“Refractivity-from-clutter” based on local empirical refractivity model

Constructing sophisticated refractivity models is one of the key problems for the RFC(refractivity from clutter)technology. If prior knowledge of the local refractivity environment is available, more accurate parameterized model can be constructed from the statistical information, which in turn can be used to improve the quality of the local refractivity retrievals. The validity of this proposal was demonstrated by range-dependent refractivity profile inversions using the adjoint parabolic equation method to the Wallops’ 98 experimental data.

Wet Refractivity Tomography with an Improved Kalman-Filter Method

An improved retrieval method, which uses the solution with a Gaussian constraint as the initial state variables for the Kalman Filtering （KF） method, was developed to retrieve the wet refractivity profiles from slant wet delays （SWD） extracted by the double-differenced （DD） GPS method. The accuracy of the GPS-derived SWDs is also tested in this study against the measurements of a water vapor radiometer （WVR） and a weather model. It is concluded that the GPS-derived SWDs have similar accuracy to those measured with WVR and are much higher in quality than those derived from the weather model used. The developed method is used to retrieve the 3D wet refractivity distribution in the Hong Kong region. The retrieved profiles agree well with the radiosonde observations, with a difference of about 4 mm km^- 1 in the low levels. The accurate profiles obtained with this method are applicable in a number of meteorological applications.

The estimation of lower refractivity uncertainty from radar sea clutter using the Bayesian-MCMC method

The estimation of lower atmospheric refractivity from radar sea clutter（RFC） is a complicated nonlinear optimization problem.This paper deals with the RFC problem in a Bayesian framework.It uses the unbiased Markov Chain Monte Carlo（MCMC） sampling technique,which can provide accurate posterior probability distributions of the estimated refractivity parameters by using an electromagnetic split-step fast Fourier transform terrain parabolic equation propagation model within a Bayesian inversion framework.In contrast to the global optimization algorithm,the Bayesian-MCMC can obtain not only the approximate solutions,but also the probability distributions of the solutions,that is,uncertainty analyses of solutions.The Bayesian-MCMC algorithm is implemented on the simulation radar sea-clutter data and the real radar seaclutter data.Reference data are assumed to be simulation data and refractivity profiles are obtained using a helicopter.The inversion algorithm is assessed（i） by comparing the estimated refractivity profiles from the assumed simulation and the helicopter sounding data;（ii） the one-dimensional（1D） and two-dimensional（2D） posterior probability distribution of solutions.

Comparison of COSMIC Radio Occultation Refractivity Profiles with Radiosonde Measurements

In recent years, radio occultation （RO） technology making use of global positioning system （GPS） signals has been exploited to obtain profiles of atmospheric parameters in the neutral atmosphere. In this paper, the RO refractivity profiles obtained from the Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate （COSMIC） mission are statistically compared with the observations of 38 radiosonde stations provided by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology during the period from 15 July 2006 through 15 July 2007. Different collocation criteria are compared at first, and COSMIC RO soundings that occur within 3 hours and 300 km of radiosonde measurements are used for the final statistical comparison. The overall results show that the agreements between the COSMIC refractivity profiles and the radiosonde soundings from the 38 stations are very good at 0-30 km altitude, with mean absolute relative refractivity deviations of less than 0.5%. Latitudinal comparisons indicate that there are negative refractivity deviations in the lower troposphere over the low latitude and middle latitude regions and large standard deviations exist in the lower troposphere of low latitude regions, which can reach up to ～6%. The comparisons of COSMIC RO refractivity profiles and radiosonde observations for 3 polar stations in four different seasons indicate that the accuracy of GPS RO profiles is better in the Austral summer and autumn than in the Austral spring and winter during the year from September 2006 to August 2007.

