X-ray emission and the winds of cataclysmic variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cordova, F.A.

1985-01-01

X-ray and ultraviolet observations of cataclysmic variable stars reveal a variety of exotic behavior - pulsations, winds, and episodic outbursts - are these related, what do they tell us about the nature of the outburst, about the environment of the accreting white dwarf. The author summarizes the observed changes in the x-ray and uv continuum and spectral features through the outbursts of the dwarf novae. The author then discusses how the modeling of these data have refined our ideas about the location and nature of the emissions, and the source of the outbursts. The author shows how comparisons of the x-ray and uv properties of cataclysmic variables with similar phenomena in other astronomical systems - the solar corona, OB stars, and Be stars - suggest ways in which the x-ray and uv emissions in CVs may be related, and point to further, specific observations that would elucidate our understanding of the behavior and role of the white dwarf in the outburst. 26 references

The Nature of Temporally Variable Methane Emissions at Oil and Natural Gas Operations in the Eagle Ford Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Lavoie, T. N.; Shepson, P. B.; Cambaliza, M. O. L.; Stirm, B. H.; Conley, S. A.; Mehrotra, S.; Faloona, I. C.; Mayfield, M.; Lyon, D. R.; Alvarez, R.

2015-12-01

To understand the current state of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas operations, policy makers refer to national inventories and reporting programs, and therefore, it is imperative that these reports are accurate and representative. Many studies exist that investigate the reliability of current monitoring methods, however, to our knowledge the temporal variability of the magnitude and source of methane (CH4) emissions from oil and gas facilities has not been reported in the literature. We present results from a field campaign conducted in June 2014 in the Eagle Ford basin, Texas to assess the temporal variability of emissions from a variety of facilities using data obtained through four different methods. The variability of total CH4 emission rate from individual facilities was investigated by repeated measurement of emissions from five gathering facilities using two aircraft-based mass balance approaches. Basin-wide emissions variation was examined by conducting a series of eight four hour afternoon aerial surveys of two 35 x 35 km areas, with transects oriented perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction. The emission source-type and magnitude were further investigated using helicopter-based FLIR camera observations conducted repeatedly at eight oil wells, one gas well, and four gathering facilities. Results indicate a high degree of variability in day-to-day and sometimes hour-to-hour CH4 emissions magnitude. FLIR camera observations suggest that the component-level source of facility emissions is also highly variable over time, with both storage tank vent stacks and tank hatches representing important components of the observed day-to-day variability. While some emissions were due to scheduled maintenance, others appeared to occur due to faulty and/or aging equipment. Here we discuss what was learned in terms of factors that explain the observed emission rate variability.

Spatial and temporal variability of greenhouse gas emissions from a small and shallow temperate lake

Science.gov (United States)

Praetzel, Leandra; Schmiedeskamp, Marcel; Broder, Tanja; Hüttemann, Caroline; Jansen, Laura; Metzelder, Ulrike; Wallis, Ronya; Knorr, Klaus-Holger; Blodau, Christian

2017-04-01

Small inland waters (spots" and "hot moments" that could contribute significantly to total emissions. To address this knowledge gap, we determined CO2 and CH4 emissions and dynamics to identify their controlling environmental factors in a polymictic small (1.4 ha) and shallow (max. depth approx. 1.5 m) crater lake ("Windsborn") in the Eifel uplands in south-west Germany. As Lake Windsborn has a small catchment area (8 ha) and no surficial inflows, it serves well as a model system for the identification of factors and processes controlling emissions. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 we measured CO2 and CH4 gas fluxes with different techniques across the sediment/water and water/atmosphere interface. Atmospheric exchange was measured using mini-chambers equipped with CO2 sensors and with an infra-red greenhouse gas analyzer for high temporal resolution flux measurements. Ebullition of CH4 was quantified with funnel traps. Sediment properties were examined using pore-water peepers. All measurements were carried out along a transect covering both littoral and central parts of the lake. Moreover, a weather station on a floating platform in the center of the lake recorded meteorological data as well as CO2 concentration in different depths of the water column. So far, Lake Windsborn seems to be a source for both CO2 and CH4 on an annual scale. CO2 emissions generally increased from spring to summer. Even though CO2 uptake could be observed during some periods in spring and fall, CO2 emissions in the summer exceeded the uptake. CO2 and CH4 emissions also appeared to be spatially variable between littoral areas and the inner lake. Shallow areas turned out to be "hot spots" of CO2 emissions whereas CH4 emissions were - against our expectations - highest in the center of the lake. Moreover, CH4 ebullition contributed substantially to total CH4 emissions. Our results show the importance of spatially and temporally highly resolved long-term measurements of greenhouse gas emissions and

A case study on the impact of variable emission rates on the calculated MEI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perry, R.A.; Chadbourne, J.

1994-12-31

When regulatory agencies require dispersion modeling to evaluate air quality impacts, the emissions modeled are the maximum allowable emissions. This requires an assumption that the source will constantly emit the maximum amount of each contaminant allowed by rule or by permit condition. For most sources, the actual emissions are typically much lower than the maximum allowed. Some years ago the Agency considered this issue through the ExEx policy to provide for specified {open_quotes}expected exceedances{close_quotes} while still meeting ambient standards. Emissions of Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) metals from a cement kiln, using hazardous waste to replace fossil fuels, provides a useful example of the effect of variable emissions. The Boiler and Industrial Furnace (BIF) rule at 40 C.F.R. 266 subpart H specifies that allowable emission of arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead and thallium inter alia can be determined through dispersion modeling. Section 266.103(b)(v) specifies that the location of the most exposed individual (MEI) and dilution faction ({mu}g/m{sup 3} / g/sec) for the maximum annual average value must be determined. In addition, risk specific doses and reference air concentration (RSDs and RACs in {mu}g/m{sup 3}) are published in BIF appendix IV and V based on 70 years of exposure.

Experimental Evaluation of a Low Emissions High Performance Duct Burner for Variable Cycle Engines (VCE)

Science.gov (United States)

Lohmann, R. P.; Mador, R. J.

1979-01-01

An evaluation was conducted with a three stage Vorbix duct burner to determine the performance and emissions characteristics of the concept and to refine the configuration to provide acceptable durability and operational characteristics for its use in the variable cycle engine (VCE) testbed program. The tests were conducted at representative takeoff, transonic climb, and supersonic cruise inlet conditions for the VSCE-502B study engine. The test stand, the emissions sampling and analysis equipment, and the supporting flow visualization rigs are described. The performance parameters including the fuel-air ratio, the combustion efficiency/exit temperature, thrust efficiency, and gaseous emissions calculations are defined. The test procedures are reviewed and the results are discussed.

Variability of Fe II Emission Features in the Seyfert 1 Galaxy NGC 5548

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard, Marianne; Peterson, B. M.

2005-01-01

We study the low-contrast Fe II emission blends in the ultraviolet (1250--2200A) and optical (4000--6000A) spectra of the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 and show that these features vary in flux and that these variations are correlated with those of the optical continuum. The amplitude of variability ...... are correlated indicates that line fluorescence in a photoionized plasma, rather than collisional excitation, is responsible for the Fe II emission. The iron emission templates are available upon request....

Spatial and temporal variability of nitrous oxide emissions in a mixed farming landscape of Denmark

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Schelde

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Nitrous oxide (N₂O emissions from agricultural land are variable at the landscape scale due to variability in land use, management, soil type, and topography. A field experiment was carried out in a typical mixed farming landscape in Denmark, to investigate the main drivers of variations in N₂O emissions, measured using static chambers. Measurements were made over a period of 20 months, and sampling was intensified during two weeks in spring 2009 when chambers were installed at ten locations or fields to cover different crops and topography and slurry was applied to three of the fields. N₂O emissions during spring 2009 were relatively low, with maximum values below 20 ng N m⁻² s⁻¹. This applied to all land use types including winter grain crops, grasslands, meadows, and wetlands. Slurry application to wheat fields resulted in short-lived two-fold increases in emissions. The moderate N₂O fluxes and their moderate response to slurry application were attributed to dry soil conditions due to the absence of rain during the four previous weeks. Cumulative annual emissions from two arable fields that were both fertilized with mineral fertilizer and manure were large (17 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ and 5.5 kg N₂O-N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ during the previous year when soil water conditions were favourable for N₂O production during the first month following fertilizer application. Our findings confirm the importance of weather conditions as well as nitrogen management on N₂O fluxes.

Spatial and temporal variability of nitrous oxide emissions in a mixed farming landscape of Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schelde, Kirsten; Cellier, P; Bertolini, T

2012-01-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural land are variable at the landscape scale due to variability in land use, management, soil type, and topography. A field experiment was carried out in a typical mixed farming landscape in Denmark, to investigate the main drivers of variations in N2O...... yr−1) during the previous year when soil water conditions were favourable for N2O production during the first month following fertilizer application. Our findings confirm the importance of weather conditions as well as nitrogen management on N2O fluxes....

Variability of BVOC emissions from a Mediterranean mixed forest in southern France with a focus on Quercus pubescens

Science.gov (United States)

Genard-Zielinski, A.-C.; Boissard, C.; Fernandez, C.; Kalogridis, C.; Lathière, J.; Gros, V.; Bonnaire, N.; Ormeño, E.

2015-01-01

We aimed at quantifying biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions in June from three Mediterranean species located at the O3HP site (southern France): Quercus pubescens, Acer monspessulanum and C. coggygria (for isoprene only). As Q. pubescens was shown to be the main BVOC emitter with isoprene representing ≈ 99% of the carbon emitted as BVOC, we mainly focused on this species. C. coggygria was found to be a non-isoprene emitter (no other BVOCs were investigated). To fully understand both the canopy effect on Q. pubescens isoprene emissions and the inter-individual variability (tree to tree and within canopy), diurnal variations of isoprene were investigated from nine branches (seven branches located to the top of canopy at ≈ 4 m above ground level (a.g.l.), and two inside the canopy at ≈ 2 m a.g.l.). The Q. pubescens daily mean isoprene emission rate (ERd) fluctuated between 23 and 98 μgC gDM-1 h-1. Q. pubescens daily mean net assimilation (Pn) ranged between 5.4 and 13.8, and 2.8 and 6.4 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1 for sunlit and shaded branches respectively. Both ERd and isoprene emission factors (Is), assessed according to Guenther et al. (1993) algorithm, varied by a factor of 4.3 among the sunlit branches. While sunlit branches ERd was clearly higher than for shaded branches, there was a non-significant variability of Is (59 to 77 μgC gDM-1 h-1). Diurnal variations of isoprene emission rates (ERs) for sunlit branches were also investigated. ERs were detected at dawn 2 h after Pn became positive and were mostly exponentially dependent on Pn. Diurnal variations of ERs were not equally well described throughout the day by temperature (CT) and light (CL) parameters according to G93 algorithm. Temperature had more impact than photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on the morning emissions increase, and ER was no longer correlated to CL × CT between solar noon (maximum ER) and mid-afternoon, possibly due to thermal stress of the plant. A comparison

Global terrestrial isoprene emission models: sensitivity to variability in climate and vegetation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Arneth

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Due to its effects on the atmospheric lifetime of methane, the burdens of tropospheric ozone and growth of secondary organic aerosol, isoprene is central among the biogenic compounds that need to be taken into account for assessment of anthropogenic air pollution-climate change interactions. Lack of process-understanding regarding leaf isoprene production as well as of suitable observations to constrain and evaluate regional or global simulation results add large uncertainties to past, present and future emissions estimates. Focusing on contemporary climate conditions, we compare three global isoprene models that differ in their representation of vegetation and isoprene emission algorithm. We specifically aim to investigate the between- and within model variation that is introduced by varying some of the models' main features, and to determine which spatial and/or temporal features are robust between models and different experimental set-ups. In their individual standard configurations, the models broadly agree with respect to the chief isoprene sources and emission seasonality, with maximum monthly emission rates around 20–25 Tg C, when averaged by 30-degree latitudinal bands. They also indicate relatively small (approximately 5 to 10 % around the mean interannual variability of total global emissions. The models are sensitive to changes in one or more of their main model components and drivers (e.g., underlying vegetation fields, climate input which can yield increases or decreases in total annual emissions of cumulatively by more than 30 %. Varying drivers also strongly alters the seasonal emission pattern. The variable response needs to be interpreted in view of the vegetation emission capacities, as well as diverging absolute and regional distribution of light, radiation and temperature, but the direction of the simulated emission changes was not as uniform as anticipated. Our results highlight the need for modellers to evaluate their

Intake plenum volume and its influence on the engine performance, cyclic variability and emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceviz, M.A.

2007-01-01

Intake manifold connects the intake system to the intake valve of the engine and through which air or air-fuel mixture is drawn into the cylinder. Details of the flow in intake manifolds are extremely complex. Recently, most of engine companies are focused on variable intake manifold technology due to their improvement on engine performance. This paper investigates the effects of intake plenum volume variation on engine performance and emissions to constitute a base study for variable intake plenum. Brake and indicated engine performance characteristics, coefficient of variation in indicated mean effective pressure (COV imep ) as an indicator for cyclic variability, pulsating flow pressure in the intake manifold runner, and CO, CO 2 and HC emissions were taken into consideration to evaluate the effects of different plenum volumes. The results of this study showed that the variation in the plenum volume causes an improvement on the engine performance and the pollutant emissions. The brake torque and related performance characteristics improved pronouncedly about between 1700 and 2600 rpm by increasing plenum volume. Additionally, although the increase in the plenum volume caused the mixture leaner due to the increase in the intake runner pressure and lean mixtures inclined to increase the cyclic variability, a decrease was interestingly observed in the COV imep

Variable Emissivity Electrochromics using Ionic Electrolytes and Low Solar Absorptance Coatings, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This work further developed a highly promising variable emissivity technology for spacecraft thermal control, based on unique conducting polymer (CP) electrochromics...

Statistically Enhanced Model of In Situ Oil Sands Extraction Operations: An Evaluation of Variability in Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Orellana, Andrea; Laurenzi, Ian J; MacLean, Heather L; Bergerson, Joule A

2018-02-06

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with extraction of bitumen from oil sands can vary from project to project and over time. However, the nature and magnitude of this variability have yet to be incorporated into life cycle studies. We present a statistically enhanced life cycle based model (GHOST-SE) for assessing variability of GHG emissions associated with the extraction of bitumen using in situ techniques in Alberta, Canada. It employs publicly available, company-reported operating data, facilitating assessment of inter- and intraproject variability as well as the time evolution of GHG emissions from commercial in situ oil sands projects. We estimate the median GHG emissions associated with bitumen production via cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) to be 77 kg CO 2 eq/bbl bitumen (80% CI: 61-109 kg CO 2 eq/bbl), and via steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) to be 68 kg CO 2 eq/bbl bitumen (80% CI: 49-102 kg CO 2 eq/bbl). We also show that the median emissions intensity of Alberta's CSS and SAGD projects have been relatively stable from 2000 to 2013, despite greater than 6-fold growth in production. Variability between projects is the single largest source of variability (driven in part by reservoir characteristics) but intraproject variability (e.g., startups, interruptions), is also important and must be considered in order to inform research or policy priorities.

Daily and Hourly Variability in Global Fire Emissions and Consequences for Atmospheric Model Predictions of Carbon Monoxide

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, M.; Randerson, J. T.; van der Werf, G. R.; Giglio, L.; Kasibhatla, P.; Morton, D.; Collatz, G. J.; DeFries, R. S.; Hyer, E. J.; Prins, E. M.;

Demonstrating the Performance and Emission Characteristics of a Variable Compression Ratio, Alvar-Cycle Engine

OpenAIRE

Erlandsson, Olof; Lundholm, Gunnar; Söderberg, Fredrik; Johansson, Bengt; Wong, Victor W.

1998-01-01

This paper is a direct continuation of a previous study that addressed the performance and design of a variable compression engine, the Alvar-Cycle Engine [1]. The earlier study was presented at the SAE International Conference and Exposition in Detroit during February 23- 26, 1998 as SAE paper 981027. In the present paper test results from a single cylinder prototype are reviewed and compared with a similar conventional engine. Efficiency and emissions are shown as fu...

Daily and 3-hourly variability in global fire emissions and consequences for atmospheric model predictions of carbon monoxide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mu, M.; Randerson, J.T; van der Werf, G.R.; Giglio, L.; Kasibhatla, P.; Morton, D.; Collatz, G.J.; DeFries, R.S.; Hyer, E.J.; Prins, E.M.; Griffith, D.; Wunch, D.; Toon, G.C.; Sherlock, V.; Wennberg, P.O.

2011-01-01

Attribution of the causes of atmospheric trace gas and aerosol variability often requires the use of high resolution time series of anthropogenic and natural emissions inventories. Here we developed an approach for representing synoptic-and diurnal-scale temporal variability in fire emissions for

Nitrous oxide emissions from European agriculture – an analysis of variability and drivers of emissions from field experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. M. Rees

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot-based experiments. Arable experiments were conducted at Beano in Italy, El Encin in Spain, Foulum in Denmark, Logården in Sweden, Maulde in Belgium, Paulinenaue in Germany, and Tulloch in the UK. Grassland experiments were conducted at Crichton, Nafferton and Peaknaze in the UK, Gödöllö in Hungary, Rzecin in Poland, Zarnekow in Germany and Theix in France. Nitrous oxide emissions were measured at each site over a period of at least two years using static chambers. Emissions varied widely between sites and as a result of manipulation treatments. Average site emissions (throughout the study period varied between 0.04 and 21.21 kg N2O-N ha−1 yr−1, with the largest fluxes and variability associated with the grassland sites. Total nitrogen addition was found to be the single most important determinant of emissions, accounting for 15% of the variance (using linear regression in the data from the arable sites (p 2O emissions within sites that occurred as a result of manipulation treatments was greater than that resulting from site-to-site and year-to-year variation, highlighting the importance of management interventions in contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation.

Spatial and temporal variability of N2O emissions in a subtropical forest catchment in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Zhu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Subtropical forests in southern China have received chronically large amounts of atmogenic nitrogen (N, causing N saturation. Recent studies suggest that a significant proportion of the N input is returned to the atmosphere, in part as nitrous oxide (N2O. We measured N2O emission fluxes by closed chamber technique throughout two years in a Masson pine-dominated headwater catchment with acrisols (pH ~ 4 at Tieshanping (Chongqing, SW China and assessed the spatial and temporal variability in two landscape elements typical for this region: a mesic forested hillslope (HS and a hydrologically connected, terraced groundwater discharge zone (GDZ in the valley bottom. High emission rates of up to 1800 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1 were recorded on the HS shortly after rain storms during monsoonal summer, whereas emission fluxes during the dry winter season were generally low. Overall, N2O emission was lower in GDZ than on HS, rendering the mesic HS the dominant source of N2O in this landscape. Temporal variability of N2O emissions on HS was largely explained by soil temperature (ST and moisture, pointing at denitrification as a major process for N removal and N2O production. The concentration of nitrate (NO3− in pore water on HS was high even in the rainy season, apparently never limiting denitrification and N2O production. The concentration of NO3− decreased along the terraced GDZ, indicating efficient N removal, but with moderate N2O-N loss. The extrapolated annual N2O fluxes from soils on HS (0.54 and 0.43 g N2O-N m−2 yr−1 for a year with a wet and a dry summer, respectively are among the highest N2O fluxes reported from subtropical forests so far. Annual N2O-N emissions amounted to 8–10% of the annual atmogenic N deposition, suggesting that forests on acid soils in southern China are an important, hitherto overlooked component of the anthropogenic N2O budget.

Emission lines in the hydrogen-deficient variable MV Sagittarii near maximum light

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herbig, G.H.

1975-01-01

The H-deficient R CrB type variable MV Sgr near maximum light shows a rich emission spectrum in the 5800--8600 A region. Most of these lines are due to Fe ii, but Si ii, N i, O i, and Hα also are present. Such a spectrum has not been observed in any other R CrB star, but there is some resemblance to v Sgr. The emission lines in MV Sgr probably originate in an extended region of low temperature, which may also be responsible for the infrared excess observed by Feast and Glass

An X-ray survey of the central molecular zone: Variability of the Fe Kα emission line

Science.gov (United States)

Terrier, R.; Clavel, M.; Soldi, S.; Goldwurm, A.; Ponti, G.; Morris, M. R.; Chuard, D.

2018-05-01

There is now abundant evidence that the luminosity of the Galactic super-massive black hole (SMBH) has not always been as low as it is nowadays. The observation of varying non-thermal diffuse X-ray emission in molecular complexes in the central 300 pc has been interpreted as delayed reflection of a past illumination by bright outbursts of the SMBH. The observation of different variability timescales of the reflected emission in the Sgr A molecular complex can be well explained if the X-ray emission of at least two distinct and relatively short events (i.e. about 10 yr or less) is currently propagating through the region. The number of such events or the presence of a long-duration illumination are open questions. Variability of the reflected emission all over of the central 300 pc, in particular in the 6.4 keV Fe Kα line, can bring strong constraints. To do so we performed a deep scan of the inner 300 pc with XMM-Newton in 2012. Together with all the archive data taken over the course of the mission, and in particular a similar albeit more shallow scan performed in 2000-2001, this allows for a detailed study of variability of the 6.4 keV line emission in the region, which we present here. We show that the overall 6.4 keV emission does not strongly vary on average, but variations are very pronounced on smaller scales. In particular, most regions showing bright reflection emission in 2000-2001 significantly decrease by 2012. We discuss those regions and present newly illuminated features. The absence of bright steady emission argues against the presence of an echo from an event of multi-centennial duration and most, if not all, of the emission can likely be explained by a limited number of relatively short (i.e. up to 10 yr) events. Images of the Fe Kα emission as FITS files are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/612/A102

Variable geometry turbocharging for lower emissions and improved torque characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hawley, J.G.; Wallace, F.J.; Cox, A. [Bath Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Bath (United Kingdom); Horrocks, R.W.; Bird, G.L. [Ford Motor Company Ltd., Engineering Centre for Advanced Vehicle Technology (Diesels), Dunton (United Kingdom)

1999-07-01

Currently, 80 per cent of european diesel passenger cars are turbocharged and, as emission standards become more stringent, this figure is expected to approach 100 per cent in the near future. One major focus that has emerged of the high-speed diesel engine is the application of variable geometry turbocharging (VGT). An extensive steady state experimental investigation has been undertaken on a prototype 1.8 L direct injection (DI) diesel engine to compare the potential benefits of VGT relative to the standard build of the engine with a wastegated fixed geometry turbocharger (FGT). Under part load operation, where emission production is significant in the European drive cycle, independent control of both VCT vane position and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) value position was used to optimise emission levels. A reduction in the levels of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) of up to 45 per cent was observed at discrete operating points without compromising FGT levels of fuel consumption or smoke. Under limiting torque conditions a 10 per cent improvement was achieved with the VGT over and above the figures of the baseline FGT build within the limiting criteria set for maximum cylinder pressure, smoke level and pre-turbine temperature. (Author)

Daily and 3-hourly Variability in Global Fire Emissions and Consequences for Atmospheric Model Predictions of Carbon Monoxide

Science.gov (United States)

Mu, M.; Randerson, J. T.; vanderWerf, G. R.; Giglio, L.; Kasibhatla, P.; Morton, D.; Collatz, G. J.; DeFries, R. S.; Hyer, E. J.; Prins, E. M.;

NON-THERMAL EMISSION FROM CATACLYSMIC VARIABLES: IMPLICATIONS ON ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vojtech Šimon

2013-12-01

Full Text Available We review the lines of evidence that some cataclysmic variables (CVs are the sources of non-thermal radiation. It was really observed in some dwarf novae in outburst, a novalike CV in the high state, an intermediate polar, polars, and classical novae (CNe during outburst. The detection of this radiation suggests the presence of highly energetic particles in these CVs. The conditions for the observability of this emission depend on the state of activity, and the system parameters. We review the processes and conditions that lead to the production of this radiation in various spectral bands, from gamma-rays including TeV emission to radio. Synchrotron and cyclotron emissions suggest the presence of strong magnetic fields in CV. In some CVs, e.g. during some dwarf nova outbursts, the magnetic field generated in the accretion disk leads to the synchrotron jets radiating in radio. The propeller effect or a shock in the case of the magnetized white dwarf (WD can lead to a strong acceleration of the particles that produce gamma-ray emission via pi0 decay; even Cherenkov radiation is possible. In addition, a gamma-ray production via pi0 decay was observed in the ejecta of an outburst of a symbiotic CN. Nuclear reactions during thermonuclear runaway in the outer layer of the WD undergoing CN outburst lead to the production of radioactive isotopes; their decay is the source of gamma-ray emission. The production of accelerated particles in CVs often has episodic character with a very small duty cycle; this makes their detection and establishing the relation of the behavior in various bands difficult.

Development and analysis of a variable position thermostat for smart cooling system of a light duty diesel vehicles and engine emissions assessment during NEDC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohamed, Eid S.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new concept of the variable position electromagnetic thermostat in MCS is proposed. • A series of experiments were conducted on a light duty diesel vehicle operated over the NEDC test. • A comparative study was done on emission characteristics of the MCS and the conventional cooling system. • Engine cold start and steady-state coolant flow rate and emissions are presented. • The effect of MCS on engine accumulation FC and emissions over NEDC are evaluated. - Graphical Abstract: Display Omitted - Abstract: Smart cooling control systems for IC engines can better regulate the combustion process and heat, a variable position thermostat and electric coolant pumps (EWP) for IC engines are under development by a number of researchers. However, the aim of this study is to assess the performance of a variable position electromagnetic thermostat (VPEMT) to provide more flexible control of the engine temperature and coolant mass flow rate of modification cooling system (MCS). The measurement procedure was applied to two phases under new European drive cycle (NEDC) on a chassis dynamometer, with conventional cooling system (baseline engine) and MCS of a light duty diesel engine. The experimental results revealed that MCS using a VPEMT and EWP contributed to a reduction of engine warm-up period. As a consequence, important reduces in coolant flow rate and most exhaust emission compounds (THC, CO_2, CO and smoke opacity) were obtained. In contrast, NOx emission was observed to increase in these conditions. Comparative results are given for various engine speeds during a cold start and engine fully warm-up tests when the engine was equipped by conventional cooling system and MCS operation under NEDC, revealing the effect of MCS on engine fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

Rapid Multiwaveband Polarization Variability in the Quasar PKS 0420-014: Optical Emission from the Compact Radio Jet

Science.gov (United States)

D'Arcangelo, Francesca D.; Marscher, Alan P.; Jorstad, Svetlana G.; Smith, Paul S.; Larionov, Valeri M.; Hagen-Thorn, Vladimir A.; Kopatskaya, Eugenia N.; Williams, G. Grant; Gear, Walter K.

2007-04-01

An 11 day monitoring campaign in late 2005 reveals clear correlation in polarization between the optical emission and the region of the intensity peak (the ``pseudocore'') at the upstream end of the jet in 43 GHz VLBA (Very Long Baseline Array) images in the highly variable quasar PKS 0420-014. The electric-vector position angle (EVPA) of the pseudocore rotated by about 80° in four VLBA observations over a period of 9 days, matching the trend of the optical EVPA. In addition, the 43 GHz EVPAs agree well with the optical values when we correct the former for Faraday rotation. Fluctuations in the polarization at both wave bands are consistent with the variable emission arising from a standing conical shock wave that compresses magnetically turbulent plasma in the ambient jet. The volume of the variable component is the same at both wave bands, although only ~20% of the total 43 GHz emission arises from this site. The remainder of the 43 GHz flux density must originate in a separate region with very low polarization. If 0420-014 is a typical case, the nonthermal optical emission from blazars originates primarily in and near the pseudocore rather than closer to the central engine where the flow collimates and accelerates.

Center-to-Limb Variability of Hot Coronal EUV Emissions During Solar Flares

Science.gov (United States)

Thiemann, E. M. B.; Chamberlin, P. C.; Eparvier, F. G.; Epp, L.

2018-02-01

It is generally accepted that densities of quiet-Sun and active region plasma are sufficiently low to justify the optically thin approximation, and this is commonly used in the analysis of line emissions from plasma in the solar corona. However, the densities of solar flare loops are substantially higher, compromising the optically thin approximation. This study begins with a radiative transfer model that uses typical solar flare densities and geometries to show that hot coronal emission lines are not generally optically thin. Furthermore, the model demonstrates that the observed line intensity should exhibit center-to-limb variability (CTLV), with flares observed near the limb being dimmer than those occurring near disk center. The model predictions are validated with an analysis of over 200 flares observed by the EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which uses six lines, with peak formation temperatures between 8.9 and 15.8 MK, to show that limb flares are systematically dimmer than disk-center flares. The data are then used to show that the electron column density along the line of sight typically increases by 1.76 × 10^{19} cm^{-2} for limb flares over the disk-center flare value. It is shown that the CTLV of hot coronal emissions reduces the amount of ionizing radiation propagating into the solar system, and it changes the relative intensities of lines and bands commonly used for spectral analysis.

Spatiotemporal variability of biogenic terpenoid emissions in Pearl River Delta, China, with high-resolution land-cover and meteorological data

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuemei; Situ, Shuping; Guenther, Alex; Chen, Fei; Wu, Zhiyong; Xia, Beicheng; Wang, Tijian

2011-04-01

This study intended to provide 4-km gridded, hourly, year-long, regional estimates of terpenoid emissions in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), China. It combined Thematic Mapper images and local-survey data to characterize plant functional types, and used observed emission potential of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) from local plant species and high-resolution meteorological outputs from the MM5 model to constrain the MEGAN BVOC-emission model. The estimated annual emissions for isoprene, monoterpene and sesquiterpene are 95.55 × 106 kg C, 117.35 × 106 kg C and 9.77 × 106 kg C, respectively. The results show strong variabilities of terpenoid emissions spanning diurnal and seasonal time scales, which are mainly distributed in the remote areas (with more vegetation and less economic development) in PRD. Using MODIS PFTs data reduced terpenoid emissions by 27% in remote areas. Using MEGAN-model default emission factors led to a 24% increase in BVOC emission. The model errors of temperature and radiation in MM5 output were used to assess impacts of uncertainties in meteorological forcing on emissions: increasing (decreasing) temperature and downward shortwave radiation produces more (less) terpenoid emissions for July and January. Strong temporal variability of terpenoid emissions leads to enhanced ozone formation during midday in rural areas where the anthropogenic VOC emissions are limited.

Variability in Light-Duty Gasoline Vehicle Emission Factors from Trip-Based Real-World Measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bin; Frey, H Christopher

2015-10-20

Using data obtained with portable emissions measurements systems (PEMS) on multiple routes for 100 gasoline vehicles, including passenger cars (PCs), passenger trucks (PTs), and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), variability in tailpipe emission rates was evaluated. Tier 2 emission standards are shown to be effective in lowering NOx, CO, and HC emission rates. Although PTs are larger, heavier vehicles that consume more fuel and produce more CO2 emissions, they do not necessarily produce more emissions of regulated pollutants compared to PCs. HEVs have very low emission rates compared to tier 2 vehicles under real-world driving. Emission factors vary with cycle average speed and road type, reflecting the combined impact of traffic control and traffic congestion. Compared to the slowest average speed and most congested cycles, optimal emission rates could be 50% lower for CO2, as much as 70% lower for NOx, 40% lower for CO, and 50% lower for HC. There is very high correlation among vehicles when comparing driving cycles. This has implications for how many cycles are needed to conduct comparisons between vehicles, such as when comparing fuels or technologies. Concordance between empirical and predicted emission rates using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's MOVES model was also assessed.

Weather on Other Worlds. IV. Hα Emission and Photometric Variability Are Not Correlated in L0–T8 Dwarfs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miles-Páez, Paulo A.; Metchev, Stanimir A.; Heinze, Aren; Apai, Dániel

2017-01-01

Recent photometric studies have revealed that surface spots that produce flux variations are present on virtually all L and T dwarfs. Their likely magnetic or dusty nature has been a much-debated problem, the resolution to which has been hindered by paucity of diagnostic multi-wavelength observations. To test for a correlation between magnetic activity and photometric variability, we searched for H α emission among eight L3–T2 ultra-cool dwarfs with extensive previous photometric monitoring, some of which are known to be variable at 3.6 μ m or 4.5 μ m. We detected H α only in the non-variable T2 dwarf 2MASS J12545393−0122474. The remaining seven objects do not show H α emission, even though six of them are known to vary photometrically. Combining our results with those for 86 other L and T dwarfs from the literature show that the detection rate of H α emission is very high (94%) for spectral types between L0 and L3.5 and much smaller (20%) for spectral types ≥L4, while the detection rate of photometric variability is approximately constant (30%–55%) from L0 to T8 dwarfs. We conclude that chromospheric activity, as evidenced by H α emission, and large-amplitude photometric variability are not correlated. Consequently, dust clouds are the dominant driver of the observed variability of ultra-cool dwarfs at spectral types, at least as early as L0.

Weather on Other Worlds. IV. Hα Emission and Photometric Variability Are Not Correlated in L0–T8 Dwarfs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miles-Páez, Paulo A.; Metchev, Stanimir A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy and Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7 (Canada); Heinze, Aren [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822 (United States); Apai, Dániel, E-mail: ppaez@uwo.ca [The University of Arizona, Department of Astronomy, 933 North Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2017-05-10

Recent photometric studies have revealed that surface spots that produce flux variations are present on virtually all L and T dwarfs. Their likely magnetic or dusty nature has been a much-debated problem, the resolution to which has been hindered by paucity of diagnostic multi-wavelength observations. To test for a correlation between magnetic activity and photometric variability, we searched for H α emission among eight L3–T2 ultra-cool dwarfs with extensive previous photometric monitoring, some of which are known to be variable at 3.6 μ m or 4.5 μ m. We detected H α only in the non-variable T2 dwarf 2MASS J12545393−0122474. The remaining seven objects do not show H α emission, even though six of them are known to vary photometrically. Combining our results with those for 86 other L and T dwarfs from the literature show that the detection rate of H α emission is very high (94%) for spectral types between L0 and L3.5 and much smaller (20%) for spectral types ≥L4, while the detection rate of photometric variability is approximately constant (30%–55%) from L0 to T8 dwarfs. We conclude that chromospheric activity, as evidenced by H α emission, and large-amplitude photometric variability are not correlated. Consequently, dust clouds are the dominant driver of the observed variability of ultra-cool dwarfs at spectral types, at least as early as L0.

TIME VARIABILITY OF EMISSION LINES FOR FOUR ACTIVE T TAURI STARS. I. OCTOBER-DECEMBER IN 2010

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chou, Mei-Yin; Takami, Michihiro; Karr, Jennifer L.; Shang Hsien; Liu, Hauyu Baobab [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 10617, Taiwan (China); Manset, Nadine [Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, 65-1238 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kamuela, HI 96743 (United States); Beck, Tracy [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Pyo, Tae-Soo [Subaru Telescope, 650 North Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States); Chen, Wen-Ping; Panwar, Neelam [Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, Taoyuan County 32001, Taiwan (China)

2013-04-15

We present optical spectrophotometric monitoring of four active T Tauri stars (DG Tau, RY Tau, XZ Tau, RW Aur A) at high spectral resolution (R {approx}> 1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 4}), to investigate the correlation between time variable mass ejection seen in the jet/wind structure of the driving source and time variable mass accretion probed by optical emission lines. This may allow us to constrain the understanding of the jet/wind launching mechanism, the location of the launching region, and the physical link with magnetospheric mass accretion. In 2010, observations were made at six different epochs to investigate how daily and monthly variability might affect such a study. We perform comparisons between the line profiles we observed and those in the literature over a period of decades and confirm the presence of time variability separate from the daily and monthly variability during our observations. This is so far consistent with the idea that these line profiles have a long-term variability (3-20 yr) related to episodic mass ejection suggested by the structures in the extended flow components. We also investigate the correlations between equivalent widths and between luminosities for different lines. We find that these correlations are consistent with the present paradigm of steady magnetospheric mass accretion and emission line regions that are close to the star.

TIME VARIABILITY OF EMISSION LINES FOR FOUR ACTIVE T TAURI STARS. I. OCTOBER–DECEMBER IN 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Mei-Yin; Takami, Michihiro; Karr, Jennifer L.; Shang Hsien; Liu, Hauyu Baobab; Manset, Nadine; Beck, Tracy; Pyo, Tae-Soo; Chen, Wen-Ping; Panwar, Neelam

2013-01-01

We present optical spectrophotometric monitoring of four active T Tauri stars (DG Tau, RY Tau, XZ Tau, RW Aur A) at high spectral resolution (R ∼> 1 × 10 4 ), to investigate the correlation between time variable mass ejection seen in the jet/wind structure of the driving source and time variable mass accretion probed by optical emission lines. This may allow us to constrain the understanding of the jet/wind launching mechanism, the location of the launching region, and the physical link with magnetospheric mass accretion. In 2010, observations were made at six different epochs to investigate how daily and monthly variability might affect such a study. We perform comparisons between the line profiles we observed and those in the literature over a period of decades and confirm the presence of time variability separate from the daily and monthly variability during our observations. This is so far consistent with the idea that these line profiles have a long-term variability (3-20 yr) related to episodic mass ejection suggested by the structures in the extended flow components. We also investigate the correlations between equivalent widths and between luminosities for different lines. We find that these correlations are consistent with the present paradigm of steady magnetospheric mass accretion and emission line regions that are close to the star.

Climate variability and trends in biogenic emissions imprinted on satellite observations of formaldehyde from SCIAMACHY and OMI sounders

Science.gov (United States)

Stavrakou, Trissevgeni; Müller, Jean-François; Bauwens, Maite; De Smedt, Isabelle; Van Roozendael, Michel

2017-04-01

Biogenic hydrocarbon emissions (BVOC) respond to temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, leaf area index, as well as to factors like leaf age, soil moisture, and ambient CO2 concentrations. Isoprene is the principal contributor to BVOC emissions and accounts for about half of the estimated total emissions on the global scale, whereas monoterpenes are also significant over boreal ecosystems. Due to their large emissions, their major role in the tropospheric ozone formation and contribution to secondary organic aerosols, BVOCs are highly relevant to both air quality and climate. Their oxidation in the atmosphere leads to the formation of formaldehyde (HCHO) at high yields. Satellite observations of HCHO abundances can therefore inform us on the spatial and temporal variability of the underlying sources and on their emission trends. The main objective of this study is to investigate the interannual variability and trends of observed HCHO columns during the growing season, when BVOC emissions are dominant, and interpret them in terms of BVOC emission flux variability. To this aim, we use the MEGAN-MOHYCAN model driven by the ECMWF ERA-interim meteorology to calculate bottom-up BVOC fluxes on the global scale (Müller et al. 2008, Stavrakou et al. 2014) over 2003-2015, and satellite HCHO observations from SCIAMACHY (2003-2011) and OMI (2005-2015) instruments (De Smedt et al. 2008, 2015). We focus on mid- and high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere in summertime, as well as tropical regions taking care to exclude biomass burning events which also lead to HCHO column enhancements. We find generally a very strong temporal correlation (>0.7) between the simulated BVOC emissions and the observed HCHO columns over temperate and boreal ecosystems. Positive BVOC emission trends associated to warming climate are found in almost all regions and are well corroborated by the observations. Furthermore, using OMI HCHO observations over 2005-2015 as constraints in

Biofuels, land use change, and greenhouse gas emissions: some unexplored variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Hyungtae; Kim, Seungdo; Dale, Bruce E

2009-02-01

Greenhouse gas release from land use change (the so-called "carbon debt") has been identified as a potentially significant contributor to the environmental profile of biofuels. The time required for biofuels to overcome this carbon debt due to land use change and begin providing cumulative greenhouse gas benefits is referred to as the "payback period" and has been estimated to be 100-1000 years depending on the specific ecosystem involved in the land use change event. Two mechanisms for land use change exist: "direct" land use change, in which the land use change occurs as part of a specific supply chain for a specific biofuel production facility, and "indirect" land use change, in which market forces act to produce land use change in land that is not part of a specific biofuel supply chain, including, for example, hypothetical land use change on another continent. Existing land use change studies did not consider many of the potentially important variables that might affect the greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels. We examine here several variables that have not yet been addressed in land use change studies. Our analysis shows that cropping management is a key factor in estimating greenhouse gas emissions associated with land use change. Sustainable cropping management practices (no-till and no-till plus cover crops) reduce the payback period to 3 years for the grassland conversion case and to 14 years for the forest conversion case. It is significant that no-till and cover crop practices also yield higher soil organic carbon (SOC) levels in corn fields derived from former grasslands or forests than the SOC levels that result if these grasslands or forests are allowed to continue undisturbed. The United States currently does not hold any of its domestic industries responsible for its greenhouse gas emissions. Thus the greenhouse gas standards established for renewable fuels such as corn ethanol in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 set a

How to quantify uncertainty and variability in life cycle assessment: the case of greenhouse gas emissions of gas power generation in the US

Science.gov (United States)

Hauck, M.; Steinmann, Z. J. N.; Laurenzi, I. J.; Karuppiah, R.; Huijbregts, M. A. J.

2014-07-01

This study quantified the contributions of uncertainty and variability to the range of life-cycle greenhouse gas (LCGHG) emissions associated with conventional gas-fired electricity generation in the US. Whereas uncertainty is defined as lack of knowledge and can potentially be reduced by additional research, variability is an inherent characteristic of supply chains and cannot be reduced without physically modifying the system. The life-cycle included four stages: production, processing, transmission and power generation, and utilized a functional unit of 1 kWh of electricity generated at plant. Technological variability requires analyses of life cycles of individual power plants, e.g. combined cycle plants or boilers. Parameter uncertainty was modeled via Monte Carlo simulation. Our approach reveals that technological differences are the predominant cause for the range of LCGHG emissions associated with gas power, primarily due to variability in plant efficiencies. Uncertainties in model parameters played a minor role for 100 year time horizon. Variability in LCGHG emissions was a factor of 1.4 for combined cycle plants, and a factor of 1.3 for simple cycle plants (95% CI, 100 year horizon). The results can be used to assist decision-makers in assessing factors that contribute to LCGHG emissions despite uncertainties in parameters employed to estimate those emissions.

How to quantify uncertainty and variability in life cycle assessment: the case of greenhouse gas emissions of gas power generation in the US

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauck, M; Steinmann, Z J N; Huijbregts, M A J; Laurenzi, I J; Karuppiah, R

2014-01-01

This study quantified the contributions of uncertainty and variability to the range of life-cycle greenhouse gas (LCGHG) emissions associated with conventional gas-fired electricity generation in the US. Whereas uncertainty is defined as lack of knowledge and can potentially be reduced by additional research, variability is an inherent characteristic of supply chains and cannot be reduced without physically modifying the system. The life-cycle included four stages: production, processing, transmission and power generation, and utilized a functional unit of 1 kWh of electricity generated at plant. Technological variability requires analyses of life cycles of individual power plants, e.g. combined cycle plants or boilers. Parameter uncertainty was modeled via Monte Carlo simulation. Our approach reveals that technological differences are the predominant cause for the range of LCGHG emissions associated with gas power, primarily due to variability in plant efficiencies. Uncertainties in model parameters played a minor role for 100 year time horizon. Variability in LCGHG emissions was a factor of 1.4 for combined cycle plants, and a factor of 1.3 for simple cycle plants (95% CI, 100 year horizon). The results can be used to assist decision-makers in assessing factors that contribute to LCGHG emissions despite uncertainties in parameters employed to estimate those emissions. (letter)

Charting thermal emission variability at Pele, Janus Patera and Kanehekili Fluctus with the Galileo NIMS Io Thermal Emission Database (NITED)

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Ashley Gerard; Veeder, Glenn J.; Matson, Dennis L.; Johnson, Torrence V.

2012-09-01

Using the NIMS Io Thermal Emission Database (NITED), a collection of over 1000 measurements of radiant flux from Io’s volcanoes (Davies, A.G. et al. [2012]. Geophys. Res. Lett. 39, L01201. doi:10.1029/2011GL049999), we have examined the variability of thermal emission from three of Io’s volcanoes: Pele, Janus Patera and Kanehekili Fluctus. At Pele, the 5-μm thermal emission as derived from 28 night time observations is remarkably steady at 37 ± 10 GW μm-1, re-affirming previous analyses that suggested that Pele an active, rapidly overturning silicate lava lake. Janus Patera also exhibits relatively steady 5-μm thermal emission (≈20 ± 3 GW μm-1) in the four observations where Janus is resolved from nearby Kanehekili Fluctus. Janus Patera might contain a Pele-like lava lake with an effusion rate (QF) of ≈40-70 m3 s-1. It should be a prime target for a future mission to Io in order to obtain data to determine lava eruption temperature. Kanehekili Fluctus has a thermal emission spectrum that is indicative of the emplacement of lava flows with insulated crusts. Effusion rate at Kanehekili Fluctus dropped by an order of magnitude from ≈95 m3 s-1 in mid-1997 to ≈4 m3 s-1 in late 2001.

Correlated X-ray/UV/optical emission and short-term variability in a Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4593

Science.gov (United States)

Pal, Main; Naik, Sachindra

2018-03-01

We present a detailed multifrequency analysis of an intense monitoring programme of Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 4593 over a duration of nearly for a month with Swift observatory. We used 185 pointings to study the variability in six ultraviolet/optical and two soft (0.3-1.5 keV) and hard X-ray (1.5-10 keV) bands. The amplitude of the observed variability is found to decrease from high energy to low energy (X-ray to optical) bands. Count-count plots of ultraviolet/optical bands with hard X-rays clearly suggest the presence of a mixture of two major components: (i) highly variable component such as hard X-ray emission, and (ii) slowly varying disc-like component. The variations observed in the ultraviolet/optical emission are strongly correlated with the hard X-ray band. Cross-correlation analysis provides the lags for the longer wavelengths compared to the hard X-rays. Such lags clearly suggest that the changes in the ultraviolet/optical bands follow the variations in the hard X-ray band. This implies that the observed variation in longer wavelengths is due to X-ray reprocessing. Though, the measured lag spectrum (lag versus wavelength) is well described by λ4/3 as expected from the standard disc model, the observed lags are found to be longer than the predicted values from standard disc model. This implies that the actual size of the disc of NGC 4593 is larger than the estimated size of standard thin disc as reported in active galactic nuclei such as NGC 5548 and Fairall 9.

Variability in methane emissions from West Siberia's shallow boreal lakes on a regional scale and its environmental controls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. F. Sabrekov

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Small lakes represent an important source of atmospheric CH4 from northern wetlands. However, spatiotemporal variations in flux magnitudes and the lack of knowledge about their main environmental controls contribute large uncertainty into the global CH4 budget. In this study, we measured methane fluxes from small lakes using chambers and bubble traps. Field investigations were carried out in July–August 2014 within the West Siberian middle and southern taiga zones. The average and median of measured methane chamber fluxes were 0.32 and 0.30 mgCH4 m−2 h−1 for middle taiga lakes and 8.6 and 4.1 mgCH4 m−2 h−1 for southern taiga lakes, respectively. Pronounced flux variability was found during measurements on individual lakes, between individual lakes and between zones. To analyze these differences and the influences of environmental controls, we developed a new dynamic process-based model. It shows good performance with emission rates from the southern taiga lakes and poor performance for individual lakes in the middle taiga region. The model shows that, in addition to well-known controls such as temperature, pH and lake depth, there are significant variations in the maximal methane production potential between these climatic zones. In addition, the model shows that variations in gas-filled pore space in lake sediments are capable of controlling the total methane emissions from individual lakes. The CH4 emissions exhibited distinct zonal differences not only in absolute values but also in their probability density functions: the middle taiga lake fluxes were best described by a lognormal distribution while the southern taiga lakes followed a power-law distribution. The latter suggests applicability of self-organized criticality theory for methane emissions from the southern taiga zone, which could help to explain the strong variability within individual lakes.

UBVRI photometry of variable red dwarf emission objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, D.H.

