Study on the Remote Sensing Assessment of Seismic Intensity of the Yushu Earthquake Based on the Synthetic Seismic Damage Index

This paper provides an overview of the ideas and methods of the assessment of seismic intensity based on remote sensing and describes the models used to assess the remote sensing based synthetic seismic damage index and seismic intensity. With the data of damage information extracted from the high-resolution aerial images in the earthquake-stricken areas( Jiegu town,Yushu city,Qinghai) of the 2010 MS7. 1 Yushu earthquake,and the data obtained through post-earthquake field investigation,the seismic damage degree and seismic intensity have been estimated. The analysis of the results shows that the seismic intensity in Yushu city is estimated as IX through the RS assessment method,which is consistent with the result estimated according to the ground surveys. The results are discussed in the last part of the paper and indicate that the RS techniques are expected to be one of the main methods used to estimate the seismic intensity values in the emergency stage.

Assessing the effect of desertification controlling projects and policies in northern Shaanxi Province, China by integrating remote sensing and farmer investigation data

To combat desertification, the Chinese govern- ment has launched a series of Desertification Controlling Projects and Policies over the past several decades. However, the effect of these projects and policies remains controversial due to a lack of suitable methods and data to assess them. In this paper, the authors selected the farming- pastoral region of the northern Shaanxi Province in China as a sample region and attempted to assess the effect of Desertification Controlling Projects and Policies launched after 2000 by combining remote sensing and farmer investigation data. The results showed that the combina- tion of these two complementary assessments can provide comprehensive information to support decision-making. According to the remote sensing and Net Primary Production data, the research region experienced an obvious desertification reversion between 2000 and 2010, and approximately 70% of this reversion can be explained by Desertification Controlling Projects and Policies. Farmer investigation data also indicated that these projects and policies were the dominating factor contributing to desertification reversion, and approxi- mately 70% of investigated farmers agreed with this conclusion. However, low supervision and subsidy levels were issues that limited the policy effect. Therefore, it is necessary for the government to enhance supervision, raise subsidy levels, and develop environmental protection regulations to encourage more farmers to participate in desertification control.