Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / English abstract: We introduce a method for determining the position of a camera with accuracy beyond that which is obtainable through conventional methods, using a single image of a specially constructed calibration object. This is achieved by analysing the moiré pattern that emerges when two high spatial frequency patterns are superimposed, such that one pattern on a plane is observed through another pattern on a second, semi-transparent parallel plane, with the geometry of both the patterns and the planes known. Such an object can be created by suspending printed glass over printed paper or by suspending printed glass over a high resolution video display such as an OLED display or LCD. We show how the camera’s coordinate along the axis perpendicular to the planes can be estimated directly from frequency analysis of the moiré pattern relative to a set of guide points in one of the planes. This method does not require any prior camera knowledge. We further show how the choice of the patterns allows, within limits, arbitrary accuracy of this coordinate estimate at the cost of a stricter limit on the span along that coordinate for which the technique is usable. This improved accuracy is illustrated in simulation. With a sufficiently accurate estimate of the camera’s full set of 3D coordinates, obtained by conventional methods, we show how phase analysis of the moiré pattern in relation to the guides allows calculation of a new estimate of position in the two axes parallel to the planes. This new estimate is shown in simulation to offer significant improvement in accuracy. / Afrikaanse opsoming: Ons stel ’n metode bekend om die posisie van ’n kamera te bepaal met akkuuraatheid bo dit wat verkrygbaar is uit konvensionele metodes, deur gebruik te maak van ’n spesiaal gekonstrueerde kalibrasievoorwerp. Die metode berus op analise van moiré patrone wat onstaan waneer twee hoë ruimtelike frekwensie patrone oor mekaar neergelê word deurdat een patroon op ’n plat vlak waargeneem word deur ’n tweede patroon op ’n parallelle, gedeeltelik deursigtige vlak, met die geometrie van beide patrone en vlakke bekend. So ’n voorwerp kan geskep word deur ’n spesiaal gedrukte glas vlak te monteer oor gedrukte papier of oor ’n hoë resolusie skerm, soos ’n OLED skermof LCD. Onswys hoe die kamera se koördinaat langs die as loodreg op die vlakke direk uit frekwensie analise van die moiré patroon relatief tot ’n stel gidspunte in een van die vlakke bepaal kan word. Hierdie metode vereis geen vooraf kennis oor die kamera nie. Ons wys verder hoe die keuse van patrone, binne perke, arbitrêre akkuuraatheid in die bepaling van hierdie koördinaat kan verkry ten koste van ’n nouer bruikbare verstek in hierdie koördinaat. Die verbeterde akkuuraatheid is geïllustreer in simulasie. Indien ’n benadering van die kamera se volle stel 3D koördinate met voldoende akkuuraatheid ook beskikbaar is, wys ons ook hoe fase analise van die moiré patroon relatief tot die gidspunte ons in staat stel om’n nuwe benadering te kanmaak vir die koördinate in die twee asse parallel aan die vlakke. Daar word in simulasie getoon hoe hierdie nuwe benadering beduidend beter akkuuraatheid kan bied in vergelyking met konvensionele metodes van benadering.

