Geochemical mapping of carbonate sediments in the Makgadikgadi basin,Botswana using moderate resolution remote sensing data

This paper maps the carbonate geochemistry of the Makgadikgadi Pans region of northern Botswana from moderate resolution (500 m pixels) remotely sensed data, to assess the impact of various geomorphological processes on surficial carbonate distribution. Previous palaeo‐environmental studies have demonstrated that the pans have experienced several highstands during the Quaternary, forming calcretes around shoreline embayments. The pans are also a significant regional source of dust, and some workers have suggested that surficial carbonate distributions may be controlled, in part, by wind regime. Field studies of carbonate deposits in the region have also highlighted the importance of fluvial and groundwater processes in calcrete formation. However, due to the large area involved and problems of accessibility, the carbonate distribution across the entire Makgadikgadi basin remains poorly understood. The MODIS instrument permits mapping of carbonate distribution over large areas; comparison with estimates from Landsat Thematic Mapper data show reasonable agreement, and there is good agreement with estimates from laboratory analysis of field samples. The results suggest that palaeo‐lake highstands, reconstructed here using the SRTM 3 arc‐second digital elevation model, have left behind surficial carbonate deposits, which can be mapped by the MODIS instrument. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The remote sensing observation in experiments of rock failure and the beginning of remote sensing rock mechanics

The remote sensing observational study for infrared radiation of rocks was proceeded during the loading on rocks until failure. The major instruments used in experiments were transient spectrum apparatus, intelligent spectrum apparatus, infrared radiation thermometer, infrared spectrum radiometer, and infrared thermal imaging system. The experiments for 26 kinds of rocks were made. The studies show that infrared radiation temperature of rocks increases along with increasing of stress. The amplitude of infrared radiation spectrum of rocks also increases along with increasing of stress. The observational results of infrared thermal imaging of rocks are consistent with infrared radiation temperature. Before formation of major faults for some rocks, the belt-shape thermal imaging of temperature anomaly displaies in position of future major faults. This study has led the new technology of remote sensing into rock mechanics and tend to establish a new field in rock mechanics — remote sensing rock mechanics (or remote sensing rock physics). The application of remote sensing rock mechanics in prediction of earthquake and rock burst, and in measurement of stress field in rock mass is expected. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, Supp., 645–652, 1992. Jin-Shen HAO, Ji-Han LI, Xiao-Hong LIU, Yi-Qiao ZHI, Jin-Kai ZHANG, Yong-Hong Lü, Yi LIU, Yun-Shen YU, He ZHANG, Quan-Quan JI, Xiao-Fan ZHU and Ning CHEN took part in this work. This subject is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation (91006). Work of Institute of Geophysics, SSB (93A0009).     

用于地震调查的航空红外遥感实时传输系统研究

该系统提供了航空红外遥感资料的袢时采集和传输，为及时开展地震野外调查工作提供了一个有力的手段。该系统由红外传感器系统、机载站图像和数据实时处理系统、机载站通信系统、转发站通信系统、地面站接收系统、地面站图像和数据实时处理系统组成。     

Genetic inverse algorithm for retrieval of component temperature of mixed pixel by multi-angle thermal infrared remote sensing data

After carefully studying the results of retrieval of land surface temperature(LST) by multi-channel thermal infrared remote sensing data, the authors of this paper point out that its accuracy and significance for applications are seriously damaged by the high correlation coefficient among multi-channel information and its disablement of direct retrieval of component temperature. Based on the model of directional radiation of non-isothermal mixed pixel, the authors point out that multi-angle thermal infrared remote sensing can offer the possibility to directly retrieve component temperature, but it is also a multi-parameter synchronous inverse problem. The results of digital simulation and field experiments show that the genetic inverse algorithm (GIA) is an effective method to fulfill multi-parameter synchronous retrieval. So it is possible to realize retrieval of component temperature with error less than 1K by multi-angle thermal infrared remote sensing data and GIA.     

