Carbon is one of the most important element on the earth, and it can become with key of the mechanism of earth fluctuation. Also, it is said that vegetation plays an important role of the carbon circulation of biosphere-lithosphere-atmosphere. Therefore, it is needed for environment monitoring to understand plant productivity globally. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA; former NASDA) has successfully launched a new Advanced Earth Orbiting Satellite (ADEOS-II) aboard an H-2A booster on December 14, 2002. The ADEOS-II satellite is focused on monitoring of global climate change on the Earth. Four disiplinary components of the Earth system, namely atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and land, are monitored with five sensors onboard this satellite including the Global Imager (GLI). Unfortunately, the operation of ADEOS II satellite has stopped on October 24 of 2003, but very important VNIR/SWIR/MTIR data has been obtained in northern hemisphere for vegetation dynamics by GLI sensor. These data have enough capability to monitor the density and vigor of green vegetation. GLI data has high potential for vegetation monitoring, and it will contribute to the future satellite sensor. 23 channels are dedicated for land observations in the two spatial resolutions; channels 1, 5, 8, 13, 15, 17, 19, 24, 26, 27, 28(2km), 30, 31, 34, 35, and 36 are for 1 km resolution, and channels 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, and 29 are for 250 m resolution. This paper shows the preliminary evaluation of GLI land products for vegetation monitoring.
Purified colicin E 2 was found to cause marked inhibition of the permeation rate of o -nitrophenyl-galactoside (ONPG) in several λ-lysogenic strains of Escherichia coli in the presence of chloramphenicol to prevent prophage induction. The inhibitory effect of colicin E 2 on transport systems was analyzed with cells of E. coli CP78(λ). The dose of colicin E 2 for the half-maximum inhibition of the ONPG-permeation rate was about 9 molecules of the colicin per bacterium under the aerobic condition, which corresponded to about 1 killing unit per bacterium. Kinetics of the transport of [ 14 C]methylthiogalactoside suggested that colicin E 2 began to inhibit the influx rate of β-galactosides within a few minutes after the colicin addition, and the maximum inhibition reached more than 80%. Extensive leakage of intracellular potassium ion and inhibition of l -proline transport also occurred at the same time. Acid solubilization of cellular deoxyribonucleic acid by the colicin was apparently delayed to the initiation of the transport inhibition. The extents of the inhibition of β-galactoside transport and leakage of potassium ion by the colicin were extensive in cells lysogenic for wild λ phage or λ ind − , whereas the extents were slight in the nonlysogenic cells or cells carrying λ rex − prophage. It was concluded that the sensitization of membrane transport systems of E. coli cells to colicin E 2 was achieved by the presence of the rex gene product of λ phage.
Stand attributes such as stand density, stand height, stand volume, are important factors for sustainable forest management. This study aimed to estimate stand attributes in Cryptomeria japonica and Chamaecyparis obtusa stands in Japan from single tree detection using small-footprint airborne LiDAR data. Twenty circular sample plots of 0.04ha were established for this study. Their stand densities were estimated from the number of treetops derived from airborne LiDAR data using the local maximum filtering method. Stand densities derived from the field survey in the sample plots were compared with those obtained from airborne LiDAR data. The coefficient of determination between them was 0.92. Stand densities which were estimated from the airborne LiDAR data, were underestimated in both young and mature stands. Stand heights, which were estimated from the airborne LiDAR data, were slightly overestimated, but they were almost the same as the mean heights of dominant standing trees. Allometric equations between diameter at breast height (DBH) and crown area obtained from airborne LiDAR data were determined for each of two species, i.e., Cryptomeria japonica and Chamaecyparis obtusa, and DBH of individual trees was estimated from the airborne LiDAR data. Stand volumes were estimated from the cumulative individual volumes, which were derived from volume formulas with two variables, i.e., DBH and height, both obtained from airborne LiDAR data. Stand volumes derived from the field survey were compared with those obtained from the airborne LiDAR data. The coefficient of determination was 0.86. Stand volumes which were estimated from the airborne LiDAR data, were underestimated because of the lack of suppressed tree volume; however, the degree of underestimation was relatively low.
In Japan, most of remaining peri-urban forests have a history of being maintained as satoyama, and currently citizen volunteers are actively restoring maintenance. However, their maintenance tends to be focused on environmental conservation (e.g. biodiversity), and therefore has not be evaluated from biomass point of view, although they have been producing certain amount. This study aims to identify the characteristic of tree felling and biomass production of citizen satoyama maintenance in peri-urban areas, taking Kashiwa city, a suburban community of the Tokyo Metropolitan Region, as a case study. We conducted ‘stump survey’ and identified location and diameter of the over 1,137 tree stumps in 9 sites of citizen-maintained satoyama. By applying the acquired data to existing regression formulas, biomasss of elled trees were estimated. The results show that the average biomass production of citizen maintenance is 2.21 dt/ha・yr, however, trees in isolated satoyama patches may not be regenerating as small sized trees were felled for conserving canopies. We concluded that constructing holistic biomass collection system and felling certain number of large sized trees were indispensable both for utilizing and sustaining biomass in peri-urban satoyama.
Historic wooden buildings are a symbol of China's "culture of wood" and require extraction of forest resources for their renovation. In the 21st century, natural resources are limited globally, and sustainable solutions are needed. In this study, we established a new method to connect building and forest sites for efficient utilization of limited forest resources for the renovation of historic buildings. We obtained measurements of large wooden components from Shenyang Imperial Palace. We also performed morphometric analyses on 47 thinned, old-growth larch trees to determine the relative taper curve, and selected 108 standing trees for simulation of the tree-height curve in the Mt. Changbai area, Jinlin Province, Northeast China. On the basis of forest metrology, we established an upper tree prediction method. By measuring the diameter at breast height (DBH) alone, we could compare size information (e.g., diameter, length) for standing trees and wooden building components. This method was then applied to estimate the required DBH class of standing trees for the renovation of Shenyang Imperial Palace.
Calibration and validation are fundamental for obtaining quantitative information from Earth Observation (EO) sensor data. Recognising this and the impending launch of at least five sensors in the next five years, the International Spaceborne Imaging Spectroscopy Technical Committee instigated a calibration and validation initiative. A workshop was conducted recently as part of this initiative with the objective of establishing a good practice framework for radiometric and spectral calibration and validation in support of spaceborne imaging spectroscopy missions. This paper presents the outcomes and recommendations for future work arising from the workshop.
Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI) was launched in December 2019 and successfully attached to Japan Experiment Module Exposed Facility, International Space Station. Due to data communication problems, its initial check out activities have been delayed, but its first light image was acquired and released in September 2020. HISUI data delivery to Research Users will start in 1Q of Japanese FY2021 (April - June 2021).
The mission objectives of ADEOS-II (Midori-II) are to improve satellite-based global earth observation system, and to obtain earth observation data for the contribution to better understanding and elucidation of global change mechanism relevant to earth environmental issues. To implement the objectives, five onboard earth observation sensors are selected based on the science requirement primarily focused on the quantitative estimation of geophysical parameters to describe important processes of the earth system such as water and energy cycle, carbon cycle, and changes in polar stratospheric ozone. This paper describes the present status of level-2 products derived from AMSR and GLI observation data after the launch, in the middle of operational observation / calibration and validation phase, as of the beginning of August, 2003 after four months from the beginning of calibration and validation phase on April 15, 2003.