Tropospheric Wet Refractivity Tomography Based on the BeiDou Satellite System

This paper presents a novel approach for assessing the precision of the wet refractivity field using BDS （BeiDou navigation satellite system） simulations only,GPS,and BDS＋GPS for the Shenzhen and Hongkong GNSS network.The simulations are carried out by adding artificial noise to a real observation dataset.Instead of using the δ and σ parameters computed from slant wet delay,as in previous studies,we employ the Bias and RMS parameters,computed from the tomography results of total voxels,in order to obtain a more direct and comprehensive evaluation of the precision of the refractivity field determination.The results show that：（1） the precision of tropospheric wet refractivity estimated using BDS alone （only 9 satellites used） is basically comparable to that of GPS; （2） BDS＋GPS （as of current operation） may not be able to significantly improve the data＇s spatial density for the application of refractivity tomography; and （3） any slight increase in the precision of refractivity tomography,particularly in the lower atmosphere,bears great significance for any applications dependent on the Chinese operational meteorological service.

Retrieval of Vertical Distribution of Tropospheric Refractivity through Ground-Based GPS Observation

In the present reported study, the vertical distributions of local atmospheric refractivity were retrieved from ground- based GPS observations at low elevation angles. An improved optimization method was implemented at altitudes of 0-10 km to search for a best-fit refractivity profile that resulted in atmospheric delays most similar to the delays calculated from the observations. A ray-tracing model was used to simulate neutral atmospheric delays corresponding to a given refractivity profile. We initially performed a ＂theoretical retrieval＂, in which no observation data were involved, to verify the optimization method. A statistical relative error of this ＂theoretical retrieval＂ （-2% to 2%） indicated that such a retrieval is effective. In a practical retrieval, observations were obtained using a dual-frequency GPS receiver, and its initial value was provided by CIRA86aQ_UoG data. The statistical relative errors of the practical retrieval range from -3% to 5% were compared with co-located radiosonde measurements, Results clearly revealed diurnal variations in local refractivity prc,files, The results also suggest that the general vertical distribution of refractivity can be derived with a high temporal resolution. However, further study is needed to describe the vertical refractivity gradient clearly.

Refractivity estimations from an angle-of-arrival spectrum

This paper addresses the probability of atmospheric refractivity estimation by using field measurements at an array of radio receivers in terms of angle-of-arrival spectrum. Angle-of-arrival spectrum information is simulated by the ray optics model and refractivity is expressed in the presence of an ideal tri-linear profile. The estimation of the refractivity is organized as an optimization problem and a genetic Mgorithm is used to search for the optimal solution from various trial refractivity profiles. Theoretical analysis demonstrates the feasibility of this method to retrieve the refractivity parameters. Simulation results indicate that this approach has a fair anti-noise ability and its accuracy performance is mainly dependent on the antenna aperture size and its positions.

Two-Dimensional Variational Analysis of Near-Surface Moisture from Simulated Radar Refractivity-Related Phase Change Observations

Because they are most sensitive to atmospheric moisture content, radar refractivity observations can provide high-resolution information about the highly variable low-level moisture field. In this study, simulated radar refractivity-related phase-change data were created using a radar simulator from realistic highresolution model simulation data for a dryline case. These data were analyzed using the 2DVAR system developed specifically for the phase-change data. Two sets of experiments with the simulated observations were performed, one assuming a uniform target spacing of 250 m and one assuming nonuniform spacing between 250 m to 4 km. Several sources of observation error were considered, and their impacts were examined. They included errors due to ground target position uncertainty, typical random errors associated with radar measurements, and gross error due to phase wrapping. Without any additional information, the 2DVAR system was incapable of dealing with phase-wrapped data directly. When there was no phase wrapping in the data, the 2DVAR produced ex- cellent analyses, even in the presence of both position uncertainty and random radar measurement errors. When a separate pre-processing step was applied to unwrap the phase-wrapped data, quality moisture anal- yses were again obtained, although the analyses were smoother due to the reduced effective resolution of the observations by interpolation and smoothing involved in the unwrapping procedure. The unwrapping procedure was effective even when significant differences existed between the analyzed state and the state at a reference time. The results affirm the promise of using radar refractivity phase-change measurements for near-surface moisture analysis.