滇池蓝藻水华光谱特征、遥感识别及暴发气象条件

通过研究滇池蓝藻水华在可见光、红外谱段的光谱特征,并利用假彩色合成法以及归一化植被指数(NDVI)法进行了滇池蓝藻水华信息的遥感识别和提取,进而对提取结果进行了对比分析.结果表明:假彩色合成图的绿色区域和NDVI值大于-0.1的区域,为蓝藻水华区域.-0.1≤NDVI≤0.2时,轻度水华,像元内水华覆盖度为0-30%;0.2NDVI≤0.4时,中度水华,像元内蓝藻水华覆盖度为31%-80%;NDVI0.4时,重度水华,水华浓厚,像元内蓝藻水华覆盖度为81%-100%.同时研究了激励滇池蓝藻水华暴发的关键气象因子和指标.滇池蓝藻水华暴发的关键时期是6-9月份,影响滇池蓝藻暴发的关键因子是日照和风速.6-9月份连续4-5h的光照,且风速≤2m/s的气象条件组合极易引起蓝藻水华暴发.     

III. Measuring surface soil moisture using passive microwave remote sensing

Soil moisture is one of the few directly observable hydrological variables that has an important role in water and energy budgets necessary for climate studies. At the present time there is no practical approach to measuring and monitoring soil moisture at the frequency and scale necessary for these large scale analyses. Current and developing satellite systems have not addressed this important question. A solution utilizing passive microwave remote sensing is presented here and an optimum system, soil moisture estimation algorithms and a microwave simulation model are described.     

组建地温观测网与卫星热红外观测相结合的新型立体化地热观测系统

地震预报尤其是临震预报,是当今国内外公认的世界性难题,对于这个复杂的问题,需要改变思维模式和探测手段来寻找突破口。笔者认为,在诸多的地震前兆信息中,震前地温突升是比较容易捕捉到的前兆信息之一。依据震前有关地温突升的一些观测事实和卫星热红外遥感能够探测到大震前有热红外异常现象,以及有地温突升必然就伴有地热信息释放的理念,笔者阐述了组建地温观测与卫星热红外观测相结合的新型立体化地热观测系统的必要性和可行性,我国目前现有气象台站2800多个,地震台站1400多个,共计4200多个台站,要统一增设80cm及以下地温观测并纳入到地震观测网。当发现某一地点地温有突升现象时,立刻对该地区上空的卫星热红外遥感资料进行重点分析和研究,从中提取可能的地热异常信息及其分布状况。一是地温观测基本摆脱了地表以上复杂多变的天气变化等干扰信息的影响,二是从周围复杂多变的卫星热红外遥感图像中摆脱出来,转移到有地温突升地区上空的图像中来。     

Daily discharge estimation at ungauged river sites using remote sensing

A methodology is developed to estimate daily river discharge at an ungauged site using remote sensing data. Use is made of ERS‐2 and ENVISAT satellite altimetry to provide a time series of river channel stage levels and longitudinal channel slope and Landsat satellite imagery to provide a range of channel widths over a 50 km reach of river. The data are substituted into the Bjerklie et al. ( 2003 ) equation, which is based on the Manning's resistance equation and has been developed using a global database of channel hydraulic information and discharge measurements. Our methodology has been applied at three locations on the Mekong and Ob Rivers and validated against daily in situ discharge measurements. The results show Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency values of 0.90 at Nakhon Phanom and 0.86 at Vientiane on the Mekong, and 0.86 at Kalpashevo on the Ob. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mapping the geochemistry of the northern Rub' Al Khali using multispectral remote sensing techniques

Spatial variations in sand sea geochemistry relate to mixing of different sediment sources and to variations in weathering. Due to problems of accessibility, adequate spatial coverage cannot be achieved using field surveys alone. However, maps of geochemical composition produced from remotely sensed data can be calibrated against limited field data and the results extrapolated over large, inaccessible areas. This technique is applied to part of the Rub' Al Khali in the northern United Arab Emirates. Trend surface analysis of the results suggests that the sand sea at this location can be modelled as an east–west mixing zone of two spectral components: terrestrial reddened quartz sands and marine carbonate sands. Optical dating of these sediments suggests that dune emplacement occurred rapidly around 10 ka BP , when sea level was rising rapidly. The spatial distribution of mineralogical components suggests that this phase of dune emplacement resulted from coastal dune sands being driven inland during marine transgression, thereby becoming mixed with rubified terrestrial sands. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Near-real-time volcanic ash cloud detection: Experiences from the Alaska Volcano Observatory

