Using vegetation indices and texture measures to estimate vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) of planted and natural forests in Nanjing city,China

Vegetation fractional coverage (VFC) is an important vegetation parameter affecting exchanges of carbon, water, energy between the atmosphere and surface. In this study, the applicability of tonal and texture measures calculated using an IKONOS_2 image in retrieving VFC of forests was investigated in the urban area of Nanjing city, China. Four spectral vegetation indices (VI) and six texture measures (TEX) were related to VFCs acquired from in situ measurements. Models for estimating VFC based on VIs or/and TEXs were established and validated for planted low broad-leaf forest plots (PLB), planted mature forest plots (PMF), natural broad-leaf forest plots (NBF), and all forest plots (ALLv), respectively. The results show that high spatial resolution remote sensing data is applicable to estimate VFC in urban areas, and TEXs may act as effective supplements of vegetation indices (VIs) for the retrieval of VFC. VIs are suitable for VFC estimation of mature forests (such as NBF and PMF) with high vegetation density, and TEXs can yield a more accurate estimate for planted forests (such as PLB and PMF) with regular spatial distribution if they are calculated with proper parameters, such as window size. The combination of VIs and TEXs improve the estimation of VFC if forest types are not previously differentiated. The results can be used as a reference for determining effective spectral or texture parameters in VFC estimation under similar environmental conditions according to vegetation maturity and regularity.     

Forest biomass monitoring with GNSS-R: Theoretical simulations

GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is a remote sensing technique which performs bistatic measurements of the earth surface scattering. This paper presents some theoretical simulations of the specular scattering coefficient of a forested area, with the aim of demonstrating the potentiality of GNSS-R in monitoring forest biomass. The study is performed by means of an electromagnetic model developed in the past years and tested over several vegetation covered sites in its active and passive version. Here, after showing a comparison between model results and measurements over a forest site in the monostatic configuration, and after summarizing other previous validations, the extension to the specular configuration, typical of GNSS-R systems, will be presented. Namely, simulations are carried out at circular polarization and a sensitivity analysis of the received power in the specular configuration to some soil and forest parameters is shown.     

Influence of different data fusion methods on the accuracy of three-dimensional displacements field

Combining multi-source data can improve the accuracy and the spatial resolution of the three-dimensional (3-D) displacements field. How to effectively integrate multi-source data to obtain high-precision and high spatial resolution 3-D displacements field is worthy of further study. The stochastic model and fusion model of integrating multi-source data affect the accuracy of data fusion. In this paper, based on the least squares method, the effects of different stochastic models and data fusion models on the 3-D displacements field’s accuracy are studied. The optimal method for estimating large-scale 3-D displacements field from integrated InSAR, leveling and GPS measurements is obtained. Then we realize the integrating InSAR, leveling and GPS measurements to obtain the high-precision 3-D displacements velocity field in Tianjin (China) from 2016 to 2018. The results are validated with GPS measurements at 6 independent stations, with the root mean squares (RMS) residuals of the discrepancies being 2.39 mm/yr, 2.54 mm/yr and 2.83 mm/yr in eastern, northern and vertical directions, respectively. By comparing different stochastic models, the 3-D displacements field obtained from multi-source data is optimized by the variance component estimation-least squares method, which is better than weighted least squares (WLS) method. By comparing different data fusion models, the accuracy of the horizontal displacements velocity is better than that of interpolated GPS results. The horizontal displacements component has a great influence on the vertical displacements velocity accuracy in the process of acquiring the 3-D displacements velocity by integrating InSAR, GPS and leveling measurements. This study provides a reference method for integrating multi-source data to obtain 3-D displacements field. This method effectively utilizes the advantages of GPS, InSAR and leveling measurements, and extends the limitations of single technical in describing surface-time scale applications. The 3-D displacements information with a large spatial scale and high spatial resolution provide a reliable data basis for studying the crustal movement and its dynamic mechanism.     

