Using high-resolution satellite imagery to provide a relief priority map after earthquake

After the earthquake occurrence, collecting correct information about the extent of damage is essential for managing critical conditions and allocating limited resources. The prepared building damage maps sometimes bring about waste of time required for rescuing individuals under the rubble by wrongly conducting rescue teams toward regions with a lower rescue priority. In this research, an algorithm based on using a proposed standard at database level was developed to prioritize damaged buildings by considering five key elements of land use type, the degree of damage to buildings, the land use differentiation index, time of the highest population density in each land use, and time of disaster’s incidence. The steps of the proposed method which was implemented in the MATLAB environment include: detecting buildings on the pre- and post-event imagery, implementing texture features for each candidate building, choosing the optimal features by genetic algorithm, determining the degree of building damage in three classes of negligible damage, substantial damage, and heavy damage by using the difference between chosen features as inputs of the designed neurofuzzy inference system. Data collected from field observations were compared to the output obtained from the proposed algorithm. This comparison presented a general accuracy of 88% and Kappa coefficient of 79% in the classification of buildings into three damage classes. The proposed standard then was used for classifying damaged buildings into relief priorities of high, medium, and low. Findings revealed that the relief priority map could be a basis for correct guidance of relief and rescue teams during crucial times following earthquakes.     

GIS-based gully erosion susceptibility mapping: a comparison among three data-driven models and AHP knowledge-based technique

Toroud Watershed in Semnan Province, Iran is a prone area to gully erosion that causes to soil loss and land degradation. To consider the gully erosion, a comprehensive map of gully erosion susceptibility is required as useful tool for decreasing losses of soil. The purpose of this research is to generate a reliable gully erosion susceptibility map (GESM) using GIS-based models including frequency ratio (FR), weights-of-evidence (WofE), index of entropy (IOE), and their comparison to an expert knowledge-based technique, namely, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). At first, 80 gully locations were identified by extensive field surveys and Google Earth images. Then, 56 (70%) gully locations were randomly selected for modeling process, and the remaining 26 (30%) gully locations were used for validation of four models. For considering geo-environmental factors, VIF and tolerance indices are used and among 18 factors, 13 factors including elevation, slope degree, slope aspect, plan curvature, distance from river, drainage density, distance from road, lithology, land use/land cover, topography wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and slope–length (LS) were selected for modeling aims. After preparing GESMs through the mentioned models, final maps divided into five classes including very low, low, moderate, high, and very high susceptibility. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the seed cell area index (SCAI) as two validation techniques applied for assessment of the built models. The results showed that the AUC (area under the curve) in training data are 0.973 (97.3%), 0.912 (91.2%), 0.939 (93.9%), and 0.926 (92.6%) for AHP, FR, IOE, and WofE models, respectively. In contrast, the prediction rates (validating data) were 0.954 (95.4%), 0.917 (91.7), 0.925 (92.5%), and 0.921 (92.1%) for above models, respectively. Results of AUC indicated that four model have excellent accuracy in prediction of prone areas to gully erosion. In addition, the SCAI values showed that the produced maps are generally reasonable, because the high and very high susceptibility classes had very low SCAI values. The results of this research can be used in soil conservation plans in the study area.     

Experimental study of the effect of material and arrangement of electrodes and voltage on the electro-remediation of saturated clays containing chloride and sulfate ions

Electro-remediation process (ERP) is used for dewatering and decontaminating of the soil and improving its mechanical properties. In this study, the effect of voltage, electrode materials, and their arrangement on ERP were studied. The saturated clayey soil was remolded in four boxes at a dry density of 16.2 kN/m³. The process was performed in three stages. The chemical tests at the end of ERP indicated that the absorption of chloride ions in the anode may differ from 89 to 642% due to electro-migration phenomenon. The pH of the soil decreases in anode zone and increases towards the cathode zone. Up to 92% of the sulfate ions were transported and accumulated in the anode. However, in highly contaminated soil, the absorption ratio is 5% in the cathode due to the domination of electro-osmosis process. It was indicated that the electro-osmosis permeability coefficient (K_e) depends on the applied voltage, the soil type, and temperature and its reduction versus time is inversely related to applied voltage. Also, sulfate ions reduced by 74% in the anode due to a change in absorption direction. The results showed that the optimum configuration is linear along with a voltage of 18 V.     

