Estimation of daily average net radiation and its variation over West Bengal,India using MODIS products

A simple and exclusively satellite-based instantaneous net radiation (INR) and its components have been estimated and it is based on the method proposed. The method has been used to check its suitability over West Bengal, India on clear sky days which is eliminating the need for ground-based observations. The method explicitly recognizes the need for spatially varied input parameters to estimate net radiation using remote sensing information and provides a distributed daily average net radiation map with finer spatial resolution. The satellite-derived radiative flux components were compared with the Eddy Flux Tower measurements located at Bonnie camp within mangrove forest. The bias, root-mean square error and R² between modelled and measured INR are 52.07, 49.5 W m^?2 and 0.74, respectively which are within the acceptable limit. The errors in the downward short wave and long wave as well as upward short-wave and long-wave radiative flux are 13.78, 3.54, 12.41 and 3.54%, respectively. Further, variations of all the radiative flux components were analysed over different eco-systems.     

河口海岸区GPS高程异常的空间特征与拟合研究

为了实现河口海岸区GPS大地高向正常高的转换,就需要掌握该区高程异常的空间特征并进行高精度的拟合研究.文章以福建闽江口为研究区,综合应用半方差函数以及整体和局部逼近拟合方法对闽江口测区GPS高程异常进行研究.结果表明:闽江口GPS高程异常在空间上可用高斯和球状半方差函数进行表达,水平分布上呈海区至陆地逐渐变小的分带规律性;二次曲面和Shepard分区加权方法对研究区高程异常的整体拟合和局部逼近结果具有相似的累积频率分布和外符合精度,而两者的组合模型较之单一拟合方法在精度上提高42.9％～55.2％,可获得较为稳健的拟合结果,适用于该地形条件复杂的河口海岸区.     

Benthic coverage and bottom topography of coral reef environment over Pirotan reef,Gulf of Kachchh region,India

Remote sensing measurements in coral reef environments commonly confront the problem of overlying atmosphere and modification of spectral signal due to water column over the bottom substrates. In order to correct these problems, hyperspectral observations offer an advantage over multispectral observations. Airborne hyperspectral remote sensing data from Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer- Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) sensor was acquired during low tidal condition on 14 February 2016 at Pirotan reef, Gulf of Kachchh region, India. The objective of this study is to map benthic coverage and bottom topography over Pirotan reef. The methodology involved atmospheric correction, simultaneous retrieval of water parameters, bathymetry, water column correction and mapping. Atmospheric correction was performed by removing path radiance and aerosol contribution and dividing by atmospheric transmittance and incoming solar irradiance to obtain remote sensing reflectance. Model derived error minimization technique was used for simultaneous retrieval of water parameters and bathymetry. Derived water parameters were used to account for water column attenuation and retrieve concomitant true bottom signature.     

珠三角地区长时间序列气溶胶时空变化特征分析

本文通过对2000年—2013年长时间序列的MODIS气溶胶产品进行统计,分析了珠三角地区气溶胶光学厚度(AOD)和细粒子光学厚度(FAOD)的空间分布特征以及年度和季节变化特点,有助于深入研究珠三角地区颗粒物污染水平变化及颗粒物的排放与输送等。研究结果显示珠三角地区中部为AOD高值区,东西两翼地区为AOD低值区。AOD和FAOD的最高值通常分别出现在春季和秋季,最低值则通常都出现在冬季。2006年之后,珠三角地区大气气溶胶总消光虽在部分年份仍有反弹上升的现象出现,但已有明显降低。然而,该地区细粒子消光在2000年—2012年期间则呈逐年增加的趋势,且其空间差异性也越加显著,细颗粒物污染仍需进一步控制。     

Structure and its impact in Uthangarai and Thirthamalai region, Tamil Nadu, India using remote sensing technique

