Potential of X-Band Images from High-Resolution Satellite SAR Sensors to Assess Growth and Yield in Paddy Rice

The comprehensive relationship of backscattering coefficient (σ0) values from two current X-band SAR sensors (COSMO-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X) with canopy biophysical variables were investigated using the SAR images acquired at VV polarization and shallow incidence angles. The difference and consistency of the two sensors were also examined. The chrono-sequential change of σ0 in rice paddies during the transplanting season revealed that σ0 reached the value of nearby water surfaces a day before transplanting, and increased significantly just after transplanting event (3 dB). Despite a clear systematic shift (6.6 dB) between the two sensors, the differences in σ0 between target surfaces and water surfaces in each image were comparable in both sensors. Accordingly, an image-based approach using the “water-point” was proposed. It would be useful especially when absolute σ0 values are not consistent between sensors and/or images. Among the various canopy variables, the panicle biomass was found to be best correlated with X-band σ0. X-band SAR would be promising for direct assessments of rice grain yields at regional scales from space, whereas it would have limited capability to assess the whole-canopy variables only during the very early growth stages. The results provide a clear insight on the potential capability of X-band SAR sensors for rice monitoring

Hugoniot measurement of diamond under laser shock compression up to 2 Tpa

Copyright 2006 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas, 13(5), 052705, 2006 and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.220519

Laser-Shock Compression and Hugoniot Measurements of Liquid Hydrogen to 55 GPa

The principal Hugoniot for liquid hydrogen was obtained up to 55 GPa under laser-driven shock loading. Pressure and density of compressed hydrogen were determined by impedance-matching to a quartz standard. The shock temperature was independently measured from the brightness of the shock front. Hugoniot data of hydrogen provide a good benchmark to modern theories of condensed matter. The initial number density of liquid hydrogen is lower than that for liquid deuterium, and this results in shock compressed hydrogen having a higher compression and higher temperature than deuterium at the same shock pressure.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in Physical Review

ビタミン E摂取量が母体の健康状態と胎児の発育に及ぼす影響について ―実験動物を用いての検討―

This study is focused on overdose of vitamin E. In particular，we examined its influence on pregnancy using a laboratory animal. It showed no change of hemoglobin level and triglyceride level in blood by the difference of vitamin E dose. However，it showed that antioxygenation of the vitamin E was shown because the fall of TBARS value in the brain that was taken have much vitamin E intakes. The cause was not clear，the vitamin E intake of inappropriate quantity may cause pregnancy abnormality. Because, pregnancy abnormal ratios increased that growth insufficiency of the fetus was observed low group and high group in vitamin E. It suggested that the surplus intake of the vitamin E have possibilities to cause bad influence to pregnancy

Flyer acceleration experiments using high-power laser

Flyer acceleration technique using high-power lasers has several advantages such as the achieved velocities higher than 10 km/s and non-contamination to the products generated by impacts. In this study, we show that a high-power laser can achieve flyer velocities higher than 10 km/s up to 60 km/s using spherical projectiles with a diameter of 0.1 − 0.3mm. We discuss the projectile condition during the flight based on the results of numerical simulations