[1] Radio occultation events recorded on 28-29 July 2004 by a GPS receiver aboard the GRACE-B satellite are analyzed. The stability of the receiver clock allows for the derivation of excess phase profiles using a zero difference technique, rendering the calibration procedure with concurrent observations of a reference GPS satellite obsolete. 101 refractivity profiles obtained by zero differencing and 96 profiles calculated with an improved single difference method are compared with co-located ECMWF meteorological analyses. Good agreement is found at altitudes between 5 and 30 km with an average fractional refractivity deviation below 1% and a standard deviation of 2 -3%. Results from end-to-end simulations are consistent with these observations.

Abstract. CHAMP (CHAllenging Minisatellite Payload) and GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) formed a satellite configuration for precise atmospheric sounding during the first activation of the GPS (Global Positioning System) radio occultation experiment aboard GRACE on 28 and 29 July 2004. 338 occultations were recorded aboard both satellites, providing globally distributed vertical profiles of refractivity, temperature and specific humidity. The combined set of CHAMP and GRACE profiles shows excellent agreement with meteorological analysis. Almost no refractivity bias is observed between 5 and 30 km, the standard deviation is between 1 and 2% within this altitude interval. The GRACE satellite clock stability is significantly improved in comparison with CHAMP. This allows for the application of a zero difference technique for precise analysis of the GRACE occultation data.

Time-variable gravity field models derived from observations of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission, whose science operations phase ended in June 2017 after more than 15 years, enabled a multitude of studies of Earth’s surface mass transport processes and climate change. The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), routinely processing such monthly gravity fields as part of the GRACE Science Data System, has reprocessed the complete GRACE mission and released an improved GFZ GRACE RL06 monthly gravity field time series. This study provides an insight into the processing strategy of GFZ RL06 which has been considerably changed with respect to previous GFZ GRACE releases, and modifications relative to the precursor GFZ RL05a are described. The quality of the RL06 gravity field models is analyzed and discussed both in the spectral and spatial domain in comparison to the RL05a time series. All results indicate significant improvements of about 40% in terms of reduced noise. It is also shown that the GFZ RL06 time series is a step forward in terms of consistency, and that errors of the gravity field coefficients are more realistic. These findings are confirmed as well by independent validation of the monthly GRACE models, as done in this work by means of ocean bottom pressure in situ observations and orbit tests with the GOCE satellite. Thus, the GFZ GRACE RL06 time series allows for a better quantification of mass changes in the Earth system.

AB STRACTThe Tai wan/US FORMOSAT-3/COS MIC (FORMOsa SAT el lite mis sion -3/Con stel la tion Ob serv ing Sys tem for Me te o rol ogy, Ion o sphere and Cli mate) sat el lite con stel la tion was suc cess fully launched on 14 April 2006. It is ex pected to le ver age the use of the GPS (Global Po si tion ing Sys tem) ra dio occultation data for at mo spheric and ion o spheric re search to im prove global weather fore casts and aid cli mate change re lated stud ies. FORMOSAT-3/COS MIC, to gether with the Eu ro pean MetOp, Ger man CHAMP and US/Ger man GRACE-A sat el lites, form a 9 sat el lite con stel la tion for pre cise at mo spheric sound ing on a global scale. This sat el lite con stel la tion is expected to provide about 3500 occultation measurements daily.Re cent re sults and the sta tus of the CHAMP and GRACE-A or bit and occultation data anal y sis are re viewed and com ple mented with a re view of ini tial re sults from FORMOSAT-3/COS MIC at GFZ. The sig nif i cantly in creased po ten tial of the CHAMP, GRACE-A and FORMOSAT-3/COS MIC con stel la tion for at mo spheric stud ies, com pared to sin gle sat el lite mis sions, is dem on strated for se lected ap pli ca tions such as global mon i tor ing of wa ter va por dis tri bu tions, tropo pause parameters and ionospheric irregularities.

According to the World Health Organization, post-traumatic mortality rates are still very high and show an increasing tendency. Disorders of innate immune response that may increase the risk of serious complications play a key role in the immunological system response to trauma and infection. The mechanism of these disorders is multifactorial and is still poorly understood. The changing concepts of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and compensatory anti-inflammatory response syndrome (CARS) early inflammatory response, presented in this work, have been extended to genetic studies. Overexpression of genes and increased production of immune response mediators are among the main causes of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Changes in gene expression detected early after injury precede the occurrence of subsequent complications with a typical clinical picture. Rapid depletion of energy resources leads to immunosuppression and persistent inflammation and immune suppression catabolism syndrome (PICS). Early diagnosis of immune disorders and appropriate nutritional therapy can significantly reduce the incidence of complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality. The study presents the development of knowledge and current views explaining the mechanisms of the immune response to trauma and infection.

Abstract. The LARES (LAser RElativity Satellite) satellite was successfully launched in February 2012. The LARES space experiment is based on the orbital determinations of the laser ranged satellites LARES, LAGEOS (LAser GEOdynamics Satellite) and LAGEOS 2 together with the determination of the Earth's gravity field by the GRACE (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment) mission. It will test some fundamental physics predictions and provide accurate measurements of the framedragging effect predicted by Einstein's theory of General Relativity. By one hundred Monte Carlo simulations of the LARES experiment, with simulations of the orbits of LARES, LAGEOS and LAGEOS 2 according to the latest GRACE gravity field determinations, we found that the systematic errors in the measurement of framedragging amount to about 1.4% of the general relativistic effect, confirming previous error analyses.

No abstract

Free-radical mediated injury occurring in the donor and during preservation is strictly correlated with immediate and long-term kidney function. It may also cause grafts to be prone to acute rejection.