Impact of sub-pixel heterogeneity on modelled brightness temperature for an agricultural region

Knowledge of sub-pixel heterogeneity, particularly at the passive microwave scale, can improve the brightness temperature (and ultimately the soil moisture) estimation. However, the impact of surface heterogeneity (in terms of soil moisture, soil temperature and vegetation water content) on brightness temperature in an agricultural setting is relatively unknown. The Soil Moisture Active Passive Validation Experiment 2012 (SMAPVEX12) provided an opportunity to evaluate sub-pixel heterogeneity at the scale of a Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) or the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) radiometer footprint using field measured data. The first objective of this study was to determine if accounting for surface heterogeneity reduced the error between estimated brightness temperature (T_b) and T_b measured by SMOS. It was found that when accounting for variation in surface soil moisture, temperature and vegetation water content within the pixel footprint, the error between the modelled T_b and the measured T_b was less than if a homogeneous pixel were modelled. The correlation between the surface parameters and the error associated with not accounting for surface heterogeneity were investigated. It was found that there was low to moderate correlation between the error and the coefficient of variance associated with the measured soil moisture, soil temperature and vegetation volumetric water content during the field campaign. However, it was found that the correlations changed depending on the stage of vegetation growth and the amount of time following a precipitation event. At the start of the field campaign (following a precipitation event), there was strong correlation between the error and all three surface parameters (r ≥ 0.75). Following a precipitation event close to the middle of the field campaign (during which there was rapid growth in vegetation), there was strong correlation between the error and the variability in vegetation water content (r = 0.89), moderate correlation with soil moisture (r = 0.61) and low correlation with soil temperature (r = 0.26).     

The variation of crustal stretching and different modes of rifting along the Australian southern continental margin

The southern margin of Australia is a passive continental margin, formed during a Late Jurassic–Cretaceous rifting phase. The development of this passive margin is mainly associated with extensional processes that caused crustal thinning. In this work, we have measured the amount of extension and the stretching factor (β factor) across seven transect profiles approximately evenly distributed across the margin. The obtained results show that the amount of extension and the β factor along the margin vary from west to east. The lowest amount of extension, low–intermediate β factors and a very narrow margin are observed in the western part with 80 km of extension and is underlain mostly by the Archean Yilgarn Craton and the Albany–Fraser Orogen. The Gawler Craton in the centre of the south Australian margin is another region of low extension and low–intermediate β factor. The largest amount of extension (384 km) and the largest β factor (β = 1.88) are found in the eastern part of the passive margin in an area underlain by Phanerozoic Tasman Orogen units. Our results imply that there is a strong control of the age and thickness of the continental lithosphere on the style of rifting along the Australian passive margin. Rifting of old and cold lithosphere results in a narrow passive margin, with the formation of relatively few faults with relatively wide spacing, while rifting of younger, warmer lithosphere leads to wide rifting that is accommodated by a large number of faults with small spacing.     

Isotope stratigraphy and U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Vendian-Cambrian deposits of the North Muya block

U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the sandstones of the Mamakan Formation has been made. Geochemical and isotope parameters of the carbonate deposits of the Yanguda Formation in the Vendian-Cambrian cover of the North Muya continental block have been estimated. It has been established that only the Neoproterozoic (630-915 Ma) rocks of the North Muya block were the provenances of terrigenous material. In the least altered carbonate rocks of the Yanguda Formation, the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio is within 0.70814-0.70879 and δ¹³C varies from -0.4 to + 1.9‰. Comparison of the evaluated isotope parameters with those of carbonate rocks of typical Vendian-Cambrian sections shows that the carbonate deposits of the Yanguda Formation accumulated in the Early Cambrian, about 520 Ma. Sedimentation of the Mamakan and Yanguda Formations took place in the local sedimentary basin in the Vendian-Early Cambrian, in the absence of tectonic activity within the North Muya block. Detrital material that formed during the destruction of the rocks of the Siberian Platform basement and cover was not supplied into the basin.     

微波消解-电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定海泡石中的稀土元素

海泡石是一种纤维状含水的富镁硅酸盐黏土矿,其中的稀土元素含量在1×10~(-7)～1×10~(-5)之间,目前还没有建立海泡石中稀土元素的国家标准分析方法。测定岩石中的稀土元素主要是采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS),样品前处理一般采用封闭溶矿和碱熔,但这两种处理方法耗时较长,效率不高。本文通过比较硝酸-氢氟酸-过氧化氢、硝酸-氢氟酸、硝酸-过氧化氢三种样品前处理方法,确定使用硝酸-氢氟酸溶矿,然后进行微波消解同时赶去氢氟酸,避免氢氟酸与稀土元素生成难溶的氟化物,再采用ICP-MS法测定15种稀土元素的含量。由于海泡石中的镁含量较高,为降低基体效应,以~(103)Rh和~(185)Re作内标补偿基体效应和校正灵敏度漂移,各元素测定值的准确性显著提高,回收率为91. 2%～110. 9%,检出限为0. 002～0. 011μg/L,精密度≤2. 79%。本方法与封闭酸溶ICP-MS法的分析结果吻合较好,且用酸量少(7 mL),溶矿效率高(1 h),检出限更低。     

2000-2014年西藏雅鲁藏布江流域积雪时空变化分析及对气候的响应研究

利用2000-2014年MODIS逐日无云积雪产品对雅鲁藏布江流域积雪特征的空间分布及变化、积雪随高程变化的规律进行了分析,并采用被动微波数据SMMR （1979-1987年）和SSM/I （1988-2008年）以及中国地面降水和气温0.5°×0.5°日值格点数据集,研究了雅鲁藏布江流域关键积雪参数对气候要素的响应等。结果表明：流域下游积雪日较大且变化剧烈;流域整体上呈显著减少的趋势;积雪日随高程的上升而增加;流域内降水呈不显著的增加趋势,而气温呈显著的增加趋势,最高气温对积雪变化影响最大;气温对积雪终日的影响明显高于积雪初日;在积雪消融期降水的增多促进了积雪的消融。     

