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Wintertime meteorology of the Grand Canyon region
The Grand Canyon region of the American Southwest is an interesting region meteorologically, but because of its isolated location, the lack of major population centers in the region, and the high cost of meteorological field experiments, it has historically received little observational attention. In recent years, however, attention has been directed to episodes of visibility degradation in many of the US National parks, and two recent field studies focused on this visibility problem have greatly increased the meteorological data available for the Grand Canyon region. The most recent and comprehensive of these studies is the Navajo Generating Station Winter Visibility Study of 1989--90. This study investigated the sources of visibility degradation in Grand Canyon National Park and the meteorological mechanisms leading to low visibility episodes. In this paper we present analyses of this rich data set to gain a better understanding of the key wintertime meteorological features of the Grand Canyon region.
Wintertime meteorology of the Grand Canyon region
The Grand Canyon region of the American Southwest is an interesting region meteorologically, but because of its isolated location, the lack of major population centers in the region, and the high cost of meteorological field experiments, it has historically received little observational attention. In recent years, however, attention has been directed to episodes of visibility degradation in many of the US National parks, and two recent field studies focused on this visibility problem have greatly increased the meteorological data available for the Grand Canyon region. The most recent and comprehensive of these studies is the Navajo Generating Station Winter Visibility Study of 1989--90. This study investigated the sources of visibility degradation in Grand Canyon National Park and the meteorological mechanisms leading to low visibility episodes. In this paper we present analyses of this rich data set to gain a better understanding of the key wintertime meteorological features of the Grand Canyon region.
Key wintertime meteorological features of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateaus Basin
1992-06-01
In the winter of 1989--1990 a major meteorological and air pollution experiment was conducted in the Colorado Plateaus Basin (Richards et al., 1991). The focus of the experiment, conducted by Arizona's Soft River Project, was to investigate the influence of three 750-MW coal-fired power plant units at the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, on visibility at Grand Canyon National Park. As part of the meteorological experiment, surface and upper air data were collected from multiple sites within the basin. This data set is the most comprehensive meteorological data set ever collected within the region, and the purpose of this paper is to briefly summarize the key wintertime meteorological features of the Colorado Plateaus Basin and the Grand Canyon, through which the basin drains, using analyses of the Winter Visibility Study data. Our analyses focused primarily on thermally driven circulations within the basin and the Grand Canyon, but we also investigated the surface energy budget that drives these circulations and the interactions between the thermal circulations and the overlying synoptic-scale flows.
Key wintertime meteorological features of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateaus Basin
1992-06-01
In the winter of 1989--1990 a major meteorological and air pollution experiment was conducted in the Colorado Plateaus Basin (Richards et al., 1991). The focus of the experiment, conducted by Arizona`s Soft River Project, was to investigate the influence of three 750-MW coal-fired power plant units at the Navajo Generating Station near Page, Arizona, on visibility at Grand Canyon National Park. As part of the meteorological experiment, surface and upper air data were collected from multiple sites within the basin. This data set is the most comprehensive meteorological data set ever collected within the region, and the purpose of this paper is to briefly summarize the key wintertime meteorological features of the Colorado Plateaus Basin and the Grand Canyon, through which the basin drains, using analyses of the Winter Visibility Study data. Our analyses focused primarily on thermally driven circulations within the basin and the Grand Canyon, but we also investigated the surface energy budget that drives these circulations and the interactions between the thermal circulations and the overlying synoptic-scale flows.
An Analysis of Wintertime Winds in Washington, D.C.
This report consists of a description of the wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Meteorological data for this study were collected at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Reagan National), Dulles International Airport (Dulles), and a set of surface meteorological stations that are located on a number of building tops around the National Mall. A five-year wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction measured at Reagan National and Dulles are presented. A more detailed analysis was completed for the period December 2003 through February 2004 using data gathered from stations located around the National Mall, Reagan National, and Dulles. Key findings of our study include the following: * There are systematic differences between the wind speed and wind direction observed at Reagan National and the wind speed and wind direction measured by building top weather stations located in the National Mall. Although Dulles is located much further from the National Mall than Reagan National, there is better agreement between the wind speed and wind direction measured at Dulles and the weather stations in the National Mall. * When the winds are light (less than 3 ms-1 or 7 mph), there are significant differences in the wind directions reported at the various weather stations within the Mall. * Although the mean characteristics of the wind are similar at the various locations, significant, short-term differences are found when the time series are compared. These differences have important implications for the dispersion of airborne contaminants. In support of wintertime special events in the area of the National Mall, we recommend placing four additional meteorological instruments: three additional surface stations, one on the east bank of the Potomac River, one south of the Reflecting Pool (to better define the flow within the Mall), and a surface station near the Herbert C. Hoover Building; and wind-profiling instrument located along the southern edge of the National Mall to give measurements of the wind speed and direction as a function of height.
An Analysis of Wintertime Winds in Washington, D.C.
This report consists of a description of the wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Meteorological data for this study were collected at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Reagan National), Dulles International Airport (Dulles), and a set of surface meteorological stations that are located on a number of building tops around the National Mall. A five-year wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction measured at Reagan National and Dulles are presented. A more detailed analysis was completed for the period December 2003 through February 2004 using data gathered from stations located around the National Mall, Reagan National, and Dulles. Key findings of our study include the following: * There are systematic differences between the wind speed and wind direction observed at Reagan National and the wind speed and wind direction measured by building top weather stations located in the National Mall. Although Dulles is located much further from the National Mall than Reagan National, there is better agreement between the wind speed and wind direction measured at Dulles and the weather stations in the National Mall. * When the winds are light (less than 3 ms-1 or 7 mph), there are significant differences in the wind directions reported at the various weather stations within the Mall. * Although the mean characteristics of the wind are similar at the various locations, significant, short-term differences are found when the time series are compared. These differences have important implications for the dispersion of airborne contaminants. In support of wintertime special events in the area of the National Mall, we recommend placing four additional meteorological instruments: three additional surface stations, one on the east bank of the Potomac River, one south of the Reflecting Pool (to better define the flow within the Mall), and a surface station near the Herbert C. Hoover Building; and wind-profiling instrument located along the southern edge of the National Mall to give measurements of the wind speed and direction as a function of height.
An Analysis of Wintertime Winds in Washington, D.C.
2006-06-20
This report consists of a description of the wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction around the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Meteorological data for this study were collected at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Reagan National), Dulles International Airport (Dulles), and a set of surface meteorological stations that are located on a number of building tops around the National Mall. A five-year wintertime climatology of wind speed and wind direction measured at Reagan National and Dulles are presented. A more detailed analysis was completed for the period December 2003 through February 2004 using data gathered from stations located around the National Mall, Reagan National, and Dulles. Key findings of our study include the following: * There are systematic differences between the wind speed and wind direction observed at Reagan National and the wind speed and wind direction measured by building top weather stations located in the National Mall. Although Dulles is located much further from the National Mall than Reagan National, there is better agreement between the wind speed and wind direction measured at Dulles and the weather stations in the National Mall. * When the winds are light (less than 3 ms-1 or 7 mph), there are significant differences in the wind directions reported at the various weather stations within the Mall. * Although the mean characteristics of the wind are similar at the various locations, significant, short-term differences are found when the time series are compared. These differences have important implications for the dispersion of airborne contaminants. In support of wintertime special events in the area of the National Mall, we recommend placing four additional meteorological instruments: three additional surface stations, one on the east bank of the Potomac River, one south of the Reflecting Pool (to better define the flow within the Mall), and a surface station near the Herbert C. Hoover Building; and wind-profiling instrument located along the southern edge of the National Mall to give measurements of the wind speed and direction as a function of height.
ATMOSPHERIC DISPERSION IN THE ARCTIC: WINTERTIME BOUNDARY-LAYER MEASUREMENTS
The wintertime arctic atmospheric boundary layer was investigated with micro-meteorological and SF6 tracer measurements collected in Prudhoe Bay, AK. he flat, snow-covered tundra surface at this site generates a very small (0.03 cm) surface roughness. he relatively warm maritime ...
2006-01-01
The past twenty years of research that has associated air pollution with health outcomes has brought remarkable advance in statistical techniques that effectively tease out the intricacies of the relationship. However, while statistical techniques progressed, an assumption based on seminal work in the field persisted: that concentrations of particulate matter (PM) air pollution are spatially homogeneous within urban areas, and consequently, that personal exposures could be based on central monitoring site data alone. Although this assumption went unaddressed for years, it has now come to researchers' attention that it may be flawed and that the assumption may induce exposure misclassification error under certain conditions. This thesis explores intraurban spatial variability in PM through a systematic review of the literature, experimental field testing, modelling, and new methodological approaches. The key outcomes of the thesis are as follows: (i) the publication of the first systematic review of the intraurban particulate literature, challenging the widely-held assumption that PM concentrations are spatially uniform; (ii) an experimental test was conducted in Christchurch, New Zealand, revealing that the homogenous assumption was false for a city with high wintertime particulate matter concentrations; (iii) an integrated meteorological-emission model was evaluated for the first time at the intraurban level for PM and a new study design was suggested; and (iv) the spatial modification effect of social and ecological confounders was analysed with respect to respiratory hospital admissions and PM. Collectively, these outcomes provide a new body of knowledge informing researchers focused on assessing the relationship between air pollution and health in applications ranging from small-area exposure assessment to the wider field of environmental epidemiology. Publisher: University of Canterbury. Geography Language: en Rights: Copyright J. Gaines Wilson; http://library.canterbury.ac.nz/thesis/etheses_copyright.shtml
Study of wintertime high pollution episodes during the Brenner-South ALPNAP measurement campaign
2009-01-01
Summary Results from an intensive field campaign of meteorological and air quality measurements performed within the project ALPNAP are addressed and discussed. Three target areas were investigated between January and March 2006 in order to collect a detailed picture of the specific atmospheric processes affecting the fate of pollutants in one of the main Alpine transit corridors, leading to the Brenner Pass. This paper highlights the peculiarities of a typical valley environment?, namely that referred to the Adige Valley (Northern Italy) in its lower 120-km part from Salorno/Salurn towards Verona. Thanks to a carefully designed instrumental setup, the intensive field measurements successively performed at each target area clearly displayed the interaction of meteorological phenomena ...
Historical estimates of meridional overtuning
2006-09-30
DescriptionThe Atlantic thermohaline circulation in which warm upper waters flow nothwards and cold deep waters flow southwards in a'meridional overturning circulation' is a key component of the global climate system. This meridional overturning circulation transports 1.3 PW of heat northward at 25N, one-quarter of the total meridional heat transport by the combined almosphcre-ocean system, and contributes substantially to the relatively warn wintertime climate of northern Europe. Under global climate cha [continued...]
2004-07-01
Predicting potentially harmful air pollution episodes is the purpose of urban air quality information and forecasting systems (UAQIFSs) that are established in several European cities especially after the implementation of stricter European air quality directives. As nested numerical weather prediction models have recently approached urban scale resolution, UAQIFSs may benefit largely from using the output of operational weather prediction and mesoscale meteorological models. The improvement and urbanisation of NWP models applied in UAQIFSs and their application in several European target cities (Oslo, Turin, Helsinki, Valencia/Castellon, Bologna) is the aim of the European Union FP5 project FUMAPEX (Integrated Systems for Forecasting Urban Meteorology, Air Pollution and Population Exposure, http://fumapex.dmi.dk) established in the COST 715 action. This paper presents results from the working package WP3 ''Testing the quality of different operational meteorological forecasting systems for urban areas''. A wintertime inversion episode in Dec 1995 and spring dust episodes in March 1998 and April 2002 in Helsinki are investigated. Simulations are performed and inter-compared for four numerical weather prediction (NWP) models (DMI-/FMI-/DNMI-HIRLAM and LM of the DWD/COSMO group) and the mesoscale meteorological models MM5 and RAMS. (orig.)
1989-01-01
A simulation model (also called a ''macromodel'') has been developed to predict residential air pollutant concentration distributions for specified populations. The model inputs include the market penetration of pollution sources, pollution source characteristics (e.g., emission rates, source usage rates), building characteristics (e.g., house volume, air exchange rates), and meteorological parameters (e.g., outside temperature). Four geographically distinct regions of the US have been modeled using Monte Carlo and deterministic simulation techniques. Single-source simulations were also conducted. The highest predicted CO and NO/sub 2/ residential concentrations were associated with the winter-time use of unvented gas and kerosene space heaters. The highest predicted respirable suspended particulate concentrations were associated with indoor cigarette smoking and the winter-time use of non-airtight wood stoves, radiant kerosene heaters, convective unvented gas space heaters, and oil forced-air furnaces. Future field studies in this area should (1) fill information gaps identified in this report, and (2) collect information on the macromodel input parameters to properly interpret the results. It is almost more important to measure the parameters that affect indoor concentration than it is to measure the concentrations themselves.
1993-06-01
This paper investigates the feasibility of coupling regional climate models (RCMs) with landscape-scale hydrologic models (LSHMs) for studies of the effects of climate on hydrologic systems. The RCM used is the National Center for Atmospheric Research/Pennsylvania State University mesoscale model (MM4). Output from two year-round simulations (1983 and 1988) over the western United States is used to drive a lake model for Pyramid Lake in Nevada and a streamflow model for Steamboat Creek in Oregon. Comparisons with observed data indicate that MM4 is able to produce meteorologic data sets that can be used to drive hydrologic models. Results from the lake model simulations indicate that the use of MM4 output produces reasonably good predictions of surface temperature and evaporation. Results from the streamflow simulations indicate that the use of MM4 output results in good simulations of the seasonal cycle of streamflow, but deficiencies in simulated wintertime precipitation resulted in underestimates of streamflow and soil moisture. Further work with climate (multiyear) simulations is necessary to achieve a complete analysis, but the results from this study indicate that coupling of LSHMs and RCMs may be a useful approach for evaluating the effects of climate change on hydrologic systems.
