Sea ice thickness estimation in the Bohai Sea using geostationary ocean color imager data

A method to estimate the thickness of the sea ice of the Bohai Sea is proposed using geostationary ocean color imager （GOCI） data and then applied to the dynamic monitoring of the sea ice thickness in the Bohal Sea during the winter of 2014 to 2015. First of all, a model is given between the GOCI shortwave broadband albedo and the reflectance of each band with high temporal resolution GOCI data. Then, the relationship model between the sea ice thickness and the GOCI shortwave broadband albedo is established and applied to the thickness extraction of the sea ice in the Bohai Sea. Finally, the sea ice thickness extraction method is tested by the results based on the MODIS data, thermodynamic empirical models （Lebedev and Zubov）, and the in situ ice thickness data. The test results not only indicated that the sea ice thickness retrieval method based on the GOCI data was a good correlation （r2〉0.66） with the sea ice thickness retrieved by the MODIS and thermodynamic empirical models, but also that the RMS is only 6.82 cm different from the thickness of the sea ice based on the GOCI and in situ data.

Fog Detection over China's Adjacent Sea Area by using the MTSAT Geostationary Satellite Data

A fog threshold method for the detection of sea fog from Multi-function Transport Satellite (MTSAT1R) infrared (IR) channel data is presented.This method uses principle component analysis (PCA),texture analysis,and threshold detection to extract sea fog information.A heavy sea fog episode that occurred over China's adjacent sea area during 7 8 April 2008 was detected,indicating that the fog threshold method can effectively detect sea fog areas nearly 24 hours a day.MTSAT-1R data from March 2006,June 2007,and April 2008 were processed using the fog threshold method,and sea fog coverage information was compared with the meteorological observation report data from ships.The hit rate,miss rate,and false alarm rate of sea fog detection were 66.1%,27.3%,and 33.9%,respectively.The results show that the fog threshold method can detect the formation,evolution,and dissipation of sea fog events over period of time and that the method has superior temporal and spatial resolution relative to conventional ship observations.In addition,through MTSAT-1R data processing and a statistical analysis of sea fog coverage information for the period from 2006 to 2009,the monthly mean sea fog day frequency,spatial distribution and seasonal variation characteristics of sea fog over China's adjacent sea area were obtained.

Multi-objective evolutionary optimization for geostationary orbit satellite mission planning

In the past few decades, applications of geostationary orbit (GEO) satellites have attracted increasing attention, and with the development of optical technologies, GEO optical satellites have become popular worldwide. This paper proposes a general working pattern for a GEO optical satellite, as well as a target observation mission planning model. After analyzing the requirements of users and satellite control agencies, two objectives are simultaneously considered: maximization of total profit and minimization of satellite attitude maneuver angle. An NSGA-II based multi-objective optimization algorithm is proposed, which contains some heuristic principles in the initialization phase and mutation operator, and is embedded with a traveling salesman problem (TSP) optimization. The validity and performance of the proposed method are verified by extensive numerical simulations that include several types of point target distributions.

Error Analysis of Orbit Determination for the Geostationary Satellite with Single Station Antenna Tracking Data

In the study, position and velocity values of a geostationary satellite are found. When performing this, a MATLAB algorithm is used for Runge-Kutta Fehlberg orbit integration method to solve spacecraft’s position and velocity. Integrated method is the solution for the systems which mainly work with a single station. Method provides calculation of azimuth, elevation and range data by using the position simulation results found by RKF. Errors of orbit determination are analysed. Variances of orbit parameters are chosen as the accuracy criteria. Analysis results are the indicator of the method’s

Profile and Precipitation Retrievals and Validation Based on Geostationary Sub-Millimeter Atmospheric Sounder

