Two-dimensional geographical information systems are extensively used in the geosciences to create and analyse maps. However, these systems are unable to represent the Earth's subsurface in three spatial dimensions. The objective of this thesis is to overcome this deficiency, to provide a general framework for a 3d geoscience information system (GIS), and to contribute to the public discussion about the development of an infrastructure for geological observation data, geomodels, and geoservices. Following the objective, the requirements for a 3d GIS are analysed. According to the requirements, new geologically sensible query functionality for geometrical, topological and geological properties has been developed and the integration of 3d geological modeling and data management system components in a generic framework has been accomplished. The 3d geoscience information system framework presented here is characterized by the following features: - Storage of geological observation data and geomodels in a XML-database server. According to a new data model, geological observation data can be referenced by a set of geomodels. - Functionality for querying observation data and 3d geomodels based on their 3d geometrical, topological, material, and geological properties were developed and implemented as plug-in for a 3d geomodeling user application. - For database queries, the standard XML query language has been extended with 3d spatial operators. The spatial database query operations are computed using a XML application server which has been developed for this specific purpose. This technology allows sophisticated 3d spatial and geological database queries. Using the developed methods, queries can be answered like: "Select all sandstone horizons which are intersected by the set of faults F". This request contains a topological and a geological material parameter. The combination of queries with other GIS methods, like visual and statistical analysis, allows geoscience investigations in a novel 3d GIS environment. More generally, a 3d GIS enables geologists to read and understand a 3d digital geomodel analogously as they read a conventional 2d geological map.