Model study on acidifying wet deposition in East Asia during wintertime
2006-01-01
A regional air quality model (RAQM) has been developed and applied together with an aerosol model to investigate the states and characteristics of wet deposition in East Asia in December 2001. Model simulation is performed with monthly based emission inventory [Streets, D.G., Bond, T.C., Carmichael, G.R., Fernandes, S.D., Fu, Q., He, D., Klimont, Z., Nelson, S. M., Tsai, N.Y., Wang, M.Q., Woo, J.-H., Yarber, K.F., 2003. An inventory of gaseous and primary emissions in Asia in the year 2000. Journal of Geophysical Research 108(D21), 8809] and meteorological fields derived from MM5. Model results are compared with extensive monitoring data including relevant gaseous species and ions in precipitation. The validation demonstrates that this model system is able to represent most of the major ph...
2006-11-02
DescriptionThis proposal seeks to establish collaboration between the Meteorology and Archaeology Departments at the University of Reading in the development of an advanced computer model for hominid dispersal from Africa. Both departments have independently produced key elements for such a simulation - models for hominid colonisation by Archaeology (led by Professor Mithen), and climate change by Meteorology (led by Professor Valdes). This model will be used to address the questions surrounding the form [continued...]
Technology Validation: NMP ST8 Dependable Multiprocessor Project
DM technology applied to the IOMI (Indian Ocean. Meteorological Instrument) project which was performed in ...... events as they occur, it will continuously output summary .... technology is a key enabler for future NASA science ...
Wintertime and summertime Sao Paulo aerosol apportionment study
2001-07-01
A detailed aerosol source apportionment study was performed with two sampling campaigns, during wintertime and summertime in the heavily polluted metropolitan area of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In addition to 12h fine and coarse mode filter sampling, several real time aerosol and trace gas monitors were used. PM{sub 10} was sampled using stacked filter units that collects fine (d < 2.5 {mu}m) and coarse (2.5 < d < 10 {mu}m) particulate matter, providing mass, black carbon (BC) and elemental concentration for each aerosol mode. The concentration of about 20 elements was determined using the particle induce X-ray emission technique. Real time aerosol monitors provided PM{sub 10} aerosol mass (TEOM), organic and elemental carbon (Carbon Monitor 5400, R and P) and BC concentration (Aethalometer). A complex system of sources and meteorological conditions modulates the heavy air pollution of the urban area of Sao Paulo. The boundary layer height and the primary emissions by motor vehicles controls the strong pattern of diurnal cycles obtained for PM{sub 10}, BC, CO, NO{sub x}, and SO{sub 2}. Absolute principal factor analysis results showed a very similar source pattern between winter and summer field campaigns, despite the different locations of the sampling sites of both campaigns, pointing that there are no significant change in the main air pollution sources. The source identified as motor vehicle represented 28% and 24% of the PM{sub 2.5} for winter and summer, respectively. Resuspended soil dust accounted for 25% and 30%. The oil combustion source represented 18% and 21%. Sulfates accounts for 23% and 17% and finally industrial emissions contributed with 5% and 6% of PM{sub 2.5}, for winter and summer, respectively. The resuspended soil dust accounted for a large fraction (75-78%) of the coarse mode aerosol mass. Certainly automobile traffic and soil dust are the main air pollution sources in Sao Paulo. The sampling and analytical procedures applied in this study showed that it is possible to perform a quantitative aerosol source apportionment in a complex urban area such as Sao Paulo. (Author)
2004-09-01
Ensembles of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) experiments are used in an effort to understand the boreal winter Northern Hemisphere (NH) extratropical climate response to the observed warming of tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) over the last half of the twentieth Century. Specifically, we inquire about the origins of unusual, if not unprecedented, changes in the wintertime North Atlantic and European climate that are well described by a linear trend in most indices of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The simulated NH atmospheric response to the linear trend component of tropic-wide SST change since 1950 projects strongly onto the positive polarity of the NAO and is a hemispheric pattern distinguished by decreased (increased) Arctic (middle latitude) sea level pressure. Progressive warming of the Indian Ocean is the principal contributor to this wintertime extratropical response, as shown through additional AGCM ensembles forced with only the SST trend in that sector. The Indian Ocean influence is further established through the reproducibility of results across three different models forced with identical, idealized patterns of the observed warming. Examination of the transient atmospheric adjustment to a sudden ''switch-on'' of an Indian Ocean SST anomaly reveals that the North Atlantic response is not consistent with linear theory and most likely involves synoptic eddy feedbacks associated with changes in the North Atlantic storm track. The tropical SST control exerted over twentieth century regional climate underlies the importance of determining the future course of tropical SST for regional climate change and its uncertainty. Better understanding of the extratropical responses to different, plausible trajectories of the tropical oceans is key to such efforts. (orig.)
2010-02-15
Concurrent measurements of meteorological parameters, traffic flow and vehicle composition, NO{sub x} concentrations and noise levels have been performed during a consecutive 166-hour (approx. one week) episode in the Austrian Inn valley. The study elaborates the meteorologically induced effects on the transport and dispersion of air pollutants (NO{sub x}) and the propagation of sound waves from the motorway in the valley towards two receptor/receiver sites, one at the valley bottom, the other one at an elevated slope position. Due to complex transmission effects only a small portion of the observed variations in the air and noise pollution at the two sites can be explained by the varying emission at the motorway. With the help of simple models it is shown that by adding merely one or two meteorological parameters a substantially larger portion of the variation can be explained. The vertical temperature gradient turned out to be the meteorological key parameter. It controls the mixing volume (confined by the valley sides and the mixing-layer top) and the sound wave refraction which strongly determine air pollution and noise level, respectively. (orig.)
Visual perception at work: Lessons from the world of meteorology
2010-01-01
Drawing on fieldwork at a forecasting office of the National Weather Service, this paper analyzes the sociocognitive organization of meteorological perception and expertise via the notion of ''screenwork'' in the hopes that it may provide a common constructivist ground on which sociologists and neuroscientists will be able to comfortably study visual perception at work. Three key intersecting areas of research are examined in the process: the practice of looking, visual expertise, and visual decision-making. The paper concludes by employing the metaphor of the collage to further elaborate on the link between screenwork and expert visualization.
Diffuse solar irradiance and atmospheric turbidity
2004-07-01
The measurement of diffuse solar irradiance along with global and direct solar irradiance provides a valuable key to understanding the properties of the atmosphere. This information is of value to meteorologists and climatologists as well as to designers of solar thermal or photovoltaic energy systems. As an additional benefit this information can be correlated to meteorological visibility and thus be of benefit to many sectors of society. This paper describes the practical measurement of diffuse, global and direct solar irradiance. The relationship of diffuse irradiance to the Linke turbidity factor and solar elevation angle is examined. Important concepts related to visibility are defined, and we conclude by illuminating the relationship between measurements of diffuse solar irradiance on clear days and meteorological visibility. (orig.)
Supercooling and Freezing in Winter Dormant Animals
This resource is a manual for instructing students in a laboratory exercise examining the effects of winter-time supercooling and freezing on animals. This lab would be a suitable supplement to animal physiology or physiological ecology courses.
Pandemic toolkit offers flu with a view
2009-12-14
As communities brace for rising wintertime influenza cases, scientists are developing a mathematical and visual analytic toolkit to help health officials quickly analyze pandemics and craft better response strategies.
User's Guide for MetView: A Meteorological Display and Assessment Tool
2000-09-27
MetView Version 2.0 is an easy-to-use model for accessing, viewing, and analyzing meteorological data. MetView provides both graphical and numerical displays of data. It can accommodate data from an extensive meteorological monitoring network that includes near-surface monitoring locations, instrumented towers, sodars, and meteorologist observations. MetView is used operationally for both routine, emergency response, and research applications at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site. At the Site's Emergency Operations Center, MetView aids in the access, visualization, and interpretation of real-time meteorological data. Historical data can also be accessed and displayed. Emergency response personnel at the Emergency Operations Center use MetView products in the formulation of protective action recommendations and other decisions. In the initial stage of an emergency, MetView can be operated using a very simple, five-step procedure. This first-responder procedure allows non-technical staff to rapidly generate meteorological products and disseminate key information. After first-responder information products are produced, the Emergency Operations Center's technical staff can conduct more sophisticated analyses using the model. This may include examining the vertical variation in winds, assessing recent changes in atmospheric conditions, evaluating atmospheric mixing rates, and forecasting changes in meteorological conditions. This user's guide provides easy-to-follow instructions for both first-responder and routine operation of the model. Examples, with explanations, are provided for each type of MetView output display. Information is provided on the naming convention, format, and contents of each type of meteorological data file used by the model area. This user's guide serves as a ready reference for experienced MetView users and a training manual for new users.
Process-scale modeling of elevated wintertime ozone in Wyoming.
2007-12-31
Measurements of meteorological variables and trace gas concentrations, provided by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for Daniel, Jonah, and Boulder Counties in the state of Wyoming, were analyzed for this project. The data indicate that highest ozone concentrations were observed at temperatures of -10 C to 0 C, at low wind speeds of about 5 mph. The median values for nitrogen oxides (NOx) during these episodes ranged between 10 ppbv and 20 ppbv (parts per billion by volume). Measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during these periods were insufficient for quantitative analysis. The few available VOCs measurements indicated unusually high levels of alkanes and aromatics and low levels of alkenes. In addition, the column ozone concentration during one of the high-ozone episodes was low, on the order of 250 DU (Dobson unit) as compared to a normal column ozone concentration of approximately 300-325 DU during spring for this region. Analysis of this observation was outside the scope of this project. The data analysis reported here was used to establish criteria for making a large number of sensitivity calculations through use of a box photochemical model. Two different VOCs lumping schemes, RACM and SAPRC-98, were used for the calculations. Calculations based on this data analysis indicated that the ozone mixing ratios are sensitive to (a) surface albedo, (b) column ozone, (c) NOx mixing ratios, and (d) available terminal olefins. The RACM model showed a large response to an increase in lumped species containing propane that was not reproduced by the SAPRC scheme, which models propane as a nearly independent species. The rest of the VOCs produced similar changes in ozone in both schemes. In general, if one assumes that measured VOCs are fairly representative of the conditions at these locations, sufficient precursors might be available to produce ozone in the range of 60-80 ppbv under the conditions modeled.
Fine scale modeling of wintertime aerosol mass, number, and size distributions in central California
In light of nonattainment of PM2.5 in central California, the CMAQ-MADRID 1 model is applied to simulate PM2.5 mass, number, and size distributions observed during the California Regional PM10/PM2.5 Air Quality Study (CRPAQS) winter episode of 25?31 December 2000. The simulations with 12 and 24 size sections at a horizontal grid resolution of 4 km reproduce well the 24 h average mass concentrations of PM2.5 (with normalized mean biases (NMBs) of ?6.2% to 0.5%), but with larger biases for organic matter, nitrate, and elemental carbon (with NMBs of ?67% to 40.2%) and a weaker capability of replicating temporal variation of PM2.5 and its components. The coagulation process leads to a 40%?91% reduction in simulated PM2.5 number concentrations. The 24 section simulation with coagulation shows the best agreement with the observed PM number and size distributions (with an NMB of ?13.9%), indicating the importance of coagulation for predicting particle number and the merits of using a fine particle size resolution. Accurately simulating PM2.5 number and size distributions continue to be a major challenge, due to inaccuracies in model inputs (e.g., meteorological fields, precursor emissions, and the initial size distribution of PM emissions and concentrations), uncertainties in model formulations (e.g., heterogeneous chemistry and aerosol formation, growth, and removal processes), as well as inconsistencies and uncertainties in observations obtained with different methods.
2000-05-15
Mass concentrations of ambient particulate matter were measured in terms of daily average values of PM{sub 1}, PM{sub 2.5}, and PM{sub 10} for 6 months during the winter of 1996--1997 at a fixed sampling site in Helsinki, Finland, along with meteorological parameters and particle number concentrations in the size range 0.01--1 {micro}m. In addition, the PM filters were subjected to reflectometric analysis to determine absorption coefficients for the various fractions of urban particulate matter. The data were divided into two periods (winter and spring) in order to study more closely seasonal phenomena that have an effect on air pollution patterns. The variations in PM{sub 10} and PM{sub 2.5} concentrations differed in pattern during resuspended dust episodes, whereas those in PM{sub 1} concentrations followed those in PM{sub 2.5} fairly well throughout the 6-month measurement period. Thus it seems that PM{sub 1} does not provide much additional information on mass concentrations relative to PM{sub 2.5}. Number concentrations in the ultrafine particle size range from 0.01 to 0.1 {micro}m, especially in wintertime, were much better correlated with absorption coefficients than with any of the three PM mass-based concentrations, indicating that Black Smoke particles are related to that size range. The results also indicate that coarse particle concentrations in ambient air are affected more by seasonal factors than are fine particle concentrations.
...nitrates, wintertime conditions High sulfate and high relative humidity. Class III Field test campaigns (Total...nitrates, wintertime conditions High sulfate and high relative humidity. Class III Field test campaigns...
Uncertainties in key elements of emissions and meteorology inputs to air quality models (AQMs) can range from 50 to 100% with some areas of emissions uncertainty even higher (Russell and Dennis, 2000). Uncertainties in the chemical mechanisms are thought to be smaller (Russell an...
