An IEEE value loop of human-technology collaboration in geospatial information science

ABSTRACT

Geosensing and social sensing as two digitalization mainstreams in big data era are increasingly converging toward an integrated system for the creation of semantically enriched digital Earth. Along with the rapid developments of AI technologies, this convergence has inevitably brought about a number of transformations. On the one hand, value-adding chains from raw data to products and services are becoming value-adding loops composed of four successive stages – Informing, Enabling, Engaging and Empowering (IEEE). Each stage is a dynamic loop for itself. On the other hand, the “human versus technology” relationship is upgraded toward a game-changing “human and technology” collaboration. The information loop is essentially shaped by the omnipresent reciprocity between humans and technologies as equal partners, co-learners and co-creators of new values.

The paper gives an analytical review on the mutually changing roles and responsibilities of humans and technologies in the individual stages of the IEEE loop, with the aim to promote a holistic understanding of the state of the art of geospatial information science. Meanwhile, the author elicits a number of challenges facing the interwoven human-technology collaboration. The transformation to a growth mind-set may take time to realize and consolidate. Research works on large-scale semantic data integration are just in the beginning. User experiences of geovisual analytic approaches are far from being systematically studied. Finally, the ethical concerns for the handling of semantically enriched digital Earth cover not only the sensitive issues related to privacy violation, copyright infringement, abuse, etc. but also the questions of how to make technologies as controllable and understandable as possible for humans and how to keep the technological ethos within its constructive sphere of societal influence.     

Atmospheric pollution assessment near potential source of natural aerosols in the South Gobi Desert region,China

ABSTRACT

Rapid economic growth, a high degree of urbanization and the proximity of a large number of desert and semidesert landscapes can have a significant impact on the atmosphere of adjacent territories, leading to high levels of atmospheric pollution. Therefore, identifying possible sources of atmospheric pollution is one of the main tasks. In this study, we carried out an analysis of spatial and temporal characteristics of five main atmospheric pollutants (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂, and CO) near potential source of natural aerosols, affecting seven cities (Wuhai, Alashan, Wuzhong, Zhongwei, Wuwei, Jinchang, Zhangye), located in immediate proximity to the South Gobi deserts. The results, obtained for the period from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2018, demonstrate total concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ are 38.2 ± 19.5 and 101 ± 80.7 μg/m³ exceeding the same established by the Chinese National Ambient Air Quality Standard (CNAAQS), being 35 and 70 μg/m³, respectively. Based on the data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) for the whole period, Clean Сontinental (71.49%) and Mixed (22.29%) types of aerosols prevail in the region. In the spring and winter seasons maximum concentrations of pollutants and high values of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) in the region atmosphere are observed. PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ ratio shows the presence of coarse aerosols in the total content with value 0.43. The highest concentrations of pollutants were in the period of dust storms activity, when PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ content exceeded 200 and 1000 µg/m³, and AOD value exceeded 1. UV Aerosol Index (UVAI), Aerosol Absorbing Optical Depth (AAOD), and Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), obtained from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), demonstrate the high content of dust aerosols in the period of sandstorms. Analysis of backward trajectories shows that dust air masses moved from North to Northwest China, affecting large deserts such as Taklamakan, Gurbantunggut, Badain Jaran, Tengger, and Ulan Buh deserts.     

Multi-scale remote sensing to support insurance policies in agriculture: from mid-term to instantaneous deductions

ABSTRACT

Climate change is today one of the biggest issues for farmers. The increasing number of natural disasters and change of seasonal trends is making insurance companies more interested in new technologies that can somehow support them in quantifying and mapping risks. Remotely sensed data, with special focus on free ones, can certainly provide the most of information they need, making possible to better calibrate insurance fees in space and time. In this work, a prototype of service based on free remotely sensed data is proposed with the aim of supporting insurance companies’ strategies. The service is thought to calibrate annual insurance rates, longing for their reduction at such level that new customers could be attracted. The study moves from the entire Piemonte region (NW Italy), to specifically focus onto the Cuneo province (Southern Piemonte), which is mainly devoted to agriculture. MODIS MOD13Q1-v6 and Sentinel-2 L2A image time series were jointly used. NDVI maps from MODIS data were useful to describe the midterm phenological trends of main crops at regional level in the period 2000–2018; differently, Sentinel-2 data permitted to map local crop differences at field level in 2016 and 2017 years. With reference to MODIS data, the average phenological behavior of main crop classes in the area, obtained from the CORINE Land Cover map Level 3, was considered using a time series decomposition approach. Trend analyses showed that the most of the crop classes alternated three phases (about 7 years) suggesting that, presently, this is probably the time horizon to be considered to tune mid-term algorithms for risk estimates in the agricultural context. Crop classes trends were consequently split into three phases and each of them modeled by a first-order polynomial function used to update correspondent insurance risk rate. Sentinel-2 data were used to map phenological anomalies at field level for the 2016 and 2017 growing seasons; shifts from class average behavior were considered to locally and temporarily tune insurance premium around its average trend as described at the previous step. Synthesizing, one can say that this approach, integrating MODIS and Sentnel-2 data, makes possible to locally and temporarily calibrate premiums of indexed insurance policies by describing the average trends of crop performance (NDVI) at regional level by MODIS data and refining it at field and specific crop level by Sentinel-2 data.     

Analyzing ice dynamics using Sentinel-1 data at the Solheimajoküll Glacier,Iceland

ABSTRACT

The climate in southern Iceland has warmed over the last 70 years, resulting in accelerated glacier dynamics at the Solheimajoküll glacier. In this study, we compare glacier terminus locations from 1973 to 2018, to changes in climate across the study area, and we derive ice-surface velocities (2015–2018) from satellite remote-sensing imagery (Sentinel-1) using the offset-tracking method. There have been two regional temperature trends in the study period: cooling (1973–1979) and warming (1980–2018). Our results indicate a time lag of about 20 years between the onset of glacier retreat (?53 m/year since 2000) and the inception of the warming period. Seasonally, the velocity time series suggest acceleration during the summer melt season since 2016, whereas glacier velocities during accumulation months were constant. The highest velocities were observed at high elevations where the ice-surface slope is the steepest. We tested several scenarios to assess the hydrological time response to glacier accelerations, with the highest correlations being found between one and 30 days after the velocity estimates. Monthly correlation analyses indicated inter-annual and intra-annual variability in the glacier dynamics. Additionally, we investigate the linkage between glacier velocities and meltwater outflow parameters as they provide useful information about internal processes in the glacier. Velocity estimates positively correlate with water level and negatively correlate with water conductivity between April and August. There is also a disruption in the correlation trend between water conductivity and ice velocity in June, potentially due to a seasonal release of geothermal water.     

Big Earth data: disruptive changes in Earth observation data management and analysis?

ABSTRACT

Turning Earth observation (EO) data consistently and systematically into valuable global information layers is an ongoing challenge for the EO community. Recently, the term ‘big Earth data’ emerged to describe massive EO datasets that confronts analysts and their traditional workflows with a range of challenges. We argue that the altered circumstances must be actively intercepted by an evolution of EO to revolutionise their application in various domains. The disruptive element is that analysts and end-users increasingly rely on Web-based workflows. In this contribution we study selected systems and portals, put them in the context of challenges and opportunities and highlight selected shortcomings and possible future developments that we consider relevant for the imminent uptake of big Earth data.     

Combining European Earth Observation products with Dynamic Global Vegetation Models for estimating Essential Biodiversity Variables

ABSTRACT

Global, fast and accessible monitoring of biodiversity is one of the main pillars of the efforts undertaken in order to revert it loss. The Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO-BON) provided an expert-based definition of the biological properties that should be monitored, the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). Initiatives to provide indicators for EBVs rely on global, freely available remote sensing (RS) products in combination with empirical models and field data, and are invaluable for decision making. In this study, we provide alternatives for the expansion and improvement of the EBV indicators, by suggesting current and future data from the European Space Agencýs COPERNICUS and explore the potential of RS-integrated Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs) for the estimation of EBVs. Our review found that mainly due to the inclusion of the Sentinel constellation, Copernicus products have similar or superior potential for EBV indicator estimation in relation to their NASA counterparts. DGVMs simulate the ecosystem level EBVs (ecosystem function and structure), and when integrated with remote sensing data have great potential to not only offer improved estimation of current states but to provide projection of ecosystem impacts. We suggest that focus on producing EBV relevant outputs should be a priority within the research community, to support biodiversity preservation efforts.     

星载合成孔径雷达海洋遥感与大数据

星载合成孔径雷达以其全天候、全天时、不受云雨影响的工作特性在空间对海观测中起到了重要作用，又以其高空间分辨率、多极化、多成像模式的特点展示了其在海洋动力要素反演和海洋多尺度动力过程研究中独特的魅力.起步于20世纪70年代末的星载合成孔径雷达技术，迎来了发展的"黄金时期"，大数据和机器学习又赋予了星载合成孔径雷达海洋遥感更强大的生命力.本文首先阐述了星载合成孔径雷达大数据的5"V"特性，进而以高分辨率海面风场反演、海洋内波中尺度动力过程观测两类典型案例，阐述了大数据、机器学习等现代信息科学技术与卫星海洋遥感结合，实现海洋环境参数高精度反演和海洋动力过程科学深层次认知的研究.最后，展望了星载合成孔径雷达海洋遥感与大数据的发展前景.