Queering rurality: reading The Miseducation of Cameron Post geographically

This paper contributes to research on geographies of queer rural youth through an analysis of an award-winning young adult novel, The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Danforth (2012a. The Miseducation of Cameron Post. New York: Harper Collins). Three themes from the text are explored in this paper. The first is the well documented heterosexism of rural life. We note that the main protagonist, Cameron Post, experiences rural life on the margins, not only because of her queer identity but also because of her age and gender. A second theme in Danforth’s text is that rural spaces can be transgressively queer. In this respect the author subverts conflations of rurality and heterosexuality and urbanity and homosexuality as well as universalising notions of rurality as static, repressive and exclusive. The final theme emerging from a geographical reading of the text is that of placelessness. While highlighting the pervasiveness of this theme, we note that it elicits criticism from readers in relation to the book’s ending as it departs from the norms of familiar coming-out-narratives. In conclusion, we emphasise the efficacy of young adult literature as a source for furthering geographic knowledge about young people and sexuality.     

Energy and water resource simulations for U.S. geography undergraduates

This paper describes environmental systems games developed for energy and water resource use designed to be adaptable from high school to undergraduate use. Two of the games are computer simulations with adjustable levels of difficulty that can be done in a computer lab or as a homework assignment. The third is a peer-to-peer roleplayer game designed for an immersive in-class simulation. For the energy and the peer-to-peer water games, we describe (1) the overall strategy or story line adopted, (2) the manner in which the game is played by students in a classroom setting, (3) the use of scientific literature in conceptualizing and parameterizing the game, and (4) possible game extensions. Preliminary data from use at the undergraduate level shows that the games are very well-received by students and, consistent with other research on quasi-experimental simulations, likely enhance learning outcomes.     

Founder effect, drift, and adaptive change in domestic crop use in early Neolithic Europe

We document and quantify a significant reduction in crop diversity in the early central European Neolithic using a large multi-site database of archaeobotantical remains we compiled from published Neolithic sites across southwest Asia and Europe. Two hypotheses are proposed to account for the observed changes: one which claims that the different environmental conditions of central Europe selected for a different set of crop choices and strategies than in use in southeast and Mediterranean Europe; and a null hypothesis that explains the change as a drift process associated with a small founding population that subsequently undergoes rapid expansion. Through an agent-based simulation model, we test the null hypothesis and demonstrate that the drop in diversity exceeds that predicted by a drift process. We conclude by re-evaluating the possible adaptive changes underlying crop use in early Neolithic Europe.     

Research design in digital luminance analysis

The prevalence of digital image analysis in studies spanning a wide range of fields makes the importance of set-up design decidedly important for repeatability and testing between studies, especially for those interested in the analysis of microscopic properties. This note outlines some important guidelines for setting up an image analysis protocol, and provides a case study based on the digital analysis of dental cement. Our method allowed for us (1) to get data through the conversion of optical luminance into numerical values and (2) to accurately measure image features through numerical analysis.     

人文地理过程内涵辨析与模拟探讨

人文地理过程是陆地表层系统地理过程最重要的组成部分之一。本文从陆地表层系统科学的角度出发,探讨了人文地理过程的基本内涵及主要组成部分,指出人口迁移过程和经济集聚-扩散过程是人文地理过程最重要的要素过程,城市化和土地利用变化是人文地理过程最直接的空间表达形式;在此基础上进一步探讨了人文地理过程模拟的核心内容,包括要素模拟和综合过程模拟;提出了人文过程模拟的主要数据源获得途径与模拟方法,指出了人文地理过程模拟需要解决的几个关键问题。     

New insights about the construction and use of shell mounds from the geochemical analysis of mollusks: an example from the greater San Francisco Bay

A new method developed by Schweikhardt et al. (2011) for the geochemical analysis of bay mussels is applicable (when combined with radiocarbon assessments) for examining the seasonal construction patterns and growth cycles of coastal mound sites over time. Ideally suited for the analysis of mollusk fragments in museum collections, this method allows archaeologists to evaluate divergent models about the functions of mound sites, as well as the mobility practices and social organizations of the mound builders. In this case study, the method is employed to examine two adjacent mounds (Ellis Landing, Brooks Island) in the San Francisco Bay Area, California to assess whether their occupants may have participated in a broader multi-site community dating to the Late Period (1100–250 BP).     

