Minimum spanning trees for valley and ridge characterization in digital elevation maps

Texture synthesis employs neighbourhood matching to generate appropriate new content. Terrain synthesis has the added constraint that new content must be geographically plausible. The profile recognition and polygon breaking algorithm (PPA) [Chang et al. 1998] provides a robust mechanism for characterizing terrain as systems of valley and ridge lines in digital elevation maps. We exploit this to create a terrain characterization metric that is robust, efficient to compute and is sensitive to terrain properties.

Terrain regions are characterized as a minimum spanning tree derived from a graph created from the sample points of the elevation map which are encoded as weights in the edges of the graph. This formulation allows us to provide a single consistent feature definition that is sensitive to the pattern of ridges and valleys in the terrain Alternative formulations of these weights provide richer characteristicmeasures and we provide examples of alternate definitions based on curvature and contour measures.

We show that the measure is robust, with a significant portion derived directly from information local to the terrain sample. Global terrain characteristics introduce the issue of over- and underconnected valley/ridge lines when working with sub-regions. This is addressed by providing two graph construction strategies, which respectively provide an upper bound on connectivity as a single spanning tree, and a lower bound as a forest of trees.

Efficient minimum spanning tree algorithms are adapted to the context of terrain data and are shown to provide substantially better performance than previous PPA implementations. In particular, these are able to characterize valley and ridge behaviour at every point even in large elevation maps, providing a measure sensitive to terrain features at all scales.

The resulting graph based formulation provides an efficient and elegant algorithm for characterizing terrain features. The measure can be calculated efficiently, is robust under changes of neighbourhood position, size and resolution and the hybrid measure is sensitive to terrain features both locally and globally.

Extended depth from focus reconstruction using NIH ImageJ plugins: Quality and resolution of elevation maps

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The use of elevation map histograms for topographic heterogeneity analysis

Surface defects are extremely important in mechanical characterization of several different materials. Therefore, the analysis of surface finishing is essential for a further simulation of surface mechanical properties in a customized project in materials science and technology. One of the methods commonly employed for such purpose is the statistical mapping of different sample surface regions using the depth from focus technique. The analysis is usually performed directly from the elevation maps which are obtained from the digital image processing. In this paper, the possibility of quantifying the surface heterogeneity of Silicon Carbide porous ceramics by elevation map histograms is presented. The advantage of this technique is that it allows the qualitative or quantitative verification of all surface image fields that cannot be done by using the Surface Plot plugin of image J™ platform commonly used in digital image processing. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Fractal characterization of brittle fracture in ceramics under mode I stress loading

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fractal behavior throughout stretch zone of 15-5PH steel under elastic-plastic loading conditions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

3-D reconstruction by extended depth-of-field in failure analysis - Case study II: Fractal analysis of interlaminar fracture in carbon/epoxy composites

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

MRT letter: Extended depth from focus reconstruction method for stretch zone measurement in 15-5PH steel

The stretch zone width (SZW) data for 15-5PH steel CTOD specimens fractured at -150 degrees C to + 23 degrees C temperature were measured based on focused images and 3D maps obtained by extended depth-of-field reconstruction from light microscopy (LM) image stacks. This LM-based method, with a larger lateral resolution, seems to be as effective for quantitative analysis of SZW as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM), permitting to clearly identify stretch zone boundaries. Despite the worst sharpness of focused images, a robust linear correlation was established to fracture toughness (KC) and SZW data for the 15-5PH steel tested specimens, measured at their center region. The method is an alternative to evaluate the boundaries of stretched zones, at a lower cost of implementation and training, since topographic data from elevation maps can be associated with reconstructed image, which summarizes the original contrast and brightness information. Finally, the extended depth-of-field method is presented here as a valuable tool for failure analysis, as a cheaper alternative to investigate rough surfaces or fracture, compared to scanning electron or confocal light microscopes. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:11551158, 2012. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Correlative light-electron fractography for fatigue striations characterization in metallic alloys

The correlative light-electron fractography technique combines correlative microscopy concepts to the extended depth-from-focus reconstruction method, associating the reliable topographic information of 3-D maps from light microscopy ordered Z-stacks to the finest lateral resolution and large focus depth from scanning electron microscopy. Fatigue striations spacing analysis can be precisely measured, by correcting the mean surface tilting with the knowledge of local elevation data from elevation maps. This new technique aims to improve the accuracy of quantitative fractography in fatigue fracture investigations. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:909-913, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fractografia quantitativa de superfícies obtidas em ensaios de propagação de trincas por fadiga em aço inoxidável 15 –5PH

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Fractografia quantitativa: análise do comportamento fractal de fratura em compósitos carbono/epóxi, por processamento digital de imagens

