First Year Projects and Activities of the Environmental Remote Sensing Applications Laboratory (ERSAL)

Activities, pilot projects, and research that will effectively close the gap between state-of-the-art remote sensing technology and the potential users and beneficiaries of this technological and scientific progress are discussed in light of the first year of activity. A broad spectrum of resource and man-environment problems are described in terms of the central thrust of the first-year program to support land use planning decisions with information derived from the interpretation of NASA highlight and satellite imagery

FES rehabilitation platform with real-time control and performance feedback.

Osteoporosis after spinal cord injury is associated with low-trauma fractures, and consequently with increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The loss of bone mass density (BMD) due to paraplegia can be reduced through cyclical electrically-induced muscle contractions. Here we propose an FES control system based on posture switching, that induces transient loading of the lower limbs during a set of standing postures. This aims to produce an increased, evenly distributed BMD, whilst minimising FES-induced muscle fatigue. Here we describe the design and assessment of the FES exercising platform, comprising a controllable multi-channel electrical stimulator and an instrumented standing frame. The platform supports standing and postural shifting, provides real-time human-in-the-loop FES control with on-line feedback to the user. The platforms is used to investigate the effect of regular exercise on the distribution of BMD in people with paraplegia

Black Rails in North Carolina

The Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis ) is the most imperiled bird species along the Atlantic Coast. The species has undergone a range reduction, loss of breeding sites, and a loss of individuals from their most important strongholds. Reasons for the decline are unclear but may be a result of marsh loss and degradation, poor reproduction, adult survival, and incompatible management practices. North Carolina has long been known to be an important stronghold for Black Rail populations in the mid-Atlantic region. However, most of what was known on their population abundance and distribution was based on a scattering anecdotal surveys and general observations. The objective of this study was to conduct a broad, systematic survey of the Black Rail along the coast of North Carolina to provide information on the species status and distribution. We established a network of survey points within areas historically known to support Black Rails and other areas with appropriate habitat. The results of this effort were the detection of Black Rails at 15 of 153 locations surveyed in 2014 and 5 of 109 locations surveyed in 2015. The population of Black Rails in North Carolina appears to be broadly disseminated along the coast with detections across many locations of the survey network. However, population numbers are low and declining. Most detections at survey locations were of single birds. Moreover, the number of birds detected at the state’s largest known population at Cedar Island NWR was much lower compared to historical observations. A high count of 74 calling Black Rails were detected at Cedar Island NWR in 1974. Surveys through the late 1980s and 1990s documented about 20 birds. Our survey effort only yielded a maximum of 8 individuals. Black Rails occupied the high marsh zone across all locations they were detected. These habitat patches are characterized by the presence of salt meadow hay (Spartina. patens) and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) and often interspersed with lower wet areas of black needlerush (Juncus roemerianus). This project helps to identify areas for Black Rail conservation and management. The Cedar Island NWR and peninsula of Carteret County it inhabits remains as the most important area for focal management based on the concentration of birds in several marshes. This survey effort also serves as an important benchmark to compare future survey and monitoring efforts

Natural resources inventory and monitoring in Oregon with ERTS imagery

Multidiscipline team interpretation of ERTS satellite and highflight imagery is providing resource and land use information needed for land use planning in Oregon. A coordinated inventory of geology, soil-landscapes, forest and range vegetation, and land use for Crook County, illustrates the value of this approach for broad area and state planning. Other applications include mapping fault zones, inventory of forest clearcut areas, location of forest insect damage, and monitoring irrigation development. Computer classification is being developed for use in conjunction with visual interpretation

A revised scheme for the reactivity of iron (oxyhydr)oxide minerals towards dissolved sulfide

The reaction between dissolved sulfide and synthetic iron (oxyhydr)oxide minerals was studied in artificial seawater and 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.5 and 25°C. Electron transfer between surface-complexed sulfide and solid phase Fe(III) results in the oxidation of dissolved sulfide to elemental sulfur, and the subsequent dissolution of the surface-reduced Fe. Sulfide oxidation and Fe(II) dissolution kinetics were evaluated for freshly precipitated hydrous ferric oxide (HFO), lepidocrocite, goethite, magnetite, hematite, and Al-substituted lepidocrocite. Reaction kinetics were expressed in terms of an empirical rate equation of the form: R-i = k(i)(H2S)(t=0)(0.5)A where Ri is the rate of Fe(II) dissolution (RFe) or the rate of sulfide oxidation (RS), ki is the appropriate rate constant (kFe or kS), (H2S)t=0 is the initial dissolved sulfide concentration, and A is the initial mineral surface area. The rate constants derived from the above equation suggest that the reactivity of Fe (oxyhydr)oxide minerals varies over two orders of magnitude, with increasing reactivity in the order, goethite < hematite < magnetite << lepidocrocite ≈ HFO. Competitive adsorption of major seawater solutes has little effect on reaction kinetics for the most reactive minerals, but results in rates which are reduced by 65-80% for goethite, magnetite, and hematite. This decrease in reaction rates likely arises from the blocking of surface sites for sulfide complexation by the adsorption of seawater solutes during the later, slower stages of adsorption (possibly attributable to diffusion into micropores or aggregates). The derivation of half lives for the sulfide-promoted reductive dissolution of Fe (oxyhydr)oxides in seawater, suggests that mineral reactivity can broadly be considered in terms of two mineral groups. Minerals with a lower degree of crystal order (hydrous ferric oxides and lepidocrocite) are reactive on a time-scale of minutes to hours. The more ordered minerals (goethite, magnetite, and hematite) are reactive on a time-scale of tens of days. Substitution of impurities within the mineral structure (as is likely in nature) has an effect on mineral reactivity. However, these effects are unlikely to have a significant impact on the relative reactivities of the two mineral groups

Providing marketing information to smallholders in Zimbabwe: What can the state usefully do?

