Universal Transverse Mercator Research Articles

Psychosocial risks faced by olive workers in Spain: evaluated using the ‘Mini Psychosocial Factors’ questionnaire

BackgroundSpain has the largest olive-growing area in Europe. The goal of the present research is to evaluate the psychosocial risks faced by workers in the olive groves of Jaén (the...

Interpreting Arc and Line Shapes in the Fault Ruptures of the 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikoura, New Zealand and the 2023 Mw7.8 and Mw7.6 East Anatolian Fault, Turkey-Syria Earthquakes: A Theoretical Approach

This study examined the arc and line shapes produced in the fault ruptures of the 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikoura earthquake in New Zealand and the 2023 Mw7.8 and Mw7.6 East Anatolian Fault earthquakes in Turkey-Syria. Theoretical fault mechanisms and physical laws of movement were used to interpret the conceptual geometry of the arc and line shapes, and kinematics force movement. Using computer-aided design (CAD) on the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) metric projection, this paper presents earthquake parameters defining the fault geometry, including straight lines and arc shapes with specific measurements such as radius, length, angles, and normal/perpendicular vectors. Comparative analysis revealed distinctions between the two seismic events. Specifically, the Kaikoura earthquake exhibited a smaller normal vector compared to the Turkey-Syria earthquakes. Further interpretation uncovered that the Kaikoura earthquake resulted from pressure exerted by the radius arc vector from both the south-east and north-west, aligning with the continuation of the north-easternmost fault rupture. This suggests that the primary fault vector aligns with the fault trend. In contrast, the Turkey-Syria earthquakes displayed two independent circuit systems. The first event in the Turkiye-Syria rupture underwent an orientation change or bending of about 137 degrees (from N24oE to N68oE). The normal vector of the second earthquake originated from the bending angle of the first earthquake, close to its hypocenter. The rupture of the Kaikoura earthquake followed a lineament orientation of N47oE, forming an approximately 10-km wide corridor, comprising both straight lines and arc shapes.

Multi-criteria site selection for wastewater treatment plant in Bent Saidane, Tunisia

Optimal site selection for the establishment of a municipal waste-water-treatment plant (WWTP) is an amazingly complex task that involves several factors such as regulations, as well as environmental, economic and social considerations. This paper presents the criteria and applied methods (geographic information system (GIS)/fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP)) used in the screening of potential sites for the WWTP of the Bent Saidane rural locality (northern Tunisia). For this reason, nine factors accompanied by three sets of site selection criteria were used. GIS-based multi-criteria analysis techniques based on the standardised fuzzy logic concept and weighted overlay were applied for generation of all maps in the Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system. Multiscale evaluations based on the weighted linear combination method were also assessed. The study indicated that 0.14 and 0.11% of the total area of the Bent Saidane locality were found to be highly suitable and very highly suitable, respectively. According to these results, the GIS followed by the fuzzy AHP method could pinpoint the optimal sites selected as the most suitable, due to their minimum impact on the environment, as well as on public health, for the construction of a future WWTP in the Bent Saidane rural area.

QGIS‐based support tools to simplify the complex design challenges of subsurface drainage systems

AbstractWe developed a comprehensive set of tools to simplify the design and layout of subsurface drainage systems. These tools, which utilize publicly available LiDAR (light detection and ranging) datasets, may also be used for other applications. The tool streamline operations include harmonizing geographic information system (GIS) layers into a single State Plane or Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinate System, clipping and thinning LiDAR data within a defined boundary, generating drainage networks with contour lines and laylines for surface flow visualization, identifying depressions and creating gridlines with user‐specified angles and spacings. To showcase their use, an illustrative example using a diverse dataset from the University of Illinois’ South Farm is provided. These user‐friendly tools, optimized for compatibility with all versions of QGIS3 (quantum geographic information system 3), are freely accessible for download or installation from the official QGIS plugin repository. A user manual with step‐by‐step instructions is available online on the Illinois Drainage Guide website.

