The winter ecology of mountain caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) in the North Thompson watershed of British Columbia was investigated over winters 1978-79 and 1979-80. The main objective of the study was to evaluate caribou movements and habitat use in relation to indices of energy cost of locomotion in snow and to forage availability, especially arboreal lichens. These data were collected in habitats from valley bottom to alpine throughout winter. Largely because of their high arboreal lichen productivity, mature forests are regarded by wildlife managers as essential winter habitat of caribou, leading to conflicts with forest harvesting. Data were compared between mature forests and other habitat types, to evaluate their importance to caribou. An index of caribou locomotion cost in snow was caribou track depth in snow. A significant regression between caribou track depth and human sinking depth in snow permitted an estimate of caribou locomotion costs in all habitats. Locomotion costs often were greater in cutovers than in mature forests, and broadly increased with elevation; while temporal trends were cyclical, due to alternating accumulations of fresh, soft snow followed by settlement and maturation of the surface snow. Analysis of fecal and rumen samples, and feeding-site inspections were used to determine caribou winter food habits. Arboreal lichens (Alectoria sp. and Bryoria spp.) dominated the diet by mid winter because terrestrial forage availability declined due to deep and crusted snowpacks. For each habitat, the absolute abundance of arboreal lichen was inventoried, and then this data together with snowpack measurements were used to estimate the relative availability of arboreal lichen over winter. Arboreal lichen availability was greatest in mature forests, and generally increased with elevation; it also increased within habitats as snow deepened and elevated caribou to higher forest canopy levels where greater quantities of lichen occurred. For the first time, radio telemetry was used to determine mountain caribou movements and habitat use. Observations of non-radiocollared caribou were also used in some analyses. In both used and unused habitats, estimated energy costs of locomotion and the availability of arboreal lichen were treated as indices of energy expenditure and of energy intake of foraging. These indices were qualitatively integrated in a net energy balance relationship to evaluate caribou movements and habitat use. Caribou appeared to follow a general optimizing strategy, balancing their energy expenditure for locomotion in snow against the energy available from forage, when both terrestrial and arboreal forages are considered. Throughout winter, caribou preferably used mature forests, which offered much greater energetic benefits than cutovers and immature forests. As snow in subalpine (Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir Zone) and alpine summer habitats deepened over early winter, caribou migrated to lower subalpine and lower slope and valley (Interior Cedar - Hemlock Zone), mature forest habitats. Caribou locomotion conditions and forage availability, primarily of terrestrial forages, were most favourable at these lower elevations, despite lower arboreal lichen availability, because of snowfall interception by the forest canopy and lower snowfall. Firmer, mid-winter snowpack conditions allowed caribou to reascend to late winter range in higher elevation subalpine forests, which, because of greater arboreal lichen availabilities combined with moderated locomotion conditions, became the most favourable habitats. Minor elevational shifts during this period occurred in response to fluctuations in locomotion conditions caused by cycles of snow accumulation and snow settlement. This study confirmed that mature forests are required habitat for caribou throughout winter, by providing critical arboreal lichen forage, and compared to cutovers, having lower locomotion costs and greater availability of terrestrial forage. Proposed forest reserves above 1680 m elevation in the upper subalpine are insufficient therefore to ensure essential caribou winter habitat. Mature forests from valley bottoms to the lower subalpine must also be reserved. / Land and Food Systems, Faculty of / Graduate

The thesis deals with the design and review of the supporting structure of the exhibition pavilion in the suburb of Brno. The design is shaped dome built over the octagonal floor plan with eight lateral niches. The pavilion is 30m wide and 8 meters tall.

The ability to position yourself and map the surroundings is an important aspect for both civilian and military applications. Global navigation satellite systems are very popular and are widely used for positioning. This kind of system is however quite easy to disturb and therefore lacks robustness. The introduction of autonomous vehicles has accelerated the development of local positioning systems. This thesis work is done in collaboration with FOI in Linköping, using a positioning system with LIDAR and IMU sensors in a EKF-SLAM system using the GTSAM framework. The goal was to evaluate the system in different conditions and also investigate the possibility of using the road surface for positioning. Data available at FOI was used for evaluation. These data sets have a known sensor setup and matches the intended hardware. The data sets used have been gathered on three different occasions in a residential area, a country road and a forest road in sunny spring weather on two occasions and one occasion in winter conditions. To evaluate the performance several different measures were used, common ones such as looking at positioning error and RMSE, but also the number of found landmarks, the estimated distance between landmarks and the drift of the vehicle. All results pointed towards the forest road providing the best positioning, the country road the worst and the residential area in between. When comparing different weather conditions the data set from winter conditions performed the best. The difference between the two spring data sets was quite different which indicates that there may be other factors at play than just weather. A road edge detector was implemented to improve mapping and positioning. Vectors, denoted road vectors, with position and orientation were adapted to the edge points and the change between these road vectors were used in the system using GTSAM in areas with few landmarks. The clearest improvements to the drift in the vehicle direction was in the longer country area where the error was lowered with 6.4 % with increase in the error sideways and in orientation as side effects. The implemented method has a significant impact on the computational cost of the system as well as requiring precise adjustment of uncertainty to have a noticeable improvement and not worsen the overall results.