In recent decades, significant international assistance has been provided to assist the establishment of market information systems (MISs) in a range of developing countries, including many in Africa. However, experience with state-run MISs, looking to provide current price information to market participants, has not been encouraging. Volatile horticultural markets provide particular challenges for such MISs. Therefore, it is suggested that it might be more appropriate to provide other types of marketing information to inform the production and marketing decisions of smallholder producers. This paper reports on recent efforts by the national extension agency, Agritex, to provide such information to smallholder horticultural producers in two districts of north-eastern Zimbabwe. Drawing on an initial evaluation of this pilot programme, the paper suggests that: 1) in the Zimbabwe case, the extension service may provide a viable vehicle for dissemination of marketing information to smallholder (horticultural) producers; 2) information on new crops and market opportunities is valued more highly by farmers than information on current market prices; 3) such information should complement, not supplant, traditional production extension advice. The paper concludes by considering some of the issues pertaining to the continuation and expansion of the pilot programme.Marketing,

High-frequency homogenization for periodic media

This article is available open access through the publisher’s website at the link below. Copyright @ 2010 The Royal Society.An asymptotic procedure based upon a two-scale approach is developed for wave propagation in a doubly periodic inhomogeneous medium with a characteristic length scale of microstructure far less than that of the macrostructure. In periodic media, there are frequencies for which standing waves, periodic with the period or double period of the cell, on the microscale emerge. These frequencies do not belong to the low-frequency range of validity covered by the classical homogenization theory, which motivates our use of the term ‘high-frequency homogenization’ when perturbing about these standing waves. The resulting long-wave equations are deduced only explicitly dependent upon the macroscale, with the microscale represented by integral quantities. These equations accurately reproduce the behaviour of the Bloch mode spectrum near the edges of the Brillouin zone, hence yielding an explicit way for homogenizing periodic media in the vicinity of ‘cell resonances’. The similarity of such model equations to high-frequency long wavelength asymptotics, for homogeneous acoustic and elastic waveguides, valid in the vicinities of thickness resonances is emphasized. Several illustrative examples are considered and show the efficacy of the developed techniques.NSERC (Canada) and the EPSRC

Neutron scattering study of a quasi-2D spin-1/2 dimer system Piperazinium Hexachlorodicuprate under hydrostatic pressure

We report inelastic neutron scattering study of a quasi-two-dimensional S=1/2 dimer system Piperazinium Hexachlorodicuprate under hydrostatic pressure. The spin gap {\Delta} becomes softened with the increase of the hydrostatic pressure up to P= 9.0 kbar. The observed threefold degenerate triplet excitation at P= 6.0 kbar is consistent with the theoretical prediction and the bandwidth of the dispersion relation is unaffected within the experimental uncertainty. At P= 9.0 kbar the spin gap is reduced to 0.55 meV from 1.0 meV at ambient pressure.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Autumn Migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl on the Lower Delmarva Peninsula: Fall 2012 Report

The Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) breeds in southern Canada and the northern United States. During the late fall months this species migrates south to the mid-latitudes of North America. Because of its secretive habits, little was known about the Northern Saw-whet Owl’s migration ecology and winter distribution prior to the increase in the number of banding operations during the late 1990’s. During the fall of 1994, The Center for Conservation Biology began a study of migrant Northern Saw-whet Owls along the lower Delmarva Peninsula. This study has been the first to document large numbers of migrants south of Maryland. During the 19-year study, 3,850 owls have been banded and more than 100 foreign recaptures and returns have been recorded. We have also recorded more than 1000 same year recaptures. The owl migration project is conducted each year between the third week of October and the middle of December. Three trap sites (Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, Gatr Tract/Mockhorn Island Wildlife Management Area, and Kiptopeke State Park) consisting of 6 mist nets and a continuous-loop audio-lure are opened nightly from dusk to dawn. Among other objectives, the project seeks to 1) determine the annual variation in the magnitude and timing of Northern Saw-whet Owl migration through the lower Delmarva Peninsula, 2) determine the spatial pattern of habitat use near the tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, 3) determine the relative timing of passage for different age classes of Northern Saw-whet Owls, and 4) determine the rate of movement of Northern Saw-whet Owls moving down the Atlantic Flyway. During the fall of 2012, 315 new owls were captured and processed during 44 nights and 8,343 hours of operation. Capture rate was 7.2 owls/night or 3.8 owls/100 net-hours. Age ratio was 86.0% (271 birds) hatching-year (HY) birds compared to 14.0% (44 birds) after-hatching-year (AHY). Nine Eastern Screech Owls (Otus asio) were also captured during the season