Stochastic ground-motion simulations for the 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Long; Chen, Guangqi; Wu, Yanqiang; Jiang, Han

2016-11-01

On April 15, 2016, Kumamoto, Japan, was struck by a large earthquake sequence, leading to severe casualty and building damage. The stochastic finite-fault method based on a dynamic corner frequency has been applied to perform ground-motion simulations for the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. There are 53 high-quality KiK-net stations available in the Kyushu region, and we employed records from all stations to determine region-specific source, path and site parameters. The calculated S-wave attenuation for the Kyushu region beneath the volcanic and non-volcanic areas can be expressed in the form of Q s = (85.5 ± 1.5) f 0.68±0.01 and Q s = (120 ± 5) f 0.64±0.05, respectively. The effects of lateral S-wave velocity and attenuation heterogeneities on the ground-motion simulations were investigated. Site amplifications were estimated using the corrected cross-spectral ratios technique. Zero-distance kappa filter was obtained to be the value of 0.0514 ± 0.0055 s, using the spectral decay method. The stress drop of the mainshock based on the USGS slip model was estimated optimally to have a value of 64 bars. Our finite-fault model with optimized parameters was validated through the good agreement of observations and simulations at all stations. The attenuation characteristics of the simulated peak ground accelerations were also successfully captured by the ground-motion prediction equations. Finally, the ground motions at two destructively damaged regions, Kumamoto Castle and Minami Aso village, were simulated. We conclude that the stochastic finite-fault method with well-determined parameters can reproduce the ground-motion characteristics of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake in both the time and frequency domains. This work is necessary for seismic hazard assessment and mitigation.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Evaluation of Himawari-8 surface downwelling solar radiation by ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiani, Alessandro; Irie, Hitoshi; Horio, Takashi; Takamura, Tamio; Khatri, Pradeep; Takenaka, Hideaki; Nagao, Takashi; Nakajima, Takashi Y.; Cordero, Raul R.

2018-04-01

Observations from the new Japanese geostationary satellite Himawari-8 permit quasi-real-time estimation of global shortwave radiation at an unprecedented temporal resolution. However, accurate comparisons with ground-truthing observations are essential to assess their uncertainty. In this study, we evaluated the Himawari-8 global radiation product AMATERASS using observations recorded at four SKYNET stations in Japan and, for certain analyses, from the surface network of the Japanese Meteorological Agency in 2016. We found that the spatiotemporal variability of the satellite estimates was smaller than that of the ground observations; variability decreased with increases in the time step and spatial domain. Cloud variability was the main source of uncertainty in the satellite radiation estimates, followed by direct effects caused by aerosols and bright albedo. Under all-sky conditions, good agreement was found between satellite and ground-based data, with a mean bias in the range of 20-30 W m-2 (i.e., AMATERASS overestimated ground observations) and a root mean square error (RMSE) of approximately 70-80 W m-2. However, results depended on the time step used in the validation exercise, on the spatial domain, and on the different climatological regions. In particular, the validation performed at 2.5 min showed largest deviations and RMSE values ranging from about 110 W m-2 for the mainland to a maximum of 150 W m-2 in the subtropical region. We also detected a limited overestimation in the number of clear-sky episodes, particularly at the pixel level. Overall, satellite-based estimates were higher under overcast conditions, whereas frequent episodes of cloud-induced enhanced surface radiation (i.e., measured radiation was greater than expected clear-sky radiation) tended to reduce this difference. Finally, the total mean bias was approximately 10-15 W m-2 under clear-sky conditions, mainly because of overall instantaneous direct aerosol forcing efficiency in the range

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements.

PubMed

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-27

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4(+), and NO3(-) were assessed for 2005-2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes.

Global inorganic nitrogen dry deposition inferred from ground- and space-based measurements

PubMed Central

Jia, Yanlong; Yu, Guirui; Gao, Yanni; He, Nianpeng; Wang, Qiufeng; Jiao, Cuicui; Zuo, Yao

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) dry deposition is an important component in total N deposition. However, uncertainty exists in the assessment of global dry deposition. Here, we develop empirical models for estimating ground N concentrations using NO2 satellite measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and ground measurements from 555 monitoring sites. Global patterns and trends in the fluxes of NO2, HNO3, NH4+, and NO3− were assessed for 2005–2014. Moreover, we estimated global NH3 dry deposition directly using data from 267 monitoring sites. Our results showed that East Asia, the United States, and Europe were important regions of N deposition, and the total annual amount of global inorganic N deposition was 34.26 Tg N. The dry deposition fluxes were low in Africa and South America, but because of their large area, the total amounts in these regions were comparable to those in Europe and North America. In the past decade, the western United States and Eurasia, particularly eastern China, experienced the largest increases in dry deposition, whereas the eastern United States, Western Europe, and Japan experienced clear decreases through control of NOx and NH3 emissions. These findings provide a scientific background for policy-makers and future research into global changes. PMID:26813440

Biomass burning aerosols characterization from ground based and profiling measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin, Cristina; Vasilescu, Jeni; Marmureanu, Luminita; Ene, Dragos; Preda, Liliana; Mihailescu, Mona

2018-04-01

The study goal is to assess the chemical and optical properties of aerosols present in the lofted layers and at the ground. The biomass burning aerosols were evaluated in low level layers from multi-wavelength lidar measurements, while chemical composition at ground was assessed using an Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) and an Aethalometer. Classification of aerosol type and specific organic markers were used to explore the potential to sense the particles from the same origin at ground base and on profiles.

Using Ground-Based Measurements and Retrievals to Validate Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dong, Xiquan

2002-01-01

The proposed research is to use the DOE ARM ground-based measurements and retrievals as the ground-truth references for validating satellite cloud results and retrieving algorithms. This validation effort includes four different ways: (1) cloud properties on different satellites, therefore different sensors, TRMM VIRS and TERRA MODIS; (2) cloud properties at different climatic regions, such as DOE ARM SGP, NSA, and TWP sites; (3) different cloud types, low and high level cloud properties; and (4) day and night retrieving algorithms. Validation of satellite-retrieved cloud properties is very difficult and a long-term effort because of significant spatial and temporal differences between the surface and satellite observing platforms. The ground-based measurements and retrievals, only carefully analyzed and validated, can provide a baseline for estimating errors in the satellite products. Even though the validation effort is so difficult, a significant progress has been made during the proposed study period, and the major accomplishments are summarized in the follow.

Preparations for Global Precipitation Measurement(GPM)Ground Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bidwell, S. W.; Bibyk, I. K.; Duming, J. F.; Everett, D. F.; Smith, E. A.; Wolff, D. B.

2004-01-01

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) program is an international partnership led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). GPM will improve climate, weather, and hydro-meterorological forecasts through more frequent and more accurate measurement of precipitation across the globe. This paper describes the concept and the preparations for Ground Validation within the GPM program. Ground Validation (GV) plays a critical role in the program by investigating and quantitatively assessing the errors within the satellite retrievals. These quantitative estimates of retrieval errors will assist the scientific community by bounding the errors within their research products. The two fundamental requirements of the GPM Ground Validation program are: (1) error characterization of the precipitation retrievals and (2) continual improvement of the satellite retrieval algorithms. These two driving requirements determine the measurements, instrumentation, and location for ground observations. This paper describes GV plans for estimating the systematic and random components of retrieval error and for characterizing the spatial and temporal structure of the error. This paper describes the GPM program for algorithm improvement in which error models are developed and experimentally explored to uncover the physical causes of errors within the retrievals. GPM will ensure that information gained through Ground Validation is applied to future improvements in the spaceborne retrieval algorithms. This paper discusses the potential locations for validation measurement and research, the anticipated contributions of GPM's international partners, and the interaction of Ground Validation with other GPM program elements.

Measurements of seasonal frost depth by frost tube in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harada, K.; Yoshikawa, K.; Iwahana, G.; Stanilovskaya, J. V.; Sawada, Y.; Sone, T.

2017-12-01

Since 2011 winter season, frost depths have been measured as an outreach program in Hokkaido, northern part of Japan, where seasonal ground freezing occurs in winter. Frost depths were measured in elementary, junior high and high schools in order to emphasis their interest for earth sciences. At schools, using simple frost tube, measurements were conducted directly once a week by students or teacher during ground freezing under no snow-removal condition. A lecture was made in class and a frost tube was set at schoolyard, as the same tube and protocol as UAF's Permafrost Outreach Program, using clear tube with blue-colored water. In 2011 winter season, we started measurements at three schools, and the number of school extended to 32 in 2016 season, 26 elementary schools, 5 junior high schools and one high school. We visited schools in summer time or just before frost season to talk about the method of measurement, and measurements by students started just after ground freezing. After the end of frozen period, we visited schools again to explain results of each school or another schools in Japan, Alaska, Canada or Russia. The measured frost depths in Hokkaido ranged widely, from only a few centimeter to more than 50 cm. However, some schools had no frost depth due to heavy snow. We confirmed that the frost depth strongly depends on air temperature and snow depth. The lecture was made to student why the frost depth ranged widely, and the effect of snow was explained by using the example of igloo. In order to validate the effect of snow and to compare frost depths, we tried to measure frost depths under snow-removal and no snow-removal conditions at the same elementary school. At the end of December, depths had no significant difference between these conditions, and the difference went to 14 cm after one month, with about 30 cm of snow depth. After these measurements and lectures, students noticed snow has a role as insulator and affects the frost depth.

Leveraging the Polar Cap: Ground-Based Measurements of the Solar Wind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, K. D.; Gerrard, A. J.; Weatherwax, A. T.; Lanzerotti, L. J.; Patterson, J. D.

2016-12-01

In this study, we look at and identify relationships between solar wind quantities that have previously been shown to have direct access into the very high-latitude polar cap as measured by ground-based riometers and magnetometers in Antarctica: ultra-low frequency (ULF) power in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz component and solar energetic proton (SEP) flux (Urban [2016] and Patterson et al. [2001], respectively). It is shown that such solar wind and ground-based observations can be used to infer the hydromagnetic structure and magnetospheric mapping of the polar cap region in a data-driven manner, and that high-latitude ground-based instrumentation can be used to infer concurrent various state parameters of the geospace environment.

Intercomparison between Individual Particles Scavenged as CCN and Those Collected at Ground-based Site on West Coast of Japan During Asian Dust Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, C. J.; Tohno, S.; Kasahara, M.; Hayakawa, S.

2002-12-01

Asian dust storm particles can affect precipitation composition because they are either incorporated into cloud via condensation of water vapour (nucleation) or due to the uptake of particles by existing droplets. And subsequently they affect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In order to study the intercorrelation between the chemical natures of both the particles collected at ground-based site and those scavenged as CCN, the intensive field measurement was carried out on west coast of Japan (Yasaka, Tango Peninsula, 35.62°N; 135.07°E) during dense Asian dust storm event on March 22, 2002. Due to the size dependence of the chemical composition of aerosol particle, size-segregated aerosol particles were collect using Low pressure Andersen impactor sampler. Also, to collect cloud droplets individually, a particular method for the cloud droplet replication was newly applied using collodion (nitrocellulose) film. Sampling of cloud droplets was performed at summit of a mountain (680 m) in Yasaka. To analyze the ambient individual aerosol particles and individual retained particles in cloud droplet, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analytical method set at SPring-8 on BL39XU was applied. Analytical result enables us not only to compare the characteristics of individual particles scavenged as CCN and those collected at ground-based site, but also to estimate the influence of long-range transport.

AERIAL MEASURING SYSTEM IN JAPAN

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyons, Craig; Colton, David

2012-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Agency’s Aerial Measuring System deployed personnel and equipment to partner with the U.S. Air Force in Japan to conduct multiple aerial radiological surveys. These were the first and most comprehensive sources of actionable information for U.S. interests in Japan and provided early confirmation to the government of Japan as to the extent of the release from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Generation Station. Many challenges were overcome quickly during the first 48 hours; including installation and operation of Aerial Measuring System equipment on multiple U.S. Air Force Japan aircraft, flying over difficultmore » terrain, and flying with talented pilots who were unfamiliar with the Aerial Measuring System flight patterns. These all combined to make for a dynamic and non-textbook situation. In addition, the data challenges of the multiple and on-going releases, and integration with the Japanese government to provide valid aerial radiological survey products that both military and civilian customers could use to make informed decisions, was extremely complicated. The Aerial Measuring System Fukushima response provided insight in addressing these challenges and gave way to an opportunity for the expansion of the Aerial Measuring System’s mission beyond the borders of the US.« less

Validation of Satellite Aerosol Retrievals from AERONET Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holben, Brent; Remer, Lorraine; Torres, Omar; Zhao, Tom; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Accurate and comprehensive assessment of the parameters that control key atmospheric and biospheric processes including assessment of anthropogenic effects on climate change is a fundamental measurement objective of NASA's EOS program (King and Greenstone, 1999). Satellite assessment programs and associated global climate models require validation and additional parameterization with frequent reliable ground-based observations. A critical and highly uncertain element of the measurement program is characterization of tropospheric aerosols requiring basic observations of aerosols optical and microphysical properties. Unfortunately as yet we do not know the aerosol burden man is contributing to the atmosphere and thus we will have no definitive measure of change for the future. This lack of aerosol assessment is the impetus for some of the EOS measurement activities (Kaufman et al., 1997; King et al., 1999) and the formation of the AERONET program (Holben et al., 1998). The goals of the AERONET program are to develop long term monitoring at globally distributed sites providing critical data for multiannual trend changes in aerosol loading and optical properties with the specific goal of providing a data base for validation of satellite derived aerosol optical properties. The AERONET program has evolved into an international federated network of approximately 100 ground-based remote sensing monitoring stations to characterize the optical and microphysical properties of aerosols.

Ground-based SMART-COMMIT Measurements for Studying Aerosol and Cloud Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsay, Si-Chee

2008-01-01

From radiometric principles, it is expected that the retrieved properties of extensive aerosols and clouds from reflected/emitted measurements by satellite (and/or aircraft) should be consistent with those retrieved from transmitted/emitted radiance observed at the surface. Although space-borne remote sensing observations cover large spatial domain, they are often plagued by contamination of surface signatures. Thus, ground-based in-situ and remote-sensing measurements, where signals come directly from atmospheric constituents, the sun, and/or the Earth-atmosphere interactions, provide additional information content for comparisons that confirm quantitatively the usefulness of the integrated surface, aircraft, and satellite data sets. The development and deployment of SMARTCOMMIT (Surface-sensing Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer - Chemical, Optical & Microphysical Measurements of In-situ Troposphere) mobile facilities are aimed for the optimal utilization of collocated ground-based observations as constraints to yield higher fidelity satellite retrievals and to determine any sampling bias due to target conditions. To quantify the energetics of the surface-atmosphere system and the atmospheric processes, SMART-COMMIT instruments fall into three categories: flux radiometer, radiance sensor and in-situ probe. In this paper, we will demonstrate the capability of SMART-COMMIT in recent field campaigns (e.g., CRYSTAL-FACE, UAE 2, BASEASIA, NAMMA) that were designed and executed to study the compelling variability in temporal scale of both anthropogenic and natural aerosols (e.g., biomass-burning smoke, airborne dust) and cirrus clouds. We envision robust approaches in which well-collocated ground-based measurements and space-borne observations will greatly advance our knowledge of extensive aerosols and clouds.

Comparison of Water Vapor Measurements from Ground-based and Space-based GPS Atmospheric Remote Sensing Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon-Pagan, Ian; Kuo, Ying-Hwa

2008-10-01

In this study, we compare precipitable water vapor (PWV) values from ground-based GPS water vapor sensing and COSMIC radio occultation (RO) measurements over the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and United States regions as well as global analyses from NCEP and ECMWF models. The results show good overall agreement; however, the PWV values estimated by ground-based GPS receivers tend to have a slight dry bias for low PWV values and a slight wet bias for higher PWV values, when compared with GPS RO measurements and global analyses. An application of a student T-test indicates that there is a significant difference between both ground- and space-based GPS measured datasets. The dry bias associated with space-based GPS is attributed to the missing low altitude data, where the concentration of water vapor is large. The close agreements between space-based and global analyses are due to the fact that these global analyses assimilate space-based GPS RO data from COSMIC, and the retrieval of water vapor profiles from space-based technique requires the use of global analyses as the first guess. This work is supported by UCAR SOARS and a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Educational Partnership Program under the cooperative agreement NA06OAR4810187.

Retrieval Analysis of the CO2 1.6 μm Band in Solar Absorption Spectra Measured by a Ground-Based High-Resolution Fourier Transform Spectrometer at Tsukuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohyama, H.; Morino, I.; Nagahama, T.; Suto, H.; Oguma, H.; Machida, T.; Sugimoto, N.; Nakane, H.; Nakagawa, K.

2006-12-01

The global measurements of greenhouse gases from space are being planned, such as GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite) and OCO (Orbiting Carbon Observatory). Satellite remote sensing needs validations with other measurement techniques, for example, in-situ or sampling measurement by aircraft or ground station, or remote sensing measurement by ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS). The ground-based FTS measurement can provide the column amounts of atmospheric composition by a retrieval analysis with relatively high precision. In 2001, we started a project to observe the atmospheric compositions in solar absorption spectra by a ground- based high-resolution FTS (Bruker IFS 120 HR) located at Tsukuba, Japan. Three years ago, optical components of the FTS were replaced for measuring greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) in the near-infrared region: a CaF2 beam splitter, an InSb detector, and a 1.4-2.4 μm optical filter. The measurements were carried out once a day for ~100 days per year. We also made simultaneous FTS and aircraft in-situ measurements on August 10, 2004 and March 30, 2005. The retrieval analysis was performed for the measured spectra in the CO2 1.6 μm band. We used SEASCRAPE PLUS (Sequential Evaluation Algorithm for Simultaneous and Concurrent Retrieval of Atmospheric Parameter Estimates PLUS, Remote Sensing Analysis Systems, Inc.) as a retrieval analysis program. The column amounts were compared with those derived from in-situ measurements complemented by model data; differences are less than 1%. We have derived the diurnal variations of CO2 on the same days as in-situ measurements, and they showed tendencies similar to the tower measurements at the Meteorological Research Institute in Tsukuba.

Airborne and ground based lidar measurements of the atmospheric pressure profile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Korb, C. Laurence; Schwemmer, Geary K.; Dombrowski, Mark; Weng, Chi Y.

1989-01-01

The first high accuracy remote measurements of the atmospheric pressure profile have been made. The measurements were made with a differential absorption lidar system that utilizes tunable alexandrite lasers. The absorption in the trough between two lines in the oxygen A-band near 760 nm was used for probing the atmosphere. Measurements of the two-dimensional structure of the pressure field were made in the troposphere from an aircraft looking down. Also, measurements of the one-dimensional structure were made from the ground looking up. Typical pressure accuracies for the aircraft measurements were 1.5-2 mbar with a 30-m vertical resolution and a 100-shot average (20 s), which corresponds to a 2-km horizontal resolution. Typical accuracies for the upward viewing ground based measurements were 2.0 mbar for a 30-m resolution and a 100-shot average.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections associated with ground beef from a U.S. military installation--Okinawa, Japan, February 2004.

PubMed

2005-01-21

In February 2004, the Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Health Center (OCHC) and the Okinawa Prefectural Institute of Health and Environment (OIHE), Japan, investigated three cases of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in a Japanese family associated with eating ground beef. Public health officials from multiple agencies in Japan and the United States collaborated on this investigation, which resulted in a voluntary recall of approximately 90,000 pounds of frozen ground beef in the United States and at U.S. military bases in the Far East. This was the first reported instance in which Japanese public health officials identified contaminated, commercially distributed ground beef that was produced in the United States. This report summarizes epidemiologic and laboratory investigations conducted by OCHC and OIHE. The results underscore the importance of using standardized molecular subtyping methods throughout the world to facilitate international public health communication and intervention.

Cloud Optical Depth Measured with Ground-Based, Uncooled Infrared Imagers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shaw, Joseph A.; Nugent, Paul W.; Pust, Nathan J.; Redman, Brian J.; Piazzolla, Sabino

2012-01-01

Recent advances in uncooled, low-cost, long-wave infrared imagers provide excellent opportunities for remotely deployed ground-based remote sensing systems. However, the use of these imagers in demanding atmospheric sensing applications requires that careful attention be paid to characterizing and calibrating the system. We have developed and are using several versions of the ground-based "Infrared Cloud Imager (ICI)" instrument to measure spatial and temporal statistics of clouds and cloud optical depth or attenuation for both climate research and Earth-space optical communications path characterization. In this paper we summarize the ICI instruments and calibration methodology, then show ICI-derived cloud optical depths that are validated using a dual-polarization cloud lidar system for thin clouds (optical depth of approximately 4 or less).

Ground-based x-ray calibration of the Astro-H/Hitomi soft x-ray telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iizuka, Ryo; Hayashi, Takayuki; Maeda, Yoshitomo; Ishida, Manabu; Tomikawa, Kazuki; Sato, Toshiki; Kikuchi, Naomichi; Okajima, Takashi; Soong, Yang; Serlemitsos, Peter J.; Mori, Hideyuki; Izumiya, Takanori; Minami, Sari

2018-01-01

We present the summary of the on-ground calibration of two soft x-ray telescopes (SXT-I and SXT-S), developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), onboard Astro-H/Hitomi. After the initial x-ray measurements with a diverging beam at the GSFC 100-m beamline, we performed the full calibration of the x-ray performance, using the 30-m x-ray beamline facility at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency in Japan. We adopted a raster scan method with a narrow x-ray pencil beam with a divergence of ˜15″. The on-axis effective area (EA), half-power diameter, and vignetting function were measured at several energies between 1.5 and 17.5 keV. The detailed results appear in tables and figures in this paper. We measured and evaluated the performance of the SXT-S and the SXT-I with regard to the detector-limited field-of-view and the pixel size of the paired flight detector, i.e., SXS and the SXI, respectively. The primary items measured are the EA, image quality, and stray light for on-axis and off-axis sources. The accurate measurement of these parameters is vital to make the precise response function of the ASTRO-H SXTs. This paper presents the definitive results of the ground-based calibration of the ASTRO-H SXTs.

Airborne and Ground-Based Measurements Using a High-Performance Raman Lidar. Part 2; Ground Based

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteman, David N.; Cadirola, Martin; Venable, Demetrius; Connell, Rasheen; Rush, Kurt; Leblanc, Thierry; McDermid, Stuart

2009-01-01

The same RASL hardware as described in part I was installed in a ground-based mobile trailer and used in a water vapor lidar intercomparison campaign, hosted at Table Mountain, CA, under the auspices of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). The converted RASL hardware demonstrated high sensitivity to lower stratospheric water vapor indicating that profiling water vapor at those altitudes with sufficient accuracy to monitor climate change is possible. The measurements from Table Mountain also were used to explain the reason, and correct , for sub-optimal airborne aerosol extinction performance during the flight campaign.

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Ground Validation: Plans and Preparations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwaller, M.; Bidwell, S.; Durning, F. J.; Smith, E.

2004-01-01

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) program is an international partnership led by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). GPM will improve climate, weather, and hydro-meteorological forecasts through more frequent and more accurate measurement of precipitation across the globe. This paper describes the concept, the planning, and the preparations for Ground Validation within the GPM program. Ground Validation (GV) plays an important role in the program by investigating and quantitatively assessing the errors within the satellite retrievals. These quantitative estimates of retrieval errors will assist the scientific community by bounding the errors within their research products. The two fundamental requirements of the GPM Ground Validation program are: (1) error characterization of the precipitation retrievals and (2) continual improvement of the satellite retrieval algorithms. These two driving requirements determine the measurements, instrumentation, and location for ground observations. This paper outlines GV plans for estimating the systematic and random components of retrieval error and for characterizing the spatial p d temporal structure of the error and plans for algorithm improvement in which error models are developed and experimentally explored to uncover the physical causes of errors within the retrievals. This paper discusses NASA locations for GV measurements as well as anticipated locations from international GPM partners. NASA's primary locations for validation measurements are an oceanic site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands and a continental site in north-central Oklahoma at the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program site.

Strong ground motion prediction applying dynamic rupture simulations for Beppu-Haneyama Active Fault Zone, southwestern Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshimi, M.; Matsushima, S.; Ando, R.; Miyake, H.; Imanishi, K.; Hayashida, T.; Takenaka, H.; Suzuki, H.; Matsuyama, H.

2017-12-01

We conducted strong ground motion prediction for the active Beppu-Haneyama Fault zone (BHFZ), Kyushu island, southwestern Japan. Since the BHFZ runs through Oita and Beppy cities, strong ground motion as well as fault displacement may affect much to the cities.We constructed a 3-dimensional velocity structure of a sedimentary basin, Beppu bay basin, where the fault zone runs through and Oita and Beppu cities are located. Minimum shear wave velocity of the 3d model is 500 m/s. Additional 1-d structure is modeled for sites with softer sediment: holocene plain area. We observed, collected, and compiled data obtained from microtremor surveys, ground motion observations, boreholes etc. phase velocity and H/V ratio. Finer structure of the Oita Plain is modeled, as 250m-mesh model, with empirical relation among N-value, lithology, depth and Vs, using borehole data, then validated with the phase velocity data obtained by the dense microtremor array observation (Yoshimi et al., 2016).Synthetic ground motion has been calculated with a hybrid technique composed of a stochastic Green's function method (for HF wave), a 3D finite difference (LF wave) and 1D amplification calculation. Fault geometry has been determined based on reflection surveys and active fault map. The rake angles are calculated with a dynamic rupture simulation considering three fault segments under a stress filed estimated from source mechanism of earthquakes around the faults (Ando et al., JpGU-AGU2017). Fault parameters such as the average stress drop, a size of asperity etc. are determined based on an empirical relation proposed by Irikura and Miyake (2001). As a result, strong ground motion stronger than 100 cm/s is predicted in the hanging wall side of the Oita plain.This work is supported by the Comprehensive Research on the Beppu-Haneyama Fault Zone funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

Comparisons of COSMIC and C/NOFS GPS Occultation Ionospheric Scintillation Measurements with Ground-based Radar and VHF Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggiero, F. H.; Groves, K. M.; Straus, P. R.; Caton, R. G.; Starks, M. J.; Tanyi, K. L.; Verlinden, M.

2009-12-01

Ionospheric irregularities are known to cause scintillation of trans-ionospheric radio signals and can affect space-based UHF/VHF communications, causing outages, and degrading GPS accuracy and precision. Current capability for characterizing and predicting ionospheric scintillation utilizes a network of ground-based receivers to detect scintillation and then extrapolate for short-term forecasts. Practical limits on deploying the ground receivers limits the accuracy and spatial coverage one can achieve with this approach. A more global approach is to use a set of space-based satellites equipped with GPS receivers, such as the COSMIC satellite constellation, to measure scintillations observed during so-called occultations with GPS satellites. In this paper the signal-to-noise values of GPS L1 signals received on the COSMIC and C/NOFS satellites for the portions of the occultations that are not affected by the terrestrial atmosphere are examined to help identify areas of ionospheric scintillation. Three years of S4 scintillation index values from COSMIC occultations are compared with near-zenith ground-based VHF S4 scintillation measurements from the AFRL SCIntillation Network Decision Aid (SCINDA) network stations. The data are correlated to ascertain the viability of using space-based scintillation measurements to characterize and predict scintillation to ground-based receivers. Several days of COSMIC and C/NOFS data are compared with each other and the ALTAIR radar located on Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands to examine how occultation geometry affects observed scintillation and also to verify techniques that provide an upper bound on the spatial location of the ionospheric irregularities contributing to scintillations observed in the occultations.

Ground based mobile isotopic methane measurements in the Front Range, Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaughn, B. H.; Rella, C.; Petron, G.; Sherwood, O.; Mielke-Maday, I.; Schwietzke, S.

2014-12-01

Increased development of unconventional oil and gas resources in North America has given rise to attempts to monitor and quantify fugitive emissions of methane from the industry. Emission estimates of methane from oil and gas basins can vary significantly from one study to another as well as from EPA or State estimates. New efforts are aimed at reconciling bottom-up, or inventory-based, emission estimates of methane with top-down estimates based on atmospheric measurements from aircraft, towers, mobile ground-based vehicles, and atmospheric models. Attributing airborne measurements of regional methane fluxes to specific sources is informed by ground-based measurements of methane. Stable isotopic measurements (δ13C) of methane help distinguish between emissions from the O&G industry, Confined Animal Feed Operations (CAFO), and landfills, but analytical challenges typically limit meaningful isotopic measurements to individual point sampling. We are developing a toolbox to use δ13CH4 measurements to assess the partitioning of methane emissions for regions with multiple methane sources. The method was applied to the Denver-Julesberg Basin. Here we present data from continuous isotopic measurements obtained over a wide geographic area by using MegaCore, a 1500 ft. tube that is constantly filled with sample air while driving, then subsequently analyzed at slower rates using cavity ring down spectroscopy (CRDS). Pressure, flow and calibration are tightly controlled allowing precise attribution of methane enhancements to their point of collection. Comparisons with point measurements are needed to confirm regional values and further constrain flux estimates and models. This effort was made in conjunction with several major field campaigns in the Colorado Front Range in July-August 2014, including FRAPPÉ (Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment), DISCOVER-AQ, and the Air Water Gas NSF Sustainability Research Network at the University of Colorado.

The SPARC water vapor assessment II: intercomparison of satellite and ground-based microwave measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nedoluha, Gerald E.; Kiefer, Michael; Lossow, Stefan; Gomez, R. Michael; Kämpfer, Niklaus; Lainer, Martin; Forkman, Peter; Christensen, Ole Martin; Oh, Jung Jin; Hartogh, Paul; Anderson, John; Bramstedt, Klaus; Dinelli, Bianca M.; Garcia-Comas, Maya; Hervig, Mark; Murtagh, Donal; Raspollini, Piera; Read, William G.; Rosenlof, Karen; Stiller, Gabriele P.; Walker, Kaley A.

2017-12-01

As part of the second SPARC (Stratosphere-troposphere Processes And their Role in Climate) water vapor assessment (WAVAS-II), we present measurements taken from or coincident with seven sites from which ground-based microwave instruments measure water vapor in the middle atmosphere. Six of the ground-based instruments are part of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC) and provide datasets that can be used for drift and trend assessment. We compare measurements from these ground-based instruments with satellite datasets that have provided retrievals of water vapor in the lower mesosphere over extended periods since 1996. We first compare biases between the satellite and ground-based instruments from the upper stratosphere to the upper mesosphere. We then show a number of time series comparisons at 0.46 hPa, a level that is sensitive to changes in H2O and CH4 entering the stratosphere but, because almost all CH4 has been oxidized, is relatively insensitive to dynamical variations. Interannual variations and drifts are investigated with respect to both the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS; from 2004 onwards) and each instrument's climatological mean. We find that the variation in the interannual difference in the mean H2O measured by any two instruments is typically ˜ 1%. Most of the datasets start in or after 2004 and show annual increases in H2O of 0-1 % yr-1. In particular, MLS shows a trend of between 0.5 % yr-1 and 0.7 % yr-1 at the comparison sites. However, the two longest measurement datasets used here, with measurements back to 1996, show much smaller trends of +0.1 % yr-1 (at Mauna Loa, Hawaii) and -0.1 % yr-1 (at Lauder, New Zealand).

Construction of an Inexpensive Sun Photometer for Measuring Aerosols Optical Depth (AOD) and Comparison Between the Ground Based and Satellite Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamun, M.; Mondol, P.

2012-12-01

Aerosols influence our weather and climate because they affect the amount of sunlight reaching Earth's surface. An important way of probing the atmosphere from the ground is to measure the effects of the atmosphere on sunlight transmitted through the atmosphere to Earth's surface. These indirect techniques provide information about the entire atmosphere above the observer, not just the atmosphere that can be sampled directly. In response to global issues of air quality and climate change, and to the need to improve the quality of science education, inexpensive atmosphere monitoring instruments have been developed. This paper describes a new kind of inexpensive two channels LED Sun Photometer for monitoring aerosols that provide much better long-term stability than instruments that use expensive interference filters. Here HAZE-SPAN TERC VHS-1 model has been used for constructing sun photometer with light emitting diode as detector. Monitoring Earth's atmosphere is a challenging task. As there is no facility in our country (Bangladesh) for ground based measurement for monitoring aerosol so, this type of study is very essential. This study compares the aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrieved from the Terra and Aqua MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) with ground-based measurements from a handheld sun photometer over the region of Rajshahi, Bangladesh for The 15 days duration of June 2012. The results indicate that the Terra and Aqua MODIS AOD retrievals at 550 nm have good correlations with the measurements from the handheld sun photometer. The correlation coefficients r = 0.88 for Terra and r = 0.55 for Aqua where as r = 0.65 for Terra and Aqua themselves. AOD for another wavelength at 625 nm is documented in this study for finding out the relation of AOD at different wavelengths. In this paper it has been described and summarized briefly investigations for four important topics: LEDs used as light detectors, construction of sun photometer and its

Nighttime Aerosol Optical Depth Measurements Using a Ground-based Lunar Photometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berkoff, Tim; Omar, Ali; Haggard, Charles; Pippin, Margaret; Tasaddaq, Aasam; Stone, Tom; Rodriguez, Jon; Slutsker, Ilya; Eck, Tom; Holben, Brent;

Longterm and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties measured by sky radiometer in Japan sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, K.

2016-12-01

Aerosols and cloud play an important role in the climate change. We started the long-term monitoring of aerosol and cloud optical properties since 1990's by using sky radiometer (POM-01, 02; Prede Co. Ltd., Japan). We provide the information, in this presentation, on the aerosol optical properties with respect to their temporal and spatial variability in Japan site (ex. Sapporo, Toyama, Kasuga and etc). The global distributions of aerosols have been derived from earth observation satellite and have been simulated in numerical models, which assume optical parameters. However, these distributions are difficult to derive because of variability in time and space. Therefore, Aerosol optical properties were investigated using the measurements from ground-based and ship-borne sky radiometer. The sky radiometer is an automatic instrument that takes observations only in daytime under the clear sky conditions. Observation of diffuse solar intensity interval was made every ten or five minutes by once. The aerosol optical properties were computed using the SKYRAD.pack version 4.2. The obtained Aerosol optical properties (Aerosol optical thickness, Ångström exponent, Single scattering albedo, and etc.) and size distribution volume clearly showed spatial and temporal variability in Japan area. In this study, we present the temporal and spatial variability of Aerosol optical properties at several Japan sites, applied to validation of satellite and numerical models. This project is validation satellite of GCOM-C, JAXA. The GCOM-C satellite scheduled to be launched in early 2017.

Measurement of high-energy neutron flux above ground utilizing a spallation based multiplicity technique

DOE PAGES

Roecker, Caleb; Bernstein, Adam; Marleau, Peter; ...

2016-11-14

Cosmogenic high-energy neutrons are a ubiquitous, difficult to shield, poorly measured background. Above ground the high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux has been measured, with significantly varying results. Below ground, high-energy neutron fluxes are largely unmeasured. Here we present a reconstruction algorithm to unfold the incident neutron energy-dependent flux measured using the Multiplicity and Recoil Spectrometer (MARS), simulated test cases to verify the algorithm, and provide a new measurement of the above ground high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux with a detailed systematic uncertainty analysis. Uncertainty estimates are provided based upon the measurement statistics, the incident angular distribution, the surrounding environment of the Montemore » Carlo model, and the MARS triggering efficiency. Quantified systematic uncertainty is dominated by the assumed incident neutron angular distribution and surrounding environment of the Monte Carlo model. The energy-dependent neutron flux between 90 MeV and 400 MeV is reported. Between 90 MeV and 250 MeV the MARS results are comparable to previous Bonner sphere measurements. Over the total energy regime measured, the MARS result are located within the span of previous measurements. Lastly, these results demonstrate the feasibility of future below ground measurements with MARS.« less

Measurement of high-energy neutron flux above ground utilizing a spallation based multiplicity technique

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roecker, Caleb; Bernstein, Adam; Marleau, Peter

Cosmogenic high-energy neutrons are a ubiquitous, difficult to shield, poorly measured background. Above ground the high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux has been measured, with significantly varying results. Below ground, high-energy neutron fluxes are largely unmeasured. Here we present a reconstruction algorithm to unfold the incident neutron energy-dependent flux measured using the Multiplicity and Recoil Spectrometer (MARS), simulated test cases to verify the algorithm, and provide a new measurement of the above ground high-energy neutron energy-dependent flux with a detailed systematic uncertainty analysis. Uncertainty estimates are provided based upon the measurement statistics, the incident angular distribution, the surrounding environment of the Montemore » Carlo model, and the MARS triggering efficiency. Quantified systematic uncertainty is dominated by the assumed incident neutron angular distribution and surrounding environment of the Monte Carlo model. The energy-dependent neutron flux between 90 MeV and 400 MeV is reported. Between 90 MeV and 250 MeV the MARS results are comparable to previous Bonner sphere measurements. Over the total energy regime measured, the MARS result are located within the span of previous measurements. Lastly, these results demonstrate the feasibility of future below ground measurements with MARS.« less

Seismic Wavefield Imaging of Long-Period Ground Motion in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagao, H.; Kano, M.; Nagata, K.; Ito, S. I.; Sakai, S.; Nakagawa, S.; Hori, M.; Hirata, N.

2017-12-01

Long-period ground motions due to large earthquakes can cause devastating disasters, especially in urbanized areas located on sedimentary basins. To assess and mitigate such damage, it is essential to rapidly evaluate seismic hazards for infrastructures, which can be simulated by seismic response analyses that use waveforms at the base of each infrastructure as an input ground motion. The present study reconstructs the seismic wavefield in the Tokyo metropolitan area located on the Kanto sedimentary basin, Japan, from seismograms of the Metropolitan Seismic Observation network (MeSO-net). The obtained wavefield fully explains the observed waveforms in the frequency band of 0.10-0.20 Hz. This is attributed to the seismic wavefield imaging technique proposed by Kano et al. (2017), which implements the replica exchange Monte Carlo method to simultaneously estimate model parameters related to the subsurface structure and source information. Further investigation shows that the reconstructed seismic wavefield lower than 0.30 Hz is of high quality in terms of variance reduction (VR), which quantifies a misfit in waveforms but that the VR rapidly worsens in higher frequencies. Meanwhile, the velocity response spectra show good agreement with observations up to 0.90 Hz in terms of the combined goodness of fit (CGOF), which is a measure of misfit in the velocity response spectra. Inputting the reconstructed wavefield into seismic response analyses, we can rapidly assess the overall damage to infrastructures immediately after a large earthquake.

An Analysis of Conjugate Ground-based and Space-based Measurements of Energetic Electrons during Substorms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivadas, N.; Semeter, J. L.

2015-12-01

Substorms within the Earth's magnetosphere release energy in the form of energetic charged particles and several kinds of waves within the plasma. Depending on their strength, satellite-based navigation and communication systems are adversely affected by the energetic charged particles. Like many other natural phenomena, substorms can have a severe economic impact on a technology-driven society such as ours. Though energization of charged particles is known to occur in the magnetosphere during substorms, the source of this population and its relation to traditional acceleration region dynamics, are not completely understood. Combining measurements of energetic charged particles within the plasmasheet and that of charged particles precipitated in to the ionosphere will provide a better understanding of the role of processes that accelerate these charged particles. In the current work, we present energetic electron flux measured indirectly using data from ground-based Incoherent Scatter Radar and that measured directly at the plasmasheet by the THEMIS spacecraft. Instances of low-altitude-precipitation observed from ground suggest electrons of energy greater than 300 keV, possibly arising from particle injection events during substorms at the magnetically conjugate locations in the plasmasheet. The differences and similarities in the measurements at the plasmasheet and the ionosphere indicate the role different processes play in influencing the journey of these energetic particles form the magnetosphere to the ionosphere. Our observations suggest that there is a lot more to be understood of the link between magnetotail dynamics and energetic electron precipitation during substorms. Understanding this may open up novel and potentially invaluable ways of diagnosing the magnetosphere from the ground.

Validation of OMI erythemal doses with multi-sensor ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zempila, Melina Maria; Fountoulakis, Ilias; Taylor, Michael; Kazadzis, Stelios; Arola, Antti; Koukouli, Maria Elissavet; Bais, Alkiviadis; Meleti, Chariklia; Balis, Dimitrios

2018-06-01

The aim of this study is to validate the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) erythemal dose rates using ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece. In the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, a Yankee Environmental System UVB-1 radiometer measures the erythemal dose rates every minute, and a Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU) multi-filter radiometer provides multi-filter based irradiances that were used to derive erythemal dose rates for the period 2005-2014. Both these datasets were independently validated against collocated UV irradiance spectra from a Brewer MkIII spectrophotometer. Cloud detection was performed based on measurements of the global horizontal radiation from a Kipp & Zonen pyranometer and from NILU measurements in the visible range. The satellite versus ground observation validation was performed taking into account the effect of temporal averaging, limitations related to OMI quality control criteria, cloud conditions, the solar zenith angle and atmospheric aerosol loading. Aerosol optical depth was also retrieved using a collocated CIMEL sunphotometer in order to assess its impact on the comparisons. The effect of total ozone columns satellite versus ground-based differences on the erythemal dose comparisons was also investigated. Since most of the public awareness alerts are based on UV Index (UVI) classifications, an analysis and assessment of OMI capability for retrieving UVIs was also performed. An overestimation of the OMI erythemal product by 3-6% and 4-8% with respect to ground measurements is observed when examining overpass and noontime estimates respectively. The comparisons revealed a relatively small solar zenith angle dependence, with the OMI data showing a slight dependence on aerosol load, especially at high aerosol optical depth values. A mean underestimation of 2% in OMI total ozone columns under cloud-free conditions was found to lead to an overestimation in OMI erythemal

Comparison of ground and satellite based measurements of the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by tall-grass prairie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demetriades-Shah, T. H.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Flitcroft, I.; Su, H.

1991-01-01

The fraction, of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by vegetation, F(sub ipar) is an important parameter for modeling the interactions between the land-surface and atmosphere and for estimating vegetation biomass productivity. This study was; therefore, an integral part of FIFE. The specific purpose of this experiment was to find out how well definitive measurements of F(sub ipar) on the ground relate to near-ground and satellite based spectral reflectance measurements. Concurrent measurements of F(sub ipar) and ground, helicopter, and satellite based reflectance measurements were taken at thirteen tall-grass prairie sites within the FIFE experimental area. The sites were subjected to various combinations of burning and grazing managements. The ground and helicopter based reflectance measurements were taken on the same day or few days from the time of the overpass of LANDSAT and SPOT satellites. Ground-based reflectance measurements and sun photometer readings taken at the times of the satellite overpasses were used to correct for atmospheric attenuation. Hand-held radiometer spectral indices were strongly correlated with helicopter and satellite based values (r=0.94 for helicopter, 0.93 for LANDSAT Thematic Mapper, and 0.86 for SPOT). However, the ground, helicopter, and satellite based normalized difference spectral vegetation indices showed low sensitivity to changes in F(sub ipar). Reflectance measurements were only moderately well correlated with measurements of F(sub ipar) (r=0.82 for hand-held radiometer, 0.84 for helicopter measurements, and 0.75 for the LANDSAT Thematic Mapper and SPOT). Improved spectral indices which can compensate for site differences are needed in order to monitor F(sub ipar) more reliably.

Comparison of ground and satellite based measurements of the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by tall-grass prairie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demetriades-Shah, T. H.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Flitcroft, I. D.; Su, H.

1992-01-01

The fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by vegetation, F(sub ipar) is an important parameter for modeling the interactions between the land-surface and atmosphere and for estimating vegetation biomass productivity. This study was, therefore, an integral part of FIFE. The specific purpose of this experiment was to find out how well definitive measurements of F(sub ipar) on the ground relate to near-ground and satellite based spectral reflectance measurements. Concurrent measurements of F(sub ipar) and ground, helicopter, and satellite based reflectance measurements were taken at thirteen tall-grass prairie sites within the FIFE experimental area. The sites were subjected to various combinations of burning and grazing managements. The ground and helicopter based reflectance measurements were taken on the same day or few days from the time of the overpass of LANDSAT and SPOT satellites. Ground-based reflectance measurements and sun photometer readings taken at the times of the satellite overpasses were used to correct for atmospheric attenuation. Hand-held radiometer spectral indices were strongly correlated with helicopter and satellite based values (r = 0.94 for helicopter, 0.93 for LANDSAT Thematic Mapper, and 0.86 for SPOT). However, the ground, helicopter, and satellite based normalized difference spectral vegetation indices showed low sensitivity to changes in F(sub ipar). Reflectance measurements were only moderately well correlated with measurements of F(sub ipar) (r = 0.82 for hand-held radiometer, 0.84 for helicopter measurements, and 0.75 for the LANDSAT Thematic Mapper and SPOT). Improved spectral indices which can compensate for site differences are needed in order to monitor F(sub ipar) more reliably.

Psychological effects of disaster relief activities on Japan ground self-defense force personnel following the 2011 great east Japan earthquake.

PubMed

Dobashi, Kosuke; Nagamine, Masanori; Shigemura, Jun; Tsunoda, Tomoya; Shimizu, Kunio; Yoshino, Aihide; Nomura, Soichiro

2014-01-01

Disaster relief workers are potentially exposed to severe stressors on the job, resulting in a variety of psychological responses. This study aims to clarify the psychological effects of disaster relief activities on Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) personnel following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. A self-report questionnaire was administered to 606 JGSDF personnel one month after completing the disaster relief mission. Posttraumatic stress responses and general psychological distress were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the K10 scales. Associations between outcome variables and independent variables (age, gender, military rank, length of deployment, and exposure to dead bodies) were measured with univariate analyses and subsequent multiple logistic regression analyses. The mean (± SD) IES-R score was 6.2 (± 8.1), and the mean K10 score was 12.8 (± 4.4). In the univariate analyses, exposure to dead bodies and age were identified as significant factors for IES-R and K10 scores, (p < 0.01). However, the multiple logistic regression analyses did not reveal any significant factors although body handlers' exposure approached significance for IES-R. The subjects reported very low psychological responses despite the severe nature of their disaster relief activities. Several factors may account for the low levels of psychological distress and posttraumatic symptoms observed in this study.

Retrievals of methane from IASI radiance spectra and comparisons with ground-based FTIR measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerzenmacher, T.; Kumps, N.; de Mazière, M.; Kruglanski, M.; Senten, C.; Vanhaelewyn, G.; Vandaele, A. C.; Vigouroux, C.

2009-04-01

The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), launched on 19 October 2006, is a Fourier transform spectrometer onboard METOP-1, observing the radiance of the Earth's surface and atmosphere in nadir mode. The spectral range covers the 645 to 2760 cm-1 region with a resolution of 0.35 to 0.5 cm-1. A line-by-line spectral simulation and inversion code, ASIMUT, has been developed for the retrieval of chemical species from infrared spectra. The code includes an analytical calculation of the Jacobians for use in the inversion part of the algorithm based on the Optimal Estimation Method. In 2007 we conducted a measurement campaign at St Denis, Île de la Réunion where we performed ground-based solar absorption observations with a infrared Fourier transform spectrometer. ASIMUT has been used to retrieve methane from the ground-based and collocated satellite measurements. For the latter we selected pixels that are situated over the sea. In this presentation we will show the retrieval strategies, the resulting methane column time series above St Denis and the comparisons of the satellite data with the ground-based data sets. Vertical profile information in these data sets will also be discussed.

Validation of GOME (ERS-2) NO2 vertical column data with ground-based measurements at Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ionov, D.; Sinyakov, V.; Semenov, V.

Starting from 1995 the global monitoring of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide is carried out by the measurements of nadir-viewing GOME spectrometer aboard ERS-2 satellite. Continuous validation of that data by means of comparisons with well-controlled ground-based measurements is important to ensure the quality of GOME data products and improve related retrieval algorithms. At the station of Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan) the ground-based spectroscopic observations of NO2 vertical column have been started since 1983. The station is located on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul lake, 1650 meters above the sea level (42.6 N, 77.0 E). The site is equipped with grating spectrometer for the twilight measurements of zenith-scattered solar radiation in the visible range, and applies the DOAS technique to retrieve NO2 vertical column. It is included in the list of NDSC stations as a complementary one. The present study is focused on validation of GOME NO2 vertical column data, based on 8-year comparison with correlative ground-based measurements at Issyk-Kul station in 1996-2003. Within the investigation, an agreement of both individual and monthly averaged GOME measurements with corresponding twilight ground-based observations is examined. Such agreement is analyzed with respect to different conditions (season, sun elevation), temporal/spatial criteria choice (actual overpass location, correction for diurnal variation) and data processing (GDP version 2.7, 3.0). In addition, NO2 vertical columns were integrated from simultaneous stratospheric profile measurements by NASA HALOE and SAGE-II/III satellite instruments and introduced to explain the differences with ground-based observations. In particular cases, NO2 vertical profiles retrieved from the twilight ground-based measurements at Issuk-Kul were also included into comparison. Overall, summertime GOME NO2 vertical columns were found to be systematicaly lower than ground-based data. This work was supported by International Association

Association between helicopter with physician versus ground emergency medical services and survival of adults with major trauma in Japan

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Helicopter emergency medical services with a physician (HEMS) has been provided in Japan since 2001. However, HEMS and its possible effect on outcomes for severe trauma patients have still been debated as helicopter services require expensive and limited resources. Our aim was to analyze the association between the use of helicopters with a physician versus ground services and survival among adults with serious traumatic injuries. Methods This multicenter prospective observational study involved 24,293 patients. All patients were older than 15 years of age, had sustained blunt or penetrating trauma and had an Injury Severity Score (ISS) higher than 15. All of the patient data were recorded between 2004 and 2011 in the Japan Trauma Data Bank, which includes data from 114 major emergency hospitals in Japan. The primary outcome was survival to discharge from hospitals. The intervention was either transport by helicopter with a physician or ground emergency services. Results A total of 2,090 patients in the sample were transported by helicopter, and 22,203 were transported by ground. Overall, 546 patients (26.1%) transported by helicopter died compared to 5,765 patients (26.0%) transported by ground emergency services. Patients transported by helicopter had higher ISSs than those transported by ground. In multivariable logistic regression, helicopter transport had an odds ratio (OR) for survival to discharge of 1.277 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.049 to 1.556) after adjusting for age, sex, mechanism of injury, type of trauma, initial vital signs (including systolic blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate), ISS and prehospital treatment (including intubation, airway protection maneuver and intravenous fluid). In the propensity score–matched cohort, helicopter transport was associated with improved odds of survival compared to ground transport (OR, 1.446; 95% CI, 1.220 to 1.714). In conditional logistic regression, after adjusting for

Simultaneous ground-satellite observations of daytime traveling ionospheric disturbances over Japan using the GPS-TEC network and the CHAMP satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moral, A. C.; Shiokawa, K.; Otsuka, Y.; Liu, H.; Nishioka, M.; Tsugawa, T.

2017-12-01

We report results of simultaneous ground-satellite measurements of daytime travelling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs) over Japan by using the GEONET GPS receiver network and the CHAMP satellite. For the two years of 2002 and 2008, we examined GPS measurements of TEC (Total Electron Content) and neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP satellite. Total of fifteen TID events with clear southward moving structures in the GPS-TEC measurements are found by simultaneous ground-satellite measurements. On 2002, simultaneous events are only observed in January (1 event) and February (4 events). On 2008, ten events are observed around winter months (January (3 events), February (5), March (1), and October (1)). Neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP show quasi-periodic fluctuations throughout the passages for all events. The CHAMP satellite crossed at least one clear TID phase front for all the events. We fitted a sinusoidal function to both ground and satellite data to obtain the frequencies and phase of the observed variations. We calculated the corresponding phase relationships between TEC variations and neutral and electron densities measured by CHAMP to categorize the events. In the presentations we report correspondence of these TID structures seen in the simultaneous ground-satellite observations by GPS-TEC and CHAMP, and discuss their phase relationship to identify the source of the daytime TIDs and specify how much of the observed variations are showing clear frequencies/or not in the nature at middle latitudes.

Locally distributed ground deformation in an area of potential phreatic eruption, Midagahara volcano, Japan, detected by single-look-based InSAR time series analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Tomokazu

2018-05-01

Although it is difficult to monitor the spatial extent and temporal evolution of local and small-magnitude ground inflation, this information is vital to assess the potential for phreatic eruption. Herein, we demonstrate the detection of locally distributed ground deformation preceding the enhancement of geothermal activity in the Midagahara volcano, Japan, through the application of single-look-based interferometric synthetic aperture radar analysis. In the Jigoku-dani geothermal area, the ground deformation proceeded at a low speed of 4 cm/year at most with a spatial extent of 500 m in the east-west direction and 250 m in the north-south direction. The deformation can be recognized to progress from 2007, at the latest, to 2010, after which the geothermal activity increased, with the collapse of sulfur towers and the appearance of active fumaroles and boiling water on the ground surface. The most deformed area corresponds to the geothermal area with the highest activity observed on the ground surface. Assuming a sill opening model, the deformation source is estimated to be located at a depth of 50 m from the surface with a speed of 7 cm/year at most, which is consistent with the depth of the highly conductive medium inferred from magnetotelluric analyses. This may suggest that volcanic fluid and/or heat was injected into the fluid-rich medium from depth and caused the ground inflation. Our results demonstrate that high-spatial-resolution deformation data can be an effective tool to monitor subsurface pressure conditions with pinpoint spatial accuracy during the build-up to phreatic eruptions.

Paradoxes of the comparative analysis of ground-based and satellite geodetic measurements in recent geodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmin, Yu. O.

2017-11-01

The comparative analysis of the Earth's surface deformations measured by ground-based and satellite geodetic methods on the regional and zonal measurement scales is carried out. The displacement velocities and strain rates are compared in the active regions such as Turkmenian-Iranian zone of interaction of the Arabian and Eurasian lithospheric plates and the Kamchatka segment of the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Okotsk Plate. The comparison yields a paradoxical result. With the qualitatively identical kinematics of the motion, the quantitative characteristics of the displacement velocities and rates of strain revealed by the observations using the global navigational satellite system (GNSS) are by 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those estimated by the more accurate methods of ground-based geodesy. For resolving the revealed paradoxes, it is required to set up special studies on the joint analysis of ground-based and satellite geodetic data from the combined observation sites.

Helicopter-borne observations of the continental background aerosol in combination with remote sensing and ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Düsing, Sebastian; Wehner, Birgit; Seifert, Patric; Ansmann, Albert; Baars, Holger; Ditas, Florian; Henning, Silvia; Ma, Nan; Poulain, Laurent; Siebert, Holger; Wiedensohler, Alfred; Macke, Andreas

2018-01-01

This paper examines the representativeness of ground-based in situ measurements for the planetary boundary layer (PBL) and conducts a closure study between airborne in situ and ground-based lidar measurements up to an altitude of 2300 m. The related measurements were carried out in a field campaign within the framework of the High-Definition Clouds and Precipitation for Advancing Climate Prediction (HD(CP)2) Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE) in September 2013 in a rural background area of central Europe.The helicopter-borne probe ACTOS (Airborne Cloud and Turbulence Observation System) provided measurements of the aerosol particle number size distribution (PNSD), the aerosol particle number concentration (PNC), the number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN-NC), and meteorological atmospheric parameters (e.g., temperature and relative humidity). These measurements were supported by the ground-based 3+2 wavelength polarization lidar system PollyXT, which provided profiles of the particle backscatter coefficient (σbsc) for three wavelengths (355, 532, and 1064 nm). Particle extinction coefficient (σext) profiles were obtained by using a fixed backscatter-to-extinction ratio (also lidar ratio, LR). A new approach was used to determine profiles of CCN-NC for continental aerosol. The results of this new approach were consistent with the airborne in situ measurements within the uncertainties.In terms of representativeness, the PNSD measurements on the ground showed a good agreement with the measurements provided with ACTOS for lower altitudes. The ground-based measurements of PNC and CCN-NC are representative of the PBL when the PBL is well mixed. Locally isolated new particle formation events on the ground or at the top of the PBL led to vertical variability in the cases presented here and ground-based measurements are not entirely representative of the PBL. Based on Mie theory (Mie, 1908), optical aerosol properties under ambient conditions for

Coordinated Ground-Based and AIM Satellite Measurements of Mesospheric and Stratospheric Waves over South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, M. J.; Zhao, Y.; Pautet, P. D.; Carstens, J. N.; Pugmire, J. R.; Smith, S. M.; Liu, A. Z.; Vargas, F.; Swenson, G. R.; Randall, C. E.; Bailey, S. M.; Russell, J. M., III

2016-12-01

To date, the primary research goals of the Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite have focussed on investigating the occurrence, properties and dynamics of high-latitude Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMC). With the evolution of the AIM orbit beta angle the opportunity now exists to make measurements outside the PMC region covering mid-low and equatorial latitudes. As part of the extended AIM mission science program, the AIM platform in conjunction with auxiliary ground-based measurements will be used to better understand upper atmospheric dynamics and vertical coupling due to gravity waves. Over the next 2 years AIM will take advantage of a new imaging capability of the on-board large-field CIPS UV imager to capture new data on the characteristics and spatial extents of stratospheric gravity waves near the 50 km level and their variation with latitude and season. In this study we report on initial coordinated ground-based measurements with the Andes Lidar Observatory (ALO) at Cerro Pachon, Chile ( 30°S) and nearby El Leoncito Observatory, Argentina, high in the Andes Mountains, where regular remote-sensing measurements are made using meteor radar, mesospheric airglow imagers, temperature mappers and an Na wind-temperature lidar (on a campaign basis). First coordinated measurements were made during the winter period in June 2016. AIM daytime overpasses have been analysed to search for and characterize extensive stratospheric wave events, as well as long-lived "Mountain Waves" over South America. Subsequent night-time ground-based measurements have been used to quantify wave characteristics in the mesopause region ( 80-100 km) to investigate vertical coupling. These measurements are continuing and it is planned to extend the new AIM stratospheric gravity wave data set for similar studies from a number of well-instrumented ground sites around the world.

