Bookisms:

In this issue we review three books, two of which deal with knowledge and knowledge management and the third deals with the many collaboration techniques coming to market. The first two are solid works by people who are leaders in the field, including Laurence Prusak, coauthor with Tom Davenport of the most widely read Knowledge management book (Davenport and Prusak, 1995) published in the United States (see review in Volume 15, No. 3, Summer 1998 issue of ISM) and Ikujiro Nonaka (1991) from Japan who wrote the original knowledge management article in Harvard Business Review. The third book, Wikinomics, by Don Tapscott and coauthor, praises collaboration developments from Wikis to MySpace and beyond, written in a breathless, advertising style that may not appeal to everyone.     

The Continued Practice of ‘Ethos’: How Nissan Enables Organizational Knowledge Creation

This article examines knowledge creation in relation to improvements on the production line in the manufacturing department of Nissan Motor Company and aims to clarify embodied knowledge observed in the actions of organisational members who enable knowledge creation will be clarified. For that purpose, this study adopts an approach that adds a first, second, and third-person's viewpoint to the theory of knowledge creation (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995 Nonaka, I. and Takeuchi, H. 1995. The Knowledge-creating Company, New York: Oxford University Press.  [Google Scholar]). Embodied knowledge, observed in the actions of organisational members who enable knowledge creation, is the continued practice of ‘ethos’ (in Greek) founded in Nissan Production Way as an ethical basis. Ethos is knowledge (intangible) assets for knowledge creating companies. Substantiated analysis classifies ethos into three categories: the individual, team and organisation. This indicates the precise actions of the organisational members in each category during the knowledge creation process. This research will be successful in its role of showing the indispensability of ethos—the new concept of knowledge assets, which enables knowledge creation—for future knowledge-based management in the knowledge society.     

Quantifying the Performance of Workflows

Abstract

Business process redesign is one of the most powerful ways to boost business performance and to improve customer satisfaction (Limam Mansar & Reijers, 2005 Limam Mansar, S. and Reijers, H. 2005. Best Practices in Business Process Redesign: Validation of a Redesign Framework. Computers in Industry, 56: 457–471.  [Google Scholar]). A possible approach to business process redesign is using redesign best practices. A previous study identified a set of 29 different redesign best practices (Reijers, 2003 Reijers, H. 2003. Design and Control of Workflow Processes: Business Process Management for the Service Industry, Berlin: Springer Verlag. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). However, little is known about the exact impact of these redesign best practices on workflow performance. This study proposes an approach that can be used to quantify the impact of a business process redesign project on all dimensions of workflow performance. The approach consists of a large set of performance measures and a simulation toolkit. It supports the quantification of the impact of the implementation of redesign best practices, in order to determine what best practice or combination of best practices leads to the most favorable effect in a specific business process. The approach is developed based on a quantification project for the parallel best practice and is validated with two other quantification projects, namely for the knockout and triage best practices.     

Knowledge processes in virtual teams: consolidating the evidence

This article takes stock of the current state of research on knowledge processes in virtual teams (VTs) and consolidates the extent research findings. Virtual teams, on the one hand, constitute important organisational entities that facilitate the integration of diverse and distributed knowledge resources. On the other hand, collaborating in a virtual environment creates particular challenges for the knowledge processes. The article seeks to consolidate the diverse evidence on knowledge processes in VTs with a specific focus on identifying the factors that influence the effectiveness of these knowledge processes. The article draws on the four basic knowledge processes outlined by Alavi and Leidner (2001 Alavi, M.Leidner, D.E., 2001. Review: knowledge management and knowledge management systems: conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly, 25 (1), 107–136. doi: 10.2307/3250961[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) (i.e. creation, transferring, storage/retrieval and application) to frame the investigation and discuss the extent research. The consolidation of the existing research findings allows us to recognise the gaps in the understanding of knowledge processes in VTs and identify the important avenues for future research.     

