Showing papers by "Goddard Space Flight Center published in 1994"

Generalized comptonization models and application to the recent high-energy observations

Abstract: The theory of spectral formation in thermal X-ray sources, where the effects of Comptonization and Klein-Nishina corrections are important, is presented. Analytical expressions are obtained for the produced spectrum as a function of such input parameters as the plasma temperature, the optical depth of the plasma cloud and the injected soft photon spectrum. The analytical theory developed here takes into account the dependence of the scattering opacity on the photon energy. It is shown that the plasma temperature as well as the asymptotic rate of photon escape from the plasma cloud determine the shape of the upscattered hard tail in the emergent spectra, even in the case of very small optical depths. The escape distributions of photons are given for any optical depth of the plasma cloud and their asymptotic dependence for very small and large optical depths are examined. It is shown that this new generalized approach can fit spectra for a large variety of hard X-ray sources and determine the plasma temperature in the region of main energy release in Cyg X-1 and the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151.

A proposal for the intercomparison of the dynamical cores of atmospheric general circulation models

Abstract: A benchmark calculation is proposed for evaluating the dynamical cores of atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs) independently of the physical parameterizations. The test focuses on the long-term statistical properties of a fully developed general circulation; thus, it is particularly appropriate for intercomparing the dynamics used in climate models. To illustrate the use of this benchmark, two very different atmospheric dynamical cores--one spectral, one finite difference--are compared. It is found that the long-term statistics produced by the two models are very similar. Selected results from these calculations are presented to initiate the intercomparison.

Measurement of the Cosmic Microwave Background spectrum by the COBE FIRAS instrument

Abstract: The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) has a blackbody spectrum within 3.4 x 10(exp -8) ergs/sq cm/s/sr cm over the frequency range from 2 to 20/cm (5-0.5 mm). These measurements, derived from the Far-Infrared Absolute Spectrophotomer (FIRAS) instrument on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, imply stringent limits on energy release in the early universe after t approximately 1 year and redshift z approximately 3 x 10(exp 6). The deviations are less than 0.30% of the peak brightness, with an rms value of 0.01%, and the dimensionless cosmological distortion parameters are limited to the absolute value of y is less than 2.5 x 10(exp -5) and the absolute value of mu is less than 3.3 x 10(exp -4) (95% confidence level). The temperature of the CMBR is 2.726 +/- 0.010 K (95% confidence level systematic).

The GEOTAIL Magnetic Field Experiment.

Abstract: The Geotail spacecraft carries a high-resolution Magnetic Field Experiment to provide magnetic field data in the frequency range below 50 Hz. This experiment includes dual fluxgate magnetometers and a search coil magnetometer. Fluxgate sensors are mounted at distances of 4 m and 6 m from the spacecraft on a deployable mast to reduce spacecraft-generated noises. Both outboard and inboard fluxgate magnetometers have 7 automatically switchable ranges from ±16 nT to ±65536 nT (full scale) and resolutions equivalent to a 15-bit A/D conversion in each range. The basic sampling rate for the A/D conversion is 128 Hz for both magnetometers

The albedo of fractal stratocumulus clouds

Abstract: An increase in the planetary albedo of the earth-atmosphere system by only 10% can decrease the equilibrium surface temperature to that of the last ice age. Nevertheless, albedo biases of 10% or greater would be introduced into large regions of current climate models if clouds were given their observed liquid water amounts, because of the treatment of clouds as plane parallel. The focus on marine stratocumulus clouds is due to their important role in cloud radiative forcing and also that, of the wide variety of earth's cloud types, they are most nearly plane parallel, so that they have the least albedo bias. The fractal model employed here reproduces both the probability distribution and the wavenumber spectrum of the stratocumulus liquid water path, as observed during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE). A single new fractal parameter 0 less than or equal to f less than or equal to 1, is introduced and determined empirically by the variance of the logarithm of the vertically integrated liquid water. The reduced reflectivity of fractal stratocumulus clouds is approximately given by the plane-parallel reflectivity evaluated at a reduced 'effective optical thickness,' which when f = 0.5 is tau(sub eff) approximately equal to 10. Study of the diurnal cycle of stratocumulus liquid water during FIRE leads to a key unexpected result: the plane-parallel albedo bias is largest when the cloud fraction reaches 100%, that is, when any bias associated with the cloud fraction vanishes. This is primarily due to the variability increase with cloud fraction. Thus, the within-cloud fractal structure of stratocumulus has a more significant impact on estimates of its mesoscale-average albedo than does the cloud fraction.

