A Test for Evaluating the Practical Usefulness of Deduction Systems

.79> P U Test (Test of Practical Usefulness) for the practical usefulness of deduction systems. This test is modeled after tests for commercial software, such as word processors, desktop publishing systems and database programs commonly found in computer periodicals. These tests[Die93] give a typical application problem to a team consisting of a typical user and the software product and then evaluate the performance of the team in terms of elapsed time until a solution is found, and the quality of the result. We will now briefly discuss the application of this test plan to deduction systems and discuss the merits and shortcomings of this approach. For a concrete P U Test situation we would give a deduction problem formalized in natural language (e.g. think of a problem from a typical mathematics textbook or a riddle from today's newspaper) to a team consisting of a user and a deduction system. Then we would ask the user to come up with a proof of the problem i

The World Karst Aquifer Mapping project: concept, mapping procedure and map of Europe

Karst aquifers contribute substantially to freshwater supplies in many regions of the world, but are vulnerable to contamination and difficult to manage because of their unique hydrogeological characteristics. Many karst systems are hydraulically connected over wide areas and require transboundary exploration, protection and management. In order to obtain a better global overview of karst aquifers, to create a basis for sustainable international water-resources management, and to increase the awareness in the public and among decision makers, the World Karst Aquifer Mapping (WOKAM) project was established. The goal is to create a world map and database of karst aquifers, as a further development of earlier maps. This paper presents the basic concepts and the detailed mapping procedure, using France as an example to illustrate the step-by-step workflow, which includes generalization, differentiation of continuous and discontinuous carbonate and evaporite rock areas, and the identification of non-exposed karst aquifers. The map also shows selected caves and karst springs, which are collected in an associated global database. The draft karst aquifer map of Europe shows that 21.6% of the European land surface is characterized by the presence of (continuous or discontinuous) carbonate rocks; about 13.8% of the land surface is carbonate rock outcrop

Global change and investments in smallholder irrigation for food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Investments in irrigation contribute to poverty reduction and enhance food security. This paper considers irrigation investments more broadly in the context of rural–urban linkages and thus examines rural irrigation schemes and peri-urban and urban agriculture using freshwater, groundwater and wastewater. We present case studies from East, West and Southern Africa, while focusing on the imperative of smallholders and of food security and nutrition. Evidence from Big Data and telecoupling show that, amid global change and sustainability issues, irrigation development strengthens connections between humans and nature with notable benefits to food security. Transforming investments to feed the future generation require priority investments in irrigation, solar energy for groundwater pumping, groundwater development policy, and integration of peri-urban and urban agriculture into food systems. Equally important will be no-regret interventions in wastewater reuse, water storage and groundwater buffer, micro-irrigation, and wholesale reconfiguration of farming systems, through anticipatory investments, to safeguard food security and sustainability into the distant future