Suchergebnisse

The Mediterranean Basin is well recognized by IPCC as a hot spot for climate change. Severe consequences are expected for the future in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region. The increased urbanization, high pollution, dust storms and decreasing precipitation in the region dramatically affect climate change. Current prediction models for weather, climate, and environment are based on sophisticated modeling in close connection with state-of-the-art observations. A modern observational super-site in Cyprus is of fundamental importance to understanding the atmospheric system in the EMMENA region. The presence of such a super site will be able to effectively monitor atmospheric conditions and provide relevant data for atmospheric prediction modeling. This contribution reports on the recent progress regarding the buildup of a permanent, state-of-the-art atmospheric remote sensing station in Limassol, Cyprus. Through the EU H2020 Teaming project EXCELSIOR, the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) will be established as a Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment. The ECoE modern in-situ observational super site will be established in Cyprus for long-term profiling of the atmosphere, including wind, humidity, aerosol and cloud properties and precipitation fields. The ECoE will be fully in line with ESFRI networks, such as ACTRIS, as it will utilize state-of-the-art infrastructure and techniques to provide cutting-edge data regarding atmospheric processes. As a demonstration initiative, an 18-month field campaign (Cy-CARE (Cyprus Cloud Aerosol and pRecipitation Experiment)) has been designed by the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) and was implemented by the ERATOSTHENES group at Cyprus University of Technology (CUT) between October 2016 and March 2018, with the main focus on lidar/radar-based studies of aerosol-cloud-precipitation relationships. Case studies of the Cy-CARE campaign will be presented to demonstrate the importance of the ground based atmospheric remote sensing observations in the region. Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the EXCELSIOR project that received funding from the European Union [H2020-WIDESPREAD-04-2017:Teaming Phase2] project under grant agreement no. 857510, and from the Republic of Cyprus. CUT team acknowledge ACTRIS-2 project (H2020-INFRAIA-2014-2015, GA no. 654109) and the Research and Innovation Foundation of Cyprus for the financial support through the SIROCCO (EXCELLENCE/1216/0217) and AQ-SERVE (INTERGRATED/0916/0016) projects.

The "EXCELSIOR" H2020 Widespread Teaming Phase 2 Project: ERATOSTHENES: EXcellence Research Centre for Earth SurveiLlance and Space-Based MonItoring Of the EnviRonment is supported from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 857510 for a 7 year project period to establish a Centre of Excellence in Cyprus. As well, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is providing additional resources to support the establishment of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) in Cyprus. The ECoE seeks to fill the gap by assisting in the spaceborne Earth Observation activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and become a regional key player in the Earth Observation (EO) sector. There are distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus, which are primarily related to the geostrategic location of the European Union member state of Cyprus to examine complex scientific problems and address user needs in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Northern Africa (EMMENA), as well as South-East Europe. An important objective of the ECoE is to be a Digital Innovation Hub and a Research Excellence Centre for EO in the EMMENA region, which will establish an ecosystem where state-of-the-art sensing technology, cutting-edge research, targeted education services, and entrepreneurship come together. It is based on the paradigm of Open Innovation 2.0 (OI2.0), which is founded on the Quadruple Helix Model, where Government, Industry, Academia and Society work together to drive change by taking full advantage of the cross-fertilization of ideas. The ECoE as a Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) adopts a two-axis model, where the vertical axis consists of three Thematic Clusters for sustained excellence in research of the ECoE in the domains of Atmosphere and Climate, Resilient Societies and Big Earth Data Management, while the horizontal axis is built around four functional areas, namely: Infrastructure, Research, Education, and Entrepreneurship. The ECoE will focus on five application areas, which include Climate Change Monitoring, Water Resource Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Access to Energy and Big EO Data Analytics. This structure is expected to leverage the existing regional capacities and advance the excellence by creating new programs and research, thereby establishing the ECoE as a world-class centre capable of enabling innovation and research competence in Earth Observation, actively participating in Europe, the EMMENA region and the global Earth Observation arena. The partners of the EXCELSIOR consortium include the Cyprus University of Technology as the Coordinator, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS), the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) and the Department of Electronic Communications, Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.

