A total error-based multiquadric method for surface modeling of digital elevation models

Digital elevation model (DEM) source data are subject to both horizontal and vertical errors owing to improper instrument operation, physical limitations of sensors, and bad weather conditions. These factors may bring a negative effect on some DEM-based applications requiring low levels of positional errors. Although classical smoothing interpolation methods have the ability to handle vertical errors, they are prone to omit horizontal errors. Based on the statistical concept of the total least squares method, a total error-based multiquadric (MQ-T) method is proposed in this paper to reduce the effects of both horizontal and vertical errors in the context of DEM construction. In nature, the classical multiquadric (MQ) method is a vertical error regression procedure, whereas MQ-T is an orthogonal error regression model. Two examples, including a numerical test and a real-world example, are employed in a comparative performance analysis of MQ-T for surface modeling of DEMs. The numerical test indicates that MQ-T performs better than the classical MQ in terms of root mean square error. The real-world example of DEM construction with sample points derived from a total station instrument demonstrates that regardless of the sample interval and DEM resolution, MQ-T is more accurate than classical interpolation methods including inverse distance weighting, ordinary kriging, and Australian National University DEM. Therefore, MQ-T can be considered as an alternative interpolator for surface modeling with sample points subject to both horizontal and vertical errors.     

基于高斯过程回归的SRTM数据空洞填补方法

针对现有插值方法对复杂地表模拟能力不足的问题,发展了一种基于非平稳(神经网络)核的高斯过程回归(GPR)方法,并将其应用于SRTM DEM空缺数据填补。以山区SRTM DEM的模拟数据空洞为研究对象,将GPR模拟结果与传统插值方法(TIN、SPLINE和IDW)比较表明:GPR填补精度高于传统插值方法,且空缺区域模拟曲面较好的保持了地形特征。     

多平台点云数据的单木参数提取精度分析

以浙江省海宁市4种代表行道树(广玉兰、无患子、悬铃木、香樟树)为研究对象,结合无人机(UAV)影像和三维激光扫描数据,利用ContextCapture、LiDAR360软件完成点云拼接、滤波、降噪和编辑,通过迭代最近点算法实现点云精细匹配,完成多平台点云数据融合,进而得到数字表面模型与数字高程模型,并制作冠层高度模型;采用分水岭分割算法对不同行道树树种的冠层高度模型进行单木分割,并综合局部最大值法实现单木树高、冠幅的参数提取。结果表明,本文方法进行行道树单木分割的精度高,树高、冠幅参数提取值的效果好,满足行道树几何参数调查要求。     

海洋测量异常数据的检测

随着现代科学技术的发展和应用,海洋测量领域已先后推出了多种具有高分辨率和高采集率的新技术测量手段,如用于海底地形测量的多波束测深和机载激光测深系统。作为数据后处理软件系统的一个重要组成部分,我们急需寻求一种有效的异常数据探测方法来对采集到的海量数据进行质量检查和控制。与陆地测量相比较,海洋测量具有明显的动态效应,由于海水阻隔的原因,海洋测量不仅受大气的影响,而且受海水运动和海水物理性质的影响,因此     

A hybrid framework for single tree detection from airborne laser scanning data: A case study in temperate mature coniferous forests in Ontario,Canada

This study presents a hybrid framework for single tree detection from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data by integrating low-level image processing techniques into a high-level probabilistic framework. The proposed approach modeled tree crowns in a forest plot as a configuration of circular objects. We took advantage of low-level image processing techniques to generate candidate configurations from the canopy height model (CHM): the treetop positions were sampled within the over-extracted local maxima via local maxima filtering, and the crown sizes were derived from marker-controlled watershed segmentation using corresponding treetops as markers. The configuration containing the best possible set of detected tree objects was estimated by a global optimization solver. To achieve this, we introduced a Gibbs energy, which contains a data term that judges the fitness of the objects with respect to the data, and a prior term that prevents severe overlapping between tree crowns on the configuration space. The energy was then embedded into a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) dynamics coupled with a simulated annealing to find its global minimum. In this research, we also proposed a Monte Carlo-based sampling method for parameter estimation. We tested the method on a temperate mature coniferous forest in Ontario, Canada and also on simulated coniferous forest plots with different degrees of crown overlap. The experimental results showed the effectiveness of our proposed method, which was capable of reducing the commission errors produced by local maxima filtering, thus increasing the overall detection accuracy by approximately 10% on all of the datasets.     

