11,105 research outputs found
Hydro-Climatic Extremes in the Anthropocene
No full textThis book explores how human civilization has contributed to changes in the Anthropocene, an era that marks a fundamental change in the way mankind has interacted with the Earth system. It examines the 21st century in the context of human development of water infrastructures, climate change impacts on freshwater resources, groundwater depletion, rising population, land use change, extreme events (droughts, floods, and wildfires). The implications of climate change impacts on environmental assets and the global water cycle are also highlighted. The book takes a pragmatically trans-disciplinary and holistic approach to the discussion of these issues, and the Earth system in the Anthropocene, drawing from a plethora of case studies. The capabilities of machine learning tools in satellite hydrology applications have been demonstrated as well as the feasibility of remote sensing data and innovative geospatial tools in environmental assessment. The book further showcases the multiple strengths and potential of new multi-disciplinary satellite radar programmes and geodetic missions, to measure and characterize extreme events, and their links to global climate, as well as in remote sensing of the environment. The aim is to provide innovative tools and a scientific framework that underpin our fundamental understanding of environmental systems, and the complexities of socio-hydrological systems in the Anthropocene. Policy issues have also been raised as an important aspect that can strengthen the management and administration of water resources, particularly in emerging economies where observational data is often lacking, limited, or difficult to access. It also highlights the lessons learned from freshwater hotspots (e.g., Lake Chad and Lake Urmia) where prolonged droughts and human activities have led to a permanent loss of surface water. It identifies the role of institutions and stakeholders in driving policies that underpins water management and climate change adaptation. The book articulates the novel applications of remote sensing tools as part of a monitoring framework that can alert stakeholders and the public sector to the dangers of mismanagement of freshwater in these hotspots and help facilitate water governance approaches. The book fills a critical gap in the multi-disciplinary aspect of planetary science, particularly in understanding the impacts of climate change and human actions on freshwater resources, as well as the stability of the Earth system.Full Tex
Satellite Remote Sensing of Terrestrial Hydrology
No full textThis book highlights several opportunities that exist in satellite remote sensing of large-scale terrestrial hydrology. It lays bare the novel concept of remote sensing hydrology and demonstrates key applications of advance satellite technology and new methods in advancing our fundamental understanding of environmental systems. This includes, using state-of-the-art satellite hydrology missions like the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment and other multi-mission satellite systems as important tools that underpin water resources planning and accounting. This book discusses and demonstrates how the efficacy, simplicity, and sophistication in novel computing platforms for big earth observation data can help facilitate environmental monitoring and improve contemporary understanding of climate change impacts on freshwater resources. It also provides opportunities for practitioners and relevant government agencies to leverage satellite-based information in a transdisciplinary context to address several environmental issues affecting society. This book provides a general framework and highlights methods to help improve our understanding of hydrological processes and impact analysis from extreme events (e.g., droughts, floods) and climate change.Full Tex
Interview with Nicholas Christopher, author of Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American City
No full textInterview with Nicholas Christopher, author of Somewhere in the Night: Film Noir and the American Cit
Understanding the Earth system in the Anthropocene (Editorial)
No full textThe rising environmental challenges in contemporary society are alarming. From water scarcity, terrific groundwater loss, disappearance of large surface water bodies, and deforestation to rise in global mean sea level, frequent devastating floods, droughts and wildfire events, the earth system is experiencing series of transformations (e.g., Hugonnet et al., 2021, Tellman et al., 2021, Bierkens and Wada, 2019).Full Tex
Matt Christopher Papers - Accession 1309
No full textThe collection includes letters written by the children’s book author, Matt Christopher, to his son, Marty Christopher. Many of the letters also contain newspaper articles of interest to Matt Christopher, which deal with local sports teams, his writing career, his participation in an exhibition baseball game against the New York Giants in 1938, and other of general interest. Most of the letters are personal in nature, however, a majority of the letters delve into Matt Christopher’s writing career, personal interests, the author’s health, as well as his family life.https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/manuscriptcollection_findingaids/2649/thumbnail.jp
Matt Christopher Papers - Accession 1221
