SIFT-FANN: An efficient framework for spatio-spectral fusion of satellite images

Image fusion techniques are widely used for remote sensing data. A special application is for using low resolution multi-spectral image with high resolution panchromatic image to obtain an image having both spectral and spatial information. Alignment of images to be fused is a step prior to image fusion. This is achieved by registering the images. This paper proposes the methods involving Fast Approximate Nearest Neighbor (FANN) for automatic registration of satellite image (reference image) prior to fusion of low spatial resolution multi-spectral QuickBird satellite image (sensed image) with high spatial resolution panchromatic QuickBird satellite image. In the registration steps, Scale Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is used to extract key points from both images. The keypoints are then matched using the automatic tuning algorithm, namely, FANN. This algorithm automatically selects the most appropriate indexing algorithm for the dataset. The indexed features are then matched using approximate nearest neighbor. Further, Random Sample Consensus (RanSAC) is used for further filtering to obtain only the inliers and co-register the images. The images are then fused using Intensity Hue Saturation (IHS) transform based technique to obtain a high spatial resolution multi-spectral image. The results show that the quality of fused images obtained using this algorithm is computationally efficient.     

蘑菇湖水库富营养化发生机制和治理途径的探讨

通过对蘑菇湖水库的水质、底质和水生生物等的调查,分析了该水库富营养化的发生机理,并对恢复生态平衡、防治富营养化的途径进行了探讨。     

The b-value and fractal dimension of local seismicity around Koyna Dam (India)

Earthquakes began to occur in Koyna region (India) soon after the filling of Koyna Dam in 1962. In the present study, three datasets 1964–1993, 1993–1995, and 1996–1997 are analyzed to study the b-value and fractal dimension. The b-value is calculated using the Gutenberg–Richter relationship and fractal dimension D _corr. using correlation integral method. The estimated b-value and D _corr. of this region before 1993 are found to be in good agreement with previously reported studies. In the subsequent years after 1995, the b-value shows an increase. The estimated b-values of this region are found within the limits of global average. Also, the pattern of spatial clustering of earthquakes show increase in clustering and migration along the three zones called North-East Zone, South-East Zone (SEZ), and Warna Seismic Zone. The earthquake events having depth ≤5 km are largely confined to SEZ. After 1993, the D _corr. shows decrease, implying that earthquake activity gets clustered. This seismic clustering could be helpful for earthquake forecasting.     

Impact of forest degradation on streamflow regime and runoff response to rainfall in the Garhwal Himalaya,Northwest India

Baseflows have declined for decades in the Lesser Himalaya but the causes are still debated. This paper compares variations in streamflow response over three years for two similar headwater catchments in northwest India with largely undisturbed (Arnigad) and highly degraded (Bansigad) oak forest. Hydrograph analysis suggested no catchment leakage, thereby allowing meaningful comparisons. The mean annual runoff coefficient for Arnigad was 54% (range 44–61%) against 62% (53–69%) at Bansigad. Despite greater total runoff Q_t (by 250 mm year^–1), baseflow at Bansigad ceased by March, but was perennial at Arnigad (making up 90% of Q_t vs. 51% at Bansigad). Arnigad storm flows, Q_s, were modest (8–11% of Q_t) and occurred mostly during monsoons (78–98%), while Q_s at Bansigad was 49% of Q_t and occurred also during post-monsoon seasons. Our results underscore the importance of maintaining soil water retention capacity after forest removal to maintain baseflow levels.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis; ASSOCIATE EDITOR D. Gerten     

How flat is the lower-mantle temperature gradient?

The temperature gradient in the lower mantle is fundamental in prescribing many transport properties, such as the viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. The adiabatic temperature gradient is commonly employed for estimating these transport properties in the lower mantle. We have carried out a series of high-resolution 3-D anelastic compressible convections in a spherical shell with the PREM seismic model as the background density and bulk modulus and the thermal expansivity decreasing with depth. Our purpose was to assess how close under realistic conditions the horizontally averaged thermal gradient would lie to the adiabatic gradient derived from the convection model. These models all have an endothermic phase change at 660 km depth with a Clapeyron slope of around −3 MPa K⁻¹, uniform internal heating and a viscosity increase of 30 across the phase transition. The global Rayleigh number for basal heating is around 2×10⁶, while an internal heating Rayleigh number as high as 10⁸ has been employed. The pattern of convection is generally partially layered with a jump of the geotherm across the phase change of at most 300 K. In all thermally equilibrated situations the geothermal gradients in the lower mantle are small, around 0.1 K km⁻¹, and are subadiabatic. Such a low gradient would produce a high peak in the lower-mantle viscosity, if the temperature is substituted into a recently proposed rheological law in the lower mantle. Although the endothermic phase transition may only cause partial layering in the present-day mantle, its presence can exert a profound influence on the state of adiabaticity over the entire mantle.     

