Southeast Atlantic Cloud Properties in a Multivariate Statistical Model - How Relevant is Air Mass History for Local Cloud Properties?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Julia; Cermak, Jan; Andersen, Hendrik

2017-04-01

This study aims at untangling the impacts of external dynamics and local conditions on cloud properties in the Southeast Atlantic (SEA) by combining satellite and reanalysis data using multivariate statistics. The understanding of clouds and their determinants at different scales is important for constraining the Earth's radiative budget, and thus prominent in climate-system research. In this study, SEA stratocumulus cloud properties are observed not only as the result of local environmental conditions but also as affected by external dynamics and spatial origins of air masses entering the study area. In order to assess to what extent cloud properties are impacted by aerosol concentration, air mass history, and meteorology, a multivariate approach is conducted using satellite observations of aerosol and cloud properties (MODIS, SEVIRI), information on aerosol species composition (MACC) and meteorological context (ERA-Interim reanalysis). To account for the often-neglected but important role of air mass origin, information on air mass history based on HYSPLIT modeling is included in the statistical model. This multivariate approach is intended to lead to a better understanding of the physical processes behind observed stratocumulus cloud properties in the SEA.

Low-CCN concentration air masses over the eastern North Atlantic: Seasonality, meteorology, and drivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Robert; Stemmler, Jayson D.; Rémillard, Jasmine; Jefferson, Anne

2017-01-01

A 20 month cloud condensation nucleus concentration (NCCN) data set from Graciosa Island (39°N, 28°W) in the remote North Atlantic is used to characterize air masses with low cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations. Low-CCN events are defined as 6 h periods with mean NCCN<20 cm-3 (0.1% supersaturation). A total of 47 low-CCN events are identified. Surface, satellite, and reanalysis data are used to explore the meteorological and cloud context for low-CCN air masses. Low-CCN events occur in all seasons, but their frequency was 3 times higher in December-May than during June-November. Composites show that many of the low-CCN events had a common meteorological basis that involves southerly low-level flow and rather low wind speeds at Graciosa. Anomalously low pressure is situated to the west of Graciosa during these events, but back trajectories and lagged SLP composites indicate that low-CCN air masses often originate as cold air outbreaks to the north and west of Graciosa. Low-CCN events were associated with low cloud droplet concentrations (Nd) at Graciosa, but liquid water path (LWP) during low-CCN events was not systematically different from that at other times. Satellite Nd and LWP estimates from MODIS collocated with Lagrangian back trajectories show systematically lower Nd and higher LWP several days prior to arrival at Graciosa, consistent with the hypothesis that observed low-CCN air masses are often formed by coalescence scavenging in thick warm clouds, often in cold air outbreaks.

Characterising terrestrial influences on Antarctic air masses using Radon-222 measurements at King George Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, S. D.; Hong, S.-B.; Williams, A. G.; Crawford, J.; Griffiths, A. D.; Park, S.-J.

2014-09-01

We report on one year of high-precision direct hourly radon observations at King Sejong Station (King George Island) beginning in February 2013. Findings are compared with historic and ongoing radon measurements from other Antarctic sites. Monthly median concentrations reduced from 72 mBq m-3 in late-summer to 44 mBq m-3 in late winter and early spring. Monthly 10th percentiles, ranging from 29 to 49 mBq m-3, were typical of oceanic baseline values. Diurnal cycles were rarely evident and local influences were minor, consistent with regional radon flux estimates one tenth of the global average for ice-free land. The predominant fetch region for terrestrially influenced air masses was South America (47-53° S), with minor influences also attributed to aged Australian air masses and local sources. Plume dilution factors of 2.8-4.0 were estimated for the most terrestrially influenced (South American) air masses, and a seasonal cycle in terrestrial influence on tropospheric air descending at the pole was identified and characterised.

Characterising terrestrial influences on Antarctic air masses using radon-222 measurements at King George Island

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, S. D.; Hong, S.-B.; Williams, A. G.; Crawford, J.; Griffiths, A. D.; Park, S.-J.

2014-05-01

We report on one year of high precision direct hourly radon observations at King Sejong Station (King George Island) beginning in February 2013. Findings are compared with historic and ongoing radon measurements from other Antarctic sites. Monthly median concentrations reduced from 72 mBq m-3 in late summer to 44 mBq m-3 in late-winter and early-spring. Monthly 10th percentiles, ranging from 29 to 49 mBq m-3, were typical of oceanic baseline values. Diurnal cycles were rarely evident and local influences were minor, consistent with regional radon flux estimates one tenth of the global average for ice-free land. The predominant fetch region for terrestrially influenced air masses was South America (47-53° S), with minor influences also attributed to aged Australian air masses and local sources. Plume dilution factors of 2.8-4.0 were estimated for the most terrestrially influenced (South American) air masses, and a seasonal cycle in terrestrial influence on tropospheric air descending at the pole was identified and characterised.

Influence of Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections on the Sun’s Shadow Observed by the Tibet-III Air Shower Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amenomori, M.; Bi, X. J.; Chen, D.; Chen, T. L.; Chen, W. Y.; Cui, S. W.; Danzengluobu; Ding, L. K.; Feng, C. F.; Feng, Zhaoyang; Feng, Z. Y.; Gou, Q. B.; Guo, Y. Q.; He, H. H.; He, Z. T.; Hibino, K.; Hotta, N.; Hu, Haibing; Hu, H. B.; Huang, J.; Jia, H. Y.; Jiang, L.; Kajino, F.; Kasahara, K.; Katayose, Y.; Kato, C.; Kawata, K.; Kozai, M.; Labaciren; Le, G. M.; Li, A. F.; Li, H. J.; Li, W. J.; Liu, C.; Liu, J. S.; Liu, M. Y.; Lu, H.; Meng, X. R.; Miyazaki, T.; Munakata, K.; Nakajima, T.; Nakamura, Y.; Nanjo, H.; Nishizawa, M.; Niwa, T.; Ohnishi, M.; Ohta, I.; Ozawa, S.; Qian, X. L.; Qu, X. B.; Saito, T.; Saito, T. Y.; Sakata, M.; Sako, T. K.; Shao, J.; Shibata, M.; Shiomi, A.; Shirai, T.; Sugimoto, H.; Takita, M.; Tan, Y. H.; Tateyama, N.; Torii, S.; Tsuchiya, H.; Udo, S.; Wang, H.; Wu, H. R.; Xue, L.; Yamamoto, Y.; Yamauchi, K.; Yang, Z.; Yuan, A. F.; Zhai, L. M.; Zhang, H. M.; Zhang, J. L.; Zhang, X. Y.; Zhang, Y.; Zhang, Yi; Zhang, Ying; Zhaxisangzhu; Zhou, X. X.; Tibet ASγ Collaboration

2018-06-01

We examine the possible influence of Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (ECMEs) on the Sun’s shadow in the 3 TeV cosmic-ray intensity observed by the Tibet-III air shower (AS) array. We confirm a clear solar-cycle variation of the intensity deficit in the Sun’s shadow during ten years between 2000 and 2009. This solar-cycle variation is overall reproduced by our Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of the Sun’s shadow based on the potential field model of the solar magnetic field averaged over each solar rotation period. We find, however, that the magnitude of the observed intensity deficit in the Sun’s shadow is significantly less than that predicted by MC simulations, particularly during the period around solar maximum when a significant number of ECMEs is recorded. The χ 2 tests of the agreement between the observations and the MC simulations show that the difference is larger during the periods when the ECMEs occur, and the difference is reduced if the periods of ECMEs are excluded from the analysis. This suggests the first experimental evidence of the ECMEs affecting the Sun’s shadow observed in the 3 TeV cosmic-ray intensity.

Trends and sources vs air mass origins in a major city in South-western Europe: Implications for air quality management.

PubMed

Fernández-Camacho, R; de la Rosa, J D; Sánchez de la Campa, A M

2016-05-15

This study presents a 17-years air quality database comprised of different parameters corresponding to the largest city in the south of Spain (Seville) where atmospheric pollution is frequently attributed to traffic emissions and is directly affected by Saharan dust outbreaks. We identify the PM10 contributions from both natural and anthropogenic sources in this area associated to different air mass origins. Hourly, daily and seasonal variation of PM10 and gaseous pollutant concentrations (CO, NO2 and SO2), all of them showing negative trends during the study period, point to the traffic as one of the main sources of air pollution in Seville. Mineral dust, secondary inorganic compounds (SIC) and trace elements showed higher concentrations under North African (NAF) air mass origins than under Atlantic. We observe a decreasing trend in all chemical components of PM10 under both types of air masses, NAF and Atlantic. Principal component analysis using more frequent air masses in the area allows the identification of five PM10 sources: crustal, regional, marine, traffic and industrial. Natural sources play a more relevant role during NAF events (20.6 μg · m(-3)) than in Atlantic episodes (13.8 μg · m(-3)). The contribution of the anthropogenic sources under NAF doubles the one under Atlantic conditions (33.6 μg · m(-3) and 15.8 μg · m(-3), respectively). During Saharan dust outbreaks the frequent accumulation of local anthropogenic pollutants in the lower atmosphere results in poor air quality and an increased risk of mortality. The results are relevant when analysing the impact of anthropogenic emissions on the exposed population in large cities. The increase in potentially toxic elements during Saharan dust outbreaks should also be taken into account when discounting the number of exceedances attributable to non-anthropogenic or natural origins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Markers for Chinese and Korean Air Masses: Halocarbons and Other Trace Gases Measured During KORUS-AQ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blake, N. J.; Blake, D. R.; Meinardi, S.; Simpson, I. J.; Hughes, S.; Barletta, B.; Fleming, L.; Vizenor, N.; Schroeder, J.; Emmons, L. K.; Knote, C. J.

2017-12-01

The UC-Irvine Whole Air Sampler (WAS) collected a total of 2650 samples aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft in support of the May-June 2016 field deployment phase of the KORUS-AQ mission: An International Cooperative Air Quality Field Study in Korea. Here we employ our trace gas measurements, along with CAM-chem tracers and back-trajectories to identify source regions during KORUS-AQ, with a focus on air masses which indicate Chinese and/or Korean origin. During KORUS-AQ we flew mostly over and around the Korean Peninsula with the intent of characterising Korean sources, but Chinese influence was observed offshore near the surface of the West Sea during several KORUS-AQ flights - in accord with forecast predictions from CAM-chem model runs. Unlike previous missions in the Asian region such as TRACE-P (2001), we found that halon-1211 (H-1211) is no longer a useful indicator of air masses from China because of production decline. By contrast, mixing ratios of the long-lived halocarbons carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and chlorofluorocarbon-113 (CFC-113) were more strongly enhanced in air masses intercepted from China compared to Korea. We will use these tracers, the shorter-lived halocarbons, dichloromethane (CH2Cl2) and methyl chloride (CH3Cl), as well as the sulfur gas carbonyl sulfide (COS) and others, to characterize different regional air mass origins and their sources.

Nitrogen fluorescence in air for observing extensive air showers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keilhauer, B.; Bohacova, M.; Fraga, M.; Matthews, J.; Sakaki, N.; Tameda, Y.; Tsunesada, Y.; Ulrich, A.

2013-06-01

Extensive air showers initiate the fluorescence emissions from nitrogen molecules in air. The UV-light is emitted isotropically and can be used for observing the longitudinal development of extensive air showers in the atmosphere over tenth of kilometers. This measurement technique is well-established since it is exploited for many decades by several cosmic ray experiments. However, a fundamental aspect of the air shower analyses is the description of the fluorescence emission in dependence on varying atmospheric conditions. Different fluorescence yields affect directly the energy scaling of air shower reconstruction. In order to explore the various details of the nitrogen fluorescence emission in air, a few experimental groups have been performing dedicated measurements over the last decade. Most of the measurements are now finished. These experimental groups have been discussing their techniques and results in a series of Air Fluorescence Workshops commenced in 2002. At the 8th Air Fluorescence Workshop 2011, it was suggested to develop a common way of describing the nitrogen fluorescence for application to air shower observations. Here, first analyses for a common treatment of the major dependences of the emission procedure are presented. Aspects like the contributions at different wavelengths, the dependence on pressure as it is decreasing with increasing altitude in the atmosphere, the temperature dependence, in particular that of the collisional cross sections between molecules involved, and the collisional de-excitation by water vapor are discussed.

UHECR mass composition measurement at Telescope Array via stereoscopic observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroman, Thomas; Telescope Array Collaboration

2015-04-01

The masses of primary ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) nuclei cannot be measured directly on an individual basis, but constraints on the chemical composition can be inferred from the distributions of observable properties. The atmospheric slant depth at which a UHECR-induced extensive air shower reaches its maximum number of particles, Xmax, is particularly sensitive to the mass of the incident nucleus, occurring earlier in the shower's longitudinal development for heavier nuclei at a given energy. The Telescope Array in west-central Utah, the northern hemisphere's largest UHECR detector, is equipped for accurate Xmax and energy measurements via stereoscopic fluorescence observation. Using data from seven years of operation, we will present Xmax distributions at several energies E >10 18 . 2eV , and compare them to distributions predicted by detailed detector simulations under an assortment of assumed UHECR compositions and high-energy hadronic interaction models.

Sulfate and nitrate in Asian dust particles observed in desert, coastal and marine air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, D.; Wu, F.; Junji, C.

2016-12-01

Sulfate and nitrate in dust particles are believed to be two key species which can largely alter the physical and chemical properties of the particles in the atmosphere, in particular under humid conditions. Their occurrence in the particles has usually been considered to be the consequence of particles' aging during their long-distance travel in the air although they are present in some crustal minerals. Our observations at two deserts in China during dust episodes revealed that there were soil-derived sulfate and background-like nitrate in atmospheric dust samples. Sulfate in dust samples was proportional to samples' mass and comprised at steady mass percentages in differently sized samples. In contrast, nitrate concentration was approximately stable and independent from dust loading. Our observations at inland and coastal areas of China during dust episodes revealed that sulfate and nitrate were hardly produced on the surface of dust particles that were originated from the deserts areas in northwestern China. This is because the dust particles were in the postfrontal air, where the temperature was low and the relative humidity was small due to the adiabatic properties of the air mass. There are a number studies reporting that sulfate and nitrate had been efficiently produced on mineral particles in inland areas of China. However, those mineral particles were more likely from the local areas rather than from the desert areas. Our observations in the coastal areas of Japan, which is located in the downstream areas of the Asian continent and surrounded by sea areas revealed that dust particles appearing there frequently contained sulfate and nitrate, indicating sulfate and nitrate had been efficiently produced on the surface of the particles when the particles traveled in the marine air between China and Japan.

Formic and Acetic Acid Observations over Colorado by Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry and Organic Acids' Role in Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treadaway, V.; O'Sullivan, D. W.; Heikes, B.; Silwal, I.; McNeill, A.

2015-12-01

Formic acid (HFo) and acetic acid (HAc) have both natural and anthropogenic sources and a role in the atmospheric processing of carbon. These organic acids also have an increasing importance in setting the acidity of rain and snow as precipitation nitrate and sulfate concentrations have decreased. Primary emissions for both organic acids include biomass burning, agriculture, and motor vehicle emissions. Secondary production is also a substantial source for both acids especially from biogenic precursors, secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), and photochemical production from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs). Chemical transport models underestimate organic acid concentrations and recent research has sought to develop additional production mechanisms. Here we report HFo and HAc measurements during two campaigns over Colorado using the peroxide chemical ionization mass spectrometer (PCIMS). Iodide clusters of both HFo and HAc were recorded at mass-to-charge ratios of 173 and 187, respectively. The PCIMS was flown aboard the NCAR Gulfstream-V platform during the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Experiment (DC3) and aboard the NCAR C-130 during the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Experiment (FRAPPE). The DC3 observations were made in May and June 2012 extending from the surface to 13 km over the central and eastern United States. FRAPPE observations were made in July and August 2014 from the surface to 7 km over Colorado. DC3 measurements reported here are focused over the Colorado Front Range and complement the FRAPPE observations. DC3 HFo altitude profiles are characterized by a decrease up to 6 km followed by an increase either back to boundary layer mixing ratio values or higher (a "C" shape). Organic acid measurements from both campaigns are interpreted with an emphasis on emission sources (both natural and anthropogenic) over Colorado and in situ photochemical production especially ozone precursors.

Influence of power ultrasound application on mass transport and microstructure of orange peel during hot air drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortuño, Carmen; Pérez-Munuera, Isabel; Puig, Ana; Riera, Enrique; Garcia-Perez, J. V.

2010-01-01

Power ultrasound application on convective drying of foodstuffs may be considered an emergent technology. This work deals with the influence of power ultrasound on drying of natural materials addressing the kinetic as well as the product's microstructure. Convective drying kinetics of orange peel slabs (thickness 5.95±0.41 mm) were carried out at 40 ∘C and 1 m/s with (US) and without (AIR) power ultrasound application. A diffusion model considering external resistance to mass transfer was considered to describe drying kinetics. Fresh, US and AIR dried samples were analyzed using Cryo-SEM. Results showed that drying kinetics of orange peel were significantly improved by the application of power ultrasound. From modeling, it was observed a significant (p¡0.05) increase in both mass transfer coefficient and effective moisture diffusivity. The effects on mass transfer properties were confirmed from microestructural observations. In the cuticle surface, the pores were obstructed by wax components scattering, which evidence the ultrasonic effects on the interfaces. The cells of the flavedo were compressed and large intercellular air spaces were generated in the albedo facilitating water transfer through it.

Subtropical air masses over eastern Canada: Their links to extreme precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyakum, John; Wood, Alice; Milrad, Shawn; Atallah, Eyad

2017-04-01

We investigate extremely warm, moist air masses with an analysis of 850-hPa equivalent potential temperature (θe) extremes at Montreal, Quebec. The utility of using this metric is that it represents the thermodynamic property of air that ascends during a precipitation event. We produce an analysis of the 40 most extreme cases of positive θe, 10 for each season, based upon standardized anomalies from the 33-year climatology. The analysis shows the cases to be characterized by air masses with distinct subtropical traits for all seasons: reduced static stability, anomalously high precipitable water, and anomalously elevated dynamic tropopause heights. Persistent, slow moving upper- and lower-level features were essential in the build up of high- θe air encompassing much of eastern Canada. The trajectory analysis also showed anticyclonic curvature to all paths in all seasons, implying that the subtropical anticyclone is crucial in the transport of high- θe air. These atmospheric rivers during the winter are characterized by trajectories from the subtropical North Atlantic, and over the Gulf Stream current, northward into Montreal. In contrast, the summer anticyclonic trajectories are primarily continental, traveling from Texas north-northeastward into the Great Lakes, and then eastward into Montreal. The role of the air mass in modulating the strength of a precipitation event is addressed with an analysis of the expression, P = RD, where P is the total precipitation, and R is the precipitation rate, averaged through the duration, D, of the event. Though appearing simple, this expression includes R, (assumed to be same as condensation, with an efficiency of 1), which may be expressed as the product of vertical motion and the change of saturation mixing ratio following a moist adiabat, through the troposphere. This expression for R includes the essential ingredients of lift, air mass temperature, and static stability (implicit in vertical motion). We use this

Settlement with Amherst, Mass., Company Reduces Emissions to Air

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Under the terms of a recent settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), John S. Lane and Son, Inc. (JS Lane), a sand and gravel company in Amherst, Mass., has taken steps to reduce air pollution, as required by the Clean Air Act (CAA).

Air Mass Origin in the Arctic and its Response to Future Warming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orbe, Clara; Newman, Paul A.; Waugh, Darryn W.; Holzer, Mark; Oman, Luke; Polvani, Lorenzo M.; Li, Feng

2014-01-01

We present the first climatology of air mass origin in the Arctic in terms of rigorously defined air mass fractions that partition air according to where it last contacted the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Results from a present-day climate integration of the GEOSCCM general circulation model reveal that the Arctic lower troposphere below 700 mb is dominated year round by air whose last PBL contact occurred poleward of 60degN, (Arctic air, or air of Arctic origin). By comparison, approx. 63% of the Arctic troposphere above 700 mb originates in the NH midlatitude PBL, (midlatitude air). Although seasonal changes in the total fraction of midlatitude air are small, there are dramatic changes in where that air last contacted the PBL, especially above 700 mb. Specifically, during winter air in the Arctic originates preferentially over the oceans, approx. 26% in the East Pacific, and approx. 20% in the Atlantic PBL. By comparison, during summer air in the Arctic last contacted the midlatitude PBL primarily over land, overwhelmingly so in Asia (approx. 40 %) and, to a lesser extent, in North America (approx. 24%). Seasonal changes in air-mass origin are interpreted in terms of seasonal variations in the large-scale ventilation of the midlatitude boundary layer and lower troposphere, namely changes in the midlatitude tropospheric jet and associated transient eddies during winter and large scale convective motions over midlatitudes during summer.

Experimental Determination of Air Density Using a 1 kg Mass Comparator in Vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gläser, M.; Schwartz, R.; Mecke, M.

1991-01-01

The density of ambient air has been determined by a straightforward experimental method. The apparent masses of two artefacts having about the same mass and surface, but different well-known volumes, have been compared by using a 1 kg balance in vacuum and in air. The differences of apparent masses and volumes yield the air density with a relative uncertainty (1σ) of 5 × 10-5. From measurements made using a third artefact, surface sorption effects caused by the change between vacuum and air conditions gave a coefficient of about 0,2 μg cm-2.

Overview of NASA's Observations for Global Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaye, J. A.

2015-12-01

Observations of pollutants are central to the study of air quality. Much focus has been placed on local-scale observations that can help specific geographic areas document their air quality issues, plan abatement strategies, and understand potential impacts. In addition, long-range atmospheric transport of pollutants can cause downwind regions to not meet attainment standards. Satellite observations have shed significant light on air quality from local to regional to global scales, especially for pollutants such as ozone, aerosols, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. These observations have made use of multiple techniques and in some cases multiple satellite sensors. The satellite observations are complemented by surface observations, as well as atmospheric (in situ) observations typically made as part of focused airborne field campaigns. The synergy between satellite observations and field campaigns has been an important theme for recent and upcoming activities and plans. In this talk, a review of NASA's investments in observations relevant to global air quality will be presented, with examples given for a range of pollutants and measurement approaches covering the last twenty-five years. These investments have helped build national and international collaborations such that the global satellite community is now preparing to deploy a constellation of satellites that together will provide fundamental advances in global observations for air quality.

Transport Regimes of Air Masses Affecting the Tropospheric Composition of the Canadian and European Arctic During RACEPAC 2014 and NETCARE 2014/2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bozem, H.; Hoor, P. M.; Koellner, F.; Kunkel, D.; Schneider, J.; Schulz, C.; Herber, A. B.; Borrmann, S.; Wendisch, M.; Ehrlich, A.; Leaitch, W. R.; Willis, M. D.; Burkart, J.; Thomas, J. L.; Abbatt, J.

2015-12-01

The Arctic is warming much faster than any other place in the world and undergoes a rapid change dominated by a changing climate in this region. The impact of polluted air masses traveling to the Arctic from various remote sources significantly contributes to the observed climate change, in contrast there are additional local emission sources contributing to the level of pollutants (trace gases and aerosol). Processes affecting the emission and transport of these pollutants are not well understood and need to be further investigated. We present aircraft based trace gas measurements in the Arctic during RACEPAC (2014) and NETCARE (2014 and 2015) with the Polar 6 aircraft of Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) covering an area from 134°W to 17°W and 68°N to 83°N. We focus on cloud, aerosol and general transport processes of polluted air masses into the high Arctic. Based on CO and CO2 measurements and kinematic 10-day back trajectories we analyze the transport regimes prevalent during spring (RACEPAC 2014 and NETCARE 2015) and summer (NETCARE 2014) in the observed region. Whereas the eastern part of the Canadian Arctic is affected by air masses with their origin in Asia, in the central and western parts of the Canadian and European Arctic air masses from North America are predominant at the time of the measurement. In general the more northern parts of the Arctic were relatively unaffected by pollution from mid-latitudes since air masses mostly travel within the polar dome, being quite isolated. Associated mixing ratios of CO and CO2 fit into the seasonal cycle observed at NOAA ground stations throughout the Arctic, but show a more mid-latitudinal characteristic at higher altitudes. The transition is remarkably sharp and allows for a chemical definition of the polar dome. At low altitudes, synoptic disturbances transport polluted air masses from mid-latitudes into regions of the polar dome. These air masses contribute to the Arctic pollution background, but also

The fabrication of plastic cages for suspension in mass air flow racks.

PubMed

Nielsen, F H; Bailey, B

1979-08-01

A cage for suspension in mass air flow racks was constructed of plastic and used to house rats. Little or no difficulty was encountered with the mass air flow rack-suspended cage system during the 4 years it was used for the study of trace elements.

An Air Mass Based Approach to the Establishment of Spring Season Synoptic Characteristics in the Northeast United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zander, R.; Messina, A.; Godek, M. L.

2012-12-01

The spring season is indicative of marked meteorological, ecological, and biological changes across the Northeast United States. The onset of spring coincides with distinct meteorological phenomena including an increase in severe weather events and snow meltwaters that can cause localized flooding and other costly damages. Increasing and variable springtime temperatures also influence Northeast tourist operations and agricultural productivity. Even with the vested interest of industry in the season and public awareness of the dynamic characteristics of spring, the definition of spring remains somewhat arbitrary. The primary goal of this research is to obtain a synoptic meteorological definition of the spring season through an assessment of air mass frequency over the past 60 years. A secondary goal examines the validity of recent speculations that the onset and termination of spring has changed in recent decades, particularly since 1975. The Spatial Synoptic Classification is utilized to define daily air masses over the region. Annual and seasonal baseline frequencies are identified and their differences are acquired to characterize the season. Seasonal frequency departures of the early and late segments of the period of record around 1975 are calculated and examined for practical and statistical significance. The daily boundaries of early and late spring are then isolated and frequencies are obtained for these periods. Boundary frequencies are assessed across the period of record to identify important changes in the season's initiation and termination through time. Results indicate that the Northeast spring season is dominated by dry air masses, mainly the Dry Moderate and Dry Polar types. Significant differences in seasonal air mass frequency are also observed through time. Prior to 1975, higher frequencies of polar air mass types are detected while after 1975 there is an increase in the frequencies of both moderate and tropical types. This finding is also

A Comparison of the Red Green Blue Air Mass Imagery and Hyperspectral Infrared Retrieved Profiles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berndt, E. B.; Folmer, Michael; Dunion, Jason

2014-01-01

The Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass imagery is derived from multiple channels or paired channel differences. Multiple channel products typically provide additional information than a single channel can provide alone. The RGB Air Mass imagery simplifies the interpretation of temperature and moisture characteristics of air masses surrounding synoptic and mesoscale features. Despite the ease of interpretation of multiple channel products, the combination of channels and channel differences means the resulting product does not represent a quantity or physical parameter such as brightness temperature in conventional single channel satellite imagery. Without a specific quantity to reference, forecasters are often confused as to what RGB products represent. Hyperspectral infrared retrieved profiles of temperature, moisture, and ozone can provide insight about the air mass represented on the RGB Air Mass product and provide confidence in the product and representation of air masses despite the lack of a quantity to reference for interpretation. This study focuses on RGB Air Mass analysis of Hurricane Sandy as it moved north along the U.S. East Coast, while transitioning to a hybrid extratropical storm. Soundings and total column ozone retrievals were analyzed using data from the Cross-track Infrared and Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder Suite (CrIMSS) on the Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership satellite and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Aqua satellite along with dropsondes that were collected from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Air Force research aircraft. By comparing these datasets to the RGB Air Mass, it is possible to capture quantitative information that could help in analyzing the synoptic environment enough to diagnose the onset of extratropical transition. This was done by identifying any stratospheric air intrusions (SAIs) that existed in the vicinity of Sandy as the wind

Observation of Asian Mineral Dust Particles in Japan by a Single-Particle Mass Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, J.; Takahashi, K.; Matsumi, Y.; Sugimoto, N.; Matsui, I.; Shimizu, A.

2005-12-01

The Asian mineral dust (Kosa) particles, emitted from the desert area of inland China, are characteristic of East Asian aerosols. The Kosa particles are important as regional carriers of various materials, especially in spring when the stormy dusts are transported to Japan and Pacific Ocean. In this study, the chemical mixing state of each atmospheric aerosol was measured individually by a laser-based time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) to discuss chemical changes of Kosa particles during the transport. Observation was conducted at Tsukuba (36.05°N, 140.12°E) in April and May 2004. The LIDAR measurement was also carried out to determine the Kosa events. To classify the source of the air mass, the NOAA-HYSPLIT backward trajectory was applied. For the TOFMS instrument, particles with μm and sub-μm diameters were detected. The polarity of ion detection was altered every minute. During 30 days, the numbers of logged mass spectra (MS) were 5993 and 4382 for positive and negative ions, respectively. When the MS of ambient aerosols were compared with that of the standard Kosa sample, sulfate- and nitrate-mixed Kosa particles were found. To explore the mixing state of particles further, classification of the particles by the ART-2a algorithm was adopted. NO2-, NO3-, HSO4-, SiO2-, SiO3-, Cl- and NaCl2- were focused. Finally, particles were classified to 4 categories as A: sulfate and sulfate-rich mineral; B: sulfate-poor mineral; C: sea salt; D: unidentified. The relative fractions of A were 30 % and 1 % for a Kosa event and a maritime air mass, respectively. Note that the air mass for Kosa event case passed over the coast region of China, where SOx emission was intensive. It was reasonable that sulfate was internally mixed with Kosa particles and transported to Japan. Consequently, it was confirmed experimentally that Kosa particles are important as carriers of pollutants in the rim region of Pacific Ocean. Comparison with the observation in 2005 is also shown.

Measurement of the oxygen mass transfer through the air-water interface.

PubMed

Mölder, Erik; Mashirin, Alelxei; Tenno, Toomas

2005-01-01

Gas mass transfer through the liquid-gas interface has enormous importance in various natural and industrial processes. Surfactants or insoluble compounds adsorbed onto an interface will inhibit the gas mass transfer through the liquid-gas surface. This study presents a technique for measuring the oxygen mass transfer through the air-water interface. Experimental data obtained with the measuring device were incorporated into a novel mathematical model, which allowed one to calculate diffusion conduction of liquid surface layer and oxygen mass transfer coefficient in the liquid surface layer. A special measurement cell was constructed. The most important part of the measurement cell is a chamber containing the electrochemical oxygen sensor inside it. Gas exchange between the volume of the chamber and the external environment takes place only through the investigated surface layer. Investigated liquid was deoxygenated, which triggers the oxygen mass transfer from the chamber through the liquid-air interface into the liquid phase. The decrease of oxygen concentration in the cell during time was measured. By using this data it is possible to calculate diffusional parameters of the water surface layer. Diffusion conduction of oxygen through the air-water surface layer of selected wastewaters was measured. The diffusion conduction of different wastewaters was about 3 to 6 times less than in the unpolluted water surface. It was observed that the dilution of wastewater does not have a significant impact on the oxygen diffusion conduction through the wastewater surface layer. This fact can be explained with the presence of the compounds with high surface activity in the wastewater. Surfactants achieved a maximum adsorption and, accordingly, the maximum decrease of oxygen permeability already at a very low concentration of surfactants in the solution. Oxygen mass transfer coefficient of the surface layer of the water is found to be Ds/ls = 0.13 x 10(-3) x cm/s. A simple

SAM-CAAM: A Concept for Acquiring Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses.

PubMed

Kahn, Ralph A; Berkoff, Tim A; Brock, Charles; Chen, Gao; Ferrare, Richard A; Ghan, Steven; Hansico, Thomas F; Hegg, Dean A; Martins, J Vanderlei; McNaughton, Cameron S; Murphy, Daniel M; Ogren, John A; Penner, Joyce E; Pilewskie, Peter; Seinfeld, John H; Worsnop, Douglas R

2017-10-01

A modest operational program of systematic aircraft measurements can resolve key satellite-aerosol-data-record limitations. Satellite observations provide frequent, global aerosol-amount maps, but offer only loose aerosol property constraints needed for climate and air quality applications. We define and illustrate the feasibility of flying an aircraft payload to measure key aerosol optical, microphysical, and chemical properties in situ . The flight program could characterize major aerosol air-mass types statistically, at a level-of-detail unobtainable from space. It would: (1) enhance satellite aerosol retrieval products with better climatology assumptions, and (2) improve translation between satellite-retrieved optical properties and species-specific aerosol mass and size simulated in climate models to assess aerosol forcing, its anthropogenic components, and other environmental impacts. As such, Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses (SAM-CAAM) could add value to data records representing several decades of aerosol observations from space, improve aerosol constraints on climate modeling , help interrelate remote-sensing, in situ, and modeling aerosol-type definitions , and contribute to future satellite aerosol missions. Fifteen Required Variables are identified, and four Payload Options of increasing ambition are defined, to constrain these quantities. "Option C" could meet all the SAM-CAAM objectives with about 20 instruments, most of which have flown before, but never routinely several times per week, and never as a group. Aircraft integration, and approaches to data handling, payload support, and logistical considerations for a long-term, operational mission are discussed. SAM-CAAM is feasible because, for most aerosol sources and specified seasons, particle properties tend to be repeatable , even if aerosol loading varies.

Evidence for widespread tropospheric Cl chemistry in free tropospheric air masses from the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, Angela K.; Sauvage, Carina; Thorenz, Ute R.; Brenninkmeijer, Carl A. M.; Oram, David E.; van Velthoven, Peter; Zahn, Andreas; Williams, Jonathan

2015-04-01

While the primary global atmospheric oxidant is the hydroxyl radical (OH), under certain circumstances chlorine radicals (Cl) can compete with OH and perturb the oxidative cycles of the troposphere. During flights between Bangkok, Thailand and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia conducted over two fall/winter seasons (November 2012 - March 2013 and November 2013 - January 2014) the IAGOS-CARIBIC (www.caribic-atmospheric.com) observatory consistently encountered free tropospheric air masses (9-11 km) originating over the South China Sea which had non-methane hydrocarbon (NMHC) signatures characteristic of processing by Cl. These signatures were observed in November and December of both years, but were not seen in other months, suggesting that oxidation by Cl is a persistent seasonal feature in this region. These Cl signatures were observed over a range of ~1500 km indicating a large-scale phenomenon. In this region, where transport patterns facilitate global redistribution of pollutants and persistent deep convection creates a fast-track for cross-tropopause transport, there exists the potential for regional chemistry to have impacts further afield. Here we use observed relationships between NMHCs to estimate the significance and magnitude of Cl oxidation in this region. From the relative depletions of NMHCs in these air masses we infer OH to Cl ratios of 83±28 to 139±40 [OH]/[Cl], which we believe represents an upper limit, based on the technique employed. At a predicted average [OH] of 1.5×106 OH cm-3 this corresponds to an average (minimum) [Cl] exposure of 1-2×104 Cl cm-3 during air mass transport. Lastly, in addition to estimating Cl abundances we have used IAGOS-CARIBIC observations to elucidate whether the origin of this Cl is predominantly natural or anthropogenic.

Water vapor mass balance method for determining air infiltration rates in houses

Treesearch

David R. DeWalle; Gordon M. Heisler

1980-01-01

A water vapor mass balance technique that includes the use of common humidity-control equipment can be used to determine average air infiltration rates in buildings. Only measurements of the humidity inside and outside the home, the mass of vapor exchanged by a humidifier/dehumidifier, and the volume of interior air space are needed. This method gives results that...

Disk Masses around Solar-mass Stars are Underestimated by CO Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Mo; Evans, Neal J., II; Dodson-Robinson, Sarah E.; Willacy, Karen; Turner, Neal J.

2017-05-01

Gas in protostellar disks provides the raw material for giant planet formation and controls the dynamics of the planetesimal-building dust grains. Accurate gas mass measurements help map the observed properties of planet-forming disks onto the formation environments of known exoplanets. Rare isotopologues of carbon monoxide (CO) have been used as gas mass tracers for disks in the Lupus star-forming region, with an assumed interstellar CO/H2 abundance ratio. Unfortunately, observations of T-Tauri disks show that CO abundance is not interstellar, a finding reproduced by models that show CO abundance decreasing both with distance from the star and as a function of time. Here, we present radiative transfer simulations that assess the accuracy of CO-based disk mass measurements. We find that the combination of CO chemical depletion in the outer disk and optically thick emission from the inner disk leads observers to underestimate gas mass by more than an order of magnitude if they use the standard assumptions of interstellar CO/H2 ratio and optically thin emission. Furthermore, CO abundance changes on million-year timescales, introducing an age/mass degeneracy into observations. To reach a factor of a few accuracy for CO-based disk mass measurements, we suggest that observers and modelers adopt the following strategies: (1) select low-J transitions; (2) observe multiple CO isotopologues and use either intensity ratios or normalized line profiles to diagnose CO chemical depletion; and (3) use spatially resolved observations to measure the CO-abundance distribution.

The Valley of Mexico: summary of observational studies on its air quality and effects on vegetation.

PubMed

de Bauer, L I; Krupa, S V

1990-01-01

Present day Mexico City was established on the banks of the now dead Lake Texcoco by Aztec Indians in a.d. 1325. Over time, increasing population growth, urbanization, vehicular traffic and the number of diverse stationary sources, coupled with its topography and the resultant frequency of prevalent stagnant air masses make Mexico City one of the most polluted areas in the world. Use of biological indicator plants since the early 1970s has shown the critical nature of phytotoxic photochemical oxidants in the region. More recent empirical studies with bean, soybean and pine species confirm these observations and raise concern regarding the geographic magnitude of the problem. Surface measurements of air quality in the region are inadequate and require much additional support. Ultimately, ambient air quality measurements must be coupled with the observations on responses of sensitive vegetation. While the results presented in this paper are primarily observational or qualitative, they hopefully serve the purpose of bringing attention to a critical air quality issue in a developing country.

The mass and speed dependence of meteor air plasma temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenniskens, Peter; Laux, Christophe O.; Wilson, Michael A.; Schaller, Emily L.

2004-01-01

The speed and mass dependence of meteor air plasma temperatures is perhaps the most important data needed to understand how small meteoroids chemically change the ambient atmosphere in their path and enrich the ablated meteoric organic matter with oxygen. Such chemistry can play an important role in creating prebiotic compounds. The excitation conditions in various air plasma emissions were measured from high-resolution optical spectra of Leonid storm meteors during NASA's Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign. This was the first time a sufficient number and range of temperature measurements were obtained to search for meteoroid mass and speed dependencies. We found slight increases in temperature with decreasing altitude, but otherwise nearly constant values for meteoroids with speeds between 35 and 72 km/s and masses between 10(-5) g and 1 g. We conclude that faster and more massive meteoroids produce a larger emission volume, but not a higher air plasma temperature. We speculate that the meteoric plasma may be in multiphase equilibrium with the ambient atmosphere, which could mean lower plasma temperatures in a CO(2)-rich early Earth atmosphere.

The mass and speed dependence of meteor air plasma temperatures.

PubMed

Jenniskens, Peter; Laux, Christophe O; Wilson, Michael A; Schaller, Emily L

2004-01-01

The speed and mass dependence of meteor air plasma temperatures is perhaps the most important data needed to understand how small meteoroids chemically change the ambient atmosphere in their path and enrich the ablated meteoric organic matter with oxygen. Such chemistry can play an important role in creating prebiotic compounds. The excitation conditions in various air plasma emissions were measured from high-resolution optical spectra of Leonid storm meteors during NASA's Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign. This was the first time a sufficient number and range of temperature measurements were obtained to search for meteoroid mass and speed dependencies. We found slight increases in temperature with decreasing altitude, but otherwise nearly constant values for meteoroids with speeds between 35 and 72 km/s and masses between 10(-5) g and 1 g. We conclude that faster and more massive meteoroids produce a larger emission volume, but not a higher air plasma temperature. We speculate that the meteoric plasma may be in multiphase equilibrium with the ambient atmosphere, which could mean lower plasma temperatures in a CO(2)-rich early Earth atmosphere.

Ozone Modulation/Membrane Introduction Mass Spectrometry for Analysis of Hydrocarbon Pollutants in Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkinson, D. B.

2001-12-01

Modulation of volatile hydrocarbons in two-component mixtures is demonstrated using an ozonolysis pretreatment with membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS). The MIMS technique allows selective introduction of volatile and semivolatile analytes into a mass spectrometer via processes known collectively as pervaporation [Kotiaho and Cooks, 1992]. A semipermeable polymer membrane acts as an interface between the sample (vapor or solution) and the vacuum of the mass spectrometer. This technique has been demonstrated to allow for sensitive analysis of hydrocarbons and other non-polar volatile organic compounds (VOC`s) in air samples[Cisper et al., 1995] . The methodology has the advantages of no sample pretreatment and short analysis time, which are promising for online monitoring applications but the chief disadvantage of lack of a separation step for the different analytes in a mixture. Several approaches have been investigated to overcome this problem including use of selective chemical ionization [Bier and Cooks, 1987] and multivariate calibration techniques[Ketola et al., 1999] . A new approach is reported for the quantitative measurement of VOCs in complex matrices. The method seeks to reduce the complexity of mass spectra observed in hydrocarbon mixture analysis by selective pretreatment of the analyte mixture. In the current investigation, the rapid reaction of ozone with alkenes is used, producing oxygenated compounds which are suppressed by the MIMS system. This has the effect of removing signals due to unsaturated analytes from the compound mass spectra, and comparison of the spectra before and after the ozone treatment reveals the nature of the parent compounds. In preliminary investigations, ozone reacted completely with cyclohexene from a mixture of cylohexene and cyclohexane, and with β -pinene from a mixture of toluene and β -pinene, suppressing the ion signals from the olefins. A slight attenuation of the cyclohexane and toluene in those

Estimation of air-to-grass mass interception factors for iodine.

