Estimating sagebrush cover in semi-arid environments using Landsat Thematic Mapper data

Sagebrush ecosystems of the western US provide important habitat for several ungulate and vertebrate species. As a consequence of energy development, these ecosystems in Wyoming have been subjected to a variety of anthropogenic disturbances. Land managers require methodology that will allow them to consistently catalog sagebrush ecosystems and evaluate potential impact of proposed anthropogenic activities. This study addresses the utility of remotely sensed and ancillary geospatial data to estimate sagebrush cover using ordinal logistic regression. We demonstrate statistically significant prediction of ordinal sagebrush cover categories using spectral (χ² = 113; p < 0.0001) and transformed indices (χ² = 117; p < 0.0001). Both Landsat spectral bands (c-value = 0.88) and transformed indices (c-value = 0.89) can distinguish sites with closed, moderate and open cover sagebrush cover categories from no cover. The techniques described in this study can be used for estimating categories of sagebrush cover in arid ecosystems.     

Geographical model for precise agriculture monitoring with real-time remote sensing

This paper presents a remote sensing model for crop monitoring that was developed by the authors in a multi-year study. It also presents two experiments conducted for testing a newly developed application. The model combines remote sensing models using mapping of the spatial distribution of vegetation in an agricultural field, with precision agricultural models that maximize the output (yield) while minimizing the input (cost). This combination enables one to operate a monitoring and management process that includes every sub-unit of the field using remote sensing mapping.The model consists of five steps: (1) Preparing information layers that map the crop-affecting elements, e.g. irrigation and topography; (2) Collecting spectral and plant data simultaneously; (3) Processing and analyzing the data in order to prepare vegetation maps; (4) Decision-making in accordance with the above-mentioned maps or with predicted-yield maps; and (5) Quality control.The experiments showed that although the results were not statistically significant, the application of the proposed model enables one to draw recommendations within 45 h, and that remote sensing monitoring results in more benefits than do traditional control methods. The quality control was not ideal, due to the narrow range of the spectrum used in the remote sensing monitoring.     

Consideration of time-correlated errors in a Kalman filter applicable to GNSS

An algorithm for considering time-correlated errors in a Kalman filter is presented. The algorithm differs from previous implementations in that it does not suffer from numerical problems; does not contain inherent time latency or require reinterpretation of Kalman filter parameters, and gives full consideration to additive white noise that is often still present but ignored in previous implementations. Simulation results indicate that the application of the new algorithm yields more realistic and therefore useful state and covariance information than the standard implementation. Results from a field test of the algorithm applied to the problem of kinematic differential GPS demonstrate that the algorithm provides slightly pessimistic covariance estimates whereas the standard Kalman filter provides optimistic covariance estimates.     

Phase center modeling for LEO GPS receiver antennas and its impact on precise orbit determination

Most satellites in a low-Earth orbit (LEO) with demanding requirements on precise orbit determination (POD) are equipped with on-board receivers to collect the observations from Global Navigation Satellite systems (GNSS), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). Limiting factors for LEO POD are nowadays mainly encountered with the modeling of the carrier phase observations, where a precise knowledge of the phase center location of the GNSS antennas is a prerequisite for high-precision orbit analyses. Since 5 November 2006 (GPS week 1400), absolute instead of relative values for the phase center location of GNSS receiver and transmitter antennas are adopted in the processing standards of the International GNSS Service (IGS). The absolute phase center modeling is based on robot calibrations for a number of terrestrial receiver antennas, whereas compatible antenna models were subsequently derived for the remaining terrestrial receiver antennas by conversion (from relative corrections), and for the GNSS transmitter antennas by estimation. However, consistent receiver antenna models for space missions such as GRACE and TerraSAR-X, which are equipped with non-geodetic receiver antennas, are only available since a short time from robot calibrations. We use GPS data of the aforementioned LEOs of the year 2007 together with the absolute antenna modeling to assess the presently achieved accuracy from state-of-the-art reduced-dynamic LEO POD strategies for absolute and relative navigation. Near-field multipath and cross-talk with active GPS occultation antennas turn out to be important and significant sources for systematic carrier phase measurement errors that are encountered in the actual spacecraft environments. We assess different methodologies for the in-flight determination of empirical phase pattern corrections for LEO receiver antennas and discuss their impact on POD. By means of independent K-band measurements, we show that zero-difference GRACE orbits can be significantly improved from about 10 to 6 mm K-band standard deviation when taking empirical phase corrections into account, and assess the impact of the corrections on precise baseline estimates and further applications such as gravity field recovery from kinematic LEO positions.     

