Implementation of RISAT-1 Hybrid Polarimetric Decomposition Techniques and Analysis Using Corner Reflector Data

With recent advances in polarimetry, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) with Hybrid–polarity architecture, a demonstration of compact polarimetry enabled larger swath coverage, reduced PRF and SAR system complexity as compared to fully polarimetric systems. The first Hybrid Polarimetric Space-borne SAR in Earth Observation orbit, India’s Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1) is a new-fangled gateway to remote sensing user community for land and oceanic applications. In response to a right-circular polarized transmitted signal, based on the derived stokes vectors, Stokes parameters are estimated to produce several useful quantitative measures for generating polarimetric decomposed image. m-delta, m-chi and m-alpha polarimetric decomposition methods along with suitable weighting functions in terms of three principal components are implemented which maps Stokes parameters to RGB image space for representing odd bounce, even bounce and volume scattering targets. Various RISAT-1 Hybrid Fine Resolution Stripmap Single-Look Complex SAR datasets acquired over deployed corner reflectors at calibration site, Shadnagar have been considered over which different hybrid polarimetric decomposition techniques are implemented using in-house developed software. Further analysis produced encouraging results with standard point targets like dihedral and trihedral corner reflectors against distributed targets in the same scene to demonstrate the scattering mechanisms as per their characteristics when interacted with a polarized signal were presented in this paper.     

GIS-based landslide susceptibility zonation and comparative analysis using analytical hierarchy process and conventional weighting-based multivariate statistical methods in the Lachung River Basin,North Sikkim

Natural Hazards - The timely and accurate assessment of casualties is the key for and basis of emergency rescue work after an earthquake. In this paper, through exponential fitting of historical...     

Soil characterization based on land cover heterogeneity over a tropical landscape: an integrated approach using earth observation data-sets

Soil is a vital part of the natural environment and is always responding to changes in environmental factors, along with the influences of anthropogenic factors and land use changes. The long-term change in soil properties will result in change in soil health and fertility, and hence the soil productivity. Hence, the main aim of this paper focuses on the analysis of land use/land cover (LULC) change pattern in spatial and temporal perspective and to present its impact on soil properties in the Merawu catchment over the period of 18?years. Post classification change detection was performed to quantify the decadal changes in historical LULC over the periods of 1991, 2001 and 2009. The pixel to pixel comparison method was used to detect the LULC of the area. The key LULC types were selected for investigation of soil properties. Soil samples were analysed in situ to measure the physicochemical soil properties. The results of this study show remarkable changes in LULC in the period of 18?years. The effect of land cover change on soil properties, soil compaction and soil strength was found to be significant at a level of <0.05.     

Climate change and adaptation: an integrated framework linking social and physical aspects in poorly-gauged regions

Various frameworks related to climate change and adaptations that have been developed to date have notable benefits as well as significant limitations. It is not always practical to implement advanced climate change frameworks in situations with limited data availability. Social aspects, such as people’s experience and perception, are often under-prioritized. Therefore, this study introduces an integrated framework linking social and physical aspects of climate change to assess its impacts on water resources and to evaluate differing adaptation options in poorly gauged basins. A case study of the Kali Gandaki River Basin (KGRB) in western Nepal is presented to demonstrate the applicability of this framework. Results of the study show that people of the mountainous Mustang district in the KGRB have perceived climate change or climate variability, its impacts on water resources, as well as other water-related issues and potential adaptations or responses. Furthermore, evaluation of people’s perception using available physical data confirms the increase in temperature and average annual discharge in the Kali Gandaki River as well as poor water use, as a major problem at all levels in the basin. Despite increasing water availability, a concurrent increase in water use is difficult due to topographic constraints on irrigation development. However, the impacts of climate change are particularly severe in Mustang, owing to the fact that a large proportion of the population depends on a climate-sensitive livelihood like agriculture. Therefore, various adaptation options are identified in the agricultural sector, and one relevant option is further evaluated. The framework developed in this study has the potential to be further applied to other poorly gauged basins.     

