3-D hurricane boundary layer wind retrieval algorithm for airborne Doppler radar measurements
This paper presents a 3D boundary layer wind retrieval algorithm for airborne Doppler radar measurements of precipitation inside hurricanes. The data was collected, inside Hurricane Lili during NOAA's 2002 Atlantic Hurricane Ocean Winds Field Experiment with University of Massachusetts's newly developed Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler. Two forms of Kalman filters for 3D wind retrieval are analyzed for accuracy using simulations. Preliminary results of the actual 3D wind estimates using the chosen algorithm were obtained and compared with simultaneous and independent wind vector measurements by GPS dropwindsondes, surface wind speed measurements by a microwave radiometer and flight level wind vector measurements
Preliminary results of 3D hurricane boundary layer wind estimation with multilook Doppler radar measurements of the precipitation
This paper presents preliminary results of the 3D-wind retrieval algorithm developed for the multi-look airborne Doppler radar measurements using various forms of Kalman filters. The data was collected inside Hurricane Lili during NOAA's 2002 Atlantic Hurricane Ocean Winds Field Experiment with University of Massachusetts's newly developed Imaging Wind and Rain Airborne Profiler (IWRAP). Two forms of Adaptive Kalman filter are presented for 3-D wind retrieval. Simulations of different wind field and radar parameters are made to investigate the performance of the selected filter. Preliminary results of the actual 3-D wind estimates are then obtained and compared with simultaneous and independent wind vector measurements by GPS dropwindsondes, surface wind speed measurements by a microwave radiometer and flight level wind vector measurements.
Geographic And Environmental Influence On Maya Settlement Patterns Of The Northwest Yucatan: An Explanation For The Sparsely Settled Western Cenote Zone
Most settlement pattern research and GIS analysis of the ancient Maya of the Northern Yucatan have focused on water availability in a dry landscape where cenotes are often the only water source. While water is of paramount importance, permanent settlement secondarily requires farmable soil, a resource often as precious as water in many parts of the Yucatan. The dynamics between these resources reveal areas of ideal settlement and more challenging landscapes for which the Maya developed strategies to overcome environmental conditions. A region of the southwest "Cenote Zone", however, appears to have presented the ancient Maya with insurmountably poor environmental conditions despite abundant water resources. The lack of dense population and stone architecture in this area emphasizes the lack of a simple correlation between cenotes and settlement. This thesis uses GIS analysis to identify and explore such problematic settlement areas to better understand the factors and complexities involved in the more successful settlements of neighboring regions. iv This work is dedicated to my late father, who first introduced me to the Mundo Maya through a visit to the ruins of Tikal at the age of nine, and who instilled in me strength, curiosity, and a love for exploring the world. v ACKLOWLEDGEMENTS I'd like to acknowledge Dr. Arlen Chase and Dr. Diane Chase for providing such outstanding opportunities and instruction, and for leading by example both in the field and in the classroom. Dr. John Walker for his eye-opening perspectives, GIS instruction, inspiring hard-working attitude, and patience in the field. Dr. Clifford Brown and Dr. Walter Witschey for their invaluable correspondence and for their contributions to mapping and GIS data of Maya sites.