Precise Geoid Determination over Hong Kong from Heterogeneous Data Sets using a Hybrid Method

ABSTRACT

This study attempts to develop a methodology to construct a high-precision geoid model (HKGEOID-2016) over Hong Kong. To achieve this objective, a hybrid method is employed in this article. The proposed method involves three steps: the combination of multisource data; the construction of gravimetric geoid model using the remove-restore technique and Molodensky's theory; and the optimal combination of heterogeneous height data, improved by the evaluation of stochastic models through the variance component estimation method and assessment of the parametric model. The accuracy of the constructed geoid is evaluated with independent GNSS/leveling data. Numerical results indicate that external precision of 1.5 cm level is achievable. Furthermore, compared with the former geoid model HKGEOID-2000, the proposed procedure in this study improves the accuracy of the geoid significantly.     

Satellite Image Classification Method Using the Dempster–Shafer Approach

In this paper the problem of the supervised classification of satellite images is considered. A new image classification method focused on application under conditions when the training sample is (in particular, considerably) contaminated is proposed. The method is based on using the Dempster–Shafer evidence theory and is applicable both for hyperspectral and multispectral satellite images. Problems of organizing the supervised classification process and content of its constitutive procedures are presented. The developed method has been implemented algorithmically and in software. Results obtained in the classification of hyperspectral images by the proposed method testify to its efficiency.

     

Nonlinear control of an active heave compensation system

Heave motion of a vessel or a rig has an adverse impact on the response of a drill-string or a riser. To compensate for heave motion, passive and active devices are usually used. Active heave compensators, in which a control system is an essential part, allow conducting operations under more extreme weather conditions than passive ones. This paper presents a constructive method to design a nonlinear controller for an active heave compensation system using an electro-hydraulic system driven by a double rod actuator. The control system reduces the effect of the heave motion of the vessel on the response of the riser by regulating the distance from the upper end of the riser to the seabed. The control development is based on Lyapunov's direct method and disturbance observers. The paper also includes a method to select the control and disturbance observer gains such that actuator saturations are avoided. Stability of the closed loop system is carefully examined. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control system.     

Fatigue damage in randomly vibrating jack-up platforms under non-Gaussian loads

The problem of fatigue damage estimation of ageing jack-up platforms is considered, using theories of random processes. The sea-wave excitations are modelled as stationary, Gaussian random processes, with specified power spectral density function. The loads acting on the structure due to the sea waves is calculated using Morison’s equation and are therefore non-Gaussian whose probabilistic properties are not available in explicit form. Assuming linear structure behaviour, the probabilistic properties of the structure response are determined using theories of random vibrations. The simple peak counting method is adopted for estimating the mean fatigue damage. This requires knowledge of the joint probability density function of the structure response and its first and second time derivatives, at the same time instant. A methodology has been presented for developing analytical expressions for this joint pdf. This requires evaluation of multidimensional integrals. A recently developed computational algorithm is presented to deal with integrals for which derivation of closed form analytical expressions may not be feasible. The methodology proposed in this paper provides an alternative and computationally cheaper technique for estimating the fatigue damage in comparison to the Monte Carlo simulation procedure. Numerical results have been presented for illustration of the proposed methodology.     

Harmonic Energy Transfer for Extreme Waves in Current

Ning et al. (2015) developed a 2D fully nonlinear potential model to investigate the interaction between focused waves and uniform currents. The effects of uniform current on focusing wave crest, focal time and focal position were given. As its extension, harmonic energy transfer for focused waves in uniform current is studied using the proposed model by Ning et al. (2015) and Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) technique in this study. It shows that the strong opposing currents, inducing partial wave blocking and reducing the extreme wave crest, make the nonlinear energy transfer non-reversible in the focusing and defocusing processes. The numerical results also provide an explanation to address the shifts of focal points in consideration of the combination effects of wave nonlinearity and current.     