The key factors of temporal and spatial resolution for typhoon observation played an important role in the design of radiometer used for observing typhoon. The NCEP (National Centres for Environmental Prediction) operational global analysis data prepared operationally every six hours were used as the initial field for mesoscale weather research and forecasting model (WRF) and drove the model to output atmospheric parameters such as hydrometeor content, temperature and humidity profiles at different time, which were inputs for the Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator (ARTS) to calculate brightness temperature observed from geostationary earth orbit at oxygen absorption and water absorption band. The atmospheric humidity and temperature profiles of typhoon domain were retrieved from geostationary sub-millimetre atmospheric sounder. The results show that the profile retrievals using BP-NN algorithm have a best agreement with those from radiosonde, which is less than 20% and 1 K of root mean square error, respectively. For precipitation rate retrievals, much better agreement with rain gauge and ECMWF datasets, the RMS is between 0.84 to 32.4 mm/h for sea surface 0.89 and 36.13 mm/h for land surface according to the classification by precipitation type.

Instantaneous Real-Time Detection Technology of GLI on FY-4 Geostationary Meteorological Satellite

Lightning is a typical example of an instantaneous random point source target. It has close connection with severe convective phenomena such as a thunderstorm, whose distribution, variation, position and forecasting can be acquired through lightning observation. In this paper, we discuss the way to achieve instantaneous lightning signal intensification and detection from geostationary orbit by using the differences between the lightning signal and the slowly changing background noise such as that of cloud, land and ocean, combining three methods, spectral filtering, spatial filtering and background noise, enabling removal between frames. After six months of operation in orbit, lightning within the coverage of the Geostationary Lightning Imager was effectively detected, strongly supporting the case for shorttime and real-time early warning, forecasting and tracking of severe convective phenomena in China.

Perturbed low-thrust geostationary orbit transfer guidance via polynomial costate estimation

This paper proposes an optimal,robust,and efficient guidance scheme for the perturbed minimum-time low-thrust transfer toward the geostationary orbit.The Earth’s oblateness perturbation and shadow are taken into account.It is difficult for a Lyapunov-based or trajectory-tracking guidance method to possess multiple characteristics at the same time,including high guidance optimality,robustness,and onboard computational efficiency.In this work,a concise relationship between the minimum-time transfer problem with orbital averaging and its optimal solution is identified,which reveals that the five averaged initial costates that dominate the optimal thrust direction can be approximately determined by only four initial modified equinoctial orbit elements after a coordinate transformation.Based on this relationship,the optimal averaged trajectories constituting the training dataset are randomly generated around a nominal averaged trajectory.Five polynomial regression models are trained on the training dataset and are regarded as the costate estimators.In the transfer,the spacecraft can obtain the real-time approximate optimal thrust direction by combining the costate estimations provided by the estimators with the current state at any time.Moreover,all these computations onboard are analytical.The simulation results show that the proposed guidance scheme possesses extremely high guidance optimality,robustness,and onboard computational efficiency.

Developing the Science Product Algorithm Testbed for Chinese Next-Generation Geostationary Meteorological Satellites：Fengyun-4 Series

Fengyun-4A（FY-4A）, the first of the Chinese next-generation geostationary meteorological satellites, launched in2016, offers several advances over the FY-2： more spectral bands, faster imaging, and infrared hyperspectral measurements. To support the major objective of developing the prototypes of FY-4 science algorithms, two science product algorithm testbeds for imagers and sounders have been developed by the scientists in the FY-4 Algorithm Working Group（AWG）. Both testbeds, written in FORTRAN and C programming languages for Linux or UNIX systems, have been tested successfully by using Intel/g compilers. Some important FY-4 science products, including cloud mask, cloud properties, and temperature profiles, have been retrieved successfully through using a proxy imager, Himawari-8/Advanced Himawari Imager（AHI）, and sounder data, obtained from the Atmospheric Infra Red Sounder, thus demonstrating their robustness. In addition, in early 2016, the FY-4 AWG was developed based on the imager testbed—a near real-time processing system for Himawari-8/AHI data for use by Chinese weather forecasters.Consequently, robust and flexible science product algorithm testbeds have provided essential and productive tools for popularizing FY-4 data and developing substantial improvements in FY-4 products.