Stability, complexity and the maximum dissipation conjecture
2010-01-01
The formalism of irreversible thermodynamics is extended to include the effect of random perturbations and applied to representative systems giving rise to instabilities and to complex nonlinear behaviours. The extent to which dissipation as measured by the entropy production exhibits variational properties that can be linked to key indicators of the dynamical behaviour is explored with emphasis on the conjecture of the climate system as a system of maximum dissipation. Copyright Copyright 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Sensitivity of runoff to climate change: A Hortonian approach
1992-12-01
This Horton Memorial Lecture reviews the approach of Robert Horton (1875-1945) to key problems in hydrology, meteorology, and geography and then speculates on how Horton might today approach the problem of analyzing the sensitivity of catchment runoff to climate change. It is suggested that the techniques used by Horton can give us an insight into the nature of the latter problem through a partial analysis of the phenomena involved.
Land-atmosphere water fluxes in fen wetlands
DescriptionEvaporation is one of the main processes by which water vapour and energy is exchanged between the land and the atmosphere and is an important element in understanding boundary-layer meteorological processes and climatic circulation models. Evaporation is also one of the key components of the hydrological cycle and in some environments is the dominant control over availability of soil moisture and water resources. Despite this, evaporation remains poorly quantified with few direct measurements [continued...]
Intercomparison of micro meteorological techniques for the measurement of air-sea gas exchange.
2005-03-28
DescriptionOcean-atmosphere interactions and feedback mechanisms are key problems that need to be quantified in order to understand the role of the oceans in atmospheric chemistry and global climate. The proposed study involves many of the world's best practitioners in an at sea intercomparison of micrometeorological techniques for the direct measurement of the rates at which gases cross between the oceans and the atmosphere and vice versa. The results of the study will improve understanding of the applica [continued...]
BoM Aviation Fog Case Exercise
This case study focuses on a potential fog event in Melbourne, Australia on the sixth and seventh of April, 2008. The key aim of this module is to step through the forecast process during a potential fog event as an aviation forecaster with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. This involves consideration of model guidance and consideration, identification of potential areas of fog, forecasting and "now"-casting both formation and clearance, and providing TAF updates throughout. It is presented in video format with audio commentary.
1984-01-01
Early enthusiasm for the utilization of wave power for the generation of electricity centered largely on attractively high estimates of wave power availability in the mid-North Atlantic. This report provides a succinct description of the work performed by IOS and a summary of results obtained. Also included is a description of new work in which all available information has been used to produce a final assessment of the wave power available at a number of key sites. Extensive use has been made of results from the Meteorological Office wind-wave model in this assessment.
Summary information and data sets for NREL`s Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, 1981--1991
1993-01-01
This report summarizes the solar radiation and meteorological data collected at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, from 1981 through 1991. The data collection was part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory`s Solar Radiation Resource Assessment Project. The report includes long-term averages and monthly and annual variability for key solar radiation elements and describes the hourly data sets for 1981 through 1991. Described in the report are how the elements were measured and how the data were collected and processed into hourly values. Procedures used for quality assessment of the hourly data values are presented, and the position of the solar radiation and meteorological elements in the data sets are defined; samples of read statements are provided.
Summary information and data sets for NREL's Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, 1981--1991
1993-01-01
This report summarizes the solar radiation and meteorological data collected at the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, from 1981 through 1991. The data collection was part of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Radiation Resource Assessment Project. The report includes long-term averages and monthly and annual variability for key solar radiation elements and describes the hourly data sets for 1981 through 1991. Described in the report are how the elements were measured and how the data were collected and processed into hourly values. Procedures used for quality assessment of the hourly data values are presented, and the position of the solar radiation and meteorological elements in the data sets are defined; samples of read statements are provided.
2008-01-01
Microzooplankton are important consumers of phytoplankton production in estuaries and are links to higher trophic levels. We examined the impact of several large storms varying in their meteorological characteristics on the distribution of ciliates, a key component of the microzooplankton community in North Carolina's Neuse R. Estuary (NRE). Ciliate biomass was largely unaffected by Tropical Storm ("TS") Helene, except for dissipation of a patch of elevated ciliate biomass at a frontal zone in the upper estuary. Following passage of Hurricane ("H") Isabel, mean ciliate biomass increased 2-fold, with the most dramatic increases occurring in the upstream region that was influenced by freshwater runoff. H Alex had minimal impact on ciliate biomass, but shortly after its passage, Tropical Depr...
Climatic characteristics of heat waves and their simulation in plant experiments
2010-01-01
Abstract Extreme events such as heat waves are emerging as a key facet of climate change, but to date, experiments on the impacts on plants are scarce. Experimental simulation of heat waves requires knowledge of regional heat wave characteristics, as plant responses depend heavily on meteorological conditions. We analysed nine Western European meteorological datasets, and found that heat waves occurring during the growing season in this region encompass more sunshine (+ 69%), lower precipitation (-78%) and a larger vapour pressure deficit (VPD) (+ 111%) compared with normal conditions. Possible consequences for plant responses are discussed, with emphasis on the likely seasonal variation of heat wave impacts. We explain why infrared heating (which typically increases VPD) is an appropriate...
Effects of meteorological variables on exergetic efficiency of wind turbine power plants
2010-01-01
This present paper deals with exergy efficiency results of the Wind Turbine Power Plants (WTPPs). Effects of meteorological variables such as air density, pressure difference between state points, humidity, and ambient temperature on exergy efficiency are discussed in a satisfactory way. Some key parameters are given monthly for the three turbines. Exergy efficiency differs from 0.23 to 0.27 while temperature is changing from 268.15K to 308.15K with air density 1.368-1.146(kg/m^3). While pressure difference (DP) between inlet and outlet of the turbine differs from 100 to 1100(Pa), exergy efficiency decreases fairly for different wind speeds. While specific humidity is changing from 0.001 to 0.015 (kgwater/kgdry air), exergy efficiency decreases gently. Generally these meteorological variab...
Effects of ice-phase cloud microphysics in simulating wintertime precipitation
1995-11-01
We compare two numerical experiments to investigate the effects of ice-phase cloud microphysical processes on simulations of wintertime precipitation in the southwestern United States. Results of these simulations, one with and the other without ice-phase microphysics, suggest that an inclusion of ice-phase microphysics plays a crucial role in simulating wintertime precipitation. The simulation that employs both the ice and water-phase microphysics better reproduced the observed spatial distribution of precipitation compared to the one without ice-phase microphysics. The most significant effect of ice-phase microphysics appeared in local production of precipitating particles by collection processes, rather than in local condensation.
NO{sub x} emission trends for China, 1995-2004 : the view from the ground and the view from space.
A rapid increase of NO{sub 2} columns over China has been observed by satellite instruments in recent years. We present a 10-a regional trend of NO{sub x} emissions in China from 1995 to 2004 using a bottom-up methodology and compare the emission trends with the NO{sub 2} column trends observed from GOME and SCIAMACHY, the two spaceborne instruments. We use a dynamic methodology to reflect the dramatic change in China's NO{sub x} emissions caused by energy growth and technology renewal. We use a scenario analysis approach to identify the possible sources of uncertainties in the current bottom-up inventory, in comparison with the satellite observation data. Our best estimates for China's NO{sub x} emissions are 10.9 Tg in 1995 and 18.6 Tg in 2004, increasing by 70% during the period considered. NO{sub x} emissions and satellite-based NO{sub 2} columns show broad agreement in temporal evolution and spatial distribution. Both the emission inventory data and the satellite observations indicate a continuous and accelerating growth rate between 1996 and 2004 over east central China. However, the growth rate from the emission inventory is lower than that from the satellite observations. From 1996 to 2004, NO{sub x} emissions over the region increased by 61% according to the inventory, while a 95% increase in the NO{sub 2} columns measured by satellite was observed during the same period. We found good agreement during summertime but a large discrepancy during wintertime. The consistency between the summertime trends suggests that the bias cannot be due to systematic error of activity data or emission factors. The reasons for the discrepancy cannot yet be fully identified, but possible explanations include an underestimation in seasonal emission variations, variability of meteorology, NO{sub x} injection height, and the increasing trend of sulfate aerosols.
Long-time global radiation for Central Europe derived from ISCCP Dx data
The global Dx dataset of the "International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project" (ISCCP) with a spatial resolution of about 3030 km2 was analysed to produce spatially highly resolved long-time datasets to describe the radiation budget for Central Europe over the period of 1984-2000. The computation of shortwave and longwave radiant flux densities at top of atmosphere and at surface was based on 1-D radiative transfer simulations. The simulations were carried out for all relevant atmospheric and surface conditions and the results were inserted into a look-up table. Thus, long-time calculations for all conditions and time slices of the Dx dataset could be realised. The study is focussed on the global radiation at surface. The first examination was carried out for the ISCCP D1 and the ISCCP D2 dataset. These datasets, including cloud and surface information on a different spatial scale (280280 km2), were applied to the produced look-up table analogue to the Dx data. The calculated global radiation of the D1 and D2 dataset were compared to the Dx dataset. The differences between these datasets mainly range from 5-15 W m?2 (2-6%) with regional peaks up to 25 W m?2 (10%). The evaluation with the GEWEX "Surface Radiation Budget" (SRB) data emphasises differ-ences between 5-25 W m?2 (6-16%) over land areas. Deviations to an ISCCP provided flux data set vary from 0 W m?2 in the North up to 35 W m?2 (0-13%) in the South of Central Europe. The global radiation datasets provided by the "Global Energy Balance Archive" (GEBA) and the "German Meteorological Service" (DWD) agree well, but they are 5-25 W m?2 (7-10%) lower than the Dx results. Annual analyses of global radiation of various regional climate models complete the study. It is figured out that the used models and methods reveal a couple of discrepancies. Especially in wintertime the results of our analysis differ to the considered models. Principally the uncer-tainties were caused by the determined range of values and simplifications for the computation of the radiative transfer simulation.
Long-time global radiation for Central Europe derived from ISCCP Dx data
The global Dx dataset of the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) with a spatial resolution of about 3030 km was analysed to produce spatially highly resolved long-time datasets to describe the radiation budget for Central Europe over the period of 1984-2000. The computation of shortwave and longwave radiant flux densities at top of atmosphere and at surface was based on 1D radiative transfer simulations. The simulations were carried out for all relevant atmospheric and surface conditions and the results were inserted into a look-up table. Thus, long-time calculations for all conditions and time slices of the Dx dataset could be realised. The study is focussed on the global radiation at surface. The first examination was carried out for the ISCCP D1 and the ISCCP D2 dataset. These datasets, including cloud and surface information on a different spatial scale (280280 km2), were applied to the produced look-up table analogue to the Dx data. The calculated global radiation of the D1 and D2 dataset were compared to the Dx dataset. The differences between these datasets mainly range from 5-15 Wm?2 (2-6%) with regional peaks up to 25 Wm?2 (10%). The evaluation with the GEWEX Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) data emphasises differences between 5-25 Wm?2 (6-16%) over land areas. Deviations to an ISCCP provided flux data set vary from 0 Wm?2 in the North up to 35 Wm?2 (0-13%) in the South of Central Europe. The global radiation datasets provided by the Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA) and the German Meteorological Service (DWD) agree well, but they are 5-25 Wm?2 (7-10%) lower than the Dx results. Annual analyses of global radiation of various regional climate models complete the study. It is figured out that the used models and methods reveal a couple of discrepancies. Especially in wintertime the results of our analysis differ to the considered models. Principally the uncertainties were caused by the determined range of values and simplifications for the computation of the radiative transfer simulation.
This technical memorandum examines the role of atmospheric dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring in support of emergency planning and response for the US Army's Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP). Air dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring are expected to form key components in integrated accident assessment and warning systems at each of the eight CSDP installations. This report assesses the capabilities of operating state-of-the-art systems in order to establish a baseline for developing the requirements of the CSDP systems. A general tutorial on the types of atmospheric dispersion models currently available is provided, and the criteria for selection of emergency response models are developed. The requirements for meteorological monitoring are also described. In addition, the basic limitations of modeling and monitoring are discussed, and the importance of model verification is emphasized. Staffing requirements to operate an integrated modeling and monitoring system are characterized. The current state of modeling, monitoring, and staffing levels in support of emergency response at the eight US Army chemical stockpile depots involved in the CSDP is examined. Specific requirements appropriate to emergency planning and response at each of the eight sites are described. Recommendations are made for both the integrated system and the individual components of air dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring. Finally, future work required to prepare for emergency response is discussed. 22 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.
1990-08-01
This technical memorandum examines the role of atmospheric dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring in support of emergency planning and response for the US Army's Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (CSDP). Air dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring are expected to form key components in integrated accident assessment and warning systems at each of the eight CSDP installations. This report assesses the capabilities of operating state-of-the-art systems in order to establish a baseline for developing the requirements of the CSDP systems. A general tutorial on the types of atmospheric dispersion models currently available is provided, and the criteria for selection of emergency response models are developed. The requirements for meteorological monitoring are also described. In addition, the basic limitations of modeling and monitoring are discussed, and the importance of model verification is emphasized. Staffing requirements to operate an integrated modeling and monitoring system are characterized. The current state of modeling, monitoring, and staffing levels in support of emergency response at the eight US Army chemical stockpile depots involved in the CSDP is examined. Specific requirements appropriate to emergency planning and response at each of the eight sites are described. Recommendations are made for both the integrated system and the individual components of air dispersion modeling and meteorological monitoring. Finally, future work required to prepare for emergency response is discussed. 22 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.