复杂电磁环境辐射-散射耦合场快速预估方法

针对复杂电磁环境中目标散射体和干扰辐射源同时存在,影响目标回波散射场的问题,提出了一种基于辐射源方向图和极化散射矩阵数据的耦合场快速预估方法。利用可提前独立获取和加载的辐射源方向图及目标各个方向的散射数据,实现了辐射-散射耦合场景下空间总电磁场的近实时快速预估。仿真计算了辐射源与散射体不同距离和相对强度下场景的总电场变化情况,验证了辐射-散射耦合效应对目标回波场存在显著影响。无需使用电磁计算方法对场景进行重新计算,满足复杂电磁环境内场仿真试验对实时提供数据的需求,具有工程应用价值。      

Possible use of a 3-D clinostat to analyze plant growth processes under microgravity conditions.

A three-dimensional (3-D) clinostat equipped with two rotation axes placed at right angles was constructed, and various growth processes of higher plants grown on this clinostat were compared with ground controls, with plants grown on the conventional horizontal clinostat, and with those under real microgravity in space. On the 3-D clinostat, cress roots developed a normal root cap and the statocytes showed the typical polar organization except a random distribution of statoliths. The structural features of clinostatted statocytes were fundamentally similar to those observed under real microgravity. The graviresponse of cress roots grown on the 3-D clinostat was the same as the control roots. On the 3-D clinostat, shoots and roots exhibited a spontaneous curvature as well as an altered growth direction. Such an automorphogenesis was sometimes exaggerated when plants were subjected to the horizontal rotation, whereas the curvature was suppressed on the vertical rotation. These discrepancies in curvature between the 3-D clinostat and the conventional ones appear to be brought about by the centrifugal force produced. Thus, the 3-D clinostat was proven as a useful device to simulate microgravity.     

Numerical simulations of the radiance from the comet 46P/Wirtanen in the various configurations of the measurements during “Rosetta” mission

The work we present deals with the spectrometric measurements of VIRTIS instrument of the Comet P/Wirtanen planned for the Rosetta mission. This spectrometer can monitor (VIRTIS M channel: 0.250μm – 0.980μm; Δκ=20cm⁻¹; 0.980 – 5.0 μm; Δκ = 5cm⁻¹; VIRTIS H channel: 2.0 μm – 5.0 μm; Δκ=2cm⁻¹) the nucleus and the coma in order to provide a general picture of coma's composition, the production of gas and dust, the relationship of coma production to surface composition and the structure and variation of mineralogy of the nucleus surface. During the mission the observation conditions of the spectroscopic investigation change due to different relative positions spacecraft/comet, and to the different illumination conditions of the surface at various distances of the comet to the Sun. The nucleus surface is continuously modified by the ice sublimation accompanied by gas and dust emission. Consequently the surface also its spectrophotometric properties changes and their monitoring can give a new insight. The important role of simulations is to predict the results of measurements in various experimental condition what, in the future, can help in interpretation of the measured data.

In this paper the first results of our simulation the radiance from the comet in the 0.25–5.0μm spectral range at two distances from the Sun (1AU and 3AU) are shown. The distance between the Rosetta orbiter and the nucleus surface as well as the sun zenith angles are taken into account according to the Rosetta mission phases. In fact the surface and coma properties vary along the comet orbit, and should be taken into account in our calculations. The optical parameters of the dust on the surface (e.g. reflectance) and in the coma (e.g. Q_ext) were calculated from optical constants of possible comet analogues. The thermodynamic parameters of the comet are taken from the models of comet evolution. Through this kind of modelling it is possible to identify the surface characteristics in spectra of the radiation from the surface of nucleus transmitted through the coma loaded with dust and gases.

Even if the “Rosetta mission” is postponed, with the consequence of a target change, we think that our idea and the method used for the simulations can be useful also for the new Rosetta target - the comet 67P/Churyumov Gerasimenko.     

