Investigation of NDVI in relation to the growth phases of beech leaves in forest

The main objective of the science of phenology is to identify the time of the occurrence of conspicuous periodic phenomena in plants under the impact of climatic factors. The study of phonologic phenomena through visual observations and terrestrial studies and temperature registration using a thermo hydrometer in different altitudinal levels and using the satellite data of IRS1C/1D LISSIII in twelve 1-ha plots in pure beech stands in the altitudinal range of 500 to 1,200 m above the sea level from April to December was carried out in such a way that for each month, one image of sensor was allocated. The produced vegetation indices were matched with terrestrial observations of the phenology periods in each month in the beech plots. The results show that the increase of the altitude above the sea level functions like latitude and its most remarkable impact is the decreasing of the temperature and the shortening of growing season. The terrestrial observations carried out in the plots show that a sudden increase in the temperature leads to the faster growth and emergence of the leaves. The produced correlation coefficient between the temperature and the emergence of the leaves was (p?=?0.01) r?=?0.87. Moreover, the end of fall in the studied region has a direct and significant relation with temperature. The amount of correlation coefficient between the temperature and end of fall in the studied region is equal to (p?=?0.01) r?=?0.91. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is more related to the growth and nurturing of the leaves. The amount of NDVI during the growth of the leaves, completion of the leaves, and fall of the leaves is equal to 0.35, 0.6, and 0.25, respectively.     

An analysis of vegetation indices in relation to tree species diversity using by satellite data in the northern forests of Iran

Vegetation indices have been introduced for analyzing and assessing the status of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of vegetation using satellite images. However, choosing the best indices to be used in forest biodiversity and vegetation is one of the important problems faced by the users. The purpose of this research is to evaluate six vegetation indices in the analysis of tree species diversity in the northern forests of Iran. The present research uses LISS III sensor data from IRS-P6 satellite. Geometric rectification of images was performed using ground control points, and Chavez model was used for atmospheric correction of the data. The six spectral vegetation indices included NDVI, IPVI, Ashburn Vegetation Index (AVI), TVI, TTVI, and RVI. Shannon–Wiener species diversity index was used to analyze diversity, and the value of the index was calculated in each sample plot. Then, the spectral values of each sample plot were extracted from different bands. The best subset regression was used to analyze the relationship between species diversity and the related bands. The results obtained from the regression showed that polynomial equations under scrutiny as independent variables can assess tree and shrub species diversity better than other bands and compounds used (R ²?=?0.47). The obtained results also indicated a higher capacity in the case of the AVI index for estimating tree species diversity in the under study area.     

Axisymmetric transient waves in transversely isotropic half-space

A transversely isotropic material in the sense of Green is considered. Using a series of potential functions proposed in [Eskandari-Ghadi M. A complete solution of the wave equations for transversely isotropic media. J Elasticity 2005; 81:1–19], the solutions of the transient wave equations within a half-space under surface load are obtained in the Laplace–Hankel domain for axisymmetric problems. The solutions are investigated in detail in the special case of a surface point force pulse varying with time as Heaviside function. Using Cagniard–De Hoop method, the inverse Laplace transform and inverse Hankel transform of the solutions are then obtained in the form of integrals with finite limits. For validity of the analytical results, the final formulations for surface waves are degenerated for an isotropic material and compared with the existing formulation obtained by Pekeris [The seismic surface pulse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1955;41:469–80], to show that they are exactly the same. The numerical evaluations of the integrals for some transversely isotropic materials as well as an isotropic one are obtained. The present approach is then numerically verified by comparing a particular case of displacements for the surface of an isotropic half-space subjected to a point load of Heaviside function with the solutions obtained by Pekeris [The seismic surface pulse. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1955;41:469–80]. In addition, the wave equations for the mentioned medium are obtained on the vertical line directly under the applied surface load. The final formulations are degenerated for an isotropic material and compared with the existing formulation given in Graff [Wave motion in elastic solids. New York: Dover Publications Inc; 1975 [New Ed edition, November 1991]], to show that they are also exactly the same. Then equations are presented in graphical forms using an appropriate numerical evaluation.     

Discrimination of Mineralized Rock Types in a Copper-Rich Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide Deposit Through Fast Independent Component and Factor Analysis

Natural Resources Research - Multivariate methods are useful for simplifying the interpretation of variables in geochemical data and are widely used to uncover relationships between elements that...     

