PCA and SVM as geo-computational methods for geological mapping in the southern of Tunisia,using ASTER remote sensing data set

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficiency of Advanced Space Borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data in the discrimination of geological formations and the generation of geological map in the northern margin of the Tunisian desert. The nine ASTER bands covering the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions (wavelength range of 400–2500 nm) have been treated and analyzed. As a first step of data processing, crosstalk correction, resampling, orthorectification, atmospheric correction, and radiometric normalization have been applied to the ASTER radiance data. Then, to decrease the redundancy information in highly correlated bands, the principal component analysis (PCA) has been applied on the nine ASTER bands. The results of PCA allow the validation and the rectification of the lithological boundaries already published on the geologic map, and gives a new information for identifying new lithological units corresponding to superficial formations previously undiscovered. The application of a supervised classification on the principal components image using a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm shows good correlation with the reference geologic map. The overall classification accuracy is 73 % and the kappa coefficient equals to 0.71. The processing of ASTER remote sensing data set by PCA and SVM can be employed as an effective tool for geological mapping in arid regions.     

Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphy of Kometan Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in the imbricated zone,northeastern Iraq

Facies and sequence stratigraphic analysis of the Kometan Formation (Upper Cretaceous) were studied from Kometan village, Kurdistan region of northeastern Iraq. Lithologically, the formation consists of 44 m of white weathering, light grey, thin to medium-bedded highly fractured limestones with chert nodules. Petrographic study of the carbonates shows that both skeletal and non-skeletal grains were present. The skeletal grains include a variety of planktonic foraminifera (including Oligostegina), calcispheres, ostracods, pelecypods, larva ammonite, and echinoderms. Non-skeletal grains include peloids only. Three main microfacies types are distinguished in the studied formation. The results of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes of the studied carbonate samples show negative values of δ¹⁸O. These indicate that the seawater was warm with low salinity during precipitation of the carbonates in the Kometan Formation in northeastern Iraq. The positive δ¹³C values of carbonate samples, in the middle part of the formation, reflect the widespread deposition of organic-rich marine sediments during a transgression and deepening of the basin. Petrographic, facies and stable isotopic analyses revealed that the Kometan Formation was deposited in a warm, basinal, pelagic (open marine) environment with low salinity. The Kometan Formation consists of one complete third-order depositional sequence, separated by a sequence boundary (SB) of type 2. The third-order sequence is subdivided into a transgressive systems tract (TST) and highstand systems tract (HST). This reflects episodes of transgression and still stands of the relative sea level. The TSTs are topped by maximum flooding surface (MFS) characterized by deepening-/fining-upward parasequences implying a retrogradational stacking pattern. The HST is marked by shallowing-/coarsening-upward parasequences implying a progradational stacking pattern.     

Automatic identification of fake patterns caused by short-width wavelets in seismic data

Despite the popularity of using the Haar wavelet filter in many applications, it sometimes introduces fake patterns into the multi resolution analysis (MRA) of seismic data. In this work, we compared different wavelet filters to demonstrate that these patterns are fake and not part of the original waveforms and to show that they are a result of using the Haar wavelet filter as a short-width wavelet. To achieve this, many seismic waveforms from two different sources: the Egyptian National Seismic Network (ENSN) and the High Sensitivity Seismograph Network Japan (Hi-net) are used with different wavelet filters. We propose an algorithm based on an autoregressive (AR) model to detect these patterns automatically and fully.     

Using cloud water path and cloud top temperature for estimating convective and stratiform rainfall from SEVIRI daytime data

A satellite rainfall retrieval technique is proposed here. The relationships of rain rate with each of cloud water path (CWP) and cloud top temperature (CTT) are investigated. The CWP and CTT are retrieved from SEVIRI data (spinning enhanced visible and infrared imager), and corresponding rain rates are measured by weather radar. The rain rates are compared to corresponding CWP and then to corresponding CTT. The investigation demonstrates an exponential functional dependency between rain rates and CWP for low and moderate rain rates (stratiform rainfall). Conversely, the rain rates are more closely related to CTT for high rain rates (convective rainfall). Therefore, two separate relationships are established for rain rate retrievals. The results show rain rates estimated by the developed scheme are in good correlation with those observed by weather radar.     

Anomalous optical variations in the grossular garnet from the Eden Mills,Belvidere Mountain (Vermont,USA)

The optical anomalies, and surface and lamellar textures of a birefringent grossular garnet crystal from the Eden Mills, Belvidere Mountain, Vermont, USA, have been investigated by optical polarizing microscope, electron-probe micro-analyzer, back-scattered electron imaging, infrared spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffractometer from the standpoint of crystal growth. This grossular shows one-to-one correlation between natural surface features and its internal textures under crossed polarizers. Electron-probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) gave average chemical composition in (110) thin section, of bright lamella {Ca_2.97Mn_0.06}_∑3.03 [Al_1.59Fe_0.37Ti_0.01]_∑1.97(Si_3.00)_∑3.00 (Gros_79.5And_18.9Sps_1.6) and of dark host {Ca_2.99Mn _0.06}_∑3.05 [Al_1.73Fe_0.26 Ti_0.01]_∑2.00(Si_2.97OH_0.03)_∑3.00 (Gros_85.4And₁₃Sps_1.6). The correspondence of surface features and the internal textures with spiral or pyramidal growth mechanism suggest that the internal textures of the Eden Mills grossular are formed during growth process. The optical vibrational orientations and the growth steps inclination along [001] and \( \left[\overset{-}{1}10\right] \) directions predict monoclinic symmetry. With X-ray diffractometer (XRD) method, pseudocubic parameters are a = 11.839(2) Å, b = 11.855(1) Å, and c = 11.868(2) Å with interaxial angles α = 90.00(1)°, β = 89.99(1)°, and γ = 90.02(2)° that show orthorhombic symmetry of this crystal. Lamellar texture of Al³⁺-rich host with Fe³⁺-rich lamella infers cation ordering at octahedral site of the garnet structure. IR data favors the non-cubic orientation of [(OH) ₄] at tetrahedral position in this grossular structure.     

