When we look at some of the most pressing issues in environmental politics today, it is hard to avoid data technologies. Big data, artificial intelligence, and data dashboards all promise "revolutionary" advances in the speed and scale at which governments, corporations, conservationists, and even individuals can respond to environmental challenges. By bringing together scholars from geography, anthropology, science and technology studies, and ecology, The Nature of Data explores how the digital realm is a significant site in which environmental politics are waged. This collection as a whole makes the argument that we cannot fully understand the current conjuncture in critical, global environmental politics without understanding the role of data platforms, devices, standards, and institutions. In particular, The Nature of Data addresses the contested practices of making and maintaining data infrastructure, the imaginaries produced by data infrastructures, the relations between state and civil society that data infrastructure reworks, and the conditions under which technology can further socio-ecological justice instead of re-entrenching state and capitalist power. This innovative volume presents some of the first research in this new but rapidly growing subfield that addresses the role of data infrastructures in critical environmental politics.

The book introduces two domains namely Remote Sensing and Digital Image Processing. It discusses remote sensing, texture, classifiers, and procedures for performing the texture-based segmentation and land cover classification. The first chapter discusses the important terminologies in remote sensing, basics of land cover classification, types of remotely sensed images and their characteristics. The second chapter introduces the texture and a detailed literature survey citing papers related to texture analysis and image processing. The third chapter describes basic texture models for gray level images and multivariate texture models for color or remotely sensed images with relevant Matlab source codes. The fourth chapter focuses on texture-based classification and texture-based segmentation. The Matlab source codes for performing supervised texture based segmentation using basic texture models and minimum distance classifier are listed. The fifth chapter describes supervised and unsupervised classifiers. The experimental results obtained using a basic texture model (Uniform Local Binary Pattern) with the classifiers described earlier are discussed through the relevant Matlab source codes. The sixth chapter describes land cover classification procedure using multivariate (statistical and spectral) texture models and minimum distance classifier with Matlab source codes. A few performance metrics are also explained. The seventh chapter explains how texture based segmentation and land cover classification are performed using the hidden Markov model with relevant Matlab source codes. The eighth chapter gives an overview of spatial data analysis and other existing land cover classification methods. The ninth chapter addresses the research issues and challenges associated with land cover classification using textural approaches. This book is useful for undergraduates in Computer Science and Civil Engineering and postgraduates who plan to do research or project work in digital image processing. The book can serve as a guide to those who narrow down their research to processing remotely sensed images. It addresses a wide range of texture models and classifiers. The book not only guides but aids the reader in implementing the concepts through the Matlab source codes listed. In short, the book will be a valuable resource for growing academicians to gain expertise in their area of specialization and students who aim at gaining in-depth knowledge through practical implementations. The exercises given under texture based segmentation (excluding land cover classification exercises) can serve as lab exercises for the undergraduate students who learn texture based image processing.

This book integrates spatial analysis into the study and management of conflicts, and offers a model in conflict studies that incorporates theoretical explanations of conflict, its causes, and impacts, with a geospatial strategy for intervening in disputes over allocation and use of natural resources (connects theory and practice). Alongside a theoretical analysis of resource conflicts and an account of Participatory Mapping and PGIS development, this book provides a case study of GIS applications in conflict mediation. The book also lays out a practical and straightforward demonstration of PGIS applications in conflict management using a real-world case study, and traces the Participatory Mapping and PGIS movements' evolution, compares PPGIS and PGIS practices, and makes distinctions between traditional GIS applications and PGIS practice. The approach embodies the enhanced use of spatial information and media, sets of tools for analyzing, mapping, and displaying spatial data and a platform for participatory discussions that enhances consensus-building. The book, therefore, contributes to the search for novel approaches for managing current and emerging conflicts. With this book, resource managers, development practitioners, students, and scholars of Participatory Mapping and PGIS applications and conflict studies will be equipped with the principles, skills, and the tools they need to manage non-violent resource conflicts and keep the disputes from slipping into violence. The book will also be a valuable text for basic and advanced studies in Participatory Mapping and PGIS applications, Conflict Resolution and Conflict Management.

