Academic literature on the topic 'Spatial traverse'

AbstractAccumulation is a key parameter governing the mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet. Several studies have documented the spatial variability of accumulation over wide spatial scales, primarily using point data, remote sensing or modeling. Direct measurements of spatially extensive, detailed profiles of accumulation in Greenland, however, are rare. We used 400 MHz ground-penetrating radar along the 1009 km route of the Greenland Inland Traverse from Thule to Summit during April and May of 2011, to image continuous internal reflecting horizons. We dated these horizons using ice-core chemistry at each end of the traverse. Using density profiles measured along the traverse, we determined the depth to the horizons and the corresponding water-equivalent accumulation rates. The measured accumulation rates vary from ~0.1 m w.e. a–1 in the interior to ~0.7 m w.e. a–1 near the coast, and correspond broadly with existing published model results, though there are some excursions. Comparison of our recent accumulation rates with those collected along a similar route in the 1950s shows a ~10% increase in accumulation rates over the past 52 years along most of the traverse route. This implies that the increased water vapor capacity of warmer air is increasing accumulation in the interior of Greenland.

Viewing a filmed route offers an alternative to more expensive and rigid methods of learning navigation skills. One advantage of film is the ability to enhance important landmarks or focus on particularly relevant information. The current research used a videotape of a spatial route to assess the usefulness of participants' interaction with landmarks and enhancement of landmarks for training spatial navigation. 48 participants were exposed to one of four videotaped route conditions: Landmark-enhanced, Question-based Interaction, Landmark-enhanced Plus Question-based Interaction, or Control (Nonenhanced without Question-based Interaction). Following the spatial navigation training with videotape, participants were asked to traverse the route in the actual building. Analyses of variance indicated that the Question-based Interaction group made significantly fewer wrong turns during traversal of the route than did the Control group. Also, enhancement of the landmarks did not significantly reduce wrong turns; in fact, it may have hindered the benefit of question-based interaction in reducing wrong turns.

The chemistry of recently deposited snow sampled in 1982–83 along a 430 km coast-interior traverse in Terre Adelie, East Antarctica, is reported. In addition, three firn samples, covering the same time period (1959 to 1969) and collected on the traverse at D 55, D 80 and Dome C stations, respectively at 200, 430 and 1070 km from the sea, are also studied. Concentrations of major soluble impurities (H+, , Na+, K+, Cl−, and ) were determined by ion chromatography (except H+ which was titrated) on more than 200 samples. Conditions of sampling and analysis were carefully controlled in order to avoid contamination problems. A balanced ionic budget was generally obtained for each of the samples. For stations occupying an intermediary position between the coastal areas and the central Antarctic plateau, our results demonstrate that the two major impurities are H2SO4 and HNO3. HCl is also present, but at a lower level of concentration; the sea-salt contribution is dominant only at the most coastal sites (within 40 km) of the sea. The degree of neutralization of the snow acidity by NH3 is always very low as indicated by the values of content. The mean concentrations of H2SO4 along the traverse are relatively constant whereas an increase of the HNO3 concentrations is observed when going inland. It decreases, however, in most central areas. These results are discussed in relation to the glaciochemical data published for other locations on the Antarctic plateau, in particular the sulphate concentrations which depend strongly on explosive volcanic activity.

The chemistry of recently deposited snow sampled in 1982–83 along a 430 km coast-interior traverse in Terre Adelie, East Antarctica, is reported. In addition, three firn samples, covering the same time period (1959 to 1969) and collected on the traverse at D 55, D 80 and Dome C stations, respectively at 200, 430 and 1070 km from the sea, are also studied. Concentrations of major soluble impurities (H+, , Na+, K+, Cl−, and ) were determined by ion chromatography (except H+ which was titrated) on more than 200 samples. Conditions of sampling and analysis were carefully controlled in order to avoid contamination problems. A balanced ionic budget was generally obtained for each of the samples. For stations occupying an intermediary position between the coastal areas and the central Antarctic plateau, our results demonstrate that the two major impurities are H2SO4 and HNO3. HCl is also present, but at a lower level of concentration; the sea-salt contribution is dominant only at the most coastal sites (within 40 km) of the sea. The degree of neutralization of the snow acidity by NH3 is always very low as indicated by the values of content. The mean concentrations of H2SO4 along the traverse are relatively constant whereas an increase of the HNO3 concentrations is observed when going inland. It decreases, however, in most central areas. These results are discussed in relation to the glaciochemical data published for other locations on the Antarctic plateau, in particular the sulphate concentrations which depend strongly on explosive volcanic activity.

Abstract. In January of 2008, during the 53rd Russian Antarctic Expedition, surface snow samples were taken from 13 shallow (0.7 to 1.5 m depth) snow pits along the first tractor traverse from Progress to Vostok stations, East Antarctica. Sub-surface snow/firn layers are dated from 2.1 to 18 yr. The total length of the coast to inland traverse is more than 1280 km. Here we analysed spatial variability of concentrations of sulphate ions and elements and their fluxes in the snow deposited within the 2006–2008 time interval. Anions were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and the determination of selected metals, including Na, K, Mg, Ca and Al, was carried out by mass spectroscopy with atomization by induced coupled plasma (ICP-MS). Surface snow concentration records were examined for trends versus distance inland, elevation, accumulation rate and slope gradient. Na shows a significant positive correlation with accumulation rate, which decreases as distance from the sea and altitude increase. K, Ca and Mg concentrations do not show any significant relationship either with distance inland or with elevation. Maximal concentrations of these elements with a prominent Al peak are revealed in the middle part of the traverse (500–600 km from the coast). Analysis of element correlations and atmospheric circulation patterns allow us to suggest their terrestrial origin (e.g. aluminosilicates carried as a continental dust) from the Antarctic nunatak areas. Sulphate concentrations show no significant relationship with distance inland, elevation, slope gradient and accumulation rate. Non-sea salt secondary sulphate is the most important contribution to the total sulphate budget along the traverse. Sulphate of volcanic origin attributed to the Pinatubo eruption (1991) was revealed in the snow pit at 1276 km (depth 120–130 cm).

A version of the project for the installation of the spatial structure of the coating of an industrial building was developed. The technological feature of the project was the presence of cramped working conditions. The feasibility study of the methods of assembly and installation of the coating, taking into account the peculiarities of the construction of the coating, the features of the construction site and the needs for lifting machines, showed the eff ectiveness of the installation of the coating with enlarged blocks assembled on the ground. Mounting the unit using a traverse allowed to reduce the estimated height of the hook and select a crane that does not diff er in the high cost of rent. It became possible to apply the adopted installation scheme provided that an individual design of the beam was developed. The calculation and design of the traverse itself was performed, as well as the calculation of the enlarged unit for the installation situation.

