Evaluating the potential of multi-view data extraction from small Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) for object-based classification for Wetland land covers

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) have the potential to provide multi-view data, but the approaches used to extract the multi-view data from UAS and investigation of their use in image classification are currently unavailable in publications to our best knowledge. This study presents a method that combines collinearity equations and a two-phase optimization procedure to automatically project a point from real world coordinate system of an orthoimage to UAS image coordinate system (row and column numbers) to be used in multi-view data extraction. The results show average errors for the computed UAS column and row numbers were 1.6 and 1.8 pixels respectively evaluated with leave-one-out method. Based on this algorithm, it’s also for the first time that object-based multi-view data were extracted and presented, and the potential of using the multi-view data to aid Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis(GEOBIA) through bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) modelling was evaluated with two representatives of BRDFs, the Rahman-Pinty-Verstraete(RPV) and Ross-Thick-LiSparse (RTLS). Our results indicate the RPV model tends to overestimate the bidirectional reflectance for land cover types with high reflectance, while perform well for those with relatively low reflectance in our study area. To test the impact of using multi-view data on image classification, we extracted parameters from BRDF models and used these parameters as object features for object-based classification. The 10-fold cross validation results show that the 3-parameter RTLS significantly improved overall accuracy compared to the classifications relying only on the orthoimage features, while other BRDF models did not show significant improvements, raising the needs to develop new methods to better utilize the multi-view information in GEOIBA in the future.     

A new proposition for redating the Mithraic tauroctony scene

Assuming that the figures of the central icon of the Mithraic cult – the scene of tauroctony (bull slaying) – represent equatorial constellations at the time when the spring equinox was placed somewhere between Taurus and Aries, it is difficult to explain why some equatorial constellations (Orion and Libra) were not included in the Mithraic icons A simulation of the sky at the times in which the spring equinox was in the constellation of Taurus, only a small area of spring equinox positions permits to exclude these two constellations, with all other representations of equatorial constellations (Taurus, Canis Minor, Hydra, Crater, Corvus, Scorpio) included. These positions of the spring equinox occurred at the beginning of the age of Taurus, and included Gemini as an equatorial constellation. Two of the main figures in the Mithraic icons are two identical figures, usually represented on the each side of the bull, wearing phrygian caps and holding torches. Their names, Cautes and Cautopates, and their looks may indicate that they represent the constellation of Gemini. In that case the main icon of Mithraic religion could represent an event that happened around 4000 BC, when the spring equinox entered the constellation of Taurus. Also, this position of equator contains Perseus as an equatorial constellation. Ulansey suggested that the god Mithras is identified with the constellation Perseus. In that case, all figures in the main scene would be equatorial constellations.     

The LUSI mud volcano triggering controversy: Was it caused by drilling?

Following the Yogyakarta earthquake on May 27th, 2006, the subsequent eruption of a mud volcano has been closely observed and analyzed by the geological community. The mud volcano, known as LUSI, began erupting near the Banjarpanji-1 exploration well in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. LUSI offers a unique opportunity to study the genesis and development of a mud volcano.     

Macrobenthos habitat mapping in a tidal flat using remotely sensed data and a GIS-based probabilistic model

This paper proposes and tests a method of producing macrofauna habitat potential maps based on a weights-of-evidence model (a probabilistic approach) for the Hwangdo tidal flat, Korea. Samples of macrobenthos were collected during field work, and we considered five mollusca species for habitat mapping. A weights-of-evidence model was used to calculate the relative weights of 10 control factors that affect the macrobenthos habitat. The control factors were compiled as a spatial database from remotely sensed data combined with GIS analysis. The relative weight of each factor was integrated as a species potential index (SPI), which produced habitat potential maps. The maps were compared with the surveyed habitat locations, revealing a strong correlation between the potential maps and species locations. The combination of a GIS-based weights-of-evidence model and remote sensing techniques is an effective method in determining areas of macrobenthos habitat potential in a tidal flat setting.     

Technical guidelines for the assessment of earthquake induced liquefaction hazard at urban scale

Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering - Microzonation for earthquake-induced liquefaction hazard is the subdivision of a territory at a municipal or submunicipal scale in areas characterized by the...     

Megazonation of earthquake-induced soil liquefaction hazard in continental Europe

Bulletin of Earthquake Engineering - Mapping large territories for earthquake-induced soil liquefaction hazard may sound like an oxymoron since soil liquefaction is by itself a spatially highly...     