Ground peak identification in dense shrub areas using large footprint waveform LiDAR and Landsat images

Large footprint waveform LiDAR data have been widely used to extract tree heights. These heights are typically estimated by subtracting the top height from the ground. Compared to the top height detection, the identification of the ground peak in a waveform is more challenging. This is particularly evident in ground detection in shrub areas, where the reflection of the shrub canopy may significantly overlap with the ground reflection. To tackle this problem, a novel method based on Partial Curve-Fitting (PCF) of the shrub peak was developed to detect the ground peak. Results indicated that the PCF method improves ground identification by 32–42%, compared to existing methods. To offer further improvement, a Multi-Algorithm Integration Classifier (MAIC) was built to fuse multiple ground peak algorithms and selectively apply the best method for each waveform plot. The PCF ground peak identification method along with the MAIC-based fusion is expected to significantly improve ground detection and shrub height estimation, thus assisting biodiversity, forest succession, and carbon sequestration studies, while offering an early example of future multiple algorithm integration.     

一种基于GeoEye-1立体像对数据的快速提取平均树高方法

探讨了可见光立体像对遥感数据在森林平均树高估算研究方向的可行性,为解决大区域快速提取森林平均树高参数的科学问题提供技术支撑。利用GeoEye-1卫星立体像对中提供的有理多项式系数(RPC)参数和数字表面模型(DSM)与数字高程模型(DEM)的理论原理,建立了基于DSM和DEM空间相差模型建立林分冠层高度估算方法流程。结果表明:基于湖南攸县黄丰桥国有林场GeoEye-1立体像对影像数据,按照估算流程,最终得到试验区小班尺度的样地平均树高遥感提取结果。结合样地地面实测控制点和地面小班数据调查数据,该方法提取的研究区平均树高总体误差率在83.1%,其中最大误差为3.773 m,最小误差为0.025 m。因此,本研究是一种可以快速获得研究区大范围森林平均树高参数的创新、可行的方法。     

一种综合考虑采样点水平和高程误差的DEM建模算法

为了降低采样点水平和高程误差对数字高程模型（digital elevation model,DEM）建模精度的影响,受总体最小二乘算法启发,以较高精度的多面函数（multiquadric function,MQ）为基函数,发展了整体最小二乘MQ算法（MQ-T）,并分别借助数值实验和实例分析验证模型计算精度。数值实验中,以高斯合成曲面为研究对象,设计了受不同误差分量影响的采样数据,借助MQ-T曲面建模,并将计算结果与传统MQ进行比较。结果表明,当采样点仅受高程误差分量影响时,MQ-T计算结果精度与MQ相当;当采样数据受水平误差分量影响时,MQ-T计算结果中误差小于MQ中误差。实例分析中,以全站仪获取的采样数据为研究对象,借助MQ-T构建测区DEM,并将计算结果与传统插值算法进行比较,如反距离加权（inverse distance weighted,IDW）法、克里金（Kriging）法和澳大利亚国立大学DEM专用插值软件（（Australian National University DEM,ANUDEM）法。精度分析表明,随着采样点密度降低,各种插值算法精度逐步降低;不管采样密度多少,MQ-T计算精度始终高于传统插值算法;对山体阴影图分析表明,MQ-T相比Kriging法有一定峰值削平现象。     

Fine-resolution forest tree height estimation across the Sierra Nevada through the integration of spaceborne LiDAR,airborne LiDAR,and optical imagery

ABSTRACT

Forests of the Sierra Nevada (SN) mountain range are valuable natural heritages for the region and the country, and tree height is an important forest structure parameter for understanding the SN forest ecosystem. There is still a need in the accurate estimation of wall-to-wall SN tree height distribution at fine spatial resolution. In this study, we presented a method to map wall-to-wall forest tree height (defined as Lorey’s height) across the SN at 70-m resolution by fusing multi-source datasets, including over 1600 in situ tree height measurements and over 1600?km² airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data. Accurate tree height estimates within these airborne LiDAR boundaries were first computed based on in situ measurements, and then these airborne LiDAR-derived tree heights were used as reference data to estimate tree heights at Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) footprints. Finally, the random forest algorithm was used to model the SN tree height from these GLAS tree heights, optical imagery, topographic data, and climate data. The results show that our fine-resolution SN tree height product has a good correspondence with field measurements. The coefficient of determination between them is 0.60, and the root-mean-squared error is 5.45?m.     