Radiation from relativistic shocks in turbulent magnetic fields

Using our new 3-D relativistic particle-in-cell (PIC) code parallelized with MPI, we investigated long-term particle acceleration associated with a relativistic electron–positron jet propagating in an unmagnetized ambient electron–positron plasma. The simulations were performed using a much longer simulation system than our previous simulations in order to investigate the full nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability and its particle acceleration mechanism. Cold jet electrons are thermalized and ambient electrons are accelerated in the resulting shocks. Acceleration of ambient electrons leads to a maximum ambient electron density three times larger than the original value as predicted by hydrodynamic shock compression. In the jet (reverse) shock behind the bow (forward) shock the strongest electromagnetic fields are generated. These fields may lead to time dependent afterglow emission. In order to calculate radiation from first principles that goes beyond the standard synchrotron model used in astrophysical objects we have used PIC simulations. Initially we calculated radiation from electrons propagating in a uniform parallel magnetic field to verify the technique. We then used the technique to calculate emission from electrons in a small simulation system. From these simulations we obtained spectra which are consistent with those generated from electrons propagating in turbulent magnetic fields with red noise. This turbulent magnetic field is similar to the magnetic field generated at an early nonlinear stage of the Weibel instability. A fully developed shock within a larger simulation system may generate a jitter/synchrotron spectrum.     

Experiment for mapping land cover and it’s change in southeastern Sri Lanka utilizing 250 m resolution MODIS imageries

Utilizing freely available MODIS NDVI and Natural color imageries of 250 m spatial resolution produced by NASA, an experiment was made to map land-cover and its change with an emphasis on vegetation cover in southeastern Sri Lanka, which plays a vital role for control of green house gas. For the change detection purpose, 1987 land cover map made by present authors from Landsat MSS image and extensive ground truth survey data was used as the base map. The result of the experiment shows that MODIS data are useful to make a land cover map of 250 m spatial resolution for tropical areas with high cloud coverage like Sri Lanka. It was found that the forest cover decrease amounted as large as 21% in 19 years time span in southeastern Sri Lanka, the prominent forest region of the country. On the other hand homestead/vegetation and mixed vegetation/scrub dominant categories increased by 13.7% and 7.1%, respectively. These changes are considered due to a large clearance of forest areas for agriculture and building houses to accommodate increasing inhabitants.     

目标的微波散射成像方法

提出了一种适用于隐匿武器探测、打击走私以及公共场合安检的微波成像探测方法.该方法要求雷达在一个二维平面上扫描,即合成一个平面孔径,通过对雷达接收回波数据的合成孔径处理可以提高雷达的成像分辨率以及对目标的探测能力.雷达可以工作在准单站模式下且只需以单色波照射目标,利用接收到的目标的散射回波的相位和幅度信息重构出目标的二维像.提出了一种适用于近场条件下二维图像的重构算法,并对算法做了详细推导,利用该算法对模拟和实测数据进行了处理.结果表明该算法具有良好的空间分辨率和辐射分辨率,以及在不进行三维成像的条件下可以实现距离向目标的探测.      

Assessment of plant vitality detection through fluorescence and reflectance imagery

Recent studies of the vegetation fluorescence show that it can be successfully used as an intrinsic indicator of plant photosynthetic activity. With respect to the vegetation spectral reflectance, the chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence is more specific as an observable of basic biophysical processes in the plant cells. Laser induced fluorescence is widely used in near range remote sensing, but it is not suitable for the global monitoring of vegetation. Decades of active fluorometry studies have collected useful information of leaf reaction to natural and anthropogenic stress. Still the passive fluorescence, the one that could be registered from satellite orbit has still to prove its advantage over widely used reflectance signature. The weakness of the signal and the lack of experience with passive fluorescence measurements require extensive technical, theoretical and experimental studies. New imaging fluorometres are to be designed for measuring steady state fluorescence in controlled and natural conditions.

