scholarly journals Observation Impact Assessment on the Prediction of the Earth System Dynamics Using the Adjoint-Based Method

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (61) ◽  
pp. 5-28
Author(s):  
Peter Steinle ◽  
Chris Tingwell ◽  
Sergei Soldatenko
Keyword(s):  
Earth System ◽  
Initial State ◽  
Future State ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Observation Network ◽  
Australian Community ◽  
Accuracy Of Prediction ◽  
The Impact

Mathematical models of the Earth system and its components represent one of the most powerful and effective instruments applied to explore the Earth system's behaviour in the past and present, and to predict its future state considering external influence. These models are critically reliant on a large number of various observations (in situ and remotely sensed) since the prediction accuracy is determined by, amongst other things, the accuracy of the initial state of the system in question, which, in turn, is defined by observational data provided by many different instrument types. The development of an observing network is very costly, hence the estimation of the effectiveness of existing observation network and the design of a prospective one, is very important. The objectives of this paper are (1) to present the adjoint-based approach that allows us to estimate the impact of various observations on the accuracy of prediction of the Earth system and its components, and (2) to illustrate the application of this approach to two coupled low-order chaotic dynamical systems and to the ACCESS (Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator) global model used operationally in the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The results of numerical experiments show that by using the adjoint-based method it is possible to rank the observations by the degree of their importance and also to estimate the influence of target observations on the quality of predictions.

scholarly journals Horizontally Oriented Plates in Clouds

2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (23) ◽  
pp. 2888-2898 ◽  
Author(s):  
François-Marie Bréon ◽  
Bérengère Dubrulle
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Turbulence ◽  
Tilt Angle ◽  
Signal Amplitude ◽  
In Situ Observation ◽  
Horizontal Plate ◽  
Specular Reflectance ◽  
Aerodynamic Model ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Horizontally oriented plates in clouds generate a sharp specular reflectance signal in the glint direction, often referred to as “subsun.” This signal (amplitude and width) may be used to analyze the relative area fraction of oriented plates in the cloud-top layer and their characteristic tilt angle to the horizontal. Use is made of spaceborne measurements from the Polarization and Directionality of the Earth Reflectances (POLDER) instrument to provide a statistical analysis of these parameters. More than half of the clouds show a detectable maximum reflectance in the glint direction, although this maximum may be rather faint. The typical effective fraction (area weighted) of oriented plates in clouds lies between 10−3 and 10−2. For those oriented plates, the characteristic tilt angle is less than 1° in most cases. These low fractions imply that the impact of oriented plates on the cloud albedo is insignificant. The largest proportion of clouds with horizontally oriented plates is found in the range 500– 700 hPa, in agreement with typical in situ observation of plates in clouds. A simple aerodynamic model is proposed that accounts for the orienting torque of the flow as the plate falls under its own gravity and the disorienting effects of Brownian motion and atmospheric turbulence. The model indicates that the horizontal plate diameters are in the range 0.1 to a few millimeters. For such sizes, Brownian forces have a negligible impact on the plate orientation. On the other hand, typical levels of atmospheric turbulence lead to tilt angles that are similar to those estimated from the glint observation.

scholarly journals Stability Assessment of Mining Excavations: the Impact of Large Depths