Chlorophyll concentration mapping with MIVIS data to assess crown discoloration in the Ticino Park oak forest

Airborne hyperspectral remote observations, characterized by high spatial and spectral resolution, allow the estimation of quantitative vegetation variables useful in forest condition assessment. In this research, total chlorophyll (a?+ b) concentration (C _ab), a biochemical variable describing crown discoloration rate, was mapped to assess oak (Quercus robur L.) condition in the Ticino Regional Park. A simulation experiment was conducted to evaluate the error in C _ab estimation due to ecological variables (i.e. canopy leaf area index and understorey characteristics) and to sun-sensor configurations when optical indices are used. Canopy reflectance was simulated by means of the PROSPECT leaf radiative transfer model (Jacquemoud and Baret 1990 Jacquemoud, S. and Baret, F. 1990. PROSPECT: a model of leaf optical-properties spectra. Remote Sensing of Environment, 34: 75–91. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) coupled with the SAILH canopy radiative transfer model, a variation of the SAIL (Scattering by Arbitrarily Inclined Leaves) model modified to include the hot spot effect (Verhoef 1984 Verhoef, W. 1984. Light scattering by leaf layers with application to canopy reflectance modeling: The SAIL model. Remote Sensing of Environment, 16: 125–141. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Kuusk 1991 Kuusk, A. 1991. “The hot-spot effect in plant canopy reflectance”. In Photon–Vegetation Interactions: Application in Optical Remote Sensing and Plant Ecology, Edited by: Mynemi, R. and Ross, J. 139–159. New York: Springer Verlag. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). The vegetation was modelled as a two layer medium with oak canopy as the top layer and the understorey as the bottom layer. Simulations were performed for varying leaf C _ab and canopy Leaf Area Index (LAI) of the top layer, θ_l (mean leaf inclination angle) and LAI of the bottom layer (LAI_u) and sun-sensor geometry. Optical indices were calculated and used in C _ab retrieval. Simulations demonstrated that errors in C _ab estimation were negligible when MTCI (MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index) was used, thus indicating that MTCI was the most reliable index in mapping C _ab in this forest environment. Empirical models based on optical indices were developed to map C _ab from Multispectral Infrared and Visible Imaging Spectrometer (MIVIS) images acquired by an airborne survey on the Park forested area. A regression analysis between C _ab concentration measured in leaves sampled in field and optical indices computed from hyperspectral MIVIS data was conducted. The MTCI index showed the highest performances and was therefore used to map C _ab concentration of the Ticino Park oak forest. The C _ab map was then used to assess crown discoloration level.     

Diametric and Concentric Spatial Structures Framing Belief Systems

The Primordial Dance: Diametric and Concentric Spaces in the Unconscious World (Downes 2012) highlights specific unconscious spatial structures projected into beliefs as prior frames actively organizing such beliefs. As purportedly dynamic a priori structures, prior to intuition, diametric and concentric spaces of relation in relation are developed from Heidegger's (1927 Heidegger, M. Being and Time, translated by J. MacQuarrie and E. Robinson. Oxford: Basil Blackwell (1927), 1962. [Google Scholar]) phenomenological concerns with a background level of being and from aspects of Lévi-Strauss’ structuralist anthropology, conceptually prior to cognitive schemata. These dynamically interacting concentric and diametric spatial systems are explored, here, in reconstructing key concepts in Gilligan's (1982 Gilligan, C. In a Different Voice. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1982. [Google Scholar]) moral reasoning for neglected spatial aspects of Freud's psychoanalysis and Eastern thought.     

The nature and components of perceived behavioural control as an element of theory of planned behaviour

Ajzen (1991 Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behaviour. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. doi: 10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]. The theory of planned behaviour. Organizational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, 50 (2), 179–211) suggested three constructs that determine the user's intention: attitude, subject norms and perceived behavioural control (PBC). Recently, some psychologists have argued that PBC is poorly understood. This study attempted to investigate the nature and components of PBC in research adapting theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to predict the intentions of bank customers with regard to adoption of Internet banking. The findings show some difficulty in discriminating between the presumed internal and external determinants of PBC. This study identifies two determinants: (1) self-efficacy (SE) and (2) facilitating conditions. The latter is broken into three facilitation factors: (1) resources, (2) technology and (3) government support (GS). Interestingly, SE, if considered as an internal factor, exhibits a significance effect on PBC in the presence of the three external factors. This shows that the external factors have a significance effect on PBC when entered for regression analysis without SE. These are valuable findings which show that both components of one's belief in one's level of control (internal factors: SE; external factors: resources, technology and GS) are important. However, which factors have the greatest effect on PBC might be related to the type of innovation or to other factors.     