AbstractRecent snow accumulation rate is a key quantity for ice-core and mass-balance studies. Several accumulation measurement methods (stake farm, fin core, snow-radar profiling, surface morphology, remote sensing) were used, compared and integrated at eight sites along a transect from Terra Nova Bay to Dome C, East Antarctica, to provide information about the spatial and temporal variability of snow accumulation. Thirty-nine cores were dated by identifying tritium/b marker levels (1965_66) and non-sea-salt (nss) SO42_ spikes of the Tambora (Indonesia) volcanic event (1816) in order to provide information on temporal variability. Cores were linked by snow radar and global positioning system surveys to provide detailed information on spatial variability in snow accumulation. Stake-farm and ice-core accumulation rates are observed to differ significantly, but isochrones (snow radar) correlate well with ice-core derived accumulation. The accumulation/ablation pattern from stake measurements suggests that the annual local noise (metre scale) in snow accumulation can approach 2 years of ablation and more than four times the average annual accumulation, with no accumulation or ablation for a 5 year period in up to 40% of cases. The spatial variability of snow accumulation at the kilometre scale is one order of magnitude higher than temporal variability at the multi-decadal/secular scale. Stake measurements and firn cores at Dome C confirm an approximate 30% increase in accumulation over the last two centuries, with respect to the average over the last 5000 years

Abstract. This is the first study to measure more than 25 chemical constituents in the surface snow and firn across extensive regions of Antarctica. It is also the first to report total-Cs concentrations. We present major ion, trace element, heavy metal, rare earth element and oxygen isotope data from a series of surface snow samples and shallow firn sections collected along four US ITASE traverses across East and West Antarctica. In each sample we measure dissolved concentrations of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl−, NO3−, SO42−, and MS− using ion chromatography and total concentrations of Sr, Cd, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Pb, Bi, U, As, Al, S, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Na, Mg, Li, and K using inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. We also measure δ18O by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The 2002/2003 traverse began at Byrd Surface Camp, West Antarctica, and ended close to South Pole, East Antarctica. The 2003/2004 traverse began at South Pole, passed through AGO4 in central East Antarctica before turning north and finishing at Taylor Dome. The combined 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 traverses started out at Taylor Dome and headed south, passing through the Byrd Glacier drainage basin and ending at South Pole. In this study, we utilize satellite remote sensing measurements of microwave backscatter and grain size to assist in the identification of glaze/dune areas across Antarctica and show how chemical concentrations are higher in these areas, precluding them from containing useful high-resolution chemical climate records. The majority of the non-glaze/dune samples in this study exhibit similar, or lower, concentrations to those from previous studies. Consequently, the results presented here comprise a conservative baseline for Antarctic surface snow chemical concentrations. The elements Cd, Pb, Bi, As, and Li are enriched across Antarctica relative to both ocean and upper crust elemental ratios. Global volcanic outgassing accounts for the majority of the Bi measured in East and West Antarctica and for a significant fraction of the Cd in East Antarctica. Nonetheless, global volcanic outgassing cannot account for the enriched values of Pb or As. Local volcanic outgassing from Mount Erebus may account for a significant fraction of the As and Cd in West Antarctica and for a significant fraction in East Antarctic glaze/dune areas. However, despite potential contributions from local and global volcanic sources, significant concentrations of Pb, Cd, and As remain across much of Antarctica. Most importantly, this study provides a baseline from which changes in the chemistry of the atmosphere over Antarctica can be monitored under expected warming scenarios and continued intensification of industrial activities in the Southern Hemisphere.

AbstractThe spatial variability in snow accumulation varies between different regions in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. This pattern cannot easily be explained by the single action of parameters such as distance to open sea, surface elevation or slope. In 1996-97 we mapped snow-layer depths within the top 11 m of the snowpack with a ground-based radar along a 500 km traverse on the polar plateau in central Dronning Maud Land. The results showed that the general accumulation pattern could be described by three major characteristic sections: a pronounced trend of decreasing net accumulation with increasing altitude from 2400 to 2840 m a.s.l.; relatively high erosion rates and occurrence of areas with net erosion at 2840-3140 m a.s.l.; and a slight trend of decreasing net accumulation with increasing altitude from 3140 to 3450 m a.s.l. The spatial variability in snow-layer depths showed a marked change around 3080 m a.s.l., with high variability at lower elevations and low variability at higher elevations. We also determined the spatial representativeness of 11 firn cores drilled along the traverse. In general, the representativeness of the cores was high. However, the core with the lowest representativeness underestimated the mean accumulation rate around the coring site by 22%. This shows that snow-radar data on spatial snow distribution are important for the interpretation of accumulation rates obtained from firn and ice cores.

This essay defines the category of “visual history” and introduces its operations across the essays included in this special issue. It proposes that such narratives accelerated time in cultures where it became increasingly common to traverse spatial distances. In this way, visual histories are not simply guides to the times, but guides to time itself.

The diploma thesis deals with a design of a rotating part of a crane trolley of a scrap crane with a load capacity of 110,000 kg, which is situated in an exterior environment. The aim of the diploma thesis is a design and calculation verified design of the lifting mechanism, rotation mechanism and the design of a spacious traverse, which is used for the manipulation of the scrap trough and casting ladle.

This thesis belongs to the research tradition of Romance historical semantics, and combines diachronic methods with cognitive hypotheses. Analysing complex adpositions in French and Italian, its originality resides in the fact that, both for literal and metaphorical uses, it applies a functional approach to a diachronic problematic, carrying out a corpus analysis.

The period covered consists of four hundred years (from the 16th until the end of the 19th Century). The constructions under analysis conform to the pattern [PREP1 (+ article) + travers(o) (+ PREP2)], viz. the French expressions 'à travers (de)', 'au travers (de)', 'en travers (de)', 'de travers' and their Italian formal equivalents 'a traverso/at(t)raverso (a, di, per)', 'al traverso (di)', 'in traverso (di)' and 'di traverso (a)' ('traverso (a)', without PREP1, is included too). These expressions, and especially their prepositional uses, are assumed to be intrinsically dynamic. However, they are no pure prepositions, in that all of them can be used in at least two different syntactic roles. More specifically, some are principally found as a preposition, and secondarily as an adverb; others behave mostly as an adverb, but also as an adjective; finally, certain expressions exhibit all three types of uses.

The results can be structured around four axes. Firstly, a complete diachronic-semantic description of all uses is given of this set of hardly explored expressions, in order to contribute to a better comprehension of their semantic structure. The study bears on morphological, syntactic, but most of all semantic aspects of the evolutions observed. Secondly, functional concepts such as Guidance, proposed in synchronic research (in particular by Stosic (2002b; 2007; 2009)), and notions we elaborate on the basis of research on Modern French (cf. Somers 1988; and Plungian 2002), in particular Contrast and Deviation, are put to the test. By adopting a diachronic perspective, we assess to what extent these notions are able to describe the semantics conveyed in the past by the expressions under study. Thirdly, this thesis determines in what measure the expressions analysed were subjected to a grammaticalisation process, and why some of them (in particular 'à travers', and, to a lesser extent, 'a traverso/at(t)raverso (a, di, per)') became significantly more frequent from the 18th Century onwards. We provide elements that point to a more advanced grammaticalisation for certain expressions. Moreover, we determine to what extent the evolutionary trends observed corroborate or, on the contrary, disconfirm various mechanisms considered to be part of the process of grammaticalisation. Finally, a comparison between the evolutions in the two languages under study helps to distinguish between more general and language-specific mechanisms of semantic and grammatical evolution, given that every natural language has a specific way of organising its own modelling of space.

The results of this study enrich our knowledge of the phrases studied and their functioning in the past, but also in present-day French and Italian, providing diachronic observations regarding the functional notions put to the test. Further, it contributes to a better understanding of the grammaticalisation mechanisms of complex constructions. Finally, it shows that typologically related languages may evolve differently in their ways of representing space, and in particular in their semantic distribution of various functional concepts within a group of close constructions./Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le domaine de la sémantique historique romane, et combine des méthodes diachroniques avec des hypothèses cognitives. En analysant des adpositions complexes en français et en italien, son originalité réside dans le fait que, à la fois pour des usages littéraux et métaphoriques, elle applique une approche fonctionnelle à une problématique diachronique, en réalisant une analyse de corpus.