A new microtelesensor chip for meteorology
1997-03-04
A new technology exploiting commercial, micro-sensors developed for atomic force microscopy offers breakthrough capability in high accuracy wireless sensors for meteorological measurements. Historically sensors used in air-borne and buoy-based platforms required compromises in performance to achieve the low-weight and low power requirements of the mobile platforms. Recent innovations in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) provided opportunities to reduce size, weight, and power requirements but each sensor required a specially fabricated device with inherent calibration, repeatability, and traceability problems. This new approach allows identical sensors to be fabricated on the same semiconductor substrate as the conditioning electronics and the telemetry components. Exploiting semiconductor fabrication technology offers the potential to reduce fabrication costs to a few dollars per component. Sensing humidity, temperature and pressure have been demonstrated with plans for meteorological deployment scheduled for later in 1997. Cost, reliability, size, power consumption, and accuracy are key factors in the deployment of advanced meteorological sensor arrays. ORNL is actively integrating the sensing technologies, electronic processing, and telemetry that build a family of sensors with multiple-input capabilities. One of the key elements in ORNL`s sensor technology is coated microcantilever arrays, which form a powerful universal platform for multiple physical and chemical measurements. Telemetry is also being developed to add robust spread-spectrum data transmission capabilities to the necessary signal processing electronics. In collaboration with the NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Lab, a chip-level temperature/humidity module with onboard telemetry is slated for demonstration later in 1997. Future additions would include sensors for atmospheric pressure, wind velocity, turbulence measurement, and radiometry.
UV-B treatment may improve psoriasis and vitamin D levels
2010-08-16
Treatment with narrow-band UV-B rays may increase serum levels of vitamin D in the wintertime while clearing psoriasis, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives ...
... from easterly to westerly, resulting in dangerous avalanche conditions. Synoptic composites indicate that such warming episodes are ... mountain passes, locally lowering temperatures and snow levels. Adia...
Jeffrey Shaman on Seasonal Flu and Humidity
2010-03-19
For decades, scientists have wondered what drives seasonal influenza outbreaks in the wintertime, with theories ranging from staying cooped up to having weaker immune systems. Now, a study led by Oregon State University ...
In a pair of idealized simulations with a simplified chemistry-climate model, the sensitivity of the wintertime Arctic stratosphere to variability in the width of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) is assessed. The ...
1955-03-10
This is a study of the effects of storage under varying environmental conditions on the effective solid propellant grain temperature. The range of a rocket-propelled missile is sensitive to variations in the effected burn time of the rocket motor.
Convective Systems Over the Japan Sea: Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations
Wintertime observations of MCSs (Mesoscale Convective Systems) over the Sea of Japan - 2001 (WMO-01) were collected from January 12 to February 1, 2001. One of the major objectives is to better understand and forecast snow ...
Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental United States
2010-02-01
Much of the observed wintertime increase of mortality in temperate regions is attributed to seasonal influenza. A recent reanalysis of laboratory experiments indicates that absolute humidity strongly...Full Text Available
APPORTIONMENT OF RESIDENTIAL INDOOR VOCS AND ALDEHYDES TO INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SOURCES IN ROANOKE
The average concentrations of a large number of VOC and aldehyde species measured in ten Roanoke, Virginia residences in wintertime have been apportioned according to their contributions from all inside sources and all outside sources. he two category apportionment was accomplish...
THE METEOROLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COSMIC RAYS
THE METEOROLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MU-MESON, ELECTRON-PHOTON, NEUTRON, AND OTHER COMPONENTS OF COSMIC RAYS ARE REVIEWED. THE THEORY OF THE METEOROLOGICAL EFFECT IS SET FORTH WITH SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS MADE IN ...
Meteorological satellite accomplishments
The various types of meteorological satellites are enumerated. Vertical sounding, parameter extraction technique, and both macroscale and mesoscale meteorological phenomena are discussed. The heat budget of the ...
Conference Oral Presentations authored by Applied Meteorology Unit Team Members as of .... 11th Conference on Aviation, Range, and Aerospace Meteorology ... 18th International Conference on Interactive Information and Processing Systems ...
1996-11-01
The ability to reliably and accurately locate and survey objects without physically occupying them is the key to the productivity of the FLI-MAP{trademark} laser mapping system. This advanced technology system incorporates OTF Kinematic GPS, GPS-aided attitude, and a reflectorless laser range-finding sensor into a complete remote sensing survey platform. The FLI-MAP system is a helicopter-based scanning system capable of collecting up to 8000 geo-referenced data points per second. Key parameters of existing electric transmission lines are calculated based upon the geographic data collected by FLI-MAP, meteorological data, and power flow data collected during the survey. The affect on conductor clearances is analyzed under varying conductor temperatures, power flow, and meteorological conditions to determine the ultimate capacity of the existing transmission line. This paper presents the FLI-MAP system, the technologies it exploits, and the use of such a system for electric transmission line corridor surveys and analyses. 4 refs., 5 figs.
1998-12-31
This CD-ROM gives background information on the IEA Greenhouse Gas R + D Programme, including a list of its Executive Committee members and industrial participants, and its 1997 annual report. Also included on the CD-ROM is the BP statistical review of world energy 1997, key world energy statistics from the IEA, reports by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R & D Programme, and common questions about climate change from the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization.
Recent wind resource characterization activities at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory
1997-07-01
The wind resource characterization team at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working to improve the characterization of the wind resource in many key regions of the world. Tasks undertaken in the past year include: updates to the comprehensive meteorological and geographic data bases used in resource assessments in the US and abroad; development and validation of an automated wind resource mapping procedure; support in producing wind forecasting tools useful to utilities involved in wind energy generation; continued support for recently established wind measurement and assessment programs in the US.
The User's Guide presents a review of the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer and its implications for the design of CTDM and its meteorological preprocessor (METRPO). The CTDM meteorological preprocessor calculates required meteorological variables that are derived from ...
This paper focuses on novel, innovative approaches for reducing or delaying the production of photochemical smog in the Los Angeles Basin. These approaches include modifying the surface characteristics of the basin by increasing surface albedo and an extensive tree-planting program. The changes in surface conditions are designed to reduce the basin air temperatures, especially during the summer months, which will result in two possible effects. First, a decrease in temperature would lead to a reduction in energy use with an associated decline in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO[sub x]) and a lowering of evaporative emission of reactive organic gases. Reductions in these smog precursors could improve the air quality of the basin without imposing additional emissions regulations. The second effect is associated with the possible causal relationship between air temperature and smog formation (i.e., lower temperatures and lower incidence of smog). Since this approach to mitigating air emissions is broad, the studies to date have concentrated on how changes in surface characteristics affect the meteorological conditions of the basin and on how these meteorological changes subsequently affect smog production. A geographic information system database of key surface characteristics (i.e., vegetative cover, albedo, moisture availability, and roughness) was compiled, and these characteristics were evaluated using prognostic meteorological models. The results of two- and three-dimensional meteorological simulations will be presented and discussed in this paper.
This paper focuses on novel, innovative approaches for reducing or delaying the production of photochemical smog in the Los Angeles Basin. These approaches include modifying the surface characteristics of the basin by increasing surface albedo and an extensive tree-planting program. The changes in surface conditions are designed to reduce the basin air temperatures, especially during the summer months, which will result in two possible effects. First, a decrease in temperature would lead to a reduction in energy use with an associated decline in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) and a lowering of evaporative emission of reactive organic gases. Reductions in these smog precursors could improve the air quality of the basin without imposing additional emissions regulations. The second effect is associated with the possible causal relationship between air temperature and smog formation (i.e., lower temperatures and lower incidence of smog). Since this approach to mitigating air emissions is broad, the studies to date have concentrated on how changes in surface characteristics affect the meteorological conditions of the basin and on how these meteorological changes subsequently affect smog production. A geographic information system database of key surface characteristics (i.e., vegetative cover, albedo, moisture availability, and roughness) was compiled, and these characteristics were evaluated using prognostic meteorological models. The results of two- and three-dimensional meteorological simulations will be presented and discussed in this paper.
1993-02-01
This paper focuses on novel, innovative approaches for reducing or delaying the production of photochemical smog in the Los Angeles Basin. These approaches include modifying the surface characteristics of the basin by increasing surface albedo and an extensive tree-planting program. The changes in surface conditions are designed to reduce the basin air temperatures, especially during the summer months, which will result in two possible effects. First, a decrease in temperature would lead to a reduction in energy use with an associated decline in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO[sub x]) and a lowering of evaporative emission of reactive organic gases. Reductions in these smog precursors could improve the air quality of the basin without imposing additional emissions regulations. The second effect is associated with the possible causal relationship between air temperature and smog formation (i.e., lower temperatures and lower incidence of smog). Since this approach to mitigating air emissions is broad, the studies to date have concentrated on how changes in surface characteristics affect the meteorological conditions of the basin and on how these meteorological changes subsequently affect smog production. A geographic information system database of key surface characteristics (i.e., vegetative cover, albedo, moisture availability, and roughness) was compiled, and these characteristics were evaluated using prognostic meteorological models. The results of two- and three-dimensional meteorological simulations will be presented and discussed in this paper.
1993-02-01
This paper focuses on novel, innovative approaches for reducing or delaying the production of photochemical smog in the Los Angeles Basin. These approaches include modifying the surface characteristics of the basin by increasing surface albedo and an extensive tree-planting program. The changes in surface conditions are designed to reduce the basin air temperatures, especially during the summer months, which will result in two possible effects. First, a decrease in temperature would lead to a reduction in energy use with an associated decline in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) and a lowering of evaporative emission of reactive organic gases. Reductions in these smog precursors could improve the air quality of the basin without imposing additional emissions regulations. The second effect is associated with the possible causal relationship between air temperature and smog formation (i.e., lower temperatures and lower incidence of smog). Since this approach to mitigating air emissions is broad, the studies to date have concentrated on how changes in surface characteristics affect the meteorological conditions of the basin and on how these meteorological changes subsequently affect smog production. A geographic information system database of key surface characteristics (i.e., vegetative cover, albedo, moisture availability, and roughness) was compiled, and these characteristics were evaluated using prognostic meteorological models. The results of two- and three-dimensional meteorological simulations will be presented and discussed in this paper.
VALDRIFT 1.0: A valley atmospheric dispersion model with deposition
VALDRIFT version 1.0 is an atmospheric transport and diffusion model for use in well-defined mountain valleys. It is designed to determine the extent of ddft from aedal pesticide spraying activities, but can also be applied to estimate the transport and diffusion of various air pollutants in valleys. The model is phenomenological -- that is, the dominant meteorological processes goveming the behavior of the valley atmosphere are formulated explicitly in the model, albeit in a highly parameterized fashion. The key meteorological processes treated are: (1) nonsteady and nonhomogeneous along-valley winds and turbulent diffusivities, (2) convective boundary layer growth, (3) inversion descent, (4) noctumal temperature inversion breakup, and (5) subsidence. The model is applicable under relatively cloud-free, undisturbed synoptic conditions and is configured to operate through one diumal cycle for a single valley. The inputs required are the valley topographical characteristics, pesticide release rate as a function of time and space, along-valley wind speed as a function of time and space, temperature inversion characteristics at sunrise, and sensible heat flux as a function of time following sunrise. Default values are provided for certain inputs in the absence of detailed observations. The outputs are three-dimensional air concentration and ground-level deposition fields as a function of time.
VALDRIFT 1.0: A valley atmospheric dispersion model with deposition
1995-05-01
VALDRIFT version 1.0 is an atmospheric transport and diffusion model for use in well-defined mountain valleys. It is designed to determine the extent of ddft from aedal pesticide spraying activities, but can also be applied to estimate the transport and diffusion of various air pollutants in valleys. The model is phenomenological -- that is, the dominant meteorological processes goveming the behavior of the valley atmosphere are formulated explicitly in the model, albeit in a highly parameterized fashion. The key meteorological processes treated are: (1) nonsteady and nonhomogeneous along-valley winds and turbulent diffusivities, (2) convective boundary layer growth, (3) inversion descent, (4) noctumal temperature inversion breakup, and (5) subsidence. The model is applicable under relatively cloud-free, undisturbed synoptic conditions and is configured to operate through one diumal cycle for a single valley. The inputs required are the valley topographical characteristics, pesticide release rate as a function of time and space, along-valley wind speed as a function of time and space, temperature inversion characteristics at sunrise, and sensible heat flux as a function of time following sunrise. Default values are provided for certain inputs in the absence of detailed observations. The outputs are three-dimensional air concentration and ground-level deposition fields as a function of time.
Testing and Improving Stratosphere-Troposphere Analyses Through Tracer Transport Studies
2011-01-01
ObjectivesThis project will use an off-line 3D chemical transport/trajectory model (TOMCAT/SLIMCAT), in close cooperation with three meteorological centres, to test and improve tracer transport by (re)analyses and to derive key transport rates. Our specific objectives are to: * Test the tracer transport performance of currently available (re)analyses from ECMWF and project partners UK Met Office and NASA/GEOS. Perform a systematic intercomparison for studies of (i) stratospheric transport, (ii) stra [continued...]DescriptionMeteorological centres produce global analyses of atmospheric winds and temperatures, typically on a 6-hour basis. These fields, which now extend above the stratopause, are produced by the assimilating of observations (from satellites, sondes, surface observations etc) into a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model. The primary use of these analyses is to initialise short-term weather forecasts. These global wind and temperature fields are also a huge potential resource for researchers who stud [continued...]
