Using Passive Microwave Response to Soil Moisture Change for Soil Mapping: A Case Study for the Livingstone Creek Catchment

The 46-$hbox{km}^{2}$ Livingstone Creek Catchment in southeastern Australia was flown with a passive microwave airborne remote sensor four times throughout the three-week National Airborne Field Experiment in 2006, with a spatial resolution of $sim$200 m. Both continuous and discrete measurements of soil moisture were taken to help with interpretation of results. The catchment was experiencing extreme drought conditions leading up to the experiment, and as a result, ground cover in the catchment was minimal with many paddocks consisting of sparse dry stubble and grass. During the experiment period of November 2006, 30 mm of rainfall occurred, with the catchment going from parched dry conditions to surface wet conditions and back to dry conditions again in a short period of time. Changes in moisture responses observed by the airborne passive microwave sensor were field verified to reflect the different geology, soil, and landform elements of the catchment. Consequently, this study suggests that passive microwave remote sensing has potential as a tool to assist with soil mapping, through detecting changes in soil moisture spatial and temporal patterns.      

Parameterization of the Land Parameter Retrieval Model for L-Band Observations Using the NAFE'05 Data Set

The Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) has been successfully applied to retrieve soil moisture from space-borne passive microwave observations at C-, X-, or Ku-band and high incidence angles (50 $^{circ}$–55$^{circ}$ ). However, LPRM had never been applied to lower angles or to L-band observations. This letter describes the parameterization and performance of LPRM using aircraft and ground data from the National Airborne Field Experiment 2005. This experiment was undertaken in November 2005 in the Goulburn River catchment, which is located in southeastern Australia. It was found that model convergence could only be achieved with a temporally dynamic roughness. The roughness was parameterized according to incidence angle and soil moisture. These findings were integrated in LPRM, resulting in one uniform parameterization for all sites. The parameterized LPRM correlated well with field observations at 5-cm depth ($r = 0.93$ based on all sites) with a negligible bias and an accuracy of 0.06 $hbox{m}^{3}cdot hbox{m}^{-3}$. These results demonstrate comparable retrieval accuracies as the official SMOS soil-moisture retrieval algorithm (L-MEB), but without the need for the ancillary data that are required by L-MEB. However, care should be taken when using the proposed dynamic roughness model as it is based on a limited data set, and a more thorough evaluation is necessary to test the validity of this new approach to a wider range of conditions.      

Multi$^{3}$Scat—A Helicopter-Based Scatterometer for Snow-Cover and Sea-Ice Investigations

A helicopter-based Doppler scatterometer (Multi$^{3}$Scat) is described. It allows simultaneous measurements of the surface radar backscatter at five different frequencies at co- and cross-polarization at incidence angles of 20$^{circ}$ –65$^{circ}$ from an altitude of 30–300 m. Video and infrared (IR) cameras simultaneously sense the surface in the scatterometers' footprint. The Multi $^{3}$Scat is calibrated using measurements carried out over corner reflectors. The stability of the Multi$^{3}$Scat's signal is found to be, on average, better than 0.5 dB. Typical signal-to-noise-ratio values for sigma-0 range between 10 and 20 dB for cross-polarization and between 15 and 25 dB for copolarization over snow and ice surfaces. The potential of the Multi$^{3}$Scat to acquire multifrequency multipolarization radar backscatter data and coincident video and IR temperature observations at different incidence angles over remote terrain such as the Arctic Ocean or the Alps is demonstrated.      

