Application of ERTS-1 Imagery to Flood Inundation Mapping

Application of ERTS-1 imagery to flood inundation mapping in East and West Nishnabotna basins of southwestern Iow

Satellite microwave observations of soil moisture variations

The electrically scanning microwave radiometer (ESMR) on the Nimbus 5 satellite was used to observe microwave emissions from vegetated and soil surfaces over an Illinois-Indiana study area, the Mississippi Valley, and the Great Salt Lake Desert in Utah. Analysis of microwave brightness temperatures (T sub B) and antecedent rainfall over these areas provided a way to monitor variations of near-surface soil moisture. Because vegetation absorbs microwave emission from the soil at the 1.55 cm wavelength of ESMR, relative soil moisture measurements can only be obtained over bare or sparsely vegetated soil. In general T sub B increased during rainfree periods as evaporation of water and drying of the surface soil occurs, and drops in T sub B are experienced after significant rainfall events wet the soil. Microwave observations from space are limited to coarse resolutions (10-25 km), but it may be possible in regions with sparse vegetation cover to estimate soil moisture conditions on a watershed or agricultural district basis, particularly since daily observations can be obtained

Operational Applications of Satellite Snowcover Observations

The history of remote sensing of snow cover is reviewed and the following topics are covered: various techniques for interpreting LANDSAT and NOAA satellite data; the status of future systems for continuing snow hydrology applications; the use of snow cover observations in streamflow forecasts by Applications Systems Verification and Transfer participants and selected foreign investigators; and the benefits of using satellite snow cover data in runoff prediction

The use of snowcovered area in runoff forecasts

Long-term snowcovered area data from aircraft and satellite observations have proven useful in reducing seasonal runoff forecast error on the Kern river watershed. Similar use of snowcovered area on the Kings river watershed produced results that were about equivalent to methods based solely on conventional data. Snowcovered area will be most effective in reducing forecast procedural error on watersheds with: (1) a substantial amount of area within a limited elevation range; (2) an erratic precipitation and/or snowpack accumulation pattern not strongly related to elevation; and (3) poor coverage by precipitation stations or snow courses restricting adequate indexing of water supply conditions. When satellite data acquisition and delivery problems are resolved, the derived snowcover information should provide a means for enhancing operational streamflow forecasts for areas that depend primarily on snowmelt for their water supply

Observations of Arctic Sea Ice Dynamics Using the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS-1)

