Opportunistic natural experiments using digital telemetry: a transit disruption case study

ABSTRACT

In the past decade society has entered a technological period characterized by handheld computing that supports input and processing from numerous sensors. Today’s mobile phones offer the ability to integrate input from sensors monitoring various external and internal sources (e.g., accelerometer, magnetometer, microphone, GPS, wireless Internet, and Bluetooth). Furthermore, these raw inputs can be integrated and processed in ways that can offer novel representations of human behaviour. As a result, new opportunities to examine and better understand human spatial behaviour are available; one such application is the constant monitoring of a group of people over an extended period of time. Such a research setting lends itself to natural experiments that emerge as a result of regular and on-going observations. We report here on the observation of a natural experiment that took place in the context of a month-long monitoring study of 28 participants using mobile phone-based ubiquitous sensor monitoring. The implications for public health and transportation planning are discussed.     

Estimating spatial efficiency using cyber search,GIS, and spatial optimization: a case study of fire service deployment in Los Angeles County

ABSTRACT

The efficiency of public investments and services has been of interest to geographic researchers for several decades. While in the private sector inefficiency often leads to higher prices, loss of competitiveness, and loss of business, in the public sector inefficiency in service provision does not necessarily lead to immediate changes. In many cases, it is not an entirely easy task to analyze a particular service as appropriate data may be difficult to obtain and hidden in detailed budgets. In this paper, we develop an integrative approach that uses cyber search, Geographic Information System (GIS), and spatial optimization to estimate the spatial efficiency of fire protection services in Los Angeles (LA) County. We develop a cyber-search process to identify current deployment patterns of fire stations across the major urban region of LA County. We compare the results of our search to existing databases. Using spatial optimization, we estimate the level of deployment that is needed to meet desired coverage levels based upon the location of an ideal fire station pattern, and then compare this ideal level of deployment to the existing system as a means of estimating spatial efficiency. GIS is adopted throughout the paper to simulate the demand locations, to conduct location-based spatial analysis, to visualize fire station data, and to map model simulation results. Finally, we show that the existing system in LA County has considerable room for improvement. The methodology presented in this paper is both novel and groundbreaking, and the automated assessments are readily transferable to other counties and jurisdictions.     

Diagnosis of earth-fill dams by synthesised approach of sounding and surface wave method

The spatial distribution of the strength inside the earth-fill is identified by the sounding tests. In this research, the Swedish weight sounding (SWS) is employed, and the spatial high-density test is performed to identify the spatial correlation structure. Furthermore, the synthesised approach of the SWS and surface wave method, which is one of the geophysical method, is proposed to compensate the shortage of each approach. Consequently, the correlation structure of an earth-fill could be identified accurately, and the high resolution of the spatial distribution could be visualised based on the survey results.     

Exploring the spatial distribution patterns of South African Cape hakes using generalised additive models

We developed delta generalised additive models (GAMs) to predict the spatial distribution of different size classes of South African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus, using demersal trawl survey data and geographical (latitude and longitude) and environmental features (depth, temperature, bottom dissolved oxygen and sediment type). Our approach consists of fitting, for each hake size class, two independent models, a binomial GAM and a quasi-Poisson GAM, whose predictions are then combined using the delta method. Delta GAMs were validated using an iterative cross-validation procedure, and their predictions were then employed to produce distribution maps for the southern Benguela. Delta GAM predictions confirmed existing knowledge about the spatial distribution patterns of South African hakes, and brought new insights into the factors influencing the presence/absence and abundance of these species. Our GAM approach can be used to produce distribution maps for spatially explicit ecosystem models of the southern Benguela in a rigorous and objective way. Ecosystem models are critical features of the ecosystem approach to fisheries, and distribution maps constructed using our GAM approach will enable a reliable allocation of species biomasses in spatially explicit ecosystem models, which will increase trust in the spatial overlaps and, therefore, the trophic interactions predicted by these models.     

