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Development of a Real-Time GPS/Seismic Displacement Meter: Applications to Civilian Infrastructure in Orange and Western Riverside Counties, California

We propose a three-year applications project that will develop an Integrated Real-Time GPS/Seismic System and deploy it in Orange and Western Riverside Counties, spanning three major strike-slip faults in southern California (San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Elsinore) and significant populations and civilian infrastructure. The system relying on existing GPS and seismic networks will collect and analyze GPS and seismic data for the purpose of estimating and disseminating real-time positions and total ground displacements (dynamic, as well as static) during all phases of the seismic cycle, from fractions of seconds to years. Besides its intrinsic scientific use as a real-time displacement meter (transducer), the GPS/Seismic System will be a powerful tool for local and state decision makers for risk mitigation, disaster management, and structural monitoring (dams, bridges, and buildings). Furthermore, the GPS/Seismic System will become an integral part of California's spatial referencing and positioning infrastructure, which is complicated by tectonic motion, seismic displacements, and land subsidence. Finally, the GPS/Seismic system will also be applicable to navigation in any environment (land, sea, or air) by combining precise real-time instantaneous GPS positioning with inertial navigation systems. This development will take place under the umbrella of the California Spatial Reference Center, in partnership with local (Counties, Riverside County Flood and Water Conservation District, Metropolitan Water District), state (Caltrans), and Federal agencies (NGS, NASA, USGS), the geophysics community (SCIGN/SCEC2), and the private sector (RBF Consulting). The project will leverage considerable funding, resources, and R&D from SCIGN, CSRC and two NSF-funded IT projects at UCSD and SDSU: RoadNet (Real-Time Observatories, Applications and Data Management Network) and the High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network (HPWREN). These two projects are funded to develop both the wireless networks and the integrated, seamless, and transparent information management system that will deliver seismic, geodetic, oceanographic, hydrological, ecological, and physical data to a variety of end users in real-time in the San Diego region. CSRC is interested in providing users access to real-time, accurate GPS data for a wide variety of applications including RTK surveying/GIS and positioning of moving platforms such as aircraft and emergency vehicles. SCIGN is interested in upgrading sites to high-frequency real-time operations for rapid earthquake response and GPS seismology. The successful outcome of the project will allow the implementation of similar systems elsewhere, particularly in plate boundary zones with significant populations and civilian infrastructure. CSRC would like to deploy the GPS/Seismic System in other parts of California, in particular San Diego, Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Bock, Yehuda

Identification and Mapping of Soils, Vegetation, and Water Resources of Lynn County, Texas, by Computer Analysis of ERTS MSS Data

Results of the analysis and interpretation of ERTS multispectral data obtained over Lynn County, Texas, are presented. The test site was chosen because it embodies a variety of problems associated with the development and management of agricultural resources in the Southern Great Plains. Lynn County is one of ten counties in a larger test site centering around Lubbock, Texas. The purpose of this study is to examine the utility of ERTS data in identifying, characterizing, and mapping soils, vegetation, and water resources in this semiarid region. Successful application of multispectral remote sensing and machine-processing techniques to arid and seminarid land-management problems will provide valuable new tools for the more than one-third of the world's lands lying in arid-semiarid regions.

Baumgardner, M. F.

Tri-county pilot study

The author has identified the following significant results. An area inventory was performed for three southeast Texas counties (Montgomery, Walker, and San Jacinto) totaling 0.65 million hectares. The inventory was performed using a two level hierarchy. Level 1 was divided into forestland, rangeland, and other land. Forestland was separated into Level 2 categories: pine, hardwood, and mixed; rangeland was not separated further. Results consisted of area statistics for each county and for the entire study site for pine, hardwood, mixed, rangeland, and other land. Color coded county classification maps were produced for the May data set, and procedures were developed and tested.

Reeves, C. A.

Using LANDSAT to update the Schoharlie County, New York, land cover inventory

A demonstration project to examine the utility of LANDSAT at the county and local government level is discussed. The project deals with the updating of the New York State land use and natural resources maps, valuable planning and development tools utilized by county governments. Both the feasibility of producing these maps and the transferability of them to the county government level are evaluated.

Baumann, P. R.

