Visualisation and personalisation of multi-representations city models

ABSTRACT

City models have a wide variety of uses that require different kind of data representation or data models. Having a dynamic model that enables picking the right representations (meshes, volumetric data, point cloud, etc.) can prove useful to adapt an application to each user's needs. In this paper, we present an original method to create personalised visualisations of 3D city models on the fly. By organising the server data in a hierarchy of tiles, we are able to generate personalised models based on the user's preferences. These preferences take the shape of a set of rules that apply to each tile or city object and allow the user to choose which representation of the object to use depending on its position or semantic information (classification, height, etc.). Our method is designed around existing standards, guaranteeing the interoperability of the produced models.     

Parameterization of a Composite Attenuation Relation for the Dead Sea Area Based on 3-D Modeling of Elastic Wave Propagation

3-D simulations of elastic wave propagation generated by earthquakes with magnitudes between 5.5 and 7.0 are used to parameterize strong ground motion attenuation relations for the Dead Sea Rift (DSR) graben structure. The results show that standard attenuation relations with an isotropic distance parameter are inadequate for a graben structure with a deep sedimentary trough. A new strategy is devised for the parameterization of attenuation relations in graben structures by looking at the statistical properties of 53 simulated earthquakes of variable magnitudes located at various sites along the western boundary fault of the DSR graben. An exemplary attenuation relation is designed from the synthetics for the 1 Hz spectral acceleration, modifying the Joyner-Boore-type parametrization by adding coefficients suited for three different source-to-sensor configurations: within the graben, beyond the graben and path unaffected by the graben structure.     

Multibody approach for reactive transport modeling in discontinuous-heterogeneous porous media

Computational Geosciences - In the context of long-term degradation of porous media, the coupling between fracture mechanics and reactive transport is investigated. A reactive transport model in a...     

Ecophysiological differences between vesicomyid species and metabolic capabilities of their symbionts influence distribution patterns of the deep‐sea clams

This study provides an analysis of vesicomyid bivalve–symbiont community distribution across cold seep and hydrothermal vent areas in the Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California, Mexico). Using a combination of morphological and molecular approaches including fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and electronic microscopy observations, vesicomyid clam species and their associated symbionts were characterized and results were analyzed in light of geochemical conditions and other on‐site observations. A greater diversity of vesicomyids was found at cold seep areas, where three different species were present (Phreagena soyoae [syn. kilmeri], Archivesica gigas, and Calyptogena pacifica). In contrast, A. gigas was the only species sampled across the hydrothermal vent area. The same haplotype of A. gigas was found in both hydrothermal vent and cold seep areas, highlighting possible contemporary exchanges among neighboring vents and seeps. In either ecosystem, molecular characterization of the symbionts confirmed the specificity between symbionts and hosts and supported the hypothesis of a predominantly vertical transmission. In addition, patterns of clams could reflect potential niche preferences for each species. The occurrence of numerous traces of vesicomyid movements on sediments in the sites colonized by A. gigas seemed to indicate that this species might have a better ability to move. Furthermore, variation in gill sulfur content could reveal a higher plasticity and sulfur storage capacity in A. gigas. Thus, the distribution of vesicomyid species across the chemosynthetic areas of the Guaymas Basin could be explained by differences in biological traits of the vesicomyid species that would allow A. gigas to more easily exploit transient and punctual sources of available sulfide than P. soyoae.     

Heat Tracing in a Fractured Aquifer with Injection of Hot and Cold Water

Heat as a tracer in fractured porous aquifers is more sensitive to fracture-matrix processes than a solute tracer. Temperature evolution as a function of time can be used to differentiate fracture and matrix characteristics. Experimental hot (50 °C) and cold (10 °C) water injections were performed in a weathered and fractured granite aquifer where the natural background temperature is 30 °C. The tailing of the hot and cold breakthrough curves, observed under different hydraulic conditions, was characterized in a log–log plot of time vs. normalized temperature difference, also converted to a residence time distribution (normalized). Dimensionless tail slopes close to 1.5 were observed for hot and cold breakthrough curves, compared to solute tracer tests showing slopes between 2 and 3. This stronger thermal diffusive behavior is explained by heat conduction. Using a process-based numerical model, the impact of heat conduction toward and from the porous rock matrix on groundwater heat transport was explored. Fracture aperture was adjusted depending on the actual hydraulic conditions. Water density and viscosity were considered temperature dependent. The model simulated the increase or reduction of the energy level in the fracture-matrix system and satisfactorily reproduced breakthrough curves tail slopes. This study shows the feasibility and utility of cold water tracer tests in hot fractured aquifers to boost and characterize the thermal matrix diffusion from the matrix toward the flowing groundwater in the fractures. This can be used as complementary information to solute tracer tests that are largely influenced by strong advection in the fractures.     

