Artificial intelligence could be used in Forest Service fire management and land-use planning to ... more Artificial intelligence could be used in Forest Service fire management and land-use planning to a larger degree than is now done. Robots, for example, could be programmed to monitor for fire and insect activity, to keep track of wildlife, and to do elementary thinking about the environment. Catching up with the fast-changing technology is imperative. Just what is artificial intelligence (AI), and what could it possibly do for (or to) fire science and management? Before getting into uses that, as we shall see, will be manifold and pervasive, let us examine some of the characteristics and definitions of artificial intelligence.
Statoo are oIWl cooIionted by the problem or cIeterminiDjr wben precipitation miabt IIop an anaoi... more Statoo are oIWl cooIionted by the problem or cIeterminiDjr wben precipitation miabt IIop an anaoinc!ln. 'l1>o ~biI ity •'>at. IIIOfIII proI>obiIlty for ~ pnldpitatioo could be cIoveIoped from hiltDrical weather rec:onIo w .. iIInotipted. Pono .. familiar with weather and !In beha.ior lua-tec!. fire.ttoppi.Dc' precipitation criterion of "at t_ 0.6 iDchao of pnldpitation i~ 5 da,. or 1_.• Dally precipitation data from (.oW' fire weather lltationl (or the period 1970 to 1986 were IIIOd to eatimate th. chanoo thet the criterion would be u tia6ed by • lpedJied date in the !In oouon. The Weibu1l probebility dWributiOll wu found to be an ouoUent fit for the problem. Tho method 01 fitting tho cliotribution to the data it dooaibed end ....wta lIi.en (or (our weather It.-done in the Northern RoOde;)' Mounta.iOl. Thie method can be applied to other "fire•.toppi~ criteria uai.na the aame tech.nique. KeTwonw. !In MUOn. probability. fir. control. C o .... t &no, proocribed natura/fir",!ln .... thor, Northern RDdty MountaiDo During the early summer of 1988. when lightning began to ignite foreat fires ill our "estern paru and ' To lind Iho ~ity 01. proc;ptalion ovont be_ two opodfied do .... computo Iho d ltorlflCO belWNn Iho two glvon prob-lIbiIilin: Thoproboblity of.prC'dpltaIion ..... be_ August7andAugusI 17 would be: P(Aug. t7)-P(Aug. 7)-7-2-5 _ Tho proboblity of • pro.;lpllalion ..... _ August 7 and s.p...-II would be: P(5apt. II)-P(Aug. 7) _ 4t-2_ 39 ",,_.
on ignition of forest fuels by lightning discharges and the location of lightning discharges. He ... more on ignition of forest fuels by lightning discharges and the location of lightning discharges. He has.Ior the past 10 years, also been working in the field of artificial intelligence, particu larly as applied to fire sciences and related fields. He is currently studying wind-fire interact ion.
A remotely detectable signature for biomass burning that is speci c to aming combustion is found ... more A remotely detectable signature for biomass burning that is speci c to aming combustion is found in the strong emission lines of potassium (K) at 766.5 nm and 769.9 nm. Ground level spectra of a test re illustrate the high contrast signal provided by K emission. Image data collected at high altitude using the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) sensor and analysed for K emission vividly displays the re fronts of a 1995 re in Brazil. Sensors for K emission can use silicon detector technology for advantages in high sensitivity, low cost, wide area coverage and ne spatial resolution.
Remote Sensing of Fire: Science and Application, 2008
Basic results of a comprehensive investigation of the potential and restrictions of the remote se... more Basic results of a comprehensive investigation of the potential and restrictions of the remote sensing lidar technique in smoke-polluted atmospheres made in the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory (FSL) are presented. The study is based on the three-year lidar measurements of dynamics and optical characteristics of smoke plumes originated in prescribed burns and wildfires. For the measurements, a mobile two-wavelength scanning
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00102200903341538, Jan 29, 2010
Experiments were conducted wherein wood shavings and Ponderosa pine needles in quiescent air were... more Experiments were conducted wherein wood shavings and Ponderosa pine needles in quiescent air were subjected to a steady radiation heat flux from a planar ceramic burner. The internal temperature of these particles was measured using fine diameter (0.076 mm diameter) type K thermocouples. A narrow angle radiometer was used to determine the emissive power generated by the burner. A model was developed to predict the steady-state temperature of a cylindrical particle with an imposed radiation heat flux under both quiescent air (buoyancy-induced cooling) and windy (forced convection cooling) conditions. Excellent agreement was observed between the model predictions and the experimental data. Parametric studies using the validated model explore the effect of burner (flame) temperature and distance, fuel size, and wind speed. The data suggest that ignition of the fuel element by radiation heating alone is likely only under circumstances where the fire is very intense (such as crown fires), and even then may still be dependent on pilot ignition sources.
