Military Sites Research Articles

OPTIMAL MICROGRID DESIGN FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IMPROVEMENT AND STACKED BENEFIT ANALYSIS

Guaranteeing uninterruptible power supply is of paramount importance for critical infrastructure like hospitals, industries, state parks and military sites. This objective becomes challenging when the critical facility is in a rural location, at the end of the feeder and/or is prone to frequent weather hazards. This leads to situations whereby the time required to restore power to the customers during outages can take even upto a few days, in some cases. This is primarily because it's difficult to economically justify employing traditional reliability improvement techniques like vegetation management and installing underground cables in rural locations which are usually sparsely populated large geographical areas. One of the approaches to improve resilience at remote rural communities is to employ microgrids that provide electric service capacity during blackouts. Once the microgrid is designed to meet the minimum reliability target of the critical facility, it can also be used for other secondary applications which increase the economic value that the microgrid offers to the customer.

Review: Death and Rebirth in a Southern City: Richmond’s Historic Cemeteries, by Ryan K. Smith

Review: <i>Death and Rebirth in a Southern City: Richmond’s Historic Cemeteries</i>, by Ryan K. Smith

Regenerating Former Military Sites in Italy. The Dichotomy between ‘Profit-Driven Spaces’ and ‘Urban Commons’

Abstract Within the last decades, the reorganisation of the Armed Force left many voids in the territories. Being located in highly lucrative and desirable locations, former military sites can be redeveloped into either profit-driven spaces or proper urban commons. This paper focuses the attention on the Italian case and scrutinises former military barracks in the dichotomies between the generation of profit-driven spaces and urban commons. Also, the analysis questions the actual role of these voids in guaranteeing the right to the city, especially in times of severe shortage of public resources to undertake urban regeneration processes.

Increased Interest in Military Tourism on Selected Examples from the Area of Northern and Northeastern Poland

Military tourism is one of the forms of tourism that is not sufficiently researched throughout Poland. It is only in recent years, after the period of political transformation, that interest in this phenomenon has been growing every year. This research has aimed to indicate the possibilities of military tourism development in northern and northeastern Poland. It includes an analysis of data concerning the Naval Museum in Gdynia, the "Wolf's Lair" Fortress in Gierloz and an example of a military event - an air show, which took place on the premises of the 44th Airborne Museum in Gdynia. Results of the analysis of the military tourism development in northern and northeastern Poland indicate that military sites and military-themed events attract considerable tourist traffic and play an important role in the overall development of tourism.

A Nuclear Generator of Clouds: Accidents and Radioactive Contamination Identified on Declassified Satellite Photographs in the Mayak Chemical Combine, Southern Urals

The Mayak Chemical Combine was one of the most secretive places in the Soviet Union. It was built in the southern Urals, close to Kyshtym. The facility produced weapons-grade plutonium and other radioactive isotopes for the Soviet nuclear military programme. Fugitives from behind the Iron Curtain mentioned the site, usually due to accidents and peculiar, unexplained observations. Such reports were often treated in the West as exaggerated or fictional, as they spoke of large-scale disasters, deportations and vast landscape transformations. This paper aims to present the research potential of declassified Cold War intelligence records for archaeological landscape studies of off-limits military sites. To outline a somewhat broader perspective, I will combine those sources with contemporary historical knowledge and modern remote sensing data. The analysis will be focused on the Central Intelligence Agency [CIA] satellite imagery (CORONA and GAMBIT) from the 1960s to the beginning of the 1970s. The discussed sources recorded outcomes of nuclear disasters, hundreds of square kilometres of uninhabited wasteland, abandoned villages, disappearing lakes, dying forests, diverted rivers, and other features related to this clandestine plutonium facility.

O Penedo dos Lobos: Roman military activity in the uplands of the Galician Massif (Northwest Iberia)

ABSTRACT A new Roman military site was recently detected in Galicia, Spain, an area where the army presence had been challenging to trace until date. O Penedo dos Lobos is a playing-card shaped camp with very distinctive, fortified entrances. The archaeological survey conducted on this site in the summer of 2018 allowed us to recover some elements of Roman militaria, as well as numismatic evidence dating back to late 1st c. BC, thus suggesting a connection with the Cantabrian-Asturian Wars of Augustan times. However, there is still some uncertainty regarding the specific task undertaken by the military contingent that occupied this site. Besides its historical implications, a focus will be given to the methodology applied for the archaeological survey of this site. This has shed new light on the Roman military presence in Galicia, allowing its integration into wider European debates on Roman conquest and expansion.