Characterization of diurnal cycles in ZTD from a decade of global GPS observations

The diurnal cycle of the tropospheric zenith total delay (ZTD) is one of the most obvious signals for the various physical processes relating to climate change on a short time scale. However, the observation of such ZTD oscillations on a global scale with traditional techniques (e.g. radiosondes) is restricted due to limitations in spatial and temporal resolution. Nowadays, the International GNSS Service (IGS) provides an important data source for investigating the diurnal and semidiurnal cycles of ZTD and related climatic signals. In this paper, 10 years of ZTD data from 1997 to 2007 with a 2-hour temporal resolution are derived from global positioning system (GPS) observations taken at 151 globally distributed IGS reference stations. These time series are used to investigate diurnal and semidiurnal oscillations. Significant diurnal and semidiurnal oscillations of ZTD are found for all GPS stations used in this study. The diurnal cycles (24 hours period) have amplitudes between 0.2 and 10.9 mm with an uncertainty of about 0.5 mm and the semidiurnal cycles (12 h period) have amplitudes between 0.1 and 4.3 mm with an uncertainty of about 0.2 mm. The larger amplitudes of the diurnal and semidiurnal ZTD cycles are observed in the low-latitude equatorial areas. The peak times of the diurnal cycles spread over the whole day, while the peak value of the semidiurnal cycles occurs typically about local noon. These GPS-derived diurnal and semidiurnal ZTD signals are similar with the surface pressure tides derived from surface synoptic pressure observations, indicating that atmospheric tides are the main driver of the diurnal and semidiurnal ZTD variations.     

Geological structure of the Mediterranean Sea floor (based on geological—Geophysical data)

According to geophysical data, the Mediterranean Sea depressions are noted for a peculiar type of the earth's crust. The sedimentary rock sequence is of great thickness (8–15 km) and is of platform-type dislocation. Several structural stages are distinguished in the sedimentary complex. The youngest of them are the Messinian (evaporite) and Pliocene—Quaternary stages. The consolidated part of the earth's crust shows small thickness and is divided into large blocks. Vertical dislocations of the large crustal blocks which were conditioned by condensation—rarefaction and the upper mantle substance migration were at the base of Mediterranean sea floor transformation.     

大地电场变化的频谱特征

处理了中国大陆地区嘉峪关、昌黎、崇明、蒙城、兴济、宝坻和阳原等7个台的地电场观测数据,应用最大熵谱方法研究了大地电场日变化、地电暴等谱成分的特征. 结果表明,大地电场日变化主要是12 h的半日波成分最强, 24~25 h的全日波和8 h周期成分次之; 地电暴是在大尺度空间同步发生的,其谱值高于日变化谱值约2～3个数量级,主要以较长周期成分为主. 这一结果初步解释了大地电场变化的主要谱成分的生成机制.      

不同气候背景下南疆暖季暴雨特征和差异

利用1961—2020年5—9月(暖季)南疆44个国家气象站逐日降水资料和NCEP/NCAR(National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research)再分析资料,分析不同年代际和气候背景(暖干期和暖湿期)下南疆暖季暴雨的时空变化特征及大尺度环流异常特征。结果表明：1961年以来南疆暖季累计暴雨日数、暴雨站次和暴雨雨量均呈增加趋势,暴雨强度和暴雨雨量占总降水量比例的变化趋势不明显。南疆暖季累计暴雨日数、暴雨站次和暴雨雨量在暖湿期明显多于暖干期,暴雨强度和暴雨雨量占总降水量的比例在暖干期及暖湿期的差异不大。进入暖湿期后,南疆大部分站点的暴雨日数和暴雨雨量都有所增加,且西南部站点增加最明显,但山区的增加幅度小于平原。中亚低槽、中亚低涡和塔里木东风低空急流是造成南疆暖季暴雨的主要影响系统,南疆暖季暴雨在暖干期以低涡型为主,暖湿期以低槽型为主;850 hPa偏东气流在低涡型暴雨中比低槽型暴雨西伸更加明显,在暖湿期与暖干期环流差值场中,低槽型暴雨和低涡型暴雨中高纬地区的环流异常呈现...     

甘肃北山1∶5万前红泉等三幅矿产远景调查新进展

为查明甘肃北山前红泉一带地层、岩浆岩、构造等地质特征和成矿地质条件,总结成矿规律,进行矿产资源远景评价和成矿预测,开展了 1 ∶ 5万前红泉等三幅矿产远景调查工作.通过4个年度工作,重新厘定了工作区地层系统,建立了区内岩浆岩演化序列,在构造解析的基础上探讨区域构造演化史.将"O-S"地层(敦煌岩群)解体为4个填图单元,...