Multi-directional wave spectra from marine X-band radar

The signal measured by heave–pitch–roll directional wave buoys yields the first four coefficients of a Fourier series. Data adaptive methods must be employed to estimate a directional wave spectrum. Marine X-band radars (MRs) have the advantage over buoys that they can measure “model-free” two-dimensional (2D) wave spectra. This study presents the first comprehensive validation of MR-derived multi-directional wave characteristics. It is based on wave data from the 2010 Impact of Typhoons on the Ocean in the Pacific (ITOP) experiment in the Philippine Sea, namely MR measurements from R/V Roger Revelle, Extreme Air–Sea Interaction (EASI) buoy measurements, as well as WAVEWATCH-III (WW3) modeling results. Buoy measurements of mean direction and spreading as function of frequency, which do not require data adaptive methods, are used to validate the WW3 wave spectra. An advanced MR wave retrieval technique is introduced that addresses various shortcomings of existing methods. Spectral partitioning techniques, applied to MR and WW3 results, reveal that multimodal seas are frequently present. Both data sets are in excellent agreement, tracking the evolution of up to 4 simultaneous wave systems over extended time periods. This study demonstrates MR’s and WW3’s strength at measuring and predicting 2D wave spectra in swell-dominated seas.     

Ability of a dual polarized X-band radar to estimate rainfall

The aim of this study is to assess rainfall estimates by a dual polarized X-band radar. This study was part of the European project FRAMEA (Flood forecasting using Radar in Alpine and Mediterranean Areas). Two radars were set up near the small town of Collobrières in South Eastern France. The first radar was a dual polarized X-band radar (Hydrix^®) associated with a ZPHI^® algorithm while the second one was an S-band radar (Météo France). We compared radar rainfall data with measurements obtained by two rain gauge networks (Météo France and Cemagref). During the experiments from February 2006 to June 2007, four significant rainfall events occurred. The accuracy of the rain rate obtained with both S-band and X-band radars decreased significantly beyond 60 km, in particular for the X-band radar. At closer ranges, such as 30–60 km from the radars, the X-band and the S-band radar retrievals showed similar performance with Nash criteria around 0.80 for the X-band radar and 0.75 for the S-band radar. Furthermore, the X-band radar did not require calibration on rainfall records, which tends to make it a useful method to assess rainfall in areas without a rain gauge network.     

Stochastic estimation of facies using ground penetrating radar data

Explicitly defining large-scale heterogeneity is a necessary step of groundwater model calibration if accurate estimates of flow and transport are to be made. In this work, neural networks are used to estimate radar facies probabilities from ground penetrating radar (GPR) images, yielding stochastic facies-based models that honour the large-scale architecture of the subsurface. For synthetic GPR images, a neural network was able to correctly identify radar facies with an accuracy of approximately 90%. Manual interpretation of a set of 450 MHz GPR field data from the Borden aquifer resulted in the identification of four radar facies. Of these, a neural network was able to identify two facies with an accuracy of near 80% and one with an accuracy of 44%. The neural network was not able to identify the fourth facies, likely due to the choice of defining facies characteristics. Sequential indicator simulation was used to generate facies realizations conditioned to the radar facies probabilities. Numerical simulations indicate that significant improvements in the prediction of solute transport are possible when GPR is used to constrain the facies model compared to using well data alone, especially when data are sparse.This work was supported by funding to R. Knight under Grant No. DE-FG07–00ER15118-A000, Environmental Management Science Program, Office of Science and Technology, Office of Environment Management, United States Department of Energy (DOE). However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of DOE. Further support was provided by a Stanford Graduate Fellowship to S. Moysey. The authors would also like to thank James Irving for his assistance with processing of the radar data.     

The generation ofK indices from digitally recorded magnetic data

TheK index was developed by Bartels and is a measure of geomagnetic activity. The important feature of this index is that it is a measure of solar activity superimposed on the regular daily variation.It is the most used estimate of activity being of particular interest to researchers in ionospheric physics and telecommunications.In response to increased availability of digital data from magnetic observatories and their demand by the scientific community it becomes desireable to check whetherK indices produced from magnetograms plotted from digital data are consistent with those handscaled from La Cour charts.This paper presents results of these comparisons and also reports on several methods tested to produce theK index directly from the digital data.Handscaled indices from digital plots are suitable for producing theK index. Computations using digital data do not reproduceK as defined by Bartels precisely but do provide an equivalent index which is satisfactory for most user and research purposes.     