Implications of defining fisheries closed areas based on predicted habitats in Shetland: A proactive and precautionary approach

During 2010 a set of 22 voluntary closed areas, distributed around Shetland, were proposed by local industry in order to help protect and conserve threatened habitats from potential physical disturbance from scallop dredging. Initially, closed areas were implemented on a precautionary basis over predicted beds of maerl and horse mussel (Modiolus modiolus) derived from historical data. Horse mussel and maerl beds are classed as priority habitats which have been identified as being threatened and requiring conservation under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP). Legalisation of the voluntarily adopted closed areas occurred in 2011. Detailed surveys were conducted to map each closed area with specific reference to the defining features located within. Closed areas were surveyed using a hull mounted multibeam system and ground-truthed with an underwater camera system. Information was imported to a Geographic Information System (GIS) in order to create georeferenced habitat maps of the two species of interest. The appropriateness of each closed area was assessed and a proposed methodology and procedure outlined for any future closed areas. The primary aim was to provide information on which to test the validity of initial closed area boundaries and subsequently allow managers to refine and add to them in the future. The survey illustrated the need to have good quality acoustic and visual survey work undertaken whenever areas have been closed based on historical data and/or predicted habitats. Predicted beds were not found to be representative of the survey findings. The survey highlighted the lack of good quality, robust, accurate, and up to date species information for the waters around Shetland, especially with regard to priority marine features. Although some were neither fully protecting the UK BAP habitats they were designed to protect nor were protecting any UK BAP habitats, a degree of protection had been conferred to some priority features in the first iteration of implementation of closed areas. Survey data were subsequently used to legally alter the closed area boundaries to more appropriately reflect the distribution of priority features. Recommendations were made on appropriate procedures for defining a species bed and on the wider implications of the study’s findings for other fisheries areas developing spatial management plans.     

基于散射计风场数据的台风强度诊断方法——以海洋二号卫星数据为例

本文提出了一种基于散射计风场数据的台风定强方法。该方法定义了台风所在海区的一个圆形区域上的风速平均值来对台风进行定强,并使用海洋二号卫星散射计历史数据对该方法进行了验证。验证结果表明,该台风定强方法可以克服散射计反演台风风速过低的问题。与台风强度监测的历史记录比较的结果显示,在台风强度低于"强台风"这一强度等级时,该方法能够有效估算台风强度。     

A Method for DEM Construction Considering the Features in Intertidal Zones

Accurate Digital Elevation Model in intertidal zones (IZDEM) is crucial to coastal applications (e.g., coastal zone management and anti-flood directing systems). Considering the features of multisource data and the evident anisotropy in intertidal zones, we propose a method for IZDEM construction. The basic idea of the method is that the terrain of any area can be divided into two portions: the trend portion reflecting the overall trend of the changes of topography and the residual portion reflecting the local changes. Based on the idea, the proposed method includes three steps: (1) Considering the influence of both the distance and the data accuracy of different data sources on the interpolation, the optimal equivalent weight is adopted to create the trend surface, which fits better for the intertidal terrain. (2) Considering the anisotropy of the terrain changes, the residual surface is created by the Kriging interpolation method. (3) IZDEM is constructed by combining the trend surface and the residual surface. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can improve the fitting accuracy of the trend surface by considering the accuracy differences of multi-source data, and also improve the accuracy of the residual surface by considering the anisotropy of the intertidal terrain changes, thus it makes the constructed IZDEM more accurate in the area where multi-source data exist and the anisotropy of the terrain changes is evident.     

渤海海域多源遥感溢油风险评价与长序监测

渤海海域溢油事件频发,所以进行海洋溢油风险时空特征分析,对于开展卫星遥感溢油精确监测具有重要意义.作者采用多源高分辨率卫星遥感数据,提取渤海海域船舶及石油平台两类主要溢油风险源分布状况,结合2015—2020年间渤海海域海上溢油卫星遥感监测结果,分析多种传感器下不同类型溢油的成像特征,通过溢油风险源核密度分析方法,获得...     

An integrated numerical method for simulation of drifted objects trajectory under real-world tsunami waves

