Orientador: Sérgio Campos / Banca: Célia Regina Lopes Zimback / Banca: Osmar Delmanto Júnior / Resumo: O objetivo, deste trabalho foi a espacialização da capacidade de uso das terras da microbacia do Córrego dos Rochas, Município de Avaré-SP, obtida através da utilização do Sistema de Informação Geográfica - Idrisi, visando contribuir para uma melhor organização territorial e planejamento de uma adequado da ocupação do solo. Os resultados obtidos a partir da metodologia utilizada permitiram mostrar que a maior parte das áreas de terras da microbacia dos Rochas são formadas por solos pertencentes às unidades: LATOSSOLOS VERMELHO-AMARELOS (LVA52) Distróficos (36,64%) e LATOSSOLO VERMELHOS (LV4) Eutroférricos e Distroférricos (30,30%), apresentando textura arenosa. Quanto à declividade, houve um predomínio de áreas com classes de declive de 0-12%, relevo plano a ondulado (61,37%) da área da microbacia, mostrando que essas terras são propícias para o cultivo de culturas anuais, com amplo uso da mecanização. A maior parte das terras foi classificada como sendo da classe IV (73,79 %) de capacidade de uso, porém, foram encontradas as seguintes subclasses de capacidade de uso das terras: IIe,s; IIIe; IVs; IVe; IVe,s, VIe e VIIe. As subclasses de capacidade IVe; IVe,s, IVs e VIe foram as mais representativas, mostrando tratar-se de terras que podem ser utilizadas para fins agrícolas, próprias para lavouras em geral, ressaltando-se que, quando cultivadas sem cuidados 2 especiais, ficam sujeitas a severos riscos de depauperamento, principalmente quando os solos são utilizadas culturas anuais. O Sistema de Informação Geográfica - Idrisi mostrou-se eficiente na determinação da capacidade de uso das terras da microbacia do Bairro dos Rochas, Município de Avaré-SP, demonstrando que a utilização de ferramentas de geoprocessamento facilita e agiliza os trabalhos dos cruzamento de dados, permitindo o armazenamento digital... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo). / Abstract: In this context, the present work had a purpose the determination of the shart of land use capacity of the watershed of the Rochas in Municipal District of Avaré-SP, obtained through the use of Geographical Information System - Idrisi, looking for contribute to a better territorial organization and for the planning of a right occupation of the soil. The results obtained with the used methodology to show that the most of the areas of the watershed of the Rocha are organized by soil belonging to the units LVA52d (36, 54%) and LV4e (30, 30%) presenting textures that are sandy. About the declivity, had a predominance of areas with slope classes of 0-12%, plane relief to wavy (61, 37%) of the watershed showing that this lands are good to cultivate the annual cultures, with wide use of the mechanization. The biggest part of the lands of watershed were classified as being of the class IV of use capacity, but were found the following subclasses of capacity of land uses: IIe,s; IIIe; IVs; IVe; IVe,s, VIe e VIIe. The capacity subclasses IVe; IVe,s, e IVs (73,79%) e VIe (15,56%) were the most representatives, showing been about lands that can be used to agricultural ends, private to farming majority, jutting out that when cultivated without special cares, they stay in dangerous risks of impoverishment, mainly when the soils are cultivated with annual cultures. Information Geographical System - Idrisi show itself efficient in the determination of capacity in land uses of the wastershed of the Rochas in the Avaré-SP Municipal District, showing that the use of geoprocessing tools digital storage that will come to be used to another analyses, above all to future planning of the territories and environment areas studied already. / Mestre