Ground-based measurements of ionospheric dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kouba, Daniel; Chum, Jaroslav

2018-05-01

Different methods are used to research and monitor the ionospheric dynamics using ground measurements: Digisonde Drift Measurements (DDM) and Continuous Doppler Sounding (CDS). For the first time, we present comparison between both methods on specific examples. Both methods provide information about the vertical drift velocity component. The DDM provides more information about the drift velocity vector and detected reflection points. However, the method is limited by the relatively low time resolution. In contrast, the strength of CDS is its high time resolution. The discussed methods can be used for real-time monitoring of medium scale travelling ionospheric disturbances. We conclude that it is advantageous to use both methods simultaneously if possible. The CDS is then applied for the disturbance detection and analysis, and the DDM is applied for the reflection height control.

Japan’s Role in the New Era

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-15

JAPAN’S ROLE IN THE NEW ERA BY .1 Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi ELECTE .F Japan Ground Self Defense Force ,4aY 1.4 19,92 A DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved...Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi D.ti ibltof Japan Ground Self Defense Force ,v’ilti~ity Cod - A~a~i ardj r Colonel Donald W. Boose, Jr...Pennsylvania 17013 ABSTRACT AUTHOR: Colonel Yasuhiro Naomi, Japan Ground Self -Defense Force TITLE: Japan’s Role in the New Era FORMAT: Individual Study

Calibration of AIS Data Using Ground-based Spectral Reflectance Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Conel, J. E.

1985-01-01

Present methods of correcting airborne imaging spectrometer (AIS) data for instrumental and atmospheric effects include the flat- or curved-field correction and a deviation-from-the-average adjustment performed on a line-by-line basis throughout the image. Both methods eliminate the atmospheric absorptions, but remove the possibility of studying the atmosphere for its own sake, or of using the atmospheric information present as a possible basis for theoretical modeling. The method discussed here relies on use of ground-based measurements of the surface spectral reflectance in comparison with scanner data to fix in a least-squares sense parameters in a simplified model of the atmosphere on a wavelength-by-wavelength basis. The model parameters (for optically thin conditions) are interpretable in terms of optical depth and scattering phase function, and thus, in principle, provide an approximate description of the atmosphere as a homogeneous body intervening between the sensor and the ground.

Application of InSAR and GIS techniques to ground subsidence assessment in the Nobi Plain, Central Japan.

PubMed

Zheng, Minxue; Fukuyama, Kaoru; Sanga-Ngoie, Kazadi

2013-12-31

Spatial variation and temporal changes in ground subsidence over the Nobi Plain, Central Japan, are assessed using GIS techniques and ground level measurements data taken over this area since the 1970s. Notwithstanding the general slowing trend observed in ground subsidence over the plains, we have detected ground rise at some locations, more likely due to the ground expansion because of recovering groundwater levels and the tilting of the Nobi land mass. The problem of non-availability of upper-air meteorological information, especially the 3-dimensional water vapor distribution, during the JERS-1 observational period (1992-1998) was solved by applying the AWC (analog weather charts) method onto the high-precision GPV-MSM (Grid Point Value of Meso-Scale Model) water-vapor data to find the latter's matching meteorological data. From the selected JERS-1 interferometry pair and the matching GPV-MSM meteorological data, the atmospheric path delay generated by water vapor inhomogeneity was then quantitatively evaluated. A highly uniform spatial distribution of the atmospheric delay, with a maximum deviation of approximately 38 mm in its horizontal distribution was found over the Plain. This confirms the effectiveness of using GPV-MSM data for SAR differential interferometric analysis, and sheds thus some new light on the possibility of improving InSAR analysis results for land subsidence applications.

Application of InSAR and GIS Techniques to Ground Subsidence Assessment in the Nobi Plain, Central Japan

PubMed Central

Zheng, Minxue; Fukuyama, Kaoru; Sanga-Ngoie, Kazadi

2014-01-01

Spatial variation and temporal changes in ground subsidence over the Nobi Plain, Central Japan, are assessed using GIS techniques and ground level measurements data taken over this area since the 1970s. Notwithstanding the general slowing trend observed in ground subsidence over the plains, we have detected ground rise at some locations, more likely due to the ground expansion because of recovering groundwater levels and the tilting of the Nobi land mass. The problem of non-availability of upper-air meteorological information, especially the 3-dimensional water vapor distribution, during the JERS-1 observational period (1992–1998) was solved by applying the AWC (analog weather charts) method onto the high-precision GPV-MSM (Grid Point Value of Meso-Scale Model) water-vapor data to find the latter's matching meteorological data. From the selected JERS-1 interferometry pair and the matching GPV-MSM meteorological data, the atmospheric path delay generated by water vapor inhomogeneity was then quantitatively evaluated. A highly uniform spatial distribution of the atmospheric delay, with a maximum deviation of approximately 38 mm in its horizontal distribution was found over the Plain. This confirms the effectiveness of using GPV-MSM data for SAR differential interferometric analysis, and sheds thus some new light on the possibility of improving InSAR analysis results for land subsidence applications. PMID:24385028

Eruption mass estimation using infrasound waveform inversion and ash and gas measurements: Evaluation at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan [Comparison of eruption masses at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan calculated by infrasound waveform inversion and ground-based sampling

DOE PAGES

Fee, David; Izbekov, Pavel; Kim, Keehoon; ...

2017-10-09

Eruption mass and mass flow rate are critical parameters for determining the aerial extent and hazard of volcanic emissions. Infrasound waveform inversion is a promising technique to quantify volcanic emissions. Although topography may substantially alter the infrasound waveform as it propagates, advances in wave propagation modeling and station coverage permit robust inversion of infrasound data from volcanic explosions. The inversion can estimate eruption mass flow rate and total eruption mass if the flow density is known. However, infrasound-based eruption flow rates and mass estimates have yet to be validated against independent measurements, and numerical modeling has only recently been appliedmore » to the inversion technique. Furthermore we present a robust full-waveform acoustic inversion method, and use it to calculate eruption flow rates and masses from 49 explosions from Sakurajima Volcano, Japan.« less

Eruption mass estimation using infrasound waveform inversion and ash and gas measurements: Evaluation at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan [Comparison of eruption masses at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan calculated by infrasound waveform inversion and ground-based sampling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fee, David; Izbekov, Pavel; Kim, Keehoon

Eruption mass and mass flow rate are critical parameters for determining the aerial extent and hazard of volcanic emissions. Infrasound waveform inversion is a promising technique to quantify volcanic emissions. Although topography may substantially alter the infrasound waveform as it propagates, advances in wave propagation modeling and station coverage permit robust inversion of infrasound data from volcanic explosions. The inversion can estimate eruption mass flow rate and total eruption mass if the flow density is known. However, infrasound-based eruption flow rates and mass estimates have yet to be validated against independent measurements, and numerical modeling has only recently been appliedmore » to the inversion technique. Furthermore we present a robust full-waveform acoustic inversion method, and use it to calculate eruption flow rates and masses from 49 explosions from Sakurajima Volcano, Japan.« less

PICARD SOL mission, a ground-based facility for long-term solar radius measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meftah, M.; Irbah, A.; Corbard, T.; Morand, F.; Thuillier, G.; Hauchecorne, A.; Ikhlef, R.; Rouze, M.; Renaud, C.; Djafer, D.; Abbaki, S.; Assus, P.; Chauvineau, B.; Cissé, E. M.; Dalaudier, F.; D'Almeida, Eric; Fodil, M.; Laclare, F.; Lesueur, P.; Lin, M.; Marcovici, J. P.; Poiet, G.

2012-09-01

For the last thirty years, ground time series of the solar radius have shown different variations according to different instruments. The origin of these variations may be found in the observer, the instrument, the atmosphere and the Sun. These time series show inconsistencies and conflicting results, which likely originate from instrumental effects and/or atmospheric effects. A survey of the solar radius was initiated in 1975 by F. Laclare, at the Calern site of the Observatoire de la Cˆote d'Azur (OCA). PICARD is an investigation dedicated to the simultaneous measurements of the absolute total and spectral solar irradiance, the solar radius and solar shape, and to the Sun's interior probing by the helioseismology method. The PICARD mission aims to the study of the origin of the solar variability and to the study of the relations between the Sun and the Earth's climate by using modeling. These studies will be based on measurements carried out from orbit and from the ground. PICARD SOL is the ground segment of the PICARD mission to allow a comparison of the solar radius measured in space and on ground. PICARD SOL will enable to understand the influence of the atmosphere on the measured solar radius. The PICARD Sol instrumentation consists of: SODISM II, a replica of SODISM (SOlar Diameter Imager and Surface Mapper), a high resolution imaging telescope, and MISOLFA (Moniteur d'Images SOLaires Franco-Alǵerien), a seeing monitor. Additional instrumentation consists in a Sun photometer, which measures atmospheric aerosol properties, a pyranometer to measure the solar irradiance, a visible camera, and a weather station. PICARD SOL is operating since March 2011. First results from the PICARD SOL mission are briefly reported in this paper.

The Automatic Measuring Machines and Ground-Based Astrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergeeva, T. P.

The introduction of the automatic measuring machines into the astronomical investigations a little more then a quarter of the century ago has increased essentially the range and the scale of projects which the astronomers could capable to realize since then. During that time, there have been dozens photographic sky surveys, which have covered all of the sky more then once. Due to high accuracy and speed of automatic measuring machines the photographic astrometry has obtained the opportunity to create the high precision catalogs such as CpC2. Investigations of the structure and kinematics of the stellar components of our Galaxy has been revolutionized in the last decade by the advent of automated plate measuring machines. But in an age of rapidly evolving electronic detectors and space-based catalogs, expected soon, one could think that the twilight hours of astronomical photography have become. On opposite of that point of view such astronomers as D.Monet (U.S.N.O.), L.G.Taff (STScI), M.K.Tsvetkov (IA BAS) and some other have contended the several ways of the photographic astronomy evolution. One of them sounds as: "...special efforts must be taken to extract useful information from the photographic archives before the plates degrade and the technology required to measure them disappears". Another is the minimization of the systematic errors of ground-based star catalogs by employment of certain reduction technology and a dense enough and precise space-based star reference catalogs. In addition to that the using of the higher resolution and quantum efficiency emulsions such as Tech Pan and some of the new methods of processing of the digitized information hold great promise for future deep (B<25) surveys (Bland-Hawthorn et al. 1993, AJ, 106, 2154). Thus not only the hard working of all existing automatic measuring machines is apparently needed but the designing, development and employment of a new generation of portable, mobile scanners is very necessary. The

Evaluation of the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB) Using Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Y.; Sengupta, M.; Habte, A.; Lopez, A.

2017-12-01

Solar resource is essential for a wide spectrum of applications including renewable energy, climate studies, and solar forecasting. Solar resource information can be obtained from ground-based measurement stations and/or from modeled data sets. While measurements provide data for the development and validation of solar resource models and other applications modeled data expands the ability to address the needs for increased accuracy and spatial and temporal resolution. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed and regular updates modeled solar resource through the National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB). The recent NSRDB dataset was developed using the physics-based Physical Solar Model (PSM) and provides gridded solar irradiance (global horizontal irradiance (GHI), direct normal irradiance (DNI), and diffuse horizontal irradiance) at a 4-km by 4-km spatial and half-hourly temporal resolution covering 18 years from 1998-2015. A comprehensive validation of the performance of the NSRDB (1998-2015) was conducted to quantify the accuracy of the spatial and temporal variability of the solar radiation data. Further, the study assessed the ability of NSRDB (1998-2015) to accurately capture inter-annual variability, which is essential information for solar energy conversion projects and grid integration studies. Comparisons of the NSRDB (1998-2015) with nine selected ground-measured data were conducted under both clear- and cloudy-sky conditions. These locations provide a high quality data covering a variety of geographical locations and climates. The comparison of the NSRDB to the ground-based data demonstrated that biases were within +/- 5% for GHI and +/-10% for DNI. A comprehensive uncertainty estimation methodology was established to analyze the performance of the gridded NSRDB and includes all sources of uncertainty at various time-averaged periods, a method that is not often used in model evaluation. Further, the study analyzed the inter

An In Depth Look at Lightning Trends in Hurricane Harvey using Satellite and Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ringhausen, J.

2017-12-01

This research combines satellite measurements of lightning in Hurricane Harvey with ground-based lightning measurements to get a better sense of the total lightning occurring in the hurricane, both intra-cloud (IC) and cloud-to-ground (CG), and how it relates to the intensification and weakening of the tropical system. Past studies have looked at lightning trends in hurricanes using the space based Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) or ground-based lightning detection networks. However, both of these methods have drawbacks. For instance, LIS was in low earth orbit, which limited lightning observations to 90 seconds for a particular point on the ground; hence, continuous lightning coverage of a hurricane was not possible. Ground-based networks can have a decreased detection efficiency, particularly for ICs, over oceans where hurricanes generally intensify. With the launch of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on the GOES-16 satellite, researchers can study total lightning continuously over the lifetime of a tropical cyclone. This study utilizes GLM to investigate total lightning activity in Hurricane Harvey temporally; this is augmented with spatial analysis relative to hurricane structure, similar to previous studies. Further, GLM and ground-based network data are combined using Bayesian techniques in a new manner to leverage the strengths of each detection method. This methodology 1) provides a more complete estimate of lightning activity and 2) enables the derivation of the IC:CG ratio (Z-ratio) throughout the time period of the study. In particular, details of the evolution of the Z-ratio in time and space are presented. In addition, lightning stroke spatiotemporal trends are compared to lightning flash trends. This research represents a new application of lightning data that can be used in future study of tropical cyclone intensification and weakening.

LEO-to-ground polarization measurements aiming for space QKD using Small Optical TrAnsponder (SOTA).

PubMed

Carrasco-Casado, Alberto; Kunimori, Hiroo; Takenaka, Hideki; Kubo-Oka, Toshihiro; Akioka, Maki; Fuse, Tetsuharu; Koyama, Yoshisada; Kolev, Dimitar; Munemasa, Yasushi; Toyoshima, Morio

2016-05-30

Quantum communication, and more specifically Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), enables the transmission of information in a theoretically secure way, guaranteed by the laws of quantum physics. Although fiber-based QKD has been readily available since several years ago, a global quantum communication network will require the development of space links, which remains to be demonstrated. NICT launched a LEO satellite in 2014 carrying a lasercom terminal (SOTA), designed for in-orbit technological demonstrations. In this paper, we present the results of the campaign to measure the polarization characteristics of the SOTA laser sources after propagating from LEO to ground. The most-widely used property for encoding information in free-space QKD is the polarization, and especially the linear polarization. Therefore, studying its behavior in a realistic link is a fundamental step for proving the feasibility of space quantum communications. The results of the polarization preservation of two highly-polarized lasers are presented here, including the first-time measurement of a linearly-polarized source at λ = 976 nm and a circularly-polarized source at λ = 1549 nm from space using a realistic QKD-like receiver, installed in the Optical Ground Station at the NICT Headquarters, in Tokyo, Japan.

Comparison of GOME tropospheric NO2 columns with NO2 profiles deduced from ground-based in situ measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaub, D.; Boersma, K. F.; Kaiser, J. W.; Weiss, A. K.; Folini, D.; Eskes, H. J.; Buchmann, B.

2006-08-01

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) vertical tropospheric column densities (VTCs) retrieved from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) are compared to coincident ground-based tropospheric NO2 columns. The ground-based columns are deduced from in situ measurements at different altitudes in the Alps for 1997 to June 2003, yielding a unique long-term comparison of GOME NO2 VTC data retrieved by a collaboration of KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) and BIRA/IASB (Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy) with independently derived tropospheric NO2 profiles. A first comparison relates the GOME retrieved tropospheric columns to the tropospheric columns obtained by integrating the ground-based NO2 measurements. For a second comparison, the tropospheric profiles constructed from the ground-based measurements are first multiplied with the averaging kernel (AK) of the GOME retrieval. The second approach makes the comparison independent from the a priori NO2 profile used in the GOME retrieval. This allows splitting the total difference between the column data sets into two contributions: one that is due to differences between the a priori and the ground-based NO2 profile shapes, and another that can be attributed to uncertainties in both the remaining retrieval parameters (such as, e.g., surface albedo or aerosol concentration) and the ground-based in situ NO2 profiles. For anticyclonic clear sky conditions the comparison indicates a good agreement between the columns (n=157, R=0.70/0.74 for the first/second comparison approach, respectively). The mean relative difference (with respect to the ground-based columns) is -7% with a standard deviation of 40% and GOME on average slightly underestimating the ground-based columns. Both data sets show a similar seasonal behaviour with a distinct maximum of spring NO2 VTCs. Further analysis indicates small GOME columns being systematically smaller than the ground-based ones. The influence of different shapes in the a priori and

Research activity of the greenhouse gas measurements using optical remote sensing in Japan (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asai, K.

2009-12-01

Japan might be one of the most active countries dedicating themselves to studying the greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements using optical remote sensing not only on the ground but also from space. There are two reasons; one of them ascends to the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in December 1997 in Kyoto, an ancient city of Japan until 19th centuries, was designed to address the international response to serious climate change due to greenhouse gases. The other reason is due to a revision of the Basic Environment Law of Japan in order to meet the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. The State makes efforts to ensure international collaboration so as to effectively promote the monitoring, observation and measurement of the environmental situation with regard to global warming. Main activities are listed in a Table1. They are divided into two categories, i.e. the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), launched on Jan.23, 2009 and active remote sensing using lidar technology. In case of GOSAT, an initial analysis of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations was obtained for clear-sky scenes over land. In the future, after further calibration and validation of the data, observation data and corresponding analyzed products will be made available. On the other hand, studies of the laser remote sensing for measuring GHG have been actively carrying out to achieve reliable data with a higher accuracy at wavelengths of 1.6micron meter (Tokyo Metropolitan University, JAXA, Mitsubishi Electric Co.) and 2 micron meter (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology). As well-known, one of the most interests regarding atmospheric CO2 measurements is that carbon dioxide molecule measured are due to anthropological emission from fossil fuel burning or due to natural one from forest fires etc. We proposed a newly advanced CO2/CO DIAL using a hybrid of pulsed Tm,Ho:YLF and pulsed OPO pumped by it for better understanding them. Now, our effort is directed to find out the most suitable

Measuring the accelerating effect of the planetary-scale waves on Venus observed with UVI/AKATSUKI and ground-based telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, M.; Kouyama, T.; Takahashi, Y.; Watanabe, S.; Yamazaki, A.; Yamada, M.; Nakamura, M.; Satoh, T.; Imamura, T.; Nakaoka, T.; Kawabata, M.; Yamanaka, M.; Kawabata, K. S.

2017-12-01

Venus has a global cloud layer, and the atmosphere rotates with the speed over 100 m/s. The scattering of solar radiance and absorber in clouds cause the strong dark and bright contrast in 365 nm unknown absorption bands. The Japanese Venus orbiter AKATSUKI and the onboard instrument UVI capture 100 km mesoscale cloud features over the entire visible dayside area. In contrast, planetary-scale features are observed when the orbiter is at the moderate distance from Venus and when the Sun-Venus-orbiter phase angle is smaller than 45 deg. Cloud top wind velocity was measured with the mesoscale cloud tracking technique, however, observations of the propagation velocity and its variation of the planetary-scale feature are not well conducted because of the limitation of the observable area. The purpose of the study is measuring the effect of wind acceleration by planetary-scale waves. Each cloud motion can be represented as the wind and phase velocity of the planetary-scale waves, respectively. We conducted simultaneous observations of the zonal motion of both mesoscale and planetary-scale feature using UVI/AKATSUKI and ground-based Pirka and Kanata telescopes in Japan. Our previous ground-based observation revealed the periodicity change of planetary-scale waves with a time scale of a couple of months. For the initial analysis of UVI images, we used the time-consecutive images taken in the orbit #32. During this orbit (from Nov. 13 to 20, 2016), 7 images were obtained with 2 hr time-interval in a day whose spatial resolution ranged from 10-35 km. To investigate the typical mesoscale cloud motion, the Gaussian-filters with sigma = 3 deg. were used to smooth geometrically mapped images with 0.25 deg. resolution. Then the amount of zonal shift for each 5 deg. latitudinal bands between the pairs of two time-consecutive images were estimated by searching the 2D cross-correlation maximum. The final wind velocity (or rotation period) for mesoscale features were determined with

A comparison of ground-based hydroxyl airglow temperatures with SABER/TIMED measurements over 23° N, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parihar, Navin; Singh, Dupinder; Gurubaran, Subramanian

2017-03-01

Ground-based observations of OH (6, 2) Meinel band nightglow were carried out at Ranchi (23.3° N, 85.3° E), India, during January-March 2011, December 2011-May 2012 and December 2012-March 2013 using an all-sky imaging system. Near the mesopause, OH temperatures were derived from the OH (6, 2) Meinel band intensity information. A limited comparison of OH temperatures (TOH) with SABER/TIMED measurements in 30 cases was performed by defining almost coincident criterion of ±1.5° latitude-longitude and ±3 min of the ground-based observations. Using SABER OH 1.6 and 2.0 µm volume emission rate profiles as the weighing function, two sets of OH-equivalent temperature (T1. 6 and T2. 0 respectively) were estimated from its kinetic temperature profile for comparison with OH nightglow measurements. Overall, fair agreement existed between ground-based and SABER measurements in the majority of events within the limits of experimental errors. Overall, the mean value of OH-derived temperatures and SABER OH-equivalent temperatures were 197.3 ± 4.6, 192.0 ± 10.8 and 192.7 ± 10.3 K, and the ground-based temperatures were 4-5 K warmer than SABER values. A difference of 8 K or more is noted between two measurements when the peak of the OH emission layer lies in the vicinity of large temperature inversions. A comparison of OH temperatures derived using different sets of Einstein transition probabilities and SABER measurements was also performed; however, OH temperatures derived using Langhoff et al. (1986) transition probabilities were found to compare well.

Validating NO2 measurements in the vertical atmospheric column with the OMI instrument aboard the EOS Aura satellite against ground-based measurements at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruzdev, A. N.; Elokhov, A. S.

2009-08-01

Data on the NO2 content in the vertical column of the atmosphere obtained with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard the EOS Aura satellite (United States) in the period from October 2004 to October 2007 are compared with the results of ground-based measurements at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station (55.7° N, 36.8° E). The “unpolluted”; part of the total NO2 content in the atmospheric column, which mostly represents the stratosphere, and the NO2 contents in the vertical column of the troposphere, including the lower layer, which is subject to pollution, are included in the comparison. The correlation coefficient between the results of ground-based and satellite measurements of the “unpolluted” total NO2 content is ˜0.9. The content values measured with the OMI instrument are smaller than the results of ground-based measurements (on average, by (0.30 ± 0.03) × 1015 cm-2 or by (11 ± 1)%). Therms discrepancy between the satellite and ground-based data is 0.6 × 1015 cm-2. The NO2 content in the vertical column of the troposphere from the results of satellite measurements is, on average, (1.4 ± 0.5) × 1015 cm-2, (or about 35%) smaller than from the results of ground-based measurements, and the rms discrepancy between them is about 200%. The correlation coefficient between these data is ˜0.4. This considerable discrepancy is evidently caused by the strong spatial (horizontal) inhomogeneity and the temporal variability of the NO2 field during episodes of pollution, which leads to different (and often uncorrelated) estimates of the NO2 content in the lower troposphere due to different spatial resolutions of ground-based and satellite measurements.

Atmospheric scattering effects on ground-based measurements of thermospheric winds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abreu, V. J.; Schmitt, G. A.; Hays, P. B.; Meriwether, J. W., Jr.; Tepley, C. A.; Cogger, L. L.

1983-01-01

Convergent or divergent thermospheric wind patterns detected by ground-based Fabry-Perot interferometric measurements of the Doppler shifts of atomic lines are demonstrated to occur in the presence of strong intensity gradients and a scattering atmosphere. Consideration is given to the color shifts observed when sighting to the north or the south, and a numerical model is developed to describe the wind patterns which produce the recorded shifts. An account is taken of the direct and scattered components of the brightness, with the atmosphere treated as a single scattering layer with a reflecting surface underneath. A scattering coefficient is calculated, together with the line shape of the wavelength shifts. The scattered light is demonstrated, both through simulations and measurements taken near Calgary, Alberta, to produce convergence or divergence of the color shifts, depending on the line-of-sight of the viewing.

USB environment measurements based on full-scale static engine ground tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sussman, M. B.; Harkonen, D. L.; Reed, J. B.

1976-01-01

Flow turning parameters, static pressures, surface temperatures, surface fluctuating pressures and acceleration levels were measured in the environment of a full-scale upper surface blowing (USB) propulsive lift test configuration. The test components included a flightworthy CF6-50D engine, nacelle, and USB flap assembly utilized in conjunction with ground verification testing of the USAF YC-14 Advanced Medium STOL Transport propulsion system. Results, based on a preliminary analysis of the data, generally show reasonable agreement with predicted levels based on model data. However, additional detailed analysis is required to confirm the preliminary evaluation, to help delineate certain discrepancies with model data, and to establish a basis for future flight test comparisons.

Ground based and airborne atmospheric measurements near bucharest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemuc, Anca; Boscornea, Andreea; Belegante, Livio; Vasilescu, Jeni; Vajaiac, Sorin; Ene, Dragos; Marmureanu, Luminita; Andrei, Simona

2018-04-01

This paper presents the results from a coordinated approach for atmospheric investigation, exploring synergies between different techniques. A wide range of instruments have been used during an intensive measurement period both from ground (lidar, sunphotometer, aethalometer and Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor) and airborne (aerodynamic particle sizer, the Picarro gas analyzer and the NO2 CAPS analyzer) in 2016 over Magurele, 6 km South West of Bucharest.

Orientation-independent measures of ground motion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boore, D.M.; Watson-Lamprey, Jennie; Abrahamson, N.A.

2006-01-01

The geometric mean of the response spectra for two orthogonal horizontal components of motion, commonly used as the response variable in predictions of strong ground motion, depends on the orientation of the sensors as installed in the field. This means that the measure of ground-motion intensity could differ for the same actual ground motion. This dependence on sensor orientation is most pronounced for strongly correlated motion (the extreme example being linearly polarized motion), such as often occurs at periods of 1 sec or longer. We propose two new measures of the geometric mean, GMRotDpp, and GMRotIpp, that are independent of the sensor orientations. Both are based on a set of geometric means computed from the as-recorded orthogonal horizontal motions rotated through all possible non-redundant rotation angles. GMRotDpp is determined as the ppth percentile of the set of geometric means for a given oscillator period. For example, GMRotDOO, GMRotD50, and GMRotD100 correspond to the minimum, median, and maximum values, respectively. The rotations that lead to GMRotDpp depend on period, whereas a single-period-independent rotation is used for GMRotIpp, the angle being chosen to minimize the spread of the rotation-dependent geometric mean (normalized by GMRotDpp) over the usable range of oscillator periods. GMRotI50 is the ground-motion intensity measure being used in the development of new ground-motion prediction equations by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Center Next Generation Attenuation project. Comparisons with as-recorded geometric means for a large dataset show that the new measures are systematically larger than the geometric-mean response spectra using the as-recorded values of ground acceleration, but only by a small amount (less than 3%). The theoretical advantage of the new measures is that they remove sensor orientation as a contributor to aleatory uncertainty. Whether the reduction is of practical significance awaits detailed studies of large

Ground robotic measurement of aeolian processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Feifei; Jerolmack, Douglas; Lancaster, Nicholas; Nikolich, George; Reverdy, Paul; Roberts, Sonia; Shipley, Thomas; Van Pelt, R. Scott; Zobeck, Ted M.; Koditschek, Daniel E.

2017-08-01

Models of aeolian processes rely on accurate measurements of the rates of sediment transport by wind, and careful evaluation of the environmental controls of these processes. Existing field approaches typically require intensive, event-based experiments involving dense arrays of instruments. These devices are often cumbersome and logistically difficult to set up and maintain, especially near steep or vegetated dune surfaces. Significant advances in instrumentation are needed to provide the datasets that are required to validate and improve mechanistic models of aeolian sediment transport. Recent advances in robotics show great promise for assisting and amplifying scientists' efforts to increase the spatial and temporal resolution of many environmental measurements governing sediment transport. The emergence of cheap, agile, human-scale robotic platforms endowed with increasingly sophisticated sensor and motor suites opens up the prospect of deploying programmable, reactive sensor payloads across complex terrain in the service of aeolian science. This paper surveys the need and assesses the opportunities and challenges for amassing novel, highly resolved spatiotemporal datasets for aeolian research using partially-automated ground mobility. We review the limitations of existing measurement approaches for aeolian processes, and discuss how they may be transformed by ground-based robotic platforms, using examples from our initial field experiments. We then review how the need to traverse challenging aeolian terrains and simultaneously make high-resolution measurements of critical variables requires enhanced robotic capability. Finally, we conclude with a look to the future, in which robotic platforms may operate with increasing autonomy in harsh conditions. Besides expanding the completeness of terrestrial datasets, bringing ground-based robots to the aeolian research community may lead to unexpected discoveries that generate new hypotheses to expand the science

Separation of Main and Tail Rotor Noise Sources from Ground-Based Acoustic Measurements Using Time-Domain De-Dopplerization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenwood, Eric II; Schmitz, Fredric H.

2009-01-01

A new method of separating the contributions of helicopter main and tail rotor noise sources is presented, making use of ground-based acoustic measurements. The method employs time-domain de-Dopplerization to transform the acoustic pressure time-history data collected from an array of ground-based microphones to the equivalent time-history signals observed by an array of virtual inflight microphones traveling with the helicopter. The now-stationary signals observed by the virtual microphones are then periodically averaged with the main and tail rotor once per revolution triggers. The averaging process suppresses noise which is not periodic with the respective rotor, allowing for the separation of main and tail rotor pressure time-histories. The averaged measurements are then interpolated across the range of directivity angles captured by the microphone array in order to generate separate acoustic hemispheres for the main and tail rotor noise sources. The new method is successfully applied to ground-based microphone measurements of a Bell 206B3 helicopter and demonstrates the strong directivity characteristics of harmonic noise radiation from both the main and tail rotors of that helicopter.

Satellite Type Estination from Ground-based Photometric Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, T.; Ono, H.; Suzuki, J.; Ando, T.; Takanezawa, T.

2016-09-01

The optical photometric observation is potentially a powerful tool for understanding of the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) objects. At first, we measured in laboratory the surface reflectance of common satellite materials, for example, Multi-layer Insulation (MLI), mono-crystalline silicon cells, and Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP). Next, we calculated visual magnitude of a satellite by simplified shape and albedo. In this calculation model, solar panels have dimensions of 2 by 8 meters, and the bus area is 2 meters squared with measured optical properties described above. Under these conditions, it clarified the brightness can change the range between 3 and 4 magnitudes in one night, but color index changes only from 1 to 2 magnitudes. Finally, we observed the color photometric data of several GEO satellites visible from Japan multiple times in August and September 2014. We obtained that light curves of GEO satellites recorded in the B and V bands (using Johnson filters) by a ground-base optical telescope. As a result, color index changed approximately from 0.5 to 1 magnitude in one night, and the order of magnitude was not changed in all cases. In this paper, we briefly discuss about satellite type estimation using the relation between brightness and color index obtained from the photometric observation.

Error threshold inference from Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite rainfall data and interpolated ground-based rainfall measurements in Metro Manila

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ampil, L. J. Y.; Yao, J. G.; Lagrosas, N.; Lorenzo, G. R. H.; Simpas, J.

2017-12-01

The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is a group of satellites that provides global observations of precipitation. Satellite-based observations act as an alternative if ground-based measurements are inadequate or unavailable. Data provided by satellites however must be validated for this data to be reliable and used effectively. In this study, the Integrated Multisatellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) Final Run v3 half-hourly product is validated by comparing against interpolated ground measurements derived from sixteen ground stations in Metro Manila. The area considered in this study is the region 14.4° - 14.8° latitude and 120.9° - 121.2° longitude, subdivided into twelve 0.1° x 0.1° grid squares. Satellite data from June 1 - August 31, 2014 with the data aggregated to 1-day temporal resolution are used in this study. The satellite data is directly compared to measurements from individual ground stations to determine the effect of the interpolation by contrast against the comparison of satellite data and interpolated measurements. The comparisons are calculated by taking a fractional root-mean-square error (F-RMSE) between two datasets. The results show that interpolation improves errors compared to using raw station data except during days with very small amounts of rainfall. F-RMSE reaches extreme values of up to 654 without a rainfall threshold. A rainfall threshold is inferred to remove extreme error values and make the distribution of F-RMSE more consistent. Results show that the rainfall threshold varies slightly per month. The threshold for June is inferred to be 0.5 mm, reducing the maximum F-RMSE to 9.78, while the threshold for July and August is inferred to be 0.1 mm, reducing the maximum F-RMSE to 4.8 and 10.7, respectively. The maximum F-RMSE is reduced further as the threshold is increased. Maximum F-RMSE is reduced to 3.06 when a rainfall threshold of 10 mm is applied over the entire duration of JJA. These results indicate that

Report of Earthquake Drills with Experiences of Ground Motion in Childcare for Young Children, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, N.

2013-12-01

After the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, this disaster has become one of the opportunities to raise awareness of earthquake and tsunami disaster prevention, and the improvement of disaster prevention education is to be emphasized. The influences of these bring the extension to the spatial axis in Japan, and also, it is important to make a development of the education with continuous to the expansion of time axes. Although fire or earthquake drills as the disaster prevention education are often found in Japan, the children and teachers only go from school building to outside. Besides, only the shortness of the time to spend for the drill often attracts attention. The complementary practice education by the cooperation with experts such as the firefighting is practiced, but the verification of the effects is not enough, and it is the present conditions that do not advance to the study either. Although it is expected that improvement and development of the disaster prevention educations are accomplished in future, there are a lot of the problems. Our target is construction and utilization of material contributing to the education about "During the strong motion" in case of the earthquake which may experience even if wherever of Japan. One of the our productions is the handicraft shaking table to utilize as teaching tools of the education to protect the body which is not hurt at the time of strong motion. This made much of simplicity than high reproduction of the earthquake ground motions. We aimed to helping the disaster prevention education including not only the education for young children but also for the school staff and their parents. In this report, the focusing on a way of the non-injured during the time of the earthquake ground motion, and adopting activity of the play, we are going to show the example of the framework of earthquake disaster prevention childcare through the virtual experience. This presentation has a discussion as a practice study with

First comparison of simultaneous IRIS, BUV, and ground-based measurements of total ozone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prior, E. J.; Oza, B. J.

1978-01-01

In the present paper, the zonally-averaged global distribution of total ozone obtained simultaneously from different measurements are compared with respect to differences in the measured latitudinal and seasonal variations of total ozone. Emphasis is placed on systematic discrepancies that appear to be related to differences in the sensing methodologies or instruments. While the zonal averages of the IRIS and BUV satellite techniques agree quite well at low latitudes, the results are consistently higher for IRIS than for BUV above mid-latitudes in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The BUV and ground-based ultraviolet averages agree better with each other than with infrared IRIS measurements.

The High Accuracy Measurement of CO2 Mixing Ratio Profiles Using Ground Based 1.6 μm CO2-DIAL with Temperature Measurement Techniques in the Lower-Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abo, M.; Shibata, Y.; Nagasawa, C.

2017-12-01

We have developed a ground based direct detection three-wavelength 1.6 μm differential absorption lidar (DIAL) to achieve measurements of vertical CO2 concentration and temperature profiles in the atmosphere. As the spectra of absorption lines of any molecules are influenced basically by the temperature and pressure in the atmosphere, it is important to measure them simultaneously so that the better accuracy of the DIAL measurement is realized. Conventionally, we have obtained the vertical profile of absorption cross sections using the atmospheric temperature profile by the objective analysis and the atmospheric pressure profile calculated by the pressure height equation. Comparison of atmospheric pressure profiles calculated from this equation and those obtained from radiosonde observations at Tateno, Japan is consistent within 0.2 % below 3 km altitude. But the temperature dependency of the CO2 density is 0.25 %/°C near the surface. Moreover, the CO2 concentration is often evaluated by the mixing ratio. Because the air density is related by the ideal gas law, the mixing ratio is also related by the atmospheric temperature. Therefore, the temperature affects not only accuracy of CO2 concentration but the CO2 mixing ratio. In this paper, some experimental results of the simultaneous measurement of atmospheric temperature profiles and CO2 mixing ratio profiles are reported from 0.4 to 2.5 km altitude using the three-wavelength 1.6 μm DIAL system. Temperature profiles of CO2 DIAL measurement were sometimes different from those of objective analysis below 1.5 km altitude. These differences are considered to be due to regionality at the lidar site. The temperature difference of 5.0 °C corresponds to a CO2 mixing ratio difference of 8.0 ppm at 500 m altitude. This cannot be ignored in estimates of regional sources and sinks of CO2. This three-wavelength CO2 DIAL technique can estimate accurately temporal behavior of CO2 mixing ratio profiles in the lower atmosphere

Balloon borne measurements of aerosol and cloud particles over Japan during PACDEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, T.; Orikasa, N.; Nagai, T.; Murakami, M.; Tajiri, T.; Saito, A.; Yamashita, K.

2007-12-01

This paper presents the preliminary result of the balloon borne measurements of the aerosol and cloud microphysical properties over Tsukuba (36.1°N, 140.1°E), Japan, on 10 and 22 May 2007. The purpose of the measurement is to study the influence of Asian mineral dust on ice clouds formation in the middle and upper troposphere. The balloon measured the vertical distributions of aerosol number size distribution (0.13 to 3.9 μm in threshold radius, 8 sizes) by use of the optical particle counter, cloud size (10 μ m to 5 mm in the longest dimension), shape, and number concentration by use of the hydrometer videosonde, humidity by use of SnowWhite hygrometer, and temperature and pressure by use of Meisei RS-01G radiosonde between altitudes of 0 and 16 km. The aerosol size distribution showed bimodal distribution with mode radii of <0.13 μm (fine mode) and about 0.8 μm (coarse mode) over the troposphere (0-13.5 km in altitude). The number concentrations ranged from 150 to 1 cm-3 in the fine mode and from 3 to 0.1 cm-3 in the coarse mode. High depolarization ratio (>10%) obtained from the ground-based Raman lidar measurement revealed the presence of nonspherical dust in the coarse mode. Columnar, bullet-like, and irregular ice crystals with 10-400 μm in size were detected between altitudes of 8 and 13 km on 10 May and 10 and 13 km on 22 May. The maximum crystal concentration was 0.15 cm-3. We discuss the possibility of the formation of the ice cloud from the dust based on the result of the measurements.

Ground-Based Measurements of the Wake Vortex Characteristics of a B-747 Aircraft in Various Configurations

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-12-01

A Boeing 747 aircraft flew 54 passes at low altitude over ground based sensors. Vortex velocities were measured by a laser Doppler velocimeter, an array of monostatic acoustic sounders, and an array of propeller anemometers. Flow visualization of the...

Ground-based microwave measuring of middle atmosphere ozone and temperature profiles during sudden stratospheric warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feigin, A. M.; Shvetsov, A. A.; Krasilnikov, A. A.; Kulikov, M. Y.; Karashtin, D. A.; Mukhin, D.; Bolshakov, O. S.; Fedoseev, L. I.; Ryskin, V. G.; Belikovich, M. V.; Kukin, L. M.

2012-12-01

We carried out the experimental campaign aimed to study the response of middle atmosphere on a sudden stratospheric warming in winter 2011-2012 above Nizhny Novgorod, Russia (56N, 44E). We employed the ground-based microwave complex for remote sensing of middle atmosphere developed in the Institute of Applied Physics of the Russian Academy of Science. The complex combines two room-temperature radiometers, i.e. microwave ozonometer and the stratospheric thermometer. Ozonometer is a heterodyne spectroradiometer, operating in a range of frequencies that include the rotation transition of ozone molecules with resonance frequency 110.8 GHz. Operating frequency range of the stratospheric thermometer is 52.5-5.4 GHz and includes lower frequency edge of 5 mm molecular oxygen absorption bands and among them two relatively weak lines of O2 emission. Digital fast Fourier transform spectrometers developed by "Acqiris" are employed for signal spectral analysis. The spectrometers have frequency range 0.05-1 GHz and realizes the effective resolution about 61 KHz. For retrieval vertical profiles of ozone and temperature from radiometric data we applied novel method based on Bayesian approach to inverse problem solution, which assumed a construction of probability distribution of the characteristics of retrieved profiles with taking into account measurement noise and available a priori information about possible distributions of ozone and temperature in the middle atmosphere. Here we introduce the results of the campaign in comparison with Aura MLS data. Presented data includes one sudden stratospheric warming event which took place in January 13-14 and was accompanied by temperature increasing up to 310 K at 45 km height. During measurement period, ozone and temperature variations were (almost) anti-correlated, and total ozone abundance achieved a local maxima during the stratosphere cooling phase. In general, results of ground-based measurements are in good agreement with

Ground-based measurement of surface temperature and thermal emissivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owe, M.; Van De Griend, A. A.

1994-01-01

Motorized cable systems for transporting infrared thermometers have been used successfully during several international field campaigns. Systems may be configured with as many as four thermal sensors up to 9 m above the surface, and traverse a 30 m transect. Ground and canopy temperatures are important for solving the surface energy balance. The spatial variability of surface temperature is often great, so that averaged point measurements result in highly inaccurate areal estimates. The cable systems are ideal for quantifying both temporal and spatial variabilities. Thermal emissivity is also necessary for deriving the absolute physical temperature, and measurements may be made with a portable measuring box.

Comparison results of MOPITT, AIRS and IASI data with ground-based spectroscopic measurements of CO and CH4 total contents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakitin, Vadim; Elansky, Nikolai; Shtabkin, Yury; Skorokhod, Andrey; Grechko, Eugeny; Pankratova, Natalia; Safronov, Alexandr

2016-04-01

A comparative analysis of satellite and ground-based spectroscopic measurements of CO and CH4 total content (CO TC) in the atmosphere in the background and polluted conditions (stations of OIAP RAS and NDACC) for the 2010-2015 time-period. The significant correlation between satellite and ground-based CO TC data for all satellite sensors in background conditions was obtained. Also the empirical private transient relationships between satellite CO MOPITT v6 Joint, AIRS v6, IASI MeTop-A products and the data of solar-tracking ground-based spectrometers are analyzed. Significant correlation between satellite and ground-based data of CO TC was obtained for all satellite sensors if measurements were carried out over unpolluted areas (2010-2014). It was shown that for polluted areas IASI MetOp-A and AIRSv6 data underestimate the actual value of CO TC by the factor of 1.5÷ 2.8. The average correlation between satellite and ground-based data increased significantly for the case if the measurement days, when the height of the planetary boundary layer (PBL) was less than 400-500 meters, were excluded from the comparison. This result was obtained for all of the selected sensors and observational sites. To improve the representativeness of the satellite CO TC data for polluted areas it could be recommended to exclude the days with low height of the PBL from the analysis of spatio-temporal variations and subsequent data assimilation (as example for the CO emissions estimating from powerful surface sources). Best correlation (R2≥0.5) in diurnal CH4 TC with ground-based data was found for AIRS v6. This work has supported by the Russian Scientific Foundation under grant №14-47-00049 and partially by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant № 13-05-41395).

The "RED Versa NIR" Plane to Retrieve Broken-Cloud Optical Depth from Ground-Based Measurements"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshak, A.; Knyazikhin, Y.; Evans, K.; Wiscombe, W.

2003-01-01

A new method for retrieving cloud optical depth from ground-based measurements of zenith radiance in the RED and near infrared (MR) spectral regions is introduced. Because zenith radiance does not have a one-to-one relationship with optical depth, it is absolutely impossible to use a monochromatic retrieval. On the other side, algebraic combinations of spectral radiances such as NDCI while largely removing nouniquiness and the radiative effects of cloud inhomogeneity, can result in poor retrievals due to its insensitivity to cloud fraction. Instead, both RED and NIR radiances as points on the 'RED vs. NIR' plane are proposed to be used for retrieval. The proposed retrieval method is applied to Cimel measurements at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements (ARM) site in Oklahoma. Cimel, a multi-channel sunphotometer, is a part of AERONET - a ground-based network for monitoring aerosol optical properties. The results of retrieval are compared with the ones from Microwave Radiometer (MWR) and Multi-Filter Rotating Shadowband Radiometers (MFRSR) located next to Cimel at the ARM site. In addition, the performance of the retrieval method is assessed using a fractal model of cloud inhomogeneity and broken cloudiness. The preliminary results look very promising both theoretically and from measurements.

Comparison of ground and satellite based measurements of the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by tall-grass prairie

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demetriades-Shah, T. H.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Flitcroft, I.; Su, H.

1990-01-01

The fraction, of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by vegetation, F sub ipar, is an important requirement for estimating vegetation biomass productivity and related quantities. This was an integral part of a large international effort; the First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE). The main objective of FIFE was to study the effects of vegetation on the land atmosphere interactions and to determine if these interactions can be assessed from satellite spectral measurements. The specific purpose of this experiment was to find out how well measurements of F sub ipar relate to ground, helicopter, and satellite based spectral reflectance measurements. Concurrent measurements of F sub ipar and ground, helicopter, and satellite based measurements were taken at 13 tall grass prairie sites in Kansas. The sites were subjected to various combinations of burning and grazing managements.

Characterizing directional variations in long-period ground motion amplifications in the Kanto Basin, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukai, Y.; Furumura, T.; Maeda, T.

2017-12-01

In the Kanto Basin (including Tokyo in Japan), the long-period (T=3-10 s) ground motions are strongly developed when large earthquakes occur nearby. The amplitude of the long-period ground motion in the basin varies strongly among earthquakes; it is tremendous from the earthquakes in Niigata (northwest of Kanto), but is several times weaker from the earthquakes in Tohoku (north of Kanto). In this study, we examined the cause of such azimuthal-dependent amplitude variation for the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu (M6.8) and the 2011 Fukushima Hamadori (M7.0) earthquake based on numerical simulations of seismic wave propagation by the finite-difference method. We first examined the non-isotropic source-radiation effect of these events. By performing numerical simulations for different strike angles of these source faults, significant variation in amplitude of the long-period ground motions were observed in Tokyo for both the events. Among tested strike angles, the source of the 2004 event (strike = 212 deg.) produced the largest long-period ground motion due to strong radiation of surface wave towards the Kanto Basin, while the 2011 event (strike = 132 deg.) produced the least. The minimum-to-maximum ratio of their amplitudes with respect to strike angle is about 2 and 1.3, respectively. These investigations suggest the source radiation effect considerably contributes to the variations of the long-period ground motions. We then examined the effect of the 3D structure of the Kanto Basin on the generation of the long-period ground motion. For the 2004 event, we found that the long-period signal first arrives at the central Tokyo from the western edge of the Kanto Basin. Then, later signals containing both the Rayleigh and Love waves were amplified dramatically due to the localized low-velocity structure to the northwestern part of the basin. On the other hand, in the case of the 2011 event, the seismic waves propagating towards the basin were dissipated significantly as it travels

7 CFR 1755.402 - Ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ground resistance of electronic equipment such as span line repeaters, carrier terminal equipment... electronic equipment, the ground resistance shall not exceed 25 ohms. Where the measured ground resistance... construction contract may be used. Results of the electronic equipment ground resistance measurements shall be...

7 CFR 1755.402 - Ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ground resistance of electronic equipment such as span line repeaters, carrier terminal equipment... electronic equipment, the ground resistance shall not exceed 25 ohms. Where the measured ground resistance... construction contract may be used. Results of the electronic equipment ground resistance measurements shall be...

7 CFR 1755.402 - Ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ground resistance of electronic equipment such as span line repeaters, carrier terminal equipment... electronic equipment, the ground resistance shall not exceed 25 ohms. Where the measured ground resistance... construction contract may be used. Results of the electronic equipment ground resistance measurements shall be...

7 CFR 1755.402 - Ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ground resistance of electronic equipment such as span line repeaters, carrier terminal equipment... electronic equipment, the ground resistance shall not exceed 25 ohms. Where the measured ground resistance... construction contract may be used. Results of the electronic equipment ground resistance measurements shall be...

7 CFR 1755.402 - Ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ground resistance of electronic equipment such as span line repeaters, carrier terminal equipment... electronic equipment, the ground resistance shall not exceed 25 ohms. Where the measured ground resistance... construction contract may be used. Results of the electronic equipment ground resistance measurements shall be...

Chlorine oxide in the stratospheric ozone layer Ground-based detection and measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, A.; De Zafra, R. L.; Solomon, P. M.; Barrett, J. W.; Carlson, E. R.

1981-01-01

Stratospheric chlorine oxide, a significant intermediate product in the catalytic destruction of ozone by atomic chlorine, has been detected and measured by a ground-based 204 GHz, millimeter-wave receiver. Data taken at latitude 42 deg N on 17 days between January 10 and February 18, 1980 yield an average chlorine oxide column density of approximately 1.05 x 10 to the 14th/sq cm or approximately 2/3 that of the average of eight in situ balloon flight measurements (excluding the anomalously high data of July 14, 1977) made over the past four years at 32 deg N. Less chlorine oxide below 35 km and a larger vertical gradient than predicted by theoretical models of the stratospheric ozone layer are found.

Four years of ground-based total ozone measurements by visible spectrometry in Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goutail, F.; Pommereau, J. P.; Sarkissian, A.

1994-01-01

Visible spectrometers SAOZ have been developed at Service d'Aeronomie for permanent ground-based ozone monitoring at all latitudes up to the polar circle in winter. Observations are made by looking at the sunlight scattered at zenith in the visible range, twice a day, at sunrise and sunset. Compared to ozone observations in the UV generally in use, visible observations in the small Chappuis bands at twilight have the advantages of being independent of stratospheric temperature, little contaminated by tropospheric ozone and multiple scattering, and of permitting observations even in winter at the polar circle. SAOZ instruments have been installed since 1988 at several stations in the Antarctic and the Arctic. More than four years data at Dumont d'Urville in Terre Adelie (67 deg S) are now available. The station is generally located at the edge of the vortex in spring and therefore the ozone hole is seen there only occasionally. The lowest values (140 DU) were reported in early October 1991. According to these first regular observations throughout the whole winter ozone seems to increase in late autumn and winter. Its decay does not start before the end of August. Although of smaller amplitude than with the previous version five data, the ratio between the groundbased and satellite/TOMS measurements displays a systematic seasonal variation correlated partly to the sun zenith angle of observations from orbit and partly to the temperature of the stratosphere. Since ground-based measurements are always made at 90 deg SZA, the SZA dependence must come from the satellite data interpretation (TOMS observations are between 43 to 88 deg SZA). The temperature dependence could be partly due to variations of ozone absorption cross-sections in the ultraviolet used by the satellite spectrometer, and partly to a systematic seasonal cycle of the air mass factor use in the interpretation of the ground based observations. However, the last contribution appears to be too small to

Investigations in the ionosphere on Kosmos 378. VII. Simultaneous ground-based and satellite measurements of the parameters of the high latitude ionosphere

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Afonin, V.V.; Gdalevich, G.L.; Gubskii, V.F.

1975-01-01

The parameters of the high-latitude ionospheric plasma at night were measured simultaneously in the winter of 1970 by Kosmos 378 and by the ground-based observatory at Noril'sk. A comparison of ground-based and satellite measurements showed good agreement of n/sub e/ when the Chapman approximation for the ..cap alpha..-layer and Jacchia's 1971 model of the upper atmosphere are used.

Validity of Walk Score® as a measure of neighborhood walkability in Japan.

PubMed

Koohsari, Mohammad Javad; Sugiyama, Takemi; Hanibuchi, Tomoya; Shibata, Ai; Ishii, Kaori; Liao, Yung; Oka, Koichiro

2018-03-01

Objective measures of environmental attributes have been used to understand how neighborhood environments relate to physical activity. However, this method relies on detailed spatial data, which are often not easily available. Walk Score® is a free, publicly available web-based tool that shows how walkable a given location is based on objectively-derived proximity to several types of local destinations and street connectivity. To date, several studies have tested the concurrent validity of Walk Score as a measure of neighborhood walkability in the USA and Canada. However, it is unknown whether Walk Score is a valid measure in other regions. The current study examined how Walk Score is correlated with objectively-derived attributes of neighborhood walkability, for residential addresses in Japan. Walk Scores were obtained for 1072 residential addresses in urban and rural areas in Japan. Five environmental attributes (residential density, intersection density, number of local destinations, sidewalk availability, and access to public transportation) were calculated using geographic information systems for each address. Pearson's correlation coefficients between Walk Score and these environmental attributes were calculated (conducted in May 2017). Significant positive correlations were observed between Walk Score and environmental attributes relevant to walking. Walk Score was most closely associated with intersection density ( r  = 0.82) and with the number of local destinations ( r  = 0.77). Walk Score appears to be a valid measure of neighborhood walkability in Japan. Walk Score will allow urban designers and public health practitioners to identify walkability of local areas without relying on detailed geographic data.

LEO-ground scintillation measurements with the optical ground station Oberpfaffenhofen and SOTA/OPALS space terminals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moll, Florian; Kolev, Dimitar; Abrahamson, Matthew; Schmidt, Christopher; Mata Calvo, Ramon; Fuchs, Christian

2016-10-01

The optical satellite-ground channel is turbulent and causes scintillation of the power received by a ground based telescope. Measurements are important to quantify the effect and evaluate common theory. A telescope with 40 cm primary mirror is used to measure the signals from the OPALS terminal on the International Space Station and the SOTA terminal on the SOCRATES satellite. The measurement instrument is a pupil camera from which images are recorded and intensity scintillation index, power scintillation index, probability density function of intensity and intensity correlation width are derived. A preliminary analysis of measurements from three satellite passed is performed, presented and discussed. The intensity scintillation index ranges from 0.25 to 0.03 within elevations of 26 to 66 deg. Power scintillation index varies from 0.08 to 0.006 and correlation width of intensity between 11 and 3 cm. The measurements can be used to estimate the fluctuation dynamics to be expected for a future operational ground receiver. The measurements are compared to model calculations based on the HV5/7-profile. Good agreement is observed to some part in the intensity scintillation index. Agreement is less for the power scintillation index and intensity correlation width. The reason seems to be a reduction of aperture averaging in some sections of the measurements due to increased speckle size. Finally, topics for future work are identified to improve the measurement analysis and deeper investigate the origin of the observed behavior.

Ground-based Network and Supersite Measurements for Studying Aerosol Properties and Aerosol-Cloud Interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Holben, Brent N.

2008-01-01

From radiometric principles, it is expected that the retrieved properties of extensive aerosols and clouds from reflected/emitted measurements by satellite (and/or aircraft) should be consistent with those retrieved from transmitted/emitted radiance observed at the surface. Although space-borne remote sensing observations contain large spatial domain, they are often plagued by contamination of surface signatures. Thus, ground-based in-situ and remote-sensing measurements, where signals come directly from atmospheric constituents, the sun, and the Earth-atmosphere interactions, provide additional information content for comparisons that confirm quantitatively the usefulness of the integrated surface, aircraft, and satellite datasets. The development and deployment of AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) sunphotometer network and SMART-COMMIT (Surface-sensing Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer - Chemical, Optical & Microphysical Measurements of In-situ Troposphere) mobile supersite are aimed for the optimal utilization of collocated ground-based observations as constraints to yield higher fidelity satellite retrievals and to determine any sampling bias due to target conditions. To characterize the regional natural and anthropogenic aerosols, AERONET is an internationally federated network of unique sunphotometry that contains more than 250 permanent sites worldwide. Since 1993, there are more than 480 million aerosol optical depth observations and about 15 sites have continuous records longer than 10 years for annual/seasonal trend analyses. To quantify the energetics of the surface-atmosphere system and the atmospheric processes, SMART-COMMIT instrument into three categories: flux radiometer, radiance sensor and in-situ probe. Through participation in many satellite remote-sensing/retrieval and validation projects over eight years, SMART-COMMIT have gradually refine( and been proven vital for field deployment. In this paper, we will demonstrate the

Photons and Ground-Based

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spann, James F.; Moore, Thomas E.

2017-01-01

A Conference on Measurement Techniques for Solar and Space Physics was held on 20-24 April 2015 in Boulder, Colorado, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Center Green Campus. The present volume collects together the conference papers for photons and ground-based categories. This gathering of over 200 scientists and instrumentalists was born out of the desire to collect in one place the latest experiment and instrument technologies required for advancement of scientific knowledge in the disciplines of solar and space physics. The two goals for this conference and the subsequent publication of its content are (a) to describe measurement techniques and technology development needed to advance high priority science in the fields of solar and space physics; and (b) to provide a survey or reference of techniques for in situ measurement and remote sensing of space plasmas. Towards this end, our goal has always been inspired by the two 1998 Geophysical Monographs (Nos. 102 and 103) entitled, "Measurement Techniques in Space Plasmas" (particles and fields) [Pfaff et al., 1998a, 1998b], which have served as a reference and resource for advanced students, engineers, and scientists who wish to learn the fundamentals of measurement techniques and technology in this field. Those monographs were the product of an American Geophysical Union Chapman Conference that took place in Santa Fe, NM, in 1995: "Measurement Techniques in Space Plasmas-What Works, What Doesn't." Two decades later, we believe that it is appropriate to revisit this subject, in light of recent advances in technology, research platforms, and analysis techniques. Moreover, we now include direct measurements of neutral gases in the upper atmosphere, optical imaging techniques, and remote observations in space and on the ground. Accordingly, the workshop was organized among four areas of measurement techniques: particles, fields, photons, and ground-based. This two-set volume is largely composed of the

Introduction: Photons and ground-based

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spann, James; Moore, Thomas

2017-02-01

A Conference on Measurement Techniques for Solar and Space Physics was held on 20-24 April 2015 in Boulder, Colorado, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Center Green Campus. The present volume collects together the conference papers for photons and ground-based categories.