The thesis is concerned with a prominent phenomenon of the mountain areas - the anemo- orographic systems which occur as a consequence of the collaboration of prevailing winds and of the large windward valleys, the summit flattened surfaces and the leeward slopes. Their presence has a vast influence of numerous physical-geographical realms, mainly due to the highly uneven spatial snow cover distribution within these systems. The focus of the thesis lies on the highest elevations of the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. which reach or exceed the alpine treeline. In this area, the anemo-orographic systems were already defined earlier but a thorough description and of their presence and activity has not been carried out so far, which is the main aim of the thesis. A detailed and spatially compact mapping and measurement of the flag or banner trees has been performed, as these, thanks to their deformed asymmetric shape, attest to the prevailing or mean wind direction as well as its velocity with a high accuracy. As a secondary and comparative data source the meteorological measurements from the summits of Praděd and Šerák Mounts and a modern and detailed wind model has been used. A verification measurement of snow cover depth at selected locations under presumed strong wind action was executed as well. The acquired...

Förbränning av fossila bränslen är den största orsaken till ökade växthusgasutsläpp i atmosfären som i sin tur ligger till grund för klimatförändringarna. Europeiska Unionen uttrycker klimatförändringarna som ett existentiellt hot och har som mål att Europa ska bli en klimatneutral kontinent till år 2050. Arbetsmaskiner, som vanligtvis drivs på diesel, är ett energikrävande fordonsslag vid användning som år 2016 stod för 6 % av Sveriges totala växthusgasutsläpp. Vätgas kan vara ett alternativt drivmedel till diesel eller andra fossila drivmedel för att minska de utsläpp som arbetsmaskiner ger upphov till. Syftet med studien är att uppmärksamma arbetsmaskiners roll i en omställning till vätgasdrift samt sprida kunskap om vad en omställning skulle innebära för dagens användare av arbetsmaskiner. Detta görs genom att belysa möjlig etablering i nutid av fem utvalda vätgasdrivna arbetsmaskiner samt gestalta dem i ett framtida vätgassamhälle. De arbetsmaskiner som inkluderas i studien är hjullastare, pistmaskin, sopmaskin, traktor och motviktstruck. Metoden består av en förenklad litteraturöversyn i kombination med personlig kommunikation samt en anpassning av verktyget Technology Readiness Level (TRL) i syfte att bedöma den tekniska mognaden. Resultatet visar att det i dagsläget finns etableringsmöjligheter i olika former för samtliga arbetsmaskiner i regionen baserat på TRL. Vätgasdrivna motviktstruckar och sopmaskiner är båda tillräckligt mogna tekniker för att etableras direkt på marknaden genom inköp. Vätgasdrivna hjullastare, traktorer och pistmaskiner är fortfarande under utveckling och kan därför etableras i regionen genom forskning och ytterligare utveckling eller först efter produktlansering på marknaden. De utvalda vätgasdrivna arbetsmaskinerna kan verka i ett framtida vätgassamhälle på liknande vis som motsvarande fossildrivna arbetsmaskiner gör idag med fördelar som mindre miljöpåverkan, vibrationer och buller som i sin tur medför mindre underhållsbehov med tillhörande kostnader. Resultatet visar att det finns möjligheter redan idag att påskynda en förändring, inte bara i Gävleborg utan i hela Sverige. De utvalda arbetsmaskinerna är verksamma inom branscher som motsvarar stora delar av det svenska näringslivet, en omställning till vätgasdrift kan därför ha en stor betydelse för en nationell reducering av växthusgasutsläpp. Det finns stor potential, särskilt för aktörer inom industrin, att upprätta egen vätgasproduktion och därmed bli självförsörjande på vätgas som drivmedel till arbetsmaskiner. Detta kan bli en av de radikala förändringar som enligt EU behövs för att uppnå målet om att åstadkomma klimatneutralitet år 2050. / Burning of fossil fuels is the biggest cause of increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere, which in turn leads to climate change. The European Union expresses climate change as an existential threat and aims to make Europe a climate-neutral continent by 2050. Non-road machinery vehicles (NMV), which are usually powered by diesel, are an energy-intensive type of vehicle during usage that in 2016 accounted for 6% of Sweden's total GHG emissions. Hydrogen can be an alternative fuel to diesel or other fossil fuels in order to reduce the emissions that originate from NMVs. The aim of this study is to draw attention to the role of NMVs in a conversion to hydrogen operation and to spread knowledge about what a conversion would mean for today's users of work machines. This is done by highlighting possible establishment in the present of five selected hydrogen powered NMVs and illustrate them in a future hydrogen society. The NMVs included in the study are wheel loaders, snow groomers, street sweepers, tractors and counterbalanced forklifts. The method consists of a simplified literature review in combination with personal communication and an adaptation of the tool Technology Readiness Level (TRL) in order to assess technical maturity. The results show that there are establishment opportunities in the present in various forms for all NMVs in Gävleborg based on TRL. Hydrogen powered counterbalanced forklifts and street sweepers are both sufficiently mature technologies to be established directly in the market through purchasing. Hydrogen powered wheel loaders, tractors and snow groomers are still under development and can therefore be established in the region through research and further development or after product launch. The selected hydrogen powered NMVs can operate in a future hydrogen society similarly to fossil-fueled NMVs but with benefits such as less environmental impact, vibrations and noise which in turn entails less maintenance needs with associated costs. There are opportunities already today to accelerate a change, not only in Gävleborg but throughout Sweden. The selected NMVs are active in industries that correspond to large parts of the Swedish business community, a transition to hydrogen operation can therefore be of great importance for a national reduction of GHG emissions. There is great potential, especially for players in the industry, to establish their own hydrogen production and thereby become self-sufficient in hydrogen intended for NMVs. This could be one of the radical changes that, according to the EU, are needed to achieve the goal of accomplishing climate-neutrality by 2050.

