Performance evaluation of soil moisture profile estimation through entropy-based and exponential filter models

ABSTRACT

In this study we analyzed two models commonly used in remote sensing-based root-zone soil moisture (SM) estimations: one utilizing the exponential decaying function and the other derived from the principle of maximum entropy (POME). We used both models to deduce root-zone (0–100 cm) SM conditions at 11 sites located in the southeastern USA for the period 2012–2017 and evaluated the strengths and weaknesses of each approach against ground observations. The results indicate that, temporally, at shallow depths (10 cm), both models performed similarly, with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.89 (POME) and 0.88 (exponential). However, with increasing depths, the models start to deviate: at 50 cm the POME resulted in r of 0.93 while the exponential filter (EF) model had r of 0.58. Similar trends were observed for unbiased root mean square error (ubRMSE) and bias. Vertical profile analysis suggests that, overall, the POME model had nearly 30% less ubRMSE compared to the EF model, indicating that the POME model was relatively better able to distribute the moisture content through the soil column.     

Spectral study of the Bouguer anomaly map of a rift valley and adjacent areas in Central India

The spectral study of the Bouguer anomally map of Central India suggests an uplifted crust-mantle interface under the Mahandi graben. This study has delineated three subsurface levels of anomalous masses at the respective depths of 23 km, 8 km, and 2 km apparently representing the Moho, an intermediate discontinuity in the sialic part of the crust and the basement, respectively. Model study of the Bouguer anomaly along a profile suggests a typical continental graben type subsurface structure with a low density depression in the sialic part of the crust between 8 and 18 km supported by an elevated upper mantle of intermediate density (3.4 g/cm³) varying in depth from 25 km to 55 km. The depths of the inferred interfaces in case of Bundelkhand granite are 32 km, 11 km, and 1.5 km, which might represent the Moho, the base of intruded granite massif, and some shallow compositional variation. Similar studies in case of Vindhyan basin have brought out three discontinuities at the respective depths of 16 km, 6–4.5 km, and 2.4 km. The first horizon at the depth of 16 km probably represents the interface between the granitic and the basaltic part of the crust. The 6–4.5 km is the depth of the basement, with the 2.4 km interface separating Bijawar rocks from Vindhyans wherever they are present. A generalized inversion of a profile across a positive belt of Bouguer anomaly representing the subsurface Bijawar rocks support the above result.     

Magnetic anomalies — India and Antarctica

Magnetic anomalies over the continental shelf off the east coast of India (Orissa) suggest the presence of a highly magnetic rock type magnetized with an intensity of 900 nT in a direction, azimuth(A) = 150° and inclination(I) = +65°. This suggest the occurrence of igneous volcanic rocks which is confirmed from samples found below Tertiary sediments from a few boreholes in this region. The depth of this rock type as estimated from magnetic anomalies varies from approximately 1–2 km near the coast to 4–4.5 km towards the shelf margin. This direction of magnetization is the reverse of the reported direction of magnetization for the Rajmahal Traps of the Cretaceous period (100–110 m.y). A small strip of the body near the continental shelf margin appears, however, to possess normal magnetization suggesting the occurrence of normal and reversed polarities side by side, a characteristic typical for oceanic magnetic anomalies. The reversed polarity of the rocks on the continental shelf suggests that they correspond probably to the MO reversal (115 m.y.) on world magnetostratigraphic scale and provide a paleolatitude of 47°S for the land mass of India which agrees with the palaeoreconstruction of India and Antarctica. In this reconstruction, the Mahanadi Gondwana graben on the Indian subcontinent falls into line with the Lambert Rift in Antarctica, suggesting a probable common ancestry. The volcanic rocks on the continental shelf off the east coast of India might represent a missing link, that is, rocks formed between India and Antarctica at the time of the break-up of Gondwanaland. Satellite magnetic anomalies (MAGSAT) recorded over the Indian shield and interpreted in terms of variations in the Curie point geotherm provide a direction of magnetization which also places this continent close to Antarctica. As such MAGSAT anomalies recorded over eastern Antarctica are found compatible with those recorded over the Indian shield.     

Low level wind shear and baroclinic growth of monsoon depression scale waves

Summary A quasi-geostrophic, linear stability analysis was carried out to find the effect of low level wind shear on the baroclinic growth of monsoon depression scale waves. The low level wind shear of the mean monsoon flow is altered by varying the surface wind, the position and the magnitude of the westerly maximum. The growth rate and phase velocity of the short unstable waves for all the cases of wind profiles are obtained. It is noticed that the growth rate and phase velocity of the depression scale waves (L2000 to 2500 km) are not influenced by small variations in the position or magnitude of the westerly maximum. But the growth rate of depression scale waves does depend on the average wind shear between 850–500 mb region.

