Spatial modeling techniques for mapping and characterization of acid sulfate soils

Acid sulfate (a.s.) soils constitute a major environmental issue. Severe ecological damage results from the considerable amounts of acidity and metals leached by these soils in the recipient watercourses. As even small hot spots may affect large areas of coastal waters, mapping represents a fundamental step in the management and mitigation of a.s. soil environmental risks (i.e. to target strategic areas). Traditional mapping in the field is time-consuming and therefore expensive. Additional more cost-effective techniques have, thus, to be developed in order to narrow down and define in detail the areas of interest. The primary aim of this thesis was to assess different spatial modeling techniques for a.s. soil mapping, and the characterization of soil properties relevant for a.s. soil environmental risk management, using all available data: soil and water samples, as well as datalayers (e.g. geological and geophysical). Different spatial modeling techniques were applied at catchment or regional scale. Two artificial neural networks were assessed on the Sirppujoki River catchment (c. 440 km2) located in southwestern Finland, while fuzzy logic was assessed on several areas along the Finnish coast. Quaternary geology, aerogeophysics and slope data (derived from a digital elevation model) were utilized as evidential datalayers. The methods also required the use of point datasets (i.e. soil profiles corresponding to known a.s. or non-a.s. soil occurrences) for training and/or validation within the modeling processes. Applying these methods, various maps were generated: probability maps for a.s. soil occurrence, as well as predictive maps for different soil properties (sulfur content, organic matter content and critical sulfide depth). The two assessed artificial neural networks (ANNs) demonstrated good classification abilities for a.s. soil probability mapping at catchment scale. Slightly better results were achieved using a Radial Basis Function (RBF) -based ANN than a Radial Basis Functional Link Net (RBFLN) method, narrowing down more accurately the most probable areas for a.s. soil occurrence and defining more properly the least probable areas. The RBF-based ANN also demonstrated promising results for the characterization of different soil properties in the most probable a.s. soil areas at catchment scale. Since a.s. soil areas constitute highly productive lands for agricultural purpose, the combination of a probability map with more specific soil property predictive maps offers a valuable toolset to more precisely target strategic areas for subsequent environmental risk management. Notably, the use of laser scanning (i.e. Light Detection And Ranging, LiDAR) data enabled a more precise definition of a.s. soil probability areas, as well as the soil property modeling classes for sulfur content and the critical sulfide depth. Given suitable training/validation points, ANNs can be trained to yield a more precise modeling of the occurrence of a.s. soils and their properties. By contrast, fuzzy logic represents a simple, fast and objective alternative to carry out preliminary surveys, at catchment or regional scale, in areas offering a limited amount of data. This method enables delimiting and prioritizing the most probable areas for a.s soil occurrence, which can be particularly useful in the field. Being easily transferable from area to area, fuzzy logic modeling can be carried out at regional scale. Mapping at this scale would be extremely time-consuming through manual assessment. The use of spatial modeling techniques enables the creation of valid and comparable maps, which represents an important development within the a.s. soil mapping process. The a.s. soil mapping was also assessed using water chemistry data for 24 different catchments along the Finnish coast (in all, covering c. 21,300 km2) which were mapped with different methods (i.e. conventional mapping, fuzzy logic and an artificial neural network). Two a.s. soil related indicators measured in the river water (sulfate content and sulfate/chloride ratio) were compared to the extent of the most probable areas for a.s. soils in the surveyed catchments. High sulfate contents and sulfate/chloride ratios measured in most of the rivers demonstrated the presence of a.s. soils in the corresponding catchments. The calculated extent of the most probable a.s. soil areas is supported by independent data on water chemistry, suggesting that the a.s. soil probability maps created with different methods are reliable and comparable.