Les plaques de glace forment de petites masses de glace et de neige permanentes qui sont considérées comme un stade intermédiaire dans le continuum neige-glacier. Elles sont omniprésentes dans les régions polaires, ce qui leur confère une fonction centrale dans l’hydrologie et la géomorphologie des versants. Pourtant, très peu d’études s’y sont intéressées jusqu’à présent. Acquérir des connaissances sur ces plaques apparait donc essentiel, non seulement pour comprendre leurs caractéristiques intrinsèques, mais aussi parce que cela ouvre des perspectives importantes pour comprendre la dynamique du géosystème polaire. Afin de répondre à ce besoin, cette thèse cherche à établir l'origine et le fonctionnement des plaques de glace à l’île Ward Hunt (Haut-Arctique canadien) et d’en comprendre les effets sur la dynamique de versant du désert polaire. Cette recherche sur les plaques de glace a été guidée par une approche multidisciplinaire, conduisant à des études glaciologiques, nivologiques, hydrologiques et biogéomorphologiques. Nos résultats ont montré que les plaques de glace se développent par l’aggradation de glace surimposée qui se forme suite au regel de l'eau de fonte à la base de l’accumulation de neige saisonnière. La texture et les propriétés physiques de cette glace varient en fonction de son âge et de l’intensité des processus de recristallisation. La variabilité spatio-temporelle des plaques de glace est principalement contrôlée par la topographie locale et les conditions micrométéorologiques. En hiver, les apports en neige dans les niches topographiques où se forment les plaques de glace sont assurés par le vent. En été, l’intensité de l’ablation est fortement influencée par le vent et le brouillard, qui modulent les échanges d’énergie à la surface des plaques. L'évolution des plaques de glace se caractérise par une stabilité à long terme due à un mécanisme d'autorégulation du bilan de masse assuré par le contexte topoclimatique. Cependant, en raison de leur petite taille, les plaques de glace peuvent disparaître rapidement lorsque l'ablation estivale dépasse un seuil à partir duquel les conditions topoclimatiques ne peuvent plus assurer leur préservation. À Ward Hunt, la présence des plaques de glace depuis au moins plusieurs siècles fait qu’elles ont fortement contribué au développement des versants. Les apports durables en eau et sédiments qui en découlent en été ont enclenché une suite de processus abiotiques et biotiques azonaux dans les marges pronivales. Il en a résulté la formation de systèmes biogéomorphologiques qui consistent en des lobes de solifluxion et des milieux humides colonisés par de la végétation et un couvert de croute biologique. Les modifications morphologiques et physiques du sol en aval des plaques de glace influencent le régime thermique de surface et les profondeurs de dégel. En outre, le développement des zones humides entraine une modification locale des propriétés physiques de la neige en exacerbant le métamorphisme cinétique qui aboutit à la croissance d’une couche de givre de profondeur à la base du manteau neigeux. En apportant une compréhension holistique des plaques de glace polaires, cette thèse permet des avancées empiriques et conceptuelles importantes qui contribuent à mieux comprendre la dynamique du géosystème de désert polaire à un moment charnière où ces environnements subissent en transition rapide en réponse au changement climatique. / Ice patches are small perennial masses of ice and snow that are considered as part of the continuum between seasonal snow and glacier. They are ubiquitous in the Polar Regions, which gives them an important function in slope hydrology and geomorphology. Ice patches have, however, received very little scientific attention so far. Gaining new knowledge on these cryospheric elements thus appears essential, not only to understand their intrinsic characteristics, but also because it holds important perspectives for understanding the dynamics of the polar geosystem. To address this need, this thesis aims to investigate the origin and functioning of the ice patches at Ward Hunt Island (Canadian High Arctic) and to understand their effects on polar desert slope dynamics. This research on ice patches was guided by a multidisciplinary approach, involving glaciological, snow, hydrological and biogeomorphological studies. Our results demonstrated that ice patches develop through the aggradation of superimposed ice that forms by the refreezing of meltwater at the base of the seasonal snowpack. The texture and physical properties of this ice vary according to its age and the intensity of recrystallization processes. The spatio-temporal variability of ice patches is mainly controlled by local topography and micrometeorological conditions. In winter, the snow supply to the topographic niches where ice patches form is provided by the wind. In summer, the intensity of ablation is strongly influenced by wind and fog, which modulate energy exchange at the surface of the patches. The evolution of ice patches is characterized by long-term stability due to a self-regulating mass balance mechanism provided by the topoclimatic context. However, because of their small size, ice patches can disappear very quickly when summer ablation exceeds a threshold at which topoclimatic conditions can no longer ensure their preservation. At Ward Hunt Island, the presence of the ice patches for at least several centuries makes them important drivers of slope development. Sustained meltwater and sediment supplies delivered by ice patches to their pronival margin have triggered a sequence of abiotic and biotic azonal processes. This led to the formation of a biogeomorphic system, consisting of solifluction lobes and humid zones colonized by vegetation and an organic crust cover. Morphological and physical changes in the soil downslope of the ice patches influenced the surface thermal regime and thaw depths. Furthermore, our results show that the humid zone development leads to a local modification of the physical properties of snow by enhancing kinetic metamorphism responsible for the growth of a depth hoar layer at the base of the snowpack. Through a comprehensive understanding of polar ice patches and their effects, this thesis provides important empirical and conceptual advances that contribute to a better understanding of polar desert geosystem dynamics at a pivotal time when these environments are undergoing a rapid transition in response to climate change.

