Developing a dust storm detection method combining Support Vector Machine and satellite data in typical dust regions of Asia

Enhancing the dust storm detection is a key part for the environmental protection, human healthy and economic development. The goal of this paper is to propose a new Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based method to automatically detect dust storms using remote sensing data. Existing methods dealing with this problem are usually threshold-based that are of great complexity and uncertainty. In this paper we propose a simple and reliable method combining SVM with MODIS L1 data and explore the optimal band combinations used as the feature vectors of SVM. The developed method was evaluated by MODIS and OMI data qualitatively and quantitatively on three study sites located in the Arabian Desert, Gobi Desert and Taklimakan Desert, and it was also compared to three other traditional methods based on their accuracy, complexity, reliability and sensitivity to thresholds. The detection results demonstrated that the combination of (Band7 − Band3)/(Band7 + Band3) ((B7 − B3)/(B7 + B3)), Band20 − Band31 (B20 − B31), and Band31/Band32 (B31/B32) can detect the dust storms more precisely than other individual bands or their combination. The comparison among those cases indicated that the proposed automatic method exhibited an advantage of minimizing the uncertainty and complexity, which were the limits of defining thresholds based on the threshold-based methods. The conclusions can provide references for studies that focus on statistical-based dust storm detection.     

离子发动机羽流空间电位诊断

离子发动机羽流空间电位分布不合理可能会造成一系列问题,以至于影响航天器的正常工作。试验使用发射探针对20 cm氙离子发动机束流区等离子体空间电位进行诊断,测点选取轴向距离发动机出口平面250～900 mm,径向0～450 mm,探针钨丝直径0.1 mm,加热电流1.5～2.5 A。发射探针诊断建立在电子热发射基础上,因其I-V曲线拐点较朗缪尔探针更为明显,所以测量得到的空间电位分布更为准确。国外已经广泛使用发射探针测量等离子体空间电位,发射探针的试验数据处理方法仍存在较大分歧。从发射探针工作时的物理过程着手,分析热电子发射多少对空间电位诊断结果的影响,采用不同的探针I-V曲线处理方法并对各种方法利弊进行讨论,分析偏离真实空间电位的原因,比较得到较为合理的结果,对发射探针的结构改造和加热电流的选取提供依据,为发动机性能的改善和羽流仿真模型提供参考。     

Deriving remote sensing reflectance from turbid Case II waters using green-shortwave infrared bands based model

The objectives of this study are to validate the applicability of a shortwave infrared atmospheric correction model (SWIR-based model) in deriving remote sensing reflectance in turbid Case II waters, and to improve that model using a proposed green-shortwave infrared model (GSWIR-based model). In a GSWIR-based model, the aerosol type is determined by a SWIR-based model and the reflectance due to aerosol scattering is calculated using spectral slope technology. In this study, field measurements collected from three independent cruises from two different Case II waters were used to compare models. The results indicate that both SWIR- and GSWIR-based models can be used to derive the remote sensing reflectance at visible wavelengths in turbid Case II waters, but GSWIR-based models are superior to SWIR-based models. Using the GSWIR-based model decreases uncertainty in remote sensing reflectance retrievals in turbid Case II waters by 2.6–12.1%. In addition, GSWIR-based model’s sensitivity to user-supplied parameters was determined using the numerical method, which indicated that the GSWIR-based model is more sensitive to the uncertainty of spectral slope technology than to that of aerosol type retrieval methodology. Due to much lower noise tolerance of GSWIR-based model in the blue and near-infrared regions, the GSWIR-based model performs poorly in determining remote sensing reflectance at these wavelengths, which is consistent with the GSWIR-based model’s accuracy evaluation results.     

