High resolution aerosol data from MODIS satellite for urban air quality studies

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) provides daily global coverage, but the 10 km resolution of its aerosol optical depth (AOD) product is not suitable for studying spatial variability of aerosols in urban areas. Recently, a new Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithm was developed for MODIS which provides AOD at 1 km resolution. Using MAIAC data, the relationship between MAIAC AOD and PM_2.5 as measured by the 27 EPA ground monitoring stations was investigated. These results were also compared to conventional MODIS 10 km AOD retrievals (MOD04) for the same days and locations. The coefficients of determination for MOD04 and for MAIAC are R² =0.45 and 0.50 respectively, suggested that AOD is a reasonably good proxy for PM_2.5 ground concentrations. Finally, we studied the relationship between PM_2.5 and AOD at the intra-urban scale (?10 km) in Boston. The fine resolution results indicated spatial variability in particle concentration at a sub-10 kilometer scale. A local analysis for the Boston area showed that the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship does not depend on relative humidity and air temperatures below ～7 °C. The correlation improves for temperatures above 7–16 °C. We found no dependence on the boundary layer height except when the former was in the range 250–500 m. Finally, we apply a mixed effects model approach to MAIAC aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from MODIS to predict PM_2.5 concentrations within the greater Boston area. With this approach we can control for the inherent day-to-day variability in the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship, which depends on time-varying parameters such as particle optical properties, vertical and diurnal concentration profiles and ground surface reflectance. Our results show that the model-predicted PM_2.5 mass concentrations are highly correlated with the actual observations (out-of-sample R² of 0.86). Therefore, adjustment for the daily variability in the AOD-PM_2.5 relationship provides a means for obtaining spatially-resolved PM_2.5 concentrations.     

High resolution multispectral satellite data interpretation and limited ground checking: A proxy for geological mapping and uranium exploration in Mahakoshal Fold Belt of Son valley area,Madhya Pradesh

This research aims at integrating remote sensing data and field studies to prospect for uranium mineralisation in the Palaeoproterozoic Mahakoshal Group of rocks in the Son valley area, Central India. In present work, a revised geological map of Mahakoshal Fold Belt (MFB) bounded by Son-Narmada north fault (SNNF) and Son-Narmada south fault (SNSF) along Chorhut-Sidhi-Chitrangi sector falling in Sidhi, Rewa and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh has been prepared based on interpretation of digitally enhanced satellite images. The satellite image interpretation is supported by limited field works, radioelemental measurements (eU, eTh and % K) of in-situ rocks by four channel Portable Gamma Ray Spectrometer (PGRS) and existing published geological maps of Geological Survey of India. In search for mineral potential areas, accurate and up-to-date geological maps are essential as it represent the most basic information for carrying out further exploration activities. However, available geological maps of MFB and sedimentary formations ofVindhayan Supergroup along SNNF and Chhotanagpur Granite Gneissic Complex (CGGC) and Gondwana Supergroup along SNSF available in public domain are discontinuous and multi-scaled.     

Monitoring shoreline change on Djerba Island using GIS and multi-temporal satellite data

In the absence of a generic approach to study shoreline changes, this research focus on the development of a generic methodology to detect, measure, analyze, and predict shoreline changes to manage coastal environment. The unique strength of this approach is that it incorporates image processing techniques, remotely sensed derived data into a GIS to analyze measure, and predict and visualize shoreline changes. It is independent from the study region or the remote sensing data. This methodology uses Speeded Up Robust Feature to detect the study regions from satellite images automatically. Also, it proposes a model of shoreline using the Canny edge detector on Normalized Difference Water Index image. To measure the changes, Digital Shoreline Analysis System extension of ArcGIS was used and the End Point Rate (EPR) and Linear Regression Rate (LRR) approaches were used on the modeled shoreline. The EPR is calculated by dividing the distance of shoreline movement by the time elapsed between the oldest and the most recent shoreline. A LRR statistic can be determined by fitting a least-squares regression line to all shoreline points for a particular transect. Three regions of the island of Djerba in Tunisia were selected for this study; Rass Errmall, El Kastil, and Aghir. Accretions as well as erosion processes were observed in the study areas between 1984 and 2009. The average of the erosion was around ?6.95 m/year in Aghir. The average of erosion is around ?4.09 m/year and accretion trend is around +11.7 m/year in Rass Errmall. El Kastil was under a remarkable accretion with 21.14 m/year during the same period.     

