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At least 1,783 records · Page 99

Microwave Remote Sensing of Snow: Advances over Ice Sheet, Land, and Sea Ice

Satellite microwave radiometers have enabled us to observe the cryosphere and its changes. A variety of algorithms have been developed since the late 1970s. These convert observed microwave radiation into geophysical, glaciological properties relevant to study ice sheets’ snow accumulation and melt, terrestrial snow water equivalent and freeze/thaw state, and various sea ice cover characteristics like extent, concentration, and thickness. In spite of the continuous availability of satellite microwave radiometers for the past 40 years, potential for advancing our understanding of the relationship between microwave radiation and snow/ice properties still exists. Original empirical algorithms have matured and are becoming more physically based. This presentation offers insights into some advances made during the past 10 years in monitoring ice sheet, terrestrial snow, and sea ice. These advances made it possible to provide new, more reliable climate-related variables to the community for the satellite era using the typical 18-37 GHz frequency range (e.g., retrievals of grain size profiles in Antarctica, snow cover stratification, and therefore accumulation with applications to climate studies). Recent NASA instruments have recorded low microwave frequencies (at 1.4 GHz). These observations have a large penetration depth, they emanate from deep into the ice, where properties including temperature are very stable. Nonetheless, it has been found at both Dome C, Antarctica and Summit, Greenland that changes in surface snow properties significantly influence these observations. Compared to ice sheets, terrestrial snow and sea ice present higher spatial heterogeneities. Over land, presence of canopy and lakes, though with known locations, add ambiguities in the retrievals of snow properties. Over sea ice, ridges, leads, changes in salinity, and sea ice drift augment further the level of difficulty in obtaining robust geophysical properties. Assessing the quality of satellite retrievals, often requiring field activities, is a necessary step in designing the next generation of microwave algorithms to monitor changes in the cryosphere.

Brucker, Ludovic↗

A Numerical Testbed for Remote Sensing of Aerosols, and its Demonstration for Evaluating Retrieval Synergy from a Geostationary Satellite Constellation of GEO-CAPE and GOES-R

We present a numerical testbed for remote sensing of aerosols, together with a demonstration for evaluating retrieval synergy from a geostationary satellite constellation. The testbed combines inverse (optimal-estimation) software with a forward model containing linearized code for computing particle scattering (for both spherical and non-spherical particles), a kernel-based (land and ocean) surface bi-directional reflectance facility, and a linearized radiative transfer model for polarized radiance. Calculation of gas absorption spectra uses the HITRAN (HIgh-resolution TRANsmission molecular absorption) database of spectroscopic line parameters and other trace species cross-sections. The outputs of the testbed include not only the Stokes 4-vector elements and their sensitivities (Jacobians) with respect to the aerosol single scattering and physical parameters (such as size and shape parameters, refractive index, and plume height), but also DFS (Degree of Freedom for Signal) values for retrieval of these parameters. This testbed can be used as a tool to provide an objective assessment of aerosol information content that can be retrieved for any constellation of (planned or real) satellite sensors and for any combination of algorithm design factors (in terms of wavelengths, viewing angles, radiance and/or polarization to be measured or used). We summarize the components of the testbed, including the derivation and validation of analytical formulae for Jacobian calculations. Benchmark calculations from the forward model are documented. In the context of NASA's Decadal Survey Mission GEOCAPE (GEOstationary Coastal and Air Pollution Events), we demonstrate the use of the testbed to conduct a feasibility study of using polarization measurements in and around the O2 A band for the retrieval of aerosol height information from space, as well as an to assess potential improvement in the retrieval of aerosol fine and coarse mode aerosol optical depth (AOD) through the synergic use of two future geostationary satellites, GOES-R (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-series) and TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution). Strong synergy between GEOS-R and TEMPO are found especially in their characterization of surface bi-directional reflectance, and thereby, can potentially improve the AOD retrieval to the accuracy required by GEO-CAPE.