La période traitée est constituée de quatre cents ans (à partir du XVIe jusqu’à la fin du XIXe siècle). Les constructions analysées sont conformes au modèle [PREP1 (+ article) + travers(o) (+ PREP2)], à savoir les expressions françaises 'à travers (de)', 'au travers (de)', 'en travers (de)', 'de travers' et leurs équivalentes formelles italiennes 'a traverso/at(t)raverso (a, di, per)', 'al traverso (di)', 'in traverso (di)' et 'di traverso (a)' ('traverso (a)', sans PREP1, est aussi incluse). Ces expressions, et surtout leurs usages prépositionnels, sont supposées être intrinsèquement dynamiques. Cependant, elles ne sont pas de pures prépositions, en ce que chacune d’elles peut être utilisée dans au moins deux rôles syntaxiques différentes. Plus précisément, certaines se rencontrent principalement comme préposition, et accessoirement comme adverbe ;d’autres se comportent la plupart du temps comme adverbe, mais aussi comme adjectif ;enfin, certaines expressions présentent les trois types d’usages.

Les résultats s’articulent autour de quatre axes. Tout d’abord, une description diachronique et sémantique complète est donnée de tous les usages de l’ensemble de ces expressions qui sont à peine explorées, afin de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension de leur structure sémantique. L’étude porte sur des aspects morphologiques, syntaxiques, mais surtout sémantiques des évolutions observées. Deuxièmement, des concepts fonctionnels tels que celui de Guidage, proposé dans des travaux en synchronie (en particulier par Stosic (2002b; 2007; 2009)), et des notions que nous élaborons sur la base d’analyses du français moderne (cf. Somers 1988; et Plungian 2002), en particulier celles de Contraste et Déviation, sont mises à l’épreuve. En adoptant une perspective diachronique, nous évaluons dans quelle mesure ces notions sont en mesure de décrire la sémantique véhiculée dans le passé par les expressions étudiées. Troisièmement, cette thèse détermine dans quelle mesure les expressions analysées ont été soumises à un processus de grammaticalisation, et pourquoi certaines d’entre elles (en particulier 'à travers' et, dans une moindre mesure, 'a traverso/at(t)raverso (a, di, per)') sont devenues beaucoup plus fréquentes à partir du XVIIIe siècle. Nous fournissons des éléments qui indiquent une grammaticalisation plus avancée de certaines expressions. De plus, nous déterminons dans quelle mesure les tendances évolutives observées corroborent ou, au contraire, infirment différents mécanismes considérés comme faisant partie du processus de grammaticalisation. Enfin, une comparaison entre les évolutions dans les deux langues étudiées permet de distinguer des tendances sémantiques et grammaticales plus générales de ceux qui sont plus spécifiques à une langue, étant donné que chaque langue naturelle a une façon spécifique d’organiser sa représentation de l’espace.

En fournissant des observations diachroniques sur les notions fonctionnelles mises à l’épreuve, cette thèse enrichit notre connaissance des constructions étudiées et leur fonctionnement dans le passé, ce qui aide aussi à mieux comprendre leur usage contemporain. De plus, elle contribue à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes de grammaticalisation des constructions complexes. Enfin, elle montre que des langues typologiquement proches peuvent évoluer différemment dans leurs modes de représentation de l’espace, et en particulier dans la distribution sémantique de différents concepts fonctionnels dans un groupe de constructions proches.

Doctorat en Langues et lettres
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Organisée en cinq mouvements, cette thèse en géographie culturelle, interroge l’habiter des adolescents à travers leurs pratiques spatiales, depuis les espaces domestiques jusqu’aux établissements scolaires, espaces publics, voire lieux des voyages, réels ou rêvés. L’étude est envisagée comme un moyen d’explorer la construction du rapport au monde des individus. Les adolescents sont abordés comme acteurs sociaux et spatiaux à part entière. L’enquête est conduite sur un terrain bi -national, franco-suisse, auprès d’adolescents âgés de 14 à 18 ans, scolarisés dans des établissements scolaires secondaires. La méthodologie de la recherche est inédite, en collectant des données selon plusieurs modalités. Interfaces individualisées et géolocalisation sont mobilisées au bénéfice de cartographies interactives. Des itinéraires commentés par les adolescents complètent des entretiens semi-directifs. Au-delà des pratiques spatiales récurrentes à l’intérieur du groupe, d’évidence la singularité des géographies adolescentes s’énonce et confirme la pertinence du thème des individualités en géographie et l’intérêt des cartographies personnelles et des parcours individuels accompagnés. L’exercice d’une micro-géographie, au « ras du sol », a permis d’observer « à la loupe » les expériences, de voir les détails habituellement peu visibles, et de reconstituer non seulement la concrétude du vécu spatial, mais de dévoiler les ressorts et les réseaux des relations à l’espace dans toute leur complexité. Des concepts se sont imposés comme opératoires pour rendre compte des caractères de cette relation : la nostalgie, la renommée, le voisinage et la familiarité. La recherche met également en lumière les médiations de l’expérience spatiale individuelle, et les processus d’entrée en familiarité voire d’attachement aux lieux. Un référentiel de la capabilité spatiale est proposé, il repose sur trois catégories : les facultés sensorielles, les habiletés spatiales et les compétences socio-spatiales. Des pistes pour de nouveaux apprentissages à l’École appuyés sur l’expérience spatiale des élèves sont explorées.L’enquête révèle la discontinuité de la présence et de l’attention au monde, mais également l’inégalité entre adolescents au plan des expériences et des compétences spatiales. Ces constats préoccupants devraient conduire à engager une réflexion pour une nouvelle éducation géographique dans le contexte actuel des défis sociétaux et environnementaux en particulier du point de vue du vivre ensemble et du changement global. Les résultats de la recherche intéressent donc directement l’enseignement de la géographie. Il y a une urgence désormais de la géographie à l’École au bénéfice d’une réflexivité à l’égard des pratiques spatiales, d’une co-construction prospective de l’espace partagé, d’une éducation à l’attention et enfin, d’une conscience du monde commun
Organized in five movements, this thesis in cultural geography questions the living of adolescents through their spatial practices from domestic spaces to schools, public spaces, even places of travel, real or dreamed. The study is seen as a way to explore the construction of the relationship to the world of individuals. Adolescents are approached as full-fledged social and spatial actors. The survey is conducted on a bi-national, Franco-Swiss field, among adolescents aged 14 to 18 years old, enrolled in secondary schools. The research methodology is new, collecting data in several ways. Individualized interfaces and geolocation are mobilized for the benefit of interactive mapping. Itineraries commented by the adolescents complement semi-directive interviews.Beyond the recurrent spatial practices within the group, the singularity of adolescent geographies is evident and confirms the relevance of the theme of individualities in geography and the interest of personal mapping and accompanied individual journeys. The exercise of a micro-geography, "at ground level", allowed to observe the experiences "with a magnifying glass", to see the details usually not very visible, and to reconstruct not only the concreteness of the spatial experience, but to reveal the springs and the networks of the relations to space in all their complexity. Concepts have emerged as operative to account for the characteristics of this relationship: nostalgia, fame, neighbourliness and familiarity. The research also sheds light on the mediations of individual spatial experience, and on the processes of entry into familiarity and even attachment to places. A referential of spatial capability is proposed, based on three categories: sensory faculties, spatial skills and socio-spatial competencies. Avenues for new learning at school based on students' spatial experience are explored.The survey reveals the discontinuity of presence and attention to the world, but also the inequality among adolescents in terms of spatial experiences and skills. These worrying findings should lead to reflection on a new geographical education in the current context of societal and environmental challenges, particularly from the point of view of living together and global change. The results of the research are therefore directly relevant to the teaching of geography. There is now an urgent need for geography in schools to develop reflexivity with regard to spatial practices, a forward-looking co-construction of shared space, education for attention and, lastly, awareness of the common world

