Sergio Donizete Faria

TerraME GIMS: An Eclipse plug-in for environmental modeling

TerraME is a platform for modeling and simulation of environmental systems that offers a conceptual basis and services to build environmental models through a high-level programming language called Terra Modeling Language. However, the use of a programming language is still a limiting factor since its main users are researchers with different backgrounds who usually lack basic knowledge of algorithms and programming techniques. So, this work presents the development of TerraME GIMS, an Eclipse plug-in for environmental systems modeling through visual metaphors that graphically represent the model.

Development of a didactic model of the hydrologic cycle using the TerraME graphical interface for modeling and simulation

Many modeling and simulation platforms provide general programming languages as interfaces for model construction. Some offers high-level modeling languages with conceptual basis and services to represent data structures and rules that will determine the model behavior. However, the direct use of a computational language is still a limiting factor to the broad usage of these platforms. Modelers often have different scientific backgrounds, presenting a lack of background on algorithms and programming techniques. Furthermore, there is no established methodology for model development. These problems confuse the modelers forcing them to deviate their attention from the problem being solved. We argue that a visual integrated development environment (IDE) can solve these problems, making easy the understanding and communication of the model conception and design. An IDE can also enforce the use of a common model development methodology. In this paper we describe a methodology for modeling Earth system phenomena using the TerraME GIMS tool, which is a visual IDE for the TerraME modeling and simulation platform. It enables users to build environmental models through visual metaphors that graphically describe models structure. We demonstrate the use of TerraME GIMS and present our methodology for the development of a didactic model for the hydrologic cycle. Future works include the development of diagrams to better describe the model behavior, including agent synchronization and communication.

Of a method for estimating the average population size of personal networks and the size of hard-to-count populations

The method known as Network Scale-Up (NSU) – used for expanding social networks – is used to estimate hard-to-count populations, based on the idea that human populations are organized in a complex web of social interactions, to which all individuals, regardless of specific personal attributes, are connected. If we know the pattern of personal networks associated with certain individual attributes, we can estimate “parcels” of the population that have these same attributes. International migrants, especially those who are undocumented, fit into this type of subpopulation whose size is unknown because of the difficulty or even impossibility of measuring it directly. This article aims at describing the Network Scale-Up method and the methodological procedures necessary to estimate the number of international and returned migrants in a hypothetical, medium-sized, Brazilian city.

Sobre el método para estimar el tamaño medio de las redes personales y el tamaño de poblaciones difíciles de calcular

The method known as Network Scale-Up (NSU) – used for expanding social networks – is used to estimate hard-to-count populations, based on the idea that human populations are organized in a complex web of social interactions, to which all individuals, regardless of specific personal attributes, are connected. If we know the pattern of personal networks associated with certain individual attributes, we can estimate “parcels” of the population that have these same attributes. International migrants, especially those who are undocumented, fit into this type of subpopulation whose size is unknown because of the difficulty or even impossibility of measuring it directly. This article aims at describing the Network Scale-Up method and the methodological procedures necessary to estimate the number of international and returned migrants in a hypothetical, medium-sized, Brazilian city.

Do método para estimar o tamanho médio das redes pessoais e o tamanho de populações difíceis de contar

The method known as Network Scale-Up (NSU) – used for expanding social networks – is used to estimate hard-to-count populations, based on the idea that human populations are organized in a complex web of social interactions, to which all individuals, regardless of specific personal attributes, are connected. If we know the pattern of personal networks associated with certain individual attributes, we can estimate “parcels” of the population that have these same attributes. International migrants, especially those who are undocumented, fit into this type of subpopulation whose size is unknown because of the difficulty or even impossibility of measuring it directly. This article aims at describing the Network Scale-Up method and the methodological procedures necessary to estimate the number of international and returned migrants in a hypothetical, medium-sized, Brazilian city.