Aproximação de nuvens de pontos de dados por meio de superfícies de Bézier

Abstract

The computational and empirical modelling of geophysical phenomena, such as F region zonal plasma drifts, is a basic tool for the understanding and forecasting of effects that have great social-economic impact on the human activities. This work proposes, develops and implements a model, based on Computer Aided Geometric Design techniques, to F region zonal plasma drifts over Jicamarca, Peru. Amongst the developed models, that which shows itself as having the greatest success uses Bézier curve fitting with least-square methods. Other models used, such as wavelet theory, minimax and Kalman filters, had also been attempted, but without the same success. The main data source was the incoherent scatter radar measurements installed in the Jicamarca Radio Observatory. This data was preprocessed in order to carry out error handling and to improve its statistical quality. The preprocessed data formed the basis to the quiet and disturbed time zonal dritfs models construction. The models had been implemented in the functional programming language Objective Caml, an efficient, concise and well tailored programming language in numerical calculus.