Aerosols↗

One-dimensional phase retrieval: Regularization, box relaxation and uniqueness

Recovering a signal from its Fourier magnitude is referred to as phase retrieval, which occurs in different fields of engineering and applied physics. This paper gives a new characterization of the phase retrieval problem. Particularly useful is the analysis revealing that the common gradient-based regularization does not restrict the set of solutions to a smaller set. Specifically focusing on binary signals, we show that a box relaxation is equivalent to the binary constraint for Fourier-types of phase retrieval. Here, we further prove that binary signals can be recovered uniquely up to trivial ambiguities under certain conditions. Finally, we use the characterization theorem to develop an efficient denoising algorithm.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Direct retrieval of isoprene from satellite-based infrared measurements

Isoprene is the atmosphere’s most important non-methane organic compound, with key impacts on atmospheric oxidation, ozone, and organic aerosols. In-situ isoprene measurements are sparse, and satellite-based constraints have employed an indirect approach using its oxidation product formaldehyde, which is affected by non-isoprene sources plus uncertainty and spatial smearing in the isoprene-formaldehyde relationship. Direct global isoprene measurements are therefore needed to better understand its sources, sinks, and atmospheric impacts. Here we show that the isoprene spectral signatures are detectable from space using the satellite-borne Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS), develop a full-physics retrieval methodology for quantifying isoprene abundances from these spectral features, and apply the algorithm to CrIS measurements over Amazonia. The results are consistent with model output and in-situ data, and establish the feasibility of direct global space-based isoprene measurements. Finally, we demonstrate the potential for combining space-based measurements of isoprene and formaldehyde to constrain atmospheric oxidation over isoprene source regions.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Minimum-fuel rescue trajectories for the Extravehicular Excursion Unit

The problem of determining minimum-fuel trajectories for rescuing astronauts or equipment which become separated from a Space Station is addressed. Using the Clohessy-Wiltshire equations of relative motion and assuming impulsive Delta-Vs, the minimum-fuel rescue problem is shown to be a parameter optimization problem. Minimum-fuel rescue trajectories are found for seventeen test cases using a recursive quadratic programming algorithm. The results are analyzed and general rules for astronaut rescue and equipment retrieval are developed.

Fowler, W. T.↗

Correction of WindScat Scatterometric Measurements by Combining with AMSR Radiometric Data

The Seawinds scatterometer on the advanced Earth observing satellite-2 (ADEOS-2) will determine surface wind vectors by measuring the radar cross section. Multiple measurements will be made at different points in a wind-vector cell. When dense clouds and rain are present, the signal will be attenuated, thereby giving erroneous results for the wind. This report describes algorithms to use with the advanced mechanically scanned radiometer (AMSR) scanning radiometer on ADEOS-2 to correct for the attenuation. One can determine attenuation from a radiometer measurement based on the excess brightness temperature measured. This is the difference between the total measured brightness temperature and the contribution from surface emission. A major problem that the algorithm must address is determining the surface contribution. Two basic approaches were developed for this, one using the scattering coefficient measured along with the brightness temperature, and the other using the brightness temperature alone. For both methods, best results will occur if the wind from the preceding wind-vector cell can be used as an input to the algorithm. In the method based on the scattering coefficient, we need the wind direction from the preceding cell. In the method using brightness temperature alone, we need the wind speed from the preceding cell. If neither is available, the algorithm can work, but the corrections will be less accurate. Both correction methods require iterative solutions. Simulations show that the algorithms make significant improvements in the measured scattering coefficient and thus is the retrieved wind vector. For stratiform rains, the errors without correction can be quite large, so the correction makes a major improvement. For systems of separated convective cells, the initial error is smaller and the correction, although about the same percentage, has a smaller effect.

