Technology Progress Report for Microwave Remote Sensing

In this presentation, technological progress for China's microwave remote sensing is introduced. New developments of the microwave remote sensing instruments for China's lunar exploration satellite (Chang'E-1), meteorological satellite FY-3 and ocean dynamic measurement satellite (HY-2) are reported.     

GNSS reflectometry and remote sensing: New objectives and results

The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) has been a very powerful and important contributor to all scientific questions related to precise positioning on Earth’s surface, particularly as a mature technique in geodesy and geosciences. With the development of GNSS as a satellite microwave (L-band) technique, more and wider applications and new potentials are explored and utilized. The versatile and available GNSS signals can image the Earth’s surface environments as a new, highly precise, continuous, all-weather and near-real-time remote sensing tool. The refracted signals from GNSS radio occultation satellites together with ground GNSS observations can provide the high-resolution tropospheric water vapor, temperature and pressure, tropopause parameters and ionospheric total electron content (TEC) and electron density profile as well. The GNSS reflected signals from the ocean and land surface could determine the ocean height, wind speed and wind direction of ocean surface, soil moisture, ice and snow thickness. In this paper, GNSS remote sensing applications in the atmosphere, oceans, land and hydrology are presented as well as new objectives and results discussed.     

Technology Progress Report for Spaceborne Microwave Remote Sensing

In this presentation, technological progress for China's microwave remote sensing is introduced. New developments of the microwave remote sensing instruments formeteorological satellite FY-3, ocean dynamic measurement satellite (HY-2), environment small SAR satellite (H J-1C) and China's lunar exploration satellite (Chang'E-1), are reported.     

Progress for Spaceborne Microwave Remote Sensing in China

In this paper,technological progress for China's microwave remote sensing is intro-duced.New developments of the microwave remote sensing instruments for meteorological satellite FY-3,ocean dynamic measurement satellite(HY-2),environment small SAR satellite(HJ-1C) and China's lunar exploration satellite(Chang'E-1),geostationary orbit meteorological satellite FY-4M,are reported.      

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.      

Advances on Technology and Application of Ocean Color Remote Sensing in China (2004 - 2006)

China has great progress in the technology and application of ocean color remote sensing during 2004-2006. In this report, firstly, four major technical advances are displaying, including (1) the vector radiative transfer numerical model of coupled ocean-atmosphere system; (2) the atmospheric correction algorithm specialized on Chinese high turbid water; (3) systematical research of hyper-spectrum ocean color remote sensing; (4) local algorithms of oceanic parameters, like ocean color components, ocean primary productivity, water transparency, water quality parameters, etc. On the foundation of technical advances, ocean color remote sensing takes effect on ocean environment monitoring, with four major kinds of application systems, namely, (1) the automatic multi-satellites data receiving, processing and application system; (2) the shipboard satellite data receiving and processing system for fishery ground information; (3) Coastal water quality monitoring system, integrating satellite and airborne remote sensing technology and ship measurement; (4) the preliminary system of airborne ocean color remote sensing application system. Finally, the prospective development of Chinese ocean color remote sensing is brought forward. With Chinese second ocean color satellite (HY-1B) orbiting, great strides will take place in Chinese ocean color information accumulation and application.     

GNSS-Reflectometry: Forest canopies polarization scattering properties and modeling

Nowadays, GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R) can be a new promising remote sensing tool in the ocean, snow/ice and land surfaces, e.g., vegetation biomass monitoring. Although GNSS-R provides a potentially special L-band multi-angular and multi-polarization measurement, the theoretical vegetation scattering properties and mechanisms for GNSS-R are not understood clearly. In this paper, the GNSS-R vegetation polarization scattering properties are studied and modeled at different incidence angles (specular direction). The bistatic scattering model Bi-mimics is employed, which is the first-order radiative transfer equation. As a kind of forest stand, the Aspen’s crown layer is composed of entire leaves, and its parameters in Mimics handbook are used as model input. The specular circular polarizations (co-polarization RR and cross-polarization LR) are simulated. For cross-polarization, the received polarization is assumed as a linear (horizontal and vertical) polarizations and ±45° linear polarizations. Therefore, the HR VR, +45R and −45R polarizations are simulated here. Contributions from different scattering components at RR, LR and VR polarization are also presented. For co-polarization, it is large in the whole specular angles (10–80°). The scattering trends of the other cross polarization (HR, LR, +45R and −45R) are a little similar when compared to the RR and RV. Therefore, the RHCP and V polarizations are more favorable to collect the reflected signals. The trunk heights and crown depths do not affect the scattering trends of RR, RV and RL, while the trunk height has some effect on the scattering amplitude of different polarizations. The azimuth angle has more effects on RR, RL and RV scattering, especially in lower than 50°. The observation angles and polarization combinations are extremely important for GNSS-R remote sensing.     

