Dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes based on remote sensing and geographic information system: an example in Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau is suffering from severe soil erosion. The eco-environmental changes of the plateau are believed to have an important influence on global eco-environmental sustainability; hence, this problem has attracted considerable attention from scientists around the world. This study has two purposes; application of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques in the dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes in the semiarid zone; and using the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau as an example, to make dynamic analysis of the eco-environmental changes of the region during the 1986–2004 period and identify controlling factors. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data at a spatial resolution of 30 m were used for analysis. Two training areas were selected in Jingning and Qingcheng counties for analysis using 10-m resolution SPOT and Landsat TM data. The satellite RS images were obtained from the Institute of Remote Sensing Application (IRSA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Each images was rectified by Albers Equal Area Conic projection based on 1:50,000 scale topographic maps after spectrum preparation of the images. To make the precision within 1 or 2 pixels, the accurate coordinative control points of the two systems were identified. Then the interpretation key was established based on the land use/cover survey in the study area. The images were classified into six primary environmental types (farmland, forest, grassland, water, construction area, and desert) and 25 sub-types using a visual image interactive interpretation method to obtain vector and attribute data. The resultant accuracy of the land use/cover classification reached 95%. Finally, the transformation areas and ratios of various eco-environmental types in the region were calculated to obtain the transition matrixes of eco-environmental types in the two training areas, Jingning and Qingcheng. This study demonstrates that satellite RS and GIS techniques are effective tools to monitor and analyze the eco-environmental changes in the semiarid region. Visual image interactive interpretation based on GIS technique provides comprehensive information on the direction, rate, and location of eco-environmental changes. The transition matrix model can be used to precisely analyze the variation and rates of the eco-environmental types and their spatial distribution. Great land use changes have taken place Longdong during the 1986–2004 period. These eco-environmental changes were driven by natural and human factors. Natural factors influencing the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau mainly include temperature, water condition, terrain, soil, and erosion; while human activities include over-cultivation, overgrazing, and fuelwood cutting. As viewed from the extent and severity of the influences, human activities play a very important role in altering the eco-environment of the semiarid region. The study results indicate a need for future research and observation in the semiarid region.     

Outgoing long wave radiation variability from IR satellite data prior to major earthquakes

Our analysis of the continuous outgoing long wave earth radiation (OLR) indicates anomalous variations prior to a number of medium to large earthquakes. The most recent analysis of OLR is from the M9.0 Sumatra Andaman Islands mega trust event. We compared the reference fields for December 2001 to 2004 and found OLR anomalous values, > 80 W/m², (2σ) within the epicentral area on Dec 21, 2004, 5 days before the event. We used the NOAA/IR daily (one degree) and monthly (two and half degree) gridded data to differentiate between the global and seasonal variability and the transient local anomalies. The cause of such anomalies is not fully understood; one possible explanation is the existence of thermal outgoing radiation as a result of near ground air ionization and latent heat change due to change of air humidity and temperature. This phenomenon is hypothesized to be part of a relationship between tectonic stresses, electrochemical and thermodynamic processes in the atmosphere and increasing mid IR flux, all part of a family of electromagnetic (EM) phenomena related to earthquake activity. The time scale of the observed variations is a few weeks before the onset of the seismic event. In comparison with several years of data, the observed time-series preceding the earthquake had unusually high OLR. The OLR anomaly corresponds to a large area of ground coverage and coincides with the main epicentral zone. The significance of these observations is explored using data from most recent East Asian earthquake swarm of December 2004 and three other earthquakes.     

Irrigated area determination: a case study in the Province of San Juan,Argentina

Much of the central-western region of Argentina, where San Juan Province is located, experiences arid to semi-arid climatic conditions with low average annual rainfall accompanied by substantial evapotranspiration. Consequently, a viable crop industry depends to a large extent upon irrigation from major river systems. Increasing demand for water in the lower basin of the San Juan River is emphasizing the need for more accurate estimates of water used for irrigation. Since the water demand for a particular crop is very closely related to crop area, monitoring the area of crop under irrigation is considered a proxy for the amount of water used. Landsat 5 imagery for the growing season, field data and aerial photographs were used to evaluate crop area.     

