Application of ALOS AVNIR-2 for the detection of seaweed and seagrass beds on the northeast of Brazil

Seaweed and seagrass beds play a multiplicity of functions within ecosystems, and have both ecological and economical value. However, anthropogenic activities, as well as climate change have contributed on the degradation. This study used data from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer Type 2 (AVNIR-2) orbital images to detect seaweeds and seagrasses. Qualitative and quantitative samples were used to validate the images, classified using the kappa coefficient (κ). The supervised classifications performed by the algorithms fuzzy logic – Fuzclass, maximum likelihood – Maxlike, minimum distance to means – Mindist, parallelepiped – Piped, showed an accuracy level of 0.93, 0.84, 0.83 (both excellent), and 0.62 (substantial), respectively. The results of the hard classifiers (Maxlike, Mindist, and Piped) submitted a new classification based on fuzzy logic (Fuzclass) demonstrated accuracy level of 0.74, 0.61 (both substantial), and 0.50 (moderate), respectively. Considered superior to the others, the Fuzclass classifier exhibited the best tendency in representing reef bottom–type distribution. Maxlike generated a map of seaweed and seagrass spatial distribution and abundance of the Maracajaú reef, identifying seven classes: (1) dense seaweeds; (2) sand; (3) dense seagrasses; (4) sparse seagrasses; (5) calcareous seaweeds; (6) sparse seaweeds; and (7) fine sand. The map of Maracajaú reef bottom type showed that it was possible to apply image processing and digital classification methodologies to distinguish submerged organisms, revealing information to help in planning and management of these ecosystems, enabling future monitoring.     

Detection and discrimination of aquacultural facilities in Matsushima Bay,Japan, for integrated coastal zone management and marine spatial planning using full polarimetric L-band airborne synthetic aperture radar

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and marine spatial planning (MSP) have been proposed for sustainable development of coastal zones. To implement ICZM and MSP, there is a need to establish database and informational networks to collect, share and disseminate information of the present situation of coastal zones. One permanent and concentrated use of coastal zones is hosting aquacultural facilities. This study aimed to develop a method to detect and discriminate aquacultural facilities in Matsushima Bay, Japan, using L-band polarimetric and interferometric airborne synthetic aperture radar (Pi-SAR-L2). Three-component-scattering model and eigenvalue–eigenvector decomposition were applied. The volume-scattering component images of the three-component-scattering model showed raft, longline, and rack aquacultural facilities from the sea surface in good contrast. The double-bounce-scattering component percentage discriminated rack aquacultural facilities from raft and longline aquacultural facilities. The size difference in the raft and longline aquacultural facilities was helpful for discriminating the type.     

Satellite observations of surface temperatures and flow patterns,Sea of Japan and East China Sea,late March 1979

Unusually cloud-free NOAA satellite thermal infrared images of the Sea of Japan reveal patterns of surface temperature important to understanding surface circulation. A 26 March image of almost the entire ocean basin, cloud-free, shows the appropriate temperature structure of the expected classical surface circulation as formulated by Uda (1934). These include the two-branched pattern of the Tsushima Current, the polar front, and the cold, isothermal surface water of the Maritime Provinces Cold Current (north-central Sea of Japan). Additionally, these observational data show the sea to be nearly filled with mesoscale eddies, as suggested by Yoon and Suginohara (1977) from numerical modeling studies. A 28 March image is supportive of the conclusions of Lim (1971) that the Tsushima Current waters are formed in the outer East China Sea shelf by mixing of Kuroshio waters with outer shelf and slope waters. Satellite-measured surface temperatures differed from surface ship measurements (JMA, Ten-Day Marine Report) by 1–2°C, an offset observed previously under similar atmospheric conditions. Images of this quality can be expected in late winter and early spring, as regional surface cooling facilitates penetration of polar continental air deep into the Sea of Japan and western Pacific.     

Distribution of inundation by the great tsunami of the 2011 Mw 9.0 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku (Japan), as revealed by ALOS imagery data

The 2011 M_w 9.0 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku (Japan) generated a great tsunami that inundated a wide area of the east coast of northeast Japan. In this study, we identify the distribution of tsunami inundation along a 340 km-long section of coast in northeast Honshu Island, based mainly on Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) imagery data and with cross-checking by aerial photographs and Google Earth images acquired before and after the 2011 earthquake. The analyses of remote-sensing imagery data, combined with fieldwork observations, show that (i) inundation by the tsunami extended over a wide area with a large inland limit of inundation, up to ～5.5 km from the coast in low-lying areas and up to ～15 km in a narrow bay area at the mouth of a large river; and (ii) high run-ups of up to ～35 m occurred in areas with a sawtooth coastline close to the epicentre of the 2011 Stimpson, I. 2011. Japan's Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Geology Today, 27: 96–98. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar] main shock. The results demonstrate that remote-sensing techniques provide a powerful tool for rapidly identifying the distribution of tsunami inundation caused by the 2011 great earthquake, especially in remote and rugged coastal areas, and in areas threatened by nuclear radiation leaking from the nuclear power plant at Fukushima.     

