Thesis, PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references.

The research upon which the outputs submitted as part of this thesis are based examines the socio-cultural environment of the Northeast of Scotland, from Aberdeen to Cabrach and from Portsoy to Laurencekirk. In total, five hundred and twenty hours of research data were collected as part of a project that began in 1987. This thesis investigates and visualises aspects of cultural identity representing the historical lifestyles of the "ordinary people" within rural Aberdeenshire circa 1890s-1950s. A unique feature of this research is the use of video as a tool for data gathering and presentation. The key themes are direct observations of the "ordinary people" and the author's rural ancestors. The use of the visual dynamic and the Doric dialect capture the ordinary person's testimony what a "past way of life" was like within Aberdeenshire. The research was initiated as a response to the author's cultural pride in his ancestors. It was not initially envisaged as a formal piece of academic research; the author conducted the research from a simplistic "desire to know". However, through reflective analysis of the research it can clearly demonstrate a rigorous research methodology, which has been replicated within the thesis. The procedures and methods engage with ordinary people in the real world, and help visualise and communicate material heritage. Through the identification of suitable topics, respondent selection, data capture, data analysis, critical review, post-production, archive management and research funding, aspects of the past are sustained. This new data has the potential to be future-proof and is unique in its content. The six topic videos, refereed conference papers, television features, and press articles have captured and sustained irreplaceable data. The research output has been utilised and subjected to critical peer review by diverse user groups locally, nationally and internationally. The work has credible and diverse endorsements and has also been accepted as authentic by the host community, going a long way to developing greater cultural pride. It captures a lost cultural identity in an innovative manner and presents output in a way which is both significant to user groups and also capable of furthering greater knowledge and understanding. This practitioner-based research has the potential to enhance future developments within the field of study through the embracing of modern visual technology in its widest sense.

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High-speed rail (HSR) in most industrialized countries in Europe and Asia have proven profitable and increase GDP in primary, secondary and tertiary station locations, balance greenhouse gas emissions, maintain safety and temporal standards, and assuage traffic concerns of growing populations. The Metroliner’s short completion timeline and ability to demonstrate a successful product prior to appropriating or obligating funds propelled America’s passenger rail industry forward in congruence with establishing the Office of High-Speed Ground Transportation in 1965. However, the US’ rotating bipartisan political structure hinders hyper-expensive 20-year-long projects, as shown in California, Florida, and the Northeast Corridor (NEC). In contrast to this, China’s centralized government, dense city centers, and politically motivated expansion led to construction of the world’s largest HSR network with 37,900 kilometers of tracks in 2021 and 70,000 kilometers expected by 2035. While HSR in the US may be profitable in the NEC, governmental structure, infrastructure density, and high temporal and financial costs reduce plausibility for HSR despite proven positive effects.

Yes / This mini report on Northeast India is one of 13 case studies (all of the case studies are available at www.bradford.ac.uk/cics). This research draws upon secondary data sources including existing research studies, reports and evaluations. As DFID does not have any direct development engagement in Northeast India, this report does give any direct programming or policy recommendations. However, it does highlight key issues which need to be addressed for armed violence to be reduced in the region. The authors would like to thank David Seddon for comments made on an earlier draft. The analysis and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policy of DFID or the UK government.

Water harvesting techniques were used for increasing water availability for rainfed agriculture and for human consumption. The treatments involving soil and water management for cropping were as follows: (1) traditional; (2) microcatchment; (3) microcatchment plus fertilization with ordinary superphosphate (OSP); (4) microcatchment plus fertilization with manure; and (5) supplemental tank irrigation. A cistern with 50 m³ capacity was constructed to provide drinking water. The crop enterprises were cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata)/corn (Zea mays), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)/cactus (Opuntia spp.)/algaroba (Prosopis juliflora). Both were intercropped. The overall objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the impact of the application of water harvesting techniques together with crop management, with and 14 without fertilization on: farmer, (ii) profitability cropping, and (iii) labor benefit of a cistern based (i) financial position of the of each individual enterprise in utilization; (2) to estimate the on the costs of carrying water. All analysis were developed with the aid of Supercalc 4 spreadsheet software. Farm performance measures were: crop production; cash flows; income statements, net worth; cost and returns statements; and labor utilization. The impact of the household cistern was assessed through a benefit cost approach. From the results the following main conclusions were drawn: (1) microcatchment contributed marginally to increased yields; (2) microcatchment combined with OSP produced yield increases which were twice those of the traditional process; (3) tank irrigation with OSP quadrupled the traditional productivities; (4) the sorghum/cactus/algaroba enterprise presented a better cash position than cowpeas/ corn; (5) the farm can support the investments necessary for the application of water harvesting since it is financially liquid and solvent; (6) significant increase in net income was achieved when water harvesting was combined with fertilization for both enterprises; (7) the existing family labor potential on the farm is enough to supply the demand imposed by any one of the soil and water management treatment; (8) if opportunity cost of labor is involved in assessing the profitability of cropping, the most profitable soil and water management practice was tank irrigation; and (9) the construction of a cistern is an economical and feasible decision.

