Landslide riskscapes in the Colorado Front Range: a quantitative geospatial approach for modeling human-environment interactions

2021 Spring.Includes bibliographical references.This research investigated the application of riskscapes to landslides in the context of geospatial inquiry. Riskscapes are framed as a landscape of risk to represent risk spatially. Geospatial models for landslide riskscapes were developed to improve our understanding of the spatial context for landslides and their risks as part of the system of human-environment interactions. Spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) leveraged modeling methods and the distributed properties of riskscapes to identify and preserve these spatial relationships. This dissertation is comprised of four separate manuscripts. These projects defined riskscapes in the context of landslides, applied geospatial analyses to create a novel riskscape model to introduce spatial autocorrelation methods to the riskscape framework, compared geostatistical analysis methods in these landslide riskscape assessments, and described limitations of spatial science identified in the riskscape development process. The first project addressed the current literature for riskscapes and introduced landslides as a measurable feature for riskscapes. Riskscapes are founded in social constructivist theory and landslide studies are frequently based on quantitative risk assessment practices. The uniqueness of a riskscape is the inclusion of human geography and environmental factors, which are not consistently incorporated in geologic or natural hazard studies. I proposed the addition of spatial theory constructs and methods to create spatially measurable products. I developed a conceptual framework for a landslide riskscape by describing the current riskscape applications as compared to existing landslide and GIS risk model processes. A spatial modeling formula to create a weighted sum landslide riskscape was presented as a modification to a natural hazard risk equation to incorporate the spatial dimension of risk factors. The second project created a novel method for three geospatial riskscapes as an approach to model landslide susceptibility areas in Boulder and Larimer Counties, Colorado. This study synthesized physical and human geography to create multiple landslide riskscape models using GIS methods. These analysis methods used a process model interface in GIS. Binary, ranked, and human factor weighted sum riskscapes were created, using frequency ratio as the basis for developing a weighting scheme. Further, spatial autocorrelation was introduced as a recommended practice to quantify the spatial relationships in landslide riskscape development. Results demonstrated that riskscapes, particularly those for ranked and human factor riskscapes, were highly autocorrelated, non-random, and exhibited clustering. These findings indicated that a riskscape model can support improvements to response modeling, based on the identification of spatially significant clustering of hazardous areas. The third project extended landslide riskscapes to measurable geostatistical comparisons using geostatistical tools within a GIS platform. Logistic regression, weights of evidence, and probabilistic neural networks methods were used to analyze the weighted sum landslide riskscape models using ArcGIS and Spatial Data Modeler (ArcSDM). Results showed weights of evidence models performed better than both logistic regression and neural networks methods. Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves and Area Under the Curve validation tests were performed and found the weights of evidence model performed best in both posterior probability prediction and AUC validation. A fourth project was developed based on the limitations discovered during the analytical process evaluations from the riskscape model development and geostatistical analysis. This project reviewed the issues with data quality, the variations in results predicated on the input parameters within the analytical toolsets, and the issues surrounding open-source application tools. These limitations stress the importance of parameter selection in a geospatial analytical environment. These projects collectively determined methods for riskscape development related to landslide features. The models presented demonstrate the importance and influence of spatial distributions on landslide riskscapes. Based on the proposed conceptual framework of a spatial riskscape for landslides, weighted sum riskscapes can provide a basis for prioritization of resources for landslides. Ranked and human factor riskscapes indicate the need to provide planning and protection for areas at increased risk for landslides. These studies provide a context for riskscapes to further our understanding of the benefits and limitations of a quantitative riskscape approach. The development of a methodological framework for quantitative riskscape models provides an approach that can be applied to other hazards or study areas to identify areas of increased human-environment interaction. Riskscape models can then be evaluated to inform mitigation and land-use planning activities to reduce impacts of natural hazards in the anthropogenic environment

