the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) Web site (http://www.aims.org.af). The AIMS files were originally derived from maps produced by the Afghanistan Geodesy and Cartography Head Office (AGCHO). Because cultural features were not derived from the SRTM base, they do not match it precisely. Province boundaries are not exactly located. This map is part of a series that includes a geologic map, a topographic map, a Landsat natural-color-image map, and a Landsat false-color-image map for the USGS/AGS (Afghan Geological Survey) quadrangles covering Afghanistan. The maps for any given quadrangle have the same open-file number but a different letter suffix, namely, -A, -B, -C, and -D for the geologic, topographic, Landsat natural-color, and Landsat false-color maps, respectively. The open-file report (OFR) numbers for each quadrangle range in sequence from 1092 - 1123. The present map series is to be followed by a second series, in which the geology is reinterpreted on the basis of analysis of remote-sensing data, limited fieldwork, and library research. The second series is to be produced by the USGS

ANALYSIS OF RADAR AND OPTICAL SPACE BORNE DATA FOR LARGE SCALE TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPPING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Tampubolon

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Normally, in order to provide high resolution 3 Dimension (3D geospatial data, large scale topographical mapping needs input from conventional airborne campaigns which are in Indonesia bureaucratically complicated especially during legal administration procedures i.e. security clearance from military/defense ministry. This often causes additional time delays besides technical constraints such as weather and limited aircraft availability for airborne campaigns. Of course the geospatial data quality is an important issue for many applications. The increasing demand of geospatial data nowadays consequently requires high resolution datasets as well as a sufficient level of accuracy. Therefore an integration of different technologies is required in many cases to gain the expected result especially in the context of disaster preparedness and emergency response. Another important issue in this context is the fast delivery of relevant data which is expressed by the term “Rapid Mapping”. In this paper we present first results of an on-going research to integrate different data sources like space borne radar and optical platforms. Initially the orthorectification of Very High Resolution Satellite (VHRS imagery i.e. SPOT-6 has been done as a continuous process to the DEM generation using TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X data. The role of Ground Control Points (GCPs from GNSS surveys is mandatory in order to fulfil geometrical accuracy. In addition, this research aims on providing suitable processing algorithm of space borne data for large scale topographical mapping as described in section 3.2. Recently, radar space borne data has been used for the medium scale topographical mapping e.g. for 1:50.000 map scale in Indonesian territories. The goal of this on-going research is to increase the accuracy of remote sensing data by different activities, e.g. the integration of different data sources (optical and radar or the usage of the GCPs in both, the optical and the

Digital Geologic Map of New Mexico - Formations

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — The geologic map was created in GSMAP at Socorro, New Mexico by Orin Anderson and Glen Jones and published as the Geologic Map of New Mexico 1:500,000 in GSMAP...

Comparison of Surface Flow Features from Lidar-Derived Digital Elevation Models with Historical Elevation and Hydrography Data for Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Poppenga, Sandra K.; Worstell, Bruce B.; Stoker, Jason M.; Greenlee, Susan K.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has taken the lead in the creation of a valuable remote sensing product by incorporating digital elevation models (DEMs) derived from Light Detection and Ranging (lidar) into the National Elevation Dataset (NED), the elevation layer of 'The National Map'. High-resolution lidar-derived DEMs provide the accuracy needed to systematically quantify and fully integrate surface flow including flow direction, flow accumulation, sinks, slope, and a dense drainage network. In 2008, 1-meter resolution lidar data were acquired in Minnehaha County, South Dakota. The acquisition was a collaborative effort between Minnehaha County, the city of Sioux Falls, and the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center. With the newly acquired lidar data, USGS scientists generated high-resolution DEMs and surface flow features. This report compares lidar-derived surface flow features in Minnehaha County to 30- and 10-meter elevation data previously incorporated in the NED and ancillary hydrography datasets. Surface flow features generated from lidar-derived DEMs are consistently integrated with elevation and are important in understanding surface-water movement to better detect surface-water runoff, flood inundation, and erosion. Many topographic and hydrologic applications will benefit from the increased availability of accurate, high-quality, and high-resolution surface-water data. The remotely sensed data provide topographic information and data integration capabilities needed for meeting current and future human and environmental needs.

Satellite SAR inventory of Gulf of Mexico oil seeps and shallow gas hydrates

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, O.; MacDonald, I. R.; Zimmer, B.; Shedd, W.; Frye, M.

2009-04-01

Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images from the RADARSAT platform were used to detect and inventory persistent layers of oil released from natural seeps in the Gulf of Mexico. Previously published inventories of natural oil seeps in the Gulf have been limited in scope and have relied on manual interpretation of satellite images (Mitchell et al. 1999; De Beukelaer et al. 2003). We developed a texture classifying neural network algorithm (TCNNA) to rapidly identify floating oil-layers in a semi-supervised operation. Oil layers, known as slicks, were recognized as long (10 km), narrow (100 m), often curvilinear streaks with distinct points of origin where oil reaches the ocean surface. After training the TCNNA over known seep areas and under a range of environmental and viewing conditions, the procedure was applied to 426 separate images that covered ocean areas of 100x100 km (Standard Beam Mode), 102 images that covered ocean areas of 450x450 km(ScanSAR Wide Beam Mode), and 84 images that covered ocean areas of 300x300 km (ScanSAR Narrow Beam Mode). This image data-set was collected between 1994 and 2007. It covered the entire Gulf of Mexico with a repeat rate of 4 to109, with the highest concentration over the continental slope. This effort identified a total of 4957 slicks among all the images. Of these, 287 appeared a single time in isolated locations and may therefore be false targets. The remaining slicks appeared in groups of up to 9 separate features, clustered in areas of 1 to 6.5 km across. When slicks appear within the same area in repeated images, they are judged to have a persistent source—a bubbling vent on the seafloor (MacDonald et al. 2002). Persistent sources represent geologic formations defined by migrating hydrocarbons that may include multiple separate vents. A total of 559 formations were defined by repeated imaging; these comprised a maximum of 1995 and a minimum of 1263 individual vents. This total was distributed between U

Directed Self-Assembly of Star-Block Copolymers by Topographic Nanopatterns through Nucleation and Growth Mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Mohan Raj; Lu, Kai-Yuan; Chiu, Wen-Yu; Chen, I-Chen; Lin, Jheng-Wei; Lo, Ting-Ya; Georgopanos, Prokopios; Avgeropoulos, Apostolos; Lee, Ming-Chang; Ho, Rong-Ming

2018-04-01

Exploring the ordering mechanism and dynamics of self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) thin films under confined conditions are highly essential in the application of BCP lithography. In this study, it is aimed to examine the self-assembling mechanism and kinetics of silicon-containing 3-arm star-block copolymer composed of polystyrene (PS) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) blocks as nanostructured thin films with perpendicular cylinders and controlled lateral ordering by directed self-assembly using topographically patterned substrates. The ordering process of the star-block copolymer within fabricated topographic patterns with PS-functionalized sidewall can be carried out through the type of secondary (i.e., heterogeneous) nucleation for microphase separation initiated from the edge and/or corner of the topographic patterns, and directed to grow as well-ordered hexagonally packed perpendicular cylinders. The growth rate for the confined microphase separation is highly dependent upon the dimension and also the geometric texture of the preformed pattern. Fast self-assembly for ordering of BCP thin film can be achieved by lowering the confinement dimension and also increasing the concern number of the preformed pattern, providing a new strategy for the design of BCP lithography from the integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Uncertainty in Historical Land-Use Reconstructions with Topographic Maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaim Dominik

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the outcomes of the uncertainty investigation of a long-term forest cover change analysis in the Polish Carpathians (nearly 20,000 km2 and Swiss Alps (nearly 10,000 km2 based on topographic maps. Following Leyk et al. (2005 all possible uncertainties are grouped into three domains - production-oriented, transformation- oriented and application-oriented. We show typical examples for each uncertainty domain, encountered during the forest cover change analysis and discuss consequences for change detection. Finally, a proposal for reliability assessment is presented.

Modeling epileptic brain states using EEG spectral analysis and topographic mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Direito, Bruno; Teixeira, César; Ribeiro, Bernardete; Castelo-Branco, Miguel; Sales, Francisco; Dourado, António

2012-09-30

Changes in the spatio-temporal behavior of the brain electrical activity are believed to be associated to epileptic brain states. We propose a novel methodology to identify the different states of the epileptic brain, based on the topographic mapping of the time varying relative power of delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma frequency sub-bands, estimated from EEG. Using normalized-cuts segmentation algorithm, points of interest are identified in the topographic mappings and their trajectories over time are used for finding out relations with epileptogenic propagations in the brain. These trajectories are used to train a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), which models the different epileptic brain states and the transition among them. Applied to 10 patients suffering from focal seizures, with a total of 30 seizures over 497.3h of data, the methodology shows good results (an average point-by-point accuracy of 89.31%) for the identification of the four brain states--interictal, preictal, ictal and postictal. The results suggest that the spatio-temporal dynamics captured by the proposed methodology are related to the epileptic brain states and transitions involved in focal seizures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Statistical analysis of AFM topographic images of self-assembled quantum dots

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sevriuk, V. A.; Brunkov, P. N., E-mail: brunkov@mail.ioffe.ru; Shalnev, I. V.; Gutkin, A. A.; Klimko, G. V.; Gronin, S. V.; Sorokin, S. V.; Konnikov, S. G. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

2013-07-15

To obtain statistical data on quantum-dot sizes, AFM topographic images of the substrate on which the dots under study are grown are analyzed. Due to the nonideality of the substrate containing height differences on the order of the size of nanoparticles at distances of 1-10 {mu}m and the insufficient resolution of closely arranged dots due to the finite curvature radius of the AFM probe, automation of the statistical analysis of their large dot array requires special techniques for processing topographic images to eliminate the loss of a particle fraction during conventional processing. As such a technique, convolution of the initial matrix of the AFM image with a specially selected matrix is used. This makes it possible to determine the position of each nanoparticle and, using the initial matrix, to measure their geometrical parameters. The results of statistical analysis by this method of self-assembled InAs quantum dots formed on the surface of an AlGaAs epitaxial layer are presented. It is shown that their concentration, average size, and half-width of height distribution depend strongly on the In flow and total amount of deposited InAs which are varied within insignificant limits.

