West Coast Of Canada Research Articles

Exploring the Potential of Active Learning for Automatic Identification of Marine Oil Spills Using 10-Year (2004–2013) RADARSAT Data

This paper intends to find a more cost-effective way for training oil spill classification systems by introducing active learning (AL) and exploring its potential, so that satisfying classifiers could be learned with reduced number of labeled samples. The dataset used has 143 oil spills and 124 look-alikes from 198 RADARSAT images covering the east and west coasts of Canada from 2004 to 2013. Six uncertainty-based active sample selecting (ACS) methods are designed to choose the most informative samples. A method for reducing information redundancy amongst the selected samples and a method with varying sample preference are considered. Four classifiers (k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and decision tree (DT)) are coupled with ACS methods to explore the interaction and possible preference between classifiers and ACS methods. Three kinds of measures are adopted to highlight different aspect of classification performance of these AL-boosted classifiers. Overall, AL proves its strong potential with 4% to 78% reduction on training samples in different settings. The SVM classifier shows to be the best one for using in the AL frame, with perfect performance evolving curves in different kinds of measures. The exploration and exploitation criterion can further improve the performance of the AL-boosted SVM classifier but not of the other classifiers.

Spatial-temporal bio-optical classification of dynamic semi-estuarine waters in western North America

The use of standard ocean colour reflectance based algorithms to derive surface chlorophyll may have limited applicability for optically dynamic coastal waters due to the pre-defined coefficients based on global datasets. Reflectance based algorithms adjusted to regional optical water characteristics are a promising alternative. A class-based definition of optically diverse coastal waters was investigated as a first step towards the development of temporal and spatial constrained reflectance based algorithms for optically variable coastal waters.A large set of bio-optical data were collected as part of five research cruises and bi-weekly trips aboard a ship of opportunity in the west coast of Canada, to assess the spatial and temporal variability of above-water reflectance in this contrasted coastal environment. To accomplish this, in situ biophysical and optical measurements were collected in conjunction with above-water hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) at 145 stations. The concentrations of measured biophysical data varied considerably; chlorophyll a (Chla) (mean = 1.64, range: 0.10–7.20 μg l−1), total suspended matter (TSM) (3.09, 0.82–20.69 mg l−1), and absorption by chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) (acdom(443nm)) (0.525, 0.007–3.072 m-1), thus representing the spatio-temporal variability of the Salish Sea. Optically, a similar large range was also found; particulate scattering (bp(650nm)) (1.316, 0.250–7.450 m-1), particulate backscattering (bbp(650nm)) (0.022, 0.005–0.097 m-1), total beam attenuation coefficient (ct(650)) (1.675, 0.371–9.537 m-1) and particulate absorption coefficient (ap(650nm)) (0.345, 0.048–2.020 m-1). An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed that Rrs variability was highly correlated to bp (r = 0.90), bbp (r = 0.82) and concentration of TSM (r = 0.80), which highlighted the dominant role of water turbidity in this region. Hierarchical clustering analysis was applied to the normalized Rrs spectra to define optical water classes. Class 1 was defined by the highest Rrs values, particularly above 570 nm, indicating more turbid waters; Class 2 was dominated by high Chla and TSM concentrations, which is shown by high Rrs at 570 nm as well as fluorescence and absorption peaks; Class 3 shows strong fluorescence signatures accompanied by low TSM influence; and Class 4 is most representative of clear waters with a less defined absorption peak around 440 nm. By understanding the bio-optical factors which control the variability of the Rrs spectra this study aims to develop a sub-regional characterization of this coastal region aiming to improve bio-optical algorithms in this complex coastal area.

