Estimation of near surface soil moisture in a sloping terrain of a Himalayan watershed using ENVISAT ASAR multi‐incidence angle alternate polarisation data

Soil moisture is one of the important input variables in hydrological and water erosion models. The extraction of information on near surface soil moisture from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is well established mostly for flat terrain and using low incidence angle single polarisation data. The ENVISAT advanced SAR (ASAR) data available in multiple incidence angles and alternate polarisation modes were investigated in this study for soil moisture estimation in sloping terrain. The test site was Sitla Rao watershed in the Lesser Himalayas of northern India. Empirical models were developed to estimate near surface soil moisture in bare agricultural fields using alternate polarisation ASAR data. Both soil moisture and surface roughness field measurements were performed during the satellite passes. Backscatter from medium incidence angle (IS‐4) and vertical‐vertical (VV) polarisation signal is correlated better with volumetric soil moisture content compared to other incidence angles. The model parameters were further improved, and soil moisture estimation was refined by combining medium incidence angle (IS4) vertical‐horizontal polarisation response as another variable along with VV polarisation response. The effect of slope on the radar backscatter was minimized by incorporating local incidence angles derived from an ASTER DEM. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

地震各向异性——多组裂隙对横波偏振的影响

通过对多分量地震资料的分析,我们发现随着频率的增加横波分裂时差减小.对于深部接收的VSP数据来说快横波的偏振方向保持不变,而对于浅层接收的VSP数据来说偏振方向却存在一个最大可以达到20°的旋转.尽管多尺度随机分布微裂隙岩石物理模型已经成功地模拟并解释了横波分裂时差随频率变化的现象,却不能解释与频率相关的横波分裂.据推测,如果微裂隙的排列方向和大裂隙的排列方向不同,利用低频信息获得的偏振方向将指示裂隙主方向,而利用高频信息获得的偏振方向则指示微裂隙方向.在背景多孔隙介质中存在多组裂隙的情况下,推导出垂直入射条件下横波偏振方向的解析式,给出了系统研究横波在介质中传播的方法.研究结果表明,横波偏振方向会随着频率的变化而变化,并且在入射方位、角度一定的条件下,是裂隙方位和密度的函数,这些认识可能有助于揭示观测到的、依赖频率变化的横波偏振现象.     

Calculated and observed seismic behaviour of exposed upper mantle

In order to determine the seismic properties of rocks representing the continental crust/upper mantle transition, a structural and petrographical study of peridotites of the Ivrea-Verbano zone (N. Italy) has been undertaken. The seismic behaviour (Vp, Vs, birefringence, orientation of the fast shear-wave polarisation plane) has been calculated from the modal composition of rock samples, together with the crystallographic preferred orientation and the single crystal elastic constants, using the methods of Mainprice (1990). It is shown that the intrinsic anisotropy of peridotites is mainly due to the lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of olivine and to the competing effects due to the LPO of orthopyroxene. If present, well-oriented hydrous phases such as phlogopite, leads to both P- and S-waves velocities becoming drastically reduced, but the anisotropy and the S-wave splitting (mainly on the foliation plane) is increased. An attempt has been made to apply this petrologic and microstructural approach to understand the seismic properties of ultramafic rocks with the aid of a mobile seismic network set up in the Ivrea-Verbano zone. Five recording units with 3-component geophones were installed on the most representative lithologies of the Ivrea-Verbano zone: kinzigites, gabbros, stronalites, and on metapelites of the adjacent outcrop of the Serie dei Laghi. During five months the seismic network recorded 49 events that were mainly regional earthquakes. The preliminary analysis of the first arrival revealed a high-velocity anomaly near the Finero ultramafic massif. Rough calculations indicated that this anomaly could be due to a shallow-depth, peridotitic body about six kilometres thick. S-wave polarisation analysis was carried out on the horizontal components of the seismograms of four regional earthquakes that showed a first arrival propagating almost vertically at the recording sites. Four earthquakes were chosen in order to reconstruct the orientation of the polarisation plane of the shear phases. The preliminary results of this analysis have shown a qualitatively good agreement between the orientation of the polarisation plane of the fast shear-wave and the strike of the foliation at the station near Finero, located on kinzigites of the Ivrea-Verbano zone, although the relationships between the local structural setting and the polarisation orientations at the other recording sites is not yet so clear.     