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-187
Author(s):  
Tadeusz Majcherczyk ◽  
Zbigniew Niedbalski ◽  
Łukasz Bednarek
Keyword(s):  
Rock Mass ◽  
In Situ Monitoring ◽  
Stability Assessment ◽  
Underground Excavations ◽  
Deformation Prediction ◽  
Large Depth ◽  
Coal Deposits ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBack in the early 1980s, coal deposits occurring at depths of ~700 m below surface were already regarded as large-depth deposits. Meanwhile, today the borderline depth of large-depth mining has extended to >1,000 m. Design, excavation and maintenance of mining roadways at the depth of >1,000 m have, therefore, become crucial issues in a practical perspective in recent years. Hence, it is now extremely important to intensify research studies on the influence of large depths on the behaviour of rock mass and deformation of support in underground excavations. The paper presents the results of the study carried out in five mining excavations at depths ranging from 950 to 1,290 m, where monitoring stations with measurement equipment were built. The analysis of data from laboratory and coal mine tests, as well as in situ monitoring, helped to formulate a set of criteria for stability assessment of underground excavations situated at large depths. The proposed methodology of load and deformation prediction in support systems of the excavations unaffected by exploitation is based on the criteria referring to the depth of excavation and the quality of rock mass. The depth parameter is determined by checking whether the analysed excavation lies below the critical depth, whereas the rock mass quality is determined on the basis of the roof lithology index (WL) and the crack intensity factor (n)

scholarly journals Development of Observation-based Global Multi-layer Soil Moisture Products for 1970 to 2016

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaoping Wang ◽  
Jiafu Mao ◽  
Mingzhou Jin ◽  
Forrest M. Hoffman ◽  
Xiaoying Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Earth System Model ◽  
System Model ◽  
Surface Model ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In Situ Observations

Abstract. Soil moisture (SM) datasets are critical to understanding the global water, energy, and biogeochemical cycles and benefit extensive societal applications. However, individual sources of SM data (e.g., in situ and satellite observations, reanalysis, offline land surface model simulations, Earth system model simulations) have source-specific limitations and biases related to the spatiotemporal continuity, resolutions, and modeling/retrieval assumptions. Here, we developed seven global, gap-free, long-term (1970–2016), multi-layer (0–10, 10–30, 30–50, and 50–100 cm) SM products at monthly 0.5° resolution (available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.13661312.v1) by synthesizing a wide range of SM datasets using three statistical methods (unweighted averaging, optimal linear combination, and emergent constraint). The merged products outperformed their source datasets when evaluated with in situ observations and the latest gridded datasets that did not enter merging because of insufficient spatial, temporal, or soil layer coverage. Assessed against in situ observations, the global mean bias of the synthesized SM data ranged from −0.044 to 0.033 m3/m3, root mean squared error from 0.076 to 0.104 m3/m3, and Pearson correlation from 0.35 to 0.67. The merged SM datasets also showed the ability to capture historical large-scale drought events and physically plausible global sensitivities to observed meteorological factors. Three of the new SM products, produced by applying any of the three merging methods onto the source datasets excluding the Earth system models, were finally recommended for future applications because of their better performances than the Earth system model–dependent merged estimates. Despite uncertainties in the raw SM datasets and fusion methods, these hybrid products create added value over existing SM datasets because of the performance improvement and harmonized spatial, temporal, and vertical coverages, and they provide a new foundation for scientific investigation and resource management.

scholarly journals Performance gains in an ESM using parallel ad-hoc file systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Versick ◽  
Ole Kirner ◽  
Jörg Meyer ◽  
Holger Obermaier ◽  
Mehmet Soysal
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
File System ◽  
File Systems ◽  
System Modelling ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Post Processing ◽  
In Situ Data ◽  
The Impact

<p>Earth System Models (ESM) got much more demanding over the last years. Modelled processes got more complex and more and more processes are considered in models. In addition resolutions of the models got higher to improve weather and climate forecasts. This requires faster high performance computers (HPC) and better I/O performance.</p><p>Within our Pilot Lab Exascale Earth System Modelling (PL-EESM) we do performance analysis of the ESM EMAC using a standard Lustre file system for output and compare it to the performance using a parallel ad-hoc overlay file system. We will show the impact for two scenarios: one for todays standard amount of output and one with artificial heavy output simulating future ESMs.</p><p>An ad-hoc file system is a private parallel file system which is created on-demand for an HPC job using the node-local storage devices, in our case solid-state-disks (SSD). It only exists during the runtime of the job. Therefore output data have to be moved to a permanent file system before the job has finished. Quasi in-situ data analysis and post-processing allows to gain performance as it might result in a decreased amount of data which you have to store - saving disk space and time during the transfer of data to permanent storage. We will show first tests for quasi in-situ post-processing.</p>

scholarly journals The International Earth Science Olympiad as a tool to enhance the profile and quality of earth science education

