Development of rapid,cost effective coral survey techniques: tools for management and conservation planning

Coral reefs are highly dynamic and productive marine ecosystems, providing habitat and refuge for an enormous number of species including fish, invertebrates and algae. With increased anthropogenic pressures and global climate change, many coral reefs are rapidly declining. Currently, there is limited knowledge on condition and community assemblage composition of shallow fringing coral reefs along the south-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With increased demand to determine existence of coastal fringing reefs by National Regional Management groups, a rapid cost effective method to determine reef composition and condition was required. The aim of this study was to determine the benthic structure and extent of two small coastal fringing reefs (Hummock Hill Reef and Stringers Reef) along the Southern Great Barrier Reef. Reef substrate assessments were carried out using a rapid assessment technique and a Point Intercept Method (PIM). The data were analysed and classified using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Percent substrate cover was calculated using a visual basic image analysis program. The Point intercept method showed higher accuracy over the rapid assessment technique (up to 15–40% difference) and was thus deemed a more suitable classification tool for reefs with high structural complexity and heterogeneity. This study focused on piloting a rapid, cost effective Point Intercept Technique using random point count methodology to document coral benthic habitat and extent over a commonly used rapid assessment method as a tool for reef coastal management and conservation. The two techniques were compared and substrate classification success, limitations and errors were discussed.     

城市街区污染散布的数值模拟与风洞实验的比较分析

将专门设计的一项中性层结条件下风洞的污染物浓度测量实验，与已建城市小区尺度模式在相同条件下的污染扩散模拟结果进行了比较分析．分析了该模式流场模拟的有效性．结果表明：总体上，数值模拟与风洞实验结果符合较好；进一步分析发现，数值模拟结果中建筑物背风侧空腔区湍涡的中心比风洞实验结果略高，空腔区的范围比风洞实验所示范围大，建筑物迎风侧位移区比风洞实验所示小．此差异可能是由两者边界条件的不同引起的．     

Functional decomposition—A contribution to overcome the parameter space explosion during validation of highly automated driving

Abstract

Objective: Particular testing by functional decomposition of the automated driving function can potentially contribute to reducing the effort of validating highly automated driving functions. In this study, the required size of test suites for scenario-based testing and the potential to reduce it by functional decomposition are quantified for the first time.

Methods: The required size of test suites for scenario-based approval of a so-called Autobahn-Chauffeur (SAE Level 3) is analyzed for an exemplary set of scenarios. Based on studies of data from failure analyses in other domains, the possible range for the required test coverage is narrowed down and suitable discretization steps, as well as ranges for the influence parameters, are assumed. Based on those assumptions, the size of the test suites for testing the complete system is quantified. The effects that lead to a reduction in the parameter space for particular testing of the decomposed driving function are analyzed and the potential to reduce the validation effort is estimated by comparing the resulting test suite sizes for both methods.

Results: The combination of all effects leads to a reduction in the test suites’ size by a factor between 20 and 130, depending on the required test coverage. This means that the size of the required test suite can be reduced by 95–99% by particular testing compared to scenario-based testing of the complete system.

Conclusions: The reduction potential is a valuable contribution to overcome the parameter space explosion during the validation of highly automated driving. However, this study is based on assumptions and only a small set of exemplary scenarios. Thus, the findings have to be validated in further studies.     

生物滤池工艺的数值模拟与运行优化

以筼筜污水处理厂生物滤池工艺(DNBF+BAF)为研究对象,应用Bio Win软件,构建该工艺的Bio Win模型,基于2013年9月和10月的实际运行数据,结合两种灵敏度分析方法,对Bio Win模型进行校正.结果表明,校正模型可对DNBF+BAF工艺进行有效模拟,且对该工艺的Bio Win模拟结果影响最为显著的3类参数为:与生物膜有关的参数、与异养菌(OHOs)有关的参数和曝气参数.然后应用校正模型模拟该工艺在不同工况条件下的运行结果,对其进行工艺优化.结果表明:1一级B排放标准的最佳运行条件为:回流比=50%,取消甲醇投加,此时进水C/N=4.43;2一级A排放标准的最佳运行条件为:回流比=50%,投加甲醇后的进水COD=155 mg·L-1,此时进水C/N=5.10.     