PubMed

Karunakara, N; Ujwal, P; Yashodhara, I; Sudeep Kumara, K; Mohan, M P; Bhaskar Shenoy, K; Geetha, P V; Dileep, B N; James, Joshi P; Ravi, P M

2018-06-01

Air-to-grass mass interception factors for radionuclide are important basic input parameter for the estimation of radiation dose to the public around a nuclear power plant. In this paper, we present the determination of air-to- grass mass interception factors for iodine using a 2 m × 2 m × 2 m (l × b × h) size environmental chamber. The temperature, humidity, and rainfall inside the environmental chamber was controlled to required values to simulate different environmental conditions. Grass (Pennisetum purpureum, Schum), grown in pots, was kept inside the environmental chamber and stable iodine in elemental form was sublimed quickly inside the chamber to simulate an accidental release of iodine to the environment. The concentration of iodine in the air was measured periodically by drawing air through a bubbling setup, containing 1% sodium carbonate solution. The mass interception factor for dry deposition varied in the range of 0.25-7.7 m 2  kg -1 with mean value of 2.2 m 2  kg -1 with respect to fresh weight of grass, and that due to wet deposition varied in the range of 0.6-4.8 m 2  kg -1 with mean value of 2.3 m 2  kg -1 . The mass interception factor was inversely correlated with the total iodine deposited through dry deposition as well as with the rainfall. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Peroxy Radicals Observed in a Forested Environment with Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantrell, C. A.; Mauldin, L.; Nowak, J. B.

2017-12-01

Observations of peroxy radicals were made using time-of-flight chemical ionization mass spectrometry (ToF-CIMS) during the PROPHET-AMOS (Program for Research on Oxidants, Photochemistry, Emissions and Transport - Atmospheric Measurements of Oxidants in Summer) campaign in summer 2016 at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan. The environment is one of high isoprene productivity and generally low NOx, depending on the origin of air masses that are sampled, and has been the subject of several comprehensive atmospheric observational studies. The ToF-CIMS was configured to measure OH, HO2+RO2, and extremely oxygenated volatile organic compounds (ELVOCs) in a cycle of about 5 minutes for each. This presentation examines the time- and chemical coordinate-dependent behavior of the peroxy radicals, and compares the observations with models that are constrained by observations of the controlling variables. The results are used to estimate factors such as the photochemical production rate of ozone and other atmospheric oxidation parameters for this remote forest site.

Air Modeling - Observational Meteorological Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Observed meteorological data for use in air quality modeling consist of physical parameters that are measured directly by instrumentation, and include temperature, dew point, wind direction, wind speed, cloud cover, cloud layer(s), ceiling height,

Atmospheric Effects on Cosmic Ray Air Showers Observed with HAWC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Steven

2014-01-01

The High Altitude Water Cherenkov Gamma Ray detector (HAWC), currently under construction on the Sierra Negra volcano near Puebla, Mexico, can be used to study solar physics with its scaler data acquisition system. Increases in the scaler rates are used to observe GeV cosmic rays from solar flares while decreases in the rates show the heliospheric disturbances associated with coronal mass ejections. However, weather conditions and height-dependent state variables such as pressure and temperature affect the production of extensive particle air showers that can be detected by the scaler system. To see if these atmospheric effects can be removed, we obtained local weather data from the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) and the local weather station at HAWC. The scaler pulse rates were then correlated to the pressure and temperature. We present data from a Forbush decrease observed by HAWC following a significant coronal mass ejection in April 2013, and describe our efforts to remove atmospheric variations from the scaler counts. This work was partially supported by the National Science Foundation’s REU program through NSF Award AST-1004881 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Decomposing the profile of PM in two low polluted German cities--mapping of air mass residence time, focusing on potential long range transport impacts.

PubMed

Dimitriou, Konstantinos; Kassomenos, Pavlos

2014-07-01

This paper aims to decompose the profile of particulates in Karlsruhe and Potsdam (Germany), focusing on the localization of PM potential transboundary sources. An air mass cluster analysis was implemented, followed by a study of air mass residence time on a grid of a 0.5° × 0.5° resolution. Particulate/gaseous daily air pollution and meteorological data were used to indicate PM local sources. Four Principal Component Analysis (PCA) components were produced: traffic, photochemical, industrial/domestic and particulate. PM2.5/PM10 ratio seasonal trends, indicated production of PMCOARSE (PM10-PM2.5) from secondary sources in Potsdam during warm period (WP). The residing areas of incoming slow moving air masses are potential transboundary PM sources. For Karlsruhe those areas were mainly around the city. An air mass residence time secondary peak was observed over Stuttgart. For Potsdam, areas with increased dwelling time of the arriving air parcels were detected particularly above E/SE Germany. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the relative optical air mass on ultraviolet erythemal irradiance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antón, M.; Serrano, A.; Cancillo, M. L.; García, J. A.

2009-12-01

The main objective of this article is to analyze the relationship between the transmissivity for ultraviolet erythemal irradiance (UVER) and the relative optical air mass at Badajoz (Southwestern Spain). Thus, a power expression between both variables is developed, which analyses in detail how atmospheric transmission is influenced by the total ozone column (TOC) and the atmospheric clearness. The period of analysis extends from 2001 to 2005. The experimental results indicate that clearness conditions play an important role in the relationship between UVER transmissivity and the relative optical air mass, while the effect of TOC is much smaller for this data set. In addition, the results show that UVER transmissivity is more sensitive to changes in atmospheric clearness than to TOC variability. Changes in TOC values higher than 15% cause UVER trasnmissivity to vary between 14% and 22%, while changes between cloud-free and overcast conditions produce variations in UVER transmissivity between 68% and 74% depending on the relative optical air mass.

Defining Winter and Identifying Synoptic Air Mass Change in the Northeast and Northern Plains U.S. since 1950

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, C. J.; Pennington, D.; Beitscher, M. R.; Godek, M. L.

2017-12-01

Understanding and forecasting the characteristics of winter weather change in the northern U.S. is vital to regional economy, agriculture, tourism and resident life. This is especially true in the Northeast and Northern Plains where substantial changes to the winter season have already been documented in the atmospheric science and biological literature. As there is no single established definition of `winter', this research attempts to identify the winter season in both regions utilizing a synoptic climatological approach with air mass frequencies. The Spatial Synoptic Classification is used to determine the daily air mass/ weather type conditions since 1950 at 40 locations across the two regions. Annual frequencies are first computed as a baseline reference. Then winter air mass frequencies and departures from normal are calculated to define the season along with the statistical significance. Once the synoptic winter is established, long-term regional changes to the season and significance are explored. As evident global changes have occurred after 1975, an Early period of years prior to 1975 and a Late set for all years following this date are compared. Early and Late record synoptic changes are then examined to assess any thermal and moisture condition changes of the regional winter air masses over time. Cold to moderately dry air masses dominate annually in both regions. Northeast winters are also characterized by cold to moderate dry air masses, with coastal locations experiencing more Moist Polar types. The Northern Plains winters are dominated by cold, dry air masses in the east and cold to moderate dry air masses in the west. Prior to 1975, Northeast winters are defined by an increase in cooler and wetter air masses. Dry Tropical air masses only occur in this region after 1975. Northern Plains winters are also characterized by more cold, dry air masses prior to 1975. More Dry Moderate and Moist Moderate air masses have occurred since 1975. These results

Influence of trans-boundary biomass burning impacted air masses on submicron particle number concentrations and size distributions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betha, Raghu; Zhang, Zhe; Balasubramanian, Rajasekhar

2014-08-01

Submicron particle number concentration (PNC) and particle size distribution (PSD) in the size range of 5.6-560 nm were investigated in Singapore from 27 June 2009 through 6 September 2009. Slightly hazy conditions lasted in Singapore from 6 to 10 August. Backward air trajectories indicated that the haze was due to the transport of biomass burning impacted air masses originating from wild forest and peat fires in Sumatra, Indonesia. Three distinct peaks in the morning (08:00-10:00), afternoon (13:00-15:00) and evening (16:00-20:00) were observed on a typical normal day. However, during the haze period no distinct morning and afternoon peaks were observed and the PNC (39,775 ± 3741 cm-3) increased by 1.5 times when compared to that during non-haze periods (26,462 ± 6017). The morning and afternoon peaks on the normal day were associated with the local rush hour traffic while the afternoon peak was induced by new particle formation (NPF). Diurnal profiles of PNCs and PSDs showed that primary particle peak diameters were large during the haze (60 nm) period when compared to that during the non-haze period (45.3 nm). NPF events observed in the afternoon period on normal days were suppressed during the haze periods due to heavy particle loading in atmosphere caused by biomass burning impacted air masses.

Modelled and observed mass balance of Rikha Samba Glacier, Nepal, Central Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurung, T. R.; Kayastha, R. B.; Fujita, K.; Sinisalo, A. K.; Stumm, D.; Joshi, S.; Litt, M.

2016-12-01

Glacier mass balance variability has an implication for the regional water resources and it helps to understand the response of glacier to climate change in the Himalayan region. Several mass balance studies have been started in the Himalayan region since 1970s, but they are characterized by frequent temporal gaps and a poor spatial representatively. This study aims at bridging the temporal gaps in a long term mass balance series of the Rikha Samba glacier (5383 - 6475 m a.s.l.), a benchmark glacier located in the Hidden Valley, Mustang, Nepal. The ERA Interim reanalysis data for the period 2011-2015 is calibrated with the observed meteorological variables from an AWS installed near the glacier terminus. We apply an energy mass balance model, validated with the available in-situ measurements for the years 1998 and 2011-2015. The results show that the glacier is shrinking at a moderate negative mass balance rate for the period 1995 to 2015 and the high altitude location of Rikha Samba also prevents a bigger mass loss compared to other small Himalayan glaciers. Precipitation from July to January and the mean air temperature from June to October are the most influential climatic parameters of the annual mass balance variability of Rikha Samba glacier.

Winter air-mass-based synoptic climatological approach and hospital admissions for myocardial infarction in Florence, Italy.

PubMed

Morabito, Marco; Crisci, Alfonso; Grifoni, Daniele; Orlandini, Simone; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Bacci, Laura; Modesti, Pietro Amedeo; Gensini, Gian Franco; Maracchi, Giampiero

2006-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the risk of hospital admission for myocardial infarction (MI) and the daily weather conditions during the winters of 1998-2003, according to an air-mass-based synoptic climatological approach. The effects of time lag and 2-day sequences with specific air mass types were also investigated. Studies concerning the relationship between atmospheric conditions and human health need to take into consideration simultaneous effects of many weather variables. At the moment few studies have surveyed these effects on hospitalizations for MI. Analyses were concentrated on winter, when the maximum peak of hospitalization occurred. An objective daily air mass classification by means of statistical analyses based on ground meteorological data was carried out. A comparison between air mass classification and hospital admissions was made by the calculation of a MI admission index, and to detect significant relationships the Mann-Whitney U test, the analysis of variance, and the Bonferroni test were used. Significant increases in hospital admissions for MI were evident 24h after a day characterized by an anticyclonic continental air mass and 6 days after a day characterized by a cyclonic air mass. Increased risk of hospitalization was found even when specific 2-day air mass sequences occurred. These results represent an important step in identifying reliable linkages between weather and health.

On the relationship between Arctic ice clouds and polluted air masses over the North Slope of Alaska in April 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jouan, C.; Pelon, J.; Girard, E.; Ancellet, G.; Blanchet, J. P.; Delanoë, J.

2014-02-01

Recently, two types of ice clouds (TICs) properties have been characterized using the Indirect and Semi-Direct Aerosol Campaign (ISDAC) airborne measurements (Alaska, April 2008). TIC-2B were characterized by fewer (< 10 L-1) and larger (> 110 μm) ice crystals, and a larger ice supersaturation (> 15%) compared to TIC-1/2A. It has been hypothesized that emissions of SO2 may reduce the ice nucleating properties of ice nuclei (IN) through acidification, resulting in a smaller concentration of larger ice crystals and leading to precipitation (e.g., cloud regime TIC-2B). Here, the origin of air masses forming the ISDAC TIC-1/2A (1 April 2008) and TIC-2B (15 April 2008) is investigated using trajectory tools and satellite data. Results show that the synoptic conditions favor air masses transport from three potential SO2 emission sources into Alaska: eastern China and Siberia where anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions, respectively, are produced, and the volcanic region of the Kamchatka/Aleutians. Weather conditions allow the accumulation of pollutants from eastern China and Siberia over Alaska, most probably with the contribution of acidic volcanic aerosol during the TIC-2B period. Observation Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite observations reveal that SO2 concentrations in air masses forming the TIC-2B were larger than in air masses forming the TIC-1/2A. Airborne measurements show high acidity near the TIC-2B flight where humidity was low. These results support the hypothesis that acidic coating on IN could be at the origin of the formation of TIC-2B.

On the origin and destination of atmospheric moisture and air mass over the Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bin; Xu, Xiang-De; Yang, Shuai; Zhang, Wei

2012-12-01

The Tibet Plateau (TP) is a key region that imposes profound impacts on the atmospheric water cycle and energy budget of Asia, even the global climate. In this work, we develop a climatology of origin (destination) of air mass and moisture transported to (from) the TP using a Lagrangian moisture diagnosis combined with the forward and backward atmospheric tracking schemes. The climatology is derived from 6-h particle positions based on 5-year (2005-2009) seasonal summer trajectory dataset from the Lagrangian particle dispersion model FLEXPART using NCEP/GFS data as input, where the regional model atmosphere was globally filled with particles. The results show that (1) the dominant origin of the moisture supplied to the TP is a narrow tropical-subtropical band in the extended Arabian Sea covering a long distance from the Indian subcontinent to the Southern Hemisphere. Two additional moisture sources are located in the northwestern part of TP and the Bay of Bengal and play a secondary role. This result indicates that the moisture transporting to the TP more depends on the Indian summer monsoon controlled by large-scale circulation. (2) The moisture departing from the TP can be transported rapidly to East Asia, including East China, Korea, Japan, and even East Pacific. The qualitative similarity between the regions of diagnosed moisture loss and the pattern of the observed precipitation highlights the robustness of the role of the TP on precipitation over East Asia. (3) In contrast to the moisture origin confined in the low level, the origin and fate of whole column air mass over the TP is largely controlled by a strong high-level Asian anticyclone. The results show that the TP is a crossroad of air mass where air enters mainly from the northwest and northeast and continues in two separate streams: one goes southwestwards over the Indian Ocean and the other southeastwards through western North Pacific. Both of them partly enter the trade wind zone, which manifests the

DNAPL REMOVAL MECHANISMS AND MASS TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS DURING COSOLVENT-AIR FLOODING

EPA Science Inventory

The concurrent injection of cosolvent and air, a cosolvent-air (CA) flood was recently suggested for a dense nonaqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) remediation technology. The objectives of this study were to elucidate the DNAPL removal mechanisms of the CA flood and to quantify mass t...

Intercomparison of AIRS and HIRDLS stratospheric gravity wave observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Catrin I.; Ern, Manfred; Hoffmann, Lars; Trinh, Quang Thai; Alexander, M. Joan

2018-01-01

We investigate stratospheric gravity wave observations by the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite and the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) aboard NASA's Aura satellite. AIRS operational temperature retrievals are typically not used for studies of gravity waves, because their vertical and horizontal resolution is rather limited. This study uses data of a high-resolution retrieval which provides stratospheric temperature profiles for each individual satellite footprint. Therefore the horizontal sampling of the high-resolution retrieval is 9 times better than that of the operational retrieval. HIRDLS provides 2-D spectral information of observed gravity waves in terms of along-track and vertical wavelengths. AIRS as a nadir sounder is more sensitive to short-horizontal-wavelength gravity waves, and HIRDLS as a limb sounder is more sensitive to short-vertical-wavelength gravity waves. Therefore HIRDLS is ideally suited to complement AIRS observations. A calculated momentum flux factor indicates that the waves seen by AIRS contribute significantly to momentum flux, even if the AIRS temperature variance may be small compared to HIRDLS. The stratospheric wave structures observed by AIRS and HIRDLS often agree very well. Case studies of a mountain wave event and a non-orographic wave event demonstrate that the observed phase structures of AIRS and HIRDLS are also similar. AIRS has a coarser vertical resolution, which results in an attenuation of the amplitude and coarser vertical wavelengths than for HIRDLS. However, AIRS has a much higher horizontal resolution, and the propagation direction of the waves can be clearly identified in geographical maps. The horizontal orientation of the phase fronts can be deduced from AIRS 3-D temperature fields. This is a restricting factor for gravity wave analyses of limb measurements. Additionally, temperature variances with respect to stratospheric gravity wave activity are compared on a

Trace gases and air mass origin at Kaashidhoo, Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lobert, Jürgen M.; Harris, Joyce M.

2002-10-01

Carbon monoxide (CO) was measured at the Kaashidhoo Climate Observatory (KCO, Republic of Maldives) between February 1998 and March 2000 to assess the regional pollution of the remote atmosphere in the northern Indian Ocean. CO showed a distinct annual cycle with maximum daily mixing ratios of around 240 parts per billion (ppb), a seasonal difference of about 200 ppb, and high variability during the dry seasons. Detailed air mass trajectory analysis for 1998, 1999, and 2000 was used to identify source regions and to associate them with various levels of pollution encountered at KCO. We conclude that most significant changes in local pollution throughout the year are caused by changes in air masses. Air at KCO generally originated from three main regions with decreasing pollution: India and southeast Asia, the Arabian Sea, and the Southern Hemisphere. We show that isentropic air mass trajectories can be used to predict CO pollution levels at KCO to a certain extent and vice versa. Nitrous oxide, CFC-11, CFC-12, CCI4, and SF6 were measured during the Indian Ocean Experiment (February to March 1999) to support pollution analysis and to confirm that India is the main source for heavy pollution measured at KCO. Correlations between CO and other gases and aerosol properties measured at the surface illustrate that CO may also be used as a proxy for aerosol loading and general pollution at the surface.

Intra-observer and inter-observer agreements for the measurement of dual-input whole tumor computed tomography perfusion in patients with lung cancer: Influences of the size and inner-air density of tumors.

PubMed

Wang, Qingle; Zhang, Zhiyong; Shan, Fei; Shi, Yuxin; Xing, Wei; Shi, Liangrong; Zhang, Xingwei

2017-09-01

This study was conducted to assess intra-observer and inter-observer agreements for the measurement of dual-input whole tumor computed tomography perfusion (DCTP) in patients with lung cancer. A total of 88 patients who had undergone DCTP, which had proved a diagnosis of primary lung cancer, were divided into two groups: (i) nodules (diameter ≤3 cm) and masses (diameter >3 cm) by size, and (ii) tumors with and without air density. Pulmonary flow, bronchial flow, and pulmonary index were measured in each group. Intra-observer and inter-observer agreements for measurement were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient, within-subject coefficient of variation, and Bland-Altman analysis. In all lung cancers, the reproducibility coefficient for intra-observer agreement (range 26.1-38.3%) was superior to inter-observer agreement (range 38.1-81.2%). Further analysis revealed lower agreements for nodules compared to masses. Additionally, inner-air density reduced both agreements for lung cancer. The intra-observer agreement for measuring lung cancer DCTP was satisfied, while the inter-observer agreement was limited. The effects of tumoral size and inner-air density to agreements, especially between two observers, should be emphasized. In future, an automatic computer-aided segment of perfusion value of the tumor should be developed. © 2017 The Authors. Thoracic Cancer published by China Lung Oncology Group and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns in the Carbon Isotopic Signal of Leaf Wax Aerosols in Continental Air Masses: Linkages with Ecosystem Discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, J.; Conte, M. H.

2006-12-01

Temporal and spatial variations in the concentration and isotopic composition of atmospheric carbon dioxide can be used to estimate the relative magnitudes of the terrestrial and oceanic carbon sinks. An important model parameter is the terrestrial photosynthetic carbon isotopic fractionation of CO2 (Δ), yet estimating Δ over the large spatial scales required by models remains problematic. Epiculticular leaf waxes appear to closely reflect the plant's carbon isotopic discrimination; therefore, the ablated wax aerosols present in well-mixed continental air masses may be used as a proxy to estimate the magnitude of Δ integrated over large (subcontinental) spatial scales. Over the last several years, we have been conducting time-series studies of wax aerosol molecular and isotopic composition at strategically located sites (Maine, northern Alaska, Florida, Bermuda, Barbados) which receive continental air masses passing over major terrestrial biomes (northern temperate/ecotonal boreal forests, tundra, southern US pine/hardwood forests, North American and north African). In this presentation, we describe and contrast patterns of wax aerosol-derived estimates of Δ at these sites. In North American air masses, estimates of Δ range from 14.5-20.5 using the concentration-weighted average δ13C of wax n-acids and from 13.5-19.5 for the wax n-alcohols. Seasonal trends observed in the Florida (southern US) and Bermuda samples (mixed North American air masses) indicate maximum discrimination in early spring and minimum discrimination during the summer dry season. In northern US and high latitude air masses, seasonal trends are less pronounced but in general temporally offset with highest discrimination occurring during late summer. At Barbados, which is dominated by north African air masses passing over regions largely comprised of arid C4 grasslands, estimated Δ for the wax n-acids is significantly lower (14.0-15.5 per mil), consistent with a higher predominance of C4

Relationship between air mass type and emergency department visits for migraine headache across the Triangle region of North Carolina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elcik, Christopher; Fuhrmann, Christopher M.; Mercer, Andrew E.; Davis, Robert E.

2017-12-01

An estimated 240 million people worldwide suffer from migraines. Because migraines are often debilitating, understanding the mechanisms that trigger them is crucial for effective prevention and treatment. Synoptic air mass types and emergency department (ED) visits for migraine headaches were examined over a 7-year period within a major metropolitan area of North Carolina to identify potential relationships between large-scale meteorological conditions and the incidence of migraine headaches. Barometric pressure changes associated with transitional air masses, or changing weather patterns, were also analyzed for potential relationships. Bootstrapping analysis revealed that tropical air masses (moist and dry) resulted in the greatest number of migraine ED visits over the study period, whereas polar air masses led to fewer. Moist polar air masses in particular were found to correspond with the fewest number of migraine ED visits. On transitional air mass days, the number of migraine ED visits fell between those of tropical air mass days and polar air mass days. Transitional days characterized by pressure increases exhibited a greater number of migraine ED visits than days characterized by pressure decreases. However, no relationship was found between migraine ED visits and the magnitude of barometric pressure changes associated with transitional air masses.

Mass transfer characteristics of bisporus mushroom ( Agaricus bisporus) slices during convective hot air drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghanbarian, Davoud; Baraani Dastjerdi, Mojtaba; Torki-Harchegani, Mehdi

2016-05-01

An accurate understanding of moisture transfer parameters, including moisture diffusivity and moisture transfer coefficient, is essential for efficient mass transfer analysis and to design new dryers or improve existing drying equipments. The main objective of the present study was to carry out an experimental and theoretical investigation of mushroom slices drying and determine the mass transfer characteristics of the samples dried under different conditions. The mushroom slices with two thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm were dried at air temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 °C and air flow rates of 1 and 1.5 m s-1. The Dincer and Dost model was used to determine the moisture transfer parameters and predict the drying curves. It was observed that the entire drying process took place in the falling drying rate period. The obtained lag factor and Biot number indicated that the moisture transfer in the samples was controlled by both internal and external resistance. The effective moisture diffusivity and the moisture transfer coefficient increased with increasing air temperature, air flow rate and samples thickness and varied in the ranges of 6.5175 × 10-10 to 1.6726 × 10-9 m2 s-1 and 2.7715 × 10-7 to 3.5512 × 10-7 m s-1, respectively. The validation of the Dincer and Dost model indicated a good capability of the model to describe the drying curves of the mushroom slices.

Variability of aerosol, gaseous pollutants and meteorological characteristics associated with changes in air mass origin at the SW Atlantic coast of Iberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diesch, J.-M.; Drewnick, F.; Zorn, S. R.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Martinez, M.; Borrmann, S.

2012-04-01

. In all air masses passing the continent the organic aerosol fraction dominated the total NR-PM1. For this reason, using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) four organic aerosol (OA) classes that can be associated with various aerosol sources and components were identified: a highly-oxygenated OA is the major component (43% OA) while semi-volatile OA accounts for 23%. A hydrocarbon-like OA mainly resulting from industries, traffic and shipping emissions as well as particles from wood burning emissions also contribute to total OA and depend on the air mass origin. A significant variability of ozone was observed that depends on the impact of different air mass types and solar radiation.

AIRS-only Product on Giovanni for Exploring Up-to-date AIRS Observation and Comparing with AIRS+AMSU Product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, F.; Hearty, T. J., III; Theobald, M.; Vollmer, B.; Wei, J.

2017-12-01

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has been the home of processing, archiving, and distribution services for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) mission since its launch in 2002 for the global observations of the atmospheric state. Giovanni, a web-based application developed by the GES DISC, provides a simple and intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science remote sensing data without having to download the data. Most important variables, including temperature and humidity profiles, outgoing longwave radiation, cloud properties, and trace gases, from version 6 AIRS product are available on Giovanni. The AIRS is an instrument suite comprised of a hyperspectral infrared instrument AIRS and two multichannel microwave instruments, the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB). As the HSB ceased operation in very early stage of AIRS mission, the AIRS project operates two parallel retrieval algorithms: one using both IR and MW measurements (AIRS+AMSU) and the other using only IR measurements (AIRS-only) for the most time of the mission. The AIRS+AMSU product is better and the variables on Giovanni are from it. However, the generation of AIRS+AMSU product has been suspended since the AMSU instrument anomaly occurred in late 2016. To continue exploring up-to-date AIRS observations, the same set of variables from the AIRS-only product are added on Giovanni by the GES DSIC. This will also support the comparison of AIRS-only with AIRS+AMSU retrievals. In the presentation, we will demonstrate the visualization of AIRS-only product and the plots/statistics of comparison with AIRS+AMSU product using Giovanni.

AIRS-Only Product in Giovanni for Exploring Up-to-Date AIRS Observation and Comparing with AIRS+AMSU Product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, Feng; Hearty, Thomas J.; Theobald, Michael; Vollmer, Bruce; Wei, Jennifer

2017-01-01

The NASA Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has been the home of processing, archiving, and distribution services for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) mission since its launch in 2002 for global observations of the atmospheric state. Giovanni, a Web-based application developed by the GES DISC, provides a simple and intuitive way to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science remote sensing data without having to download the data. Most important AIRS variables, including temperature and humidity profiles, outgoing longwave radiation, cloud properties, and trace gases, are available in Giovanni. AIRS is an instrument suite comprised of a hyperspectral infrared instrument (AIRS) and two multichannel microwave instruments, the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) and the Humidity Sounder for Brazil (HSB). As HSB ceased operation in the very early stages of the AIRS mission, the AIRS project operates two parallel retrieval algorithms: one using both IR and MW measurements (AIRS+AMSU) and the other using only IR measurements (AIRS-only), which covers most of the mission duration. The AIRS+AMSU product is better quality, and the variables in Giovanni are from this product. However, generation of the AIRS+AMSU product has been suspended since the AMSU instrument anomaly occurred in late September 2016. To continue exploring up-to-date AIRS observations, the same set of variables from the AIRS-only product have been added to Giovanni by the GES DSIC. This will also support comparison of AIRS-only with AIRS+AMSU retrievals. In this presentation, we demonstrate the visualization of the AIRS-only product and plots/statistics of comparison with AIRS+AMSU product using Giovanni.

Columnar aerosol optical and radiative properties according to season and air mass transport pattern over East Asia.

PubMed

Noh, Young M; Müller, Detlef; Lee, Hanlim; Lee, Kwonho; Kim, Young Joon

2012-08-01

The column-integrated optical and radiative properties of aerosols in the downwind area of East Asia were investigated based on sun/sky radiometer measurements performed from February 2004 to June 2005 at Gwangju (35.23° N, 126.84° E) and Anmyeon (36.54° N, 126.33° E), Korea. The observed aerosol data were analyzed for differences among three seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), and autumn/winter (September-February). The data were also categorized into five types depending on the air mass origin in arriving in the measurement sites: (a) from a northerly direction in spring (S(N)), (b) from a westerly direction in spring (S(W)), (c) cases with a low Ångström exponent (<0.8) in spring (dust), (d) from a northerly direction in autumn/winter (AW(N)), and (e) from a westerly direction during other seasons (AW(W)). The highest Ångström exponents (α) at Gwangju and Anmyeon were 1.43 ± 0.30 and 1.49 ± 0.20, respectively, observed in summer. The lowest column-mean single-scattering albedo (ω) at 440 nm observed at Gwangju and Anmyeon were 0.89 ± 0.02 and 0.88 ± 0.02, respectively, during a period marked by the advection of dust from the Asian continent. The highest ω values at Gwangju and Anmyeon were 0.95 ± 0.02 and 0.96 ± 0.02, respectively, observed in summer. Variations in the aerosol radiative-forcing efficiency (β) were related to the conditions of the air mass origin. The forcing efficiency in summer was -131.7 and -125.6 W m(-2) at the surface in Gwangju and Anmyeon, respectively. These values are lower than those under the atmospheric conditions of spring and autumn/winter. The highest forcing efficiencies in autumn/winter were -214.3 and -255.9 W m(-2) at the surface in Gwangju and Anmyeon, respectively, when the air mass was transported from westerly directions.

National review of ambient air toxics observations.

PubMed

Strum, Madeleine; Scheffe, Richard

2016-02-01

Ambient air observations of hazardous air pollutant (HAPs), also known as air toxics, derived from routine monitoring networks operated by states, local agencies, and tribes (SLTs), are analyzed to characterize national concentrations and risk across the nation for a representative subset of the 187 designated HAPs. Observations from the National Air Toxics Trend Sites (NATTS) network of 27 stations located in most major urban areas of the contiguous United States have provided a consistent record of HAPs that have been identified as posing the greatest risk since 2003 and have also captured similar concentration patterns of nearly 300 sites operated by SLTs. Relatively high concentration volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, formaldehyde, and toluene exhibit the highest annual average concentration levels, typically ranging from 1 to 5 µg/m(3). Halogenated (except for methylene chloride) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and metals exhibit concentrations typically 2-3 orders of magnitude lower. Formaldehyde is the highest national risk driver based on estimated cancer risk and, nationally, has not exhibited significant changes in concentration, likely associated with the large pool of natural isoprene and formaldehyde emissions. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and 1,3-butadiene are ubiquitous VOC HAPs with large mobile source contributions that continue to exhibit declining concentrations over the last decade. Common chlorinated organic compounds such as ethylene dichloride and methylene chloride exhibit increasing concentrations. The variety of physical and chemical attributes and measurement technologies across 187 HAPs result in a broad range of method detection limits (MDLs) and cancer risk thresholds that challenge confidence in risk results for low concentration HAPs with MDLs near or greater than risk thresholds. From a national monitoring network perspective, the ability of the HAPs observational database to characterize the multiple

Chemical composition of air masses transported from Asia to the U.S. West Coast during ITCT 2K2: Fossil fuel combustion versus biomass-burning signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Gouw, J. A.; Cooper, O. R.; Warneke, C.; Hudson, P. K.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Holloway, J. S.; Hübler, G.; Nicks, D. K., Jr.; Nowak, J. B.; Parrish, D. D.; Ryerson, T. B.; Atlas, E. L.; Donnelly, S. G.; Schauffler, S. M.; Stroud, V.; Johnson, K.; Carmichael, G. R.; Streets, D. G.

2004-12-01

As part of the Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation experiment in 2002 (ITCT 2K2), a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) WP-3D research aircraft was used to study the long-range transport of Asian air masses toward the west coast of North America. During research flights on 5 and 17 May, strong enhancements of carbon monoxide (CO) and other species were observed in air masses that had been transported from Asia. The hydrocarbon composition of the air masses indicated that the highest CO levels were related to fossil fuel use. During the flights on 5 and 17 May and other days, the levels of several biomass-burning indicators increased with altitude. This was true for acetonitrile (CH3CN), methyl chloride (CH3Cl), the ratio of acetylene (C2H2) to propane (C3H8), and, on May 5, the percentage of particles measured by the particle analysis by laser mass spectrometry (PALMS) instrument that were attributed to biomass burning based on their carbon and potassium content. An ensemble of back-trajectories, calculated from the U.S. west coast over a range of latitudes and altitudes for the entire ITCT 2K2 period, showed that air masses from Southeast Asia and China were generally observed at higher altitudes than air from Japan and Korea. Emission inventories estimate the contribution of biomass burning to the total emissions to be low for Japan and Korea, higher for China, and the highest for Southeast Asia. Combined with the origin of the air masses versus altitude, this qualitatively explains the increase with altitude, averaged over the whole ITCT 2K2 period, of the different biomass-burning indicators.

Desert Dust Aerosol Air Mass Mapping in the Western Sahara, Using Particle Properties Derived from Space-Based Multi-Angle Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph; Petzold, Andreas; Wendisch, Manfred; Bierwirth, Eike; Dinter, Tilman; Esselborn, Michael; Fiebig, Marcus; Heese, Birgit; Knippertz, Peter; Mueller, Detlef;

Desert Dust Air Mass Mapping in the Western Sahara, using Particle Properties Derived from Space-based Multi-angle Imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph; Petzold, Andreas; Wendisch, Manfred; Bierwirth, Eike; Dinter, Tilman; Fiebig, Marcus; Schladitz, Alexander; von Hoyningen-Huene, Wolfgang

2008-01-01

Coincident observations made over the Moroccan desert during the SAhara Mineral dUst experiMent (SAMUM) 2006 field campaign are used both to validate aerosol amount and type retrieved from Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) observations, and to place the sub-orbital aerosol measurements into the satellite's larger regional context. On three moderately dusty days for which coincident observations were made, MISR mid-visible aerosol optical thickness (AOT) agrees with field measurements point-by-point to within 0.05 to 0.1. This is about as well as can be expected given spatial sampling differences; the space-based observations capture AOT trends and variability over an extended region. The field data also validate MISR's ability to distinguish and to map aerosol air masses, from the combination of retrieved constraints on particle size, shape, and single-scattering albedo. For the three study days, the satellite observations (a) highlight regional gradients in the mix of dust and background spherical particles, (b) identify a dust plume most likely part of a density flow, and (c) show an air mass containing a higher proportion of small, spherical particles than the surroundings, that appears to be aerosol pollution transported from several thousand kilometers away.

Fullerene Soot in Eastern China Air: Results from Soot Particle-Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J.; Ge, X.; Chen, M.; Zhang, Q.; Yu, H.; Sun, Y.; Worsnop, D. R.; Collier, S.

2015-12-01

In this work, we present for the first time, the observation and quantification of fullerenes in ambient airborne particulate using an Aerodyne Soot Particle - Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS) deployed during 2015 winter in suburban Nanjing, a megacity in eastern China. The laser desorption and electron impact ionization techniques employed by the SP-AMS allow us to differentiate various fullerenes from other aerosol components. Mass spectrum of the identified fullerene soot is consisted by a series of high molecular weight carbon clusters (up to m/z of 2000 in this study), almost identical to the spectral features of commercially available fullerene soot, both with C70 and C60 clusters as the first and second most abundant species. This type of soot was observed throughout the entire study period, with an average mass loading of 0.18 μg/m3, accounting for 6.4% of the black carbon mass, 1.2% of the total organic mass. Temporal variation and diurnal pattern of fullerene soot are overall similar to those of black carbon, but are clearly different in some periods. Combining the positive matrix factorization, back-trajectory and analyses of the meteorological parameters, we identified the petrochemical industrial plants situating upwind from the sampling site, as the major source of fullerene soot. In this regard, our findings imply the ubiquitous presence of fullerene soot in ambient air of industry-influenced area, especially the oil and gas production regions. This study also offers new insights into the characterization of fullerenes from other environmental samples via the advanced SP-AMS technique.

Influence of drying air parameters on mass transfer characteristics of apple slices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beigi, Mohsen

2016-10-01

To efficiently design both new drying process and equipment and/or to improve the existing systems, accurate values of mass transfer characteristics are necessary. The present study aimed to investigate the influence of drying air parameters (i.e. temperature, velocity and relative humidity) on effective diffusivity and convective mass transfer coefficient of apple slices. The Dincer and Dost model was used to determine the mass transfer characteristics. The obtained Biot number indicated that the moisture transfer in the apple slices was controlled by both internal and external resistance. The effective diffusivity and mass transfer coefficient values obtained to be in the ranges of 7.13 × 10-11-7.66 × 10-10 and 1.46 × 10-7-3.39 × 10-7 m s-1, respectively and the both of them increased with increasing drying air temperature and velocity, and decreasing relative humidity. The validation of the model showed that the model predicted the experimental drying curves of the samples with a good accuracy.

Clear-air radar observations of the atmospheric boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ince, Turker

2001-10-01

This dissertation presents the design and operation of a high-resolution frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FM- CW) radar system to study the structure and dynamics of clear-air turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). This sensitive radar can image the vertical structure of the ABL with both high spatial and temporal resolutions, and provide both qualitative information about the morphology of clear-air structures and quantitative information on the intensity of fluctuations in refractive-index of air. The principles of operation and the hardware and data acquisition characteristics of the radar are described in the dissertation. In October 1999, the radar participated in the Cooperative Atmosphere-Surface Exchange Study (CASES'99) Experiment to characterize the temporal structure and evolution of the boundary-layer features in both convective and stable conditions. The observed structures include clear-air convection, boundary layer evolution, gravity waves, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities, stably stratified layers, and clear-air turbulence. Many of the S-band radar images also show high- reflectivity returns from Rayleigh scatterers such as insects. An adaptive median filtering technique based on local statistics has, therefore, been developed to discriminate between Bragg and Rayleigh scattering in clear-air radar observations. The filter is tested on radar observations of clear air convection with comparison to two commonly used image processing techniques. The dissertation also examines the statistical mean of the radar-measured C2n for clear-air convection, and compares it with the theoretical predictions. The study also shows that the inversion height, local thickness of the inversion layer, and the height of the elevated atmospheric layers can be estimated from the radar reflectivity measurements. In addition, comparisons to the radiosonde-based height estimates are made. To examine the temporal and spatial structure of C2n , the dissertation

Characteristics of vertical air motion in isolated convective clouds

DOE PAGES

Yang, Jing; Wang, Zhien; Heymsfield, Andrew J.; ...

2016-08-11

The vertical velocity and air mass flux in isolated convective clouds are statistically analyzed using aircraft in situ data collected from three field campaigns: High-Plains Cumulus (HiCu) conducted over the midlatitude High Plains, COnvective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) conducted in a midlatitude coastal area, and Ice in Clouds Experiment-Tropical (ICE-T) conducted over a tropical ocean. The results show that small-scale updrafts and downdrafts (<  500 m in diameter) are frequently observed in the three field campaigns, and they make important contributions to the total air mass flux. The probability density functions (PDFs) and profiles of the observed vertical velocity are provided. The PDFsmore » are exponentially distributed. The updrafts generally strengthen with height. Relatively strong updrafts (>  20 m s −1) were sampled in COPE and ICE-T. The observed downdrafts are stronger in HiCu and COPE than in ICE-T. The PDFs of the air mass flux are exponentially distributed as well. The observed maximum air mass flux in updrafts is of the order 10 4 kg m −1 s −1. The observed air mass flux in the downdrafts is typically a few times smaller in magnitude than that in the updrafts. Since this study only deals with isolated convective clouds, and there are many limitations and sampling issues in aircraft in situ measurements, more observations are needed to better explore the vertical air motion in convective clouds.« less

Observations and Modeling of Turbulent Air-Sea Coupling in Coastal and Strongly Forced Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Suslow, David G.

The turbulent fluxes of momentum, mass, and energy across the ocean-atmosphere boundary are fundamental to our understanding of a myriad of geophysical processes, such as wind-wave generation, oceanic circulation, and air-sea gas transfer. In order to better understand these fluxes, empirical relationships were developed to quantify the interfacial exchange rates in terms of easily observed parameters (e.g., wind speed). However, mounting evidence suggests that these empirical formulae are only valid over the relatively narrow parametric space, i.e. open ocean conditions in light to moderate winds. Several near-surface processes have been observed to cause significant variance in the air-sea fluxes not predicted by the conventional functions, such as a heterogeneous surfaces, swell waves, and wave breaking. Further study is needed to fully characterize how these types of processes can modulate the interfacial exchange; in order to achieve this, a broad investigation into air-sea coupling was undertaken. The primary focus of this work was to use a combination of field and laboratory observations and numerical modeling, in regimes where conventional theories would be expected to breakdown, namely: the nearshore and in very high winds. These seemingly disparate environments represent the marine atmospheric boundary layer at its physical limit. In the nearshore, the convergence of land, air, and sea in a depth-limited domain marks the transition from a marine to a terrestrial boundary layer. Under extreme winds, the physical nature of the boundary layer remains unknown as an intermediate substrate layer, sea spray, develops between the atmosphere and ocean surface. At these ends of the MABL physical spectrum, direct measurements of the near-surface processes were made and directly related to local sources of variance. Our results suggest that the conventional treatment of air-sea fluxes in terms of empirical relationships developed from a relatively narrow set of

Progress Toward a Global, EOS-Era Aerosol Air Mass Type Climatology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph A.