Deformation bands and their impact on fluid flow in sandstone reservoirs: the role of natural thickness variations

Cataclastic deformation bands, which are common in sandstone reservoirs and which may negatively affect fluid flow, are generally associated with notable thickness variations. It has been suggested previously that such thickness variations represent an important control on how deformation bands affect fluid flow. The effects of such thickness variations are tested in this study though statistical analysis and fluid flow simulation of an array of cataclastic deformation bands in Cretaceous sandstones in in the Bassin de Sud‐Est in Provence, France. Spatial outcrop data are statistically analyzed for incorporation in flow simulation models, and numerical simulations are used to investigate the effects of notable thickness variations on how the deformation bands influence effective permeability and flow dynamics. A suite of simulations is performed using a combination of fine‐scale and coarse‐scale grids, revealing that the effective permeability of the simulated reservoir is reduced by a factor of 15–25. More interestingly, the simulations further demonstrated that, as compared to the overall effect of the deformation band array on fluid flow, thickness variations along the bands proved to have negligible effects only. Thus, our simulations indicate that the configuration and connectivity of the deformation bands, together with the permeability contrast between the bands and the host rock and the mean band thickness, are the most important controls on the effective permeability. Our findings represent new insight into the influence of deformation bands on fluid flow in subsurface aquifers and reservoirs, indicating that thickness variations of individual deformation bands are of less significance than previously thought.     

IIR Compensation in Real-Time Hybrid Simulation using Shake Tables with Complex Control-Structure-Interaction

This article considers the use of actuator compensation in real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) containing experimental substructures with complex control-structure-interaction (CSI). The existence of CSI in shake table testing is derived using theoretical relations. An infinite-impulse-response (IIR) compensator is developed to compensate for the shake table time delay as well as the effects of CSI. The efficacy of the IIR compensator is verified through numerical and experimental investigations of substructure shake table testing completed at Johns Hopkins University. IIR compensation is not limited to substructure shake table testing, and the concept is applicable to any RTHS that suffers from complex CSI.     

RETURNS TO SCALE AND REGIONAL GROWTH: THE STATIC‐DYNAMIC VERDOORN LAW PARADOX REVISITED*

ABSTRACT It has long been an article of faith amongst regional economists that increasing returns to scale are necessary to explain the punctiform location of economic activity and population. However, there is no consensus in the empirical literature over whether returns to scale are constant or increasing. A notable example of this lack of agreement is provided by the static‐dynamic Verdoorn law paradox. While the dynamic Verdoorn law (specified using growth rates) yields estimates of substantial increasing returns to scale, the static Verdoorn law (specified using log‐levels) indicates only the presence of constant returns to scale. In this paper, we explain the static‐dynamic Verdoorn law paradox by showing that estimates of returns to scale obtained using the static law are subject to a spatial aggregation bias, which biases the estimates towards constant returns to scale. We illustrate our arguments by means of simulation exercises. The results obtained hold general lessons for applied economic analysis using spatial data.     

Spatial network analysis of a terminal prehispanic and early colonial settlement in highland Peru

This study uses GIS-based spatial network analysis (SNA) to simulate patterns of foot traffic and analyze the manipulation of the built environment of a small Inka imperial outpost that became an early Franciscan doctrina (doctrinal settlement) in the Andean highlands of southern Peru. Excavations show evidence for growth and remodeling of the site's public and domestic spaces over its short use life as a doctrina, pointing to an increasingly orthodox regime of indoctrination. The results of SNA-based walking simulations show specifically how movement through the site was rerouted to isolate the old Inka ceremonial core, producing new rhythms of interaction and directing public processionals to the colonial plaza and chapel of the doctrina. The complementarity of SNA with other established forms of access analysis and its broader utility for archaeological research design, sampling strategies, hypothesis testing, and interpretation are discussed.     

