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.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T19:25:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Calil Abumanssur.pdf: 713592 bytes, checksum: 8bf0b3044a8980a927948637dc210303 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-07-25 / A set of measurements of daily average temperatures of 22 agrometeorológicas stations of the Agronomic Institute of the Paraná-IAPAR in operation, were compiled originating monthly storms series matrices of temperature that permitted to calculate to evapotranspiration by the Method of Camargo from which were obtained values of the evapotranspiration month to month for each one of the distinct stations. It applied the models of the gama distribution functions, log-normal and generalized of extreme value was utilizing the results of the monthly evapotranspiration for calculate the probable value with 75% of occurrence probability. For verification of adjustment of the curves of variation of the functions distribution of the models log-normal end gamma the method of Kolmogorov-Smirnov was used, for the generalized model of extreme values the verification of the adjustment was used of the method of Wang. As they turned out was observed the monthly variation of the values of evapotranspiration to the long one of the months in the State, where the tendency of regions more to the north will have the biggest values estimated of sheet of evapotranspiration and in the stations situated in areas of bigger relative altitudes will present sheets values minors. As regards the models range, log-normal and generalized extreme value, utilized for estimate of the evapotranspiration potential, if adjusted satisfactorily. With the values of each month, considering the probability of 75% of occurrence, in each one of the stations, was mounted the map of the isolines that represent the variability of the evapotranspiration potential, according to model gama, on the cartographic base of the State of the Paraná/Brazil. / Um conjunto de medições de temperaturas médias diárias de 22 estações agrometeorológicas do Instituto Agronômico do Paraná - IAPAR em operação, foram compiladas originando matrizes de séries temporais mensais de temperatura que permitiram calcular a evapotranspiração pelo Método de Camargo, a partir do qual foram obtidos valores da evapotranspiração mês a mês para cada uma das estações distintas. Aplicando-se os modelos das funções de distribuição gama, log-normal e generalizada de valores extremos, foram utilizados os resultados da evapotranspiração mensal para calcular o valor provável, com 75% de probabilidade de ocorrência. Para verificação de ajuste das curvas de variação das funções distribuição dos modelos gama e log-normal foi utilizado o método de Kolmogorov-Smirnov, para o modelo generalizado de valores extremos a verificação do ajuste utilizou-se do método de Wang. Como resultado, foi observada a variação mensal dos valores de evapotranspiração no Estado, ao longo dos meses. Verificou-se a tendência de regiões mais ao norte apresentarem os maiores valores estimados de lâmina de evapotranspiração e nas estações situadas em áreas de maiores altitudes relativas apresentarem menores valores de lâminas. Quanto aos modelos gama, log-normal e generalizada de valores extremos, utilizados para estimativa da evapotranspiração potencial, ajustaram se satisfatoriamente. Com os valores de cada mês, considerando a probabilidade de 75% de ocorrência, em cada uma das estações, foi montado o mapa das isolinhas que representa a variabilidade da evapotranspiração potencial, segundo o modelo gama, sobre a base cartográfica do estado do Paraná.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-12T14:48:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Calil Abumanssur.pdf: 713592 bytes, checksum: 8bf0b3044a8980a927948637dc210303 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-07-25 / A set of measurements of daily average temperatures of 22 agrometeorológicas stations of the Agronomic Institute of the Paraná-IAPAR in operation, were compiled originating monthly storms series matrices of temperature that permitted to calculate to evapotranspiration by the Method of Camargo from which were obtained values of the evapotranspiration month to month for each one of the distinct stations. It applied the models of the gama distribution functions, log-normal and generalized of extreme value was utilizing the results of the monthly evapotranspiration for calculate the probable value with 75% of occurrence probability. For verification of adjustment of the curves of variation of the functions distribution of the models log-normal end gamma the method of Kolmogorov-Smirnov was used, for the generalized model of extreme values the verification of the adjustment was used of the method of Wang. As they turned out was observed the monthly variation of the values of evapotranspiration to the long one of the months in the State, where the tendency of regions more to the north will have the biggest values estimated of sheet of evapotranspiration and in the stations situated in areas of bigger relative altitudes will present sheets values minors. As regards the models range, log-normal and generalized extreme value, utilized for estimate of the evapotranspiration potential, if adjusted satisfactorily. With the values of each month, considering the probability of 75% of occurrence, in each one of the stations, was mounted the map of the isolines that represent the variability of the evapotranspiration potential, according to model gama, on the cartographic base of the State of the Paraná/Brazil. / Um conjunto de medições de temperaturas médias diárias de 22 estações agrometeorológicas do Instituto Agronômico do Paraná - IAPAR em operação, foram compiladas originando matrizes de séries temporais mensais de temperatura que permitiram calcular a evapotranspiração pelo Método de Camargo, a partir do qual foram obtidos valores da evapotranspiração mês a mês para cada uma das estações distintas. Aplicando-se os modelos das funções de distribuição gama, log-normal e generalizada de valores extremos, foram utilizados os resultados da evapotranspiração mensal para calcular o valor provável, com 75% de probabilidade de ocorrência. Para verificação de ajuste das curvas de variação das funções distribuição dos modelos gama e log-normal foi utilizado o método de Kolmogorov-Smirnov, para o modelo generalizado de valores extremos a verificação do ajuste utilizou-se do método de Wang. Como resultado, foi observada a variação mensal dos valores de evapotranspiração no Estado, ao longo dos meses. Verificou-se a tendência de regiões mais ao norte apresentarem os maiores valores estimados de lâmina de evapotranspiração e nas estações situadas em áreas de maiores altitudes relativas apresentarem menores valores de lâminas. Quanto aos modelos gama, log-normal e generalizada de valores extremos, utilizados para estimativa da evapotranspiração potencial, ajustaram se satisfatoriamente. Com os valores de cada mês, considerando a probabilidade de 75% de ocorrência, em cada uma das estações, foi montado o mapa das isolinhas que representa a variabilidade da evapotranspiração potencial, segundo o modelo gama, sobre a base cartográfica do estado do Paraná.

