Recent improvements in the spatial resolution of commercial satellite imagery make it possible to apply very highresolution (VHR) satellite data for assessing structural damage in the aftermath of humanitarian crises, such as, armed conflicts. Visual interpretation of pre-and post-crisis very high-resolution satellite imagery is the most straightforward method for discriminating structural damage and assessing its extent. However, the feasibility of using visual interpretation alone diminishes in the cases of large and dense urban settlements and spatial resolutions in the range of 2 m to 3 meters and larger. Visual interpretation can be further complicated at spatial resolutions greater than 1 m if accompanied by shadow formation and differences in sensor and solar conditions between the pre-and post-conflict images. In this study, we address these problems through investigating the use of traditional change techniques, namely, image differencing and principle component analysis, with an object-oriented image classification software, e-Cognition. Pre-conflict Ikonos (2 m resolution) images of Jenin in the Palestinian territories and Brest (1 m resolution) in FYROM were classified using the e-Cognition software. Thereafter, the pre-conflict classification was used to guide the classification, using e-Cognition, of the pixel-based change detection analysis. The second part of the study examines the feasibility of using mathematical morphological operators to automatically identify likely structurally damaged zones in dense urban settings. The overall results are promising and show that object-oriented segmentation and classification systems facilitate the interpretation of change detection results derived from very high-resolution (1 m and 2 m) commercial satellite data. The results show that objectoriented classification techniques enhance quantitative analysis of traditional pixel-based change detection applied to very high-resolution satellite data and facilitate the interpretation of changes in urban features. Finally, the results suggest that mathematical morphological methods are a potential new avenue for automatically extracting likely damaged zones from very high-resolution satellite imagery in the aftermath of disasters.

The capability of the spatially-distributed, physically-based, rainfall-runoff modelling system, MIKE SHE, to simulate the hydrological behaviour of the natural and drained parts of the North Kent Grazing Marshes, UK, is investigated. The MIKE SHE code is applied to Bells Creek, a small, underdrained, agricultural catchment located within the marshes. The model is used to both provide insights into the essential parameters that control the hydrological processes in the catchment, and predict the influence of various, hypothetical, water management strategies (land use and drainage) on pumped discharge and soil moisture storage in the catchment. The water table model predictions arising from these hypothetical scenarios are also compared against field data obtained from on-going hydrological research on the neighbouring, natural, Elmley Marshes. The comparison is found to be favourable. The results of this study indicate the potential of the MIKE SHE system to simulate the hydrological regime of these wetlands, and hence to play an important role as a tool that can assist environmental and conservation agencies in the sound management of wetland resources. Modélisation hydrologique d'un marais de pâturage drainé utilisé comme terrain "agricole et simulation de scénarios de gestion de restaurationRésumé Ce travail examine la capacité d'un système de modélisation hydrologique physique, spatialement distribué, MIKE SHE, à simuler le comportement hydrologique de zones naturelles et drainées des marais du nord du Kent, au Royaume-Uni. Le code MIKE SHE a été appliqué au petit bassin agricole drainé de Bells Creek, situé dans ces marais. La modèle est utilisé afin de fournir à la fois un aperçu de paramètres essentiels contrôlant les processus hydrologiques dans le bassin et pour prédire l'influence de différentes stratégies de gestion des eaux (utilisation des terres et drainage) sur les débits pompés et l'humidité du sol. On compare également les prédictions du modèle de la nappe fournies pour ces différents scénarios aux données de terrain recueillies dans le cadre des recherches en cours sur les marais Elmley voisins, encore à l'état naturel. Les résultats de la comparaison sont positifs. Les résultats de cette étude montrent la capacité du code MIKE SHE à simuler le régime hydrologique de ces zones humides et donc sa vocation à être utilisé par les organismes en charge de l'environnement et de la protection pour un gestion rationnelle des ressources des zones humides.

In this paper, mortality in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake is studied on a worldwide scale using multivariate analysis. A statistical method is presented that analyzes reported earthquake fatalities as a function of a heterogeneous set of parameters selected on the basis of their presumed influence on earthquake mortality. The ensemble was compiled from demographic, seismic, and reported fatality data culled from available records of past earthquakes organized in a geographic information system. The authors consider the statistical relation between earthquake mortality and the available data ensemble, analyze the validity of the results in view of the parametric uncertainties, and propose a multivariate mortality analysis prediction method. The analysis reveals that, although the highest mortality rates are expected in poorly developed rural areas, high fatality counts can result from a wide range of mortality ratios that depend on the effective population size.

An understanding of hydrology is a prerequisite for ensuring the successful management, conservation and restoration of wetland environments. Frequently, however, little is known about historical hydrological conditions, such as water levels, within wetlands. Moreover, many channel and ditch systems in wetlands are not routinely monitored, except perhaps for research purposes. A methodology is presented herein which makes use of satellite imagery to indirectly provide remotely sensed observations of water levels within channels and ditches. Using multi-temporal Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery and simultaneous ground-based measurements of water levels, statistical relationships are established between satellite-derived effective wet ditch widths and measured water levels in the drainage system of the Elmley Marshes, southeast England. These relationships can be used subsequently to estimate historical ditch water levels and to monitor contemporary ditch water levels in the wetland. The study shows that satellite imagery has much to offer in monitoring changes in the hydrological regime of wetlands and in providing complimentary approaches to field monitoring.

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