Real-time data processing and inflow forecasting
1998-12-31
One of the key inputs into the short-term scheduling of hydroelectric generation is inflow forecasting which is needed for natural or unregulated inflows into various lakes, reservoirs and river sections. The forecast time step and time horizon are determined by the time step and the scheduling horizon. Acres International Ltd. has developed the Vista Decision Support System (DSS) in which the time step is one hour and the scheduling can be done up to two weeks into the future. This paper presents the basis of the operational flow-forecasting module of the Vista DSS software and its application to flow forecasting for 16 basins within Nova Scotia Power`s hydroelectric system. Among the tasks performed by the software are collection and treatment of data (in real time) regarding meteorological forecasts, reviews and monitoring of hydro-meteorological data, updating of the state variables in the module, and the review and adjustment of sub-watershed forecasts.
Numerical modeling in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. Technical memo. for FY-78
1979-02-01
This report summarizes and interprets tidal current and oil spill trajectory predictions obtained from a computer model of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and regional wind fields derived from a computer model of the entire Puget Basin. The meteorology of the Puget Sound Basin is discussed with respect to three dominant weather patterns which were subsequently used to run the regional meteorological model. These model results are incorporated into oil spill trajectory calculations as large scale wind fields over the Straits which are sequentially keyed by baric types for any given modeling period. A sea breeze condition was also considered and is described in the trajectory modeling section. The oceanography of the Strait of Juan de Fuca region is presented as a discussion of the dominant features, tidal and estuarine flow components, and some possible deviations from these main elements. The tide subroutines constructed for the trajectory model are based on empirical data from NOS tidal current stations and are inline functions to the trajectory model. The principal product of the model was a series of simulated oil spill trajectories.
2004-01-01
Accurate predictions of air quality and atmospheric dispersion at high spatial resolution rely on high fidelity predictions of mesoscale meteorological fields that govern transport and turbulence in urban areas. However, mesoscale meteorological models do not have the spatial resolution to directly simulate the fluid dynamics and thermodynamics in and around buildings and other urban structures that have been shown to modify micro- and mesoscale flow fields (e.g., see review by Bornstein 1987). Mesoscale models therefore have been adapted using numerous approaches to incorporate urban effects into the simulations (e.g., see reviews by Brown 2000 and Bornstein and Craig 2002). One approach is to introduce urban canopy parameterizations to approximate the drag, turbulence production, heating, and radiation attenuation induced by sub-grid scale buildings and urban surface covers (Brown 2000). Preliminary results of mesoscale meteorological and air quality simulations for Houston (Dupont et al. 2004) demonstrated the importance of introducing urban canopy parameterizations to produce results with high spatial resolution that accentuates variability, highlights important differences, and identifies critical areas. Although urban canopy parameterizations may not be applicable to all meteorological and dispersion models, they have been successfully introduced and demonstrated in many of the current operational and research mode mesoscale models, e.g., COAMPS (Holt et al. 2002), HOTMAC (Brown and Williams 1998), MM5 (e.g., Otte and Lacser 2001; Lacser and Otte 2002; Dupont et al. 2004), and RAMS (Rozoff et al. 2003). The primary consequence of implementing an urban parameterization in a mesoscale meteorological model is the need to characterize the urban terrain in greater detail. In general, urban terrain characterization for mesoscale modeling may be described as the process of collecting datasets of urban surface cover physical properties (e.g., albedo, emissivity) and morphology (i.e., ground elevation, building and tree height and geometry characteristics) and then processing the data to compute physical cover and morphological parameters. Many of the surface cover and morphological parameters required for mesoscale meteorological models are also needed by atmospheric dispersion models. Thus, most of the discussion below is relevant to both types of modeling. In this paper, the term urban morphological analysis will be used to define the component of urban terrain characterization concerned with the morphological parameters. Furthermore, the focus will be building morphological parameters; therefore, the term urban morphological analysis will refer exclusively to the task of inventorying, computing or estimating building morphological parameters. Several approaches to perform urban morphological analysis exist; however, all have in common three types of practice issues related to the uncertainty of (1) data, (2) parameter definitions and calculation methods, and (3) extrapolation techniques. The objective of this paper is to describe the state-of-the-practice of urban morphological analysis by reviewing the primary approaches presented in the literature and outlining and commenting on key aspects of the three types of practice issues listed above.
Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism
Despite hundreds of above-ground nuclear tests and data gathered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects of a ground-level, low-yield nuclear detonation in a modern urban environment are still the subject of considerable scientific debate. Extensive review of nuclear weapon effects studies and discussions with nuclear weapon effects experts from various federal agencies, national laboratories, and technical organizations have identified key issues and bounded some of the unknowns required to support response planning for a low-yield, ground-level nuclear detonation in a modern U.S. city. This study, which is focused primarily upon the hazards posed by radioactive fallout, used detailed fallout predictions from the advanced suite of three-dimensional (3-D) meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), including extensive global Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism geographical and real-time meteorological databases to support model calculations. This 3-D modeling system provides detailed simulations that account for complex meteorology and terrain effects. The results of initial modeling and analysis were presented to federal, state, and local working groups to obtain critical, broad-based review and feedback on strategy and messaging. This effort involved a diverse set of communities, including New York City, National Capitol Regions, Charlotte, Houston, Portland, and Los Angeles. The largest potential for reducing casualties during the post-detonation response phase comes from reducing exposure to fallout radiation. This can be accomplished through early, adequate sheltering followed by informed, delayed evacuation.B The response challenges to a nuclear detonation must be solved through multiple approaches of public education, planning, and rapid response actions. Because the successful response will require extensive coordination of a large number of organizations, supplemented by appropriate responses by local responders and the general population within the hazard zones, regional planning is essential to success. The remainder of this Executive Summary provides summary guidance for response planning in three areas: (1) Public Protection Strategy details the importance of early, adequate shelter followed by informed evacuation. (2) Responder Priorities identify how to protect response personnel, perform regional situational assessment, and support public safety. (3) Key Planning Considerations refute common myths and provide important information on planning how to respond in the aftermath of nuclear terrorism.
Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism
Despite hundreds of above-ground nuclear tests and data gathered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects of a ground-level, low-yield nuclear detonation in a modern urban environment are still the subject of considerable scientific debate. Extensive review of nuclear weapon effects studies and discussions with nuclear weapon effects experts from various federal agencies, national laboratories, and technical organizations have identified key issues and bounded some of the unknowns required to support response planning for a low-yield, ground-level nuclear detonation in a modern U.S. city. This study, which is focused primarily upon the hazards posed by radioactive fallout, used detailed fallout predictions from the advanced suite of three-dimensional (3-D) meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), including extensive global Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism geographical and real-time meteorological databases to support model calculations. This 3-D modeling system provides detailed simulations that account for complex meteorology and terrain effects. The results of initial modeling and analysis were presented to federal, state, and local working groups to obtain critical, broad-based review and feedback on strategy and messaging. This effort involved a diverse set of communities, including New York City, National Capitol Regions, Charlotte, Houston, Portland, and Los Angeles. The largest potential for reducing casualties during the post-detonation response phase comes from reducing exposure to fallout radiation. This can be accomplished through early, adequate sheltering followed by informed, delayed evacuation.B The response challenges to a nuclear detonation must be solved through multiple approaches of public education, planning, and rapid response actions. Because the successful response will require extensive coordination of a large number of organizations, supplemented by appropriate responses by local responders and the general population within the hazard zones, regional planning is essential to success. The remainder of this Executive Summary provides summary guidance for response planning in three areas: (1) Public Protection Strategy details the importance of early, adequate shelter followed by informed evacuation. (2) Responder Priorities identify how to protect response personnel, perform regional situational assessment, and support public safety. (3) Key Planning Considerations refute common myths and provide important information on planning how to respond in the aftermath of nuclear terrorism.
Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism
2009-01-21
Despite hundreds of above-ground nuclear tests and data gathered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects of a ground-level, low-yield nuclear detonation in a modern urban environment are still the subject of considerable scientific debate. Extensive review of nuclear weapon effects studies and discussions with nuclear weapon effects experts from various federal agencies, national laboratories, and technical organizations have identified key issues and bounded some of the unknowns required to support response planning for a low-yield, ground-level nuclear detonation in a modern U.S. city. This study, which is focused primarily upon the hazards posed by radioactive fallout, used detailed fallout predictions from the advanced suite of three-dimensional (3-D) meteorology and plume/fallout models developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), including extensive global Key Response Planning Factors for the Aftermath of Nuclear Terrorism geographical and real-time meteorological databases to support model calculations. This 3-D modeling system provides detailed simulations that account for complex meteorology and terrain effects. The results of initial modeling and analysis were presented to federal, state, and local working groups to obtain critical, broad-based review and feedback on strategy and messaging. This effort involved a diverse set of communities, including New York City, National Capitol Regions, Charlotte, Houston, Portland, and Los Angeles. The largest potential for reducing casualties during the post-detonation response phase comes from reducing exposure to fallout radiation. This can be accomplished through early, adequate sheltering followed by informed, delayed evacuation.B The response challenges to a nuclear detonation must be solved through multiple approaches of public education, planning, and rapid response actions. Because the successful response will require extensive coordination of a large number of organizations, supplemented by appropriate responses by local responders and the general population within the hazard zones, regional planning is essential to success. The remainder of this Executive Summary provides summary guidance for response planning in three areas: (1) Public Protection Strategy details the importance of early, adequate shelter followed by informed evacuation. (2) Responder Priorities identify how to protect response personnel, perform regional situational assessment, and support public safety. (3) Key Planning Considerations refute common myths and provide important information on planning how to respond in the aftermath of nuclear terrorism.
Wintertime wind stress curl (WSC) field in the North Pacific is investigated to reveal large-scale variabilities and their relation to atmospheric teleconnection patterns. It is found that the leading empirical orthogonal function (EOF) and the next three rotated-EOF modes of wintertime WSC anomalies well correspond to those of atmospheric teleconnection patterns, i.e., Pacific/North American (PNA), Western Pacific (WP), Tropical/Northern Hemisphere (TNH), and Eastern Pacific (EP) teleconnection patterns, respectively. Time coefficient of the first EOF mode well correlates with the North Pacific Index, and does with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Index, to some degree. It is also found that Sverdrup transports in the two zonal bands of 25N-30N and 42.5N-47.5N have highly negative correlation and these variations can be represented by the forcing field of the first EOF mode: the PNA forcing makes both subtropical and subpolar gyres spin-up/spin-down simultaneously.
Synoptic meteorology and weather forecasting
1988-01-25
This paper describes the history of synoptic meteorology of which the subjects have been changed with the passage of age. The synoptic meteorology has been significantly affected by the advancement in weather forecasting model, objective analysis, and calculation system. Description, analysis and forecasting of large scale meteorological movements are three main subjects of the synoptic meteorological movements are three main subjects of the synoptic meteorology. For the description and forecasting, higher accuracy computation is more important as obtained meteorological data is increased. The analysis, a third subject of the synoptic meteorology, is a diagnostic investigation of meteorological phenomena or a study on observational facts, and includes examination of distribution of meteorological elements and description of the phenomenon structures. The objects of the diagnostic investigation includes weather-forecasting, middle-scale meteorological phenomena, and phenomena in low attitude areas and large scale areas. One purpose of the synoptic meteorology lies in weather forecasting, which is carried out through two steps. In the first step, forecasting of weather in large-scale areas is carried out, and in the second step, the local weather in the large-scale areas is concretely interpreted from the standpoint of the meteorological elements such as wind, atomospheric pressure and temperature, and humidity. (7 refs)
Full Text Available.BackgroundThree-quarters of 3-6 year-old children in the U.S. spend time in childcare; many spend most of their waking hours in these settings. Daily physical activity offers numerous health benefits, but activity levels vary widely across centers. This study was undertaken to explore reasons why physical activity levels may vary. The purpose of this paper is to summarize an unexpected finding that child-care providers cited was a key barrier to children's physical activity.MethodsNine focus groups with 49 child-care providers (55% black) from 34 centers (including inner-city, suburban, Head Start and Montessori) were conducted in Cincinnati, OH. Three independent raters analyzed verbatim transcripts for themes. Several techniques were used to increase credibility of findings, including interviews with 13 caregivers.ResultsTwo major themes about clothing were: 1) children's clothing was a barrier to children's physical activity in child-care, and 2) clothing choices were a significant source of conflict between parents and child-care providers. Inappropriate clothing items included: no coat/hat/gloves in the wintertime, flip flops or sandals, dress/expensive clothes, jewelry, and clothes that were either too loose or too tight. Child-care providers explained that unless there were enough extra coats at the center, a single child without a coat could prevent the entire class from going outside. Caregivers suggested several reasons why parents may dress their child inappropriately, including forgetfulness, a rushed morning routine, limited income to buy clothes, a child's preference for a favorite item, and parents not understanding the importance of outdoor play. Several child-care providers favored specific policies prohibiting inappropriate clothing, as many reported limited success with verbal or written reminders to bring appropriate clothing.ConclusionInappropriate clothing may be an important barrier to children's physical activity in child-care settings, particularly if the clothing of a few children preclude physical activity for the remaining children. Center directors and policy makers should consider devising clear and specific policies for the types of clothing that will be permitted in these settings so that children's active play opportunities are not curtailed. To enhance compliance, parents may need education about the importance and benefits of active play for children's development.
Policies, plans, practice, and prospects: irrigation in northeastern Syria
2007-01-01
Over the past half-century the agricultural landscape of northeastern Syria has been transformed, due in large part to the introduction of significant irrigation to the steppe. At the beginning of this period, irrigation was confined almost entirely to river floodplains and natural depressions. The steppe was dominated by wintertime rain-fed agriculture and year-round grazing. The introduction of diesel-powered wells and, subsequently, state-operated dam and canal systems, has led to the expansion of both wintertime and summertime irrigation on the steppe away from the floodplain. The sustainability of these irrigation projects has always been suspect. Even as technologies for water extraction have allowed for previously impossible patterns of cultivation, the combination of declining wate...
