Updating digital elevation models via change detection and fusion of human and remote sensor data in urban environments

OpenStreetMap (OSM) currently represents the most popular project of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI): geodata are collected by common people and made available for public use. Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) enables the acquisition of high-resolution digital elevation models that are used for many applications. This study combines the advantages of both ALS and OSM, offering a promising new approach that enhances data quality and allows change detection: the mainly up-to-date 2D data of OSM can be combined with the high-resolution – but rarely updated – elevation information provided by ALS. This case study investigates building objects of OSM and ALS data of the city of Bregenz, Austria. Data quality of OSM is discerned by the comparison of building footprints using different true positive definitions (e.g. overlapping area). High quality of OSM data is revealed, yet also limitations of each method with respect to heterogeneous regions and building outlines are identified. For the first time, an up-to-date Digital Surface Model (DSM) combining 2D OSM and ALS data is achieved. A multitude of applications such as flood simulations and solar potential assessments can directly benefit from this data combination, since their value and reliability strongly depend on an up-to-date DSM.     

Web-based visualization of large 3D urban building models

Adaptive rendering of large urban building models has become an important research issue in three-dimensional (3D) geographic information system (GIS) applications. This study explores a way for rendering web-based 3D urban building models. A client–server hybrid rendering approach is presented for large 3D city models, stored on a remote server through a network. The approach combines an efficient multi-hierarchical building representation with a novel image-based method, 3D image impostor generated on demand by a remote server. This approach allows transferring complex scenes progressively while keeping high visualization quality. We also evaluated the rendering and data transferring performance of the proposed approach.     

Exploring Regional Firm-Size Structure in Canadian Housebuilding: Ontario, 1991 and 1996

This paper is concerned with the regional firm-size structure of housebuilding in Canada based on a case study of the province of Ontario. Using an innovative database of builders in Ontario and geographic information systems, measures of regional firm-size structure are developed and are modeled with data from the Canadian census. The results corroborate established models in the city systems and industrial organization literatures in that industrial concentration is negatively associated with regional population size, economic diversity, and economic performance. Small housebuilding firms abound in large, diverse and economically vibrant regions, especially large urban regions, and thereby maintain industrial deconcentration.     

地质遗迹资源保护与开发的社区参与模式——以华蓥山大峡谷地质公园为例

以华蓥山大峡谷地质公园为例,应用问卷调查和登门访谈的方法,对地质公园内居民的社区参与现状和意愿进行调查,分析他们对地质遗迹资源保护与开发的认知态度,明确他们在资源开发中的利益诉求。调查表明,在资源保护和开发中社区参与存在的主要问题是,居民参与度低,参与机会有限,有强烈的参与决策、规划、商业经营的愿望,并希望在参与中分享资源开发的利益,参与过程得到政府、企业的保障。本文在现有的经营体制下,从资源保护(含环境保护)、规划决策、商业经营、利益分配、社会参与保障等五个方面,构建了居民在地质遗迹资源保护和利用中的社区参与模型体系,为我国地质遗迹资源保护和开发中的社区参与问题研究和实践提供了参考。     

Digital Archiving and On-line Publishing of Old Relief Models

Abstract

Although people rarely think of relief models when speaking about cartographic products, these artefacts are probably the most impressive way of visualizing landscapes. Unlike traditional maps or globes, most relief models are unique, vulnerable hand-made objects. Digital archiving is an important step in their preservation. There are special tools for this task, but these equipments are rather expensive, and libraries or other institutes that usually own these models cannot spend too much. The authors examined various on-line tools to create digital 3D representation of relief models using a set of photographs as source. These tools create point cloud and textured triangle mesh based on matching patterns on the photos. A workflow was developed which uses these web services and produces the digital 3D version of relief models. This paper introduces the method, discusses the details of successful photographing, the possible post-processing of the results. A new web site, using the X3DOM technology to show the digitized models to the general public, is also introduced.     

Spatial decision support applications based on three-dimensional city models

The basic mathematic models, such as the statistic model, the time-serial model, the spatial dynamic model etc., and some typical analysis methods based on 3DCM are proposed and discussed. A few typical spatial decision making methods integrating the spatial analysis and the basic mathematical models are also introduced, e.g. visual impact assessment, dispersion of noise immissions, base station plan for wireless communication. In addition, a new idea of expectation of further applications and add-in-value service of 3DCM is promoted. As an example, the sunshine analysis is studied and some helpful conclusions are drawn.     

Component-based topological data model for three-dimensional geology modeling

On the study of the basic characteristics of geological objects and the special requirement for computing 3D geological model, this paper gives an object-oriented 3D topologic data model. In this model, the geological objects are divided into four object classes: point, line, area and volume. The volume class is further divided into four subclasses: the composite volume, the complex volume, the simple volume and the component. Twelve kinds of topological relations and the related data structures are designed for the geological objects.     

