scholarly journals UAV Thermal Images for Water Presence Detection in a Mediterranean Headwater Catchment

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Massimo Micieli ◽  
Gianluca Botter ◽  
Giuseppe Mendicino ◽  
Alfonso Senatore
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
River Network ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing ◽  
Ground Sample ◽  
Water Detection ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
Rgb Images

As Mediterranean streams are highly dynamic, reconstructing space–time water presence in such systems is particularly important for understanding the expansion and contraction phases of the flowing network and the related hydro–ecological processes. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can support such monitoring when wide or inaccessible areas are investigated. In this study, an innovative method for water presence detection in the river network based on UAV thermal infrared remote sensing (TIR) images supported by RGB images is evaluated using data gathered in a representative catchment located in Southern Italy. Fourteen flights were performed at different times of the day in three periods, namely, October 2019, February 2020, and July 2020, at two different heights leading to ground sample distances (GSD) of 2 cm and 5 cm. A simple methodology that relies on the analysis of raw data without any calibration is proposed. The method is based on the identification of the thermal signature of water and other land surface elements targeted by the TIR sensor using specific control matrices in the image. Regardless of the GSD, the proposed methodology allows active stream identification under weather conditions that favor sufficient drying and heating of the surrounding bare soil and vegetation. In the surveys performed, ideal conditions for unambiguous water detection in the river network were found with air–water thermal differences higher than 5 °C and accumulated reference evapotranspiration before the survey time of at least 2.4 mm. Such conditions were not found during cold season surveys, which provided many false water pixel detections, even though allowing the extraction of useful information. The results achieved led to the definition of tailored strategies for flight scheduling with different levels of complexity, the simplest of them based on choosing early afternoon as the survey time. Overall, the method proved to be effective, at the same time allowing simplified monitoring with only TIR and RGB images, avoiding any photogrammetric processes, and minimizing postprocessing efforts.

Mangrove community response to subsidence inflicted sea level change in Car Nicobar Island, India

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-427
Author(s):  
Nehru Prabakaran
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Sea Level Change ◽  
Community Response ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Nicobar Island ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Mangrove Species ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Species Specific

AbstractThe inter-specific resilience among mangrove species to sea level rise (SLR) is a key to design conservation strategies for this economically important ecosystem that is among the most vulnerable to SLR. Tectonic processes can cause sudden increases or drops in sea level due to subsidence or uplift of the land surface, which can also provide insights for the mangrove community responses to rapid sea level change. This study aimed to investigate the responses of mangrove species to rapid SLR caused by land subsidence of 1.1 m during the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake at Car Nicobar Island. The Rhizophora spp. showed remarkable resilience to this rapid SLR, while the landward mangrove vegetation comprising Bruguiera spp., Lumnitzera spp., Sonneratia spp. etc., were unable to survive. Also, Rhizophora spp. establishment in the previous landward mangrove zones was more rapid than the landward mangrove species establishment in the previous terrestrial zones. The observed resilience of Rhizophora spp. may be due to the local specific geological legacy and species-specific ecological processes. However, further studies focusing on microcosm experiments to understand the Rhizophora spp. resilience to rapid SLR at the study site is required to strengthen these observations.

scholarly journals Shallow groundwater effect on land surface temperature and surface energy balance under bare soil conditions: modeling and description

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 1817-1831 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Alkhaier ◽  
G. N. Flerchinger ◽  
Z. Su
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Shallow Groundwater ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Shortwave Radiation ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Potential Evaporation ◽  
Available Energy

Abstract. Understanding when and how groundwater affects surface temperature and energy fluxes is significant for utilizing remote sensing in groundwater studies and for integrating aquifers within land surface models. To investigate the shallow groundwater effect under bare soil conditions, we numerically exposed two soil profiles to identical metrological forcing. One of the profiles had shallow groundwater. The different responses that the two profiles manifested were inspected regarding soil moisture, temperature and energy balance at the land surface. The findings showed that the two profiles differed in three aspects: the absorbed and emitted amounts of energy, the portioning out of the available energy and the heat fluency in the soil. We concluded that due to their lower albedo, shallow groundwater areas reflect less shortwave radiation and consequently get a higher magnitude of net radiation. When potential evaporation demand is sufficiently high, a large portion of the energy received by these areas is consumed for evaporation. This increases the latent heat flux and reduces the energy that could have heated the soil. Consequently, lower magnitudes of both sensible and ground heat fluxes are caused to occur. The higher soil thermal conductivity in shallow groundwater areas facilitates heat transfer between the top soil and the subsurface, i.e. soil subsurface is more thermally connected to the atmosphere. For the reliability of remote sensors in detecting shallow groundwater effect, it was concluded that this effect can be sufficiently clear to be detected if at least one of the following conditions occurs: high potential evaporation and high contrast between day and night temperatures. Under these conditions, most day and night hours are suitable for shallow groundwater depth detection.