Statistical Investigation and Mapping of Monthly Modified Refractivity Gradient over Pakistan at the 700 Hectopascal Level

This study is an effort to investigate the spatial-temporal variability of the modified refractivity gradient at the 700 hPa pressure level over Pakistan and its neighbouring regions of Afghanistan, India, Iran and the Arabian Sea using the remote sensing data of the AQUA (AIRX3STM) satellite from 2008 to 2012. Trapping conditions only found in December were spread over Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan) with an average value of -182.042 M/Km and showing Leptokurtic distributions. The lowest monthly average value super-refractive conditions existed in the autumn season with a strong monthly correlation (>0.91 M/Km). A very high monthly correlation (0.9 M/Km) was found for the super-refractive conditions over the whole time period. The largest spatial and temporal normal conditions appeared in January with the average value for normal conditions being 132.72 M/Km (found over Zabul, Afghanistan) with Leptokurtic distributions. During May normal conditions were the smallest in spatial extent over Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, showing Platykurtic distributions. Sub-refractive conditions mostly prevailed at all times. The probability for extreme sub-refractive conditions was very high in 2008-2012. The highest average sub-refractive conditions appeared in the winter and autumn seasons (spread around Quetta and Kalam, Pakistan). The highest monthly average sub-refractive conditions with a value of 1,265,188 M/Km were found in January and spread around the Sarbaz River Iran. Correlations for the existence of sub-refractive conditions varied from 0.8 M/Km (moderate strong) to 0.4 M/Km during the autumn to winter season. Permanent super-refractive conditions existed over Baluchistan from February to September.

Modification in Atmospheric Refractivity and GPS Based TEC as Earthquake Precursors

The present paper reports the modification in GPS TEC (total electron content) and atmospheric refractivity prior to the Iran earthquake that had occurred on 16 April 2013 in Iran (28.10°N, 62.05°E). The analysis of GPS-based TEC from two GPS receivers, Surat (21.16°N, 72.78°E) and Lucknow (26.91°N, 80.95°E ) and results of atmospheric refractivity profile for radiosonde observation stations (Shiraz, Iran and Delhi, India) around the fault line are presented in this paper. It is seen that atmospheric refractivity gets modified from 8 to 6 days prior to the earthquake at Shiraz, Iran and Delhi, India. The GPS TEC showed variations a few days prior to the earthquake. We conclude that in search of precursory signatures for an earthquake, both GPS TEC and refractivity are important parameters.

Refractivity estimation from radar sea clutter

This paper addresses the problem of estimating lower atmospheric refractivity under the nonstandard propagation conditions frequently encountered in low altitude maritime radar applications. The vertical structure of the refractive environment is modeled by using a five-parameter model, and the horizontal structure is modeled as range-independent. The electromagnetic propagation in the troposphere is simulated by using a split-step fast Fourier transform based on parabolic approximation to the wave equation. A global search marked as a modified genetic algorithm （MGA） for the 5 environmental parameters is performed by using a genetic algorithm （GA） integrated with a simulated annealing technique. The retrieved results from simulated runs demonstrate the ability of this method to make atmospheric refractivity estimations. A comparison with the classical GA and the Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo （Bayesian- MCMC） technique shows that the MGA can not only shorten the inverse time but also improve the inverse precision. For real data cases, the inversion values do not match the reference data very well. The inverted profile, however, can be used to synoptically describe the real refractive structure.

Variation of Radio Refractivity with Respect to Moisture and Temperature and Influence on Radar Ray Path

In this study, the variation of radio refractivity with respect to temperature and moisture is analyzed. Also, the effects of vertical gradients in temperature and moisture on the propagation paths of electromagnetic waves of weather radar are examined for several sites across the United States using several years of sounding data from the National Weather Service. The ray path is important for identifying storm characteristics and for properly using the radar data in initializing numerical weather prediction models. It is found that during the warm season the radio refractivity gradient is more sensitive to moisture gradients than to temperature gradients. Ray paths from the commonly accepted vertical ray path model are compared to a ray path computed from a stepwise ray tracing algorithm using data from actual soundings. For the sample of about 16 000 soundings examined, we find that only a small fraction of the ray paths diverge significantly from those calculated using a ray path model based on the US Standard Atmosphere. While the problem of ray dueting in the presence of a temperature inversion is fairly well known, we identify the presence of a strong vertical moisture gradient as the culprit in the majority of the cases where significant deviations occurred.

