On the Trade-Off Between Enhancement of the Spatial Resolution and Noise Amplification in Conical-Scanning Microwave Radiometers

The ability to enhance the spatial resolution of measurements collected by a conical-scanning microwave radiometer (MWR) is discussed in terms of noise amplification and improvement of the spatial resolution. Simulated (and actual) brightness temperature profiles are analyzed at variance of different intrinsic spatial resolutions and adjacent beams overlapping modeling a simplified 1-D measurement configuration (MC). The actual measurements refer to Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data collected using the 19.35 and the 37.00 GHz channels that match the simulated configurations. The reconstruction of the brightness profile at enhanced spatial resolution is performed using an iterative gradient method which allows a fine tuning of the level of regularization. Objective metrics are introduced to quantify the enhancement of the spatial resolution and noise amplification. Numerical experiments, performed using the simplified 1-D MC, show that the regularized deconvolution results in negligible advantages when dealing with low-overlapping/fine-spatial-resolution configurations. Regularization is a mandatory step when addressing the high-overlapping/low-spatial-resolution case and the spatial resolution can be enhanced up to 2.34 with a noise amplification equal to 1.56. A more stringent requirement on the noise amplification (up to 0.6) results in an improvement of the spatial resolution up to 1.64

Novel Analytical Continuation Based Shape Reconstruction Methods For Perfect Electric Conducting Targets

Tez (Doktora) -- İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, 2009Thesis (PhD) -- İstanbul Technical University, Institute of Science and Technology, 2009Bu çalışmanın amacı yanına erişilemeyen, elektriksel açıdan mükemmel iletken cisimlerin şekillerinin elektromagnetik dalgalar kullanılarak belirlenebilmesi için yeni ve etkin yöntemlerin geliştirilmesidir. Bu çerçevede, problemin kötü-kurulmuş ve doğrusal olmayan kısımlarını ayrı ayrı ele alan iki farklı yöntem sunulmuştur. Her iki yöntemin de ilk adımında, gürültülü uzak alan verisinden bilinmeyen cismin yakınındaki saçılan alan belirlenmeye çalışılır. Bu amaçla her iki yöntem için de tek katman potansiyel yaklaşımından faydalanılmış ve uzak alan verisi dairesel bir bölge üzerine bir tek katman potansiyel yoğunluğu anlamında devam ettirilmiştir. İlk yöntemde, bu dairesel bölgenin bilinmeyen cismi minimum yarıçapla kapsadığı varsayılmaktadır. Minimum dairenin içerisinde alan, bilinmeyen cismin yüzeyine kadar, daha önce bulunan potansiyel yoğunluğu aracılığıyla hesaplanmış saçılan alanın Taylor serisi açılımı kullanılarak analitik olarak devam ettirilir. İkinci yöntem içinse, dairesel bölge cismin içerisine yerleştirilmiş ve bilinmeyen cismi, bilinmeyen yüzeyin dışındaki bölgede cisimle aynı alan dağılımını yaratacak homojen olmayan bir yüzey empedansına sahip bir empedans silindiri olarak modellemek için kullanılmıştır. Her iki yöntemin de son aşamasında, bilinmeyen cismin üzerinde toplam alanın sıfıra gitmesi biçimindeki sınır koşulu kullanılarak şekil bulma problemi Gauss-Newton algoritmasıyla yinelemeli olarak çözülen doğrusal olmayan bir eşitliğin köklerinin bulunmasına indirgenir.The aim of this study is to develop new and efficient methods to reconstruct the shape of inaccessible, perfect electric conducting targets through the use of electromagnetic waves. Within this framework, two different shape reconstruction methods, which handle the ill-posedness and the nonlinearity of the underlying inverse problem separately, are presented. At the initial step, both methods deal with the reconstruction of the scattered field in the vicinity of the unknown target from the noise corrupted far field pattern. To this aim, the single layer potential approach is utilized for both methods and the far field pattern is backpropagated to a circular domain in terms of a single layer potential density. In the first method, the circular domain is assumed to cover the unknown target with minimum radius. Inside the minimum circle, the Taylor series expansion of the scattered field calculated from the potential density is exploited to analytically continue the field to the unknown boundary. For the second method, the circular domain is located inside the target and it is used to model the unknown target as an impedance cylinder having inhomogeneous surface impedance which generates the same field distribution with the target outside of the unknown boundary. At the final step of both methods, by exploiting the boundary condition that the total electric field on the unknown boundary vanishes, the shape reconstruction problem is reduced to finding the roots of a non-linear equation which is solved iteratively via Gauss-Newton Method.DoktoraPh

Microwave Sensing and Imaging

In recent years, microwave sensing and imaging have acquired an ever-growing importance in several applicative fields, such as non-destructive evaluations in industry and civil engineering, subsurface prospection, security, and biomedical imaging. Indeed, microwave techniques allow, in principle, for information to be obtained directly regarding the physical parameters of the inspected targets (dielectric properties, shape, etc.) by using safe electromagnetic radiations and cost-effective systems. Consequently, a great deal of research activity has recently been devoted to the development of efficient/reliable measurement systems, which are effective data processing algorithms that can be used to solve the underlying electromagnetic inverse scattering problem, and efficient forward solvers to model electromagnetic interactions. Within this framework, this Special Issue aims to provide some insights into recent microwave sensing and imaging systems and techniques