Isostatic response of the Laccadive Ridge from admittance analysis of gravity and bathymetry data

The Laccadive Ridge (L-R), trending roughly parallel to the west coast of India, is an intriguing segment of the northernmost Chagos-Laccadive Ridge (C-L-R) system. Although crustal nature and isostatic response of the southern C-L-R is well known, there are no similar studies on the L-R. In the present study, the isostatic response of the lithosphere beneath the L-R is estimated so as to characterize its crustal nature, total crustal as well as effective elastic plate thickness and mode of compensation. Twelve gravity and bathymetry profiles across the ridge were analyzed using linear transfer function and forward model techniques. The observed admittance function within the diagnostic waveband of 250 < λ > 80 km (0.025 < k > 0.080 km⁻¹) fits well with (i) the Airy model whose average crustal thickness (T_c) and density are 17 ± 2 km and 2.7 × 10³ kg m⁻³, respectively, and (ii) the thin plate flexure model of isostasy with an effective elastic plate thickness (T_e) of 2–3 km. The estimated average crustal thickness and density are in good agreement with published seismic refraction results over the ridge. The results of the present study support an Airy model of isostasy for the L-R. The low T_e value, in view of other published results in the study area, suggests stretched and loaded continental lithosphere of the L-R during the evolution of the western continental margin of India.     

Mapping of a major paleodrainage system in eastern Libya using orbital imaging radar: The Kufrah River

Over the last few decades, remote sensing has revealed buried river channels in a number of regions worldwide, in many cases providing evidence of dramatic paleoenvironmental changes over Cenozoic time scales. Using orbital radar satellite imagery, we mapped a major paleodrainage system in eastern Libya, that could have linked the Kufrah Basin to the Mediterranean coast through the Sirt Basin, possibly as far back as the middle Miocene. Synthetic Aperture Radar images from the PALSAR sensor clearly reveal a 900 km-long river system, which starts with three main tributaries (north-eastern Tibesti, northern Uweinat and western Gilf Kebir/Abu Ras) that connect in the Kufrah oasis region. The river system then flows north through the Jebel Dalmah, and forms a large alluvial fan in the Sarir Dalmah. The sand dunes of the Calanscio Sand Sea prevent deep orbital radar penetration and preclude detailed reconstruction of any possible connection to the Mediterranean Sea, but a 300 km-long link to the Gulf of Sirt through the Wadi Sahabi paleochannel is likely. If this connection is confirmed, and its Miocene antiquity is established, then the Kufrah River, comparable in length to the Egyptian Nile, will have important implications for the understanding of the past environments and climates of northern Africa from the middle Miocene to the Holocene.     

Spatial reconstruction of rainfall fields from rain gauge and radar data

Rainfall is a phenomenon difficult to model and predict, for the strong spatial and temporal heterogeneity and the presence of many zero values. We deal with hourly rainfall data provided by rain gauges, sparsely distributed on the ground, and radar data available on a fine grid of pixels. Radar data overcome the problem of sparseness of the rain gauge network, but are not reliable for the assessment of rain amounts. In this work we investigate how to calibrate radar measurements via rain gauge data and make spatial predictions for hourly rainfall, by means of Monte Carlo Markov Chain algorithms in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. We use zero-inflated distributions for taking zero-measurements into account. Several models are compared both in terms of data fitting and predictive performances on a set of validation sites. Finally, rainfall fields are reconstructed and standard error estimates at each prediction site are shown via easy-to-read spatial maps.     