The Uthangarai-Thirthamalai region in Dharmapuri district is a typical Precambrian tract in Tamil Nadu. IRS-1C satellite imagery was used for interpreting folds, faults, fractures and lineaments, in this region. As interpreted from the satellite imagery, there are five major structural domains, which control the Ponnaiyar, Pambar, Vaniyar and Kovilar river courses and other drainage pattern in this region. Presence of fault rock, epidotization and sympathetic fractures along such folds and faults reveals the intensity of tectonism in this sector. The interpreted lineaments have been classified into five major groups on the basis of their geometry and orientation. From the rose diagram, it is inferred that the NNW-SSE trending lineaments are fall in major frequency domain. The springs observed near Hanumanthirtham and Thirthamalai region could be structurally originated. The geomorphology interpreted from the satellite data has shown significant morphological expression of folds, faults and lineaments. The geophysical data have been analysed and correlated with intensity of weathering by fractures and lineaments.     

Delineation and characterization of waterlogging and salt affected areas in a canal irrigated semiarid region of north west India

Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Linear Imaging Self Scanning (LISS II) data are interpreted, followed by ground verification facilitated identification of waterlogged areas (ponded water), salt affected soils (salt efflorescence) and high water table zones (potential waterlogging zones) in the Indira Gandhi Nahar Pariyojona (IGNP) command area (India). The false colour composites (bands 4, 3, 2) for February 1996, November 1996 and June 1998 on 1:50 000 scale revealed occurrence and seasonal dynamics of permanent waterlogging in low-lying flats and depressions. The extent of waterlogging was higher in February 1996 due to less evaporation and more agricultural operation during the period. Salt accumulation was higher in November 1996 due to freshly precipitated seasonal salts. Seepage and accumulation of excess irrigation water through coarse sandy mass was primarily responsible for the development of waterlogging in the irrigated zone. The capillary rise of soluble salts with a rising water table and high evaporative demand caused secondary soil salinization. A ground truth study found areas with a high water table (<1.5 m) with patchy crop stands and a potentially sensitive zone with a fluctuating (1.5–6.0 m) water table with poor vegetative growth. The soil characteristics showed moderate to high soil salinity in the control section of soil profiles. These were characterized by medium to coarse texture, weak to moderately strong structure, weak consistency, low organic matter content and the presence of abundant CaCO₃ nodules. The composition of saturated soil paste showed a preponderance of chlorides and sulphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium. The presence of fine texture and calcium carbonate layers at a depth below the surface caused the development of a perched water table indicating unsuitability for traditional irrigated agriculture. The quality of pond water was extremely poor and unfit for reuse. The ground water was saline in some areas but normally lies within the prescribed limit. The quality of drainage water was poor in saline depressions and unsuitable for reuse but moderate in other areas suggesting its safe reuse when mixed with good quality water. Suitable soil and water management practices were necessary for sustainable crop production in the command area.     

Study of normalized difference vegetation index variation and its correlation with climate factors in the three-river-source region

Using NOAA/AVHRR 10-day composite NDVI data and 10-day meteorological data, including air temperature, precipitation, vapor pressure, wind velocity and sunshine duration, at 19 weather stations in the three-river-source region in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in China from 1982 to 2000, the variations of NDVI and climate factors were analyzed for the purpose of studying the correlation between climate change and vegetation growth as represented by NDVI in this region. Results showed that the NDVI values in this region gradually grew from the west to the east, and the distribution was consistent with that of moisture status. The growing season came earlier due to climate warming, yet because of the reduction of precipitation, maximal NDVI during 1982–2000 did not show a significant change. NDVI related positively to air temperature, vapor pressure and precipitation, but negatively related to sunshine duration and wind velocity. Furthermore, the response of NDVI to climate change showed time lags for different climate factors. Water condition and temperature were found to be the most important factors effecting the variation of NDVI during the growing season in both the semi-arid and the semi-humid areas. In addition, NDVI had a better correlation with vapor pressure than with precipitation. The ratio of precipitation to evapotranspiration, representing water gain and loss, can be regarded as a comprehensive index to analyze NDVI and climate change, especially in areas where the water condition plays a dominant role.     

