Application of A* Algorithm for Real-time Path Re-planning of an Unmanned Surface Vehicle Avoiding Underwater Obstacles

This paper describes path re-planning techniques and underwater obstacle avoidance for unmanned surface vehicle(USV) based on multi-beam forward looking sonar(FLS). Near-optimal paths in static and dynamic environments with underwater obstacles are computed using a numerical solution procedure based on an A* algorithm. The USV is modeled with a circular shape in 2 degrees of freedom(surge and yaw). In this paper, two-dimensional(2-D) underwater obstacle avoidance and the robust real-time path re-planning technique for actual USV using multi-beam FLS are developed. Our real-time path re-planning algorithm has been tested to regenerate the optimal path for several updated frames in the field of view of the sonar with a proper update frequency of the FLS. The performance of the proposed method was verified through simulations, and sea experiments. For simulations, the USV model can avoid both a single stationary obstacle, multiple stationary obstacles and moving obstacles with the near-optimal trajectory that are performed both in the vehicle and the world reference frame. For sea experiments, the proposed method for an underwater obstacle avoidance system is implemented with a USV test platform. The actual USV is automatically controlled and succeeded in its real-time avoidance against the stationary undersea obstacle in the field of view of the FLS together with the Global Positioning System(GPS) of the USV.

Real-Time Modelling and Optimisation for Water and Energy Efficient Surface Irrigation

The viability and sustainability of crop production is currently threatened by increasing water scarcity. Water scarcity problems can be addressed through improved water productivity and the options usually presumed in this context are efficient water use and conversion of surface irrigation to pressurised systems. By replacing furrow irrigation with drip or centre pivot systems, the water efficiency can be improved by up to 30% to 45%. However, the installation and application of pumps and pipes, and the associated fuels needed for these alternatives increase energy consumption. A balance between the improvement in water use and the potential increase in energy consumption is required. When surface water is used, pressurised irrigation systems increase energy consumption substantially, by between 65% to 75%, and produce greenhouse gas emissions around 1.75 times higher than that of gravity based irrigation systems so their use should be carefully planned keeping in view adverse impact of carbon emissions on the environment and threat of increasing energy prices. With gravity-fed surface irrigation methods, the energy consumption is assumed to be negligible. This study has shown that a novel real-time infiltration model REIP has enabled implementation of real-time optimisation and gravity fed surface irrigation with real-time optimisation has potential to bring significant improvements in irrigation performance along with substantial water savings of 2.92 ML/ha which is equivalent to that given by pressurised systems. The real-time optimisation and control thus offers a modern, environment friendly and water efficient system with close to zero increase in energy consumption and minimal greenhouse gas emissions.

Variations in evaporation from water surfaces along the margins of the Badain Jaran Desert over nearly 60 years and influencing factors

Based on meteorological data collected over nearly 60 years(1960-2017)from four national meteorological stations along the margins of the Badain Jaran Desert,this study analyzed the spatiotemporal variations in evaporation from water surfaces and identified the dominant controlling factors.Methods used included linear trend analysis,linear tendency estimation,the departure method,the rank correlation coefficient-based method,and Multiple Linear Regression(MLR).Results indicate notable spatiotemporal differences in evaporation distribution and evolution.Spatially,average annual evaporation exhibited a pronounced altitude effect,decreasing at a rate of about 8.23 mm/m from east to west with increasing altitude.Temporally,annual evaporation showed significant upward trends after 1996 at the northeastern(Guaizi Lake)and western(Dingxin)margins,with rates of 132 mm/10a and 105 mm/10a,respectively.Conversely,along the northwestern(Ejina Banner)and southern(Alxa Right Banner)margins of the desert,an evaporation paradox was observed,with annual evaporation trending downward at rates of 162 mm/10a and 187 mm/10a,respectively,especially after 1987.The dominant factors controlling evaporation varied spatially:Average annual temperature and relative humidity influended the western margin(Dingxin),average annual temperature was the key factor for the northeastern margin(Guaizi Lake),and average wind speed was crucial for the northern(Ejina Banner)and southern(Alxa Right Banner)margins.

