Automatic lineament extraction in a heavily vegetated region using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) imagery

Lineament extraction from satellite remotely sensed data has been one of the widely used applications of remote sensing in geology. In fact, recent advances in digital image processing allow such lineament extraction to be accomplished in semi-automatic to fully automatic approaches. However, satellite remotely sensed data acquired in heavily vegetated regions such as tropical rainforest, are vulnerable to higher inherent noise levels attributed to the resultant effects of scattering by clouds and adjacency effects of highly inhomogeneous vegetation cover within the pixel dimension. In this study, we examined the effects of noise levels to lineament extraction using a fully automatic approach, consisting of a combination of edge-line detection algorithms. Ancillary information from a digitized topographic map and image classification was used to discriminate between cultural and natural lineaments from the extracted lineaments. Adapting the combination of edge detection and a line-linking algorithm, we have found the optimal parameters for automatic lineament extraction of such complex areas using Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) data. A noise level of 30% is the maximum threshold before artifacts are generated. It is therefore concluded that the combination of edge-based and line-linking digital image processing operations with the priori local optimal parameters is crucial in lineament feature extraction in heavily vegetated regions.     

On the selection of optimal global geopotential model for geoid modeling: A case study in Pakistan

A statistical comparison has been made between gravity field parameters derived from different global geopotential models (GGMs) and observed gravity anomalies, gravimetric geoid and GPS-Leveling data. The motivation behind this study is the selection of best possible global geopotential model that best matches statistically with the local observed data in Pakistan. This will facilitate in decreasing the load on observed data for the development of regional gravimetric geoid in remove-compute-restore technique when used in the Stokes’s integral for computation of the residual part. It is observed that combined geopotential models such as EGM96 and PGM200A, EIGEN-GL04C and EIGEN-CG03C reflect the better match in the total spectral range of gravity and GPS-Leveling data. Results of the precise local geoid model also indicate similar characteristics. A very-high-degree model “EGM2008” (degree/order 2160) exhibits relatively superior statistical fit with observed ground data in Pakistan region. For satellite-only models an increasing trend in the standard deviation can be seen with maximum of about ∼4 m in difference between GPS-Leveling and corresponding GGM’s geoid with increase in the order from 50 to 120 and then it decreases afterwards. However, for the EIGEN-CHAMP03SP, standard deviation saturates to a value of 3.4 m. This is an indication of contamination in the long to medium wavelength part, i.e. 50–100° for the satellite-only models. Moreover, the models DEOS-CHAMP-01C, GGM02C and then ITG-GRACE03 appear to have better fit for medium to long wavelength and can possibly be recommended for use as long wavelength part with the local observed data. While a hybrid geopotential model selection can be achieved through the selection from either of DEOS-CHAMP-01C, GGM02C, GGM02S, EIGEN-GRACE02S or ITG-GRACE03 in the long wavelength (to degree and order 40) and EGM96, PGM200A, EIGEN-GL04C, EIGEN-CG03C or even EGM2008 in medium to short wavelength, i.e. from degree 41 to maximum degree and order.     

Synthetic aperture beamformer for imaging through a dielectric wall

A coarray-based aperture synthesis scheme using subarrays and postdata acquisition beamforming is presented for through-the-wall wideband microwave imaging applications. The wall causes wave refraction and a change in the propagation speed, both effects alter the travel time between the transmitter, the target, and the receiver. Coherent combining of the pulse waveforms emitted by the different transmitters and incident at the receivers through reflections from targets and clutter requires incorporation of wall effects into the beamformer design. Simulation results verifying the proposed synthetic aperture technique for a through-the-wall imaging (TWI) system are presented. The impact of the wall ambiguities or incorrect estimates of the wall parameters, such as thickness and dielectric constant, on performance is considered.     

Noncoherent approach to through-the-wall radar localization

A noncoherent through-the-wall radar system approach, based on stepped-frequency signal synthesis and trilateration technique, is presented. This approach involves multiple independent monostatic radar units and as such, provides flexibility in positioning the units with various standoff distances and inter-element spacing. The performance of the proposed noncoherent localization system was demonstrated using simulated and real data. The results show that the radar is able to detect and locate multiple targets behind walls     

Modeling and Backstepping-based Nonlinear Control Strategy for a 6 DOF Quadrotor Helicopter

In this article, a nonlinear model of an underactuated six degrees of freedom （6 DOF） quadrotor helicopter is derived on the basis of the Newton-Euler formalism. The derivation comprises determining equations of the motion of the quadrotor in three dimensions and approximating the actuation forces through the modeling of aerodynamic coefficients and electric motor dynamics. The derived model composed of translational and rotational subsystems is dynamically unstable, so a sequential nonlinear control strategy is used. The control strategy includes feedback linearization coupled with a PD controller for the translational subsystem and a backstepping-based PID nonlinear controller for the rotational subsystem of the quadrotor. The performances of the nonlinear control method are evaluated by nonlinear simulation and the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy for the quadrotor helicopter in quasi-stationary flights.     

On the ability of sliding mode and LQR controllers optimized with PSO in attitude control of a flexible 4-DOF satellite with time-varying payload

Precise pointing of the satellite and its payload is essential in the accurate accomplishment of a space mission. In this study, the system of a satellite and its payload are considered as 4-DOF equations of motion. The time-varying payload can observe one direction of the Earth independently, and the satellite can point to the Earth station by its 3-DOF motions simultaneously. Sliding mode and LQR controllers are designed for damping disturbances, and consequently high pointing accuracy. Environmental disturbances and the associated time delay of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) are applied to the system. An algorithm based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is proposed to find the optimum values of variables and Normalized Integral Square Error (NISE) of the two aforementioned controllers. Numerical simulations indicate the optimized magnitudes of target detection errors and control efforts in four directions. The results revealed that PSO-SMC can finely track the time-varying payload and has better efficiency in comparison with PSO-LQR.     

Digital Text Watermarking: Secure Content Delivery and Data Hiding in Digital Documents

Secure communication of data over public channels is one of the most important challenges. Both the activities to secure contents and to break security are very hot. In order to reduce the chances of attack, security needs to be made invisible. The needs to preserve originality, ownership information, and integrity of text documents in a way that cannot be identified by everyone is being felt badly. Watermarking of the documents is a step toward achieving these objectives. However, to watermark a plain text document (ASCII) in a way that the original text will not change (and it would be very difficult to break it), is a great challenge. We have developed a novel encoding scheme which can be used to insert information in plain text without changing the text. A system has been developed based upon this encoding scheme. This paper describes the system and demonstrates its workings