117,411 research outputs found
Describing the spatio-temporal variability of vines and soil by satellite-based spectral indices: A case study in Apulia (South Italy).
No full textA time series of Landsat 8 OLI (L8 OLI) multispectral images acquired between May 2013 and February 2016 were used to investigate vigour, vine and soil water content in a vineyard of Moscato Reale (syn. Moscato Bianco) sited in the Castel del Monte DOCG area. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) were calculated and compared with vine midday stem water potential (ΨMDstem) and soil volume water content (VWC), to calibrate estimation models. Estimation models were calibrated using already existing ground observation datasets from previous ordinary vineyard management operations: ΨMDstem was measured at two different locations in vineyard at 6 different dates in summer 2014; VWC was continuously measured from June to October 2014 and from January to September 2015. Results showed that: a) vine stem water potential can be locally estimated with an accuracy ranging from ±0.046 (high vigour vines) to ±0.127 (low vigour vines) MPa; b) soil volume water content can be locally estimated with an accuracy of about ±1.7%. Medium resolution satellite imagery proved, therefore, to be effective, at vineyard level, to describe vigour, vine and soil water status and their seasonality. This is an important issue to focus on since, as Landsat 8 images are free, the entire process is economic enough to be consistent with cost and incoming of the farming syste
A comparison between multispectral aerial and satellite imagery in precision viticulture
No full textIn this work we tested consistency and reliability of satellite-derived Prescription Maps (PMs) respect to those that can be obtained by aerial imagery. Test design considered a vineyard of Moscato Reale sited in Apulia (South-Eastern Italy) and two growing seasons (2013 and 2014). Comparisons concerned Landsat 8 OLI images and aerial datasets from airborne RedLake MS4100 multispectral camera. We firstly investigated the role of spatial resolution in radiometric features of data and, in particular, of NDVI maps and consequently of vigour maps. We first measured the maximum expected correlation between satellite- and aerial-derived maps. We found that, without any pixel selection and spatial interpolation, correlation ranges between 0.35 and 0.60 depending on the degree of heterogeneity of the vineyard. We also found that this result can be improved by operating a selection of those pixels representing vines canopy in aerial imagery and spatially interpolating them. In this way correlation coefficient can be improved up to 0.85 (minimum 0.60) suggesting an excellent capability of satellite data to approximate aerial ones at vineyard level. Prescription maps derived from vigour one demonstrated to be spatially consistent; but we also found that the quantitative interpretation of mapped vigour was changing in strength according to datasets and time of acquisition. Therefore, in spite of a satisfying consistency of spatial distribution, results showed that vigour strength at vineyard level from aerial and satellite datasets is generally not consistent, partially for the presence of a bias (that we modelled)
(Very) Fast astronomical photometry for meter-class telescopes
No full textOur team at the INAF-Astronomical Observatory of Padova and the University of Padova is engaged in the design, construction and operations of instruments with very high time accuracy in the optical band for applications to High Time Resolution Astrophysics and Quantum Astronomy. Two instruments were built to perform photon counting with sub-nanosecond temporal accuracy, Aqueye+ and Iqueye. Aqueye+ is regularly mounted at the 1.8m Copernicus telescope in Asiago, while Iqueye was mounted at several 4m class telescopes around the world and is now attached through the Iqueye Fiber Interface to the 1.2m Galileo telescope in Asiago. They are used to perform coordinated high time resolution optical observations and, for the first time ever, experiments of optical intensity interferometry on a baseline of a few kilometers. We report on recent technological developments and scientific results obtained within the framework of this project...