2012-01-01

The MISR and MODIS instruments aboard the NASA Earth Observing System's Terra Satellite have been collecting data containing information about the state of Earth's atmosphere and surface for over eleven years. Data from these instruments have been used to develop a global, monthly climatology of aerosol amount that is widely used as a constraint on climate models, including those used for the 2007 IPCC assessment report. The next frontier in assessing aerosol radiative forcing of climate is aerosol type, and in particular, the absorption properties of major aerosol air masses. This presentation will focus on the prospects for constraining aerosol type globally, and the steps we are taking to apply a combination of satellite and suborbital data to this challenge.

Microbial air quality in mass transport buses and work-related illness among bus drivers of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority.

PubMed

Luksamijarulkul, Pipat; Sundhiyodhin, Viboonsri; Luksamijarulkul, Soavalug; Kaewboonchoo, Orawan

2004-06-01

The air quality in mass transport buses, especially air-conditioned buses may affect bus drivers who work full time. Bus numbers 16, 63, 67 and 166 of the Seventh Bus Zone of Bangkok Mass Transit Authority were randomly selected to investigate for microbial air quality. Nine air-conditioned buses and 2-4 open-air buses for each number of the bus (36 air-conditioned buses and 12 open-air buses) were included. Five points of in-bus air samples in each studied bus were collected by using the Millipore A ir Tester Totally, 180 and 60 air samples collected from air-conditioned buses and open-air buses were cultured for bacterial and fungal counts. The bus drivers who drove the studied buses were interviewed towards histories of work-related illness while working. The results revealed that the mean +/- SD of bacterial counts in the studied open-air buses ranged from 358.50 +/- 146.66 CFU/m3 to 506 +/- 137.62 CFU/m3; bus number 16 had the highest level. As well as the mean +/- SD of fungal counts which ranged from 93.33 +/- 44.83 CFU/m3 to 302 +/- 294.65 CFU/m3; bus number 166 had the highest level. Whereas, the mean +/- SD of bacterial counts in the studied air-conditioned buses ranged from 115.24 +/- 136.01 CFU/m3 to 244.69 +/- 234.85 CFU/m3; bus numbers 16 and 67 had the highest level. As well as the mean +/- SD of fungal counts which rangedfrom 18.84 +/- 39.42 CFU/m3 to 96.13 +/- 234.76 CFU/m3; bus number 166 had the highest level. When 180 and 60 studied air samples were analyzed in detail, it was found that 33.33% of the air samples from open-air buses and 6.11% of air samples from air-conditioned buses had a high level of bacterial counts (> 500 CFU/m3) while 6.67% of air samples from open-air buses and 2.78% of air samples from air-conditioned buses had a high level of fungal counts (> 500 CFU/m3). Data from the history of work-related illnesses among the studied bus drivers showed that 91.67% of open-air bus drivers and 57.28% of air-conditioned bus drivers had

Cluster Analysis of the Organic Peaks in Bulk Mass Spectra Obtained During the 2002 New England Air Quality Study with an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcolli, C.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Worsnop, D. R.; Bahreini, R.; de Gouw, J. A.; Warneke, C.; Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Williams, E. J.; Lerner, B. M.; Roberts, J. M.; Meagher, J. F.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Marchewka, M.; Bertman, S. B.; Middlebrook, A. M.

2006-12-01

We applied hierarchical cluster analysis to an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) bulk mass spectral dataset collected aboard the NOAA research vessel R. H. Brown during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study off the east coast of the United States. Emphasizing the organic peaks, the cluster analysis yielded a series of categories that are distinguishable with respect to their mass spectra and their occurrence as a function of time. The differences between the categories mainly arise from relative intensity changes rather than from the presence or absence of specific peaks. The most frequent category exhibits a strong signal at m/z 44 and represents oxidized organic matter probably originating from both anthropogenic as well as biogenic sources. On the basis of spectral and trace gas correlations, the second most common category with strong signals at m/z 29, 43, and 44 contains contributions from isoprene oxidation products. The third through the fifth most common categories have peak patterns characteristic of monoterpene oxidation products and were most frequently observed when air masses from monoterpene rich regions were sampled. Taken together, the second through the fifth most common categories represent on average 17% of the total organic mass that stems likely from biogenic sources during the ship's cruise. These numbers have to be viewed as lower limits since the most common category was attributed to anthropogenic sources for this calculation. The cluster analysis was also very effective in identifying a few contaminated mass spectra that were not removed during pre-processing. This study demonstrates that hierarchical clustering is a useful tool to analyze the complex patterns of the organic peaks in bulk aerosol mass spectra from a field study.

Trend in Air Quality of Kathmandu Valley: A Satellite, Observation and Modelling Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahapatra, P. S.; Praveen, P. S.; Adhikary, B.; Panday, A. K.; Putero, D.; Bonasoni, P.

2016-12-01

Kathmandu (floor area of 340 km2) in Nepal is considered to be a `hot spot' of urban air pollution in South Asia. Its structure as a flat basin surrounded by tall mountains provides a unique case study for analyzing pollution trapped by topography. Only a very small number of cities with similar features have been studied extensively including Mexico and Santiago-de-Chile. This study presents the trend in satellite derived Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from MODIS AQUA and TERRA (3x3km, Level 2) over Kathmandu from 2000 to 2015. Trend analysis of AOD shows 35% increase during the study period. Determination of the background pollution would reveal the contribution of only Kathmandu Valley for the observation period. For this, AOD at 1340m altitude outside Kathmandu, but nearby areas were considered as background. This analysis was further supported by investigating AOD at different heights around Kathmandu as well as determining AOD from CALIPSO vertical profiles. These analysis suggest that background AOD contributed 30% in winter and 60% in summer to Kathmandu Valley's observed AOD. Thereafter the background AOD was subtracted from total Kathmandu AOD to determine contribution of only Kathmandu Valley's AOD. Trend analysis of only Kathmandu Valley AOD (subtracting background AOD) suggested an increase of 50% during the study period. Further analysis of Kathmandu's visibility and AOD suggest profound role of background AOD on decreasing visibility. In-situ Black Carbon (BC) mass concentration measurements (BC being used as a proxy for surface observations) at two sites within Kathmandu valley have been analyzed. Kathmandu valley lacks long term trends of ambient air quality measurement data. Therefore, surface observations would be coupled with satellite measurements for understanding the urban air pollution scenario. Modelling studies to estimate the contribution of background pollution to Kathmandu's own pollution as well as the weekend effect on air quality will

Exposure chamber measurements of mass transfer and partitioning at the plant/air interface.

PubMed

Maddalena, Randy L; McKone, Thomas E; Kado, Norman Y

2002-08-15

Dynamic measures of air and vegetation concentrations in an exposure chamber and a two-box mass balance model are used to quantify factors that control the rate and extent of chemical partitioning between vegetation and the atmosphere. A continuous stirred flow-through exposure chamber was used to investigate the gas-phase transfer of pollutants between air and plants. A probabilistic two-compartment mass balance model of plant/air exchange within the exposure chamber was developed and used with measured concentrations from the chamber to simultaneously evaluate partitioning (Kpa), overall mass transfer across the plant/air interface (Upa), and loss rates in the atmosphere (Ra) and aboveground vegetation (Rp). The approach is demonstrated using mature Capsicum annuum (bell pepper) plants exposed to phenanthrene (PH), anthracene (AN), fluoranthene (FL) and pyrene (PY). Measured values of log Kpa (V[air]/V[fresh plant]) were 5.7, 5.7, 6.0, and 6.2 for PH, AN, FL, and PY, respectively. Values of Upa (m d(-1)) under the conditions of this study ranged from 42 for PH to 119 for FL. After correcting for wall effects, the estimated reaction half-lives in air were 3, 9, and 25 h for AN, FL and PY. Reaction half-lives in the plant compartment were 17, 6, 17, and 5 d for PH, AN, FL, and PY, respectively. The combined use of exposure chamber measurements and models provides a robust tool for simultaneously measuring several different transfer factors that are important for modeling the uptake of pollutants into vegetation.

Cluster analysis of the organic peaks in bulk mass spectra obtained during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study with an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcolli, C.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Worsnop, D. R.; Bahreini, R.; de Gouw, J. A.; Warneke, C.; Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Williams, E. J.; Lerner, B. M.; Roberts, J. M.; Meagher, J. F.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.; Marchewka, M. L.; Bertman, S. B.; Middlebrook, A. M.

2006-06-01

We applied hierarchical cluster analysis to an Aerodyne aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS) bulk mass spectral dataset collected aboard the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study off the east coast of the United States. Emphasizing the organic peaks, the cluster analysis yielded a series of categories that are distinguishable with respect to their mass spectra and their occurrence as a function of time. The differences between the categories mainly arise from relative intensity changes rather than from the presence or absence of specific peaks. The most frequent category exhibits a strong signal at m/z 44 and represents oxidized organic matter most probably originating from both, anthropogenic as well as biogenic sources. On the basis of spectral and trace gas correlations, the second most common category with strong signals at m/z 29, 43, and 44 contains contributions from isoprene oxidation products. The third through the fifth most common categories have peak patterns characteristic of monoterpene oxidation products and were most frequently observed when air masses from monoterpene rich regions were sampled. Taken together, the second through the fifth most common categories represent as much as 5 µg/m3 organic aerosol mass - 17% of the total organic mass - that can be attributed to biogenic sources. These numbers have to be viewed as lower limits since the most common category was attributed to anthropogenic sources for this calculation. The cluster analysis was also very effective in identifying a few contaminated mass spectra that were not removed during pre-processing. This study demonstrates that hierarchical clustering is a useful tool to analyze the complex patterns of the organic peaks in bulk aerosol mass spectra from a field study.

Mass sensitive observables of the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unger, M.

2013-06-01

In this article we will discuss measurements of the longitudinal development of air showers at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The longitudinal development of the electromagnetic component can be directly observed by the fluorescence telescopes of the Auger Observatory and we will present the results on the evolution of the average shower maximum and its fluctuations as a function of energy. Moreover, two observables from the surface detector, the asymmetry of the rise time of the station signals and the muon production depth, will be discussed and the measurements will be compared to predictions from air shower simulations for different primary particle types.

Characterization of key aerosol, trace gas and meteorological properties and particle formation and growth processes dependent on air mass origins in coastal Southern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diesch, J.; Drewnick, F.; Sinha, V.; Williams, J.; Borrmann, S.

2011-12-01

acid was found to be the main particle formation contributor. The AMS analysis showed inorganic sulfate species being substantially higher during the growth stages of urban compared to continentally influenced events that are characterized by lower PM1 mass concentrations mainly composed of oxidized organics. The lowest average PM1 mass and number concentrations (2 μg m-3, 1000 cm-3) were found in marine air mass types characterized by the highest sulfate PM1-fraction (54%, 0.91 μg m-3) and volume size distributions probably dominated by sodium chloride particles from sea spray. Two to five times higher submicron aerosol mass concentrations were observed in continental (2.5 μg m-3) and urban (4.2 μg m-3) air mass types mainly consisting of organic species that were further evaluated using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). Zhang, Q. et al. (2004), Environ. Sci. Technol., 38, 4797-4809.

Use of Air Quality Observations by the National Air Quality Forecast Capability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stajner, I.; McQueen, J.; Lee, P.; Stein, A. F.; Kondragunta, S.; Ruminski, M.; Tong, D.; Pan, L.; Huang, J. P.; Shafran, P.; Huang, H. C.; Dickerson, P.; Upadhayay, S.

2015-12-01

The National Air Quality Forecast Capability (NAQFC) operational predictions of ozone and wildfire smoke for the United States (U.S.) and predictions of airborne dust for continental U.S. are available at http://airquality.weather.gov/. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) operational North American Mesoscale (NAM) weather predictions are combined with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to produce the ozone predictions and test fine particulate matter (PM2.5) predictions. The Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model provides smoke and dust predictions. Air quality observations constrain emissions used by NAQFC predictions. NAQFC NOx emissions from mobile sources were updated using National Emissions Inventory (NEI) projections for year 2012. These updates were evaluated over large U.S. cities by comparing observed changes in OMI NO2 observations and NOx measured by surface monitors. The rate of decrease in NOx emission projections from year 2005 to year 2012 is in good agreement with the observed changes over the same period. Smoke emissions rely on the fire locations detected from satellite observations obtained from NESDIS Hazard Mapping System (HMS). Dust emissions rely on a climatology of areas with a potential for dust emissions based on MODIS Deep Blue aerosol retrievals. Verification of NAQFC predictions uses AIRNow compilation of surface measurements for ozone and PM2.5. Retrievals of smoke from GOES satellites are used for verification of smoke predictions. Retrievals of dust from MODIS are used for verification of dust predictions. In summary, observations are the basis for the emissions inputs for NAQFC, they are critical for evaluation of performance of NAQFC predictions, and furthermore they are used in real-time testing of bias correction of PM2.5 predictions, as we continue to work on improving modeling and emissions important for representation of PM2.5.

Mass flow in interacting binaries observed in the ultraviolet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kondo, Yoji

1989-01-01

Recent satellite observations of close binary systems show that practically all binaries exhibit evidence of mass flow and that, where the observations are sufficiently detailed, a fraction of the matter flowing out of the mass-losing component is accreted by the companion and the remainder is lost from the binary system. The mass flow is not conservative. During the phase of dynamic mass flow, the companion star becomes immersed in optically-thick plasma and the physical properties of that star elude close scrutiny.

Influence of relative air/water flow velocity on oxygen mass transfer in gravity sewers.

PubMed

Carrera, Lucie; Springer, Fanny; Lipeme-Kouyi, Gislain; Buffiere, Pierre

2017-04-01

Problems related to hydrogen sulfide may be serious for both network stakeholders and the public in terms of health, sustainability of the sewer structure and urban comfort. H 2 S emission models are generally theoretical and simplified in terms of environmental conditions. Although air transport characteristics in sewers must play a role in the fate of hydrogen sulfide, only a limited number of studies have investigated this issue. The aim of this study was to better understand H 2 S liquid to gas transfer by highlighting the link between the mass transfer coefficient and the turbulence in the air flow and the water flow. For experimental safety reasons, O 2 was taken as a model compound. The oxygen mass transfer coefficients were obtained using a mass balance in plug flow. The mass transfer coefficient was not impacted by the range of the interface air-flow velocity values tested (0.55-2.28 m·s -1 ) or the water velocity values (0.06-0.55 m·s -1 ). Using the ratio between k L,O 2 to k L,H 2 S , the H 2 S mass transfer behavior in a gravity pipe in the same hydraulic conditions can be predicted.

An observation tool to study air traffic control and flightdeck collaboration.

PubMed

Cox, Gemma; Sharples, Sarah; Stedmon, Alex; Wilson, John

2007-07-01

The complex systems of the flightdeck (FD) and the Air Traffic Control Centre (ATC) are characterised by numerous concurrently operating and interacting communication channels between people and between people and machines/computer systems. This paper describes work in support of investigating the impact of changes to technologies and responsibilities within this system with respect to human factors. It focuses primarily on the introduction of datalink (text-based communication rather than traditional radio communication) and the move towards freeflight (pilot-mediated air traffic control). Air traffic management investigations have outlined these specific changes as strategies to enable further increases in the volume of air traffic. A systems approach was taken and field studies were conducted. Small numbers of domain experts such as air traffic controllers (ATCOs) were involved in the field-based observations of how people interact with systems and each other. This paper summarises the overall research approach taken and then specifically reports on the field-based observations including the justification, development, and findings of the observation tool used. The observation tool examined information propagation through the air traffic control-flightdeck (ATC-FD) system, and resulted in models of possible information trajectories through the system.

In-situ observations of Eyjafjallajökull ash particles by hot-air balloon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petäjä, T.; Laakso, L.; Grönholm, T.; Launiainen, S.; Evele-Peltoniemi, I.; Virkkula, A.; Leskinen, A.; Backman, J.; Manninen, H. E.; Sipilä, M.; Haapanala, S.; Hämeri, K.; Vanhala, E.; Tuomi, T.; Paatero, J.; Aurela, M.; Hakola, H.; Makkonen, U.; Hellén, H.; Hillamo, R.; Vira, J.; Prank, M.; Sofiev, M.; Siitari-Kauppi, M.; Laaksonen, A.; lehtinen, K. E. J.; Kulmala, M.; Viisanen, Y.; Kerminen, V.-M.

2012-03-01

The volcanic ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption seriously distracted aviation in Europe. Due to the flight ban, there were only few in-situ measurements of the properties and dispersion of the ash cloud. In this study we show in-situ observations onboard a hot air balloon conducted in Central Finland together with regional dispersion modelling with SILAM-model during the eruption. The modeled and measured mass concentrations were in a qualitative agreement but the exact elevation of the layer was slightly distorted. Some of this discrepancy can be attributed to the uncertainty in the initial emission height and strength. The observed maximum mass concentration varied between 12 and 18 μg m -3 assuming a density of 2 g m -3, whereas the gravimetric analysis of the integrated column showed a maximum of 45 μg m -3 during the first two descents through the ash plume. Ion chromatography data indicated that a large fraction of the mass was insoluble to water, which is in qualitative agreement with single particle X-ray analysis. A majority of the super-micron particles contained Si, Al, Fe, K, Na, Ca, Ti, S, Zn and Cr, which are indicative for basalt-type rock material. The number concentration profiles indicated that there was secondary production of particles possibly from volcano-emitted sulfur dioxide oxidized to sulfuric acid during the transport.

The Use of Red Green Blue Air Mass Imagery to Investigate the Role of Stratospheric Air in a Non-Convective Wind Event

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berndt, E. B.; Zavodsky, B. T.; Moltham, A. L.; Folmer, M. J.; Jedlovec, G. J.

2014-01-01

The investigation of non-convective winds associated with passing extratropical cyclones and the formation of the sting jet in North Atlantic cyclones that impact Europe has been gaining interest. Sting jet research has been limited to North Atlantic cyclones that impact Europe because it is known to occur in Shapiro-Keyser cyclones and theory suggests it does not occur in Norwegian type cyclones. The global distribution of sting jet cyclones is unknown and questions remain as to whether cyclones with Shapiro-Keyser characteristics that impact the United States develop features similar to the sting jet. Therefore unique National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) products were used to analyze an event that impacted the Northeast United States on 09 February 2013. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass imagery and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) ozone data were used in conjunction with NASA's global Modern Era-Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis and higher-resolution regional 13-km Rapid Refresh (RAP) data to analyze the role of stratospheric air in producing high winds. The RGB Air Mass imagery and a new AIRS ozone anomaly product were used to confirm the presence of stratospheric air. Plan view and cross sectional plots of wind, potential vorticity, relative humidity, omega, and frontogenesis were used to analyze the relationship between stratospheric air and high surface winds during the event. Additionally, the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model was used to plot trajectories to determine the role of the conveyor belts in producing the high winds. Analyses of new satellite products, such as the RGB Air Mass imagery, show the utility of future GOES-R products in forecasting non-convective wind events.

On the relationship between Arctic ice clouds and polluted air masses over the north slope of Alaska in April 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jouan, C.; Pelon, J.; Girard, E.; Ancellet, G.; Blanchet, J. P.; Delanoë, J.

2013-02-01

Recently, two Types of Ice Clouds (TICs) properties have been characterized using ISDAC airborne measurements (Alaska, April 2008). TIC-2B were characterized by fewer (<10 L-1) and larger (>110 μm) ice crystals, a larger ice supersaturation (>15%) and a fewer ice nuclei (IN) concentration (<2 order of magnitude) when compared to TIC-1/2A. It has been hypothesized that emissions of SO2 may reduce the ice nucleating properties of IN through acidification, resulting to a smaller concentration of larger ice crystals and leading to precipitation (e.g. cloud regime TIC-2B) because of the reduced competition for the same available moisture. Here, the origin of air masses forming the ISDAC TIC-1/2A (1 April 2008) and TIC-2B (15 April 2008) is investigated using trajectory tools and satellite data. Results show that the synoptic conditions favor air masses transport from the three potentials SO2 emission areas to Alaska: eastern China and Siberia where anthropogenic and biomass burning emission respectively are produced and the volcanic region from the Kamchatka/Aleutians. Weather conditions allow the accumulation of pollutants from eastern China/Siberia over Alaska, most probably with the contribution of acid volcanic aerosol during the TIC-2B period. OMI observations reveal that SO2 concentrations in air masses forming the TIC-2B were larger than in air masses forming the TIC-1/2A. Airborne measurements show high acidity near the TIC-2B flight where humidity was low. These results strongly support the hypothesis that acidic coating on IN are at the origin of the formation of TIC-2B.

Thermospheric Mass Density Specification: Synthesis of Observations and Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-21

Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) of the column-integrated ratio of atomic oxygen and molecular nitrogen. Note that OSSEs assimilate, for a given...realistic observing system, synthetically generated observational data often sampled from model simulation results, in place of actually observed values...and molecular oxygen mass mixing ratio). Note that in the TIEGCM the molecular nitrogen mass mixing ratio is specified so that the sum of mixing

Modelling heat and mass transfer in a membrane-based air-to-air enthalpy exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dugaria, S.; Moro, L.; Del, D., Col

2015-11-01

The diffusion of total energy recovery systems could lead to a significant reduction in the energy demand for building air-conditioning. With these devices, sensible heat and humidity can be recovered in winter from the exhaust airstream, while, in summer, the incoming air stream can be cooled and dehumidified by transferring the excess heat and moisture to the exhaust air stream. Membrane based enthalpy exchangers are composed by different channels separated by semi-permeable membranes. The membrane allows moisture transfer under vapour pressure difference, or water concentration difference, between the two sides and, at the same time, it is ideally impermeable to air and other contaminants present in exhaust air. Heat transfer between the airstreams occurs through the membrane due to the temperature gradient. The aim of this work is to develop a detailed model of the coupled heat and mass transfer mechanisms through the membrane between the two airstreams. After a review of the most relevant models published in the scientific literature, the governing equations are presented and some simplifying assumptions are analysed and discussed. As a result, a steady-state, two-dimensional finite difference numerical model is setup. The developed model is able to predict temperature and humidity evolution inside the channels. Sensible and latent heat transfer rate, as well as moisture transfer rate, are determined. A sensitive analysis is conducted in order to determine the more influential parameters on the thermal and vapour transfer.

Observational Properties of Coronal Mass Ejections

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

speeds 2.5. Masses and Energies of CMEs exceeded 2000 km s-1; the fastest CME speed measured thus far was 2657 km s-1 on 4 November 2000. When compiled The...accelerated. The average deceleration of the fastest (> 900 km s-1) The CME kinetic energies can also be calculated from the CME group is -16 m s-2...OBSERVATIONAL PROPERTIES OF CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS 15 *"...... .. ’..’... ... ’...... kinetic energy is 2.4 x 1030 ergs (5.0 x 1029 ergs) [Vourlidas, 2004

Swift Observations of 2MASS J070931-353746

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schartel, Dirk Grupe Norbert; Komossa, S.

2018-05-01

We report of Swift observations of 2MASS J070931-353746 which was discovered as a bright X-ray source during an XMM slew on 2018-April-26. Compared with the flux seen during the ROSAT All Sky Survey (Voges et al. 1999) the source appeared to be brighter by a factor of about 16. We performed a short 1ks Swift observation of 2MASS J070931-353746 on 2018-May-18.

Photochemical aging of aerosol particles in different air masses arriving at Baengnyeong Island, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Eunha; Lee, Meehye; Brune, William H.; Lee, Taehyoung; Park, Taehyun; Ahn, Joonyoung; Shang, Xiaona

2018-05-01

Atmospheric aerosol particles are a serious health risk, especially in regions like East Asia. We investigated the photochemical aging of ambient aerosols using a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor at Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea during 4-12 August 2011. The size distributions and chemical compositions of aerosol particles were measured alternately every 6 min from the ambient air or through the highly oxidizing environment of a potential aerosol mass (PAM) reactor. Particle size and chemical composition were measured by using the combination of a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and a high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS). Inside the PAM reactor, O3 and OH levels were equivalent to 4.6 days of integrated OH exposure at typical atmospheric conditions. Two types of air masses were distinguished on the basis of the chemical composition and the degree of aging: air transported from China, which was more aged with a higher sulfate concentration and O : C ratio, and the air transported across the Korean Peninsula, which was less aged with more organics than sulfate and a lower O : C ratio. For both episodes, the particulate sulfate mass concentration increased in the 200-400 nm size range when sampled through the PAM reactor. A decrease in organics was responsible for the loss of mass concentration in 100-200 nm particles when sampled through the PAM reactor for the organics-dominated episode. This loss was especially evident for the m/z 43 component, which represents less oxidized organics. The m/z 44 component, which represents further oxidized organics, increased with a shift toward larger sizes for both episodes. It is not possible to quantify the maximum possible organic mass concentration for either episode because only one OH exposure of 4.6 days was used, but it is clear that SO2 was a primary precursor of secondary aerosol in northeast Asia, especially during long-range transport from China. In addition

Characterization of NOx-Ox relationships during daytime interchange of air masses over a mountain pass in the Mexico City megalopolis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Yee, J. S.; Torres-Jardón, R.; Barrera-Huertas, H.; Castro, T.; Peralta, O.; García, M.; Gutiérrez, W.; Robles, M.; Torres-Jaramillo, J. A.; Ortínez-Álvarez, A.; Ruiz-Suárez, L. G.

2018-03-01

The role of the Tenango del Aire mountain pass, located southeast of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), in venting the city's air pollution has already been studied from a meteorological standpoint. To better understand the transport of gaseous air pollutants through the Tenango del Aire Pass (TAP), and its influence on the air quality of the MCMA, three mobile air quality monitoring units were deployed during a 31-day field campaign between February and March of 2011. Surface O3, NOx, and meteorological variables were continuously measured at the three sites. Vertical profiles of O3 and meteorological variables were also obtained at one of the sites using a tethered balloon. Days were classified as being under low pressure synoptic systems (LPS, 13 days), high pressure synoptic systems (HPS, 13 days), or as transition days (TR). The Mexican ozone standards at the Pass were not exceeded during LPS days, but were exceeded on almost all HPS days. A detailed analysis was performed using data from two typical days, one representative of LPS and the other of HPS. In both cases, morning vertical profiles of O3 showed a strong thermal inversion layer and near-surface O3 titration due to fresh NOx. In the LPS early morning, a single O3 layer of close to 45 ppb was observed from 150 to 700 magl. In the HPS early morning, 50 ppb was observed from 150 to 400 magl followed by a 400-m-thick layer with up to 80 ppb. These layers were the source of the morning increase of O3, with a simultaneous sharp decrease of NOx and CO as the mixing layer started to rise. During the LPS day, a southerly wind dominated throughout most of the daytime, with surface O3 lower than 60 ppb. The same was observed for the well-mixed midday and afternoon vertical profiles. Under HPS, northerly winds transported photochemically active air masses from the MCMA all morning, as observed by a smoother increase of Ox and O3, reaching 110 ppb of O3. Just after midday, the wind shifted back, carrying

SAM-CAAM: A Concept for Acquiring Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kahn, Ralph A.; Berkoff, Tim A.; Brock, Charles

A modest operational program of systematic aircraft measurements can resolve key satellite aerosol data record limitations. Satellite observations provide frequent global aerosol amount maps but offer only loose aerosol property constraints needed for climate and air quality applications. In this paper, we define and illustrate the feasibility of flying an aircraft payload to measure key aerosol optical, microphysical, and chemical properties in situ. The flight program could characterize major aerosol airmass types statistically, at a level of detail unobtainable from space. It would 1) enhance satellite aerosol retrieval products with better climatology assumptions and 2) improve translation between satellite-retrieved opticalmore » properties and species-specific aerosol mass and size simulated in climate models to assess aerosol forcing, its anthropogenic components, and other environmental impacts. As such, Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses (SAM-CAAM) could add value to data records representing several decades of aerosol observations from space; improve aerosol constraints on climate modeling; help interrelate remote sensing, in situ, and modeling aerosol-type definitions; and contribute to future satellite aerosol missions. Fifteen required variables are identified and four payload options of increasing ambition are defined to constrain these quantities. “Option C” could meet all the SAM-CAAM objectives with about 20 instruments, most of which have flown before, but never routinely several times per week, and never as a group. Aircraft integration and approaches to data handling, payload support, and logistical considerations for a long-term, operational mission are discussed. Finally, SAM-CAAM is feasible because, for most aerosol sources and specified seasons, particle properties tend to be repeatable, even if aerosol loading varies.« less

SAM-CAAM: A Concept for Acquiring Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses

DOE PAGES

Kahn, Ralph A.; Berkoff, Tim A.; Brock, Charles; ...

2017-10-30

A modest operational program of systematic aircraft measurements can resolve key satellite aerosol data record limitations. Satellite observations provide frequent global aerosol amount maps but offer only loose aerosol property constraints needed for climate and air quality applications. In this paper, we define and illustrate the feasibility of flying an aircraft payload to measure key aerosol optical, microphysical, and chemical properties in situ. The flight program could characterize major aerosol airmass types statistically, at a level of detail unobtainable from space. It would 1) enhance satellite aerosol retrieval products with better climatology assumptions and 2) improve translation between satellite-retrieved opticalmore » properties and species-specific aerosol mass and size simulated in climate models to assess aerosol forcing, its anthropogenic components, and other environmental impacts. As such, Systematic Aircraft Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Air Masses (SAM-CAAM) could add value to data records representing several decades of aerosol observations from space; improve aerosol constraints on climate modeling; help interrelate remote sensing, in situ, and modeling aerosol-type definitions; and contribute to future satellite aerosol missions. Fifteen required variables are identified and four payload options of increasing ambition are defined to constrain these quantities. “Option C” could meet all the SAM-CAAM objectives with about 20 instruments, most of which have flown before, but never routinely several times per week, and never as a group. Aircraft integration and approaches to data handling, payload support, and logistical considerations for a long-term, operational mission are discussed. Finally, SAM-CAAM is feasible because, for most aerosol sources and specified seasons, particle properties tend to be repeatable, even if aerosol loading varies.« less

Identifying water mass depletion in Northern Iraq observed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, G.; Olsthoorn, T. N.; Al-Manmi, D. A. M. A.; Schrama, E. J. O.; Smidt, E. H.

2014-10-01

Observations acquired by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission indicate a mass loss of 31 ± 3 km3 or 130 ± 14 mm in Northern Iraq between 2007 and 2009. This data is used as an independent validation of a hydrologic model of the region including lake mass variations. We developed a rainfall-runoff model for five tributaries of the Tigris River, based on local geology and climate conditions. Model inputs are precipitation from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) observations, and potential evaporation from GLDAS model parameters. Our model includes a representation of the karstified aquifers that cause large natural groundwater variations in this region. Observed river discharges were used to calibrate our model. In order to get the total mass variations, we corrected for lake mass variations derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in combination with satellite altimetry and some in-situ data. Our rainfall-runoff model confirms that Northern Iraq suffered a drought between 2007 and 2009 and is consistent with the mass loss observed by GRACE over that period. Also, GRACE observed the annual cycle predicted by the rainfall-runoff model. The total mass depletion seen by GRACE between 2007 and 2009 is mainly explained by a lake mass depletion of 74 ± 4 mm and a natural groundwater depletion of 37 ± 6 mm. Our findings indicate that man-made groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region while depletion of lake mass and geology play a key role.

Observation and mass measurement of the baryon Xib-.

PubMed

Aaltonen, T; Abulencia, A; Adelman, J; Affolder, T; Akimoto, T; Albrow, M G; Amerio, S; Amidei, D; Anastassov, A; Anikeev, K; Annovi, A; Antos, J; Aoki, M; Apollinari, G; Arisawa, T; Artikov, A; Ashmanskas, W; Attal, A; Aurisano, A; Azfar, F; Azzi-Bacchetta, P; Azzurri, P; Bacchetta, N; Badgett, W; Barbaro-Galtieri, A; Barnes, V E; Barnett, B A; Baroiant, S; Bartsch, V; Bauer, G; Beauchemin, P-H; Bedeschi, F; Behari, S; Bellettini, G; Bellinger, J; Belloni, A; Benjamin, D; Beretvas, A; Beringer, J; Berry, T; Bhatti, A; Binkley, M; Bisello, D; Bizjak, I; Blair, R E; Blocker, C; Blumenfeld, B; Bocci, A; Bodek, A; Boisvert, V; Bolla, G; Bolshov, A; Bortoletto, D; Boudreau, J; Boveia, A; Brau, B; Brigliadori, L; Bromberg, C; Brubaker, E; Budagov, J; Budd, H S; Budd, S; Burkett, K; Busetto, G; Bussey, P; Buzatu, A; Byrum, K L; Cabrera, S; Campanelli, M; Campbell, M; Canelli, F; Canepa, A; Carrillo, S; Carlsmith, D; Carosi, R; Carron, S; Casal, B; Casarsa, M; Castro, A; Catastini, P; Cauz, D; Cavalli-Sforza, M; Cerri, A; Cerrito, L; Chang, S H; Chen, Y C; Chertok, M; Chiarelli, G; Chlachidze, G; Chlebana, F; Cho, I; Cho, K; Chokheli, D; Chou, J P; Choudalakis, G; Chuang, S H; Chung, K; Chung, W H; Chung, Y S; Cilijak, M; Ciobanu, C I; Ciocci, M A; Clark, A; Clark, D; Coca, M; Compostella, G; Convery, M E; Conway, J; Cooper, B; Copic, K; Cordelli, M; Cortiana, G; Crescioli, F; Cuenca Almenar, C; Cuevas, J; Culbertson, R; Cully, J C; DaRonco, S; Datta, M; D'Auria, S; Davies, T; Dagenhart, D; de Barbaro, P; De Cecco, S; Deisher, A; De Lentdecker, G; De Lorenzo, G; Dell'Orso, M; Delli Paoli, F; Demortier, L; Deng, J; Deninno, M; De Pedis, D; Derwent, P F; Di Giovanni, G P; Dionisi, C; Di Ruzza, B; Dittmann, J R; D'Onofrio, M; Dörr, C; Donati, S; Dong, P; Donini, J; Dorigo, T; Dube, S; Efron, J; Erbacher, R; Errede, D; Errede, S; Eusebi, R; Fang, H C; Farrington, S; Fedorko, I; Fedorko, W T; Feild, R G; Feindt, M; Fernandez, J P; Field, R; Flanagan, G; Forrest, R; Forrester, S; Franklin, M; Freeman, J C; Furic, I; Gallinaro, M; Galyardt, J; Garcia, J E; Garberson, F; Garfinkel, A F; Gay, C; Gerberich, H; Gerdes, D; Giagu, S; Giannetti, P; Gibson, K; Gimmell, J L; Ginsburg, C; Giokaris, N; Giordani, M; Giromini, P; Giunta, M; Giurgiu, G; Glagolev, V; Glenzinski, D; Gold, M; Goldschmidt, N; Goldstein, J; Golossanov, A; Gomez, G; Gomez-Ceballos, G; Goncharov, M; González, O; Gorelov, I; Goshaw, A T; Goulianos, K; Gresele, A; Grinstein, S; Grosso-Pilcher, C; Group, R C; Grundler, U; Guimaraes da Costa, J; Gunay-Unalan, Z; Haber, C; Hahn, K; Hahn, S R; Halkiadakis, E; Hamilton, A; Han, B-Y; Han, J Y; Handler, R; Happacher, F; Hara, K; Hare, D; Hare, M; Harper, S; Harr, R F; Harris, R M; Hartz, M; Hatakeyama, K; Hauser, J; Hays, C; Heck, M; Heijboer, A; Heinemann, B; Heinrich, J; Henderson, C; Herndon, M; Heuser, J; Hidas, D; Hill, C S; Hirschbuehl, D; Hocker, A; Holloway, A; Hou, S; Houlden, M; Hsu, S-C; Huffman, B T; Hughes, R E; Husemann, U; Huston, J; Incandela, J; Introzzi, G; Iori, M; Ivanov, A; Iyutin, B; James, E; Jang, D; Jayatilaka, B; Jeans, D; Jeon, E J; Jindariani, S; Johnson, W; Jones, M; Joo, K K; Jun, S Y; Jung, J E; Junk, T R; Kamon, T; Karchin, P E; Kato, Y; Kemp, Y; Kephart, R; Kerzel, U; Khotilovich, V; Kilminster, B; Kim, D H; Kim, H S; Kim, J E; Kim, M J; Kim, S B; Kim, S H; Kim, Y K; Kimura, N; Kirsch, L; Klimenko, S; Klute, M; Knuteson, B; Ko, B R; Kondo, K; Kong, D J; Konigsberg, J; Korytov, A; Kotwal, A V; Kraan, A C; Kraus, J; Kreps, M; Kroll, J; Krumnack, N; Kruse, M; Krutelyov, V; Kubo, T; Kuhlmann, S E; Kuhr, T; Kulkarni, N P; Kusakabe, Y; Kwang, S; Laasanen, A T; Lai, S; Lami, S; Lammel, S; Lancaster, M; Lander, R L; Lannon, K; Lath, A; Latino, G; Lazzizzera, I; LeCompte, T; Lee, J; Lee, J; Lee, Y J; Lee, S W; Lefèvre, R; Leonardo, N; Leone, S; Levy, S; Lewis, J D; Lin, C; Lin, C S; Lindgren, M; Lipeles, E; Lister, A; Litvintsev, D O; Liu, T; Lockyer, N S; Loginov, A; Loreti, M; Lu, R-S; Lucchesi, D; Lujan, P; Lukens, P; Lungu, G; Lyons, L; Lys, J; Lysak, R; Lytken, E; Mack, P; MacQueen, D; Madrak, R; Maeshima, K; Makhoul, K; Maki, T; Maksimovic, P; Malde, S; Malik, S; Manca, G; Manousakis, A; Margaroli, F; Marginean, R; Marino, C; Marino, C P; Martin, A; Martin, M; Martin, V; Martínez, M; Martínez-Ballarín, R; Maruyama, T; Mastrandrea, P; Masubuchi, T; Matsunaga, H; Mattson, M E; Mazini, R; Mazzanti, P; McFarland, K S; McIntyre, P; McNulty, R; Mehta, A; Mehtala, P; Menzemer, S; Menzione, A; Merkel, P; Mesropian, C; Messina, A; Miao, T; Miladinovic, N; Miles, J; Miller, R; Mills, C; Milnik, M; Mitra, A; Mitselmakher, G; Miyamoto, A; Moed, S; Moggi, N; Mohr, B; Moon, C S; Moore, R; Morello, M; Movilla Fernandez, P; Mülmenstädt, J; Mukherjee, A; Muller, Th; Mumford, R; Murat, P; Mussini, M; Nachtman, J; Nagano, A; Naganoma, J; Nakamura, K; Nakano, I; Napier, A; Necula, V; Neu, C; Neubauer, M S; Nielsen, J; Nodulman, L; Norniella, O; Nurse, E; Oh, S H; Oh, Y D; Oksuzian, I; Okusawa, T; Oldeman, R; Orava, R; Osterberg, K; Pagliarone, C; Palencia, E; Papadimitriou, V; Papaikonomou, A; Paramonov, A A; Parks, B; Pashapour, S; Patrick, J; Pauletta, G; Paulini, M; Paus, C; Pellett, D E; Penzo, A; Phillips, T J; Piacentino, G; Piedra, J; Pinera, L; Pitts, K; Plager, C; Pondrom, L; Portell, X; Poukhov, O; Pounder, N; Prakoshyn, F; Pronko, A; Proudfoot, J; Ptohos, F; Punzi, G; Pursley, J; Rademacker, J; Rahaman, A; Ramakrishnan, V; Ranjan, N; Redondo, I; Reisert, B; Rekovic, V; Renton, P; Rescigno, M; Richter, S; Rimondi, F; Ristori, L; Robson, A; Rodrigo, T; Rogers, E; Rolli, S; Roser, R; Rossi, M; Rossin, R; Roy, P; Ruiz, A; Russ, J; Rusu, V; Saarikko, H; Safonov, A; Sakumoto, W K; Salamanna, G; Saltó, O; Santi, L; Sarkar, S; Sartori, L; Sato, K; Savard, P; Savoy-Navarro, A; Scheidle, T; Schlabach, P; Schmidt, E E; Schmidt, M P; Schmitt, M; Schwarz, T; Scodellaro, L; Scott, A L; Scribano, A; Scuri, F; Sedov, A; Seidel, S; Seiya, Y; Semenov, A; Sexton-Kennedy, L; Sfyrla, A; Shalhout, S Z; Shapiro, M D; Shears, T; Shepard, P F; Sherman, D; Shimojima, M; Shochet, M; Shon, Y; Shreyber, I; Sidoti, A; Sinervo, P; Sisakyan, A; Slaughter, A J; Slaunwhite, J; Sliwa, K; Smith, J R; Snider, F D; Snihur, R; Soderberg, M; Soha, A; Somalwar, S; Sorin, V; Spalding, J; Spinella, F; Spreitzer, T; Squillacioti, P; Stanitzki, M; Staveris-Polykalas, A; St Denis, R; Stelzer, B; Stelzer-Chilton, O; Stentz, D; Strologas, J; Stuart, D; Suh, J S; Sukhanov, A; Sun, H; Suslov, I; Suzuki, T; Taffard, A; Takashima, R; Takeuchi, Y; Tanaka, R; Tecchio, M; Teng, P K; Terashi, K; Thom, J; Thompson, A S; Thomson, E; Tipton, P; Tiwari, V; Tkaczyk, S; Toback, D; Tokar, S; Tollefson, K; Tomura, T; Tonelli, D; Torre, S; Torretta, D; Tourneur, S; Trischuk, W; Tsuno, S; Tu, Y; Turini, N; Ukegawa, F; Uozumi, S; Vallecorsa, S; van Remortel, N; Varganov, A; Vataga, E; Vazquez, F; Velev, G; Vellidis, C; Veramendi, G; Veszpremi, V; Vidal, M; Vidal, R; Vila, I; Vilar, R; Vine, T; Vogel, M; Vollrath, I; Volobouev, I; Volpi, G; Würthwein, F; Wagner, P; Wagner, R G; Wagner, R L; Wagner, J; Wagner, W; Wallny, R; Wang, S M; Warburton, A; Waters, D; Weinberger, M; Wester, W C; Whitehouse, B; Whiteson, D; Wicklund, A B; Wicklund, E; Williams, G; Williams, H H; Wilson, P; Winer, B L; Wittich, P; Wolbers, S; Wolfe, C; Wright, T; Wu, X; Wynne, S M; Yagil, A; Yamamoto, K; Yamaoka, J; Yamashita, T; Yang, C; Yang, U K; Yang, Y C; Yao, W M; Yeh, G P; Yoh, J; Yorita, K; Yoshida, T; Yu, G B; Yu, I; Yu, S S; Yun, J C; Zanello, L; Zanetti, A; Zaw, I; Zhang, X; Zhou, J; Zucchelli, S

2007-08-03

We report the observation and measurement of the mass of the bottom, strange baryon Xi(b)- through the decay chain Xi(b)- -->J/psiXi-, where J/psi-->mu+mu-, Xi- -->Lambdapi-, and Lambda-->ppi-. A signal is observed whose probability of arising from a background fluctuation is 6.6 x 10(-15), or 7.7 Gaussian standard deviations. The Xi(b)- mass is measured to be 5792.9+/-2.5(stat) +/- 1.7(syst) MeV/c2.

