Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Based Inversion of Benthic Substrate Bottom Type and Bathymetry in Optically Shallow Waters - Initial Model Results

Ocean-colour remote sensing in optically shallow waters is influenced by contribution from the water column depth as well as by the substrate type. Therefore, it is required to include the contribution from the water column and substrate bottom type for bathymetry estimation. In this report we demonstrate the use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based approach to spectrally distinguish various benthic bottom types and estimate depth of substrate bottom simultaneously in optically shallow waters. We have used in-water radiative transfer simulation modeling to generate simulated top-of-the-water column reflectance the four major benthic bottom types viz. sea grass, coral sand, green algae and red algae using Hydrolight simulation model. The simulated remote sensing reflectance, for the four benthic bottom types having benthic bottom depth up to 30 m were generated for moderately clear waters. A multi-layer perceptron (MLP) type neural network was trained using the simulated data. ANN based approach was used for classification of the benthic bottom type and simultaneous inversion of bathymetry. Simulated data was inverted to yield benthic bottom type classification with an accuracy of ~98% for the four benthic substrate types and the substrate depth were estimated with an error of 0% for sea grass, 1% for coral sand and 1–3% for green and red algae up to 25 m, whereas for substrate bottom deeper than 25 m depth the classification errors increased by 2–5% for three substrate bottom types except sea grass bottom type. The initial results are promising which needs validation using the in-situ measured remote sensing reflectance spectra for implementing further on satellite data.     

Detection of radio recombination lines of hydrogen ionized by cosmic-ray protons in the cool interstellar medium

The emission of hydrogen radio recombination lines from a cloud of cool interstellar matter toward the radio source Cassiopeia A has been detected. The formation of the radio recombination lines is initiated by cosmic rays. The rate of ionization of the interstellar hydrogen by cosmic-ray protons measured from the radio recombination lines using the most direct method is ζ_H = (1 ± 0.25)×10⁻¹⁶ s⁻¹. This value of ζ_H is compared with measurements obtained using other methods.     

Organized Roll Circulation and Transport of Mineral Aerosols in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - An investigation into mesoscale roll circulation and its transport characteristics in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is carried out. The case...     

A tangential wind profile for simulating strong tropical cyclones with MM5

A new tangential wind profile for simulating strong tropical cyclones is put forward and planted into the NCARAFWA tropical cyclone bogussing scheme in MM5. The scheme for the new profile can make full use of the information from routine typhoon reports, including not only the maximum wind, but also the additional information of the wind speeds of 25.7 and 15.4 ms^-1 and their corresponding radii, which are usually provided for strong cyclones. Thus, the new profile can be used to describe the outer structure of cyclones more accurately than by using the earlier scheme of MM5 in which only the maximum wind speed is considered. Numerical experimental forecasts of two strong tropical cyclones are performed to examine the new profile. Results show that by using the new profile the prediction of both cyclones‘ intensity can be obviously improved, but the effects on the track prediction of the two cyclones are different. It seems that the new profile might be more suitable for strong cyclones with shifted tracks. However, the conclusion is drawn from only two typhoon cases, so more cases are needed to evaluate the new profile.     

A simple method using climatic variables to estimate canopy temperature,sensible and latent heat fluxes in a winter wheat field on the North China Plain

Estimation of evapotranspiration from a crop field is of great importance for detecting crop water status and proper irrigation scheduling. The Penman–Monteith equation is widely viewed as the best method to estimate evapotranspiration but it requires canopy resistance, which is very difficult to determine in practice. This paper presents a simple method simplified from the Penman–Monteith equation for estimating canopy temperature (T_c). The proposed method is a biophysically‐sound extended version of that proposed by Todorovic. The estimated canopy temperature is used to calculate sensible heat flux, and then latent heat flux is calculated as the residual of the surface energy balance. An eddy covariance (EC) system and an infrared thermometer (IRT) were installed in an irrigated winter wheat field on the North China Plain in 2004 and 2005, to measure T_c, and sensible and latent heat fluxes were used to test the modified Todorovic model (MTD). The results indicate that the original Todorovic model (TD) severely underestimates T_c and sensible heat flux, and hence severely overestimates the latent heat flux. However, the MTD model has good capability for estimating T_c, and gives acceptable results for latent heat flux at both half‐hourly and daily scales. The MTD model results also agreed well with the evapotranspiration calculated from the measured T_c. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Timeslot scheduling of inter-satellite links based on a system of a narrow beam with time division

