Including spatial distribution in a data‐driven rainfall‐runoff model to improve reservoir inflow forecasting in Taiwan

Multi‐step ahead inflow forecasting has a critical role to play in reservoir operation and management in Taiwan during typhoons as statutory legislation requires a minimum of 3‐h warning to be issued before any reservoir releases are made. However, the complex spatial and temporal heterogeneity of typhoon rainfall, coupled with a remote and mountainous physiographic context, makes the development of real‐time rainfall‐runoff models that can accurately predict reservoir inflow several hours ahead of time challenging. Consequently, there is an urgent, operational requirement for models that can enhance reservoir inflow prediction at forecast horizons of more than 3 h. In this paper, we develop a novel semi‐distributed, data‐driven, rainfall‐runoff model for the Shihmen catchment, north Taiwan. A suite of Adaptive Network‐based Fuzzy Inference System solutions is created using various combinations of autoregressive, spatially lumped radar and point‐based rain gauge predictors. Different levels of spatially aggregated radar‐derived rainfall data are used to generate 4, 8 and 12 sub‐catchment input drivers. In general, the semi‐distributed radar rainfall models outperform their less complex counterparts in predictions of reservoir inflow at lead times greater than 3 h. Performance is found to be optimal when spatial aggregation is restricted to four sub‐catchments, with up to 30% improvements in the performance over lumped and point‐based models being evident at 5‐h lead times. The potential benefits of applying semi‐distributed, data‐driven models in reservoir inflow modelling specifically, and hydrological modelling more generally, are thus demonstrated. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The June 2013 Alberta catastrophic flooding event – part 2: fine‐scale precipitation and associated features

Data obtained from a variety of sources including the Canadian Lightning Detection Network, weather radars, weather stations and operational numerical weather model analyses were used to address the evolution of precipitation during the June 2013 southern Alberta flood. The event was linked to a mid‐level closed low pressure system to the west of the region and a surface low pressure region initially to its south. This configuration brought warm, moist unstable air into the region that led to dramatic, organized convection with an abundance of lightning and some hail. Such conditions occurred in the southern parts of the region whereas the northern parts were devoid of lightning. Initially, precipitation rates were high (extreme 15‐min rainfall rates up to 102 mm h^?1 were measured) but decreased to lower values as the precipitation shifted to long‐lived stratiform conditions. Both the convective and stratiform precipitation components were affected by the topography. Similar flooding events, such as June 2002, have occurred over this region although the 2002 event was colder and precipitation was not associated with substantial convection over southwest Alberta. Copyright © 2016 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. Hydrological Processes. © John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water level observations from unmanned aerial vehicles for improving estimates of surface water–groundwater interaction

Integrated hydrological models are usually calibrated against observations of river discharge and piezometric head in groundwater aquifers. Calibration of such models against spatially distributed observations of river water level can potentially improve their reliability and predictive skill. However, traditional river gauging stations are normally spaced too far apart to capture spatial patterns in the water surface, whereas spaceborne observations have limited spatial and temporal resolution. Unmanned aerial vehicles can retrieve river water level measurements, providing (a) high spatial resolution; (b) spatially continuous profiles along or across the water body, and (c) flexible timing of sampling. A semisynthetic study was conducted to analyse the value of the new unmanned aerial vehicle‐borne datatype for improving hydrological models, in particular estimates of groundwater–surface water (GW–SW) interaction. Mølleåen River (Denmark) and its catchment were simulated using an integrated hydrological model (MIKE 11–MIKE SHE). Calibration against distributed surface water levels using the Differential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis algorithm demonstrated a significant improvement in estimating spatial patterns and time series of GW–SW interaction. After water level calibration, the sharpness of the estimates of GW–SW time series improves by ~50% and root mean square error decreases by ~75% compared with those of a model calibrated against discharge only.     

Measurement of stream cross section using ground penetration radar with Hilbert–Huang transform

This study presents a new method to measure stream cross section without having contact with water. Compared with conventional measurement methods which apply instruments such as sounding weight, ground penetration radar (GPR), used in this study, is a non‐contact measurement method. This non‐contact measurement method can reduce the risk to hydrologists when they are conducting measurements, particularly in high flow period. However, the original signals obtained by using GPR are very complex, different from studies in the past where the measured data were mostly interpreted by experts with special skill or knowledge of GPR so that the results obtained were less objective. This study employs Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) to process GPR signals which are difficult to interpret by hydrologists. HHT is a newly developed signal processing method that can not only process the nonlinear and non‐stationary complex signals, but also maintain the physical significance of the signal itself. Using GPR with HHT, this study establishes a non‐contact stream cross‐section measurement method with the ability to measure stream cross‐sectional areas precisely and quickly. Also, in comparison with the conventional method, no significant difference in results is found to exist between the two methods, but the new method can considerably reduce risk, measurement time, and manpower. It is proven that the non‐contact method combining GPR with HHT is applicable to quickly and accurately measure stream cross section. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于核函数NPSSB模型的HY-2A卫星雷达高度计海况偏差研究

