Soil respiration mapped by exclusively use of MODIS data for forest landscapes of Saskatchewan,Canada

Soil respiration (R_s) is of great importance to the global carbon balance. Remote sensing of R_s is challenging because of (1) the lack of long-term R_s data for model development and (2) limited knowledge of using satellite-based products to estimate R_s. Using 8-years (2002–2009) of continuous R_s measurements with nonsteady-state automated chamber systems at a Canadian boreal black spruce stand (SK-OBS), we found that R_s was strongly correlated with the product of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the nighttime land surface temperature (LSTn) derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery. The coefficients of the linear regression equation of this correlation between R_s and NDVI × LSTn could be further calibrated using the MODIS leaf area index (LAI) product, resulting in an algorithm that is driven solely by remote sensing observations. Modeled R_s closely tracked the seasonal patterns of measured R_s and explained 74–92% of the variance in R_s with a root mean square error (RMSE) less than 1.0 g C/m²/d. Further validation of the model from SK-OBS site at another two independent sites (SK-OA and SK-OJP, old aspen and old jack pine, respectively) showed that the algorithm can produce good estimates of R_s with an overall R² of 0.78 (p < 0.001) for data of these two sites. Consequently, we mapped R_s of forest landscapes of Saskatchewan using entirely MODIS observations for 2003 and spatial and temporal patterns of R_s were well modeled. These results point to a strong relationship between the soil respiratory process and canopy photosynthesis as indicated from the greenness index (i.e., NDVI), thereby implying the potential of remote sensing data for detecting variations in R_s. A combination of both biological and environmental variables estimated from remote sensing in this analysis may be valuable in future investigations of spatial and temporal characteristics of R_s.     

Effects of green space spatial pattern on land surface temperature: Implications for sustainable urban planning and climate change adaptation

The urban heat island (UHI) refers to the phenomenon of higher atmospheric and surface temperatures occurring in urban areas than in the surrounding rural areas. Mitigation of the UHI effects via the configuration of green spaces and sustainable design of urban environments has become an issue of increasing concern under changing climate. In this paper, the effects of the composition and configuration of green space on land surface temperatures (LST) were explored using landscape metrics including percentage of landscape (PLAND), edge density (ED) and patch density (PD). An oasis city of Aksu in Northwestern China was used as a case study. The metrics were calculated by moving window method based on a green space map derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery, and LST data were retrieved from Landsat TM thermal band. A normalized mutual information measure was employed to investigate the relationship between LST and the spatial pattern of green space. The results showed that while the PLAND is the most important variable that elicits LST dynamics, spatial configuration of green space also has significant effect on LST. Though, the highest normalized mutual information measure was with the PLAND (0.71), it was found that the ED and PD combination is the most deterministic factors of LST than the unique effects of a single variable or the joint effects of PLAND and PD or PLAND and ED. Normalized mutual information measure estimations between LST and PLAND and ED, PLAND and PD and ED and PD were 0.7679, 0.7650 and 0.7832, respectively. A combination of the three factors PLAND, PD and ED explained much of the variance of LST with a normalized mutual information measure of 0.8694. Results from this study can expand our understanding of the relationship between LST and street trees and vegetation, and provide insights for sustainable urban planning and management under changing climate.     

利用时空信息的单波段地表温度遥感反演

地表温度被认为是影响生态系统的关键因子之一,它与许多地表过程有关。目前,热红外卫星遥感技术是获取有关区域和全球尺度地表温度信息的一个有效、可行的手段。针对不同卫星上搭载的热红外传感器,许多学者开展了大量的研究,其中针对单波段热红外的特点(如Landsat TM/ETM+,CBERS和HJ-1B)提出了单通道(或单窗)算法。该类算法需要准确的地表比辐射率和大气参数(如大气水分含量)。这些参数在现实中又很难轻易获得,从而在一定程度上限制了现有算法的应用。针对HJ-1B高回访频率的特点,本文提出了利用多时相影像的时空信息来直接反演地表温度的Multi-Temporal and Spatial Information-Based Single Channel(MTSC),以解决现有算法对地表比辐射率和大气参数的过度依赖性。实例分析结果显示,基于MTSC法由HJ-1B反演得到的地表温度结果与MODIS地表(陆表和海表)温度产品具有很好的空间一致性;HJ-1B的陆表温度结果总体上被高估了约1 K,而海表温度结果总体上被高估了0.5 K;同时,MTSC法得到的HJ-1B地表温度结果具有更好的细节和空间完整性。最后,通过分析和讨论指出了一些可能的完善途径,如相似像元的确定、修改优化求解中的目标函数、参数的自适应初始化等,以便提高MTSC法的反演精度和实用性。     

