MODIS-NDVI-based mapping of the length of the growing season in northern Fennoscandia

Northern Fennoscandia is an ecologically heterogeneous region in the arctic/alpine-boreal transition area. Phenology data on birch from 13 stations and 16-day MODIS-NDVI composite satellite data with 250 m resolution for the period 2000 to 2006 were used to map the growing season. A new combined pixel-specific NDVI threshold and decision rule-based mapping method was developed to determine the onset and end of the growing season. A moderately high correlation was found between NDVI data and birch phenology data. The earliest onset of the growing season is found in the narrow strip of lowland between the mountains and the sea along the coast of northern Norway. The onset follows a clear gradient from lowland to mountain corresponding to the decreasing temperature gradient. In autumn, the yellowing of the vegetation shows a more heterogeneous pattern. The length of the growing season is between 100 and 130 days in 55% of the study area.     

Namibia volcanic margin

Two end members of passive margin types are present on the Namibia margin: volcanic and non-volcanic. The central and southern parts of the Namibia margin feature characteristic volcanic margin elements such as thickened initial oceanic crust, seaward dipping reflectors, and high-velocity/density lower crust that extends beneath the rift zone that was formed during initial seafloor spreading in Early Cretaceous. The margin north of the Walvis FZ is non-volcanic in character and probably formed as a result of a ridge jump that occurred after cessation of the initial magmatic activity. The Walvis Ridge forms the boundary between the two margin types and resulted from the persistent magmatism associated with the Tristan plume. MCS data in conjunction with gravity modeling reveal a Paleozoic rift zone beneath the Namibia margin south of the Walvis FZ. The Paleozoic rift zone partly overlaps the Jurassic/Early Cretaceous rift zone which produced the breakup between Africa and South America. We calculate an average stretching value of =1.4 for the Paleozoic rift, based on subsidence modeling. The rift is partly bounded by low-angle faults, related to the orogenic collapse of the Pan-African fold belt, which provided a major Paleozoic sediment source. The offshore continuity of onshore ophiolitic complexes is suggested by the coast parallel high-amplitude magnetic anomaly G, and low-angle detachment faults along the southern part of the margin. The average stretching value for the Jurassic/Early Cretaceous rift is =1.7, which implies a syn-rift displacement on this margin of 70 km. The minimum igneous volume of the South Atlantic LIP was found to be in excess of 3.62×106 km³.     

State-space representation of radiation forces in time-domain vessel models

The paper presents a method for generating a new and efficient time-domain formulation of the equations of motion for a vessel with frequency-dependent hydrodynamic coefficients. Previous work on this topic has relied on the use of convolution terms, whereas in this work state-space models are used. This leads to a model formulation that is well suited for controller design and simulation.     

Photometry of the asteroid 1976 AA at 0.56 and 2.2 μm

We report observations at 0.56 and 2.2 μm of the Apollo asteroid 1976 AA made during its discovery apparition. We derive a 2.2-μm relative spectral reflectance (scaled to unity at 0.56 μm) of R(2.2 μm) = 1.5 ± 0.3. This 2.2-μm reflectance is not compatible with a carbonaceous surface composition. However, it is compatible with a wide variety of meteoritic types including ordinary chondrites, stony irons, and mesosiderites. Thus, 1976 AA may have a silicate surface similar to other Apollo-Amor objects.