GROUNDWATER VULNERABILITY MAP OF BASARA BASIN, SULAIMANI GOVERNORATE, IRAQI KURDISTAN REGION

The Basara basin which is one of the most promising hydrogeological basin in Iraqi Kurdistan Region, located in north east of Iraq, 25 km west of Sulaimani city, between the 496652 - 537752 East and 3911038 - 3951906 North in Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and lie in Zone 38N. The basin has a rectangular shape and covering an area of 571 km². The present hydrogeological investigations have revealed three inhomogeneous and anisotropic water bearing formations: Eocene Karstic Fissured Aquifer (EKFA), Intergranular Aquifer represented by Alluvium and Pliocene (AIA) & (PIA), as well as Miocene Complex Aquifer (MCA).For the first time, not only in Kurdistan but also in Iraq, Groundwater Vulnerability Map has been constructed in this study, using DRASTIC method with the assistance of Geographic Information System (GIS) to show zonation area of high and low groundwater susceptibility to pollution. Accordingly, vulnerability classes of the study area were classified into four classes. Most of the basin shows the highest extension of the zones with very low and low vulnerability zones, in contrast the zones with high vulnerability are distributed mainly in the mountain areas, solely in the eastern Uloblagh and Kuwaik mountains, in addition to that small zones in the farthest northern corner and south western corner of the area have less or no human activity.

Secant Cylinders Are Evil—A Case Study on the Standard Lines of the Universal Transverse Mercator and Universal Polar Stereographic Projections

The literature usually calls downscaled versions of basic conformal map projections “secant”, referring to conceptual developable map surfaces that intersect the reference frame. However, recent studies pointed out on the examples of various mappings of the sphere that this model may lead to incorrect conclusions. In this study, we examine the paradigm of secant surfaces for two popular map projections of the ellipsoid, the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) and the UPS (Universal Polar Stereographic) projections. Results will show that ellipsoidal map projections can exhibit further anomalies. To support the shift to a paradigm avoiding developable map surfaces, this study recommends the new term reduced map projection with a proper and simple definition to be used instead of secant map projections.

Global and local magnitude and spatial pattern of uncertainty from geographically adaptive empirical and machine learning satellite-derived bathymetry models

ABSTRACT The spatial structure of local uncertainty of shallow-water satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) relative to model type, imagery, and geographical adaptability was examined for an area near Key West, Florida (United States). The model types examined were a commonly used quasi-empirical linear regression model and a decision tree-based Categorical Boosting (CatBoost) machine learning (ML) model. Image types examined were (four) cloud-free Sentinel-2 images and a maximum blue band (Band 2) value image composite of the four Sentinel-2 images. Initial models fitted were based on band reflectances alone. Geographical adaptivity was added by including UTM coordinates and refitting the models. Major findings were: 1) The ML/CatBoost models provided substantially better depth estimates than the quasi-empirical models. 2) The geographically adaptive models outperformed the non-geographically adaptive models. 3) The ML/CatBoost models that included non-visible spectral bands including infra-red improved SDB accuracy compared to ML/CatBoost and quasi-empirical models based only on visible spectral bands. 4) Accuracies from ML/CatBoost models were comparable across all individual images and the composite suggesting that CatBoost models eliminate or at least minimize the need to find “the best” cloud-free image nor is it necessary to create a composite image. 5) Localized SDB inaccuracy was spatially random. 6) Significant spatial hotspots where SDB accuracy was consistently higher or lower across all images and models were present. Results suggest that image selection is less important for global and local SDB accuracy than using ML models that detect hidden interactions and non-linear relationships among pixel reflectance and geographic location. The spatially random local deviation from global accuracy suggests a weak ability to infer local accuracy from neighboring accuracies. This lack of spatial autocorrelation among errors is potentially problematic for the use of SDB maps for navigation since error at any location is generally inferred from known uncertainties at neighboring locations. Rigorous and robust uncertainty analysis is necessary in any effort to improve SDB, and the uncertainty analysis techniques employed that characterize SDB uncertainty in both statistical and geographical space could be an important part of quality assurance and continuous improvement.