用于厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)研究的海气耦合模式综述：中间型和混合型模式

厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(El Niño-Southern Oscillation, ENSO)是地球气候系统中最强的年际变率信号, 起源于热带太平洋海气相互作用过程, 并对全球的天气和气候等产生显著的影响。过去几十年来, 广泛、深入而细致的海气相互作用研究致力于发展和改进海气耦合模式以用于ENSO模拟和预测, 各种类型的海气耦合模式应运而生。经过半个多世纪的努力, ENSO数值模式及其应用已经取得了巨大进展, 包括已发展了一些高度理想化的概念(concept)模型来解释ENSO准周期性循环(包括正负反馈机制等); 同时也已发展了几类复杂程度不同的海气耦合模式并用于对ENSO的真实模拟和实时预测等研究, 尤其是已能提前6个月或更长时间对ENSO事件的发生和发展等进行有效的实时预测。其中最为复杂的模式是基于原始方程组的大气环流模式(Atmospheric General Circulation Models, AGCMs)与海洋环流模式(Oceanic General Circulation Models, OGCMs)等所组成的环流型耦合模式(Coupled General Circulation Models, CGCMs), 这类模式变量取为完全变量的形式(如总的海表温度场, 其可以分解为气候态部分和年际异常部分), 还考虑了尽可能详尽的物理过程及其参数化方案。中间型耦合模式(Intermediate Coupled Models, ICMs)是一类介于高度理想化概念模型与复杂的环流型耦合模式之间的简化模式, 其对应的控制方程组采用距平形式, 直接取大气和海洋年际异常场作为预报变量(如海表温度年际异常), 而相应的气候平均态部分则由对应的观测资料来给定; 大气与海洋模式间的耦合采用异常耦合(anomaly coupling)。混合型耦合模式(Hybrid Coupled Models, HCMs)是另一类简化的海气耦合模式, 其中海洋或大气模式有一个分量模式采用了简化的距平类模式(类似于ICMs),而另一个分量模式则采用环流型模式(General Circulation Models, GCMs); 如可采用统计的大气风应力年际异常模式与OGCM间的耦合而构建一种HCM_OGCM,也可采用简化的海洋距平类模式(如ICM中的海洋分量模式)与AGCM间的耦合而构建另一种HCM^AGCM。历史上, ICMs、HCMs和CGCMs等这几类耦合模式都在ENSO理论体系的发展、数值模拟和实时预测等方面都起到了重要作用。本文主要回顾作者与合作者所研发的ICMs和HCMs的构建、特点和应用例子等。     

Climate Warming Mitigation from Nationally Determined Contributions

Individual countries are requested to submit nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to alleviate global warming in the Paris Agreement. However, the global climate effects and regional contributions are not explicitly considered in the countries’ decision-making process. In this study, we evaluate the global temperature slowdown of the NDC scenario (?T = 0.6°C) and attribute the global temperature slowdown to certain regions of the world with a compact earth system model. Considering reductions in CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, BC, and SO₂, the R5OECD (the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in 1990) and R5ASIA (Asian countries) are the top two contributors to global warming mitigation, accounting for 39.3% and 36.8%, respectively. R5LAM (Latin America and the Caribbean) and R5MAF (the Middle East and Africa) followed behind, with contributions of 11.5% and 8.9%, respectively. The remaining 3.5% is attributed to R5REF (the Reforming Economies). Carbon Dioxide emission reduction is the decisive factor of regional contributions, but not the only one. Other greenhouse gases are also important, especially for R5MAF. The contribution of short-lived aerosols is small but significant, notably SO₂ reduction in R5ASIA. We argue that additional species beyond CO₂ need to be considered, including short-lived pollutants, when planning a route to mitigate climate change. It needs to be emphasized that there is still a gap to achieve the Paris Agreement 2-degree target with current NDC efforts, let alone the ambitious 1.5-degree target. All countries need to pursue stricter reduction policies for a more sustainable world.     

On the Importance of High-Resolution in Large-Scale Ocean Models

Eddying global ocean models are now routinely used for ocean prediction, and the value-added of a better representation of the observed ocean variability and western boundary currents at that resolution is currently being evaluated in climate models. This overview article begins with a brief summary of the impact on ocean model biases of resolving eddies in several global ocean–sea ice numerical simulations. Then, a series of North and Equatorial Atlantic configurations are used to show that an increase of the horizontal resolution from eddy-resolving to submesoscale-enabled together with the inclusion of high-resolution bathymetry and tides significantly improve the models' abilities to represent the observed ocean variability and western boundary currents. However, the computational cost of these simulations is extremely large, and for these simulations to become routine, close collaborations with computer scientists are essential to ensure that numerical codes can take full advantage of the latest computing architecture.