Conversion Gain and Interpixel Capacitance of Cmos Hybrid Focal Plane Arrays

The conversion gain of optical and infrared focal plane CMOS hybrid arrays is a fundamental parameter, whose value computes into the derivation of other parameters characterizing the performance of a detector. The widespread “noise squared versus signal” method used to obtain the conversion gain can overestimate the nodal capacitance of the detector pixel by more than 20% for infrared arrays and by more than 100% for Si-PIN diode arrays. This is because this method does not take account of the capacitive coupling between neighboring pixels. A simple technique has been developed to measure the nodal capacitance directly by comparing the voltage change of an external calibrated capacitor with the voltage change on the nodal capacitor of the detector pixel. The method is elaborated in detail and has been verified with a Si-PIN diode array hybridized to a Hawaii-2RG multiplexer using an Fe ⁵⁵ X-ray source. It is also in good agreement with a stochastic method based on 2D autocorrelation.     

Bootstrap Pettitt test for detecting change points in hydroclimatological data: case study of Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant,Brazil

ABSTRACT

The Pettitt test is widely used in climate change and hydrological analyses. However, studies show difficulties of this test in detecting change points, especially in small samples. This study presents a bootstrap application of the Pettitt test, and compares it numerically with the classical Pettitt test by an extensive Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed test outperforms the classical test in all simulated scenarios. An application of the tests is conducted on the historical series of naturalized flows of the Itaipu Hydroelectric Plant in Brazil, for which several studies have shown a change point in the 1970s. When the series is split into shorter sub-series, to simulate actual situations of small samples, the proposed test is more powerful than the classical Pettitt test in detecting the change point. The proposed test can be an important tool for detecting abrupt changes in water availability, in support of hydroclimatological resources decision making.     

A method to detect and characterize sub‐daily flow fluctuations

Hydro peaking causes an important environmental impact on running water ecosystems. Many affected rivers have a poor ecological status. In rivers affected by hydro peaking, the flow conditions are highly complex and difficult to grasp. To develop a general framework for detecting and characterizing sub‐daily flow fluctuations, we analysed more than 500 Austrian hydrographs, covering the whole range from unimpacted to heavily impacted rivers. Different fluctuation types could be identified according to the potential source: e.g. sub‐daily flow fluctuations caused by hydro peaking, rainfall or snow and glacier melt. Additionally, the term ‘hydro fibrillation’ was established, to indicate frequently occurring artificial fluctuations with comparably low intensities. An automatic procedure was used to detect frequency and intensity of each flow fluctuation. Using variables based on duration curves of flow fluctuation rates (ramping rates), amplitudes, flow ratios, durations and daily numbers of fluctuations, a predictive model (linear discriminant analysis) was fitted to classify hydrographs into predominant fluctuation regimes. This is the basis for a detailed investigation of present sub‐daily flow regimes and to analyse the differences between the regimes. Based on the results, we finally propose a general framework that enables a standardized assessment of flow fluctuations regarding event intensities and/or event timing. The proposed framework offers a standardized selection of particular flow fluctuations referring to increase and decrease events separately. The selection of specific flow fluctuations can be defined with respect to several research questions (e.g. ecologically relevant fluctuations), which offers a wide range of applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modeling of the 3D thermal field in the northeast German basin

The regional thermal field of the NE-German basin is modeled by a three-dimensional finite-element approach and is compared to classical one-dimensional extrapolations. Two alternative boundary conditions are assumed at the approximate depth of the Moho: a constant temperature distribution and a constant heat flow. Surprisingly, both results are almost identical down to approximately 10?km depth. Based on the models presented, the results are due to a complex interaction of different strata and the related regional variability of conductivities. In addition, the available temperature maps for different depths (Hurtig et al. 1992) indicate a relative high heat flow at the basin margins especially at the southern and eastern boundary. The models are able to reproduce the generalized pattern by regarding only a conductive heat flow. However, because both models are successful at shallow depth, we conclude that the current techniques of thermal modeling require improvement, even on the theoretical aspects of depth continuation and inversion.     