Design of a Microcontroller-Based Data Acquisition System for Ground Weather Observations: Evaluation of Radio Refractivity of Air

A meteorological data acquisition system is built using a PIC16F877A microcontroller and electric output-based sensors. This system is programmed in C language using the PCWH compiler. It is smart, accurate, cheap, small, light and easily movable. It is designed to automatically get instantaneous measurements of air temperature, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity. Depending on their utilisation, these measurements are collected with repetition rate tuneable from one minute to one hour. They are displayed on LCD screen and transferred to a personal computer where they are stored and processed. As an application, such data are recorded in situ and used to estimate the radio refractivity of air near the ground in real time. This parameter is necessary to account for the propagation of radiofrequency waves through the lower atmosphere, during wireless transmissions.

Seasonal Effect on Atmospheric Refractivity in Diverse Terrains

Air masses in the atmosphere have contrasting temperature, humidity and moisture, which influence radio signals traversing the atmosphere. The influence of the atmosphere on refractivity is strongly determined by its temporal and spatial variability. This paper uses meteorological measurements to investigate the impact of meteorological structures on diverse environments evident in Nigeria. The study hypothesises that refractivity measures could serve as indicators of diurnal radio wave degradation traversing the atmosphere.

One-year results for myopia control of orthokeratology with different back optic zone diameters: a randomized trial using a novel multispectral-based topographer

AIM:To present the 1-year results of a prospective cohort study investigating the efficacy,potential mechanism,and safety of orthokeratology(ortho-k)with different back optic zone diameters(BOZD)for myopia control in children.METHODS:This randomized clinical study was performed between Dec.2020 and Dec.2021.Participants were randomly assigned to three groups wearing ortho-k:5 mm BOZD(5-MM group),5.5 mm BOZD(5.5-MM group),and 6 mm BOZD(6-MM group).The 1-year data were recorded,including axial length,relative peripheral refraction(RPR,measured by multispectral refractive topography,MRT),and visual quality.The contrast sensitivity(CS)was evaluated by CSV-1000 instrument with spatial frequencies of 3,6,12,and 18 cycles/degree(c/d);the corneal higher-order aberrations(HOAs)were measured by iTrace aberration analyzer.The one-way ANOVA was performed to assess the differences between the three groups.The correlation between the change in AL and RPR was calculated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient.RESULTS:The 1-year results of 20,21,and 21 subjects in the 5-MM,5.5-MM,and 6-MM groups,respectively,were presented.There were no statistical differences in baseline age,sex,or ocular parameters between the three groups(all P>0.05).At the 1-year visit,the 5-MM group had lower axial elongation than the 6-MM group(0.07±0.09 vs 0.18±0.11 mm,P=0.001).The 5-MM group had more myopic total RPR(TRPR,P=0.014),with RPR in the 15°–30°(RPR 15–30,P=0.015),30°–45°(RPR 30–45,P=0.011),temporal(RPR-T,P=0.008),and nasal area(RPR-N,P<0.001)than the 6-MM group.RPR 15–30 in the 5.5-MM group was more myopic than that in the 6-MM group(P=0.002),and RPR-N in the 5-MM group was more myopic than that in the 5.5-MM group(P<0.001).There were positive correlations between the axial elongation and the change in TRPR(r=0.756,P<0.001),RPR 15–30(r=0.364,P=0.004),RPR 30–45(r=0.306,P=0.016),and RPR-N(r=0.253,P=0.047).The CS decreased at 3 c/d(P<0.001),and the corneal HOAs increased in the 5-MM group(P=0.030).CONCLUSION:Ortho-k with 5 mm BOZD can control myopia progression more effectively.The mechanism may be associated with greater myopic shifts in RPR.