用模型和车载微波辐射仪研究多频率多角度下玉米的散射和衰减特性

在使用被动微波技术反演土壤水分的过程中,为去除植被的影响,通常采用适用于低频的τ-ω模型。为准确评估较高频率下植被的散射和衰减特性,以玉米为例,采用基于光线跟踪原理的双矩阵(Matrix-Doubling)微波辐射模型,研究不同高度的作物在C(6.925GHz)、X(10.65GHz)和Ku(18.7GHz)波段下的单散射反照率和传输率。模型模拟的亮度温度跟车载微波辐射仪的野外实测数据接近。为验证模拟的玉米自身微波辐射,在玉米地上铺设了一层铝箔屏蔽地表的辐射。通过给验证后的模型输入不同的参数,建立一个亮度温度数据库,以模拟自然状态下不同高度玉米的亮度温度。然后把模型模拟的结果,跟相同环境下τ-ω模型得到的结果按最小二乘法进行匹配,从而获得不同高度的玉米在C、X和Ku波段上等效的单散射反照率和传输率。     

Contemporary deformation in the Kashmir–Himachal,Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya: significant insights from 1995–2008 GPS time series

We present new insights on the time-averaged surface velocities, convergence and extension rates along arc-normal transects in Kumaon, Garhwal and Kashmir–Himachal regions in the Indian Himalaya from 13 years of high-precision Global Positioning System (GPS) time series (1995–2008) derived from GPS data at 14 GPS permanent and 42 campaign stations between $29.5{-}35^{\circ }\hbox {N}$ and $76{-}81^{\circ }\hbox {E}$ . The GPS surface horizontal velocities vary significantly from the Higher to Lesser Himalaya and are of the order of 30 to 48 mm/year NE in ITRF 2005 reference frame, and 17 to 2 mm/year SW in an India fixed reference frame indicating that this region is accommodating less than 2 cm/year of the India–Eurasia plate motion ( ${\sim }4~\hbox {cm/year}$ ). The total arc-normal shortening varies between ${\sim }10{-}14~\hbox {mm/year}$ along the different transects of the northwest Himalayan wedge, between the Indo-Tsangpo suture to the north and the Indo-Gangetic foreland to the south indicating high strain accumulation in the Himalayan wedge. This convergence is being accommodated differentially along the arc-normal transects; ${\sim } 5{-}10~\hbox {mm/year}$ in Lesser Himalaya and 3–4 mm/year in Higher Himalaya south of South Tibetan Detachment. Most of the convergence in the Lesser Himalaya of Garhwal and Kumaon is being accommodated just south of the Main Central Thrust fault trace, indicating high strain accumulation in this region which is also consistent with the high seismic activity in this region. In addition, for the first time an arc-normal extension of ${\sim }6~\hbox {mm/year}$ has also been observed in the Tethyan Himalaya of Kumaon. Inverse modeling of GPS-derived surface deformation rates in Garhwal and Kumaon Himalaya using a single dislocation indicate that the Main Himalayan Thrust is locked from the surface to a depth of ${\sim }15{-}20~\hbox {km}$ over a width of 110 km with associated slip rate of ${\sim }16{-}18~\hbox {mm/year}$ . These results indicate that the arc-normal rates in the Northwest Himalaya have a complex deformation pattern involving both convergence and extension, and rigorous seismo-tectonic models in the Himalaya are necessary to account for this pattern. In addition, the results also gave an estimate of co-seismic and post-seismic motion associated with the 1999 Chamoli earthquake, which is modeled to derive the slip and geometry of the rupture plane.     

A comparative study of different dielectric models—computation of representative dielectric profiles of black soils

The dielectric property of the soil is an important parameter for microwave remote sensing. Therefore an attempt is made to study and compare the models for the dielectric constant of moist soils by considering three soil types namely Haldi series (sandy loam), Hathiapathar series (silt loam) and Jambria series (clay) and at frequencies 1.4, 4.0 and 18.0 GHz. The semiempirical models of Wang et al. (1980) and Dobson et al (1985) predict more or les same results in the domain of their applicability. However, at lower frequencies below 1.0 GHz, the imaginary part of dielectric constant shows a decreasing trend with decreasing frequency for Wang et al (1980) model whereas it shows reverse trend for Dobson et al (1985) model. The soil texture and frequency dependence of dielectric constant have been investigated for Indian soils. Some of the representative dielectric profiles of black soils of Pune have been computed using semiempirical model of Dobson et al (1985) which are useful for the development of multifrequency models for the study of soil moisture.     