Use of airborne laser scanner data in demanding forest conditions

Most of the applications of airborne laser scanner data to forestry require that the point cloud be normalized, i.e., each point represents height from the ground instead of elevation. To normalize the point cloud, a digital terrain model (DTM), which is derived from the ground returns in the point cloud, is employed. Unfortunately, extracting accurate DTMs from airborne laser scanner data is a challenging task, especially in tropical forests where the canopy is normally very thick (partially closed), leading to a situation in which only a limited number of laser pulses reach the ground. Therefore, robust algorithms for extracting accurate DTMs in low-ground-point-densitysituations are needed in order to realize the full potential of airborne laser scanner data to forestry. The objective of this thesis is to develop algorithms for processing airborne laser scanner data in order to: (1) extract DTMs in demanding forest conditions (complex terrain and low number of ground points) for applications in forestry; (2) estimate canopy base height (CBH) for forest fire behavior modeling; and (3) assess the robustness of LiDAR-based high-resolution biomass estimation models against different field plot designs. Here, the aim is to find out if field plot data gathered by professional foresters can be combined with field plot data gathered by professionally trained community foresters and used in LiDAR-based high-resolution biomass estimation modeling without affecting prediction performance. The question of interest in this case is whether or not the local forest communities can achieve the level technical proficiency required for accurate forest monitoring. The algorithms for extracting DTMs from LiDAR point clouds presented in this thesis address the challenges of extracting DTMs in low-ground-point situations and in complex terrain while the algorithm for CBH estimation addresses the challenge of variations in the distribution of points in the LiDAR point cloud caused by things like variations in tree species and season of data acquisition. These algorithms are adaptive (with respect to point cloud characteristics) and exhibit a high degree of tolerance to variations in the density and distribution of points in the LiDAR point cloud. Results of comparison with existing DTM extraction algorithms showed that DTM extraction algorithms proposed in this thesis performed better with respect to accuracy of estimating tree heights from airborne laser scanner data. On the other hand, the proposed DTM extraction algorithms, being mostly based on trend surface interpolation, can not retain small artifacts in the terrain (e.g., bumps, small hills and depressions). Therefore, the DTMs generated by these algorithms are only suitable for forestry applications where the primary objective is to estimate tree heights from normalized airborne laser scanner data. On the other hand, the algorithm for estimating CBH proposed in this thesis is based on the idea of moving voxel in which gaps (openings in the canopy) which act as fuel breaks are located and their height is estimated. Test results showed a slight improvement in CBH estimation accuracy over existing CBH estimation methods which are based on height percentiles in the airborne laser scanner data. However, being based on the idea of moving voxel, this algorithm has one main advantage over existing CBH estimation methods in the context of forest fire modeling: it has great potential in providing information about vertical fuel continuity. This information can be used to create vertical fuel continuity maps which can provide more realistic information on the risk of crown fires compared to CBH.

Näin opetan lisäävää valmistusta ja 3D-tulostusta: Pohdintoja uuden teknologian opetuksesta ja koulutuksesta

Additive manufacturing (shortened as AM), or more commonly 3D printing, consists of wide variety of different modern manufacturing technologies. AM is based on direct printing of a digital 3D model to a final product which is fabricated adding material layer by layer. This is from where term additive manufacturing has its origin. It is not only material what is added, but it is also value, properties etc. which are added. AM enables production of different and even better products compared to conventional manufacturing technologies. An estimation of potential of additive manufacturing can be gathered by considering the potential of laser cutting, which is one of the most widely used modern manufacturing technologies. This technique has been used over 40 years, and whole market around this technology is at the moment c. four billion euros and yearly growth is around 10 %. One factor affecting this success of laser cutting is that laser cutting enables radical improvements to products made of flat sheet. AM and 3D printing will do the same for three dimensional parts. Laser devices, which are at the moment used in 3D printing, are globally at the moment only around 1% of all laser devices used in any fabrication technology, so even with a cautious estimate the potential growth of at least 100 % is coming in next few years. Role of education is very important, when this kind of modern technology is industrially implemented. When both generation entering to work life and also generation who has been a while in work life understands new technology, its potential and limitations, this is the point when also product design can be rethought Potential of product design is driving force for wide use of additive manufacturing and 3D printing. Utilization of additive manufacturing and 3D printing is also opportunity for Finland and Finnish industry. This technology can save Finnish manufacturing industry. This technique has stron potential, as Finland has traditionally strong industrial know-how and good ICT knowledge.