The Lower Cretaceous tectonosequence constitutes a major chronostratigraphic interval in the Recôncavo Basin, Northeast Brazil. It encompasses a time span of ca. of 24 Ma and forms a continental sedimentary package that exceeds 5 km in thickness within its depocenters. The tectonosequence is bounded by two basinwide unconformities, the rift onset unconformity at its base and the breakup unconformity at its top. The basal deposits of the tectonosequence characterize transitional rift conditions. The bulk of the succession constitutes the record of the rift phase in the basin. Biostratigraphy in the Recôncavo Basin is based on nonmarine ostracods. The tectonosequence encompasses ostracod zones NRT 002 through NRT 009. Tectonic, sedimentologic, and paleoecologic characteristics permit the recognition of six tectono-depositional intervals within the tectonosequence. Tectono-depositional intervals cover a time span between 2 Ma and 7.5 Ma, and their boundaries are distinct marker beds. Lithologic, paleontologic, and geochemical characteristics of the marker beds suggest low sediment input at the time of their deposition. Tectonic and/or paleoclimatic changes may account for phases of marker bed creation. Within tectono-depositional inteivals II, IV, and V sedimentary cyclicity occurs. Sedimentary cycles spanning tens to hundreds of thousands years are termed tectono-depositional episodes. Such an episode is comparable in scale with a parasequence, and is also bounded by marker beds reflecting flooding events. Depositional systems within the tectonosequence show a change from lacustrine-dominated sedimentation at the base to fluvial-dominated deposition at the top. Reservoir potential increases toward the top of the tectonosequence, source rock and sealing conditions, however, follow the opposite path. The bulk of known hydrocarbon accumulations in the Recôncavo Basin occurs at the prerift/rift interface. Accumulation rate estimates show increasing values toward the top of the tectonosequence. This may be related to a better integration of the drainage system that fed into the basin and removal of possible structural barriers located along the basin's margins. Analysis of the sedimentary record of the tectonosequence suggests, besides tectonism, paleoclimate was an important mechanism controlling facies distribution and evolution. / text

The sertao of northeast Brazil is a semiarid region characterized by recurring droughts. The vastness of the area (650,000 km$ sp2)$ poses a challenge to the effective monitoring of the impacts of drought at a scale that would be useful to the inhabitants of the sertao. Remote sensing data provide a viable way of assessing the extent and nature of drought across the landscape. / The work present a more effective algorithm to estimate rainfall from both the cold and warm cloud types present. Using a decision-tree methodology, the analysis yields rainfall estimates over the 0-21 mm range. Because seasonal variations in rainfall produce differences in vegetation, soils and hydrologic responses, Principal Components Analysis was used to examine these land surface responses. Individual components and component pairings were useful in identifying variations in vegetation density, geobotanical differences and drainage characteristics. The presence of cloud cover was found to dampen the land surface information that could be extracted. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery was then used to produce a moisture index which characterizes surface wetness in relation to other features present in a scene. The multispectral combination of TM bands 1, 4 and 6 allowed for the separation of the surface types present, in locational space. This space was defined by an open-ended triange made up of a vertical "water line", a horizontal line of equal vegetation density; and a negatively-slopping iso-moisture line. The stability of the moisture index was influenced by varying scale and seasonal conditions. / In the drought conditions that prevailed in 1991-1992, these methods provide important additions to existing drought monitoring approaches in the Brazilian northeast. Further calibration is required in order to extend their applicability to other geographical regions and time frames.

Orientador: Ticiano Jose Saraiva dos Santos / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T05:05:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Amaral_WagnerdaSilva_D.pdf: 21391816 bytes, checksum: 86ac3a60986656ddccb8ef31c72ee455 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Doutorado / Geologia e Recursos Naturais / Doutor em Geociências

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