Meditation training has been shown to improve attention and emotion regulation. However, the mechanisms responsible for these effects are largely unknown. In order to make further progress, a rigorous interdisciplinary approach that combines both empirical and theoretical experiments is required. This dissertation uses such an approach to analyze electroencephalogram (EEG) data collected during two three-month long intensive meditation retreats in four steps. First, novel tools were developed for preprocessing the EEG data. These tools helped remove ocular artifacts, muscular artifacts, and interference from power lines in a semi-automatic fashion. Second, in order to identify the cortical correlates of meditation, longitudinal changes in the cortical activity were measured using spectral analysis. Three main longitudinal changes were observed in the retreat participants: (1) reduced individual alpha frequency after training, similar reduction has been consistently found in experienced meditators; (2) reduced alpha-band power in the midline frontal region, which correlated with improved vigilance performance; and (3) reduced beta-band power in the parietal-occipital regions, which correlated with daily time spent in meditation and enhanced self-reported psychological well-being. Third, a formal computational model was developed to provide a concrete and testable theory about the underlying mechanisms. Four theoretical experiments were run, which showed, (1) reduced intrathalamic gain after training, suggesting enhanced alertness; (2) increased cortico-thalamic delay, which strongly correlated with the reduction in individual alpha frequency (found during spectral analysis); (3) reduction in intrathalamic gain provided increased stability to the brain; and (4) anterior-posterior division in the modeled reticular nucleus of the thalamus (TRN) layer and increased connectivity in the posterior region of TRN after training. Fourth, correlation analysis was performed to ground the changes in cortical activity and model parameters into changes in behavior and self-reported psychological functions. Through these four steps, a concrete theory of the mechanisms underlying focused-attention meditation was constructed. This theory provides both mechanistic and teleological reasoning behind the changes observed during meditation training. The theory further leads to several predictions, including the possibility that customized meditation techniques can be used to treat patients suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy. Lastly, the dissertation attempts to link the theory to the long-held views that meditation improves awareness, attention, stability, and psychological well-being. / text

Οι ηλιακές παρατηρήσεις υποβαθμίζονται εξαιτίας του φαινομένου του seeing το οποίο σχετίζεται με τις διαταραχές της γήινης ατμόσφαιρας. Για να μελετήσουμε τις λεπτές δομές της ηλιακής επιφάνειας είναι απαραίτητο να εφαρμόσουμε τεχνικές που ενισχύουν τις εικόνες και βελτιώνουν την ορατότητα τους. Επιπλέον, πολλοί από αυτούς τους σχηματισμούς βρίσκονται «κρυμμένοι» μέσα στο υπόβαθρο και πρέπει να διαχωριστούν από αυτό. Σε αυτήν τη διατριβή περιγράφονται τεχνικές που χρησιμοποιούνται για να βελτιωθεί η ορατότητα ηλιακών σχηματισμών διαφορετικών κατηγοριών όπως κηλίδες, λεπτοί σχηματισμοί κοντά στο χείλος και βόμβες Ellerman. Εκμεταλλευόμενοι την ανάλυση πολλαπλής διακριτικής ικανότητας που παρέχουν τα κυματίδια, εφαρμόζουμε αυτό το είδος ανάλυσης σε εικόνες από την ηλιακή επιφάνεια. Ο αλγόριθμος κυματιδίων à trous χρησιμοποιήθηκε ως ο πιο κατάλληλος μετασχηματισμός κυματιδίων. Οι εικόνες ενισχύθηκαν επιτυχώς και οι συγκεκριμένες τεχνικές αποδείχτηκαν πραγματικά αποδοτικές. Αυτές οι τεχνικές μπορεί να βασίστηκαν στον μετασχηματισμό à trous αλλά τροποποιήθηκαν κατάλληλα, ανάλογα με την συγκεκριμένη εφαρμογή. Θα πρέπει να διευκρινίσουμε ότι οι τεχνικές στις οποίες αναφερόμαστε εξαρτώνται κατά πολύ από το πρόβλημα που έχουμε να αντιμετωπίσουμε. Από την άλλη μεριά, οι ηλιακές παρατηρήσεις είναι χρονικές ακολουθίες εικόνων. Έτσι έχουμε να αντιμετωπίσουμε την ανάλυση χρονικών σειρών δεδομένου ότι θέλουμε να μελετήσουμε την χρονική συμπεριφορά και την εξέλιξη των παρατηρούμενων ηλιακών δομών. Αναλύοντας μια χρονική ακολουθία στο χρονο-συχνοτικό χώρο, μπορεί κανείς να προσδιορίσει τον κύριο τρόπο μεταβλητότητας αλλά και πως αυτοί οι τρόποι αλλάζουν με τον χρόνο. Εκμεταλλευόμαστε αυτή την ιδιότητα των κυματιδίων για να εξετάσουμε την χρονική μεταβολή της περιόδου των ταλαντώσεων της σκιάς των κηλίδων χρησιμοποιώντας παρατηρήσεις της ηλιακής ατμόσφαιρας οι οποίες έχουν ληφθεί από γήινα τηλεσκόπια. Χρησιμοποιούμε αυτό το σήμα του πραγματικού κόσμου για να δοκιμάσουμε τις δυνατότητες διαφορετικών