构造地理要素趋势面的尺度转换普适性方法探讨

当前的遥感科学面临着遥感数据获取能力与数据应用能力之间突出的供需矛盾。尺度问题作为遥感科学中的关键问题,既限制了遥感作为一门科学向系统性、普适性的发展,又限制了遥感应用能力的发展。本文对定量遥感中的尺度问题进行了梳理,包括:遥感与传统站点观测之间的不一致、不同尺度遥感产品之间的不一致、机理模型的尺度适用问题,以及遥感产品与用户需求时空尺度间的不一致。对遥感中的尺度转换方法展开了讨论,总结了尺度转换的关键问题在于原数据信息量不足时引入额外信息和保留关键信息两方面。提出了构造地理要素趋势面的基本构想,搭建了一个具有普适性的尺度转换方法框架。核心内容是充分利用地表环境要素时间、空间上的信息作为先验知识,通过关联遥感观测新信息和先验趋势面生成指定时空尺度的地表要素产品。     

Effects of meridional sea surface temperature changes on stratospheric temperature and circulation

Using a state-of-the-art chemistry-climate model,we analyzed the atmospheric responses to increases in sea surface temperature （SST）.The results showed that increases in SST and the SST meridional gradient could intensify the subtropical westerly jets and significantly weaken the northern polar vortex.In the model runs,global uniform SST increases produced a more significant impact on the southern stratosphere than the northern stratosphere,while SST gradient increases produced a more significant impact on the northern stratosphere.The asymmetric responses of the northern and southern polar stratosphere to SST meridional gradient changes were found to be mainly due to different wave properties and transmissions in the northern and southern atmosphere.Although SST increases may give rise to stronger waves,the results showed that the effect of SST increases on the vertical propagation of tropospheric waves into the stratosphere will vary with height and latitude and be sensitive to SST meridional gradient changes.Both uniform and non-uniform SST increases accelerated the large-scale Brewer-Dobson circulation （BDC）,but the gradient increases of SST between 60°S and 60°N resulted in younger mean age-of-air in the stratosphere and a larger increase in tropical upwelling,with a much higher tropopause than from a global uniform 1.0 K SST increase.     

An Overview of BCC Climate System Model Development and Application for Climate Change Studies

This paper reviews recent progress in the development of the Beijing Climate Center Climate System Model(BCC-CSM) and its four component models(atmosphere,land surface,ocean,and sea ice).Two recent versions are described:BCC-CSM1.1 with coarse resolution(approximately 2.8125°×2.8125°) and BCC-CSM1.1(m) with moderate resolution(approximately 1.125°×1.125°).Both versions are fully coupled climate-carbon cycle models that simulate the global terrestrial and oceanic carbon cycles and include dynamic vegetation.Both models well simulate the concentration and temporal evolution of atmospheric CO_2 during the 20th century with anthropogenic CO2 emissions prescribed.Simulations using these two versions of the BCC-CSM model have been contributed to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase five(CMIP5) in support of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report(AR5).These simulations are available for use by both national and international communities for investigating global climate change and for future climate projections.Simulations of the 20th century climate using BCC-CSMl.l and BCC-CSMl.l(m) are presented and validated,with particular focus on the spatial pattern and seasonal evolution of precipitation and surface air temperature on global and continental scales.Simulations of climate during the last millennium and projections of climate change during the next century are also presented and discussed.Both BCC-CSMl.l and BCC-CSMl.l(m) perform well when compared with other CMIP5 models.Preliminary analyses indicate that the higher resolution in BCC-CSM1.1(m) improves the simulation of mean climate relative to BCC-CSMl.l,particularly on regional scales.     

Climatology of Lightning Activity over the Indian Seas

The climatology of lightning activity over the Indian seas (Arabian Sea (AS) and Bay of Bengal (BoB)) has been studied using monthly satellite-based lightning flash count grid (0.5°?×?0.5°) data from 1998 to 2007. These data have been used to investigate the annual and seasonal variations in lightning activity over the Indian seas. It was found that annual variations in flash rate density and sea surface temperature (SST) show a bimodal pattern with the first peak occurring in May and the second in October. The correlation coefficients between flash rate density and SSTs are 0.76 and 0.65 for the AS and BoB, respectively. Further, the relationship between flash rate density and a low pressure system (LPS) over the BoB shows that the formation of severe tropical cyclonic storms starts during April with the maximum number of storms forming during August. The performance of monsoon on a seasonal and monthly basis depends on the total number of lows, the formation of a depression in the monsoon trough, and the number of days with an LPS. Secular decreases in the number of lows and monsoon depressions were observed in 2000, 2002, and 2004. Overall, results indicate that the peaks in SST during April and September/October over the AS and the BoB may be responsible for advancing the onset of the southwest and northeast monsoon by 30–40 days.     