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. e019019
Author(s):  
Rajasekhariah Shankar
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Earth Science ◽  
National Level ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Science Olympiad ◽  
Earth Science Education ◽  
Entrance Test ◽  
System Project ◽  
The Impact

The International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) is a relatively new international science olympiad, having begun in 2007. Be-sides the usual written and practical tests, co-operative activities like the International Field Team Investigation (ITFI) and Earth System Project (ESP) are special and exclusive to IESO. Two problems that are unique to Earth Science education are the lack of visibility and the quality of teaching of Earth Science. In recent years, the International Geoscience Education Organisation has brought in sweeping changes in the way IESO testing is done. This paper summarises how IESO has contributed to enhanc-ing the profile and visibility and the quality of earth science education: Through national level entrance test and National Earth Science Olympiad; through publicity regarding the entrance test and related Olympiad activities; through workshops during and between IESO’s; through Mentors and Observers; through the International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and Earth System Project (ESP); and through hosting IESO. However, efforts have to be made to further increase the impact of IESO on the quali-ty of Earth Science education by several means, including having more countries to participate in IESO.

scholarly journals Bedrock to soil: In-situ measurement and analytical techniques for initial weathering of proglacial environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Karsten Lorentz
Keyword(s):  
Polynomial Interpolation ◽  
Compositional Analysis ◽  
Age Dating ◽  
Average Error ◽  
Rock Surface ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Electron Imaging ◽  
Exposure Ages

<p>Dirt. It is more important than one might think. Soil, along with its bedrock-derived components, provides a nexus in the earth system for energy, nutrient, and atmospheric control; yet it is a finite resource. Soils are consumed, transported, and replenished by natural and anthropogenic forces. Weathering—both physical and chemical—is the key process breaking down and regenerating the ions and mineral constituents of soils, facilitating the pathways from solid bedrock to soil to the rest of the global ecosystem. Yet our understanding of weathering is incomplete and the available methods to investigate these processes are limited. Here, the fundamental processes of weathering are questioned by studying them at their origins, the rock surface. New techniques were developed in pursuit of quantifying weathering at small scales in-situ, to obtain the highest resolution measurements possible. These were carried out in the proglacial regions of two New Zealand glaciers, Brewster Glacier and Franz Josef Glacier.  Proglacial bedrock environments provided a clean-slate model from which to measure incipient weathering at increasing exposure ages. To mitigate error, a holistic approach encompassing weathering signals from multiple angles was taken. Spatial characterisation was completed through the capture of structure-from-motion photogrammetry (SFM) at multiple scales of observation. The resultant three dimensional surface models had an average error of 1.06x10-1 mm. The models were characterised for weathering using roughness as a novel multi-point analysis of surface features, through two separate novel methods utilising global polynomial interpolation filtering and continuous wavelet transform analysis. Physical samples were collected from the field for cosmogenic radionuclide surface exposure age dating. Compositional analysis was performed through X-ray fluorescence, as well as electron microprobe analysis (EPMA). Nano-scale structural and compositional trends were investigated through optical analysis of backscatter electron imaging and secondary electron imaging.  Non-directional roughness and volumetric analysis patterns present compelling information to support negligible weathering occurring on bedrock surfaces in proglacial environments. Lithologic variation was identified as a strong influence on the results. Compositional analysis demonstrated insignificant levels of chemical alteration between sites, corroborating the spatial modelling results. The lack of surficial weathering in highly productive weathering environments necessitates the role of additional weathering factors. Deep subsurface weathering was investigated and presents the strongest case as a major contributor to chemical denudation. Validating the presence of deep weathering in many environments critically alters the knowledge required to evaluate and predict patterns of landscape evolution. By establishing a better understanding of how bedrock weathers in-situ, the groundwork is laid for making more accurate and educated forecasts on how the earth system will respond to changes in the future.</p>

