Climate, weather, and north polar observations from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mars Color Imager

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter observes Mars from a nearly circular, polar orbit. From this vantage point, the Mars Color Imager extends the ∼5 Mars years record of Mars Global Surveyor global, visible-wavelength multi-color observations of meteorological events and adds measurements at three additional visible and two ultraviolet wavelengths. Observations of the global distribution of ozone (which anti-correlates with water vapor) and water ice and dust clouds allow tracking of atmospheric circulation. Regional and local observations emphasize smaller scale atmospheric dynamics, especially those related to dust lifting and subsequent motion. Polar observations detail variations related to the polar heat budget, including changes in polar frosts and ices, and storms generated at high thermal contrast boundaries.     

Hydrogen content of sand dunes within Olympia Undae

Neutron currents measured using the Mars Odyssey Neutron Spectrometer, seasonally varying temperatures measured using the Thermal Emission Spectrometer, and visible images measured using the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) are studied to determine the water content and stratigraphy of Olympia Undae. Both the neutron and thermal infrared data are best represented by a two-layered model having a water-ice equivalent hydrogen content of 30±5% in a lower semi-infinite layer, buried beneath a relatively desiccated upper layer that is 9±6 g/cm² thick (about 6 cm depth at a density of 1.5 g/cm³). A model that is consistent with all three data sets is that the dunes contain a top layer that is relatively mobile, which overlays a niveo-aeolian lower layer. The geomorphology shown by the HiRISE images suggests that the bottom layer may be cemented in place and therefore relatively immobile.     

PFS/MEX observations of the condensing CO2 south polar cap of Mars

The condensing CO₂ south polar cap of Mars and the mechanisms of the CO₂ ice accumulation have been studied through the analysis of spectra acquired by the Planetary Fourier Spectrometer (PFS) during the first two years of ESA's Mars Express (MEX) mission. This dataset spans more than half a martian year, from Ls∼330° to Ls∼194°, and includes the southern fall season which is found to be extremely important for the study of the residual south polar cap asymmetry. The cap expands symmetrically and with constant speed during the fall season. The maximum extension occurs sometime in the 80°-90° Ls range, when the cap edges are as low as −40° latitude. Inside Hellas and Argyre basins, frost can be stable at lower latitudes due to the higher pressure values, causing the seasonal cap to be asymmetric. Within the seasonal range considered in this paper, the cap edge recession rate is approximately half the rate at which the cap edge expanded. The longitudinal asymmetries reduce during the cap retreat, and disappear around Ls∼145°. Two different mechanisms are responsible for CO₂ ice accumulation during the fall season, especially in the 50°-70° Ls range. Here, CO₂ condensation in the atmosphere, and thus precipitation, is allowed exclusively in the western hemisphere, and particularly in the longitudinal corridor of the perennial cap. In the eastern hemisphere, the cap consists mainly of CO₂ frost deposits, as a consequence of direct vapor deposition. The differences in the nature of the surface ice deposits are the main cause for the residual south polar cap asymmetry. Results from selected PFS orbits have also been compared with the results provided by the martian general circulation model (GCM) of the Laboratoire de Météorologie dynamique (LMD) in Paris, with the aim of putting the observations in the context of the global circulation. This first attempt of cross-validation between PFS measurements and the LMD GCM on the one hand confirms the interpretation of the observations, and on the other hand shows that the climate modeling during the southern polar night on Mars is extremely sensitive to the dynamical forcing.     

北极和南极表面温度对中低纬度海洋热强迫的响应

利用耦合了平板海洋模型的全球气候模式进行了大量的格林函数实验,以探究两极地区对于施加在中低纬度海域的热强迫的气候响应。结果表明,北极地区的气候不仅受到距离较近的北太平洋与北大西洋的影响,远离北极的热带太平洋以及南太平洋也对其气候有显著的影响,南极地区的气候则主要是受到邻近的南大洋的影响。通过经验正交函数法的进一步分析发现,北极响应最显著的区域包括波弗特海(Beaufort Sea)、拉普捷夫海(Laptev Sea)以及北极中心区附近;南极地区的响应主要集中在别林斯高晋海(Bellinsgauzen Sea)区域。另外,利用温度归因法对辐射反馈过程和大气能量输运分解发现,北极地区表面温度的响应主要是受到了反照率反馈以及垂直递减率反馈的影响,而南极地区的响应则主要是反照率反馈发挥了作用。     

基于动态极坐标参数化的遥感影像匹配方法

图像匹配作为三维重建至关重要的环节,其精度直接影响了平差优化、正射校正等模块的精度。对于城镇、农场等特征密集型区域,特征距离小,相似性强,易于匹配图像;而针对草地、沙漠等特征不明显区域,特征距离大,如果使用特征点匹配的方法,严格阈值下难以获得足够数量的匹配对,放宽阈值又将引入较多误匹配对,这也是导致稀疏点云不够均匀的原因之一。在此场景下,本文提出了基于动态极坐标参数化的无人机正视影像匹配算法,首先对图像做极坐标参数变化,采用动态策略解决极轴方向采样不均匀的问题,使用最小二乘法对得到的极坐标影像对做位移方向上的匹配,匹配后得到的旋转量和平移量,将该结果和SIFT算法的结果做比较。本文设计了2组实验,即参数已知的解算实验和参数未知的解算实验,且每组实验进行3次。在同等配置的计算机上,对两张7360像素×5400像素,32位的影像,本文方法的位姿解算时间相比SIFT的时间减少约57%,二者求得的位姿差通常小于1%。结论表明二者的结果在精度上表现相当,在时间上明显优于SIFT算法,具有实际的应用价值。     