κυματιδίων και για να δούμε τι προβλήματα ανακύπτουν αναλύοντας ένα τέτοιο σήμα. Στην μελέτη μας χρησιμοποιούμε τον συνεχή μετασχηματισμό κυματιδίων και τον αλγόριθμο à trous ως detrending εργαλείο. vii Αναφερόμαστε επιγραμματικά σε προηγούμενες μελέτες οι οποίες βασίζονται στις κλασσικές μεθόδους ανάλυσης σήματος ώστε να μπορέσουμε να καταλάβουμε τι μπορούν να προσφέρουν τα κυματίδια στην ηλιακή φυσική. Τα αποτελέσματα μπορούν να συνοψιστούν στα ακόλουθα: τα κυματίδια είναι ένα ισχυρότατο εργαλείο της ανάλυσης σήματος ακόμη και για τους ηλιακούς φυσικούς και θα μας απασχολήσουν πολύ στο μέλλον και στην μελέτη εικόνων της ηλιακής επιφάνειας. / Solar observations are usually degraded due to seeing effects related to the turbulence of earth’s atmosphere. In order to study the fine structure of the solar surface it is necessary to apply techniques that enhance the images and improve the visibility of fine structures. Moreover many of those structures are embedded in the background and we need separate them from it. In this thesis we describe techniques that are used in order to improve the visibility of several categories of solar features like sunspots, fine structures near the limb and Ellerman bombs. Taking advantage of the multiresolution analysis that provides wavelets, we perform that kind of analysis to images from solar atmosphere. The à trous wavelet algorithm has been used as the proper wavelet transform. The images were successfully enhanced and those techniques have been proved really efficient. Those enhancement techniques were based to the à trous wavelet transform but they were modified properly depending on the specific application. We must clarify that the discussed techniques depend by far on the problem we have to deal with. On the other hand, solar observations are time sequences of images. So we have to deal with time series analysis provided that one wants to study the temporal behavior and evolution of the observed solar structures. By decomposing a time series into time-frequency space, one is able to determine both the dominant mode of variability and how those modes vary in time. We take advantage of this property of the wavelet analysis in order to examine the temporal variation of the period of the umbral oscillations using ground–based observations of the solar atmosphere. We use this real-life signal in order to test the capabilities of different wavelets and to see the problems that arise analyzing such a signal. In our study we use the continuous wavelet transform in order to perform the analysis and the “à trous” algorithm as a detrending tool. We make slightly reference to previous works based on classical methods of signal analysis just to be able to understand what wavelets can offer in solar physics. The results can be summarized as follows: wavelets are a powerful tool for signal analysis even for solar scientists and will preoccupy us a lot in the future and for the study of the solar surface.

Multiple gene phylogenetic analysis is of interest since single gene analysis often results in poorly resolved trees. Here the use of spectral techniques for analyzing multi-gene data sets is explored. The protein sequences are treated as categorical time series and a measure of similarity between a pair of sequences, the spectral covariance, is used to build trees. Unlike other methods, the spectral covariance method focuses on the relationship between the sites of genetic sequences. We consider two methods with which to combine the dissimilarity or distance matrices of multiple genes. The first method involves properly scaling the dissimilarity measures derived from different genes between a pair of species and using the mean of these scaled dissimilarity measures as a summary statistic to measure the taxonomic distances across multiple genes. We introduced two criteria for computing scale coefficients which can then be used to combine information across genes, namely the minimum variance (MinVar) criterion and the minimum coefficient of variation squared (MinCV) criterion. The scale coefficients obtained with the MinVar and MinCV criteria can then be used to derive a combined-gene tree from the weighted average of the distance or dissimilarity matrices of multiple genes. The second method is based on the singular value decomposition of a matrix made up of the p-vectors of pairwise distances for k genes. By decomposing such a matrix, we extract the common signal present in multiple genes to obtain a single tree representation of the relationship between a given set of taxa. Influence functions for the components of the singular value decomposition are derived to determine which genes are most influential in determining the combined-gene tree.

