A Comparative Study on Position Fixing with GPS to Ascertain Positional Accuracy

Various techniques have been employed to determine the relative or absolute positions of locations on the surface of the earth to promote effective land management. Continuous Observation Reference Station (CORS) is one of the latest techniques employed in differential GPS positioning. In order to ascertain the positional accuracy of a newly established CORS equipment located on the campus of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), this comparative study was carried out. Selected positions around the campus were surveyed and their coordinates computed using a temporarily occupied base and then a CORS base, and the results were compared with the coordinates obtained from a conventional precise traverse. It was observed that the Eastings coordinates obtained from the temporarily occupied reference station compares favourably with those of the conventional method and the CORS with variations in the second and third decimals. Standard errors of -0.144 m and 0.806 m respectively were obtained for the Northings and elevations respectively between the CORS coordinates and that of the conventional method. It was observed that there is a strong correlation between the coordinates of the control points and the relation between the Eastings, Northings and heights were all linear. It could be concluded that the CORS station, which is under study, could be used with minimal error for planimetric and or cadastral surveying purposes

Floristic composition and taxonomic distribution of plants in the dryland of Northwestern Nigeria

This study assessed floristic composition of plant species in the dryland of northwestern Nigeria with a view to understanding the inter-annual growth/decline in vegetation activity for sustainable management of species in the region. Quadrat sampling was conducted in nineteen study locations to inventory, identify and record plant species at 100m x 100m plots. Samples of species that were not directly identified in the field were collected on pressers and transported to herbarium of the Department of Biological Sciences of Bayero University Kano for identification. Results of this study revealed that a total of 50 plant species were encountered in the study area. These species fall into 22 families, 35 trees, 13 shrubs and 2 herbs. The families Caesalpiniaceae and Mimosaceae at 7% dominate the area with seven species while Sapotaceae, Mimosoideae, Meliceae, Malvaceae, Lamiceae, Euphorbiaceae, Burseraceae, Bombaceae, Balanitaceae, Ascelpiadaceae, Apocynaceae and Annonaceae are occasional with either one or two members. Analysis of abundance and rarity of species reveals that 10% and 90% of the encountered species were abundant and rare respectively in the study area. These finding poses serious ecological concerns in the study area, thus we recommended that rare species should be deliberately conserved by confronting the factors that increases rarity in the area. This may be achieved through targeted interventions aimed at reducing habitat loss and degradation.Key words: floristic composition, taxonomic distribution, plants, northwestern Nigeri

The use of gis to study the spatial variation of diseases: a case of western region, Ghana

The ability to formulate disease control programmes and put strategic action plans into practice has become an important issue for Regional Health Directorates in Ghana. An important factor in disease control programmes is to correlate variations in different communities with environmental factors using spatially reliable data. To achieve this, spatial distribution maps for predominant diseases such as malaria, skin infection, Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI), asthma and diarrhea for the year 2005 were created. In this study, a database of disease statistics and the geographical information representing the boundaries as well as the centre of the administrative units of the Western Region of Ghana were built using cartographic and GIS techniques – choropleth mapping to examine the spatial distribution of the selected diseases. The results show that there is a strong correlation between mining activities and the prevalence of diseases under study in the Western Region

Evaluation of Project Managers Understanding of Safety Management Plan on Construction Site.

Safety Management Plan (SMP) is a collection of documents that outline how the principal contractor will manage health and safety for employees, sub-contractors, suppliers, visitors and the general public. SMP formulates the approach to risk management and minimizes the potential human and financial loss to employers and employees alike. Thus, project managers are not expected to be health and safety experts, nor are they expected to conduct thorough worksite inspection. However, a basic appreciation of the safety and regulations issue most frequently encounter in construction site will help to ensure a safe work environment for employee and contractors, and minimize potential liability exposure. The objective of the paper is to determine the level of understanding of safety management system in workplace among the project managers of some selected sites in Kuala Lumpur. Structured or standardized questionnaires were used in the project manager’s interview at 5 different construction sites, on average, the score form the five sites as regard to project manager’s interview is 71.67%. In conclusion, the project managers have virtually all the potential and significant knowledge of the safety management plan practice in their sites, but still there was the need for improvement in the knowledge among the project managers as regard to the safety management system. The study therefore, recommended that in order to improve on the knowledge of safety management system on sites adequate training program should be incorporate into the organisational action plan for project managers. Such training program organised by National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Malaysia could be of great help in improving the knowledge of safety management system among the project manager.   Keywords Safety, Health, Management, Construction, Pla

Ramification of Datum and Ellipsoidal Parameters on Post Processed Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) Data – A Case Study

The World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 84) is the global reference frame upon which Global Positioning System (GPS) observations are referenced to. Observations in the frame are in latitudes, longitudes and ellipsoidal heights. For use in a particular locality, it is necessary to convert these into the local coordinate system. In Ghana, the datum and ellipsoidal parameters for Ghana War Office and Clarke 1880 are used for the transformation of the GPS coordinates from the WGS 84 datum system to the Ghana National Grid System. This paper therefore examines post processed DGPS data using these two datum and ellipsoidal definitions separately. Dual frequency DGPS data were collected from 19 survey pillars (ie SGW D224/14/1 to SGW D224/14/19) and post processed using Clarke 1880 datum and ellipsoidal parameters. The raw data was also post processed using Ghana War Office datum and ellipsoidal parameters. The results for the two indicated an average difference of 7.23 m (23.72 ft) for 19 stations. This certainly does not fall within the tolerance set by Survey and Mapping Division (SMD) of the Lands Commission for cadastral plans production, which is +/- 0.9114 m (+/-3 ft). A composite plan using the post processed data from the two datum and ellipsoidal definitions was produced. The plan shows an overlapping area by the use of the two coordinates to plot, an indication of a potential conflict between ownership on paper which may not necessary exist on the ground.Keywords: Differential, Global Positioning System, Datum and Ellipsoidal Parameter