Simulation Study of a Robust Algorithm for Soil Moisture and Surface Roughness Estimation Using L‐Band Radar Backscatter

Abstract

Various inversion algorithms have been developed to obtain estimates of soil moisture and surface roughness parameters from multifrequency, multiangle, and multipolarization radar reflectances. Since the penetration depth for radar signals increases with wavelength, an inversion algorithm using widely separated frequencies does not yield comparable probing depths. Furthermore, existing algorithms assume a linear relationship between the radar backscatter coefficient (in dB) and soil parameters, such as the volumetric soil moisture, soil surface roughness and surface slope. This assumption is valid only over a narrow range of soil parameters, thereby restricting its operational use under realistic conditions. Our research specifically explored the use of inversion algorithms based on L‐Band radar reflectances at 1 GHz and 2 GHz frequencies in order to retain relatively consistent probing depths. In order to extend the range of applicability, a non‐linear exponential‐type relationship was developed between radar reflectance at a specified frequency, polarization and incidence angle combination, and soil parameters of interest, viz., soil moisture, surface roughness, and surface slope. An over‐constrained inversion algorithm using a six‐parameter combination was found to yield relatively accurate estimates of soil parameters over a wide range of soil conditions even in the presence of system error.     

HUT模型的改进及其雪深反演

基于风云-3B（FY-3B）卫星的微波成像仪（MWRI）数据对HUT模型（Helsinki university of technology snow emission model）进行验证,结果表明,无论是18.7 GHz还是36.5 GHz水平极化亮温,HUT模型模拟亮温都与MWRI亮温存在较大的偏差。因此,本文对消光系数进行了本地化改进,得到了改进的HUT模型（IMPHUT模型）。IMPHUT模型在18.7 GHz水平极化和36.5 GHz水平极化时的模拟亮温偏差分别为-0.91 K和-4.19 K,较原始的HUT模型模拟精度（偏差分别为14.03 K和-16.33 K）有很大提高。最后,利用遗传算法进行雪深反演,基于IMPHUT模型的雪深反演（偏差为-6.79 cm）优于HUT模型和Chang算法,反演与实测雪深具有较好的一致性。     

Geodetic methods to determine the relativistic redshift at the level of 10$$^{}$$ in the context of international timescales: a review and practical results

The frequency stability and uncertainty of the latest generation of optical atomic clocks is now approaching the one part in \(10^{18}\) level. Comparisons between earthbound clocks at rest must account for the relativistic redshift of the clock frequencies, which is proportional to the corresponding gravity (gravitational plus centrifugal) potential difference. For contributions to international timescales, the relativistic redshift correction must be computed with respect to a conventional zero potential value in order to be consistent with the definition of Terrestrial Time. To benefit fully from the uncertainty of the optical clocks, the gravity potential must be determined with an accuracy of about \(0.1\,\hbox {m}^{2}\,\hbox {s}^{-2}\), equivalent to about 0.01 m in height. This contribution focuses on the static part of the gravity field, assuming that temporal variations are accounted for separately by appropriate reductions. Two geodetic approaches are investigated for the derivation of gravity potential values: geometric levelling and the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)/geoid approach. Geometric levelling gives potential differences with millimetre uncertainty over shorter distances (several kilometres), but is susceptible to systematic errors at the decimetre level over large distances. The GNSS/geoid approach gives absolute gravity potential values, but with an uncertainty corresponding to about 2 cm in height. For large distances, the GNSS/geoid approach should therefore be better than geometric levelling. This is demonstrated by the results from practical investigations related to three clock sites in Germany and one in France. The estimated uncertainty for the relativistic redshift correction at each site is about \(2 \times 10^{-18}\).     