Validation of the SEBS-derived sensible heat for FY3A/VIRR and TERRA/MODIS over an alpine grass region using LAS measurements

In this study, sensible heat (H) calculation using remote sensing data over an alpine grass landscape is conducted from May to September 2010, and the calculation is validated using LAS (large aperture scintillometers) measurements. Data from two remote sensing sensors (FY3A-VIRR and TERRA-MODIS) are analysed. Remote sensing data, combined with the ground meteorological observations (pressure, temperature, wind speed, humidity) are fed into the SEBS (Surface Energy Balance System) model. Then the VIRR-derived sensible heat (VIRR_SEBS_H) and MODIS-derived sensible heat (MODIS_SEBS_H) are compared with the LAS-estimated H, which are obtained at the respective satellite overpass time. Furthermore, the similarities and differences between the VIRR_SEBS_H and MODIS_SEBS_H values are investigated. The results indicate that VIRR data quality is as good as MODIS data for the purpose of H estimation. The root mean square errors (rmse) of the VIRR_SEBS_H and MODIS_SEBS_H values are 45.1098 W/m² (n = 64) and 58.4654 W/m² (n = 71), respectively. The monthly means of the MODIS_SEBS_H are marginally higher than those of VIRR_SEBS_H because the satellite overpass time of the TERRA satellite lags by 25 min to that of the FT3A satellite. Relative evaporation (EFr), which is more time-independent, shows a higher agreement between MODIS and VIRR. Many common features are shared by the VIRR_SEBS_H and the MODIS_SEBS_H, which can be attributed to the SEBS model performance. In May–June, H is over-estimated with more fluctuations and larger rmse, whereas in July–September, H is under-estimated with fewer fluctuations and smaller rmse. Sensitivity analysis shows that potential temperature gradient (delta_T) plays a dominant role in determining the magnitude and fluctuation of H. The largest rmse and over-estimation in H occur in June, which could most likely be attributed to high delta_T, high wind speed, and the complicated thermodynamic state during the transitional period when bare land transforms to dense vegetation cover.     

Monitoring drought dynamics in the Aravalli region (India) using different indices based on ground and remote sensing data

The hard-rock hilly Aravalli terrain of Rajasthan province of India suffers with frequent drought due to poor and delayed monsoon, abnormally high summer-temperature and insufficient water resources. In the present study, detailed analysis of meteorological and hydrological data of the Aravalli region has been carried out for the years 1984–2003. Standardised Precipitation Index (SPI) has been used to quantify the precipitation deficit. Standardised Water-Level Index (SWI) has been developed to assess ground-water recharge-deficit. Vegetative drought indices like Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and Vegetation Health Index (VHI) have been computed using NDVI values obtained from Global Vegetation Index (GVI) and thermal channel data of NOAA AVHRR satellite. Detailed analyses of spatial and temporal drought dynamics during monsoon and non-monsoon seasons have been carried out through drought index maps generated in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. Analysis and interpretation of these maps reveal that negative SPI anomalies not always correspond to drought. In the Aravalli region, aquifer-stress shifts its position time to time, and in certain pockets it is more frequent. In comparison to hydrological stress, vegetative stress in the Aravalli region is found to be slower to begin but quicker to withdraw.     

Surface and subsurface evidence of neotectonics and the aquifer disposition in central gangetic alluvial terrain of Kanpur-Unnao region in Uttar Pradesh,India

Both surface and subsurface evidences exist along the longitudinal section of the Ganga river in Kanpur-Unnao region of Central Ganga Plain indicating the effect of tectonic subsidence. While the surface evidences are discontinuous chain of high uplands with escarpments on the southern bank of the Ganga river and the wide flood plain on the northern side, the subsurface evidences are in terms of sudden deepending of the granitic basement towards north followed by deposition of coarse sand and gravel forming thick aquifers in the close vicinity of present channel of the Ganga river. The petrological examination of the aquifer material also indicates that the material has been derived from a deformation zone.     