Distribution of deep near-inertial waves observed in the Kuroshio Extension
2010-01-01
The distribution of deep near-inertial waves (NIWs) is investigated using data mainly from an array of 46 near-bottom acoustic current meter sensors spanning a 600 km 600 km region as part of the Kuroshio Extension System Study during 20042006. The deep NIW distribution is interpreted in the context of both upper-layer and near-bottom mapped circulations. The wintertime-mean mixed-layer NIW energy input, modeled from observed wind stress, has the same range of values north and south of the Kuroshio Extension in this region. Yet, the wintertime-mean deep NIW energy distribution reveals a sharp factor-of-5 decrease from north to south of the Kuroshio jet. This direct observational evidence shows that the Kuroshio Extension blocks the equatorward propagation of NIWs. The NIW energy that...
2005-01-01
The transition between wintertime net carbon loss and springtime net carbon assimilation has an important role in controlling the annual rate of carbon uptake in coniferous forest ecosystems. We studied the contributions of springtime carbon assimilation to the total annual rate of carbon uptake and the processes involved in the winter-to-spring transition across a range of scales from ecosystem CO2 fluxes to chloroplast photochemistry in a coniferous, subalpine forest. We observed numerous initiations and reversals in the recovery of photosynthetic CO2 uptake during the initial phase of springtime recovery in response to the passage of alternating warm- and cold-weather systems. Full recovery of ecosystem carbon uptake, whereby the 24-h cumulative sum of NEE (NEEdaily) was consistently ne...
Barriers to Outdoor Physical Activity in Wintertime Among Somali Youth
2010-01-01
To identify barriers to outdoor physical activity in winter among Somali youth in Maine. Despite the many proven health benefits of physical activity among children, such as cardiovascular fitness and health status as an adult, there has been a decrease in physical activity among children in recent years. Specifically, children who are of low socio-economic status or are from communities where many immigrants are at increased risk for developing obesity. Immigrants are also less likely to be physically active. There are many potential barriers to wintertime physical activity among Somali youth in Maine, such as lack of financial resources, transportation, proper winter clothing, and appropriate knowledge of winter safety, and language and cultural barriers. For females, different attire re...
Balance of alkaline and acidic pollution loads in the area affected by oil shale combustion
2000-01-01
Field measurements of concentrations of SO2 and NO2 in the air and deposition of Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, SO42-, NO3- and Cl- in northeastern Estonia were carried out in the end of winter 1998/99. Concentrations in the air were measured by passive sampling method (Palmes tubes). Snow samples were used to quantify the deposition loads. The measurement domain covered entire Ida-Viru County, eastern part of Laeaene-Viru County and a few sites in Jogeva County. These measurements and comparison with earlier investigations show that in wintertime most of sulfate over the area affected by oil shale industrial complex appears to be deposited with fly ash particles. The regression formulae for wintertime sulfate and calcium deposition loads for ...
Absolute Humidity and the Seasonal Onset of Influenza in the Continental US
Full Text Available.Much of the observed wintertime increase of mortality in temperate regions is attributed to seasonal influenza. A recent re-analysis of laboratory experiments indicates that absolute humidity strongly modulates the airborne survival and transmission of the influenza virus. Here we extend these findings to the human population level, showing that the onset of increased wintertime influenza-related mortality in the United States is associated with anomalously low absolute humidity levels during the prior weeks. We then use an epidemiological model, in which observed absolute humidity conditions temper influenza transmission rates, to successfully simulate the seasonal cycle of observed influenza-related mortality. The model results indicate that direct modulation of influenza transmissibility by absolute humidity alone is sufficient to produce this observed seasonality. These findings provide epidemiological support for the hypothesis that absolute humidity drives seasonal variations of influenza transmission in temperate regions.
THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN DISPERSION STUDY (MSG05) METEOROLOGICAL DATA DESCRIPTION.
2006-10-01
MSG05 was a study of atmospheric transport and dispersion in the deep urban canyons of Midtown New York City, in the area of Madison Square Garden. This downtown area is considered to be a prime target for terrorist activities, and has one of the largest commuter populations in the world. Little is known about air flow and hazardous gas dispersion in such scenarios, since previous urban field experiments have focused on small to medium sized cities with much smaller street canyons. On March 10 and 14, 2005, a series of Perfluorocarbon Tracer (PFT) tracers were released and tracked with about 30 sampling stations at radial distances of about 0.2 and 0.4 km, with vertical profiles near a 250 m tall building (One Penn Plaza). Meteorological stations collected wind data in the MSG vicinity, at street level and rooftop level. MSG05 is expected to provide useful information on rapid vertical dispersion will assist in planning for more extensive studies. This data release is being made available to a restricted group of key scientists who have worked on the project. Part of the QA program involves feedback from scientists and modelers who are working on this study. This document describes the meteorological component of the project. The file organization and metadata are detailed so that a researcher can work with the data sets.
Spatial distribution and temporal variability of solar radiant over southern Thailand
2009-07-01
The potential for solar energy in Thailand has been estimated at over 50,000 MW for power generation. However, existing power plants in the country produce only 32 MW. Most the the systems have been installed in rural areas, islands and other off-grid sites. The availability and variability of global solar radiant intensity and its spatial distribution are key parameters for designing and testing outdoor solar energy systems. These parameters must be well understood in order to evaluate system efficiency at specific locations. Therefore, this study examined the spatial distribution and temporal variability of solar radiant over southern Thailand using the Surfer computer program. The incident of solar radiation on a horizontal plane was estimated at 14 synoptic stations using the Angstrom's correlation which was obtained from meteorological data. Rainfall quantity at 3 main meteorological stations was used to correlate the hours of sunshine and to predict them in meteorological stations where sunshine recorders were absent but where rainfall data were present. The 3 stations were at the Surat Thani, Phuket and Hat Yai airports. Angstrom's correlation coefficients were obtained using the correlation between the hours of sunshine and day length. The solar radiant was obtained once the extraterrestrial solar radiation was known. The study showed that the solar radiant over southern Thailand varies between 12.51 to 24.54 MJ per m{sup 2} per day. It was concluded that the temporal variation of solar radiant over southern Thailand is highly influenced by the North-East and South-West monsoons. 16 refs., 1 tab., 17 figs.
ARACs Radiological Support of the Cassini Launch
The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was the U.S. Department of Energy atmospheric modeling resource used for the contingency of potential radiological releases during the launch of the Cassini mission. Having the ARAC system up and running was one of the launch criteria during thecountdown. The ARAC Center at LLNL forecasted detailed weather conditions and deliveredconsequence assessments for potential accident scenarios to NASA before and during launch operations. A key aspect of ARACs support was to acquire a variety of meteorological data for use in both forecast and real-time model calculations. ARAC acquired electronically two types ofreal-time observed meteorological data: 1) the set of on-site tower and profiler data via the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS), and 2) routine regional airport observations delivered to the ARAC Center from the Air Force WeatherAgency. We also used two forecasted data sources: 1) the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at CCAS forecasted soundings for launch time, and 2) the Navy Operational RegionalAtmospheric Prediction System (NORAPS) prognostic model which ARAC ran over the Cape. The NORAPS runs produced detailed 24-hr forecasts of 3-D wind fields. ARAC used defaultradiological accident source terms involving the potential destruction of Cassinis RadioisotopeThermoelectric Generators (RTGs) during 3 phases: 1) before the launch, 2) during the first 5sec after ignition, and 3) from 5 to 143 sec after ignition. ARAC successfully developed and delivered dose and deposition plots at 24 hours, 3 hours, and 30 minutes before each of the launch windows.
ARAC's radiological support of the Cassini Launch
1998-10-01
The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was the U.S. Department of Energy atmospheric modeling resource used for the contingency of potential radiological releases during the launch of the Cassini mission. Having the ARAC system up and running was one of the launch criteria during the countdown. The ARAC Center at LLNL forecasted detailed weather conditions and delivered consequence assessments for potential accident scenarios to NASA before and during launch operations. A key aspect of ARAC's support was to acquire a variety of meteorological data for use in both forecast and real-time model calculations. ARAC acquired electronically two types of real-time observed meteorological data: 1) the set of on-site tower and profiler data via the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS), and 2) routine regional airport observations delivered to the ARAC Center from the Air Force Weather Agency. We also used two forecasted data sources: 1) the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at CCAS forecasted soundings for launch time, and 2) the Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System (NORAPS) prognostic model which ARAC ran over the Cape. The NORAPS runs produced detailed 24-hr forecasts of 3-D wind fields. ARAC used default radiological accident source terms involving the potential destruction of Cassinis Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) during 3 phases: 1) before the launch, 2) during the first 5 sec after ignition, and 3) from 5 to 143 sec after ignition. ARAC successfully developed and delivered dose and deposition plots at 24 hours, 3 hours, and 30 minutes before each of the launch windows.
ARAC's operational support of the Cassini Launch
1998-10-01
The Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (ARAC) program at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) was the U.S. Department of Energy atmospheric modeling resource used for the contingency of potential radiological releases during the launch of the Cassini mission. The ARAC Center at LLNL forecasted detailed weather conditions and delivered consequence assessments for potential accident scenarios to NASA before and during launch operations. A key aspect of ARAC s support was to acquire a variety of meteorological data for use in both forecast and real-time model calculations. ARAC acquired electronically two types of real-time observed meteorological data: 1) the full set of on-site towers and profilers via the Cape Canaveral Air Station (CCAS) Meteorological Interactive Data Display System (MIDDS), and 2) routine regional airport observations (delivered to the ARAC Center from the Air Force Weather Agency). We also used two forecasted data sources: 1) the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron at CCAS forecasted soundings for launch time, and 2) the Navy Operational Regional Atmospheric Prediction System (NORAPS) prognostic model which ARAC ran over the Cape. The NORAPS runs produced detailed 24-hr forecasts of 3-D wind fields. ARAC used default radiological accident source terms involving the potential destruction of Cassini s Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) during 3 phases: 1) before the launch, 2) during the first S set after ignition, and 3) from 5 to 143 set after ignition. ARAC successfully developed and delivered dose and deposition plots at 24 hours, 3 hours, and 30 minutes before each of the lau
The growing demand for wind energy has created the need for highly skilled workers who can build and service the giant machines. This technician uses computers and has an understanding of hydraulics, electricity, algebra and meteorology. Although he came to the job with a high school education and experience as a welder, many technicians complete two-year education programs in wind technology. Working about 250 feet above the ground requires this professional to set aside any fears of heights. And teamwork is key to success in his position where safety and a smooth-running work environment are critical. Travel is a big part of his job; it has taken him around the country and to international sites.
Water Resources Assessment and Regional Virtual Water Potential in the Turpan Basin, China
2010-01-01
Located in the centre of the Eurasian Continent, the Turpan Basin, as the second deepest lowland in the world, is extremely short of water resources. Aimed at this key scientific issue, this paper based on years of meteorological and hydrological observation data, carried out a scientific calculation and evaluation of surface and groundwater resources in the Turpan Basin, and then, with the help of modified Penman formula, calculated the virtual water potential in the basin in 2004. The results show that the average total usable surface water resources per year in the last decade were about 6.673108 m3, while adduction volume of surface water in 2003 was about 4.94108 m3, which means that most of the region has reached or approached the limit of water resources and, as a result serious...
2010-01-01
Verification results from different satellite-based surface shortwave irradiance retrievals and sensitivity runs for key input parameters are presented for the Alpine region. Overall the uncertainty of the hourly retrievals at the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) validated with high-quality surface measurements is comparable with results from the standard Heliosat-3 model, but clearly improved for situations with snow-cover. The sensitivity study reveals that it is recommended to precisely georeference the High Resolution Visible (HRV) and the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) channels of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites to obtain accurate surface shortwave irradiance estimates. They also confirm the benefit of terrain correctio...
1980-01-01
A new meteorological data tape has been created for Bracknell which provides data on hourly vertical and horizontal surface solar irradiation together with observed values of the other key weather variables at three-hourly intervals. A detailed comparison has been made between predicted hourly values of vertical solar irradiation with observed values over a one year period. Simple methods for estimating the monthly cumulative frequency distributions of daily irradiation on horizontal and inclined surfaces for any site in Northern Europe and a refined monthly mean hourly slope irradiation model have been developed.
2006-01-01
SummarySensitivity analysis is important in understanding the relative importance of climatic variables to the variation of reference evapotranspiration (ETref). In this study, a non-dimensional relative sensitivity coefficient was employed to predict responses of ETref to perturbations of four climatic variables in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) basin. ETref was estimated with the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation. A 41-year historical dataset of daily air temperature, wind speed, relative humidity and daily sunshine duration at 150 national meteorological observatory stations was used in the analysis. Results show that the response of ETref can be precisely predicted under perturbation of relative humidity or shortwave radiation by their sensitivity coefficients; the predictive power under...
2009-01-01
Downward short- and longwave incoming irradiances play a key role in the radiation budget at the Earth's surface. Monitoring these parameters is essential for understanding the basic mechanisms involved in climate change, such as the greenhouse effect, global dimming, and changes in cloud cover and precipitation. Geostationary satellite observations are important in the retrieval of irradiance at the surface, providing excellent spatial and temporal coverage. Three decentralized Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs) are currently operational in the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), involved in retrieving surface solar irradiance (SSI) and downward longwave irradiance (DLI) from Meteosat images. This study presents a common validation of t...
