The cloud phase discrimination from a satellite

A new technique to identify mixed-phase clouds but also clouds with supercooled water droplets using satellite measurements is proposed. The technique is based on measurements of the backscattered solar light at wavelengths 1.55 and 1.67 /spl mu/m in combination with cloud brightness temperature measurements at 12 /spl mu/m. For the first time, the concept of the phase index-temperature correlation plot (the P-T diagram) is introduced in the cloud remote sensing. Retrievals of cloud temperature and cloud phase index are performed using data from the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) and Scaning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) both onboard the Envisat platform.     

The New SCIAMACHY Reference Solar Spectral Irradiance and Its Validation

This paper describes a new reference solar spectrum retrieved from measurements of the satellite instrument SCIAMACHY in the wavelength region from \(0.24~\upmu\mbox{m}\) to \(2.4~\upmu\mbox{m}\) and its comparison with several other established solar reference spectra. The SCIAMACHY reference spectrum was recorded early in the mission before substantial optical degradation due to the harsh space environment sets in. The radiometric calibration of SCIAMACHY, applied in this study, includes a physical model of the scanner unit. Furthermore, SCIAMACHY’s internal white light source (WLS) is used to correct for on-ground to in-flight changes. The resultant calibrated solar spectrum from SCIAMACHY is in good agreement with several available solar spectral irradiance (SSI) references in the visible spectral range. Strong throughput losses due to detector icing in the near infrared (NIR) are now adequately accounted for. Nevertheless, a deficit with respect to the ATLAS-3 composite and SORCE/SIM SSI is observed in the NIR. However, the SCIAMACHY solar reference spectrum agrees well with the recently re-evaluated SOLAR/SOLSPEC-ISS and recent ground measurements taken at Mauna Loa in the NIR.     

Drifter observations of the Hebrides slope current and nearby circulation patterns

The mean flow at and around the Hebrides and Shetland Shelf slope is measured with ARGOS tracked drifters. Forty-two drifters drogued at 50 m were deployed in three circles over the Hebrides slope at 56.15°N in two releases, one on 5th December, 1995 and the second on 5–9th May, 1996. The circles span a distance of some 20 km from water depths of 200 m to 1200 m. Drifters are initially advected poleward along-slope by the Hebrides slope current at between 0.05 and 0.70 m s^–1 in a laterally constrained (25–50 km wide) jet-like flow. Drifters released in winter remained in the slope current for over 2000 km whilst summer drifters were lost from the slope current beyond the Wyville-Thomson Ridge, a major topographic feature at 60°N. Dispersion from the slope region into deeper waters occurs at bathymetric irregularities, particularly at the Anton Dohrn Seamount close to which the slope current is found to bifurcate, both in summer and winter, and at the Wyville-Thomson Ridge where drifters move into the Faeroe Shetland Channel. Dispersion onto the continental shelf occurs sporadically along the Hebrides slope. The initial dispersion around the Hebrides slope is remarkably sensitive to initial position, most of the drifters released in shallower water moving onto the shelf, whilst those in 1000 m or more are mostly carried away from the slope into deeper water near the Anton Dohrn Seamount. The dispersion coefficients estimated in directions parallel and normal to the local direction of the 500 m contour, approximately the position of the slope current core, are approximately 8.8 × 10³ m² s^–1 and 0.36 × 10³ m² s^–1, respectively, during winter, and 11.4 × 10³ m² s^–1 and 0.36 x 10³ m² s^–1, respectively, during summer. At the slope there is a minimum in across-slope mean velocity, Reynolds stress, and across-slope eddy correlations. The mean across-slope velocity associated with mass flux is about 4 × 10^–3 m s^–1 shelfward across the shelf break during winter and 2 × 10^–3 m s^–1 during summer. The drifters also sampled local patterns of circulation, and indicate that the source of water for the seasonal Fair Isle and East Shetland currents are the same, and drawn from Atlantic overflows at the Hebrides shelf.     

