Quantifying the spatial scale mismatch between satellite-derived solar irradiance and in situ measurements: A case study using CERES synoptic surface shortwave flux and the Oklahoma Mesonet

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 056104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dazhi Yang
2010 ◽  
Vol 49 (5) ◽  
pp. 973-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Cao ◽  
Guifu Zhang ◽  
Edward A. Brandes ◽  
Terry J. Schuur

Abstract This study proposes a Bayesian approach to retrieve raindrop size distributions (DSDs) and to estimate rainfall rates from radar reflectivity in horizontal polarization ZH and differential reflectivity ZDR. With this approach, the authors apply a constrained-gamma model with an updated constraining relation to retrieve DSD parameters. Long-term DSD measurements made in central Oklahoma by the two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) are first used to construct a prior probability density function (PDF) of DSD parameters, which are estimated using truncated gamma fits to the second, fourth, and sixth moments of the distributions. The forward models of ZH and ZDR are then developed based on a T-matrix calculation of raindrop backscattering amplitude with the assumption of drop shape. The conditional PDF of ZH and ZDR is assumed to be a bivariate normal function with appropriate standard deviations. The Bayesian algorithm has a good performance according to the evaluation with simulated ZH and ZDR. The algorithm is also tested on S-band radar data for a mesoscale convective system that passed over central Oklahoma on 13 May 2005. Retrievals of rainfall rates and 1-h rain accumulations are compared with in situ measurements from one 2DVD and six Oklahoma Mesonet rain gauges, located at distances of 28–54 km from Norman, Oklahoma. Results show that the rain estimates from the retrieval agree well with the in situ measurements, demonstrating the validity of the Bayesian retrieval algorithm.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3067-3091 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Córdoba-Jabonero ◽  
M. Sorribas ◽  
J. L. Guerrero-Rascado ◽  
J. A. Adame ◽  
Y. Hernández ◽  
...  

Abstract. The synergetic use of meteorological information, remote sensing both ground-based active (lidar) and passive (sun-photometry) techniques together with backtrajectory analysis and in-situ measurements is devoted to the characterization of dust intrusions. A case study of air masses advected from the Saharan region to the Canary Islands and the Iberian Peninsula, located relatively close and far away from the dust sources, respectively, was considered for this purpose. The observations were performed over three Spanish geographically strategic stations within the dust-influenced area along a common dust plume pathway monitored from 11 to 19 of March 2008. A 4-day long dust event (13–16 March) over the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Observatory (SCO), and a linked short 1-day dust episode (14 March) in the Southern Iberian Peninsula over the Atmospheric Sounding Station "El Arenosillo" (ARN) and the Granada station (GRA) were detected. Meteorological conditions favoured the dust plume transport over the area under study. Backtrajectory analysis clearly revealed the Saharan region as the source of the dust intrusion. Under the Saharan air masses influence, AERONET Aerosol Optical Depth at 500 nm (AOD500) ranged from 0.3 to 0.6 and Ångström Exponent at 440/675 nm wavelength pair (AE440/675) was lower than 0.5, indicating a high loading and predominance of coarse particles during those dusty events. Lidar observations characterized their vertical layering structure, identifying different aerosol contributions depending on altitude. In particular, the 3-km height dust layer transported from the Saharan region and observed over SCO site was later on detected at ARN and GRA stations. No significant differences were found in the lidar (extinction-to-backscatter) ratio (LR) estimation for that dust plume over all stations when a suitable aerosol scenario for lidar data retrieval is selected. Lidar-retrieved LR values of 60–70 sr were obtained during the main dust episodes. These similar LR values found in all the stations suggest that dust properties were kept nearly unchanged in the course of its medium-range transport. In addition, the potential impact on surface of that Saharan dust intrusion over the Iberian Peninsula was evaluated by means of ground-level in-situ measurements for particle deposition assessment together with backtrajectory analysis. However, no connection between those dust plumes and the particle sedimentation registered at ground level is found. Differences on particle deposition processes observed in both Southern Iberian Peninsula sites are due to the particular dust transport pattern occurred over each station. Discrepancies between columnar-integrated and ground-level in-situ measurements show a clear dependence on height of the dust particle size distribution. Then, further vertical size-resolved observations are needed for evaluation of the impact on surface of the Saharan dust arrival to the Iberian Peninsula.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario D’Orazio ◽  
Elena Rossi ◽  
Massimo Garai

Acoustic comfort in open-plan offices is a relatively recent research topic and some practices have not yet been consolidated. The goal in these spaces is to achieve good speech privacy at every workstation, reaching a high value of spatial decay of the sound pressure level. In case of refurbishment, a proper measurement of intelligibility criteria is needed, for example, in order to properly calibrate a numerical model or to plan acoustic treatments. This work compares different measurement techniques to evaluate the spatial distribution of intelligibility criteria. In situ measurements were done in an open-plan office used as a case study. Both omnidirectional and directional sound sources with different sound power levels were used, according, respectively, to ISO 3382-3:2012 and ITU-T P.51:1996. Furthermore, compensation algorithms were used in impulse response measurements in presence of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning noise. The study shows, in a preliminary way, how different techniques and equipment can influence intelligibility criteria used in the open-plan office characterization. Results show that the indirect method of measuring Speech Transmission Index could not be used when the background level is high as the case study while the direct method returns good results.


1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 98-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christophe Poix ◽  
Guy Febvre ◽  
Anne Fouilloux ◽  
Howard Larsen ◽  
Jean-Francois Gayet

Abstract. By combining AVHRR data from the NOAA satellites with information from a database of in situ measurements, large-scale maps can be generated of the microphysical parameters most immediately significant for the modelling of global circulation and climate. From the satellite data, the clouds can be classified into cumuliform, stratiform and cirrus classes and then into further sub-classes by cloud top temperature. At the same time a database of in situ measurements made by research aircraft is classified into the same sub-classes and a statistical analysis is used to derive relationships between the sub-classes and the cloud microphysical properties. These two analyses are then linked to give estimates of the microphysical properties of the satellite observed clouds. Examples are given of the application of this technique to derive maps of the probability of occurrence of precipitating clouds and of precipitating water content derived from a case study within the International Cirrus Experiment (ICE) held in 1989 over the North Sea.


1999 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 2219-2222 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Schiller ◽  
A. Afchine ◽  
N. Eicke ◽  
C. Feigl ◽  
H. Fischer ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document