Assessment of high resolution SAR imagery for mapping floodplain water bodies: a comparison between Radarsat-2 and TerraSAR-X

Flooding is a world-wide problem that is considered as one of the most devastating natural hazards. New commercially available high spatial resolution Synthetic Aperture RADAR satellite imagery provides new potential for flood mapping. This research provides a quantitative assessment of high spatial resolution RADASAT-2 and TerraSAR-X products for mapping water bodies in order to help validate products that can be used to assist flood disaster management. An area near Dhaka in Bangladesh is used as a test site because of the large number of water bodies of different sizes and its history of frequent flooding associated with annual monsoon rainfall. Sample water bodies were delineated in the field using kinematic differential GPS to train and test automatic methods for water body mapping. SAR sensors products were acquired concurrently with the field visits; imagery were acquired with similar polarization, look direction and incidence angle in an experimental design to evaluate which has best accuracy for mapping flood water extent. A methodology for mapping water areas from non-water areas was developed based on radar backscatter texture analysis. Texture filters, based on Haralick occurrence and co-occurrence measures, were compared and images classified using supervised, unsupervised and contextual classifiers. The evaluation of image products is based on an accuracy assessment of error matrix method using randomly selected ground truth data. An accuracy comparison was performed between classified images of both TerraSAR-X and Radarsat-2 sensors in order to identify any differences in mapping floods. Results were validated using information from field inspections conducted in good conditions in February 2009, and applying a model-assisted difference estimator for estimating flood area to derive Confidence Interval (CI) statistics at the 95% Confidence Level (CL) for the area mapped as water. For Radarsat-2 Ultrafine, TerraSAR-X Stripmap and Spotlight imagery, overall classification accuracy was greater than 93%. Results demonstrate that small water bodies down to areas as small as 150m² can be identified routinely from 3 metre resolution SAR imagery. The results further showed that TerraSAR-X stripmap and spotlight images have better overall accuracy than RADARSAT-2 ultrafine beam modes images. The expected benefits of the research will be to improve the provision of data to assess flood risk and vulnerability, thus assisting in disaster management and post-flood recovery

14th Annual Focus on Creative Inquiry Poster Forum Program

The Focus on Creative Inquiry (FoCI) Poster Forum is an annual event in which Creative Inquiry (CI) teams can present their research and project accomplishments through posters and interactive displays. It is a celebration of student and mentor collaborations and accomplishments! Teams take this opportunity to develop and hone their communication skills

Climate Neutral and Resilient Farming Systems

This book presents evidence-based research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems and further to provide innovative and practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change. Intensive farming systems are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to global warming and the acceleration of climate change. As paddy rice farming is one of the largest contributors, and most environmentally damaging farming systems, this will be a particular focus of the book. The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be urgently addressed to achieve the 2 degrees Celsius target adopted by COP21 and the 2015 Paris Agreement, but this is not possible if local and national level innovations are not accompanied by international level cooperation, mutual learning and sharing of knowledge and technologies. This book, therefore, brings together international collaborative research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems compiled by leading scientists and experts from Europe, Asia and Africa. The chapters present evidence-based research and innovative solutions that can be applied or upscaled in different farming systems and regions across the world. Chapters present models and technologies that can be used for practical implementation at the systemic level and advance state of the art knowledge on carbon neutral farming. Combining theory and practice, this interdisciplinary book provides guidance which can inform and increase cooperation between researchers from various countries on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. Most importantly, the volume provides recommendations which can be put into practice by those working in the agricultural industry, especially in developing countries, where they are attempting to promote climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. The book will be of great interest to students and academics of sustainable agriculture, food security, climate mitigation and sustainable development, in addition to policymakers and practitioners working in these areas

