MONTBLEX tower observations: Instrumentation,data acquisition and data quality

Tower platforms, with instrumentation at six levels above the surface to a height of 30 m, were used to record various atmospheric parameters in the surface layer. Sensors for measuring both mean and fluctuating quantities were used, with the majority of them indigenously built. Soil temperature sensors up to a depth of 30 cm from the surface were among the variables connected to the mean data logger. A PC-based data acquisition system built at the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, IISc, was used to acquire the data from fast response sensors. This paper reports the various components of a typical MONTBLEX tower observatory and describes the actual experiments carried out in the surface layer at four sites over the monsoon trough region as a part of the MONTBLEX programme. It also describes and discusses several checks made on randomly selected tower data sets acquired during the experiment. Checks made include visual inspection of time traces from various sensors, comparative plots of sensors measuring the same variable, wind and temperature profile plots, calculation of roughness lengths, statistical and stability parameters, diurnal variation of stability parameters, and plots of probability density and energy spectrum for the different sensors. Results from these checks are found to be very encouraging and reveal the potential for further detailed analysis to understand more about surface layer characteristics.     

Utility of Landsat 7 satellite data for continued monitoring of forest cover change in protected areas in Southeast Asia

Satellite instruments, particularly the Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) and ETM+ (Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus) series of sensors, are important tools in the interdisciplinary study of tropical forests that are increasingly integrated into studies that monitor changes in vegetation cover within tropical forests and tropical protected areas, and also applied with other types of data to investigate the drivers of land cover change. However, further advances in the use of Landsat to study and monitor tropical forests and protected areas are threatened by the scan line corrector failure on the ETM+ sensor, as well as uncertainty about the continuity of the Landsat mission. Given these problems, this paper illustrates how ETM+ data were used in an interdisciplinary study that effectively monitored forest cover change in Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. Following 31 May 2003, when the ETM+ sensor's scan line corrector failed, we analysed how this failure impedes our ability to perform a similar study from this date onwards. This analysis uses six simulated post-scan line corrector failure (SLC-off) images and reveals that data gaps caused by SLC-off introduce maximum errors of 1.47 per cent and 4.04 per cent in estimates of forest cover and rates of forest loss, respectively. The analysis also demonstrates how SLC-off has transformed ETM+ data from a complete inventory dataset to a statistical sample with variable sample fraction, and notes how this data loss will confound the use of Landsat data to model land cover change in a spatially explicit manner. We discuss potential limited uses of SLC-off data and suggest alternative sensors that may provide essential remotely sensed data for monitoring tropical forests in Southeast Asia.     

无人机近红外遥感初探

针对无人机有效载荷的限制,目前可用于无人机的传感器单一,数据覆盖波段只局限于可见光这一问题,该文着眼于无人机搭载的近红外相机进行遥感应用研究。通过无人机红外数据与对应卫星数据的应用对比,集成对比因子为归一化差值植被指数(NDVI)和土壤调节植被指数(SAVI),验证无人机获取近红外数据遥感手段的可靠性,说明了该文提出的无人机红外数据获取方法可用于数据获取以及相应的遥感应用,对未来无人机遥感技术的深入发展提供一定的参考。     

Multispectral sensor spectral resolution simulations for generation of hyperspectral vegetation indices from Hyperion data

The use of multispectral satellite sensors for generation of hyperspectral indices is restricted because of their coarse spectral resolutions. In this study, we attempted to synthesize a few of these hyperspectral indices, viz. RedEdge Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI₇₀₅), Plant Senescence Reflectance Index (PSRI) and Normalized-Difference-Infrared-Index (NDII), for crop stress monitoring at regional scale using multispectral images, simulated from Hyperion data. The Hyperion data were resampled and simulated to corresponding spatial and spectral resolutions of AWiFS, OCM-2 and MODIS sensors using their respective filter function. Different possible combinations of two bands (i.e. simple difference, simple ratio and normalized difference) were computed using synthetic spectral bands of each sensor, and were regressed with NDVI₇₀₅, PSRI and NDII. Models with highest correlation were selected and inverted on Hyperion data of another date to synthesize respective multispectral indices. Synthetic broad band indices of multispectral sensors with their respective narrow band indices of Hyperion were found to be in good agreement.     