A ocorrência de eventos erosivos acelerados associados à implantação de sistemas de transportes é um dos principais problemas socioambientais enfrentados pelas concessionárias brasileiras. Feições erosivas do tipo linear e laminares são observadas tanto ao longo da plataforma, nos cortes e aterros, como fora dela, em caixas de empréstimo, áreas de jazidas exploradas, junto aos pés de aterros e jusante das obras de transposição. Em geral, na literatura, os estudos relativos às analises de dinâmica de desenvolvimento e ocorrência de processos erosivos, bem como o risco oferecido ao meio, estão inseridos nas abordagens ambientais teorizadas como Análise Integrada da Natureza e nas análises de riscos e suscetibilidades (hazards) subsidiadas pela Cartografia Geotécnica e Geoambiental, ambas amparadas pela utilização da ciência e sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG) em plataformas computacionais. Especificamente no campo de engenharia de transportes, tais abordagens estão relacionadas aos estudos das áreas de influência pertencentes aos traçados e domínios de empreendimentos lineares (rodovias e ferrovias) em operação ou em implantação, atuando como ferramenta de gestão e monitoramento frente a requisitos ambientais exigidos pela legislação vigente e almejados pelas concessionárias responsáveis pelas vias. Inserido no viés da problemática ambiental envolvendo o setor ferroviário, e no sentido de subsidiar processos de licenciamento ambiental e regularização de linhas férreas em operação, além de fornecer bases metodológicas para a implantação de empreendimentos futuros preocupados com a prevenção de problemas relacionados à erosão, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo principal a elaboração de um estudo que realize a análise do risco oferecido à linha férrea pelos processos erosivos identificados ao longo do traçado da malha. Através da utilização de informações espaciais em plataformas SIG, a pesquisa apresenta a aplicação de um conjunto de metodologias que compõem todo o procedimento, desde o registro dos pontos mapeados, espacialização, o fornecimento de mapas temáticos ambientais intermediários, a identificação de graus de suscetibilidade da área de estudo até a definição de parâmetros para a análise de risco dos processos erosivos em relação à linha férrea em análise. Os resultados fornecem a leitura das características analisadas para composição do indicador de suscetibilidade e a análise de risco (baixo, médio ou alto) de cada processo erosivo mapeado em relação à linha férrea. / The occurrence of accelerated erosion events associated with the implementation of transport systems is one of the main environmental problems facing brazilian concessionaires. Erosive features of linear and laminar type are observed both along the platform, in the sections and embankments, and outside in boxes loan areas explored deposits, at the foot of embankments and downstream of the works transposing. In general, studies on the analysis of dynamics of development and occurrence of erosion (and risks induced to the environment) are inserted in environmental approaches theorized such as Integrated Analysis of the Nature and analysis of risks and susceptibility (hazards) subsidized by the Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Cartography, both supported by the use of science and geographic information systems (GIS) in computing platforms. Specifically in the area of transportation engineering, such approaches are related to studies of areas of influence belonging to the plan and domain of linear transport developments (roads and railways) in operation or in implementation, acting as a management tool and monitoring against environmental requirements by current legislation and sought by the concessionaires responsible for roads. Inserted into the bias of environmental issues involving the railway sector, and in order to support the processes of environmental licensing and regulation of railways in operation, besides provide methodological foundations for the implementation of future projects concerned with the prevention of problems related to erosion, the present work aims to prepare a study that performs the analysis of the risk concerned to the railway line by erosion processes identified along the plan line. Through the use of spatial information in GIS platforms, a set of methodologies that make up the whole process will be presented, from registration and spatial distribution of mapped points, provision of environmental thematic maps intermediaries, identification of susceptibility levels of the study area until parameters settings for risks assessment of erosion in relation to railway line analysis.The results provide the reading of the characteristics analyzed for composition of susceptibility indicator and risk analysis (low, medium or high) of each erosion mapped in relation to the railway line .

