Raster Time Series: Learning and Processing

As the amount of remote sensing data is increasing at a high rate, due to great improvements in sensor technology, efficient processing capabilities are of utmost importance. Remote sensing data from satellites is crucial in many scientific domains, like biodiversity and climate research. Because weather and climate are of particular interest for almost all living organisms on earth, the efficient classification of clouds is one of the most important problems. Geostationary satellites such as Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) offer the only possibility to generate long-term cloud data sets with high spatial and temporal resolution. This work, therefore, addresses research problems on efficient and parallel processing of MSG data to enable new applications and insights. First, we address the lack of a suitable processing chain to generate a long-term Fog and Low Stratus (FLS) time series. We present an efficient MSG data processing chain that processes multiple tasks simultaneously, and raster data in parallel using the Open Computing Language (OpenCL). The processing chain delivers a uniform FLS classification that combines day and night approaches in a single method. As a result, it is possible to calculate a year of FLS rasters quite easy. The second topic presents the application of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for cloud classification. Conventional approaches to cloud detection often only classify single pixels and ignore the fact that clouds are highly dynamic and spatially continuous entities. Therefore, we propose a new method based on deep learning. Using a CNN image segmentation architecture, the presented Cloud Segmentation CNN (CS-CNN) classifies all pixels of a scene simultaneously. We show that CS-CNN is capable of processing multispectral satellite data to identify continuous phenomena such as highly dynamic clouds. The proposed approach provides excellent results on MSG satellite data in terms of quality, robustness, and runtime, in comparison to Random Forest (RF), another widely used machine learning method. Finally, we present the processing of raster time series with a system for Visualization, Transformation, and Analysis (VAT) of spatio-temporal data. It enables data-driven research with explorative workflows and uses time as an integral dimension. The combination of various raster and vector data time series enables new applications and insights. We present an application that combines weather information and aircraft trajectories to identify patterns in bad weather situations

Assume-guarantee validation for STE properties within an SVA environment

Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation is an industrial-strength verification method, based on symbolic simulation and abstraction, that has been highly successful in data path verification, especially microprocessor execution units. These correctness results are typically obtained under certain assumptions about how the verified hardware block's inputs are driven, as well as assumptions about the values of these inputs. For correct overall operation, the hardware environment within which the verified block resides is expected to satisfy these assumptions. We describe a translation of these proof assumptions into System Verilog Assertions. These are then used as checkers in dynamic validation of the hardware environment within which blocks verified by Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation operate. The result is a pragmatic assume-guarantee method that increases the quality and confidence in verification results, requires little or no modification to the Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation proofs, and leverages pre-existing dynamic validation infrastructure. © 2009 IEEE

Performance Measurement in the Dutch Social Rented Sector

The contributions in 'Performance Measurement in the Dutch Social Rented Sector' address the societal and practical needs of housing associations, in order to develop better instruments for performance measurement. The provision of useful instruments allows for more transparency and thus improved external control over housing associations. At the same time these instruments should benefit the internal control and planning processes of the housing associations. The identification of Key Performance Indicators, as well as the input, throughput and output indicators that are bound up with it, facilitates the choice, implementation and (re-)shaping of policy alternatives and the justification for choosing among these alternatives. The contributions in this work do not address the overall scope of performance measurement and performance indicators reflecting the impact of housing. The range of examples covered in the book is related to the public tasks of Dutch housing association. As well as offering practical instruments for performance measurement for specific public tasks, the book ascertains a general guideline for performance management by housing associations. For this purpose the tools that are provided by the conceptual systems approach have been used as a framework. Most of the chapters are a mixture of theoretical or conceptual ideas and practical techniques

Aspects of QCD uncertainties and fast QCD predictions for high-energy collider experiments

