Positive and negative terrains on northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau

The Loess positive and negative terrains （P-N terrains）, which are widely distributed on the Loess Plateau, are discussed for the first time by introducing its characteristic, demarcation as well as extraction method from high-resolution Digital Elevation Models. Using 5 m-resolution DEMs as original test data, P-N terrains of 48 geomorphological units in different parts of Shaanxi Loess Plateau are extracted accurately. Then six indicators for depicting the geomorphologic landscape and spatial configuration characteristic of P-N terrains are proposed. The spatial distribution rules of these indicators and the relationship between the P-N terrains and Loess relief are discussed for further understanding of Loess landforms. Finally, with the integration of P-N terrains and traditional terrain indices, a series of un-supervised classification methods are applied to make a proper landform classification in northern Shaanxi. Results show that P-N terrains are an effect clue to reveal energy and substance distribution rules on the Loess Plateau. A continuous change of P-N terrains from south to north in Shaanxi Loess Plateau shows an obvious spatial difference of Loess land-forms and the positive terrain area only accounted for 60.5% in this region. The P-N terrains participant landform classification method increases validity of the result, especially in the Loess tableland, Loess tableland-ridge and the Loess low-hill area. This research is significant on the study of Loess landforms with the Digital Terrains Analysis methods.

Underwater Terrain Positioning Method Based on Least Squares Estimation for AUV

To achieve accurate positioning of autonomous underwater vehicles, an appropriate underwater terrain database storage format for underwater terrain-matching positioning is established using multi-beam data as underwater terrainmatching data. An underwater terrain interpolation error compensation method based on fractional Brownian motion is proposed for defects of normal terrain interpolation, and an underwater terrain-matching positioning method based on least squares estimation（LSE） is proposed for correlation analysis of topographic features. The Fisher method is introduced as a secondary criterion for pseudo localization appearing in a topographic features flat area, effectively reducing the impact of pseudo positioning points on matching accuracy and improving the positioning accuracy of terrain flat areas. Simulation experiments based on electronic chart and multi-beam sea trial data show that drift errors of an inertial navigation system can be corrected effectively using the proposed method. The positioning accuracy and practicality are high, satisfying the requirement of underwater accurate positioning.

Applicability of SRTM data for landform characterisation and geomorphometry: a comparison with contour-derived parameters

Geomorphologic and hydrologic research heavily depends on digital elevation models(DEM)which are currently being prepared from digital contours.The present study examines the use and applicability of freely available global elevation data source(3 arc seconds finished Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM))in landform characterisation,geomorphometry,river basin studies and other allied scientific applications in comparison with contour elevation data derived from the surveyed topographical sheets.The relief data extracted from a conventionally digitised geo-information science dataset of topographic contours(1:50,000)are compared with the SRTM-DEM and the variations are analysed.The automated geomorphometric and landform parameters derived from the contour DEM and the computed statistical properties of those parameters have substantial agreement with the same parameters derived from the SRTM-DEM.At the same time,localised variations also exist in some spatial domains.Derivative landscape analysis outputs from the SRTM-DEM suggest the wide acceptability and applicability of the freely available SRTM data source,especially in the regional scale applications related to hydrological modelling,terrain characterisation,disaster management and land degradation studies.