Modelling tidal stream power potential

In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in renewable energy sources for a number of reasons. A particular interest in tidal energy has developed within the UK due to its numerous sites of high current velocity. In this article a development, based upon previous work, of an existing hydrodynamic computational model is shown which is used to study the potential generation and the physical impacts of tidal stream farms. An idealised geometry is used to study the impacts of installed capacity and general layout of tidal stream farms and a realistic UK west coast model is used to examine the potential of presently proposed in-stream farms.     

Calibration of SCIAMACHY Using AATSR Top-of-Atmosphere Reflectance Over a Hurricane

This letter investigates the synergy between the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Chartography (SCIAMACHY) and the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) onboard the ENVISAT platform for reflectance calibration purposes. This calibration study was mainly performed over a portion of a hurricane corresponding to fully cloudy SCIAMACHY and AATSR pixels. Results show that SCIAMACHY underestimates the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) reflectance by up to 23% (at 870 nm) as compared to AATSR for a nadir viewing geometry. Specifically, considering AATSR calibration as accurate, which is confirmed by comparison with the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, the SCIAMACHY TOA reflectances should be multiplied by 1.21, 1.19, 1.23, and 1.10 for wavelengths at 550, 670, 870, and 1600 nm, respectively, ahead of satellite retrieval schemes based on the measurements of TOA reflectance     

New open-source approaches to the modeling of stellar collapse and the formation of black holes

We present new approaches to the simulation of stellar collapse, the formation of black holes, and explosive core-collapse supernova nucleosynthesis that build upon open-source codes and microphysics. We discuss the new spherically-symmetric general-relativistic (GR) collapse code GR1D that is endowed with an approximate 1.5D treatment of rotation, comes with multiple nuclear equations of state, and handles neutrinos with a multi-species leakage scheme. Results from a first set of spinning black hole formation simulations are presented. We go on to discuss the derivative code GR1D+N which is tuned for calculations of explosive nucleosynthesis and includes a NSE/non-NSE equation of state treatment, and a nuclear reaction network. We present sample results showing GR1D+N??s performance in reproducing previous results with thermal-bomb-driven explosions. Finally, we introduce the 3?+?1 GR Zelmani core collapse simulation package and present first results obtained in its application to the 3D modeling of failing core-collapse supernovae.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of the transient shallow water flows

A two-dimensional lattice Boltzmann model (LBM) is presented for transient shallow water flows. The model is based on the shallow water equations coupled with the large eddy simulation model. In order to obtain accurate results efficiently, a multi-block lattice scheme is applied at the area where a local finer grid is needed for strong change in physical variables. The model is verified by applying to five cases with transient processes: (a) a tidal wave over steps; (b) a perturbation over a submerged hump; (c) partial dam break flow; (d) circular dam break flow; (e) interaction between a dam break surge and four square cylinders. The objectives of this study are to validate the two-dimensional LBM in transient flow simulation and provide the detailed transient processes in shallow water flows.     

Efficient Calibration/Uncertainty Analysis Using Paired Complex/Surrogate Models

The use of detailed groundwater models to simulate complex environmental processes can be hampered by (1) long run‐times and (2) a penchant for solution convergence problems. Collectively, these can undermine the ability of a modeler to reduce and quantify predictive uncertainty, and therefore limit the use of such detailed models in the decision‐making context. We explain and demonstrate a novel approach to calibration and the exploration of posterior predictive uncertainty, of a complex model, that can overcome these problems in many modelling contexts. The methodology relies on conjunctive use of a simplified surrogate version of the complex model in combination with the complex model itself. The methodology employs gradient‐based subspace analysis and is thus readily adapted for use in highly parameterized contexts. In its most basic form, one or more surrogate models are used for calculation of the partial derivatives that collectively comprise the Jacobian matrix. Meanwhile, testing of parameter upgrades and the making of predictions is done by the original complex model. The methodology is demonstrated using a density‐dependent seawater intrusion model in which the model domain is characterized by a heterogeneous distribution of hydraulic conductivity.