Master of Arts / Department of Geography / Douglas Goodin / In this thesis, I proposed a new surface dryness index based on the slope of soil moisture isolines in the Land Surface Temperature/Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (LST/NDVI) feature space. This index, referred to here as Dryness Slope Index (DSI), overcomes the problem of Temperature Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) having different basis when calculating TVDI values across different images. This problem is rooted in the definition of TVDI whose calculation depends on the position of the “dry edge” and “wet edge” of pixels’ values in the LST/NDVI space of a specific image. The “wet edge” has a fairly stable physical meaning, which represents soil at field capacity or above, and it remains stable across a time series of images. However, the position of “dry edge” represents the driest condition in the image, which does not necessarily mean that the soil is completely dry. Therefore, the value of TVDI calculated from different images is not based on an invariant dry edge value as its baseline, and it is therefore likely to lead to incorrect conclusion if used without extra examination. This problem manifests itself when comparing TVDI values from different images with meteorological data. Results from similar analyses done with DSI showed more reasonable match with the validation data, indicating DSI is a more robust surface dryness index than TVDI. Having verified DSI can be effectively used in estimating soil moisture, I applied DSI on Landsat5 TM to study the relationship between soil moisture and land cover, slope, aspect, and relative elevation. Results showed that land cover accounts the most for variations of estimated soil moisture. I also applied DSI on a long time-series (2000 to 2014) of MODIS data trying to explore the temporal evolution of soil moisture in the entire Flint Hills ecoregion. Results showed little correlation between time and estimated soil moisture, indicating that no noticeable changes in soil moisture has been found through all these years.

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2017-10-31T16:02:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Tiago Abrah?o Pereira Nunes.pdf: 1105331 bytes, checksum: 0181da3c6f09beb15f83949f7e054ee8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-31T16:02:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015 - Tiago Abrah?o Pereira Nunes.pdf: 1105331 bytes, checksum: 0181da3c6f09beb15f83949f7e054ee8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-26 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of epidermal dehydration on the parasiticide effective of fipronil 10% ?spot on? in dogs artificially infested with Ctenocephalides felis felis. For this, 24 Beagles were used, divided into four groups of six dogs each. The dogs on the control groups were not treated, while the dogs on the treated group I e II and III were treated with the formulation of 10% fipronil ??spot on??. The dogs on treated group I were submitted to weekly baths with neutral glycerin soap. The dogs on treated group II were submitted to 21 consecutive and daily baths with benzoyl peroxide 2,5% shampoo. Dogs treated group III were submitted to the same baths made in treated group II, however, undergo biweekly applications of lipid formulation (containing ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids), until the end of the study. The dogs in the control group, treated group I, treated group II and treated group III were infested with 50 pairs of C. felis felis. Infestations were performed on days -2, +5, +12, +19, +26, +33, +40, +47, +54 and, on days +2, +7, +14, +21, +28, +35, +42, +49 and +56, fleas were mechanical removed and counted for evaluation. Pulicide efficacy for treated group I on days +2, +7, +14, +21, +28, +35, +42, +49 and +56, were respectively 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 76.25% and 72,47%. The pulicide efficacy for the treated group II, evaluated on the same days, were respectively 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 97.35%; 92.86%; 82.85% and 71.21%. The pulicide efficacy for the treated group III, evaluated on the same days, were respectively 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 99.49%; 28.23% and 27.53%. The comparative statistical analysis between the averages