Monitoring groundwater changes in the Yangtze River basin using satellite and model data

Space-borne geodetic sensors and model-based datasets have been used to monitor groundwater changes in the Yangtze River basin (YRB). Groundwater storage variations were computed using the following datasets:? Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE)-derived terrestrial water storage (TWS),? Noah driven Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS-Noah) model to simulate the total water content (TWC) i.e. soil moisture, ice and snow, and canopy water storage, and? Satellite altimetry-observed surface water reservoir storages.Overall, the results show that groundwater in the YRB rose by at least 3.34 km³/yr between January 2003 and December 2009. However, the estimated groundwater linear trend for the period of 2003–2009 was ?0.95 km³/yr according to the Changjiang and Southwest Rivers Water Resource Bulletin (CJSRWB). An analysis of the methodology of the CJSRWB shows that the groundwater estimate was based on the water balance approach, which has been found to be weak in inter-basin sub-surface flow. The GRACE-estimated groundwater rise is larger and suggests that the YRB is affected by seepage from Tibetan lakes through a sub-surface fault. Additionally, there is evidence showing that water loss from the Yangtze River by underground leakage through faults could also be a cause of the difference. Therefore, it is concluded that further investigation is required to determine the causation.     

Monitoring of Dead Sea water surface variation using multi-temporal satellite data and GIS

Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) are very useful for environmental-related studies, particularly in the field of surface water studies such as monitoring of lakes. The Dead Sea is exposed to very high evaporating process with considerable scarcity of water sources, thus leading to a remarkable shrinkage in its water surface area. The lake suffers from dry out due to the negative balance of water cycle during the previous four decades. This paper discusses the application of RS, GIS, and Global Positioning System to estimate the lowering and the shrinkage of Dead Sea water surface over the period 1810–2005. A set of multi-temporal remote sensing images were collected and processed to show the lakes aerial extend shrinkage from 1973 up to 2004. Remote sensing data were used to extract spatial information and to compute the surface areas for Dead Sea for various years. The current study aims at estimating the fluctuation of Dead Sea level over the study period with special emphasis on the environmental impact assessment that includes the degradation level of the Dead Sea. The results indicated that there is a decrease of 20 m in the level of the Dead Sea that has occurred during the study period. Further, the results showed that the water surface area of the Dead Sea has shrunk from 934.26 km² in 1973 to 640.62 km² in 2004.     

Monitoring of urban heat island in Shanghai,China, from 1981 to 2010 with satellite data

This paper investigates the urban heat island (UHI) characteristics of Shanghai, China, during 1981–2010 using Landsat thematic mapper/multispectral scanner and moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer satellite data from the perspectives of time and space, with further analysis of the landscape pattern, the urban heat island effect ratio, and formative factors. The results show the following: (1) From the interannual variation, the secondary-medium temperature area and the medium temperature area are the main bodies of Shanghai UHI, accounting for 67.16–83.69 % of the total area, and have a rising trend over time. (2) From the landscape pattern, the secondary-medium temperature area and the medium temperature area have a dominant position over the whole UHI landscape pattern of Shanghai; the relatively high-temperature area gradually decreases, and its dominance over the whole UHI landscape pattern declines. (3) From the spatial distribution, the pattern in which the urban area initially had complete domination has gradually transformed to become primarily urban area centered and other construction land supplemented with rapid urbanization. Rapid increase of the green land in the urban area has to some extent reduced the UHI characteristics of the Shanghai area in recent years.     

Simulation of land use dynamics and impact on land surface temperature using satellite data

GeoJournal - Increasing of global average surface temperature naturally leading to major problems as global warming, which has typically attracted the interest of multinational organizations, civil...     

