An analysis of spectral discrimination between corn and soybeans using a row crop reflectance model

Reflectance calculations of soybeans and corn crops at two times during the growing season indicate that the high sensitivity of the thematic mapper mid-infrared band to exposed bare soil between soybean rows is most likely responsible for early season spectral discrimination of corn and soybean crops by this band

The extension of a uniform canopy reflectance model to include row effects

The effect of row structure is assumed to be caused by the variation in density of vegetation across rows rather than to a profile in canopy height. The calculation of crop reflectance using vegetation density modulation across rows follows a parallel procedure to that for a uniform canopy. Predictions using the row model for wheat show that the effect of changes in sun to row azimuth are greatest in Landsat Band 5 (red band) and can result in underestimation of crop vigor

Yield prediction by analysis of multispectral scanner data

A preliminary model describing the growth and grain yield of wheat was developed. The modeled growth characteristics of the wheat crop were used to compute wheat canopy reflectance using a model of vegetation canopy reflectance. The modeled reflectance characteristics were compared with the corresponding growth characteristics and grain yield in order to infer their relationships. It appears that periodic wheat canopy reflectance characteristics potentially derivable from earth satellites will be useful in forecasting wheat grain yield

Kiirabi tööd saaks korraldada paremini

Kiirabikulutused suurenevad üha enam, sest uusi arstide ja õdede palgakokkuleppeid peavad järgima ka brigaadipidajad. Hoolimata survest kiirabi eelarvele ning kiirabitöötajate puudusest ei ole sisulisi analüüse ressursside kokkuhoidmiseks seni tehtud ning ainsa lahendusena on nähtud eelarve suurendamist. Riigikontrolli audiitorid analüüsisid kiirabiteenuse korraldust ning pakkusid võimalikke lahendusi kiirabiteenuse säästlikumaks korraldamiseks: brigaadide arvu vähendamine öösiti, õebrigaadide osakaalu suurendamine ning osa brigaadide kaheliikmeliseks muutmine. Nende lahendustega koos peab aga muutuma ka keskkond, milles kiirabiteenust osutatakse (1)

Taastusravi korraldus ja tõhusus

Riigikontroll uuris oma hiljuti lõppenud auditis “Taastusravi korralduse tõhusus”, kuidas on Eestis korraldatud taastusravi ning tagatud selle saamine taastusravi vajajatele. Auditit ajendas tegema mitme osapoole arvamus, et taastusravi ei saa kaugeltki kõik vajajad, kuigi taastusravi osutamine peaks eeldatavasti parandama patsientide elukvaliteeti ning vähendama hilisemaid ravikulusid. Ka Riigikontrolli analüüs leidis, et enamik taastusravi vajanutest on sellest ilma jäänud ning selle peamised põhjused on ressursside puudus, teenuse saamise sõltuvus elukohast ning teenuse osutamine osaliselt ka mittevajajatele. Eesti Arst 2006; 85 (11): 792–79

Bernard Suits on capacities: games, perfectionism, and Utopia

An essential and yet often neglected motivation of Bernard Suits’ elevation of gameplay to the ideal of human existence is his account of capacities along perfectionist lines and the function of games in eliciting them. In his work Suits treats the expression of these capacities as implicitly good and the purest expression of the human telos. Although it is a possible interpretation to take Suits’ utopian vision to mean that gameplay in his future utopia must consist of the logically inevitable replaying of activities we conduct in the present for instrumental reasons (playing games-by-default), because gameplay for Suits is identical with the expression of sets of capacities specifically elicited by game rules, it is much more likely that he intends utopian gameplay to be an endless series of carefully crafted opportunities for the elicitation of special capacities (playing games-by-design), and thus embody his ideal of existence. This article therefore provides a new lens for understanding both Suits’ definitional work on gameplay and its connection to his utopian vision in the last chapter of The Grasshopper: Games, Life, and Utopia

Häirekeskused ja kiirabi

Riigikontroll uuris, kuidas saadetakse kiirabibrigaade väljakutsetele kahes Eesti suuremas häirekeskuses. Kahe häirekeskuse kutsete töö erines oluliselt, selgus, et kutseid hinnatakse liiga tihti tegelikust raskemaks. Peamised probleemid häirekeskuste töös seisnevad kokkuleppimata alustes: häirekeskustes tegutsetakse erinevate juhiste järgi ning sealse personali väljaõpe ei ole ühtlane. Häirekeskuste töö parendamiseks tuleks tagada ühtsed riiklikud alused, omada ülevaadet nende töö kohta ning anda ka vastavat tagasisidet. Eesti Arst 2004; 83 (11): 762–76

Report of optical ground truth measurements for 5 August 1973, test site number 548532, in support of the Skylab multispectral scanner

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

CPUF: CHIRPED-PULSE MICROWAVE SPECTROSCOPY IN PULSED UNIFORM SUPERSONIC FLOWS

Chirped-pulse Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy has stimulated a resurgence of interest in rotational spectroscopy owing to the dramatic reduction in spectral acquisition time it enjoys when compared to cavity-based instruments. This suggests that it might be possible to adapt the method to study chemical reaction dynamics and even chemical kinetics using rotational spectroscopy. The great advantage of this would be clear, quantifiable spectroscopic signatures for polyatomic products as well as the possibility to identify and characterize new radical reaction products and transient intermediates. To achieve this, however, several conditions must be met: 1) products must be thermalized at low temperature to maximize the population difference needed to achieve adequate signal levels and to permit product quantification based on the rotational line strength; 2) a large density and volume of reaction products is also needed to achieve adequate signal levels; and 3) for kinetics studies, a uniform density and temperature is needed throughout the course of the reaction. These conditions are all happily met by the uniform supersonic flow produced from a Laval nozzle expansion. In collaboration with the Field group at MIT we have developed a new instrument we term a CPUF (Chirped-pulse/Uniform Flow) spectrometer in which we can study reaction dynamics, photochemistry and kinetics using broadband microwave and millimeter wave spectroscopy as a product probe. We will illustrate the performance of the system with a few examples of photodissociation and reaction dynamics, and also discuss a number of challenges unique to the application of chirped-pulse microwave spectroscopy in the collisional environment of the flow. Future directions and opportunities for application of CPUF will also be explored