The Floquet operator, defined as the time-evolution operator over one period, plays a central role in the work presented in this thesis on periodically perturbed quantum systems. Knowledge of the spectral nature of the Floquet operator gives us information on the dynamics of such systems. The work presented here on the spectrum of the Floquet operator gives further insight into the nature of chaos in quantum mechanics. After discussing the links between the spectrum, dynamics and chaos and pointing out an ambiguity in the physics literature, I present a number of new mathematical results on the existence of different types of spectra of the Floquet operator. I characterise the conditions for which the spectrum remains pure point and then, on relaxing these conditions, show the emergence of a continuous spectral component. The nature of the continuous spectrum is further analysed, and shown to be singularly continuous. Thus, the dynamics of these systems are a candidate for classification as chaotic. A conjecture on the emergence of a continuous spectral component is linked to a long standing number-theoretic conjecture on the estimation of finite exponential sums.

The research contained within this thesis was directed at examining the spectral properties of regolith-dominated terrains using airborne and proximal hyperspectral instruments. The focus of the investigation was to identify the mineralogy of the regolith and determine if surficial materials were indicative of the underlying bedrock in the regolithdominated terrain of the eastern Olary Domain, South Australia. The research area was constrained to a 250 km2 area around the Cu-Au mineralisation of the White Dam Prosect. Integrated remote sensing, using airborne hyperspectral datasets (HyMap), Landsat imagery and gamma-ray spectroscopy data, was performed to map regolith-landforms and extract information on surficial materials. Detailed calibration of the HyMap dataset, using a modified model-based/empirical line calibration technique, was required prior to information extraction. The White Dam area was able to be divided into: alluvial regolith-dominated; in situ regolith-dominated; and bedrock-dominated terrains, based on mineralogical interpretations of the regolith, using the remotely sensed hyperspectral data. Alluvial regions were characterised by large abundances of vegetation and soils with a hematite-rich mineralogy. Highly weathered areas of in situ material were discriminated by the presence of goethite and kaolinite of various crystallinities, whereas the bedrock-dominated regions displayed white mica-/muscovite-rich mineralogy. Areas flanking bedrock exposures commonly consisted of shallow muscovite-rich soils containing regolith carbonate accumulations. Traditional mineral mapping processes were performed on the HyMap data and were able to extract endmembers of regolith and other surficial materials. The Mixture Tuned Matched Filter un-mixing process was successful at classifying regolith materials and minerals. Spectral indices performed on masked data were effective at identifying the key regolith mineralogical features of the HyMap imagery and proved less time consuming than un-mixing processes. Processed HyMap imagery was able to identify weathering halos, highlighted in mineralogical changes, around bedrock exposures. Proximal spectral measurements and XRD analyses of samples collected from the White Dam Prospect were used to create detailed mineralogical dispersion maps of the surface and costean sections. Regolith materials of the logged sections were found to correlate with the spectrally-derived mineral dispersion profiles. The HyLogger drill core scanning instrument was used to examine the mineralogy of the fresh bedrock, which contrasted with the weathering-derived near-surface regolith materials. The overall outcomes of the thesis showed that hyperspectral techniques were useful for charactering the mineralogy of surficial materials and mapping regolith-landforms. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, 2004.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:09:21Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_em_me_prud.pdf: 1771107 bytes, checksum: ce4e3217f24011b9986cfca93b8d43b7 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O GPS tem mostrado ser capaz de apoiar uma grande variedade de aplicações. Porém, algumas aplicações enfrentam um obstáculo, ou seja, o efeito do multicaminho. O multicaminho é o fenômeno pelo qual um sinal chega à antena do receptor por caminhos múltiplos, devido à reflexão. O sinal refletido chega atrasado em relação ao sinal direto. Se estes atrasos forem curtos, ou seja, provenientes de reflexões próximas à antena do receptor, o efeito de multicaminho é caracterizado como de baixa freqüência, caso contrário, o efeito predominante é de alta freqüência. Este efeito distorce a modulação do sinal e a fase da portadora, conseqüentemente, degrada a acurácia e a precisão nos posicionamentos por ponto e relativo. Este efeito também pode impedir a fixação das ambigüidades, ou conduzir a uma solução incorreta das mesmas. Por isso, é de grande importância dispor de meios que possam atenuar o multicaminho. Uma possibilidade para atenuação deste efeito, tanto para fase como para a pseudodistância, é a utilização de uma poderosa ferramenta de análise espectral para o estudo de sinais: a transformada wavelets. Esta transformada decompõe o sinal, neste caso as duplas diferenças, separando as altas freqüências, onde se encontra o efeito do multicaminho proveniente de atrasos longos, das baixas freqüências, ou seja, a identidade do sinal e multicaminho de atrasos curtos. Após o processo de