O trabalho discutiu a crescente problemática do risco em nosso atual paradigma tecnológico, sua percepção e tolerabilidade, assim como a distribuição desigual destes entre a sociedade. A hipótese fundamental que enfatiza Justiça Ambiental refere-se aos perigos e riscos desproporcionalmente ou injustamente distribuídos entre grupos sociais mais vulneráveis, geralmente pobres e minorias, acarretados pelos riscos ambientais relativos à vida moderna. A crescente preocupação com a poluição eletromagnética gerada pela transmissão e uso de energia elétrica tem mobilizado diversos setores da sociedade na busca por respostas sobre a relação da exposição a campos eletromagnéticos e riscos a saúde. Portanto, o trabalho teve o objetivo de quantificar o percentual de pessoas que residem em áreas próximas a linhas de transmissão de energia elétrica que atravessam o município de São Paulo, Brasil, e dessa forma potencialmente expostas aos campos eletromagnéticos por elas geradas. Informações sobre linhas de transmissão foram fornecidas pelas concessionárias de energia e geocodificadas usando o software de sistema de informação geográfica (SIG) Mapinfo®. Corredores com campo magnético 0.3T foram demarcados ao longo das linhas de transmissão, a largura desses variou conforme tensão da linha (em kV). Dados demográficos e socioeconômicos foram obtidos através do censo 2000 e incluídos no SIG em outra camada. Através deste levantamento, foi possível estimar o percentual da população potencialmente exposta aos campos eletromagnéticos gerados por linhas de transmissão aéreas que atravessam o município de São Paulo, em suas mais diversas características, como faixa etária, além de renda e escolaridade. Esses corredores incluíram cerca de 1,3% dos domicílios e 1,4% da população residente no município de São Paulo, sendo esta considerada exposta aos campos eletromagnéticos gerados por essas linhas. Através da análise socioeconômica, o estudo sugeriu que a população exposta aos campos eletromagnéticos possuía maior vulnerabilidade, como baixos índices de renda e escolaridade, o que chamou a atenção para fato dos campos eletromagnéticos das linhas de transmissão aéreas serem mais uma carga danosa delegada a estas populações. / The paper discussed the raising problem of risk in our current technological paradigm, their perception and tolerability, as well as their unequal distribution among the society. The fundamental assumption that emphasizes Environmental Justice refers to the hazards and risks disproportionately or unfairly distributed among the most vulnerable social groups, generally poor and minorities, generated by environmental risks relating to modern life. The raising concern about electromagnetic pollution generated by transmission and use of electric energy has mobilized various sectors of society in the search for answers about the relationship of exposure to electromagnetic fields and risks to health. Therefore, the work aimed to quantify the percentage of people living in areas bordering transmission lines that cross the city of São Paulo, Brazil, and therefore, potentially exposed to EMF generated by these lines. Information on transmission lines were provided by the utilities and geocoded using the geographic information system (GIS) software Mapinfo®. Corridors 0.3T magnetic field were demarcated around the transmission lines, the width of these lines varied with the line charge (kV). Demographic and socioeconomic data was obtained through the census 2000 and included in the GIS in another layer. Through this survey, it was possible to estimate the percentage of the population potentially exposed to electromagnetic fields generated by transmission lines that cross the city of São Paulo, in its more diverse characteristics, such as age, in addition to income and education. The corridors included approximately 1.4% of households, and 1.3% of the population of the city of São Paulo, thus considered exposed to the electromagnetic fields generated by such lines. Through socioeconomic analysis, the study has suggested that the population exposed to electromagnetic fields was most vulnerable, with low levels of income and education, were those who had higher prevalence to reside in these areas. Electromagnetic fields from power lines are another harmful burden delegated to these populations.