Sediment reworking by a polychaete, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perinereis aibuhitensis</Emphasis>, in the intertidal sediments of the Gomso Bay,Korea

Bioturbation, especially sediment reworking by the activities of macroinvertebrates, such as feeding and burrowing, is one of the major processes that affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of marine sediments. Given the importance of sediment reworking, this study was designed to evaluate the sediment reworking rate of a polychaete, Perinereis aibuhitensis, which is dominant in the upper tidal flats on the west coast of Korea, based on quantification of pellet production during spring and fall surveys. The density of individuals was higher in fall than in spring, whereas, due to a difference in the proportion of adults between the two seasons, the morphometric dimensions of the worm and its pellets were significantly longer and heavier in the spring. Hourly pellet production per inhabitant and density were closely related, with pellet production gradually decreasing as density increased. Daily pellet production was much higher in spring than in fall, mostly due to an increase in daytime production. The sediment reworking rate of Perinereis was similar in the two seasons in which observations were made and depended on its density and the sediment reworking rate per individual. The overall sediment reworking rate of Perinereis was 31 mm yr^?1 based on its density in the study area.     

Soil compaction under different management practices in a Croatian vineyard

The use of machinery in vineyards is increasing soil compaction and erosion. However, there is a lack of information about the impacts of different management practices on soil conditions of vineyards. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess soil compaction in Croatian vineyards under four different management systems: no-tillage (NT) system, conventional tillage (CT), yearly inversed grass covered (INV-GC) and tillage managed (INV-T) treatments. Four key top-soil (0–20 cm) parameters were assessed in the different land uses: bulk density (BD), penetration resistance (PR), soil water content (SWC) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes. Tractor traffic increased the BD and PR in all treatments, with exception of CT treatment, as consequence of tillage. SWC showed higher values in INV-GC treatment during the dry period; meanwhile, it was similar during the wet season in every management type. Lower CO₂ fluxes were found in INV-GC and NT than in the CT and INV-T treatments.     

Effect of environmental conditions on variation in the sediment-water interface created by complex macrofaunal burrows on a tidal flat

We quantified the increase in the sediment-water interface created by the burrowing activities of the resident macrofaunal community and its variation with respect to the physical conditions of the habitat on a tidal fat. We investigated environmental factors and dimensions of macrofaunal burrows with respect to tidal height and vegetation during spring and summer at three sites. A resin-casting method was used to quantify the dimensions of all burrows at each site. The dimensions of macrofaunal burrows varied both temporally and spatially and the increase in the sediment-water interface reached a maximum of 311%, ranging from 20 to 255% under different habitat conditions. The sediment-water interface depended on the duration of exposure resulting from tidal height, increased temperatures resulting from seasonality, and marsh plant density. Burrows were deeper and more expansive at both higher tidal levels and higher temperatures in summer. Burrow dimensions were sharply reduced with the disappearance of adult macrofauna in areas where the roots of the marsh plant Suaeda japonica were dense. The significance of this study lies in quantifying the burrow dimensions of the entire macrofaunal community, rather than just a single population, and confirming their spatial and temporal variation with respect to physical conditions of the habitat. Environmental factors responsible for variation in burrow dimensions are discussed.     

Local and regional minimum 1D models for earthquake location and data quality assessment in complex tectonic regions: application to Switzerland

One-dimensional (1D) velocity models are still widely used for computing earthquake locations at seismological centers or in regions where three-dimensional (3D) velocity models are not available due to the lack of data of sufficiently high quality. The concept of the minimum 1D model with appropriate station corrections provides a framework to compute initial hypocenter locations and seismic velocities for local earthquake tomography. Since a minimum 1D model represents a solution to the coupled hypocenter-velocity problem it also represents a suitable velocity model for earthquake location and data quality assessment, such as evaluating the consistency in assigning pre-defined weighting classes and average picking error. Nevertheless, the use of a simple 1D velocity structure in combination with station delays raises the question of how appropriate the minimum 1D model concept is when applied to complex tectonic regions with significant three-dimensional (3D) variations in seismic velocities. In this study we compute one regional minimum 1D model and three local minimum 1D models for selected subregions of the Swiss Alpine region, which exhibits a strongly varying Moho topography. We compare the regional and local minimum 1D models in terms of earthquake locations and data quality assessment to measure their performance. Our results show that the local minimum 1D models provide more realistic hypocenter locations and better data fits than a single model for the Alpine region. We attribute this to the fact that in a local minimum 1D model local and regional effects of the velocity structure can be better separated. Consequently, in tectonically complex regions, minimum 1D models should be computed in sub-regions defined by similar structure, if they are used for earthquake location and data quality assessment.