1974-01-01

A review of the history and nature of small scale variability of red dwarf emission line stars is presented. This discussion is accompanied by a description of equipment developed for the purpose of expediting data acquisition for photoelectric photometry of faint stars. Data obtained at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the Lowell Observatory, and the Rosemary Hill Observatory of the University of Florida are tabulated and analyzed to determine their implications with respect to the known variability of four stars. BY Draconis, GT Pegasus, FF Andromeda, and LP101-15 (an eclipsing binary) are studied. LP101-15 and BY Draconis were observed on the Johnson UBVRI system at Kitt Peak while BY Draconis, GT Pegasus, and FF Andromeda were observed on the Johnson RI system at the Lowell Observatory. UBV''R'' observations were carried out on all four objects at Rosemary Hill Observatory since the spring of 1972. Analysis of the data centers on discussions relative to the proposed ''spot model'' to account for the observed variations in V, R, B--V, V--R, and R--I. After allowance is made for the influence of flare activity (found to be very important), the spot model appears to be adequate in its predictions when compared with observations. A period of 0.63398 day is supported for LP101-15, and a possible secondary minimum is proposed (this secondary eclipse would be less than 0.05 magnitude deep in V), assuming the above period to be correct. This star also appears to exhibit small scale variability with a period of 0.63398 day implying synchronous rotation and revolution. Flare activity is seen to be very important on this star as well. Continued observation of these stars and similar objects is suggested, since further data are essential for complete understanding of their behavior. (U.S.)

Variable composition hydrogen/natural gas mixtures for increased engine efficiency and decreased emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sierens, R.; Rosseel, E.

2000-01-01

It is well known that adding hydrogen to natural gas extends the lean limit of combustion and that in this way extremely low emission levels can be obtained: even the equivalent zero emission vehicle (EZEV) requirements can be reached. The emissions reduction is especially important at light engine loads. In this paper results are presented for a GM V8 engine. Natural gas, pure hydrogen and different blends of these two fuels have been tested. The fuel supply system used provides natural gas/hydrogen mixtures in variable proportion, regulated independently of the engine operating condition. The influence of the fuel composition on the engine operating characteristics and exhaust emissions has been examined, mainly but not exclusively for 10 and 20% hydrogen addition. At least 10% hydrogen addition is necessary for a significant improvement in efficiency. Due to the conflicting requirements for low hydrocarbons and low NO{sub x} determining the optimum hythane composition is not straight-forward. For hythane mixtures with a high hydrogen fraction, it is found that a hydrogen content of 80% or less guarantees safe engine operation (no backfire nor knock), whatever the air excess factor. It is shown that to obtain maximum engine efficiency for the whole load range while taking low exhaust emissions into account, the mixture composition should be varied with respect to engine load.

Exploring the Hard and Soft X-ray Emission of Magnetic Cataclysmic Variables

Science.gov (United States)

de Martino, D.; Anzolin, G.; Bonnet-Bidaud, J.-M.; Falanga, M.; Matt, G.; Mouchet, M.; Mukai, K.; Masetti, N.

2009-05-01

A non-negligible fraction of galactic hard (>20 keV) X-ray sources were identified as CVs of the magnetic Intermediate Polar type in INTEGRAL, SWIFT and RXTE surveys, that suggests a still hidden but potentially important population of faint hard X-ray sources. Simbol-X has the unique potential to simultaneously characterize their variable and complex soft and hard X-ray emission thus allowing to understand their putative role in galactic populations of X-ray sources.

Spatial and Seasonal Variability of Temperature in CO2 Emission from Mars' Mesosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Livengood, Timothy A.; Kostiuk, Theodor; Hewagama, Tilak; Kolasinski, John R.; Henning, Wade; Fast, Kelly Elizabeth; Sonnabend, Guido; Sornig, Manuela

2017-10-01

We have observed non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) emission of carbon dioxide that probes Mars’ mesosphere in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2014, and 2016. These measurements were conducted at 10.6 μm wavelength using the Goddard Space Flight Center Heterodyne Instrument for Planetary Winds and Composition (HIPWAC) from the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) at resolving power (1-33)×106. The Maxwellian broadening of the emission line can be measured at this resolution, providing a direct determination of temperature in the mesosphere. The nonLTE line appears as a narrow emission core within a broad absorption formed by tropospheric CO2, which provides temperature information reaching down to the martian surface, while the mesospheric line probes temperature at about 60-80 km altitude. We will report on the spatial distribution of temperature and emission line strength with local solar time on Mars, with latitude, as well as long-term variability including seasonal effects that modify the overall thermal structure of the atmosphere. These remote measurements complement results from orbital spacecraft through access to a broad range of local solar time on each occasion.This work has been supported by the NASA Planetary Astronomy and Solar Systems Observations Programs

A joint modelling exercise designed to assess the respective impact of emission changes and meteorological variability on the observed air quality trends in major urban hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Colette, Augustin; Bessagnet, Bertrand; Dangiola, Ariela; D'Isidoro, Massimo; Gauss, Michael; Granier, Claire; Hodnebrog, Øivind; Jakobs, Hermann; Kanakidou, Maria; Khokhar, Fahim; Law, Kathy; Maurizi, Alberto; Meleux, Frederik; Memmesheimer, Michael; Nyiri, Agnes; Rouil, Laurence; Stordal, Frode; Tampieri, Francesco

2010-05-01

With the growth of urban agglomerations, assessing the drivers of variability of air quality in and around the main anthropogenic emission hotspots has become a major societal concern as well as a scientific challenge. These drivers include emission changes and meteorological variability; both of them can be investigated by means of numerical modelling of trends over the past few years. A collaborative effort has been developed in the framework of the CityZen European project to address this question. Several chemistry and transport models (CTMs) are deployed in this activity: four regional models (BOLCHEM, CHIMERE, EMEP and EURAD) and three global models (CTM2, MOZART, and TM4). The period from 1998 to 2007 has been selected for the historic reconstruction. The focus for the present preliminary presentation is Europe. A consistent set of emissions is used by all partners (EMEP for the European domain and IPCC-AR5 beyond) while a variety of meteorological forcing is used to gain robustness in the ensemble spread amongst models. The results of this experiment will be investigated to address the following questions: - Is the envelope of models able to reproduce the observed trends of the key chemical constituents? - How the variability amongst models changes in time and space and what does it tell us about the processes driving the observed trends? - Did chemical regimes and aerosol formation processes changed in selected hotspots? Answering the above questions will contribute to fulfil the ultimate goal of the present study: distinguishing the respective contribution of meteorological variability and emissions changes on air quality trends in major anthropogenic emissions hotspots.

Social, economic, and resource predictors of variability in household air pollution from cookstove emissions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gautam N Yadama

Full Text Available We examine if social and economic factors, fuelwood availability, market and media access are associated with owning a modified stove and variation in household emissions from biomass combustion, a significant environmental and health concern in rural India. We analyze cross-sectional household socio-economic data, and PM(2.5 and particulate surface area concentration in household emissions from cookstoves (n=100. This data set combines household social and economic variables with particle emissions indexes associated with the household stove. The data are from the Foundation for Ecological Society, India, from a field study of household emissions. In our analysis, we find that less access to ready and free fuelwood and higher wealth are associated with owning a replacement/modified stove. We also find that additional kitchen ventilation is associated with a 12% reduction in particulate emissions concentration (p<0.05, after we account for the type of stove used. We did not find a significant association between replacement/modified stove on household emissions when controlling for additional ventilation. Higher wealth and education are associated with having additional ventilation. Social caste, market and media access did not have any effect on the presence of replacement or modified stoves or additional ventilation. While the data available to us does not allow an examination of direct health outcomes from emissions variations, adverse environmental and health impacts of toxic household emissions are well established elsewhere in the literature. The value of this study is in its further examination of the role of social and economic factors and available fuelwood from commons in type of stove use, and additional ventilation, and their effect on household emissions. These associations are important since the two direct routes to improving household air quality among the poor are stove type and better ventilation.

Tidal variability of CO2 and CH4 emissions from the water column within a Rhizophora mangrove forest (New Caledonia).

Science.gov (United States)

Jacotot, Adrien; Marchand, Cyril; Allenbach, Michel

2018-08-01

We performed a preliminary study to quantify CO 2 and CH 4 emissions from the water column within a Rhizophora spp. mangrove forest. Mean CO 2 and CH 4 emissions during the studied period were 3.35±3.62mmolCm -2 h -1 and 18.30±27.72μmolCm -2 h -1 , respectively. CO 2 and CH 4 emissions were highly variable and mainly driven by tides (flow/ebb, water column thickness, neap/spring). Indeed, an inverse relationship between the magnitude of the emissions and the thickness of the water column above the mangrove soil was observed. δ 13 CO 2 values ranged from -26.88‰ to -8.6‰, suggesting a mixing between CO 2 -enriched pore waters and lagoon incoming waters. In addition, CO 2 and CH 4 emissions were significantly higher during ebb tides, mainly due to the progressive enrichment of the water column by diffusive fluxes as its residence time over the forest floor increased. Eventually, we observed higher CO 2 and CH 4 emissions during spring tides than during neap tides, combined to depleted δ 13 CO 2 values, suggesting a higher contribution of soil-produced gases to the emissions. These higher emissions may result from higher renewable of the electron acceptor and enhanced exchange surface between the soil and the water column. This study shows that CO 2 and CH 4 emissions from the water column were not negligible and must be considered in future carbon budgets in mangroves. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of variable VHE γ-ray emission from the extra-galactic γ-ray binary LMC P3

Science.gov (United States)

HESS Collaboration; Abdalla, H.; Abramowski, A.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Angüner, E. O.; Arakawa, M.; Armand, C.; Arrieta, M.; Backes, M.; Balzer, A.; Barnard, M.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Berge, D.; Bernhard, S.; Bernlöhr, K.; Blackwell, R.; Böttcher, M.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bonnefoy, S.; Bordas, P.; Bregeon, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bryan, M.; Büchele, M.; Bulik, T.; Capasso, M.; Caroff, S.; Carosi, A.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chakraborty, N.; Chaves, R. C. G.; Chen, A.; Chevalier, J.; Colafrancesco, S.; Condon, B.; Conrad, J.; Davids, I. D.; Decock, J.; Deil, C.; Devin, J.; deWilt, P.; Dirson, L.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Donath, A.; Drury, L. O.'C.; Dyks, J.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Emery, G.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Eschbach, S.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Fernandes, M. V.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Funk, S.; Füßling, M.; Gabici, S.; Gallant, Y. A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gaté, F.; Giavitto, G.; Glawion, D.; Glicenstein, J. F.; Gottschall, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Hahn, J.; Haupt, M.; Hawkes, J.; Heinzelmann, G.; Henri, G.; Hermann, G.; Hinton, J. A.; Hofmann, W.; Hoischen, C.; Holch, T. L.; Holler, M.; Horns, D.; Ivascenko, A.; Iwasaki, H.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jamrozy, M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jankowsky, F.; Jingo, M.; Jouvin, L.; Jung-Richardt, I.; Kastendieck, M. A.; Katarzyński, K.; Katsuragawa, M.; Katz, U.; Kerszberg, D.; Khangulyan, D.; Khélifi, B.; King, J.; Klepser, S.; Klochkov, D.; Kluźniak, W.; Komin, Nu.; Kosack, K.; Krakau, S.; Kraus, M.; Krüger, P. P.; Laffon, H.; Lamanna, G.; Lau, J.; Lefaucheur, J.; Lemière, A.; Lemoine-Goumard, M.; Lenain, J.-P.; Leser, E.; Lohse, T.; Lorentz, M.; Liu, R.; López-Coto, R.; Lypova, I.; Malyshev, D.; Marandon, V.; Marcowith, A.; Mariaud, C.; Marx, R.; Maurin, G.; Maxted, N.; Mayer, M.; Meintjes, P. J.; Meyer, M.; Mitchell, A. M. W.; Moderski, R.; Mohamed, M.; Mohrmann, L.; Morå, K.; Moulin, E.; Murach, T.; Nakashima, S.; de Naurois, M.; Ndiyavala, H.; Niederwanger, F.; Niemiec, J.; Oakes, L.; O'Brien, P.; Odaka, H.; Ohm, S.; Ostrowski, M.; Oya, I.; Padovani, M.; Panter, M.; Parsons, R. D.; Pekeur, N. W.; Pelletier, G.; Perennes, C.; Petrucci, P.-O.; Peyaud, B.; Piel, Q.; Pita, S.; Poireau, V.; Prokhorov, D. A.; Prokoph, H.; Pühlhofer, G.; Punch, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Raab, S.; Rauth, R.; Reimer, A.; Reimer, O.; Renaud, M.; de los Reyes, R.; Rieger, F.; Rinchiuso, L.; Romoli, C.; Rowell, G.; Rudak, B.; Rulten, C. B.; Sahakian, V.; Saito, S.; Sanchez, D. A.; Santangelo, A.; Sasaki, M.; Schlickeiser, R.; Schüssler, F.; Schulz, A.; Schwanke, U.; Schwemmer, S.; Seglar-Arroyo, M.; Seyffert, A. S.; Shafi, N.; Shilon, I.; Shiningayamwe, K.; Simoni, R.; Sol, H.; Spanier, F.; Spir-Jacob, M.; Stawarz, Ł.; Steenkamp, R.; Stegmann, C.; Steppa, C.; Sushch, I.; Takahashi, T.; Tavernet, J.-P.; Tavernier, T.; Taylor, A. M.; Terrier, R.; Tibaldo, L.; Tiziani, D.; Tluczykont, M.; Trichard, C.; Tsirou, M.; Tsuji, N.; Tuffs, R.; Uchiyama, Y.; van der Walt, D. J.; van Eldik, C.; van Rensburg, C.; van Soelen, B.; Vasileiadis, G.; Veh, J.; Venter, C.; Viana, A.; Vincent, P.; Vink, J.; Voisin, F.; Völk, H. J.; Vuillaume, T.; Wadiasingh, Z.; Wagner, S. J.; Wagner, P.; Wagner, R. M.; White, R.; Wierzcholska, A.; Willmann, P.; Wörnlein, A.; Wouters, D.; Yang, R.; Zaborov, D.; Zacharias, M.; Zanin, R.; Zdziarski, A. A.; Zech, A.; Zefi, F.; Ziegler, A.; Zorn, J.; Żywucka, N.

2018-03-01

Context. Recently, the high-energy (HE, 0.1-100 GeV) γ-ray emission from the object LMC P3 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) has been discovered to be modulated with a 10.3-day period, making it the first extra-galactic γ-ray binary. Aim. This work aims at the detection of very-high-energy (VHE, >100 GeV) γ-ray emission and the search for modulation of the VHE signal with the orbital period of the binary system. Methods: LMC P3 has been observed with the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.); the acceptance-corrected exposure time is 100 h. The data set has been folded with the known orbital period of the system in order to test for variability of the emission. Results: VHE γ-ray emission is detected with a statistical significance of 6.4 σ. The data clearly show variability which is phase-locked to the orbital period of the system. Periodicity cannot be deduced from the H.E.S.S. data set alone. The orbit-averaged luminosity in the 1-10 TeV energy range is (1.4 ± 0.2) × 1035 erg s-1. A luminosity of (5 ± 1) × 1035 erg s-1 is reached during 20% of the orbit. HE and VHE γ-ray emissions are anti-correlated. LMC P3 is the most luminous γ-ray binary known so far.

Characterization of dynamic thermal control schemes and heat transfer pathways for incorporating variable emissivity electrochromic materials into a space suit heat rejection system

Science.gov (United States)

Massina, Christopher James

The feasibility of conducting long duration human spaceflight missions is largely dependent on the provision of consumables such as oxygen, water, and food. In addition to meeting crew metabolic needs, water sublimation has long served as the primary heat rejection mechanism in space suits during extravehicular activity (EVA). During a single eight hour EVA, approximately 3.6 kg (8 lbm) of water is lost from the current suit. Reducing the amount of expended water during EVA is a long standing goal of space suit life support systems designers; but to date, no alternate thermal control mechanism has demonstrated the ability to completely eliminate the loss. One proposed concept is to convert the majority of a space suit's surface area into a radiator such that the local environment can be used as a radiative thermal sink for rejecting heat without mass loss. Due to natural variations in both internal (metabolic) loads and external (environmental) sink temperatures, radiative transport must be actively modulated in order to maintain an acceptable thermal balance. Here, variable emissivity electrochromic devices are examined as the primary mechanism for enabling variable heat rejection. This dissertation focuses on theoretical and empirical evaluations performed to determine the feasibility of using a full suit, variable emissivity radiator architecture for space suit thermal control. Operational envelopes are described that show where a given environment and/or metabolic load combination may or may not be supported by the evaluated thermal architecture. Key integration considerations and guidelines include determining allowable thermal environments, defining skin-to-radiator heat transfer properties, and evaluating required electrochromic performance properties. Analysis also considered the impacts of dynamic environmental changes and the architecture's extensibility to EVA on the Martian surface. At the conclusion of this work, the full suit, variable emissivity

VARIABLE AND POLARIZED RADIO EMISSION FROM THE T6 BROWN DWARF WISEP J112254.73+255021.5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williams, P. K. G.; Berger, E. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Gizis, J. E., E-mail: pwilliams@cfa.harvard.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716 (United States)

2017-01-10

Route and Wolszczan recently detected five radio bursts from the T6 dwarf WISEP J112254.73+255021.5 and used the timing of these events to propose that this object rotates with an ultra-short period of ∼17.3 minutes. We conducted follow-up observations with the Very Large Array and Gemini-North but found no evidence for this periodicity. We do, however, observe variable, highly circularly polarized radio emission. Assuming that the radio emission of this T dwarf is periodically variable on ∼hour timescales, like other radio-active ultracool dwarfs, we infer a likely period of 116 minutes. However, our observation lasted only 162 minutes and so more data are needed to test this hypothesis. The handedness of the circular polarization switches twice and there is no evidence for any unpolarized emission component, the first time such a phenomenology has been observed in radio studies of very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. We suggest that the object’s magnetic dipole axis may be highly misaligned relative to its rotation axis.

Estimation of intersubject variability of cerebral blood flow measurements using MRI and positron emission tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Otto Mølby; Larsson, Henrik B W; Hansen, Adam E

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: To investigate the within and between subject variability of quantitative cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurements in normal subjects using various MRI techniques and positron emission tomography (PET). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Repeated CBF measurements were performed in 17 healthy, young...

Quantifying the Variability of CH4 Emissions from Pan-Arctic Lakes with Lake Biogeochemical and Landscape Evolution Models

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Z.; Zhuang, Q.

2014-12-01

Recent studies in the arctic and subarctic show that CH4 emissions from pan-arctic lakes are playing much more significant roles in the regional carbon cycling than previously estimated. Permafrost thawing due to pronounced warming at northern high latitudes affects lake morphology, changing its CH4 emissions. Thermokarst can enlarge the extent of artic lakes, exposing stable ancient carbon buried in the permafrost zone for degradation and changing a previously known carbon sink to a large carbon source. In some areas, the thawing of subarctic discontinuous and isolated permafrost can diminish thermokarst lakes. To date, few models have considered these important hydrological and biogeochemical processes to provide adequate estimation of CH4 emissions from these lakes. To fill this gap, we have developed a process-based climate-sensitive lake biogeochemical model and a landscape evolution model, which have been applied to quantify the state and variability of CH4 emissions from this freshwater system. Site-level experiments show the models are capable to capture the spatial and temporal variability of CH4 emissions from lakes across Siberia and Alaska. With the lake biogeochemical model solely, we estimate that the magnitude of CH4 emissions from lakes is 13.2 Tg yr-1 in the north of 60 ºN at present, which is on the same order of CH4 emissions from northern high-latitude wetlands. The maximum increment is 11.8 Tg CH4 yr-1 by the end of the 21st century when the worst warming scenario is assumed. We expect the landscape evolution model will improve the existing estimates.

Investigation on the Effects of Internal EGR by Variable Exhaust Valve Actuation with Post Injection on Auto-ignited Combustion and Emission Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Insu Cho

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Variable valve mechanisms are usually applied to a gasoline combustion engine to improve its power performance by controlling the amount of intake air according to the operating load. These mechanisms offer one possibility of resolving the conflict of objectives between a further reduction of raw emissions and an improvement in fuel efficiency. In recent years, variable valve control systems have become extremely important in the diesel combustion engine. Importantly, it has been shown that there are several potential benefits of applying variable valve timing (VVT to a compression ignition engine. Valve train variability could offer one option to achieve the reduction goals of engine-out emissions and fuel consumption. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects on part load combustion and emission performance of internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR by variable exhaust valve lift actuation using a cam-in-cam system, which is an electronically variable valve device with a variable inside cam retarded to about 30 degrees. Numerical simulation based on GT-POWER has been performed to predict the NOx reduction strategy at the part load operating point of 1200 rpm in a four-valve diesel engine. A GT-POWER model of a common-rail direct injection engine with internal EGR was built and verified with experimental data. As a result, large potential for reducing NOx emissions through the use of exhaust valve control has been identified. Namely, it is possible to utilize heat efficiently as recompression of retarded post injection with downscaled specification of the exhaust valve rather than the intake valve, even if the CIC V1 condition with a reduction of the exhaust valve has a higher internal EGR rate of about 2% compared to that of the CIC V2 condition.

Variability of CO2 emissions during the rearing cycle of a semi-intensive shrimp farm in a mangrove coastal zone (New Caledonia).

Science.gov (United States)

Aimé, Joanne; Allenbach, Michel; Bourgeois, Carine; Léopold, Audrey; Jacotot, Adrien; Vinh, Truong Van; Nho, Nguyen Thanh; Patrona, Luc Della; Marchand, Cyril

2018-04-01

In New Caledonia, shrimp ponds are built not on cleared mangroves but on salt flats behind the mangroves. The objectives of this study were to determine the variability of CO 2 fluxes from a semi-intensive shrimp pond during active and non-active periods of the farm and to determine the carbon dynamics from the upstream tidal creek to the downstream creek, which receives the farm's effluents. CO 2 emissions from the active pond were estimated at 11.1 ± 5.26 mmol CO 2  m -2  d -1 . By modifying the hydrodynamics of the creeks, farm practices also influenced CO 2 emissions from both the upstream and downstream creeks. After tillage, all the organic carbon deposited at the pond bottom during the active period was mineralized, resulting in CO 2 emissions to the atmosphere estimated at 7.9 TCO 2  ha -1 . Therefore, shrimp farming is an anthropogenic source of CO 2 to the atmosphere, but suitable and optimized rearing practices limit these emissions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY OF THE DISK-INTEGRATED THERMAL EMISSION OF THE EARTH

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gómez-Leal, I.; Selsis, F.; Pallé, E.

2012-01-01

Here we present an analysis of the global-integrated mid-infrared emission flux of the Earth based on data derived from satellite measurements. We have studied the photometric annual, seasonal, and rotational variability of the thermal emission of the Earth to determine which properties can be inferred from the point-like signal. We find that the analysis of the time series allows us to determine the 24 hr rotational period of the planet for most observing geometries, due to large warm and cold areas, identified with geographic features, which appear consecutively in the observer's planetary view. However, the effects of global-scale meteorology can effectively mask the rotation for several days at a time. We also find that orbital time series exhibit a seasonal modulation, whose amplitude depends strongly on the latitude of the observer but weakly on its ecliptic longitude. As no systematic difference of brightness temperature is found between the dayside and the nightside, the phase variations of the Earth in the infrared range are negligible. Finally, we also conclude that the phase variation of a spatially unresolved Earth-Moon system is dominated by the lunar signal.

Fatigue lifetime estimation of railway axles

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Náhlík, Luboš; Pokorný, Pavel; Ševčík, Martin; Fajkoš, R.; Matušek, P.; Hutař, Pavel

2017-01-01

Roč. 73, MAR (2017), s. 139-157 ISSN 1350-6307 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LM2015069; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0068 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Residual fatigue lifetime * Railway axle * Variable amplitude loading * Fatigue crack propagation * Damage tolerance methodology Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics OBOR OECD: Audio engineering, reliability analysis Impact factor: 1.676, year: 2016

VARIABILITY OF THE SiO THERMAL LINE EMISSION TOWARD THE YOUNG L1448-mm OUTFLOW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez-Serra, I.; MartIn-Pintado, J.; RodrIguez-Franco, A.; Winters, J.-M.; Caselli, P.

2011-01-01

The detection of narrow SiO thermal emission toward young outflows has been proposed to be a signature of the magnetic precursor of C-shocks. Recent modeling of the SiO emission across C-shocks predicts variations in the SiO line intensity and line shape at the precursor and intermediate-velocity regimes in only a few years. We present high angular resolution (3.''8 x 3.''3) images of the thermal SiO J = 2→1 emission toward the L1448-mm outflow in two epochs (2004 November-2005 February, 2009 March-April). Several SiO condensations have appeared at intermediate velocities (20-50 km s -1 ) toward the redshifted lobe of the outflow since 2005. Toward one of the condensations (clump D), systematic differences of the dirty beams between 2005 and 2009 could be responsible for the SiO variability. At higher velocities (50-80 km s -1 ), SiO could also have experienced changes in its intensity. We propose that the SiO variability toward L1448-mm is due to a real SiO enhancement by young C-shocks at the internal working surface between the jet and the ambient gas. For the precursor regime (5.2-9.2 km s -1 ), several narrow and faint SiO components are detected. The narrow SiO components tend to be compact, transient and show elongated (bow-shock) morphologies perpendicular to the jet. We speculate that these features are associated with the precursor of C-shocks appearing at the interface of the new SiO components seen at intermediate velocities.

Iwamoto-Harada coalescence/pickup model for cluster emission: state density approach including angular momentum variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Běták Emil

2014-04-01

Full Text Available For low-energy nuclear reactions well above the resonance region, but still below the pion threshold, statistical pre-equilibrium models (e.g., the exciton and the hybrid ones are a frequent tool for analysis of energy spectra and the cross sections of cluster emission. For α’s, two essentially distinct approaches are popular, namely the preformed one and the different versions of coalescence approaches, whereas only the latter group of models can be used for other types of cluster ejectiles. The original Iwamoto-Harada model of pre-equilibrium cluster emission was formulated using the overlap of the cluster and its constituent nucleons in momentum space. Transforming it into level or state densities is not a straigthforward task; however, physically the same model was presented at a conference on reaction models five years earlier. At that time, only the densities without spin were used. The introduction of spin variables into the exciton model enabled detailed calculation of the γ emission and its competition with nucleon channels, and – at the same time – it stimulated further developments of the model. However – to the best of our knowledge – no spin formulation has been presented for cluster emission till recently, when the first attempts have been reported, but restricted to the first emission only. We have updated this effort now and we are able to handle (using the same simplifications as in our previous work pre-equilibrium cluster emission with spin including all nuclei in the reaction chain.

Monoterpene emissions from a Ponderosa Pine forest. Does age matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Madronich, M. B.; Guenther, A. B.; Wessman, C. A.

2011-12-01

Determining the emissions rate of biogenic volatile organic carbon (BVOC) from plants is a challenge. Biological variability makes it difficult to assess accurately those emissions rates. It is known that photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), temperature, nutrients as well as the biology of the plant affect emissions. However, less is known about the variability of the emissions with respect to the life cycle of the plants. This study is focusing on the difference of monoterpene emission rates from mature Ponderosa Pine trees and saplings in the field. Preliminary calculations show that there is a significant difference between total monoterpene emissions in mature trees (0.24±0.04 μgC/gdwh) and saplings (0.37±0.02 μgC/gdwh).

CO and H2 uptake and emissions by soil: variability of fluxes and their isotopic signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Popa, Maria Elena; Chen, Qianjie; Ferrero Lopez, Noelia; Röckmann, Thomas

2017-04-01

In order to study the uptake and release of H2 and CO by soil, we performed long term, high frequency measurements with an automatic soil chamber at two sites in the Netherlands (Cabauw - grassland, and Speuld - forest). The measurements were performed over different seasons and cover in total a cumulated interval of about one year. These measurements allow determining separately, for each species, the two distinct fluxes i.e. uptake and release, and investigating their temporal variability and dependencies on environmental variables. Additional experiments were performed for determining the isotopic signatures of the H2 and CO uptake and release by soil. Flask samples were filled from the soil chamber, and then analyzed in the laboratory for the stable isotopic composition of H2 (δD) and CO (δ13C and δ18O). We find that both uptake and release are present at all times, regardless of the direction of the net flux. The emissions are significant for both species and at Cabauw, there are times and places where emissions outweigh the soil uptake. For each species, the two fluxes have different behavior and dependence on external variables, which indicates that they have different origins. The isotope results also support that, for both H2 and CO, uptake and emission occur simultaneously. We were able to determine separately the isotopic effects of the two fluxes. For both H2 and CO, soil uptake is associated with a small positive fractionation (the lighter molecule is taken up faster). The soil uptake fractionation (α = kheavy/klight) was 0.945 ± 0.004 for H2; for CO, the fractionation was 0.992 for 13C and 0.985 for 18O. The isotopic composition of the H2 emitted from the grassland was -530 ± 40 ‰, less depleted that what is expected from the isotopic equilibrium of H2 with water. For CO, the isotopic composition of the soil emission is depleted in 13C compared to atmospheric CO, and lower than the average isotopic composition of plant or soil organic matter.

Identifying decaying supermassive black hole binaries from their variable electromagnetic emission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haiman, Zoltan; Menou, Kristen [Department of Astronomy, Columbia University, New York, NY (United States); Kocsis, Bence [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA (United States); Lippai, Zoltan; Frei, Zsolt [Institute of Physics, Eoetvoes University, Budapest (Hungary)

2009-05-07

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) with masses in the mass range approx(10{sup 4}-10{sup 7}) M{sub o-dot}/(1 + z), produced in galaxy mergers, are thought to complete their coalescence due to the emission of gravitational waves (GWs). The anticipated detection of the GWs by the future Laser Interferometric Space Antenna (LISA) will constitute a milestone for fundamental physics and astrophysics. While the GW signatures themselves will provide a treasure trove of information, if the source can be securely identified in electromagnetic (EM) bands, this would open up entirely new scientific opportunities, to probe fundamental physics, astrophysics and cosmology. We discuss several ideas, involving wide-field telescopes, that may be useful in locating electromagnetic counterparts to SMBHBs detected by LISA. In particular, the binary may produce a variable electromagnetic flux, such as a roughly periodic signal due to the orbital motion prior to coalescence, or a prompt transient signal caused by shocks in the circumbinary disc when the SMBHB recoils and 'shakes' the disc. We discuss whether these time-variable EM signatures may be detectable, and how they can help in identifying a unique counterpart within the localization errors provided by LISA. We also discuss a possibility of identifying a population of coalescing SMBHBs statistically, in a deep optical survey for periodically variable sources, before LISA detects the GWs directly. The discovery of such sources would confirm that gas is present in the vicinity and is being perturbed by the SMBHB-serving as a proof of concept for eventually finding actual LISA counterparts.

Identifying decaying supermassive black hole binaries from their variable electromagnetic emission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haiman, Zoltan; Menou, Kristen; Kocsis, Bence; Lippai, Zoltan; Frei, Zsolt

2009-01-01

Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) with masses in the mass range ∼(10 4 -10 7 ) M o-dot /(1 + z), produced in galaxy mergers, are thought to complete their coalescence due to the emission of gravitational waves (GWs). The anticipated detection of the GWs by the future Laser Interferometric Space Antenna (LISA) will constitute a milestone for fundamental physics and astrophysics. While the GW signatures themselves will provide a treasure trove of information, if the source can be securely identified in electromagnetic (EM) bands, this would open up entirely new scientific opportunities, to probe fundamental physics, astrophysics and cosmology. We discuss several ideas, involving wide-field telescopes, that may be useful in locating electromagnetic counterparts to SMBHBs detected by LISA. In particular, the binary may produce a variable electromagnetic flux, such as a roughly periodic signal due to the orbital motion prior to coalescence, or a prompt transient signal caused by shocks in the circumbinary disc when the SMBHB recoils and 'shakes' the disc. We discuss whether these time-variable EM signatures may be detectable, and how they can help in identifying a unique counterpart within the localization errors provided by LISA. We also discuss a possibility of identifying a population of coalescing SMBHBs statistically, in a deep optical survey for periodically variable sources, before LISA detects the GWs directly. The discovery of such sources would confirm that gas is present in the vicinity and is being perturbed by the SMBHB-serving as a proof of concept for eventually finding actual LISA counterparts.

Environmental and vegetation controls on the spatial variability of CH4 emission from wet-sedge and tussock tundra ecosystems in the Arctic.

Science.gov (United States)

McEwing, Katherine Rose; Fisher, James Paul; Zona, Donatella

Despite multiple studies investigating the environmental controls on CH 4 fluxes from arctic tundra ecosystems, the high spatial variability of CH 4 emissions is not fully understood. This makes the upscaling of CH 4 fluxes from plot to regional scale, particularly challenging. The goal of this study is to refine our knowledge of the spatial variability and controls on CH 4 emission from tundra ecosystems. CH 4 fluxes were measured in four sites across a variety of wet-sedge and tussock tundra ecosystems in Alaska using chambers and a Los Gatos CO 2 and CH 4 gas analyser. All sites were found to be sources of CH 4 , with northern sites (in Barrow) showing similar CH 4 emission rates to the southernmost site (ca. 300 km south, Ivotuk). Gross primary productivity (GPP), water level and soil temperature were the most important environmental controls on CH 4 emission. Greater vascular plant cover was linked with higher CH 4 emission, but this increased emission with increased vascular plant cover was much higher (86 %) in the drier sites, than the wettest sites (30 %), suggesting that transport and/or substrate availability were crucial limiting factors for CH 4 emission in these tundra ecosystems. Overall, this study provides an increased understanding of the fine scale spatial controls on CH 4 flux, in particular the key role that plant cover and GPP play in enhancing CH 4 emissions from tundra soils.

Inter-Annual Variability of Area-Scaled Gaseous Carbon Emissions from Wetland Soils in the Liaohe Delta, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Siyuan; Krauss, Ken W; Brix, Hans; Wei, Mengjie; Olsson, Linda; Yu, Xueyang; Ma, Xueying; Wang, Jin; Yuan, Hongming; Zhao, Guangming; Ding, Xigui; Moss, Rebecca F

2016-01-01

Global management of wetlands to suppress greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, facilitate carbon (C) sequestration, and reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations while simultaneously promoting agricultural gains is paramount. However, studies that relate variability in CO2 and CH4 emissions at large spatial scales are limited. We investigated three-year emissions of soil CO2 and CH4 from the primary wetland types of the Liaohe Delta, China, by focusing on a total wetland area of 3287 km2. One percent is Suaeda salsa, 24% is Phragmites australis, and 75% is rice. While S. salsa wetlands are under somewhat natural tidal influence, P. australis and rice are managed hydrologically for paper and food, respectively. Total C emissions from CO2 and CH4 from these wetland soils were 2.9 Tg C/year, ranging from 2.5 to 3.3 Tg C/year depending on the year assessed. Primary emissions were from CO2 (~98%). Photosynthetic uptake of CO2 would mitigate most of the soil CO2 emissions, but CH4 emissions would persist. Overall, CH4 fluxes were high when soil temperatures were >18°C and pore water salinity emissions from rice habitat alone in the Liaohe Delta represent 0.2% of CH4 carbon emissions globally from rice. With such a large area and interannual sensitivity in soil GHG fluxes, management practices in the Delta and similar wetlands around the world have the potential not only to influence local C budgeting, but also to influence global biogeochemical cycling.

Relationship of goat milk flow emission variables with milking routine, milking parameters, milking machine characteristics and goat physiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Romero, G; Panzalis, R; Ruegg, P

2017-11-01

The aim of this paper was to study the relationship between milk flow emission variables recorded during milking of dairy goats with variables related to milking routine, goat physiology, milking parameters and milking machine characteristics, to determine the variables affecting milking performance and help the goat industry pinpoint farm and milking practices that improve milking performance. In total, 19 farms were visited once during the evening milking. Milking parameters (vacuum level (VL), pulsation ratio and pulsation rate, vacuum drop), milk emission flow variables (milking time, milk yield, maximum milk flow (MMF), average milk flow (AVMF), time until 500 g/min milk flow is established (TS500)), doe characteristics of 8 to 10 goats/farm (breed, days in milk and parity), milking practices (overmilking, overstripping, pre-lag time) and milking machine characteristics (line height, presence of claw) were recorded on every farm. The relationships between recorded variables and farm were analysed by a one-way ANOVA analysis. The relationships of milk yield, MMF, milking time and TS500 with goat physiology, milking routine, milking parameters and milking machine design were analysed using a linear mixed model, considering the farm as the random effect. Farm was significant (Pfarms, being similar to those recommended in scientific studies. Few milking parameters and milking machine characteristics affected the tested variables: average vacuum level only showed tendency on MMF, and milk pipeline height on TS500. Milk yield (MY) was mainly affected by parity, as the interaction of days in milk with parity was also significant. Milking time was mainly affected by milk yield and breed. Also significant were parity, the interaction of days in milk with parity and overstripping, whereas overmilking showed a slight tendency. We concluded that most of the studied variables were mainly related to goat physiology characteristics, as the effects of milking parameters and

NOx emissions from large point sources: variability in ozone production, resulting health damages and economic costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauzerall, D.L.; Namsoug Kim

2005-01-01

We present a proof-of-concept analysis of the measurement of the health damage of ozone (O 3 ) produced from nitrogen oxides (NO x =NO+NO 2 ) emitted by individual large point sources in the eastern United States. We use a regional atmospheric model of the eastern United States, the Comprehensive Air quality Model with Extensions (CAMx), to quantify the variable impact that a fixed quantity of NO x emitted from individual sources can have on the downwind concentration of surface O 3 , depending on temperature and local biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. We also examine the dependence of resulting O 3 -related health damages on the size of the exposed population. The investigation is relevant to the increasingly widely used 'cap and trade' approach to NO x regulation, which presumes that shifts of emission over time and space, holding the total fixed over the course of the summer O 3 season, will have minimal effect on the environmental outcome. By contrast, we show that a shift of a unit of NO x emissions from one place or time to another could result in large changes in resulting health effects due to O 3 formation and exposure. We indicate how the type of modeling carried out here might be used to attach externality-correcting prices to emissions. Charging emitters fees that are commensurate with the damage caused by their NO x emissions would create an incentive for emitters to reduce emissions at times and in locations where they cause the largest damage. (author)

NuSTAR detection of high-energy X-ray emission and rapid variability from Sagittarius A{sup *} flares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrière, Nicolas M.; Tomsick, John A.; Boggs, Steven E.; Craig, William W.; Zoglauer, Andreas [Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Baganoff, Frederick K. [Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 (United States); Christensen, Finn E. [DTU Space, National Space Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Elektrovej 327, DK-2800 Kgs. Lyngby (Denmark); Dexter, Jason [Departments of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Grefenstette, Brian; Harrison, Fiona A.; Madsen, Kristin K. [Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Caltech, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States); Hailey, Charles J.; Mori, Kaya; Zhang, Shuo [Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Stern, Daniel [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Zhang, William W. [X-ray Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States)

2014-05-01

Sagittarius A{sup *} harbors the supermassive black hole that lies at the dynamical center of our Galaxy. Sagittarius A{sup *} spends most of its time in a low luminosity emission state but flares frequently in the infrared and X-ray, increasing up to a few hundred fold in brightness for up to a few hours at a time. The physical processes giving rise to the X-ray flares are uncertain. Here we report the detection with the NuSTAR observatory in Summer and Fall 2012 of four low to medium amplitude X-ray flares to energies up to 79 keV. For the first time, we clearly see that the power-law spectrum of Sagittarius A{sup *} X-ray flares extends to high energy, with no evidence for a cutoff. Although the photon index of the absorbed power-law fits are in agreement with past observations, we find a difference between the photon index of two of the flares (significant at the 95% confidence level). The spectra of the two brightest flares (∼55 times quiescence in the 2-10 keV band) are compared to simple physical models in an attempt to identify the main X-ray emission mechanism, but the data do not allow us to significantly discriminate between them. However, we confirm the previous finding that the parameters obtained with synchrotron models are, for the X-ray emission, physically more reasonable than those obtained with inverse Compton models. One flare exhibits large and rapid (<100 s) variability, which, considering the total energy radiated, constrains the location of the flaring region to be within ∼10 Schwarzschild radii of the black hole.

Modeling air pollutant emissions from Indian auto-rickshaws: Model development and implications for fleet emission rate estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Grieshop, Andrew P.; Boland, Daniel; Reynolds, Conor C. O.; Gouge, Brian; Apte, Joshua S.; Rogak, Steven N.; Kandlikar, Milind

2012-04-01

Chassis dynamometer tests were conducted on 40 Indian auto-rickshaws with 3 different fuel-engine combinations operating on the Indian Drive Cycle (IDC). Second-by-second (1 Hz) data were collected and used to develop velocity-acceleration look-up table models for fuel consumption and emissions of CO2, CO, total hydrocarbons (THC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for each fuel-engine combination. Models were constructed based on group-average vehicle activity and emissions data in order to represent the performance of a 'typical' vehicle. The models accurately estimated full-cycle emissions for most species, though pollutants with more variable emission rates (e.g., PM2.5) were associated with larger errors. Vehicle emissions data showed large variability for single vehicles ('intra-vehicle variability') and within the test group ('inter-vehicle variability'), complicating the development of a single model to represent a vehicle population. To evaluate the impact of this variability, sensitivity analyses were conducted using vehicle activity data other than the IDC as model input. Inter-vehicle variability dominated the uncertainty in vehicle emission modeling. 'Leave-one-out' analyses indicated that the model outputs were relatively insensitive to the specific sample of vehicles and that the vehicle samples were likely a reasonable representation of the Delhi fleet. Intra-vehicle variability in emissions was also substantial, though had a relatively minor impact on model performance. The models were used to assess whether the IDC, used for emission factor development in India, accurately represents emissions from on-road driving. Modeling based on Global Positioning System (GPS) activity data from real-world auto-rickshaws suggests that, relative to on-road vehicles in Delhi, the IDC systematically under-estimates fuel use and emissions; real-word auto-rickshaws consume 15% more fuel and emit 49% more THC and 16% more PM2.5. The models

Possible Accretion Disk Origin of the Emission Variability of a Blazar Jet

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Ritaban; Roychowdhury, Agniva; Chandra, Sunil; Sinha, Atreyee

2018-06-01

We analyze X-ray light curves of the blazar Mrk 421 obtained from the Soft X-ray Imaging Telescope (SXT) and the Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) instrument on board the Indian space telescope AstroSat and archival observations from Swift. We show that the X-ray power spectral density (PSD) is a piece-wise power-law with a break; i.e., the index becomes more negative below a characteristic “break timescale.” Galactic black hole (BH) X-ray binaries and Seyfert galaxies exhibit a similar characteristic timescale in their X-ray variability that is proportional to their respective BH mass. X-rays in these objects are produced in the accretion disk or corona. Hence, such a timescale is believed to be linked to the properties of the accretion flow. Any relation observed between events in the accretion disk and those in the jet can be used to characterize the disk–jet connection. However, evidence of such a link has been scarce and indirect. Mrk 421 is a BL Lac object that has a prominent jet pointed toward us and a weak disk emission, and it is assumed that most of its X-rays are generated in the jet. Hence, the existence of the break in its X-ray PSD may indicate that changes in the accretion disk, which may be the source of the break timescale, are translating into the jet where the X-rays are produced.

The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, B. M.; Denney, K. D.; De Rosa, G.; Grier, C. J.; Pogge, R. W.; Kochanek, C. S.; Bentz, M. C.; Vestergaard, M.; Kilerci-Eser, E.; G. Galilei, Università di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3 I-35122, Padova (Italy))" data-affiliation=" (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia G. Galilei, Università di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3 I-35122, Padova (Italy))" >Dalla Bontà, E.; G. Galilei, Università di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3 I-35122, Padova (Italy))" data-affiliation=" (Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia G. Galilei, Università di Padova, Vicolo dell'Osservatorio 3 I-35122, Padova (Italy))" >Ciroi, S.

2013-01-01

The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n e ∼ 10 5 cm –3 ) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.

The size of the narrow-line-emitting region in the Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 from emission-line variability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peterson, B. M.; Denney, K. D.; De Rosa, G.; Grier, C. J.; Pogge, R. W.; Kochanek, C. S. [Department of Astronomy, The Ohio State University, 140 W 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 (United States); Bentz, M. C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University, 25 Park Place, Suite 610, Atlanta, GA 30303 (United States); Vestergaard, M.; Kilerci-Eser, E. [Dark Cosmology Centre, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK-2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Dalla Bontà, E.; Ciroi, S. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia " G. Galilei," Università di Padova, Vicolo dell' Osservatorio 3 I-35122, Padova (Italy)

2013-12-20

The narrow [O III] λλ4959, 5007 emission-line fluxes in the spectrum of the well-studied Seyfert 1 galaxy NGC 5548 are shown to vary with time. From this we show that the narrow-line-emitting region has a radius of only 1-3 pc and is denser (n {sub e} ∼ 10{sup 5} cm{sup –3}) than previously supposed. The [O III] line width is consistent with virial motions at this radius given previous determinations of the black hole mass. Since the [O III] emission-line flux is usually assumed to be constant and is therefore used to calibrate spectroscopic monitoring data, the variability has ramifications for the long-term secular variations of continuum and emission-line fluxes, though it has no effect on shorter-term reverberation studies. We present corrected optical continuum and broad Hβ emission-line light curves for the period 1988-2008.

Variable uptake feature of focal nodular hyperplasia in Tc-99m phytate hepatic scintigraphy/single-photon emission computed tomography-A parametric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Yu-Ling; Chen, Yu-Wen; Lin, Chia-Yang; Lai, Yun-Chang; Chen, Shinn-Cherng; Lin, Zu-Yau

2015-12-01

Tc-99m phytate hepatic scintigraphy remains the standard method for evaluating the functional features of Kupffer cells. In this study, we demonstrate the variable uptake feature of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) in Tc-99m phytate scintigraphy. We reviewed all patients who underwent Tc-99m phytate hepatic scintigraphy between 2008 and 2012 in Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Cases with FNH were diagnosed on the basis of pathology or at least one or more prior imaging with a periodic clinical follow-up. All patients received a standard protocol of dynamic flow study and planar and Tc-99m phytate single-photon emission computed tomography (E. CAM; Siemens). The correlation of variable nodular radioactivity with parameters such as tumor size and localization was analyzed. In total, 15 lesions of 14 patients in the clinic were diagnosed as FNH. The tumor size was approximately 2.9-7.4 cm (mean size 4.6 cm). Four lesions were larger than 5 cm. The major anatomic distribution was in the right hepatic lobe (10 lesions), particularly in the superior segments (7 lesions). Tc-99m phytate single-photon emission computed tomography imaging for determining the functional features of Kupffer cells included cool/cold (8 lesions), isoradioactive/warm (6 lesions), and hot (1 lesion) patterns of uptake. We did not observe any statistically significant correlation between variable nodular radioactivity and tumor size (p=0.68) or localization (p=0.04). Herein, we demonstrate the variable uptake feature of FNH in Tc-99m phytate scintigraphy. In small FNH tumors (< 5 cm), increased or equal uptake still provided specificity for the differential diagnosis of hepatic solid tumors. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

Variability of Disk Emission in Pre-Main Sequence and Related Stars. II. Variability in the Gas and Dust Emission of the Herbig Fe Star SAO 206462

Science.gov (United States)

Sitko, Michael L.; Day, Amanda N.; Kimes, Robin L.; Beerman, Lori C.; Martus, Cameron; Lynch, David K.; Russell, Ray W.; Grady, Carol A.; Schneider, Glenn; Lisse, Carey M.;

Modeling the Transport and Chemical Evolution of Onshore and Offshore Emissions and their Impact on Local and Regional Air Quality Using a Variable-Grid-Resolution Air Quality Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiran Alapaty

2006-04-16

This Annual report summarizes the research performed from 17 April 2005 through 16 April 2006. Major portions of the research in several of the project's current eight tasks have been completed. We have successfully developed the meteorological inputs using the best possible modeling configurations, resulting in improved representation of atmospheric processes. The development of the variable-grid-resolution emissions model, SMOKE-VGR, is also completed. The development of the MAQSIP-VGR has been completed and a test run was performed to ensure the functionality of this air quality model. We have incorporated new emission data base to update the offshore emissions. However, we have faced some bottleneck problems in the testing the integrity of the new database. For this reason, we have asked for a no cost extension of this project to tackle these scientific problems. Thus, the project is on a one-year delay schedule. During the reporting period, we solved all problems related to the new emission database. We are ready to move to developing the final product, implementation and testing of the variable grid technology into the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) to develop the CMAQ-VGR. During the upcoming months we will perform the first CMAQ-VGR simulations over the Houston-Galveston region to study the roles of the meteorology, offshore emissions, and chemistry-transport interactions that determine the temporal and spatial evolution of ozone and its precursors.