Detecting surface oil slick related to gas hydrate/petroleum on the ocean bed of South China Sea by ENVI/ASAR radar data

For exploring the distribution of oil slick related to gas hydrate or petroleum in the northern part of South China Sea and evaluating the potential of ENVI/ASAR radar data for detecting oil slick, this paper tries to detect the oil slick on ocean surface of some potential areas in South China Sea and map oil slick from anomaly area in radar image. Seven surface oil slicks in Qiongdongnan Basin and four potential targets of oil slicks in Taixi–Dongsha Basin were detected and extracted by using ENIV/ASAR data. The anomalies of the radar image representing oil slick are validated by in-site sampling and laboratory analyzing. The Gas Chromatograph (GC) results of the extracted oil from the water samples gathered from the sites of detected oil slick demonstrate a typical composition of oil rather than that of ocean microbial origins, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) concentrations in two designed vertical profiles keep steady in different depths, showing that the organic contents in water column are steady from the deep area to ocean surface. These results suggest the detected oil slick is a thin floating oil rather than a thick spill. Influencing factors to the results of oil slick detection including wind speed, current, small islands and capes as well as deep-sea petroleum reservoirs are discussed. The results in this study exhibit that extracting the anomaly signals related to oil slick related to oil/gas seeps using image processing techniques from ENVI/ASAR data is helpful to predict anomaly areas as potential targets for further exploration in this area.     

基于高分辨率卫星数据铀矿找矿信息提取——以巴什布拉克地区为例

论述了利用遥感技术提取砂岩型铀矿找矿信息的研究意义及研究内容,并选择我国新疆巴什布拉克地区作为研究区．利用快鸟（Quickbird）卫星遥感数据,通过多种图像处理方法的应用研究,提取控矿构造、含矿层和矿化蚀变信息等与铀成矿密切相关的找矿信息,探索高空间分辨率卫星数据在地质矿产资源勘查领域的实用性,拓宽在类似区域进行地质矿产勘查的研究思路。     

Improving resolution of gravity data with wavelet analysis and spectral method

Gravity data are the results of gravity force field interaction from all the underground sources. The objects of detection are always submerged in the background field, and thus one of the crucial problems for gravity data interpretation is how to improve the resolution of observed information. The wavelet transform operator has recently been introduced into the domain fields both as a filter and as a powerful source analysis tool. This paper studied the effects of improving resolution of gravity data with wavelet analysis and spectral method, and revealed the geometric characteristics of density heterogeneities described by simple shaped sources. First, the basic theory of the multiscale wavelet analysis and its lifting scheme and spectral method were introduced. With the experimental study on forward simulation of anomalies given by the superposition of six objects and measured data in Songliao plain, Northeast China, the shape, size and depth of the buried objects were estimated in the study. Also, the results were compared with those obtained by conventional techniques, which demonstrated that this method greatly improves the resolution of gravity anomalies. Translated from Progress in Geophysics, 2007, 22(1): 112–120 [译自: 地球物理学进展]     

Investigating a reservoir bank slope displacement history with multi-frequency satellite SAR data

Slope instability arisen along with dam construction is a common problem of great concern in reservoir areas. Thus, displacement monitoring of active slopes is of great importance for the safety of dam operation. The unstable Guobu slope is located only about 1.5 km away from Laxiwa hydropower station in upstream Yellow River. In this study, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) datasets acquired by C-band Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR), L-band Advanced Land Observing Satellite 2 (ALOS-2) Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar 2 (PALSAR-2), and X-band TerraSAR-X covering different evolution stages of Guobu slope were collected to investigate the displacement history so as to facilitate understanding of its deformation and failure mechanisms. The displacements occurred during the past decade were quantitatively identified for the first time by SAR pixel offset tracking analyses. The results show that before the reservoir impoundment, the maximum accumulative displacements on the slope were more than 7 m from 2003 to 2008, while the post-impoundment displacements also exceeded 7 m in just 1 year from September 2009 to September 2010. Furthermore, this slope is still in active deformation up to now. Nevertheless, the displacement rates seem decreased recently according to the interferometric results of TerraSAR-X data pairs from September 2015 to March 2016.     

Analysis with C- and X-band satellite SAR data of the Portalet landslide area

This paper describes the use of the Stable Point Network technique, a Persistent Scatterer Interferometry SAR technique, for the analysis of the Portalet landslide area (Central Pyrenees, Spain). For this purpose, different SAR datasets acquired by ERS-1, ERS-2, ENVISAT and TerraSAR-X satellites have been analysed. The use of different SAR images acquired by satellite radar sensors operating at different microwave lengths has allowed for a comparative assessment and illustration of the advantages and disadvantages of these satellites for landslide detection and monitoring. In the introduction, differential interferometry and the study area are briefly described. Then the specifics of the SPN processing and the results of the different datasets are described and compared. In Analysis of the results: the Portalet landslide area, the Portalet landslide area is introduced and the radar displacement measurements are analysed with available geo-information data. Additionally, X-band measurements are compared with those gathered by a ground-based SAR for a previous project. Finally, the most relevant conclusions of this work are discussed.     

