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With the rapid development of terahertz radar technology, the electromagnetic device for terahertz radar cross-section (RCS) reduction is worth investigating. However, the existing research concentrates on the RCS reduction metasurface with fixed performance working in the microwave band. This paper proposes a terahertz dynamic coding metasurface integrated with vanadium dioxide (VO2) for dual-polarized, dual-band, and wide-angle RCS reduction. The simulation result indicates that by switching the state of the VO2 between insulator and metal, the metasurface can realize the effective RCS reduction at 0.18 THz to 0.24 THz and 0.21 THz to 0.39 THz under the left-handed and right-handed circularly polarized incident waves. When the polar and azimuth angles of the incident wave vary from 0° to 40° and 0° to 360° respectively, this metasurface can maintain a 10 dB RCS reduction. This work has potential value in the terahertz stealth field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms underlying bat and bird activity peaks (attraction) or losses (avoidance) near wind turbines remain unknown. Yet, understanding them would be a major lever to limit the resulting habitat loss and fatalities. Given that bat activity is strongly related to airflows, we hypothesized that airflow disturbances generated leeward (downwind) of operating wind turbines–via the so-called wake effect–make this area less favorable for bats, due to increased flight costs, decreased maneuverability and possibly lower prey abundance. To test this hypothesis, we quantified Pipistrellus pipistrellus activity acoustically at 361 site-nights in western France in June on a longitudinal distance gradient from the wind turbine and on a circular azimuth gradient of wind incidence angle, calculated from the prevailing wind direction of the night. We show that P. pipistrellus avoid the wake area, as less activity was detected leeward of turbines than windward (upwind) at relatively moderate and high wind speeds. Furthermore, we found that P. pipistrellus response to wind turbine (attraction and avoidance) depended on the angle from the wake area. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that changes in airflows around operating wind turbines can strongly impact the way bats use habitats up to at least 1500 m from the turbines, and thus should prompt the consideration of prevailing winds in wind energy planning. Based on the evidence we present here, we strongly recommend avoiding configurations involving the installation of a turbine between the origin of prevailing winds and important habitats for bats, such as hedgerows, water or woodlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typical magnetometer-based measurement-while-drilling (MWD) system determines the azimuth of the bottom hole assembly during the drilling process by employing triaxial accelerometers and magnetometers. The geomagnetic azimuth solution is susceptible to magnetic interference, especially strong magnetic interference and so a rotary norm constraint filtering (RNCF) method for azimuth estimation, designed to support a gyroscope-aided magnetometer-based MWD system, is proposed. First, a new magnetic dynamical system, one whose output is observed by the magnetometers triad, is designed based on the Coriolis equation of the desired geomagnetic vector. Second, given that the norm of the non-interfered geomagnetic vector can be approximated as a constant during a short-term drilling process, a norm constraint procedure is introduced to the Kalman filter. This is achieved by the normalization of the geomagnetic part of the state vector of the dynamical system and is undertaken in order to obtain a precise geomagnetic component. Simulation and actual drilling experiments show that the proposed RNCF method can effectively improve the azimuth measurement precision with 98.5% over the typical geomagnetic solution and 37.1% over the KF in a RMSE sense when being strong magnetic interference environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model for the motion of slender vortex filaments is extended to include the effect of gravity. The model, initially introduced by Callegari and Ting ["Motion of a curved vortex filament with decaying vortical core and axial velocity," SIAM J. Appl. Math. 35, 148–175 (1978)], is based on a matched asymptotic expansion in which the outer solution, given by the Biot–Savart law, is matched with the inner solution derived from the Navier–Stokes equations. Building on recent work by Harikrishnan et al. ["On the motion of hairpin filaments in the atmospheric boundary layer," Phys. Fluids 35, 076603 (2023)], the Boussinesq approximation is applied such that the density variations only enter in the gravity term. However, unlike Harikrishnan et al. ["On the motion of hairpin filaments in the atmospheric boundary layer," Phys. Fluids 35, 076603 (2023)], the density variation enters at a lower order in the asymptotic expansion and, thus, has a more significant impact on the self-induced velocity of the vortex filament. In this regime, which corresponds to the regime studied by Chang and Smith ["The motion of a buoyant vortex filament," J. Fluid Mech. 857, R1 (2018)], the effect of gravity is given by an alteration of the core constant, which couples the motion of the filament to the motion within the vortical core, in addition to a change in the compatibility conditions (evolution equations), which determine the leading order azimuthal and tangential velocity fields in the vortex core. The results are used to explain certain properties of buoyant vortex rings, as well as qualitatively explore the impact of gravity on tornado-type atmospheric vortices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In daily life, natural or man-made structures influence sound propagation, causing reflections and diffraction with potential effects on auditory spatial perception. While the effect of isolated reflections on binaural localization has been investigated, consequences of edge diffraction on spatial perception have received less attention. Here, effects of edge diffraction on the horizontal localization of a sound source were assessed when a flat square plate occludes the direct sound or produces a reflection in an otherwise anechoic environment. Binaural recordings were obtained with an artificial head for discrete sound source positions along two horizontal trajectories in the vicinity of the plate, including conditions near the incident and reflection shadow boundary. In a listening test, the apparent source position was matched for conditions with and without the plate, resulting in azimuth offsets between the apparent and physical source of up to 12°. The perceived direction of occluded frontal sound sources was laterally shifted to the visible region near the edge of the plate. Geometrical-acoustics-based simulations with different methods to binaurally render diffracted sound paths were technically and perceptually compared to the measurements. The observed localization offset was reproduced with the acoustic simulations when diffraction was rendered considering the individual ear positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimations under near- and far-field scenarios are treated as independent tasks based on the corresponding acoustic model, hence necessitating a proper soundfield detector as an upstream processing tool, whereas there may not be a distinct boundary between different soundfield types, especially the mixed-field scenarios where both near- and far-field sources coexist simultaneously. To handle this issue, this article investigates a multisource DOA estimator that equally localizes multiple near-, far-, and mixed-field sources, not requiring any specialized adjustments. We (i) define a signal-invariant multichannel feature denoted generalized relative harmonic coefficients in the spherical harmonics domain; (ii) derive the analytical expression of this feature and summarize its unique properties, exhibiting consistence for both near- and far-field sources; (iii) estimate