Accuracy of 3D Point-Cloud and Photo-Based Models of City Street Intersections

From Georgia Southern University’s Built Environment and Modeling lab, this study compares point positions and distance measurements completed with state-of-the-art instruments and equipment. A modern, 12-second, laser scanner, a modern unmanned aerial vehicle and a highly accurate, 1-second robotic total station were employed for this study. The latter serving as the benchmark instrument. The main objective of this quantitative comparison is to explore the accuracy and usability of a relatively large point-cloud model, as a virtual surveying tool for redesign/reconstruction purposes. This project involves the generation of large, 3D, point-cloud models of two busy and complex city street intersections. One intersection encompasses an approximate area of 300 ft × 750 ft and containing five converging elements: three streets and two railroads. It is an accident-prone location requiring redesign. The second street intersection encompasses an approximate area of 1,500 ft × 2,500 ft, containing two streets intersecting at an approximate 45-degree angle. The resulting computer model has been geo-referenced in the Georgia East State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) using control points with coordinates established by GPS (Global Positioning System) via a rapid, network-based, Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) approach. These city street intersections are within the Blue-Mile corridor in Statesboro, GA. Along with the Statesboro city engineering, the Blue-Mile corridor has plans to enhance and improve the traffic flow of the Blue-Mile corridor, which contains many businesses and restaurants. The final point-cloud models are to be donated to the city engineers to assist in the redesign of the intersections. A full analysis of the referred discrepancies is presented and recommendations on improving the overall current accuracies are provided

Using Transformational Preaching and Life-Skill Seminars To Promote Conversation and Dialogue on Abuse and Family Violence at Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church in Toronto

Problem Domestic violence is a hidden crime globally and it is a problem at the Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church. Very often, the abusers and the abused are from the same family. Children who grow up in homes where physical and mental abuse is prevalent tend to become abusers or marry abusers. Members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are not immune and need emotional healing from abuse and family violence. However, Christian communities typically appear silent on the issues of abuse and family violence. Method An exploratory process was devised to research the benefits of transformational preaching and life-skill seminars to foster ongoing dialogue on abuse and family violence. The Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church administrators presented the request for their church to be the site of the study, and it was approved. Subsequently, for twelve months, Sabbath sermons focusing on transformation were preached to approximately 300 attendees, followed by six monthly Sabbath sermons and six Sunday seminars attended by 30 attendees. Information was gathered by noting testimonies and shared responses following each monthly weekend (Sabbath sermon and Sunday seminar). The results were based on the overall effectiveness of the seminars and compared across the demographics of age, education, gender, and marital status. Results The strategy developed for the Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church utilizing transformational preaching and life-skill seminars to promote conversation and dialogue on abuse and family violence was successful. While emotional healing was not measured or the primary focus, there were positive anecdotal updates and changes to the Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church programs to indicate that emotional healing was taking place. A multi-pronged approach was needed to promote conversation and dialogue on trauma issues. The research approach included salient components such as culture, symbols, and faith for Seventh-day Adventist, Afro-Caribbean populations in Toronto. Finally, the Seventh-day Adventist Church needs to provide a consistent, safe environment to enable each person to respond at that their own pace. The body of Christ ought to show evidence of His restorative powers. Outcomes Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church now provides programs and workshops on mental health, addiction, anger management, and family violence to the church and the community. Grants fund a free (to recipients) weekly in-person counseling and referral service by a licensed mental health professional member at the church. The programs also serve those ordered by the court to attend anger management and conflict resolution programs. Counseling sessions are scheduled and strategically held on Wednesdays when the church’s food bank operates and the church holds its weekly Prayer Meeting service. The church continues to create a safe space for supportive and positive relationships. These strategies have increased the interactions between the church and the community. Through word-of-mouth, the church now welcomes more visitors and worshipers. The membership has grown spiritually and emotionally due to this authentic and intentional wraparound support system. Conclusion The Mount Olive Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to intentionally create safe spaces, stimulate conversations and dialogues on the impact of trauma and family violence, and promote healthy interactions for the surrounding community and members. Their consistent efforts of providing counseling support and prayer have garnered positive results as part of the city-wide services directed at crime, family dysfunction, and gun violence