A prototype Greek text to Greek Sign Language conversion system

In this article, a prototype Greek text to Greek Sign Language (GSL) conversion system is presented. The system is integrated into an educational platform that addresses the needs of teaching GSL grammar and was developed within the SYNENNOESE project (Efthimiou et al. 2004a Efthimiou, E. 2004a. “Developing an e-learning platform for the Greek sign language”. In Computer helping people with special needs, Lecture Notes in Computer Science Edited by: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J. and Zagler, W. Vol. 3118, 1107–1113.  [Google Scholar]. Developing an e-learning platform for the Greek sign language. In: K. Miesenberger, J. Klaus, and W. Zagler, eds. Computer helping people with special needs, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag, vol. 3118, 1107–1113). The detailed implementation of the language-processing component of a Greek text to GSL conversion system is provided, focusing upon the inherent problems of knowledge elicitation of sign language (SL) grammar and its implementation within a parser framework. It is based on an SL dictionary (Efthimiou et al. 2004a Efthimiou, E. 2004a. “Developing an e-learning platform for the Greek sign language”. In Computer helping people with special needs, Lecture Notes in Computer Science Edited by: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J. and Zagler, W. Vol. 3118, 1107–1113.  [Google Scholar]) database of coded GSL knowledge. The proposed system has been designed and implemented after considering most state-of-the-art SL machine translation or Conversion systems, such as Vsigns (Papadogiorgaki et al. 2004 Papadogiorgaki, M. VSigns – a virtual sign synthesis web tool. Proceedings of Sixth COST 276 Workshop on Information and Knowledge Management for Integrated Media Communication. May2004, Thessaloniki, Greece.  [Google Scholar]. VSigns – a virtual sign synthesis web tool. In: Proceedings of Sixth COST 276 Workshop on Information and Knowledge Management for Integrated Media Communication, May 2004, Thessaloniki, Greece), ZARDOZ (Veale et al. 1998 Veale, T., Conway, A. and Collins, B. 1998. The challenges of cross-modal translation: English to sign language translation in the ZARDOZ system. Machine Translation, 13: 81–106. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]. The challenges of cross-modal translation: English to sign language translation in the ZARDOZ system. Machine Translation, 13, 81–106) and SignSynth (Angus 2001 Angus, G. S.B. 2001. “SignSynth: a sign language synthesis application using Web3D and Perl”. In Gesture and Sign Language in Human–Computer Interaction, London, , UK: International Gesture Workshop.  [Google Scholar]. SignSynth: a sign language synthesis application using Web3D and Perl. In: Gesture and Sign Lanauage in Human–Computer Interaction. London, UK: International Gesture Workshop), and taking into account their advantages and disadvantages. The overall architecture is innovative since other existing systems either do not consider the GSL or they cannot be effectively applied on sentences but just on single words. The system is demonstrable on any conventional PC.     

The Systems Prototype and His Design Problems

This exploratory case study describes the sharedness of knowledge within a basketball team (nine players) and how it changes during an official match. To determine how knowledge is mobilised in an actual game situation, the data were collected and processed following course-of-action theory (Theureau 2003 Theureau, J. 2003. “Course-of-action analysis and course-of-action centered design”. In Handbook of cognitive task design, Edited by: Hollnagel, E. 55–81. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). The results were used to characterise the contents of the shared knowledge (i.e. regarding teammate characteristics, team functioning, opponent characteristics, opposing team functioning and game conditions) and to identify the characteristic types of change: (a) the reinforcement of a previous element of shared knowledge; (b) the invalidation of an element of shared knowledge; (c) fragmentation of an element of shared knowledge; (d) the creation of a new element of shared knowledge. The discussion deals with the diverse types of change in shared knowledge and the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of common ground within the team.