Pesquisou-se o uso do Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG) como ferramenta de auxílio na Recuperação de Áreas Degradadas (RAD), dentro de uma proposta de um paradigma mais adequado ao tema. Como estudo de caso, utilizou-se o SIG no desenvolvimento de elementos para o planejamento da drenagem superficial de áreas mineradas pela empresa Samarco Mineração SA, Ouro Preto/MG, através da identificação de micro-bacias vulneráveis à drenagem. A falta da abordagem holística e a excessiva fragmentação do saber, tem feito os profissionais confundirem os efeitos como causas, obtendo-se pseudo-soluções, aparentemente eficientes no curto prazo, mas falhas no médio e longo prazo, como demonstrado por alguns projetores de RAD no passado, a exemplo do paradigma do \"Tapete Verde\" nas décadas de 70 e 80. Segurou-se um novo paradigma para a RAD visando-se propiciar nichos distribuídos em pontos diversos dentro das grandes áreas degradadas. Propõe-se, para tal, a divisão das águas de drenagem com vistas ao desencadeamento da sucessão ecológica, promovendo a retenção da umidade, matéria orgânica, nutrientes e propágulos. Espera-se que os conceitos aqui aventados permitam uma recuperação de áreas degradadas mais eficaz do que se tem obtido e melhor sincronizado com as exigências do controle ambiental. / This study presents an investigation of Restoration of Damaged Areas (RDA) using a Geographical Information System (GIS), within the context of an adequate paradigm for this purpose. As a case study, a GIS was employed to develop information for planning of surface drainage in areas mined by Samarco Mineração SA, Ouro Preto-MG, Brazil, identifying micro- basins vulnerable to deleterious effects of excessive drainage. A review of literature on RDA shows that there is a lack of treatments based on holistic principles emphasizing only compartmentalized knowledge. This promotes confusion as regards the causes and the effects leading to pseudo-solutions, although apparently efficient in the short run, are prejudicial in the long run, as demonstrated by some of the past RDA projects. One can mention the paradigm of \"Green Carpet\" used in 70\'s and 80\'s which limited itself to covering the damaged areas with some kind of vegetation to improve the visual aspect of such areas. A new paradigm is proposed for RDA that requires a division of the drainage flow in order to initiate ecological succession promoting retention of moisture, organic matter, nutrients and propagules. It is hoped that the concepts alluded to in this study help to obtain more efficient RDAs than those attained in the past and better attuned to the demands of modern environmental control.

A utilização de máquinas e implementos agrícolas nas culturas anuais ou semiperenes no Brasil, é um dos fatores que mais demandam recursos financeiros, devido ao custo em combustíveis, mão-de-obra e depreciação das máquinas. Além disso, se mal utilizadas, pode acarretar danos ambientais, como erosão e compactação do solo. A agricultura de precisão vem crescendo no Brasil e o princípio é o controle de fertilidade, assim como de atributos físicos e químicos que interferem na produtividade de áreas específicas. Partindo deste pressuposto, as zonas de manejo, delimitadas por áreas geométricas, são definidas pelo administrador, pelos fatores físicos e químicos do solo, assim como sócioambientais. A hipótese deste trabalho foi que "A geometria dos talhões pode influenciar diretamente a eficiência de percurso". O objetivo deste trabalho foi criar uma base de dados geográficos que subsidiasse a avaliação da geometria dos talhões e o traçado dos carreadores, em uma região canavieira. A área de estudo se localiza na microbacia do Ribeirão dos Marins, município de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo. O software utilizado para o georreferenciamento das imagens, cruzamento dos mapas, elaboração de MNT, e criação do banco de dados foi o SPRING, desenvolvido pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias (INPE). Foram utilizadas fotografias aéreas para a identificação dos talhões, carreadores, estradas vicinais e rede de drenagem, para a elaboração de mapas temáticos a serem inseridos no sistema. Os mapas de curvas de nível, uso do solo e classe de solo em formato vetorial subsidiaram a elaboração dos mapas temáticos de ambientes de produção. Com a metodologia utilizada, foi proposto um cenário de talhões, com base nos critérios inseridos no sistema, e calculados; o comprimento dos carreadores, a área de preservação permanente, o tempo de manobra de máquinas agrícolas de duas operações agrícolas, assim como a eficiência de percurso. Este cenário,foi comparado com a situação atual, para que fosse estabelecido quanto a geometria influenciou nos aspectos estudados. / The use of machines and agricultural implements in cultures annual or semi-perennial in Brazil is one of the factors that more demands financial resources, due to the cost in fuels, labor and machinery depreciation. Besides, if badly used, can happen environmental damages, such as erosion and compacting soil. Precision Agriculture is growing in Brazil and it is based on soil physical and chemical attributes as well other factors that interfere in the productivity of specific areas. From this stand point, the geometric shapes field, which are influenced by soil environmental and social factors, have a fundamental role in the optimization of the productive processes, influencing directly in the income of the producer. The planning of the shape of the fields and roadways with the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques contribute to the optimization of traffic, improving the course efficiency, reducing the number of the machine hours and fuel and labor costs, minimizing the environmental impacts. The present work aimed at using GIS and Remote Sensing to obtain field and roadways maps for the sugarcane crop. The area studied was the Marins drainage basin, located in the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo state. The software used for images georeferencing, map crossing and TIN elaboration was SPRING, developed by INPE (Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais). Aerial pictures were used for the identification of the fields, roadways, local highways and watersheds, in order to elaborate thematic maps to insert in the system. Contour, land use and soil type in vector format subsidize the elaboration of thematic maps of production scenarios. The information layers were crossed using LEGAL (Linguagem Espacial de Geoprocessamento Algébrico) programming. With this methodology, fields scenarios were proposed, based on criteria insert in the system. The roadway length, the reserve forest, steering time of two agricultural operations, the intersection of plots and farm boundaries and traffic efficiency were calculates. Thus, it was possible simulate an optimized scenario with higher traffic efficiency. This scenario, compared to the currently adopted plot design, would accomplish a decrease in the roadway length steering time, machine hours and increase in the area cultivated.