Quantifying turbulent ventilation of heat and pollution from urban areas
2006-04-30
ObjectivesThe aim of this research is to quantify the turbulent ventilation of heat and pollutiont from urban areas through use of windtunnel simulations.~%~Key objectives are:~%~1. To develop a novel windtunnel modelling technique (naphthalene sublimation technique).~%~ 2. To apply the technique to idealised models of urban areas~%~ 3. To apply the technique to a model of a real urban street intersectionDescriptionInterest in urban meteorology is growing in line with increasing urbanization of the world's population and consequent concern about the health effects of pollution. The atmosphere at pedestrian level is controlled by mixing and transport of heat and pollution away from their sources within the urban canopy, i.e. the buildings and the air between them. Wind transports pollutants and heat through the urban canopy until turbulent mixing with the air above effectively 'ventilates' the streets. Unde [continued...]
On the use of JMA intensity in earthquake early warning systems
2010-01-01
The estimation of strength of shaking at a site from the initial P-wave portion of ground motion is the key problems for shortening the alert time of the earthquake Early Warning (EEW). The most of the techniques proposed for the purpose utilize (a) ground motion models based on the estimated magnitude and hypocentral distance, or (b) the interim proxies, such as initial vertical displacement P d . We suggest the instrumental Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) intensity (JMAI) as a characteristic for fast estimation of damage potential in the EEW systems. We investigated the scaling relations between JMAI measured using the whole earthquake recordings (overall intensity) and using particular time intervals of various duration (2.08.0s) starting from the P-wave arrival (preliminary inte...
On quantifying the sinuosity of typhoon tracks in the western North Pacific basin
2010-01-01
This paper analyses the available typhoon data for the western North Pacific between 1951 and 2008, archived by the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre in Tokyo. GIS methodology was used to extract key spatial characteristics of 1533 individual typhoons, including origin and destination coordinates and intervening positions, in order to investigate the nature of typhoon-track sinuosity over the past six decades. Temporal analysis illustrates strong inter-annual variability as the principal feature of sinuosity change, although not necessarily driven by ENSO, and allows anomalous years (e.g. 1991, 1995 and 1999) and the present quiescent period to be identified. Yet, typhoon-track sinuosity has not experienced any long-term trend during the study period, implying the limited effects ...
Indoor Radon and Its Decay Products: Concentrations, Causes, and Control Strategies
This report is an introduction to the behavior of radon 222 and its decay products in indoor air. This includes review of basic characteristics of radon and its decay products and of features of the indoor environment itself, all of which factors affect behavior in indoor air. The experimental and theoretical evidence on behavior of radon and its decay products is examined, providing a basis for understanding the influence of geological, structural, and meteorological factors on indoor concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of control techniques. We go on to examine three important issues concerning indoor radon. We thus include (1) an appraisal of the concentration distribution in homes, (2) an examination of the utility and limitations of popular monitoring techniques and protocols, and (3) an assessment of the key elements of strategies for controlling radon levels in homes.
Indoor Radon and Its Decay Products: Concentrations, Causes, and Control Strategies
This report is an introduction to the behavior of radon 222 and its decay products in indoor air. This includes review of basic characteristics of radon and its decay products and of features of the indoor environment itself, all of which factors affect behavior in indoor air. The experimental and theoretical evidence on behavior of radon and its decay products is examined, providing a basis for understanding the influence of geological, structural, and meteorological factors on indoor concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of control techniques. We go on to examine three important issues concerning indoor radon. We thus include (1) an appraisal of the concentration distribution in homes, (2) an examination of the utility and limitations of popular monitoring techniques and protocols, and (3) an assessment of the key elements of strategies for controlling radon levels in homes.
Indoor Radon and Its Decay Products: Concentrations, Causes, and Control Strategies
1990-01-01
This report is an introduction to the behavior of radon 222 and its decay products in indoor air. This includes review of basic characteristics of radon and its decay products and of features of the indoor environment itself, all of which factors affect behavior in indoor air. The experimental and theoretical evidence on behavior of radon and its decay products is examined, providing a basis for understanding the influence of geological, structural, and meteorological factors on indoor concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of control techniques. We go on to examine three important issues concerning indoor radon. We thus include (1) an appraisal of the concentration distribution in homes, (2) an examination of the utility and limitations of popular monitoring techniques and protocols, and (3) an assessment of the key elements of strategies for controlling radon levels in homes.
2010-01-01
This study has investigated the influence of synoptic weather patterns and long-range transport episodes on the concentrations of several compounds related to different aerosol sources (EC, OC, SO42-, Ca2+, Na+, K+, 210Pb, levoglucosan and dicarboxylic acids) registered in PM10 or PM2.5 aerosol samples collected at three remote background sites in central Europe. Air mass back-trajectories arriving at these sites have been analysed by statistical methods. Firstly, air mass back-trajectories have been grouped into clusters. Each cluster corresponds to specific meteorological scenarios, which were extracted and discussed. Finally, redistributed concentration fields have been computed to identify the main potential source regions of the different key aerosol components. A marked seasonal patt...
2010-01-01
Satellite remote sensing allows volcanic ash plumes to be detected and tracked and routinely aids in hazard mitigation, especially to the aviation community. Although satellite imagery provides valuable information about volcanic plume processes (i.e. plume heights, plume composition and plume transport), it has its limitations. In addition to the observational gaps produced by meteorological clouds as well as temporal and spatial resolution restrictions, large volcanic clouds often obscure the vent during an eruption. Therefore, some key information about eruption dynamics and processes are impossible to obtain from satellite images. In this paper we investigate four eruptions at Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador during the 2006-2008 time period. We integrate satellite-derived eruption chronolo...
2010-01-01
Summary According to the Chinese Flood Control Act, reservoir water levels generally are not allowed to exceed the flood limited water level (FLWL) during flood season in order to offer adequate storage for flood prevention. However, the operation rules based on the current FLWL have neglected meteorological and real-time flood forecasting information and give too much priority to low probability floods. For floodwater utilization, dynamic control of reservoir FLWL is a valuable and effective methodology to compromise between flood control and conservation for reservoir operation during the flood season. The dynamic control bound is a fundamental key element for implementing reservoir FLWL dynamic control operation. In this paper, a dynamic control operation model that considers inflow unc...
Discovery of lake-effect clouds on Titan
2008-09-11
Images from instruments on Cassini as well as from telescopes on the ground reveal the presence of sporadic small-scale cloud activity in the cold late-winter north polar of Saturn's large moon Titan. These clouds lie underneath the previously discovered uniform polar cloud attributed to a quiescent ethane cloud at ~40 km and appear confined to the same latitudes as those of the largest known hydrocarbon lakes at the north pole of Titan. The physical properties of these clouds suggest that they are due to methane convection and condensation. Such convection has not been predicted for the cold winter pole, but can be caused by a process in many ways analogous to terrestrial lake-effect clouds. The lakes on Titan are a key connection between the surface and the meteorological cycle.
Developing climatic scenarios for pesticide fate modelling in Europe
2008-01-01
A climatic classification for Europe suitable for pesticide fate modelling was constructed using a 3-stage process involving the identification of key climatic variables, the extraction of the dominant modes of spatial variability in those variables and the use of k-means clustering to identify regions with similar climates. The procedure identified 16 coherent zones that reflect the variability of climate across Europe whilst maintaining a manageable number of zones for subsequent modelling studies. An analysis of basic climatic parameters for each zone demonstrates the success of the scheme in identifying distinct climatic regions. Objective criteria were used to identify one representative 26-year daily meteorological series from a European dataset for each zone. The representativeness of each series was then verified against the zonal classifications. These ...
Consistency in accident analyses in DOE safety, environmental, and emergency planning documents
A consistency review of accident analyses in US Department of Energy (DOE) safety, environmental, and emergency planning documents is presented. The range of and key differences in driving assumptions used in accident definition and frequency assessment, radiological source term generation, and atmospheric transport and fate modeling across recent environmental impact statements (EISs) and emergency planning documents and the effects of these differences on results are summarized. Considerable variation in both the assumptions and the underlying level of conservatism is shown to exist. Recommendations are made for source term generation and assumed meteorological conditions to reduce inconsistencies without being overly prescriptive. Recommendations also are made to improve consistency in assessing the frequencies of various generic accident sequences traditionally analyzed in EIS and emergency planning documents. All recommendations are shown to be consistent with currently applicable DOE guidance.
Consistency in accident analyses in DOE safety, environmental, and emergency planning documents
1997-07-01
A consistency review of accident analyses in US Department of Energy (DOE) safety, environmental, and emergency planning documents is presented. The range of and key differences in driving assumptions used in accident definition and frequency assessment, radiological source term generation, and atmospheric transport and fate modeling across recent environmental impact statements (EISs) and emergency planning documents and the effects of these differences on results are summarized. Considerable variation in both the assumptions and the underlying level of conservatism is shown to exist. Recommendations are made for source term generation and assumed meteorological conditions to reduce inconsistencies without being overly prescriptive. Recommendations also are made to improve consistency in assessing the frequencies of various generic accident sequences traditionally analyzed in EIS and emergency planning documents. All recommendations are shown to be consistent with currently applicable DOE guidance.
2008-01-01
Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) determination is a key factor for water balance and irrigation scheduling. Evapotranspiration can be measured directly by high-cost micrometeorological techniques, or estimated by mathematical models. The combination equation of Penman-Monteith, modified by Allen et al. [Allen, R.G., Pereira, L.S., Raes, D., Smith, M., 1998. Crop evapotranspiration. Guidelines for computing crop water requirements. FAO Irrigation and Drainage, Paper no. 56. FAO, Rome] (PM56), is the reference equation for ETo estimation. This method is also appropriate for the calibration of other ETo estimation equations. The utilization of these calibrated ETo equations is recommended in the absence of data of any of the meteorological parameters necessary for the application of PM56. I...
Climate change from an environmental management perspective
1996-12-31
Climate change is a major issue for companies operating in the international marketplace. There is increased international concern over climate change. For example, the United Nations and the World Meteorological Organization have convened the United Nations Panel on Climate Change to review the impacts. In addition, the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change has requested world governments to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Because climate change is now viewed as a key global issue, companies with world-wide interests must incorporate management of climate change into their corporate strategies for environmental management. While companies involved in the production and use of fossil fuels, including coal, have been looking at this issue for several years, the importance of climate change to world-class companies has increased significantly and must be managed from a global perspective.
1995-12-31
This report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Office and the United Nations Environmental Programme, reviews the latest world-wide scientific evidence on climate change under four key topics. Firstly evidence for climate change by radiative forcing from both human and natural agents is reviewed for timescales of decades to centuries. Secondly, the latest values, for various greenhouse gases, of their Global Warming Potential are given to assess their relative importance for future climate change. Evidence is also presented for the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and finally several possible scenarios for future human-generated greenhouse gas emissions are evaluated. (UK)
Capabilities of NASA-AMES Research Center`s Airborne Science Aircraft
1996-11-01
NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Federal Air Field, Mountain View, California is NASA`s lead center for Airborne Science Aircraft. The Airborne Science and Flight Research Division operates seven Airborne Science Aircraft. The aircraft are operated as national and international facilities in support of NASA Headquarters, NASA Centers, Universities, Federal Agencies, and International Organizations. The aircraft have made and continue to make major contributions in the fields of Astrophysics, Geophysics, Meteorology, Atmospheric and Stratospheric Science, Earth Resources, and in the development, evaluation and calibration of Spacecraft Sensors. The aircraft have also played key roles in disaster assessment and relief efforts. 5 figs.
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility Annual Report 2006
This annual report describes the purpose and structure of the ARM Climate Research Facility and ARM Science programs and presents key accomplishments in 2006. Noteworthy scientific and infrastructure accomplishments in 2006 include: ? Collaborating with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to lead the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment, a major international field campaign held in Darwin, Australia ? Successfully deploying the ARM Mobile Facility in Niger, Africa ? Developing the new ARM Aerial Vehicles Program (AVP) to provide airborne measurements ? Publishing a new finding on the impacts of aerosols on surface energy budget in polar latitudes ? Mitigating a long-standing double-Intertropical Convergence Zone problem in climate models using ARM data and a new cumulus parameterization scheme.
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility Annual Report 2006
2005-11-30
This annual report describes the purpose and structure of the ARM Climate Research Facility and ARM Science programs and presents key accomplishments in 2006. Noteworthy scientific and infrastructure accomplishments in 2006 include: Collaborating with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology to lead the Tropical Warm Pool-International Cloud Experiment, a major international field campaign held in Darwin, Australia Successfully deploying the ARM Mobile Facility in Niger, Africa Developing the new ARM Aerial Vehicles Program (AVP) to provide airborne measurements Publishing a new finding on the impacts of aerosols on surface energy budget in polar latitudes Mitigating a long-standing double-Intertropical Convergence Zone problem in climate models using ARM data and a new cumulus parameterization scheme.
2009-01-01
Altimetry missions such as Topex/Poseidon, Jason-1, GFO and ENVISAT have been widely used in the continental domain over lakes, rivers and wetland although they were mostly dedicated to oceanic studies. Knowledge of the instrumental biases is a key issue. Numerous sites have been dedicated to calibration purposes, either in the oceanic domain (Harvest offshore platform in California, Corsica, Bass Strait in Australia) or over lakes (Lake Erie in United States). A new site (Lake Issykkul in Kirghizstan) is proposed for calibration in the continental domain. This lake is covered by past (T/P) and current radar altimetry satellites (Jason-1, T/P, GFO, and ENVISAT). Several in situ water levels and local meteorological variables are available at the site. Located in a mountainous area, it offe...