Embedding, Extraction and Detection of Digital Watermark in Spectral Images

Tässä diplomityössä tutkitaan tekniikoita, joillavesileima lisätään spektrikuvaan, ja menetelmiä, joilla vesileimat tunnistetaanja havaitaan spektrikuvista. PCA (Principal Component Analysis) -algoritmia käyttäen alkuperäisten kuvien spektriulottuvuutta vähennettiin. Vesileiman lisääminen spektrikuvaan suoritettiin muunnosavaruudessa. Ehdotetun mallin mukaisesti muunnosavaruuden komponentti korvattiin vesileiman ja toisen muunnosavaruuden komponentin lineaarikombinaatiolla. Lisäyksessä käytettävää parametrijoukkoa tutkittiin. Vesileimattujen kuvien laatu mitattiin ja analysoitiin. Suositukset vesileiman lisäykseen esitettiin. Useita menetelmiä käytettiin vesileimojen tunnistamiseen ja tunnistamisen tulokset analysoitiin. Vesileimojen kyky sietää erilaisia hyökkäyksiä tarkistettiin. Diplomityössä suoritettiin joukko havaitsemis-kokeita ottamalla huomioon vesileiman lisäyksessä käytetyt parametrit. ICA (Independent Component Analysis) -menetelmää pidetään yhtenä mahdollisena vaihtoehtona vesileiman havaitsemisessa.

A System-Level Simulation Model for a Protocol Processor

As the development of integrated circuit technology continues to follow Moore’s law the complexity of circuits increases exponentially. Traditional hardware description languages such as VHDL and Verilog are no longer powerful enough to cope with this level of complexity and do not provide facilities for hardware/software codesign. Languages such as SystemC are intended to solve these problems by combining the powerful expression of high level programming languages and hardware oriented facilities of hardware description languages. To fully replace older languages in the desing flow of digital systems SystemC should also be synthesizable. The devices required by modern high speed networks often share the same tight constraints for e.g. size, power consumption and price with embedded systems but have also very demanding real time and quality of service requirements that are difficult to satisfy with general purpose processors. Dedicated hardware blocks of an application specific instruction set processor are one way to combine fast processing speed, energy efficiency, flexibility and relatively low time-to-market. Common features can be identified in the network processing domain making it possible to develop specialized but configurable processor architectures. One such architecture is the TACO which is based on transport triggered architecture. The architecture offers a high degree of parallelism and modularity and greatly simplified instruction decoding. For this M.Sc.(Tech) thesis, a simulation environment for the TACO architecture was developed with SystemC 2.2 using an old version written with SystemC 1.0 as a starting point. The environment enables rapid design space exploration by providing facilities for hw/sw codesign and simulation and an extendable library of automatically configured reusable hardware blocks. Other topics that are covered are the differences between SystemC 1.0 and 2.2 from the viewpoint of hardware modeling, and compilation of a SystemC model into synthesizable VHDL with Celoxica Agility SystemC Compiler. A simulation model for a processor for TCP/IP packet validation was designed and tested as a test case for the environment.

Factors Affecting Consumer’s Illicit Purchase of Copyrighted Digital Work

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technology has revolutionized file exchange activities besides enhancing processing power distribution. As such, this technology which is nowadays made freely available to all internet users also imposes a threat as it enables the illegal distribution of copyrighted digital work. P2P technology continuously evolves in a greater pace than copyright legislation, leading to compatibility gaps between the applicability of copyright law and the illicit file sharing and downloading. Such issues give high incentives to consumers to practise piracy using P2P systems with a low perception of risk towards prosecution, leading to substantial losses for copyright owners. This study focuses on developing insights for content owners on consumer behaviour towards piracy in Finland, where quantitative analyses are assessed using a data set based on a survey conducted by the Helsinki Institute for IT. The research approach investigates the significance of three fundamental areas in relation to evaluate consumer behaviour as: environmental-related factors, innovation-related factors and consumer-related. each of these are integrates concepts derived in previous theoretical models such as the technology acceptance model, theory of reasoned action, theory of planned behaviour, the issue-risk-judgement model and the Hunt & Vitell’s model.