Statement of Relevance:The present case study focused on how the cognitions of individual members of a team coordinate to produce a team performance (e.g. surgical teams in hospitals, military teams) and how the shared knowledge changes during team activity. Traditional methods to increase knowledge sharedness can be enhanced by making use of ‘opportunities for coordination’ to optimise team adaptiveness.     

Information entropy,rough entropy and knowledge granulation in incomplete information systems

Rough set theory is a relatively new mathematical tool for use in computer applications in circumstances that are characterized by vagueness and uncertainty. Rough set theory uses a table called an information system, and knowledge is defined as classifications of an information system. In this paper, we introduce the concepts of information entropy, rough entropy, knowledge granulation and granularity measure in incomplete information systems, their important properties are given, and the relationships among these concepts are established. The relationship between the information entropy E(A) and the knowledge granulation GK(A) of knowledge A can be expressed as E(A)+GK(A) = 1, the relationship between the granularity measure G(A) and the rough entropy E _r(A) of knowledge A can be expressed as G(A)+E _r(A) = log₂|U|. The conclusions in Liang and Shi (2004 Liang, J.Y. and Shi, Z.Z. 2004. The information entropy, rough entropy and knowledge granulation in rough set theory. International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems, 12(1): 37–46. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) are special instances in this paper. Furthermore, two inequalities ? log₂ GK(A) ≤ G(A) and E _r(A) ≤ log₂(|U|(1 ? E(A))) about the measures GK, G, E and E _r are obtained. These results will be very helpful for understanding the essence of uncertainty measurement, the significance of an attribute, constructing the heuristic function in a heuristic reduct algorithm and measuring the quality of a decision rule in incomplete information systems.     

Mapping the image

The Brainstorm feature introduced in Adobe After Effects CS3 (2007) allows users to automate parts of the process of generating design variations for the purposes of comparison and selection. The paper begins with a brief discussion of current discursive formations around software and software-based practice among digital design practitioners and educators. Next, the paper draws upon critical concepts drawn from multimodal discourse analysis, media theory and sociology to analyse Brainstorm in terms of the interplay of software structure and design agency. The key concepts used are modality, articulation and interpretation (Kress and van Leeuwen 1996 Kress, G. and van Leeuwen, T. 1996. Reading images: the grammar of visual design, London: Routledge.  [Google Scholar], 2001), the database as cultural form and the logic of selection (Manovich 2001 Manovich, L. 2001. The language of new media, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.  [Google Scholar]), habitus and practical logic (Bourdieu 1977 Bourdieu, P. 1977. Outline of a theory of practice, New York: Cambridge University Press. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) and the radius of creativity (Toynbee 2000 Toynbee, J. 2000. Making popular music: musicians, creativity and institutions, London: Arnold.  [Google Scholar]). Throughout, the paper addresses specific structural features of the software, thus developing an overview of the affordances and constraints of Brainstorm as a creative tool.     

Asymptotically fast polynomial matrix algorithms for multivariable systems

We present the asymtotically fastest known algorithms for some basic problems on univariate polynomial matrices: rank; nullspace; determinant; generic inverse reduced form (Giorgi et al. 2003, Storjohann 2003 Storjohann, A. 2003. “High-order lifting and integrality certification”. In J. Symb. Comp. Edited by: Giusti, M and Pardo, LM. Vol. 36, 613–648. Nice, France, 3, , USA Special issue International Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Computation (ISSAC’2002). Guest editors: [Google Scholar], Jeannerod and Villard 2005 Jeannerod, C-P and Villard, G. 2005. Essentially optimal computation of the inverse of generic polynomial matrices. J. Comp., 21: 72–86.  [Google Scholar], Storjohann and Villard 2005 Storjohann, A and Villard, G. July 2005. “Computing the rank and a small nullspace basis of a polynomial matrix”. In Proc. International Symposium on Symbolic and Algebraic Computation, 309–316. Beijing, China: ACM Press.  [Google Scholar]). We show that they essentially can be reduced to two computer algebra techniques, minimal basis computations and matrix fraction expansion/reconstruction, and to polynomial matrix multiplication. Such reductions eventually imply that all these problems can be solved in about the same amount of time as polynomial matrix multiplication. The algorithms are deterministic, or randomized with certified output in a Las Vegas fashion.     