An investigation on tether-tugging de-orbit of defunct geostationary satellites

In recent years,defunct satellites mitigation in the geostationary orbit(GEO) has become a hot issue in the space field.How to transfer defunct geostationary satellites to the graveyard orbit safely,economically and efficiently presents new challenges to spacecraft dynamics and control.This paper conducts an in-depth investigation on tether-tugging de-orbit issues of defunct geostationary satellites.Firstly,a four-phase tether-tugging de-orbit scheme including acceleration,equilibrium,rotation and return is proposed.This scheme takes into consideration how to avoid the risks of tether ripping,tug-target collision,and tether twist,and how to achieve the mission objective of fuel saving.Secondly,the dynamics model of the tether combination system is established based on Lagrange equation,and the four phases of tether-tugging de-orbit scheme are simulated respectively.Simulation results indicate that the scheme is theoretically feasible and satisfies the design objectives of safety,economy and efficiency,providing a technical approach for engineering application.

Methods of rapid orbit forecasting after maneuvers for geostationary satellites

A geostationary(GEO) satellite may serve as a navigation satellite,but there is a problem that maneuvers frequently occur and the forces are difficult to model.Based on the technique of determining satellite orbits by transfer,a predicted orbit with high accuracy may be achieved by the method of statis-tical orbit determination in case of no maneuver force.The predicted orbit will soon be invalid after the maneuver starts,and it takes a long time to get a valid orbit after the maneuver ends.In order to improve ephemeris usability,the method of rapid orbit forecasting after maneuvers is studied.First,GEO satellite movement is analyzed in case of maneuvers based on the observation from the orbit meas-urement system by transfer.Then when a GEO satellite is in the free status just after maneuvers,the short arc observation is used to forecast the orbit.It is assumed that the common system bias and biases of each station are constant,which can be obtained from orbit determination with long arc observations.In this way,only 6 orbit elements would be solved by the method of statistical orbit determination,and the ephemeris with high accuracy may be soon obtained.Actual orbit forecasting with short arc observation for SINOSAT-1 satellite shows that,with the tracking network available,the precision of the predicted orbit(RMS of O-C) can reach about 5 m with 15 min arc observation,and about 3 m with 30 min arc observation.

An analysis of the wide area differential method of geostationary orbit satellites

This work aims to obtain a wide area differential method for geostationary orbit (GEO) constellation. A comparison between the dilution of precision (DOP) of four-dimensional (4D) calculation including sa- tellite clock errors and ephemeris errors and that of three-dimensional (3D) calculation only including ephemeris errors with the inverse positioning theory of GPS shows the conclusion that all the 3D PDOPs are greatly reduced. Based on this, a basic idea of correcting satellite clock errors and ephem- eris errors apart is put forward, and moreover, a specific method of separation is proposed. Satellite clock errors are separated in a master station with time synchronization, and all the remaining pseu- do-range errors after the satellite clock errors have been deducted are used to work out ephemeris corrections of all GEO satellites. By a comparative analysis of user positioning accuracy before and after differential, the wide area differential method is verified to be quite valid for GEO constellation.

A preliminary study on dead geostationary satellite removal

The collision between satellites IRIDIUM 33 and COSMOS 2251 indicated that the clash of two on-orbit satellites was becoming an inevitable reality. Our calculation with the two-line orbit element by NORAD showed that some two geostationary satellites had approached very close in July 2009. Therefore, more attention should be given to avoid such collisions. This paper analyzes the orbital long-term variation of a dead satellite drifting in the geostationary orbit. Also, the negative effects posed by dead satellites upon the on-orbit operational geostationary satellites are studied. Then the paper proposes a novel idea to launch a satellite sweeper whose purpose is to collect the on-orbit dead satellites and help them de-orbit to a "graveyard". The satellite sweeper consists of a parent satellite and a child satellite. The child satellite collects a dead satellite and transfers it to a higher orbit. The parent satellite stationed in the geostationary orbit is in charge of refueling the child satellite. The strategy of maneuver and rendezvous is presented and a series of formulas are derived. The analysis results show that our method to clean the geostationary orbital zone is practical and fuel-saving. With the help of just a few satellite sweepers, we can gain a clean environment of geostationary orbit environment again.