Phytostabilization of a contaminated military site using Miscanthus and soil amendments.

Military activities can contaminate productive land with potentially toxic substances. The most common trace metal contaminant on military bases is lead (Pb). A field experiment was begun in 2016 at Fort Riley, KS, in an area with total soil Pb concentrations ranging from 900 to 1,500mg kg-1 and near-neutral pH. The main objectives were to test the potential of Miscanthus sp. for phytostabilization of the site and to evaluate the effects of soil amendments on Miscanthus growth, soil-plant Pb transfer, bioaccessibility of soil Pb, and soil health. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with five treatments and four replications. Treatments were (a) existing vegetation; (b) Miscanthus planted in untilled soil, no amendments; (c) Miscanthus planted in tilled soil; (d) Miscanthus planted in tilled soil amended with inorganic P (triple superphosphate applied at 5:3Pb:P); and (e) Miscanthus planted in tilled soil amended with organic P (Class B biosolids applied at 45 Mg ha-1 ). Tilling and soil amendments increased dry matter yields only in the establishment year. Total Pb uptake, plant tissue Pb concentration, and soil Pb bioaccessibility were significantly less in the Miscanthus plots amended with biosolids than the Miscanthus plots with no added P across all 3 yr. Enzyme activities, organic carbon, and microbial biomass were also greater in biosolids-treated plots. Results show that planting-time addition of soil amendments to Pb-contaminated soil supported Miscanthus establishment, stabilized and reduced bioaccessibility of soil Pb, reduced concentration and uptake of Pb by Miscanthus, and enhanced soil health parameters.

Implementation of graded approach in ensuring safety in management of emergency and legacy radioactive waste in Ukraine

Ukraine has accumulated large amounts of Chernobyl-origin emergency radioactive waste stored in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and beyond, as well as legacy radioactive waste in the Radon-type facilities and military sites of the former Soviet Union. Management of such radioactive waste requires the application of a graded approach, in particular, ranking of sites with such radioactive waste by the degree of hazard. Based on the results of ranking, a decision is made on one of the three options: urgent removal of radioactive waste from the site, delayed removal of radioactive waste from the site, and absence of necessity to remove radioactive waste from the site. If it is decided to leave radioactive waste at the site, the graded approach determines the scope of measures to maintain the safety level of that site. This paper presents methodological aspects and experience of the practical application of the graded approach to ensure the safe management of emergency and legacy radioactive waste. In particular, it includes the experience of the Ukrainian State Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear and Radiation Safety in expert reviews of safety assessments of such sites with emergency and legacy radioactive waste, results of their ranking by degree of hazard, designs for removal of radioactive waste from sites, and establishment of levels for the remediation of territories.

Shooting noise annoyance in communities around German military training areas

Shooting noise is characterized as impulsive, intermittent sound with high energy and low frequencies. Studies have shown that for given average sound levels shooting noise is regarded as more annoying than transportation noise, particularly road traffic noise. In comparison to transportation noise, responses to shooting noise are less frequently studied. The latest published German studies on community responses to shooting noise were conducted in the 1980ies and 1990ies. The study presented in this contribution aims to provide new data on shooting noise responses in communities around military training areas. Annoyance responses were collected using a survey with 1043 residents living around three military training sites in Germany. For the address of each resident, on the basis of shooting training in the year 2019 the average continuous sound levels and the sound exposure levels for day and night-time with the frequency weightings A, C, and Z was estimated for grid cells of 250 x 250 m. Results on the exposure-response relationship between these noise metrics and the percentage of highly annoyed persons (%HA) are presented. Among others, the results indicate, that non-acoustic factors, particularly attitudes related to the source have a strong impact on the annoyance.