Use of geo-spatial information and technologies for analyzing morphological changes in the Greater Visakhapatnam coastal region,east coast of India

The objective of this study was to investigate the land use/land cover, landforms, shoreline and coastal regulation zone (CRZ) changes of Greater Visakhapatnam coastal region using Indian Remote Sensing-IRS P6 (Resourcesat-I) satellite data and collateral information. Prominent changes have been observed during the past 30 years through land use/land cover analyzes which clearly indicate that thecoastal regulatory zones have altered in respect of both natural and anthropogenic activities. Various geomorphic units were identified and confirmed with appropriate field work. Significant changes have been recognized in the shoreline map, which denote that the area of erosional shoreline is larger than the accretional and stable prone shoreline. The availability of high resolution data has helped to prepare large-scale maps for implementation of CRZ measures. The results were promising and suggest that the modern geo-spatial information and technological tools are extremely helpful for conducting coastal morphological studies.     

Landscape pattern and transition under natural and anthropogenic disturbance in an arid region of northwestern China

There is a pressing need to determine the relationships between driving variables and landscape transformations. Human activities shape landscapes and turn them into complex assemblages of highly diverse structures. Other factors, including climate and topography, also play significant roles in landscape transitions, and identifying the interactions among the variables is critical to environmental management. This study analyzed the configurations and spatial-temporal processes of landscape changes from 1998 to 2011 under different anthropogenic disturbances, identified the main variables that determine the landscape patterns and transitions, and quantified the relationships between pairs of driver sets. Landsat images of Baicheng and Tekes from 1998, 2006 and 2011 were used to classify landscapes by supervised classification. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and variation partitioning were performed to identify the main driving forces and to quantify the unique, shared, and total explained variation of the sets of variables. The results indicate that the proportions of otherwise identical landscapes in Baicheng and Tekes were very different. The area of the grassland in Tekes was much larger than that of the cropland; however, the differences between the grassland and cropland in Baicheng were not as pronounced. Much of the grassland in Tekes was located in an area that was near residents, whereas most of the grassland in Baicheng was far from residents. The slope, elevation, annual precipitation, annual temperature, and distance to the nearest resident were strong driving forces influencing the patterns and transitions of the landscapes. The results of the variation partitioning indicated complex interrelationships among all of the pairs of driver sets. All of the variable sets had significant explanatory roles, most of which had both unique and shared variations with the others. The results of this study can assist policy makers and planners in implementing sustainable landscape management and effective protection strategies.     

1Hz GNSS电离层相位闪烁因子提取及在北极区域的验证

电离层闪烁作为北极区域频发的一种天文灾害,会影响全球导航卫星系统(GNSS)时空服务,需对其进行有效的监测.监测电离层闪烁通常需要高采样频率(50 Hz)的电离层闪烁接收机,但其分布有限,难以提供较大区域(如北极区域)的全面监测.为此本文以1 Hz GNSS观测数据为基础,详细研究了利用大地测量趋势分离、精密单点定位和...     

Spatio-temporal patterns of energy exchange and evapotranspiration during an intense drought for drylands in Brazil