Monitoring Surface Water Change in Northeast China in 1999–2020:Evidence from Satellite Observation and Refined Classification

As a typical region with high water demand for agricultural production,understanding the spatiotemporal surface water changes in Northeast China is critical for water resources management and sustainable development.However,the long-term variation characteristics of surface water of different water body types in Northeast China remain rarely explored.This study investigated how surface water bodies of different types(e.g.,lake,reservoir,river,coastal aquaculture,marsh wetland,ephemeral water) changed during1999–2020 in Northeast China based on various remote sensing-based datasets.The results showed that surface water in Northeast China grew dramatically in the past two decades,with an equivalent area increasing from 24 394 km^(2) in 1999 to 34 595 km^(2) in 2020.The surge of ephemeral water is the primary driver of surface water expansion,which could ascribe to shifted precipitation pattern.Marsh wetlands,rivers,and reservoirs experienced a similar trend,with an approximate 20% increase at the interdecadal scale.By contrast,coastal aquacultures and natural lakes remain relatively stable.This study is expected to provide a more comprehensive investigation of the surface water variability in Northeast China and has important practical significance for the scientific management of different types of surface water.

Impacts of Comorbidity and Mental Shock on Organic Micropollutants in Surface Water During and After the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Wuhan (2019–2021), China

The first pandemic wave of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)induced a considerable increase in several antivirals and antibiotics in surface water.The common symptoms of COVID-19 are viral and bacterial infections,while comorbidities(e.g.,hypertension and diabetes)and mental shock(e.g.,insomnia and anxiety)are nonnegligible.Nevertheless,little is known about the long-term impacts of comorbidities and mental shock on organic micropollutants(OMPs)in surface waters.Herein,we monitored 114 OMPs in surface water and wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)in Wuhan,China,between 2019 and 2021.The pandemic-induced OMP pollution in surface water was confirmed by significant increases in 26 OMP concentrations.Significant increases in four antihypertensives and one diabetic drug suggest that the treatment of comorbidities may induce OMP pollution.Notably,cotinine(a metabolite of nicotine)increased 155 times to 187 ngL1,which might be associated with increased smoking.Additionally,the increases in zolpidem and sulpiride might be the result of worsened insomnia and depression.Hence,it is reasonable to note that mental-health protecting drugs/behavior also contributed to OMP pollution.Among the observed OMPs,telmisartan,lopinavir,and ritonavir were associated with significantly higher ecological risks because of their limited WWTP-removal rate and high ecotoxicity.This study provides new insights into the effects of comorbidities and mental shock on OMPs in surface water during a pandemic and highlights the need to monitor the fate of related pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment and to improve their removal efficiencies in WWTPs。

Isotope Tracking of Surface Water Groundwater Interaction in the Beninese Part of the Iullemeden Aquifer System

The Kandi basin is located in northeast Benin (West Africa). This study is focused on the estimation of water fluxes exchanged between the river Niger (and its tributaries) and the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer System. In that framework, an innovative approach based on the application of the Bayesian Mixing Model (MixSIAR) analysis on water isotopes (oxygen-18, deuterium and tritium) was performed. Moreover, to assess the relevance of the model outputs, Pearson’s correlation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) have been done. A complex relationship between surface water and groundwater has been found. Sixty percent (60%) of groundwater samples are made of more than 70% river water and rainwater;while 31.25% of surface water samples are made of about 84% groundwater. To safeguard sustainable water resources for the well-being of the local communities, surface water and groundwater must be managed as a unique component in the Kandi basin.