A trade-off method through connectivity analysis applied for sustainable design and planning of large urban parks

ABSTRACT Unlike urban planning processes have actively used empirical approaches, the urban park design and planning still uses the conceptual research approach; therefore, discrepancies often arise between the designer’s intention and real phenomena. In this work, we examine and propose a trade-off method for sustainable urban park design and planning that integrates conceptual and connectivity analyses, specifically for the Yongsan Park master plan. Yongsan Park is a mega-scale urban park project with a unique history as being a military post-industrial site for a long time. To re-link the isolated park site to current urban context, the park connectivity requires careful consideration both conceptually and empirically during the design and planning process. We used the spatial network analysis and statistical methods to investigate the potential visitation proposed by the park master plan and to understand the correlations with built environment factors. The results indicate that an iterative process is needed between conceptual design ideas and empirical connectivity analyses to properly reflect the designers’ intent and improve the long-term outcomes of large urban park design and planning. The trade-off method also provides insights of the urban planning strategies for nearby neighborhoods to enhance park connectivity and potentially contribute to the park management phase.

Heritage, Culture and Regeneration of the Former Military Areas in the City of Oradea, Romania

There are places where history is still alive: heritage sites, locations of great cultural, scientific, educational, and social significance. The military presence in the city of Oradea, Romania, generated an impressive cultural-historical heritage, both tangible and intangible, as the consequence of centuries of alternative militarization and demilitarization processes. The aim of the article is to explain that the former military areas are great sustainable historical, cultural, architectural and socio-economic local assets, with a specific function in the urban texture. The research methodology combines a review of the relevant literature, fieldwork, analysis of the evolution and status of the former military areas, and synthesis to help reach our conclusions. The results of the study underline the great significance and role of the former military sites in the urban structure, society and economy, by providing important functions like tourism, education, public administration, military, residential, commerce or industry. The main issue is the transformation of the abandoned military heritage sites into potential elements of sustainable urban development to create a new and vivid part of urban texture. Built heritage of former military areas is found across many countries and this article explain the particular common features, helping sharing experiences, know-how, best practices on the transformation of military sites to public uses in Europe and around the world.

A prospective observational study describing severity of acquired diarrhea among U.S. military and Western travelers participating in the Global Travelers’ Diarrhea Study

BackgroundTravelers’ diarrhea (TD) is one of the most common illnesses affecting modern-day travelers, including military personnel. Previous work has shown that afflicted travelers may alter their itineraries and be confined to bed rest due to symptoms, and military personnel may become incapable of completing operational requirements. Examination of signs, symptoms, and severity of diarrheagenic pathogens can inform clinical diagnosis and prioritization of future surveillance and research activities. MethodsUtilizing a global laboratory network, culture and molecular testing were performed in parallel at each site on a group of core pathogens, and definitions for acute diarrhea (AD), severe AD, acute gastroenteritis (AGE), and severe AGE were determined using data elements in the modified Vesikari scale. We included 210 cases of TD reporting all variables of interest in our severity assessment analysis. ResultsOut of all cases, 156/210 (74%) met criteria for severe AD and 35/210 (17%) for severe AGE. Examination of severity by pathogen revealed that, at non-military sites, 17/19 (89%) of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli) (EPEC) infections, 28/32 (88%) of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) infections, and 13/15 (87%) of Shigella/enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) infections resulted in severe AD cases. At the military site, all infections of ETEC (6/6), Shigella-EIEC (4/4), and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) resulted in AD. Norovirus infections at non-military and military sites resulted in 27% (14/51) and 33% (3/9) severe AGE cases, respectively. ConclusionsThis study found a high percentage of participants enrolled at both military and non-military sites experienced severe AD with concerning numbers of severe cases at non-military sites reporting hospitalization and reductions in performance. Since travelers with mild TD symptoms are less likely to present to health care workers than those with more severe TD, there is a potential selection bias in this study that may have overestimated the proportion of more severe outcomes among all individuals who could have participated in the GTD study. Future research should examine other covariates among pathogen and host, such as treatment and comorbid conditions, that may contribute to the presence of signs and symptoms and their severity.