Nitrous oxide emissions from European agriculture - an analysis of variability and drivers of emissions from field experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rees, R M; Agustin, J; Alberti, G

2013-01-01

Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot-based experime......Nitrous oxide emissions from a network of agricultural experiments in Europe were used to explore the relative importance of site and management controls of emissions. At each site, a selection of management interventions were compared within replicated experimental designs in plot...

Variability in the primary emissions and secondary gas and particle formation from vehicles using bioethanol mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Gramsch, E; Papapostolou, V; Reyes, F; Vásquez, Y; Castillo, M; Oyola, P; López, G; Cádiz, A; Ferguson, S; Wolfson, M; Lawrence, J; Koutrakis, P

2018-04-01

Bioethanol for use in vehicles is becoming a substantial part of global energy infrastructure because it is renewable and some emissions are reduced. Carbon monoxide (CO) emissions and total hydrocarbons (THC) are reduced, but there is still controversy regarding emissions of nitrogen oxides (NO x ), aldehydes, and ethanol; this may be a concern because all these compounds are precursors of ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The amount of emissions depends on the ethanol content, but it also may depend on the engine quality and ethanol origin. Thus, a photochemical chamber was used to study secondary gas and aerosol formation from two flex-fueled vehicles using different ethanol blends in gasoline. One vehicle and the fuel used were made in the United States, and the others were made in Brazil. Primary emissions of THC, CO, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC) from both vehicles decreased as the amount of ethanol in gasoline increased. NO x emissions in the U.S. and Brazilian cars decreased with ethanol content. However, emissions of THC, CO, and NO x from the Brazilian car were markedly higher than those from the U.S. car, showing high variability between vehicle technologies. In the Brazilian car, formation of secondary nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and ozone (O 3 ) was lower for higher ethanol content in the fuel. In the U.S. car, NO 2 and O 3 had a small increase. Secondary particle (particulate matter [PM]) formation in the chamber decreased for both vehicles as the fraction of ethanol in fuel increased, consistent with previous studies. Secondary to primary PM ratios for pure gasoline is 11, also consistent with previous studies. In addition, the time required to form secondary PM is longer for higher ethanol blends. These results indicate that using higher ethanol blends may have a positive impact on air quality. The use of bioethanol can significantly reduce petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Given the extent of

Estimating greenhouse gas emissions of European cities--modeling emissions with only one spatial and one socioeconomic variable.

Science.gov (United States)

Baur, Albert H; Lauf, Steffen; Förster, Michael; Kleinschmit, Birgit

2015-07-01

Substantive and concerted action is needed to mitigate climate change. However, international negotiations struggle to adopt ambitious legislation and to anticipate more climate-friendly developments. Thus, stronger actions are needed from other players. Cities, being greenhouse gas emission centers, play a key role in promoting the climate change mitigation movement by becoming hubs for smart and low-carbon lifestyles. In this context, a stronger linkage between greenhouse gas emissions and urban development and policy-making seems promising. Therefore, simple approaches are needed to objectively identify crucial emission drivers for deriving appropriate emission reduction strategies. In analyzing 44 European cities, the authors investigate possible socioeconomic and spatial determinants of urban greenhouse gas emissions. Multiple statistical analyses reveal that the average household size and the edge density of discontinuous dense urban fabric explain up to 86% of the total variance of greenhouse gas emissions of EU cities (when controlled for varying electricity carbon intensities). Finally, based on these findings, a multiple regression model is presented to determine greenhouse gas emissions. It is independently evaluated with ten further EU cities. The reliance on only two indicators shows that the model can be easily applied in addressing important greenhouse gas emission sources of European urbanites, when varying power generations are considered. This knowledge can help cities develop adequate climate change mitigation strategies and promote respective policies on the EU or the regional level. The results can further be used to derive first estimates of urban greenhouse gas emissions, if no other analyses are available. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial variability of oceanic phycoerythrin spectral types derived from airborne laser-induced fluorescence emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Hoge, Frank E.; Wright, C. Wayne; Kana, Todd M.; Swift, Robert N.; Yungel, James K.

1998-07-01

We report spatial variability of oceanic phycoerythrin spectral types detected by means of a blue spectral shift in airborne laser-induced fluorescence emission. The blue shift of the phycoerythrobilin fluorescence is known from laboratory studies to be induced by phycourobilin chromophore substitution at phycoerythrobilin chromophore sites in some strains of phycoerythrin-containing marine cyanobacteria. The airborne 532-nm laser-induced phycoerythrin fluorescence of the upper oceanic volume showed distinct segregation of cyanobacterial chromophore types in a flight transect from coastal water to the Sargasso Sea in the western North Atlantic. High phycourobilin levels were restricted to the oceanic (oligotrophic) end of the flight transect, in agreement with historical ship findings. These remotely observed phycoerythrin spectral fluorescence shifts have the potential to permit rapid, wide-area studies of the spatial variability of spectrally distinct cyanobacteria, especially across interfacial regions of coastal and oceanic water masses. Airborne laser-induced phytoplankton spectral fluorescence observations also further the development of satellite algorithms for passive detection of phytoplankton pigments. Optical modifications to the NASA Airborne Oceanographic Lidar are briefly described that permitted observation of the fluorescence spectral shifts.

Laboratory incubation experiments assessing the factor interactions affecting urine-derived nitrous oxide emissions from spatially and temporally variable upland pastures

Science.gov (United States)

Charteris, Alice; Loick, Nadine; Marsden, Karina; Chadwick, Dave; Whelan, Mick; Rao Ravella, Sreenivas; Mead, Andrew; Cardenas, Laura

2017-04-01

Urine patches deposited to soils by grazing animals represent hot-spots of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (Hargreaves et al., 2015), a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) and precursor of ozone depletion in the stratosphere. Urine N2O emissions are produced via nitrification of ureolysis-derived ammonium (NH4+) and/or subsequent nitrite (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-) denitrification (Kool et al., 2006). The dominant process and the N2O fluxes generated depend on interactions between urine characteristics (e.g. nitrogen [N] concentration and volume), soil characteristics (e.g. carbon [C] availability and pH) and preceding and prevailing environmental conditions (e.g. soil moisture and temperature; Bergstermann et al., 2011; Butterbach-Bahl et al., 2013; Dijkstra et al., 2013). The spatial and temporal variability of these interactions in grazing systems is potentially large and greatly increases the uncertainty associated with N2O emission estimates from such systems. In particular, the contribution of extensively managed upland agroecosystems, which occupy ca. 5.5 million hectares in the UK and provide the bulk of land for sheep farming (Pollott & Stone, 2004), to UK GHG emissions is poorly defined. Improving understanding of the interactions between the wide range of factors affecting urine-derived N2O production and emission from pasture soils and considering this in the context of the spatial and temporal variability of the grazing environment could therefore be extremely valuable in improving the accuracy of N2O emission estimates from such systems. The factorial laboratory incubation experiments presented have been designed to assess the interactive effects of factors such as urine N concentration, volume and soil moisture affecting soil N2O (and nitric oxide [NO], nitrogen gas [N2] and carbon dioxide [CO2]) production and emissions (García-Marco et al., 2014) using the state-of-the-art Denitrification Incubation System (DENIS). This work forms part of a wider project

Variability of Disk Emission in Pre-main-sequence and Related Stars. IV. Investigating the Structural Changes in the Inner Disk Region of MWC 480

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Rachel B.; Long, Zachary C.; Pikhartova, Monika; Sitko, Michael L.; Grady, Carol A.; Russell, Ray W.; Luria, David M.; Tyler, Dakotah B.; Bayyari, Ammar; Danchi, William; Wisniewski, John P.

2018-04-01

We present five epochs of near-IR observations of the protoplanetary disk around MWC 480 (HD 31648) obtained with the SpeX spectrograph on NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility between 2007 and 2013, inclusive. Using the measured line fluxes in the Pa β and Br γ lines, we found the mass accretion rates to be (1.26–2.30) × 10‑7 M ⊙ yr‑1 and (1.4–2.01) × 10‑7 M ⊙ yr‑1, respectively, but which varied by more than 50% from epoch to epoch. The spectral energy distribution reveals a variability of about 30% between 1.5 and 10 μm during this same period of time. We investigated the variability using of the continuum emission of the disk in using the Monte-Carlo Radiative Transfer Code HOCHUNK3D. We find that varying the height of the inner rim successfully produces a change in the NIR flux but lowers the far-IR emission to levels below all measured fluxes. Because the star exhibits bipolar flows, we utilized a structure that simulates an inner disk wind to model the variability in the near-IR, without producing flux levels in the far-IR that are inconsistent with existing data. For this object, variable near-IR emission due to such an outflow is more consistent with the data than changing the scale height of the inner rim of the disk.

Climatological variability in regional air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shannon, J.D.; Trexler, E.C. Jr.

1995-01-01

Although some air pollution modeling studies examine events that have already occurred (e.g., the Chernobyl plume) with relevant meteorological conditions largely known, most pollution modeling studies address expected or potential scenarios for the future. Future meteorological conditions, the major pollutant forcing function other than emissions, are inherently uncertain although much relevant information is contained in past observational data. For convenience in our discussions of regional pollutant variability unrelated to emission changes, we define meteorological variability as short-term (within-season) pollutant variability and climatological variability as year-to-year changes in seasonal averages and accumulations of pollutant variables. In observations and in some of our simulations the effects are confounded because for seasons of two different years both the mean and the within-season character of a pollutant variable may change. Effects of climatological and meteorological variability on means and distributions of air pollution parameters, particularly those related to regional visibility, are illustrated. Over periods of up to a decade climatological variability may mask or overstate improvements resulting from emission controls. The importance of including climatological uncertainties in assessing potential policies, particularly when based partly on calculated source-receptor relationships, is highlighted

Spatial variability of soil CO2 emission in a sugarcane area characterized by secondary information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel De Bortoli Teixeira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Soil CO2 emission (FCO2 is governed by the inherent properties of the soil, such as bulk density (BD. Mapping of FCO2 allows the evaluation and identification of areas with different accumulation potential of carbon. However, FCO2 mapping over larger areas is not feasible due to the period required for evaluation. This study aimed to assess the quality of FCO2 spatial estimates using values of BD as secondary information. FCO2 and BD were evaluated on a regular sampling grid of 60 m × 60 m comprising 141 points, which was established on a sugarcane area. Four scenarios were defined according to the proportion of the number of sampling points of FCO2 to those of BD. For these scenarios, 67 (F67, 87 (F87, 107 (F107 and 127 (F127 FCO2 sampling points were used in addition to 127 BD sampling points used as supplementary information. The use of additional information from the BD provided an increase in the accuracy of the estimates only in the F107, F67 and F87 scenarios, respectively. The F87 scenario, with the approximate ratio between the FCO2 and BD of 1.00:1.50, presented the best relative improvement in the quality of estimates, thereby indicating that the BD should be sampled at a density 1.5 time greater than that applied for the FCO2. This procedure avoided problems related to the high temporal variability associated with FCO2, which enabled the mapping of this variable to be elaborated in large areas.

Modeling Aircraft Emissions for Regional-scale Air Quality: Adapting a New Global Aircraft Emissions Database for the U.S

Science.gov (United States)

Arunachalam, S.; Baek, B. H.; Vennam, P. L.; Woody, M. C.; Omary, M.; Binkowski, F.; Fleming, G.

2012-12-01

Commercial aircraft emit substantial amounts of pollutants during their complete activity cycle that ranges from landing-and-takeoff (LTO) at airports to cruising in upper elevations of the atmosphere, and affect both air quality and climate. Since these emissions are not uniformly emitted over the earth, and have substantial temporal and spatial variability, it is vital to accurately evaluate and quantify the relative impacts of aviation emissions on ambient air quality. Regional-scale air quality modeling applications do not routinely include these aircraft emissions from all cycles. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT), a software system that dynamically models aircraft performance in space and time to calculate fuel burn and emissions from gate-to-gate for all commercial aviation activity from all airports globally. To process in-flight aircraft emissions and to provide a realistic representation of these for treatment in grid-based air quality models, we have developed an interface processor called AEDTproc that accurately distributes full-flight chorded emissions in time and space to create gridded, hourly model-ready emissions input data. Unlike the traditional emissions modeling approach of treating aviation emissions as ground-level sources or processing emissions only from the LTO cycles in regional-scale air quality studies, AEDTproc distributes chorded inventories of aircraft emissions during LTO cycles and cruise activities into a time-variant 3-D gridded structure. We will present results of processed 2006 global emissions from AEDT over a continental U.S. modeling domain to support a national-scale air quality assessment of the incremental impacts of aircraft emissions on surface air quality. This includes about 13.6 million flights within the U.S. out of 31.2 million flights globally. We will focus on assessing spatio-temporal variability of these commercial aircraft emissions, and

Variability of building environmental assessment tools on evaluating carbon emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ng, S. Thomas, E-mail: tstng@hkucc.hku.hk; Chen Yuan, E-mail: chenyuan4@gmail.com; Wong, James M.W., E-mail: jmwwong@hku.hk

2013-01-15

With an increasing importance of sustainability in construction, more and more clients and designers employ building environmental assessment (BEA) tools to evaluate the environmental friendliness of their building facilities, and one important aspect of evaluation in the BEA models is the assessment of carbon emissions. However, in the absence of any agreed framework for carbon auditing and benchmarking, the results generated by the BEA tools might vary significantly which could lead to confusion or misinterpretation on the carbon performance of a building. This study thus aims to unveil the properties of and the standard imposed by the current BEA models on evaluating the life cycle carbon emissions. The analyses cover the (i) weighting of energy efficiency and emission levels among various environmental performance indicators; (ii) building life cycle stages in which carbon is taken into consideration; (iii) objectiveness of assessment; (iv) baseline set for carbon assessment; (v) mechanism for benchmarking the emission level; and (v) limitations of the carbon assessment approaches. Results indicate that the current BEA schemes focus primarily on operational carbon instead of the emissions generated throughout the entire building life cycle. Besides, the baseline and benchmark for carbon evaluation vary significantly among the BEA tools based on the analytical results of a hypothetical building. The findings point to the needs for a more transparent framework for carbon auditing and benchmarking in BEA modeling. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Carbon emission evaluation in building environmental assessment schemes are studied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simulative carbon emission is modeled for building environmental assessment schemes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Carbon assessments focus primarily on operational stage instead of entire lifecycle. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Baseline and benchmark of carbon assessment vary greatly among BEA

Variability of building environmental assessment tools on evaluating carbon emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, S. Thomas; Chen Yuan; Wong, James M.W.

2013-01-01

With an increasing importance of sustainability in construction, more and more clients and designers employ building environmental assessment (BEA) tools to evaluate the environmental friendliness of their building facilities, and one important aspect of evaluation in the BEA models is the assessment of carbon emissions. However, in the absence of any agreed framework for carbon auditing and benchmarking, the results generated by the BEA tools might vary significantly which could lead to confusion or misinterpretation on the carbon performance of a building. This study thus aims to unveil the properties of and the standard imposed by the current BEA models on evaluating the life cycle carbon emissions. The analyses cover the (i) weighting of energy efficiency and emission levels among various environmental performance indicators; (ii) building life cycle stages in which carbon is taken into consideration; (iii) objectiveness of assessment; (iv) baseline set for carbon assessment; (v) mechanism for benchmarking the emission level; and (v) limitations of the carbon assessment approaches. Results indicate that the current BEA schemes focus primarily on operational carbon instead of the emissions generated throughout the entire building life cycle. Besides, the baseline and benchmark for carbon evaluation vary significantly among the BEA tools based on the analytical results of a hypothetical building. The findings point to the needs for a more transparent framework for carbon auditing and benchmarking in BEA modeling. - Highlights: ► Carbon emission evaluation in building environmental assessment schemes are studied. ► Simulative carbon emission is modeled for building environmental assessment schemes. ► Carbon assessments focus primarily on operational stage instead of entire lifecycle. ► Baseline and benchmark of carbon assessment vary greatly among BEA schemes. ► A more transparent and comprehensive framework for carbon assessment is required.

Minor methane emissions from an Alpine hydropower reservoir based on monitoring of diel and seasonal variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Sollberger, Sébastien; Wehrli, Bernhard; Schubert, Carsten J; DelSontro, Tonya; Eugster, Werner

2017-10-18

We monitored CH 4 emissions during the ice-free period of an Alpine hydropower reservoir in the Swiss Alps, Lake Klöntal, to investigate mechanisms responsible for CH 4 variability and to estimate overall emissions to the atmosphere. A floating eddy-covariance platform yielded total CH 4 and CO 2 emission rates at high temporal resolution, while hydroacoustic surveys provided no indication of CH 4 ebullition. Higher CH 4 fluxes (2.9 ± 0.1 mg CH 4 per m 2 per day) occurred during the day when surface water temperatures were warmer and wind speeds higher than at night. Piston velocity estimates (k 600 ) showed an upper limit at high wind speeds that may be more generally valid also for other lakes and reservoirs with limited CH 4 dissolved in the water body: above 2.0 m s -1 a further increase in wind speed did not lead to higher CH 4 fluxes, because under such conditions it is not the turbulent mixing and transport that limits effluxes, but the resupply of CH 4 to the lake surface. Increasing CH 4 fluxes during the warm season showed a clear spatial gradient once the reservoir started to fill up and flood additional surface area. The warm period contributed 27% of the total CH 4 emissions (2.6 t CH 4 per year) estimated for the full year and CH 4 accounted for 63% of carbonic greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, the average CH 4 emissions (1.7 to 2.2 mg CH 4 per m 2 per day determined independently from surface water samplings and eddy covariance, respectively) were small compared to most tropical and some temperate reservoirs. The resulting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in CO 2 -equivalents revealed that electricity produced in the Lake Klöntal power plant was relatively climate-friendly with a low GHG-to-power output ratio of 1.24 kg CO 2,eq per MW h compared to 6.5 and 8.1 kg CO 2,eq per MW h associated with the operation of solar photovoltaics and wind energy, respectively, or about 980 kg CO 2,eq per MW h for coal-fired power plants.

Detailed observations of NGC 4151 with IUE-III. Variability of the strong emission lines from 1978 February to 1980 May

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulrich, M.H.; Boksenberg, A.; Bromage, G.E.

1983-11-01

Observations of the variability of the three strong ultraviolet emission lines in the Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151 (CIV, CIII, and MgII) are used to study the structure of the broad line region and the nuclear energy source of this active galaxy. (author)

www.sobiad.org/eJOURNALS/journal_IJEF/archTHE NEXUS BETWEEN MACROECONOMICS VARIABLES AND THECO2EMISSIONS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROMMALAYSIAN ROADTRANSPORT SECTOReves/2012_no_2_new/nur_zaimah.pdf

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nur Zaimah Ubaidillah

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In the present paper, an attempt is made to examine the nexus between themacroeconomic variables and the CO2emissions from road transport sector inMalaysia. Using vector error correction model during 1980 to 2009 period, theempiricalresults show that there is an evidence of a long-run relationship amongthe variables. The findings of this research also indicate that a bi-directionalrelationship exist between the number of vehicles and CO2emission in the short-run.

The Impact of Variable Inlet Mixture Stratification on Flame Topology and Emissions Performance of a Premixer/Swirl Burner Configuration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Koutmos

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The work presents the assessment of a low emissions premixer/swirl burner configuration utilizing lean stratified fuel preparation. An axisymmetric, single- or double-cavity premixer, formed along one, two, or three concentric disks promotes propane-air premixing and supplies the combustion zone at the afterbody disk recirculation with a radial equivalence ratio gradient. The burner assemblies are operated with a swirl co-flow to study the interaction of the recirculating stratified flame with the surrounding swirl. A number of lean and ultra-lean flames operated either with a plane disk stabilizer or with one or two premixing cavity arrangements were evaluated over a range of inlet mixture conditions. The influence of the variation of the imposed swirl was studied for constant fuel injections. Measurements of turbulent velocities, temperatures, OH* chemiluminescence and gas analysis provided information on the performance of each burner set up. Comparisons with Large Eddy Simulations, performed with an 11-step global chemistry, illustrated the flame front interaction with the vortex formation region under the influence of the variable inlet mixture stratifications. The combined effort contributed to the identification of optimum configurations in terms of fuel consumption and pollutants emissions and to the delineation of important controlling parameters and limiting fuel-air mixing conditions.

Variability of ozone depleting substances as an indication of emissions in the Pearl River Delta, China

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chih-Chung; Lai, Cheng-Hsun; Wang, Chieh-Heng; Liu, Ying; Shao, Min; Zhang, Yuanhang; Wang, Jia-Lin

The continued production and consumption of five major chlorocarbons, i.e., CFC-11 (CCl 3F), CFC-12 (CCl 2F 2), CFC-113 (CCl 2FCClF 2), CH 3CCl 3, and CCl 4, as allowed by developing nations including China under the Montreal Protocol, were assessed by a method employing concentration variability. Measurements of the five ozone depleting substances (ODS) were measured in downtown Guangzhou and a rural site in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), China by both in situ and flask measurements. In order to post a contrast to PRD with a referencing environment of minimal emissions, in situ measurements were also conducted in Taipei, Taiwan, where a decade long phase-out of CFCs has been implemented. In general, the variability of chlorocarbons in the PRD sites was significantly greater than that of Taipei. While the abundance of the five ODSs in Taipei was relatively uniform with a relative standard deviation (RSD) varying between 3% and 16%, their variability in PRD with the exception of CFC-113 was significantly more pronounced, clearly indicating the significant usage of ODSs. The variability of CFC-113 in both cities, however, was nearly indiscernible from the instrumental precision, suggesting little usage of CFC-113 in China. Methyl chloroform in Guangzhou exhibited a strong link to solvent evaporation as it showed a tight correlation with ambient toluene. Alarmingly, CCl 4 was the most variable of the five major chlorocarbons in Guangzhou, which should arouse a serious concern for public health due to its carcinogenicity.

A mid- to far-infrared variability study of the intermediate Seyfert galaxy, Mk 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clement, R.; Sembay, S.; Coe, M.J.; Hanson, C.G.

1988-01-01

A mid- to far-infrared (MFIR) variability study of the intermediate Seyfert galaxy, Mk 6, is presented using data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS). We have analysed 25 observations of this source covering a period of about 1 month. Within the expected errors, the source shows no evidence for variability and this may be an indication that there is a strong contribution to the MFIR emission from thermal re-radiation by dust. This interpretation is consistent with previous studies which suggest that the bulk of the far-infrared (30 -100 μm) emission in Seyfert galaxies originates from cool (35 - 75 K) dust associated with star formation regions in the surrounding envelope of the active nucleus. The lack of variability at 12 and 25 μm can also be readily explained by dust emission. However, in this case, the dust temperatures required to produce emission at these wavelengths makes the narrow-line region a more feasible location for the dust grains. (author)

Correcting for variable laser-target distances of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy measurements with ChemCam using emission lines of Martian dust spectra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melikechi, N.; Mezzacappa, A. [Optical Science Center for Applied Research, Delaware State University, Dover, DE (United States); Cousin, A.; Lanza, N.L. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Lasue, J. [Institut de Recherche en Astophysique et Planetologie (IRAP), Universite' Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France); Clegg, S.M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Berger, G. [Institut de Recherche en Astophysique et Planetologie (IRAP), Universite' Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France); Wiens, R.C. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Maurice, S. [Institut de Recherche en Astophysique et Planetologie (IRAP), Universite' Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France); Tokar, R.L.; Bender, S. [Planetary Science Institute, Flagstaff, AZ (United States); Forni, O. [Institut de Recherche en Astophysique et Planetologie (IRAP), Universite' Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France); Breves, E.A.; Dyar, M.D. [Dept. of Astronomy, Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA (United States); Frydenvang, J. [The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen (Denmark); Delapp, D. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM (United States); Gasnault, O. [Institut de Recherche en Astophysique et Planetologie (IRAP), Universite' Paul Sabatier, Toulouse (France); Newsom, H.; Ollila, A.M. [Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Alburquerque, NM (United States); Lewin, E. [Institut des Sciences de la Terre, Universite Grenoble l-CNRS, Grenoble (France); and others

2014-06-01

As part of the Mars Science Laboratory, the ChemCam instrument acquires remote laser induced breakdown spectra at distances that vary between 1.56 m and 7 m. This variation in distance affects the intensities of the measured LIBS emission lines in non-trivial ways. To determine the behavior of a LIBS emission line with distance, it is necessary to separate the effects of many parameters such as laser energy, laser spot size, target homogeneity, and optical collection efficiency. These parameters may be controlled in a laboratory on Earth but for field applications or in space this is a challenge. In this paper, we show that carefully selected ChemCam LIBS emission lines acquired from the Martian dust can be used to build an internal proxy spectroscopic standard. This in turn, allows for a direct measurement of the effects of the distance of various LIBS emission lines and hence can be used to correct ChemCam LIBS spectra for distance variations. When tested on pre-launch LIBS calibration data acquired under Martian-like conditions and with controlled and well-calibrated targets, this approach yields much improved agreement between targets observed at various distances. This work lays the foundation for future implementation of automated routines to correct ChemCam spectra for differences caused by variable distance. - Highlights: • Selected Martian dust emission lines are used to correct for variable laser-target distances. • The correction model yields improved agreement between targets observed at various distances. • The impact of the model reduces the bias between predicted and actual compositions by as much as 70%. • When implemented, the model will yield spectral corrections for various ChemCam measurements. • This work is a foundation to perform novel stand-off LIBS measurements on Earth and other planets.

Variabilidade espacial da emissão de CO2 em Latossolos sob cultivo de cana-de-açúcar em diferentes sistemas de manejo Spatial variability of CO2 emission on Oxisol soils cultivated with sugar cane under different management practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan R. Panosso

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Neste trabalho, foi determinada a estrutura da variabilidade espacial da emissão de CO2, temperatura e umidade de solos desprovidos de vegetação em duas localidades sob cultivo da cana-de-açúcar, em sistemas de manejos de cana crua e de cana queimada, no nordeste do Estado de São Paulo. A emissão de CO2 e a temperatura do solo foram registradas utilizando-se de câmara de fluxo portátil e sensor de temperatura do sistema LI-6400. A umidade foi avaliada utilizando sistema portátil TDR. A maior emissão foi observada no local sob manejo de cana queimada, com valor médio de 2,05 μmol m-2 s-1, porém a dependência espacial na emissão de CO2 foi encontrada somente na área sob manejo de cana crua. Os mapas de krigagem da emissão de CO2, temperatura e umidade do solo sob manejo de cana queimada mostraram correspondência à declividade do terreno, com as maiores emissões e temperaturas localizadas na parte mais alta, sendo as maiores umidades do solo encontradas na parte mais baixa do local estudado. Os resultados indicam correlação linear positiva da emissão de CO2 com a temperatura, e negativa com a umidade do solo somente no local com manejo de cana queimada, e não no sistema de cana crua, onde a presença de palhada certamente impede a ação direta da radiação solar e o escoamento de chuvas.In this work, it was determined the spatial variability structure of soil CO2 emission, the temperature and the soil moisture in two locations currently cultivated with sugar cane and submitted to different management systems: slash/burn and no-till, in the northeast of São Paulo State. The soil CO2 emission and the soil temperature were registered by using a portable chamber and a temperature sensor of LI-6400 system. Soil moisture was measured by a portable TDR system. The highest emission was observed in the slash and burn plot, with an average value of 2.05 μmol m-2 s-1, but spatial variability structure was observed just for the CO2

1RXS J180834.7+101041 is a new cataclysmic variable with non-uniform disc

Science.gov (United States)

Yakin, D. G.; Suleimanov, V. F.; Shimansky, V. V.; Borisov, N. V.; Bikmaev, I. F.; Sakhibullin, N. A.

2010-11-01

Results of photometric and spectroscopic investigations of the recently discovered disc cataclysmic variable star 1RXS J180834.7+101041 are presented. Emission spectra of the system show broad double peaked hydrogen and helium emission lines. Doppler maps for the hydrogen lines demonstrate strongly non-uniform emissivity distribution in the disc, similar to that found in IP Peg. It means that the system is a new cataclysmic variable with a spiral density wave in the disc. Masses of the components (MWD = 0.8+/-0.22 Msolar and MRD = 0.14+/-0.02 Msolar), and the orbit inclination (i = 78°+/- 1.°5) were estimated using the various well-known relations for cataclysmic variables.

Development of a low-maintenance measurement approach to continuously estimate methane emissions: A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Riddick, S N; Hancock, B R; Robinson, A D; Connors, S; Davies, S; Allen, G; Pitt, J; Harris, N R P

2018-03-01

The chemical breakdown of organic matter in landfills represents a significant source of methane gas (CH 4 ). Current estimates suggest that landfills are responsible for between 3% and 19% of global anthropogenic emissions. The net CH 4 emissions resulting from biogeochemical processes and their modulation by microbes in landfills are poorly constrained by imprecise knowledge of environmental constraints. The uncertainty in absolute CH 4 emissions from landfills is therefore considerable. This study investigates a new method to estimate the temporal variability of CH 4 emissions using meteorological and CH 4 concentration measurements downwind of a landfill site in Suffolk, UK from July to September 2014, taking advantage of the statistics that such a measurement approach offers versus shorter-term, but more complex and instantaneously accurate, flux snapshots. Methane emissions were calculated from CH 4 concentrations measured 700m from the perimeter of the landfill with observed concentrations ranging from background to 46.4ppm. Using an atmospheric dispersion model, we estimate a mean emission flux of 709μgm -2 s -1 over this period, with a maximum value of 6.21mgm -2 s -1 , reflecting the wide natural variability in biogeochemical and other environmental controls on net site emission. The emissions calculated suggest that meteorological conditions have an influence on the magnitude of CH 4 emissions. We also investigate the factors responsible for the large variability observed in the estimated CH 4 emissions, and suggest that the largest component arises from uncertainty in the spatial distribution of CH 4 emissions within the landfill area. The results determined using the low-maintenance approach discussed in this paper suggest that a network of cheaper, less precise CH 4 sensors could be used to measure a continuous CH 4 emission time series from a landfill site, something that is not practical using far-field approaches such as tracer release methods

Modelin the Transport and Chemical Evolution of Onshore and Offshore Emissions and Their Impact on Local and Regional Air Quality Using a Variable-Grid-Resolution Air Quality Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adel Hanna

2008-10-16

The overall objective of this research project was to develop an innovative modeling technique to adequately model the offshore/onshore transport of pollutants. The variable-grid modeling approach that was developed alleviates many of the shortcomings of the traditionally used nested regular-grid modeling approach, in particular related to biases near boundaries and the excessive computational requirements when using nested grids. The Gulf of Mexico region contiguous to the Houston-Galveston area and southern Louisiana was chosen as a test bed for the variable-grid modeling approach. In addition to the onshore high pollution emissions from various sources in those areas, emissions from on-shore and off-shore oil and gas exploration and production are additional sources of air pollution. We identified case studies for which to perform meteorological and air quality model simulations. Our approach included developing and evaluating the meteorological, emissions, and chemistry-transport modeling components for the variable-grid applications, with special focus on the geographic areas where the finest grid resolution was used. We evaluated the performance of two atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) schemes, and identified the best-performing scheme for simulating mesoscale circulations for different grid resolutions. Use of a newly developed surface data assimilation scheme resulted in improved meteorological model simulations. We also successfully ingested satellite-derived sea surface temperatures (SSTs) into the meteorological model simulations, leading to further improvements in simulated wind, temperature, and moisture fields. These improved meteorological fields were important for variable-grid simulations, especially related to capturing the land-sea breeze circulations that are critical for modeling offshore/onshore transport of pollutants in the Gulf region. We developed SMOKE-VGR, the variable-grid version of the SMOKE emissions processing model, and tested and

CHROMOSPHERIC VARIABILITY IN SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY M DWARFS. II. SHORT-TIMESCALE Hα VARIABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruse, E. A.; Berger, E.; Laskar, T.; Knapp, G. R.; Gunn, J. E.; Loomis, C. P.; Lupton, R. H.; Schlegel, D. J.

2010-01-01

We present the first comprehensive study of short-timescale chromospheric Hα variability in M dwarfs using the individual 15 minute spectroscopic exposures for 52, 392 objects from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Our sample contains about 10 3 -10 4 objects per spectral type bin in the range M0-M9, with a typical number of three exposures per object (ranging up to a maximum of 30 exposures). Using this extensive data set, we find that about 16% of the sources exhibit Hα emission in at least one exposure, and of those about 45% exhibit Hα emission in all of the available exposures. As in previous studies of Hα activity (L Hα /L bol ), we find a rapid increase in the fraction of active objects from M0-M6. However, we find a subsequent decline in later spectral types that we attribute to our use of the individual spectra. Similarly, we find saturated activity at a level of L Hα /L bol ∼ 10 -3.6 for spectral types M0-M5 followed by a decline to about 10 -4.3 in the range M7-M9. Within the sample of objects with Hα emission, only 26% are consistent with non-variable emission, independent of spectral type. The Hα variability, quantified in terms of the ratio of maximum to minimum Hα equivalent width (R EW ), exhibits a rapid rise from M0 to M5, followed by a plateau and a possible decline in M9 objects. In particular, variability with R EW ∼> 10 is only observed in objects later than M5, and survival analysis indicates a probability of ∼ EW values for M0-M4 and M5-M9 are drawn from the same distribution. We further find that for an exponential distribution, the R EW values follow N(R EW ) ∝ exp[ - (R EW - 1)/2.3] for M0-M4 and ∝exp[ - (R EW - 1)/2.9] for M5-M9. Finally, comparing objects with persistent and intermittent Hα emission, we find that the latter exhibit greater variability. Based on these results, we conclude that Hα variability in M dwarfs on timescales of 15 minutes to 1 hr increases with later spectral type, and that the variability is

Wildland fire emissions, carbon, and climate: U.S. emissions inventories

Science.gov (United States)

Narasimhan K. Larkin; Sean M. Raffuse; Tara M. Strand

2014-01-01

Emissions from wildland fire are both highly variable and highly uncertain over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. Wildland fire emissions change considerably due to fluctuations from year to year with overall fire season severity, from season to season as different regions pass in and out of wildfire and prescribed fire periods, and from day to day as...

Estimates of reservoir methane emissions based on a spatially balanced probabilistic-survey

Science.gov (United States)

Global estimates of methane (CH4) emissions from reservoirs are poorly constrained, partly due to the challenges of accounting for intra-reservoir spatial variability. Reservoir-scale emission rates are often estimated by extrapolating from measurement made at a few locations; h...

CORRELATIONS OF DISK AND JET EMISSION DEVIATING FROM THE FUNDAMENTAL PLANE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Da-Bin; Mu, Hui-Jun; Lu, Zu-Jia; Liang, En-Wei [GXU-NAOC Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Department of Physics, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004 (China); Gu, Wei-Min; Ma, Ren-Yi, E-mail: lindabin@gxu.edu.cn [Department of Astronomy and Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astrophysics, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361005 (China)

2015-07-01

The variability of the accretion rate, which is believed to induce the aperiodic variability of X-ray emission from disks, may affect the energy injection into a jet. In this spirit, a correlation between disk emission and jet emission can be formed even if the mean luminosity of disk emission remains constant. In this work, these correlations are found in the situation in which the luminosity of disk emission is variable and kept at a constant mean value. The obtained correlations may be shallower than that of the fundamental plane of black hole activity. In addition, the slope of correlation may increase with increasing observed frequency of jet emission. For the luminosities spaced over three days, the slope of correlation decreases with increasing black hole mass. The deviation of our found correlations from that of the fundamental plane is related to the suppression of variability in the jet emission in comparison with that in the disk emission. This mechanism may work in some sources in which shallower correlations have been reported. Moreover, it implies that luminosities used to estimate the relation of the fundamental plane should cover an appropriate timescale, in which the variability of jet emission is not significantly suppressed.

Monitoring variables affecting positron emission tomography measurements of cerebral blood flow in anaesthetized pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrup, Aage Kristian Olsen; Zois, Nora Elisabeth; Simonsen, Mette

2018-01-01

Background Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of anaesthetized pig brains is a useful tool in neuroscience. Stable cerebral blood flow (CBF) is essential for PET, since variations can affect the distribution of several radiotracers. However, the effect of physiological factors regulating...... and the monitoring parameters. Results No significant statistical correlations were found between CBF and the nine monitoring variables. However, we found that arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and body temperature were important predictors of CBF that should be observed and kept constant. In addition, we...... found that long-duration anaesthesia was significantly correlated with high heart rate, low arterial oxygen tension, and high body temperature, but not with CBF. Conclusions The findings indicate that PaCO2 and body temperature are crucial for maintaining stable levels of CBF and thus optimizing PET...

Characterizing the influence of anthropogenic emissions and transport variability on sulfate aerosol concentrations at Mauna Loa Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, Lauren E.

data were supplemented with observations of gaseous radon (Rn222) and carbon monoxide (CO), used as tracers of long distance continental influence. Our study applied trajectory analysis and multiple linear regression to interpret the relative roles of aerosol precursor emissions and large-scale transport characteristics on observed MLO sulfate aerosol variability. We conclude that observed sulfate aerosol at MLO likely originated from a combination of anthropogenic, volcanic, and biogenic sources that varied seasonally and from year to year. Analysis of chemical continental tracer concentrations and HYSPLIT back trajectories suggests that non-negligible long distance influence from either the Asian or North American continents can be detected at MLO during all seasons although large interannual variability was observed. Possible influence of circulation changes in the Pacific Basin related to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation were found to be both species and seasonally dependent. We further found an increasing trend in monthly mean sulfate aerosol concentrations at MLO of 4.8% (7.3 ng m-3) per year during 1995-2008, significant at the 95% confidence level. Multiple linear regression results suggest that the observed trend in sulfate concentrations at MLO cannot reasonably be explained by variations in meteorology and transport efficiency alone. An increasing sulfate trend of 5.8 ng m-3 per year, statistically significant at the 90% confidence level, was found to be associated with the variable representing East Asian SO2 emissions. The results of this study provide evidence that MLO sulfate aerosol observations during 1995-2008 reflect, in part, recent trends in anthropogenic SO2 emissions which are superimposed onto the natural meteorological variability affecting transport efficiency.

Assessment of high to low frequency variations of isoprene emission rates using a neural network approach

Science.gov (United States)

Boissard, C.; Chervier, F.; Dutot, A. L.

2007-08-01

Using a statistical approach based on artificial neural networks, an emission algorithm (ISO_LF) accounting for high (instantaneous) to low (seasonal) frequency variations was developed for isoprene. ISO_LF was optimised using an isoprene emission data base (ISO-DB) specifically designed for this work. ISO-DB consists of 1321 emission rates collected in the literature, together with 34 environmental variables, measured or assessed using NCDC (National Climatic Data Center) or NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Predictions) meteorological databases. ISO-DB covers a large variety of emitters (25 species) and environmental conditions (10° S to 60° N). When only instantaneous environmental regressors (air temperature and photosynthetic active radiation, PAR) were used, a maximum of 60% of the overall isoprene variability was assessed and the highest emissions were underestimated. Considering a total of 9 high (instantaneous) to low (up to 3 weeks) frequency regressors, ISO_LF accounts for up to 91% of the isoprene emission variability, whatever the emission range, species or climate. Diurnal and seasonal variations are correctly reproduced for textit{Ulex europaeus} with a maximum factor of discrepancy of 4. ISO-LF was found to be mainly sensitive to air temperature cumulated over 3 weeks T21 and to instantaneous light L0 and air temperature T0 variations. T21, T0 and L0 only accounts for 76% of the overall variability. The use of ISO-LF for non stored monoterpene emissions was shown to give poor results.

A geostatistical approach to identify and mitigate agricultural nitrous oxide emission hotspots

Science.gov (United States)

Anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), a trace gas with severe environmental costs, are greatest from agricultural soils amended with nitrogen (N) fertilizer. However, accurate N2O emission estimates at fine spatial scales are made difficult by their high variability, which represents a cr...

VARIABLE O VI AND N V EMISSION FROM THE X-RAY BINARY LMC X-3: HEATING OF THE BLACK HOLE COMPANION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Limin; Tripp, Todd M.; Wang, Q. Daniel; Yao Yangsen; Cui Wei; Xue Yongquan; Orosz, Jerome A.; Steeghs, Danny; Steiner, James F.; Torres, Manuel A. P.; McClintock, Jeffrey E.

2010-01-01

Based on high-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopy obtained with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) and the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph, we present new detections of O VI and N V emission from the black hole X-ray binary (XRB) system LMC X-3. We also update the ephemeris of the XRB using recent radial velocity measurements obtained with the echelle spectrograph on the Magellan-Clay telescope. We observe significant velocity variability of the UV emission, and we find that the O VI and N V emission velocities follow the optical velocity curve of the XRB. Moreover, the O VI and N V intensities regularly decrease between binary phase = 0.5 and 1.0, which suggests that the source of the UV emission is increasingly occulted as the B star in the XRB moves from superior to inferior conjunction. These trends suggest that illumination of the B star atmosphere by the intense X-ray emission from the accreting black hole creates a hot spot on one side of the B star, and this hot spot is the origin of the O VI and N V emission. However, the velocity semiamplitude of the ultraviolet emission, K UV ∼ 180 km s -1 , is lower than the optical semiamplitude; this difference could be due to rotation of the B star. Comparison of the FUSE observations taken in 2001 November and 2004 April shows a significant change in the O VI emission characteristics: in the 2001 data, the O VI region shows both broad and narrow emission features, while in 2004 only the narrow O VI emission is clearly present. Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer data show that the XRB was in a high/soft state in the 2001 November epoch but was in a transitional state in 2004 April, so the shape of the X-ray spectrum might change the properties of the region illuminated on the B star and thus change the broad versus narrow characteristics of the UV emission. If our hypothesis about the origin of the highly ionized emission is correct, then careful analysis of the emission occultation could, in principle

A SPITZER IRS STUDY OF INFRARED VARIABILITY IN TRANSITIONAL AND PRE-TRANSITIONAL DISKS AROUND T TAURI STARS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espaillat, C.; Furlan, E.; D'Alessio, P.; Sargent, B.; Muzerolle, J.; Nagel, E.; Calvet, N.; Watson, Dan M.

2011-01-01

We present a Spitzer IRS study of variability in 14 T Tauri stars in the Taurus and Chamaeleon star-forming regions. The sample is composed of transitional and pre-transitional objects which contain holes and gaps in their disks. We detect variability between 5 and 38 μm in all but two of our objects on timescales of 2-3 years. Most of the variability observed can be classified as seesaw behavior, whereby the emission at shorter wavelengths varies inversely with the emission at longer wavelengths. For many of the objects we can reasonably reproduce the observed variability using irradiated disk models, particularly by changing the height of the inner disk wall by ∼20%. When the inner wall is taller, the emission at the shorter wavelengths is higher since the inner wall dominates the emission at 2-8 μm. The taller inner wall casts a larger shadow on the outer disk wall, leading to less emission at wavelengths beyond 20 μm where the outer wall dominates. We discuss how the possible presence of planets in these disks could lead to warps that cause changes in the height of the inner wall. We also find that crystalline silicates are common in the outer disks of our objects and that in the four disks in the sample with the most crystalline silicates, variability on timescales of 1 week is present. In addition to explaining the infrared variability described above, planets can create shocks and collisions which can crystallize the dust and lead to short timescale variability.

Short-term landfill methane emissions dependency on wind.

Science.gov (United States)

Delkash, Madjid; Zhou, Bowen; Han, Byunghyun; Chow, Fotini K; Rella, Chris W; Imhoff, Paul T

2016-09-01

Short-term (2-10h) variations of whole-landfill methane emissions have been observed in recent field studies using the tracer dilution method for emissions measurement. To investigate the cause of these variations, the tracer dilution method is applied using 1-min emissions measurements at Sandtown Landfill (Delaware, USA) for a 2-h measurement period. An atmospheric dispersion model is developed for this field test site, which is the first application of such modeling to evaluate atmospheric effects on gas plume transport from landfills. The model is used to examine three possible causes of observed temporal emissions variability: temporal variability of surface wind speed affecting whole landfill emissions, spatial variability of emissions due to local wind speed variations, and misaligned tracer gas release and methane emissions locations. At this site, atmospheric modeling indicates that variation in tracer dilution method emissions measurements may be caused by whole-landfill emissions variation with wind speed. Field data collected over the time period of the atmospheric model simulations corroborate this result: methane emissions are correlated with wind speed on the landfill surface with R(2)=0.51 for data 2.5m above ground, or R(2)=0.55 using data 85m above ground, with emissions increasing by up to a factor of 2 for an approximately 30% increase in wind speed. Although the atmospheric modeling and field test are conducted at a single landfill, the results suggest that wind-induced emissions may affect tracer dilution method emissions measurements at other landfills. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A multiresolution spatial parameterization for the estimation of fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions via atmospheric inversions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Ray

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The characterization of fossil-fuel CO2 (ffCO2 emissions is paramount to carbon cycle studies, but the use of atmospheric inverse modeling approaches for this purpose has been limited by the highly heterogeneous and non-Gaussian spatiotemporal variability of emissions. Here we explore the feasibility of capturing this variability using a low-dimensional parameterization that can be implemented within the context of atmospheric CO2 inverse problems aimed at constraining regional-scale emissions. We construct a multiresolution (i.e., wavelet-based spatial parameterization for ffCO2 emissions using the Vulcan inventory, and examine whether such a~parameterization can capture a realistic representation of the expected spatial variability of actual emissions. We then explore whether sub-selecting wavelets using two easily available proxies of human activity (images of lights at night and maps of built-up areas yields a low-dimensional alternative. We finally implement this low-dimensional parameterization within an idealized inversion, where a sparse reconstruction algorithm, an extension of stagewise orthogonal matching pursuit (StOMP, is used to identify the wavelet coefficients. We find that (i the spatial variability of fossil-fuel emission can indeed be represented using a low-dimensional wavelet-based parameterization, (ii that images of lights at night can be used as a proxy for sub-selecting wavelets for such analysis, and (iii that implementing this parameterization within the described inversion framework makes it possible to quantify fossil-fuel emissions at regional scales if fossil-fuel-only CO2 observations are available.

A geostatistical approach to identify and mitigate agricultural nitrous oxide emission hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, P A; Griffis, T J; Mulla, D J; Baker, J M; Venterea, R T

2016-12-01

Anthropogenic emissions of nitrous oxide (N 2 O), a trace gas with severe environmental costs, are greatest from agricultural soils amended with nitrogen (N) fertilizer. However, accurate N 2 O emission estimates at fine spatial scales are made difficult by their high variability, which represents a critical challenge for the management of N 2 O emissions. Here, static chamber measurements (n=60) and soil samples (n=129) were collected at approximately weekly intervals (n=6) for 42-d immediately following the application of N in a southern Minnesota cornfield (15.6-ha), typical of the systems prevalent throughout the U.S. Corn Belt. These data were integrated into a geostatistical model that resolved N 2 O emissions at a high spatial resolution (1-m). Field-scale N 2 O emissions exhibited a high degree of spatial variability, and were partitioned into three classes of emission strength: hotspots, intermediate, and coldspots. Rates of emission from hotspots were 2-fold greater than non-hotspot locations. Consequently, 36% of the field-scale emissions could be attributed to hotspots, despite representing only 21% of the total field area. Variations in elevation caused hotspots to develop in predictable locations, which were prone to nutrient and moisture accumulation caused by terrain focusing. Because these features are relatively static, our data and analyses indicate that targeted management of hotspots could efficiently reduce field-scale emissions by as much 17%, a significant benefit considering the deleterious effects of atmospheric N 2 O. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A link between prompt optical and prompt gamma-ray emission in gamma-ray bursts.