In order to compare reflectance and steady state fluorescence sensitivity to stress impact, a set of experiments have been conducted under controlled illumination conditions in a bio-chamber, designed by the author’s team. The equipment allows plant vitality to be monitored both by passive fluorescence and spectral reflectance imaging. Different types of stress factors (heat and drought stress, acid impact) were investigated to demonstrate equipments ability in monitoring changes of fluorescence signal. Selected fluorescence images of foliage illustrate an early detection of plant dysfunction and the temporal and spatial spreading of the stress impact. Analysis shows that fluorescence imaging of green plants can be developed as a highly effective early warning remote sensing method, which could have application for an ecosystems’ monitoring along with high-spectral reflectance imagery.     

脉冲射流强化混合对喷流红外辐射特性的影响

计算了脉冲射流强化混合喷流在3~5 μm波段的红外辐射特性,并与无脉冲激励喷流的红外辐射特性进行了比较,分析了脉冲射流强化混合对喷流红外隐身的效果.流场及温度场采用有限体积法和重整化群(RNG,Renormalization Group)k-ε湍流模型求解N-S方程得到.喷流的红外辐射强度采用有限体积法结合窄带模型求解吸收发射性介质辐射传输方程得到.计算结果显示,在亚音速条件下,少量的射流流量(占3%的主流流量)就可以使核心区长度缩减一半以上,在天顶角90°方向探测喷流的红外辐射强度,各个方位角上都有较大衰减,与激励源垂直的平面上的衰减效果相比,与之平行的平面上的更为强烈.      

Evaluation of MODIS GPP over a complex ecosystem in East Asia: A case study at Gwangneung flux tower in Korea

Moderate Resolution Imaging Radiometer (MODIS) gross primary productivity (GPP) has been used widely to study the global carbon cycle associated with terrestrial ecosystems. The retrieval of the current MODIS productivity with a 1 × 1 km² resolution has limitations when presenting subgrid scale processes in terrestrial ecosystems, specifically when forests are located in mountainous areas, and shows heterogeneity in vegetation type due to intensive land use. Here, we evaluate MODIS GPP (MOD17) at Gwangneung deciduous forest KoFlux tower (deciduous forest; GDK) for 2006–2010 in Korea, where the forests comprise heterogeneous vegetation cover over complex terrain. The monthly MODIS GPP data overestimated the GDK measurements in a range of +15% to +34% and was fairly well correlated (R = 0.88) with the monthly variability at GDK during the growing season. In addition, the MODIS data partly represented the sharp GPP reduction during the Asian summer monsoon (June–September) when intensive precipitation considerably reduces solar radiation and disturbs the forest ecosystem. To examine the influence of subgrid scale heterogeneity on GPP estimates over the MODIS scale, the individual vegetation type and its area within a corresponding MODIS pixel were identified using a national forest type map (∼71-m spatial resolution), and the annual GPP in the same area as the MODIS pixel was estimated. This resulted in a slight reduction in the positive MODIS bias by ∼10%, with a high degree of uncertainty in the estimation. The MODIS discrepancy for GDK suggests further investigation is necessary to determine the MODIS errors associated with the site-specific aerodynamic and hydrological characteristics that are closely related to the mountainous topography. The accuracy of meteorological variables and the impact of the very cloudy conditions in East Asia also need to be assessed.     

