A reflectance spectra-based approach to mapping salt fields using PCA-fused Landsat TM data

In this paper a method based on in situ measured reflectance spectra was developed for accurately mapping salt fields in the Taibei Salt Farm in Lianyungang City of East China. After radiometric correction and geometric rectification, six multispectral ETM+ bands were fused with the panchromatic band via principal components analysis (PCA). The fused data were used to map salt fields in the farm. Salt fields were mapped 91.95% correctly in comparison with ground statistics from raw multispectral bands. This accuracy level rose to 96.4% with the use of the panchromatic band (15 m resolution). However, PCA-fused data produced the highest accuracy of 98.8%. At the zone level, coarse resolution data resulted in an accuracy of 98.93% for crystallization ponds, but only 82.68% for condensation ponds. Use of the panchromatic band alone improved the accuracy for condensation ponds but decreased the accuracy for crystallization and evaporation ponds. Results derived from PCA-fused data are highly consistent with the ground statistics at a discrepancy between 0.35% for evaporation zone and 1.80% for condensation zone. It is concluded that a fine spectral resolution is important to separation of ponds of a varying salt content while a fine spatial resolution is important to their mapped area. Ponds of a lower salt content can be mapped more accurately from fused data than from raw spectral bands.     

An object-level strategy for pan-sharpening quality assessment of high-resolution satellite imagery

Current satellite imaging systems offer a trade-off between high spatial and high spectral resolution providing panchromatic images at a higher spatial resolution and multispectral images at a lower spatial resolution but rich in spectral information while a wide range of applications need the highest level of this information, simultaneously. Image fusion techniques as means of enhancing the information content of initial panchromatic and multispectral images produce new images, titled pan-sharpened, which inherent the advantages of the initial images. Considering the impact of fusion accuracy on the quality of corresponding applications, it is necessary to evaluate the quality of these processed images. During the last decade, a lot of quality evaluation metrics have been proposed which are mostly inspired by traditional image quality metrics. These methods are mostly based on applying quality metrics at the pixel level and evaluating final quality value based on averaging of obtained metric values through the whole image. However, obtained results clearly show that the behaviour of image fusion quality is inconsistent amongst different image objects. In this article, by applying image fusion quality metrics (IFQMs) to image objects, an object-level strategy for quality assessment of the image fusion process is proposed. The proposed strategy is applied to different satellite imagery covering residential and agricultural areas. Experimental results show higher capabilities of object-level quality assessment strategy in the quality assessment of the fusion process. Evaluating fusion quality at the object level provides the potential of fusion quality assessment for each individual image object in compliance with different parameters such as the type of objects and the effective size of objects in data set.     

Quality assessment by region in spot images fused by means dual-tree complex wavelet transform

This work is motivated in providing and evaluating a fusion algorithm of remotely sensed images, i.e. the fusion of a high spatial resolution panchromatic image with a multi-spectral image (also known as pansharpening) using the dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DT-CWT), an effective approach for conducting an analytic and oversampled wavelet transform to reduce aliasing, and in turn reduce shift dependence of the wavelet transform. The proposed scheme includes the definition of a model to establish how information will be extracted from the PAN band and how that information will be injected into the MS bands with low spatial resolution. The approach was applied to Spot 5 images where there are bands falling outside PAN’s spectrum. We propose an optional step in the quality evaluation protocol, which is to study the quality of the merger by regions, where each region represents a specific feature of the image. The results show that DT-CWT based approach offers good spatial quality while retaining the spectral information of original images, case SPOT 5. The additional step facilitates the identification of the most affected regions by the fusion process.     

MEMORIS: a wide angle camera for the BepiColombo mission

MEMORIS (MErcury Moderate Resolution Imaging System) is a wide angle camera (WAC) concept for the ESA mission BepiColombo. The main scientific objectives consist of observing the whole surface of Mercury in the spectral range of 400–1000 nm, with a spatial resolution of 50 m per pixel at peri-Herm (400 km) and 190 m at apo-Herm (1500 km). It will obtain a map of Mercury in stereo mode allowing the determination of a digital elevation model with a panchromatic filter through two different channels. The camera will also perform multispectral imaging of the surface with a set of 8–12 different broad band filters. A third channel dedicated to limb observations will provide images of the atmosphere. MEMORIS will thus monitor the surface and the atmosphere during the entire mission, providing a unique opportunity to study the relationship between surface regions and the atmosphere, as suggested by ground-based observations and theory.     

