Analysis Of Historical Information Research Articles

The Genesis of Improving Functional Capabilities of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Used as Forensic Equipment

The rapid development of innovative technical means that provide significant information in various areas has had a positive impact on the expansion of the possibilities for law enforcement agencies to use modern unmanned aerial vehicles. Continuous modernization of equipment requires continuous monitoring and testing of the capabilities of new technologies, but in some cases the fulfillment of tasks that different departments face calls for a rational approach to choosing technical means depending on the demands to its functions and overall economic profitability. Using the analysis of historical information and technical data on unmanned aerial vehicles, the authors present their approach to identifying the periods of the transformation of the vehicles’ functions and their introduction in the practice of law enforcement as forensic means used in investigating and solving crimes. The authors single out key technical aspects of ensuring the payload and target load of unmanned aerial vehicles, which determine the areas of this equipment’s functional use, and its relevance in solving a wide range of criminalistic tasks.

Graph based knowledge models for capitalizing, predicting and learning: A proof of concept applied to the dam systems

The capitalization and the analysis of historical information is nowadays a prerequisite for any effective risk management and assessment in a wide range of domains. Despite the development of mathematical models, procedures, support decision systems and databases, some engineering disciplines, such as civil engineering, remain resistant to the use of new digital technology due to the gap between the expectations of the engineers and the support that the tools may really provide. It is essential to propose a tool able to process both cross disciplinary and interdisciplinary knowledge flux and feedback from experience in a common and convenient unifying framework. The aim is to assist and to support engineering work and to make the task of knowledge modelling easier. The domain of dam systems is no exception to the rule. Dam failures are still commonplace. These failures stem from a lack of understanding about the complex relationships between three different factors: random hazards, the limit states of dam structures along with human activities and decisions. No generic and holistic approach is currently available that permits the processing of both knowledge and data, performs inferences and is easily usable for all types of users. This paper proposes the basic principles of a convenient design methodology for capitalizing, learning and predicting based on the formalism of conceptual graphs. The aim is to provide an easily usable tool able to (1) capitalise heterogeneous knowledge and store a database about dams, (2) issue alerts on current projects, (3) draw lessons from past dam failures and (4) tackle key issues in forensic civil engineering.

Features of Legal Perception of the Phenomena of Extremism and Terrorism in Different Mental Civilizations: General Theoretical and Historical-Philosophical Aspects

Introduction: the article reveals how extremism and terrorism are perceived in different mental civilizations: paganism (polytheism), monotheism and scientific worldview, from the standpoint of the legal consciousness of ordinary, canonical and secularethnic groups. The aim is to show that those phenomena which in the modern world are called extremism and terrorism and are subject to criminal punishment were perceived in exactly the opposite way in the mental eras of paganism and monotheism. Research methods: we use analysis of historical information about the phenomena of extremism and terrorism in different eras, related to the civilizational mentality of ethnic groups and peoples; we also use generalization (synthesis) of the information obtained. Results: revealing the attitude toward the phenomena that are now called “extremism” and “terrorism” in different mental civilizations allows us not only to understand the historically determined nature of these phenomena, but also to build an adequate system to counter them by changing existing approaches and methods. Conclusions: modern religious extremists and terrorists representinterests of the religious worldview and the way of life that are leaving the historical arena. Their re-socialization should be carried out taking into account civilizational mentality of religious people, relying primarily on the tolerant capabilities of the Holy Scriptures themselves. In the coming years, against the background of the natural decline of religious extremism and terrorism, there will be a rise of such types of “secular” extremism and terrorism as political, social, racial and linguistic, i.e. all those types of extremism that are listed in Articles 280 and 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. In order to counteract these types of extremism, it is necessary, first of all, to develop high legal awareness in citizens; in this regard, it is crucial that educational and psychological services of the Russian Penal System carry out systemwide and purposeful work in this direction. Keywords: extremism; terrorism; monotheism; paganism; scientific worldview; religious wars

History, landscape, and botanical report of a centenary square in Brazil

Abstract Historical research of public spaces provides a better understanding of the social formation and preserve cultural and landscaping heritage. José Bonifácio Square, located in Picacicaba, São Paulo State, Brazil, is an important public space. We carried out a historical survey in the archives of municipal public institutions and a landscape record was done by identifying tree species implanted in the square. We verified a strong church influence in the development of the square landscape project. The first landscaping work occurred in 1885, and it became known as City Public Garden. It presented naturalistic features, using exotic and native species, mainly trees, for landscaping composition. Several modifications and reforms were made from 1885 to 2005. José Bonifácio Square was considered highly diverse (H’ = 3.18) with 151 individuals, distributed in 36 species belonging to 14 botanical families. The native species from Atlantic Forest represented 82.6% of Bignoniaceae, Arecaceae, and Fabaceae species. The high diversity of native species found in José Bonifácio Square allowed us to infer a lower ecological fragility and a higher environmental balance than other Brazilian squares. The analysis of historical information from the years 1885 to 2019 and the analysis of the square’s floristic composition in contemporary times demonstrated José Bonifácio Square’s relevance in forming and conserving Piracicaba’s urban identity.

