Passive microwave remote sensing of the historic February 2010 snowstorms in the Middle Atlantic region of the USA

The snowfall in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area during the winter of 2009/2010 was unprecedented and caused serious snow‐related disruptions. In February 2010, snowfall totals approached 2 m, and because maximum temperatures were consistently below normal, snow remained on the ground the entire month. One of the biggest contributing factors to the unusually severe winter weather in 2009/2010, throughout much of the middle latitudes, was the Arctic Oscillation. Unusually high pressure at high latitudes and low pressure at middle latitudes forced a persistent exchange of mass from north to south. In this investigation, a concerted effort was made to link remotely sensed falling snow observations to remotely sensed snow cover and snowpack observations in the Baltimore/Washington area. Specifically, the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer onboard the Aqua satellite was used to assess snow water equivalent, and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit‐B and Microwave Humidity Sounder were employed to detect falling snow. Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer passive microwave signatures in this study are related to both snow on the ground and surface ice layers. In regard to falling snow, signatures indicative of snowfall can be observed in high frequency brightness temperatures of Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit‐B and Microwave Humidity Sounder. Indeed, retrievals show an increase in snow water equivalent after the detection of falling snow. Yet, this work also shows that falling snow intensity and/or the presence of liquid water clouds impacts the ability to reliably detect snow water equivalent. Moreover, changes in the condition of the snowpack, especially in the surface features, negatively affect retrieval performance. Copyright © 2011. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.     

The role of vibrationally excited nitrogen in the ionosphere

Theoretical and experimental aspects of the production, transformation, diffusion and loss of N₂ in the upper atmosphere are considered. The N₂-CO₂ near-resonant system in theD andE regions is taken into account. We describe our understanding of the methods necessary to find the vibrational populations of N₂ and CO₂ (asymmetric mode of CO₂). The calculations of the vibrational temperatures in theD, E, andF regions for the mid-latitude ionosphere and an aurora are presented. The connection between the excited species and the 4.26-m radiation intensities is considered. The models for the rate coefficient of the reaction of O⁺ with N₂ and the electron density decrease resulting from N₂ in the F region are discussed.     

Beeinflussung der Enzymaktivität einer Protease durch Huminstoffe Influence of Humic Substances on the Activity of a Protease

This paper deals with the influence of different humic substances (HS) on the enzyme activity (EA) of the proteolytic enzyme pronase E. The EA was determined by analyzing the concentration of the amino acid valine hydrolyzed from caseine. For amino acid analysis, a flourescence detector was used after precolumn derivatization and HPLC-separation of the hydrolysis products. The data show that the presence of HS has no adverse effects on amino acid analysis. Based on this result, a decrease of EA was observed in the presence of HS acting as enzyme inhibitors. Clear inhibition effects could be seen for different fulvic acids (HO3 FA, FBR FA and FBR 1.0 FA) at concentrations of 150 mg/L. In case of FBI-2 FA, higher concentrations were necessary to decrease the EA significantly. At an inhibitor concentration of 1500 mg/L the EA was mostly found to be less than 50%. The standard deviations of the results don't allow a differentiation between the HS of different origin and treatment. Specifying HS according to their influence on EA has to remain uncertain. As shown in a kinetic study of the hydrolysis of L-Leucine-2-naphthylamide-hydrochloride, the inhibitor HO3 FA decreases the maximum velocity of the reaction but has no effect on the Michaelis constant. These results indicate that this HS acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor.     

A two-stage evolution of Visakhapatnam-Paradip shelf,east coast of India,from magnetic studies

A detailed analysis of bathymetry and magnetic data of Visakhapatnam-Paradip shelf, east coast of India revealed three major structural lineaments over the shelf/slope of the area. Models derived from the anomalies associated with the trends indicate that trend A represents horst and graben type continental basement while trend B is due to a series of dyke intrusions. Trend C off Chilka lake forms the northward extension of 85°E lineation from deep sea Bengal Fan. A two stage evolution of the eastern continental margin of India has been inferred from the study of this part of the margin, viz., the rift stage evidenced by dyke intrusions of reverse polarity located within the inner part of the shelf and post-rift stage characterized by vertical tectonics in the form of a horst and graben type continental basement. The hotspot related aseismic 85°E ridge further complicated the tectonics of this part of the area.     