Science.gov (United States)

Vestrand, W T; Wozniak, P R; Wren, J A; Fenimore, E E; Sakamoto, T; White, R R; Casperson, D; Davis, H; Evans, S; Galassi, M; McGowan, K E; Schier, J A; Asa, J W; Barthelmy, S D; Cummings, J R; Gehrels, N; Hullinger, D; Krimm, H A; Markwardt, C B; McLean, K; Palmer, D; Parsons, A; Tueller, J

2005-05-12

The prompt optical emission that arrives with the gamma-rays from a cosmic gamma-ray burst (GRB) is a signature of the engine powering the burst, the properties of the ultra-relativistic ejecta of the explosion, and the ejecta's interactions with the surroundings. Until now, only GRB 990123 had been detected at optical wavelengths during the burst phase. Its prompt optical emission was variable and uncorrelated with the prompt gamma-ray emission, suggesting that the optical emission was generated by a reverse shock arising from the ejecta's collision with surrounding material. Here we report prompt optical emission from GRB 041219a. It is variable and correlated with the prompt gamma-rays, indicating a common origin for the optical light and the gamma-rays. Within the context of the standard fireball model of GRBs, we attribute this new optical component to internal shocks driven into the burst ejecta by variations of the inner engine. The correlated optical emission is a direct probe of the jet isolated from the medium. The timing of the uncorrelated optical emission is strongly dependent on the nature of the medium.

An Attempt To Estimate The Contribution Of Variability Of Wetland Extent On The Variability Of The Atmospheric Methane Growth Rate In The Years 1993-2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringeval, B.; de Noblet-Ducoudre, N.; Prigent, C.; Bousquet, P.

2006-12-01

The atmospheric methane growth rate presents lots of seasonal and year-to-year variations. Large uncertainties still exist in the relative part of differents sources and sinks on these variations. We have considered, in this study, the main natural sources of methane and the supposed main variable source, i.e. wetlands, and tried to simulate the variations of their emissions considering the variability of the wetland extent and of the climate. For this study, we use the methane emission model of Walter et al. (2001) and the quantification of the flooded areas for the years 1993-2000 obtained with a suite of satellite observations by Prigent et al. (2001). The data necessary to the Walter's model are obtained with simulation of a dynamic global vegetation model ORCHIDEE (Krinner et al. (2005)) constrained by the NCC climate data (Ngo-Duc et al. (2005)) and after imposing a water-saturated soil to approach productivity of wetlands. We calculate global annual methane emissions from wetlands to be 400 Tg per year, that is higher than previous results obtained with fixed wetland extent. Simulations are realised to estimate the part of variability in the emissions explained by the variability of the wetland extent. It seems that the year-to-year emission variability is mainly explained by the interannual variability of wetland extent. The seasonnal variability is explained for 75% in the tropics and only for 40% in the north of 30°N by variability of wetlands extend. Finally, we compare results with a top-down approach of Bousquet et al.(2006).

Nitrogen loss from high N-input vegetable fields - a) direct N2O emissions b) Spatiotemporal variability of N species (N2O, NH4+, NO3-) in soils

Science.gov (United States)

Pfab, H.; Ruser, R.; Palmer, I.; Fiedler, S.

2009-04-01

Nitrous oxide is a climate relevant trace gas. It contributes 7.9 % to the total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission and it is also involved in stratospheric ozone depletion. Approximately 85 % of the anthropogenic N2O emissions result from agricultural activities, more than 50 % are produced during microbial N-turnover processes in soils. Especially soils with high N-input (N-fertilizer and high amount of N in plant residues) like vegetable cropped soils are assumed to cause high N2O losses. The aims of the study presented were (i) to quantify the N2O loss from a vegetable field (lettuce-cauliflower crop rotation), (ii) to calculate an emission factor for the study site in Southwest Germany and to compare this factor with the default value provided by the IPCC (2006) and (iii) to test the emission reduction potential (Ammonium Sulfate Nitrate fertilizer, ASN either by reduced N-fertilization) in comparison with common N doses used for good agricultural practice or by the use of a nitrification inhibitor (DMPP), a banded N-application (lettuce) or a depot fertilization measure (pseudo-CULTAN in order to suppress nitrification). N2O fluxes determined with the closed chamber method were highly variable in time with strongly increased flux rates after N-fertilization in combination with rainfall or irrigation measures and after the incorporation of cauliflower crop residues. Using the mean soil nitrate contents of the top soil of our investigated treatments (0-25 cm depth), we could explain approximately 60 % of the variability of the cumulative N2O losses during the vegetation period of lettuce and cauliflower. The cumulative N2O emissions ranged between 0,99 kg N2O-N ha-1 from the unfertilized control plots (vegetation period) and 6,81 kg N2O-N ha-1 from the plots with the highest N-dose. Based on the guidelines of the IPCC (2006), we calculated an emission factor around 0,9 % for the cropping season. This value is in good agreement with the default value of the

A Diagnostic Test for Determining the Location of the GeV Emission in Powerful Blazars

Science.gov (United States)

Dotson, Amanda; Georganopoulos, Markos; Kazanas, Demosthenes; Perlman, Eric

2011-01-01

An issue currently under debate in the literature is how far from the black hole is the Fermi-observed GeV emission of powerful blazars emitted. Here we present a clear diagnostic tool for testing whether the Ge V emission site is located within the sub-pc broad emission line (BLR) region or further out in the few pc scale molecular torus (MT) environment. Within the BLR the scatteri takes place at the onset of the Klein-Nishina regime, causing the electron cooling time to become almost energy independent and as a result, the variation of high-energy emission is expected to be achromatic. Contrarily, if the emission site is located outside the BLR, the expected GeY variability is energy-dependent and with amplitude increasing with energy. We demonstrate this using time-dependent numerical simulations of blazar variability.

DISCOVERY OF A WOLF-RAYET STAR THROUGH DETECTION OF ITS PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Littlefield, Colin [Law School, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Garnavich, Peter; McClelland, Colin; Rettig, Terrence [Physics Department, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States); Marion, G. H. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Vinko, Jozsef [Department of Optics, University of Szeged (Hungary); Wheeler, J. Craig [Astronomy Department, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 (United States)

2012-06-15

We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR 142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy revealed a strong emission line at 7100 A, suggesting an unusual object and prompting further study. A spectrum taken with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope confirms strong He II emission and an N IV 7112 A line consistent with a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star of spectral class WN6. Analysis of the He II line strengths reveals no detectable hydrogen in WR 142b. A blue-sensitive spectrum obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope shows no evidence for a hot companion star. The continuum shape and emission line ratios imply a reddening of E(B - V) = 2.2-2.6 mag. We estimate that the distance to WR 142b is 1.4 {+-} 0.3 kpc.

Numerical investigation of CO{sub 2} emission and thermal stability of a convective and radiative stockpile of reactive material in a cylindrical pipe of variable thermal conductivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebelo, Ramoshweu Solomon, E-mail: sollyl@vut.ac.za [Department of Mathematics, Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark, 1911 (South Africa)

2014-10-24

In this paper the CO{sub 2} emission and thermal stability in a long cylindrical pipe of combustible reactive material with variable thermal conductivity are investigated. It is assumed that the cylindrical pipe loses heat by both convection and radiation at the surface. The nonlinear differential equations governing the problem are tackled numerically using Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method coupled with shooting technique method. The effects of various thermophysical parameters on the temperature and carbon dioxide fields, together with critical conditions for thermal ignition are illustrated and discussed quantitatively.

DISCOVERY OF A WOLF-RAYET STAR THROUGH DETECTION OF ITS PHOTOMETRIC VARIABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Littlefield, Colin; Garnavich, Peter; McClelland, Colin; Rettig, Terrence; Marion, G. H.; Vinkó, József; Wheeler, J. Craig

2012-01-01

We report the serendipitous discovery of a heavily reddened Wolf-Rayet star that we name WR 142b. While photometrically monitoring a cataclysmic variable, we detected weak variability in a nearby field star. Low-resolution spectroscopy revealed a strong emission line at 7100 Å, suggesting an unusual object and prompting further study. A spectrum taken with the Hobby-Eberly Telescope confirms strong He II emission and an N IV 7112 Å line consistent with a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star of spectral class WN6. Analysis of the He II line strengths reveals no detectable hydrogen in WR 142b. A blue-sensitive spectrum obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope shows no evidence for a hot companion star. The continuum shape and emission line ratios imply a reddening of E(B – V) = 2.2-2.6 mag. We estimate that the distance to WR 142b is 1.4 ± 0.3 kpc.

Impact of climate variability on tropospheric ozone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grewe, Volker

2007-01-01

A simulation with the climate-chemistry model (CCM) E39/C is presented, which covers both the troposphere and stratosphere dynamics and chemistry during the period 1960 to 1999. Although the CCM, by its nature, is not exactly representing observed day-by-day meteorology, there is an overall model's tendency to correctly reproduce the variability pattern due to an inclusion of realistic external forcings, like observed sea surface temperatures (e.g. El Nino), major volcanic eruption, solar cycle, concentrations of greenhouse gases, and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation. Additionally, climate-chemistry interactions are included, like the impact of ozone, methane, and other species on radiation and dynamics, and the impact of dynamics on emissions (lightning). However, a number of important feedbacks are not yet included (e.g. feedbacks related to biogenic emissions and emissions due to biomass burning). The results show a good representation of the evolution of the stratospheric ozone layer, including the ozone hole, which plays an important role for the simulation of natural variability of tropospheric ozone. Anthropogenic NO x emissions are included with a step-wise linear trend for each sector, but no interannual variability is included. The application of a number of diagnostics (e.g. marked ozone tracers) allows the separation of the impact of various processes/emissions on tropospheric ozone and shows that the simulated Northern Hemisphere tropospheric ozone budget is not only dominated by nitrogen oxide emissions and other ozone pre-cursors, but also by changes of the stratospheric ozone budget and its flux into the troposphere, which tends to reduce the simulated positive trend in tropospheric ozone due to emissions from industry and traffic during the late 80s and early 90s. For tropical regions the variability in ozone is dominated by variability in lightning (related to ENSO) and stratosphere-troposphere exchange (related to Northern Hemisphere Stratospheric

Odour emissions from poultry litter - A review litter properties, odour formation and odorant emissions from porous materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunlop, Mark W; Blackall, Patrick J; Stuetz, Richard M

2016-07-15

Odour emissions from meat chicken sheds can at times cause odour impacts on surrounding communities. Litter is seen as the primary source of this odour. Formation and emission of odour from meat chicken litter during the grow-out period are influenced by various factors such as litter conditions, the environment, microbial activity, properties of the odorous gases and management practices. Odour emissions vary spatially and temporally. This variability has made it challenging to understand how specific litter conditions contribute to odour emissions from the litter and production sheds. Existing knowledge on odorants, odour formation mechanisms and emission processes that contribute to odour emissions from litter are reviewed. Litter moisture content and water thermodynamics (i.e. water activity, Aw) are also examined as factors that contribute to microbial odour formation, physical litter conditions and the exchange of individual odorant gases at the air-water interface. Substantial opportunities exist for future research on litter conditions and litter formation mechanisms and how these contribute to odour emissions. Closing this knowledge gap will improve management strategies that intercept and interfere with odour formation and emission processes leading to an overall reduction in the potential to cause community impacts. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the K-term and dispersion ratios of semi-regular variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aslan, Z.

1981-01-01

Optical velocities of semi-regular (SR) and irregular (Lb) variables are analysed for a K-term. There is evidence for a dependence upon stellar period. Absorption lines in shorter period non-emission SR variables are blue-shifted relative to the centre-of-mass velocity by about 6 +- 3 km s -1 . Emission-line SR variables give a non-negative absorption K-term and Lb variables give no K-terms other than zero. Comparison is made with the K-terms implied by the OH velocity pattern in long-period variables. Dispersion ratios are also calculated. (author)

Trends in onroad transportation energy and emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, H Christopher

2018-06-01

Globally, 1.3 billion on-road vehicles consume 79 quadrillion BTU of energy, mostly gasoline and diesel fuels, emit 5.7 gigatonnes of CO 2 , and emit other pollutants to which approximately 200,000 annual premature deaths are attributed. Improved vehicle energy efficiency and emission controls have helped offset growth in vehicle activity. New technologies are diffusing into the vehicle fleet in response to fuel efficiency and emission standards. Empirical assessment of vehicle emissions is challenging because of myriad fuels and technologies, intervehicle variability, multiple emission processes, variability in operating conditions, and varying capabilities of measurement methods. Fuel economy and emissions regulations have been effective in reducing total emissions of key pollutants. Real-world fuel use and emissions are consistent with official values in the United States but not in Europe or countries that adopt European standards. Portable emission measurements systems, which uncovered a recent emissions cheating scandal, have a key role in regulatory programs to ensure conformity between "real driving emissions" and emission standards. The global vehicle fleet will experience tremendous growth, especially in Asia. Although existing data and modeling tools are useful, they are often based on convenience samples, small sample sizes, large variability, and unquantified uncertainty. Vehicles emit precursors to several important secondary pollutants, including ozone and secondary organic aerosols, which requires a multipollutant emissions and air quality management strategy. Gasoline and diesel are likely to persist as key energy sources to mid-century. Adoption of electric vehicles is not a panacea with regard to greenhouse gas emissions unless coupled with policies to change the power generation mix. Depending on how they are actually implemented and used, autonomous vehicles could lead to very large reductions or increases in energy consumption. Numerous other

A panel cointegration analysis of CO2 emissions, nuclear energy and income in major nuclear generating countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baek, Jungho

2015-01-01

Highlights: • This study revisits the nuclear-energy-growth-CO 2 emissions nexus. • A panel cointegration analysis is employed. • Nuclear energy has a beneficial effect on reducing CO 2 emissions. • CO 2 emissions decrease with economic growth. - Abstract: A number of studies have examined the effect of nuclear energy on CO 2 emissions, and a lot has been learned from these studies. Due to their weaknesses in modeling approaches and variable uses, however, properly constructed and comprehensive analyses are limited. The main objective of this study is thus to contribute to the debate over nuclear energy and the environment with an enhanced model and variables. For this, a panel cointegration analysis is applied to quantify the effects of nuclear energy, energy consumption and income on CO 2 emissions in 12 major nuclear generating countries. The results show that nuclear energy tends to reduce CO 2 emissions. It is also found that CO 2 emissions tend to decrease monotonically with income growth, providing no evidence in support of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for CO 2 emissions

1.3 mm WAVELENGTH VLBI OF SAGITTARIUS A*: DETECTION OF TIME-VARIABLE EMISSION ON EVENT HORIZON SCALES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fish, Vincent L.; Doeleman, Sheperd S.; Beaudoin, Christopher; Bolin, David E.; Rogers, Alan E. E.; Blundell, Ray; Gurwell, Mark A.; Moran, James M.; Primiani, Rurik; Bower, Geoffrey C.; Plambeck, Richard; Chamberlin, Richard; Freund, Robert; Friberg, Per; Honma, Mareki; Oyama, Tomoaki; Inoue, Makoto; Krichbaum, Thomas P.; Lamb, James; Marrone, Daniel P.

2011-01-01

Sagittarius A*, the ∼4 x 10 6 M sun black hole candidate at the Galactic center, can be studied on Schwarzschild radius scales with (sub)millimeter wavelength very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). We report on 1.3 mm wavelength observations of Sgr A* using a VLBI array consisting of the JCMT on Mauna Kea, the Arizona Radio Observatory's Submillimeter Telescope on Mt. Graham in Arizona, and two telescopes of the CARMA array at Cedar Flat in California. Both Sgr A* and the quasar calibrator 1924-292 were observed over three consecutive nights, and both sources were clearly detected on all baselines. For the first time, we are able to extract 1.3 mm VLBI interferometer phase information on Sgr A* through measurement of closure phase on the triangle of baselines. On the third night of observing, the correlated flux density of Sgr A* on all VLBI baselines increased relative to the first two nights, providing strong evidence for time-variable change on scales of a few Schwarzschild radii. These results suggest that future VLBI observations with greater sensitivity and additional baselines will play a valuable role in determining the structure of emission near the event horizon of Sgr A*.

Multilayer polymer pipes failure assessment based on a fracture mechanics approach

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hutař, Pavel; Zouhar, Michal; Náhlík, Luboš; Ševčík, Martin; Máša, Bohuslav

2013-01-01

Roč. 33, OCT (2013), s. 151-162 ISSN 1350-6307 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/12/1560 Institutional support: RVO:68081723 Keywords : Multilayer pipes * Generalised stress intensity factor * Material interface * Slow crack growth * Polyolefin pipes Subject RIV: JL - Materials Fatigue, Friction Mechanics Impact factor: 1.130, year: 2013

Rapidly variable relatvistic absorption

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, M.; Pinto, C.; Fabian, A.; Lohfink, A.; Buisson, D.; Alston, W.; Jiang, J.

2017-10-01

I will present results from the 1.5Ms XMM-Newton observing campaign on the most X-ray variable AGN, IRAS 13224-3809. We find a series of nine absorption lines with a velocity of 0.24c from an ultra-fast outflow. For the first time, we are able to see extremely rapid variability of the UFO features, and can link this to the X-ray variability from the inner accretion disk. We find a clear flux dependence of the outflow features, suggesting that the wind is ionized by increasing X-ray emission.

Performance and exhaust emission characteristics of variable compression ratio diesel engine fuelled with esters of crude rice bran oil.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasudeva, Mohit; Sharma, Sumeet; Mohapatra, S K; Kundu, Krishnendu

2016-01-01

As a substitute to petroleum-derived diesel, biodiesel has high potential as a renewable and environment friendly energy source. For petroleum importing countries the choice of feedstock for biodiesel production within the geographical region is a major influential factor. Crude rice bran oil is found to be good and viable feedstock for biodiesel production. A two step esterification is carried out for higher free fatty acid crude rice bran oil. Blends of 10, 20 and 40 % by vol. crude rice bran biodiesel are tested in a variable compression ratio diesel engine at compression ratio 15, 16, 17 and 18. Engine performance and exhaust emission parameters are examined. Cylinder pressure-crank angle variation is also plotted. The increase in compression ratio from 15 to 18 resulted in 18.6 % decrease in brake specific fuel consumption and 14.66 % increase in brake thermal efficiency on an average. Cylinder pressure increases by 15 % when compression ratio is increased. Carbon monoxide emission decreased by 22.27 %, hydrocarbon decreased by 38.4 %, carbon dioxide increased by 17.43 % and oxides of nitrogen as NOx emission increased by 22.76 % on an average when compression ratio is increased from 15 to 18. The blends of crude rice bran biodiesel show better results than diesel with increase in compression ratio.

Cataclysmic variables, Hubble-Sandage variables and eta Carinae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bath, G.T.

1980-01-01

The Hubble-Sandage variables are the most luminous stars in external galaxies. They were first investigated by Hubble and Sandage (1953) for use as distance indicators. Their main characteristics are high luminosity, blue colour indices, and irregular variability. Spectroscopically they show hydrogen and helium in emission with occasionally weaker FeII and [FeII], and no Balmer jump (Humphreys 1975, 1978). In this respect they closely resemble cataclysmic variables, particularly dwarf novae. In the quiescent state dwarf novae show broad H and HeI, together with a strong UV continuum. In contrast to the spectroscopic similarities, the luminosities could hardly differ more. Rather than being the brightest stars known, quiescent dwarf novae are as faint or fainter than the sun. It is suggested that the close correspondence between the spectral appearance of the two classes combined with the difference in luminosity is well accounted for by a model of Hubble-Sandage variables in which the same physical processes are occurring, but on a larger scale. (Auth.)

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) emissions from Abies alba in a French forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Moukhtar, S; Couret, C; Rouil, L; Simon, V

2006-02-01

Air quality studies need to be based on accurate and reliable data, particularly in the field of the emissions. Biogenic emissions from forests, crops, and grasslands are now considered as major compounds in photochemical processes. Unfortunately, depending on the type of vegetation, these emissions are not so often reliably defined. As an example, although the silver fir (Abies alba) is a very widespread conifer tree in the French and European areas, its standard emission rate is not available in the literature. This study investigates the isoprene and monoterpenes emission from A. alba in France measured during the fieldwork organised in the Fossé Rhénan, from May to June 2003. A dynamic cuvette method was used. Limonene was the predominant monoterpene emitted, followed by camphene, alpha-pinene and eucalyptol. No isoprene emission was detected. The four monoterpenes measured showed different behaviours according to micrometeorological conditions. In fact, emissions of limonene, alpha-pinene and camphene were temperature-dependant while eucalyptol emissions were temperature and light dependant. Biogenic volatile organic compounds emissions were modeled using information gathered during the field study. Emissions of the three monoterpenes previously quoted were achieved using the monoterpenes algorithm developed by Tingey et al. (1980) [Tingey D, Manning M, Grothaus L, Burns W. Influence of light and temperature on monoterpene emission rates from slash pine. Plant Physiol 1980;65: 797-801.] and the isoprene algorithm [Guenther, A., Monson, R., Fall, R., 1991. Isoprene and monoterpene emission rate variability: observations with eucalyptus and emission rate algorithm development. J Geophys Res 26A: 10799-10808.]; [Guenther, A., Zimmerman, P., Harley, P., Monson, R., Fall, R., 1993. Isoprene and monoterpene emission rate variability: model evaluation and sensitivity analysis. J Geophys Res 98D: 12609-12617.]) was used for the eucalyptol emission. With these

On the Causal Nexus of Road Transport CO2 Emissions and Macroeconomic Variables in Tunisia: Evidence from Combined Cointegration Tests

OpenAIRE

Shahbaz, Muhammad; Khraief, Naceur; Dhaoui, Abderrazak

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the causal relationship between road transportation energy consumption, fuel prices, transport sector value added and CO2 emissions in Tunisia for the period 1980-2012. We apply the newly developed combined cointegration test proposed by Bayer and Hanck (2013) and the ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration to establish the existence of long-run relationship in presence of structural breaks. The direction of causality between these variables is determined via vec...

How many replicate tests do I need?$-$ Variability of cookstove performance and emissions has implications for obtaining useful results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Yungang [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Sohn, Michael D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Gadgil, Ashok J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division; Wang, Yilun [ISO Innovative Analytics San Francisco, CA (United States); Lask, Kathleen M. [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). College of Engineering Applied Science and Technology Program; Kirchstetter, Thomas W. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Division

2013-02-01

Almost half of the world’s population still cooks on biomass cookstoves of poor efficiency and primitive design, such as three stone fires (TSF). Emissions from biomass cookstoves contribute to adverse health effects and climate change. A number of “improved cookstoves” with higher energy efficiency and lower emissions have been designed and promoted across the world. During the design development, and for selection of a stove for dissemination, the stove performance and emissions are commonly evaluated, communicated and compared using the arithmetic average of replicate tests made using a standardized laboratory-based test, commonly the water boiling test (WBT). However, published literature shows different WBT results reported from different laboratories for the same stove technology. Also, there is no agreement in the literature on how many replicate tests should be performed to ensure “significance” in the reported average performance. This matter has not received attention in the rapidly growing literature on stoves, and yet is crucial for estimating and communicating the performance of a stove, and for comparing the performance between stoves. We present results of statistical analyses using data from a number of replicate tests of performance and emission of the Berkeley-Darfur Stove (BDS) and the TSF under well-controlled laboratory conditions. We observed moderate variability in the test results for the TSF and BDS when measuring several characteristics. Here we focus on two as illustrative: time-to-boil and PM2.5 (particulate matter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers in diameter) emissions. We demonstrate that interpretation of the results comparing these stoves could be misleading if only a small number of replicates had been conducted. We then describe a practical approach, useful to both stove testers and designers, to assess the number of replicates needed to obtain useful data. Caution should be exercised in attaching high credibility to

Improvement of NO and CO predictions for a homogeneous combustion SI engine using a novel emissions model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karvountzis-Kontakiotis, Apostolos; Ntziachristos, Leonidas

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Presentation of a novel emissions model to predict pollutants formation in engines. • Model based on detailed chemistry, requires no application-specific calibration. • Combined with 0D and 1D combustion models with low additional computational cost. • Demonstrates accurate prediction of cyclic variability of pollutants emissions. - Abstract: This study proposes a novel emissions model for the prediction of spark ignition (SI) engine emissions at homogeneous combustion conditions, using post combustion analysis and a detailed chemistry mechanism. The novel emissions model considers an unburned and a burned zone, where the latter is considered as a homogeneous reactor and is modeled using a detailed chemical kinetics mechanism. This allows detailed emission predictions at high speed practically based only on combustion pressure and temperature profiles, without the need for calibration of the model parameters. The predictability of the emissions model is compared against the extended Zeldovich mechanism for NO and a simplified two-step reaction kinetic model for CO, which both constitute the most widespread existing approaches in the literature. Under various engine load and speed conditions examined, the mean error in NO prediction was 28% for the existing models and less than 1.3% for the new model proposed. The novel emissions model was also used to predict emissions variation due to cyclic combustion variability and demonstrated mean prediction error of 6% and 3.6% for NO and CO respectively, compared to 36% (NO) and 67% (CO) for the simplified model. The results show that the emissions model proposed offers substantial improvements in the prediction of the results without significant increase in calculation time.

Modeling the Transport and Chemical Evolution of Onshore and Offshore Emissions and their Impact on Local and Regional Air Quality Using a Variable-Grid-Resolution Air Quality Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiran Alapaty

2004-10-16

This semiannual report summarizes the research performed from 17 April through 16 October 2004. Major portions of the research in several of the project's current eight tasks have been completed, and the results obtained are briefly presented. We have successfully developed the meteorological inputs using the best possible modeling configurations, resulting in improved representation of atmospheric processes. Ingestion of satellite-derived sea surface temperatures in conjunction with the use of our new surface data assimilation technique have resulted in largely improved meteorological inputs to drive the MAQSIP-VGR. The development of the variable-grid-resolution emissions model, SMOKE-VGR, is also largely complete. We expect to develop the final configuration of the SMOKE-VGR during the upcoming reporting period. We are in the process of acquiring the newly released emissions database and offshore emissions data sets to update our archives. The development of the MAQSIP-VGR has been completed and a test run was performed to ensure the functionality of this air quality model. During the upcoming reporting period, we expect to perform the first MAQSIP-VGR simulations over the Houston-Galveston region to study the roles of the meteorology, offshore emissions, and chemistry-transport interactions that determine the temporal and spatial evolution of ozone and its precursors.

Atmospheric modeling to assess wind dependence in tracer dilution method measurements of landfill methane emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Diane M; Chow, Fotini K; Delkash, Madjid; Imhoff, Paul T

2018-03-01

The short-term temporal variability of landfill methane emissions is not well understood due to uncertainty in measurement methods. Significant variability is seen over short-term measurement campaigns with the tracer dilution method (TDM), but this variability may be due in part to measurement error rather than fluctuations in the actual landfill emissions. In this study, landfill methane emissions and TDM-measured emissions are simulated over a real landfill in Delaware, USA using the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) for two emissions scenarios. In the steady emissions scenario, a constant landfill emissions rate is prescribed at each model grid point on the surface of the landfill. In the unsteady emissions scenario, emissions are calculated at each time step as a function of the local surface wind speed, resulting in variable emissions over each 1.5-h measurement period. The simulation output is used to assess the standard deviation and percent error of the TDM-measured emissions. Eight measurement periods are simulated over two different days to look at different conditions. Results show that standard deviation of the TDM- measured emissions does not increase significantly from the steady emissions simulations to the unsteady emissions scenarios, indicating that the TDM may have inherent errors in its prediction of emissions fluctuations. Results also show that TDM error does not increase significantly from the steady to the unsteady emissions simulations. This indicates that introducing variability to the landfill emissions does not increase errors in the TDM at this site. Across all simulations, TDM errors range from -15% to 43%, consistent with the range of errors seen in previous TDM studies. Simulations indicate diurnal variations of methane emissions when wind effects are significant, which may be important when developing daily and annual emissions estimates from limited field data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test-retest variability of high resolution positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of cortical serotonin (5HT2A) receptors in older, healthy adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chow, Tiffany W; Mamo, David C; Uchida, Hiroyuki; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Houle, Sylvain; Smith, Gwenn S; Pollock, Bruce G; Mulsant, Benoit H

2009-01-01

Position emission tomography (PET) imaging using [ 18 F]-setoperone to quantify cortical 5-HT 2A receptors has the potential to inform pharmacological treatments for geriatric depression and dementia. Prior reports indicate a significant normal aging effect on serotonin 5HT 2A receptor (5HT 2A R) binding potential. The purpose of this study was to assess the test-retest variability of [ 18 F]-setoperone PET with a high resolution scanner (HRRT) for measuring 5HT 2A R availability in subjects greater than 60 years old. Methods: Six healthy subjects (age range = 65–78 years) completed two [ 18 F]-setoperone PET scans on two separate occasions 5–16 weeks apart. The average difference in the binding potential (BP ND ) as measured on the two occasions in the frontal and temporal cortical regions ranged between 2 and 12%, with the lowest intraclass correlation coefficient in anterior cingulate regions. We conclude that the test-retest variability of [ 18 F]-setoperone PET in elderly subjects is comparable to that of [ 18 F]-setoperone and other 5HT 2A R radiotracers in younger subject samples

A Vector Approach to Regression Analysis and Its Implications to Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McAdams, H.T.

2001-02-14

An alternative approach is presented for the regression of response data on predictor variables that are not logically or physically separable. The methodology is demonstrated by its application to a data set of heavy-duty diesel emissions. Because of the covariance of fuel properties, it is found advantageous to redefine the predictor variables as vectors, in which the original fuel properties are components, rather than as scalars each involving only a single fuel property. The fuel property vectors are defined in such a way that they are mathematically independent and statistically uncorrelated. Because the available data set does not allow definitive separation of vehicle and fuel effects, and because test fuels used in several of the studies may be unrealistically contrived to break the association of fuel variables, the data set is not considered adequate for development of a full-fledged emission model. Nevertheless, the data clearly show that only a few basic patterns of fuel-property variation affect emissions and that the number of these patterns is considerably less than the number of variables initially thought to be involved. These basic patterns, referred to as ''eigenfuels,'' may reflect blending practice in accordance with their relative weighting in specific circumstances. The methodology is believed to be widely applicable in a variety of contexts. It promises an end to the threat of collinearity and the frustration of attempting, often unrealistically, to separate variables that are inseparable.

Chemodiversity in terpene emissions at a boreal Scots pine stand

Science.gov (United States)

Bäck, J.; Aalto, J.; Henriksson, M.; Hakola, H.; He, Q.; Boy, M.

2011-10-01

Atmospheric chemistry in background areas is strongly influenced by natural vegetation. Coniferous forests are known to produce large quantities of volatile vapors, especially terpenes to the surrounding air. These compounds are reactive in the atmosphere, and contribute to the formation and growth of atmospheric new particles. Our aim was to analyze the variability of mono- and sesquiterpene emissions between Scots pine trees, in order to clarify the potential errors caused by using emission data obtained from only a few trees in atmospheric chemistry models. We also aimed at testing if stand history and seed origin has an influence on the chemotypic diversity. The inherited, chemotypic variability in mono- and sesquiterpene emission was studied in a seemingly homogeneous 47-yr-old stand in Southern Finland, where two areas differing in their stand regeneration history could be distinguished. Sampling was conducted in August 2009. Terpene concentrations in the air had been measured at the same site for seven years prior to branch sampling for chemotypes. Two main compounds, α-pinene and Δ3-carene formed together 40-97% of the monoterpene proportions in both the branch emissions and in the air concentrations. The data showed a bimodal distribution in emission composition, in particular in Δ3-carene emission within the studied population. 10% of the trees emitted mainly α-pinene and no Δ3-carene at all, whereas 20% of the trees where characterized as high Δ3-carene emitters (Δ3-carene forming >80% of total emitted monoterpene spectrum). An intermediate group of trees emitted equal amounts of both α-pinene and Δ3-carene. The emission pattern of trees at the area established using seeding as the artificial regeneration method differed from the naturally regenerated or planted trees, being mainly high Δ3-carene emitters. Some differences were also seen in e.g. camphene and limonene emissions between chemotypes, but sesquiterpene emissions did not differ

Regional Variability and Uncertainty of Electric Vehicle Life Cycle CO₂ Emissions across the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Tamayao, Mili-Ann M; Michalek, Jeremy J; Hendrickson, Chris; Azevedo, Inês M L

2015-07-21

We characterize regionally specific life cycle CO2 emissions per mile traveled for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) across the United States under alternative assumptions for regional electricity emission factors, regional boundaries, and charging schemes. We find that estimates based on marginal vs average grid emission factors differ by as much as 50% (using National Electricity Reliability Commission (NERC) regional boundaries). Use of state boundaries versus NERC region boundaries results in estimates that differ by as much as 120% for the same location (using average emission factors). We argue that consumption-based marginal emission factors are conceptually appropriate for evaluating the emissions implications of policies that increase electric vehicle sales or use in a region. We also examine generation-based marginal emission factors to assess robustness. Using these two estimates of NERC region marginal emission factors, we find the following: (1) delayed charging (i.e., starting at midnight) leads to higher emissions in most cases due largely to increased coal in the marginal generation mix at night; (2) the Chevrolet Volt has higher expected life cycle emissions than the Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle (the most efficient U.S. gasoline vehicle) across the U.S. in nearly all scenarios; (3) the Nissan Leaf BEV has lower life cycle emissions than the Prius in the western U.S. and in Texas, but the Prius has lower emissions in the northern Midwest regardless of assumed charging scheme and marginal emissions estimation method; (4) in other regions the lowest emitting vehicle depends on charge timing and emission factor estimation assumptions.

DISCOVERY OF A NOVA-LIKE CATACLYSMIC VARIABLE IN THE KEPLER MISSION FIELD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, Kurtis A.; De Martino, Domitilla; Silvotti, Roberto; Bruni, Ivan; Dufour, Patrick; Riecken, Thomas S.; Kronberg, Martin; Mukadam, Anjum; Handler, G.

2010-01-01

We announce the identification of a new cataclysmic variable (CV) star in the field of the Kepler Mission, KIC J192410.81+445934.9. This system was identified during a search for compact pulsators in the Kepler field. High-speed photometry reveals coherent large-amplitude variability with a period of 2.94 hr. Rapid, large-amplitude quasi-periodic variations are also detected on time scales of ∼1200 s and ∼650 s. Time-resolved spectroscopy covering one half photometric period shows shallow, broad Balmer and He I absorption lines with bright emission cores as well as strong He II and Bowen blend emission. Radial velocity variations are also observed in the Balmer and He I emission lines that are consistent with the photometric period. We therefore conclude that KIC J192410.81+445934.9 is a nova-like (NL) variable of the UX UMa class in or near the period gap, and it may belong to the rapidly growing subclass of SW Sex systems. Based on Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry and companion star models, we place a lower limit on the distance to the system of ∼500 pc. Due to limitations of our discovery data, additional observations including spectroscopy and polarimetry are needed to confirm the nature of this object. Such data will enable further understanding of the behavior of NL variables in the critical period range of 3-4 hr, where standard CV evolutionary theory finds major problems. The presence of this system in the Kepler Mission field of view also presents a unique opportunity to obtain a continuous photometric data stream of unparalleled length and precision on a CV system.

Estimation of emissions of nonmethane organic compounds from a closed landfill site using a landfill gas emission model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nwachukwu, A.N. [Williamson Research Centre for Molecular Environmental Sciences, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Science, University of Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Diya, A.W. [Health Sciences Research Group, School of Medicine, University of Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2013-07-01

Nonmethane organic compounds (NMOC) emissions from landfills often constitute significant risks both to human health and the general environment. To date very little work has been done on tracking the emissions of NMOC from landfills. To this end, a concerted effort was made to investigate the total annual mass emission rate of NMOC from a closed landfill site in South Manchester, United Kingdom. This was done by using field estimates of NMOC concentration and the landfill parameters into the Landfill Gas Emission Model embedded in ACTS and RISK software. Two results were obtained: (i) a deterministic outcome of 1.7218 x 10-7 kg/year, which was calculated from mean values of the field estimates of NMOC concentration and the landfill parameters, and (ii) a probabilistic outcome of 1.66 x 10-7 - 1.78 x 10-7 kg/year, which is a range of value obtained after Monte Carlo simulation of the uncertain parameters of the landfill including NMOC concentration. A comparison between these two results suggests that the probabilistic outcome is a more representative and reliable estimate of the total annual mass emission of NMOC especially given the variability of the parameters of the model. Moreover, a comparison of the model result and the safety standard of 5.0 x 10-5 kg/year indicate that the mass emission of NMOC from the studied landfill is significantly less than previously thought. However, given that this can accumulate to a dangerous level over a long period of time (such as the age of this landfill site); it may have started affecting the health of the people living within the vicinity of the landfill. A case is therefore made for more studies to be carried out on the emissions of other gases such as CH4 and CO2 from the studied landfill site, as this would help to understand the synergistic effect of the various gases being emitted from the landfill.

SABER Observations of the OH Meinel Airglow Variability Near the Mesopause

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, Daniel R.; Smith, Anne K.; Mlynczak, Martin G.

2005-01-01

The Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument, one of four on board the TIMED satellite, observes the OH Meinel emission at 2.0 m that peaks near the mesopause. The emission results from reactions between members of the oxygen and hydrogen chemical families that can be significantly affected by mesopause dynamics. In this study we compare SABER measurements of OH Meinel emission rates and temperatures with predictions from a 3-dimensional chemical dynamical model. In general, the model is capable of reproducing both the observed diurnal and seasonal OH Meinel emission variability. The results indicate that the diurnal tide has a large effect on the overall magnitude and temporal variation of the emission in low latitudes. This tidal variability is so dominant that the seasonal cycle in the nighttime emission depends very strongly on the local time of the analysis. At higher latitudes, the emission has an annual cycle that is due mainly to transport of oxygen by the seasonally reversing mean circulation.

Spatial variability of co2 emission, temperature and moisture of a bare oxisol submitted to different wetting levels / Variabilidade espacial da emissão de CO2, da temperatura e umidade de um latossolo desprovido de vegetação sob diferentes lâminas de molhamento

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Newton La Scala Júnior

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The irrigation application is one of the most useful techniques in tropical environments, especially during dry seasons. In this study, CO2 efflux, temperature and soil moisture were studied in a field sampled with a grid having 48 points distributed in 35 x 25 m, under irrigation promoted by a sprinkler located at the center of the area, provoking different levels of water deposition, with maximum irrigation levels of 44.4 and 62.2 mm in points closer to the sprinkler. The results show that the emissions, temperature and moisture were strongly affected by the two irrigations events, having a total water level added of 106,6 mm for the points next to the sprinkler and zero for the most distant points from it. The maps of space variation of the variables, as well as the linear correlation between them, indicate that the emissions were positively related to the soil moisture and negative correlated to the soil temperature only after the irrigations events. The special variability models of soil CO2 emission changed from exponential to spherical after the irrigations events. Such results indicate that soil moisture is among possible controlling factors of the soil CO2 emission, because even with reductions in soil temperature provoked by the wetness, emissions increased strongly.A aplicação de lâminas de irrigação em solos é uma das práticas mais adotadas em ambientes tropicais, especialmente em épocas de seca. Neste trabalho, investigaram-se as emissões de CO2, temperatura e umidade do solo, em 48 pontos distribuídos numa área de 35 x 25 m, afetados por irrigações, promovidas com um aspersor localizado no centro da área, que provocou um molhamento com perfil triangular com lâminas máximas aplicadas de 44,4 e 62,2 mm nos pontos mais próximos do aspersor, Os resultados indicam que as emissões, temperatura e umidade do solo foram fortemente afetadas pelas duas irrigações na área, cuja lâmina total de água somou 106,6 mm para os

The impacts of future climate and carbon dioxide changes on the average and variability of US maize yields under two emission scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urban, Daniel W; Lobell, David B; Sheffield, Justin

2015-01-01

The United States is the largest producer of maize in the world, a crop for which demand continues to rise rapidly. Past studies have projected that climate change will negatively impact mean maize yields in this region, while at the same time increasing yield variability. However, some have questioned the accuracy of these projections because they are often based on indirect measures of soil moisture, have failed to explicitly capture the potential interactions between temperature and soil moisture availability, and often omit the beneficial effects of elevated carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) on transpiration efficiency. Here we use a new detailed dataset on field-level yields in Iowa, Indiana, and Illinois, along with fine-resolution daily weather data and moisture reconstructions, to evaluate the combined effects of moisture and heat on maize yields in the region. Projected climate change scenarios over this region from a suite of CMIP5 models are then used to assess future impacts and the differences between two contrasting emissions scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). We show that (i) statistical models which explicitly account for interactions between heat and moisture, which have not been represented in previous empirical models, lead to significant model improvement and significantly higher projected yield variability under warming and drying trends than when accounting for each factor independently; (ii) inclusion of the benefits of elevated CO 2 significantly reduces impacts, particularly for yield variability; and (iii) net damages from climate change and CO 2 become larger for the higher emission scenario in the latter half of the 21st century, and significantly so by the end of century. (paper)

Performance and emission characteristics of LPG powered four stroke SI engine under variable stroke length and compression ratio

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozcan, Hakan; Yamin, Jehad A.A.

2008-01-01

A computer simulation of a variable stroke length, LPG fuelled, four stroke, single cylinder, water cooled spark ignition engine was done. The engine capacity was varied by varying the stroke length of the engine, which also changed its compression ratio. The simulation model developed was verified with experimental results from the literature for both constant and variable stroke engines. The performance of the engine was simulated at each stroke length/compression ratio combination. The simulation results clearly indicate the advantages and utility of variable stroke engines in fuel economy and power issues. Using the variable stroke technique has significantly improved the engine's performance and emission characteristics within the range studied. The brake torque and power have registered an increase of about 7-54% at low speed and 7-57% at high speed relative to the original engine design and for all stroke lengths and engine speeds studied. The brake specific fuel consumption has registered variations from a reduction of about 6% to an increase of about 3% at low speed and from a reduction of about 6% to an increase of about 8% at high speed relative to the original engine design and for all stroke lengths and engine speeds studied. On the other hand, an increase of pollutants of about 0.65-2% occurred at low speed. Larger stroke lengths resulted in a reduction of the pollutants level of about 1.5% at higher speeds. At lower stroke lengths, on the other hand, an increase of about 2% occurred. Larger stroke lengths resulted in increased exhaust temperature and, hence, make the exhaust valve work under high temperature

Inter-annual variability and trend detection of urban CO2, CH4 and CO emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Lauvaux, T.; Deng, A.; Gurney, K. R.; Nathan, B.; Ye, X.; Oda, T.; Karion, A.; Hardesty, M.; Harvey, R. M.; Richardson, S.; Whetstone, J. R.; Hutyra, L.; Davis, K. J.; Brewer, A.; Gaudet, B. J.; Turnbull, J. C.; Sweeney, C.; Shepson, P. B.; Miles, N.; Bonin, T.; Wu, K.; Balashov, N. V.

2017-12-01

The Indianapolis Flux (INFLUX) Experiment has conducted an unprecedented volume of atmospheric greenhouse gas measurements across the Indianapolis metropolitan area from aircraft, remote-sensing, and tower-based observational platforms. Assimilated in a high-resolution urban inversion system, atmospheric data provide an independent constraint to existing emission products, directly supporting the integration of economic data into urban emission systems. We present here the first multi-year assessment of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions from anthropogenic activities in comparison to multiple bottom-up emission products. Biogenic CO2 fluxes are quantified using an optimized biogeochemical model at high resolution, further refined within the atmospheric inversion system. We also present the first sector-based inversion by jointly assimilating CO2 and CO mixing ratios to quantify the dominant sectors of emissions over the entire period (2012-2015). The detected trend in CO2 emissions over 2012-2015 from both bottom-up emission products and tower-based inversions agree within a few percent, with a decline in city emissions over the 3-year time period. Major changes occur at the primary power plant, suggesting a decrease in energy production within the city limits. The joint assimilation of CO2 and CO mixing ratios confirms the absence of trends in other sectors. However, top-down and bottom-up approaches tend to disagree annually, with a decline in urban emissions suggested by atmospheric data in 2014 that is several months earlier than is observed in the bottom-up products. Concerning CH4 emissions, the inversion shows a decrease since mid-2014 which may be due to lower landfill emissions or lower energy consumption (from coal and natural gas). This first demonstration of a high-accuracy long-term greenhouse gas measurement network merged with a high-resolution bottom-up information system highlights the potential for informing

Air emissions due to wind and solar power.

Science.gov (United States)

Katzenstein, Warren; Apt, Jay

2009-01-15

Renewables portfolio standards (RPS) encourage large-scale deployment of wind and solar electric power. Their power output varies rapidly, even when several sites are added together. In many locations, natural gas generators are the lowest cost resource available to compensate for this variability, and must ramp up and down quickly to keep the grid stable, affecting their emissions of NOx and CO2. We model a wind or solar photovoltaic plus gas system using measured 1-min time-resolved emissions and heat rate data from two types of natural gas generators, and power data from four wind plants and one solar plant. Over a wide range of renewable penetration, we find CO2 emissions achieve approximately 80% of the emissions reductions expected if the power fluctuations caused no additional emissions. Using steam injection, gas generators achieve only 30-50% of expected NOx emissions reductions, and with dry control NOx emissions increase substantially. We quantify the interaction between state RPSs and NOx constraints, finding that states with substantial RPSs could see significant upward pressure on NOx permit prices, if the gas turbines we modeled are representative of the plants used to mitigate wind and solar power variability.

RADIO VARIABILITY IN SEYFERT NUCLEI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mundell, C. G.; Ferruit, P.; Nagar, N.; Wilson, A. S.

2009-01-01

Comparison of 8.4 GHz radio images of a sample of eleven, early-type Seyfert galaxies with previous observations reveals possible variation in the nuclear radio flux density in five of them over a seven year period. Four Seyferts (NGC 2110, NGC 3081, MCG -6-30-15, and NGC 5273) show a decline in their 8.4 GHz nuclear flux density between 1992 and 1999, while one (NGC 4117) shows an increase; the flux densities of the remaining six Seyferts (Mrk 607, NGC 1386, Mrk 620, NGC 3516, NGC 4968, and NGC 7465) have remained constant over this period. New images of MCG -5-23-16 are also presented. We find no correlation between radio variability and nuclear radio luminosity or Seyfert nuclear type, although the sample is small and dominated by type 2 Seyferts. Instead, a possible correlation between the presence of nuclear radio variability and the absence of hundred parsec-scale radio emission is seen, with four out of five marginally resolved or unresolved nuclei showing a change in nuclear flux density, while five out of six extended sources show no nuclear variability despite having unresolved nuclear sources. NGC 2110 is the only source in our sample with significant extended radio structure and strong nuclear variability (∼38% decline in nuclear flux density over seven years). The observed nuclear flux variability indicates significant changes are likely to have occurred in the structure of the nucleus on scales smaller than the VLA beam size (i.e., within the central ∼0.''1 (15 pc)), between the two epochs, possibly due to the appearance and fading of new components or shocks in the jet, consistent with previous detection of subparsec-scale nuclear structure in this Seyfert. Our results suggest that all Seyferts may exhibit variation in their nuclear radio flux density at 8.4 GHz, but that variability is more easily recognized in compact sources in which emission from the variable nucleus is not diluted by unresolved, constant flux density radio jet emission

Contribution of positron emission tomography for the study of response variability to opioid drugs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Auvity, Sylvain

2017-01-01

There is a high variability between patients in the initial analgesic response to opioid drugs. The chronic use of opioids leads to tolerance and may induce dependence or addiction. Current Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging methods, focusing on the impact of opioids on neuronal and synaptic functions, have failed to elucidate the parameters that control this variability of therapeutic response. A wealth of preclinical studies has addressed the possibility for neuro-immune or neuro-pharmacokinetic parameters to control the response to opioid drugs. Dedicated tools are thus required to investigate their impact on the pharmacology of opioid drugs in vivo and test their implication for variability in therapeutic response. The aim of this PhD project was to develop or to evaluate original methods to study the neuro-immune and neuro-pharmacokinetic components of the variability of response to opioid drugs. Opioid drugs were shown to interact with the innate immune System in the central nervous System (CNS) and to modulate the activity of glial cells. Glial cell activity is often hypothesized to modulate the analgesic efficacy of opioids and account for the development of tolerance and dependence. PET imaging using TSPO (Translocator protein 18 kDa) radioligands such as "1"8F-DPA-714 is the most advanced approach to non-invasively study glial cell activation. In nonhuman primates, we showed that acute morphine exposure increased the brain distribution of "1"8F-DPA-714, suggesting glial cell activation. The extent of the increase was linked to the baseline brain distribution of "1"8F-DPA-714, suggesting the presence of priming parameters in controlling the neuro-immune response to morphine exposure. In healthy rats, we showed that morphine-induced tolerance and withdrawal did not detectably increase the brain distribution of "1"8F-DPA-714 as well as the expression of other bio-markers of glial/micro-glial activation. Dedicated methods were then proposed to

Nitrous oxide emissions from a beech forest floor measured by eddy covariance and soil enclosure techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pihlatie, M.; Rinne, J.; Ambus, P.