利用机器学习的方法,对14个周期HY-2A卫星高度计数据:风速、有效波高和海面高度差值进行训练,探究海况偏差和风速、有效波高之间的关系,创建海况偏差核函数非参数模型(NPSSB),并与参数模型中具有代表性的BM3、BM4模型进行对比。研究表明:(1)核函数NPSSB模型能够很好的反映SSB与U、SWH之间的关系,SSB与U呈二次函数关系,SSB与SWH呈反比例函数关系;(2)核函数NPSSB模型对SSB的模拟能力与训练数据集相关,数据量越多,模拟能力越好;(3)核函数NPSSB模型与BM3、BM4模型都存在0^-0.03 m的差值,随着风速和有效波高的增加,差值的绝对值越大。     

平原地区机载激光雷达数据的抽稀算法分析

目前，机载激光雷达点云数据在测绘行业中的应用还存在较多的瓶颈。为了使机载激光雷达点云数据更好地服务等值线等数据的生产，发挥其高效和高精度的优势，本文归纳、总结了国内外现有的LiDAR点云数据抽稀算法，并通过对比分析现有LiDAR点云数据抽稀算法存在的优缺点，如系统抽稀、格网抽稀、TIN抽稀和坡度抽稀等算法，结合平原地区激光点云在实际生产中的应用，研究了更适合平原地区点云数据的抽稀方法，通过大量的数据测试和试生产。结果表明，该方法可以在应用项目精度约束下保证数据质量，减少了后期数据处理应用的难度，提升了后续成果数据的质量，提高了作业生产效率，对机载激光雷达点云数据在测绘行业中的应用推广具有重要的现实意义。     

Jason-2高度计电离层GIM误差分析及修正研究

基于Jason-2高度计2015年地球物理数据集(GDR)38个周期太平洋海域的全球电离层图(GIM)电离层校正值和双频校正值的数据，分不同季度和不同纬度区域比较二者的差异，结果表明:GIM值与双频校正值之间存在明显的差异，GIM校正值普遍高于双频校正值，说明GIM高估了电离层路径延迟，GIM校正值与双频校正值的差异与季节和纬度区间有关。用梯度下降法得到GIM值的修正方程，将修正方程应用于2016年Jason-2的全年数据，修正后的GIM值与双频校正值十分接近，在各年份中均具有良好的适用性。在单频高度计不能使用电离层双频校正算法的情况下，可以利用不同季度和不同纬度区域的修正方程对同等高度的高度计GIM值进行修正以达到双频校正值的精度水平。     

Verification and Correction of Cloud Base and Top Height Retrievals from Ka–band Cloud Radar in Boseong,Korea

In this study,cloud base height(CBH) and cloud top height(CTH) observed by the Ka-band(33.44 GHz) cloud radar at the Boseong National Center for Intensive Observation of Severe Weather during fall 2013(September-November) were verified and corrected.For comparative verification,CBH and CTH were obtained using a ceilometer(CL51) and the Communication,Ocean and Meteorological Satellite(COMS).During rainfall,the CBH and CTH observed by the cloud radar were lower than observed by the ceilometer and COMS because of signal attenuation due to raindrops,and this difference increased with rainfall intensity.During dry periods,however,the CBH and CTH observed by the cloud radar,ceilometer,and COMS were similar.Thin and low-density clouds were observed more effectively by the cloud radar compared with the ceilometer and COMS.In cases of rainfall or missing cloud radar data,the ceilometer and COMS data were proven effective in correcting or compensating the cloud radar data.These corrected cloud data were used to classify cloud types,which revealed that low clouds occurred most frequently.     

双线偏振雷达资料在数值模式中的应用: 模拟器的构建

基于Rayleigh-Gans散射原理构造一个S波段双线偏振雷达模拟器。模拟器考虑了云冰、雪、雨和雹4种水凝物,以水凝物的混合比和数浓度以及水凝物粒子的轴比、相对介电常数、下落倾角为输入量,计算得到水平/垂直偏振反射率因子、差分反射率、比差分相位等偏振量。通过二维理想飑线模拟的试验结果表明,模拟器合理地再现了二维理想飑线系统成熟期的主要偏振特征:雹的反射率较高,差分反射率较低(又称Zdr洞);对流云区的Zdr柱;层云区的反射率和比差分相位的0℃层亮带特征;雨滴反射率与差分反射率因子的“雨线”统计特征。利用该模拟器建立了模式变量和偏振雷达观测的联系,有助于未来将偏振雷达观测资料应用于模式预报效果评估及对流尺度资料同化等方面的研究和应用。      

TRMM星载测雨雷达和地基雷达反射率因子数据的三维融合

TRMM卫星上的测雨雷达(TRMMPR)探测资料分布均匀且具有很高的垂直分辨率,但灵敏度较低;地基雷达(GR)水平分辨率较高且具有较高的灵敏度,但其垂直分辨率低。通过将TRMM PR与GR反射率因子数据的三维数据融合,得到了更优的反射率因子图像。测雨雷达与地基雷达三维数据融合主要分为以下几步:测雨雷达与地基雷达数据预处理——如去杂波、衰减校正;测雨雷达与地基雷达时空匹配;选取和应用合适的三维图像融合算法;对融合后的图像进行效果评估。试验结果表明:融合后的图像不仅增大了信息量,更好地检测弱降水,还提高了空间三维(3D)分辨率,能更好地反映降水区域细节,且使得数据总体上具有更高的完整性和可靠性。此外,还将基于雷达资料估测的降水数据与地面雨量计数据进行对比,估计反射率因子数据融合在降水测量上的有效性。