Song, S.↗

Use of Dual-wavelength Radar for Snow Parameter Estimates

Use of dual-wavelength radar, with properly chosen wavelengths, will significantly lessen the ambiguities in the retrieval of microphysical properties of hydrometeors. In this paper, a dual-wavelength algorithm is described to estimate the characteristic parameters of the snow size distributions. An analysis of the computational results, made at X and Ka bands (T-39 airborne radar) and at S and X bands (CP-2 ground-based radar), indicates that valid estimates of the median volume diameter of snow particles, D(sub 0), should be possible if one of the two wavelengths of the radar operates in the non-Rayleigh scattering region. However, the accuracy may be affected to some extent if the shape factors of the Gamma function used for describing the particle distribution are chosen far from the true values or if cloud water attenuation is significant. To examine the validity and accuracy of the dual-wavelength radar algorithms, the algorithms are applied to the data taken from the Convective and Precipitation-Electrification Experiment (CaPE) in 1991, in which the dual-wavelength airborne radar was coordinated with in situ aircraft particle observations and ground-based radar measurements. Having carefully co-registered the data obtained from the different platforms, the airborne radar-derived size distributions are then compared with the in-situ measurements and ground-based radar. Good agreement is found for these comparisons despite the uncertainties resulting from mismatches of the sample volumes among the different sensors as well as spatial and temporal offsets.

Liao, Liang↗

A Time Series Approach for Soil Moisture Estimation

Soil moisture is a key parameter in understanding the global water cycle and in predicting natural hazards. Polarimetric radar measurements have been used for estimating soil moisture of bare surfaces. In order to estimate soil moisture accurately, the surface roughness effect must be compensated properly. In addition, these algorithms will not produce accurate results for vegetated surfaces. It is difficult to retrieve soil moisture of a vegetated surface since the radar backscattering cross section is sensitive to the vegetation structure and environmental conditions such as the ground slope. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to estimate the effect of the surface roughness and vegetation reliably. One way to remove the roughness effect and the vegetation contamination is to take advantage of the temporal variation of soil moisture. In order to understand the global hydrologic cycle, it is desirable to measure soil moisture with one- to two-days revisit. Using these frequent measurements, a time series approach can be implemented to improve the soil moisture retrieval accuracy.

soil moisture↗

SAGE II Measurements of Stratospheric Aerosol Properties at Non-Volcanic Levels

Since 2000, stratospheric aerosol levels have been relatively stable and at the lowest levels observed in the historical record. Given the challenges of making satellite measurements of aerosol properties at these levels, we have performed a study of the sensitivity of the product to the major components of the processing algorithm used in the production of SAGE II aerosol extinction measurements and the retrieval process that produces the operational surface area density (SAD) product. We find that the aerosol extinction measurements, particularly at 1020 nm, remain robust and reliable at the observed aerosol levels. On the other hand, during background periods, the SAD operational product has an uncertainty of at least a factor of 2 during due to the lack of sensitivity to particles with radii less than 100 nm.

Thomason, Larry W.↗

Next-Generation Satellite Precipitation Products for Understanding Global and Regional Water Variability

A major challenge in understanding the space-time variability of continental water fluxes is the lack of accurate precipitation estimates over complex terrains. While satellite precipitation observations can be used to complement ground-based data to obtain improved estimates, space-based and ground-based estimates come with their own sets of uncertainties, which must be understood and characterized. Quantitative estimation of uncertainties in these products also provides a necessary foundation for merging satellite and ground-based precipitation measurements within a rigorous statistical framework. Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) is an international satellite mission that will provide next-generation global precipitation data products for research and applications. It consists of a constellation of microwave sensors provided by NASA, JAXA, CNES, ISRO, EUMETSAT, DOD, NOAA, NPP, and JPSS. At the heart of the mission is the GPM Core Observatory provided by NASA and JAXA to be launched in 2013. The GPM Core, which will carry the first space-borne dual-frequency radar and a state-of-the-art multi-frequency radiometer, is designed to set new reference standards for precipitation measurements from space, which can then be used to unify and refine precipitation retrievals from all constellation sensors. The next-generation constellation-based satellite precipitation estimates will be characterized by intercalibrated radiometric measurements and physical-based retrievals using a common observation-derived hydrometeor database. For pre-launch algorithm development and post-launch product evaluation, NASA supports an extensive ground validation (GV) program in cooperation with domestic and international partners to improve (1) physics of remote-sensing algorithms through a series of focused field campaigns, (2) characterization of uncertainties in satellite and ground-based precipitation products over selected GV testbeds, and (3) modeling of atmospheric processes and land surface hydrology through simulation, downscaling, and data assimilation. An overview of the GPM mission, science status, and synergies with HyMex activities will be presented