Tilted bianchi type v bulk viscous cosmological models in general relativity

Conformally flat tilted Bianchi type V cosmological models in presence of a bulk viscous fluid and heat flow are investigated. The coefficient of bulk viscosity is assumed to be a power function of mass density. Some physical andgeometric aspects of the models are also discussed.     

Water effects on rock strength and stiffness degradation

Reduction in strength and stiffness in rocks attributed to an increase in water content has been extensively researched on a large variety of rock types over the past decades. Due to the considerable variations of texture and lithology, the extent of water-weakening effect is highly varied among different rock types, spanning from nearly negligible in quartzite to 90 % of uniaxial compressive strength reduction in shale. Readers, however, often face difficulties in comparing the data published in different sources due to the discrepancy of experimental procedures of obtaining the water saturation state and how the raw laboratory data is interpreted. In view of this, the present paper first reviews the terminologies commonly used to quantify the amount of water stored in rocks. The second part of the paper reviews the water-weakening effects on rock strengths, particularly focusing on uniaxial compressive strength and modulus, as well as tensile strength, under quasi-static loading and dynamic loading. The correlation relationships established among various parameters, including porosity, density and fabric of rocks, and external factors such as strain rate, surface tension and dielectric constant of the saturating liquid, absorption percentage and suction pressure, are reviewed and presented toward the end of the paper.     

Uranium mineralisation in carbonate rocks from the upper part of Krol formation in Nainital syncline and its significance for uranium exploration in lesser Himalaya

Low grade uranium mineralisation associated with phosphorites/ phosphatic sediments and carbonaceous shale has been well established at and/or close to Krol- Tal contact in some of sub-basins of inner Krol belt such as Nigalidhar, Mussoorie and Garhwal synclines in the realm of lesser Himalaya. Unlike the other sub-basins of the belt, though the Nainital syncline is sparsely phosphatic and carbonaceous, carbonate hosted uranium occurrence is reported for the first time from the syncline. The carbonate-hosted uranium occurrences in Krol D of Nainital syncline are of limited extent with values ranging from 200 ppm to 840 ppm eU3O8. Radioactivity is associated with fractured dolostone/ dolomitic limestone and pelloidal limestone. Uranium phases mostly occur in association with carbonaceous, ferruginous matters and clays. However, ultrafine pitchblende grains do occur associated with idiotopic pyrite aggregates suggesting initial trapping of uranium by organic matters present in sediments which later remobilised and precipitated as fine pitchblende. Subsequently, second phase of remobilisation of uranium under oxidising condition gave rise uraniferous goethite, limonite and other iron oxyhydoxides. In contrast to other sub-basins, the Krol-Tal contact in Nainital syncline does not appear to hold any promising phosphate and uranium mineralisation due to less suitable basinal morphology and low Ca/Mg ratio.     

Geochemical behaviour of LREE,Y and Zr in uranium mineralized and non-mineralized granite from Darshanapur area,in the Gogi-Kurlagere fault zone,Bhima basin,Yadgiri district,Karnataka

Granite core samples (n=14) from the Gogi-Kurlagere fault zone in the central part of the Bhima basin were studied in terms of LREE, Y and Zr mobility during uranium mineralization. LREE, Zr and Y along with LILE (Ba, Rb) and P show behavioral differences in the mineralised and the non-mineralised samples. Average ΣLREE in mineralised granite (240 ppm) is higher than in non-mineralised samples (157 ppm). The average Zr and Y in the mineralised granite are 193 ppm and 17 ppm, while the corresponding abundances of these elements in non-mineralised portion are 148 ppm and 11 ppm respectively. Besides enrichment of U, Th, Ba, Pb and Rb and depletion of Sr are observed in mineralized granite in comparison to non-mineralized granite. Hydrothermal alteration has led to the mobility of these elements, which again dependent on the overall geochemical behavior of the migrating fluid. REE and Y in association with uranyl [(UO₂)²⁺] ion were transported as carbonate complexes like [UO₂(CO₃)₃]^4- and [REE (CO₃)₃]^3- and were later incorporated into favourable structural loci by precipitating minerals like pitchblende and coffinite.