ALTICORE: an initiative for coastal altimetry

ALTICORE (value-added ALTImetry for COastal REgions) is an international initiative whose main objective is to encourage the operational use of altimetry over coastal areas, by improving the quality and availability of coastal altimetry data. The ALTICORE proposal has recently been submitted for funding to the INTAS scheme (www.intas.be) by a consortium of partners from Italy, France, UK, Russia and Azerbaijan. ALTICORE is also meant as a contribution to the ongoing International Altimeter Service effort. In this work we will describe the anticipated project stages, namely: 1) improvement of the most widely distributed, 1 Hz, data by analyzing the corrective terms and providing the best solutions, including those derived from appropriate local modelling; 2) development of a set of algorithms to automate quality control and gap-filling functions for the coastal regions; 3) development of testing strategies to ensure a thorough validation of the data. The improved products will be delivered to ALTICORE users via Grid-compliant technology; this makes it easier to integrate the local data holdings, allows access from a range of services, e.g. directly into model assimilation or GIS systems and should therefore facilitate a widespread and complete assessment of the 1Hz data performance and limitations. We will also outline the design and implementation of the Grid-compliant system for efficient access to distributed archives of data; this consists of regional data centres, each having primary responsibility for regional archives, local corrections and quality control, and operating a set of web-services allowing access to the full functionality of data extraction. We will conclude by discussing a follow-on phase of the project; this will investigate further improvements on the processing strategy, including the use of higher frequency (10 or 20 Hz) data. Phenomena happen at smaller spatial scales near the coast, so this approach is necessary to match the required resolution. The whole project will hopefully promote the 15-year sea surface height from altimetry to the rank of operational record for the coastal areas

ARCHANGEL: Tamper-proofing Video Archives using Temporal Content Hashes on the Blockchain

We present ARCHANGEL; a novel distributed ledger based system for assuring the long-term integrity of digital video archives. First, we describe a novel deep network architecture for computing compact temporal content hashes (TCHs) from audio-visual streams with durations of minutes or hours. Our TCHs are sensitive to accidental or malicious content modification (tampering) but invariant to the codec used to encode the video. This is necessary due to the curatorial requirement for archives to format shift video over time to ensure future accessibility. Second, we describe how the TCHs (and the models used to derive them) are secured via a proof-of-authority blockchain distributed across multiple independent archives. We report on the efficacy of ARCHANGEL within the context of a trial deployment in which the national government archives of the United Kingdom, Estonia and Norway participated.Comment: Accepted to CVPR Blockchain Workshop 201

A Framework for Aggregating Private and Public Web Archives

Personal and private Web archives are proliferating due to the increase in the tools to create them and the realization that Internet Archive and other public Web archives are unable to capture personalized (e.g., Facebook) and private (e.g., banking) Web pages. We introduce a framework to mitigate issues of aggregation in private, personal, and public Web archives without compromising potential sensitive information contained in private captures. We amend Memento syntax and semantics to allow TimeMap enrichment to account for additional attributes to be expressed inclusive of the requirements for dereferencing private Web archive captures. We provide a method to involve the user further in the negotiation of archival captures in dimensions beyond time. We introduce a model for archival querying precedence and short-circuiting, as needed when aggregating private and personal Web archive captures with those from public Web archives through Memento. Negotiation of this sort is novel to Web archiving and allows for the more seamless aggregation of various types of Web archives to convey a more accurate picture of the past Web.Comment: Preprint version of the ACM/IEEE Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (JCDL 2018) full paper, accessible at the DO

Developing a model for e-prints and open access journal content in UK further and higher education

A study carried out for the UK Joint Information Systems Committee examined models for the provision of access to material in institutional and subject-based archives and in open access journals. Their relative merits were considered, addressing not only technical concerns but also how e-print provision (by authors) can be achieved – an essential factor for an effective e-print delivery service (for users). A "harvesting" model is recommended, where the metadata of articles deposited in distributed archives are harvested, stored and enhanced by a national service. This model has major advantages over the alternatives of a national centralized service or a completely decentralized one. Options for the implementation of a service based on the harvesting model are presented

CHORUS Deliverable 3.4: Vision Document

The goal of the CHORUS Vision Document is to create a high level vision on audio-visual search engines in order to give guidance to the future R&D work in this area and to highlight trends and challenges in this domain. The vision of CHORUS is strongly connected to the CHORUS Roadmap Document (D2.3). A concise document integrating the outcomes of the two deliverables will be prepared for the end of the project (NEM Summit)

Parametric Surfaces for Augmented Architecture representation

Augmented Reality (AR) represents a growing communication channel, responding to the need to expand reality with additional information, offering easy and engaging access to digital data. AR for architectural representation allows a simple interaction with 3D models, facilitating spatial understanding of complex volumes and topological relationships between parts, overcoming some limitations related to Virtual Reality. In the last decade different developments in the pipeline process have seen a significant advancement in technological and algorithmic aspects, paying less attention to 3D modeling generation. For this, the article explores the construction of basic geometries for 3D model’s generation, highlighting the relationship between geometry and topology, basic for a consistent normal distribution. Moreover, a critical evaluation about corrective paths of existing 3D models is presented, analysing a complex architectural case study, the virtual model of Villa del Verginese, an emblematic example for topological emerged problems. The final aim of the paper is to refocus attention on 3D model construction, suggesting some "good practices" useful for preventing, minimizing or correcting topological problems, extending the accessibility of AR to people engaged in architectural representation

Historical SDI, thematic maps and analysis of a complex network of medieval towers (13th-15th century) in the moorish strip

The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XLII-4, 2018 ISPRS TC IV Mid-term Symposium “3D Spatial Information Science – The Engine of Change”, 1–5 October 2018, Delft, The NetherlandsThis work is part of an investigation into the use of GIS for the documentation and comprehension of medieval architectural heritage in the ancient Kingdom of Seville. The research was done in the framework of the project “Sustainable guardianship of cultural heritage through digital BIM and GIS models: contribution to knowledge and social innovation”, an interdisciplinary project focused on the applications of information technology in architectural heritage in Spain. The study case of this paper is located in the Guadalquivir valley during the period between 13th and 15th centuries. It concerns the Moorish Strip site, fortified by the Christian Kingdom of Castile with the aim of creating a barrier with the Moorish Kingdom. Its deteriorated state has led us to create a historical and spatial database in order to contribute to its conservation management plan. Apart from the historical documentation research and the data gathering, intensive fieldwork was also done to collect information about the buildings. In this paper we present a Historical SDI to investigate the hypothesis that the spatial patterns of the Moorish Band obey rules of “inter-visibility” control. Some analysis has been done on the site scale, such as: i) a thematic map of building material; ii) a spatiotemporal analysis; iii) the density of the distribution of towers over the territory; iv) a simulation of the territory visibility from the towers; v) the inter-visibility among towers; iv) thematic maps using attribute values. These analyses permitted us to highlight the need to create a preservation plan that should consider the network visibility system as an important value for heritage interpretation and knowledge.Spain’s Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness HAR2016–78113-