Satellite-to-Ground Entanglement-Based Quantum Key Distribution.

PubMed

Yin, Juan; Cao, Yuan; Li, Yu-Huai; Ren, Ji-Gang; Liao, Sheng-Kai; Zhang, Liang; Cai, Wen-Qi; Liu, Wei-Yue; Li, Bo; Dai, Hui; Li, Ming; Huang, Yong-Mei; Deng, Lei; Li, Li; Zhang, Qiang; Liu, Nai-Le; Chen, Yu-Ao; Lu, Chao-Yang; Shu, Rong; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Yu; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-11-17

We report on entanglement-based quantum key distribution between a low-Earth-orbit satellite equipped with a space borne entangled-photon source and a ground observatory. One of the entangled photons is measured locally at the satellite, and the other one is sent via a down link to the receiver in the Delingha ground station. The link attenuation is measured to vary from 29 dB at 530 km to 36 dB at 1000 km. We observe that the two-photon entanglement survives after being distributed between the satellite and the ground, with a measured state fidelity of ≥0.86. We then perform the entanglement-based quantum key distribution protocol and obtain an average final key rate of 3.5  bits/s at the distance range of 530-1000 km.

Optical Properties of Aerosols from Long Term Ground-Based Aeronet Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holben, B. N.; Tanre, D.; Smirnov, A.; Eck, T. F.; Slutsker, I.; Dubovik, O.; Lavenu, F.; Abuhassen, N.; Chatenet, B.

1999-01-01

AERONET is an optical ground-based aerosol monitoring network and data archive supported by NASA's Earth Observing System and expanded by federation with many non-NASA institutions including AEROCAN (AERONET CANada) and PHOTON (PHOtometrie pour le Traiteinent Operatonnel de Normalisation Satellitaire). The network hardware consists of identical automatic sun-sky scanning spectral radiometers owned by national agencies and universities purchased for their own monitoring and research objectives. Data are transmitted hourly through the data collection system (DCS) on board the geostationary meteorological satellites GMS, GOES and METEOSAT and received in a common archive for daily processing utilizing a peer reviewed series of algorithms thus imposing a standardization and quality control of the product data base. Data from this collaboration provides globally distributed near real time observations of aerosol spectral optical depths, aerosol size distributions, and precipitable water in diverse aerosol regimes. Access to the AERONET data base has shifted from the interactive program 'demonstrat' (reserved for PI's) to the AERONET homepage allowing faster access and greater development for GIS object oriented retrievals and analysis with companion geocoded data sets from satellites, LIDAR and solar flux measurements for example. We feel that a significant yet under utilized component of the AERONET data base are inversion products made from hourly principal plane and almucanter measurements. The current inversions have been shown to retrieve aerosol volume size distributions. A significant enhancement to the inversion code has been developed and is presented in these proceedings.

Spatio-temporal representativeness of ground-based downward solar radiation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Matthias; Wild, Martin; Folini, Doris

2017-04-01

Surface solar radiation (SSR) is most directly observed with ground based pyranometer measurements. Besides measurement uncertainties, which arise from the pyranometer instrument itself, also errors attributed to the limited spatial representativeness of observations from single sites for their large-scale surrounding have to be taken into account when using such measurements for energy balance studies. In this study the spatial representativeness of 157 homogeneous European downward surface solar radiation time series from the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) and the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) were examined for the period 1983-2015 by using the high resolution (0.05°) surface solar radiation data set from the Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM-SAF SARAH) as a proxy for the spatiotemporal variability of SSR. By correlating deseasonalized monthly SSR time series form surface observations against single collocated satellite derived SSR time series, a mean spatial correlation pattern was calculated and validated against purely observational based patterns. Generally decreasing correlations with increasing distance from station, with high correlations (R2 = 0.7) in proximity to the observational sites (±0.5°), was found. When correlating surface observations against time series from spatially averaged satellite derived SSR data (and thereby simulating coarser and coarser grids), very high correspondence between sites and the collocated pixels has been found for pixel sizes up to several degrees. Moreover, special focus was put on the quantification of errors which arise in conjunction to spatial sampling when estimating the temporal variability and trends for a larger region from a single surface observation site. For 15-year trends on a 1° grid, errors due to spatial sampling in the order of half of the measurement uncertainty for monthly mean values were found.

In Situ Measurement of Ground-Surface Flow Resistivity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuckerwar, A. J.

1984-01-01

New instrument allows in situ measurement of flow resistivity on Earth's ground surface. Nonintrusive instrument includes specimen holder inserted into ground. Flow resistivity measured by monitoring compressed air passing through flow-meters; pressure gages record pressure at ground surface. Specimen holder with knife-edged inner and outer cylinders easily driven into ground. Air-stream used in measuring flow resistivity of ground enters through quick-connect fitting and exits through screen and venthole.

Remote sensing of exposure to NO2: Satellite versus ground-based measurement in a large urban area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bechle, Matthew J.; Millet, Dylan B.; Marshall, Julian D.

2013-04-01

Remote sensing may be a useful tool for exploring spatial variability of air pollution exposure within an urban area. To evaluate the extent to which satellite data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) can resolve urban-scale gradients in ground-level nitrogen dioxide (NO2) within a large urban area, we compared estimates of surface NO2 concentrations derived from OMI measurements and US EPA ambient monitoring stations. OMI, aboard NASA's Aura satellite, provides daily afternoon (˜13:30 local time) measurements of NO2 tropospheric column abundance. We used scaling factors (surface-to-column ratios) to relate satellite column measurements to ground-level concentrations. We compared 4138 sets of paired data for 25 monitoring stations in the South Coast Air Basin of California for all of 2005. OMI measurements include more data gaps than the ground monitors (60% versus 5% of available data, respectively), owing to cloud contamination and imposed limits on pixel size. The spatial correlation between OMI columns and corrected in situ measurements is strong (r = 0.93 for annual average data), indicating that the within-urban spatial signature of surface NO2 is well resolved by the satellite sensor. Satellite-based surface estimates employing scaling factors from an urban model provide a reliable measure (annual mean bias: -13%; seasonal mean bias: <1% [spring] to -22% [fall]) of fine-scale surface NO2. We also find that OMI provides good spatial density in the study region (average area [km2] per measurement: 730 for the satellite sensor vs. 1100 for the monitors). Our findings indicate that satellite observations of NO2 from the OMI sensor provide a reliable measure of spatial variability in ground-level NO2 exposure for a large urban area.

Measurement of energetic radiation caused by thunderstorm activities by a sounding balloon and ground observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torii, T.

2015-12-01

Energetic radiation caused by thunderstorm activity is observed at various places, such as the ground, high mountain areas, and artificial satellites. In order to investigate the radiation source and its energy distribution, we measured energetic radiation by a sounding balloon, and the ground observation. On the measurement inside/above the thundercloud, we conducted a sounding observation using a radiosonde mounted two GM tubes (for gamma-rays, and for beta/gamma-rays), in addition to meteorological instruments. The balloon passed through a region of strong echoes in a thundercloud shown by radar image, at which time an increase in counting rate of the GM tube about 2 orders of magnitude occurred at the altitude from 5 km to 7.5 km. Furthermore, the counting rate of two GM tubes indicated the tendency different depending on movement of a balloon. This result suggests that the ratio for the gamma-rays (energetic photons) of the beta-rays (energetic electrons) varies according to the place in the thundercloud. Furthermore, we carried out a ground observation of the energetic gamma rays during winter thunderstorm at a coastal area facing the Sea of Japan. Two types of the energetic radiation have been observed at this time. We report the outline of these measurements and analysis in the session of the AGU meeting.

Time-averaged current analysis of a thunderstorm using ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driscoll, Kevin T.; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Koshak, William J.

1994-05-01

The amount of upward current provided to the ionosphere by a thunderstorm that appeared over the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) on July 11, 1978, is reexamined using an analytic equation that describes a bipolar thunderstorm's current contribution to the global circuit in terms of its generator current, lightning currents, the altitudes of its charge centers, and the conductivity profile of the atmosphere. Ground-based measurements, which were obtained from a network of electric field mills positioned at various distances from the thunderstorm, were used to characterize the electrical activity inside the thundercloud. The location of the lightning discharges, the type of lightning, and the amount of charge neutralized during this thunderstorm were computed through a least squares inversion of the measured changes in the electric fields following each lightning discharge. These measurements provided the information necessary to implement the analytic equation, and consequently, a time-averaged estimate of this thunderstorm's current contribution to the global circuit was calculated. From these results the amount of conduction current supplied to the ionosphere by this small thunderstorm was computed to be less than 25% of the time-averaged generator current that flowed between the two vertically displaced charge centers.

Aerosol optical properties over the Svalbard region of Arctic: ground-based measurements and satellite remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogoi, Mukunda M.; Babu, S. Suresh

2016-05-01

In view of the increasing anthropogenic presence and influence of aerosols in the northern polar regions, long-term continuous measurements of aerosol optical parameters have been investigated over the Svalbard region of Norwegian Arctic (Ny-Ålesund, 79°N, 12°E, 8 m ASL). This study has shown a consistent enhancement in the aerosol scattering and absorption coefficients during spring. The relative dominance of absorbing aerosols is more near the surface (lower single scattering albedo), compared to that at the higher altitude. This is indicative of the presence of local anthropogenic activities. In addition, long-range transported biomass burning aerosols (inferred from the spectral variation of absorption coefficient) also contribute significantly to the higher aerosol absorption in the Arctic spring. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) estimates from ground based Microtop sun-photometer measurements reveals that the columnar abundance of aerosols reaches the peak during spring season. Comparison of AODs between ground based and satellite remote sensing indicates that deep blue algorithm of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) retrievals over Arctic snow surfaces overestimate the columnar AOD.

FBIS report. Science and technology: Japan, February 20, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-02-20

;Partial Contents: Energy (Japan: MHI Discovers Maritime Photo Plankton that Produces Ethanol from CO2, Japan: Tokyo Electric Power Co.`s PAFC Development); Telecommunications (Japan: Report on 1st Asian Telecommunications Industry Exchange, Japan: MPT Reports Test Evaluation Results for PHS); Defense Industries (Japan: Expert on Shipbuilding, Welding Technology, Japan: Komatsu R&D Chief on Dream of Ground Robots; Japan: Defense Simulator Series, Part 7: Torpedo Simulator).

Some validation results of orbital and ground based CO and CH4 total content measurements in background and industrial regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rakitin, Vadim; Shtabkin, Yury; Elansky, Nikolai; Skorokhod, Andrey; Safronov, Alexandr; Dzhola, Anatoly

2015-04-01

The results of ground-based spectroscopic measurements of CO and CH4 total content (TC) in Moscow, Zvenigorod (53 km toward West from the Moscow center), ZOTTO station (Central Siberia) and Beijing (China) during 2010-2014 years for conditions of typical and anomalous emission rates are presented and compared with satellite TC data (the latest versions of MOPITT, AIRS, IASI products). The empiric coefficients and relationships between data of ground-based and satellite CO and CH4 total contents (TC) are discussed. The comparison demonstrated a good agreement (R2 ~ 0.6-0.9) of satellite and ground-based CO TC data in low pollution conditions and systematic underestimation of satellite CO TC (150-300 %) in condition of intense surface emissions (events of wild fires in Siberia in 2011-2012 and strong atmospheric pollutions in Beijing). The best correlation (R2 ~ 0.4) for polluted conditions of Beijing was obtained in summer time-period for averaged AIRS v.6 CO TC data for 1o*1o grid, but K=Ugrb/Ustl = 2.5, where Ugrb and Ustlare ground based and satellite diurnal TC values relatively. Under excluding of the days with low ABL heights (HABL ≥1000m selection) the correlation between satellite and ground based CO TC diurnal data increases (R2 ~ 0.7, K=1.5). Orbital AIRS CH4 total columns good enough correlate with ground-based data (R2 ~0.4-0.7). IASI CH4TC diurnal data have no correlation with AIRS and ground-based TC.

Remote sensing of PM2.5 from ground-based optical measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Joseph, E.; Min, Q.

2014-12-01

Remote sensing of particulate matter concentration with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 um(PM2.5) by using ground-based optical measurements of aerosols is investigated based on 6 years of hourly average measurements of aerosol optical properties, PM2.5, ceilometer backscatter coefficients and meteorological factors from Howard University Beltsville Campus facility (HUBC). The accuracy of quantitative retrieval of PM2.5 using aerosol optical depth (AOD) is limited due to changes in aerosol size distribution and vertical distribution. In this study, ceilometer backscatter coefficients are used to provide vertical information of aerosol. It is found that the PM2.5-AOD ratio can vary largely for different aerosol vertical distributions. The ratio is also sensitive to mode parameters of bimodal lognormal aerosol size distribution when the geometric mean radius for the fine mode is small. Using two Angstrom exponents calculated at three wavelengths of 415, 500, 860nm are found better representing aerosol size distributions than only using one Angstrom exponent. A regression model is proposed to assess the impacts of different factors on the retrieval of PM2.5. Compared to a simple linear regression model, the new model combining AOD and ceilometer backscatter can prominently improve the fitting of PM2.5. The contribution of further introducing Angstrom coefficients is apparent. Using combined measurements of AOD, ceilometer backscatter, Angstrom coefficients and meteorological parameters in the regression model can get a correlation coefficient of 0.79 between fitted and expected PM2.5.

Airborne and Ground-Based Measurements Using a High-Performance Raman Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whiteman, David N.; Rush, Kurt; Rabenhorst, Scott; Welch, Wayne; Cadirola, Martin; McIntire, Gerry; Russo, Felicita; Adam, Mariana; Venable, Demetrius; Connell, Rasheen;

Rocket-borne and ground-based measurements in support of the field-widened interferometer experiment - sergeant a30. 276

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulwick, J.C.; Allred, G.D.; Baker, K.D.

1985-05-28

In April 1983 Utah State University and Air Force Geophysics Laboratory experimenters launched a Sergeant (A30.276) sounding rocket from the Poker Flat Research Range, Alaska. The prime purpose of the flight was to obtain infrared-spectral measurements in the 2-1.5 micrometer m range during an auroral event. In addition to the prime experiment, which has already been reported, the payload contained four photometers, and energy deposition scintillator and an atomic oxygen detector to gather in-situ supporting data. Simultaneously, all-sky television, meridian scanning photometers, riometer, and magnetometers supported the flight from ground-based measuring sites. This report presents a summary of the rocketbornemore » supporting instruments and the data they gathered and provides a time/intensity history of the event as documented by the ground-based meridian scanners and all-sky television.« less

Characterizing GEO Titan Transtage Fragmentations using Ground-based Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowardin, H.; Anz-Meador, P.

2016-01-01

In a continued effort to better characterize the Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) environment, NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes various ground-based optical assets to acquire photometric and spectral data of known debris associated with fragmentations in or near GEO. The Titan IIIC Transtage upper stage is known to have fragmented four times. Two of the four fragmentations were in GEO while a third Transtage fragmented in GEO transfer orbit. The forth fragmentation occurred in Low Earth Orbit. In order to better assess what may be causing these fragmentations, the NASA ODPO recently acquired a Titan Transtage test and display article that was previously in the custody of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona. After initial inspections at AMARG demonstrated that the test article was of sufficient fidelity to be of interest, the test article was brought to JSC to continue material analysis and historical documentation of the Titan Transtage. The Transtage will be a subject of forensic analysis using spectral measurements to compare with telescopic data; as well, a scale model will be created to use in the Optical Measurement Center for photometric analysis of an intact Transtage, including a BRDF. The following presentation will provide a review of the Titan Transtage, the current analysis that has been done to date, and the future work to be completed in support of characterizing the GEO and near GEO orbital debris environment.

Measurements of CO2 Column Abundance in the Low Atmosphere Using Ground Based 1.6 μm CO2 DIAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abo, M.; Shibata, Y.; Nagasawa, C.

2017-12-01

Changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration are believed to produce the largest radiative forcing for the current climate system. Accurate predictions of atmospheric CO2 concentration rely on the knowledge of its sinks and sources, transports, and its variability with time. Although this knowledge is currently unsatisfactory, numerical models use it as a way in simulating CO2 fluxes. Validating and improving the global atmospheric transport model, therefore, requires precise measurement of the CO2 concentration profile. There are two further variations on Lidar: the differential absorption Lidar (DIAL) and the integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) Lidar. DIAL/IPDA are basically for profile/total column measurement, respectively. IPDA is a special case of DIAL and can measure the total column-averaged mixing ratio of trace gases using return signals from the Earth's surface or from thick clouds based on an airborne or a satellite. We have developed a ground based 1.6 μm DIAL to measure vertical CO2 mixing ratio profiles from 0.4 to 2.5 km altitude. The goals of the CO2 DIAL are to produce atmospheric CO2 mixing ratio measurements with much smaller seasonal and diurnal biases from the ground surface. But, in the ground based lidar, return signals from around ground surface are usually suppressed in order to handle the large dynamic range. To receive the return signals as near as possible from ground surface, namely, the field of view (FOV) of the telescope must be wide enough to reduce the blind range of the lidar. While the return signals from the far distance are very weak, to enhance the sensitivity and heighten the detecting distance, the FOV must be narrow enough to suppress the sky background light, especially during the daytime measurements. To solve this problem, we propose a total column measurement method from the ground surface to 0.4 km altitude. Instead of strong signals from thick clouds such as the IPDA, the proposed method uses

Comparison of High-Frequency Solar Irradiance: Ground Measured vs. Satellite-Derived

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lave, Matthew; Weekley, Andrew

2016-11-21

High-frequency solar variability is an important to grid integration studies, but ground measurements are scarce. The high resolution irradiance algorithm (HRIA) has the ability to produce 4-sceond resolution global horizontal irradiance (GHI) samples, at locations across North America. However, the HRIA has not been extensively validated. In this work, we evaluate the HRIA against a database of 10 high-frequency ground-based measurements of irradiance. The evaluation focuses on variability-based metrics. This results in a greater understanding of the errors in the HRIA as well as suggestions for improvement to the HRIA.

Simulations of Ground and Space-Based Oxygen Atom Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finchum, A. (Technical Monitor); Cline, J. A.; Minton, T. K.; Braunstein, M.

2003-01-01

A low-earth orbit (LEO) materials erosion scenario and the ground-based experiment designed to simulate it are compared using the direct-simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The DSMC model provides a detailed description of the interactions between the hyperthermal gas flow and a normally oriented flat plate for each case. We find that while the general characteristics of the LEO exposure are represented in the ground-based experiment, multi-collision effects can potentially alter the impact energy and directionality of the impinging molecules in the ground-based experiment. Multi-collision phenomena also affect downstream flux measurements.

Comparison of Satellite Data with Ground-Based Measurements for Assessing Local Distributions of PM2.5 in Northeast Mexico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmona, J.; Mendoza, A.; Lozano, D.; Gupta, P.; Mejia, G.; Rios, J.; Hernández, I.

2017-12-01

Estimating ground-level PM2.5 from satellite-derived Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) through statistical models is a promising method to evaluate the spatial and temporal distribution of PM2.5 in regions where there are no or few ground-based observations, i.e. Latin America. Although PM concentrations are most accurately measured using ground-based instrumentation, the spatial coverage is too sparse to determine local and regional variations in PM. AOD satellite data offer the opportunity to overcome the spatial limitation of ground-based measurements. However, estimating PM surface concentrations from AOD satellite data is challenging, since multiple factors can affect the relationship between the total-column of AOD and the surface-concentration of PM. In this study, an Assembled Multiple Linear Regression Model (MLR) and a Neural Network Model (NN) were performed to estimate the relationship between the AOD and ground-concentrations of PM2.5 within the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA). The MMA is located in northeast Mexico and is the third most populated urban area in the country. Episodes of high PM pollution levels are frequent throughout the year at the MMA. Daily averages of meteorological and air quality parameters were determined from data recorded at 5 monitoring sites of the MMA air quality monitoring network. Daily AOD data were retrieved from the MODIS sensor onboard the Aqua satellite. Overall, the best performance of the models was obtained using an AOD at 550 µm from the MYD04_3k product in combination with Temperature, Relative Humidity, Wind Speed and Wind Direction ground-based data. For the MLR performed, a correlation coefficient of R 0.6 and % bias of -6% were obtained. The NN showed a better performance than the MLR, with a correlation coefficient of R 0.75 and % bias -4%. The results obtained confirmed that satellite-derived AOD in combination with meteorological fields may allow to estimate PM2.5 local distributions.

Introduction: Photons and Ground-Based

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spann, James; Moore, Thomas

2017-01-01

A Conference on Measurement Techniques for Solar and Space Physics was held on 20-24 April 2015 in Boulder, Colorado, at the National Center for Atmospheric Research Center Green Campus. The present volume collects together the conference papers for photons and ground-based categories. This gathering of over 200 scientists and instrumentalists was born out of the desire to collect in one place the latest experiment and instrument technologies required for advancement of scientific knowledge in the disciplines of solar and space physics. The two goals for this conference and the subsequent publication of its content are (a) to describe measurement techniques and technology development needed to advance high priority science in the fields of solar and space physics; and (b) to provide a survey or reference of techniques for in situ measurement and remote sensing of space plasmas. Towards this end, our goal has always been inspired by the two 1998 Geophysical Monographs (Nos. 102 and 103) entitled, "Measurement Techniques in Space Plasmas" (particles and fields) [Pfaff et al., 1998a, 1998b], which have served as a reference and resource for advanced students, engineers, and scientists who wish to learn the fundamentals of measurement techniques and technology in this field. Those monographs were the product of an American Geophysical Union Chapman Conference that took place in Santa Fe, NM, in 1995: "Measurement Techniques in Space Plasmas-What Works, What Doesn't." Two decades later, we believe that it is appropriate to revisit this subject, in light of recent advances in technology, research platforms, and analysis techniques. Moreover, we now include direct measurements of neutral gases in the upper atmosphere, optical imaging techniques, and remote observations in space and on the ground. Accordingly, the workshop was organized among four areas of measurement techniques: particles, fields, photons, and ground-based. This two-set volume is largely composed of the

Evaluation of Event-Based Algorithms for Optical Flow with Ground-Truth from Inertial Measurement Sensor

PubMed Central

Rueckauer, Bodo; Delbruck, Tobi

2016-01-01

In this study we compare nine optical flow algorithms that locally measure the flow normal to edges according to accuracy and computation cost. In contrast to conventional, frame-based motion flow algorithms, our open-source implementations compute optical flow based on address-events from a neuromorphic Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS). For this benchmarking we created a dataset of two synthesized and three real samples recorded from a 240 × 180 pixel Dynamic and Active-pixel Vision Sensor (DAVIS). This dataset contains events from the DVS as well as conventional frames to support testing state-of-the-art frame-based methods. We introduce a new source for the ground truth: In the special case that the perceived motion stems solely from a rotation of the vision sensor around its three camera axes, the true optical flow can be estimated using gyro data from the inertial measurement unit integrated with the DAVIS camera. This provides a ground-truth to which we can compare algorithms that measure optical flow by means of motion cues. An analysis of error sources led to the use of a refractory period, more accurate numerical derivatives and a Savitzky-Golay filter to achieve significant improvements in accuracy. Our pure Java implementations of two recently published algorithms reduce computational cost by up to 29% compared to the original implementations. Two of the algorithms introduced in this paper further speed up processing by a factor of 10 compared with the original implementations, at equal or better accuracy. On a desktop PC, they run in real-time on dense natural input recorded by a DAVIS camera. PMID:27199639

LIDAR Investigation Of The 2004 Niigata Ken Chuetsu, Japan, Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kayen, R.; Pack, R. T.; Sugimoto, S.; Tanaka, H.

2005-12-01

The 23 October 2004 Niigata Ken Chuetsu, Japan, Mw 6.6 earthquake was the most significant earthquake to affect Japan since the 1995 Kobe earthquake. Forty people were killed, almost 3,000 injured, and numerous landslides destroyed entire upland villages. Landslides and permanent ground deformation caused extensive damage to roads, rail lines and other lifelines, resulting in major economic disruption. The cities and towns most significantly affected by the earthquake were Nagaoka, Ojiya, and the mountainous rural areas of Yamakoshi village and Kawaguchi town. Our EERI team traveled with a tripod mounted LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) unit, a scanning-laser that creates ultra high-resolution 3-D digital terrain models of the earthquake damaged surfaces the ground, structures, and life-lines. This new technology allows for rapid and remote sensing of damaged terrain. Ground-based LIDAR has an accuracy range of 0.5-2.5 cm, and can illuminate targets up to 400m away from the sensor. During a single tripod-mounted LIDAR scan of 10 minutes, several million survey points are collected and processed into an ultra-high resolution terrain model of the damaged ground or structure. There are several benefits in acquiring these LIDAR data in the initial reconnaissance effort after the earthquake. First, we record the detailed failure morphologies of damaged ground and structures in order to make measurements that are either impractical or impossible by conventional survey means. The digital terrain models allow us to enlarge, enhance and rotate data in order to visualize damage in orientations and scales not previously possible. This ability to visualize damage allows us to better understand failure modes. Finally, LIDAR allows us to archive 3-D terrain models so that the engineering community can evaluate analytical and numerical models of deformation potential against detailed field measurements. Here, we discuss the findings of this 2004 Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake (M6

Sporadic-E Studies by Ionospheric Scintillation Using Ground-Based GPS and Radio Occultation Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seif, A.; Liu, T. J. Y.; Mannucci, A. J.; Carter, B. A.; Norman, R.

2016-12-01

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) based radio occultation (RO) technique provides an ideal limb-viewing geometry from space for studying the occurrence of sporadic E (Es). This study focuses on the detection and analysis of Es from RO measurements, to conclusively show the presence of Es's relationship with daytime scintillation. We bring two data sets to bear, using GNSS signal transmissions received on the ground and from space, which provide a unique opportunity to retrieve information about Es. RO signatures of Es and in GHz scintillation are not the same as ground-based signatures of Es. The viewing geometries are approximately orthogonal, which means the irregularity sources are not the same. That is, irregularities responsible for RO scintillations are essentially in a vertical plane, whereas those responsible for ground-based scintillations are essentially in a horizontal plane. Hence, complementary information is available regarding plasma structure in an Es patch. An analysis of combined data sets should prove to be a profitable avenue for research. In this study, we present the occurrence of scintillation using GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and Total Electron Content Monitor (GISTM) systems from two equatorial stations UKM (2.55°N, 101.46°E), and Langkawi (6.19°N, 99.51°E) in Malaysia. To better understand scale size irregularities as well as identify the occurrence of Es, we use COSMIC RO data. Two key findings coming out from our study are 1) According to the characteristics of daytime scintillation analyzed at, UKM and Langkawi stations, scintillation shows no significant TEC depletions and ROTI enhancements. The finding that ROTI does not exceed 0.5 TECU/min during daytime implies that large scale ionospheric irregularities with a scale length of a few kilometers do not exist at these stations. This is a piece of evidence which positively supports that daytime scintillation shows irregularities consistent with thin layer Es and

Preliminary map of peak horizontal ground acceleration for the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of January 17, 1995, Japan - Description of Mapped Data Sets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Borcherdt, R.D.; Mark, R.K.

1995-01-01

The Hanshin-Awaji earthquake (also known as the Hyogo-ken Nanbu and the Great Hanshin earthquake) provided an unprecedented set of measurements of strong ground shaking. The measurements constitute the most comprehensive set of strong- motion recordings yet obtained for sites underlain by soft soil deposits of Holocene age within a few kilometers of the crustal rupture zone. The recordings, obtained on or near many important structures, provide an important new empirical data set for evaluating input ground motion levels and site amplification factors for codes and site-specific design procedures world wide. This report describes the data used to prepare a preliminary map summarizing the strong motion data in relation to seismicity and underlying geology (Wentworth, Borcherdt, and Mark., 1995; Figure 1, hereafter referred to as Figure 1/I). The map shows station locations, peak acceleration values, and generalized acceleration contours superimposed on pertinent seismicity and the geologic map of Japan. The map (Figure 1/I) indicates a zone of high acceleration with ground motions throughout the zone greater than 400 gal and locally greater than 800 gal. This zone encompasses the area of most intense damage mapped as JMA intensity level 7, which extends through Kobe City. The zone of most intense damage is parallel, but displaced slightly from the surface projection of the crustal rupture zone implied by aftershock locations. The zone is underlain by soft-soil deposits of Holocene age.

Eruption mass estimation using infrasound waveform inversion and ash and gas measurements: Evaluation at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fee, David; Izbekov, Pavel; Kim, Keehoon; Yokoo, Akihiko; Lopez, Taryn; Prata, Fred; Kazahaya, Ryunosuke; Nakamichi, Haruhisa; Iguchi, Masato

2017-12-01

Eruption mass and mass flow rate are critical parameters for determining the aerial extent and hazard of volcanic emissions. Infrasound waveform inversion is a promising technique to quantify volcanic emissions. Although topography may substantially alter the infrasound waveform as it propagates, advances in wave propagation modeling and station coverage permit robust inversion of infrasound data from volcanic explosions. The inversion can estimate eruption mass flow rate and total eruption mass if the flow density is known. However, infrasound-based eruption flow rates and mass estimates have yet to be validated against independent measurements, and numerical modeling has only recently been applied to the inversion technique. Here we present a robust full-waveform acoustic inversion method, and use it to calculate eruption flow rates and masses from 49 explosions from Sakurajima Volcano, Japan. Six infrasound stations deployed from 12-20 February 2015 recorded the explosions. We compute numerical Green's functions using 3-D Finite Difference Time Domain modeling and a high-resolution digital elevation model. The inversion, assuming a simple acoustic monopole source, provides realistic eruption masses and excellent fit to the data for the majority of the explosions. The inversion results are compared to independent eruption masses derived from ground-based ash collection and volcanic gas measurements. Assuming realistic flow densities, our infrasound-derived eruption masses for ash-rich eruptions compare favorably to the ground-based estimates, with agreement ranging from within a factor of two to one order of magnitude. Uncertainties in the time-dependent flow density and acoustic propagation likely contribute to the mismatch between the methods. Our results suggest that realistic and accurate infrasound-based eruption mass and mass flow rate estimates can be computed using the method employed here. If accurate volcanic flow parameters are known, application of

Urban surface energy fluxes based on remotely-sensed data and micrometeorological measurements over the Kansai area, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukeyasu, T.; Ueyama, M.; Ando, T.; Kosugi, Y.; Kominami, Y.

2017-12-01

The urban heat island is associated with land cover changes and increases in anthropogenic heat fluxes. Clear understanding of the surface energy budget at urban area is the most important for evaluating the urban heat island. In this study, we develop a model based on remotely-sensed data for the Kansai area in Japan and clarify temporal transitions and spatial distributions of the surface energy flux from 2000 to 2016. The model calculated the surface energy fluxes based on various satellite and GIS products. The model used land surface temperature, surface emissivity, air temperature, albedo, downward shortwave radiation and land cover/use type from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) under cloud free skies from 2000 to 2016 over the Kansai area in Japan (34 to 35 ° N, 135 to 136 ° E). Net radiation was estimated by a radiation budget of upward/downward shortwave and longwave radiation. Sensible heat flux was estimated by a bulk aerodynamic method. Anthropogenic heat flux was estimated by the inventory data. Latent heat flux was examined with residues of the energy budget and parameterization of bulk transfer coefficients. We validated the model using observed fluxes from five eddy-covariance measurement sites: three urban sites and two forested sites. The estimated net radiation roughly agreed with the observations, but the sensible heat flux were underestimated. Based on the modeled spatial distributions of the fluxes, the daytime net radiation in the forested area was larger than those in the urban area, owing to higher albedo and land surface temperatures in the urban area than the forested area. The estimated anthropogenic heat flux was high in the summer and winter periods due to increases in energy-requirements.

A New Distance Metric in Ground Motion Prediction Equations Based On Array Back-Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, T.; Meng, L.

2017-12-01

Traditional Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) measure the distances either relative to the epicenter (Repi) or the hypocenter (Rhyp) assuming point-sources, or relative to the closest point of the fault rupture (Rrup) or its surface projection (Rjb) to account for finite earthquake dimensions. However, it has long been proven that for large megathrust earthquakes (M>8), the over-simplification of the earthquake source characteristics in these distance metrics result in significant bias and uncertainty of the ground motion predictions. Recent advances in earthquake source imaging of major subduction earthquakes highlight the frequency-dependent and depth-varying seismic radiations at the plate interfaces. Low-frequency energy mainly emanated from the shallower portion of the megathrusts while dominant high-frequency energy often radiates from the deeper portion of the megathrust. In the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, all these distance metrics produce severe biases, underestimating the ground accelerations at short distances (<100km) and overestimating them at long distances (>100km). This phenomenon motivates an alternative distance metric based on the array back-projection (BP) technique that effectively captures regions releasing high-frequency energy. Herein, we define Rbp as the distance between nearest BP radiators and the station sites. We studied five large earthquakes in Japan, and found that Rbp outperforms conventional distance metrics in predicting the Psa (Pseudo Spectral Acceleration) in the high-frequency band (0.5-4 Hz). And at low frequencies (0.1-0.5Hz), we find that Rhyp produces better fits to the Psa spectrum. Thus, we propose to combine Rhyp and Rbp in low-frequency (0.1-0.5Hz) and high-frequency (0.5-4 Hz) range to improve the GMPEs. We consider that Rbp reflects the high-frequency characters of the rupture that are complementary to conventional GMPE distance metrics and a more suitable ground motion predictors in many cases. Based on

Coordinated Airborne, Spaceborne and Ground-based Measurements of Massive Thick Aerosol Layers during the Dry Season in Southern Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmid, B.; Redemann, J.; Russell, P. B.; Hobbs, P. V.; Hlavka, D. L.; McGill, M. J.; Holben, B. N.; Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J. R.; Torres, O.

2003-01-01

During the dry season airborne campaign of the Southern African Regional Science Initiative (SAFARI 2000), coordinated observations were made of massive thick aerosol layers. These layers were often dominated by aerosols from biomass burning. We report on airborne Sun photometer measurements of aerosol optical depth (lambda = 0.354- 1.557 microns), columnar water vapor, and vertical profiles of aerosol extinction and water vapor density that were obtained aboard the University of Washington's Convair-580 research aircraft. We compare these with ground-based AERONET Sun/sky radiometer results, with ground based lidar data (MPL-Net), and with measurements from a downward pointing lidar aboard the high-flying NASA ER-2 aircraft. Finally, we show comparisons between aerosol optical depths fiom the Sun photometer and those retrieved over land and over water using four spaceborne sensors (TOMS, MODIS, MISR, and ATSR-2).

Ground-based & satellite DOAS measurements integration for air quality evaluation/forecast management in the frame of QUITSAT Project.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kostadinov, Ivan; Petritoli, Andrea; Giovanelli, Giorgio; Masieri, Samuele; Premuda, Margarita; Bortoli, Daniele; Ravegnani, Fabrizio; Palazzi, Elisa

The observations of the Earth's atmosphere from space provide excellent opportunities for the exploration of the sophisticated physical-chemical processes on both global and regional scales. The major interest during the last three decades was focused mainly on the stratosphere and the ozone depletion. More recently the continuous improvements of satellite sensors have revealed new opportunities for larger applications of space observations, attracting scientific interest to the lower troposphere and air quality issues. The air quality depends strongly on the anthropogenic activity and therefore regional environmental agencies along with policy makers are in need of appropriate means for its continuous monitoring and control to ensure the adoption of the most appropriate actions. The goal of the pilot project QUITSAT, funded by the Italian Space Agency, is to develop algorithms and procedures for the evaluation and prediction of the air quality in Lombardia and Emilia-Romagna regions (Italy) by means of integrating satellite observations with ground-based in-situ and remote sensing measurements. This work presents dedicated Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements performed during the summer of 2007 and the winter of 2008. One of the DOAS instruments operate at Mt.Cimone station (2165m a.s.l) and the other two instruments conducted measurements in/near Bologna (90 m. a.s.l). Different observational geometry was adopted (zenith-sky, multi-axis and long-path) aimed to provide tropospheric NO2 columns and O3, SO2 and HCHO concentrations at ground level as an input data for QUITSAT procedures. Details of the instruments, the radiative transfer model used and the algorithms for retrieving and calculation of the target gases concentrations are presented. The obtained experimental results are correlated with the corresponding ones retrieved from SCIAMACHY /ENVISAT observations during the overpasses above the ground-based instruments. The analysis

Airborne & Ground-based measurements of atmospheric CO2 using the 1.57-μm laser absorption spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakaizawa, D.; Kawakami, S.; Nakajima, M.; Tanaka, T.; Miyamoto, Y.; Morino, I.; Uchino, O.; Asai, K.

2009-12-01

Greenhouse gases observing satellite (GOSAT) started the measurement of global CO2 abundances to reveal its continental inventory using two passive remote sensors. The goal that the sensor needs to be done is to achieve an 1% relative accuracy in order to reduce uncertainties of CO2 budget. Nevertheless, in the future global CO2 monitoring, more accurate measurement of global tropospheric CO2 abundances with the monthly regional scale are required to improve the knowledge of CO2 exchanges among the land, ocean, and atmosphere. In order to fulfill demands, a laser remote sensor, such as DIAL or laser absorption spectrometer (LAS), is a potential candidate of future space-based missions. Nowadays, those technologies are required to demonstrate an accuracy of the few-ppm level through airborne & ground-based measurements. We developed the prototype of the 1.57um LAS for a step of the next missions and perform it at the ground-based and airborne platform to show the properly validated performance in the framework of GOSAT validation. Our CO2 LAS is consisted of all optical fiber circuits & compact receiving /transmitting optics to achieve the portable, flexible and rigid system. The optical sources of on- and off-line are distributed feedback lasers, which are tuned at the strong and weak position of the R12 line in the (30012<-00001) absorption band. Their fiber coupled outputs are sinusoidal amplitude modulated by each EO devices with kHz rate and combined and amplified using an erbium doped fiber amplifier. Scattered signals from the hard target are collected by the 11cm receiving telescope and detected and stored into the laptop computer. After that, we evaluated the atmospheric CO2 density using the meteorological parameters and ratio between the on- and off-line signals. The resultant of the ground-based measurement of 3km optical length indicated that the statistical error of the path averaged atmospheric CO2 density is less than 2.8ppm with 25 minutes averaging

TEMIS UV product validation using NILU-UV ground-based measurements in Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zempila, Melina-Maria; van Geffen, Jos H. G. M.; Taylor, Michael; Fountoulakis, Ilias; Koukouli, Maria-Elissavet; van Weele, Michiel; van der A, Ronald J.; Bais, Alkiviadis; Meleti, Charikleia; Balis, Dimitrios

2017-06-01

This study aims to cross-validate ground-based and satellite-based models of three photobiological UV effective dose products: the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE) erythemal UV, the production of vitamin D in the skin, and DNA damage, using high-temporal-resolution surface-based measurements of solar UV spectral irradiances from a synergy of instruments and models. The satellite-based Tropospheric Emission Monitoring Internet Service (TEMIS; version 1.4) UV daily dose data products were evaluated over the period 2009 to 2014 with ground-based data from a Norsk Institutt for Luftforskning (NILU)-UV multifilter radiometer located at the northern midlatitude super-site of the Laboratory of Atmospheric Physics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (LAP/AUTh), in Greece. For the NILU-UV effective dose rates retrieval algorithm, a neural network (NN) was trained to learn the nonlinear functional relation between NILU-UV irradiances and collocated Brewer-based photobiological effective dose products. Then the algorithm was subjected to sensitivity analysis and validation. The correlation of the NN estimates with target outputs was high (r = 0. 988 to 0.990) and with a very low bias (0.000 to 0.011 in absolute units) proving the robustness of the NN algorithm. For further evaluation of the NILU NN-derived products, retrievals of the vitamin D and DNA-damage effective doses from a collocated Yankee Environmental Systems (YES) UVB-1 pyranometer were used. For cloud-free days, differences in the derived UV doses are better than 2 % for all UV dose products, revealing the reference quality of the ground-based UV doses at Thessaloniki from the NILU-UV NN retrievals. The TEMIS UV doses used in this study are derived from ozone measurements by the SCIAMACHY/Envisat and GOME2/MetOp-A satellite instruments, over the European domain in combination with SEVIRI/Meteosat-based diurnal cycle of the cloud cover fraction per 0. 5° × 0. 5° (lat × long) grid cells. TEMIS

Ground uplift related to permeability enhancement following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in the Kanto Plain, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishitsuka, Kazuya; Matsuoka, Toshifumi; Nishimura, Takuya; Tsuji, Takeshi; ElGharbawi, Tamer

2017-06-01

We investigated the post-seismic surface displacement of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake around the Kanto Plain (including the capital area of Japan), which is located approximately 400 km from the epicenter, using a global positioning system network during 2005-2015 and persistent scatterer interferometry of TerraSAR-X data from March 2011 to November 2012. Uniform uplift owing to viscoelastic relaxation and afterslip on the plain has been reported previously. In addition to the general trend, we identified areas where the surface displacement velocity was faster than the surrounding areas, as much as 7 mm/year for 3 years after the earthquake and with a velocity decay over time. Local uplift areas were 30 × 50 km2 and showed a complex spatial distribution with an irregular shape. Based on an observed groundwater level increase, we deduce that the local ground uplift was induced by a permeability enhancement and a pore pressure increase in the aquifer system, which is attributable to mainshock vibration.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Attenuation statistics derived from emission measurements by a network of ground-based microwave radiometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Westwater, E. R.; Snider, J. B.; Falls, M. J.; Fionda, E.

1990-01-01

Two seasons of thermal emission measurements, running from December 1987 through February 1988 and from June through August 1988 of thermal emission measurements, taken by a multi-channel, ground-based microwave radiometer, are used to derive single-station zenith attenuation statistics at 20.6 and 31.65 GHz. For the summer period, statistics are also derived for 52.85 GHz. In addition, data from two dual-channel radiometers, separated from Denver by baseline distances of 49 and 168 km, are used to derive two-station attenuation diversity statistics at 20.6 and 31.65 GHz. The multi-channel radiometer is operated at Denver, Colorado; the dual-channel devices are operated at Platteville and Flagler, Colorado. The diversity statistics are presented by cumulative distributions of maximum and minimum attenuation.

Ozone ground-based measurements by the GASCOD near-UV and visible DOAS system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giovanelli, G.; Bonasoni, P.; Cervino, M.; Evangelisti, F.; Ravegnani, F.

1994-01-01

GASCOD, a near-ultraviolet and visible differential optical spectrometer, was developed at CNR's FISBAT Institute in Bologna, Italy, and first tested at Terra Nova Bay station in Antarctica (74.6 deg S, 164.6 deg E) during the summer expeditions 1988-1990 of PNRA (PNRA is the national research program in Antarctica, 'Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Atartide'). A comparison with coincident O3 total column measurements taken in the same Antarctic area is presented, as is another comparison performed in Italy. Also introduced is an updated model for solar zenith measurements taken from a ground-based, upward-looking GASCOD spectrometer, which was employed for the 1991-92 winter campaign at Aer-Ostersund in Sweden (63.3 deg N, 13.1 deg E) during AESOE (European Arctic Stratospheric Ozone Experiment). The GASCOD can examine the spectra from 300 to 700 nm, in 50 nm steps, by moving the spectrometer's grating. At present, it takes measurements of solar zenith radiation in the 310-342 nm range for O3 and in the 405-463 nm range for NO2.

Dynamic tire pressure sensor for measuring ground vibration.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; McDaniel, James Gregory; Wang, Ming L

2012-11-07

This work presents a convenient and non-contact acoustic sensing approach for measuring ground vibration. This approach, which uses an instantaneous dynamic tire pressure sensor (DTPS), possesses the capability to replace the accelerometer or directional microphone currently being used for inspecting pavement conditions. By measuring dynamic pressure changes inside the tire, ground vibration can be amplified and isolated from environmental noise. In this work, verifications of the DTPS concept of sensing inside the tire have been carried out. In addition, comparisons between a DTPS, ground-mounted accelerometer, and directional microphone are made. A data analysis algorithm has been developed and optimized to reconstruct ground acceleration from DTPS data. Numerical and experimental studies of this DTPS reveal a strong potential for measuring ground vibration caused by a moving vehicle. A calibration of transfer function between dynamic tire pressure change and ground acceleration may be needed for different tire system or for more accurate application.

Dynamic Tire Pressure Sensor for Measuring Ground Vibration

PubMed Central

Wang, Qi; McDaniel, James Gregory; Wang, Ming L.

2012-01-01

This work presents a convenient and non-contact acoustic sensing approach for measuring ground vibration. This approach, which uses an instantaneous dynamic tire pressure sensor (DTPS), possesses the capability to replace the accelerometer or directional microphone currently being used for inspecting pavement conditions. By measuring dynamic pressure changes inside the tire, ground vibration can be amplified and isolated from environmental noise. In this work, verifications of the DTPS concept of sensing inside the tire have been carried out. In addition, comparisons between a DTPS, ground-mounted accelerometer, and directional microphone are made. A data analysis algorithm has been developed and optimized to reconstruct ground acceleration from DTPS data. Numerical and experimental studies of this DTPS reveal a strong potential for measuring ground vibration caused by a moving vehicle. A calibration of transfer function between dynamic tire pressure change and ground acceleration may be needed for different tire system or for more accurate application. PMID:23202206

Observing Tsunamis in the Ionosphere Using Ground Based GPS Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Galvan, D. A.; Komjathy, A.; Song, Y. Tony; Stephens, P.; Hickey, M. P.; Foster, J.

2011-01-01

Ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements of ionospheric Total Electron Content (TEC) show variations consistent with atmospheric internal gravity waves caused by ocean tsunamis following recent seismic events, including the Tohoku tsunami of March 11, 2011. We observe fluctuations correlated in time, space, and wave properties with this tsunami in TEC estimates processed using JPL's Global Ionospheric Mapping Software. These TEC estimates were band-pass filtered to remove ionospheric TEC variations with periods outside the typical range of internal gravity waves caused by tsunamis. Observable variations in TEC appear correlated with the Tohoku tsunami near the epicenter, at Hawaii, and near the west coast of North America. Disturbance magnitudes are 1-10% of the background TEC value. Observations near the epicenter are compared to estimates of expected tsunami-driven TEC variations produced by Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's Spectral Full Wave Model, an atmosphere-ionosphere coupling model, and found to be in good agreement. The potential exists to apply these detection techniques to real-time GPS TEC data, providing estimates of tsunami speed and amplitude that may be useful for future early warning systems.

An Investigation of Widespread Ozone Damage to the Soybean Crop in the Upper Midwest Determined From Ground-Based and Satellite Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, Jack; Creilson, John K.; Parker, Peter A.; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A.; Vining, G. Geoffrey; Szarka, John; Booker, Fitzgerald L.; Xu, Xiaojing

2010-01-01

Elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone (O3) are frequently measured over farmland regions in many parts of the world. While numerous experimental studies show that O3 can significantly decrease crop productivity, independent verifications of yield losses at current ambient O3 concentrations in rural locations are sparse. In this study, soybean crop yield data during a 5-year period over the Midwest of the United States were combined with ground and satellite O3 measurements to provide evidence that yield losses on the order of 10% could be estimated through the use of a multiple linear regression model. Yield loss trends based on both conventional ground-based instrumentation and satellite-derived tropospheric O3 measurements were statistically significant and were consistent with results obtained from open-top chamber experiments and an open-air experimental facility (SoyFACE, Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment) in central Illinois. Our analysis suggests that such losses are a relatively new phenomenon due to the increase in background tropospheric O3 levels over recent decades. Extrapolation of these findings supports previous studies that estimate the global economic loss to the farming community of more than $10 billion annually.

Validation of VIIRS Cloud Base Heights at Night Using Ground and Satellite Measurements over Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

NOH, Y. J.; Miller, S. D.; Seaman, C.; Forsythe, J. M.; Brummer, R.; Lindsey, D. T.; Walther, A.; Heidinger, A. K.; Li, Y.

2016-12-01

Knowledge of Cloud Base Height (CBH) is critical to describing cloud radiative feedbacks in numerical models and is of practical significance to aviation communities. We have developed a new CBH algorithm constrained by Cloud Top Height (CTH) and Cloud Water Path (CWP) by performing a statistical analysis of A-Train satellite data. It includes an extinction-based method for thin cirrus. In the algorithm, cloud geometric thickness is derived with upstream CTH and CWP input and subtracted from CTH to generate the topmost layer CBH. The CBH information is a key parameter for an improved Cloud Cover/Layers product. The algorithm has been applied to the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi NPP spacecraft. Nighttime cloud optical properties for CWP are retrieved from the nighttime lunar cloud optical and microphysical properties (NLCOMP) algorithm based on a lunar reflectance model for the VIIRS Day/Night Band (DNB) measuring nighttime visible light such as moonlight. The DNB has innovative capabilities to fill the polar winter and nighttime gap of cloud observations which has been an important shortfall from conventional radiometers. The CBH products have been intensively evaluated against CloudSat data. The results showed the new algorithm yields significantly improved performance over the original VIIRS CBH algorithm. However, since CloudSat is now operational during daytime only due to a battery anomaly, the nighttime performance has not been fully assessed. This presentation will show our approach to assess the performance of the CBH algorithm at night. VIIRS CBHs are retrieved over the Alaska region from October 2015 to April 2016 using the Clouds from AVHRR Extended (CLAVR-x) processing system. Ground-based measurements from ceilometer and micropulse lidar at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) site on the North Slope of Alaska are used for the analysis. Local weather conditions are checked using temperature and precipitation

Ground-based measurements with the ADRON active gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer designed for lunar and Martian landing missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvak, M. L.; Golovin, D. V.; Kolesnikov, A. B.; Vostrukhin, A. A.; Djachkova, M. V.; Kozyrev, A. S.; Mitrofanov, I. G.; Mokrousov, M. I.; Sanin, A. B.

2017-05-01

This paper outlines the main research objectives and gives a description of the ADRON active gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer, which is designed specifically for the Russian lunar landing missions Luna-Glob and Luna-Resurs and for the ExoMars Martian landing platform. The measurement technique is described. The first ground-based calibration results are presented, making it possible to assess the sensitivity of the ADRON instruments in determining the average water content of the underlying surface in the range from 1% (dry ground) to 100% (water ice) to a depth of 0.5 m.

A high-resolution near-infrared extraterrestrial solar spectrum derived from ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menang, Kaah P.; Coleman, Marc D.; Gardiner, Tom D.; Ptashnik, Igor V.; Shine, Keith P.

2013-06-01

A detailed spectrally resolved extraterrestrial solar spectrum (ESS) is important for line-by-line radiative transfer modeling in the near-IR. Very few observationally based high-resolution ESS are available in this spectral region. Consequently, the theoretically calculated ESS by Kurucz has been widely adopted. We present the CAVIAR (Continuum Absorption at Visible and Infrared Wavelengths and its Atmospheric Relevance) ESS, which is derived using the Langley technique applied to calibrated observations using a ground-based high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) in atmospheric windows from 2000 to 10,000 cm-1 (1-5 µm). There is good agreement between the strengths and positions of solar lines between the CAVIAR and the satellite-based Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-FTS ESS, in the spectral region where they overlap, and good agreement with other ground-based FTS measurements in two near-IR windows. However, there are significant differences in the structure between the CAVIAR ESS and spectra from semiempirical models. In addition, we found a difference of up to 8% in the absolute (and hence the wavelength-integrated) irradiance between the CAVIAR ESS and that of Thuillier et al., which was based on measurements from the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science satellite and other sources. In many spectral regions, this difference is significant, because the coverage factor k = 2 (or 95% confidence limit) uncertainties in the two sets of observations do not overlap. Because the total solar irradiance is relatively well constrained, if the CAVIAR ESS is correct, then this would indicate an integrated "loss" of solar irradiance of about 30 W m-2 in the near-IR that would have to be compensated by an increase at other wavelengths.

Global Assessment of OMI Aerosol Single-scattering Albedo Using Ground-based AERONET and SKYNET Inversions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jethva, Hiren; Torres, Omar; Ahn, Changwoo

2014-01-01

We compare the aerosol single-scattering albedo (SSA) retrieved by the near-UV two-channel algorithm (OMAERUV) applied to the Aura-Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements with an equivalent inversion made by the ground-based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). This work is the first comprehensive effort to globally compare the OMI-retrieved SSA with that of AERONET using all available sites spanning the regions of biomass burning, dust, and urban pollution. An analysis of the co-located retrievals over 269 sites reveals that about 46 percent (69 percent) of OMI-AERONET matchups agree within the absolute difference of plus or minus 0.03 (plus or minus 0.05) for all aerosol types. The comparison improves to 52 percent (77 percent) when only 'smoke' and 'dust' aerosol types were identified by the OMAERUV algorithm. Regionally, the agreement between the two inversions was robust over the biomass burning sites of South America, Sahel, Indian subcontinent, and oceanic-coastal sites followed by a reasonable agreement over north-east Asia. Over the desert regions, OMI tends to retrieve higher SSA, particularly over the Arabian Peninsula. Globally, the OMI-AERONET matchups agree mostly within plus or minus 0.03 for the aerosol optical depth (440 nanometers) and UV-aerosol index larger than 0.4 and 1.0, respectively. We also compare the OMAERUV SSA against the inversion made by an independent network of ground-based radiometer called SKYNET with its operating sites in Japan, China, South-East Asia, India, and Europe. The advantage of the SKYNET database over AERONET is that it performs retrieval at near-UV wavelengths which facilitate the direct comparison of OMI retrievals with the equivalent ground-based inversion. Comparison of OMI and SKYNET over currently available sites reveals a good agreement between the two where more than 70 percent of matchups agree within the absolute difference of 0.05.

Ground-based photo monitoring

Treesearch

Frederick C. Hall

2000-01-01

Ground-based photo monitoring is repeat photography using ground-based cameras to document change in vegetation or soil. Assume those installing the photo location will not be the ones re-photographing it. This requires a protocol that includes: (1) a map to locate the monitoring area, (2) another map diagramming the photographic layout, (3) type and make of film such...

Coordinated Airborne, Spaceborne, and Ground-Based Measurements of Massive, Thick Aerosol Layers During the Dry Season in Southern Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmid, B.; Redemann, J.; Russell, P. B.; Hobbs, P. V.; Hlavka, D. L.; McGill, M. J.; Holben, B. N.; Welton, E. J.; Campbell, J.; Torres, O.;

CO Seasonal Variability and Trend over Paris Megacity Using Ground-Based QualAir FTS and Satellite IASI-MetOp Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Te, Yao; Jeseck, Pascal; Hadji-Lazaro, Juliette

2012-11-01

In a growing world with more than 7 billion inhabitants and big emerging countries such as China, Brazil and India, emissions of anthropogenic pollutants are increasing continuously. Monitoring and control of atmospheric pollutants in megacities have become a major challenge for scientists and public health authorities in environmental research area. The QualAir platform at University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), is an innovating experimental research platform dedicated to survey urban atmospheric pollution and air quality. A Bruker Optics IFS 125HR Fourier transform spectrometer belonged to the Laboratoire de Physique Moléculaire pour l'Atmosphère et l'Astrophysique (LPMAA), was adapted for ground-based atmospheric measurements. As one of the major instruments of the QualAir platform, this ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer (QualAir FTS) analyses the composition of the urban atmosphere of Paris, which is the third largest European megacity. The continuous monitoring of atmospheric pollutants is essential to improve the understanding of urban air pollution processes. Associated with a sun-tracker, the QualAir remote sensing FTS operates in solar infrared absorption and enables to monitor many trace gases, and to follow up their variability in the Ile-de-France region. Concentrations of atmospheric pollutants are retrieved by the radiative transfer model PROFFIT. These ground-based remote sensing measurements are compared to ground in-situ measurements and to satellite data from IASI-MetOp (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer). The remote sensing total column of the carbon monoxide (CO) obtained from January 2009 to June 2012, has a seasonal variability with a maximum in April and a minimum in October. While, after 2008, the mean CO level is quite stable (no significant decrease as before 2008).

The cause of larger local magnitude (Mj) in western Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamoto, H.; Furumura, T.

2017-12-01

The local magnitude of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) scale (Mj) in Japan sometimes show a significant discrepancy between Mw. The Mj is calculated using the amplitude of the horizontal component of ground displacement recorded by seismometers with the natural period of T0=5 s using Katsumata et al. (2004). A typical example of such a discrepancy in estimating Mj was an overestimation of the 2000 Western Tottori earthquake (Mj=7.3, Mw=6.7; hereafter referred to as event T). In this study, we examined the discrepancy between Mj and Mw for recent large earthquakes occurring in Japan.We found that the most earthquakes with larger Mj (>Mw) occur in western Japan while the earthquakes in northern Japan show reasonable Mj (=Mw). To understand the cause of such larger Mj for western Japan earthquakes we examined the strong motion record from the K-NET and KiK-net network for the event T and other earthquakes for reference. The observed ground displacement record from the event T shows a distinctive Love wave packet in tangential motion with a dominant period of about T=5 s which propagates long distances without showing strong dispersions. On the other hand, the ground motions from the earthquakes in northeastern Japan do not have such surface wave packet, and attenuation of ground motion is significant. Therefore, the overestimation of the Mj for earthquakes in western Japan may be attributed to efficient generation and propagation properties of Love wave probably relating to the crustal structure of western Japan. To explain this, we then conducted a numerical simulation of seismic wave propagation using 3D sedimentary layer model (JIVSM; Koketsu et al., 2012) and the source model of the event T. The result demonstrated the efficient generation of Love wave from the shallow strike-slip source which propagates long distances in western Japan without significant dispersions. On the other hand, the generation of surface wave was not so efficient when using a

Atmospheric 14 C CO 2 variations in Japan during 1982--1999 based on 14 C measurements of rice grains.

