Soil moisture from operational meteorological satellites

In recent years, unforeseen advances in monitoring soil moisture from operational satellite platforms have been made, mainly due to improved geophysical retrieval methods. In this study, four recently published soil-moisture datasets are compared with in-situ observations from the REMEDHUS monitoring network located in the semi-arid part of the Duero basin in Spain. The remotely sensed soil-moisture products are retrieved from (1) the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E), which is a passive microwave sensor on-board NASA’s Aqua satellite, (2) European Remote Sensing satellite (ERS) scatterometer, which is an active microwave sensor on-board the two ERS satellites and (3) visible and thermal images from the METEOSAT satellite. Statistical analysis indicates that three satellite datasets contribute effectively to the monitoring of trends in surface soil-moisture conditions, but not to the estimation of absolute soil-moisture values. These sensors, or rather their successors, will be flown on operational meteorological satellites in the near future. With further improvements in processing techniques, operational meteorological satellites will increasingly deliver high-quality soil-moisture data. This may be of particular interest for hydrogeological studies that investigate long-term processes such as groundwater recharge.     

Retrieval and validation of soil moisture from FRS-1 data set of radar imaging satellite (RISAT-1)

In this work, we estimated soil moisture (SM) by using dielectric constant properties of soil with radar backscattering coefficient (bc) from simulated annealing techniques of RISAT-1 (radar imaging satellite, based on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technique) data. We examined the performance of simulated annealing in retrieving SM where the vegetation cover is not very high (NDVI ≈ 0.35 for wheat-dominated area on January 19, 2013).To overcome the land surface model limits on SM estimation accuracy, point measurement spatial coverage limits, and microwave remote sensing spatial-temporal sampling limits, we reduced uncertainties through a combination of these approaches. Near-surface SM measurements from the 5.35-GHz (C-band) channels of RISAT-1 were collocated against ground-truth data (collected during the flight time of RISAT-1 over the study area), to establish SAR-SM relationships for FRS-1(circular horizontal (RH) and circular vertical (RV)) data set of RISAT-1. Comparison with the limited ground-based point (total 24 points) measurements of SM content exhibited a net improvement when near-surface SM observations were assimilated. Comparison of the SM derived from the sigma naught (σ ⁰) (of RISAT-1 data set FRS-1) using the inversion algorithm with the observed measurements (using time domain reflectometry) of SM showed root mean square error of 0.24, nRMSE = 0.03, R-RMSE = 0.38, MAE = 0.63, NRMSE = 1.02, NSE = 1, d = 0.87, r ² = 0.65, and RMSE% = 12.79 for RH polarized image while RV polarized image failed each statistical test for predicting good SM with respect to the observed SM. The ability to extract additional information comes at the expense of including more measurements, especially at frequencies lower than the L-band. This approach is therefore intended for future space-borne systems.     

卫星遥感反演土壤水分研究综述

土壤水分是影响地表过程的核心变量之一。精准地测量土壤水分及其时空分布,长期以来是定量遥感研究领域的难点问题。简要回顾基于光学、被动微波、主动微波和多传感器联合反演等卫星遥感反演土壤水分的主要反演算法、存在的难点和前沿性研究问题,介绍了应用土壤水分反演算法所形成的3种主要全球土壤水分数据集,包括欧洲气象业务卫星（ERS/MetOp）数据集、高级微波扫描辐射计（AMSR-E）数据集、土壤湿度与海洋盐分卫星（SMOS）数据集,并结合目前存在的问题探讨卫星遥感反演土壤水分研究的发展趋势。     

Flood and landslide applications of near real-time satellite rainfall products

Floods and associated landslides account for the largest number of natural disasters and affect more people than any other type of natural disaster. With the availability of satellite rainfall analyses at fine time and space resolution, it has also become possible to mitigate such hazards on a near-global basis. In this article, a framework to detect floods and landslides related to heavy rain events in near-real-time is proposed. Key components of the framework are: a fine resolution precipitation acquisition system; a comprehensive land surface database; a hydrological modeling component; and landslide and debris flow model components. A key precipitation input dataset for the integrated applications is the NASA TRMM-based multi-satellite precipitation estimates. This dataset provides near real-time precipitation at a spatial-temporal resolution of 3 h and 0.25° × 0.25°. In combination with global land surface datasets it is now possible to expand regional hazard modeling components into a global identification/monitoring system for flood/landslide disaster preparedness and mitigation.     

