Existing publicly available digital elevation models (DEMs) provide global-scale data but are often not precise enough for studying processes that depend on small-scale topographic features in rivers. For example, slope breaks and knickpoints in rivers can be important in understanding tectonic processes, and riffle-pool structures are important drivers of riverine ecology. More precise data (e.g., lidar) are available in some areas, but their spatial extent limits large-scale research. The upcoming Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite mission is planned to launch in 2021 and will provide measurements of elevation and inundation extent of surface waters between 78^∘ north and south latitude on average twice every 21 days. We present a novel noise reduction method for multitemporal river water surface elevation (WSE) profiles from SWOT that combines a truncated singular value decomposition and a slope-constrained least-squares estimator. We use simulated SWOT data of 85–145 km sections of the Po, Sacramento, and Tanana Rivers to show that 3–12 months of simulated SWOT data can produce elevation profiles with mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 5.38–12.55 cm at 100–200 m along-stream resolution. MAEs can be reduced further to 4–11 cm by averaging all observations. The average profiles have errors much lower than existing DEMs, allowing new advances in riverine research globally. We consider two case studies in geomorphology and ecology that highlight the scientific value of the more accurate in-river DEMs expected from SWOT. Simulated SWOT elevation profiles for the Po reveal convexities in the river longitudinal profile that are spatially coincident with the upward projection of blind thrust faults that are buried beneath the Po Plain at the northern termination of the Apennine Mountains. Meanwhile, simulated SWOT data for the Sacramento River reveals locally steep sections of the river profile that represent important habitat for benthic invertebrates at a spatial scale previously unrecognizable in large-scale DEMs presently available for this river.

Using the two-tooth difference swing-rod movable teeth transmission system satisfying the drive function of large optical instruments as the study object, the influence of each component error on system transmission error is analysed. Each component error is presented by the vector method, and then it is transformed into equivalent error in the direction of the meshing action line based on the equivalent meshing error principle. The instantaneous transmission ratio of the system is obtained by the instantaneous velocity center method, and the system transmission error model is established. Using numerical analysis, the influence of each component error on the system transmission error is obtained. The transmission error test platform is used to test and analyze the transmission error of the two-tooth difference swing-rod movable teeth transmission system. The research results show that the swing-rod length error and the wave generator eccentric error have a great influence on the transmission error of the system among the six types of error factors, so they should be strictly controlled during design, processing and assembly. This study provides a theoretical basis for the rational allocation of machining errors and assembling errors of the two-tooth difference swing-rod movable teeth transmission system.

In order to improve the load state of the two-tooth difference swing-rod movable teeth transmission system, in this paper, a dynamic equivalent calculation model of the transmission system is established based on lumped parameter theory, and then a calculation method of system dynamic load is derived. The influence of external excitation on load inhomogeneity of the transmission system is analyzed from a dynamic point of view. The theoretical results are verified by Adams dynamic load simulation analysis and strain test based on a test bench. The results show that when errors of the transmission system are fixed, the system load inhomogeneity is improved effectively with the increase of load torque, while the system load inhomogeneity becomes worse as input speed increases. This study provides a theoretical reference for improving the load inhomogeneity of the two-tooth difference swing-rod movable teeth transmission system.