青藏高原区域不同地表类型对应后向散射系数的时变分析

后向散射系数（σ0）是卫星雷达高度计的观测量之一,被广泛应用于地表状态监测、积雪冰层厚度反演、卫星测高定标与验证等过程。根据Jason-2测高卫星的地球物理数据记录分离出青藏高原Ku波段的σ0数据,以GlobeLand302020版本的地表数据为分类基础,通过经纬度数据对σ0赋予地表属性,获取不同种类地表特征对应的σ0数据在2008-12—2016-09期间的时变序列,利用奇异谱分析原理提取出的不同地表属性中σ0的趋势项信息和周期项信息,并对周期项结果进行快速傅里叶变换分析。结果表明：水体、湿地区域对应的σ0数值较高,冰川和永久积雪区域对应的σ0数值较低。在整个区域,σ0存在多种周期信号。人造地表、裸地、灌木地的地表性质稳定,区域对应的σ0周期不显著。在其余区域,σ0的变化具有显著的周年和半年周期,且变化振幅不一致,各个区域对应的σ0趋势变化有所差异。     

Radiometric measurements for pearl millet crop

A simple method for determining leaf area index (LAI), absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), dry biomass and yield in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) crop from remote sensing data is presented. The dry matter and yield can be simulated with maximum accuracy by normalised difference (ND) data during milking stage using the following models: $$\begin{array}{l} DM = - 435.45 + 786.86ND R^2 = 0.90 \\ Yield = - 95.43 + 180.00ND R^2 = 0.62 \\ \end{array}$$      

含水含盐土壤的微波介电特性分析研究

用微波网络分析仪测量了实验室制备的各种不同含水量,含盐量的土壤样品的复介电常数,研究了介电常数的实部和虚部与频率、盐度、含水量的关系。研究表明:频率、盐度对土壤介电常数实部的影响很小;对于某一特定土壤,其介电常数的实部由土壤的含水量决定;在较低频率范围内（f<2GHz）,虚部随着频率的增大而迅速下降,高频部分则趋向于一定值,波长较长的波段,如P波段或L波段对土壤含盐程度具有更高的敏感性,含盐量对虚部在较低频范围（f<5GHz）影响很大。同时,采集了内蒙古吉兰泰盐湖区的土壤样品,并测量了其复介电常数,与同步过顶的RADARSAT图像进行了相关分析。分析结果表明雷达图像记录的后向散射强度与含盐土壤复介电常数实部的相关系数为0.23,与虚部的相关系数为0.66,即雷达图像观测的含盐含水士壤的后向散射强度与土壤的含盐量相关性较高。这为利用微波遥感进行土壤盐碱化程度监测,提供了可能和实验依据。     

Super Cyclone Induces a Mesoscale Phytoplankton Bloom in the Bay of Bengal

Tropical cyclones when on land create havoc, but over the oceans they can trigger a very strong biological response, giving rise to phytoplankton blooms. The Super Cyclone (TC) 05B that occurred during October 25–29, 1999, in the Bay of Bengal over the tropical Indian ocean was one of the most significant tropical cyclones on record to affect India, with maximum winds of 240 km/h, and the worst since 1971. Using satellite data, it is found that this tropical super cyclone helped spawn a notable mesoscale phytoplankton bloom in the domain (17 $^{circ}$–20$^{circ} hbox{N}$; 87$^{circ}$–90 $^{circ} hbox{E}$), which persisted for over a month. The bloom spanned 440 km zonally and 330 km meridonally, enhanced the chlorophyll-$a$ concentrations to a maximum of 10 $hbox{mg/m}^{3}$ and the net primary productivity by 200%. Furthermore, a cyclonic eddy over the bloom region is revealed from an ocean general circulation model simulation, helping the bloom to last for over month.      

Potential to estimate the canting angle of tilted structures in clouds from microwave radiances around 183 GHz

