Geodatabase-assisted storm surge modeling

Tropical cyclone-generated storm surge frequently causes catastrophic damage in communities along the Gulf of Mexico. The prediction of landfalling or hypothetical storm surge magnitudes in U.S. Gulf Coast regions remains problematic, in part, because of the dearth of historic event parameter data, including accurate records of storm surge magnitude (elevation) at locations along the coast from hurricanes. While detailed historical records exist that describe hurricane tracks, these data have rarely been correlated with the resulting storm surge, limiting our ability to make statistical inferences, which are needed to fully understand the vulnerability of the U.S. Gulf Coast to hurricane-induced storm surge hazards. This dissertation addresses the need for reliable statistical storm surge estimation by proposing a probabilistic geodatabase-assisted methodology to generate a storm surge surface based on hurricane location and intensity parameters on a single desktop computer. The proposed methodology draws from a statistically representative synthetic tropical cyclone dataset to estimate hurricane track patterns and storm surge elevations. The proposed methodology integrates four modules: tropical cyclone genesis, track propagation, storm surge estimation, and a geodatabase. Implementation of the developed methodology will provide a means to study and improve long-term tropical cyclone activity patterns and predictions. Specific contributions are made to the current state of the art through each of the four modules. In the genesis module, improved representative data from historical genesis populations are achieved through implementation of a stratified-Monte-Carlo sampling method to simulate genesis locations for the North Atlantic Basin, avoiding potential non-representative clustering of sampled genesis locations. In the track module, the improved synthetic genesis locations are used as the starting point for a track location and intensity methodology that incorporates storm strength parameters into the synthetic tracks and improves the positional quality of synthetic tracks. In the surge module, high-resolution, computationally intensive storm surge model results are probabilistically integrated in a computationally fast-running platform. In the geodatabase module, historic and synthetic tropical cyclone genesis, track, and surge elevation data are combined for efficient storage and retrieval of storm surge data

COBE's search for structure in the Big Bang

The launch of Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) and the definition of Earth Observing System (EOS) are two of the major events at NASA-Goddard. The three experiments contained in COBE (Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR), Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS), and Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE)) are very important in measuring the big bang. DMR measures the isotropy of the cosmic background (direction of the radiation). FIRAS looks at the spectrum over the whole sky, searching for deviations, and DIRBE operates in the infrared part of the spectrum gathering evidence of the earliest galaxy formation. By special techniques, the radiation coming from the solar system will be distinguished from that of extragalactic origin. Unique graphics will be used to represent the temperature of the emitting material. A cosmic event will be modeled of such importance that it will affect cosmological theory for generations to come. EOS will monitor changes in the Earth's geophysics during a whole solar color cycle

フウソクヨソクニモトヅクヨウジョウフウリョクハツデンドウニュウヨウノサイテキチテンノセンテイ

博士（工学）東京農工大

Artificial intelligence and architectural design : an introduction

Descripció del recurs: 27 juliol 2022The aim of this book on artificial intelligence for architects and designers is to guide future designers, in general, and architects, in particular, to support the social and cultural wellbeing of the humanity in a digital and global environment. This objective is today essential but also extremely large, interdisciplinary and interartistic, so we have done just a brief introduction of the subject. We will start with the argument fixed by the Professor Jonas Langer in his web some years ago, that we have defined as: “The Langer’s Tree”.Primera edició

Dynamical interpolation of surface pCO2 between lines of observation in the North Atlantic Ocean