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The purpose of my master’s thesis is the solution steel hall with concrete columns, that is loaded by an earthquake. This simulation program was used RFEM. To calculate was used the spectral and temporal analysis, and that on models of structures with several combinations of materials. The analysis was performed for both the general direction of the earthquake, so for combinations of directions according to standard procedures in EC8.

Thanks to the increasing computation power the complexity and dynamism of virtual reality is continuously improving. This work aims to examine influences of weather in a landscape and the means to simulate and dynamically visualize them in real time on the current personal computer hardware. The main goal is to find quick well looking approximations rather than a complex physically correct simulation. The work covers using modern programmable GPU not only for visualization but also as a powerful simulation instrument. The main topic is water movement in the terrain and its effects on it like erosion, snow melting and moisture impact on vegetation. This requires dynamic terrain texturing and algorithms supporting fast geometry and normals updates.

The paper describes a theoretical base and realization of realistic volumetric clouds visualization in an environment of real-time simulator. The first part is concerned with a meteorological background of this problem. I show international classification of ten basic cloud types including a short description and cases of occurence. The following part is concerned with an interaction between cloudiness and simulation core, which is based on the fact, that each cloud acts as a mechanical or an electromagnetic obstacle. This should be considered on some way in simulation. The next part describes technologies and practical implementations of visualization and evaluates their characteristics. Finally, the last chapter describes my implementation and tries to outline project advancement.