Projected Hydroclimatic Changes in Two Major River Basins at the Canadian West Coast Based on High-Resolution Regional Climate Simulations

Abstract The impact of anthropogenic climate change on water resources and flood and drought risk is of great interest for impact modeling and to inform adaptation strategies. Here an analysis of hydroclimatic changes in the Fraser and Athabasca River basins in western Canada is presented, based on an ensemble of climate projections, which have been dynamically downscaled to 10-km resolution using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model in two configurations. The GCM ensemble comprises four independent integrations of the Community Earth System Model under the representative concentration pathway 8.5. Basin-integrated changes in the seasonal cycle of hydroclimatic variables, and the variability of water supply and flood and drought risk, are considered. It is found that fall and winter precipitation generally increase by 20%–30% toward the end of the century, while changes in summer precipitation are smaller and associated with high model uncertainty. Furthermore, a reduction in snowfall and an increase in evapotranspiration are projected. However, projected impacts on water resources east and west of the Rocky Mountains are quite different: in basins closer to the coast (west of the Rocky Mountains) higher temperatures lead to a transition from predominantly solid to liquid precipitation and a significantly weaker spring freshet, followed by drier summers. In the lee of the Rocky Mountains the spring freshet remains largely unaffected and in summer the increase in evapotranspiration (ET) is compensated by increasing precipitation, so that water balance changes appear to be small. It is further found that a shift in runoff seasonality near the coast may lead to significantly increased flood risk in fall.

Short-term variability in particle flux: Storms, blooms and river discharge in a coastal sea

The flux and composition of particles sinking in the surface ocean vary on a wide range of time scales. This variability is a component of underwater weather that is analogous to rain. The rain of particles in the coastal ocean is affected by atmospheric events, such as rainstorms and windstorms; by events on land, such as peaks in river discharge or coastal erosion; and by events within the surface ocean, such as phytoplankton blooms. Here, we use a four-year record of sinking particles collected using sediment traps moored at 50m depth at two locations in the Strait of Georgia, a coastal sea off the west coast of Canada, to determine the relative importance of short-term events to particle flux. We identify four dominant types of particle-flux events: those associated with 1) summer freshet of the Fraser River, 2) rainstorms, 3) phytoplankton blooms, and 4) a jellyfish bloom. The relative importance of these events differs between the southern Strait, where the Fraser River freshet dominates flux and variability, and the northern Strait, where the effects of phytoplankton blooms, rainstorms and small local rivers are more evident. During 2008–2012, half of each year’s total flux accumulated over 10–26% of the year in the southern Strait, mainly during the Fraser River freshet. In the northern Strait half of the annual flux accumulated over 22–36% of the year, distributed among small events during spring to fall. The composition of the sinking particulate matter also varied widely, with organic carbon and biogenic silica ranging over 0.70–5.7% (excluding one event) and 0.4–14%, respectively, in the south, compared with 0.17–22% and 0.31–33% in the north. Windstorms had no immediate effect on particle flux in either basin. A large phytoplankton bloom in April 2011, in the northern Strait contributed 25% of the year’s organic carbon at that site and 53% of the biogenic silica. A jellyfish bloom in July 2008 contributed 16% of the year’s nitrogen and 12% of the year’s organic carbon during a single collection interval (12 days). As short-term climate variability increases in a warming climate , the importance of these sorts of events is likely to increase in the future, particularly in coastal waters that are strongly influenced by river discharge.

Mapping the penetration and retention potential of two weathered diluted bitumen crude oils for the shorelines of Northern British Columbia, Canada

