Estimation of daily sunshine duration using support vector machines

Although sunshine duration (SD) is one of the most frequently measured meteorological parameters, there is a lack of measurements in some parts of the world. Hence, it should be estimated accurately for areas where no reliable measurement is possible. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of support vector machine (SVM) approach for estimating daily SD. For this purpose, three different kernels of SVM, such as linear, polynomial, and radial basis function (RBF), were used. Different combinations of five related meteorological parameters, namely cloud cover, maximum temperature (T_max), minimum temperature (T_min), relative humidity (RH), and wind speed (WS), and one astronomic parameter, day length, were considered as the inputs of the models, and the output was obtained as daily SD. Simulated values of the models were compared with ground measured values, and concluded that the usage of the SVM-RBF estimator with combination of all input attributes produced the best results. The coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and mean absolute error were found to be 0.8435, 1.5105 h, and 1.0771 h, respectively, for the pooled four-year daily data set of 14 stations in Turkey. It was also deduced that accuracy increased as the number of attributes increased and the major contribution to this came from RH as compared with T_max, T_min, and WS. This study has shown that the SVM methodology can be a good alternative for conventional and artificial neural network methods for estimating daily SD.     

Age-related differences in effects of non-driving related tasks on takeover performance in automated driving

Introduction: During SAE level 3 automated driving, the driver’s role changes from active driver to fallback-ready driver. Drowsiness is one of the factors that may degrade driver’s takeover performance. This study aimed to investigate effects of non-driving related tasks (NDRTs) to counter driver’s drowsiness with a Level 3 system activated and to improve successive takeover performance in a critical situation. A special focus was placed on age-related differences in the effects. Method: Participants of three age groups (younger, middle-aged, older) drove the Level 3 system implemented in a high-fidelity motion-based driving simulator for about 30 min under three experiment conditions: without NDRT, while watching a video clip, and while switching between watching a video clip and playing a game. The Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and eyeblink duration measured driver drowsiness. At the end of the drive, the drivers had to take over control of the vehicle and manually change the lane to avoid a collision. Reaction time and steering angle variability were measured to evaluate the two aspects of driving performance. Results: For younger drivers, both single and multiple NDRT engagements countered the development of driver drowsiness during automated driving, and their takeover performance was equivalent to or better than their performance without NDRT engagement. For older drivers, NDRT engagement did not affect the development of drowsiness but degraded takeover performance especially under the multiple NDRT engagement condition. The results for middle-aged drivers fell at an intermediate level between those for younger and older drivers. Practical Applications: The present findings do not support general recommendations of NDRT engagement to counter drowsiness during automated driving. This study is especially relevant to the automotive industry’s search for options that will ensure the safest interfaces between human drivers and automation systems.     

Impact of Temporal Resolution of Flow‐Duration Curve on Sediment Load Estimation1

Chen, Li, Rina Schumer, Anna Knust, and William Forsee, 2011. Impact of Temporal Resolution of Flow‐Duration Curve on Sediment Load Estimation. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(1): 145‐155. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00602.x Abstract: Estimates of a channel’s annual sediment transport capacity typically incorporate annualized flow‐duration curves. Average daily flow data, commonly used to develop flow‐duration curves, may not adequately describe sediment‐transporting flows in arid and semiarid ephemeral streams. In this study, we examined impacts of varied temporal resolution flow data on annual sediment load estimation. We derived flow‐duration curves for eight sites in the Southwestern United States based on both 15‐min and daily‐averaged flow data. We then estimated sediment loads for both flow‐duration curves using the Sediment Impact Analysis Method, implemented in HEC‐RAS. When average daily flow is used to generate flow‐duration curves, sediment load estimation is lower by up to an order of magnitude. This trend is generally unaffected by uncertainty associated with sediment particle size or hydraulic roughness. The ratio of sediment loads estimated by 15‐min versus daily‐averaged flow‐duration curves is strongly correlated with channel slope, being greater on steep‐slope channels. Sediment loads estimated by the two types of flow‐duration curves are closely correlated, suggesting possible relationships for improving predictions when high‐temporal resolution data are unavailable. Results also suggest that the largest flow contributes significantly to total sediment load, and thus will greatly impact ephemeral stream geomorphology in arid and semiarid regions.     

Drinking water production by ultrafiltration of Songhuajiang River with PAC adsorption

In recent years, membrane ultrafiltration （UF） of surface water for drinking water treatment has become a more attractive technology worldwide as a possible alternative treatment to conventional clarification. To evaluate the performance of ultrafiltration membranes for treatment of surface water in North China, a 48-m^2 low pressure hollow fiber membrane ultrafiltration pilot plant was constructed. Ultrafiltration was operated in cross-flow and with powdered activated carbon （PAC） adsorption. Turbidity was almost completely removed to less than 0.2 NTU （below Chinese standard 1 NTU）. It was found that PAC addition enhanced organic matter removal. The combined process of PAC/UF allowed to 41% removal of CODMn, 46% removal of DOC and 57% decrease in UV254 absorbance. The elimination of particles, from average 12000/ml in the raw water to approximately 15/ml in the permeated, was observed. When PAC concentration was below 30 mg/L, backwashing could recovery the membrane flux with backwash interval/backwashing duration of 1/30.     