This book employs a suite of remotely sensed products and advanced technologies to provide the first comprehensive space-based sensing of Lake Victoria, the world's second largest freshwater lake that supports a livelihood of more than 42 million people, modulates regional climate, but faces myriads of challenges. Proper understanding of the lake and changes in its physical dynamics (e.g., water level, shorelines and areal dynamics) resulting from the impacts of climate variation and climate change as well as anthropogenic (e.g., hydropower and irrigation) is important for its management as well as for strategic development before, during and after climate extremes (e.g., floods and droughts) in order to inform policy formulations, planning and mitigation measures. Owing to its sheer size, and lack of research resources commitment by regional governments that hamper its observations, however, it is a daunting task to undertake studies on Lake Victoria relying solely on in-situ "boots on the ground" measurements, which are sparse, missing in most cases, inconsistent or restricted by governmental red tapes. To unlock the potentials of Lake Victoria, this book argues for the removal of obsolete Nile treaties signed between Britain, Egypt and Sudan in the 1920s and 1950s, which prohibits its utilization by the upstream countries. The book is useful to those in water resources management and policy formulations, hydrologists, environmentalists, engineers and researchers. In a unique cross-disciplinary approach, the Book articulates the various climatic impacts and explanations from natural and anthropogenic origins, which affected Lake Victoria and its vicinity, including the drastic increase and depletion of water level in the Lake and dams, floods and droughts, water quality/security, crop health, food security, and economic implications. With no exception as in his many publications, Joseph L. Awange used data analysis methodologies including filtering, adjustment theory, and robust statistics, to quantify the hydrologic and other parameters, and their estimated uncertainties. The Book is recommended for readers from a diverse disciplines, including physical and social sciences, policy, law, engineering, and disaster management. Professor C.K. Shum, Ohio State University.

The book is a collection of the lectures delivered during the 7th International Summer School on Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (ISSAOS) titled "Integrated Ground-Based Observing Systems Applications for Climate, Meteorology, and Civil Protection". Its aim is to contribute to the scientific understanding of basic concepts and applications of integrated ground-based observing systems. The first part describes the most common instrumentations showing their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, strategic plans for the deployment of an observation site are discussed along with an overview of techniques for integrating heterogeneous data. The second part introduces cutting-edge applications, including assimilation in numerical weather prediction, climate benchmarking, air quality monitoring and meteo/hydrological warnings.

This book contributes to the transformative and revolutionary use of small, unmanned vehicle systems for three-dimensional geospatial data acquisition and mapping, which is considered to be a paradigm shift in the science and technology of geomatics. The book presents a systematic and comprehensive approach for the use of small mobile unmanned systems for robotic geomatics research and applications. Emphasis is placed on aerial unmanned mapping systems as aerial data collection provides better perspective and coverage of an area, and offers the ability for targeted coverage.

This book focuses on the survey technology, post-processing technology, mapping technology and scientific application of the submarine topography and geomorphology in detail. High-resolution submarine geomorphology is a frontier branch of marine geology and marine surveying and mapping, which provides a direct basis to study the seabed surface, to understand the tectonic movement and submarine evolution. In the past two decades, high-resolution submarine geomorphology with high-precision multi-beam echo sounding, side-scan sonar and sub-bottom profiler as the major techniques, is developing very quickly and is one of the frontiers of international marine science and technology. These high techniques promote the traditional submarine geomorphology to high-resolution and quantitative research. At present, high-resolution submarine geomorphology is widely used in the delimitation of the continental shelf, the international seabed resources survey, marine engineering and marine military applications. In order to facilitate readers to understand how to acquire and apply scientific research based on submarine topographic data, it highlights the combination of theory, technology and scientific application. This book is useful as a reference for professional and technical personnel in related fields and also as a textbook for both graduate and undergraduate students as well.

This book is a revised and updated version of a collection of presentations given by a group of distinguished researchers in the field of Geographic Information Science who gathered in Manchester in July 2001. It should be useful for graduate students as well as researchers and high-level professionals.

Tile-based mapping systems have grown to become the dominant form of mapping system with the rise of Web-based mapping tools. The origin of this book is a desire to collect all our discoveries, techniques, and best practices for creating a til- mapping system into one combined volume. The intent of this text is to provide a comprehensive guide to the theory behind creating a tiled-map system as well as a practical guide to create a concrete implementation. Stennis Space Center, MS John Sample May 2010 Elias Ioup vii Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the Naval Research Laboratory's Base Program, program element number 0602435N, for sponsoring this research. Additionally, the following people provided technical assistance without which this book would not have been possible: Perry Beason, Frank McCreedy, Norm Schoenhardt, Brett Hode, Bruce Lin, Annie Holladay, Juliette Ioup, and Hillary Mesick. ix Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. 1 Background of Web-Based Mapping Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1. 2 Properties of tile-based mapping systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 1. 3 Book Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Logical Tile Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2. 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2. 2 Global Logical Tile Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2. 3 Blue Marble Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2. 4 Mercator-Based Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2. 5 Variable Start Tile Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 2. 6 Standardized Schema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3 Tiled Mapping Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3. 1 Tile Calculation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 3. 1. 1 Discrete Map Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 3. 1. 2 Continuous Map Scales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 3. 2 Tile Retrieval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 3. 2. 1 Local Tile Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

