Regionalization for large area crop estimates by remote sensing

The crop estimates by remote sensing, developing quickly in recent decades, is a up-to-date technique. Regionalization for large area crop estimates by remote sensing, a special applied regionalization, is the foundation of crop estimates in a large area by remote sensing. According to the actual demands of wheat yield estimation by remote sensing and wheat agroclimatic demarcation of China, this paper first puts forward some principles upheld in this regionalization and analyses its main bases. Secondly, it works out the classificatory schemes about the optimum temporal for estimating wheat yield by remote sensing, information sources of space remote sensing and landuse structure in China. Finally, According to the regionalization indices, this study divides the wheat plantable region of China into 14 regions of crop yield estimates and 31 subregions of crop yield estimates.     

Use of multi‐platform,multi‐temporal remote‐sensing data for calibration of a distributed hydrological model: an application in the Arno basin,Italy

Images from satellite platforms are a valid aid in order to obtain distributed information about hydrological surface states and parameters needed in calibration and validation of the water balance and flood forecasting. Remotely sensed data are easily available on large areas and with a frequency compatible with land cover changes. In this paper, remotely sensed images from different types of sensor have been utilized as a support to the calibration of the distributed hydrological model MOBIDIC, currently used in the experimental system of flood forecasting of the Arno River Basin Authority. Six radar images from ERS‐2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensors (three for summer 2002 and three for spring–summer 2003) have been utilized and a relationship between soil saturation indexes and backscatter coefficient from SAR images has been investigated. Analysis has been performed only on pixels with meagre or no vegetation cover, in order to legitimize the assumption that water content of the soil is the main variable that influences the backscatter coefficient. Such pixels have been obtained by considering vegetation indexes (NDVI) and land cover maps produced by optical sensors (Landsat‐ETM). In order to calibrate the soil moisture model based on information provided by SAR images, an optimization algorithm has been utilized to minimize the regression error between saturation indexes from model and SAR data and error between measured and modelled discharge flows. Utilizing this procedure, model parameters that rule soil moisture fluxes have been calibrated, obtaining not only a good match with remotely sensed data, but also an enhancement of model performance in flow prediction with respect to a previous calibration with river discharge data only. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

REMOTE SENSING FOREST BIOMASS: AN EVALUATION USING HIGH RESOLUTION REMOTE SENSOR DATA AND LOBLOLLY PINE PLOTS

Eight-year-old Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plots located in South Carolina were evaluated using high resolution aircraft multispectral scanner data to determine if biomass could be accurately measured. Sixteen pine plots located on both sandy and clay soils were treated with 0, 180, or 360 kg. (approximately 0, 400, or 800 lb.) of nitrogen per plot. Indices of biomass from remote sensing data were significantly correlated with in situ biomass measurements made in each plot. A ratio of infrared (.9–1.1 μm) and red (.65–.70 μm) channels yielded the best correlation. The indices were not sensitive to differences in soil type (sandy or clay).     

A 20‐ka climate record from Central Himalayan loess deposits

The southwest monsoon that dominated Central Himalaya has preserved loessic silt deposits preserved in patches that are proximal to periglacial areas. The occurrence of such silts suggests contemporary prevalence of cold and dry northwesterly winds. Field stratigraphy, geochemistry, mineral magnetism, infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and radiocarbon dating has enabled reconstruction of an event chronology during the past 20 ka. Three events of loess accretion could be identified. The first two events of loess deposition occurred betweem 20 and 9 ka and were separated by a phase of moderate weathering. Pedogenesis at the end of this event gave rise to a well‐developed soil that was bracketed around 9 to > 4 ka. This was followed by the third phase of loess accretion that occurred around 4 to > 1 ka. Episodes of loess deposition and soil formation are interpreted in terms of changes in the strength of the Indian southwest monsoon. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Magma Ascent and Crustal Accretion at Ultraslow-Spreading Ridges: Constraints from Plagioclase Ultraphyric Basalts from the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge

Plagioclase ultraphyric basalts (PUBs) with up to 54% plagioclasephenocrysts were dredged in the rift valley and adjacent flanksof the ultraslow-spreading Mohns and Knipovich ridges. The PUBsshow large variations in crystal morphologies and zoning. Thelarge variations suggest that single basalt samples containa mixture of plagioclase crystals that aggregated at differentlevels in the magma conduits. Resorbed crystals and repeatedreverse zones suggest that the magma reservoirs were replenishedand heated several times. Thin concentric zones with melt inclusions,and sharp reductions in the anorthite content of 3–7%,are common between the reverse zones. These zones, and skeletalcrystals with distinctly lower anorthite contents than massivecrystals, are interpreted to be the result of rapid crystalliztionduring strong undercooling. The changes between short periodsof cooling and longer periods with reheating are explained bymultiple advances of crystal-rich magma into cool regions followedby longer periods of gradual magma inflow and temperature increase.The porphyritic basalts are characterizd by more depleted andmore fractionated compositions than the aphyric basalts, withlower (La/Sm)_N, K₂O and Mg-numbers. This relationship, and theobservation that PUBs are sampled only close to segment centresalong these ridges, suggests that the PUBs formed by higherdegrees of melting and evolved in more long-lived magma reservoirs.We propose that the zoning patterns of plagioclase crystalsand crystal morphologies of these PUBs reflect the developmentand flow of magma through a stacked sill complex-like conduitsystem, whereas the aphyric equivalents represent later flowof magma through the conduit. The formation of voluminous higher-degreemelts may trigger the development of the magma conduits andexplain the generally depleted compositions of PUB magmas. KEY WORDS: basalt; mineral chemistry; MORB; magma mixing; magma chamber; major element     

In situ strength measurements on natural upper-mantle minerals

Using in situ strength measurements at pressures up to 10 GPa and at room temperature, 400, 600, and 700°C, we examined rheological properties of olivine, orthopyroxene, and chromian-spinel contained in a mantle-derived xenolith. Mineral strengths were estimated using widths of X-ray diffraction peaks as a function of pressure, temperature, and time. Differential stresses of all minerals increase with increasing pressure, but they decrease with increasing temperature because of elastic strain on compression and stress relaxation during heating. During compression at room temperature, all minerals deform plastically at differential stress of 4–6 GPa. During subsequent heating, thermally induced yielding is observed in olivine at 600°C. Neither orthopyroxene nor spinel shows complete stress relaxation, but both retain some stress even at 700°C. The strength of the minerals decreases in the order of chromian-spinel ≈ orthopyroxene > olivine for these conditions. This order of strength is consistent with the residual pressure of fluid inclusions in mantle xenoliths.     

加强技术创新服务地质调查——庆祝探矿工艺研究所成立30周年

为加强地质探矿技术力量,改变地质装备落后现状,经国务院批准,1978年8月8日成立了探矿工艺研究所。30年来,经过新老两代工艺所人的艰苦奋斗、刻苦钻研、勇于创新,在科研攻关、成果转化、基地建设和管理等方面都取得了可喜的成绩,为国家的地质科学事业做出了贡献,目前已成为一个“以勘查技术为基础,以承担地质调查任务和科研项目、提供勘查与监测技术方法和技术服务为手段,以服务国家经济建设、社会发展和地质工作为目标,以探矿工艺技术和地质灾害监测防治技术研发为主业”的地质调查科研机构。回顾了工艺所艰苦创业、改革进取的发展历程,对科技体制改革、专业结构调整、人事分配制度改革、地质调查和科研工作进行了总结,展示了丰硕的科研成果和强劲的科技实力;指出了工艺所在“十一五”期间地质调查和科研工作的重点领域和优先发展方向。     

南海西沙西南海域表层沉积物特征

西沙西南海域表层沉积物样品矿物成分，地球化学，微体古生物分析测试结果表明：沉积物可分为７种类型，沉积环境主要是陆坡，部分为深海平原，海洋生物，海洋化学以及火山物质的沉积起到了积极的作用，陆源物质的影响较小，它们主要来源于北部大陆和南部岛礁等物源区。     

多源遥感数据综合解译鄂尔多斯盆地杭锦旗地区地质构造

利用多源遥感数据假彩色合成、融合及纹理分析等增强处理方法提取研究区构造信息,进而对研究区进行综合解译;通过分析水系、色调、纹理、地貌及岩性等特征,判断出杭锦旗地区存在一小一大、内外相套的2个环形构造,发育的北西向、北东向2组共轭断层和一组北北西向断层,与环形构造相互构架,构成研究区特殊的构造体系。经分析预测,这些构造是受周边南北向构造应力共同挤压而形成。