No full textMatt Christopher (1917-1997) was a prolific author of children’s books having written over 100 books as well as over 300 short stories, articles, poems, and screenplays. Most of his writings dealt with sports themes, but he also wrote fantasy and mystery themed stories as well. The Matt Christopher Papers consist of both published and unpublished manuscripts, articles, and short stories. Also included are personal and business correspondence, biographical information, scrapbooks, photographs, and memorabilia.https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/manuscriptcollection_findingaids/1976/thumbnail.jp
Dr. Christopher von Rueden – Faculty Author Interview
No full textDr. Christopher von Rueden, an anthropologist and Assistant Professor in the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, discusses a recent article entitled, “Men’s status and reproductive success in 33 non-industrial societies: Effects of subsistence, marriage system, and reproductive strategy,” which he co-authored with Dr. Adrian Jaeggi, an anthropologist at Emory University. Their findings were recently published in the journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Tide modeling using partial least squares regression
No full textThis research explores the novel use of the partial least squares regression (PLSR) as an alternative model to the conventional least squares (LS) model for modeling tide levels. The modeling is based on twenty tidal constituents: M2, S2, N2, K1, O1, MO3, MK3, MN4, M4, SN4, MS4, 2MN6, M6, 2MS6, S4, SK3, 2MK5, 2SM6, 3MK7, and M8. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PLSR components are selected from 40 PLSR components for the modeling based on the computed variances, Yloadings, and Yscores. The PLSR results are compared with those of the LS. The normality of the model residuals are evaluated by the Jarque–Bera statistical test. The computed probabilities of the normality test for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PLSR components and LS are p = 0.0611, p = 0.0656, p = 0.916, and p = 0.0517, respectively, which all indicate p > 0.05, and imply that the residuals are normally distributed. The nature of tide criterion is verified by computing the tidal form factor F. The computed tidal form factor for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PLSR components and LS are F = 0.1794, F = 0.1696, F = 0.1599, and F = 0.1848 respectively. All the models satisfy the semidiurnal criterion of 0 ≤ F ≤ 0.25 at the 95% confidence level, since the observed tide is characteristically semidiurnal. The computed coefficient of determination for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd PLSR components and LS are r2 = 0.9134, r2 = 0.9825, r2 = 0.9933, and r2 = 0.7861 respectively. These results prove that the PLSR model outperformed the conventional LS model, and therefore, a viable alternative to the conventional LS model.Full Tex
Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment - Expert Review - Groundwater
No full textThe Beetaloo Strategic Regional Environmental and Baseline Assessment (SREBA) is a series of studies and datasets commissioned by the NT Government, in response to the findings and recommendations of the Scientific Inquiry into Hydraulic Fracturing in the Northern Territory (Pepper Inquiry). This document contains a review of the SREBA studies relating to groundwater, commissioned by the Environment Centre, NT. The scope of the review encompasses analysis of the extent to which the SREBA studies and datasets released in 2023 have addressed knowledge gaps regarding groundwater, that were identified as needing to be addressed, via recommendations of the Inquiry (outlined in Chapter 7 of the final report, and the SREBA Framework), prior to the commencement of an onshore gas industry in the region. [...]Full Tex
Identifying the footprints of global climate modes in time-variable gravity hydrological signals
No full textModelling continental freshwater dynamics is expected to be challenging in regions with considerable influence of multi-scale global climatic drivers. An assessment of the interplay between these climatic drivers (e.g. El-Niño Southern Oscillation-ENSO) that influence hydro-climatic conditions and hydrological processes is therefore required to optimize predictive frameworks. The main aim of this study is to assess the impacts of eleven key climate modes describing oceanic variability in the nearby oceans on the spatial and temporal distributions of terrestrial water storage (TWS) derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) (2002 − 2017) over South America (SA). Considering that SA accounts for nearly one-fifth of global continental freshwater discharge, this assessment is crucial because of the differences in the intrinsic response of freshwater availability in some regions to several important processes of inter-annual variability. The novel integration of independent component analysis with parameter estimation techniques in this study shows that climate variability drivers (ENSO; Southern Oscillation Index (SOI); Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO); Ninos 1 + 2, 3.0, 3.4 and 4.0; North Tropical Atlantic (NTA); and the Caribbean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) anomalies) have considerable association (α = 0.05) with GRACE-derived TWS over SA. The influence of Nino 4.0 (r = − 0.72), Nino 3.4 (− 0.68), Nino 3.0 (− 0.53), ENSO (r = − 0.71), PDO (r = − 0.69), SOI (r = 0.64), Caribbean SST (r = − 0.67) and NTA (r = − 0.51) on TWS are relatively stronger in tropical SA (Amazon basin/northern SA) and result in higher amplitudes of TWS (> 100 mm). Given the temporal and spatial relationships of TWS with PDO over SA, there is also evidence to suggest strong multi-decadal variability in TWS.Full Tex
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