The effects of cloud structures on microwave radiances at frequencies from 89-190 GHz are investigated by simulations using the Goddard cumulus ensemble model data as input for a radiative transfer model. It was found that the brightness temperatures at these frequencies have different sensitivities to clouds with a tilted structure. The different sensitivities to altitude and amount of hydrometeors allow the estimation of the canting angle and tilt direction of tilted clouds using brightness temperatures at the water vapor channels at 183.3 /spl plusmn/ 1 and 183.3 /spl plusmn/ 7 GHz. The estimated canting angle and tilt direction are in agreement with the model situation. This method provides a potential to estimate tilted convective structures from microwave radiometric observations at 183.3 /spl plusmn/ 1 and 183.3 /spl plusmn/ 7 GHz. It is applied to a tilted storm observed from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's ER-2 aircraft flying at about 20 km on August 26, 1998 during the third Convection and Moisture Experiment using the observed downlooking brightness temperatures at the water vapor channels of a Millimeter-wave Imaging Radiometer. The estimated results are in good agreement with the realistic storm situation obtained from the simultaneous observations of the ER-2 Doppler radar. This method also provides information about the vertical displacement of cloud structure and thereby to estimate the accurate location of surface rainfall. This is important when validating precipitation retrieval based on observations of the ice scattering above surface rainfall against surface rain observations using the microwave frequencies sensitive to high altitudes.     

植被层对被动微波遥感土壤水分反演影响的研究

在很多对土壤水分被动微波遥感的研究中 ,为简单起见 ,覆盖的植被层使用了一种简单的模型来表征其散射和衰减特性。本文中使用了一种基于辐射传输理论的离散模型来研究植被的发射率、传输率。这种方法可以更加真实地刻划组成植被的散射个体如叶、茎、树枝、树干等对这两个参数的影响 ,因而能更准确地描述植被对下垫面的影响。为了减少土壤水分反演算法中未知量的数目 ,该文给出了这两个参数的模拟结果分别在AMSR E三种不同频率下的简单关系。     

Optimal design of broadcast ephemeris parameters for a navigation satellite system

Computation of broadcast ephemerides is a fundamental task in satellite navigation and positioning. The GPS constellation is composed of medium-earth-orbit (MEO) satellites, and therefore can employ a uniform parameter set to produce broadcast ephemerides. However, other navigation satellite systems such as Compass and IRNSS may include a mixture of inclined-geosynchronous-orbit (IGSO), geostationary-earth-orbit (GEO) and MEO satellites, requiring different parameter sets for each type of orbit. We analyze the variational characteristics of satellite ephemerides with respect to orbital elements; then present a method to design an optimal parameter set for broadcast ephemerides, and derive the parameter sets for IGSO, GEO, and MEO satellites. The computational complexities of the user algorithms for the optimal parameter sets are equivalent to that of the standard GPS user algorithm. Simulation and statistical analyses indicate that the optimal parameter set is $ \left\{ {\sqrt {A_{0} } ,e_{0} ,i_{0} ,\Upomega_{0} ,M_{0} ,\omega_{0} ,\dot{\Upomega },\dot{u},\dot{i},C_{\Upomega c3} ,C_{\Upomega s3} ,C_{uc2} ,C_{us2} ,C_{rc2} ,C_{rs2} } \right\} $ for IGSO and GEO satellites, and $ \left\{ {\sqrt {A_{0} } ,e_{0} ,i_{0} ,\Upomega_{0} ,M_{0} ,\omega_{0} ,\dot{\Upomega },\dot{u},\dot{i},C_{uc2} ,C_{us2} ,C_{rc2} ,C_{rs2} ,C_{ic2} ,C_{is2} } \right\} $ for MEO satellites.     

等角圆锥投影基准纬度非迭代算法

为简化传统正轴等角圆锥投影求解基准纬度时繁琐的迭代算法,引入平均纬度和平均纬差的概念,借助计算机代数系统Mathematica,在平均纬差处级数展开,导出了基于球体模型的正轴等角圆锥投影求解基准纬度的非迭代算法。以全国和不同纬差的省区为例,将其与传统椭球迭代算法进行对比分析。结果表明,推导的基于球体模型的非迭代公式计算基准纬度B0、B1、B2的相对误差最大值为2.011%,长度变形的相对误差小于1×10-6,基本可满足全国以及各省区地图制图的精度要求,从而验证了所研究算法的精确性与实用性。     

Satellite Observations on Cyclone-Induced Upper Ocean Cooling and Modulation of Surface Winds—A Study on Tropical Ocean Region

