REMOTE OBSERVATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AEROSOL, CLOUD AND RAINFALL

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote observation system including: a radar for calculating a rain cloud profile; a GNSS for calculating total rain cloud profiles; a radiometer for calculating a light cloud profile; and a lidar for calculating an aerosol profile. The remote observation method according to the present invention includes: the first step of calculating a rain cloud profile by means of a radar; the second step of calculating total rain cloud profiles by means of a GNSS; the third step of calculating a light cloud profile by means of a radiometer; and the fourth step for calculating an aerosol profile by means of a lidar.

Claims

1. A remote observation method comprising: the first step of calculating a rain cloud profile by means of a radar; the second step of calculating total rain cloud profiles by means of a GNSS; the third step of calculating a light cloud profile by means of a radiometer; and the fourth step for calculating an aerosol profile by means of a lidar.

2. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein particles having sizes of 0.1 to 1 m are observed in the fourth step, particles having sizes of 1 to 100 m in the third step, particles having sizes of 100 to 1000 m in the second step, and particles having sizes of 100 to 1000 m in the first step.

3. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the radar modulates a high frequency of 10 to 230 mm to continuously radiate electromagnetic waves in an active type radio radiation manner and acquires the information on radar reflectivity, particle size distributions, and vertical speeds for rain particles from the electromagnetic waves formed by backscattering a radiated signal by a target to receive the radiated signal to an antenna again, and the GNSS acquires ground position information using GPS satellites operating in the air of 20,200 km and is provided with a GPS receiver for receiving the signals transmitted from the three or more GPS satellites to determine the positions of the satellites and the receiver.

4. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the radiometer has a passive type wavelength band of 9.610.sup.4 to 11.510.sup.4 mm and serves as an instrument for observing a vertical air temperature, humidity, precipitable water, and a liquid water content of upper air by receiving long wave radiation and calculating water vapor amount and liquid water content in real time.

5. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the lidar has an active type wavelength band of 1110.sup.4 to 0.25 mm and measures forward scattered light by means of elastic scattering of air molecules and aerosols in the atmosphere in the state where a backscattering coefficient is measured by three wavelengths, an extinction coefficient by two wavelengths, and a depolarization ratio by two wavelengths.

6. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the concentrations of the aerosols are observed in the fourth step.

7. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid water content of the light cloud is observed in the third step.

8. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid water content of the rain cloud is observed in the second step.

9. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid water content and fall velocity of the rain cloud are observed in the first step.

10. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of 1110.sup.4 to 0.25 mm is used in the fourth step.

11. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of 0.1 to 100 mm is used in the third step.

12. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of 100 to 1000 mm is used in the second step.

13. The remote observation method according to claim 1, wherein a wavelength of 10 to 230 mm is used in the first step.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a remote observation method for aerosols, clouds and rainfall according to the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, an explanation on a remote observation system and method for aerosols, clouds and rainfall according to the present invention will be in detail given with reference to the attached drawing. In the description, if it is determined that the detailed explanation on the well known technology related to the present invention makes the scope of the present invention not clear, the explanation will be avoided for the brevity of the description. Further, the sizes of the components shown in the drawing may be magnified for the clarity and convenience of the description, and accordingly, they may be not actually applied.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a remote observation method for aerosols, clouds and rainfall according to the present invention.

[0024] Hereinafter, a remote observation system for aerosols, clouds and rainfall according to the present invention will be explained with reference to Table 1 as will be indicated below.

[0025] According to the present invention, the remote observation system includes: a radar 130 for calculating a rain cloud profile; a GNSS 140 for calculating total rain cloud profiles; a radiometer 120 for calculating a light cloud profile; and a lidar 110 for calculating an aerosol profile.