Reduced Equations for K UTM Scale Factor and GNSS Usage in Chilean Cadastral Environments

Topographic distances from global navigation systems (GNSS) equipment are being progressively involved in legal land parcel registration applications (Bramanto et al., 2019; Dabove, 2019; Pullar and Donaldson, 2022; Roberts, 2005; Tamrakar, 2013), a practice not entirely reliable from the surveying point of view of legal land registration. GNSS observations expressed as Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, are cartographic projection data and are not exactly what horizontal ground topographic distances indicate, which are valid for land tenure, deeds, rights purposes. A method for converting GNSS positions to horizontal topographic distances in cadastral environments preserving metric accuracy standards fixed for parcel registration according to Chilean authorities, is presented here. Complex equations to determine scale factor K from the UTM projection have been reduced to a set of constant coefficients, allowing replicating electronic distance measurement (EDM) performance in horizontal distances used in other experiences as Australia, by just providing coordinates and observed accuracies. All assumptions are aimed to simplify the property registration procedures in singular geographic environments like Chile, where urban settlements can be found at heights 2,000 m or more, being of utmost relevance to bear in mind differences between projected and ground coordinates. Applied experiences performed near Santiago de Chile at heights of 600 m over the MSL, yielded 3 mm difference in 500 m distance compared to measurements carried out by means of GNSS equipment in static mode.

Population decline of the Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis in continental Spain, a main western Palearctic stronghold

Summary Many European farmland bird populations are rapidly declining because of agricultural intensification and land-use changes. Robust estimates of population sizes and trends, habitat use, and protected area coverage within the distribution range are crucial to inform the conservation and management of threatened species. Here we report on the results of the 2019 Black-bellied Sandgrouse Pterocles orientalis (BBS) survey promoted and coordinated by SEO/BirdLife to update its breeding distribution, population size, and trends in continental Spain. A total of 660 grid cells, 10 × 10 km, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), were surveyed (81% of the distribution area), with 2,257 visits to 1,750 walked transects (7,001 km in total; 10.6 km per UTM). BBS was detected in 43% of sampled UTMs. At transect level, occupancy was 11% higher inside protected areas. At UTM level, occupancy was estimated at 0.58 (Bayesian credible interval [BCI] 95%: 0.55–0.61), revealing that BBS occupied about half of its previous breeding range (2003–2005). Using hierarchical distance sampling modelling, we estimated an average density of 1.33 individuals/km2 in occupied areas, and a population of 4,025 individuals (confidence interval: 1,840–7,609) within sampled areas, with an additional 697 individuals (confidence interval 461–1,075) in areas that were not surveyed. Further, the relative abundance of BBS (Kilometric Abundance Index) declined by 63% between 2005 and 2019 (annual decline rate of 4.5%). BBS used agricultural habitats (73%) and unprotected areas (54%) despite a higher occupancy within protected areas. Given the recent decline rate and persistent threats, the BBS conservation status should be upgraded to “Endangered” in peninsular Spain. Its future depends on land-use changes and agricultural practices, in particular the maintenance of fallows, semi-natural habitats, and pastures for extensive grazing. Better protection of important areas and targeted conservation initiatives should be promoted to halt and reverse the population decline in this key western Palearctic stronghold.

3D RECONSTRUCTION FROM MULTI-VIEW GOOGLE EARTH SATELLITE STEREO IMAGES BY GENERATING VIRTUAL RPC BASED ON 3D HOMOGRAPHY-BASED GEOREFERENCING