Adapting forest management to climate change using bioclimate models with topographic drivers

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald E. Rehfeldt; James J. Worrall; Suzanne B. Marchetti; Nicholas L. Crookston

2015-01-01

Bioclimate models incorporating topographic predictors as surrogates for microclimate effects are developed for Populus tremuloides and Picea engelmannii to provide the fine-grained specificity to local terrain required for adapting management of three Colorado (USA) national forests (1.28 million ha) and their periphery to climate change. Models were built with the...

United States-Mexico cross-border health insurance initiatives: Salud Migrante and Medicare in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas Bustamante, Arturo; Laugesen, Miriam; Caban, Mabel; Rosenau, Pauline

2012-01-01

While U.S. health care reform will most likely reduce the overall number of uninsured Mexican-Americans, it does not address challenges related to health care coverage for undocumented Mexican immigrants, who will remain uninsured under the measures of the reform; documented low-income Mexican immigrants who have not met the five-year waiting period required for Medicaid benefits; or the growing number of retired U.S. citizens living in Mexico, who lack easy access to Medicare-supported services. This article reviews two promising binational initiatives that could help address these challenges-Salud Migrante and Medicare in Mexico; discusses their prospective applications within the context of U.S. health care reform; and identifies potential challenges to their implementation (legal, political, and regulatory), as well as the possible benefits, including coverage of uninsured Mexican immigrants, and their integration into the U.S. health care system (through Salud Migrante), and access to lower-cost Medicare-supported health care for U.S. retirees in Mexico (Medicare in Mexico).

CLASSIFICATION OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF 2D AND 3D FEATURES EXTRACTED FROM UAV DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. M. Gevaert

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs are capable of providing very high resolution and up-to-date information to support informal settlement upgrading projects. In order to provide accurate basemaps, urban scene understanding through the identification and classification of buildings and terrain is imperative. However, common characteristics of informal settlements such as small, irregular buildings with heterogeneous roof material and large presence of clutter challenge state-of-the-art algorithms. Especially the dense buildings and steeply sloped terrain cause difficulties in identifying elevated objects. This work investigates how 2D radiometric and textural features, 2.5D topographic features, and 3D geometric features obtained from UAV imagery can be integrated to obtain a high classification accuracy in challenging classification problems for the analysis of informal settlements. It compares the utility of pixel-based and segment-based features obtained from an orthomosaic and DSM with point-based and segment-based features extracted from the point cloud to classify an unplanned settlement in Kigali, Rwanda. Findings show that the integration of 2D and 3D features leads to higher classification accuracies.

Significance of Hemispheric Security for Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2003-04-07

La Seguridad Internacional, la Nueva Geopolitica Continental y Mexico ,” Seminario Internacional sobre Misiones de Paz, Seguridad y Defensa, Rio de...USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE OF HEMISPHERIC SECURITY FOR MEXICO by LTC Enrique Garcia Jaramillo Cavalry, Mexican Army COL Joseph R...xx-xx-2002 to xx-xx-2003 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Significance of Hemispheric Security for Mexico Unclassified 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c

The optimization of high resolution topographic data for 1D hydrodynamic models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ales, Ronovsky; Michal, Podhoranyi

2016-01-01

The main focus of our research presented in this paper is to optimize and use high resolution topographical data (HRTD) for hydrological modelling. Optimization of HRTD is done by generating adaptive mesh by measuring distance of coarse mesh and the surface of the dataset and adapting the mesh from the perspective of keeping the geometry as close to initial resolution as possible. Technique described in this paper enables computation of very accurate 1-D hydrodynamic models. In the paper, we use HEC-RAS software as a solver. For comparison, we have chosen the amount of generated cells/grid elements (in whole discretization domain and selected cross sections) with respect to preservation of the accuracy of the computational domain. Generation of the mesh for hydrodynamic modelling is strongly reliant on domain size and domain resolution. Topographical dataset used in this paper was created using LiDAR method and it captures 5.9km long section of a catchment of the river Olše. We studied crucial changes in topography for generated mesh. Assessment was done by commonly used statistical and visualization methods.

The optimization of high resolution topographic data for 1D hydrodynamic models

Science.gov (United States)

Ales, Ronovsky; Michal, Podhoranyi

2016-06-01

The main focus of our research presented in this paper is to optimize and use high resolution topographical data (HRTD) for hydrological modelling. Optimization of HRTD is done by generating adaptive mesh by measuring distance of coarse mesh and the surface of the dataset and adapting the mesh from the perspective of keeping the geometry as close to initial resolution as possible. Technique described in this paper enables computation of very accurate 1-D hydrodynamic models. In the paper, we use HEC-RAS software as a solver. For comparison, we have chosen the amount of generated cells/grid elements (in whole discretization domain and selected cross sections) with respect to preservation of the accuracy of the computational domain. Generation of the mesh for hydrodynamic modelling is strongly reliant on domain size and domain resolution. Topographical dataset used in this paper was created using LiDAR method and it captures 5.9km long section of a catchment of the river Olše. We studied crucial changes in topography for generated mesh. Assessment was done by commonly used statistical and visualization methods.

The optimization of high resolution topographic data for 1D hydrodynamic models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ales, Ronovsky, E-mail: ales.ronovsky@vsb.cz; Michal, Podhoranyi [IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center, VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava, Studentská 6231/1B, 708 33 Ostrava (Czech Republic)

2016-06-08

The main focus of our research presented in this paper is to optimize and use high resolution topographical data (HRTD) for hydrological modelling. Optimization of HRTD is done by generating adaptive mesh by measuring distance of coarse mesh and the surface of the dataset and adapting the mesh from the perspective of keeping the geometry as close to initial resolution as possible. Technique described in this paper enables computation of very accurate 1-D hydrodynamic models. In the paper, we use HEC-RAS software as a solver. For comparison, we have chosen the amount of generated cells/grid elements (in whole discretization domain and selected cross sections) with respect to preservation of the accuracy of the computational domain. Generation of the mesh for hydrodynamic modelling is strongly reliant on domain size and domain resolution. Topographical dataset used in this paper was created using LiDAR method and it captures 5.9km long section of a catchment of the river Olše. We studied crucial changes in topography for generated mesh. Assessment was done by commonly used statistical and visualization methods.

Drinking water quality in a Mexico city university community: perception and preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa-García, Ana C; Díaz-Ávalos, Carlos; González-Villarreal, Fernando J; Val-Segura, Rafael; Malvaez-Orozco, Velvet; Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa

2015-03-01

A transversal study was conducted at the University City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, with the goal of estimating the university community preference for drinking either tap water or bottled water and the reasons for their selection. A representative sample of three university community subpopulations (students, workers/administrative staff, and academic personnel) were interviewed with respect to their water consumption habits. The results showed that 75% of the university community drinks only bottled water and that the consumption of tap water is low. The interviewees responded that the main reason for this preference is the organoleptic features of tap water independent of quality. In general, the participants in this study do not trust the quality of the tap water, which could be caused by the facilities that distribute bottled water encouraging a general disinterest in learning about the origin and management of the tap water that is distributed on campus.

From Reproductive Rights to Responsibilization: Fashioning Liberal Subjects in Mexico City's New Public Sector Abortion Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Elyse Ona

2017-12-01

Building on medical anthropology literature that analyzes doctor-patient interactions as a charged site for the production of political subjectivities, I demonstrate how a central feature of Mexico City's new public sector abortion program involves "responsibilization." In accordance with entrenched Ministry of Health objectives, providers transmit a suite of values about personal responsibility and self-regulation through the use of birth control, hinging abortion rights to responsible reproductive subjectivity. Based on 18 months of ethnographic research across program clinics, including 75 interviews with patients and providers, I show how interrupción legal del embarazo protocols fashion "responsibilized" liberal subjects. I argue that the recent granting of abortion rights in Mexico City-ostensibly a new moment for the construction of women's citizenship-instead reflects and extends long-standing state agendas of "reproductive governance." My analysis of reproductive rights as the newest framing of ongoing population policies in Mexico adds to a critical anthropology of human rights and of liberal projects of governance. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

A North Sea approach for Mexico?; El marco Mar del Norte para Mexico?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baker, George [ENERGIA.com, United States (United States)

2006-11-15

The probable existence of oil and gas deposits in the border territory between Mexico and the United States has waked up an enormous restlessness given the lack of agreements and stipulations on the handling of such deposits; cases like this one have occurred in other parts of the globe and it is indeed the intention of this article to show how the agreement decided on the North Sea can be applied in the case of Mexico. The bilateral characteristics of this agreement conformed by incentives and openings to the market, require the cooperation of different offices and governmental sectors from the federal government to make a series of possible stipulations that regulate the treaty and allow different oil companies a substantial interaction that profits the owners on both sides of the border. In Mexico the responsibility to put in action projects of this type corresponds to the legislative power in complicity with the secretariats of Foreign Affairs and Work. The present action models and the monopoly of Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) in Mexico have only managed to suspend the development of the country in this sector and to maintain the oil industry development in a mediocre and deteriorated level. The benefits of such an adjustment would extend beyond obtaining a bilateral development for the involved countries; nevertheless we remember that the government of the United States is not to the compass of the governments pro-unification of borders. In order to begin the unification of the border regions, Mexico must document the location of border wells, nevertheless even though any agreement could be reached, years would have to pass before PEMEX develops the appropriate technology to operate its part of the deposits. [Spanish] La probable existencia de yacimientos de petroleo y gas en el territorio fronterizo entre Mexico y Estados Unidos ha despertado una enorme inquietud dada la falta de acuerdos y estipulaciones sobre la manipulacion de tales yacimientos; casos como

Topographical mapping system for radiological and hazardous environments acceptance testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, G.A.; Dochat, G.R.

1997-01-01

During the summer of 1996, the Topographical Mapping System (TMS) for hazardous and radiological environments and its accompanying three-dimensional (3-D) visualization tool, the Interactive Computer-Enhanced Remote-Viewing System (ICERVS), were delivered to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL and Mechanical Technology, Inc., performed final acceptance testing of the TMS during the next eight months. The TMS was calibrated and characterized during this period. This paper covers the calibration, characterization, and acceptance testing of the TMS. Development of the TMS and ICERVS was initiated by the US Department of Energy (DOE) for the purpose of characterization and remediation of underground storage tanks (USTs) at DOE sites across the country. DOE required a 3-D, topographical mapping system suitable for use in hazardous and radiological environments. The intended application is the mapping of the interior of USTs as part of DOE's waste characterization and remediation efforts and to obtain baseline data on the content of the storage tank interiors as well as data on changes in the tank contents and levels brought about by waste remediation steps. Initially targeted for deployment at the Hanford Washington site, the TMS is designed to be a self-contained, compact, and reconfigurable system that is capable of providing rapid, variable-resolution mapping information in poorly characterized workspaces with a minimum of operator intervention

Topographical mapping system for radiological and hazardous environments acceptance testing

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Gary A.; Dochat, G. R.