source elevation and azimuth using the magnitude and phase parts of this feature, respectively; (iv) detect single-source dominated periods from the mixed measurements based on an investigated distance measure; and (v) count the number of sources and localize their DOAs by clustering the single-source dominated estimates. Extensive experimental results, in both simulated and real-life environments, finally confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm under diverse acoustic scenarios, and a superiority over baseline approaches in localizing mixed-field sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub-Nyquist synthetic aperture radar (SAR) based on pseudo-random time–space modulation has been proposed to increase the swath width while preserving the azimuthal resolution. Due to the sub-Nyquist sampling, the scene can be recovered by an optimization-based algorithm. However, these methods suffer from some issues, e.g., manually tuning difficulty and the pre-definition of optimization parameters, and a low signal–noise ratio (SNR) resistance. To address these issues, a reweighted optimization algorithm, named pseudo-ℒ0-norm optimization algorithm, is proposed for the sub-Nyquist SAR system in this paper. A modified regularization model is first built by applying the scene prior information to nearly acquire the number of nonzero elements based on Bayesian estimation, and then this model is solved by the Cauchy–Newton method. Additionally, an error correction method combined with our proposed pseudo-ℒ0-norm optimization algorithm is also present to eliminate defocusing in the motion-induced model. Finally, experiments with simulated signals and strip-map TerraSAR-X images are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The imaging of high-speed high-squint synthetic aperture radar (HSHS-SAR), which is mounted on maneuvering platforms with curved trajectory, is a challenging task due to the existence of 3-D acceleration and the azimuth spatial variability of range migration and Doppler parameters. Although existing imaging algorithms based on linear range walk correction (LRWC) and nonlinear chirp scaling (NCS) can reduce the range–azimuth coupling of the frequency spectrum (FS) and the spatial variability of the Doppler parameter to some extent, they become invalid as the squint angle, speed, and resolution increase. Additionally, most of them ignore the effect of acceleration phase calibration (APC) on NCS, which should not be neglected as resolution increases. For these issues, a modified frequency nonlinear chirp scaling (MFNCS) algorithm is proposed in this paper. The proposed MFNCS algorithm mainly includes the following aspects. First, a more accurate approximation of range model (MAARM) is established to improve the accuracy of the instantaneous slant range history. Second, a preprocessing of the proposed algorithm based on the first range compression, LRWC, and a spatial-invariant APC (SIVAPC) is implemented to eliminate most of the effects of high-squint angle and 3-D acceleration on the FS. Third, a spatial-variant APC (SVAPC) is performed to remove azimuth spatial variability introduced by 3-D acceleration, and the range focusing is accomplished by the bulk range cell migration correction (BRCMC) and extended secondary range compression (ESRC). Fourth, the azimuth-dependent characteristics evaluation based on LRWC, SIVAPC, and SVAPC is completed to derive the MFNCS algorithm with fifth-order chirp scaling function for azimuth compression. Consequently, the final image is focused on the range time and azimuth frequency domain. The experimental simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. With a curved trajectory, HSHS-SAR imaging is carried out at a 50° geometric squint angle and 500 m × 500 m imaging width. The integrated sidelobe ratio and peak sidelobe ratio of the point targets at the scenario edges approach the theoretical values, and the range-azimuth resolution is 1.5 m × 3.0 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-phase center multiple azimuth beam (SPC MAB) mode is an effective method for high-resolution wide-swath (HRWS) SAR imaging. The traditional azimuth spectrum reconstruction method for SPC MAB mode is based on the combination scheme from which fake targets along the azimuth direction arise because the inter-beam interference is not considered. When the real antenna mode is inconsistent with the ideal one, the disadvantages of the combination scheme become more serious. In this paper, based on the basic theory of the low-pass, band-limited, multiple-channel under-sampling and reconstruction, a novel digital beam-forming method is proposed for the SPC MAB imaging mode with ideal antenna mode first. The method analyzes the system functions of the sub-beams, based on which digital beam-forming filters are designed for all the sub-beams. The designed filters can reconstruct the correct wide-bandwidth azimuth spectrum and suppress the inter-beam interference simultaneously. Furthermore, the proposed method is extended to SPC MAB mode with the non-ideal antenna mode. The simulation experiments prove the validities of the proposed method both for azimuth spectral reconstruction and the inter-beams interfering suppressing, no matter that the SPC MAB's antenna mode is ideal or non-ideal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution wide-swath (HRWS) imaging is the research focus of the modern spaceborne synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) imaging field, with significant relevance and vast application potential. Staggered SAR, as an innovative imaging system, mitigates blind areas across the entire swath by periodically altering the radar pulse repetition interval (PRI), thereby extending the swath width to multiples of that achievable by conventional systems. However, the staggered mode introduces inherent challenges, such as nonuniform azimuth sampling and echo data loss, leading to azimuth ambiguities and substantially impacting image quality. This paper proposes a sparse SAR imaging method for the low-oversampled staggered mode via compound regularization. The proposed method not only effectively suppresses azimuth ambiguities arising from nonuniform sampling without necessitating the restoration of missing echo data, but also incorporates total variation (TV) regularization into the sparse reconstruction model. This enhances the accurate reconstruction of distributed targets within the scene. The efficacy of the proposed method is substantiated through simulations and real data experiments from spaceborne missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The branch point singularities in the Riemann surface of the parameter space are known as the exceptional points (EPs), at which two or more eigenvalues and their associated eigenvectors simultaneously coalesce. The abrupt bifurcation property around an EP shows a strong spectral response to external perturbations, and hence, is exploited as a new approach to ultrasensitive sensors. Recently, an intriguing proposal for implementing second‐order EPs in optical resonators with external perturbations has shown the superiority of non‐Hermitian degeneracies in the enhancement of sensing. Of particular importance is further improving the sensitivity to even greater extents. To this end, a novel physical mechanism is proposed, namely introducing extra resonances of external Rayleigh scatterers to accomplish strong‐coupling augmentation in sensing. The results, grounded by both theoretical coupled‐mode‐theory calculations and experimental spectral‐domain measurements, show that the EP‐based sensor working at the coherent resonance equips simultaneously substantial perturbation strength and azimuth sensitivity even subjected to extremely weak perturbations. This work paves the way to a new class of highly functional tunable sensors for applications in optics, microwave and acoustics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Non-spherical, polymeric colloids serve as building blocks for advanced functional materials. We propose a novel method to produce morphologically