High Resolution Spectrometry of Leaf and Canopy Chemistry for Biochemical Cycling

High-resolution laboratory spectrophotometer and Airborne Imaging Spectrometer (AIS) data were used to analyze forest leaf and canopy chemistry. Fundamental stretching frequencies of organic bonds in the visible, near infrared and short-wave infrared are indicative of concentrations and total content of nitrogen, phosphorous, starch and sugar. Laboratory spectrophotometer measurements showed very strong negative correlations with nitrogen (measured using wet chemistry) in the visible wavelengths. Strong correlations with green wet canopy weight in the atmospheric water absorption windows were observed in the AIS data. A fairly strong negative correlation between the AIS data at 1500 nm and total nitrogen and nitrogen concentration was evident. This relationship corresponds very closely to protein absorption features near 1500 nm

What does Remote Sensing Do for Ecology?

The phrase “remote sensing” sounds like a theoretician’s delight—a way to get data while sitting in an armchair. Unfortunately, while some remote sensing activities can be done in a chair, substantial legwork is also needed to ensure accurate interpretation o f remotely sensed signals. Even for the work done from the armchair, remote sensing analysis is far from sim ple and straightforward

Overview: Computer vision and machine learning for microstructural characterization and analysis

The characterization and analysis of microstructure is the foundation of microstructural science, connecting the materials structure to its composition, process history, and properties. Microstructural quantification traditionally involves a human deciding a priori what to measure and then devising a purpose-built method for doing so. However, recent advances in data science, including computer vision (CV) and machine learning (ML) offer new approaches to extracting information from microstructural images. This overview surveys CV approaches to numerically encode the visual information contained in a microstructural image, which then provides input to supervised or unsupervised ML algorithms that find associations and trends in the high-dimensional image representation. CV/ML systems for microstructural characterization and analysis span the taxonomy of image analysis tasks, including image classification, semantic segmentation, object detection, and instance segmentation. These tools enable new approaches to microstructural analysis, including the development of new, rich visual metrics and the discovery of processing-microstructure-property relationships.Comment: submitted to Materials and Metallurgical Transactions

Short term responses of nitrogen trace gas emissions to nitrogen fertilization in tropical sugar cane: Variations due to soils and management practices

Nitrogen (N) fertilization of agricultural systems is thought to be a major source of the increase in atmospheric N2O; NO emissions from soils have also been shown to increase due to N fertilization. While N fertilizer use is increasing rapidly in the developing world and in the tropics, nearly all of our information on gas emissions is derived from studies of temperate zone agriculture. Using chambers, we measured fluxes of N2O and NO following urea fertilization in tropical sugar cane systems growing on a variety of soil types in the Hawaiian Islands, USA. On the island of Maui, where urea is applied in irrigation lines and soils are mollisols and inceptisols, N2O fluxes were elevated for a week or less following fertilization; maximum average fluxes were typically less than 30 ng cm(exp -2)/ h. NO fluxes were often an order of magnitude less than N2O. Together, N2O and NO represented from 0.01 - 0.5% of the applied N. In fields on the island of Hawaii, where urea is broadcast on the surface and soils are andisols, N2O fluxes were similar in magnitude to Maui but remained elevated for much longer periods after fertilization. NO emissions were 2-5 times higher than N2O through most of the sampling periods. Together the gases loss represented approximately 1. 1 - 3% of the applied N. Laboratory studies indicate that denitrification is a critical source of N2O in Maui, but that nitrification is more important in Hawaii. Experimental studies suggest that differences in the pattern of N2O/NO and the processes producing them are a result of both carbon availability and placement of fertilizer, and that the more information-intensive fertilizer management practice results in lower emissions

Serum concentrations of the biomarkers CA125, CA15-3, CA72-4, tPSA and PAPP-A in natural and stimulated ovarian cycles

