A new analysis of the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) observations of Titan at 2 μm

We have performed an analysis of ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) observations of Titan at 2 μm. The data were acquired with the Nasmyth Adaptative Optics System Near-Infrared Imager and Spectrograph (NAOS/CONICA), on the 16th of January 2005, that is 2 days after the landing of the Huygens probe (Hirtzig et al., 2007). The data consist in 21 spectra taken along two diameters of Titan’s disk at wavelengths between 2.03 and 2.5 μm. This range covers a part of the 2 μm methane window and the adjacent band. The data received a preliminary analysis in a recent paper (Negrão et al., 2007), essentially focused on the surface albedo near Huygens landing site. In this work, we perform an in-depth analysis to retrieve information about several aspects: the latitude haze distribution in the stratosphere and in the low atmosphere, the latitudinal variation of the surface albedo and its spectral behaviour. Also, this analysis allowed us to make sensitivity tests on the influence of the scatterer profiles on the retrieved surface albedo and its spectral slope. The news analysis confirms that, as was the case with VIMS observations at the same epoch, the Northern (currently winter) Hemisphere contains more haze than the southern one (Summer Hemisphere). The sensitivity tests show that the scatterer profiles have just a little impact on the surface albedo and its spectral slope. The analysis seems to confirm the presence of H₂O and CH₄ ices.     

Radiative forcing over China due to albedo change caused by land cover change during 1990–2010

Land cover change affects surface radiation budget and energy balance by chang- ing surface albedo and further impacts the regional and global climate. In this article, high spatial and temporal resolution satellite products were used to analyze the driving mechanism for surface albedo change caused by land cover change during 1990-2010. In addition, the annual-scale radiative forcing caused by surface albedo changes in China＇s 50 ecological regions were calculated to reveal the biophysical mechanisms of land cover change affecting climate change at regional scale. Our results showed that the national land cover changes were mainly caused by land reclamation, grassland desertification and urbanization in past 20 years, which were almost induced by anthropogenic activities. Grassland and forest area decreased by 0.60% and 0.11%, respectively. The area of urban and farmland increased by 0.60% and 0.19%, respectively. The mean radiative forcing caused by land cover changes during 1990-2010 was 0.062 W/m2 in China, indicating a warming climate effect. However, spatial heterogeneity of radiative forcing was huge among different ecological regions. Farmland conversing to urban construction land, the main type of land cover change for the urban and suburban agricultural ecological region in Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan region, caused an albedo reduction by 0.00456 and a maximum positive radiative forcing of 0.863 WIm2, which was presented as warming climate effects. Grassland and forest conversing to farmland, the main type of land cover change for the temperate humid agricultural and wetland ecological region in Sanjiang Plain, caused an albedo increase by 0.00152 and a maximum negative radiative forcing of 0.184 W/m2, implying cooling climate effects.     

Comparison of the Influence of Interannual Vegetation Variability between Offline and Online Simulations

This study investigates the influence of interannual vegetation variability. Two sets of offline and online simulations were performed using the Community Earth System Model. The interannual Global LAnd Surface Satellite （GLASS） leaf area index （LAI） dataset from 1985 to 2000 and its associated climatological LAI were used to replace the default climatological LAI data in version 4 of the Community Land Model （CLM4）. The re- sults showed that on a global scale, canopy transpiration and evaporation, as well as total evapotranspiration in offline simulations were significantly positively corre- lated with LAI, whereas ground evaporation and ground temperature showed significant negative correlation with LAI. However, the correlations in online simulations were reduced markedly because of interactive feedbacks between albedo, changed climatic factors and atmospheric variability. In the offline simulations, the fluctuations of differences in interannual variability of evapotranspiration and ground temperature focused on vegetation growing regions and the magnitudes were smaller. Those in online simulations spread over more regions and the magnitudes were larger. These results highlight the influence of interannual vegetation variability, particularly in online simulations, an effect that deserves consideration and attention when investigating the uncertainty of climate change.     

改善MODIS BRDF产品热点效应的方法研究

核驱动的Ross Thick-LiSparse Reciprocal(RTLSR)双向反射函数(BRDF)模型已广泛地应用于MODIS等星载传感器的业务化产品处理中。但是,对于多年MODIS二向反射产品历史数据,如何基于RTMLSR模型发展一种简单有效快速的方法,进行热点效应的校正是一个迫切需要解决的问题。本文提出了一种简单有效的方法,不需要对观测数据重新反演,直接在现有MODIS二向反射产品的基础上进行热点校正,方便用户对历史MODIS二向反射产品的使用。该方法应用POLDER-3/BRDF数据库和部分经MODIS业务化算法筛选的反射率数据进行验证,并与RTLSR模型和RTMLSR模型的结果进行比较,结果表明:(1)该方法比现有的MODIS业务化RTLSR算法,对热点反射率有明显改善,拟合相对误差平均降低了10.12%;(2)该方法相对于RTMLSR模型在热点反射率拟合效果上差别不大,相对误差相差2.10%;(3)该方法对热点和冷点归一化的植被指数(NDHD)的估算效果有一定程度的改善,相对于RTLSR模型降低了约4.99%,与RTMLSR模型的相对误差相差1.32%,该方法对直接应用现有MODIS BRDF产品,基于热点方向反射率反演植被结构参数(如植被聚集指数)的精度提高有现实应用价值。     

Preliminary spectral characterization of snow in a high altitude tropical glacier and potential effects of impurities in snow on albedo of tropical glaciers