To date, no one volume in the Innovations in GIS series has been given over to solely highlighting the use of up-to-date GIS-based techniques in a range of socio-economic applications. In this monograph we redress this gap. A short introductory chapter on the fundamental principles of GIS is followed by an examination of recent innovative research in the areas of crime applications, planning, urban and rural policy, and the use of GIS to examine various aspects of socio-economic policy.

Socio-Economic Applications of Geographic Information Science is the ninth book in the Innovations in GIS series, based on contributions at the 2001 GIS Research UK conference, which continues to include innovative papers that are at the cutting edge of GIS research in the UK and beyond, and maintains a valued position in the conference calendar.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203301072

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and related spatial technologies have a new and powerful role to play in archaeological interpretation.
Beginning with a conceptual approach to the representation of space adopted by GIS; the book examines spatial databases; the acquisition and compilation of data; the analytical compilation of data; the analytical functionality of GIS and the creation and utilisation of critical foundation data layers such as the Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
The ways in which GIS can most usefully facilitate archaeological analysis and interpretation are then explored particularly as a tool for the management of archaeological resources. Formal analysis of archaeological material, and the use of trend surface, contouring and interpolation procedures are considered. Predictive modelling analysis of visibility and intervisibility are explained. Finally there is a discussion of leading-edge issues, including three-dimensional GIS, object-oriented GIS, the relationship between GIS and 'Virtual Reality' technologies, and the integration of GIS with distributed systems and the Internet.
The approach is light, and technical detail is kept to a minimum, recognising that most readers are simply interested in using GIS effectively. The text is carefully illustrated with worked case-studies using archaeological data. The book provides a single reference source for archaeologists- students, professionals and academics in archaeology as well as those in anthropology and related disciplines.

This book is an introduction to a new branch of archaeology that scrutinises landscapes to find evidence of past human activity. Such evidence can be hard to detect at ground-level, but may be visible in remote sensing (RS) imagery from aerial platforms and satellites. Drawing on examples from around the world as well as from her own research work on archaeological sites in India (including Nalanda, Agra, Srirangapatna, Talakadu, and Mahabalipuram), the author presents a systematic process for integrating this information with historical spatial records such as old maps, paintings, and field surveys using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to gain new insights into our past. Further, the book highlights several instances where these insights are actionable -- they have been used to identify, understand, conserve, and protect the fragile remnants of our past. This book will be of particular interest not only to researchers in archaeology, history, art history, and allied fields, but to governmental and non-governmental professionals working in cultural heritage protection and conservation.

This book focusses on hydrological modeling, water management, and water governance. It covers the applications of remote sensing and GIS tools and techniques for land use and land cover classifications, estimation of precipitation, evaluation of morphological changes, and monitoring of soil moisture variability. Moreover, remote sensing and GIS techniques have been applied for crop mapping to assess cropping patterns, computation of reference crop evapotranspiration, and crop coefficient. Hydrological modeling studies have been carried out to address various issues in the water sector. MODFLOW model was successfully applied for groundwater modeling and groundwater recharge estimation. Runoff modeling has been carried out to simulate the snowmelt runoff together with the rainfall and sub-surface flow contributions for snow-fed basins. A study has been included, which predicts the impact of the land use and land cover on stream flow. Various problems in the water sector have been addressed employing hydrological models such as SWAT, ArcSWAT, and VIC. An experimental study has been presented wherein the laboratory performance of rainfall simulator has been evaluated. Hydrological modeling studies involving modifications in the curve number methodology for simulation of floods and sediment load have also been presented. This book is useful for academicians, water practitioners, scientists, water managers, environmentalists, and administrators, NGOs, researchers, and students who are involved in water management with the focus on hydrological modeling, water management, and water governance.

