A demonstration of the potential of Cryosat-2 to contribute to mesoscale observation

Cryosat-2 was designed for its primary scientific objectives, i.e. for cryosphere science. As far as oceanography is concerned, various mission design choices make it less accurate than missions designed to comply with ocean surface topography requirements such as Jason-2 or ENVISAT. Cryosat-2-specific errors are equivalent to more than 50% of the sea surface height variability over 40% of the oceans. Cryosat-2’s sampling pattern is also suboptimal for mesoscale observation because the satellite tracks from any consecutive period of 2 to 20 days (e.g. the most recent and most valuable data for near real time mesoscale observation) are aggregated in 500 km wide bands which are interleaved with 500 km wide observation gaps.     

基于半无码的P(Y)码自相关GNSS-R海面测高方法

针对传统GPS C/A码延迟测高方法测高精度低和互相关测高方法时延波形信噪比低的问题,研究了基于半无码的P（Y）码自相关海面测高方法。首先,通过理论测高精度模型,对比分析了C/A码和P（Y）码的测高精度;然后,描述了L1、L2双频反射信号基于半无码的P（Y）码自相关处理架构,并论述了测高模型和L1、L2双频电离层时延误差修正方法;最后,利用模拟的L1、L2反射信号对比分析了基于半无码的P（Y）码自相关、C/A码自相关以及信号互相关方法的海面测高精度。结果表明:相比于C/A码自相关和信号互相关测高精度,基于半无码的P（Y）码自相关的测高精度分别提高了3.97倍和1.47倍。      

First quality assessment of the Cryosat-2 altimetric system over ocean

This paper presents the results of a Calval analysis performed for the Cryosat-2 mission over ocean. The data set used in this analysis consists of products generated by the Cryosat-2 Processor Prototype developed by CNES (Center National d’Etudes Spatiales). This data set has been analysed focusing on LRM (Low Resolution Mode) mode only. One major objective of this paper is to illustrate the potential of Cryosat-2 data over ocean, mainly for waves and Sea Level Anomaly applications. All the results indicate very good performances of the SIRAL (SAR/Interferometric Altimeter) altimeter over ocean. Crossover standard deviation is close to 6.5 cm over the analysed period (3 months) which is close to the Jason-2 and ENVISAT performance. All these results confirm that Cryosat’s altimeter can provide data almost as valuable as other flying altimetric missions, and that it has the potential to contribute to oceanography (e.g. multi-mission climate record, mesoscale monitoring in near real time) and to geodesy (e.g. mean sea surface, bathymetry).     

Atmospheric correction of satellite altimetry observations and sea-level variability in the NE Atlantic

Satellite altimetry provides continuous and spatially regular measurements of the height of the sea surface. Sea level responds to density changes of the water, to mass changes, due to addition or reduction of water mass, and to changes in the atmosphere above it. The present study examines the influence of atmospheric effects on sea-level variability in the North-East Atlantic. The association between the height of the sea surface and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is investigated by considering different sets of altimetry measurements for which the atmospheric effects have been handled differently. Altimetry data not corrected for atmospheric effects are strongly anti-correlated with the state of the NAO, reflecting the hydrostatic response of sea-level to the NAO pressure dipole. The application of an atmospheric correction to satellite altimetry observations in the NE Atlantic decreases variability of the height time series by more than 70% and reduces the amplitude of the seasonal cycle by ∼5 cm. Altimetry data for which atmospheric effects are removed via an inverse barometer correction show a non-negligible correlation with the NAO index at some locations suggesting further indirect non-hydrostatic influences of the state of the NAO on sea level variability.     

机载GNSS海洋反射信号的建模与仿真

由于全球导航卫星系统反射(GNSS-R)机载试验耗费大和重复性差,需研制GNSS-R信号模拟器,但没有相应的反射信号模型。提出了一种基于数据拟合的机载GNSS海洋反射信号建模方法。首先,对复杂的GNSS海面反射信号进行近似简化。然后利用ZV模型生成的时延相关功率曲线,通过最小二乘拟合和非线性拟合,建立了多条等时延间隔的海洋反射信号功率衰减模型,从而得到机载GNSS海洋反射信号的时延、功率、多普勒频率参数。最后,对多条反射信号的合路信号进行相关的仿真验证。验证的结果表明模拟的14条反射信号的相关功率曲线与ZV模型理论曲线的相关系数优于0.99,能够有效地用于GNSS海洋反射信号的生成。该方法可根据海面风场、浪高、波高等海面信息,模拟不同海况的海洋反射信号,为GNSS-R信号模拟器的研制奠定基础。     

High-performance altimeter Doppler processing for measuring sea level height under varying sea state conditions