频率测探正演滤波算法及算例

通过对频率测深理论的研究，提出了水平电偶极场视电阻率改进滤波算法，并编制了正演计算的实用程序。理论模型计算表明，改进滤波算法 效果好，计算速度快。     

计算机小短文

随着电脑的日益普及，网络已逐渐深入到我们的工作、生活和学习,独网络病毒得以广泛传播。为此，网络用户必须要防杀之。     

El Ni?o事件大气-洋流异常与暖海温传播机理研究

利用1971～2000年逐月SODA (Simple Ocean Data Assimilation) 同化资料（Carton等，2004）、1980～2000年逐月NCEP/NCAR再分析资料（Kalnay等，1996）探讨中部型（暖海水首先出现在120°W以西）和东部型（暖海水首先出现在120°W以东）El Ni?o事件赤道纬向风应力及洋流的异常变化与暖海水信号的传播特征。研究指出:（1）中部型和东部型El Ni?o事件发生时，太平洋上赤道海表最大西风应力距平在西太平洋地区都有显著的东传现象，但中部型El Ni?o事件西风应力距平强度强，造成西太平洋赤道表层的东向流可达东太平洋地区，这类El Ni?o事件强度偏强。（2）中部型El Ni?o事件，赤道表层洋流辐合区及其下沉运动由西太平洋向东太平洋传播，辐合下沉运动抑制了深层冷海水上翻，西太平洋暖水能够传到东太平洋与西太平洋赤道表层洋流辐合区及其下沉运动的东移有关。（3）东部型El Ni?o事件西太平洋赤道表层洋流辐合区及其下沉运动没能直接传到东太平洋地区，东太平洋暖水形成与局地（120°W以东）辐合下沉运动抑制深层冷海水上翻有关；东部型El Ni?o事件暖池次表层的暖水，不是沿着西太平洋赤道次表层向东传播到东太平洋地区，而是由南太平洋西边界流将暖池海水带到40°S左右的西风漂流区， 再由西风漂流平流到东太平洋。     

东经120°E中间层和低热层大气潮汐及其季节变化特征

利用为期一年的卫星遥感温度（SABER/TIMED）资料重建了120°E子午圈内中间层和低热层大气潮汐各主要频率分量（周日、半日和8小时潮汐）.这些主要频率分量随高度振幅增大，在97 km高度达到显著的振幅；其中迁移性周日潮汐在97 km高度出现极大振幅，然后随高度衰减.本文从考察迁移性成分和非迁移性成分各自在总潮汐中贡献角度出发，着重讨论了那些对形成该子午圈中97 km高度上整体潮汐扰动起控制作用的潮汐成分.结果显示，对周日和半日频率这两种潮汐而言，迁移性成分控制了它们的总体时空分布.在春分季节，迁移性周日潮的控制作用最显著，决定了赤道和两半球热带的活动中心；其中北半球副热带地区的季节变化形势与以往利用武汉（30°N，114°E）流星雷达风测量资料开展分析得到的结果是一致的；其他季节受非迁移性成分明显影响，例如，在本文关注的2005年中，夏至季节受（1，0）模、（1，-3）模和（1，-2）模的共同影响形成了从赤道向南延伸的活动中心，极值中心位于赤道附近，振幅达到了20 K以上，是全年的最大值.受迁移性成分控制，半日潮活动主要出现在两半球热带地区，北半球活动中心位于秋分季节（振幅达到13 K），南半球活动中心位于春分和夏至之间.其他季节受非迁移成分的影响，形成若干分布在两半球的活动中心.在本文关注的40°S～40°N范围内，与周日潮和半日潮相比，8小时潮汐具有显著较低的振幅；另外，虽然迁移性成分在一年中的大部分时间系统地分布在两半球热带地区，但是非迁移成分具有与迁移性成分相当或更大的振幅，在整体上控制了这种潮汐的时空分布.     

Chandra observations of neutron stars: an overview

We present an overview of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of neutron stars. The outstanding spatial and spectral resolution of this great observatory have allowed for observations of unprecedented clarity and accuracy. Many of these observations have provided new insights into neutron star physics. We present an admittedly biased and overly brief review of these observations, highlighting some new discoveries made possible by the Observatory’s unique capabilities. This includes our analysis of recent multiwavelength observations of the putative pulsar and its pulsar-wind nebula in the IC443 SNR.      

A new soil freeze/thaw discriminant algorithm using AMSR‐E passive microwave imagery

The soil freeze–thaw controls the hydrological and carbon cycling and thus affects water and energy exchanges at land surface. This article reported a newly developed algorithm for distinguishing the freeze/thaw status of surface soil. The algorithm was based on information from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Enhanced (AMSR‐E) which records brightness temperature (Tb) in the afternoon and after midnight. The criteria and discriminant functions were obtained from both radiometer observations and model simulations. First of all, the microwave radiation from freeze–thaw soil was examined by carrying out experimental measurements at 18·7 and 36·5 GHz using a Truck‐mounted Multi‐frequency Microwave Radiometer (TMMR) in the Heihe River of China. The experimental results showed that the soil moisture is a key component that differentiates the microwave radiation behaviours during the freeze–thaw process, and the differences in soil temperature and emissivity between frozen and thawed soils were found to be the most important criteria. Secondly, a combined model was developed to consider the impacts of complex ground surface conditions on the discrimination. The model simulations quite followed the trend of in situ observations with an overall relation coefficient (R) of approximately 0·88. Finally, the ratio of Tb18·7H (horizontally polarized Tb at 18·7 GHz) to Tb36·5V was considered primarily as the quasi‐emissivity, which is more reasonable and explicit in measuring the microwave radiation changes in soil freezing and thawing than the spectral gradient. By combining Tb36·5V to indicate the soil temperature variety, a Fisher linear discrimination analysis was used to establish the discriminant functions. After being corrected by TMMR measurements, the new discriminant algorithm had an overall accuracy of 86% when validated by 4‐cm soil temperature. The multi‐year discriminant results also provided a good agreement with the classification map of frozen ground in China. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.