机载LiDAR数据估算样地和单木尺度森林地上生物量

利用机载激光雷达点云数据,结合大量实测单木结构信息,分别从样地和单木尺度估算了森林地上生物量AGB。首先,利用局部最大值单木提取算法提取了每个样地内的单木结构参数,并针对样地和单木尺度分别计算了一组激光雷达变量。然后,利用激光雷达变量和地上生物量及其两者的对数形式,从样地和单木尺度分别构建了估算模型。最后,针对两种尺度估算过程中存在的不确定性进行了详细讨论。结果表明:(1)样地和单木尺度模型估算的森林地上生物量与地面实测值都具有明显的相关性,且对数模型估算效果要优于非对数模型;(2)样地尺度模型估算效果(R2=0.84,rRMSE=0.23)明显优于单木尺度模型(R2=0.61,rRMSE=0.46);(3)按树木类型分别进行估算可以提高单木地上生物量的估算精度;(4)不论是样地还是单木尺度地上生物量估算都存在一定的不确定性,与样地尺度相比,单木尺度估算过程的不确定性更大,这种不确定性主要来自单木识别过程。     

Limitations of high resolution satellite stereo imagery for estimating canopy height in Australian tropical savannas

Obtaining reliable measures of tree canopy height across large areas is a central element of forest inventory and carbon accounting. Recent years have seen an increased emphasis on the use of active sensors like Radar and airborne LiDAR (light detection and scanning) systems to estimate various 3D characteristics of canopy and crown structure that can be used as predictors of biomass. However, airborne LiDAR data are expensive to acquire, and not often readily available across large remote landscapes. In this study, we evaluated the potential of stereo imagery from commercially available Very High Resolution (VHR) satellites as an alternative for estimating canopy height variables in Australian tropical savannas, using a semi-global dense matching (SGM) image-based technique. We assessed and compared the completeness and vertical accuracy of extracted canopy height models (CHMs) from GeoEye 1 and WorldView 1 VHR satellite stereo pairs and summarised the factors influencing image matching effectiveness and quality.Our results showed that stereo dense matching using the SGM technique severely underestimates tree presence and canopy height. The highest tree detection rates were achieved by using the near-infrared (NIR) band of GE1 (8–9%). WV1-GE1 cross-satellite (mixed) models did not improve the quality of extracted canopy heights. We consider these poor detection rates and height retrievals to result from: i) the clumping crown structure of the dominant Eucalyptus spp.; ii) their vertically oriented leaves (affecting the bidirectional reflectance distribution function); iii) image band radiometry and iv) wind induced crown movement affecting stereo-pair point matching. Our detailed analyses suggest that current commercially available VHR satellite data (0.5 m resolution) are not well suited to estimating canopy height variables, and therefore above ground biomass (AGB), in Eucalyptus dominated north Australian tropical savanna woodlands.     

跨比例尺新旧居民地目标变化分析与决策树识别

变化分析与探测是跨比例尺地图数据更新的核心问题之一。以往研究主要关注时间维上地理实体时空演化引起的地图目标变化,甚至将地图目标变化等同于地理实体真实变化,忽略了尺度维上由地图综合导致的表达变化。本文以居民地数据为例,从表层形式和深层缘由对跨比例尺新旧地图数据间的目标变化进行深入分析。在此基础上,引入机器学习领域的决策树方法构建变化信息识别模型。该模型的目标是判别时态变化和表达变化两种类型,从而提取用于更新小比例尺地图数据的真正变化信息。结合广州市多比例尺地图数据库更新任务及实际数据进行验证,结果显示设计的变化探测模型可以达到90%以上的整体精度。     

Automatic estimation of olive tree dendrometric parameters based on airborne laser scanning data using alpha-shape and principal component analysis