2005-01-01

Spring time nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from an old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest were measured with eddy covariance (EC) and chamber techniques. The aim was to obtain information on the spatial and temporal variability in N2O emissions and link the emissions to soil environmental parameters...

A wavelet phase filter for emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, E.T.; Lin, B.

1995-01-01

The presence of a high level of noise is a characteristic in some tomographic imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET). Wavelet methods can smooth out noise while preserving significant features of images. Mallat et al. proposed a wavelet based denoising scheme exploiting wavelet modulus maxima, but the scheme is sensitive to noise. In this study, the authors explore the properties of wavelet phase, with a focus on reconstruction of emission tomography images. Specifically, they show that the wavelet phase of regular Poisson noise under a Haar-type wavelet transform converges in distribution to a random variable uniformly distributed on [0, 2π). They then propose three wavelet-phase-based denoising schemes which exploit this property: edge tracking, local phase variance thresholding, and scale phase variation thresholding. Some numerical results are also presented. The numerical experiments indicate that wavelet phase techniques show promise for wavelet based denoising methods

A locational gaming model with CO2 emission tax and limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Z.; Preckel, P.V.; Nderitu, G.; Sparrow, F.T.

2001-01-01

This paper presents a locational (spatial) gaming model with CO 2 emission and transmission capacity limits. It is developed for simulating strategic behavior of electricity producers in deregulated electricity markets. The model has multiple players, each maximizing their individual profit with a CO 2 emission tax included to reflect the societal cost of environment damages caused by CO 2 emission from different locations. In the paper, the multiple-producer profits are converted into a set of Lagrangian functions with power production and supply as the primary control variables, resulting in a set of unconstrained, individual profit maximization equations. The Karush-Kuhn-Tucker necessary conditions are then derived and solved simultaneously incorporating Cournot gaming strategy. Case studies show the successful application of the model. (author)

Comparison of emissions from on-road sources using a mobile laboratory under various driving and operational sampling modes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Zavala

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile sources produce a significant fraction of the total anthropogenic emissions burden in large cities and have harmful effects on air quality at multiple spatial scales. Mobile emissions are intrinsically difficult to estimate due to the large number of parameters affecting the emissions variability within and across vehicles types. The MCMA-2003 Campaign in Mexico City has showed the utility of using a mobile laboratory to sample and characterize specific classes of motor vehicles to better quantify their emissions characteristics as a function of their driving cycles. The technique clearly identifies "high emitter" vehicles via individual exhaust plumes, and also provides fleet average emission rates. We have applied this technique to Mexicali during the Border Ozone Reduction and Air Quality Improvement Program (BORAQIP for the Mexicali-Imperial Valley in 2005. We analyze the variability of measured emission ratios for emitted NO_x, CO, specific VOCs, NH₃, and some primary fine particle components and properties by deploying a mobile laboratory in roadside stationary sampling, chase and fleet average operational sampling modes. The measurements reflect various driving modes characteristic of the urban fleets. The observed variability for all measured gases and particle emission ratios is greater for the chase and roadside stationary sampling than for fleet average measurements. The fleet average sampling mode captured the effects of traffic conditions on the measured on-road emission ratios, allowing the use of fuel-based emission ratios to assess the validity of traditional "bottom-up" emissions inventories. Using the measured on-road emission ratios, we estimate CO and NO_x mobile emissions of 175±62 and 10.4±1.3 metric tons/day, respectively, for the gasoline vehicle fleet in Mexicali. Comparisons with similar on-road emissions data from Mexico City indicated that fleet average NO emission ratios were

IUE observations of circumstellar emission from the late-type variable R AQR (M6 + pec)

Science.gov (United States)

Hobbs, R. W.; Michalitsianos, A. G.; Kafatos, M.

1981-01-01

The IUE observations of R Aqr (M7 + pec) obtained in low dispersion are discussed with particular reference to circumstellar emission. Strong permitted, semiforbidden, and forbidden emission lines are seen, superimposed on a bright ultraviolet continuum. It is deduced that the strong emission line spectrum that involves C III, C IV, Si III, (0 II) and (0 III) probably arises from a dense compact nebula the size of which is comparable to the orbital radius of the binary system of which R Aqr is the primary star. The low excitation emission lines of Fe II, Mg II, 0 I, and Si II probably a white dwarf, comparable to or somewhat brighter than the Sun, since such a star can produce enough ionizing photons to excite the continuum and emission line spectrum and yet be sufficiently faint as to escape detection by direct observation. The UV continuum is attributed to Balmer recombination from the dense nebula and not to blackbody emission from the hot companion.

Modeling and predicting low-speed vehicle emissions as a function of driving kinematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Lijun; Chen, Wei; Li, Lei; Tan, Jianwei; Wang, Xin; Yin, Hang; Ding, Yan; Ge, Yunshan

2017-05-01

An instantaneous emission model was developed to model and predict the real driving emissions of the low-speed vehicles. The emission database used in the model was measured by using portable emission measurement system (PEMS) under actual traffic conditions in the rural area, and the characteristics of the emission data were determined in relation to the driving kinematics (speed and acceleration) of the low-speed vehicle. The input of the emission model is driving cycle, and the model requires instantaneous vehicle speed and acceleration levels as input variables and uses them to interpolate the pollutant emission rate maps to calculate the transient pollutant emission rates, which will be accumulated to calculate the total emissions released during the whole driving cycle. And the vehicle fuel consumption was determined through the carbon balance method. The model predicted the emissions and fuel consumption of an in-use low-speed vehicle type model, which agreed well with the measured data. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Investigation into some regularities in acoustic emission during deformation of the 16 GNMA steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chelyshev, N.A.; Chervov, G.A.; Petrov, V.I.; Yakovenko, V.S.; Kazakov, V.V.

1981-01-01

A device with variable band of transmission and regulated width of emission band (3-20 kHz) is the most optimal variant of acoustic emission recorder. Change of signal registration frequency of acoustic emission results in change of both qualitative and quantitative peculiarities of summary emission during deformation. A zone of elastic deformation transition to elastic-plastic for the given steel is well marked out according to the data of summary acoustic emission and intensity of signals. Application of devices with variable registration frequency requires usage of wide-band transformers [ru

MODELING THE TRANSPORT AND CHEMICAL EVOLUTION OF ONSHORE AND OFFSHORE EMISSIONS AND THEIR IMPACT ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL AIR QUALITY USING A VARIABLE-GRID-RESOLUTION AIR QUALITY MODEL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiran Alapaty

2005-05-13

This second annual report summarizes the research performed from 17 April 2004 through 16 April 2005. Major portions of the research in several of the project's current eight tasks have been completed. We have successfully developed the meteorological inputs using the best possible modeling configurations, resulting in improved representation of atmospheric processes. The development of the variable-grid-resolution emissions model, SMOKE-VGR, is also completed. The development of the MAQSIP-VGR has been completed and a test run was performed to ensure the functionality of this air quality model. Thus, the project is on schedule as planned. During the upcoming reporting period, we expect to perform the first MAQSIP-VGR simulations over the Houston-Galveston region to study the roles of the meteorology, offshore emissions, and chemistry-transport interactions that determine the temporal and spatial evolution of ozone and its precursors.

Protein (Cyanobacteria): 427702805 [PGDBj - Ortholog DB

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available ylation repair protein Cyanobium gracile PCC 6307 MGMDRASMTPRAPTIPSAPSSIQKGTPLKHLLG... YP_007046027.1 NC_019675 1117:3386 ... 1118:18369 1301283:9302 ... 167375:2211 59930:1253 292564:1253 ... DNA alk

Variability in operation-based NO(x) emission factors with different test routes, and its effects on the real-driving emissions of light diesel vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Taewoo; Park, Junhong; Kwon, Sangil; Lee, Jongtae; Kim, Jeongsoo

2013-09-01

The objective of this study is to quantify the differences in NO(x) emissions between standard and non-standard driving and vehicle operating conditions, and to estimate by how much NO(x) emissions exceed the legislative emission limits under typical Korean road traffic conditions. Twelve Euro 3-5 light-duty diesel vehicles (LDDVs) manufactured in Korea were driven on a chassis dynamometer over the standard New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and a representative Korean on-road driving cycle (KDC). NO(x) emissions, average speeds and accelerations were calculated for each 1-km trip segment, so called averaging windows. The results suggest that the NO(x) emissions of the tested vehicles are more susceptible to variations in the driving cycles than to those in the operating conditions. Even under comparable operating conditions, the NO(x) control capabilities of vehicles differ from each other, i.e., NO(x) control is weaker for the KDC than for the NEDC. The NO(x) emissions over the KDC for given vehicle operating conditions exceed those over the NEDC by more than a factor of 8. Consequently, on-road NO(x) emission factors are estimated here to exceed the Euro 5 emission limit by up to a factor of 8, 4 and 3 for typical Korean urban, rural, and motorway road traffic conditions, respectively. Our findings support the development of technical regulations for supplementary real-world emission tests for emission certification and the corresponding research actions taken by automotive industries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecting and Understanding Changing Arctic Carbon Emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Bruhwiler, L.

2017-12-01

Warming in the Arctic has proceeded faster than anyplace on Earth. Our current understanding of biogeochemistry suggests that we can expect feedbacks between climate and carbon in the Arctic. Changes in terrestrial fluxes of carbon can be expected as the Arctic warms, and the vast stores of organic carbon frozen in Arctic soils could be mobilized to the atmosphere, with possible significant impacts on global climate. Quantifying trends in Arctic carbon exchanges is important for policymaking because greater reductions in anthropogenic emissions may be required to meet climate goals. Observations of greenhouse gases in the Arctic and globally have been collected for several decades. Analysis of this data does not currently support significantly changed Arctic emissions of CH4, however it is difficult to detect changes in Arctic emissions because of transport from lower latitudes and large inter-annual variability. Unfortunately, current space-based remote sensing systems have limitations at Arctic latitudes. Modeling systems can help untangle the Arctic budget of greenhouse gases, but they are dependent on underlying prior fluxes, wetland distributions and global anthropogenic emissions. Also, atmospheric transport models may have significant biases and errors. For example, unrealistic near-surface stability can lead to underestimation of emissions in atmospheric inversions. We discuss our current understanding of the Arctic carbon budget from both top-down and bottom-up approaches. We show that current atmospheric inversions agree well on the CH4 budget. On the other hand, bottom-up models vary widely in their predictions of natural emissions, with some models predicting emissions too large to be accommodated by the budget implied by global observations. Large emissions from the shallow Arctic ocean are also inconsistent with atmospheric observations. We also discuss the sensitivity of the current atmospheric network to what is likely small, gradual increases in

Control of fast non linear systems - application to a turbo charged SI engine with variable valve timing; controle des systemes rapides non lineaires - application au moteur a allumage commande turbocompresse a distribution variable

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Colin, G.

2006-10-15

Spark ignition engine control has become a major issue for the compliance with emissions legislation while ensuring driving comfort. Engine down-sizing is one of the promising ways to reduce fuel consumption and resulting CO{sub 2} emissions. Combining several existing technologies such as supercharging and variable valve actuation, down-sizing is a typical example of the problems encountered in Spark Ignited (SI) engine control: nonlinear systems with saturation of actuators; numerous major physical phenomena not measurable; limited computing time; control objectives (consumption, pollution, performance) often competing. A methodology of modelling and model-based control (internal model and predictive control) for these systems is also proposed and applied to the air path of the down-sized engine. Models, physicals and generics, are built to estimate in-cylinder air mass, residual burned gases mass and air scavenged mass from the intake to the exhaust. The complete and generic engine torque control architecture for the turbo-charged SI engine with variable cam-shaft timing was tested in simulation and experimentally (on engine and vehicle). These tests show that new possibilities are offered in order to decrease pollutant emissions and optimize engine efficiency. (author)

A multi-model approach to monitor emissions of CO2 and CO from an urban–industrial complex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Super

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Monitoring urban–industrial emissions is often challenging because observations are scarce and regional atmospheric transport models are too coarse to represent the high spatiotemporal variability in the resulting concentrations. In this paper we apply a new combination of an Eulerian model (Weather Research and Forecast, WRF, with chemistry and a Gaussian plume model (Operational Priority Substances – OPS. The modelled mixing ratios are compared to observed CO2 and CO mole fractions at four sites along a transect from an urban–industrial complex (Rotterdam, the Netherlands towards rural conditions for October–December 2014. Urban plumes are well-mixed at our semi-urban location, making this location suited for an integrated emission estimate over the whole study area. The signals at our urban measurement site (with average enhancements of 11 ppm CO2 and 40 ppb CO over the baseline are highly variable due to the presence of distinct source areas dominated by road traffic/residential heating emissions or industrial activities. This causes different emission signatures that are translated into a large variability in observed ΔCO : ΔCO2 ratios, which can be used to identify dominant source types. We find that WRF-Chem is able to represent synoptic variability in CO2 and CO (e.g. the median CO2 mixing ratio is 9.7 ppm, observed, against 8.8 ppm, modelled, but it fails to reproduce the hourly variability of daytime urban plumes at the urban site (R2 up to 0.05. For the urban site, adding a plume model to the model framework is beneficial to adequately represent plume transport especially from stack emissions. The explained variance in hourly, daytime CO2 enhancements from point source emissions increases from 30 % with WRF-Chem to 52 % with WRF-Chem in combination with the most detailed OPS simulation. The simulated variability in ΔCO :  ΔCO2 ratios decreases drastically from 1.5 to 0.6 ppb ppm−1, which agrees

A multi-model approach to monitor emissions of CO2 and CO from an urban-industrial complex

Science.gov (United States)

Super, Ingrid; Denier van der Gon, Hugo A. C.; van der Molen, Michiel K.; Sterk, Hendrika A. M.; Hensen, Arjan; Peters, Wouter

2017-11-01

Monitoring urban-industrial emissions is often challenging because observations are scarce and regional atmospheric transport models are too coarse to represent the high spatiotemporal variability in the resulting concentrations. In this paper we apply a new combination of an Eulerian model (Weather Research and Forecast, WRF, with chemistry) and a Gaussian plume model (Operational Priority Substances - OPS). The modelled mixing ratios are compared to observed CO2 and CO mole fractions at four sites along a transect from an urban-industrial complex (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) towards rural conditions for October-December 2014. Urban plumes are well-mixed at our semi-urban location, making this location suited for an integrated emission estimate over the whole study area. The signals at our urban measurement site (with average enhancements of 11 ppm CO2 and 40 ppb CO over the baseline) are highly variable due to the presence of distinct source areas dominated by road traffic/residential heating emissions or industrial activities. This causes different emission signatures that are translated into a large variability in observed ΔCO : ΔCO2 ratios, which can be used to identify dominant source types. We find that WRF-Chem is able to represent synoptic variability in CO2 and CO (e.g. the median CO2 mixing ratio is 9.7 ppm, observed, against 8.8 ppm, modelled), but it fails to reproduce the hourly variability of daytime urban plumes at the urban site (R2 up to 0.05). For the urban site, adding a plume model to the model framework is beneficial to adequately represent plume transport especially from stack emissions. The explained variance in hourly, daytime CO2 enhancements from point source emissions increases from 30 % with WRF-Chem to 52 % with WRF-Chem in combination with the most detailed OPS simulation. The simulated variability in ΔCO :  ΔCO2 ratios decreases drastically from 1.5 to 0.6 ppb ppm-1, which agrees better with the observed standard

EVIDENCE FOR DYNAMICAL CHANGES IN A TRANSITIONAL PROTOPLANETARY DISK WITH MID-INFRARED VARIABILITY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muzerolle, James; Flaherty, Kevin; Balog, Zoltan; Smith, Paul S.; Rieke, George H.; Furlan, Elise; Allen, Lori; Muench, August; Calvet, Nuria; D'Alessio, Paola; Megeath, S. Thomas; Sherry, William H.

2009-01-01

We present multi-epoch Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the transitional disk LRLL 31 in the 2-3 Myr old star-forming region IC 348. Our measurements show remarkable mid-infrared variability on timescales as short as one week. The infrared continuum emission exhibits systematic wavelength-dependent changes that suggest corresponding dynamical changes in the inner disk structure and variable shadowing of outer disk material. We propose several possible sources for the structural changes, including a variable accretion rate or a stellar or planetary companion embedded in the disk. Our results indicate that variability studies in the infrared can provide important new constraints on protoplanetary disk behavior.

A high-density relativistic reflection origin for the soft and hard X-ray excess emission from Mrk 1044

Science.gov (United States)

Mallick, L.; Alston, W. N.; Parker, M. L.; Fabian, A. C.; Pinto, C.; Dewangan, G. C.; Markowitz, A.; Gandhi, P.; Kembhavi, A. K.; Misra, R.

2018-06-01

We present the first results from a detailed spectral-timing analysis of a long (˜130 ks) XMM-Newton observation and quasi-simultaneous NuSTAR and Swift observations of the highly-accreting narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 1044. The broadband (0.3-50 keV) spectrum reveals the presence of a strong soft X-ray excess emission below ˜1.5 keV, iron Kα emission complex at ˜6 -7 keV and a `Compton hump' at ˜15 -30 keV. We find that the relativistic reflection from a high-density accretion disc with a broken power-law emissivity profile can simultaneously explain the soft X-ray excess, highly ionized broad iron line and the Compton hump. At low frequencies ([2 - 6] × 10-5 Hz), the power-law continuum dominated 1.5-5 keV band lags behind the reflection dominated 0.3-1 keV band, which is explained with a combination of propagation fluctuation and Comptonization processes, while at higher frequencies ([1 - 2] × 10-4 Hz), we detect a soft lag which is interpreted as a signature of X-ray reverberation from the accretion disc. The fractional root-mean-squared (rms) variability of the source decreases with energy and is well described by two variable components: a less variable relativistic disc reflection and a more variable direct coronal emission. Our combined spectral-timing analyses suggest that the observed broadband X-ray variability of Mrk 1044 is mainly driven by variations in the location or geometry of the optically thin, hot corona.

Effects of IPCC SRES* emissions scenarios on river runoff: a global perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. W. Arnell

2003-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes an assessment of the implications of future climate change for river runoff across the entire world, using six climate models which have been driven by the SRES emissions scenarios. Streamflow is simulated at a spatial resolution of 0.5°x0.5° using a macro-scale hydrological model, and summed to produce total runoff for almost 1200 catchments. The effects of climate change have been compared with the effects of natural multi-decadal climatic variability, as determined from a long unforced climate simulation using HadCM3. By the 2020s, change in runoff due to climate change in approximately a third of the catchments is less than that due to natural variability but, by the 2080s, this falls to between 10 and 30%. The climate models produce broadly similar changes in runoff, with increases in high latitudes, east Africa and south and east Asia, and decreases in southern and eastern Europe, western Russia, north Africa and the Middle East, central and southern Africa, much of North America, most of South America, and south and east Asia. The pattern of change in runoff is largely determined by simulated change in precipitation, offset by a general increase in evaporation. There is little difference in the pattern of change between different emissions scenarios (for a given model, and only by the 2080s is there evidence that the magnitudes of change in runoff vary, with emissions scenario A1FI producing the greatest change and B1 the smallest. The inter-annual variability in runoff increases in most catchments due to climate change — even though the inter-annual variability in precipitation is not changed — and the frequency of flow below the current 10-year return period minimum annual runoff increases by a factor of three in Europe and southern Africa and of two across North America. Across most of the world climate change does not alter the timing of flows through the year but, in the marginal zone between cool and

Discovery of a new bona fide luminous blue variable in Norma

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, V. V.; Kniazev, A. Y.; Berdnikov, L. N.

2015-12-01

We report the results of optical spectroscopy of the candidate evolved massive star MN44 revealed via detection of a circular shell with the Spitzer Space Telescope. First spectra taken in 2009 May-June showed the Balmer lines in emission as well as numerous emission lines of iron, which is typical of luminous blue variables (LBVs) near the visual maximum. New observations carried out in 2015 May-September detected significant changes in the spectrum, indicating that the star became hotter. We found that these changes are accompanied by significant brightness variability of MN44. In particular, the Ic-band brightness decreased by ≈ 1.6 mag during the last six years and after reaching its minimum in 2015 June has started to increase. Using archival data, we also found that the Ic-band brightness increased by ≈3 mag in ≈30 yr preceding our observations. MN44 therefore represents the 17th known example of the Galactic bona fide LBVs. We detected a nitrogen-rich knot to the north-west of the star, which might represent an interstellar cloudlet interacting with the circumstellar shell. We discuss a possible association between MN44 and the INTEGRAL transient source of hard X-ray emission IGR J16327-4940, implying that MN44 might be either a colliding-wind binary or a high-mass X-ray binary.

Variability of N{sub 2}O emissions during the production of poplar and rye

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kern, Juergen; Hellebrand, Hans Juergen; Scholz, Volkhard [ATB Potsdam (Germany)], E-mail: jkern@atb-potsdam.de

2008-07-01

The emission of N{sub 2}O from the soil has a significant impact on the greenhouse gas balance of energy crops. Soil type, temperature, precipitation, tillage practice and level of fertilization may affect the source strength of N{sub 2}O emissions and fertilizer-induced N{sub 2}O emissions. The N{sub 2}O-fluxes from different sites of an experimental field were measured by the flux chamber method over a period of four years (2003-2006). Poplar and rye as one perennial and one annual crop were fertilized at levels of 0 kg N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1}, 75 kg N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1} and 150 kg N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1}. Enhanced N{sub 2}O emission spots with maxima of up to 1653 {mu}g N{sub 2}O m{sup -2} h{sup -1} were observed at fertilized sites for several weeks. The emissions ranged between 0.4 kg N{sub 2}O-N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1} and 2.7 kg N{sub 2}O-N ha{sup -1} yr{sup -1} depending on fertilization level, crop variety and year. The mean conversion factor was 2.1% for poplar and 0.9% for rye. The CO{sub 2}-advantage of energy crops is reduced by N{sub 2}O emissions by up to 10%. (author)

Impact of fuels on diesel exhaust emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westerholm, R.

1991-09-01

This report presents an investigation of the emissions from eight diesel fuels with different sulphur and aromatic content. A bus and a truck were used in the investigation. Chemical analysis and biological testing have been performed. The aim of this project was to find a 'good' diesel fuel which can be used in urban areas. Seven of the fuels were meant to be such fuels. It has been confirmed in this study that there exists a quantifiable relationship between the variables of the diesel fuel blends and the variables of the chemical emissions and their biological effects. 119 figs., 12 tabs., approx. 100 refs

Line Shape Variability in a Sample of AGN with Broad Lines

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2016-01-27

Jan 27, 2016 ... We give here a comparative review of the line shape variability in a sample of five type 1 AGNs, those with broad emission lines in their spectra, of the data obtained from the international long-term optical monitoring campaign coordinated by the Special Astrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy ...

MODELING THE RADIO EMISSION FROM Cyg OB2 NO. 5: A QUADRUPLE SYSTEM?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, M.; Dougherty, S. M.; Fink, A.; Williams, P. M.

2010-01-01

Fifty observations at frequencies between 1.4 GHz and 43 GHz of the 6.6 day O6.5-7+O5.5-6 binary Cyg OB2 No. 5 using the Very Large Array over 20 years are re-examined. The aim is to determine the location and character of the previously detected variable radio emission. The radio emission from the system consists of a primary component that is associated with the binary, and a non-thermal source (NE), 0.''8 to the NE of the binary that has been ascribed to a wind-collision region (WCR) between the stellar winds of the binary and that of a B-type star (Star D) to the NE. Previous studies have not accounted for the potential contribution of NE to the total radio emission, most especially in observations where the primary and NE sources are not resolved as separate sources. NE shows no evidence of variation in 23 epochs where it is resolved separately from the primary radio component, demonstrating that the variable emission arises in the primary component. Since NE is non-variable, the radio flux from the primary can now be well determined for the first time, most especially in observations that do not resolve both the primary and NE components. The variable radio emission from the primary component has a period of 6.7 ± 0.3 years which is described by a simple model of a non-thermal source orbiting within the stellar wind envelope of the binary. Such a model implies the presence of a third, unresolved stellar companion (Star C) orbiting the 6.6 day binary with a period of 6.7 years and independent of Star D to the NE. The variable non-thermal emission arises from either a WCR between Star C and the binary system, or possibly from Star C directly. The model gives a mass-loss rate of 3.4 x 10 -5 M sun yr -1 for Cyg OB2 No. 5, unusually high for an Of supergiant and comparable to that of WR stars, and consistent with an unusually strong He I 1.083 μm emission line, also redolent of WR stars. An examination of radial velocity observations available from the

Nutrient Controls on Methane Emissions in a Permafrost Thaw Subarctic Peatland

Science.gov (United States)

Kashi, N. N.; Perryman, C. R.; Malhotra, A.; Marek, E. A.; Giesler, R.; Varner, R. K.

2015-12-01

Permafrost peatlands in northern latitudes are large reservoirs of sequestered carbon that are vulnerable to climate change. While peatlands account for a small fraction of total global land surfaces, their potential to release sequestered carbon in response to higher temperatures is of concern. Of particular relevance is the conversion of these carbon stores into methane (CH4), a strong greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 20 times greater than that of CO2 over a 100-year time frame. Here, we explore how key nutrients impact the consumption of CH4 at the Stordalen Mire in Abisko, Sweden, a discontinuous permafrost peatland with expanding thaw over the last century. Peatland CH4 emissions are highly spatially variable due to multiple emission pathways and strong dependence on several environmental factors. Among controls on CH4 emissions, such as temperature and water table depth, primary production of wetland vegetation is also a strong factor in the variability of CH4 emissions. Plant community shifts among permafrost thaw stages subsequently change nutrient cycling and availability, which in turn impacts primary production. Early stages of permafrost thaw are mosaicked with a variety of vascular plants and mosses. We analyzed potential enzymatic activities of chitinase, glucosidase, and phosphatase as proxies for organic nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycling, respectively, in tandem with potential CH4 oxidation rates. In addition, stoichiometric ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations are used to illustrate nutrient limitation controls on CH4 oxidation rates. While CH4 emissions are low throughout initial thaw stages, highest rates of potential CH4 oxidation. These permafrost thaw-induced CH4 oxidation rates are 5 and 11 times higher, in the surface and depth of the peat profile respectively, than subsequent aerobic permafrost thaw stages. As CH4 emissions are low in intact permafrost peatlands, these high rates of potential CH4

THE NON-THERMAL, TIME-VARIABLE RADIO EMISSION FROM Cyg OB2 no. 5: A WIND-COLLISION REGION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz-Leon, Gisela N.; Loinard, Laurent; RodrIguez, Luis F.; Dzib, Sergio A.; Mioduszewski, Amy J.

2011-01-01

The radio emission from the well-studied massive stellar system Cyg OB2 no. 5 is known to fluctuate with a period of 6.7 years between a low-flux state, when the emission is entirely of free-free origin, and a high-flux state, when an additional non-thermal component (of hitherto unknown nature) appears. In this paper, we demonstrate that the radio flux of that non-thermal component is steady on timescales of hours and that its morphology is arc-like. This shows that the non-thermal emission results from the collision between the strong wind driven by the known contact binary in the system and that of an unseen companion on a somewhat eccentric orbit with a 6.7 year period and a 5-10 mas semimajor axis. Together with the previously reported wind-collision region located about 0.''8 to the northeast of the contact binary, so far Cyg OB2 no. 5 appears to be the only multiple system known to harbor two radio-imaged wind-collision regions.

Polarization and long-term variability of Sgr A* X-ray echo

Science.gov (United States)

Churazov, E.; Khabibullin, I.; Ponti, G.; Sunyaev, R.

2017-06-01

We use a model of the molecular gas distribution within ˜100 pc from the centre of the Milky Way (Kruijssen, Dale & Longmore) to simulate time evolution and polarization properties of the reflected X-ray emission, associated with the past outbursts from Sgr A*. While this model is too simple to describe the complexity of the true gas distribution, it illustrates the importance and power of long-term observations of the reflected emission. We show that the variable part of X-ray emission observed by Chandra and XMM-Newton from prominent molecular clouds is well described by a pure reflection model, providing strong support of the reflection scenario. While the identification of Sgr A* as a primary source for this reflected emission is already a very appealing hypothesis, a decisive test of this model can be provided by future X-ray polarimetric observations, which will allow placing constraints on the location of the primary source. In addition, X-ray polarimeters (like, e.g. XIPE) have sufficient sensitivity to constrain the line-of-sight positions of molecular complexes, removing major uncertainty in the model.

Influence factors and forecast of carbon emission in China: structure adjustment for emission peak

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, B.; Cui, C. Q.; Li, Z. P.

2018-02-01

This paper introduced Principal Component Analysis and Multivariate Linear Regression Model to verify long-term balance relationships between Carbon Emissions and the impact factors. The integrated model of improved PCA and multivariate regression analysis model is attainable to figure out the pattern of carbon emission sources. Main empirical results indicate that among all selected variables, the role of energy consumption scale was largest. GDP and Population follow and also have significant impacts on carbon emission. Industrialization rate and fossil fuel proportion, which is the indicator of reflecting the economic structure and energy structure, have a higher importance than the factor of urbanization rate and the dweller consumption level of urban areas. In this way, some suggestions are put forward for government to achieve the peak of carbon emissions.

Photosynthesis-dependent isoprene emission from leaf to planet in a global carbon-chemistry-climate model

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, N.; Harper, K.; Zheng, Y.; Kiang, N. Y.; Aleinov, I.; Arneth, A.; Schurgers, G.; Amelynck, C.; Goldstein, A.; Guenther, A.; Heinesch, B.; Hewitt, C. N.; Karl, T.; Laffineur, Q.; Langford, B.; McKinney, K. A.; Misztal, P.; Potosnak, M.; Rinne, J.; Pressley, S.; Schoon, N.; Serça, D.

2013-10-01

We describe the implementation of a biochemical model of isoprene emission that depends on the electron requirement for isoprene synthesis into the Farquhar-Ball-Berry leaf model of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance that is embedded within a global chemistry-climate simulation framework. The isoprene production is calculated as a function of electron transport-limited photosynthesis, intercellular and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and canopy temperature. The vegetation biophysics module computes the photosynthetic uptake of carbon dioxide coupled with the transpiration of water vapor and the isoprene emission rate at the 30 min physical integration time step of the global chemistry-climate model. In the model, the rate of carbon assimilation provides the dominant control on isoprene emission variability over canopy temperature. A control simulation representative of the present-day climatic state that uses 8 plant functional types (PFTs), prescribed phenology and generic PFT-specific isoprene emission potentials (fraction of electrons available for isoprene synthesis) reproduces 50% of the variability across different ecosystems and seasons in a global database of 28 measured campaign-average fluxes. Compared to time-varying isoprene flux measurements at 9 select sites, the model authentically captures the observed variability in the 30 min average diurnal cycle (R2 = 64-96%) and simulates the flux magnitude to within a factor of 2. The control run yields a global isoprene source strength of 451 TgC yr-1 that increases by 30% in the artificial absence of plant water stress and by 55% for potential natural vegetation.

Photosynthesis-dependent Isoprene Emission from Leaf to Planet in a Global Carbon-chemistry-climate Model

Science.gov (United States)

Unger, N.; Harper, K.; Zeng, Y.; Kiang, N. Y.; Alienov, I.; Arneth, A.; Schurgers, G.; Amelynck, C.; Goldstein, A.; Guenther, A.;

Photosynthesis-dependent isoprene emission from leaf to planet in a global carbon-chemistry-climate model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Unger, N.; Harper, K.; Zheng, Y.; Kiang, N. Y.; Aleinov, I.; Arneth, Almut; Schurgers, G.; Amelynck, C.; Goldstein, Allen H.; Guenther, Alex B.; Heinesch, B.; Hewitt, C. N.; Karl, T.; Laffineur, Q.; Langford, B.; McKinney, Karena A.; Misztal, P.; Potosnak, M.; Rinne, J.; Pressley, S.; Schoon, N.; Serca, D.

2013-10-22

We describe the implementation of a biochemical model of isoprene emission that depends on the electron requirement for isoprene synthesis into the Farquhar/Ball- Berry leaf model of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance that is embedded within a global chemistry-climate simulation framework. The isoprene production is calculated as a function of electron transport-limited photosynthesis, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, and canopy temperature. The vegetation biophysics module computes the photosynthetic uptake of carbon dioxide coupled with the transpiration of water vapor and the isoprene emission rate at the 30 min physical integration time step of the global chemistry-climate model. In the model, the rate of carbon assimilation provides the dominant control on isoprene emission variability over canopy temperature. A control simulation representative of the present day climatic state that uses plant functional types (PFTs), prescribed phenology and generic PFT-specific isoprene emission potentials (fraction of electrons available for isoprene synthesis) reproduces 50% of the variability across different ecosystems and seasons in a global database of measured campaign-average fluxes. Compared to time-varying isoprene flux measurements at select sites, the model authentically captures the observed variability in the 30 min average diurnal cycle (R² = 64-96 %) and simulates the flux magnitude to within a factor of 2. The control run yields a global isoprene source strength of 451 TgC yr^-1 that increases by 30% in the artificial absence of plant water stress and by 55% for potential natural vegetation.

How costly is mitigation of non-CO{sub 2} greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture? A meta-analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermont, Bruno; De Cara, Stephane [INRA, UMR 210 Economie Publique INRA-AgroParisTech, Thiverval-Grignon (France)

2010-05-15

This text reviews the assessments of marginal abatement costs of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture. We use agricultural emissions and the corresponding prices collected from 21 studies that have assessed abatement potentials and costs using various modeling approaches and assumptions. We first highlight the implications of the modeling approach for marginal abatement costs. Harmonized abatement rates for three emission prices (10, 20 and 50 EUR{sub 2005}/tCO{sub 2}eq) are regressed on variables that reflect various modeling assumptions and study characteristics. In a second step, the emission price is introduced as an explanatory variable. When controlling for a few key characteristics of the studies, the models explain an important share of the observed variability in abatement rates. The type of modeling approach is found to have a significant effect. In particular, we find that equilibrium models lead to higher abatement rates for a given price. The flexibility in nitrogen use and its effect on crop yields also plays a significant role in lowering marginal abatement costs. The results of the second step indicate that the price elasticity of the abatement rate is about 0.6. This estimate is found to be robust to several specifications and consistent with previous assessments covering other economic sectors. (author)

A search for OH emission from symbiotic stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norris, R.P.; Haynes, R.F.; Wright, A.E.

1984-01-01

A search was made for OH maser emission from a sample of 16 symbiotic stars. This sample was selected on the basis of infrared optical depth and variability, so that the stars within it have circumstellar shells similar to those seen in OH/IR and OH/Mira stars. There were no significant detections, except for one unassociated background source, and it is concluded that the presence of a hot binary companion inhibits any possible OH maser action

Emissions of metals and polychlorinated dibenzo(p)dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs) from Portland cement manufacturing plants: inter-kiln variability and dependence on fuel-types.

Science.gov (United States)

Zemba, Stephen; Ames, Michael; Green, Laura; Botelho, Maria João; Gossman, David; Linkov, Igor; Palma-Oliveira, José

2011-09-15

Emissions from Portland cement manufacturing facilities may increase health risks in nearby populations and are thus subject to stringent regulations. Direct testing of pollutant concentrations in exhaust gases provides the best basis for assessing the extent of these risks. However, these tests (i) are often conducted under stressed, rather than typical, operating conditions, (ii) may be limited in number and duration, and (iii) may be influenced by specific fuel-types and attributes of individual kilns. We report here on the results of more than 150 emissions-tests conducted of two kilns at a Portland cement manufacturing plant in Portugal. The tests measured various regulated metals and polychlorinated dibenzo(p)dioxins and furans (PCDD/Fs). Stack-gas concentrations of pollutants were found to be highly variable, with standard deviations on the order of mean values. Emission rates of many pollutants were higher when coal was used as the main kiln fuel (instead of petroleum coke). Use of various supplemental fuels, however, had little effect on stack emissions, and few statistically significant differences were observed when hazardous waste was included in the fuel mix. Significant differences in emissions for some pollutants were observed between the two kilns despite their similar designs and uses of similar fuels. All measured values were found to be within applicable regulatory limits. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A new gridded on-road CO2 emissions inventory for the United States, 1980-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Gately, C.; Hutyra, L.; Sue Wing, I.

2013-12-01

On-road transportation is responsible for 28% of all U.S. fossil fuel CO2 emissions. However, mapping vehicle emissions at regional scales is challenging due to data limitations. Existing emission inventories have used spatial proxies such as population and road density to downscale national or state level data, which may introduce errors where the proxy variables and actual emissions are weakly correlated. We have developed a national on-road emissions inventory product based on roadway-level traffic data obtained from the Highway Performance Monitoring System. We produce annual estimates of on-road CO2 emissions at a 1km spatial resolution for the contiguous United States for the years 1980 through 2011. For the year 2011 we also produce an hourly emissions product at the 1km scale using hourly traffic volumes from hundreds of automated traffic counters across the country. National on-road emissions rose at roughly 2% per year from 1980 to 2006, with emissions peaking at 1.71 Tg CO2 in 2007. However, while national emissions have declined 6% since the peak, we observe considerable regional variation in emissions trends post-2007. While many states show stable or declining on-road emissions, several states and metropolitan areas in the Midwest, mountain west and south had emissions increases of 3-10% from 2008 to 2011. Our emissions estimates are consistent with state-reported totals of gasoline and diesel fuel consumption. This is in contrast to on-road CO2 emissions estimated by the Emissions Database of Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR), which we show to be inconsistent in matching on-road emissions to published fuel consumption at the scale of U.S. states, due to the non-linear relationships between emissions and EDGAR's chosen spatial proxies at these scales. Since our emissions estimates were generated independent of population density and other demographic data, we were able to conduct a panel regression analysis to estimate the relationship between these

Otoacoustic emissions in young adults exposed to drums noise of a college band

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paula Botelho da Silva

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: to identify cochlear dysfunction and occurrence of tinnitus in young adults exposed to drums noise of a college band. Methods: the sample included 50 subjects: 25 musicians (study group and 25 non-musicians (control group. The procedures included anamnesis, pure tone audiometry, acoustic impedance and Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions, Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions Input-Output function. Results: positive correlation between the occurrence of tinnitus and the variables exposure time and use of personal stereos was found. Overall, the study group showed significantly lower Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions, when compared to the control group. In the study group, there was a tendency toward worse response in 6 kHz(f2 in Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in both ears. The Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions Input-Output function did not differ between groups nor did its slope. Conclusion: in general, otoacoustic emissions were worse in noise-exposed young people (study group when compared to the unexposed (control group, indicating that the test may be important in early identification of cochlear changes.

Emission intensity in New Zealand manufacturing and the short-run impacts of emissions pricing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartleet, Matthew; Iyer, Kris; Numan-Parsons, Elisabeth

2010-01-01

This paper reports the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity of the New Zealand (NZ) manufacturing sector at a combination of industry group and class levels (sub-sectors). The short-run impacts of a price on emissions are investigated with a focus on exporting activities. Sub-sectors that could be materially impacted by an expected range of emissions prices accounted for slightly over 9% of national gross domestic product. It is found that there is much variability of emission intensity within manufacturing and even within sub-sectors. An assessment of trade intensities further indicates that several emissions-intensive activities are also export-intensive. These activities are at most risk of losing competitiveness in the short-run if they are subjected to a price on GHG emissions that their competitors in other countries are not. Emissions reduction policies must take account of trade competitiveness imperatives if NZ is to meet its international GHG emissions target while maintaining manufacturing sector competitiveness. - Research Highlights: →Estimates initial short-term competitiveness impacts of ETS on NZ manufacturing. →Materiality of impacts determined based on firm level emissions and export intensity. →Results suggest that food processing sub-sectors are likely to be most impacted. →Iron and steel processing, and paper and pulp manufacture are impacted as well. →Cumulative GDP share of materially affected sub-sectors slightly over 9%.

A Study on the Model of Traffic Flow and Vehicle Exhaust Emission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han Xue

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The increase of traffic flow in cities causes traffic congestion and accidents as well as air pollution. Traffic problems have attracted the interest of many researchers from the perspective of theory and engineering. In order to provide a simple and practical method for measuring the exhaust emission and assessing the effect of pollution control, a model is based on the relationship between traffic flow and vehicle exhaust emission under a certain level of road capacity constraints. In the proposed model, the hydrocarbons (HC, carbon monoxide (CO, and nitrogen oxides (NOx are considered as the indexes of total exhaust emission, and the speed is used as an intermediate variable. To verify the rationality and practicality of the model, a case study for Beijing, China, is provided in which the effects of taxi fare regulation and the specific vehicle emission reduction policy are analyzed.

An econometric study of CO2 emissions, energy consumption, income and foreign trade in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halicioglu, Ferda

2009-01-01

This study attempts to empirically examine the dynamic causal relationships between carbon emissions, energy consumption, income, and foreign trade in the case of Turkey using the time-series data for the period 1960-2005. This research tests the interrelationship between the variables using the bounds testing to cointegration procedure. The bounds test results indicate that there exist two forms of long-run relationships between the variables. In the case of first form of long-run relationship, carbon emissions are determined by energy consumption, income and foreign trade. In the case of second long-run relationship, income is determined by carbon emissions, energy consumption and foreign trade. An augmented form of Granger causality analysis is conducted amongst the variables. The long-run relationship of CO 2 emissions, energy consumption, income and foreign trade equation is also checked for the parameter stability. The empirical results suggest that income is the most significant variable in explaining the carbon emissions in Turkey which is followed by energy consumption and foreign trade. Moreover, there exists a stable carbon emissions function. The results also provide important policy recommendations. (author)

The dynamic relationship between structural change and CO2 emissions in Malaysia: a cointegrating approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Wajahat; Abdullah, Azrai; Azam, Muhammad

2017-05-01

The current study investigates the dynamic relationship between structural changes, real GDP per capita, energy consumption, trade openness, population density, and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions within the EKC framework over a period 1971-2013. The study used the autoregressive distributed lagged (ARDL) approach to investigate the long-run relationship between the selected variables. The study also employed the dynamic ordinary least squared (DOLS) technique to obtain the robust long-run estimates. Moreover, the causal relationship between the variables is explored using the VECM Granger causality test. Empirical results reveal a negative relationship between structural change and CO 2 emissions in the long run. The results indicate a positive relationship between energy consumption, trade openness, and CO 2 emissions. The study applied the turning point formula of Itkonen (2012) rather than the conventional formula of the turning point. The empirical estimates of the study do not support the presence of the EKC relationship between income and CO 2 emissions. The Granger causality test indicates the presence of long-run bidirectional causality between energy consumption, structural change, and CO 2 emissions in the long run. Economic growth, openness to trade, and population density unidirectionally cause CO 2 emissions. These results suggest that the government should focus more on information-based services rather than energy-intensive manufacturing activities. The feedback relationship between energy consumption and CO 2 emissions suggests that there is an ominous need to refurbish the energy-related policy reforms to ensure the installations of some energy-efficient modern technologies.

Study on Emission Measurement of Vehicle on Road Based on Binomial Logit Model

OpenAIRE

Aly, Sumarni Hamid; Selintung, Mary; Ramli, Muhammad Isran; Sumi, Tomonori

2011-01-01

This research attempts to evaluate emission measurement of on road vehicle. In this regard, the research develops failure probability model of vehicle emission test for passenger car which utilize binomial logit model. The model focuses on failure of CO and HC emission test for gasoline cars category and Opacity emission test for diesel-fuel cars category as dependent variables, while vehicle age, engine size, brand and type of the cars as independent variables. In order to imp...

The discovery of timescale-dependent color variability of quasars

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Yu-Han; Wang, Jun-Xian; Chen, Xiao-Yang [CAS Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Department of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China); Zheng, Zhen-Ya, E-mail: sunyh92@mail.ustc.edu.cn, E-mail: jxw@ustc.edu.cn [School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287 (United States)

2014-09-01

Quasars are variable on timescales from days to years in UV/optical and generally appear bluer while they brighten. The physics behind the variations in fluxes and colors remains unclear. Using Sloan Digital Sky Survey g- and r-band photometric monitoring data for quasars in Stripe 82, we find that although the flux variation amplitude increases with timescale, the color variability exhibits the opposite behavior. The color variability of quasars is prominent at timescales as short as ∼10 days, but gradually reduces toward timescales up to years. In other words, the variable emission at shorter timescales is bluer than that at longer timescales. This timescale dependence is clearly and consistently detected at all redshifts from z = 0 to 3.5; thus, it cannot be due to contamination to broadband photometry from emission lines that do not respond to fast continuum variations. The discovery directly rules out the possibility that simply attributes the color variability to contamination from a non-variable redder component such as the host galaxy. It cannot be interpreted as changes in global accretion rate either. The thermal accretion disk fluctuation model is favored in the sense that fluctuations in the inner, hotter region of the disk are responsible for short-term variations, while longer-term and stronger variations are expected from the larger and cooler disk region. An interesting implication is that one can use quasar variations at different timescales to probe disk emission at different radii.

Eight to 14 μm spectral monitoring of long period variable stars with GLADYS.

Science.gov (United States)

Levan, P. D.; Sloan, G.; Grasdalen, G.

The authors describe an ongoing program of spectral monitoring of long period variable stars using GLADYS, a long slit prism spectrometer that employs a 58x62 pixel Si:Ga detector array. The goal is to compare the equivalent widths of the SiC emission features in carbon-rich circumstellar shells, and the silicate emission features in oxygen-rich circumstellar stars, obtained over different phases of the continuum variability cycle. Spectra of long period variables and low amplitude variables recently obtained on the Wyoming Infrared Observatory 2.3 m telescope are presented.

Premix fuels study applicable to duct burner conditions for a variable cycle engine

Science.gov (United States)

Venkataramani, K. S.

1978-01-01

Emission levels and performance of a premixing Jet-A/air duct burner were measured at reference conditions representative of take-off and cruise for a variable cycle engine. In a parametric variation sequence of tests, data were obtained at inlet temperatures of 400, 500 and 600K at equivalence ratios varying from 0.9 to the lean stability limit. Ignition was achieved at all the reference conditions although the CO levels were very high. Significant nonuniformity across the combustor was observed for the emissions at the take-off condition. At a reference Mach number of 0.117 and an inlet temperature of 600K, corresponding to a simulated cruise condition, the NOx emission level was approximately 1 gm/kg-fuel.

Characterization factors for terrestrial acidification at the global scale: a systematic analysis of spatial variability and uncertainty.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Pierre-Olivier; Azevedo, Ligia B; Margni, Manuele; van Zelm, Rosalie; Deschênes, Louise; Huijbregts, Mark A J

2014-12-01

Characterization factors (CFs) are used in life cycle assessment (LCA) to quantify the potential impact per unit of emission. CFs are obtained from a characterization model which assess the environmental mechanisms along the cause-effect chain linking an emission to its potential damage on a given area of protection, such as loss in ecosystem quality. Up to now, CFs for acidifying emissions did not cover the global scale and were only representative of their characterization model geographical scope. Consequently, current LCA practices implicitly assume that all emissions from a global supply chain occur within the continent referring to the characterization method geographical scope. This paper provides worldwide 2°×2.5° spatially-explicit CFs, representing the change in relative loss of terrestrial vascular plant species due to an emission change of nitrogen oxides (NOx), ammonia (NH3) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). We found that spatial variability in the CFs is much larger compared to statistical uncertainty (six orders of magnitude vs. two orders of magnitude). Spatial variability is mainly caused by the atmospheric fate factor and soil sensitivity factor, while the ecological effect factor is the dominant contributor to the statistical uncertainty. The CFs provided in our study allow the worldwide spatially explicit evaluation of life cycle impacts related to acidifying emissions. This opens the door to evaluate regional life cycle emissions of different products in a global economy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Temporal Correlation in Quiescent Gamma-Ray Burst Prompt Emission: Evidence for Prognitor Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Patton, Thomas L.; Giblin, Timothy; Hakkila, Jon E.