decomposição, utilizando os coeficientes wavelets o sinal pode ser reconstruído sem o efeito de multicaminho de alta freqüência. Esse procedimento é desenvolvido nesta dissertação de Mestrado. Os coeficientes wavelets relativos ao multicaminho obtidos das medidas de dupla diferença foram reconstruídos e, dessa forma, pôde-se analisar os erros e comprovar que satélites em baixos ângulos de elevação sofrem os maiores efeitos de multicaminho... / GPS has shown to be capable of supporting a wide variety of applications. However, some applications face a major problem. This is the effect of multipath; witch is a phenomenon whereby a signal arrives at a receiver via multiple paths. The multipath distorts the signal modulation and the carrier phase, degrading the accuracy and precision of absolute and relative positioning. This effect can impede the ambiguities fixation or to induce to an incorrect solution of the same ones. A possibility for the reduction of this effect, either for the carrier phase or the pseudorange is the use of a powerful tool of the spectral analysis to study the signals: wavelet transform. This transform decomposes the double differences signal separating the high frequencies, where there is the multipath effect from long delays, of the low frequencies, that is, identity of the signal and multipath of short delays. After the decomposition process, using the wavelets coefficients the signal can be reconstructed without the high frequency effects. This procedure is developed in this dissertation. The wavelet coefficients relative to the estimated and removed multipath from the double difference were reconstructed and these errors could be analyzed and verified as well that satellites at low elevation angles cause larger multipath errors. The daily multipath repeatability was also verified. Even the high frequency multipath not causing great errors, because the largest cause of these errors is the low frequency one, the correction of this effect provided improvements of up to 30% at the pseudorange average residuals and up to 14% for the carrier phase. The results also showed that the ambiguities solution was more reliable after the high frequency multipath correction. On the other hand, if there were no high frequency multipath effect, the proposed method will not affect the results...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

O conhecimento da fenologia é baseado nas observações de períodos de desenvolvimento da planta. Mudanças intra e interanuais na temperatura e precipitação podem influenciar diretamente as diferentes fases da fenologia, assim como as condições de umidade dos diferentes tipos de solo ao qual a vegetação está associada. O sensoriamento remoto é uma ferramenta que torna possível a aquisição de informações para análise espacial e temporal da vegetação. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre as variações da resposta espectral da vegetação campestre natural na Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) do Ibirapuitã, localizada no bioma Pampa, avaliando suas relações com os elementos do clima. Para isso, a metodologia compreendeu a coleta de dados climáticos de temperatura média do ar e precipitação pluvial; dados orbitais a partir de imagens de média resolução espacial do sensor MODIS para o período de 2000 a 2009, com posterior estimativa da correlação estatística entre estes dados. Além disso, utilizou-se o produto SRTM para auxiliar definição da grade amostral, em função da altimetria e solo. Os resultados mostraram os períodos de crescimento/desenvolvimento da vegetação campestre natural associados às estações do ano, com um período de crescimento nas estações quentes, diminuição da reflectância na região espectral do visível e aumento da reflectância no infravermelho próximo. Observou-se também, um período de senescência na estação fria do ano, onde o comportamento espectral da vegetação apresenta um aumento da reflectância na região espectral do visível e diminuição da reflectância no infravermelho próximo. As diferenças na reflectância da vegetação para cada tipo de solo foi observada para solos mais profundos, capazes de armazenar mais água. De maneira geral, verificou-se que a resposta espectral da vegetação campestre apresentou relação com as variações de temperatura média do ar e precipitação na região, respondendo às variáveis meteorológicas com um atraso aproximado de dezesseis (16) dias. Verificou-se assim que dados MODIS do infravermelho próximo, são adequados para monitorar o início da estação de máximo crescimento da vegetação campestre natural da APA do Ibirapuitã que se inicia na primavera. Este período está relacionado com a temperatura média do ar. / The knowledge of phenology is based on observations of periods of plant development. Inter-annual changes in temperature and rainfall may directly influence the different stages of phenology, as well as the moisture conditions of different soil types to which the vegetation is associated. Remote sensing is a tool which allows the acquisition of information for spatial and temporal analysis of vegetation. This work has aimed to study the variations of the natural grassland spectral response in the Ibirapuitã environmental protected area, which belongs to the Pampa biome, evaluating their relationship with the elements of climate. The methodology has consisted of collection of meteorological data, such as air temperature and rainfall, and orbital data from medium spatial resolution MODIS images, which covered the period from 2000 to 2009. It has also performed a statistical correlation among those data. In addition, a SRTM-defining product has employed as sampling grid, depending on elevation