Physical properties of cometary dust: Relation of DIDSY data to grain properties

The Dust Impact Detection System (DIDSY) for the Giotto Halley Mission consists of two types of sensors for the detection of cometary dust particles: two impact plasma sensors and five piezo-electric momentum sensors. One sensor of each type is covered by a penetration film. A 1 μm thick aluminum film covers an impact plasma sensor. One momentum sensor is mounted onto the rear shield behind the 1 mm front shield made from aluminum. The parameters measured are the total charge released upon impact and the amplitude of the acoustic signal generated by the impact. Both quantities depend on the mass and speed of the impacting particles. At the impact speed of 68 km/sec the mass of cometary dust particles can be determined in the mass range from 10⁻¹⁷ g to 10⁻³ g. From the difference in the countrates measured by the sensors with and without penetration film the average bulk density of dust particles of masses 10⁻¹⁴ g and 10⁻⁶ g can be determined. With appropriate calibration an accuracy of a factor of 2 for both the mass and density determination can be obtained.     

Numerical simulations of the regional characteristics of dust transport on Mars

Using a Martian general circulation model (GCM), regions favorable for expansion of dust storms on Mars are identified. Dust transport simulations for the northern fall provide global maps of dust expansibility. These global maps show that dust injected from certain areas in the northern mid-latitudes tends to spread widely within a few days. The high expansibility of dust in such areas results from thermal tides, baroclinic waves, and quasi-stationary disturbances. Dust injected into the vast regions around Tharsis and the Sirenum–Aonia regions also tends to spread extensively. However, dust expansion around these two regions largely depends on the local time of dust injection. On the other hand, dust injected at high latitudes in either hemisphere does not spread extensively. Such global maps indicating regions favorable for dust storm expansion are a clue to understanding the expansion processes and climatology of great dust storms on Mars.     

Sensitivity analysis for air temperature profile estimation methods around the tropopause using simulated Aqua/AIRS data

A sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate potential improvements to the accuracy of air temperature profile retrievals near the tropopause. A simple inversion method is employed to identify and remove redundant spectral channels from the retrievals using simulated data for the high-spectral resolution sounder AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) on the Aqua satellite. Bayesian optimal theory and inverse technique are applied for the atmospheric temperature profile retrievals, and the 15 μm CO₂ absorption bands (620–750 cm⁻¹) are chosen for this study. Sequentially elimination of redundant channels is directly integrated into the inverse scheme for the temperature profile, in order to accurately retain the valuable channels and remove all the redundant channels, for accurate retrieval of the temperature profile. Also, the tropopause and troposphere are treated differently in the inverse scheme to improve the retrieval accuracy in the tropopause. Results of a sensitivity analysis based on this method, for the Tropical and Middle-Latitude Summer models simulated by MODTRAN4.0, show that the estimated accuracies are improved by 2 K around the tropopause, and are only changed by less than 0.2 K in the troposphere.     

The MAGO experiment for dust environment monitoring on the Martian surface

Among the main directions identified for future Martian exploration, the study of the properties of dust dispersed in the atmosphere, its cycle and the impact on climate are considered of primary relevance. Dust storms, dust devils and the dust “cycle” have been identified and studied by past remote and in situ experiments, but little quantitative information is available on these processes, so far. The airborne dust contributes to the determination of the dynamic and thermodynamic evolution of the atmosphere, including the large-scale circulation processes and its impact on the climate of Mars. Moreover, aeolian erosion, redistribution of dust on the surface and weathering processes are mostly known only qualitatively. In order to improve our knowledge of the airborne dust evolution and other atmospheric processes, it is mandatory to measure the amount, mass-size distribution and dynamical properties of solid particles in the Martian atmosphere as a function of time. In this context, there is clearly a need for the implementation of experiments dedicated to study directly atmospheric dust. The Martian atmospheric grain observer (MAGO) experiment is aimed at providing direct quantitative measurements of mass and size distributions of dust particles, a goal that has never been fully achieved so far. The instrument design combines three types of sensors to monitor in situ the dust mass flux (micro balance system, MBS) and single grain properties (grain detection system, GDS + impact sensor, IS). Technical solutions and science capabilities are discussed in this paper.     

