An integrated bundle adjustment approach to range camera geometric self-calibration

This paper describes a new method for integrated range camera system self-calibration in which both traditional camera calibration parameters and rangefinder systematic error parameters are estimated simultaneously in a free-network bundle adjustment of observations to signalised targets. Its mathematical basis is collinearity and range observation equations augmented with correction models for systematic error sources identified in the data. The self-calibration results from datasets captured with two different range cameras, a SwissRanger SR3000 and a SwissRanger SR4000, are presented and analysed in detail. The method’s effectiveness is demonstrated in terms of systematic error removal and independent accuracy assessment. Up to a 54% reduction in the residual RMS was achieved by inclusion of the proposed error models in the self-calibration adjustment. An improvement of at least 74% in the RMS of object point co-ordinate differences, over that achieved without calibration or provided by the manufacturer’s software (in the case of the SR3000), was realised in an independent accuracy assessment. In addition, the effects of several influencing variables, including the range stochastic error model, the network geometry and the range measurements themselves, on key correlation mechanisms are analysed in detail.     

The temporal and spatial scales of rocky coast geomorphology: a commentary

Rocky shores are complex landforms that result from marine erosion and subaerial weathering. They are time‐integrated features where their present day form is the result of instantaneous erosion, often on the millimetre to sub‐metre scale, occurring for centuries to millennia. As a result, research on rocky coasts focuses on a range of temporal and spatial scales from granular‐scale swelling of a rock surface and instantaneous wave impact to modelling millennial‐scale sea level drivers. The challenge for rocky coast researchers is either to upscale or to downscale their results to the human‐timescales of greatest interest to managers. The research presented in Earth Surface Processes and Landforms over the past 3 years highlights the range of spatial and temporal approaches to the study of coastal cliffs and shore platforms. We identify a key temporal and spatial gap in current research. Seasonal–annual timeframes over hundreds of metres to kilometre scale studies appear to be lacking and are likely critical in understanding the future evolution of rocky coasts, especially their response to climate change. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ridge subduction,magmatism, and metallogenesis

Modern oceans contain large bathymetric highs(spreading oceanic ridges, aseismic ridges or oceanic plateaus and inactive arc ridges) that, in total, constitute more than 20–30% of the total area of the world's ocean floor. These bathymetric highs may be subducted, and such processes are commonly referred to as ridge subduction. Such ridge subduction events are not only very common and important geodynamic processes in modern oceanic plate tectonics, they also play an important role in the generation of arc magmatism, material recycling, the growth and evolution of continental crust, the deformation and modification of the overlying plates, and metallogenesis at convergent plate boundaries. Therefore, these events have attracted widespread attention. The perpendicular or high-angle subduction of mid-ocean spreading ridges is commonly characterized by the occurrence of a slab window, and the formation of a distinctive adakite–high-Mg andesite–Nb-enriched basalt-oceanic island basalt(OIB) or a mid-oceanic ridge basalt(MORB)-type rock suite, and is closely associated with Au mineralization. Aseismic ridges or oceanic plateaus are traditionally considered to be difficult to subduct, to typically collide with arcs or continents or to induce flat subduction(low angle of less than 10°) due to the thickness of their underlying normal oceanic crust(6–7 km) and high topography. However, the subduction of aseismic ridges and oceanic plateaus occurred on both the western and eastern sides of the Pacific Ocean during the Cenozoic. On the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean, aseismic ridges or oceanic plateaus are being subducted flatly or at low angles beneath South and Central American continents, which may cause a magmatic gap. But slab melting can occur and adakites, or an adakite–high-Mg andesite–adakitic andesite–Nb-enriched basalt suite may be formed during the slab rollback or tearing. Cu-Au mineralization is commonly associated with such flat subduction events. On the western side of the Pacific Ocean, however, aseismic ridges and oceanic plateaus are subducted at relatively high angles(30°).These subduction processes can generate large scale eruptions of basalts, basaltic andesites and andesites, which may be derived from fractional crystallization of magmas originating from the subduction zone fluid-metasomatized mantle wedge. In addition,some inactive arc ridges are subducted beneath Southwest Japan, and these subduction processes are commonly associated with the production of basalts, high-Mg andesites and adakites and Au mineralization. Besides magmatism and Cu-Au mineralization,ridge subduction may also trigger subduction erosion in subduction zones. Future frontiers of research will include characterizing the spatial and temporal patterns of ridge subduction events, clarifying the associated geodynamic mechanisms, quantifying subduction zone material recycling, establishing the associated deep crustal and mantle events that generate or influence magmatism and Cu-Au mineralization, establishing criteria to recognize pre-Cenozoic ridge subduction, the onset of modernstyle plate tectonics and the growth mechanisms for Archean continental crust.     

Using wind run to predict sand drift

Conventional aeolian sand transport models relate mass transport rate to wind speed or shear velocity, usually expressed and empirically tested on a 1-s time scale. Projections of total sand delivery over long time scales based on these models are highly sensitive to any small bias arising from statistical fitting on empirical data. We analysed time series of wind speed and sand transport rate collected at 14 independent measurement stations on a beach during a prior field experiment. The results show that relating total sand drift to cumulative above-threshold wind run yields models which are more statistically robust when fitted on empirical data, generating smaller prediction errors when projected to longer time scales. Testing of different power exponents indicates that a linear relationship between sand drift and above-threshold wind run yields the best results. These findings inspire a speculative novel phenomenological model relating the mass flow of air in the boundary layer to the mass transport of sand over the surface. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Cali meteorite fall: A new H/L ordinary chondrite

Abstract— The fall of the Cali meteorite took place on 6 July 2007 at 16 h 32 ± 1 min local time (21 h 32 ± 1 min UTC). A daylight fireball was witnessed by hundreds of people in the Cauca Valley in Colombia from which 10 meteorite samples with a total mass of 478 g were recovered near 3°24.3′N, 76°30.6′W. The fireball trajectory and radiant have been reconstructed with moderate accuracy. From the computed radiant and from considering various plausible velocities, we obtained a range of orbital solutions that suggest that the Cali progenitor meteoroid probably originated in the main asteroid belt. Based on petrography, mineral chemistry, magnetic susceptibility, thermoluminescence, and bulk chemistry, the Cali meteorite is classified as an H/L4 ordinary chondrite breccia.     

