Accelerating Kernel Classifiers Through Borders Mapping

Support vector machines (SVM) and other kernel techniques represent a family of powerful statistical classification methods with high accuracy and broad applicability. Because they use all or a significant portion of the training data, however, they can be slow, especially for large problems. Piecewise linear classifiers are similarly versatile, yet have the additional advantages of simplicity, ease of interpretation and, if the number of component linear classifiers is not too large, speed. Here we show how a simple, piecewise linear classifier can be trained from a kernel-based classifier in order to improve the classification speed. The method works by finding the root of the difference in conditional probabilities between pairs of opposite classes to build up a representation of the decision boundary. When tested on 17 different datasets, it succeeded in improving the classification speed of a SVM for 12 of them by up to two orders-of-magnitude. Of these, two were less accurate than a simple, linear classifier. The method is best suited to problems with continuum features data and smooth probability functions. Because the component linear classifiers are built up individually from an existing classifier, rather than through a simultaneous optimization procedure, the classifier is also fast to train.Comment: This is the final, published version which is quite different from the first draft. A small but important error has been caught and correcte

Multi-Objective Water Management in Idaho\u27s Henrys Fork Watershed: Leveraging Reservoir Operation and Groundwater Pathways to Benefit Aquatic Habitat

Multi-user water management is a challenging arena further complicated by climate change. This research is based in the Henrys Fork, Snake River, Idaho—an agricultural watershed that exemplifies those throughout the semi-arid American West. This dissertation uses an integrated approach that considers groundwater-river relationships, farm-scale decisions and basin-scale outcomes, upstream reservoir operation for downstream aquatic habitat, water rights, and collaborative stakeholder management to identify drought adaptation strategies accordingly. Chapter 2 uses an interdisciplinary approach to quantify how improvements to irrigation efficiency at the farm-scale (i.e., converting from flood to sprinkler irrigation) can add up to affect hydrology at the landscape-scale and alter groundwater-surface water relationships. Motivated to improve economic efficiency, irrigators began converting from surface to center-pivot sprinkler irrigation in the 1950s, with rapid adoption of center-pivot sprinklers through 2000. Between 1978–2000 and 2001–2022, annual surface-water diversion decreased by 2,521 acre-ft (23%) and annual return flow to the river decreased by 2,431 acre-ft. Chapter 3 uses streamflow predictions, local reservoir operation standards, and the relationship between groundwater and river flows to quantify 1) the potential to conduct aquifer recharge in the lower watershed under a warming climate and 2) resulting streamflow response from groundwater. Water for recharge was largely available in April and October, reducing peak springtime streamflow at the watershed outlet by 10–14% after accounting for groundwater return. Streamflow contribution from recharge peaked in July and November, increasing July–August streamflow by 6–14% and November–March streamflow by 9–14%. I demonstrate recharge can recover groundwater return flows when applied as flood irrigation on agricultural land with senior water rights. Chapter 4 developed relationships between streamflow and habitat for three fish species in a reach where irrigation-season flows are managed by releases from an upstream reservoir. I used these relationships to 1) quantify aquatic habitat at different streamflows and 2) assess the differences in aquatic habitat across two different streamflow management histories. Using these relationships, I demonstrated that moving the management target\u27s location and flow amount will contribute to more consistently suitable fish habitat in the reach while continuing to meet upstream management objectives

Queensland Institute of Technology: Handbook 1984

The Queensland Institute of Technology handbook gives an outline of the faculties and subject offerings available that were offered by QIT

Queensland Institute of Technology: Handbook 1986

The Queensland Institute of Technology handbook gives an outline of the faculties and subject offerings available that were offered by QIT

Management: A continuing literature survey with indexes, March 1974

This special bibliography lists 597 reports, articles, and other documents introduced into the NASA scientific and technical information system in 1973

Queensland Institute of Technology: Handbook 1985

The Queensland Institute of Technology handbook gives an outline of the faculties and subject offerings available that were offered by QIT

Queensland Institute of Technology: Handbook 1985

The Queensland Institute of Technology handbook gives an outline of the faculties and subject offerings available that were offered by QIT