Approximation Theory Applied to DEM Vertical Accuracy Assessment

Existing research on DEM vertical accuracy assessment uses mainly statistical methods, in particular variance and RMSE which are both based on the error propagation theory in statistics. This article demonstrates that error propagation theory is not applicable because the critical assumption behind it cannot be satisfied. In fact, the non‐random, non‐normal, and non‐stationary nature of DEM error makes it very challenging to apply statistical methods. This article presents approximation theory as a new methodology and illustrates its application to DEMs created by linear interpolation using contour lines as the source data. Applying approximation theory, a DEM's accuracy is determined by the largest error of any point (not samples) in the entire study area. The error at a point is bounded by max(|δ_node|+M₂h²/8) where |δ_node| is the error in the source data used to interpolate the point, M₂ is the maximum norm of the second‐order derivative which can be interpreted as curvature, and h is the length of the line on which linear interpolation is conducted. The article explains how to compute each term and illustrates how this new methodology based on approximation theory effectively facilitates DEM accuracy assessment and quality control.     

根据GPS数据的北天山现代构造活动概率区研究

根据GPS数据的现代运动场研究了北天山的现代形变过程。在这一地区,速率分量和某些类型形变速率场的不均性都表现出与现代构造活动区密切相关。以场的水平梯度极值区图为基础划分构造活动区段,查明强震震中区就位于这些活动区。当取得活动区状态的GPS数据时,区域地壳动力学状态监测是最有效的。     

Estimating carbon sequestration in the piedmont ecoregion of the United States from 1971 to 2010

Human activities have diverse and profound impacts on ecosystem carbon cycles. The Piedmont ecoregion in the eastern United States has undergone significant land use and land cover change in the past few decades. The purpose of this study was to use newly available land use and land cover change data to quantify carbon changes within the ecoregion. Land use and land cover change data (60-m spatial resolution) derived from sequential remotely sensed Landsat imagery were used to generate 960-m resolution land cover change maps for the Piedmont ecoregion. These maps were used in the Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS) to simulate ecosystem carbon stock and flux changes from 1971 to 2010. Results show that land use change, especially urbanization and forest harvest had significant impacts on carbon sources and sinks. From 1971 to 2010, forest ecosystems sequestered 0.25 Mg C ha?1 yr?1, while agricultural ecosystems sequestered 0.03 Mg C ha?1 yr?1. The total ecosystem C stock increased from 2271 Tg C in 1971 to 2402 Tg C in 2010, with an annual average increase of 3.3 Tg C yr?1. Terrestrial lands in the Piedmont ecoregion were estimated to be weak net carbon sink during the study period. The major factors contributing to the carbon sink were forest growth and afforestation; the major factors contributing to terrestrial emissions were human induced land cover change, especially urbanization and forest harvest. An additional amount of carbon continues to be stored in harvested wood products. If this pool were included the carbon sink would be stronger.