Correction to: Assessing real options in urban surface water flood risk management under climate change

Windblown dust originating in China and Mongolia causes health effects and agricultural damage in its source areas and causes Asian dust events in Japan. An early warning system that could be combined with weather forecasts would be helpful in preventing serious damage. However, it is difficult to specify source areas of dust with current dust modeling systems because land surface information, including vegetation coverage and land surface soil water content, is inadequate. To find and monitor dust source regions, a semi-real-time dust erodibility map was developed based on MODIS satellite data that focuses particularly on the threshold wind speed in a target area of northeast Asia including China and Mongolia (35°–50°N, 75°–120°E). The mapping system incorporates satellite data on snow cover, areas of frozen soil, surface soil water content, and vegetation cover.     

Numerical experiment with modelled return echo of a satellite altimeter from a rough ocean surface and a simple iterative algorithm for the estimation of significant wave height

We have simulated the return echo of a satellite altimeter from a rough ocean surface using an analytical formula and have studied its sensitivity with respect to various oceanic and altimeter parameters. Our numerical experiment shows that for normally observed significant wave heights (SWH) the effect of off-nadir angle (ONA) up to 0.5° on the leading edge is not severe. Also, small surface roughness skewness seems to have little effect on the overall shape of the echo. Newton’s iterative scheme has been used to retrieve SWH from the mean return waveform without noise and with additive Gaussian noise typical of Seasat and Geosat altimeters. It has been observed that SWH can be retrieved in the presence of noise with an accuracy of ±0.6 m for ONA less than 0.5°. For higher ONA, accurate retrieval requires the use of precomputed look-up table along with our scheme.     

联合机载PLMR微波辐射计和MODIS产品反演黑河中游张掖绿洲土壤水分研究

土壤水分是气候、水文学研究中的重要变量,微波遥感是获取区域地表土壤水分的重要手段,而L波段更是微波土壤水分反演的最优波段。依托HiWATER黑河中游绿洲试验区的地面观测及机载PLMR微波辐射计亮温数据,利用微波辐射传输模型L-MEB,并将MODIS地表温度产品(MOD11A1)和叶面积指数产品(MYD15A2)作为模型及反演中的先验辅助信息,借助LM优化算法,通过PLMR双极化多角度的亮温观测,针对土壤水分、植被含水量(VWC)和地表粗糙度这3个主要参数,分别进行土壤水分单参数反演、土壤水分与VWC或粗糙度的双参数反演以及这3个参数的同时反演。通过对不同反演方法的比较可以得出结论,多源辅助数据及PLMR双极化、多角度信息的应用可以显著降低反演的不确定性,提高土壤水分反演精度。证明在合理的模型参数和反演策略下,SMOS的L-MEB模型和产品算法可以达到0.04 cm3/cm3的反演精度,另外无线传感器网络可以在遥感产品真实性检验中起到重要作用。     

2010年玉树Ms7.1地震前后大气物理化学遥感信息

利用高分辨率卫星遥感数据反演了地表温度、水汽、CO总量和CH4体积分数的时空变化,讨论了这种变化与2010年4月14日青海玉树Ms 7.1地震以及地震断裂带的关系.利用MODIS LIB数据反演的玉树地震前后的温度数据表明,在主震前亮温和地表温度出现高值,高值异常高于震前几年的同期平均温度并沿NW向断裂带分布;这与测量...     

Prediction of the thermodynamic properties of metal–arsenate and metal–arsenite aqueous complexes to high temperatures and pressures and some geological consequences

The standard thermodynamic properties at 25°C, 1 bar (ΔG _f^o, ΔH _f^o, S ^o, C _P^o, V ^o, ω) and the coefficients of the revised Helgeson–Kirkham–Flowers equations of state were evaluated for several aqueous complexes formed by dissolved metals and either arsenate or arsenite ions. The guidelines of Shock and Helgeson (Geochim Cosmochim Acta 52:2009–2036, 1988) and Sverjensky et al. (Geochim Cosmochim Acta 61:1359–1412, 1997) were followed and corroborated with alternative approaches, whenever possible. The SUPCRT92 computer code was used to generate the log K of the destruction reactions of these metal–arsenate and metal–arsenite aqueous complexes at pressures and temperatures required by the EQ3/6 software package, version 7.2b. Apart from the AlAsO₄^o and FeAsO₄^o complexes, our log K at 25°C, 1 bar are in fair agreement with those of Whiting (MS Thesis, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 1992). Moreover, the equilibrium constants evaluated in this study are in good to fair agreement with those determined experimentally for the Ca–dihydroarsenate and Ca–hydroarsenate complexes at 40°C (Mironov et al., Russ J Inorg Chem 40:1690, 1995) and for Fe(III)–hydroarsenate complex at 25°C (Raposo et al., J Sol Chem 35:79–94, 2006), whereas the disagreement with the log K measured for the Ca–arsenate complex at 40°C (Mironov et al., Russ J Inorg Chem 40:1690, 1995) might be due to uncertainties in this measured value. The implications of aqueous complexing between dissolved metals and arsenate/arsenite ions were investigated for seawater, high-temperature geothermal liquids and acid mine drainage and aqueous solutions deriving from mixing of acid mine waters and surface waters. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

