Examining the utility of random forest and AISA Eagle hyperspectral image data to predict Pinus patula age in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

High-data dimensionality is a common problem in hyperspectral data processing. Consequently, remote sensing techniques that reduce the number of bands are considered essential tools for most hyperspectral applications. The aim of this study was to examine the utility of the random forest ensemble to select the optimal subset of hyperspectral bands to predict the age of Pinus patula stands. Airborne AISA Eagle hyperspectral image data were collected over the study area. The random forest ensemble was used to test whether the forward or backward variable selection methods could identify the optimal subset of bands. Results indicate that both the selection methods produced high-predictive accuracies (root mean square error = 3.097 years). However, the backward variable selection method utilized 206 bands for the final model, while the forward variable selection utilized only a small subset of non-redundant bands (n = 9) while preserving the highest model accuracy (R ² = 0.6).     

Comparative Evaluation for Characterization of Produced Water Generated from Oil,Gas, and Oil–Gas Production Fields

A reliable wastewater characterization is a prerequisite for the selection of an acceptable treatment strategy for produced water which exhibits significant differences due to the varied kinds of wells, seasonal changes, and formation types. A complete characterization of produced water generated from oil, gas, and oil–gas fields in Turkey was performed based on seasonal and locational variations. The results showed that the produced water generated from oil field wells was highly polluted and wastewater volume was higher in comparison to gas and oil–gas field wells. Besides, the characterization of produced water was varying in a wide range based on seasonal and locational variations. Useful relationships were observed between chloride, sodium, bromide, and total dissolved solids concentrations. The results can be used in the design, operation, and optimization of wastewater treatment systems of petroleum and oil industries for future studies.     

Structural geologic control with the limestone bedrock associated with piling problems using remote sensing and GIS: a modified geomorphological method

Geotechnical engineering and unpredictable piling problems of highly urbanized areas underlain by intensive geological fracture zones require a better understanding of their spatial pattern and developments. Unlike traditional techniques which use geophysical survey and visual interpretation of optical satellite images, this study presents a modified approach to revealing the buried geological fractures in karst terrain, which incorporates Wood??s algorithm. The algorithm binary maps were modified by applying additional Soble filter with 10% threshold and equalization enhancement. These modifications have proven good discrimination for morphological linear and curvilinear derived from DEM. Results of the modified method were compared to the existing geological map and validated by conducting field observations. The analysis of the results and corresponding geological and topographical maps showed the effectiveness of the method to recognize the pattern of buried geological fractures. The results obtained demonstrated that maps of the modified method can be used as a reference map prior to any site investigation.     

Laboratory investigation on measuring suspended sediment by portable laser diffractometer (LISST) focusing on particle shape

This paper deals with a laboratory investigation on measuring suspended sediment volume and mass concentration (SSC) and particle size distribution (PSD) by a portable submersible laser diffractometer (LISST-100X) focusing on effects of particle shape and inversion modes on the results. Experiments were carried out in a mixing tank using suspensions of glass beads, fine quartz sand, feldspar and mica powder particles of spherical, rounded, angular and flaky shapes respectively, at various SSCs. SSCs and PSDs measured by LISST were compared to SSCs from gravimetric analysis and to PSDs obtained from image analysis of dry particles and from a non-portable laser diffractometer. Experiments using spherical and rounded particles showed that LISST with the corresponding inversion modes, i.e. spherical and ‘random shaped’, provides PSD and SSC values similar to reference methods. For angular and flaky particles, however, SSCs were found to be overestimated by factors of 1.5 and 8 respectively. Measurements in a mixture of 70% feldspar and 30% mica powders showed that the SSC overestimation factor for mixed particle-type suspensions can be predicted as the weighted sum of the SSC factors of the components and their mixing ratio. For known highly non-spherical particle types, LISST SSCs can be corrected by a gravimetrically determined or predicted overestimation factor. Moreover, correction of overestimated contributions of lower size bins, the range of measureable SSC and time averaging of LISST measurements are addressed. Further investigations are necessary to assess effects of non-spherical particles and mixtures of various particle types on LISST SSC and PSD estimates.     

