219 research outputs found
The future of spaceborne altimetry. Oceans and climate change: A long-term strategy
The ocean circulation and polar ice sheet volumes provide important memory and control functions in the global climate. Their long term variations are unknown and need to be understood before meaningful appraisals of climate change can be made. Satellite altimetry is the only method for providing global information on the ocean circulation and ice sheet volume. A robust altimeter measurement program is planned which will initiate global observations of the ocean circulation and polar ice sheets. In order to provide useful data about the climate, these measurements must be continued with unbroken coverage into the next century. Herein, past results of the role of the ocean in the climate system is summarized, near term goals are outlined, and requirements and options are presented for future altimeter missions. There are three basic scientific objectives for the program: ocean circulation; polar ice sheets; and mean sea level change. The greatest scientific benefit will be achieved with a series of dedicated high precision altimeter spacecraft, for which the choice of orbit parameters and system accuracy are unencumbered by requirements of companion instruments
Global mean sea surface computation based upon a combination of SEASAT and GEOS-3 satellite altimeter data
A mean sea surface map was computed for the global ocean areas between 70 deg N latitude and 62 deg S latitude based upon the 70 day SEASAT and 3.5 year GEOS-3 altimeter data sets. The mean sea surface is presented in the form of a global contour map and a 0.25 deg x 0.25 deg grid. A combination of regional adjustments based upon crossover techniques and the subsequent adjustment of the regional solutions into a global reference system was employed in order to minimize the effects of radial orbit error. A global map of the crossover residuals after the crossover adjustments are made is in good agreement with earlier mesoscale variability contour maps based upon the last month of SEASAT collinear data. This high level of agreement provides good evidence that relative orbit error was removed to the decimeter level on a regional basis. This represents a significant improvement over our previous maps which contained patterns, particularly in the central Pacific, which were due to radial orbit error. Long wavelength, basin scale errors are still present with a submeter amplitude due to errors in the PGS-S4 gravity model. Such errors can only be removed through the improvement of the Earth's gravity model and associated geodetic parameters
Dynamic sea surface topography, gravity and improved orbit accuracies from the direct evaluation of SEASAT altimeter data
A method for the simultaneous solution of dynamic ocean topography, gravity and orbits using satellite altimeter data is described. A GEM-T1 based gravitational model called PGS-3337 that incorporates Seasat altimetry, surface gravimetry and satellite tracking data has been determined complete to degree and order 50. The altimeter data is utilized as a dynamic observation of the satellite's height above the sea surface with a degree 10 model of dynamic topography being recovered simultaneously with the orbit parameters, gravity and tidal terms in this model. PGS-3337 has a geoid uncertainty of 60 cm root-mean-square (RMS) globally, with the uncertainty over the altimeter tracked ocean being in the 25 cm range. Doppler determined orbits for Seasat, show large improvements, with the sub-30 cm radial accuracies being achieved. When altimeter data is used in orbit determination, radial orbital accuracies of 20 cm are achieved. The RMS of fit to the altimeter data directly gives 30 cm fits for Seasat when using PGS-3337 and its geoid and dynamic topography model. This performance level is two to three times better than that achieved with earlier Goddard earth models (GEM) using the dynamic topography from long-term oceanographic averages. The recovered dynamic topography reveals the global long wavelength circulation of the oceans with a resolution of 1500 km. The power in the dynamic topography recovery is now found to be closer to that of oceanographic studies than for previous satellite solutions. This is attributed primarily to the improved modeling of the geoid which has occurred. Study of the altimeter residuals reveals regions where tidal models are poor and sea state effects are major limitations
Recommended from our members
Summary data report on direct measurements of circulation on West Florida continental shelf January 1973 - May 1975
Between January 1973 and May 1975, the National Science Foundation sponsored a cooperative field program of direct measurements of circulation on the continental shelf of the west coast of the Florida peninsula. With a variety of instruments, records of ocean currents, bottom pressure,
coastal sea level and winds over the shelf were compiled, some of which are continuous for nearly two years
Postpartum Haemorrhage and Eclampsia: Differences in Knowledge and Care-seeking Behaviour in Two Districts of Bangladesh
In high- and low-performing districts of Bangladesh, the study explored the demand-side of maternal healthcare by looking at differences in perceived knowledge and care-seeking behaviours of women in relation to postpartum haemorrhage or eclampsia. Haemorrhage and eclampsia are two major causes of maternal mortality in Bangladesh. The study was conducted during July 2006–December 2007. Both postpartum bleeding and eclampsia were recognized by women of different age-groups as severe and life-threatening obstetric complications. However, a gap existed between perception and actual care-seeking behaviours which could contribute to the high rate of maternal deaths associated with these conditions. There were differences in care-seeking practices among women in the two different areas of Bangladesh, which may reflect sociocultural differences, disparities in economic and educational opportunities, and a discrimination in the availability of care
NASA Ocean Altimeter Pathfinder Project
The NOAA/NASA Pathfinder program was created by the Earth Observing System (EOS) Program Office to determine how existing satellite-based data sets can be processed and used to study global change. The data sets are designed to be long time-series data processed with stable calibration and community consensus algorithms to better assist the research community. The Ocean Altimeter Pathfinder Project involves the reprocessing of all altimeter observations with a consistent set of improved algorithms, based on the results from TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P), into easy-to-use data sets for the oceanographic community for climate research. Details are currently presented in two technical reports: Report# 1: Data Processing Handbook Report #2: Data Set Validation This report describes the validation of the data sets against a global network of high quality tide gauge measurements and provides an estimate of the error budget. The first report describes the processing schemes used to produce the geodetic consistent data set comprised of SEASAT, GEOSAT, ERS-1, TOPEX/ POSEIDON, and ERS-2 satellite observations
Recommended from our members
A compilation of observations from moored current meters and associated oceanographic observations : POLYMODE Array III Cluster C, May 1977 - May 1978
A summary of the observations taken from moored stations and hydrographic surveys in POLYMODE Array III Cluster C is presented. Currents and water temperatures were measured at various depths, including: 150, 225, 300, 500, 750, 1500, 2500, and 4000 meters.
Hydrographic surveys were made during the deployment and recovery cruises. Currents and water temperature data series cover the period from mid May, 1977 to early May, 1978. Cluster C contained 4 moorings, centered about 16°N, 54°W.
Basic statistics of the raw time series data are tabulated. Low passed (3.9 day cutoff) daily time series are used to display: water temperature data, velocity stick diagrams, progressive vector diagrams, zonal and meridional eddy heat flux, eddy kinetic energy, a pseudo eddy potential
energy, empirical orthogonal modes, and auto-correlations. Hourly data (low pass cutoff at 2 hours) is used to display spectral quantities.
Hydrographic data, including 1600 stations from the N0DC archives, are used to display T-S diagrams, horizontal and vertical structure of temperature, salinity, and density, Brunt-Viasala frequency versus depth, and dynamic topography
NASA Ocean Altimeter Pathfinder Project
The NOAA/NASA Pathfinder program was created by the Earth Observing System (EOS) Program Office to determine how satellite-based data sets can be processed and used to study global change. The data sets are designed to be long time-sedes data processed with stable calibration and community consensus algorithms to better assist the research community. The Ocean Altimeter Pathfinder Project involves the reprocessing of all altimeter observations with a consistent set of improved algorithms, based on the results from TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P), into easy-to-use data sets for the oceanographic community for climate research. This report describes the processing schemes used to produce a consistent data set and two of the products derived f rom these data. Other reports have been produced that: a) describe the validation of these data sets against tide gauge measurements and b) evaluate the statistical properties of the data that are relevant to climate change. The use of satellite altimetry for earth observations was proposed in the early 1960s. The first successful space based radar altimeter experiment was flown on SkyLab in 1974. The first successful satellite radar altimeter was flown aboard the Geos-3 spacecraft between 1975 and 1978. While a useful data set was collected from this mission for geophysical studies, the noise in the radar measured and incomplete global coverage precluded ft from inclusion in the Ocean Altimeter Pathfinder program. This program initiated its analysis with the Seasat mission, which was the first satellite radar altimeter flown for oceanography
Obstetric Complications and Psychological Well-being: Experiences of Bangladeshi Women during Pregnancy and Childbirth
Women in developing countries experience postnatal depression at rates
that are comparable with or higher than those in developed countries.
However, their personal experiences during pregnancy and childbirth
have received little attention in relation to postnatal depression. In
particular, the contribution of obstetric complications to their
emotional well-being during the postpartum period is still not clearly
understood. This study aimed to (a) describe the pregnancy and
childbirth experiences among women in Bangladesh during normal
childbirth or obstetric complications and (b) examine the relationship
between these experiences and their psychological well-being during the
postpartum period. Two groups of women - one group with obstetric
complications (n=173) and the other with no obstetric complications
(n=373) - were selected from a sample of women enrolled in a
community-based study in Matlab, Bangladesh. The experiences during
pregnancy and childbirth were assessed in terms of a five-point rating
scale from 'severely uncomfortable=1' to 'not uncomfortable at all=5'.
The psychological status of the women was assessed using a validated
local version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at six
weeks postpartum. Categorical data were analyzed using the chi-square
test and continuous data by analysis of variance. Women with obstetric
complications reported significantly more negative experiences during
their recent childbirth [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36-1.61,
p<0.001] compared to those with normal childbirth. There was a
significant main effect on emotional well-being due to experiences of
pregnancy [F (4,536)=4.96, p=0.001] and experiences of childbirth [F
(4,536)=3.29, p=0.01]. The EPDS mean scores for women reporting severe
uncomfortable pregnancy and childbirth experiences were significantly
higher than those reporting no such problems. After controlling for the
background characteristics, postpartum depression was significantly
associated with women reporting a negative childbirth experience.
Childbirth experiences of women can provide important information on
possible cases of postnatal depression
Staff experiences of Providing Maternity Services in Rural Southern Tanzania -- A Focus on Equipment, Drug and Supply Issues.
The poor maintenance of equipment and inadequate supplies of drugs and other items contribute to the low quality of maternity services often found in rural settings in low- and middle-income countries, and raise the risk of adverse maternal outcomes through delaying care provision. We aim to describe staff experiences of providing maternal care in rural health facilities in Southern Tanzania, focusing on issues related to equipment, drugs and supplies. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with different staff cadres from all facility levels in order to explore experiences and views of providing maternity care in the context of poorly maintained equipment, and insufficient drugs and other supplies. A facility survey quantified the availability of relevant items. The facility survey, which found many missing or broken items and frequent stock outs, corroborated staff reports of providing care in the context of missing or broken care items. Staff reported increased workloads, reduced morale, difficulties in providing optimal maternity care, and carrying out procedures that carried potential health risks to themselves as a result. Inadequately stocked and equipped facilities compromise the health system's ability to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity by affecting staff personally and professionally, which hinders the provision of timely and appropriate interventions. Improving stock control and maintaining equipment could benefit mothers and babies, not only through removing restrictions to the availability of care, but also through improving staff working conditions
- …