基于自适应注入模型的遥感图像融合方法

遥感图像融合的目的是融合高光谱分辨率、低空间分辨率的多光谱（MS）图像和高空间分辨率、低光谱分辨率的全色（PAN）图像,得到高光谱分辨率与高空间分辨率的融合图像。遥感图像的注入模型中如何确定注入细节及注入系数是该技术研究的关键。针对注入细节优化,先通过模拟MS传感器的特性来定义一种多尺度高斯滤波器,再用该滤波器卷积PAN图像以提取细节,得到与MS图像高度相关的细节。针对注入系数优化,综合考虑光谱信息与细节信息提出一种自适应的注入量系数。为更好地保留边缘信息,提出一种新的边缘保持权重矩阵,实现光谱信息与空间的双保真。将优化后的注入系数与注入细节相乘注入到上采样后的MS图像中,得到融合结果。对所提方法进行性能分析,并在各卫星数据集上进行大量测试,与一些先进的遥感图像融合方法进行对比,实验结果表明,所提方法在主观与综合客观指标上都能达到最优。      

Evaluation of SPOT HRV simulation data for Corps of Engineers applications

During the summer of 1983 three Corps of Engineers project sites were overflown as part of the SPOT (Système Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre) High Resolution Visible (HRV) simulation campaign. The three sites were Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, Berlin Lake, Ohio, and Lac qui Parle, Minnesota. Multispectral imagery data at a 20-m resolution for three spectral bands (0.50–0.59 μm, 0.61–0.68 μm, 0.79–0.89 μm) were obtained for each of the sites. The data were analyzed for use in dredging, recreation resource management, water quality, and wildlife habitat applications.     

Optimum spectral bands for land cover discrimination

An experiment was undertaken to select the optimum spectral bands for the discrimination of land use/cover for proposed Indian Remote Sensing Satellite. A feature selection method was used for the discrimination analysis on the multiband data collected by Bendix 11-channel Modular Multiband Scanner over Tirupati test site of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, South India. Of the various combinations of bands analysed, the optimum combination of four bands was defined as that one which provided the greatest divergence distances to discriminate the specific land covers in the test sites. On the basis of the above studies the optimum bands so chosen are 0.49–0.54 μm, 0.62–0.66 μm, 0.66–0.70 μm and 0.77–0.86 μm.     

Active galactic nuclei in the ROSAT survey

One of the main objectives of the ROSAT mission turned out to be the study of active galactic nuclei. The soft energy range of the X-Ray Telescope combined with the good energy resolution of the PSPC detector allows an investigation of the spectral properties of sources in this energetically important energy band. The high sensitivity of the instrument in the All Sky Survey will yield more than 25000 previously unknown X-ray AGN for the statistical and morphological exploration of these objects.

A short overview is given of the actual ongoing research which ranges from the detailed spectral study of some well known objects and correlations of samples of AGN with existing catalogues at other wavelengths to identification programmes for large numbers of suspected AGN candidates.     

The use of MODIS 250 m bands to improve the MODIS 1 km ocean color atmospheric correction algorithm in turbid water

“Clear water” is a scale-dependent concept, so it is more likely to successfully find the “clear water” from images with smaller scale than that with larger scale data. In this study, an optimal spectral relationship of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m and 1 km resolution data at near-infrared bands (OSRLM) is constructed for converting pseudo “clear water” reflectance at 859 nm to those at 748 and 869 nm. According to scale effects, the satellite-observed pseudo “clear water” reflectance is greater than 5.18%, larger than that derived from OSRLM model. An atmospheric correction model for MODIS 1km data using pseudo “clear water” reflectance of MODIS 250 m data (ACMM) was developed for improving the performance of traditional “clear water” atmospheric correction model (CWAC). The model validation results indicate that ACMM model has a better performance than CWAC model. By comparison, the uncertainty decreases by 19.18% in the use of ACMM model over CWAC model for deriving water-leaving reflectance in Taihu Lake, China. This uncertainty is significantly reduced in water-leaving reflectance estimation due to partial removal of scale effects on “clear water”. These findings imply that satellite-derived aerosol scattering contribution at smaller scale usually has a better performance than that at larger scale.     

Spectral transformation of ASTER and Landsat TM bands for lithological mapping of Soghan ophiolite complex,south Iran

Spectral transformation methods, including correlation coefficient (CC) and Optimum Index Factor (OIF), band ratio (BR) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to ASTER and Landsat TM bands for lithological mapping of Soghan ophiolitic complex in south of Iran. The results indicated that the methods used evidently showed superior outputs for detecting lithological units in ophiolitic complexes. CC and OIF methods were used to establish enhanced Red–Green–Blue (RGB) color combination bands for discriminating lithological units. A specialized band ratio (4/1, 4/5, 4/7 in RGB) was developed using ASTER bands to differentiate lithological units in ophiolitic complexes. The band ratio effectively detected serpentinite dunite as host rock of chromite ore deposits from surrounding lithological units in the study area. Principal component images derived from first three bands of ASTER and Landsat TM produced well results for lithological mapping applications. ASTER bands contain improved spectral characteristics and higher spatial resolution for detecting serpentinite dunite in ophiolitic complexes. The developed approach used in this study offers great potential for lithological mapping using ASTER and Landsat TM bands, which contributes in economic geology for prospecting chromite ore deposits associated with ophiolitic complexes.     