A global 1° by 1° NDVI data set for climate studies. Part 2: The generation of global fields of terrestrial biophysical parameters from the NDVI

Abstract: A satellite-based 1° by 1° normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set has been processed to derive land surface parameters for general circulation models of the atmosphere (GCMs). Prior to calculation of the land surface parameters, corrections were applied to the source NDVI data set to account for (i) obvious anomalies in the data time-series, (ii) the effect of variations in solar zenith angle, (iii) data dropouts in cold regions where a temperature threshold procedure designed to screen for clouds also eliminates cold land surface points, and (iv) persistent cloud cover in the tropics. An outline of the procedures for calculating land surface parameters from the corrected NDVI data set is given, and a brief description is provided of source material that was used in addition to the NDVI data. The data sets summarized in this paper should represent improvements over prescriptions currently used in land surface parameterizations in that the spatial and temporal dynamics of key land ...

The Pathfinder AVHRR land data set: An improved coarse resolution data set for terrestrial monitoring

Abstract: A reprocessing of 12 years of global data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers on board the afternoon-viewing NOAA series satellites (NOAA-7, 9, and 11) is taking place as part of the NASA/NOAA Pathfinder project. A Pathfinder AVHRR land data set is being produced which is composed of global, 8 km NDVI with associated reflectances, brightness temperatures, solar and scan geometry, and cloud estimation. This data set is being processed using the best available methods in order to produce a consistent time series of data of unprecedented quality. Methods used in processing include a cross-satellite calibration, navigation using an orbital model and updated ephemerides, and correction for Rayleigh scattering. The data will be available to the community as both daily and composite data, and analysis of this long time series is expected to provide insight into terrestrial processes, seasonal and annual variability, and methods for handling large volume data sets.

Coccolithophorid blooms in the global ocean

Abstract: The global distribution pattern of coccolithophrid blooms was mapped in order to ascertain the prevalence of these blooms in the world's oceans and to estimate their worldwide production of CaCO3 and dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Mapping was accomplished by classifying pixels of 5-day global composites of coastal zone color scanner imagery into bloom and nonbloom classes using a supervised, multispectral classification scheme. Surface waters with the spectral signature of coccolithophorid blooms annually covered an average of 1.4 x 10(exp 6) sq km in the world oceans from 1979 to 1985, with the subpolar latitudes accounting for 71% of this surface area. Classified blooms were most extensive in the Subartic North Atlantic. Large expanses of the bloom signal were also detected in the North Pacific, on the Argentine shelf and slope, and in numerous lower latitude marginal seas and shelf regions. The greatest spatial extent of classified blooms in subpolar oceanic regions occurred in the months from summer to early autumn, while those in lower latitude marginal seas occurred in midwinter to early spring. Though the classification scheme was effcient in separating bloom and nonbloom classes during test simulations, and biogeographical literature generally confirms the resulting distribution pattern of blooms in the subpolar regions, the cause of the bloom signal is equivocal in some geographic areas, particularly on shelf regions at lower latitudes. Standing stock estimates suggest that the presumed Emiliania huxleyi blooms act as a significant source of calcite carbon and DMS sulfur on a regional scale. On a global scale, however, the satellite-detected coccolithophorid blooms are estimated to play only a minor role in the annual production of these two compounds and their flux from the surface mixed layer.