Development strategies of re-urbanization for sustainable extensive towns

Tese de Doutoramento em Arquitetura, com a especialização em Desenho e Computação apresentada na Faculdade de Arquitetura da Universidade de Lisboa para obtenção do grau de Doutor.O território português apresenta uma dispersão urbana generalizada que incentiva práticas de consumo do solo, causa altos custos infraestruturais e coloca novos problemas nas políticas urbanas e regionais. O tema da presente pesquisa é a mitigação dos efeitos negativos da urbanização extensiva do território português, propondo ferramentas para processos de reurbanização / intensificação para tais territórios dispersos. A esse respeito, este trabalho traz uma nova contribuição ao processo de conceição e implementação de planos de desenvolvimento territorial capazes de incorporar estratégias de desenvolvimento sustentável para diferentes tipos de territórios dispersos, integrando as ferramentas tradicionais de planeamento em uso em contextos de planeamento local. Para isso, o presente trabalho desenvolveu uma ferramenta metodológica que reúne análises de rede, ferramentas de estudo de densidade / dispersão e análises de capital territorial e que constitui um sistema válido de apoio à tomada de decisão capaz de ajudar planeadores e stakeholders a abordar questões econômicas, desafios sociais e de governança colocados pelos territórios dispersos. Para isso, foi desenvolvido um conjunto de métodos quantitativos para avaliar o capital territorial de diferentes territórios (compactos e dispersos) identificando a suas características, vocações e potenciais no que respeita ao desenvolvimento territórial, medindo e monitorando as suas flutuações em uma lista selecionada de indicadores territoriais afetada pela introdução de diferentes cenários de desenvolvimento. Ao analisar o território de uma perspectiva configuracional e econômico-espacial, e não apenas de uma perspectiva morfológica, a presente investigação tenta trazer uma contribuição original ao processo de elaboração de um novo framework operacional capaz de lidar com os territórios dispersos, com o intuito de constituir um instrumento de surporte para planeadores e administrações publicas no âmbito da tomada de decisões informadas sobre vários tópicos, do planejamento à governança. Um case study, o concelho de Sintra, altamente representativo da questão atual da dispersão territorial em Portugal, foi analisado e discutido. O desenvolvimento de um novo framework para a avaliação de diferentes cenários de desenvolvimento, que incorpora o conceito de capital territorial, guia na busca de estratégias e ferramentas para reurbanização estratégica ou desenvolvimento setorial desconcentrado do território em análise, produzindo, esperançosamente, ambientes urbanos mais sustentáveis com mais potencial para uma interação humana vital, ou seja, uma melhor “urbanidade”.ABSTRACT:The Portuguese territory displays a wide-spread urban dispersion that encouraged land-consuming practices, causes high infrastructural costs and poses new issues to urban and regional policies. The subject of the present research is the mitigation of the negative effects of extensive urbanization of the Portuguese territory focusing on processes of re-urbanization / intensification for such dispersed territories. In this respect, this work brings a novel contribution to the process of concealing and implementing territorial development plans capable of incorporating sustainable development strategies for different kinds of dispersed territories, integrating the traditional planning tool in use in local planning. In order to do so, the present work developed a methodological tool – bringing together network analyses, density/dispersion assessment tools and a territorial capital analyses – that constitutes a valid decision-making support system capable of helping planners and stakeholders to address the economic, social and governance challenges posed by dispersed territories. In order to do so a set of quantitative methods was developed to assess the territorial capital of different territories (both compact and dispersed) to identify their inherent characteristics, vocations and potentials for development, measuring and monitoring the fluctuations in a selected list of territorial indicators as affected by the introduction of different development scenarios. By analyzing the territory from a configurational and spatial-economic perspective rather than just from a morphological perspective, the present research tries to bring an original contribution to the process of crafting a new operative framework capable of dealing with the dispersed territories assisting planners and administrations to take informed decision on various topics, from planning to governance. A case study, the municipality of Sintra, highly representative of the current issue of the territorial dispersion in Portugal, has been analyzed and discussed. The development of a novel framework for the assessment of different development scenarios that will incorporate the concept of territorial capital will guide in finding strategies and tools for strategic re-urbanization or deconcentrated sectorial development of the territory in analysis, hopefully producing more sustainable urban environments with potential for vital human interaction, i.e. a better “urbanity”.N/

Presence 2005: the eighth annual international workshop on presence, 21-23 September, 2005 University College London (Conference proceedings)

OVERVIEW (taken from the CALL FOR PAPERS) Academics and practitioners with an interest in the concept of (tele)presence are invited to submit their work for presentation at PRESENCE 2005 at University College London in London, England, September 21-23, 2005. The eighth in a series of highly successful international workshops, PRESENCE 2005 will provide an open discussion forum to share ideas regarding concepts and theories, measurement techniques, technology, and applications related to presence, the psychological state or subjective perception in which a person fails to accurately and completely acknowledge the role of technology in an experience, including the sense of 'being there' experienced by users of advanced media such as virtual reality. The concept of presence in virtual environments has been around for at least 15 years, and the earlier idea of telepresence at least since Minsky's seminal paper in 1980. Recently there has been a burst of funded research activity in this area for the first time with the European FET Presence Research initiative. What do we really know about presence and its determinants? How can presence be successfully delivered with today's technology? This conference invites papers that are based on empirical results from studies of presence and related issues and/or which contribute to the technology for the delivery of presence. Papers that make substantial advances in theoretical understanding of presence are also welcome. The interest is not solely in virtual environments but in mixed reality environments. Submissions will be reviewed more rigorously than in previous conferences. High quality papers are therefore sought which make substantial contributions to the field. Approximately 20 papers will be selected for two successive special issues for the journal Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments. PRESENCE 2005 takes place in London and is hosted by University College London. The conference is organized by ISPR, the International Society for Presence Research and is supported by the European Commission's FET Presence Research Initiative through the Presencia and IST OMNIPRES projects and by University College London