Efficiency removal of phenol, lead and cadmium by means of UV/TiO2/H2O2 processes

A variety of processes can be used in treatment of industrial wastewaters. The relatively newest of which is photo catalysis with titanium dioxide which may also be used plus hydrogen peroxide to improve the treatment rate. In this study, photo catalysis/ hydrogen peroxide processes had been employed for the removal of phenol, lead and cadmium by three different pHs of 3.5, 7 and 11. The treatment tests were also accomplished without UV irradiation. In both experiments, the variables were pH and concentrations of reagent chemicals, but the detention time was kept constant (180 min). Results indicated that the optimum efficiencies of phenol and Cd removal were 76 % and 97.7 % at pH=11, respectively, and for lead, it was 98.8% in all pHs. In other words, no pH dependency was regarded for lead treatment. These results were all obtained by simultaneous use of UV irradiation with 3 mL/L H₂O₂ and 0.8 g/L TiO₂. Finally, the best pH for treatment, when all the three contaminants are presented is considered to be at 11. These results should be regarded by all industrial treatment plants which have experienced the problem of these three special contaminants in their effluents.     

Coastline change detection using remote sensing

Coast is a unique environment in which atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere contact each other. Coastline is one of the most important linear features on the earth’s surface, which display a dynamic nature. Coastal zone, and its environmental management requires the information about coastlines and their changes. This paper examines the current methods of coastline change detection using satellite images. Based on the advantages and drawbacks of the methods, a new procedure has been developed. The proposed procedure is based on a combination of histogram thresholding and band ratio techniques. The study area of the project is Urmia Lake; the 20^th. largest, and the second hyper saline lake in the world. In order to assess the accuracy of the results, they have been compared with ground truth observations. The accuracy of the extracted coastline has been estimated as 1.3 pixels (pixel size=30 m). Based on this investigation, the area of the lake has been decreased approximately 1040 square kilometers from August 1998 to August 2001. This result has been verified through TOPEX/Posidon satellite information that indicates a height variation of three meters.     

Application of environmental management system — ISO 14001: 1996, in urban environment and municipalities

Application of environmental management system (EMS) in urban environment provides a city with orderliness, regularity, quietness and freshness environment. Besides, it contributes sustainable development and optimization in life level index of the city. If the whole urban districts design and establish an environmental management system ISO 14001, the development will be faster and more sustainable. Municipality of Tehran, District 22 has been found and started an activity under the command of Sterling Council of Iran Urbanization and Architecture in order to regenerate the urbanization concealed concepts and also to control and organize the excessive constructions in west and northwest of Tehran since 2000. As a result of human undergoing development activities, the process of urbanization during many years has caused various environmental impacts. Thus, decision makers and managers considered urban sustainable development as a main strategy. District-22, has taken the required steps in providing sustainable development, safety and health of the organization and citizens in the related district. Environmental policy and commitment of top management (Mayor of the District-22) are to keep environmental conservation, in a well organized manner. In this study, dominant environmental aspects, impacts and legal requirements of the related activities and services are identified. Subsequently, environmental objectives and targets and also environmental management programs have been determined. Besides, training, internal and external communication, operational control, emergency preparedness and responsibility, obligations to follow environmental rules and achieving certification of ISO 14001; 1996 standard are the most important highlights at this study. The planning process, establishing and the method of operation has also been studied.     

Vertical distribution and source identification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in anoxic sediment cores of Chini Lake, Malaysia: Perylene as indicator of land plant-derived hydrocarbons

Four anoxic sediment cores were collected from Chini Lake, Malaysia in order to investigate the variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and perylene concentrations. The study also determined significant differences of perylene concentrations in different sediment layers. Total PAH concentrations ranged from 248 to 8098 ng g⁻¹ in the samples. Diagnostic PAH ratios such as methylphenanthrenes/phenanthrene (MP/P), phenanthrene/anthracene (P/A) and fluoranthene/(fluoranthene + pyrene) (Fl/(Fl + Py) revealed a dominance of pyrogenic influences and partial petrogenic inputs to the top sediment layers. Perylene concentrations were high in the top layers (<12 cm) and increased with increasing depth. There is a significant positive correlation (r = 0.705, p = 0.01) between perylene concentrations and TOC. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and LSD revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) in TOC-normalized perylene concentrations between the upper (<12 cm) and bottom layers (>12 cm). The average perylene concentrations accounted for 26–50% (0–12 cm) and 50–77% (12–36 cm) of pentacyclic-aromatic hydrocarbon isomers (PAI) present whereas it made up 10–34% (0–12 cm) and 46–66% (12–36 cm) of the total PAH. The average pyrene concentrations decreased with increasing depth and accounted for 62% (0–3 cm), 20–23% (3–12 cm) and 3–1.4% (12–36 cm) of perylene present. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis based on these ratios suggested different input sources for the top and bottom layers. It is concluded that the activity of termites on woody plants produced perylene which is supplied to the lake by run-off from the heavy and frequent rains in this Asian tropical climate. In addition, there was also in situ formation of perylene in the bottom layers due to diagenetic processes.