Prevalence of visual impairment and estimation of refractive errors among school children in Kakamega,Kenya

AIM:To investigate the prevalence of visual impairment(VI)and provide an estimation of uncorrected refractive errors in school-aged children,conducted by optometry students as a community service.METHODS:The study was cross-sectional.Totally 3343 participants were included in the study.The initial examination involved assessing the uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA)and visual acuity(VA)while using a+2.00 D lens.The inclusion criteria for a subsequent comprehensive cycloplegic eye examination,performed by an optometrist,were as follows:a UDVA<0.6 decimal(0.20 logMAR)and/or a VA with+2.00 D≥0.8 decimal(0.96 logMAR).RESULTS:The sample had a mean age of 10.92±2.13y(range 4 to 17y),and 51.3%of the children were female(n=1715).The majority of the children(89.7%)fell within the age range of 8 to 14y.Among the ethnic groups,the highest representation was from the Luhya group(60.6%)followed by Luo(20.4%).Mean logMAR UDVA choosing the best eye for each student was 0.29±0.17(range 1.70 to 0.22).Out of the total,246 participants(7.4%)had a full eye examination.The estimated prevalence of myopia(defined as spherical equivalent≤-0.5 D)was found to be 1.45%of the total sample.While around 0.18%of the total sample had hyperopia value exceeding+1.75 D.Refractive astigmatism(cil<-0.75 D)was found in 0.21%(7/3343)of the children.The VI prevalence was 1.26%of the total sample.Among our cases of VI,76.2%could be attributed to uncorrected refractive error.Amblyopia was detected in 0.66%(22/3343)of the screened children.There was no statistically significant correlation observed between age or gender and refractive values.CONCLUSION:The primary cause of VI is determined to be uncorrected refractive errors,with myopia being the most prevalent refractive error observed.These findings underscore the significance of early identification and correction of refractive errors in school-aged children as a means to alleviate the impact of VI.

Performance Comparison of GA,PSO,and DE Approaches in Estimating Low Atmospheric Refractivity Profiles

Particles swarm optimization（PSO） and differential evolution（DE） algorithms based on optimization are employed to estimate low atmospheric refractivity profiles from radar sea clutter.Low atmospheric refractivity profiles are modeled as evaporation ducts.The objective functions,which are used to evaluate the fit of simulated and measured power in estimation procedures,are also investigated at different frequencies such as L-,S-,C-and X-frequency at 10 m/s wind speeds.The results show that all the objective functions are multi-peak functions.The Adjusted Barton Model of radar cross section（RCS） is adopted.PSO and DE algorithms are compared with genetic algorithm（GA） by 200 Monte Carlo simulation estimations.Simulation results indicate that DE has the best global search ability,and PSO has the highest success probability.According to the statistical results,PSO algorithm with the population size 30 is the appropriate way for evaporation duct estimation.

Prevalence of refractive errors in school-aged and preadolescent children in Colombia

AIM:To describe the distribution of refractive errors by age and sex among schoolchildren in Soacha,Colombia.METHODS:This was an observational cross-sectional study conducted in five urban public schools in the municipality of Soacha.A total of 1161 school-aged and pre-adolescent children,aged 5-12y were examined during the school year 2021-2022.Examinations included visual acuity and static refraction.Spherical equivalent(SE)was analysed as follows:myopia SE≤-0.50 D and uncorrected visual acuity of 20/25 or worse;high myopia SE≤-6.00 D;hyperopia SE≥+1.00 D(≥7y)or SE≥+2.00 D(5-6y);significant hyperopia SE≥+3.00 D.Astigmatism was defined as a cylinder in at least one eye≥1.00 D(≥7y)or≥1.75 D(5-6y).If at least one eye was ametropic,children were classified according to the refractive error found.RESULTS:Of the 1139 schoolchildren included,50.6%were male,58.8%were aged between 5 and 9y,and 12.1%were already using optical correction.The most common refractive error was astigmatism(31.1%),followed by myopia(20.8%)and hyperopia(13.1%).There was no significant relationship between refractive error and sex.There was a significant increase in astigmatism(P<0.001)and myopia(P<0.0001)with age.CONCLUSION:Astigmatism is the most common refractive error in children in an urban area of Colombia.Emmetropia decreased and myopia increased with age.