Surface ozone and carbon monoxide levels observed at Oki, Japan: regional air pollution trends in East Asia.

PubMed

Sikder, Helena Akhter; Suthawaree, Jeeranut; Kato, Shungo; Kajii, Yoshizumi

2011-03-01

Simultaneous ground-based measurements of ozone and carbon monoxide were performed at Oki, Japan, from January 2001 to September 2002 in order to investigate the O(3) and CO characteristics and their distributions. The observations revealed that O(3) and CO concentrations were maximum in springtime and minimum in the summer. The monthly averaged concentrations of O(3) and CO were 60 and 234 ppb in spring and 23 and 106 ppb in summer, respectively. Based on direction, 5-day isentropic backward trajectory analysis was carried out to determine the transport path of air masses, preceding their arrival at Oki. Comparison between classified results from present work and results from the year 1994-1996 was carried out. The O(3) and CO concentration results of classified air masses in our analysis show similar concentration trends to previous findings; highest in the WNW/W, lowest in N/NE and medium levels in NW. Moreover, O(3) levels are higher and CO levels are lower in the present study in all categories. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of atmospheric aerosols at the Pierre Auger Observatory using studies of air mass trajectories in South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aab, A.; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahlers, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Alves Batista, R.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Antičić, T.; Aramo, C.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Badescu, A. M.; Barber, K. B.; Bardenet, R.; Bäuml, J.; Baus, C.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, K. H.; Bellido, J. A.; BenZvi, S.; Berat, C.; Bertou, X.; Biermann, P. L.; Billoir, P.; Blanco, F.; Blanco, M.; Bleve, C.; Blümer, H.; Boháčová, M.; Boncioli, D.; Bonifazi, C.; Bonino, R.; Borodai, N.; Brack, J.; Brancus, I.; Brogueira, P.; Brown, W. C.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Buscemi, M.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caccianiga, L.; Candusso, M.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chudoba, J.; Cilmo, M.; Clay, R. W.; Cocciolo, G.; Colalillo, R.; Collica, L.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cooper, M. J.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; De Domenico, M.; de Jong, S. J.; De La Vega, G.; de Mello Junior, W. J. M.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; De Mitri, I.; de Souza, V.; de Vries, K. D.; del Peral, L.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; Di Giulio, C.; Di Matteo, A.; Diaz, J. C.; Díaz Castro, M. L.; Diep, P. N.; Diogo, F.; Dobrigkeit, C.; Docters, W.; D'Olivo, J. C.; Dong, P. N.; Dorofeev, A.; dos Anjos, J. C.; Dova, M. T.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Falcke, H.; Fang, K.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fick, B.; Figueira, J. M.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Foerster, N.; Fox, B. D.; Fracchiolla, C. E.; Fraenkel, E. D.; Fratu, O.; Fröhlich, U.; Fuchs, B.; Gaior, R.; Gamarra, R. F.; Gambetta, S.; García, B.; Garcia Roca, S. T.; Garcia-Gamez, D.; Garcia-Pinto, D.; Garilli, G.; Gascon Bravo, A.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giammarchi, M.; Giller, M.; Gitto, J.; Glaser, C.; Glass, H.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Gorgi, A.; Gorham, P.; Gouffon, P.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grillo, A. F.; Grubb, T. D.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Herve, A. E.; Hill, G. C.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holt, E.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Isar, P. G.; Jansen, S.; Jarne, C.; Josebachuili, M.; Kadija, K.; Kambeitz, O.; Kampert, K. H.; Karhan, P.; Kasper, P.; Katkov, I.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Knapp, J.; Krause, R.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuempel, D.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; LaHurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; Lauscher, M.; Lautridou, P.; Le Coz, S.; Leão, M. S. A. B.; Lebrun, D.; Lebrun, P.; Leigui de Oliveira, M. A.; Letessier-Selvon, A.; Lhenry-Yvon, I.; Link, K.; López, R.; Lopez Agüera, A.; Louedec, K.; Lozano Bahilo, J.; Lu, L.; Lucero, A.; Ludwig, M.; Lyberis, H.; Maccarone, M. C.; Malacari, M.; Maldera, S.; Maller, J.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, V.; Mariş, I. C.; Marquez Falcon, H. R.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Martraire, D.; Masías Meza, J. J.; Mathes, H. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mayotte, E.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina, C.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Messina, S.; Meyhandan, R.; Mićanović, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Middendorf, L.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Mitrica, B.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morales, B.; Morello, C.; Moreno, J. C.; Mostafá, M.; Moura, C. A.; Muller, M. A.; Müller, G.; Münchmeyer, M.; Mussa, R.; Navarra, G.; Navarro, J. L.; Navas, S.; Necesal, P.; Nellen, L.; Nelles, A.; Neuser, J.; Nhung, P. T.; Niechciol, M.; Niemietz, L.; Niggemann, T.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Nožka, L.; Oehlschläger, J.; Olinto, A.; Oliveira, M.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Parente, G.; Parra, A.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Petrera, S.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Plum, M.; Pontz, M.; Porcelli, A.; Preda, T.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, S.; Quinn, S.; Rautenberg, J.; Ravel, O.; Ravignani, D.; Revenu, B.; Ridky, J.; Riggi, S.; Risse, M.; Ristori, P.; Rivera, H.; Rizi, V.; Roberts, J.; Rodrigues de Carvalho, W.; Rodriguez Cabo, I.; Rodriguez Fernandez, G.; Rodriguez Martino, J.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Rouillé-d'Orfeuil, B.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Saffi, S. J.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Sanchez-Lucas, P.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarmento, R.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F. G.; Schulz, A.; Schulz, J.; Sciutto, S. J.; Scuderi, M.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Sima, O.; Śmiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Spinka, H.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanič, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, M.; Straub, M.; Stutz, A.; Suarez, F.; Suomijärvi, T.; Supanitsky, A. D.; Šuša, T.; Sutherland, M. S.; Swain, J.; Szadkowski, Z.; Szuba, M.; Tapia, A.; Tartare, M.; Taşcău, O.; Thao, N. T.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Tkaczyk, W.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Torralba Elipe, G.; Torres Machado, D.; Travnicek, P.; Tridapalli, D. B.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van Aar, G.; van den Berg, A. M.; van Velzen, S.; van Vliet, A.; Varela, E.; Vargas Cárdenas, B.; Varner, G.; Vázquez, J. R.; Vázquez, R. A.; Veberič, D.; Verzi, V.; Vicha, J.; Videla, M.; Villaseñor, L.; Wahlberg, H.; Wahrlich, P.; Wainberg, O.; Walz, D.; Watson, A. A.; Weber, M.; Weidenhaupt, K.; Weindl, A.; Werner, F.; Westerhoff, S.; Whelan, B. J.; Widom, A.; Wieczorek, G.; Wiencke, L.; Wilczyńska, B.; Wilczyński, H.; Will, M.; Williams, C.; Winchen, T.; Wundheiler, B.; Wykes, S.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhou, J.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.; Curci, G.

2014-11-01

The Pierre Auger Observatory is making significant contributions towards understanding the nature and origin of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. One of its main challenges is the monitoring of the atmosphere, both in terms of its state variables and its optical properties. The aim of this work is to analyse aerosol optical depth τa(z) values measured from 2004 to 2012 at the observatory, which is located in a remote and relatively unstudied area of Pampa Amarilla, Argentina. The aerosol optical depth is in average quite low - annual mean τa(3.5 km) ∼ 0.04 - and shows a seasonal trend with a winter minimum - τa(3.5 km) ∼ 0.03 -, and a summer maximum - τa(3.5 km) ∼ 0.06 -, and an unexpected increase from August to September - τa(3.5 km) ∼ 0.055. We computed backward trajectories for the years 2005 to 2012 to interpret the air mass origin. Winter nights with low aerosol concentrations show air masses originating from the Pacific Ocean. Average concentrations are affected by continental sources (wind-blown dust and urban pollution), whilst the peak observed in September and October could be linked to biomass burning in the northern part of Argentina or air pollution coming from surrounding urban areas.

Characterisation of a smartphone image sensor response to direct solar 305nm irradiation at high air masses.

PubMed

Igoe, D P; Amar, A; Parisi, A V; Turner, J

2017-06-01

This research reports the first time the sensitivity, properties and response of a smartphone image sensor that has been used to characterise the photobiologically important direct UVB solar irradiances at 305nm in clear sky conditions at high air masses. Solar images taken from Autumn to Spring were analysed using a custom Python script, written to develop and apply an adaptive threshold to mitigate the effects of both noise and hot-pixel aberrations in the images. The images were taken in an unobstructed area, observing from a solar zenith angle as high as 84° (air mass=9.6) to local solar maximum (up to a solar zenith angle of 23°) to fully develop the calibration model in temperatures that varied from 2°C to 24°C. The mean ozone thickness throughout all observations was 281±18 DU (to 2 standard deviations). A Langley Plot was used to confirm that there were constant atmospheric conditions throughout the observations. The quadratic calibration model developed has a strong correlation between the red colour channel from the smartphone with the Microtops measurements of the direct sun 305nm UV, with a coefficient of determination of 0.998 and very low standard errors. Validation of the model verified the robustness of the method and the model, with an average discrepancy of only 5% between smartphone derived and Microtops observed direct solar irradiances at 305nm. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of using the smartphone image sensor as a means to measure photobiologically important solar UVB radiation. The use of ubiquitous portable technologies, such as smartphones and laptop computers to perform data collection and analysis of solar UVB observations is an example of how scientific investigations can be performed by citizen science based individuals and groups, communities and schools. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variation in airborne 137Cs peak levels with altitude from high-altitude locations across Europe after the arrival of Fukushima-labeled air masses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masson, Olivier; Bieringer, Jacqueline; Dalheimer, Axel; Estier, Sybille; Evrard, Olivier; Penev, Ilia; Ringer, Wolfgang; Schlosser, Clemens; Steinkopff, Thomas; Tositti, Laura; de Vismes-Ott, Anne

2015-04-01

During the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident, a dozen of high-altitude aerosol sampling stations, located between 850 and 3,454 m above sea level (a.s.l.), provided airborne activity levels across Europe (Fig. 1). This represents at most 5% of the total number of aerosol sampling locations that delivered airborne activity levels (at least one result) in Europe, in connection with this nuclear accident. High altitude stations are typically equipped with a high volume sampler that collects aerosols on filters. The Fukushima-labeled air mass arrival and the peak of airborne cesium-137 (137Cs) activity levels were registered in Europe at different dates depending on the location, with differences up to a factor of six on a regional scale. Besides this statement related to lowland areas, we have compared the maximum airborne levels registered at high-altitude European locations (850 m < altitudes < 3450 m) with what was observed at the closest lowland location. The vertical distribution of 137Cs peak level was not uniform even after a long travel time/distance from Japan. This being true at least in the atmospheric boundary layer and in the lower free troposphere. Moreover the relation '137Csmax vs. altitude' shows a decreasing trend (Fig. 2). Results and discussion : Comparison of 137Cs and 7Be levels shows simultaneous increases at least when the 137Cs airborne level rose for the first time (Fig. 3). Zugspitze and Jungfraujoch stations attest of a time shift between 7Be and 137Cs peak that can be due to the particular dynamic of air movements at such high altitudes. After the 137Cs peak value, the plume concentration decreased whatever the 7Be level. Due to the cosmogenic origin of 7Be, its increase in the ground-level air is usually associated with downwind air movements, i.e. stratospheric air intrusions or at least air from high-tropospheric levels, into lower atmospheric layers. This means that Fukushima-labeled air masses registered at ground

Technical note: Air compared to nitrogen as nebulizing and drying gases for electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Mielczarek, P; Silberring, J; Smoluch, M

In the present study we tested the application of compressed air instead of pure nitrogen as the nebulizing and drying gas, and its influence on the quality of electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra. The intensities of the signals corresponding to protonated molecules were significantly (twice) higher when air was used. Inspection of signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios revealed that, in both cases, sensitivity was comparable. A higher ion abundance after the application of compressed air was followed by a higher background. Another potential risk of using air in the ESI source is the possibility for sample oxidation due to the presence of oxygen. To test this, we selected five easily oxidizing compounds to verify their susceptibility to oxidation. In particular, the presence of methionine was of interest. For all the compounds studied, no oxidation was observed. Amodiaquine oxidizes spontaneously in water solutions and its oxidized form can be detected a few hours after preparation. Direct comparison of the spectra where nitrogen was used with the corresponding spectra obtained when air was applied did not show significant differences. The only distinction was slightly different patterns of adducts when air was used. The difference concerns acetonitrile, which forms higher signals when air is the nebulizing gas. It is also important that the replacement of nitrogen with air does not affect quantitative data. The prepared calibration curves also visualize an intensity twice as high (independent of concentration within tested range) of the signal where air was applied. We have used our system continuously for three months with air as the nebulizing and drying gas and have not noticed any unexpected signal deterioration caused by additional source contamination from the air. Moreover, compressed air is much cheaper and easily available using oil-free compressors or pumps.

Aerosols in polluted versus nonpolluted air masses Long-range transport and effects on clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pueschel, R. F.; Van Valin, C. C.; Castillo, R. C.; Kadlecek, J. A.; Ganor, E.

1986-01-01

To assess the influence of anthropogenic aerosols on the physics and chemistry of clouds in the northeastern United States, aerosol and cloud-drop size distributions, elemental composition of aerosols as a function of size, and ionic content of cloud water were measured on Whiteface Mountain, NY, during the summers of 1981 and 1982. In several case studies, the data were cross-correlated with different air mass types - background continental, polluted continental, and maritime - that were advected to the sampling site. The results are the following: (1) Anthropogenic sources hundreds of kilometers upwind cause the small-particle (accumulation) mode number to increase from hundreds of thousands per cubic centimeter and the mass loading to increase from a few to several tens of micrograms per cubic meter, mostly in the form of sulfur aerosols. (2) A significant fraction of anthropogenic sulfur appears to act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) to affect the cloud drop concentration. (3) Clouds in Atlantic maritime air masses have cloud drop spectra that are markedly different from those measured in continental clouds. The drop concentration is significantly lower, and the drop size spectra are heavily skewed toward large drops. (4) Effects of anthropogenic pollutants on cloud water ionic composition are an increase of nitrate by a factor of 50, an increase of sulfate by more than one order of magnitude, and an increase of ammonium ion by a factor of 7. The net effect of the changes in ionic concentrations is an increase in cloud water acidity. An anion deficit even in maritime clouds suggests an unknown, possibly biogenic, source that could be responsible for a pH below neutral, which is frequently observed in nonpolluted clouds.

Spectroscopic Observations of the Mass Donor Star in SS 433

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hillwig, T. C.; Gies, D. R.

2008-03-01

The microquasar SS 433 is an interacting massive binary consisting of an evolved mass donor and a compact companion that ejects relativistic jets. The mass donor was previously identified through spectroscopic observations of absorption lines in the blue part of the spectrum that showed Doppler shifts associated with orbital motion and strength variations related to the orbital modulation of the star-to-disk flux ratio and to disk obscuration. However, subsequent observations revealed other absorption features that lacked these properties and that were probably formed in the disk gas outflow. We present follow-up observations of SS 433 at orbital and precession phases identical to those from several previous studies, with the goals of confirming the detection of the mass donor spectrum and providing more reliable masses for the two system components. We show that the absorption features present as well as those previously observed almost certainly belong to the mass donor star, and find revised masses of 12.3 ± 3.3 and 4.3 ± 0.8 M⊙ for the mass donor and compact object, respectively. Based on observations obtained at the Gemini Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the NSF on behalf of the Gemini partnership: the National Science Foundation (US), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK), the National Research Council (Canada), CONICYT (Chile), the Australian Research Council (Australia), CNPq (Brazil), and SECYT (Argentina).

Stability of reference masses: VII. Cleaning methods in air and vacuum applied to a platinum mass standard similar to the international and national kilogram prototypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumpson, Peter J.; Sano, Naoko; Barlow, Anders J.; Portoles, Jose F.

2013-10-01

Mercury contamination and the build-up of carbonaceous contamination are two contributing factors to the instability observed in kilogram prototype masses. The kilogram prototypes that lie at the core of the dissemination of the SI base unit were manufactured in the late 19th century, and have polished surfaces. In papers IV and V of this series we developed a method for cleaning noble metal mass standards in air to remove carbonaceous contamination. At the core of this ‘UVOPS’ protocol is the application of UV light and ozone gas generated in situ in air. The precise nature of the carbonaceous contamination that builds up on such surfaces is difficult to mimic demonstrably or quickly on new test surfaces, yet data from such tests are needed to provide the final confidence to allow UVOPS to be applied to a real 19th century kilogram prototype. Therefore, in the present work we have applied the UVOPS method to clean a platinum avoirdupois pound mass standard, ‘RS2’, manufactured in the mid-19th century. This is thought to have been polished in a similar manner to the kilogram prototypes. To our knowledge this platinum surface has not previously been cleaned by any method. We used x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to identify organic contamination, and weighing to quantify the mass lost at each application of the UVOPS procedure. The UVOPS procedure is shown to be very effective. It is likely that the redefinition of the kilogram will require mass comparisons in vacuum in the years to come. Therefore, in addition to UVOPS a cleaning method for use in vacuum will also be needed. We introduce and evaluate gas cluster ion-beam (GCIB) treatment as a potential method for cleaning reference masses in vacuum. Again, application of this GCIB cleaning to a real artefact, RS2, allows us to make a realistic evaluation of its performance. While it has some attractive features, we cannot recommend it for cleaning mass standards in its present form.

Lidar derived properties of air-masses advected from Ukraine, Sahara and Carpathian mountains to Warsaw, Poland on 9 - 11 August 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janicka, Lucja; Szczepanik, Dominika; Borek, Karolina; Heese, Birgit; Stachlewska, Iwona S.

2018-04-01

The aerosol layers of different origin, suspended in the atmosphere on 9-11 August 2015 were observed with the PollyXT-UW lidar in Warsaw, Poland. The HYSPLIT ensemble backward trajectories indicate that the observed air-masses attribute to a few different sources, among others, possible transport paths from Ukraine, Slovakia, and Africa. In this paper, we attempt to analyse and discuss the properties of aerosol particles of different origin that were suspended over Warsaw during this event.

Mass spectrometer characterization of halogen gases in air at atmospheric pressure.

PubMed

Ivey, Michelle M; Foster, Krishna L

2005-03-01

We have developed a new interface for a commercial ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with APCI capable of real-time measurements of gaseous compounds with limits of detection on the order of pptv. The new interface has been tested using the detection of Br2 and Cl2 over synthetic seawater ice at atmospheric pressure as a model system. A mechanical pump is used to draw gaseous mixtures through a glass manifold into the corona discharge area, where the molecules are ionized. Analysis of bromine and chlorine in dry air show that ion intensity is affected by the pumping rate and the position of the glass manifold. The mass spectrometer signals for Br2 are linear in the 0.1-10.6 ppbv range, and the estimated 3sigma detection limit is 20 pptv. The MS signals for Cl2 are linear in the 0.2-25 ppbv range, and the estimated 3sigma detection limit is 1 ppbv. This new interface advances the field of analytical chemistry by introducing a practical modification to a commercially available ion trap mass spectrometer that expands the available methods for performing highly specific and sensitive measurements of gases in air at atmospheric pressure.

Enhancement of acidic gases in biomass burning impacted air masses over Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lefer, B. L.; Talbot, R. W.; Harriss, R. C.; Bradshaw, J. D.; Sandholm, S. T.; Olson, J. O.; Sachse, G. W.; Collins, J.; Shipham, M. A.; Blake, D. R.

1994-01-01

Biomass-burning impacted air masses sampled over central and eastern Canada during the summer of 1990 as part of ABLE 3B contained enhanced mixing ratios of gaseous HNO3, HCOOH, CH3COOH, and what appears to be (COOH)2. These aircraft-based samples were collected from a variety of fresh burning plumes and more aged haze layers from different source regions. Values of the enhancement factor, delta X/delta CO, where X represents an acidic gas, for combustion-impacted air masses sampled both near and farther away from the fires, were relatively uniform. However, comparison of carboxylic acid emission ratios measured in laboratory fires to field plume enhancement factors indicates significant in-plume production of HCOOH. Biomass-burning appears to be an important source of HNO3, HCOOH, and CH3COOH to the troposphere over subarctic Canada.

Quark-mass dependence of two-nucleon observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiunn-Wei; Lee, Tze-Kei; Liu, C.-P.; Liu, Yu-Sheng

2012-11-01

We study the potential implications of lattice QCD determinations of the S-wave nucleon-nucleon scattering lengths with unphysical light quark masses. If the light quark masses are small enough such that nuclear effective field theory (NEFT) can be used to perform quark-mass extrapolations, then the leading quark-mass dependence of not only the effective range and the two-body current, but also all the low-energy deuteron matrix elements up to next-to-leading-order in NEFT can be obtained. As a proof of principle, we compute the quark-mass dependence of the deuteron charge radius, magnetic moment, polarizability, and the deuteron photodisintegration cross section using the lattice calculation of the scattering lengths at 354 MeV pion mass by the ``Nuclear Physics with Lattice QCD'' (NPLQCD) collaboration and the NEFT power counting scheme of Beane, Kaplan, and Vuorinen (BKV), even though it is not yet established that the 354 MeV pion mass is within the radius of convergence of the BKV scheme. Once the lattice result with quark mass within the NEFT radius of convergence is obtained, our observation can be used to constrain the time variation of isoscalar combination of u and d quark mass mq, to help the anthropic principle study to find the mq range that allows the existence of life, and to provide a weak test of the multiverse conjecture.

Stable isotope composition of waters in the Great Basin, United States 1. Air-mass trajectories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Friedman, I.; Harris, J.M.; Smith, G.I.; Johnson, C.A.

2002-01-01

Isentropic trajectories, calculated using the NOAA/Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory's isentropic transport model, were used to determine air-parcel origins and the influence of air mass trajectories on the isotopic composition of precipitation events that occurred between October 1991 and September 1993 at Cedar City, Utah, and Winnemucca, Nevada. Examination of trajectories that trace the position of air parcels backward in time for 10 days indicated five distinct regions of water vapor origin: (1) Gulf of Alaska and North Pacific, (2) central Pacific, (3) tropical Pacific, (4) Gulf of Mexico, and (5) continental land mass. Deuterium (??D) and oxygen-18 (??18O) analyses were made of precipitation representing 99% of all Cedar City events. Similar analyses were made on precipitation representing 66% of the precipitation falling at Winnemucca during the same period. The average isotopic composition of precipitation derived from each water vapor source was determined. More than half of the precipitation that fell at both sites during the study period originated in the tropical Pacific and traveled northeast to the Great Basin; only a small proportion traversed the Sierra Nevada. The isotopic composition of precipitation is determined by air-mass origin and its track to the collection station, mechanism of droplet formation, reequilibration within clouds, and evaporation during its passage from cloud to ground. The Rayleigh distillation model can explain the changes in isotopic composition of precipitation as an air mass is cooled pseudo-adiabatically during uplift. However, the complicated processes that take place in the rapidly convecting environment of cumulonimbus and other clouds that are common in the Great Basin, especially in summer, require modification of this model because raindrops that form in the lower portion of those clouds undergo isotopic change as they are elevated to upper levels of the clouds from where they eventually drop to the

Observational constraints on varying neutrino-mass cosmology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Geng, Chao-Qiang; Lee, Chung-Chi; Myrzakulov, R.

We consider generic models of quintessence and we investigate the influence of massive neutrino matter with field-dependent masses on the matter power spectrum. In case of minimally coupled neutrino matter, we examine the effect in tracker models with inverse power-law and double exponential potentials. We present detailed investigations for the scaling field with a steep exponential potential, non-minimally coupled to massive neutrino matter, and we derive constraints on field-dependent neutrino masses from the observational data.

Identifying water mass depletion in Northern Iraq observed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, Gert; Olsthoorn, Theo; Al-Manmi, Diary; Schrama, Ernst; Smidt, Ebel

2014-05-01

Observations acquired by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission indicates a mass loss of 31±3 km3 or 130±14 mm in Northern Iraq between 2006 and 2009. This data is used as an independent validation of a hydrologic model of the region including lake mass variations. We developed a rainfall-runoff model for five tributaries of the Tigris River, based on local geology and climate conditions. Model inputs are precipitation data from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) observations, and potential evaporation from GLDAS parameters. Our model includes an extensive network of karstified aquifers that causes large natural groundwater variations in this region. Observed river discharges have been used to calibrate our model. In order to get the total mass variations, we correct for lake mass variations derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data in combination with satellite altimetry and some in-situ data. Our rainfall-runoff model confirms that Northern Iraq suffered a drought between 2006 and 2009 and is consistent with the mass loss observed by GRACE in that period. Also, GRACE picks up the annual cycle predicted by the rainfall-runoff model. The total mass depletion seen by GRACE between 2006 and 2009 is 130±14 mm, which is mainly explained by a lake mass depletion of 74±4 mm and a natural groundwater depletion of approximately 50 mm. Our findings indicate that man-made groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region while depletion of lake mass and geology play a key role.

Aerosol concentration measurements and correlations with air mass trajectories at the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Micheletti, M. I.; Louedec, K.; Freire, M.; Vitale, P.; Piacentini, R. D.

2017-06-01

Aerosols play an important role in radiative transfer processes involved in different fields of study. In particular, their influence is crucial in the attenuation of light at astronomical and astrophysical observatories, and has to be taken into account in light transfer models employed to reconstruct the signals. The Andean Argentinean region is increasingly being considered as a good candidate to host such facilities, as well as the ones for solar-energy resources, and an adequate knowledge of aerosols characteristics there is needed, but it is not always possible due to the vast area involved and the scarce atmospheric data at ground. The aim of this work is to find correlations between aerosol data and particle trajectories that can give an insight into the origin and behaviour of aerosols in this zone and can be employed in situations in which one does not have local aerosol measurements. For this purpose, an aerosol spectrometer and dust monitor (Grimm 1.109) was installed at the Pierre Auger Observatory of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, to record aerosol concentrations in different size intervals, at surface level. These measurements are analysed and correlated with air mass trajectories obtained from HYSPLIT (NOAA) model calculations. High aerosol concentrations are registered predominantly when air masses have travelled mostly over continental areas, mainly from the NE direction, while low aerosol concentrations are found in correspondence with air masses coming from the Pacific Ocean, from the NW direction. Different size distribution patterns were found for the aerosols depending on their origin: marine or continental. This work shows for the first time the size distribution of aerosols registered at the Pierre Auger Observatory. The correlations found between mass and particle concentrations (total and for different size ranges) and HYSPLIT air mass trajectories, confirm that the latter can be employed as a useful tool to infer the sources, evolution

Simultaneous assimilation of AIRS and GOSAT CO2 observations with Ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Kalnay, E.; Fung, I.; Kang, J.

2012-12-01

Lack of CO2 vertical information could lead to bias in the surface CO2 flux estimation (Stephens et al., 2007). Liu et al. (2012) showed that assimilating AIRS CO2 observations, which are sensitive to middle to upper troposphere CO2, improves CO2 concentration, especially in the middle to upper troposphere. GOSAT is sensitive to CO2 over the whole column, but the spatial coverage is sparser than AIRS. In this study, we assimilate AIRS and GOSAT CO2 observations simultaneously along with surface flask CO2 observations and meteorology observations with Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) to constrain CO2 vertical profiles simulated by NCAR carbon-climate model. We will show the impact of assimilating AIRS and GOSAT CO2 on the CO2 vertical gradient, seasonal cycle and spatial gradient by assimilating only GOSAT or AIRS and comparing to the control experiment. The quality of CO2 analysis will be examined by validating against independent CO2 aircraft observations, and analyzing the relationship between CO2 analysis fields and major circulation, such as Madden Julian Oscillation. We will also discuss the deficiencies of the observation network in understanding the carbon cycle.

Spatial variability of hailfalls in France: an analysis of air mass retro-trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermida, Lucía; Merino, Andrés; Sánchez, José Luis; Berthet, Claude; Dessens, Jean; López, Laura; Fernández-González, Sergio; Gascón, Estíbaliz; García-Ortega, Eduardo

2014-05-01

Hail is the main meteorological risk in south-west France, with the strongest hailfalls being concentrated in just a few days. Specifically, this phenomenon occurs most often and with the greatest severity in the Midi-Pyrénées area. Previous studies have revealed the high spatial variability of hailfall in this part of France, even leading to different characteristics being recorded on hailpads that were relatively close together. For this reason, an analysis of the air mass trajectories was carried out at ground level and at altitude, which subsequently led to the formation of the hail recorded by these hailpads. It is already known that in the study zone, the trajectories of the storms usually stretch for long distances and are oriented towards the east, leading to hailstones with diameters in excess of 3 cm, and without any change in direction above 3 km. We analysed different days with hail precipitation where there was at least one stone with a diameter of 3 cm or larger. Using the simulations from these days, an analysis of the backward trajectories of the air masses was carried out. We used the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model) to determine the origin of the air masses, and tracked them toward each of the hailpads that were hit during the day studied. The height of the final points was the height of the impacted hailpads. Similarly, the backward trajectories for different heights were also established. Finally, the results show how storms that affect neighbouring hailpads come from very different air masses; and provide a deeper understanding of the high variability that affects the characteristics of hailfalls. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the Regional Government of Castile-León for its financial support through the project LE220A11-2. This study was supported by the following grants: GRANIMETRO (CGL2010-15930); MICROMETEO (IPT-310000-2010-22).

Transient Mass-loss Analysis of Solar Observations Using Stellar Methods

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crosley, M. K.; Norman, C.; Osten, R. A.

Low-frequency dynamic spectra of radio bursts from nearby stars offer the best chance to directly detect the stellar signature of transient mass loss on low-mass stars. Crosley et al. (2016) proposes a multi-wavelength methodology to determine coronal mass ejection (CME) parameters, such as speed, mass, and kinetic energy. We test the validity and accuracy of the results derived from the methodology by using Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite X-ray observations and Bruny Island Radio Spectrometer radio observations. These are analogous observations to those that would be found in the stellar studies. Derived results from these observations are compared to direct whitemore » light measurements of the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph. We find that, when a pre-event temperature can be determined, the accuracy of CME speeds are within a few hundred km s{sup −1}, and are reliable when specific criteria has been met. CME mass and kinetic energies are only useful in determining the approximate order of magnitude measurements when considering the large errors associated to them. These results will be directly applicable to the interpretation of any detected stellar events and the derivation of stellar CME properties.« less

Glacier modeling in support of field observations of mass balance at South Cascade Glacier, Washington, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Josberger, Edward G.; Bidlake, William R.

2010-01-01

The long-term USGS measurement and reporting of mass balance at South Cascade Glacier was assisted in balance years 2006 and 2007 by a new mass balance model. The model incorporates a temperature-index melt computation and accumulation is modeled from glacier air temperature and gaged precipitation at a remote site. Mass balance modeling was used with glaciological measurements to estimate dates and magnitudes of critical mass balance phenomena. In support of the modeling, a detailed analysis was made of the "glacier cooling effect" that reduces summer air temperature near the ice surface as compared to that predicted on the basis of a spatially uniform temperature lapse rate. The analysis was based on several years of data from measurements of near-surface air temperature on the glacier. The 2006 and 2007 winter balances of South Cascade Glacier, computed with this new, model-augmented methodology, were 2.61 and 3.41 mWE, respectively. The 2006 and 2007 summer balances were -4.20 and -3.63 mWE, respectively, and the 2006 and 2007 net balances were -1.59 and -0.22 mWE. PDF version of a presentation on the mass balance of South Cascade Glacier in Washington state. Presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2010.

Identifying water mass depletion in northern Iraq observed by GRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, G.; Olsthoorn, T. N.; Al-Manmi, D. A. M. A.; Schrama, E. J. O.; Smidt, E. H.

2015-03-01

Observations acquired by Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission indicate a mass loss of 146 ± 6 mm equivalent water height (EWH) in northern Iraq between 2007 and 2009. These data are used as an independent validation of lake mass variations and a rainfall-runoff model, which is based on local geology and climate conditions. Model inputs are precipitation from Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) observations, and climatic parameters from Global Land Data Assimilation Systems (GLDAS) model parameters. The model is calibrated with observed river discharge and includes a representation of the karstified aquifers in the region to improve model realism. Lake mass variations were derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in combination with satellite altimetry and some in situ data. Our rainfall-runoff model confirms that northern Iraq suffered a drought between 2007 and 2009 and captures the annual cycle and longer trend of the observed GRACE data. The total mass depletion seen by GRACE between 2007 and 2009 is mainly explained by a lake mass depletion of 75 ± 3 mm EWH and a natural groundwater depletion of 39 ± 8 mm EWH. Our findings indicate that anthropogenic groundwater extraction has a minor influence in this region, while a decline in lake mass and natural depletion of groundwater play a key role.

Constraining Aerosol Optical Models Using Ground-Based, Collocated Particle Size and Mass Measurements in Variable Air Mass Regimes During the 7-SEAS/Dongsha Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Shaun W.; Hansell, Richard A.; Chow, Judith C.; Tsay, Si-Chee; Wang, Sheng-Hsiang; Ji, Qiang; Li, Can; Watson, John G.; Khlystov, Andrey

2012-01-01

During the spring of 2010, NASA Goddard's COMMIT ground-based mobile laboratory was stationed on Dongsha Island off the southwest coast of Taiwan, in preparation for the upcoming 2012 7-SEAS field campaign. The measurement period offered a unique opportunity for conducting detailed investigations of the optical properties of aerosols associated with different air mass regimes including background maritime and those contaminated by anthropogenic air pollution and mineral dust. What appears to be the first time for this region, a shortwave optical closure experiment for both scattering and absorption was attempted over a 12-day period during which aerosols exhibited the most change. Constraints to the optical model included combined SMPS and APS number concentration data for a continuum of fine and coarse-mode particle sizes up to PM2.5. We also take advantage of an IMPROVE chemical sampler to help constrain aerosol composition and mass partitioning of key elemental species including sea-salt, particulate organic matter, soil, non sea-salt sulphate, nitrate, and elemental carbon. Our results demonstrate that the observed aerosol scattering and absorption for these diverse air masses are reasonably captured by the model, where peak aerosol events and transitions between key aerosols types are evident. Signatures of heavy polluted aerosol composed mostly of ammonium and non sea-salt sulphate mixed with some dust with transitions to background sea-salt conditions are apparent in the absorption data, which is particularly reassuring owing to the large variability in the imaginary component of the refractive indices. Extinctive features at significantly smaller time scales than the one-day sample period of IMPROVE are more difficult to reproduce, as this requires further knowledge concerning the source apportionment of major chemical components in the model. Consistency between the measured and modeled optical parameters serves as an important link for advancing remote

The Analysis of PPM Levels of Gases in Air by Photoionization Mass Spectrometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Driscoll, John N.; Warneck, Peter

1973-01-01

Discusses analysis of trace gases in air by photoionization mass spectrometer. It is shown that the necessary sensitivity can be obtained by eliminating the UV monochromator and using direct ionization with a hydrogen light source. (JP)

Interrelationships Between Walkability, Air Pollution, Greenness, and Body Mass Index.

PubMed

James, Peter; Kioumourtzoglou, Marianthi-Anna; Hart, Jaime E; Banay, Rachel F; Kloog, Itai; Laden, Francine

2017-11-01

Recent studies have linked urban environmental factors and body mass index (BMI); however, such factors are often examined in isolation, ignoring correlations across exposures. Using data on Nurses' Health Study participants living in the Northeastern United States in 2006, we estimated associations between neighborhood walkability (a composite of population density, street connectivity, and business access), greenness (from satellite imagery), and ambient air pollution (from satellite-based spatiotemporally resolved PM2.5 predictions and weighted monthly average concentrations of NO2 from up to five nearest monitors) and self-reported BMI using generalized additive models, allowing for deviations from linearity using penalized splines. Among 23,435 women aged 60-87 years, we observed nonlinear associations between walkability and BMI and between PM2.5 and BMI in single-exposure models adjusted for age, race, and individual- and area-level socioeconomic status. When modeling all exposures simultaneously, only the association between walkability and BMI remained nonlinear and nonmonotonic. Increasing walkability was associated with increasing BMI at lower levels of walkability (walkability index <1.8), while increasing walkability was linked to lower BMI in areas of higher walkability (walkability index >1.8). A 10 percentile increase in walkability, right above 1.8 was associated with a 0.84% decrease in log BMI. The relationship between walkability and BMI existed only among younger participants (<71 years old). Neighborhood walkability was nonlinearly linked to lower BMI independent of air pollution and greenness. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for nonlinear confounding by interrelated urban environmental factors when investigating associations between the environment and BMI.

Eight Year Climatologies from Observational (AIRS) and Model (MERRA) Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hearty, Thomas; Savtchenko, Andrey; Won, Young-In; Theobalk, Mike; Vollmer, Bruce; Manning, Evan; Smith, Peter; Ostrenga, Dana; Leptoukh, Greg

2010-01-01

We examine climatologies derived from eight years of temperature, water vapor, cloud, and trace gas observations made by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument flying on the Aqua satellite and compare them to similar climatologies constructed with data from a global assimilation model, the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA). We use the AIRS climatologies to examine anomalies and trends in the AIRS data record. Since sampling can be an issue for infrared satellites in low earth orbit, we also use the MERRA data to examine the AIRS sampling biases. By sampling the MERRA data at the AIRS space-time locations both with and without the AIRS quality control we estimate the sampling bias of the AIRS climatology and the atmospheric conditions where AIRS has a lower sampling rate. While the AIRS temperature and water vapor sampling biases are small at low latitudes, they can be more than a few degrees in temperature or 10 percent in water vapor at higher latitudes. The largest sampling biases are over desert. The AIRS and MERRA data are available from the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC). The AIRS climatologies we used are available for analysis with the GIOVANNI data exploration tool. (see, http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov).

Dependence of air masses type on PBL vertical structure retrieved at the Mace Head station during EUCAARI campaign.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milroy, Conor; Martucci, Giovanni; O'Dowd, Colin

2010-05-01

During the EUCAARI Intensive Observing Period held at the Mace Head GAW station from mid-May to mid-June, 2008, the PBL depth has been continuously measured by two ceilometers (Vaisala CL31 and Jenoptik CHM15K) and a microwave radiometer (RPG-HATPRO). The Lidar-Ceilometer, through the gradients in aerosol backscatter profiles, and the microwave profiler, through gradients in the specific humidity profiles, were used to remotely-sense the boundary layer structure. An automatic, newly developed Temporal Height-Tracking (THT) algorithm (Martucci et al., 2010) have been applied to both type of instruments data to retrieve the 2-layered structure of the local marine boundary layer. The two layers are defined as a lower, well mixed layer, i.e. the surface mixed layer, and the layer occupying the region below the free Troposphere inversion, i.e. the decoupled residual or convective layer. A categorization of the incoming air masses has been performed based on their origins and been used to asses the correlation with the PBL depths. The study confirmed the dependence of PBL vertical structure on different air masses and different type of advected aerosol.

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Health and Air Quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omar, Ali H.

