Characterization of forests and deforestation in Cambodia using ALOS/PALSAR observation

In this study, we have demonstrated the capability of full polarimetric ALOS/Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar data for the characterization of the forests and deforestation in Cambodia, to support climate change mitigation policies of Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD). We have observed mean backscattering coefficient (σ°), entropy (H), alpha angle (α), anisotropy (A), pedestal height (PH), Radar Vegetation Index (RVI) and Freeman–Durden three-component decomposition parameters. The observations show that the forest types and deforested area are showing variable polarimetric and backscattering properties because of the structural difference. Evergreen forest is characterized by a high value of σ° HV (?12.96 dB) as compared with the deforested area (σ° HV=?22.2 dB). The value of polarimetric parameters such as entropy (0.93), RVI (0.91), PH (0.41) and Freeman–Durden volume scattering (0.43) is high for evergreen forest, whereas deforested area is characterized by the low values of entropy (0.36) and RVI (0.17). Based on these parameters, it is found that σ° HV, entropy, RVI and PH provide best results among other parameters.     

Morphometric analysis of Upper Tons basin from Northern Foreland of Peninsular India using CARTOSAT satellite and GIS

The morphometric analysis of river basin helps to explore the interrelationship between hydraulic parameters and geomorphologic characteristics. The study has been conducted in the Upper Tons basin of Northern Foreland of Peninsular India. The river basin has been characterized using the topographical maps, CARTOSAT satellite image integrated using the GIS techniques. The drainage density analysis indicates lower values in the north-eastern regions and thus these regions can be categorized as better ground water potential zone. There are in total 10 sub-watersheds which have been delineated; SW-4 has maximum drainage density (4.75), stream frequency (5.61) and drainage texture (26.64) followed by SW-6–10. The prioritized sub-watershed numbers SW-4 and SW-6–10 need conservation practices because of their high erodibility and run-off. SW-1–3 and SW-5 regions have better permeable bed rocks and hence good for water harvesting. The areal parameter indicates elongated shape of basin and moderate to steeper ground slope. The results are supported by extensive field survey. This study can be applied for soil and water management, as well as disaster prevention from similar type of drainage basins.     

Modelling of land use land cover change using earth observation data-sets of Tons River Basin,Madhya Pradesh,India

Abstract

An integrated Markov Chain and Cellular Automata modelling (CA MARKOV), multicriteria evaluation techniques have been applied to produce transition probability. The unsupervised method was employed to classify the satellite images of year 1985, 1995, 2005 and 2015 to meet the magnitude of LULC change. Results showing the spatial pattern of the sub-basin is largely influenced by the biophysical and socio-economic drivers leading to growth of agricultural lands and built-up area in the basin. Simulated plausible future LULC changes for 2025 which is based on a CA MARKOV that integrates Markovian transition probabilities computed from satellite-derived LULC maps and a CA contiguity spatial filter (5 × 5). Further, the fragmentation analysis was performed to check the fragmentation scenario in the year 2025. The result for year 2025 with reasonably good accuracy will be useful to the planners, policy- and decision-makers.     

Vertical accuracy evaluation of SRTM-GL1, GDEM-V2, AW3D30 and CartoDEM-V3.1 of 30-m resolution with dual frequency GNSS for lower Tapi Basin India

Abstract

Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM-GL1), Advanced Space Borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer- Global DEM (GDEM-V2), recently released Advanced Land Observing Satellite (‘DAICHI’) DEM (AW3D30) and Indian National Cartosat-1 DEM v3 (CartoDEM-V3.1) provide free topographic data at a 30-m resolution for Indian peninsula. In this research study, the vertical accuracy of DEM is evaluated for above data-sets and compared with high accuracy dual frequency GNSS of a millimetre accuracy. The extensive field investigation is carried out using a stratified random fast static DGPS survey for collecting 117 high accuracy ground control points in a predominantly agriculture catchment. Further, the effect of land cover, slope and low-lying coastal zone on DEM vertical accuracy was also analysed and presented in this study.     