PubMed

Shibata, Setsuko; Kawano, Eiko; Nakabayashi, Takeshige

2005-08-01

(14)C in rice grains is a useful tracer of atmospheric (14)C(CO(2)). (14)C measurement in rice grains for 17 years during 1982--1999 reveals the following. There is negative correlation between Delta(14)C and the population densities of localities in Japan. Under-populated areas in the northern area of Japan and Okinawa remained clean in the 1990s. The (14)C(CO(2)) decline rates at those areas are near to that of Shauinsland. A latitudinal effect due to Chinese nuclear tests is observed in 1982. Small Seuss effects is observed at the middle latitudes in East Asia after 1995.

Independent Component Analysis applied to Ground-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins-Filho, Walter; Griffith, Caitlin; Pearson, Kyle; Waldmann, Ingo; Alvarez-Candal, Alvaro; Zellem, Robert Thomas

2018-01-01

Transit measurements of Jovian-sized exoplanetary atmospheres allow one to study the composition of exoplanets, largely independent of the planet’s temperature profile. However, measurements of hot-Jupiter transits must archive a level of accuracy in the flux to determine the spectral modulation of the exoplanetary atmosphere. To accomplish this level of precision, we need to extract systematic errors, and, for ground-based measurements, the effects of Earth’s atmosphere, from signal due to the exoplanet, which is several orders of magnitude smaller. The effects of the terrestrial atmosphere and some of the time-dependent systematic errors of ground-based transit measurements are treated mainly by dividing the host star by a reference star at each wavelength and time step of the transit. Recently, Independent Component Analysis (ICA) have been used to remove systematics effects from the raw data of space-based observations (Waldmann, 2014, 2012; Morello et al., 2016, 2015). ICA is a statistical method born from the ideas of the blind-source separations studies, which can be used to de-trend several independent source signals of a data set (Hyvarinen and Oja, 2000). This technique requires no additional prior knowledge of the data set. In addition, this technique has the advantage of requiring no reference star. Here we apply the ICA to ground-based photometry of the exoplanet XO-2b recorded by the 61” Kuiper Telescope and compare the results of the ICA to those of a previous analysis from Zellem et al. (2015), which does not use ICA. We also simulate the effects of various conditions (concerning the systematic errors, noise and the stability of object on the detector) to determine the conditions under which an ICA can be used with high precision to extract the light curve of exoplanetary photometry measurements

Independent Component Analysis applied to Ground-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martins-Filho, Walter; Griffith, Caitlin Ann; Pearson, Kyle; Waldmann, Ingo; Alvarez-Candal, Alvaro; Zellem, Robert

2017-10-01

Transit measurements of Jovian-sized exoplanetary atmospheres allow one to study the composition of exoplanets, largely independent of the planet’s temperature profile. However, measurements of hot-Jupiter transits must archive a level of accuracy in the flux to determine the spectral modulations of the exoplanetary atmosphere. To accomplish this level of precision, we need to extract systematic errors, and, for ground-based measurements, the effects of Earth’s atmosphere, from signal due to the exoplanet, which is several orders of magnitudes smaller.The effects of the terrestrial atmosphere and some of the time dependent systematic errors of ground-based transit measurements are treated mainly by dividing the host star by a reference star at each wavelength and time step of the transit. Recently, Independent Component Analyses (ICA) have been used to remove systematics effects from the raw data of space-based observations (Waldmann, 2014, 2012; Morello et al., 2016, 2015). ICA is a statistical method born from the ideas of the blind-source separations studies, which can be used to de-trend several independent source signals of a data set (Hyvarinen and Oja, 2000). This technique requires no additional prior knowledge of the data set. In addition this technique has the advantage of requiring no reference star.Here we apply the ICA to ground-based photometry of the exoplanet XO-2b recorded by the 61” Kuiper Telescope and compare the results of the ICA to those of a previous analysis from Zellem et al. (2015), which does not use ICA. We also simulate the effects of various conditions (concerning the systematic errors, noise and the stability of object on the detector) to determine the conditions under which an ICA can be used with high precision to extract the light curve of exoplanetary photometry measurements.

Knowledge-based systems in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feigenbaum, Edward; Engelmore, Robert S.; Friedland, Peter E.; Johnson, Bruce B.; Nii, H. Penny; Schorr, Herbert; Shrobe, Howard

1994-01-01

This report summarizes a study of the state-of-the-art in knowledge-based systems technology in Japan, organized by the Japanese Technology Evaluation Center (JTEC) under the sponsorship of the National Science Foundation and the Advanced Research Projects Agency. The panel visited 19 Japanese sites in March 1992. Based on these site visits plus other interactions with Japanese organizations, both before and after the site visits, the panel prepared a draft final report. JTEC sent the draft to the host organizations for their review. The final report was published in May 1993.

The Psychological Impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Personnel: A Three-Wave, One-Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Nagamine, Masanori; Yamamoto, Taisuke; Shigemura, Jun; Tanichi, Masaaki; Yoshino, Aihide; Suzuki, Go; Takahashi, Yoshitomo; Miyazaki, Masaki; Uwabe, Yasuhide; Harada, Nahoko; Shimizu, Kunio

2018-02-27

Approximately 70,000 Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) personnel were dispatched in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the tsunami and nuclear disaster that followed. This study was conducted to evaluate the mental health of the JGSDF personnel and the correlates. Data collected from 56,753 participants at three time points (one, six, and 12 months after mission completion) were analyzed. Those who scored 25 or more points on the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) were allocated into the high posttraumatic stress response (high-PTSR) group, and the high general psychological distress (high-GPD) group, respectively. The multiple logistic regression analysis identified the following factors as the significant risk factor related to high-PTSR or high-GPD status, with odds ratios of 2.0 or higher: deployment length of three or more months, being personally affected by the disaster, and being overworked continuously for three or more months after mission completion. No significant association was observed for duties with radiation exposure risk. Our findings suggest that disaster workers may be able to conduct disaster relief activities more safely with mission-related considerations of shorter deployment length and recognizing the effects on personnel personally affected by the disaster, in addition to avoiding overworking personnel after mission completion.

Quantitative Estimation of Above Ground Crop Biomass using Ground-based, Airborne and Spaceborne Low Frequency Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, C.; Watanabe, M.; Shimada, M.

2016-12-01

Estimation of crop biomass is one of the important challenges in environmental remote sensing related to agricultural as well as hydrological and meteorological applications. Usually passive optical data (photographs, spectral data) operating in the visible and near-infrared bands is used for such purposes. The virtue of optical remote sensing for yield estimation, however, is rather limited as the visible light can only provide information about the chemical characteristics of the canopy surface. Low frequency microwave signals with wavelength longer 20 cm have the potential to penetrate through the canopy and provide information about the whole vertical structure of vegetation from the top of the canopy down to the very soil surface. This phenomenon has been well known and exploited to detect targets under vegetation in the military radar application known as FOPEN (foliage penetration). With the availability of polarimetric interferometric SAR data the use PolInSAR techniques to retrieve vertical vegetation structures has become an attractive tool. However, PolInSAR is still highly experimental and suitable data is not yet widely available. In this study we focus on the use of operational dual-polarization L-band (1.27 GHz) SAR which is since the launch of Japan's Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS, 2006-2011) available worldwide. Since 2014 ALOS-2 continues to deliver such kind of partial polarimetric data for the entire land surface. In addition to these spaceborne data sets we use airborne L-band SAR data acquired by the Japanese Pi-SAR-L2 as well as ultra-wideband (UWB) ground based SAR data operating in the frequency range from 1-4 GHz. By exploiting the complex dual-polarization [C2] Covariance matrix information, the scattering contributions from the canopy can be well separated from the ground reflections allowing for the establishment of semi-empirical relationships between measured radar reflectivity and the amount of fresh-weight above-ground

Aerosol and Cloud Properties during the Cloud Cheju ABC Plume -Asian Monsoon Experiment (CAPMEX) 2008: Linking between Ground-based and UAV Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.; Yoon, S.; Venkata Ramana, M.; Ramanathan, V.; Nguyen, H.; Park, S.; Kim, M.

2009-12-01

Cheju Atmospheric Brown Cloud (ABC) Plume-Monsoon Experiment (CAPMEX), comprehsensive ground-based measurements and a series of data-gathering flights by specially equipped autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs) for aerosol and cloud, had conducted at Jeju (formerly, Cheju), South Korea during August-September 2008, to improve our understanding of how the reduction of anthropogenic emissions in China (so-called “great shutdown” ) during and after the Summer Beijing Olympic Games 2008 effcts on the air quliaty and radiation budgets and how atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) influences solar radiation budget off Asian continent. Large numbers of in-situ and remote sensing instruments at the Gosan ABC observatory and miniaturized instruments on the aircraft measure a range of properties such as the quantity of soot, size-segregated aerosol particle numbers, total particle numbers, size-segregated cloud droplet numbers (only AUAV), aerosol scattering properties (only ground), aerosol vertical distribution, column-integrated aerosol properties, and meteorological variables. By integrating ground-level and high-elevation AUAV measurements with NASA-satellite observations (e.g., MODIS, CALIPSO), we investigate the long range transport of aerosols, the impact of ABCs on clouds, and the role of biogenic and anthropogenic aerosols on cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). In this talk, we will present the results from CAPMEX focusing on: (1) the characteristics of aerosol optical, physical and chemical properties at Gosan observatory, (2) aerosol solar heating calculated from the ground-based micro-pulse lidar and AERONET sun/sky radiometer synergy, and comparison with direct measurements from UAV, and (3) aerosol-cloud interactions in conjunction with measurements by satellites and Gosan observatory.

BigBOSS: The Ground-Based Stage IV BAO Experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlegel, David; Bebek, Chris; Heetderks, Henry

2009-04-01

The BigBOSS experiment is a proposed DOE-NSF Stage IV ground-based dark energy experiment to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and the growth of structure with an all-sky galaxy redshift survey. The project is designed to unlock the mystery of dark energy using existing ground-based facilities operated by NOAO. A new 4000-fiber R=5000 spectrograph covering a 3-degree diameter field will measure BAO and redshift space distortions in the distribution of galaxies and hydrogen gas spanning redshifts from 0.2< z< 3.5. The Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit (DETF FoM) for this experiment is expected to be equal to that ofmore » a JDEM mission for BAO with the lower risk and cost typical of a ground-based experiment.« less

Long-Term Trends of Carbon Monoxide Total Columnar Amount in Urban Areas and Background Regions: Ground- and Satellite-based Spectroscopic Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pucai; Elansky, N. F.; Timofeev, Yu. M.; Wang, Gengchen; Golitsyn, G. S.; Makarova, M. V.; Rakitin, V. S.; Shtabkin, Yu.; Skorokhod, A. I.; Grechko, E. I.; Fokeeva, E. V.; Safronov, A. N.; Ran, Liang; Wang, Ting

2018-07-01

A comparative study was carried out to explore carbon monoxide total columnar amount (CO TC) in background and polluted atmosphere, including the stations of ZSS (Zvenigorod), ZOTTO (Central Siberia), Peterhof, Beijing, and Moscow, during 1998-2014, on the basis of ground- and satellite-based spectroscopic measurements. Interannual variations of CO TC in different regions of Eurasia were obtained from ground-based spectroscopic observations, combined with satellite data from the sensors MOPITT (2001-14), AIRS (2003-14), and IASI MetOp-A (2010-13). A decreasing trend in CO TC (1998-2014) was found at the urban site of Beijing, where CO TC decreased by 1.14%±0.87% yr-1. Meanwhile, at the Moscow site, CO TC decreased remarkably by 3.73%±0.39% yr-1. In the background regions (ZSS, ZOTTO, Peterhof), the reduction was 0.9%-1.7% yr-1 during the same period. Based on the AIRSv6 satellite data for the period 2003-14, a slight decrease (0.4%-0.6% yr-1) of CO TC was detected over the midlatitudes of Eurasia, while a reduction of 0.9%-1.2% yr-1 was found in Southeast Asia. The degree of correlation between the CO TC derived from satellite products (MOPITTv6 Joint, AIRSv6 and IASI MetOp-A) and ground-based measurements was calculated, revealing significant correlation in unpolluted regions. While in polluted areas, IASI MetOp-A and AIRSv6 data underestimated CO TC by a factor of 1.5-2.8. On average, the correlation coefficient between ground- and satellite-based data increased significantly for cases with PBL heights greater than 500 m.

Ground-based measurements of inflight antenna patterns for imaging radar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seifert, Pedro; Lentz, Harald; Zink, Manfred; Heel, Franz

1992-11-01

An approach is presented on how to determine the inflight antenna pattern in the cross-track direction for air- and spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. In the 1991 Oberpfaffenhofen DC-8/E-SAR calibration campaign there was a good opportunity to test ground-based measurement equipment comprising 18 precision calibration receivers and nine polarimetric active radar calibrators (PARC's), all operating in C-band. These devices were designed and manufactured by the Institute of Navigation at the University of Stuttgart (INS). These instruments are capable of handling various pulse lengths, PRF's, and have a very high dynamic range. Together with precise internal clocks, these instruments are suitable for recording the actual radar transmit pulse shape for the later evaluation of the desired inflight antenna pattern. Lining up these devices in the cross-track direction, each receiver yields an azimuth cut of the three-dimensional antenna pattern. The elevation pattern was then obtained by time correlation of these azimuth cuts. Further results concerning pulse shapes, squint angles, and H-V pattern misalignment are presented.

Implementation process and challenges for the community-based integrated care system in Japan

PubMed Central

Tsutsui, Takako

2014-01-01

Background Since 10 years ago, Japan has been creating a long-term vision to face its peak in the number of older people that will be reached in 2025 when baby boomers will turn 75 years of age. In 2003, the government set up a study group called “Caring for older people in 2015” which led to a first reform of the Long-Term Care Insurance System in 2006. This study group was the first to suggest the creation of a community-based integrated care system. Reforms Three measures were taken in 2006: ‘Building an active ageing society: implementation of preventive care services’, ‘Improve sustainability: revision of the remuneration of facilities providing care’ and ‘Integration: establishment of a new service system’. These reforms are at the core of the community-based integrated care system. Discussion The socialization of long-term care that came along with the ageing of the population, and the second shift in Japan towards an increased reliance on the community can provide useful information for other ageing societies. As a super ageing society, the attempts from Japan to develop a rather unique system based on the widely spread concept of integrated care should also become an increasing focus of attention. PMID:24478614

Lidar-Based Estimates of Above-Ground Biomass in the Continental US and Mexico Using Ground, Airborne, and Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, Ross; Margolis, Hank; Montesano, Paul; Sun, Guoqing; Cook, Bruce; Corp, Larry; Andersen, Hans-Erik; DeJong, Ben; Pellat, Fernando Paz; Fickel, Thaddeus;

Measurement of radon/thoron exhalation rates and gamma-ray dose rate in granite areas in Japan.

PubMed

Prasad, G; Ishikawa, T; Hosoda, M; Sahoo, S K; Kavasi, N; Sorimachi, A; Tokonami, S; Uchida, S

2012-11-01

Radon and thoron exhalation rates and gamma-ray dose rate in different places in Hiroshima Prefecture were measured. Exhalation rates were measured using an accumulation chamber method. The radon exhalation rate was found to vary from 3 to 37 mBq m(-2) s(-1), while the thoron exhalation rate ranged from 40 to 3330 mBq m(-2) s(-1). The highest radon exhalation rate (37 mBq m(-2) s(-1)) and gamma-ray dose rate (92 nGy h(-1)) were found in the same city (Kure City). In Kure City, indoor radon and thoron concentrations were previously measured at nine selected houses using a radon-thoron discriminative detector (Raduet). The indoor radon concentrations varied from 16 to 78 Bq m(-3), which was higher than the average value in Japan (15.5 Bq m(-3)). The indoor thoron concentration ranged from ND (not detected: below a detection limit of approximately 10 Bq m(-3)) to 314 Bq m(-3). The results suggest that radon exhalation rate from the ground is an influential factor for indoor radon concentration.

Remote Sensing of Cloud Properties using Ground-based Measurements of Zenith Radiance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chiu, J. Christine; Marshak, Alexander; Knyazikhin, Yuri; Wiscombe, Warren J.; Barker, Howard W.; Barnard, James C.; Luo, Yi

2006-01-01

An extensive verification of cloud property retrievals has been conducted for two algorithms using zenith radiances measured by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program ground-based passive two-channel (673 and 870 nm) Narrow Field-Of-View Radiometer. The underlying principle of these algorithms is that clouds have nearly identical optical properties at these wavelengths, but corresponding spectral surface reflectances (for vegetated surfaces) differ significantly. The first algorithm, the RED vs. NIR, works for a fully three-dimensional cloud situation. It retrieves not only cloud optical depth, but also an effective radiative cloud fraction. Importantly, due to one-second time resolution of radiance measurements, we are able, for the first time, to capture detailed changes in cloud structure at the natural time scale of cloud evolution. The cloud optical depths tau retrieved by this algorithm are comparable to those inferred from both downward fluxes in overcast situations and microwave brightness temperatures for broken clouds. Moreover, it can retrieve tau for thin patchy clouds, where flux and microwave observations fail to detect them. The second algorithm, referred to as COUPLED, couples zenith radiances with simultaneous fluxes to infer 2. In general, the COUPLED and RED vs. NIR algorithms retrieve consistent values of tau. However, the COUPLED algorithm is more sensitive to the accuracies of measured radiance, flux, and surface reflectance than the RED vs. NIR algorithm. This is especially true for thick overcast clouds where it may substantially overestimate z.

Performance evaluation of a ground-source heat pump system utilizing a flowing well and estimation of suitable areas for its installation in Aizu Basin, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Gaurav; Uchida, Youhei; Kuronuma, Satoru; Yamaya, Mutsumi; Katsuragi, Masahiko; Kaneko, Shohei; Shibasaki, Naoaki; Yoshioka, Mayumi

2017-08-01

Development of a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system with higher efficiency, and evaluation of its operating performance, is essential to expand the growth of GSHP systems in Japan. A closed-loop GSHP system was constructed utilizing a flowing (artesian) well as a ground heat exchanger (GHE). The system was demonstrated for space-heating and space-cooling of a room (area 126.7 m2) in an office building. The average coefficient of performance was found to be 4.5 for space-heating and 8.1 for space-cooling. The maximum heat exchange rate was 70.8 W/m for space-heating and 57.6 W/m for space-cooling. From these results, it was determined that a GSHP system with a flowing well as a GHE can result in higher performance. With this kind of highly efficient system, energy saving and cost reduction can be expected. In order to assess appropriate locations for the installation of similar kinds of GSHP systems in Aizu Basin, a suitability map showing the distribution of groundwater up-flowing areas was prepared based on the results of a regional-scale three-dimensional analytical model. Groundwater up-flowing areas are considered to be suitable because the flowing well can be constructed at these areas. Performance evaluation of the GSHP system utilizing the flowing well, in conjunction with the prepared suitability map for its installation, can assist in the promotion of GSHP systems in Japan.

Ground Vibration Attenuation Measurement using Triaxial and Single Axis Accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammad, A. H.; Yusoff, N. A.; Madun, A.; Tajudin, S. A. A.; Zahari, M. N. H.; Chik, T. N. T.; Rahman, N. A.; Annuar, Y. M. N.

2018-04-01

Peak Particle Velocity is one of the important term to show the level of the vibration amplitude especially traveling wave by distance. Vibration measurement using triaxial accelerometer is needed to obtain accurate value of PPV however limited by the size and the available channel of the data acquisition module for detailed measurement. In this paper, an attempt to estimate accurate PPV has been made by using only a triaxial accelerometer together with multiple single axis accelerometer for the ground vibration measurement. A field test was conducted on soft ground using nine single axis accelerometers and a triaxial accelerometer installed at nine receiver location R1 to R9. Based from the obtained result, the method shows convincing similarity between actual PPV with the calculated PPV with error ratio 0.97. With the design method, vibration measurement equipment size can be reduced with fewer channel required.

7 CFR 1755.406 - Shield or armor ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Shield or armor ground resistance measurements. 1755... MATERIALS, AND STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS § 1755.406 Shield or armor ground resistance measurements. (a) Shield or armor ground resistance measurements shall be made on completed lengths of copper cable and wire...

7 CFR 1755.406 - Shield or armor ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Shield or armor ground resistance measurements. 1755... MATERIALS, AND STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS § 1755.406 Shield or armor ground resistance measurements. (a) Shield or armor ground resistance measurements shall be made on completed lengths of copper cable and wire...

Ground-based determination of atmospheric radiance for correction of ERTS-1 data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peacock, K.

1974-01-01

A technique is described for estimating the atmospheric radiance observed by a downward sensor (ERTS) using ground-based measurements. A formula is obtained for the sky radiance at the time of the ERTS overpass from the radiometric measurement of the sky radiance made at a particular solar zenith angle and air mass. A graph illustrates ground-based sky radiance measurements as a function of the scattering angle for a range of solar air masses. Typical values for sky radiance at a solar zenith angle of 48 degrees are given.

A large-scale intercomparison of stratospheric vertical distributions of NO2 and BrO retrieved from the SCIAMACHY limb measurements and ground-based twilight observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozanov, Alexei; Hendrick, Francois; Lotz, Wolfhardt; van Roozendael, Michel; Bovensmann, Heinrich; Burrows, John P.

This study is devoted to the intercomparison of NO2 and BrO vertical profiles obtained from the satellite and ground-based measurements. Although, the ground-based observations are performed only at selected locations, they have a great potential to be used for the validation of satellite measurements since continuous long-term measurement series performed with the same instruments are available. Thus, long-term trends in the observed species can be analyzed and intercompared. Previous intercomparisons of the vertical distributions of NO2 and BrO retrieved from SCIAMACHY limb measurements at the University of Bremen and obtained at IASB-BIRA by applying a profiling technique to ground-based zenith-sky DOAS observations have shown a good agreement between the results of completely different measurement techniques. However, only a relatively short time period of one year was analyzed so far which do not allow investigating seasonal variations and trends. Furthermore, some minor discrepancies are still to be analyzed. In the current study, several years datasets obtained at Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) in France and in Harestua in Norway will be compared to the retrievals of SCIAMACHY limb measurements. Seasonal and annual variations will be analyzed and possible reasons for the remaining discrepancies will be discussed.

[Community-based prevention of drug abuse in Japan].

PubMed

Shimane, Takuya

2010-08-01

The objective of this article is to review community-based drug abuse prevention and relapse prevention in Japan. Japan has a highly efficient system for the primary prevention of drug abuse; this system includes drug abuse education programs in schools and anti-drug abuse campaigns in communities. On the other hand, relapse prevention activities, such as counseling service at mental health welfare centers, self-help groups for drug addicts, and relapse prevention programs at outpatient clinics, are limited because of zero tolerance policies. Therefore, more relapse prevention activities are required in Japanese communities.

Characteristics of Hospital-Based Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in Japan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fujiwara, Takeo; Okuyama, Makiko; Kasahara, Mari; Nakamura, Ayako

2008-01-01

Objective: This article explores characteristics of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) in Japan, a country which provides an egalitarian, low cost, and easy-access health care system. Methods: We sent a questionnaire survey to 11 leading doctors in the child abuse field in Japan, each located in different hospital-based sites. Child abuse doctors…

TUNNEL LINING DESIGN METHOD BY FRAME STRUCTURE ANALYSIS USING GROUND REACTION CURVE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Mitsutaka; Sramoon, Aphichat; Okazaki, Mari

Both of NATM and shield tunnelling method can be applied to Diluvial and Neogene deposit, on which mega cities are located in Japan. Since the lining design method for both tunnelling methods are much different, the unified concept for tunnel lining design is expected. Therefore, in this research, a frame structure analysis model for tunnel lining design using the ground reaction curve was developed, which can take into account the earth pressure due to excavated surface displacement to active side including the effect of ground self-stabilization, and the excavated surface displacement before lining installation. Based on the developed model, a parameter study was carried out taking coefficient of subgrade reaction and grouting rate as a parameter, and the measured earth pressure acting on the lining at the site was compared with the calculated one by the developed model and the conventional model. As a result, it was confirmed that the developed model can represent earth pressure acting on the lining, lining displacement, and lining sectional force at ground ranging from soft ground to stiff ground.

Comparative analyses of the ultraviolet-B flux over the continental United State based on the NASA total ozone mapping spectrometer data and USDA ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zhiqiang; Gao, Wei; Chang, Ni-Bin

2010-10-01

In recent years, the risk of health effects caused by the increased exposure to Ultraviolet-B (UVB) due to stratospheric ozone depletion has received wide attention. In the US, there are two ways to accurately measure the UVB. They include: 1) the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Nimbus-7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS), and 2) the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) ground-based network. This paper compares these two sensors' data for the ultraviolet index (UVI) nationally and regionally to support possible public health, agricultural, and ecological analyses in the future. The major findings of our study are: 1) although there are discrepancies between these two data sets, the temporal correlation coefficients can be as high as 98%. 2) Both types of data sources depict the macroscopic spatial pattern of the UVI across the continental US.indicating a strong spatial correlation; 3) The two data sources are generally consistent though the UVI of the NASA TOMS data are often about 0.13-1.05 units larger than those of the USDA ground-based measurements; and 4) Varying differences can be seen between the Midwest and two coastal regions. While the level of the UVI on the west coast has shown a decreasing trend in the past few years, its counterpart on the east coast showed an opposite trend in between 2000 and 2005. It is hard to conclude that the changes are due to variations of total ozone concentrations in this study period. The USDA ground-based measurements may be better applied for time series analysis for public health, ecological, and agricultural applications due to their ability to provide intensive calibrated point measurements.

Soil moisture on Polish territory - comparison of satellite and ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojek, Edyta; Łukowski, Mateusz; Marczewski, Wojciech; Usowicz, Bogusław

2014-05-01

Assessment of water resources due to changing climatic conditions in time and space is still very uncertain. The territory of Poland has a limited resource of waters, occasionally resulting in small agricultural droughts. From the other side intense rainfalls, floods or run-offs, causing soil erosion are observed. Therefore, it is important to predict and prevent of this adverse phenomena. Huge spatial variability of soil moisture does not allow for accurate estimation of its distribution using ground-based measurements. SMOS soil moisture data are quite much inherently consistent in time and space, but their validation is still a challenge for further use in the climate and hydrology studies. This is the motivation for the research: to examine soil moisture from SMOS and ground based stations of the SWEX network held over eastern Poland. The presented results are related to changes of the soil moisture on regional scales for Poland in the period 2010-2013. Some results with SMOS L2 data are extended on continental scales for Europe. Time series from ground and satellite SMOS data sources were compared by regression methods. The region of Poland indicates clearly some genetic spatial distributions in weekly averaged values. In continental scales, the country territory contrasts evidently to Lithuania and in Polesie, and indicates seasonal cycling observed in archives and well known traditional records. The central part of Poland is repeatedly susceptible on droughts with soil moisture values ranging from about 0.02 to 0.20 m3 m-3. SMOS data allows on creating systematic drought data for Poland and watching annual changes, and differences to other drought services kept on national scales for agricultural purposes. We bound that drought susceptibility to the content of sand clay components and the land use there. Lack of rainfall in the late 2011 summer, caused a significant deficit of water in soil moisture content (below 0.05 m3 m-3) throughout the entire country

Magnitude Estimation for the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Earthquake Based on Ground Motion Prediction Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eshaghi, Attieh; Tiampo, Kristy F.; Ghofrani, Hadi; Atkinson, Gail M.

2015-08-01

This study investigates whether real-time strong ground motion data from seismic stations could have been used to provide an accurate estimate of the magnitude of the 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake in Japan. Ultimately, such an estimate could be used as input data for a tsunami forecast and would lead to more robust earthquake and tsunami early warning. We collected the strong motion accelerograms recorded by borehole and free-field (surface) Kiban Kyoshin network stations that registered this mega-thrust earthquake in order to perform an off-line test to estimate the magnitude based on ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs). GMPEs for peak ground acceleration and peak ground velocity (PGV) from a previous study by Eshaghi et al. in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 103. (2013) derived using events with moment magnitude ( M) ≥ 5.0, 1998-2010, were used to estimate the magnitude of this event. We developed new GMPEs using a more complete database (1998-2011), which added only 1 year but approximately twice as much data to the initial catalog (including important large events), to improve the determination of attenuation parameters and magnitude scaling. These new GMPEs were used to estimate the magnitude of the Tohoku-Oki event. The estimates obtained were compared with real time magnitude estimates provided by the existing earthquake early warning system in Japan. Unlike the current operational magnitude estimation methods, our method did not saturate and can provide robust estimates of moment magnitude within ~100 s after earthquake onset for both catalogs. It was found that correcting for average shear-wave velocity in the uppermost 30 m () improved the accuracy of magnitude estimates from surface recordings, particularly for magnitude estimates of PGV (Mpgv). The new GMPEs also were used to estimate the magnitude of all earthquakes in the new catalog with at least 20 records. Results show that the magnitude estimate from PGV values using

THE EFFECT OF CLOUD FRACTION ON THE RADIATIVE ENERGY BUDGET: The Satellite-Based GEWEX-SRB Data vs. the Ground-Based BSRN Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, T.; Stackhouse, P. W.; Gupta, S. K.; Cox, S. J.; Mikovitz, J. C.; Nasa Gewex Srb

2011-12-01

The NASA GEWEX-SRB (Global Energy and Water cycle Experiment - Surface Radiation Budget) project produces and archives shortwave and longwave atmospheric radiation data at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and the Earth's surface. The archive holds uninterrupted records of shortwave/longwave downward/upward radiative fluxes at 1 degree by 1 degree resolution for the entire globe. The latest version in the archive, Release 3.0, is available as 3-hourly, daily and monthly means, spanning 24.5 years from July 1983 to December 2007. Primary inputs to the models used to produce the data include: shortwave and longwave radiances from International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) pixel-level (DX) data, cloud and surface properties derived therefrom, temperature and moisture profiles from GEOS-4 reanalysis product obtained from the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO), and column ozone amounts constituted from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) archives, and Stratospheric Monitoring-group's Ozone Blended Analysis (SMOBA), an assimilation product from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. The data in the archive have been validated systemically against ground-based measurements which include the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) data, the World Radiation Data Centre (WRDC) data, and the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) data, and generally good agreement has been achieved. In addition to all-sky radiative fluxes, the output data include clear-sky fluxes, cloud optical depth, cloud fraction and so on. The BSRN archive also includes observations that can be used to derive the cloud fraction, which provides a means for analyzing and explaining the SRB-BSRN flux differences. In this paper, we focus on the effect of cloud fraction on the surface shortwave flux and the level of agreement between the satellite-based SRB data and the ground-based BSRN data. The satellite and BSRN employ different

Evidence of Urban Precipitation Anomalies from Satellite and Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. Marshall; Manyin, M.; Negri, Andrew

2004-01-01

Urbanization is one of the extreme cases of land use change. Most of world's population has moved to urban areas. Although currently only 1.2% of the land is considered urban, the spatial coverage and density of cities are expected to rapidly increase in the near future. It is estimated that by the year 2025, 60% of the world's population will live in cities. Human activity in urban environments also alters weather and climate processes. However, our understanding of urbanization on the total Earth-weather-climate system is incomplete. Recent literature continues to provide evidence that anomalies in precipitation exist over and downwind of major cities. Current and future research efforts are actively seeking to verify these literature findings and understand potential cause-effect relationships. The novelty of this study is that it utilizes rainfall data from multiple satellite data sources (e.g. TRMM precipitation radar, TRMM-geosynchronous-rain gauge merged product, and SSM/I) and ground-based measurements to identify spatial anomalies and temporal trends in precipitation for cities around the world. Early results will be presented and placed within the context of weather prediction, climate assessment, and societal applications.

Evidence of Urban Precipitation Anomalies from Satellite and Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. M.; Manyin, M.; Negri, A.

2004-01-01

Urbanization is one of the extreme cases of land use change. Most of world s population has moved to urban areas. Although currently only 1.2% of the land is considered urban, the spatial coverage and density of cities are expected to rapidly increase in the near future. It is estimated that by the year 2025,60% of the world s population will live in cities. Human activity in urban environments also alters weather and climate processes. However, our understanding of urbanization on the total Earth-weather-climate system is incomplete. Recent literature continues to provide evidence that anomalies in precipitation exist over and downwind of major cities. Current and future research efforts are actively seeking to verify these literature findings and understand potential cause- effect relationships. The novelty of this study is that it utilizes rainfall data from multiple satellite data sources (e.g. TRMM precipitation radar, TRMM-geosynchronous-rain gauge merged product, and SSM/I) and ground-based measurements to identify spatial anomalies and temporal trends in precipitation for cities around the world. Early results will be presented and placed within the context of weather prediction, climate assessment, and societal applications.

Comparison of stratospheric NO2 profiles above Kiruna, Sweden retrieved from ground-based zenith sky DOAS measurements, SAOZ balloon measurements and SCIAMACHY limb observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Myojeong; Enell, Carl-Fredrik; Hendrick, François; Pukite, Janis; Van Roozendael, Michel; Platt, Ulrich; Raffalski, Uwe; Wagner, Thomas

2015-04-01

Stratospheric NO2 not only destroys ozone but acts as a buffer against halogen catalyzed ozone loss by converting halogen species into stable nitrates. These two roles of stratospheric NO2 depend on the altitude. Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the vertical distribution of stratospheric NO2. We compare the NO2 profiles derived from the zenith sky DOAS with those obtained from, SAOZ balloon measurements and satellite limb observations. Vertical profiles of stratospheric NO2 are retrieved from ground-based zenith sky DOAS observations operated at Kiruna, Sweden (68.84°N, 20.41°E) since 1996. To determine the profile of stratospheric NO2 measured from ground-based zenith sky DOAS, we apply the Optimal Estimation Method (OEM) to retrieval of vertical profiles of stratospheric NO2 which has been developed by IASB-BIRA. The basic principle behind this profiling approach is the dependence of the mean scattering height on solar zenith angle (SZA). We compare the retrieved profiles to two additional datasets of stratospheric NO2 profile. The first one is derived from satellite limb observations by SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY) on EnviSAT. The second is derived from the SAOZ balloon measurements (using a UV/Visible spectrometer) performed at Kiruna in Sweden.

Measurement of Walking Ground Reactions in Real-Life Environments: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Technologies.

PubMed

Shahabpoor, Erfan; Pavic, Aleksandar

2017-09-12

Monitoring natural human gait in real-life environments is essential in many applications, including quantification of disease progression, monitoring the effects of treatment, and monitoring alteration of performance biomarkers in professional sports. Nevertheless, developing reliable and practical techniques and technologies necessary for continuous real-life monitoring of gait is still an open challenge. A systematic review of English-language articles from scientific databases including Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, IEEE Xplore, EBSCO and MEDLINE were carried out to analyse the 'accuracy' and 'practicality' of the current techniques and technologies for quantitative measurement of the tri-axial walking ground reactions outside the laboratory environment, and to highlight their strengths and shortcomings. In total, 679 relevant abstracts were identified, 54 full-text papers were included in the paper and the quantitative results of 17 papers were used for meta-analysis and comparison. Three classes of methods were reviewed: (1) methods based on measured kinematic data; (2) methods based on measured plantar pressure; and (3) methods based on direct measurement of ground reactions. It was found that all three classes of methods have competitive accuracy levels with methods based on direct measurement of the ground reactions showing highest accuracy while being least practical for long-term real-life measurement. On the other hand, methods that estimate ground reactions using measured body kinematics show highest practicality of the three classes of methods reviewed. Among the most prominent technical and technological challenges are: (1) reducing the size and price of tri-axial load-cells; (2) improving the accuracy of orientation measurement using IMUs; (3) minimizing the number and optimizing the location of required IMUs for kinematic measurement; (4) increasing the durability of pressure insole sensors, and (5) enhancing the robustness and versatility of the

Measurement of Walking Ground Reactions in Real-Life Environments: A Systematic Review of Techniques and Technologies

PubMed Central

Shahabpoor, Erfan; Pavic, Aleksandar

2017-01-01

Monitoring natural human gait in real-life environments is essential in many applications, including quantification of disease progression, monitoring the effects of treatment, and monitoring alteration of performance biomarkers in professional sports. Nevertheless, developing reliable and practical techniques and technologies necessary for continuous real-life monitoring of gait is still an open challenge. A systematic review of English-language articles from scientific databases including Scopus, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, IEEE Xplore, EBSCO and MEDLINE were carried out to analyse the ‘accuracy’ and ‘practicality’ of the current techniques and technologies for quantitative measurement of the tri-axial walking ground reactions outside the laboratory environment, and to highlight their strengths and shortcomings. In total, 679 relevant abstracts were identified, 54 full-text papers were included in the paper and the quantitative results of 17 papers were used for meta-analysis and comparison. Three classes of methods were reviewed: (1) methods based on measured kinematic data; (2) methods based on measured plantar pressure; and (3) methods based on direct measurement of ground reactions. It was found that all three classes of methods have competitive accuracy levels with methods based on direct measurement of the ground reactions showing highest accuracy while being least practical for long-term real-life measurement. On the other hand, methods that estimate ground reactions using measured body kinematics show highest practicality of the three classes of methods reviewed. Among the most prominent technical and technological challenges are: (1) reducing the size and price of tri-axial load-cells; (2) improving the accuracy of orientation measurement using IMUs; (3) minimizing the number and optimizing the location of required IMUs for kinematic measurement; (4) increasing the durability of pressure insole sensors, and (5) enhancing the robustness and versatility

Measurement of Low Amounts of Precipitable Water Vapor Using Ground-Based Millimeterwave Radiometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Racette, Paul E.; Westwater, Ed R.; Han, Yong; Gasiewski, Albin J.; Klein, Marian; Cimini, Domenico; Jones, David C.; Manning, WIll; Kim, Edward J.; Wang, James R.

2003-01-01

Extremely dry conditions characterized by amounts of precipitable water vapor (PWV) as as 1-2 mm commonly occur in high-latitude regions during the winter months. While such atmospheres carry only a few percent of the latent heat energy compared to tropical atmospheres, the effects of low vapor amounts on the polar radiation budget - both directly through modulation of longwave radiation and indirectly through the formation of clouds - are considerable. Accurate measurements of precipitable water vapor (PWV) during such dry conditions are needed to improve polar radiation models for use in understanding and predicting change in the climatically sensitive polar regions. To this end, the strong water vapor absorption at 183.310 GHz provides a unique means of measuring low amounts of PWV. Weighting function analysis, forward model calculations based upon a 7-year radiosonde dataset, and retrieval simulations consistently predict that radiometric measurements made using several millimeter-wavelength (MMW) channels near the 183 GHz line, together with established microwave (MW) measurements at the 22.235 GHz water vapor line and -3 1 GHz atmospheric absorption window can be used to determine within 5% uncertainty the full range of PWV expected in the Arctic. This unique collective capability stands in spite of accuracy limitations stemming from uncertainties due to the sensitivity of the vertical distribution of temperature and water vapor at MMW channels. In this study the potential of MMW radiometry using the 183 GHz line for measuring low amounts of PWV is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The study uses data obtained during March 1999 as part of an experiment conducted at the Department of Energy s Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) near Barrow, Alaska. Several radiometers from both NOAA and NASA were deployed during the experiment to provide the first combined MMW and MW ground-based data set during dry arctic conditions. Single-channel retrievals

Calibrations and Comparisons of Aerosol Spectrometers linking Ground and Airborne Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williamson, C.; Brock, C. A.; Erdesz, F.

2015-12-01

The nucleation-mode aerosol size spectrometer (NMASS), a fast-time response instrument measuring aerosol size distributions between 5 and 60nm, is to sample in the boundary layer and free troposphere on NASA's Atmospheric Tomography mission (ATom), providing contiguous data with global coverage in all four seasons. In preparation for this the NMASS is calibrated for the expected flight conditions and compatibility studies are made with ground-based instrumentation. The NMASS is comprised of 5 parallel condensation particle counters (CPCs) using perfluoro-tributylamine as a working fluid. Understanding the variation of CPC counting efficiencies with respect to the chemical composition of the sample is important for accurate data analysis and can be used to give indirect information about sample chemical composition. This variation is strongly dependent on the working fluid. The absolute responses and associated variations of the NMASS to ammonium sulfate and limonene ozonolysis products, compounds pertinent to the composition of particles nucleated in the free troposphere and boundary later, are compared to those of butanol, diethylene-glycol and water based CPCs, which are more commonly used in ground-based measurements. While fast time-response is key to measuring aerosol size distributions on flights, high size-resolution is often prioritized for ground-based measurements, and so a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) is commonly used. Inter-comparison between NMASS and SMPS data is non-trivial because of the different working principles and resolutions of the instruments and yet it is vital, for example, for understanding the sources of particles observed during flights and the global relevance of phenomena observed from field stations and in chambers. We report compatibility studies on inversions of data from the SMPS and NMASS, evaluating temporal and spatial resolution and sources of uncertainty.

Ground measurements of fuel and fuel consumption from experimental and operational prescribed fires at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida

Treesearch

Roger D. Ottmar; Robert E. Vihnanek; Clinton S. Wright; Andrew T. Hudak

2014-01-01

Ground-level measurements of fuel loading, fuel consumption, and fuel moisture content were collected on nine research burns conducted at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida in November, 2012. A grass or grass-shrub fuelbed dominated eight of the research blocks; the ninth was a managed longleaf pine (Pinus palustrus) forest. Fuel loading ranged from 1.7 Mg ha-1 on a...

Childhood cancer incidence and survival in Japan and England: A population-based study (1993-2010).

PubMed

Nakata, Kayo; Ito, Yuri; Magadi, Winnie; Bonaventure, Audrey; Stiller, Charles A; Katanoda, Kota; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Miyashiro, Isao; Pritchard-Jones, Kathy; Rachet, Bernard

2018-02-01

The present study aimed to compare cancer incidence and trends in survival for children diagnosed in Japan and England, using population-based cancer registry data. The analysis was based on 5192 children with cancer (age 0-14 years) from 6 prefectural cancer registries in Japan and 21 295 children diagnosed in England during 1993-2010. Differences in incidence rates between the 2 countries were measured with Poisson regression models. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Incidence rates for Hodgkin lymphoma, renal tumors and Ewing sarcomas in England were more than twice as high as those in Japan. Incidence of germ cell tumors, hepatic tumors, neuroblastoma and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was higher in Japan than in England. Incidence of all cancers combined decreased in Japan throughout the period 1993 to 2010, which was mainly explained by a decrease in registration of neuroblastoma in infants. For many cancers, 5-year survival improved in both countries. The improvement in survival in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) was particularly dramatic in both countries. However, 5-year survival remained less than 80% in 2005-2008 in both countries for AML, brain tumors, soft tissue sarcomas, malignant bone tumors and neuroblastoma (age 1-14 years). There were significant differences in incidence of several cancers between countries, suggesting variation in genetic susceptibility and possibly environmental factors. The decrease in incidence for all cancers combined in Japan was related to the cessation of the national screening program for neuroblastoma. The large improvement in survival in CML coincided with the introduction of effective therapy (imatinib). © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Local ionospheric electron density reconstruction from simultaneous ground-based GNSS and ionosonde measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stankov, S. M.; Warnant, R.; Stegen, K.

2009-04-01

The purpose of the LIEDR (Local Ionospheric Electron Density Reconstruction) system is to acquire and process data from simultaneous ground-based GNSS TEC and digital ionosonde measurements, and subsequently to deduce the vertical electron density distribution in the local ionosphere. LIEDR is primarily designed to operate in real time for service applications, and, if sufficient data from solar and geomagnetic observations are available, to provide short-term forecast as well. For research applications and further development of the system, a post-processing mode of operation is also envisaged. In essence, the reconstruction procedure consists in the following. The high-precision ionosonde measurements are used for directly obtaining the bottom part of the electron density profile. The ionospheric profiler for the lower side (i.e. below the density peak height, hmF2) is based on the Epstein layer functions using the known values of the critical frequencies, foF2 and foE, and the propagation factor, M3000F2. The corresponding bottom-side part of the total electron content is calculated from this profile and is then subtracted from the GPS TEC value in order to obtain the unknown portion of the TEC in the upper side (i.e. above the hmF2). Ionosonde data, together with the simultaneously-measured TEC and empirically obtained O+/H+ ion transition level values, are all required for the determination of the topside electron density scale height. The topside electron density is considered as a sum of the constituent oxygen and hydrogen ion densities with unknown vertical scale heights. The latter are calculated by solving a system of transcendental equations that arise from the incorporation of a suitable ionospheric profiler (Chapman, Epstein, or Exponential) into formulae describing ionospheric conditions (plasma quasi-neutrality, ion transition level). Once the topside scale heights are determined, the construction of the vertical electron density distribution in the

Prediction of earthquake ground motion at rock sites in Japan: evaluation of empirical and stochastic approaches for the PEGASOS Refinement Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Benjamin; Fäh, Donat

2017-11-01

Strong ground-motion databases used to develop ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) and calibrate stochastic simulation models generally include relatively few recordings on what can be considered as engineering rock or hard rock. Ground-motion predictions for such sites are therefore susceptible to uncertainty and bias, which can then propagate into site-specific hazard and risk estimates. In order to explore this issue we present a study investigating the prediction of ground motion at rock sites in Japan, where a wide range of recording-site types (from soil to very hard rock) are available for analysis. We employ two approaches: empirical GMPEs and stochastic simulations. The study is undertaken in the context of the PEGASOS Refinement Project (PRP), a Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC) Level 4 probabilistic seismic hazard analysis of Swiss nuclear power plants, commissioned by swissnuclear and running from 2008 to 2013. In order to reduce the impact of site-to-site variability and expand the available data set for rock and hard-rock sites we adjusted Japanese ground-motion data (recorded at sites with 110 m s-1 < Vs30 < 2100 m s-1) to a common hard-rock reference. This was done through deconvolution of: (i) empirically derived amplification functions and (ii) the theoretical 1-D SH amplification between the bedrock and surface. Initial comparison of a Japanese GMPE's predictions with data recorded at rock and hard-rock sites showed systematic overestimation of ground motion. A further investigation of five global GMPEs' prediction residuals as a function of quarter-wavelength velocity showed that they all presented systematic misfit trends, leading to overestimation of median ground motions at rock and hard-rock sites in Japan. In an alternative approach, a stochastic simulation method was tested, allowing the direct incorporation of site-specific Fourier amplification information in forward simulations. We use an adjusted version of the

Ground-based sensors for the SR-71 sonic boom propagation experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norris, Stephen R.; Haering, Edward A., Jr.; Murray, James E.

1995-01-01

This paper describes ground-level measurements of sonic boom signatures made as part of the SR-71 sonic boom propagation experiment recently completed at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. Ground level measurements were the final stage of this experiment which also included airborne measurements at near and intermediate distances from an SR-71 research aircraft. Three types of sensors were deployed to three station locations near the aircraft ground track. Pressure data were collected for flight conditions from Mach 1.25 to Mach 1.60 at altitudes from 30,000 to 48,000 ft. Ground-level measurement techniques, comparisons of data sets from different ground sensors, and sensor system strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The well-known N-wave structure dominated the sonic boom signatures generated by the SR-71 aircraft at most of these conditions. Variations in boom shape caused by atmospheric turbulence, focusing effects, or both were observed for several flights. Peak pressure and boom event duration showed some dependence on aircraft gross weight. The sonic boom signatures collected in this experiment are being compiled in a data base for distribution in support of the High Speed Research Program.

Cancer incidence and incidence rates in Japan in 2008: a study of 25 population-based cancer registries for the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project.

PubMed

Matsuda, Ayako; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Shibata, Akiko; Katanoda, Kota; Sobue, Tomotaka; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

2014-04-01

The Japan Cancer Surveillance Research Group aimed to estimate the cancer incidence in Japan in 2008 based on data collected from 25 of 34 population-based cancer registries, as part of the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan project. The incidence in Japan for 2008 was estimated to be 749 767 (C00-C96). Stomach cancer and breast cancer were the leading types of cancer in males and females, respectively.

Ground-based measurements of the solar diameter during the rising phase of solar cycle 24

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meftah, M.; Corbard, T.; Irbah, A.; Ikhlef, R.; Morand, F.; Renaud, C.; Hauchecorne, A.; Assus, P.; Borgnino, J.; Chauvineau, B.; Crepel, M.; Dalaudier, F.; Damé, L.; Djafer, D.; Fodil, M.; Lesueur, P.; Poiet, G.; Rouzé, M.; Sarkissian, A.; Ziad, A.; Laclare, F.

2014-09-01

Context. For the past thirty years, modern ground-based time-series of the solar radius have shown different apparent variations according to different instruments. The origins of these variations may result from the observer, the instrument, the atmosphere, or the Sun. Solar radius measurements have been made for a very long time and in different ways. Yet we see inconsistencies in the measurements. Numerous studies of solar radius variation appear in the literature, but with conflicting results. These measurement differences are certainly related to instrumental effects or atmospheric effects. Use of different methods (determination of the solar radius), instruments, and effects of Earth's atmosphere could explain the lack of consistency on the past measurements. A survey of the solar radius has been initiated in 1975 by Francis Laclare, at the Calern site of the Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA). Several efforts are currently made from space missions to obtain accurate solar astrometric measurements, for example, to probe the long-term variations of solar radius, their link with solar irradiance variations, and their influence on the Earth climate. Aims: The Picard program includes a ground-based observatory consisting of different instruments based at the Calern site (OCA, France). This set of instruments has been named "Picard Sol" and consists of a Ritchey-Chrétien telescope providing full-disk images of the Sun in five narrow-wavelength bandpasses (centered on 393.37, 535.7, 607.1, 782.2, and 1025.0 nm), a Sun-photometer that measures the properties of atmospheric aerosol, a pyranometer for estimating a global sky-quality index, a wide-field camera that detects the location of clouds, and a generalized daytime seeing monitor allowing us to measure the spatio-temporal parameters of the local turbulence. Picard Sol is meant to perpetuate valuable historical series of the solar radius and to initiate new time-series, in particular during solar cycle 24

Correlation of satellite lightning observations with ground-based lightning experiments in Florida, Texas and Oklahoma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgar, B. C.; Turman, B. N.

1982-01-01

Satellite observations of lightning were correlated with ground-based measurements of lightning from data bases obtained at three separate sites. The percentage of ground-based observations of lightning that would be seen by an orbiting satellite was determined.

Comparison of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived Solar UV Index Levels at Six South African Sites.

PubMed

Cadet, Jean-Maurice; Bencherif, Hassan; Portafaix, Thierry; Lamy, Kévin; Ncongwane, Katlego; Coetzee, Gerrie J R; Wright, Caradee Y

2017-11-14

South Africa has been measuring the ground-based solar UV index for more than two decades at six sites to raise awareness about the impacts of the solar UV index on human health. This paper is an exploratory study based on comparison with satellite UV index measurements from the OMI/AURA experiment. Relative UV index differences between ground-based and satellite-derived data ranged from 0 to 45% depending on the site and year. Most of time, these differences appear in winter. Some ground-based stations' data had closer agreement with satellite-derived data. While the ground-based instruments are not intended for long-term trend analysis, they provide UV index information for public awareness instead, with some weak signs suggesting such long-term trends may exist in the ground-based data. The annual cycle, altitude, and latitude effects clearly appear in the UV index data measured in South Africa. This variability must be taken into account for the development of an excess solar UV exposure prevention strategy.

Comparison of Ground-Based and Satellite-Derived Solar UV Index Levels at Six South African Sites

PubMed Central

Cadet, Jean-Maurice; Bencherif, Hassan; Portafaix, Thierry; Lamy, Kévin; Ncongwane, Katlego; Coetzee, Gerrie J. R.; Wright, Caradee Y.

2017-01-01

South Africa has been measuring the ground-based solar UV index for more than two decades at six sites to raise awareness about the impacts of the solar UV index on human health. This paper is an exploratory study based on comparison with satellite UV index measurements from the OMI/AURA experiment. Relative UV index differences between ground-based and satellite-derived data ranged from 0 to 45% depending on the site and year. Most of time, these differences appear in winter. Some ground-based stations’ data had closer agreement with satellite-derived data. While the ground-based instruments are not intended for long-term trend analysis, they provide UV index information for public awareness instead, with some weak signs suggesting such long-term trends may exist in the ground-based data. The annual cycle, altitude, and latitude effects clearly appear in the UV index data measured in South Africa. This variability must be taken into account for the development of an excess solar UV exposure prevention strategy. PMID:29135965

A study of electron density profiles in relation to ionization sources and ground-based radio wave absorption measurements, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gnanalingam, S.; Kane, J. A.

1973-01-01

An extensive set of ground-based measurements of the diurnal variation of medium frequency radio wave adsorption and virtual height is analyzed in terms of current understanding of the D- and lower E-region ion production and loss process. When this is done a gross discrepancy arises, the source of which is not known.

Evaluation of Grounding Impedance of a Complex Lightning Protective System Using Earth Ground Clamp Measurements and ATP Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mata, Carlos T.; Rakov, V. A.; Mata, Angel G.

2010-01-01

A new Lightning Protection System (LPS) was designed and built at Launch Complex 39B (LC39B), at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida, which consists of a catenary wire system (at a height of about 181 meters above ground level) supported by three insulators installed atop three towers in a triangular configuration. A total of nine downconductors (each about 250 meters long, on average) are connected to the catenary wire system. Each of the nine downconductors is connected to a 7.62-meter radius circular counterpoise conductor with six equally spaced 6-meter long vertical grounding rods. Grounding requirements at LC39B call for all underground and above ground metallic piping, enclosures, raceways, and cable trays, within 7.62 meters of the counterpoise, to be bounded to the counterpoise, which results in a complex interconnected grounding system, given the many metallic piping, raceways, and cable trays that run in multiple direction around LC39B. The complexity of this grounding system makes the fall of potential method, which uses multiple metallic rods or stakes, unsuitable for measuring the grounding impedances of the downconductors. To calculate the downconductors grounding impedance, an Earth Ground Clamp (a stakeless grounding resistance measuring device) and a LPS Alternative Transient Program (ATP) model are used. The Earth Ground Clamp is used to measure the loop impedance plus the grounding impedance of each downconductor and the ATP model is used to calculate the loop impedance of each downconductor circuit. The grounding impedance of the downconductors is then calculated by subtracting the ATP calculated loop impedances from the Earth Ground Clamp measurements.

The thermal signature of Aso Volcano during unrest episodes detected from space and ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cigolini, Corrado; Coppola, Diego; Yokoo, Akihiko; Laiolo, Marco

2018-04-01

The thermal signature of Aso Volcano (Nakadake) during unrest episodes has been analyzed by combining the MODIS-MIROVA data set (2000-2017) with high-resolution images (LANDSAT 8 OLI and Sentinel 2) and ground-based thermal observations (2013-2017). The site of major activity (crater 1) is located at the summit of the volcano and is composed by a fumarole field (located in the South Area) and an acidic lake (replaced by a Central Pit during Strombolian phases). The volcanic radiative power (VRP) obtained by nighttime satellite data during the reference period was mainly below 3 MW. This thermal threshold marks the transition from high fumarole activity (HFA) to Strombolian eruptions (SE). However, periods characterized by sporadic phreatic eruptions (PE, eventually bearing phreatomagmatic episodes), which is the prevalent phase during unrest episodes, exhibit very low VRP values, being around 0.5 MW, or below. The statistical analysis of satellite data shows that the transition from HFA to Strombolian activity (which started on August 2014 and ceased in May 2015) occurs when VRP values are above the cited 3 MW threshold. In particular during marked Strombolian phases (November-December 2014), the radiative power was higher than 4 MW, reaching peak values up to 15.6 MW (on December 7, 2014, i.e., 10 days after the major Strombolian explosion of November 27). Conversely, ground-based measurements show that heat fluxes recorded by FLIR T440 Thermo-camera on the fumarole field of the South Area has been relatively stable around 2 MW until February 2015. Their apparent temperatures were fluctuating around 490-575 °C before the major Strombolian explosive event, whereas those recorded at the active vent, named Central Pit, reached their maxima slightly above 600 °C; then both exhibited a decreasing trend in the following days. During the Strombolian activity, the crater lake dried out and was then replenished by early July, 2016. Then, volcanic activity shifted back to

MSFC Skylab ground-based astronomy program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, B. J.

1974-01-01

The Skylab Ground-Based Astronomy Program (SGAP) was conducted to enhance the data base of solar physics obtained during the Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) mission flown in conjunction with the Skylab orbital station. Leading solar physicists from various observatories obtained data from the ground at the same time that orbital data were being acquired by ATM. The acquisition of corollary solar data from the ground simultaneously with the ATM orbital observations helped to provide a broader basis for understanding solar physics by increasing spectral coverage and by the use of additional sophisticated instruments of various types. This report briefly describes the individual tasks and the associated instrumentation selected for this ground-based program and contains as appendices, the final reports from the Principal Investigators.

Ultraviolet radiation modelling from ground-based and satellite measurements on Reunion Island, southern tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamy, Kévin; Portafaix, Thierry; Brogniez, Colette; Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Bencherif, Hassan; Morel, Béatrice; Pazmino, Andrea; Metzger, Jean Marc; Auriol, Frédérique; Deroo, Christine; Duflot, Valentin; Goloub, Philippe; Long, Charles N.