Wireless sensor networks offer the advantages of low cost, flexible measurement of phenomenon in a wide variety of applications, and easy deployment. Since sensor nodes are typically battery powered, energy efficiency is an important objective in designing sensor network algorithms. These algorithms are often application-specific, owing to the need to carefully optimize energy usage, and since deployments usually support a single or very few applications.<p> This thesis concerns applications in which the sensors monitor a continuous scalar field, such as temperature, and addresses the problem of determining the location of a contour line in this scalar field, in response to a query, and communicating this information to a designated sink node. An energy-efficient solution to this problem is proposed and evaluated. This solution includes new contour detection and query propagation algorithms, in-network-processing algorithms, and routing algorithms. Only a small fraction of network nodes may be adjacent to the desired contour line, and the contour detection and query propagation algorithms attempt to minimize processing and communication by the other network nodes. The in-network processing algorithms reduce communication volume through suppression, compression and aggregation techniques. Finally, the routing algorithms attempt to route the contour information to the sink as efficiently as possible, while meshing with the other algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms yield significant improvements in data and message volumes compared to baseline models, while maintaining the integrity of the contour representation.

Wireless sensor networks offer the advantages of low cost, flexible measurement of phenomenon in a wide variety of applications, and easy deployment. Since sensor nodes are typically battery powered, energy efficiency is an important objective in designing sensor network algorithms. These algorithms are often application-specific, owing to the need to carefully optimize energy usage, and since deployments usually support a single or very few applications.<p> This thesis concerns applications in which the sensors monitor a continuous scalar field, such as temperature, and addresses the problem of determining the location of a contour line in this scalar field, in response to a query, and communicating this information to a designated sink node. An energy-efficient solution to this problem is proposed and evaluated. This solution includes new contour detection and query propagation algorithms, in-network-processing algorithms, and routing algorithms. Only a small fraction of network nodes may be adjacent to the desired contour line, and the contour detection and query propagation algorithms attempt to minimize processing and communication by the other network nodes. The in-network processing algorithms reduce communication volume through suppression, compression and aggregation techniques. Finally, the routing algorithms attempt to route the contour information to the sink as efficiently as possible, while meshing with the other algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithms yield significant improvements in data and message volumes compared to baseline models, while maintaining the integrity of the contour representation.

Over the last 100 years sexual selection has advanced into a vast field of theoretical and empirical research. While Darwin’s idea of female preference being an integral mechanism of sexual selection is no longer debated, our understanding of female preference is still very limited. For example, we know little about the genetic variation in female preference, and the costs of preference over and above the costs of mating with particular male phenotypes. Additionally, while costs of mate choice are well documented, the benefits of mate choice and their implications are still debated. For example, controversy exists over the inevitability of good gene benefits and their capability to promote adaptive sexual selection. Furthermore, the adaptiveness of sexual selection itself is debated. Our understanding of the traits involved in mate choice is also far from complete. Here I investigated aspects of sexual selection in Drosophila simulans, employing a range of behavioural approaches along with artificial selection and environmental manipulations. The findings presented here indicate that female preference can evolve when directly selected on, and that preference itself is not particularly costly. There was also no conclusive evidence for the good genes benefits of mate choice in D. simulans. These benefits are considered crucial in promoting the adaptiveness of sexual selection, and although we found sexual selection to be adaptive under some test conditions it was not adaptive in other conditions. Our investigations into traits involved in mate choice established sex-specific genetic variation in cuticular hydrocarbons and the genetic architecture of this trait was found to sex-specific evolution of cuticular hydrocarbons under natural and sexual selection. Additionally, we found that a secondary sexual character, the sex combs was positively allometric – just like most signalling and weapon traits, and there was no association between trait fluctuating asymmetry and trait size. These findings collectively indicate that sexual selection in D. simulans is consistent with classical models of this process.

Seismic velocities are an important prerequisite for seismic processing as a method for hydrocarbons accumulations detection. Seismic velocities are often displayed for mutual comparing, improvement checking, they are filtrated and recalculated for its different characteristic determination. This work deals with basic seismic propagation laws, the meaning of velocities in different stages of seismic processing and this theoretical background is followed by a proposition of method for calculating and displaying of stack velocities.