A Double-Moment Multiple-Phase Four-Class Bulk Ice Scheme. Part I: Description

Abstract: A detailed ice-phase bulk microphysical scheme has been developed for simulating the hydrometeor distributions of convective and stratiform precipitation in different large-scale environmental conditions. The proposed scheme involves 90 distinct microphysical processes, which predict the mixing ratios and the number concentrations of small ice crystals, snow, graupel, and frozen drops/hail, as well as the mixing ratios of liquid water on wet precipitation ice (snow, graupel, frozen drops). The number of adjustable coefficients has been significantly reduced in comparison with other bulk schemes. Additional improvements have been made to the parameterization in the following areas: (1) representing small ice crystals with nonzero terminal fall velocities and dispersive size distributions, (2) accurate and computationally efficient calculations of precipitation collection processes, (3) reformulating the collection equation to prevent unrealistically large accretion rates, (4) more realistic conversion by riming between different classes of precipitation ice, (5) preventing unrealistically large rates of raindrop freezing and freezing of liquid water on ice, (6) detailed treatment of various rime-splintering ice multiplication mechanisms, (7) a simple representation of the Hobbs-Rangno ice enhancement process, (8) aggregation of small ice crystals and snow, and (9) allowing explicit competition between cloud water condensation and ice deposition rates rather than using saturation adjustment techniques. For the purposes of conserving the higher moments of the particle distributions, preserving the spectral widths (or slopes) of the particle spectra is shown to be more important than strict conservation of particle number concentration when parameterizing changes in ice-particle number concentrations due to melting, vapor transfer processes (sublimation of dry ice, evaporation from wet ice), and conversion between different hydrometeor species. The microphysical scheme is incorporated into a nonhydrostatic cloud model in Part 2 of this study. The model performed well in simulating the radar and microphysical structures of a midlatitude-continental squall lines and a tropical-maritime squall system with minimal tuning of the parameterization, even though the vertical profiles of radar reflectivity differed substantially between these storms.

Detection of a γ-ray burst of very long duration and very high energy

Abstract: ALTHOUGH γ-ray bursts (GRBs) have been known for more than 20 years, their origin remains mysterious1. Suggestions have ranged from nearby colliding comets2 to merging neutron stars at cosmological distances3. The lack of any counterpart at wavelengths other than X-rays and γ-rays has posed a major problem in identifying the source of GRBs4. Although in principle the distribution of energies among the burst photons, as well as their light curves, may be used to constrain the potential sources, this has proved difficult in practice5. Here we present the observation of a particularly energetic burst with a duration of 90 minutes, which includes the detection of an 18-GeV photon. For comparison, typical GRBs emit photons in the energy range between a few keV and a few tens of MeV, and last a few tens of seconds6,7. The extended nature of this burst holds out the hope that there will be opportunities for telescopes operating at other wavelengths to detect a GRB source while it is still active, thus providing further constraints on the source's identity and properties.

Terrestrial remote sensing science and algorithms planned for EOS/MODIS

Abstract: The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) will be the primary daily global monitoring sensor on the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites, scheduled for launch on the EOS-AM platform in June 1998 and the EOS-PM platform in December 2000. MODIS is a 36 channel radiometer covering 0·415-14·235 μm wavelengths, with spatial resolution from 250 m to 1 km at nadir. MODIS will be the primary EOS sensor for providing data on terrestrial biospheric dynamics and process activity. This paper presents the suite of global land products currently planned for EOSDIS implementation, to be developed by the authors of this paper, the MODIS land team (MODLAND). These include spectral albedo, land cover, spectral vegetation indices, snow and ice cover, surface temperature and fire, and a number of biophysical variables that will allow computation of global carbon cycles, hydrologic balances and biogeochemistry of critical greenhouse gases. Additionally, the regular global coverage of these var...

The Clementine Mission to the Moon: Scientific Overview

Abstract: In the course of 71 days in lunar orbit, from 19 February to 3 May 1994, the Clementine spacecraft acquired just under two million digital images of the moon at visible and infrared wavelengths. These data are enabling the global mapping of the rock types of the lunar crust and the first detailed investigation of the geology of the lunar polar regions and the lunar far side. In addition, laser-ranging measurements provided the first view of the global topographic figure of the moon. The topography of many ancient impact basins has been measured, and a global map of the thickness of the lunar crust has been derived from the topography and gravity.

The Shape and Internal Structure of the Moon from the Clementine Mission

Abstract: Global topographic and gravitational field models derived from data collected by the Clementine spacecraft reveal a new picture of the shape and internal structure of the moon. The moon exhibits a 16-kilometer range of elevation, with the greatest topographic excursions occurring on the far side. Lunar highlands are in a state of near-isostatic compensation, whereas impact basins display a wide range of compensation states that do not correlate simply with basin size or age. A global crustal thickness map reveals crustal thinning under all resolvable lunar basins. The results indicate that the structure and thermal history of the moon are more complex than was previously believed.