2018-06-01

In spite of the insight gained into the nature of the Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRB) from early and late-time X-Ray observations in the Swift era, GRB prompt emission continues to provide clues and new insight into the activity of the central engine. A comprehensive understanding of all emission components observed in GRBs, from the traditional prompt GRB emission to the long lived X-Ray and optical decay super- imposed with late-time flaring activity, currently remains allusive. Using data from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), we've identified and measured durations observed in GRBs that exhibit multi-episodic prompt emission behavior. Duration analysis of the burst attributes revealed no significant correlations between emissions and quiet time durations. This variability allows us to extrapolate that the central engine is constantly active.

Combustion and emission characteristics of a natural gas-fueled diesel engine with EGR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdelaal, M.M.; Hegab, A.H.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► An existed DI diesel engine has been modified to suit dual fuel operation with EGR. ► Comparative study has been conducted between different operating modes. ► Dual fuel mode exhibits better performance at high loads than diesel. ► Dual fuel mode exhibits lower NOx and higher HC emissions than diesel. ► EGR improves performance at part loads and emissions of dual fuel mode. - Abstract: The use of natural gas as a partial supplement for liquid diesel fuel is a very promising solution for reducing pollutant emissions, particularly nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matters (PM), from conventional diesel engines. In most applications of this technique, natural gas is inducted or injected in the intake manifold to mix uniformly with air, and the homogenous natural gas–air mixture is then introduced to the cylinder as a result of the engine suction. This type of engines, referred to as dual-fuel engines, suffers from lower thermal efficiency and higher carbon monoxide (CO) and unburned hydrocarbon (HC) emissions; particularly at part load. The use of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is expected to partially resolve these problems and to provide further reduction in NOx emission as well. In the present experimental study, a single-cylinder direct injection (DI) diesel engine has been properly modified to run on dual-fuel mode with natural gas as a main fuel and diesel fuel as a pilot, with the ability to employ variable amounts of EGR. Comparative results are given for various operating modes; conventional diesel mode, dual-fuel mode without EGR, and dual-fuel mode with variable amounts of EGR, at different operating conditions; revealing the effect of utilization of EGR on combustion process and exhaust emission characteristics of a pilot ignited natural gas diesel engine.

A LINGERING NON-THERMAL COMPONENT IN THE GAMMA-RAY BURST PROMPT EMISSION: PREDICTING GeV EMISSION FROM THE MeV SPECTRUM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basak, Rupal; Rao, A. R.

2013-01-01

The high-energy GeV emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by Fermi/LAT has a significantly different morphology compared to the lower energy MeV emission detected by Fermi/GBM. Though the late-time GeV emission is believed to be synchrotron radiation produced via an external shock, this emission as early as the prompt phase is puzzling. A meaningful connection between these two emissions can be drawn only by an accurate description of the prompt MeV spectrum. We perform a time-resolved spectroscopy of the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) data of long GRBs with significant GeV emission, using a model consisting of two blackbodies and a power law. We examine in detail the evolution of the spectral components and find that GRBs with high GeV emission (GRB 090902B and GRB 090926A) have a delayed onset of the power-law component in the GBM spectrum, which lingers at the later part of the prompt emission. This behavior mimics the flux evolution in the Large Area Telescope (LAT). In contrast, bright GBM GRBs with an order of magnitude lower GeV emission (GRB 100724B and GRB 091003) show a coupled variability of the total and the power-law flux. Further, by analyzing the data for a set of 17 GRBs, we find a strong correlation between the power-law fluence in the MeV and the LAT fluence (Pearson correlation: r = 0.88 and Spearman correlation: ρ = 0.81). We demonstrate that this correlation is not influenced by the correlation between the total and the power-law fluences at a confidence level of 2.3σ. We speculate the possible radiation mechanisms responsible for the correlation

Methane emissions from rice paddies : experiments and modelling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bodegom, van P.M.

2000-01-01

This thesis describes model development and experimentation on the comprehension and prediction of methane (CH ₄ ) emissions from rice paddies. The large spatial and temporal variability in CH ₄ emissions and the dynamic non-linear relationships

Prediction of N2O emission from local information with Random Forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philibert, Aurore; Loyce, Chantal; Makowski, David

2013-01-01

Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential 298 times greater than that of CO 2 . In agricultural soils, N 2 O emissions are influenced by a large number of environmental characteristics and crop management techniques that are not systematically reported in experiments. Random Forest (RF) is a machine learning method that can handle missing data and ranks input variables on the basis of their importance. We aimed to predict N 2 O emission on the basis of local information, to rank environmental and crop management variables according to their influence on N 2 O emission, and to compare the performances of RF with several regression models. RF outperformed the regression models for predictive purposes, and this approach led to the identification of three important input variables: N fertilization, type of crop, and experiment duration. This method could be used in the future for prediction of N 2 O emissions from local information. -- Highlights: ► Random Forest gave more accurate N 2 O predictions than regression. ► Missing data were well handled by Random Forest. ► The most important factors were nitrogen rate, type of crop and experiment duration. -- Random Forest, a machine learning method, outperformed the regression models for predicting N 2 O emissions and led to the identification of three important input variables

Determinants of CO{sub 2} emissions in a small open economy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Friedl, Birgit; Getzner, Michael [Department of Economics, University of Klagenfurt, Universitaetsstrasse 65-67, A-9020 Klagenfurt (Austria)

2003-04-01

The aim of the paper is to explore the relationship between economic development and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions for a small open and industrialized country, Austria. We test whether an Environmental Kuznets Curve relationship also holds for a single country rather than concentrating on panel or cross-section data for a set of countries. A cubic (i.e. N-shaped) relationship between GDP and CO{sub 2} emissions is found to fit the data most appropriately for the period 1960-1999, and a structural break is identified in the mid-seventies due to the oil price shock. Furthermore, two variables are additionally significant: import shares reflecting the well-known pollution haven hypothesis, and the share of the tertiary (service) sector of total production (GDP) accounting for structural changes in the economy. Emission projections derived from this single country specification support the widely held opinion that significant policy changes are asked for when implementing the Kyoto Protocol in order to bring about a downturn in future carbon emissions.

Photosynthesis-dependent isoprene emission from leaf to planet in a global carbon-chemistry-climate model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Unger

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We describe the implementation of a biochemical model of isoprene emission that depends on the electron requirement for isoprene synthesis into the Farquhar–Ball–Berry leaf model of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance that is embedded within a global chemistry-climate simulation framework. The isoprene production is calculated as a function of electron transport-limited photosynthesis, intercellular and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, and canopy temperature. The vegetation biophysics module computes the photosynthetic uptake of carbon dioxide coupled with the transpiration of water vapor and the isoprene emission rate at the 30 min physical integration time step of the global chemistry-climate model. In the model, the rate of carbon assimilation provides the dominant control on isoprene emission variability over canopy temperature. A control simulation representative of the present-day climatic state that uses 8 plant functional types (PFTs, prescribed phenology and generic PFT-specific isoprene emission potentials (fraction of electrons available for isoprene synthesis reproduces 50% of the variability across different ecosystems and seasons in a global database of 28 measured campaign-average fluxes. Compared to time-varying isoprene flux measurements at 9 select sites, the model authentically captures the observed variability in the 30 min average diurnal cycle (R2 = 64–96% and simulates the flux magnitude to within a factor of 2. The control run yields a global isoprene source strength of 451 TgC yr−1 that increases by 30% in the artificial absence of plant water stress and by 55% for potential natural vegetation.

Low emission internal combustion engine

Science.gov (United States)

Karaba, Albert M.

1979-01-01

A low emission, internal combustion compression ignition engine having a cylinder, a piston movable in the cylinder and a pre-combustion chamber communicating with the cylinder near the top thereof and in which low emissions of NO.sub.x are achieved by constructing the pre-combustion chamber to have a volume of between 70% and 85% of the combined pre-chamber and main combustion chamber volume when the piston is at top dead center and by variably controlling the initiation of fuel injection into the pre-combustion chamber.

A PHOTOMETRICALLY AND MORPHOLOGICALLY VARIABLE INFRARED NEBULA IN L483

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connelley, Michael S.; Hodapp, Klaus W.; Fuller, Gary A.

2009-01-01

We present narrow and broad K-band observations of the Class 0/I source IRAS 18148-0440 that span 17 years. The infrared nebula associated with this protostar in the L483 dark cloud is both morphologically and photometrically variable on a timescale of only a few months. This nebula appears to be an infrared analog to other well known optically visible variable nebulae associated with young stars, such as Hubble's Variable Nebula. Along with Cepheus A, this is one of the first large variable nebulae to be found that is only visible in the infrared. The variability of this nebula is most likely due to changing illumination of the cloud rather than any motion of the structure in the nebula. Both morphological and photometric changes are observed on a timescale only a few times longer than the light crossing time of the nebula, suggesting very rapid intrinsic changes in the illumination of the nebula. Our narrowband observations also found that H 2 knots are found nearly twice as far to the east of the source as to its west, and that H 2 emission extends farther east of the source than the previously known CO outflow.

Temporal variability in aerosol characteristics and its radiative properties over Patiala, northwestern part of India: Impact of agricultural biomass burning emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, D; Srivastava, A K; Ram, K; Singh, A; Singh, D

2017-12-01

A comprehensive measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD), particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) mass concentrations have been carried out over Patiala, a semi-urban site in northwest India during October 2008 to September 2010. The measured aerosol data was incorporated in an aerosol optical model to estimate various aerosol optical parameters, which were subsequently used for radiative forcing estimation. The measured AOD at 500 nm (AOD 500 ) shows a significant seasonal variability, with maximum value of 0.81 during post-monsoon (PoM) and minimum of 0.56 during winter season. The Ångström exponent (α) has higher values (i.e. more fine-mode fraction) during the PoM/winter periods, and lower (i.e. more coarse-mode fraction) during pre-monsoon (PrM). In contrast, turbidity coefficient (β) exhibits an opposite trend to α during the study period. BC mass concentration varies from 2.8 to 13.9 μg m -3 (mean: 6.5 ± 3.2 μg m -3 ) during the entire study period, with higher concentrations during PoM/winter and lower during PrM/monsoon seasons. The average single scattering albedo (SSA at 500 nm) values are 0.70, 0.72, 0.82 and 0.75 during PoM, winter, PrM and monsoon seasons, respectively. However, inter-seasonal and inter-annual variability in measured aerosol parameters are statistically insignificant at Patiala. These results suggest strong changes in emission sources, aerosol composition, meteorological parameters as well as transport of aerosols over the station. Higher values of AOD, α and BC, along with lower SSA during PoM season are attributed to agriculture biomass burning emissions over and around the station. The estimated aerosol radiative forcing within the atmosphere is positive (i.e. warming) during all the seasons with higher values (∼60 Wm -2 ) during PoM-08/PoM-09 and lower (∼40 Wm -2 ) during winter-09/PrM-10. The present study highlights the role of BC aerosols from agricultural biomass burning emissions during post

Methane Emission By Grazing Livestock. A Synopsis Of 1000 Direct Measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lassey, K.R. [National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington (New Zealand); Ulyatt, M.J. [New Zealand Pastoral Agriculture Research Institute (AgResearch), Palmerston North (New Zealand)

2000-07-01

In a series of field campaigns since 1995, a team of atmospheric and ruminant-nutrition scientists have measured methane emissions directly from individual ruminant livestock freely grazing representative New Zealand pastures. The technique collects integrated 'breath' samples during grazing, using an implanted SF6 source as a conservative calibrated tracer, an approach pioneered by Johnson et al. [1994]. Most of these measurements have been on grazing sheep (942 animal-days to Aug 1999), others on grazing dairy cows (283), with some measurements also on sheep under controlled feeding conditions (305) [eg, Lassey et al., 1997; Ulyatt et al., 1999]. The aim is to characterise the variability of emission rates, including their dependence on pasture quality and physiological condition. The research goal is two-fold: (1) to provide a better scientific basis for assessing the national emissions inventory; and (2) to investigate options for mitigating livestock emissions. Here, we discuss the research strategy and overview the principal research findings. We note in particular, that as a source of enterically fermented methane, sheep may not be merely 'small cattle'. 5 refs.

Invasive floating macrophytes reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a small tropical lake.

Science.gov (United States)

Attermeyer, K; Flury, S; Jayakumar, R; Fiener, P; Steger, K; Arya, V; Wilken, F; van Geldern, R; Premke, K

2016-02-05

Floating macrophytes, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), are dominant invasive organisms in tropical aquatic systems, and they may play an important role in modifying the gas exchange between water and the atmosphere. However, these systems are underrepresented in global datasets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study investigated the carbon (C) turnover and GHG emissions from a small (0.6 km(2)) water-harvesting lake in South India and analysed the effect of floating macrophytes on these emissions. We measured carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions with gas chambers in the field as well as water C mineralization rates and physicochemical variables in both the open water and in water within stands of water hyacinths. The CO2 and CH4 emissions from areas covered by water hyacinths were reduced by 57% compared with that of open water. However, the C mineralization rates were not significantly different in the water between the two areas. We conclude that the increased invasion of water hyacinths and other floating macrophytes has the potential to change GHG emissions, a process that might be relevant in regional C budgets.

Invasive floating macrophytes reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a small tropical lake

Science.gov (United States)

Attermeyer, K.; Flury, S.; Jayakumar, R.; Fiener, P.; Steger, K.; Arya, V.; Wilken, F.; van Geldern, R.; Premke, K.

2016-02-01

Floating macrophytes, including water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), are dominant invasive organisms in tropical aquatic systems, and they may play an important role in modifying the gas exchange between water and the atmosphere. However, these systems are underrepresented in global datasets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study investigated the carbon (C) turnover and GHG emissions from a small (0.6 km2) water-harvesting lake in South India and analysed the effect of floating macrophytes on these emissions. We measured carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions with gas chambers in the field as well as water C mineralization rates and physicochemical variables in both the open water and in water within stands of water hyacinths. The CO2 and CH4 emissions from areas covered by water hyacinths were reduced by 57% compared with that of open water. However, the C mineralization rates were not significantly different in the water between the two areas. We conclude that the increased invasion of water hyacinths and other floating macrophytes has the potential to change GHG emissions, a process that might be relevant in regional C budgets.

CO2 emissions and financial development in an emerging economy: An augmented VAR approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, Faiza; Riaz, Khalid

2016-01-01

This paper explores the influence of economic and financial development on carbon emissions in a small emerging economy. The study employs ARDL approach to investigate the long run relationship between carbon emissions and a set of economic and financial variables, an Error Correction Model (ECM) to capture the short run dynamics, Granger causality in an augmented VAR framework to check the causality direction, and variance decomposition based on an estimated Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to determine the relative contributions of economic and financial variables to the evolution of per capita carbon emissions. The periods considered were the full sample (1971–2011), and a reduced sample sub-period (1988–2011) that corresponded to greater liberalization and financial sector development. The financial variables played a role in emission mitigation only in the latter period where greater degree of liberalization and financial sector development occurred. Even then the relative magnitude of emissions mitigation attributable to financial variables was much smaller compared to the emissions raising impact of rising per capita incomes. This underscores the need for adopting other mitigation policies for reducing carbon footprints in those emerging economies where a sufficient degree of financial deepening and financial sector development has not yet taken place. - Highlights: • In economies where structural transformation of financial sector is in early stages. • Financial development does not aid in mitigating CO 2 emissions rather it increases it. • CO 2 emissions rise as per capita income rises. • Government should devise comprehensive and realistic mitigation strategies.

Emission characteristics of plastic syringes sterilized with ethylene oxide--a controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chien, Yeh-Chung; Su, Po-Chi; Lee, Lien-Hsiung; Chen, Chang-Yuh

2009-11-01

This study examined the emission characteristics of ethylene oxide (EO)-sterilized syringes under various environmental conditions, aiming to develop control strategies to minimize worker exposure. Experiments were performed in a facility in which temperature, relative humidity (RH), and air change rate (ACR) were controlled. Analytical results indicate that the main effects of the four test variables on kinetic parameters were statistically significant (p Plastic content, temperature, RH, and ACR affected EO emissions. ACR is an achievable means of control; however, the aeration area/system should be isolated to ensure adequate ventilation is achieved.

Temporal variations in methane emissions from emergent aquatic macrophytes in two boreonemoral lakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Milberg, Per; Törnqvist, Lina; Westerberg, Lars M; Bastviken, David

2017-07-01

Methane (CH 4 ) emissions via emergent aquatic macrophytes can contribute substantially to the global CH 4 balance. We addressed temporal variability in CH 4 flux by using the static chamber approach to quantify fluxes from plots dominated by two species considered to differ in flux transport mechanisms ( Phragmites australis , Carex rostrata ). Temporal variability in daily mean emissions from early June to early October was substantial. The variable that best explained this variation was air temperature. Regular and consistent diel changes were absent and therefore less relevant to include when estimating or modelling CH 4 emissions. Methane emissions per m 2 from nearby plots were similar for Phragmites australis and Carex rostrata indicating that CH 4 production in the system influenced emissions more than the species identity. This study indicates that previously observed diel patterns and species-effects on emissions require further evaluation to support improved local and regional CH 4 flux assessments.

The impact of CO2 emissions on economic growth: evidence from selected higher CO2 emissions economies.

Science.gov (United States)

Azam, Muhammad; Khan, Abdul Qayyum; Bin Abdullah, Hussin; Qureshi, Muhammad Ejaz

2016-04-01

The main purpose of this work is to analyze the impact of environmental degradation proxied by CO2 emissions per capita along with some other explanatory variables namely energy use, trade, and human capital on economic growth in selected higher CO2 emissions economies namely China, the USA, India, and Japan. For empirical analysis, annual data over the period spanning between 1971 and 2013 are used. After using relevant and suitable tests for checking data properties, the panel fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) method is employed as an analytical technique for parameter estimation. The panel group FMOLS results reveal that almost all variables are statistically significant, whereby test rejects the null hypotheses of non cointegration, demonstrating that all variables play an important role in affecting the economic growth role across countries. Where two regressors namely CO2 emissions and energy use show significantly negative impacts on economic growth, for trade and human capital, they tend to show the significantly positive impact on economic growth. However, for the individual analysis across countries, the panel estimate suggests that CO2 emissions have a significant positive relationship with economic growth for China, Japan, and the USA, while it is found significantly negative in case of India. The empirical findings of the study suggest that appropriate and prudent policies are required in order to control pollution emerging from areas other than liquefied fuel consumption. The ultimate impact of shrinking pollution will help in supporting sustainable economic growth and maturation as well as largely improve society welfare.

Emissions from carpet combustion in a pilot-scale rotary kiln: comparison with coal and particle-board combustion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stephanie Lucero Konopa; James A. Mulholland; Matthew J. Realff; Paul M. Lemieux [Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States). School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

2008-08-15

The use of post-consumer carpet as a potential fuel substitute in cement kilns and other high-temperature processes is being considered to address the problem of huge volumes of carpet waste and the opportunity of waste-to-energy recovery. Carpet represents a high volume waste stream, provides high energy value, and contains other recoverable materials for the production of cement. This research studied the emission characteristics of burning 0.46-kg charges of chopped nylon carpet squares, pulverized coal, and particle-board pellets in a pilot-scale natural gas-fired rotary kiln. Carpet was tested with different amounts of water added. Emissions of oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxide (NO), sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), carbon monoxide (CO), and total hydrocarbons and temperatures were continuously monitored. It was found that carpet burned faster and more completely than coal and particle board, with a rapid volatile release that resulted in large and variable transient emission peaks. NO emissions from carpet combustion ranged from 0.06 to 0.15 g/MJ and were inversely related to CO emissions. Carpet combustion yielded higher NO emissions than coal and particleboard combustion, consistent with its higher nitrogen content. S{sub 2} emissions were highest for coal combustion, consistent with its higher sulfur content than carpet or particle board. Adding water to carpet slowed its burn time and reduced variability in the emission transients, reducing the CO peak but increasing NO emissions. Results of this study indicate that carpet waste can be used as an effective alternative fuel, with the caveats that it might be necessary to wet carpet or chop it finely to avoid excessive transient puff emissions due to its high volatility compared with other solid fuels, and that controlled mixing of combustion air might be used to control NO emissions from nylon carpet. 13 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on bioinspired self-shape materials

Science.gov (United States)

Athanasopoulos, N.; Siakavellas, N. J.

2015-12-01

Programmable thermal emissivity structures based on the bioinspired self-shape anisotropic materials were developed at macro-scale, and further studied theoretically at smaller scale. We study a novel concept, incorporating materials that are capable of transforming their shape via microstructural rearrangements under temperature stimuli, while avoiding the use of exotic shape memory materials or complex micro-mechanisms. Thus, programmed thermal emissivity behaviour of a surface is achievable. The self-shape structure reacts according to the temperature of the surrounding environment or the radiative heat flux. A surface which incorporates self-shape structures can be designed to quickly absorb radiative heat energy at low temperature levels, but is simultaneously capable of passively controlling its maximum temperature in order to prevent overheating. It resembles a “game” of colours, where two or more materials coexist with different values of thermal emissivity/ absorptivity/ reflectivity. The transformation of the structure conceals or reveals one of the materials, creating a surface with programmable - and therefore, variable- effective thermal emissivity. Variable thermal emissivity surfaces may be developed with a total hemispherical emissivity ratio (ɛEff_H/ɛEff_L) equal to 28.

Remote sensing of trend and seasonal variability of greenhouse gas emissions from the Los Angeles basin using an FTS on Mount Wilson

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, C.; Fu, D.; Pongetti, T. J.; Newman, S.; Yung, Y. L.; Sander, S. P.

2013-12-01

Cities, such as Los Angeles, are significant sources of anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs). With the growth of populations in cities worldwide, GHG emissions will increase, and monitoring the temporal trends will provide crucial data for global climate models as well as assessments of the effectiveness of control policies. Currently, continuous GHG observations in the Los Angeles basin are limited to a few in situ measurements, which are shown to be sensitive to local emissions and do not represent the Los Angeles basin well. To quantify GHG emissions from the metropolitan area, which tend to have heterogeneous characteristics, it is important to perform measurements which provide both continuous temporal and spatial coverage of the domain. Here we present observations of the major greenhouse gases, CO2 and CH4, using a spectroscopic remote sensing technique from the California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CLARS) at Mount Wilson, California (1.7 km elevation). A Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) deployed at the CLARS site points downward at 28 selected land surfaces in the Los Angeles basin to measure the slant column abundances of CO2, CH4, N2O, CO and O2 using reflected sunlight in the near-infrared and shortwave infrared regions. This remote sensing technique provides continuous temporal and spatial measurements in the Los Angeles basin to achieve the goal of quantifying emissions of GHGs and CO. It also serves as a test-bed for future geostationary satellite missions to measure GHGs from space such as JPL's Geostationary Carbon Process Investigation (GCPI). The path-averaged dry-air mixing ratio, XCO2 and XCH4, observed by the CLARS FTS, show significant diurnal variability that arises from emissions in the Los Angeles basin and atmospheric transport processes. High-precision data have been collected since August 2011. Here we analyze the annual and seasonal trend of the ratio XCH4:XCO2 in the Los Angeles basin observed by the CLARS FTS from

A predictive analysis of CO2 emissions, environmental policy stringency, and economic growth in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Khalid; Ahmed, Sidrah

2018-03-28

This study takes environmental policy stringency and economic activity as the controlling variables and forecasts the CO 2 emissions in China up to 2022. In doing so, an application of corrected grey model with convolution is used over the annual time series data between 1990 and 2012. The simulation results show that (1) between 2012 and 2022, CO 2 emissions in China is expected to increase at an average rate of 17.46% annually, raising the emissions intensity from 7.04 in 2012 to 25.461 metric tons per capita by 2022; (2) stringent environmental policies reduce CO 2 emissions-whereas, GDP tends to increase the emissions intensity in China; (3) stringent environmental policies are found to have a negative impact on GDP in China. Based on the empirical findings, the study also provides some policy suggestions to reduce emissions intensity in China.

EMISSION AND COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT FUELS IN A HCCI ENGINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sendilvelan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Different intake valve timings and fuel injection amounts were tested in order to identify their effects on exhaust emissions and combustion characteristics using variable valve actuation (VVA in a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI engine. The HCCI engine is a promising concept for future automobile engines and stationary power plants. The two-stage ignition process in a HCCI engine creates advanced ignition and stratified combustion, which makes the ignition timing and combustion rate controllable. Meanwhile, the periphery of the fuel-rich zone leads to fierce burning, which results in slightly high NOx emissions. The experiments were conducted in a modified single cylinder water-cooled diesel engine. In this experiment we use diesel, bio-diesel (Jatropha and gasoline as the fuel at different mixing ratios. HCCI has advantages in high thermal efficiency and low emissions and could possibly become a promising combustion method in internal combustion engines.

The emission abatement policy paradox in Australia: evidence from energy-emission nexus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Khalid; Ozturk, Ilhan

2016-09-01

This paper attempts to investigate the emissions embodied in Australia's economic growth and disaggregate primary energy sources used for electricity production. Using time series data over the period of 1990-2012, the ARDL bounds test approach to cointegration technique is applied to test the long-run association among the underlying variables. The regression results validate the long-run equilibrium relationship among all vectors and confirm that CO2 emissions, economic growth, and disaggregate primary energy consumption impact each other in the long-run path. Afterwards, the long- and short-run analyses are conducted using error correction model. The results show that economic growth, coal, oil, gas, and hydro energy sources have positive and statistically significant impact on CO2 emissions both in long and short run, with an exception of renewables which has negative impact only in the long run. The results conclude that Australia faces wide gap between emission abatement policies and targets. The country still relies on emission intensive fossil fuels (i.e., coal and oil) to meet the indigenous electricity demand.

Global variability of cloud condensation nuclei concentrations

Science.gov (United States)

Makkonen, Risto; Krüger, Olaf

2017-04-01

Atmospheric aerosols can influence cloud optical and dynamical processes by acting as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Globally, these indirect aerosol effects are significant to the radiative budget as well as a source of high uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing. While historically many global climate models have fixed CCN concentrations to a certain level, most state-of-the-art models calculate aerosol-cloud interactions with sophisticated methodologies based on interactively simulated aerosol size distributions. However, due to scarcity of atmospheric observations simulated global CCN concentrations remain poorly constrained. Here we assess global CCN variability with a climate model, and attribute potential trends during 2000-2010 to changes in emissions and meteorological fields. Here we have used ECHAM5.5-HAM2 with model M7 microphysical aerosol model. The model has been upgraded with a secondary organic aerosol (SOA) scheme including ELVOCs. Dust and sea salt emissions are calculated online, based on wind speed and hydrology. Each experiment is 11 years, analysed after a 6-month spin-up period. The MODIS CCN product (Terra platform) is used to evaluate model performance throughout 2000-2010. While optical remote observation of CCN column includes several deficiencies, the products serves as a proxy for changes during the simulation period. In our analysis we utilize the observed and simulated vertical column integrated CCN concentration, and limit our analysis only over marine regions. Simulated annual CCN column densities reach 2ṡ108 cm-2 near strong source regions in central Africa, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal and China sea. The spatial concentration gradient in CCN(0.2%) is steep, and column densities drop to coasts. While the spatial distribution of CCN at 0.2% supersaturation is closer to that of MODIS proxy, as opposed to 1.0% supersaturation, the overall column integrated CCN are too low. Still, we can compare the relative response of CCN

Genetic Algorithm Based Microscale Vehicle Emissions Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sicong Zhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is a need to match emission estimations accuracy with the outputs of transport models. The overall error rate in long-term traffic forecasts resulting from strategic transport models is likely to be significant. Microsimulation models, whilst high-resolution in nature, may have similar measurement errors if they use the outputs of strategic models to obtain traffic demand predictions. At the microlevel, this paper discusses the limitations of existing emissions estimation approaches. Emission models for predicting emission pollutants other than CO2 are proposed. A genetic algorithm approach is adopted to select the predicting variables for the black box model. The approach is capable of solving combinatorial optimization problems. Overall, the emission prediction results reveal that the proposed new models outperform conventional equations in terms of accuracy and robustness.

A Nonparametric Bayesian Approach For Emission Tomography Reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barat, Eric; Dautremer, Thomas

2007-01-01

We introduce a PET reconstruction algorithm following a nonparametric Bayesian (NPB) approach. In contrast with Expectation Maximization (EM), the proposed technique does not rely on any space discretization. Namely, the activity distribution--normalized emission intensity of the spatial poisson process--is considered as a spatial probability density and observations are the projections of random emissions whose distribution has to be estimated. This approach is nonparametric in the sense that the quantity of interest belongs to the set of probability measures on R k (for reconstruction in k-dimensions) and it is Bayesian in the sense that we define a prior directly on this spatial measure. In this context, we propose to model the nonparametric probability density as an infinite mixture of multivariate normal distributions. As a prior for this mixture we consider a Dirichlet Process Mixture (DPM) with a Normal-Inverse Wishart (NIW) model as base distribution of the Dirichlet Process. As in EM-family reconstruction, we use a data augmentation scheme where the set of hidden variables are the emission locations for each observed line of response in the continuous object space. Thanks to the data augmentation, we propose a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm (Gibbs sampler) which is able to generate draws from the posterior distribution of the spatial intensity. A difference with EM is that one step of the Gibbs sampler corresponds to the generation of emission locations while only the expected number of emissions per pixel/voxel is used in EM. Another key difference is that the estimated spatial intensity is a continuous function such that there is no need to compute a projection matrix. Finally, draws from the intensity posterior distribution allow the estimation of posterior functionnals like the variance or confidence intervals. Results are presented for simulated data based on a 2D brain phantom and compared to Bayesian MAP-EM

A method for measuring particle number emissions from vehicles driving on the road.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, J P; Harrison, R M; Evans, D E; Alam, A; Barnes, C; Carter, G

2002-01-01

Earlier research has demonstrated that the conditions of dilution of engine exhaust gases profoundly influence the size distribution and total number of particles emitted. Since real world dilution conditions are variable and therefore difficult to simulate, this research has sought to develop and validate a method for measuring particle number emissions from vehicles driving past on a road. This has been achieved successfully using carbon dioxide as a tracer of exhaust gas dilution. By subsequent adjustment of data to a constant dilution factor, it is possible to compare emissions from different vehicles using different technologies and fuels based upon real world emission data. Whilst further optimisation of the technique, especially in terms of matching the instrument response times is desirable, the measurements offer useful insights into emissions from gasoline and diesel vehicles, and the substantial proportion of particles emitted in the 3-7 nanometre size range.

A mechanism for solar ultraviolet flux variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schatten, K.H.; Heath, D.F.

1981-01-01

Solar UV emission observed by a filter photometer on Nimbus IV from 1969 to 1973 is examined in an attempt to understand the short term (27 day) and secular variability. Two models are discussed to explain the variations - a calcium plage model and a chromospheric network (faculae and spicule) structure model. Both relate to the remnant magnetic fields of active regions. An association between UV brightenings and the large scale magnetic field has been found consistent with the network model. An increase in UV emittance can be achieved by raising the effective chromospheric temperature closer to a photospheric level. If the Sun's luminosity is constant on these time intervals the enhanced UV radiation could be partially offset by an overall decrease in photospheric temperature as measured by Livingston in visible photospheric profiles. Total solar luminosity may then show less variability, however, the UV to visible luminosity variation may have significant planetary influences. Lockwood and Thompson (1979) report a relation between solar activity and planetary albedos, and Schatten (1979) discussed a long-suspected relationship between solar activity and the Great Red Spot appearance. (orig.)

Comparative study on performances of a continuously variable transmission used in two different powertrain architectures

Science.gov (United States)

Sibiceanu, A. R.; Ivan, F.; Nicolae, V.; Iorga, A.; Cioroianu, C.

2017-08-01

Given the importance of reducing carbon emissions from road transport, price and security of oil supply, hybrid electric vehicle can provide a viable alternative solution to conventional vehicles, equipped with thermal engines, which use fossil fuels. Based on the growing trends of new vehicles sales, which include hybrid and electric vehicles closely associated with their use in terms of harmful emissions, strict regulations are established. In this paper were created models of thermal and hybrid electric powertrains groups, using computer simulation program AVL Cruise, making a comparative study using petroleum fuels for continuously variable transmission. The results obtained highlights both fuel consumption as well as pollutant emissions.

Emissions tradeoffs associated with cofiring forest biomass with coal: A case study in Colorado, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Dan Loeffler; Nathaniel Anderson

2014-01-01

Cofiring forest biomass residues with coal to generate electricity is often cited for its potential to offset fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the extent to which cofiring achieves these objectives is highly dependent on case specific variables. This paper uses facility and forest specific data to examine emissions from cofiring forest biomass with...

Spatio-temporal variation in soil derived nitrous oxide emissions under sugarcane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Xiaodong; Grace, Peter; Mengersen, Kerrie; Weier, Keith

2011-01-01

Nitrous oxide (N 2 O) is a significant greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 300 times than that of carbon dioxide. Soil derived N 2 O emissions usually display a high degree of spatial and temporal variability because of their dependence on soil chemical and physical properties, and climate dependent environmental factors. However, there is little research that incorporates spatial dependence in the estimation of N 2 O emissions allowing for environmental factors in the same model. This study aims to examine the impact of two environmental factors (soil temperature and soil moisture) on N 2 O emissions and explore the spatial structure of N 2 O in the sub-tropical South East Queensland region of Australia. The replicated data on N 2 O emissions and soil properties were collected at a typical sugarcane land site covering 25 uniform grid points across 3600 m 2 between October 2007 and September 2008. A Bayesian conditional autoregressive (CAR) model was used to model spatial dependence. Results showed that soil moisture and soil temperature appeared to have substantially different effects on N 2 O emissions after taking spatial dependence into account in the four seasons. There was a substantial variation in the spatial distribution of N 2 O emission in the different seasons. The high N 2 O emission regions were accompanied by high uncertainty and changed in varying seasons in this study site. Spatial CAR models might be more plausible to elucidate and account for the uncertainty arising from unclear variables and spatial variability in the assessment of N 2 O emissions in soils, and more accurately identify relationships with key environmental factors and help to reduce the uncertainty of the soil parameters. - Highlights: → Soil moisture and soil temperature have substantially different effects on N 2 O emissions across four seasons of emissions. → High N 2 O emissions were associated with high uncertainty and varied between seasons. �

Scaling laws for perturbations in the ocean-atmosphere system following large CO2 emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Towles, N.; Olson, P.; Gnanadesikan, A.

2015-07-01

Scaling relationships are found for perturbations to atmosphere and ocean variables from large transient CO2 emissions. Using the Long-term Ocean-atmosphere-Sediment CArbon cycle Reservoir (LOSCAR) model (Zeebe et al., 2009; Zeebe, 2012b), we calculate perturbations to atmosphere temperature, total carbon, ocean temperature, total ocean carbon, pH, alkalinity, marine-sediment carbon, and carbon-13 isotope anomalies in the ocean and atmosphere resulting from idealized CO2 emission events. The peak perturbations in the atmosphere and ocean variables are then fit to power law functions of the form of γ DαEβ, where D is the event duration, E is its total carbon emission, and γ is a coefficient. Good power law fits are obtained for most system variables for E up to 50 000 PgC and D up to 100 kyr. Although all of the peak perturbations increase with emission rate E/D, we find no evidence of emission-rate-only scaling, α + β = 0. Instead, our scaling yields α + β ≃ 1 for total ocean and atmosphere carbon and 0 < α + β < 1 for most of the other system variables.

Scaling laws for perturbations in the ocean–atmosphere system following large CO2 emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Towles

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Scaling relationships are found for perturbations to atmosphere and ocean variables from large transient CO2 emissions. Using the Long-term Ocean-atmosphere-Sediment CArbon cycle Reservoir (LOSCAR model (Zeebe et al., 2009; Zeebe, 2012b, we calculate perturbations to atmosphere temperature, total carbon, ocean temperature, total ocean carbon, pH, alkalinity, marine-sediment carbon, and carbon-13 isotope anomalies in the ocean and atmosphere resulting from idealized CO2 emission events. The peak perturbations in the atmosphere and ocean variables are then fit to power law functions of the form of γ DαEβ, where D is the event duration, E is its total carbon emission, and γ is a coefficient. Good power law fits are obtained for most system variables for E up to 50 000 PgC and D up to 100 kyr. Although all of the peak perturbations increase with emission rate E/D, we find no evidence of emission-rate-only scaling, α + β = 0. Instead, our scaling yields α + β ≃ 1 for total ocean and atmosphere carbon and 0 < α + β < 1 for most of the other system variables.

Variably insulating portable heater/cooler

Science.gov (United States)

Potter, T.F.

1998-09-29

A compact vacuum insulation panel is described comprising a chamber enclosed by two sheets of metal, glass-like spaces disposed in the chamber between the sidewalls, and a high-grade vacuum in the chamber includes apparatus and methods for enabling and disabling, or turning ``on`` and ``off`` the thermal insulating capability of the panel. One type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a metal hydride for releasing hydrogen gas into the chamber in response to heat, and a hydrogen grate between the metal hydride and the chamber for selectively preventing and allowing return of the hydrogen gas to the metal hydride. Another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a variable emissivity coating on the sheets of metal in which the emissivity is controllably variable by heat or electricity. Still another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes metal-to-metal contact devices that can be actuated to establish or break metal-to-metal heat paths or thermal short circuits between the metal sidewalls. 25 figs.

Volatile diterpene emission by two Mediterranean Cistaceae shrubs.

Science.gov (United States)

Yáñez-Serrano, A M; Fasbender, L; Kreuzwieser, J; Dubbert, D; Haberstroh, S; Lobo-do-Vale, R; Caldeira, M C; Werner, C

2018-05-01

Mediterranean vegetation emits a wide range of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) among which isoprenoids present quantitatively the most important compound class. Here, we investigated the isoprenoid emission from two Mediterranean Cistaceae shrubs, Halimium halimifolium and Cistus ladanifer, under controlled and natural conditions, respectively. For the first time, diurnal emission patterns of the diterpene kaurene were detected in real-time by Proton-Transfer-Reaction-Time-of-Flight-Mass-Spectrometer. Kaurene emissions were strongly variable among H. halimifolium plants, ranging from 0.01 ± 0.003 to 0.06 ± 0.01 nmol m -2 s -1 in low and high emitting individuals, respectively. They were in the same order of magnitude as monoterpene (0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.11 ± 0.04 nmol m -2 s -1 ) and sesquiterpene (0.01 ± 0.01 to 0.52 nmol m -2 s -1 ) emission rates. Comparable range and variability was found for C. ladanifer under natural conditions. Labelling with 13 C-pyruvate suggested that emitted kaurene was not derived from de novo biosynthesis. The high kaurene content in leaves, the weak relationship with ecophysiological parameters and the tendency of higher emissions with increasing temperatures in the field indicate an emission from storage pools. This study highlights significant emissions of kaurene from two Mediterranean shrub species, indicating that the release of diterpenes into the atmosphere should probably deserve more attention in the future.

Monthly and spatially resolved black carbon emission inventory of India: uncertainty analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

U. Paliwal

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Black carbon (BC emissions from India for the year 2011 are estimated to be 901.11 ± 151.56 Gg yr−1 based on a new ground-up, GIS-based inventory. The grid-based, spatially resolved emission inventory includes, in addition to conventional sources, emissions from kerosene lamps, forest fires, diesel-powered irrigation pumps and electricity generators at mobile towers. The emissions have been estimated at district level and were spatially distributed onto grids at a resolution of 40 × 40 km2. The uncertainty in emissions has been estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation by considering the variability in activity data and emission factors. Monthly variation of BC emissions has also been estimated to account for the seasonal variability. To the total BC emissions, domestic fuels contributed most significantly (47 %, followed by industry (22 %, transport (17 %, open burning (12 % and others (2 %. The spatial and seasonal resolution of the inventory will be useful for modeling BC transport in the atmosphere for air quality, global warming and other process-level studies that require greater temporal resolution than traditional inventories.

The influence of biomass energy consumption on CO2 emissions: a wavelet coherence approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgili, Faik; Öztürk, İlhan; Koçak, Emrah; Bulut, Ümit; Pamuk, Yalçın; Muğaloğlu, Erhan; Bağlıtaş, Hayriye H

2016-10-01

In terms of today, one may argue, throughout observations from energy literature papers, that (i) one of the main contributors of the global warming is carbon dioxide emissions, (ii) the fossil fuel energy usage greatly contributes to the carbon dioxide emissions, and (iii) the simulations from energy models attract the attention of policy makers to renewable energy as alternative energy source to mitigate the carbon dioxide emissions. Although there appears to be intensive renewable energy works in the related literature regarding renewables' efficiency/impact on environmental quality, a researcher might still need to follow further studies to review the significance of renewables in the environment since (i) the existing seminal papers employ time series models and/or panel data models or some other statistical observation to detect the role of renewables in the environment and (ii) existing papers consider mostly aggregated renewable energy source rather than examining the major component(s) of aggregated renewables. This paper attempted to examine clearly the impact of biomass on carbon dioxide emissions in detail through time series and frequency analyses. Hence, the paper follows wavelet coherence analyses. The data covers the US monthly observations ranging from 1984:1 to 2015 for the variables of total energy carbon dioxide emissions, biomass energy consumption, coal consumption, petroleum consumption, and natural gas consumption. The paper thus, throughout wavelet coherence and wavelet partial coherence analyses, observes frequency properties as well as time series properties of relevant variables to reveal the possible significant influence of biomass usage on the emissions in the USA in both the short-term and the long-term cycles. The paper also reveals, finally, that the biomass consumption mitigates CO2 emissions in the long run cycles after the year 2005 in the USA.

Formaldehyde, methanol and hydrocarbon emissions from methanol-fueled cars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.L.; Lipari, F.; Potter, R.A.

1990-01-01

Exhaust and evaporative emissions tests were conducted on several methanol- and gasoline-fueled vehicles. Separate samples for chromatographic analysis of formaldehyde, methanol, and individual hydrocarbons were collected in each of the three phases of the driving cycle and in each of the two portions of the evaporative emissions test. One vehicle, equipped with an experimental variable-fuel engine, was tested using methanol/gasoline fuel mixtures of 100, 85, 50, 15, and 0 percent methanol. Combustion-generated hydrocarbons were lowest using methanol fuel, and increased several-fold as the gasoline fraction was increased. Gasoline components in the exhaust increased from zero as the gasoline fraction of the fuel was increased. On the other hand, formaldehyde emissions were several times higher using methanol fuel than they were using gasoline. A dedicated methanol car and the variable-fuel car gave similar emissions patterns when they both were tested using methanol fuel. The organic-carbon composition of the exhaust was 85-90 percent methanol, 5-7 percent formaldehyde, and 3-9 percent hydrocarbons. Several cars that were tested using gasoline emitted similar distributions of hydrocarbons, even through the vehicles represented a broad range of current and developmental engine families and emissions control systems

The contribution of hydroxylamine content to spatial variability of N2O formation in soil of a Norway spruce forest

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shurong; Herbst, Michael; Bol, Roland; Gottselig, Nina; Pütz, Thomas; Weymann, Daniel; Wiekenkamp, Inge; Vereecken, Harry; Brüggemann, Nicolas

2016-04-01

Hydroxylamine (NH2OH), a reactive intermediate of several microbial nitrogen turnover processes, is a potential precursor of nitrous oxide (N2O) formation in the soil. However, the contribution of soil NH2OH to soil N2O emission rates in natural ecosystems is unclear. Here, we determined the spatial variability of NH2OH content and potential N2O emission rates of organic (Oh) and mineral (Ah) soil layers of a Norway spruce forest, using a recently developed analytical method for the determination of soil NH2OH content, combined with a geostatistical Kriging approach. Potential soil N2O emission rates were determined by laboratory incubations under oxic conditions, followed by gas chromatographic analysis and complemented by ancillary measurements of soil characteristics. Stepwise multiple regressions demonstrated that the potential N2O emission rates, NH2OH and nitrate (NO3-) content were spatially highly correlated, with hotspots for all three parameters observed in the headwater of a small creek flowing through the sampling area. In contrast, soil ammonium (NH4+) was only weakly correlated with potential N2O emission rates, and was excluded from the multiple regression models. While soil NH2OH content explained the potential soil N2O emission rates best for both layers, also NO3- and Mn content turned out to be significant parameters explaining N2O formation in both soil layers. The Kriging approach was improved markedly by the addition of the co-variable information of soil NH2OH and NO3- content. The results indicate that determination of soil NH2OH content could provide crucial information for the prediction of the spatial variability of soil N2O emissions.

NuSTAR detection of high-energy X-ray emission and rapid variability from sagittarius A* flares

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barrière, Nicolas M.; Tomsick, John A.; Baganoff, Frederick K.

2014-01-01

Sagittarius A* harbors the supermassive black hole that lies at the dynamical center of our Galaxy. Sagittarius A* spends most of its time in a low luminosity emission state but flares frequently in the infrared and X-ray, increasing up to a few hundred fold in brightness for up to a few hours at...

Energy consumption, pollutant emissions and economic growth in South Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menyah, Kojo [London Metropolitan Business School, London Metropolitan University (United Kingdom); Wolde-Rufael, Yemane [Independent Researcher (United Kingdom)

2010-11-15

This paper examines the long-run and the causal relationship between economic growth, pollutant emissions and energy consumption for South Africa for the period 1965-2006 in a multivariate framework which includes labour and capital as additional variables. Using the bound test approach to cointegration, we found a short-run as well as a long-run relationship among the variables with a positive and a statistically significant relationship between pollutant emissions and economic growth. Further, applying a modified version of the Granger causality test we also found a unidirectional causality running from pollutant emissions to economic growth; from energy consumption to economic growth and from energy consumption to CO{sub 2} emissions all without a feedback. The econometric evidence suggests that South Africa has to sacrifice economic growth or reduce its energy consumption per unit of output or both in order to reduce pollutant emissions. In the long-run however, it is possible to meet the energy needs of the country and at the same time reduce CO{sub 2} emissions by developing energy alternatives to coal, the main source of CO{sub 2} emissions. However, the econometric results upon which the policy suggestions are made should be interpreted with care, as they may not be sufficiently robust enough to categorically warrant the choice of an unpalatable policy option by South Africa. (author)

Estimating future energy use and CO2 emissions of the world's cities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Shweta; Kennedy, Chris

2015-01-01

This paper develops a tool for estimating energy-related CO 2 emissions from the world's cities based on regression models. The models are developed considering climatic (heating-degree-days) and urban design (land area per person) independent variables. The tool is applied on 3646 urban areas for estimating impacts on urban emissions of a) global transitioning to Electric Vehicles, b) urban density change and c) IPCC climate change scenarios. Results show that urban density decline can lead to significant increase in energy emissions (upto 346% in electricity & 428% in transportation at 2% density decline by 2050). Among the IPCC climate scenarios tested, A1B is the most effective in reducing growth of emissions (upto 12% in electricity & 35% in heating). The tool can further be improved by including more data in the regression models along with inclusion of other relevant emissions and climatic variables. - Highlights: • A tool for estimation of energy related emissions for urban areas is developed. • Heating degree days and urbanized area per capita are driving variables for urban energy consumption. • Global transition to EVs can only mitigate transportation emissions if GHG intensity of electricity grid is reduced. • Density decline of urban areas can lead to exponential increase of energy related emissions. • Climate change scenarios can slightly reduce the growth of energy related emissions increase by 2050. - A tool for estimation of global impact of urban systems on energy related emissions was developed that can simulate the impact of future scenarios (climate change, urban design etc)

Future reef decalcification under a business-as-usual CO2 emission scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Dove, Sophie G; Kline, David I; Pantos, Olga; Angly, Florent E; Tyson, Gene W; Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove

2013-09-17

Increasing atmospheric partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) is a major threat to coral reefs, but some argue that the threat is mitigated by factors such as the variability in the response of coral calcification to acidification, differences in bleaching susceptibility, and the potential for rapid adaptation to anthropogenic warming. However the evidence for these mitigating factors tends to involve experimental studies on corals, as opposed to coral reefs, and rarely includes the influence of multiple variables (e.g., temperature and acidification) within regimes that include diurnal and seasonal variability. Here, we demonstrate that the inclusion of all these factors results in the decalcification of patch-reefs under business-as-usual scenarios and reduced, although positive, calcification under reduced-emission scenarios. Primary productivity was found to remain constant across all scenarios, despite significant bleaching and coral mortality under both future scenarios. Daylight calcification decreased and nocturnal decalcification increased sharply from the preindustrial and control conditions to the future scenarios of low (reduced emissions) and high (business-as-usual) increases in pCO2. These changes coincided with deeply negative carbonate budgets, a shift toward smaller carbonate sediments, and an increase in the abundance of sediment microbes under the business-as-usual emission scenario. Experimental coral reefs demonstrated highest net calcification rates and lowest rates of coral mortality under preindustrial conditions, suggesting that reef processes may not have been able to keep pace with the relatively minor environmental changes that have occurred during the last century. Taken together, our results have serious implications for the future of coral reefs under business-as-usual environmental changes projected for the coming decades and century.