华南南亚热带不同演替阶段植被的环境效应

This study deals with the capacity for nutrient conservation,the balance of carbon and oxygen as well as the buffering of acid rain in the succession of vegetation of lower subtropical zone of southern China.The results show that:(1)N,P,K contents of plants of a 100 year old monsoon evergreen broad leaved forest were 12～39 times those of the grassland and fernland.They were 12～16 times those of the shrubland.Its N,P,K contents of litter were 11～36 times those of grassland and fernland,and 3.1～5.2 times tha...研究华南南亚热带不同演替阶段植被对养分保护、碳氧平衡和对酸雨的缓冲作用的结果表明: 100 年生季风常绿阔叶林植物N、P、K 贮量是草地和芒萁群落的12 ～39 倍, 灌木林的12～16 倍; 死地被物N、P、K 贮量是草地和芒萁群落的11～36倍, 灌木林的3. 1～5. 2 倍. 30 年生季风常绿阔叶林净初级生产量的N、P、K 贮量是草地、芒萁、灌木群落的1. 9～5. 1 倍. º 100年生季风常绿阔叶林植物碳贮量是草地、芒萁、灌木群落的13～49 倍. 30 年生季风常绿阔叶林植物碳净固定量是草地、芒萁、灌木群落的2. 3～3. 4 倍, 前者的氧释放量也明显大于后者. » 芒萁、灌木群落和季风常绿阔叶林穿透雨的平均pH 值比降雨pH 值分别高1. 13、1. 03 和1. 90 个单位, 季风常绿阔叶林对酸雨的缓冲能力明显高于芒萁、灌木群落. ¼正向演替可加强植被的环境效应, 让草地、芒萁、灌木群落演替成为季风常绿阔叶林, 有利于区域生态环境的改善.This study deals with the capacity for nutrient conservation, the balance of carbon and oxygen as well as the buffering of acid rain in the succession of vegetation of lower subtropical zone of southern China. The results show that: (1)N,P,K contents of plants of a 100 year old monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest were 12-39 times those of the grassland and fernland. They were 12-16 times those of the shrubland. Its N,P,K contents of litter were 11-36 times those of grassland and fernland,and 3.1-5. 2 times that of the shrubland. The mass of N,P,K in net primary production of 30 year old monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest were 1. 9-5.1 times those measured in the grassland,fernland and shrubland. (2)Carbon content of plants of the 100 year old monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest was 13-49 times those of in the grassland,fernland and shrubland. The amount of fixed carbon in the 30 year old monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest was 2. 3-3. 4 times those of the grassland,fernland and shrubland. The amount of oxygen made in the former was,obviously,also greater than in the latter. (3)Mean pH values of throughfall from the fernland, shrubland and monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest were 1. 13,1. 03 and 1. 90 units higher than that of rainfall. The buffering capacity of the monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest for acid rain was significantly higher than that of the fernland and shrubland. (4) The environment effects of vegetation could be increased by succession. It is very helpful for improving the eco- environment if the grassland,fernland and shrubland are changed to monsoon evergreen broad-leaved forest by succession.link_to_subscribed_fulltextpostprin

The High Resolution Airborne Resource and Environmental Survey- (Phase 1) (HiRES-1): background, data processing and dissemination and future prospects