controlled, non-spherical particles by generating site-selected, convex structures on polystyrene (PS) particles. It consists of two simple procedures: a monolayer of PS particles is illuminated with UV light and is subsequently immersed in a fluorinated solvent (HFIP). UV irradiation generates site-selected, oxidized domains on PS particles with a different solvent affinity than unoxidized PS, and HFIP immersion preferentially swells the oxidized domains. Such swelling gives rise to site-selected, convex structures on PS particles. By adjusting UV irradiation conditions, including incident and azimuth angles, the oxidized sites, i.e., the swelled portions, can be accurately situated, allowing us to produce various convex shapes, including chiral shapes at desired positions on PS particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targets faced by inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) are often non-cooperative, with target maneuvering being the main manifestation of this non-cooperation. Maneuvers cause ISAR imaging results to be severely defocused, which can create huge difficulties in target identification. In addition, as the ISAR bandwidth continues to increase, the impact of migration through resolution cells (MTRC) on imaging results becomes more significant. Target non-cooperation may also result in sparse aperture, leading to the failure of traditional ISAR imaging algorithms. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm to realize MTRC correction and sparse aperture ISAR imaging for maneuvering targets simultaneously named whale optimization algorithm–fast iterative shrinkage thresholding algorithm (WOA-FISTA). In this algorithm, FISTA is used to perform MTRC correction and sparse aperture ISAR imaging efficiently and WOA is adopted to estimate the rotational parameter to eliminate the effects of maneuvering on imaging results. Experimental results based on simulation and measured datasets prove that the proposed algorithm implements sparse aperture ISAR imaging and MTRC correction for maneuvering targets simultaneously. The proposed algorithm achieves better results than traditional algorithms under different signal-to-noise ratio conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), also known as unanticipated yaw, has been recognized to be a major contributing factor in several helicopter accidents due to the loss of directional control. Flight tests have identified specific wind azimuth regions that may alter the angle and the speed of the airflow through the tail rotor leading to LTE. Through the helicopter flight data monitoring (HFDM) program, pilots receive constant flight evaluation reports to support LTE risk mitigation. Nevertheless, the existing LTE safety metric presents several pitfalls that hinder the reliability of the detection of violations of boundaries for flight safety. To identify the appropriate methods to properly simulate and flag LTE events and develop a more comprehensive and reliable LTE safety metric to be used within the HFDM environment, a physics-based investigation of the different LTE flight characteristics is performed. The results from this investigation are expected to contribute towards an improvement in detection of LTE events, leading to a reduction in LTE-related accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the first azimuth cutoff analysis in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) altimetry, aiming to assess its applicability in characterizing sea-state dynamics. In SAR imaging, the azimuth cutoff serves as a proxy for the shortest waves, in terms of wavelength, that can be detected by the satellite under certain wind and wave conditions. The magnitude of this parameter is closely related to the wave orbital velocity variance, a key parameter for characterizing wind-wave systems. We exploit wave modulations exhibited in the tail of fully-focused SAR waveforms and extract the azimuth cutoff from the radar signal through the analysis of its along-track autocorrelation function. We showcase the capability of Sentinel-6A in deriving these two parameters based on analyses in the spatial and wavenumber domains, accompanied by a discussion of the limitations. We use Level-1A high-resolution Sentinel-6A data from one repeat cycle (10 days) globally to verify our findings against wave modeled data. In the spatial domain analysis, the estimation of azimuth cutoff involves fitting a Gaussian function to the along-track autocorrelation function. Results reveal pronounced dependencies on wind speed and significant wave height, factors primarily determining the magnitude of the velocity variance. In extreme sea states, the parameters are underestimated by the altimeter, while in relatively calm sea states and in the presence of swells, a substantial overestimation trend is observed. We introduce an alternative approach to extract the azimuth cutoff by identifying the fall-off wavenumber in the wavenumber domain. Results indicate effective mitigation of swell-induced errors, with some additional sensitivity to extreme sea states compared to the spatial domain approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D surface deformation field for an earthquake can aid in understanding fault behaviors and earthquake mechanisms. However, SAR-based 3D surface deformation estimates are often limited by insufficient observations and hampered by various error sources. In this study, we demonstrate the derivation of a 3D coseismic displacement field from different InSAR processing algorithms. The azimuth displacements from Multiple Aperture Interferometry (MAI) and Pixel Offset Tracking (POT) were integrated to ensure reliable displacements at low coherent areas. The 3D displacement field was inverted pixel-by-pixel by Line-of-Sight (LOS) displacement and integrated azimuth displacement. The results showed that MAI and POT could compensate for the weaknesses of each algorithm. Also, pixels with less than three sets of observations showed higher noise levels. Such noisy pixels were removed by a denoising criterion proposed herein. For the vertical direction, the proportion of pixels inverted with two sets of azimuth and one set of LOS displacements was 26.1%. After denoising, the proportion dropped to 2.4% due to the insufficiency of LOS displacements. This shows that the viewing angle influences the overall performance of 3D surface displacement inversion. Implementing various displacement vectors should reduce such limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense array observation and seismic interferometry have revolutionized the imaging schemes of the earth structure. It is becoming possible to directly obtain the lateral variation of the earth's structure by applying array-based methods such as the cross-correlation beamforming (CBF) of the ambient noise to the subsets of the dense array, without tomography. CBF has been proven to extract the azimuth-averaged multimode surface wave dispersion curves. However, the resolution of the dispersion image generated by conventional CBF is low at high frequencies in the frequency–velocity (f - v) domain. Moreover, the irregular array geometry and uneven source distribution would bias the result of CBF, especially for the estimation of azimuth-dependent velocity. In this paper, two beamforming (BF) es are suggested to improve the resolution of multimode dispersion images in the f - v domain. First, the geometrical spreading of the wavefield is corrected to enhance the amplitude at high frequency (or large distance) and thereby improve the resolution of the dispersion image at high frequency. We call this scheme weighted correlation beamforming (WCBF). The azimuth-averaged velocity can be estimated with sufficient resolution using WCBF by stacking the BF output at each azimuth. We show that WCBF is the 2-D Fourier transform of the spatial wavefield from the viewpoint of the wavefield transform. Secondly, a modified beamforming scheme (MCBF) is suggested to reduce the effect of uneven source and/or irregular array geometry. The delay and summation in MCBF are performed only for