Dust ring/torus around Mars,waiting for detection by NOZOMI

Two small satellites of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, can be dust sources around Mars. Orbits of circummartian dust particles are controlled by solar radiation pressure as well as Martian oblateness. Their orbital eccentricity and inclination can be enhanced greatly by the orbital resonance. Particles from Phobos would form a thin dust ring where dust radius is dominant in 20–200μm. On the other hand, particles from Deimos would form an extended dust torus. Collisions of ring particles on Phobos and Deimos may be the most important dust source. The upper limit of dust production from this self-sustaining mechanism can be estimated from the erosion rate of Phobos. Japanese Mars mission NOZOMI (PLANET-B) could discover dust ring/torus through direct detection by MDC (Mars Dust Counter).     

Spaceborne lidar measurement accuracy: Simulation of aerosol,cloud, molecular density,and temperature retrievals

Spaceborne lidar measurements and retrievals are simulated using realistic errors in signal, conventional density information, atmospheric transmission, and lidar calibration. We find that by day, independent analysis of returns at wavelengths of 0.53 and 1.06 μm yields vertical profiles (0.1- to 1-km resolution) of tenuous clouds and boundary-layer, Saharan, and strong volcanic stratospheric aerosols to accuracies of 30% or better, provided particulate optical depth does not exceed ?0.3. By night all these constituents are retrieved, plus noctilucent clouds, mesospheric aerosols, and upper tropospheric/nonvolcanic stratospheric (UT/NVS) areosols. Molecular-density uncertainties are a dominant source of error for UT/NVS retrievals.To reduce these errors and also to provide density and temperature profiles, we developed a procedure that combines returns at 0.35 and 1.06 μm. This technique significantly improves UT/NVS aerosol retrieval accuracy and also yields useful density and temperature profiles there. Strong particulate contamination limits the technique to the cloud-free upper troposphere and above.     

The use of MODIS 250 m bands to improve the MODIS 1 km ocean color atmospheric correction algorithm in turbid water

“Clear water” is a scale-dependent concept, so it is more likely to successfully find the “clear water” from images with smaller scale than that with larger scale data. In this study, an optimal spectral relationship of moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 m and 1 km resolution data at near-infrared bands (OSRLM) is constructed for converting pseudo “clear water” reflectance at 859 nm to those at 748 and 869 nm. According to scale effects, the satellite-observed pseudo “clear water” reflectance is greater than 5.18%, larger than that derived from OSRLM model. An atmospheric correction model for MODIS 1km data using pseudo “clear water” reflectance of MODIS 250 m data (ACMM) was developed for improving the performance of traditional “clear water” atmospheric correction model (CWAC). The model validation results indicate that ACMM model has a better performance than CWAC model. By comparison, the uncertainty decreases by 19.18% in the use of ACMM model over CWAC model for deriving water-leaving reflectance in Taihu Lake, China. This uncertainty is significantly reduced in water-leaving reflectance estimation due to partial removal of scale effects on “clear water”. These findings imply that satellite-derived aerosol scattering contribution at smaller scale usually has a better performance than that at larger scale.     

Characteristics of recent dust storms over the Indian region using real time multi-satellite observations from the direct broadcast receiving system at IMD

In this study, observations from microwave satellites, visible and infrared instruments have been analyzed to detect dust storm over north and north–west part of India during 18–23 March 2012. This study investigated the approach to utilize the multi satellite data of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on-board the Terra and Aqua satellite and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) on-board NOAA satellite to study the characteristics of dust storms from real time direct broadcast (DB) receiving system installed at three places of India Meteorological Department (IMD). The dust storm detection is based on the infrared brightness temperature (BT) difference between channels at 11 and 12 μm and polarized BT difference between two channels of 89 and 23.8 GHz. It is found that the significant differences between the BT of channel 89 and 23.8 can be used as a discriminator of identifying dust storm. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectroradiometer (TOMS) Aerosol Index (AI) and AMSU-A 23 GHz channel BT from NOAA satellite over the north and north-west part of India have also been analyzed. The result indicated the characteristic behavior between BT and AI during the different phases of the dust storm. Finally, the occurrence of dust outbreaks has also been validated with sky radiometer of IMD, which confirms the presence of a dust storm over the Indian region. Further, the findings of the study and its approaches apply to the other dust storm cases which occurred during the months of April and June 2012. The integrated approach suggested the potential to use high resolution data of microwave as well as thermal–infrared using multi-satellite observations from real time direct broadcast system for the detection of severe, moderate or weak dust storms very well. The approach is found to be promising for operational application.     

