Evaluation of MODIS GPP over a complex ecosystem in East Asia: A case study at Gwangneung flux tower in Korea

Moderate Resolution Imaging Radiometer (MODIS) gross primary productivity (GPP) has been used widely to study the global carbon cycle associated with terrestrial ecosystems. The retrieval of the current MODIS productivity with a 1 × 1 km² resolution has limitations when presenting subgrid scale processes in terrestrial ecosystems, specifically when forests are located in mountainous areas, and shows heterogeneity in vegetation type due to intensive land use. Here, we evaluate MODIS GPP (MOD17) at Gwangneung deciduous forest KoFlux tower (deciduous forest; GDK) for 2006–2010 in Korea, where the forests comprise heterogeneous vegetation cover over complex terrain. The monthly MODIS GPP data overestimated the GDK measurements in a range of +15% to +34% and was fairly well correlated (R = 0.88) with the monthly variability at GDK during the growing season. In addition, the MODIS data partly represented the sharp GPP reduction during the Asian summer monsoon (June–September) when intensive precipitation considerably reduces solar radiation and disturbs the forest ecosystem. To examine the influence of subgrid scale heterogeneity on GPP estimates over the MODIS scale, the individual vegetation type and its area within a corresponding MODIS pixel were identified using a national forest type map (∼71-m spatial resolution), and the annual GPP in the same area as the MODIS pixel was estimated. This resulted in a slight reduction in the positive MODIS bias by ∼10%, with a high degree of uncertainty in the estimation. The MODIS discrepancy for GDK suggests further investigation is necessary to determine the MODIS errors associated with the site-specific aerodynamic and hydrological characteristics that are closely related to the mountainous topography. The accuracy of meteorological variables and the impact of the very cloudy conditions in East Asia also need to be assessed.     

MF雷达观测的潮汐变化特征及与GSWM的比较

利用安装于Andoya Rocket Range(69.14°N,16.02°E)的3 MHz、窄波束中频雷达2006年7月14日至8月14日之间的观测数据,研究了潮汐的变化特点并与GSWM模式的结果进行了比较.结果表明,在78～94km潮汐的纬向和经向分量随着高度的增加都经历了由弱到强然后减弱的过程.这说明潮汐在上传过程中很可能与其他波动相互作用而发生不稳定,在不稳定区域上方又生成新的潮汐波继续稳定地向上传播,或者有重力波等其他波动在此区域沉积动量导致潮汐振幅增大.潮汐振幅除了在垂直方向上发生变化,它随着时间演化也表现出显著的短期变化特点,逐日变化强度有时可达到3倍左右.结合近来的研究结果,可以认为,重力波的不稳定和破碎也可能是造成这种瞬态变化的原因之一.与GSWM-00模式的比较说明, GSWM-00模式能够较好地预测出周日潮汐的振幅和相位,而对半日潮汐的预测结果并不理想.     

Measurement of Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance

The Sun’s electromagnetic radiation powers our solar system. In the case of the Earth it heats the lands and ocean, maintains our atmosphere, generates clouds, and cycles water. For other planets and minor bodies, similar and appropriate physical processes occur, also powered by the Sun. The Sun varies on all time scales and a precise knowledge of the Sun's irradiance and its variation is essential to our understanding of environments and physical conditions throughout our solar system. Measurements of solar irradiance and its variation can only be made from space, and almost thirty years of observation have now established that the total solar irradiance (TSI) varies by only 0.1 to 0.3%, while certain portions of the solar spectrum, the ultraviolet for example, vary by orders of magnitude more. This paper provides an overview of TSI observations and of spectral irradiance observations from the ultraviolet to the near infrared.     

星载加速度计数据在卫星定轨中的应用

基于传统的动力学法,以加速度计数据替代非保守力加速度,提出了一种用加速度计数据进行卫星精密定轨的模型。用美喷气推进实验室(JPL)提供的GRACE星星载加速度计实测数据进行了验证。结果表明,用加速度计可获得较准确的卫星瞬时加速度,其积分轨道的误差小于纯力学模型,从而提高卫星定轨精度。但由于动力学定轨法的固有特点,其定轨误差会随时间而增大。     