Western Arctic Cyclones and Equilibrium between the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and the Sea Surface

The data-collection campaign for the 2008 International Polar Year–Circumpolar Flaw Lead System Study saw the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Amundsen, a research icebreaker, overwinter in high-concentration unconsolidated sea ice in Amundsen Gulf. Environmental monitoring continued into the open-water season. During this period, the Amundsen registered five relatively deep mean sea-level pressure minima (less than 100?kPa). Three were selected for further analysis based on season and the nature of the underlying ocean or sea-ice surface: (1) a winter pressure minimum over unconsolidated sea ice, (2) a spring pressure minimum which likely contributed to the break-up of the sea-ice cover on Amundsen Gulf, and (3) a summer pressure minimum over open water. The characteristics of these pressure minima and the impact of their passage on the atmospheric boundary layer and on the sea-ice cover as they crossed Amundsen Gulf were examined. Several features were revealed by the analysis. (1) The winter and summer pressure minima were migratory cyclones accompanied by Arctic frontal waves with characteristics very similar to the polar frontal waves associated with the migratory cyclones found at more southerly latitudes, whereas the spring pressure minimum was attributed to an Arctic frontal trough of low pressure with the cyclonic centre remaining south of the Gulf. (2) The passage of the frontal-wave cyclone in winter and the frontal trough of low pressure in spring disrupted the equilibrium that had been established during more settled periods between the atmospheric boundary layer and the mosaic surface (leads, polynyas, and sea ice); however, equilibrium was quickly re-established. (3) In summer, the thermal structure of the lower atmospheric boundary layer persisted through the passage of the frontal-wave cyclone over the open-water surface. (4) The passage of the frontal-wave cyclone in winter and the frontal trough of low pressure in spring modified the mesoscale sea-icescape.     

The Observed and Simulated Major Summer Climate Features in Northwest China and Their Sensitivity to Land Surface Processes

Northwest China （NWC） is a typical arid and semi-arid region. In this study, the main summer climate features over NWC are presented and the performance of an atmospheric general circulation model （NCEP GCM/SSiB） over this region is evaluated. Satellite-derived vegetation products are applied in the model. Based on comparison with observational data and Reanalysis II data, the model generally captures major features of the NWC summer energy balance and circulation. These features include： a high surface tem- perature center dominating the planetary boundary layer; widespread descending motion; an anticyclone （cyclone） located in the lower and middle （upper） troposphere, covering most parts of central NWC; and the precipitation located mainly in the high elevation areas surrounding NWC.
The sensitivity of the summer energy balance and circulation over NWC and surrounding regions to land surface processes is assessed with specified land cover change. In the sensitivity experiment, the degradation over most parts of NWC, except the Taklimakan desert, decreases the surface-absorbed radiation and leads to weaker surface thermal effects. In northern Xinjiang and surrounding regions, less latent heating causes stronger anomalous lower-level anticyclonic circulation and upper-level cyclonic circulation, leading to less summer precipitation and higher surface temperature. Meanwhile, the dry conditions in the Hexi Corridor produce less change in the latent heat flux. The circulation change to the north of this area plays a domi- nant role in indirectly changing lower-level cyclonic conditions, producing more convergence, weaker vertical descending motion, and thus an increase in the precipitation over this region.     

基于多时相遥感的鄂尔多斯市不透水面变化分析

不透水面作为城市发展和生态环境的重要评估因子,在保障生态环境健康和城市可持续发展中具有重大意义。本文以鄂尔多斯为研究区,通过融合多时相Landsat和夜间灯光数据,提取1990—2019年的不透水面信息,并利用重心分析法、标准差椭圆理论和景观指数理论分析时空演变规律。研究结果表明:①1990—2019年鄂尔多斯市不透水面经历了快速扩张;东北部不透水面覆盖度高于西南部;不透水面的扩张模式总体上表现为“向外扩张-向内加密”。②东北部扩张速度减缓,西南部扩张速度增快。③不透水面扩张的方向性减弱;不透水面扩张的方向有由“东北-西南”向“东-西”转变的趋势。④斑块数量及边缘斑块破碎度增加,城市与郊区的连通性增强,城市有向周边郊区扩张的趋势。本文研究对于进一步了解城市生态环境健康与城市可持续发展的相关关系具有一定的参考价值。