The aim of this study is to present an automatic approach for olive tree dendrometric parameter estimation from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. The proposed method is based on a unique combination of the alpha-shape algorithm applied to normalized point cloud and principal component analysis. A key issue of the alpha-shape algorithm is to define the α parameter, as it directly affects the crown delineation results. We propose to adjust this parameter based on a group of representative trees in an orchard for which the classical field measurements were performed. The best value of the α parameter is one whose correlation coefficient of dendrometric parameters between field measurements and estimated values is the highest. We determined crown diameters as principal components of ALS points representing a delineated crown. The method was applied to a test area of an olive orchard in Spain. The tree dendrometric parameters estimated from ALS data were compared with field measurements to assess the quality of the developed approach. We found the method to be equally good or even superior to previously investigated semi-automatic methods. The average error is 19% for tree height, 53% for crown base height, and 13% and 9% for the length of the longer diameter and perpendicular diameter, respectively.     

Tree Detection in Urban Regions Using Aerial Lidar and Image Data

In this letter, we present an approach to detecting trees in registered aerial image and range data obtained via lidar. The motivation for this problem comes from automated 3-D city modeling, in which such data are used to generate the models. Representing the trees in these models is problematic because the data are usually too sparsely sampled in tree regions to create an accurate 3-D model of the trees. Furthermore, including the tree data points interferes with the polygonization step of the building roof top models. Therefore, it is advantageous to detect and remove points that represent trees in both lidar and aerial imagery. In this letter, we propose a two-step method for tree detection consisting of segmentation followed by classification. The segmentation is done using a simple region-growing algorithm using weighted features from aerial image and lidar, such as height, texture map, height variation, and normal vector estimates. The weights for the features are determined using a learning method on random walks. The classification is done using the weighted support vector machines, allowing us to control the misclassification rate. The overall problem is formulated as a binary detection problem, and the results presented as receiver operating characteristic curves are shown to validate our approach     

稳健估计的一种改进迭代算法

当观测值不含粗差、观测误差服从零均值分布时,最小二乘算法是最优无偏估计。若观测值包含粗差,由于最小二乘不具备抗差性,往往采用以M估计为代表的稳健估计方法,选权迭代算法是应用最为广泛的稳健估计方法之一。目前,选权迭代算法的每一步都需要对模型的稳健正交矩阵求逆,其运算复杂度是矩阵维数的三次方,在未知参数或粗差个数较多的情况下,计算量大、计算时间长。本文基于矩阵逆的运算法则,对现有选权迭代算法进行了改进,改进的选权迭代算法在迭代计算过程中仅需计算更新权阵后的解的改正项,不需要对正交矩阵求逆,显著提高了算法的效率。     

Sub-footprint analysis to uncover tree height variation using ICESat/GLAS

Detailed forest height data are an indispensable prerequisite for many forestry and earth science applications. Existing research of using Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) data mainly focuses on deriving average or maximum tree heights within a GLAS footprint, i.e. an ellipse with a diameter of 65 m. However, in most forests, it is likely that the tree heights within such ellipse are heterogeneous. Therefore, it is desired to uncover detailed tree height variation within a GLAS footprint. To the best of our knowledge, no such methods have been reported as of now. In this study, we aim to characterize tree heights’ variation within a GLAS footprint as different layers, each of which corresponds to trees with similar heights. As such, we developed a new method that embraces two steps: first, a refined Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm is proposed to decompose raw GLAS waveform into multiple Gaussian signals, within which it is hypothesized that each vegetation signal corresponds to a particular tree height layer. Second, for each layer, three parameters were first defined: Canopy Top Height (CTH), Crown Length (CL), and Cover Proportion (CP). Then we extracted the three parameters from each Gaussian signal through a defined model. In order to test our developed method, we set up a study site in Ejina, China where the dominant specie is Populus euphratica. Both simulated and field tree height data were adopted. With regard to the simulation data, results presented a very high agreement for the three predefined parameters between our results and simulation data. When our methods were applied to the field data, the respective R² become 0.78 (CTH), CL (R² = 0.76), CP (R² = 0.74). Overall, our studies revealed that large footprint GLAS waveform data have the potentials for obtaining detailed forest height variation.     

