Assessment of SARAL/AltiKa Wave Height Measurements Relative to Buoy,Jason-2, and Cryosat-2 Data

SARAL/AltiKa GDR-T are analyzed to assess the quality of the significant wave height (SWH) measurements. SARAL along-track SWH plots reveal cases of erroneous data, more or less isolated, not detected by the quality flags. The anomalies are often correlated with strong attenuation of the Ka-band backscatter coefficient, sensitive to clouds and rain. A quality test based on the 1 Hz standard deviation is proposed to detect such anomalies. From buoy comparison, it is shown that SARAL SWH is more accurate than Jason-2, particularly at low SWH, and globally does not require any correction. Results are better with open ocean than with coastal buoys. The scatter and the number of outliers are much larger for coastal buoys. SARAL is then compared with Jason-2 and Cryosat-2. The altimeter data are extracted from the global altimeter SWH Ifremer data base, including specific corrections to calibrate the various altimeters. The comparison confirms the high quality of SARAL SWH. The 1 Hz standard deviation is much less than for Jason-2 and Cryosat-2, particularly at low SWH. Furthermore, results show that the corrections applied to Jason-2 and to Cryosat-2, in the data base, are efficient, improving the global agreement between the three altimeters.     

The distribution of carbon monoxide in the lower atmosphere of Venus

We have obtained spatially resolved near-infrared spectroscopy of the Venus nightside on 15 nights over three observing seasons. We use the depth of the CO absorption band at 2.3 μm to map the two-dimensional distribution of CO across both hemispheres. Radiative transfer models are used to relate the measured CO band depth to the volume mixing ratio of CO. The results confirm previous investigations in showing a general trend of increased CO abundances at around 60° latitude north and south as compared with the equatorial regions. Observations taken over a few nights generally show very similar CO distributions, but significant changes are apparent over longer periods. In past studies it has been assumed that the CO latitudinal variation occurs near 35 km altitude, at which K-band sensitivity to CO is greatest. By modeling the detailed spectrum of the excess CO at high latitudes we show that it occurs at altitudes around 45 km, much higher than has previously been assumed, and that there cannot be significant contribution from levels of 36 km or lower. We suggest that this is most likely due to downwelling of CO-rich gas from the upper atmosphere at these latitudes, with the CO being removed by around 40 km through chemical processes such as the reaction with SO₃.     

A methodology for regionalizing 3‐D effective porosity at watershed scale in crystalline aquifers

An innovative approach for regionalizing the 3‐D effective porosity field is presented and applied to two large, overexploited, and deeply weathered crystalline aquifers located in southern India. The method derives from earlier work on regionalizing a 2‐D effective porosity field in that part of an aquifer where the water table fluctuates, which is now extended over the entire aquifer using a 3‐D approach. A method based on geological and geophysical surveys has also been developed for mapping the weathering profile layers (saprolite and fractured layers). The method for regionalizing 3‐D effective porosity combines water table fluctuation and groundwater budget techniques at various cell sizes with the use of satellite‐based data (for groundwater abstraction), the structure of the weathering profile, and geostatistical techniques. The approach is presented in detail for the Kudaliar watershed (983 km²) and tested on the 730 km² Anantapur watershed. At watershed scale, the effective porosity of the aquifer ranges from 0.5% to 2% in Kudaliar and between 0.3% and 1% in Anantapur, which agrees with earlier works. Results show that (a) depending on the geology and on the structure of the weathering profile, the vertical distribution of effective porosity can be very different and that the fractured layers in crystalline aquifers are not necessarily characterized by a rapid decrease in effective porosity and (b) that the lateral variations in effective porosity can be larger than the vertical ones. These variations suggest that within a same weathering profile, the density of open fractures and/or degree of weathering in the fractured zone may significantly vary from a place to another. The proposed method provides information on the spatial distribution of effective porosity that is of prime interest in terms of flux and contaminant transport in crystalline aquifers. Implications for mapping groundwater storage and scarcity are also discussed, which should help in improving groundwater resource management strategies.     

一个缓慢移动的中尺度对流复合体内层状降水区的微结构分析

本文对一个中纬中尺度对流复合体层状降水区的微物理结构,结合雷达、卫星和其他飞机观测资料进行了分析.结果表明,MCC层状区内某些部位盛行冰晶聚合体,它们分布在相当厚的过冷气层内(0.5—-14℃或更冷).冰晶聚并过程足层状区内降水质点增长的主要机制.它起源于较高较冷的气层,在冰晶聚合体下降途中聚并效率渐趋增强,在0℃层附近形成一大的冰晶聚合带. 层状区中云滴液态含水量一般低于0.3g·m~(-3).0℃层以下降水质点数浓度较低,平均为0.8L~(-1)(2D-P资料)和2.3L~(-1)(2D-C资料),相应的平均体积中值直径分别为1.0和0.6mm.在0—-10c气层内,冰质点平均数浓度为27L~(-1)(2D-P资料)和133L~(-1)(2D-C),远人于0℃层以下的雨滴数浓度,相应的平均体积中值直径为0.8和0.4mm.冰质点数浓度随高度向上增加,在飞机垂直探测的顶部(6600m高度)观测到最大数浓度52L~(-1)(2D-P资料)和289L~(-1)(2D-C资料).冰质点大小则相反,是随高度下降而增大的.在0℃层附近冰晶聚合体较大较多,冰质点中15％以上是聚合体,2D-P探头观测的冰质点平均体积中值直径达1.8mm. 滴谱分析表明,负指数律分布能较好地拟合所有观测的降水质点大小谱分布.对水滴,斜率参数λ平均为17(±3.6)cm~(-1),相对变差不超过20％,在云模式研究中可以近似地假定λ是常数.然而,对冰质点样本,λ值可相差3倍以上,小能当作常数处理.至于截距参数N_0,不论是水滴还是冰晶样本,都是变量,其值可有2—3个数量级之差.但是,N_0与λ之间数值上相关很好,据此可以将降水质点谱简化为单参数分布.     

Thresholds of hydrologic flow regime of a river and investigation of climate change impact—the case of the Lower Brahmaputra river Basin

The sustainability of social-ecological systems depends on river flows being maintained within a range to which those systems are adapted. In order to determine the extent of this natural range of variation, we assess ecological flow thresholds and the occurrence of potentially damaging flood events to society in the context of the Lower Brahmaputra river basin. The ecological flow threshold was calculated using twenty-two ‘Range of Variability (RVA)’ parameters, considering the range between?±?1 standard deviation from the mean of the natural flow. Damaging flood events were calculated using flood frequency analysis of Annual Maxima series and using the flood classification of Bangladesh. The climate change impacts on future river flow were calculated by using a weighted ensemble analysis of twelve global circulation models (GCMs) outputs driving a large-scale hydrologic model. The simulated climate change induced altered flow regime of the Lower Brahmaputra River Basin was then investigated and compared with the calculated threshold flows. The results demonstrate that various parameters including the monthly mean of low flow (January, February and March) and high flow (June, July and August) periods, the 7-day average minimum flow, and the yearly maximum flow will exceed the threshold conditions by 1956–1995 under the business-as-usual A1B and A2 future scenarios. The results have a number of policy level implications for government agencies of the Lower Brahmaputra River Basin, specifically for Bangladesh. The calculated thresholds may be used as a good basis for negotiations with other riparian countries of the basin. The methodological approach presented in this study can be applied to other river basins and provide a useful basis for transboundary water resources management.