Presenter/Author Information

Patrick M. Reed
Ruchit Shah
Joshua B. Kollat

Keywords

observation networks, many-objective analysis, bayesian networks

Start Date

1-7-2010 12:00 AM

Abstract

This paper explores three related propositions for designing environmentalobservation systems: (1) Nonstationarity in environmental data series has the consequentimpact of making observation network design itself a nonstationary, stochastic planningproblem where the value of alternative observation strategies should be evaluated based onplanners’ evolving conception of Pareto efficiency given new knowledge, technologies,and policies over long time-scales. (2) Real-world budgetary constraints within observationnetwork design problems yield resource allocation conflicts across space, time, andcompeting foci that are equivalent in form to the multiobjective d-dimensional knapsackproblem (MO-dKP). Consequently, the Pareto efficiency of observation networks can onlybe determined approximately for non-trivial problem instances. (3) Multiobjectivehierarchical Bayesian optimization provides a very promising tool for identifyingobservation alternatives that are approximately Pareto efficient while simultaneouslyproviding insights into the emergent dependencies of our decisions (both science andmanagement oriented) on critical observations.

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Jul 1st, 12:00 AM

Assessing the Value of Environmental Observations in a Changing World: Nonstationarity, Complexity, and Hierarchical Dependencies

This paper explores three related propositions for designing environmentalobservation systems: (1) Nonstationarity in environmental data series has the consequentimpact of making observation network design itself a nonstationary, stochastic planningproblem where the value of alternative observation strategies should be evaluated based onplanners’ evolving conception of Pareto efficiency given new knowledge, technologies,and policies over long time-scales. (2) Real-world budgetary constraints within observationnetwork design problems yield resource allocation conflicts across space, time, andcompeting foci that are equivalent in form to the multiobjective d-dimensional knapsackproblem (MO-dKP). Consequently, the Pareto efficiency of observation networks can onlybe determined approximately for non-trivial problem instances. (3) Multiobjectivehierarchical Bayesian optimization provides a very promising tool for identifyingobservation alternatives that are approximately Pareto efficient while simultaneouslyproviding insights into the emergent dependencies of our decisions (both science andmanagement oriented) on critical observations.