The regional impacts of climate change on coastal environments and the aquaculture of Japanese scallops in northeast Asia: case studies from Dalian,China, and Funka Bay,Japan

Climate changes affect coastal environments and aquaculture, threatening food security and economic growth. Japanese scallop (Mizuhopecten yessoensis) culture is economically important for the coastal communities of Dalian, China, and Funka Bay, Japan. In this study, we combined satellite remote-sensing data, in situ observations, and a suitable aquaculture site selection model to explore the interactions between marine environments and climate variability over a recent 10-year period (2003–2012). Our selection of appropriate zones in these two Far Eastern regions and our analyses of climatic event (Arctic Oscillation (AO), winter East Asian monsoon (EAM), and El Niño/La Niña Southern Oscillation (ENSO)) and meteorological (precipitation, temperature, and wind) data allowed us to determine the impacts of climate change on regional coastal environments and prospects for scallop aquaculture. These analyses showed that AO and EAM strongly influenced the aquaculture areas on the Dalian coast through their effects on temperature during winter. We also determined that wind was the main driving force behind regional environmental changes during spring. Conversely, ocean conditions and suitable areas in Funka Bay changed rapidly relative to oceanic and atmospheric circulation. In Funka Bay, areas appropriate for scallop aquaculture and variations in chlorophyll-a concentration (which reflect the availability of algal food for scallops) were strongly correlated with ENSO, precipitation, and air temperature. These correlations demonstrate the influence of oceanic and atmospheric parameters on the productivity of scallop aquaculture in Funka Bay. Adaptation to oceanic and atmospheric changes should be considered when developing plans and management strategies for coastal scallop aquaculture in northeast Asia.     

Temporal responses of NDVI to precipitation and temperature in the central Great Plains,USA

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is generally recognized as a good indicator of terrestrial vegetation productivity. Understanding climatic influences, in particular precipitation and temperature, on NDVI enables prediction of productivity changes under different climatic scenarios. We examined temporal responses of remotely sensed NDVI to precipitation and temperature during a nine-year period (1989-97) in Kansas. Biweekly (every two weeks) and monthly precipitation data were derived from 410 weather stations and biweekly temperature data were derived from 17 weather stations inside and around the borders of Kansas. Biweekly and monthly climate maps were derived by interpolation. Biweekly growing season (March-October) NDVI values for Kansas were calculated using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) NDVI images. Average growing season NDVI values were highly correlated with precipitation received during the current growing season and seven preceding months (15-month duration); biweekly NDVI values were correlated with precipitation received during 2-4 preceding biweekly periods; and response time of NDVI to a major precipitation event was typical 1-2 biweekly periods (2-4 weeks). Temperature was positively correlated with NDVI early and late in the growing season, and there was a weak negative correlation between temperature and NDVI in the mid growing season. Precipitation has the primary influence on NDVI and, by inference, on productivity. The relationship between precipitation and NDVI is strong and predictable when viewed at the appropriate spatial scale.     

Temporal and spatial variability of satellite sea surface temperature and ocean colour in the Japan/East Sea

Temporal and spatial variability of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and ocean colour in the Japan/East Sea (JES) are examined during winter and spring using satellite data from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Sea-viewing Wide Field of view Sensor (SeaWiFS). The timing of the spring phytoplankton bloom and the locations of the chlorophyll fronts are related to changes in the thermal fields and the locations of the temperature fronts. Daily images of SST and chlorophyll concentration show both differences and similarities of bio-optical and thermal front location, depending on region and season. Four sub-regions in the JES were defined and SST and chlorophyll values were extracted from weekly and monthly composite images to derive summary statistics. SST at the Subpolar Front increased about 7°C over a 1.5-month period from late April to early June in 1999. During this same period, elevated chlorophyll values near the Korean coast and in the southern basin decreased sharply as the phytoplankton bloom that first developed in the southern basin progressed to the front and northward. The SST/chlorophyll relationship is complex and seasonal. Near the Subpolar Front, SST and chlorophyll were positively related in April. In May, highest chlorophyll values corresponded to mixing regimes (such as areas of convergence and divergence at the edges of meanders) and, by June, SST and chlorophyll near the front were inversely related.     