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Zusammenfassung Die Scherung des Windes in den unteren Schichten und das barokline Wachstum von kurzen Wellen der MonsundepressionEs wurde eine quasigeostrophische, lineare Stabilitäts-analyse durchgeführt, um die Auswirkung der Windscherung in den unteren Luftschichten auf das barokline Wachstum von kurzen Wellen der Monsundepression zu studieren. Die Windscherung der mittleren Monsunströmung wird durch wechselnden Wind am Boden sowie die Lage und die Stärke des Westwindmaximums verändert. Für alle Fälle von Windprofilen wurde die Wachstumsrate und die Phasengeschwindigkeit der kurzen labilen Wellen (L2000 bis 2500 km) bestimmt. Man erkennt, daß beide von kleineren Änderungen in Lage und Stärke des Westwindmaximums nicht beeinflußt werden. Dagegen hängt die Wachstumsrate der kurzen Wellen der Monsundepression wohl von der mittleren Windscherung im Niveau zwischen 850 und 500 mb ab.

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With 5 Figures     

‘Derived’ and observed sulphosalt-sulphide phase assemblages compared — A case study from Rajpura-Dariba,India

Log a_{S 2}-T diagrams for several sulphosalts (and sulphides) are constructed from published thermochemical data. Additionally, extension of published data on the Cu-S system (Barton, 1973) to the univariant phase equilibria involving fahlore and high-chalcocite in the Cu-Sb-As-S system (Luce et al., 1977) permits construction of approximate As-isopleths for fahlore in log a_{S 2}-T space. Phase relationships thus derived are compared with the sulphosalt-sulphide assemblages present in the biphase, polymetallic mineralization at Rajpura-Dariba where geology, genesis and mineral-chemistry are well documented. A gratifying correspondence between the two is observed. Biphase origin of the orebody, inferred from geological data, is confirmed, and rigorous narrow limits of variation of a_{S 2} and T could be set for some assemblages belonging to the second phase of mineralization. The phase diagrams also indicate that the observed pyrargyrite-proustite textural relation and the decomposition fabric of some fahlores, independently, point to an intermittent increase in the activities of S₂ and As during the second phase mineralization.     

Petrology of the picrite-basalt flows in the Igatpuri area,Nasik district,Maharashtra

In the course of studying the Deccan Trap Hows around Igatpuri (latitudes 19°38′ and 19°45′: longitudes 73°30′ and 73°42′), picrite-basalts, not hitherto reported from this area, have been found occurring associated with basaltic flows. Thirty-eight flows, of a total thickness of 2200 feet, have been delimited. Of these, 8 flows may be termed picrite-basalts with a thickness varying from 25 to 75 feet. A feature of these basic flows is the abundance of olivine phenocrysts, with a complete absence of pyroxene phenocrysts in two of the flows. Two flows may be termed oceanite, two ankaramite, while four flows have phenocrysts of olivine, pyroxene and lelspar of An 65–70 %. In the oceanite flows the olivine phenocrysts constitute 20 to 30 per cent of the rock. They are mostly fresh, but some are altered to iddingsite. As regards the basaltic flows, about half have scanty olivine phenocrysts, the remainder being devoid of olivine. Eight are coarse enough to be termed olivine-dolerites. In the picrite-basalts the pyroxene phenocrysts have an optic axial angle of from 55° to 60°. In the basaltic flows the angle varies from 45° to 52°. The olivine phenocrysts of the picrite-basalts are highly magnesian, whereas those of the basalts are more ferruginous, as determined by optical methods. West’s view that the origin of these picrite-basalts is due to differentiation by crystal settling followed by freezing and extrusion, seems to be supported by this study.     

On the propagation of wave from a cylindrical cavity,II

Summary We have discussed in the paper the disturbance produced in an infinite layer of nonhomogeneous elastic material characterised by = ₀ Z and = ₀ Z where and are the density and shear modulus respectively of the material due to periodic torsional force applied on the wall of a cylindrical hole in the layer. The variation of the displacement component with the depth of the layer is shown graphically and compared with the corresponding homogeneous case.     