plane waves incident from the stationary phase region. The azimuth-dependent velocity can therefore be estimated by MCBF with less dependence on the array geometry, as well as on the uneven source distribution. In terms of the estimation of azimuth-averaged phase velocity, we show the F-J method, another array-based method for extracting multimode surface waves from ambient noise using the Fourier–Bessel transform, is the azimuth-averaged version of WCBF. The reliability of WCBF and MCBF is verified based on the synthetic and field data using the array with different geometry. The dispersion image of multimode Rayleigh wave phase velocity at local and regional scales can be generated by WCBF or MCBF with high resolution. In particular, multimode dispersion curves at the local scale can be measured by MCBF with sufficient accuracy using quite short recordings from hours to days. This offers the possibility of a rapid assessment of the media properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radar forward-looking imaging has gained increasingly significance in diverse applications, including battlefield reconnaissance, target surveillance, and precision guidance. While Synthetic Aperture Radar techniques are widely employed to achieve high azimuth resolution, the domain of forward-looking imaging has its challenges. These challenges arise due to the minimal Doppler frequency changes in forward-looking areas and the symmetrical Doppler history about flight path. These constraints negatively impact the radar's ability to accurately detect and image targets in forward-looking areas. Consequently, there has been a growing interest in the development of novel approaches to these problems. Due to the application of deep learning, image super-resolution methods based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have received extensive attention and demonstrated good performance. This avenue of research provides fresh insights into improving the azimuth resolution of radar imaging. In this letter, we propose a novel convolutional neural network, called MSUS-Net (Multi-scale U-shaped Network), for radar forward-looking imaging. It combines asymmetric feature fusion with a unique connection structure to replace traditional layers. Moreover, different from conventional image restoration networks that use content loss, we use the L1 distance in the frequency domain, restoring missing high-frequency details. Simulated and real radar data validate that this approach offers robust recovery and better imaging performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes an array antenna that allows for reconfiguration of the three significant antenna properties, that is, radiation pattern, half‐power beamwidth (HPBW), and single and bi‐directional beam. A reconfigurable reflecting surface (RRS) has been designed and incorporated with the array antenna on the top and bottom. The RRS works to reflect or pass the incident electromagnetic wave. It enables us to reconfigure from single to multibeam radiation in the ±z direction. It also provides two levels of HPBW, that is, 49.6° and 95°. Eventually, the same three sets of antennae have been stacked and rotated with a 60° angle to achieve the radiation pattern reconfiguration in the entire azimuth plane. It conforms to reconfigure all three antenna properties in six directions at an equal interval of 60° angle. The achieved maximum gain in a narrow beam is 9.56 dBi. The proposed reconfigurable antenna array can be used in modern wireless communication applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a theoretical and experimental examination of the concurrent production of electricity and heat using photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) technology. The efficiency performance of the PV/T system is meticulously analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink software environments. Notably, the proposed PV/T system shows reliable performance, and its validity is confirmed through experimental validation on a test stand with a single PV/T panel positioned at a 45-degree angle to the horizontal and a 0-degree azimuth angle. The measurements were conducted during the summer season, and two models were suggested to calculate the overall efficiency of the PV/T system. The variance between the results obtained from the two models was minimal, below 5%. For the examined panel type, the following average values were derived: electrical efficiency = 12.01%, thermal efficiency = 47.21%, and overall efficiency = 59.23%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for precise radio telescope pointing has driven great attention to investigating the effect of antenna local deformation or irregularity, such as unevenness in the azimuth track. Although the track-alidade interaction model is commonly used to investigate the pointing effect of track unevenness (such as the works on DSN 34 m antennas and the Green Bank Telescope), few experiments have been done to test the effectiveness of this model independently from the overall pointing model. To address this issue, a method utilizing an optical pointing telescope (OPT) for determining the impact of track unevenness on pointing is proposed. This method uses a group of reference pointing data collected by an OPT mounted at the bottom of the antenna alidade to extract the twist effect of the alidade from the radio telescope pointing data, thus compared with the predicted twist by the track-alidade model. This method was applied to the 26 meter Nanshan Radio Telescope (NSRT 26 m), achieving good agreement with the model-predicted values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Muzhailing Tunnel, Gansu Province, China, runs for most (84.5%) of its length through layered slate. To study the mechanical properties of rock masses containing interbedded soft and hard layers, mechanical tests were conducted in the laboratory on hard limestone and soft carbonaceous slate. To simplify the application of mechanical analysis, an equivalent alternative strength model for soft and hard media was derived based on the strain energy equivalence criterion and the Mohr–Coulomb strength theory, and expressions for calculating the ultimate equilibrium stress point and failure azimuth were obtained. Based on the strength differences between soft- and hard-rock layers, an equivalent substitution calculation model was established for different thickness ratios and stress conditions with a strength ratio of 4:1. The influence of the thickness ratio and stress state on the ultimate stress curve was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angle-of-arrival (AOA) measurements are often used in underwater acoustical localization. Different from the traditional AOA model based on azimuth and elevation measurements, the AOA model studied in this paper uses bearing measurements. It is also often used in the Ultra-Short Baseline system (USBL). However, traditional acoustical localization needs additional range information. If the range information is unavailable, the closed-form solution is difficult to obtain only with bearing measurements. Thus, a localization closed-form solution using only bearing measurements is explored in this article. A pseudo-linear measurement model between the source position and the bearing measurements is derived, and considering the nonlinear relationship of the parameters, a weighted least-squares optimization equation based on multiple constraints is established. Different from the traditional two-step least-squares method, the semidefinite programming (SDP) method is designed to obtain the initial solution, and then a bias compensation method is proposed to further minimize localization errors based on the SDP result. Numerical simulations show that the performance of the proposed method can achieve Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) accuracy. The field test also proves that the proposed method can locate the source position without range measurements and obtain the highest positioning accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates and discusses four