Possible sources of forecast errors generated by the global/regional assimilation and prediction system for landfalling tropical cyclones. Part I: Initial uncertainties

This paper investigates the possible sources of errors associated with tropical cyclone (TC) tracks forecasted using the Global/Regional Assimilation and Prediction System (GRAPES). The GRAPES forecasts were made for 16 landfalling TCs in the western North Pacific basin during the 2008 and 2009 seasons, with a forecast length of 72 hours, and using the default initial conditions (“initials”, hereafter), which are from the NCEP-FNL dataset, as well as ECMWF initials. The forecasts are compared with ECMWF forecasts. The results show that in most TCs, the GRAPES forecasts are improved when using the ECMWF initials compared with the default initials. Compared with the ECMWF initials, the default initials produce lower intensity TCs and a lower intensity subtropical high, but a higher intensity South Asia high and monsoon trough, as well as a higher temperature but lower specific humidity at the TC center. Replacement of the geopotential height and wind fields with the ECMWF initials in and around the TC center at the initial time was found to be the most efficient way to improve the forecasts. In addition, TCs that showed the greatest improvement in forecast accuracy usually had the largest initial uncertainties in TC intensity and were usually in the intensifying phase. The results demonstrate the importance of the initial intensity for TC track forecasts made using GRAPES, and indicate the model is better in describing the intensifying phase than the decaying phase of TCs. Finally, the limit of the improvement indicates that the model error associated with GRAPES forecasts may be the main cause of poor forecasts of landfalling TCs. Thus, further examinations of the model errors are required.     

附有物理量和气象条件约束的光学卫星国土观测有效覆盖率评估

传统光学卫星国土观测覆盖评估建立在卫星对地理想覆盖的基础上,并未考虑卫星存储、星地数据传输、观测时长等物理量及观测区域气象因素对于覆盖性能的影响。本文针对光学遥感卫星的国土观测需求.建立国土观测有效覆盖能力评估指标体系,根据卫星数据存储能力、星地数据传输能力、卫星单圈最大观测时长、卫星观测太阳高度角等性能参数,提出了基于物理性能约束下的有效覆盖计算方法。根据气象台站历年气象数据,提出了气象约束因子的计算方法。综合考虑卫星物理性能约束与观测区域气象约束,计算光学遥感卫星对地观测有效覆盖能力。最后根据专家设计的光学遥感卫星国土观测有效覆盖能力评估指标权重,利用层次分析法(AHP)评估光学遥感卫星系统对于国土观测的需求满足程度。试验结果表明,本文方法对于国土观测有效覆盖的估算和评价结果更加精确,更接近于国土观测的实际应用需求,为对地观测有效覆盖能力评估提供了一种更为精确的可行方案。     

多波束测量的精度控制与规范指标

分析多波束测量、辅助测量的数据精度,研究其对成果水深的影响程度,结合《海道测量规范》与《多波束水深测量技术规定》中的测量等级指标,以及IHO规范中对水深不确定度的定义和传播结构的介绍,建立数学模型反解出符合规范的作业环境与辅助测量数据的等级指标,提出明确的多波束测量作业精度控制的技术指标,为测量数据的质量监控建立更全面的评价标准。     

抗差估计的多波束测深数据内插方法

针对传统多波束测深数据网格化内插方法抗差性不足的问题,该文将抗差估计理论应用于网格化内插方法中。基于不确定度指标建立了距离不确定度联合加权内插模型,在该模型的权函数中引入了等价权,同时给出了等价权设计方案及迭代初值确定原则,以增强模型的抗差性;介绍了一种节点邻域参考点合理选取方法,给出了改进内插法实现的基本步骤,最后通过实测数据对反距离加权法、联合加权法及改进方法内插水深质量进行比较。结果表明,改进方法内插结果要优于另外两种方法,可应用于多波束测深数据网格化处理中。     

基于IBUNE方法的水文模型不确定性分析

在贝叶斯理论框架下,根据一种可结合多个水文模型给出模拟或预报结果的IBUNE方法探讨了水文模型的输入、参数以及结构的不确定性问题。将SCEM-UA算法和EM算法嵌入新安江和TOPMODEL水文模型用于参数优化和模型平均,进而将输入与参数的综合不确定性处理后得到的预报量后验分布进行多模型综合,据此对水文模型的不确定性及其对水文模拟结果的影响进行评价。以湖南洣水流域龙家山水文站以上集水区域为例进行了应用研究,结果表明,IBUNE方法能够有效估计水文模型的不确定性,并能给出合理的概率预报区间。     

Community‐Derived Standards for LA‐ICP‐MS U‐(Th‐)Pb Geochronology – Uncertainty Propagation,Age Interpretation and Data Reporting