Mathematical prototypes for collocating geostationary satellites

Collocating geostationary satellites sharing the same position is much demanded for satellite operation recently,the separation strategies are adopted to safeguard the satellites collocated of leaving the relative distance beyond collision with different sets of orbit parameters.This paper presents the mathematical prototypes which establish the allowable relative distance with uncertainty of orbital determination(OD),as well as the orbital element offset for each pair of collocated satellites,and puts forward algorithms to build such relationship to face the challenge of putting three satellites sharing the same position,the algorithms to allocate the longitude,eccentricity and inclination for each satellite are also given to ascertain that the mathematical prototypes are the guide specification to design collocation strategy for geostationary satellites.

Efficient high-accuracy north-south station-keeping strategy for geostationary satellites

Station-keeping(SK) is indispensable in actual geostationary(GEO) satellite missions. Due to the luni-solar gravity perturbations, the inclination of a GEO satellite suffers the issues of secular drift and long-period oscillation. Current north-south(NS)SK strategies maintain the GEO satellite’s orbit with high accuracy but low fuel efficiency. In this work, an efficient highaccuracy NS-SK strategy is developed for the GEO satellites. First, an averaging method is employed to decrease the accumulation of the secular drift within a one-solar-day SK cycle, while the long-period oscillation caused by the solar gravity is damped to further improve the orbital accuracy using the impulse and finite-thrust propulsions. Second, we contribute a fueloptimal cycle that reduces the fuel consumption and a fixed-interval cycle that executes SK control in fixed time interval every day to further enhance the proposed NS-SK strategy. Numerical simulations show that the improved strategy can achieve highaccuracy NS-SK with little fuel consumption. Moreover, results also demonstrate that the fixed-interval cycle can reach higher NS-SK accuracy while consuming less fuel.

Advances in active fire detection using a multi-temporal method for next-generation geostationary satellite data

A vital component of fire detection from remote sensors is the accurateestimation of the background temperature of an area in fire’s absence,assisting in identification and attribution of fire activity. Newgeostationary sensors increase the data available to describebackground temperature in the temporal domain. Broad area methodsto extract the expected diurnal cycle of a pixel using this temporally richdata have shown potential for use in fire detection. This paper describesan application of a method for priming diurnal temperature fitting ofimagery from the Advanced Himawari Imager. The BAT method is usedto provide training data for temperature fitting of target pixels, to whichthresholds are applied to detect thermal anomalies in 4 μm imageryover part of Australia. Results show the method detects positive thermalanomalies with respect to the diurnal model in up to 99% of caseswhere fires are also detected by Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellite activefire products. In absence of LEO active fire detection, but where aburned area product recorded fire-induced change, this method alsodetected anomalous activity in up to 75% of cases. Potentialimprovements in detection time of up to 6 h over LEO products are alsodemonstrated.

Safe rendezvous scenario design for geostationary satellites with collocation constraints

Rendezvous on the geostationary orbit(GEO)is much more complex than that on the low earth orbit and has a higher critical requirement for safety performance.This paper presents a safe scenario design method for GEO rendezvous proximity missions where the safety constraint of a collocated satellite is considered.A recently proposed quantitative index considering trajectory uncertainty is introduced to analyze the safety performance of the scenario parameters including the V-bar keeping positions and the fly-by trajectory radius.Furthermore,an exhaustive analysis is performed to find the dangerous regions of the V-bar keeping positions and the appropriate semi-major axis of the fly-by ellipse,considering the safety requirements of both the target and the collocated satellite.A geometry method is then developed for designing a feasible and suboptimal safe rendezvous scenario.The method is tested by designing four rendezvous scenarios with±V-bar approach directions respectively in the situations with and without one collocated satellite.Safety performance and velocity increments of the scenarios are compared and a conclusion is reached that the collocated satellite has a significant influence on the scenario design.

