561 research outputs found
How complex climate networks complement eigen techniques for the statistical analysis of climatological data
Eigen techniques such as empirical orthogonal function (EOF) or coupled
pattern (CP) / maximum covariance analysis have been frequently used for
detecting patterns in multivariate climatological data sets. Recently,
statistical methods originating from the theory of complex networks have been
employed for the very same purpose of spatio-temporal analysis. This climate
network (CN) analysis is usually based on the same set of similarity matrices
as is used in classical EOF or CP analysis, e.g., the correlation matrix of a
single climatological field or the cross-correlation matrix between two
distinct climatological fields. In this study, formal relationships as well as
conceptual differences between both eigen and network approaches are derived
and illustrated using exemplary global precipitation, evaporation and surface
air temperature data sets. These results allow to pinpoint that CN analysis can
complement classical eigen techniques and provides additional information on
the higher-order structure of statistical interrelationships in climatological
data. Hence, CNs are a valuable supplement to the statistical toolbox of the
climatologist, particularly for making sense out of very large data sets such
as those generated by satellite observations and climate model intercomparison
exercises.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figure
Influence of Monolayer-Monolayer Coupling on the Phase Behavior of a Fluid Lipid Bilayer
AbstractWe suggest a minimal model for the coupling of the lateral phase behavior in an asymmetric lipid membrane across its two monolayers. Our model employs one single order parameter for each monolayer leaflet, namely its composition. Regular solution theory on the mean-field level is used to describe the free energy in each individual leaflet. Coupling between monolayers entails an energy penalty for any local compositional differences across the membrane. We calculate and analyze the phase behavior of this model. It predicts a range of possible scenarios. A monolayer with a propensity for phase separation is able to induce phase separation in the apposed monolayer. Conversely, a monolayer without this propensity is able to prevent phase separation in the apposed monolayer. If there is phase separation in the membrane, it may lead to either complete or partial registration of the monolayer domains across the membrane. The latter case which corresponds to a three-phase coexistence is only found below a critical coupling strength. We calculate that critical coupling strength. Above the critical coupling strength, the membrane adopts a uniform compositional difference between its two monolayers everywhere in the membrane, implying phase coexistence between only two phases and thus perfect spatial registration of all domains on the apposed membrane leafs. We use the lattice Boltzmann simulation method to also study the morphologies that form during phase separation within the three-phase coexistence region. Generally, domains in one monolayer diffuse but remain fully enclosed within domains in the other monolayer
Soil moisture retrieval through a merging of multi-temporal L-band SAR data and hydrologic modelling
he objective of the study is to investigate the potential of retrieving superficial soil moisture content (m(v)) from multi-temporal L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data and hydrologic modelling. The study focuses on assessing the performances of an L-band SAR retrieval algorithm intended for agricultural areas and for watershed spatial scales (e. g. from 100 to 10 000 km(2)). The algorithm transforms temporal series of L-band SAR data into soil moisture contents by using a constrained minimization technique integrating a priori information on soil parameters. The rationale of the approach consists of exploiting soil moisture predictions, obtained at coarse spatial resolution ( e. g. 1530 km2) by point scale hydrologic models ( or by simplified estimators), as a priori information for the SAR retrieval algorithm that provides soil moisture maps at high spatial resolution (e. g. 0.01 km(2)). In the present form, the retrieval algorithm applies to cereal fields and has been assessed on simulated and experimental data. The latter were acquired by the airborne E-SAR system during the AgriSAR campaign carried out over the Demmin site (Northern Germany) in 2006. Results indicate that the retrieval algorithm always improves the a priori information on soil moisture content though the improvement may be marginal when the accuracy of prior mv estimates is better than 5%
Integration of L-band SAR data into Land Surface Models
Abstract—Land surface process modelling might be limited due
to lack of reliable model input data. Key surface variables as land
cover information or soil moisture conditions have been proven
to be observable by remote sensing systems. The integration of
remote sensing data into land surface process models might
therefore help to improve their simulations results. Longer
wavelength SAR data has a higher sensitivity to soil moisture
content than higher frequency systems. Recent (ALOS) and
planed (e.g. TerraSAR-L) SAR systems are therefore expected to
provide valuable information about soil moisture dynamics. The
present study investigates the potential to retrieve land cover
information and geophysical parameters from L-band SAR data.
The retrieval results are assimilated into a state-of-the-art land
surface model to evaluate the merit of L-band SAR data
assimilation
Comparison of satellite-based evapotranspiration estimates over the Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) plays a major role in regional and global climate. The understanding of latent heat (LE) flux can help to better describe the complex mechanisms and interactions between land and atmosphere. Despite its importance, accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) over the TP remains challenging. Satellite observations allow for ET estimation at high temporal and spatial scales. The purpose of this paper is to provide a detailed cross-comparison of existing ET products over the TP. Six available ET products based on different approaches are included for comparison. Results show that all products capture the seasonal variability well with minimum ET in the winter and maximum ET in the summer. Regarding the spatial pattern, the High resOlution Land Atmosphere surface Parameters from Space (HOLAPS) ET demonstrator dataset is very similar to the LandFlux-EVAL dataset (a benchmark ET product from the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment), with decreasing ET from the south-east to northwest over the TP. Further comparison against the LandFlux-EVAL over different sub-regions that are decided by different intervals of normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), precipitation, and elevation reveals that HOLAPS agrees best with LandFlux-EVAL having the highest correlation coefficient (R) and the lowest root mean square difference (RMSD). These results indicate the potential for the application of the HOLAPS demonstrator dataset in understanding the land-atmosphere-biosphere interactions over the TP. In order to provide more accurate ET over the TP, model calibration, high accuracy forcing dataset, appropriate in situ measurements as well as other hydrological data such as runoff measurements are still needed
Influence of the Fermi Surface Morphology on the Magnetic Field-Driven Vortex Lattice Structure Transitions in YBaCuO0, 0.15
We report small-angle neutron scattering measurements of the vortex lattice
(VL) structure in single crystals of the lightly underdoped cuprate
superconductor YBa2Cu3O6.85. At 2 K, and for fields of up to 16 T applied
parallel to the crystal c-axis, we observe a sequence of field-driven and
first-order transitions between different VL structures. By rotating the field
away from the c-axis, we observe each structure transition to shift to either
higher or lower field dependent on whether the field is rotated towards the
[100] or [010] direction. We use this latter observation to argue that the
Fermi surface morphology must play a key role in the mechanisms that drive the
VL structure transitions. Furthermore, we show this interpretation is
compatible with analogous results obtained previously on lightly overdoped
YBa2Cu3O7. In that material, it has long-been suggested that the high field VL
structure transition is driven by the nodal gap anisotropy. In contrast, the
results and discussion presented here bring into question the role, if any, of
a nodal gap anisotropy on the VL structure transitions in both YBa2Cu3O6.85 and
YBa2Cu3O7
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