A channel model for long arcs in air. [Physics of Fluids 23, 1710 (1980)]. Don J. Latham. Abstrac... more A channel model for long arcs in air. [Physics of Fluids 23, 1710 (1980)]. Don J. Latham. Abstract. The results of an empirically based model for a vertical direct current arc discharge in 1 atm air are presented. The arc is found to ...
Recently, Hoppel and Gathman [1971] have obtained eddy-diffusivity profiles by application of a s... more Recently, Hoppel and Gathman [1971] have obtained eddy-diffusivity profiles by application of a suitable model to measured values of atmospheric electrical parameters. While we agree with the basic method, we find that we must disagree strongly with the model that they have employed in their calculations, particularly with respect to the boundary conditions employed at the earth's (ocean's) surface.
E•rlier models of the electrical behavior of the boundary layer have suffered from the disadvanta... more E•rlier models of the electrical behavior of the boundary layer have suffered from the disadvantage of assumption of steadyst•e conditions for their solution. In this paper, we present results of applying • timedependent primitive equation model to the problem of electrical behavior of the electrode effect and the atmospheric boundary layer over the se•. From the results of this model, we conclude that the electrode effect has a rela•x•tion time of the order of 15 min. In addition, it is shown that the presence of a concentrated layer of neutral particles is sufficient to separate charge. SYMBOLS W V• Pi q•e ki K E E• Eli Eo Oli is vertical coordinate.
Artificial intelligence could be used in Forest Service fire management and land-use planning to ... more Artificial intelligence could be used in Forest Service fire management and land-use planning to a larger degree than is now done. Robots, for example, could be programmed to monitor for fire and insect activity, to keep track of wildlife, and to do elementary thinking about the environment. Catching up with the fast-changing technology is imperative. Just what is artificial intelligence (AI), and what could it possibly do for (or to) fire science and management? Before getting into uses that, as we shall see, will be manifold and pervasive, let us examine some of the characteristics and definitions of artificial intelligence.
Statoo are oIWl cooIionted by the problem or cIeterminiDjr wben precipitation miabt IIop an anaoi... more Statoo are oIWl cooIionted by the problem or cIeterminiDjr wben precipitation miabt IIop an anaoinc!ln. 'l1>o ~biI ity •'>at. IIIOfIII proI>obiIlty for ~ pnldpitatioo could be cIoveIoped from hiltDrical weather rec:onIo w .. iIInotipted. Pono .. familiar with weather and !In beha.ior lua-tec!. fire.ttoppi.Dc' precipitation criterion of "at t_ 0.6 iDchao of pnldpitation i~ 5 da,. or 1_.• Dally precipitation data from (.oW' fire weather lltationl (or the period 1970 to 1986 were IIIOd to eatimate th. chanoo thet the criterion would be u tia6ed by • lpedJied date in the !In oouon. The Weibu1l probebility dWributiOll wu found to be an ouoUent fit for the problem. Tho method 01 fitting tho cliotribution to the data it dooaibed end ....wta lIi.en (or (our weather It.-done in the Northern RoOde;)' Mounta.iOl. Thie method can be applied to other "fire•.toppi~ criteria uai.na the aame tech.nique. KeTwonw. !In MUOn. probability. fir. control. C o .... t &no, proocribed natura/fir",!ln .... thor, Northern RDdty MountaiDo During the early summer of 1988. when lightning began to ignite foreat fires ill our "estern paru and ' To lind Iho ~ity 01. proc;ptalion ovont be_ two opodfied do .... computo Iho d ltorlflCO belWNn Iho two glvon prob-lIbiIilin: Thoproboblity of.prC'dpltaIion ..... be_ August7andAugusI 17 would be: P(Aug. t7)-P(Aug. 7)-7-2-5 _ Tho proboblity of • pro.;lpllalion ..... _ August 7 and s.p...-II would be: P(5apt. II)-P(Aug. 7) _ 4t-2_ 39 ",,_.