2015-01-01

There is a growing body of evidence that the environment can affect human health in ways that are both complex and global in scope. To address some of these complexities, NASA maintains a diverse constellation of Earth observing research satellites, and sponsors research in developing satellite data applications across a wide spectrum of areas. These include environmental health; infectious disease; air quality standards, policies, and regulations; and the impact of climate change on health and air quality in a number of interrelated efforts. The Health and Air Quality Applications fosters the use of observations, modeling systems, forecast development, application integration, and the research to operations transition process to address environmental health effects. NASA has been a primary partner with Federal operational agencies over the past nine years in these areas. This talk presents the background of the Health and Air Quality Applications program, recent accomplishments, and a plan for the future.

Observation of the water cycle from space with the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chahine, M. T.; Waliser, D. E.; Fetzer, E. J.; Olsen, E. T.

2007-12-01

AIRS is one of six instruments on board the Aqua satellite, part of NASA's Earth Observing System launched in a sun synchronous near polar orbit on May 4, 2002. AIRS and its partner microwave instrument, AMSU A, provide high quality data facilitating studies of the global water and energy cycles, climate variation and trends, and the response of the climate system to increased greenhouse gases. The exceptional stability of the AIRS instrument provides a climate record of thermal infrared radiance spectra spanning the 3.74 15.4 mm spectral band with 2378 channels at a nominal resolution of 1/1200. (Chahine et al, in BAMS, July 2006) Accurate knowledge of the vertical distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere is critically important to the determination of the warming the Earth will experience as a result of anthropogenic forcing. Comparison of the AIRS specific humidity product to state of the art climate models has shown most models exhibit a pattern of drier than observed (by 10 25%) in the tropics below 800 hPa and moister than observed (by 25 100%) between 300 and 600 hPa in the extra tropics (Pierce et al, GRL 2006). The AIRS water vapor measurements also reveal tropospheric moisture perturbations that are much larger than those depicted in previous NCAR/NCEP reanalysis and ECMWF analysis datasets, both of which have been widely used as observations to validate models. This suggests that the impact of convection induced downdrafts on the atmospheric boundary layer is significantly underestimated in both ECMWF and NCEP reanalysis (Fu et al., GRL 2006). AIRS data have led to the discovery of significant differences in the lower troposphere moisture and temperature fields during the spatial temporal evolution of the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO). The anomalous lower troposphere temperature structure is observed in detail by AIRS for the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, while it remains much less well defined in the NCEP temperature fields (Tian et al

A Comparison of the Red Green Blue (RGB) Air Mass Imagery and Hyperspectral Infrared Retrieved Profiles and NOAA G-IV Dropsondes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berndt, Emily; Folmer, Michael; Dunion, Jason

2014-01-01

RGB air mass imagery is derived from multiple channels or paired channel differences. The combination of channels and channel differences means the resulting imagery does not represent a quantity or physical parameter such as brightness temperature in conventional single channel imagery. Without a specific quantity to reference, forecasters are often confused as to what RGB products represent. Hyperspectral infrared retrieved profiles and NOAA G-IV dropsondes provide insight about the vertical structure of the air mass represented on the RGB air mass imagery and are a first step to validating the imagery.

Analysis of volatile compounds by open-air ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Meher, Anil Kumar; Chen, Yu-Chie

2017-05-08

This study demonstrates a simple method for rapid and in situ identification of volatile and endogenous compounds in culinary spice samples through mass spectrometry (MS). This method only requires a holder for solid spice sample (2-3 mm) that is placed close to a mass spectrometer inlet, which is applied with a high voltage. Volatile species responsible for the aroma of the spice samples can be readily detected by the mass spectrometer. Sample pretreatment is not required prior to MS analysis, and no solvent was used during MS analysis. The high voltage applied to the inlet of the mass spectrometer induces the ionization of volatile compounds released from the solid spice samples. Furthermore, moisture in the air also contributes to the ionization of volatile compounds. Dried spices including cinnamon and cloves are used as the model sample to demonstrate this straightforward MS analysis, which can be completed within few seconds. Furthermore, we also demonstrate the suitability of the current method for rapid screening of cinnamon quality through detection of the presence of a hepatotoxic agent, i.e. coumarin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The influence of continental air masses on the aerosols and nutrients deposition over the western North Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Jiangping; Wang, Bo; Chen, Ying; Ma, Qingwei

2018-01-01

The air masses transported from East Asia have a strong impact on the aerosol properties and deposition in the marine boundary layer of the western North Pacific (WNP) during winter and spring. We joined a cruise between 17 Mar. and 22 Apr. 2014 and investigated the changes of aerosol composition and size distribution over the remote WNP and marginal seas. Although the secondary aerosol species (SO42-, NO3- and NH4+) in remote WNP were influenced significantly by the continental transport, NH4+ concentrations were lower than 2.7 μg m-3 in most sampling days and not correlated with non-sea-salt (nss)-SO42- suggesting that the ocean could be a primary source of NH4+. Moderate Cl- depletion (23%) was observed in remote WNP, and the inverse relationship between Cl- depletion percentages and nss-K+ in aerosols suggested that the transport of biomass burning smoke from East Asia might be a vital extra source of Cl-. Both Asian dust and haze events were encountered during the cruise. Asian dust carried large amounts of crustal elements such as Al and Ti to the WNP, and the dusty Fe deposition may double its background concentration in seawater. Differently, a dramatic increase of dry deposition flux of dissolved particulate inorganic nitrogen was observed during the haze event. Our study reveals that the transport of different continental air masses may have distinct biogeochemical impacts on the WNP by increasing the fluxes of different nutrient elements and potentially changing the nutrient stoichiometry.

Observation of water mass characteristics in the southwestern Mariana Trench

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, H.; Xie, Q.; Hong, B.

2016-12-01

The identification of large water mass characteristic can help oceanographer to better understand the oceanic circulation structures and other physical processes in open oceans. In current stage, the water mass characteristics were recognized well by extensive observation in the upper ocean, however, it was rarely studied in deep oceans, especially for deep trench with > 6000 m depth. In this study, we use observed data collected by CTDs during several surveys to investigate the water mass physical characteristic and transport in the world deepest trench, `Challenger Deep', in the southwestern Mariana Trench. The preliminary results show complex vertical structures of water mass in this trench. From surface to 4500 m, the water masses are occupied by typical tropical surface water, NPTUW, NPMW, NPIW and NPDW. Under 4500m, the water mass shows mixing characteristics of NPDW and AABW, which indicate AABW can be transported by form the deep ocean of the South Ocean to Northwestern Pacific and it can affect local water mass characteristics. The baroclinic geostrophic current calculated from the CTDs data shows the westerly transport of water mass can reach about 1.0 SV in the trench which is close to previous results.

Possibilities of observing air pollution from orbital altitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barringer, A.

1972-01-01

Research carried out over a number of years has indicated the feasibility of monitoring global air pollution from orbiting satellites. Optical methods show considerable promise of measuring the burdens of pollution, both gaseous and particulates. Important pollution gases, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and ozone, as well as some hydrocarbon vapors, appear amenable to optical remote sensing. Satellite platforms for carrying out this work would not compete with ground monitoring stations but rather supplement them with a different type of data which could be integrated with ground level measurements to provide an all-embracing picture of pollution buildup, mass migration, and dissipation.

Observed characteristics of dust storm events over the western United States using meteorological, satellite, and air quality measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, H.; Wang, J. X. L.

2014-08-01

To improve dust storm identification over the western United States, historical dust events measured by air quality and satellite observations are analyzed based on their characteristics in data sets of regular meteorology, satellite-based aerosol optical depth (AOD), and air quality measurements. Based on the prevailing weather conditions associated with dust emission, dust storm events are classified into the following four typical types: (1) The key feature of cold front-induced dust storms is their rapid process with strong dust emissions. (2) Events caused by meso- to small-scale weather systems have the highest levels of emissions. (3) Dust storms caused by tropical disturbances show a stronger air concentration of dust and last longer than those in (1) and (2). (4) Dust storms triggered by cyclogenesis last the longest. In this paper, sample events of each type are selected and examined to explore characteristics observed from in situ and remote-sensing measurements. These characteristics include the lasting period, surface wind speeds, areas affected, average loading on ground-based optical and/or air quality measurements, peak loading on ground-based optical and/or air quality measurements, and loading on satellite-based aerosol optical depth. Based on these analyses, we compare the characteristics of the same dust events captured in different data sets in order to define the dust identification criteria. The analyses show that the variability in mass concentrations captured by in situ measurements is consistent with the variability in AOD from stationary and satellite observations. Our analyses also find that different data sets are capable of identifying certain common characteristics, while each data set also provides specific information about a dust storm event. For example, the meteorological data are good at identifying the lasting period and area impacted by a dust event; the ground-based air quality and optical measurements can capture the peak

Size-Segregated Aerosol Composition and Mass Loading of Atmospheric Particles as Part of the Pacific Northwest 2001(PNW2001) Air Quality Study In Puget Sound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Disselkamp, R. S.; Barrie, L. A.; Shutthanadan, S.; Cliff, S.; Cahill, T.

2001-12-01

In mid-August, 2001, an aircraft-based air-quality study was performed in the Puget Sound, WA, area entitled PNW2001 (http://www.pnl.gov/pnw2001). The objectives of this field campaign were the following: 1. reveal information about the 3-dimensional distribution of ozone, its gaseous precursors and fine particulate matter during weather conditions favoring air pollution; 2. derive information about the accuracy of urban and biogenic emissions inventories that are used to drive the air quality forecast models; and 3. examine the accuracy of modeled ozone concentration with that observed. In support of these efforts, we collected time-averaged ( { ~}10 minute averages), size-segregated, aerosol composition and mass-loading information using ex post facto analysis techniques of synchrotron x-ray fluorescence (s-XRF), proton induced x-ray emissions(PIXE), proton elastic scattering (PESA), and scanning transmission ion microscopy (STIM). This is the first time these analysis techniques have been used together on samples collected from aircraft using an optimized 3-stage rotating drum impactor. In our presentation, we will discuss the aerosol components in three aerosol size fractions as identified by statistical analysis of multielemental data (including total mass, H, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Pb) and relate variations in these components to physical aerosol properties, other gaseous trace constituents and to air mass origin.

Interannual Variability of OLR as Observed by AIRS and CERES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Susskind, Joel; Molnar, Gyula; Iredell, Lena; Loeb, Norman G.

2012-01-01

This paper compares spatial anomaly time series of OLR (Outgoing Longwave Radiation) and OLR(sub CLR) (Clear Sky OLR) as determined using observations from CERES Terra and AIRS over the time period September 2002 through June 2011. Both AIRS and CERES show a significant decrease in global mean and tropical mean OLR over this time period. We find excellent agreement of the anomaly time-series of the two OLR data sets in almost every detail, down to 1 deg X 1 deg spatial grid point level. The extremely close agreement of OLR anomaly time series derived from observations by two different instruments implies that both sets of results must be highly stable. This agreement also validates to some extent the anomaly time series of the AIRS derived products used in the computation of the AIRS OLR product. The paper also examines the correlations of anomaly time series of AIRS and CERES OLR, on different spatial scales, as well as those of other AIRS derived products, with that of the NOAA Sea Surface Temperature (SST) product averaged over the NOAA Nino-4 spatial region. We refer to these SST anomalies as the El Nino Index. Large spatially coherent positive and negative correlations of OLR anomaly time series with that of the El Nino Index are found in different spatial regions. Anomalies of global mean, and especially tropical mean, OLR are highly positively correlated with the El Nino Index. These correlations explain that the recent global and tropical mean decreases in OLR over the period September 2002 through June 2011, as observed by both AIRS and CERES, are primarily the result of a transition from an El Nino condition at the beginning of the data record to La Nina conditions toward the end of the data period. We show that the close correlation of global mean, and especially tropical mean, OLR anomalies with the El Nino Index can be well accounted for by temporal changes of OLR within two spatial regions which lie outside the NOAA Nino-4 region, in which anomalies

Full Two-Body Problem Mass Parameter Observability Explored Through Doubly Synchronous Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Alex Benjamin; Scheeres, Daniel

2018-04-01

The full two-body problem (F2BP) is often used to model binary asteroid systems, representing the bodies as two finite mass distributions whose dynamics are influenced by their mutual gravity potential. The emergent behavior of the F2BP is highly coupled translational and rotational mutual motion of the mass distributions. For these systems the doubly synchronous equilibrium occurs when both bodies are tidally-locked and in a circular co-orbit. Stable oscillations about this equilibrium can be shown, for the nonplanar system, to be combinations of seven fundamental frequencies of the system and the mutual orbit rate. The fundamental frequencies arise as the linear periods of center manifolds identified about the equilibrium which are heavily influenced by each body’s mass parameters. We leverage these eight dynamical constraints to investigate the observability of binary asteroid mass parameters via dynamical observations. This is accomplished by proving the nonsingularity of the relationship between the frequencies and mass parameters for doubly synchronous systems. Thus we can invert the relationship to show that given observations of the frequencies, we can solve for the mass parameters of a target system. In so doing we are able to predict the estimation covariance of the mass parameters based on observation quality and define necessary observation accuracies for desired mass parameter certainties. We apply these tools to 617 Patroclus, a doubly synchronous Trojan binary and flyby target of the LUCY mission, as well as the Pluto and Charon system in order to predict mutual behaviors of these doubly synchronous systems and to provide observational requirements for these systems’ mass parameters

Variability of aerosol, gaseous pollutants and meteorological characteristics associated with continental, urban and marine air masses at the SW Atlantic coast of Iberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diesch, J.-M.; Drewnick, F.; Zorn, S. R.; von der Weiden-Reinmüller, S.-L.; Martinez, M.; Borrmann, S.

2011-12-01

Measurements of the ambient aerosol were performed at the Southern coast of Spain, within the framework of the DOMINO (Diel Oxidant Mechanisms In relation to Nitrogen Oxides) project. The field campaign took place from 20 November until 9 December 2008 at the atmospheric research station "El Arenosillo" (37°5'47.76" N, 6°44'6.94" W). As the monitoring station is located at the interface between a natural park, industrial cities (Huelva, Seville) and the Atlantic Ocean a variety of physical and chemical parameters of aerosols and gas phase could be characterized in dependency on the origin of air masses. Backwards trajectories were examined and compared with local meteorology to classify characteristic air mass types for several source regions. Aerosol number and mass as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and black carbon concentrations were measured in PM1 and size distributions were registered covering a size range from 7 nm up to 32 μm. The chemical composition of the non-refractory submicron aerosol was measured by means of an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (Aerodyne HR-ToF-AMS). Gas phase analyzers monitored various trace gases (O3, SO2, NO, NO2, CO2) and a weather station provided meteorological parameters. Lowest average submicron particle mass and number concentrations were found in air masses arriving from the Atlantic Ocean with values around 2 μg m-3 and 1000 cm-3. These mass concentrations were about two to four times lower than the values recorded in air masses of continental and urban origins. For some species PM1-fractions in marine air were significantly larger than in air masses originating from Huelva, a closely located city with extensive industrial activities. The largest fraction of sulfate (54%) was detected in marine air masses and was to a high degree not neutralized. In addition small concentrations of methanesulfonic acid (MSA), a product of biogenic dimethyl sulfate (DMS) emissions could be identified in the particle phase. In all

Regional Air Pollutions in Three Different Regions of Asia From a Transcontinental Transport Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pochanart, P.; Kanaya, Y.; Komazaki, Y.; Liu, Y.; Akimoto, H.

2007-12-01

Asia is known as one of the regions with the fastest rate of growing in industrialization and urbanization. As a result, the rapid increases of large-scale air pollution in Asia emerge as a serious concern at both domestic and international levels. Apart from the problems of air quality degradation, emission control, environmental risk, and health effect in a domestic level, evidences from scientific studies indicate that by the long-range transport, Asian air pollution is becoming a global problem. Observations and model studies confirm that air pollution from Asia could be transported to North America or farther. In this work, we investigate the Asian air pollutions, in particular ozone and some other atmospheric components such as carbon monoxide and black carbon, from the ground- based observations in the three different regions, namely 1) background region of Siberia and central Asia, 2) highly anthropogenic region in eastern China, and 3) the rim region of the Asia-Pacific. In a transcontinental transport perspective, these regions are regarded as the inflow region, source region, and outflow region of Asia, respectively. From the results, it is found that the influences from large-scale emission in East Asia are observed clearly in the source region, and to the significant extent in the outflow region. For the inflow region of Asia, our data in Siberia and Kyrgyzstan indicate that air masses in this region are mostly intact from large-scale anthropogenic emission, and remain much of the global background atmospheric pollution characteristic. When the air masses are transported to source region, the air pollutants level increased sharply and frequent episodes of extremely high pollutions have been observed. Our results show good correlation between the residence time of air masses over the source region in eastern China and the observed levels of air pollutants verifying the strong enhancements by anthropogenic emissions from industrialization and

Light extinction by fine atmospheric particles in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire and its relationship to air mass transport.

PubMed

Slater, John F; Dibb, Jack E; Keim, Barry D; Talbot, Robert W

2002-03-27

Chemical, optical, and physical measurements of fine aerosols (aerodynamic diameter < or = 2.5 microm) have been performed at a mountaintop location adjacent to the White Mountain National Forest in northern NH, USA. A 1-month long sampling campaign was conducted at Cranmore Mountain during spring 2000. We report on the apportionment of light extinction by fine aerosols into its major chemical components, and relationships between variations in aerosol parameters and changes in air mass origin. Filter-based, 24-h integrated samples were collected and analyzed for major inorganic ions, as well as organic (OC), elemental (EC), and total carbon. Light scattering and light absorption coefficients were measured at 5-min intervals using an integrating nephelometer and a light absorption photometer. Fine particle number density was measured with a condensation particle counter. Air mass origins and transport patterns were investigated through the use of 3-day backward trajectories and a synoptic climate classification system. Two distinct transport regimes were observed: (1) flow from the north/northeast (N/NE) occurred during 9 out of 18 sample-days; and (2) flow from the west/southwest (W/SW) occurred 8 out of 18 sample-days. All measured and derived aerosol and meteorological parameters were separated into two categories based on these different flow scenarios. During W/SW flow, higher values of aerosol chemical concentration, absorption and scattering coefficients, number density, and haziness were observed compared to N/NE flow. The highest level of haziness was associated with the climate classification Frontal Atlantic Return, which brought polluted air into the region from the mid-Atlantic corridor. Fine particle mass scattering efficiencies of (NH4)2SO4 and OC were 5.35 +/- 0.42 m2 g(-1) and 1.56 +/- 0.40 m2 g(-1), respectively, when transport was out of the N/NE. When transport was from the W/SW the values were 4.94 +/- 0.68 m2 g(-1) for (NH4)2SO4 and 2.18 +/- 0

An automated gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry instrument for the quantitative analysis of halocarbons in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Obersteiner, F.; Bönisch, H.; Engel, A.

2016-01-01

We present the characterization and application of a new gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry instrument (GC-TOFMS) for the quantitative analysis of halocarbons in air samples. The setup comprises three fundamental enhancements compared to our earlier work (Hoker et al., 2015): (1) full automation, (2) a mass resolving power R = m/Δm of the TOFMS (Tofwerk AG, Switzerland) increased up to 4000 and (3) a fully accessible data format of the mass spectrometric data. Automation in combination with the accessible data allowed an in-depth characterization of the instrument. Mass accuracy was found to be approximately 5 ppm in mean after automatic recalibration of the mass axis in each measurement. A TOFMS configuration giving R = 3500 was chosen to provide an R-to-sensitivity ratio suitable for our purpose. Calculated detection limits are as low as a few femtograms by means of the accurate mass information. The precision for substance quantification was 0.15 % at the best for an individual measurement and in general mainly determined by the signal-to-noise ratio of the chromatographic peak. Detector non-linearity was found to be insignificant up to a mixing ratio of roughly 150 ppt at 0.5 L sampled volume. At higher concentrations, non-linearities of a few percent were observed (precision level: 0.2 %) but could be attributed to a potential source within the detection system. A straightforward correction for those non-linearities was applied in data processing, again by exploiting the accurate mass information. Based on the overall characterization results, the GC-TOFMS instrument was found to be very well suited for the task of quantitative halocarbon trace gas observation and a big step forward compared to scanning, quadrupole MS with low mass resolving power and a TOFMS technique reported to be non-linear and restricted by a small dynamical range.

Diode laser-based air mass flux sensor for subsonic aeropropulsion inlets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Michael F.; Kessler, William J.; Allen, Mark G.

1996-08-01

An optical air mass flux sensor based on a compact, room-temperature diode laser in a fiber-coupled delivery system has been tested on a full-scale gas turbine engine. The sensor is based on simultaneous measurements of O 2 density and Doppler-shifted velocity along a line of sight across the inlet duct. Extensive tests spanning engine power levels from idle to full afterburner demonstrate accuracy and precision of the order of 1 2 of full scale in density, velocity, and mass flux. The precision-limited velocity at atmospheric pressure was as low as 40 cm s. Multiple data-reduction procedures are quantitatively compared to suggest optimal strategies for flight sensor packages.

Low-mass ions observed in plasma desorption mass spectrometry of high explosives

PubMed

Hakansson; Coorey; Zubarev; Talrose; Hakansson

2000-03-01

The low-mass ions observed in both positive and negative plasma desorption mass spectrometry (PDMS) of the high explosives HMX, RDX, CL-20, NC, PETN and TNT are reported. Possible identities of the most abundant ions are suggested and their presence or absence in the different spectra is related to the properties of the explosives as matrices in PDMS. The detection of abundant NO+ and NO2- ions for HMX, RDX and CL-20, which are efficient matrices, indicates that explosive decomposition takes place in PDMS of these three substances and that a contribution from the corresponding chemical energy release is possible. The observation of abundant C2H4N+ and CH2N+ ions, which have high protonation properties, might also explain the higher protein charge states observed with these matrices. Also, the observation of NO2-, possibly formed by electron scavenging which increases the survival probability of positively charged protein molecular ions, completes the pattern. TNT does not give any of these ions and it is thereby possible to explain why it does not work as a PDMS matrix. For NC and PETN, decomposition does not seem to be as pronounced as for HMX, RDX and CL-20, and also no particularly abundant ions with high protonation properties are observed. The fact that NC works well as a matrix might be related to other properties of this compound, such as its high adsorption ability.

Small-size mass spectrometer for determining gases and volatile compounds in air during breathing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kogan, V. T.; Kozlenok, A. V.; Chichagov, Yu. V.; Antonov, A. S.; Lebedev, D. S.; Bogdanov, A. A.; Moroshkin, V. S.; Berezina, A. V.; Viktorova-Leclerc, O. S.; Vlasov, S. A.; Tubol'tsev, Yu. V.

2015-10-01

We describe an automated mass spectrometer for diagnostics of deceases from the composition of exhaled air. It includes a capillary system, which performs a rapid direct feeding of the sample to the instrument without changing substantially its composition and serves for studying the dynamics of variation of the ratio between various components of exhaled air. The membrane system for introducing the sample is intended for determining low concentrations of volatile organic compounds which are biomarkers of pathologies. It is characterized by selective transmittance and ensures the detection limits of target compounds at the parts per million-parts per billion (ppm-ppb) level. A static mass analyzer operating on permanent magnets possesses advantages important for mobile devices as compared to its dynamic analogs: it is more reliable in operation, has a larger dynamic range, and can be used for determining the concentration of components in the mixture one-by-one or simultaneously. The curvilinear output boundary of the magnetic lens of the mass analyzer makes it possible to reduce its weight and size by 2.5 times without deteriorating the mass resolution. We report on the results of testing of the instrument and consider the possibility of its application for early detection of deceases of respiratory and blood circulation system, gastrointestinal tract, and endocrine system.

Eurasian continental background and regionally polluted levels of ozone and CO observed in northeast Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pochanart, Pakpong; Kato, Shungo; Katsuno, Takao; Akimoto, Hajime

The roles of Eurasian/Siberian continental air masses transport and the impact of large-scale East Asian anthropogenic emissions on tropospheric ozone and carbon monoxide levels in northeast Asia were investigated. Seasonal behaviors of O 3 and CO mixing ratios in background continental (BC) air masses and regionally polluted continental (RPC) air masses were identified using trajectory analyses of Eurasian continental air masses and multi-year O 3 and CO data observed at Happo, a mountain site in Japan. RPC air masses show significantly higher O 3 and CO mixing ratios (annual average of 53.9±6.0 and 200±41 ppb, respectively) than BC air masses (44.4±3.6 and 167±17 ppb, respectively). Large scale anthropogenic emissions in East Asia are suggested to contribute about 10 ppb of photochemical O 3 and 32 ppb of CO at Happo. A comparative study of O 3 and CO observed at other sites, i.e., Oki Islands and Mondy in northeast Asia, showed similarities suggesting that O 3 mixing ratios in BC air masses at Happo could be representative for remote northeast Asia. However, CO mixing ratios in BC air masses at Happo are higher than the background level in Siberia. The overestimate is probably related to an increase in the CO baseline gradient between Siberia and the East Asia Pacific rim, and perturbations by sub-grid scale pollution transport and regional-scale boreal forest fires in Siberia when the background continental air masses are transported to Japan.

Constraints on pulsar masses from the maximum observed glitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizzochero, P. M.; Antonelli, M.; Haskell, B.; Seveso, S.

2017-07-01

Neutron stars are unique cosmic laboratories in which fundamental physics can be probed in extreme conditions not accessible to terrestrial experiments. In particular, the precise timing of rotating magnetized neutron stars (pulsars) reveals sudden jumps in rotational frequency in these otherwise steadily spinning-down objects. These 'glitches' are thought to be due to the presence of a superfluid component in the star, and offer a unique glimpse into the interior physics of neutron stars. In this paper we propose an innovative method to constrain the mass of glitching pulsars, using observations of the maximum glitch observed in a star, together with state-of-the-art microphysical models of the pinning interaction between superfluid vortices and ions in the crust. We study the properties of a physically consistent angular momentum reservoir of pinned vorticity, and we find a general inverse relation between the size of the maximum glitch and the pulsar mass. We are then able to estimate the mass of all the observed glitchers that have displayed at least two large events. Our procedure will allow current and future observations of glitching pulsars to constrain not only the physics of glitch models but also the superfluid properties of dense hadronic matter in neutron star interiors.

An air-mass trajectory study of the transport of radioactivity from Fukushima to Thessaloniki, Greece and Milan, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ioannidou, A.; Giannakaki, E.; Manolopoulou, M.; Stoulos, S.; Vagena, E.; Papastefanou, C.; Gini, L.; Manenti, S.; Groppi, F.

2013-08-01

Analyses of 131I, 137Cs and 134Cs in airborne aerosols were carried out in daily samples at two different sites of investigation: Thessaloniki, Greece (40° N) and Milan, Italy (45° N) after the Fukushima accident during the period of March-April, 2011. The radionuclide concentrations were determined and studied as a function of time. The 131I concentration in air over Milan and Thessaloniki peaked on April 3-4, 2011, with observed activities 467 μBq m-3 and 497 μBq m-3, respectively. The 134Cs/137Cs activity ratio values in air were around 1 in both regions, related to the burn-up history of the damaged nuclear fuel of the destroyed nuclear reactor. The high 131I/137Cs ratio, observed during the first days after the accident, followed by lower values during the following days, reflects not only the initial release ratio but also the different volatility, attachment and removal of the two isotopes during transportation due to their different physico-chemical properties. No artificial radionuclides could be detected in air after April 28, 2011 in both regions of investigation. The different maxima of airborne 131I and 134,137Cs in these two regions were related to long-range air mass transport from Japan, across the Pacific and to Central Europe. Analysis of backward trajectories was used to confirm the arrival of artificial radionuclides following atmospheric transport and processing. HYSPLIT backward trajectories were applied for the interpretation of activity variations of measured radionuclides.

Analysis of the isoprene chemistry observed during the New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) 2002 intensive experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, James M.; Marchewka, Mathew; Bertman, Steven B.; Goldan, Paul; Kuster, William; de Gouw, Joost; Warneke, Carsten; Williams, Eric; Lerner, Brian; Murphy, Paul; Apel, Eric; Fehsenfeld, Fred C.

2006-12-01

Isoprene and its first and second generation photochemical products, methyl vinyl ketone (MVK), methacrolein (MACR), and peroxymethacrylic nitric anhydride (MPAN), were measured off the coast of New England during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS) on board the NOAA Research Vessel Ronald H. Brown. The results of these measurements were analyzed using a simple sequential reaction model that has been used previously to examine regional oxidant chemistry. The highest isoprene impact was observed in air masses that had passed over an area of high isoprene emission WSW of Boston. The relative concentrations of isoprene and its first generation products show that the photochemistry is consistently "older" than the isoprene photochemistry observed at continental sites. The sequential reaction model was also applied to the aldehyde-PANs (Peroxycarboxylic nitric anhydride) system, and the resulting PPN (peroxypropionic nitric anhydride)/propanal and PAN (peroxyacetic nitric anhydride)/acetaldehyde relationships were consistent with additional sources of PAN in this environment, e.g., isoprene photochemistry. This isoprene source was estimated to result in approximately 1.6 to 4 times more PAN in this environment relative to that produced from anthropogenic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) alone.

Asteroid masses with Gaia from ground and space-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivantsov, Anatoliy; Hestroffer, Daniel; Thuillot, William; Bancelin, David

2013-04-01

Determination of masses of large asteroids is one of the expected scientific outputs from the future Gaia astrometric space mission. With the exception of binary asteroids or fly-by with a space probe, the error in mass determination depends on the size of perturbation effect produced on the motion of small asteroids. Considering the 5 years nominal duration of the Gaia mission, there will be mutual close encounters between asteroids occurring either close to the beginning or to the end of the mission. So that the maximum of deflection angle pertained to the perturbation maxima will not be observed directly by Gaia. Since astrometric data of the perturbed body before and after the encounter are mandatory to derive a perturber mass, the precision of mass determinations based solely on the Gaia observations will deteriorate in such cases. The possible way out consists in acquiring ground-based observations of high astrometric precision in time either before or after the Gaia operations, as it was suggested in [1]. By adding such data, it is expected to increase the number of derived asteroids masses [2]. This paper updates earlier predictions of encounters of large asteroids with smaller ones, e.g. [3], in terms of newly discovered asteroids and available ground-based observations. The method used consists in the computation of the offsets in right ascension and declination between the unperturbed and perturbed solutions fitted to the available observations for each small (perturbed) asteroid. For the purpose of decreasing CPU time, a special filter was applied based on the solution of the two-body problem and systematical search for close encounters, e.g. less than 0.1 A.U., of all known asteroids with the large (perturber) ones. The obtained list of asteroids-candidates was used as the input file for the mentioned above accurate calculations. Such a procedure was used for a few asteroids in [2]. The maximum visible offset corresponds to the dates when the

A Comparison of Two Methods for Initiating Air Mass Back Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putman, A.; Posmentier, E. S.; Faiia, A. M.; Sonder, L. J.; Feng, X.

2014-12-01

Lagrangian air mass tracking programs in back cast mode are a powerful tool for estimating the water vapor source of precipitation events. The altitudes above the precipitation site where particle's back trajectories begin influences the source estimation. We assume that precipitation comes from water vapor in condensing regions of the air column, so particles are placed in proportion to an estimated condensation profile. We compare two methods for estimating where condensation occurs and the resulting evaporation sites for 63 events at Barrow, AK. The first method (M1) uses measurements from a 35 GHz vertically resolved cloud radar (MMCR), and algorithms developed by Zhao and Garrett1 to calculate precipitation rate. The second method (M2) uses the Global Data Assimilation System reanalysis data in a lofting model. We assess how accurately M2, developed for global coverage, will perform in absence of direct cloud observations. Results from the two methods are statistically similar. The mean particle height estimated by M2 is, on average, 695 m (s.d. = 1800 m) higher than M1. The corresponding average vapor source estimated by M2 is 1.5⁰ (s.d. = 5.4⁰) south of M1. In addition, vapor sources for M2 relative to M1 have ocean surface temperatures averaging 1.1⁰C (s.d. = 3.5⁰C) warmer, and reported ocean surface relative humidities 0.31% (s.d. = 6.1%) drier. All biases except the latter are statistically significant (p = 0.02 for each). Results were skewed by events where M2 estimated very high altitudes of condensation. When M2 produced an average particle height less than 5000 m (89% of events), M2 estimated mean particle heights 76 m (s.d. = 741 m) higher than M1, corresponding to a vapor source 0.54⁰ (s.d. = 4.2⁰) south of M1. The ocean surface at the vapor source was an average of 0.35⁰C (s.d. = 2.35⁰C) warmer and ocean surface relative humidities were 0.02% (s.d. = 5.5%) wetter. None of the biases was statistically significant. If the vapor source

Uncertainty evaluation of mass values determined by electronic balances in analytical chemistry: a new method to correct for air buoyancy.

PubMed

Wunderli, S; Fortunato, G; Reichmuth, A; Richard, Ph

2003-06-01

A new method to correct for the largest systematic influence in mass determination-air buoyancy-is outlined. A full description of the most relevant influence parameters is given and the combined measurement uncertainty is evaluated according to the ISO-GUM approach [1]. A new correction method for air buoyancy using an artefact is presented. This method has the advantage that only a mass artefact is used to correct for air buoyancy. The classical approach demands the determination of the air density and therefore suitable equipment to measure at least the air temperature, the air pressure and the relative air humidity within the demanded uncertainties (i.e. three independent measurement tasks have to be performed simultaneously). The calculated uncertainty is lower for the classical method. However a field laboratory may not always be in possession of fully traceable measurement systems for these room climatic parameters.A comparison of three approaches applied to the calculation of the combined uncertainty of mass values is presented. Namely the classical determination of air buoyancy, the artefact method, and the neglecting of this systematic effect as proposed in the new EURACHEM/CITAC guide [2]. The artefact method is suitable for high-precision measurement in analytical chemistry and especially for the production of certified reference materials, reference values and analytical chemical reference materials. The method could also be used either for volume determination of solids or for air density measurement by an independent method.

AUTOMATED DECONVOLUTION OF COMPOSITE MASS SPECTRA OBTAINED WITH AN OPEN-AIR IONIZATIONS SOURCE BASED ON EXACT MASSES AND RELATIVE ISOTIPIC ABUNDANCES

EPA Science Inventory

Chemicals dispersed by accidental, deliberate, or weather-related events must be rapidly identified to assess health risks. Mass spectra from high levels of analytes obtained using rapid, open-air ionization by a Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART®) ion source often contain

50 years of mass balance observations at Vernagtferner, Eastern Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braun, Ludwig; Mayer, Christoph

2016-04-01

The determination and monitoring of the seasonal and annual glacier mass balances of Vernagtferner, Austria, started in 1964 by the Commission of Glaciology, Bavarian Academy of Sciences. Detailed and continuous climate- and runoff measurements complement this mass balance series since 1974. Vernagtferner attracted the attention of scientists since the beginning of the 17th century due to its rapid advances and the resulting glacier lake outburst floods in the Ötztal valley. This is one reason for the first photogrammetric survey in 1889, which was followed by frequent topographic surveys, adding up to more than ten digital elevation models of the glacier until today. By including the known maximum glacier extent at the end of the Little Ice Age in 1845, the geodetic glacier volume balances cover a time span of almost 170 years. The 50 years of glacier mass balance and 40 years of water balance in the drainage basin are therefore embedded in a considerably longer period of glacier evolution, allowing an interpretation within an extended frame of climatology and ice dynamics. The direct mass balance observations cover not only the period of alpine-wide strong glacier mass loss since the beginning of the 1990s. The data also contain the last period of glacier advances between 1970 and 1990. The combination of the observed surface mass exchange and the determined periodic volumetric changes allows a detailed analysis of the dynamic reaction of the glacier over the period of half a century. The accompanying meteorological observations are the basis for relating these reactions to the climatic changes during this period. Vernagtferner is therefore one of the few glaciers in the world, where a very detailed glacier-climate reaction was observed for many decades and can be realistically reconstructed back to the end of the Little Ice Age.

Observing stellar mass and supermassive black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepashchuk, A. M.

2016-07-01

During the last 50 years, great progress has been made in observing stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in binary systems and supermassive BHs in galactic nuclei. In 1964, Zeldovich and Salpeter showed that in the case of nonspherical accretion of matter onto a BH, huge energy releases occur. The theory of disk accretion of matter onto BHs was developed in 1972-1973 by Shakura and Sunyaev, Pringle and Rees, and Novikov and Thorne. Up to now, 100 years after the creation of Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, which predicts the existence of BHs, the masses of tens of stellar-mass BHs ( M_BH=(4-35) M_⊙) and many hundreds of supermassive BHs ( M_BH=(10^6-1010) M_⊙) have been determined. A new field of astrophysics, so-called BH demography, is developing. The recent discovery of gravitational waves from BH mergers in binary systems opens a new era in BH studies.

Observations of Intermediate-mass Black Holes and Ultra-Luminous X-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colbert, E. J. M.

2003-12-01

I will review various observations that suggest that intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) with masses ˜102-104 M⊙ exist in our Universe. I will also discuss some of the limitations of these observations. HST Observations of excess dark mass in globular cluster cores suggest IMBHs may be responsible, and some mass estimates from lensing experiments are nearly in the IMBH range. The intriguing Ultra-Luminous X-ray sources (ULXs, or IXOs) are off-nuclear X-ray point sources with X-ray luminosities LX ≳ 1039 erg s-1. ULXs are typically rare (1 in every 5 galaxies), and the nature of their ultra-luminous emission is currently debated. I will discuss the evidence for IMBHs in some ULXs, and briefly outline some phenomenology. Finally, I will discuss future observations that can be made to search for IMBHs.

Atmospheric pollutants in Chiang Mai (Thailand) over a five-year period (2005-2009), their possible sources and relation to air mass movement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chantara, Somporn; Sillapapiromsuk, Sopittaporn; Wiriya, Wan

2012-12-01

Monitoring and analysis of the chemical composition of air pollutants were conducted over a five-year period (2005-2009) in the sub-urban area of Chiang Mai, Thailand. This study aims to determine the seasonal variation of atmospheric ion species and gases, examine their correlations, identify possible sources and assess major air-flow patterns to the receptor. The dominant gas and particulate pollutants were NH3 (43-58%) and SO42- (39-48%), respectively. The annual mean concentrations of NH3 (μg m-3) in descending order were 4.08 (2009) > 3.32 (2007) > 2.68 (2008) > 2.47 (2006) and 1.87 (2005), while those of SO42- (μg m-3) were 2.60 (2007) > 2.20 (2006) > 1.95 (2009) > 1.75 (2008) and 1.26 (2005). Concentrations of particulate ions were analyzed by principle component analysis to find out the possible sources of air pollutants in this area. The first component of each year had a high loading of SO42- and NH4+, which probably came from fuel combustion and agricultural activity, respectively. K+, a tracer of biomass burning, also contributed to the first or the second components of each year. Concentrations of NH4+ and SO42- were well correlated (r > 0.777, p < 0.01), which lead to the conclusion that (NH4)2SO4 was a major compound present in this area. The 3-day backward trajectories of air mass arriving at Chiang Mai from 2005 to 2009 were analyzed using the hybrid single particle langrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model and grouped by cluster analysis. The air mass data was analyzed for the dry season (n = 18; 100%). The trajectory of air mass in 2005 mainly originated locally (67%). In 2006, the recorded data showed that 56% of air mass was emitted from the western continental region of Thailand. In 2007, the percent ratios from the western and eastern continental areas were equal (39%). In 2008, 67% originated from the western continental area. In 2009, the recorded air mass mainly came from the western continental area (72%). In conclusion, the

Remediation of Chlorinated Solvent Plumes Using In-Situ Air Sparging—A 2-D Laboratory Study

PubMed Central

Adams, Jeffrey A.; Reddy, Krishna R.; Tekola, Lue

2011-01-01

In-situ air sparging has evolved as an innovative technique for soil and groundwater remediation impacted with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chlorinated solvents. These may exist as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) or dissolved in groundwater. This study assessed: (1) how air injection rate affects the mass removal of dissolved phase contamination, (2) the effect of induced groundwater flow on mass removal and air distribution during air injection, and (3) the effect of initial contaminant concentration on mass removal. Dissolved-phase chlorinated solvents can be effectively removed through the use of air sparging; however, rapid initial rates of contaminant removal are followed by a protracted period of lower removal rates, or a tailing effect. As the air flow rate increases, the rate of contaminant removal also increases, especially during the initial stages of air injection. Increased air injection rates will increase the density of air channel formation, resulting in a larger interfacial mass transfer area through which the dissolved contaminant can partition into the vapor phase. In cases of groundwater flow, increased rates of air injection lessened observed downward contaminant migration effect. The air channel network and increased air saturation reduced relative hydraulic conductivity, resulting in reduced groundwater flow and subsequent downgradient contaminant migration. Finally, when a higher initial TCE concentration was present, a slightly higher mass removal rate was observed due to higher volatilization-induced concentration gradients and subsequent diffusive flux. Once concentrations are reduced, a similar tailing effect occurs. PMID:21776228

Remediation of chlorinated solvent plumes using in-situ air sparging--a 2-D laboratory study.