Hou, Arthur Y.↗

First Observations of SO2 from the Satellite Suomi NPP OMPS: Widespread Air Pollution Events Over China

Severe smog episodes over China in January 2013 received worldwide attention. This air pollution was distinguished by heavy loadings of fine particulate matter and SO2. To characterize these episodes, we employed the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite, Nadir Mapper (OMPS NM), an ultraviolet (UV) spectrometer flying on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) spacecraft since October 2011. We developed an advanced algorithm to quantify SO2 in the lower troposphere and achieved high-quality retrievals from OMPS NM, which are characterized by high precision, approx. 0.2 Dobson Units (DU; 1 DU = 2.69 x 10(exp 16) molecules/sq cm) for instantaneous field of view SO2 data and low biases (within +/-0.2 DU). Here we report SO2 retrievals and UV aerosol index data for these pollution events. The SO2 columns and the areas covered by high pollutant concentrations are quantified; the results reveal for the first time the full extent (an area of approx. 10(exp 6) sq km containing up to 60 kt of SO2) of these episodes.

Sulfur Dioxide↗

Principal Modes of Precipitation Variability from Preliminary Series of IMERG Data

The Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission, IMERG, is the unified U.S. algorithm that provides merged Microwave Infrared (IR) satellite precipitation product for the U.S. GPM team. Even though IMERG record is still very short, 2014-2016, it is tempting to test if it captures ENSO and NAO signals as compared to the popular, still on-going, TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis, TMPA. El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the most significant mode of interannual variability of tropical ocean atmosphere. North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) impact is on monthly scales and is mostly an atmospheric mode in the North Atlantic. There exist well-defined, multivariate, indexes that represent ENSO and NAO conditions and phase.

climate variability↗

A Spatiotemporal Indexing Approach for Efficient Processing of Big Array-Based Climate Data with MapReduce

Climate observations and model simulations are producing vast amounts of array-based spatiotemporal data. Efficient processing of these data is essential for assessing global challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and diseases. This is challenging not only because of the large data volume, but also because of the intrinsic high-dimensional nature of geoscience data. To tackle this challenge, we propose a spatiotemporal indexing approach to efficiently manage and process big climate data with MapReduce in a highly scalable environment. Using this approach, big climate data are directly stored in a Hadoop Distributed File System in its original, native file format. A spatiotemporal index is built to bridge the logical array-based data model and the physical data layout, which enables fast data retrieval when performing spatiotemporal queries. Based on the index, a data-partitioning algorithm is applied to enable MapReduce to achieve high data locality, as well as balancing the workload. The proposed indexing approach is evaluated using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) climate reanalysis dataset. The experimental results show that the index can significantly accelerate querying and processing (10 speedup compared to the baseline test using the same computing cluster), while keeping the index-to-data ratio small (0.0328). The applicability of the indexing approach is demonstrated by a climate anomaly detection deployed on a NASA Hadoop cluster. This approach is also able to support efficient processing of general array-based spatiotemporal data in various geoscience domains without special configuration on a Hadoop cluster.

big data↗

Satellite Monitoring of Global Surface Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics Using the SMAP Level 4 Carbon Product