instruments found in a sixteenth century Spanish book of navigation. The night clock is a rather standard application of similar instruments known since the fourteenth century in Europe. Cortés' explanation of the causes of the deviation of the magnetic and geographical north is quite original. His instrument to correct for that the Polaris deviates from the North Celestial Pole is an original way of presenting the practical tradition of Spanish mariners. The general sundial is essentially a copy of the same instrument appearing in in Peter Apian's books Cosmographia LIber and Ein kunstlich Instrument but with an addition for finding the azimuth of sunrise and sunset. The paper also investigates a simple rule for finding the age of the Moon for any date. Observations of the Moon and its phases were an important part of navigational art for predicting with the tides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution and high-squint spaceborne spotlight synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has significant potential for extensive application in remote sensing, but its swath width effectiveness is constrained by a critical factor: severe range cell migration (RCM). To address this, pulse repetition interval (PRI) variation offers a practical scheme for raw data reception. However, the current designs for continuously varying PRI (CV-PRI) exhibit high complexity in engineering. In response to the issue, this paper proposes a novel strategy of stepwise varying PRI (SV-PRI), which demonstrates higher reconstruction accuracy compared with CV-PRI. Furthermore, confronting the azimuth non-uniform sampling characteristics induced by the PRI variation, this paper introduces a complete uniform reconstruction processing based on the azimuth partitioning methodology, which effectively alleviates the inherent contradiction between resolution and swath width. The processing flow, utilizing the temporal point remapping (TPR) concept, ensures the uniformity and coherence of dataset partitioning and reassembly in the context of the interpolation on non-uniform grids. Finally, according to the simulation results, the point target data, processed through the processing flow proposed in this study, have demonstrated effective focusing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polar format algorithm (PFA) is a widely used high-resolution SAR imaging algorithm that can be implemented in advanced widefield staring synthetic aperture radar (WFS-SAR). However, existing algorithms have limited analysis in wavefront curvature error (WCE) and are challenging to apply to WFS-SAR with high-resolution and large-swath scenes. This paper proposes an extended polar format algorithm for joint envelope and phase error correction in WFS-SAR imaging with maneuvering trajectory. The impact of the WCE and residual acceleration error (RAE) are analyzed in detail by deriving the specific wavenumber domain signal based on the mapping relationship between the geometry space and wavenumber space. Subsequently, this paper improves the traditional WCE compensation function and introduces a new range cell migration (RCM) recalibration function for joint envelope and phase error correction. The 2D precisely focused SAR image is acquired based on the spatially variant inverse filtering in the final. Simulation experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic Aperture Ladar (SAL) is a sensor that combines laser detection technology with synthetic aperture technology to achieve ultra-high-resolution imaging. Due to its extremely short wavelength, SAL is more sensitive to motion errors. The micrometer-level motion will affect the target's azimuth focus. This article proposes an SAL motion compensation method based on Symmetric Triangular Linear Frequency Modulation Continuous Wave (STLFMCW) segmented interference, utilizing the characteristics of a triangular wave, to solve the problem of target azimuth defocusing. This article first establishes an STLFMCW echo signal model based on the SAL system under the influence of motion errors. Secondly, the radial velocity gradient along the azimuth direction is extracted using the triangular-wave-positive and -negative frequency modulation signals segmented interference method. Then, for the initial phase wrapping problem, the frequency spectral cross-correlation method is used to accurately estimate the initial radial velocity error. The radial velocity gradient is integrated along the azimuth to obtain the platform motion trajectory. Finally, the compensation functions are constructed to complete the echo Range Cell Migration (RCM) correction and residual phase compensation, resulting in a focused SAL image. This article verifies the practical effect of this method in eliminating motion errors using only one-period STLFMCW signal through simulation and real experiments. The quantitative results show that compared with the traditional method, the proposed method reduces the azimuth Peak Sidelobe Ratio (PSLR) by 8dB and the Integrated Sidelobe Ratio (ISLR) by 9 dB. This method has significant improvements and is of great significance for high-resolution FMCW SAL imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we obtained the intensity and orbital angular momentum (OAM) spectral distribution of the scattering fields of vortex electromagnetic beams illuminating electrically large targets composed of different materials. We used the angular spectral decomposition method to decompose a vortex beam into plane waves in the spectral domain at different elevations and azimuths. We combined this method with the physical optics algorithm to calculate the scattering field distribution. The OAM spectra of the scattering field along different observation radii were analyzed using the spiral spectrum expansion method. The numerical results indicate that for beams with different parameters (such as polarization, topological charge, half-cone angle, and frequency) and targets with different characteristics (such as composition), the scattering field intensity distribution and OAM spectral characteristics varied considerably. When the beam parameters change, the results of scattering from different materials show similar changing trends. Compared with beams scattered by uncoated metal and dielectric targets, the scattering field of the coating target can better maintain the shape and OAM mode of beams from the incident field. The scattering characteristics of metal targets were the most sensitive to beam-parameter changes. The relationship between the beam parameters, target parameters, the scattering field intensity, and the OAM spectra of the scattering field was constructed, confirming that the spiral spectrum of the scattering field carries the target information. These findings can be used in remote sensing engineering to supplement existing radar imaging, laying the foundation for further identification of beam or target parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulated plastic greenhouses (IPG) were a new type of facility emerging in production in China. The mechanism of construct parameters on the indoor solar radiation deserves further study. A mathematical model that can well describe the spatial and temporal distribution of solar radiation in the greenhouse was established. Based on this model, the effects of multiple construct parameters, such as insulation blanket shading, height–span ratio, greenhouse azimuth, and geographical latitude, on the indoor solar radiation of IPG were quantitatively specified. The results showed that the spatial and temporal distribution of inside solar radiation was highly variable along the span direction of IPG. And by analyzing the simulation data, it was found that for different heights of greenhouses, the corresponding optimal span is different. Therefore, in the construction of greenhouses, the appropriate height–span ratio should be selected according to the planting demand. And by simulating the inside solar radiation under different greenhouse azimuth angles, it was found that accumulated daily solar radiation in the greenhouse reaches the