The Caatinga biome, located in the northeastern region of Brazil, is the most populated dryland region on the planet and extremely vulnerable to land degradation due to climatological and anthropogenic factors. Energy partitioning substantially influences the local climate and affects the water cycle, which is of utmost importance for the economy and livelihood of the region. Recently, eddy covariance (EC) towers were installed in the area; thus, the scientific community can thoroughly assess the water and energy fluxes over this unique biome. While EC towers have a high degree of accuracy, they only measure energy fluxes over a small land footprint. Given the biome spatial heterogeneity, the use of EC-based techniques has the limitation of not comprehensively representing water and energy fluxes profiles over the entire region. Incorporating remote sensing (RS) data into the landscape analysis is a feasible solution to overcome this issue, given that satellite data can capture the phenomena represented by the EC measurements across large spatial scales. Our research studied the capability of the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) and MOD16-ET products to represent the EC measurements regarding energy and mass exchange, with an ultimate objective of applying the best approach to assess these fluxes regionally. We applied the SEBAL model using only remote sensing data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. The MOD16-ET model uses a different approach but is also based on MODIS data. Our analysis was based on three years (2014–2016) of data, which was limited to the availability of the EC tower data. We found that for the EC-based measurements, energy balance closure (EBC) achieved an average of 0.84, which is considerably high for the region. This is possibly due to the EC tower being installed on a preserved Caatinga plot, with reduced heterogeneity and higher plant density. When analyzing RS-based products to represent ET profiles in the region, we found that the SEBAL model accurately represented water fluxes during the wet season but not the dry season, whereas the MOD16-ET showed a better agreement with EC-based water fluxes throughout all the seasons. SEBAL inaccuracy in drylands is partially due to the narrow range between the cold and hot pixels in an image, as the algorithm relies on this range for input parameters, especially in the dry season. Therefore, we concluded that MOD16-ET is capable of better-representing water fluxes in the Caatinga region. We analyzed the fluxes regionally and quantified annual ET for the three years. These results are especially relevant for local policymakers on dealing with water and landscape issues in a region where the livelihood and well-being of the population is inextricably bound to water availability.     

Land use/land cover identification in an alpine and arid region (Nubra Valley, Ladakh) using satellite remote sensing

The remote sensing technology has been widely used for mapping the vegetation types in the tropical landscapes. However, in the temperate and alpine arid regions of India very few studies have been conducted using this technique. In the mountainous temperate arid conditions the vegetation is largely confined to marsh meadows, streams courses, river valleys and moist pockets close to snowfields. The ground truth collection in these zones are physically challenging due to tough terrain and restricted mobility. The detailed mapping of vegetation and other land use classes in these areas is therefore, extremely difficult. This paper describes the use of IRS-ID LISS III sensor for deciphering land cover details Nubra Valley, northern portion of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council, Jammu & Kashmir (India). This analysis essentially emphasizes in bringing out various vegetation classes (speciallyHippophae rhamnoides and other medicinal plant communities) along the narrow river valleys.     

Land-use and vegetation-cover mapping of an indigenous land area in the state of Mato Grosso (Brazil) based on spectral linear mixing model,segmentation and region classification

A spectral linear-mixing model using Landsat ETM+ imagery was undertaken to estimate fraction images of green vegetation, soil and shade in an indigenous land area in the state of Mato Grosso in the central-western region of Brazil. The fraction images were used to classify different types of land use and vegetation cover. The fraction images were classified by the following two methods: (a) application of a segmentation based on the region-growing technique; and (b) grouping of the regions segmented using the per-region unsupervised classifier named ISOSEG. Adopting a 75% threshold, ISOSEG generated 44 clusters that were grouped into eight land-use and vegetation-cover classes. The mapping achieved an average accuracy of 83%, showing that the methodology is efficient in mapping areas of great land-use and vegetation-cover diversity, such as that found in the Brazilian cerrado (savanna).     

Development of an image based integrated method for determining and mapping aerosol optical thickness (AOT) over urban areas using the darkest pixel atmospheric correction method,RT equation and GIS: A case study of the Limassol area in Cyprus

This paper presents the development of an image-based integrated method for determining and mapping aerosol optical thickness (AOT). Using the radiative transfer (RT) equation, a methodology was developed to create a Geographical Information System (GIS) model that can visually display the AOT distribution over urban areas. In this paper, the model was applied to eleven Landsat Thematic Mapper/Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (TM/ETM+) satellite images of Limassol, Cyprus during 2010 and 2011 to determine the AOT levels in Limassol Cyprus during satellite overpass. The study is innovative and unique in that the RT equation, satellite images, the darkest pixel (DP) method of atmospheric correction and GIS were integrated to derive AOT from satellite images and display the AOT distribution over an urban area without the input of any meteorological or atmospheric parameters. The accuracy of the algorithm was verified through statistical analysis by the strong agreement between the AOT values derived using the algorithm and the in situ AOT values from the ground-based sensors.