Simulation of the Ku-band Radar altimeter sea ice effective scattering surface

A radiative transfer model is used to simulate the sea ice radar altimeter effective scattering surface variability as a function of snow depth and density. Under dry snow conditions without layering these are the primary snow parameters affecting the scattering surface variability. The model is initialized with in situ data collected during the May 2004 GreenIce ice camp in the Lincoln Sea (73/spl deg/W; 85/spl deg/N). Our results show that the snow cover is important for the effective scattering surface depth in sea ice and thus for the range measurement, ice freeboard, and ice thickness estimation.     

Application of S-SEBI model for crop evapotranspiration using Landsat-8 data over parts of North India

Estimation and monitoring of crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) or consumptive water use over large-area holds the key to irrigation management plans and regional drought preparedness. The objective of this study was to estimate ET_c by applying the simplified-surface energy balance index (S-SEBI) model to Landsat-8 data for the 2014–2015 period in parts of North India. An average ET_c was estimated 2.72 and 2.47 in mm day^?1 with 0.22, 0.18 standard deviation and 0.11, 0.07 standard error for Kharif and Rabi crops, respectively. On validation part, a close relationship was observed between S-SEBI derived and scintillometer observed evaporative fraction with 0.85 correlation coefficient and 0.86 agreement index. The statistical analysis also endorses the results accuracy and reliability with 0.026 and 0.602, relative root-mean square errors and model efficiency for wheat crop, respectively. The study showed that normalized difference vegetation index and LST are closely related and serve as a proxy for qualitative representation of ET_c.     

Finding and sharing GIS methods based on the questions they answer

Geographic information has become central for data scientists of many disciplines to put their analyzes into a spatio-temporal perspective. However, just as the volume and variety of data sources on the Web grow, it becomes increasingly harder for analysts to be familiar with all the available geospatial tools, including toolboxes in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), R packages, and Python modules. Even though the semantics of the questions answered by these tools can be broadly shared, tools and data sources are still divided by syntax and platform-specific technicalities. It would, therefore, be hugely beneficial for information science if analysts could simply ask questions in generic and familiar terms to obtain the tools and data necessary to answer them. In this article, we systematically investigate the analytic questions that lie behind a range of common GIS tools, and we propose a semantic framework to match analytic questions and tools that are capable of answering them. To support the matching process, we define a tractable subset of SPARQL, the query language of the Semantic Web, and we propose and test an algorithm for computing query containment. We illustrate the identification of tools to answer user questions on a set of common user requests.     

Illumination effects on the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio's optimality for assessing fire severity

The influence of illumination effects on the optimality of the dNBR (differenced Normalized Burn Ratio) was evaluated for the case of the 2007 Peloponnese (Greece) wildfires using a pre/post-fire Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) image couple. Well-illuminated pixels (south and south-east facing slopes) exhibited more optimal displacements in the bi-spectral feature space than more shaded pixels (north and north-west exposed slopes). Moreover, pixels experiencing a small image-to-image difference in illumination obtained a higher optimality than pixels with a relatively large difference in illumination. To correct for illumination effects, the c-correction method and a modified c-correction technique were applied. The resulting median dNBR optimality of uncorrected, c-corrected and modified c-correction data was respectively 0.58, 0.60 and 0.71 (differences significant for p < 0.001). The original c-correction method improved the optimality of badly illuminated pixels while deteriorating the optimality of well-illuminated pixels. In contrast, the modified c-correction technique improved the optimality of all the pixels while retaining the prime characteristic of topographic correction techniques, i.e. detrending the illumination–reflectance relationship. For a minority of the data, for shaded pixels and/or pixels with a high image-to-image difference in illumination, the original c-correction outperformed the modified c-correction technique. In this study conducted in rugged terrain and with a bi-temporal image acquisition scheme that deviated up to two months from the ideal anniversary date scheme the modified c-correction technique resulted in a more reliable change detection.     