HAPEX-Sahel: A large-scale study of land-atmosphere interactions in the semi-arid tropics

Abstract: The Hydrologic Atmospheric Pilot EXperiment in the Sahel (HAPEX-Sahel) was carried out in Niger, West Africa, during 1991 - 1992, with an intensive observation period (IOP) in August - October 1992. It aims at improving the parameterization of land surface atmosphere interactions at the Global Circulation Model (GCM) gridbox scale. The experiment combines remote sensing and ground based measurements with hydrological and meteorological modelling to develop aggregation techniques for use in large scale estimates of the hydrological and meteorological behaviour of large areas in the Sahel. The experimental strategy consisted of a period of intensive measurements during the transition period of the rainy to the dry season, backed up by a series of long term measurements in a 1^ by 1^ square in Niger. Three “supersites” were instrumented with a variety of hydrological and (micro) meteorological equipment to provide detailed information on the surface energy exchange at the local scale. Boundary layer measurements and aircraft measurements were used to provide information at scales of 100 - 500 km2. All relevant remote sensing images were obtained for this period. This programme of measurements is now being analyzed and an extensive modelling programme is under way to aggregate the information at all scales up to the GCM grid box scale. The experimental strategy and some preliminary results of the IOP are described.

Multifractal characterizations of nonstationarity and intermittency in geophysical fields: Observed, retrieved, or simulated

Abstract: Geophysical data rarely show any smoothness at any scale, and this often makes comparison with theoretical model output difficult. However, highly fluctuating signals and fractal structures are typical of open dissipative systems with nonlinear dynamics, the focus of most geophysical research. High levels of variability are excited over a large range of scales by the combined actions of external forcing and internal instability. At very small scales we expect geophysical fields to be smooth, but these are rarely resolved with available instrumentation or simulation tools; nondifferentiable and even discontinuous models are therefore in order. We need methods of statistically analyzing geophysical data, whether measured in situ, remotely sensed or even generated by a computer model, that are adapted to these characteristics. An important preliminary task is to define statistically stationary features in generally nonstationary signals. We first discuss a simple criterion for stationarity in finite data streams that exhibit power law energy spectra and then, guided by developments in turbulence studies, we advocate the use of two ways of analyzing the scale dependence of statistical information: singular measures and qth order structure functions. In nonstationary situations, the approach based on singular measures seeks power law behavior in integrals over all possible scales of a nonnegative stationary field derived from the data, leading to a characterization of the intermittency in this (gradient-related) field. In contrast, the approach based on structure functions uses the signal itself, seeking power laws for the statistical moments of absolute increments over arbitrarily large scales, leading to a characterization of the prevailing nonstationarity in both quantitative and qualitative terms. We explain graphically, step by step, both multifractal statistics which are largely complementary to each other. The geometrical manifestations of nonstationarity and intermittency, 'roughness' and 'sparseness', respectively, are illustrated and the associated analytical (differentiability and continuity) properties are discussed. As an example, the two techniques are applied to a series of recent measurements of liquid water distributions inside marine stratocumulus decks; these are found to be multifractal over scales ranging from approximately 60 m to approximately 60 km. Finally, we define the 'mean multifractal plane' and show it to be a simple yet comprehensive tool with many applications including data intercomparison, (dynamical or stochastic) model and retrieval validations.

Detection of forests using mid-IR reflectance: an application for aerosol studies

Abstract: The detection of dark, dense vegetation is an important step in the remote sensing of aerosol loading. Current methods that employ the red (0.64 /spl mu/m) and the near-IR (0.84 /spl mu/m) regions are unsatisfactory in that the presence of aerosols in the scene distorts the apparent reflectance in the visible and near-IR ranges of the spectrum. The mid-IR spectral region is also sensitive to vegetation due to the absorption of liquid water in the foliage, but is not sensitive to the presence of most aerosols (except for dust). Therefore, mid-IR channels on the AVHRR and EOS-MODIS (e.g., the 3.75 /spl mu/m or the 3.95 /spl mu/m channels) have a unique potential for the remote sensing of dark, dense vegetation, particularly in the presence of biomass burning smoke or industrial/urban haze. The reflective part of the 3.75 /spl mu/m channel (/spl rho//sub 3.75/) is applied to images of the AVHRR over the eastern United States. This channel was found to be correlated to reflectance at 0.64 /spl mu/m (/spl rho//sub 0.64/), less sensitive to haze than the visible channel and superior to both the 0.64 /spl mu/m reflectance and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to determine forest pixels in an image. However, its application to monitor the seasonal evolution of vegetation is presently questionable. For the purpose of the remote sensing of aerosol over dark, dense vegetation, it is proposed that the dark, dense vegetation be determined from /spl rho//sub 3.75/ >

