Inter-comparison of remote sensing platforms for height estimation of mango and avocado tree crowns

To support the adoption of precision agricultural practices in horticultural tree crops, prior research has investigated the relationship between crop vigour (height, canopy density, health) as measured by remote sensing technologies, to fruit quality, yield and pruning requirements. However, few studies have compared the accuracy of different remote sensing technologies for the estimation of tree height. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy, flexibility, aerial coverage and limitations of five techniques to measure the height of two types of horticultural tree crops, mango and avocado trees. Canopy height estimates from Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) were used as a reference dataset against height estimates from Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) data, WorldView-3 (WV-3) stereo imagery, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based RGB and multi-spectral imagery, and field measurements. Overall, imagery obtained from the UAV platform were found to provide tree height measurement comparable to that from the TLS (R² = 0.89, RMSE = 0.19 m and rRMSE = 5.37 % for mango trees; R² = 0.81, RMSE = 0.42 m and rRMSE = 4.75 % for avocado trees), although coverage area is limited to 1–10 km² due to battery life and line-of-sight flight regulations. The ALS data also achieved reasonable accuracy for both mango and avocado trees (R² = 0.67, RMSE = 0.24 m and rRMSE = 7.39 % for mango trees; R² = 0.63, RMSE = 0.43 m and rRMSE = 5.04 % for avocado trees), providing both optimal point density and flight altitude, and therefore offers an effective platform for large areas (10 km²–100 km²). However, cost and availability of ALS data is a consideration. WV-3 stereo imagery produced the lowest accuracies for both tree crops (R² = 0.50, RMSE = 0.84 m and rRMSE = 32.64 % for mango trees; R² = 0.45, RMSE = 0.74 m and rRMSE = 8.51 % for avocado trees) when compared to other remote sensing platforms, but may still present a viable option due to cost and commercial availability when large area coverage is required. This research provides industries and growers with valuable information on how to select the most appropriate approach and the optimal parameters for each remote sensing platform to assess canopy height for mango and avocado trees.     

激光钻进煤岩技术的研究进展

激光钻进技术是一种极具潜力的创新技术,也是钻探领域的研究热点。作为一种非接触式钻进技术,对破碎松软岩层扰动破坏小,将激光钻进应用于煤层气定向钻进中可发挥出非常明显的优势。梳理和总结了激光用于煤岩钻进的成孔机制、钻进效果的影响因素。在激光钻进过程中,激光与煤岩相互作用伴随着复杂的理化作用,指出激光钻进煤岩主要的成孔机制是烧蚀成孔。从激光参数、岩石性质、外部环境等方面阐述了影响激光钻进煤岩效果的因素,论述了激光钻进用于煤岩这一特定钻进对象的特殊现象和问题,指出煤岩在激光照射下,组分的挥发、热解、升华、烧结和氧化构成了煤岩在高温下主要的热烧蚀机制。从钻进机理、工艺、装置等方面着手,建议加强激光钻进煤岩的多物理场耦合作用机制、钻进工艺、钻进装置研制等适应性研究,为激光用于煤岩的高质高效钻进研究提供参考。      

地月系L_2点中继星激光测距成功率的估算

为了模拟位于地月系L2点的中继星"鹊桥"与月球的位置关系,进而估算中继星激光测距的成功率,按照轨道周期约为14天的要求对中继星所在的晕轨道进行计算,建立了一个综合考虑望远镜抖动、大气抖动和预报轨道横向偏离的模型。从数值上给出了一条轨道周期为14. 78天,X方向(地月连线方向)振幅为12 493 km,Y方向为34 596 km,Z方向(垂直于地月轨道平面方向)为11 916 km的周期轨道。由于晕轨道的最小振幅远大于月球遮挡的临界振幅4 000 km,因此月球对中继星不存在遮挡问题。基于建立的测距成功率模型,根据昆明站(国际编号:7820)的激光测距系统对运行在该轨道上的中继星进行测距成功率分析,结果表明:测距成功率随着中继星横向轨道标准差的增大呈快速降低的趋势。对于中继星到测站的平均距离而言,当中继星没有横向偏离时,探测器产生的光电子数为0. 151,成功率为14. 07%;横向偏离2 km时,光电子数降为0. 035,成功率降为3. 46%。对比最近距离与最远距离的情况,无横向偏离的情况下,探测器产生的光电子数从0. 174降为0. 139,成功率从16. 01%降为13. 02%。该计算结果可为云南天文台1. 2 m望远镜实现中继星激光测距提供参考。     

Accuracy assessment of digital elevation models by means of robust statistical methods

Measures for the accuracy assessment of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are discussed and characteristics of DEMs derived from laser scanning and automated photogrammetry are presented. Such DEMs are very dense and relatively accurate in open terrain. Built-up and wooded areas, however, need automated filtering and classification in order to generate terrain (bare earth) data when Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) have to be produced. Automated processing of the raw data is not always successful. Systematic errors and many outliers at both methods (laser scanning and digital photogrammetry) may therefore be present in the data sets. We discuss requirements for the reference data with respect to accuracy and propose robust statistical methods as accuracy measures. Their use is illustrated by application at four practical examples. It is concluded that measures such as median, normalized median absolute deviation, and sample quantiles should be used in the accuracy assessment of such DEMs. Furthermore, the question is discussed how large a sample size is needed in order to obtain sufficiently precise estimates of the new accuracy measures and relevant formulae are presented.     