Volcanic eruptions produce ash clouds, which are a major hazard to population centers and the aviation community. Within the North Pacific (NOPAC) region, there have been numerous volcanic ash clouds that have reached aviation routes. Others have closed airports and traveled for thousands of kilometers. Being able to detect these ash clouds and then provide an assessment of their potential movement is essential for hazard assessment and mitigation. Remote sensing satellite data, through the reverse absorption or split window method, is used to detect these volcanic ash clouds, with a negative signal produced from spectrally semi-transparent ash clouds. Single channel satellite is used to detect the early eruption spectrally opaque ash clouds. Volcanic Ash Transport and Dispersion (VATD) models are used to provide a forecast of the ash clouds' future location. The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) remote sensing ash detection system automatically analyzes satellite data of volcanic ash clouds, detecting new ash clouds and also providing alerts, both email and text, to those with AVO. However, there are also non-volcanic related features across the NOPAC region that can produce a negative signal. These can complicate alerts and warning of impending ash clouds. Discussions and examples are shown of these non-volcanic features and some analysis is provided on how these features can be discriminated from volcanic ash clouds. Finally, there is discussion on how information of the ash cloud such as location, particle size and concentrations, could be used as VATD model initialization. These model forecasts could then provide an improved assessment of the clouds' future movement.     

湖泊水质遥感的几个关键问题

我国目前约有面积大于1km2的湖泊有3000个,绝大部分属高叶绿素和高悬浮物浓度水体,属于典型的Ⅱ类水体,物质组成多样,水体的光学辐射传输复杂,且有大范围的光学浅水.我国的湖泊水质/水色遥感虽然取得了一定进展,但借鉴海洋水色遥感的相关理论和经验,还需要解决以下四个关键问题:1)兼顾海洋沿海水质遥感,发展专用的静止卫星湖泊水质遥感器;2)在当前多光谱遥感资料基础上研发高光谱湖泊水质因子提取的遥感定量化模型,提高反演精度;3)深化湖底底质对湖泊水质/水质遥感影响研究,发展湖底水质遥感反射率精确计算模型;4)发展适用于湖泊水体区域性Ⅱ类水体大气校正方法,并集成反演、遥感产品制作、分发等技术,构建湖泊水体水质/水色业务化运行体系.     

Temporal monitoring of water level changes in Seyfe Lake using remote sensing

The Earth's water resources are endangered by inconsiderate use, pollution and lack of conservation measures. Temporal monitoring is necessary for the conservation and usage planning of water resources and to make informed decisions. Seyfe Lake and its environs in Turkey is one of the most important water basins in the world, because it is a node on bird migration paths between Europe, Asia and Africa. For this reason, the International Council of Bird Preservation (ICBP) has registered 27 of the bird species living at Seyfe Lake on the conservation list. In this work, the temporal changes in the water surface area of Seyfe Lake and its environs, which are important for ecological, historical and tourism reasons, are investigated. The change of water surface in the lake is examined over a 26 year period using satellite images taken between 1975 and 2001. Landsat images from years 1975, 1987 and 2001 are used. The change is tracked from the images using an unsupervised classification method. A decrease of slightly more than 33% was observed in the water surface area this 26 year period. The temporal change indicated by the images was compared with the related meteorological data between 1975 and 2001. Over this time period, climate conditions (rainfall, temperature and evaporation) in the study area have been changed by approximately 21%. These changes could have affected the Lake surface area, but so also could external human interference around the Lake. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing aeolian beach‐surface dynamics using a remote sensing approach

A remote sensing technique for assessing beach surface moisture was used to provide insight into beach‐surface evolution during an aeolian event. An experiment was carried out on 21 October 2007 at Greenwich Dunes, Prince Edward Island National Park, Canada, during which cameras were mounted on a mast on the foredune crest at a height of about 14 m above the beach. Maps of beach surface moisture were created based on a calibrated relationship between surface brightness from the photographs and surface moisture content measured in situ at points spaced every 2.5 m along a transect using a Delta‐T moisture probe. A time sequence of maps of surface moisture content captured beach surface evolution through the transport event at a spatial and temporal resolution that would be difficult to achieve with other sampling techniques such as impedance probes. Erosion of the foreshore and berm crest resulted in an increase in surface moisture content in these areas as the wetter underlying sediments were exposed. Flow expansion downwind of the berm crest led to sand deposition and a consequent decrease in surface moisture content. Remote sensing systems such as the one presented here allow observations of the combined evolution of beach surface moisture, shoreline position, and fetch distances during short‐term experiments and hence provide a comprehensive rendering of sediment erosion and transport processes. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comparison of three remote sensing based models for the estimation of latent heat flux over India

