Trying to break new ground in aerial archaeology

Aerial reconnaissance continues to be a vital tool for landscape-oriented archaeological research. Although a variety of remote sensing platforms operate within the earth’s atmosphere, the majority of aerial archaeological information is still derived from oblique photographs collected during observer-directed reconnaissance flights, a prospection approach which has dominated archaeological aerial survey for the past century. The resulting highly biased imagery is generally catalogued in sub-optimal (spatial) databases, if at all, after which a small selection of images is orthorectified and interpreted. For decades, this has been the standard approach. Although many innovations, including digital cameras, inertial units, photogrammetry and computer vision algorithms, geographic(al) information systems and computing power have emerged, their potential has not yet been fully exploited in order to re-invent and highly optimise this crucial branch of landscape archaeology. The authors argue that a fundamental change is needed to transform the way aerial archaeologists approach data acquisition and image processing. By addressing the very core concepts of geographically biased aerial archaeological photographs and proposing new imaging technologies, data handling methods and processing procedures, this paper gives a personal opinion on how the methodological components of aerial archaeology, and specifically aerial archaeological photography, should evolve during the next decade if developing a more reliable record of our past is to be our central aim. In this paper, a possible practical solution is illustrated by outlining a turnkey aerial prospection system for total coverage survey together with a semi-automated back-end pipeline that takes care of photograph correction and image enhancement as well as the management and interpretative mapping of the resulting data products. In this way, the proposed system addresses one of many bias issues in archaeological research: the bias we impart to the visual record as a result of selective coverage. While the total coverage approach outlined here may not altogether eliminate survey bias, it can vastly increase the amount of useful information captured during a single reconnaissance flight while mitigating the discriminating effects of observer-based, on-the-fly target selection. Furthermore, the information contained in this paper should make it clear that with current technology it is feasible to do so. This can radically alter the basis for aerial prospection and move landscape archaeology forward, beyond the inherently biased patterns that are currently created by airborne archaeological prospection

Literature Review of Papers relevant to the topic of development impacts and economic evaluation methods of High-Speed Rail (HSR)

With HSR continuing to the target of investments around the world, with even the United States elevating the place of HSR on the public agenda, we thought this compendium of summaries of references on HSR and related topics would be of value. We begin with references on transportation investment and economic development in general. Then we consider the case of HSR and economic development on the local and urban as well as the national regional levels, Some references on economic geography and disparities among regions are included. We conclude with references for demand forecasting and some general references in the HSR field

Comparative Study of High-Speed Passenger Rail Deployment in Megaregion Corridors: Current Experiences and Future Opportunities

Deployment of high-speed passenger rail services has occurred around the world in densely-populated corridors, often with the effect of either creating or enhancing a unified economic “megaregion” agglomeration. This paper will review the technical characteristics of a variety of megaregion corridors, including Japan (Tokyo-Osaka), France (Paris-Lyon), and Germany (Frankfurt-Cologne), and their economic impacts. There are many lessons to be drawn from the deployment and ongoing operation of high-speed passenger rail service in these corridors for other countries now considering similar projects, such as the US and parts of the European Union. First, we review three international cases, describing the physical development of each corridor as well as its measured impacts on economic development. In each case, the travel time reductions of the high-speed service transformed the economic boundaries of the urban agglomerations, integrating labor and consumer markets, while often simultaneously raising concerns about the balance of growth within the region. Next, we examine the implications of these international experiences for high-speed rail deployment elsewhere in the world, particularly the US and Portugal. Issues considered include the suitability of high-speed passenger rail service in existing megaregions as well as the potential for formation of megaregions in other corridors. By understanding the impact of high-speed passenger service on economic growth, labor markets, urban form, and the regional distribution of economic activity, planners can better anticipate and prepare countermeasures for any negative effects of high-speed rail

Documenting Bronze Age Akrotiri on Thera using laser scanning, image-based modelling and geophysical prospection