The working class, minorities and housing in Paris, the rise of fragmentations

Which places are left to minorities in the housing and labour markets in metropolitan Paris? Over the last two decades, job structures have evolved dramatically, eroding the formerly prominent Paris working-class, shaking the social and political roots of its identity. These indicators would lead one to diagnose a growing fragmentation of metropolitan society. In the political debate, the burning issue of the crisis of suburbs has replaced outdated debate of the class struggle. This paper aims first to re-examine the interactions between social status and national origins, then analyses the housing conditions of different social strata, and finally demonstrates the pre-eminence of social status over national origins in the pattern of residential segregation.     

Some results of induced polarisation surveys for sulphide mineralisation in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat,India

Some results of induced polarisation surveys carried out for the exploration of sulphide mineralisation in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat, employing both frequency-domain and time-domain techniques, are presented. A few typical examples of I.P. results along with borehole sections and results of conventional geophysical surveys have been incorporated. Frequency-domain and time-domain I.P. data have been compared for selected areas.Borehole data pertaining to several areas investigated have corroborated the I.P. results fairly well.     

Seistec Seismic Profiles: A Tool to Differentiate Gas Signatures

The presence of gas is a common feature in many seismic sections. However, the origin of the gas is often difficult to determine. Recently acquired very high resolution seismic profiles using an IKB Seistec boomer provide useful insight to the understanding of the gas origins in a range of environmental settings including sea lochs and coastal lagoons. The gas features are described both from a qualitative point of view through their acoustic facies, and quantitatively through the associated seismic signal (polarisation, amplitude). Acoustic facies include acoustic turbidity, gas “curtains” and “blankets” as well as “white fringes” and “black shadows”. All the features encountered have been related to specific gas nature generated by different sources (organic matter degradation in paleo-valley infillings, waste material effluent).     

Social change, social polarisation and income inequality in London, 1979–1993

This paper analyses General Household Survey data for London and Great Britain from 1979 to 1993 to examine the changes in household income distribution over this period. In particular it looks at the implications of this data for theoretical claims made by Pahl and Sassen regarding social polarisation. It is argued that London has not experienced greater social polarisation, in the sense that the size of both the top and bottom income groups have not grown at the expense of the middle. Instead, what has happened is that the higher income group has grown considerably at the expense of the middle. This has, however, been accompanied by the growth of income inequality in London. Incomes at the top end have increased much faster than at the bottom. Two earner professional/managerial households have been the biggest gainers in financial terms although the proportion of households with no earner has grown most rapidly. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The shape of Fraught – urban – rural – the nation-state: tensions and dynamics

I argue that the tension between cities and nation states go through the countryside, or rural areas, at least in the U.S. Further, cities are decidedly constrained in their abilities to effectuate many of the changes associated with them: addressing climate change, economic inequality and more. What is missing is the way in which rural alienation from economic prosperity plays out politically.     

河南外向型经济区域差异及极化态势分析

在对河南外向型经济的核心内容出口贸易、实际利用FDI两方面区域差异分析的基础上,引入新近发展起来的区域经济极化理论和方法测算并分析河南外向型经济区域极化程度、演化态势,对极化空间指向也进行了探讨;研究表明,河南外向型经济区域极化态势突出,作为增长极的中原城市群地区与外围地区两极分化格局突出。最后,针对河南外向型经济区域差异及极化发展的现状特征提出几点调控的政策建议。     

Wavelength dependence four-wave mixing spectroscopy in a micrometric atomic vapour

This paper presents a theoretical study of wavelength dependence four-wave-mixing (FWM) spectroscopy in a micrometric thin atomic vapour. It compares three cases termed as mismatched case I, matched case and mismatched case II for the probe wavelength less, equal and greater than the pump wavelength respectively. It finds that Dicke-narrowing can overcome width broadening induced by Doppler effects and polarisation interference of thermal atoms, and high resolution FWM spectra can be achieved both in matched and mismatched wavelength for many cases. It also finds that the magnitude of the FWM signal can be dramatically modified to be suppressed or to be enhanced in comparison with that of matched wavelength in mismatched case I or II. The width narrowing and the magnitude suppression or enhancement can be demonstrated by considering enhanced contribution of slow atoms induced by atom-wall collision and transient effect of atom-light interaction in a micrometric thin vapour.