SiC/SiC mini复合材料拉伸性能分散性的数值仿真方法

建立了一种能够高效计算连续纤维增强SiC/SiC陶瓷基复合材料力学性能统计分布函数的数值仿真方法。建立SiC/SiC mini复合材料简化二维胞元模型,输入组分材料力学性能参数的概率分布函数,得到胞元的力学性能。将胞元作为mini复合材料二维模型的单元对模型进行网格划分,并赋予其材料性能参数,从而得到mini复合材料的拉伸应力-应变曲线。经多次重复计算得到了mini复合材料拉伸应力-应变曲线的概率分布函数。从结果中发现,SiC/SiC mini复合材料拉伸强度满足威布尔分布,且相比于纤维和基体强度的模数,复合材料拉伸强度的模数增大,即分散性减小,同时尺度参数降低,表明mini复合材料出现概率最大的拉伸强度值变小;随着纤维和基体强度概率分布威布尔模数的增大,mini复合材料拉伸强度的尺度参数有增大的趋势。      

Some implications of high luminosity and fast variability in active galactic nuclei

An analysis of the variability timescale against bolometric luminosity for Active Galactic Nuclei shows that a number of sources violate the Eddington limit. The average ratio (L/L_E) is found to change according to group classification. Whilst Seyfert Galaxies have luminosites well within the Eddington limit, Quasars and BL Lac object tend to approach and exceed this limit. Furthermore, BL Lac objects may be further subdivided on the basis of their (L/L_E) ratio. The data on luminosity and variability timescale indicate the existence of two types of active galaxies, one having highly anisotropic emission, probably collimated into jets with pointing angles within few degrees to the line of sight, and the other relating to isotropic emission of photons from the nuclear region. The results are discussed in the light of the high γ-ray luminosity suggested by recent observations of active galaxies.     

Low solar activity variability and IRI 2007 predictability of equatorial Africa GPS TEC

Diurnal, seasonal and latitudinal variations of Vertical Total Electron Content (VTEC) over the equatorial region of the African continent and a comparison with IRI-2007 derived TEC (IRI-TEC), using all three options (namely; NeQuick, IRI01-corr and IRI-2001), are presented in this paper. The variability and comparison are presented for 2009, a year of low solar activity, using data from thirteen Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers. VTEC values were grouped into four seasons namely March Equinox (February, March, April), June Solstice (May, June, July), September Equinox (August, September, October), and December Solstice (November, December, January). VTEC generally increases from 06h00 LT and reaches its maximum value at approximately 15h00–17h00 LT during all seasons and at all locations. The NeQuick and IRI01-corr options of the IRI model predict reasonably well the observed diurnal and seasonal variation patterns of VTEC values. However, the IRI-2001 option gave a relatively poor prediction when compared with the other options. The post-midnight and post-sunset deviations between modeled and observed VTEC could arise because NmF2 or the shape of the electron density profile, or both, are not well predicted by the model; hence some improvements are still required in order to obtain improved predictions of TEC over the equatorial region of the Africa sector.     

Time distribution of the precipitable water vapor in central Saudi Arabia and its relationship to solar activity

Water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas. It plays a major role in the dynamics of atmospheric circulation, radiation exchange within the atmosphere, and climate variability. Knowledge of the distribution of water vapor is important for understanding climate change and global warming.     

Ionospheric disturbances under low solar activity conditions

The paper is focused on ionospheric response to occasional magnetic disturbances above selected ionospheric stations located at middle latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere under extremely low solar activity conditions of 2007–2009. We analyzed changes in the F2 layer critical frequency foF2 and the F2 layer peak height hmF2 against 27-days running mean obtained for different longitudinal sectors of both hemispheres for the initial, main and recovery phases of selected magnetic disturbances. Our analysis showed that the effects on the middle latitude ionosphere of weak-to-moderate CIR-related magnetic storms, which mostly occur around solar minimum period, could be comparable with the effects of strong magnetic storms. In general, both positive and negative deviations of foF2 and hmF2 have been observed independent on season and location. However positive effects on foF2 prevailed and were more significant. Observations of stormy ionosphere also showed large departures from the climatology within storm recovery phase, which are comparable with those usually observed during the storm main phase. The IRI STORM model gave no reliable corrections of foF2 for analyzed events.     

Potentials for radio occultation applications during inter-satellite calibration periods

EUMETSAT has launched the first in a series of three Metop satellites in October 2006. Each satellite has a nominal 5 year life time, covering 14 years in total. Successive satellites will be launched with about 0.5 year overlap into the same sun-synchronous polar orbit, allowing inter-satellite calibration.