Percevoir son espace d’évolution est une activité déterminante dans l’élaboration des relations spatiales que nous tissons avec notre environnement. En neurosciences comportementales, l’étude de ces relations a généralement été abordée selon deux perspectives théoriques. L’une d’elle s’attache à décrire les relations au monde au travers des processus de perception directe impliquant notamment la notion d’affordances (i.e. de possibilités d’actions naturellement offertes par l’environnement) ; tandis que d’autres s’intéressent d’avantage aux aspects cognitifs de la perception avec la mise en place de processus de représentation spatiale. Cette dernière reflète notamment l’existence d’état(s) représenté(s) qu’il est possible de décrire à travers de la combinaison d’espaces stables appelés référentiels spatiaux. L’objectif de ce travail de thèse vise à mieux comprendre la contribution du référentiel égocentré (i.e. corporel) dans la perception de l’espace géocentré (i.e. gravitaire). La question a notamment été abordée autour de deux axes de recherche interrogeant d’une part (i) l’origine de l’influence égocentrée préalablement observée dans le noir sur la perception géocentrée, et d’autre part (ii) la présence du phénomène égocentré dans un contexte visuel plus enrichi suite à l’ajout d’un flux optique. Pour ce faire quatre études centrées autour d’un paradigme d’estimation des possibilités de franchissement d’obstacles hauts ont été réalisées. Pris dans leur ensemble, les résultats expérimentaux soulignent le caractère particulièrement puissant et complexe du phénomène égocentré corporel observé sur la perception de l’espace gravitaire. Ces résultats, discutés en termes d’interpénétrabilité entre référentiels spatiaux offrent un support d’étude intéressant sur la manière dont les référentiels sont utilisés dans les processus de représentation spatiale
Perceiving space is a relevant task in determining our relationships with the environment. In behavioral neuroscience, investigating this spatial relationship can classically be explored with two theoretical approaches. The first one uses direct perception to describe the spatial relationships, involving affordances (i.e. the action ability naturally offer by the environment). The other one investigates the cognitive aspect of perception implying the use of spatial representation process. The later one traduces the existence of represented states which can be described through the interaction of different stable states called spatial reference frames. The present work investigates the contribution of the egocentric reference frame (body-related) on the perception of the geocentric space (earth-based). This was questioned through two research lines, (i) the origin of egocentric influence previously observed in darkness upon geocentric perception, (ii) the existence of the egocentric phenomenon in an enriched visual scene. To answer these questions, four experiments were conducted where the paradigm of passing under high obstacles was used. Overall, these results stress the powerful and complex aspect of the egocentric phenomenon observed upon geocentric perception. This work, discussed in term of interpenetrability between reference frames, provide an interesting support on the way how spatial reference frames are used in perceiving space

La majorité des espèces cultivées en Europe (environ 84 %) nécessitent le service de pollinisation pour produire. Depuis plusieurs années, un important déclin des pollinisateurs est observé. Les populations d’abeilles domestiques, partie intégrante de l’agrobiodiversité, sont des bio-indicateurs sensibles de l’état de l’environnement agricole. Celles-ci sont aujourd’hui affectées par des mortalités importantes. Les interactions entre pesticides et pathogènes sont habituellement évoquées comme causes principales de ces mortalités. Cependant au sein de ces agropaysages, la perte de ressources trophiques en quantité et en diversité contribue également à l’affaiblissement des colonies. La qualité et les quantités de ressources trophiques disponibles dans le paysage influencent également leur activité de ponte et leur dynamique de développement. Au regard de ce contexte, cette thèse vise à analyser les interactions entre différents types de structures paysagères situées dans le département du Gers (32, France) et l’évolution des traits d’histoire de vie des colonies d’abeilles domestiques du genre Apis mellifera L. Elle questionne notamment le rôle de la composante ligneuse dans l’apport de ressources trophiques et ses repercussions sur l’évolution des traits d’histoire de vie. L’approche méthodologique développée consiste (i) en une analyse de l’organisation spatiale des six mosaïques paysagères différenciées par un gradient de présence de ligneux, (ii) en un suivi phénologique des ressources floristiques d’intérêt nectarifère et pollinifère, (iii) en un suivi de la dynamique de développement de 43 colonies observées durant deux ans (2010 et 2011) et (iv) en une analyse des strategies de butinage. Les résultats montrent la présence d’une grande diversité d’espèces floristiques d’intérêt nectarifère et pollinifère en contexte agricole gersois (200). Les ligneux constituent la seule sous-unité fonctionnelle permettant un apport conséquent et pérenne de ressources floristiques, tout au long de la saison en complément des cultures. La composante ligneuse et les surfaces cultivées (Brassica napus et Helianthus annuus) constituent les deux sous-unités les plus mobilisées pour la collecte de nectar. Les ligneux sont particulièrement recherchés au cours des périodes prévernale et vernale (première période) notamment au sein des structures paysagères fermées. La fluctuation des ressources floristiques disponibles impacte plus fortement le développement des colonies au sein des structures paysagères ouvertes que fermées. En effet, sur ces derniers, les ligneux permettent d’atténuer ces impacts notamment en période de disette, rendant les colonies plus résilientes
Most of the cultivated plants in Europe (84% overall) need pollinators to produce. For several decades, a significant decline in pollinating insects is observed. Honeybees belong to associated agrobiodiversity and are sensitive bio-indicators in agricultural landscapes. They are particularly affected by these losses. Usually, interactions between pesticides and pathogens are seen as the main causes of pollinator populations’ collapse. However, the qualitative and quantitative depletion of food resources in such agricultural landscapes also contribute to the high mortality rates. The spawning activity of the colony’s queen and the metabolic balance of the colony are influenced by the quantity and the quality of plant resources in the landscape. This PhD thesis focuses on the interactions between landscapes structures and honeybees life traits’ evolution in the Gers agricultural department (France). It aims to assess the woody component’s role in supplying trophic resources and its repercussions on the evolution of life traits. The methodology consists (i) in a spatial organization analysis of six landscape mosaics, differentiated by an openess gradient based on the percentage of the woody component cover, (ii) a phenological monitoring of plant resources with pollen and nectar interests, (iii) a monitoring of 43 colonies’ life history traits during two years (2010 and 2011) and (iv) in an analysis of foraging strategies. Results reveal a wide diversity of plant species with nectar and pollen interest in the Gers agricultural context (200). Woody component is the only functional sub-unity which enables a significant and lasting supply of plant resources, during the all season, as additional resources to those of crops. Woody component and cultivated lands (Brassica napus and Helianthus annuus) are the most mobilized sub-unities for nectar gathering. Woody component is particularly looked for in prevernal and vernal periods (first period), above all in closed landscape structures. Variations of available plant resources impact colonies’ development more in open landscape structures than in closed ones. Indeed, in closed landscape structures, woody component enables to reduce consequences, especially in scarcity period, and make colonies more resilient