1997-09-01

During the summer of 1996, the topographical mapping system (TMS) for hazardous and radiological environments and its accompanying three-dimensional (3-D) visualization tool, the interactive computer-enhanced remote-viewing system (ICERVS), were delivered to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). ORNL and Mechanical Technology, Inc., performed final acceptance testing of the TMS during the next eight months. The TMS was calibrated and characterized during this period. This paper covers the calibration, characterization, and acceptance testing of the TMS. Development of the TMS and the ICERVS was initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the purpose of characterization and remediation of underground storage tanks (USTs) at DOE sites across the country. DOE required a 3-D, topographical mapping system suitable for use in hazardous and radiological environments. The intended application is the mapping of the interior of USTs as part of DOE's waste characterization and remediation efforts and to obtain baseline data on the content of the storage tank interiors as well as data on changes in the tank contents and levels brought about by waste remediation steps. Initially targeted for deployment at the Hanford Washington site, the TMS is designed to be a self-contained, compact, reconfigurable system that is capable of providing rapid, variable-resolution mapping information in poorly characterized workspaces with a minimum of operator intervention.

AN INVESTIGATION OF AUTOMATIC CHANGE DETECTION FOR TOPOGRAPHIC MAP UPDATING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Duncan

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Changes to the landscape are constantly occurring and it is essential for geospatial and mapping organisations that these changes are regularly detected and captured, so that map databases can be updated to reflect the current status of the landscape. The Chief Directorate of National Geospatial Information (CD: NGI, South Africa's national mapping agency, currently relies on manual methods of detecting changes and capturing these changes. These manual methods are time consuming and labour intensive, and rely on the skills and interpretation of the operator. It is therefore necessary to move towards more automated methods in the production process at CD: NGI. The aim of this research is to do an investigation into a methodology for automatic or semi-automatic change detection for the purpose of updating topographic databases. The method investigated for detecting changes is through image classification as well as spatial analysis and is focussed on urban landscapes. The major data input into this study is high resolution aerial imagery and existing topographic vector data. Initial results indicate the traditional pixel-based image classification approaches are unsatisfactory for large scale land-use mapping and that object-orientated approaches hold more promise. Even in the instance of object-oriented image classification generalization of techniques on a broad-scale has provided inconsistent results. A solution may lie with a hybrid approach of pixel and object-oriented techniques.

Topographic map analysis to determine Arjuno-Welirang volcanostratigraphy and implication for geothermal exploration

Science.gov (United States)

Apriani, Lestari; Satriana, Joshua; Aulian Chalik, Citra; Syahputra Mulyana, Reza; Hafidz, Muhammad; Suryantini

2017-12-01

Volcanostratigraphy study is used for supporting geothermal exploration on preliminary survey. This study is important to identify volcanic eruption center which shows potential area of geothermal heat source. The purpose of volcanostratigraphy study in research area is going to distinguish the characteristics of volcanic eruption product that construct the volcanic body. The analysis of Arjuno-Welirang volcanostratigraphy identification are based on topographic maps of Malang sheet with 1:100.000 scale, 1:50.000 scale, and a geological map. Regarding to the delineation of ridge and river, we determine five crowns, three hummocks, one brigade and one super brigade. The crowns consist of Ringgit, Welirang, Arjuno, Kawi, and Penanggungan, the hummocks comprise of Kembar III, Kembar II, and Kembar I, the brigade is Arjuno-Welirang, and the super brigade is Tengger. Based on topographic map interpretation and geothermal prospect evaluation method analysis, shows that Arjuno-Welirang prospect area have good geothermal resource potential.

Topographic gradient based site characterization in India complemented by strong ground-motion spectral attributes

KAUST Repository

Nath, Sankar Kumar; Thingbaijam, Kiran Kumar; Adhikari, M. D.; Nayak, Avinash; Devaraj, N.; Ghosh, Soumalya K.; Mahajan, Arun K.

2013-01-01

We appraise topographic-gradient approach for site classification that employs correlations between 30. m column averaged shear-wave velocity and topographic gradients. Assessments based on site classifications reported from cities across India indicate that the approach is reasonably viable at regional level. Additionally, we experiment three techniques for site classification based on strong ground-motion recordings, namely Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), Response Spectra Shape (RSS), and Horizontal-to-Vertical Response Spectral Ratio (HVRSR) at the strong motion stations located across the Himalayas and northeast India. Statistical tests on the results indicate that these three techniques broadly differentiate soil and rock sites while RSS and HVRSR yield better signatures. The results also support the implemented site classification in the light of strong ground-motion spectral attributes observed in different parts of the globe. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Topographic gradient based site characterization in India complemented by strong ground-motion spectral attributes

KAUST Repository

Nath, Sankar Kumar

2013-12-01

We appraise topographic-gradient approach for site classification that employs correlations between 30. m column averaged shear-wave velocity and topographic gradients. Assessments based on site classifications reported from cities across India indicate that the approach is reasonably viable at regional level. Additionally, we experiment three techniques for site classification based on strong ground-motion recordings, namely Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR), Response Spectra Shape (RSS), and Horizontal-to-Vertical Response Spectral Ratio (HVRSR) at the strong motion stations located across the Himalayas and northeast India. Statistical tests on the results indicate that these three techniques broadly differentiate soil and rock sites while RSS and HVRSR yield better signatures. The results also support the implemented site classification in the light of strong ground-motion spectral attributes observed in different parts of the globe. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

UAV photogrammetry for topographic monitoring of coastal areas

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves, J. A.; Henriques, R.

2015-06-01

Coastal areas suffer degradation due to the action of the sea and other natural and human-induced causes. Topographical changes in beaches and sand dunes need to be assessed, both after severe events and on a regular basis, to build models that can predict the evolution of these natural environments. This is an important application for airborne LIDAR, and conventional photogrammetry is also being used for regular monitoring programs of sensitive coastal areas. This paper analyses the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to map and monitor sand dunes and beaches. A very light plane (SwingletCam) equipped with a very cheap, non-metric camera was used to acquire images with ground resolutions better than 5 cm. The Agisoft Photoscan software was used to orientate the images, extract point clouds, build a digital surface model and produce orthoimage mosaics. The processing, which includes automatic aerial triangulation with camera calibration and subsequent model generation, was mostly automated. To achieve the best positional accuracy for the whole process, signalised ground control points were surveyed with a differential GPS receiver. Two very sensitive test areas on the Portuguese northwest coast were analysed. Detailed DSMs were obtained with 10 cm grid spacing and vertical accuracy (RMS) ranging from 3.5 to 5.0 cm, which is very similar to the image ground resolution (3.2-4.5 cm). Where possible to assess, the planimetric accuracy of the orthoimage mosaics was found to be subpixel. Within the regular coastal monitoring programme being carried out in the region, UAVs can replace many of the conventional flights, with considerable gains in the cost of the data acquisition and without any loss in the quality of topographic and aerial imagery data.

Effects of light intensity on components and topographical structures of extracellular polysaccharides from the cyanobacteria Nostoc sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Ge, Hongmei; Xia, Ling; Zhou, Xuping; Zhang, Delu; Hu, Chunxiang

2014-02-01

A study on the effects of light intensity (40 and 80 μE/m(2)/sec) on the components and topographical structures of extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) was carried out in cyanobacteria Nostoc sp.. EPS yield increased with light intensity. However, light intensity did not significantly affect the EPS fractions and monosaccharide composition. Higher light intensity generally resulted in higher protein content of EPS in similar fractions. The topographical structure of EPS, investigated by atomic force microscopy, appeared as spherical lumps, chains and networks. The long chains were observed at higher light intensity. Thus, light intensity affected the yield and nature of EPS.

The daylight saving time in Mexico; El cambio de horario durante la epoca del verano en Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Covarrubias Ramos, Rogelio [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1996-12-31

The daylight saving time in Mexico for energy saving is analyzed; such a change is made forwarding the clocks one hour in all Mexico the first Sunday of April and backing them an hour the last Sunday of October. Mention is made the reasons why Mexico adopted this measure, the social-economic impact that brings along and the benefits of this daylight saving time. The case of countries that also apply this measure is analyzed. It is expected that this measure attains benefits for the society either collectively or individually through the ecology and the economy. [Espanol] Se analiza el cambio de horario en la epoca de verano en Mexico para ahorrar energia; dicho cambio se realiza al adelantar una hora al reloj en todo el territorio de Mexico el primer domingo de abril y retrazarlo una hora el ultimo domingo de octubre. Se mencionan las razones por las cuales Mexico adopto esta medida, el impacto socio-economico que traera consigo y los beneficios del cambio de horario. Se aborda la situacion de los paises que tambien aplican esta medida. Se espera que esta medida logre beneficios para la sociedad, ya sea en modo colectivo o individual, para la ecologia y para la economia.

The daylight saving time in Mexico; El cambio de horario durante la epoca del verano en Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Covarrubias Ramos, Rogelio [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1997-12-31

The daylight saving time in Mexico for energy saving is analyzed; such a change is made forwarding the clocks one hour in all Mexico the first Sunday of April and backing them an hour the last Sunday of October. Mention is made the reasons why Mexico adopted this measure, the social-economic impact that brings along and the benefits of this daylight saving time. The case of countries that also apply this measure is analyzed. It is expected that this measure attains benefits for the society either collectively or individually through the ecology and the economy. [Espanol] Se analiza el cambio de horario en la epoca de verano en Mexico para ahorrar energia; dicho cambio se realiza al adelantar una hora al reloj en todo el territorio de Mexico el primer domingo de abril y retrazarlo una hora el ultimo domingo de octubre. Se mencionan las razones por las cuales Mexico adopto esta medida, el impacto socio-economico que traera consigo y los beneficios del cambio de horario. Se aborda la situacion de los paises que tambien aplican esta medida. Se espera que esta medida logre beneficios para la sociedad, ya sea en modo colectivo o individual, para la ecologia y para la economia.