2018-01-01

Surface ultraviolet radiation (SUR) is not an increasing concern after the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and the recovery of the ozone layer (Morgenstern et al., 2008). However, large uncertainties remain in the prediction of future changes of SUR (Bais et al., 2015). Several studies pointed out that UV-B impacts the biosphere (Erickson et al., 2015), especially the aquatic system, which plays a central part in the biogeochemical cycle (Hader et al., 2007). It can affect phytoplankton productivity (Smith and Cullen, 1995). This influence can result in either positive or negative feedback on climate (Zepp et al., 2007). Global circulation model simulations predict an acceleration of the Brewer-Dobson circulation over the next century (Butchart, 2014), which would lead to a decrease in ozone levels in the tropics and an enhancement at higher latitudes (Hegglin and Shepherd, 2009). Reunion Island is located in the tropics (21° S, 55° E), in a part of the world where the amount of ozone in the ozone column is naturally low. In addition, this island is mountainous and the marine atmosphere is often clean with low aerosol concentrations. Thus, measurements show much higher SUR than at other sites at the same latitude or at midlatitudes. Ground-based measurements of SUR have been taken on Reunion Island by a Bentham DTMc300 spectroradiometer since 2009. This instrument is affiliated with the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC). In order to quantify the future evolution of SUR in the tropics, it is necessary to validate a model against present observations. This study is designed to be a preliminary parametric and sensitivity study of SUR modelling in the tropics. We developed a local parameterisation using the Tropospheric Ultraviolet and Visible Model (TUV; Madronich, 1993) and compared the output of TUV to multiple years of Bentham spectral measurements. This comparison started in early 2009 and continued until 2016. Only

Validation of TRMM Precipitation Radar Through Comparison of its Multi-Year Measurements to Ground-Based Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liao, Liang; Meneghini, Robert

2010-01-01

A procedure to accurately resample spaceborne and ground-based radar data is described, and then applied to the measurements taken from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) and the ground-based Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D or WSR) for the validation of the PR measurements and estimates. Through comparisons with the well-calibrated, non-attenuated WSR at Melbourne, Florida for the period 1998-2007, the calibration of the Precipitation Radar (PR) aboard the TRMM satellite is checked using measurements near the storm top. Analysis of the results indicates that the PR, after taking into account differences in radar reflectivity factors between the PR and WSR, has a small positive bias of 0.8 dB relative to the WSR, implying a soundness of the PR calibration in view of the uncertainties involved in the comparisons. Comparisons between the PR and WSR reflectivities are also made near the surface for evaluation of the attenuation-correction procedures used in the PR algorithms. It is found that the PR attenuation is accurately corrected in stratiform rain but is underestimated in convective rain, particularly in heavy rain. Tests of the PR estimates of rainfall rate are conducted through comparisons in the overlap area between the TRMM overpass and WSR scan. Analyses of the data are made both on a conditional basis, in which the instantaneous rain rates are compared only at those pixels where both the PR and WSR detect rain, and an unconditional basis, in which the area-averaged rain rates are estimated independently for the PR and WSR. Results of the conditional rain comparisons show that the PR-derived rain is about 9% greater and 19% less than the WSR estimates for stratiform and convective storms, respectively. Overall, the PR tends to underestimate the conditional mean rain rate by 8% for all rain categories, a finding that conforms to the results of the area-averaged rain (unconditional) comparisons.

Microwave radiometric studies and ground truth measurements of the NASA/USGS Southern California test site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgerton, A. T.; Trexler, D. T.; Sakamoto, S.; Jenkins, J. E.

1969-01-01

The field measurement program conducted at the NASA/USGS Southern California Test Site is discussed. Ground truth data and multifrequency microwave brightness data were acquired by a mobile field laboratory operating in conjunction with airborne instruments. The ground based investigations were performed at a number of locales representing a variety of terrains including open desert, cultivated fields, barren fields, portions of the San Andreas Fault Zone, and the Salton Sea. The measurements acquired ground truth data and microwave brightness data at wavelengths of 0.8 cm, 2.2 cm, and 21 cm.

Testing a ground-based canopy model using the wind river canopy crane

Treesearch

Robert Van Pelt; Malcolm P. North

1999-01-01

A ground-based canopy model that estimates the volume of occupied space in forest canopies was tested using the Wind River Canopy Crane. A total of 126 trees in a 0.25 ha area were measured from the ground and directly from a gondola suspended from the crane. The trees were located in a low elevation, old-growth forest in the southern Washington Cascades. The ground-...

Health utility scores of colorectal cancer based on societal preference in Japan.

PubMed

Shiroiwa, Takeru; Fukuda, Takashi; Tsutani, Kiichiro

2009-10-01

We measured health utility scores of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients from a societal perspective in Japan. Twenty-five states of health were described: four metastatic states without severe adverse events (AEs), 16 metastatic states with Grade 3/4 AEs, four adjuvant states, and one terminal state. A total of 1,500 respondents stratified by age and gender were recruited randomly from the largest Web-panel in Japan. Respondents were allocated randomly to three of the 25 health states and answered questionnaires by standard gamble (SG) and time trade-off (TTO) methods. Although utility scores of metastatic CRC receiving XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.48(SG and TTO) (with stoma) and 0.57(SG) or 0.59(TTO) (without stoma), utility scores of those receiving FOLFOX4 (5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin) chemotherapy were 0.42(SG) or 0.43(TTO) (with stoma) and 0.52(SG) or 0.53(TTO) (without stoma). These differences between XELOX and FOLFOX4 were statistically significant (P = 0.0198 in SG and P = 0.0059 in TTO). Stage 3/4 AEs decreased utility scores to 0.35-0.4 and 0.4-0.45 in the presence and absence of stoma, respectively. XELOX was generally considered a significantly preferable chemotherapy regimen compared to FOLFOX4 for CRC in Japan. Almost all Grade 3/4 AEs and stoma significantly decreased utility scores. These differences are dependent on the accuracy of the health state description and to confirm these results. In future research, it would be preferable that preference-based HRQoL measures are used directly in patients if utility scores are practically measurable by such method.

A Cognitively Grounded Measure of Pronunciation Distance

PubMed Central

Wieling, Martijn; Nerbonne, John; Bloem, Jelke; Gooskens, Charlotte; Heeringa, Wilbert; Baayen, R. Harald

2014-01-01

In this study we develop pronunciation distances based on naive discriminative learning (NDL). Measures of pronunciation distance are used in several subfields of linguistics, including psycholinguistics, dialectology and typology. In contrast to the commonly used Levenshtein algorithm, NDL is grounded in cognitive theory of competitive reinforcement learning and is able to generate asymmetrical pronunciation distances. In a first study, we validated the NDL-based pronunciation distances by comparing them to a large set of native-likeness ratings given by native American English speakers when presented with accented English speech. In a second study, the NDL-based pronunciation distances were validated on the basis of perceptual dialect distances of Norwegian speakers. Results indicated that the NDL-based pronunciation distances matched perceptual distances reasonably well with correlations ranging between 0.7 and 0.8. While the correlations were comparable to those obtained using the Levenshtein distance, the NDL-based approach is more flexible as it is also able to incorporate acoustic information other than sound segments. PMID:24416119

Ground-Based Measurement Experiment and First Results with Geosynchronous-Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer Engineering Demonstration Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Smith, William L.; Bingham, Gail E.; Huppi, Ronald J.; Revercomb, Henry E.; Zollinger, Lori J.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu; Tansock, Joseph J.; Reisse, Robert A.;

Characteristics of hospital-based Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy in Japan.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Takeo; Okuyama, Makiko; Kasahara, Mari; Nakamura, Ayako

2008-04-01

This article explores characteristics of Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy (MSBP) in Japan, a country which provides an egalitarian, low cost, and easy-access health care system. We sent a questionnaire survey to 11 leading doctors in the child abuse field in Japan, each located in different hospital-based sites. Child abuse doctors answered questions regarding the characteristics of MSBP cases for whom they had helped care. Twenty-one MSBP cases (20 families) were reported. Characteristics of the victims included: no differences based on sex, 4.6 years of age on average when MSBP was confirmed, and an average of 1.9 years duration of MSBP abuse. Biological mothers were at least one of the perpetrators in 95% of cases. Among the 12 cases (57%) who remained with their families, 2 victims died. Only 5% of perpetrators had a medical background or relatives who engaged in healthcare work. There are similar features of MSBP cases between Japan and other English-speaking countries, such as the UK or the US. However, perpetrators of MSBP in Japan did not have a medical background. Easier access to hospital resources in Japan may give greater opportunities for perpetrators to obtain medical knowledge from doctors or nurses. The findings suggest that perpetrators of MSBP should not be assumed to possess a medical background in a country which provides universal medical care such as Japan. A contributory factor of MSBP may be the high frequency of medical consultations and equal level of accessibility of medical resources for Japanese citizens. Social welfare services that need to decide on custody for MSBP victims should recognize the relatively high risk of life-threatening danger in their family of origin. Further collaboration between hospital staff including pediatricians, nurses, medical social workers and staff at the social welfare services is needed to protect children from MSBP.

Augmenting WFIRST Microlensing with a Ground-Based Telescope Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Wei; Gould, Andrew

2016-06-01

Augmenting the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) microlensing campaigns with intensive observations from a ground-based network of wide-field survey telescopes would have several major advantages. First, it would enable full two-dimensional (2-D) vector microlens parallax measurements for a substantial fraction of low-mass lenses as well as planetary and binary events that show caustic crossing features. For a significant fraction of the free-floating planet (FFP) events and all caustic-crossing planetary/binary events, these 2-D parallax measurements directly lead to complete solutions (mass, distance, transverse velocity) of the lens object (or lens system). For even more events, the complementary ground-based observations will yield 1-D parallax measurements. Together with the 1-D parallaxes from WFIRST alone, they can probe the entire mass range M > M_Earth. For luminous lenses, such 1-D parallax measurements can be promoted to complete solutions (mass, distance, transverse velocity) by high-resolution imaging. This would provide crucial information not only about the hosts of planets and other lenses, but also enable a much more precise Galactic model. Other benefits of such a survey include improved understanding of binaries (particularly with low mass primaries), and sensitivity to distant ice-giant and gas-giant companions of WFIRST lenses that cannot be detected by WFIRST itself due to its restricted observing windows. Existing ground-based microlensing surveys can be employed if WFIRST is pointed at lower-extinction fields than is currently envisaged. This would come at some cost to the event rate. Therefore the benefits of improved characterization of lenses must be weighed against these costs.

Ground-based assessment of JAXA mouse habitat cage unit by mouse phenotypic studies

PubMed Central

Shimbo, Miki; Kudo, Takashi; Hamada, Michito; Jeon, Hyojung; Imamura, Yuki; Asano, Keigo; Okada, Risa; Tsunakawa, Yuki; Mizuno, Seiya; Yagami, Ken-ichi; Ishikawa, Chihiro; Li, Haiyan; Shiga, Takashi; Ishida, Junji; Hamada, Juri; Murata, Kazuya; Ishimaru, Tomohiro; Hashimoto, Misuzu; Fukamizu, Akiyoshi; Yamane, Mutsumi; Ikawa, Masahito; Morita, Hironobu; Shinohara, Masahiro; Asahara, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Taishin; Akiyama, Nobuko; Sasanuma, Hiroki; Yoshida, Nobuaki; Zhou, Rui; Wang, Ying-Ying; Ito, Taito; Kokubu, Yuko; Noguchi, Taka-aki K.; Ishimine, Hisako; Kurisaki, Akira; Shiba, Dai; Mizuno, Hiroyasu; Shirakawa, Masaki; Ito, Naoki; Takeda, Shin; Takahashi, Satoru

2016-01-01

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency developed the mouse Habitat Cage Unit (HCU) for installation in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) onboard the Japanese Experimental Module (“Kibo”) on the International Space Station. The CBEF provides “space-based controls” by generating artificial gravity in the HCU through a centrifuge, enabling a comparison of the biological consequences of microgravity and artificial gravity of 1 g on mice housed in space. Therefore, prior to the space experiment, a ground-based study to validate the habitability of the HCU is necessary to conduct space experiments using the HCU in the CBEF. Here, we investigated the ground-based effect of a 32-day housing period in the HCU breadboard model on male mice in comparison with the control cage mice. Morphology of skeletal muscle, the thymus, heart, and kidney, and the sperm function showed no critical abnormalities between the control mice and HCU mice. Slight but significant changes caused by the HCU itself were observed, including decreased body weight, increased weights of the thymus and gastrocnemius, reduced thickness of cortical bone of the femur, and several gene expressions from 11 tissues. Results suggest that the HCU provides acceptable conditions for mouse phenotypic analysis using CBEF in space, as long as its characteristic features are considered. Thus, the HCU is a feasible device for future space experiments. PMID:26822934

Ground-based assessment of JAXA mouse habitat cage unit by mouse phenotypic studies.

PubMed

Shimbo, Miki; Kudo, Takashi; Hamada, Michito; Jeon, Hyojung; Imamura, Yuki; Asano, Keigo; Okada, Risa; Tsunakawa, Yuki; Mizuno, Seiya; Yagami, Ken-Ichi; Ishikawa, Chihiro; Li, Haiyan; Shiga, Takashi; Ishida, Junji; Hamada, Juri; Murata, Kazuya; Ishimaru, Tomohiro; Hashimoto, Misuzu; Fukamizu, Akiyoshi; Yamane, Mutsumi; Ikawa, Masahito; Morita, Hironobu; Shinohara, Masahiro; Asahara, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Taishin; Akiyama, Nobuko; Sasanuma, Hiroki; Yoshida, Nobuaki; Zhou, Rui; Wang, Ying-Ying; Ito, Taito; Kokubu, Yuko; Noguchi, Taka-Aki K; Ishimine, Hisako; Kurisaki, Akira; Shiba, Dai; Mizuno, Hiroyasu; Shirakawa, Masaki; Ito, Naoki; Takeda, Shin; Takahashi, Satoru

2016-05-20

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency developed the mouse Habitat Cage Unit (HCU) for installation in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) onboard the Japanese Experimental Module ("Kibo") on the International Space Station. The CBEF provides "space-based controls" by generating artificial gravity in the HCU through a centrifuge, enabling a comparison of the biological consequences of microgravity and artificial gravity of 1 g on mice housed in space. Therefore, prior to the space experiment, a ground-based study to validate the habitability of the HCU is necessary to conduct space experiments using the HCU in the CBEF. Here, we investigated the ground-based effect of a 32-day housing period in the HCU breadboard model on male mice in comparison with the control cage mice. Morphology of skeletal muscle, the thymus, heart, and kidney, and the sperm function showed no critical abnormalities between the control mice and HCU mice. Slight but significant changes caused by the HCU itself were observed, including decreased body weight, increased weights of the thymus and gastrocnemius, reduced thickness of cortical bone of the femur, and several gene expressions from 11 tissues. Results suggest that the HCU provides acceptable conditions for mouse phenotypic analysis using CBEF in space, as long as its characteristic features are considered. Thus, the HCU is a feasible device for future space experiments.

Estimates for Pu-239 loadings in burial ground culverts based on fast/slow neutron measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winn, W.G.; Hochel, R.C.; Hofstetter, K.J.

1989-08-15

This report provides guideline estimates for Pu-239 mass loadings in selected burial ground culverts. The relatively high recorded Pu-239 contents of these culverts have been appraised as suspect relative to criticality concerns, because they were assayed only with the solid waste monitor (SWM) per gamma-ray counting. After 1985, subsequent waste was also assayed with the neutron coincidence counter (NCC), and a comparison of the assay methods showed that the NCC generally yielded higher assays than the SWM. These higher NCC readings signaled a need to conduct non-destructive/non-intrusive nuclear interrogations of these culverts, and a technical team conducted scoping measurements tomore » illustrate potential assay methods based on neutron and/or gamma counting. A fast/slow neutron method has been developed to estimate the Pu-239 in the culverts. In addition, loading records include the SWM assays of all Pu-239 cuts of some of the culvert drums and these data are useful in estimating the corresponding NCC drum assays from NCC vs SWM data. Together, these methods yield predictions based on direct measurements and statistical inference.« less

USB environment measurements based on full-scale static engine ground tests. [Upper Surface Blowing for YC-14

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sussman, M. B.; Harkonen, D. L.; Reed, J. B.

1976-01-01

Flow turning parameters, static pressures, surface temperatures, surface fluctuating pressures and acceleration levels were measured in the environment of a full-scale upper surface blowing (USB) propulsive-lift test configuration. The test components included a flightworthy CF6-50D engine, nacelle and USB flap assembly utilized in conjunction with ground verification testing of the USAF YC-14 Advanced Medium STOL Transport propulsion system. Results, based on a preliminary analysis of the data, generally show reasonable agreement with predicted levels based on model data. However, additional detailed analysis is required to confirm the preliminary evaluation, to help delineate certain discrepancies with model data and to establish a basis for future flight test comparisons.

Possible Short-Term Precursors of Strong Crustal Earthquakes in Japan based on Data from the Ground Stations of Vertical Ionospheric Sounding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korsunova, L. P.; Khegai, V. V.

2018-01-01

We have studied changes in the ionosphere prior to strong crustal earthquakes with magnitudes of M ≥ 6.5 based on the data from the ground-based stations of vertical ionospheric sounding Kokobunji, Akita, and Wakkanai for the period 1968-2004. The data are analyzed based on hourly measurements of the virtual height and frequency parameters of the sporadic E layer and critical frequency of the regular F2 layer over the course of three days prior to the earthquakes. In the studied intervals of time before all earthquakes, anomalous changes were discovered both in the frequency parameters of the Es and F2 ionospheric layers and in the virtual height of the sporadic E layer; the changes were observed on the same day at stations spaced apart by several hundred kilometers. A high degree of correlation is found between the lead-time of these ionospheric anomalies preceding the seismic impact and the magnitude of the subsequent earthquakes. It is concluded that such ionospheric disturbances can be short-term ionospheric precursors of earthquakes.

A Ground-Based Profiling Differential Absorption LIDAR System for Measuring CO2 in the Planetary Boundary Layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Andrews, Arlyn E.; Burris, John F.; Abshire, James B.; Krainak, Michael A.; Riris, Haris; Sun, Xiao-Li; Collatz, G. James

2002-01-01

Ground-based LIDAR observations can potentially provide continuous profiles of CO2 through the planetary boundary layer and into the free troposphere. We will present initial atmospheric measurements from a prototype system that is based on components developed by the telecommunications industry. Preliminary measurements and instrument performance calculations indicate that an optimized differential absorption LIDAR (DIAL) system will be capable of providing continuous hourly averaged profiles with 250m vertical resolution and better than 1 ppm precision at 1 km. Precision increases (decreases) at lower (higher) altitudes and is directly proportional to altitude resolution and acquisition time. Thus, precision can be improved if temporal or vertical resolution is sacrificed. Our approach measures absorption by CO2 of pulsed laser light at 1.6 microns backscattered from atmospheric aerosols. Aerosol concentrations in the planetary boundary layer are relatively high and are expected to provide adequate signal returns for the desired resolution. The long-term goal of the project is to develop a rugged, autonomous system using only commercially available components that can be replicated inexpensively for deployment in a monitoring network.

Laser based bi-directional Gbit ground links with the Tesat transportable adaptive optical ground station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heine, Frank; Saucke, Karen; Troendle, Daniel; Motzigemba, Matthias; Bischl, Hermann; Elser, Dominique; Marquardt, Christoph; Henninger, Hennes; Meyer, Rolf; Richter, Ines; Sodnik, Zoran

2017-02-01

Optical ground stations can be an alternative to radio frequency based transmit (forward) and receive (return) systems for data relay services and other applications including direct to earth optical communications from low earth orbit spacecrafts, deep space receivers, space based quantum key distribution systems and Tbps capacity feeder links to geostationary spacecrafts. The Tesat Transportable Adaptive Optical Ground Station is operational since September 2015 at the European Space Agency site in Tenerife, Spain.. This paper reports about the results of the 2016 experimental campaigns including the characterization of the optical channel from Tenerife for an optimized coding scheme, the performance of the T-AOGS under different atmospheric conditions and the first successful measurements of the suitability of the Alphasat LCT optical downlink performance for future continuous variable quantum key distribution systems.

Comparing Aerosol Retrievals from Ground-Based Instruments at the Impact-Pm Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupinski, M.; Bradley, C. L.; Kalashnikova, O. V.; Xu, F.; Diner, D. J.; Clements, C. B.; Camacho, C.

2016-12-01

Detection of aerosol types, components having different size and chemical composition, over urban areas is important for understanding their impact on health and climate. In particular, sustained contact with size-differentiated airborne particulate matter: PM10 and PM2.5 can lead to adverse health effects such as asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, and premature mortality. Multi-angular polarimetric measurements have been advocated in recent years as an additional tool to better understand and retrieve the aerosol properties needed for improved predictions of aerosol impart on air quality and climate. We deployed the ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI) for accurate spectropolarimetric and radiance measurements co-located with the AERONET CIMEL sun photometer and a Halo Doppler 18 m resolution lidar from San José State University at the Garland-Fresno Air Quality supersite in Fresno, CA on July 7 during the Imaging Polarimetric Assessment and Characterization of Tropospheric Particulate Matter (ImPACT-PM) field experiment. GroundMSPI sampled the atmospheric scattering phase function in and 90 degrees out of the principal plane every 15 minutes in an automated manner, utilizing the 2-axis gimbal mount in elevation and azimuth. The goal of this work is verify atmospheric measurement of GroundMSPI with the coincident CIMEL sun photometer and ground-based lidar. Diffuse-sky radiance measurements of GroundMSPI are compared with the CIMEL sun photometer throughout the day. AERONET aerosol parameters such as size, shape, and index of refraction as well as lidar aerosol extinction profiles will be used in a forward radiative transfer model to compare with GroundMSPI observations and optimize these parameters to best match GroundMSPI data.

Exposure Measurements in Japan Environment and Children's Study.

PubMed

Nakayama, Shoji

2016-01-01

The Japan Ministry of the Environment is conducting a large-scale birth cohort study called the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS), which involves 100000 mother-child pairs. Mothers are enrolled during pregnancy, and their children are followed up and studied until they reach the age of 13 years. The JECS started recruiting mothers in January 2011 and completed the registration of more than 103000 mothers in March 2014. The National Institute for Environmental Studies takes the lead in the study programming and implementation in cooperation with the National Centre for Child Health and Development and 15 Regional Centres that reach out to the study participants. In the study, the effects of environmental factors on children's health and development are investigated. The environment in this study is defined not only as air, soil, water, and indoor environments but also as various chemical substances, physical conditions, socioeconomic factors, psychological conditions, lifestyles and community situations. Mothers' and children's exposures to these environmental factors are measured through chemical analyses of biospecimens collected during pregnancy and after birth, questionnaires and computer modelling. The homes of the randomly selected participants (5000) are visited to measure the concentrations of volatile organic compounds, nitrogen and sulphuric oxides and particulate matter. Vacuum dust samples are also collected for chemical analysis. All these data will be combined with the information collected by the dwelling unit observation to assess the exposure of children aged 1.5 and 3 years.

Basement structure based on gravity anomaly in the northern Noto peninsula, Central Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mizubayashi, T.; Sawada, A.; Hamada, M.; Hiramatsu, Y.; Honda, R.

2012-12-01

Upper crustal block structures are usually defined by using surface information, such as geological and morphological data. The northern Noto Peninsula, central Japan, is divided into four geological block structures from tectonic geomorphologic perspectives (Ota and Hirakawa, 1979). This division is based on the surface crustal movement. To image the geological blocks three-dimensionally, it is necessary to construct a subsurface structure model. Gravity survey can clarify the detailed subsurface structure with dense gravity measurement. From the detailed Bouguer anomalies in the northwestern Noto Peninsula, Honda et al. (2008) suggested that the rupture size of the 2007 Noto Hanto earthquake was constrained by the geological block structures. Hiramatsu et al. (2008) also suggested the active faults on the seafloor, such as the source fault of the 2007 Noto Hanto earthquake plays a major role for the formation of the geological block structures. In this study, we analyze subsurface density structure based on the Bouguer anomaly and estimate the distribution of basement depth in the northern Noto Peninsula. We focus the relationship among the basement depth, the block structures and the active faults on the seafloor and discuss the block movement in the northern Noto Peninsula. We compiled the data measured and published previously (Gravity Database of Southwest Japan, 2001; Geological survey of Japan, 2004; Geographical survey institute of Japan, 2006; The Gravity Research Group in Southwest Japan, 2001; Komazawa and Okuma, 2010; Hokuriku electric power Co. Ltd., undisclosed) and calculated Bouguer anomaly in the northern Noto Peninsula. Based on this Bouguer anomaly, we analyzed subsurface density structures along 13 northeastern-southwestern profiles and 35 northwestern-southeastern profiles with the interval of 2 km using the two dimensional Talwani's method (Talwani et al., 1959). In the analysis, we assumed a density structure with four layers: basement

Challenges in Complementing Data from Ground-Based Sensors with Satellite-Derived Products to Measure Ecological Changes in Relation to Climate—Lessons from Temperate Wetland-Upland Landscapes

PubMed Central

Sadinski, Walt; Senay, Gabriel B.

2018-01-01

Assessing climate-related ecological changes across spatiotemporal scales meaningful to resource managers is challenging because no one method reliably produces essential data at both fine and broad scales. We recently confronted such challenges while integrating data from ground- and satellite-based sensors for an assessment of four wetland-rich study areas in the U.S. Midwest. We examined relations between temperature and precipitation and a set of variables measured on the ground at individual wetlands and another set measured via satellite sensors within surrounding 4 km2 landscape blocks. At the block scale, we used evapotranspiration and vegetation greenness as remotely sensed proxies for water availability and to estimate seasonal photosynthetic activity. We used sensors on the ground to coincidentally measure surface-water availability and amphibian calling activity at individual wetlands within blocks. Responses of landscape blocks generally paralleled changes in conditions measured on the ground, but the latter were more dynamic, and changes in ecological conditions on the ground that were critical for biota were not always apparent in measurements of related parameters in blocks. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of decisions and assumptions we made in applying the remotely sensed data for the assessment and the value of integrating observations across scales, sensors, and disciplines. PMID:29547531

Soil water content and evaporation determined by thermal parameters obtained from ground-based and remote measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reginato, R. J.; Idso, S. B.; Jackson, R. D.; Vedder, J. F.; Blanchard, M. B.; Goettelman, R.

1976-01-01

Soil water contents from both smooth and rough bare soil were estimated from remotely sensed surface soil and air temperatures. An inverse relationship between two thermal parameters and gravimetric soil water content was found for Avondale loam when its water content was between air-dry and field capacity. These parameters, daily maximum minus minimum surface soil temperature and daily maximum soil minus air temperature, appear to describe the relationship reasonably well. These two parameters also describe relative soil water evaporation (actual/potential). Surface soil temperatures showed good agreement among three measurement techniques: in situ thermocouples, a ground-based infrared radiation thermometer, and the thermal infrared band of an airborne multispectral scanner.

Spectral invariance hypothesis study of polarized reflectance with Ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, Christine L.; Kupinski, Meredith; Diner, David J.; Xu, Feng; Chipman, Russell A.

2015-09-01

Many models used to represent the boundary condition for the separation of atmospheric scattering from the surface reflectance in polarized remote sensing measurements assume that the polarized surface reflectance is spectrally neutral. The Spectral Invariance Hypothesis asserts that the magnitude and shape of the polarized bidirectional reflectance factor (pBRF) is equal for all wavelengths. In order to test this hypothesis, JPL's Ground-based Multiangle SpectroPolarimetric Imager (GroundMSPI) is used to measure polarization information of different outdoor surface types. GroundMSPI measures the linear polarization Stokes parameters (I, Q, U), at three wavelengths, 470 nm, 660 nm, and 865 nm. The camera is mounted on a two-axis gimbal to accurately select the view azimuth and elevation directions. On clear sky days we acquired day-long scans of scenes that contain various surface types such as grass, dirt, cement, brick, and asphalt and placed a Spectralon panel in the camera field of view to provide a reflectance reference. Over the course of each day, changing solar position in the sky provides a large range of scattering angles for this study. The polarized bidirectional reflectance factor (pBRF) is measured for the three wavelengths and the best fit slope of the spectral correlation is reported. This work reports the range of best fit slopes measured for five region types.

Radiative Energetics of Mineral Dust Aerosols from Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Hansell, Richard A.

2011-01-01

Airborne dust aerosols worldwide contribute a significant part to air quality problems and, to some extent, regional climatic issues (e.g., radiative forcing, hydrological cycle, and primary biological productivity in oceans). Evaluating the direct solar radiative effect of dust aerosols is relatively straightforward due in part to the relatively large SIN ratio in broadband irradiance measurements. The longwave (LW) impact, on the other hand, is rather difficult to ascertain since the measured dust signal level (approx.10 W/sq m) is on the same order as the instrumental uncertainties. Although the magnitude of the LW impact is much smaller than that of the shortwave (SW), it can still have a noticeable influence on the energy distribution of Earth-atmosphere system, particularly due to the strong light-absorptive properties commonly found in many terrestrial minerals. The current effort is part of an ongoing research study to perform a global assessment of dust direct aerosol radiative effects (DARE) during major field deployments of key dust source regions worldwide. In this work we present results stemming from two previous field deployments: the 2006 NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Activities and the 2008 Asian Monsoon Years, both utilizing NASA Goddard's mobile ground-based facility. The former study focused on transported Saharan dust at Sal (16.73degN, 22.93degW), Cape Verde along the west coast of Africa while the latter focused on Asian dust at Zhangye (39.082degN, 100.276degE), China near the source between the Taklimakan and Gobi deserts. Due to the compelling variability in spatial and temporal scale of dust properties during field experiments, a deterministic I-D radiative transfer model constrained by local measurements (i.e., spectral photometry/interferometry and lidar for physical/microphysical, mineralogy, and single-scattering properties) is employed to evaluate dust's local instantaneous SW/LW DARE both at the surface and at the top of

[Requirement of standardizing anti-HBs assay methods in Japan for HBV infection-preventing strategy--discrepancy of anti-HBs measurements among three different kits widely used in Japan].

PubMed

Ogata, Norio

2006-09-01

The strategy to eliminate hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection by administrating an HB vaccine is changing worldwide; however, this is not the case in Japan. An important concern about the HBV infection-preventing strategy in Japan may be that the assay methods for the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) are not standardized. The minimum protective anti-HBs titer against HBV infection has been established as 10 mIU/ml by World Health Organization (WHO) -standardized assay methods worldwide, but that is still determined as a "positive" test result by the passive hemagglutination (PHA) method in Japan. We compared anti-HBs measurements in given samples among PHA(Mycell II, Institute of Immunology), chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) (Lumipulse, Fujirebio), and chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) (Architect, Abbott), all of which are currently in wide use in Japan. First, anti-HBs measurements in serum from individuals who received a yeast-derived recombinant HB vaccine composed of the major surface protein of either subtype adr or subtype ayw were compared. The results clearly showed that in subtype adr-vaccinees CLIA underestimated the anti-HBs amount compared with CLEIA and PHA, but in ayw-vaccinees, the discordance in the measurements among the three kits was not prominent. Second, anti-HBs measurements in standard or calibration solutions of each assay kit were compared. Surprisingly, CLEIA showed higher measurements in all three kit-associated standard or calibration solutions than CLIA. Thus, the anti-HBs titer of 10 mIU/ml is difficult to introduce in Japan as the minimum protective level against HBV infection. Efforts to standardize anti-HBs assay methods are expected to share international evidence about the HBV infection-preventing strategy.

Hyperspectral Observations of Land Surfaces Using Ground-based, Airborne, and Satellite Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knuteson, R. O.; Best, F. A.; Revercomb, H. E.; Tobin, D. C.

2006-12-01

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Space Science and Engineering Center (UW-SSEC) has helped pioneer the use of high spectral resolution infrared spectrometers for application to atmospheric and surface remote sensing. This paper is focused on observations of land surface infrared emission from high spectral resolution measurements collected over the past 15 years using airborne, ground-based, and satellite platforms. The earliest data was collected by the High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS), an instrument designed in the 1980s for operation on the NASA ER-2 high altitude aircraft. The HIS was replaced in the late 1990s by the Scanning-HIS instrument which has flown on the NASA ER-2, WB-57, DC-8, and Scaled Composites Proteus aircraft and continues to support field campaigns, such as those for EOS Terra, Aqua, and Aura validation. Since 1995 the UW-SSEC has fielded a ground-based Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) in a research vehicle (the AERIBAGO) which has allowed for direct field measurements of land surface emission from a height of about 16 ft above the ground. Several ground-based and aircraft campaigns were conducted to survey the region surrounding the ARM Southern Great Plains site in north central Oklahoma. The ground- based AERIBAGO has also participated in surface emissivity campaigns in the Western U.S.. Since 2002, the NASA Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) has provided similar measurements from the Aqua platform in an afternoon sun-synchronous polar orbit. Ground-based and airborne observations are being used to validate the land surface products derived from the AIRS observations. These cal/val activities are in preparation for similar measurements anticipated from the operational Cross-track InfraRed Sounder (CrIS) on the NPOESS Preparatory Platform (NPP), expected to be launched in 2008. Moreover, high spectral infrared observations will soon be made by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer (IASI) on the

Aerosol Absorption in the Atmosphere: Perspectives from Global Model, Ground-Based Measurements, and Field Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent; Torres, Omar; Anderson, Tad; Quinn, Patricia; Ginoux, Paul

2004-01-01

Aerosol absorption in the atmosphere poses a major uncertainty in assessing the aerosol climate effects. This uncertainty arises from the poorly quantified aerosol sources, especially black carbon emissions, and our limited knowledge of aerosol mixing state and optical properties. Here we use a global model GOCART to simulate atmospheric aerosols, including sulfate, black carbon, organic carbon, dust, and sea salt. We compare the model calculated total aerosol optical thickness, extinction, and absorption with those quantities from the ground-based sun photometer measurements from AERONET, satellite retrievals from the TOMS instrument, and field observations from ACE-Asia. We will examine the most sensitive factors in determining the aerosol absorption. and the consequences of assessing the aerosol radiative forcing and atmospheric heating associated with those factors.

Aerosol Absorption in the Atmosphere: Perspectives from Global Model, Ground-Based Measurements, and Field Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Mian; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent; Anderson, Tad; Quinn, Patricia; Duncan, Bryan; Ginoux, Paul

2003-01-01

Aerosol absorption in the atmosphere poses a major uncertainty in assessing the aerosol climate effects. This uncertainty arises from the poorly quantified aerosol sources, especially black carbon emissions, and our limited knowledge of aerosol mixing state and optical properties. Here we use a global model GOCART to simulate atmospheric aerosols, including sulfate, black carbon, organic carbon, dust, and sea salt. We compare the model calculated total aerosol optical thickness, extinction, and absorption with those quantities from the ground-based sun photometer measurements from AERONET at several different wavelengths and the field observations from ACE-Asia. We will examine what are the most sensitive factors in determining the aerosol absorption, and the consequences of assessing the aerosol radiative forcing and atmospheric heating associated with those factors.

Aerosol Absorption in the Atmosphere: Perspectives from Global Model, Ground-Based Measurements, and Field Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chin, Main; Dubovik, Oleg; Holben, Brent; Anderson, Tad; Quinn, Patricia; Duncan, Bryan; Ginoux, Paul

2004-01-01

Aerosol absorption in the atmosphere poses a major uncertainty in assessing the aerosol climate effects. This uncertainty arises from the poorly quantified aerosol sources, especially black carbon emissions, and our limited knowledge of aerosol mixing state and optical properties. Here we use a global model GOCART to simulate atmospheric aerosols, including sulfate, black carbon, organic carbon, dust, and sea salt. We compare the model calculated total aerosol optical thickness, extinction, and absorption with those quantities from the ground-based sun photometer measurements from AERONET at several different wavelengths and the field observations from ACE-Asia. We will examine the most sensitive factors in determining the aerosol absorption, and the consequences of assessing the aerosol radiative forcing and atmospheric heating associated with those factors.

Ground and Space-Based Measurement of Rocket Engine Burns in the Ionosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernhardt, P. A.; Ballenthin, J. O.; Baumgardner, J. L.; Bhatt, A.; Boyd, I. D.; Burt, J. M.; Caton, R. G.; Coster, A.; Erickson, P. J.; Huba, J. D.;

Ground-Based Aerosol Measurements

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) is a complex chemical mixture of liquid and solid particles suspended in air (Seinfeld and Pandis 2016). Measurements of this complex mixture form the basis of our knowledge regarding particle formation, source-receptor relationships, data to ...

Estimation of gross primary production and light use efficiency by the tower-based sun-induced fluorescence measurement in the Japanese evergreen coniferous forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimoto, K.; Kato, T.; Hirano, T.; Saitoh, T. M.; Nagai, S.; Akitsu, T.; Nasahara, K. N.

2015-12-01

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is emitted from chlorophyll a and b to release the excess sun-light energy. Recently, ChlF has been utilized to represent the ecosystem photosynthetic activity, i.e. gross primary production (GPP), by the satellite remote-sensing studies (e.g. Frankenberg et al., 2011). Despite its high expectation, small number of ecosystem-level ChlF observation at the ground reduces its availability. The aim of this study is to clarify the relationships between ChlF, and photosynthesis and light use efficiency (LUE) by the ground based measurement in the forest. The observations were carried out in the evergreen coniferous forest in Takayama, Japan, from March 2008 to February 2009. Downward and upward spectral radiances were measured with hemispherical spectroradiometer (MS-700, Eko Instruments, Japan) mounted at 30m-high above the ground surface. We calculated Sun-Induced fluorescence (FS) around the O2-A band (760 nm) from the spectral data with the Fraunhofer Line Depth method. The GPP was calculated from the carbon fluxes measured with eddy covariance at the top of the tower. FS showed the strong correlation to GPP linearly in the diurnal course (sunny day (8 August, 2008): r2 = 0.81, cloudy day (28 July, 2008): r2 = 0.87). In addition, GPP was fitted against FS by rectangular hyperbolic curve. (r2 = 0.87 (daily)). We also investigated the relationship between FS and LUE in daily averages. The FS-LUE relationship could be regressed by logarithm curve for each month (r2 = 0.46 ˜0.95). The seasonal changes in the regression coefficients for FS-GPP and FS-LUE curves were thought to be induced by the seasonal variation in the temperature-dependency of photosynthesis and the phenology. We conclude that FS can be utilized to estimate GPP and LUE in evergreen forest, and that relationship between FS and GPP is influenced by environmental factors such as PAR and air temperature.Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is emitted from chlorophyll a and b to

Atomic oxygen interaction with spacecraft materials: Relationship between orbital and ground-based testing for materials certification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Jon B.; Koontz, Steven L.; Lan, Esther H.

1993-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN), silicon nitride (Si3N4), Intelsat 6 solar cell interconnects, organic polymers, and MoS2 and WS2 dry lubricant, were studied in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) flight experiments and in a ground based simulation facility. Both the inflight and ground based experiments employed in situ electrical resistance measurements to detect penetration of atomic oxygen through materials and Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA) analysis to measure chemical composition changes. Results are given. The ground based results on the materials studied to date show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, thus validating the simulation fidelity of the ground based facility in terms of reproducing LEO flight results. In addition it was demonstrated that ground based simulation is capable of performing more detailed experiments than orbital exposures can presently perform. This allows the development of a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms involved in the LEO environment degradation of materials.

Current Status of Doping in Japan Based on Japan Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panels of the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA): A Suggestion on Anti-Doping Activities by Pharmacists in Japan.

PubMed

Imanishi, Takashi; Kawabata, Takayoshi; Takayama, Akira

2017-01-01

In 2009, the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) established the "Sports Pharmacist Accreditation Program" to prevent doping in sports. Since then, anti-doping activities in Japan have been attracting attention. In this study, we investigated research about the current status of doping from 2007 to 2014 in Japan to make anti-doping activities more concrete, and we also discussed future anti-doping activities by pharmacists. In Japan, bodybuilding was the sporting event with the highest number and rate of doping from 2007 to 2014. Many of the positive doping cases were detected for class S1 (anabolic agents), S5 (diuretics and masking agents), and S6 (stimulants). Within class S1, supplements were the main cause of positive doping. Within class S5, medicines prescribed by medical doctors were the main cause of positive doping. Within class S6, non-prescription medicines (e.g., OTC) were the main cause of positive doping. When we looked at the global statistics on doping, many of the positive doping cases were detected for class S1. On comparing the Japanese statistics with the global statistics, the rate of positive doping caused by class S1 was significantly lower, but that caused by classes S5 and S6 was significantly higher in Japan than in the world. In conclusion, pharmacists in Japan should pay attention to class S1, S5, and S6 prohibited substances and to the sport events of bodybuilding. Based on this study, sports pharmacists as well as common pharmacists should suggest new anti-doping activities to prevent doping in the future.

Cancer incidence and incidence rates in Japan in 2009: a study of 32 population-based cancer registries for the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project.

PubMed

Hori, Megumi; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Shibata, Akiko; Katanoda, Kota; Sobue, Tomotaka; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

2015-09-01

The Japan Cancer Surveillance Research Group aimed to estimate the cancer incidence in Japan in 2009 based on data collected from 32 of 37 population-based cancer registries, as part of the Monitoring of Cancer Incidence in Japan (MCIJ) project. The incidence of only primary invasive cancer in Japan for 2009 was estimated to be 775 601. Stomach cancer and breast cancer were the leading types of cancer in males and females, respectively. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Comparison of Aircraft and Ground-Based Measurements at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, During GTE PEM-West and MLOPEX 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atlas, E.; Ridley, B.; Walega, J.; Greenberg, J.; Kok, G.; Staffelbach, T.; Schauffler, S.; Lind, J.; Huebler, G.; Norton, R.

1996-01-01

During October 19-20, 1991, one flight of the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Pacific Exploratory Mission (PEM-West A) mission was conducted near Hawaii as an intercomparison with ground-based measurements of the Mauna Loa Observatory Photochemistry Experiment (MLOPEX 2) and the NOAA Climate Modeling and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL). Ozone, reactive nitrogen species, peroxides, hydrocarbons, and halogenated hydrocarbons were measured by investigators aboard the DC-8 aircraft and at the ground site. Lidar cross sections of ozone revealed a complex air mass structure near the island of Hawaii which was evidenced by large variation in some trace gas mixing ratios. This variation limited the time and spatial scales for direct measurement intercomparisons. Where differences occurred between measurements in the same air masses, the intercomparison suggested that biases for some trace gases was due to different calibration scales or, in some cases, instrumental or sampling biases. Relatively large uncertainties were associated with those trace gases present in the low parts per trillion by volume range. Trace gas correlations were used to expand the scope of the intercomparison to identify consistent trends between the different data sets.

LIF-instrument for Airborne and Ground-Based Measurement of OH and HO2 Radicals in the Troposphere.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Broch, Sebastian; Bachner, Mathias; Dahlhoff, Knut; Holland, Frank; Hofzumahaus, Andreas; Jansen, Peter; Meier, Andreas; Raak, Dominik; Wolters, Jörg; Wahner, Andreas

2010-05-01

The radicals OH and HO2 (also named HOx) play an important role in the chemical degradation and transformation of most trace gases in the troposphere. The rate of these processes depends strongly on the magnitude of the radical concentrations. Due to their high reactivity, their concentrations are very low (sub pptv and pptv range) and exhibit a strong regional variability. Therefore exact measurement of HOx in different regions and at different altitudes in the troposphere are very important for the understanding and modelling of the self cleaning ability of the atmosphere. Here, we present the technical concept and results of laboratory test measurements of a new, mobile instrument for measurement of OH and HO2 radicals based on the proven laser induced fluorescence (LIF) technique (Holland et al., 1995, 2003; Schlosser et al., 2007, 2009). The instrument is planned to be used for ground-based field measurements, for airborne application on a Zeppelin (h = 0-2 km) and on the new German research aircraft HALO (Gulfstream V, h = 0-15 km). The setup of the new instrument is modular to allow different configurations for different applications and all components are newly designed to reduce weight, size and power requirement. For the implementation on HALO completely new air-inlet systems for OH and HO2 were developed at Forschungszentrum Jülich. The OH inlet is based on the shrouded-inlet design by Eisele et al. (1997). The design has been modified to reduce size and weight, and cope with the flight conditions and certification requirements of HALO. These are different than those for the original design, like higher speed, greater ceiling height and strength against bird strike. Compared to our ground-based measurement system, the aircraft inlet requires long inlet tubes which modify the detection sensitivity and possible interferences. Since the sensitivity of our instrument depends on ambient pressure, the OH inlet system is equipped with a calibration system

Characterizing GEO Titan IIIC Transtage Fragmentations using Ground-Based and Telescopic Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowardin, Heather; Anz-Meador, Phillip; Reyes, Jacqueline A.

2017-01-01

In a continued effort to better characterize the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) environment, NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes various ground-based optical assets to acquire photometric and spectral data of known debris associated with fragmentations in or near GEO. The Titan IIIC Transtage upper stage is known to have fragmented four times. Two of the four fragmentations were in GEO while the Transtage fragmented a third time in GEO transfer orbit. The forth fragmentation occurred in low Earth orbit. To better assess and characterize these fragmentations, the NASA ODPO acquired a Titan Transtage test and display article previously in the custody of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona. After initial inspections at AMARG demonstrated that it was of sufficient fidelity to be of interest, the test article was brought to NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to continue material analysis and historical documentation. The Transtage has undergone two separate spectral measurement campaigns to characterize the reflectance spectroscopy of historical aerospace materials. These data have been incorporated into the NASA Spectral Database, with the goal of using telescopic data comparisons for potential material identification. A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system scan also has been completed and a scale model has been created for use in the Optical Measurement Center (OMC) for photometric analysis of an intact Transtage, including bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements. An historical overview of the Titan IIIC Transtage, the current analysis that has been done to date, and the future work to be completed in support of characterizing the GEO and near GEO orbital debris environment will be discussed in the subsequent presentation.

Characterizing GEO Titan IIIC Transtage Fragmentations Using Ground-based and Telescopic Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowardin, H.; Anz-Meador, P.; Reyes, J. A.

In a continued effort to better characterize the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) environment, NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes various ground-based optical assets to acquire photometric and spectral data of known debris associated with fragmentations in or near GEO. The Titan IIIC Transtage upper stage is known to have fragmented four times. Two of the four fragmentations were in GEO while the Transtage fragmented a third time in GEO transfer orbit. The forth fragmentation occurred in low Earth orbit. To better assess and characterize these fragmentations, the NASA ODPO acquired a Titan Transtage test and display article previously in the custody of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona. After initial inspections at AMARG demonstrated that it was of sufficient fidelity to be of interest, the test article was brought to NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to continue material analysis and historical documentation. The Transtage has undergone two separate spectral measurement campaigns to characterize the reflectance spectroscopy of historical aerospace materials. These data have been incorporated into the NASA Spectral Database, with the goal of using telescopic data comparisons for potential material identification. A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system scan also has been completed and a scale model has been created for use in the Optical Measurement Center (OMC) for photometric analysis of an intact Transtage, including bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements. An historical overview of the Titan IIIC Transtage, the current analysis that has been done to date, and the future work to be completed in support of characterizing the GEO and near GEO orbital debris environment will be discussed in the subsequent presentation.

Aerosol Remote Sensing from AERONET, the Ground-Based Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holben, Brent N.

2012-01-01

Atmospheric particles including mineral dust, biomass burning smoke, pollution from carbonaceous aerosols and sulfates, sea salt, impact air quality and climate. The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) program, established in the early 1990s, is a federation of ground-based remote sensing aerosol networks of Sun/sky radiometers distributed around the world, which provides a long-term, continuous and readily accessible public domain database of aerosol optical (e.g., aerosol optical depth) and microphysical (e.g., aerosol volume size distribution) properties for aerosol characterization, validation of satellite retrievals, and synergism with Earth science databases. Climatological aerosol properties will be presented at key worldwide locations exhibiting discrete dominant aerosol types. Further, AERONET's temporary mesoscale network campaign (e.g., UAE2, TIGERZ, DRAGON-USA.) results that attempt to quantify spatial and temporal variability of aerosol properties, establish validation of ground-based aerosol retrievals using aircraft profile measurements, and measure aerosol properties on compatible spatial scales with satellite retrievals and aerosol transport models allowing for more robust validation will be discussed.

Figure-ground organization in real and subjective contours: a new ambiguous figure, some novel measures of ambiguity, and apparent distance across regions of figure and ground.

PubMed

Shank, M D; Walker, J T

1989-08-01

This study was designed to assess the effects of organization, luminance contrast, sector angle, and orientation on a new, highly ambiguous Cs-keyhole figure. Organization and contrast were the most important factors, and sector angle also influenced figure-ground relationships. There was no significant effect of orientation, nor was there any significant interaction between any of the factors. Several new measures of figure-ground organization were developed, such as ambiguity ratios based on reaction times and on ratings of the strength of perceived organizations, providing new quantitative measures of figure-ground relationships. Distances measured across figural regions appeared smaller than equal distances across the ground in the new reversible figure, and also in Rubin's classic vase-face figure presented in real and subjective contours. Inducing a perceptual set to see a particular organization in a reversible figure influenced the apparent distance across that organization. Several possible explanations of the observed effects are considered: (1) an instance of Emmert's law, based on the difference in apparent depth of figure and ground; (2) an aspect of the Müller-Lyer illusion; (3) a feature-detector model of contour attraction; (4) a natural set or predisposition to see a figure as smaller; and (5) framing effects. The first two explanations appear the most promising.

Defect measurement and analysis of JPL ground software: a case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, John D.; Spagnuolo, John N., Jr.

2004-01-01

Ground software systems at JPL must meet high assurance standards while remaining on schedule due to relatively immovable launch dates for spacecraft that will be controlled by such systems. Toward this end, the Software Quality Improvement (SQI) project's Measurement and Benchmarking (M&B) team is collecting and analyzing defect data of JPL ground system software projects to build software defect prediction models. The aim of these models is to improve predictability with regard to software quality activities. Predictive models will quantitatively define typical trends for JPL ground systems as well as Critical Discriminators (CDs) to provide explanations for atypical deviations from the norm at JPL. CDs are software characteristics that can be estimated or foreseen early in a software project's planning. Thus, these CDs will assist in planning for the predicted degree to which software quality activities for a project are likely to deviation from the normal JPL ground system based on pasted experience across the lab.

Assessment of surface solar irradiance derived from real-time modelling techniques and verification with ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmopoulos, Panagiotis G.; Kazadzis, Stelios; Taylor, Michael; Raptis, Panagiotis I.; Keramitsoglou, Iphigenia; Kiranoudis, Chris; Bais, Alkiviadis F.

2018-02-01

This study focuses on the assessment of surface solar radiation (SSR) based on operational neural network (NN) and multi-regression function (MRF) modelling techniques that produce instantaneous (in less than 1 min) outputs. Using real-time cloud and aerosol optical properties inputs from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) on board the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite and the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), respectively, these models are capable of calculating SSR in high resolution (1 nm, 0.05°, 15 min) that can be used for spectrally integrated irradiance maps, databases and various applications related to energy exploitation. The real-time models are validated against ground-based measurements of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) in a temporal range varying from 15 min to monthly means, while a sensitivity analysis of the cloud and aerosol effects on SSR is performed to ensure reliability under different sky and climatological conditions. The simulated outputs, compared to their common training dataset created by the radiative transfer model (RTM) libRadtran, showed median error values in the range -15 to 15 % for the NN that produces spectral irradiances (NNS), 5-6 % underestimation for the integrated NN and close to zero errors for the MRF technique. The verification against BSRN revealed that the real-time calculation uncertainty ranges from -100 to 40 and -20 to 20 W m-2, for the 15 min and monthly mean global horizontal irradiance (GHI) averages, respectively, while the accuracy of the input parameters, in terms of aerosol and cloud optical thickness (AOD and COT), and their impact on GHI, was of the order of 10 % as compared to the ground-based measurements. The proposed system aims to be utilized through studies and real-time applications which are related to solar energy production planning and use.

Analysis of Ground Penetrating Radar’s Capability for Detecting Underground Cavities: A Case Study in Japan Cave of Taman Hutan Raya, Bandung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azimmah, Azizatun; Widodo

2017-04-01

Underground cavities or voids detection is essential especially when it comes to building construction. By knowing the presence of void lying underground, one could consider whether the subsidence is likely to be prevented or not. Ground penetrating radar is a high-frequency electromagnetic sounding technique that has been developed to investigate the shallow subsurface using the contrast of dielectric properties. This geophysical method is suitable to be used to detect and locate voids beneath the surface especially those that lie in shallow depth. This research focused on how GPR could be implemented as void detector using model simulation or forward modelling. The models applied in the forward modelling process are to be made as similar as the real condition in the case study location which took place in Tahura Japan Cave, Bandung, Indonesia. Forward modelling needs to be done so in the future, we might use the modelling results as the references in measuring real GPR data in the location. We used three models that we considered fairly representative to prove that GPR is capable of detecting and locating voids underneath the ground. This research resulted in the different amplitude region around the considerably homogeneous region. The different amplitude region is characterized having an arc shape and is considered to be air which is known as the key component of voids.

Ionospheric Irregularities Characterization by Ground and Space-based GPS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakharenkova, I.; Cherniak, I.; Krankowski, A.

2017-12-01

We present new results on detection and investigation of the topside ionospheric irregularities using GPS measurements from Precise Orbit Determination (POD) GPS antenna onboard Low Earth Orbit satellites. Our investigation is based on the recent ESA's Swarm mission launched on 22 November 2013 and consisted of three identical satellites, two of them fly in a tandem at an orbit altitude of 460 km while the third satellite - at an orbit altitude of 510 km. Each satellite is equipped with a zenith-looking antenna and 8-channel dual-frequency GPS receiver that delivered 1 Hz data for POD purposes, as well as Langmuir Probe instrument for in situ electron density. Additionally, we have analyzed GPS measurements onboard GRACE and TerraSAR-X satellite, which have rather similar to Swarm orbit altitude of 500 km. GPS measurements onboard MetOP-A and MetOP-B satellites (altitude of 840 km) can complement these observations in order to estimate an altitudinal extent of the ionospheric irregularities penetrating to higher altitudes. We demonstrate that space-based GPS observations can be effectively used for monitoring of the topside ionospheric irregularities occurrence in both high-latitude and equatorial regions and may essentially contribute to the multi-instrumental analysis of the ground-based and in situ data. Climatological characteristics of the equatorial ionospheric irregularities occurrence probability are derived from POD GPS measurements for all longitudinal sectors for the years 2013-2016. Several examples of strong geomagnetic storms, including the 2015 St. Patrick's Day storm, were analyzed to demonstrate differences between the climatlogical characteristics in space-based GPS data and storm-induced equatorial irregularities observations (postsunset suppression, night/morning-time occurrence). To support our observations and conclusions, we involve into our analysis in situ plasma density provided by Swarm constellation, GRACE KBR, DMSP satellites, as well

Aircraft and ground vehicle friction measurements obtained under winter runway conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, Thomas J.

1989-01-01

Tests with specially instrumented NASA B-737 and B-727 aircraft together with several different ground friction measuring devices have been conducted for a variety of runway surface types and wetness conditions. This effort is part of the Joint FAA/NASA Aircraft/Ground Vehicle Runway Friction Program aimed at obtaining a better understanding of aircraft ground handling performance under adverse weather conditions, and defining relationships between aircraft and ground vehicle tire friction measurements. Aircraft braking performance on dry, wet, snow-, and ice-covered runway conditions is discussed together with ground vehicle friction data obtained under similar runway conditions. For the wet, compacted snow- and ice-covered runway conditions, the relationship between ground vehicles and aircraft friction data is identified. The influence of major test parameters on friction measurements such as speed, test tire characteristics, and surface contaminant-type are discussed. The test results indicate that use of properly maintained and calibrated ground vehicles for monitoring runway friction conditions should be encouraged particularly under adverse weather conditions.

Validation of NH3 satellite observations by ground-based FTIR measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dammers, Enrico; Palm, Mathias; Van Damme, Martin; Shephard, Mark; Cady-Pereira, Karen; Capps, Shannon; Clarisse, Lieven; Coheur, Pierre; Erisman, Jan Willem

2016-04-01

Global emissions of reactive nitrogen have been increasing to an unprecedented level due to human activities and are estimated to be a factor four larger than pre-industrial levels. Concentration levels of NOx are declining, but ammonia (NH3) levels are increasing around the globe. While NH3 at its current concentrations poses significant threats to the environment and human health, relatively little is known about the total budget and global distribution. Surface observations are sparse and mainly available for north-western Europe, the United States and China and are limited by the high costs and poor temporal and spatial resolution. Since the lifetime of atmospheric NH3 is short, on the order of hours to a few days, due to efficient deposition and fast conversion to particulate matter, the existing surface measurements are not sufficient to estimate global concentrations. Advanced space-based IR-sounders such as the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), and the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) enable global observations of atmospheric NH3 that help overcome some of the limitations of surface observations. However, the satellite NH3 retrievals are complex requiring extensive validation. Presently there have only been a few dedicated satellite NH3 validation campaigns performed with limited spatial, vertical or temporal coverage. Recently a retrieval methodology was developed for ground-based Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) instruments to obtain vertical concentration profiles of NH3. Here we show the applicability of retrieved columns from nine globally distributed stations with a range of NH3 pollution levels to validate satellite NH3 products.

Quantifying the Uncertainty in High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Synthetic Land Surface Reflectance at Pixel Level Using Ground-Based Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, J.; Ryu, Y.

2017-12-01

Algorithms for fusing high temporal frequency and high spatial resolution satellite images are widely used to develop dense time-series land surface observations. While many studies have revealed that the synthesized frequent high spatial resolution images could be successfully applied in vegetation mapping and monitoring, validation and correction of fused images have not been focused than its importance. To evaluate the precision of fused image in pixel level, in-situ reflectance measurements which could account for the pixel-level heterogeneity are necessary. In this study, the synthetic images of land surface reflectance were predicted by the coarse high-frequency images acquired from MODIS and high spatial resolution images from Landsat-8 OLI using the Flexible Spatiotemporal Data Fusion (FSDAF). Ground-based reflectance was measured by JAZ Spectrometer (Ocean Optics, Dunedin, FL, USA) on rice paddy during five main growth stages in Cheorwon-gun, Republic of Korea, where the landscape heterogeneity changes through the growing season. After analyzing the spatial heterogeneity and seasonal variation of land surface reflectance based on the ground measurements, the uncertainties of the fused images were quantified at pixel level. Finally, this relationship was applied to correct the fused reflectance images and build the seasonal time series of rice paddy surface reflectance. This dataset could be significant for rice planting area extraction, phenological stages detection, and variables estimation.

