Airborne laser systems for atmospheric sounding in the near infrared

This paper presents new techniques for atmospheric sounding using Near Infrared (NIR) laser sources, direct detection electro-optics and passive infrared imaging systems. These techniques allow a direct determination of atmospheric extinction and, through the adoption of suitable inversion algorithms, the indirect measurement of some important natural and man-made atmospheric constituents, including Carbon Dioxide (CO2). The proposed techniques are suitable for remote sensing missions performed by using aircraft, satellites, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), parachute/gliding vehicles, Roving Surface Vehicles (RSV), or Permanent Surface Installations (PSI). The various techniques proposed offer relative advantages in different scenarios. All are based on measurements of the laser energy/power incident on target surfaces of known geometric and reflective characteristics, by means of infrared detectors and/or infrared cameras calibrated for radiance. (cont.

A case study of arrival and departure managers cooperation for reducing airborne holding times at destination airports

Congestion of flights arriving at terminal areas invariably leads to aircraft having to extend their flying time, which often results in the need to orbit at a holding point as aircraft are sequenced to land. This extended flying time can be significantly reduced by the implementation of the delay-on-ground concept, where aircraft flying short sectors are delayed in their departure from the respective airport, thus reducing the amount of congestion at the destination point. This paper analysis the impact, in terms of reduced flying time, fuel burn and carbon emissions, that can be achieved at Oslo-Gardemoen airport if the present flights that have a flying time of 1 hour or less are delayed on the ground at their departure point. The impact such a concept would have if traffic densities of 15% and 30% above current levels were to be experienced is also considered

Low-cost navigation and guidance systems for unmanned aerial vehicles - part 2: Attitude determination and control

This paper presents the second part of the research activity performed by Cranfield University to assess the potential of low-cost navigation sensors for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). This part focuses on carrier-phase Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for attitude determination and control of small to medium size UAVs. Recursive optimal estimation algorithms were developed for combining multiple attitude measurements obtained from different observation points (i.e., antenna locations), and their efficiencies were tested in various dynamic conditions. The proposed algorithms converged rapidly and produced the required output even during high dynamics manoeuvres. Results of theoretical performance analysis and simulation activities are presented in this paper, with emphasis on the advantages of the GNSS interferometric approach in UAV applications (i.e., low cost, high data-rate, low volume/weight, low signal processing requirements, etc.). The simulation activities focussed on the AEROSONDE UAV platform and considered the possible augmentation provided by interferometric GNSS techniques to a low-cost and low-weight/volume integrated navigation system (presented in the first part of this series) which employed a Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) system, a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Sensor (MEMS) based Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and code-range GNSS (i.e., GPS and GALILEO) for position and velocity computations. The integrated VBN-IMU-GNSS (VIG) system was augmented using the inteferometric GNSS Attitude Determination (GAD) sensor data and a comparison of the performance achieved with the VIG and VIG/GAD integrated Navigation and Guidance Systems (NGS) is presented in this paper. Finally, the data provided by these NGS are used to optimise the design of a hybrid controller employing Fuzzy Logic and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) techniques for the AEROSONDE UAV

Night vision imaging systems design, integration, and verification in military fighter aircraft

This paper describes the developmental and testing activities conducted by the Italian Air Force Official Test Centre (RSV) in collaboration with Alenia Aerospace, Litton Precision Products and Cranfiled University, in order to confer the Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS) capability to the Italian TORNADO IDS (Interdiction and Strike) and ECR (Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance) aircraft. The activities consisted of various Design, Development, Test and Evaluation (DDT&E) activities, including Night Vision Goggles (NVG) integration, cockpit instruments and external lighting modifications, as well as various ground test sessions and a total of eighteen flight test sorties. RSV and Litton Precision Products were responsible of coordinating and conducting the installation activities of the internal and external lights. Particularly, an iterative process was established, allowing an in-site rapid correction of the major deficiencies encountered during the ground and flight test sessions. (cont.

Low-cost navigation and guidance systems for unmanned aerial vehicles - part 1: Vision-based and integrated sensors

In this paper we present a new low-cost navigation system designed for small size Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) based on Vision-Based Navigation (VBN) and other avionics sensors. The main objective of our research was to design a compact, light and relatively inexpensive system capable of providing the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) in all phases of flight of a small UAV, with a special focus on precision approach and landing, where Vision Based Navigation (VBN) techniques can be fully exploited in a multisensor integrated architecture. Various existing techniques for VBN were compared and the Appearance-Based Approach (ABA) was selected for implementation. Feature extraction and optical flow techniques were employed to estimate flight parameters such as roll angle, pitch angle, deviation from the runway and body rates. Additionally, we addressed the possible synergies between VBN, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and MEMS-IMU (Micro-Electromechanical System Inertial Measurement Unit) sensors, as well as the aiding from Aircraft Dynamics Models (ADMs)

A comparative study of colony performance, hygienic behaviour and parasite and disease infection in the endemic honeybee A. M. Ruttneri and the introduced A. M. Ligustica in Malta

