Dynamic landscapes and human dispersal patterns : tectonics, coastlines, and the reconstruction of human habitats

Studies of the impact of physical environment on human evolution usually focus on climate as the main external forcing agent of evolutionary and cultural change. In this paper we focus on changes in the physical character of the landscape driven by geophysical processes as an equally potent factor. Most of the landscapes where finds of early human fossils and artefacts are concentrated are ones that have been subjected to high levels of geological instability, either because of especially active tectonic processes associated with faulting and volcanic activity or because of proximity to coastlines subject to dramatic changes of geographical position and physical character by changes of relative sea level. These processes can have both beneficial effects, creating ecologically attractive conditions for human settlement, and deleterious or disruptive ones, creating barriers to movement, disruption of ecological conditions, or hazards to survival. Both positive and negative factors can have powerful selective effects on human behaviour and patterns of settlement and dispersal. We consider both these aspects of the interaction, develop a framework for the reconstruction and comparison of landscapes and landscape change at a variety of scales, and illustrate this with selected examples drawn from Africa and Arabia

Visual Descriptors: A Design Tool for Visual Impact Analysis

This study is concerned with the development of a practical and effective form of computer-aided analysis of the visual impact of building development in rural areas. Its contribution is fourfold. Firstly, a conceptual model has been developed for the process of seeing in the context of visual impact analysis. Secondly, a mathematical model for a consistent series of visual descriptors has been devised. Thirdly, a suitable design tool has been devised to make use of visual descriptors in visual impact analysis. Fourthly, visual descriptors have actually been implemented as computer software. The concept of visual impact analysis is defined and placed within the wider context of landscape research. The problems faced by a designer in the context of visual impact analysis are identified and the concept of a 'design tool' is introduced and defined. A number of existing computer software packages, intended or used for visual impact analysis, are reviewed critically. The concept of 'visual descriptors' as measures to be used by designers is introduced and examined critically. A conceptual model is presented for the process of seeing in the context of visual impact analysis. A range of possible measures for use as visual descriptors is presented and developed further into a series of precise definitions. A method of implementing visual descriptors is presented together with formal algorithms for the derivation of eight visual descriptors. A software package incorporating these descriptors is presented and verification and case studies of its use carried out. Visual descriptors, as implemented, are assessed for their effectiveness as a design tool for visual impact analysis.Strathclyde University Dept. of Architecture and Building Scienc

The North Sky and the Otherworld: Journeys of the Dead in the Neolithic Considered

The majority of Irish passage tombs (c. 230) predominantly date to the Middle Neolithic (c. 3600–3000 BC). A small number of summit cairns may also contain passage tombs because of their round form, proximity and intervisibility. The island’s passage tombs and related cairns share distinguishing characteristics – elevated siting, visibility and long-range views of distant horizons in varying directions of the compass. This chapter presents the findings of the first scenic analysis of the horizon and views at these sites recorded at an island scale. The method uses measured orientations of horizon sectors related to observed variation in horizon range. This shows that tomb location was likely selected with a preference for view of the distant horizon and, curiously, also in the northerly direction in many cases. This sector of the horizon lies beyond the extreme rising and setting limits of the sun and moon. It is also the region of circumpolar stars which never rise or set and are perpetual in a viewing sense. The hypothesis that the process of cremation released the spirit of the dead to travel to the abode of the ancestors in the north sky, a zone commonly associated with death and the afterlife by other later cultures, is explored

Geographical Analysis of Mobile Network Reception Quality -Signal Strength : A Case Study of Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana

Cost of mobile phone communication service in Ghana is seen by many subscribers to be too high when compared to other countries, developed and developing. Despite the cost, mobile usage penetration in Ghana has reached 75%. Perhaps the agonizing part is not how much one pays for the service, rather, the paying for unattained service. In many locations, voice calls are not audible while others fall into dead zones. The argument is that mobile phone service providers need to educate their customers on the signal strength of the subscriber’s location before customers subscribe for the service. This study presents the spatial pattern of mobile network reception quality in the AMA. The objective was to identify gaps in coverage using signal strength of two mobile network providers, MTN and TIGO. The study found that MTN had 184 masts transmitting signals within AMA. However there is a considerable concentration of them within the central AMA, accounting for the strong signal strength in areas around Accra Central, Accra Newtown, Kaneshie, Kotobabi, and Adabraka. Major localities of signal gaps for MTN are found around Little Legon, Burma Camp and Mpoase. MTN has three times more subscribers than TIGO. TIGO had 50 masts which are unevenly distributed and concentrated in areas around Darkuman, Kokompe, and Abeka. Generally, TIGO’s signal showed stronger from field test, but it has fewer subscribers. TIGO has major gaps in areas around Burma Camp, parts of Dansoman, Chorkor, Korle Gonnor, Little Legon, East Legon towards Adjiringanor, Mpoase and Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Keywords: Geographic Information Systems, Signal Strength, Multi-criteria decision making, Accra Metropolitan Area DOI: 10.7176/CER/13-1-05 Publication date: January 31st 202