With the increase in bitumen production from Alberta's oil sands, there is a related increase in the transport of non-conventional crude oil throughout Canada including proposed pipeline projects to move diluted bitumen (dilbit) to facilities on the East and West coast of Canada. While the behaviour of conventional oil is well known, little information is available about the fate of any potential dilbit spills on marine shorelines. As a part of Enhancing Marine Safety Strategy launched in 2013 by the Government of Canada, a R&D program has been developed by the Emergencies Sciences and Technology Section (ESTS) from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to study the behaviour of non-conventional oil. More precisely, one of the objectives is to develop tools to help oil spill responders to predict the fate of dilbit on shorelines of Northern British Columbia (BC). To address this objective, we collected data from three sources; BC segmentation of the upper intertidal zone for the Douglas Channel and Haida Gwaii Island, particle size analysis results of sediment samples collected directly from Northern BC shoreline and meso-scale laboratory research results on the penetration and retention of dilbit in different type of sediment. This last experiment was conducted in laboratory by the contractor Coastal and Ocean Resources Inc. to estimate penetration (cm) and retention (% of the loading) of different weather dilbit (AWB [18% loss by weights] and CLB [15% loss by weight]) in different types of sediments (from coarse sand to very large pebble). These previous data were combined to associate each shoreline type with dilbit penetration and retention data. For each shoreline type, we did a quantitative (penetration) and qualitative (retention) estimation of dilbit properties. The estimations were also visually represented on ArcMap 9.1. In Northern British Columbia, most of the shoreline is associated with low penetration and low retention corresponding to bedrock substrate. Conversely, high penetration and retention is mainly associated with coarse sediments like pebble/cobble beaches. These shoreline types represent an indicator of difficulty of cleanup operations. Likewise, high retention can be found in coarse sediments but also in sensitive shorelines like marshes. So these maps can be used as an operational tool to establish the priorities and to determine the best strategy for the shoreline cleanup methods (penetration maps), but also as an indicator of shoreline sensitivity (retention maps).

Reflections on an academic career.

There are many undefined aspects to an academic medical career. This article attempts to provide some guidance about things to consider.

Encounters with a pedagogista

This article documents the initial work and encounters of a pedagogista with a group of educators on the west coast of Canada. The article retraces the complexities and vulnerabilities of such encounters, and presents them as generative and rich conversations that were carried along by, and not despite, their difficulty. They followed a practice of putting-into-question that helped to keep open possibilities in intersubjective space not only to reconceptualize children’s and educators’ ideas, but also to make education and curriculum into something more than the mere organization of materials and activities for children, or the programmatic application of a particular pedagogical approach. This article wishes to engage and contribute to the broader ongoing and stimulating research in the field of childhood, curriculum and pedagogy.

Calibrating wave resource assessments through application of the triple collocation technique

Numerical wave models are often used to hindcast wave conditions and predict the theoretical energy production from wave energy conversion (WEC) devices. It is widely acknowledged that numerical model suffer from bias's and uncertainties which ultimately affect the final predictions of WEC power. In this case study, a Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) hindcast, based on the ECMWF wave and FNMOC wind boundary conditions, is used to predict sea states off the Canadian west coast and the triple collocation technique is applied to quantify the model result bias's, and systematic and random errors. To analyze the error and calibrate the results from the hindcast, two in-situ collocated wave measurement devices are deployed; A TriAxys wave measurement buoy and a Nortek AWAC. The triple collocation technique is used to compare the significant wave height and energy period parameters over a three-month period, from October to December 2014. The triple collocation technique assumes linear relationship between the measured value and true value, and outputs the bias, calibration slope and the measurement random error. This study implements two previously utilized calibration regimes, a single value and monthly calibration regime, as well as presenting two novel methods to improve the impact of the calibration; a bivariate calibration and a spectral calibration. The two standard calibration techniques resulted in negligible improvements in data correlation. The spectral method suffered from high computational cost and only 3.4% improvement in significant wave height correlation. The bivariate calibration regime, following the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) wave resource histogram parameters, resulted in 5% and 26% improvements in the significant wave height and energy period correlations respectively. Calibration of the SWAN hindcast reduced the gross wave energy transport values by 900 MWh, yet the final WEC production estimates only varied by 1.5 MWh but greatly improved their time-series correlation. It is shown that the triple collocation technique, under the bivariate distribution regime, provides a more realistic presentation of future WEC power production and eliminates known short-comings of numerical model outputs.