Remote sensing based continuous hydrologic modeling

There are two principal ways in which remote sensing can be used with continuous hydrological models: (1) by providing a cost effective way for obtaining input data and (2) by providing synoptic measurements of various state variables. This paper discusses existing hydrologic models and the modifications required to adapt them for using remotely sensed data that may significantly improve their simulation performance. Microwave and thermal infrared measurements show promise for use in hydrologic models because they can measure certain physical properties of the watershed (emissivity and temperature) from which a hydrologic condition can be inferred. Additional applications of remote sensing data include the use of spatial data, mechanisms for extrapolating point data and direct measurement of several hydrologic state variables such as soil moisture, surface temperature, snow water equivalent, frozen soils, and rainfall distribution. Results are presented from several aircraft flights where thermal infrared and microwave data were collected over a small research basin. These results are discussed with respect to their application in continuous hydrologic simulation models.     

Remote sensing using GNSS signals: Current status and future directions

The refracted, reflected and scattered signals of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) have been successfully used to remotely sense the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. It has demonstrated its potential to sense the atmosphere and ionosphere, ocean, land surfaces (including soil moisture) and the cryosphere. These new measurements, although in need of refinement and further validation in many cases, can be used to complement existing techniques and sensors, e.g., radiosonde, ionosonde, radar altimetry and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This paper presents the current status and new developments of remote sensing using GNSS signals as well as its future directions and applications. Some notable emerging applications include monitoring sea ice, dangerous sea states, ocean eddy and storm surges. With the further improvement of the next generation multi-frequency GNSS systems and receivers and new space-based instruments utilizing GNSS reflections and refractions, new scientific applications of GNSS are expected in various environment remote sensing fields in the near future.     

The use of remote sensing in global biosystem studies

Remote sensing techniques, if properly employed, offer definite advantages to studies of the Earth's environment and resources on a global scale. A remote sensing strategy is presented for selective sampling of the properties and changes in the atmosphere, the oceans and on land in support of global biosystems research as proposed by NASA, including mineral cycling, ocean and terrestrial productivity, perturbation effects and biospheric responses. It is shown that remote sensors on satellites and aircraft should be used to update existing data bases and to monitor areas of high productivity or rapid change, rather than attempting to produce a costly inventory of all biosphere resources and processes.     

A new algorithm on increasing the sensitivity of microwave radiometer based on nonlinear prediction

Currently, microwave radiometer, which has been one of the most important remote sensors in the land, ocean or atmosphere remote sensing, has played a vital role in space exploration such as the lunar exploration in China. As a passive remote sensor, microwave radiometer receives the noise resembling signals that are generated by microwave radiation while mixed with the systemic noise of the receiver. Therefore, it is the significant subject that how to improve the sensitivity of microwave radiometer that people devotes to study. And on the system noise reduction lies the key. So far, except through choosing low noise element to the receiver, there is no effective alternative to remove the influence of the systemic noise on output uncertainty of microwave radiometer. However, for the purpose of providing or inspiring solution to this problem, this paper inquires into the application of nonlinear predictive method in predication the systemic noise of microwave radiometer. As the substance of the method, neural network shows its function on reducing the systemic noise effectively by estimating and predicating it. Because neural network can improve the estimated precision when estimating the systemic noise, after the noise passes through filter, certain random characters are lost while determinacy are presented to some extent. In fact, the more narrow filter band is, the smaller predictive error will be. The results are of assistance in understanding the intrinsic quality of the systemic noise and offer a new way for improving property of microwave radiometer.     

三层月壤模型的多通道微波辐射模拟与月壤厚度的反演

由月球表面数字高程试验性地构造了整个月球表面月壤厚度的分布.根据Clementine探月卫星的紫外-可见光光学数据,计算了整个月球表面月壤中FeO+TiO2含量分布,给出了整个月球表面月壤介电常数分布.由月球表层温度的观测结果以及月壤的导热特性,给出了月尘层与月壤层温度随纬度分布的经验公式.在这些条件的基础上,建立了月尘、月壤、月岩三层微波热辐射模型.由起伏逸散定理,模拟计算了该月球模型多通道辐射亮度温度.然后,以此辐射亮度温度模拟加随机噪声为理论观测值,按三层模型提出了月壤层厚度反演方法.由于高频通道穿透深度小,由高频通道的辐射亮度温度按照两层月尘-月壤微波热辐射模型反演月尘层与月壤层的物理温度,再由穿透深度较大的低频通道辐射亮度温度反演月壤层厚度.对于反演的相对误差也进行了讨论.      

火星探测的微波遥感技术

从微波遥感的角度出发,综述目前国际上对火星的探测现状,列出对微波遥感探测有影响的火星表层土壤、岩层的结构、分布及其介电特性等参数的已有研究结果,分析对火星地壳表层水(或冰)存在可能性及其分布状态的研究动向.结合地球表面微波遥感技术的最新进展,提出用主动与被动微波遥感探测火星表面浅层土壤物质状态和分层结构的可行性分析,初步研讨了火星表层是否有水(或冰)存在的探测方案.      