scholarly journals Estimating evaporation with thermal UAV data and two-source energy balance models

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 697-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Hoffmann ◽  
H. Nieto ◽  
R. Jensen ◽  
R. Guzinski ◽  
P. Zarco-Tejada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Flux ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Eddy Covariance ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Thermal Camera ◽  
Model Input ◽  
Eddy Covariance Measurements

Abstract. Estimating evaporation is important when managing water resources and cultivating crops. Evaporation can be estimated using land surface heat flux models and remotely sensed land surface temperatures (LST), which have recently become obtainable in very high resolution using lightweight thermal cameras and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In this study a thermal camera was mounted on a UAV and applied into the field of heat fluxes and hydrology by concatenating thermal images into mosaics of LST and using these as input for the two-source energy balance (TSEB) modelling scheme. Thermal images are obtained with a fixed-wing UAV overflying a barley field in western Denmark during the growing season of 2014 and a spatial resolution of 0.20 m is obtained in final LST mosaics. Two models are used: the original TSEB model (TSEB-PT) and a dual-temperature-difference (DTD) model. In contrast to the TSEB-PT model, the DTD model accounts for the bias that is likely present in remotely sensed LST. TSEB-PT and DTD have already been well tested, however only during sunny weather conditions and with satellite images serving as thermal input. The aim of this study is to assess whether a lightweight thermal camera mounted on a UAV is able to provide data of sufficient quality to constitute as model input and thus attain accurate and high spatial and temporal resolution surface energy heat fluxes, with special focus on latent heat flux (evaporation). Furthermore, this study evaluates the performance of the TSEB scheme during cloudy and overcast weather conditions, which is feasible due to the low data retrieval altitude (due to low UAV flying altitude) compared to satellite thermal data that are only available during clear-sky conditions. TSEB-PT and DTD fluxes are compared and validated against eddy covariance measurements and the comparison shows that both TSEB-PT and DTD simulations are in good agreement with eddy covariance measurements, with DTD obtaining the best results. The DTD model provides results comparable to studies estimating evaporation with similar experimental setups, but with LST retrieved from satellites instead of a UAV. Further, systematic irrigation patterns on the barley field provide confidence in the veracity of the spatially distributed evaporation revealed by model output maps. Lastly, this study outlines and discusses the thermal UAV image processing that results in mosaics suited for model input. This study shows that the UAV platform and the lightweight thermal camera provide high spatial and temporal resolution data valid for model input and for other potential applications requiring high-resolution and consistent LST.

scholarly journals Can explicit convection improve modelled dust in summertime West Africa?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander J. Roberts ◽  
Margaret J. Woodage ◽  
John H. Marsham ◽  
Ellie J. Highwood ◽  
Claire L. Ryder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Dust Emission ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Explicit Representation ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Cmip5 Models ◽  
Cold Pool ◽  
Moist Convection ◽  
Soil Fraction

