Analysis of spatio-temporal dynamic pattern and driving forces of urban land in China in 1990s using TM images and GIS

China has witnessed fast urban growth in the recent decade. This study analyzes spatio-temporal characteristics of urban expansion in China using satellite images and regionalization methods. Landsat TM images at three time periods, 1990/1991, 1995/1996, and 1999/2000, are interpreted to get 1:100000 vector land use datasets. The study calculates the urban land percentage and urban land expansion index of every 1 km(2) cell throughout China. The study divides China into 27 urban regions to conceive dynamic patterns of urban land changes. Urban development was achieving momentum in the western region, expanding more noticeably than in the previous five years, and seeing an increased growth percentage. Land use dynamic changes reflect the strong impacts of economic growth environments and macro-urban development policies. The paper helps to distinguish the influences of newly market-oriented forces from traditional administrative controls on China's urban expansion. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetic structure and orbital ordering in tetragonal and monoclinic KCrF3 from first-principles calculations

KCrF3 has been systematically investigated by using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital method within the generalized gradient approximation and the local spin density approximation plus the on-site Coulomb repulsion approach. The total energies for ferromagnetic and three different antiferromagnetic configurations are calculated in the high-temperature tetragonal and low-temperature monoclinic phases, respectively.

Charge, orbital, and magnetic ordering in YBaFe2O5 from first-principles calculations

First principles calculations using the augmented plane wave plus local orbitals method, as implemented in the WIEN2k code, have been used to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of YBaFe2O5, especially as regards the charge-orbital ordering. Although the total 3d charge disproportion is rather small, an orbital order parameter defined as the difference between t(2g) orbital occupations of Fe2+ and Fe3+ cations is large (0,73) and gives unambiguous evidence for charge and orbital ordering: Strong hybridization between O 2p and Fe e(g) states results in the nearly complete loss of the separation between the total charges at the Fe2+ and Fe3+ atoms.

Surface potential images of polycrystalline organic semiconductors obtained by Kelvin probe force microscopy

P-type copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and n-type hexadecafluorophthalocyanina-tocopper (F16CuPc) polycrystalline films were investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Topographic and corresponding surface potential images are obtained simultaneously. Surface potential images are related with the local work function of crystalline facets and potential barriers at the grain boundaries (GBs) in organic semiconductors. Based on the spatial distribution of surface potential at GBs, donor- and acceptor-like trapping states in the grain boundaries (GBs) of p-CuPc and n-F16CuPc films are confirmed respectively.

Orbital ordering in Cs2AgF4 from first principles

First-principles calculations using the augmented plane wave plus local orbital method, as implemented in the WIEN2K code, have been used to investigate the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the layered perovskite Cs2AgF4. Our calculations indicate that an orthorhombic ground state for Cs2AgF4 is energetically favored over tetragonal. We also find that Cs2AgF4 should be a strong two-dimensional ferromagnet, with very weak antiferromagnetic coupling between the layers, in agreement with the experiment. More importantly, an antiferrodistortive ordering of z(2)-x(2) and z(2)-y(2) orbitals is inferred from the density of states and from a spin density isosurface analysis.

STUDY ON BONDING AND 4F ORBITAL EFFECT OF LANTHANIDE COMPOUNDS

The bonding and the 4f orbital effect of lanthanide elements at different valence state in their compounds have been studied by INDO method in this paper. The results obtained show that the bonding of lanthanide compounds is affected by many factors, such as valence state, ionic radius, ligand, coordinate number, space configuration etc. The strength of bonds composed of different ligands with lanthanide is distinctly different. The covalence of Ln-L bonds of lanthanide ions at high valence state in their compounds is larger than that at low valence state, The covalency at low coordinate number is larger than that at high coordinate number. Some lanthanide compounds with special configuration, besides sigma-bond, can form p(pi)-d(pi) dative bond with much overlap, which makes the Ln-L bond increase markedly. The effect of 4f orbitals on bonding is far less than that of 5d orbitals. The Ln 4f orbitals at 3 or 2 valence state may be considered to be essentially localized, while the contribution of 4f orbitals on bonding in 4 valent cerium compounds increases obviously, up to 1%.

