Sensor Calibration in Support for NOAA’s Satellite Mission

Sensor calibration, including its definition, purpose, traceability options, methodology, complexity, and importance, is examined in this paper in the context of supporting NOAA’s satellite mission. Common understanding of sensor calibration is essential for the effective communication among sensor vendors, calibration scientists, satellite operators, program managers, and remote sensing data users, who must cooperate to ensure that a nation’s strategic investment in a sophisticated operational environmental satellite system serves the nation’s interest and enhances the human lives around the world. Examples of calibration activities at NOAA/NESDIS/ORA are selected to further illustrate these concepts and to demonstrate the lessons learned from the past experience.     

Harmonic analysis of the Earth's gravitational field by means of semi-continuous ephemerides of a low Earth orbiting GPS-tracked satellite. Case study: CHAMP

An algorithm for the determination of the spherical harmonic coefficients of the terrestrial gravitational field representation from the analysis of a kinematic orbit solution of a low earth orbiting GPS-tracked satellite is presented and examined. A gain in accuracy is expected since the kinematic orbit of a LEO satellite can nowadays be determined with very high precision, in the range of a few centimeters. In particular, advantage is taken of Newton's Law of Motion, which balances the acceleration vector with respect to an inertial frame of reference (IRF) and the gradient of the gravitational potential. By means of triple differences, and in particular higher-order differences (seven-point scheme, nine-point scheme), based upon Newton's interpolation formula, the local acceleration vector is estimated from relative GPS position time series. The gradient of the gravitational potential is conventionally given in a body-fixed frame of reference (BRF) where it is nearly time independent or stationary. Accordingly, the gradient of the gravitational potential has to be transformed from spherical BRF to Cartesian IRF. Such a transformation is possible by differentiating the gravitational potential, given as a spherical harmonics series expansion, with respect to Cartesian coordinates by means of the chain rule, and expressing zero- and first-order Ferrer's associated Legendre functions in terms of Cartesian coordinates. Subsequently, the BRF Cartesian coordinates are transformed into IRF Cartesian coordinates by means of the polar motion matrix, the precession–nutation matrices and the Greenwich sidereal time angle (GAST). In such a way a spherical harmonic representation of the terrestrial gravitational field intensity with respect to an IRF is achieved. Numerical tests of a resulting Gauss–Markov model document not only the quality and the high resolution of such a space gravity spectroscopy, but also the problems resulting from noise amplification in the acceleration determination process.     

一种基于TIN的地形剖面线生成算法

在目前已有基于规则格网(Grid)生成地形剖面线的基础上，提出了一种适用于不规则三角网(TIN)的剖面线生成算法。该算法充分利用TIN中各三角形间存在的拓扑关系，实现了与剖面线相交三角形的快速搜索，大大提高了算法的执行效率。由于地形简化后的TIN仍保留三角形间的拓扑关系，该剖面线生成算法还适用于多分辨率的海量TIN数据。     

Ringlet–satellite interactions

We study the interaction of a satellite and a nearby ringlet on eccentric and inclined orbits. Secular torques originate from mean motion resonances and the secular interaction potential which represents the m  = 1 global modes of the ring. The torques act on the relative eccentricity and inclination. The resonances damp the relative eccentricity. The inclination instability owing to the resonances is turned off by a finite differential eccentricity of the order of 0.27 for nearly coplanar systems. The secular potential torque damps the eccentricity and inclination and does not affect the relative semi-major axis; also, it suppresses the inclination instability that persists at small differential eccentricities. The damping of the relative eccentricity and inclination forces an initially circular and planar small mass ringlet to reach the eccentricity and inclination of the satellite. When the planet is oblate, the interaction of the satellite damps the proper precession of a small mass ringlet so that it precesses at the satellite's rate independently of their relative distance. The oblateness of the primary modifies the long-term eccentricity and inclination magnitudes and introduces a constant shift in the apsidal and nodal lines of the ringlet with respect to those of the satellite. These results are applied to Saturn's F-ring, which orbits between the moons Prometheus and Pandora.     

A CCD OBSERVATIONAL METHOD TO DETERMINE PRECISELY THE BARYCENTRICPOSITIONS OF THE OUTER PLANETS(SATURN-NEPTUNE)

This paper presents a new method to determine precisely the barycentric positions of the outer planets(Saturn - Neptune)by optical observations. It requires the CCD observations from a long focal distance telescope which is used to observe a planet and its satellites and ones from a meridian circle when it works in a CCD drift scanning manner. The key part of the method is tested by the observations with 1 meter telescope of Yunnan Observatory. The result shows that the new method is feasible to carry out.     