Absolute estimates of the propagule pressure of viable dinoflagellates across Canadian coasts: the variable influence of ballast water exchange

Estimates of propagule pressure in invasion biology are often unavailable due to widespread use of proxy variables, leading to uncertainty in absolute introduction effort of marine non-indigenous species (NIS). We present a first estimate of absolute propagule pressure (probability distributions of the total number of individuals introduced per release event and per year) for viable non-indigenous dinoflagellates transported via commercial vessels to major ports on the East and West coasts of Canada, thereby establishing a baseline metric against which to test future hypotheses about factors controlling invasion rates. To quantify the influence of ballast water management on absolute propagule pressure, three shipping routes were evaluated: (1) transoceanic with mandatory ballast water exchange (BWE), (2) coastal with BWE, and (3) coastal without BWE. Results provide insufficient evidence that BWE consistently reduces propagule pressure of dinoflagellates in ballast tanks. Moreover, controlled growth experiments confirmed that several dinoflagellate species were viable (e.g., capable to reproduce) following their release from arriving vessels, including those conducting exchange. We caution that the ecological significance of these findings is unclear without a better understanding of the factors that allow offshore dinoflagellates to establish in nearshore marine environments; however, several dinoflagellates NIS may have the potential to become established in Canadian coastal marine ecosystems following ballast water exchange.

Recent observations of critically endangered North Pacific right whales (Eubalaena japonica) off the west coast of Canada

The eastern North Pacific population of right whale (Eubalaena japonica) is considered to be one of the smallest whale populations in the world and is at serious risk of extirpation. During the past century, there have been only six records of North Pacific right whales off the west coast of Canada. All six were taken by whaling operations, the last in 1951. Two independent and extremely rare sightings of North Pacific right whales were made off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, in 2013. We describe observations made of these two whales and include information on prey and genetic identity for one individual. These sightings represent the first time this species has been confirmed in Canadian waters in 62 years, and likely the only time in the last 15 years that the species has been sighted south of the Kodiak Island area, Alaska, in the eastern North Pacific Ocean. It can be concluded that, although extremely rare, the species has not been extirpated from waters off Canada’s Pacific coast.

Potential environmental impact of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant accident


 Background and Purpose: The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor incident in Japan resulted in the release of large quantities of radioactive material into the Pacific Ocean through deposition from the atmosphere and liquid discharges from the nuclear facility. Public misconceptions and the scarcity of radiation monitoring along the west coast of Canada have create doubt within the population regarding the safety of the ocean. A radiation survey along some of Vancouver’s beaches was completed to determine whether radioactivity from Fukushima has reached our local shores. Methods: Radiation surveys were conducted at three different locations; Sunset, Spanish Banks and Jericho Beach in Vancouver, British Columbia. Gamma radiation levels were measured using both the Radeye, GR 135 Plus EXPLORANIUM survey meters. At each beach, 30 samples of water, sand and various different artifacts including algae, stones and logs were each surveying. If the radiation detected exceed 0.05μSv/Hr the identification function of the GR 135 Plus EXPLORANIUM would be used to determine if it was from natural or artificial sources. The radiation levels were compared to the expected normal background levels (between 0.05μSv/Hr- 1.0 μSv/Hr) as well as to observed if there was any sufficient differences between the mediums under investigation. Results: The radiation levels along all three beaches did not exceed normal background levels (between 0.05μSv/Hr- 1.0 μSv/Hr). Furthermore, characteristic radionuclides released from this incident, specifically Cesium 134 and Cesium 134, were not detected. There was no sufficient difference between the radiation levels observed from the sand, water and different artifacts (logs, stones, and algae) Conclusion: It was concluded that the radiation levels along the beaches, Jericho, Spanish Banks and Sunset Beach do not present an additional risk to the public visiting this area as a result of this incident.

Measuring reliability of transportation networks using snapshots of movements in the network – An analytical and empirical study

In this paper we introduce an analytical framework based on discrete Likelihood Maximization techniques that provides estimates of operational level data of Queuing models and Transportation networks based on snapshots of data on movements of commodities in a network. We apply our methodology to detailed data on movements of containers imported from S.E. Asian ports to marine ports on the west coast of Canada, unloaded at these ports, moved to rail cars, and transported by rail to destinations in U.S. and Canada. We show how one can estimate operational level parameters such as the number of servers at the ports, schedules of departure and capacity of trains, and even speed of trains based on only snapshots of container movements in the network. Subsequently, we were able to calibrate the entire inter-continental transportation network, were able to identify the sources of variability in the network and were able to measure the reliability of the network to shocks.

Cryptococcus gattii Capsule Blocks Surface Recognition Required for Dendritic Cell Maturation Independent of Internalization and Antigen Processing.