Origin and compensation of Chagos-Laccadive ridge, Indian ocean, from admittance analysis of gravity and bathymetry data

The Chagos-Laccadive ridge (CLR) is a prominent aseismic, volcanic ridge in the northern Indian ocean. The ridge, together with the Southern Mascarene plateau (SMP), to which it is genetically related, is considered as a volcanic trace of the Reunion hotspot. We have examined the isostatic compensation of the CLR through transfer function analysis of gravity and bathymetry data along seven profiles. The analysis suggests that the CLR is compensated locally, with an Airy crustal thickness (T_c) of 20 km. The rather low elastic plate thickness (T_e) of about 4 km implies that the volcanism of the ridge took place very near a spreading centre. The proximity of the Chagos fracture zone indicates that the emplacement was probably near a spreading centre-transform junction.     

Estimation of effective source signatures from marine VSP data1

We present a simple method for estimating an effective source wavelet from the first arrival in marine vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data. The method, which utilizes the free-space Green's function of the Helmholz equation, is simple and very computer efficient. We show examples from synthetic and real offset and walkaway VSP data. In the synthetic examples, we show that data modelled with the estimated wavelet give small residuals when subtracted from the reference data. In the real data examples, we show that when modelling with the wavelet estimated from the real data, in a smooth macromodel, we obtain a good fit between the first arrivals in the real and modelled data.     

Handling non-linearity in radar data assimilation using the non-linear least squares enhanced POD-4DVar

The Proper Orthogonal Decomposition(POD)-based ensemble four-dimensional variational(4DVar) assimilation method(POD4DEnVar) was proposed to combine the strengths of EnKF(i.e.,the ensemble Kalman filter) and 4DVar assimilation methods.Recently,a POD4DEnVar-based radar data assimilation scheme(PRAS) was built and its effectiveness was demonstrated.POD4 DEnVar is based on the assumption of a linear relationship between the model perturbations(MPs)and the observation perturbations(OPs);however,this assumption is likely to be destroyed by the highly non-linear forecast model or observation operator.To address this issue,using the Gauss-Newton iterative method,the nonlinear least squares enhanced POD4 DEnVar algorithm(referred to as NLS-4DVar) was proposed.Naturally,the PRAS was upgraded to form the NLS-4DVar-based radar data assimilation scheme(NRAS).To evaluate the performance of NRAS against PRAS,observing system simulation experiments(OSSEs) were conducted to assimilate reflectivity and radial velocity individually,with one,two,and three iterations.The results demonstrated that the NRAS outperformed PRAS in improving the initial condition and the forecasting of model variables and rainfall.The NRAS,with a smaller number of iterations,can yield a convergent result.In contrast to the situation when assimilating radial velocity,the advantages of NRAS over PRAS were more obvious when assimilating reflectivity.     

Validation of the CUTLASS HF radar gravity wave observing capability using EISCAT CP-1 data

Quasi-periodic fluctuations in the returned ground-scatter power from the SuperDARN HF radars have been linked to the passage of medium-scale gravity waves. We have applied a technique that extracts the first radar range returns from the F-region to study the spatial extent and characteristics of these waves in the CUTLASS field-of-view. Some ray tracing was carried out to test the applicability of this method. The EISCAT radar facility at Tromsø is well within the CUTLASS field-of-view for these waves and provides a unique opportunity to assess independently the ability of the HF radars to derive gravity wave information. Results from 1st March, 1995, where the EISCAT UHF radar was operating in its CP-1 mode, demonstrate that the radars were in good agreement, especially if one selects the electron density variations measured by EISCAT at around 235 km. CUTLASS and EISCAT gravity wave observations complement each other; the former extends the spatial field of view considerably, whilst the latter provides detailed vertical information about a range of ionospheric parameters.     

Time-domain identification of dynamic properties of layered soil by using extended Kalman filter and recorded seismic data

A novel time-domain identification technique is developed for the seismic response analysis of soil-structure interaction. A two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) model with eight lumped parameters is adopted to model the frequency-dependent behavior of soils. For layered soil, the equivalent eight parameters of the 2DOF model arc identified by the extended Kalman filter (EKF) method using recorded seismic data. The polynomial approximations for derivation of state estimators are applied in the EKF procedure. A realistic identification example is given for the layered-soil of a building site in Anchorage, Alaska in the United States. Results of the example demonstrate the feasibility and practicality of the proposed identification technique. The 2DOF soil model and the identification technique can be used for nonlinear response analysis of soil-structure interaction in the time-domain for layered of complex soil conditions. The identified parameters can be stored in a database for use in other similar soil conditions. If a universal database that covers information related to most soil conditions is developed in the future, engineers could conveniently perform time history analyses of soil-structural interaction.     