A CFD Model to Evaluate Near-Surface Oil Spill from a Broken Loading Pipe in Shallow Coastal Waters

Oil spills continue to generate various issues and concerns regarding their effect and behavior in the marine environment,owing to the related potential for detrimental environmental,economic and social implications.It is essential to have a solid understanding of the ways in which oil interacts with the water and the coastal ecosystems that are located nearby.This study proposes a simplified model for predicting the plume-like transport behavior of heavy Bunker C fuel oil discharging downward from an acutely-angled broken pipeline located on the water surface.The results show that the spill overall profile is articulated in three major flow areas.The first,is the source field,i.e.,a region near the origin of the initial jet,followed by the intermediate or transport field,namely,the region where the jet oil flow transitions into an underwater oil plume flow and starts to move horizontally,and finally,the far-field,where the oil re-surface and spreads onto the shore at a significant distance from the spill site.The behavior of the oil in the intermediate field is investigated using a simplified injection-type oil spill model capable of mimicking the undersea trapping and lateral migration of an oil plume originating from a negatively buoyant jet spill.A rectangular domain with proper boundary conditions is used to implement the model.The Projection approach is used to discretize a modified version of the Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions.A benchmark fluid flow issue is used to verify the model and the results indicate a reasonable relationship between specific gravity and depth as well as agreement with the aerial data and a vertical temperature profile plot.

Impact of climate change and human activities on the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province, China

Understanding the dynamics of surface water area and their drivers is crucial for human survival and ecosystem stability in inland arid and semi-arid areas.This study took Gansu Province,China,a typical area with complex terrain and variable climate,as the research subject.Based on Google Earth Engine,we used Landsat data and the Open-surface Water Detection Method with Enhanced Impurity Control method to monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province from 1985 to 2022,and quantitatively analyzed the main causes of regional differences in surface water area.The findings revealed that surface water area in Gansu Province expanded by 406.88 km2 from 1985 to 2022.Seasonal surface water area exhibited significant fluctuations,while permanent surface water area showed a steady increase.Notably,terrestrial water storage exhibited a trend of first decreasing and then increasing,correlated with the dynamics of surface water area.Climate change and human activities jointly affected surface hydrological processes,with the impact of climate change being slightly higher than that of human activities.Spatially,climate change affected the'source'of surface water to a greater extent,while human activities tended to affect the'destination'of surface water.Challenges of surface water resources faced by inland arid and semi-arid areas like Gansu Province are multifaceted.Therefore,we summarized the surface hydrology patterns typical in inland arid and semi-arid areas and tailored surface water'supply-demand'balance strategies.The study not only sheds light on the dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province,but also offers valuable insights for ecological protection and surface water resource management in inland arid and semi-arid areas facing water scarcity.

Target Detection on Water Surfaces Using Fusion of Camera and LiDAR Based Information

To address the challenges of missed detections in water surface target detection using solely visual algorithms in unmanned surface vehicle(USV)perception,this paper proposes a method based on the fusion of visual and LiDAR point-cloud projection for water surface target detection.Firstly,the visual recognition component employs an improved YOLOv7 algorithmbased on a self-built dataset for the detection of water surface targets.This algorithm modifies the original YOLOv7 architecture to a Slim-Neck structure,addressing the problemof excessive redundant information during feature extraction in the original YOLOv7 network model.Simultaneously,this modification simplifies the computational burden of the detector,reduces inference time,and maintains accuracy.Secondly,to tackle the issue of sample imbalance in the self-built dataset,slide loss function is introduced.Finally,this paper replaces the original Complete Intersection over Union(CIoU)loss function with the Minimum Point Distance Intersection over Union(MPDIoU)loss function in the YOLOv7 algorithm,which accelerates model learning and enhances robustness.To mitigate the problem of missed recognitions caused by complex water surface conditions in purely visual algorithms,this paper further adopts the fusion of LiDAR and camera data,projecting the threedimensional point-cloud data from LiDAR onto a two-dimensional pixel plane.This significantly reduces the rate of missed detections for water surface targets.