This work makes an attempt to explain the origin, features and potential applications of the elevation bias of the synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) datasets over areas covered by vegetation. The rapid development of radar-based remote sensing methods, such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and InSAR, has provided an alternative to the photogrammetry and LiDAR for determining the third dimension of topographic surfaces. The InSAR method has proved to be so effective and productive that it allowed, within eleven days of the space shuttle mission, for acquisition of data to develop a three-dimensional model of almost the entire land surface of our planet. This mission is known as the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Scientists across the geosciences were able to access the great benefits of uniformity, high resolution and the most precise digital elevation model (DEM) of the Earth like never before for their a wide variety of scientific and practical inquiries. Unfortunately, InSAR elevations misrepresent the surface of the Earth in places where there is substantial vegetation cover. This is a systematic error of unknown, yet limited (by the vertical extension of vegetation) magnitude. Up to now, only a limited number of attempts to model this error source have been made. However, none offer a robust remedy, but rather partial or case-based solutions. More work in this area of research is needed as the number of airborne and space-based InSAR elevation models has been steadily increasing over the last few years, despite strong competition from LiDAR and optical methods. From another perspective, however, this elevation bias, termed here as the “biomass impenetrability”, creates a great opportunity to learn about the biomass. This may be achieved due to the fact that the impenetrability can be considered a collective response to a few factors originating in 3D space that encompass the outermost boundaries of vegetation. The biomass, presence in InSAR datasets or simply the biomass impenetrability, is the focus of this research. The report, presented in a sequence of sections, gradually introduces terminology, physical and mathematical fundamentals commonly used in describing the propagation of electromagnetic waves, including the Maxwell equations. The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and InSAR as active remote sensing methods are summarised. In subsequent steps, the major InSAR data sources and data acquisition systems, past and present, are outlined. Various examples of the InSAR datasets, including the SRTM C- and X-band elevation products and INTERMAP Inc. IFSAR digital terrain/surface models (DTM/DSM), representing diverse test sites in the world are used to demonstrate the presence and/or magnitude of the biomass impenetrability in the context of different types of vegetation – usually forest. Also, results of investigations carried out by selected researchers on the elevation bias in InSAR datasets and their attempts at mathematical modelling are reviewed. In recent years, a few researchers have suggested that the magnitude of the biomass impenetrability is linked to gaps in the vegetation cover. Based on these hints, a mathematical model of the tree and the forest has been developed. Three types of gaps were identified; gaps in the landscape-scale forest areas (Type 1), e.g. forest fire scares and logging areas; a gap between three trees forming a triangle (Type 2), e.g. depending on the shape of tree crowns; and gaps within a tree itself (Type 3). Experiments have demonstrated that Type 1 gaps follow the power-law density distribution function. One of the most useful features of the power-law distributed phenomena is their scale-independent property. This property was also used to model Type 3 gaps (within the tree crown) by assuming that these gaps follow the same distribution as the Type 1 gaps. A hypothesis was formulated regarding the penetration depth of the radar waves within the canopy. It claims that the depth of penetration is simply related to the quantisation level of the radar backscattered signal. A higher level of bits per pixels allows for capturing weaker signals arriving from the lower levels of the tree crown. Assuming certain generic and simplified shapes of tree crowns including cone, paraboloid, sphere and spherical cap, it was possible to model analytically Type 2 gaps. The Monte Carlo simulation method was used to investigate relationships between the impenetrability and various configurations of a modelled forest. One of the most important findings is that impenetrability is largely explainable by the gaps between trees. A much less important role is played by the penetrability into the crown cover. Another important finding is that the impenetrability strongly correlates with the vegetation density. Using this feature, a method for vegetation density mapping called the mean maximum impenetrability (MMI) method is proposed. Unlike the traditional methods of forest inventories, the MMI method allows for a much more realistic inventory of vegetation cover, because it is able to capture an in situ or current situation on the ground, but not for areas that are nominally classified as a “forest-to-be”. The MMI method also allows for the mapping of landscape variation in the forest or vegetation density, which is a novel and exciting feature of the new 3D remote sensing (3DRS) technique. Besides the inventory-type applications, the MMI method can be used as a forest change detection method. For maximum effectiveness of the MMI method, an object-based change detection approach is preferred. A minimum requirement for the MMI method is a time-lapsed reference dataset in the form, for example, of an existing forest map of the area of interest, or a vegetation density map prepared using InSAR datasets. Preliminary tests aimed at finding a degree of correlation between the impenetrability and other types of passive and active remote sensing data sources, including TerraSAR-X, NDVI and PALSAR, proved that the method most sensitive to vegetation density was the Japanese PALSAR - L-band SAR system. Unfortunately, PALSAR backscattered signals become very noisy for impenetrability below 15 m. This means that PALSAR has severe limitations for low loadings of the biomass per unit area. The proposed applications of the InSAR data will remain indispensable wherever cloud cover obscures the sky in a persistent manner, which makes suitable optical data acquisition extremely time-consuming or nearly impossible. A limitation of the MMI method is due to the fact that the impenetrability is calculated using a reference DTM, which must be available beforehand. In many countries around the world, appropriate quality DTMs are still unavailable. A possible solution to this obstacle is to use a DEM that was derived using P-band InSAR elevations or LiDAR. It must be noted, however, that in many cases, two InSAR datasets separated by time of the same area are sufficient for forest change detection or similar applications.

gated communities in Argentinien

No description available.

In Sachsen liegt der Schwerpunkt der seismischen Aktivität im westsächsisch-ostthüringischen Raum. Ausgehend vom Vogtland verläuft die erdbebengefährdete Zone über das Gebiet von Zwickau und Gera-Ronneburg bis in den Raum von Leipzig. Die Broschüre fasst die Ergebnisse der Erdbebenbeobachtung in Sachsen bzw. Mitteldeutschland im Zeitraum 2010-2012 zusammen und berichtet über die Arbeit des Seismologie-Verbundes. Dargestellt wird auch der Erdbebenschwarm im August/September 2012. Weitere Schwerpunkte bilden die Beschreibung der seismologischen Netze (SXNET und TSN) in Mitteldeutschland und ein Überblick über die Untersuchungen auf dem Gebiet der Seismohydrologie zur Erdbebenprognose im Vogtland.

