JPH07113877A - Detecting method for amount of snowmelt - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately estimate the amount of snowmelt by an apparatus which can be easily handled by obtaining a snowfall by utilizing an attenuation amount of a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave. CONSTITUTION:An oscillator 11 for oscillating a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave and a detector 13 for receiving a sound wave or ultrasonic wave signal are oppositely disposed through a space in which snow is deposited therebetween. A processor 12 compares an intensity of the signal with that of the signal received by the detector 13 to obtain a snowfall by its attenuated amount, and calculates the amount of snowmelt. The sound wave or ultrasonic wave signal having a plurality of different frequencies is oscillated or a series of coded sound wave or ultrasonic wave signals are oscillated to accurately obtain the snowfall irrespective of a snowfall state. The oscillated sound wave or ultrasonic wave signal is frequency-modulated thereby to transmit observing conditions, etc., from the oscillator 11 to the detector 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for detecting the amount of snow water using sound waves or ultrasonic waves,
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for detecting the amount of snow water that is suitable for use in predicting the amount of water for shipping and distribution plans performed by electric power companies and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The amount of snow in mountainous areas is 4-5 m above the ground.
It may be at the height of the sea, and due to changes in the weather, conditions may change during deposition and become ice-like in the lower layers. A method using a radioisotope has been conventionally known as a method for predicting such a snow water amount.

The above method is a method of predicting the amount of snow water by burying a radioisotope source in the soil and installing a detector at a fixed position on the ground to detect the amount of attenuation of radiation emitted by the radioisotope. is there.

[0004]

By the way, the method of predicting the amount of snow water using the radioisotope as described above is inconvenient to handle the radioisotope, and the radioisotope may be harmful to the human body. There were many problems, such as the fact that In other words, the handling of radioisotopes requires legal permission and qualification, and
Danger signs must be clearly defined at every snowfall stage, and it is necessary for people not to easily approach them.

As described above, the method using a radioisotope has many problems, and an alternative method has been conventionally desired. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and obtains the amount of snow using the attenuation amount of sound waves or ultrasonic waves and predicts the amount of snow water to obtain legal permission or special An object of the present invention is to provide a snow water amount detection method capable of estimating the snow water amount with the same degree of accuracy as when a radioisotope is used without requiring qualification.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 of the present invention is directed to an oscillating device 11 for oscillating a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave, and a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal output by the oscillating device 11. Of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal output by the oscillation device 11 and the sound wave or ultrasonic signal received by the detection device 13, Calculate the attenuation of sound wave or ultrasonic signal by comparing intensities,
The amount of snow accumulated between the oscillating device 11 and the detecting device 13 is obtained from the above attenuation amount, and the amount of snow water is calculated from the obtained amount of snow.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the oscillator 11 oscillates a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal having a plurality of different frequencies, and oscillates at each frequency of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal. The amount of attenuation is obtained by comparing the intensity of the received sound wave or ultrasonic signal with the intensity of the received sound wave or ultrasonic signal. According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the oscillator 11 oscillates a series of coded sound waves or ultrasonic signals, and each oscillated code signal and each received code signal. Is decoded to determine whether or not the oscillated code signal is received without error, and the attenuation amount for the code signal with few errors is obtained.

The invention of claim 4 of the present invention is the same as that of claims 1 and 2.
Alternatively, in the third aspect of the invention, parameters such as observation conditions are transmitted from the oscillation device 11 to the detection device 13 by frequency-modulating a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal oscillated by the oscillation device 11.

[0009]

The function of the sound wave or ultrasonic wave is attenuated by obstacles such as snow. Therefore, by arranging a device that oscillates a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave and a device that detects a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave so as to face each other, and obtain the attenuation amount of the sound wave or the ultrasonic wave received by the detection device, a space between the oscillation device and the detection device is obtained. You can know the amount of snow accumulated in the area.

The snow density ρ is the amount of snowfall H (ground surface H =
0), and its density is a function of snowfall ρ
It is represented by (H). Therefore, once the amount of snow is obtained, the next
By calculating the formula, the volume H x 1 cm ²Product of hits
Snow water amount W [g / cm²] (= [Cc / cm²])
You can

[0011] The present invention is designed to estimate the amount of snow water based on the above-mentioned principle. In the invention of claim 1 of the present invention, the intensity of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal output by the oscillator 11 as described above, The intensity of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal received by the detection device 13 is compared to obtain the attenuation amount of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal, and the oscillation device 11 is calculated from the attenuation amount.
Since the amount of snow accumulated between the sensor and the detection device 13 is calculated and the amount of snow water is calculated from the obtained amount of snow, it is about the same as when a radioisotope is used without requiring legal permission or special qualification. The amount of snow water can be estimated with the accuracy of.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the oscillating device 11 oscillates a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal having a plurality of different frequencies, and for each frequency of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal. The intensity of the oscillated sound wave or ultrasonic signal is compared with the strength of the received sound wave or ultrasonic signal to determine the amount of attenuation, so even if the snow cover changes, the sound wave or ultrasonic wave at any frequency The amount of snowfall can be obtained from the attenuation of sound waves, and the amount of snowfall can be obtained accurately regardless of the snowfall state.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect of the invention, the oscillator 11 oscillates a series of encoded sound waves or ultrasonic signals, and receives the oscillated code signals and the received code signals. Each code signal is decoded to determine whether or not the oscillated code signal is received without error, and the attenuation amount for the code signal with few errors is determined. It is possible to accurately determine the amount of snow regardless of the state.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first, second or third aspect of the invention, the oscillator 11 is used.
Since parameters such as observation conditions are transmitted from the oscillating device 11 to the detecting device 13 by frequency-modulating a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal oscillated by the device, when a plurality of sensors are present, the parameters are simultaneously transmitted and the receiving device It is possible to confirm whether the operation is reliable, and it is possible to reduce the number of cables for signal transmission.

[0015]

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the overall construction of an embodiment of the present invention, which shows an example in which the apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention is installed on the hillside. In the figure, reference numeral 11 is an ultrasonic oscillating device for generating an ultrasonic signal, and 12 is a process for estimating the amount of snow water based on the intensity of the received ultrasonic signal and recording the amount of snow water or transmitting it to the central station wirelessly. It is desirable that the ultrasonic oscillating device 11 and the processing device 12 are installed in the ground to mitigate the effect of lowering the temperature, and the ultrasonic oscillating device 11 has a hillside surface that is flush with other surfaces. Install it in the concave part of the ground so that it looks like.

Reference numeral 13 is an ultrasonic wave detecting device for detecting an ultrasonic wave signal oscillated by the ultrasonic wave oscillating device 11, 14 is a temperature sensor for detecting the ambient temperature, 15 is a lightning rod, 16 is the ultrasonic wave oscillating device 11, and the processing device 12 And a solar cell that supplies power to the ultrasonic detecting device 13 and the like, 17 is a wireless antenna that transmits the estimated snow water amount and observation conditions, and 18 is a ground for the lightning rod, and the ultrasonic detecting device 13 and the first The temperature sensor 14, the solar cell 16, the wireless antenna 17, and the like are installed at a height (up to about 4 m) at which the temperature sensor 14, the solar cell 16, the wireless antenna 17, etc. are not buried by snow.

In the figure, the ultrasonic wave signal oscillated by the ultrasonic wave oscillating device 11 is attenuated according to the amount of snow accumulated on the hillside, and the ultrasonic wave detecting device 13 detects this attenuated ultrasonic wave signal. The processing device 12 estimates the amount of snow water based on the amount of attenuation of the detected ultrasonic signal, records the amount of snow and the estimated amount of snow water, and transmits it to a central station (not shown).
Further, the processing device 12 wirelessly transmits various kinds of observation data such as ambient temperature, snow temperature, underground temperature, air volume, and wind direction to the central station.

The central station calculates the total amount of snow water based on these observation conditions transmitted from various places, the amount of snow, and the amount of snow water. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configurations of the ultrasonic oscillator 11, the processor 12, and the ultrasonic detector 13 described above. In the figure, 11 is an ultrasonic oscillator, 11a is an f (v) setter for setting the oscillation frequency,
Reference numeral 1b is a calibrator that calibrates the oscillation frequency and intensity of ultrasonic waves according to the measured ambient temperature and the temperature of the installation location of the ultrasonic oscillator 11.

Reference numeral 11c is a modulator, and the modulator 11c comprises a plurality of voltage frequency converters 111, a buffer amplifier 112 and a frequency switching means 113 as shown in FIG. 2, and the frequency switching means 113 has a predetermined time interval. The oscillating frequency is switched by, or the oscillating frequency is switched in accordance with the reception condition of the ultrasonic signal sent from the ultrasonic detecting device 13.
Further, the modulator 11c frequency-modulates (FM-modulates, etc.) one output of the voltage frequency converter 111 according to the calibration condition in the calibrator 11b. In the above description, the oscillating frequency is switched by the frequency switching means 113, but a plurality of voltage frequency converters 111 having different frequencies are simultaneously operated to simultaneously generate ultrasonic waves having different frequencies. You can also

Reference numeral 11d is an oscillator for oscillating an ultrasonic pulse signal having a frequency corresponding to the output of the modulator 11c. The oscillation frequency of the oscillator 11d that oscillates ultrasonic signals is from kHz to
Although several hundreds of kHz is desirable, in order to avoid resonance due to air bubbles, avoid a band of several tens of kHz to 100 kHz,
It is desirable that the frequency band is from kHz to several tens of kHz or 100 kHz.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 is a processing device, and 1
2a indicates the ambient temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 14 and the temperature at the installation location of the ultrasonic oscillation device 11 detected by the second temperature sensor 19
1 is a temperature measuring device, 12b is a comparator for comparing the signal received by the ultrasonic detection device 13 with the signal output by the modulator 11c, and 12c is a snow water amount measurement for estimating the snow water amount based on the output of the comparator 12b. Vessel, 12d is a recording device for recording the observation conditions such as estimated snow water amount, temperature, and air flow, 1
Reference numeral 2e is a wireless transmission device that wirelessly transmits observation conditions such as the estimated snow water amount, temperature, air flow amount, and wind direction to a central station (not shown), and 12f is a power supply device.

Reference numeral 13 is an ultrasonic wave detecting device, 13a is a receiving device for receiving ultrasonic waves, 13b is a demodulator for demodulating the received ultrasonic signal and converting it into a voltage signal, and 13c is a demodulator 1.
A shaping circuit for shaping the output waveform of 3b, 13d is a demodulator 13b based on the calibration condition transmitted from the ultrasonic oscillator 11 by superimposing on the ultrasonic signal and the output of the first temperature sensor 14.
It is a calibrator that compensates the output of the temperature.

Further, 14 is a first temperature sensor for measuring the ambient temperature, 15 is a lightning rod, 16 is a solar cell, 1
Reference numeral 7 is a wireless antenna, and 19 is a second temperature sensor that measures the temperature of the installation location of the ultrasonic oscillator. Next, the operation of this embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 will be described. In FIG. 1, the output of the solar cell 16 is given to the power supply device 12f,
The power supply device 12f is an ultrasonic oscillator 11, a processing device 12,
Power is supplied to the ultrasonic detection device 13.

On the other hand, the output signal of the f (v) setter 11a of the ultrasonic oscillator 11 is sent to the modulator 11c. In the modulator 11c, the frequency switching means 113 of FIG. 2 switches the oscillation frequency at predetermined time intervals, or switches the oscillation frequency according to the reception status of the ultrasonic signal sent from the ultrasonic detection device 13. Further, the output frequency of one of the voltage frequency converters 111 in the modulator 11c is the calibrator 1
Frequency modulation is performed according to the calibration condition 1b.

The output of the modulator 11c is sent to the oscillating device 11d, which oscillates an ultrasonic pulse signal, which is detected by the ultrasonic detecting device 13. On the other hand, the ambient temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 14 is sent to the calibrator 13d of the ultrasonic detection device 13. Further, the ambient temperature detected by the first and second temperature sensors 14 and 19 and the temperature of the installation location of the ultrasonic oscillator 11 are sent to the calibrator 11b of the ultrasonic oscillator 11 by the temperature measuring device 12a.

The calibrator 11b is provided to calibrate that the intensity and frequency of the ultrasonic signal change with temperature. The calibrator 11b calibrates the output of the modulator 11d according to the temperature, and the oscillator 11e outputs it. The intensity and frequency of the ultrasonic pulse signal to be controlled are set to predetermined values. In addition, the calibration conditions in the calibrator 11b are, as described above, the oscillation device 1
The ultrasonic detection device 1 is superimposed on the ultrasonic signal output by 1d.
Sent to 3.

Since the calibration conditions are not always sent from the ultrasonic oscillator 11, the temperature of the ultrasonic detector 13 as a whole is compensated by the output of the first temperature sensor 14 at all times. When the calibration condition is sent from, the calibration condition is referred to and calibrated. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the amount of attenuation of the ultrasonic signal when there is an obstacle such as snow between the ultrasonic oscillator and the ultrasonic receiver. In FIG. 4, the vertical axis represents the measurement level (V) at the receiver, The abscissa indicates the fault level (m) between the receiver and the transmitter, and the figure shows the actual measurement result when the distance between the oscillator and the receiver is 5 m.

As is apparent from the figure, when the ultrasonic wave signal passes through the object, the ultrasonic wave signal is attenuated according to the obstacle level. Therefore, the ultrasonic wave pulse signal output from the oscillator 11e is the ultrasonic wave oscillator. It is attenuated by the snow accumulated between 11 and the ultrasonic detecting device 13, and is received by the ultrasonic detecting device 13. Also, in this case, the snow conditions (eg, water content,
The state of the ultrasonic pulse signal received by the ultrasonic detecting device 13 changes depending on whether it is iced or not, and the noise rate and the like also change. Therefore, the oscillating frequency of the ultrasonic signal according to the state of snow and the like is obtained in advance by experiments or the like so that ultrasonic pulse signals of several kinds of frequencies can be oscillated, and modulated according to the receiving state in the ultrasonic detecting device 13. The frequency output from the device 11d is switched, and signals of different frequencies are simultaneously generated.

The ultrasonic pulse signal received by the receiving device 13a is demodulated by the demodulator 13b and shaped by the shaping circuit 1.
The waveform is shaped by 3c and sent to the processing device 12. Further, the calibrator 13d performs temperature compensation of the demodulator 13b based on the ambient temperature detected by the first temperature sensor 14 and the calibration condition sent from the ultrasonic oscillator 11. In addition,
As described above, since the calibration conditions are not always sent from the ultrasonic oscillator 11, the temperature of the entire ultrasonic detector 13 is always compensated by the output of the first temperature sensor 14.

Ultrasonic detector 1 sent to the processor 12
The output of 3 is sent to the comparator 12b. The comparator 12b compares the output of the modulator 11c of the ultrasonic oscillator 11 and the intensity of the ultrasonic signal detected by the ultrasonic detector 13 to obtain the amount of attenuation of the ultrasonic signal due to snowfall. Here, as described above, since the ultrasonic oscillator 11 outputs ultrasonic pulse signals of several different frequencies, the comparator 12b obtains the attenuation amounts of the ultrasonic pulse signals of several different frequencies.

The snow water amount measuring device 12c selects an attenuation amount having a small noise ratio and a small variation in strength from the attenuation amounts of the ultrasonic signals of several kinds of frequencies output by the comparator 12b. The amount of snowfall is calculated based on the attenuation curve shown in FIG. Here, the snow density ρ (H) (H is the amount of snow covered, ground surface H = 0) becomes smaller according to the height from the ground surface, and generally changes as shown in FIG. That is,
The density of fresh snow is about 0.12 g / cm ³ , the density of ice is 0.912 g / cm ³ , and the snow on the ground surface is almost ice-like, so the density of snow at H = 0 ρ ( 0) is about 0.912 g / cm ³ , and since the snow surface is fresh, the density is about 0.12 g / cm ³ .

Therefore, if the amount of snowfall is obtained, the following equation is calculated.
Volume H × 1cm by adding ²Amount of snow water per hit
W [g / cm²] (= [Cc / cm²])
You canThe snow water amount measuring device 12c calculates the above formula to obtain the snow amount.
Calculate the amount of snow water. Obtained by the snow water measuring device 12c
When the accumulated snow water amount is sent to the recording device 12d and recorded.
Both are converted to radio signals by the wireless transmitter 12e
Send from the line antenna 17 to the central station (not shown)
The central station is based on the amount of snow water sent from various places.
Based on this, the total amount of snow water is predicted.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the ultrasonic wave oscillating device generates ultrasonic signals of a plurality of frequencies, and among the ultrasonic wave signals received by the ultrasonic wave detecting device 13, the noise ratio, variations, etc. Since the attenuation rate due to snowfall is obtained by using the ultrasonic signal having a small frequency, the snowfall amount can be obtained accurately without being affected by the snowfall state or the like. Further, since parameters such as observation conditions are transmitted by being superposed on the ultrasonic signal, the number of cables for signal transmission can be reduced.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, in the first embodiment, for example, an M-sequence random number is provided before the modulator 11c of the ultrasonic oscillator 11. A coder 11e for generating a series of code signals composed of a plurality of code signals coded by the above is provided, and a comparator 12b of the processing device 12 is provided with a function of determining whether or not the code signals are correctly received. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

In the present embodiment, when an ultrasonic wave signal is generated from the ultrasonic wave oscillating device 11, a series of code signals composed of, for example, M-series random numbers is generated by the encoder 11e, and the series of code signals is modulated. Modulation is performed by 11c to generate an ultrasonic pulse signal. On the other hand, the ultrasonic detecting device 13 sends the code of the received ultrasonic pulse signal to the processing device 12.

The comparator 12b of the processing unit 12 is the modulator 11
The intensity of the code signal sent from c and the code signal received by the ultrasonic detector 13 are compared to obtain the attenuation amount, and the oscillated code signal and the received code signal are respectively decoded to obtain the noise ratio and the like, and the oscillation is performed. It is determined whether the code signal is received without error. The snow water amount measuring device 12c determines the snow amount by selecting the attenuation amount for the code signal having a small error in the series of code signals output by the ultrasonic oscillator 11, and determines the snow water amount as described above.

As described above, in the present embodiment, for example, among the code signals received by the ultrasonic detecting device 13, an ultrasonic signal composed of a series of code signals encoded by M-sequence random numbers or the like is generated, Since the attenuation rate due to snowfall is obtained using a code signal with few errors, the snowfall amount can be obtained accurately without being affected by the snowfall state or the like, as in the first embodiment.

It should be noted that both the means for oscillating ultrasonic signals of several different frequencies as shown in the first embodiment and the means for oscillating ultrasonic signals made up of the code signal as shown in the second embodiment. It is possible to determine the attenuation amount due to snowfall that generates a series of code signals while switching the frequency, and it is also possible to determine the attenuation amount due to snowfall by either one of the means.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, an oscillating device that oscillates a sound wave or an ultrasonic wave and a detecting device that receives a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal output by the oscillating device are provided with snow accumulated between them. Opposite to each other through the space, and compares the strength of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal output by the oscillator with the strength of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal received by the detector to obtain the attenuation of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal. , The amount of snow accumulated between the oscillator and the detector is calculated from the above attenuation, and the amount of snow water is calculated from the obtained amount of snow, so radio isotopes can be installed without requiring legal permission or special qualification. The amount of snow water can be estimated with the same accuracy as when used.

Further, the sound wave or ultrasonic signal having a plurality of different frequencies is oscillated, the strength of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal oscillated for each frequency of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal, and the strength of the received sound wave or ultrasonic signal. To obtain the amount of attenuation, or to oscillate a series of encoded sound waves or ultrasonic signals, decode each oscillated code signal and each received code signal, and receive the oscillated code signal without error. It is possible to accurately determine the snowfall amount regardless of the snowfall state by determining whether or not the snowfall has been performed and determining the attenuation amount for the code signal with few errors.

Furthermore, by frequency-modulating the oscillating sound wave or ultrasonic signal, parameters such as observation conditions can be transmitted from the oscillating device to the detecting device, and the number of cables for signal transmission can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a modulator in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing attenuation of sound waves or ultrasonic signals due to snowfall.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between the amount of snow and the density of snow.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 ultrasonic wave oscillating device 11a f (v) setting device 11b calibrator 11c modulator 111 voltage frequency converter 112 buffer amplifier 113 frequency switching means 11d oscillating device 12 processing device 12a temperature measuring device 12b comparator 12c snow water amount measuring device 12d record Device 12e Wireless transmission device 12f Power supply device 13 Ultrasonic detection device 13a Reception device 13b Demodulator 13c Shaping circuit 13d Calibrator 14,19 Temperature sensor 15 Lightning rod 16 Solar cell 17 Wireless antenna 18 Ground for lightning rod

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An oscillating device for oscillating sound waves or ultrasonic waves
(11) and the detection device (13) that receives the sound wave or ultrasonic signal output by the oscillation device (11) are placed opposite to each other with a space in which snow accumulates between them, and the oscillation device (11) outputs The strength of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal to be compared with the strength of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal received by the detection device (13) is compared to obtain the attenuation amount of the sound wave or ultrasonic signal, and the oscillation device (11) is calculated from the above attenuation amount. A method for detecting a snow water amount, characterized in that the snow amount accumulated between the sensor and the detection device (13) is obtained, and the snow water amount is calculated from the obtained snow amount. 2. The oscillating device (11) oscillates a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal having a plurality of different frequencies, and for each frequency of the sound wave or the ultrasonic signal, the intensity of the oscillated sound wave or the ultrasonic signal is received. The method for detecting the amount of snow water according to claim 1, wherein the amount of attenuation is obtained by comparing the intensities of sound waves or ultrasonic signals. 3. The oscillator (11) oscillates a series of encoded sound waves or ultrasonic signals, decodes each oscillated code signal and each received code signal, and the oscillated code signal is received without error. The method for detecting the amount of snow water according to claim 1 or 2, wherein it is determined whether or not there is a small error, and an attenuation amount for a code signal with few errors is obtained. 4. A parameter such as an observation condition is transmitted from the oscillator (11) to the detector (13) by frequency-modulating a sound wave or an ultrasonic signal oscillated by the oscillator (11). The method for detecting the amount of snow water according to claim 1, 2, or 3.