Remote sensing satellite image processing techniques for image classification: a comprehensive survey

This paper is a brief survey of advance technological aspects of Digital Image Processing which are applied to remote sensing images obtained from various satellite sensors. In remote sensing, the image processing techniques can be categories in to four main processing stages: Image preprocessing, Enhancement, Transformation and Classification. Image pre-processing is the initial processing which deals with correcting radiometric distortions, atmospheric distortion and geometric distortions present in the raw image data. Enhancement techniques are applied to preprocessed data in order to effectively display the image for visual interpretation. It includes techniques to effectively distinguish surface features for visual interpretation. Transformation aims to identify particular feature of earth’s surface and classification is a process of grouping the pixels, that produces effective thematic map of particular land use and land cover

Measurement and analysis of aerosols, cirrus-contrails, water vapor and temperature in the upper troposphere with the Jungfraujoch LIDAR system

The impact of human activities on the global climate may lead to large disruptions of the economic, social and political status quo in the middle and long term. Understanding the dynamics of the Earth's climate is thus of paramount importance and one of the major scientific challenges of our time. The estimation of the relative contribution of the many components (interacting each other) of the Earth's climate system requires observation and continuous monitoring of various atmospheric physical and chemical parameters. Temperature, water vapor and greenhouse gases concentration, aerosol and clouds loads, and atmospheric dynamics are parameters of particular importance in this respect. The quantification of the anthropogenic influence on the dynamics of these above-mentioned parameters is of crucial importance nowadays but still affected by significant uncertainties. In the present context of these huge uncertainties in our understanding of how these different atmospheric compounds contribute to the radiative forcing, the research presented in this report is related to the following topics: Development of lidar-based remote sensing techniques for monitoring atmospheric compounds and processes Aerosols – cirrus – contrails optical properties up to the tropopause Water vapor mixing ratio and relative humidity estimation in the upper troposphere Temperature profiling in the upper troposphere-lower stratosphere Characterization of the long-range transported mineral aerosols (i.e. Saharan dust outbreaks) Planetary boundary layer-upper troposphere exchanges (i.e. August 2003 heatwave effect) In the above research frames, the development and application of measurement techniques for the monitoring of climate-change parameters, this work refers to the implementation of a multi-wavelength LIDAR1 system (JFJ - LIDAR)2 at the International Scientific Station of Jungfraujoch (ISSJ, 46°33' N, 7°59' E, at 3580 m ASL- above sea level). The JFJ3 station is situated above the planetary boundary layer (PBL) almost all year long and is located in a mountain pass linking the Swiss plateau to the North with the Rhone Valley to the South through the Aletsch glacier corridor. Measurements with the JFF-LIDAR system provide regular vertical and horizontal remote sensing of water vapor, temperature, and optical properties (backscatter and extinction coefficients) of aerosols, cirrus clouds and contrails in the upper troposphere (UT)4. The lidar system is based on the laser emission at 355, 532 and 1064 nm and on subsequent detection of both elastic (Mie) and inelastic (Raman) atmospheric backscatter light. The backscattering collected radiation is precisely: the elastic at 355, 532 and 1064 nm; the rotational-vibrational Raman radiation from nitrogen at ~ 387 nm, and from water vapor at ~ 407 nm as well as the pure rotational nitrogen/oxygen Raman excited at ~ 532 nm. The depolarization of the initially linearly polarized radiation was also detected at 532 nm and it was use to distinguish between water and ice contents in cirrus clouds, but also it may reveal long-range transported mineral aerosols such as Saharan dust. Profiles of backscatter and extinction coefficients of aerosols-cirrus-contrails, needed for estimation of the radiative balance of the atmosphere, are derived from elastic and Raman light scattering processes, or through a combination of both, using devoted algorithms and software developed within this research. Data gathered from routine measurements are statistically analyzed and interpreted in comparison with similar measurements obtained from colocated techniques. Optical and microphysical properties of a typical contrail were studied. The UT water vapor mixing ratio profiles are estimated from the ratio of ~ 407 nm and ~387 nm Raman radiation excited by 355 nm. Upon appropriate calibration, real time water vapor mixing ratio profiles derived from LIDAR measurements are found in good agreement with the closest radiosounding techniques, and co-located measurements such as the GPS5 and sun photometer based measurements. The water vapor profiles, combined with simultaneous temperature profiles taken from atmospheric models, radiosounding or, more realistically, based on the pure rotational Raman technique, were used for the estimation of relative humidity profiles which allow the identification of UT super-saturation regions. Air temperature profiles were obtained up to the lower stratosphere using the backscatter of pure rotational Raman radiation excited by 532 nm. These first results compare well to simultaneous regional radiosounding measurements, and follow standard atmospheric models. The pure rotational Raman backscatter was also used for determining absolute extinction and the lidar ratio for cirrus clouds. Based on the JFJ-LIDAR measurements, supported by co-located and regional measurements, the research presents also in detail two case studies related to climate problematic: The first concerns the tracking of a Saharan dust outbreak (SDO) and the derivation of its optical properties. The second study refers to the analysis of the evolution and consequences of the high altitudes planetary boundary layer (PBL)6 convection during the August 2003 heat - wave episode. The results presented within this research provide a promising basis for extending these JFJ-LIDAR observations from the upper troposphere into the stratosphere by using the existent astronomic telescope (~15 times increased sensitivity) and a new (~ 3 times more powerful) laser source. Consequently DIAL7 technique for measuring the stratospheric ozone will be developed and implemented in the near future at JFJ. Future challenges include also JFJ-LIDAR remote control operation and the ability of real time obtained atmospheric calibrated profiles (i.e. optical properties of aerosols-cirruscontrails, water vapor, temperature and ozone). --------------------1 LIDAR – LIght Detection And Ranging 2 JFJ-LIDAR is the acronym used here for Jungfraujoch multi-wavelength LIDAR system 3 JFJ is the abbreviation for Jungfraujoch 4 UT will be used as abbreviation for upper troposphere (from ~ 3600 m ASL to the tropopause atmospheric region) 5 GPS is the acronym for Global Positioning System 6 PBL - planetary boundary layer – its top is usually situated under the altitude of the JFJ station (i.e. 3600m ASL) 7 DIAL - is the acronym coming from DIfferential Absorption Lida