of live fleas, between the control and treated groups I and between the control group and treated II showed that there was a significant difference (p?0,05) for the challenges in all experimental days, after treatment. In the comparison between the control group and treated III, showed a significant difference (p?0,05) for the challenges until day 42. No more having significant difference (p?0,05) in the experimental day +49 and +56. Statistical analysis between the treated groups I and II and treated II and III showed that there was no significant difference (p?0,05) for the challenges in all experimental days. The analysis of the treaty I and III, determined that there was no significant difference (p?0,05) until day 49, a significant difference (p?0,05) on day +56. Fipronil was effective in eliminating fleas on dogs until the day + 56 with no more residual protective effect when the animals were reinfested. The induced of epidermal dehydration, does not determined changes on the efficacy or decreased the residual effect of fipronil when used in dogs subjected to exposure of populations of C. felis felis,, through weekly infestations. This fact was confirmed since the lipid formulation of applications, were not able, in turn, to determine more effective and prolonged residual effect of fipronil when used in dogs undergoing exposure populations of C. felis felis on weekly infestation. / O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influ?ncia da desidrata??o epid?rmica sobre a efic?cia pulguicida do fipronil empregado por via t?pica em c?es. Foram utilizados 24 c?es da ra?a Beagle, compondo seis animais por grupo. Os c?es foram divididos em quatro grupos. Os c?es do grupo controle n?o receberam tratamento, enquanto que os c?es dos grupos tratados I, II e III receberam tratamento com formula??o de fipronil 10% ??spot on??. Os c?es do grupo tratado I foram submetidos a banhos semanais com sabonete de glicerina neutro. Os c?es do grupo tratado II foram submetidos a 21 dias de banhos consecutivos e di?rios com shampoo contendo per?xido de benzo?la 2,5%. Os c?es do grupo tratado III foram submetidos ao mesmo regime de banhos do grupo tratado II, por?m, nesses c?es, somou-se aos banhos, aplica??es quinzenais de formula??o lip?dica (contendo ceramidas, colesterol e ?cidos graxos), at? o t?rmino do estudo. Os c?es dos grupos controle, tratado I, tratado II e tratado III foram infestados com 50 casais de C. felis felis. As infesta??es foram realizadas nos dias, -2, +5, +12, +19, +26, +33, +40, +47 e +54 e, nos dias +2, +7, +14, +21, +28, +35, +42, +49 e +56, realizou-se a retirada mec?nica e contagem de pulgas para avalia??o. As efic?cias pulguicidas, para o grupo tratado I, nos dias +2, +7, +14, +21, +28, +35, +42, +49 e +56, foram, respectivamente: 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%, 100%; 76,25% e 72,47%. As efic?cias pulguicidas, para o grupo tratado II, avaliadas nos mesmos dias, foram respectivamente: 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 97,35%; 92,86%; 82,85% e 71,21%. As efic?cias pulguicidas para o grupo tratado III, avaliadas nos mesmos dias, foram respectivamente: 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 100%; 99,49% e 28,23% e 27,53%. A an?lise estat?stica comparativa entre as m?dias de pulgas vivas, entre os grupos controle e tratado I e entre o grupo controle e tratado II, demonstrou que ocorreu diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) para os desafios em todos os dias experimentais, ap?s o tratamento. J? na compara??o entre o grupo controle e tratado III, evidenciou-se diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) para os desafios at? o dia +42. N?o mais havendo diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) no dia experimental +49 e +56. A an?lise estat?stica entre os grupos tratados I e II e tratado II e III demonstrou que n?o ocorreu diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) para os desafios em todos os dias experimentais. J? a an?lise entre o tratado I e III, determinou que n?o houve diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) at? o dia +49, havendo diferen?a significativa (p?0,05) no dia +56. O estudo foi encerrado no dia +56 j? que a efic?cia do fipronil nos grupos tratados I, II e III n?o apresentou mais efeito residual de prote??o quando os animais foram reinfestados. A desidrata??o epid?rmica induzida n?o determinou altera??o na efic?cia ou diminui??o do efeito residual do fipronil quando empregados em c?es submetidos ? exposi??o de popula??es de C. felis felis,, atrav?s de infesta??es semanais. Fato esse corroborado uma vez que, as aplica??es de formula??o lip?dica, n?o foram capazes, por sua vez, de determinar maior efic?cia ou prolongamento do efeito residual do fipronil quando empregados em c?es submetidos ? exposi??o de popula??es de C. felis felis., atrav?s de infesta??es semanais

