On-Orbit Validation of a Framework for Spacecraft-Initiated Communication Service Requests with NASA's SCaN Testbed

We design, analyze, and experimentally validate a framework for demand-based allocation of high-performance space communication service in which the user spacecraft itself initiates a request for service. Leveraging machine-to-machine communications, the automated process has potential to improve the responsiveness and efficiency of space network operations. We propose an augmented ground station architecture in which a hemispherical-pattern antenna allows for reception of service requests sent from any user spacecraft within view. A suite of ground-based automation software acts upon these direct-to-Earth requests and allocates access to high-performance service through a ground station or relay satellite in response to immediate user demand. A software-defined radio transceiver, optimized for reception of weak signals from the helical antenna, is presented. Design and testing of signal processing equipment and a software framework to handle service requests is discussed. Preliminary results from on-orbit demonstrations with a testbed onboard the International Space Station are presented to verify feasibility of the concept

Written evidence from the NCECJS to the HoC Justice Committee: implications of Brexit for justice

Forensic biometric sharing within the EU (Prüm) is a specialist form of cooperation. Nevertheless research into this activity and the context in which it occurs places some of the implications of Brexit into sharp relief: a) Brexit (in any form) will not result in a major reduction in the need for effective criminal justice and security cooperation. The UK will still receive millions of foreign citizens a year and a very small proportion of them will be serious criminals who present major threats. The challenge is to identify this small group within the generally law-abiding and tax-paying crowd. b) The effectiveness, continued extension and form of such cooperation will also have a major impact on the safety and rights of UK citizens abroad, whether they are in the diaspora or simply travelling for work or holidays. c) The value of individual criminal justice and security cooperation agreements (however good) will only be realised fully within a comprehensive framework (e.g. with access to the European Arrest Warrant (EAW)) that is underpinned institutionally (e.g. by Europol and Eurojust) and subject to parliamentary and legal scrutiny. d) UK global economic and political status was significantly reduced on 23rd June and a badly handled Brexit will further diminish this country’s influence. There will be little or no scope for UK bespoke arrangements for police and judicial cooperation or scientific standardisation. e) The resilience of both UK science and technology, and our criminal justice system – including responses to transnational cybercrime - are likely to be weakened significantly if British forensic scientists are no longer influential within EU collaborative scientific research, professional working groups and standardisation decisions. Opting-out of the EU arrangements, such as Prüm, the European Criminal Records Information System (ECRIS) and EAW, to which the UK belongs only after recent Protocol 36 reviews by criminal justice professionals, government and Parliament would be inexplicable and may prove to be reckless

Legal and water management policy during climate warming in Poland

The article discusses some of the effects of global warming on rivers, lakes and underground water in Poland. It documents serious difficulties in river shipping and energy, as well as the exposing of areas previously occupied by lakes as a result water levels lowering. It is pointed out that the rapid increase in intensive irrigation of agricultural areas is causing excessive exploitation of underground water. The analysis takes into account the relevant data. The presentation of the effects of global warming is expanded upon with the legal provisions applicable in these situations. In the absence of climate change law, these are general regulations that face a number of difficulties in application. The detailing of areas of law and hydrology leads to the conclusion that Poland lacks a coherent policy on climate warming

Selected aspects of water and sewage management in Poland in the context of sustainable urban development

Effective water and sewage management is one of the most important enablers of sustainable urban development. In Poland, water and sewage management has been undergoing systematic transformation since the 1990s. This process intensified with Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004. The aim of the work is to analyse and evaluate water and sewage management in cities in Poland in terms of sustainable development. This was made possible by selecting seven variables from which a summative index (SI) was calculated. The analysis revealed a number of positive changes that have occurred in this field. These were mainly: a decrease in water consumption in households and industry, and an increased share of wastewater treated biologically or using enhanced nutrient removal in total wastewater. An increase in SI was found in 98% of the researched cities. The largest improvement in water and sewage management took place in cities of populations below 100,000 and little industry, and in three large cities, namely Warsaw and Szczecin

Rainwater management in urban areas in Poland: literature review

The work analyses and evaluates the results of research work carried out so far in the field of rainwater management in urban areas in Poland. Using the "biblioshiny" tool, a bibliometric analysis was carried out based on queries to the Scopus and Web of Science databases. As a result, information was obtained on selected bibliometric statistics of scientific publications in which the topic of rainwater in Poland was taken up. The probable direction of further research development in the field of the analysed issues was also determined. In addition, after a detailed review of all the articles obtained at the earlier stage of the bibliometric analysis, the main research contexts were indicated and discussed. Areas and issues requiring further analysis and supplementation were indicated in the work

WATER TEMPERATURE AND ITS DIVERSITY IN THE DEEPEST LAKES OF THE TUCHOLA FOREST AND THE KASHUBIAN AND BRODNICKIE LAKELANDS

This study presents the results of monthly examinations of the vertical distribution of water thermal structure (2008–2011) carried out over a four-year period in the deepest lakes located in the Kashubian and Brodnickie Lakelands and the Tuchola Forest1. Three lakes were selected for examination (Raduńskie Górne, Zbiczno and Ostrowite). Their maximum depths slightly exceed 40 m, and their surface areas range from 121 to 362.5 ha. The results of the measurements show that, despite only minor differences in depth, water temperature varied significantly between the studied lakes. These differences were mainly apparent in the extent of the epilimnion, water thermal stratification, and in the water temperature in the bottom-most layers in summer and winter. The diversity in thermal stratification of the lakes is mainly determined by their morphometric properties, their location above sea level, and the dynamic influences of winds

Assisted Form Filling

Non

Stormwater management in urbanised areas in Poland. Analysis and assessment of current legislation

The issue of stormwater has an interdisciplinary dimension, but the work focuses on its legal and environmental aspects. The article analyses and evaluates Polish legal regulations in the field of stormwater management in urbanised areas. These regulations focus particularly on two different areas. The first is the discharge of stormwater into waters or the ground. The second concerns the reduction of natural land retention (the “rain tax”). These activities are always considered a form of water use that incurs a fee determined in accordance with the provisions of the Water Law. In both areas, both practice and legal doctrine raise interpretative doubts that stem from the applicable normative solutions. These doubts particularly concern the determination of entities obliged to take specific actions or the scope of application of the fee for reducing natural land retention. This, in turn, translates into difficulties in applying the law and non-uniformity of decisions made

The potential of data exploration methods in identifying the relationship between short-period (daily) water consumption and meteorological factors

. The purpose of the work was to identify the hidden relationship between water consumption and meteorological factors, using principal component analysis. In addition, clusters of similar days were identified based on relationships identified by k-means. The study was based on data from the city of Toruń (Poland). The analysis was based on daily data from 2014–2017 divided into three groups. Group I included data from the entire period, Group II- from warm half[1]years (April–September), and Group III-from cold half-years (January–March and October–December). For Groups I and II the extent of water consumption was explained by two principal components. PC1 includes variables that increase water consumption, and PC2 includes variables that lessen water demand. In Group III, water consumption was not linked to any component. The k-means method was used to identify clusters of similar days. In terms of PC1, the most numerous days were Saturdays, and in terms of PC2 Sundays and holidays. It was determined that further research aimed at explaining the specificity of water consumption on particular days of the week is appropriate