An Effective Antenna Array Diagnosis Method via Multivalued Neural Network Inverse Modeling Approach

Failure of element (s) in antenna arrays impair (s) symmetry and lead to unwanted distorted radiation pattern. The replacement of defective elements in aircraft antennas is a solution to the problem, but it remains a critical problem in space stations. In this paper, an antenna array diagnosis technique based on multivalued neural network (mNN) inverse modeling is proposed. Since inverse analytical input-to-output formulation is generally a challenging and important task in solving the inverse problem of array diagnosis, ANN is a compelling alternative, because it is trainable and learns from data in inverse modelling. The mNN technique proposed is an inverse modelling technique, which accommodates measurements for output model. This network takes radiation pattern samples with faults and matches it to the corresponding position or location of the faulty elements in that antenna array. In addition, we develop a new training error function, which focuses on the matching of each training sample by a value of our proposed inverse model, while the remaining values are free, and trained to match distorted radiation patterns. Thereby, mNN learns all training data by redirecting the faulty elements patterns into various values of the inverse model. Therefore, mNN is able to perform accurate array diagnosis in an automated and simpler manner.

Estimating local CH4 emissions in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin using inverse modelling

<p>Methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) with respect to radiative forcing. Since pre-industrial times, the globally averaged CH<sub>4</sub> concentration in the atmosphere has risen by a factor of 2.5. A large fraction of global anthropogenic CH<sub>4</sub> emissions originates from localized point sources, e.g. coal mine ventilation shafts. International treaties foresee GHG emission reductions, entailing independent monitoring and verification support capacities. Considering the spatially widespread distribution of point sources, remote sensing approaches are favourable, in order to enable rapid survey of larger areas. In this respect, active remote sensing by airborne lidar is promising, such as provided by the integrated-path differential-absorption lidar CHARM-F operated by DLR. Installed onboard the German research aircraft HALO, CHARM-F serves as a demonstrator for future satellite missions, e.g. MERLIN. CHARM-F simultaneously measures weighted vertical column mixing ratios of CO<sub>2</sub> and CH<sub>4</sub> below the aircraft. In spring 2018, during the CoMet field campaign, measurements were taken in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) in Poland. The USCB is considered to be a European hotspot of CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, covering an area of approximately 50 km × 50 km. Due to the high number of coal mines and density of ventilation shafts in the USCB, individual CH<sub>4</sub> exhaust plumes can overlap. This makes simple approaches to determine the emission rates of single shafts, i.e. the cross-sectional flux method, difficult. Therefore, we use an inverse modelling approach to obtain an estimate of the individual emission rates. Specifically, we employ the Weather Research and Forecast Model (WRF) coupled to the CarbonTracker Data Assimilation Shell (CTDAS), an Ensemble Kalman Filter. CTDAS-WRF propagates an ensemble realization of the a priori CH<sub>4</sub> emissions forward in space and time, samples the simulated CH<sub>4</sub> concentrations along the measurement’s flight path, and scales the a priori emission rates to optimally fit the measured values, while remaining tied to the prior. Hereby, we obtain a regularized a posteriori best emission estimate for the individual ventilation shafts. Here, we report on the results of this inverse modelling approach, including individual and aggregated emission estimates, their uncertainties, and to which extent the data are able to constrain individual emitters independently.</p>

Evidence of a recent decline in UK emissions of hydrofluorocarbons determined by the InTEM inverse model and atmospheric measurements

National greenhouse gas inventories (GHGIs) are submitted annually to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). They are estimated in compliance with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methodological guidance using activity data, emission factors and facility-level measurements. For some sources, the outputs from these calculations are very uncertain. Inverse modelling techniques that use high-quality, long-term measurements of atmospheric gases have been developed to provide independent verification of national GHGIs. This is considered good practice by the IPCC as it helps national inventory compilers to verify reported emissions and to reduce emission uncertainty. Emission estimates from the InTEM (Inversion Technique for Emission Modelling) model are presented for the UK for the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) reported to the UNFCCC (HFC-125, HFC-134a, HFC-143a, HFC-152a, HFC-23, HFC-32, HFC-227ea, HFC-245fa, HFC-43-10mee and HFC-365mfc). These HFCs have high global warming potentials (GWPs), and the global background mole fractions of all but two are increasing, thus highlighting their relevance to the climate and a need for increasing the accuracy of emission estimation for regulatory purposes. This study presents evidence that the long-term annual increase in growth of HFC-134a has stopped and is now decreasing. For HFC-32 there is an early indication, its rapid global growth period has ended, and there is evidence that the annual increase in global growth for HFC-125 has slowed from 2018. The inverse modelling results indicate that the UK implementation of European Union regulation of HFC emissions has been successful in initiating a decline in UK emissions from 2018. Comparison of the total InTEM UK HFC emissions in 2020 with the average from 2009–2012 shows a drop of 35 %, indicating progress toward the target of a 79 % decrease in sales by 2030. The total InTEM HFC emission estimates (2008–2018) are on average 73 (62–83) % of, or 4.3 (2.7–5.9) Tg CO2-eq yr−1 lower than, the total HFC emission estimates from the UK GHGI. There are also significant discrepancies between the two estimates for the individual HFCs.

HYDROPT: An Open-Source Framework for Fast Inverse Modelling of Multi- and Hyperspectral Observations from Oceans, Coastal and Inland Waters

Biomass estimation of multiple phytoplankton groups from remote sensing reflectance spectra requires inversion models that go beyond the traditional band-ratio techniques. To achieve this objective retrieval models are needed that are rooted in radiative transfer (RT) theory and exploit the full spectral information for the inversion. HydroLight numerical solutions of the radiative transfer equation are well suited to support this inversion. We present a fast and flexible Python framework for forward and inverse modelling of multi- and hyperspectral observations, by further extending the formerly developed HydroLight Optimization (HYDROPT) algorithm. Computation time of the inversion is greatly reduced using polynomial interpolation of the radiative transfer solutions, while at the same time maintaining high accuracy. Additional features of HYDROPT are specification of sensor viewing geometries, solar zenith angle and multiple optical components with distinct inherent optical properties (IOP). Uncertainty estimates and goodness-of-fit metrics are simultaneously derived for the inversion routines. The pursuit to retrieve multiple phytoplankton groups from remotely sensed observations illustrates the need for such flexible retrieval algorithms that allow for the configuration of IOP models characteristic for the region of interest. The updated HYDROPT framework allows for more than three components to be fitted, such as multiple phytoplankton types with distinct absorption and backscatter characteristics. We showcase our model by evaluating the performance of retrievals from simulated Rrs spectra to obtain estimates of 3 phytoplankton size classes in addition to CDOM and detrital matter. Moreover, we demonstrate HYDROPTs capability for the inter-comparison of retrievals using different sensor band settings including coupling to full spectral coverage, as would be needed for NASA’s PACE mission. The HYDROPT framework is now made available as an open-source Python package.