Working without a Union in New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Adele, Niame; Rack, Christine

2008-01-01

In this article, the authors provide a description of the academic climate in New Mexico. Like many other places in the world today, New Mexico is trying to find an identity in an environment that the authors label "increasingly privatized, corporatized, and militarized." New Mexico's higher education salaries are lower than those in…

[Specific features of surgical anatomy of the subhyoid region with special reference to tracheostomy].

Science.gov (United States)

Chernykh, A V; Mashkova, T A; Nerovnyĭ, A I; Maleev, Iu V

2010-01-01

Peculiarities of thyroid gland linear dimensions, volume, shape, and topographical features were investigated using the morphological material obtained from 426 human corpses of either gender with a view to using this information for planning and performing tracheostomy in residents of the Central Chernozem region, Russia. The study yielded new data on surgical anatomy of additional muscles of the subhyoid region, thyroid isthmus and pyramidal lobe. Rare and previously unknown variants of anatomical structure of the anterior cervical area are described that may play the role of risk factors of postoperative complications of tracheostomy. Relevant recommendations are provided for practicing otorhinolaryngologists.

A 1.4-Billion Pixel Map of the Seafloor: BOEM's Mission to Visualize Dynamic Geology and Identify Natural Seep Sites in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, K.; Shedd, W. W.

2017-12-01

In May, 2017, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a high-resolution seafloor map of the northern Gulf of Mexico region. The new map, derived from 3-D seismic surveys, provides the scientific community with enhanced resolution and reveals previously undiscovered and poorly resolved geologic features of the continental slope, salt minibasin province, abyssal plain, Mississippi Fan, and the Florida Shelf and Escarpment. It becomes an even more powerful scientific tool when paired with BOEM's public database of 35,000 seafloor features, identifying natural hydrocarbon seeps, hard grounds, mud volcanoes, sediment flows, pockmarks, slumps, and many others. BOEM has mapped the Gulf of Mexico seafloor since 1998 in a regulatory mission to identify natural oil and gas seeps and protect the coral and chemosynthetic communities growing at those sites. The nineteen-year mapping effort, still ongoing, resulted in the creation of the 1.4-billion pixel map and the seafloor features database. With these tools and continual collaboration with academia, professional scientific institutions, and the offshore energy industry, BOEM will continue to incorporate new data to update and expand these two resources on a regular basis. They can be downloaded for free from BOEM's website at https://www.boem.gov/Gulf-of-Mexico-Deepwater-Bathymetry/ and https://www.boem.gov/Seismic-Water-Bottom-Anomalies-Map-Gallery/.

Large Scale Topographic Maps Generalisation and Visualization Based on New Methodology

OpenAIRE

Dinar, Ilma; Ključanin, Slobodanka; Poslončec-Petrić, Vesna

2015-01-01

Integrating spatial data from different sources results in visualization which is the last step in the process of digital basic topographic maps creation. Sources used for visualization are existing real estate cadastre database orthophoto plans and digital terrain models. Analogue cadastre plans were scanned and georeferenced according to existing regulations and used for toponyms. Visualization of topologically inspected geometric primitives was performed based on the ''Collection of cartog...

DIGITAL PRESERVATION OF ANCIENT MAYA CAVE ARCHITECTURE: RECENT FIELD EFFORTS IN QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Rissolo

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The presence of ancient Maya shrines in caves serves as unequivocal evidence for the ritual appropriation of these subterranean spaces and their significance with respect to Maya religious practice. Detailed study of the miniature masonry temples and altar features in the caves of Quintana Roo, Mexico reveals a strong stylistic and likely functional correspondence between these structures and their terrestrial counterparts at Postclassic sites. The Proyecto Arquitectura Subterranea de Quintana Roo (coordinated by the Center of Interdisciplinary Science for Art, Architecture, and Archaeology, or CISA3, at the University of California, San Diego and in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia in Mexico is conducting a survey and program of digital documentation of both the pristine and impacted cave shrines of the region. Once an area is developed and populated, and access is opened to caves containing ancient architectural features, they are soon vandalized – often resulting in the complete obliteration of these rare miniature buildings and their diagnostic architectural elements. This emergent situation necessitates the use of rapid reality-capture tools; however, the physical challenges of working in caves requires researchers of adapt increasingly common architectural documentation methodologies to more adverse field conditions.

Comparative Molecular and Morphological Variation Analysis of Siderastrea (Anthozoa, Scleractinia) Reveals the Presence of Siderastrea stellata in the Gulf of Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

García, Norberto A Colín; Campos, Jorge E; Musi, José L Tello; Forsman, Zac H; Muñoz, Jorge L Montero; Reyes, Alejandro Monsalvo; González, Jesús E Arias

2017-02-01

The genus Siderastrea exhibits high levels of morphological variability. Some of its species share similar morphological characteristics with congeners, making their identification difficult. Siderastrea stellata has been reported as an intermediary of S. siderea and S. radians in the Brazilian reef ecosystem. In an earlier study conducted in Mexico, we detected Siderastrea colonies with morphological features that were not consistent with some siderastreid species previously reported in the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, we performed a combined morphological and molecular analysis to identify Siderastrea species boundaries from the Gulf of Mexico. Some colonies presented high morphologic variability, with characteristics that corresponded to Siderastrea stellata. Molecular analysis, using the nuclear ITS and ITS2 region, corroborated the morphological results, revealing low genetic variability between S. radians and S. stellata. Since the ITS sequences did not distinguish between Siderastrea species, we used the ITS2 region to differentiate S. stellata from S. radians. This is the first report of Siderastrea stellata and its variability in the Gulf of Mexico that is supported by morphological and molecular analyses.

Topographical Anisotropy and Wetting of Ground Stainless Steel Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cornelia Bellmann

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Microscopic and physico-chemical methods were used for a comprehensive surface characterization of different mechanically modified stainless steel surfaces. The surfaces were analyzed using high-resolution confocal microscopy, resulting in detailed information about the topographic properties. In addition, static water contact angle measurements were carried out to characterize the surface heterogeneity of the samples. The effect of morphological anisotropy on water contact angle anisotropy was investigated. The correlation between topography and wetting was studied by means of a model of wetting proposed in the present work, that allows quantifying the air volume of the interface water drop-stainless steel surface.

X-ray topographic method of investigation of phase objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levonyan, L.V.

2001-01-01

The intensity distribution of the monochromatized synchrotron radiation transmitting through the phase object and crystal-analyzer in Laue geometry is considered. It is shown that the local angular deviation of the incident radiation caused by the refraction on structural inhomogeneities of the object under investigation is directly transferred to the X-ray topographic image. In the absence of the phase object the latter consists of parallel straight fringes with a slowly decreasing period. The presence of the phase object changes the shape and period of fringes. The influence of the spatial and temporal coherence on the image is discussed. 5 refs

Topographic change detection at select archeological sites in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, 2007–2010

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Brian D.; Corbett, Skye C.; Fairley, Helen C.; Minasian, Diane L.; Kayen, Robert; Dealy, Timothy P.; Bedford, David R.

2012-01-01

Human occupation in Grand Canyon, Arizona, dates from at least 11,000 years before present to the modern era. For most of this period, the only evidence of human occupation in this iconic landscape is provided by archeological sites. Because of the dynamic nature of this environment, many archeological sites are subject to relatively rapid topographic change. Quantifying the extent, magnitude, and cause of such change is important for monitoring and managing these archeological sites. Such quantification is necessary to help inform the continuing debate on whether and how controlled releases from Glen Canyon Dam, located immediately upstream of Grand Canyon National Park, are affecting site erosion rates, artifact transport, and archeological resource preservation along the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Although long-term topographic change resulting from a variety of natural processes is inherent in the Grand Canyon region, continued erosion of archeological sites threatens both the archeological resources and our future ability to study evidence of past cultural habitation. Thus, this subject is of considerable interest to National Park Service managers and other stakeholders in the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program. Understanding the causes and effects of archeological site erosion requires a knowledge of several factors, including the location, timing, and magnitude of the changes occurring in relation to archeological resources, the rates of change, and the relative contribution of potential causes. These potential causes include sediment depletion associated with managed flows from Glen Canyon Dam, site-specific weather and overland flow patterns, visitor impacts, and long-term regional climate change. To obtain this information, highly accurate, spatially specific data are needed from sites undergoing change. Using terrestrial lidar techniques, and building upon three previous surveys of archeological sites performed in 2006 and 2007, we

Energy, environment and development in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lohmann, J.

1990-01-01

Mexico is a country at the crossroads. It has huge potentials in energy, in natural resources and in human resources. It is currently experiencing one of the most serious crises in its history - economic, ecological, political - and it is making efforts to overcome the problems behind these crises, which may affect us all because of Mexico's importance as energy producer and energy consumer. Mexico is one of the developing countries which has participated actively in finding solutions to the worlds environmental problems not least the problem of climatic changes as a result of increasing energy consumption. Mexico is seeing the consequences at local and national level, and is taking steps to change course. At the same time, it has also expressed interest in participating in international initiatives and cooperation to solve these problem. But Mexico finds itself in a situation not unlike that of many East European countries after the fall of the communist regimes. The old system is tumbling, the will to change is present, but there is a lack of resources. 123 refs., 45 tabs

Occupational health in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Carreón, Tania; Santos-Burgoa, Carlos; Baron, Sherry; Hernández, Sendy

2002-01-01

The authors discuss the maquiladoras and child labor, and offer an overview of the history of occupational safety and health in Mexico that covers laws and regulations, social security, unions, and enforcement of legislation. The organization and structure of the various institutions responsible for occupational safety and health (OSH), as well as administrative procedures, are described. This article concludes with a list of the new challenges for OSH in Mexico.

Electric power and environment in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quintanilla, J.

1997-01-01

This volume is one of the three resulting volumes about the project named Document analysis and prospective organized by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) through it University Energy Program (PUE). It is a non-periodical publication collection of the variable content and extent that as a whole constitutes an information heritage and an original contribution about the energy problematic as International level as at the country context and the University activities. In this book the manners of producing electrical energy are discussed, so how satisfying the growing necessities of this energy in Mexico without contaminating environment and how doing rational and efficient use of energy. The content of each document of this book is however exclusive responsibility of authors, as in the information as in their told opinions. The following papers were presented: 1) Hydroelectricity, soils use and water management. 2) The electric generation in Mexico and its environmental impacts: Past, present and future. 3) The nucleo electricity and the radioactive materials management. 4) Exposure to electromagnetic fields and its association with leukemia in children. 5) The electric power in Mexico and the supportable development. 6) Potential of electric generation at great scale with eolic energy in Mexico. 7) Toward an electric generation scheme distributed with non-conventional energies. 8) Renewable sources of energy in Mexico at the Century 21. (Author)

LiDAR DTMs and anthropogenic feature extraction: testing the feasibility of geomorphometric parameters in floodplains

Science.gov (United States)

Sofia, G.; Tarolli, P.; Dalla Fontana, G.