山西省近50年日照时数时空变化特征研究

根据山西省62个地面气象站50a（1959—2008）的月日照时数系列数据,对全省13照时数的时空变化特征进行了较系统分析。结果表明,（1）近50a山西省年平均日照时数呈显著减少趋势（-65．40h-（10a^-1）,且最近26a减少更为明显。（2）春夏秋冬4季日照时数均呈减少趋势,其中夏秋冬3季日照时数显著减少,尤以夏季和冬季减少最为突出（分别为-28．06h·（10a）^-1和-23．45h·（10a）^-1）;（3）除4月日照时数略有增加之外,其余11个月的日照时数均呈减少趋势,其中7个月（即1月、6月、7月、8月、9月、10月和12月）日照时数呈显著减少趋势,且以6月减少最为突出（-14．40h·（10a）^-1）。（4）在全省17个综合治理规划地区中,16个地区的日照时数呈显著减少趋势,主要以忻定盆地、太原盆地、临汾盆地和运城盆地（即第6、第7和第8地区）减少最为明显。     

寿险公司利率风险度量的持续期模型及运用

在当今金融环境下,利率风险是寿险公司面临的主要风险,而风险度量是规避利率风险首要解决的问题。介绍寿险公司利率风险度量的核心方法-持续期模型及相关理论,进一步分析持续期与凸度在寿险公司利率风险控制中的应用,得出最安全的状况是两者的完全匹配的结论。提出完善寿险业利率风险管理可供选择的一系列对策和措施,选择先进的度量模型,最大限度地规避风险以促进我国寿险业发展。     

Grazed Riparian Management and Stream Channel Response in Southeastern Minnesota (USA) Streams

The U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service has recommended domestic cattle grazing exclusion from riparian corridors for decades. This recommendation was based on a belief that domestic cattle grazing would typically destroy stream bank vegetation and in-channel habitat. Continuous grazing (CG) has caused adverse environmental damage, but along cohesive-sediment stream banks of disturbed catchments in southeastern Minnesota, short-duration grazing (SDG), a rotational grazing system, may offer a better riparian management practice than CG. Over 30 physical and biological metrics were gathered at 26 sites to evaluate differences between SDG, CG, and nongrazed sites (NG). Ordinations produced with nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) indicated a gradient with a benthic macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity (IBI) and riparian site management; low IBI scores associated with CG sites and higher IBI scores associated with NG sites. Nongrazed sites were associated with reduced soil compaction and higher bank stability, as measured by the Pfankuch stability index; whereas CG sites were associated with increased soil compaction and lower bank stability, SDG sites were intermediate. Bedrock geology influenced NMS results: sites with carbonate derived cobble were associated with more stable channels and higher IBI scores. Though current riparian grazing practices in southeastern Minnesota present pollution problems, short duration grazing could reduce sediment pollution if managed in an environmentally sustainable fashion that considers stream channel response.     

A Tool for Automated Load Duration Curve Creation1

Abstract: A recent study by the Texas Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force has recommended the use of load duration curves as a primary tool in calculating bacterial TMDLs. This method is attractive because it effectively integrates flow regimes into TMDL analyses, clearly communicates data through a method that is understandable to the general public, and has been successfully applied in TMDL studies in other states. To ease the creation of load duration curves, an automated load duration curve creation tool called LDCurve has been created within a Microsoft Excel framework. Web services and a webscraper are used to retrieve U.S. Geological Survey streamflow data and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality water quality data. Data are imported to the spreadsheet, combined to create flow and load duration curves, and plotted. Final steps result in a preliminary estimate of the overall load reductions needed to meet water quality standards in the modeled segment. LDCurve is currently only applicable in the state of Texas, but may be updated to model water quality throughout the nation using analogous web services from the EPA STORET database. By using automated data retrievals and computations, the LDCurve tool reduces the amount of time required to create curves and calculate load reductions to a matter of minutes. LDCurve and all supporting materials are available online for free download at: http://tools.crwr.utexas.edu/LDCurve/ .     

南宁市道路初期雨水径流污染物浓度分析

初期雨水污染是雨水径流污染的主要贡献者,掌握初期雨水的污染特征,对于城市雨水处理设施建设尤为重要。以南宁市为例,开展了城市初期雨水径流污染特性分析,旨在为南宁市海绵城市建设以及雨水处理措施提供参考。选取6个采样点的8场降雨,对常规水质指标(COD、NH3-N、TN、TP、SS)进行分析,揭示了降雨过程中污染物的瞬时浓度分布。结果表明:建成区污染物浓度范围和污染物平均水平均明显高于规划区;不同雨型下,雨水初期冲刷效果强弱顺序为暴雨>大雨>中雨>小雨;除小雨外,其他雨型在降雨20 min左右时污染物浓度达到平衡;暴雨情况下,污染物浓度在5 min内降低50%,15 min内70%~80%的污染物随雨水直排或进入城市管网。