Reise durch Schweden, Schwedisch-Lapland, Finland und Dänemark : von Matthaus Consett, esq. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt. Mit Kupfern.

Bound with: Reise durch Russland wie auch durch unterschiedliche europäische und assiatische Provinzen von 1770-1780 / Jacob Fries. [Leipzig], 1790.

Reise durch Schweden und Finnland, bis an die äussersten Gränzen von Lappland, in den Jahren 1798 und 1799 : von Joseph Acerbi. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt von Ch. Weyland. Nebst berichtigenden Bemerkungen eines sachkundigen Gelehrten. Mit zwei Kupfern und einer Landkarte.

Digital reproduction, The National Library of Finland, Centre for Preservation and Digitisation, Mikkeli

Erdbeschreibung der Königreihe Dänemark, Norwegen und Schweden, des Herzogtbums Finnland, Liesland und der Provinz Ingermannland. Ein Auszug, zum Gebrauch bey dem gegenwärtigen Kriege zwischen Russland und Sweden

Author: Anton Friedrich Büsching.

Herrn Johann Gerhard Schellers, ehemaligen Pastoris zu Hermstedt und Stobra Reise-Beschreibung nach Lappland und Bothnien : worinnen sowohl die dasige Landes-Art in deutlichen Abtheilungen und nöthigen Figuren aus eigenem Augenschein, gezeiget, als auch die Gelegenheit zur Reise und Rückreise kürtzlich angeführet wird : abermahls dem Druck übergeben von Gottlieb David Friedrich Scheller Rev. Min. Candid.

Digital reproduction, The National Library of Finland, Centre for Preservation and Digitisation, Mikkeli

Future revenue models: Transformation from textbooks to digital solutions in the educational publishing industry, Case Sanoma Learning

This study was conducted in order to learn how companies’ revenue models will be transformed due to the digitalisation of its products and processes. Because there is still only a limited number of researches focusing solely on revenue models, and particularly on the revenue model change caused by the changes at the business environment, the topic was initially approached through the business model concept, which organises the different value creating operations and resources at a company in order to create profitable revenue streams. This was used as the base for constructing the theoretical framework for this study, used to collect and analyse the information. The empirical section is based on a qualitative study approach and multiple-case analysis of companies operating in learning materials publishing industry. Their operations are compared with companies operating in other industries, which have undergone comparable transformation, in order to recognise either similarities or contrasts between the cases. The sources of evidence are a literature review to find the essential dimensions researched earlier, and interviews 29 of managers and executives at 17 organisations representing six industries. Based onto the earlier literature and the empirical findings of this study, the change of the revenue model is linked with the change of the other dimen-sions of the business model. When one dimension will be altered, as well the other should be adjusted accordingly. At the case companies the transformation is observed as the utilisation of several revenue models simultaneously and the revenue creation processes becoming more complex.

Drivers and barriers of mobile travel and tourism service adoption : a study of individual perceptions and business model development in a travel and tourism context

