Landsat ETM+ and MODIS EVI/NDVI Data Products for Climatic Variation and Agricultural Measurements in Cholistan Desert

The landsat ETM has shown great potential in agricultural mapping and monitoring due to its advantages over traditional receive procedures in terms of cost effectiveness and timeliness in availability of information over larger areas and ingredient the temporal dependence of multitemporal image data to identify the changing pattern of vegetation cover and consequently enhance the interpretation capabilities Integration of multi-sensor and multitemporal satellite data effectively improves the temporal attribute and accuracy of the results Since 2000 NASA s MODIS sensors onboard Terra satellite has provided composite data at 16- days interval to produce estimates of gross primary production GPP that compare well with direct measurements The MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index EVI and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index NDVI which are independent of climatic drivers also appears as valuable surrogate for estimation of seasonal patterns in GP

Phenologically-Tuned MODIS NDVI-Based Time Series (2000-2012) For Monitoring Of Vegetation and Climate Change in North-Eastern Punjab, Pakistan

One of the main factors determining the daily variation of the active surface temperature is the state of the vegetation cover It can well be characterized by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index NDVI The NDVI has the potential ability to signal the vegetation features of different eco-regions and provides valuable information as a remote sensing tool in studying vegetation phenology cycles The vegetation phenology is the expression of the seasonal cycles of plant processes and contributes vital current information on vegetation conditions and their connections to climate change The NDVI is computed using near-infrared and red reflectances and thus has both an accuracy and precision A gapless time series of MODIS NDVI MOD13A1 composite raster data from 18th February 2000 to 16th November 2012 with a spatial resolution of 500 m was utilized Time-series terrestrial parameters derived from NDVI have been extensively applied to global climate change since it analyzes each pixel individually without the setting of thresholds to detect change within a time serie

Spectral Characteristics and Mapping of Rice Fields using Multi-Temporal Landsat and MODIS Data: A Case of District Narowal

Availability of remote sensed data provides powerful access to the spatial and temporal information of the earth surface Real-time earth observation data acquired during a cropping season can assist in assessing crop growth and development performance As remote sensed data is generally available at large scale rather than at field-plot level use of this information would help to improve crop management at broad-scale Utilizing the Landsat TM ETM ISODATA clustering algorithm and MODIS Terra the normalized difference vegetation index NDVI and enhanced vegetation index EVI datasets allowed the capturing of relevant rice cropping differences In this study we tried to analyze the MODIS Terra EVI NDVI February 2000 to February 2013 datasets for rice fractional yield estimation in Narowal Punjab province of Pakistan For large scale applications time integrated series of EVI NDVI 250-m spatial resolution offer a practical approach to measure crop production as they relate to the overall plant vigor and photosynthetic activity during the growing season The required data preparation for the integration of MODIS data into GIS is described with a focus on the projection from the MODIS Sinusoidal to the national coordinate systems However its low spatial resolution has been an impediment to researchers pursuing more accurate classification results and will support environmental planning to develop sustainable land-use practices These results have important implications for parameterization of land surface process models using biophysical variables estimated from remotely sensed data and assist for forthcoming rice fractional yield assessmen

Pixel Purity Index Algorithm and N-Dimensional Visualization For ETM+ Image Analysis: A Case of District Vehari

The hyperspectral image analysis technique one of the most advanced remote sensing tools has been used as a possible means of identifying from a single pixel or in the field of view of the sensor An important problem in hyperspectral image processing is to decompose the mixed pixels into the information that contribute to the pixel endmember and a set of corresponding fractions of the spectral signature in the pixel abundances and this problem is known as un-mixing The effectiveness of the hyperspectral image analysis technique used in this study lies in their ability to compare a pixel spectrum with the spectra of known pure vegetation extracted from the spectral endmember selection procedures including the reflectance calibration of Landsat ETM image using ENVI software minimum noise fraction MNF pixel purity index PPI and n-dimensional visualization The Endmember extraction is one of the most fundamental and crucial tasks in hyperspectral data exploitation an ultimate goal of an endmember extraction algorithm is to find the purest form of spectrally distinct resource information of a scene The endmember extraction tendency to the type of endmembers being derived and the number of endmembers estimated by an algorithm with respect to the number of spectral bands and the number of pixels being processed also the required input data and the kind of noise if any in the signal model surveying done Results of the present study using the hyperspectral image analysis technique ascertain that Landsat ETM data can be used to generate valuable vegetative information for the District Vehari Punjab Province Pakista

Leptochloa Fusca Cultivation for Utilization of Salt-Affected Soil and Water Resources in the Cholistan Desert

In the Cholistan Desert 0 44 million ha are salt-affected low lying and clayey in nature locally known as dhars where rainwater as well as saline groundwater could be utilized for growing salt grasses like Leptochloa fusca as forage during summer L fusca is a promising candidate grass for economic utilization and better management of sodic high pH saline soil and water resources of the Cholistan Desert L fusca is known to be a versatile halophytic primary colonizer easily propagatable perennial nutritive and palatable forage plant species The grass has the good biomass producing potential and can grow equally well both under upland and submerged saline soil environmen

Run-Off Farming in Reducing Rural Poverty in the Cholistan Desert

This study provides an overview of the potential impact of employing indigenous rainwater- harvesting technology in alleviating poverty in the Cholistan Desert of Pakistan Ideal characteristics for run-off farming catchments result from the combination of landforms and soil properties Many soils in the region exhibit low to very low infiltration and high levels of run-off It has been demonstrated that there is a direct relationship between water availability and poverty reduction This study outlines both the advantages and disadvantages of the indigenous rainwater-harvesting technology in reducing rural poverty and recommends its use with modern water harvesting technique

METACOGNITIVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS ABOUT USING DIGITAL LIBRARIES FOR ACADEMIC WRITINGS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMICS

COVID-19 is a highly contagious pandemic that restricted scholars to their homes and reduced academic writings since they could not reach libraries. Metacognitive Self-Consciousness is a metacognitive ability. It pertains to awareness and monitoring of thoughts. The purpose of this study was to explore Metacognitive Self-Consciousness about using digital libraries for academic writings during Covid-19 pandemics. The sampling frame consisted of two types of Ph.D. research scholars of the social sciences enrolled at public sector universities. One of them was already using digital library resources, whereas the others were not using digital library resources. The study sample consisted of forty-eight (48) Ph.D. research scholars. The sample was further divided into two groups called treatment and control groups. Online sessions were arranged on metacognitive self-consciousness about using digital libraries for academic writings for the research scholars of the treatment group. The post-test control group was the design of the study. The data were collected with a metacognitive self-consciousness questionnaire about using digital libraries for academic writings (MSCQ-DL). Means (M), Standard Deviations (SD), and t-tests were employed with SPSS version 24. The results concluded that metacognitive self-consciousness about using digital libraries for academic writings remained significant and enhanced academic writing of research scholars of public sector universities (M = 13.4; SD = 2.5), p =.000 \u3c α =0.005. It is recommended that universities focus on the awareness of research scholars about using digital libraries and arrange mandatory sessions for training. This study may open new doors for scholars, supervisors, and other stakeholders to improve their academic writings

Solution Of Pakistan’s Problems In Light Of Islamic Rules

The progress and solidarity of any country depends upon its ideas, its social, economic and defending conditions. If a country is existed on its basic ideology and national perspective then it is safe from internal and external disunity. Running on the pavement of development, there justice is in abundance. There is bond of love and reliability between public and government and there are complete arrangements of material and spiritual needs of its civilians, then government erected upon solid and strong basis. There is no danger for its safety and solidarity and it is running on the pavement of progress and meeting with national cause. Pakistan is now facing a lot of basic problems at one time, in which social, economic and political problems are included. Along with terrorism, extremism, corruption, bribery, black marketing, lack of justice and basic human rights, growth of crimes, null or void politics, sectarianism, favoritism, nepotism, passive or illegal leadership, lack of correction and accountability  of rulers and administrative machinery illegal use of authority and freedom of opinion are also  included. It is memorable that to estimate the extremity of facing problems to Pakistan approaches of security good governance and economy are applied. But continuous external pressures, weak internal political process, factors affecting norms are ignored that's why unsuitable and wrong results are appeared. A lot of problems not only create due to lack of resources but mostly there main cause is bad governance .Many hardships do not appear nearly due to none practical institutions but constitutional articles are not acted upon because these articles are sources of automatic correction doing mechanisms. These are such problems which are necessary to analyses form every aspect and I shall do my best to analyses according to my abilities

Role of Emergency Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients of Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective: To study the role of emergency decompressive craniectomy in patients of traumatic brain injury. Methodology: This observational study was performed in the department of Neurosurgery, MTI, LRH, Peshawar, from 1st February, 2016 to 31st January, 2017. A total of 28 patients of traumatic brain injury, who underwent emergency decompressive craniectomy within 24 hours of their admission were included in the study after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used to document the data. Data analysis was performed with the help of SPSS version 20. Results: The total no. of patients were 28, out of which 21 (75%) were male and 7 (25%) were female. The mean age of all the patients was 31 ± 19.84, with a range of 10 – 80 years. The preoperative diagnosis was acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) in 15 (53.6%), large contusion in 6 (21.4%), post-traumatic intracerebral bleed in 3 (10.7%), and ASDH plus small multiple contusions in 4 (14.3%) patients. Dura was left open in all the cases. The preoperative mean GCS was 8.39 ± 3.01. A total of 8 (28.6%) patients expired during the first postoperative week. The mean GCS of the remaining 20 patients at discharge was 10.55 ± 4.05. At 3 months follow-up, 7 (25%) patients were in vegetative state (GOS2), 3 (10.7%) were having major disability (GOS3) and 10 (35.7%) had good (GOS 4 and 5) clinical outcome. Conclusion: The decompressive craniectomy can be very helpful in patients of traumatic brain injury because it can lower the ICP and improve the survival rate in TBI patients. Abbreviations: GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale), GOS (Glasgow Outcome Scale), ICP (Intracranial Pressure)

Inside the Walled Garden: Deconstructing Facebook's Free Basics Program

Free Basics is a Facebook initiative to provide zero-rated web services in developing countries. The program has grown rapidly to 60+ countries in the past two years. But it has also seen strong opposition from Internet activists and has been banned in some countries like India. Facebook highlights the societal benefits of providing low-income populations with free Internet access, while detractors point to concerns about privacy and network neutrality. In this paper, we provide the first independent analysis of such claims regarding the Free Basics service, using both the perspective of a Free Basics service provider and of web clients visiting the service via cellular phones providing access to Free Basics in Pakistan and South Africa. Specifically, with control of both endpoints, we not only provide a more detailed view of how the Free Basics service is architected, but also can isolate the likely causes of network performance impairments. Our analysis reveals that Free Basics services experience 4 to 12 times worse network performance than their paid counterparts. We isolate the root causes using factors such as network path inflation and throttling policies by Facebook and telecom service providers. The Free Basics service and its restrictions are designed with assumptions about users' device capabilities (e.g., lack of JavaScript support). To evaluate such assumptions, we infer the types of mobile devices that generated 47K unique visitors to our Free Basics services between Sep 2016 and Jan 2017. We find that there are large numbers of requests from constrained WAP browsers, but also large fractions of high-capability mobile phones that send Free Basics requests. We discuss the implications of our observations, with the hope to aid more informed debates on such telecom policies