Intra-vineyard variability description through satellite-derived spectral indices as related to soil and vine water status
No full textA time series of Landsat 8 OLI multispectral images acquired in the period May 2013 - February 2016 was used to investigate vineyard behaviour in terms of vigour and water content. The study site was located in the Castel del Monte DOCG area; a ‘Moscato Reale’ (syn. ‘Moscato Bianco’) vineyard was analysed. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference water index (NDWI) were calculated for all images (preventively calibrated and atmospherically corrected) to describe, at pixel level (30×30 m), vigour, plant and soil water status. Spectral indices cyclicity was also assessed to explore dynamics of vines growing season. Satellite-derived information was compared with ground parameters (midday stem water potential and soil water content), correlation tested and regression models for parameter estimation calibrated. Periodicity of vigour (NDVI) and water content (NDWI’) along time was described using a Fast Fourier Transform approach, finding that the most vigorous part of vineyard corresponded to the most regular (cyclic) ones. Middle resolution multispectral imagery from satellite can be effectively used, at vineyard level, to describe cyclicity, water status and soil moisture. This is an important issue to focus on since, as Landsat OLI dataset is free, the entire process is economic enough to be consistent with cost and income of the farming system
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Preliminary structural design of PANCAM, a bifocal panoramic camera for planetary observation
No full textHigh-performance imaging systems play a fundamental role in space and planetary observation. Traditional cameras require actuators coupled with movable elements to scan large scenarios and overcome their limited field of view. Extra equipment increases the mass budget and the instrument complexity, as well as the risk of failure. Panoramic optics constitute a valid solution to enhance the imaging systems robustness while enlarging the camera field of view, all with a single compact device. In this paper, the feasibility of employing an off-the-shelf optical system based on a hyper-hemispheric panoramic lens for planetary observation has been assessed. In particular, the supporting frame of the aforementioned optical system has been designed to withstand a general space environment, i.e. temperature variation between -120°C and + 120°C, and considering loading during launch. A design solution is proposed, resulting from a kinematic-like mounting system to safely endure the thermal environment. In order to validate the obtained design, a mockup has been manufactured, assembled, and tested in a representative mechanical environment, exhibiting good agreement with the dynamic behaviour predicted by the developed numerical models
The mosaic leafhopper Orientus ishidae: host plants, spatial distribution, infectivity, and transmission of 16SrV phytoplasmas to vines
No full textOrientus ishidae (Matsumura) is an Asian species introduced into Europe and recently associated with 16SrV phytoplasmas, related to grapevine “flavescence dorée”. Its life cycle, host plants, spatial distribution, infection and vector capability have been investigated in vine-growing areas of Piedmont, NW Italy. The spatial distribution of adults in vineyards was studied by applying interpolation methods to trap capture data. Insects were subject to molecular analyses to verify phytoplasma presence and identity. DNA extraction and PCR were made to detect 16SrV phytoplasmas. Transmission experiments were set up, using different sources for phytoplasma acquisition, and two plant species and an artificial diet for inoculation. Whole mount in situ hybridization was made to detect phytoplasmas in the salivary glands of adults. In the vineyard agro-ecosystem, 19 plant species (11 families), mainly broadleaf trees and shrubs, were recognized as host plants of the insect. Adults were more abundant on putative host plants than on grapevines, with a clear clustering at the edges of vineyards, and without a massive intrusion into the vineyard from outside. 16SrV phytoplasmas were detected only in adults captured with yellow sticky traps (20 out of 188 tested). The transmission of 16SrV phytoplasmas was successful after phytoplasma acquisition from infected broad bean and inoculation on grapevine
Square Dancing with the Stars to Enhance Dynamic Hirschman Linkages?
No full textIn this Presidential Address, the author takes the reader on a reconnaissance of his life and time as a regional scientist. He points out scenery he found scintillating along the way, hoping that some may pick up the banner and chew on a few of the ideas for a while. He suggests a revisit to Albert O. Hirschman’s notion of key sectors and more empirical analysis related to Marcus Berliant’s and Masahisa Fujita’s notion of knowledge creation and transfer.Presidential Address, San Antonio, Texas, March 29, 2014 (53rd Meetings of the Southern Regional Science Association
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
No full textWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Letter from unknown writer to Jesse L. Boyce
No full textLetter to Jesse L. Boyce from unknown author (possibly Jack) about the investigation into the powder magazine located in the Grand Canyon. Some personal news is included in the letter such as the writer's marriage to the daughter of C.A. Taylor, former Supervisor of Cochise County
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