This paper describes an innovative method for processing nadir altimeter data acquired in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) mode, enhancing the system performances over open ocean. Similarly to the current SAR data processing scheme, the so-called LR-RMC (Low Resolution with Range Migration Correction) method, originally designed by Phalippou and Demeester (2011), includes Doppler beam forming, Doppler shift correction and range correction. In LR-RMC, however, an alternative and less complex averaging (stacking) operation is used so that all the Doppler beams produced in a radar cycle (4 bursts of 64 beams for the open-burst Sentinel-3-mode altimeter) are incoherently combined to form a multi-beam echo. In that manner, contrarily to the narrow-band SAR technique, the LR-RMC processing enlarges the effective footprint to average out the effects of surface waves and particularly those from small sub-mesoscale structures (<1 km) that are known to impact SAR-mode performances. On the other hand, the number of averaged beams is as high as in current SAR-mode processing, thus providing a noise reduction at least equally good. The LR-RMC method has the added benefit of reducing the incoherent integration time with respect to the SAR-mode processing (50 ms compared to 2.5 s) limiting possible surface movement effects. By processing one year of Sentinel-3A SRAL SAR-mode data using the LR-RMC method, it is shown that the swell impact on the SAR altimeter performances is totally removed and that an improvement of 10–50% is obtained in the measurement noise of the sea surface height and significant wave height with respect to SAR mode. Additionally, observational capabilities over the middle scales are enhanced potentially allowing the ocean mesoscale features to be retrieved and observations assimilated more usefully in ocean models.     

飞机波浪水面迫降过程中极限冲击载荷数值研究

针对飞机在波浪水面迫降过程中机身所受的极限冲击载荷大小及其物理成因问题，采用数值模拟方法展开研究，结合有限体积法和流体体积（VOF）法捕捉自由面，采用六自由度（6DOF）模型和整体运动网格（GMM）处理水面与飞机之间的相对运动，模拟飞机的迫降过程。通过选择飞机相对水面下沉速度最大的波面相位作为迫降触水位置，预报机身所受的极限冲击载荷大小。结果表明:在波浪水面迫降的触水阶段中，机身遭遇了平静水面未预见的冲击峰，同时冲击峰值大小与飞机相对水面的下沉速度有关。此外，对比了在5种不同波高海况下飞机迫降的运动姿态和过载变化历程，给出了波高对极限冲击载荷和其余各参数峰值的影响规律，为飞机载荷分布设计提供参考依据。      

基于TechDemoSat-1卫星的GPS反射信号海面高度反演

针对星载GPS反射信号（GPS-R）海面测高的误差问题，基于星载GPS-R实测数据进行星载海面测高模型和误差修正模型的研究，并验证其有效性。利用TechDemoSat-1（TDS-1）数据，使用时延多普勒图（DDM）海面高度反演技术，着重分析了星载GPS-R海面高度反演中的各类误差，并建立了相应的误差模型。对星载GPS-R海面高度反演模型进行优化，采用DTU15全球平均海面模型、DTU全球海潮模型验证反演精度。结果证明:优化后反演模型得到的全球海面高度反演结果的平均绝对误差（MAD）为6.05 m，精度提高了约29%，有效提高了海面高度反演的精度。研究成果对于推广星载GNSS反射信号（GNSS-R）的海面测高应用具有一定的意义。      

应用双向时间传递的重力卫星时标误差自主测量

星间时标误差的自主测量对于中国自主研发地球重力卫星具有重要意义. 提出利用双向时间传递法实现重力卫星时标误差的自主测量, 设计了测量方案, 建立了包含卫星运动导致的链路非对称、电离层效应、设备零值以及随机测时误差在内的测量模型. 结合地球重力卫星相关特性, 分析了时标误差测量中各误差源的影响及相应的误差校正方法. 以GRACE重力卫星为例, 利用提出的方法和校正措施, 星间时标误差自主测量精度可以达到0.62ns, 其中误差主要来自系统零值标定误差和随机测时误差.      

Regional in situ validation of satellite altimeters: Calibration and cross-calibration results at the Corsican sites

The in situ validation of the satellite altimeter sea surface heights is generally performed either at a few local points directly flown over by the satellites or using the global tide gauge network. A regional in situ calibration method was developed by NOVELTIS in order to monitor the altimeter data quality in a perimeter of several hundred kilometres around a given in situ calibration site. The primary advantage of this technique is its applicability not only for missions flying over dedicated sites but also for missions on interleaved or non repetitive orbits. This article presents the altimeter bias estimates obtained with this method at the Corsican calibration site, for the Jason-1 mission on its nominal and interleaved orbits as well as for the Jason-2 and Envisat missions. The various regional bias estimates (8.2 cm and 7.4 cm for Jason-1 respectively on the nominal and interleaved orbits in Senetosa, 16.4 cm for Jason-2 in Senetosa and 47.0 cm for Envisat in Ajaccio, with an accuracy between 2.5 cm and 4 cm depending on the mission) are compared with the results obtained by the other in situ calibration teams. This comparison demonstrates the coherency at the centimetre level, the stability and the generic character of the method, which would also be of benefit to the new and future altimeter missions such as Cryosat-2, SARAL/AltiKa, Sentinel-3, Jason-3, Jason-CS.     