[0026] Table 1 briefly shows wavelengths used, objects, object particle sizes, and corresponding microphysics of the lidar 110, the radiometer 120, the radar 130 and the GNSS 140.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Division Lidar Radiometer Radar GNSS (GPS) Remarks Wavelength 11 10.sup.4~0.25 0.1~100 10~230 100~1000 (mm) used (communication time delay use) Object Very light Light cloud Rain cloud Total rain cloud* and ** *** cloud profiles aerosol profile profile profile Object particle 0.1~1 1~100 100~1000 100~1000 size (m) Microphysics Condensation Liquid water Liquid water Liquid water profile nuclei and content content, fall content Water drop concentrations velocity *very light cloud: haze ** light cloud: fog, mist *** rain cloud: drizzle, graupel, rainfall, hail

[0027] According to the present invention, as briefly indicated in Table 1, the heights of clouds, the clouds, and the shapes of clouds are investigated through ground and upper-air observation materials obtained by using the lidar 110, the radiometer 120, the radar 130 and the GNSS 140, and the repeatedly circulated processes are updated and applied to the system.

[0028] The ground observation materials are materials obtained from the radiometer 120 and the radar 130 (for example, a micro rain radar MRR) installed on the ground, observation materials by height as cloud height observation materials are obtained by the lidar 110, and the ground position information is acquired from the GNSS 140 (for example, a GPS satellite).

[0029] Hereinafter, an explanation on the lidar 110, the radiometer 120, the radar 130 and the GNSS 140 will be in detail given with reference to Table 1.

[0030] According to the present invention, first, the lidar 110 makes use of the wavelength of 1110.sup.4 to 0.25 mm, observes the concentrations of aerosols (including condensation nuclei, water droplets and so on) having particle sizes of 0.1 to 1 m, and calculates the profile for the aerosols (which may include very light clouds).

[0031] According to the present invention, for example, the lidar 110 has an active type wavelength band of 1110.sup.4 to 0.25 mm and measures forward scattered light by means of elastic scattering of air molecules and aerosols in the atmosphere in the state where a backscattering coefficient is measured by three wavelengths, an extinction coefficient by two wavelengths, and a depolarization ratio by two wavelengths. Through the lidar 110, aerosols like sulfate polluting air, soot absorbing light, sea salt particles, yellow sand and so on are discriminated to estimate their respective concentration distributions.

[0032] According to the present invention, next, the radiometer 120 makes use of a wavelength of 0.1 to 100 mm, observes a liquid water content of the light cloud having a particle size of 1 to 100 m, and calculates the light cloud profile.

[0033] According to the present invention, for example, the radiometer 120 has a passive type wavelength band of 9.610.sup.4 to 11.510.sup.4 mm and serves as an instrument for observing a vertical air temperature, humidity, precipitable water, and a liquid water content of upper air, which receives long wave radiation and calculates water vapor amount and liquid water content in real time. However, observation errors may occur due to rainfall. When signals are transmitted from ground receiving stations through a convection zone, they are delayed due to various components of troposphere. However, the GPS calculates the precipitable water using the signal delay amount and always observes a value of the precipitable water, irrespective of time and places.

[0034] According to the present invention, next, the radar 130 makes use of a wavelength of 10 to 230 mm, observes a liquid water content and a particle fall velocity of a rain cloud having a particle size of 100 to 1000 m, and calculates the rain cloud profile.

[0035] According to the present invention, for example, the radar 130 modulates a high frequency (10 to 230 mm) and continuously radiates electromagnetic waves, not pulses, in an active type radio radiation manner. The radar 130 acquires various information on radar reflectivity and particle size distributions for rain particles from the electromagnetic waves through which the radiated signal is backscattered by a target meaningful meteorologically like rain particles and thus received again to an antenna, obtains the vertical speeds of the particles, and detects whether ascending air current is generated or not. The MRR can provide the vertical profile for reflectivity and terminal velocity of water in a liquid state (including snow) up to the air of 6 km.