Determining Optimal Locations for Viewpoints Using the Open-Source Whitebox GAT Software

The most visually exposed landscape can be determined by a rich set of GIS tools, the main limitation of which is high intensity of computation. This study aims to put forward a method of specifying optimal location for the viewpoints attractive to tourists by means of Whitebox GAT, an open-source GIS application. The study area involves the Kolbudzko-Przywidzka Upland of the southern part of the Kashubian Lakeland in Poland. The method presented herein is characterized by simplicity and low computation intensity. However, it can only be used to analyse views on a local scale, in areas whose spatial coverage does not exceed a dozen or so kilometres

Ensamblando datos. SIG y la historia humana del Valle de Oukaïmeden

Geographic Information Systems have become recently a methodological device to analyze the social configuration of historical landscapes. This paper deals with mobility and visibility as basic agents of the landscape organization, which is in turn, one of the theoretical bases of ARPA’s project. Hence, the need of applying these methodological tools to achieve a deeper knowledge of that process. GIS techniques show a direct connection between rock art or tumuli and the most efficient lines of movement, the best visibility orientations or the wet areas. Following Annales’ idea of Longue Durée, this paper traces the human process of modelling the Oukaïmeden landscape, from prehistoric times to more recent, historical ones, in which the control of critical resources and of mobility played a key role.Los sistemas de información geográfica han sido utilizados en los últimos años como herramienta metodológica a la hora de analizar la configuración social de los paisajes prehistóricos. En nuestro trabajo, y como una de las líneas teóricas de nuestro proyecto, entendemos la importancia de factores como la movilidad o la visibilidad dentro de esta configuración del paisaje. De ahí, la necesidad del uso de este tipo de herramientas metodológicas para comprender de una manera más profunda dicho proceso. La aplicación de los sistemas de información geográfica a la hora de analizar el arte rupestre y otra serie de elementos materiales prehistóricos, como los túmulos, parecen mostrarnos una relación directa entre dichas evidencias y factores tales como las líneas de movimiento, los condicionantes de visibilidad o las zonas de acumulación de pastos. De esta manera, y siguiendo la idea de la Longue Durée, hemos analizado la configuración del paisaje del valle de Oukaïmeden desde épocas prehistóricas hasta momentos más recientes, pudiendo entender como el control de los recursos y la movilidad, han sido factores determinantes en dicho proceso

Real-time engagement area dvelopment program (READ-Pro)

The Real-Time Engagement Area Development Program (READ-Pro) is a PC-based prototype system which provides company-level commanders with real-time operational analysis tools to develop engagement areas (EA) for direct fire (DF) systems. READ-Pro automates and streamlines the current manual system. READ-Pro significantly enhances the evaluation of a defense by presenting the commander with a visual display of the coverage and a quantitative measure of its fragility. READ-Pro also supports the rapid evolution to a better defense by providing visualization of the coverage and a quantitative evaluation at each step in the engagement area development process. READ-Pro creates a layered environment consisting of digital terrain elevation data (DTEDﾩ), a standard military map, overlays, and imagery. A ModSAF line-of-sight (MLOS) algorithm, based on the ModSAF terrain model, calculates measures of effectiveness related to line-of-sight coverage. READ-Pro also includes a Monte-Carlo Simulation to quantify the fragility of a defense. READ-Pro incorporates the tactics, techniques and procedures used in today's Army, namely the troop-leading procedures and 7 steps of engagement area development. Thus, READ-Pro can also be used to train leaders on the fundamentals associated with engagement area development.http://archive.org/details/realtimeengageme109459775Captain, United States ArmyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Timely Near-Optimal Path Generation for an Unmanned Aerial System in a Highly Constrained Environment

A current challenge in path planning is the ability to efficiently calculate a near-optimum path solution through a highly-constrained environment in near-real time. In addition, computing performance on a small unmanned aerial vehicle is typically limited due to size and weight restrictions. The proposed method determines a solution quickly by first mapping a highly constrained three-dimensional environment to a two-dimensional weighted node surface in which the weighting accounts for both the terrain gradient and the vehicle\u27s performance. The 2D surface is then discretized into triangles which are sized based upon the vehicle maneuverability and terrain gradient. The shortest feasible path between the nodes of the two-dimensional triangulated surface is determined using an A* algorithm. An optimal path is then chosen through the unconstrained corridor to yield a quick near-optimal path solution in three-dimensional space. This technique requires prior knowledge of the terrain map and vehicle performance. The cost to traverse each segment of the map is independent of the starting position on the map and can be pre-calculated once the goal position is known. The proposed method allows for a rapid path solution from any start position to a goal position while satisfying all constraints. It was shown that employing the methodology herein resulted in near-optimal solutions in less than a couple seconds for the scenarios tested. The future work section proposes methods for improving the algorithms efficiency even further