Robust estimation of deformation from observation differences for free control networks

Deformation measurements have a repeatable nature. This means that deformation measurements are performed often with the same equipment, methods, geometric conditions and in a similar environment in epochs 1 and 2 (e.g., a fully automated, continuous control measurements). It is, therefore, reasonable to assume that the results of deformation measurements can be distorted by both random errors and by some non-random errors, which are constant in both epochs. In other words, there is a high probability that the difference in the accuracy and precision of measurement of the same geometric element of the network in both epochs has a constant value and sign. The constant errors are understood, but the manifestation of these errors is difficult to determine in practice. For free control networks (the group of potential reference points in absolute control networks or the group of potential stable points in relative networks), the results of deformation measurements are most often processed using robust methods. Classical robust methods do not completely eliminate the effect of constant errors. This paper proposes a new robust alternative method called REDOD. The performed tests showed that if the results of deformation measurements were additionally distorted by constant errors, the REDOD method completely eliminated their effect from deformation analysis results. If the results of deformation measurements are only distorted by random errors, the REDOD method yields very similar deformation analysis results as the classical IWST method. The numerical tests were preceded by a theoretical part. The theoretical part describes the algorithm of classical robust methods. Particular attention was paid to the IWST method. In relation to classical robust methods, the optimization problem of the new REDOD method was formulated and the algorithm for its solution was derived.     

Integration of WorldView-2 and airborne LiDAR data for tree species level carbon stock mapping in Kayar Khola watershed,Nepal

Integration of WorldView-2 satellite image with small footprint airborne LiDAR data for estimation of tree carbon at species level has been investigated in tropical forests of Nepal. This research aims to quantify and map carbon stock for dominant tree species in Chitwan district of central Nepal. Object based image analysis and supervised nearest neighbor classification methods were deployed for tree canopy retrieval and species level classification respectively. Initially, six dominant tree species (Shorea robusta, Schima wallichii, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Terminalia tomentosa, Mallotus philippinensis and Semecarpus anacardium) were able to be identified and mapped through image classification. The result showed a 76% accuracy of segmentation and 1970.99 as best average separability. Tree canopy height model (CHM) was extracted based on LiDAR’s first and last return from an entire study area. On average, a significant correlation coefficient (r) between canopy projection area (CPA) and carbon; height and carbon; and CPA and height were obtained as 0.73, 0.76 and 0.63, respectively for correctly detected trees. Carbon stock model validation results showed regression models being able to explain up to 94%, 78%, 76%, 84% and 78% of variations in carbon estimation for the following tree species: S. robusta, L. parviflora, T. tomentosa, S. wallichii and others (combination of rest tree species).     

Noisy Data Smoothing in DEM Construction Using Least Squares Support Vector Machines

Since spatial datasets are subject to sampling errors, a smoothing interpolation method should be employed to remove noise during DEM construction. Although least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) have been widely accepted as a classifier, their effect on smoothing noisy data is almost unknown. In this article, the smoothness of LSSVM was explored, and its effect on smoothing noisy data in DEM construction was tested. In order to improve the ability to deal with large datasets, a local method of LSSVM has been developed, where only the neighboring sampling points around the one to be estimated are used for computation. A numerical test indicated that LSSVM is more accurate than the classical smoothing methods including TPS and kriging, and its error surfaces are more evenly distributed. The real‐world example of smoothing noise inherent in lidar‐derived DEMs also showed that LSSVM has a positive smoothing effect, which is approximately as accurate as TPS. In short, LSSVM with a high efficiency can be considered as an alternative smoothing method for smoothing noisy data in DEM construction.     

A land-cover change detection method using data-oriented composite-kernel-based one-class support vector machine

In many change detection applications, the focus is often on one specific change class. The one-class support vector machine (OCSVM)-based change detection method has been proved effective for dealing with such problems, which only requires samples from the change class of interest as the training data. However, this classical method only uses a single kernel which limits its separating capabilities in real-world applications. To further improve the efficacy of the OCSVM-based change detection method, this paper proposes an improved change detection method that uses a data-oriented composite-kernel-based one-class support vector machine. It utilizes the feature information entropy of the training data to determine the kernel weights in constructing a composite kernel. Experimental results on two data-sets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the existing classical OCSVM-based change detection method and the traditional composite-kernel-based method with relatively few false alarm errors, and shows good potential for further applications.