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nÃo hà / A observaÃÃo da superfÃcie terrestre por meio de satÃlites em Ãrbita de nosso planeta tornou-se corriqueira no mundo contemporÃneo. As inferÃncias de variÃveis ambientais diversas feitas a partir de imagens e dados fornecidos por satÃlites cada vez mais aumentam em qualidade e aplicabilidade de maneira que um nÃmero crescente de hidrologistas, meteorologistas, climatologistas e outros profissionais e leigos em geral fazem uso intensivo delas em estudos e pesquisas, em polÃticas governamentais ou na tomada de decisÃo. Uma dessas variÃveis à a umidade superficial do solo, que representa uma importante componente do ciclo hidrolÃgico terrestre, essencial em vÃrios processos naturais ambientais e cujo conhecimento à importante no gerenciamento dos recursos hÃdricos e terrestres, gerenciamento agrÃcola e na modelagem do meio ambiente e agrÃcola. As informaÃÃes derivadas de satÃlites, apesar de ainda apresentarem algumas limitaÃÃes tÃcnicas, podem facilitar bastante o monitoramento ambiental ao se tornarem, muitas vezes, mais Ãgeis e mais econÃmicas do que mediÃÃes locais in situ. Em paÃses em desenvolvimento e de limitados recursos financeiros, tais como o nosso, a informaÃÃo por satÃlites cresce em valor. No Estado do CearÃ, isso desponta ainda mais em virtude das suas dificuldades econÃmicas e sociais. Em vista disso, à proposta, neste trabalho, a aplicaÃÃo nesse estado do Nordeste de um mÃtodo de inferÃncia, por satÃlite, do estado geral da umidade superficial do solo expresso pelo Ãndice de Seca Temperatura-VegetaÃÃo (ISTV), que à indicativo do grau da umidade, estando a ela relacionado. Esse Ãndice à obtido a partir da combinaÃÃo de informaÃÃes da Temperatura da SuperfÃcie Continental (TSC) e do Ãndice de VegetaÃÃo por DiferenÃa Normalizada (IVDN), inferidos por meio de imagens no visÃvel e no infravermelho que podem ser fornecidas por satÃlites meteorolÃgicos operacionais, de Ãrbita polar, tais como os da sÃrie NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, EUA). No mÃtodo, foi escolhido, da literatura cientÃfica, um algoritmo de cÃlculo da TSC que apresenta certa facilidade de uso, sendo diretamente dependente da FraÃÃo de Cobertura de VegetaÃÃo (FCV) e que pode fornecer boas inferÃncias dessa temperatura. Nesse algoritmo, foram testadas, de forma inÃdita, algumas diferentes formulaÃÃes da FCV encontradas na literatura especializada, representando uma delas o estado da arte no assunto. Foram usadas imagens provenientes do satÃlite NOAA-17, recepcionadas na FUNCEME, e um software especÃfico, dessa FundaÃÃo, para se processar as imagens e implementar a metodologia abordada. Alguns testes foram feitos para duas regiÃes relativamente pequenas do semiÃrido cearense, com destaque para uma delas englobando a Bacia Experimental de Aiuaba (BEA), comparando-se as informaÃÃes do satÃlite NOAA-17 com dados in situ (provenientes de sondas no solo) e com dados advindos dos satÃlites ambientais Terra (dados de TSC, disponÃveis na Internet) e Aqua (dados de umidade superficial do solo). Procurou-se mostrar as diferenÃas qualitativas entre os mapeamentos obtidos, de umidade superficial do solo, e entre estes e os oferecidos pela modelagem em geral. Os resultados encontrados mostraram-se promissores para a utilizaÃÃo no territÃrio cearense do ISTV (no modelo trapezoidal) por meio de satÃlites NOAA, com o algoritmo de Kerr para o cÃlculo da TSC e com a FCV dada pelo Scaled Difference Vegetation Index (SDVI), com o fim de se estimar o estado geral da umidade superficial do solo sobre grandes Ãreas. Entretanto, recomenda-se mais validaÃÃo local posterior do mÃtodo usado, para detecÃÃo de possÃveis erros ou limitaÃÃes nÃo vislumbradas nestes primeiros testes, visando sua definitiva aplicaÃÃo operacional no Cearà e mesmo no semiÃrido do Nordeste.