Nous avons démontré la pertinence linguistique d'une catégorie lexicale des noms que nous avons appelés " noms de ruptures de continuité " (Nrc), et qui comprend les mots tels que trou, creux, bosse, saillie, lézarde, crevasse, fêlure, grumeau, bulbe, noeud, rugosité, aspérité, etc. Leurs attributs sémantiques fédérateurs et probablement exclusifs que nous avons établis sont : [-régulier] ou le fait de constituer un écart par rapport à l'étalon abstrait de la 'bonne forme', [+prégnant] ou le fait se s'imposer à la perception et d'entraîner la dénomination, [-téléologique] ou le fait d'être perçu comme dépourvu de fonction au sein de l'entité-tout, et [+multiple] ou le fait d'identifier le plus souvent un grand nombre d'occurrences. Les autres caractéristiques, non exclusives, sont : le trait [+ultérieur] ou. Le fait d'être perçus comme non coextensifs dans le temps avec l'entité-tout, le trait [+naturel] consistant à n'être pas issus d'une action intentionnelle, la " vocation archéologique ", c'est-à-dire le fait d'être interprétés comme indices d'un état antérieur, et l'appartenance aux noms de formes, avec les attributs descriptifs qui s'ensuivent : [creux / plein], et [ligne / aire]. Nous avons également établi ce en quoi consiste pour les Nrc le " programme moteur ", avec ses deux variantes selon qu'il s'agit des Nrc [+plein] ou [+creux]. Par ailleurs, l'engagement du sens du toucher dans le sens des Nrc a pu être démontré, ainsi que l'implication de l'élément conceptuel de la surface. Chemin faisant, nous avons discuté la taxinomie des relations méronomiques en vigueur, que nous avons proposé d'élargir pour faire la place au type nouveau 'rupture - continuité' que sous-entendent les Nrc. Nous avons aussi été amenée à aborder la problématique de la localisation, et à proposer une définition nouvelle du nom de lieu, grâce à laquelle il apparaît clairement que les Nrc ne sont pas des noms de lieu, mais éventuellement, comme tout nom [+spatial], des noms de site
We have proved the linguistic relevance of a noun's lexical category which we have named "breaking continuity names" (Bcn). It is composed of words such as hole, bump, ridge, crack, groove, dent, lump and so on. Its distinctive and exclusive semantic attributes we have established are : [-regular], meaning they form a deviation from an abstract norm that is a "right form"; [+salient], meaning they come necessarily to the perception and entail a naming task ; [-teleological] meaning they are perceived as being without function within the whole-entity ; and [+multiple] meaning they very often identify a great number of occurrences. Other Bcn's features, not exclusive, are : [+subsequent], meaning they are perceived as entities temporally not coextensive with the whole-entity, [+natural], meaning they don't result from an intentional act, as the "archaeological signification" (they are understood as some earlier state's signs), and the fact they belong to the family of form names, with two consequent features : [hollow / full] and [line / area]. Whe also have established what the Bcn's 'behavioral program' consists of, and its two variants directed toward [+hollow] or [+full] Bcn. Moreover, we have demonstrated the involvement of the sense of touch in Bcn's meaning, just as the involvement of a surface's conceptual factor. At the same time, we have discussed the current part-whole relations taxonomy. We have suggested widen it in ordrer to put in a new meronomical kind that the Bcn imply : 'break - continuity'. We have also broached the localization's question, and proposed a new nouns of place definition. It makes it clear that the Bcn are not nouns of place, but only can possibly be, like every noun [+spatial], names of site

Les Arts Immersifs apparaissent comme une expérience spatio-temporelle esthétique formant une trilogie entre le dispositif, l’artiste et le spect-acteur, le tout faisant œuvre. L’émersion d’idées, de sensations, d’émotions dans le corps vivant de l’actant est le résultat de dispositifs inductifs, produisant l’activation inconsciente et spontanée de l’imaginaire. La profondeur du corps est activée par l’immersivité produite par le dispositif artistique à travers l’une de ces typologies proposées : Interactions, Imsertions, Hybridations. L’immersant qu’il soit l’artiste lui-même ou le spect-acteur, éveille dans son corps des sensations et émotions inédites qui viennent modifier ses perceptions sensorimotrices, proprioceptives et parfois neurophysiologiques, produisant une nouvelle interprétation esthétique de l’univers dans lequel il est immergé
Immersive Arts appear as a spatiotemporal aesthetic experience resulting in a trilogy which brings together the dispositive, the artist and the spect-actor. Inductive measures awakening the unconscious and spontaneous part of our imagination create the emergence of ideas, feelings and emotions within the actor’s living body. The depth of the body is activated by the immersion through the artistic mechanisms using one of these typologies: Interactions, “Imsertions” and Hybridisations. The spect-actor or the artist himself experiencing the immersion brings to life in his whole body new feelings and sensations, thus altering his kinaesthesia, his sensory motor and neurophysiological perceptions, developing a new aesthetic interpretation of the universe he is immersed in

Par rapport aux siècles précédents, le silence a pris au vingtième siècle une signification aussi importante que le son dans l'univers musical. Dans cette étude, le son et le silence sont traites sous les deux aspects temporel et spatial, et les idées développées sont illustrées par l'analyse de trois des œuvres de l'auteur : "méditation i pour flute et percussions coréennes", "suite pour violoncelle seul", et "un mouvement"
Compared with preceding centuries, silence has gained in this century as considerable a meaning as sound in the musical universe. In this work, sound and silence are dealt with under both temporal and spatial aspects, and the notions developed are made clear with the analysis of three of the author's works