High resolution micromill sampling for analysis of fish otoliths by ICP-MS: effects of sampling and specimen preparation on trace element fingerprints

Otoliths are calcified structures in the head of fish that record environmental information about fish's life history. Gathering the elemental information from the core of an otolith corresponding to the juvenile period of fish's life is critical to discriminate the adult fish to their natal habitats reliably. A high resolution micromill has been used to isolate the otolith core from a whole otolith for elemental analysis. The effects of micromilling procedures (e.g., sectioning, embedding and drilling) on contamination to otolith trace element levels were examined using paired blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) otoliths. Otoliths were decontaminated by dilute hydrogen peroxide and nitric acid throughout to remove surface contamination. A preconcentration procedure was used to determine the trace elements from the small core material by ICP-MS. It was found that micromilling procedures introduce significant contamination to otoliths, especially for Al, Cu, Pb and Zn. The sectioning procedure caused significant contamination for Co and Cu, while the embedding procedure resulted in contamination for nearly all trace elements (Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Ga, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn). The combined sectioning, embedding and drilling procedure also resulted in contamination for most trace elements. Despite the contamination across all procedural steps, the decontamination procedure effectively removed the surface contamination with the exception of Pb and Zn. Bias (e.g., residual contamination) on Pb was small in comparison to overall concentration of Pb expected to occur in fish otoliths, therefore, its effect may be minor in discriminating individuals. Bias on Zn was larger that could limit its application in discriminating individuals.     

Distinct activity phases during the recent geologic history of a Gulf of Mexico mud volcano

Laser line scan imaging and chirp sub-bottom profiling were used to detail the morphology of a submarine mud volcano and brine-filled crater at 652 m water depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The mud volcano has a relief of 6 m and a basal diameter of about 80 m. The feature comprises a central, brine-filled crater (253 m²) surrounded by a continuous bed of methanotrophic mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi) covering 434 m² and a patchy bed covering an additional 214 m² of the periphery. The brine pool was mostly <2 m deep, but there were two holes of >28 m and 12 m deep, respectively at the northern end of the pool which emitted continual streams of small clear bubbles. Sub-bottom profiles indicated three distinct strata beneath the present surface of the mud volcano. Integration of 17 profiles shows that the mud volcano has been built in at least three successive stages: the lowest stage deposited 35,400 m³, while the middle and upper stages deposited 7700 and 20,400 m³, respectively. Piston cores were taken at the northern edge of the mussel bed and a site ∼100 m southwest of the pool. Mussel and lucinid shells were recovered from the closer core, lucinid shells from the distant core. A mussel shell from 3.4 m sub-bottom had a Δ¹⁴C age of 16.2 ka. Mixture of modern carbon with “carbon dead” reservoir material would produce actual ages ∼2 ka less than the radiocarbon ages.     

CLSM技术应用于化石硅藻微构造的尝试研究

首次采用激光扫描共聚焦显微系统(Confocal Laser Scanaing Microsystem)的新方法对西藏化石硅藻进行了微构造的尝试研究,通过对标本不同层面的系列扫描和三维重组立体图像的观察,揭示了采自西藏阿里地区和山南地区湖相沉积剖面的化石硅藻的微构造及形态特征,发现了某些对硅藻分类、示相特征的新标识,并在CLSM技术的应用方面获得了新的认识.     

GRACE和SLR观测的地球动力学扁率最大熵谱及小波相关分析

卫星重力测量技术的实现为测定地球动力学扁率提供了新的方式和途径,GRACE卫星是目前最新的重力测量卫星,据其恢复的低阶重力场较以往精度得到大大提高,然而其观测地球动力学扁率（二阶项）却与卫星激光测距（SLR）结果相差较大.本文采用最大熵谱和小波分析方法对GRACE和SLR观测的地球动力学扁率时间序列信号进行定量比较分析,结果表明：GRACE观测的地球动力学扁率年际周期变化振幅仅为SLR观测结果的25%,并且目前GRACE观测的地球动力学扁率数据中含有系统输入信息和相位差,但前者较后者包含有较强的短周期（2～6月）信息.造成这种差异的主要原因可能来自于GRACE与SLR全球观测数据时空分布不同.     

南海IODP 349航次基底玄武岩中碳酸盐岩脉的岩石学特征*

国际大洋发现计划(International Ocean Discovery Program, IODP)349航次在南海东部次海盆和西南次海盆残留扩张脊附近的U1431和U1433站位首次钻取基底玄武岩, 通过对16块基底玄武岩内的碳酸盐岩脉薄片镜下观察以及激光拉曼光谱分析, 揭示碳酸盐矿物为方解石和文石, 为典型的洋壳低温热液蚀变次生矿物。U1431站位碳酸盐岩脉为独立的方解石脉、文石脉交替出现; 而U1433站位则存在方解石脉、文石脉和方解石-文石共生脉三种情况。此外, U1431站位在基底~42.1m处出现了平行的方解石脉和文石脉, 揭示U1431存在不同来源热液的多期活动, 即可能存在多次或多阶段不同的热液注入。U1431和U1433站位的碳酸岩脉中, 文石的矿物集合体形状基本一致, 呈块状、纤维状和放射纤维状; 而方解石存在差异, U1431的方解石以斑块状、块状、粒状和纤维状出现, 而U1433的方解石仅出现块状。U1431站位的碳酸盐岩脉的丰度明显高于U1433站位。这些均揭示U1431站位的低温热液活动强, 而U1433站位则相对弱。两个站位的热液活动不同很可能是由于区域地质环境的差异造成——U1431附近的巨大海山为其提供了热液补给, 而U1433远离热液的补给/渗漏点。     

ICP-MS测定生物样品中的微量金属元素

采用SP-60型恒压消解罐消解生物样品,用ICP-MS测定8种金属元素(Mn、Zn、Pb、La、Ce、Mo、Cr和Fe)的质量分数。依据分析结果,比较了消解程序的效果。结果表明,由10.0 mLHNO3对生物样品具有很好的消解能力,各元素的测定值与推荐值相符。