This paper presents some preliminary measurements of snow spectral reflectance on the tropical Bolivian Zongo glacier. Measurements show a correct agreement with theoretical spectral albedo of pure snow in the near infrared region, but lower values in the visible region (by 10–20%) probably due to aerosols contained in snow. Impurity contents ranged from 10 to 100 ppmw in one‐week‐old snow collected from the Zongo glacier, but measurements are scarce. Large amounts of snowfall partly compensate the proximity of dust sources in mid‐latitude glaciers, whereas on outer‐tropical glaciers precipitations are not abundant and are very seasonal, and sources of aerosols are proximate. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of snow ablation under a dust layer covering a wide range of albedo

Ablation processes of snow under a thin dust cover are complicated compared with those under a thick cover, mainly owing to the effects of aggregation (redistribution) of dust particles on the conditions of surface melting. Aggregation of dust particles causes the snow surface to brighten after the initial dust configuration, thus affecting the relationship between initial dust concentration and surface albedo. In order to estimate snow ablation rate under a thin dust cover, we used a composite energy balance model in which the surface albedo is taken as a measured input variable. The estimated results of snow ablation agreed reasonably well with the observation, considering the measurement errors inherited in the snow depressions. Comparison of the two cases, that is, one considering the aggregation of dust particles (observation: albedo variable) and the other without aggregation (assumption: albedo constant), showed that the ablation rates were noticeably lower on the former case. This suggests that the aggregation of dust particles induces a reduction of snow ablation. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

气候变化背景下天山区域地表反照率特征分析

气候变化背景下地表反照率的变化能够深刻影响整个陆-气系统的能量收支平衡,引起区域以至全球的生态环境发生变化。基于2001-2013年16 d合成的MODIS/MCD43A3等数据,结合均值分析、斜率分析以及相关分析等研究方法,对气候变化背景下天山区域地表反照率时空变化特征进行分析。在空间分布上,近13 a来天山区域年均地表反照率达到0.217,伊犁河谷地区及天山北麓地表反照率较高,山区地表反照率较低,空间上呈交叉分布的特点;在时间分布上,研究区年均地表反照率缓慢增加,季节性差异明显,地表反照率秋季最高、春季最低,冬、春两季地表反照率波动强于其他季节;近13 a来地表反照率与气候因子之间存在较为明显的响应关系。年均地表反照率随着4、12月份气温的增加不断减小,随着7、8月份降水的减少而明显增加,与同期气温、滞后1月降水之间存在显著相关。     

从NOAA卫星AVHRR资料反演中国区域地表反照率

由NOAA卫星AVHRR短波通道1、2反射率反演地表反照率需要3个反演模式,分别是窄-宽波段反射率转换模式、大气顶双向反射模式、大气订正模式.基于模式和国家卫星气象中心接收处理的NOAA-18 AVHRR1B数据,处理了2006年1月至2010年12月的中国区域地表反照率,由于云的影响,15天合成技术用来形成周期为15天的地表反照率数据文件.2006年、2010年2年的处理结果与MODIS同类产品对比,RMS为0.028～0.074、相关系数为0.76～0.93,误差较大出现在冬季,原因是两者15天合成方法不同;5年的日平均地表反照率与21个中国地面气象一级辐射站的观测测值作对比,结果是：RMS为0.053、相关系数为0.88.反演模式系统误差以及云和气溶胶影响是卫星反演地表反照率的主要误差来源.     

正则化滤波在反演地表光谱反照率中的应用

利用有限的卫星观测数据,通过反演地物二向性反射分布函数(BRDF)模型提取复杂地表的真实信息,是一个不适定的地球科学反演问题。为了克服离散不适定性带来的困难,在分析引起模型解不稳定的原因和数据误差传递机制的基础上,使用构建滤波函数的方法实现BRDF模型的正则化约束反演。实验结果表明,正则化滤波算法与MODIS AMBRALS算法精度相当,完全适用于具有充足观测和稀疏观测情况下的地物参数反演。     

MODIS反照率产品在模拟黄河源区陆面过程和降水中的应用

地表反照率是陆面过程中一个重要的物理量, 其变化直接影响地表能量的收支状况, 进而可以影响气温和降水等其它气象要素。本文利用WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) 模式, 通过两组数值模拟试验分别探讨了地表反照率改变在黄河源区不同下垫面情况下潜热、 感热的分配关系, 详细分析了地表反照率改变对降水变化的影响机制, 最后应用EOS/MODIS地表反照率产品替代原模式低时空分辨率的地表反照率。研究结果表明: (1)当地表反照率减少(增加)时, 模拟的区域平均地表温度、感热、潜热数值相应增大(减少)。当地表反照率减少0.1时, 地表温度上升约1.0 K, 感热和潜热量增量比约为3∶1。 (2) 地表反照率改变对降水量变化影响最大的区域是黄河源区下游的草场区域, 其次是黄河源头区域, 最小的是黄河源区北部的稀疏植被区域。地表反照率通过对大气动力、 热力以及水汽条件的影响, 使得降水发生的环境改变, 主要体现在: 当地表反照率减少时, 地表气压的减少使得大气低层的辐合气流增强, 有利于上升运动的发生; 2.0 m气温的升高增强了大气近地层的热力不稳定度; 2.0 m比湿的增加表明近地层空气水汽含量增加。 (3) 与实况对比分析发现, 使用卫星遥感产品后在月尺度上能够更准确地模拟降水量的变化过程。