Observed features of stable surface seawater isotopes across the Pacific, Indian and Southern oceans

The marine hydrological process is still unclear due to scarce observations.Based on stable water isotopes in surface seawater along the 33rd Chinese National Antarctic Science Expedition from November 2016 to April 2017,this study explored the hydrological processes in the Pacific,Indian and Southern oceans.The results show that the Northwest Pacific(0°–26°N)is a region with strong evaporation(theδ18O-δD slope is 6.58),while the southern Indian Ocean is a region with strong precipitation(theδ18O-δD slope is 9.57).The influence of continental runoff and water mass mixing reduces the correlation betweenδ18O and salinity in the eastern Indian Ocean.The characteristics of the isotopes and hydrological parameters indicate that the Agulhas Front and sub-Tropical Convergence do not merge in the Antarctic–Indian Ocean region.The freezing of sea ice near the Antarctic continent decreases theδ18O andδD by 0.40‰and 7.0‰,respectively,compared with those near 67°S.This study is helpful for understanding marine hydrological processes and promoting the understanding and research of the nature of ocean responses in the context of climate change.

Unveiling three-dimensional sea surface signatures caused by internal solitary waves:insights from the surface water ocean topography mission

Internal solitary waves(ISW),characterized by large amplitude and long propagation distance,are widespread in global oceans.While remote sensing images have played an essential role in studying ISWs,they mainly exploit two-dimensional image information.However,with the launch of the surface water ocean topography(SWOT)satellite on December 16,2022,a unique opportunity has emerged to capture wide-swath three-dimensional ISW-induced sea surface information.In this study,we examine ISWs in the Andaman Sea using data from the Ka-band Radar Interferometer(KaRIN),a crucial sensor onboard SWOT.KaRIN not only provides backscattering satellite images but also employs synthetic aperture interferometry techniques to retrieve wide-swath two-dimensional sea surface height measurements.Our observations in the Andaman Sea revealed the presence of ISWs characterized by dark-bright strips and surface elevation solitons.The surface soliton has an amplitude of 0.32 m,resulting in an estimation of ISW amplitude of approximately 60 m.In contrast to traditional two-dimensional satellite images or nadir-looking altimetry data,the SWOT mission’s capability to capture threedimensional sea surface information represents a significant advancement.This breakthrough holds substantial promise for ISW studies,particularly in the context of ISW amplitude inversion.

Surface Water Quality Profiling Using Physicochemical Parameters in Open Defecation Free and Non-Open Defecation Free Local Government Areas in Benue State, Nigeria

Physicochemical parameters of surface water sources in the study of local government areas (LGAs) were assessed using standard procedures. The mean physicochemical parameters for pH (5.49), NO2 (0.23 mg/L), SO4 (0.77 mg/L), Na (28.72 mg/L), Ca (28.94 mg/L), Mg (17.50 mg/L), Cl (11.65 mg/L), TSS (6.27 mg/L), TDS (104.23 mg/L), BOD (2.83 mg/L) and F (0.87 mg/L) were below WHO standards irrespective of their defecation status. The values for electrical conductivity (EC) (2770.50 µs/cm, turbidity (481.24 NTU), dissolved oxygen (DO) (5.32 mg/L), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (445.50 mg/L), K (125.06 mg/L), PO4 (0.78 mg/L) and Fe (0.57 mg/L) were above the WHO limits for safe water. Higher EC and COD values obtained in the study is evidence of pollution of the water sources by organic matter.

Laser-assisted water jet machining of high quality micro-trap structures on stainless steel surfaces

Secondary electron emission(SEE)has emerged as a critical issue in next-generation accelerators.Mitigating SEE on metal surfaces is crucial for enhancing the stability and emittance of particle accelerators while extending their lifespan.This paper explores the application of laser-assisted water jet technology in constructing high-quality micro-trap structures on 316L stainless steel,a key material in accelerator manufacturing.The study systematically analyzes the impact of various parameters such as laser repetition frequency,pulse duration,average power,water jet pressure,repeat times,nozzle offset,focal position,offset distance between grooves,and processing speed on the surface morphology of stainless steel.The findings reveal that micro-groove depth increases with higher laser power but decreases with increasing water jet pressure and processing speed.Interestingly,repeat times have minimal effect on depth.On the other hand,micro-groove width increases with higher laser power and repeat times but decreases with processing speed.By optimizing these parameters,the researchers achieved high-quality pound sign-shaped trap structure with consistent dimensions.We tested the secondary electron emission coefficient of the"well"structure.The coefficient is reduced by 0.5 at most compared to before processing,effectively suppressing secondary electron emission.These results offer indispensable insights for the fabrication of micro-trap structures on material surfaces.Laser-assisted water jet technology demonstrates considerable potential in mitigating SEE on metal surfaces.