optimum value when the greenhouse azimuth angle is in the range of 0–20°. This paper can provide theoretical guidance for the design and optimization of structure parameters of IPG in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the constraints in the costs and efficiency of seismic exploration acquisition, marine hydrocarbon exploration mainly relies on towed-streamer acquisition. However, the seismic data obtained from streamers have limited azimuthal coverage, posing significant challenges for the prediction of complex fractured reservoirs using azimuthal anisotropy features. To address this issue, we proposed a workflow for conventional offshore narrow-azimuth streamer data, including the local angle domain migration imaging and prestack anisotropy inversion methods based on the Rüger approximation equation. First, the local angle domain full-azimuth migration imaging method is used to perform prestack imaging processing on narrow-azimuth streamer seismic data, thus obtaining prestack gather data with azimuth information. The prestack anisotropy parameter inversion method is then used to predict the fracture intensity distribution. Finally, the method and technical process proposed in this paper are applied to the fractured reservoir description of buried hills reservoirs in the deepwater area of the northern South China Sea. The practical results demonstrate that the proposed workflow, which combines full-azimuth migration imaging processing and prestack azimuthal anisotropy parameter inversion, can accurately predict fractured reservoirs using narrow-azimuth seismic data acquired through marine towed-streamer surveys. This technical workflow is also applicable to fracture predictions and reservoir evaluations in similar seismic survey areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical angle plays a crucial role in data processing for refraction seismology. In the context of three‐dimensional data, the critical angle exhibits azimuthal dependence, particularly in the presence of an anisotropic model. In this paper, we propose a method to determine the critical angle (phase angle) and analyse the sensitivity of the critical angle to the model parameters and the available azimuthal range for both transversely isotropic medium with a vertical symmetry axis and orthorhombic models. For more complex orthorhombic models, the critical angle can be computed while considering changes in azimuth. In a numerical example, we apply sensitivity analysis to examine the existence of the critical angle and determine its corresponding values to variations in model parameters and the azimuthal range. Additionally, we conduct computations of the critical angle for the simplified acoustic and elliptical orthorhombic models. This analysis can be extended to encompass all model parameters for different wave modes (pure and converted waves), and they provide generalized predictions for the available range of data in seismic data processing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study constructs an intelligent wellbore trajectory prediction and BHA optimization process, which ensures efficient optimization of the BHA on the premise of high wellbore trajectory prediction accuracy, the MAE of deviation and azimuth angles of the borehole trajectory model was 0.35° and 0.55°. The optimized BHA can effectively improve the deflection effect. It also has obvious advantages in calculation efficiency and can provide effective guidance and theoretical support for on-site BHA optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to learn the dynamic radar cross-section (RCS) of a deflection air brake. Design/methodology/approach: The aircraft model with delta wing, V-shaped tail and blended wing body is designed, and high-precision unstructured grid technology is used to deal with the surface of air brake and fuselage. The calculation method based on multiple tracking and dynamic scattering is presented to calculate RCS. Findings: The fuselage has a low scattering level, and the opening air brake will bring obvious dynamic RCS effects to itself and the whole machine. The average indicator of air brake RCS can be lower than –0.6 dBm2 under the tail azimuth, while that of forward and lateral direction is lower. The mean RCS of fuselage is obviously higher than that of air brake, while the deflected air brake and its cabin can still provide strong scattering sources at some azimuths. When the air brake is opening, the change amplitude of the aircraft forward RCS can exceed 19.81 dBm2. Practical implications: This research has practical significance for the dynamic electromagnetic scattering analysis and stealth design of the air brake. Originality/value: The calculation method for aircraft RCS considering air brake dynamic deflection has been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure the operation safety and efficiency of an autonomous rice transplanter, a path planning method of obstacle avoidance based on the improved artificial potential field is proposed. Firstly, the obstacles are divided into circular or elliptic obstacles according to the difference between the length and width of an obstacle as well as the angle between the vehicle's forward direction and the length direction of the obstacle. Secondly, improved repulsive fields for circular and elliptic models are developed. To escape the local minimum and goal inaccessibility of the traditional artificial potential field as well as meet the requirements of agronomy and vehicle kinematics constraints, the adaptive setting and adjusting strategy for virtual goal points is proposed according to relative azimuth between obstacle and vehicle. The path smoothing method based on the B-spline interpolation method is presented. Finally, the intelligent obstacle avoidance algorithm is designed, and the path evaluation rule is given to obtain the low-cost, non-collision, smooth and shortest obstacle avoidance path. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed obstacle avoidance algorithm, simulation and field experiments are conducted. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed improved collision avoidance algorithm is highly effective and realizable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing amount of space debris poses a significant threat to operational satellites and space-based services. This article updates the community on the current status of the development of ATLAS, a tracking radar that is part of the EUSST network and aims to detect space objects in low Earth orbits. This article focuses on the latest activities performed: calibration of the pointing system and initial observations of space objects. The calibration procedure consisted of cross-scanning the Solar disk and yielded great results, obtaining an offset of 5.3° in azimuth and 0.10° in elevation. The first observation campaign resulted in 33 range detections of the International Space Station (ISS) with a probability of false alarm of  10 − 9 . The observations were then used to readjust the radar equation to assess the real-world performance of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distinct from conventional optical lenses suffering from the diffraction limit, the superoscillatory lens offers an alternative approach to realize far‐field sub‐diffraction focusing and find significant applications in both microscopy and telescopy. During the past few years, planar micro/nanostructures are unitized to precisely manipulate the optical fields through a standard lens to realize a superoscillatory field along the radial direction of the pupil. Here, an angular superoscillatory metalens (ASOM) is demonstrated by combining the superoscillatory phase and angular metalens phase in a single metasurface. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first work that focuses on the angular superoscillatory phenomenon. As a proof‐of‐concept application demo, this study shows the ASOM can map the received orbital angular modes (OAMs) into focusing patterns at the focal plane with different azimuth angles. Therefore, the OAM spectrum incorporating multiple modes can be determined with a single‐shot measurement according to the precalibrated mapping relationship. This study shows that the OAM resolution is scaled up about 3.2 times compared with a normal angular metalens, thanks to the shrinkage of the focal patterns. This approach may push the development of integrated and high‐dimensional optical and quantum systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Location of damage sources is an important aspect of structural health monitoring research. Acoustic emission (AE) technology is broadly concerned due to its potential advantages in damage monitoring and source localization. However, the traditional positioning method is based on the arrival of P wave, and the non-uniformity of concrete materials is not considered, resulting in poor accuracy at large distances. This paper describes a non-contact AE localization method using leaky Rayleigh waves via a new air-coupled MEMS microphones array unit. Compared with traditional contact detection, this method is convenient for rapid setup and monitoring in a wider range. The feasibility of the non-contact AE localization method was verified by numerical simulation and experiments. Azimuth (direction of arrival) of AE source is a key source parameter for damage location. The research shows that this method can determine the azimuth of AE source at different positions, the results are close to the actual coordinates. Non-contact monitoring method proposed in this paper is the basis for further research on the failure prediction of concrete plate-like structures such as tunnel lining and bridge deck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the role of visual speech in providing release from perceptual masking in children by comparing visual speech benefit across conditions with and without a spatial separation cue. Auditory-only and audiovisual speech recognition thresholds in a two-talker speech masker were obtained from 21 children with typical hearing (7–9 years of age) using a color–number identification task. The target was presented from a loudspeaker at 0° azimuth. Masker source location varied across conditions. In the spatially collocated condition, the masker was also presented from the loudspeaker at 0° azimuth. In the spatially separated condition, the masker was presented from the loudspeaker at 0° azimuth and a loudspeaker at –90° azimuth, with the signal from the –90° loudspeaker leading the signal from the 0° loudspeaker by 4 ms. The visual stimulus (static image or video of the target talker) was presented at 0° azimuth. Children achieved better thresholds when the spatial cue was provided and when the visual cue was provided. Visual and spatial cue benefit did not differ significantly depending on the presence of the other cue. Additional studies are needed to characterize how children's preferential use of visual and spatial cues varies depending on the strength of each cue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency–azimuth (FRAZ) spectrum is a critical characteristic in passive target detection and tracking, as it encapsulates information regarding the signal's frequency and azimuth. However, due to the inherent limitations in the sonar array's physical aperture and the analysis time of the system, the signal often suffers from undersampling in both spatial and temporal dimensions. This undersampling leads to energy leakage across the azimuth and frequency domains, adversely affecting the resolution of the FRAZ spectrum. Such a reduction in resolution hampers multitarget resolution and feature extraction. To address these challenges, this study introduces a deconvolution-based FRAZ spectrum estimation method tailored for uniform linear arrays. The proposed method initiates by decoupling the azimuth and frequency in the FRAZ spectrum, forming a two-dimensional point scattering function that possesses shift-invariance. Subsequent to this, the power spectrum and the two-dimensional point scattering function undergo deconvolution using the Richardson–Lucy (R–L) iterative algorithm. The final stage involves calculating the signal azimuths and frequencies based on the deconvolution results from the preceding step. Comparative analyses involving simulations and sea test results reveal that the proposed method achieves a narrower main lobe width and diminished background noise in contrast to traditional FRAZ spectrum estimation techniques. This improvement is instrumental in minimizing the target's energy leakage in both the azimuth and frequency domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the conflict between the current huge data volumes and the requirement for large-compression-ratio compression in space-borne multichannel SAR, this paper proposes a data compression method that uses the adaptive bit allocation BAQ method in the Doppler domain of space-borne multichannel SAR. Specifically, 3MBAQ, which denotes multichannel, multipulse, multiweight block-adaptive quantization, performs signal reconstruction through a Krieger filter to obtain the Doppler spectrum under azimuthal multichannel and multipulse conditions and then achieves nonuniform bit allocation by using the multiple weight contributions between subband spectra. Furthermore, large-compression-ratio compression can be realized in homogeneous scenarios by using the adaptive bit allocation BAQ method together with the improved bit error control (BEC) algorithm. In this paper, the effectiveness of the 3MBAQ method is verified on GF3 measured data. Moreover, compared to the SQNR and NMSE of the BAQ, A-BAQ, A-BAQ-BEC, MCBAQ-ASQ, and MCBAQ-BEC methods under the same conditions, it is shown that there is an optimal 1.3434 dB improvement in SQNR and a 0.0241 improvement in NMSE using the 3MBAQ algorithm, and the complexity of the algorithm for 3MBAQ is O (N 2 l o g (N)) , which is within acceptable limits, clearly proving the superiority of the 3MBAQ method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a new definition of oblique plate convergence. Our model considers arc-trench curvature on a spherical Earth, and defines obliquity as the angle between the direction of plate convergence and the azimuth from the central point along the arc to the center of curvature of the arcuate trench. We also show how this model may be extended to multiple-arc trenches. We apply this definition to the Western Sunda Arc, which has been traditionally considered the prime example of oblique plate convergence, particularly the segment corresponding to Sumatra. We define eight arc-like segments along this arc-trench system. Obliquity angles on these arc-like segments vary from 92° in the northernmost (Burmese) arc to 7° offshore the Sunda strait (between Sumatra and Java). The angle of obliquity offshore Sumatra is 31°, almost within the definition of slightly oblique convergence. Given the low angle of obliquity, partitioning along the Sumatran fault, in the southern portion of the Western Sunda Arc, is difficult to explain by oblique plate convergence alone. We suggest that the entire segment (or forearc) inboard of the Western Sunda Arc be dragged from the Burmese arc, where overriding and subducting plates are completely coupled and oblique plate convergence is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The horizontal fractures in the strata will close in the compaction effect of overlying strata, while the vertical cracks are widely developed, which can be equivalent to HTI (transverse isotropy with a horizontal axis of symmetry) medium. When an S-wave propagates into HTI media, the shear wave will divide into two types of waves: a fast S-wave and slow S-wave. When the strata of HTI are thin and overlapping, called the thin interbeds model, the wave field exhibits complex primary reflections, converted waves, and multiples. We introduce a new second-order approximation of the total reflection coefficient, with the incidence angle lower than the critical angle in thin-interbed HTI media using a recursive algorithm. We verify the effectiveness of the second-order approximation by analyzing the energy of multiples. Comparing the