Igneous history of the aubrite parent asteroid - Evidence from the Norton County enstatite achondrite

Numerous specimens of the Norton County enstatite achondrite (aubrite) were studied by optical microscopy, electron microprobe, and neutron-activation analysis. Norton County is found to be a fragmental impact breccia, consisting of a clastic matrix made mostly of crushed enstatite, into which are embedded a variety of mineral and lithic clasts of both igneous and impact melt origin. The Norton County precursor materials were igneous rocks, mostly plutonic orthopyroxenites, not grains formed by condensation from the solar nebula. The Mg-silicate-rich aubrite parent body experienced extensive melting and igneous differentiation, causing formation of diverse lithologies including dunites, plutonic orthopyroxenites, plutonic pyroxenites, and plagioclase-silica rocks. The presence of impact melt breccias (the microporphyritic clasts and the diopside-plagioclase-silica clast) of still different compositions further attests to the lithologic diversity of the aubrite parent body.

Okada, Akihiko

Carbon in weathered ordinary chondrites from Roosevelt County

A suite of Roosevelt County ordinary chondrites of known terrestrial age have been analyzed for carbon content and isotopic composition. Initial results indicate that significant carbon contamination is evident only in samples with a terrestrial age greater than 40 ka. These samples are of weathering grade D and E and contain three times more carbon than the less weathered samples. The soil in which they were preserved has a carbon content of ca. 1.5 percent. Over 200 meteorites have been recovered from a series of soil depleted areas of New Mexico and West Texas. Most have been recovered from blowouts near Clovis in Roosevelt County (RC) on the high plains of New Mexico. The mineralogical and petrologic Al effects of weathering upon these samples have been studied previously and show that the degree of weathering is largely depend ant upon the terrestrial residence time. The study was undertaken to determine the effects of prolonged exposure to the soil and climate of Roosevelt County upon ordinary chondrites in the hope that this will enable a better understanding of the problems associated with the collection of meteoritic falls. A suite of ten grade 4 to 6 H, L, and LL ordinary chondrites were analyzed for carbon content and isotopic composition.

Ash, R. D.

Estimating Volume, Biomass, and Carbon in Hedmark County, Norway Using a Profiling LiDAR

A profiling airborne LiDAR is used to estimate the forest resources of Hedmark County, Norway, a 27390 square kilometer area in southeastern Norway on the Swedish border. One hundred five profiling flight lines totaling 9166 km were flown over the entire county; east-west. The lines, spaced 3 km apart north-south, duplicate the systematic pattern of the Norwegian Forest Inventory (NFI) ground plot arrangement, enabling the profiler to transit 1290 circular, 250 square meter fixed-area NFI ground plots while collecting the systematic LiDAR sample. Seven hundred sixty-three plots of the 1290 plots were overflown within 17.8 m of plot center. Laser measurements of canopy height and crown density are extracted along fixed-length, 17.8 m segments closest to the center of the ground plot and related to basal area, timber volume and above- and belowground dry biomass. Linear, nonstratified equations that estimate ground-measured total aboveground dry biomass report an R(sup 2) = 0.63, with an regression RMSE = 35.2 t/ha. Nonstratified model results for the other biomass components, volume, and basal area are similar, with R(sup 2) values for all models ranging from 0.58 (belowground biomass, RMSE = 8.6 t/ha) to 0.63. Consistently, the most useful single profiling LiDAR variable is quadratic mean canopy height, h (sup bar)(sub qa). Two-variable models typically include h (sup bar)(sub qa) or mean canopy height, h(sup bar)(sub a), with a canopy density or a canopy height standard deviation measure. Stratification by productivity class did not improve the nonstratified models, nor did stratification by pine/spruce/hardwood. County-wide profiling LiDAR estimates are reported, by land cover type, and compared to NFI estimates.