2012-04-01

In floodplains, massive investments in land reclamation have always played an important role in the past for flood protection. In these contexts, human alteration is reflected by artificial features ('Anthropogenic features'), such as banks, levees or road scarps, that constantly increase and change, in response to the rapid growth of human populations. For these areas, various existing and emerging applications require up-to-date, accurate and sufficiently attributed digital data, but such information is usually lacking, especially when dealing with large-scale applications. More recently, National or Local Mapping Agencies, in Europe, are moving towards the generation of digital topographic information that conforms to reality and are highly reliable and up to date. LiDAR Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) covering large areas are readily available for public authorities, and there is a greater and more widespread interest in the application of such information by agencies responsible for land management for the development of automated methods aimed at solving geomorphological and hydrological problems. Automatic feature recognition based upon DTMs can offer, for large-scale applications, a quick and accurate method that can help in improving topographic databases, and that can overcome some of the problems associated with traditional, field-based, geomorphological mapping, such as restrictions on access, and constraints of time or costs. Although anthropogenic features as levees and road scarps are artificial structures that actually do not belong to what is usually defined as the bare ground surface, they are implicitly embedded in digital terrain models (DTMs). Automatic feature recognition based upon DTMs, therefore, can offer a quick and accurate method that does not require additional data, and that can help in improving flood defense asset information, flood modeling or other applications. In natural contexts, morphological indicators derived from high

Mesozoic Continental Sediment-dispersal Systems of Mexico Linked to Development of the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, T. F.; Molina-Garza, R. S.; Barboza-Gudiño, R.; Rogers, R. D.

2013-05-01

Major sediment dispersal systems on western Pangea evolved in concert with thermal uplift, rift and drift phases of the Gulf of Mexico Basin, and were influenced by development of a continental arc on Pangea's western margin. Existing literature and preliminary data from fieldwork, sandstone petrology and detrital zircon analysis reveal how major drainages in Mexico changed from Late Triassic through Late Jurassic time and offer predictions for the ultimate destinations of sand-rich detritus along the Gulf and paleo-Pacific margins. Late Triassic rivers drained away from and across the present site of the Gulf of Mexico, which was then the location of a major thermal dome, the Texas uplift of recent literature. These high-discharge rivers with relatively mature sediment composition fed a large-volume submarine fan system on the paleo-Pacific continental margin of Mexico. Predictably, detrital zircon age populations are diverse and record sources as far away as the Amazonian craton. This enormous fluvial system was cut off abruptly near the Triassic-Jurassic boundary by extensive reorganization of continental drainages. Early and Middle Jurassic drainage systems had local headwaters and deposited sediment in extensional basins associated with arc magmatism. Redbeds accumulated across northern and eastern Mexico and Chiapas in long, narrow basins whose locations and dimensions are recorded primarily by inverted antiformal massifs. The Jurassic continental successions overlie Upper Triassic strata and local subvolcanic plutons; they contain interbedded volcanic rocks and thus have been interpreted as part of the Nazas continental-margin arc. The detritus of these fluvial systems is volcanic-lithic; syndepositional grain ages are common in the detrital zircon populations, which are mixed with Oaxaquia-derived Permo-Triassic and Grenville age populations. By this time, interior Pangea no longer supplied sediment to the paleo-Pacific margin, possibly because the

Vertical structure, biomass and topographic association of deep-pelagic fishes in relation to a mid-ocean ridge system

Science.gov (United States)

Sutton, T. T.; Porteiro, F. M.; Heino, M.; Byrkjedal, I.; Langhelle, G.; Anderson, C. I. H.; Horne, J.; Søiland, H.; Falkenhaug, T.; Godø, O. R.; Bergstad, O. A.

2008-01-01

The assemblage structure and vertical distribution of deep-pelagic fishes relative to a mid-ocean ridge system are described from an acoustic and discrete-depth trawling survey conducted as part of the international Census of Marine Life field project MAR-ECO . The 36-station, zig-zag survey along the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR; Iceland to the Azores) covered the full depth range (0 to >3000 m), from the surface to near the bottom, using a combination of gear types to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the pelagic fauna. Abundance per volume of deep-pelagic fishes was highest in the epipelagic zone and within the benthic boundary layer (BBL; 0-200 m above the seafloor). Minimum fish abundance occurred at depths below 2300 m but above the BBL. Biomass per volume of deep-pelagic fishes over the MAR reached a maximum within the BBL, revealing a previously unknown topographic association of a bathypelagic fish assemblage with a mid-ocean ridge system. With the exception of the BBL, biomass per volume reached a water column maximum in the bathypelagic zone between 1500 and 2300 m. This stands in stark contrast to the general "open-ocean" paradigm that biomass decreases exponentially from the surface downwards. As much of the summit of the MAR extends into this depth layer, a likely explanation for this mid-water maximum is ridge association. Multivariate statistical analyses suggest that the dominant component of deep-pelagic fish biomass over the northern MAR was a wide-ranging bathypelagic assemblage that was remarkably consistent along the length of the ridge from Iceland to the Azores. Integrating these results with those of previous studies in oceanic ecosystems, there appears to be adequate evidence to conclude that special hydrodynamic and biotic features of mid-ocean ridge systems cause changes in the ecological structure of deep-pelagic fish assemblages relative to those at the same depths over abyssal plains. Lacking terrigenous input of

Topographic contribution of early visual cortex to short-term memory consolidation: a transcranial magnetic stimulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Ven, Vincent; Jacobs, Christianne; Sack, Alexander T

2012-01-04

The neural correlates for retention of visual information in visual short-term memory are considered separate from those of sensory encoding. However, recent findings suggest that sensory areas may play a role also in short-term memory. We investigated the functional relevance, spatial specificity, and temporal characteristics of human early visual cortex in the consolidation of capacity-limited topographic visual memory using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Topographically specific TMS pulses were delivered over lateralized occipital cortex at 100, 200, or 400 ms into the retention phase of a modified change detection task with low or high memory loads. For the high but not the low memory load, we found decreased memory performance for memory trials in the visual field contralateral, but not ipsilateral to the side of TMS, when pulses were delivered at 200 ms into the retention interval. A behavioral version of the TMS experiment, in which a distractor stimulus (memory mask) replaced the TMS pulses, further corroborated these findings. Our findings suggest that retinotopic visual cortex contributes to the short-term consolidation of topographic visual memory during early stages of the retention of visual information. Further, TMS-induced interference decreased the strength (amplitude) of the memory representation, which most strongly affected the high memory load trials.

New Mexico Museums and Cultural Centers

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This dataset provides an initial version of the locations of museums and cultural centers in New Mexico, in point form, with limited attributes, compiled using...

[Clinical and pathological features of breast cancer in a population of Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Maffuz-Aziz, Antonio; Labastida-Almendaro, Sonia; Espejo-Fonseca, Aura; Rodríguez-Cuevas, Sergio

Breast cancer is the most common among women in our country, and its treatment is based on prognostic factors to categorize patients into different risk groups. In this study, the clinical and pathological features that play a role as a prognostic factor in a representative population with breast cancer in México are described. A descriptive analysis of the clinical and pathological features of women diagnosed with breast cancer, in a period from June 2005 to May 2014; registered in a database and calculated by simple frequencies. A total of 4,411 patients were included, the average age at diagnosis was 53 years, 19.7% were diagnosed by mammography screening program and 80.3% derived from any signs or symptoms. Regarding the stages at diagnosis, 6.8% were carcinoma in situ, 36% at early stages (I and IIA), 45% locally advanced (IIB to IIIC), 7.7% metastatic and 3.9% unclassifiable. A 79% were ductal histology, lobular 7.8% and the rest, other types. Of ductal carcinomas, 9.1% were grade I, 54.1% grade II, and 34.6% grade III. Regarding the biological subtypes, 65.7% were luminal, 10.9% luminal Her positive, 8.7% pure Her 2 positive and 14.6% triple negative. In the present study, we described the clinical and pathologic features of a group of Mexican women with breast cancer that might reflect a national landscape, and represent the prognostic factors to determine groups of risk and treatment decisions. Copyright © 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Is there an optimal topographical surface in nano-scale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors? Part II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Huajie, E-mail: wanghuajie972001@163.com; Sun Yuanyuan; Cao Ying, E-mail: caoying1130@sina.com; Wang Kui; Yang Lin [Henan Normal University, College of Chemistry and Environmental Science (China); Zhang Yidong; Zheng Zhi [Xuchang University, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials (China)

2012-05-15

Although nano-structured surfaces exhibit superior biological activities to the smooth or micro-structured surfaces, whether there is an optimal topographical surface in nano-scale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors is still controversial. In this study, porous aluminum oxide membranes with different pore sizes ranging from 25 to 120 nm were prepared by the anodic oxidation technique. The surface morphology, topography and wettability were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope and water contact angle measurement, respectively. The results indicated that the synergistic action of the nano-topography structure and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties resulted in a highest protein adsorption on the aluminum oxide membrane with 80 nm pore size. Additionally, the morphological, metabolic and cell counting methods showed that cells had different sensitivity to porous aluminum oxide membranes with different surface features. Furthermore, this sensitivity was cell type dependent. The optimal pore size of aluminum oxide membranes for cell growth was 80 nm for PC12 cells and 50 nm for NIH 3T3 cells.

Digital Geologic Map of New Mexico - Volcanic Vents

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — The geologic map was created in GSMAP at Socorro, New Mexico by Orin Anderson and Glen Jones and published as the Geologic Map of New Mexico 1:500,000 in GSMAP...

Effects of topographic position and geology on shaking damage to residential wood-framed structures during the 2003 San Simeon earthquake, western San Luis obispo county, California

Science.gov (United States)

McCrink, T.P.; Wills, C.J.; Real, C.R.; Manson, M.W.