on ignition of forest fuels by lightning discharges and the location of lightning discharges. He ... more on ignition of forest fuels by lightning discharges and the location of lightning discharges. He has.Ior the past 10 years, also been working in the field of artificial intelligence, particu larly as applied to fire sciences and related fields. He is currently studying wind-fire interact ion.
A remotely detectable signature for biomass burning that is speci c to aming combustion is found ... more A remotely detectable signature for biomass burning that is speci c to aming combustion is found in the strong emission lines of potassium (K) at 766.5 nm and 769.9 nm. Ground level spectra of a test re illustrate the high contrast signal provided by K emission. Image data collected at high altitude using the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) sensor and analysed for K emission vividly displays the re fronts of a 1995 re in Brazil. Sensors for K emission can use silicon detector technology for advantages in high sensitivity, low cost, wide area coverage and ne spatial resolution.
Remote Sensing of Fire: Science and Application, 2008
Basic results of a comprehensive investigation of the potential and restrictions of the remote se... more Basic results of a comprehensive investigation of the potential and restrictions of the remote sensing lidar technique in smoke-polluted atmospheres made in the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory (FSL) are presented. The study is based on the three-year lidar measurements of dynamics and optical characteristics of smoke plumes originated in prescribed burns and wildfires. For the measurements, a mobile two-wavelength scanning
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 00102200903341538, Jan 29, 2010
Experiments were conducted wherein wood shavings and Ponderosa pine needles in quiescent air were... more Experiments were conducted wherein wood shavings and Ponderosa pine needles in quiescent air were subjected to a steady radiation heat flux from a planar ceramic burner. The internal temperature of these particles was measured using fine diameter (0.076 mm diameter) type K thermocouples. A narrow angle radiometer was used to determine the emissive power generated by the burner. A model was developed to predict the steady-state temperature of a cylindrical particle with an imposed radiation heat flux under both quiescent air (buoyancy-induced cooling) and windy (forced convection cooling) conditions. Excellent agreement was observed between the model predictions and the experimental data. Parametric studies using the validated model explore the effect of burner (flame) temperature and distance, fuel size, and wind speed. The data suggest that ignition of the fuel element by radiation heating alone is likely only under circumstances where the fire is very intense (such as crown fires), and even then may still be dependent on pilot ignition sources.
A channel model for long arcs in air. [Physics of Fluids 23, 1710 (1980)]. Don J. Latham. Abstrac... more A channel model for long arcs in air. [Physics of Fluids 23, 1710 (1980)]. Don J. Latham. Abstract. The results of an empirically based model for a vertical direct current arc discharge in 1 atm air are presented. The arc is found to ...
Recently, Hoppel and Gathman [1971] have obtained eddy-diffusivity profiles by application of a s... more Recently, Hoppel and Gathman [1971] have obtained eddy-diffusivity profiles by application of a suitable model to measured values of atmospheric electrical parameters. While we agree with the basic method, we find that we must disagree strongly with the model that they have employed in their calculations, particularly with respect to the boundary conditions employed at the earth's (ocean's) surface.
E•rlier models of the electrical behavior of the boundary layer have suffered from the disadvanta... more E•rlier models of the electrical behavior of the boundary layer have suffered from the disadvantage of assumption of steadyst•e conditions for their solution. In this paper, we present results of applying • timedependent primitive equation model to the problem of electrical behavior of the electrode effect and the atmospheric boundary layer over the se•. From the results of this model, we conclude that the electrode effect has a rela•x•tion time of the order of 15 min. In addition, it is shown that the presence of a concentrated layer of neutral particles is sufficient to separate charge. SYMBOLS W V• Pi q•e ki K E E• Eli Eo Oli is vertical coordinate.
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