Nelson, Ross

Relating Land Cover Change to Runoff Distribution Using NASA Earth Observations in Riley County, Kansas

Riley County, Kansas, has observed increased levels of flooding, potentially due to changes in land use/land cover (LULC) and seasonal vegetation variation. This study contrasts two methods of generating runoff curve numbers (CN) from 2006-2020. (1) The traditional Soil Conservation Service CN calculation method uses a look-up table and tracked LULC to determine runoff changes. These tables allow for CN values specific to various land and crop cover types and account for various farming best practices but lack flexibility in calculations for various seasons or plant health. (2) A dynamic method employs normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) compiled over the rainy season each year to calculate CN using seasonal vegetation. This method allows for a more precise analysis of runoff variability within and between rainy seasons because it can be updated with greater temporal detail and it captures higher spatial resolutions by using NDVI as a proxy for LULC. This study further uses inputs from the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) National Land Cover Database (NLCD), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cropland Data Layer, and Landsat imagery to create more precise LULC raster datasets including both urban cover and crop-specific land use and curve number maps of the area. Results can guide decision makers in the City of Manhattan, Riley County Department of Planning and Development, Riley County Conservation District, the Kansas Forest Service, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment toward informed decisions on resiliency strategies to address future flooding.

Ella Griffith

Detection of water bodies in Saline County, Kansas

The author has identified the following significant results. A total of 2,272 water bodies were mapped in Saline County, Kansas in 1972 using ERTS-1 imagery. A topographic map of 1955 shows 1,056 water bodies in the county. The major increase took place in farm ponds. Preliminary comparison of image and maps indicates that water bodies larger than ten acres in area proved consistently detectable. Most water areas between four and ten acres are also detectable, although occasionally image context prevents detection. Water areas less than four acres in extent are sometimes detected, but the number varies greatly depending on image context and the individual interpretor.

Barr, B. G.

The application of LANDSAT remote sensing technology to natural resources management. Section 1: Introduction to VICAR - Image classification module. Section 2: Forest resource assessment of Humboldt County.

A teaching module on image classification procedures using the VICAR computer software package was developed to optimize the training benefits for users of the VICAR programs. The field test of the module is discussed. An intensive forest land inventory strategy was developed for Humboldt County. The results indicate that LANDSAT data can be computer classified to yield site specific forest resource information with high accuracy (82%). The "Douglas-fir 80%" category was found to cover approximately 21% of the county and "Mixed Conifer 80%" covering about 13%. The "Redwood 80%" resource category, which represented dense old growth trees as well as large second growth, comprised 4.0% of the total vegetation mosaic. Furthermore, the "Brush" and "Brush-Regeneration" categories were found to be a significant part of the vegetative community, with area estimates of 9.4 and 10.0%.

Fox, L., III

Unusual weathering products of oldhamite parentage in the Norton County enstatite achondrite

Oldhamite, CaS, is found only in enstatite chondrites and enstatite achondrites. During the course of a comprehensive study of Norton County, oldhamite was found in several polished thin sections of enstatite achondrite. Inspection of thousands of specimens of Norton County showed that occasionally white, pale-yellow and brown specks, generally a few millimeters in size, occur on their surfaces. X-ray powder analysis of these materials shows that they contain portlandite, Ca(OH)2, vaterite (CaCO3, hexagonal), calcite (CaCO3, trigonal), bassanite (CaSO4 1/2 H2O) and one unknown species. It is suggested that these minerals were produced by terrestrial weathering of oldhamite.

Okada, A.

Use of LANDSAT data to define soil boundaries in Carroll County, Missouri

Bands 4, 5 and 7 false color composite photographs were prepared using data from LANDSAT scenes acquired during April 1977 and April 1981 on computer compatible tapes, and these color composites were compared with band 7 black and white photographs prepared for the entire county. Delineations of soil boundaries at the soil association level were achieved using LANDSAT spectral reflectance data and slope maps for a portion of Carroll County, Missouri. Forty two spectral reflectance classes from April 1977 LANDSAT data were overlaid on digitized slope maps of nine USGS 7.5 minute series topographic quadrangle slope maps to achieve boundary delineations of the soil associations.

Davidson, S. E.

Introducing remote sensing to county-level agencies in Michigan through the Cooperative Extension Service

State and regional planning agencies in Michigan are aware of remote sensing technology, however, many agencies at the county and township level have not been introduced to its potential. This paper describes an educational effort undertaken by the MSU Remote Sensing Project and the Michigan Cooperative Extension Service aimed at reaching local decision makers. Remote sensing materials and a questionnaire were used to elicit interest and aid in planning the program. A series of seven workshops were held throughout Michigan for governmental officials and the staff of public agencies from 38 counties. Emphasis was placed on the characteristics, availability and usefulness of remotely-sensed data through a series of successful applications conducted in the state. The workshops were highly successful and many local decision makers are not aware of a new tool to call upon in their responses to land use and natural resource concerns.