Precision orbit determination for TOPEX/POSEIDON

Abstract: The TOPEX/POSEIDON mission objective requires that the radial position of the spacecraft be determined with an accuracy better than 13 cm RMS (root mean square). This stringent requirement is an order of magnitude below the accuracy achieved for any altimeter mission prior to the definition of the TOPEX/POSEIDON mission. To satislfy this objective, the TOPEX Precision Orbit determination (POD) Team was established as a joint effort between the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the University of Texas at Austin, with collaboration from the University of Colorado and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. During the prelaunch development and the post launch verification phases, the POD team improved, calibrated, and validated the precision orbit determination computer software systems. The accomplishments include (1) increased accuracy of the gravity and surface force models and (2) improved peformance of both laser ranging and Doppler tracking systems. The result of these efforts led to orbit accuracies for TOPEX/POSEIDON which are significantly better than the original mission requirement. Tests based on data fits, covariance analysis, and orbit comparisons indicate that the radial component of the TOPEX/POSEIDON spacecraft is determined, relative to the Earth's mass center, with an root mean square (RMS) error in the range of 3 to 4 cm RMS. This orbit accuracy, together with the near continuous dual-frequency altimetry from this mission, provides the means to determine the ocean's dynamic topography with an unprecedented accuracy.

A global 1° by 1° NDVI data set for climate studies derived from the GIMMS continental NDVI data

Abstract: A nine-year (1982–1990) global normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data set with a spatial resolution of 1° by 1° and a temporal resolution of one month was compiled for use in climate studies. This data set was derived from higher resolution (5–8 km) monthly continental NDVI data sets that have been processed and archived by the Global Inventory Monitoring and Modelling Studies (GIMMS) group at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. The continental GIMMS NDVI data sets were calculated from Global Area Coverage (GAC) data collected at daily intervals by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) onboard the NOAA-7, -9 and -11 satellites The global 1° by 1° NDVI data set was produced to calculate land surface parameters for use within general circulation model J of the atmosphere (GCM). In view of this quantitative application, an evaluation is given of the representation by the NDVI data of the spectral properties of vegetation at the landsurface. Errors are defined as deviations f...

A Hybrid Vertical Mixing Scheme and Its Application to Tropical Ocean Models

Abstract: A novel hybrid vertical mixing scheme, based jointly on the Kraus–Turner-type mixed layer model and Price's dynamic instability model, is introduced to aid in parameterization of vertical turbulent mixing in numerical ocean models. The scheme is computationally efficient and is capable of simulating the three major mechanisms of vertical turbulent mixing in the upper ocean, that is, wind stirring, shear instability, and convective overturning. The hybrid scheme is first tested in a one-dimensional model against the Kraus–Turner-type bulk mixed layer model and the Mellor–Yamada level 2.5 (MY2.5) turbulence closure model. As compared with those two models, the hybrid model behaves more reasonably in both idealized experiments and realistic simulations. The improved behavior of the hybrid model can be attributed to its more complete physics. For example, the MY2.5 model underpredicts mixed layer depth at high latitudes due to its lack of wind stirring and penetrative convection, while the Kraus–Turn...

The contribution of Alaskan, Siberian, and Canadian coastal polynyas to the cold halocline layer of the Arctic Ocean

Abstract: Numerous Arctic Ocean circulation and geochemical studies suggest that ice growth in polynyas over the Alaskan, Siberian, and Canadian continental shelves is a source of cold, saline water which contributes to the maintenance of the Arctic Ocean halocline. The purpose of this study is to estimate for the 1978-1987 winters the contributions of Arctic coastal polynyas to the cold halocline layer of the Arctic Ocean. The study uses a combination of satellite, oceanographic, and weather data to calculate the brine fluxes from the polynyas; then an oceanic box model is used to calculate their contributions to the cold halocline layer of the Arctic Ocean. This study complements and corrects a previous study of dense water production by coastal polynyas in the Barents, Kara, and Laptev Seas.