Regional debris flow susceptibility analysis based on principal component analysis and self-organizing map: a case study in Southwest China

A method was developed to analyze the susceptibilities of 541 regional basins affected by debris flows at the Wudongde Dam site in southwest China. Determining susceptibility requires information on source material quantity and occurrence frequency. However, the large number of debris flows can hinder the individual field investigation in a each small basin. Factors that may trigger debris flows can be identified using remotely sensed interpretation information. Susceptibility analysis can then be conducted based on these factors. In this study, SPOT5 satellite imagery, digital elevation models (DEM), a lithology distribution map, and rainfall monitoring data were used to identify 12 debris flow trigger factors: basin relief ratio, slope gradient in the initiation zone, drainage density, downslope curvature of the main channel, vegetation coverage, main channel aspect, topographic wetness index, Melton’s ruggedness number, lithology, annual rainfall, form factor, and cross-slope curvature of the transportation zone. Principal component analysis was used to obtain the eight principal components of these factors that contribute to susceptibility results. Then, a self-organizing map method was adopted to analyze the principal components, which resulted in a debris flow susceptibility classification. Field validation of 26 debris flow basins was used to evaluate the errors of the susceptibility classification, as well as assess the causes of such errors. The study found that principle component analysis and self-organizing map methodologies are good predictors of basin susceptibility to debris flows.     

Ground penetrating radar and 2D electric resistivity studies for tracing hydrocarbon leakage site,close to Abha City: a case study

This work presents the application of the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) method and electric resistivity tomography (ERT) technique in outlining a zone of contamination due to the light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL) plume underground in the area of an impacted fuel station, close to Abha City. The GPR has been performed using SIR3000 unit with the 100 and 400 MHz antennas. The main objective of the GPR survey was to evaluate the lateral extension of contamination. The complex GPR signature of the plume was well characterized. Low reflectivity zone corresponds to hydrocarbon vapor phase in the vadose zone. Enhanced reflections are associated with free and residual products in the fractured saturated zone directly above the water table. An electric resistivity tomography (ERT) survey was performed on four profiles within the site to investigate the vertical and horizontal extent of the contamination plume and to define the bottom of the landfill. The 2D electric profiles show the presence of low-resistivity (4O to 37 Ω m) anomalies that refers to the presence of accumulated hydrocarbons. From the interpretation of the GPR and ERT profile, it was possible to locate the top and bottom of the contamination plume of the waste disposal site. The radar signal penetrated deep enough and enabled the identification of a second reflector at approximately 10-m deep, interpreted as the hard basement surface which causes the strong amplitude reflection in the GPR profile. The results of GPR and ERT showed good agreement.     

海洋卡盾藻对青岛大扁藻的化感作用及其对UV-B辐射的响应

本研究以海洋微藻——赤潮藻海洋卡盾藻(Chattonella marina)与饵料藻青岛大扁藻(Platymonas helgolandica var.tsingtaoensis)为研究对象,采用单培养和共培养的方法,研究二者间的竞争关系,并在此基础上研究海洋卡盾藻去藻过滤液和藻细胞裂解液对青岛大扁藻的化感作用,同时进一步探讨两种海洋微藻间的化感作用对UV-B辐射增强的响应。结果显示:共培养条件下,海洋卡盾藻在2个高浓度下对青岛大扁藻的生长产生显著抑制(P0.05);海洋卡盾藻去藻过滤液和藻细胞裂解液对青岛大扁藻的生长也具有显著抑制作用(P0.05),且藻细胞裂解液的抑制作用更强,说明海洋卡盾藻对青岛大扁藻产生化感作用,且通过细胞间直接接触传递的化感物质多于通过介质传递的。不同密度比例的2种藻共培养组用UV-B辐射(2.16J/m2)处理后,海洋卡盾藻对青岛大扁藻生长的化感作用有所减弱。     

大凌河河口地区晚更新世晚期以来的沉积环境演化

对大凌河河口地区ZK3钻孔(孔深36.7 m)岩心开展粒度分析、AMS14C年代测定、有孔虫鉴定分析等综合研究,同时结合该地区5口工程钻孔的岩心以及部分测年资料,初步建立了大凌河河口地区晚更新世晚期以来典型的地层序列格架和时空对比框架,揭示该地区晚更新世晚期以来河道-湖沼-滨海/河口湾-浅海-三角洲的沉积演化过程。研究结果表明:大凌河河口地区在8 500 cal a BP前后开始接受海相沉积,并约在4 000 cal a BP之后进入三角洲沉积阶段;晚更新世晚期以来的海平面变化是大凌河河口沉积演化和沉积环境演变的主要控制因素;大凌河对现代辽河三角洲的形成和演化过程可能有较重要的影响。