Wounded Veterans in Parks and the Joint Recovery Team: American Veterans in Underwater Archaeology

Recent underwater archaeology projects undertaken by the National Park Service (NPS) and East Carolina University (ECU) involving American military veterans offer a mutually beneficial opportunity for archaeologists and veteran participants to conduct meaningful archaeological work. Research has shown the psychological and physiological benefits of participation in outdoor activities, scuba diving, and connection with peer support groups for veterans with service-related injuries. Participation in underwater archaeology projects allows veterans to use many of their professional abilities and experiences, which in turn advances the overall goals of the projects organized by the NPS and ECU. Ongoing work in National Parks and in the Pacific with ECU allows veterans to use military skills and training to work towards a common goal with peers in a rehabilitative environment. These projects have also allowed veteran participants to form a significant connection to the past, often engaging with their own heritage on submerged military sites, such as the USS Arizona or World War II aircraft crash sites.

Towards an Integrated Approach to Recording Military Aircraft Crash Sites

The forensic investigation of military aircraft crash sites has become in recent times part of mainstream traditional archaeology. Mostly amateur aircraft enthusiasts have undertaken the recovery of military aircraft crash sites without methodically recording the remains. The sites covered in this paper have been approached based on recording the in-situ remains methodically using traditional and scientific methods used in the field of archaeology from fieldwalking, metal detecting and geophysics. The strategy and methodology used in this investigation showed how effective and important it is to recover as much of the remains as possible to place it into a meaningful context in order to understand the reasoning for why these aircraft came to a devasting end by crashing into the ground at great speed. The excavations have involved Operation Nightingale—an MOD based recovery programme that specializes in archaeology. This paper will demonstrate the importance of using such an integrated approach to the recovery of military aircraft crash sites from the Second World War by referring to specific case studies.

Crossing the Maelstrom: New Departures in Viking Archaeology

This paper reviews the achievements and challenges of archaeological research on Viking Age northern Europe and explores potential avenues for future research. We identify the reemergence of comparative and cross-cultural perspectives along with a turn toward studying mobility and maritime expansion, fueled by the introduction of biomolecular and isotopic data. The study of identity has seen a shift from a focus on collective beliefs and ritual to issues of personal identity and presentation, with a corresponding shift in attention to individual burials and the “animated objects.” Network ontologies have brought new perspectives on the emergence of sea trade and urban nodes and to the significance of outfield production and resources. Field archaeology has seen an emphasis on elite manors, feasting halls, and monuments, as well as military sites and thing assembly places, using new data from remote sensing, geophysical surveys, geoarchaeology, and metal detectors. Concerns over current climate change have placed the study of environment as a key priority, in particular in the ecologically vulnerable North Atlantic settlements. Discussing future directions, we call for alignment between societal/economic and individual/cultural perspectives, and for more ethically grounded research. We point to diaspora theory and intersectionality as frameworks with the potential to integrate genomics, identity, and society, and to ecology as a framework for integrating landscape, mobility, and political power.

Optimization and Degradation Studies on Hexahydro-1,3,5-Trinitro-1,3,5-Triazine (RDX) with Selected Indigenous Microbes under Aerobic Conditions

Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) a nitramine explosive, which has contaminated various military sites during its use, storage and manufacturing worldwide. As RDX is a recalcitrant, less soluble and toxic to human beings and other organisms, it is essential to remediate the contaminated sites. In the current investigation, authors have explored the potential of two indigenous microbes i.e., Bacillus toyonensis (isolate No. WS4-TSB-3, MTCC No. 12857) and Paenibacillus dendritiformis (isolate No. S10-TSA-3, MTCC No. 12859) isolated from an explosive manufacturing facility in north India, for the degradation of RDX in aqueous medium. Furthermore, RDX degradation has been optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) in a 15 days experiment at concentration of 20, 40, and 60 mg/L. It was found that various factors such as initial concentration of RDX, inoculum volume (2, 4 and 6%) and time (5, 10 and 15 days) had impact on transformation and degradation of contaminant. Samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and intermediate products were identified using LC-MS/MS. Maximum RDX removal of 81.6 ± 1.3 and 84.7 ± 0.9% for Bacillus toyonensis (isolate No. WS4-TSB-3) and Paenibacillus dendritiformis (isolate No. S10-TSA-3), respectively, was observed on 15th day at 40 mg/L initial concentration. During the degradation Hexahydro-1-nitroso-3,5-dinitro-1,3,5-triazine (MNX), Hexahydro-1,3-dinitroso-5-nitro-1,3,5-triazine (DNX), 4-Nitro-2,4-diazabutanal, Bis(hydroxymethyl)nitramine and nitrite were identified as intermediate products. The findings of the investigation suggest that both the microbes have the potential to degrade RDX in the aqueous medium and can be used for up-scaling the degradation of RDX on explosive contaminated sites.