The aim of this work is to compare three remote sensing based models: two contextual and one physically-based single-pixel model for the estimation of daytime integrated latent heat flux without the use of any ground measurements over Indian ecosystems. Satellite datasets from the MODIS sensors aboard the Terra and the Aqua satellites were used. The latent heat flux estimated from the remote sensing models was compared with that estimated from Bowen ratio energy balance towers at five sites in India. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the latent heat flux estimated from the contextual and the physically-based models was found to be in the order of 40 and 70 W m^?2, respectively. The relatively inferior performance of the more complex physically-based model in comparison with the contextual models was found to be largely due to inaccurate parameterizations estimated only from remote sensing datasets without any ground data.     

Spectrally based remote sensing of river bathymetry

This paper evaluates the potential for remote mapping of river bathymetry by (1) examining the theoretical basis of a simple, ratio‐based technique for retrieving depth information from passive optical image data; (2) performing radiative transfer simulations to quantify the effects of suspended sediment concentration, bottom reflectance, and water surface state; (3) assessing the accuracy of spectrally based depth retrieval under field conditions via ground‐based reflectance measurements; and (4) producing bathymetric maps for a pair of gravel‐bed rivers from hyperspectral image data. Consideration of the relative magnitudes of various radiance components allowed us to define the range of conditions under which spectrally based depth retrieval is appropriate: the remotely sensed signal must be dominated by bottom‐reflected radiance. We developed a simple algorithm, called optimal band ratio analysis (OBRA), for identifying pairs of wavelengths for which this critical assumption is valid and which yield strong, linear relationships between an image‐derived quantity X and flow depth d. OBRA of simulated spectra indicated that water column optical properties were accounted for by a shorter‐wavelength numerator band sensitive to scattering by suspended sediment while depth information was provided by a longer‐wavelength denominator band subject to strong absorption by pure water. Field spectra suggested that bottom reflectance was fairly homogeneous, isolating the effect of depth, and that radiance measured above the water surface was primarily reflected from the bottom, not the water column. OBRA of these data, 28% of which were collected during a period of high turbidity, yielded strong X versus d relations (R² from 0·792 to 0·976), demonstrating that accurate depth retrieval is feasible under field conditions. Moreover, application of OBRA to hyperspectral image data resulted in spatially coherent, hydraulically reasonable bathymetric maps, though negative depth estimates occurred along channel margins where pixels were mixed. This study indicates that passive optical remote sensing could become a viable tool for measuring river bathymetry. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling soil erosion in tropical environments using remote sensing and geographical information systems

Abstract

Soil erosion probability maps were produced under various case scenarios by accounting for uncertainties in the data and in the decision rule, using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS). This objective was realized by applying the Bayesian Probability Theory within IDRISI, a raster based GIS. The outcomes were two continuous probability soil erosion maps ranging from zero to 1. Comparing these maps with an earlier study indicates that accounting for the uncertainties has, in general, decreased the probability of soil erosion. Based on average readings for specific sites on the maps, increases in erosion risk under the second case scenario have had the highest impact on the highlands that is in the central, eastern, and northern regions of Langkawi Island, Malaysia. Assuming a 10% risk, this impact has increased by 11.98, 11.83 and 5.741% for high, medium and low soil erosion risk areas on the island respectively.     

卫星遥感解译湖泊蓝藻水华的几个关键问题探讨

蓝藻水华是全球性的水环境健康问题,对水华暴发过程信息的快速准确获取是制定有效防治措施的关键.卫星遥感因具有大范围、周期性观测的特点,被广泛地用于湖泊蓝藻水华的时空动态监测.本文指出在利用遥感对湖泊蓝藻水华进行研究时,需要注意的4个问题:(1)湖泊水体中泥沙等信号对藻华存在干扰;(2)大气程辐射及水陆边界影响藻华特征提取...     