PubMed

Adams, Jeffrey A; Reddy, Krishna R; Tekola, Lue

2011-06-01

In-situ air sparging has evolved as an innovative technique for soil and groundwater remediation impacted with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including chlorinated solvents. These may exist as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) or dissolved in groundwater. This study assessed: (1) how air injection rate affects the mass removal of dissolved phase contamination, (2) the effect of induced groundwater flow on mass removal and air distribution during air injection, and (3) the effect of initial contaminant concentration on mass removal. Dissolved-phase chlorinated solvents can be effectively removed through the use of air sparging; however, rapid initial rates of contaminant removal are followed by a protracted period of lower removal rates, or a tailing effect. As the air flow rate increases, the rate of contaminant removal also increases, especially during the initial stages of air injection. Increased air injection rates will increase the density of air channel formation, resulting in a larger interfacial mass transfer area through which the dissolved contaminant can partition into the vapor phase. In cases of groundwater flow, increased rates of air injection lessened observed downward contaminant migration effect. The air channel network and increased air saturation reduced relative hydraulic conductivity, resulting in reduced groundwater flow and subsequent downgradient contaminant migration. Finally, when a higher initial TCE concentration was present, a slightly higher mass removal rate was observed due to higher volatilization-induced concentration gradients and subsequent diffusive flux. Once concentrations are reduced, a similar tailing effect occurs.

Improved Specification of Transboundary Air Pollution over the Gulf of Mexico Using Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pour Biazar, A.; Khan, M. N.; Park, Y. H.; McNider, R. T.; Cameron, B.

2010-12-01

The assessment of potential environmental impact of oil and gas operations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) and in particular the onshore air quality impact of such operations is important to State and Federal regulatory agencies. In adapting sound policies for control strategies, it is crucial to assess the impact of local pollution versus transboundary air pollution, and in a region such as GoM with scarce monitoring capability over open waters such distinctions represents a challenge. Furthermore, GoM region can be impacted by the recirculation of pollution in the southeastern United States. The current study examines the efficacy of utilizing the newly available satellite observations of aerosols and trace gases in air quality impacts assessment for addressing these issues. In particular, ozone profiles from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard Aura and aerosol products from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard Terra and Aqua satellites were utilized in a modeling study during August 2006. The satellite observations were used in the specification of the background and lateral boundary and also once daily for the re-adjustment of the concentration fields. The results were then evaluated against ozonesonde and surface observations. The utilization of OMI ozone profiles significantly improved model performance in the free troposphere and the use of MODIS aerosol products substantially enhanced model prediction of aerosols in the boundary layer. Neither OMI nor TES provide adequate information in the boundary layer with respect to O3 and as a result they can only marginally impact ozone predictions in the boundary layer. The utilization of the satellite data for lateral boundary condition (BC) was helpful in the realization of transboundary transport of pollution. The hypothesis that the recirculation of pollution from Northeast Corridor can play a role over the Gulf of Mexico was tested and

Spectroscopic Observations of Nearby Low Mass Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vican, Laura; Zuckerman, B. M.; Rodriguez, D.

2014-01-01

Young low-mass stars are known to be bright in X-ray and UV due to a high level of magnetic activity. By cross-correlating the GALEX Catalog with the WISE and 2MASS Point Source Catalogs, we have identified more than 2,000 stars whose UV excesses suggest ages in the 10-100 Myr range. We used the Shane 3-m telescope at Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, California to observe some of these 2,000 stars spectroscopically. We measured the equivalent width of lithium at 6708 A absorption and H-alpha emission lines. Out of a total of 122 stars observed with the Kast grating spectrometer, we find that roughly 10% have strong lithium absorption features. The high percentage of stars with lithium present is further evidence of the importance of UV emission as a youth indicator for low-mass stars. In addition, we used high-resolution spectra obtained with the Hamilton echelle spectrograph to determine radial velocities for several UV-bright stars. These radial velocities will be useful for the calculation of Galactic UVW space velocities for determination of possible moving group membership. This work is supported by NASA Astrophysics Data Analysis Program award NNX12AH37G to RIT and UCLA and Chilean FONDECYT grant 3130520 to Universidad de Chile. This submission presents work for the GALNYSS project and should be linked to abstracts submitted by David Rodriguez, Laura Vican, and Joel Kastner.

Cluster formation in laser-induced ablation and evaporation of solids observed by laser ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and scanning tunneling microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tench, R. J.; Balooch, M.; Bernardez, L.; Allen, Mike J.; Siekhaus, W. J.; Olander, D. R.; Wang, W.

1990-04-01

Laser ionization time-of-flight mass analysis (LIMA) used pulses (5ns) of a frequency-quadrupled Nd-YAG laser (266 nm) focused onto spots of 4 to 100 microns diameter to ablate material, and a reflectron time of flight tube to mass-analyze the plume. The observed mass spectra for Si, Pt, SiC, and UO 2 varied in the distribution of ablation products among atoms, molecules and clusters, depending on laser power density and target material. Cleaved surfaces of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) positioned at room temperature either 10 cm away from materials ablated at 10(exp -5) Torr by 1 to 3 excimer laser (308 nm) pulses of 20 ns duration or 1 m away from materials vaporized at 10(exp -8) Torr by 10 Nd-Glass laser pulses of 1 ms duration were analyzed by Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) in air with angstrom resolution. Clusters up to 30 A in diameter were observed.

Global Positioning System: Observations on Quarterly Reports from the Air Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-17

Positioning System : Observations on Quarterly Reports from the Air Force The satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) provides positioning, navigation...infrastructure, and transportation safety. The Department of Defense (DOD)—specifically, the Air Force—develops and operates the GPS system , which...programs, including the most recent detailed assessment of the next generation operational control system (OCX) and development of military GPS

Airborne mass spectrometers: four decades of atmospheric and space research at the Air Force research laboratory.

PubMed

Viggiano, A A; Hunton, D E

1999-11-01

Mass spectrometry is a versatile research tool that has proved to be extremely useful for exploring the fundamental nature of the earth's atmosphere and ionosphere and in helping to solve operational problems facing the Air Force and the Department of Defense. In the past 40 years, our research group at the Air Force Research Laboratory has flown quadrupole mass spectrometers of many designs on nearly 100 sounding rockets, nine satellites, three Space Shuttles and many missions of high-altitude research aircraft and balloons. We have also used our instruments in ground-based investigations of rocket and jet engine exhaust, combustion chemistry and microwave breakdown chemistry. This paper is a review of the instrumentation and techniques needed for space research, a summary of the results from many of the experiments, and an introduction to the broad field of atmospheric and space mass spectrometry in general. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NASA Tropospheric Composition Program field campagins as prototypes to advance the Integrated Observing System for Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefer, B. L.; Crawford, J. H.; Pierce, R. B.; Berkoff, T.; Swap, R.; Janz, S. J.; Ahn, J.; Al-Saadi, J. A.

2017-12-01

With the launch over the virtual constellation of earth observing satellites for atmospheric composition (e.g., TROPOMI, GEMS, TEMPO, and Sentinel-4) over the next several years, we have a unique opportunity to develop an Integrated Observing System (IOS) for air quality in the northern hemisphere. Recently, NASA's Tropospheric Composition Program (TCP) has participated in several different air quality related field campaigns as an effort to explore various prototypes of the IOS for Air Quality. The IOS for air quality could be a system were space-based observations of air quality (generally, column abundances of NO2, HCHO, O3, SO2, and AOD) are given added "value" by being integrated with: a) long-term ground-based observations;b) regional and global air quality and chemical transport models; as well as c) measurements from targeted airborne field campaigns. The recent Korea-US Air Quality Study (KORUS-AQ), the Lake Michigan Ozone Study 2017 (LMOS), and the Ozone Water-Land Environmental Transition Study (OWLETS) field campaigns were held in different locations and made measurements over different scale. However, all of these provide an opportunity to learn about how a future integrated air quality observing system can be implemented to serve a variety of air quality related objectives. NASA TCP is also exploring enchancements to our routine observations to strengthen the IOS for air quality in the future.

An objective classification system of air mass types for Szeged, Hungary, with special attention to plant pollen levels.

PubMed

Makra, László; Juhász, Miklós; Mika, János; Bartzokas, Aristides; Béczi, Rita; Sümeghy, Zoltán

2006-07-01

This paper discusses the characteristic air mass types over the Carpathian Basin in relation to plant pollen levels over annual pollination periods. Based on the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts dataset, daily sea-level pressure fields analysed at 00 UTC were prepared for each air mass type (cluster) in order to relate sea-level pressure patterns to pollen levels in Szeged, Hungary. The database comprises daily values of 12 meteorological parameters and daily pollen concentrations of 24 species for their pollination periods from 1997 to 2001. Characteristic air mass types were objectively defined via factor analysis and cluster analysis. According to the results, nine air mass types (clusters) were detected for pollination periods of the year corresponding to pollen levels that appear with higher concentration when irradiance is moderate while wind speed is moderate or high. This is the case when an anticyclone prevails in the region west of the Carpathian Basin and when Hungary is under the influence of zonal currents (wind speed is high). The sea level pressure systems associated with low pollen concentrations are mostly similar to those connected to higher pollen concentrations, and arise when wind speed is low or moderate. Low pollen levels occur when an anticyclone prevails in the region west of the Carpathian Basin, as well as when an anticyclone covers the region with Hungary at its centre. Hence, anticyclonic or anticyclonic ridge weather situations seem to be relevant in classifying pollen levels.

Cosmic Ray-Air Shower Measurement from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takahashi, Yoshiyuki

1997-01-01

A feasibility study has been initiated to observe from space the highest energy cosmic rays above 1021 eV. A satellite observatory concept, the Maximum-energy Auger (Air)-Shower Satellite (MASS), is recently renamed as the Orbital Wide-angle Collector (OWL) by taking its unique feature of using a very wide field-of-view (FOV) optics. A huge array of imaging devices (about 10(exp 6) pixels) is required to detect and record fluorescent light profiles of cosmic ray cascades in the atmosphere. The FOV of MASS could extend to as large as about 60 in. diameter, which views (500 - 1000 km) of earth's surface and more than 300 - 1000 cosmic ray events per year could be observed above 1020 eV. From far above the atmosphere, the MASS/OWL satellite should be capable of observing events at all angles including near horizontal tracks, and would have considerable aperture for high energy photon and neutrino observation. With a large aperture and the spatial and temporal resolution, MASS could determine the energy spectrum, the mass composition, and arrival anisotropy of cosmic rays from 1020 eV to 1022 eV; a region hitherto not explored by ground-based detectors such as the Fly's Eye and air-shower arrays. MASS/OWL's ability to identify cosmic neutrinos and gamma rays may help providing evidence for the theory which attributes the above cut-off cosmic ray flux to the decay of topological defects. Very wide FOV optics system of MASS/OWL with a large array of imaging devices is applicable to observe other atmospheric phenomena including upper atmospheric lightning. The wide FOV MASS optics being developed can also improve ground-based gamma-ray observatories by allowing simultaneous observation of many gamma ray sources located at different constellations.

Intrinsic scatter of caustic masses and hydrostatic bias: An observational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreon, S.; Trinchieri, G.; Moretti, A.; Wang, J.

2017-10-01

All estimates of cluster mass have some intrinsic scatter and perhaps some bias with true mass even in the absence of measurement errors for example caused by cluster triaxiality and large scale structure. Knowledge of the bias and scatter values is fundamental for both cluster cosmology and astrophysics. In this paper we show that the intrinsic scatter of a mass proxy can be constrained by measurements of the gas fraction because masses with higher values of intrinsic scatter with true mass produce more scattered gas fractions. Moreover, the relative bias of two mass estimates can be constrained by comparing the mean gas fraction at the same (nominal) cluster mass. Our observational study addresses the scatter between caustic (I.e., dynamically estimated) and true masses, and the relative bias of caustic and hydrostatic masses. For these purposes, we used the X-ray Unbiased Cluster Sample, a cluster sample selected independently from the intracluster medium content with reliable masses: 34 galaxy clusters in the nearby (0.050 < z < 0.135) Universe, mostly with 14 < log M500/M⊙ ≲ 14.5, and with caustic masses. We found a 35% scatter between caustic and true masses. Furthermore, we found that the relative bias between caustic and hydrostatic masses is small, 0.06 ± 0.05 dex, improving upon past measurements. The small scatter found confirms our previous measurements of a highly variable amount of feedback from cluster to cluster, which is the cause of the observed large variety of core-excised X-ray luminosities and gas masses.

Mass-losing peculiar red giants - The comparison between theory and observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jura, M.

1989-01-01

The mass loss from evolved red giants is considered. It seems that red giants on the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) are losing between 0.0003 and 0.0006 solar mass/sq kpc yr in the solar neighborhood. If all the main sequence stars between 1 and 5 solar masses ultimately evolve into white dwarfs with masses of 0.7 solar mass, the predicted mass loss rate in the solar neighborhood from these stars is 0.0008 solar mass/sq kpc yr. Although there are still uncertainties, it appears that there is no strong disagreement between theory and observation.

Liquid phase mass production of air-stable black phosphorus/phospholipids nanocomposite with ultralow tunneling barrier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiankun; Liu, Yinan; Lai, Jiawei; Qi, Shaomian; An, Chunhua; Lu, Yao; Duan, Xuexin; Pang, Wei; Zhang, Daihua; Sun, Dong; Chen, Jian-Hao; Liu, Jing

2018-04-01

Few-layer black phosphorus (FLBP), a recently discovered two-dimensional semiconductor, has attracted substantial attention in the scientific and technical communities due to its great potential in electronic and optoelectronic applications. However, reactivity of FLBP flakes with ambient species limits its direct applications. Among various methods to passivate FLBP in ambient environment, nanocomposites mixing FLBP flakes with stable matrix may be one of the most promising approaches for industry applications. Here, we report a simple one-step procedure to mass produce air-stable FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite in liquid phase. The resultant nanocomposite is found to have ultralow tunneling barrier for charge carriers which can be described by an Efros-Shklovskii variable range hopping mechanism. Devices made from such mass-produced FLBP/phospholipids nanocomposite show highly stable electrical conductivity and opto-electrical response in ambient conditions, indicating its promising applications in both electronic and optoelectronic applications. This method could also be generalized to the mass production of nanocomposites consisting of other air-sensitive 2D materials, such as FeSe, NbSe2, WTe2, etc.

Deriving mass balance and calving variations from reanalysis data and sparse observations, Glaciar San Rafael, northern Patagonia, 1950-2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koppes, M.; Conway, H.; Rasmussen, L. A.; Chernos, M.

2011-09-01

Mass balance variations of Glaciar San Rafael, the northernmost tidewater glacier in the Southern Hemisphere, are reconstructed over the period 1950-2005 using NCEP-NCAR reanalysis climate data together with sparse, local historical observations of air temperature, precipitation, accumulation, ablation, thinning, calving, and glacier retreat. The combined observations over the past 50 yr indicate that Glaciar San Rafael has thinned and retreated since 1959, with a total mass loss of ~22 km3 of ice eq. Over that period, except for a short period of cooling from 1998-2003, the climate has become progressively warmer and drier, which has resulted primarily in pervasive thinning of the glacier surface and a decrease in calving rates, with only minor acceleration in retreat of the terminus. A comparison of calving fluxes derived from the mass balance variations and from theoretical calving and sliding laws suggests that calving rates are inversely correlated with retreat rates, and that terminus geometry is more important than balance fluxes to the terminus in driving calving dynamics. For Glaciar San Rafael, regional climate warming has not yet resulted in the significant changes in glacier length seen in other calving glaciers in the region, emphasizing the complex dynamics between climate inputs, topographic constraints and glacier response in calving glacier systems.

Deriving mass balance and calving variations from reanalysis data and sparse observations, Glaciar San Rafael, northern Patagonia, 1950-2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koppes, M.; Conway, H.; Rasmussen, L. A.; Chernos, M.

2011-04-01

Mass balance variations of Glaciar San Rafael, the most equatorial tidewater glacier in the North Patagonian Icefield, are reconstructed over the period 1950-2005 using NCEP-NCAR reanalysis climate data together with sparse, local historical observations of air temperature, precipitation, accumulation, ablation, thinning, calving, and glacier retreat. The combined observations over the past 50 yr indicate that Glaciar San Rafael has thinned and retreated since 1959, with a total mass loss of ~22 km3 of ice equivalent. Over that period, except for a short period of cooling from 1998-2003, the climate has become progressively warmer and drier, which has resulted primarily in pervasive thinning of the glacier surface and a decrease in calving rates, with only minor acceleration in retreat of the terminus. A comparison of calving fluxes derived from the mass balance variations and from theoretical calving and sliding laws suggest that calving rates are inversely correlated with retreat rates, and that terminus geometry is more important than changes in balance fluxes to the terminus in driving calving dynamics. For Glaciar San Rafael, regional climate warming has not yet resulted in the significant changes in glacier length seen in other calving glaciers in the region, emphasizing the complex dynamics between climate inputs, topographic constraints and glacier response in calving glacier systems.

Spitzer IRS Observations of Low-Mass Seyfert Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thornton, Carol E.; Barth, A. J.; Ho, L. C.; Greene, J. E.

2010-01-01

We present results from Spitzer IRS observations of a sample of 41 Seyfert galaxies with estimated black hole masses below 106 solar masses, including objects from the SDSS-selected samples of Seyfert 1 galaxies from Greene & Ho (2004) and Seyfert 2 galaxies from Barth et al. (2008), as well as NGC 4395 and POX 52. We use the IDL code PAHFIT (Smith et al. 2007) to derive measurements of continuum shapes and narrow emission line and PAH luminosities from the low-resolution spectra in order to examine the dust emission properties of these objects and investigate the relationship between Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs at low luminosities and low masses, to search for evidence of star formation, and to use emission-line diagnostics to constrain physical conditions within the narrow-line regions.

Evaluation of Observation-Fused Regional Air Quality Model Results for Population Air Pollution Exposure Estimation

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; Li, Jingyi; Ying, Qi; Sherman, Seth; Perkins, Neil; Rajeshwari, Sundaram; Mendola, Pauline

2014-01-01

In this study, Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was applied to predict ambient gaseous and particulate concentrations during 2001 to 2010 in 15 hospital referral regions (HRRs) using a 36-km horizontal resolution domain. An inverse distance weighting based method was applied to produce exposure estimates based on observation-fused regional pollutant concentration fields using the differences between observations and predictions at grid cells where air quality monitors were located. Although the raw CMAQ model is capable of producing satisfying results for O3 and PM2.5 based on EPA guidelines, using the observation data fusing technique to correct CMAQ predictions leads to significant improvement of model performance for all gaseous and particulate pollutants. Regional average concentrations were calculated using five different methods: 1) inverse distance weighting of observation data alone, 2) raw CMAQ results, 3) observation-fused CMAQ results, 4) population-averaged raw CMAQ results and 5) population-averaged fused CMAQ results. It shows that while O3 (as well as NOx) monitoring networks in the HRR regions are dense enough to provide consistent regional average exposure estimation based on monitoring data alone, PM2.5 observation sites (as well as monitors for CO, SO2, PM10 and PM2.5 components) are usually sparse and the difference between the average concentrations estimated by the inverse distance interpolated observations, raw CMAQ and fused CMAQ results can be significantly different. Population-weighted average should be used to account spatial variation in pollutant concentration and population density. Using raw CMAQ results or observations alone might lead to significant biases in health outcome analyses. PMID:24747248

Identification of aerosol types over an urban site based on air-mass trajectory classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawar, G. V.; Devara, P. C. S.; Aher, G. R.

2015-10-01

Columnar aerosol properties retrieved from MICROTOPS II Sun Photometer measurements during 2010-2013 over Pune (18°32‧N; 73°49‧E, 559 m amsl), a tropical urban station in India, are analyzed to identify aerosol types in the atmospheric column. Identification/classification is carried out on the basis of dominant airflow patterns, and the method of discrimination of aerosol types on the basis of relation between aerosol optical depth (AOD500 nm) and Ångström exponent (AE, α). Five potential advection pathways viz., NW/N, SW/S, N, SE/E and L have been identified over the observing site by employing the NOAA-HYSPLIT air mass back trajectory analysis. Based on AE against AOD500 nm scatter plot and advection pathways followed five major aerosol types viz., continental average (CA), marine continental average (MCA), urban/industrial and biomass burning (UB), desert dust (DD) and indeterminate or mixed type (MT) have been identified. In winter, sector SE/E, a representative of air masses traversed over Bay of Bengal and Eastern continental Indian region has relatively small AOD (τpλ = 0.43 ± 0.13) and high AE (α = 1.19 ± 0.15). These values imply the presence of accumulation/sub-micron size anthropogenic aerosols. During pre-monsoon, aerosols from the NW/N sector have high AOD (τpλ = 0.61 ± 0.21), and low AE (α = 0.54 ± 0.14) indicating an increase in the loading of coarse-mode particles over Pune. Dominance of UB type in winter season for all the years (i.e. 2010-2013) may be attributed to both local/transported aerosols. During pre-monsoon seasons, MT is the dominant aerosol type followed by UB and DD, while the background aerosols are insignificant.

The effect of long-range air mass transport pathways on PM10 and NO2 concentrations at urban and rural background sites in Ireland: Quantification using clustering techniques.

PubMed

Donnelly, Aoife A; Broderick, Brian M; Misstear, Bruce D

2015-01-01

The specific aims of this paper are to: (i) quantify the effects of various long range transport pathways nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter with diameter less than 10μm (PM10) concentrations in Ireland and identify air mass movement corridors which may lead to incidences poor air quality for application in forecasting; (ii) compare the effects of such pathways at various sites; (iii) assess pathways associated with a period of decreased air quality in Ireland. The origin of and the regions traversed by an air mass 96h prior to reaching a receptor is modelled and k-means clustering is applied to create air-mass groups. Significant differences in air pollution levels were found between air mass cluster types at urban and rural sites. It was found that easterly or recirculated air masses lead to higher NO2 and PM10 levels with average NO2 levels varying between 124% and 239% of the seasonal mean and average PM10 levels varying between 103% and 199% of the seasonal mean at urban and rural sites. Easterly air masses are more frequent during winter months leading to higher overall concentrations. The span in relative concentrations between air mass clusters is highest at the rural site indicating that regional factors are controlling concentration levels. The methods used in this paper could be applied to assist in modelling and forecasting air quality based on long range transport pathways and forecast meteorology without the requirement for detailed emissions data over a large regional domain or the use of computationally demanding modelling techniques.

EIT Observations of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurman, J. B.; Fisher, Richard B. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Before the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), we had only the sketchiest of clues as to the nature and topology of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) below 1.1 - 1.2 solar radii. Occasionally, dimmings (or 'transient coronal holes') were observed in time series of soft X-ray images, but they were far less frequent than CME's. Simply by imaging the Sun frequently and continually at temperatures of 0.9 - 2.5 MK we have stumbled upon a zoo of CME phenomena in this previously obscured volume of the corona: (1) waves, (2) dimmings, and (3) a great variety of ejecta. In the three and a half years since our first observations of coronal waves associated with CME's, combined Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph (LASCO) and extreme ultra-violet imaging telescope (EIT) synoptic observations have become a standard prediction tool for space weather forecasters, but our progress in actually understanding the CME phenomenon in the low corona has been somewhat slower. I will summarize the observations of waves, hot (> 0.9 MK) and cool ejecta, and some of the interpretations advanced to date. I will try to identify those phenomena, analysis of which could most benefit from the spectroscopic information available from ultraviolet coronograph spectrometer (UVCS) observations.

Measuring air-water interfacial area for soils using the mass balance surfactant-tracer method.

PubMed

Araujo, Juliana B; Mainhagu, Jon; Brusseau, Mark L

2015-09-01

There are several methods for conducting interfacial partitioning tracer tests to measure air-water interfacial area in porous media. One such approach is the mass balance surfactant tracer method. An advantage of the mass-balance method compared to other tracer-based methods is that a single test can produce multiple interfacial area measurements over a wide range of water saturations. The mass-balance method has been used to date only for glass beads or treated quartz sand. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness and implementability of the mass-balance method for application to more complex porous media. The results indicate that interfacial areas measured with the mass-balance method are consistent with values obtained with the miscible-displacement method. This includes results for a soil, for which solid-phase adsorption was a significant component of total tracer retention. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GW170608: Observation of a 19 Solar-mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Afrough, M.; Agarwal, B.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Allen, B.; Allen, G.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Angelova, S. V.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arnaud, N.; Arun, K. G.; Ascenzi, S.; Ashton, G.; Ast, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Atallah, D. V.; Aufmuth, P.; Aulbert, C.; AultONeal, K.; Austin, C.; Avila-Alvarez, A.; Babak, S.; Bacon, P.; Bader, M. K. M.; Bae, S.; Baker, P. T.; Baldaccini, F.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Banagiri, S.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barclay, S. E.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barkett, K.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Batch, J. C.; Bawaj, M.; Bayley, J. C.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Beer, C.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Bell, A. S.; Berger, B. K.; Bergmann, G.; Bero, J. J.; Berry, C. P. L.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Bhagwat, S.; Bhandare, R.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Billman, C. R.; Birch, J.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Biscoveanu, S.; Bisht, A.; Bitossi, M.; Biwer, C.; Bizouard, M. A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blackman, J.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bloemen, S.; Bock, O.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Bohe, A.; Bondu, F.; Bonilla, E.; Bonnand, R.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, S.; Bossie, K.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Briant, T.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brisson, V.; Brockill, P.; Broida, J. E.; Brooks, A. F.; Brown, D. A.; Brown, D. D.; Brunett, S.; Buchanan, C. C.; Buikema, A.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cabero, M.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Calderón Bustillo, J.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Canizares, P.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Cao, J.; Capano, C. D.; Capocasa, E.; Carbognani, F.; Caride, S.; Carney, M. F.; Casanueva Diaz, J.; Casentini, C.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Cella, G.; Cepeda, C. B.; Cerdá-Durán, P.; Cerretani, G.; Cesarini, E.; Chamberlin, S. J.; Chan, M.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chase, E.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, D.; Chatziioannou, K.; Cheeseboro, B. D.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Cheng, H.-P.; Chia, H.; Chincarini, A.; Chiummo, A.; Chmiel, T.; Cho, H. S.; Cho, M.; Chow, J. H.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, A. J. K.; Chua, S.; Chung, A. K. W.; Chung, S.; Ciani, G.; Ciolfi, R.; Cirelli, C. E.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, J. A.; Clearwater, P.; Cleva, F.; Cocchieri, C.; Coccia, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Cohen, D.; Colla, A.; Collette, C. G.; Cominsky, L. R.; Constancio, M., Jr.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordero-Carrión, I.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coughlin, S. B.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Couvares, P.; Covas, P. B.; Cowan, E. E.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Cripe, J.; Crowder, S. G.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Dal Canton, T.; Dálya, G.; Danilishin, S. L.; D’Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Dasgupta, A.; Da Silva Costa, C. F.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davis, D.; Daw, E. J.; Day, B.; De, S.; DeBra, D.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Pozzo, W.; Demos, N.; Denker, T.; Dent, T.; De Pietri, R.; Dergachev, V.; De Rosa, R.; DeRosa, R. T.; De Rossi, C.; DeSalvo, R.; de Varona, O.; Devenson, J.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Doctor, Z.; Dolique, V.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Douglas, R.; Dovale Álvarez, M.; Downes, T. P.; Drago, M.; Dreissigacker, C.; Driggers, J. C.; Du, Z.; Ducrot, M.; Dupej, P.; Dwyer, S. E.; Edo, T. B.; Edwards, M. C.; Effler, A.; Eggenstein, H.-B.; Ehrens, P.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Essick, R. C.; Estevez, D.; Etienne, Z. B.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Factourovich, M.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Fan, X.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fee, C.; Fehrmann, H.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, E. C.; Ferrini, F.; Fidecaro, F.; Finstad, D.; Fiori, I.; Fiorucci, D.; Fishbach, M.; Fisher, R. P.; Fitz-Axen, M.; Flaminio, R.; Fletcher, M.; Fong, H.; Font, J. A.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Forsyth, S. S.; Fournier, J.-D.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Frey, V.; Fries, E. M.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H.; Gadre, B. U.; Gaebel, S. M.; Gair, J. R.; Gammaitoni, L.; Ganija, M. R.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garcia-Quiros, C.; Garufi, F.; Gateley, B.; Gaudio, S.; Gaur, G.; Gayathri, V.; Gehrels, N.; Gemme, G.; Genin, E.; Gennai, A.; George, D.; George, J.; Gergely, L.; Germain, V.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, S.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Giazotto, A.; Gill, K.; Glover, L.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gomes, S.; Goncharov, B.; González, G.; Gonzalez Castro, J. M.; Gopakumar, A.; Gorodetsky, M. L.; Gossan, S. E.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Grado, A.; Graef, C.; Granata, M.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Gray, C.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Gretarsson, E. M.; Groot, P.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guidi, G. M.; Guo, X.; Gupta, A.; Gupta, M. K.; Gushwa, K. E.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Halim, O.; Hall, B. R.; Hall, E. D.; Hamilton, E. Z.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanke, M. M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hannuksela, O. A.; Hanson, J.; Hardwick, T.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hart, M. J.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heitmann, H.; Hello, P.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennig, J.; Heptonstall, A. W.; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hinderer, T.; Hoak, D.; Hofman, D.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Horst, C.; Hough, J.; Houston, E. A.; Howell, E. J.; Hreibi, A.; Hu, Y. M.; Huerta, E. A.; Huet, D.; Hughey, B.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Indik, N.; Inta, R.; Intini, G.; Isa, H. N.; Isac, J.-M.; Isi, M.; Iyer, B. R.; Izumi, K.; Jacqmin, T.; Jani, K.; Jaranowski, P.; Jawahar, S.; Jiménez-Forteza, F.; Johnson, W. W.; Johnson-McDaniel, N. K.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kamai, B.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kapadia, S. J.; Karki, S.; Karvinen, K. S.; Kasprzack, M.; Katolik, M.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaufer, S.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Kemball, A. J.; Kennedy, R.; Kent, C.; Key, J. S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, I.; Khan, S.; Khan, Z.; Khazanov, E. A.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, Chunglee; Kim, J. C.; Kim, K.; Kim, W.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimbrell, S. J.; King, E. J.; King, P. J.; Kinley-Hanlon, M.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Knowles, T. D.; Koch, P.; Koehlenbeck, S. M.; Koley, S.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Korobko, M.; Korth, W. Z.; Kowalska, I.; Kozak, D. B.; Krämer, C.; Kringel, V.; Krishnan, B.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, R.; Kumar, S.; Kuo, L.; Kutynia, A.; Kwang, S.; Lackey, B. D.; Lai, K. H.; Landry, M.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; Lanza, R. K.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lee, C. H.; Lee, H. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lenon, A.; Leonardi, M.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levin, Y.; Li, T. G. F.; Linker, S. D.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockerbie, N. A.; London, L. T.; Lord, J. E.; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynch, R.; Ma, Y.; Macas, R.; Macfoy, S.; Machenschalk, B.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; Magaña Hernandez, I.; Magaña-Sandoval, F.; Magaña Zertuche, L.; Magee, R. M.; Majorana, E.; Maksimovic, I.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Markowitz, A.; Maros, E.; Marquina, A.; Martelli, F.; Martellini, L.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martynov, D. V.; Mason, K.; Massera, E.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Matichard, F.; Matone, L.; Mavalvala, N.; Mazumder, N.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGuire, S. C.; McIntyre, G.; McIver, J.; McManus, D. J.; McNeill, L.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Meadors, G. D.; Mehmet, M.; Meidam, J.; Mejuto-Villa, E.; Melatos, A.; Mendell, G.; Mercer, R. A.; Merilh, E. L.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Metzdorff, R.; Meyers, P. M.; Miao, H.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Mikhailov, E. E.; Milano, L.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, B. B.; Miller, J.; Millhouse, M.; Milovich-Goff, M. C.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Ming, J.; Mishra, C.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Moffa, D.; Moggi, A.; Mogushi, K.; Mohan, M.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Montani, M.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Moreno, G.; Morriss, S. R.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mueller, G.; Muir, A. W.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, S.; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muñiz, E. A.; Muratore, M.; Murray, P. G.; Napier, K.; Nardecchia, I.; Naticchioni, L.; Nayak, R. K.; Neilson, J.; Nelemans, G.; Nelson, T. J. N.; Nery, M.; Neunzert, A.; Nevin, L.; Newport, J. M.; Newton, G.; Ng, K. K. Y.; Nguyen, T. T.; Nichols, D.; Nielsen, A. B.; Nissanke, S.; Nitz, A.; Noack, A.; Nocera, F.; Nolting, D.; North, C.; Nuttall, L. K.; Oberling, J.; O’Dea, G. D.; Ogin, G. H.; Oh, J. J.; Oh, S. H.; Ohme, F.; Okada, M. A.; Oliver, M.; Oppermann, P.; Oram, Richard J.; O’Reilly, B.; Ormiston, R.; Ortega, L. F.; O’Shaughnessy, R.; Ossokine, S.; Ottaway, D. J.; Overmier, H.; Owen, B. J.; Pace, A. E.; Page, J.; Page, M. A.; Pai, A.; Pai, S. A.; Palamos, J. R.; Palashov, O.; Palomba, C.; Pal-Singh, A.; Pan, Howard; Pan, Huang-Wei; Pang, B.; Pang, P. T. H.; Pankow, C.; Pannarale, F.; Pant, B. C.; Paoletti, F.; Paoli, A.; Papa, M. A.; Parida, A.; Parker, W.; Pascucci, D.; Pasqualetti, A.; Passaquieti, R.; Passuello, D.; Patil, M.; Patricelli, B.; Pearlstone, B. L.; Pedraza, M.; Pedurand, R.; Pekowsky, L.; Pele, A.; Penn, S.; Perez, C. J.; Perreca, A.; Perri, L. M.; Pfeiffer, H. P.; Phelps, M.; Piccinni, O. J.; Pichot, M.; Piergiovanni, F.; Pierro, V.; Pillant, G.; Pinard, L.; Pinto, I. M.; Pirello, M.; Pitkin, M.; Poe, M.; Poggiani, R.; Popolizio, P.; Porter, E. K.; Post, A.; Powell, J.; Prasad, J.; Pratt, J. W. W.; Pratten, G.; Predoi, V.; Prestegard, T.; Prijatelj, M.; Principe, M.; Privitera, S.; Prodi, G. A.; Prokhorov, L. G.; Puncken, O.; Punturo, M.; Puppo, P.; Pürrer, M.; Qi, H.; Quetschke, V.; Quintero, E. A.; Quitzow-James, R.; Raab, F. J.; Rabeling, D. S.; Radkins, H.; Raffai, P.; Raja, S.; Rajan, C.; Rajbhandari, B.; Rakhmanov, M.; Ramirez, K. E.; Ramos-Buades, A.; Rapagnani, P.; Raymond, V.; Razzano, M.; Read, J.; Regimbau, T.; Rei, L.; Reid, S.; Reitze, D. H.; Ren, W.; Reyes, S. D.; Ricci, F.; Ricker, P. M.; Rieger, S.; Riles, K.; Rizzo, M.; Robertson, N. A.; Robie, R.; Robinet, F.; Rocchi, A.; Rolland, L.; Rollins, J. G.; Roma, V. J.; Romano, R.; Romel, C. L.; Romie, J. H.; Rosińska, D.; Ross, M. P.; Rowan, S.; Rüdiger, A.; Ruggi, P.; Rutins, G.; Ryan, K.; Sachdev, S.; Sadecki, T.; Sadeghian, L.; Sakellariadou, M.; Salconi, L.; Saleem, M.; Salemi, F.; Samajdar, A.; Sammut, L.; Sampson, L. M.; Sanchez, E. J.; Sanchez, L. E.; Sanchis-Gual, N.; Sandberg, V.; Sanders, J. R.; Sassolas, B.; Sathyaprakash, B. S.; Saulson, P. R.; Sauter, O.; Savage, R. L.; Sawadsky, A.; Schale, P.; Scheel, M.; Scheuer, J.; Schmidt, J.; Schmidt, P.; Schnabel, R.; Schofield, R. M. S.; Schönbeck, A.; Schreiber, E.; Schuette, D.; Schulte, B. W.; Schutz, B. F.; Schwalbe, S. G.; Scott, J.; Scott, S. M.; Seidel, E.; Sellers, D.; Sengupta, A. S.; Sentenac, D.; Sequino, V.; Sergeev, A.; Shaddock, D. A.; Shaffer, T. J.; Shah, A. A.; Shahriar, M. S.; Shaner, M. B.; Shao, L.; Shapiro, B.; Shawhan, P.; Sheperd, A.; Shoemaker, D. H.; Shoemaker, D. M.; Siellez, K.; Siemens, X.; Sieniawska, M.; Sigg, D.; Silva, A. D.; Singer, L. P.; Singh, A.; Singhal, A.; Sintes, A. M.; Slagmolen, B. J. J.; Smith, B.; Smith, J. R.; Smith, R. J. E.; Somala, S.; Son, E. J.; Sonnenberg, J. A.; Sorazu, B.; Sorrentino, F.; Souradeep, T.; Spencer, A. P.; Srivastava, A. K.; Staats, K.; Staley, A.; Steinke, M.; Steinlechner, J.; Steinlechner, S.; Steinmeyer, D.; Stevenson, S. P.; Stone, R.; Stops, D. J.; Strain, K. A.; Stratta, G.; Strigin, S. E.; Strunk, A.; Sturani, R.; Stuver, A. L.; Summerscales, T. Z.; Sun, L.; Sunil, S.; Suresh, J.; Sutton, P. J.; Swinkels, B. L.; Szczepańczyk, M. J.; Tacca, M.; Tait, S. C.; Talbot, C.; Talukder, D.; Tanner, D. B.; Tápai, M.; Taracchini, A.; Tasson, J. D.; Taylor, J. A.; Taylor, R.; Tewari, S. V.; Theeg, T.; Thies, F.; Thomas, E. G.; Thomas, M.; Thomas, P.; Thorne, K. A.; Thrane, E.; Tiwari, S.; Tiwari, V.; Tokmakov, K. V.; Toland, K.; Tonelli, M.; Tornasi, Z.; Torres-Forné, A.; Torrie, C. I.; Töyrä, D.; Travasso, F.; Traylor, G.; Trinastic, J.; Tringali, M. C.; Trozzo, L.; Tsang, K. W.; Tse, M.; Tso, R.; Tsukada, L.; Tsuna, D.; Tuyenbayev, D.; Ueno, K.; Ugolini, D.; Unnikrishnan, C. S.; Urban, A. L.; Usman, S. A.; Vahlbruch, H.; Vajente, G.; Valdes, G.; van Bakel, N.; van Beuzekom, M.; van den Brand, J. F. J.; Van Den Broeck, C.; Vander-Hyde, D. C.; van der Schaaf, L.; van Heijningen, J. V.; van Veggel, A. A.; Vardaro, M.; Varma, V.; Vass, S.; Vasúth, M.; Vecchio, A.; Vedovato, G.; Veitch, J.; Veitch, P. J.; Venkateswara, K.; Venugopalan, G.; Verkindt, D.; Vetrano, F.; Viceré, A.; Viets, A. D.; Vinciguerra, S.; Vine, D. J.; Vinet, J.-Y.; Vitale, S.; Vo, T.; Vocca, H.; Vorvick, C.; Vyatchanin, S. P.; Wade, A. R.; Wade, L. E.; Wade, M.; Walet, R.; Walker, M.; Wallace, L.; Walsh, S.; Wang, G.; Wang, H.; Wang, J. Z.; Wang, W. H.; Wang, Y. F.; Ward, R. L.; Warner, J.; Was, M.; Watchi, J.; Weaver, B.; Wei, L.-W.; Weinert, M.; Weinstein, A. J.; Weiss, R.; Wen, L.; Wessel, E. K.; Weßels, P.; Westerweck, J.; Westphal, T.; Wette, K.; Whelan, J. T.; Whiting, B. F.; Whittle, C.; Wilken, D.; Williams, D.; Williams, R. D.; Williamson, A. R.; Willis, J. L.; Willke, B.; Wimmer, M. H.; Winkler, W.; Wipf, C. C.; Wittel, H.; Woan, G.; Woehler, J.; Wofford, J.; Wong, K. W. K.; Worden, J.; Wright, J. L.; Wu, D. S.; Wysocki, D. M.; Xiao, S.; Yamamoto, H.; Yancey, C. C.; Yang, L.; Yap, M. J.; Yazback, M.; Yu, Hang; Yu, Haocun; Yvert, M.; Zadrożny, A.; Zanolin, M.; Zelenova, T.; Zendri, J.-P.; Zevin, M.; Zhang, L.; Zhang, M.; Zhang, T.; Zhang, Y.-H.; Zhao, C.; Zhou, M.; Zhou, Z.; Zhu, S. J.; Zhu, X. J.; Zimmerman, A. B.; Zucker, M. E.; Zweizig, J.; (LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

2017-12-01

On 2017 June 8 at 02:01:16.49 UTC, a gravitational-wave (GW) signal from the merger of two stellar-mass black holes was observed by the two Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory detectors with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13. This system is the lightest black hole binary so far observed, with component masses of {12}-2+7 {M}ȯ and {7}-2+2 {M}ȯ (90% credible intervals). These lie in the range of measured black hole masses in low-mass X-ray binaries, thus allowing us to compare black holes detected through GWs with electromagnetic observations. The source’s luminosity distance is {340}-140+140 {Mpc}, corresponding to redshift {0.07}-0.03+0.03. We verify that the signal waveform is consistent with the predictions of general relativity.