Cryptococcus gattii is an emerging fungal pathogen on the west coast of Canada and the United States that causes a potentially fatal infection in otherwise healthy individuals. In previous investigations of the mechanisms by which C. gattii might subvert cell-mediated immunity, we found that C. gattii failed to induce dendritic cell (DC) maturation, leading to defective T cell responses. However, the virulence factor and the mechanisms of evasion of DC maturation remain unknown. The cryptococcal polysaccharide capsule is a leading candidate because of its antiphagocytic properties. Consequently, we asked if the capsule of C. gattii was involved in evasion of DC maturation. We constructed an acapsular strain of C. gattii through CAP59 gene deletion by homologous integration. Encapsulated C. gattii failed to induce human monocyte-derived DC maturation and T cell proliferation, whereas the acapsular mutant induced both processes. Surprisingly, encapsulation impaired DC maturation independent of its effect on phagocytosis. Indeed, DC maturation required extracellular receptor signaling that was dependent on TNF-α and p38 MAPK, but not ERK activation, and the cryptococcal capsule blocked this extracellular recognition. Although the capsule impaired phagocytosis that led to pH-dependent serine-, threonine-, and cysteine-sensitive protease-dependent Ag processing, it was insufficient to impair T cell responses. In summary, C. gattii affects two independent processes, leading to DC maturation and Ag processing. The polysaccharide capsule masked extracellular detection and reduced phagocytosis that was required for DC maturation and Ag processing, respectively. However, the T cell response was fully restored by inducing DC maturation.

A study on the levels of radioactivity in fish samples from the experimental lakes area in Ontario, Canada

To better understand background radiation levels in country foods, a total of 125 fish samples were collected from three lakes (Lake 226, Lake 302 and Lake 305) in the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) in Ontario of Canada during the summer of 2014. Concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides (226Ra, 210Pb and 210Po) as well as anthropogenic radionuclides (134Cs and 137Cs) were measured. This study confirmed that 210Po is the dominant contributor to radiation doses resulting from fish consumption. While concentrations of 210Pb and 226Ra were below conventional detection limits, 210Po was measured in almost all fish samples collected from the ELA. The average concentration was about 1.5 Bq/kg fresh weight (fw). None of the fish samples analysed in this study contained any detectable levels of 134Cs. An average 137Cs level of 6.1 Bq/kg fw was observed in freshwater fishes harvested in the ELA, almost twice that of samples measured in the National Capital Region of Canada in 2014 and more than 20 times higher than the levels observed in marine fish harvested from the Canadian west coast in 2013 and 2014. However, it is important to note that the concentrations of 137Cs in fish samples from these inland lakes are considered very low from a radiological protection perspective. The resulting radiation dose for people from fish consumption would be a very small fraction of the annual dose from exposure to natural background radiation in Canada. The results indicate that fishes from inland lakes do not pose a radiological health concern.

Development of a Sea Lice Surveillance Ontology for Data Integration from Wild Salmon Monitoring Programs on the West Coast of Canada

Development of a Sea Lice Surveillance Ontology for Data Integration from Wild Salmon Monitoring Programs on the West Coast of Canada

The demand and supply of trans-oceanic sea routes: the case of East Asia-US east coast container trade

The Panama Canal expansion will create a new lane of traffic for larger ships, up to 13,000-14,000 TEUs. While trade between Asia and the USA continues to increase, a number of supply factors may impact the canal's position. First, several US and Canadian west coast ports plan to increase service levels. Second, railroads serving the US west coast are examining the possibility of lowering freight rates. Third, the Nicaragua Grand Canal has been proposed and started construction. Fourth, the Suez Canal is expanding operations and may capture some of the traffic currently transiting the Panama Canal. Fifth, multiple Central American countries are considering constructing 'dry canal' rail links between the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. These together may result in an excess supply of trans-oceanic sea services. This paper examines the possible changes in supply and demand with emphasis on East Asia-US container trade.

