近30年珠穆朗玛峰国家自然保护区冰川变化的遥感监测

利用1976、1988和2006年的3期陆地卫星遥感数据,采用面向对象的解译方法并结合专家知识分类规则自动提取珠穆朗玛峰国家自然保护区(以下简称珠峰保护区)3个时期的冰川信息,并利用遥感、地理信息系统和图谱的方法对冰川时空分布特征和变化及其原因与不确定性进行了分析。结果如下:(1)2006年珠峰保护区内冰川面积为2710.17±0.011km²,为研究区总面积的7.41%,主要分布在研究区南部海拔4700～6800m的高山区;(2)1976-2006年,珠峰保护区冰川持续退缩明显,总面积减少501.91±0.035km²,冰湖扩张迅速(净增加36.88±0.035km²);研究区南坡子流域冰川退缩率(16.79%)高于北坡子流域(14.40%);珠峰保护区冰川以退缩为主,退缩冰川主要分布于海拔4700～6400m,退缩区上限海拔为6600～6700m;(3)1976年以来,气温显著上升和降水减少是冰川退缩的关键因素。     

1982-2009 年珠穆朗玛峰自然保护区植被指数变化

植被指数是指示植被变化的重要指标, 本研究基于1982-2009 年珠穆朗玛峰自然保护区(简称珠峰地区)植被指数(NDVI)时间序列数据、土地覆被和野外调查等数据, 采用时序变化趋势和空间分析法, 对珠穆朗玛峰地区植被的时空变化过程及保护区成效进行了定量分析。研究表明:①珠峰地区NDVI分布的总特征是南部和北部高, 中部低。②1982-2009 年珠峰地区NDVI年际变化趋势和空间异质性十分明显:1982-1997 年, 珠峰地区NDVI总体上呈显著上升趋势, 北部地区增幅较大;1998-2009 年, NDVI总体下降(56.96%的NDVI呈下降趋势), 其中, 珠峰地区中部和北部的NDVI下降最为明显, 而南部核心保护区森林和灌丛的NDVI则呈显著上升趋势, 且变化幅度较大。③长时间序列植被指数变化的过程和空间差异性推断:1998 年以来, 天然林保护等生态工程促使珠峰地区保护效果更加明显。     

Glacial change in the vicinity of Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), central high Himalayas since 1976

Glaciers are one of the most important land covers in alpine regions and especially sensitive to global climate change. Remote sensing has proved to be the best method of investigating the extent of glacial variations in remote mountainous areas. Using Landsat thematic mapping (TM) and multi-spectral-scanner (MSS) images from Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) National Nature Preserve (QNNP), central high Himalayas for 1976, 1988 and 2006, we derived glacial extent for these three periods. A combination of object-oriented image interpretation methods, expert knowledge rules and field surveys were employed. Results showed that (1) the glacial area in 2006 was 2710.17 ± 0.011 km2 (about 7.41% of the whole study area), and located mainly to the south and between 4700 m to 6800 m above sea level; (2) from 1976 to 2006, glaciers reduced by 501.91 ± 0.035 km2 and glacial lakes expanded by 36.88 ± 0.035 km2; the rate of glacier retreat was higher in sub-basins on the southern slopes (16.79%) of the Himalayas than on the northern slopes (14.40%); most glaciers retreated, and mainly occurred at an elevation of 4700–6400 m, and the estimated upper limit of the retreat zone is between 6600 m and 6700 m; (3) increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation over the study period are the key factors driving retreat.     

Glacial change in the vicinity of Mt. Qomolangma （Everest）, central high Himalayas since 1976

Glaciers are one of the most important land covers in alpine regions and especially sensitive to global climate change. Remote sensing has proved to be the best method of investigating the extent of glacial variations in remote mountainous areas. Using Landsat thematic mapping (TM) and multi-spectral-scanner (MSS) images from Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) National Nature Preserve (QNNP), central high Himalayas for 1976, 1988 and 2006, we derived glacial extent for these three periods. A combination of object-oriented image interpretation methods, expert knowledge rules and field surveys were employed. Results showed that (1) the glacial area in 2006 was 2710.17 ± 0.011 km² (about 7.41% of the whole study area), and located mainly to the south and between 4700 m to 6800 m above sea level; (2) from 1976 to 2006, glaciers reduced by 501.91 ± 0.035 km² and glacial lakes expanded by 36.88 ± 0.035 km²; the rate of glacier retreat was higher in sub-basins on the southern slopes (16.79%) of the Himalayas than on the northern slopes (14.40%); most glaciers retreated, and mainly occurred at an elevation of 4700–6400 m, and the estimated upper limit of the retreat zone is between 6600 m and 6700 m; (3) increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation over the study period are the key factors driving retreat.     

Variation in land cover classification due to individual interpreter assessment: a case study of farmland mapping in Norway

Visual interpretations of remote sensing images are required when producing land cover/use maps for management purposes. Human assessment is viewed as an advantage during the interpretation process. However, large mapping projects require several interpreters, and the possibility of inter-operator variability during classification work may affect map usage. In this study, five skilled interpreters from the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute independently updated the national Norwegian land resource dataset (AR5) in the same two study areas using the same orthophotos. Cross-tabulations were obtained, and class agreement, overall agreement, kappa agreement and fuzzy Kappa (K_fuzzy) were calculated. Most disagreements occurred in fragmented and complex landscapes, particularly with closely related classes. What can be regarded as an acceptable level of agreement depends on the intended map use and should be based on sensitivity tests exploring the effects of interpreter variation on specific applications of the map product. Finally, the threshold is a political decision based on thorough consideration of the economic and non-economic consequences of the variation tolerated in the maps produced.     

Geomorphological observations and related natural hazards using merged remotely sensed data: a case study in the Corinthos area (NE Peloponnese, S. Greece)

Natural hazards are mostly related to the activation of combined geomorphological and geological processes that control landform development. The study area is located in the NE part of Peloponnese (Corinthos prefecture). It is a typical agricultural area with intense relief, the result of active tectonics and important human intervention. This study demonstrates the benefits from the synergism of SAR data (ERS-2) and optical data (SPOT2-XS) in order to highlight the possible natural-hazardprone areas. These data give different and complementary information since the radar signal depends mostly on topography, surface roughness and soil moisture, whereas the visible/infrared channels provide spectral information mostly on vegetation and land use/cover. The application presented here was focused on the enhancement of the high erosion risk areas, the improvement of the terrain interpretation, the mapping and highlighting of the landform morphology, and a more accurate determination of the main factors that control the flooding risk of Corinthos town.