In dieser Arbeit adressieren wir die Schwierigkeit, Präzisionsvorhersagen mit dem kompletten Satz theoretischer Unsicherheiten in der perturbativen Quantenchromodynamik im Rahmen von Monte-Carlo-Simulationen zu treffen, angesichts der zunehmenden Komplexität der dazu nötigen Berechnungen. Die Anforderungen an die Rechenleistung können so groß sein, dass nicht in jeder Anwendung die bestmögliche Präzision erzielt wird. Wir präsentieren eine Reweighting-Methode für den Monte-Carlo-Ereignisgenerator SHERPA. Diese erstellt Variationen der nominellen Vorhersage mit vergleichsweise geringem zusätzlichen Zeitaufwand. Die Methode ist kompatibel mit aktuellen Multijet-Berechnungen nächsthöherer Ordnung, die mit Korrekturen von allen Ordnungen durch einen Partonschauer versehen sind. Zusätzlich diskutieren wir neue Entwicklungen für einen weiteren Reweighting-Ansatz, der auf QCD-Interpolationsgittern beruht. Diese ermöglichen noch schnellere Variationen für Berechnungen fester Ordnung. Solche Gitter können für Monte-Carlo-Simulationen automatisiert erstellt werden mithilfe von Interfaces wie MCgrid. Unsere Verbesserungen für MCgrid ermöglichen die Erstellung vielseitigerer Gitter, die eine größere Klasse von Berechnungen, Gitter-Implementierungen und Skalenvariationen unterstützen. Darüber hinaus diskutieren wir, auf welche Weise solche Gitter für die Unterstützung von Resummationseffekten erweitert werden müssten. Neben dem Reweighting studieren wir noch die Verwendung von Extrapolationsmethoden für die Vorhersage von Jet-Raten hoher Multiplizitäten, welche an zukünftigen Hochenergiebeschleunigern allgegenwärtig sein werden. Diese Methoden basieren auf dem Skalierungsverhalten der Jet-Raten. Eingebettet ist diese Studie in eine allgemeinere Diskussion der zu erwartenden Jet-Aktivität an einem Proton-Proton-Beschleuniger mit einer Schwerpunktsenergie von 100 TeV

Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The MAVEBA Workshop proceedings, held on a biannual basis, collect the scientific papers presented both as oral and poster contributions, during the conference. The main subjects are: development of theoretical and mechanical models as an aid to the study of main phonatory dysfunctions, as well as the biomedical engineering methods for the analysis of voice signals and images, as a support to clinical diagnosis and classification of vocal pathologies

Becoming integrated: pathways and navigation within a Swedish municipality. A case study about Bosnians integration processes in Värnamo

Sweden has become one of the most targeted countries for refugees and asylum seekers. In order to meet the needs of a society, Sweden has introduced more friendly and inclusive policies that should be able to facilitate the integration process of immigrants. However, the integration appears to be a challenging process for many immigrant groups as they follow different integration strategies and mechanisms. The Swedish municipality Värnamo has a larger share of immigrants compared to the average on the national level. At the same time it notes the highest employment rate among foreign born workers in Sweden. The largest immigrant group has arrived from Bosnia due to the civil war during the nineties. Generally, this group through the time managed to cope with the challenges that their migration forced them to, which can be viewed as a successful integration into Swedish society. Therefore, the aim of this research study is to present immigrant group from Bosnia and to identify the strategies that have led to their successful integration. Likewise, this study was guided by the questions of which factors and agents appeared to be crucial in their integration process. This was a qualitative study with an explanatory case study design followed by descriptive elements. The research subjects were first generation of Bosnian refugees who have managed to integrate successfully. Semi structured interviews with standardized open ended questions were used. The results show that Värnamo is perceived among the participants as an open and friendly city toward everybody, including new comers, which is a good prerequisite for the integration process. The starting point in respondents’ process of integration was enhancing their cultural capital in terms of learning the language and also about Swedish culture and values. The participants were aware that education is a key factor for developing economic and social capital. Cultural capital can be seen as a mechanism generating other forms of capital. In the later stage of integration process, economic and social capital was crucial for maintaining or increasing their level of integration. The findings also revealed that different motivators and social support networks had important and guiding roles in particular phases of the integration process. Additionally, the respondents chose to combine two cultures in order to create more comfortable life in Sweden. As they stated, the respondents accepted Swedish culture but they also preserved some Bosnian values. As a final outcome of respondents’ integration strategy is a feeling about Värnamo and Sweden as their home where they feel secured and respected