PTrees: A point-based approach to forest tree extraction from lidar data

This paper introduces PTrees, a multi-scale dynamic point cloud segmentation dedicated to forest tree extraction from lidar point clouds. The method process the point data using the raw elevation values (Z) and compute height (H = Z − ground elevation) during post-processing using an innovative procedure allowing to preserve the geometry of crown points. Multiple segmentations are done at different scales. Segmentation criteria are then applied to dynamically select the best set of apices from the tree segments extracted at the various scales. The selected set of apices is then used to generate a final segmentation. PTrees has been tested in 3 different forest types, allowing to detect 82% of the trees with under 10% of false detection rate. Future development will integrate crown profile estimation during the segmentation process in order to both maximize the detection of suppressed trees and minimize false detections.     

黄海、东海区域漫衰减系数光谱遥感反演及激光测深性能评估

本文在总结和比较中国现有黄海、东海海域漫衰减系数反演算法的基础上,利用水色测量数据分析得到漫衰减系数Kd(532)与Kd(490)之间的关系,为激光测深系统(以CZMIL为例)的性能评估提供了基础。利用MODIS二级数据产品评估了中国黄海、东海海域在CZMIL海道测量模式下最大可测水深的空间分布。研究结果表明CZMIL在黄海、东海海域可测水深基本在0—50 m,该区域的面积占研究区域面积的比例为76.2%,为浅海海域开展激光测深作业提供了测深能力评估的依据和方法。     

基于CALIPSO卫星资料的京津冀地区MODIS卷云云顶高度订正

卷云在大气辐射中扮演着重要角色,对天气系统和气候变化产生重要影响。相比传统地基观测手段,卫星遥感更容易探测到高层卷云的信息,本文利用CALIOP主动遥感仪器可获取较为准确的薄卷云特性的特点,针对MODIS被动遥感探测器反演的薄卷云云顶高度的偏差开展订正研究。研究选取2013～2017年京津冀地区MODIS云产品,结合CALIPSO卫星的卷云云顶高度数据,基于交叉验证的方法得到线性拟合方案,对MODIS卷云云顶高度进行订正。订正后的MODIS与CALIPSO卷云云顶高度差值的分布区间由?3～2 km变为?2.0～2.5 km,峰值由?0.8 km左右变为0.2 km左右。订正效果随云顶高度和云光学厚度的不同有所变化,其中较低层卷云和光学薄卷云的订正效果更明显。     

Atmospheric boundary-layer structure observed during a haze event due to forest-fire smoke

During a haze event in Baltimore, U.S.A. from July 6 to 8, 2002, smoke from forest fires in the Québec region (Canada), degraded air quality and impacted upon local climate, decreasing solar radiation and air temperature. The smoke particles in and above the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) served as a tracer and provided a unique opportunity to investigate the ABL structure, especially entrainment. Elastic backscatter lidar measurements taken during the haze event distinctly reveal the downward sweeps (or wisps) of smoke-laden air from the free atmosphere into the ABL. Visualisations of mechanisms such as dry convection, the entrainment process, detrainment, coherent entrainment structures, and mixing inside the ABL, are presented. Thermals overshooting at the ABL top are shown to create disturbances in the form of gravity waves in the free atmosphere aloft, as evidenced by a corresponding ripple structure at the bottom of the smoke layer. Lidar data, aerosol ground-based measurements and supporting meteorological data are used to link free atmosphere, mixed-layer and ground-level aerosols. During the peak period of the haze event (July 7, 2002), the correlation between time series of elastic backscatter lidar data within the mixed layer and the scattering coefficient from a nephelometer at ground level was found to be high (R=0.96 for z =324 m, and R=0.89 for z=504 m). Ground-level aerosol concentration was at a maximum about 2 h after the smoke layer intersected with the growing ABL, confirming that the wisps do not initially reach the ground.     

Characteristics of cirrus clouds and its radiative properties based on lidar observation over Chung-Li, Taiwan

In this paper, characterization of cirrus clouds are made by using data from ground based polarization lidar and radiosonde measurements over Chung-Li (24.58°N, 121.10°E), Taiwan for a period of 1999–2006. During this period, the occurrence of cirrus clouds is about 37% of the total measurement nights over the lidar site. Analysis of the measurement gives the statistical characteristics about the macrophysical properties such as occurrence height, ambient temperature, and its geometrical thickness while the microphysical properties are interpreted in terms of extinction coefficient, optical depth, effective lidar ratio and depolarization ratio. The effective lidar ratio has been retrieved by using the simulation technique of backscattered lidar signals. The effect of multiple scattering has been taken into the account by a model calculation. Summer (Jun–Aug) shows the maximum appearances of cirrus due to its formation mechanism. It is shown that tropopause cirrus clouds may occur with a probability of about 24%. These clouds are usually optically thin and having laminar in structure with some cases resembling the characteristics similar to that of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs). The radiative properties of the cirrus clouds are also discussed in detail by the empirical equations with results show a positive feedback on any climate change.     