Emission from power plants 1989-1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1999-01-01

Emissions from power plants consist of several substances with different environmental effects. Most important is emission of CO 2 ,SO 2 and NO x . The actual emission of CO 2 declined from 33 million ton in 1997 to 29 million ton in 1998, while the corrected emission of CO 2 declined from 27 million ton to 26 million ton. The primary cause to the decline in the actual emission of CO 2 is the constant changing of the energy consumption from coal towards natural gas. The corrected emission of CO 2 increased a little from 1989 to 1991, but has declined since 1991. The actual emission of CO 2 has been more variable, which especially reflects the fluctuating import and export of electricity. The actual emission of SO 2 has in the period varied, but the tendency is declining emission of SO 2 . In the years 1991 and 1996 the actual emission of SO 2 increased, these being the years where the net export of electricity increased. The corrected emission of SO 2 has generally declined during the period. The actual emission of NO x has varied during the period, but the tendency is declining emission. Emission of NO x has been large this year with large electricity export. Correction the emission for net import and export of electricity the NO x emission has declined during 1989-1998. The corrected emission of NO x has declined 54 % during the period 1989-1998. The reason is primary the usage of low NO x burners. (EHS)

INVESTIGATING BROADBAND VARIABILITY OF THE TeV BLAZAR 1ES 1959+650

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aliu, E.; Archambault, S.; Arlen, T.; Aune, T.; Barnacka, A.; Beilicke, M.; Buckley, J. H.; Bugaev, V.; Benbow, W.; Cerruti, M.; Berger, K.; Bird, R.; Collins-Hughes, E.; Bouvier, A.; Chen, X.; Ciupik, L.; Connolly, M. P.; Cui, W.; Dumm, J.; Eisch, J. D.

2014-01-01

We summarize broadband observations of the TeV-emitting blazar 1ES 1959+650, including optical R-band observations by the robotic telescopes Super-LOTIS and iTelescope, UV observations by Swift Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope, X-ray observations by the Swift X-ray Telescope, high-energy gamma-ray observations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope, and very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray observations by VERITAS above 315 GeV, all taken between 2012 April 17 and 2012 June 1 (MJD 56034 and 56079). The contemporaneous variability of the broadband spectral energy distribution is explored in the context of a simple synchrotron self Compton (SSC) model. In the SSC emission scenario, we find that the parameters required to represent the high state are significantly different than those in the low state. Motivated by possible evidence of gas in the vicinity of the blazar, we also investigate a reflected emission model to describe the observed variability pattern. This model assumes that the non-thermal emission from the jet is reflected by a nearby cloud of gas, allowing the reflected emission to re-enter the blob and produce an elevated gamma-ray state with no simultaneous elevated synchrotron flux. The model applied here, although not required to explain the observed variability pattern, represents one possible scenario which can describe the observations. As applied to an elevated VHE state of 66% of the Crab Nebula flux, observed on a single night during the observation period, the reflected emission scenario does not support a purely leptonic non-thermal emission mechanism. The reflected emission model does, however, predict a reflected photon field with sufficient energy to enable elevated gamma-ray emission via pion production with protons of energies between 10 and 100 TeV

Surface-Air Mercury Fluxes Across Western North America: A Synthesis of Spatial Trends and Controlling Variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckley, C.; Tate, M.; Lin, C. J.; Gustin, M. S.; Dent, S.; Eagles-Smith, C.; Lutz, M.; Wickland, K.; Wang, B.; Gray, J.; Edwards, G. C.; Krabbenhoft, D. P.; Smith, D. B.

2016-12-01

Mercury (Hg) emission and deposition can occur to and from soils and are an important component of the global atmospheric Hg budget. This presentation focuses on synthesizing existing surface-air Hg flux data collected throughout the Western North American region and is part of a series of geographically focused Hg synthesis projects. A database of existing Hg flux data collected using the dynamic flux chamber (DFC) approach from almost a thousand locations was created for the Western North America region. Statistical analysis was performed on the data to identify the important variables controlling Hg fluxes and to allow spatiotemporal scaling. The results indicated that most of the variability in soil-air Hg fluxes could be explained by variations in soil-Hg concentrations, solar radiation, and soil moisture. This analysis also identified that variations in DFC methodological approaches were detectable among the field studies, with the chamber material and sampling flushing flow rate influencing the magnitude of calculated emissions. The spatiotemporal scaling of soil-air Hg fluxes identified that the largest emissions occurred from irrigated agricultural landscapes in California. Vegetation was shown to have a large impact on surface-air Hg fluxes due to both a reduction in solar radiation reaching the soil as well as from direct uptake of Hg in foliage. Despite high soil Hg emissions from some forested and other heavily vegetated regions, the net ecosystem flux (soil flux + vegetation uptake) was low. Conversely, sparsely vegetated regions showed larger net ecosystem emissions, which were similar in magnitude to atmospheric Hg deposition (except for the Mediterranean California region where soil emissions were higher). The net ecosystem flux results highlight the important role of landscape characteristics in effecting the balance between Hg sequestration and (re-)emission to the atmosphere.

Surface-air mercury fluxes across Western North America: A synthesis of spatial trends and controlling variables

Science.gov (United States)

Eckley, Chris S.; Tate, Michael T.; Lin, Che-Jen; Gustin, Mae S.; Dent, Stephen; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Lutz, Michelle A; Wickland, Kimberly; Wang, Bronwen; Gray, John E.; Edwards, Grant; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Smith, David

2016-01-01

Mercury (Hg) emission and deposition can occur to and from soils, and are an important component of the global atmospheric Hg budget. This paper focuses on synthesizing existing surface-air Hg flux data collected throughout the Western North American region and is part of a series of geographically focused Hg synthesis projects. A database of existing Hg flux data collected using the dynamic flux chamber (DFC) approach from almost a thousand locations was created for the Western North America region. Statistical analysis was performed on the data to identify the important variables controlling Hg fluxes and to allow spatiotemporal scaling. The results indicated that most of the variability in soil-air Hg fluxes could be explained by variations in soil-Hg concentrations, solar radiation, and soil moisture. This analysis also identified that variations in DFC methodological approaches were detectable among the field studies, with the chamber material and sampling flushing flow rate influencing the magnitude of calculated emissions. The spatiotemporal scaling of soil-air Hg fluxes identified that the largest emissions occurred from irrigated agricultural landscapes in California. Vegetation was shown to have a large impact on surface-air Hg fluxes due to both a reduction in solar radiation reaching the soil as well as from direct uptake of Hg in foliage. Despite high soil Hg emissions from some forested and other heavily vegetated regions, the net ecosystem flux (soil flux + vegetation uptake) was low. Conversely, sparsely vegetated regions showed larger net ecosystem emissions, which were similar in magnitude to atmospheric Hg deposition (except for the Mediterranean California region where soil emissions were higher). The net ecosystem flux results highlight the important role of landscape characteristics in effecting the balance between Hg sequestration and (re-)emission to the atmosphere.

The Use of Satellite Data to Relate Waterbody Surface Area and Temperature to Greenhouse Gas Emissions Across a Subarctic Landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Herrick, C.; Palace, M. W.; Wik, M.; Burke, S. A.; Varner, R. K.

2017-12-01

High latitude lakes and ponds are significant sources of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission. Increased near-surface air temperature has linked these water bodies to large increases in methane emissions due to longer ice-free seasons, impacting climate change and further changing air temperature as a feedback mechanism. The impacts of changes in lake surface temperatures cannot be assessed until we know more about the baseline mechanistic biogeochemical controls that influence these emissions. Using a combination of image-based atmospheric corrections and image fusion models, thermal data from Landsat and MODIS satellites were used to characterize the temperature regimes of artic lakes in northern Sweden. This analysis provides insight into the temporal attributes of individual lakes in regard to temperature shifts and variability, as well as provides a rich temporal dataset where in situ temperature data is unavailable. Field-based measurements of temperature and associated methane release were used for calibration and correlation. This enabled the creation of emissions estimates over the broader pan-arctic landscape, including inter-seasonal and inter-annual variabilities. The result is a multi-year snapshot of temperature and emissions, allowing for future estimates of greenhouse gas emissions.

Characteristics of Biogenic VOCs Emission and its High-Resolution Emission Inventory in China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, L.; Li, Y.; Xie, S.

2017-12-01

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), with high emission and reactivity, can have substantial impacts on the haze and photochemical pollution. It is essential to establish an accurate high-resolution BVOC emission inventory in China for air quality simulation and decision making. Firstly, a semi-static enclosure technique is developed for the field measurements of BVOC emission rates from 50 plant species in China. Using the GC-MS/FID system, 103 VOC species for each plant species are measured. Based on the field measurements in our study and the reported emission rates at home and abroad, a methodology for determining the emission categories of BVOCs is developed using statistical analysis. The isoprene and monoterpene emission rates of 192 plant species/genera in China are determined based on the above emission categories. Secondly, a new vegetation classification with 82 plant functional types (PFTs) is developed based on the most detailed and latest vegetation investigations, China's official statistical data and Vegetation Atlas of China (1:1,000,000). The leaf biomass is estimated based on provincial vegetation volume and production with biomass-apportion models. The WRF model is used to determine meteorological variables at a high spatio-temporal resolution. Using MEAGNv2.1 and the determined emission rates in our study, the high-resolution emission inventories of isoprene, 37 monoterpene species, 32 sesquiterpene species, and other VOCs (OVOCs) from 82 PFTs in China for 1981-2013 are established. The total annual BVOC emissions in 2013 are 55.88 Tg, including 33.87 Tg isoprene, 6.36 Tg monoterpene, 1.29 Tg sesquiterpene, and 14.37 Tg OVOCs. The distribution of isoprene emission fluxes is consistent with the distribution of broadleaf trees, especially tree species with high or higher emission potential. During 1981-2013, China's BVOC emissions have increased by 47.48% at an average rate of 1.80% yr-1. Emissions of isoprene have the largest enhancement

Variability of OH rotational temperatures on time scales from hours to 15 years by kinetic temperature variations, emission layer changes, and non-LTE effects

Science.gov (United States)

Noll, Stefan

2016-07-01

Rotational temperatures derived from hydroxyl (OH) line emission are frequently used to study atmospheric temperatures at altitudes of about 87 km. While the measurement only requires intensities of a few bright lines of an OH band, the interpretation can be complicated. Ground-based temperatures are averages for the entire, typically 8 km wide emission layer. Variations in the rotational temperature are then caused by changes of the kinetic temperature and the OH emission profile. The latter can also be accompanied by differences in the layer-averaged efficiency of the thermalisation of the OH rotational level populations. Since this especially depends on the frequency of collisions with O_2, which is low at high altitudes, the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) contribution to the measured temperatures can be significant and variable. In order to understand the impact of the different sources of OH rotational temperature variations from time scales of hours to a solar cycle, we have studied spectra from the astronomical echelle spectrographs X-shooter and UVES located at Cerro Paranal in Chile. While the X-shooter data spanning 3.5 years allowed us to measure temperatures for 25 OH and two O_2 bands, the UVES spectra cover no more than 10 OH bands simultaneously but a period of about 15 years. These data have been complemented by kinetic temperature and OH and O_2 emission profiles from the multi-channel radiometer SABER on the TIMED satellite. Taking the O_2 and SABER kinetic temperatures as reference and considering the different band-dependent emission profiles, we could evaluate the contribution of non-LTE effects to the measured OH rotational temperatures depending on line set, band, and time. Non-LTE contributions are significant for most bands and can exceed 10 K. The amplitudes of their average nocturnal and seasonal variation are of the order of 1 to 2 K.

Quantifying the impact of legal culture and institution on carbon emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Q.; Wang, B.; Yu, C.; Deng, H.; Cai, W.; Wang, C.

2015-12-01

Anthropogenic carbon emissions has been believed to trigger more than half of the global warming over the past half a century. Climate change analysis based on human activities should not neglect the driving force of human society. Different countries or regions have different legal culture traditions and legal systems that can greatly influence regional carbon emissions. This will lead to differences in implementation way and implementation intensity of the law and policies. Without understanding the social and legal background, it is not enough to understand how the climate change rules work and what the effects enforce. Using the panel data of 71 countries from 1996-2010, this study analyzes the effects of macro channels influencing mitigation policies, which contains rules and regulations including value, religion, genealogy of law, public participation, regulatory, government effectiveness, corruption, rule of law, etc. The results show that the interaction between legal variables and economic variables is very important for carbon emissions reduction. The law affects the carbon emissions by adjusting the economic and other related variables, and vice verse, economic and other variables will also impact the level of the rule of law. The study also reveals that developing national economy is most countries' urgent current task, and there are not sound strategies or strong enforcement to guarantee the achievement of the emissions reduction commitment. It is not enough to make justice dominant by cultivating a fair attitude. Practical measures and institutional means for social justice must be promoted. These results will give insight to policy makers in creating feasible and practical climate polices.

Emissions trading under market imperfections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lappi, P.

2013-08-15

In this thesis we consider emissions trading under various market imperfections such as uncertainty over permit price, imperfect competition and noncompliance. First, we study the effects of uncertain permit price on the firms choice of emission intensive and clean inputs in an multi-input production process. We also assess the risk aversion factors of some Finnish heat and power producers. Second, we study imperfect competition in output and permit markets with a two-stage model, where output decision is made before permit trades. The emphasis is on the strategic interaction between firms and on the efficiency increasing regulation. Third, we turn back to uncertainty and analyse the welfare difference between emissions trading and emission tax, when some of the firms may be noncompliant. The main finding is that welfare is greater with emission tax than with emissions trading, when at least one firm is noncompliant. Finally, we extend some existing models of permit banking and borrowing to encompass also noncompliant behavior of firms. Here, we analyse the incentives of compliant firms to become noncompliant at some point in time and also the time paths of the choice variables. (orig.)

Anomalous CO2 Emissions in Different Ecosystems Around the World

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Canete, E. P.; Moya Jiménez, M. R.; Kowalski, A. S.; Serrano-Ortiz, P.; López-Ballesteros, A.; Oyonarte, C.; Domingo, F.

2016-12-01

As an important tool for understanding and monitoring ecosystem dynamics at ecosystem level, the eddy covariance (EC) technique allows the assessment of the diurnal and seasonal variation of the net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Despite the high temporal resolution data available, there are still many processes (in addition to photosynthesis and respiration) that, although they are being monitored, have been neglected. Only a few authors have studied anomalous CO2 emissions (non biological), and have related them to soil ventilation, photodegradation or geochemical processes. The aim of this study is: 1) to identify anomalous short term CO2 emissions in different ecosystems distributed around the world, 2) to determine the meteorological variables that are influencing these emissions, and 3) to explore the potential processes that can be involved. We have studied EC data together with other meteorological ancillary variables obtained from the FLUXNET database (version 2015) and have found more than 50 sites with anomalous CO2 emissions in different ecosystem types such as grasslands, croplands or savannas. Data were filtered according to the FLUXNET quality control flags (only data with quality control flag equal to 0 was used) and correlation analysis were performed with NEE and ancillary data. Preliminary results showed strong and highly significant correlations between meteorological variables and anomalous CO2 emissions. Correlation results showed clear differing behaviors between ecosystems types, which could be related to the different processes involved in the anomalous CO2 emissions. We suggest that anomalous CO2 emissions are happening globally and therefore, their contribution to the global net ecosystem carbon balance requires further investigation in order to better understand its drivers.

An empirical model to predict road dust emissions based on pavement and traffic characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Padoan, Elio; Ajmone-Marsan, Franco; Querol, Xavier; Amato, Fulvio

2018-06-01

The relative impact of non-exhaust sources (i.e. road dust, tire wear, road wear and brake wear particles) on urban air quality is increasing. Among them, road dust resuspension has generally the highest impact on PM concentrations but its spatio-temporal variability has been rarely studied and modeled. Some recent studies attempted to observe and describe the time-variability but, as it is driven by traffic and meteorology, uncertainty remains on the seasonality of emissions. The knowledge gap on spatial variability is much wider, as several factors have been pointed out as responsible for road dust build-up: pavement characteristics, traffic intensity and speed, fleet composition, proximity to traffic lights, but also the presence of external sources. However, no parameterization is available as a function of these variables. We investigated mobile road dust smaller than 10 μm (MF10) in two cities with different climatic and traffic conditions (Barcelona and Turin), to explore MF10 seasonal variability and the relationship between MF10 and site characteristics (pavement macrotexture, traffic intensity and proximity to braking zone). Moreover, we provide the first estimates of emission factors in the Po Valley both in summer and winter conditions. Our results showed a good inverse relationship between MF10 and macro-texture, traffic intensity and distance from the nearest braking zone. We also found a clear seasonal effect of road dust emissions, with higher emission in summer, likely due to the lower pavement moisture. These results allowed building a simple empirical mode, predicting maximal dust loadings and, consequently, emission potential, based on the aforementioned data. This model will need to be scaled for meteorological effect, using methods accounting for weather and pavement moisture. This can significantly improve bottom-up emission inventory for spatial allocation of emissions and air quality management, to select those roads with higher emissions

Nitrous oxide emissions and dissolved oxygen profiling in a full-scale nitrifying activated sludge treatment plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboobakar, Amina; Cartmell, Elise; Stephenson, Tom; Jones, Mark; Vale, Peter; Dotro, Gabriela

2013-02-01

This paper reports findings from online, continuous monitoring of dissolved and gaseous nitrous oxide (N₂O), combined with dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia loading, in a full-scale nitrifying activated sludge plant. The study was conducted over eight weeks, at a 210,000 population equivalent sewage treatment works in the UK. Results showed diurnal variability in the gaseous and dissolved N₂O emissions, with hourly averages ranging from 0 to 0.00009 kgN₂O-N/h for dissolved and 0.00077-0.0027 kgN₂O-N/h for gaseous nitrous oxide emissions respectively, per ammonia loading, depending on the time of day. Similarly, the spatial variability was high, with the highest emissions recorded immediately after the anoxic zone and in the final pass of the aeration lane, where ammonia concentrations were typically below 0.5 mg/L. Emissions were shown to be negatively correlated to dissolved oxygen, which fluctuated between 0.5 and 2.5 mgO₂/L, at the control set point of 1.5 mgO₂/L. The resulting dynamic DO conditions are known to favour N₂O production, both by autotrophic and heterotrophic processes in mixed cultures. Average mass emissions from the lane were greater in the gaseous (0.036% of the influent total nitrogen) than in the dissolved (0.01% of the influent total nitrogen) phase, and followed the same diurnal and spatial patterns. Nitrous oxide emissions corresponded to over 34,000 carbon dioxide equivalents/year, adding 13% to the carbon footprint associated with the energy requirements of the monitored lane. A clearer understanding of emissions obtained from real-time data can help towards finding the right balance between improving operational efficiency and saving energy, without increasing N₂O emissions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A model for estimating seasonal trends of ammonia emission from cattle manure applied to grassland in the Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Huijsmans, J. F. M.; Vermeulen, G. D.; Hol, J. M. G.; Goedhart, P. W.

2018-01-01

Field data on ammonia emission after liquid cattle manure ('slurry') application to grassland were statistically analysed to reveal the effect of manure and field characteristics and of weather conditions in eight consecutive periods after manure application. Logistic regression models, modelling the emission expressed as a percentage of the ammonia still present at the start of each period as the response variable, were developed separately for broadcast spreading, narrow band application (trailing shoe) and shallow injection. Wind speed, temperature, soil type, total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) content and dry matter content of the manure, application rate and grass height were selected as significant explanatory variables. Their effects differed for each application method and among periods. Temperature and wind speed were generally the most important drivers for emission. The fitted regression models were used to reveal seasonal trends in NH3 emission employing historical meteorological data for the years 1991-2014. The overall average emission was higher in early and midsummer than in early spring and late summer. This seasonal trend was most pronounced for broadcast spreading followed by narrow band application, and was almost absent for shallow injection. However, due to the large variation in weather conditions, emission on a particular day in early spring can be higher than on a particular day in summer. The analysis further revealed that, in a specific scenario and depending on the application technique, emission could be reduced with 20-30% by restricting manure application to favourable days, i.e. with weather conditions with minimal emission levels.

Recent trends in the variability of halogenated trace gases over the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, Dale F.; Bakwin, Peter S.; Elkins, James W.

1998-10-01

Recent trends in the atmospheric variability of seven halogenated trace gases are determined from three years (November 1994 through October 1997) of hourly gas chromatographic measurements at a 610 m tower in North Carolina and 17 months (June 1996 through October 1997) of similar measurements at a 450 m tower in Wisconsin. Production of five of these gases, CCl3F (CFC-11), CCl2F2 (CFC-12), CCl2FCClF2 (CFC-113), CH3CCl3 (methyl chloroform), and CCl4 (carbon tetrachloride), is now strictly regulated in the United States and other developed countries under international legislation. C2Cl4 (tetrachloroethene) and SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride) are currently produced without restriction, but requests for voluntary cutbacks in C2Cl4 emissions have been made, at least in the United States. Atmospheric variability of these gases is examined at several sampling heights on the towers, but trends are deduced using only nighttime data at the top sampling level of each tower to minimize variability driven by local emissions and the diurnal cycle of the planetary boundary layer, leaving regional emissions as the main source of day-to-day variability. Significant downward trends are determined for CFC-12, CFC-113, CH3CCl3, and C2Cl4 variability at both towers, reflecting decreased emissions of these gases in two regions of the United States. Trends in CFC-11, CCl4, and SF6 variability at both towers are not significantly different from zero.

Spatial variability of methane production and methanogen communities within a eutrophic reservoir: evaluating the importance of organic matter source and quantity

Science.gov (United States)

Freshwater reservoirs are an important source of the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) to the atmosphere, but there is a wide range of estimates of global emissions, due in part to variability of methane emissions rates within reservoirs. While morphological characteristics, including...

Spontaneous emission in the presence of a realistically sized cylindrical waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dung, Ho Trung

2016-01-01

Various quantities characterizing the spontaneous emission process of a dipole emitter including the emission rate and the emission pattern can be expressed in terms of the Green tensor of the surrounding environment. By expanding the Green tensor around some analytically known background one as a Born series, and truncating it under appropriate conditions, complicated boundaries can be tackled with ease. However, when the emitter is embedded in the medium, even the calculation of the first-order term in the Born series is problematic because of the presence of a singularity. We show how to eliminate this singularity for a medium of arbitrary size and shape by expanding around the bulk medium rather than vacuum. In the highly symmetric configuration of an emitter located on the axis of a realistically sized cylinder, it is shown that the singularity can be removed by changing the integral variables and then the order of integration. Using both methods, we investigate the spontaneous emission rate of an initially excited two-level dipole emitter, embedded in a realistically sized cylinder, which can be a common optical fiber in the long-length limit and a disk in the short-length limit. The spatial distribution of the emitted light is calculated using the Born-expansion approach, and local-field corrections to the spontaneous emission rate are briefly discussed. (paper)

RADIO MONITORING OF THE PERIODICALLY VARIABLE IR SOURCE LRLL 54361: NO DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE RADIO AND IR EMISSIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Forbrich, Jan, E-mail: jan.forbrich@univie.ac.at [University of Vienna, Department of Astrophysics, Türkenschanzstraße 17, A-1180 Vienna (Austria); Rodríguez, Luis F.; Palau, Aina; Zapata, Luis A. [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apdo. Postal 3-72 (Xangari), 58089 Morelia, Michoacán (Mexico); Muzerolle, James [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Gutermuth, Robert A. [Department of Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 (United States)

2015-11-20

LRLL 54361 is an infrared source located in the star-forming region IC 348 SW. Remarkably, its infrared luminosity increases by a factor of 10 over roughly one week every 25.34 days. To understand the origin of these remarkable periodic variations, we obtained sensitive 3.3 cm JVLA radio continuum observations of LRLL 54361 and its surroundings in six different epochs: three of them during the IR-on state and three during the IR-off state. The radio source associated with LRLL 54361 remained steady and did not show a correlation with the IR variations. We suggest that the IR is tracing the results of fast (with a timescale of days) pulsed accretion from an unseen binary companion, while the radio traces an ionized outflow with an extent of ∼100 AU that smooths out the variability over a period of the order of a year. The average flux density measured in these 2014 observations, 27 ± 5 μJy, is about a factor of two less than that measured about 1.5 years before, 53 ± 11 μJy, suggesting that variability in the radio is present, but over larger timescales than in the IR. We discuss other sources in the field, in particular two infrared/X-ray stars that show rapidly varying gyrosynchrotron emission.

A probabilistic analysis of cumulative carbon emissions and long-term planetary warming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fyke, Jeremy; Matthews, H Damon

2015-01-01

Efforts to mitigate and adapt to long-term climate change could benefit greatly from probabilistic estimates of cumulative carbon emissions due to fossil fuel burning and resulting CO 2 -induced planetary warming. Here we demonstrate the use of a reduced-form model to project these variables. We performed simulations using a large-ensemble framework with parametric uncertainty sampled to produce distributions of future cumulative emissions and consequent planetary warming. A hind-cast ensemble of simulations captured 1980–2012 historical CO 2 emissions trends and an ensemble of future projection simulations generated a distribution of emission scenarios that qualitatively resembled the suite of Representative and Extended Concentration Pathways. The resulting cumulative carbon emission and temperature change distributions are characterized by 5–95th percentile ranges of 0.96–4.9 teratonnes C (Tt C) and 1.4 °C–8.5 °C, respectively, with 50th percentiles at 3.1 Tt C and 4.7 °C. Within the wide range of policy-related parameter combinations that produced these distributions, we found that low-emission simulations were characterized by both high carbon prices and low costs of non-fossil fuel energy sources, suggesting the importance of these two policy levers in particular for avoiding dangerous levels of climate warming. With this analysis we demonstrate a probabilistic approach to the challenge of identifying strategies for limiting cumulative carbon emissions and assessing likelihoods of surpassing dangerous temperature thresholds. (letter)

Satellite-based Analysis of CO Variability over the Amazon Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Deeter, M. N.; Emmons, L. K.; Martinez-Alonso, S.; Tilmes, S.; Wiedinmyer, C.

2017-12-01

Pyrogenic emissions from the Amazon Basin exert significant influence on both climate and air quality but are highly variable from year to year. The ability of models to simulate the impact of biomass burning emissions on downstream atmospheric concentrations depends on (1) the quality of surface flux estimates (i.e., emissions inventories), (2) model dynamics (e.g., horizontal winds, large-scale convection and mixing) and (3) the representation of atmospheric chemical processes. With an atmospheric lifetime of a few months, carbon monoxide (CO) is a commonly used diagnostic for biomass burning. CO products are available from several satellite instruments and allow analyses of CO variability over extended regions such as the Amazon Basin with useful spatial and temporal sampling characteristics. The MOPITT ('Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere') instrument was launched on the NASA Terra platform near the end of 1999 and is still operational. MOPITT is uniquely capable of measuring tropospheric CO concentrations using both thermal-infrared and near-infrared observations, resulting in the ability to independently retrieve lower- and upper-troposphere CO concentrations. We exploit the 18-year MOPITT record and related datasets to analyze the variability of CO over the Amazon Basin and evaluate simulations performed with the CAM-chem chemical transport model. We demonstrate that observed differences between MOPITT observations and model simulations provide important clues regarding emissions inventories, convective mixing and long-range transport.

Impacts of transportation sector emissions on future U.S. air quality in a changing climate. Part I: Projected emissions, simulation design, and model evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Patrick; Zhang, Yang; Yan, Fang; Lu, Zifeng; Streets, David

2018-07-01

Emissions from the transportation sector are rapidly changing worldwide; however, the interplay of such emission changes in the face of climate change are not as well understood. This two-part study examines the impact of projected emissions from the U.S. transportation sector (Part I) on ambient air quality in the face of climate change (Part II). In Part I of this study, we describe the methodology and results of a novel Technology Driver Model (see graphical abstract) that includes 1) transportation emission projections (including on-road vehicles, non-road engines, aircraft, rail, and ship) derived from a dynamic technology model that accounts for various technology and policy options under an IPCC emission scenario, and 2) the configuration/evaluation of a dynamically downscaled Weather Research and Forecasting/Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system. By 2046-2050, the annual domain-average transportation emissions of carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO x ), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ammonia (NH 3 ), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) are projected to decrease over the continental U.S. The decreases in gaseous emissions are mainly due to reduced emissions from on-road vehicles and non-road engines, which exhibit spatial and seasonal variations across the U.S. Although particulate matter (PM) emissions widely decrease, some areas in the U.S. experience relatively large increases due to increases in ship emissions. The on-road vehicle emissions dominate the emission changes for CO, NO x , VOC, and NH 3 , while emissions from both the on-road and non-road modes have strong contributions to PM and SO 2 emission changes. The evaluation of the baseline 2005 WRF simulation indicates that annual biases are close to or within the acceptable criteria for meteorological performance in the literature, and there is an overall good agreement in the 2005 CMAQ simulations of chemical variables against both surface and satellite observations. Copyright © 2018

Does uncertainty justify intensity emission caps?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quirion, Philippe

2005-01-01

Environmental policies often set 'relative' or 'intensity' emission caps, i.e. emission limits proportional to the polluting firm's output. One of the arguments put forth in favour of relative caps is based on the uncertainty on business-as-usual output: if the firm's production level is higher than expected, so will be business-as-usual emissions, hence reaching a given level of emissions will be more costly than expected. As a consequence, it is argued, a higher emission level should be allowed if the production level is more important than expected. We assess this argument with a stochastic analytical model featuring two random variables: the business-as-usual emission level, proportional to output, and the slope of the marginal abatement cost curve. We compare the relative cap to an absolute cap and to a price instrument, in terms of welfare impact. It turns out that in most plausible cases, either a price instrument or an absolute cap yields a higher expected welfare than a relative cap. Quantitatively, the difference in expected welfare is typically very small between the absolute and the relative cap but may be significant between the relative cap and the price instrument. (author)

Long-term gamma-ray spectral variability of Cygnus X-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ling, J.C.; Mahoney, W.A.; Wheaton, WM.A.; Jacobson, A.S.

1987-01-01

Data from HEAO 3 observations of 0.05-10-MeV gamma-ray emission from Cyg X-1 during two 90-d periods (in fall 1979 and spring 1980) are compiled in tables and graphs and analyzed statistically to determine the temporal and spectral variability. It is found that a steady increase in 100-keV emission is accompanied by a decrease (and eventual disappearance) of MeV emission. The mechanisms which could theoretically be responsible for these phenomena are discussed. 28 references

Number distribution of leakage neutrons for single neutron emission event and one source emission event in multiplying medium for two variables - a GEANT4 study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roy, Arup Singha; Raman, Anand; Chaudhury, Probal; Thomas, Renju G.

2018-01-01

A quantitative knowledge about the neutron multiplying character of a neutron multiplying medium such as High enriched Uranium (HEU), Weapon Graded plutonium (WGPu) and similar special nuclear materials is essential for improving the probability of detection of these materials to check against illicit trafficking. The objective of this study is to gain a deeper insight in to the neutron and gamma multiplication behaviour of these materials. The leakage number distribution of neutron and gamma initiated by a source emission event (Spontaneous Fission) as well as single neutron emission event has been obtained in the course of this study. The computations for this study were carried out through GEANT4 simulation and also with the help of FREYA incorporated into it. This helped to carry out a detailed analysis of each history more realistically and obtain more reliable results

Temporal variability in aerosol characteristics and its radiative properties over Patiala, northwestern part of India: Impact of agricultural biomass burning emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, D.; Srivastava, A.K.; Ram, K.; Singh, A.; Singh, D.

2017-01-01

A comprehensive measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD), particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) mass concentrations have been carried out over Patiala, a semi-urban site in northwest India during October 2008 to September 2010. The measured aerosol data was incorporated in an aerosol optical model to estimate various aerosol optical parameters, which were subsequently used for radiative forcing estimation. The measured AOD at 500 nm (AOD 500 ) shows a significant seasonal variability, with maximum value of 0.81 during post-monsoon (PoM) and minimum of 0.56 during winter season. The Ångström exponent (α) has higher values (i.e. more fine-mode fraction) during the PoM/winter periods, and lower (i.e. more coarse-mode fraction) during pre-monsoon (PrM). In contrast, turbidity coefficient (β) exhibits an opposite trend to α during the study period. BC mass concentration varies from 2.8 to 13.9 μg m −3 (mean: 6.5 ± 3.2 μg m −3 ) during the entire study period, with higher concentrations during PoM/winter and lower during PrM/monsoon seasons. The average single scattering albedo (SSA at 500 nm) values are 0.70, 0.72, 0.82 and 0.75 during PoM, winter, PrM and monsoon seasons, respectively. However, inter-seasonal and inter-annual variability in measured aerosol parameters are statistically insignificant at Patiala. These results suggest strong changes in emission sources, aerosol composition, meteorological parameters as well as transport of aerosols over the station. Higher values of AOD, α and BC, along with lower SSA during PoM season are attributed to agriculture biomass burning emissions over and around the station. The estimated aerosol radiative forcing within the atmosphere is positive (i.e. warming) during all the seasons with higher values (∼60 Wm −2 ) during PoM–08/PoM–09 and lower (∼40 Wm −2 ) during winter–09/PrM–10. The present study highlights the role of BC aerosols from agricultural biomass burning

Measurements of N2O emissions at the landscape scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schelde, Kirsten; Cellier, P.; Bertolini, T.

2011-01-01

Nitrous oxide emissions from agricultural land are variable at the landscape scale due to variability in land use, management, soil type, and topography. A field experiment was carried out in a typical mixed farming landscape near Bjerringbro, Denmark, to investigate the main sources of variations...

Global distribution of methane emissions, emission trends, and OH trends inferred from an inversion of GOSAT data for 2010-2015

Science.gov (United States)

Maasakkers, J. D.; Jacob, D.; Payer Sulprizio, M.; Hersher, M.; Scarpelli, T.; Turner, A. J.; Sheng, J.; Bloom, A. A.; Bowman, K. W.; Parker, R.

2017-12-01

We present a global inversion of methane sources and sinks using GOSAT satellite data from 2010 up to 2015. The inversion optimizes emissions and their trends at 4° × 5° resolution as well as the interannual variability of global OH concentrations. It uses an analytical approach that quantifies the information content from the GOSAT observations and provides full error characterization. We show how the analytical approach can be applied in log-space, ensuring the positivity of the posterior. The inversion starts from state-of-science a priori emission inventories including the Gridded EPA inventory for US anthropogenic emissions, detailed oil and gas emissions for Canada and Mexico, EDGAR v4.3.2 for anthropogenic emissions in other countries, the WetCHARTs product for wetlands, and our own estimates for geological seeps. Inversion results show lower emissions over Western Europe and China than predicted by EDGAR v4.3.2 but higher emissions over Japan. In contrast to previous inversions that used incorrect patterns in a priori emissions, we find that the EPA inventory does not underestimate US anthropogenic emissions. Results for trends show increasing emissions in the tropics combined with decreasing emissions in Europe, and a decline in OH concentrations contributing to the global methane trend.

A NEW Hα EMISSION-LINE SURVEY IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szegedi-Elek, E.; Kun, M.; Pál, A.; Balázs, L. G.; Reipurth, B.; Willman, M.

2013-01-01

We present results from an Hα emission line survey in a 1 deg 2 area centered on the Orion Nebula Cluster, obtained with the Wide Field Grism Spectrograph 2 on the 2.2 m telescope of the University of Hawaii. We identified 587 stars with Hα emission, 99 of which, located mainly in the outer regions of the observed area, have not appeared in previous Hα surveys. We determined the equivalent width (EW) of the line and, based on this, classified 372 stars as classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) and 187 as weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). Simultaneous r', i' photometry indicates a limiting magnitude of r' ∼ 20 mag, but the sample is incomplete at r' > 17 mag. The surface distribution of the Hα emission stars reveals a clustered population and a dispersed population, the former consisting of younger and more massive young stars than the latter. Comparison of the derived EWs with those found in the literature indicates variability of the Hα line. We found that the typical amplitudes of the variability are not greater than a factor of two to three in most cases. We identified a subgroup of low-EW stars with infrared signatures indicative of optically thick accretion disks. We studied the correlations between the EW and other properties of the stars. Based on literature data, we examined several properties of our CTTS and WTTS subsamples and found significant differences in mid-infrared color indices, average rotational periods, and spectral energy distribution characteristics of the subsamples

A NEW Hα EMISSION-LINE SURVEY IN THE ORION NEBULA CLUSTER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szegedi-Elek, E.; Kun, M.; Pál, A.; Balázs, L. G. [Konkoly Observatory, H-1121 Budapest, Konkoly Thege út 15-17 (Hungary); Reipurth, B.; Willman, M., E-mail: eelza@konkoly.hu [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 640 N. Aohoku Place, Hilo, HI 96720 (United States)

2013-10-01

We present results from an Hα emission line survey in a 1 deg{sup 2} area centered on the Orion Nebula Cluster, obtained with the Wide Field Grism Spectrograph 2 on the 2.2 m telescope of the University of Hawaii. We identified 587 stars with Hα emission, 99 of which, located mainly in the outer regions of the observed area, have not appeared in previous Hα surveys. We determined the equivalent width (EW) of the line and, based on this, classified 372 stars as classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs) and 187 as weak-line T Tauri stars (WTTSs). Simultaneous r', i' photometry indicates a limiting magnitude of r' ∼ 20 mag, but the sample is incomplete at r' > 17 mag. The surface distribution of the Hα emission stars reveals a clustered population and a dispersed population, the former consisting of younger and more massive young stars than the latter. Comparison of the derived EWs with those found in the literature indicates variability of the Hα line. We found that the typical amplitudes of the variability are not greater than a factor of two to three in most cases. We identified a subgroup of low-EW stars with infrared signatures indicative of optically thick accretion disks. We studied the correlations between the EW and other properties of the stars. Based on literature data, we examined several properties of our CTTS and WTTS subsamples and found significant differences in mid-infrared color indices, average rotational periods, and spectral energy distribution characteristics of the subsamples.

Effect of a high-end CO₂-emission scenario on hydrology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karlsson, Ida Bjørnholt; Sonnenborg, Torben Obel; Seaby, Lauren Paige

2015-01-01

and the less extreme RCP4.5 emission scenario are evaluated for the future period 2071−2099. The downscaled climate variables are applied to a fully distributed, physically based, coupled surface−subsurface hydrological model based on the MIKE SHE model code. The impacts on soil moisture dynamics...

Los Angeles megacity: a high-resolution land–atmosphere modelling system for urban CO2 emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Feng

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Megacities are major sources of anthropogenic fossil fuel CO2 (FFCO2 emissions. The spatial extents of these large urban systems cover areas of 10 000 km2 or more with complex topography and changing landscapes. We present a high-resolution land–atmosphere modelling system for urban CO2 emissions over the Los Angeles (LA megacity area. The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-Chem model was coupled to a very high-resolution FFCO2 emission product, Hestia-LA, to simulate atmospheric CO2 concentrations across the LA megacity at spatial resolutions as fine as  ∼  1 km. We evaluated multiple WRF configurations, selecting one that minimized errors in wind speed, wind direction, and boundary layer height as evaluated by its performance against meteorological data collected during the CalNex-LA campaign (May–June 2010. Our results show no significant difference between moderate-resolution (4 km and high-resolution (1.3 km simulations when evaluated against surface meteorological data, but the high-resolution configurations better resolved planetary boundary layer heights and vertical gradients in the horizontal mean winds. We coupled our WRF configuration with the Vulcan 2.2 (10 km resolution and Hestia-LA (1.3 km resolution fossil fuel CO2 emission products to evaluate the impact of the spatial resolution of the CO2 emission products and the meteorological transport model on the representation of spatiotemporal variability in simulated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We find that high spatial resolution in the fossil fuel CO2 emissions is more important than in the atmospheric model to capture CO2 concentration variability across the LA megacity. Finally, we present a novel approach that employs simultaneous correlations of the simulated atmospheric CO2 fields to qualitatively evaluate the greenhouse gas measurement network over the LA megacity. Spatial correlations in the atmospheric CO2 fields reflect the coverage of

Investigating Intergenerational Differences in Human PCB Exposure due to Variable Emissions and Reproductive Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Cristina L.; Wania, Frank; Czub, Gertje; Breivik, Knut

2011-01-01

Background Reproductive behaviors—such as age of childbearing, parity, and breast-feeding prevalence—have changed over the same historical time period as emissions of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and may produce intergenerational differences in human PCB exposure. Objectives Our goal in this study was to estimate prenatal, postnatal, and lifetime PCB exposures for women at different ages according to year of birth, and to evaluate the impact of reproductive characteristics on intergenerational differences in exposure. Methods We used the time-variant mechanistic model CoZMoMAN to calculate human bioaccumulation of PCBs, assuming both hypothetical constant and realistic time-variant emissions. Results Although exposure primarily depends on when an individual was born relative to the emission history of PCBs, reproductive behaviors can have a significant impact. Our model suggests that a mother’s reproductive history has a greater influence on the prenatal and postnatal exposures of her children than it does on her own cumulative lifetime exposure. In particular, a child’s birth order appears to have a strong influence on their prenatal exposure, whereas postnatal exposure is determined by the type of milk (formula or breast milk) fed to the infant. Conclusions Prenatal PCB exposure appears to be delayed relative to the time of PCB emissions, particularly among those born after the PCB production phaseout. Consequently, the health repercussions of environmental PCBs can be expected to persist for several decades, despite bans on their production for > 40 years. PMID:21156396

Emission trading: A discussion paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

Emission trading is a market-based incentive program designed to control air emissions in which a cap is placed on the total quantity of pollutants allowed to be emitted in an airshed. Appropriate shares of this amount are allocated among participating emission sources, and participants can buy or sell their shares. Advantages of emission trading include its potential to achieve air emission targets at a lower cost than the traditional command and control approach, and its ability to accommodate economic growth without compromising environmental quality. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of emission trading programs to achieve emission reduction goals set for nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and sulfur oxides. Emission trading programs in the USA are reviewed and a set of factors important for the success of emission trading are identified. Key policy and design issues related to an emission trading program are identified, explained, and discussed. Administrative issues are then analyzed, such as legislative authority, monitoring and enforcement requirements, and trading between jurisdictions. A preliminary assessment of emission trading for control of NOx and VOC in the Lower Fraser Valley indicates that emission trading would be feasible, but legislative authority to implement such a program would have to be introduced

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical estuary (the Brisbane River estuary, Australia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musenze, Ronald S.; Werner, Ursula; Grinham, Alistair; Udy, James; Yuan, Zhiguo

2014-01-01

Methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) are two key greenhouse gases. Their global atmospheric budgeting is, however, flout with challenges partly due to lack of adequate field studies determining the source strengths. Knowledge and data limitations exist for subtropical and tropical regions especially in the southern latitudes. Surface water methane and nitrous oxide concentrations were measured in a subtropical estuarine system in the southern latitudes in an extensive field study from 2010 to 2012 and water–air fluxes estimated using models considering the effects of both wind and flow induced turbulence. The estuary was found to be a strong net source of both CH 4 and N 2 O all-year-round. Dissolved N 2 O concentrations ranged between 9.1 ± 0.4 to 45.3 ± 1.3 nM or 135 to 435% of atmospheric saturation level, while CH 4 concentrations varied between 31.1 ± 3.7 to 578.4 ± 58.8 nM or 1210 to 26,430% of atmospheric saturation level. These results compare well with measurements from tropical estuarine systems. There was strong spatial variability with both CH 4 and N 2 O concentrations increasing upstream the estuary. Strong temporal variability was also observed but there were no clear seasonal patterns. The degree of N 2 O saturation significantly increased with NO x concentrations (r 2 = 0.55). The estimated water–air fluxes varied between 0.1 and 3.4 mg N 2 O m −2 d −1 and 0.3 to 27.9 mg CH 4 m −2 d −1 . Total emissions (CO 2 -e) were N 2 O (64%) dominated, highlighting the need for reduced nitrogen inputs into the estuary. Choice of the model(s) for estimation of the gas transfer velocity had a big bearing on the estimated total emissions. - Highlights: • The estuary is a strong source of atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide. • Emissions had strong spatial-temporal variability with unclear seasonal patterns. • Dissolved gas saturation comparable to that in tropical rivers and polluted estuaries. • Emissions are dominated by N2O, which

Flicker study on variable speed wind turbines with doubly fed induction generators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, Tao; Chen, Zhe; Blaabjerg, Frede

2005-01-01

to a conclusion that the factors mentioned above have different influences on flicker emission compared with that in the case of the fixed speed wind turbine. Flicker mitigation is realized by output reactive power control of the variable speed wind turbine with doubly fed induction generator. Simulation results...... show the wind turbine output reactive power control provides an effective means for flicker mitigation regardless of mean wind speed, turbulence intensity and short circuit capacity ratio.......Grid connected wind turbines may produce flicker during continuous operation. This paper presents a simulation model of a MW-level variable speed wind turbine with a doubly fed induction generator developed in the simulation tool of PSCAD/EMTDC. Flicker emission of variable speed wind turbines...

Volcanism on Io: The Galileo NIMS Io Thermal Emission Database (NITED)

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, A. G.; Veeder, G. J.; Matson, D. L.; Johnson, T. V.

2011-12-01

In order to determine the magnitude of thermal emission from Io's volcanoes and variability with time at local, regional and global scales, we have calculated the 4.7 or 5 μm radiant flux for every hot spot in every Galileo Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS) observation obtained during the Galileo mission between June 1996 and October 2001. The resulting database contains over 1000 measurements of radiant flux, corrected for emission angle, range to target, and, where necessary, incident sunlight. Io's volcanoes produce the most voluminous and most powerful eruptions in the Solar System [1] and NIMS was the ideal instrument for measuring thermal emission from these volcanoes (see [1, 2]). NIMS covered the infrared from 0.7 to 5.2 μm, so measurement of hot spot thermal emission at ~5 μm was possible even in daytime observations. As part of a campaign to quantify magnitude and variability of volcanic thermal emission [1, 3-5] we examined the entire NIMS dataset (196 observations). The resulting NIMS Io Thermal Emission Database (NITED) allows the charting of 5-μm thermal emission at individual volcanoes, identifying individual eruption episodes, and enabling the comparison of activity at different hot spots [e.g., 6] and different regions of Io. Some ionian hot spots were detected only once or twice by NIMS (e.g., Ah Peku Patera, seen during I32), but most were detected many times (e.g., Culann, Tupan and Zamama, [6]). For example, the database contains over 40 observations of Loki Patera (some at high emission angle, and two partial observations). There are 55 observations of Pele. The 27 nighttime observations of Pele show a remarkably steady 5-μm radiant flux of 35 ± 12 GW/μm. There are 34 observations of Pillan, which erupted violently in 1997. Although in many observations low spatial resolution makes it difficult to separate hot spot pairs such as Susanoo Patera and Mulungu Patera; Tawhaki Patera and Hi'iaka Patera; and Janus Patera and Kanehekili

Long term monitoring of Gamma-Ray emission from the BL Lacertae object (1ES 2200+420)

Science.gov (United States)

Gunawardhana, Isuru; VERITAS Collaboration

2016-03-01

Blazars are a class of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) that have relativistic jets pointing along the observer line of sight. Blazars exhibit variable emission extending from radio to TeV energies. The variability timescale of the TeV flux is a key component of understanding the location of the very high energy emission zones. Deep observations of the quiescent state measurements are also required to disentangle the flaring state emission from quiescent state emission, a prerequisite for understanding the origin of blazar spectral variability. BL Lacertae (also known as 1ES 2200+420), as the namesake for all BL Lac objects, is a prime example of one such blazar. The VERITAS Observatory, an Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) array sensitive to gamma rays in the range from 85 GeV to 30 TeV, dedicates approximately 110 hours per year on deep observations of known gamma-ray blazars. In this talk, I will describe the TeV photon flux variability of BL Lacertae measured by VERITAS from 2013 to 2015.