Review: Sovereign Screens: Aboriginal Media on the Canadian West Coast by Kristin L. Dowell

Review: Sovereign Screens: Aboriginal Media on the Canadian West Coast by Kristin L. Dowell

Angels: a bridge to a spiritual pedagogy?

This article is the result of an Early Childhood Care and Education undergraduate pilot project through a university on the West Coast of Canada. It weaves together poststructural interpretations and a hermeneutic phenomenological recounting of an experience of inquiring about angels with young children. The angel inquiry became a point of entry into a holistic spiritual pedagogy that attends to the whole of a matter, while also paying attention to the significance of each part. Contributing to the interpretations made in this study is Ted Aoki’s philosophy of the space between where the planned curriculum and the lived curriculum (or lived experiences) meet in a third and overlapping tensional space; Max van Manen’s emphasis on lived experiences as ‘breathing meaning’ also contribute to the choices and interpretations made. Blended through the study are the understandings of Tobin Hart and Kate Adams from their investigations of children’s lived experiences with mystical unseen worlds. The area of invisible mystery proves to be more delicate to negotiate than the world of physical embodiments and the world of complete fantasy of the mind; this is the area of the spiritual – the meeting of body and mind with a third and overlapping space. This space goes by many names and many definitions, but ultimately remains indefinable and intangible. But during the pilot project, meaning did come through the inquiring and through the themes that emerged of ‘who we are’ in relation to angels; race, gender and the role of nurturer; and familial angel ownership. Children yearn for allowing spaces to safely express these ideas about, and experiences with, mystery worlds. It is the connection with the inner life through small moments and engagements with the big life questions that the entangling of the physical, the mental and the spiritual creates the intuitive, integrated heart space of a holistic spiritual pedagogy.

Distribution and Abundance ofPseudocyphellaria rainierensis(Old-Growth Specklebelly Lichen) on Vancouver Island and a Portion of the Central Mainland Coast of British Columbia

Abstract. Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis (old-growth specklebelly lichen) is found on the west coast of Canada and the USA from Oregon to southeast Alaska. Our study examined old-growth coniferous forests on Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland coast of British Columbia to determine its relative abundance, distribution and habitat preferences. We hypothesized greater frequency of P. rainierensis in this region because of limited prior surveys. We searched 119 sites representing potential habitat within 18 watersheds, recorded detailed habitat observations and collected voucher specimens. We documented 44 new localities (>1km apart) for this species, which was known from only 17 previous localities. Pseudocyphellaria rainierensis occurred across a range of plant associations but was most abundant on nutrient-rich, middle to lower slope positions or microsites. Its occurrence was associated with Callitropsis nootkatensis on many sites. Although P. rainierensis was most abundant on Abies amabilis trunk...

Synergistic Use of Satellite Observations and Numerical Weather Model to Study Atmospheric Occluded Fronts

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images reveal the surface imprints of atmospheric occluded fronts. An occluded front is characterized as a low-wind zone located between and within two zones of higher winds blowing in the opposite directions on the left and right sides of the occluded front. A group of four SAR images reveal that the width of an individual occluded frontal zone and the wind magnitudes outside fronts vary greatly from case to case. In this paper, we performed a case study to analyze an occluded front observed by an Environmental Satellite (Envisat) Advanced SAR and ASCAT scatterometer along the west coast of Canada on November 24, 2011. The two-way interactive, triply nested grid (9-3-1 km) Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model was utilized to simulate the evolution of the occluded front. The occluded front moved toward the east during a 24-h model simulation, and the movement between 18:00 and 21:00 UTC matched the occluded front positions derived from the concurrently collected surface weather maps; from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric National Weather Service archives. The WRF-simulated low-wind zone associated with the occluded front and ocean surface wind speed match well with the SAR and scatterometer wind retrievals. High wind outside the front zone became weaker during the front evolution, whereas the width of the occluded frontal zone was contracted laterally. Analysis of the WRF model derived potential temperature field suggests that the occlusion process occurred below the 800-mb level. The structure of the occluded front studied here not only follows the conventional conceptual model and also supports the findings of a novel wrap-up conceptual model for an atmospheric frontal occlusion process.