Image improvement based on sub-pixel post-integration for a staring imaging system in geostationary orbit

This paper proposes the post-integration technology based on sub-pixel image registration and image fusion to improve the signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） of remote sensing images without motion degradation caused by satellite vibration. A two-dimensional vibration system is set up to simulate satellite disturbance. Image sequences with different exposure times are captured using a high-speed CMOS camera. The displacement plots are compared with the motion data measured by the grating linear encoder. These plots indicate that the accuracy of the registration algorithm is better than 0.1 pixels. The sub-pixel image fusion shows an improvement in image quality, thus indicating that this technology is powerful for staring imaging systems in geostationary orbit.

Monitoring air pollution in China from geostationary satellite： A synthetic study using simulated observations

We simulated geostationary satellite observations to assess the potential for high spatial-and temporal-resolution monitoring of air pollution in China with a focus on tropospheric ozone(O_3), nitrogen dioxide(NO_2), sulfur dioxide(SO_2), and formaldehyde(HCHO). Based on the capabilities and parameters of the payloads onboard sun-synchronous satellites, we simulated the observed spectrum based on a radiative transfer model using a geostationary satellite model. According to optimal estimation theory, we analyzed the sensitivities and retrieval uncertainties of the main parameters of the instrument for the target trace gases. Considering the retrieval error requirements of each trace gas, we determined the major instrument parameter values(e.g., observation channel, spectral resolution, and signal-to-noise ratio). To evaluate these values, retrieval simulation was performed based on the three-dimensional distribution of the atmospheric components over China using an atmospheric chemical transportation model. As many as 90% of the experiments met the retrieval requirements for all target gases. The retrieval precision of total-column and stratospheric O_3 was 2%. In addition, effective retrieval of all trace gases could be achieved at solar zenith angles larger than 70°. Therefore, the geostationary satellite observation and instrument parameters provided herein can be used in air pollution monitoring in China. This study offers a theoretical basis and simulation tool for improving the design of instruments onboard geostationary satellites.

SOLAR RADIATION AT GROUND IN EAST-ASIA FROM DATA OF THE GEOSTATIONARY SATELLITE GMS

A method(Rieland,1985)has been modified to determine the downward solar radiation at ground over East Asia,using GMS-3 data of the satellite with a spatial resolution of 10×10 krn^2 and a time interval of 3 hours.The distributions of the monthly mean global radiation are obtained for January,April,July and October of 1985.These results illustrate that the topography effect of the Tibetan Plateau is not negligible.The values of global radiation over the high Tibetan Plateau during all seasons are higher than those in the lower-level surroundings.By comparing model results with ground observed data, the relative errors in monthly averages of global radiation are 2.8％ for clear sky and 6.3％,5.3％,5.0％ and 4.5％ for cloudy sky in January,April, July and October,respectively.The relative error in daily global radiation during the snow-free season is less than 20％ and larger than 20％ in snow-covered winter.We,however,had no data for these comparisons which were measured directly at the Plateau during the year 1985.

An improvement of snow/cloud discrimination from machine learning using geostationary satellite data

Snow and cloud discrimination is a main factor contributing to errors in satellite-based snow cover.To address the error,satellite-based snow cover performs snow reclassification tests on the cloud pixels of the cloud mask,but the error still remains.Machine Learning(ML)has recently been applied to remote sensing to calculate satellite-based meteorological data,and its utility has been demonstrated.In this study,snow and cloud discrimination errors were analyzed for GK-2A/AMI snow cover,and ML models(Random Forest and Deep Neural Network)were applied to accurately distinguish snow and clouds.The ML-based snow reclassified was integrated with the GK-2A/AMI snow cover through post-processing.We used the S-NPP/VIIRS snow cover and ASOS in situ snow observation data,which are satellite-based snow cover and ground truth data,as validation data to evaluate whether the snow/cloud discrimination is improved.The ML-based integrated snow cover detected 33–53%more snow compared to the GK-2A/AMI snow cover.In terms of performance,the F1-score and overall accuracy of the GK-2A/AMI snow cover was 73.06%and 89.99%,respectively,and those of the integrated snow cover were 76.78–78.28%and 90.93–91.26%,respectively.