Les modèles d'occupation de niche au sein des communautés locales, la variabilité spatiale de la biodiversité le long des gradients environnementaux du stress et des perturbations, et les processus de succession végétale sont plusieurs sujets fondamentaux en écologie. Récemment, l'approche basée sur les traits est apparue comme un moyen prometteur de comprendre les processus structurant les communautés végétales et cette approche a même été proposée comme méthode pour reconstruire l'écologie communautaire en fonction des traits fonctionnels. Par conséquent, lier ces thèmes fondamentaux en utilisant une lentille fonctionnelle devrait nous donner un aperçu de certaines questions fondamentales en écologie et sera l'objectif principal de ma thèse. En général, mon projet de doctorat vise à étudier les structures de l'occupation de l'espace fonctionnel dans les gradients spatio-temporels. Plus précisément, l'objectif du chapitre 2 est (i) d'étudier les modèles d'occupation de la niche fonctionnelle en calculant trois métriques clés de niche (le volume total de niche fonctionnelle , le chevauchement des niches fonctionnelles et le volume de niche fonctionnel moyen) des communautés pauvres en espèces aux communautés riches en espèces et (ii) de déterminer le principal facteur de la structure observée de l'occupation de la niche fonctionnelle dans les communautés végétales du monde entier. Dans le chapitre 3, je vise à prédire et à expliquer la variation de la richesse en espèces selon les gradients de stress et de perturbation, en reliant le modèle d'équilibre dynamique et l'occupation de la niche fonctionnelle en fonction du cadre développé au chapitre 2. L'objectif du chapitre 4 est de tester expérimentalement l’application d'une méthode d'ordination CSR évaluée globalement en fonction de trois traits de feuilles (surface foliaire, teneur en matière sèche des feuilles et surface foliaire spécifique) dans les études locales. Enfin, l'objectif du chapitre 5 est de tester expérimentalement les hypothèses qui concilient les points de vue déterministes et historiquement contingents de la succession végétale, en étudiant la variation des divergences taxonomiques et fonctionnelles entre les communautés selon des gradients de stress et de perturbation. L'étude globale (chapitre 2) est basée sur une collection de 21 jeux de données, couvrant les biomes tropicaux et tempérés, et se compose de 313 communautés végétales représentant différentes formes de croissance. Les études locales (chapitre 3, 4 et 5) sont basées sur le même système expérimental constitué de 24 mésocosmes présentant différents niveaux de stress et de perturbation. L'expérience a commencé en 2009 avec le même mélange de graines de 30 espèces herbacées semées sur les 24 mésocosmes et s'est terminée en 2016. Nous avons permis la colonisation naturelle de graines de la banque commune de graines de sol et de l'environnement pendant la succession de sept ans. Dix traits ont été mesurés sur cinq individus (échantillonnés directement à partir des mésocosmes) par espèce par mésocosme en 2014 (chapitre 3 et 4). Un autre ensemble de traits (16 traits, y compris certains traits qui ne pouvaient pas être mesurés directement dans les mésocosmes), ont été mesurés au niveau de l'espèce (valeurs moyennes des traits) pour les 34 espèces les plus abondantes (certaines espèces disparues dans les mésocosmes) au cours des sept Ans, en les regroupant séparément pour une saison de croissance. Au chapitre 2, nous avons constaté que les communautés étaient plus diverses en termes fonctionnels (une augmentation du volume fonctionnel total) dans les communautés riches en espèces et que les espèces se chevauchaient davantage au sein de la communauté (augmentation du chevauchement fonctionnel), mais ne divisaient pas plus finement l'espace fonctionnel (aucune réduction du volume fonctionnel moyen). En outre, le filtrage de l'habitat est un processus répandu qui conduit à la caractérisation de l'occupation de niche fonctionnelle dans les communautés végétales. Dans le chapitre 3, nous avons trouvé un modèle similaire d'occupation de niche fonctionnelle sur un système expérimental avec une taille spatiale communautaire constante et un effort d'échantillonnage des traits, qui, avec le chapitre 2, nous a fourni une image plus complète et plus solide de l'occupation de niche fonctionnelle dans les communautés végétales. De plus, nous avons réussi à relier le modèle de l'occupation de la niche fonctionnelle et le modèle d'équilibre dynamique et avons constaté que le filtrage concurrentiel était le processus dominant qui détermine le mode d'occupation de la niche fonctionnelle et la richesse des espèces le long du stress et de la perturbation des gradients. Au chapitre 4, nous fournissons un soutien empirique à une méthode d'ordination CSR calibrée globalement en montrant une relation entre l'abondance relative d'espèces en croissance dans les mésocosmes ayant différents niveaux de fertilité du sol et mortalité indépendante de la densité et leur classification CSR. Au chapitre 5, nous avons montré que la succession d'installations au cours de sept ans dans ces mésocosmes était plus déterministe d'un point de vue fonctionnel, mais plus historiquement contingent d'un point de vue taxonomique et que l'importance relative de la contingence historique a diminué à mesure que l'environnement devenait plus stressé ou perturbé. En conclusion, les structures de l'occupation de l'espace fonctionnel dans (le volume fonctionnel total, le chevauchement fonctionnel et le volume fonctionnel moyen, les Chapitre 2 et 3) ou entre les communautés locales (dissimilarité fonctionnelle, chapitre 5) sont déterministes plutôt que neutres (ou contingence historique ). Les espèces tolératrices de stress sont plus avantagées dans les mésocosmes moins fertiles tandis que les espèces rudérales sont plus avantagées dans les mésocosmes avec plus de mortalité indépendante de la densité.
Abstract : The patterns of niche occupancy within local communities, the spatial variability of biodiversity along environmental gradients of stress and disturbance, and the processes of plant succession are several fundamental topics in ecology. Recently, the trait-based approach has emerged as a promising way to understand the processes structuring plant communities and has even been proposed as a method to rebuild community ecology based on functional traits. Therefore, linking these fundamental themes through a functional lens should give us more insight into some basic questions in ecology and will be the main objective of my thesis. Generally, my PhD project is to investigate the structures of functional space occupancy along both spatial and temporal gradients. Specifically, the objective of Chapter 2 is to investigate the patterns of functional niche occupancy by calculating three key niche metrics (the total functional niche volume, the functional niche overlap and the average functional niche volume) from speciespoor communities to species-rich communities and to determine the main driver of the observed pattern of functional niche occupancy across plant communities worldwide. In Chapter 3, I aim to predict and explain the variation of species richness along gradients of stress and disturbance, by linking the dynamic equilibrium model and functional niche occupancy based on the framework developed in Chapter 2. The objective of Chapter 4 is to experimentally test the application of a globally calibrated CSR ordination method based on three leaf traits (leaf area, leaf dry matter content and specific leaf area) in local studies. Finally, the aim of Chapter 5 is to experimentally test the hypotheses reconciling the deterministic and historically contingent views of plant succession, by investigating the variation of taxonomic and functional dissimilarities between communities along gradients of stress and disturbance. The global study (Chapter 2) is based on a collection 21 trait datasets, spanning tropical to temperate biomes, and consisting of 313 plant communities representing different growth forms. The local studies (Chapter 3, 4 and 5) are based on the same experimental system consisting of 24 mesocosms experiencing different levels of stress and disturbance. The experiment started in 2009 with the same seed mixture of 30 herbaceous species broadcast over the 24 mesocosms and ended in 2016. We allowed natural colonization of seeds from the common soil seed bank and from the surroundings during the seven-year succession. Ten traits were measured on five individuals (sampled directly from the mesocosms) per species per mesocosms in 2014 (Chapter 3 and 4). Another set of traits (16 traits including some traits that were not able to measured directly in the mesocosms) were measured at the species level (species mean traits values) for the 34 most abundant species (some species disappeared in the mesocosms) over the seven years, by regrowing them separately for one growing season. In Chapter 2, we found communities were more functionally diverse (an increase in total functional volume) in species-rich communities, and species overlapped more within the community (an increase in functional overlap) but did not more finely divide the functional space (no decline in average functional volume). Moreover, habitat filtering is a widespread process driving the pattern of functional niche occupancy across plant communities. In Chapter 3, we found a similar pattern of functional niche occupancy on an experimental system with a constant community spatial size and trait-sampling effort, which together with Chapter 2 provided us a more comprehensive and robust picture of functional niche occupancy across plant communities. In addition, we succeeded in linking the pattern of functional niche occupancy and the dynamic equilibrium model and found that habitat filtering was the dominant process determining the pattern of functional niche occupancy and species richness along the gradients stress and disturbance. In Chapter 4, we provide empirical support for a globally calibrated CSR ordination method by showing a relationship between the relative abundance of species growing in mesocosms having different levels of soil fertility and density-independent mortality and their CSR classification. In Chapter 5, we showed that plant succession over seven years in these mesocosms was more deterministic from a functional perspective but more historically contingent from a taxonomic perspective, and that the relative importance of historical contingency decreased as the environment became more stressed or disturbed. In conclusion, the structures of functional space occupancy within (the total functional volume, the functional overlap and the average functional volume; Chapter 2 and 3) or between local communities (functional dissimilarity, Chapter 5) are deterministic rather than neutral (or historical contingency). Stress-tolerators were more favored in high stress communities, while ruderals are more favored in high disturbed mesocosms (Chapter 4).

This chapter explores the idea that myths are a key element in the creation of landscape, whereby mere space is transformed into resonant place through the matrix of time. In spite of the local nature and uses of many mythical narratives, it is argued here that mobility is central to understanding the power and value of the mythical past. Not only do the travels of itinerant heroes link together mythical venues, but later travels, such as those of characters in Herodotus’ Histories or of authors themselves, illustrated by Pausanias, activate the resonances of the landscape and give it a temporal dimension by triggering mythical narratives associated with the places passed through. These narratives in turn evoke additional journeys which contribute to the creation of a spatial network that binds together the Mediterranean world. Thus, myth offers a medium through which past and present are linked across space.