Enslin, W. R.

Composition and origin of the unusual Oktibbeha County iron meteorite

Oktibbeha County, the most Ni-rich iron meteorite, has been analyzed for Ni, Co, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Sb, Ir, and Au. Cu and Sb are higher than in any other iron, but other trace elements are within the ranges typically found in iron meteorites. Extrapolation of trace element trends in group IAB indicates that Oktibbeha County is a member of this group. This sheds light on the origin of groups IAB and IIICD, which are thought to be derived from impact melts on parent bodies of chondritic composition. Lafayette (iron), another sample reported in the literature to have a similarly high Ni content, is probably a pseudometeorite.

Kracher, A.

Mapping forest types in Worcester County, Maryland, using LANDSAT data

The feasibility of mapping Level 2 forest cover types for a county-sized area on Maryland's Eastern Shore was demonstrated. A Level 1 land use/land cover classification was carried out for all of Worcester County as well. A June 1978 LANDSAT scene was utilized in a classification which employed two software packages on different computers (IDIMS on an HP 3000 and ASTEP-II on a Univac 1108). A twelve category classification scheme was devised for the study area. Resulting products include black and white line printer maps, final color coded classification maps, digitally enhanced color imagery and tabulated acreage statistics for all land use and land cover types.

Burtis, J., Jr.

Land use inventory of Salt Lake County, Utah from color infrared aerial photography 1982

The preparation of land use maps of Salt Lake County, Utah from high altitude color infrared photography is described. The primary purpose of the maps is to aid in the assessment of the effects of urban development on the agricultural land base and water resources. The first stage of map production was to determine the categories of land use/land cover and the mapping unit detail. The highest level of interpretive detail was given to the land use categories found in the agricultural or urbanized portions of the county; these areas are of primary interest with regard to the consumptive use of water from surface streams and wells. A slightly lower level of mapping detail was given to wetland environments; areas to which water is not purposely diverted by man but which have a high consumptive rate of water use. Photos were interpreted on the basis of color, tone, texture, and pattern, together with features of the topographic, hydrologic, and ecological context.

Price, K. P.

Analysis of data acquired by synthetic aperture radar over Dade County, Florida, and Acadia Parish, Louisiana

Results of digital processing of airborne X-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data acquired over Dade County, Florida, and Acadia Parish, Louisiana are presented. The goal was to investigate the utility of SAR data for land cover mapping and area estimation under the AgRISTARS Domestic Crops and Land Cover Project. In the case of the Acadia Paris study area, LANDSAT multispectral scanner (MSS) data were also used to form a combined SAR and MSS data set. The results of accuracy evaluation for the SAR, MSS, and SAR/MSS data using supervised classification show that the combined SAR/MSS data set results in an improved classification accuracy of the five land cover classes as compared with SAR-only and MSS-only data sets. In the case of the Dade County study area, the results indicate that both HH and VV polarization data are highly responsive to the row orientation of the row crop but not to the specific vegetation which forms the row structure. On the other hand, the HV polarization data are relatively insensitive to the orientation of row crop. Therefore, the HV polarization data may be used to discriminate the specific vegetation that forms the row structure.

Wu, S. T.

Solar composition noble gases in the Washington County iron meteorite

A sample of the Washington County iron meteorite is analyzed for its light noble gases by a combustion technique in two steps at 1160 C. The ratio of trapped to spallogenic noble gases in the sample was high enough to allow the resolution of trapped and spallogenic components in both combustion steps. The He:Ne:Ar elemental ratios in the trapped component are comparable to present-day solar-wind ratios. The (Ne-20)/(Ne-22) ratio, while subject to some uncertainty due to possible variation in either the spallation or the trapped component between the two steps, is in the range 13.3 + or 0.5, also comparable to present-day solar wind. Unless the Washington County iron formed by some unique process in a solar-wind-irradiated regolith, the fact that the trapped gas is of solar composition has implications with regard to the compositional history of the solar wind, to conditions in the early solar nebula during grain formation or accretion, and to primordial helium in the earth.

Becker, R. H.