Polarimetry SAR detectors for monitoring Mediterranean forest fires events

Over the past decades, the great technological advances made in airborne and space sensors have led to a significant improvement of the remote sensing methods and techniques used for studying worldwide natural ecosystem disturbances. Generally, optical sensors are chosen for investigating landscapes transformation, however, this technology requires certain technical and environmental conditions (sunlight, no cloud-coverage) which are problematic for monitoring some regions of the world. In response to this challenge, this research aims to highlight the capabilities of Synthetic Aperture Radar - SAR satellite sensors for detecting disturbances in Mediterranean forests due to fire events. We are exploring three different methodologies: 1. Monitoring image intensity changes in dense time series of radar data; 2. We are investigating soil moisture changes after the fire that can be detected in intensities of radar images; 3. We are testing novel polarimetric SAR change detectors that are able to extract more information from polarimetric data (intensities and cross-correlations between polarimetric channels). All the procedures in this project were developed by using Co & Cross polarised radar satellite data acquired by the ESA-Sentinel-1 system in C-band, using the Doñana national park (Spain) forest fire event in June-July 2017 as a case study

Characterization of preclones by matrix collections

Preclones are described as the closed classes of the Galois connection induced by a preservation relation between operations and matrix collections. The Galois closed classes of matrix collections are also described by explicit closure conditions.Comment: 11 page

Gyrotropic impact upon negatively refracting surfaces

Surface wave propagation at the interface between different types of gyrotropic materials and an isotropic negatively refracting medium, in which the relative permittivity and relative permeability are, simultaneously, negative is investigated. A general approach is taken that embraces both gyroelectric and gyromagnetic materials, permitting the possibility of operating in either the low GHz, THz or the optical frequency regimes. The classical transverse Voigt configuration is adopted and a complete analysis of non-reciprocal surface wave dispersion is presented. The impact of the surface polariton modes upon the reflection of both plane waves and beams is discussed in terms of resonances and an example of the influence upon the Goos–Hänchen shift is given

The role of experiential knowledge within attitudes towards genetic carrier screening : a comparison of people with and without experience of spinal muscular atrophy

Purpose: Autosomal recessive conditions, whilst individually rare, are a significant health burden with limited treatment options. Population carrier screening has been suggested as a means of tackling them. Little is known, however, about the attitudes of the general public towards such carrier screening and still less about the views of people living with candidate genetic diseases. Here, we focus on the role that such experience has on screening attitudes by comparing the views of people with and without prior experience of the monogenetic disorder, Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Methods: An exploratory sequential mixed methods design was adopted. In-depth qualitative interviews were used to develop two surveys. The surveys addressed attitudes towards carrier screening (pre-conceptual and prenatal) for SMA. Participants: 337 participants with SMA experience completed the SMA Screening Survey (UK) and 336 participants with no prior experience of SMA completed the UK GenPop Survey, an amended version of the SMA Screening Survey (UK). Results: The majority of both cohorts were in favour of pre-conception and prenatal carrier screening, however people with experience of type II SMA were least likely to support either. Key differences emerged around perceptions of SMA, with those without SMA experience taking a dimmer than those with