2010-01-01

A statistical evaluation of shaking damage to wood-framed houses caused by the 2003 M6.5 San Simeon earthquake indicates that both the rate and severity of damage, independent of structure type, are significantly greater on hilltops compared to hill slopes when underlain by Cretaceous or Tertiary sedimentary rocks. This increase in damage is interpreted to be the result of topographic amplification. An increase in the damage rate is found for all structures built on Plio-Pleistocene rocks independent of topographic position, and this is interpreted to be the result of amplified shaking caused by geologic site response. Damage rate and severity to houses built on Tertiary rocks suggest that amplification due to both topographic position and geologic site response may be occurring in these rocks, but effects from other topographic parameters cannot be ruled out. For all geologic and topographic conditions, houses with raised foundations are more frequently damaged than those with slab foundations. However, the severity of damage to houses on raised foundations is only significantly greater for those on hill slopes underlain by Tertiary rocks. Structures with some damage-resistant characteristics experienced greater damage severity on hilltops, suggesting a spectral response to topographic amplification. ?? 2010, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

RELIEVE: A FORTRAN 77 program for numerical and graphical processing of digital topographic maps

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez, J.J.; Gorostiza, C.

1995-01-01

The RELIEVE program was developed in order to its integration with the expert system SIRENAS, in the frame of the Industrial Risks Programme, within the CIEMAT center. For accomplishing this mentioned system, arose the necessity of an additional component enabled for analyzing the topography (relieve) of the territory in which the focused site is located. That is just the mission of the RELIEVE program. Basically RELIEVE analyses the digitalized data points of a determinate topographic area, around a location of interest. The program allows us estimation by numerical techniques, using IMSL library, of the deep width, and other geometrical characteristics of the valley that is involved in. Optionally RELIEVE produces also graphical outputs concerning 3D representation of topographical map, level curves, sections of interest considered in the valley, etc., by means of the DISSPLA II library, running in the IBM system of the CIEMAT. (Author) 5 refs

ISO 19157 standard application in technological process of the production of digital topographic maps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Drobnjak Siniša M.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Standardization in the field of geographical information related to the definition of the system of collection, preparation, storage, maintenance, presentation and sharing of geographic information. Quality information of available spatial data are vital in the process of selecting a dataset where data value is directly related to its quality. Users of spatial data can choose data from multiple datasets. Therefore. It is necessary to compare the quality of datasets and determine which best meet customer requirements. Digital topographic maps for its visuality, brevity and easy of use have a big advantage over other spatial datasets and is therefore fully justified request for the development of the system of determining, evaluating and impart their quality. The main objective of this paper is to describe the possibilities of application of ISO 19157 'Geographic information - Data quality' standard in technological process of the production of digital topographic maps.

Nitrate and Moisture Content of Broad Permafrost Landscape Features in the Barrow Peninsula: Predicting Evolving NO3 Concentrations in a Changing Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Arendt, C. A.; Heikoop, J. M.; Newman, B. D.; Wales, N. A.; McCaully, R. E.; Wilson, C. J.; Wullschleger, S.

2017-12-01

The geochemical evolution of Arctic regions as permafrost degrades, significantly impacts nutrient availability. The release of nitrogen compounds from permafrost degradation fertilizes both microbial decomposition and plant productivity. Arctic warming promotes permafrost degradation, causing geomorphic and hydrologic transitions that have the potential to convert saturated zones to unsaturated zones and subsequently alter the nitrate production capacity of permafrost regions. Changes in Nitrate (NO3-) content associated with shifting moisture regimes are a primary factor determining Arctic fertilization and subsequent primary productivity, and have direct feedbacks to carbon cycling. We have documented a broad survey of co-located soil moisture and nitrate concentration measurements in shallow active layer regions across a variety of topographic features in the expansive continuous permafrost region encompassing the Barrow Peninsula of Alaska. Topographic features of interest are slightly higher relative to surrounding landscapes with drier soils and elevated nitrate, including the rims of low centered polygons, the centers of flat and high centered polygons, the rims of young, old and ancient drain thaw lake basins and drainage slopes that exist across the landscape. With this information, we model the nitrate inventory of the Barrow Peninsula using multiple geospatial approaches to estimate total area cover by unsaturated features of interest and further predict how various drying scenarios increase the magnitude of nitrate produced in degrading permafrost regions across the Arctic. This work is supported by the US Department of Energy Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment, NGEE-Arctic.

FCJ-169 Mapping Moving-Image Culture: Topographical Interface and YouTube

OpenAIRE

Stephen Monteiro

2014-01-01

This article considers cartographic and topographical aesthetics of digital interface and network navigation through the example of YouTube’s post-Cosmic Panda redesign, which visualizes the vastness of the site’s stored content while conveying contiguity and accessibility. Focussing on YouTube’s visual rhetoric of the screen-frame and thumbnails, this article explores affinities with the mosaic and grid, two visual forms historically significant to cartographic production and organization. B...

Topographic conditions and physical activity behaviour of young adults in Austria

OpenAIRE

Szabo, Barbara; Gollner, Erwin; Schnabel, Florian

2014-01-01

In Austria there is an east-west divide concerning the amount of physical activity that has been detected. This is associated with poorer health in the eastern region of Austria compared to the western. Experts think that differences in topographic conditions might be a reason for these differences. However this hypothesis until now has not been scientifically proven. This study incorporates a multi-staged approach. First, outdoor physical activity behaviour (levels of exercise, favourite act...

Influence of watershed topographic and socio-economic attributes on the climate sensitivity of global river water quality

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Afed U.; Jiang, Jiping; Wang, Peng; Zheng, Yi

2017-10-01

Surface waters exhibit regionalization due to various climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Here we assess the impact of topographic and socio-economic factors on the climate sensitivity of surface water quality, estimated using an elasticity approach (climate elasticity of water quality (CEWQ)), and identify potential risks of instability in different regions and climatic conditions. Large global datasets were used for 12 main water quality parameters from 43 water quality monitoring stations located at large major rivers. The results demonstrated that precipitation elasticity shows higher sensitivity to topographic and socio-economic determinants as compared to temperature elasticity. In tropical climate class (A), gross domestic product (GDP) played an important role in stabilizing the CEWQ. In temperate climate class (C), GDP played the same role in stability, while the runoff coefficient, slope, and population density fuelled the risk of instability. The results implied that watersheds with lower runoff coefficient, thick population density, over fertilization and manure application face a higher risk of instability. We discuss the socio-economic and topographic factors that cause instability of CEWQ parameters and conclude with some suggestions for watershed managers to bring sustainability in freshwater bodies.

Petrographic study and preliminary conceptual model of the Ixtlan de los Hervores geothermal zone, Michoacan, Mexico; Estudio petrografico y modelo conceptual preliminar de la zona geotermica de Ixtlan de los Hervores, Michoacan, Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viggiano-Guerra, Julio C; Gutierrez-Negrin, Luis C.A [Comision Federal de Electricidad (Mexico)

2007-10-15

Petrographic studies of cuttings from the shallow well Ixtlan 2, drilled in the Ixtlan de los Hervores geothermal zone, State of Michoacan, Mexico, at a maximum depth of 159 meters, together with results of previous exploration studies, allow to delineate a preliminary conceptual model of the probable geothermal system. It is formed by a wide-fracture zone system, with low topographic relief and shallow water level. Its hydrothermal fluids are of sodium-chloride type, neutral pH, silica oversaturated in the discharge and with temperatures between 125 and 225 degrees Celsius, based on the geothermometry and the hydrothermal mineral assemblage encountered in the well. The assemblage of laumontite + quartz + calcite + chlorite/smectite + pyrite is typical for the zeolitic facies, beneath of which it is possible to encounter the epidote-wairakite facies, with higher temperatures. The favorable conditions of the zone allow to recommend continuation of exploration in the same. [Spanish] El estudio petrografico de muestras de canal de la perforacion del pozo somero Ixtlan 2, con una profundidad maxima de 159 metros y ubicado en la zona geotermica de Ixtlan de Los Hervores, Michoacan, Mexico, aunado a los resultados de estudios previos de exploracion superficial, han permitido la configuracion de un modelo conceptual preliminar del probable yacimiento geotermico. Se trata de un sistema zona de fractura ancha, bajo relieve y nivel freatico somero, con fluidos hidrotermales de tipo clorurado-sodico, pH neutro, sobresaturados de silice en la descarga, y con temperatura entre 125 y 225 grados Celsius, de acuerdo con la geotermometria + cuarzo + calcita + clorita/esmectita + pirita es tipica de la facies zeolitica, debajo de la cual podria hallarse la facies de epidota-wairakita, con temperaturas mas altas. Las condiciones favorables de la zona permiten recomendar la continuacion de la exploracion en la misma.

Significant effect of topographic normalization of airborne LiDAR data on the retrieval of plant area index profile in mountainous forests

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jing; Skidmore, Andrew K.; Heurich, Marco; Wang, Tiejun

2017-10-01

As an important metric for describing vertical forest structure, the plant area index (PAI) profile is used for many applications including biomass estimation and wildlife habitat assessment. PAI profiles can be estimated with the vertically resolved gap fraction from airborne LiDAR data. Most research utilizes a height normalization algorithm to retrieve local or relative height by assuming the terrain to be flat. However, for many forests this assumption is not valid. In this research, the effect of topographic normalization of airborne LiDAR data on the retrieval of PAI profile was studied in a mountainous forest area in Germany. Results show that, although individual tree height may be retained after topographic normalization, the spatial arrangement of trees is changed. Specifically, topographic normalization vertically condenses and distorts the PAI profile, which consequently alters the distribution pattern of plant area density in space. This effect becomes more evident as the slope increases. Furthermore, topographic normalization may also undermine the complexity (i.e., canopy layer number and entropy) of the PAI profile. The decrease in PAI profile complexity is not solely determined by local topography, but is determined by the interaction between local topography and the spatial distribution of each tree. This research demonstrates that when calculating the PAI profile from airborne LiDAR data, local topography needs to be taken into account. We therefore suggest that for ecological applications, such as vertical forest structure analysis and modeling of biodiversity, topographic normalization should not be applied in non-flat areas when using LiDAR data.

13th New Mexico Analysis Seminar & Western Spring Sectional Meeting of the AMS

CERN Document Server

Marcantognini, Stefania; Stokolos, Alexander; Urbina, Wilfredo; Harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, complex analysis, Banach spaces, and operator theory : celebrating Cora Sadosky's life

2016-01-01

Covering a range of subjects from operator theory and classical harmonic analysis to Banach space theory, this book contains survey and expository articles by leading experts in their corresponding fields, and features fully-refereed, high-quality papers exploring new results and trends in spectral theory, mathematical physics, geometric function theory, and partial differential equations. Graduate students and researchers in analysis will find inspiration in the articles collected in this volume, which emphasize the remarkable connections between harmonic analysis and operator theory. Another shared research interest of the contributors of this volume lies in the area of applied harmonic analysis, where a new notion called chromatic derivatives has recently been introduced in communication engineering. The material for this volume is based on the 13th New Mexico Analysis Seminar held at the University of New Mexico, April 3-4, 2014 and on several special sections of the Western Spring Sectional Meeting at th...