微波辐射计在对流天气预报中的应用

选取2016—2018年每年4—9月份RPG-HATPRO型42通道微波辐射计观测的不稳定指数参数(K、SI、CAPE、LI)及水汽参数(IWV、LWP),研究得出各参数触发雷雨大风、短时强降水的阈值条件为K>37℃、SI<-1℃、IWV>60 kg/m~2、LWP>400 g/m~2,而LI、CAPE无法对3种天气类型进行区分。利用费舍判别分析方法,将不稳定指数参数及水汽参数作为预报因子,建立预报方程并进行检验,结果表明:二级判别方程预测对流天气的准确率为76%,可以作为预报对流天气的辅助工具;多级判别方程不能很好地区分3种天气类型,但将其作为修正后的二级判别方程使用,能提高对流天气的测中概率。     

微波等离子体原子发射光谱法测定偏远矿区海泡石中的主微量元素

海泡石是具有层状结构的含水富镁硅酸盐黏土矿物,其中无机元素含量是揭示其成矿物质来源、成矿流体性质和矿床成因的重要依据,通常采用电感耦合等离子体发射光谱/质谱法(ICP-OES/MS)进行测定,等离子体(ICP)的高温激发会产生成大量谱线干扰,维持ICP稳定工作需使用高纯氩气,持续供气对于偏远矿区海泡石的检测还将面对气体采购和运输不便的问题。本文基于微波等离子体原子发射光谱(MP-AES)的低温激发技术减少光谱干扰,建立了准确测定偏远矿区海泡石中主量元素Mg、Al、Ca、Fe、K、Na和微量元素Cu、Zn、Mn、Pb含量的分析方法。利用硝酸-盐酸-氢氟酸混合酸对海泡石进行微波消解,避免了样品处理过程中分析元素的损失,加快了样品处理速度,同时提高了样品溶液的稳定性。通过选择各元素光谱线的分析波长,并利用快速线性干扰校正(FLIC)技术校正光谱干扰,以Lu为内标元素校正基体效应,提高了灵敏度和准确度。各元素的检出限为0.19～14.6μg/L。海泡石国家标准物质(GBW07138)各元素测定值与认定值的相对误差在-5.0%～6.7%之间。本方法具有检出限低、线性范围宽、结果准确等优点;MP-AES采用自带的氮气发生器为等离子体提供氮气作为工作气,无需引入复杂气体,提高了分析效率,尤其适用于气体采购和运输不便的偏远矿区。     

塞内加尔盆地北部次盆白垩系被动大陆边缘深海扇演化特征及主控因素

被动大陆边缘深海扇是当今海洋深水油气勘探的热点。识别深海扇,明确其时空演变特征,总结关键地质因素对其发育的控制作用,对于建立深海扇成因与预测地质模型具有重要意义。本文通过地震与钻井资料综合解释,分析塞内加尔盆地北部次盆白垩纪被动大陆边缘时期的构造-沉积演化特征,识别深海扇体,并分析其岩性、形态与规模的演变特征;然后分析海平面变化、陆源物质供给、陆坡与沟谷地貌等地质条件对深海扇体发育的控制作用。研究表明,研究区在白垩纪盆地被动大陆边缘阶段,经历了早白垩世的碳酸盐岩台地建设期、Albian-Santonian期碎屑岩沉积被陆坡内外分割的沉积期、Campanian-Maastrichtian期的碎屑岩缓坡沉积期等3个构造-沉积演化阶段;从早白垩世Aptian期到白垩纪末期发育了具有不同岩性、形态与规模特征的深海扇体。全球海平面变化、陆源碎屑供给、陆坡与沟谷地貌特征共同制约了深海扇的演化特征,但它们对深海扇发育与演化的影响作用又有所不同。全球海平面变化与陆源碎屑供给特征更多是影响了扇体的岩性粗细与规模,而陆坡沟谷地貌特征则直接决定了扇体的形态与分布。     

Latitudinal and Scan-dependent Biases of Microwave Humidity Sounder Measurements and Their Dependences on Cloud Ice Water Path

The relationship between differences in microwave humidity sounder(MHS)–channel biases which represent measured brightness temperatures and model-simulated brightness temperatures, and cloud ice water path(IWP) as well as the influence of the cloud liquid water path(LWP) on the relationship is examined. Seven years(2011–17) of NOAA-18 MHS-derived measured brightness temperatures and IWP/LWP data generated by the NOAA Comprehensive Large Array-data Stewardship System Microwave Surface and Precipitation Products System are used. The Community Radiative Transfer Model, version2.2.4, is used to simulate model-simulated brightness temperatures using European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis data as background fields. Scan-angle deviations of the MHS window channel biases range from-1.7 K to1.0 K. The relationships between channels 2, 4, and 5 biases and scan angle are symmetrical about the nadir. The latitudedependent deviations of MHS window channel biases are positive and range from 0–7 K. For MHS non-window channels,the latitudinal deviations between measured brightness temperatures and model-simulated brightness temperatures are larger when the detection height is higher. No systematic warm or cold deviations are found in the global spatial distribution of difference between measured brightness temperatures and model-simulated brightness temperatures over oceans after removing scan-angle and latitudinal deviations. The corrected biases of five different MHS channels decrease differently with respect to the increase in IWP. This decrease is stronger when LWP values are higher.     

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.