遥感技术在陆面过程研究中的应用进展

探讨了当前陆面过程 (LSP)研究的特点 ,指出遥感在陆面过程研究中的应用以及陆面过程国际合作实验是突出的特点 ,进而对遥感技术的陆面参数获取、地表能量通量的计算以及与 LSP模式的结合研究及进展进行了综述。根据不同特征的地表参数选择光学遥感或微波遥感已成共识 ,而综合利用不同遥感数据获取同一种地表参数也已成为研究热点 ,当前及今后发射的携载多种遥感仪器的众多遥感卫星为此项研究提供了条件 ;遥感与 LSP模式的结合研究是遥感在陆面过程研究中深入应用的一个方面 ,国际陆面过程合作实验是这项研究的重要保证。     

陆面过程中植被的描述及其卫星遥感反演——从定性描述向定量描述的发展

植被在陆面参数化方案（Land Surface Parameterizations, LSPs）中的描述经历着从定性描述向定量描述发展的过程。这一方面是由于陆面过程研究的深入,另一方面则得益于地表植被信息获取方式的进步,尤其是卫星遥感技术的发展。对三代LSPs中的植被描述做了简要概述,并介绍了卫星遥感在植被参数反演上的发展和应用情况。其中包括：①定性描述,主要指地表覆盖类型的描述方式;②部分参数定量描述,指SiB2等模式中对LAI等时空变化较大的少数参数由卫星资料直接反演的赋值方式;③植被特征连续分布（VCF）定量描述,一种完全定量的描述方式。     

Annual variations in the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in the Upper Yellow River area

Measurements taken between July 2006 to May 2007 at the Maqu station in the Upper Yellow River area were used to study the surface radiation budget and soil water and heat content in this area. These data revealed distinct seasonal variations in downward shortwave radiation, downward longwave radiation, upward longwave radiation and net radiation, with larger values in the summer than in winter because of solar altitudinal angle. The upward shortwave radiation factor is not obvious because of albedo (or snow). Surface albedo in the summer was lower than in the winter and was directly associated with soil moisture and solar altitudinal angle. The annual averaged albedo was 0.26. Soil heat flux, soil temperature and soil water content changed substantially with time and depth. The soil temperature gradient was positive from August to February and was related to the surface net radiation and the heat condition of the soil itself. There was a negative correlation between soil temperature gradient and net radiation, and the correlation coefficient achieved a significance level of 0.01. Because of frozen state of the soil, the maximum soil thermal conductivity value was 1.21 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹ in January 2007. In May 2007, soil thermal conductivity was 0.23 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, which is the lowest value measured in the study, likely due to the fact that the soil was drier then than in other months. The soil thermal conductivity values for the four seasons were 0.27, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.83 W m⁻¹°C⁻¹, respectively.     

Analysis of pathfinder SST algorithm for global and regional conditions

As part of the Pathfinder program developed jointly by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) a large database ofin situ sea surface temperature (SST) measurements coincident with satellite data is now available to the user community. The Pathfinder Matchup Database (PMDB) is a multi-year, multi-satellite collection of coincident measurements from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and broadly distributed buoy data (matchups). This database allows the user community to test and validate new SST algorithms to improve the present accuracy of surface temperature measurements from satellites. In this paper we investigate the performance of a global Pathfinder algorithm to specific regional conditions. It is shown that for zenith angles less than 45°, the best-expected statistical discrepancy between satellite and buoy data is about ∼ 0.5 K. In general, the bias of the residuals (satellite — buoy) is negative in most regions, except in the North Atlantic and adjacent seas, where the residuals are always positive. A seasonal signal in SST residuals is observed in all regions and is strongest in the Indian Ocean. The channel-difference term used as a proxy for atmospheric water vapor correction is observed to be unresponsive for columnar water vapor values greater than 45 mm and high zenith angles. This unresponsiveness of the channels leads to underestimation of sea surface temperature from satellites in these conditions.     

