Joseph L. Awange Livres

Recent interest in Lake Victoria and its surroundings has surged both locally and internationally, leading to a significant increase in online entries about the area. However, the information available is often scattered, isolated, and sometimes confusing, despite the existence of documentation. This situation highlights the need for accessible and comprehensive knowledge about the world's second-largest freshwater lake, particularly for secondary and university students, researchers, and practitioners. This book aims to bridge the information gap by providing up-to-date insights into Lake Victoria and its environment. It covers a range of topics, including environmental issues, resource endowment, poverty amidst plenty, and development opportunities and challenges. The goal is to present this information in a clear and straightforward manner, making it understandable for both undergraduate students and advanced researchers. Recognizing that many parameters of the lake are changing rapidly, the authors have endeavored to offer accurate and current information up to the time of publication, addressing the diverse needs of various users interested in the lake and its surrounding areas.

This book presents a new framework for developing intelligent systems and methods for data analysis and international information sharing. It explores the use of satellite imaging and geospatial data to predict weather changes, assess water levels, and evaluate forest cover visible from space. By integrating various scientific and technological aspects, along with analytical approaches, it promotes informed decision-making. The text emphasizes the significance of understanding the technological, economic, and social dimensions of environmental projects, which can have both short-term results and long-term impacts. It uniquely differentiates between environmental project management (EnvPM) and green project management (GreenPM), merging concepts from both fields using geospatial methods to create the EnvPM concept. The book sets a standard for the professionalism required in planning, executing, monitoring, assessing, and delivering environmental projects. While aimed at professionals managing environmental projects, it also serves as a valuable resource for managers in various sectors and students at undergraduate and master’s levels. It is an essential guide for anyone looking to enhance their skills in modern project management, environmental management, and geospatial techniques.

Improved geospatial instrumentation and technology such as in laser scanning has now resulted in millions of data being collected, e. g., point clouds. It is in realization that such huge amount of data requires efficient and robust mathematical solutions that this third edition of the book extends the second edition by introducing three new chapters: Robust parameter estimation, Multiobjective optimization and Symbolic regression. Furthermore, the linear homotopy chapter is expanded to include nonlinear homotopy. These disciplines are discussed first in the theoretical part of the book before illustrating their geospatial applications in the applications chapters where numerous numerical examples are presented. The renewed electronic supplement contains these new theoretical and practical topics, with the corresponding Mathematica statements and functions supporting their computations introduced and applied. This third edition is renamed in light of these technological advancements.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are transforming from military tools to essential resources for environmental monitoring and management. This book explores their emerging applications, highlighting GPS-based radio telemetry that enhances ecological monitoring by accurately mapping animal movements and behaviors, and GNSS-meteorology, which aids in weather and climate change studies. It also discusses GNSS-remote sensing for tracking changes in freshwater resources and the cryosphere, and geosensor network techniques vital for disaster response management. Additionally, GNSS improves epidemiological studies by tracking infectious diseases and their climate-related impacts, while providing data for econometric modeling of policy effects. In Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA), and Sustainability Assessments (SA), GNSS, alongside other space-based remote sensing techniques, serves as a modern tool connecting developers with communities and supporting Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) for informed decision-making. The book simplifies GNSS concepts for environmentalists while outlining potential applications for technology experts, aiming to energize innovative research. It is particularly relevant for professionals in fields such as hydrology, meteorology, epidemiology, economics, and engineering. This comprehensive presentation of GNSS applications in environmental monitoring

While teaching ‘Introduction to Geodesy I and II’ at Stuttgart University, we identified a significant gap that inspired this book: the necessity of algebra skills, particularly in computer algebra, for various topics in geodesy and geoinformatics. From positioning to transformation issues, a solid understanding of algebra and the use of computer algebra software are essential. This book consolidates fundamental concepts of abstract algebra that are crucial for addressing algebraic problems. It presents and tests algebraic computational algorithms designed to solve nonlinear systems of equations, which are vital for obtaining exact solutions. Although the focus is primarily on geodesy and geoinformatics, the concepts and techniques discussed are relevant to other fields facing algebraic computational challenges. For instance, in engineering, network densification and robotics employ resection and intersection techniques that necessitate algebraic solutions. Solving nonlinear systems is a critical task across various geosciences, including geodesy, geoinformatics, and geophysics, as well as in robotics. Such equations are foundational for operations like ranging, resection, and intersection. Specific examples include the three-dimensional resection problem, which is essential for determining the positions and orientations of sensors such as cameras, theodolites, robots, and scanners.

This book reviews key concepts and economic theories of poverty, explores the poverty-environment nexus, and presents innovative socio-economic and scientific geospatial solutions for the 21st Century. It enables readers to understand poverty through a concise examination of major theoretical frameworks and measures, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the rural-urban dichotomy. The authors highlight that existing theories and measures are imperfect, suggesting they should be viewed as convenient tools rather than infallible metrics. Consequently, the crafted solutions for poverty reduction and environmental preservation are inherently flawed. The economic solutions proposed go beyond conventional macroeconomic and policy measures, advocating for a new paradigm where the private sector and stakeholders create inclusive markets that foster shared value. Additionally, the book introduces cutting-edge geospatial solutions aimed at addressing critical global issues related to water, utilizing the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) missions to assess changes in stored water within the water-poverty-environment nexus. It also addresses pollution, agriculture, and disaster management, applying geospatial techniques within robust environmental impact assessment frameworks.

Humanity currently faces a multitude of complex challenges, including resource depletion, environmental degradation, food and water insecurity, energy shortages, and climate change, all of which necessitate a thorough understanding to inform effective policies and remedial measures. Continuous monitoring and management of the environment are crucial for acquiring data that can be rigorously analyzed, enabling predictions of future impacts. Addressing these challenges requires the use of geodata and the application of geoinformatics, a multidisciplinary field that encompasses technologies for acquiring, analyzing, and visualizing geodata for environmental monitoring and management. This text explores the transition from the 4D to the 5D data paradigm, ensuring that geodata is accurate and comprehensive, facilitating a global representation of the digital Earth. It also includes discussions on state-of-the-art Web-GIS. The concepts presented will benefit decision-makers in various fields, including environmental agencies, emergency services, public health, crime mapping, and more. The title emphasizes the interplay between monitoring—data acquisition—and management—active operation—highlighting the interconnectedness of these elements in relation to our environment and geoinformatics.