The excavated architecture of the exceptional prehistoric site of Akrotiri on the Greek island of Thera/Santorini is endangered by gradual decay, damage due to accidents, and seismic shocks, being located on an active volcano in an earthquake-prone area. Therefore, in 2013 and 2014 a digital documentation project has been conducted with support of the National Geographic Society in order to generate a detailed digital model of Akrotiri’s architecture using terrestrial laser scanning and image-based modeling. Additionally, non-invasive geophysical prospection has been tested in order to investigate its potential to explore and map yet buried archaeological remains. This article describes the project and the generated results

Surfaces from the visual past : recovering high-resolution terrain data from historic aerial imagery for multitemporal landscape analysis

Historic aerial images are invaluable sources of aid to archaeological research. Often collected with large-format photogrammetric quality cameras, these images are potential archives of multidimensional data that can be used to recover information about historic landscapes that have been lost to modern development. However, a lack of camera information for many historic images coupled with physical degradation of their media has often made it difficult to compute geometrically rigorous 3D content from such imagery. While advances in photogrammetry and computer vision over the last two decades have made possible the extraction of accurate and detailed 3D topographical data from high-quality digital images emanating from uncalibrated or unknown cameras, the target source material for these algorithms is normally digital content and thus not negatively affected by the passage of time. In this paper, we present refinements to a computer vision-based workflow for the extraction of 3D data from historic aerial imagery, using readily available software, specific image preprocessing techniques and in-field measurement observations to mitigate some shortcomings of archival imagery and improve extraction of historical digital elevation models (hDEMs) for use in landscape archaeological research. We apply the developed method to a series of historic image sets and modern topographic data covering a period of over 70 years in western Sicily (Italy) and evaluate the outcome. The resulting series of hDEMs form a temporal data stack which is compared with modern high-resolution terrain data using a geomorphic change detection approach, providing a quantification of landscape change through time in extent and depth, and the impact of this change on archaeological resources

Prudential Bank Solvency Framework and Specific Solvency Stress Test for Transition in Uzbekistan

This paper studies the applicability of globally recognized solvency measures for banking system solvency framework of developing and transition economy of Uzbekistan through theoretical concepts and pure practical evidences from several countries. Besides, it clearly indicates the differences and inherent aspects of banking systems of transition economies that should be on account in solvency stress tests. Theoretical recommendations in this article can be used in bank solvency frameworks or setting minimum requirements in other transition economies with similar banking system characteristics

STUDY OF THE STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPT OF PHILOSOPHY

philosophical thought begins with a person's self-realization, develops on the basis of a generalization of his knowledge of the universe. Since the universe, the object of human knowledge, is infinite, the possibility of answering these questions is also infinite. The fact that individuals learn about being and their own attitudes towards it, their visions and views, which they have gone to generate consciously and unconsciously based on their own life experiences, are processed in their brains, forming a different worldview of their own

Development of an Overload Management Model in IMS

Abstract— The concept of IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) describes a new network architecture, the main element of which is a packet transport network that supports all access technologies and provides implementation of a large number of infocommunication services. In this paper, formalization of the task of balancing the load of IMS virtual subsystems

Implementation of International Audit Standards and its Prospects

Currently, in the improvement of auditing practice by the leading countries of the world, ensuring that inspections are conducted in full accordance with international auditing standards, implementing the legislation and advanced experience of developed countries, creating a modern system of professional certification and licensing of auditors based on international standards are among the most urgent and necessary issues to be studied. This article explains the requirements of international standards and discusses the introducing and application international auditing standards in Uzbekistan

Implementation of International Audit Standards and Its Prospects

Currently, in the improvement of auditing practice by the leading countries of the world, ensuring that inspections are conducted in full accordance with international auditing standards, implementing the legislation and advanced experience of developed countries, creating a modern system of professional certification and licensing of auditors based on international standards are among the most urgent and necessary issues to be studied. This article explains the requirements of international standards and discusses the   introducing and application international auditing standards in Uzbekistan.&nbsp