Einstein observatory results on active galactic nuclei

The Einstein Observatory, by virtue of its increased sensitivity and improved angular resolution, has increased substantially the number of known X-ray emitting active galactic nuclei. This has made possible the detailed study of the relation of X-ray flux to both the continuum flux in the optical and radio bands, and to the line emission properties of these objects. In addition, the Einstein imaging instruments have detected morphology in AGN X-ray emission, in particular from jetlike structures in Cen-A, M87, and 3C273.The improved energy resolution and sensitivity of the spectrometers onboard the Observatory has provided detailed information on the geometry and ionization structure of the region responsible for the broad optical emission lines in a few AGN's. Such information, combined with detailed theoretical modeling and IUE and optical observations, have allowed us to construct a moderately detailed picture of the broad line region in these objects.     

基于框架域的随机游走全色锐化方法

针对多光谱图像与全色图像的融合问题,提出了一种新的全色锐化方法。该方法首先通过亮度、色调、饱和度(IHS)变换与非下采样框架变换将原图像从空间域变换到框架域,然后利用基于图论的随机游走,建立高频框架系数的统计融合模型。此模型根据高频框架系数的邻域相关性与尺度相关性构造新的随机游走协调函数,将高频框架系数融合权重的估计转化为随机游走标记问题的求解。实验结果表明,该方法有利于保持图像的光谱信息和边缘轮廓信息,可以在降低融合图像光谱误差的同时提高空间分辨率,并且优于一些主流全色锐化方法。     

A Far Infrared Photometer (FIRP) for the Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS)

We describe the design and calibration of the Far-Infrared Photometer (FIRP), one of four focal plane instruments on the Infrared Telescope in Space (IRTS). The FIRP will provide absolute photometry in four bands centered at 150, 250, 400, and 700 μm with spectral resolution λ/Δλ ≈ 3 and spatial resolution ΔΘ = 0.5 degrees. High sensitivity is achieved by using bolometric detectors operated at 300 mK in an AC bridge circuit. The closed-cycle ³He refrigerator can be recycled in orbit. A 2 K shutter provides a zero reference for each field of view. More than 10% of the sky will be surveyed during the ≈3 week mission lifetime with a sensitivity of <10⁻¹³ W·cm⁻²·sr⁻¹ per 0.5 degree pixel.     

The ROSAT mission

A primary scientific objective of the ROSAT mission is to perform the first all-sky survey with an imaging X-ray telescope leading to an improvement in sensitivity by several orders of magnitude compared with previous surveys. A large number of new sources (? 10⁵) will be discovered and located with an accuracy of 1 arcmin or better. These will comprise almost all astronomical objects from nearby normal stars to distant quasistellar objects. After completion of the survey which will take half a year the instrument will be used for detailed observations of selected sources with respect to spatial structure, spectra and time variability. In this mode which will be open for guest observers ROSAT will provide substantial improvement over the imaging instruments of the Einstein observatory.The main ROSAT telescope consists of a fourfold nested mirror system with 83 cm aperture having three focal plane instruments. Two of them will be imaging proportional counters (0.1 – 2 keV) providing a field of view of 2°, an angular resolution of ≈ 30″ in the pointing mode and a spectral resolution ^ΔE/E ≈ 45% FWHM at 1 keV. The third focal instrument will be a high resolution imager (≈ 3″). The main ROSAT telescope will be complemented by a parallel looking Wide Field camera which extend the spectral coverage into the XUV band.     

机载可见近红外成象光谱仪的设计

本文阐述了一种可行的面阵CCD 成象光谱仪的设计。它具有光谱范围宽(0.4μm～1.1μm)、高光谱分辨率(9.2nm)、密集的光谱波段数(76)、较大的地物扫描视场角(30°)等一系列引人注目的优点。     

Study of changes in the lineament structure,caused by earthquakes in South America by applying the lineament analysis to the Aster (Terra) satellite data

The region between Southern Peru and Northern Chile is one of the most seismically and volcanically active regions in South America. This is caused by a constant subduction of the South American Plate, converging with the Nazca Plate in the extreme North of Chile. We used the 15 and 30 m resolution satellite images, provided by the ASTER (VNIR and SWIR) instrument onboard the Terra satellite to study changes in the geological faults close to earthquake epicenters in southern Peru. Visible and infrared spectral bands were analysed using “The Lineament Extraction and Stripes Statistic Analysis” (LESSA) software package to examine changes in the lineament features and stripe density fields caused by seismic activity. We used the satellite images 128 and 48 days before and 73 days after a 5.2 Richter scale magnitude earthquake. The fact that the seasonal variations in the South of Peru and North of Chile are very small, and the vegetation is very limited, allowed us to establish substantial changes in the lineament and the stripe density field features. We develop a methodology that allows to evaluate the seismic risk in this region for the future.     

Vertical distribution of NH3 in the upper Jovian atmosphere from IUE observations

The first unambiguous identification of ammonia in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter has been obtained from the observation of individual NH₃ bands in an IUE high resolution spectrum in the 2100–2400 Å spectral range. The variation with wavelength of the strengths of these NH₃ bands implies that the NH₃ abundance has to be strongly reduced by photolysis in the upper jovian atmosphere. Preliminary analysis by means of scattering models shows that the ammonia mixing ratio cannot be constant with altitude. The mixing ratio NH₃/H₂ ranges from 5 10^?8 to 5 10^?7 at the 250 mb pressure level, and decreases as P or P² toward higher altitudes.