Scale-recursive assimilation of precipitation data

This paper presents a new statistical method for assimilating precipitation data from different sensors operating over a range of scales. The technique is based on a scale-recursive estimation algorithm which is computationally efficient and able to account for the nested spatial structure of precipitation fields. The version of the algorithm described here relies on a static multiplicative cascade model which relates rainrates at different scales. Bayesian estimation techniques are used to condition rainrate estimates on measurements. The conditioning process is carried out recursively in two sweeps: first from fine to coarse scales and then from coarse to fine scales. The complete estimation algorithm is similar to a fixed interval smoother although it processes data over scale rather than time. We use this algorithm to assimilate radar and satellite microwave data collected during the tropical ocean–global atmosphere coupled ocean–atmosphere response experiment (TOGA-COARE). The resulting rainrate estimates reproduce withheld radar measurements to within the level of accuracy predicted by the assimilation algorithm.     

SULFUR IN ACHONDRITIC METEORITES

Total sulfur abundances have been measured for 48 achondrites. For twenty eucrites they ranged from 370 to 3700 μgS/g with a median sulfur content of 1180 μgS/g. Sulfur abundances for howardites ranged from 1490 to 3240 μgS/g and had a median sulfur concentration of 2340 μgS/g. Diogenites' sulfur abundances ranged from 130 to 3170 μgS/g, with a median value of 1280 μgS/g. Four shergottites had a median sulfur content of 1940 μgS/g and ranged from 740 to 2540 μgS/g. Enstatite achondrites contained the greatest sulfur abundances of any achondrite group. They ranged from 2450 to 8580 μgS/g and had a median sulfur content of 6020 μgS/g. A single Chassignite had a sulfur concentration of 360 μgS/g. The wide variations in sulfur concentrations for the achondrites reflect the small scale heterogeneous nature of these unique extraterrestrial materials due in large part to discrete sulfide mineral grains.