NAFTA and Mexico's Tax Policy Reform

OpenAIRE

Jorge Martinez-Vazquez; Duanje Chen

2001-01-01

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has had a significant effect on Mexico’s economy and institutions. The ongoing consideration of tax reform in Mexico requires an evaluation of the role of NAFTA in Mexico’s economy, including its tax structure; it also requires an assessment of the impact of the Mexico’s tax system on the trade and capital flows between Mexico and its NAFTA partners, the United States and Canada. Clearly, no good tax reform in Mexico can ignore the role of NAFTA...

Using High-Resolution Satellite Aerosol Optical Depth To Estimate Daily PM2.5 Geographical Distribution in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Just, Allan C; Wright, Robert O; Schwartz, Joel; Coull, Brent A; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Tellez-Rojo, Martha María; Moody, Emily; Wang, Yujie; Lyapustin, Alexei; Kloog, Itai

2015-07-21

Recent advances in estimating fine particle (PM2.5) ambient concentrations use daily satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) for spatially and temporally resolved exposure estimates. Mexico City is a dense megacity that differs from other previously modeled regions in several ways: it has bright land surfaces, a distinctive climatological cycle, and an elevated semi-enclosed air basin with a unique planetary boundary layer dynamic. We extend our previous satellite methodology to the Mexico City area, a region with higher PM2.5 than most U.S. and European urban areas. Using a novel 1 km resolution AOD product from the MODIS instrument, we constructed daily predictions across the greater Mexico City area for 2004-2014. We calibrated the association of AOD to PM2.5 daily using municipal ground monitors, land use, and meteorological features. Predictions used spatial and temporal smoothing to estimate AOD when satellite data were missing. Our model performed well, resulting in an out-of-sample cross-validation R(2) of 0.724. Cross-validated root-mean-squared prediction error (RMSPE) of the model was 5.55 μg/m(3). This novel model reconstructs long- and short-term spatially resolved exposure to PM2.5 for epidemiological studies in Mexico City.

Characterization of the Boundary Layer Wind and Turbulence in the Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Pichugina, Y. L.; Banta, R. M.; Choukulkar, A.; Brewer, A.; Hardesty, R. M.; McCarty, B.; Marchbanks, R.

2014-12-01

A dataset of ship-borne Doppler lidar measurements taken in the Gulf of Mexico was analyzed to provide insight into marine boundary-layer (BL) features and wind-flow characteristics, as needed for offshore wind energy development. This dataset was obtained as part of the intensive Texas Air Quality Study in summer of 2006 (TexAQS06). During the project, the ship, the R/V Ronald H. Brown, cruised in tracks in the Gulf of Mexico along the Texas coast, in Galveston Bay, and in the Houston Ship Channel obtaining air chemistry and meteorological data, including vertical profile measurements of wind and temperature. The primary observing system used in this paper is NOAA/ESRL's High Resolution Doppler Lidar (HRDL), which features high-precision and high-resolution wind measurements and a motion compensation system to provide accurate wind data despite ship and wave motions. The boundary layer in this warm-water region was found to be weakly unstable typically to a depth of 300 m above the sea surface. HRDL data were analyzed to provide 15-min averaged profiles of wind flow properties (wind speed, direction, and turbulence) from the water surface up to 2.5 km at a vertical resolution of 15 m. The paper will present statistics and distributions of these parameters over a wide range of heights and under various atmospheric conditions. Detailed analysis of the BL features including LLJs, wind and directional ramps, and wind shear through the rotor level heights, along with examples of hub-height and equivalent wind will be presented. The paper will discuss the diurnal fluctuations of all quantities critical to wind energy and their variability along the Texas coast.

High-resolution AFM topographs of Rubrivivax gelatinosus light-harvesting complex LH2

Science.gov (United States)

Scheuring, Simon; Reiss-Husson, Francoise; Engel, Andreas; Rigaud, Jean-Louis; Ranck, Jean-Luc

2001-01-01

Light-harvesting complexes 2 (LH2) are the accessory antenna proteins in the bacterial photosynthetic apparatus and are built up of αβ-heterodimers containing three bacteriochlorophylls and one carotenoid each. We have used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate reconstituted LH2 from Rubrivivax gelatinosus, which has a C-terminal hydrophobic extension of 21 amino acids on the α-subunit. High-resolution topographs revealed a nonameric organization of the regularly packed cylindrical complexes incorporated into the membrane in both orientations. Native LH2 showed one surface which protruded by ∼6 Å and one that protruded by ∼14 Å from the membrane. Topographs of samples reconstituted with thermolysin-digested LH2 revealed a height reduction of the strongly protruding surface to ∼9 Å, and a change of its surface appearance. These results suggested that the α-subunit of R.gelatinosus comprises a single transmembrane helix and an extrinsic C-terminus, and allowed the periplasmic surface to be assigned. Occasionally, large rings (∼120 Å diameter) surrounded by LH2 rings were observed. Their diameter and appearance suggest the large rings to be LH1 complexes. PMID:11406579

HSIP Fire Stations in New Mexico

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — Fire Stations in New Mexico Any location where fire fighters are stationed or based out of, or where equipment that such personnel use in carrying out their jobs is...

Topographic brain mapping of emotion-related hemisphere asymmetries.

Science.gov (United States)

Roschmann, R; Wittling, W

1992-03-01

The study used topographic brain mapping of visual evoked potentials to investigate emotion-related hemisphere asymmetries. The stimulus material consisted of color photographs of human faces, grouped into two emotion-related categories: normal faces (neutral stimuli) and faces deformed by dermatological diseases (emotional stimuli). The pictures were presented tachistoscopically to 20 adult right-handed subjects. Brain activity was recorded by 30 EEG electrodes with linked ears as reference. The waveforms were averaged separately with respect to each of the two stimulus conditions. Statistical analysis by means of significance probability mapping revealed significant differences between stimulus conditions for two periods of time, indicating right hemisphere superiority in emotion-related processing. The results are discussed in terms of a 2-stage-model of emotional processing in the cerebral hemispheres.

Topographically supported customized ablation for the management of decentered laser in situ keratomileusis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kymionis, George D; Panagopoulou, Sophia I; Aslanides, Ioannis M; Plainis, Sotiris; Astyrakakis, Nikolaos; Pallikaris, Ioannis G

2004-05-01

To evaluate the efficacy, predictability, and safety of topographically supported customized ablations (TOSCAs) for decentered ablations following laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Prospective nonrandomized clinical trial. Nine patients (11 eyes) with LASIK-induced decentered ablations underwent TOSCA following flap lifting. Topographically supported customized ablation was performed using a corneal topographer to obtain a customized ablation profile, combined with a flying spot laser. Mean follow-up was 9.22 +/- 2.82 months (range 6-12 months). No intra- or postoperative complications were observed. Manifest refraction (spherical equivalent) did not change significantly (pre-TOSCA: -0.14 +/- 1.58 diopters [range, -1.75 to +3.00 diopters] to +0.46 +/- 1.02 diopters [range, -1.00 to +1.75 diopters]; P =.76), whereas there was a statistically significant reduction in the refractive astigmatism (pre-TOSCA: -1.55 +/- 0.60 diopters [range, -3.00 to -0.75 diopters] to -0.70 +/- 0.56 diopters [range, -2.00 to -0.25 diopters]; P =.003). Mean uncorrected visual acuity improved significantly (P <.001) from 0.45 +/- 0.16 (range, 0.2-0.7) to 0.76 +/- 0.29 (range, 0.2-1.2) at last follow-up. Mean best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.74 +/- 0.22 (range, 0.4-1.0) to 0.95 +/- 0.20 (range, 0.6-1.2; P =.002). Eccentricity showed a statistically significant reduction after TOSCA treatment (pre-TOSCA: 1.59 +/- 0.46 mm [range, 0.88-2.23 mm]; post-TOSCA: 0.29 +/- 0.09 mm [range, 0.18-0.44 mm]; P <.001). In our small sample, enhancement LASIK procedures with TOSCA appear to improve uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity as well as eccentricity in patients with LASIK-induced decentered ablation.

Topographic Evolution of the Sierra Nevada Resolved by Inversion of Low-Temperature Thermochronology

Science.gov (United States)

McPhillips, D. F.; Brandon, M. T.

2011-12-01

At present, there are two competing ideas for the topographic evolution of the Sierra Nevada Range. One idea is that the Sierra Nevada was formed as a monocline in the Cretaceous, marking the transition from the Great Valley forearc basin to the west, and a high Nevadaplano plateau to the east, similar to the west flank of the modern Altiplano of the Andes. Both the thermochronologic signature of local relief and the stable isotopic evidence of a topographic rain shadow support this hypothesis. However, a suite of geomorphic observations suggests that the Sierra gained a large fraction of its present elevation as recently as the Pliocene. This recent surface uplift could have been driven by convective removal of in the lower part of the lithosphere and/or by changes in dynamic topography associated with deep subduction of the Farallon plate. Here we present the first comprehensive analysis of low-temperature thermochronology in the Sierra Nevada, which provides a definitive solution, which indicates that both ideas are likely correct. Our analysis is distinguished by three new factors: The first is that we allow for separate evolutions for the local relief and the long-wavelength topography. Second, we use Al-in-Hb paleobarometry to constrain the initial depth of emplacement for the Sierra Nevada plutons. Third, our analysis is tied to a sea-level reference by using the paleo-bathymetric record of the Great Valley basin, where it on-laps the Sierra Nevada batholith. According to our analysis, westward tilting of the Sierra accounts for 2 km of uplift since 20 Ma. Topographic relief increased by a factor of 2. These findings suggest that the Sierra Nevada lost elevation through most of the Tertiary but regained much of its initial elevation following the onset of surface uplift in the Miocene.

Validation of the actuator disc and actuator line techniques for yawed rotor flows using the New Mexico experimental data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breton, S. P.; Shen, Wen Zhong; Ivanell, S.