Im Sommer 1998 wurden im Auftrag des Sächsischen Landesamtes für Umwelt und Geologie und des Instituts für Geowissenschaftliche Gemeinschaftsaufgaben zwei Forschungsbohrungen in der Lausitz abgeteuft. Sie sollten einen verdeckten vulkanischen Krater erkunden, das Maar von Baruth. Heute kann man mit Recht sagen, dass dieses Ziel erreicht wurde. Die Auswertung der Bohrkerne hat inzwischen viel zum grundsätzlichen Verständnis solcher Maarstrukturen beigetragen. In diesem Heft werden die Bilder der erbohrten Gesteinssäulen publiziert, Meter für Meter. Wissenschaftlern eröffnet sich so die Möglichkeit, den Ablauf der geologischen Prozesse in dem Baruther Maar nachzuvollziehen. Der Beitrag von K. Goth und P. Suhr zur Forschungsbohrung Baruth wird durch weitere Ergebnisse zur Regionalen Geologie von Sachsen ergänzt. K. Huhle berichtet über frühelsterzeitliche Schotter der Freiberger Mulde bei Meißen. J. Klöber; H. Lindner und C. Oelsner erläutern geophysikalische Vermessungen zur Kartierung eines Lamprophyrganges im Elbsandsteingebirge. U. Lehmann dokumentiert die geologischen Verhältnisse, die durch die Auffahrung eines Abwasserstollns im Westerzgebirge freigelegt werden. M. Schade untersucht das Vorkommen von Seifengold in Bächen und Flüssen des Lausitzer Berglandes. M. Schauer und H. Walter zeigen neue Erkenntnisse zum Rotliegend des Briesnitzer Beckens bei Dresden auf. W. Pälchen und E. Geißler fassen die geowissenschaftlichen Arbeiten im Sächsischen Landesamt für Umwelt und Geologie für den Berichtszeitraum von 1997 bis 2003 in einem Tätigkeitsbericht zusammen. Die Ergebnisse der Beiträge informieren über Arbeitsfelder im Umfeld der heutigen Abteilung Geologie im Landesamt und liefern Grundlagen für künftige geologische Arbeiten im Freistaat Sachsen.

Die für Sachsen bedeutsamen Rohstoffgruppen Festgesteine, Sande und Kiese, Lehme, Tone und Kaoline, Braunkohle und Erdwärme sowie Erze und Spate werden anschaulich und übersichtlich beschrieben. Informiert wird auch über die Entstehung der Rohstoffvorkommen sowie deren Lage, Reichweite und Bedeutung. Die Beschreibung der Rohstoffarten und ihrer Verwendungsmöglichkeiten ist mit zahlreichen Fotos illustriert. Einer Übersichtskarte ist zu entnehmen, wo heute in Sachsen welche Bodenschätze verfügbar sind.

This volume comprises ninety-one contributions to the Sediment 2011 conference of the Central European section of the Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM-CES) and the Geologische Vereinigung (GV) at the University of Leipzig held in June 2011. The central theme of this meeting was “Sediments: Archives of the Earth System” in order to bring together young and established researchers from all fields of soft-rock geology and beyond to shape a stimulating interdisciplinary program on the role of sediments in understanding the System Earth and the evolution of paleoenvironments and climate through time.

No description available.

Das Hauptziel der Arbeit war, zu überprüfen, inwieweit tiefe Grundwässer sich in ihrer Beschaffenheit über längere Zeiträume verändern und somit als Indikatoren für anthropogene Umwelteinflüsse geeignet sind. Als Beispiel eines tiefen Grundwassers wurde die Wettinquelle (früher auch Radonquelle), ein Mineralwasser in Bad Brambach (Südwestsachsen), ausgewählt. Durch die Nutzung von Zeitreihenanalysen, hydrochemischen Modellierungen mit der Software PhreeqC; und statistischer Auswertungen für die Gehalte einzelner Ionen konnte für einige Parameter wie beispielsweise den Sulfatgehalt eine längerfristige Änderung festgestellt werden. Die Unterscheidung in geogen und anthropogen verursachte Stoffeinträge in tiefen Grundwässern ist dabei ein sehr wichtiger Aspekt. In diesem Zusammenhang wird in der Arbeit eine Erklärung für die erhöhten Chloridkonzentrationen in südwestvogtländischen Mineralwässern gegeben.