Cyprus enters the space arena with the 'EXCELSIOR' project. 'EXCELSIOR' is expected to bring change in many aspects, including new opportunities for researchers, enhanced skills development for future experts in the Earth Observation and Geoinformation sector on a local, national, European and global level. Due to its geographical proximity, 'EXCELSIOR' can become a hub for partners in Middle Eastern and Northern African countries. Cyprus's unique geostrategic position can support Earth Observation from satellites programmes in three continents and provide valuable services in the processes of satellite calibration and validation. The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE), with its expertise and infrastructure, could further complement the existing network of international ground stations. Cyprus is ideally located to host the ECoE, due to its climate, which is characterized by 300 days of sunshine a year, providing excellent weather conditions for cloud free satellite images. There are some distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus. The needs include: i) to establish a Supersite for aerosol and cloud monitoring in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA): strong demand for EO monitoring to provide data to evaluate the extent of pollution and climate change, especially in the EMMENA region; ii) to observe droughts and water shortages in the EMMENA region; iii) to adopt Rehabilitation programmes in EMMENA; iv) to reduce Disaster Risk and v) to create a Regional Digital Innovation Hub for Earth Observation in Cyprus. The foreseen opportunities include: i) the ECoE has the potential to become a catalyst for facilitating and enabling Regional, European and International cooperation; ii) the Eco E can capitalise on the favourable environmental, weather and climatic conditions of Cyprus to conduct cutting-edge research with impact in various sectors, including climate change, marine, solar energy, etc.; iii) the development of the Cyprus Space Strategy, which can be exploited for further Earth observation research and applications; iv) create a unique European capacity in Cyprus by mobilizing internal national assets and consolidating European EO capabilities in Cyprus to serve EMMENA. The ECoE will procure and develop the European Satellite Ground Stations covering the EMMENA region; v) accessing funding instruments for Earth Observation at the national and European Level and vi) the development of Big Data management and analytics. The EXCELSIOR project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 857510 and from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development.

The "EXCELSIOR" H2020 Widespread Teaming Phase 2 Project: ERATOSTHENES: EXcellence Research Centre for Earth SurveiLlance and Space-Based MonItoring Of the EnviRonment is supported from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 857510 for a 7 year project period to establish a Centre of Excellence in Cyprus. As well, the Government of the Republic of Cyprus is providing additional resources to support the establishment of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) in Cyprus. The ECoE seeks to fill the gap by assisting in the spaceborne Earth Observation activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and become a regional key player in the Earth Observation (EO) sector. There are distinct needs and opportunities that motivate the establishment of an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence in Cyprus, which are primarily related to the geostrategic location of the European Union member state of Cyprus to examine complex scientific problems and address user needs in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and Northern Africa (EMMENA), as well as South-East Europe. An important objective of the ECoE is to be a Digital Innovation Hub and a Research Excellence Centre for EO in the EMMENA region, which will establish an ecosystem where state-of-the-art sensing technology, cutting-edge research, targeted education services, and entrepreneurship come together. It is based on the paradigm of Open Innovation 2.0 (OI2.0), which is founded on the Quadruple Helix Model, where Government, Industry, Academia and Society work together to drive change by taking full advantage of the cross-fertilization of ideas. The ECoE as a Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) adopts a two-axis model, where the vertical axis consists of three Thematic Clusters for sustained excellence in research of the ECoE in the domains of Atmosphere and Climate, Resilient Societies and Big Earth Data Management, while the horizontal axis is built around four functional areas, namely: Infrastructure, Research, Education, ...