Abstract. In this paper, we propose a method for performing 3D reconstruction by generating virtual RPC parameters from multi-view satellite stereo images provided by Google Earth (GE) software. In the multi-view stereo (MVS) image in a general case, after the pose and parameters of the camera are estimated, a dense 3D surface can be reconstructed. However, in the case of satellite images, it is not easy to obtain the original images with pose parameters of an area of interest. In the case of GE software, which can obtain images across the globe, the images provided are georeferenced and modified to fit the ground control point (GCP), so there is no camera model to explain the projection relationship. Therefore, the purpose of the proposed method is to perform 3D reconstruction by generating virtual camera parameters in modified satellite images obtained from GE software. In the proposed method, satellite images obtained from GE are estimated to be pinhole images using structure from motion (SfM) for initial reconstruction. After initial reconstruction, the 3D model is transformed from a distorted hexahedral space formed along a pixel ray to a UTM coordinate system metric space through a 3D homography-based georeferencing. A virtual rational polynomial camera (RPC) parameter is calculated through the satellite images and the 3D interspace correspondence point of UTM coordinates. The result is generated by virtual RPC and the MVS method using the RPC model. The reconstructed DSM using virtual RPC is improved over the initial reconstruction of the proposed process, and error measurement in the area with GT obtained significant results with an average of 1.366m on an MAE method.

Alternative of Terrestrial Data Processing for Precise Point Positioning

Terrestrial mapping is performed on the topographic surface, but control points are typically defined using a Projected Coordinate System (PCS). Using PCS directly as control points in terrestrial data processing can cause problems in final result. They must be corrected before, due to the discrepancies between the projection plane and the ellipsoid, and between the ellipsoid and the topographic surface. To address this, we propose an alternative approach that involves defining a custom ellipsoid that intersect with the topographic surface. In practice, this approach utilizes a control point whose coordinate is defined using PCS on the custom ellipsoid. To test this concept, we conducted a calculation of an open traverse survey spanning 10 km east-west and measuring an elevation of 1000 m above the reference ellipsoid. The traverse survey included two control points at the beginning and end, and two check points every 3 km. The traverse calculation was done using four different coordinate systems, including a combination of WGS84 and custom ellipsoid for the datums, and Universal Transverse Mercator zone 48 south (UTM48S) and Transverse Mercator (TM) with custom central meridian for the projections. After the calculation, we found that the lowest linear misclosure value was produced by the combination of custom datum-custom TM. The coordinate at the check point was then evaluated and the result showed that the total linear misclosure of the combination of custom datum-custom TM was not significantly different from WGS84-custom TM, with values of only differ by less than 1mm.While the difference of linear misclosure with standard data processing differ by 8 mm. Based on this result, we can conclude that the use of proper projection system in control point coordinate definition or combine with custom datum is the best option for open traverse without control at the end.

Subsurface Interpretation of the Sembalun Area, East Lombok using the Gravity Method

The Sembalun area in UTM coordinates is located atEast hanging 452120,3 to 437998,9 and Northing 9062924 to 9085495 and belongs to the UTM 50S zone which is located on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara. The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of subsurface geological structures in the Sembalun area, East Lombok. The geophysical method used in this research is method gravity namely by finding the distribution of density values and finding values Complete Bouguer Anomaly (CBA) which will be used to perform 2D modeling of subsurface geological structures in the study area using software Grablox. The data used in this research is secondary data in the form of GGMplus 2013 satellite imagery data gravity disturbance and Earth Residual Terrain Model (ERTM2160). The results obtained from this study include the rock density obtained by the parasnis method of 2.815 g/cm3. The fault structure is in the North to Southwest of the study area and there is also a caldera in the middle of the study area (between Sembalun Bumbung and Sembalun Lawang). Manifestations in the form of hot springs are in the south (close to Mount Pusuk). The results of 2D modeling with Grablox are dominant with high density indicating that the study area is dominated by andesitic lava rock.