The present PhD thesis aims to elucidate driving mechanisms of oceanic surface pCO2 variability and to develop and analyze techniques for mapping pCO2 on a basinscale in the North Atlantic. First of all, a number of sensitivity tests are carried out in a coarse resolution coupled ecosystem-circulation model simulating the period 1948-2002. The individual contributions by wind stress and surface heat fluxes to naturally driven interannual-to-decadal variability of air-sea fluxes of CO2 and O2 are examined using different atmospheric forcing fields. The model results reveal a pronounced dominance of wind stress in driving interannual-to-decadal variability of CO2 fluxes in the entire model domain. Although the simulated mean carbon uptake takes place in the subpolar basin, interannual fluctuations are of the same magnitude in the subpolar region, the subtropics and the equatorial Atlantic. For O2, mechanisms causing temporal variations can be separated into a wind-stress driven equatorial and a heat-flux driven subtropical and subpolar basin. Subsequently, the potential of monitoring North Atlantic ocean-surface pCO2 on a basin scale by combining Voluntary Observing Ship (VOS) observations with ARGO float and remote sensing data respectively is explored in the context of an eddy-resolving model. Here, model output is sampled according to realistic VOS-line, ARGO float and satellite coverage of the reference year 2005. The synthetic VOS-line observations form a training data set for a self-organizing neural network which is, in the first case, applied to simulated satellite data of SST and surface chlorophyll in order to derive basinwide monthly maps of surface pCO2. In the second case the trained neural network is used to derive punctual pCO2 estimates from ARGO float SST and salinity data which are extrapolated by objective mapping. For a remote-sensing based mapping the basinwide mean RMS-error amounts to 19.0 ppm when missing data in the satellite coverage due to clouds and low solar irradiation at high latitudes in winter is neglected and 21.1 ppm if this missing data is replaced by climatological SST and chlorophyll values. Extrapolated float-based estimates cover 70% of the considered area (15°N to 65°N) with a basinwide mean RMS-error of 15.9 ppm and provide a better accuracy in the reproduction of annual cycles of pCO2 and CO2 fluxes due to their independence of satellite coverage.Ziel der vorliegenden Dissertation ist es, einerseits die Steuerungsmechanismen des ozeanischen pCO2 zu untersuchen und Methoden zu entwickeln und zu analysieren, um pCO2 im Nordatlantik auf beckenweiter Skala zu bestimmen. Zunächst werden Sensitivitätsuntersuchungen mit einem grob auflösenden biogeochemischen Modell des Nordatlantiks durchgeführt, wobei hier die Zeitspanne 1948-2002 simuliert wird. Die individuellen Anteile von Windstress und Wärmeflüssen an der gesamten zwischenjährlich-dekadischen Variabilität der CO2- und O2-Flüsse werden untersucht, indem mehrere Modellläufe mit unterschiedlichem atmosphärischen Antrieb integriert werden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Variabilität der CO2-Flüsse auf diesen Zeitskalen im gesamten Modellgebiet Windstress-getrieben ist. Die Hauptaufnahme von Kohlenstoff durch den Ozean findet in der Simulation im subpolaren Nordatlantik statt. Die zwischenjährlichen Schwankungen in der Aufnahme haben in der subpolaren, subtropischen und äquatorialen Region jedoch dieselbe Größenordnung. Für O2 ist bezüglich der interannualen Variabilität eine klare Aufteilung in ein Windstress-dominiertes äquatoriales Becken und eine Wärmefluss-getriebene Region nördlich davon zu erkennen. Darüber hinaus wird die Möglichkeit untersucht, pCO2-Messungen sogenannter Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) mit Satellitenbeobachtungen und ARGO Float Daten zu kombinieren. Hierbei werden mit Hilfe eines Wirbel-auflösenden biogeochemischen Modells die jeweiligen Beobachtungsdaten gemäß ihrer tatsächlichen Abdeckung im Referenzjahr 2005 simuliert. Die synthetischen Messungen der VOS-Linien bilden den Trainingsdatensatz für ein künstliches Neuronales Netz, das anschließend entweder auf die simulierten Satellitenbeobachtungen von SST und Chlorophyll oder ARGO Float SST- und Salzghaltsdaten angewandt wird. Im ersteren Fall ergeben sich direkt beckenweite pCO2-Schätzungen, im letzteren punktuelle Approximationen, die durch Gaußsches Gewichten extrapoliert werden. Für die Satelliten-gestützten pCO2-Karten ergibt sich ein beckenweiter RMS-Fehler von 19.0 ppm, wenn das Fehlen von Daten durch Wolken und zu geringe winterliche Einstrahlung in hohen Breiten vernachlässigt wird. Werden diese Datenlücken durch klimatologische Werte von SST und Chlorophyll ersetzt, steigt der RMS-Fehler auf 21.5 ppm an. Die extrapolierten Float-gestützten pCO2 Schätzungen umfassen 70% der betrachteten Region (15°N bis 65°N) und besitzen einen RMS-Fehler von 15.9 ppm. Letztere ermöglichen eine genauere Wiedergabe der Jahresgänge von pCO2 und den CO2-Flüssen, da sie unabhängig von der Satellitenabdeckung sind

Advances in Sonar Technology

The demand to explore the largest and also one of the richest parts of our planet, the advances in signal processing promoted by an exponential growth in computation power and a thorough study of sound propagation in the underwater realm, have lead to remarkable advances in sonar technology in the last years.The work on hand is a sum of knowledge of several authors who contributed in various aspects of sonar technology. This book intends to give a broad overview of the advances in sonar technology of the last years that resulted from the research effort of the authors in both sonar systems and their applications. It is intended for scientist and engineers from a variety of backgrounds and even those that never had contact with sonar technology before will find an easy introduction with the topics and principles exposed here

Haptics: Science, Technology, Applications

This open access book constitutes the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Human Haptic Sensing and Touch Enabled Computer Applications, EuroHaptics 2020, held in Leiden, The Netherlands, in September 2020. The 60 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 111 submissions. The were organized in topical sections on haptic science, haptic technology, and haptic applications. This year's focus is on accessibility

3D-in-2D Displays for ATC.

This paper reports on the efforts and accomplishments of the 3D-in-2D Displays for ATC project at the end of Year 1. We describe the invention of 10 novel 3D/2D visualisations that were mostly implemented in the Augmented Reality ARToolkit. These prototype implementations of visualisation and interaction elements can be viewed on the accompanying video. We have identified six candidate design concepts which we will further research and develop. These designs correspond with the early feasibility studies stage of maturity as defined by the NASA Technology Readiness Level framework. We developed the Combination Display Framework from a review of the literature, and used it for analysing display designs in terms of display technique used and how they are combined. The insights we gained from this framework then guided our inventions and the human-centered innovation process we use to iteratively invent. Our designs are based on an understanding of user work practices. We also developed a simple ATC simulator that we used for rapid experimentation and evaluation of design ideas. We expect that if this project continues, the effort in Year 2 and 3 will be focus on maturing the concepts and employment in a operational laboratory settings