Objective Biomarkers associated with cancer screening (CA125, CA15‐3, CA72‐4, total prostate specific antigen [tPSA]) and the monitoring of pregnancy (pregnancy associated plasma protein‐A [PAPP‐A]) were measured during natural and stimulated ovarian cycles in disease‐free non-pregnant women to determine if they could reflect normal events relating to ovulation and/or endometrial changes. Methods A total of 73 blood samples (10 women) collected throughout the natural menstrual cycle, and 64 blood samples (11 women) taken during stimulated ovarian cycles, were analysed on the Roche Cobas e411 automated analyser. Results Detectable levels of tPSA were measured in at least one point in the cycle in 6/10 of women in the natural cycle and 10/11 of women in stimulated cycles, and CA72-4 was detected in only 12/21 women tested. Concentrations of CA125, tPSA, CA15‐3 and CA72‐4 showed no significant difference between the natural and stimulated ovarian cycle groups. On average the mean PAPP‐A of the natural group was (2.41±0.58) mIU/L higher than the stimulated group (t=4.10, P< 0.001). CA125 and CA15‐3 results were both significantly influenced by the stage of the cycle (P<0.0001), whereas tPSA and PAPP‐A concentrations revealed no significant changes (P≥0.65). CA72‐4 was not affected by the stage of the cycle nor ovarian stimulation. Conclusion Ovarian stimulation reduced serum PAPP‐A levels, CA125 and CA15‐3 levels were generally unaffected by ovarian stimulation but displayed cyclical changes throughout both natural and stimulated cycles, whilst tPSA and CA72-4 were not affected by the stage of the cycle or ovarian stimulation

Effects of nutrient and light limitation on mountain hemlock : susceptibility to laminated root rot

Mountain hemlock forests in the Oregon Cascades exhibit wave-form dieback resulting from infection by laminated root rot (Phellinus weirii). Although Phellinus remains viable in dead roots after the wave of dieback passes, many regenerating mountain hemlock forests do not become immediately reinfected. We measured at least a doubling of nitrogen availability in the dieback and regrowth zones, and thought that this increased availability could improve tree resistance to the fungus. To test this hypothesis, we grew small mountain hemlocks under nutrient and light limitations in a growth-room, and then inoculated with the fungus. Trees growing without added nutrients had significantly greater foliage damage and mortality after Phellinus inoculation than did trees growing with nutrients. Shading significantly increased susceptibility whether or not nutrients were added. We believe that increased nitrogen availability and possibly increased light levels after dieback in the field act similarly to increase resistance and prevent reinfection of the regrowing stands. Foliage damage and susceptibilty to infection were related to pool sizes of total nitrogen, phosphorus, and non-structural carbohydrates. Plants with very low nitrogen reserves ( < 10 mg N per plant) , or very low energy reserves ( < 20 mg starch per plant), were more susceptible. It appears that resistance to Phellinus occurs via a defensive pathway that requires resources of both nutrients and carbohydrates

Multiple Projection Optical Diffusion Tomography with Plane Wave Illumination

We describe a new data collection scheme for optical diffusion tomography in which plane wave illumination is combined with multiple projections in the slab imaging geometry. Multiple projection measurements are performed by rotating the slab around the sample. The advantage of the proposed method is that the measured data can be much more easily fitted into the dynamic range of most commonly used detectors. At the same time, multiple projections improve image quality by mutually interchanging the depth and transverse directions, and the scanned (detection) and integrated (illumination) surfaces. Inversion methods are derived for image reconstructions with extremely large data sets. Numerical simulations are performed for fixed and rotated slabs

IR-dust observations of Comet Tempel 2 with CRAF VIMS

Measurement strategies are now being planned for using the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) to observe the asteroid Hestia, and the nucleus, and the gas and dust in the coma of comet P/Tempel 2 as part of the Comet Rendezvous Asteroid Flyby (CRAF) mission. The spectral range of VIMS will cover wavelengths from 0.35 to 5.2 micrometers, with a spectral resolution of 11 nm from 0.35 to 2.4 micrometers and of 22 nm from 2.4 to 5.2 micrometers. The instantaneous field of view (IFOV) provided by the foreoptics is 0.5 milliradians, and the current design of the instrument provides for a scanning secondary mirror which will scan a swath of length 72 IFOVs. The CRAF high resolution scan platform motion will permit slewing VIMS in a direction perpendicular to the swath. This enables the building of a two dimensional image in any or all wavelength channels. Important measurements of the dust coma will include the onset of early coma activity, the mapping of gas and dust jets and correlations with active nucleus areas, observations of the dust coma from various scattering phase angles, coverage of the low wavelength portion of the thermal radiation, and the 3.4 micrometer hydrocarbon emission. A description of the VIMS instrument is presented