卫星遥感监测海南地区对流层CO2浓度时空变化特征

为了探索海南地区对流层CO₂浓度[以φ(CO₂)计]时空变化特征,采用2002年9月—2012年2月AIRS反演的对流层中层CO₂产品,利用北半球全球本底站瓦里关站和飞机观测φ(CO₂)对该产品进行验证,结合统计分析方法对海南地区φ(CO₂)的月、季、年平均值的时空变化特征进行了研究.结果表明:AIRS反演φ(CO₂)与地基和不同纬度带海洋上空飞机观测数据对比均具有很好的一致性,并且与飞机观测验证偏差更小,二者相关系数均在0.9以上,总体月均值偏差小于2×10-6;全国φ(CO₂)呈现北高南低的分布规律,并且存在较为明显的分界线,形成4个高值中心(塔克拉玛干沙漠、塔里木盆地、内蒙古西部和东北平原)和2个低值中心(青藏高原西南部和云南地区),海南地区平均φ(CO₂)为382.67×10-6,略高于云南低值中心的381.45×10-6;全国φ(CO₂)呈现明显逐年增加趋势,其年均增长速率为2.16×10-6,而海南地区亦呈现显著增加趋势,年均增长速率为2.11×10-6,低于全国水平;φ(CO₂)呈季节性波动特性,全国φ(CO₂)最高值出现在春季,而海南地区为夏季,最低值均出现在秋季;海南地区西部海域、陆地和东部海域上空φ(CO₂)年增长速率分别为2.09×10-6、2.14×10-6和2.11×10-6,表明海南陆地上空增速略大于海洋地区,西部和东部海域上空增长速率基本保持一致.      

Tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities retrieved from ground-based MAX-DOAS measurements at Shangdianzi regional atmospheric background station in China

Ground-basedMulti-AXis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy(MAX-DOAS)measurements were performed at Shangdianzi(SDZ)regional atmospheric background station in northern China from March 2009 to February 2011.The tropospheric NO_2vertical column densities(VCDs)were retrieved to investigate the background condition of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei developed economic circle in China.The seasonal variation of mean NO_2tropospheric VCDs(VCD_(Trop))at SDZ is apparent,with the maximum(1.3×10~(16)molec/cm~2)in February and the minimum(3.5×10~(15)molec/cm~2)in August,much lower than those observed at the Beijing city center.The average daytime diurnal variations of NO_2VCD_(Trop )are rather consistent for all four seasons,presenting the minimum at noon and the higher values in the morning and evening.The largest and lowest amplitudes of NO_2VCD_(Trop)diurnal variation appear in winter and in summer,respectively.The diurnal pattern at SDZ station is similar to those at other less polluted stations,but distinct from the ones at the urban or polluted stations.Tropospheric NO_2VCDs at SDZ are strongly dependent on the wind,with the higher values being associated with the pollution plumes from Beijing city.Tropospheric NO_2VCDs derived from ground-based MAX-DOAS at SDZ show to be well correlated with corresponding OMI(Ozone Monitoring Instrument)satellite products with a correlation coefficient R=0.88.However,the OMI observations are on average higher than MAX-DOAS NO_2VCDs by a factor of 28%,probably due to the OMI grid cell partly covering the south of SDZ which is influenced more by the pollution plumes from the urban areas.     

Formulation,calibration, and validation of hybrid and coupled models for the design of upflow anaerobic filters in multiple separated stages for organic matter removal from sanitary landfill leachates

In this paper, the formulation, calibration, and validation of hybrid and coupled models for the design of upflow anaerobic filters in multiple separated stages were developed for organic matter removal from sanitary landfill leachates. Three novelties were presented, the type of reactor, design models, and kinetic coefficients. The upflow anaerobic filters were separated into two and three stages identified as UAF-2SS (DI-FAFS, in Spanish) and UAF-3SS (TRI-FAFS, in Spanish). The formulation, calibration, and validation of mathematical structures of hybrid models and five coupled models are proposed for each reactor. The hybrid models are based on the law of mass conservation, with the organic matter transformation component within the UAF-2SS and UAF-3SS reactors, being estimated from empirical equations that have been tested in aerobic culture reactors, adapted to the experimental factors, including among these, those under a non-stationary—advective conditions based on Velz's Law, Phelps's Law, and Monod's equation. The coupled models combine the components of the molecular transport by biosorption and molecular diffusion processes, with adaptations of the Stack's equation and Fick's Law, as well as transformation of organic substrates by biomass, whose kinetic coefficients contribute to explain the fraction, in which, the processes of mobility and biochemical transformation of the organic matter are occurring in the biomass within the bioreactors.