second-order approximate solution that degenerates the HTI medium into isotropic and Kennett's exact solution, we find that our solution has an accuracy of over 99.9% in any azimuth, with the incidence angle lower than the critical angle under P-wave incidence. However, our solution of the SP wave field is suitable for incidence azimuth angles between 0–75° and 120–180°, with the lowest accuracy occurring at an incidence angle of 25° and a relative error of 6.4%. The approximate solution in the SS wave field has the same applicable range as the SP wave, with the maximum error of 6.3% occurring at the incident angle of 1°. This new second-order approximate formula for the total reflection coefficient of thin interbeds composed of HTI helps us to understand the reflection characteristics of complex thin interbeds. It also lays a theoretical foundation for the development of AVO (Amplitude Versus Offset) analysis and inversion techniques for lithological and stratigraphic oil and gas reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Airborne circular synthetic aperture radar (CSAR) can realize high-resolution imaging of the scene over 360 degrees azimuth angle variation. Aiming at the problem of focusing of buildings for the airborne CSAR, this paper first analyzes the phase errors of CSAR buildings focusing in detail, and the analytic relationship between the scatterer height and azimuth focusing quality is deduced. Then, a focusing method of CSAR buildings based on the back projection algorithm is proposed. This method adopts the processing strategy of multi-layers imaging, and it is able to improve azimuth focusing quality of the buildings which have large height dimension. The proposed method is especially suitable for the high-resolution imaging and monitoring of the urban site with high-rise buildings in the airborne CSAR scenario. The correctness of the theoretical analysis and the validity of the proposed method are verified by using both simulation results and Ku-band airborne CSAR real data processing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to characterize the development of atmospheric fronts during the extratropical transition (ET) of tropical cyclones (TCs) as a function of their evolution during ET. Composite histograms indicate that the magnitude of the lower atmospheric frontogenesis and average sea‐surface temperature is different based on the nature of the TC's structural change during ET. We find that the development of cold and warm fronts evolves as expected from conceptual models of extratropical cyclones. Composites of these fronts relative to the completion of ET show that azimuth, storm motion, and deep‐layer shear all appear to have equal influence on the frontal positions. TCs that have more fronts at the time of ET onset complete ET more quickly, suggesting that pre‐existing fronts before ET begins may contribute to a shorter ET duration. The orientations of fronts at ET completion in the North Atlantic and west Pacific align with the climatological distributions of the sea‐surface temperatures associated with the western boundary currents in each of those basins. These results provide a perspective on the locations of frontal development within TCs undergoing ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the concept of the method of determining the direction of ultrasonic signal arrival, i.e., the azimuth and elevation angles. This method is an extension of the previous approach which was proposed to determine only the azimuth angle. The approach is based on the indirect phase determination. This makes it possible to tolerate spacing of receivers greater than half the wavelength of the received signal. At the same time, it provides increased measurement accuracy and reduced hardware requirements. To check the robustness of the method, simulations were carried out for the geometric arrangement of the receivers of the sonar module, for which the method was then implemented. This sonar module was used in the conducted experiments. The results of these simulations and experiments are included in the paper and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experimentally and numerically studied the peak-overpressure distribution outside an arbitrarily shaped underground magazine to elucidate its blast pressure-based safe distance. The underground magazine model had two sections: a chamber and a passageway. The safe distance was described as a circle whose radius and center strongly depended on the considered parameters: the internal-diameter ratio between the two sections and the total-internal-length- to-chamber-diameter ratio. The results of large-scale field explosion experiments using kilogram-order emulsion explosives showed that a smaller internal-diameter ratio and a larger total-internal-length-to-chamber-diameter ratio enhanced the mitigation of the blast wave outside the magazine. The numerically simulated peak overpressures outside the magazine reasonably agreed with the experimental ones. In addition, parametric studies were conducted to describe the blast pressure-based safe distance of an arbitrarily shaped underground magazine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cross-correlation function (CCF) of seismic noise recorded at two stations often exhibits a prominent burst of energy near zero time. However, the excitation mechanism of such unexpected signals remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that this phenomenon arises from constructive interference of body waves radiating from sources near the mid-vertical plane between two receivers. This interference is driven by the occurrence of an inflection point effect in the traveltime difference between waves reaching the two receivers. When noise source distribution is asymmetric, the cumulative effect of such sources results in the generation of zero-time waves. It is noteworthy that a noise source distribution that is either uniform or follows a cos ϕ pattern, with ϕ denoting the azimuth from the centre of the receiver pair, can counteract the formation of these waves. Additionally, our investigation reveals that this constructive interference does not occur in the correlation of 2-D surface waves. We used numerical simulation to support our findings. In conclusion, this study offers a theoretical explanation for the emergence of zero-time waves on the CCF and provides efficient means of investigating the extraction of inter-receiver waves with uneven noise source distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation indices based on selected wavelength reflectance measurements are used to represent crop growth and physiological conditions. However, it has been determined that the anisotropic properties of the crop canopy surface can govern both the spectral reflectance and vegetation indices. In this study, in order to investigate how crop surface reflectance and vegetation indices varied according to the direction of the light source and sensor viewing, a hyper-spectrometer of visible to nearinfrared wavelengths mounted on a field goniometer was used at vegetative and reproductive growth stages in rice paddy. It was found that most of the wavelength reflectance measurements produced by the sparse vegetation cover fraction were not sensitive to solar-illumination and sensor-viewing angles. In addition, the reflectance of visible wavelengths was found to be less sensitive to the solar and sensor angles than the red-edge and near-infrared wavelengths. The lowest normalized difference vegetation index value in a day occurred at the nadir sensor-viewing angle before rice heading, but after heading, when ripened grains began to bow, the lowest value was recorded at the sensor zenith angle of 25°. Enhanced vegetation index measurements were found to be more sensitive to the direction of sensor viewing and less affected by sun glint than normalized difference vegetation index measurements. Additional field observation measurements should increase our level of understanding of how vegetation indices change on anisotropic crop surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]