The Indian Ocean represents a part of the global Ocean that has been less studied by modern oceanography than the Atlantic and Pacific parts. This is remarkable, since the Indian Ocean was subject to much historic exploration through navigators from Asia, India, the Middle East and lastly from Europe.

This unique, comprehensive reference set on the Indian Ocean, covers all oceanographical aspects with its physics, chemistry, biology and geology in 21 peer-reviewed expert-written chapters.

Besides the well-ground basis on the Ocean s characteristics and a wealth of data, some unique features presented are the monsoon - the biennial reversal of winds and the resultant surface circulation; the tropical and sub-tropical jet streams, namely the Somali current, the Agulhas current and the Leevwin current; the oxygen-poor intermediate waters in its northern part which significantly contribute several green house gases to the atmosphere, for example, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and dimethyl sulphide; its exhaustive coral reefs and mangrove vegetation; and the polymetallic nodules at its depths and its other mineral resources. Moreover, an analysis is provided of the anthropogenic contributions and their impacts on the health of the Indian Ocean; and that of estuary environments of important rivers of the 15 littoral countries.

Intended for research scientists, professionals and students working in physical, chemical and geological oceanography."

Over the past century, mechanization has been an important means for optimizing resource utilization, improving worker health and safety and reducing labor requirements in farming while increasing productivity and quality of 4F (Food, Fuel, Fiber, Feed). Recognizing this contribution, agricultural mechanization was considered as one of the top ten engineering achievements of 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering. Accordingly farming communities have adopted increasing level of automation and robotics to further improve the precision management of crops (including input resources), increase productivity and reduce farm labor beyond what has been possible with conventional mechanization technologies. It is more important than ever to continue to develop and adopt novel automation and robotic solutions into farming so that some of the most complex agricultural tasks, which require huge amount of seasonal labor such as fruit and vegetable harvesting, could be automated while meeting the rapidly increasing need for 4F. In addition, continual innovation in and adoption of agricultural automation and robotic technologies is essential to minimize the use of depleting resources including water, minerals and other chemicals so that sufficient amount of safe and healthy food can be produced for current generation while not compromising the potential for the future generation. This book aims at presenting the fundamental principles of various aspects of automation and robotics as they relate to production agriculture (the branch of agriculture dealing with farming operations from field preparation to seeding, to harvesting and field logistics). The building blocks of agricultural automation and robotics that are discussed in the book include sensing and machine vision, control, guidance, manipulation and end-effector technologies. The fundamentals and operating principles of these technologies are explained with examples from cutting-edge research and development currently going on around the word. This book brings together scientists, engineers, students and professionals working in these and related technologies to present their latest examples of agricultural automation and robotics research, innovation and development while explaining the fundamentals of the technology. The book, therefore, benefits those who wish to develop novel agricultural engineering solutions and/or to adopt them in the future.

This book gathers a selection of peer-reviewed papers presented at the Tiangong-2 Data Utilization Conference, which was held in Beijing, China, in December 2018. As the first space laboratory in China, Tiangong-2 carries 3 new types of remote sensing payloads - the Wide-band Imaging Spectrometer (WIS), Three-dimensional Imaging Microwave Altimeter (TIMA), and Multi-band Ultraviolet Edge Imaging Spectrometer (MUEIS) - for observing the Earth. The spectrum of the WIS covers 18 bands, from visible to thermal infrared, with a swath of 300km. The TIMA is the first-ever system to use interferometric imaging radar altimeter (InIRA) technology to measure sea surface height and land topography at near-nadir angles with a wide swath. In turn, the MUEIS is the world's first large-field atmospheric detector capable of quasi-synchronously detecting the characteristics of ultraviolet limb radiation in the middle atmosphere. The Earth observation data obtained by Tiangong-2 has attracted many research groups and been applied in such diverse areas as land resources, water resources, climate change, environmental monitoring, agriculture, forestry, ecology, oceanography, meteorology and so on. The main subjects considered in this proceedings volume include: payload design, data processing, data service and application. It also provides a comprehensive introduction to the research results gleaned by engineers, researchers and scientists throughout the lifecycle of the Tiangong-2 Earth observation data, which will improve the payload development and enhance remote sensing data applications.