Agricultural Contamination of the Surface Waters of the Upper Ouémé in Benin: The Case of Heavy Metals and Pesticides

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the degree of contamination of surface waters by heavy metals and pesticides. Method: To this end, data were collected in December 2022 from four specific sampling stations: Okpara, Térou, Affon and Adjiro. Levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, nickel and lead, were measured and subjected to in-depth statistical analysis using graphical summation models. In addition, the concentrations of pesticide active ingredients present in the samples were interpreted and evaluated. The statistical data collected during this study were processed using R software, version 3.5.0. Results: The values obtained at the different stations Okpara, Térou, Affon and Adjiro are respectively Arsenic (2 × 10-4 mg/L;2.2 × 10-1 mg/L;1.2 × 10-4 mg/L;2 × 10-4 mg/L), Cadmium (4.4 × 10-5 mg/L;1.1 × 10-2 mg/L;10-4 mg/L;4 × 10-4 mg/L). Then Copper (7 × 10-4 mg/L;3 × 10-3 mg/L;7 × 10-4 mg/L;1 × 10-4 mg/L), Iron (1.51 mg/L;6.4 × 10-1 mg/L;2.0012 mg/L;2.9 × 10-1 mg/L), Lead (0 mg/L;0 mg/L;1.5 × 10-3 mg/L;1.5 × 10-3 mg/L). Mercury, nickel and chromium were not detected in surface waters. It is important to note that the values obtained for trace metals (Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Mercury, nickel and chromium were not detected in surface waters. It is important to note that the values obtained for trace metals (cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, mercury, nickel and lead) were all below the guideline standards set by the WHO in 2006 for uncontaminated surface waters. This indicates that the surface waters of the Upper Ouémé were below acceptable contamination thresholds in terms of heavy metals. However, the presence of pesticide active ingredients such as cyfluthrin, endosulfan-alpha, endosulfan-beta, profenosfos, tihan, atrazine, gala super and glycel clearly indicates that these surface waters are subject to agricultural contamination.

A Real-time NURBS Surface Interpolator for 5-axis Surface Machining

A real-time non-uniform rational B-spline （NURBS） surface interpolator is proposed and 5-axis machining method with a flat-end cutter is discussed. With the Taylor expansion and the coordinate transformation, the algorithms of NURBS interpolation, cutter effective machining radius, cutter offsetting and.inverse kinematics are deduced and implemented, respectively. Different from the conventional free-form surface machining, the proposed interpolator can real-time generate the motion commands of computer numerical control （CNC） machines with CC feedrate, rather than that of CL. An example part surface is demonstrated and the results of simulation show that the proposed method can be applied in actual 5-axis surface machining.

Seasonal constraint of dynamic water temperature on riverine dissolved inorganic nitrogen transport in land surface modeling

水体温度变化对河流可溶性无机氮(DIN)输送有着强烈控制作用.然而,在全球尺度上河流DIN输送量对水温度变化的响应尚不清楚.因此,本文基于陆面过程模式,耦合河流水温估算和DIN传输方案,设定有,无动态水温情景,对比研究陆面模拟中水温变化对河流DIN通量变化的影响.结果表明:在考虑水温动态变化后,在30°N和30°S之间, DIN通量年振幅减小5%–25%.在中国东部地区,水温动态变化使河流DIN通量在夏季减少1%–3%,在冬季增加1%–5%,对DIN通量具有明显的季节性约束作用,表明动态水温的表达在河流DIN输送模拟中的重要性.