[0036] According to the present invention, lastly, the GNSS 140 makes use of the communication time delay of a wavelength of 100 to 1000 mm, observes a liquid water content of a rain cloud having a particle size of 100 to 1000 m, and calculates the total rain cloud profiles.

[0037] According to the present invention, for example, the GNSS 140 is a system for acquiring ground position information using GPS satellites operating in the air of 20,200 km. A GPS receiver receives the signals transmitted from three or more GPS satellites and determines its position from the satellites. If the time difference between the signals transmitted from the satellites and the received signals is measured, the distance between the satellites and the receiver can be obtained, and at this time, the information on the satellites is contained in the signals transmitted from the satellites. If the distance between the receiver and the at least three satellites and the positions of the satellites are obtained, the position of the receiver can be calculated in a method like triangulation. Since time synchronization is not completely accurate, however, the position of the receiver is generally determined using four or more satellites so as to perform error compensation. The GPS arranges 24 satellites on six orbits to provide its service, and the signals are transmitted from the satellites using two carrier waves L1 (1575.42 MHz) and L2 (1227.6 MHz).

[0038] Now, a remote observation method for aerosols, clouds and rainfall according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1.

[0039] According to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the remote observation method includes the steps of: discriminating rain clouds through radio wave meters (MRR, radar, GNSS, etc.) at step S100; discriminating clouds (or light clouds) through radiometers (satellites, radiometer, etc.) at step S200; and discriminating condensation nuclei (or aerosols and very light clouds) through an optical system (lidar, etc.) at step S300.

[0040] According to the present invention, if the rain clouds are not discriminated through the radio wave meters (No at step S100), the clouds are discriminated through the radiometers at step 200, and also, if the clouds are not discriminated (No at step S200), the condensation nuclei are discriminated through the optical system at step S300. If the strengths of particles observed through the optical system are weak, the particles are discriminated as the condensation nuclei, and if the strengths thereof are strong, the objects are as yellow sand.

[0041] According to the present invention, the step S100 of discriminating the rain clouds through the radio wave meters includes the first step of calculating the rain clouds by means of a radar and the second step of calculating total rain cloud profiles by means of a GNSS, and the step S200 of discriminating the clouds (or light clouds) through radiometers includes the third step of calculating a light cloud profile by means of a radiometer. Further, the step S300 of discriminating the condensation nuclei (or aerosols and very light clouds) through the optical system includes the fourth step of calculating an aerosol profile by means of a lidar.

[0042] At the above-mentioned discriminating steps S100 to S300 or at the first to fourth steps, the detailed operations of the radio wave meters (MRR, radar, GNSS, etc.), the radiometers (satellites, radiometer, etc.), and the optical system (lidar, etc.) are the same as in FIG. 1 and Table 1.

[0043] For example, the radar 130 has a wavelength of 10 to 230 mm, observes a liquid water content and a particle fall velocity of a rain cloud having a particle size of 100 to 1000 m, and calculates the rain cloud profile (at the first step), and the GNSS 140 makes use of the communication time delay of a wavelength of 100 to 1000 mm, observes a liquid water content and a particle fall velocity of a rain cloud having a particle size of 100 to 1000 m, and calculates the total rain cloud profiles (at the second step), so that the rain clouds are discriminated through the radar 130 and the GNSS 140 at step S100.

[0044] Further, for example, the radiometer 120 makes use of a wavelength of 0.1 to 100 mm, observes a liquid water content of a light cloud having a particle size of 1 to 100 m, and calculates a light cloud profile (at the third step), thereby discriminating the clouds at step S200.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, the lidar 110 makes use of the wavelength of 1110.sup.4 to 0.25 mm, observes the concentrations of aerosols (including condensation nuclei, water droplets and so on) having particle sizes of 0.1 to 1 m, and calculates a profile of the aerosol (which may include very light clouds), thereby discriminating the condensation nuclei at step S300.

[0046] While the present invention has been described with reference to the particular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by the embodiments but only by the appended claims. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art can change or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.