This study shows that ERTS-l, launched by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration in July 1972, can be used to make synoptic observations of dynamic changes in arctic sea ice .... Each data swath of ERTS-l is 185 kilometres wide at the surface and is repeated once every 18 days. ... Because of a near-polar orbit, this sidelap increases to over 80 per cent at arctic latitudes. As a consequence of this large sidelap, the tracking of individual ice features for periods up to 5 or 6 days is permitted. The ERTS-1 Multispectral Scanner Subsystem (MSS) records data by simultaneously scanning across the satellite track in 4 spectral bands. The wavelength limits of the 4 bands are: green (0.5-0.6 µm), red (0.6-0.7 µm), and two near infrared bands (0.7-0.8 µm and 0.8-1.1 µm). The nominal spatial resolution for all 4 bands is 80 metres. A standard ERTS-1 photographic format has an image scale of nearly 1:1,000,000, which is convenient for direct comparison with available maps. Hendriksen Strait, the passage between Amund Ringnes Island and Cornwall Island at about 77°45' N and 95°00' W constituted the study area; it is in the Queen Elizabeth Islands of Arctic Canada, and is one of the most enticing and promising areas of recent oil and gas strikes. ... during a 6-day period from 23 to 28 August, ERTS-1 provided 5 days of coverage of Hendriksen Strait. Various types of sea ice can be identified in the ERTS-l imagery (0.6-0.7 µm band) .... In such a sequence of observations, a number of sea ice changes with time are detectable. Changes in position of individual ice floes can easily be translated to velocity. A number of ice floes were tracked over the 5-day period and their velocities calculated. The average velocity for ice floe movement was 8.5 kilometres/day .... ERTS-l can be used to study ice floe morphology and dynamics in the Beaufort Sea at time scales of several days to months. Repeated observations of individual ice floes such as those available here will also allow calculation of the ablation of the ice mass, in this case the decrease of surface area with time. ... The ice cover, i.e. the relative amount of sea ice present in a given area, is important for shipping purposes and air-sea interaction processes. The ice cover in Hendriksen Strait on 23 August was approximately 7/10, decreasing to 2/10 by 28 August. This type of sea ice change is easily observed from ERTS-1 .... In regard to the delineation of navigation routes through sea ice, the detection of active melting on the surface of the ice would indicate areas likely to be ice free in the near future. ERTS-1 has the ability to do this through observations of reflectance variability both temporally and spectrally. The second method of observing the sea ice reflectance change is provided by comparing two separate images made at the same time but in different spectral bands. ... Because the absorption of solar radiation by water is much greater in the near infrared than in the visible portion of the spectrum, the lower reflectance is again probably due to the presence of melt-water on the surface of the ice. Thus sea ice with water on it, even in very thin layers, will show a considerable difference in reflectance between these spectral bands of observation. ... Temporal and spectral observations of reflectance variations afforded by ERTS-l thus make it possible to locate areas of sea ice that are in varying stages of melting and breakup. The results presented here demonstrate that for high latitudes, ERTS-1 will provide overlapping coverage on sequential days that will allow observation of dynamic changes in the polar regions. In addition, route planning for shipping in the Arctic should benefit from frequent observations of sea ice movement and reflectance variations of the type obtainable from ERTS-l. Projected further, sea ice observations from ERTS-l over a period of years in the Arctic Islands should aid in the placement of offshore oil-drilling structures. Reflectance measurements over this period will also increase our understanding of the heat balance in the polar regions. Finally, ERTS-l observations of the amount of ice cover versus the amount of open water will be important in determining boundary conditions for future use in models of the global heat balance

ПРОБЛЕМИ ФОРМУВАННЯ ЕФЕКТИВНОГО ІМІДЖУ В СУЧАСНІЙ ПОЛІТОЛОГІЇ

Проаналізовані поняття та структура політичного іміджу, визначені компоненти ефективного іміджу політика, виділені складові елементи та закономірності побудови сучасної іміджевої стратегії.Analyzed the concept and structure of political image, the image identified components of effective policy, special elements and patterns of modern image strategy

Amorphous Bi2Pb0.6Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox obtained by melt-spinning and its superconductivity after crystallisation

Previous quenching experiments on 2212 bismuth containing high T c oxides have been extended to the 2223 compound with lead addition. Amorphous Bi2Pb0.6Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox was prepared by a modified melt-spinning technique and samples in the form of small tapes and wires were obtained. The subsequent evolution of the amorphous oxide during annealing was monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The glass transition was found to occur at Tg = 680 K and the onset of crystallisation at T = 730 K. After oxygen annealing, magnetic susceptibility measurements showed evidence of two superconducting phases with transition temperatures at Tc =110 K and Tc = 75 K respectively

IP6K3 and IPMK variations in LOAD and longevity: evidence for a multifaceted signaling network at the crossroad between neurodegeneration and survival

Several studies reported that genetic variants predisposing to neurodegeneration were at higher frequencies in centenarians than in younger controls, suggesting they might favor also longevity. IP6K3 and IPMK regulate many crucial biological functions by mediating synthesis of inositol poly- and pyrophosphates and by acting non-enzymatically via protein–protein interactions. Our previous studies suggested they affect Late Onset Alzheimer Disease (LOAD) and longevity, respectively. Here, in the same sample groups, we investigated whether variants of IP6K3 also affect longevity, and variants of IPMK also influence LOAD susceptibility. We found that: i) a SNP of IP6K3 previously associated with increased risk of LOAD increased the chance to become long-lived, ii) SNPs of IPMK, previously associated with decreased longevity, were protective factors for LOAD, as previously observed for UCP4. SNP-SNP interaction analysis, including our previous data, highlighted phenotype-specific interactions between sets of alleles. Moreover, linkage disequilibrium and eQTL data associated to analyzed variants suggested mitochondria as crossroad of interconnected pathways crucial for susceptibility to neurodegeneration and/or longevity. Overall, data support the view that in these traits interactions may be more important than single polymorphisms. This phenomenon may contribute to the non-additive heritability of neurodegeneration and longevity and be part of the missing heritability of these traits