The direct boundary element method: 2D site effects assessment on laterally varying layered media (methodology)

The Direct Boundary Element Method (DBEM) is presented to solve the elastodynamic field equations in 2D, and a complete comprehensive implementation is given. The DBEM is a useful approach to obtain reliable numerical estimates of site effects on seismic ground motion due to irregular geological configurations, both of layering and topography.The method is based on the discretization of the classical Somigliana's elastodynamic representation equation which stems from the reciprocity theorem. This equation is given in terms of the Green's function which is the full-space harmonic steady-state fundamental solution. The formulation permits the treatment of viscoelastic media, therefore site models with intrinsic attenuation can be examined. By means of this approach, the calculation of 2D scattering of seismic waves, due to the incidence of P and SV waves on irregular topographical profiles is performed. Sites such as, canyons, mountains and valleys in irregular multilayered media are computed to test the technique. The obtained transfer functions show excellent agreement with already published results.     

关于土卫八运动的轨道解

为了适应星际探测的需求,本文建立了在新的精度要求下土星卫星运动对应的力学模型,具体讨论了土卫八的运动,并针对主要摄动源土卫六的引力作用,建立了轨道变化的分析解,以此表明建立了土卫运动理论该采取的途径和精密定轨宜采用以轨道根数作为状态量的数值定轨方法。     

The status of Earth Observation (EO) & Geo-Information Sciences in Africa – trends and challenges

ABSTRACT

Over the last 20 years, Africa has witnessed a slow but steady advancement in space-based technologies as they are increasingly recognized as an essential tool for decision-making that can leapfrog African development. A critical review on the outcome of a survey questionnaire focused on African private sector industries and universities, services and education/training in EO and Geo-Information Sciences, combined with literature review, and personal contacts reveal optimism for success in four sectors. These include the public sector (Government ministries and departments); Academic institutions (universities/colleges/national or regional centers); and space agencies and private sector companies. These sectors are intertwined and fundamental for creating an enabling environment for solutions to a broad spectrum of pressing priorities: job creation, poverty alleviation, and sustainable resource management. The result shows that there is an uptake in the number of institutions and market segments created. To date, there are more than 90 academic institutions and over 53 national space agencies in 28 countries. Within the 53 national space agencies, 11 African countries have already launched a total of 36 satellites into orbit, and additional five are expected by the first quarter of 2021; another five by 2025; thus, amounting to 46 satellites not foreseen ten years ago. In addition, there are now ten receiving and tracking stations in six African countries and 17 scientific National Associations or Societies with specialized expertise in Geo-Information technologies. The updated survey on the private sector in 2019 ascertained that around 4110 people are working in 130 of the 229 EO and Geo-Information Science companies identified in Africa. Ongoing investigations reiterate that companies dealing with space-based datasets and Geo-Information Sciences together with the private spin-off companies today absorb more than 15,000 people and the assumption is that this number is going to exceed 100,000 by the year 2025.     

Basis for integration of conventional observations of cloud into global nephanalyses

Water vapour is the largest and, radiatively, the most important trace gas in the Earth's atmosphere. Cloud amount and cloud optical depth feedbacks are, as yet, poorly understood and improvements in model parameterization schemes await an adequate observational data base. Satellite retrievals do not, and will not for some time, provide more than snapshot (a few months to a few years) records. Conventional surface-based observations of cloudiness could complement the global coverage offered by satellite retrievals if a sound relationship between the two observational measurements could be found. Observations underline the importance of the vertical dimension of clouds which affects the observational geometries from satellites and the surface. A new basis for the relationship between the (vertical) earthview of cloud amount and the (whole dome) skycover of cloud amount has been sought. Over four and a half thousand all-sky camera photographs, representing a considerable range of seasonal and climatological conditions, have been analyzed to give rise to a database from which predictive relationships for earthview, E, and skycover, S, have been established.Cubic functions are the most soundly based both physically and empirically. We find: S=0.647+2.192E–0.461E ²+0.037E ³ and E=-0.001+0.082S+0.269S ²–0.019S ³ for the prediction of skycover from earthview and earthview from skycover, respectively. If earthview is required from skycover observations then ES could be used with little additional error. Hence, conventional surface observations of skycover could be compared directly with satellite-derived earthview values. More importantly, these results do not support the widespread assumption that conventional (surface) observations of cloud amount always exceed the earthview could retrieval. Furthermore, climate model predictions of total cloud amount may also be interpreted via these relationships. GCM-predicted layer cloud amounts can be synthesized into modelled E values using the random overlap formula and hence it is possible to construct modelled S values which are directly comparable with conventionally observed cloud climatologies. The baseline observation of skycover by clouds therefore provides a valuable validation tool for both satellite programmes and climate models.     

面向区域目标的多星协同对地观测任务规划问题

我国在轨对地观测卫星数目的不断增多和卫星对地观测需求的日益复杂化,要求利用多星协同完成对大面积区域目标的快速观测和观测数据的及时更新。针对这一新问题,提出了问题的求解框架,并在分析国外目前采用的区域分割方法的基础上,设计了一种改进的基于卫星、星载遥感器参数和区域目标形状特征的观测活动构造和处理方法,对多星协同观测区域目标具有一定作用。