In Toward Camden, Mercy Romero writes about the relationships that make and sustain the largely African American and Puerto Rican Cramer Hill neighborhood in New Jersey where she grew up. She walks the city and writes outdoors to think about the collapse and transformation of property. She revisits lost and empty houses—her family's house, the Walt Whitman House, and the landscape of a vacant lot. Throughout, Romero engages with the aesthetics of fragment and ruin; her writing juts against idioms of redevelopment. She resists narratives of the city that are inextricable from crime and decline and witnesses everyday lives lived at the intersection of spatial and Puerto Rican diasporic memory. Toward Camden travels between what official reports say and what the city's vacant lots withhold. Duke University Press Scholars of Color First Book Award recipient

Le temps est doublement protagoniste dans cet ouvrage: comme histoire et mémoire des transformations urbaines, mais aussi en tant que «matière première» d’un savoir-faire hautement spécialisé qui caractérise une région, celle de La Chaux-de-Fonds et du Locle. Ces deux villes suisses constituent un cas exceptionnel d’«urbanisme horloger», qui leur a valu une inscription conjointe sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO en 2009. Porter le temps interroge le processus de patrimonialisation de ce site au travers d’une approche pluridisciplinaire et d’enquêtes de terrain collectives et individuelles. Il met en lumière les mécanismes sous-jacents de la fabrication de la mémoire et du rôle qu’elle joue dans la production de la ville et l’évolution sociale et spatiale d’un territoire sur le temps long. Dépassant la spécificité d’un cas d’étude, cet ouvrage éclaire une tendance récente de «labélisation UNESCO», qui se tourne toujours plus vers des patrimoines dont la reconnaissance se fonde sur des narrations complexes touchant aux rapports entre espace, identité et économie.

Les spectroscopies vibrationnelles sont des techniques de caractérisation optique très répandues et utilisées dans de nombreux domaines scientifiques et industriels. Elles bénéficient depuis plusieurs années d’un grand essor, de par les nombreuses innovations technologiques qui les rendent de plus en plus performantes et utilisables sur des nombreux matériaux (cristaux et céramiques, polymères, verres…), molécules (organiques et inorganiques), sous diverses formes (liquide, gaz ou solide), sur des milieux biologiques, naturels, et sur des objets du patrimoine culturel. Les temps de mesures sont désormais compatibles avec des process industriels et les échelles spatiales de mesures tendent vers la résolution nanométrique. Ce livre est un ouvrage collectif et collaboratif entre chercheurs universitaires, CNRS et industriels, utilisateurs de ces techniques et au service de ces spectroscopies. Il s'adresse à un public large et se propose de faire le point à la fois sur la théorie de la spectroscopie vibrationnelle, mais aussi sur la définition, les caractéristiques et la mise en oeuvre de ces diverses techniques à travers des exemples variés d'utilisation.

Abstract McCarthy and Lahiri-Dutt illuminate the menstrual experiences of women living in informal settlements in India. Beginning with a critique of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) framings of women’s menstrual practices, they argue that these approaches ignore important spatial, social, and moral meanings attached to menstruating bodies in informal settlements. To substantiate their argument, McCarthy and Lahiri-Dutt take the reader into the jhuggīs and the lives of individual women who have migrated for work to the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) area in Delhi, India. The authors show how, despite the congested and cramped conditions, women traverse the structural deficits of informal living to reconfigure notions of privacy and to navigate changing gender relations.

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) displays many of the characteristics of a creeping crisis. It lacks clearly definable temporal and spatial boundaries. It develops in the natural world when and where conditions are conducive. It traverses sectors and borders in the natural, human, and built environments. It causes individual and societal harm when it escalates toward outbreaks in a random fashion. Outbreaks can be minor or major, burn fast or slow, be simple or hard to contain. Experts insist we are heading toward a “post-antibiotic age” and even deadlier “superbugs” if we do not act. Yet warnings and crisis framings do not appear sufficient to prompt a response. Public attention and governmental action have lagged. Occasional outbreaks invite attention and concern, only for the issue to fade again from the public view. International organizations shine more sustained light on the problem, but national governments are slow to respond. This chapter argues that our dependency on antimicrobial drugs is a blessing and a curse: curing us in the short term but building the conditions for a massive, incurable outbreak in the future.

AbstractComputing path queries such as the shortest path in public transport networks is challenging because the path costs between nodes change over time. A reachability query from a node at a given start time on such a network retrieves all points of interest (POIs) that are reachable within a given cost budget. Reachability queries are essential building blocks in many applications, for example, group recommendations, ranking spatial queries, or geomarketing. We propose an efficient solution for reachability queries in public transport networks. Currently, there are two options to solve reachability queries. (1) Execute a modified version of Dijkstra’s algorithm that supports time-dependent edge traversal costs; this solution is slow since it must expand edge by edge and does not use an index. (2) Issue a separate path query for each single POI, i.e., a single reachability query requires answering many path queries. None of these solutions scales to large networks with many POIs. We propose a novel and lightweight reachability index. The key idea is to partition the network into cells. Then, in contrast to other approaches, we expand the network cell by cell. Empirical evaluations on synthetic and real-world networks confirm the efficiency and the effectiveness of our index-based reachability query solution.

In this study a route is defined as the path that a linear structure or facility follows in the terrain. Linear structures comprise facilities such as roads, motorways, railways, pipelines, electrical power lines, and telephone cables, each of these structures requiring specific technical parameters in what concerns the geometry of the path and having different effects on the terrain they traverse. Amongst these structures, roads and motorways are the group that creates the greatest overall impact; accordingly Portuguese legislation requires an environmental impact assessment (EIA) process as part of the necessary licensing approval. Usually the alternative (or alternatives) that undergo the EIA process is justified in terms of technical and economical issues. The result is that if major environmental impacts are identified by the EIA study, a myriad of mitigation measures are proposed, very seldom the redesign of the path being carried out (Guimarães Pereira & Antunes, 1996). Preliminary studies that precede the implementation of these types of projects are technically detailed and often come together with economical feasibility studies, shelving environmental issues for later assessment. In the methodology proposed in this chapter a multidimensional evaluation methodology, multicriteria evaluation, will be combined with the robustness of a search methodology, genetic algorithms (GAs) to generate alternative road routes that take into consideration environmental, economical, technical, and social criteria. These criteria are referenced to the physical space where the road is to be placed and therefore this methodology is embedded into a geographic information system (GIS). Genetic algorithms are particularly attractive to apply to multi-modal problems, allowing the exploration of spatial features to eventually find “best compromise” alternatives because these algorithms proceed their search by maintaining a population of solutions, that they can simultaneously exploit for their efficiency.1 Moreover, the particular mixing mechanism provides the means to recombine solutions and explore the search space. The remainder of this chapter describes evolutionary modeling of road routes, in particular the coding onto a GA of the geometric algorithm that accounts for the technical aspects of motorway siting. The details of the implementation of the MCDA-GA methodology, running within the GIS GRASS 4.1 (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) and its application to generate and evaluate alternative routes of a section of a Portuguese complementary itinerary (IC7) will be presented.

Ce chapitre s’intéresse aux espaces littoraux dans un contexte de changement climatique. Si le changement climatique impacte directement les littoraux au travers notamment de l’élévation du niveau marin, ces espaces sont également confrontés à un usage croissant par nos sociétés. Cette double dynamique accroît les situations de risques qu’il convient donc d’anticiper pour les gérer.

Edward A. Freeman travelled extensively throughout his life and was far from being a sedentary gentleman-scholar confined to his country residence at Somerleaze, Somerset. According to Freeman, the successful historian needed to see the places about which he wrote. His historical travels took him to all parts of Europe, into North Africa and to the United States. Freeman’s foreign tours were carefully organised and conducted with the central purpose of informing and guiding his historical work. Over many years, Freeman developed a methodology for his historical travels that he seems to have applied consistently. On occasion, his travels took him into dangerous regions, such as Dalmatia in the late 1870s. Edward Freeman’s travels reflected his interest in historical geography and his recognition of the importance of place in the study of the past marks him out as one of the pioneers of the so-called ‘spatial turn’ in modern historiography.