3D modeling of large urban areas with stereo VHR satellite imagery: lessons learned

This paper discusses the potentials of very high-resolution (VHR) stereo imagery for automatic generation of digital surface models (DSM) and 3D information extraction on large metropolitan cities. Stereo images acquired by GeoEye-1 on Dakar (Senegal) and Guatemala City (Guatemala) and by WorldView-2 on Panama City (Panama), Constitucion (Chile), Kabul (Afghanistan), Teheran (Iran), Kathmandu (Nepal), and San Salvador (El Salvador) were processed following a rigorous photogrammetric approach. The work focuses on evaluating the quality of the DSMs in relation to the image and terrain characteristics. The size of the datasets, the variety of case studies, and the complexity of the scenarios allow to critically analyze the potentials of VHR stereo imagery for 3D landscape modeling for natural hazards assessment.     

基于物理小波的地震资料最佳分辨率解释方法

通过理论分析,指出:“基本小波与待分析的信号越接近,该信号在时间-尺度(或频率)域能量分布就越集中,即能量分布空间维数越低;反之,能量分布空间维数就越高,”然后分别深入地研究了信号和有色噪声的能量分布空间的性质。在这些工作的基础上,提出了基于最佳匹配地震子波(或有效信号)的物理小波,对地震资料进行最佳分辨率解释的方法。这种方法抑制了部分噪声和干扰波,同时增强了有效信息。模型及实际资料算例证明了其有效性。     

基于高分辨率卫星影像估算汶川地震同震水平缩短量:以白沙河段为例

2008年汶川地震(Mw7.9)造成了严重的人员伤亡和重大经济损失。震后现场调查获得大量的垂直和走滑同震位移数据,但缺乏同震水平缩短量数据,直接影响了对汶川地震的同震形变特征的研究。文中尝试从一个新的角度,通过地震前、后QuickBird卫星影像对比,同时结合野外实地测量来分析汶川地震地表破裂带同震水平缩短量。白沙河破裂段位于中央主破裂带的西南端,距震中区映秀镇最近仅有15 km。在该破裂段的两侧各有一条乡间公路,相距300～900 m,我们通过对比地震前、后QuickBird卫星影像的公路间距变化,对比震后实测公路位置与震前的差异,获得了一系列的同震水平缩短量,其平均值为6.8 m(RMS),最大值和最小值分别为13.2 m和1.1 m,综合误差为2.33 m。该估计值大于沿地表破裂带通过复原变形人工构造物以及变形地层所获得的同震水平缩短量,说明汶川地震在地表造成的水平缩短分布在一个较大的范围内,而破裂带附近所观测到的仅仅是其中的一部分。     

Assessment of the Aeolian sand dynamics in the region of Ain Sefra (Western Algeria), using wind data and satellite imagery

The region of Ain Sefra is an arid region suffering from sand encroachment. In this study, we are calculating the shifted sand quantity and efficient wind directions during a period of 30 years (1985 to 2015) in order to classify the danger. The study shows that efficient winds in the region are characterized by their potential drift estimated at 220 till 329. This classifies the region as medium. Besides, the resultant drift potential is 76 to 99 with a migration coefficient of 0.3 which gives a medium classification to the zone and proves the Aeolian erosion complex system and its interrelation with other factors. Efficient winds generally blow from South-west to North-east with an angle of 234°. Furthermore, there are other directions causing sand drifting. Sand movement quantity is estimated between 23.03 and 15,224 m³/m/year according to effective wind threshold speed, which is 5 to 6 m/s. Autumn is the period when sand mobility is higher, but it decreases in winter. On the other hand, sand potential movement was well shown through satellite imagery between 1985 and 2015. Indeed, it closely corresponded to the previous study. It showed sand movement direction from South-west to North-east, and sand surface increase reached 16.44% of the global zone surface. Whereas, it decreased ??2.5% between 1985 and 2015. There is an important concentration of sand accumulation under the western mountain foothills along which sand moves. This shows that the ground particularities play a crucial role in this phenomenon.     