A Belgian Transect: Field Broadcast in the expanded field of ecology

Abstract

This article sets out the notion of a Field Broadcast from the dual perspective of Rebecca Birch, one of the developers of a bespoke version of Flash Media Live Encoder and Bram Thomas Arnold, an artist who uses a case study from Sideways Festival, Belgium, 2012. Field Broadcast enables an artist to be in a field, suitably equipped, and stream live footage to an audience. It is an experiment in place, site and the notion of a field. It is a new method of making work in the space between site-specific performance and the digital realm: a way of working that enables artists to generate new artworks within the non-place of the Internet. Birch introduces the technology from a number of perspectives before it is fleshed out with evidence and experience from a live project that took place in Belgium in 2012. Sideways was a festival that traversed Belgium over four weeks and 400?km, with artists walking and generating work en route. The possibilities offered by Field Broadcast are explored in relation to the expanded field of ecology amidst Bourriaud's The Radicant (2009), Guatarri's The Three Ecologies (2005) and Morton's Ecology Without Nature (2007 Morton, Timothy. 2007. Ecology Without Nature. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. [Google Scholar]).     

Adaptive learning control design for robotic manipulators driven by permanent magnet synchronous motors

On the basis of the ideas recently presented in Tomei and Verrelli (Tomei, P., and Verrelli, C.M. (2010 Tomei, P and Verrelli, CM. 2010. Learning Control for Induction Motor Servo Drives with Uncertain Rotor Resistance. International Journal of Control, 83: 1515–1528. [Taylor &; Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), ‘Learning Control for Induction Motor Servo Drives with Uncertain Rotor Resistance’, International Journal of Control, 83, 1515–1528) and Marino et al. (Marino, R., Tomei, P., and Verrelli, C.M. (2011 Marino, R, Tomei, P and Verrelli, CM. 2011. Robust Adaptive Learning Control for Nonlinear Systems with Extended Matching Unstructured Uncertainties. International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, Early View, doi: 10.1002/rnc.1720 [Google Scholar]), ‘Robust Adaptive Learning Control for Nonlinear Systems with Extended Matching Unstructured Uncertainties’, International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, Early View, doi: 10.1002/rnc.1720), we briefly show how the adaptive learning control design proposed in Liuzzo and Tomei (Liuzzo, S., and Tomei, P. (2009 Liuzzo, S and Tomei, P. 2009. Global Adaptive Learning Control of Robotic Manipulators by Output Error Feedback. International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal Processing, 23: 97–109.  [Google Scholar]), Global Adaptive Learning Control of Robotic Manipulators by Output Error Feedback, International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal Processing, 23, 97–109) can be extended to robotic manipulators driven by nonsalient-pole (surface) permanent magnet synchronous motors. Unstructured uncertain dynamics (that is no parameterisation is available for the uncertainties) of the rigid robot with rotational joints are considered as well as uncertainties in stator resistances of the synchronous motors are taken into account. Two solutions with clear stability proofs are presented: a global decentralised control via state feedback and a semi-global control via output feedback. Output tracking of known periodic reference signals and learning of corresponding uncertain input reference signals are achieved. Available results in the literature are thus improved since no simplification concerning negligible electrical motor dynamics is used.     

Deterministic and stochastic analysis of a ratio-dependent prey-predator system

In this paper we have studied the deterministic and stochastic behaviours of a ratio-dependent prey-predator system. The uniform boundedness and permanence of this system under certain conditions among the parameters have been studied. Criteria for stability and Hopf bifurcation are derived. This system has been perturbed by independent Gaussian white noises due to the fluctuating environment and the stability behaviours have been studied by using statistical linearization technique developed by Valsakumar et al . (1983 Valsakumar, MC, Murthy, KPN and Ananthakrishna, G. 1983. On the linearization of non-linear Langevin type stochastic differential equations. J. Stat. Phy., 30: 617–631.  [Google Scholar]).     

