SARAS 2: a spectral radiometer for probing cosmic dawn and the epoch of reionization through detection of the global 21-cm signal

The global 21-cm signal from Cosmic Dawn (CD) and the Epoch of Reionization (EoR), at redshifts \(z \sim 6-30\), probes the nature of first sources of radiation as well as physics of the Inter-Galactic Medium (IGM). Given that the signal is predicted to be extremely weak, of wide fractional bandwidth, and lies in a frequency range that is dominated by Galactic and Extragalactic foregrounds as well as Radio Frequency Interference, detection of the signal is a daunting task. Critical to the experiment is the manner in which the sky signal is represented through the instrument. It is of utmost importance to design a system whose spectral bandpass and additive spurious signals can be well calibrated and any calibration residual does not mimic the signal. Shaped Antenna measurement of the background RAdio Spectrum (SARAS) is an ongoing experiment that aims to detect the global 21-cm signal. Here we present the design philosophy of the SARAS 2 system and discuss its performance and limitations based on laboratory and field measurements. Laboratory tests with the antenna replaced with a variety of terminations, including a network model for the antenna impedance, show that the gain calibration and modeling of internal additive signals leave no residuals with Fourier amplitudes exceeding 2 mK, or residual Gaussians of 25 MHz width with amplitudes exceeding 2 mK. Thus, even accounting for reflection and radiation efficiency losses in the antenna, the SARAS 2 system is capable of detection of complex 21-cm profiles at the level predicted by currently favoured models for thermal baryon evolution.     

Seasonal variability of near-surface isothermal layer and thermocline characteristics of the Tropical Indian Ocean

Summary A subset of world ocean monthly mean temperature climatology generated by Levitus and Boyer (1994), is utilised to describe the observed seasonal variability of the characteristics of the near-surface isothermal layer and thermocline for the entire tropical Indian Ocean (TIO). The most salient features of the observed annual cycle are described in terms of amplitude and phase of the annual and semi-annual frequencies employing Fourier analysis technique. On the annual mode, the near-surface isothermal layer depth (ILD), exhibits larger variability away from the equator with peak values in the northernmost Arabian Sea, the northernmost Bay of Bengal and the southern TIO, while on the semi-annual mode, it shows larger variability in the central Arabian Sea. The variability of the near-surface isothermal layer temperature (ILT), on the annual mode, is very weak in the warmpool region, and increases with latitude, while on the semi-annual mode, it shows larger variability in the northwestern Arabian Sea. The variability of 20°C isotherm topography (D20), on the annual mode, is weakest in the equatorial region and largest in the coastal regions of the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal and in the southern T10, while on the semi-annual mode, it is prominent in the eastern and western equatorial regions. The thermocline gradient (TG) is very sharp below the warmpool region and diffuses meridionally. On the annual mode, it shows larger variability in the southern TIO, off Somalia and northernmost Arabian Sea, while on the semiannual mode, it shows larger variability in the southwestern Arabian Sea and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean. The relationship between near-surface isothermal layer and thermocline characteristics over an annual cycle are explored through correlation analysis. The correlation between ILD and ILT is strong over much of the basin with the exception of the equatorial and coastal upwelling/downwelling zones where internal ocean dynamics are important. In the southern TIO, entrainment of colder waters appears to be important in maintaining the annual cycle of ILT as strong correlation is noticed between ILT and TG. In the Indo-Pacific throughflow region and another region west of it, the annual Rossby waves appear to control D20, as correlations between D20 and other fields are strong in these regions. A similar strong correlation between D20 and ILD is also noticed in the southeastern Arabian Sea where mode-2 Rossby waves identified in numerical model solutions.With 5 Figures     

Cyclone track prediction by a quasi-Lagrangian limited area model

Summary. ?Cyclone track predictions in the Indian seas (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) with a quasi-Lagrangian model (QLM) have been attempted. QLM has a horizontal resolution of 40 km and 16 sigma levels in the vertical. It is integrated in a domain of about 4400 × 4400 km². A new initialization procedure to provide initial fields for running the model has been designed. The initialization procedure consists of updating the global model forecasts, used as first guess, provided by the National Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), New Delhi. A new version of IMD’s operational optimum interpolation scheme has been created to suit the QLM grid structure. Lateral boundary conditions are computed from the extended forecasts of NCMRWF. The track forecasts in each case show a reasonable skill of the forecast model in predicting the direction of movement within acceptable limits of forecast errors, which are comparable to some of the best models operated by advanced NWP centers of the world. Even the recurving storms are well predicted. Evolution of the vertical motion fields are also studied which reveal some interesting features, which are described in detail in the text. The composited vertical motion fields are projected against observed rainfall distribution, which show a good spatial correspondence. Received August 9, 2001; revised March 12, 2002; accepted June 17, 2002 Published online: May 8, 2003     

Dynamic soil–structure interaction analysis using Lanczos vectors with adaptive time integration technique

An analytical procedure to obtain the response of soil–structure interaction problems, time domain is described. The procedure makes use of large domain for descritization along with co-ordinate transformation using Lanczos vectors. The responses are obtained in time domain using an adaptive direct integration method. The scheme has the ability to estimate errors due to temporal discretization as well as co-ordinate transformation. The procedure has been applied to half-space problems and non-convex domains for validation of the scheme, and the scheme obeys causality condition in both the situations. The present method has all the advantages of time domain scheme which is local both in space and time with small computational effort. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2007年9-11月T213与ECMWF及日本模式中期预报性能检验

2007年9-11月冷空气频繁,气温变幅大,热带气旋活跃,给中期天气预报增加了一定的难度.为积累预报经验,提高中期预报准确率,对9-11月T213模式96小时预报产品进行了天气学检验,并与ECMWF、日本模式进行对比分析.结果表明,T213、ECMWF和日本模式对亚洲中高纬大气环流调整具有较好的中期预报性能,对转折性、灾害性天气的预报有较强指示意义.综合来看,ECMWF对天气系统和要素的预报误差最小,T213模式误差最大,日本模式温度预报性能与ECMWF相当.对0713号台风登陆前的位置和移速,ECMWF预报较为准确,T213模式对台风登陆前移速预报偏慢,对台风登陆后的位置预报偏差最小,日本模式对台风位置和强度预报较为失败.     

电法勘探在探测加油站石油烃污染中的应用

对一个有近40年历史的废弃加油站,分别使用探地雷达方法和高密度电阻率法进行探测,同时布置了4口监测井进行取样分析,以验证两种方法探测石油烃类轻质非水相液体(LNAPLs)污染物的准确性.测量结果明确显示了污染源及其扩散范围.实际应用证实了探地雷达与高密度电阻率法可以作为有效的工具在加油站及类似场地用于环境探测.     

峡谷地带测量施工控制网布设

本文利用实例介绍峡谷河流水电站施工控制网的布设及作业方法。在带状及高差大地区注意本测区外业观测时间段,可以取得好的成果。     

地震遥测台站仪器安装结构的设想

野外台站仪器安装结构不合理,不仅给台网的建设带不便,而且还影响台网的正常运行率,增加维护工作量,缩短设备的使用寿命。作者在文中提出了野外台站仪器结构模块化和采用密封箱式布局的具体方案,希望与从事地震遥测工作的同行探讨。     

Lagrangian Stochastic Modeling of Dispersion in the Stable Boundary Layer

Lagrangian stochastic models are well-suited for modeling dispersion in the stable boundary layer, especially in complex terrain. This note briefly describes the formulations and application of a Lagrangian stochastic model to predict dispersion of tracers released within nocturnal drainage flows.