The morphology and meteorology of Southern Hemisphere spring total ozone mini-holes
The purpose of this paper is to describe the properties of mini-hole events. Both Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data and National Meteorological Center (NMC) meteorological analyses will be used to ...
The morphology and meteorology of Southern Hemisphere spring total ozone mini-holes
The purpose of this paper is to describe the properties of mini-hole events. Both Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data and National Meteorological Center (NMC) meteorological analyses will be used to ...
Currently used dispersion models, such as the AMS/EPA Regulatory Model (AERMOD), process routinely available meteorological observations to construct model inputs. Thus, model estimates of concentrations depend on the availability and quality of Meteorological observations, as we...
Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate
"The Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere and Climate uses the FORMOSAT-3, Taiwan's Formosa Satellite Mission number 3, to perform meteorological data collection using the Global Positio...
The Synchronous Meteorological Satellite /SMS/ system
The Synchronous Meteorological Satellite (SMS) system is described which is being utilized in a program to obtain day and night information on the earth's weather by means of earth imaging, retransmission of imaged data, ...
SOME OF THE BASIC INTERNATIONAL LEGAL PROBLEMS ARISING IN THE PRESENT AND FUTURE USE OF METEOROLOGICAL AND COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITES ARE SURVEYED. AMONG THE TOPICS DISCUSSED ARE EXISTING AND PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL ...
WINTERTIME MEASUREMENTS OF ACIDIC AEROSOLS IN WUHAN: A CITY IN CENTRAL CHINA
A two-week intensive ambient aerosol study was conducted in December 1988 in Wuhan (Hubei Province), a city of nearly 2 million located on the Yangtze River in central China (PRC). his is an industrial region where soft coal burning is widespread and emission controls for vehicle...
This data tip from Bridge, the Ocean Sciences Education Teacher Resource Center archive, dicusses El Nino's effects on the oceans, climate, and ocean life. It includes links to a variety of educational sites, and a data activity in which students track some of the common climate changes caused by El Nino, paying close attention to wintertime changes such as temperature, precipitation, and incidence of hurricanes using web data.
Solar semidiurnal tidal wind oscillations above the CART site
1995-03-01
Harmonic analysis of wintertime data from 915- and 404-MHz radar wind profilers at four sites in North America has identified coherent semidiurnal wind oscillations through the entire depth of the troposphere. These winds are readily apparent above the CART site, as evidenced from analyses of data from the Haviland, KS, radar profiler. The characteristics of this wind system match the characteristics of solar semidiurnal atmospheric tides, as predicted by a simple dynamic model.
Singular Value Decomposition of Wintertime Sea Surface Temperature ...
Davis, R., 1976: Predictability of sea surface temperature and sea- ... 1978: Multiple causes of the North American abnormal winter. 1976-77. Mon. Wea. Rev., 106, 279-295. ... M.S. thesis, University of Washing- ton, 92 pp. ...
2009-02-02
The paper contains the results of the polarization measurements of twilight sky background during the wintertime including the epoch of Quadrantids activity in January 2008 and 2009 in Crimea (Ukraine). Analysis of the twilight sky polarization behavior had shown the barely detectable depolarization effect at the scattering altitudes above 90 km right after the Quadrantids maximum. This effect can be related with the meteoric dust in the upper atmosphere of the Earth.
The objectives of Operation Poorman were to design and build a portable seismic system and to set up and use this system in a cold-weather environment. The equipment design uses current technology to achieve a low-power, lightweight system that is configured into three modules. The system was deployed in Alaska during wintertime, and the results provide a basis for specifying a mission-ready seismic verification system.
1981-03-18
The objectives of Operation Poorman were to design and build a portable seismic system and to set up and use this system in a cold-weather environment. The equipment design uses current technology to achieve a low-power, lightweight system that is configured into three modules. The system was deployed in Alaska during wintertime, and the results provide a basis for specifying a mission-ready seismic verification system.
Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is a common fuel additive used to increase the availability of oxygen in gasoline to reduce winter-time carbon monoxide emissions from automobiles. Also, MTBE boosts gasoline "octane" rating and, as such, allows reduction of benzene...
IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FOR METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE)
MTBE is a volatile organic chemical used to oxygenate gasoline. Oxygenated gasoline improves the exhaust emissions from gasoline engines. Since 1992 it has been used to comply with the Federal Reformulated Gasoline (begun in 1995) and Wintertime Oxygenated Fuel (begun in 1992) p...
A modeling study of the interannual variability in the wintertime North Atlantic Ocean
1995-12-01
A new model for the upper North Atlantic Ocean is presented and used to hindcast the SST from 1950 to 1988. The model consists of a matrix of one-dimensional (independent) columns in which a variable-depth, bulk mixed layer overlies a diffusive convective thermocline. The climatological annual cycle of heat flux convergence by the oceanic circulation is implicitly included in the formulation of the forcing. The 39-yr control integration of the model includes as surface forcing the shortwave and net longwave radiation from a control integration of the community climate model. Sensible and latent heat fluxes are determined from instantaneous values of surface temperature, humidity, and wind speed from the atmospheric model, and the SST simulated by the ocean model using the bulk formulae. The ability of the model to hindcast the wintertime interannual variations in SST is demonstrated by simple correlations with observed anomalies and by comparing the composite of warm and cold events observed with those simulated by the model. The results confirm the hypothesis that wintertime interannual to subdecadal variability in SST is mainly due to local anomalies in the air-sea flux of sensible and latent heat and not to anomalies in oceanic advection. Both the sensible and latent heat flux anomalies are shown to contribute substantially to the wintertime anomalies in SST in the subpolar Atlantic, while the heat flux anomalies are predominantly determined by the latent heat flux in the subtropics. Entrainment anomalies contribute to a lesser extent to the mixed layer temperature anomalies throughout the basin. Sensitivity studies are performed to highlight the atmospheric processes and variability that account for the surface heat flux anomalies.
A Cost Effective Automatic Balloon Launcher
2000-06-08
Approximately 800,000 balloon-borne radiosondes are hand-launched each year, a cost and labor-intensive procedure. Development of a low-cost Automatic Radiosonde Launcher would allow the manual procedure to be replaced with a reliable and less expensive process. Balloon-borne radiosondes provide essential meteorological data used by forecasters and researchers around the globe. The National Weather service alone launches tens of thousands of sondes from sites across the US. Although worldwide launching of radiosondes has been done for many years, it remains a labor intensive and therefore expensive operation. Using its own funding and, more recently with the help of a Phase I SBIR grant, Visidyne, Inc. has begun investigating the feasibility of building an Automatic Radiosonde Launcher (ARL) that can be built at a cost that will be acceptable to the commercial marketplace. That work has led to the issuing of four patents covering important innovations that will allow us to meet that goal. Under the recent Phase I effort, solutions to many of the key problems have been tested in the laboratory and in real-world demonstrations in the field. The balloon filling, battery wetting, and launch release mechanisms were designed, built, and tested. A breadboard launcher was constructed and tested to prove feasibility of key system elements. Demonstration launches of radiosondes were performed using the breadboard launcher from the National Weather Service facility in Gray, ME, and from Hanscom AFB in Lexington, MA. The cost and size of a full scale shelter prevented us from building one during Phase I, however, we do have a design that will accomplish our goals. The Automatic Radiosonde Launcher will significantly reduce the cost of launching balloon-borne instruments. US and foreign weather services and atmospheric, climatological, and meteorological researchers will all benefit from this innovation.
2009-07-02
The present study gives an overview and emphasizes principal moments of the applications of the turbulence-resolving modeling with large-eddy simulation (LES) numerical technique to planetary boundary layer (PBL) research and climate studies. LES proved to be very useful in understanding of the atmospheric and ocean turbulent exchange and ultimately in parameterization improvement in traditional meteorological models. LES have played a key role in recognizing the importance of previously ignored self-organized structures in the geophysical turbulence. LES assisted theoreticians and weather/climate modelers with reliable information about the averaged vertical structure of the PBL in convection and shear regimes as well as with better estimations of key PBL parameters, e.g. an entrainment rate, for model calibrations. At present, LES are an essential, indispensible part of geosciences, while the mainstream of the LES research still deals with idealized case studies with rather simple micro-physics.
Chemical weather forecasting (CWF) for flight planning in atmospheric chemistry field campaigns has become commonplace over the last five years. A key target in field campaigns for which CWFs are particularly applicable is polluted airmasses in the outflow from populated or deforestation regions. These are present in the form of either plumes or detached, coherent air parcels, and vary widely in frequency and regularity of occurence. Using the CWF system based on MATCH-MPIC (Model of Atmospheric Transport and Chemistry - Max Planck Institute for Chemistry version), driven by data from the NCEP Global Forecasting System, we have begun to collect a catalogue of experiences of successes and failures at predicting these plumes with short-term (3-day) forecasts, and reproducing them using meteorological analyses. This presentation summarizes key results of the forecasting with MATCH-MPIC for the MINOS, CONTRACE, UTOPIHAN, ITOP, and GABRIEL field campaigns. In a few cases, results from other comparable CWF systems which simulated these campaigns will also be shown. As an outlook, the potential for future advancements in CWFs within the framework of the ECHAM5/MESSy1 system is discussed.
Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility (ACRF) Annual Report 2007
2007-12-01
This annual report describes the purpose and structure of the program, and presents key accomplishments in 2007. Notable achievements include: Successful review of the ACRF as a user facility by the DOE Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee. The subcommittee reinforced the importance of the scientific impacts of this facility, and its value for the international research community. Leadership of the Cloud Land Surface Interaction Campaign. This multi-agency, interdisciplinary field campaign involved enhanced surface instrumentation at the ACRF Southern Great Plains site and, in concert with the Cumulus Humilis Aerosol Processing Study sponsored by the DOE Atmospheric Science Program, coordination of nine aircraft through the ARM Aerial Vehicles Program. Successful deployment of the ARM Mobile Facility in Germany, including hosting nearly a dozen guest instruments and drawing almost 5000 visitors to the site. Key advancements in the representation of radiative transfer in weather forecast models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Development of several new enhanced data sets, ranging from best estimate surface radiation measurements from multiple sensors at all ACRF sites to the extension of time-height cloud occurrence profiles to Niamey, Niger, Africa. Publication of three research papers in a single issue (February 2007) of the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.
BackgroundStreptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of community acquired pneumonia and bacteremia. Excess wintertime mortality related to pneumonia has been noted for over a century, but the seasonality of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has been described relatively recently and is poorly understood. Improved understanding of environmental influence on disease seasonality has taken on new urgency due to global climate change.MethodsWe evaluated 602 cases of IPD reported in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, from 2002 to 2007. Poisson regression models incorporating seasonal smoothers were used to identify associations between weekly weather patterns and case counts. Associations between acute (day-to-day) environmental fluctuations and IPD occurrence were evaluated using a case-crossover approach. Effect modification across age and sex strata was explored, and meta-regression models were created using stratum-specific estimates for effect.ResultsIPD incidence was greatest in the wintertime, and spectral decomposition revealed a peak at 51.0 weeks, consistent with annual periodicity. After adjustment for seasonality, yearly increases in reporting, and temperature, weekly incidence was found to be associated with clear-sky UV index (IRR per unit increase in index: 0.70 [95% CI 0.54-0.91]). The effect of UV index was highest among young strata and decreased with age. At shorter time scales, only an association with increases in ambient sulphur oxides was linked to disease risk (OR for highest tertile of exposure 0.75, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.93).ConclusionWe confirmed the wintertime predominance of IPD in a major urban center. The major predictor of IPD in Philadelphia is extended periods of low UV radiation, which may explain observed wintertime seasonality. The mechanism of action of diminished light exposure on disease occurrence may be due to direct effects on pathogen survival or host immune function via altered 1,25-(OH)2-vitamin-D metabolism. These findings may suggest less diminution in future IPD risk with climate change than would be expected if wintertime seasonality was driven by temperature.
This paper utilizes a two-stage clustering approach as part of an objective classification scheme designed to elucidate 03's dependence on meteorology. hen applied to ten years (1981-1990) of meteorological data for Birmingham, Alabama, the classification scheme identified seven ...
Meteorological Monitoring Program
The purpose of this technical report is to provide a comprehensive, detailed overview of the meteorological monitoring program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. The principle function of the program is to provide current, accurate meteorological data as input for calculating the transport and diffusion of any unplanned release of an atmospheric pollutant. The report is recommended for meteorologists, technicians, or any personnel who require an in-depth understanding of the meteorological monitoring program.
Meteorological Monitoring Program
1994-09-01
The purpose of this technical report is to provide a comprehensive, detailed overview of the meteorological monitoring program at the Savannah River Site (SRS) near Aiken, South Carolina. The principle function of the program is to provide current, accurate meteorological data as input for calculating the transport and diffusion of any unplanned release of an atmospheric pollutant. The report is recommended for meteorologists, technicians, or any personnel who require an in-depth understanding of the meteorological monitoring program.
MetEd Home Page: Meteorology Education & Training
A comprehensive web portal for technical meteorology education. Offers on-line tutorials on current meteorological tools and imaging systems, exercises in image recognition and interpretation, applications for weather forecasting, and links to related resources. Target audience includes the operational forecasting community, university scientists and students, and other deeply interested in meteorology and weather forecasting.
AUTOMATED CLASSIFICATION SCHEME DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE DEPENDENCE OF OZONE ON METEOROLOGY
This paper utilizes a two-stage (average linkage then convergent k-means) clustering approach as part of an objective meteorological classification scheme designed to elucidate ozone's dependence on meteorology. hen applied to ten years (1981-1990) of meteorological data for Birm...
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