Comparison of the Karney Polygon Method and the Shoelace Method for Calculating Area

In calculating the area of an area, latitude and longitude coordinates are based on data from Global Administrative Region Database and Google Earth can be used. The aim of this research is to calculate the area. This research uses the Karney and Shoelace method to determine its accuracy based on Median Absolute Percentage Error in calculating the area of an area. Median Absolute Percentage Error results use data based on Global Administration The Regional Database by applying the polygon method proposed by Karney is 18.73%, and the percentage is 18.19% by applying the Shoelace method. Based on Google Earth data, implementation the method proposed by Karney obtained a percentage of 19.14%, and the application of shoelaces method obtained a percentage of 19.72%. In this case, Karney polygons and the Shoelace method has good accuracy because the value is below 20%. The proposed Shoelace method is easier to perform understand compared to the Karney method for calculating land area because it uses the Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system, which projects points on the Earth's surface onto a flat plane.

94 Characterizing Yearling Beef Steers Grazing on Smooth Bromegrass Pasture Using Global Positioning Technology

Abstract Extensive grazing systems often vary in pasture size and terrain, making it challenging for ranchers to accurately locate livestock through visual appraisal. Using satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS), accurate position data can be provided to track animal movements that could inform grazing management decisions. This study aimed to: 1) assess two modern GPS devices for functionality by calculating fix success rate, and 2) evaluate the relationship between average daily distance traveled and average daily weight gain (ADG) performance on yearling steers grazing smooth bromegrass pasture using the GPS devices. Yearling steers (n = 25) grazed a 10.8-ha smooth bromegrass pasture for 156 days from May to September 2021. The temperature ranged from 4.1 to 38.8ºC with an average 22.7ºC and received 490 mm of rainfall. Cattle ADG was 0.65 ± 0.13 kg/d. Each steer was assigned two GPS collars for 28 days to compare two types of sensors. The sensors evaluated were i-gotU GT-600 travel loggers (GU) and Yabby LoRaWAN GPS sensors (YB) utilizing the IoT (Internet of Things) technology. The YB sensor possessed real-time monitoring and remote data access, while data from the GU sensor needed to be removed from the animals and manually downloaded. The YB sensors had a manufacturer declared finest positioning accuracy of 4.6 m, while that of the GU sensor being 9.1 m. With a 10-min sampling rate, battery life of the YB sensors lasted 4 weeks, while the GU sensors demonstrated unreliable battery performance that ranged between 1 to 4 weeks. Fixed success rate (FSR) was calculated for each sensor. Using PROC MIXED of SAS (v 9.4), on average the GU sensors had a 67.1% FSR and the YB sensors observed an 89.9% FSR (P < 0.0001). The YB sensor outweighed the GU sensor on battery life and FSR, thus was utilized throughout the duration of the grazing season. Individual animal traveled distance was calculated after converting the GPS coordinates in decimal degrees to Universal Transverse Mercator coordinates (WGS 1984 UTM zone 14N) in meters. The Euclidean distance between consecutive coordinates was calculated and summed daily to represent the daily traveled distance of an animal. Using all coordinates recorded from YB, steers traveled 2,718 ± 809 m/d. Statistical analysis was conducted using PROC CORR of SAS to determine the correlation between the daily averages of distance traveled and ADG. All values were considered significant α ≤ 0.05. There was no correlation observed between distance traveled and ADG (P ≥ 0.76). Results demonstrate that modern GPS sensors utilizing IoT technology have benefits over traditional GPS sensors and can be used as a tool for extensive grazing livestock tracking.

Effect of Latitude As a Significant Element on the Results of Direct UTM Coordinates Transformation Method

The transformation of global navigation satellite systems coordi- nates between any two datums represents a vital procedure. Although the geocentric coordinates (X, Y, Z) of two datums can be trans- formed using the 7-parameters method, the conversion of Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) projected coordinates (E, N) between two systems cannot be applied with the same procedure. However, see Jassim (2022), which discusses a method that allows the transformation between any two datums using the utm projected coordinates directly regarding the variation of the datum's semi-major axis and the eccentricity. The results of the evaluation of this method show that there is a significant shift in the transformed coordinates due to the imperfection of the used algorithm. While this research suggests a modification in the previous algorithm by adding the latitude's variation as a third significant factor besides the other two variations (∂a, ∂e2, and Δ), the suggested modification gives a high decline in the uncertainty of the position values. Furthermore, it takes a homogenous fixed limit for different places over Iraqi territory.