Medium-range forecast of cyclogenesis over North Indian Ocean with multilayer perceptron model using satellite data

An attempt is made in this study to develop a model to forecast the cyclonic depressions leading to cyclonic storms over North Indian Ocean (NIO) with 3 days lead time. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) model is developed for the purpose and the forecast quality of the model is compared with other neural network and multiple linear regression models to assess the forecast skill and performances of the MLP model. The input matrix of the model is prepared with the data of cloud coverage, cloud top temperature, cloud top pressure, cloud optical depth, cloud water path collected from remotely sensed moderate resolution imaging spectro-radiometer (MODIS), and sea surface temperature. The input data are collected 3 days before the cyclogenesis over NIO. The target output is the central pressure, pressure drop, wind speed, and sea surface temperature associated with cyclogenesis over NIO. The models are trained with the data and records from 1998 to 2008. The result of the study reveals that the forecast error with MLP model varies between 0 and 7.2 % for target outputs. The errors with MLP are less than radial basis function network, generalized regression neural network, linear neural network where the errors vary between 0 and 8.4 %, 0.3 and 24.8 %, and 0.3 and 32.4 %, respectively. The forecast with conventional statistical multiple linear regression model, on the other hand, generates error values between 15.9 and 32.4 %. The performances of the models are validated for the cyclonic storms of 2009, 2010, and 2011. The forecast errors with MLP model during validation are also observed to be minimum.     

Flood hazard mapping for data-scarce and ungauged coastal river basins using advanced hydrodynamic models,high temporal-spatial resolution remote sensing precipitation data,and satellite imageries

Natural Hazards - This paper presents an integrated approach to simulate flooding and inundation for small- and medium-sized coastal river basins where measured data are not available or scarce. By...     

High resolution UAV image acquisition method and modeling practice for geological outcrop with a large slope

The observation on the outcrop in the field is one of the most direct and efficient methods to obtain the underground formation information, which provides the most direct first-hand geological data for geological science research. However, the traditional outcrop investigation, especially for the outcrop with a large slope and unreachable area, mainly relies on the inspection, measurement of the slope bottom, and photos to record outcrop information, making it difficult to accurately characterize the whole geological body. Consumer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) with the advantages of good mobility, strong adaptability and low cost, can obtain outcrop images from a short distance, multiple perspectives and varying heights. In this paper, the image acquisition method and model construction accuracy without control points available for the geological outcrop with a large slope are discussed. Consumer UAVs is used to capture images through vertical route and then the geological model is set up. The results show that oblique photogrammetry technology combined with consumer UAVs can effectively build a large slope geological outcrop model with millimeter resolution. The model has the characteristics of high resolution, uniform resolution and high measurement accuracy up to millimeter, which can effectively reduce the difficulty of field investigation and the personnel safety risk, thus it accurately reproduces the outcrop situation with large slope in the field, providing a real and reliable data basis for the section interpretation, analysis and measurement of large slope outcrop.     

大坡度地质露头高分辨率无人机影像采集方法与建模实践*

野外地质露头的观察、研究能够最直接、最有效地获取地下地层信息,为地质科学研究提供最直观、最真实的一手地质资料。然而传统的露头研究,尤其针对大坡度、人员无法到达区域的露头研究,主要依赖坡底部考察、测量和拍照等方式记录露头信息,难以精细、准确地表征整个地质体。消费级无人机具有机动性好、适应性强和成本低等优势,且能够近距离、多视角、变高度地获取露头影像。本研究对无控制点情况下的大坡度地质露头影像采集方法与模型构建精度进行探讨,利用消费级无人机垂向航线采集影像,然后构建模型。结果证明倾斜摄影测量技术结合消费级无人机能够有效地构建具有毫米分辨率精度的大坡度地质露头模型。构建的模型具有分辨率高、分辨率均一、量测精度可达毫米等特点,可有效降低野外考察的工作难度,降低人员安全风险,真实准确地复现野外大坡度露头情况,为大坡度露头剖面解译、分析和量测提供真实可靠的数据基础。