An inter-satellite link (ISL) can enhance the performance of a global navigation satellite system. The system of narrow beams with time division is being increasingly used for ISLs. ISLs improve the performance of global navigation satellite systems via ranging and communication between satellites. When there are fewer antenna beams than targets, how to schedule timeslots for inter-satellite links to better perform the function of ISLs can become a problem. We describe the timeslot scheduling problem and propose a new method based on grouping to solve this problem of obtaining more range observations in a short time and communicating with a short delay between satellites and facilities. A series of 10,080 benchmarks of a typical constellation of a global navigation satellite system was run to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. The regression cycle of constellations under test lasted approximately 7 days. The proposed schedule has a communication delay of less than 10 s and obtains more than nine different range observations in 60 s. Results show that the method effectively solves the scheduling problem and increases the scheduling success ratio remarkably.     

Euv Spectroscopy of the Sunspot Region Noaa 7981 Using Soho – II. Velocities and Line Profiles

We have studied the dynamics in the sunspot transition region between the chromosphere and the corona and investigated the extension of the flow field into the corona. Based on EUV spectra of a medium size sunspot and its surroundings, NOAA 7981, observed with CDS and SUMER on SOHO, we derive line-of-sight velocities and study the line profiles for a series of emission lines.The flow field in the low corona is found to differ markedly from that in the transition region. In the transition region the relative line-of-sight velocity shows an upflow in the umbra and relatively large areas with downflow that cover part of the penumbra. The spatial extent of these areas with upflow and downflow increases with increasing temperature in the transition region, but the whole flow field changes character as the temperature increases from the upper transition region to the low corona. Based on a calibration of the SUMER wavelength scale we find that the entire sunspot transition zone appears to be moving downwards towards the chromosphere. The relation between this finding and the general tendency for transition-region lines to show a net red shift is discussed.Several of the transition-region spectral line profiles are observed to show two line components with Gaussian shape and line-of-sight velocities that differ markedly. Several of the line profiles that are composed of two spectral line components occur close to the dividing line between up- and downflow. A discussion of this observation is presented. In small regions with spatial extent of a few arc sec we detect enhanced continuum emission underlying explosive events. The similarities between explosive events with continuum emission and the moustaches observed in H close to sunspots are so striking that we are tempted to introduce the notation transition-region moustaches.     

Spatial data for landslide susceptibility, hazard, and vulnerability assessment: An overview

The aim of this paper is to discuss a number of issues related to the use of spatial information for landslide susceptibility, hazard, and vulnerability assessment. The paper centers around the types of spatial data needed for each of these components, and the methods for obtaining them. A number of concepts are illustrated using an extensive spatial data set for the city of Tegucigalpa in Honduras. The paper intends to supplement the information given in the “Guidelines for Landslide Susceptibility, Hazard and Risk Zoning for Land Use Planning” by the Joint ISSMGE, ISRM and IAEG Technical Committee on Landslides and Engineered Slopes (JTC-1). The last few decades have shown a very fast development in the application of digital tools such as Geographic Information Systems, Digital Image Processing, Digital Photogrammetry and Global Positioning Systems. Landslide inventory databases are becoming available to more countries and several are now also available through the internet. A comprehensive landslide inventory is a must in order to be able to quantify both landslide hazard and risk. With respect to the environmental factors used in landslide hazard assessment, there is a tendency to utilize those data layers that are easily obtainable from Digital Elevation Models and satellite imagery, whereas less emphasis is on those data layers that require detailed field investigations. A review is given of the trends in collecting spatial information on environmental factors with a focus on Digital Elevation Models, geology and soils, geomorphology, land use and elements at risk.     

渤海湾盆地黄河口凹陷东洼断裂体系发育特征及其变形过程的构造物理模拟

黄河口凹陷东洼是渤海盆地典型的盆缘洼陷,基于新一轮区域三维地震精细解释资料,采用构造解析与构造物理模拟技术相结合的方式,对黄河口凹陷东洼的断裂体系特征与构造演化过程进行研究.研究表明,受走滑和伸展变形的共同作用,研究了发育了以NNE-NE走向为主的走滑断裂体系和以EW-NEE走向为主的伸展断裂体系,断裂构造演化经历了孔...