Evaluating evaporation from field crops using airborne radiometry and ground-based meteorological data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jackson, R. D.; Moran, M.S.; Gay, L.W.; Raymond, L.H.

1987-01-01

Airborne measurements of reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation were combined with ground-based measurements of incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure to calculate instantaneous evaporation (LE) rates using a form of the Penman equation. Estimates of evaporation over cotton, wheat, and alfalfa fields were obtained on 5 days during a one-year period. A Bowen ratio apparatus, employed simultaneously, provided ground-based measurements of evaporation. Comparison of the airborne and ground techniques showed good agreement, with the greatest difference being about 12% for the instantaneous values. Estimates of daily (24 h) evaporation were made from the instantaneous data. On three of the five days, the difference between the two techniques was less than 8%, with the greatest difference being 25%. The results demonstrate that airborne remote sensing techniques can be used to obtain spatially distributed values of evaporation over agricultural fields. ?? 1987 Springer-Verlag.

Global validation of empirically corrected EP-Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) total ozone columns using Brewer and Dobson ground-based measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antón, M.; Koukouli, M. E.; Kroon, M.; McPeters, R. D.; Labow, G. J.; Balis, D.; Serrano, A.

2010-10-01

This article focuses on the global-scale validation of the empirically corrected Version 8 total ozone column data set acquired by the NASA Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) during the period 1996-2004 when this instrument was flying aboard the Earth Probe (EP) satellite platform. This analysis is based on the use of spatially co-located, ground-based measurements from Dobson and Brewer spectrophotometers. The original EP-TOMS V8 total ozone column data set was also validated with these ground-based measurements to quantify the improvements made by the empirical correction that was necessary as a result of instrumental degradation issues occurring from the year 2000 onward that were uncorrectable by normal calibration techniques. EP-TOMS V8-corrected total ozone data present a remarkable improvement concerning the significant negative bias of around ˜3% detected in the original EP-TOMS V8 observations after the year 2000. Neither the original nor the corrected EP-TOMS satellite total ozone data sets show a significant dependence on latitude. In addition, both EP-TOMS satellite data sets overestimate the Brewer measurements for small solar zenith angles (SZA) and underestimate for large SZA, explaining a significant seasonality (˜1.5%) for cloud-free and cloudy conditions. Conversely, relative differences between EP-TOMS and Dobson present almost no dependence on SZA for cloud-free conditions and a strong dependence for cloudy conditions (from +2% for small SZA to -1% for high SZA). The dependence of the satellite ground-based relative differences on total ozone shows good agreement for column values above 250 Dobson units. Our main conclusion is that the upgrade to TOMS V8-corrected total ozone data presents a remarkable improvement. Nevertheless, despite its quality, the EP-TOMS data for the period 2000-2004 should not be used as a source for trend analysis since EP-TOMS ozone trends are empirically corrected using NOAA-16 and NOAA-17 solar backscatter

Using satellite observations in performance evaluation for regulatory air quality modeling: Comparison with ground-level measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odman, M. T.; Hu, Y.; Russell, A.; Chai, T.; Lee, P.; Shankar, U.; Boylan, J.

2012-12-01

Regulatory air quality modeling, such as State Implementation Plan (SIP) modeling, requires that model performance meets recommended criteria in the base-year simulations using period-specific, estimated emissions. The goal of the performance evaluation is to assure that the base-year modeling accurately captures the observed chemical reality of the lower troposphere. Any significant deficiencies found in the performance evaluation must be corrected before any base-case (with typical emissions) and future-year modeling is conducted. Corrections are usually made to model inputs such as emission-rate estimates or meteorology and/or to the air quality model itself, in modules that describe specific processes. Use of ground-level measurements that follow approved protocols is recommended for evaluating model performance. However, ground-level monitoring networks are spatially sparse, especially for particulate matter. Satellite retrievals of atmospheric chemical properties such as aerosol optical depth (AOD) provide spatial coverage that can compensate for the sparseness of ground-level measurements. Satellite retrievals can also help diagnose potential model or data problems in the upper troposphere. It is possible to achieve good model performance near the ground, but have, for example, erroneous sources or sinks in the upper troposphere that may result in misleading and unrealistic responses to emission reductions. Despite these advantages, satellite retrievals are rarely used in model performance evaluation, especially for regulatory modeling purposes, due to the high uncertainty in retrievals associated with various contaminations, for example by clouds. In this study, 2007 was selected as the base year for SIP modeling in the southeastern U.S. Performance of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, at a 12-km horizontal resolution, for this annual simulation is evaluated using both recommended ground-level measurements and non-traditional satellite

TRMM Precipitation Radar Reflectivity Profiles Compared to High-Resolution Airborne and Ground-Based Radar Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymsfield, G. M.; Geerts, B.; Tian, L.

1999-01-01

In this paper, TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Satellite) Precipitation Radar (PR) products are evaluated by means of simultaneous comparisons with data from the high-altitude ER-2 Doppler Radar (EDOP), as well as ground-based radars. The comparison is aimed primarily at the vertical reflectivity structure, which is of key importance in TRMM rain type classification and latent heating estimation. The radars used in this study have considerably different viewing geometries and resolutions, demanding non-trivial mapping procedures in common earth-relative coordinates. Mapped vertical cross sections and mean profiles of reflectivity from the PR, EDOP, and ground-based radars are compared for six cases. These cases cover a stratiform frontal rainband, convective cells of various sizes and stages, and a hurricane. For precipitating systems that are large relative to the PR footprint size, PR reflectivity profiles compare very well to high-resolution measurements thresholded to the PR minimum reflectivity, and derived variables such as bright band height and rain types are accurate, even at high PR incidence angles. It was found that for, the PR reflectivity of convective cells small relative to the PR footprint is weaker than in reality. Some of these differences can be explained by non-uniform beam filling. For other cases where strong reflectivity gradients occur within a PR footprint, the reflectivity distribution is spread out due to filtering by the PR antenna illumination pattern. In these cases, rain type classification may err and be biased towards the stratiform type, and the average reflectivity tends to be underestimated. The limited sensitivity of the PR implies that the upper regions of precipitation systems remain undetected and that the PR storm top height estimate is unreliable, usually underestimating the actual storm top height. This applies to all cases but the discrepancy is larger for smaller cells where limited sensitivity is compounded

Landslide Investigation by Repeat Airborne LiDAR and Ground Monitoring in the Western Suburb of Sapporo, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasai, M.; Marutani, T.; Yoshida, H.

2014-12-01

This study presents landslide investigation using the combination of airborne LiDAR and ground monitoring data. The study site is located on the Teine Landslide (width: 2 km, Length: 6.5 km) in the western suburb of Sapporo city in Hokkaido Island, Japan, which collapsed more than 50,000 years ago. Since then streams have been developing and incising the landslide mass consisted of rock debris and volcanic deposits, presently causing a series of small deep-seated landslides along the banks. Because Sapporo is the economic center of Hokkaido and the suburb is expanding at the toe of the Teine slide, it is important to understand the behaviors of these active slopes to protect residents and infrastructures from unexpected disasters possibly triggered by an intense storm or earthquake. The LiDAR data for the area was first obtained by a manned helicopter in August 2010, and another survey by an unmanned helicopter is planned in autumn 2014 to estimate their activities from changes in the ground surfaces during the period from 2010 to 2014. Ground water level and landslide mass movements have also been monitored on site by using the coring holes for sampling since 2013. The combination of the data sets can make up the deficits of these methods, e.g., errors created through data processing for LiDAR survey and spatially limited information for ground monitoring, enabling to provide a solid three dimensional view of the slope movements. The notion obtained can be utilized to predict their future behaviors as well as to discover active but hiding landslides nearby. This study also showed that repeat monitoring of sites is a way of utilizing UAVs, particularly in terms of cost and convenience.

Ground-based measurements of the vertical E-field in mountainous regions and the "Austausch" effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yaniv, Roy; Yair, Yoav; Price, Colin; Mkrtchyan, Hripsime; Lynn, Barry; Reymers, Artur

2017-06-01

Past measurements of the atmospheric vertical electric field (Ez or potential gradient) at numerous land stations showed a strong response of the daily electric field to a morning local effect known as ;Austausch; - the transport of electrical charges due to increased turbulence. In mountainous regions, nocturnal charge accumulation, followed by an attachment process to aerosols near the surface in valleys, known as the electrode effect, is lifted as a charged aerosol layer by anabatic (upslope) winds during the morning hours due to solar heating. Ground-based measurements during fair weather days were conducted at three mountain stations in Israel and Armenia. We present results of the mean diurnal variation of Ez and make comparisons with the well-known Carnegie curve and with past measurements of Ez on mountains. We report a good agreement between the mean diurnal curves of Ez at various mountain stations and the time of local sunrise when the Ez is found to increase. We attribute this morning maximum to the Austausch (or exchange) layer effect. We support our findings with conduction and turbulent current measurements showing high values of ions and charged aerosols being transported by winds from morning to noon local time, and by model simulations showing the convergence of winds in the early morning hours toward the mountain peak.

Challenges in complementing data from ground-based sensors with satellite-derived products to measure ecological changes in relation to climate – lessons from temperate wetland-upland landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gallant, Alisa L.; Sadinski, Walter J.; Brown, Jesslyn F.; Senay, Gabriel B.; Roth, Mark F.

2018-01-01

Assessing climate-related ecological changes across spatiotemporal scales meaningful to resource managers is challenging because no one method reliably produces essential data at both fine and broad scales. We recently confronted such challenges while integrating data from ground- and satellite-based sensors for an assessment of four wetland-rich study areas in the U.S. Midwest. We examined relations between temperature and precipitation and a set of variables measured on the ground at individual wetlands and another set measured via satellite sensors within surrounding 4 km2 landscape blocks. At the block scale, we used evapotranspiration and vegetation greenness as remotely sensed proxies for water availability and to estimate seasonal photosynthetic activity. We used sensors on the ground to coincidentally measure surface-water availability and amphibian calling activity at individual wetlands within blocks. Responses of landscape blocks generally paralleled changes in conditions measured on the ground, but the latter were more dynamic, and changes in ecological conditions on the ground that were critical for biota were not always apparent in measurements of related parameters in blocks. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of decisions and assumptions we made in applying the remotely sensed data for the assessment and the value of integrating observations across scales, sensors, and disciplines.

Development of the Japanese National Disaster Medical System and Experiences during the Great East Japan Earthquake

PubMed Central

Homma, Masato

2015-01-01

After the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, the Japanese national disaster medical system (NDMS) was developed. It mainly consists of four components, namely, a disaster base hospital, an emergency medical information system, a disaster medical assistance team (DMAT), and national aeromedical evacuation (AE). The NDMS was tested for the first time in a real disaster situation during the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. Two airports and one base were appointed as DMAT gathering places, and approximately 393 DMAT members divided into 78 teams were transported by Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) aircrafts to two AE staging bases the following day. Staging care units were installed at Hanamaki Airport, Fukushima Airport, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Camp Kasuminome, and 69, 14 and 24 DMAT teams were placed at those locations, respectively. In total, 19 patients were evacuated using JASDF fixed-wing aircraft. Important issues requiring attention became clear through the experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake and will be discussed in this paper. PMID:26306054

Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) for a future Doppler Wind Lidar satellite in Japan:

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baron, Philippe; Ishii, Shoken; Okamoto, Kozo

2017-04-01

A feasibility study of tropospheric wind measurements by a coherent Doppler lidar aboard a super-low-altitude satellite is being conducted in Japan. We consider a coherent lidar with a laser light source at 2.05 μm whose characteristics correspond to an existing ground-based instrument (power=3.75 W, PRF=30 Hz and pulse width=200 ns). An Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) has been implemented based on the Sensitivity Observing System experiment (SOSE) developed at the Japanese Meteorological-Research-Institute using the Japan Meteorological Agency global Numerical Weather Prediction model. The measurement simulator uses wind, aerosol and cloud 3-d global fields from the OSSE speudo-truth and the aerosol model MASINGAR. In this presentation, we will first discuss the measurement performances. Considering measurement horizontal resolutions of 100 km along the orbit track, we found that below 3 km, the median horizontal wind error is between 0.8-1 m/s for a vertical resolution of 0.5 km, and that near 50% of the data are valid measurements. Decreasing the vertical resolution to 1 km allows us to maintain similar performances up to 8 km almost over most latitudes. Above, the performances significantly fall down but a relatively good percentage of valid measurements (20-40%) are still found near the tropics where cirrus clouds frequently occur. The potential of the instrument to improve weather prediction models will be discussed using the OSSE results obtained for both polar and low inclination orbit satellites. The first results show positive improvements of short-term forecasts (<48 hours), in particular, on the wind speed at 850 hPa and 250 hPa. S. Ishii, K. Okamoto, P. Baron, T. Kubota, Y. Satoh, D. Sakaizawa, T. Ishibashi, T. Y. Tanaka, K. Yamashita, S. Ochiai, K. Gamo, M. Yasui, R. Oki, M. Satoh, and T. Iwasaki, "Measurement performance assessment of future space-borne Doppler wind lidar", SOLA, vol. 12, pp. 55-59, 2016. S. Ishii et al., "Feasibility

Ground-water contamination at Wurtsmith Air Force Base, Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stark, J.R.; Cummings, T.R.; Twenter, F.R.

1983-01-01

spill site. Benzene, indicative of ground-water contamination by a fuel substance, occurs in an area northeast of the bulk-fuel storage area. Analysis of a variety of chemical, physical, and biologic characteristics of water on the Base indicate that there is a measurable affect on ground-water quality from landfills, the seepage lagoon, and the waste-treatment plant.

Japan.

PubMed

1987-02-01

Japan is composed of 4 main islands and more than 3900 smaller islands and has 317.7 persons/square kilometer. This makes it one of the most densely populated nations in the world. Religion is an important force in the life of the Japanese and most consider themselves Buddhists. Schooling is free through junior high but 90% of Japanese students complete high school. In fact, Japan enjoys one of the highest literacy rates in the world. There are over 178 newspapers and 3500 magazines published in Japan and the number of new book titles issued each year is greater than that in the US. Since WW1, Japan expanded its influence in Asia and its holdings in the Pacific. However, as a direct result of WW2, Japan lost all of its overseas possessions and was able to retain only its own islands. Since 1952, Japan has been ruled by conservative governments which cooperate closely with the West. Great economic growth has come since the post-treaty period. Japan as a constitutional monarchy operates within the framework of a constitution which became effective in May 1947. Executive power is vested in a cabinet which includes the prime minister and the ministers of state. Japan is one of the most politically stable of the postwar democracies and the Liberal Democratic Party is representative of Japanese moderate conservatism. The economy of Japan is strong and growing. With few resources, there is only 19% of Japanese land suitable for cultivation. Its exports earn only about 19% of the country's gross national product. More than 59 million workers comprise Japan's labor force, 40% of whom are women. Japan and the US are strongly linked trading partners and after Canada, Japan is the largest trading partner of the US. Foreign policy since 1952 has fostered close cooperation with the West and Japan is vitally interested in good relations with its neighbors. Relations with the Soviet Union are not close although Japan is attempting to improve the situation. US policy is based on

Dynamic fault rupture model of the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake, Japan; Role of rupture velocity changes on extreme ground motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulido Hernandez, N. E.; Dalguer Gudiel, L. A.; Aoi, S.

2009-12-01

estimated the rupture velocity as well as rupture velocity changes distribution across the fault plane based on the procedure proposed by PD09. Our results show that rupture velocity has strong variations concentrated in small patches within large slip areas (asperities). Using this dynamic model we performed the strong motion simulation at the IWTH25 borehole. We obtained that this model is able to reproduce the two HF events observed in the strong motion data. Our preliminary results suggest that the extreme acceleration pulses were induced by two strong rupture velocity acceleration events at the rupture front. References Aoi, S., T. Kunugi, and H. Fujiwara, 2008, Science, 322, 727-730. Ely, G. P., S. M. Day, and J.-B. Minster (2009), Geophys. J. Int., 177(3), 1140-1150. Pulido, N., S. Aoi, and W. Suzuki (2008), AGU Fall meeting, S33C-02. Pulido, N., and L.A. Dalguer, (2009). Estimation of the high-frequency radiation of the 2000 Tottori (Japan) earthquake based on a dynamic model of fault rupture: Application to the strong ground motion simulation, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. 99(4), 2305-2322. Suzuki, W., S. Aoi, and H. Sekiguchi, (2009), Bull. Seism. Soc. Am. (Accepted).

Hydrogeology, simulated ground-water flow, and ground-water quality, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumouchelle, D.H.; Schalk, C.W.; Rowe, G.L.; De Roche, J.T.

1993-01-01

percent of the total ground-water flow in the study area. Ground waters in the vicinity of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base can be classified into two compositional groups on the basis of their chemical composition: calcium magnesium bicarbonate-type and sodium chloride-type waters. Calcium magnesium bicarbonate-type waters are found in the glacial deposits and the Brassfield Limestone, whereas the sodium chloride waters are exclusively associated with the shales. Equilibrium speciation calculations indicate that ground water of the glacial drift aquifer is in equilibrium with calcite, dolomite, and chalcedony, but is undersaturated with respect to gypsum and fluorite. Waters from the shales are slightly supersaturated with respect to calcite, dolomite, and siderite but are undersaturated with respect to chalcedony. Simple-mass balance calculations treating boron as a conservative species indicate that little (< 5 percent) or no recharge from the shales to the glacial drift aquifer takes place. Data on the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen indicate a meteoric origin for all ground water beneath Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, but the data were inconclusive with respect to identification of distinct isotopic differences between water collected from the glacial drift and bedrock aquifers. Tritium concentrations used to distinguish waters having a pre-and post-1953 recharge component indicate that most water entered the glacial drift aquifer after 1953. This finding indicates that recharge from shallow to deep parts (greater than 150 feet) of the aquifer takes place over time intervals of a few years or decades. However, the fact that some deep parts of the glacial aquifer did not contain measurable tritium indicates that ground-water flow from recharge zones to these parts of the aquifer takes decades or longer.

Calibration of Smartphone-Based Weather Measurements Using Pairwise Gossip.

PubMed

Zamora, Jane Louie Fresco; Kashihara, Shigeru; Yamaguchi, Suguru

2015-01-01

Accurate and reliable daily global weather reports are necessary for weather forecasting and climate analysis. However, the availability of these reports continues to decline due to the lack of economic support and policies in maintaining ground weather measurement systems from where these reports are obtained. Thus, to mitigate data scarcity, it is required to utilize weather information from existing sensors and built-in smartphone sensors. However, as smartphone usage often varies according to human activity, it is difficult to obtain accurate measurement data. In this paper, we present a heuristic-based pairwise gossip algorithm that will calibrate smartphone-based pressure sensors with respect to fixed weather stations as our referential ground truth. Based on actual measurements, we have verified that smartphone-based readings are unstable when observed during movement. Using our calibration algorithm on actual smartphone-based pressure readings, the updated values were significantly closer to the ground truth values.

Japan: Shikoku Island

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-08-24

... and island stations in the waters surrounding Japan and Korea. They characterized meteorological conditions, measured the atmospheric ... flew overhead. These MISR images, centered just north of Shikoku Island in southwest Japan, were acquired on April 13, 2001 ...

An Integrative Observing and Modeling Approach for the Physiological Understanding of Sun-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, H.; Kato, T.; Saitoh, Y.; Noda, H.; Kikosaka, K.; Ichii, K.; Nasahara, K. N.

2016-12-01

Satellite-derived sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) is expected to provides a pathway to link leaf level photosynthesis to global GPP. Existing studies have stressed how well the satellite-derived SIF is correlated with the eddy covariance and/or modeled GPPs. There are some challenges in SIF interpretation because the satellite-derived SIF is a mixture of fluorescence emission from sunlit and shaded leaves and multiple scatterings of fluorescence within plant canopies. In this presentation, we show observation and modeling results around Japan and discuss how the integrative observing and modeling approach potentially overcomes the gaps in-between satellite SIF and photosynthesis reaction within leaves. We have analyzed ground-based SIF monitoring systems "Phenological Eye Network (PEN)". PEN covers several eddy flux sites in Japan and is equipped with spectroradiometer (MS-700) since 2003 (at an earliest site). The computed seasonal SIF variations in the different ecosystems show environmental dependency of SIF and GPP. Another ground-based system we are now developing is the vegetation lidar system named LIFS (Laser-Induced Fluorescence Spectrum), which can offer eco-physiological information of plants. LIFS is consisted of a pulsed UV (355 nm) laser, a telescope, a spectrometer/filter, and a gated image-intensified CCD detector. This system has been using to remotely monitor tree growth status, chlorophyll contents in leaves and so on. The physical and physiological theories are necessary for understanding the observed SIF under various environmental conditions. We have been developing leaf to plant canopy scale photosynthesis and SIF models as precise as possible. The developed model has been used to understand how the leaf-level SIF emission can be related to the canopy scale SIF, which enables to investigate the top of canopy SIF observed from ground-based and satellite-derived SIF measurements.

Simulation of Ground-Water Flow and Effects of Ground-Water Irrigation on Base Flow in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins, Nebraska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Steven M.; Stanton, Jennifer S.; Saunders, Amanda T.; Bradley, Jesse R.

2008-01-01

Irrigated agriculture is vital to the livelihood of communities in the Elkhorn and Loup River Basins in Nebraska, and ground water is used to irrigate most of the cropland. Concerns about the sustainability of ground-water and surface-water resources have prompted State and regional agencies to evaluate the cumulative effects of ground-water irrigation in this area. To facilitate understanding of the effects of ground-water irrigation, a numerical computer model was developed to simulate ground-water flow and assess the effects of ground-water irrigation (including ground-water withdrawals, hereinafter referred to as pumpage, and enhanced recharge) on stream base flow. The study area covers approximately 30,800 square miles, and includes the Elkhorn River Basin upstream from Norfolk, Nebraska, and the Loup River Basin upstream from Columbus, Nebraska. The water-table aquifer consists of Quaternary-age sands and gravels and Tertiary-age silts, sands, and gravels. The simulation was constructed using one layer with 2-mile by 2-mile cell size. Simulations were constructed to represent the ground-water system before 1940 and from 1940 through 2005, and to simulate hypothetical conditions from 2006 through 2045 or 2055. The first simulation represents steady-state conditions of the system before anthropogenic effects, and then simulates the effects of early surface-water development activities and recharge of water leaking from canals during 1895 to 1940. The first simulation ends at 1940 because before that time, very little pumpage for irrigation occurred, but after that time it became increasingly commonplace. The pre-1940 simulation was calibrated against measured water levels and estimated long-term base flow, and the 1940 through 2005 simulation was calibrated against measured water-level changes and estimated long-term base flow. The calibrated 1940 through 2005 simulation was used as the basis for analyzing hypothetical scenarios to evaluate the effects of

Effect of a grounded object on radon measurement using AlphaGUARD.

PubMed

Ichitsubo, Hirokazu; Yamada, Yuji

2004-07-01

ABSTRACT-: The effects on radon concentration measurement of a grounded object near the opening of a cylindrical ionization chamber were studied using AlphaGUARD. AlphaGUARD comes with a flow measurement adapter that fits on the front of the AlphaGUARD ionization chamber. If the adapter nozzle is grounded, the radon concentration is falsely measured at 0 Bq m. A metal connector for use between the AlphaGUARD and the air duct wall was manufactured in our laboratory. When the connector is grounded, the radon concentration is again falsely measured as 0 Bq m. If the nozzle or connector is ungrounded, the AlphaGUARD measures radon concentration accurately. Health Phys.

7 CFR 1755.406 - Shield or armor ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... or armor ground resistance measurements shall be made on completed lengths of copper cable and wire... measurement shall be made between the copper cable and wire shield and ground and between the fiber optic... instructions. (d) Applicable results. (1) For all new copper cable and wire facilities and all new fiber optic...

7 CFR 1755.406 - Shield or armor ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... or armor ground resistance measurements shall be made on completed lengths of copper cable and wire... measurement shall be made between the copper cable and wire shield and ground and between the fiber optic... instructions. (d) Applicable results. (1) For all new copper cable and wire facilities and all new fiber optic...

7 CFR 1755.406 - Shield or armor ground resistance measurements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... or armor ground resistance measurements shall be made on completed lengths of copper cable and wire... measurement shall be made between the copper cable and wire shield and ground and between the fiber optic... instructions. (d) Applicable results. (1) For all new copper cable and wire facilities and all new fiber optic...

Simulations of the Holuhraun eruption 2014 with WRF-Chem and evaluation with satellite and ground based SO2 measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirtl, Marcus; Arnold-Arias, Delia; Flandorfer, Claudia; Maurer, Christian; Mantovani, Simone; Natali, Stefano

2016-04-01

Volcanic eruptions, with gas or/and particle emissions, directly influence our environment, with special significance when they either occur near inhabited regions or are transported towards them. In addition to the well-known affectation of air traffic, with large economic impacts, the ground touching plumes can lead directly to an influence of soil, water and even to a decrease of air quality. The eruption of Holuhraun in August 2014 in central Iceland is the country's largest lava and gas eruption since the Lakagígar eruption in 1783. Nevertheless, very little volcanic ash was produced. The main atmospheric threat from this event was the SO2 pollution that frequently violated the Icelandic National Air Quality Standards in many population centers. However, the SO2 affectation was not limited to Iceland but extended to mainland Europe. The on-line coupled model WRF-Chem is used to simulate the dispersion of SO2 for this event that affected the central European regions. The volcanic emissions are considered in addition to the anthropogenic and biogenic ground sources at European scale. A modified version of WRF-Chem version 4.1 is used in order to use time depending injection heights and mass fluxes which were obtained from in situ observations. WRF-Chem uses complex gas- (RADM2) and aerosol- (MADE-SORGAM) chemistry and is operated on a European domain (12 km resolution), and a nested grid covering the Alpine region (4 km resolution). The study is showing the evaluation of the model simulations with satellite and ground based measurement data of SO2. The analysis is conducted on a data management platform, which is currently developed in the frame of the ESA-funded project TAMP "Technology and Atmospheric Mission Platform": it provides comprehensive functionalities to visualize and numerically compare data from different sources (model, satellite and ground-measurements).

Investigation of tropical cirrus cloud properties using ground based lidar measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhaman, Reji K.; Satyanarayana, Malladi; Krishnakumar, V.; Mahadevan Pillai, V. P.; Jayeshlal, G. S.; Raghunath, K.; Venkat Ratnam, M.

2016-05-01

Cirrus clouds play a significant role in the Earths radiation budget. Therefore, knowledge of geometrical and optical properties of cirrus cloud is essential for the climate modeling. In this paper, the cirrus clouds microphysical and optical properties are made by using a ground based lidar measurements over an inland tropical station Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), Andhra Pradesh, India. The variation of cirrus microphysical and optical properties with mid cloud temperature is also studied. The cirrus clouds mean height is generally observed in the range of 9-17km with a peak occurrence at 13- 14km. The cirrus mid cloud temperature ranges from -81°C to -46°C. The cirrus geometrical thickness ranges from 0.9- 4.5km. During the cirrus occurrence days sub-visual, thin and dense cirrus were at 37.5%, 50% and 12.5% respectively. The monthly cirrus optical depth ranges from 0.01-0.47, but most (<80%) of the cirrus have values less than 0.1. Optical depth shows a strong dependence with cirrus geometrical thickness and mid-cloud height. The monthly mean cirrus extinction ranges from 2.8E-06 to 8E-05 and depolarization ratio and lidar ratio varies from 0.13 to 0.77 and 2 to 52 sr respectively. A positive correlation exists for both optical depth and extinction with the mid-cloud temperature. The lidar ratio shows a scattered behavior with mid-cloud temperature.

Modelling Ground Based X- and Ku-Band Observations of Tundra Snow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasurak, A.; King, J. M.; Kelly, R. E.

2012-12-01

As part of a radar-based remote sensing field experiment in Churchill, Manitoba ground based Ku- and X-band scatterometers were deployed to observe changing tundra snowpack conditions from November 2010 to March 2011. The research is part of the validation effort for the Cold Regions Hydrology High-resolution Observatory (CoReH2O) mission, a candidate in the European Space Agency's Earth Explorer program. This paper focuses on the local validation of the semi-empirical radiative transfer (sRT) model proposed for use in snow property retrievals as part of the CoReH2O mission. In this validation experiment, sRT was executed in the forward mode, simulating backscatter to assess the ability of the model. This is a necessary precursor to any inversion attempt. Two experiments are considered, both conducted in a hummocky tundra environment with shallow snow cover. In both cases, scatterometer observations were acquired over a field of view of approximately 10 by 20 meters. In the first experiment, radar observations were made of a snow field and then repeated after the snow had been removed. A ground-based scanning LiDAR system was used to characterize the spatial variability of snow depth through measurements of the snow and ground surface. Snow properties were determined in the field of view from two snow pits, 12 density core measurements, and Magnaprobe snow depth measurements. In the second experiment, a site was non-destructively observed from November through March, with snow properties measured out-of-scene, to characterize the snow evolution response. The model results from sRT fit the form of the observations from the two scatterometer field experiments but do not capture the backscatter magnitude. A constant offset for the season of 5 dB for X-band co- and cross-polarization response was required to match observations, in addition to a 3 dB X- and Ku-band co-polarization offset after the 6th of December. To explain these offsets, it is recognized that the two

Comparison of spectral ultraviolet irradiance measured from satellite and ground-based instrument at Nakhon Pathom province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriwongsa, J.; Buntoung, S.

2017-09-01

In this study, comparisons of spectral ultraviolet irradiance at 305, 310, 324 and 380 nm at the overpass time retrieved from OMI/AURA satellite with that from ground-based measurements were performed at Nakhon Pathom (13.82°N,100.04°E), Thailand. The analyzed data period comprised from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2015. The comparison results clearly showed the overestimation of satellite data with root mean square difference (RMSD) between 22.9 and 48.9%, and mean bias difference (MBD) between 5.3 and 39.8% for all sky conditions, and reduced to 10.6-40.5% and 0.18-34.9% for clear sky conditions. Further results showed that the differences between the two datasets depend on atmospheric aerosol loads and clouds.

Multi-instrument observations of midlatitude summer nighttime anomaly from satellite and ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamamoto, Mamoru; Thampi, Smitha V.; Liu, Huixin; Lin, Charles

"Midlatitude Summer Nighttime Anomaly (MSNA)" is a phenomenon that the nighttime elec-tron densities exceed the daytime values on almost all days in summer over latitudes of 33-34N of more. We recently found the MSNA over the northeast Asian region from multi-instrument observations. The observations include the tomography analysis based on the chain of digital beacon receivers at Shionomisaki (33.45N, 135.8E), Shigaraki (34.85N, 136.1E), and Fukui (36.06N,136E), the ionosonde network over Japan (especially data from Wakkanai (45.4N, 141.7E)), ground-based GPS TEC observations using the GEONET. Also from satellites, CHAMP in situ electron density measurements, and Formosat3/COSMIC (F3/C) occultation measurements are useful to confirm the presence of MSNA over this region. In the presen-tation we show detailed features of the MSNA based on these multi-instrument, and discuss importance of the neutral atmosphere as a driver of the phenomenon.

Methane Emissions from Bangladesh: Bridging the Gap Between Ground-based and Space-borne Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, C.; Bennartz, R.; Hornberger, G. M.

2015-12-01

Gaining an understanding of methane (CH4) emission sources and atmospheric dispersion is an essential part of climate change research. Large-scale and global studies often rely on satellite observations of column CH4 mixing ratio whereas high-spatial resolution estimates rely on ground-based measurements. Extrapolation of ground-based measurements on, for example, rice paddies to broad region scales is highly uncertain because of spatio-temporal variability. We explore the use of ground-based river stage measurements and independent satellite observations of flooded area along with satellite measurements of CH4 mixing ratio to estimate the extent of methane emissions. Bangladesh, which comprises most of the Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna (GBM) delta, is a region of particular interest for studying spatio-temporal variation of methane emissions due to (1) broadscale rice cultivation and (2) seasonal flooding and atmospheric convection during the monsoon. Bangladesh and its deltaic landscape exhibit a broad range of environmental, economic, and social circumstances that are relevant to many nations in South and Southeast Asia. We explore the seasonal enhancement of CH4 in Bangladesh using passive remote sensing spectrometer CH4 products from the SCanning Imaging Absorption SpectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). The seasonal variation of CH4 is compared to independent estimates of seasonal flooding from water gauge stations and space-based passive microwave water-to-land fractions from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager (TRMM-TMI). Annual cycles in inundation (natural and anthropogenic) and atmospheric CH4 concentrations show highly correlated seasonal signals. NOAA's HYSPLIT model is used to determine atmospheric residence time of ground CH4 fluxes. Using the satellite observations, we can narrow the large uncertainty in extrapolation of ground-based CH4 emission estimates from rice paddies

GPS Multipath Fade Measurements to Determine L-Band Ground Reflectivity Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kavak, Adnan; Xu, Guang-Han; Vogel, Wolfhard J.

1996-01-01

In personal satellite communications, especially when the line-of-sight is clear, ground specular reflected signals along with direct signals are received by low gain, almost omni-directional subscriber antennas. A six-channel, C/A code processing, GPS receiver with an almost omni-directional patch antenna was used to take measurements over three types of ground to characterize 1.575 GHz specular ground reflections and ground dielectric properties. Fade measurements were taken over grass, asphalt, and lake water surfaces by placing the antenna in a vertical position at a fixed height from the ground. Electrical characteristics (conductivity and dielectric constant) of these surfaces (grass, asphalt, lake water) were obtained by matching computer simulations to the experimental results.

Calibration of Smartphone-Based Weather Measurements Using Pairwise Gossip

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Suguru

2015-01-01

Accurate and reliable daily global weather reports are necessary for weather forecasting and climate analysis. However, the availability of these reports continues to decline due to the lack of economic support and policies in maintaining ground weather measurement systems from where these reports are obtained. Thus, to mitigate data scarcity, it is required to utilize weather information from existing sensors and built-in smartphone sensors. However, as smartphone usage often varies according to human activity, it is difficult to obtain accurate measurement data. In this paper, we present a heuristic-based pairwise gossip algorithm that will calibrate smartphone-based pressure sensors with respect to fixed weather stations as our referential ground truth. Based on actual measurements, we have verified that smartphone-based readings are unstable when observed during movement. Using our calibration algorithm on actual smartphone-based pressure readings, the updated values were significantly closer to the ground truth values. PMID:26421312

AMS Ground Truth Measurements: Calibrations and Test Lines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wasiolek, Piotr T.

2015-12-01

Airborne gamma spectrometry is one of the primary techniques used to define the extent of ground contamination after a radiological incident. Its usefulness was demonstrated extensively during the response to the Fukushima NPP accident in March-May 2011. To map ground contamination, a set of scintillation detectors is mounted on an airborne platform (airplane or helicopter) and flown over contaminated areas. The acquisition system collects spectral information together with the aircraft position and altitude every second. To provide useful information to decision makers, the count data, expressed in counts per second (cps), need to be converted to a terrestrial component ofmore » the exposure rate at 1 meter (m) above ground, or surface activity of the isotopes of concern. This is done using conversion coefficients derived from calibration flights. During a large-scale radiological event, multiple flights may be necessary and may require use of assets from different agencies. However, because production of a single, consistent map product depicting the ground contamination is the primary goal, it is critical to establish a common calibration line very early into the event. Such a line should be flown periodically in order to normalize data collected from different aerial acquisition systems and that are potentially flown at different flight altitudes and speeds. In order to verify and validate individual aerial systems, the calibration line needs to be characterized in terms of ground truth measurements This is especially important if the contamination is due to short-lived radionuclides. The process of establishing such a line, as well as necessary ground truth measurements, is described in this document.« less

AMS Ground Truth Measurements: Calibration and Test Lines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wasiolek, P.

2013-11-01

Airborne gamma spectrometry is one of the primary techniques used to define the extent of ground contamination after a radiological incident. Its usefulness was demonstrated extensively during the response to the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) accident in March-May 2011. To map ground contamination a set of scintillation detectors is mounted on an airborne platform (airplane or helicopter) and flown over contaminated areas. The acquisition system collects spectral information together with the aircraft position and altitude every second. To provide useful information to decision makers, the count rate data expressed in counts per second (cps) needs to be converted tomore » the terrestrial component of the exposure rate 1 m above ground, or surface activity of isotopes of concern. This is done using conversion coefficients derived from calibration flights. During a large scale radiological event, multiple flights may be necessary and may require use of assets from different agencies. However, as the production of a single, consistent map product depicting the ground contamination is the primary goal, it is critical to establish very early into the event a common calibration line. Such a line should be flown periodically in order to normalize data collected from different aerial acquisition systems and potentially flown at different flight altitudes and speeds. In order to verify and validate individual aerial systems, the calibration line needs to be characterized in terms of ground truth measurements. This is especially important if the contamination is due to short-lived radionuclides. The process of establishing such a line, as well as necessary ground truth measurements, is described in this document.« less

Characterizing GEO Titan IIIC Transtage Fragmentations Using Ground-Based and Telescopic Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowardin, H.

2017-01-01

In a continued effort to better characterize the Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO) environment, NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes various ground-based optical assets to acquire photometric and spectral data of known debris associated with fragmentations in or near GEO. The Titan IIIC Transtage upper stage is known to have fragmented four times. Two of the four fragmentations were in GEO while a third Transtage fragmented in GEO transfer orbit. The forth fragmentation occurred in Low Earth Orbit. In order to better assess and characterize these fragmentations, the NASA ODPO acquired a Titan Transtage test and display article previously in the custody of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona. After initial inspections at AMARG demonstrated that the test article was of sufficient fidelity to be of interest, the test article was brought to JSC to continue material analysis and historical documentation of the Titan Transtage. The Transtage has been subject to two separate spectral measurement campaigns to characterize the reflectance spectroscopy of historical aerospace materials. These data have been incorporated into the NASA Spectral Database, the goal being to enable comparison with telescopic data and potential material identification. A LIDAR scan has been completed and a scale model has been created for use in the Optical Measurement Center for photometric analysis of an intact Transtage, including a BRDF. An historical overview of the Titan IIIC Transtage, the current analysis that has been done to date, and the future work to be completed in support of characterizing the GEO and near GEO orbital debris environment will be discussed in the subsequent presentation.

Probabilistic seismic demand analysis using advanced ground motion intensity measures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tothong, P.; Luco, N.

2007-01-01

One of the objectives in performance-based earthquake engineering is to quantify the seismic reliability of a structure at a site. For that purpose, probabilistic seismic demand analysis (PSDA) is used as a tool to estimate the mean annual frequency of exceeding a specified value of a structural demand parameter (e.g. interstorey drift). This paper compares and contrasts the use, in PSDA, of certain advanced scalar versus vector and conventional scalar ground motion intensity measures (IMs). One of the benefits of using a well-chosen IM is that more accurate evaluations of seismic performance are achieved without the need to perform detailed ground motion record selection for the nonlinear dynamic structural analyses involved in PSDA (e.g. record selection with respect to seismic parameters such as earthquake magnitude, source-to-site distance, and ground motion epsilon). For structural demands that are dominated by a first mode of vibration, using inelastic spectral displacement (Sdi) can be advantageous relative to the conventionally used elastic spectral acceleration (Sa) and the vector IM consisting of Sa and epsilon (??). This paper demonstrates that this is true for ordinary and for near-source pulse-like earthquake records. The latter ground motions cannot be adequately characterized by either Sa alone or the vector of Sa and ??. For structural demands with significant higher-mode contributions (under either of the two types of ground motions), even Sdi (alone) is not sufficient, so an advanced scalar IM that additionally incorporates higher modes is used.

Statistical Modeling of Fire Occurrence Using Data from the Tōhoku, Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

PubMed

Anderson, Dana; Davidson, Rachel A; Himoto, Keisuke; Scawthorn, Charles

2016-02-01

In this article, we develop statistical models to predict the number and geographic distribution of fires caused by earthquake ground motion and tsunami inundation in Japan. Using new, uniquely large, and consistent data sets from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, we fitted three types of models-generalized linear models (GLMs), generalized additive models (GAMs), and boosted regression trees (BRTs). This is the first time the latter two have been used in this application. A simple conceptual framework guided identification of candidate covariates. Models were then compared based on their out-of-sample predictive power, goodness of fit to the data, ease of implementation, and relative importance of the framework concepts. For the ground motion data set, we recommend a Poisson GAM; for the tsunami data set, a negative binomial (NB) GLM or NB GAM. The best models generate out-of-sample predictions of the total number of ignitions in the region within one or two. Prefecture-level prediction errors average approximately three. All models demonstrate predictive power far superior to four from the literature that were also tested. A nonlinear relationship is apparent between ignitions and ground motion, so for GLMs, which assume a linear response-covariate relationship, instrumental intensity was the preferred ground motion covariate because it captures part of that nonlinearity. Measures of commercial exposure were preferred over measures of residential exposure for both ground motion and tsunami ignition models. This may vary in other regions, but nevertheless highlights the value of testing alternative measures for each concept. Models with the best predictive power included two or three covariates. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

GPS Multipath Fade Measurements to Determine L-Band Ground Reflectivity Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kavak, Adnan; Xu, Guanghan; Vogel, W. J.

1996-01-01

In personal satellite communications, especially when the line-of-sight is clear, ground specular reflected signals along with direct signals are received by low gain, almost omni-directional subscriber antennas. A six-channel, C/A code processing, global positioning system (GPS) receiver with an almost omni-directional patch antenna was used to take measurements over three types of ground to characterize 1.575 GHz specular ground reflections and ground dielectric properties. Fade measurements were taken over grass, asphalt, and lake water surfaces by placing the antenna in a vertical position at a fixed height from the ground. Electrical characteristics (conductivity and dielectric constant) of these surfaces (grass, asphalt, lake water) were obtained by matching computer simulations to the experimental results.

Enhancing our Understanding of Snowfall Modes with Ground-Based Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettersen, C.; Kulie, M.; Petersen, W. A.; Bliven, L. F.; Wood, N.

2016-12-01

Snowfall can be broadly categorized into deep and shallow events based on the vertical distribution of the precipitating ice. Remotely sensed data refine these precipitation categories and aid in discerning the underlying macro- and microphysical mechanisms. The unique patterns in the remotely sensed instruments observations can potentially connect distinct modes of snowfall to specific processes. Though satellites can observe and recognize these patterns in snowfall, these measurements are limited - particularly in cases of shallow and light precipitation, as the snow may be too close to the surface or below the detection limits of the instrumentation. By enhancing satellite measurements with ground-based instrumentation, whether with limited-term field campaigns or long-term strategic sites, we can further our understanding and assumptions about different snowfall modes and how they are measured from spaceborne instruments. Presented are three years of data from a ground-based instrument suite consisting of a MicroRain Radar (MRR; optimized for snow events) and a Precipitation Imaging Package (PIP). These instruments are located at the Marquette, Michigan National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office to: a) use coincident meteorological measurements and observations to enhance our understanding of the thermodynamic drivers and b) showcase these instruments in an operational setting to enhance forecasts of shallow snow events. Three winters of MRR and PIP measurements are partitioned, based on meteorological surface observations, into two-dimensional histograms of reflectivity and particle size distribution data. These statistics improve our interpretation of deep versus shallow precipitation. Additionally, these statistical techniques are applied to similar datasets from Global Precipitation Measurement field campaigns for further insight into cloud and precipitation macro- and microphysical processes.

Categorical QSAR models for skin sensitization based on local lymph node assay measures and both ground and excited state 4D-fingerprint descriptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jianzhong; Kern, Petra S.; Gerberick, G. Frank; Santos-Filho, Osvaldo A.; Esposito, Emilio X.; Hopfinger, Anton J.; Tseng, Yufeng J.

2008-06-01

In previous studies we have developed categorical QSAR models for predicting skin-sensitization potency based on 4D-fingerprint (4D-FP) descriptors and in vivo murine local lymph node assay (LLNA) measures. Only 4D-FP derived from the ground state (GMAX) structures of the molecules were used to build the QSAR models. In this study we have generated 4D-FP descriptors from the first excited state (EMAX) structures of the molecules. The GMAX, EMAX and the combined ground and excited state 4D-FP descriptors (GEMAX) were employed in building categorical QSAR models. Logistic regression (LR) and partial least square coupled logistic regression (PLS-CLR), found to be effective model building for the LLNA skin-sensitization measures in our previous studies, were used again in this study. This also permitted comparison of the prior ground state models to those involving first excited state 4D-FP descriptors. Three types of categorical QSAR models were constructed for each of the GMAX, EMAX and GEMAX datasets: a binary model (2-state), an ordinal model (3-state) and a binary-binary model (two-2-state). No significant differences exist among the LR 2-state model constructed for each of the three datasets. However, the PLS-CLR 3-state and 2-state models based on the EMAX and GEMAX datasets have higher predictivity than those constructed using only the GMAX dataset. These EMAX and GMAX categorical models are also more significant and predictive than corresponding models built in our previous QSAR studies of LLNA skin-sensitization measures.

Ground Motion Prediction Equations Empowered by Stress Drop Measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyake, H.; Oth, A.

2015-12-01

Significant variation of stress drop is a crucial issue for ground motion prediction equations and probabilistic seismic hazard assessment, since only a few ground motion prediction equations take into account stress drop. In addition to average and sigma studies of stress drop and ground motion prediction equations (e.g., Cotton et al., 2013; Baltay and Hanks, 2014), we explore 1-to-1 relationship for each earthquake between stress drop and between-event residual of a ground motion prediction equation. We used the stress drop dataset of Oth (2013) for Japanese crustal earthquakes ranging 0.1 to 100 MPa and K-NET/KiK-net ground motion dataset against for several ground motion prediction equations with volcanic front treatment. Between-event residuals for ground accelerations and velocities are generally coincident with stress drop, as investigated by seismic intensity measures of Oth et al. (2015). Moreover, we found faster attenuation of ground acceleration and velocities for large stress drop events for the similar fault distance range and focal depth. It may suggest an alternative parameterization of stress drop to control attenuation distance rate for ground motion prediction equations. We also investigate 1-to-1 relationship and sigma for regional/national-scale stress drop variation and current national-scale ground motion equations.

Comparison of the nutrient-based standards for school lunches among South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.

PubMed

Kim, Meeyoung; Abe, Satoko; Zhang, Chengyu; Kim, Soyoung; Choi, Jiyu; Hernandez, Emely; Nozue, Miho; Yoon, Jihyun

2017-01-01

Nutritional standards are important guidelines for providing students with nutritionally-balanced school meals. This study compared nutrient-based school lunch standards regulated by South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. The data were collected from relevant literature and websites of each country during September 2014. The number of classification groups of target students was 8, 5, and 5 for South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, respectively. Gender was considered across all age groups in South Korea but only for high school students in Taiwan. Gender was not considered in Japan. Along with energy, the number of nutrients included in the standards for South Korea, Japan and Taiwan was 9, 12, and 4, respectively. The standards for all three countries included protein and fat among macronutrients. The standards for South Korea and Japan included vitamin A, B-1, B-2, and C, while the standards for Taiwan did not include any vitamins. Calcium was the only mineral commonly included in the three standards. The proportions of recommended daily intakes as reference values for each nutrient differed among the countries. Japan differentiated the proportions among 33%, 40%, or 50%, reflecting the target students' intake status of the respective nutrients. Taiwan differentiated either two-fifths or one-third of the recommended daily intakes. South Korea applied the proportion of recommended daily intake as one-third for all selected nutrients. This study could be valuable information for countries in developing nutrient-based standards for school lunches and for South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan in the process of reforming nutrient-based standards.

Space weather effects on ground based technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, T.

Space weather can affect a variety of forms of ground-based technology, usually as a result of either the direct effects of the varying geomagnetic field, or as a result of the induced electric field that accompanies such variations. Technologies affected directly by geomagnetic variations include magnetic measurements made d ringu geophysical surveys, and navigation relying on the geomagnetic field as a direction reference, a method that is particularly common in the surveying of well-bores in the oil industry. The most obvious technology affected by induced electric fields during magnetic storms is electric power transmission, where the example of the blackout in Quebec during the March 1989 magnetic storm is widely known. Additionally, space weather effects must be taken into account in the design of active cathodic protection systems on pipelines to protect them against corrosion. Long-distance telecommunication cables may also have to be designed to cope with space weather related effects. This paper reviews the effects of space weather in these different areas of ground-based technology, and provides examples of how mitigation against hazards may be achieved. (The paper does not include the effects of space weather on radio communication or satellite navigation systems).

Synthesis of High-Frequency Ground Motion Using Information Extracted from Low-Frequency Ground Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwaki, A.; Fujiwara, H.

2012-12-01

Broadband ground motion computations of scenario earthquakes are often based on hybrid methods that are the combinations of deterministic approach in lower frequency band and stochastic approach in higher frequency band. Typical computation methods for low-frequency and high-frequency (LF and HF, respectively) ground motions are the numerical simulations, such as finite-difference and finite-element methods based on three-dimensional velocity structure model, and the stochastic Green's function method, respectively. In such hybrid methods, LF and HF wave fields are generated through two different methods that are completely independent of each other, and are combined at the matching frequency. However, LF and HF wave fields are essentially not independent as long as they are from the same event. In this study, we focus on the relation among acceleration envelopes at different frequency bands, and attempt to synthesize HF ground motion using the information extracted from LF ground motion, aiming to propose a new method for broad-band strong motion prediction. Our study area is Kanto area, Japan. We use the K-NET and KiK-net surface acceleration data and compute RMS envelope at four frequency bands: 0.5-1.0 Hz, 1.0-2.0 Hz, 2.0-4.0 Hz, .0-8.0 Hz, and 8.0-16.0 Hz. Taking the ratio of the envelopes of adjacent bands, we find that the envelope ratios have stable shapes at each site. The empirical envelope-ratio characteristics are combined with low-frequency envelope of the target earthquake to synthesize HF ground motion. We have applied the method to M5-class earthquakes and a M7 target earthquake that occurred in the vicinity of Kanto area, and successfully reproduced the observed HF ground motion of the target earthquake. The method can be applied to a broad band ground motion simulation for a scenario earthquake by combining numerically-computed low-frequency (~1 Hz) ground motion with the empirical envelope ratio characteristics to generate broadband ground motion

Sleep, serotonin, and suicide in Japan.

PubMed

Kohyama, Jun

2011-01-01

This article reviews evidence supporting the hypothesis that suicide rates in Japan could be reduced by elevating serotonin levels via increasing the average duration of sleep. Seven major relevant findings were apparent in the literature: 1) Sleep loss is associated with suicide, but the direction of causality is equivocal. 2) Decreased serotonergic activity may be involved in suicidal behavior. 3) Sleep debt may decrease serotonergic activity. 4) The suicide rate in Japan has remained at a heightened level for the past 12 years. 5) The average sleep duration in Japan has decreased over the past 40 years. 6) The average sleep duration in Japan is among the lowest in the world. 7) The average sleep duration in Japan plateaued in 1995 and has been relatively stable since. From the research reviewed, two major problematic issues were apparent: 1) Most people in Japan receive inadequate sleep. 2) Individuals whose sleep is inadequate are unlikely to be sufficiently physically active to stimulate serotonergic systems to a desirable level. I propose that public health initiatives encouraging a longer duration of sleep may provide a relatively simple way of addressing the disturbing current trend in Japan. The combination of actigraph and brain serotonin level measurement could allow large population-based cohort studies to be designed, to elucidate the causal links between sleep duration, serotonin levels, and suicide rates.

Globalisation, Language Planning and Language Rights: The Recent Script Policy Measures Adopted by Japan and the People's Republic of China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Premaratne, Dilhara D.

2015-01-01

In 2009, two significant script policy measures were adopted by Japan and the People's Republic of China (China hereafter), both as a response to national language needs triggered by globalisation. However, the measures chosen by the two countries were very different, Japan choosing to increase and China choosing to standardise the Chinese…

Systems analysis for ground-based optical navigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Null, G. W.; Owen, W. M., Jr.; Synnott, S. P.

1992-01-01

Deep-space telecommunications systems will eventually operate at visible or near-infrared regions to provide increased information return from interplanetary spacecraft. This would require an onboard laser transponder in place of (or in addition to) the usual microwave transponder, as well as a network of ground-based and/or space-based optical observing stations. This article examines the expected navigation systems to meet these requirements. Special emphasis is given to optical astrometric (angular) measurements of stars, solar system target bodies, and (when available) laser-bearing spacecraft, since these observations can potentially provide the locations of both spacecraft and target bodies. The role of astrometry in the navigation system and the development options for astrometric observing systems are also discussed.

Renewable Energy Opportunities at the Kanto Installations, Japan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solana, Amy E.; Horner, Jacob A.; Russo, Bryan J.

2010-09-24

This document provides an overview of renewable resource development potential at the U.S. Army installations in the Kanto region in Japan, which includes Camp Zama, Yokohama North Dock, Sagamihara Family Housing Area (SFHA), Sagami General Depot, and Akasaka Press Center. This effort focuses on grid-connected generation of electricity from renewable energy sources and also on ground source heat pumps for heating and cooling buildings. The effort was funded by the Huntsville Army Corps of Engineers, and includes the development of a methodology for renewable resource assessment at Army installations located on foreign soil. The methodology is documented in Renewable Energymore » Assessment Methodology for Japanese OCONUS Army Installations. The site visit to the Kanto installations took place on April 5 and 6, 2010. At the current time, there are some renewable technologies that show economic potential. Because of siting restrictions and the small size of these installations, development of most renewable energy technologies will likely be limited to Camp Zama. Project feasibility is based on installation-specific resource availability and energy costs and projections based on accepted life-cycle cost methods. Development of any renewable energy project will be challenging, as it will require investigation into existing contractual obligations, new contracts that could be developed, the legality of certain partnerships, and available financing avenues, which involves the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), the Government of Japan (GOJ), and a number of other parties on both sides. The Army will not be able to implement a project without involvement and approval from the other services and multiple levels of Japanese government. However, implementation of renewable energy projects could be an attractive method for GOJ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower annual utility payments to USFJ. This report recommends projects to pursue and offers approaches to use. The most

Assessment of NASA Airborne Laser Altimetry Data Using Ground-Based GPS Data near Summit Station, Greenland

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brunt, Kelly M.; Hawley, Robert L.; Lutz, Eric R.; Studinger, Michael; Sonntag, John G.; Hofton, Michelle A.; Andrews, Lauren C.; Neumann, Thomas A.

2017-01-01

A series of NASA airborne lidars have been used in support of satellite laser altimetry missions. These airbornelaser altimeters have been deployed for satellite instrument development, for spaceborne data validation, and to bridge the data gap between satellite missions. We used data from ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) surveys of an 11 km long track near Summit Station, Greenland, to assess the surface elevation bias and measurement precision of three airborne laser altimeters including the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM), the Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS), and the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL). Ground-based GPS data from the monthly ground-based traverses, which commenced in 2006, allowed for the assessment of nine airborne lidar surveys associated with ATM and LVIS between 2007 and 2016. Surface elevation biases for these altimeters over the flat, ice-sheet interior are less than 0.12 m, while assessments of measurement precision are 0.09 m or better. Ground-based GPS positions determined both with and without differential post-processing techniques provided internally consistent solutions. Results from the analyses of ground-based and airborne data provide validation strategy guidance for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) elevation and elevation-change data products.

Assessment of NASA airborne laser altimetry data using ground-based GPS data near Summit Station, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunt, Kelly M.; Hawley, Robert L.; Lutz, Eric R.; Studinger, Michael; Sonntag, John G.; Hofton, Michelle A.; Andrews, Lauren C.; Neumann, Thomas A.

2017-03-01

A series of NASA airborne lidars have been used in support of satellite laser altimetry missions. These airborne laser altimeters have been deployed for satellite instrument development, for spaceborne data validation, and to bridge the data gap between satellite missions. We used data from ground-based Global Positioning System (GPS) surveys of an 11 km long track near Summit Station, Greenland, to assess the surface-elevation bias and measurement precision of three airborne laser altimeters including the Airborne Topographic Mapper (ATM), the Land, Vegetation, and Ice Sensor (LVIS), and the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL). Ground-based GPS data from the monthly ground-based traverses, which commenced in 2006, allowed for the assessment of nine airborne lidar surveys associated with ATM and LVIS between 2007 and 2016. Surface-elevation biases for these altimeters - over the flat, ice-sheet interior - are less than 0.12 m, while assessments of measurement precision are 0.09 m or better. Ground-based GPS positions determined both with and without differential post-processing techniques provided internally consistent solutions. Results from the analyses of ground-based and airborne data provide validation strategy guidance for the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) elevation and elevation-change data products.

Tsunami simulation using submarine displacement calculated from simulation of ground motion due to seismic source model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, S.; Kawaji, K.; Fujihara, S.