Self-similar adiabatic flow headed by a magnetogasdynamic cylindrical shock wave in a rotating non-ideal gas

Similarity solutions are obtained for one-dimensional adiabatic flow behind a magnetogasdynamic cylindrical shock wave propagating in a rotating non-ideal gas in presence of an azimuthal magnetic field. The density of the medium ahead of the shock is assumed to be constant. In order to obtain the similarity solutions the angular velocity of the ambient medium is assumed to be obeying a power law and to be decreasing as the distance from the axis increases. It is found that the similarity solutions exist, in both the cases, when the initial magnetic field is constant or obeying a power law. The effects of an increase in the value of the index for variation of angular velocity of the ambient medium, in the value of the parameter of the non-idealness of the gas and in the strength of the initial magnetic field are obtained.     

Malaysia's Three Major Ethnic Group Preferences in Creating a Malaysian Garden Identity

Malaysia has a complex multiracial population, predominantly defined by three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese and Indian races, with diverse cultural backgrounds. Despite this, the country has a vision to be the most beautiful garden nation, and its National Landscape Policy (NLP) puts emphasis on creating a unique landscape and garden identity. Because of ethnic and cultural differences, there are differences between preferences for developing a garden identity for Malaysia. Hence, this study focused on the visual quality of gardens. Representative images of four well-established gardens of the world including Persian-Islamic, English, Japanese and Chinese gardens were presented to the study's respondents through preference photo surveys. Respondents from the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia were asked to rate their preferred garden types, elements and scenes that they would like to see in Malaysian gardens. The results pinpointed expectations of the visual quality of gardens. These highlighted some similarities and differences between the three major ethnic groups in their preferences for the scenes and elements that they sought in gardens. Diverse factors must be considered when creating Malaysian gardens that will be accepted by Malaysians of different ethnic groups. Garden development reveals preferences attached to visual qualities and emphasises cultural differences between garden users.     

Precipitation-runoff simulation for a Himalayan River Basin, India using artificial neural network algorithms

In the Himalayan regions, precipitation-runoff relationships are amongst the most complex hydrological phenomena, due to varying topography and basin characteristics. In this study, different artificial neural networks (ANNs) algorithms were used to simulate daily runoff at three discharge measuring sites in the Himalayan Kosi River Basin, India, using various combinations of precipitation-runoff data as input variables. The data used for this study was collected for the monsoon period (June to October) during the years of 2005 to 2009. ANNs were trained using different training algorithms, learning rates, length of data and number of hidden neurons. A comprehensive multi-criteria validation test for precipitation-runoff modeling has been undertaken to evaluate model performance and test its validity for generating scenarios. Global statistics have demonstrated that the multilayer perceptron with three hidden layers (MLP-3) is the best ANN for basin comparisons with other MLP networks and Radial Basis Functions (RBF). Furthermore, non-parametric tests also illustrate that the MLP-3 network is the best network to reproduce the mean and variance of observed runoff. The performance of ANNs was demonstrated for flows during the monsoon season, having different soil moisture conditions during period from June to October.     

Anthropogenic arsenic menace in Delhi Yamuna Flood Plains

Arsenic, one of the most poisonous chemical elements, was analyzed in the waters of the host of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, i.e., New Delhi. The study revealed shocking outcomes with arsenic concentrations well beyond the safe limits set by WHO, and a maximum concentration up to 180 ppb was found in the groundwater. Analysis of around 120 water samples collected extensively along the Yamuna Flood Plain showed that more than 55% had arsenic contamination beyond the WHO limit of 10 ppb. The maximum value of arsenic in coal and fly ash from Rajghat coal-based thermal power plant contained 200 and 3,200 ppb, respectively. Moreover, the ore petrography of coal samples shows the presence of arsenopyrite mineral. Maximum concentration of arsenic contamination is found within a 5-km radius from power plants. In the perspective of Delhi, arsenic contamination is purely anthropogenic due to coal-based thermal power plants, which had already shown toxic arsenic, fluorine and China-type coal effects. The presence of such power plants in coal field locations, e.g., West Bengal and Bangladesh, could release the arsenic due to combustion in superthermal power plants, thus accentuating the arsenic concentration besides the natural arsenic coming from the foreland basins of the Himalaya in Indian sub-continent.