This report provides an overview of the HiRES-1 airborne geophysical survey of Central England. The BGS and World Geoscience (UK) Ltd. carried out the survey jointly in 1998. The three main survey data sets acquired were magnetic, radiometric (gamma ray spectrometry) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) electromagnetic. The main aim of the report is to provide information on the acquisition, processing and storage of the final data and map products produced by the HiRES-1 project. Additional descriptions of ground truthing activities, data licensing and dissemination are also provided. A significant aspect of the project was the assessment of the potential of, and issues raised by, modern, multi-parameter, regional-scale airborne geophysical surveys in the UK context. Some of the main issues outlined in the report are: • The practical difficulties of conducting extensive low level, fixed-wing geophysical surveying in the UK. Issues discussed include CAA regulatory permissions, flight height adjustments above conurbations and surveying near areas with dense air traffic. • The processing challenges introduced by cultural (nongeological) influences on high resolution airborne magnetic data sets in the UK. • The significant amounts of detailed geological and environmental information contained within the radiometric data. • The weak application potential provided by passive (i.e. VLF) measurements, in contrast to active airborne electromagnetic techniques. The future prospects for regional-scale, airborne geophysical surveys in the UK are considered. Such prospects are also influenced by a further set of trial airborne data, obtained in 1999, but not described here. Further detail of the HiRES-1 survey, productivity, technical specifications and data pre-processing are contained in the survey logistics report prepared by WGL: ‘British Geological Survey “Hi-Res Phase One” Airborne Geophysical Survey (Survey Details, Technical Specifications & Processing Summary)’ (WGL 2000)

Trial airborne environmental and geological survey: an initial appraisal of relevance to land-use

A series of four trial airborne environmental and geological surveys was flown by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) in collaboration with the British Geological Survey (BGS) in June 1999; the trials were co-sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Environment Agency. The main objective of these surveys was to test the efficiency of the GTK airborne electromagnetic system in the mapping of potential pollution problems in the UK environment. Gamma spectrometric and magnetometric measurements were also collected to see to what extent these techniques provide complementary information. This report is an initial consideration of the multi-parameter airborne geophysical data in relation to land-use issues. A variety of earth science information for planning and development already exists. The baseline information is reviewed according to scale and resolution. It is noted that the airborne data is of a new type with regard to both information content and spatial continuity. The specific characteristics and advantages of the airborne geophysical data are emphasised. The trial survey data were obtained at high resolution and a large number of anomalous responses have been observed. Since the information is provided at a local-scale a number of issues concerning the nature of the responses observed and the underlying causes have been raised. It will be necessary to improve our understanding of the data before an unambiguous discussion of their specific relevance to land-use issues can proceed. In advance of detailed interpretations of the trial data, the data are presented and discussed in relation to their potential relevance to five land-use issues: (i) Waste planning/Planning and pollution control, (ii) Minerals Planning, (iii) Water supply and water resource protection/Coastal zone management, (iv) Urban regeneration/Peripheral development and new communities and (v) Agriculture and Forestry. It is acknowledged that there are differences between the information needed for planning the use of land, and information which is required for monitoring environmental strategies. The geophysical data appear to have greatest relevance to the latter requirement. Recommendations for ground and subsurface calibration of the data are made

Hydrogeological classification of superficial clays: apparent resistivity measurements from the Garboldisham, Norfolk pilot study area

Three types of apparent resistivity measurements have been undertaken at the Garboldisham pilot study area in Norfolk in support of the superficial clays programme. Resistivity soundings have established the intrinsic resistivities for the strata encountered. Cover sand (possibly mixed with glacial sand) ofresistivities 100 - 200 ohm.m overlies till ofresistivities 22 - 32 ohm.m which lies directly on chalk of resistivities 65 - 85 ohm.m. At the sounding sites, depth to chalk is in the range 11 - 15 m. Azimuthal apparent resistivity measurements were made in an attempt to identify fracture sets within the till and to establish the degree of fracturing between measurement sites. These fracture sets will have an important influence on the hydrogeological regime. At only two of the five sites investigated was a fracture trend recognised and this had an orientation of 210-225 degrees. There was an indication of a change in the intensity of fracturing between the two sites. The results indicate that there is either a lack of fracturing with a consistent trend within the till or that there is an insufficient resistivity contrast between the conductive till and the fractures. Detailed dipole-dipole apparent resistivity measurements undertaken with the BGS RESCAN system were able to map the thickness ofcover sand over a suspected sand channel. The sand body has a north - south orientation with a variable depth to the till surface. Maximum depths are up to two metres. The effectiveness of the resistivity technique for mapping sand lying on till has been demonstrated in this study