Approximation error in PDE-based modelling of vehicular platoons

We study the problem of how much error is introduced in approximating the dynamics of a large vehicular platoon by using a partial differential equation, as was done in Barooah, Mehta, and Hespanha [Barooah, P., Mehta, P.G., and Hespanha, J.P. (2009 Barooah, P, Mehta, PG and Hespanha, JP. 2009. Mistuning-based Decentralised Control of Vehicular Platoons for Improved Closed Loop Stability. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 54: 2100–2113. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), ‘Mistuning-based Decentralised Control of Vehicular Platoons for Improved Closed Loop Stability’, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 54, 2100–2113], Hao, Barooah, and Mehta [Hao, H., Barooah, P., and Mehta, P.G. (2011), ‘Stability Margin Scaling Laws of Distributed Formation Control as a Function of Network Structure’, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 56, 923–929]. In particular, we examine the difference between the stability margins of the coupled-ordinary differential equations (ODE) model and its partial differential equation (PDE) approximation, which we call the approximation error. The stability margin is defined as the absolute value of the real part of the least stable pole. The PDE model has proved useful in the design of distributed control schemes (Barooah et al. 2009 Barooah, P, Mehta, PG and Hespanha, JP. 2009. Mistuning-based Decentralised Control of Vehicular Platoons for Improved Closed Loop Stability. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 54: 2100–2113. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]; Hao et al. 2011 Hao, H, Barooah, P and Mehta, PG. 2011. Stability Margin Scaling Laws of Distributed Formation Control as a Function of Network Structure. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 56: 923–929. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]); it provides insight into the effect of gains of local controllers on the closed-loop stability margin that is lacking in the coupled-ODE model. Here we show that the ratio of the approximation error to the stability margin is O(1/N), where N is the number of vehicles. Thus, the PDE model is an accurate approximation of the coupled-ODE model when N is large. Numerical computations are provided to corroborate the analysis.     

Stochastic resonance–a nonlinear control theory interpretation

Stochastic resonance (SR) is an effect that has been known (Benzi, R., Sutera, A., and Vulpiani, A. (1981 Chapeau-Blondeau, F. 1997. Input-Output Gains for Signal in Noise in Stochastic Resonance. Physics Letters A, 232: 41–48.  [Google Scholar]), ‘The Mechanism of Stochastic Resonance’, Journal of Physics, A14, L453–L457) for almost three decades and has been extensively studied in biology, statistics, signal processing and in numerous other eclectic areas (Wiesenfeld, K., and Moss, F. (1995 Xu, B, Jiang, Z-P, Wu, X and Repperger, DW. 2009. Investigation of Two-dimensional Parameter-Induced Stochastic Resonance and Applications in Nonlinear Image Processing. Journal of Physics A–Mathematical and Theoretical, 42: 145207, 1-45207, 9 [Google Scholar]), ‘Stochastic Resonance and the Benefits of Noise: From Ice Ages to Crayfish and Squids’, Nature, 373, 33–36). Herein, a nonlinear control theory analysis is conducted on how to better understand the class of systems that may exhibit the SR effect. Using nonlinear control theory methods, equilibrium points are manipulated to create the SR response (similar to shaping dynamical response in a phase plane). From this approach, a means of synthesising and designing the appropriate class of nonlinear systems is introduced. New types of nonlinear dynamics that demonstrate the SR effects are discovered, which may have utility in control theory as well as in many diverse applications. A numerical simulation illustrates some powerful attributes of these systems.     

A comparative assessment of IRS-P4 (MSMR)-derived sea surface temperature and sea surface wind speed over the north Indian Ocean

Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS-P4) multi-frequency scanning microwave radiometer (MSMR) provides geophysical parameters like sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface wind speed (SSWS), integrated water vapour (IWV) and cloud liquid water (CLW). The retrieval procedure of these parameters given by Gohil et al. (2000 Gohil, B.S., Mathur, A.K. and Varma, A.K. Geophysical parameter retrieval over global oceans from IRS-P4 (MSMR). Preprints, Fifth Pacific Ocean Remote Sensing Conference. December5–82000, Goa. pp.207–211. Goa, , India: National Institute of Oceanography.  [Google Scholar], Geophysical parameter retrieval over global oceans from IRS-P4 (MSMR). In Preprints, Fifth Pacific Ocean Remote Sensing Conference, 5–8 December 2000, Goa, India (Goa: National Institute of Oceanography), pp. 207–211) was summarized by Sharma et al. (2002 Sharma, R., Babu, K.N., Mathur, A.K. and Ali, M.M. 2002. Identification of large scale atmospheric and oceanic features from IRS-P4 multifrequency scanning microwave radiometer: preliminary results. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 19: 1127–1134. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], Identification of large scale atmospheric and oceanic features from IRS-P4 multifrequency scanning microwave radiometer: preliminary results. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 19, pp. 1127–1134) and Jena (2007 Jena, B. 2007. Studies on the retrieval, validation and applications of geophysical parameters from IRS-P4 (MSMR) data, Orissa: PhD thesis, Berhampur University.  [Google Scholar], Studies on the retrieval, validation and applications of geophysical parameters from IRS-P4 (MSMR) data. PhD thesis, Berhampur University, Orissa). Demonstration of self-consistency of these parameters has primary scientific importance. This article deals with the validation of MSMR geophysical parameters such as SST and SSWS with in situ observations (buoy data) over the north Indian Ocean during 2000. Result shows that the MSMR-derived SST and SSWS can be utilized for several applications because of their reasonable accuracy and coverage even under cloudy condition.     

Optimal control of the production–inventory system with deteriorating items and tradable emission permits

Using the well-known Arrow and Karlin (1958) Arrow, K.J., and Karlin, S. (1958), ‘Production over Time with Increasing Marginal Costs’, in Studies in the Mathematical Theory of Inventory and Production, eds. K.J. Arrow and S. Karlin, Stanford: Stanford University Press, pp. 61–69. [Google Scholar] dynamic production–inventory model and the model with tradable emission permits which was presented by Dobos (2005 Dobos, I. (2005), ‘The Effects of Emission Trading on Production and Inventories in the Arrow–Karlin Model’, International Journal of Production Economics, 93–94, 301–308.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], 2007) Dobos I. (2007), ‘Tradable Emission Permits and Production-inventory Strategies of the Firm’, International Journal of Production Economics, 108, 329–333.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar], we develop a model of the production–inventory system with deteriorating items and tradable emission permits. The objective of this paper is to apply the optimal control theory to solve the production–inventory problem with deteriorating items and tradable emission permits, and derive the optimal inventory level and the optimal production rate that minimise the total cost. The results are discussed with a numerical example and a sensitivity analysis of the optimal solution with respect to the parameters of the production–inventory system is carried out.     

Upper Paraguay River inundation prediction using rainfall and NDVI

Inter‐annual variation of monthly river water level (RWL) at Ladário Hydrological Station was investigated in order to study the Upper Paraguay River Basin flood conditions. The correlations of RWL to Precipitation (PCP) and to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were analysed. A combined use of PCP and NDVI data is proposed to predict RWL at Ladário Hydrological Station, which monitors the water collected from the upper part of the Upper Paraguay River Basin watershed. Inundation area estimation as a function of RWL proposed by Hamilton et al. (Archeological Hydrobiology, 137, 1–23, 1996 Hamilton, S. K., Sippel, S. J. and Melack, J. M. 1996. Inundation patterns in the Pantanal wetland of South America determined from passive microwave remote sensing.. Archeological Hydrobiology, 137: 1–23.  [Google Scholar]) was applied to predict Pantanal inundation area using both recorded and predicted RWL data of 1981–2000.

Our technique demonstrated that by applying the RWL prediction model and inundation area estimation model proposed by Hamilton et al. (1996 Hamilton, S. K., Sippel, S. J. and Melack, J. M. 1996. Inundation patterns in the Pantanal wetland of South America determined from passive microwave remote sensing.. Archeological Hydrobiology, 137: 1–23.  [Google Scholar]), the Pantanal inundation area extension could be predicted 1 month in advance with reasonable success. Therefore, the statistical approach presented herewith may provide a useful tool for predicting RWL and hence for preventing flood damage in high RWL periods as well as controlling river transportation traffic in order to prevent riverbank erosion during low RWL periods. For future studies, an adequate hydrological simulation model based on a high accuracy digital elevation model and a rainfall forecasting system such as a radar system are needed to fulfil real‐time flood advancing prediction and mitigation tasks.