Musicians in Space

Musicians in space (MiS) is a practice-based research project investigating the impact of spatialization on the performance of free improvised music (FiM). It draws heavily on Christopher Small’s idea of musicking to contextualize the argument that in the fifty year history of FiM, improvisers have failed to fully explore possible alternatives to the formal separation and static positioning of the audience and performer. While the conventional performance situation is seen as being integral to the pageantry of the performative experience, I argue that the fixity of the spatial and social arrangement has done little to support the allencompassing and heterarchical aspirations that had once been a noted rallying cry of the free improviser. The thesis traces a journey through a series of live performances involving experienced free improvisers, on the UK and European improvised music scene, and incorporates the voices of over 70 participants. The thesis establishes a separation between hierarchical and heterarchical forms of musicking, where the former emphasizes the convergence of more unifying and fixed ideals associated with the construction and organisation of a musical process, while the later celebrates a more decentralized, polysemic, and self-organizing musicking practice. This categorization is used throughout this research to support a greater degree of understanding of the particular characteristics of FiM within the broader context of music-making. MiS, in essence, simply invites all the participants the option to modify their spatial relationship to the musicking process in order to expand their listening and playing experiences. It was found that this single change, in the approach to performance, greatly influenced many aspects of the FiM process, providing new insights into ways of engaging and listening for both the improviser and the listener. It afforded the improviser new opportunities to connect musically with the ensemble, while elevating the profile of the audience member from a focused listener to a visible participant and active collaborator in the process. This document attempts to establish a clear impression of what was uncovered by this research, while also celebrating the impossibility of capturing in words the complexity of an improvisation experience. It does this by incorporating a range of different forms of writing and a collection of personal depictions of a number of performances and improvising participants. This document also includes links to multi-perspective audio and visual footage of all the performances. This can be found at: http://www.dafmusic.com/Musicians_in_Space/mis_projectbrief.html

DIVE on the internet

This dissertation reports research and development of a platform for Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs). It has particularly focused on two major challenges: supporting the rapid development of scalable applications and easing their deployment on the Internet. This work employs a research method based on prototyping and refinement and promotes the use of this method for application development. A number of the solutions herein are in line with other CVE systems. One of the strengths of this work consists in a global approach to the issues raised by CVEs and the recognition that such complex problems are best tackled using a multi-disciplinary approach that understands both user and system requirements. CVE application deployment is aided by an overlay network that is able to complement any IP multicast infrastructure in place. Apart from complementing a weakly deployed worldwide multicast, this infrastructure provides for a certain degree of introspection, remote controlling and visualisation. As such, it forms an important aid in assessing the scalability of running applications. This scalability is further facilitated by specialised object distribution algorithms and an open framework for the implementation of novel partitioning techniques. CVE application development is eased by a scripting language, which enables rapid development and favours experimentation. This scripting language interfaces many aspects of the system and enables the prototyping of distribution-related components as well as user interfaces. It is the key construct of a distributed environment to which components, written in different languages, connect and onto which they operate in a network abstracted manner. The solutions proposed are exemplified and strengthened by three collaborative applications. The Dive room system is a virtual environment modelled after the room metaphor and supporting asynchronous and synchronous cooperative work. WebPath is a companion application to a Web browser that seeks to make the current history of page visits more visible and usable. Finally, the London travel demonstrator supports travellers by providing an environment where they can explore the city, utilise group collaboration facilities, rehearse particular journeys and access tourist information data

Tangible auditory interfaces : combining auditory displays and tangible interfaces

Bovermann T. Tangible auditory interfaces : combining auditory displays and tangible interfaces. Bielefeld (Germany): Bielefeld University; 2009.Tangible Auditory Interfaces (TAIs) investigates into the capabilities of the interconnection of Tangible User Interfaces and Auditory Displays. TAIs utilise artificial physical objects as well as soundscapes to represent digital information. The interconnection of the two fields establishes a tight coupling between information and operation that is based on the human's familiarity with the incorporated interrelations. This work gives a formal introduction to TAIs and shows their key features at hand of seven proof of concept applications

Water and Power: Agricultural Intensification in Windward North Kohala, Hawai\u27i Island

This thesis examines the processes of agricultural intensification in the eastern gulch region of windward North Kohala district, Hawai`i Island. The intensification of agricultural production was essential for Hawai`i\u27s transition from a collection of loose tribelets into an archaic state. To meet the growing demands of social paramounts, ancient farmers in North Kohala innovated novel technologies to improve their capacity to produce surpluses. In windward North Kohala, the chief innovation was intricate irrigation systems that transferred water from the region\u27s gulch beds to the adjacent elevated tablelands, first identified by the Hawai`i Archaeological Research Project in 2008 and further explored in 2009. This technology, along with developments in leeward Kohala, appears to have emerged just prior to the period of contact, during a period of agricultural expansion and intensification, between1400 A.D. and 1650 A.D. Political ecology provides a framework for the analysis of agricultural innovations and their impact on Hawaiian society. Geographic information systems were applied in order to build a model to describe the potential for agricultural land use in the eastern gulch region. Initial results suggest that large portions of the windward tablelands could have been dedicated to agricultural production, based on the landform and proximity to flowing water