DEPTH PREDICTION OF RAIN WATER ON ROAD SURFACE BASED ON ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORK

A model based on the non-linear artificial neural network （ANN） is established to predict the thickness of the water film on road surfaces. The weight and the threshold can be determined by training test data, and the water film thickness on the road surface can be accurately predicted by the empirical verification based on sample data. Results show that the proposed ANN model is feasible to predict the water film thickness of the road surface.

Water Surface Landscaping Techniques and Theoretic Research of Four Famous Gardens in China

With Summer Resort,Clear Ripples Garden,Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden as the study subjects,the paper had focused on researches on water surface landscaping techniques and relevant theories of four famous gardens in China.Water bodies in Summer Resort aimed to manifest the sentimental appeal of lower reaches of Yangtze River,and water surface treatment techniques were based on local characteristics which were dense river network,sandbars and islands surrounded by water and scattered distribution of rivers.Sandbars,islands,banks and bridges were utilized to divide water surface,so as to display basic natural feature of water surface at lower reaches of Yangtze River.Water bodies in Clear Ripples Garden aimed to imitate the artistic concept of West Lake.As for its water surface treatment technique,divided "west dyke" and branch dykes had been used to separate water surface,so as to endow it with the ideological content of "fairy court" and "telepathy between human and nature".Water bodies in Humble Administrator's Garden and Lingering Garden aimed to realize "all rivers and lakes" with "one scoop of water",so that people could associate the artistic conception of a vase expanse of water.The study could provide reference for designers of landscape architecture to conduct water surface design.

Validation of the Relationship between Precipitable Water and Surface Vapor Pressure by Means of Reanalysis Data

By means of ERA-40, JRA-25, NCEP/NCAR and NCEP/DOE reanalysis data, empirical relations between precipitable water and surface vapor pressure in spatial and temporal scale were calculated. The reliabilities of precipitable water from reanalysis data were validated based on comparing different W-e empirical relations of various reanalysis data, in order to provide basis and reference for reasonable application. The results showed that W-e empirical relation of ERA-40 was closest to that of sounding data in China, and precipitable water from ERA-40 was the most credible. The worldwide comparison among W-e empirical relations of four reanalysis data showed that there was little difference in annual mean W-e empirical relations in the middle latitudes and great differences in low and high latitudes. Seasonal mean W-e empirical relations in the middle latitudes of the northern Hemisphere had little difference in spring, autumn and winter, but great difference in summer. Therefore, the reliabilities of precipitable water from reanalysis data in spring, autumn and winter in the middle latitudes of the northern hemisphere were higher than other areas and seasons. W-e empirical relations of NCEP/NCAR and NCEP/DOE had good stability in different years, while there was poor stability in ERA-40 and JRA-25.

Optimization of Microwave Extraction of Flavonoids from Water Chestnut Skin Dregs with Response Surface Method

[Objective] In order to take full advantage of processing by-product of water chestnut, the microwave extraction method of flavonoids from water chestnut skin dregs was optimized. The extracted flavonoids had a relatively high yield. [Method] The Box-Behnken design-based response surface method was adopted to optimize the microwave extraction of flavonoids from water chestnut skin dregs, a by-product of water chestnut starch. The mathematical relationships between various influencing factors and flavonoids yield were established. [Result] The optimum extraction conditions of flavonoids from water chestnut skin dregs were as follows： ethanol concentration of 55.4%, solid/liquid ratio of 1：30 g/ml, microwave power of 320 W, microwave time of 3 min and microwave time of 2 times. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the theoretical flavonoids yield was 2.376%. However, the actual flavonoids yield under the optimum extraction conditions was 2.365%. The relative error between actual values and theoretically predicted values was 0.461%. [Conclusion] The results showed the optimized extraction method is reliable, and it can provide a reference for the comprehensive and highly efficient utilization of water chestnut processing wastes.