Using aircraft and satellite observations to improve regulatory air quality models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Canty, T. P.; Vinciguerra, T.; Anderson, D. C.; Carpenter, S. F.; Goldberg, D. L.; Hembeck, L.; Montgomery, L.; Liu, X.; Salawitch, R. J.; Dickerson, R. R.

2014-12-01

Federal and state agencies rely on EPA approved models to develop attainment strategies that will bring states into compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). We will describe modifications to the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model and Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) frameworks motivated by analysis of NASA satellite and aircraft measurements. Observations of tropospheric column NO2 from OMI have already led to the identification of an important deficiency in the chemical mechanisms used by models; data collected during the DISCOVER-AQ field campaign has been instrumental in devising an improved representation of the chemistry of nitrogen species. Our recent work has focused on the use of: OMI observations of tropospheric O3 to assess and improve the representation of boundary conditions used by AQ models, OMI NO2 to derive a top down NOx emission inventory from commercial shipping vessels that affect air quality in the Eastern U.S., and OMI HCHO to assess the C5H8 emission inventories provided by bioegenic emissions models. We will describe how these OMI-driven model improvements are being incorporated into the State Implementation Plans (SIPs) being prepared for submission to EPA in summer 2015 and how future modeling efforts may be impacted by our findings.

Persistent organic contaminants in Saharan dust air masses in West Africa, Cape Verde and the eastern Caribbean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garrison, Virginia H.; Majewski, Michael S.; Foreman, William T.; Genualdi, Susan A.; Mohammed, Azad; Massey Simonich, Stacy L.

2014-01-01

Anthropogenic semivolatile organic compounds (SOCs) that persist in the environment, bioaccumulate, are toxic at low concentrations, and undergo long-range atmospheric transport (LRT) were identified and quantified in the atmosphere of a Saharan dust source region (Mali) and during Saharan dust incursions at downwind sites in the eastern Caribbean (U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad and Tobago) and Cape Verde. More organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides (OCPPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were detected in the Saharan dust region than at downwind sites. Seven of the 13 OCPPs detected occurred at all sites: chlordanes, chlorpyrifos, dacthal, dieldrin, endosulfans, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and trifluralin. Total SOCs ranged from 1.9–126 ng/m3 (mean = 25 ± 34) at source and 0.05–0.71 ng/m3 (mean = 0.24 ± 0.18) at downwind sites during dust conditions. Most SOC concentrations were 1–3 orders of magnitude higher in source than downwind sites. A Saharan source was confirmed for sampled air masses at downwind sites based on dust particle elemental composition and rare earth ratios, atmospheric back trajectory models, and field observations. SOC concentrations were considerably below existing occupational and/or regulatory limits; however, few regulatory limits exist for these persistent organic compounds. Long-term effects of chronic exposure to low concentrations of SOCs are unknown, as are possible additive or synergistic effects of mixtures of SOCs, biologically active trace metals, and mineral dust particles transported together in Saharan dust air masses.

Air Quality Over the Canadian Oil Sands: A First Assessment Using Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McLinden, C. A.; Fioletov, V.; Boersma, K. F.; Krotkov, N.; Sioris, C. E.; Veefkind, J. P.; Yang, K.

2012-01-01

Results from the first assessment of air quality over the Canadian oil sands -- one ofthe largest industrial undertakings in human history -- using satellite remote sensing observations of two pollutants, nitrogen dioxide (N0O) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), are presented. High-resolution maps were created that revealed distinct enhancements in both species over an area (roughly 30 km x 50 km) of intensive surface mining at scales of a few kilometers. The magnitude of these enhancements, quantified in terms of total mass, are comparable to the largest seen in Canada from individual sources. The rate of increase in NO2 between 2005 and 2010 was assessed at 10.4 +/- 3.5%/year and resulted from increases both in local values as well as the spatial extent of the enhancement. This is broadly consistent with both surface-measurement trends and increases in annual bitumen production. An increase in SO2 was also found, but given larger uncertainties, it is not statistically significant.

Identification of PM10 air pollution origins at a rural background site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reizer, Magdalena; Orza, José A. G.

2018-01-01

Trajectory cluster analysis and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) approach have been applied to investigate the origins of PM10 air pollution recorded at a rural background site in North-eastern Poland (Diabla Góra). Air mass back-trajectories used in this study have been computed with the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model for a 10-year period of 2006-2015. A cluster analysis grouped back-trajectories into 7 clusters. Most of the trajectories correspond to fast and moderately moving westerly and northerly flows (45% and 25% of the cases, respectively). However, significantly higher PM10 concentrations were observed for slow moving easterly (11%) and southerly (20%) air masses. The CWT analysis shows that high PM10 levels are observed at Diabla Góra site when air masses are originated and passed over the heavily industrialized areas in Central-Eastern Europe located to the south and south-east of the site.

Thermal conditions and perceived air quality in an air-conditioned auditorium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polednik, Bernard; Guz, Łukasz; Skwarczyński, Mariusz; Dudzińska, Marzenna R.

2016-07-01

The study reports measurements of indoor air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), perceived air quality (PAQ) and CO2, fine aerosol particle number (PN) and mass (PM1) concentrations in an air conditioned auditorium. The measurements of these air physical parameters have been carried out in the unoccupied auditorium with the air conditioning system switched off (AC off mode) and in the unoccupied and occupied auditorium with the air conditioning system switched off during the night and switched on during the day (AC on/off mode). The average indoor air thermal parameters, CO2 concentration and the PAQ value (in decipols) were elevated, while average PM1 concentration was lower in the AC on/off mode. A statistically significant (p < 0.001) positive correlation has been observed between T and PAQ values and CO2 concentrations (r = 0.66 and r = 0.59, respectively) in that AC mode. A significant negative correlation has been observed between T and PN and PM1 concentrations (r = -0.38 and r = -0.49, respectively). In the AC off mode the above relations between T and the particle concentrations were not that unequivocal. These findings may be of importance as they indicate that in certain AC operation modes the indoor air quality deteriorates along with the variation of the indoor air microclimate and room occupation. This, in turn, may adversely affect the comfort and productivity of the users of air conditioned premises.

Quantifying energy and mass transfer in crop canopies: sensors for measurement of temperature and air velocity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bugbee, B.; Monje, O.; Tanner, B.

1996-01-01

Here we report on the in situ performance of inexpensive, miniature sensors that have increased our ability to measure mass and energy fluxes from plant canopies in controlled environments: 1. Surface temperature. Canopy temperature measurements indicate changes in stomatal aperture and thus latent and sensible heat fluxes. Infrared transducers from two manufacturers (Exergen Corporation, Newton, MA; and Everest Interscience, Tucson, AZ, USA) have recently become available. Transducer accuracy matched that of a more expensive hand-held infrared thermometer. 2. Air velocity varies above and within plant canopies and is an important component in mass and energy transfer models. We tested commercially-available needle, heat-transfer anemometers (1 x 50 mm cylinder) that consist of a fine-wire thermocouple and a heater inside a hypodermic needle. The needle is heated and wind speed determined from the temperature rise above ambient. These sensors are particularly useful in measuring the low wind speeds found within plant canopies. 3. Accurate measurements of air temperature adjacent to plant leaves facilitates transport phenomena modeling. We quantified the effect of radiation and air velocity on temperature rise in thermocouples from 10 to 500 micrometers. At high radiation loads and low wind speeds, temperature errors were as large as 7 degrees C above air temperature.

Influence of Beijing outflow on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) observed at a mountain site in North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suthawaree, Jeeranut; Kato, Shungo; Pochanart, Pakpong; Kanaya, Yugo; Akimoto, Hajime; Wang, Zifa; Kajii, Yoshizumi

2012-07-01

In order to elucidate an impact of Beijing outflow on air quality in the mountainous area, measurement campaign was carried out in Mt. Mang, located 40 km north of Beijing in September 2007. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) observed at the site were mainly influenced by air masses arriving from urban areas. No significant impact of local emission was found. Correlation plots between selected VOC suggests several major emission sources as internal combustion, industrial emission, and coal, oil and biofuel burning. Air masses were classified into “polluted” (influence of Beijing and its satellite cities) and “clean” air mass by using backward trajectory analysis. Two air mass categories revealed significant different characteristics and mixing ratios. Reaction with OH is a major factor controlling mixing ratio of “clean” air mass while impact of dilution is also play important role on “polluted” air mass. Estimation of photochemical age of “polluted” air mass by assuming “clean” air mass for background mixing ratios reveals an averaged of 1.5-1.8 days.

Remote mass spectrometric sampling of electrospray- and desorption electrospray-generated ions using an air ejector.

PubMed

Dixon, R Brent; Bereman, Michael S; Muddiman, David C; Hawkridge, Adam M

2007-10-01

A commercial air ejector was coupled to an electrospray ionization linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ) to transport remotely generated ions from both electrospray (ESI) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) sources. We demonstrate the remote analysis of a series of analyte ions that range from small molecules and polymers to polypeptides using the AE-LTQ interface. The details of the ESI-AE-LTQ and DESI-AE-LTQ experimental configurations are described and preliminary mass spectrometric data are presented.

First day of an oil spill on the open sea: early mass transfers of hydrocarbons to air and water.

PubMed

Gros, Jonas; Nabi, Deedar; Würz, Birgit; Wick, Lukas Y; Brussaard, Corina P D; Huisman, Johannes; van der Meer, Jan R; Reddy, Christopher M; Arey, J Samuel

2014-08-19

During the first hours after release of petroleum at sea, crude oil hydrocarbons partition rapidly into air and water. However, limited information is available about very early evaporation and dissolution processes. We report on the composition of the oil slick during the first day after a permitted, unrestrained 4.3 m(3) oil release conducted on the North Sea. Rapid mass transfers of volatile and soluble hydrocarbons were observed, with >50% of ≤C17 hydrocarbons disappearing within 25 h from this oil slick of <10 km(2) area and <10 μm thickness. For oil sheen, >50% losses of ≤C16 hydrocarbons were observed after 1 h. We developed a mass transfer model to describe the evolution of oil slick chemical composition and water column hydrocarbon concentrations. The model was parametrized based on environmental conditions and hydrocarbon partitioning properties estimated from comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) retention data. The model correctly predicted the observed fractionation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the oil slick resulting from evaporation and dissolution. This is the first report on the broad-spectrum compositional changes in oil during the first day of a spill at the sea surface. Expected outcomes under other environmental conditions are discussed, as well as comparisons to other models.

Brief Communication: Upper Air Relaxation in RACMO2 Significantly Improves Modelled Interannual Surface Mass Balance Variability in Antarctica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

van de Berg, W. J.; Medley, B.

2016-01-01

The Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO2) has been a powerful tool for improving surface mass balance (SMB) estimates from GCMs or reanalyses. However, new yearly SMB observations for West Antarctica show that the modelled interannual variability in SMB is poorly simulated by RACMO2, in contrast to ERA-Interim, which resolves this variability well. In an attempt to remedy RACMO2 performance, we included additional upper-air relaxation (UAR) in RACMO2. With UAR, the correlation to observations is similar for RACMO2 and ERA-Interim. The spatial SMB patterns and ice-sheet-integrated SMB modelled using UAR remain very similar to the estimates of RACMO2 without UAR. We only observe an upstream smoothing of precipitation in regions with very steep topography like the Antarctic Peninsula. We conclude that UAR is a useful improvement for regional climate model simulations, although results in regions with steep topography should be treated with care.

Determination of the top quark mass from leptonic observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frixione, Stefano; Mitov, Alexander

2014-09-01

We present a procedure for the determination of the mass of the top quark at the LHC based on leptonic observables in dilepton events. Our approach utilises the shapes of kinematic distributions through their few lowest Mellin moments; it is notable for its minimal sensitivity to the modelling of long-distance effects, for not requiring the reconstruction of top quarks, and for having a competitive precision, with theory errors on the extracted top mass of the order of 0.8 GeV. A novel aspect of our work is the study of theoretical biases that might influence in a dramatic way the determination of the top mass, and which are potentially relevant to all template-based methods. We propose a comprehensive strategy that helps minimise the impact of such biases, and leads to a reliable top mass extraction at hadron colliders.

Characterization of AIRS temperature and water vapor measurement capability using correlative observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fetzer, Eric J.; Eldering, Annmarie; Lee, Sung-Yung

2005-01-01

In this presentation we address several fundamental issues in the measurement of temperature and water vapor by AIRS: accuracy, precision, vertical resolution and biases as a function of cloud amount. We use two correlative data sources. First we compare AIRS total water vapor with that from the Advanced microwave Sounding Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) instrument, also onboard the Aqua spacecraft. AMSRE uses a mature methodology with a heritage including the operational Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) instruments. AIRS and AMSR-E observations are collocated and simultaneous, providing a very large data set for comparison: about 200,000 over-ocean matches daily. We show small cloud-dependent biases between AIRS and AMSR-E total water vapor for several oceanic regions. Our second correlative data source is several hundred dedicated radiosondes launched during AIRS overpasses.

Development of analysis of volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances in indoor air using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Yaoxing; Chang, Victor W-C

2012-05-18

The study attempts to utilize thermal desorption (TD) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for determination of indoor airborne volatile polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs), including four fluorinated alcohols (FTOHs), two fluorooctane sulfonamides (FOSAs), and two fluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols (FOSEs). Standard stainless steel tubes of Tenax/Carbograph 1 TD were employed for low-volume sampling and exhibited minimal breakthrough of target analytes in sample collection. The method recoveries were in the range of 88-119% for FTOHs, 86-138% for FOSAs, exhibiting significant improvement compared with other existing air sampling methods. However, the widely reported high method recoveries of FOSEs were also observed (139-210%), which was probably due to the structural differences between FOSEs and internal standards. Method detection limit, repeatability, linearity, and accuracy were reported as well. The approach has been successfully applied to routine quantification of targeted PFASs in indoor environment of Singapore. The significantly shorter sampling time enabled the observation of variations of concentrations of targeted PFASs within different periods of a day, with higher concentration levels at night while ventilation systems were shut off. This indicated the existence of indoor sources and the importance of building ventilation and air conditioning system. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerosol optical extinction during the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Éxperiment (FRAPPÉ) 2014 summertime field campaign, Colorado, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dingle, Justin H.; Vu, Kennedy; Bahreini, Roya; Apel, Eric C.; Campos, Teresa L.; Flocke, Frank; Fried, Alan; Herndon, Scott; Hills, Alan J.; Hornbrook, Rebecca S.; Huey, Greg; Kaser, Lisa; Montzka, Denise D.; Nowak, John B.; Reeves, Mike; Richter, Dirk; Roscioli, Joseph R.; Shertz, Stephen; Stell, Meghan; Tanner, David; Tyndall, Geoff; Walega, James; Weibring, Petter; Weinheimer, Andrew

2016-09-01

Summertime aerosol optical extinction (βext) was measured in the Colorado Front Range and Denver metropolitan area as part of the Front Range Air Pollution and Photochemistry Éxperiment (FRAPPÉ) campaign during July-August 2014. An Aerodyne cavity attenuated phase shift particle light extinction monitor (CAPS-PMex) was deployed to measure βext (at average relative humidity of 20 ± 7 %) of submicron aerosols at λ = 632 nm at 1 Hz. Data from a suite of gas-phase instrumentation were used to interpret βext behavior in various categories of air masses and sources. Extinction enhancement ratios relative to CO (Δβext / ΔCO) were higher in aged urban air masses compared to fresh air masses by ˜ 50 %. The resulting increase in Δβext / ΔCO for highly aged air masses was accompanied by formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). In addition, the impacts of aerosol composition on βext in air masses under the influence of urban, natural oil and gas operations (O&G), and agriculture and livestock operations were evaluated. Estimated non-refractory mass extinction efficiency (MEE) values for different air mass types ranged from 1.51 to 2.27 m2 g-1, with the minimum and maximum values observed in urban and agriculture-influenced air masses, respectively. The mass distribution for organic, nitrate, and sulfate aerosols presented distinct profiles in different air mass types. During 11-12 August, regional influence of a biomass burning event was observed, increasing the background βext and estimated MEE values in the Front Range.

Influence of air mass origin on aerosol properties at a remote Michigan forest site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanReken, T. M.; Mwaniki, G. R.; Wallace, H. W.; Pressley, S. N.; Erickson, M. H.; Jobson, B. T.; Lamb, B. K.

2015-04-01

The northern Great Lakes region of North America is a large, relatively pristine area. To date, there has only been limited study of the atmospheric aerosol in this region. During summer 2009, a detailed characterization of the atmospheric aerosol was conducted at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) as part of the Community Atmosphere-Biosphere Interactions Experiment (CABINEX). Measurements included particle size distribution, water-soluble composition, and CCN activity. Aerosol properties were strongly dependent on the origin of the air masses reaching the site. For ∼60% of the study period, air was transported from sparsely populated regions to the northwest. During these times aerosol loadings were low, with mean number and volume concentrations of 1630 cm-3 and 1.91 μm3 cm-3, respectively. The aerosol during clean periods was dominated by organics, and exhibited low hygroscopicities (mean κ = 0.18 at s = 0.3%). When air was from more populated regions to the east and south (∼29% of the time), aerosol properties reflected a stronger anthropogenic influence, with 85% greater particle number concentrations, 2.5 times greater aerosol volume, six times more sulfate mass, and increased hygroscopicity (mean к = 0.24 at s = 0.3%). These trends are have the potential to influence forest-atmosphere interactions and should be targeted for future study.

Influence of air mass origin on aerosol properties at a remote Michigan forest site

DOE PAGES

VanReken, T. M.; Mwaniki, G. R.; Wallace, H. W.; ...

2015-02-10

The northern Great Lakes region of North America is a large, relatively pristine area. To date, there has only been limited study of the atmospheric aerosol in this region. During summer 2009, a detailed characterization of the atmospheric aerosol was conducted at the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) as part of the Community Atmosphere–Biosphere Interactions Experiment (CABINEX). Measurements included particle size distribution, water-soluble composition, and CCN activity. Aerosol properties were strongly dependent on the origin of the air masses reaching the site. For ~60% of the study period, air was transported from sparsely populated regions to the northwest. Duringmore » these times aerosol loadings were low, with mean number and volume concentrations of 1630 cm -3 and 1.91 μm 3 cm -3, respectively. The aerosol during clean periods was dominated by organics, and exhibited low hygroscopicities (mean κ = 0.18 at s = 0.3%). When air was from more populated regions to the east and south (~29% of the time), aerosol properties reflected a stronger anthropogenic influence, with 85% greater particle number concentrations, 2.5 times greater aerosol volume, six times more sulfate mass, and increased hygroscopicity (mean к = 0.24 at s = 0.3%). Furthermore, these trends are have the potential to influence forest–atmosphere interactions and should be targeted for future study.« less

Condensation of atmospheric moisture from tropical maritime air masses as a freshwater resource.

PubMed

Gerard, R D; Worzel, J L

1967-09-15

A method is proposed whereby potable water may be obtained by condensing moisture from the atmosphere in suitable seashore or island areas. Deep, cold, offshore seawater is used as a source of cold and is pumped to condensers set up on shore to intercept the flow of highly humid, tropical, maritime air masses. This air, when cooled, condenses moisture, which is conducted away and stored for use as a water supply. Windmill-driven generators would supply low-cost power for the operation. Side benefits are derived by using the nutritious deep water to support aquiculture in nearby lagoons or to enhance the productivity of the outfall area. Additional benefits are derived from the condenser as an air-conditioning device for nearby residents. The islands of the Caribbean are used as an example of a location in the trade-winds belt where nearly optimum conditions for the operation of this system can be found.

Remote Mass Spectrometric Sampling of Electrospray- and Desorption Electrospray-Generated Ions Using an Air Ejector

PubMed Central

Dixon, R. Brent; Bereman, Michael S.; Muddiman, David C.; Hawkridge, Adam M.

2007-01-01

A commercial air ejector was coupled to an electrospray ionization linear ion trap mass spectrometer (LTQ) to transport remotely generated ions from both electrospray (ESI) and desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) sources. We demonstrate the remote analysis of a series of analyte ions that range from small molecules and polymers to polypeptides using the AE-LTQ interface. The details of the ESI-AE-LTQ and DESI-AE-LTQ experimental configurations are described and preliminary mass spectrometric data is presented. PMID:17716909

Direct observation of feedout-related areal mass oscillations in planar plastic targets.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aglitskiy, Y.; Metzler, N.; Velikovich, A. L.; Karasik, M.; Serlin, V.; Pawley, C.; Mostovych, A. N.; Schmitt, A. J.; Obenschain, S. P.; Gardner, J. H.

2001-10-01

"Feedout" means the transfer of mass perturbations from the rear to the front surface of a driven target. The oscillations are expected if the perturbation wavelength λ is not large compared to 2π L_s, where Ls is the shock-compressed target thickness. We report the first direct experimental observation of areal mass oscillation associated with feedout, followed by the onset of exponential RT growth. Our experiments were performed with the Nike KrF laser at irradiation 50 TW/cm^2. The mass redistribution in the target was observed with the aid of monochromatic x-ray imaging coupled to a streak camera. We used 40 to 60 μm thick CH targets rippled on the rear side with wavelengths of either 30 or 45 μm, the ratio 2π L_s/λ thus being close to 2. Two phase reversals of mass variation predicted by the theory and simulations were consistently observed both on the original images and on the time histories of Fourier amplitudes.

Air-mass flux measurement system using Doppler-shifted filtered Rayleigh scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shirley, John A.; Winter, Michael

1993-01-01

An optical system has been investigated to measure mass flux distributions in the inlet of a high speed air-breathing propulsion system. Rayleigh scattered light from air is proportional to the number density of molecules and hence can be used to ascertain the gas density in a calibrated system. Velocity field measurements are achieved by spectrally filtering the elastically-scattered Doppler-shifted light with an absorbing molecular filter. A novel anamorphic optical collection system is used which allows optical rays from different scattering angles, that have different Doppler shifts, to be recorded separately. This is shown to obviate the need to tune the laser through the absorption to determine velocities, while retaining the ability to make spatially-resolved measurements along a line. By properly selecting the laser tuning and filter parameters, simultaneous density measurements can be made. These properties are discussed in the paper and experiments demonstrating the velocimetry capability are described.

Chandra Observation of Polaris: Census of Low-Mass Companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Wolk, Scott; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Schlegel, Eric; Mason, Brian; Karovska, Margarita; Spitzbart, Bradley

2009-09-01

We have observed Polaris = HD 8890 with Chandra ACIS-I for 10 ksec and found an X-ray source at the location of the Cepheid Polaris A = Aa + Ab with log L_X = 28.89 ergs s^{-1} and a kT = 0.6 keV. Either the F7 Ib supergiant or the F6 V spectroscopic companion could produce a spectrum this soft. Polaris B is not an X-ray source, which is consistent with its early F spectral type. However, this shows that it does not itself have a lower mass companion. Two resolved low mass stars ``C and D" are not physical companions based on the lack of X-rays (indicating an older age than the Cepheid) and inconsistent motion. In addition, a possible more distant companion is identified, and also less plausible one. Thus, this observation provides a complete census of companions down to masses as small as an order of magnitude less than the Cepheid and nearly 15 mag fainter within the surrounding 0.1 pc.Funding for this work was provided by Chandra grant GO6-7011A Chandra X-ray Center NASA Contract NAS8-39073

Chandra Observation of Polaris: Census of Low-mass Companions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Nancy Remage; Guinan, Edward; Engle, Scott; Wolk, Scott J.; Schlegel, Eric; Mason, Brian D.; Karovska, Margarita; Spitzbart, Bradley

2010-05-01

We have observed Cepheid Polaris (α UMi A: F7 Ib [Aa] + F6 V [Ab]) with Chandra ACIS-I for 10 ks. An X-ray source was found at the location of Polaris with log LX = 28.89 erg s-1 (0.3-8 keV) and kT = 0.6 keV. A spectrum this soft could come from either the supergiant or the dwarf, as shown by comparable coronal stars. Two resolved low-mass visual companions, "C" and "D," are not physical members of the system based on the lack of X-rays (indicating an age older than the Cepheid) and inconsistent proper motions. Polaris B is not an X-ray source, consistent with its early F spectral type, and probably does not have a lower mass companion itself. A possible more distant member is identified, and an additional less plausible one. This provides a complete census of companions out to 0.1 pc covering a mass ratio range of an order of magnitude and a ΔV of nearly 15 mag. Based on observations made with the NASA Chandra Satellite.

Telescope Array UHECR composition measurement via stereoscopic fluorescence observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stroman, Thomas; Bergman, Douglas; Telescope Array Collaboration

2016-03-01

When entering Earth's atmosphere at ultra-high energies, cosmic rays (UHECRs) produce extensive air showers whose longitudinal development is influenced by the incident primary particle's mass. Each longitudinal shower profile reaches its maximum particle count at an atmospheric slant depth Xmax, and the distributions of observed Xmax values can be compared to those predicted by detailed simulations of the air-shower physics and the detector; accurately simulated compositions that most closely resemble that found in nature will produce the best agreement between predicted and observed Xmax distributions. This is the basis of composition measurement at the Telescope Array experiment, the largest and most sensitive UHECR detector in the northern hemisphere. At the perimeter of a large surface-detector array are three fluorescence telescope stations, whose overlapping apertures enable high-precision reconstruction of Xmax from stereoscopic observation of air-shower longitudinal profiles. We present the distribution of Xmax observed during eight years of operation, and from comparisons with several simulated combinations of composition and high-energy hadronic physics, we show that a low primary mass is favored at E >10 18 . 2 eV.

Characterization of VOC Sources during the Texas Air Quality Study 2000 Using Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karl, T.; Jobson, T.; William, K.; Williams, E.; Stutz, J.; Goldan, P.; Fall, R.; Fehsenfeld, F.; Lindinger, W.

2002-12-01

We used Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS) for continuous real-time monitoring of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at a site near the Houston Ship Channel during the Texas Air Quality Study 2000. Anthropogenic aromatics, alkenes, methanol, acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acetone/propanal, a C7-Ketone, HCN and acrylonitrile were the most prominent compounds observed. Propene was the most abundant light-weight hydrocarbon detected by this technique, and was highly correlated with its oxidation products, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, with typical propene-acetaldehyde ratios close to 1 in propene-dominated plumes. In the case of aromatic species the high time resolution of the obtained dataset helped in identifying different anthropogenic sources (e.g. industrial from urban emissions) and testing current emission inventories. In addition, a comparison with results from complimentary techniques (gas chromatography, differential optical absorption spectroscopy) was used to assess the selectivity of this on-line technique in a complex urban and industrial VOC matrix and give an interpretation of mass scans obtained by `soft' chemical ionization using proton-transfer via H3O+.

Mass and heat transfer model of Tubular Solar Still

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahsan, Amimul; Fukuhara, Teruyuki

2010-07-15

In this paper, a new mass and heat transfer model of a Tubular Solar Still (TSS) was proposed incorporating various mass and heat transfer coefficients taking account of the humid air properties inside the still. The heat balance of the humid air and the mass balance of the water vapor in the humid air were formulized for the first time. As a result, the proposed model enabled to calculate the diurnal variations of the temperature, water vapor density and relative humidity of the humid air, and to predict the hourly condensation flux besides the temperatures of the water, cover andmore » trough, and the hourly evaporation flux. The validity of the proposed model was verified using the field experimental results carried out in Fukui, Japan and Muscat, Oman in 2008. The diurnal variations of the calculated temperatures and water vapor densities had a good agreement with the observed ones. Furthermore, the proposed model can predict the daily and hourly production flux precisely. (author)« less

Air Twitter: Mashing Crowdsourced Air Quality Event Identification with Scientific Earth Observations (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, E. M.

2010-12-01

, which allows time series of the number of tweets hourly and daily. Monitoring the time series AQ events are identified from the background chatter about air quality. As the events are identified, collaborative, EventSpaces (Robinson, 2008) are created using the ESIP wiki to collect and merge social and scientific information about the event. The EventSpaces are monitored using Google Analytics. During the August California Fires the traffic increased five-fold to the ESIP wiki. Furthermore, the increase in traffic was entirely due to views of the SoCal FireEventSpace. A top driver to the site was through tweeting the link to the EventSpace and having that link re-tweeted by others like the LA Times. An interesting an unexpected observation, was that most of the increased traffic was coming from Southern California. So the right people were finding the right information at the right time. The overall benefit of using the online community as an AQ event indicator, allows specific effort to be made for initial documentation of air quality events and the result is a catalog of events with some sparse analysis that can be followed-up.

Estimation of whole lemon mass transfer parameters during hot air drying using different modelling methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torki-Harchegani, Mehdi; Ghanbarian, Davoud; Sadeghi, Morteza

2015-08-01

To design new dryers or improve existing drying equipments, accurate values of mass transfer parameters is of great importance. In this study, an experimental and theoretical investigation of drying whole lemons was carried out. The whole lemons were dried in a convective hot air dryer at different air temperatures (50, 60 and 75 °C) and a constant air velocity (1 m s-1). In theoretical consideration, three moisture transfer models including Dincer and Dost model, Bi- G correlation approach and conventional solution of Fick's second law of diffusion were used to determine moisture transfer parameters and predict dimensionless moisture content curves. The predicted results were then compared with the experimental data and the higher degree of prediction accuracy was achieved by the Dincer and Dost model.

In-Line Ozonation for Sensitive Air-Monitoring of a Mustard-Gas Simulant by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okumura, Akihiko

2015-09-01

A highly sensitive method for real-time air-monitoring of mustard gas (bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, HD), which is a lethal blister agent, is proposed. Humidified air containing a HD simulant, 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (2CEES), was mixed with ozone and then analyzed by using an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap tandem mass spectrometer. Mass-spectral ion peaks attributable to protonated molecules of intact, monooxygenated, and dioxygenated 2CEES (MH+, MOH+, and MO2H+, respectively) were observed. As ozone concentration was increased from zero to 30 ppm, the signal intensity of MH+ sharply decreased, that of MOH+ increased once and then decreased, and that of MO2H+ sharply increased until reaching a plateau. The signal intensity of MO2H+ at the plateau was 40 times higher than that of MH+ and 100 times higher than that of MOH+ in the case without in-line ozonation. Twenty-ppm ozone gas was adequate to give a linear calibration curve for 2CEES obtained by detecting the MO2H+ signal in the concentration range up to 60 μg/m3, which is high enough for hygiene management. In the low concentration range lower than 3 μg/m3, which is equal to the short-term exposure limit for HD, calibration plots unexpectedly fell off the linear calibration curve, but 0.6-μg/m3 vapor was actually detected with the signal-to-noise ratio of nine. Ozone was generated from instrumentation air by using a simple and inexpensive home-made generator. 2CEES was ozonated in 1-m extended sampling tube in only 1 s.

Dust density and mass distribution near comet Halley from Giotto observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcdonnell, J. A. M.; Alexander, W. M.; Burton, W. M.; Bussoletti, E.; Clark, D. H.; Grard, J. L.; Gruen, E.; Hanner, M. S.; Sekanina, Z.; Hughes, D. W.

1986-01-01

The density and the mass spectrum of the dust near comet Halley have been measured by the Giotto space probe's dust impact detection system. The dust spectrum obtained at 291,000 km from the comet nucleus show depletion in small and intermediate masses; at about 600 km from the nucleus, however, the dust activity rises and the spectrum is dominated by larger masses. Most of the mass striking Giotto is noted to reside in the few large particles penetrating the dust shield. Momentum balances and energy considerations applied to an observed deceleration suggest that a large mass of the spacecraft was detached by an impact.

Toward a better understanding of the impact of mass transit air pollutants on human health

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Modern mass transit systems, based on roads, rail, water, and air, generate toxic airborne pollutants throughout the developed world. This has become one of the leading concerns about the use of modern transportation, particularly in densely-populated urban areas where their use is enormous and inc...

Characterization of ion processes in a GC/DMS air quality monitor by integration of the instrument to a mass spectrometer.

PubMed

Limero, T F; Nazarov, E G; Menlyadiev, M; Eiceman, G A

2015-02-07

The air quality monitor (AQM), which included a portable gas chromatograph (GC) and a detector was interfaced to a mass spectrometer (MS) by introducing flow from the GC detector to the atmospheric pressure ion source of the MS. This small GC system, with a gas recirculation loop for carrier and detector make-up gases, comprised an inlet to preconcentrate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air, a thermal desorber before the GC column, a differential mobility spectrometer (DMS), and another DMS as an atmospheric pressure ionization source for the MS. Return flow to the internally recirculated air system of the AQM's DMS was replenished using purified air. Although ions and unreacted neutral vapors flowed from the detector through Viton® tubing into the source of the MS, ions were not detected in the MS without the auxillary ion source, (63)Ni as in the mobility detector. The GC-DMS-MS instrument provided a 3-D measurement platform (GC, DMS, and MS analysis) to explore the gas composition inside the GC-DMS recirculation loop and provide DMS-MS measurement of the components of a complex VOC mixture with performance significantly enhanced by mass-analysis, either with mass spectral scans or with an extracted ion chromatogram. This combination of a mobility spectrometer and a mass spectrometer was possible as vapors and ions are carried together through the DMS analyzer, thereby preserving the chromatographic separation efficiency. The critical benefit of this instrument concept is that all flows in and through the thoroughly integrated GC-DMS analyzer are kept intact allowing a full measure of the ion and vapor composition in the complete system. Performance has been evaluated using a synthetic air sample and a sample of airborne vapors in a laboratory. Capabilities and performance values are described using results from AQM-MS analysis of purified air, ambient air from a research laboratory in a chemistry building, and a sample of synthetic air of known composition

The Influence of African Dust on Air Quality in the Caribbean Basin: An Integrated Analysis of Satellite Retrievals, Ground Observations, and Model Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, H.; Prospero, J. M.; Chin, M.; Randles, C. A.; da Silva, A.; Bian, H.

2015-12-01

Long-term surface measurements in several locations extending from northeastern coast of South America to Miami in Florida have shown that African dust arrives in the Greater Caribbean Basin throughout a year. This long-range transported dust frequently elevates the level of particulate matter (PM) above the WHO guideline for PM10, which raises a concern of possible adverse impact of African dust on human health in the region. There is also concern about how future climate change might affect dust transport and its influence on regional air quality. In this presentation we provide a comprehensive characterization of the influence of African dust on air quality in the Caribbean Basin via integrating the ground observations with satellite retrievals and model simulations. The ground observations are used to validate and evaluate satellite retrievals and model simulations of dust, while satellite measurements and model simulations are used to extend spatial coverage of the ground observations. An analysis of CALIPSO lidar measurements of three-dimensional distribution of aerosols over 2007-2014 yields altitude-resolved dust mass flux into the region. On a basis of 8-year average and integration over the latitude zone of 0°-30°N, a total of 76 Tg dust is imported to the air above the Greater Caribbean Basin, of which 34 Tg (or 45%) is within the lowest 1 km layer and most relevant to air quality concern. The seasonal and interannual variations of the dust import are well correlated with ground observations of dust in Cayenne, Barbados, Puerto Rico, and Miami. We will also show comparisons of the size-resolved dust amount from both NASA GEOS-5 aerosol simulation and MERRA-2 aerosol reanalysis (i.e., column aerosol loading being constrained by satellite measurements of radiance at the top of atmosphere) with the ground observations and satellite measurement.

AirNow Information Management System - Global Earth Observation System of Systems Data Processor for Real-Time Air Quality Data Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haderman, M.; Dye, T. S.; White, J. E.; Dickerson, P.; Pasch, A. N.; Miller, D. S.; Chan, A. C.

2012-12-01

Built upon the success of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) AirNow program (www.AirNow.gov), the AirNow-International (AirNow-I) system contains an enhanced suite of software programs that process and quality control real-time air quality and environmental data and distribute customized maps, files, and data feeds. The goals of the AirNow-I program are similar to those of the successful U.S. program and include fostering the exchange of environmental data; making advances in air quality knowledge and applications; and building a community of people, organizations, and decision makers in environmental management. In 2010, Shanghai became the first city in China to run this state-of-the-art air quality data management and notification system. AirNow-I consists of a suite of modules (software programs and schedulers) centered on a database. One such module is the Information Management System (IMS), which can automatically produce maps and other data products through the use of GIS software to provide the most current air quality information to the public. Developed with Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) interoperability in mind, IMS is based on non-proprietary standards, with preference to formal international standards. The system depends on data and information providers accepting and implementing a set of interoperability arrangements, including technical specifications for collecting, processing, storing, and disseminating shared data, metadata, and products. In particular, the specifications include standards for service-oriented architecture and web-based interfaces, such as a web mapping service (WMS), web coverage service (WCS), web feature service (WFS), sensor web services, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. IMS is flexible, open, redundant, and modular. It also allows the merging of data grids to create complex grids that show comprehensive air quality conditions. For example, the AirNow Satellite Data Processor

Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons - gas-particle partitioning, mass size distribution, and formation along transport in marine and continental background air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lammel, Gerhard; Mulder, Marie D.; Shahpoury, Pourya; Kukučka, Petr; Lišková, Hana; Přibylová, Petra; Prokeš, Roman; Wotawa, Gerhard

2017-05-01

Nitro-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (NPAH) are ubiquitous in polluted air but little is known about their abundance in background air. NPAHs were studied at one marine and one continental background site, i.e. a coastal site in the southern Aegean Sea (summer 2012) and a site in the central Great Hungarian Plain (summer 2013), together with the parent compounds, PAHs. A Lagrangian particle dispersion model was used to track air mass history. Based on Lagrangian particle statistics, the urban influence on samples was quantified for the first time as a fractional dose to which the collected volume of air had been exposed. At the remote marine site, the 3-4-ring NPAH (sum of 11 targeted species) concentration was 23.7 pg m-3 while the concentration of 4-ring PAHs (6 species) was 426 pg m-3. The most abundant NPAHs were 2-nitrofluoranthene (2NFLT) and 3-nitrophenanthrene. Urban fractional doses in the range of < 0.002-5.4 % were calculated. At the continental site, the Σ11 3-4-ring NPAH and Σ6 4-ring PAH were 58 and 663 pg m-3, respectively, with 9-nitroanthracene and 2NFLT being the most concentrated amongst the targeted NPAHs. The NPAH levels observed in the marine background air are the lowest ever reported and remarkably lower, by more than 1 order of magnitude, than 1 decade before. Day-night variation of NPAHs at the continental site reflected shorter lifetime during the day, possibly because of photolysis of some NPAHs. The yields of formation of 2NFLT and 2-nitropyrene (2NPYR) in marine air seem to be close to the yields for OH-initiated photochemistry observed in laboratory experiments under high NOx conditions. Good agreement is found for the prediction of NPAH gas-particle partitioning using a multi-phase poly-parameter linear free-energy relationship. Sorption to soot is found to be less significant for gas-particle partitioning of NPAHs than for PAHs. The NPAH levels determined in the south-eastern outflow of Europe confirm intercontinental transport

Speeds of coronal mass ejections: SMM observations from 1980 and 1984-1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hundhausen, A. J.; Burkepile, J. T.; St. Cyr, O. C.

1994-01-01

The speeds of 936 features in 673 coronal mass ejections have been determined from trajectories observed with the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) coronagraph in 1980 and 1984 to 1989. The distribution of observed speeds has a range (from 5th to 95th percentile) of 35 to 911 km/s; the average and median speeds are 349 and 285 km/s. The speed distributions of some selected classes of mass ejections are significantly different. For example, the speeds of 331 'outer loops' range from 80 to 1042 km/s; the average and median speeds for this class of ejections are 445 and 372 km/s. The speed distributions from each year of SMM observations show significant changes, with the annual average speeds varying from 157 (1984) to 458 km/s (1985). These variations are not simply related to the solar activity cycle; the annual averages from years near the sunspot maxima and minimum are not significantly different. The widths, latitudes, and speeds of mass ejections determined from the SMM observations are only weakly correlated. In particular, mass ejection speeds vary only slightly with the heliographic latitudes of the ejection. High-latitude ejections, which occur well poleward of the active latitudes, have speeds similar to active latitude ejections.

SETI Observations of Low Mass Stars at the SETI Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harp, Gerald R.

2017-05-01

Are planets orbiting low-mass stars suitable for the development of life? Observations in the near future, including radio, will help to assess whether atmospheres do persist over long timescales for planets orbiting nearby M dwarfs, and clarify the nature of the radiation that penetrates to the surface of these planets. These are important ingredients for assessing planetary habitability, yet the question of habitability can be answered only with the positive measurement of an unambiguous biosignature. Radio and optical SETI observations capable of detecting technological activities of intelligent inhabitants could provide the most compelling evidence for the habitability of exoplanets orbiting M dwarfs. In this presentation we shall consider what information can be gleaned from our observations so far. The SETI Institute is currently undertaking a large survey of 20,000 low mass stars that is now about 30% complete. The frequency coverage on each star is about 450 MHz bandwidth (per star) over a range of selected frequencies from 1-10 GHz. From these observations we derive quantitative results relating to the probability that M dwarfs are actually inhabited.

Toward a better understanding of the impact of mass transit air pollutants on human health.

