3D urban models: Recent developments in the digital modelling of urban environments in three-dimensions

This paper reports on recent developments in the visualisation of urban landscapes. There is a growing interest in the contstruction of 3D models of urban and built environment for which a host of digital mapping and rendering techniques are being developed. This paper extracts some of the cases that we came across during worldwide interviews carried out in March 2000. Building on this review, we identify the range of data and techniques adopted for the development of 3D contents and how they could contribute to geographical analysis and planning of urban environment. A particular focus is given on the effectiveness of GIS and its related methods for their capacity to accommodate the demands for visual representation of urban environment as well as the basis for analysis and simulation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

海岸线及其测绘技术探讨

海岸线是人类所使用的最古老的边界线之一,然而,由于其动态特征,加之当今社会对海岸带的需求越来越多,这条边界线的位置存在争议,因而,如何使用客观手段测绘海岸线尤为重要。文中针对海岸线定义及其位置确定不明确的现状,指出海岸线定义存在的问题,给出完善定义的意见;分析海岸线常规的测绘方法,探讨海岸线精确测绘的新方法和技术。     

基于ArcGIS的面状要素中轴线提取方法研究

专题制图中利用遥感技术获取专题要素和地理底图要素已成为大势所趋,而如何实现面状要素中轴线的提取从而获得线状道路、线状河流等底图要素一直是GIS界研究的热点。本文通过对ArcGIS9.0中提供的各种功能模块的综合应用实现了面状要素中轴线的自动提取。经实验这种方法简单实用、效果理想,效率很高。     

Data driven bivariate landslide susceptibility assessment using geographical information systems: a method and application to Asarsuyu catchment, Turkey

In the last decades, landslide hazard assessment has attracted many researchers' attention. A number of parameters are suggested to be responsible to quantitatively explain the mechanism of landslides; many of these parameters are very important and factual. However, some data types and models are site-specific and could not be applied to different locations. Furthermore, the data stored in continuous parameter maps are divided into a number of classes arbitrarily, depending on the vision of the expert. Basically, this division controls the result of bivariate analysis. Besides, the responsible portion of the parameter map controlling the mechanism is also weighted arbitrarily. Based on these two facts, the class boundaries put a prejudice on the produced susceptibility/hazard maps, which result in dependence on the knowledge of the user rather than being dependent on the data and the fact itself. The aim of this study is to refine the previously defined methods in a more data-dependent trend. To achieve this goal, two new concepts: seed cells and percentile maps are introduced. Seed cells are the zones that are considered to represent the best undisturbed morphological decision rules (conditions before landslide occurs) and would be achieved by adding a buffer zone to the crown and flank areas of the landslide. To quantitatively classify the input parameter maps, the data distributions of seed cells in the parameter maps are divided into a number of classes on the basis of their distribution's percentile break-points upon which the parameter maps are directly dependent on the seed cell distributions, hence to the data itself.     

SOFTWARE REVIEWS

software reviews are in this article BMDP/PC CONCEPTS COMPUTERIZED ATLAS EVALUATION OF ALTERNATE PROPOSALS (EAP) EXTRA: EXPRESS TRANSIT ANALYSIS MATC CAD MOTORS TRANSPORTATION PACKAGE PCMAP: Thematic Mapping Software for the IBM Personal Computer, Version 2.3 PLACE TRANPLAN . US-ATLAS     