Remote sensing research issues of the National Land Use Change Program of China

In 1999, the Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) of China launched the National Land Use Change Program especially to monitor the scale and distribution of urban expansion and the decrease in cultivated land through remote sensing technology. This Program has been carried out annually and continuously for seven years since then and played an important role in the policy-making of MLR about land management and planning. This paper gives an overview about this Program and discusses several research issues. First, the remote sensing data sources and other ancillary data used in this Program are presented. The approaches for image preprocessing, i.e. radiometric normalization, image geometric rectification and image fusion are then introduced with an emphasis on the algorithm development for image registration. Second, land use change detection technique is the most critical and complex aspect of the Program. The methodologies for change detection using either bi-temporal image pair or one existing land use map and one remotely sensed image are detailed. Third, since the data of land use changes derived from remote sensing will be operationally used for local and central government, field validation and accuracy assessment are crucial to ensure the reliability of change detection results. The strategy of field work and the resulting accuracy evaluations is presented. The land use and change information derived from remotely sensed data has wide applications for land management, including land use database updating, verification of land use planning and monitoring of national high-tech parks. Last, suggestions on how to make full use of the images and change detection result, to improve the consistency of land use classification and to develop change detection algorithms for diverse and complex remote sensing data are given.     

Testing satellite and ground thermal imaging of low-temperature fumarolic fields: The dormant Nisyros Volcano (Greece)

The Nisyros Volcano (Greece) was monitored by satellite and ground thermal imaging during the period 2000–2002. Three night-scheduled Landsat-7 ETM⁺ thermal (band 6) images of Nisyros Island were processed to obtain land surface temperature. Ground temperature data were also collected during one of the satellite overpasses. Processed results involving orthorectification and 3-D atmospheric correction clearly show the existence of a thermal anomaly inside the Nisyros Caldera. This anomaly is associated mainly with the largest hydrothermal craters and has land surface temperatures 5–10 °C warmer than its surroundings. The ground temperature generally increased by about 4 °C inside the main crater over the period 2000–2002. Ground thermal images of the hydrothermal Stephanos Crater were also collected in 2002 using a portable thermal infrared camera. These images were calibrated to ground temperature data and orthorectified. A difference of about 0–2 °C was observed between the ground thermal images and the ground temperature data. The overall study demonstrates that satellite remote sensing of low-temperature fumarolic fields within calderas can provide a reliable long-term monitoring tool of dormant volcanoes that have the potential to reactivate. Similarly, a portable thermo-imager can easily be deployed for real-time monitoring using telemetric data transfer. The operational costs for both systems are relatively low for an early warning system.     

遥感技术在三峡库区千将坪滑坡研究中的应用

 2003年7月13日，三峡库区湖北省秭归县沙镇溪镇千将坪村发生特大型滑坡灾害后，利用先进的数字遥感技术，结合滑坡前 后的高分辨率的遥感数据、地形图资料和野外所测的GPS控制点，制作出研究区滑坡前后的数字高程模型(DEM)，同时采用合理的图 像处理技术，获得了滑坡前后正射影像图。利用三维可视化技术，采用人机交互解译滑坡，详细的对比解译滑坡前后的影像，分别 对滑体的滑动方向、距离和堆积体面积进行了定量计算，结合勘查资料估算出其体积约为1 500万方，综合地质学、灾害学原理和 地理空间信息技术等科学分析了千将坪滑坡的形成条件，认为千将坪在“7.13”滑坡之前为一特大型顺层古滑坡，而“7.13”滑坡 是古滑坡的大规模复活，三峡库区蓄水和降雨综合作用是促使滑坡复活的主要诱发因素。     

《遥感图像处理》课程教学在地理学专业中的探索与实践

针对地理专业的自身特点和当前遥感图像处理的教学现状，提出了遥感图像处理课程在地理专业中的主要教学内容框架、教学方法以及教学改革方向，并对该课程的实践教学部分做了重点介绍，最后论述了该课程在地理学专业实践教学中的取得一些教改成果。     

绍兴市城镇用地扩展的遥感监测

随着我国改革开放政策的实施,绍兴市的经济得到飞速发展,城市规模迅速扩大。城市扩展趋势如何,土地的开发利用现状如何是制定今后土地利用规划,进行土地管理、开发的重要依据。为此绍兴市土地局开展了以TM影像为基本信息源的城镇遥感监测工作,本文对此工作进行了分析探讨。     

多覆盖地区花岗岩接触带及其控矿特征的遥感研究

本文主要介绍应用TM图像对西秦岭地区的中川岩体进行研究的成果,即研究在多植被、多黄土覆盖的复杂条件下,如何依据接触带蚀变岩的遥感图像像元亮度值及实验室测得的光谱曲线特征,区分不同的岩体接触带类型,并探讨它们对金矿的控制作用。     

大比例尺卫片在土地利用动态变化监测中的应用——以黑龙江省阿城监测区为例

以黑龙江省阿城市为监测试验区,采用1:5万的TM假彩色合成图像,对该市土地利用现状进行解译调查,并与历史资料比较,对该市土地利用动态变化情况进行监测,同时对这种方法的可行性和该市地类变化情况以及监测结果进行了分析。