Multi-factor sensitivity analysis on the stability of submarine hydrate-bearing slope

There are many factors affecting the instability of the submarine hydrate-bearing slope (SHBS), and the interaction with hydrate is very complicated. In this paper, the mechanical mechanism of the static liquefaction and instability of submarine slope caused by the dissociation of natural gas hydrate (NGH) resulting in the rapid increase of pore pressure of gas hydrate-bearing sediments (GHBS) and the decrease of effective stress are analyzed based on the time series and type of SHBS. Then, taking the typical submarine slope in the northern South China Sea as an example, four important factors affecting the stability of SHBS are selected, such as the degree of hydrate dissociation, the depth of hydrate burial, the thickness of hydrate, and the depth of seawater. According to the principle of orthogonal method, 25 orthogonal test schemes with 4 factors and 5 levels are designed and the safety factors of submarine slope stability of each scheme are calculated by using the strength reduction finite element method. By means of the orthogonal design range analysis and the variance analysis, sensitivity of influential factors on stability of SHBS are obtained. The results show that the degree of hydrate dissociation is the most sensitive, followed by hydrate burial depth, the thickness of hydrate and the depth of seawater. Finally, the concept of gas hydrate critical burial depth is put forward according to the influence law of gas hydrate burial depth, and the numerical simulation for specific submarine slope is carried out, which indicates the existence of critical burial depth.     

Detection and mapping of bracken fern weeds using multispectral remotely sensed data: a review of progress and challenges

Bracken fern is one of the major invasive plants distributed all over the world currently threatening socio-economic and ecological systems due to its ability to swiftly colonize landscapes. The study aimed at reviewing the progress and challenges in detecting and mapping of bracken fern weeds using different remote sensing techniques. Evidence from literature have revealed that traditional methods such as field surveys and modelling have been insufficient in detecting and mapping the spatial distribution of bracken fern at a regional scale. The applications of medium spatial resolution sensors have been constrained by their limited spatial, spectral and radiometric capabilities in detecting and mapping bracken fern. On the other hand, the availability of most of these data-sets free of charge, large swath width and their high temporal resolution have significantly improved remote sensing of bracken fern. The use of commercial satellite data with high resolution have also proven useful in providing fine spectral and spatial resolution capabilities that are primarily essential to offer precise and reliable data on the spatial distribution of invasive species. However, the application of these data-sets is largely restricted to smaller areas, due to high costs and huge data volumes. Studies on bracken fern classification have extensively adopted traditional classification methods such as supervised maximum likelihood classifier. In studies where traditional methods performed poorly, the combination of soft classifiers such as super resolution analysis and traditional methods of classification have shown an improvement in bracken fern classification. Finally, since high spatial resolution sensors are expensive to acquire and have small swath width, the current study recommends that future research can also consider investigating the utility of the freely available recently launched sensors with a global footprint that has the potential to provide invaluable information for repeated measurement of invasive species over time and space.     

《巴黎协定》实施细则适应议题焦点解析及后续中国应对措施

适应是《联合国气候变化框架公约》及其《巴黎协定》下的重要谈判内容。2018年12月举行的第24次缔约方大会（COP24）就适应议题后续实施方案达成了共识,为全球气候治理带来新的机遇和挑战。中国在未来全球气候治理中,如何借助新成果推动国内适应工作稳步发展,积极发挥中国作用,是新形势下亟需考虑的重要问题。基于此,本文梳理了适应议题的焦点问题、各集团和缔约方的立场观点,展望了2019—2025年适应相关议题主要工作安排,并对此提出了中国未来适应领域完成相关工作需要考虑的应对措施建议,包括：(1)深入分析国际信息报告体系与国内信息的联系,梳理国内适应工作亮点,为构建高质量报告奠定基础;(2)构建跨部门跨地区协作机制,加强信息搜集与完善,有效提高数据和信息统计功能;(3)强化气候变化适应技术、规范、标准等科学研究的作用,为制定政策规定时纳入相应技术要求、提高政策规定等需求提供科学性和可操作性的服务。     

基于A*算法的路网数据组织

路网的数据组织是路径规划算法设计的基础。采用C++标准模板库实现基于A*算法的路网数据组织,着重从路网的拓扑结构、空间索引、A*算法数据结构、分层和分网格组织几方面来讨论。最后给出实例证明其有效性。     

地理信息系统技术在中小学布局调整中的作用

我国“十五”期间开始中小学布局调整,经过几年的调整,教育条件、教育质量都有所改善,但也带来一些问题,这些问题的根本原因在于缺乏科学预测和规划。地理信息系统技术是利用计算机解决各学科空间问题的学科,它可以在中小学布局中进行科学分析和预测,为中小学布局调整提供决策支持。     

福建省域工业空间结构研究——以福建省销售额前300家工业企业为例

依据地域经济系统理论,一个地域经济单元状态,可以从时序特征和空间结构特征进行表达,其存在状态受制于时空关联性。一定地域在特定时序发展阶段,必有与之相对应的空间结构特征;反之,一定的空间结构特征必然反映其特定的时序阶段。据此,诊断了福建省域工业系统的时空关联性特征,并提出了该省工业阶段性跃迁的对策与建议。