2013-12-01

Since fault fracturing due to an earthquake can simultaneously cause ground motion and tsunami, it is appropriate to evaluate the ground motion and the tsunami by single fault model. However, several source models are used independently in the ground motion simulation or the tsunami simulation, because of difficulty in evaluating both phenomena simultaneously. Many source models for the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake are proposed from the inversion analyses of seismic observations or from those of tsunami observations. Most of these models show the similar features, which large amount of slip is located at the shallower part of fault area near the Japan Trench. This indicates that the ground motion and the tsunami can be evaluated by the single source model. Therefore, we examine the possibility of the tsunami prediction, using the fault model estimated from seismic observation records. In this study, we try to carry out the tsunami simulation using the displacement field of oceanic crustal movements, which is calculated from the ground motion simulation of the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. We use two fault models by Yoshida et al. (2011), which are based on both the teleseismic body wave and on the strong ground motion records. Although there is the common feature in those fault models, the amount of slip near the Japan trench is lager in the fault model from the strong ground motion records than in that from the teleseismic body wave. First, the large-scale ground motion simulations applying those fault models used by the voxel type finite element method are performed for the whole eastern Japan. The synthetic waveforms computed from the simulations are generally consistent with the observation records of K-NET (Kinoshita (1998)) and KiK-net stations (Aoi et al. (2000)), deployed by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED). Next, the tsunami simulations are performed by the finite

Retrieval of NO2 stratospheric profiles from ground-based zenith-sky uv-visible measurements at 60°N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrick, F.; van Roozendael, M.; Lambert, J.-C.; Fayt, C.; Hermans, C.; de Mazière, M.

2003-04-01

Nitrogen dioxide (NO_2) plays an important role in controlling ozone abundances in the stratosphere, either directly through the NOx (NO+NO_2) catalytic cycle, either indirectly by reaction with the radical ClO to form the reservoir species ClONO_2. In this presentation, NO_2 stratospheric profiles are retrieved from ground-based UV-visible NO_2 slant column abundances measured since 1998 at the complementary NDSC station of Harestua (Norway, 60^oN). The retrieval algorithm is based on the Rodgers optimal estimation inversion method and a forward model consisting in the IASB-BIRA stacked box photochemical model PSCBOX coupled to the radiative transfer package UVspec/DISORT. This algorithm has been applied to a set of about 50 sunrises and sunsets for which spatially and temporally coincident NO_2 measurements made by the HALOE (Halogen Occultation Experiment) instrument on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) are available. The consistency between retrieved and HALOE profiles is discussed in term of the different seasonal conditions investigated which are spring with and without chlorine activation, summer, and fall.

Information operator approach applied to the retrieval of vertical distributions of atmospheric constituents from ground-based FTIR measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senten, Cindy; de Mazière, Martine; Vanhaelewyn, Gauthier; Vigouroux, Corinne; Delmas, Robert

2010-05-01

The retrieval of information about the vertical distribution of an atmospheric absorber from high spectral resolution ground-based Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) solar absorption spectra is an important issue in remote sensing. A frequently used technique at present is the optimal estimation method. This work introduces the application of an alternative method, namely the information operator approach (Doicu et al., 2007; Hoogen et al., 1999), for extracting the available information from such FTIR measurements. This approach has been implemented within the well-known retrieval code SFIT2, by adapting the optimal estimation method such as to take into account only the significant contributions to the solution. In particular, we demonstrate the feasibility of the method when applied to ground-based FTIR spectra taken at the southern (sub)tropical site Ile de La Réunion (21° S, 55° E) in 2007. A thorough comparison has been made between the retrieval results obtained with the original optimal estimation method and the ones obtained with the information operator approach, regarding profile and column stability, information content and corresponding full error budget evaluation. This has been done for the target species ozone (O3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon monoxide (CO). It is shown that the information operator approach performs well and is capable of achieving the same accuracy as optimal estimation, with a gain of stability and with the additional advantage of being less sensitive to the choice of a priori information as well as to the actual signal-to-noise ratio. Keywords: ground-based FTIR, solar absorption spectra, greenhouse gases, information operator approach References Doicu, A., Hilgers, S., von Bargen, A., Rozanov, A., Eichmann, K.-U., von Savigny, C., and Burrows, J.P.: Information operator approach and iterative regularization methods for atmospheric remote sensing, J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer, 103, 340-350, 2007

How ground-based observations can support satellite greenhouse gas retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, J. H.; Tans, P. P.; Sweeney, C.; Dlugokencky, E. J.

2012-04-01

Global society will eventually accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a variety of ways. These would likely involve international treaties, national policies, and regional strategies that will affect a number of economic, social, and environmental sectors. Some strategies will work better than others and some will not work at all. Because trillions of dollars will be involved in pursuing greenhouse gas emission reductions - through realignment of energy production, improvement of efficiencies, institution of taxes, implementation of carbon trading markets, and use of offsets - it is imperative that society be given all the tools at its disposal to ensure the ultimate success of these efforts. Providing independent, globally coherent information on the success of these efforts will give considerable strength to treaties, policies, and strategies. Doing this will require greenhouse gas observations greatly expanded from what we have today. Satellite measurements may ultimately be indispensable in achieving global coverage, but the requirements for accuracy and continuity of measurements over time are demanding if the data are to be relevant. Issues such as those associated with sensor drift, aging electronics, and retrieval artifacts present challenges that can be addressed in part by close coordination with ground-based and in situ systems. This presentation identifies the information that ground-based systems provide very well, but it also looks at what would be deficient even in a greatly expanded surface system, where satellites can fill these gaps, and how on-going, ground and in situ measurements can aid in addressing issues associated with accuracy, long-term continuity, and retrieval artifacts.

GLAST and Ground-Based Gamma-Ray Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McEnery, Julie

2008-01-01

The launch of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope together with the advent of a new generation of ground-based gamma-ray detectors such as VERITAS, HESS, MAGIC and CANGAROO, will usher in a new era of high-energy gamma-ray astrophysics. GLAST and the ground based gamma-ray observatories will provide highly complementary capabilities for spectral, temporal and spatial studies of high energy gamma-ray sources. Joint observations will cover a huge energy range, from 20 MeV to over 20 TeV. The LAT will survey the entire sky every three hours, allowing it both to perform uniform, long-term monitoring of variable sources and to detect flaring sources promptly. Both functions complement the high-sensitivity pointed observations provided by ground-based detectors. Finally, the large field of view of GLAST will allow a study of gamma-ray emission on large angular scales and identify interesting regions of the sky for deeper studies at higher energies. In this poster, we will discuss the science returns that might result from joint GLAST/ground-based gamma-ray observations and illustrate them with detailed source simulations.

Simulations of Ground and Space-Based Oxygen Atom Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minton, T. K.; Cline, J. A.; Braunstein, M.

2002-01-01

Fast, pulsed atomic oxygen sources are a key tool in ground-based investigations of spacecraft contamination and surface erosion effects. These technically challenging ground-based studies provide a before and after picture of materials under low-earth-orbit (LEO) conditions. It would be of great interest to track in real time the pulsed flux from the source to the surface sample target and beyond in order to characterize the population of atoms and molecules that actually impact the surface and those that make it downstream to any coincident detectors. We have performed simulations in order to provide such detailed descriptions of these ground-based measurements and to provide an assessment of their correspondence to the actual LEO environment. Where possible we also make comparisons to measured fluxes and erosion yields. To perform the calculations we use a detailed description of a measurement beam and surface geometry based on the W, pulsed apparatus at Montana State University. In this system, a short pulse (on the order of 10 microseconds) of an O/O2 beam impacts a flat sample about 40 cm downstream and slightly displaced &om the beam s central axis. Past this target, at the end of the beam axis is a quadrupole mass spectrometer that measures the relative in situ flux of 0102 to give an overall normalized erosion yield. In our simulations we use the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method, and track individual atoms within the atomic oxygen pulse. DSMC techniques are typically used to model rarefied (few collision) gas-flows which occur at altitudes above approximately 110 kilometers. These techniques are well suited for the conditions here, and multi-collision effects that can only be treated by this or a similar technique are included. This simulation includes collisions with the surface and among gas atoms that have scattered from the surface. The simulation also includes descriptions of the velocity spread and spatial profiles of the O/O2 beam

A high-resolution extraterrestrial solar spectrum and water vapour continuum at near infrared wavelengths from ground-based spectrometer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menang, K. P.

A high resolution extraterrestrial solar spectrum (CAVIAR solar spectrum) and water vapour continuum have been derived in near infrared windows from 2000-10000 cm-1 (105μm), by applying the Langley technique to calibrated ground-based high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometer measurements, made under clear-sky conditions. The effect of the choice of an extraterrestrial solar spectrum for radiative transfer calculations of clear-sky absorption and heating rates in the near infrared was also studied. There is a good agreement between the solar lines strengths and positions of the CAVIAR solar spectrum and those from both high-resolution satellite and ground-based measurements in their regions of spectral overlap. However, there are significant differences between the structure of the CAVIAR solar spectrum and spectra from models. Many of the detected lines are missing from widely-used modelled extraterrestrial solar spectrum. The absolute level and hence wavenumber-integrated solar irradiance of the CAVIAR solar spectrum was also found to be 8% lower than the satellite-based Thuillier et al spectra from 5200-10000 cm-1. Using different extraterrestrial solar spectra for radiative transfer calculations in the near infrared led to differences of up to about 11 W m-2 (8.2%) in the absorbed solar irradiance while the tropospheric and stratospheric heating rates could respectively differ by up to about 0.13K day-1 (8.1%) and 0.19 K day-1 (7.6%) for an overhead Sun and mid-latitude summer atmosphere. This work has shown that the widely-used empirically modelled continuum may be underestimating the strength of the water vapour continuum from 2000-10000 cm-1, with the derived continuum up to more than 2 orders of magnitude stronger at some wavenumbers in the windows. The derived continuum is also stronger than that implied by laboratory measurements, by a factor of up to 40 in some spectral regions.

Ground-based measurement of column-averaged mixing ratios of methane and carbon dioxide in the Sichuan Basin of China by a desktop optical spectrum analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Xiu-Chun; Nakayama, Tomoki; Matsumi, Yutaka; Kawasaki, Masahiro; Ono, Akiko; Hayashida, Sachiko; Imasu, Ryoichi; Lei, Li-Ping; Murata, Isao; Kuroki, Takahiro; Ohashi, Masafumi

2018-01-01

Remote sensing of the atmospheric greenhouse gases, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), contributes to the understanding of global warming and climate change. A portable ground-based instrument consisting of a commercially available desktop optical spectrum analyzer and a small sun tracker has been applied to measure the column densities of atmospheric CH4 and CO2 at Yanting observation station in a mountainous paddy field of the Sichuan Basin from September to November 2013. The column-averaged dry-air molar mixing ratios, XCH4/XCO2, are compared with those retrieved by satellite observations in the Sichuan Basin and by ground-based network observations in the same latitude zone as the Yanting observation station.

Airborne and ground-based measurements of the trace gases and particles emitted from prescribed fires in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burling, Ian; Yokelson, Robert J.; Akagi, Sheryl

2011-12-07

We measured the emission factors for 19 trace gas species and particulate matter (PM2.5) from 14 prescribed fires in chaparral and oak savanna in the southwestern US, as well as pine forest understory in the southeastern US and Sierra Nevada mountains of California. These are likely the most extensive emission factor field measurements for temperate biomass burning to date and the only published emission factors for temperate oak savanna fuels. This study helps close the gap in emissions data available for temperate zone fires relative to tropical biomass burning. We present the first field measurements of the biomass burning emissionsmore » of glycolaldehyde, a possible precursor for aqueous phase secondary organic aerosol formation. We also measured the emissions of phenol, another aqueous phase secondary organic aerosol precursor. Our data confirm previous suggestions that urban deposition can impact the NOx emission factors and thus subsequent plume chemistry. For two fires, we measured the emissions in the convective smoke plume from our airborne platform at the same time the unlofted residual smoldering combustion emissions were measured with our ground-based platform after the flame front passed through. The smoke from residual smoldering combustion was characterized by emission factors for hydrocarbon and oxygenated organic species that were up to ten times higher than in the lofted plume, including significant 1,3-butadiene and isoprene concentrations which were not observed in the lofted plume. This should be considered in modeling the air quality impacts of smoke that disperses at ground level, and we show that the normally-ignored unlofted emissions can also significantly impact estimates of total emissions. Preliminary evidence of large emissions of monoterpenes was seen in the residual smoldering spectra, but we have not yet quantified these emissions. These data should lead to an improved capacity to model the impacts of biomass burning in similar

Potential use of ground-based sensor technologies for weed detection.

PubMed

Peteinatos, Gerassimos G; Weis, Martin; Andújar, Dionisio; Rueda Ayala, Victor; Gerhards, Roland

2014-02-01

Site-specific weed management is the part of precision agriculture (PA) that tries to effectively control weed infestations with the least economical and environmental burdens. This can be achieved with the aid of ground-based or near-range sensors in combination with decision rules and precise application technologies. Near-range sensor technologies, developed for mounting on a vehicle, have been emerging for PA applications during the last three decades. These technologies focus on identifying plants and measuring their physiological status with the aid of their spectral and morphological characteristics. Cameras, spectrometers, fluorometers and distance sensors are the most prominent sensors for PA applications. The objective of this article is to describe-ground based sensors that have the potential to be used for weed detection and measurement of weed infestation level. An overview of current sensor systems is presented, describing their concepts, results that have been achieved, already utilized commercial systems and problems that persist. A perspective for the development of these sensors is given. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integration of Remote Sensing Products with Ground-Based Measurements to Understand the Dynamics of Nepal's Forests and Plantation Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilani, H.; Jain, A. K.

2016-12-01

This study assembles information from three sources - remote sensing, terrestrial photography and ground-based inventory data, to understand the dynamics of Nepal's tropical and sub-tropical forests and plantation sites for the period 1990-2015. Our study focuses on following three specific district areas, which have conserved forests through social and agroforestry management practices: 1. Dolakha district: This site has been selected to study the impact of community-based forest management on land cover change using repeat photography and satellite imagery, in combination with interviews with community members. The study time period is during the period 1990-2010. We determined that satellite data with ground photographs can provide transparency for long term monitoring. The initial results also suggests that community-based forest management program in the mid-hills of Nepal was successful. 2. Chitwan district: Here we use high resolution remote sensing data and optimized community field inventories to evaluate potential application and operational feasibility of community level REDD+ measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems. The study uses temporal dynamics of land cover transitions, tree canopy size classes and biomass over a Kayar khola watershed REDD+ study area with community forest to evaluate satellite Image segmentation for land cover, linear regression model for above ground biomass (AGB), and estimation and monitoring field data for tree crowns and AGB. We study three specific years 2002, 2009, 2012. Using integration of WorldView-2 and airborne LiDAR data for tree species level. 3. Nuwakot district: This district was selected to study the impact of establishment of tree plantation on total barren/fallow. Over the last 40 year, this area has went through a drastic changes, from barren land to forest area with tree species consisting of Dalbergia sissoo, Leucaena leucocephala, Michelia champaca, etc. In 1994, this district area was registered

Embodied carbon dioxide flow in international trade: A comparative analysis based on China and Japan.

PubMed

Long, Ruyin; Li, Jinqiu; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Linling; Li, Qianwen

2018-03-01

Carbon dioxide embodied flow in international trade has become an important factor in defining global carbon emission responsibility and climate policy. We conducted an empirical analysis for China and Japan for the years 2000-2014, using a multi-region input-output model and considering the rest of the world as a comparison group. We compared the two countries' direct and complete carbon dioxide emissions intensity and bilateral economic activities such as imports and exports, production and consumption to analyze the difference between China and Japan. The results showed that the intensities of carbon emissions in all sectors of China were higher than that in Japan and that China's annual production-based emissions were greater than consumption-based emissions, the opposite of these relationships in Japan. China was a typical net carbon export country, and carbon embodied in its imports and exports continued to increase throughout the study period. In contrast, Japan's volume and growth rate of embodied carbon emissions were far less than China's and Japan was a typical net carbon import country. Finally, the conclusions of this study support recommendations for the formulation of international carbon emission responsibility allocation, domestic abatement policy as well as China's trade policy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ground-Based Network and Supersite Observations to Complement and Enrich EOS Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Holben, Brent N.; Welton, Ellsworth J.

2011-01-01

Since 1997 NASA has been successfully launching a series of satellites - the Earth Observing System (EOS) - to intensively study, and gain a better understanding of, the Earth as an integrated system. Space-borne remote sensing observations, however, are often plagued by contamination of surface signatures. Thus, ground-based in-situ and remote-sensing measurements, where signals come directly from atmospheric constituents, the sun, and/or the Earth-atmosphere interactions, provide additional information content for comparisons that confirm quantitatively the usefulness of the integrated surface, aircraft, and satellite datasets. Through numerous participations, particularly but not limited to the EOS remote-sensing/retrieval and validation projects over the years, NASA/GSFC has developed and continuously refined ground-based networks and mobile observatories that proved to be vital in providing high temporal measurements, which complement and enrich the satellite observations. These are: the AERO NET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) a federation of ground-based globally distributed network of spectral sun-sky photometers; the MPLNET (Micro-Pulse Lidar NETwork, a similarly organized network of micro-pulse lidar systems measuring aerosol and cloud vertical structure continuously; and the SMART-COMMIT (Surface-sensing Measurements for Atmospheric Radiative Transfer - Chemical, Optical & Microphysical Measurements of In-situ Troposphere, mobile observatories, a suite of spectral radiometers and in-situ probes acquiring supersite measurements. Most MPLNET sites are collocated with those of AERONET, and both networks always support the deployment of SMART-COMMIT worldwide. These data products follow the data structure of EOS conventions: Level-0, instrument archived raw data; Level-1 (or 1.5), real-time data with no (or limited) quality assurance; Level-2, not real high temporal and spectral resolutions. In this talk, we will present NASA/GSFC groundbased facilities, serving

Integration of a satellite ground support system based on analysis of the satellite ground support domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendley, R. D.; Scheidker, E. J.; Levitt, D. S.; Myers, C. R.; Werking, R. D.

1994-01-01

This analysis defines a complete set of ground support functions based on those practiced in real space flight operations during the on-orbit phase of a mission. These functions are mapped against ground support functions currently in use by NASA and DOD. Software components to provide these functions can be hosted on RISC-based work stations and integrated to provide a modular, integrated ground support system. Such modular systems can be configured to provide as much ground support functionality as desired. This approach to ground systems has been widely proposed and prototyped both by government institutions and commercial vendors. The combined set of ground support functions we describe can be used as a standard to evaluate candidate ground systems. This approach has also been used to develop a prototype of a modular, loosely-integrated ground support system, which is discussed briefly. A crucial benefit to a potential user is that all the components are flight-qualified, thus giving high confidence in their accuracy and reliability.

Integration of a satellite ground support system based on analysis of the satellite ground support domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pendley, R. D.; Scheidker, E. J.; Levitt, D. S.; Myers, C. R.; Werking, R. D.

1994-11-01

This analysis defines a complete set of ground support functions based on those practiced in real space flight operations during the on-orbit phase of a mission. These functions are mapped against ground support functions currently in use by NASA and DOD. Software components to provide these functions can be hosted on RISC-based work stations and integrated to provide a modular, integrated ground support system. Such modular systems can be configured to provide as much ground support functionality as desired. This approach to ground systems has been widely proposed and prototyped both by government institutions and commercial vendors. The combined set of ground support functions we describe can be used as a standard to evaluate candidate ground systems. This approach has also been used to develop a prototype of a modular, loosely-integrated ground support system, which is discussed briefly. A crucial benefit to a potential user is that all the components are flight-qualified, thus giving high confidence in their accuracy and reliability.

Comparison of Ground- and Space-based Radar Observations with Disdrometer Measurements During the PECAN Field Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, A. D.; Rasmussen, K. L.; Bodine, D. J.; Dougherty, E.

2015-12-01

Plains Elevated Convection At Night (PECAN) was a large field campaign that studied nocturnal mesoscale convective systems (MCSs), convective initiation, bores, and low-level jets across the central plains in the United States. MCSs are responsible for over half of the warm-season precipitation across the central U.S. plains. The rainfall from deep convection of these systems over land have been observed to be underestimated by satellite radar rainfall-retrieval algorithms by as much as 40 percent. These algorithms have a strong dependence on the generally unmeasured rain drop-size distribution (DSD). During the campaign, our group measured rainfall DSDs, precipitation fall velocities, and total precipitation in the convective and stratiform regions of MCSs using Ott Parsivel optical laser disdrometers. The disdrometers were co-located with mobile pod units that measured temperature, wind, and relative humidity for quality control purposes. Data from the operational NEXRAD radar in LaCrosse, Wisconsin and space-based radar measurements from a Global Precipitation Measurement satellite overpass on July 13, 2015 were used for the analysis. The focus of this study is to compare DSD measurements from the disdrometers to radars in an effort to reduce errors in existing rainfall-retrieval algorithms. The error analysis consists of substituting measured DSDs into existing quantitative precipitation estimation techniques (e.g. Z-R relationships and dual-polarization rain estimates) and comparing these estimates to ground measurements of total precipitation. The results from this study will improve climatological estimates of total precipitation in continental convection that are used in hydrological studies, climate models, and other applications.

Aerosol single scattering albedo estimated across China from a combination of ground and satellite measurements

Treesearch

Kwon Ho Lee; Zhanqing Li; Man Sing Wong; Jinyuan Xin; Wang Yuesi; Wei Min Hao; Fengsheng Zhao

2007-01-01

Single scattering albedo (SSA) governs the strength of aerosols in absorbing solar radiation, but few methods are available to directly measure this important quantity. There currently exist many ground-based measurements of spectral transmittance from which aerosol optical thickness (AOT) are retrieved under clear sky conditions. Reflected radiances at the top of the...

Radar volume reflectivity estimation using an array of ground-based rainfall drop size detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lane, John; Merceret, Francis; Kasparis, Takis; Roy, D.; Muller, Brad; Jones, W. Linwood

2000-08-01

Rainfall drop size distribution (DSD) measurements made by single disdrometers at isolated ground sites have traditionally been used to estimate the transformation between weather radar reflectivity Z and rainfall rate R. Despite the immense disparity in sampling geometries, the resulting Z-R relation obtained by these single point measurements has historically been important in the study of applied radar meteorology. Simultaneous DSD measurements made at several ground sites within a microscale area may be used to improve the estimate of radar reflectivity in the air volume surrounding the disdrometer array. By applying the equations of motion for non-interacting hydrometers, a volume estimate of Z is obtained from the array of ground based disdrometers by first calculating a 3D drop size distribution. The 3D-DSD model assumes that only gravity and terminal velocity due to atmospheric drag within the sampling volume influence hydrometer dynamics. The sampling volume is characterized by wind velocities, which are input parameters to the 3D-DSD model, composed of vertical and horizontal components. Reflectivity data from four consecutive WSR-88D volume scans, acquired during a thunderstorm near Melbourne, FL on June 1, 1997, are compared to data processed using the 3D-DSD model and data form three ground based disdrometers of a microscale array.

The CdZnTe Detector with Slit Collimator for Measure Distribution of the Specific Activity Radionuclide in the Ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanov, V. E.; Volkovich, A. G.; Potapov, V. N.; Semin, I. A.; Stepanov, A. V.; Simirskii, Iu. N.

2018-01-01

From 2011 in the NRC "Kurchatov Institute" carry out the dismantling of the MR multiloop research reactor. Now the reactor and all technological equipment in the premises of the reactor were dismantled. Now the measurements of radioactive contamination in the reactor premises are made. The most contaminated parts of premises - floor and the ground beneath it. To measure the distribution of specific activity in the ground the CdZnTe detector (volume 500MM3) was used. Detector placed in a lead shielding with a slit collimation hole. The upper part of shielding is made movable to close and open the slit of the collimator. At each point two measurements carried out: with open and closed collimator. The software for determination specific activity of radionuclides in ground was developed. The mathematical model of spectrometric system based on the Monte-Carlo method. Measurements of specific activity of ground were made. Using the results of measurements the thickness of the removed layer of ground and the amount of radioactive waste were calculated.

Ground Control Point - Wireless System Network for UAV-based environmental monitoring applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejia-Aguilar, Abraham

2016-04-01

In recent years, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have seen widespread civil applications including usage for survey and monitoring services in areas such as agriculture, construction and civil engineering, private surveillance and reconnaissance services and cultural heritage management. Most aerial monitoring services require the integration of information acquired during the flight (such as imagery) with ground-based information (such as GPS information or others) for improved ground truth validation. For example, to obtain an accurate 3D and Digital Elevation Model based on aerial imagery, it is necessary to include ground-based information of coordinate points, which are normally acquired with surveying methods based on Global Position Systems (GPS). However, GPS surveys are very time consuming and especially for longer time series of monitoring data repeated GPS surveys are necessary. In order to improve speed of data collection and integration, this work presents an autonomous system based on Waspmote technologies build on single nodes interlinked in a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) star-topology for ground based information collection and later integration with surveying data obtained by UAV. Nodes are designed to be visible from the air, to resist extreme weather conditions with low-power consumption. Besides, nodes are equipped with GPS as well as Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), accelerometer, temperature and soil moisture sensors and thus provide significant advantages in a broad range of applications for environmental monitoring. For our purpose, the WSN transmits the environmental data with 3G/GPRS to a database on a regular time basis. This project provides a detailed case study and implementation of a Ground Control Point System Network for UAV-based vegetation monitoring of dry mountain grassland in the Matsch valley, Italy.

Ground and Airborne Methane Measurements with an Optical Parametric Amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Numata, Kenji

2012-01-01

We report on ground and airborne atmospheric methane measurements with a differential absorption lidar using an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). Methane is a strong greenhouse gas on Earth and its accurate global mapping is urgently needed to understand climate change. We are developing a nanosecond-pulsed OPA for remote measurements of methane from an Earth-orbiting satellite. We have successfully demonstrated the detection of methane on the ground and from an airplane at approximately 11-km altitude.

Ground-based photographic monitoring.

Treesearch

Frederick C. Hall

2001-01-01

Land management professionals (foresters, wildlife biologists, range managers, and land managers such as ranchers and forest land owners) often have need to evaluate their management activities. Photographic monitoring is a fast, simple, and effective way to determine if changes made to an area have been successful. Ground-based photo monitoring means using photographs...

Microtremor Array Measurement Survey and Strong Ground Motion Observation Activities of The MarDiM (SATREPS) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozgur Citak, Seckin; Karagoz, Ozlem; Chimoto, Kosuke; Ozel, Oguz; Yamanaka, Hiroaki; Aksahin, Bengi; Arslan, Safa; Hatayama, Ken; Ohori, Michihiro; Hori, Muneo

2015-04-01

Since 1939, devastating earthquakes with magnitude greater than seven ruptured North Anatolian Fault (NAF) westward, starting from 1939 Erzincan (Ms=7.9) at the eastern Turkey and including the latest 1999 Izmit-Golcuk (Ms=7.4) and the Duzce (Ms=7.2) earthquakes in the eastern Marmara region, Turkey. On the other hand, the west of the Sea of Marmara an Mw7.4 earthquake ruptured the NAF' s Ganos segment in 1912. The only un-ruptured segments of the NAF in the last century are within the Sea of Marmara, and are identified as a "seismic gap" zone that its rupture may cause a devastating earthquake. In order to unravel the seismic risks of the Marmara region a comprehensive multidisciplinary research project The MarDiM project "Earthquake And Tsunami Disaster Mitigation in The Marmara Region and Disaster Education in Turkey", has already been started since 2003. The project is conducted in the framework of "Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)" sponsored by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). One of the main research field of the project is "Seismic characterization and damage prediction" which aims to improve the prediction accuracy of the estimation of the damages induced by strong ground motions and tsunamis based on reliable source parameters, detailed deep and shallow velocity structure and building data. As for detailed deep and shallow velocity structure microtremor array measurement surveys were conducted in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul and Tekirdag province at about 81 sites on October 2013 and September 2014. Also in September 2014, 11 accelerometer units were installed mainly in public buildings in both Zeytinburnu and Tekirdag area and are currently in operation. Each accelerometer unit compose of a Network Sensor (CV-374A2) by Tokyo Sokushin, post processing PC for data storage and power supply unit. The Network Sensor (CV-374A2) consist of three servo

Comparison of GOME-2/Metop total column water vapour with ground-based and in situ measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalakoski, N.; Kujanpää, J.; Sofieva, V.; Tamminen, J.; Grossi, M.; Valks, P.

2014-12-01

Total column water vapour product from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 on board Metop-A and Metop-B satellites (GOME-2/Metop-A and GOME-2/Metop-B) produced by the Satellite Application Facility on Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring (O3M SAF) is compared with co-located radiosonde and Global Positioning System (GPS) observations. The comparisons are performed using recently reprocessed data by the GOME Data Processor (GDP) version 4.7. The comparisons are performed for the period of January 2007-July 2013 (GOME-2A) and from December 2012 to July 2013 (GOME-2B). Radiosonde data are from the Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) maintained by National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and screened for soundings with incomplete tropospheric column. Ground-based GPS observations from COSMIC/SuomiNet network are used as the second independent data source. Good general agreement between GOME-2 and the ground-based observations is found. The median relative difference of GOME-2 to radiosonde observations is -2.7% for GOME-2A and -0.3% for GOME-2B. Against GPS observations, the median relative differences are 4.9 and 3.2% for GOME-2A and B, respectively. For water vapour total columns below 10 kg m-2, large wet biases are observed, especially against GPS observations. Conversely, at values above 50 kg m-2, GOME-2 generally underestimates both ground-based observations.

Validation of an Interview-Based Rating Scale Developed in Japan for Pervasive Developmental Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ito, Hiroyuki; Tani, Iori; Yukihiro, Ryoji; Adachi, Jun; Hara, Koichi; Ogasawara, Megumi; Inoue, Masahiko; Kamio, Yoko; Nakamura, Kazuhiko; Uchiyama, Tokio; Ichikawa, Hironobu; Sugiyama, Toshiro; Hagiwara, Taku; Tsujii, Masatsugu

2012-01-01

The pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) Autism Society Japan Rating Scale (PARS), an interview-based instrument for evaluating PDDs, has been developed in Japan with the aim of providing a method that (1) can be used to evaluate PDD symptoms and related support needs and (2) is simpler and easier than the currently used "gold…

Japan’s Shift to a Proactive Defense Architecture: Challenges Faced by Industry, Government, and Society

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

DEW Directed-Energy Weapons DOD Department of Defense DPJ Democratic Party of Japan EM Electro-magnetic FMS Foreign Military Sales GSDF Ground...data.oecd.org/japan.htm. 75 Chris Matthews, “Forget Greece, Japan is the World’s Real Economic Time Bomb ,” Fortune, February 26, 2015, http...fortune.com/2015/02/26/japan-economic-time- bomb /. 25 to fund repair facilities, buy parts, or pay contractors? In terms of operating costs, will the JSDF

Taking Stock of Circumboreal Forest Carbon With Ground Measurements, Airborne and Spaceborne LiDAR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neigh, Christopher S. R.; Nelson, Ross F.; Ranson, K. Jon; Margolis, Hank A.; Montesano, Paul M.; Sun, Guoqing; Kharuk, Viacheslav; Naesset, Erik; Wulder, Michael A.; Andersen, Hans-Erik

2013-01-01

The boreal forest accounts for one-third of global forests, but remains largely inaccessible to ground-based measurements and monitoring. It contains large quantities of carbon in its vegetation and soils, and research suggests that it will be subject to increasingly severe climate-driven disturbance. We employ a suite of ground-, airborne- and space-based measurement techniques to derive the first satellite LiDAR-based estimates of aboveground carbon for the entire circumboreal forest biome. Incorporating these inventory techniques with uncertainty analysis, we estimate total aboveground carbon of 38 +/- 3.1 Pg. This boreal forest carbon is mostly concentrated from 50 to 55degN in eastern Canada and from 55 to 60degN in eastern Eurasia. Both of these regions are expected to warm >3 C by 2100, and monitoring the effects of warming on these stocks is important to understanding its future carbon balance. Our maps establish a baseline for future quantification of circumboreal carbon and the described technique should provide a robust method for future monitoring of the spatial and temporal changes of the aboveground carbon content.

The national database of hospital-based cancer registries: a nationwide infrastructure to support evidence-based cancer care and cancer control policy in Japan.

PubMed

Higashi, Takahiro; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Shibata, Akiko; Emori, Yoshiko; Nishimoto, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

Monitoring the current status of cancer care is essential for effective cancer control and high-quality cancer care. To address the information needs of patients and physicians in Japan, hospital-based cancer registries are operated in 397 hospitals designated as cancer care hospitals by the national government. These hospitals collect information on all cancer cases encountered in each hospital according to precisely defined coding rules. The Center for Cancer Control and Information Services at the National Cancer Center supports the management of the hospital-based cancer registry by providing training for tumor registrars and by developing and maintaining the standard software and continuing communication, which includes mailing lists, a customizable web site and site visits. Data from the cancer care hospitals are submitted annually to the Center, compiled, and distributed as the National Cancer Statistics Report. The report reveals the national profiles of patient characteristics, route to discovery, stage distribution, and first-course treatments of the five major cancers in Japan. A system designed to follow up on patient survival will soon be established. Findings from the analyses will reveal characteristics of designated cancer care hospitals nationwide and will show how characteristics of patients with cancer in Japan differ from those of patients with cancer in other countries. The database will provide an infrastructure for future clinical and health services research and will support quality measurement and improvement of cancer care. Researchers and policy-makers in Japan are encouraged to take advantage of this powerful tool to enhance cancer control and their clinical practice.

The importance of quantitative measurement methods for uveitis: laser flare photometry endorsed in Europe while neglected in Japan where the technology measuring quantitatively intraocular inflammation was developed.

PubMed

Herbort, Carl P; Tugal-Tutkun, Ilknur

2017-06-01

Laser flare photometry (LFP) is an objective and quantitative method to measure intraocular inflammation. The LFP technology was developed in Japan and has been commercially available since 1990. The aim of this work was to review the application of LFP in uveitis practice in Europe compared to Japan where the technology was born. We reviewed PubMed articles published on LFP and uveitis. Although LFP has been largely integrated in routine uveitis practice in Europe, it has been comparatively neglected in Japan and still has not received FDA approval in the USA. As LFP is the only method that provides a precise measure of intraocular inflammation, it should be used as a gold standard in uveitis centres worldwide.

Some Long-Standing Issues Arising From Comparisons Between TOMS and The Ground-Based Ozone Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labow, Gordon J.; McPeters, Richard; Stolarski, Richard; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Data from the series of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometers (TOMS) have been compared to column ozone measurements taken by ground-based systems (Dobsons, Brewers and Filtermeters). On average, the comparisons show good agreement, with approximately 80% of the ground stations having less than a 2.5% standard deviation when compared to TOMS on a monthly mean basis. There are, however, differences that imply possible errors either in the TOMS ozone retrieval algorithm or in the basic assumptions used by the ground-based instruments. Some of the issues arising from these differences are: What are the relative calibrations of TOMS instruments? Why do the calibrations of the ground-based stations vary as much as they do with respect to TOMS as a transfer standard? Why are the TOMS data so much larger (approximately 6%) than the ground-based data in Antarctica and other ice-covered locations? Why is there seasonality in the difference between TOMS and ground-based stations in the Southern Hemisphere? Why are the differences a function of total ozone? Where and why are the differences a function of reflectivity? Why do some terrain and land-sea boundary features appear in the TOMS ozone data? The above issues will be highlighted by using data from TOMS and the ground stations. Plots of the individual station differences will be available.

Measuring ground movement in geothermal areas of Imperial Valley, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lofgren, B. E.

1974-01-01

Significant ground movement may accompany the extraction of large quantities of fluids from the subsurface. In Imperial Valley, California, one of the potential hazards of geothermal development is the threat of both subsidence and horizontal movement of the land surface. Regional and local survey nets are being monitored to detect and measure possible ground movement caused by future geothermal developments. Precise measurement of surface and subsurface changes will be required to differentiate man-induced changes from natural processes in this tectonically active region.

Measuring the impact of invasive species on popular culture: a case study based on toy turtles from Japan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Yamamoto, Katsuya

2016-01-01

The red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) is native to portions of the United States of America (USA) and adjacent northeastern Mexico. The bright and colorful hatchlings have long been popular as pets globally but numerous individuals have been released into the wild establishing populations in areas well outside their native range. As a result, slider turtles are now introduced worldwide on all continents, with the exception of Antarctica, and many temperate and tropical islands, including Japan. They are very successful at establishing breeding populations in a variety of habitats, even those in proximity to human development. Once established in large populations, they compete with native turtle species sometimes to the detriment of the latter. Tin toy turtles were popular in Japan for decades, and they were an important export item after World War II. From the 1920s to the 1950s, prior to the widespread establishment of slider populations in Japan, the toys were characterized by muted earth-tone colors representative of native species of Japanese turtles. After the 1950s, toy turtles exhibited brighter combinations of yellow, red and green more typical of slider turtles. This transition may reflect demand for more colorful toys by importing countries like the USA. Alternatively, the change was coincident with the importation of large numbers of colorful slider turtles to Japan via the pet trade and their subsequent establishment and numerical dominance in Japanese wetlands. This switch in toy turtle colors may reflect a cultural transition in awareness of what constitutes the appearance of a typical turtle in Japan. Sliders appear to have been accepted by Japanese consumers as a new cultural norm in the appearance of turtles, a case of art imitating life.

A differential optical absorption spectroscopy method for retrieval from ground-based Fourier transform spectrometers measurements of the direct solar beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huo, Yanfeng; Duan, Minzheng; Tian, Wenshou; Min, Qilong

2015-08-01

A differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS)-like algorithm is developed to retrieve the column-averaged dryair mole fraction of carbon dioxide from ground-based hyper-spectral measurements of the direct solar beam. Different to the spectral fitting method, which minimizes the difference between the observed and simulated spectra, the ratios of multiple channel-pairs—one weak and one strong absorption channel—are used to retrieve from measurements of the shortwave infrared (SWIR) band. Based on sensitivity tests, a super channel-pair is carefully selected to reduce the effects of solar lines, water vapor, air temperature, pressure, instrument noise, and frequency shift on retrieval errors. The new algorithm reduces computational cost and the retrievals are less sensitive to temperature and H2O uncertainty than the spectral fitting method. Multi-day Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON) measurements under clear-sky conditions at two sites (Tsukuba and Bremen) are used to derive xxxx for the algorithm evaluation and validation. The DOAS-like results agree very well with those of the TCCON algorithm after correction of an airmass-dependent bias.

Technical Note: New ground-based FTIR measurements at Ile de La Réunion: observations, error analysis, and comparisons with independent data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senten, C.; de Mazière, M.; Dils, B.; Hermans, C.; Kruglanski, M.; Neefs, E.; Scolas, F.; Vandaele, A. C.; Vanhaelewyn, G.; Vigouroux, C.; Carleer, M.; Coheur, P. F.; Fally, S.; Barret, B.; Baray, J. L.; Delmas, R.; Leveau, J.; Metzger, J. M.; Mahieu, E.; Boone, C.; Walker, K. A.; Bernath, P. F.; Strong, K.

2008-01-01

Ground-based high spectral resolution Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) solar absorption spectroscopy is a powerful remote sensing technique to obtain information on the total column abundances and on the vertical distribution of various constituents in the atmosphere. This work presents results from two short-term FTIR measurement campaigns in 2002 and 2004, held at the (sub)tropical site Ile de La Réunion (21°S, 55°E). These campaigns represent the first FTIR observations carried out at this site. The results include total column amounts from the surface up to 100 km of ozone (O3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon monoxide (CO), ethane (C2H6), hydrogen chloride (HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF) and nitric acid (HNO3), as well as some vertical profile information for the first four mentioned trace gases. The data are characterised in terms of the vertical information content and associated error budget. In the 2004 time series, the seasonal increase of the CO concentration was observed by the end of October, along with a sudden rise that has been attributed to biomass burning events in southern Africa and Madagascar. This attribution was based on trajectory modeling. In the same period, other biomass burning gases such as C2H6 also show an enhancement in their total column amounts which is highly correlated with the increase of the CO total columns. The observed total column values for CO are consistent with correlative data from MOPITT (Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere). Comparisons between our ground-based FTIR observations and space-borne observations from ACE-FTS (Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment - Fourier Transform Spectrometer) and HALOE (Halogen Occultation Experiment) confirm the feasibility of the FTIR measurements at Ile de La Réunion.

Ground Based, Millimeter Wave Measurement of Ozone in the Middle Atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Alan

2000-01-01

, there was interest in developing several techniques which were known but not highly developed in the 1980's into systems capable of being used in ail operational manner to make measurements with the level of quality needed to-detect small trends in ozone levels. A ground-based microwave instrument capable of remotely sensing stratospheric ozone had been designed by tile Principal Investigator of the present project. This instrument was built at tile Millitech Corporation in South Deerfield, Massachusetts before tile present work began. (Funding for design and construction of the instrument came from sources other than the present grant.) Tile instrument measured the spectrum of one of the many emission lines produced by purely rotational transitions of ozone, one at a frequency of 110.8 GHz. The altitude distribution of ozone can. in principle, be retrieved from the details of the pressure-broadened spectrum of the ozone transition. However, the level of contamination of the spectral measurement by instrumentally induced artifacts must be very low in order to retrieve a ozone profile of useful quality from it. The Millitech instrument demonstrated spectral purity at ail adequate level, and there were promising ideas for instrumental improvements and for further development of the technique. The initial objectives of the present project, then, were to develop techniques for calibrating the Millitech instrument, to minimize artifacts in tile spectra it produces, to optimally retrieve ozone profiles from tile spectra, to test tile quality of the microwave profiles by comparing them with profiles obtained using several other, independent techniques over both short and periods of time, and to perform research using the ozone data gathered with the instrument.

Measuring Gap Fraction, Element Clumping Index and LAI in Sierra Forest Stands Using a Full-Waveform Ground-Based Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Feng; Strahler, Alan H.; Crystal L. Schaaf; Yao, Tian; Yang, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Zhuosen; Schull, Mitchell A.; Roman, Miguel O.; Woodcock, Curtis E.; Olofsson, Pontus;

Application and API for Real-time Visualization of Ground-motions and Tsunami

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoi, S.; Kunugi, T.; Suzuki, W.; Kubo, T.; Nakamura, H.; Azuma, H.; Fujiwara, H.

2015-12-01

Due to the recent progress of seismograph and communication environment, real-time and continuous ground-motion observation becomes technically and economically feasible. K-NET and KiK-net, which are nationwide strong motion networks operated by NIED, cover all Japan by about 1750 stations in total. More than half of the stations transmit the ground-motion indexes and/or waveform data in every second. Traditionally, strong-motion data were recorded by event-triggering based instruments with non-continues telephone line which is connected only after an earthquake. Though the data from such networks mainly contribute to preparations for future earthquakes, huge amount of real-time data from dense network are expected to directly contribute to the mitigation of ongoing earthquake disasters through, e.g., automatic shutdown plants and helping decision-making for initial response. By generating the distribution map of these indexes and uploading them to the website, we implemented the real-time ground motion monitoring system, Kyoshin (strong-motion in Japanese) monitor. This web service (www.kyoshin.bosai.go.jp) started in 2008 and anyone can grasp the current ground motions of Japan. Though this service provides only ground-motion map in GIF format, to take full advantage of real-time strong-motion data to mitigate the ongoing disasters, digital data are important. We have developed a WebAPI to provide real-time data and related information such as ground motions (5 km-mesh) and arrival times estimated from EEW (earthquake early warning). All response data from this WebAPI are in JSON format and are easy to parse. We also developed Kyoshin monitor application for smartphone, 'Kmoni view' using the API. In this application, ground motions estimated from EEW are overlapped on the map with the observed one-second-interval indexes. The application can playback previous earthquakes for demonstration or disaster drill. In mobile environment, data traffic and battery are

A catalogue of ground-based astrometric observations of the Martian satellites, 1877-1982

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morley, T. A.

1989-02-01

A catalog of 5767 ground-based astrometric observations of the Martian satellites, Phobos and Deimos, has been compiled. The position measurements comprise: 2497 of Phobos relative to Mars 3116 of Deimos relative to Mars and 154 of Deimos relative to Phobos. The data have been extracted from both published and unpublished sources and have been tabulated in a consistent format. All the observation times have been converted to the same time system, UTC. The catalog contains accuracy figures which can be used to differentially weigh the data when they are used for orbit determination purposes. Bad quality measurements have been identified and some obvious blunders have been corrected. The catalog is the official source of ground-based observations to be used for improving the satellite ephemerides in support of the Soviet Phobos mission.

Comparative Study of Base Community Relations in Japan

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

also home to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, nuclear power being an issue of perennial heartache in Japan (even more so after the disaster at the...were protests in 2007 at the time his book was published, but even in the aftermath of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima , in 2012, aside from a very... nuclear disaster at Fukushima , such fears appear to have been largely unfounded. As with Iwakuni, there is a small contingent of anti-base activism

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: a pyrometer for measuring ground temperature on Mars.

PubMed

Sebastián, Eduardo; Armiens, Carlos; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Zorzano, María P; Martinez-Frias, Jesus; Esteban, Blanca; Ramos, Miguel

2010-01-01

We describe the parameters that drive the design and modeling of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) Ground Temperature Sensor (GTS), an instrument aboard NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, and report preliminary test results. REMS GTS is a lightweight, low-power, and low cost pyrometer for measuring the Martian surface kinematic temperature. The sensor's main feature is its innovative design, based on a simple mechanical structure with no moving parts. It includes an in-flight calibration system that permits sensor recalibration when sensor sensitivity has been degraded by deposition of dust over the optics. This paper provides the first results of a GTS engineering model working in a Martian-like, extreme environment.

Movable Ground Based Recovery System for Reuseable Space Flight Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarver, George L. (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A reusable space flight launch system is configured to eliminate complex descent and landing systems from the space flight hardware and move them to maneuverable ground based systems. Precision landing of the reusable space flight hardware is enabled using a simple, light weight aerodynamic device on board the flight hardware such as a parachute, and one or more translating ground based vehicles such as a hovercraft that include active speed, orientation and directional control. The ground based vehicle maneuvers itself into position beneath the descending flight hardware, matching its speed and direction and captures the flight hardware. The ground based vehicle will contain propulsion, command and GN&C functionality as well as space flight hardware landing cushioning and retaining hardware. The ground based vehicle propulsion system enables longitudinal and transverse maneuverability independent of its physical heading.

n-hexane polyneuropathy in Japan: a review of n-hexane poisoning and its preventive measures.

PubMed

Takeuchi, Y

1993-07-01

n-Hexane is used in industry as a solvent for adhesive, dry cleaning, and vegetable oil extraction. In 1963, the first case of severe polyneuropathy suspected to be caused by n-hexane was referred to us. Case studies, animal experiments, and field surveys on n-hexane poisoning were conducted, and preventive measures like threshold limit value revision and biological monitoring were also studied. I review a brief history of our investigations on n-hexane poisoning and its preventive measures in Japan. n-Hexane could cause overt polyneuropathy in workers exposed to more than 100 ppm time-weighted average concentrations [TWA]. The present threshold limit value of 40 ppm in Japan is considered low enough to prevent subclinical impairment of peripheral nerve caused by n-hexane. Urinary 2,5-hexanedione could be a good indicator for biological monitoring of n-hexane exposure. About 2.2 mg/liter of 2,5-hexanedione measured by our improved method corresponds to exposure of 40 ppm (TWA) of n-hexane.

Comparison of OMI NO2 Observations and Their Seasonal and Weekly Cycles with Ground-Based Measurements in Helsinki

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ialongo, Iolanda; Herman, Jay; Krotkov, Nick; Lamsal, Lok; Boersma, Folkert; Hovila, Jari; Tamminen, Johanna

2016-01-01

We present the comparison of satellite-based OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) NO2 products with ground-based observations in Helsinki. OMI NO2 total columns, available from standard product (SP) and DOMINO algorithm, are compared with the measurements performed by the Pandora spectrometer in Helsinki in 2012. The relative difference between Pandora 21 and OMI SP retrievals is 4 and 6 for clear sky and all sky conditions, respectively. DOMINO NO2 retrievals showed slightly lower total columns with median differences about 5 and 14 for clear sky and all sky conditions, respectively. Large differences often correspond to cloudy autumn-winter days with solar zenith angles above 65. Nevertheless, the differences remain within the retrieval uncertainties. Furthermore, the weekly and seasonal cycles from OMI, Pandora and NO2 surface concentrations are compared. Both satellite- and ground-based data show a similar weekly cycle, with lower NO2 levels during the weekend compared to the weekdays as result of reduced emissions from traffic and industrial activities. Also the seasonal cycle shows a similar behavior, even though the results are affected by the fact that most of the data are available during spring-summer because of cloud cover in other seasons. This is one of few works in which OMI NO2 retrievals are evaluated in an urban site at high latitudes (60N). Despite the city of Helsinki having relatively small pollution sources, OMI retrievals have proved to be able to describe air quality features and variability similar to surface observations. This adds confidence in using satellite observations for air quality monitoring also at high latitudes.

Geometric and optical properties of cirrus clouds inferred from three-year ground-based lidar and CALIOP measurements over Seoul, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yumi; Kim, Sang-Woo; Kim, Man-Hae; Yoon, Soon-Chang

2014-03-01

This study examines cirrus cloud top and bottom heights (CTH and CBH, respectively) and the associated optical properties revealed by ground-based lidar in Seoul (SNU-L), Korea, and space-borne Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP), which were obtained during a three-year measurement period between July 2006 and June 2009. From two selected cases, we determined good agreement in CTH and CBH with cirrus cloud optical depth (COD) between ground-based lidar and space-borne CALIOP. In particular, CODs at a wavelength of 532 nm calculated from the three years of SNU-L and CALIOP measurements were 0.417 ± 0.394 and 0.425 ± 0.479, respectively. The fraction of COD lower than 0.1 was approximately 17% and 25% of the total SNU-L and CALIOP profiles, respectively, and approximately 50% of both lidar profiles were classified as sub-visual or optically thin such that COD was < 0.3. The mean depolarization ratio was estimated to be 0.30 ± 0.06 for SNU-L and 0.34 ± 0.08 for CALIOP. The monthly variation of CODs from SNU-L and CALIOP measurements was not distinct, whereas cirrus altitudes from both SNU-L and CALIOP showed distinct monthly variation. CALIOP observations showed that cirrus clouds reached the tropopause level in all months, whereas the up-looking SNU-L did not detect cirrus clouds near the tropopause in summer due to signal attenuation by underlying optically thick clouds. The cloud layer thickness (CLT) and COD showed a distinct linear relationship up to approximately 2 km of the CLT; however, the COD did not increase, but remained constant when the CLT was greater than 2.0 km. The ice crystal content, lidar signal attenuation, and the presence of multi-layered cirrus clouds may have contributed to this tendency.

Introducing the VISAGE project - Visualization for Integrated Satellite, Airborne, and Ground-based data Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gatlin, P. N.; Conover, H.; Berendes, T.; Maskey, M.; Naeger, A. R.; Wingo, S. M.

2017-12-01

A key component of NASA's Earth observation system is its field experiments, for intensive observation of particular weather phenomena, or for ground validation of satellite observations. These experiments collect data from a wide variety of airborne and ground-based instruments, on different spatial and temporal scales, often in unique formats. The field data are often used with high volume satellite observations that have very different spatial and temporal coverage. The challenges inherent in working with such diverse datasets make it difficult for scientists to rapidly collect and analyze the data for physical process studies and validation of satellite algorithms. The newly-funded VISAGE project will address these issues by combining and extending nascent efforts to provide on-line data fusion, exploration, analysis and delivery capabilities. A key building block is the Field Campaign Explorer (FCX), which allows users to examine data collected during field campaigns and simplifies data acquisition for event-based research. VISAGE will extend FCX's capabilities beyond interactive visualization and exploration of coincident datasets, to provide interrogation of data values and basic analyses such as ratios and differences between data fields. The project will also incorporate new, higher level fused and aggregated analysis products from the System for Integrating Multi-platform data to Build the Atmospheric column (SIMBA), which combines satellite and ground-based observations into a common gridded atmospheric column data product; and the Validation Network (VN), which compiles a nationwide database of coincident ground- and satellite-based radar measurements of precipitation for larger scale scientific analysis. The VISAGE proof-of-concept will target "golden cases" from Global Precipitation Measurement Ground Validation campaigns. This presentation will introduce the VISAGE project, initial accomplishments and near term plans.

Laminar Premixed and Diffusion Flames (Ground-Based Study)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dai, Z.; El-Leathy, A. M.; Lin, K.-C.; Sunderland, P. B.; Xu, F.; Faeth, G. M.; Urban, D. L. (Technical Monitor); Yuan, Z.-G. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Ground-based studies of soot processes in laminar flames proceeded in two phases, considering laminar premixed flames and laminar diffusion flames, in turn. The test arrangement for laminar premixed flames involved round flat flame burners directed vertically upward at atmospheric pressure. The test arrangement for laminar jet diffusion flames involved a round fuel port directed vertically upward with various hydrocarbon fuels burning at atmospheric pressure in air. In both cases, coflow was used to prevent flame oscillations and measurements were limited to the flame axes. The measurements were sufficient to resolve soot nucleation, growth and oxidation rates, as well as the properties of the environment needed to evaluate mechanisms of these processes. The experimental methods used were also designed to maintain capabilities for experimental methods used in corresponding space-based experiments. This section of the report will be limited to consideration of flame structure for both premixed and diffusion flames.

Comparison of wind velocity in thunderstorms determined from measurements by a ground-based Doppler radar and an F-106B airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Usry, J. W.; Dunham, R. E., Jr.; Lee, J. T.

1985-01-01

As a part of the NASA Storm Hazards Program, the wind velocity in several thunderstorms was measured by an F-106B instrumented airplane and a ground-based Doppler radar. The results of five airplane penetrations of two storms in 1980 and six penetrations of one storm in 1981 are given. Comparisons were made between the radial wind velocity components measured by the radar and the airplane. The correlation coefficients for the 1980 data and part of the 1981 data were 0.88 and 0.78, respectively. It is suggested that larger values for these coefficients may be obtained by improving the experimental technique and in particular by slaving the radar to track the airplane during such tests.

Recent Improvements in AMSR2 Ground-Based RFI Filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, J. P.; Gentemann, C. L.; Wentz, F. J.

2015-12-01

Passive satellite radiometer measurements in the microwave frequencies (6-89 GHz) are useful in providing geophysical retrievals of sea surface temperature (SST), atmospheric water vapor, wind speed, rain rate, and more. However, radio frequency interference (RFI) is one of the fastest growing sources of error in these retrievals. RFI can originate from broadcasting satellites, as well as from ground-based instrumentation that makes use of the microwave range. The microwave channel bandwidths used by passive satellite radiometers are often wider than the protected bands allocated for this type of remote sensing, a common practice in microwave radiometer design used to reduce the effect of instrument noise in the observed signal. However, broad channel bandwidths allow greater opportunity for RFI to affect these observations and retrievals. For ground-based RFI, a signal is broadcast directly into the atmosphere which may interfere with the radiometer - its antenna, cold mirror, hot load or the internal workings of the radiometer itself. It is relatively easy to identify and flag RFI from large sources, but more difficult to do so from small, sporadic sources. Ground-based RFI has high spatial and temporal variability, requiring constant, automated detection and removal to avoid spurious trends leaching into the geophysical retrievals. Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean has been one of these notorious ground-based RFI sources, affecting many microwave radiometers, including the AMSR2 radiometer onboard JAXA's GCOM-W1 satellite. Ascension Island RFI mainly affects AMSR2's lower frequency channels (6.9, 7.3, and 10.65 GHz) over a broad spatial region in the South Atlantic Ocean, which makes it challenging to detect and flag this RFI using conventional channel and geophysical retrieval differencing techniques. The authors have developed a new method of using the radiometer's earth counts and hot counts, for the affected channels, to detect an Ascension Island

Ground-water-level monitoring, basin boundaries, and potentiometric surfaces of the aquifer system at Edwards Air Force Base, California, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rewis, D.L.

1995-01-01

A ground-water-level monitoring program was implemented at Edwards Air Force Base, California, from January through December 1992 to monitor spatial and temporal changes in poten-tiometric surfaces that largely are affected by ground-water pumping. Potentiometric-surface maps are needed to determine the correlation between declining ground- water levels and the distribution of land subsidence. The monitoring program focused on areas of the base where pumping has occurred, especially near Rogers Lake, and involved three phases of data collection: (1) well canvassing and selection, (2) geodetic surveys, and (3) monthly ground-water-level measurements. Construction and historical water- level data were compiled for 118 wells and pi-ezometers on or near the base, and monthly ground-water-level measurements were made in 82 wells and piezometers on the base. The compiled water-level data were used in conjunction with previously collected geologic data to identify three types of no-flow boundaries in the aquifer system: structural boundaries, a principal-aquifer boundary, and ground-water divides. Heads were computed from ground-water-level measurements and land-surface altitudes and then were used to map seasonal potentiometric surfaces for the principal and deep aquifers underlying the base. Pumping has created a regional depression in the potentiometric surface of the deep aquifer in the South Track, South Base, and Branch Park well-field area. A 15-foot decline in the potentiometric surface from April to September 1992 and 20- to 30-foot drawdowns in the three production wells in the South Track well field caused locally unconfined conditions in the deep aquifer.

Determining the location of buried plastic water pipes from measurements of ground surface vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muggleton, J. M.; Brennan, M. J.; Gao, Y.

2011-09-01

‘Mapping the Underworld' is a UK-based project, which aims to create a multi-sensor device that combines complementary technologies for remote buried utility service detection and location. One of the technologies to be incorporated in the device is low-frequency vibro-acoustics, and techniques for detecting buried infrastructure, in particular plastic water pipes, are being investigated. One of the proposed techniques involves excitation of the pipe at some known location with concurrent vibrational mapping of the ground surface in order to infer the location of the remainder of the pipe. In this paper, measurements made on a dedicated pipe rig are reported. Frequency response measurements relating vibrational velocity on the ground to the input excitation were acquired. Contour plots of the unwrapped phase revealed the location of the pipe to within 0.1-0.2 m. Magnitude contour plots revealed the excitation point and also the location of the pipe end. By examining the unwrapped phase gradients along a line above the pipe, it was possible to identify the wave-type within the pipe responsible for the ground surface vibration. Furthermore, changes in the ground surface phase speed computed using this method enabled the location of the end of the pipe to be confirmed.