Solution of the transport equations using a moving coordinate system

A convection-diffusion equation arises from the conservation equations in miscible and immiscible flooding, thermal recovery, and water movement through desiccated soil. When the convection term dominates the diffusion term, the equations are very difficult to solve numerically. Owing to the hyperbolic character assumed for dominating convection, inaccurate, oscillating solutions result. A new solution technique minimizes the oscillations. The differential equation is transformed into a moving coordinate system which eliminates the convection term but makes the boundary location change in time. We illustrate the new method on two one-dimensional problems: the linear convection-diffusion equation and a non-linear diffusion type equation governing water movement through desiccated soil. Transforming the linear convection diffusion equation into a moving coordinate system gives a diffusion equation with time dependent boundary conditions. We apply orthogonal collocation on finite elements with a Crank-Nicholson time discretization. Comparisons are made to schemes using fixed coordinate systems. The equation describing movement of water in dry soil is a highly non-linear diffusion-type equation with coefficients varying over six orders of magnitude. We solve the equation in a coordinate system moving with a time-dependent velocity, which is determined by the location of the largest gradient of the solution. The finite difference technique with a variable grid size is applied, and a modified Crank-Nicholson technique is used for the temporal discretization. Comparisons are made to an exact solution obtained by similarity transformation, and with an ordinary finite difference scheme on a fixed coordinate system.     

Detection of wave disturbances in the mesosphere using a MF-HF radar

Theoretical backgrounds of the active and passive methods for detecting the set of acoustic gravity waves in the upper mesosphere are presented. The observation and processing techniques based on the registration, statistical and spectral analysis of the envelopes of backscatter signals and radio noise are presented. It has been indicated that wave disturbances with periods of 5–120 min were observed during the entire observation period. The average relative amplitude of these disturbances was 2–4%. The dependences of the wave disturbance parameters on the time of day, season, and magnetic activity level have been studied.     

A non-parametric automatic blending methodology to estimate rainfall fields from rain gauge and radar data

Quantitative estimation of rainfall fields has been a crucial objective from early studies of the hydrological applications of weather radar. Previous studies have suggested that flow estimations are improved when radar and rain gauge data are combined to estimate input rainfall fields. This paper reports new research carried out in this field. Classical approaches for the selection and fitting of a theoretical correlogram (or semivariogram) model (needed to apply geostatistical estimators) are avoided in this study. Instead, a non-parametric technique based on FFT is used to obtain two-dimensional positive-definite correlograms directly from radar observations, dealing with both the natural anisotropy and the temporal variation of the spatial structure of the rainfall in the estimated fields. Because these correlation maps can be automatically obtained at each time step of a given rainfall event, this technique might easily be used in operational (real-time) applications. This paper describes the development of the non-parametric estimator exploiting the advantages of FFT for the automatic computation of correlograms and provides examples of its application on a case study using six rainfall events. This methodology is applied to three different alternatives to incorporate the radar information (as a secondary variable), and a comparison of performances is provided. In particular, their ability to reproduce in estimated rainfall fields (i) the rain gauge observations (in a cross-validation analysis) and (ii) the spatial patterns of radar fields are analyzed. Results seem to indicate that the methodology of kriging with external drift [KED], in combination with the technique of automatically computing 2-D spatial correlograms, provides merged rainfall fields with good agreement with rain gauges and with the most accurate approach to the spatial tendencies observed in the radar rainfall fields, when compared with other alternatives analyzed.     