On the problem of the production of kinetic energy in the atmosphere

Резюме В статье рассматривается возможньй путь синоптической интерпретации теоретических заклочений из [1]. Показывается что существует временная связь между развитием и увеличением областей антициклонов как источников кинетической знергни и послеидущей скорой циклогенетической деятельностью в их краях. Для иаложения нриведенного механизма необходима еще принципияльная синоптическая и теоретическая обработка.

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Dedicated to Univ. Prof. Dr Bedřich Šalamon on his 80th birthday

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Address: Boční II, Praha 13-Spořilov.     

Schmerzempfindung und Wetter

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 1 Textabbildung.     

Elektrische Ladungen während Schneefegen im Hochgebirge

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe einer Telemetrie-Anlage an einer Gondel der zwischen 1 km und 3 km NN verkehrenden Zugspitz-Seilbahn werden Untersuchungen über die elektrischen Erscheinungen während Schneefegen an den Hängen des Wettersteingebirges und in seiner Umgebung ausgeführt. Es werden an der Gondel erfasst und im Tal fernregistriert: Trocken- und Feuchttemperatur, Luftdruck, Potentialgradient und Luftleitfähigkeiten. Neben den Registrierungen der Profile der oben genannten Grössen werden die luftelektrischen und meteorologischen Registrierungen an den Stationen Zugspitzgipfel (3000 m) und Garmisch-Partenkirchen (740 m) verwendet. Die wichtigsten Ergebnisse sind: Die durch Schneefegen erzeugten Ladungsmengen nehmen mit wachsender Windgeschwindigkeit zu. In geringen Entfernungen vom Ort der Schneeaufwirbelung, wo sich sowohl kleine als auch grössere, schnell sedimentierende Eispartikel in der bewegten Luft befinden, ist die erzeugte Raumladung fast ausnahmslos negativ. Positive Ladungen kommen nur kurzzeitig und in örtlich sehr eng begrenzten Gebieten vor. In grösserer Entfernung vom Ort der Schneeaufwirbelung, dort wo nur noch kleinste Eispartikel längere Zeit in der Luft schweben und dabei verdampfen, findet man ausnahmslos positive Raumladung. Diese Wolken positiver Raumladung können sich 10 und mehr km vom Aufwirbelungsort fortbewegen und über 10 und mehr Minuten erhalten bleiben. Diese Ladungsverhältnisse sind unabhängig von der Lufttemperatur, solange nicht an der Schneeoberfläche Schmelzprozesse auftreten. Im Bereich des Schneefegens sind die unmittelbare Schneeoberfläche und die in der Luft schwebenden und verdampfenden Partikel immer etwas kälter als die Luft. Die beim Zerblasen von festem Niederschlag auftretenden Ladungen sind immerhin so gross, dass sie im Entstehungsprozess der Gewitterladung eine Rolle spielen können. Die Polarität der Schneefegen-Ladungen steht im Einklang mit der Haupt-Polarität von Gewitterwolken.

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Summary Using a telemetry sounding system on board one cable car of the Zugspitze cableway, atmospheric electrical phenomena occurring during drifting snow along the slopes of the Wetterstein Moun tains are studied. Dry and wet thermistor temperature, air pressure, polar electrical conductivities and potential gradient are radioed to the basic institute in the valley as the cable car is moving. In the valley the saied magnitudes are plotted against the pressure at the cable car altitude byxy-recorders. The main results are: The space charge density depending on drifting snow processes increases with increasing wind velocity. In the near vicinity of the drifting snow processes, both small and coarse ice crystal fragments being suspended in the air, negative space charges are prevailing over insolated local positive space charges of only short duration. Far away from the drifting snow processes, only very small and evaporating ice crystal fragments being suspended in the air currents, positive space charges are observed without exception. Such clouds of positive charges may move away from their source over more than 10 kilometers. All of these space charge phenomena are independent of the air temperature as long as there are no melting processes on the snow surface. Without mentioning strong heat irradiation, the temperature of the immediate snow surface during drifting snow, as well as the temperature of suspended ice fragments, are lower than the air temperature. Electric charges caused by vehement impact and friction of ice and snow particles may be important enough as to contribute to the thunderstorm electrification. The polarities of the space charges found during drifting snow are in accordance with the main polarity of thunderclouds.

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Physikalisch-Bioklimatische Forschungsstelle Garmisch-Partenkirchen der Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung.