@phdthesis{RodriguezZuluaga2020,
  author    = {Rodriguez Zuluaga, Juan},
  title     = {Electric and magnetic characteristics of equatorial plasma depletions},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-44587},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-445873},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xvi, 87},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Near-Earth space represents a significant scientific and technological challenge. Particularly at magnetic low-latitudes, the horizontal magnetic field geometry at the dip equator and its closed field-lines support the existence of a distinct electric current system, abrupt electric field variations and the development of plasma irregularities. Of particular interest are small-scale irregularities associated with equatorial plasma depletions (EPDs). They are responsible for the disruption of trans-ionospheric radio waves used for navigation, communication, and Earth observation. The fast increase of satellite missions makes it imperative to study the near-Earth space, especially the phenomena known to harm space technology or disrupt their signals. EPDs correspond to the large-scale structure (i.e., tens to hundreds of kilometers) of topside F region irregularities commonly known as Spread F. They are observed as depleted-plasma density channels aligned with the ambient magnetic field in the post-sunset low-latitude ionosphere. Although the climatological variability of their occurrence in terms of season, longitude, local time and solar flux is well-known, their day to day variability is not. The sparse observations from ground-based instruments like radars and the few simultaneous measurements of ionospheric parameters by space-based instruments have left gaps in the knowledge of EPDs essential to comprehend their variability. In this dissertation, I profited from the unique observations of the ESA's Swarm constellation mission launched in November 2013 to tackle three issues that revealed novel and significant results on the current knowledge of EPDs. I used Swarm's measurements of the electron density, magnetic, and electric fields to answer, (1.) what is the direction of propagation of the electromagnetic energy associated with EPDs?, (2.) what are the spatial and temporal characteristics of the electric currents (field-aligned and diamagnetic currents) related to EPDs, i.e., seasonal/geographical, and local time dependencies?, and (3.) under what conditions does the balance between magnetic and plasma pressure across EPDs occur? The results indicate that: (1.) The electromagnetic energy associated with EPDs presents a preference for interhemispheric flows; that is, the related Poynting flux directs from one magnetic hemisphere to the other and varies with longitude and season. (2.) The field-aligned currents at the edges of EPDs are interhemispheric. They generally close in the hemisphere with the highest Pedersen conductance. Such hemispherical preference presents a seasonal/longitudinal dependence. The diamagnetic currents increase or decrease the magnetic pressure inside EPDs. These two effects rely on variations of the plasma temperature inside the EPDs that depend on longitude and local time. (3.) EPDs present lower or higher plasma pressure than the ambient. For low-pressure EPDs the plasma pressure gradients are mostly dominated by variations of the plasma density so that variations of the temperature are negligible. High-pressure EPDs suggest significant temperature variations with magnitudes of approximately twice the ambient. Since their occurrence is more frequent in the vicinity of the South Atlantic magnetic anomaly, such high temperatures are suggested to be due to particle precipitation. In a broader context, this dissertation shows how dedicated satellite missions with high-resolution capabilities improve the specification of the low-latitude ionospheric electrodynamics and expand knowledge on EPDs which is valuable for current and future communication, navigation, and Earth-observing missions. The contributions of this investigation represent several 'firsts' in the study of EPDs: (1.) The first observational evidence of interhemispheric electromagnetic energy flux and field-aligned currents. (2.) The first spatial and temporal characterization of EPDs based on their associated field-aligned and diamagnetic currents. (3.) The first evidence of high plasma pressure in regions of depleted plasma density in the ionosphere. These findings provide new insights that promise to advance our current knowledge of not only EPDs but the low-latitude post-sunset ionosphere environment.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{ArboledaZapata2023,
  author    = {Arboleda Zapata, Mauricio},
  title     = {Adapted inversion strategies for electrical resistivity data to explore layered near-surface environments},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-58135},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-581357},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {115},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method is widely used to investigate geological, geotechnical, and hydrogeological problems in inland and aquatic environments (i.e., lakes, rivers, and seas). The objective of the ERT method is to obtain reliable resistivity models of the subsurface that can be interpreted in terms of the subsurface structure and petrophysical properties. The reliability of the resulting resistivity models depends not only on the quality of the acquired data, but also on the employed inversion strategy. Inversion of ERT data results in multiple solutions that explain the measured data equally well. Typical inversion approaches rely on different deterministic (local) strategies that consider different smoothing and damping strategies to stabilize the inversion. However, such strategies suffer from the trade-off of smearing possible sharp subsurface interfaces separating layers with resistivity contrasts of up to several orders of magnitude. When prior information (e.g., from outcrops, boreholes, or other geophysical surveys) suggests sharp resistivity variations, it might be advantageous to adapt the parameterization and inversion strategies to obtain more stable and geologically reliable model solutions. Adaptations to traditional local inversions, for example, by using different structural and/or geostatistical constraints, may help to retrieve sharper model solutions. In addition, layer-based model parameterization in combination with local or global inversion approaches can be used to obtain models with sharp boundaries. In this thesis, I study three typical layered near-surface environments in which prior information is used to adapt 2D inversion strategies to favor layered model solutions. In cooperation with the coauthors of Chapters 2-4, I consider two general strategies. Our first approach uses a layer-based model parameterization and a well-established global inversion strategy to generate ensembles of model solutions and assess uncertainties related to the non-uniqueness of the inverse problem. We apply this method to invert ERT data sets collected in an inland coastal area of northern France (Chapter~2) and offshore of two Arctic regions (Chapter~3). Our second approach consists of using geostatistical regularizations with different correlation lengths. We apply this strategy to a more complex subsurface scenario on a local intermountain alluvial fan in southwestern Germany (Chapter~4). Overall, our inversion approaches allow us to obtain resistivity models that agree with the general geological understanding of the studied field sites. These strategies are rather general and can be applied to various geological environments where a layered subsurface structure is expected. The flexibility of our strategies allows adaptations to invert other kinds of geophysical data sets such as seismic refraction or electromagnetic induction methods, and could be considered for joint inversion approaches.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Koyan2024,
  author    = {Koyan, Philipp},
  title     = {3D attribute analysis and classification to interpret ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data collected across sedimentary environments: Synthetic studies and field examples},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-63948},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-639488},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xi, 115, A51},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die Untersuchung des oberfl{\"a}chennahen Untergrundes erfolgt heutzutage bei Frage- stellungen aus den Bereichen des Bauwesens, der Arch{\"a}ologie oder der Geologie und Hydrologie oft mittels zerst{\"o}rungsfreier beziehungsweise zerst{\"o}rungsarmer Methoden der angewandten Geophysik. Ein Bereich, der eine immer zentralere Rolle in Forschung und Ingenieurwesen einnimmt, ist die Untersuchung von sediment{\"a}ren Umgebungen, zum Beispiel zur Charakterisierung oberfl{\"a}chennaher Grundwassersysteme. Ein in diesem Kontext h{\"a}ufig eingesetztes Verfahren ist das des Georadars (oftmals GPR - aus dem Englischen ground-penetrating radar). Dabei werden kurze elektromagnetische Impulse von einer Antenne in den Untergrund ausgesendet, welche dort wiederum an Kontrasten der elektromagnetischen Eigenschaften (wie zum Beispiel an der Grundwasseroberfl{\"a}che) reflektiert, gebrochen oder gestreut werden. Eine Empfangsantenne zeichnet diese Signale in Form derer Amplituden und Laufzeiten auf. Eine Analyse dieser aufgezeichneten Signale erm{\"o}glicht Aussagen {\"u}ber den Untergrund, beispielsweise {\"u}ber die Tiefenlage der Grundwasseroberfl{\"a}che oder die Lagerung und Charakteristika oberfl{\"a}chennaher Sedimentschichten. Dank des hohen Aufl{\"o}sungsverm{\"o}gens der GPR-Methode sowie stetiger technologischer Entwicklungen erfolgt heutzutage die Aufzeichnung von GPR- Daten immer h{\"a}ufiger in 3D. Trotz des hohen zeitlichen und technischen Aufwandes f{\"u}r die Datenakquisition und -bearbeitung werden die resultierenden 3D-Datens{\"a}tze, welche den Untergrund hochaufl{\"o}send abbilden, typischerweise von Hand interpretiert. Dies ist in der Regel ein {\"a}ußerst zeitaufwendiger Analyseschritt. Daher werden oft repr{\"a}sentative 2D-Schnitte aus dem 3D-Datensatz gew{\"a}hlt, in denen markante Reflektionsstrukuren markiert werden. Aus diesen Strukturen werden dann sich {\"a}hnelnde Bereiche im Untergrund als so genannte Radar-Fazies zusammengefasst. Die anhand von 2D-Schnitten erlangten Resultate werden dann als repr{\"a}sentativ f{\"u}r die gesamte untersuchte Fl{\"a}che angesehen. In dieser Form durchgef{\"u}hrte Interpretationen sind folglich oft unvollst{\"a}ndig sowie zudem in hohem Maße von der Expertise der Interpretierenden abh{\"a}ngig und daher in der Regel nicht reproduzierbar. Eine vielversprechende Alternative beziehungsweise Erg{\"a}nzung zur manuellen In- terpretation ist die Verwendung von so genannten GPR-Attributen. Dabei werden nicht die aufgezeichneten Daten selbst, sondern daraus abgeleitete Gr{\"o}ßen, welche die markanten Reflexionsstrukturen in 3D charakterisieren, zur Interpretation herangezogen. In dieser Arbeit wird anhand verschiedener Feld- und Modelldatens{\"a}tze untersucht, welche Attribute sich daf{\"u}r insbesondere eignen. Zudem zeigt diese Arbeit, wie ausgew{\"a}hlte Attribute mittels spezieller Bearbeitungs- und Klassifizierungsmethoden zur Erstellung von 3D-Faziesmodellen genutzt werden k{\"o}nnen. Dank der M{\"o}glichkeit der Erstellung so genannter attributbasierter 3D-GPR-Faziesmodelle k{\"o}nnen zuk{\"u}nftige Interpretationen zu gewissen Teilen automatisiert und somit effizienter durchgef{\"u}hrt werden. Weiterhin beschreiben die so erhaltenen Resultate den untersuchten Untergrund in reproduzierbarer Art und Weise sowie umf{\"a}nglicher als es bisher mittels manueller Interpretationsmethoden typischerweise m{\"o}glich war.},
  language  = {en}
}