AbstractCultivation of the bodily skills required in cavalry warfare was a prominent theme in India's pre-colonial societies. Demand for these expertises enabled fighting specialists to develop an India-wide network of patronage and employment. Wrestling and its associated exercises became the indispensable accompaniment to military preparation in the early modern period. Appreciation of the wide social diffusion of these expertises also allows for a better understanding of colonial demilitarization, the displacement of important cultures of the body, as well as the loss of mobility and honorable employment. La formation aux arts de la guerre montée fut une caractéristique dominante important dans les sociétés précoloniales de l'Inde. Grâce à la demande de ces techniques de combat leurs spécialistes surent se créer un réseau de patronage et d'emploi à travers l'Inde. Pendant la période prémoderne les préparatifs de guerre exigèrent toujours l'apprentissage de la lutte à mains nues et des arts de combat associés. En se rendant compte de l'ampleur de la diffusion des ces arts martiaux à travers la société on comprend mieux que la démilitarisation coloniale emmena la déchéance des arts martiaux, ainsi que la perte de mobilité des lutteurs et la possibilité de trouver un emploi honorable.

The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment (ECoE) will provide cutting-edge Earth Observation (EO) research in Cyprus, the Eastern editerranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region, Europe and intenationally for the benefit of the environment and society. One of the main focus areas of the newly established ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) is using remote sensing and space-based techniques for effective, efficient and timely cultural heritage monitoring. Such monitoring can offer tremendous benefits to Cyprus governmental institutions and policy implementation bodies, towards the protection of cultural heritage sites, including cost- and time-effective control of cultural heritage sites/monuments, raising awareness on the preservation and protection of cultural heritage from anthropogenic and environmental pressures, early warning systems and systematic monitoring of cultural heritage. Satellite Earth Observation technologies provide the ideal resource of information to undertake a wide range of effective, cost-efficient and non-invasive activities, which cannot be so easily acquired with other tools. As a result of the Copernicus Program, Sentinel 1 and 2 missions provide free satellite imagery that is accessible, provides global coverage, a high temporal resolution enabling image time series analysis and temporal characteristics, allowing for the consistent and timely monitoring of cultural heritage monuments and landscapes. The efficient exploitation of high resolution dense time-series of multi-spectral and radar imagery for large scale applications introduces new important considerations including cost-effective and systematic monitoring service of cultural landscape sites with archaeological remains, monitoring significant risks that cultural landscapes face, as well as aiding archaeological mapping and interpretation. Further-on exploiting high spatial and temporal resolution (i.e. from other satellites beyond Copernicus) improves modelling and data assimilation solutions and integration of space based remote sensing techniques with advanced ground and aerial based ones. Both data allows to develop more efficient and effective tools of investigation and monitoring, able to ensure mapping and monitoring of buried and exposed archaeological structures. This paper was developed under the auspices of the activities of the 'ERATOSTHENES: Excellence Research Centre for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment'- 'EXCELSIOR' project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 857510 and from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development. From 1st of October 2019, the ERC group (Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics) at the Cyprus University of Technology is on the way to be upgraded to ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) through 'EXCELSIOR' H 2020 Widespread Teaming project (www.excelsior2020.eu)

The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment (ECoE) will provide cutting-edge Earth Observation (EO) research in Cyprus, the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa (EMMENA) region, Europe and Internationally for the benefit of the environment and society. One of the main focus areas of the newly established ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) is using remote sensing and space-based techniques for effective, efficient and timely cultural heritage monitoring. Such monitoring can offer tremendous benefits to Cyprus governmental institutions and policy implementation bodies, towards the protection of cultural heritage sites, including cost- and time-effective control of cultural heritage sites/monuments, raising awareness on the preservation and protection of cultural heritage from anthropogenic and environmental pressures, early warning systems and systematic monitoring of cultural heritage. Satellite Earth Observation technologies provide the ideal resource of information to undertake a wide range of effective, cost-efficient and non-invasive activities, which cannot be so easily acquired with other tools. As a result of the Copernicus Program, Sentinel 1 and 2 missions provide free satellite imagery that is accessible, provides global coverage, a high temporal resolution enabling image time series analysis and temporal characteristics, allowing for the consistent and timely monitoring of cultural heritage monuments and landscapes. The efficient exploitation of high resolution dense time-series of multi-spectral and radar imagery for large scale applications introduces new important considerations including cost-effective and systematic monitoring service of cultural landscape sites with archaeological remains, monitoring significant risks that cultural landscapes face, as well as aiding archaeological mapping and interpretation. Further-on exploiting high spatial and temporal resolution (i.e. from other satellites beyond Copernicus) improves modelling and data assimilation solutions and integration of space based remote sensing techniques with advanced ground and aerial based ones. Both data allows to develop more efficient and effective tools of investigation and monitoring, able to ensure mapping and monitoring of buried and exposed archaeological structures. This paper was developed under the auspices of the activities of the 'ERATOSTHENES: Excellence Research Centre for Earth Surveillance and Space-Based Monitoring of the Environment'- 'EXCELSIOR' project that has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No 857510 and from the Government of the Republic of Cyprus through the Directorate General for the European Programmes, Coordination and Development. From 1st of October 2019, the ERC group (Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics) at the Cyprus University of Technology is on the way to be upgraded to ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence (ECoE) through 'EXCELSIOR' H 2020 Widespread Teaming project (www.excelsior2020.eu).