基于扭矩测量的二维簧片重力梯度仪的设计

基于扭矩测量原理,设计了一个精度为1E的二维簧片重力梯度仪。它的敏感部分是一个簧片悬挂的二维Z形扭摆,用一个高灵敏度的二维电容微位移传感器来检测此摆的二维扭转情况,进而获得摆周围的重力梯度信息。该二维簧片重力梯度仪具有性能稳定、精度高等优点。     

Optimization of structural control via a smart NEURO‐FBG control system

This study improves a NEURO‐FBG active control system to mature the concept of a smart structure. Originally, a system similar to the human brain is created from FBG sensors and neural networks. The system comprises three parts, namely, a structural condition surveillance system, a NEURO‐FBG converter, and a NEURO‐FBG controller. To solve the inherent time‐consuming and reliability problem of the NEURO‐FBG converter, a new technology is first proposed, and the relationship between inter‐story drift and strain data is established. Global indices such as displacement and velocity of the structure are then reconstructed for searching the optimal control force of the actuator. Meanwhile, the soundness of a building with hydraulic actuators is also an important issue to be solved. To make the building sound, the characteristics of earthquakes are considered for enhancing the performance of the NEURO‐FBG controller. Theoretical analysis shows satisfactory improvement to the control efficiency of both displacement and acceleration. To verify the enhanced system, a series of shaking table tests was conducted. Experimental results demonstrated that the new NEURO‐FBG system can effectively manage the structure; and the controller, taking into consideration the ground acceleration effect, is more reliable and robust for practical application than a conventional controller. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Xanthate‐Functionalized Cellulose for the Detection of Micromolar Copper(II) and Nickel(II) Ions

A one‐pot synthesis and application of cellulose‐based sensors to efficiently detect various toxic metal ions in aqueous solutions in micromolar quantities is reported. Cellulose microfibers have been functionalized with carbon disulfide in alkaline solution to form cellulose xanthate. The material detects several toxic metal ions such as copper, nickel, or cobalt ions through color change detectable by the naked eye. The optical sensor can be used as an ideal flash test for assessing the quality of drinking water.     

大洋中脊热水探测与新型传感器

对大洋中脊的探测带来了大量科学发现。在大洋中脊热水喷口的极端条件下,在大的温度梯度范围内,一方面在喷口（黑烟囱）周围形成巨量金属硫化物快速堆积;另一方面在喷口周围由内向外形成一个生物晕。为了研究洋中脊极端条件下的水热过程,模拟洋中脊水-岩相互作用条件下生命过程,需要在高温高压环境中原位获取数据,必须利用先进、灵敏的化学传感器。由于新材料技术的发展,美国和西方国家深海探测时广泛使用YSZ电化学传感器（氧化钇稳定的氧化锆陶瓷,YSZ：Yttria Stabilized Zirconia）,这种传感器的优点是在温度大于200℃的高温时性能良好,在低于200℃条件下灵敏度降低,而且在国际市场上没有这些高温高压化学传感器出售。“十五”期间,科技部863计划,首次将发展深海高温高压传感器的海底多参数检测技术之一列入我国计划。根据863计划,中国科学家通过努力研制成功一系列具有中国自主知识产权的高温高压化学传感器,在自主研制了YSZ传感器的同时,发明了国际上首次可以在大温度范围、在海上实用的Zr／ZrO2高温化学传感器,可部分替代YSZ传感器。这两类集成式化学传感器可以探测大洋中脊400℃／40MPa热水的pH、H2、H2S、Eh等,并在2004年的南海的海试中取得成功。     

气温与风速对气压传感器现场校准的影响

为确保各要素观测数据的准确、可靠并具有可比性,须定期开展自动气象站校准。自动气象站现场校准不同于实验室的检定检测,受客观条件的影响,校准结果具有明显的不确定性,气压要素表现尤为明显。为了保证量值传递准确可靠,减小这种不确定性对校准结果造成的误判,对气压现场校准提出了改进方法。基于2012—2014年"移动气象计量检定校准核查技术集成"项目的实验资料,采用实验室检定和现场校准气压传感器对比的方法,找出现场校准中影响气压值变化的因素。结果表明:实验室检定合格的气压传感器在现场再次进行校准中有12.5%不合格。经研究试验,这种结果是由于现场校准时的环境因素影响造成,其主要影响因素为气温和风速。选择适当的校准时间,即避开最高气温和最低气温出现时段及外界风速不大于5 m/s时进行气压现场校准,能较好地减少气压传感器的测量误差,提高气压测量数据的准确性。     

A wind tunnel for the calibration of Mars wind sensors

A major limitation in the development of wind sensors for use on Mars is the lack of suitable testing and calibration facilities. A low-density wind tunnel has been developed at Oxford University for calibration of wind sensors for Mars landers, capable of providing stable or dynamically varying winds, of air or carbon dioxide, at Martian pressures (5-10 mbar) and speeds (0.5-30 m/s), and temperatures of 200-300 K. The flow field in the test section was calculated using analytical and computational modelling techniques, and validated experimentally using a pitot probe. This facility's stability and accuracy offer significant advantages with respect to previous calibration facilities.