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Vacuum dewatering of paper is a heavily energy expensive process, even more so for greaseproof paper, which is one of the main products at Nordic Paper Seffle AB. Due to this being such an energy demanding process, improvements in the vacuum dewatering could save massive amounts of energy. The focus of this thesis is to investigate the effect of a triple vacuum suction box on the dewatering rate of greaseproof paper, using a tried and tested method of simulative triple vacuum suction box at a laboratory scale, with the difference of simulating a quadruple vacuum suction box, and how the grammage of the paper sheet affected this, using unbleached sulphate pulp consisting of soft wood with an addition of 20 % eucalyptus fibers. The results were as expected, showing the expected dryness curve behavior of diminishing returns of the dryness to dwell time ratio, and the method showed valid for improving the energy efficiency compared to a single vacuum suction box, in terms of both expended energy, and yielded dryness. The grammage had a significant effect on the dewatering, with the heavier paper at 100 gsm showing the need of higher dwell times and increased levels of vacuum pressure than the lighter paper at 50 gsm. An addition of a triple vacuum suction box could possibly replace multiple high vacuum suction boxes, leading to even greater savings. Further testing would be required for optimization of the vacuum levels and dwell times for the 100 gsm paper sheet, in order to reach the same dryness as the 50 gsm paper sheet. / Vakuumavvattning av papper är en mycket energikrävande process, ännu mer för greaseproofpapper, som är en av huvudprodukterna hos Nordic Paper Seffle AB. Eftersom detta är en så energikrävande process kan förbättringar av vakuumavvattningen spara enorma mängder energi. Fokus för denna avhandling är att undersöka effekten av en trippelvakuumsuglåda på avvattningseffektiviteten av greaseproofpapper, med hjälp av en beprövad metod för simulativ trippelvakuumsuglåda i laboratorieskala, med skillnaden att simulera en fyrdubbelvakuumsuglåda, och hur ytvikten på pappersarket påverkar detta; med oblekt sulfatmassa bestående av långfiber med tillsats av 20 % eukalyptusfibrer. Resultaten var som förväntat och visade den förväntade torrhaltskurvans beteende av avtagande förbättring av torrhalten, och metoden visade sig vara giltig för att förbättra energieffektiviteten jämfört med en enda vakuumsuglåda, både vad gäller förbrukad energi och torrhalt. Ytvikten hade en stor effekt på avvattningen, där det tyngre papperet på 100 gsm visade behov av längre uppehållstider och ökade nivåer av vakuumtryck än det lättare papperet vid 50 gsm. Ett tillägg av en trippelvakuumsuglåda kan troligen ersätta flera högvakuumsugslådor, vilket leder till ännu större besparingar. Ytterligare tester skulle krävas för optimering av vakuumnivåerna och uppehållstiderna för 100 gsm pappersarket, för att nå samma torrhet som 50 gsm pappersarket.

The underlying motives of the research undertaken here are twofold: to obtain a deeper understanding of the dewatering mechanisms at the forming section of a papermaking machine and to develop numerical models that describe the flow through forming fabrics. More comprehensive knowledge of dewatering in the forming section allows suggestions to be made for improvements that reduce the amount of energy used in the process without affecting the quality of the end product.   The objective of this thesis is to answer the following questions: How and why does rewetting occur at the high vacuum suction boxes? How does the structure of the forming fabric affect dewatering at the forming section? Is it possible to create accurate numerical models for forming fabrics, and can these be used to predict the dewatering behaviour of new types of fabrics?   Laboratory and pilot studies simulating high vacuum suction boxes were performed together with numerical modelling of the flow of air and water through both the forming fabric and the paper sheet.   The conclusion drawn from the pilot study is that rewetting significantly lowers the dryness of the paper sheet exiting the suction boxes. The phenomenon is extremely rapid and is most likely driven by capillary forces. The high speed at which this rewetting occurs makes it difficult to impede by placing the suction boxes closer to the couch pick-up: the solution is more likely to be the use of new and improved designs of the forming fabric. The structure of the forming fabric has been shown to affect the dewatering rate at certain conditions of vacuum dewatering, and can possibly be connected partly to the fact that fibres penetrate the surface of the fabric to varying degrees and partly to the flow resistance of the different fabric structures. Numerical models of high accuracy can be constructed and used to predetermine how new fabric designs would affect dewatering at the forming section.   This thesis quantifies aspects of dewatering such as rewetting and the influence of the forming fabric. Understanding these dewatering aspects further provides for the potential enhancement of energy efficiency in the forming section, and thereby the entire papermaking process. The forming fabric can play an important role in improving energy efficiency: rewetting after the high vacuum suction boxes occurs more rapidly than was previously known, so its design might be the only possible way of impeding it. The forming fabric can also improve the rate of dewatering: it is therefore likely that its design will be important in the next stage of developing energy efficiency and thereby play a part in achieving a more sustainable future. / This thesis quantifies aspects of dewatering such as rewetting and the influence of the forming fabric. Understanding these dewatering aspects further provides for the potential enhancement of energy efficiency in the forming section, and thereby the entire papermaking process. The forming fabric can play an important role in improving energy efficiency: rewetting after the high vacuum suction boxes occurs more rapidly than was previously known, so its design might be the only possible way of impeding it. The forming fabric can also improve the rate of dewatering: it is therefore likely that its design will be important in the next stage of developing energy efficiency and thereby play a part in achieving a more sustainable future.