A utilização de máquinas e implementos agrícolas nas culturas anuais ou semiperenes no Brasil, é um dos fatores que mais demandam recursos financeiros, devido ao custo em combustíveis, mão-de-obra e depreciação das máquinas. Além disso, se mal utilizadas, pode acarretar danos ambientais, como erosão e compactação do solo. A agricultura de precisão vem crescendo no Brasil e o princípio é o controle de fertilidade, assim como de atributos físicos e químicos que interferem na produtividade de áreas específicas. Partindo deste pressuposto, as zonas de manejo, delimitadas por áreas geométricas, são definidas pelo administrador, pelos fatores físicos e químicos do solo, assim como sócioambientais. A hipótese deste trabalho foi que “A geometria dos talhões pode influenciar diretamente a eficiência de percurso”. O objetivo deste trabalho foi criar uma base de dados geográficos que subsidiasse a avaliação da geometria dos talhões e o traçado dos carreadores, em uma região canavieira. A área de estudo se localiza na microbacia do Ribeirão dos Marins, município de Piracicaba, estado de São Paulo. O software utilizado para o georreferenciamento das imagens, cruzamento dos mapas, elaboração de MNT, e criação do banco de dados foi o SPRING, desenvolvido pelo Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias (INPE). Foram utilizadas fotografias aéreas para a identificação dos talhões, carreadores, estradas vicinais e rede de drenagem, para a elaboração de mapas temáticos a serem inseridos no sistema. Os mapas de curvas de nível, uso do solo e classe de solo em formato vetorial subsidiaram a elaboração dos mapas temáticos de ambientes de produção. Com a metodologia utilizada, foi proposto um cenário de talhões, com base nos critérios inseridos no sistema, e calculados; o comprimento dos carreadores, a área de preservação permanente, o tempo de manobra de máquinas agrícolas de duas operações agrícolas, assim como a eficiência de percurso. Este cenário,foi comparado com a situação atual, para que fosse estabelecido quanto a geometria influenciou nos aspectos estudados. / The use of machines and agricultural implements in cultures annual or semi-perennial in Brazil is one of the factors that more demands financial resources, due to the cost in fuels, labor and machinery depreciation. Besides, if badly used, can happen environmental damages, such as erosion and compacting soil. Precision Agriculture is growing in Brazil and it is based on soil physical and chemical attributes as well other factors that interfere in the productivity of specific areas. From this stand point, the geometric shapes field, which are influenced by soil environmental and social factors, have a fundamental role in the optimization of the productive processes, influencing directly in the income of the producer. The planning of the shape of the fields and roadways with the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques contribute to the optimization of traffic, improving the course efficiency, reducing the number of the machine hours and fuel and labor costs, minimizing the environmental impacts. The present work aimed at using GIS and Remote Sensing to obtain field and roadways maps for the sugarcane crop. The area studied was the Marins drainage basin, located in the city of Piracicaba, São Paulo state. The software used for images georeferencing, map crossing and TIN elaboration was SPRING, developed by INPE (Instituto de Pesquisas Espaciais). Aerial pictures were used for the identification of the fields, roadways, local highways and watersheds, in order to elaborate thematic maps to insert in the system. Contour, land use and soil type in vector format subsidize the elaboration of thematic maps of production scenarios. The information layers were crossed using LEGAL (Linguagem Espacial de Geoprocessamento Algébrico) programming. With this methodology, fields scenarios were proposed, based on criteria insert in the system. The roadway length, the reserve forest, steering time of two agricultural operations, the intersection of plots and farm boundaries and traffic efficiency were calculates. Thus, it was possible simulate an optimized scenario with higher traffic efficiency. This scenario, compared to the currently adopted plot design, would accomplish a decrease in the roadway length steering time, machine hours and increase in the area cultivated.

