Comparison of Planimetric and Thematic Accuracy of OrbView-3 and IKONOS Images

Spatial mapping from space using high-resolution satellite sensor data instead of conventional data collection techniques widely gained popularity. This study aims to analyze the planimetric and thematic accuracy of high-resolution OrbView-3 and IKONOS orthoimages. OrbView-3 and IKONOS images of a test area were acquired and these images were geometrically corrected using rational polynomial functions to conduct accuracy assessment. 40 Ground Control Points (GCPs) generated from static Global Positioning System (GPS) survey were used in the orthorectification procedure. 182 Test Points (TPs) produced from terrestrial surveying technique were used to analyze the accuracy of orthorectifications. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values obtained for GCPs and TPs were used to determine the planimetric accuracy of these images. Thematic accuracy analyses were conducted in radiometric and spatial base. Transects, lines and polygons were created to analyze the radiometric quality of data sets and to determine minimum distinguishable distance and distinguishable area. Both planimetric and thematic accuracy analyses illustrated that OrbView-3 and IKONOS images could be used to create 1:10000 scale map of the concerned region with appropriate planimetric and thematic quality.     

A study on geotechnical characterization and stability of downstream slope of a tailings dam to improve its storage capacity (Turkey)

Tailings, waste products of the ore-dressing processes, are usually stored in a slurry form and pumped into sedimentation pond which is surrounded by natural heights and/or artificial walls. The database of International Commission of Large Dams and United Nations Environment Programme showed that several hundreds of tailings dam have failed since 1910. One of the reasons of these failures is slope instability. Construction of mine tailings dams in Turkey has started to increase, particularly in the recent decade. This paper focuses the study undertaken to assess the geotechnical characteristics and stability of downstream slope of a tailings dam at a copper-zinc mine in the Black Sea Region of Turkey. At the mine site there are two tailings dams located at two different elevations. The upper dam was completely filled and is out of service. Increasing amount of tailings filling the pond of the lower dam resulted in a limited storage, and therefore, it has been decided that heightening of the dam about 7 m to improve its storage facility would be necessary. For the purpose, a series of investigations in the vicinity of the tailings dam and some geomechanical laboratory tests were carried in conjunction with the use of empirical methods to determine mechanical properties of the current dam material, tailings and the rockfill material that will be used for heightening of the dam. The results of the static and pseudo-static stability analyses based on the methods of limit equilibrium and numerical modelling indicated that circular and non-circular failures are the most critical modes of failure for the dam and safety factor gradually decreases when the tailings rise up to a specific elevation in the pond. However, the ranges of the calculated safety factors from both methods are considerably similar and suitable for heightening of the dam by 7 m in terms of stability. The results suggest that any instability is not expected under both static and dynamic conditions after the current height of the tailings dam is increased by 7 m, if the slope geometry considered in the analyses is not changed and the tailings in the pond do not rise up to an elevation of about 475 m. In addition, magnitude of permanent settlement of the dam due to a probable earthquake was also assessed using two empirical methods and the results from both methods showed similar amount of settlements which were in tolerable limits.     

Direct interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data based on the frequency-normalized impedance function

An important aspect of any non-linear inversion method is the generation of a suitable or good initial model as this controls the rate of convergence and accuracy of the result. To overcome the problem, a numerical method is presented for direct interpretation of magnetotelluric sounding data based on the frequency-normalized impedance (FNI) function. The expressions used to calculate the parameters are developed, first for a two-layer case under the assumption that deeper layers do not contribute to the early part of the FNI curve, and they are then generalized for an n -layer situation. The parameters of the first layer are computed by using successive sample values and the final estimate is obtained from the arithmetic mean of selected values by excluding unacceptable results in the logarithmic space. The top layer is then removed using a reduction equation. The repetition of the procedure on successive branches of the FNI function gives successive layer parameters, the resistivity of the substratum being obtained at the final step, when the reduction equation becomes equal to the square root of that resistivity.   The proposed method can be used as a complementary method for iterative inversion as it creates an initial guess which is close to the optimal solution. The solution produced by the direct interpretation may also be modified by the interpreter to incorporate prior geological information before being input to iterative interpretation schemes.     

Investigation of groundwater contamination using electric and electromagnetic methods at an open waste-disposal site: a case study from Isparta, Turkey

 Geophysical methods, when integrated with soil chemical and hydrogeological methods, can be used to investigate groundwater contamination. Direct current (DC) resistivity geo-electrical sounding and very-low-frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) data were collected at an open waste site used by the municipality of the city of Isparta, Turkey. The groundwater at shallow depths in alluvium, which is composed of gravel, sand and clay, were expected to be hazardously contaminated under and around the open waste-disposal site, in which both household and industrial wastes are known to be disposed of improperly. In this study, we mapped the spread of groundwater contamination using a VLF-EM method, which allows fast and inexpensive data collection. The method complements the results of geo-electrical sounding. There is a good correlation between the results of the VLF-EM and the DC-resistivity methods employed for the investigation of subsurface structure of the site, where soil chemical and previous hydrogeological surveys have indicated high levels of chemical concentrations. Received: 17 January 2000 · Accepted: 12 August 2000     

