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The accurate estimation of atmospheric water vapour and the subsequent derivation of surface spectral reflectance from hyperspectral VNIR-SWIR remotely sensed data is important for many applications. A number of algorithms have been developed for estimating water vapour content from remotely sensed hyperspectral data that do not require in-situ measurements. Two algorithms, the Continuum Interpolated Band Ratio (CIBR) and the Atmospheric Precorrected Differential Absorption (APDA) have proven to be highly effective at estimating atmospheric water vapour. Although highly successful, the two methods still exhibit unwanted or spurious results when challenging conditions are encountered. Such conditions include the estimation of atmospheric water vapour over dark targets, when uncorrected atmospheric aerosols are present and over surfaces with complex spectral signatures.A differential absorption method called the Transmittance Slope Ratio (TSR) has been developed that negates these problems. The TSR method is comprised of a weighted mean radiance that is defined between two atmospheric water absorption features which is divided by a reference channel radiance to produce a measurable ratio value. This, is turn, may be related to a reference curve, such that, the TSR value may be expressed as an atmospheric water vapour content. To test the TSR method over real terrains, AVIRIS and HyMap measured hyperspectral radiometric data were used. Three test sites were used in total with each site allowing different aspects of the water vapour estimation to be critically examined. The sites are, Jasper Ridge and Moffett Field in California and Brukunga in South Australia.The TSR method is found to significantly improve estimated atmospheric water vapour over dark targets (with less than 3.5 % error for reflectances as low as 0.5 %), improvement over nonlinear surfaces, and finally, ++ / improvement in water vapour estimation when atmospheric aerosol conditions are not well known. In the final case the TSR method is found to estimate atmospheric water vapour with an error of less than 2 % when a 5 km visibility is assumed to be 25 km. The final result is at least an order of magnitude better than the CIBR and APDA methods.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) of navigation satellites was first developed for global navigation and position determination purposes. Signals from satellites are delayed by the Earths neutral atmosphere on propagating to ground-based receivers, termed the tropospheric delay. Although an unwanted term for precise positioning, the tropospheric delay may be converted to atmospheric water vapour, which is a vital parameter for weather forecasting.This research investigates the optimum GPS processing strategy to estimate atmospheric water vapour derived from ground-based GPS receivers particularly in the Australian region. For this purpose, GPS data observations from GPS permanent stations across Australia, mainly from the Australian Regional GPS Network, will be processed using scientific GPS software in post-processed mode and near real-time mode.This research shows that by applying high accuracy GPS data processing, the tropospheric delay could be estimated precisely. The quality of GPS data processing is indicated by the station coordinates repeatability since the coordinates can gauge at least a coarse assessment of the ability of the processing method to estimate the tropospheric delay.The precipitable water can be estimated from the wet component after separating the tropospheric delay into dry and wet components. High accuracy GPS data processing is dependent on the best choice of processing strategies, and the correct application of error-correction models and a priori constraints. This research finds that the GPS- PW estimation agrees with Radiosonde-PW estimation with an average of standard deviation at 2.5mm level for post-processed strategy and 2.8mm for near real-time strategy. The standard deviation of tropospheric parameter estimates is 1.1mm for post-processed strategy and 1.5mm for near real-time strategy.

This project examined the feasibility of using flux modification to reduce the as-deposited hydrogen content of basic-type shielded metal arc welds. Additions of oxidizing ingredients (micaceous iron oxides) to the reference flux formulation lowered the diffusible weld hydrogen content by up to 70%. Increasing amounts of silica caused a slight reduction in hydrogen content, probably as a result of the reaction between SiO2 and CaF2, which produces SiF4 and CaO as reaction products. Flux formulations containing additions of fluorine-containing compounds and calcite displayed lower hydrogen levels, with the diffusible weld metal hydrogen content reaching a minimum with increasing additions. Higher levels caused an increase in the weld hydrogen content. Thermodynamic slag modelling attributes the existence of these minima to a decrease in slag water capacity with an increase in slag fluorine content (at constant basicity), brought about by higher concentrations of fluorine-containing compounds in the flux formulation. The effect of flux additions on the weld mechanical properties and the electrode operating characteristics was not evaluated during the course of this investigation. / Dissertation (MSc (Metallurgy))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

Yes / In this paper, local meteorological data for a period of 35 years (from 1979 to 2013) from Kuujuaq station have been used to calculate the surface refractivity, N and to estimate the vertical refractivity gradient, dN1, in the lowest atmospheric layer above the ground. Monthly and yearly variations of the mean of N and dN1 are provided. The values obtained are compared with the corresponding values from the ITU maps. The long-term trend of the surface refractivity is also investigated. The data demonstrate that the indices N and dN1 are subject to an evolution which may have significance in the context of climate change (CC). Monthly means of N show an increasing departure from ITU-R values since 1990. Yearly mean values of the dN1 show a progressive decrease over the period of study. Seasonal means of dN1 show a decrease over time, especially for summer. Such a trend may increase the occurrence of super-refraction. However, currently available ITU-R recommendations for microwave link design assume a stationary climate, so there is a need for a new modelling approach.

<p> The radiation balance at a ship station in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean is calculated using a term-by-term approach. Irradiances are calculated using upper air data from four daily radiosonde ascents and hourly surface weather observations made at the Canadian vessel 'Quadra' during GATE Phase 1 (June- July, 1974).</p> <p> Global irradiance is calculated by a cloud layer model similar to that used by Davies et al in Southern Ontario, Canada. The model considers first, cloudless sky attenuation of solar irradiance by water vapour, ozone and Rayleigh scattering. Second, cloud effects are added by considering contributions from three cloud layers - high, middle and low and secondary radiation from cloud base of reflected surface radiation. Reflected solar irradiance is calculated using a mean sea-surface albedo of 6% suggested by Payne for that part of the Atlantic Ocean.</p> <p> Estimates of incoming longwave irradiance are made first, from a numerical flux emissivity model which uses radiosonde ascent data and cloud amount at three heights and second, from a simple model which uses surface temperature and total cloud amount.</p> <p> Outgoing longwave emittance is evaluated using surface temperature and an emissivity of 0.98. The radiation balance is then obtained as the algebraic sum of the four components.</p> <p> The estimated values are compared with values measured at 'Quadra'. In 70% of the cases, calculated and measured solar irradiance agree to within 20%. Model performance for cloud amount > 5/10 is least satisfactory.</p> <p> In all cases, model and measured values of daily incoming longwave irradiance agree to within 5%. In 60% of the cases, measured and calculated radiation balance agree to within 20%.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)