<p>The population of Sweden is ageing as in almost every European country. Improved medical progresses and treatment options lead to a decreasing mortality at older ages, increasing life expectance and an advanced health of the elderly. Due to these improvements and the so called ‘baby- boomers’, a great number of persons born in the 1940s that will reach retirement age the coming years, their total number will increase strongly in the near future all over Sweden. To enable these elderly to live a normal, active and independent life as long as possible activities, services and special housing with improved accessibility and meeting places for elderly has to be provided. Thus, for local authorities it is essential to know the actual and favoured living conditions as well as environments of elderly. This study aims therefore to investigate the characteristic of preferred residential neighbourhoods of the elderly in the city of Norrköping. The demographic, social and crime situation was examined for the districts of the city using several methods from both Statistics and GIS. Statistical methods included classifications, indexes or indicators and bivariate correlations. A model was developed to combine demographic and social data to characterise districts. GIS was to a major extent used as a visualisation tool. Choropleth mapping and Kernel density estimations were used to illustrate distribution of elderly and crime. Preliminary global statistical tests were used to verify clustering in the crime data set. An accessibility analysis was conducted with the help of the network analyst tool. Results indicate that districts experiencing the highest total numbers and proportion of elderly are very distributed throughout the city of Norrköping. They are, with some exceptions, characterised by lower social status. Four districts of the city show considerable evidences of demographic ageing, experiencing a population pyramid formed like an urn. Beside districts where elderly constitute a bigger proportion of the population, they tend to live in districts characterised by a relatively high proportion of young adults aged between 20 and 29. Crime analyses have shown crime clusters in different parts of the city. A high proportion of elderly faces a high crime level in the districts Gamla staden, Nordantill and Hageby. However, it has been proved that only some hot spots of crime within these areas contribute to the high crime level. Districts such as Skarphagen, Såpkullen, Smedby and Linö, all (except Såpkullen) situated on the outskirts of the city, hold high or middle elderly and a low crime level. Accessibility analyses have shown that elderly aged over 80 do not live significant closer to health centres and the public transport stops compared to the age groups 20 – 65 and inhabitants aged between 65 and 79.</p>

<p>Sweden has an enormous treasure in its vast number of large-scale historical maps from a period of 400 years made for different purposes, that we call map series. The maps are also very time and regional dependent with respect to their concepts. A large scanning project by Lantmäteriverket will make most of these maps available as raster images. In many disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, like history, human geography and archaeology, historical maps are of great importance as a source of information. They are used frequently in different studies for a variety of problems. A full and systematic analyse of this material from a database perspective has so far not been conducted. During the last decade or two, it has been more and more common to use data from historical maps in GIS-analysis. In this thesis a novel approach to model these maps is tested. The method is based on the modelling of each map series as its own ontology, thus focusing on the unique concepts of each map series. The scope of this work is a map series covering the province of Gotland produced during the period 1693-1705. These maps have extensive text descriptions concerned with different aspects of the mapped features. Via a code marking system they are attached to the maps. In this thesis a semantic analysis and an ontology over all the concepts found in the maps and text descriptions are presented. In our project we model the maps as close to the original structure as possible with a very data oriented view. Furthermore; we demonstrate how this ontology can be used as a conceptual schema for a logical E/R database schema. The Ontology is described in terms of the Protégé meta-model and the E/R schema in UML. The mapping between the two is a set of elementary rules, which are easy for a human to comprehend, but hard to automate. The E/R schema is implemented in a demonstration system. Examples of some different applications which are feasibly to perform by the system are presented. These examples go beyond the traditional use of historical maps in GIS today</p>