Chlorophyll concentration and surface temperature changes associated with earthquakes

The preparation process of an impending earthquake may leave fingerprints on the earth??s surface. Elastic strain in rocks, formation of micro-cracks, gas releases and other chemical or physical activities in the earth??s crust before and during earthquakes has been reported to cause rises in temperature, surface latent heat flux (SLHF), upwelling index and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration on the ground or sea surface. Changes in surface temperature can be monitored with thermal infrared sensors such as NOAA-AVHRR and microwave radiometers like AMSR-E/Aqua. SLHF data and upwelling indices are provided by National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Reanalysis Project and Pacific Fisheries Environmental Laboratory, respectively. This study examines behaviors of the above four factors prior to the past three oceanic and coastal earthquakes occurred at the Pacific Ocean (Northern California of June 15, 2005, Central California of September 28, 2004, and December 22, 2003). We were successful in detecting pre-earthquake anomalies prior to all three earthquakes. Our detailed analysis revealed 1?C5?°C rises in surface temperature in epicentral areas. Considerable anomalies in Chl-a concentration, 1?C2?weeks before the day of the main earthquakes, were spotted, which are attributed to the rise in upwelling index. Time series of SLHF showed meaningful rises from 1?month to a fortnight before the earthquake events. One problem in our research was the low resolution of the data which makes the graphs that are generated from NCEP database affected by all sources of anomalies, other than seismic activities, within an about 1.8°?C2.5° (200?km) area.     

Surveillance of Vrancea active seismic region in Romania through time series satellite data

Cumulative stress energy in active seismic regions caused by tectonic forces creates various earthquake precursors. This energy transformation may result in enhanced transient thermal infrared (TIR) emission, which can be detected through satellites equipped with thermal sensors like MODIS (Terra/Aqua) and AVHRR (NOAA). Satellite time-series data, coupled with ground based observations, where available, can enable scientists to survey pre-earthquake signals in the areas of strong tectonic activity. This paper presents observations made using time series MODIS and NOAA-AVHRR satellite data for derived multi-parameters including land surface temperature (LST), outgoing long-wave radiation (OLR), and mean air temperature (AT) for the moderate, 5.9 magnitude earthquake, which took place on the 27^th of October, 2004, inthe seismic region of Vrancea, in Romania. Anomalous thermal infrared signals, reflected by a rise of several degrees celsius (°C) in LSTs, and higher OLR values were seen several days before the earthquake. AT values in the epicentral area also increased almost two days prior to the earthquake and intensified three days after the main shock. Increases in LSTs and OLR disappeared three days after the main shock. The survey and joint analysis of geospatial and in-situ geophysical information on land surface temperatures and outgoing long-wave radiation provides new insights into the field of seismic hazard assessment in Vrancea, a significant area of tectonic activity in Romania and Europe.     

Multicomponent diffusion in garnets I: general theoretical considerations and experimental data for Fe–Mg systems

We have carried out a combined theoretical and experimental study of multicomponent diffusion in garnets to address some unresolved issues and to better constrain the diffusion behavior of Fe and Mg in almandine–pyrope-rich garnets. We have (1) improved the convolution correction of concentration profiles measured using electron microprobes, (2) studied the effect of thermodynamic non-ideality on diffusion and (3) explored the use of a mathematical error minimization routine (the Nelder-Mead downhill simplex method) compared to the visual fitting of concentration profiles used in earlier studies. We conclude that incorporation of thermodynamic non-ideality alters the shapes of calculated profiles, resulting in better fits to measured shapes, but retrieved diffusion coefficients do not differ from those retrieved using ideal models by more than a factor of 1.2 for most natural garnet compositions. Diffusion coefficients retrieved using the two kinds of models differ only significantly for some unusual Mg–Mn–Ca-rich garnets. We found that when one of the diffusion coefficients becomes much faster or slower than the rest, or when the diffusion couple has a composition that is dominated by one component (>75 %), then profile shapes become insensitive to one or more tracer diffusion coefficients. Visual fitting and numerical fitting using the Nelder-Mead algorithm give identical results for idealized profile shapes, but for data with strong analytical noise or asymmetric profile shapes, visual fitting returns values closer to the known inputs. Finally, we have carried out four additional diffusion couple experiments (25–35 kbar, 1,260–1,400 °C) in a piston-cylinder apparatus using natural pyrope- and almandine-rich garnets. We have combined our results with a reanalysis of the profiles from Ganguly et al. (1998) using the tools developed in this work to obtain the following Arrhenius parameters in D = D ₀ exp{–[Q _1bar + (P–1)ΔV ⁺]/RT} for D _Mg^* and D _Fe^*: Mg: Q _1bar = 228.3 ± 20.3 kJ/mol, D ₀ = 2.72 (±4.52) × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s, Fe: Q _1bar = 226.9 ± 18.6 kJ/mol, D ₀ = 1.64 (±2.54) × 10⁻¹⁰ m²/s. ΔV ⁺ values were assumed to be the same as those obtained by Chakraborty and Ganguly (1992).     