The Geoelectrical Structure of Northwestern Anatolia,Turkey

The magnetotelluric method has been employed to generate a geoelectrical model that will reveal the rich geological pattern and dynamic character of western and northwestern Anatolia, Turkey. Magnetotelluric data were collected from 53 sites along a profile of 290 km from the Dardanelles to the Ala?ehir Graben. Magnetotelluric data were in the range of 0.00055 Hz to 320 Hz. The models were obtained through 2-D joint inversion of transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes. Lateral changes in geoelectrical models are verified by using gravity and magnetic data. In addition, some of the seismological data presented here agree with proposed models that suggest a brittle-ductile structure boundary at a depth of 20 km. Generally speaking, a regional extensional regime caused reduction in the thickness of the crust and consequent uplift towards the south. The constructed model delineates the western part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone along the Biga Peninsula. The current patterns of volcanic activity on the Biga Peninsula and at Kula are related to conductive spots presented in the models. The border of the Gördes Basin, located between the Izmir - Ankara suture zone and the Menderes Massif, is also well delineated. The North Anatolian Fault Zone presents a pattern in which density and susceptibility anomalies attain relatively high values. Fillings covering most of the surface have lower density and susceptibility values than those of underlying structures.     

Fuzzy robust process capability indices for risk assessment of air pollution

Air pollution is one of the most important threats for the humanity. It can damage not only human health but also Earth’s ecosystem. Because of the harmful effects of air pollution, it should be controlled very carefully. To do the risk assessment of air pollution in Istanbul, the process capability indices (PCIs) which are very effective statistics to summarize the performance of process are used in this paper. Fuzzy PCIs are used to determine the levels of the air pollutants which are measured in different nine stations in Istanbul. Robust PCIs (RPCIs) are used when air pollutants have correlation. Fuzzy set theory has been applied for both PCIs and RPCIs to have more sensitive results. More flexible PCIs obtained by using fuzzy specification limits and fuzzy standard deviation are used to evaluate the air pollution’s level of Istanbul. Additionally some evaluation criteria have been constructed for fuzzy PCIs to interpret the air pollution.     

Continuing observation of disturbed reproductive cycle and ovarian spermatogenesis in the giant abalone, Haliotis madaka from an organotin-contaminated site of Japan

Histological examination of gonads as well as chemical analysis of organotin compounds in tissues of the giant abalone, Haliotis madaka, was conducted to evaluate continuing endocrine disruption in abalone populations in Japan. Abalone specimens were collected from two different areas, Tsushima as a reference site and Jogashima as a site representative of declining abalone populations where serious organotin contamination had been observed, each month from January 1998 to March 1999. Scores were given to the development stages of reproductive cells in the ovary and testis. The degree of sexual maturation was evaluated by calculating the mean value of a histogram of these scores for the reproductive cells of each abalone. The temporal variations in degree of sexual maturation showed that female and male abalone from Tsushima matured synchronously, while those from Jogashima did not, which were similar to results of the previous study during September 1995–November 1996. Approximately 19% of the female abalone from Jogashima were masculinized with an ovo-testis, which was also similar to the result of the previous study. The masculinization of female abalone is reported to be induced by tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) from antifouling paints. Concentrations of the sum of butyltins (TBT, dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT): ΣBTs) and the sum of phenyltins (TPhT, diphenyltin (DPhT) and monophenyltin (MPhT): ΣPhTs) in the muscle of abalone from Jogashima (n = 73) of 7.8 ± 9.0 ng/g wet wt. and 4.5 ± 6.8 ng/g wet wt., respectively, were significantly higher than those from Tsushima (n = 87) of 4.7 ± 4.9 ng/g wet wt. and 0.8 ± 1.7 ng/g wet wt., respectively (p < 0.05 for ΣBTs; p < 0.001 for ΣPhTs), although concentrations of TBT and TPhT in the muscle of abalone from Jogashima (n = 73) of 2.2 ± 2.5 ng/g wet wt. and 5.8 ± 5.1 ng/g wet wt., respectively, were insignificantly and significantly higher than those from Tsushima (n = 87) of 0.4 ± 0.6 ng/g wet wt. and 0.5 ± 0.9 ng/g wet wt., respectively, (p > 0.05 for TBT; p < 0.001 for TPhT). Thus, endocrine disruption as well as contamination by organotins in the giant abalone from Jogashima is still persisting.     

Usage of chromite wastes as aggregate in foam concrete production

The rapidly developing mining sector in recent years has also brought environmental problems together. At the beginning of these problems are mine process wastes produced in high quantities from mines every year. The waste material at 90% and the concentrate chromite at 10% are obtained in the chromite ore enrichment plants. This significant amount of waste creates pollution in nature visually and physically. The aim of the study is to determine the advantages of using foamed concrete as a building material, to reduce the production cost of foamed concrete, to produce alternative solutions for rehabilitation, and to eliminate environmental pollution. The chromite enrichment wastes obtained from Fethiye, Köyce?iz, Denizli and Burdur regions were used as aggregates in the production of foamed concrete. In this study, compressive strength experiments were carried out according to TS EN 1354, thermal conductivity experiments were carried out according to TS EN 12664. As a result, it has been observed that chromite waste (dunite) can be used in the production of foamed concrete under certain conditions.