Estimation of Sea Ice Thickness from SARAL/AltiKa in Drifting Orbit Phase

Abstract

Intra and inter-annual variations in the sea ice thickness are highly sensitive indicators of climatic variations undergoing in the earth’s atmosphere and oceans. This paper describes the method of estimating sea ice thickness using radar waveforms data acquired by SARAL/Altika mission during its drifting orbit phase from July 2016 onwards yielding spatially dense data coverage. Based on statistical analysis of return echoes, classification of the surface has been carried out in three different types, viz. floe, lead and mixed. Time delay correction methods were suitably selected and implemented to make corrections in altimetric range measurements and thereby freeboard. By assuming hydrostatic equilibrium, freeboard data were converted into sea ice thickness. Results show that sea ice thickness varies from 4 to 5?m near ice shelves and 1 to 2.5?m in the marginal sea ice regions. Freeboard and sea ice thickness estimates were also validated using NASA’s Operation Ice Bridge (OIB) datasets. Freeboard measurements show very high correlation (0.97) having RMSE of 0.13. Overestimation of approximately 1–2?m observed in the sea ice thickness, which could be attributed to distance between AltiKa footprint and OIB locations. Moreover, sensitivity analysis shows that snow depth and snow density over sea ice play crucial role in the estimation of sea ice thickness.     

Distribution of nonlinear wave crests

The distribution of nonlinear wave crests is examined on the basis of a theoretical probability density previously given elsewhere (J. Eng. Mech. 120 (1994) 1009). Certain errors contained in the original theoretical density are corrected, and the corresponding exceedance distribution is derived. The resulting theoretical forms of the probability density and exceedance distribution are then slightly simplified and compared with nonlinear wave data gathered under hurricane conditions. The results indicate that the proposed theoretical forms describe the observed distributions of large wave crests better than the Rayleigh law. However, the quantitative accuracy of the predictions is somewhat poor, as is typical of approximate theories based on Gram–Charlier-type expansions.     

流形上的空间密度聚类算法研究

研究流形上的聚类分析，针对基于密度的空间聚类引入了流形概念，提出1种基于流形的密度聚类算法，该方法将流形的概念与聚类相结合，可以适用于样本为复杂分布的聚类。文中通过实例证明此算法的有效性。     

Effects of sediment properties on surface-generated ambient noise in a shallow ocean

Surface-generalized ambient noise in a shallow ocean waveguide with a sediment layer possessing a specific class of density and sound speed distributions capable of describing a realistic seabed environment is considered in this analysis. This class of non-uniform sediment layer has the density and sound speed distributions varying with respect to depth as a generalized-exponential and an inverse-square function, respectively. The study invokes a formulation developed by Kuperman and Ingenito (Kuperman, W. A., Ingenito, F., 1980. Spatial correlation of surface-generated noise in a stratified ocean. J. Acoust. Soc. Am., 67, 1988-1996.) for surface noise generation, in conjunction with the analytical solutions for the Helmholtz equation corresponding to the sediment layer, to arrive at an analytical expression convenient for numerical implementation. The intensity and spatial correlation of the noise sound field are analyzed with respect to the variation of the system parameters, including frequency, sediment layer thickness, sound speed gradient, with emphasis on the effects of sediment properties on the ambient noise field. The results have demonstrated that the intensity of the noise field is relatively sensitive to the variation of the parameters, but the spatial correlation is affected to a less extent, suggesting that the energy distribution, rather than the spatial structure, of the noise field is more susceptible to the environmental variations.     

Acoustic plane-wave scattering from a rough surface over a random fluid medium

Acoustic plane-wave scattering from a rough surface overlying a fluid half-space with a sound-speed distribution subject to a small random variation is considered. Under the assumption that the surface roughness and medium randomness are statistically independent, the scattered field may be derived by first solving for the mean field in the medium, and then incorporating with boundary-perturbation method to obtain the total mean field and the power spectral density of the scattered field. The employed algorithm is compatible to the analysis available in the existing literature so that the formulations are conveniently integrated. The results for the power spectral density have shown that the effects of medium inhomogeneities on the rough surface scattering are limited in a spectral regime where the scattered components have shallow grazing angles. The distribution of the power spectral density over the space is primarily governed by the power spectrum and correlation lengths of the rough surface.     

空间扰动引力的谱分析

基于重力场的频谱理论，给出了扰动引力在全球平均意义下的功率谱表达式，揭示了扰动引力的传播特性。通过数值试验，给出了扰动引力随高度变化规律，并分析了不同高度上，扰动引力恢复重力场的最高阶数及相应分辨率。从理论上分析了航空重力测量探测重力场中高频信息的能力，对制定飞行方案有一定参考价值。     

16米风化砂回填地基的深层振密加固

结合北方某重力式深水 ( -1 6.0 m)码头沉箱后壁 1 4.5 m范围的回填风化砂经深层振密处理这一工程实例 ,介绍了回填砂振密的技术要求、施工工艺和方法及振密效果的检测。同时对施工与检测中的某些技术问题提出了自己的看法。     

Data assimilation for a coastal area morphodynamic model: Morecambe Bay

This paper investigates the use of data assimilation in coastal area morphodynamic modelling using Morecambe Bay as a study site. A simple model of the bay has been enhanced with a data assimilation scheme to better predict large-scale changes in bathymetry observed in the bay over a 3-year period. The 2DH decoupled morphodynamic model developed for the work is described, as is the optimal interpolation scheme used to assimilate waterline observations into the model run. Each waterline was acquired from a SAR satellite image and is essentially a contour of the bathymetry at some level within the inter-tidal zone of the bay. For model parameters calibrated against validation observations, model performance is good, even without data assimilation. However the use of data assimilation successfully compensates for a particular failing of the model, and helps to keep the model bathymetry on track. It also improves the ability of the model to predict future bathymetry. Although the benefits of data assimilation are demonstrated using waterline observations, any observations of morphology could potentially be used. These results suggest that data assimilation should be considered for use in future coastal area morphodynamic models.     

悬对沙Mellor-Yamada海洋边界层模型计算结果的影响

为了分析海洋水体垂向水流紊动及紊动交换情况而采用了一维的海洋边界层模型(Mellor-Yamada)并利用数值实验的方法对悬沙、盐度、温度等数据进行分析。原模型未将悬沙考虑在内，本文试将它引入进去探讨由于它的存在对紊动混合特性的影响。2000年4月，Mellor将最初的模型引入了依赖于Richardson数的紊动动能耗散率。本文通过比较具有悬沙和不具有悬沙两种情况下的速度、温度和盐度垂向分布随时间的变化，分析讨论由于悬沙的存在所引发的密度层化对紊动混合作用的影响，并发现悬浮泥沙抑制了部分模拟时间的紊动混合作用。