Promotion of Symbiotic Relationship Between Human and Ecosystems in a Small Island

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryusuke Hosoda ◽  
Koichi Hanano ◽  
Yoichi Fukutani
Keyword(s):  
Small Island ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Small Community ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Populated Area ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Coastal Land

People have become aware that maintenance of symbiotic relations between people and their surrounding environment is important not only for people’s happiness but also for their own existence on the earth system. Facing up to reality, however, there have arisen matters of regret caused by the human lives and activities. One of big problems we have to consider is scatter of waste and debris on natural beaches, especially in the coastal area near the dense populated area. We have to remember that the scatter is the results of human activities mainly on the coastal land area. The problem had become serious on a small island located near the mouth of Osaka Bay, where rubbishes such as tins, bottles and plastic bottles, bags and sheets have been piled and remained on the beach for more than half a century. People living in a small community, who were worrying about the decline of the ecosystem of the small island, started the activity of beach cleaning more than ten years ago. Since then, the quality of the ecosystem on the island has been maintained in a permissible condition. They also started the field researches on the fauna and flora in and around the island to make an inventory of fauna and flora. Their activities were appreciated and they were honored with testimonials commending their contribution on the maintenance of symbiosis. In the present paper, people’s activities are introduced with the importance of promoting the symbiosis with ecosystem in surrounding natural environments.

scholarly journals Labor as Action: the Human Condition in the Anthropocene

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 240-260
Author(s):  
Ari-Elmeri Hyvönen
Keyword(s):  
Political Thought ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Ecological Safety ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Capacity To Act ◽  
Gravitational Pull ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Human Condition

Abstract The Anthropocene has become an umbrella term for the disastrous transgression of ecological safety boundaries by human societies. The impact of this new reality is yet to be fully registered by political theorists. In an attempt to recalibrate the categories of political thought, this article brings Hannah Arendt’s framework of The Human Condition (labor, work, action) into the gravitational pull of the Anthropocene and current knowledge about the Earth System. It elaborates the historical emergence of our capacity to “act in the mode of laboring” during fossil-fueled capitalist modernity, a form of agency relating to our collectively organized laboring processes reminiscent of the capacity of modern sciences to “act into nature” discussed by Arendt. I argue that once read from an energy/ecology-centric perspective, The Human Condition can help us make sense of the Anthropocene predicament, and rethink the modes of collectively organizing the activities of labor, work, and action.

scholarly journals Potential of Virtual Earth Observation Constellations in Archaeological Research

Sensors ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (19) ◽  
pp. 4066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agapiou ◽  
Alexakis ◽  
Hadjimitsis
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Images ◽  
Earth Observation ◽  
Archaeological Research ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Ground Segment ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Integrated Optical ◽  
Earth Observation Satellites ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Research World

Earth observation sensors continually provide datasets with different spectral and spatial characteristics, while a series of pre- and postprocessing techniques are needed for calibration purposes. Nowadays, a variety of satellite images have become accessible to researchers, while big data cloud platforms allow them to deal with an extensive number of datasets. However, there is still difficulty related to these sensors meeting specific needs and challenges such as those of cultural heritage and supporting archaeological research world-wide. The harmonization and synergistic use of different sensors can be used in order to maximize the impact of earth observation sensors and enhance their benefit to the scientific community. In this direction, the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) has proposed the concept of virtual constellations, which is defined as “a coordinated set of space and/or ground segment capabilities from different partners that focuses on observing a particular parameter or set of parameters of the Earth system”. This paper provides an overview of existing and future earth observation sensors, the various levels of interoperability as proposed by Wulder et al., and presents some preliminary results from the Thessalian plain in Greece using integrated optical and radar Sentinel images. The potential for archaeolandscape studies using virtual constellations is discussed here.

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