Due to the easily access to the satellite images, Google Earth (GE) images have become more popular than other online virtual globes. However, the popularity of GE is not an indication of its accuracy. A considerable amount of literature has been published on evaluating the positional accuracy of GE data; however there are few studies which have investigated the subject of improving the GE accuracy. In this paper, a practical method for enhancing the horizontal positional accuracy of GE is suggested by establishing ten reference points, in University of Baghdad main campus, using different Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observation techniques: Rapid Static, Post-Processing Kinematic, and Network. Then, the GE image for the study area was captured, saved, and georefrenced based on precise positions for ten selected reference points. The findings of this research indicate that the network method gives the most accurate results than using other two methods. Closer inspection of the results shows that the network method enhanced the results in comparison with the results of Rapid Static and PPK in the east component by 50% and 60%, respectively and in the north component by 18% and 20%, correspondingly.
This article explores the process of VGI collection by assessing the relative usability and accuracy of a range of different methods (Smartphone GPS, Tablet, and analogue maps) for data collection amongst different demographic and educational groups, and in different geographical contexts. Assessments are made of positional accuracy, completeness, and data collectors’ experiences with reference to the official cadastral data and the administration system in a case-study region of Iraq. Ownership data was validated by crowd agreement. The result shows that successful VGI projects have access to varying data collection methods.
Energy savings are very common in IoT sensor networks because IoT sensor nodes operate with their own limited battery. The data transmission in the IoT sensor nodes is very costly and consume much of the energy while the energy usage for data processing is considerably lower. There are several energy-saving strategies and principles, mainly dedicated to reducing the transmission of data. Therefore, with minimizing data transfers in IoT sensor networks, can conserve a considerable amount of energy. In this research, a Compression-Based Data Reduction (CBDR) technique was suggested which works in the level of IoT sensor nodes. The CBDR includes two stages of compression, a lossy SAX Quantization stage which reduces the dynamic range of the
... Show MoreThis paper presents an experimental study of cooling photovoltaic (PV) panels using evaporative cooling. Underground (geothermal energy) water used to extract heat from it during cooling and cleaning of PV panels. An experimental test rig was constructed and tested under hot and dusty climate conditions in Baghdad. An active cooling system was used with auxiliary an underground water tank to provide cold water as a coolant over both PV surfaces to reduce its temperature. The cellulose pad has been arranged on the back surface and sprays cooling on the front side. Two identical PV panels modules used: without cooling and evaporative water cooling. The experiments are comprised of four cases: Case (I): backside cooling, Ca
... Show MoreIn this paper, the Mars orbital elements were calculated. These orbital elements—the major axis, the inclination (i), the longitude of the ascending node (W), the argument of the perigee (w), and the eccentricity (e)—are essential to knowing the size and shape of Mars' orbit. The quick basic program was used to calculate the orbital elements and distance of Mars from the Earth from 25/5/1950 over 10000 days. These were calculated using the empirical formula of Meeus, which depended on the Julian date, which slightly changed for 10000 days; Kepler's equation was solved to find Mars' position and its distance from the Sun. The ecliptic and equatorial coordinates of Mars were calculated. The distance between Mars and the center of the E
... Show MoreThe investigation of earth dams under significant earthquake loads, such as catastrophic earthquakes, is a critical subject in dynamic evaluation. Damage mitigation and structural performance during an earthquake are crucial considerations for an earthen dam. However, Iraq and its neighbors have experienced frequent earthquake activity, including the 2017 Halabja Earthquake, which may have damaged some existing earth dams, posing a higher risk of severe earthquake-induced damage than a cyclic shock. Therefore, assessing the dam’s safety is crucial for protecting downstream communities and determining the best strategies to prevent slope stability failure in the face of frequent s
The general assumption of linear variation of earth pressures with depth on retaining structures is still controversial; investigations are yet required to determine those distributions of the passive earth pressure (PEP) accurately and deduce the corresponding centroid location. In particular, for rigid retaining walls, the calculation of PEP is strongly dependent on the type of wall movement. This paper presents a numerical analysis for studying the influence of wall movement on the PEP distribution on a rigid retaining wall and the passive earth thrust location. The numerical predictions are remarkably similar to existing experimental works as recorded on scaled test models and ful
The tracking of satellites motion and their path around the earth is important things in the mechanical of satellites motion. Significant parameters for the determination of time entrance and existence of the satellite could be obtained from the shadow of the earth. In the present work the tracking and time determination for entry and exit from earth shadow have been studied. In the present work we built a software for tracking the motion of satellites in orbit around the earth and determine the change of both distance and speed as a function of time. The perturbations effect on the satellite has been neglected from the earth atmosphere drag and the earth gravity and other effects. The equation for calculating the shadow is solved using num
... Show MoreThe Halabja earthquake occurred on 12/11/2017 in Iraq, with a magnitude of 7.3 Mw, which happened in the Iraqi-Iranian borders. This earthquake killed and injured many people in the Kurdish region in the north of the country. There is no natural disaster more dangerous than earthquake, especially it occurs without warning, great attention must be paid to the impact of earthquakes on the soil and preparing for a wave of earthquakes. Numerical modeling using specific elements is considered a powerful tool to investigate the required behavior of structures in Geotechnical engineering, and the main objective of this is to assess the response of the Al-Wand dam to the Halabja earthquake, as this dam is located in an area that has been su
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