The use of banned toxic weapons in Iraq during Gulf War 1991 started new debates. The increase in cancer cases was the main focus of these issues. The gap in literature motivated this study to find out the correlation between use of DU weapons and its effects on human health. The different probable causes of increase in cancer cases, in Iraq after Gulf War 1991, have been discussed in this study. Three causes; DU, brick kilns smoke near Basra and Kuwait oil fire smoke have been selected. The major emphasis of this study is on use of Depleted Uranium (DU). Different statistical data sets have been used and displayed in the form of maps and graphs using GIS methodologies. It’s hard to say after this GIS based study that the fired Depleted Uranium is the sole cause of increase in cancer incidences in Iraq, while some trends and risk factors at least can be observed where increase in cancer cases in different Governorates in Iraq is clearly visible after Gulf War 1991. After analyzing satellite images of different dates, the second part of this study concludes that Kuwait oil wells smoke is not responsible for increase in cancer incidences in Iraq. A small debate has been initiated regarding smoke in brick kilns near Basra. No study has been found in this regard which can provide evidences that brick kilns smoke is the cause of increase in cancer incidences in southern Iraq. It’s not easy to carry out a full fledge GIS based study to prove DU as cause of increase in cancer cases. The main limitation in this regard is unavailability of required data. Therefore a new GIS based methodology has been devised which can be used to prove relationship between exposure to DU and increase in cancer cases in Iraq. This new methodology is also dependent on specific data sets. Hence this methodology also recommends the collection of specific data sets required for this study. At the end, a detailed study, with honesty, has been suggested to fill up the gaps found in literature whether use of Depleted Uranium in weapons is harmful for human health or not.

Census operations are very important events in the history of a nation. These operations cover every bit of land and property of the country and its citizens. Census data is also known as demographic data providing valuable information to various users, particularly planners to know the trends in the key areas. Since 2006, Turkey aims to produce this census data not as &ldquo / de-facto&rdquo / (static) but as &ldquo / de-jure&rdquo / (real-time) by the new Address Based Register Information System (ABPRS). Besides, by this new register based census, personal information is matched with their address information and censuses gained a spatial dimension. Data obtained from this kind of a system can be a great input for the creation of &ldquo / small statistical areas (SSAs)&rdquo / which can compose of street blocks or any other small geographical unit to which social data can be referenced and to establish a complete census geography for Turkey. Because, statistics on large administrative units are only necessary for policy design only at an extremely abstracted level of analysis which is far from &quot / real&quot / problems as experienced by individuals. In this thesis, it is aimed to employ some spatial clustering and districting methodologies to automatically produce SSAs which are basically built upon the ABPRS data that is geo-referenced with the aid of geographical information systems (GIS) and thus help improving the census geography concept which is limited with only higher level administrative boundaries in Turkey. In order to have a clear idea of what strategy to choose for its realization, small area identification criteria and methodologies are searched by looking into the United Nations&rsquo / recommendations and by taking some national and international applications into consideration. In addition, spatial clustering methods are examined for obtaining SSAs which fulfills these criteria in an automated fashion. Simulated annealing on k-means clustering, only k-means clustering and simulated annealing on k-means clustering of Self-Organizing Map (SOM) unified distances are deemed as suitable methods. Then these methods are implemented on parcel and block datasets having either raw data or socio-economic status (SES) indices in nine neighborhoods of Ke&ccedil / i&ouml / ren whose graphical and non-graphical raw data are manipulated, geo-referenced and combined in common basemaps. Consequently, simulated annealing refinement on k-means clustering of SOM u-distances is selected as the optimum method for constructing SSAs for all datasets after making a comparative quality assessment study which allows us to see how much each method obeyed the basic criteria of small area identification while creating SSA layers.