A Study of Land Use and Gully Erosion in Nekede Community, Owerri West, Imo State, Nigeria Using the GIS

Land use and gully erosion incidence in Nekede community, Owerri Imo state was studied using some digital tools of the GIS and remote sensing. The Nigeria sat. 2 imagery sourced from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was acquired from the Landsat ETM sensor with a resolution of 30m. Landsat TM and ETM data obtained had cloud cover of less than 20%. The images were geo-referenced to a Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) grid using the software to allow compatibility and comparison with other data sets. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) 30m DEM of the study area was downloaded from the CIAT-CSI SRTM website. These data were projected to the UTM coordinates system and clipped to the extent of the study area. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was equally used to show some details since a ratio of red and near infra-red bands from a remotely-sensed image-greenness can be defined. Results are that the colour differences found in a large part of the south-west indicated built-up but were much earlier in time covered by dense forest cover which the inhabitants cleared in the process of urbanization and agricultural activities exposing the fragile soil to heavy rainfall and concentrated run off. The high speed of the surface runoff leads to rapid washing away of the soil and weakening the soil strata bringing in effect gullies. Land use zoning using digital GIS and remote sensing models in monitoring land use/cover changes following existing master plans was among others recommended.

Ecological and structural differentiation of the Sudanian woodlands in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari, Benin

Aims: This study aims to: i) differentiate the plant associations in the Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari (BRP), ii) determine the ecological characteristics of their habitats and iii) present distribution maps on different soil types. Study area: The BRP, located in the Sudanian Zone of Benin. Methods: 202 phytosociological relevés were sampled according to the Braun-Blanquet method within the BRP. Ordination was performed using Detrended Correspondence Analysis to evaluate vegetation patterns. Soil parameters were used to characterize the vegetation types. Results: The numerical analysis of 202 plots and 249 plant species showed two major floristic groups that correlated with a moisture gradient: drylands versus wetlands. The dryland group was a mixture of woodland and shrub savanna, the dominant ecosystems of the study area. The wetland group encompassed species primarily from riparian forest, tree savanna and grass savanna on floodplains. Syntaxonomical analysis of the dryland group showed rocky and gravelly soil associations (Burkeo africanae-Detarietum microcarpi) and soils associated with or without fine gravels (Andropogono gayani-Terminalietum avicennioidis, Andropogono gayani-Senegalietum dudgeonii and Terminalietum leiocarpae). Syntaxonomical analysis of the wetland group showed riparian forest associations on sandy-clay soil (Coletum laurifoliae, Borassetum aethiopi and Hyparrhenio glabriusculae-Mitragynetum inermis) and floodplain associations on silt-clay soil (Terminalio macropterae-Mitragynetum inermis, Brachiario jubatae-Terminalietum macropterae, Sorghastro bipennati-Vachellietum hockii). Conclusions: Eleven new associations were identified in this study. If the distribution of plant associations was determined by different soil properties, the soil humidity would be one of the main ecological factors determining the establishment of plant species and thus plant association development. Taxonomic reference: Akoègninou et al. (2006), Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants (APG IV, 2016). Abbreviations: BRP = Biosphere Reserve of Pendjari; CBD = Convention on Biological Diversity; CCA = Constrained Correspondence Analysis; DCA = Detrended Correspondence Analysis; GPS UTM = Global Positioning System Universal Transverse Mercator.