Remote sensing of aerosol and radiation from geostationary satellites

The paper presents a high-level overview of current and future remote sensing of aerosol and shortwave radiation budget carried out at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from the US Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) series. The retrievals from the current GOES imagers are based on physical principles. Aerosol and radiation are estimated in separate processing from the comparison of satellite-observed reflectances derived from a single visible channel with those calculated from detailed radiative transfer. The radiative transfer calculation accounts for multiple scattering by molecules, aerosol and cloud and absorption by the major atmospheric gases. The retrievals are performed operationally every 30 min for aerosol and every hour for radiation for pixel sizes of 4-km (aerosol) and 15- to 50-km (radiation). Both retrievals estimate the surface reflectance as a byproduct from the time composite of clear visible reflectances assuming fixed values of the aerosol optical depth. With the launch of GOES-R NOAA will begin a new era of geostationary remote sensing. The Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) onboard GOES-R will offer capabilities for aerosol remote sensing similar to those currently provided by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) flown on the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites. The ABI aerosol algorithm currently under development uses a multi-channel approach to estimate the aerosol optical depth and aerosol model simultaneously, both over water and land. Its design is strongly inspired by the MODIS aerosol algorithm. The ABI shortwave radiation budget algorithm is based on the successful GOES Surface and Insolation Product system of NOAA and the NASA Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES), Surface and Atmospheric Radiation Budget (SARB) algorithm. In all phases of the development, the algorithms are tested with proxy data generated from existing satellite observations and forward simulations. Final assessment of the performance will be made after the launch of GOES-R scheduled in 2012.     

A surface reflectance correction model to improve the retrieval of MISR aerosol optical depth supported by MODIS data

Combined use of different satellite sensors are known to improve retrievals of aerosol optical depth (AOD). In this study, we propose a new method for retrieving Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) AOD data supported by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data in Jiangsu Province, China, over the period of 2016–2018 using MODIS L1B, bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), MISR 1B2T, and ground-measured AOD data. This method is based on the surface reflectance determined by the MODIS V5.2 algorithm. Through the observation angle and spectral conversion between different sensors, the MISR AOD can be obtained. The correlation coefficient (R) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the retrieved MISR and ground-measured AOD data varied between different seasons. The accuracy of the MISR AOD retrieval was notably improved after correcting the MISR surface reflectance. Therefore, the method proposed in this study is feasible for the retrieval of MISR AOD supported by MODIS data, and will be applicable to atmospheric environmental monitoring over large areas in the future.     

热线探针对数校准方法研究及改进

开展了可压缩流体中热线探针校准方法的研究,以满足其在各种速度测量场合的使用需求。研究了对数校准数学模型,发现校准系数求解过程中存在矩阵奇异性过强的问题,导致在速度小扰动条件下方程求解稳定性差。对对数校准数学模型进行了参数无量纲化及添加正向偏置的改进,建立了无量纲化对数校准数学模型。在马赫数为0.3~0.5,引射压力为150~300 k Pa范围内进行了校准实验,利用对数校准数学模型对实验数据进行拟合,拟合优度为0.997 61,拟合速度平均偏差为1.378 m/s,校准系数求解过程中系数矩阵条件数为1.595×108,矩阵奇异性过强,加入速度小扰动(1 m/s)后,拟合优度为0.379 74,拟合速度平均偏差为43.81 m/s,方程求解稳定性差。利用无量纲化对数校准数学模型对实验数据进行拟合,拟合优度为0.998 95,拟合速度平均偏差为1.203 m/s,校准系数求解过程中系数矩阵条件数为3.655×102,且无量纲化方法不受速度小扰动影响。对流体速度进行不确定度分析,速度平均不确定度为3.168 m/s,无量纲化拟合速度平均偏差明显小于速度平均不确定度。实验结果证明了无量纲化对数校准数学模型应用于可压缩流体热线探针校准的可行性。     