Photometric and polarimetric studies of three W UMa-type binaries: FZ Ori,V407 Peg and LP UMa

We present analyses of new optical photometric observations of three W UMa-type contact binaries FZ Ori, V407 Peg and LP UMa. Results from the first polarimetric observations of the FZ Ori and V407 Peg are also presented. The periods of FZ Ori, V407 Peg and LP UMa are derived to be 0.399986, 0.636884 and 0.309898 d, respectively. The O?C analyses indicate that the orbital periods of FZ Ori and LP UMa have increased with the rate of 2.28×10^?8 and 1.25×10^?6 d?yr^?1, respectively and which is explained by transfer of mass between the components. In addition to the secularly increasing rate of orbital period, it was found that the period of FZ Ori has varied in sinusoidal way with oscillation period of ～30.1 yr. The period of oscillations are most likely to be explained by the light-time effect due to the presence of a tertiary companion. Small asymmetries have been seen around the primary and secondary maxima of light curves of all three systems, which is probably due to the presence of cool/hot spots on the components. The light curves of all three systems are analysed by using Wilson-Devinney code (WD) and the fundamental parameters of these systems have been derived. The present analyses show that FZ Ori is a W-subtype, and V407 Peg and LP UMa are A-subtype of the W UMa-type contact binary systems. The polarimetric observations in B, V, R and I bands, yield average values of polarization to be 0.26±0.03, 0.22±0.02, 0.22±0.03 and 0.22±0.05 per cent for FZ Ori and 0.21±0.02, 0.29±0.03, 0.31±0.01 and 0.31±0.04 per cent for V407 Peg, respectively.     

A search for the 53-MHz OH line near G48.4−1.4 using the National MST Radar Facility

We present the results of a search for the ground-state hyperfine transition of the OH radical near 53 MHz using the National Mesosphere–Stratosphere–Troposphere (MST) Radar Facility at Gadanki, India. The observed position was G48.4−1.4 near the Galactic plane. The OH line is not detected. We place a 3σ upper limit for the line flux density at 39 Jy from our observations. We also did not detect recombination lines (RLs) of carbon, which were within the frequency range of our observations. The 3σ upper limit of 20 Jy obtained for the flux density of carbon RLs, along with observations at 34.5 and 327 MHz, are used to constrain the physical properties of the line-forming region. Our upper limit is consistent with the line emission expected from a partially ionized region with electron temperature, density and path lengths in the range 20–300 K, 0.03–0.3 cm⁻³ and 0.1–170 pc, respectively.     

An exact solution of two-dimensional steady MGD flows

Steady-plane flow of an inviscid, electrically-conducting, compressible fluid with infinite electrical conductivity is considered and a single partial differential equation is obtained which involves two functions. Appropriate specialization of these functions generate new exact solutions of the orginal equations.     

Hβ luminosity of extragalactic objects and evolution of galaxies

Hourly interplanetary proton plasma data, measured by Helios-1 and Helios-2 heliocentric satellites over the period extending between the sunspot minimum and maximum of the 21rst solar cycle are analysed. This analysis gives an emphasis in the presence of a third type solar wind (intermediate) at 450 km s^–1, appearing at solar minimum, during which large coronal holes are dominating in the Sun. This type of solar wind is hardly to be observed during the solar maximum period.Both Helios-1 and Helios-2 data give an average speed of the slow solar wind of 350 km s^–1 for the period between these two extremes of solar activities.After correlation of the plasma temperature with its speed in different heliocentric distances, it comes out the stronger heating which takes place in distances shorter than 0.6 AU than in distances between 0.6 and 1.0 AU.A different behaviour of the radial proton temperature gradient in different solar activities appears after the calculation of the gradients as a function of solar wind speed and radial distance.     

The problem of auroral NO+ concentration and the intensity of 1·27μ bands of O2

The problem of the theoretical computation of the emission intensities and ion composition in a weak aurora which has been preceded by a stronger event is examined. For this purpose a model auroral precipitation consisting of biexponential primaries is considered. The softer of the two components is brighter, and begins to decay after remaining steady for ten to fifteen minutes. The other, harder component starts to build up at that instant. Our results suggest that at least a part of the high $\text{n(}\text{NO}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}\text{n(}\text{O}{}_2{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)}\text{or}\text{I}\text{(1·27 μ)}\text{I}\text{(3914}\text{A}\text{?}\text{)}$ ratios could be attributed to the retention, by the atmosphere, of the memory of previous auroral precipitations. Thus, the serious energy paradox in the context of 1·27 μ intensity need not arise, and, in the context of the large NO⁺ density, it may perhaps be unnecessary to invoke any major conversion of O₂ to NO thus avoiding the associated energy problem.     

The gravitational instability of flow through porous medium for some systems of astrophysical interest

The gravitational instability of flow through porous medium for some hydrodynamical and hydromagnetical systems of astrophysical interest is investigated. The effects of rotation, magnetic field, viscosity and finite electrical conductivity are studied for the gravitational instability through porous medium. The effect of suspended particles on the instability is also considered. It is found that Jean's criterion remains unchanged in the presence of porosity, viscosity, finite conductivity, rotation, magnetic field and suspended particles in the medium.