The nature of the flow field in a three stage axial flow compressor, including a detailed survey at the exit of an embedded stator as well as the overall performance of the compressor is presented and interpreted in this paper. The measurements include area traverse of a miniature five hole probe (1.07 mm dia) downstream of stator 2, radial traverses of a miniature five hole probe at the inlet, downstream of stator 3 and at the exit of the compressor at various circumferential locations, area traverse of a low response thermocouple probe downstream of stator 2, radial traverses of a single sensor hot-wire probe at the inlet, and casing static pressure measurements at various circumferential and axial locations across the compressor at the peak efficiency operating point. Spectral analysis of the hot-wire data reveal the existence of several harmonics of all three rotor blade passing frequencies at the inlet of the compressor. Mean velocity, pressure and total temperature contours as well as secondary flow contours at the exit of the stator 2 are reported and interpreted. Hub clearance flow is shown to eliminate the suction surface corner separation. Secondary flow contours show the migration of fluid particles toward the core of the low pressure regions located near the suction side casing endwall corner. The RMS value of the spatial fluctuations in mean velocity downstream of the second stator (which appear as temporal variations to the subsequent rotor) have been derived and shown to be significant.

Abstract This paper introduces a pneumatic 9-hole probe which can measure flow angles, stagnation and static pressures, and spatial derivatives of stagnation pressure. It does this through direct measurement at a single location, rather than empirical corrections using measurements at multiple points. The new design resembles a 5-hole probe with 4 additional holes positioned around the side of the probe head. This arrangement enables the probe to distinguish between flows with stagnation pressure gradient and flows at an angle. Mapping between the inputs, the probe hole pressures, and outputs, the calibration reference measurements, is achieved with a trained neural network which takes the place of a conventional calibration map. Measurements of an unknown wake are performed in a calibration tunnel. The 9-hole probe data is compared with measured reference data and a “conventional” analysis of the 5 forward facing holes. The 5-hole probe analysis results in a maximum yaw angle error of 8.4°, while the 9-hole probe matches the reference to within 0.8°. Mass-averaged stagnation pressure and kinetic energy loss coefficients, evaluated with the 5-hole probe analysis, result in errors of +2.8% and −48% respectively, while the 9-hole probe gives +0.5% and −4.5%. The new probe is used to perform an area traverse of an inlet guide vane in a research compressor. The 5-hole probe analysis gives a ±5.5° variation in yaw angle across the wake and this reduces to ±1.0° when the 9-hole probe is used. Measurement of stagnation pressure gradient and curvature, based on single point measurements, is also demonstrated.

Natural oil and gas transmission pipeline networks often traverse regions where potential slow ground movements may affect pipeline structural integrity. One of the primary causes of slow ground movement in any region involves the duration, amount, and intensity of rainfall. The phenomenon of rainfall-induced slow ground movement is characterized by both spatial and temporal variability, and involves uncertainties that are best modeled using a probabilistic methodology. A random field modeling strategy is formulated in this study, in which spatial and temporal correlations between rainfall and ground movement are accounted for. The random field formulation advanced in the current study has a number of significant features and capabilities, including modeling the spatial and temporal relationship between rainfall and slope movement for specified pipeline routes, predicting the likelihood of exceeding slope movement thresholds for various precipitation levels and intensities, and providing maps of risk for slope movement, which can be used as a guide in pipeline route planning, selection, and adaptation strategies for the design and maintenance of oil and gas infrastructure. These capabilities have been implemented and encapsulated into the software tool VSLOPE, which has been tested using monthly rainfall and field data for various locations.

Controlling and monitoring a compressor station with more than 3,000 tags remotely can be a heavy burden for a low speed (9,600 bps) double-hop satellite link, over which an ICMP packet takes more than 2 seconds to traverse all the way across the spatial segments, forth and back. This paper presents an application named Datasync, specially developed to take full advantage of the scarce resources provided by the VSAT link. One of its main features is to enable the setting up of communication deadbands and the “hot” changing of these deadbands. Therefore, the operator is able to increase the deadband of a tag immediately after detecting that too many exceptions are reported on that tag, which would cause an undesirable increase on the traffic, ultimately resulting in unacceptable response times.

This paper investigates simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) problem by exploiting the Microsoft Kinect™ sensor array and an autonomous mobile robot capable of self-localization. The combination of them covers the major features of SLAM including mapping, sensing, locating, and modeling. The Kinect™ sensor array provides a dual camera output of RGB, using a CMOS camera, and RGB-D, using a depth camera. The sensors will be mounted on the KCLBOT, an autonomous nonholonomic two wheel maneuverable mobile robot. The mobile robot platform has the ability to self-localize and preform navigation maneuvers to traverse to set target points using intelligent processes. The target point for this operation is a fixed coordinate position, which will be the goal for the mobile robot to reach, taking into consideration the obstacles in the environment which will be represented in a 3D spatial model. Extracting the images from the sensor after a calibration routine, a 3D reconstruction of the traversable environment is produced for the mobile robot to navigate. Using the constructed 3D model the autonomous mobile robot follows a polynomial-based nonholonomic trajectory with obstacle avoidance. The experimental results demonstrate the cost effectiveness of this off the shelf sensor array. The results show the effectiveness to produce a 3D reconstruction of an environment and the feasibility of using the Microsoft Kinect™ sensor for mapping, sensing, locating, and modeling, that enables the implementation of SLAM on this type of platform.

Accurate knowledge of transfer length has been shown to be crucial to the goal of maintaining continuous production quality in the modern manufacture of prestressed concrete railroad ties. Traditional manual laboratory methods, such as the conventional Whittemore method which requires the use of embedded reference points, are clearly not suitable for production operation or for use in reliable production quality-control. This paper presents the results of another advance in the development of automated transfer length measurement systems for practical in-plant operation. The new device offers a significant improvement over the previously successful automated Laser-Speckle Imaging (LSI) system developed by the authors. The earlier automated LSI strain measurement system has been modified to provide significantly improved optical resolution of longitudinal surface strain, with the ability to resolve longitudinal prestressed concrete crosstie surface strain without time-consuming special surface preparation. More importantly, the new system is also capable of making measurements of strain in a real-time “on-the-fly” manner over the entire distance range of interest on the tie associated with transfer length development. It features both a “jog” mode of operation, similar to its predecessor in which measurements of longitudinal surface strain are automatically captured in arbitrary spatial increments over the entire range of the computer-controlled traverse, and an “on-the-fly” mode in which measurements of longitudinal surface strain are captured without the need for stopping at each measurement location. This latter mode offers the potential of a much faster capture of the strain profile and should prove to be very beneficial for field testing and in-plant diagnostic applications. The performance of this new system is first demonstrated using a new calibrated step-wise uniform strain field setup which has been developed specifically for verification of this and other automated transfer length measurement systems. This verification system produces a calibrated step change in surface deflection, effectively subjecting the automated strain measurement system to an ideal step change in longitudinal strain for a given gauge length. In addition, the new automated system is demonstrated by conducting measurements of longitudinal surface strain on prestressed concrete crossties in a manufacturing plant. For this latter experimental in-plant testing, strain measurements using the new system are also compared directly with those from the recently introduced 6-camera transfer length measurement system, as well as with the traditional Whittemore gauge measurements. The agreement between these independent measurement systems is remarkable, and it is shown to even be possible to discern differences in strain profile and associated transfer length between adjacent crossties within a given casting bed. This new automated and high-resolution device should provide a very convenient and fast diagnostic tool for the manufacturer to quickly identify the need to modify production (e.g., concrete mix) if transfer length specifications fall out of desired range.