Glacial Boulders on the Arctic Coast of Alaska

Reports incidental observations made in the Barrow-Cape Simpson area 1949-50. Pleistocene glaciers of Alaska did not extend north beyond the northern foothills of the Brooks Range, yet glacial boulders have been reported near and along the coast. Altogether 56 such erratic boulders from sheltered spots on the shore, as far as 8-9 mi inland on the tundra and a few from the present sea floor were examined. Their location and size, rock type with field description and petrographic analysis are tabulated. Of granite (16), diabase (17), quartzite (10), etc., they range in weight from 2-3 lbs. to 4-5 tons. They are thought to represent morainic material left by melting icebergs, and the bergs to have been produced from glaciers in widely separated areas

Lidar waveform based analysis of depth images constructed using sparse single-photon data

This paper presents a new Bayesian model and algorithm used for depth and intensity profiling using full waveforms from the time-correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) measurement in the limit of very low photon counts. The model proposed represents each Lidar waveform as a combination of a known impulse response, weighted by the target intensity, and an unknown constant background, corrupted by Poisson noise. Prior knowledge about the problem is embedded in a hierarchical model that describes the dependence structure between the model parameters and their constraints. In particular, a gamma Markov random field (MRF) is used to model the joint distribution of the target intensity, and a second MRF is used to model the distribution of the target depth, which are both expected to exhibit significant spatial correlations. An adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is then proposed to compute the Bayesian estimates of interest and perform Bayesian inference. This algorithm is equipped with a stochastic optimization adaptation mechanism that automatically adjusts the parameters of the MRFs by maximum marginal likelihood estimation. Finally, the benefits of the proposed methodology are demonstrated through a serie of experiments using real data

Robust Bayesian target detection algorithm for depth imaging from sparse single-photon data

This paper presents a new Bayesian model and associated algorithm for depth and intensity profiling using full waveforms from time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) measurements in the limit of very low photon counts (i.e., typically less than 20 photons per pixel). The model represents each Lidar waveform as an unknown constant background level, which is combined in the presence of a target, to a known impulse response weighted by the target intensity and finally corrupted by Poisson noise. The joint target detection and depth imaging problem is expressed as a pixel-wise model selection and estimation problem which is solved using Bayesian inference. Prior knowledge about the problem is embedded in a hierarchical model that describes the dependence structure between the model parameters while accounting for their constraints. In particular, Markov random fields (MRFs) are used to model the joint distribution of the background levels and of the target presence labels, which are both expected to exhibit significant spatial correlations. An adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm including reversible-jump updates is then proposed to compute the Bayesian estimates of interest. This algorithm is equipped with a stochastic optimization adaptation mechanism that automatically adjusts the parameters of the MRFs by maximum marginal likelihood estimation. Finally, the benefits of the proposed methodology are demonstrated through a series of experiments using real data.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1507.0251

Policy in Wake of the Incident

The goal of this panel was to examine the policies formed in the wake of the Kepone incident: the environmental laws, the regulations and policies that are designed to safeguard our natural resources to ensure that incidents such as the Kepone incident do not reoccur and if they do, to hold those responsible for environmental damage accountable for their actions

The Mid-Term Evaluation of the National Development Plan and Community Support Framework for Ireland. ESRI Policy Series No. 50. October 2003

This is the Final Report on the Mid-Term Evaluation of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the Community Support Framework (CSF) for Ireland for the period 2000-2006. The Report was commissioned by the NDP/CSF Evaluation unit on behalf of the Department of Finance and the EU Commission. The purpose of the mid-term evaluation process is to provide an independent analysis of the Operational Programmes (OPs) of the NDP/CSF and the developments in the external environment since the current plan started in 2000. On the basis of this analysis recommendations are made on how the programmes can be better targeted over the rest of the planning period through a reallocation of funding

Opportunity Knocks Only Once? Challenging Common Beliefs About Adulthood

Growth-oriented groups for adults are designed to help individuals learn about themselves for the purpose of making constructive life changes. While the success of such groups always depends to some extent on individual characteristics (e.g., motivation, openness to experience), group success can also be affected by members\u27 beliefs or stereotypes about appropriate age-related behaviour. In this article, proverbs such as Don\u27t change horses mid-stream or Opportunity knocks only once are targeted for discussion by group participants as a means of identifying irrational beliefs, confronting stereotypes, promoting flexible thinking, and examining acceptable adult behaviour

Aspects of Irish Energy Policy. ESRI Policy Series No. 57. September 2005

The challenges facing those responsible for energy policy in Ireland are considerable, spanning a wide range of different areas and a number of difficult economic and organisational problems. This paper considers some of the key energy policy issues facing Ireland over the next decade suggesting how best they might be resolved by policy initiatives. We draw on a range of recent research in The Economic and Social Research Institute and elsewhere that has informed our understanding of how some of these knotty problems in the area of energy policy might best be addressed

PRESERVING ELECTRICITY MARKET EFFICIENCY WHILE CLOSING IRELAND’S CAPACITY GAP. Quarterly Economic Commentary, Autumn 2007

The public perception of electricity regulation focuses on price outcomes: are prices low or high, rising or falling, stable or volatile. However, the quantity and quality dimensions of electricity services also have important effects on societal welfare. Although electricity is essentially a homogeneous good, the services that deliver it may be differentiated in ways that are significant to users; in particular, by the reliability standard they deliver.1 Ideally, we should choose the set of market arrangements that will deliver, both now and in the future, the preferred quantity and quality of electricity services at prices that are as low as possible