Heavy Metal Concentrations in the Intertidal Gastropod Nerita lineata and Their Relationships to Those in Its Habitats： A Case Study in Dumai Coastal Waters

Concentrations of heavy metals in the intertidal gastropod Nerita lineata collected from 4 sampling stations in the intertidal zone of Dumai coastal waters have been analyzed and correlated with the respective metal concentrations in their habitat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible relationships between heavy metal concentrations in the N.lineata with metal concentrations in their habitat, which include seawater, algal mat, suspended particulate matter, and surface sediment. The results showed that heavy metal concentrations in the sediment, N.lineata, suspended particulate matter, algal mat and surface seawater were found to be higher in stations closed to Dumai city center which has more industrial and anthropogenic activities. The mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni and Fe in the N.lineata collected from Dumai intertidal area were 4.14 μg/g, 5.90 μg/g, 44.43 μg/g, 3.74 μg/g, 20.73 μg/g, 24.91 μg/g in shell; 4.16 μg/g, 7.31 μg/g, 51.78 μg/g, 17.63 μg/g, 23.52 μg/g, 30.60 μg/g in operculum and 0.71 μg/g, 15.09 μg/g, 9.41 μg/g, 94.42 μg/g, 5.10 μg/g, 398.24 μg/g dry weight in the total soft tissue, respectively. Cd, Pb and Ni concentrations of parts of the N.lineata were in the order: that of operculum>shell>soft tissue whilst Cu, Zn and Fe concentrations of parts of the N.lineata in the order: that of soft tissue>operculum>shell. This suggested that N.lineata could be used as biomonitoring agent for Cu, Zn and Fe (soft tissues) and for Cd, Pb and Ni (operculum). However, the shell had significant correlations (P<0.05) with metal concentrations in the sediment, algal mat, suspended particulate matter and seawater. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) values of the shell also revealed greater capacity for non-essential metals bioaccumulation from all environmental phases. This might suggest that the shell of N.lineata could be better used as biomonitoring agent for heavy metal pollution.     

Chromitite and peridotite from Rayat, northeastern Iraq, as fragments of a Tethyan ophiolite

Ophiolitic rocks (chromitites and serpentinized peridotites) were petrologically examined in detail for the first time from Rayat, in the Iraqi part of the Zagros thrust zone, an ophiolitic belt. Almost all the primary silicates have been altered out, but chromian spinel has survived from alteration and gives information about the primary petrological characteristics. The protolith of the serpentinite was clinopyroxene-free harzburgite with chromian spinel of intermediate Cr# (= Cr/[Cr + Al] atomic ratio) of 0.5 to 0.6. The harzburgite with that signature is the most common in the mantle section of the Tethyan ophiolites such as the Oman ophiolite, and is the most suitable host for chromitite genesis. Except for one sample, which has Cr# = 0.6 for spinel, the Cr# of spinel is high, around 0.7, in chromitite. The variation in Cr# of spinel in chromitite observed here has been also reported in the Oman ophiolite. The peridotite with chromitite pods exposed at Rayat was derived from an ophiolite similar in petrological character to the Oman ophiolite, one of the typical Tethyan ophiolites (fragments of Tethyan oceanic lithosphere). This result is consistent with the previous interpretation based on geological analysis.     

Signal reconstruction of surface waves on SASW measurement using Gaussian Derivative wavelet transform

Surface wave method consists of measurement and processing of the dispersive Rayleigh waves recorded from two or more vertical transducers. The dispersive phase data are inverted and the shear wave velocity versus depth is obtained. However, in case of residual soil, the reliable phase spectrum curve is difficult to be produced. Noises from nature and other human-made sources disturb the generated surface wave data. In this paper, a continuous wavelet transform based on mother wavelet of Gaussian Derivative was used to analyze seismic waves in different frequency and time. Time-frequency wavelet spectrum was employed to localize the interested seismic response spectrum of generated surface waves. It can also distinguish the fundamental mode of the surface wave from the higher modes of reflected body waves. The results presented in this paper showed that the wavelet analysis is able to determine reliable surface wave spectrum of sandy clayey residual soil.     

Turbidity Removal from Wastewaters of Natural Stone Processing by Coagulation/Flocculation Methods

The effectiveness of coagulation (at pH values of 6, 7.5, and 9), flocculation (at pH 9), and coagulation plus flocculation (at pH 9) on turbidity removal from natural stone (travertine) processing wastewaters (NSPW) were examined by applying classical sedimentation tests. FeCl₃·6 H₂O, AlCl₃, and Al₂(SO₄)₃·16 H₂O were used as coagulants and a polyacrylamide based anionic polymer was used as the flocculant. In this way, it was found that the coagulation method alone was not sufficient to purify NSPW, whereas flocculation and coagulation plus flocculation methods provided superior purification. Among the coagulants used, AlCl₃ gave the best result in terms of turbidity removal by coagulation from NSPW at pH 6 and 9, whereas the turbidity removal performances of the three coagulants were almost identical at pH 7.5. In addition, relatively low pH (i. e., pH 6) improved the purification performance of all coagulants. During coagulation of NSPW at pH 6, a charge neutralization mechanism played a decisive role in turbidity removal. However, in neutral (pH 7.5) and slightly basic (pH 9) media, a sweep coagulation mechanism was predominant. For flocculation of NSPW, the basic mechanism comprised of polymer bridging.