Space-borne study of seasonal,multi-year,and decadal phytoplankton dynamics in the Bay of Biscay

Seasonal and inter-annual variations in phytoplankton community abundance in the Bay of Biscay are studied. Preliminarily processed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to yield normalized water-leaving radiance and the top-of-the-atmosphere solar radiance, Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) data are further supplied to our dedicated retrieval algorithms to infer the sought for parameters. By applying the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, the surface reflection coefficient in the only band in the visible spectrum is derived and employed for analysis. Decadal bridged time series of variations of diatom-dominated phytoplankton and green dinoflagellate Lepidodinium chlorophorum within the shelf zone and the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi in the pelagic area of the Bay are documented and analysed in terms of impacts of some biogeochemical and geophysical forcing factors.

It is shown that in the shelf zone of the Bay, the diatom-dominated phytoplankton community variations are predominantly controlled by river discharge variations, by water column stratification conditions (forming in winter–early spring), and by wind action (resulting in such phenomena as up-wellings and sediment re-suspension).

Satellite data indicate that while in river deltas and adjoining waters the L. chlorophorum blooming events occur annually, in the Iroise Sea and near the Bailiwick of Guernsey, they happen irregularly. It is thought that such an irregular pattern, possibly, arises from L. chlorophorum competing with other phytoplankton species for nutrients.

E miliania huxleyi blooms are found to occur nearly every year in the northern part of the Bay, whereas in the central area, this phenomenon occurs very irregularly. Satellite data indicate that variations in the water chemistry (variations in the nitrogen : phosphorus ratio due to preceding blooms of diatoms), and the incident irradiance level (degree of cloudiness), are important factors controlling the occurrence of E. huxleyi blooming in the central part of the Bay. Covering a 30 year period, the bridged data from CZCS, AVHRR, SeaWiFS, and MODIS imply that climate change might be responsible for the observed increase in E. huxleyi blooming events in the Bay since 1979.     

Combining dendrochronological data and the disturbance index to assess Engelmann spruce mortality caused by a spruce beetle outbreak in southern Utah, USA

Forest disturbances such as bark beetle outbreaks are increasing in severity and extent across western North America. Classification of remote sensing imagery is a powerful way to analyze and detect large-scale disturbances. We used a temporal sequence of four Landsat TM images (1991, 1995, 1999, and 2003) to detect the spatiotemporal change in spectral response of Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex. Engelm.) killed by an unprecedented spruce beetle outbreak in southern Utah, USA. After co-registration and masking out non-vegetation the Disturbance Index (DI) was calculated for each image. DI values associated with Engelmann spruce mortality, determined by comparing each image to a no outbreak baseline image, were then used to classify the images. Dendrochronologically determined dates of spruce death collected from across the outbreak area were used to assess the ability of the DI to accurately differentiate stands of dead spruce from live conifer forest. The overall classification accuracy of the DI varied from 80 to 82% while the accuracy to detect spruce beetle-killed spruce varied from 59 to 71%. Both user's and producer's accuracy to classify beetle infested stands increased over the temporal sequence of image dates. However, confusion matrix-derived statistics varied by image date. Consistent with previous studies, the spruce beetle outbreak began building in multiple, seemingly independent locations across the study area. Over time, areas attacked earlier in the outbreak enlarged and coalesced on the landscape.     

Spatial patterns of NDVI in response to precipitation and temperature in the central Great Plains

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI ) has proven to be a robust indicator of terrestrial vegetation productivity. Among climatic factors, precipitation and temperature strongly influence both temporal and spatial patterns of NDVI. We examined spatial responses of NDVI to precipitation and temperature during a 9-year period (1989-1997) in Kansas. Biweekly climate maps (precipitation and temperature) were constructed by interpolation of weather station measurements. Maps of biweekly growing season (March to October) NDVI were constructed for Kansas using National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) NDVI images. Average precipitation is a strong predictor of the major east-west NDVI gradient. Deviation from average precipitation explained most of the year-to-year variation in spatial patterns. NDVI and precipitation covaried in the same direction (both positive or both negative) for 60-95% of the total land area. Minimum and average temperatures were positively correlated with NDVI, but temperature deviation from average was generally not correlated with NDVI deviation from average. Our results demonstrate that precipitation is a strong predictor of regional spatial patterns of NDVI and, by inference, patterns of productivity.     