Apis mellifera ruttneri, the honey bee subspecies endemic to Malta, must be regarded as seriously endangered. However, there is a critical need for scientific data to support and guide conservation measures, since only two scientific papers concerning this subspecies were published since its original description in 1997. To this end in June 2017, a first systematic study was initiated to compare colony development, performance, hygienic behaviour and infection levels of honey bee diseases of the endemic honey bee with introduced colonies of A. m. ligustica. A total of 33 colonies (A. m. ruttneri, n=15 and A. m. ligustica, n=18, headed by sister queens) were evenly distributed across two locations on Malta, at a central site UNI (n=17) and a site in the Southern region SIGG (n=16). After an initial treatment against Varroa destructor, no further chemical treatment was performed. Standard methods are used to assess colony productivity and behaviour (number of adult bees, number of brood cells, number of visible cells with pollen) in regular intervals. Hygienic behaviour is assessed using the pin test method; Varroa infestation is monitored using powdered-sugar and natural mite fall methods. Assessment of infection levels with Nosema spp. and the most common honey bee viruses is also being carried out. The selected commercial stocks of A. m. ligustica remain consistently less defensive and calmer on the combs. However, by spring 2018, the A. m. ruttneri colonies in general showed higher numbers of adult bees, brood cells and pollen cells. Early seasonal drone production and significant swarming behaviour were observed in the colonies of the endemic bee, but not in A. m. ligustica colonies. The baseline data on the performance of native and introduced genotypes under Maltese environmental conditions provided by this study will contribute to guiding beekeepers in their decision on queen purchases, and ultimately, support conservation measures for A. m. ruttneri.peer-reviewe

Correlations and forecast of death tolls in the Syrian conflict

The Syrian armed conflict has been ongoing since 2011 and has already caused thousands of deaths. The analysis of death tolls helps to understand the dynamics of the conflict and to better allocate resources and aid to the affected areas. In this article, we use information on the daily number of deaths to study temporal and spatial correlations in the data, and exploit this information to forecast events of deaths. We found that the number of violent deaths per day in Syria varies more widely than that in England in which non-violent deaths dominate. We have identified strong positive auto-correlations in Syrian cities and non-trivial cross-correlations across some of them. The results indicate synchronization in the number of deaths at different times and locations, suggesting respectively that local attacks are followed by more attacks at subsequent days and that coordinated attacks may also take place across different locations. Thus the analysis of high temporal resolution data across multiple cities makes it possible to infer attack strategies, warn potential occurrence of future events, and hopefully avoid further deaths

From citizen science to jellyfish dispersion models and molecular studies : tracking the progress of jellyfish science in Malta (Central Mediterranean)

Following participation within the 1980”s FAO-mediated monitoring exercises of Pelagia noctiluca blooms within Maltese waters, little scientific effort was invested in studying the dynamics of jellyfish blooms within same waters and at developing management and public information strategies concerning the same blooms. A renewed scientific effort at studying such aspects within Maltese waters was registered from 2010 onwards, with the launch of the Spot the Jellyfish citizen science campaign (www.ioikids.net/jellyfish) which provided a user-friendly, multivalent and web-based through which maritime stakehold- ers and the public at large could submit their jellyfish records for Maltese waters. The web- based portal was also supported by other promotional initiatives in the field, such as the installation of seaside boards on beaches. Through this initiative, several previously-un- documented species of gelatinous plankton were recorded for the first time from the same waters, including Rhopilema nomadica, Aequorea forskalea, Porpita porpita, Discomedua lobata, Geryonia proboscidalis, Neotima lucullana, Physophora hydrostatica, Chrysaora hysoscella and Oceania armata. The maintenance of an updated jellyfish record database has been made possible through the conduction of such a citizen science initiative.peer-reviewe

The SIPHER consortium : introducing the new UK hub for systems science in public health and health economic research

The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age are key drivers of health and inequalities in life chances. To maximise health and wellbeing across the whole population, we need well-coordinated action across government sectors, in areas including economic, education, welfare, labour market and housing policy. Current research struggles to offer effective decision support on the cross-sector strategic alignment of policies, and to generate evidence that gives budget holders the confidence to change the way major investment decisions are made. This open letter introduces a new research initiative in this space. The SIPHER (Systems Science in Public Health and Health Economics Research) Consortium brings together a multi-disciplinary group of scientists from across six universities, three government partners at local, regional and national level, and ten practice partner organisations. The Consortium’s vision is a shift from health policy to healthy public policy, where the wellbeing impacts of policies are a core consideration across government sectors. Researchers and policy makers will jointly tackle fundamental questions about: a) the complex causal relationships between upstream policies and wellbeing, economic and equality outcomes; b) the multi-sectoral appraisal of costs and benefits of alternative investment options; c) public values and preferences for different outcomes, and how necessary trade-offs can be negotiated; and d) creating the conditions for intelligence-led adaptive policy design that maximises progress against economic, social and health goals. Whilst our methods will be adaptable across policy topics and jurisdictions, we will initially focus on four policy areas: Inclusive Economic Growth, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Mental Wellbeing and Housing