Abstract. Global and regional models have large systematic errors in their modelled dust fields over West Africa. It is well established that cold pool outflows from moist convection (haboobs) can raise over 50 % of the dust over the Sahara and Sahel in summer, but parameterised moist convection tends to give a very poor representation of this in models. Here, we test the hypothesis that an explicit representation of convection improves haboob winds and so may reduce errors in modelled dust fields. The results show that despite varying both grid-spacing and the representation of convection there are only minor changes in dust aerosol optical depth (AOD) and dust mass loading fields between simulations. In all simulations there is an AOD deficit over the observed central Saharan dust maximum and a high bias in AOD along the west coast: both features consistent with many climate (CMIP5) models. Cold pool outflows are present in the explicit simulations and do raise dust. Consistent with this there is an improved diurnal cycle in dust-generating winds with a seasonal peak in evening winds at locations with moist convection that is absent in simulations with parameterised convection. However, the explicit convection does not change the AOD field significantly for several reasons. Firstly, the increased windiness in the evening from haboobs is approximately balanced by a reduction in morning winds associated with the breakdown of the nocturnal low-level jet (LLJ). Secondly, although explicit convection increases the frequency of the strongest winds, these are still weaker than observed, especially close to the observed summertime Saharan dust maximum: this results from the fact that although large mesoscale convective systems (and resultant cold pools) are generated, they have a lower frequency than observed and haboob winds are too weak. Finally, major impacts of the haboobs on winds occur over the Sahel, where, although dust uplift is known to occur in reality, uplift in the simulations is limited by a seasonally constant bare soil fraction in the model, together with soil moisture and clay fractions which are too restrictive of dust emission in seasonally-varying vegetated regions. For future studies, the results demonstrate 1) the improvements in behaviour produced by the explicit representation of convection, 2) the value of simultaneously evaluating both dust and winds and 3) the need to develop parameterisations of the land surface alongside those of dust-generating winds.

scholarly journals RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LAND USE/LAND COVER AND LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN TABRIZ FROM 2000 TO 2017

2019 ◽  
Vol XLII-4/W18 ◽  
pp. 1041-1044
Author(s):  
A. Tahooni ◽  
A. A. Kakroodi
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Urban Heat Island ◽  
Land Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Impervious Surface ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Heat Island ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Urban Heat

Abstract. Urban Heat Island (UHI) refers to the development of higher urban temperatures of an urban area compared to the temperatures of surrounding suburban and rural areas. Highly reflective urban materials to solar radiation present a significantly lower surface temperature and contribute to reducing the sensible heat released in the atmosphere and mitigating the urban heat island. Many studies of the UHI effect have been based on Land Surface Temperature (LST) measurements from remote sensors. The remotely sensed UHI has been termed the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. This study examines Tabriz city land use/land cover (LULC) and LST changes using Landsat satellite images between 2000 and 2017. Maximum likelihood classification and single channel methods were used for LULC classification and LST retrieval respectively. Results show that impervious surface has increased 13.79% and bare soil area has decreased 16.2%. The results also revealed bare soil class LST after a constant trend become increasing. It also revealed the impervious surface LST has a decreasing trend between 2000 and 2011 and has a little change. Using materials that have low absorption and high reflectance decrease the effect of heat island considerably.

scholarly journals Assessing and Simulating Impacts of Land Use Land Cover Changes on Land Surface Temperature in Mymensingh City, Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Tahmid Anam Chowdhury ◽  
◽  
Md. Saiful Islam ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Land Use Land Cover ◽  
Remarkable Change

Urban developments in the cities of Bangladesh are causing the depletion of natural land covers over the past several decades. One of the significant implications of the developments is a change in Land Surface Temperature (LST). Through LST distribution in different Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and a statistical association among LST and biophysical indices, i.e., Urban Index (UI), Bare Soil Index (BI), Normalized Difference Builtup Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Bareness Index (NDBaI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), this paper studied the implications of LULC change on the LST in Mymensingh city. Landsat TM and OLI/TIRS satellite images were used to study LULC through the maximum likelihood classification method and LSTs for 1989, 2004, and 2019. The accuracy of LULC classifications was 84.50, 89.50, and 91.00 for three sampling years, respectively. From 1989 to 2019, the area and average LST of the built-up category has been increased by 24.99% and 7.6ºC, respectively. Compared to vegetation and water bodies, built-up and barren soil regions have a greater LST each year. A different machine learning method was applied to simulate LULC and LST in 2034. A remarkable change in both LULC and LST was found through this simulation. If the current changing rate of LULC continues, the built-up area will be 59.42% of the total area, and LST will be 30.05ºC on average in 2034. The LST in 2034 will be more than 29ºC and 31ºC in 59.64% and 23.55% areas of the city, respectively.

scholarly journals Surface response to rain events throughout the West African monsoon

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 18581-18620 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Lohou ◽  
L. Kergoat ◽  
F. Guichard ◽  
A. Boone ◽  
B. Cappelaere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Surface ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Rain Event ◽  
Land Surface Models ◽  
Evaporative Fraction ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
African Monsoon ◽  
Surface Response ◽  
Surface Models