Ground and Space Radar Volume Matching and Comparison Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Kenneth; Schwaller, Mathew

2010-01-01

This software enables easy comparison of ground- and space-based radar observations. The software was initially designed to compare ground radar reflectivity from operational, ground based Sand C-band meteorological radars with comparable measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite s Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument. The software is also applicable to other ground-based and space-based radars. The ground and space radar volume matching and comparison software was developed in response to requirements defined by the Ground Validation System (GVS) of Goddard s Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) project. This software innovation is specifically concerned with simplifying the comparison of ground- and spacebased radar measurements for the purpose of GPM algorithm and data product validation. This software is unique in that it provides an operational environment to routinely create comparison products, and uses a direct geometric approach to derive common volumes of space- and ground-based radar data. In this approach, spatially coincident volumes are defined by the intersection of individual space-based Precipitation Radar rays with the each of the conical elevation sweeps of the ground radar. Thus, the resampled volume elements of the space and ground radar reflectivity can be directly compared to one another.

Control methods for merging ALSM and ground-based laser point clouds acquired under forest canopies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slatton, Kenneth C.; Coleman, Matt; Carter, William E.; Shrestha, Ramesh L.; Sartori, Michael

2004-12-01

Merging of point data acquired from ground-based and airborne scanning laser rangers has been demonstrated for cases in which a common set of targets can be readily located in both data sets. However, direct merging of point data was not generally possible if the two data sets did not share common targets. This is often the case for ranging measurements acquired in forest canopies, where airborne systems image the canopy crowns well, but receive a relatively sparse set of points from the ground and understory. Conversely, ground-based scans of the understory do not generally sample the upper canopy. An experiment was conducted to establish a viable procedure for acquiring and georeferencing laser ranging data underneath a forest canopy. Once georeferenced, the ground-based data points can be merged with airborne points even in cases where no natural targets are common to both data sets. Two ground-based laser scans are merged and georeferenced with a final absolute error in the target locations of less than 10cm. This is comparable to the accuracy of the georeferenced airborne data. Thus, merging of the georeferenced ground-based and airborne data should be feasible. The motivation for this investigation is to facilitate a thorough characterization of airborne laser ranging phenomenology over forested terrain as a function of vertical location in the canopy.

Simulation of the ground-water flow system at Naval Submarine Base Bangor and vicinity, Kitsap County, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Heeswijk, Marijke van; Smith, Daniel T.

2002-01-01

An evaluation of the interaction between ground-water flow on Naval Submarine Base Bangor and the regional-flow system shows that for selected alternatives of future ground-water pumping on and near the base, the risk is low that significant concentrations of on-base ground-water contamination will reach off-base public-supply wells and hypothetical wells southwest of the base. The risk is low even if worst-case conditions are considered ? no containment and remediation of on-base contamination. The evaluation also shows that future saltwater encroachment of aquifers below sea level may be possible, but this determination has considerable uncertainty associated with it. The potential effects on the ground-water flow system resulting from four hypothetical ground-water pumping alternatives were considered, including no change in 1995 pumping rates, doubling the rates, and 2020 rates estimated from population projections with two different pumping distributions. All but a continuation of 1995 pumping rates demonstrate the possibility of future saltwater encroachment in the Sea-level aquifer on Naval Submarine Base Bangor. The amount of time it would take for encroachment to occur is unknown. For all pumping alternatives, future saltwater encroachment in the Sea-level aquifer also may be possible along Puget Sound east and southeast of the base. Future saltwater encroachment in the Deep aquifer also may be possible throughout large parts of the study area. Projections of saltwater encroachment are least certain outside the boundaries of Naval Submarine Base Bangor. The potential effects of the ground-water pumping alternatives were evaluated by simulating the ground-water flow system with a three-dimensional uniform-density ground-water flow model. The model was calibrated by trial-and-error by minimizing differences between simulated and measured or estimated variables. These included water levels from prior to January 17, 1977 (termed 'predevelopment'), water

Ground-based LiDAR Measurements of Actively Inflating Pahoehoe Flows, Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii: Implications for Emplacement of Basaltic Units on Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrnes, J. M.; Finnegan, D. C.; Nicoll, K.; Anderson, S. W.

2007-05-01

Remote sensing datasets enable planetary volcanologists to extract information regarding eruption processes. Long-lived effusive eruptions at sites such as Kilauea Volcano (HI) provide opportunities to collect rich observational data sets, including detailed measurements of topography and extrusion rates, that allow comparisons between lava flow surface morphologies and emplacement conditions for use in interpreting similar morphological features associated with planetary lava flows. On Mars, the emplacement of basaltic lava flows is a volumetrically and spatially important process, creating both large-scale and small-scale surface morphologies. On Earth, low effusion rate eruptions on relatively horizontal slopes tend to create inflated lava flows that display hummocky topography. To better understand the processes involved in creating observed surface characteristics, we repeatedly measured the surface topography of an actively flowing and inflating basaltic unit within the Pu'u O'o flow field over a 5-day period. We used a ground-based laser-scanner (LiDAR) system that provided vertical and horizontal accuracies of 4 mm. Comparing DEMs from repeated laser scans yielded the magnitudes and styles of constructional processes, allowing us to quantify the relationship between pre- and post-emplacement surface topography. Our study site (roughly 200 m x 200 m) experienced about 5 m of vertical inflation over a 3 day period and created a new hummocky surface containing several tumuli. The temporal and spatial patterns of inflation were complex and showed no obvious relationship with underlying topography. High-precision morphometric measurements acquired using ground-based LiDAR affords us the opportunity to capture the essential boundary conditions necessary for evaluating and comparing high-resolution planetary data sets, such as those acquired by the MOC, HRSC, and HiRISE instruments.

Hazard assessment of long-period ground motions for the Nankai Trough earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeda, T.; Morikawa, N.; Aoi, S.; Fujiwara, H.

2013-12-01

We evaluate a seismic hazard for long-period ground motions associated with the Nankai Trough earthquakes (M8~9) in southwest Japan. Large interplate earthquakes occurring around the Nankai Trough have caused serious damages due to strong ground motions and tsunami; most recent events were in 1944 and 1946. Such large interplate earthquake potentially causes damages to high-rise and large-scale structures due to long-period ground motions (e.g., 1985 Michoacan earthquake in Mexico, 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake in Japan). The long-period ground motions are amplified particularly on basins. Because major cities along the Nankai Trough have developed on alluvial plains, it is therefore important to evaluate long-period ground motions as well as strong motions and tsunami for the anticipated Nankai Trough earthquakes. The long-period ground motions are evaluated by the finite difference method (FDM) using 'characterized source models' and the 3-D underground structure model. The 'characterized source model' refers to a source model including the source parameters necessary for reproducing the strong ground motions. The parameters are determined based on a 'recipe' for predicting strong ground motion (Earthquake Research Committee (ERC), 2009). We construct various source models (~100 scenarios) giving the various case of source parameters such as source region, asperity configuration, and hypocenter location. Each source region is determined by 'the long-term evaluation of earthquakes in the Nankai Trough' published by ERC. The asperity configuration and hypocenter location control the rupture directivity effects. These parameters are important because our preliminary simulations are strongly affected by the rupture directivity. We apply the system called GMS (Ground Motion Simulator) for simulating the seismic wave propagation based on 3-D FDM scheme using discontinuous grids (Aoi and Fujiwara, 1999) to our study. The grid spacing for the shallow region is 200 m and

Current Measures on Radioactive Contamination in Japan: A Policy Situation Analysis.

PubMed

Gilmour, Stuart; Miyagawa, Shoji; Kasuga, Fumiko; Shibuya, Kenji

2016-01-01

The Great East Japan Earthquake on 11th March 2011 and the subsequent Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster caused radioactive contamination in the surrounding environment. In the immediate aftermath of the accident the Government of Japan placed strict measures on radio-contamination of food, and enhanced radio-contamination monitoring activities. Japan is a pilot country in the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), and through this initiative has an opportunity to report on policy affecting chemicals and toxins in the food distribution network. Nuclear accidents are extremely rare, and a policy situation analysis of the Japanese government's response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident is a responsibility of Japanese scientists. This study aims to assess Japan government policies to reduce radio-contamination risk and to identify strategies to strengthen food policies to ensure the best possible response to possible future radiation accidents. We conducted a hand search of all publicly available policy documents issued by the Cabinet Office, the Food Safety Commission, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) and prefectural governments concerning food safety standards and changes to radiation and contamination standards since March 11th, 2011. We extracted information on food shipment and sales restrictions, allowable radio-contamination limits, monitoring activities and monitoring results. The standard for allowable radioactive cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) of 100 Bq/Kg in general food, 50 Bq/Kg in infant formula and all milk products, and 10 Bq/Kg in drinking water was enforced from April 2012 under the Food Sanitation Law, although a provisional standard on radio-contamination had been applied since the nuclear accident. Restrictions on the commercial sale and distribution of specific meat, vegetable and fish products were released for areas at risk of

Modal-pushover-based ground-motion scaling procedure

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkan, Erol; Chopra, Anil K.

2011-01-01

Earthquake engineering is increasingly using nonlinear response history analysis (RHA) to demonstrate the performance of structures. This rigorous method of analysis requires selection and scaling of ground motions appropriate to design hazard levels. This paper presents a modal-pushover-based scaling (MPS) procedure to scale ground motions for use in a nonlinear RHA of buildings. In the MPS method, the ground motions are scaled to match to a specified tolerance, a target value of the inelastic deformation of the first-mode inelastic single-degree-of-freedom (SDF) system whose properties are determined by the first-mode pushover analysis. Appropriate for first-mode dominated structures, this approach is extended for structures with significant contributions of higher modes by considering elastic deformation of second-mode SDF systems in selecting a subset of the scaled ground motions. Based on results presented for three actual buildings-4, 6, and 13-story-the accuracy and efficiency of the MPS procedure are established and its superiority over the ASCE/SEI 7-05 scaling procedure is demonstrated.

Ground-based remote sensing of thin clouds in the Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, T. J.; Zhao, C.

2013-05-01

This paper describes a method for using interferometer measurements of downwelling thermal radiation to retrieve the properties of single-layer clouds. Cloud phase is determined from ratios of thermal emission in three "micro-windows" at 862.5 cm-1, 935.8 cm-1, and 988.4 cm-1 where absorption by water vapour is particularly small. Cloud microphysical and optical properties are retrieved from thermal emission in the first two of these micro-windows, constrained by the transmission through clouds of primarily stratospheric ozone emission at 1040 cm-1. Assuming a cloud does not approximate a blackbody, the estimated 95% confidence retrieval errors in effective radius re, visible optical depth τ, number concentration N, and water path WP are, respectively, 10%, 20%, 38% (55% for ice crystals), and 16%. Applied to data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement programme (ARM) North Slope of Alaska - Adjacent Arctic Ocean (NSA-AAO) site near Barrow, Alaska, retrievals show general agreement with both ground-based microwave radiometer measurements of liquid water path and a method that uses combined shortwave and microwave measurements to retrieve re, τ and N. Compared to other retrieval methods, advantages of this technique include its ability to characterise thin clouds year round, that water vapour is not a primary source of retrieval error, and that the retrievals of microphysical properties are only weakly sensitive to retrieved cloud phase. The primary limitation is the inapplicability to thicker clouds that radiate as blackbodies and that it relies on a fairly comprehensive suite of ground based measurements.

Characteristics of strong ground motion generation areas by fully dynamic earthquake cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galvez, P.; Somerville, P.; Ampuero, J. P.; Petukhin, A.; Yindi, L.

2016-12-01

During recent subduction zone earthquakes (2010 Mw 8.8 Maule and 2011 Mw 9.0 Tohoku), high frequency ground motion radiation has been detected in deep regions of seismogenic zones. By semblance analysis of wave packets, Kurahashi & Irikura (2013) found strong ground motion generation areas (SMGAs) located in the down dip region of the 2011 Tohoku rupture. To reproduce the rupture sequence of SMGA's and replicate their rupture time and ground motions, we extended previous work on dynamic rupture simulations with slip reactivation (Galvez et al, 2016). We adjusted stresses on the most southern SMGAs of Kurahashi & Irikura (2013) model to reproduce the observed peak ground velocity recorded at seismic stations along Japan for periods up to 5 seconds. To generate higher frequency ground motions we input the rupture time, final slip and slip velocity of the dynamic model into the stochastic ground motion generator of Graves & Pitarka (2010). Our results are in agreement with the ground motions recorded at the KiK-net and K-NET stations.While we reproduced the recorded ground motions of the 2011 Tohoku event, it is unknown whether the characteristics and location of SMGA's will persist in future large earthquakes in this region. Although the SMGA's have large peak slip velocities, the areas of largest final slip are located elsewhere. To elucidate whether this anti-correlation persists in time, we conducted earthquake cycle simulations and analysed the spatial correlation of peak slip velocities, stress drops and final slip of main events. We also investigated whether or not the SMGA's migrate to other regions of the seismic zone.To perform this study, we coupled the quasi-dynamic boundary element solver QDYN (Luo & Ampuero, 2015) and the dynamic spectral element solver SPECFEM3D (Galvez et al., 2014; 2016). The workflow alternates between inter-seismic periods solved with QDYN and coseismic periods solved with SPECFEM3D, with automated switch based on slip rate

Source Model of the MJMA 6.5 Plate-Boundary Earthquake at the Nankai Trough, Southwest Japan, on April 1, 2016, Based on Strong Motion Waveform Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asano, K.

2017-12-01

An MJMA 6.5 earthquake occurred offshore the Kii peninsula, southwest Japan on April 1, 2016. This event was interpreted as a thrust-event on the plate-boundary along the Nankai trough where (Wallace et al., 2016). This event is the largest plate-boundary earthquake in the source region of the 1944 Tonankai earthquake (MW 8.0) after that event. The significant point of this event regarding to seismic observation is that this event occurred beneath an ocean-bottom seismic network called DONET1, which is jointly operated by NIED and JAMSTEC. Since moderate-to-large earthquake of this focal type is very rare in this region in the last half century, it is a good opportunity to investigate the source characteristics relating to strong motion generation of subduction-zone plate-boundary earthquakes along the Nankai trough. Knowledge obtained from the study of this earthquake would contribute to ground motion prediction and seismic hazard assessment for future megathrust earthquakes expected in the Nankai trough. In this study, the source model of the 2016 offshore the Kii peninsula earthquake was estimated by broadband strong motion waveform modeling using the empirical Green's function method (Irikura, 1986). The source model is characterized by strong motion generation area (SMGA) (Miyake et al., 2003), which is defined as a rectangular area with high-stress drop or high slip-velocity. SMGA source model based on the empirical Green's function method has great potential to reproduce ground motion time history in broadband frequency range. We used strong motion data from offshore stations (DONET1 and LTBMS) and onshore stations (NIED F-net and DPRI). The records of an MJMA 3.2 aftershock at 13:04 on April 1, 2016 were selected for the empirical Green's functions. The source parameters of SMGA are optimized by the waveform modeling in the frequency range 0.4-10 Hz. The best estimate of SMGA size is 19.4 km2, and SMGA of this event does not follow the source scaling

Retrieval of atmospheric optical parameters from ground-based sun-photometer measurements for Zanjan, Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayat, A.; Masoumi, A.; Khalesifard, H. R.

2010-06-01

We are reporting the results of ground-based spectroradiometric measurements on aerosols and water vapor in the atmosphere of Zanjan for the period of October 2006 to September 2008 using a Cimel CE318-2 sun-photometer. Zanjan is a city in Northwest Iran, located at 36.70° N, 48.51° E, and at an altitude of 1800 above m.s.l. The spectral aerosol optical depth, Ångström exponent, and columnar water vapor have been calculated using the data recorded by the sunphotometer through direct-beam irradiance measurements of sunlight (sun mode). The average values of aerosol optical depth at 440 nm, columnar water vapor, and the Ångström exponent, α, during the mentioned period are measured as, 0.27±0.16, 0.53±0.37 cm and 0.75±0.46, respectively. The maximum (minimum) value of the aerosol optical depth was recorded in May 2007 (January 2007), and that of columnar water vapor, in July 2007 (January 2008). Using the least-squares method, the Ångström exponent was calculated in the spectral interval 440-870 nm along with the coefficients of a second order polynomial fit (α1 and α2) to the log-log plot of aerosol optical depth versus the wavelength. The coefficient α2 shows that most of the aerosols in the Zanjan area have dimensions larger than 1 μm. The values calculated for α2-α1 indicate that 70% of the aerosols are in the coarse-mode (>1 μm) and 30% of them are in the fine-mode (<1 μm). Comparison of α2-α1 for the atmosphere over Zanjan with other regions indicates dust and anthropogenic aerosols are the most dominant aerosols in the region.

Airborne Sunphotometer, Airborne in-situ, Space-borne, and Ground-Based Measurements of Troposoheric Aerosol in Ace-2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmid, Beat; Collins, D.; Gasso, S.; Ostrom, E.; Powell, D.; Welton, E.; Durkee, P.; Livingstron, J.; Russell, P.; Flagan, R.;

First middle-atmospheric zonal wind profile measurements with a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rüfenacht, R.; Kämpfer, N.; Murk, A.

2012-11-01

We report on the wind radiometer WIRA, a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer specifically designed for the measurement of middle-atmospheric horizontal wind by observing ozone emission spectra at 142.17504 GHz. Currently, wind speeds in five levels between 30 and 79 km can be retrieved which makes WIRA the first instrument able to continuously measure horizontal wind in this altitude range. For an integration time of one day the measurement error on each level lies at around 25 m s-1. With a planned upgrade this value is expected to be reduced by a factor of 2 in the near future. On the altitude levels where our measurement can be compared to wind data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) very good agreement in the long-term statistics as well as in short time structures with a duration of a few days has been found. WIRA uses a passive double sideband heterodyne receiver together with a digital Fourier transform spectrometer for the data acquisition. A big advantage of the radiometric approach is that such instruments can also operate under adverse weather conditions and thus provide a continuous time series for the given location. The optics enables the instrument to scan a wide range of azimuth angles including the directions east, west, north, and south for zonal and meridional wind measurements. The design of the radiometer is fairly compact and its calibration does not rely on liquid nitrogen which makes it transportable and suitable for campaign use. WIRA is conceived in a way that it can be operated remotely and does hardly require any maintenance. In the present paper, a description of the instrument is given, and the techniques used for the wind retrieval based on the determination of the Doppler shift of the measured atmospheric ozone emission spectra are outlined. Their reliability was tested using Monte Carlo simulations. Finally, a time series of 11 months of zonal wind measurements over Bern (46°57' N

First middle-atmospheric zonal wind profile measurements with a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rüfenacht, R.; Kämpfer, N.; Murk, A.

2012-07-01

We report on the wind radiometer WIRA, a new ground-based microwave Doppler-spectro-radiometer specifically designed for the measurement of middle-atmospheric horizontal wind by observing ozone emission spectra at 142.17504 GHz. Currently, wind speeds in five levels between 30 and 79 km can be retrieved what makes WIRA the first instrument able to continuously measure horizontal wind in this altitude range. For an integration time of one day the measurement error on each level lies at around 25 m s-1. With a planned upgrade this value is expected to be reduced by a factor of 2 in the near future. On the altitude levels where our measurement can be compared to wind data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) very good agreement in the long-term statistics as well as in short time structures with a duration of a few days has been found. WIRA uses a passive double sideband heterodyne receiver together with a digital Fourier transform spectrometer for the data acquisition. A big advantage of the radiometric approach is that such instruments can also operate under adverse weather conditions and thus provide a continuous time series for the given location. The optics enables the instrument to scan a wide range of azimuth angles including the directions east, west, north, and south for zonal and meridional wind measurements. The design of the radiometer is fairly compact and its calibration does not rely on liquid nitrogen what makes it transportable and suitable for campaign use. WIRA is conceived in a way that it can be operated remotely and does hardly require any maintenance. In the present paper, a description of the instrument is given, and the used techniques for the wind retrieval based on the determination of the Doppler shift of the measured atmospheric ozone emission spectra are outlined. Their reliability was tested using MonteCarlo simulations. Finally, a first time series of 11 months of zonal wind measurements over Bern (46°57

Socioeconomic Status and the Risk of Suspected Autism Spectrum Disorders among 18-Month-Old Toddlers in Japan: A Population-Based Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fujiwara, Takeo

2014-01-01

The association between family socioeconomic status (SES) and the suspected autism spectrum disorder (ASD) status of 18-month-old toddlers was investigated using a population-based sample in Japan, which has a universal healthcare system and a mandatory health checkup system for toddlers. Questionnaires including SES measurements and modified…

Ground based measurements on reflectance towards validating atmospheric correction algorithms on IRS-P6 AWiFS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani Sharma, Anu; Kharol, Shailesh Kumar; Kvs, Badarinath; Roy, P. S.

In Earth observation, the atmosphere has a non-negligible influence on the visible and infrared radiation which is strong enough to modify the reflected electromagnetic signal and at-target reflectance. Scattering of solar irradiance by atmospheric molecules and aerosol generates path radiance, which increases the apparent surface reflectance over dark surfaces while absorption by aerosols and other molecules in the atmosphere causes loss of brightness to the scene, as recorded by the satellite sensor. In order to derive precise surface reflectance from satellite image data, it is indispensable to apply the atmospheric correction which serves to remove the effects of molecular and aerosol scattering. In the present study, we have implemented a fast atmospheric correction algorithm to IRS-P6 AWiFS satellite data which can effectively retrieve surface reflectance under different atmospheric and surface conditions. The algorithm is based on MODIS climatology products and simplified use of Second Simulation of Satellite Signal in Solar Spectrum (6S) radiative transfer code, which is used to generate look-up-tables (LUTs). The algorithm requires information on aerosol optical depth for correcting the satellite dataset. The proposed method is simple and easy to implement for estimating surface reflectance from the at sensor recorded signal, on a per pixel basis. The atmospheric correction algorithm has been tested for different IRS-P6 AWiFS False color composites (FCC) covering the ICRISAT Farm, Patancheru, Hyderabad, India under varying atmospheric conditions. Ground measurements of surface reflectance representing different land use/land cover, i.e., Red soil, Chick Pea crop, Groundnut crop and Pigeon Pea crop were conducted to validate the algorithm and found a very good match between surface reflectance and atmospherically corrected reflectance for all spectral bands. Further, we aggregated all datasets together and compared the retrieved AWiFS reflectance with

Scaling earthquake ground motions for performance-based assessment of buildings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, Y.-N.; Whittaker, A.S.; Luco, N.; Hamburger, R.O.

2011-01-01

The impact of alternate ground-motion scaling procedures on the distribution of displacement responses in simplified structural systems is investigated. Recommendations are provided for selecting and scaling ground motions for performance-based assessment of buildings. Four scaling methods are studied, namely, (1)geometric-mean scaling of pairs of ground motions, (2)spectrum matching of ground motions, (3)first-mode-period scaling to a target spectral acceleration, and (4)scaling of ground motions per the distribution of spectral demands. Data were developed by nonlinear response-history analysis of a large family of nonlinear single degree-of-freedom (SDOF) oscillators that could represent fixed-base and base-isolated structures. The advantages and disadvantages of each scaling method are discussed. The relationship between spectral shape and a ground-motion randomness parameter, is presented. A scaling procedure that explicitly considers spectral shape is proposed. ?? 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Estimates of ground-water recharge, base flow, and stream reach gains and losses in the Willamette River basin, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Karl K.; Risley, John C.

2002-03-19

Precipitation-runoff models, base-flow-separation techniques, and stream gain-loss measurements were used to study recharge and ground-water surface-water interaction as part of a study of the ground-water resources of the Willamette River Basin. The study was a cooperative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey and the State of Oregon Water Resources Department. Precipitation-runoff models were used to estimate the water budget of 216 subbasins in the Willamette River Basin. The models were also used to compute long-term average recharge and base flow. Recharge and base-flow estimates will be used as input to a regional ground-water flow model, within the same study. Recharge and base-flow estimates were made using daily streamflow records. Recharge estimates were made at 16 streamflow-gaging-station locations and were compared to recharge estimates from the precipitation-runoff models. Base-flow separation methods were used to identify the base-flow component of streamflow at 52 currently operated and discontinued streamflow-gaging-station locations. Stream gain-loss measurements were made on the Middle Fork Willamette, Willamette, South Yamhill, Pudding, and South Santiam Rivers, and were used to identify and quantify gaining and losing stream reaches both spatially and temporally. These measurements provide further understanding of ground-water/surface-water interactions.

The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station Ground Temperature Sensor: A Pyrometer for Measuring Ground Temperature on Mars

PubMed Central

Sebastián, Eduardo; Armiens, Carlos; Gómez-Elvira, Javier; Zorzano, María P.; Martinez-Frias, Jesus; Esteban, Blanca; Ramos, Miguel

2010-01-01

We describe the parameters that drive the design and modeling of the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) Ground Temperature Sensor (GTS), an instrument aboard NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory, and report preliminary test results. REMS GTS is a lightweight, low-power, and low cost pyrometer for measuring the Martian surface kinematic temperature. The sensor’s main feature is its innovative design, based on a simple mechanical structure with no moving parts. It includes an in-flight calibration system that permits sensor recalibration when sensor sensitivity has been degraded by deposition of dust over the optics. This paper provides the first results of a GTS engineering model working in a Martian-like, extreme environment. PMID:22163405

Generating high precision ionospheric ground-truth measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Komjathy, Attila (Inventor); Sparks, Lawrence (Inventor); Mannucci, Anthony J. (Inventor)

2007-01-01

A method, apparatus and article of manufacture provide ionospheric ground-truth measurements for use in a wide-area augmentation system (WAAS). Ionospheric pseudorange/code and carrier phase data as primary observables is received by a WAAS receiver. A polynomial fit is performed on the phase data that is examined to identify any cycle slips in the phase data. The phase data is then leveled. Satellite and receiver biases are obtained and applied to the leveled phase data to obtain unbiased phase-leveled ionospheric measurements that are used in a WAAS system. In addition, one of several measurements may be selected and data is output that provides information on the quality of the measurements that are used to determine corrective messages as part of the WAAS system.

Overwork-related disorders in Japan: recent trends and development of a national policy to promote preventive measures.

PubMed

Yamauchi, Takashi; Yoshikawa, Toru; Takamoto, Masahiro; Sasaki, Takeshi; Matsumoto, Shun; Kayashima, Kotaro; Takeshima, Tadashi; Takahashi, Masaya

2017-06-08

Overwork-related disorders, such as cerebrovascular/cardiovascular diseases (CCVD) and mental disorders due to overwork, are a major occupational and public health issue worldwide, particularly in East Asian countries. This report discusses the recent trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan from the perspective of workers' compensated occupational diseases, as well as the development of a national policy for preventive measures against overwork-related disorders in Japan. Recently, the number of claimed and compensated cases of occupational mental disorders has increased substantially, particularly among young workers, as compared to those of occupational CCVD. In response to these situations and action from society, the Japanese Government passed the "Act on Promotion of Preventive Measures against Karoshi and Other Overwork-Related Health Disorders" in June 2014 to develop a national initiative towards the prevention of overwork-related disorders. Changes in the trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan under a legal foundation and an initiative by the central government should be closely monitored so that other countries can benefit from the experiences.

Overwork-related disorders in Japan: recent trends and development of a national policy to promote preventive measures

PubMed Central

YAMAUCHI, Takashi; YOSHIKAWA, Toru; TAKAMOTO, Masahiro; SASAKI, Takeshi; MATSUMOTO, Shun; KAYASHIMA, Kotaro; TAKESHIMA, Tadashi; TAKAHASHI, Masaya

2017-01-01

Overwork-related disorders, such as cerebrovascular/cardiovascular diseases (CCVD) and mental disorders due to overwork, are a major occupational and public health issue worldwide, particularly in East Asian countries. This report discusses the recent trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan from the perspective of workers’ compensated occupational diseases, as well as the development of a national policy for preventive measures against overwork-related disorders in Japan. Recently, the number of claimed and compensated cases of occupational mental disorders has increased substantially, particularly among young workers, as compared to those of occupational CCVD. In response to these situations and action from society, the Japanese Government passed the “Act on Promotion of Preventive Measures against Karoshi and Other Overwork-Related Health Disorders” in June 2014 to develop a national initiative towards the prevention of overwork-related disorders. Changes in the trend of overwork-related disorders in Japan under a legal foundation and an initiative by the central government should be closely monitored so that other countries can benefit from the experiences. PMID:28154338

Seasonal changes in ground-water quality and ground-water levels and directions of ground-water movement in southern Elmore County, southwestern Idaho, including Mountain Home Air Force Base, 1990-1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, H.W.; Parliman, D.J.; Jones, Michael L.

1992-01-01

The study area is located in southern Elmore County, southwestern Idaho, and includes the Mountain Home Air Force Base located approximately 10 mi southwest of the city of Mountain Home. Chemical analyzes have been made periodically since the late 1940's on water samples from supply wells on the Air Force Base. These analyses indicate increases in specific conductance and in concentrations of nitrogen compounds, chloride, and sulfate. The purposes of this report, which was prepared in cooperation with the Department of the Air Force, are to describe the seasonal changes in water quality and water levels and to depict the directions of ground-water movement in the regional aquifer system and perched-water zones. Although data presented in this report are from both the regional ground-water system and perched-water zones, the focus is on the regional system. A previous study by the U.S. Geological Survey (Parliman and Young, 1990) describes the areal changes in water quality and water levels during the fall of 1989. During March, July, and October 1990, 141 wells were inventoried and depth to water was measured. Continuous water-level recorders were installed on 5 of the wells and monthly measurements of depth to water were made in 17 of the wells during March 1990 through February 1991. Water samples from 33 wells and 1 spring were collected during the spring and fall of 1990 for chemical analyses. Samples also were collected monthly from 11 of those wells during April to September 1990 (table 1). Selected well-construction and water-use data and measurements of depth to water for 141 wells are given in table 2 (separated sheets in envelope). Directions of ground-water movement and selected hydrographs showing seasonal fluctuations of water levels in the regional ground-water system and perched-water zones are shown on sheet 2. Changes in water levels in the regional ground-water system during March to October 1990 are shown on sheet 2.

Examination about Influence for Precision of 3d Image Measurement from the Ground Control Point Measurement and Surface Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anai, T.; Kochi, N.; Yamada, M.; Sasaki, T.; Otani, H.; Sasaki, D.; Nishimura, S.; Kimoto, K.; Yasui, N.

2015-05-01

As the 3D image measurement software is now widely used with the recent development of computer-vision technology, the 3D measurement from the image is now has acquired the application field from desktop objects as wide as the topography survey in large geographical areas. Especially, the orientation, which used to be a complicated process in the heretofore image measurement, can be now performed automatically by simply taking many pictures around the object. And in the case of fully textured object, the 3D measurement of surface features is now done all automatically from the orientated images, and greatly facilitated the acquisition of the dense 3D point cloud from images with high precision. With all this development in the background, in the case of small and the middle size objects, we are now furnishing the all-around 3D measurement by a single digital camera sold on the market. And we have also developed the technology of the topographical measurement with the air-borne images taken by a small UAV [1~5]. In this present study, in the case of the small size objects, we examine the accuracy of surface measurement (Matching) by the data of the experiments. And as to the topographic measurement, we examine the influence of GCP distribution on the accuracy by the data of the experiments. Besides, we examined the difference of the analytical results in each of the 3D image measurement software. This document reviews the processing flow of orientation and the 3D measurement of each software and explains the feature of the each software. And as to the verification of the precision of stereo-matching, we measured the test plane and the test sphere of the known form and assessed the result. As to the topography measurement, we used the air-borne image data photographed at the test field in Yadorigi of Matsuda City, Kanagawa Prefecture JAPAN. We have constructed Ground Control Point which measured by RTK-GPS and Total Station. And we show the results of analysis made

Classification using NMR-based metabolomics of Sophora flavescens grown in Japan and China.

PubMed

Suzuki, Ryuichiro; Ikeda, Yuriko; Yamamoto, Akari; Saima, Toyoe; Fujita, Tatsuya; Fukuda, Tatsuo; Fukuda, Eriko; Baba, Masaki; Okada, Yoshihito; Shirataki, Yoshiaki

2012-11-01

We demonstrate that NMR-based metabolomics can be used to identify the country of growth (Japan or China) of Sophora flavescens plants. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) conducted on extracts of S. flavescens grown in China provided data distinct from that of extracts of plants grown in Japan. Loading plot analysis showed signals characteristic of Japanese S. flavescens. NMR analyses showed these signals to be due to kurarinol (1) and kushenol H (2). These compounds were confirmed by HPLC analysis to be distinctive markers for Japanese S. flavescens.

Multicentre population-based dementia prevalence survey in Japan: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Ikejima, Chiaki; Hisanaga, Akito; Meguro, Kenichi; Yamada, Tatsuo; Ouma, Shinji; Kawamuro, Yu; Hyouki, Kazushi; Nakashima, Kenji; Wada, Kenji; Yamada, Shigeto; Watanabe, Itaru; Kakuma, Tatsuyuki; Aoyama, Yoshiko; Mizukami, Katsuyoshi; Asada, Takashi

2012-06-01

Community-based surveys were performed in seven rural areas in Japan to investigate the prevalence of dementia and illnesses causing dementia. A total of 5431 elderly subjects were selected based on census data from 1 October 2009. In total, 3394 participants were examined (participation rate: 62.5%), and 768 dementia cases and 529 mild cognitive impairment cases were identified. Of the illnesses causing dementia, Alzheimer's disease was the most frequent (67.4%), followed by vascular dementia (18.9%), dementia with Lewy body disease (4.6%), mixed dementia (4.2%) and other illnesses. The prevalence of dementia according to 5-year age strata between 65 and 99 years was 5.8-77.7% among the participants. The prevalence of dementia in this study was higher than in previous reports in Japan and other countries. To verify the upward trend of dementia prevalence and its background factors, we have scheduled surveys for three other urban areas in 2011-2012. © 2012 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics © 2012 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Thunderstorms and ground-based radio noise as observed by radio astronomy Explorer 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, J. A.; Herman, J. R.

1973-01-01

Radio Astronomy Explorer (RAE) data were analyzed to determine the frequency dependence of HF terrestrial radio noise power. RAE observations of individual thunderstorms, mid-ocean areas, and specific geographic regions for which concommitant ground based measurements are available indicate that noise power is a monotonically decreasing function of frequency which conforms to expectations over the geographic locations and time periods investigated. In all cases investigated, active thunderstorm regions emit slightly higher power as contrasted to RAE observations of the region during meteorologically quiet periods. Noise levels are some 15 db higher than predicted values over mid-ocean, while in locations where ground based measurements are available a maximum deviation of 5 db occurs. Worldwide contour mapping of the noise power at 6000 km for five individual months and four observing frequencies, examples of which are given, indicate high noise levels over continental land masses with corresponding lower levels over ocean regions.

Land mobile satellite propagation measurements in Japan using ETS-V satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obara, Noriaki; Tanaka, Kenji; Yamamoto, Shin-Ichi; Wakana, Hiromitsu

1993-01-01

Propagation characteristics of land mobile satellite communications channels have been investigated actively in recent years. Information of propagation characteristics associated with multipath fading and shadowing is required to design commercial land mobile satellite communications systems, including protocol and error correction method. CRL (Communications Research Laboratory) has carried out propagation measurements using the Engineering Test Satellite-V (ETS-V) at L band (1.5 GHz) through main roads in Japan by a medium gain antenna with an autotracking capability. This paper presents the propagation statistics obtained in this campaign.

Sea Ice Thickness Measurement by Ground Penetrating Radar for Ground Truth of Microwave Remote Sensing Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, M.; Yoshimura, M.; Naoki, K.; Cho, K.; Wakabayashi, H.

2018-04-01

Observation of sea ice thickness is one of key issues to understand regional effect of global warming. One of approaches to monitor sea ice in large area is microwave remote sensing data analysis. However, ground truth must be necessary to discuss the effectivity of this kind of approach. The conventional method to acquire ground truth of ice thickness is drilling ice layer and directly measuring the thickness by a ruler. However, this method is destructive, time-consuming and limited spatial resolution. Although there are several methods to acquire ice thickness in non-destructive way, ground penetrating radar (GPR) can be effective solution because it can discriminate snow-ice and ice-sea water interface. In this paper, we carried out GPR measurement in Lake Saroma for relatively large area (200 m by 300 m, approximately) aiming to obtain grand truth for remote sensing data. GPR survey was conducted at 5 locations in the area. The direct measurement was also conducted simultaneously in order to calibrate GPR data for thickness estimation and to validate the result. Although GPR Bscan image obtained from 600MHz contains the reflection which may come from a structure under snow, the origin of the reflection is not obvious. Therefore, further analysis and interpretation of the GPR image, such as numerical simulation, additional signal processing and use of 200 MHz antenna, are required to move on thickness estimation.

Advances in High Energy Solid-State 2-micron Laser Transmitter Development for Ground and Airborne Wind and CO2 Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Upendra N.; Yu, Jirong; Petros, Mulugeta; Chen, Songsheng; Kavaya, Michael J.; Trieu, Bo; Bai, Yingxin; Petzar, Paul; Modlin, Edward A.; Koch, Grady;

Measures against transmission of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Japan in 2009: simulation model.

PubMed

Yasuda, H; Suzuki, K

2009-11-05

The first outbreak of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Japan was contained in the Kansai region in May 2009 by social distancing measures. Modelling methods are needed to estimate the validity of these measures before their implementation on a large scale. We estimated the transmission coefficient from outbreaks of pandemic H1N1 influenza among school children in Japan in summer 2009; using this transmission coefficient, we simulated the spread of pandemic H1N1 influenza in a virtual community called the virtual Chuo Line which models an area to the west of metropolitan Tokyo. Measures evaluated in our simulation included: isolation at home, school closure, post-exposure prophylaxis and mass vaccinations of school children. We showed that post-exposure prophylaxis combined with isolation at home and school closure significantly decreases the total number of cases in the community and can mitigate the spread of pandemic H1N1 influenza, even when there is a delay in the availability of vaccine.

Microtremor Array Measurement Survey and Strong Ground Motion observation activities of The SATREPS, MarDiM project -Part 2-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Citak, Seckin; Karagoz, Ozlem; Chimoto, Kosuke; Ozel, Oguz; Yamanaka, Hiroaki; Arslan, Safa; Aksahin, Bengi; Hatayama, Ken; Ohori, Michihiro; Hori, Muneo

2016-04-01

Since 1939, devastating earthquakes with magnitude greater than seven ruptured North Anatolian Fault (NAF) westward, starting from 1939 Erzincan (Ms=7.9) at the eastern Turkey and including the latest 1999 Izmit-Golcuk (Ms=7.4) and the Duzce (Ms=7.2) earthquakes in the eastern Marmara region, Turkey. On the other hand, the west of the Sea of Marmara an Mw7.4 earthquake ruptured the NAF' s Ganos segment in 1912. The only un-ruptured segments of the NAF in the last century are within the Sea of Marmara, and are identified as a "seismic gap" zone that its rupture may cause a devastating earthquake. In order to unravel the seismic risks of the Marmara region a comprehensive multidisciplinary research project The MarDiM project "Earthquake And Tsunami Disaster Mitigation in The Marmara Region and Disaster Education in Turkey", has already been started since 2003. The project is conducted in the framework of "Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)" sponsored by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). One of the main research field of the project is "Seismic characterization and damage prediction" which aims to improve the prediction accuracy of the estimation of the damages induced by strong ground motions and tsunamis based on reliable source parameters, detailed deep and shallow velocity structure and building data. As for detailed deep and shallow velocity structure microtremor array measurement surveys were conducted in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, Tekirdag, Canakkale and Edirne provinces at about 109 sites on October 2013, September 2014 and 2015. Also in September 2014, 11 accelerometer units were installed mainly in public buildings in both Zeytinburnu and Tekirdag area and are currently in operation. Each accelerometer unit compose of a Network Sensor (CV-374A) by Tokyo Sokushin, post processing PC for data storage and power supply unit. The Network Sensor (CV-374

Microtremor Array Measurement Survey and Strong Ground Motion observation activities of The SATREPS, MarDiM project -Part 3-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Citak, Seckin; Safa Arslan, Mehmet; Karagoz, Ozlem; Chimoto, Kosuke; Ozel, Oguz; Yamanaka, Hiroaki; Behiye Aksahin, Bengi; Hatayama, Ken; Sahin, Abdurrahman; Ohori, Michihiro; Safak, Erdal; Hori, Muneo

2017-04-01

Since 1939, devastating earthquakes with magnitude greater than seven ruptured North Anatolian Fault (NAF) westward, starting from 1939 Erzincan (Ms=7.9) at the eastern Turkey and including the latest 1999 Izmit-Golcuk (Ms=7.4) and the Duzce (Ms=7.2) earthquakes in the eastern Marmara region, Turkey. On the other hand, the west of the Sea of Marmara an Mw7.4 earthquake ruptured the NAF' s Ganos segment in 1912. The only un-ruptured segments of the NAF in the last century are within the Sea of Marmara, and are identified as a "seismic gap" zone that its rupture may cause a devastating earthquake. In order to unravel the seismic risks of the Marmara region a comprehensive multidisciplinary research project The MarDiM project "Earthquake And Tsunami Disaster Mitigation in The Marmara Region and Disaster Education in Turkey", has already been started since 2003. The project is conducted in the framework of "Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)" sponsored by Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). One of the main research field of the project is "Seismic characterization and damage prediction" which aims to improve the prediction accuracy of the estimation of the damages induced by strong ground motions and tsunamis based on reliable source parameters, detailed deep and shallow velocity structure and building data. As for detailed deep and shallow velocity structure microtremor array measurement surveys were conducted in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul, Tekirdag, Canakkale and Edirne provinces at about 140 sites on October 2013, September 2014, 2015 and 2016. Also in September 2014, 11 accelerometer units were installed mainly in public buildings in both Zeytinburnu and Tekirdag area and are currently in operation. Each accelerometer unit compose of a Network Sensor (CV-374A) by Tokyo Sokushin, post processing PC for data storage and power supply unit. The Network Sensor

Comparing multiple model-derived aerosol optical properties to spatially collocated ground-based and satellite measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ocko, Ilissa B.; Ginoux, Paul A.

2017-04-01

Anthropogenic aerosols are a key factor governing Earth's climate and play a central role in human-caused climate change. However, because of aerosols' complex physical, optical, and dynamical properties, aerosols are one of the most uncertain aspects of climate modeling. Fortunately, aerosol measurement networks over the past few decades have led to the establishment of long-term observations for numerous locations worldwide. Further, the availability of datasets from several different measurement techniques (such as ground-based and satellite instruments) can help scientists increasingly improve modeling efforts. This study explores the value of evaluating several model-simulated aerosol properties with data from spatially collocated instruments. We compare aerosol optical depth (AOD; total, scattering, and absorption), single-scattering albedo (SSA), Ångström exponent (α), and extinction vertical profiles in two prominent global climate models (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, GFDL, CM2.1 and CM3) to seasonal observations from collocated instruments (AErosol RObotic NETwork, AERONET, and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization, CALIOP) at seven polluted and biomass burning regions worldwide. We find that a multi-parameter evaluation provides key insights on model biases, data from collocated instruments can reveal underlying aerosol-governing physics, column properties wash out important vertical distinctions, and improved models does not mean all aspects are improved. We conclude that it is important to make use of all available data (parameters and instruments) when evaluating aerosol properties derived by models.

Winter-spring anomalies in the stratospheric content of NO2 from ground-based measurement results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ageyeva, V. Yu.; Gruzdev, A. N.; Elokhov, A. S.; Grishaev, M. V.

2015-07-01

According to the results of ground-based spectrometric measurements, significant negative anomalies in the stratospheric content of NO2 were observed at a number of stations in the Northern Hemisphere during winter and spring 2011. These anomalies were accompanied by those in total ozone content (TOC) and stratospheric temperature and were caused by the transport of air masses from the region of the arctic ozone hole. The results of analysis of vertical NO2 profiles obtained at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station showed that a certain contribution to the 2011 negative anomalies of NO2 was made due to a denitrification of the polar stratosphere in the ozone-hole region. The relation between variations in the total content of NO2 and those in the TOC and temperature was analyzed for both the Northern and Southern hemispheres during winter-spring periods. It was found that this relation depends on the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation in the stratospheric equatorial wind. Such a correlation usually intensifies if only the episodes of negative anomalies caused by the transport of stratospheric air masses from the ozone-hole region are taken into consideration.

In situ study of the effect of ground source heat pump on shallow ground-water quality in the late Pleistocene terrace area of Tokyo, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takemura, T.; Uemura, K.; Akiba, Y.; Ota, M.

2015-12-01

The implementation of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems has rapidly increased around the world, since they reduce carbon dioxide emissions and save electric energy. The GSHP system transfer heat into the geosphere zone when air conditioners are used to cool rooms or buildings. However, the effects of temperature increase on the quality of underground water has yet to be fully investigated. In order to reduce the risks of ground-water pollution by the installed GSHPs, it is important to evaluate the effect of temperature change on the ground-water quality. In this study, we installed a closed loop GSHP system on a heat exchange well along with a monitoring well drilled to measure ground-water quality and temperature. The monitoring well was drilled at 0.1cm away from the heat exchange well. We observed that changes of temperature in the heat exchange well affected the water quality, especially turbidity, in gravelly layer.

Upper Ocean Measurements of Water Masses and Circulation in the Japan Sea

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-30

Japan Sea via Tsugaru Strait into the N. Pacific and through Soya Strait into the Okhotsk Sea. On float entered the Okhotsk Sea through Soya Strait and...Riser (2003) Connections between the Japan Sea and Okhotsk Sea through Soya Strait. Submitted to Journal of Geophysical Research. Riser, S., M...PUBLICATIONS Danchenkov, M. and S. Riser (2003) Connections between the Japan Sea and Okhotsk Sea through Soya Strait. Submitted to Journal of Geophysical

Atomic oxygen effects on boron nitride and silicon nitride: A comparison of ground based and space flight data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, J. B.; Lan, E. H.; Smith, C. A.; Whatley, W. J.

1990-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) were evaluated in a low Earth orbit (LEO) flight experiment and in a ground based simulation facility. In both the inflight and ground based experiments, these materials were coated on thin (approx. 250A) silver films, and the electrical resistance of the silver was measured in situ to detect any penetration of atomic oxygen through the BN and Si3N4 materials. In the presence of atomic oxygen, silver oxidizes to form silver oxide, which has a much higher electrical resistance than pure silver. Permeation of atomic oxygen through BN, as indicated by an increase in the electrical resistance of the silver underneath, was observed in both the inflight and ground based experiments. In contrast, no permeation of atomic oxygen through Si3N4 was observed in either the inflight or ground based experiments. The ground based results show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, indicating that ground based facilities such as the one at Los Alamos National Lab can reproduce space flight data from LEO.

A comparison of ground-based and space flight data: Atomic oxygen reactions with boron nitride and silicon nitride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, J. B.; Lan, E. H.; Smith, C. A.; Whatley, W. J.; Koontz, S. L.

1990-01-01

The effects of atomic oxygen on boron nitride (BN) and silicon nitride (Si3N4) have been studied in low Earth orbit (LEO) flight experiments and in a ground-based simulation facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Both the in-flight and ground-based experiments employed the materials coated over thin (approx 250 Angstrom) silver films whose electrical resistance was measured in situ to detect penetration of atomic oxygen through the BN and Si3N4 materials. In the presence of atomic oxygen, silver oxidizes to form silver oxide, which has a much higher electrical resistance than pure silver. Permeation of atomic oxygen through BN, as indicated by an increase in the electrical resistance of the silver underneath, was observed in both the in-flight and ground-based experiments. In contrast, no permeation of atomic oxygen through Si3N4 was observed in either the in-flight or ground-based experiments. The ground-based results show good qualitative correlation with the LEO flight results, thus validating the simulation fidelity of the ground-based facility in terms of reproducing LEO flight results.

Measuring Effective Leaf Area Index, Foliage Profile, and Stand Height in New England Forest Stands Using a Full-Waveform Ground-Based Lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, Feng; Yang, Xiaoyuan; Schull, Mithcell A.; Roman-Colon, Miguel O.; Yao, Tian; Wang, Zhuosen; Zhang, Qingling; Jupp, David L. B.; Lovell, Jenny L.; Culvenor, Darius;

Coronary Artery Calcification in Japanese Men in Japan and Hawaii

PubMed Central

Abbott, Robert D.; Ueshima, Hirotsugu; Rodriguez, Beatriz L.; Kadowaki, Takashi; Masaki, Kamal H.; Willcox, Bradley J.; Sekikawa, Akira; Kuller, Lewis H.; Edmundowicz, Daniel; Shin, Chol; Kashiwagi, Atsunori; Nakamura, Yasuyuki; El-Saed, Aiman; Okamura, Tomonori; White, Roger; Curb, J. David

2013-01-01

Explanations for the low prevalence of atherosclerosis in Japan versus United States are often confounded with genetic variation. To help remove such confounding, coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, was compared between Japanese men in Japan and Japanese men in Hawaii. Findings are based on risk factor and CAC measurements that were made from 2001 to 2005 in 311 men in Japan and 300 men in Hawaii. Men were aged 40 to 50 years and without cardiovascular disease. After age-adjustment, there was a 3-fold excess in the odds of prevalent CAC scores ≥10 in Hawaii versus Japan (relative odds [RO] = 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.1,4.9). While men in Hawaii had a generally poorer risk factor profile, men in Japan were 4-times more likely to smoke cigarettes (49.5 vs. 12.7%, p<0.001). In spite of marked risk factor differences between the samples, none of the risk factors provided an explanation for the low amounts of CAC in Japan. After risk factor adjustment, the RO of CAC scores ≥10 in Hawaii versus Japan was 4.0 (95% CI = 2.2,7.4). Further studies are needed to identify factors that offer protection against atherosclerosis in Japanese men in Japan. PMID:17728270

Neural Correlates of Auditory Figure-Ground Segregation Based on Temporal Coherence.

PubMed

Teki, Sundeep; Barascud, Nicolas; Picard, Samuel; Payne, Christopher; Griffiths, Timothy D; Chait, Maria

2016-09-01

To make sense of natural acoustic environments, listeners must parse complex mixtures of sounds that vary in frequency, space, and time. Emerging work suggests that, in addition to the well-studied spectral cues for segregation, sensitivity to temporal coherence-the coincidence of sound elements in and across time-is also critical for the perceptual organization of acoustic scenes. Here, we examine pre-attentive, stimulus-driven neural processes underlying auditory figure-ground segregation using stimuli that capture the challenges of listening in complex scenes where segregation cannot be achieved based on spectral cues alone. Signals ("stochastic figure-ground": SFG) comprised a sequence of brief broadband chords containing random pure tone components that vary from 1 chord to another. Occasional tone repetitions across chords are perceived as "figures" popping out of a stochastic "ground." Magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurement in naïve, distracted, human subjects revealed robust evoked responses, commencing from about 150 ms after figure onset that reflect the emergence of the "figure" from the randomly varying "ground." Neural sources underlying this bottom-up driven figure-ground segregation were localized to planum temporale, and the intraparietal sulcus, demonstrating that this area, outside the "classic" auditory system, is also involved in the early stages of auditory scene analysis." © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Mechanisms of time-based figure-ground segregation.

PubMed

Kandil, Farid I; Fahle, Manfred

2003-11-01

Figure-ground segregation can rely on purely temporal information, that is, on short temporal delays between positional changes of elements in figure and ground (Kandil, F.I. & Fahle, M. (2001) Eur. J. Neurosci., 13, 2004-2008). Here, we investigate the underlying mechanisms by measuring temporal segregation thresholds for various kinds of motion cues. Segregation can rely on monocular first-order motion (based on luminance modulation) and second-order motion cues (contrast modulation) with a high temporal resolution of approximately 20 ms. The mechanism can also use isoluminant motion with a reduced temporal resolution of 60 ms. Figure-ground segregation can be achieved even at presentation frequencies too high for human subjects to inspect successive frames individually. In contrast, when stimuli are presented dichoptically, i.e. separately to both eyes, subjects are unable to perceive any segregation, irrespective of temporal frequency. We propose that segregation in these displays is detected by a mechanism consisting of at least two stages. On the first level, standard motion or flicker detectors signal local positional changes (flips). On the second level, a segregation mechanism combines the local activities of the low-level detectors with high temporal precision. Our findings suggest that the segregation mechanism can rely on monocular detectors but not on binocular mechanisms. Moreover, the results oppose the idea that segregation in these displays is achieved by motion detectors of a higher order (motion-from-motion), but favour mechanisms sensitive to short temporal delays even without activation of higher-order motion detectors.

Object-Based Classification and Change Detection of Hokkaido, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J. G.; Harada, I.; Kwak, Y.

2016-06-01

Topography and geology are factors to characterize the distribution of natural vegetation. Topographic contour is particularly influential on the living conditions of plants such as soil moisture, sunlight, and windiness. Vegetation associations having similar characteristics are present in locations having similar topographic conditions unless natural disturbances such as landslides and forest fires or artificial disturbances such as deforestation and man-made plantation bring about changes in such conditions. We developed a vegetation map of Japan using an object-based segmentation approach with topographic information (elevation, slope, slope direction) that is closely related to the distribution of vegetation. The results found that the object-based classification is more effective to produce a vegetation map than the pixel-based classification.

Estimation of High-Frequency Earth-Space Radio Wave Signals via Ground-Based Polarimetric Radar Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolen, Steve; Chandrasekar, V.

2002-01-01

Expanding human presence in space, and enabling the commercialization of this frontier, is part of the strategic goals for NASA's Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise. Future near-Earth and planetary missions will support the use of high-frequency Earth-space communication systems. Additionally, increased commercial demand on low-frequency Earth-space links in the S- and C-band spectra have led to increased interest in the use of higher frequencies in regions like Ku and Ka-band. Attenuation of high-frequency signals, due to a precipitating medium, can be quite severe and can cause considerable disruptions in a communications link that traverses such a medium. Previously, ground radar measurements were made along the Earth-space path and compared to satellite beacon data that was transmitted to a ground station. In this paper, quantitative estimation of the attenuation along the propagation path is made via inter-comparisons of radar data taken from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) and ground-based polarimetric radar observations. Theoretical relationships between the expected specific attenuation (k) of spaceborne measurements with ground-based measurements of reflectivity (Zh) and differential propagation phase shift (Kdp) are developed for various hydrometeors that could be present along the propagation path, which are used to estimate the two-way path-integrated attenuation (PIA) on the PR return echo. Resolution volume matching and alignment of the radar systems is performed, and a direct comparison of PR return echo with ground radar attenuation estimates is made directly on a beam-by-beam basis. The technique is validated using data collected from the TExas and Florida UNderflights (TEFLUN-B) experiment and the TRMM large Biosphere-Atmosphere experiment in Amazonia (LBA) campaign. Attenuation estimation derived from this method can be used for strategiC planning of communication systems for

Near-Fault Strong Ground Motions during the 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwata, T.; Asano, K.

2016-12-01

The 2016 Kumamoto mainshock (Mw7.0) produced a surface ruptured fault of about 20km long with maximum 2m offset, and identified as a surface ruptured event. Two strong motion records were observed near the surface ruptured fault at Mashiki town hall and Nishihara village hall. We investigated characteristics of those strong ground motions. As the acceleration records consisted of the baseline errors caused by nonzero initial acceleration and tilting of the accelerograph, we carefully removed the baseline errors (c.f. Chiu, 2001, Boore and Bommer, 2005) so as to obtain velocity and displacements. The observed permanent displacements were about 1.2m in horizontal direction and about 0.7m sinking in vertical direction at Mashiki town hall, and about 1.7m and 1.8m, respectively, at Nishihara village hall. Those permanent displacements almost coincide to results by GNSS and InSAR analysis (e.g., GSI, 2016). It takes about only 3 s to reach the permanent displacement. Somerville (2003) pointed out that ground motions from earthquakes producing large surface ruptures appeared to have systematically weaker ground motions than ground motions from earthquakes whose rupture were confined to the subsurface using the Ground Motion Prediction Equation (GMPE) for response spectra (Abrahamson and Silva, 1997). We calculated the response spectra of those records, compared them to the GMPE with the same manner and found two records were systematically larger than the expected from the GMPE in the period range of 0.3 s to 5 s. We need to re-consider the working hypothesis that the near-fault ground motions are weaker and to separate the near-fault and site effects on ground motions. Strong motions in the longer period range would be mainly caused by the near-fault (near-field term) effect.We used the acceleration data of the Kumamoto seismic intensity information network, provided by JMA.

Multiband Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: Parameter Estimation and Tests of General Relativity with Space- and Ground-Based Detectors.

PubMed

Vitale, Salvatore

2016-07-29

With the discovery of the binary-black-hole (BBH) coalescence GW150914 the era of gravitational-wave (GW) astronomy has started. It has recently been shown that BBH with masses comparable to or higher than GW150914 would be visible in the Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (eLISA) band a few years before they finally merge in the band of ground-based detectors. This would allow for premerger electromagnetic alerts, dramatically increasing the chances of a joint detection, if BBHs are indeed luminous in the electromagnetic band. In this Letter we explore a quite different aspect of multiband GW astronomy, and verify if, and to what extent, measurement of masses and sky position with eLISA could improve parameter estimation and tests of general relativity with ground-based detectors. We generate a catalog of 200 BBHs and find that having prior information from eLISA can reduce the uncertainty in the measurement of source distance and primary black hole spin by up to factor of 2 in ground-based GW detectors. The component masses estimate from eLISA will not be refined by the ground based detectors, whereas joint analysis will yield precise characterization of the newly formed black hole and improve consistency tests of general relativity.

Radiometric modeling and calibration of the Geostationary Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) ground based measurement experiment