COBE diffuse infrared background experiment observations of the galactic bulge

Abstract: Low angular resolution maps of the Galactic bulge at 1.25, 2.2, 3.5, and 4.9 micrometers obtained by the Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) onboard NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) are presented. After correction for extinction and subtraction of an empirical model for the Galactic disk, the surface brightness distribution of the bulge resembles a flattened ellipse with a minor-to-major axis ratio of approximately 0.6. The bulge minor axis scale height is found to be 2.1 deg +/- 0.2 deg for all four near-infrared wavelengths. Asymmetries in the longitudinal distribution of bulge brightness contours are qualitatively consistent with those expected for a triaxial bar with its near end in the first Galactic quadrant (0 deg less than l less than 90 deg). There is no evidence for an out-of-plane tilt of such a bar.

Wavelets, Period Doubling, and Time–Frequency Localization with Application to Organization of Convection over the Tropical Western Pacific

Abstract: In this paper, preliminary results in using orthogonal and continuous wavelet transform (WT) to identify period doubling and time-frequency localization in both synthetic and real data are presented. First, the Haar WT is applied to synthetic time series derived from a simple nonlinear dynamical system- a first-order quadratic difference equation. Second, the complex Morlet WT is used to study the time-frequency localization of tropical convection based on a high-resolution Japanese Geostationary Meteorological Satellite infrared (IR) radiance dataset. The Haar WT of the synthetic time series indicates the presence and distinct separation of multiple frequencies in a period-doubling sequence. The period-doubling process generates a multiplicity of intermediate frequencies, which are manifested in the nonuniformity in time with respect to the phase of oscillations in the lower frequencies. Wavelet transform also enables the detection of extremely weak signals in high-order subharmonics resulting from the period-doubling bifurcations. These signals are either undetected or considered statistically insignificant by traditional Fourier analysis. The Morlet WT of the IR radiance dataset indicates the presence of multiple timescales, which are localized in both frequency and time. There are two regimes in the variation of IR radiance, corresponding to the wet and dry periods. Multiple timescales, ranging from semidiurnal, diurnal, synoptic, to intraseasonal with embedding structures, are active in the wet regime. In particular, synoptic variability is more prominent during the wet phase of an intensive intraseasonal cycle. These are not only consistent with, but also show more details than, previous findings by using other techniques. The phase-locking relationships among the oscillations with different time-scales suggest that both synoptic and intraseasonal variations may be mixed oscillations due to the interaction of self-excited oscillations in the tropical atmosphere and external forcings such as annual and diurnal solar radiation variations. Both examples show that WT is a powerful tool for analysis of phenomena involving multiscale interactions that exhibit localization in both frequency and time. A discussion on the caveats in the use of WT in geophysical data analysis is also presented.

Intercomparison of Single-Frequency Methods for Retrieving a Vertical Rain Profile from Airborne or Spaceborne Radar Data

Abstract: This paper briefly reviews several single-frequency rain profiling methods for an airborne or spaceborne radar. The authors describe the different methods from a unified point of view starting from the basic differential equation. This facilitates the comparisons between the methods and also provides a better understanding of the physical and mathematical basis of the methods. The application of several methods to airborne radar data taken during the Convective and Precipitation/Electrification Experiment is shown. Finally, the authors consider a hybrid method that provides a smooth transition between the Hitschfeld-Bordan method, which performs well at low attenuations, and the surface reference method, for which the relative error decreases with increasing path attenuation.