VLIZ Young Scientists' Day, Brugge, Belgium 25 February 2005: book of abstracts

The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) supports marine scientific research in Flanders. VLIZ offers logistic support, promotes expertise internationally, and serves as an interface between the scientific community, governmental bodies, and the public at large. VLIZ wants to give exposure to marine, coastal and estuarine research in Flanders, whereby coordination and dissemination of information play key roles. Marine research in Flanders is carried out by the six Flemish universities, research institutes and departments of the Flemish and federal authorities, and to a lesser extent by private enterprises. The major broad disciplines covered are: biology, earth sciences, chemistry, physics, aquaculture and fisheries, engineering, and maritime affairs. Annually, VLIZ bundles the scientific contributions of the Flemish marine researchers in the ‘VLIZ Collected Reprints’. VLIZ increases the visibility of marine research in Flanders by producing publications, organizing symposia and granting scientific awards. On Friday, 25 February 2005, the fifth ‘VLIZ Young Scientists’ Day’ (161 pre-registered participants) was organized in Provinciehuis Boeverbos, Sint-Andries (Brugge), Belgium.This ‘VLIZ Special Publication 20’ comprises the abstracts of the oral, poster and demo presentations as well as the summaries submitted by the laureates and applicants of the VLIZ aanmoedigingsprijzen mariene wetenschappen 2004’ and ‘Annual VLIZ North Sea Award 2004’

Safety On A Drilling Rig: Is It Safety Culture?

Why do workers on a modern offshore drilling rig continue to make decisions leading to unsafe conditions, acts or incidents? In a perfect world, workers in any industry would go to work and come home in the same condition as they started the day: no incidents. Worker injuries and deaths are all too common in the workplace whether on land or at sea. On a modern drilling rig, operating hundreds of miles offshore, far from the nearest hospital, working in all kinds of weather presents an industry ripe with risks. The worker or rig hand holds the key to making safe or unsafe decisions. Numerous studies and research projects on worker safety on shore (factories) have been completed through the years. Studies and research on offshore workers has not been as active, particularly on drilling rigs working in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as other locations. While rig safety has improved over the years through equipment improvement, safety management systems and an emphasis on safety culture (in other words process safety), injury rates have leveled. Understanding why rig hands make decisions that affect their safety or others may be the key to lowering the injury rates further. This research is designed to ascertain with all the management systems, training, safety leadership, and automated equipment in place, rig hands continue to make unsafe decisions that lead to near misses, unsafe acts, incidents and injuries on a modern drilling rig. A successful research design study might provide a model for further research within the company and offshore industry. Is it an individual choice? Is it Safety Culture? Is it a combination? What does a working rig with a robust safety culture look like

Climate Neutral and Resilient Farming Systems

This book presents evidence-based research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems and further to provide innovative and practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the impact of climate change. Intensive farming systems are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to global warming and the acceleration of climate change. As paddy rice farming is one of the largest contributors, and most environmentally damaging farming systems, this will be a particular focus of the book. The mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions needs to be urgently addressed to achieve the 2 degrees Celsius target adopted by COP21 and the 2015 Paris Agreement, but this is not possible if local and national level innovations are not accompanied by international level cooperation, mutual learning and sharing of knowledge and technologies. This book, therefore, brings together international collaborative research on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems compiled by leading scientists and experts from Europe, Asia and Africa. The chapters present evidence-based research and innovative solutions that can be applied or upscaled in different farming systems and regions across the world. Chapters present models and technologies that can be used for practical implementation at the systemic level and advance state of the art knowledge on carbon neutral farming. Combining theory and practice, this interdisciplinary book provides guidance which can inform and increase cooperation between researchers from various countries on climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. Most importantly, the volume provides recommendations which can be put into practice by those working in the agricultural industry, especially in developing countries, where they are attempting to promote climate-neutral and resilient farming systems. The book will be of great interest to students and academics of sustainable agriculture, food security, climate mitigation and sustainable development, in addition to policymakers and practitioners working in these areas

2022-2023 Program and Abstracts: Celebration of Student Scholarship

The 2022-2023 Program and Abstracts for the Celebration of Student Scholarship at Morehead State University held on April 19, 2023. A Showcase of Student Research, Scholarship, Creative Work, and Performance Arts.https://scholarworks.moreheadstate.edu/celebration_posters_2023/1046/thumbnail.jp