International audience ; Constitutional and military history have taken a new turn since the militarization of the Malagasy political system in 1971. The ever-increasing role of the military elite has been characterized by a lack of institutional legitimacy, which has led the said elite to seek out constitutional legitimacy. This issue of legitimacy has taken precedence over constitutional legality throughout history. Indeed, in order to strengthen its power, the military developed some texts meant to complete or supersede the Supreme Law. Furthermore, the military has been the vector of the so-called "national" legitimacy upon which those holding the reins of political power have relied. Power sharing between the civil and military elites has occurred through the division of roles and responsibilities regarding defense and security. This is in line with the desire to limit the presence of the armed forces in decision-making positions. The gradual stepping aside of these armed forces has come about due to a reform within the sector but above all due to the development of constitutional and legal rules intended to strengthen the role of the civil authorities in defense management. This paper seeks to demonstrate the specific trajectory of the Malagasy military elite, particularly with respect to the visibility of Asian and African armed forces on the political stage but also with respect to the conquest of State power. This study thereby focuses on the military's status within the Malagasy State, particularly from a constitutional perspective. furthermore, questions arise as to the constitutional means to limit praetorianism. Ultimately, this raises questions about the implementation and consolidation of democracy in a hybrid State led by patrimonial democrats. ; L'histoire des constitutions et de l'institution militaire a pris une nouvelle tournure avec la militarisation du système politique malgache à partir de 1972. Le rôle sans cesse croissant des élites militaires se caractérisa par une déficience de légitimité institutionnelle, qui emmena ces dernières à la recherche d'une légitimité constitutionnelle. Cette question de légitimité prendra tout au long de l'histoire le pas sur la légalité constitutionnelle. En effet, afin de consolider son pouvoir, l'institution militaire élaborera des textes qui complètent voire se substituent à la loi fondamentale. Par ailleurs, l'institution militaire sera l'instrument d'une nouvelle légitimité dite nationale sur laquelle s'appuieront les tenants du pouvoir. Le partage du pouvoir entre les élites civiles et les élites militaires se manifestera par une répartition des rôles et responsabilités en matière de défense et de sécurité. Cela s'inscrit dans une volonté de limiter la présence des « hommes en armes » aux postes de décision. L'effacement progressif de ces derniers sera rendu possible par une réforme du secteur mais surtout par l'élaboration de dispositions constitutionnelles et légales confortant les autorités civiles dans la gestion de la défense. Cette contribution tâchera de montrer la trajectoire particulière des élites martiales malgaches notamment au regard de la visibilité d'autres militaires en Asie ou en Afrique sur la scène politique ou dans la conquête de l'État. Il s'agira de s'intéresser à la place de l'institution militaire au sein de l'État notamment d'un point de vue constitutionnel. Par ailleurs, il conviendra également de s'interroger sur les voies constitutionnelles pouvant limiter le prétorianisme. En définitive, cela pose la question de l'implémentation et de la consolidation de la démocratie dans un État hybride dirigé par des démocrates patrimoniaux.