Pulse timing for cataclysmic variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chester, T.J.

1979-01-01

It is shown that present pulse timing measurements of cataclysmic variables can be explained by models of accretion disks in these systems, and thus such measurements can constrain disk models. The model for DQ Her correctly predicts the amplitude variation of the continuum pulsation and can also perhaps explain the asymmetric amplitude of the pulsed lambda4686 emission line. Several other predictions can be made from the model. In particular, if pulse timing measurements that resolve emission lines both in wavelength and in binary phase can be made, the projected orbital radius of the white dwarf could be deduced

Real-world emissions of in-use off-road vehicles in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavala, Miguel; Huertas, Jose Ignacio; Prato, Daniel; Jazcilevich, Aron; Aguilar, Andrés; Balam, Marco; Misra, Chandan; Molina, Luisa T

2017-09-01

Off-road vehicles used in construction and agricultural activities can contribute substantially to emissions of gaseous pollutants and can be a major source of submicrometer carbonaceous particles in many parts of the world. However, there have been relatively few efforts in quantifying the emission factors (EFs) and for estimating the potential emission reduction benefits using emission control technologies for these vehicles. This study characterized the black carbon (BC) component of particulate matter and NOx, CO, and CO 2 EFs of selected diesel-powered off-road mobile sources in Mexico under real-world operating conditions using on-board portable emissions measurements systems (PEMS). The vehicles sampled included two backhoes, one tractor, a crane, an excavator, two front loaders, two bulldozers, an air compressor, and a power generator used in the construction and agricultural activities. For a selected number of these vehicles the emissions were further characterized with wall-flow diesel particle filters (DPFs) and partial-flow DPFs (p-DPFs) installed. Fuel-based EFs presented less variability than time-based emission rates, particularly for the BC. Average baseline EFs in working conditions for BC, NOx, and CO ranged from 0.04 to 5.7, from 12.6 to 81.8, and from 7.9 to 285.7 g/kg-fuel, respectively, and a high dependency by operation mode and by vehicle type was observed. Measurement-base frequency distributions of EFs by operation mode are proposed as an alternative method for characterizing the variability of off-road vehicles emissions under real-world conditions. Mass-based reductions for black carbon EFs were substantially large (above 99%) when DPFs were installed and the vehicles were idling, and the reductions were moderate (in the 20-60% range) for p-DPFs in working operating conditions. The observed high variability in measured EFs also indicates the need for detailed vehicle operation data for accurately estimating emissions from off

Greenhouse Gas and Ammonia Emissions from Different Stages of Liquid Manure Management Chains: Abatement Options and Emission Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohankumar Sajeev, Erangu Purath; Winiwarter, Wilfried; Amon, Barbara

2018-01-01

Farm livestock manure is an important source of ammonia and greenhouse gases. Concerns over the environmental impact of emissions from manure management have resulted in research efforts focusing on emission abatement. However, questions regarding the successful abatement of manure-related emissions remain. This study uses a meta-analytical approach comprising 89 peer-reviewed studies to quantify emission reduction potentials of abatement options for liquid manure management chains from cattle and pigs. Analyses of emission reductions highlight the importance of accounting for interactions between emissions. Only three out of the eight abatement options considered (frequent removal of manure, anaerobic digesters, and manure acidification) reduced ammonia (3-60%), nitrous oxide (21-55%), and methane (29-74%) emissions simultaneously, whereas in all other cases, tradeoffs were identified. The results demonstrate that a shift from single-stage emission abatement options towards a whole-chain perspective is vital in reducing overall emissions along the manure management chain. The study also identifies some key elements like proper clustering, reporting of influencing factors, and explicitly describing assumptions associated with abatement options that can reduce variability in emission reduction estimates. Prioritization of abatement options according to their functioning can help to determine low-risk emission reduction options, specifically options that alter manure characteristics (e.g., reduced protein diets, anaerobic digestion, or slurry acidification). These insights supported by comprehensive emission measurement studies can help improve the effectiveness of emission abatement and harmonize strategies aimed at reducing air pollution and climate change simultaneously. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Height-reducing variants and selection for short stature in Sardinia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zoledziewska, Magdalena; Sidore, Carlo; Chiang, Charleston W K; Sanna, Serena; Mulas, Antonella; Steri, Maristella; Busonero, Fabio; Marcus, Joseph H; Marongiu, Michele; Maschio, Andrea; Ortega Del Vecchyo, Diego; Floris, Matteo; Meloni, Antonella; Delitala, Alessandro; Concas, Maria Pina; Murgia, Federico; Biino, Ginevra; Vaccargiu, Simona; Nagaraja, Ramaiah; Lohmueller, Kirk E; Timpson, Nicholas J; Soranzo, Nicole; Tachmazidou, Ioanna; Dedoussis, George; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Uzzau, Sergio; Jones, Chris; Lyons, Robert; Angius, Andrea; Abecasis, Gonçalo R; Novembre, John; Schlessinger, David; Cucca, Francesco

We report sequencing-based whole-genome association analyses to evaluate the impact of rare and founder variants on stature in 6,307 individuals on the island of Sardinia. We identify two variants with large effects. One variant, which introduces a stop codon in the GHR gene, is relatively frequent

Chinese Herbal Medicines – Comparison of Doses Prescribed in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Huan Dong Lu, Beijing 100029, China. *For correspondence: Email: fuyanlingbucm@126.com; Tel: (+86) 10-6428-6307; Fax: (+86) 10-6422-0858 ... pharmacopoeia, accounting for 57.14 % (32/56). The top three factors influencing dose ... herbal combination, property of Chinese herbs, quality of medicinal, have a strong ...

Stepwise multiple regression method of greenhouse gas emission modeling in the energy sector in Poland.

Science.gov (United States)

Kolasa-Wiecek, Alicja

2015-04-01

The energy sector in Poland is the source of 81% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Poland, among other European Union countries, occupies a leading position with regard to coal consumption. Polish energy sector actively participates in efforts to reduce GHG emissions to the atmosphere, through a gradual decrease of the share of coal in the fuel mix and development of renewable energy sources. All evidence which completes the knowledge about issues related to GHG emissions is a valuable source of information. The article presents the results of modeling of GHG emissions which are generated by the energy sector in Poland. For a better understanding of the quantitative relationship between total consumption of primary energy and greenhouse gas emission, multiple stepwise regression model was applied. The modeling results of CO2 emissions demonstrate a high relationship (0.97) with the hard coal consumption variable. Adjustment coefficient of the model to actual data is high and equal to 95%. The backward step regression model, in the case of CH4 emission, indicated the presence of hard coal (0.66), peat and fuel wood (0.34), solid waste fuels, as well as other sources (-0.64) as the most important variables. The adjusted coefficient is suitable and equals R2=0.90. For N2O emission modeling the obtained coefficient of determination is low and equal to 43%. A significant variable influencing the amount of N2O emission is the peat and wood fuel consumption. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Allocating the CO2 emissions of an oil refinery with Aumann-Shapley prices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierru, A.

2005-06-01

Linear programming is widely used by multi-product oil-refining firms, which minimize a refinery's variable cost under a set of constraints. In addition to operating costs, this variable cost can include the cost associated with the refinery's CO 2 emissions. We suggest a quite general approach combining use of Aumann-Shapley cost-sharing method and breakdown of the objective function of the linear program. This approach determines an appropriate rule for the allocation of the refinery's CO 2 emissions (or, in general, variable costs) among the various finished products, which can be used for purposes of Life Cycle Assessment. A numerical application to a simplified refining model is presented. (author)

Radiative effects of interannually varying vs. interannually invariant aerosol emissions from fires

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. S. Grandey

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Open-burning fires play an important role in the earth's climate system. In addition to contributing a substantial fraction of global emissions of carbon dioxide, they are a major source of atmospheric aerosols containing organic carbon, black carbon, and sulfate. These “fire aerosols” can influence the climate via direct and indirect radiative effects. In this study, we investigate these radiative effects and the hydrological fast response using the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5. Emissions of fire aerosols exert a global mean net radiative effect of −1.0 W m−2, dominated by the cloud shortwave response to organic carbon aerosol. The net radiative effect is particularly strong over boreal regions. Conventionally, many climate modelling studies have used an interannually invariant monthly climatology of emissions of fire aerosols. However, by comparing simulations using interannually varying emissions vs. interannually invariant emissions, we find that ignoring the interannual variability of the emissions can lead to systematic overestimation of the strength of the net radiative effect of the fire aerosols. Globally, the overestimation is +23 % (−0.2 W m−2. Regionally, the overestimation can be substantially larger. For example, over Australia and New Zealand the overestimation is +58 % (−1.2 W m−2, while over Boreal Asia the overestimation is +43 % (−1.9 W m−2. The systematic overestimation of the net radiative effect of the fire aerosols is likely due to the non-linear influence of aerosols on clouds. However, ignoring interannual variability in the emissions does not appear to significantly impact the hydrological fast response. In order to improve understanding of the climate system, we need to take into account the interannual variability of aerosol emissions.

Towards real-time verification of CO2 emissions

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Glen P.; Le Quéré, Corinne; Andrew, Robbie M.; Canadell, Josep G.; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Ilyina, Tatiana; Jackson, Robert B.; Joos, Fortunat; Korsbakken, Jan Ivar; McKinley, Galen A.; Sitch, Stephen; Tans, Pieter

2017-12-01

The Paris Agreement has increased the incentive to verify reported anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions with independent Earth system observations. Reliable verification requires a step change in our understanding of carbon cycle variability.

Does Financial Development Reduce CO2 Emissions in Malaysian Economy? A Time Series Analysis

OpenAIRE

Shahbaz, Muhammad; Solarin, Sakiru Adebola; Mahmood, Haider

2012-01-01

This study deals with the question whether financial development reduces CO2 emissions or not in case of Malaysia. For this purpose, we apply the bounds testing approach to cointegration for long run relations between the variables. The study uses annual time series data over the period 1971-2008. Ng-Perron stationarity test is applied to test the unit root properties of the series. Our results validate the presence of cointegration between CO2 emissions, financial development, energy co...

Carbon emissions, logistics volume and GDP in China: empirical analysis based on panel data model.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiaopeng; Ren, Dongfang; Shi, Jiaxing

2016-12-01

This paper studies the relationship among carbon emissions, GDP, and logistics by using a panel data model and a combination of statistics and econometrics theory. The model is based on the historical data of 10 typical provinces and cities in China during 2005-2014. The model in this paper adds the variability of logistics on the basis of previous studies, and this variable is replaced by the freight turnover of the provinces. Carbon emissions are calculated by using the annual consumption of coal, oil, and natural gas. GDP is the gross domestic product. The results showed that the amount of logistics and GDP have a contribution to carbon emissions and the long-term relationships are different between different cities in China, mainly influenced by the difference among development mode, economic structure, and level of logistic development. After the testing of panel model setting, this paper established a variable coefficient model of the panel. The influence of GDP and logistics on carbon emissions is obtained according to the influence factors among the variables. The paper concludes with main findings and provides recommendations toward rational planning of urban sustainable development and environmental protection for China.

The Secret Lives of Cepheids: δ Cep—The Prototype of a New Class of Pulsating X-Ray Variable Stars

Science.gov (United States)

Engle, Scott G.; Guinan, Edward F.; Harper, Graham M.; Cuntz, Manfred; Remage Evans, Nancy; Neilson, Hilding R.; Fawzy, Diaa E.

2017-03-01

From our Secret Lives of Cepheids program, the prototype Classical Cepheid, δ Cep, is found to be an X-ray source with periodic pulsation-modulated X-ray variations. This finding complements our earlier reported phase-dependent FUV-UV emissions of the star that increase ˜10-20 times with highest fluxes at ˜ 0.90{--}0.95φ , just prior to maximum brightness. Previously δ Cep was found as potentially X-ray variable, using XMM-Newton observations. Additional phase-constrained data were secured with Chandra near X-ray emission peak, to determine if the emission and variability were pulsation-phase-specific to δ Cep and not transient or due to a possible coronally active, cool companion. The Chandra data were combined with prior XMM-Newton observations, and were found to very closely match the previously observed X-ray behavior. From the combined data set, a ˜4 increase in X-ray flux is measured, reaching a peak {L}{{X}} = 1.7 × 1029 erg s-1 near 0.45ϕ. The precise X-ray flux phasing with the star’s pulsation indicates that the emissions arise from the Cepheid and not from a companion. However, it is puzzling that the maximum X-ray flux occurs ˜0.5ϕ (˜3 days) later than the FUV-UV maximum. There are several other potential Cepheid X-ray detections with properties similar to δ Cep, and comparable X-ray variability is indicated for two other Cepheids: β Dor and V473 Lyr. X-ray generating mechanisms in δ Cep and other Cepheids are discussed. If additional Cepheids are confirmed to show phased X-ray variations, then δ Cep will be the prototype of a new class of pulsation-induced X-ray variables.

Evaluation of mobile emissions contributions to Mexico City's emissions inventory using on-road and cross-road emission measurements and ambient data

Science.gov (United States)

Zavala, M.; Herndon, S. C.; Wood, E. C.; Onasch, T. B.; Knighton, W. B.; Marr, L. C.; Kolb, C. E.; Molina, L. T.

2009-09-01

Mobile emissions represent a significant fraction of the total anthropogenic emissions burden in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) and, therefore, it is crucial to use top-down techniques informed by on-road exhaust measurements to evaluate and improve traditional bottom-up official emissions inventory (EI) for the city. We present the measurements of on-road fleet-average emission factors obtained using the Aerodyne mobile laboratory in the MCMA in March 2006 as part of the MILAGRO/MCMA-2006 field campaign. A comparison of our on-road emission measurements with those obtained in 2003 using essentially the same measurement techniques and analysis methods indicates that, in the three year span, NO emission factors remain within the measured variability ranges whereas emission factors of aldehydes and aromatics species were reduced for all sampled driving conditions. We use a top-down fuel-based approach to evaluate the mobile emissions from the gasoline fleet estimated in the bottom-up official 2006 MCMA mobile sources. Within the range of measurement uncertainties, we found probable slight overpredictions of mean EI estimates on the order of 20-28% for CO and 14-20% for NO. However, we identify a probable EI discrepancy of VOC mobile emissions between 1.4 and 1.9; although estimated benzene and toluene mobile emissions in the inventory seem to be well within the uncertainties of the corresponding emissions estimates. Aldehydes mobile emissions in the inventory, however, seem to be underpredicted by factors of 3 for HCHO and 2 for CH3CHO. Our on-road measurement-based estimate of annual emissions of organic mass from PM1 particles suggests a severe underprediction (larger than a factor of 4) of PM2.5 mobile emissions in the inventory. Analyses of ambient CO, NOx and CO/NOx concentration trends in the MCMA indicate that the early morning ambient CO/NOx ratio has decreased at a rate of about 1.9 ppm/ppm/year over the last two decades due to reductions in CO

Influence of open vegetation fires on black carbon and ozone variability in the southern Himalayas (NCO-P, 5079 m a.s.l.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putero, D.; Landi, T.C.; Cristofanelli, P.; Marinoni, A.; Laj, P.; Duchi, R.; Calzolari, F.; Verza, G.P.; Bonasoni, P.

2014-01-01

We analysed the variability of equivalent black carbon (BC) and ozone (O 3 ) at the global WMO/GAW station Nepal Climate Observatory-Pyramid (NCO-P, 5079 m a.s.l.) in the southern Himalayas, for evaluating the possible contribution of open vegetation fires to the variability of these short-lived climate forcers/pollutants (SLCF/SLCP) in the Himalayan region. We found that 162 days (9% of the data-set) were characterised by acute pollution events with enhanced BC and O 3 in respect to the climatological values. By using satellite observations (MODIS fire products and the USGS Land Use Cover Characterization) and air mass back-trajectories, we deduced that 56% of these events were likely to be affected by emissions from open fires along the Himalayas foothills, the Indian Subcontinent and the Northern Indo-Gangetic Plain. These results suggest that open fire emissions are likely to play an important role in modulating seasonal and inter-annual BC and O 3 variability over south Himalayas. -- Highlights: • Continuous black carbon (BC) and ozone (O 3 ) are measured at Nepali Himalayas (5079 m). • From March 2006 to June 2011, acute pollution events occurred for 162 days. • We examine the influence of open vegetation fires on BC and O 3 variability. • 56% of acute pollution events in Himalayas can be tagged to open vegetation fires. • Influence of regional fires emissions are maximized during pre-monsoon season. -- Open fire emissions play an important role in modulating black carbon and ozone variability over south Himalayas

Carbon emission disclosure: does it matter

Science.gov (United States)

Sudibyo, Y. A.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research were to test empirically the relationship of Volume of Carbon emission, Carbon Management Practice disclosure and Carbon disclosure emission with firm value, especially in Indonesia as developing Country. This research using data from Indonesian sustainability Award in 2013-2015. The instrument of this research was adapted from CDP Questionnaires to score the disclosure of Carbon Management Practice. While the carbon emission disclosure instrument was dummy variable. For volume of carbon emission, this research used the quantity or volume of carbon reported in sustainability reporting. We find that Volume of carbon emission was not related to Firm value. Also Carbon disclosure Emission does not have relationship with Firm value. Both hypotheses were not consistent with [8] which was doing their research in Developed Country. While Carbon Management Practice Disclosure, using CDP Questionnaires, has positive relationship with Firm value. The conclusion is developing country as resource constraint need to be motivated to report and disclose carbon emission from voluntary reporting to mandatory by regulation from government, not just only for high sensitive industry but also low sensitive industry. Then developing country which has resource constraint need to have more proactive strategy to prevent carbon emission instead of reducing carbon emission.

Multi-Frequency Blazar Micro-Variability as a Tool to Investigate Relativistic Jets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James R. Webb

2016-08-01

Full Text Available For the past 12 years we have been studying optical micro-variability of a sample of 15 Blazars. We summarize the results of this study and draw some basic conclusions about the characteristics of micro-variability. The intermittency, the stochastic nature, and the similar profile shapes seen in micro-variations at different times and in different objects have led us to a possible model to explain the observed micro-variations. The model is based on a strong shock propagating down a relativistic jet and encountering turbulence which causes density or magnetic field enhancements. We use the theory of Kirk, Reiger, and Mastichiadis (1998 to describe the pulse of synchrotron emission emanating from individual density enhancements energized by the shock. By fitting these “pulses” to micro-variability observations, we obtain excellent fits to actual micro-variations. The model predicts that the spectral index changes as a function of pulse duration. This effect should be observable in multi-frequency micro-variability data. We present the theoretical model, model fits of our micro-variability light curves, and preliminary multi-frequency micro-variability observations that support this model. A further test that has yet to be carried out involves observing polarization changes in different pulses.

Extended radio emission and the nature of blazars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonucci, R.R.J.; Ulvestad, J.S.

1985-01-01

The VLA has been used at 20 cm to map all 23 of the 54 confirmed blazars listed in the Angel and Stockman review paper that had not been mapped before at high resolution. (Blazars include BL Lac objects and optically violently variable quasars.) In addition, data on most of the previously mapped blazars have been reprocessed in order to achieve higher dynamic range. Extended emission has been detected associated with 49 of the 54 objects. The extended radio emission has been used to test the hypothesis that blazars are normal radio galaxies and radio quasars viewed along the jet axes. We find that blazars have substantial extended power, consistent with this hypothesis. Many have extended powers as high as the luminous Fanaroff-Riley class 2 radio doubles. The projected linear sizes are small, as expected from foreshortening of the extended sources, and many blazars have the expected core-halo morphology. There are also several small doubles, a head-tail source, and some one-sided sources, and these could be in cases where the line of sight is slightly off the jet axis, or projections of asymmetrical radio galaxies and quasars. The ratio of core to extended radio emission has been studied as a possible indicator of viewing aspect or beaming intensity. It is found to correlate with optical polarization, optical and radio core variability, and one-sided radio morphology. We can go beyond these consistency checks and work toward a proof of the hypothesis under discussion. The flux from the extended emission alone is sufficient in some blazars to qualify them for inclusion in the 3C and 4C catalogs. Suppose that the radio core emission is anisotropic, but the extended emission is predominantly isotropic. The isotropy of the extended emission implies that these blazars would be in the catalogs even if viewed from the side

High-resolution H -band Spectroscopy of Be Stars with SDSS-III/APOGEE. II. Line Profile and Radial Velocity Variability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chojnowski, S. Drew; Holtzman, Jon A. [Apache Point Observatory and New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 59, Sunspot, NM, 88349-0059 (United States); Wisniewski, John P. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, 440 W. Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States); Whelan, David G. [Department of Physics, Austin College, 900 N. Grand Avenue, Sherman, TX 75090 (United States); Labadie-Bartz, Jonathan; Pepper, Joshua [Department of Physics, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015 (United States); Fernandes, Marcelo Borges [Observatório Nacional, Rua General José Cristino 77, 20921-400, São Cristovão, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Lin, Chien-Cheng [Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 80 Nandan Road Shanghai 200030 (China); Majewski, Steven R. [Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400325, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4325 (United States); Stringfellow, Guy S. [Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, 389 UCB, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0389 (United States); Mennickent, Ronald E.; Tang, Baitian [Departamento de Astronomía, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción (Chile); Roman-Lopes, Alexandre [Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Serena, Cisternas 1200, La Serena (Chile); Hearty, Fred R. [Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Zasowski, Gail [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21218 (United States)

2017-04-01

We report on the H -band spectral variability of classical Be stars observed over the course of the Apache Point Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), one of four subsurveys comprising SDSS-III. As described in the first paper of this series, the APOGEE B-type emission-line (ABE) star sample was culled from the large number of blue stars observed as telluric standards during APOGEE observations. In this paper, we explore the multi-epoch ABE sample, consisting of 1100 spectra for 213 stars. These “snapshots” of the circumstellar disk activity have revealed a wealth of temporal variability including, but not limited to, gradual disappearance of the line emission and vice versa over both short and long timescales. Other forms of variability include variation in emission strength, emission peak intensity ratios, and emission peak separations. We also analyze radial velocities (RVs) of the emission lines for a subsample of 162 stars with sufficiently strong features, and we discuss on a case-by-case basis whether the RV variability exhibited by some stars is caused by binary motion versus dynamical processes in the circumstellar disks. Ten systems are identified as convincing candidates for binary Be stars with as of yet undetected companions.

High-resolution H -band Spectroscopy of Be Stars with SDSS-III/APOGEE. II. Line Profile and Radial Velocity Variability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chojnowski, S. Drew; Holtzman, Jon A.; Wisniewski, John P.; Whelan, David G.; Labadie-Bartz, Jonathan; Pepper, Joshua; Fernandes, Marcelo Borges; Lin, Chien-Cheng; Majewski, Steven R.; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Mennickent, Ronald E.; Tang, Baitian; Roman-Lopes, Alexandre; Hearty, Fred R.; Zasowski, Gail

2017-01-01

We report on the H -band spectral variability of classical Be stars observed over the course of the Apache Point Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE), one of four subsurveys comprising SDSS-III. As described in the first paper of this series, the APOGEE B-type emission-line (ABE) star sample was culled from the large number of blue stars observed as telluric standards during APOGEE observations. In this paper, we explore the multi-epoch ABE sample, consisting of 1100 spectra for 213 stars. These “snapshots” of the circumstellar disk activity have revealed a wealth of temporal variability including, but not limited to, gradual disappearance of the line emission and vice versa over both short and long timescales. Other forms of variability include variation in emission strength, emission peak intensity ratios, and emission peak separations. We also analyze radial velocities (RVs) of the emission lines for a subsample of 162 stars with sufficiently strong features, and we discuss on a case-by-case basis whether the RV variability exhibited by some stars is caused by binary motion versus dynamical processes in the circumstellar disks. Ten systems are identified as convincing candidates for binary Be stars with as of yet undetected companions.

Radio Emissions from Magnetopause Reconnection Events

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, S. F.; Kunze, J.

2017-12-01

A new terrestrial radio emission has recently been identified and attributed to a source connected to the magnetopause magnetic reconnection process [Fung et al., 2013]. Known as the terrestrial myriametric radio burst (TMRB), the new emission was observed by both the IMAGE and Geotail spacecraft during a period of northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF Bz >0) as a temporal and isolated burst of emission with perhaps well-defined or directed emission cones. Spectral and spin-modulation analyses showed that both the intensity and source direction of the emission are sensitive to the variability of the IMF. The strong control of the emission by the IMF suggests that the emission is connected to the magnetopause reconnection process. A number of potential TMRB events have now been identified by surveying all the dynamic spectrogram data obtained by the IMAGE, Geotail, Cluster, and Wind spacecraft in 5/2000-12/2005. This paper will present our analyses of how the spectral signatures and beaming characteristics of the emissions might depend on the IMF orientations, and thus their likelihood of being TMRBs. Special emphasis will be on events associated with northward and southward IMF in order to determine if TMRBs might be generally produced from magnetopause reconnection processes. Fung, S. F., K. Hashimoto, H. Kojima, S. A. Boardsen, L. N. Garcia, H. Matsumoto, J. L. Green, and B. W. Reinisch (2013), Terrestrial myriametric radio burst observed by IMAGE and Geotail satellites, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 118, doi:10.1002/jgra.50149.

Economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ansuategi, Alberto [Environment Department, University of York, York (United Kingdom); Escapa, Marta [Foundations of Economic Analysis Department, University of the Basque Country, Bilbao (Spain)

2002-01-01

Recent empirical research has examined the relationship between certain indicators of environmental degradation and income, concluding that in some cases an inverted U-shaped relationship, which has been called an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), exists between these variables. Unfortunately, this inverted U-shaped relationship does not hold for greenhouse gas emissions. One explanation of the absence of EKC-like behavior in greenhouse gas emissions is that greenhouse gases are special pollutants that create global, not local, disutility. But the international nature of global warming is not the only reason that prevents de-linking greenhouse gas emissions from economic growth. The intergenerational nature of the negative impact of greenhouse gas emissions may have also been an important factor preventing the implementation of greenhouse gas abatement measures in the past. In this paper we explore the effect that the presence of intergenerational spillovers has on the emissions-income relationship. We use a numerically calibrated overlapping generations model of climate-economy interactions. We conclude that: (1) the intertemporal responsibility of the regulatory agency, (2) the institutional capacity to make intergenerational transfers and (3) the presence of intergenerationally lagged impact of emissions constitute important determinants of the relationship between economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon emissions performance of commercial logging in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Griscom, Bronson; Ellis, Peter; Putz, Francis E

2014-03-01

Adoption of reduced-impact logging (RIL) methods could reduce CO2 emissions by 30-50% across at least 20% of remaining tropical forests. We developed two cost effective and robust indices for comparing the climate benefits (reduced CO2 emissions) due to RIL. The indices correct for variability in the volume of commercial timber among concessions. We determined that a correction for variability in terrain slope was not needed. We found that concessions certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC, N = 3), when compared with noncertified concessions (N = 6), did not have lower overall CO2 emissions from logging activity (felling, skidding, and hauling). On the other hand, FSC certified concessions did have lower emissions from one type of logging impact (skidding), and we found evidence of a range of improved practices using other field metrics. One explanation of these results may be that FSC criteria and indicators, and associated RIL practices, were not designed to achieve overall emissions reductions. Also, commonly used field metrics are not reliable proxies for overall logging emissions performance. Furthermore, the simple distinction between certified and noncertified concessions does not fully represent the complex history of investments in improved logging practices. To clarify the relationship between RIL and emissions reductions, we propose the more explicit term 'RIL-C' to refer to the subset of RIL practices that can be defined by quantified thresholds and that result in measurable emissions reductions. If tropical forest certification is to be linked with CO2 emissions reductions, certification standards need to explicitly require RIL-C practices. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Avoided emissions of a fuel-efficient biomass cookstove dwarf embodied emissions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D.L. Wilson

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Three billion people cook their food on biomass-fueled fires. This practice contributes to the anthropogenic radiative forcing. Fuel-efficient biomass cookstoves have the potential to reduce CO2-equivalent emissions from cooking, however, cookstoves made from modern materials and distributed through energy-intensive supply chains have higher embodied CO2-equivalent than traditional cookstoves. No studies exist examining whether lifetime emissions savings from fuel-efficient biomass cookstoves offset embodied emissions, and if so, by what margin. This paper is a complete life cycle inventory of “The Berkeley–Darfur Stove,” disseminated in Sudan by the non-profit Potential Energy. We estimate the embodied CO2-equivalent in the cookstove associated with materials, manufacturing, transportation, and end-of-life is 17 kg of CO2-equivalent. Assuming a mix of 55% non-renewable biomass and 45% renewable biomass, five years of service, and a conservative 35% reduction in fuel use relative to a three-stone fire, the cookstove will offset 7.5 tonnes of CO2-equivalent. A one-to-one replacement of a three-stone fire with the cookstove will save roughly 440 times more CO2-equivalent than it “costs” to create and distribute. Over its five-year life, we estimate the total use-phase emissions of the cookstove to be 13.5 tonnes CO2-equivalent, and the use-phase accounts for 99.9% of cookstove life cycle emissions. The dominance of use-phase emissions illuminate two important insights: (1 without a rigorous program to monitor use-phase emissions, an accurate estimate of life cycle emissions from biomass cookstoves is not possible, and (2 improving a cookstove's avoided emissions relies almost exclusively on reducing use-phase emissions even if use-phase reductions come at the cost of substantially increased non-use-phase emissions.

A new method to compare vehicle emissions measured by remote sensing and laboratory testing: high-emitters and potential implications for emission inventories.

Science.gov (United States)

Smit, Robin; Bluett, Jeff

2011-06-01

A new method is presented which is designed to investigate whether laboratory test data used in the development of vehicle emission models adequately reflects emission distributions, and in particular the influence of high-emitting vehicles. The method includes the computation of a 'high-emitter' or 'emission distribution' correction factor for use in emission inventories. In order to make a valid comparison we control for a number of factors such as vehicle technology, measurement technique and driving conditions and use a variable called 'Pollution Index' (g/kg). Our investigation into one vehicle class has shown that laboratory and remote sensing data are substantially different for CO, HC and NO(x) emissions, both in terms of their distributions as well as in their mean and 99-percentile values. Given that the remote sensing data has larger mean values for these pollutants, the analysis suggests that high-emitting vehicles may not be adequately captured in the laboratory test data. The paper presents two different methods for the computation of weighted correction factors for use in emission inventories based on laboratory test data: one using mean values for six 'power bins' and one using multivariate regression functions. The computed correction factors are substantial leading to an increase for laboratory-based emission factors with a factor of 1.7-1.9 for CO, 1.3-1.6 for HC and 1.4-1.7 for NO(x) (actual value depending on the method). However, it also clear that there are points that require further examination before these correction factors should be applied. One important step will be to include a comparison with other types of validation studies such as tunnel studies and near-road air quality assessments to examine if these correction factors are confirmed. If so, we would recommend using the correction factors in emission inventories for motor vehicles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EMISSION AND COMBUSTION CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT FUELS IN A HCCI ENGINE

OpenAIRE

S. Sendilvelan; S.Mohanamurugan

2011-01-01

Different intake valve timings and fuel injection amounts were tested in order to identify their effects on exhaust emissions and combustion characteristics using variable valve actuation (VVA) in a Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engine. The HCCI engine is a promising concept for future automobile engines and stationary power plants. The two-stage ignition process in a HCCI engine creates advanced ignition and stratified combustion, which makes the ignition timing and combus...

Effects of vehicle type and fuel quality on real world toxic emissions from diesel vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Peter F.; Tibbett, Anne R.; Day, Stuart J.

Diesel vehicles are an important source of emissions of air pollutants, particularly oxides of nitrogen (NO x), particulate matter (PM), and toxic compounds with potential health impacts including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and aldehydes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Current developments in engine design and fuel quality are expected to reduce these emissions in the future, but many vehicles exceed 10 years of age and may make a major contribution to urban pollutant concentrations and related health impacts for many years. In this study, emissions of a range of toxic compounds are reported using in-service vehicles which were tested using urban driving cycles developed for Australian conditions. Twelve vehicles were chosen from six vehicle weight classes and, in addition, two of these vehicles were driven through the urban drive cycle using a range of diesel fuel formulations. The fuels ranged in sulphur content from 24 to 1700 ppm, and in total aromatics from 7.7 to 33 mass%. Effects of vehicle type and fuel composition on emissions are reported. The results show that emissions of these toxic species were broadly comparable to those observed in previous dynamometer and tunnel studies. Emissions of VOCs and smaller PAHs such as naphthalene, which are derived largely from the combustion process, appear to be related, and show relatively little variability when compared with the variability in emissions of aldehydes and larger PAHs. In particular, aldehyde emissions are highly variable and may be related to engine operating conditions. Fuels of lower sulphur and aromatic content did not have a significant influence on emissions of VOCs and aldehydes, but tended to result in lower emissions of PAHs. The toxicity of vehicle exhaust, as determined by inhalation risk and toxic equivalency factor (TEF)-weighted PAH emissions, was reduced with fuels of lower aromatic content.

Surface-air mercury fluxes across Western North America: A synthesis of spatial trends and controlling variables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eckley, Chris S., E-mail: eckley.chris@epa.gov [US Environmental Protection Agency, Region-10, Seattle, WA 98101 (United States); Tate, Mike T. [US Geological Survey, Middleton, WI 53562 (United States); Lin, Che-Jen [Center for Advances on Water and Air quality, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX 77710 (United States); Gustin, Mae [Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 (United States); Dent, Stephen [CDM Smith, Portland, OR 97205 (United States); Eagles-Smith, Collin [US Geological Survey, Corvallis, OR 97331 (United States); Lutz, Michelle A. [US Geological Survey, Middleton, WI 53562 (United States); Wickland, Kimberly P. [US Geological Survey Boulder, CO 80303 (United States); Wang, Bronwen [US Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK 99508 (United States); Gray, John E. [US Geological Survey, Denver, CO 80225 (United States); Edwards, Grant C. [Department of Environment and Geography, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW 2109 (Australia); Krabbenhoft, Dave P. [US Geological Survey, Middleton, WI 53562 (United States); Smith, David B. [US Geological Survey, Denver, CO 80225 (United States)

2016-10-15

Mercury (Hg) emission and deposition can occur to and from soils, and are an important component of the global atmospheric Hg budget. This paper focuses on synthesizing existing surface-air Hg flux data collected throughout the Western North American region and is part of a series of geographically focused Hg synthesis projects. A database of existing Hg flux data collected using the dynamic flux chamber (DFC) approach from almost a thousand locations was created for the Western North America region. Statistical analysis was performed on the data to identify the important variables controlling Hg fluxes and to allow spatiotemporal scaling. The results indicated that most of the variability in soil-air Hg fluxes could be explained by variations in soil-Hg concentrations, solar radiation, and soil moisture. This analysis also identified that variations in DFC methodological approaches were detectable among the field studies, with the chamber material and sampling flushing flow rate influencing the magnitude of calculated emissions. The spatiotemporal scaling of soil-air Hg fluxes identified that the largest emissions occurred from irrigated agricultural landscapes in California. Vegetation was shown to have a large impact on surface-air Hg fluxes due to both a reduction in solar radiation reaching the soil as well as from direct uptake of Hg in foliage. Despite high soil Hg emissions from some forested and other heavily vegetated regions, the net ecosystem flux (soil flux + vegetation uptake) was low. Conversely, sparsely vegetated regions showed larger net ecosystem emissions, which were similar in magnitude to atmospheric Hg deposition (except for the Mediterranean California region where soil emissions were higher). The net ecosystem flux results highlight the important role of landscape characteristics in effecting the balance between Hg sequestration and (re-)emission to the atmosphere. - Highlights: • Soil-air Hg fluxes are an important component of the

Surface-air mercury fluxes across Western North America: A synthesis of spatial trends and controlling variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckley, Chris S.; Tate, Mike T.; Lin, Che-Jen; Gustin, Mae; Dent, Stephen; Eagles-Smith, Collin; Lutz, Michelle A.; Wickland, Kimberly P.; Wang, Bronwen; Gray, John E.; Edwards, Grant C.; Krabbenhoft, Dave P.; Smith, David B.

2016-01-01

Mercury (Hg) emission and deposition can occur to and from soils, and are an important component of the global atmospheric Hg budget. This paper focuses on synthesizing existing surface-air Hg flux data collected throughout the Western North American region and is part of a series of geographically focused Hg synthesis projects. A database of existing Hg flux data collected using the dynamic flux chamber (DFC) approach from almost a thousand locations was created for the Western North America region. Statistical analysis was performed on the data to identify the important variables controlling Hg fluxes and to allow spatiotemporal scaling. The results indicated that most of the variability in soil-air Hg fluxes could be explained by variations in soil-Hg concentrations, solar radiation, and soil moisture. This analysis also identified that variations in DFC methodological approaches were detectable among the field studies, with the chamber material and sampling flushing flow rate influencing the magnitude of calculated emissions. The spatiotemporal scaling of soil-air Hg fluxes identified that the largest emissions occurred from irrigated agricultural landscapes in California. Vegetation was shown to have a large impact on surface-air Hg fluxes due to both a reduction in solar radiation reaching the soil as well as from direct uptake of Hg in foliage. Despite high soil Hg emissions from some forested and other heavily vegetated regions, the net ecosystem flux (soil flux + vegetation uptake) was low. Conversely, sparsely vegetated regions showed larger net ecosystem emissions, which were similar in magnitude to atmospheric Hg deposition (except for the Mediterranean California region where soil emissions were higher). The net ecosystem flux results highlight the important role of landscape characteristics in effecting the balance between Hg sequestration and (re-)emission to the atmosphere. - Highlights: • Soil-air Hg fluxes are an important component of the

A PILOT DEEP SURVEY FOR X-RAY EMISSION FROM fuvAGB STARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahai, R. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MS 183-900, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Sanz-Forcada, J.; Sánchez Contreras, C. [Astrobiology Center (CSIC-INTA), ESAC campus, E-28691 Villanueva de la Canada, Madrid (Spain); Stute, M. [Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, D-72076, Tübingen (Germany)

2015-09-01

We report the results of a pilot survey for X-ray emission from a newly discovered class of AGB stars with far-ultraviolet excesses (fuvAGB stars) using XMM-Newton and Chandra. We detected X-ray emission in three of six fuvAGB stars observed—the X-ray fluxes are found to vary in a stochastic or quasi-periodic manner on roughly hour-long timescales, and simultaneous UV observations using the Optical Monitor on XMM for these sources show similar variations in the UV flux. These data, together with previous studies, show that X-ray emission is found only in fuvAGB stars. From modeling the spectra, we find that the observed X-ray luminosities are ∼(0.002–0.2) L{sub ⊙} and the X-ray-emitting plasma temperatures are ∼(35–160) × 10{sup 6} K. The high X-ray temperatures argue against the emission arising in stellar coronae, or directly in an accretion shock, unless it occurs on a WD companion. However, none of the detected objects is a known WD-symbiotic star, suggesting that if WD companions are present, they are relatively cool (<20,000 K). In addition, the high X-ray luminosities specifically argue against emission originating in the coronae of main-sequence companions. We discuss several models for the X-ray emission and its variability and find that the most likely scenario for the origin of the X-ray (and FUV) emission involves accretion activity around a companion star, with confinement by strong magnetic fields associated with the companion and/or an accretion disk around it.

Greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural soils in Austria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strebl, F.; Gebetsroither, E.; Orthofer, R.

2002-07-01

This report documents the calculations of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions in Austria of the IPCC-sector 'Agricultural Soils' for the period 1980 to 2001. According to available information, CH 4 emissions from agricultural soils are very small and thus irrelevant. N 2 O emissions were calculated according to the IPCC method; emission sources considered include direct emissions from nitrogen inputs to soils (mineral and organic fertilizers, crop residues, sewage sludge application, biological fixation) as well as indirect emissions (from atmospheric nitrogen deposition and nitrogen leaching) plus emissions from nitrogen input through grazing animal excreta. NH 3 and NO x emissions were calculated according to the CORINAIR method; sources considered were nitrogen inputs through fertilization as well as emissions from unfertilized cultures. In the year 1990 total emissions were 5.680 t N 2 O-N, 24.628 t NH 3 -N and 1.376 t NO x N. In the period 1980-2001 there were considerable fluctuations of emissions, caused by an inter annual variability of crop production and fertilizer consumption data. However, there are no significant emission trends in the past 20 years. Uncertainties were determined through a Monte-Carlo-based simulation; the standard deviation of a normal uncertainty distribution is 24 % for N 2 O, 13 % for NH 3 , and 18 % for NO x . (author)

Vehicle-specific emissions modeling based upon on-road measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, H Christopher; Zhang, Kaishan; Rouphail, Nagui M

2010-05-01

Vehicle-specific microscale fuel use and emissions rate models are developed based upon real-world hot-stabilized tailpipe measurements made using a portable emissions measurement system. Consecutive averaging periods of one to three multiples of the response time are used to compare two semiempirical physically based modeling schemes. One scheme is based on internally observable variables (IOVs), such as engine speed and manifold absolute pressure, while the other is based on externally observable variables (EOVs), such as speed, acceleration, and road grade. For NO, HC, and CO emission rates, the average R(2) ranged from 0.41 to 0.66 for the former and from 0.17 to 0.30 for the latter. The EOV models have R(2) for CO(2) of 0.43 to 0.79 versus 0.99 for the IOV models. The models are sensitive to episodic events in driving cycles such as high acceleration. Intervehicle and fleet average modeling approaches are compared; the former account for microscale variations that might be useful for some types of assessments. EOV-based models have practical value for traffic management or simulation applications since IOVs usually are not available or not used for emission estimation.

Variables affecting energy efficiency and CO2 emissions in the steel industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siitonen, Sari; Tuomaala, Mari; Ahtila, Pekka

2010-01-01

Specific energy consumption (SEC) is an energy efficiency indicator widely used in industry for measuring the energy efficiency of different processes. In this paper, the development of energy efficiency and CO 2 emissions of steelmaking is studied by analysing the energy data from a case mill. First, the specific energy consumption figures were calculated using different system boundaries, such as the process level, mill level and mill site level. Then, an energy efficiency index was developed to evaluate the development of the energy efficiency at the mill site. The effects of different production conditions on specific energy consumption and specific CO 2 emissions were studied by PLS analysis. As theory expects, the production rate of crude steel and the utilisation of recycled steel were shown to affect the development of energy efficiency at the mill site. This study shows that clearly defined system boundaries help to clarify the role of on-site energy conversion and make a difference between the final energy consumption and primary energy consumption of an industrial plant with its own energy production.

Variable electron beam diameter achieved by a titanium oxide/carbon nanotube hetero-structure suitable for nanolithography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdi, Yaser; Barati, Fatemeh

2013-01-01

We report the fabrication of a titanium oxide/carbon nanotube based field emission device suitable for nanolithography and fabrication of transistors. The growth of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is performed on silicon substrates using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. The vertically grown CNTs are encapsulated by titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) using an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system. Field emission from the CNTs is realized by mechanical polishing of the prepared structure. Possible applications of such nanostructures as a lithography tool with variable electron beam diameter has been investigated. The obtained results show that a spot size of less than 30 nm can be obtained by applying the proper voltage on TiO 2 surrounding gate. Electrical measurements of the fabricated device confirm the capability of the structure for fabrication of field emission based field effect transistors. By a voltage applied between the gate and the cathode electrode, the emission current from CNTs shows a significant drop, indicating proper control of the gate on the emission current. (paper)

H α VARIABILITY IN PTFO 8-8695 AND THE POSSIBLE DIRECT DETECTION OF EMISSION FROM A 2 MILLION YEAR OLD EVAPORATING HOT JUPITER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johns-Krull, Christopher M.; Chen, Wei; Frazier, Sarah A., E-mail: cmj@rice.edu, E-mail: wc2@rice.edu, E-mail: sarah.a.frazier@rice.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, 6100 Main St. MS-108, Houston, TX 77005 (United States); and others

2016-10-10

We use high time cadence, high spectral resolution optical observations to detect excess H α emission from the 2–3 Myr old weak-lined T Tauri star PTFO 8-8695. This excess emission appears to move in velocity as expected if it were produced by the suspected planetary companion to this young star. The excess emission is not always present, but when it is, the predicted velocity motion is often observed. We have considered the possibility that the observed excess emission is produced by stellar activity (flares), accretion from a disk, or a planetary companion; we find the planetary companion to be the most likely explanation. If this is the case, the strength of the H α line indicates that the emission comes from an extended volume around the planet, likely fed by mass loss from the planet which is expected to be overflowing its Roche lobe.

Optical photometric variable stars towards the Galactic H II region NGC 2282

Science.gov (United States)

Dutta, Somnath; Mondal, Soumen; Joshi, Santosh; Jose, Jessy; Das, Ramkrishna; Ghosh, Supriyo

2018-05-01

We report here CCD I-band time series photometry of a young (2-5 Myr) cluster NGC 2282, in order to identify and understand the variability of pre-main-sequence (PMS) stars. The I-band photometry, down to ˜20.5 mag, enables us to probe the variability towards the lower mass end (˜0.1 M⊙) of PMS stars. From the light curves of 1627 stars, we identified 62 new photometric variable candidates. Their association with the region was established from H α emission and infrared (IR) excess. Among 62 variables, 30 young variables exhibit H α emission, near-IR (NIR)/mid-IR (MIR) excess or both and are candidate members of the cluster. Out of 62 variables, 41 are periodic variables, with a rotation rate ranging from 0.2-7 d. The period distribution exhibits a median period at ˜1 d, as in many young clusters (e.g. NGC 2264, ONC, etc.), but it follows a unimodal distribution, unlike others that have bimodality, with slow rotators peaking at ˜6-8 d. To investigate the rotation-disc and variability-disc connection, we derived the NIR excess from Δ(I - K) and the MIR excess from Spitzer [3.6]-[4.5] μm data. No conclusive evidence of slow rotation with the presence of discs around stars and fast rotation for discless stars is obtained from our periodic variables. A clear increasing trend of the variability amplitude with IR excess is found for all variables.

Short-term variability of mineral dust, metals and carbon emission from road dust resuspension

Science.gov (United States)

Amato, Fulvio; Schaap, Martijn; Denier van der Gon, Hugo A. C.; Pandolfi, Marco; Alastuey, Andrés; Keuken, Menno; Querol, Xavier

2013-08-01

Particulate matter (PM) pollution in cities has severe impact on morbidity and mortality of their population. In these cities, road dust resuspension contributes largely to PM and airborne heavy metals concentrations. However, the short-term variation of emission through resuspension is not well described in the air quality models, hampering a reliable description of air pollution and related health effects. In this study we experimentally show that the emission strength of resuspension varies widely among road dust components/sources. Our results offer the first experimental evidence of different emission rates for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon fractions due to traffic-induced resuspension. Also, the same component (or source) recovers differently in a road in Barcelona (Spain) and a road in Utrecht (The Netherlands). This finding has important implications on atmospheric pollution modelling, mostly for mineral dust, heavy metals and carbon species. After rain events, recoveries were generally faster in Barcelona rather than in Utrecht. The largest difference was found for the mineral dust (Al, Si, Ca). Tyre wear particles (organic carbon and zinc) recovered faster than other road dust particles in both cities. The source apportionment of road dust mass provides useful information for air quality management.

CO{sub 2} emissions, electricity consumption and output in ASEAN

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lean, Hooi Hooi [Economics Program, School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia); Smyth, Russell [Department of Economics, Monash University, Clayton 3800 (Australia)

2010-06-15

This study examines the causal relationship between carbon dioxide emissions, electricity consumption and economic growth within a panel vector error correction model for five ASEAN countries over the period 1980-2006. The long-run estimates indicate that there is a statistically significant positive association between electricity consumption and emissions and a non-linear relationship between emissions and real output, consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve. The long-run estimates, however, do not indicate the direction of causality between the variables. The results from the Granger causality tests suggest that in the long-run there is unidirectional Granger causality running from electricity consumption and emissions to economic growth. The results also point to unidirectional Granger causality running from emissions to electricity consumption in the short-run. (author)

Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Nuclear Electricity Generation: Systematic Review and Harmonization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warner, E.S.; Heath, G.A.