基于GPS遥感的延迟映射接收机关键技术

全球卫星定位系统GPS(Global Positioning System)广泛应用于定位和导航,还可利用海面对GPS信号产生的散射效应进行微波遥感,是一种新型微波遥感手段.首先介绍了GPS海洋遥感测风技术产生背景及特点,给出了GPS散射信号测量技术理论基础,重点分析了延迟映射接收机设计中提高采样信号信噪比、双射频前端电路设计、计算反射点延迟、接收机工作模式、内嵌软件处理等5项关键技术.设计的延迟映射接收机样机在天津近海完成了首次搭载飞行试验,试验结果表明,延迟映射接收机可同时接收直射和海面散射卫星信号并输出导航定位解,正确计算镜面散射点码延迟,准确接收海面散射的GPS卫星信号,且散射信号信噪比达到了14.9 dB以上,接收机输出为反演海面风场提供了准确的基础数据,这种方式可推广到遥感探测陆地土壤湿度、海冰厚度、海浪高度等领域.      

Improving the estimation of zenith dry tropospheric delays using regional surface meteorological data

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are emerging as possible tools for remote sensing high-resolution atmospheric water vapour that improves weather forecasting through numerical weather prediction models. Nowadays, the GNSS-derived tropospheric zenith total delay (ZTD), comprising zenith dry delay (ZDD) and zenith wet delay (ZWD), is achievable with sub-centimetre accuracy. However, if no representative near-site meteorological information is available, the quality of the ZDD derived from tropospheric models is degraded, leading to inaccurate estimation of the water vapour component ZWD as difference between ZTD and ZDD. On the basis of freely accessible regional surface meteorological data, this paper proposes a height-dependent linear correction model for a priori ZDD. By applying the ordinary least-squares estimation (OLSE), bootstrapping (BOOT), and leave-one-out cross-validation (CROS) methods, the model parameters are estimated and analysed with respect to outlier detection. The model validation is carried out using GNSS stations with near-site meteorological measurements. The results verify the efficiency of the proposed ZDD correction model, showing a significant reduction in the mean bias from several centimetres to about 5 mm. The OLSE method enables a fast computation, while the CROS procedure allows for outlier detection. All the three methods produce consistent results after outlier elimination, which improves the regression quality by about 20% and the model accuracy by up to 30%.     

星载单频GPS数据的电离层延迟改正方法分析

利用C/A码单点定位对LEO(Low Earth Orbit)卫星上的电离层延迟改正方法——"电离层比例因子法"进行了分析研究.计算的CHAMP卫星的轨道结果表明:采用电子密度峰值高度(hmF2,F2 region maximum electron density height)平均值和瞬时值计算的电离层比例因子α变化范围分别为0.3~0.4和0.2~0.65之间,两者最大差异可达0.3,相比较而言,hmF2瞬时值的结果更加合理,并且相应的大地高H方向的系统偏差要降低0.05~0.3m左右;与双频无电离层组合的普通单点定位结果相比表明该方法能较好地消除电离层一阶项所引入的H方向上的系统偏差;该方法适用的LEO卫星轨道高度范围大致在200~ 600km之间,当轨道高度超过700km时,该方法并不适用.     

Loop细分曲面精加工刀具轨迹生成

细分曲面既能表示连续的几何设计模型也能表示离散的加工模型,避免了模型转换的复杂中间过程.细分曲面除了对于构造具有任意拓扑结构的复杂零件具有巨大的优势外,对于数字化制造也极具发展潜力.因此,对基于Loop细分曲面的精加工刀具轨迹生成算法进行了研究.首先利用基于弦长误差的自适应插值Loop细分得到精加工模型;然后利用等斜率跟踪法将精加工模型分割为平坦区域和非平坦区域.对各个区域依次进行处理,不同区域实施不同的刀具轨迹规划.据此,既避免了因细分过程数据量过大而导致的曲面精度不足或表面质量降低的问题,又可顺利计算整张曲面相对均匀残留高度的刀具轨迹.最后,为验证该算法的可行性进行铣削加工实验.      