Backtracking drifting objects using surface currents from high-frequency (HF) radar technology

In this work, the benefits of high-frequency (HF) radar ocean observation technology for backtracking drifting objects are analysed. The HF radar performance is evaluated by comparison of trajectories between drifter buoys versus numerical simulations using a Lagrangian trajectory model. High-resolution currents measured by a coastal HF radar network combined with atmospheric fields provided by numerical models are used to backtrack the trajectory of two dataset of surface-drifting buoys: group I (with drogue) and group II (without drogue). A methodology based on optimization methods is applied to estimate the uncertainty in the trajectory simulations and to optimize the search area of the backtracked positions. The results show that, to backtrack the trajectory of the buoys in group II, both currents and wind fields were required. However, wind fields could be practically discarded when simulating the trajectories of group I. In this case, the optimal backtracked trajectories were obtained using only HF radar currents as forcing. Based on the radar availability data, two periods ranging between 8 and 10?h were selected to backtrack the buoy trajectories. The root mean squared error (RMSE) was found to be 1.01?km for group I and 0.82?km for group II. Taking into account these values, a search area was calculated using circles of RMSE radii, obtaining 3.2 and 2.11?km² for groups I and II, respectively. These results show the positive contribution of HF radar currents for backtracking drifting objects and demonstrate that these data combined with atmospheric models are of value to perform backtracking analysis of drifting objects.     

海上地震资料子波提取鬼波压制技术

海洋地震勘探由于受到海面强反射界面的影响,记录数据中存在鬼波,致使数据频谱中产生陷波效应,限制数据的频带宽度,影响数据的分辨率,干扰地层反射的识别.近年来发展的鬼波压制方法,能够较好的压制地震数据中的鬼波,然而现有鬼波压制技术容易产生延续相位,且计算效率较低.为进一步提高鬼波压制效果和工作效率,本文对海上地震资料特性进行分析,研究认为,海上地震资料中的海底反射信号真实记录了海底有效反射、震源鬼波和检波点鬼波的形态,可以利用提取的海底反射子波对数据进行确定性子波反褶积处理,能够有效的压制震源鬼波和检波点鬼波.模型海上实际数据测试结果表明,该方法具有鬼波压制效果好、计算效率高的优势,处理之后的数据频带得到有效拓宽,低频和高频信息均得到加强.     

Derivation ofK-indices using magnetograms constructed from digital data

The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of deriving the traditionalK index from magnetograms plotted from recorded digital data. Digital magnetic data from Ottawa Observatory are available for theX, Y, andZ components in the form of 1 min averaged values and spot values at selected sampling intervals of 1 sec or greater. It is found that the lowerK values tend to be biased downward by one level when a digitizing interval greater than 30 sec is used for construction of the artificial magnetograms. However, for digitizing intervals of 30 sec or less the reconstructed analogue plots are just as reliable as standard-run Ruska magnetograms for the derivation ofK.Contribution from the Earth Physics Branch No. 1132.     

Estimation of reservoir fracturing from marine VSP using local shear-wave conversion

A marine VSP is designed to estimate the orientation and density of fracturing within a gas-producing dolomite layer in the southern North Sea. The overburden anisotropy is firstly estimated by analysing shear waves converted at or just below the sea-bed, from airgun sources at four fixed offset azimuths. Full-wave modelling helps confirm that the background has no more than 3% vertical birefringence, originating from TIH anisotropy with a symmetry axis orientated perpendicular to the maximum horizontal compressive stress of NW–SE. This finding concurs with current hypotheses regarding the background rock matrix in the upper crust. More detailed anisotropy estimates reveal two thin zones with possible polarization reversals and a stronger anisotropy. The seismic anisotropy of the dolomite is then determined from the behaviour of locally converted shear waves, providing a direct link with the physical properties of its fractures. It is possible to utilize this phenomenon due to the large seismic velocity contrast between the dolomite and the surrounding evaporites. Two walkaway VSPs at different azimuths, recorded on three-component receivers placed inside the target zone, provide the appropriate acquisition design to monitor this behaviour. Anisotropy in the dolomite generates a transverse component energy which scales in proportion to the degree of anisotropy. The relative amplitudes, for this component, between the different walkaway azimuths relate principally to the orientation of the anisotropy. Full-wave modelling confirms that a 50% vertical birefringence from TIH anisotropy with a similar orientation to the overburden is required to simulate the field observations. This amount of anisotropy is not entirely unexpected for a fine-grained brittle dolomite with a potentially high fracture intensity, particularly if the fractures contain fluid which renders them compliant to the shear-wave motion.