Abstract. This study analyses the response of the continental surface to a rain event, taking advantage of the long-term near-surface measurements over different vegetation covers at different latitudes, acquired during the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) experiment. The simulated surface response by nine land surface models involved in AMMA Land Model Intercomparison Project (ALMIP), is compared to the observations. The surface response, described via the evaporative fraction, evolves in two steps: the immediate surface response and the surface recovery. The immediate surface response corresponds to an increase in the evaporative fraction occurring immediately after the rain. For all the experimental sites, the immediate surface response is strongest when the surface is relatively dry. From the simulation point of view, this relationship is highly model and latitude dependent. The recovery period, characterized by a decrease of the evaporative fraction during several days after the rain, follows an exponential relationship whose rate is vegetation dependent: from 1 day over bare soil to 70 days over the forest. Land surface models correctly simulate the decrease of EF over vegetation covers whereas a slower and more variable EF decrease is simulated over bare soil.

Spatio-temporal effects of vegetated windbreaks on wind erosion and microclimate as basis for model development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Weninger ◽  
Simon Scheper ◽  
Nathan King ◽  
Karl Gartner ◽  
Barbara Kitzler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Regional Modelling ◽  
Erosion Rates

<p>Wind erosion of arable soil is considered a risk factor for Austrian fields, but direct measurements of soil loss are not available until now. Despite this uncertainty, vegetated windbreaks have been established to minimize adverse wind impacts on arable land. The study addresses these questions: i) How relevant is wind erosion as a factor of soil degradation? ii) How important is the protective effect of vegetated windbreaks? iii) Are systematic patterns of spatial and temporal variability of wind erosion rates detectable in response to weather conditions? </p><p>Two experimental fields adjacent to windbreaks were equipped with sediment traps, soil moisture sensors, and meteorological measurement equipment for microclimatic patterns. Sediment traps were arranged in high spatial resolution from next to the windbreak to a distance of ten times the windbreak height. Beginning in January 2020, the amount of trapped sediment was analyzed every three weeks. The highest wind erosion rates on bare soil were observed in June and July. For unprotected fields with bare soil, upscaled annual erosion rates were as high as 0.8 tons per hectare, and sediment trapped increased in a linear fashion with distance from the windbreak. Soil water content near the surface (5 cm depth) was three percent higher at a distance of two times the height of the windbreak than at a distance of six times the height. For the same respective distances from the windbreak, we observed 29 days of soil water contents below the wilting point compared with 60 days.</p><p>The preliminary outcomes confirmed the expected effects of windbreaks on soil erosion and microclimate in agricultural fields. Prospective results from multiple vegetation periods will be used in an upscaling approach to gain informations for the whole basin. That is meant to be done by a combination with a soil wind erosion model which was so far used for regional modelling of wind erosion susceptibility.</p>

scholarly journals The Role of Weather during the Greek–Persian “Naval Battle of Salamis” in 480 B.C.

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christos Zerefos ◽  
Stavros Solomos ◽  
Dimitris Melas ◽  
John Kapsomenakis ◽  
Christos Repapis
Keyword(s):  
Sea Breeze ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Open Sea ◽  
Early Afternoon ◽  
Wind Climatology ◽  
South Sea ◽  
Diurnal Wind

The Battle of Salamis in 480 B.C. is one of the most important naval battles of all times. This work examines in detail the climatically prevailing weather conditions during the Persian invasion in Greece. We perform a climatological analysis of the wind regime in the narrow straits of Salamis, where this historic battle took place, based on available station measurements, reanalysis and modeling simulations (ERA5, WRF) spanning through the period of 1960–2019. Our results are compared to ancient sources before and during the course of the conflict and can be summarized as follows: (i) Our climatological station measurements and model runs describing the prevailing winds in the area of interest are consistent with the eyewitness descriptions reported by ancient historians and (ii) The ancient Greeks and particularly Themistocles must have been aware of the local wind climatology since their strategic plan was carefully designed and implemented to take advantage of the diurnal wind variation. The combination of northwest wind during the night and early morning, converging with a south sea breeze after 10:00 A.M., formed a “pincer” that aided the Greeks at the beginning of the clash in the morning, while it brought turmoil to the Persian fleet and prevented them to escape to the open sea in the early afternoon hours.

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