A Geographic Network Automata Approach for Modeling Dynamic Ecological Systems

Landscape connectivity networks are composed of nodes representing georeferenced habitat patches that link together based on a species’ maximum dispersal distance. These static representations cannot capture the complexity in species dispersal where the network of habitat patch nodes changes structure over time as a function of local dispersal dynamics. Therefore, the objective of this study is to integrate geographic information, complexity, and network science to propose a novel Geographic Network Automata (GNA) modeling approach for the simulation of dynamic spatial ecological networks. The proposed GNA modeling approach is applied to the emerald ash borer (EAB) forest insect infestation using geospatial data sets from Michigan, U.S.A. and simulates the evolution of the EAB spatiotemporal dispersal network structures across a large regional scale. The GNA model calibration and sensitivity analysis are performed. The simulated spatial network structures are quantified using graph theory measures. Results indicate that the spatial distribution of habitat patch nodes across the landscape in combination with EAB dispersal processes generate a highly connected small-world dispersal network that is robust to node removal. The presented GNA model framework is general and flexible so that different types of geospatial phenomena can be modeled, providing valuable insights for management and decision-making.     

A Regional Approach to Ancient Urban Studies in Greece Through Multi-Settlement Geophysical Survey

The systematic exploration of large archaeological sites in the Mediterranean has evolved considerably since the “big dig” excavations. Pedestrian field surveying and remote sensing applications, including satellite and airborne image analysis, are now practical and relatively cost-efficient methods of characterizing large and diachronically diverse landscapes on regional scales. However, the use of geophysical techniques as a means for exploring manifold archaeological contexts is still in its infancy. In this paper, we highlight the advantages of archaeological geophysics to conduct regional surveys in the Mediterranean. Through a multi-site geophysical fieldwork campaign to investigate the patterns and dynamics of ancient cities in Greece, we show how geophysics offer new opportunities for characterizing the spatial attributes and regional dynamics of urban landscapes, and, in doing so, we make an argument for its wider adoption on regional survey projects.     

Development of Neural Network Based Hysteretic Models for Steel Beam-Column Connections Through Self-Learning Simulation

Beam-column connections are zones of highly complex actions and deformations interaction that often lead to failure under the effect of earthquake ground motion. Modeling of the beam-column connections is important both in understanding the behavior and in design. In this article, a framework for developing a neural network (NN) based steel beam-column connection model through structural testing is proposed. Neural network based inelastic hysteretic model for beam-column connections is combined with a new component based model under self-learning simulation framework. Self-learning simulation has the unique advantage in that it can use structural response to extract material models. Self-learning simulation is based on auto-progressive algorithm that employs the principles of equilibrium and compatibility, and the self-organizing nature of artificial neural network material models. The component based model is an assemblage of rigid body elements and spring elements which represent smeared constitutive behaviors of components; either nonlinear elastic or nonlinear inelastic behavior of components. The component based model is verified by a 3-D finite element analysis. The proposed methodology is illustrated through a self-learning simulation for a welded steel beam-column connection. In addition to presenting the first application of self-learning simulation to steel beam-column connections, a framework is outlined for applying the proposed methodology to other types of connections.     