Integrated satellite observations of the 2001 eruption of Mt. Cleveland, Alaska

Satellite data were the primary source of information for the eruption of Mt. Cleveland, Alaska on 19 February, and 11 and 19 March 2001. Multiple data sets were used pre-, syn- and post-eruption to mitigate the hazard and determine an eruption chronology. The 19 February eruption was the largest of the three, resulting in a volcanic cloud that formed an arc over 1000 km long, moved to the NE across Alaska and was tracked using satellite data over more than a 50-h period. The volcanic cloud was “concurrently” detected on the GOES, AVHRR and MODIS data at various times and their respective signals compared. All three sensors detected a cloud that had a very similar shape and position but there were differences in their areal extent and internal structural detail. GOES data showed the largest volcanic cloud in terms of area, probably due to its oblique geometry. MODIS bands 31 and 32, which are comparable to GOES and AVHRR thermal infrared wavelengths, were the least effective single channels at detecting the volcanic cloud of those investigated (MODIS bands 28, 29, 31 and 32). MODIS bands 28 and 29 detected the largest volcanic clouds that could easily be distinguished from weather clouds. Of the split-window data, MODIS bands 29 minus band 32 detected the largest cloud, but the band 31 minus band 32 data showed the volcanic cloud with the most internal structural detail. The Puff tracking model accurately tracked the movement, and predicted the extent and shape of this complex cloud even into areas beyond satellite detection. Numerous thermal anomalies were also observed during the eruption on the twice-daily AVHRR data and the high spatial-resolution Landsat data. The high-resolution Radarsat data showed that the AVHRR thermal anomalies were due to lava and debris flow features and a newly formed fan along the west coast of the island. Field observations and images from a hand-held Forward Looking Infrared Radiometer (FLIR) showed that the flow features were ′a′a lava, debris flows and a warm debris fan along the west coast. Real-time satellite data were the primary tool used to monitor the eruption, track changes and to mitigate hazards. High-resolution data, even though coverage is infrequent, were critical in helping to identify volcanic processes and to compile an eruption chronology.     

Retrieval of volcanic ash particle size, mass and optical depth from a ground-based thermal infrared camera

Volcanoes can emit fine-sized ash particles (1–10 μm radii) into the atmosphere and if they reach the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere, these particles can have deleterious effects on the atmosphere and climate. If they remain within the lowest few kilometers of the atmosphere, the particles can lead to health effects in humans and animals and also affect vegetation. It is therefore of some interest to be able to measure the particle size distribution, mass and other optical properties of fine ash once suspended in the atmosphere. A new imaging camera working in the infrared region between 7–14 μm has been developed to detect and quantify volcanic ash. The camera uses passive infrared radiation measured in up to five spectral channels to discriminate ash from other atmospheric absorbers (e.g. water molecules) and a microphysical ash model is used to invert the measurements into three retrievable quantities: the particle size distribution, the infrared optical depth and the total mass of fine particles. In this study we describe the salient characteristics of the thermal infrared imaging camera and present the first retrievals from field studies at an erupting volcano. An automated ash alarm algorithm has been devised and tested and a quantitative ash retrieval scheme developed to infer particle sizes, infrared optical depths and mass in a developing ash column. The results suggest that the camera is a useful quantitative tool for monitoring volcanic particulates in the size range 1–10 μm and because it can operate during the night, it may be a very useful complement to other instruments (e.g. ultra-violet spectrometers) that only operate during daylight.     

分季节的太湖悬浮物遥感估测模型研究

根据1996-2002年无锡太湖监测站的水质资料分析,太湖悬浮物具有季节性特征,因而分季节的悬浮物估测模型比单一的模型可能更加适合用来估测太湖全年的悬浮物浓度.在分析太湖水体光谱特征的基础上,根据太湖悬浮物的季节性分布特征,使用春夏秋冬四季的Landsat TM/ETM图像和准同步的水质采样数据,建立了太湖分季节的悬浮物估算模型.结果表明:估测因子(B2 B3)/(B2/B3)在春、秋、冬三季都能很好地估测出悬浮物的浓度(R2＞0.52).夏季由于叶绿素的干扰性较大,悬浮物的估测效果不理想.冬季的估测效果最好(R2=0.81),模型为lnSS=14.656×(B2 B3)/(B2/B3) 1.661,其中,ln SS表示悬浮物取自然对数后的值,B2、B3为TM/ETM图像经过6S大气校正、3×3低通滤波后第2、3波段的反射率值.