The LA‐ICP‐MS U‐(Th‐)Pb geochronology international community has defined new standards for the determination of U‐(Th‐)Pb ages. A new workflow defines the appropriate propagation of uncertainties for these data, identifying random and systematic components. Only data with uncertainties relating to random error should be used in weighted mean calculations of population ages; uncertainty components for systematic errors are propagated after this stage, preventing their erroneous reduction. Following this improved uncertainty propagation protocol, data can be compared at different uncertainty levels to better resolve age differences. New reference values for commonly used zircon, monazite and titanite reference materials are defined (based on ID‐TIMS) after removing corrections for common lead and the effects of excess ²³⁰Th. These values more accurately reflect the material sampled during the determination of calibration factors by LA‐ICP‐MS analysis. Recommendations are made to graphically represent data only with uncertainty ellipses at 2s and to submit or cite validation data with sample data when submitting data for publication. New data‐reporting standards are defined to help improve the peer‐review process. With these improvements, LA‐ICP‐MS U‐(Th‐)Pb data can be considered more robust, accurate, better documented and quantified, directly contributing to their improved scientific interpretation.     

Variability of levee failure mechanisms subject to heavy rainfalls,case studies in Taiwan

In this study, the failure mechanisms for Chiuliao 1st Levee and Gueishan Levee in Taiwan were re-examined comprehensively considering the uncertainty of different parameters. Results have shown that for Chiuliao 1st Levee, the slope sliding failure has a higher coefficient of variation (COV). For Gueishan Levee, retaining wall sliding and overturning failure have higher values of COV instead. It can also be found that the scouring depths affect the stability of the levee significantly, therefore, a protecting system for the backfill material may be necessary to increase the stability of the levee effectively.     

Uncertainty in dam safety risk analysis

The character and importance of uncertainty in dam safety risk analysis drives how risk assessments are used in practice. The current interpretation of uncertainty is that, in addition to the aleatory risk which arises from presumed uncertainty in the world, it comprises the epistemic aspects of irresolution in a model or forecast, specifically model and parameter uncertainty. This is true in part but it is not all there is to uncertainty in risk analysis. The physics of hazards and of failure may be poorly understood, which goes beyond uncertainty in its conventional sense. There may be alternative scenarios of future conditions, for example non-stationarity in the environment, which cannot easily be forecast. There may also be deep uncertainties of the type associated with climate change. These are situations in which analysts do not know or do not agree on the system characterisation relating actions to consequences or on the probability distributions for key parameters. All of these facets are part of the uncertainty in risk analysis with which we must deal.     

Seismic vulnerability assessment for Montreal

In Canada, Montreal is the second city with the highest seismic risk. This is due to its relatively high seismic hazard, old infrastructures and high population density. The region is characterised by moderate seismic activity with no recent record of a major earthquake. The lack of historical strong ground motion records for the region contributes to large uncertainties in the estimation of hazards. Among the sources of uncertainty, the attenuation function is the main contributor and its effect on estimates of risks is investigated. Epistemic uncertainty was considered by obtaining damage estimates for three attenuation functions that were developed for Eastern North America. The results indicate that loss estimates are highly sensitive to the choice of the attenuation function and suggest that epistemic uncertainty should be considered both for the definition of the hazard function and in loss estimation methodologies. Seismic loss estimates are performed for a 2% in 50 years seismic threat, which corresponds to the design level earthquake in the national building code of Canada, using HAZUS-MH4 for the Montreal region over 522 census tracts. The study estimated that for the average scenario roughly 5% of the building stock would be damaged with direct economic losses evaluated at 1.4 billion dollars for such a scenario. The maximum number of casualties would result in approximately 500 people being injured or dead at a calculated time of occurrence of 2?pm.     

Evaluation of Effective Depth of PVD Improvement in Soft Clay Deposit: A Field Case Study

This article presents a case history of determination of effective depth of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) under embankment loading on a very soft clay deposit in central China, near Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province. The height of the embankment was 5.3 m and construction time was about one year. The PVDs were installed to a depth of 8.5 m at a spacing of 1.5 m in a triangular pattern. Field observations and the finite element method (FEM) were employed to analyze the performance of the soft deposit during embankment construction. The influential depth of the embankment loading was evaluated based on settlement, excess pore pressure, and stress increase in subsoil, both from the observed data and FEM analysis. The effective PVD depth was determined in the following ways: (1) the depth of 5% subsoil settlement of surface settlement; (2) vertical stress increase in subsoil of 25% in-situ stress; and (3) consolidation time/PVD depth relation by FEM. Based on the analysis, the effective depth of PVDs was determined to be between 10 and 12.8 m for this field case.