and soil. The results have showed periods of growth and development of natural grassland vegetation associated with the seasons, with a growth period during the warm seasons, and with a decrease of the reflectance in the visible spectrum and with an increase in the near infrared one. It was also observed a period of senescence during the cold season, where the spectral characteristics of the vegetation present a increase of the reflectance in the visible spectrum and with an decrease in the near infrared one. The differences in reflectance of vegetation in each soil type have showed most prominent in the deeper ones, which have a large water storage capacity. Overall, it has been observed a tight coupling between the spectral response of grassland vegetation and changes in air temperature and rainfall in the study area, so that the former has responded to the meteorological variables with a delay of approximately sixteen (16) days. Near-infrared MODIS data have been showed suitable to monitor the beginning of the season of maximum growth of natural grassland vegetation in the APA of the Ibirapuitã of which begins in spring. This period is mainly related to air temperature.

O conhecimento da fenologia é baseado nas observações de períodos de desenvolvimento da planta. Mudanças intra e interanuais na temperatura e precipitação podem influenciar diretamente as diferentes fases da fenologia, assim como as condições de umidade dos diferentes tipos de solo ao qual a vegetação está associada. O sensoriamento remoto é uma ferramenta que torna possível a aquisição de informações para análise espacial e temporal da vegetação. Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre as variações da resposta espectral da vegetação campestre natural na Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA) do Ibirapuitã, localizada no bioma Pampa, avaliando suas relações com os elementos do clima. Para isso, a metodologia compreendeu a coleta de dados climáticos de temperatura média do ar e precipitação pluvial; dados orbitais a partir de imagens de média resolução espacial do sensor MODIS para o período de 2000 a 2009, com posterior estimativa da correlação estatística entre estes dados. Além disso, utilizou-se o produto SRTM para auxiliar definição da grade amostral, em função da altimetria e solo. Os resultados mostraram os períodos de crescimento/desenvolvimento da vegetação campestre natural associados às estações do ano, com um período de crescimento nas estações quentes, diminuição da reflectância na região espectral do visível e aumento da reflectância no infravermelho próximo. Observou-se também, um período de senescência na estação fria do ano, onde o comportamento espectral da vegetação apresenta um aumento da reflectância na região espectral do visível e diminuição da reflectância no infravermelho próximo. As diferenças na reflectância da vegetação para cada tipo de solo foi observada para solos mais profundos, capazes de armazenar mais água. De maneira geral, verificou-se que a resposta espectral da vegetação campestre apresentou relação com as variações de temperatura média do ar e precipitação na região, respondendo às variáveis meteorológicas com um atraso aproximado de dezesseis (16) dias. Verificou-se assim que dados MODIS do infravermelho próximo, são adequados para monitorar o início da estação de máximo crescimento da vegetação campestre natural da APA do Ibirapuitã que se inicia na primavera. Este período está relacionado com a temperatura média do ar. / The knowledge of phenology is based on observations of periods of plant development. Inter-annual changes in temperature and rainfall may directly influence the different stages of phenology, as well as the moisture conditions of different soil types to which the vegetation is associated. Remote sensing is a tool which allows the acquisition of information for spatial and temporal analysis of vegetation. This work has aimed to study the variations of the natural grassland spectral response in the Ibirapuitã environmental protected area, which belongs to the Pampa biome, evaluating their relationship with the elements of climate. The methodology has consisted of collection of meteorological data, such as air temperature and rainfall, and orbital data from medium spatial resolution MODIS images, which covered the period from 2000 to 2009. It has also performed a statistical correlation among those data. In addition, a SRTM-defining product has employed as sampling grid, depending on elevation and soil. The results have showed periods of growth and development of natural grassland vegetation associated with the seasons, with a growth period during the warm seasons, and with a decrease of the reflectance in the visible spectrum and with an increase in the near infrared one. It was also observed a period of senescence during the cold season, where the spectral characteristics of the vegetation present a increase of the reflectance in the visible spectrum and with an decrease in the near infrared one. The differences in reflectance of vegetation in each soil type have showed most prominent in the deeper ones, which have a large water storage capacity. Overall, it has been observed a tight coupling between the spectral response of grassland vegetation and changes in air temperature and rainfall in the study area, so that the former has responded to the meteorological variables with a delay of approximately sixteen (16) days. Near-infrared MODIS data have been showed suitable to monitor the beginning of the season of maximum growth of natural grassland vegetation in the APA of the Ibirapuitã of which begins in spring. This period is mainly related to air temperature.