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important metric of soil health and the terrestrial carbon balance. Short‐term climate variations affect SOC through changes in temperature and moisture, which control vegetation growth and soil decomposition. We evaluated a satellite data‐driven carbon model, operating under the NASA Soil Moisture Active‐Passive (SMAP) mission, as a means of monitoring global surface SOC dynamics. The SMAP Level 4 Carbon (L4C) product estimates a daily global carbon budget including surface (0‐ to 5‐cm depth) SOC. We found that the L4C mean latitudinal SOC distribution is generally consistent with alternative assessments from static soil inventory records and dynamic global vegetation models (r ≥ 0.89). Within forest systems, based on inventory data, L4C SOC is most similar in magnitude to litterfall but is correlated with coarse woody debris ( urn:x-wiley:jgrg:media:jgrg21790:jgrg21790-math-0001) and total SOC ( urn:x-wiley:jgrg:media:jgrg21790:jgrg21790-math-0002). L4C SOC is sensitive to seasonal and annual climate variability, with mean residence times that range from 1.5 years in the wet tropics to 17 years in the cold tundra. Incorporating soil moisture retrievals from the SMAP L‐band (1.4 GHz) microwave radiometer within the L4C algorithm provides enhanced soil moisture sensitivity under low‐to‐moderate vegetation cover (<5 kg/sq.m vegetation water content). The L‐band soil moisture had the greatest impact on the L4C carbon budget in semiarid regions, which span almost 60% of the globe and account for substantial variability in the terrestrial carbon sink. The L4C operational product enables prognostic investigations into effects of recent climate trends and anomalies (e.g., droughts and pluvials) on shallow soil carbon dynamics.

K. Arthur Endsley↗

Use of Machine Learning and Principal Component Analysis to Retrieve Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) With Hyperspectral Imagers and Reduce Noise in Spectral Fitting

Nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) is an important trace-gas pollutant and climate agent whose presence also leads to spectral interference in ocean color retrievals. NO 2 column densities have been retrieved with satellite UV–Vis spectrometers such as the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) that typically have spectral resolutions of the order of 0.5 nm or better and spatial footprints as small as 3.6 km × 5.6 km. These NO 2 observations are used to estimate emissions, monitor pollution trends, and study effects on human health. Here, we investigate whether it is possible to retrieve NO 2 amounts with lower-spectral-resolution hyperspectral imagers such as the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) that will fly on the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) satellite set for launch in early 2024. OCI will have a spectral resolution of 5 nm and a spatial resolution of ∼ 1 km with global coverage in 1–2 d. At this spectral resolution, small-scale spectral structure from NO 2 absorption is still present. We use real spectra from the OMI to simulate OCI spectra that are in turn used to estimate NO 2 slant column densities (SCDs) with an artificial neural network (NN) trained on target OMI retrievals. While we obtain good results with no noise added to the OCI simulated spectra, we find that the expected instrumental noise substantially degrades the OCI NO 2 retrievals. Nevertheless, the NO 2 information from OCI may be of value for ocean color retrievals. OCI retrievals can also be temporally averaged over timescales of the order of months to reduce noise and provide higher-spatial-resolution maps that may be useful for downscaling lower-spatial-resolution data provided by instruments such as OMI and TROPOMI; this downscaling could potentially enable higher-resolution emissions estimates and be useful for other applications. In addition, we show that NNs that use coefficients of leading modes of a principal component analysis of radiance spectra as inputs appear to enable noise reduction in NO 2 retrievals. Once trained, NNs can also substantially speed up NO 2 spectral fitting algorithms as applied to OMI, TROPOMI, and similar instruments that are flying or will soon fly in geostationary orbit.

NO2↗

Variational Assimilation of Global Microwave Rainfall Retrievals: Physical and Dynamical Impact on GEOS Analyses and Forecasts