Impact of some savanna trees on soil quality on smallholder farms in a part of Kano, Nigeria

Soil nutrient decline has become a major issue of concern to researchers in the semi-arid region of Nigeria. This condition is further exacerbated by worsening climate and declining environmental quality, amplified by huge population pressure on limited resources. This research investigates the impact of some key savanna tree species on soil quality on smallholder farms in a part of Kano, Nigeria. The results indicate that many indigenous tree species are deliberately left on these smallholder farms in a practice that may be referred to as agroforestry. Inventory of these trees indicates that Vitellaria paradoxa at 25%, Parkia biglobosa at 20%, and Anogeissus leiocarpus at 12%, and Faidherbia albida at 8% are the dominant tree species on smallholder farms in the study area. Laboratory analysis of soil quality at different distances - 2m, 6m and beyond 6m – around the inventoried trees on smallholder farms in the area indicated statistically significant differences in available soil minerals, at 0.02. Eighty-three percent of the farmers corroborated that crops close to trees perform better, in a social survey conducted on some 400 smallholder farmers in the study area. The study recommends: (1) deliberate promotion and regeneration of tree species, most especially leguminous, on smallholder farms; (2) more researches to determine and establish the specific distance(s) at which soil mineral elements are profoundly influenced by trees, and quantifying the actual soil mineral elements that may be made available by each of the different tree species.Keywords: Agroforestry; Indigenous; Savanna; Smallholde

Carbon Monoxide as Indoor Pollutant in Kano Metropolis

The level of carbon monoxide concentrations in three different residential areas of Kano municipality has been determined. Health effects of carbon monoxide are not only determined by its pollution level, but the time spent breathing polluted air. Samples of carbon monoxide gas in three different residential districts within the Kano Metropolis; the high (city), medium (Sabon gari) and low (Nassarawa) density residential districts were assessed. The frequency distribution pattern for the gas is skewed towards high frequency of low concentration with a mean and standard deviation of 4.93 ± 3.08ìg/m3. Evidence linking high level of indoor carbon monoxide tolow birth weight and increase in prenatal deaths necessitates the need to periodically check the levels of the gas within each house hold in the metropoli

Performance evaluation of the Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008) – a case study

Ghana’s local geodetic reference network which is based on the War Office 1926 ellipsoid was established using astro-geodetic observations during the British Colonial era with data in latitude, longitude and orthometric height (,,) without the existence of ellipsoidal height. The Global Positioning System (GPS) observations which is an example of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is being referenced to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) ellipsoid with data in latitude, longitude and ellipsoidal heights (,,ℎ). This prevalent situation makes it difficult to apply standard forward transformation equation for direct conversion of ellipsoidal heights (h) which is global to a practical height (H) within Ghana local geodetic reference network. In order to overcome such a challenge, many researchers resort to various methods of determining the geoidal undulations for a local and national geodetic network and improving the recent New Earth Gravitational Model accuracies and its performances. This present study therefore seeks to evaluate such method of estimating geoidal heights using the Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM08) in a part of the University of Mines and Technology, UMaT, Tarkwa. The estimated geoid heights obtained by the EGM08 model were compared with 328 discrete geometrical heights from co-located GPS and Total station orthometric heights of the University Primary Levelling Networks. The methods applied include estimating the geoidal heights using the EGM08 model, a geometric method and a polynomial mathematical model for improving the estimated EGM08 geoid heights values. The statistics of the differences between derived geoid heights by the geometric approach and corresponding geoid heights obtained from the geoid model (EGM08) suggests that, the EGM08 model is most suitable at this moment. The RMSE, Mean Error, and the Standard deviation of their geoidal height differences are 0.120825 m, 2.18823 m, and 3.47678 m, which is better in the area of interest. The study concluded that, the recent geoid model can be applied in UMaT and the polynomial mathematical model is the best model for modelling EGM08 geoid heights values for a local geoid model.Keywords: GPS/levelling, Earth Gravitational Model, Polynomial mathematical model, Geoid undulation

Appraisal of ANN and ANFIS for Predicting Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) in the Ionosphere for GPS Observations

Positional accuracy in the usage of GPS receiver is one of the major challenges in GPS observations. The propagation of the GPS signals are interfered by free electrons which are the massive particles in the ionosphere region and results in delays in the transmission of signals to the Earth. Therefore, the total electron content is a key parameter in mitigating ionospheric effects on GPS receivers. Many researchers have therefore proposed various models and methods for predicting the total electron content along the signal path. This paper focuses on the use of two different models for predicting the Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC). Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) algorithms have been developed for the prediction of VTEC in the ionosphere.  The developed ANN and ANFIS model gave Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.953 and 1.190 respectively.  From the results it can be stated that the ANFIS is more suitable tool for the prediction of VTEC. Keywords: Artificial Neural Network, Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System, Vertical Total Electro