Dust storms detection over the Indo-Gangetic basin using multi sensor data

Dust storms are common during the summer season over the Indo-Gangetic basin and are considered to be a major health hazard to millions of people living in the basin. In countries like India, there is no early warning made for dust outbreaks and as a result the day-to-day life is affected by these dust events. In this paper, efforts have been made to utilize multi sensor data to study the characteristics of dust storms. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer images clearly show dust storm events over the Indo-Gangetic basin. The Total Ozone Mapping Spectroradiometer (TOMS) Aerosol Index and the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) data over the western end of the Indo-Gangetic basin have been analyzed. These data show characteristic behavior of brightness temperature and Aerosol Index due to dust, which change significantly as dust migrates towards east over Kanpur. The TOMS Aerosol Index and the AMSU brightness temperature (T_b) show a characteristic anti-correlation, which confirms the presence of a dust storm over Indo-Gangetic basin.     

Dirty ice grains in comets

Based on the computed equilibrium temperature of evaporating dirty water-ice grains, dirty water-ice halo is examined, taking into account of a size dependence of terminal velocity of dust at P/Halley. It is found that due to an enhanced grain's temperature caused by dirtiness, icy halo cannot extend over 100 km from the nucleus when comet approaches inside a solar distance r of 1 AU. Therefore, it is unlikely that the ice bands in the near infrared wavelengths could be detected in the cometary coma at r<1 AU.     

Application of heterogeneous mesospheric ion-chemistry model to MST radar echoes over low latitude

MST radar studies at low latitude stations have documented regions in the mesosphere from where enhanced echoes (Low Latitude Mesospheric Echoes (LMEs)) are observed. Such echoes cannot, in general, be explained by considering the dynamical aspects (such as turbulence, winds, waves, etc.) of the region alone. Mesospheric dust/aerosols can enhance the radar echoes considerably and dust is known to exist at all heights and latitudes of the mesosphere. This study investigates the presence of dusty plasma in the mesosphere through the heterogeneous ion-chemistry of the region.Dust of meteoric origin is incorporated in the conventional ion chemistry scheme and the equilibrium height profiles of charged and neutral dust densities corresponding to effective dust sizes (radii) of 1, 10 and 30 nm are computed for the equatorial quiet daytime conditions.The model derived dust density profiles show structures with respect to dust size, height and season that are indicative of the possible role of mesospheric dust in the production/enhancement mechanisms of the LMEs observed over the equatorial station at Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), India.     

月尘/月壤环境效应地面模拟方法研究

月壤/月尘会附着并污染航天器、月球车的表面,如果不及时清除,还会进一步诱发部件过热、机械机构卡死、密封失效、材料磨损等一系列问题.本文综述了关于月尘特性、月尘与航天器系统的互相作用机理、月尘环境模拟方法等方面的研究成果,提出了一种小型月尘环境模拟系统的设计方案.该系统将使关于月尘特性的实验研究成为可能,并可作为登月飞船及月球车材料选择、机械机构可靠性试验、除尘策略试验的平台.      

The geometry of the zodiacal dust bands

A program is in progress to use the best available IRAS data to determine the orbital parameters of the ensemble of particles which make up the zodiacal dust bands. Refinements on the early results of Gautier and Hauser include the use of a more complete set of data and improved treatment of ring profile effects due to dispersions in orbital parameters. Results to date include an analysis of the sensitivity of the observable parameters of the dust bands to changes in the orbital parameters of the particle ensemble.