Continental-Scale River Flow in Climate Models

Abstract: The hydrologic cycle is a major part of the global climate system. There is an atmospheric flux of water from the ocean surface to the continents. The cycle is closed by return flow in rivers. In this paper a river routing model is developed to use with grid box climate models for the whole earth. The routing model needs an algorithm for the river mass flow and a river direction file, which has been compiled for 4 deg x 5 deg and 2 deg x 2.5 deg resolutions. River basins are defined by the direction files. The river flow leaving each grid box depends on river and lake mass, downstream distance, and an effective flow speed that depends on topography. As input the routing model uses monthly land source runoff from a 5-yr simulation of the NASA/GISS atmospheric climate model (Hansen et al.). The land source runoff from the 4 deg x 5 deg resolution model is quartered onto a 2 deg x 2.5 deg grid, and the effect of grid resolution is examined. Monthly flow at the mouth of the world's major rivers is compared with observations, and a global error function for river flow is used to evaluate the routing model and its sensitivity to physical parameters. Three basinwide parameters are introduced: the river length weighted by source runoff, the turnover rate, and the basinwide speed. Although the values of these parameters depend on the resolution at which the rivers are defined, the values should converge as the grid resolution becomes finer. When the routing scheme described here is coupled with a climate model's source runoff, it provides the basis for closing the hydrologic cycle in coupled atmosphere-ocean models by realistically allowing water to return to the ocean at the correct location and with the proper magnitude and timing.

A Passive Microwave Technique for Estimating Rainfall and Vertical Structure Information from Space. Part I: Algorithm Description

Abstract: This paper describes a multichannel physical approach for retrieving rainfall and vertical structure information from satellite-based passive microwave observations. The algorithm makes use of statistical inversion techniques based upon theoretically calculated relations between rainfall rates and brightness temperatures. Potential errors introduced into the theoretical calculations by the unknown vertical distribution of hydrometeors are overcome by explicity accounting for diverse hydrometeor profiles. This is accomplished by allowing for a number of different vertical distributions in the theoretical brightness temperature calculations and requiring consistency between the observed and calculated brightness temperatures. This paper will focus primarily on the theoretical aspects of the retrieval algorithm, which includes a procedure used to account for inhomogeneities of the rainfall within the satellite field of view as well as a detailed description of the algorithm as it is applied over both ocean and land surfaces. The residual error between observed and calculated brightness temperatures is found to be an important quantity in assessing the uniqueness of the solution. It is further found that the residual error is a meaningful quantity that can be used to derive expected accuracies from this retrieval technique. Examples comparing the retrieved results as well as the detailed analysis of the algorithm performance under various circumstances are the subject of a companion paper.

Glacial-Interglacial Changes in Moisture Sources for Greenland: Influences on the Ice Core Record of Climate

Abstract: Large, abrupt shifts in the l8O/16O ratio found in Greenland ice must reflect real features of the climate system variability. These isotopic shifts can be viewed as a result of air temperature fluctuations, but determination of the cause of the changes—the most crucial issue for future climate concerns—requires a detailed understanding of the controls on isotopes in precipitation. Results from general circulation model experiments suggest that the sources of Greenland precipitation varied with different climate states, allowing dynamic atmospheric mechanisms for influencing the ice core isotope shifts.

Energetic-particle abundances in impulsive solar flare events

Abstract: We report on the abundances of energetic particles from impulsive solar flares, including those from a survey of 228 He-3 rich events, with He-3/He-4 is greater than 0.1, observed by the International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE) 3 spacecraft from 1978 August through 1991 April. The rate of occurrence of these events corresponds to approximately 1000 events/yr on the solar disk at solar maximum. Thus the resonant plasma processes that enhance He-3 and heavy elements are a common occurrence in impulsive solar flares. To supply the observed fluence of He-3 in large events, the acceleration must be highly efficient and the source region must be relatively deep in the atmosphere at a density of more than 10(exp 10) atoms/cu cm. He-3/He-4 may decrease in very large impulsive events because of depletion of He-3 in the source region. The event-to-event variations in He-3/He-4, H/He-4, e/p, and Fe/C are uncorrelated in our event sample. Abundances of the elements show a pattern in which, relative to coronal composition, He-4, C, N, and O have normal abundance ratios, while Ne, Mg, and Si are enhanced by a factor approximately 2.5 and Fe by a factor approximately 7. This pattern suggests that elements are accelerated from a region of the corona with an electron temperature of approximately 3-5 MK, where elements in the first group are fully ionized (Q/A = 0.5), those in the second group have two orbital electrons (Q/A approximately 0.43), and Fe has Q/A approximately 0.28. Ions with the same gyrofrequency absorb waves of that frequency and are similarly accelerated and enhanced. Further stripping may occur after acceleration as the ions begin to interact with the streaming electrons that generated the plasma waves.