Cyanobacterial blooms can be toxic to humans swimming in affected waters. According to the European Bathing Water Directive bathing waters should be closed during cyanobacterial blooms. In the Netherlands, cyanobacteria monitoring in all official bathing water locations is usually performed every two weeks during the bathing season. In face of the large temporal and spatialvariability of cyanobacterial bloom dynamics this monitoring frequency however is too low for adequate early warnings to the public.High frequency monitoring and forecasting models can provide information on cyanobacterial blooms in between the regular monitoring dates and for a few days into the future. In the H2020 project EOMORES, we have combined observational data from a spectral camera (Ecowatch) near a Dutch bathing site with fluorescence data from an underwater drone to analyse the variability ofcyanobacterial blooms at short temporal and spatial scales. The results are used in a short term forecasting model of cyanobacterial blooms (AlgaeRadar) and a 3D scum forecasting model (EWACS). The AlgaeRadar is cross-validated with biweekly data from other bathing water sites and shows improved model performance compared to an earlier version that was built with only biweekly data.For the site with high-frequency chlorophyll observations the near-real time data are assimilated in the model to further enhance the model performance. Model performance of EWACS is verified using high frequency pictures from the Ecowatch station, showing scum layers on the water. This allowed us to validate and calibrate the EWACS model. Model validation abilities were in the pastalso limited by to the patchy nature and high temporal variability of the scum layers, which was not covered by sparse scum observations. With the resulting models, early warnings for cyanobacterial blooms are more reliable than those from the current practice that are merely based on biweekly monitoring data. For the protection of public health this provides better opportunities as well.
Research question:As a result of the expansion of opportunities for leisure-time sport participation (LTSP), the question arises if differing organisational settings relate to differences in participation behaviour. This paper compares participation frequency and time spent on sport between club-organised and non-club-organised sport participants. Research methods:Data originate from the 2009 Household Study on Sport Participation in Flanders (Belgium). The sample consists of 4020 sports participants that are parents of school-aged children. The frequency of LTSP, time per training session and total time spent on sport per week are constructed as dependent variables for log-linear regression analyses. The organisational setting for LTSP is the main independent variable. Analyses are conducted at a total sample level and a sport-specific level. Results and findings:Participation frequency and time spent on sport increase when participants engage with club-organised sport. The association between the organisational setting for LTSP and the dependent variable varies as a function of different variables related to participation in a specific sport. Implications:As a contribution to ongoing debates on the promotion of LTSP in different organisational settings, results of this study allow for discussing the popularity of non-club-organised sport in relation to advantages of club-organised sport. For managers in sport organisations, it is important to gain insight in participation behaviour of (potential) participants to develop targeted strategies. Results are also relevant to policy-makers in order to adequately allocate resources aimed at increasing participation rates and time spent on sport among a broader range of the population.
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‘Dieren in de dijk’ aims to address the issue of animal burrows in earthen levees, which compromise the integrity of flood protection systems in low-lying areas. Earthen levees attract animals that dig tunnels and cause damages, yet there is limited scientific knowledge on the extent of the problem and effective approaches to mitigate the risk. Recent experimental research has demonstrated the severe impact of animal burrows on levee safety, raising concerns among levee management authorities. The consortium's ambition is to provide levee managers with validated action perspectives for managing animal burrows, transitioning from a reactive to a proactive risk-based management approach. The objectives of the project include improving failure probability estimation in levee sections with animal burrows and enhancing risk mitigation capacity. This involves understanding animal behavior and failure processes, reviewing existing and testing new deterrence, detection, and monitoring approaches, and offering action perspectives for levee managers. Results will be integrated into an open-access wiki-platform for guidance of professionals and in education of the next generation. The project's methodology involves focus groups to review the state-of-the-art and set the scene for subsequent steps, fact-finding fieldwork to develop and evaluate risk reduction measures, modeling failure processes, and processing diverse quantitative and qualitative data. Progress workshops and collaboration with stakeholders will ensure relevant and supported solutions. By addressing the knowledge gaps and providing practical guidance, the project aims to enable levee managers to effectively manage animal burrows in levees, both during routine maintenance and high-water emergencies. With the increasing frequency of high river discharges and storm surges due to climate change, early detection and repair of animal burrows become even more crucial. The project's outcomes will contribute to a long-term vision of proactive risk-based management for levees, safeguarding the Netherlands and Belgium against flood risks.
Fontys University of Applied Science’s Institute of Engineering, and the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research (DIFFER) are proposing to set up a professorship to develop novel sensors for fusion reactors. Sensors are a critical component to control and optimise the unstable plasma of Tokamak reactors. However, sensor systems are particularly challenging in fusion-plasma facing components, such as the divertor. The extreme conditions make it impossible to directly incorporate sensors. Furthermore, in advanced reactor concepts, such as DEMO, access to the plasma via ports will be extremely limited. Therefore, indirect or non-contact sensing modalities must be employed. The research group Distributed Sensor Systems (DSS) will develop microwave sensor systems for characterising the plasma in a tokamak’s divertor. DSS will take advantage of recent rapid developments in high frequency integrated circuits, found, for instance, in automotive radar systems, to develop digital reflectometers. Access through the divertor wall will be achieved via surface waveguide structures. The waveguide will be printed using 3D tungsten printing that has improved precision, and reduced roughness. These components will be tested for durability at DIFFER facilities. The performance of the microwave reflectometer, including waveguides, will be tested by using it to analyse the geometry and dynamics of the Magnum PSI plasma beam. The development of sensor-based systems is an important aspect in the integrated research and education program in Electrical Engineering, where DSS is based. The sensing requirements from DIFFER offers an interesting and highly relevant research theme to DSS and exciting projects for engineering students. Hence, this collaboration will strengthen both institutes and the educational offerings at the institute of engineering. Furthermore millimeter wave (mmWave) sensors have a wide range of potential applications, from plasma characterisation (as in this proposal) though to waste separation. Our research will be a step towards realising these broader application areas.
The FlexEd project is intended as an extension of the Leisure Choices and Wellbeing (LCW) project which is now very concretely and definitively planned to run from November 2024 through January 2026. The LCW project is facilitated by the Academy for Leisure. The Leisure Choices and Wellbeing, The LCW project will use a weekly longitudinal questionnaire of 200 individuals (final sample after attrition) over 40 weeks to measure leisure activity planning, participation, and wellbeing. The three main aims of the project are to uncover the roles of 1) social interaction during leisure, 2) novelty/change in routine during leisure, and 3) leisure travel duration and frequency, in explaining individuals’ and families’ wellbeing. By measuring changes in these leisure activities week to week, it will be possible to uncover how development in leisure choices accrues to improved well-being over time. Societal issueFlexibility in the education calendar for better vacation impacts in society.Collaborative partnersCELTH, ANVR.