Diagenesis of plant biopolymers: Decay and macromolecular preservation of Metasequoia

Analysis of modern Metasequoia leaves revealed the presence of the structural polyester cutin, guaiacyl lignin units and polysaccharides. Analysis of environmentally decayed Metasequoia leaves revealed that guaiacyl lignin units and cellulose were degraded more than vinyl phenol (the last being the primary pyrolysis product of cutin and plant cuticles) suggesting that cutin is more stable than lignin and cellulose during degradation, contrary to some previous studies. This observation is supported by electron microscopy showing changes in the cellular structure and cuticle of modern, decayed and fossil Metasequoia leaves. Metasequoia fossils from the Eocene of Republic (Washington State) showed a significant aliphatic component, but biopolymeric lignin and polysaccharides were not detected. Fossils from the Eocene of Axel Heiberg revealed the presence of lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C₂₉ with cellulose, and fossils from the Miocene Clarkia deposit (Idaho) revealed lignin and an aliphatic polymer up to C₂₇ without any polysaccharides. Modern Metasequoia needles heated experimentally in confined conditions generated a macromolecular composition with an aliphatic polymer up to C₃₂ and additional phenolic compounds similar to those present in the fossils. Experimental heating of cutin is known to generate an aliphatic polymer with carbon chain length units <C₂₀. Thus, the n-alkyl component with chain length units >C₂₀ in the heated Metasequoia needles is a product of incorporation of longer chain plant waxes, indicated by the odd/even predominance of the >C₂₇ n-alkanes. The resistant nature of cutin compared to lignin and polysaccharides explains the presence of an n-alkyl component (<C₂₀) in fossil leaves even when polysaccharides are absent and lignin has decayed; cutin and its diagenetically altered products contribute significantly to the presence of aliphatic components in terrestrially derived sedimentary organic matter.     

Mixing efficiency in decaying stably stratified turbulence

Mixing efficiency in stratified flows is a measure of the proportion of turbulent kinetic energy that goes into increasing the potential energy of the fluid by irreversible mixing. In this research direct numerical simulations (DNS) and rapid distortion theory (RDT) calculations of transient turbulent mixing events are carried out in order to study this aspect of mixing. In particular, DNS and RDT of decaying, homogeneous, stably-stratified turbulence are used to determine the mixing efficiency as a function of the initial turbulence Richardson number R_it0=(N_L0/_u0)²$R{i}_{t0}={(N{L}_0/u_0)}^2$, where N   is the buoyancy frequency and _L0$L_0$ and _u0$u_0$ are initial length and velocity scales of the turbulence. The results show that the mixing efficiency increases with increasing R_it0$R{i}_{t0}$ for small R_it0$R{i}_{t0}$, but for larger R_it0$R{i}_{t0}$ the mixing efficiency becomes approximately constant. These results are compared with data from towed grid experiments. There is qualitative agreement between the DNS results and the available experimental data, but significant quantitative discrepancies. The grid turbulence experiments suggest a maximum mixing efficiency (at large R_it0$R{i}_{t0}$) of about 6%, while the DNS and RDT results give about 30%. We consider two possible reasons for this discrepancy: Prandtl number effects and non-matching initial conditions. We conclude that the main source of the disagreement probably is due to inaccuracy in determining the initial turbulence energy input in the case of the grid turbulence experiments.     

Excavating eurypterids,giant arthropods of the Palaeozoic

The eurypterids of the Silurian Bertie Group of North America are some of the most striking fossils known, with their dark organic cuticle outlined against a background of light coloured dolomite. Eurypterus is the most abundant genus but the pterygotids with their long grasping claws have fired our imagination as giant extinct predators. Large complete specimens are rarely found—the specimens are dominated by moulted exoskeletons that often disarticulate—but a giant that emerged from the rock more than 50 years ago is being prepared to go on display.     

Rivers as municipal infrastructure: Demand for environmental services in informal settlements along an Indonesian river

In many developing world cities, where municipal infrastructure lags urban growth, lower-income communities may compensate by relying on local waterways to meet basic needs for water, sanitation, and recreational space. Access to these environmental services is possible because residents settle in floodplains, but thus entails elevated exposure to several water-related hazards, especially flooding. We examine this complex relationship in the neighborhoods of Bukit Duri and Kampung Melayu on the Ciliwung River in Jakarta, Indonesia. Based on a spatially referenced household survey, we analyze and map the patterns of use of six environmental services provided by the river: direct sanitary use, recreation, harvesting plants, groundwater use, solid waste disposal, and sewage disposal. Using spatial interpolation and regression methods, we identify the most probable areas where services are being used and analyze possible influences on this behavior. We find that proximity to the river significantly influences households’ behavior toward the river, as do infrastructure-related variables and neighborhing households’ behavior, while household demographic factors appear less significant. These results indicate that many households rely on multiple environmental services, and that residents most reliant on these services are also at greater risk of water-related hazards, service disruption (e.g., a decline in water quality), and potentially, eviction. This pattern of floodplain development is prevalent in many low-income countries, and a better understanding of how informal settlements rely on environmental services can be used to assess their vulnerabilities and inform more sustainable courses of development.