A study on the dynamic tie points ASI algorithm in the Arctic Ocean

Sea ice concentration is an important parameter for polar sea ice monitoring. Based on 89 GHz AMSR-E （Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System） data, a gridded high-resolution passive microwave sea ice concentration product can be obtained using the ASI （the Arctic Radiation And Turbulence Interaction Study （ARTIST） Sea Ice） retrieval algorithm. Instead of using fixed-point values, we developed ASi algorithm based on daily changed tie points, called as the dynamic tie point ASI algorithm in this study. Here the tie points are expressed as the brightness temperature polarization difference of open water and 100% sea ice. In 2010, the yearly-averaged tie points of open water and sea ice in Arctic are estimated to be 50.8 K and 7.8 K, respectively. It is confirmed that the sea ice concentrations retrieved by the dynamic tie point ASI algorithm can increase （decrease） the sea ice concentrations in low-value （high-value） areas. This improved the sea ice concentrations by present retrieval algorithm from microwave data to some extent. Comparing with the products using fixed tie points, the sea ice concentrations retrieved from AMSR-E data by using the dynamic tie point ASI algorithm are closer to those obtained from MODIS （Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer） data. In 40 selected cloud-free sample regions, 95% of our results have smaller mean differences and 75% of our results have lower root mean square （RMS） differences compare with those by the fixed tie points.

Mathematical model for computing precise local tie vectors for CMONOC co-located GNSS/VLBI/SLR stations

The seven co-located sites of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China（CMONOC） in Shanghai, Wuhan, Kunming, Beijing, Xi＇an, Changchun, and Urumqi are equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System（GNSS）, very long baseline interferometry（VLBI）, and satellite laser ranging（SLR） equipment. Co-location surveying of these sites was performed in 2012 and the accuracies of the solved tie vectors are approximately 5 mm.This paper proposes a mathematical model that handles the least squares adjustment of the 3D control network and calculates the tie vectors in one step, using all the available constraints in the adjustment. Using the new mathematical model, local tie vectors can be more precisely determined and their covariance more reasonably estimated.

SINO-BRITISH TIES AT AN OPPORTUNITY POINT

Fu Ying,China’s Ambassador to Britain,says growing bilateral ties between the two nations face new opportunities China and Britain are seeing more and more common strategic interests between them and their deepened bilateral relationship is in accordance with social requirements and the wishes of their people,said Fu Ying,China’s Ambassador to Britain.For the UK,China’s development is an opportunity that will