Global microwave rainfall retrievals from a 5-satellite constellation, including TMI from TRMM, SSWI from DMSP F13, F14 and F15, and AMSR-E from EOS-AQUA, are assimilated into the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Data Assimilation System (DAS) using a 1-D variational continuous assimilation (VCA) algorithm. The physical and dynamical impact of rainfall assimilation on GEOS analyses and forecasts is examined at various temporal and spatial scales. This study demonstrates that the 1-D VCA algorithm, which was originally developed and evaluated for rainfall assimilations over tropical oceans, can effectively assimilate satellite microwave rainfall retrievals and improve GEOS analyses over both the Tropics and the extratropics where the atmospheric processes are dominated by different large-scale dynamics and moist physics, and also over the land, where rainfall estimates from passive microwave radiometers are believed to be less accurate. Results show that rainfall assimilation renders the GEOS analysis physically and dynamically more consistent with the observed precipitation at the monthly-mean and 6-hour time scales. Over regions where the model precipitation tends to misbehave in distinctly different rainy regimes, the 1-D VCA algorithm, by compensating for errors in the model s moist time-tendency in a 6-h analysis window, is able to bring the rainfall analysis closer to the observed. The radiation and cloud fields also tend to be in better agreement with independent satellite observations in the rainfall-assimilation m especially over regions where rainfall analyses indicate large improvements. Assimilation experiments with and without rainfall data for a midlatitude frontal system clearly indicates that the GEOS analysis is improved through changes in the thermodynamic and dynamic fields that respond to the rainfall assimilation. The synoptic structures of temperature, moisture, winds, divergence, and vertical motion, as well as vorticity are more realistically captured across the front. Short-term forecasts using initial conditions assimilated with rainfall data also show slight improvements. 1

Lin, Xin↗

Land surface model parameter optimisation using in situ flux data: comparison of gradient-based versus random search algorithms (a case study using ORCHIDEE v1.9.5.2)

Land surface models (LSMs), which form the land component of earth system models, rely on numerous processes for describing carbon, water and energy budgets, often associated with highly uncertain parameters. Data assimilation (DA) is a useful approach for optimising the most critical parameters in order to improve model accuracy and refine future climate predictions. In this study, we compare two different DA methods for optimising the parameters of seven plant functional types (PFTs) of the ORCHIDEE LSM using daily averaged eddy-covariance observations of net ecosystem exchange and latent heat flux at 78 sites across the globe. We perform a technical investigation of two classes of minimisation methods – local gradient-based (the L-BFGS-B algorithm, limited memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno algorithm with bound constraints) and global random search (the genetic algorithm) – by evaluating their relative performance in terms of the model–data fit and the difference in retrieved parameter values. We examine the performance of each method for two cases: when optimising parameters at each site independently (“single-site” approach) and when simultaneously optimising the model at all sites for a given PFT using a common set of parameters (“multi-site” approach). We find that for the single site case the random search algorithm results in lower values of the cost function (i.e. lower model–data root mean square differences) than the gradient-based method; the difference between the two methods is smaller for the multi-site optimisation due to a smoothing of the cost function shape with a greater number of observations. The spread of the cost function, when performing the same tests with 16 random first-guess parameters, is much larger with the gradient-based method, due to the higher likelihood of being trapped in local minima. When using pseudo-observation tests, the genetic algorithm results in a closer approximation of the true posterior parameter value in the L-BFGS-B algorithm. We demonstrate the advantages and challenges of different DA techniques and provide some advice on using it for the LSM parameter optimisation.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Comparison of the MODIS Collection 5 Multilayer Cloud Detection Product with CALIPSO

CALIPSO, launched in June 2006, provides global active remote sensing measurements of clouds and aerosols that can be used for validation of a variety of passive imager retrievals derived from instruments flying on the Aqua spacecraft and other A-Train platforms. The most recent processing effort for the MODIS Atmosphere Team, referred to as the Collection 5 scream, includes a research-level multilayer cloud detection algorithm that uses both thermodynamic phase information derived from a combination of solar and thermal emission bands to discriminate layers of different phases, as well as true layer separation discrimination using a moderately absorbing water vapor band. The multilayer detection algorithm is designed to provide a means of assessing the applicability of 1D cloud models used in the MODIS cloud optical and microphysical product retrieval, which are generated at a 1 km resolution. Using pixel-level collocations of MODIS Aqua, CALIOP, we investigate the global performance of multilayer cloud detection algorithms (and thermodynamic phase).

Platnick, Steven↗