The present study focused on tracing tsunami-drifted objects under a real tsunami based on an integrated numerical method. Instead of a solitary wave that is much shorter and steeper than real-world tsunami waves, an extra-long tsunami wave is represented here in a nearshore region using a new approach. To this end, propagation of a seismic tsunami from the source to the nearshore region was simulated using two-dimensional depth-averaged equations. When the waves reached the target coastal area, the time series of the free surface of the tsunami was approximated by a theoretical relation based on a combination of several solitons, which were then used to solve the linearized trajectory equation of the wave-maker to generate the intended time series of the tsunami wave. Finally, in a nearshore model, the movement of drifted bodies under the generated tsunami wave was simulated based on the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. In order to verify the accuracy of the proposed method in tracing the drifted bodies under a real tsunami, the giant fish-oil tank, which was transported about 300 m during the 2011 Tohoku tsunami of Japan, was selected as the benchmark. The results demonstrate that the time series of the long tsunami wave was successfully generated by the piston wave-maker in the GPU-based SPH model, and the proposed approach can be regarded as a suitable alternative for reproduction of a real tsunami. The results also showed that the simulated fish-oil tank properly followed the estimated trajectory in Ishinomaki but it was transported more than the reported distance, which was expected due to absence of a holding connection between the tank and the ground in the SPH model. It should be emphasized that this study is one of the first studies on three-dimensional tracing of a tsunami-drifted body during a real event, and the tracing can be more accurate in further simulations by applying higher-resolution topography data and faster computation systems that help include more details in the nearshore model.     

Robust and adaptive path following for underactuated autonomous underwater vehicles

This paper proposes a nonlinear robust adaptive control strategy to force a six degrees of freedom underactuated underwater vehicle with only four actuators to follow a predefined path at a desired speed despite of the presence of environmental disturbances and vehicle’s unknown physical parameters. The proposed controller is designed using Lyapunov’s direct method, the popular backstepping and parameter projection techniques. The closed loop path following errors can be made arbitrarily small. Interestingly, it is shown that our developed control strategy is easily extendible to situations of practical importance such as parking and point-to-point navigation. Numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.     

Determination of suspended sediments particle size distribution using image capturing method

Suspended sediments deposition at estuary affects marine life in coastal ecosystem. Particle size distribution (PSD) is used to find settling velocity of suspended sediments. In this study, a new image capturing system for size analysis (ICS4S) method using digital camera-based image capturing technique for determining PSD is proposed and validated. Image of suspended sediments is acquired using a low-cost setup developed, and ImageJ software is used for image processing. The PSD results obtained using ICS4S method is well correlated with hydrometer test and the Shen method. The proposed ICS4S method is easy to understand and implement both in laboratory and field.     

Robust path-following of underactuated ships: Theory and experiments on a model ship

A method is proposed to design a new global controller that forces an underactuated ship to follow a reference path under disturbances induced by wave, wind and ocean-current. The controller is designed such that the ship moves on the path with an adjustable forward speed and its total velocity is tangential to the path. The ship under consideration is not actuated in the sway axis, and the mass and damping matrices are not assumed to be diagonal. Nonlinear damping terms are also included to cover both low- and high-speed applications. The new result is facilitated by choosing an appropriate origin of the body-fixed frame, designing a suitable filter of sway velocity, several nonlinear coordinate changes, the backstepping technique, and utilizing the ship dynamic structure. Experimental results on a model ship illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Filtering inertia-gravity waves from the initial conditions of the linear shallow water equations

A method for filtering inertia-gravity waves from elevation and depth-averaged velocity is described. This filtering scheme is derived from the linear shallow water equations for constant depth and constant Coriolis frequency. The filtered solution is obtained by retaining only the eigenvectors corresponding to the geostrophic equilibrium and by discarding explicitly the eigenvectors corresponding to the fast moving inertia-gravity waves. An alternative formulation is derived using a variational approach. Both filtering methods are tested numerically for a periodic domain with constant depth and the variational approach is implemented for a closed domain with large topographic variations. The filtering methods significantly reduce the amplitudes of the inertia-gravity waves while preserving the mean flow. The variational method is compared to the Incremental Analysis Update technique and the benefits of the variational filter are presented.     

Condition Identification Based on Vibration Measurements for Free Spanning Submarine Pipelines

Free spanning pipelines are suspended between two points on an uneven seaffoor. The variations of structural conditions, such as the changes in soil property, flow velocity, axial force and span length etc., directly affect working performance of the whole submarine pipeline system. But until now few researches have focused on condition identification for free span （CIFS）. A method to identify the operational conditions of free spanning submarine pipelines based on vibration measurements is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the ill-posedness of CIFS is analyzed in detail. Secondly, the framework for CIFS based on the nonlinear kernel discriminant analysis （KDA） is established. Thirdly, the internal structural characteristics of natural frequencies, normalized frequencies and frequency change ratios are studied. And then the condition feature vector for CIFS is extracted by use of the vibration measurements. Finally, the validity of the proposed approach is evaluated by a case study. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively identify each condition of free span when condition variation occurs even if under measurement noise. It is concluded that the proposed method is a promising tool for CIFS in real applications.     