Active fault traces along Bhuj Fault and Katrol Hill Fault, and trenching survey at Wandhay, Kachchh, Gujarat, India

Several new active fault traces were identified along Katrol Hill Fault (KHF). A new fault (named as Bhuj Fault, BF) that extends into the Bhuj Plain was also identified. These fault traces were identified based on satellite photo interpretation and field survey. Trenches were excavated to identify the paleoseismic events, pattern of faulting and the nature of deformation. New active fault traces were recognized about 1km north of the topographic boundary between the Katrol Hill and the plain area. The fault exposure along the left bank of Khari River with 10m wide shear zone in the Mesozoic rocks and showing displacement of the overlying Quaternary deposits is indicative of continued tectonic activity along the ancient fault. The E-W trending active fault traces along the KHF in the western part changes to NE-SW or ENE-WSW near Wandhay village. Trenching survey across a low scarp near Wandhay village reveals three major fault strands F1, F2, and F3. These fault strands displaced the older terrace deposits comprising Sand, Silt and Gravel units along with overlying younger deposits from units 1 to 5 made of gravel, sand and silt. Stratigraphic relationship indicates at least three large magnitude earthquakes along KHF during Late Holocene or recent historic past.     

The first multi-model ensemble of regional climate simulations at kilometer-scale resolution part 2: historical and future simulations of precipitation

This paper presents the first multi-model ensemble of 10-year, “convection-permitting” kilometer-scale regional climate model (RCM) scenario simulations downscaled from selected CMIP5 GCM projections for historical and end of century time slices. The technique is to first downscale the CMIP5 GCM projections to an intermediate 12–15 km resolution grid using RCMs, and then use these fields to downscale further to the kilometer scale. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the representation of the precipitation characteristics and their projected changes over the greater Alpine domain within a Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment Flagship Pilot Study and the European Climate Prediction system project, tasked with investigating convective processes at the kilometer scale. An ensemble of 12 simulations performed by different research groups around Europe is analyzed. The simulations are evaluated through comparison with high resolution observations while the complementary ensemble of 12 km resolution driving models is used as a benchmark to evaluate the added value of the convection-permitting ensemble. The results show that the kilometer-scale ensemble is able to improve the representation of fine scale details of mean daily, wet-day/hour frequency, wet-day/hour intensity and heavy precipitation on a seasonal scale, reducing uncertainty over some regions. It also improves the representation of the summer diurnal cycle, showing more realistic onset and peak of convection. The kilometer-scale ensemble refines and enhances the projected patterns of change from the coarser resolution simulations and even modifies the sign of the precipitation intensity change and heavy precipitation over some regions. The convection permitting simulations also show larger changes for all indices over the diurnal cycle, also suggesting a change in the duration of convection over some regions. A larger positive change of frequency of heavy to severe precipitation is found. The results are encouraging towards the use of convection-permitting model ensembles to produce robust assessments of the local impacts of future climate change.

     

Study of variation of aerosol optical properties over a high altitude station in Indian Western Himalayan region,palampur using raman lidar system

A Raman lidar system was operated along with the Microtops sunphotometer measurements to carry out the study of the variation of the optical properties of aerosols over Palampur (32.11° N and 76.53° E), India from 17th April to 11th May 2019. The lidar system is furnished with Raman (N₂) channel and depolarization channel allowing independent measurement of Lidar Ratio (LR) and linear depolarization ratio. The study reveals that the majority of the aerosols approximately were restricted within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and very less loading was present in the free troposphere over the study location. The particle loading over the study period was found to be very less with aerosol backscatter coefficient (at 355 nm) ranging from ～0.13 Mm^?1sr^?1 to ～7.25 Mm^?1sr^?1 with mean value of 2.67?±?0.82 Mm^?1sr^?1 and it is well supplemented by the mean aerosol optical depth (AOD) of 0.37?±?0.13 obtained from Microtops Sunphotometer. The average lidar ratio values for 0-1 km altitude (L1) 72?±?13sr, for 1-2 km (L2) altitude 55?±?8sr, for 2-3 km (L3) 54?±?15sr were observed as suggesting dominance of the biomass burning aerosols and anthropogenic aerosols. The particle depolarization ratio (355 nm) values were found from approximately 4.8?±?2.7% to 11.5?±?1.9% with the mean value of 7?±?1.3% suggesting the presence of non-spherical particles. To trace the sources of the pollution, we derived the HYSPLIT trajectory which shows the majority of the movement was from local sources.