Satellite-based precipitation estimation using watershed segmentation and growing hierarchical self-organizing map

This paper outlines the development of a multi-satellite precipitation estimation methodology that draws on techniques from machine learning and morphology to produce high-resolution, short-duration rainfall estimates in an automated fashion. First, cloud systems are identified from geostationary infrared imagery using morphology based watershed segmentation algorithm. Second, a novel pattern recognition technique, growing hierarchical self-organizing map (GHSOM), is used to classify clouds into a number of clusters with hierarchical architecture. Finally, each cloud cluster is associated with co-registered passive microwave rainfall observations through a cumulative histogram matching approach. The network was initially trained using remotely sensed geostationary infrared satellite imagery and hourly ground-radar data in lieu of a dense constellation of polar-orbiting spacecraft such as the proposed global precipitation measurement (GPM) mission. Ground-radar and gauge rainfall measurements were used to evaluate this technique for both warm (June 2004) and cold seasons (December 2004-February 2005) at various temporal (daily and monthly) and spatial (0.04 and 0.25) scales. Significant improvements of estimation accuracy are found classifying the clouds into hierarchical sub-layers rather than a single layer. Furthermore, 2-year (2003-2004) satellite rainfall estimates generated by the current algorithm were compared with gauge-corrected Stage IV radar rainfall at various time scales over continental United States. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the watershed segmentation and the GHSOM in satellite-based rainfall estimations

Flavor SU(3) analysis of charmless B->PP decays

We perform a global fits to charmless $B \to PP$ decays which independently constrain the $(\bar\rho,\bar\eta)$ vertex of the unitarity triangle. The fitted amplitudes and phase are used to predict the branching ratios and CP asymmetries of all decay modes, including those of the $B_s$ system. Different schemes of SU(3) breaking in decay amplitude sizes are analyzed. The possibility of having a new physics contribution to $K \pi$ decays is also discussed.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figs. Talk given at EPS-HEP07 To appear in the proceedings, Reference adde

Merging multiple precipitation sources for flash flood forecasting

We investigated the effectiveness of combining gauge observations and satellite-derived precipitation on flood forecasting. Two data merging processes were proposed: the first one assumes that the individual precipitation measurement is non-bias, while the second process assumes that each precipitation source is biased and both weighting factor and bias parameters are to be calculated. Best weighting factors as well as the bias parameters were calculated by minimizing the error of hourly runoff prediction over Wu-Tu watershed in Taiwan. To simulate the hydrologic response from various sources of rainfall sequences, in our experiment, a recurrent neural network (RNN) model was used. The results demonstrate that the merged method used in this study can efficiently combine the information from both rainfall sources to improve the accuracy of flood forecasting during typhoon periods. The contribution of satellite-based rainfall, being represented by the weighting factor, to the merging product, however, is highly related to the effectiveness of ground-based rainfall observation provided gauged. As the number of gauge observations in the basin is increased, the effectiveness of satellite-based observation to the merged rainfall is reduced. This is because the gauge measurements provide sufficient information for flood forecasting; as a result the improvements added on satellite-based rainfall are limited. This study provides a potential advantage for extending satellite-derived precipitation to those watersheds where gauge observations are limited. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Imaging of an early memory trace in the Drosophila mushroom body

Extensive molecular, genetic, and anatomical analyses have suggested that olfactory memory is stored in the mushroom body (MB), a higher-order olfactory center in the insect brain. The MB comprises three subtypes of neurons with axons that extend into different lobes. A recent functional imaging study has revealed a long-term memory trace manifested as an increase in the Ca(2+) activity in an axonal branch of a subtype of MB neurons. However, early memory traces in the MB remain elusive. We report here learning-induced changes in Ca(2+) activities during early memory formation in a different subtype of MB neurons. We used three independent in vivo and in vitro preparations, and all of them showed that Ca(2+) activities in the axonal branches of alpha'/beta' neurons in response to a conditioned olfactory stimulus became larger compared with one that was not conditioned. The changes were dependent on proper G-protein signaling in the MB. The importance of these changes in the Ca(2+) activity of alpha'/beta' neurons during early memory formation was further tested behaviorally by disrupting G-protein signaling in these neurons or blocking their synaptic outputs during the learning and memory process. Our results suggest that increased Ca(2+) activity in response to a conditioned olfactory stimulus may be a neural correlate of early memory in the MB

Determination of Dynamic Shear Modulus of Soils from Static Strength

A correlation study between the dynamic shear modulus obtained from the resonant column technique and the static strength obtained from the undrained triaxial compression test is described. The materials studied were a uniform sand, a non-active fine silty clay and a highly-active bentonite clay treated with additives to increase the range for static and dynamic shear strength of the soils. It is noted that a linear relationship exists between the dynamic shear modulus, except for those soil specimens having very low strength, independent of test parameters. Using linear regression analysis, empirical equations for predicting the maximum dynamic shear modulus from the static strength have been obtained for the three different soils

Unique gap structure and symmetry of the charge density wave in single-layer VSe2_2

Single layers of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are excellent candidates for electronic applications beyond the graphene platform; many of them exhibit novel properties including charge density waves (CDWs) and magnetic ordering. CDWs in these single layers are generally a planar projection of the corresponding bulk CDWs because of the quasi-two-dimensional nature of TMDCs; a different CDW symmetry is unexpected. We report herein the successful creation of pristine single-layer VSe$_2$, which shows a ($\sqrt7 \times \sqrt3$) CDW in contrast to the (4 $\times$ 4) CDW for the layers in bulk VSe$_2$. Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) from the single layer shows a sizable ($\sqrt7 \times \sqrt3$) CDW gap of $\sim$100 meV at the zone boundary, a 220 K CDW transition temperature twice the bulk value, and no ferromagnetic exchange splitting as predicted by theory. This robust CDW with an exotic broken symmetry as the ground state is explained via a first-principles analysis. The results illustrate a unique CDW phenomenon in the two-dimensional limit

GENDER DIFFERENCE IN KNEE MOTION PATTERN DURING VERTICAL JUMP

Several factors have been proposed as contributors to increase the injuries rate on noncontact ACL rupture among female athletes. Altered movement pattern may results in increased incidence of non-contact ACL injuries for female athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the knee kinematics difference between male and female athletes. Eighteen athletes were participated in this study, including 10 male and 8 female. The Zebris 3 D ultrasound-based system was used to measurement the knee kinematics during vertical jump. The results were shown that there had significant difference in knee maximal flexion, internal rotation, and flexion angle at maximal knee abduction between male and female athlete during vertical jump. Female athletes had showed little change of flexion angle and internal rotation angle of knee during vertical jump

GENDER DIFFERENCE IN KNEE MOTION PATTERN DURING VERTICAL JUMP

Several factors have been proposed as contributors to increase the injuries rate on noncontact ACL rupture among female athletes. Altered movement pattern may results in increased incidence of non-contact ACL injuries for female athletes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the knee kinematics difference between male and female athletes. Eighteen athletes were participated in this study, including 10 male and 8 female. The Zebris 3 D ultrasound-based system was used to measurement the knee kinematics during vertical jump. The results were shown that there had significant difference in knee maximal flexion, internal rotation, and flexion angle at maximal knee abduction between male and female athlete during vertical jump. Female athletes had showed little change of flexion angle and internal rotation angle of knee during vertical jump