Study of the optimum time span for distinguishing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Avena ludoviciana</Emphasis> from wheat crop based on their spectral reflectance characteristics

The study to establish the optimum time span for distinguishing Avena ludoviciana from wheat crop based on their spectral signatures was carried out at Student’s Research Farm, Department of Agronomy during 2006–07 and 2007–08. The experimental sites during both the seasons were sandy loam in texture, with normal soil reaction and electrical conductivity, low in organic carbon and available nitrogen and medium in available phosphorus and potassium. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications and consisting of twelve treatments comprising 0, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 200, 250 plants m⁻² and a pure Avena ludoviciana plot (T_max). The results revealed that in all the treatments irrespective of wheat and weeds, the red reflectance (%) value decreased from 34 to 95 DAS (days after sowing) in 2006–07 and 45 DAS to 100 DAS during 2007–08, and thereafter a sharp increase was observed in all the treatments. This trend might be due to increased chlorophyll index after 34 DAS as red reflectance was reduced by chlorophyll absorption. Among all the treatments, T_max (Pure Avena ludoviciana plot) had the highest red reflectance and T₀ (Pure wheat plot) had a lowest value of red reflectance during both the years. The highest value of IR reflectance was obtained at 95 DAS (2006–07) and 70 DAS (2007–08) in all the treatments. IR reflectance of wheat crop ranged between 24.61 and 61.21 per cent during 2006–07 and 27.33 and 67.3 per cent during 2007–08. However, IR reflectance values declined after 95 DAS and 70 DAS up to harvesting during 2006–07 and 2007–08. This lower reflectance may have been due to the onset of senescence. The highest RR and NDVI values were recorded under pure wheat treatment and minimum under pure weed plots. This may be due to dark green colour and better vigor of the wheat as compared to Avena ludoviciana. It was observed that by using RR and NDVI, pure wheat can be distinguished from pure populations of Avena ludoviciana after 34 DAS and different levels of weed populations can be discriminated amongst themselves from 68 DAS up to 107 DAS during both the years of investigation.     

Assessment of coastal bio-resources of the Palk Bay,India, using IRS-LISS-III data

Coastal resources viz., coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves, and coastal land features viz., sandy beach, mudflats and salt pan/aquaculture ponds were classified and assessed in the Palk Bay region of the south-east coast of India using IRS LISS III satellite image (1996, 2000, 2002 and 2004). The study recorded an areal coverage of 286.95 ha of reef area during 2004, which is 177.54 ha lesser than that of the reef area of 1996. The reef vegetation composed mainly of seaweeds has gained over 29.44 ha during the same period. Likewise, sand over reef area has also increased alarmingly i.e. 120.34 ha between 1996 and 2004. The seagrass beds of Munaikkadu region of the Palk Bay are comparatively protected and have gained over 7.5 ha between 1996 and 2004. It has been found that both the dense (2.99 ha) and sparse (36.45 ha) mangroves have gained their areal coverage considerably between 1996 and 2004. Whereas in Devipattinam region, many anthropogenic pressures are exerted only on the seagrass resources which has led to the reduction of over 785.5 ha of dense seagrass beds between 1996 and 2004. The study clearly indicated that the resources are under the pressures of low to high threats, especially the coral reefs and seagrasses, if the pressures continue, coastal resources of the Palk Bay may face serious threats of destruction in this part of the Bay in the years to come.     

CCD Image System Design And Exploitation: Experiences And Lessons Learned

The use of digital imagery, acquired through charge-coupled devices (CCDs) either by the scanning of hard copy film or direct capture through the use of a CCD camera, has fundamentally changed the photogrammetric environment. In order to fully exploit these digital image data, the photogrammetrist must employ system design, implementation philosophies and processing methodologies different from those of traditional film based photogrammetry. It is now possible for these new photogrammetric systems to be operated from low cost, high performance PC and Macintosh class commercial hardware, using vendor supplied software for user developed applications. This paper explores lessons learned and experiences gained from low cost, digital photogrammetric system development and CCD image exploitation. Examples and discussion presented in this paper include: (1) integration of user developed applications with commercial hardware and software; (2) user interface design; (3) validation of processing algorithms within the digital image domain; (4) system calibration; (5) digital image data handling, management and storage; and (6) image data compression. The film based photogrammetric system provides the point of departure to digital photogrammetry. Technical knowledge, system design and implementation and CCD image exploitation provide the experience.     

Preparation of volume table of SAL (Shorea robusta) - an approach using satellite data

Sal (Shorea robusta) is an important forest tree species in north and north-eastern India. Large-scale plantations of this species have been raised there under taungya and coppice system of management. The conventional volume table prepared for high sal forest is referred to infer the volume of production of this species. Earlier workers have used aerial remote sensing data to develop volume tables of this species. In the present study a volume table for sal is developed based on remotely sensed satellite data using a regression technique. A two-step method was developed to estimate mean tree volume from satellite data. In step 1, mean crown diameter — an intermediate variable - was estimated from satellite data. In step 2, the estimated mean crown diameter was used to estimate the mean tree volume. Addition of age of the crop as an independent variable improved the predictive ability of the regression equation.