A parametric method of retrieving ocean wave spectra from synthetic aperture radar images

A parametric method that extracts the ocean wave directional spectra from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image is presented. The 180 degrees ambiguity of SAR image and the loss of information beyond the azimuthal cutoff can be overcome with this method. The ocean wave spectra can be obtained from SAR image directly by using iteration inversion mapping method with forward nonlinear mapping. Some numerical experiments have been made by using ERS-1 satellite SAR imagette data. The ocean wave direction retrieved from SAR imagette data is in agreement with the wind direction from the scatterometer data.

Underwater topography detection of Shuangzi Reefs with SAR images acquired in different time

Imaging mechanism of underwater topography by SAR and a underwater topography SAR detection model built on the theory of underwater topography detection with SAR image presented by Yuan Yeli are used to detect the underwater topography of Shuangzi Reefs in the Nansha Islands with three scenes of SAR images acquired in different time. Detection results of three SAR images are compared with the chart topography and the detection errors are analyzed. Underwater topography detection experiments of Shuangzi Reefs show that the detection model is practicable. The detection results indicate that SAR images acquired in different time also can be used to detect the underwater topography, and the detection results are affected by the ocean conditions in the SAR acquiring time.

A new method for the estimation of oceanic mixed-layer depth using shipboard X-band radar images

Shipboard X-band radar images acquired on 24 June 2009 are used to study nonlinear internal wave characteristics in the northeastern South China Sea. The studied images show three nonlinear internal waves in a packet. A method based on the Radon Transform technique is introduced to calculate internal wave parameters such as the direction of propagation and internal wave velocity from backscatter images. Assuming that the ocean is a two-layer finite depth system, we can derive the mixed-layer depth by applying the internal wave velocity to the mixed-layer depth formula. Results show reasonably good agreement with in-situ thermistor chain and conductivity-temperature-depth data sets.

Wind-vector estimation for RADARSAT-1 SAR images: Validation of wind-direction estimates based upon geometry diversity

In this letter, a new wind-vector algorithm is presented that uses radar backscatter sigma(0) measurements at two adjacent subscenes of RADARSAT-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, with each subscene having slightly different geometry. Resultant wind vectors are validated using in situ buoy measurements and compared with wind vectors determined from a hybrid wind-retrieval model using wind directions determined by spectral analysis of wind-induced image streaks and observed by colocated QuikSCAT measurements. The hybrid wind-retrieval model consists of CMOD-IFR2 [applicable to C-band vertical-vertical (W) polarization] and a C-band copolarization ratio according to Kirchhoff scattering. The new algorithm displays improved skill in wind-vector estimation for RADARSAT-1 SAR data when compared to conventional wind-retrieval methodology. In addition, unlike conventional methods, the present method is applicable to RADARSAT-1 images both with and without visible streaks. However, this method requires ancillary data such as buoy measurements to resolve the ambiguity in retrieved wind direction.

Modeling gross primary production of alpine ecosystems in the Tibetan Plateau using MODIS images and climate data

The eddy covariance technique provides measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) Of CO2 between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems, which is widely used to estimate ecosystem respiration and gross primary production (GPP) at a number Of CO2 eddy flux tower sites. In this paper, canopy-level maximum light use efficiency, a key parameter in the satellite-based Vegetation Photosynthesis Model (VPM), was estimated by using the observed CO2 flux data and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) data from eddy flux tower sites in an alpine swamp ecosystem, an alpine shrub ecosystem and an alpine meadow ecosystem in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. The VPM model uses two improved vegetation indices (Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Water Index (LSWI)) derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectral radiometer (MODIS) data and climate data at the flux tower sites, and estimated the seasonal dynamics of GPP of the three alpine grassland ecosystems in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The seasonal dynamics of GPP predicted by the VPM model agreed well with estimated GPP from eddy flux towers. These results demonstrated the potential of the satellite-driven VPM model for scaling-up GPP of alpine grassland ecosystems, a key component for the study of the carbon cycle at regional and global scales. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.