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A considerable amount of research has been performed by various groups with the goal of detecting objects of interest in various environments. These objects can be above ground, partially buried, or fully buried. One of the detection methods that has piqued the interest of researchers is Automated Target Recognition (ATR) algorithms that can pick out the locations of such objects from infrared (IR) sensor imagery once it was recognized that such objects absorb and emit heat at rates that distinguish them from their surrounding environments. In order to obtain training data for ATRs, one option is to gather large volumes of field data from many locations, but such efforts are resource and labor intensive. Another option is to generate synthetic training data that simulates heat flux in real environments. Several research groups in the past have implemented a combination of both, using field data to inform and verify simulation tools that model heat flux, energy absorption, and IR emission from various parts of the environment, as well developing simulation workflows that model real environments. Such workflows are often developed for the purpose of simulating a single environment. Our goal is to modify and generalize such a workflow so that simulation parameters and the location of object of interest can be changed by non-experts or automated processes. In addition; this study is also focused on developing an efficient methodology to simulate a large variety of scenarios to produce varied sets of synthetic training data for the ATRs. The HPC simulations involved in generating the training data for ATRs require the exchange of data between several high-fidelity physics models. Efficient techniques have been implemented to ensure that the inputs to each component are consistent and correct. A more generalized workflow has been developed that is able to simulate complex scenarios with new LiDAR data, weather data, vegetation placements, target placements, and as output produce synthetic IR imagery useful for training ATRs. The synthetic IR images are automatically tagged with bounding boxes so that minimum post processing is required when the images are used for training the ATRs. The synthetic IR imagery was passed on to researchers developing ATRs and used to train the algorithms. The parts of the workflow that are streamlined can now be executed with relative ease on a high-performance computing environment and components of the workflow can now be more easily updated and modified in the future. KEYWORDS: Automatic Target Recognition, Environmental Simulation, Sensor Simulation, High Performance Computation, Configuration and Input File Management, Synthetic Infrared Imagery, INTRODUCTION A considerable amount of research has been performed by various groups with the goal of detecting objects of interest in various environments. These objects can be above ground, partially [...]

Carbon isotope ratio (δ[sup.13]C) has been used as an indicator of water stress because plants discriminate less against [sup.13]C when under stress. The depth-to-water (DTW) topographic index provides an estimation of soil moisture based on topographic position and other characteristics of a site. To evaluate whether DTW and carbon isotope discrimination were related and to determine if these relationships are influenced by climate, we sampled three time periods, which differed in the amount of annual precipitation (MAP), from tree cores collected from 42 trembling aspen and 43 white spruce trees growing along DTW gradients at two locations in central Alberta, Canada. Increasing MAP led to lower δ[sup.13]C, indicating less drought stress as water availability increases, while δ[sup.13]C increased with DTW up to a threshold value, after which the relationship levelled off, suggesting that higher DTW values represent stress-inducing soil conditions. DTW and MAP were then combined into models (aspen, [R.sup.2] = 0.72; spruce, [R.sup.2] = 0.44) that could be used to delineate drought-prone areas during periods of low MAP. Tree height and diameter were also related to DTW, suggesting a functional relationship between an index capturing soil properties and tree size. Our results demonstrate the potential to use the DTW index as a measure of site conditions and to predict stand-level responses. Key words: depth-to-water topographic index, carbon isotope ratio, water stress, soil properties. Le rapport isotopique du carbone (δ[sup.13]C) a ete utilise comme indicateur de stress hydrique etant donne que les plantes exercent une moins forte discrimination du [sup.13]C lorsqu'elles sont stressees. L'indice topographique de profondeur de l'eau (DTW) fournit une estimation de l'humidite du sol fondee sur la position topographique et d'autres caracteristiques d'une station. Pour evaluer si DTW et la discrimination isotopique du C sont reliees et determiner si ces relations sont influencees par le climat, nous avons echantillonne trois periodes temporelles qui se distinguent par la quantite de precipitation annuelle (PA). L'echantillonnage a ete realise a l'aide de carottes prelevees sur 42 peupliers faux-trembles (Populus tremuloides Michx.) et 43 epinettes blanches (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) croissant le long d'un gradient de DTW a deux endroits dans le centre de l'Alberta, au Canada. L'augmentation de PA entraine une baisse de δ[sup.13]C indicatrice d'une reduction du stress hydrique etant donne que la disponibilite de l'eau augmente, tandis que δ[sup.13]C augmente avec DTW jusqu'a une valeur seuil apres quoi la relation atteint un plateau indiquant que des valeurs plus elevees de DTW representent des conditions de sol qui induisent un stress. Les valeurs de DTW et PA ont ensuite ete combinees dans des modeles (peuplier faux-tremble [R.sup.2] = 0,72; epinette [R.sup.2] = 0,44) qui pourraient etre utilises pour delimiter les zones sujettes a la secheresse durant les periodes de faible PA. La hauteur et le diametre des arbres etaient aussi relies a PA indiquant qu'il existe une relation fonctionnelle entre un indice qui reflete les proprietes du sol et la taille des arbres. Nos resultats illustrent le potentiel d'utilisation de l'indice DTW comme mesure des conditions d'une station et pour predire les reactions a l'echelle du peuplement. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : profondeur de l'eau, indice topographique, ratio isotopique du carbone, stress hydrique, proprietes du sol., Introduction Water stress in woody plants is recorded in the carbon isotope ratio of their leaves and wood. Discrimination against the heavier stable isotope of carbon (i.e., [sup.13]C) can occur [...]

Using data collected up to age 26 in the Chicago Longitudinal Study, this cost-benefit analysis of the Child-Parent Centers (CPC) is the first for a sustained publicly funded early intervention. The program provides services for low-income families beginning at age 3 in 20 school sites. Kindergarten and school-age services are provided up to age 9 (third grade). Findings from a complete cohort of over 1,400 program and comparison group participants indicated that the CPCs had economic benefits in 2007 dollars that exceeded costs. The preschool program provided a total return to society of $10.83 per dollar invested (18% annual return). The primary sources of benefits were increased earnings and tax revenues and averted criminal justice system costs. The school-age program had a societal return of $3.97 per dollar invested (10% annual return). The extended intervention program (4-6 years) had a societal return of $8.24 (18% annual return). Estimates were robust across a wide range of analyses including Monte Carlo simulations. Males, 1-year preschool participants, and children from higher risk families derived greater benefits. Findings provide strong evidence that sustained programs can contribute to well-being for individuals and society. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)