The way people normally view a GIS is 2-dimensional, a greatly limiting form. However, as developments occur within the field, researchers and practitioners are finding ways to make a GIS 3-dimensional, and in some instances even 4-dimensional. Being able to view a GIS in more than 2 dimensions greatly enhances its usability.
This forward-looking text, looks at the ways in which 3- and 4-dimensional (multidimensional) GIS can be incorporated into the area in the future using a variety of programming techniques. The author of this unique book also discusses current examples and uses of multidimensional GIS in the field and shows the way forward for users in the coming years.
Key Features:
* No other book is solely devoted to this area of GIS
* Geography is an inherently spatial subject by nature, so the next logical step for GIS is to become multidimensional
* The author writes about the subject in a way that ensures readers easily grasp the concepts about which he is writing

eBook available with sample pages: 0203301226

This volume gathers the proceedings of the IX Hotine-Marussi Symposium on Mathematical Geodesy, which was held from 18 to 22 June 2018 at the Faculty of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. Since 2006, the Hotine-Marussi Symposia series has been produced under the auspices of the Inter-Commission Committee on Theory (ICCT) within the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). The ICCT has organized the last four Hotine-Marussi Symposia, held in Wuhan (2006) and Rome (2009, 2013 and 2018). The overall goal of the ICCT and Hotine-Marussi Symposia has always been to advance geodetic theory, as reflected in the 25 peer-reviewed research articles presented here. The IX Hotine-Marussi Symposium was divided into 10 topical sessions covering all aspects of geodetic theory including reference frames, gravity field modelling, adjustment theory, atmosphere, time series analysis and advanced numerical methods. In total 118 participants attended the Symposium and delivered 82 oral and 37 poster presentations. During a special session at the Accademia Nazionale deiLincei, the oldest scientific academy in the world, six invited speakers discussed interactions of geodesy with oceanography, glaciology, atmospheric research, mathematics, Earth science and seismology.

This book comprises select proceedings of the International Conference on Trends and Recent Advances in Civil Engineering (TRACE 2020). The volume focuses on latest research works carried out in the area of water resources and transportation engineering. The topics include technological intervention and solution for water security, sustainability in water resources and transportation infrastructure, crop protection, resilience to disaster like flood, hurricane and drought, traffic congestion, transport planning etc. It aims to address broad spectrum of audience by covering inter-disciplinary innovative research and applications in these areas. It will be useful to graduate students, researchers, scientists, and practitioners working in water resources and transportation engineering domain.

Arid and semi-arid areas are now facing a threefold holistic crisis: economic, food, and climate. What has emerged from these crises is the vital importance of inter-linkages among them on the one hand, and the missed opportunities in putting these pieces together on the other. This book has tried to explore these challenges though in-depth discussions of the individual. It is anticipated to inspire a forward looking debate that looks at the lessons from the past and points to actions for the future. Expertise views have been shared scientists and persons of eminence on the national and state level challenges with futuristic remedial approaches.

Climatic variations often tend to have adverse effect on the yield and production of crops. Efforts have, therefore, been on for harnessing this natural resource through artificial means for increasing crop productivity. One such technology is protected cultivation. This technique is well adopted in Europe and USA and now China and Japan are leading in controlled sphere production of horticultural crops. In India, the technology is making breakthrough in Karnataka and Maharashtra in protected cultivation of pepper, tomato, cucumber, muskmelon, baby corn etc. Precision farming is defined as the cultivation by adopting technologies which give maximum precision in production of a superior crop with a desired yield levels and quality at competitive production. These include use of genetically modified crop varieties, micropropagation, integrated nutrient, water and pest managements, protected cultivation, organic farming, hi-tech horticulture, and post harvest technology. Post-harvest sector needs lot of precision. Peels, rags, etc. go waste. Many times, peels being rich in polyphenols, colouring pigment, nutrients etc are richer in antioxidant than what we actually eat. Here, we need precision. Precision in management, precision in product diversification, precision in value addition are much sought after aspect.

This book discusses the striking geomorphological landscapes of mainland Norway. As part of the Springer book series on World Geomorphological Landscapes, it outlines the nature and diversity of Norway's geomorphological landscapes and examines the geological background and the drivers of landscape evolution. It also features numerous case studies describing the most striking sites, and offers insights into the status and value of geoheritage and geoconservation in the country. Providing readers with an opportunity to explore the variety of Norwegian landscapes and landforms through informative texts richly illustrated with color maps and photos, the book will appeal to scientists, scholars and any readers interested in geology, physical geography, geomorphology, landscape tourism, geoheritage and environmental protection.