Embracing the change: Resuming advanced trauma training in the COVID-19 era

BackgroundTrauma is slowly regaining its pre-COVID-19 status in terms of prevalence. Advanced trauma training cannot be deferred indefinitely in the current pandemic owing to defense requirements and disaster preparedness in vulnerable regions. Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) India resumed ATLS and Advanced Trauma Care For Nurses (ATCN) courses at one civilian and one military site. MethodsStakeholders of respective centers for advanced trauma training deliberated over safe means to resume ATLS and ATCN. Meticulous screening of all participants and pre- and post-course tracking were deemed the most important components for the safe resumption of courses. ‘Paperless’ course, ‘open-air’ skill stations, ‘payment protection’, ‘buddy system’, point of care sanitizer installation, packed food, and potable beverages were major organizational changes. Participants above 60 years and with uncontrolled comorbidities were not enrolled. ResultsTwo ATCN, one ATLS (civilian), and one combined ATLS-ATCN (military) were conducted. 78 delegates trained by 32 faculties and 13 personnel. All underwent daily thermal scanning and smartphone application-based COVID-19 tracking. Manikins were utilized instead of moulages and instructors took up the role of nursing assistants in Initial Assessment. Exit exams were conducted with full PPE precautions at the military site and mask-distancing precautions at the civilian site. High fidelity simulator was used at one station at the civilian site. Expenses at the civilian site per course were USD 570 lower than conventional courses. There was no incidence of COVID-19 in any of the 123 participants at 14 days follow up. ConclusionWith stringent participant selection and moderate precautions, ATLS and ATCN can be resumed safely in the current COVID-19 pandemic. To the best of our knowledge and after a thorough search of published English literature, this is the first paper reporting on resuming Advanced trauma training in the COVID-19 era.

Military Barracks as Cultural Heritage in Italy: A Comparison between before-1900- and 1900-to-1950-Built Barracks

This paper addresses the fundamental role that cultural heritage can play in local development processes to guarantee community wellbeing, quality of life, and quality of society. The enhancement of cultural heritage’s tangible and intangible values may result in sustainable and resilient territory, but a number of issues emerge when dealing with the reuse of specific inherited assets, such as former military barracks. This paper conducts an in-depth analysis of these assets, especially those released from the military after the end of the Cold War. We thus explore the Italian case through the comparison of before-1900 and 1900-to-1950 former military barracks. The objectives are the following. First, to discover how these two types of military sites are approached (or no) as proper heritage. Second, to understand how the reuse management is carrying out and how it deals with conservative and profit-driven approaches towards the achievement of cultural, economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Third, to compare the Italian case with similar international good practices to discover common/different trends and innovative solutions to be applied in Italy.

Former military sites and post-Covid-19 city in Italy. May their reuse mitigate the pandemic impacts?

The presence of former military settlements, along with other abandoned spaces in the Italian cities, constitutes an opportunity for developing inclusive and green cities through a good governance, especially after the 2020 pandemic outbreak. This paper develops an analytical matrix for comparing and evaluating the redevelopment projects of a number of case studies in the Italian metropolitan cities of Bologna, Milan, Rome, and Turin in the face of the challenges of the post-Covid-19 issues. Although the difficulties to evaluate still ongoing redevelopment projects, I found two main results. First, the Italian political and economic context is what most influenced the redevelopment process and not so much the intrinsic characteristics of former military sites. Second, it seems that the reuse of these urban voids will not match a couple of features of the so-called post-Covid-19 features, i.e. inclusive and good governance, though the redevelopments can seemingly develop green cities.

Engraved gems from Andetrium in the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb

This paper analyses 11 engraved gems from Gornji Muć. They belong to the collection of Roman engraved gems in the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb and were acquired in the 19th century by Mijo Jerko Granić, the priest of Gornji Muć. These gems were found in Gornji Muć, which was the location of the Roman auxiliary fort of Andetrium, and therefore add to our knowledge of Roman gems from military sites in Croatia.