Relative peripheral refraction in school children with different refractive errors using a novel multispectral refraction topographer

AIM:To compare relative peripheral refraction(RPR)in Chinese school children with different refractive errors using multispectral refraction topography(MRT).METHODS:A total of 713 eyes of primary school children[172 emmetropia(E),429 low myopia(LM),80 moderate myopia(MM),and 32 low hypermetropia(LH)]aged 10 to 13y were analyzed.RPRs were measured using MRT without mydriasis.MRT results showed RPR at 0-15°(RPR 0-15),15°-30°(RPR 15-30),and 30°-45°(RPR 30-45)annular in the inferior(RPR-I),superior(RPR-S),nasal(RPR-N),and temporal(RPR-T)quadrants.Spherical equivalent(SE)was detected and calculated using an autorefractor.RESULTS:There were significant differences of RPR 15-30 between groups MM[0.02(-0.12;0.18)]and LH[-0.13(-0.36;0.12)](P<0.05),MM and E[-0.06(-0.20;0.10)](P<0.05),and LM[-0.02(-0.15;0.15)]and E(P<0.05).There were also significant differences of RPR 30-45 between groups MM[0.45(0.18;0.74)]and E[0.29(-0.09;0.67)](P<0.05),and LM[0.44(0.14;0.76)]and E(P<0.001).RPR values increased from the hyperopic to medium myopic group in each annular.There were significant differences of RPR-S between groups MM[-0.02(-0.60;0.30)]and E[-0.44(-0.89;-0.04)](P<0.001),and LM[-0.28(-0.71;0.12)]and E(P<0.05).There were also significant differences of RPR-T between groups MM[0.37(0.21;0.78)]and LH[0.14(-0.52;0.50)](P<0.05),LM[0.41(0.06;0.84)]and LH(P<0.05),and LM and E[0.29(-0.10;0.68),P<0.05].A Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between RPR and SE in the 15°-30°(P=0.005),30°-45°(P<0.05)annular(P=0.002),superior(P<0.001),and temporal(P=0.001)quadrants.CONCLUSION:Without pupil dilation,values for RPR 15-30,30-45,RPR-S,and T shows significant differences between myopic eyes and emmetropia,and the differences are negatively correlated with SE.

Refraction difference value variations in children and adolescents with different refractive errors

AIM:To evaluate the refraction difference value(RDV)variations in children and adolescents with different refractive errors and analyze its correlation with refractive development.METHODS:Participants aged 4-16y with different refractive statuses(hyperopia,emmetropia,myopia)underwent comprehensive eye examinations,including spherical equivalent(SE)refraction,axial length(AL),total RDV(TRDV),and RDVs at various eccentricities(0°-15°,15°-30°,30°-45°)and quadrants(inferior,superior,nasal,temporal).Statistical analysis involved one-way ANOVA for group comparisons and Pearson correlation for examining relationships between SE/AL and RDVs.Paired t-tests compared quadrant-specific RDVs within groups.RESULTS:Significant difference was found in TRDV(P<0.001),RDV15°-30°(P=0.033),RDV30°-45°(P<0.001),RDV-inferior(RDV-I,P<0.001)and RDV-temporal(RDV-T,P<0.001)among hyperopia,emmetropia and myopia group.Pearson correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation of SE with TRDV(P=0.001),RDV30°-45°(P=0.004),RDV-I(P=0.047),and RDV-T(P<0.001).The differences between RDV-superior(RDV-S)and RDV-I were statistically significant in all groups(P<0.001 for all)and between RDV-T and RDV-nasal(RDV-N)were statistically significant in hyperopia group(P<0.001).Within the premyopic group,the analysis revealed a negative correlation of SE with RDV-I(P=0.009).Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation of AL with TRDV(P=0.036),RDV15°-30°(P=0.004),RDV30°-45°(P<0.001),RDV-S(P=0.003),RDV-I(P<0.001),RDV-T(P<0.001),RDV-N(P=0.022),while revealed a negative correlation of AL with RDV0-15°(P=0.018).CONCLUSION:Our study indicates TRDV,RDV30°-45°,RDV-I,RDV-T may relate to refractive development,and a negative correlation between SE and RDV-I in pre-myopic children.