1,587 research outputs found
Image Processing for Cartographic Applications
The goal of classifying objects of cartographic interest in aerial photographs was approached using techniques from pattern recognition and image processing. Bridge and airport images were chosen as the initial objects of interest and segments of photographs containing them were digitized for the data base. Edge-detection and Hough transform algorithms identified structures as candidate bridges; additional decision logic (using global contrast and other attributes) further reduced the set. Results indicate the feasibility and low computational cost of the approach
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Do we (need to) care about canopy radiation schemes in DGVMs? Caveats and potential impacts
Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) are an essential part of current state-of-the-art Earth system models. In recent years, the complexity of DGVMs has increased by incorporating new important processes like, e.g., nutrient cycling and land cover dynamics, while biogeophysical processes like surface radiation have not been developed much further. Canopy radiation models are however very important for the estimation of absorption and reflected fluxes and are essential for a proper estimation of surface carbon, energy and water fluxes.
The present study provides an overview of current implementations of canopy radiation schemes in a couple of state-of-the-art DGVMs and assesses their accuracy in simulating canopy absorption and reflection for a variety of different surface conditions. Systematic deviations in surface albedo and fractions of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (faPAR) are identified and potential impacts are assessed.
The results show clear deviations for both, absorbed and reflected, surface solar radiation fluxes. FaPAR is typically underestimated, which results in an underestimation of gross primary productivity (GPP) for the investigated cases. The deviation can be as large as 25% in extreme cases. Deviations in surface albedo range between â0.15 †Îα †0.36, with a slight positive bias on the order of Îα â 0.04. Potential radiative forcing caused by albedo deviations is estimated at â1.25 †RF †â0.8 (W mâ2), caused by neglect of the diurnal cycle of surface albedo.
The present study is the first one that provides an assessment of canopy RT schemes in different currently used DGVMs together with an assessment of the potential impact of the identified deviations. The paper illustrates that there is a general need to improve the canopy radiation schemes in DGVMs and provides different perspectives for their improvement
Molecular machines or pleiomorphic ensembles: signaling complexes revisited
Signaling complexes typically consist of highly dynamic molecular ensembles that are challenging to study and to describe accurately. Conventional mechanical descriptions misrepresent this reality and can be actively counterproductive by misdirecting us away from investigating critical issues
Momentum-dependent charge correlations in YBaCuO superconductors probed by resonant x-ray scattering: Evidence for three competing phases
We have used resonant x-ray scattering to determine the momentum dependent
charge correlations in YBaCuO samples with highly ordered
chain arrays of oxygen acceptors (ortho-II structure). The results reveal
nearly critical, biaxial charge density wave (CDW) correlations at in-plane
wave vectors (0.315, 0) and (0, 0.325). The corresponding scattering intensity
exhibits a strong uniaxial anisotropy. The CDW amplitude and correlation length
are enhanced as superconductivity is weakened by an external magnetic field.