Microscopic approach to analyze solar-sail space-environment effects

Near-sun space-environment effects on metallic thin films solar sails as well as hollow-body sails with inflation fill gas are considered. Analysis of the interaction of the solar radiation with the solar-sail materials is presented. This analysis evaluates worst-case solar radiation effects during solar-radiation-pressure acceleration. The dependence of the thickness of solar sail on temperature and on wavelength of the electromagnetic spectrum of solar radiation is investigated. Physical processes of the interactions of photons, electrons, protons and α-particles with sail material atoms and nuclei, and inflation fill gas molecules are analyzed. Calculations utilized conservative assumptions with the highest values for the available cross sections for interactions of solar photons, electrons and protons with atoms, nuclei and hydrogen molecules. It is shown that for high-energy photons, electrons and protons the beryllium sail is mostly transparent. Sail material will be partially ionized by solar UV and low-energy solar electrons. For a hollow-body photon sail effects including hydrogen diffusion through the solar-sail walls, and electrostatic pressure is considered. Electrostatic pressure caused by the electrically charged sail’s electric field may require mitigation since sail material tensile strength decreases with elevated temperature. It also can substitute inflation-gas pressure loss due to gas diffusion and perforation by micrometeoroids impact to keep the sail inflated.     

A model of the effects of heavy ion radiation on human tissue

In heavy ion radiotherapy and space travel humans are exposed to energetic heavy ions (C, Si, Fe and others). This type of irradiation often produces more severe biological effects per unit dose than more common X-rays. A new Monte Carlo model generates a physical space with the complex geometry of human tissue or a cell culture based model of tissue, which is affected by the passage of ionizing radiation. For irradiation, the model relies on a physical code for the ion track structure; for tissues, cellular maps are derived from two- or three-dimensional confocal microscopy images using image segmentation algorithm, which defines cells as pixilated volumes. The model is used to study tissue-specific statistics of direct ion hits and the remote ion action on cells. As an application of the technique, we considered the spatial pattern of apoptotic cells after heavy ion irradiation. The pattern of apoptosis is modeled as a stochastic process, which is defined by the action cross section taken from available experimental data. To characterize the degree of apoptosis, an autocorrelation function that describes the spatial correlation of apoptotic cells is introduced. The values of the autocorrelation function demonstrate the effect of the directionality of the radiation track on the spatial arrangements of inactivated cells in tissue. This effect is intrinsic only to high linear-energy-transfer radiation.     

高速摄像三维图像分析技术与应用

高速摄像是光学测量的重要手段。分析了高速摄像三维图像分析技术的处理过程,重点讨论了像机标定、自动目标检测与跟踪技术、多目标匹配技术和三维姿态测量技术等关键环节所面临的问题及解决方法,并以无人机回收测量系统为例说明了高速摄像三维图像分析技术在无人机位姿参数测量中的应用,对构建高速摄像测量系统提供了参考。     

微射流强化混合对喷流红外辐射特性的影响

计算了微射流强化混合喷流在3~5μm波段的红外辐射特性,并与无微射流强化混合的喷流红外辐射特性进行了比较,分析了微射流强化混合对喷流红外辐射特性的影响.喷流的流场及温度场结果采用有限体积法求解N-S方程得到,采用Tam-Thies湍流模型模拟喷流.红外辐射特性的计算采用有限体积法求解吸收-发射性介质条件下的三维辐射传输方程得到.计算结果表明,在中等亚音速条件下,微射流可以达到较好的强化混合效果,射流流量占主流流量1%时,喷流的红外辐射强度比基准喷流的红外辐射强度降低15%左右,射流流量达到主流流量的3%时,喷流的红外辐射强度可以降低27%左右.     

基于最小轨道交叉距离的小行星顺访探测目标预筛选方法

小行星探测有助于研究太阳系演化等重要科学问题,在深空探测任务转移途中实施小行星顺访探测可增加科学研究回报。直接通过轨道递推筛选小行星探测目标计算量大、效率低,针对该问题提出了基于最小轨道交叉距离的目标预筛选方法。在推导出适用于计算双曲线轨道的最小轨道交叉距离公式后,将此理论应用到小行星顺访探测目标筛选中。首先基于探测器与小行星轨道的形状、空间位置计算二者轨道在空间中的几何最近距离,预筛选出可能满足接近距离标准的小行星目标;然后基于轨道递推模型,筛选出真实最近距离小于可接近标准的目标小行星。仿真结果显示,基于最小轨道交叉距离的预筛选方法可有效减少计算量,降低计算时间,提高小行星顺访目标筛选的效率。      

Cognitive deficits induced by 56Fe radiation exposure.