A new mixing technique for solidifier and dredged fill in coastal area

One of the major drawbacks of the conventional method of land reclamation, which involves mixing cement with the dredged soils at the disposal site, is the high cost associated with its manufacturing and transportation. In this study, a new solidified dredged fill (SDF) technique and a new additive are proposed and their practical applications are discussed. Unlike the conventional approach, the dredged marine soils were mixed with the solidifiers using a newly designed mixing technique prior to its transport to site, which would significantly reduce the cost of site machinery and effectively reclaim land with adequate engineering properties necessary for the construction of infrastructure. To evaluate the performance of the reclaimed land using the proposed technique, a series of laboratory and field tests (namely, static and dynamic cone penetration tests, and plate load tests) were conducted on grounds filled with and without solidified dredged marine soils, respectively. The results showed that the engineering behavior of the reclaimed land with dredged marine soils using SDF technique had significantly improved. The SDF technique combined with the newly designed mixing system improved the performance of ground and has thus proved to be both cost-effective and safe.     

Flow injection analysis of nanomolar level orthophosphate in seawater with solid phase enrichment and colorimetric detection

Phosphomolybdenum blue (PMB) paired with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) can be extracted using a solid phase extraction technique on C18 sorbent. Based on this, a novel on-line solid phase extraction method coupled with flow injection (FI) analysis and colorimetric detection has been established to determine nanomolar level orthophosphate in seawater. A stopped flow technique was employed to assure the complete formation of the PMB–CTAB compound, which was sequentially extracted on an in-line Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridge. The adsorbed PMB–CTAB can be rapidly eluted by 0.56 mol/L H₂SO₄ in ethanol, and determined with a spectrophotometer at 700 nm. Experimental parameters, including reaction temperature, sample loading flow rate, stopped time and eluting flow rate, were optimized throughout the experiments based on univariate experimental design. The results show that reaction temperature and stopped time were the major factors affecting the formation of PMB–CTAB. Silicate concentration up to 5000 times higher than that of orthophosphate would not interfere with the determination of orthophosphate. Using artificial seawater with salinity of 35 as a matrix under the optimized conditions, the standard curve shows a linear range between 3.2 and 48.5 nmol/L, and the recovery and the detection limit of the proposed method are 96.4% and 1.57 nmol/L, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) (n = 8), which was determined daily for 8 days, was 4.52% for the artificial seawater at a concentration of 32.4 nmol/L orthophosphate. Two typical seawater samples were analyzed using both the proposed method and the MAGnesium hydroxide-Induced Coprecipitation (MAGIC) method. The results of the two methods show no significant difference using the t test. Compared to the MAGIC method, the proposed method has the advantage of being more sensitive, faster, sample saving and easy for on-line analysis.     

FFT在海浪数值模拟中的应用

所谓海浪过程的数值模拟,就是根据预先给定的海浪过程的谱密度模拟出与之对应的海浪过程,然后利用它去研究各种有关的问题.例如,当研究多桩柱石油平台的结构物经受波浪影响时,可以把波浪对结构物的作用问题看作一个随机过程系,用几个点的联合海浪过程模拟来处理.文献[1]中,已给出单过程海浪模拟实现的方法步骤.但是,由于伪随机数的产生及富氏变换的正、余弦函数的运算在电子计英机土所需要的时间,随着离散序列和迭加子波数的增加而急剧增加,从而使模拟波面需要的时间较长.为此我们寻求快速模拟海浪波面过程的方法.本文提出运用FFT算法的快速模拟联合海浪过程的模式,并以单过程为例说明FFT在海浪数值模拟中的应用.     

Evaluation of Inner Soil Pressure Acting on Opened Bottom Cylindrical Structure

1 .IntroductionAnopenedbottomcylinderisathinshellstructureplacedonarubblebaseorembeddedinasoilfoundation .Itiswidelyusedintheconstructionofwharves ,breakwatersandotheroceanprojects.Thestructureisusuallyfilledwithgranularmaterialstoensurethestabilityofthestructurealongwiththeweightofthecylinder.Hence ,itisconsideredasagravitytypeofstructure .However,thesettlementofthecylinderisdifferentfromthatofthetraditionalgravitytypeofstructureandsodoesthedistribu tionofinnersoilpressureovertheopenedbottom…