Satellite attitude acquisition by momentum transfer-the controlled wheel speed method

An implementation of the momentum transfer method for spacecraft attitude acquisition of momentum wheel stabilized geostationary satellites is presented, in which the wheel speed is varied in a predeterminable manner to reduce the nutation usually associated with the method. The implementation is found to be capable of achieving the transfer to the desired zero nutation end point with 5° to 20° of residual nutation in practical situations without additional nutation damping. The transfer time is typically 10–30 min. The implementation is described in terms of the momentum sphere and energy ellipsoid. The detailed functional dynamics and parametric relationships are given in terms of phase planes and elliptic integral solutions. Feasibility of the implementation is shown to be dependent on the moment of inertia configuration and the degree to which tolerances on moments of inertia, satellite spin rate, and wheel speed are predeterminable.Nomenclature A, B, C Principal moments of inertia of the total spacecraft - b ₁,b ₂,b ₃ Unit vectors parallel to principal axes - E, E(t) Energy of the spacecraft body (excludes the spin energy of momentum wheel) - E ₀ Initial energy of the spacecraft (wheel not spinning) - E _c A constant arbitrary value ofE(t) - E _i Energy after an impulse which causes to equal zero, Equation (13) - E ₂ The constant value ofE during Stage 2 - E ₃ Energy at the end of Stage 3 - E _s The separatrix value ofE, i.e.E when =0 - H ₀,H ₀ Angular momentum vector of the total spacecraft - H _x ,H _y ,H _z Variable components ofH ₀ resolved with respect tob ₁,b ₂, andb ₃ - J Moment of inertia of the momentum wheel - L The slope of the wheel speed profile, Equation (31) - L _y Momentum wheel torque - m Direction cosine of the angle, , betweenH ₀ andb ₂ - m ₁,m ₂ Constant values ofm - O The centre of the momentum sphere - Oxyz Spacecraft coordinate axes - P Represents a state on the momentum sphere and energy ellipsoid - s Momentum wheel speed - s ₂ Constant value ofs during Stage 2 - s _i Wheel speed after an impulse which causes to be zero - t Time - t ₁, t ₂, t ₃ Elapsed time for Stages 1, 2, and 3 respectively - ₁ to ₄ Roots of Equation (19) (poles on the phase plane) - Parameter defined in Equation (9) - cos^–1 m - ₂ The value of at the termination of Stage 2 - _min The minimum of the periodic function (t) (during Stage 2) - _x , _y , _z Angular rates of spacecraft body - ₀ Initial value of _z - K _m Curvature of the momentum sphere - K _xy ,K _yz Curvatures of the principal lines of the energy ellipsoid at (O,H ₀,O), in theOH _x H _y ) and (OH _y H _z ) planes respectively     

Spatial variability of throughfall and stemflow in an exotic pine plantation of subtropical coastal Australia

Large‐scale exotic pine plantations have been developed for timber production in subtropical Australia. Few studies investigate the spatial variability of both throughfall and stemflow in such managed pine plantations despite their acknowledged effects on the heterogeneity of hydrological and biochemical processes of forested ecosystems. To examine the spatial variability of rainfall under a 12‐year‐old pine plantation in a subtropical coastal area of Australia, we observed gross rainfall, throughfall and stemflow over a 1‐year period. Our results show that the spatial variability of gross rainfall within a 50 m × 50 m plot is minimal. Throughfall is significantly different among three tree zones (midway between rows, west and east side of trunks), particularly for rainfall <50 mm, with the highest throughfall on the east side of the tree trunks (sum = 85% of gross rainfall) and the lowest in the midway between tree rows (sum = 68% of gross rainfall). These spatial patterns persist among 84% of recorded rainfall events. Spatial variability and time stability of throughfall are better explained by canopy interception of the inclined rainfall resulting from the prevailing easterly wind direction throughout the experiment. The annual stemflow is different among individual sample trees, which is mainly ascribed to the difference in tree size (e.g. projected canopy area and stem diameter). The outcomes of this study would help future investigators better design appropriate sampling strategies in these pine plantations under similar climate conditions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.