我国极地航运能力建设和高冰级船队发展对策分析

我国在南极和北极的活动日益增多,参与南北极事务和争取极地资源的利用已经成为国家未来向外扩展的重要举措之一。随着气候变暖,极地冰融速度加快,尤其是北极航运窗口期越来越长,两极资源利用和科考活动的需求量越来越大。而目前我国用于航行两极,尤其是北极的高冰级商业化船队十分缺乏,航运的陆基支持保障能力缺少,这将严重影响我国极地事业和商业航运运营的发展。本文通过对不同冰级船舶的保有量、建造技术能力、船舶运营和极地港口设施等各环节的分析,得出我国缺乏带较高等级冰级符号且可抗浮冰厚度1m及以上的极地航行船舶、相应极地航运能力不足的结论,并提出了我国建设极地航运能力的对策建议,为我国建设一支能在极地航行且带较高等级冰级符号船舶的船队、破冰船队以及建设极地陆基航运支持保障能力等提供决策参考。     

一种适用于极区的横轴墨卡托海图

极区位于高纬度地区,极区航海图投影采用墨卡托投影时,图上极区附近变形较大,在极点处变形达到无穷大;采用极球面投影时,图上恒向线不是直线;心射切面投影不是正形投影,不能直接在图上量取方位和距离;兰伯特正形投影图上,经度是由角度表示,而不是真的经度;采用横轴墨卡托投影时,几乎所有的经线以及纬线在图上为曲线。以上常用的海图投影不利于船舶在极区安全航行,也不利于航海人员进行海图作业。针对此问题,将构建的伪经纬线网与经纬线网进行转换,通过Matlab得到基于伪经纬线网的横轴墨卡托投影图,此图具有类似于墨卡托海图的特点,图上极区变形失真小,图上伪经纬线的特点可方便极区海图作业。     

北半球平流层极涡崩溃早晚的环流特征及其对5月南亚降水的影响

本文采用1979—2014年NCEP/NCAR月平均再分析资料、CMAP和GPCP月平均降水资料,分析了北半球平流层极涡崩溃早晚的环流特征及其与南亚降水的关系。结果表明,北半球平流层极涡崩溃时间存在明显的年际变化特征。极涡崩溃偏早(偏晚)年,自3月开始异常信号从平流层向下传播,之后的4月,从平流层到对流层高层极区温度异常偏高(偏低),极涡异常偏弱(偏强),极夜急流异常偏弱(偏强)。结果还表明,5月南亚降水异常与平流层极涡崩溃时间的早晚存在显著相关,5月南亚降水异常与平流层极涡崩溃早晚年平流层异常信号的下传有关。当平流层极涡崩溃偏晚年,4月平流层极区表现为位势高度异常偏低,而中纬度则位势高度场异常偏高,并伴随位势高度异常场的向下传播,5月该位势高度异常场下传至阿拉伯海北部大陆上空对流层顶,形成有利于降水的环流场,导致南亚降水偏多。反之,则相反。     

极地地区北斗三号单点定位精度分析

为分析BDS-3在极地地区的定位精度,选取两极地区10个MGEX站连续7 d的观测数据进行SPP和PPP实验。结果表明,BDS-3在两极地区可见卫星数及PDOP基本一致,平均可见卫星数约为9颗,PDOP约为2.3。BDS-3各频点间定位精度相差不大,南极地区SPP定位精度略优于北极,特别是U方向。北极地区E、N、U方向定位精度分别优于1 m、1 m和5 m,南极地区E、N、U方向定位精度分别优于1 m、1 m和2 m。BDS-3在两极地区PPP定位精度相当,与GPS定位精度基本一致,各频点组合定位精度在E、N、U方向均优于2 cm。     

A sea-level test for inertial interchange true polar wander events

The possibility of inertial interchange true polar wander (IITPW) events, in which the rotation pole moves 90° with respect to the solid Earth in a matter of ∼10  Myr, has been discussed in the geophysical literature for more than three decades. Recent evidence for an IITPW event in Early Cambrian time has renewed interest in the issue; however, the veracity of supporting palaeomagnetic evidence remains a matter of significant debate. We propose that sea-level variations driven by polar wander provide an important independent test for the occurrence of IITPW events. Our numerical simulations of the response of a viscoelastic planet to an IITPW-induced forcing predict sea-level changes of up to 200  m, depending on the details of the earth model, the location of the site relative to the rotation path and the elapsed time for the reorientation of the pole. A preliminary comparison of our predictions to Early–Middle Cambrian sea-level records for Australia, Laurentia and Baltica shows qualitative agreement. This comparison suggests that a definitive test for the Cambrian IITPW hypothesis is possible given a sufficiently accurate, and globally distributed, database of sea-level histories.