Requirements of a global information system for corn production and distribution

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Trial airborne environmental and geological survey of target areas in the English Midlands

A series of four trial airborne environmental and geological surveys was flown by the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) in collaboration with the British Geological Survey (BGS) in June 1999; the trials were co-sponsored by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Environment Agency. The main objective of these surveys was to test the efficiency of the GTK airborne electromagnetic (EM) system in the mapping of potential pollution problems in the UK environment. Gamma spectrometric and magnetometric measurements were also collected to see to what extent these techniques provide complementary information. The EM data are particularly encouraging and have identified anomalies which may relate to subsurface pollution. The data have identified conductive zones both on the ‘local’ scale (i.e. possibly emanating from domestic landfills) through to regional scale features up to many kilometres in length. The information obtained in relation to spoil tip drainage is of particular note. The data have provided a wealth of information on ‘point source’ anomalies (requiring ground truth information) and diffuse sources that may be connected with groundwater extraction. At two sites (Trent Valley and Langar) the EM technique appears to have met the challenge of detecting conductive targets in a conductive host. Many other features of the data will take time to assess. The radiometric data indicate features of land fill and colliery spoil sites and allow comparison to be made rapidly with the EM data to define the lateral spread of conductive pore fluids beyond the site itself. They can also be used to map site-specific contamination where radioactive elements are present. The radiometric data also give direct indications of solid and drift geology and soil type, providing additional detail to that shown on geological maps (soil maps are not available for much of the UK). The magnetic data have suggested the presence of significant volumes of metallic debris in the Langar landfill sites. This may be significant in terms of the leachates derived and the compaction (through time) of the contrasting fill materials. Compared with the EM and radiometric techniques, the applications of magnetics in environmental studies are rather limited, but such data is worthwhile collecting in view of the marginal additional costs involved

Low Mortality in Tall Tropical Trees

The dynamics of the tallest trees in tropical forests are of special interest due to their carbon content, canopy dominance, and the large canopy gaps created when they die. Known ecological mechanisms that may influence tall tree survival lead to conflicting predictions. Hydraulic stress and exposure to high winds and desiccation should increase death rates, yet the tallest trees have the greatest access to light and escape damage caused by falling boles and branches. The uncertainty in tall tree mortality rates has been difficult to address due to their low density, which makes mortality rates challenging to estimate accurately. Here, we use a combination of LiDAR remote sensing and field measurements to show that the mortality rate over 8.5 years among individuals \u3e40 m tall in 444 ha of lowland Neotropical rain forest was 1.2% per year, less than half the landscape-scale average for all canopy trees (2.7% per year). The low mortality is likely explained by species-specific traits that decrease the mortality risk and/or ecological advantages of height that outweigh the risks. Regardless of the mechanisms, the low mortality rate has important implications for tropical forest carbon budgets, as we estimated that a single tall individual represents 2–11% of total live aboveground carbon stocks per hectare. Our findings suggest that height-specific dynamics may be surprisingly different from traditional diameter-specific dynamics, emphasizing the importance of extending ecological studies to investigate the role of tree height in forest dynamics

Applications and challenges for high resolution airborne surveys in populated areas

The role of high resolution airborne surveys is extending well beyond the traditional areas of mineral and hydrocarbons exploration and regional mapping, which were often focused on the relatively unpopulated and remote regions of the world. As an increasing proportion of the Earth’s surface is affected by human activity, airborne survey techniques are being adapted and applied to development-related issues in more populated areas. The value of radiometric and electromagnetic data (in particular) has been recognised for addressing a range of environmental issues and, more generally, airborne surveys are seen as an effective, non-invasive means of providing multiple development-related geoscience data sets in a single operation. These new applications present many operational, processing and interpretation challenges. This paper provides an overview of some of the issues addressed in this Special Session on ‘The role of high resolution airborne surveys in environmental monitoring and sustainable development of resources’