2017-01-01

Experimental data acquired in the New Mexico experiment on a yawed 4.5m diameter rotor model turbine are used here to validate the actuator line (AL) and actuator disc (AD) models implemented in the Large Eddy Simulation code EllipSys3D in terms of loading and velocity field. Even without modelling...... the AD model can reproduce the averaged features of the flow. The importance of using high quality airfoil data (including 3D corrections) as well as a fine grid resolution is highlighted by the results obtained. Overall, it is found that both models can satisfactorily predict the 3D velocity field...... and blade loading of the New Mexico rotor under yawed inflow....

New Mexico Higher Education Department Annual Report, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2016

2016-01-01

The New Mexico Higher Education Department strives to bring leadership, guidance, and assistance to New Mexico's higher education stakeholders. The HED is committed to promoting best practices, institutional fiscal responsibility, and student achievement. Everything the agency does is through the lens of supporting New Mexico's higher education…

Motivation Factors for Female Entrepreneurship in Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Cantú Cavada

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of this paper is to analyse motivation factors for female entrepreneurship in Mexico. In the proposed article, the authors discuss the factors which compelled women to start their enterprises in Mexico. Research Design & Methods: Based on in-depth interviews with female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship experts, the authors show which factors motivated women to start their own business in Mexico. Findings: The study proves that women in Mexico are motivated by a combination of push and pull factors, where the majority of the factors are pull factors. The findings of the study help to conclude that female entrepreneurship development is influenced by different factors including the entrepreneurs’ personal traits, social and economic factors. Due to their conservative traditional attitude, risk adverse tendency, and non-cooperation of family members, etc. women entrepreneurs are sometimes deterred to start a business in Mexico. Implications & Recommendations: It is necessary to raise the awareness of different factors that promote female entrepreneurship in Mexico. Governmental programmes which support female entrepreneurship, business incubators, and networking could be very helpful for women when starting their own business. Contribution & Value Added: The originality of this work lies in studying motivational factors for female entrepreneurship in Mexico. The Mexican society faces a big revolution towards female entrepreneurship. Based on the change of family structure and traditions, women nowadays are having more opportunities to develop as entrepreneurs.

Doing Business in Mexico

OpenAIRE

Zimmermann, Thomas A.

2002-01-01

On 1 July 2001, a far-reaching free trade agreement between the EFTA States and Mexico entered into force. ”Doing Business in Mexico” provides targeted assistance to Swiss Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SME) that wish to tap the potential of Mexico as both an export destination and investment location. This comprehensive guide contains information and advice on market research, market entry, and investment in this fascinating country. Part I introduces the reader to this fascinating ...

New Mexico HUC-8 Boundaries - 2013

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set is a complete digital hydrologic unit boundary layer to the Subbasin (8-digit) 8th level for the State of New Mexico. This data set consists of...

New Mexico HUC-10 Boundaries - 2013

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set is a complete digital hydrologic unit boundary layer to the watershed (10-digit) 10th level for the State of New Mexico. This data set consists of...

Interpretation of fingerprint image quality features extracted by self-organizing maps

Science.gov (United States)

Danov, Ivan; Olsen, Martin A.; Busch, Christoph

2014-05-01

Accurate prediction of fingerprint quality is of significant importance to any fingerprint-based biometric system. Ensuring high quality samples for both probe and reference can substantially improve the system's performance by lowering false non-matches, thus allowing finer adjustment of the decision threshold of the biometric system. Furthermore, the increasing usage of biometrics in mobile contexts demands development of lightweight methods for operational environment. A novel two-tier computationally efficient approach was recently proposed based on modelling block-wise fingerprint image data using Self-Organizing Map (SOM) to extract specific ridge pattern features, which are then used as an input to a Random Forests (RF) classifier trained to predict the quality score of a propagated sample. This paper conducts an investigative comparative analysis on a publicly available dataset for the improvement of the two-tier approach by proposing additionally three feature interpretation methods, based respectively on SOM, Generative Topographic Mapping and RF. The analysis shows that two of the proposed methods produce promising results on the given dataset.

A New Lunar Topographic Map of the Moon by KAGUYA-LALT: The First Precise Topography of the Polar Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Araki, H.; Ishihara, Y.; Noda, H.; Goossens, S.; Tazawa, S.; Kawano, N.; Sasaki, S.; Oberst, J.

2008-12-01

The Japanese lunar explorer KAGUYA (SELENE) was launched successfully on September 14th, 2007. A laser altimeter (LALT) is on board the main orbiter of KAGUYA. The objectives of LALT are (1) determination of lunar global figure, (2) studies in internal structure and surface processes, (3) exploration of the lunar pole regions, and (4) reduction of lunar occultation data. LALT transmits laser pulses whose time width is about 20 nano-seconds and pulse interval is 1 second. Range accuracy is up to 5m. The range data are transformed to the topography of the moon with the aid of position and attitude data of the main orbiter. From the end of December 2007, LALT started continuous operation and a global topography map with unprecedented resolution was produced. Lunar mean radius is estimated as 1737.15±0.01 km and the COM-COF offset is 1.94 km based on the spherical harmonic model STM359_grid-02 derived from LALT topography. The amplitude of the power spectrum of STM359_grid-02 is larger than that of the previous model at L>30 degrees, which may reflect the process of basin formation and/or crustal evolution. In the polar regions where previous CLEMENTINE altimeter did not cover, many topographic features that were difficult to see on the imagery from spacecraft or ground based radar are discovered. The sunlit rate in the lunar polar regions is estimated by using the polar topographic map made from LALT topography. We found that i) the highest sunlit rate is 93~96 % in both polar regions and ii) the eternal shadow area is smaller than previous estimations. These results will be of great use for the planning of the lunar polar exploration in near future.

Estimation of potential runoff-contributing areas in Kansas using topographic and soil information

Science.gov (United States)

Juracek, Kyle E.

1999-01-01

Digital topographic and soil information was used to estimate potential runoff-contributing areas throughout Kansas. The results then were used to compare 91 selected subbasins representing soil, slope, and runoff variability. Potential runoff-contributing areas were estimated collectively for the processes of infiltration-excess and saturation-excess overland flow using a set of environmental conditions that represented very high, high, moderate, low, very low, and extremely low potential runoff. For infiltration-excess overland flow, various rainfall-intensity and soil-permeability values were used. For saturation-excess overland flow, antecedent soil-moisture conditions and a topographic wetness index were used. Results indicated that very low potential-runoff conditions provided the best ability to distinguish the 91 selected subbasins as having relatively high or low potential runoff. The majority of the subbasins with relatively high potential runoff are located in the eastern half of the State where soil permeability generally is less and precipitation typically is greater. The ability to distinguish the subbasins as having relatively high or low potential runoff was possible mostly due to the variability of soil permeability across the State.

Topographic data acquisition in tsunami-prone coastal area using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Science.gov (United States)

Marfai, M. A.; Sunarto; Khakim, N.; Cahyadi, A.; Rosaji, F. S. C.; Fatchurohman, H.; Wibowo, Y. A.

2018-04-01

The southern coastal area of Java Island is one of the nine seismic gaps prone to tsunamis. The entire coastline in one of the regencies, Gunungkidul, is exposed to the subduction zone in the Indian Ocean. Also, the growing tourism industries in the regency increase its vulnerability, which places most of its areas at high risk of tsunamis. The same case applies to Kukup, i.e., one of the most well-known beaches in Gunungkidul. Structurally shaped cliffs that surround it experience intensive wave erosion process, but it has very minimum access for evacuation routes. Since tsunami modeling is a very advanced analysis, it requires an accurate topographic data. Therefore, the research aimed to generate the topographic data of Kukup Beach as the baseline in tsunami risk reduction analysis and disaster management. It used aerial photograph data, which was acquired using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The results showed that the aerial photographs captured by drone had accurate elevation and spatial resolution. Therefore, they are applicable for tsunami modeling and disaster management.

The Baselines Project: Establishing Reference Environmental Conditions for Marine Habitats in the Gulf of Mexico using Forecast Models and Satellite Data

Science.gov (United States)

Jolliff, J. K.; Gould, R. W.; deRada, S.; Teague, W. J.; Wijesekera, H. W.

2012-12-01

We provide an overview of the NASA-funded project, "High-Resolution Subsurface Physical and Optical Property Fields in the Gulf of Mexico: Establishing Baselines and Assessment Tools for Resource Managers." Data assimilative models, analysis fields, and multiple satellite data streams were used to construct temperature and photon flux climatologies for the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) and similar habitats in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico where geologic features provide a platform for unique coral reef ecosystems. Comparison metrics of the products to in situ data collected during complimentary projects are also examined. Similarly, high-resolution satellite-data streams and advanced processing techniques were used to establish baseline suspended sediment load and turbidity conditions in selected northern Gulf of Mexico estuaries. The results demonstrate the feasibility of blending models and data into accessible web-based analysis products for resource managers, policy makers, and the public.

The evolution of active Lavina di Roncovetro landslides by multi-temporal high-resolution topographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Isola, Ilaria; Fornaciai, Alessandro; Favalli, Massimiliano; Gigli, Giovanni; Nannipieri, Luca; Mucchi, Lorenzo; Intrieri, Emanuele; Pizziolo, Marco; Bertolini, Giovanni; Trippi, Federico; Casagli, Nicola; Schina, Rosa; Carnevale, Ennio

2017-04-01

High-resolution topographic data has been collected over the Lavina di Roncovetro active landslide (Reggio Emilia, Italy) for about 3 years by using various methods and technologies. Tha Lavina di Roncovetro landslide can be considered as a fluid-viscous mudflow, which can reach a down flow maximum rate of 10 m/day. The landslide started between the middle and the end of the XIX century and since then it has had a rapid evolution mainly characterized by the rapid retrogression of the crown to the extent that now reaches the top of Mount Staffola. In the frame of EU Wireless Sensor Network for Ground Instability Monitoring - Wi-GIM project (LIFE12ENV/IT/001033) the Lavina di Roncovetro landslide has been periodically tracked using technologies that span from the LiDAR, both terrestrial and aerial, to the Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry method based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and aerial survey. These data are used to create six high-resolution Digital Terrain Models (DEMs), which imaged the landslide surface on March 2014, October 2014, June 2015, July 2015, January 2016 and December 2016. Multi-temporal high-resolution topographic data have been used for qualitative and quantitative morphometric analysis and topographic change detection of the landslide with the aim to estimate and map the volume of removed and/or accumulated material, the average rates of vertical and horizontal displacement and the deformation structures affecting the landslide over the investigated period.