Friday, November 20, 2009

Week 13 & 14: Slump

Writing:
The last two weeks saw virtually no progress as far as writing is concerned. This is in part due to preparations and attendance of a three-day workshop in Week 14, as well as the arrival of a new interferometry software and some subsequent testing. If I have to be honest, however, it was just plain lack of focus. There are now only 3 weeks left of my full-time writing time on RĂ©union, and I plan to do it as badly as needs be, as long as it gets done. The aim is still to finish all 9 methodology sections before 17 December 2009. Wish me luck! It's getting tight.

Friday, November 6, 2009

Week 12: One down

Writing:
Finished change vector analysis section. Gully monitoring section was interrupted by an all-night volcano-watching expedition and subsequent recovery.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Week 11: Scribbles

Research:
Finished!

Writing:
Started writing on the change vector analysis chapter. Managed in total around seven pages of text, which is not really enough. But hey, it's moving along, and it's very satisfying to see my hard work taking shape on paper.
To infinity and beyond!

Friday, October 23, 2009

Week 10: Wrap it up

Research:
Refined the shadow altimetry to work even when using oblique photos. Performed a multiple-scale DEM subtraction on my stereo DEM's to view the effect of resolution on volume calculations. Re-tested the accuracy of my 2006 and 2008 DEM's (correctly this time), and was delighted to find that the accuracy was even better that I thought - very nice. And that, as they say, is that! :-) The end of my analyses. Woohoo!

Writing:
Spent some time building a workable structure for the thesis - something that would flow logically while presenting the research in a scientifically sound way (thanks to Nicolas for suggesting the split into 3 parts, makes much more sense that way). Wasted a little time on this, for fear of the unkown that lies beyond :-)

At this point there are seven weeks left for me on RĂ©union, and I aim to write as much as possible of the actual science while I am here. I will have a month and a half in South Africa in which I can edit and refine and rewrite everything to make it flow, but it is imperative that I get as much as possible on paper before then. Wish me luck. Two-Ten has dwindled to One-Forty Two (!)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Week 9 1/2: Beginning of the End

Just a short note to say that I have just ticked off the last analysis task for my PhD. As of tomorrow, I am officially writing full time. With 120 days (4 months) to go until I have to hand in my thesis, it's gonna be quite a race!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Week 9: "What a great day for science"

Research:
Week was very instructive and productive. Finished the change vector analysis on Landsat in the Eastern Cape with very satisfying results. After that I re-tackled my semi-experimental shadow altimetry technique and finally got it to work which, of course, prompted me into a little dance of joy! (Yes, I know...) Next week is the official start of my full-time writing. One or two small analysis task (mostly accuracy assesment) will spill over into next week, and I might have to go do an hour or two of GPS measurements in the river, but I am pretty much done. I have to stop sometime, otherwise I will go on ad infinitum...

Writing:
Next week, baby, next week

Friday, October 9, 2009

Week 8: Landsat

Research:
Spent the week first learning, and then applying preprocessing and calibration of Landsat 5 and 7 imagery for change vector analysis (DN to radiance to reflectance, atmospheric correction, topographic normalization, relative radiometric normalization etc). Interesting stuff. Having some trouble with artifacts from Erdas Model Maker, but working on that. Next week is the last week of analyses before the Big Write starts - intense.

Writing:
None... yet