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Fractografia quantitativa e o conceito de tenacidade à fratura para a análise do efeitodo choque térmicos em TiO2

The present study evaluated the use of semicircular bending test (SCB) as an alternative to conventional bending test to examine the effect of thermal shock. Still, studies the behavior of fracture surfaces generated by monofractal behavior analysis, which allows us to evaluate the contributions of the microstructure and the mechanical context in forming reliefs during the crack propagation. The fractal analysis is made from elevation maps obtained by reconstruction method by extension of the focus stacks of digital images acquired in microscope. The specimens used were samples semicircular pressed TiO2 (rutile) with and without heat shock, prepared for testing mode I loading. Were also produced, specimens in the form of bars for Weibull statistical analysis. From the three-point bending test, we found the variation of fracture toughness between the samples after the heat shock and natural condition. The SCB test was feasible for the analysis of thermal shock resistance. The results showed that the value of the fracture toughness decreases as the heat shock treatment

Table 5 Comparison of surface elevations by Seasat and optical survey along EGIG line

Surface elevation maps of the southern half of the Greenland subcontinent are produced from radar altimeter data acquired by the Seasat satellite. A summary of the processing procedure and examples of return waveform data are given. The elevation data are used to generate a regular grid which is then computer contoured to provide an elevation contour map. Ancillary maps show the statistical quality of the elevation data and various characteristics of the surface. The elevation map is used to define ice flow directions and delineate the major drainage basins. Regular maps of the Jakobshavns Glacier drainage basin and the ice divide in the vicinity of Crete Station are presented. Altimeter derived elevations are compared with elevations measured both by satellite geoceivers and optical surveying.

Orbscan Topography in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose: To compare anterior and posterior corneal curvatures between eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and healthy eyes. Methods: This is a prospective, cross-sectional, observer-masked study. A total of 138 white subjects (one eye per patient) were consecutively recruited; 69 eyes had POAG (study group), and the other 69 comprised a group of healthy control eyes matched for age and central corneal pachymetry with the study ones. Exclusion criteria included any corneal or ocular inflammatory disease, previous ocular surgery, or treatment with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. The same masked observer performed Goldmann applanation tonometry, ultrasound pachymetry, and Orbscan II topography in all cases. Central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and anterior and posterior topographic elevation maps were analyzed and compared between both groups. Results: Patients with POAG had greater forward shifting of the posterior corneal surface than that in healthy control eyes (p < 0.01). Significant differences in anterior corneal elevation between controls and POAG eyes were also found (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Primary open-angle glaucoma eyes have a higher elevation of the posterior corneal surface than that in central corneal thickness–matched nonglaucomatous eyes.

A combined spectrophotometric and morphometric study of the lunar mare dome fields near Cauchy, Arago, Hortensius, and Milichius

In this Study we examine the spectral and morphometric properties of the four important lunar mare dome fields near Cauchy, Arago, Hortensius. and Milichius. We utilize Clementine UV vis mulfispectral data to examine the soil composition of the mare domes while employing telescopic CCD imagery to compute digital elevation maps in order to determine their morphometric properties, especially flank slope, height, and edifice Volume. After reviewing previous attempts to determine topographic data for lunar domes, we propose an image-based 3D reconstruction approach which is based on a combination of photoclinometry and shape from shading. Accordingly, we devise a classification scheme for lunar Marc domes which is based on a principal component analysis of the determined spectral and morphometric features. For the effusive mare domes of the examined fields we establish four Classes, two of which are further divided into two subclasses, respectively, where each class represents distinct combinations of spectral and morphometric dome properties. As a general trend, shallow and steep domes formed out of low-TiO2 basalts are observed in the Hortensius and Milichius dome fields, while the domes near Cauchy and Arago that consist of high-TiO2 basalts are all very shallow. The intrusive domes of our data set cover a wide continuous range of spectral and morphometric quantities, generally characterized by larger diameters and shallower flank slopes than effusive domes. A comparison to effusive and intrusive mare domes in other lunar regions, highland domes, and lunar cones has shown that the examined four mare dome fields display Such a richness in spectral properties and 3D dome shape that the established representation remains valid in a more global context. Furthermore, we estimate the physical parameters of dome formation for the examined domes based on a rheologic model. Each class of effusive domes defined in terms of spectral and morphometric properties is characterized by its specific range of values for lava viscosity, effusion rate, and duration of the effusion process. For our data set we report lava viscosities between about 10(2) and 10(8) Pas, effusion rates between 25 and 600 m(3) s(-1), and durations of the effusion process between three weeks and 18 years. Lava viscosity decreases with increasing R-415/R-750 spectral ratio and thus TiO2 content; however, the correlation is not strong, implying an important influence of further parameters like effusion temperature on lava viscosity.