三种凝胶材料清洁烟熏壁画的模拟试验及效果评估

烟熏污染是古代壁画的主要病害之一,严重影响其艺术价值和视觉效果。针对石窟和殿堂壁画的烟熏病害,高仿真制作了轻度、中度和重度烟熏试块,采用卡波姆凝胶、琼脂凝胶和结冷胶开展烟熏清洁实验,并利用显微镜观察、剖面分析和红外光谱(FTIR)分析烟熏污渍形态、胶结状态及评估清洁效果。结果表明,三种凝胶材料对轻度和中度烟熏试块的清洁效果较好;并能不同程度地减轻重度烟熏,使黑褐色污染变为浅灰色,其中卡波姆凝胶清洁效果为佳。便携式显微镜观察清洁界面可见,未清洁区密集分布着黑褐色污渍颗粒,清洁区污渍颗粒大幅减少;相较而言,无涂层壁画经清洁后亦有少量污渍颗粒与颜料颗粒交替相间分布,而涂层壁画清洁后除重度烟熏试块表面有少数褐色小泡状结构外,其余均无污渍,清洁后可完全再现颜料本色,壁画亮度明显提升。清洁区经FTIR检测,表面无凝胶残留。然而,清洁效果受壁画有无涂层、老化程度、并发脆弱性病害、烟熏或灼烧程度、污渍与壁画颜料结合程度以及导致烟熏的燃料介质差异等多种耦合因素共同影响。当前凝胶清洁仅适宜于涂层壁画烟熏和无涂层壁画非重度烟熏的清洁。本研究为壁画烟熏病害的清洁提供了参考和借鉴。     

Assessment of Numerical and Experimental Errors in Hybrid Simulation of Framed Structural Systems through Collapse

Hybrid simulation can provide significant advantages for large-scale experimental investigations of the seismic response of structures through collapse, particularly when considering cost and safety of conventional shake table tests. Hybrid simulation, however, has its own challenges and special attention must be paid to mitigate potential numerical and experimental errors that can propagate throughout the simulation. Several case studies are presented here to gain insight into the factors influencing the accuracy and stability of hybrid simulation from the linear-elastic response range through collapse. The hybrid simulations were conducted on a four-story two-bay moment frame with various substructuring configurations. Importantly, the structural system examined here was previously tested on a shake table with the same loading sequence, allowing for direct evaluation of the hybrid simulation results. The sources of error examined include: (1) computational stability in numerical substructure; (2) setup and installation of the physical specimen representing the experimental substructure; and (3) the accuracy of the selected substructuring technique that handles the boundary conditions and continuous exchange of data between the subassemblies. Recommendations are made regarding the effective mitigation of the various sources of errors. It is shown that by controlling errors, hybrid simulation can provide reliable results for collapse simulation by comparison to shake table testing.     

Simulation of Shake Table Tests on Out-of-Plane Masonry Buildings. Part (VI): Discrete Element Approach

ABSTRACT

Although many experimental tests and numerical models are available in the literature, the numerical simulation of the seismic response of existing masonry buildings is still a challenging problem. While the nonlinear behavior of masonry structures is reasonably predictable when the out-of-plane behavior can be considered inhibited, when the in-plane and out-of-plane responses coexist and interact, simplified models seem unable to provide reliable numerical predictions. In this article, taking advantage of the experimental tests carried out in a shaking table on two masonry prototypes at LNEC, a macro-element approach is applied for the numerical simulations of their nonlinear response. The adopted approach allows simulating the nonlinear behavior of masonry structures considering the in-plane and out-of-plane responses. Since it is based on a simple mechanical scheme, explicitly oriented to representing the main failure mechanisms of masonry, its computational cost is greatly reduced with respect to rigorous solutions, namely nonlinear FEM approaches. Two modeling strategies are adopted, namely a regular mesh independent from the real texture of the prototypes and a detailed one coherent with the units disposal. The numerical results are discussed and the correlation between the nonlinear static analyses and the dynamic response is provided.     

The study of spatiotemporal patterns integrating temporal uncertainty in late prehistoric settlements in northeastern Spain

This paper explores the integration of two variables that are typically difficult to use in spatial analysis: time and uncertainty. A framework is constructed to analyse mid- and long-term variation in settlement dynamics during late prehistory in northeastern Spain. Following previous proposals, an aoristic model is built with ceramic dating to feed a Monte Carlo simulation that explores the case study using a discrete time-step approach. At the same time, available radiometric dating is used to validate the accuracy of the simulation results. Departing from the static analysis of spatial variables, the model proposes a new approach by which researchers can address temporal uncertainty. The results show that patterns detected by classical spatial analysis can be produced by artefacts derived from the division of time in chronological units instead of discrete time periods. The model is also used to compare a priori identical variations whose rate of change, when analysed with this approach, is revealed to be completely different.