An improved sea level retrieval method using the differential evolution of GNSS SNR data

This paper presents an improved new method with differential evolution and the cubic spline approach is proposed to retrieve sea level height based on GNSS SNR observations from a single geodetic receiver. Considering the B-spline function is unstable at the beginning or end, and the feature that B-spline functions do not pass through nodes may introduce errors. Thus, the cubic spline is applied to the retrieval process and accounts for a continuous and smooth in sea level retrieval time series. Besides, the biases caused by tropospheric delay and dynamic sea level are considered and corrected. Testing data from two stations with different tidal range and the final solution agrees well with measurements from co-located tide gauges, reaching the RMSE of 3.67 cm at Friday Harbor, Washington, and 1.36 cm at Onsala, Sweden. Comparison of the nonlinear least squares, this method leads to a clear increase in precision of the sea level retrievals within 50%. Additionally, referring to the result of Purnell et al. (2020) and the IAG inter-comparison campaign, the results of this paper show more potential.     

Ocean Observation from Haiyang Satellites: 2012–2014

During 2012 and 2014, China has two Haiyang(which means ocean in Chinese, referred to as HY) satellites operating normally in space which are HY-1B and HY-2A. HY-1B is an ocean color environment satellite which was launched in April 2007 to observe global ocean color and sea surface temperature, and HY-2A is an ocean dynamic environment satellite which was launched in August 2011 to obtain global marine dynamic environment parameters including sea surface height,significant wave height, ocean wind vectors, etc. Ocean observation data provided by HY-1B and HY-2A have been widely used by both domestic and international users in extensive areas such as ocean environment protection, ocean disaster prevention and reduction, marine environment forecast,ocean resource development and management, ocean investigations and scientific researches, etc.     

An estimation of tropospheric corrections using GPS and synoptic data: Improving Urmia Lake water level time series from Jason-2 and SARAL/AltiKa satellite altimetry

Tropospheric correction is one of the most important corrections in satellite altimetry measurements. Tropospheric wet and dry path delays have strong dependence on temperature, pressure and humidity. Tropospheric layer has particularly high variability over coastal regions due to humidity, wind and temperature gradients. Depending on the extent of water body and wind conditions over an inland water, Wet Tropospheric Correction (WTC) is within the ranges from a few centimeters to tens of centimeters. Therefore, an extra care is needed to estimate tropospheric corrections on the altimetric measurements over inland waters. This study assesses the role of tropospheric correction on the altimetric measurements over the Urmia Lake in Iran. For this purpose, four types of tropospheric corrections have been used: (i) microwave radiometer (MWR) observations, (ii) tropospheric corrections computed from meteorological models, (iii) GPS observations and (iv) synoptic station data. They have been applied to Jason-2 track no. 133 and SARAL/AltiKa track no. 741 and 356 corresponding to 117–153 and the 23–34 cycles, respectively. In addition, the corresponding measurements of PISTACH and PEACHI, include new retracking method and an innovative wet tropospheric correction, have also been used. Our results show that GPS observation leads to the most accurate tropospheric correction. The results obtained from the PISTACH and PEACHI projects confirm those obtained with the standard SGDR, i.e., the role of GPS in improving the tropospheric corrections. It is inferred that the MWR data from Jason-2 mission is appropriate for the tropospheric corrections, however the SARAL/AltiKa one is not proper because Jason-2 possesses an enhanced WTC near the coast. Furthermore, virtual stations are defined for assessment of the results in terms of time series of Water Level Height (WLH). The results show that GPS tropospheric corrections lead to the most accurate WLH estimation for the selected virtual stations, which improves the accuracy of the obtained WLH time series by about 5%.     

基于北斗卫星反射信号的海面溢油探测方法及试验

为了监测小规模固定海域的溢油状况,针对岸基接收平台提出了一种基于北斗卫星反射信号的海面溢油探测方法,该方法将全球导航卫星系统反射信号(GNSS-R)技术应用于岸基条件下的海面溢油探测。进行了岸基试验,利用右旋圆极化(RHCP)天线和左旋圆极化(LHCP)天线分别采集北斗卫星直射与反射信号,在信号同步的基础上提取卫星直射和反射信号的相关功率,并结合北斗卫星的高度角与方位角信息,反演目标海域的介电常数来判断海面有无溢油。试验结果表明探测表面为油面时,介电常数反演结果均值为3.6,标准差为2.13,这与油的真实介电常数范围2.0~4.5一致,远小于海水介电常数,证明将GNSS-R应用到岸基海面溢油探测中具有可行性。     

Estimation of sea surface temperature, wind speed and water vapor with microwave radiometer data based on simulated annealing

A method for estimation of sea surface temperature, ocean wind speed and water vapor with microwave radiometer data based on simulated annealing is proposed. The proposed method shows about 60% improvement of sea surface temperature estimation accuracy in comparison to the existing method using Newton’s iterative algorithm.