The EOS Prototype Validation Exercise (PROVE) at Jornada: Overview and Lessons Learned

The Earth Observing System (EOS) instrument teams must validate the operational products they produce from the Terra spacecraft data. As a pilot for future validation activities, four EOS teams (MODIS, MISR, ASTER, and Landsat-7) and community experts conducted an 11-day field campaign in May 1997 near Las Cruces, NM. The goals of the Prototype Validation Exercise (PROVE) included (1) gaining experience in the collection and use of field data for EOS product validation; (2) developing coordination, measurement, and data-archiving protocols; and (3) compiling a synoptic land and atmospheric data set for testing algorithms. PROVE was held at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) Jornada Experimental Range, an expansive desert plateau hosting a complex mosaic of grasses and shrubs. Most macroscopic variables affecting the radiation environment were measured with ground, air-borne (including AVIRIS and laser altimeter), and space-borne sensors (including AVHRR, Landsat TM, SPOT, POLDER, and GOES). The Oak Ridge Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC) then used campaign data sets to prototype Mercury, its Internet-based data harvesting and distribution system. This article provides general information about PROVE and assesses the progress made toward the campaign goals. Primary successes included the rapid campaign formulation and execution, measurement protocol development, and the significant collection, reduction, and sharing of data among participants. However, the PROVE data were used primarily for arid-land research and model validation rather than for validating satellite products, and the data were slow to reach the DAAC and hence public domain. The lessons learned included: (1) validation campaigns can be rapidly organized and implemented if there are focused objectives and on-site facilities and expertise; (2) data needs, organization, storage, and access issues must be addressed at the onset of campaign planning; and (3) the end-to-end data collection, release, and publication environment may need to be readdressed by program managers , funding agencies, and journal editors if rapid and comprehensive validation of operational satellite products is to occur

The Effect of Non-fluoride Factors on Risk of Dental Fluorosis: Evidence from Rural Populations of the Main Ethiopian Rift

Elevated level of fluoride (F−) in drinking water is a well-recognized risk factor of dental fluorosis (DF). While considering optimization of region-specific standards for F−, it is reasonable, however, to consider how local diet, water sourcing practices, and non-F− elements in water may be related to health outcomes. In this study, we hypothesized that non-F− elements in groundwater and lifestyle and demographic characteristics may be independent predictors or modifiers of the effects of F− on teeth. Dental examinations were conducted among 1094 inhabitants from 399 randomly selected households of 20 rural communities of the Ziway-Shala lake basin of the Main Ethiopian Rift. DF severity was evaluated using the Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index (TFI). Household surveys were performed and water samples were collected from community water sources. To consider interrelations between the teeth within individual (in terms of DF severity) and between F− and non-F− elements in groundwater, the statistical methods of regression analysis, mixed models, and principal component analysis were used. About 90% of study participants consumed water from wells with F− levels above the WHO recommended standard of 1.5 mg/l. More than 62% of the study population had DF. F− levels were a major factor associated with DF. Age, sex, and milk consumption (both cow’s and breastfed) were also statistically significantly (p \u3c 0.05) associated with DF severity; these associations appear both independently and as modifiers of those identified between F− concentration and DF severity. Among 35 examined elements in groundwater, Ca, Al, Cu, and Rb were found to be significantly correlated with dental health outcomes among the residents exposed to water with excessive F− concentrations. Quantitative estimates obtained in our study can be used to explore new water treatment strategies, water safety and quality regulations, and lifestyle recommendations which may be more appropriate for this highly populated region