Numerical evaluation of the contribution of a surface-active substance in melt to convective mass transfer caused by pulsed laser action on metal

A mathematical model describing the process of metal surface doping using pulsed laser radiation, in which the dependence of surface tension on the presence of a surface-active impurity in the melt is taken into account, has been considered. Numerical modeling has been carried out, which could be used to estimate the influence that the amount of a surface-active impurity has on the character of flows to be formed and on the distribution of a dopant substance in metal.     

Review of The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/11 to the Eavesdropping on America by James Bamford

An algorithm is described for computer generation of a very long series E of numbers suitable for use in a polyalphabetic cryptographic system. Individual numbers in the series range from 0 to C–1, where C is the number of characters in a desired character set (e.g., C=128 for the ASCII characters 0-127; or C=26 for 26 letters of the alphabet). The enciphering series E is formed as in a multiloop Vigenère cipher system and the linear congruential generating function is used to generate component series (“loops”) with exceptionally long periods, as long as 10¹². While Vigenère systems are usually considered to be vulnerable to cryptanalysis, it is proposed that the magnitude of the numbers available in the component series can make a multiloop system “computationally secure.” Rates of series E generation, using widely available personal computers and software, appear reasonable. Examples given are based on Spectra Publishing's Power Basic, but similar implementations can be made in other versions of BASIC, or in other languages.     

Remote-sensing reflectance and true colour produced by a coupled hydrodynamic,optical, sediment,biogeochemical model of the Great Barrier Reef,Australia: Comparison with satellite data

Aquatic biogeochemical models are vital tools in understanding and predicting human impacts on water clarity. In this paper, we develop a spectrally-resolved optical model that produces remote-sensing reflectance as a function of depth-resolved biogeochemical model properties such as phytoplankton biomass, suspended sediment concentrations and benthic reflectance. We compare simulated remote-sensing reflectance from a 4 km resolution coupled hydrodynamic, optical, sediment and biogeochemical model configured for the Great Barrier Reef with observed remote-sensing reflectance from the MODIS sensor at the 8 ocean colour bands. The optical model is sufficiently accurate to capture the remote-sensing reflectance that would arise from a specific biogeochemical state. Thus the mismatch between simulated and observed remote-sensing reflectance provides an excellent metric for model assessment of the coupled biogeochemical model. Finally, we combine simulated remote-sensing reflectance in a red/green/blue colour model to produce simulated true colour images during the passage of Tropical Cyclone Yasi in February 2011.     

美日动画电影中视听语言风格的差异研究

视听语言是电影的艺术形式,动画作为一种电影类型,是通过视觉和听觉向观众传达信息的。美国和日本作为全球动画潮流的风向标,结合了本民族特点运用独特的视觉语言符号和声音创作模式,形成了风格迥异的视听风格。文章旨在通过美日动画影片创作方法上的差异分析,来研究动画视听语言的综合运用和发展趋势,寻找成功商业动画的视听语言创作模式,促进中国动画的产业化发展。     

Influence of the impounding process of the Three Gorges Reservoir up to water level 172.5m on water eutrophication in the Xiangxi Bay

The water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR) rose to 172.5 m in two stages from September to November,2008.The hydrodynamic parameters and water quality parameters(e.g.flow velocity,temperature,turbidity and nutrient content) had been continuously monitored to reveal the influence of the impounding process of the TGR on the water eutrophication in the Xiangxi Bay(XXB).The maximal daily rise of the water level of the TGR was about 2.38 m.The water exchange between the mainstream(the Changjiang River) a...     

Effect of May 2003 tropical cyclone on physical and biological processes in the Bay of Bengal

Satellite observations are beginning to show the remarkable effects of tropical cyclones on upper ocean temperature and chlorophyll concentration. We use weekly, 4 km resolution chlorophyll‐a and sea surface temperature (SST) from TERRA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, weekly averaged SST at 0.25° resolution from Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager, modeled primary productivity (PP) from Goddard Space Flight Center and mixed layer depth generated by US Navy's Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center to study the response of upper ocean physics and biology to the passage of a tropical cyclone in the southern Bay of Bengal. Decrease in SST up to 5°C, associated with the deepening of mixed layer by about 12 m, was observed. Directly under the cyclone track, PP increased from its pre‐storm value by up to 3800 mg C m^?2 day^?1, and chlorophyll‐a concentration also increased. The increase in chlorophyll‐a and productivity were not confined to the region under the cyclone track, but covered a much broader area, possibly due to forced coastal upwelling south of Sri Lanka. After the passage of the cyclone the SST slowly increased, and the chlorophyll decreased.