Orientador: João Francisco Galera Monico / Resumo: O GPS tem mostrado ser capaz de apoiar uma grande variedade de aplicações. Porém, algumas aplicações enfrentam um obstáculo, ou seja, o efeito do multicaminho. O multicaminho é o fenômeno pelo qual um sinal chega à antena do receptor por caminhos múltiplos, devido à reflexão. O sinal refletido chega atrasado em relação ao sinal direto. Se estes atrasos forem curtos, ou seja, provenientes de reflexões próximas à antena do receptor, o efeito de multicaminho é caracterizado como de baixa freqüência, caso contrário, o efeito predominante é de alta freqüência. Este efeito distorce a modulação do sinal e a fase da portadora, conseqüentemente, degrada a acurácia e a precisão nos posicionamentos por ponto e relativo. Este efeito também pode impedir a fixação das ambigüidades, ou conduzir a uma solução incorreta das mesmas. Por isso, é de grande importância dispor de meios que possam atenuar o multicaminho. Uma possibilidade para atenuação deste efeito, tanto para fase como para a pseudodistância, é a utilização de uma poderosa ferramenta de análise espectral para o estudo de sinais: a transformada wavelets. Esta transformada decompõe o sinal, neste caso as duplas diferenças, separando as altas freqüências, onde se encontra o efeito do multicaminho proveniente de atrasos longos, das baixas freqüências, ou seja, a identidade do sinal e multicaminho de atrasos curtos. Após o processo de decomposição, utilizando os coeficientes wavelets o sinal pode ser reconstruído sem o efeito de multicaminho de alta freqüência. Esse procedimento é desenvolvido nesta dissertação de Mestrado. Os coeficientes wavelets relativos ao multicaminho obtidos das medidas de dupla diferença foram reconstruídos e, dessa forma, pôde-se analisar os erros e comprovar que satélites em baixos ângulos de elevação sofrem os maiores efeitos de multicaminho...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: GPS has shown to be capable of supporting a wide variety of applications. However, some applications face a major problem. This is the effect of multipath; witch is a phenomenon whereby a signal arrives at a receiver via multiple paths. The multipath distorts the signal modulation and the carrier phase, degrading the accuracy and precision of absolute and relative positioning. This effect can impede the ambiguities fixation or to induce to an incorrect solution of the same ones. A possibility for the reduction of this effect, either for the carrier phase or the pseudorange is the use of a powerful tool of the spectral analysis to study the signals: wavelet transform. This transform decomposes the double differences signal separating the high frequencies, where there is the multipath effect from long delays, of the low frequencies, that is, identity of the signal and multipath of short delays. After the decomposition process, using the wavelets coefficients the signal can be reconstructed without the high frequency effects. This procedure is developed in this dissertation. The wavelet coefficients relative to the estimated and removed multipath from the double difference were reconstructed and these errors could be analyzed and verified as well that satellites at low elevation angles cause larger multipath errors. The daily multipath repeatability was also verified. Even the high frequency multipath not causing great errors, because the largest cause of these errors is the low frequency one, the correction of this effect provided improvements of up to 30% at the pseudorange average residuals and up to 14% for the carrier phase. The results also showed that the ambiguities solution was more reliable after the high frequency multipath correction. On the other hand, if there were no high frequency multipath effect, the proposed method will not affect the results...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre