Event-driven flood management: design and computational modules

Flood management is a set of activities that have to be carried out in collaboration with multiple agencies. Advanced flood information with early warning generated using remote sensing satellite technologies can help the agencies to effectively manage the situation on ground. Various environmental parameters and forecasts provided by different agencies can be analyzed and compared with historical flood events for generating probable flood event alerts. The information (environmental parameters) provided by the agencies are heterogeneous and noncompliant to standards and distributed in nature. Synchronization of data from distributed resources and automation of data analysis process for flood management is a primary prerequisite for faster and efficient decision-making. Web 2.0-based web services enable data creation, sharing, communication, and collaboration on web. Spatial data sharing on web 2.0 for making quality of service using open-source software for efficient flood management is a challenge. Available software architectures proposed for risk and environmental crisis management are too generic in nature and needs lot of modification for flood management. An event-driven model coupled with data standardization procedures using service-oriented architecture provides an effective framework for flood management. In this paper, a framework capable of collecting heterogeneous distributed flood-related information for analyzing and alerting probable flood events is proposed. The framework has been implemented to generate automatic flood extent maps, by analyzing the distributed satellite data (as service). The automation of flood delineation process reduces the overall flood product generation time. Open-source web tools have been utilized in development of spatial information system to visualize and analyze the actual situation on ground facilitating overall decision-making process.     

Fluctuation of groundwater in an urban coastal city of India: a GIS‐based approach

Groundwater is the most important and valuable natural resources especially in coastal urban environment where surface water is insufficient to satisfy the water requirement. Puri city is located on the east coast of India where groundwater is the only source available to meet city water supply. As the city is situated on the sandy aquifer, quality of groundwater is deteriorating because of anthropogenic activities, lack of sewerage system, etc. The objective of the study was to assess the groundwater fluctuation during post‐monsoon and summer with respect to hydrogeological conditions, topography, and groundwater consumption pattern of the city. For this assessment and analysis, Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to visualize topography of the area through digital elevation model (DEM) and distribution of groundwater contours spatially and temporally. The probable areas prone to contamination were identified based on aquifer property and depths to water table below ground. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of scouring in sand on monopile-supported offshore wind turbines

This paper analyzes the influence of scour on the overall response of monopile-supported offshore wind turbines (OWTs) in 20-m water depth. Scouring effects on OWTs have been often studied within the geotechnical domain, considering static loads at the mudline. The present work attempts to address the scour-induced problems in OWTs by making use of an integrated aerodynamic–hydrodynamic load approach in sandy soils. The OWT analysis is simulated for operational and shut-down (parked) condition. Under parked situations, the OWT blades are feathered, and power production is suspended, owing to structural safety concerns. The 50 Monte Carlo responses of stochastic sea-state condition (wind speed with turbulence, significant wave height, and peak spectral period) are generated. Irregular, long-crested waves are generated using the Joint North Sea Wave Project (JONSWAP) spectrum. Then from each simulation, the ensemble response is obtained. Sandy soils of varying densities are considered. Results indicate that OWTs founded on loose sands suffer significant stiffness (and hence natural frequency) reductions, shifting the structure into the resonance regime. Lateral responses also show an escalation with reduction in density of sandy soil.     

Evaluating the capabilities of the CASI hyperspectral imaging system and Aquarius bathymetric LiDAR for measuring channel morphology in two distinct river environments

Remote sensing is a powerful tool for examining river morphology. This study used detailed field surveys to assess the capability of the CASI hyperspectral imaging system and Aquarius bathymetric LiDAR to measure bed elevations in rivers with disparate optical characteristics. Field measurements of water column optical properties in the clear Snake River, the more complex Blue and Colorado, and highly turbid Muddy Creek were used to calculate depth retrieval precision and dynamic range. Differences in depth of a few centimeters were detectable via passive optical techniques in the clearest stream, but precision was greatly reduced under turbid conditions. The bathymetric LiDAR evaluated in this study could not detect shallow depths or differences in depth smaller than 11 cm owing to the difficulty of distinguishing water surface and bottom returns in laser waveforms. In clear water and with high radiometric resolution, hyperspectral systems such as CASI could detect depths approaching 10 m, but semi‐empirical analysis of the Aquarius LiDAR indicated that maximum detectable depths were of the order of 2–3 m in the clear‐flowing Snake River, and closer to 1 m in the more turbid streams. Turbidity also constrained spectrally based depth retrieval, and depth estimates from the Blue/Colorado were far less reliable than on the Snake. Both sensors yielded positively biased (0.03 m for CASI, 0.08 m for Aquarius) bed elevations on the Snake, with precisions of 0.16–0.17 m. For the Blue/Colorado, mean errors were of the order of 0.2 m, biased shallow for optical data and biased deep for LiDAR, although no Aquarius laser returns were recorded from the deepest parts of these channels; precisions were reduced to 0.29–0.32 m. Both approaches have advantages and limitations, and prospective users must understand the capabilities and constraints associated with various types of remote sensing to ensure efficient use of these evolving technologies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High resolution multispectral satellite data interpretation and limited ground checking: A proxy for geological mapping and uranium exploration in Mahakoshal Fold Belt of Son valley area,Madhya Pradesh

This research aims at integrating remote sensing data and field studies to prospect for uranium mineralisation in the Palaeoproterozoic Mahakoshal Group of rocks in the Son valley area, Central India. In present work, a revised geological map of Mahakoshal Fold Belt (MFB) bounded by Son-Narmada north fault (SNNF) and Son-Narmada south fault (SNSF) along Chorhut-Sidhi-Chitrangi sector falling in Sidhi, Rewa and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh has been prepared based on interpretation of digitally enhanced satellite images. The satellite image interpretation is supported by limited field works, radioelemental measurements (eU, eTh and % K) of in-situ rocks by four channel Portable Gamma Ray Spectrometer (PGRS) and existing published geological maps of Geological Survey of India. In search for mineral potential areas, accurate and up-to-date geological maps are essential as it represent the most basic information for carrying out further exploration activities. However, available geological maps of MFB and sedimentary formations ofVindhayan Supergroup along SNNF and Chhotanagpur Granite Gneissic Complex (CGGC) and Gondwana Supergroup along SNSF available in public domain are discontinuous and multi-scaled.