Historical floods within the Selenga river basin: chronology and extreme events

Large floods are among the most hazardous natural phenomena, which in many cases cause enormous losses to the economy and lead to human casualties. Along with the use of modern instrumental data, the analysis of historical information on large past floods is widely practiced in the world. This allows obtaining qualitative and quantitative characteristics of historical floods and significantly expanding the observation series. The Selenga River is one of the largest rivers of Central Asia with catchment area equal to 447,060 km2, and also it is rather flood-prone river. The hydrological regime of the Selenga River is quite well studied in the twentieth century on the basis of gauging stations data, but there is still a lack of knowledge about past floods. In this paper, we present a list of 26 known floods within the Selenga River basin from 1730 to 1900, compiled from available historical documents (newspapers, scientific reports, diaries, memoirs, etc.). We estimated peak water levels for three catastrophic floods (1830, 1869 and 1897), the historical maximum of which was 850 cm. The reliability of our estimates is confirmed by a comparative analysis of the large 1971 flood. It was revealed that the largest floods can cause a rise of the Lake Baikal water level up to 200 cm. The inflow to Lake Baikal resulting from the largest floods in the Selenga River basin is comparable to the average annual inflow of water into the lake. We can conclude that the use of historical data for the analysis of floods in Eastern Siberia is quite acceptable, but some limitations must be taken into account.

Development of the Latvian peat industry over the last 100 years

Various economic, political and social developments influenced the development of the peat extraction industry in Latvia during the 20th century. In comparison with some other European countries, where peat had been used for the needs of the energy sector for several centuries, the development of peat industry in Latvia was somewhat different. The aim of this study was to find out the nature of the development of the peat industry based on an analysis of historical information and a comparison of advantages over other European countries. In order to understand the changes and factors influencing the development of the peat industry in Latvia, it was necessary to identify and evaluate peat extraction volumes, changes in peat use purposes and technologies, as well as factors influencing the industry’s development. A comparison of historical data on peat industry development in Latvia and in other European countries reveals a number of differences. Latvia was the first country in Europe to restructure peat extraction from using peat for energy to extracting and processing it for horticultural needs. Large amounts of peat were used for combustion in Latvia only for a relatively short time: between 1960 and 1990. Peat extraction decreased significantly in 1992 – a time when export markets were beginning to develop. Since 2003, more than 90% of extracted peat has been exported, mainly for the horticultural peat market.

Occurrence of landslides during the approach of tropical cyclone Juliette (2001) to Baja California Sur, Mexico

The approach of tropical cyclone (TC) Juliette, in 2001, to the Baja California Peninsula triggered at least 419 landslides. Most of the landslides were shallow slips and debris slides of limited areal extent, which were converted rapidly into debris flows to be exported quickly out of the mountain areas towards the lowlands. Main factors affecting landslide occurrence were total storm rainfall and intensity, aspect, geology and vegetation association. Two processes can be distinguished as initiating slope failure. Accumulation of rainfall from exposed bedrock slopes, generating excess overland flow, was the main process linked to failures in concave topography. A combination of wind and excess overland flow in the more convex or planar upper slopes was a secondary process related to heterogeneity of vegetation associations in the oak-dry tropical forests ecotone, as uprooted trees dislodged large regolith and bedrock blocks, priming hillslopes for further runoff concentration. An estimative threshold curve for triggering landslides in this region is sketched. From the analysis of historical information, storms like Juliette approach the southern peninsula on average once every 100 years. Denudation estimates are in the higher end of the spectrum for a tectonically passive margin. These estimates should be considered when taking decisions regarding management of water resources in this area through damming of streams. The results emphasize the need for a more detailed representation of the spatial distribution of the rainfall and winds for this mountainous region affected by TCs.

Historical Analysis, a Valuable Tool in Community-Based Environmental Protection

A historical analysis of the ecological consequences of development can be a valuable tool in community-based environmental protection. These studies can engage the public in environmental issues and lead to informed decision making. Historical studies provide an understanding of how current ecological conditions arose, provide information to identify past pollutant inputs, identify modification or loss of habitat, help identify changes in species composition and abundance, and help in planning remediation projects. We chose New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, as a case study for a historical analysis. New Bedford Harbor gained attention when it was named a Superfund site because of PCB contamination, but current conditions in the harbor are the cumulative result of over 250 years of agricultural, commercial and industrial activities. Analysis of historical information about New Bedford revealed four sequential developmental periods, agriculture, whaling, textile, and post-textile, each with a distinct effect on estuarine conditions. This historical analysis illustrates how impacts to New Bedford Harbor have occurred throughout the development period, not just in recent years. It provides valuable insight in formulating remediation strategies, and is a useful tool to engage the public in environmental issues.