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Zernike polynomials applied to apparent solar disk flattening for pressure profile retrievals

dc.contributor.authorDekemper, E.
dc.contributor.authorVanhellemont, F.
dc.contributor.authorMateshvili, N.
dc.contributor.authorFranssens, G.
dc.contributor.authorPieroux, D.
dc.contributor.authorBingen, C.
dc.contributor.authorRobert, C.
dc.contributor.authorFussen, D.
dc.date2013
dc.date.accessioned2016-03-25T11:11:10Z
dc.date.available2016-03-25T11:11:10Z
dc.identifier.urihttps://orfeo.belnet.be/handle/internal/2891
dc.descriptionWe present a passive method for the retrieval of atmospheric pressure profiles based on the measurement of the apparent flattening of the solar disk as observed through the atmosphere by a spaceborne imager. This method was applied to simulated sunsets. It relies on accurate representation of the solar disk, including its limb darkening, and how its image is affected by atmospheric refraction. The Zernike polynomials are used to quantify the flattening in the Sun images. The inversion algorithm relies on a transfer matrix providing the link between the atmospheric pressure profile and a sequence of Zernike moments computed on the sunset frames. The transfer matrix is determined by a training dataset of pressure profiles generated from a standard climatology. The performance and limitations of the method are assessed by two test cases. Pressure profiles similar to the training dataset show that retrieval error can be up to 10 times smaller than the natural variability in the lower mesosphere, and up to 500 times smaller in the upper troposphere. Tests with other independent profiles emphasize the need for better representativeness of the training dataset.
dc.languageeng
dc.titleZernike polynomials applied to apparent solar disk flattening for pressure profile retrievals
dc.typeArticle
dc.subject.frascatiEarth and related Environmental sciences
dc.audienceScientific
dc.subject.freealgorithm
dc.subject.freeatmospheric dynamics
dc.subject.freeatmospheric modeling
dc.subject.freeatmospheric pressure
dc.subject.freedata inversion
dc.subject.freedata set
dc.subject.freeerror analysis
dc.subject.freemesosphere
dc.subject.freenumerical method
dc.subject.freepressure gradient
dc.subject.freerefraction
dc.subject.freesolar activity
dc.source.titleAtmospheric Measurement Techniques
dc.source.volume6
dc.source.issue3
dc.source.page823-835
Orfeo.peerreviewedYes
dc.identifier.doi10.5194/amt-6-823-2013
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-84882747650


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