Analogous experiments were carried out on a YBaCuO crystal with
a dilute concentration of spinless (Zn) impurities, which had earlier been
shown to nucleate incommensurate magnetic order. Compared to pristine crystals
with the same doping level, the CDW amplitude and correlation length were found
to be strongly reduced. These results indicate a three-phase competition
between spin-modulated, charge-modulated, and superconducting states in
underdoped YBaCuO.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures revised version, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
Real-time optical manipulation of cardiac conduction in intact hearts
Optogenetics has provided new insights in cardiovascular research, leading to new methods for cardiac pacing, resynchronization therapy and cardioversion. Although these interventions have clearly demonstrated the feasibility of cardiac manipulation, current optical stimulation strategies do not take into account cardiac wave dynamics in real time. Here, we developed an allâoptical platform complemented by integrated, newly developed software to monitor and control electrical activity in intact mouse hearts. The system combined a wideâfield mesoscope with a digital projector for optogenetic activation. Cardiac functionality could be manipulated either in freeârun mode with submillisecond temporal resolution or in a closedâloop fashion: a tailored hardware and software platform allowed realâtime intervention capable of reacting within 2 ms. The methodology was applied to restore normal electrical activity after atrioventricular block, by triggering the ventricle in response to optically mapped atrial activity with appropriate timing. Realâtime intraventricular manipulation of the propagating electrical wavefront was also demonstrated, opening the prospect for realâtime resynchronization therapy and cardiac defibrillation. Furthermore, the closedâloop approach was applied to simulate a reâentrant circuit across the ventricle demonstrating the capability of our system to manipulate heart conduction with high versatility even in arrhythmogenic conditions. The development of this innovative optical methodology provides the first proofâofâconcept that a realâtime optically based stimulation can control cardiac rhythm in normal and abnormal conditions, promising a new approach for the investigation of the (patho)physiology of the heart
Doping-Dependent Raman Resonance in the Model High-Temperature Superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d
We study the model high-temperature superconductor HgBa2CuO4+d with
electronic Raman scattering and optical ellipsometry over a wide doping range.
The resonant Raman condition which enhances the scattering cross section of
"two-magnon" excitations is found to change strongly with doping, and it
corresponds to a rearrangement of inter-band optical transitions in the 1-3 eV
range seen by ellipsometry. This unexpected change of the resonance condition
allows us to reconcile the apparent discrepancy between Raman and x-ray
detection of magnetic fluctuations in superconducting cuprates. Intriguingly,
the strongest variation occurs across the doping level where the antinodal
superconducting gap reaches its maximum.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, contact authors for Supplemental Materia
A Chemogenetic Approach for the Optical Monitoring of Voltage in Neurons
Optical monitoring of neuronal voltage using fluorescent indicators is a powerful approach for the interrogation of the cellular and molecular logic of the nervous system. Herein, a semisynthetic tethered voltage indicator (STeVI1) based upon nile red is described that displays voltage sensitivity when genetically targeted to neuronal membranes. This environmentally sensitive probe allows for wash-free imaging and faithfully detects supra- and sub-threshold activity in neurons
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Evolution of the eyes of vipers with and without infrared-sensing pit organs
We examined lens and brille transmittance, photoreceptors, visual pigments, and visual opsin gene sequences of viperid snakes with and without infrared-sensing pit organs. Ocular media transmittance is high in both groups. Contrary to previous reports, small as well as large single cones occur in pit vipers. Non-pit vipers differ from pit vipers in having a twotiered retina, but few taxa have been examined for this poorly understood feature. All vipers sampled express rh1, sws1 and lws visual opsin genes. Opsin spectral tuning varies but not in accordance with the presence/absence of pit organs, and not always as predicted from gene sequences. The visual opsin genes were generally under purifying selection, with positive selection at spectral tuning amino acids in RH1 and SWS1 opsins, and at retinal pocket stabilization sites in RH1 or LWS (and without substantial differences between pit and nonpit vipers). Lack of evidence for sensory trade-off between viperid eyes (in the aspects examined) and pit organs might be explained by the high degree of neural integration of vision and infrared detection; the latter representing an elaboration of an existing sense with addition of a novel sense organ, rather than involving the evolution of a wholly novel sensory system
Collective nature of spin excitations in superconducting cuprates probed by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering
We used resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) with and without analysis
of the scattered photon polarization, to study dispersive spin excitations in
the high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x over a wide range of doping
levels (0.1 < x < 1). The excitation profiles were carefully monitored as the
incident photon energy was detuned from the resonant condition, and the spin
excitation energy was found to be independent of detuning for all x. These
findings demonstrate that the largest fraction of the spin-flip RIXS profiles
in doped cuprates arises from magnetic collective modes, rather than from
incoherent particle-hole excitations as recently suggested theoretically
[Benjamin et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 247002(2014)]. Implications for the
theoretical description of the electron system in the cuprates are discussed.Comment: Supplementary materials are available upon reques
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