In this letter, we evaluate the relationships between the sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) and meteorological parameters over the Bay of Bengal region, India, using microwave satellite remote sensing data. Most of the cyclones in this region occur during the premonsoon period in April–June and are associated with SSTs greater than 26 $^{circ}hbox{C}$. We particularly analyzed the data from two recent cyclonic events: Mala that occurred in April 24, 2006 and Tropical Cyclone 01B (TC 01B) that occurred in May 11, 2003. We used two different remote sensing data sets, sea surface temperature (SST) from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission and the NASA QuikSCAT ocean surface wind vectors to characterize the ocean–atmosphere interactions in cold SST regions formed in the trail of the aforementioned two cyclone events. The results from the satellite data analysis suggested the systematic weakening of wind speed over the cold patch, along the trail of the cyclone. A cooling of around 4$^{circ}$–5 $^{circ}$ was observed to be associated with the passage of cyclone Mala. Wind speed gradually increased from 2 to 9 m/s from the center to the boundary of the cold patch and showed good correlation with SST $(r = 0.97)$. These observations have been validated with another cyclone data (TC 01B) over the Bay of Bengal region that occurred during May 2003. Our results were consistent with the Wallace hypothesis that SST modulates the surface winds via stability.      

Non-Singular Expressions for the Gravity Gradients in the Local North-Oriented and Orbital Reference Frames

The conventional expansions of the gravity gradients in the local north-oriented reference frame have a complicated form, depending on the first- and second-order derivatives of the associated Legendre functions of the colatitude and containing factors which tend to infinity when approaching the poles. In the present paper, the general term of each of these series is transformed to a product of a geopotential coefficient and a sum of several adjacent Legendre functions of the colatitude multiplied by a function of the longitude. These transformations are performed on the basis of relations between the Legendre functions and their derivatives published by Ilk (1983). The second-order geopotential derivatives corresponding to the local orbital reference frame are presented as linear functions of the north-oriented gravity gradients. The new expansions for the latter are substituted into these functions. As a result, the orbital derivatives are also presented as series depending on the geopotential coefficients multiplied by sums of the Legendre functions whose coefficients depend on the longitude and the satellite track azimuth at an observation point. The derived expansions of the observables can be applied for constructing a geopotential model from the GOCE mission data by the time-wise and space-wise approaches. The numerical experiments demonstrate the correctness of the analytical formulas.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Contribution of solar radiation and geomagnetic activity to global structure of 27-day variation of ionosphere

Twenty-seven-day variation caused by solar rotation is one of the main periodic effects of solar radiation influence on the ionosphere, and there have been many studies on this periodicity using peak electron density \(\mathrm{N_{m}F_{2}}\) and solar radio flux index F10.7. In this paper, the global electron content (GEC) and observation of Solar EUV Monitor (SEM) represent the whole ionosphere and solar EUV flux, respectively, to investigate the 27-day variation. The 27-day period components of indices \((\hbox {GEC}_{27}\), \(\hbox {SEM}_{27}\), \(\hbox {F10.7}_{27}\), \(\hbox {Ap}_{27})\) are obtained using Chebyshev band-pass filter. The comparison of regression results indicates that the index SEM has higher coherence than F10.7 with 27-day variation of the ionosphere. The regression coefficients of \(\hbox {SEM}_{27 }\) varied from 0.6 to 1.4 and the coefficients of \(\hbox {Ap}_{27}\) varied from \({-}\)0.6 to 0.3, which suggests that EUV radiation seasonal variations are the primary driver for the 27-day variations of the ionosphere for most periods. TEC map grid points on three meridians where IGS stations are dense are selected for regression, and the results show that the contribution of solar EUV radiation is positive at all geomagnetic latitudes and larger than geomagnetic activity in most latitudes. The contribution of geomagnetic activity is negative at high geomagnetic latitude, increasing with decreasing geomagnetic latitudes, and positive at low geomagnetic latitudes. The global structure of 27-day variation of ionosphere is presented and demonstrates that there are two zonal anomaly regions along with the geomagnetic latitudes lines and two peaks in the north of Southeast Asia and the Middle Pacific where \(\hbox {TEC}_{27}\) magnitude values are notably larger than elsewhere along zonal anomaly regions.