Exposing rats to particles of high energy and charge (e.g., 56Fe) disrupts neuronal systems and the behaviors mediated by them; these adverse behavioral and neuronal effects are similar to those seen in aged animals. Because cognition declines with age, and our previous study showed that radiation disrupted Morris water maze spatial learning and memory performance, the present study used an 8-arm radial maze (RAM) to further test the cognitive behavioral consequences of radiation exposure. Control rats or rats exposed to whole-body irradiation with 1.0 Gy of 1 GeV/n high-energy 56Fe particles (delivered at the alternating gradient synchrotron at Brookhaven National Laboratory) were tested nine months following exposure. Radiation adversely affected RAM performance, and the changes seen parallel those of aging. Irradiated animals entered baited arms during the first 4 choices significantly less than did controls, produced their first error sooner, and also tended to make more errors as measured by re-entries into non-baited arms. These results show that irradiation with high-energy particles produces age-like decrements in cognitive behavior that may impair the ability of astronauts to perform critical tasks during long-term space travel beyond the magnetosphere.     

Construction of lunar DEMs based on reflectance modelling

Existing lunar DEMs obtained based on laser altimetry or photogrammetric image analysis are characterised by high large-scale accuracies while their lateral resolution is strongly limited by noise or interpolation artifacts. In contrast, image-based photometric surface reconstruction approaches reveal small-scale surface detail but become inaccurate on large spatial scales. The framework proposed in this study therefore combines photometric image information of high lateral resolution and DEM data of comparably low lateral resolution in order to obtain DEMs of high lateral resolution which are also accurate on large spatial scales. Our first approach combines an extended photoclinometry scheme and a shape from shading based method. A novel variational surface reconstruction method further increases the lateral resolution of the DEM such that it reaches that of the underlying images. We employ the Hapke IMSA and AMSA reflectance models with two different formulations of the single-particle scattering function, such that the single-scattering albedo of the surface particles and optionally the asymmetry parameter of the single-particle scattering function can be estimated pixel-wise. As our DEM construction methods require co-registered images, an illumination-independent image registration scheme is developed. An evaluation of our framework based on synthetic image data yields an average elevation accuracy of the constructed DEMs of better than 20 m as long as the correct reflectance model is assumed. When comparing our DEMs to LOLA single track data, absolute elevation accuracies around 30 m are obtained for test regions that cover an elevation range of several thousands of metres. The proposed illumination-independent image registration method yields subpixel accuracy even in the presence of 3D perspective distortions. The pixel-wise reflectance parameters estimated simultaneously with the DEM reflect compositional contrasts between different surface units. Specifically, the detected variations of the parameter of the single-particle scattering function indicate small-scale variations of the regolith particle size, possibly as a result of differences in soil maturity.     

An extension of HZETRN for cosmic ray initiated electromagnetic cascades

Safe and efficient mission operations in space require an accurate understanding of the physical interactions of space radiation. As the primary space radiation interacts with intervening materials, the composition and spectrum of the radiation environment changes. The production of secondary particles can make a significant contribution to radiation exposure. In this work, the NASA space radiation transport code, HZETRN, is extended to include the transport of electrons, positrons, and photons. The production of these particles is coupled to the initial cosmic ray radiation environment through the decay of neutral pions, which produce high energy photons, and through the decay of muons, which produce electrons and positrons. The photons, electrons, and positrons interact with materials producing more photons, electrons and positrons generating an electromagnetic cascade. The relevant cross sections, transport equation, and solution method are introduced. Electron and positron production in Earth’s atmosphere is investigated and compared to experimental balloon-flight measurements. Reasonable agreement is seen between HZETRN and data.