Air Pollution Transport in an Alpine Valley: Results From Airborne and Ground-Based Observations

An observational dataset from a wintertime field campaign in the Inn Valley, Austria, is analysed in order to study mechanisms of air pollution transport in an Alpine valley. The results illustrate three types of mechanisms: transport by a density current, back-and-forth transport by valley winds, and transport by slope winds. The first type is associated with an air mass difference along the valley. Cooler air located in the lower part of the valley behaves like a density current and produces the advection of pollutants by upvalley winds. In the second type, strong horizontal gradients in pollution concentrations exist close to ground. Multiple wind reversals result in a back-and-forth transport of pollutants by weak valley winds. In the third type, upslope winds during daytime decrease low-level pollution concentrations and cause the formation of elevated pollution layers.     

激光雷达反演参数k值的研究

采用532 nm激光雷达2006年在兰州市不同天气状况下的观测数据,结合能见度因子、CE318太阳光度计观测数据,对利用Klett法求解时,k在不同天气状况下的取值进行了初步研究,结果表明:只有当0.7≤k≤1.0时,气溶胶消光系数的大小与能见度估算出的值相接近。但在k=0.7时,计算出的气溶胶消光系数正、负参半;k=1.0时,消光系数廓线在晴天无云的天气状况下同实际情况不符。通过进一步分析研究激光雷达和光度计的同期观测资料发现:k=0.8时,较合理的数据所占比例为100%,k=0.9为84%,k=1.0仅为12%。对兰州市区而言,利用激光雷达分析气溶胶光学特性时,取k=0.8或k=0.9较为合理。     

Assessing protected area’s carbon stocks and ecological structure at regional-scale using GEDI lidar

Protected areas (PAs) serve as a critical strategy for protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating climate change. While there is a critical need to guide area-based conservation efforts, a systematic assessment of PA effectiveness for storing carbon stocks has not been possible due to the lack of globally consistent forest biomass data. In this study, we present a new methodology utilizing forest structural information and aboveground biomass density (AGBD) obtained from the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) mission. We compare PAs with similar, unprotected forests obtained through statistical matching to assess differences in carbon storage and forest structure. We also assess matching outcomes for a robust and minimally biased way to quantify PA efficacy. We find that all analyzed PAs in Tanzania possess higher biomass densities than their unprotected counterfactuals (24.4% higher on average). This is also true for other forest structure metrics, including tree height, canopy cover, and plant area index (PAI). We also find that community-governed PAs are the most effective category of PAs at preserving forest structure and AGBD – often outperforming those managed by international or national entities. In addition, PAs designated under more than one entity perform better than the PAs with a single designation, especially those with multiple international designations. Finally, our findings suggest that smaller PAs may be more effective for conservation, depending on levels of connectivity. Taken together, these findings support the designation of PAs as an effective means for forest management with considerable potential to protect forest ecosystems and achieve long-term climate goals.     

基于LiDAR数据的城市道路提取与重建

本文借助于GIS强大的空间数据管理和分析功能,以Lidar点云数据为数据源,对交通信息系统基础空间数据进行快速采集和更新。文章并且在前人工作的基础上,提出了一种新的基于四维Hough变换的Lidar数据的提取和分类方法,对提取的道路信息进行重构。实践证明,此方法较之传统Lidar数据分类和提取方法,能够有效地解决其计算量过大、噪声过于敏感、道路边缘方向不平行等问题,实现道路的自动提取。     

基于激光雷达手段的海南地区重力波与其波谱的季节分布特性研究

利用子午工程海南激光雷达对我国海南地区上空进行持续观测,通过3年的累积观测数据对我国低纬度地区重力波活动的季节分布特性进行研究,依据重力波线性理论对海南地区上空的大气密度扰动规律、空间功率谱及时间频率谱进行分析,并通过选择波长在1km至8km范围内具有特定波长以及具有波动周期为60 min至25min的特定频率的重力波辅助研究大气密度扰动的季节变化规律,总结得出海南地区重力波活动具有夏季大、春秋季小、而冬季依然频繁的季节性分布规律.结合海南地区特殊的地理位置与当地季节性气候特征分析得出海南地区上空重力波活动季节性变化的可能原因为青藏高原地形及我国南海地区存在的热带强对流与赤道潜流共同作用的结果.