土壤湿度遥感估算同化研究综述

土壤湿度是影响气候的至关重要的变量之一。利用数据同化方法反演大规模高精度土壤湿度数据是目前土壤水分研究的一个重要方向。结合国内外土壤湿度遥感估算研究现状,总结了土壤水分同化算法主要应用进程,梳理了目前实现土壤水分反演且应用广泛的陆面过程模型,Noah模型、通用陆面过程模型CLM、简单生物圈模型Si B2、北方生产力模拟模型BEPS,介绍了大范围卫星土壤水分数据集,包括陆面同化系统数据集、ASCAT数据集、AMSR-E数据集及SMOS数据集,最后探讨了遥感土壤水分同化过程中存在的问题及发展方向。     

Linkage of urban expansion and land surface temperature using geospatial techniques for Jaipur City,India

The aim of this study is to understand the land use change and urban expansion of Jaipur City of Rajasthan (India). Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI satellite data of 4 years, i.e., 1993, 2000, 2010, and 2015 are used for land use and land surface temperature (LST) analysis. ERDAS Imagine and ArcGIS software are used to conduct the analysis. Urban settlement increased from 13.5 to 57.3% in the study period. Open land is mainly changed to urban areas. Urban settlement is also expanded to peri-urban area of Jaipur City. Jaipur City expanded along three directions i.e., north, west, and south and less development is found in the east direction. Based on radial analysis, it is observed there is not much development within the periphery of 2 km (close to city center) but maximum growth is observed within the distance from 4 to 6 km radius of city center. Expansion intensity was observed highest in the period 2015–2010 from 6 km onwards and reached to a maximum value close to 17 km²/year. In LST analysis, there is less change in extreme temperature, but more areal increase in average temperature range (30–35 °C). Urbanization is the main driving process of land cover changes and consequently changes in LST.     

利用MODIS和AMSR-E进行积雪制图的比较分析

MODIS和被动微波辐射计AMSR-E提供了识别积雪的不同方法.MODIS首先计算反映积雪在1.6μm强吸收特性的归一化差值积雪指数NDSI,在剔除卷云的影响后,得到MODIS积雪分布.AMSR-E则根据积雪在微波波段的差异性散射特性识别积雪.通过案例分析比较了MODIS和AMSR-E积雪分布,发现由于云的遮蔽使MODIS积雪分布面积会比实际小,但由于MODIS的空间分辨率很高,得到的积雪边界线轮廓清晰.而微波由于不受云的影响,得到的AMSR-E积雪分布比较符合实际,但积雪的边界线较粗.     

A severe sea-effect snow episode over the city of Istanbul

In February 2005, unexpected heavy snowstorms lasted a couple of days with changing intensities, producing significant snowfall that eventually paralyzed the life of Istanbul metropolis. Surprisingly, there was no caution announcement prior to the onset of this unusual weather phenomenon. What was the reason behind this wrong prediction? In this case study, using a meteorological model, a heavy sea-effect snowfall, the reason of this phenomenon, was simulated and researched. With a persistent surface high-pressure center over western Russia, a surface low-pressure positioned in the center of southern Turkey was the dominant feature of the formation of the sea-effect snow over the city. In addition to strong northerly winds (19 m/s), low directional vertical wind shear (<30^o) and extremely long fetch distance (~600 km) feature; environmental conditions during the event were characterized by a sea-surface 850-hPa temperature difference of up to 14°C and a sea–land temperature difference as high as 24°C.