Development of the Jungfraujoch multiwavelength lidar system for continuous observations of the aerosol optical properties in the free troposphere

Climate changes and global warming are generally associated with the enhanced greenhouse effect, but aerosols can induce a cooling effect and thus regionally mask this warming effect. Unfortunately, the strong variability both in space and in time of the aerosols and thus the difficulty to characterize their global basic properties induce large uncertainties in the predictions of the numerical models. Those uncertainties are as high as the absolute level of the enhanced greenhouse forcing. To solve this problem it is necessary to improve the set of well-calibrated instruments (both in situ and remote sensing) with the ability to measure the changes in stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols amounts and their radiative properties, changes in atmospheric water vapor and temperature distributions, and changes in clouds cover and cloud radiative properties. The quantity used to assess the importance of one compound (greenhouse gases, aerosols) to the variation of the radiative budget of the Earth is the radiative forcing. One of those forcings is the direct aerosol radiative forcing and it depends on the optical depths and the upscatter fraction of the aerosols. Those two parameters depend on the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosols. Thus the key parameters of this radiative forcing are the chemical composition through its refractive index and the size distribution of the aerosols. This thesis deals with the design and the implementation of one multi-wavelength lidar system at the Jungfraujoch Alpine Research Station (Alt. 3580m asl). This lidar system is a combination of one standard backscatter lidar and one Raman lidar. Its design have been supported by a ray tracing analysis of the receiver part. The laser transmitter is based on a tripled Nd:YAG laser and the backscattered light is collected by one Newtonian telescope for the tropospheric measurements and by one Cassegrain telescope for the future stratospheric measurements. The received wavelengths for each telescope include three elastically scattered wavelengths (355, 532 and 1064nm), two spontaneous Raman signals from nitrogen (387 and 607nm) and one spontaneous Raman signal from the water vapor (408nm). The optical signals received by each of the telescopes are separated spectrally by two filter polychromators. They are build up around a set of beamsplitters and custom design thin band pass filters with high out-of-band rejection. On the visible channel, the adds of a Wollaston prism separates the parallel polarized backscattered signal (532(p)nm) of the perpendicular polarized one (532(c)nm). Photomultiplier tubes perform the detection of the signals for the UV and visible wavelengths and by Si-avalanche photodiodes for the near-infrared signal. The acquisition of the signals is performed by seven transient recorders in analog and in photon counting modes. Within the frame of the EARLINET (European Aerosol Research Lidar Network), hardware and software intercomparisons have been done. The software intercomparison has been divided into the validation of the elastic algorithm and the Raman algorithm. Those intercomparisons of the inversions of the lidar signals have been performed using synthetic data for a number of situations of different complexity. The hardware intercomparison have been achieved with the mobile micro-lidar of the Observatoire Cantonal de Neuchâtel. The present lidar system provides independent aerosol extinction and backscatter profiles, depolarization ratio and water vapor mixing ratio up to the tropopause. Their uncertainties could be smaller than 20% and thus make possible the retrieval of the microphysical aerosol parameters like the volume concentration distribution and the mean and integral parameters of the particle size distribution, (effective radius, total surface-area concentration, total volume concentration and number concentration of particles). This retrieval is performed by one algorithm of the Institute of Mathematic of the University of Postdam based on the hybrid regularization method. The first results of the retrieval of the volume concentration distribution with three backscatter (355, 532 and 1064nm) and one extinction (355nm) profiles has demonstrated promising results. Future upgrades of the system will add ozone concentration and temperature profile up to the stratopause

TSVD regularization in inverse microwave radiometry problem

A study regarding the use of the truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) for the solution of inverse microwave radiometry problem is presented and discussed by means of a set of examples