The Travel and Tourism field is undergoing changes due to the rapid development of information technology and digital services. Online travel has profoundly changed the way travel and tourism organizations interact with their customers. Mobile technology such as mobile services for pocket devices (e.g. mobile phones) has the potential to take this development even further. Nevertheless, many issues have been highlighted since the early days of mobile services development (e.g. the lack of relevance, ease of use of many services). However, the wide adoption of smartphones and the mobile Internet in many countries as well as the formation of so-called ecosystems between vendors of mobile technology indicate that many of these issues have been overcome. Also when looking at the numbers of downloaded applications related to travel in application stores like Google Play, it seems obvious that mobile travel and tourism services are adopted and used by many individuals. However, as business is expected to start booming in the mobile era, many issues have a tendency to be overlooked. Travelers are generally on the go and thus services that work effectively in mobile settings (e.g. during a trip) are essential. Hence, the individuals’ perceived drivers and barriers to use mobile travel and tourism services in on-site or during trip settings seem particularly valuable to understand; thus this is one primary aim of the thesis. We are, however, also interested in understanding different types of mobile travel service users. Individuals may indeed be very different in their propensity to adopt and use technology based innovations (services). Research is also switching more from investigating issues of mobile service development to understanding individuals’ usage patterns of mobile services. But designing new mobile services may be a complex matter from a service provider perspective. Hence, our secondary aim is to provide insights into drivers and barriers of mobile travel and tourism service development from a holistic business model perspective. To accomplish the research objectives seven different studies have been conducted over a time period from 2002 – 2013. The studies are founded on and contribute to theories within diffusion of innovations, technology acceptance, value creation, user experience and business model development. Several different research methods are utilized: surveys, field and laboratory experiments and action research. The findings suggest that a successful mobile travel and tourism service is a service which supports one or several mobile motives (needs) of individuals such as spontaneous needs, time-critical arrangements, efficiency ambitions, mobility related needs (location features) and entertainment needs. The service could be customized to support travelers’ style of traveling (e.g. organized travel or independent travel) and should be easy to use, especially easy to take into use (access, install and learn) during a trip, without causing security concerns and/or financial risks for the user. In fact, the findings suggest that the most prominent barrier to the use of mobile travel and tourism services during a trip is an individual’s perceived financial cost (entry costs and usage costs). It should, however, be noted that regulations are put in place in the EU regarding data roaming prices between European countries and national telecom operators are starting to see ‘international data subscriptions’ as a sales advantage (e.g. Finnish Sonera provides a data subscription in the Baltic and Nordic region at the same price as in Finland), which will enhance the adoption of mobile travel and tourism services also in international contexts. In order to speed up the adoption rate travel service providers could consider e.g. more local initiatives of free Wi-Fi networks, development of services that can be used, at least to some extent, in an offline mode (do not require costly network access during a trip) and cooperation with telecom operators (e.g. lower usage costs for travelers who use specific mobile services or travel with specific vendors). Furthermore, based on a developed framework for user experience of mobile trip arrangements, the results show that a well-designed mobile site and/or native application, which preferably supports integration with other mobile services, is a must for true mobile presence. In fact, travel service providers who want to build a relationship with their customers need to consider a downloadable native application, but in order to be found through the mobile channel and make contact with potential new customers, a mobile website should be available. Moreover, we have made a first attempt with cluster analysis to identify user categories of mobile services in a travel and tourism context. The following four categories were identified: info-seekers, checkers, bookers and all-rounders. For example “all-rounders”, represented primarily by individuals who use their pocket device for almost any of the investigated mobile travel services, constituted primarily of 23 to 50 year old males with high travel frequency and great online experience. The results also indicate that travel service providers will increasingly become multi-channel providers. To manage multiple online channels, closely integrated and hybrid online platforms for different devices, supporting all steps in a traveler process should be considered. It could be useful for travel service providers to focus more on developing browser-based mobile services (HTML5-solutions) than native applications that work only with specific operating systems and for specific devices. Based on an action research study and utilizing a holistic business model framework called STOF we found that HTML5 as an emerging platform, at least for now, has some limitations regarding the development of the user experience and monetizing the application. In fact, a native application store (e.g. Google Play) may be a key mediator in the adoption of mobile travel and tourism services both from a traveler and a service provider perspective. Moreover, it must be remembered that many device and mobile operating system developers want service providers to specifically create services for their platforms and see native applications as a strategic advantage to sell more devices of a certain kind. The mobile telecom industry has moved into a battle of ecosystems where device makers, developers of operating systems and service developers are to some extent forced to choose their development platforms.

Managing Change: An Organizational Outline for Reimagining the Digital Repository Infrastructure at The Ohio State University Libraries

Poster at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

Targeted Annotation of Scientific Literature and Data Resources in Invenio Digital Libraries

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014

A Model for Integrating the Publication and Preservation of Journal Articles

Presentation at Open Repositories 2014, Helsinki, Finland, June 9-13, 2014