A study on the early-warning technique concerning debris flow disasters

According to the principle of the eruption of debris flows, the new torrent classification techniques are brought forward. The torrent there can be divided into 4 types such as the debris flow torrent with high destructive strength, the debris flow torrent, high sand-carrying capacity flush flood torrent and common flush flood by the techniques. In this paper, the classification indices system and the quantitative rating methods are presented. Based on torrent classification, debris flow torrent hazard zone mapping techniques by which the debris flow disaster early-warning object can be ascertained accurately are identified. The key techniques of building the debris flow disaster neural network (NN)real time forecasting model are given detailed explanations in this paper, including the determination of neural node at the input layer, the output layer and the implicit layer, the construction of knowledge source and the initial weight value and so on. With this technique, the debris flow disaster real-time forecasting neural network model is built according to the rainfall features of the historical debris flow disasters, which includes multiple rain factors such as rainfall of the disaster day, the rainfall of 15 days before the disaster day, the maximal rate of rainfall in one hour and ten minutes. It can forecast the probability, critical rainfall of eruption of the debris flows, through the real-time rainfall monitoring or weather forecasting. Based on the torrent classification and hazard zone mapping, combined with rainfall monitoring in the rainy season and real-time forecasting models, the debris flow disaster early-warning system is built. In this system, the GIS technique, the advanced international software and hardware are applied, which makes the system′s performance steady with good expansibility. The system is a visual information system that serves management and decision-making, which can facilitate timely inspect of the variation of the torrent type and hazardous zone, the torrent management, the early-warning of disasters and the disaster reduction and prevention.     

Object-based class modelling for multi-scale riparian forest habitat mapping

Object-based class modelling allows for mapping complex, hierarchical habitat systems. The riparian zone, including forests, represents such a complex ecosystem. Forests within riparian zones are biologically high productive and characterized by a rich biodiversity; thus considered of high community interest with an imperative to be protected and regularly monitored. Satellite earth observation (EO) provides tools for capturing the current state of forest habitats such as forest composition including intermixture of non-native tree species. Here we present a semi-automated object based image analysis (OBIA) approach for the mapping of riparian forests by applying class modelling of habitats based on the European Nature Information System (EUNIS) habitat classifications and the European Habitats Directive (HabDir) Annex 1. A very high resolution (VHR) WorldView-2 satellite image provided the required spatial and spectral details for a multi-scale image segmentation and rule-base composition to generate a six-level hierarchical representation of riparian forest habitats. Thereby habitats were hierarchically represented within an image object hierarchy as forest stands, stands of homogenous tree species and single trees represented by sunlit tree crowns. 522 EUNIS level 3 (EUNIS-3) habitat patches with a mean patch size (MPS) of 12,349.64 m² were modelled from 938 forest stand patches (MPS = 6868.20 m²) and 43,742 tree stand patches (MPS = 140.79 m²). The delineation quality of the modelled EUNIS-3 habitats (focal level) was quantitatively assessed to an expert-based visual interpretation showing a mean deviation of 11.71%.     

时间序列InSAR技术中的形变模型研究

对时间序列InSAR的形变模型问题展开研究。首先从干涉相位模型解算的方法入手,针对线性形变模型当干涉点目标的密度不够并且真实形变的非线性较强时,干涉相位方程的解将会发散的不足,根据魏尔斯特拉斯（Weier—strass）逼近定理,提出以高阶多项式取代线性形变模型,并给出了基于多项式形变模型的干涉相位方程解算方法。以太原市地面沉降监测为例,分别采用线性形变模型和三次多项式形变模型进行形变反演。结果表明,多项式形变模型不仅能取得更高的形变测量精度,而且能提高点目标的密度。     

荷兰海洋区测中的地球物理调查

在系统开展海洋区域地质调查的过程中,荷兰广泛使用了各种地球物理调查方法,并在方法选用、测线部署、资料处理和图件编制等方面有许多独到之处;对中荷两国的做法进行了系统的比较;对今后在我国海洋区域地质调查中如何开展地球物理调查工作提出了建议。     

探地雷达数据可视化方法

采用文件映射降低大数据量探地雷达(GPR)数据显示对计算机内存的需求,同时使GPR数据可以当作一维数组进行数据处理,方便对数据的随机、实时访问;应用直接写位图、视区分割的成图方案,实现对GPR数据的实时显示;通过位图调色板实现GPR数据调色板,灵活应用该技术可使本来需要对原始数据进行大量运算的算法通过调整调色板实现,提高了GPR数据处理的速度。