Forced vertical and horizontal movements of a rectangular rigid foundation on a transversely isotropic half‐space

An analytical investigation of a half‐space containing transversely isotropic material under forced vertical and horizontal displacements applied on a rectangular rigid foundation is presented in this paper. With the goal of a rigorous solution to the shape‐ and rigidity‐ induced singular mixed boundary value problem, the formulation employs scalar potential representation, the Fourier expansion and the Hankel integral transforms method to obtain the surface arbitrary point‐load solution in cylindrical coordinate system. The obtained Green's functions are rewritten in rectangular coordinate system, allowing the response of the half‐space because of an arbitrary distributed load on a rectangular surface area be given in terms of a double integral. The numerical evaluations of stresses are done with the use of an element, which is singular at the edge and the corner of the rectangle. Upon the imposition of the rigidity displacement boundary condition for a rigid foundation and the use of a set of two‐dimensional adaptive‐gradient elements, which can capture the singular behavior in the contact stress effectively, a set of new numerical results are presented to illustrate the effect of transverse isotropy on the foundation response. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydroclimatic variations over the last two glacial/interglacial cycles at Lake Urmia,Iran

A coarse-resolution, absolutely dated isotope record spanning the last 180 ka was constructed from aragonite-rich fecal pellets in a sediment core from Lake Urmia, Iran. The isotope record is not continuous as a consequence of detrital calcite that contaminates the pellets at certain depths. An isotopic correction was applied to samples > 50% aragonite, using the δ¹⁸O values of calcite-only pellets. Absolute dates were derived from U-Th analyses on pellets > 80% aragonite. The resultant δ¹⁸O record and sediment lithofacies confirm that the Penultimate Glacial was cold and dry, with pronounced interstadials at ca. 150 and >175 ka. Deglaciation began at ca. 130 ka, but climate was unstable and supported a probable no-analog vegetation assemblage. The onset of true interglacial conditions occurred at ca. 126 ka. Peak moisture conditions lasted for 5–6 ka before the climate became drier, with the loss of some tree taxa towards the end of the Last Interglacial. A period of greater moisture occurred between 116 and 108 ka, overlapping in timing with interstadial conditions recorded in the Soreq Cave speleothem record. In general, stadial to interstadial transitions (OIS 5d-5c, 5b-5a) are marked by decreasing δ¹⁸O values and rising lake levels. The nature of the OIS 5 to OIS 4 transition cannot be resolved in this study because of the loss of 5 m of core and imprecise dates. According to the present chronology, δ¹⁸O values, and inferred lake levels, arid conditions began at 60 ka and persisted until Termination I. Episodic increases in moisture, characterized by layers of aragonite-rich pellets, ostracodes, and the pollen of trees and/or aquatic plants, occurred during the Last Glacial. Deglaciation associated with the Late-glacial Interstadial began at 14 ka but was interrupted by a marked Younger Dryas event that resulted in renewed aridity. The Holocene began at approximately 10 ka. Despite large errors in the chronology, the overall timing and pattern of effective moisture matches the record from Soreq Cave, Israel, suggesting that the two regions were climatically in-phase.     

Age, growth and reproduction of the sand smelt Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 in the Gomishan wetland – southeast Caspian Sea

A total of 2256 specimens of Atherina boyeri caught in Gomishan wetland (a marsh lagoon located at the southeast Caspian Sea) during spawning season from February to August 2007 were examined for life-history attributes. The population has a 4-year life cycle. Length–weight relationship was estimated as W = 0.0053TL^3.0181 for males and W = 0.0050TL^3.063 for females, being allometrically positive for both sexes. The von Bertalanffy growth function fitted to back-calculated size at age data was: Lt = 155.17[1 − exp − 0.28(t + 0.738)] and Lt = 162.77[1 − exp − 0.27(t + 0.727)] for males and females respectively. The sex ratio was 1:1.30 in favor of females. The reproductive season, evaluated from GSI, extended from March to July, with a peak in March. The average absolute and relative fecundities were 2976 eggs and 874 eggs g⁻¹ of body weight respectively. The diameter of oocytes ranged from 0.03 to 0.20 mm with a mean value of 0.68. The life-history patterns of A. boyeri in the population under study imply that the population of this species in the southeast Caspian Sea differs markedly from those of other localities of its range distribution. The differences were thought to be due to differences in geographical locations.