Selection of microwave bands for global snow detection

Microwave radiometers and scatterometers as all-weather and day-and-night sensors are excellent tools for the reliable, regular observation of dynamic features of the surface of the earth. The various hydrologic states, the development of the metamorphism, the water equivalent and other parameters of the snow cover cause a very distinct spectral behaviour of the microwave emission and backscattering.The results of a long-term ground-based investigation of the microwave radiation properties along with classical determinations of the snow parameters during five seasons on an alpine test area allow the definition of an optimum package of microwave passive and active sensors for the global monitoring of the snow cover.Additionally it has been demonstrated that the utilization of the Nimbus-7 Scanning Multi-channel Microwave Radiometer data permit the production of large scale maps of the extent of dry snow, the estimated water equivalent of dry snow and the areas changing between frozen and wet snow.     

一种基于量热法原理的微波中功率校准装置设计

为了解决航天遥感遥测中微波中功率参数的测试和溯源需求，设计了微波中功率校准装置，并进行了微波中功率校准装置设计测试验证。通过对测试结果的分析，表明该校准装置满足设计要求。     

The First Chinese Ocean Color Satellite HY-1A

HY-1A is China's first ocean color satellite, and was launched on 15 May 2002as a piggyback satellite on the FY-1D satellite using the Long March rocket.There are two sensors on the satellite: China's Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (COCTS), and the CCD Coastal Zone Imager (CZI). In the report,first, the properties and characteristics of HY-1A are briefly introduced; Second, the quality and availability of the data are evaluated by the mean of the Complex Signal Noise Ratio (CSNR) which is simulated theoretically; Third,the received HY-1A data are compared with SeaSTAR data to understand the accuracy of radiance measurement by the HY-1A; Finally, the remote sensing products of ocean color and temperature are mapped by HY-1A to study its application potentiality. The results show that the HY-1A has a latent capability for the application of marine environment detection, the management and protection of marine resources, and the furthering of national rights and interests.Meanwhile, some modifications are proposed for the next ocean satellite, suchas adding the case of tilt scanning, modification of the CCD element uniformity,and adding more ocean satellite receiving stations.     

遥感图像云检测方法综述

光学遥感图像中云层会对地面信息进行不同程度的遮挡,造成了地表观测信息的模糊和缺失,极大地影响遥感图像的成像质量。因此,对遥感图像中云层覆盖的检测和评估是进一步分析和利用遥感图像信息的基础和关键。通过充分的调研和对比总结,梳理了20世纪90年代以来,国内外基于遥感图像的云检测方法的发展趋势和代表性工作。将基于遥感图像的云检测方法分为三类：基于光谱阈值的方法、基于经典机器学习的方法以及基于深度学习的方法。总结了当前国内外云检测公开数据集,并对比了部分代表性工作的云检测精度。此外,简要梳理了与云检测相关的云雾(霾)检测、云雪检测、云阴影检测以及云去除等方法。对当前云检测相关工作中存在的问题和未来的发展趋势进行了分析和展望。     

星载雷达测高计系统频率流程和指标分配

精密雷达测高计是海洋有源微波遥感中一种效益高、用途广的星载有效负荷,是全球海洋研究具有关键意义的全天候观测工具。在精密确定大地水准面的条件下,其结果对海洋学、测地学、深海测量、潮汐、冰、风、浪等的研究和发展都是十分有用的。文章仅限于研究该系统的频率流程和主要部件(和分系统)的指标分配。     

Anomalous increase of chlorophyll concentrations associated with earthquakes

Recent studies have shown land, ocean, atmosphere and ionospheric anomalies prior to earthquakes. The optical and microwave sensors onboard satellites are now capable of monitoring land, ocean, atmosphere and ionosphere which provide changes associated with natural hazards. In this paper, we have analyzed remote sensing data of the ocean coasts lying near the epicenters of recent four major earthquakes (Gujarat of January 26, 2001, Andaman of September 13, 2002, Algeria of May 21, 2002 and Bam, Iran earthquake of December 26, 2003), our detailed analysis shows increase of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration associated with these recent earthquakes. The increase of Chl-a concentration is due to the change in sea surface temperature (SST) associated with the changes in stress regime in the epicentral region which is responsible for modifying the in situ thermal structure of the water and enhancing the upwelling of nutrient-rich water. The increase of Chl-a concentration also shows one to one relation with the increase of surface latent heat flux (SLHF) which is found to increase significantly prior to the earthquake events. Due to cloud cover, it has not been possible to quantify the effect of the chlorophyll concentrations associated with the earthquake events for each successive day during an event. However, the limited data from the adjacent oceanic regions provide strong evidence of the increase in Chl-a concentration. The monitoring of chlorophyll concentrations with higher spatial and temporal resolutions may provide early information about impending coastal earthquakes.