Application of coordinate systems for vessel trajectory prediction improvement using a recurrent neural networks

According to the Global Maritime Insurance annual report, among human and non-human risk factors, the number of accidents in maritime transport remains a significant issue. One of the factors is vessel collisions and anomalies at sea. Massive historical data from automatic identification systems are analyzed, and intelligent transportation systems are being developed to solve the problem of vessel trajectory prediction. The most ordinary attempt to improve accuracy is by evaluating the historical vessel behavior and learning the patterns and similarities of the predicted vessel movements. However, this paper shows that a better forecast also may be reached by choosing a different trajectory calculation strategy. The geographical or polar coordinate system values are used in a classical way, but several modifications, such as Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), have been proposed in this study as an alternative to Mercator’s projection coordinates. Two main positioning of the vessels motion transformations were tested: by changing the coordinates to measurements of the angular distance (haversine) and displacement angle (azimuth) functions between different time steps; degree coordinates transformation into a Cartesian system using UTM with vector subtraction. The last case improves the accuracy of almost 30% in the available data sample by using the autoencoder architecture, compared to the longitude and latitude predictions even with computed delta features. The research generally compared three recurrent network architectures (with their hyperparameter – cell sizes): Autoencoder Long Short-Term Memory, Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory, and Gated Recurrent Unit networks. The model calculations are performed in a real historical dataset, exclusively on cargo vessel type trajectories in the Netherlands (North Sea) coastal region. Also, the methods were validated in another dataset of the Baltic Sea Region.

Developing landslide susceptibility map using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) method for mitigation of land degradation

<p>Landslides are one of the crucial problems that have an impact on land degradation and human life. This study aimed to develop vulnerability maps using ANN to mitigate land degradation in the Bromo Tengger Semeru with the extending area of Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Coordinate System Top 91277639, Bottom 911569, Left 692860, and Right 706860. The method applied the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model using RStudio machine learning. Landslides were mapped using Sentinel Image and Orthomozaic photo interpretation from data acquisition using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The landslide control factor data was obtained through DEMNAS (National Digital Elevation Model) with a spatial resolution of 8 meters. Data normalisation was conducted using the Mix-Max method before it was processed using RStudio. The landslide existing for ANN workflow was processed using the Bioclim model. The results showed landslide susceptibility was categorised into four classes i.e., low susceptibility (29.83%), which was spatially spread on most in the lower slopes, moderate susceptibility (3.11%), high susceptibility (2.99%), and very high susceptibility (15.94) which is scattered on the upper slope to the middle slope of the watershed. The most significant factor influencing the landslide is the topography factor, with a Relative Importance (RI) value of 0.86; the hydrological factor, with an RI of 0.833 and the surface feature, with an RI of 0.355. The results of the landslide susceptibility model are very proper for land degradation mitigation strategies. It has high accuracy through an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.965 and a Precision Recall Curve (PRC) of 0.976.</p>

Spatial Analysis in Areas with High Occurrence of Accidents Caused by Tityus serrulatus and Tityus bahiensis (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Brazil.

In Brazil, scorpion stings are recorded in high numbers with an increasing epidemiological situation in most municipalities. In the present study, data between 1998 and 2018 in Americana, São Paulo, were analyzed. In total, 4122 records on scorpion stings were georeferenced using a Garmin eTREX 30X global positioning system device, with WGS84 datum projection and Universal Transverse Mercator zone 23S. Multiple Poisson regression was used to explore the relationship between the incidence rates of stings and urban planning areas (UPAs). Eight quantitative variables were used to establish the environmental and anthropic characterization of UPAs associated or not associated with scorpionism. A spatial analysis was performed for geoprocessing maps of Americana using spatial statistics tools (optimized hotspot analysis and kernel density function) from cartographic clusters in the ArcMap software, version 10.5. The optimized hotspot analysis tool identified spatial clusters with high values of the incidence of scorpion stings in the surroundings of all UPAs in the municipality. The estimation of the kernel function of event intensity showed a wide distribution of stings across the area of the entire municipal territory, with UPA-02 and UPA-06 exhibiting the highest occurrence of scorpion stings. Six significant hotspots were established as highest-event-density areas (with occurrences of 160-270) and were contiguous to 4 environmental protection areas, located in more peripheral regions, and to 2 municipal cemeteries, which were located in urban central areas. This analysis showed that the risk of scorpion stings in different Americana's UPAs has increased occurrence and incidence intensity.