PubMed

Kim, Ki-Hyun; Kumar, Pawan; Szulejko, Jan E; Adelodun, Adedeji A; Junaid, Muhammad Faisal; Uchimiya, Minori; Chambers, Scott

2017-05-01

Globally, modern mass transport systems whether by road, rail, water, or air generate airborne pollutants in both developing and developed nations. Air pollution is the primary human health concern originating from modern transportation, particularly in densely-populated urban areas. This review will specifically focus on the origin and the health impacts of carbonaceous traffic-related air pollutants (TRAP), including particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and elemental carbon (EC). We conclude that the greatest current challenge regarding urban TRAP is understanding and evaluating the human health impacts well enough to set appropriate pollution control measures. Furthermore, we provide a detailed discussion regarding the effects of TRAP on local environments and pedestrian health in low and high traffic-density environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural analysis of aerosol particles by microscopic observation using a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takami, Akinori; Mayama, Norihito; Sakamoto, Tetsuo; Ohishi, Kenji; Irei, Satoshi; Yoshino, Ayako; Hatakeyama, Shiro; Murano, Kentaro; Sadanaga, Yasuhiro; Bandow, Hiroshi; Misawa, Kentaro; Fujii, Masaaki

2013-06-01

The chemical composition and structure of fine aerosol particles with diameters of less than 1 µm were analyzed in the spring of 2011 at Fukue Island, Japan, using an aerosol quadrupole mass spectrometer (Q-AMS, Aerodyne Research, Inc.) and a time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (TOF-SIMS). The Q-AMS results were similar to those of previous studies conducted at the same location, suggesting that the composition we observed is typical of this site. Based on the TOF-SIMS results, we classified the fine aerosol particles into three types: Type A, in which sulfate was covered with organic matter (OM); Type B, in which soil-containing particles with a diameter of 0.5 µm were associated with sulfate and OM; and Type C, in which black carbon (BC) and sulfate aggregates were associated with OM. During the observation period, the relative abundances of Type A, B, and C particles were 55%, 20%, and 25%, respectively. The structure, chemical composition, and the proportion of each type of particles provide information for a more representative particle model in radiative models. The relative abundance of Type C, i.e., BC-containing particles, is quite different to that in Tokyo, suggesting that Type C could be an indicator of transboundary air pollution, in this case from mainland China.

Simultaneous assimilation of AIRS Xco2 and meteorological observations in a carbon climate model with an ensemble Kalman filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Junjie; Fung, Inez; Kalnay, Eugenia; Kang, Ji-Sun; Olsen, Edward T.; Chen, Luke

2012-03-01

This study is our first step toward the generation of 6 hourly 3-D CO2 fields that can be used to validate CO2 forecast models by combining CO2 observations from multiple sources using ensemble Kalman filtering. We discuss a procedure to assimilate Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) column-averaged dry-air mole fraction of CO2 (Xco2) in conjunction with meteorological observations with the coupled Local Ensemble Transform Kalman Filter (LETKF)-Community Atmospheric Model version 3.5. We examine the impact of assimilating AIRS Xco2 observations on CO2 fields by comparing the results from the AIRS-run, which assimilates both AIRS Xco2 and meteorological observations, to those from the meteor-run, which only assimilates meteorological observations. We find that assimilating AIRS Xco2 results in a surface CO2 seasonal cycle and the N-S surface gradient closer to the observations. When taking account of the CO2 uncertainty estimation from the LETKF, the CO2 analysis brackets the observed seasonal cycle. Verification against independent aircraft observations shows that assimilating AIRS Xco2 improves the accuracy of the CO2 vertical profiles by about 0.5-2 ppm depending on location and altitude. The results show that the CO2 analysis ensemble spread at AIRS Xco2 space is between 0.5 and 2 ppm, and the CO2 analysis ensemble spread around the peak level of the averaging kernels is between 1 and 2 ppm. This uncertainty estimation is consistent with the magnitude of the CO2 analysis error verified against AIRS Xco2 observations and the independent aircraft CO2 vertical profiles.

Development of a particle-trap preconcentration-soft ionization mass spectrometric technique for the quantification of mercury halides in air.

PubMed

Deeds, Daniel A; Ghoshdastidar, Avik; Raofie, Farhad; Guérette, Élise-Andrée; Tessier, Alain; Ariya, Parisa A

2015-01-01

Measurement of oxidized mercury, Hg(II), in the atmosphere poses a significant analytical challenge as Hg(II) is present at ultra-trace concentrations (picograms per cubic meter air). Current technologies are sufficiently sensitive to measure the total Hg present as Hg(II) but cannot determine the chemical speciation of Hg(II). We detail here the development of a soft ionization mass spectrometric technique coupled with preconcentration onto nano- or microparticle-based traps prior to analysis for the measurement of mercury halides in air. The current methodology has comparable detection limits (4-11 pg m(-3)) to previously developed techniques for the measurement of total inorganic mercury in air while allowing for the identification of HgX2 in collected samples. Both mercury chloride and mercury bromide have been sporadically detected in Montreal urban and indoor air using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). We discuss limitations and advantages of the current technique and discuss potential avenues for future research including quantitative trace measurements of a larger range of mercury compounds.

Characterising fifteen years of continuous atmospheric radon activity observations at Cape Point (South Africa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botha, R.; Labuschagne, C.; Williams, A. G.; Bosman, G.; Brunke, E.-G.; Rossouw, A.; Lindsay, R.

2018-03-01

This paper describes and discusses fifteen years (1999-2013) of continuous hourly atmospheric radon (222Rn) monitoring at the coastal low-altitude Southern Hemisphere Cape Point Station in South Africa. A strong seasonal cycle is evident in the observed radon concentrations, with maxima during the winter months, when air masses arriving at the Cape Point station from over the African continental surface are more frequently observed, and minima during the summer months, when an oceanic fetch is predominant. An atmospheric mean radon activity concentration of 676 ± 2 mBq/m3 is found over the 15-year record, having a strongly skewed distribution that exhibits a large number of events falling into a compact range of low values (corresponding to oceanic air masses), and a smaller number of events with high radon values spread over a wide range (corresponding to continental air masses). The mean radon concentration from continental air masses (1 004 ± 6 mBq/m3) is about two times higher compared to oceanic air masses (479 ± 3 mBq/m3). The number of atmospheric radon events observed is strongly dependent on the wind direction. A power spectral Fast Fourier Transform analysis of the 15-year radon time series reveals prominent peaks at semi-diurnal, diurnal and annual timescales. Two inter-annual radon periodicities have been established, the diurnal 0.98 ± 0.04 day-1 and half-diurnal 2.07 ± 0.15 day-1. The annual peak reflects major seasonal changes in the patterns of offshore versus onshore flow associated with regional/hemispheric circulation patterns, whereas the diurnal and semi-diurnal peaks together reflect the influence of local nocturnal radon build-up over land, and the interplay between mesoscale sea/land breezes. The winter-time diurnal radon concentration had a significant decrease of about 200 mBq/m3 (17%) while the summer-time diurnal radon concentration revealed nearly no changes. A slow decline in the higher radon percentiles (75th and 95th) for the

Optimal Asteroid Mass Determination from Planetary Range Observations: A Study of a Simplified Test Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuchynka, P.; Laskar, J.; Fienga, A.

2011-01-01

Mars ranging observations are available over the past 10 years with an accuracy of a few meters. Such precise measurements of the Earth-Mars distance provide valuable constraints on the masses of the asteroids perturbing both planets. Today more than 30 asteroid masses have thus been estimated from planetary ranging data (see [1] and [2]). Obtaining unbiased mass estimations is nevertheless difficult. Various systematic errors can be introduced by imperfect reduction of spacecraft tracking observations to planetary ranging data. The large number of asteroids and the limited a priori knowledge of their masses is also an obstacle for parameter selection. Fitting in a model a mass of a negligible perturber, or on the contrary omitting a significant perturber, will induce important bias in determined asteroid masses. In this communication, we investigate a simplified version of the mass determination problem. Instead of planetary ranging observations from spacecraft or radar data, we consider synthetic ranging observations generated with the INPOP [2] ephemeris for a test model containing 25000 asteroids. We then suggest a method for optimal parameter selection and estimation in this simplified framework.

Seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter of bulk deposition at a coastal town in south-western Europe.

PubMed

Santos, Patrícia S M; Santos, Eduarda B H; Duarte, Armando C

2013-01-01

Rainwater contains a complex mixture of organic compounds which may influence climate, terrestrial and maritime ecosystems and thus human health. In this work, the characteristics of DOM of bulk deposition at a coastal town on the southwest of Europe were assessed by UV-visible and three-dimensional excitation-emission matrix fluorescence spectroscopies and by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. The seasonal and air mass trajectory effects on dissolved organic matter (DOM) of bulk deposition were evaluated. The absorbance at 250 nm (UV(250 nm)) and integrated fluorescence showed to be positively correlated with each other, and they were also positively correlated to the DOC in bulk deposition, which suggest that a constant fraction of DOM is likely to fluoresce. There was more chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) present in summer and autumn seasons than in winter and spring. Bulk deposition associated with terrestrial air masses contained a higher CDOM content than bulk deposition related to marine air masses, thus highlighting the contribution of terrestrial/anthropogenic sources.

New Directions: Questions surrounding suspended particle mass used as a surrogate for air quality and for regulatory control of ambient urban air pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoare, John L.

2014-07-01

The original choice of particulate matter mass (PM) as a realistic surrogate for gross air pollution has gradually evolved into routine use nowadays of epidemiologically-based estimates of the monetary and other benefits expected from regulating urban air quality. Unfortunately, the statistical associations facilitating such calculations usually are based on single indices of air pollution whereas the health effects themselves are more broadly based causally. For this and other reasons the economic benefits of control tend to be exaggerated. Primarily because of their assumed inherently inferior respirability, particles ≥10 μm are generally excluded from such considerations. Where the particles themselves are chemically heterogeneous, as in an urban context, this may be inappropriate. Clearly all air-borne particles, whether coarse or fine, are susceptible to inhalation. Hence, the possibility exists for any adhering potentially harmful semi-volatile substances to be subsequently de-sorbed in vivo thereby facilitating their transport deeper into the lungs. Consequently, this alone may be a sufficient reason for including rather than rejecting during air quality monitoring the relatively coarse 10-100 μm particle fraction, ideally in conjunction with routine estimation of the gaseous co-pollutants thereby facilitating a multi-pollutant approach apropos regulation.

High-Altitude Air Mass Zero Calibration of Solar Cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodyard, James R.; Snyder, David B.

2005-01-01

Air mass zero calibration of solar cells has been carried out for several years by NASA Glenn Research Center using a Lear-25 aircraft and Langley plots. The calibration flights are carried out during early fall and late winter when the tropopause is at the lowest altitude. Measurements are made starting at about 50,000 feet and continue down to the tropopause. A joint NASA/Wayne State University program called Suntracker is underway to explore the use of weather balloon and communication technologies to characterize solar cells at elevations up to about 100 kft. The balloon flights are low-cost and can be carried out any time of the year. AMO solar cell characterization employing the mountaintop, aircraft and balloon methods are reviewed. Results of cell characterization with the Suntracker are reported and compared with the NASA Glenn Research Center aircraft method.

Observational Studies of Parameters Influencing Air-sea Gas Exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schimpf, U.; Frew, N. M.; Bock, E. J.; Hara, T.; Garbe, C. S.; Jaehne, B.

A physically-based modeling of the air-sea gas transfer that can be used to predict the gas transfer rates with sufficient accuracy as a function of micrometeorological parameters is still lacking. State of the art are still simple gas transfer rate/wind speed relationships. Previous measurements from Coastal Ocean Experiment in the Atlantic revealed positive correlations between mean square slope, near surface turbulent dis- sipation, and wind stress. It also demonstrated a strong negative correlation between mean square slope and the fluorescence of surface-enriched colored dissolved organic matter. Using heat as a proxy tracer for gases the exchange process at the air/water interface and the micro turbulence at the water surface can be investigated. The anal- ysis of infrared image sequences allow the determination of the net heat flux at the ocean surface, the temperature gradient across the air/sea interface and thus the heat transfer velocity and gas transfer velocity respectively. Laboratory studies were carried out in the new Heidelberg wind-wave facility AELOTRON. Direct measurements of the Schmidt number exponent were done in conjunction with classical mass balance methods to estimate the transfer velocity. The laboratory results allowed to validate the basic assumptions of the so called controlled flux technique by applying differ- ent tracers for the gas exchange in a large Schmidt number regime. Thus a modeling of the Schmidt number exponent is able to fill the gap between laboratory and field measurements field. Both, the results from the laboratory and the field measurements should be able to give a further understanding of the mechanisms controlling the trans- port processes across the aqueous boundary layer and to relate the forcing functions to parameters measured by remote sensing.

Studies of Arctic Tropospheric Ozone Depletion Events Through Buoy-Borne Observations and Laboratory Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halfacre, John W.

The photochemically-induced destruction of ground-level Arctic ozone in the Arctic occurs at the onset of spring, in concert with polar sunrise. Solar radiation is believed to stimulate a series of reactions that cause the production and release of molecular halogens from frozen, salty surfaces, though this mechanism is not yet well understood. The subsequent photolysis of molecular halogens produces reactive halogen atoms that remove ozone from the atmosphere in these so-called "Ozone Depletion Events" (ODEs). Given that much of the Arctic region is sunlit, meteorologically stable, and covered by saline ice and snow, it is expected that ODEs could be a phenomenon that occurs across the entire Arctic region. Indeed, an ever-growing body of evidence from coastal sites indicates that Arctic air masses devoid of O3 most often pass over sea ice-covered regions before arriving at an observation site, suggesting ODE chemistry occurs upwind over the frozen Arctic Ocean. However, outside of coastal observations, there exist very few long-term observations from the Arctic Ocean from which quantitative assessments of basic ODE characteristics can be made. This work presents the interpretation of ODEs through unique chemical and meteorological observations from several ice-tethered buoys deployed around the Arctic Ocean. These observations include detection of ozone, bromine monoxide, and measurements of temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, and wind direction. To assess whether the O-Buoys were observing locally based depletion chemistry or the transport of ozone-poor air masses, periods of ozone decay were interpreted based on current understanding of ozone depletion kinetics, which are believed to follow a pseudo-first order rate law. In addition, the spatial extents of ODEs were estimated using air mass trajectory modeling to assess whether they are a localized or synoptic phenomenon. Results indicate that current understanding of the

Air-sea heat flux control on the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass intensity and implications for its prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Junying; Shi, Jie; Guo, Xinyu; Gao, Huiwang; Yao, Xiaohong

2018-01-01

The Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM), which occurs during summer in the central Yellow Sea, plays an important role in the hydrodynamic field, nutrient cycle and biological species. Based on water temperature observations during the summer from 1978 to 1998 in the western Yellow Sea, five specific YSCWM years were identified, including two strong years (1984 and 1985), two weak years (1989 and 1995) and one normal year (1992). Using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, the YSCWM formation processes in these five years were simulated and compared with observations. In general, the YSCWM began forming in spring, matured in summer and gradually disappeared in autumn of every year. The 8 °C isotherm was used to indicate the YSCWM boundary. The modelled YSCWM areas in the two strong years were approximately two times larger than those in the two weak years. Based on the simulations in the weak year of 1995, ten numerical experiments were performed to quantify the key factors influencing the YSCWM intensity by changing the initial water condition in the previous autumn, air-sea heat flux, wind, evaporation, precipitation and sea level pressure to those in the strong year of 1984, respectively. The results showed that the air-sea heat flux was the dominant factor influencing the YSCWM intensity, which contributed about 80% of the differences of the YSCWM average water temperature at a depth of 50 m. In addition, the air-sea heat flux in the previous winter had a determining effect, contributing more than 50% of the differences between the strong and weak YSCWM years. Finally, a simple formula for predicting the YSCWM intensity was established by using the key influencing factors, i.e., the sea surface temperature before the cooling season and the air-sea heat flux during the cooling season from the previous December to the current February. With this formula, instead of a complicated numerical model, we were able to roughly predict the YSCWM intensity for the

A Multiplatform Observations of Air Quality in Korea as the Pre-campaign of Korea and US Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) Study.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, J. H.; Hong, J.; Hong, Y.; Song, C. K.; Kim, S. K.; Chang, L. S.; Lim, J.; Ahn, J.; Kim, J. Y.; Han, Y. J.; Kim, J.; Park, R.; Lee, G.; Park, J.

2015-12-01

Despite the Korea government's efforts to regulate air pollutant emission for attaining the national air quality standard, current serious dust events and high ozone episodes in summer time remain important societal issues in Korea. In order to make effective policy for air quality attainment, it is contingent upon a thorough understanding of chemical production/loss mechanism of air pollutants and their precursors which drive air quality such as nitrogen oxides (NOX), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and oxidants (e.g. OH, HO2, RO, RO2, etc.). At present, policy development is constrained by a lack of data for broad suite of chemical species which significantly affect on air quality.During 4 weeks between May and June 2013, the pre-campaign for the Korea and U.S. Air Quality (KORUS-AQ) study took place in multiplatform including fifteen ground sites, one mobile laboratory, and one small air crafts. An integrated research activity covering field observations, chemical transport models, and remote sensing has been intensively conducted. This study was focused on studying photochemistry and nighttime chemistry in urban area and transboundary transport of air pollutants from upwind. Scientific overview and outcomes from the campaign will be presented.

Mass casualty tracking with air traffic control methodologies.

PubMed

Hoskins, Jason D; Graham, Ross F; Robinson, Duane R; Lutz, Clifford C; Folio, Les R

2009-06-01

An intrahospital casualty throughput system modeled after air traffic control (ATC) tracking procedures was tested in mass casualty exercises. ATC uses a simple tactile process involving informational progress strips representing each aircraft, which are held in bays representing each stage of flight to prioritize and manage aircraft. These strips can be reordered within the bays to indicate a change in priority of aircraft sequence. In this study, a similar system was designed for patient tracking. We compared the ATC model and traditional casualty tracking methods of paper and clipboard in 18 four-hour casualty scenarios, each with 5 to 30 mock casualties. The experimental and control groups were alternated to maximize exposure and minimize training effects. Results were analyzed with Mann-Whitney statistical analysis with p value < 0.05 (two-sided). The ATC method had significantly (p = 0.017) fewer errors in critical patient data (eg, name, social security number, diagnosis). Specifically, the ATC method better tracked the mechanism of injury, working diagnosis, and disposition of patients. The ATC method also performed considerably better with patient accountability during mass casualty scenarios. Data strips were comparable with the control method in terms of ease of use. In addition, participants preferred the ATC method to the control (p = 0.003) and preferred using the ATC method (p = 0.003) to traditional methods in the future. The ATC model more effectively tracked patient data with fewer errors when compared with the clipboard method. Application of these principles can enhance trauma management and can have application in civilian and military trauma centers and emergency rooms.

Smooth information flow in temperature climate network reflects mass transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hlinka, Jaroslav; Jajcay, Nikola; Hartman, David; Paluš, Milan

2017-03-01

A directed climate network is constructed by Granger causality analysis of air temperature time series from a regular grid covering the whole Earth. Using winner-takes-all network thresholding approach, a structure of a smooth information flow is revealed, hidden to previous studies. The relevance of this observation is confirmed by comparison with the air mass transfer defined by the wind field. Their close relation illustrates that although the information transferred due to the causal influence is not a physical quantity, the information transfer is tied to the transfer of mass and energy.

The minimum mass of detectable planets in protoplanetary discs and the derivation of planetary masses from high-resolution observations.

PubMed

Rosotti, Giovanni P; Juhasz, Attila; Booth, Richard A; Clarke, Cathie J

2016-07-01

We investigate the minimum planet mass that produces observable signatures in infrared scattered light and submillimetre (submm) continuum images and demonstrate how these images can be used to measure planet masses to within a factor of about 2. To this end, we perform multi-fluid gas and dust simulations of discs containing low-mass planets, generating simulated observations at 1.65, 10 and 850 μm. We show that the minimum planet mass that produces a detectable signature is ∼15 M ⊕ : this value is strongly dependent on disc temperature and changes slightly with wavelength (favouring the submm). We also confirm previous results that there is a minimum planet mass of ∼20 M ⊕ that produces a pressure maximum in the disc: only planets above this threshold mass generate a dust trap that can eventually create a hole in the submm dust. Below this mass, planets produce annular enhancements in dust outwards of the planet and a reduction in the vicinity of the planet. These features are in steady state and can be understood in terms of variations in the dust radial velocity, imposed by the perturbed gas pressure radial profile, analogous to a traffic jam. We also show how planet masses can be derived from structure in scattered light and submm images. We emphasize that simulations with dust need to be run over thousands of planetary orbits so as to allow the gas profile to achieve a steady state and caution against the estimation of planet masses using gas-only simulations.

Sizes and locations of coronal mass ejections - SMM observations from 1980 and 1984-1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hundhausen, A. J.

1993-01-01

A statistical description of the sizes and locations of 1209 mass ejections observed with the SMM coronagraph/polarimeter in 1980 and 1984-1989 is presented. The average width of the coronal mass ejections detected with this instrument was close to 40 deg in angle for the entire period of SMM observations. No evidence was found for a significant change in mass ejection widths as reported by Howard et al. (1986). There is clear evidence for changes in the latitude distribution of mass ejections over this epoch. Mass ejections occurred over a much wider range of latitudes at the times of high solar activity (1980 and 1989) than at times of low activity (1985-1986).

Improving Air Quality Forecasts with AURA Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newchurch, M. J.; Biazer, A.; Khan, M.; Koshak, W. J.; Nair, U.; Fuller, K.; Wang, L.; Parker, Y.; Williams, R.; Liu, X.

2008-01-01

Past studies have identified model initial and boundary conditions as sources of reducible errors in air-quality simulations. In particular, improving the initial condition improves the accuracy of short-term forecasts as it allows for the impact of local emissions to be realized by the model and improving boundary conditions improves long range transport through the model domain, especially in recirculating anticyclones. During the August 2006 period, we use AURA/OMI ozone measurements along with MODIS and CALIPSO aerosol observations to improve the initial and boundary conditions of ozone and Particulate Matter. Assessment of the model by comparison of the control run and satellite assimilation run to the IONS06 network of ozonesonde observations, which comprise the densest ozone sounding campaign ever conducted in North America, to AURA/TES ozone profile measurements, and to the EPA ground network of ozone and PM measurements will show significant improvement in the CMAQ calculations that use AURA initial and boundary conditions. Further analyses of lightning occurrences from ground and satellite observations and AURA/OMI NO2 column abundances will identify the lightning NOx signal evident in OMI measurements and suggest pathways for incorporating the lightning and NO2 data into the CMAQ simulations.

[Influence of atmospheric transport on air pollutant levels at a mountain background site of East China].

PubMed

Su, Bin-Bin; Xu, Ju-Yang; Zhang, Ruo-Yu; Ji, Xian-Xin

2014-08-01

Transport characteristics of air pollutants transported to the background atmosphere of East China were investigated using HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) 4.8 model driven by NCEP reanalysis data during June 2011 to May 2012. Based on the air pollutants monitoring data collected at the National atmospheric background monitoring station (Wuyishan station) in Fujian Province, characteristics of different clustered air masses as well as the origins of highly polluted air masses were further examined. The results showed that 65% of all the trajectories, in which air masses mainly passed over highly polluted area of East China, Jiangxi province and upper air in desert areas of Northwest China, carried polluted air to the station, while the rest of trajectories (35%) with air masses originated from ocean could effectively remove air pollutants at the Wuyishan station. However, the impact on the air pollutants for each air mass group varied with seasons. Elevated SO2 concentrations observed at the background station were mainly influenced by coal burning activities in Northern China during heating season. The high CO concentrations were likely associated with the pollutants emission in the process of coal production and consumption in Anhui province. The elevated NO(x), O3, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were mostly impacted by East China with high levels of air pollutants.

Features of air masses associated with the deposition of Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea by rain and snowfall

PubMed Central

Monteil, Caroline L; Bardin, Marc; Morris, Cindy E

2014-01-01

Clarifying the role of precipitation in microbial dissemination is essential for elucidating the processes involved in disease emergence and spread. The ecology of Pseudomonas syringae and its presence throughout the water cycle makes it an excellent model to address this issue. In this study, 90 samples of freshly fallen rain and snow collected from 2005–2011 in France were analyzed for microbiological composition. The conditions favorable for dissemination of P. syringae by this precipitation were investigated by (i) estimating the physical properties and backward trajectories of the air masses associated with each precipitation event and by (ii) characterizing precipitation chemistry, and genetic and phenotypic structures of populations. A parallel study with the fungus Botrytis cinerea was also performed for comparison. Results showed that (i) the relationship of P. syringae to precipitation as a dissemination vector is not the same for snowfall and rainfall, whereas it is the same for B. cinerea and (ii) the occurrence of P. syringae in precipitation can be linked to electrical conductivity and pH of water, the trajectory of the air mass associated with the precipitation and certain physical conditions of the air mass (i.e. temperature, solar radiation exposure, distance traveled), whereas these predictions are different for B. cinerea. These results are pertinent to understanding microbial survival, emission sources and atmospheric processes and how they influence microbial dissemination. PMID:24722630

Features of air masses associated with the deposition of Pseudomonas syringae and Botrytis cinerea by rain and snowfall.

PubMed

Monteil, Caroline L; Bardin, Marc; Morris, Cindy E

2014-11-01

Clarifying the role of precipitation in microbial dissemination is essential for elucidating the processes involved in disease emergence and spread. The ecology of Pseudomonas syringae and its presence throughout the water cycle makes it an excellent model to address this issue. In this study, 90 samples of freshly fallen rain and snow collected from 2005-2011 in France were analyzed for microbiological composition. The conditions favorable for dissemination of P. syringae by this precipitation were investigated by (i) estimating the physical properties and backward trajectories of the air masses associated with each precipitation event and by (ii) characterizing precipitation chemistry, and genetic and phenotypic structures of populations. A parallel study with the fungus Botrytis cinerea was also performed for comparison. Results showed that (i) the relationship of P. syringae to precipitation as a dissemination vector is not the same for snowfall and rainfall, whereas it is the same for B. cinerea and (ii) the occurrence of P. syringae in precipitation can be linked to electrical conductivity and pH of water, the trajectory of the air mass associated with the precipitation and certain physical conditions of the air mass (i.e. temperature, solar radiation exposure, distance traveled), whereas these predictions are different for B. cinerea. These results are pertinent to understanding microbial survival, emission sources and atmospheric processes and how they influence microbial dissemination.

An anthropometric model to estimate neonatal fat mass using air displacement plethysmography

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Current validated neonatal body composition methods are limited/impractical for use outside of a clinical setting because they are labor intensive, time consuming, and require expensive equipment. The purpose of this study was to develop an anthropometric model to estimate neonatal fat mass (kg) using an air displacement plethysmography (PEA POD® Infant Body Composition System) as the criterion. Methods A total of 128 healthy term infants, 60 females and 68 males, from a multiethnic cohort were included in the analyses. Gender, race/ethnicity, gestational age, age (in days), anthropometric measurements of weight, length, abdominal circumference, skin-fold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, sub scapular, and thigh), and body composition by PEA POD® were collected within 1-3 days of birth. Backward stepwise linear regression was used to determine the model that best predicted neonatal fat mass. Results The statistical model that best predicted neonatal fat mass (kg) was: -0.012 -0.064*gender + 0.024*day of measurement post-delivery -0.150*weight (kg) + 0.055*weight (kg)2 + 0.046*ethnicity + 0.020*sum of three skin-fold thicknesses (triceps, sub scapular, and thigh); R2 = 0.81, MSE = 0.08 kg. Conclusions Our anthropometric model explained 81% of the variance in neonatal fat mass. Future studies with a greater variety of neonatal anthropometric measurements may provide equations that explain more of the variance. PMID:22436534

Surface analysis using a new plasma assisted desorption/ionisation source for mass spectrometry in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowfield, A.; Barrett, D. A.; Alexander, M. R.; Ortori, C. A.; Rutten, F. M.; Salter, T. L.; Gilmore, I. S.; Bradley, J. W.

2012-06-01

The authors report on a modified micro-plasma assisted desorption/ionisation (PADI) device which creates plasma through the breakdown of ambient air rather than utilising an independent noble gas flow. This new micro-PADI device is used as an ion source for ambient mass spectrometry to analyse species released from the surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene, and generic ibuprofen and paracetamol tablets through remote activation of the surface by the plasma. The mass spectra from these surfaces compare favourably to those produced by a PADI device constructed using an earlier design and confirm that the new ion source is an effective device which can be used to achieve ambient mass spectrometry with improved spatial resolution.

Double-observer approach to estimating egg mass abundance of vernal pool breeding amphibians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grant, E.H.C.; Jung, R.E.; Nichols, J.D.; Hines, J.E.

2005-01-01

Interest in seasonally flooded pools, and the status of associated amphibian populations, has initiated programs in the northeastern United States to document and monitor these habitats. Counting egg masses is an effective way to determine the population size of pool-breeding amphibians, such as wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) and spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum). However, bias is associated with counts if egg masses are missed. Counts unadjusted for the proportion missed (i.e., without adjustment for detection probability) could lead to false assessments of population trends. We used a dependent double-observer method in 2002-2003 to estimate numbers of wood frog and spotted salamander egg masses at seasonal forest pools in 13 National Wildlife Refuges, 1 National Park, 1 National Seashore, and 1 State Park in the northeastern United States. We calculated detection probabilities for egg masses and examined whether detection probabilities varied by species, observers, pools, and in relation to pool characteristics (pool area, pool maximum depth, within-pool vegetation). For the 2 years, model selection indicated that no consistent set of variables explained the variation in data sets from individual Refuges and Parks. Because our results indicated that egg mass detection probabilities vary spatially and temporally, we conclude that it is essential to use estimation procedures, such as double-observer methods with egg mass surveys, to determine population sizes and trends of these species.

Validation of Mode-S Meteorological Routine Air Report aircraft observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strajnar, B.

2012-12-01

The success of mesoscale data assimilation depends on the availability of three-dimensional observations with high spatial and temporal resolution. This paper describes an example of such observations, available through Mode-S air traffic control system composed of ground radar and transponders on board the aircraft. The meteorological information is provided by interrogation of a dedicated meteorological data register, called Meteorological Routine Air Report (MRAR). MRAR provides direct measurements of temperature and wind, but is only returned by a small fraction of aircraft. The quality of Mode-S MRAR data, collected at the Ljubljana Airport, Slovenia, is assessed by its comparison with AMDAR and high-resolution radiosonde data sets, which enable high- and low-level validation, respectively. The need for temporal smoothing of raw Mode-S MRAR data is also studied. The standard deviation of differences between smoothed Mode-S MRAR and AMDAR is 0.35°C for temperature, 0.8 m/s for wind speed and below 10 degrees for wind direction. The differences with respect to radiosondes are larger, with standard deviations of approximately 1.7°C, 3 m/s and 25 degrees for temperature, wind speed and wind direction, respectively. It is concluded that both wind and temperature observations from Mode-S MRAR are accurate and therefore potentially very useful for data assimilation in numerical weather prediction models.

Measurement of the mass energy-absorption coefficient of air for x-rays in the range from 3 to 60 keV.

PubMed

Buhr, H; Büermann, L; Gerlach, M; Krumrey, M; Rabus, H

2012-12-21

For the first time the absolute photon mass energy-absorption coefficient of air in the energy range of 10 to 60 keV has been measured with relative standard uncertainties below 1%, considerably smaller than those of up to 2% assumed for calculated data. For monochromatized synchrotron radiation from the electron storage ring BESSY II both the radiant power and the fraction of power deposited in dry air were measured using a cryogenic electrical substitution radiometer and a free air ionization chamber, respectively. The measured absorption coefficients were compared with state-of-the art calculations and showed an average deviation of 2% from calculations by Seltzer. However, they agree within 1% with data calculated earlier by Hubbell. In the course of this work, an improvement of the data analysis of a previous experimental determination of the mass energy-absorption coefficient of air in the range of 3 to 10 keV was found to be possible and corrected values of this preceding study are given.

THE OBSERVED RELATION BETWEEN STELLAR MASS, DUST EXTINCTION, AND STAR FORMATION RATE IN LOCAL GALAXIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zahid, H. J.; Kewley, L. J.; Kudritzki, R. P.

In this study, we investigate the relation between stellar mass, dust extinction, and star formation rate (SFR) using {approx}150,000 star-forming galaxies from SDSS DR7. We show that the relation between dust extinction and SFR changes with stellar mass. For galaxies at the same stellar mass, dust extinction is anti-correlated with the SFR at stellar masses <10{sup 10} M {sub Sun }. There is a sharp transition in the relation at a stellar mass of 10{sup 10} M {sub Sun }. At larger stellar masses, dust extinction is positively correlated with the SFR for galaxies at the same stellar mass. Themore » observed relation between stellar mass, dust extinction, and SFR presented in this study helps to confirm similar trends observed in the relation between stellar mass, metallicity, and SFR. The relation reported in this study provides important new constraints on the physical processes governing the chemical evolution of galaxies. The correlation between SFR and dust extinction for galaxies with stellar masses >10{sup 10} M {sub Sun} is shown to extend to the population of quiescent galaxies suggesting that the physical processes responsible for the observed relation between stellar mass, dust extinction, and SFR may be related to the processes leading to the shutdown of star formation in galaxies.« less

Assessment of human health impact from exposure to multiple air pollutants in China based on satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Tao; Wang, Wen; Ciren, Pubu; Zhu, Yan

2016-10-01

Assessment of human health impact caused by air pollution is crucial for evaluating environmental hazards. In this paper, concentrations of six air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, O3, and CO) were first derived from satellite observations, and then the overall human health risks in China caused by multiple air pollutants were assessed using an aggregated health risks index. Unlike traditional approach for human health risks assessment, which relied on the in-situ air pollution measurements, the spatial distribution of aggregated human health risks in China were obtained using satellite observations in this research. It was indicated that the remote sensing data have advantages over in-situ data in accessing human health impact caused by air pollution.

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models and Decisions Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Sue; Haynes, John; Omar, Ali

2013-01-01

Health and Air Quality providers and researchers need environmental data to study and understand the geographic, environmental, and meteorological differences in disease. Satellite remote sensing of the environment offers a unique vantage point that can fill in the gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will demonstrate the need for collaborations between multi-disciplinary research groups to develop the full potential of utilizing Earth Observations in studying health. Satellite earth observations present a unique vantage point of the earth's environment from space, which offers a wealth of health applications for the imaginative investigator. The presentation is directly related to Earth Observing systems and Global Health Surveillance and will present research results of the remote sensing environmental observations of earth and health applications, which can contribute to the public health and air quality research. As part of NASA approach and methodology they have used Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models to provide a method for bridging gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will provide an overview of projects dealing with infectious diseases, water borne diseases and air quality and how many environmental variables effect human health. This presentation will provide a venue where the results of both research and practice using satellite earth observations to study weather and it's role in public health research.

NASA Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models and Decisions Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, Sue; Haynes, John; Omar, Ali

2012-01-01

Health and Air Quality providers and researchers need environmental data to study and understand the geographic, environmental, and meteorological differences in disease. Satellite remote sensing of the environment offers a unique vantage point that can fill in the gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will demonstrate the need for collaborations between multi-disciplinary research groups to develop the full potential of utilizing Earth Observations in studying health. Satellite earth observations present a unique vantage point of the earth's environment from space, which offers a wealth of health applications for the imaginative investigator. The presentation is directly related to Earth Observing systems and Global Health Surveillance and will present research results of the remote sensing environmental observations of earth and health applications, which can contribute to the public health and air quality research. As part of NASA approach and methodology they have used Earth Observation Systems and Applications for Public Health and Air Quality Models to provide a method for bridging gaps of environmental, spatial, and temporal data for tracking disease. This presentation will provide an overview of projects dealing with infectious diseases, water borne diseases and air quality and how many environmental variables effect human health. This presentation will provide a venue where the results of both research and practice using satellite earth observations to study weather and it's role in public health research.

Technology Needs Assessment of an Atmospheric Observation System for Multidisciplinary Air Quality/Meteorology Missions, Part 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alvarado, U. R.; Bortner, M. H.; Grenda, R. N.; Brehm, W. F.; Frippel, G. G.; Alyea, F.; Kraiman, H.; Folder, P.; Krowitz, L.

1982-01-01

The technology advancements that will be necessary to implement the atmospheric observation systems are considered. Upper and lower atmospheric air quality and meteorological parameters necessary to support the air quality investigations were included. The technology needs were found predominantly in areas related to sensors and measurements of air quality and meteorological measurements.

SHIELD: EVLA HI Spectral Line Observations of Low-mass Dwarfs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miazzo, Masao; Ruvolo, Elizabeth; Cannon, John M.; McNichols, Andrew; Teich, Yaron; Adams, Elizabeth A.; Giovanelli, Riccardo; Haynes, Martha P.; McQuinn, Kristen B.; Salzer, John Joseph; Skillman, Evan D.; Dolphin, Andrew E.; Elson, Edward C.; Haurberg, Nathalie C.; Huang, Shan; Janowiecki, Steven; Jozsa, Gyula; Leisman, Luke; Ott, Juergen; Papastergis, Emmanouil; Rhode, Katherine L.; Saintonge, Amelie; Van Sistine, Angela; Warren, Steven R.

2017-01-01

The “Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs” (SHIELD) is a multiwavelength study of local volume low-mass galaxies. Using the now-complete Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) source catalog, 82 systems are identified that meet distance, line width, and HI flux criteria for being gas-rich, low-mass galaxies. These systems harbor neutral gas reservoirs smaller than 3x10^7 M_sun, thus populating the faint end of the HI mass function with statistical confidence for the first time. Here we present new Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array D-configuration HI spectral line observations of 32 previously unobserved galaxies. These low angular resolution (~40" beam) images localize the HI gas; with a few exceptions, the HI gas is co-spatial with the optical centers of the galaxies. These images provide the first glimpse of the neutral interstellar medium in these systems.Support for this work was provided by NSF grant 1211683 to JMC at Macalester College.

Neonatal Presentation of an Air-Filled Neck Mass that Enlarges with Valsalva: A Case Report

PubMed Central

Patel, Jasminkumar Bharatbhai; Kilbride, Howard; Paulson, Lorien

2015-01-01

Branchial cleft cysts are common causes of congenital neck masses in the pediatric population. However, neonatal presentation of branchial cleft cysts is uncommon, but recognizable secondary to acute respiratory distress from airway compression or complications secondary to infection. We report a 1-day-old infant presenting with an air-filled neck mass that enlarged with Valsalva and was not associated with respiratory distress. The infant was found to have a third branchial cleft cyst with an internal opening into the pyriform sinus. The cyst was conservatively managed with endoscopic surgical decompression and cauterization of the tract and opening. We review the embryology of branchial cleft cysts and current management. PMID:26495186

Finite length-scale anti-gravity and observations of mass discrepancies in galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanders, R. H.

1986-01-01

The modification of Newtonian attraction suggested by Sanders (1984) contains a repulsive Yukawa component which is characterised by two physical parameters: a coupling constant, α, and a length scale, r0. Although this form of the gravitational potential can result in flat rotation curves for a galaxy (or a point mass) it is not obvious that any modification of gravity associated with a definite length scale can reproduce the observed rotation curves of galaxies covering a wide range of mass and size. Here it is shown that the rotation curves of galaxies ranging in size from 5 to 40 kpc can be reproduced by this modified potential. Moreover, the implied mass-to-light ratios for a larger sample of galaxies are reasonable (one to three) and show no systematic trend with the size of the galaxy. The observed infrared Tully-Fisher law is shown to be consistent with the prediction of this revised gravity. The modified potential permits the X-ray emitting halos observed around elliptical galaxies to be bound without the addition of dark matter.

EPA Air Method, Toxic Organics - 15 (TO-15): Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in Air Collected in Specially-Prepared Canisters and Analyzed by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Method T)-15 describes procedures for for preparation and analysis of air samples containing volatile organic compounds collected in specially-prepared canisters, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Photochemical age of air pollutants, ozone, and secondary organic aerosol in transboundary air observed on Fukue Island, Nagasaki, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irei, Satoshi; Takami, Akinori; Sadanaga, Yasuhiro; Nozoe, Susumu; Yonemura, Seiichiro; Bandow, Hiroshi; Yokouchi, Yoko

2016-04-01

To better understand the secondary air pollution in transboundary air over westernmost Japan, ground-based field measurements of the chemical composition of fine particulate matter ( ≤ 1 µm), mixing ratios of trace gas species (CO, O3, NOx, NOy, i-pentane, toluene, and ethyne), and meteorological elements were conducted with a suite of instrumentation. The CO mixing ratio dependence on wind direction showed that there was no significant influence from primary emission sources near the monitoring site, indicating long- and/or mid-range transport of the measured chemical species. Despite the considerably different atmospheric lifetimes of NOy and CO, these mixing ratios were correlated (r2 = 0.67). The photochemical age of the pollutants, t[OH] (the reaction time × the mean concentration of OH radical during the atmospheric transport), was calculated from both the NOx / NOy concentration ratio (NOx / NOy clock) and the toluene / ethyne concentration ratio (hydrocarbon clock). It was found that the toluene / ethyne concentration ratio was significantly influenced by dilution with background air containing 0.16 ppbv of ethyne, causing significant bias in the estimation of t[OH]. In contrast, the influence of the reaction of NOx with O3, a potentially biasing reaction channel on [NOx] / [NOy], was small. The t[OH] values obtained with the NOx / NOy clock ranged from 2.9 × 105 to 1.3 × 108 h molecule cm-3 and were compared with the fractional contribution of the m/z 44 signal to the total signal in the organic aerosol mass spectra (f44, a quantitative oxidation indicator of carboxylic acids) and O3 mixing ratio. The comparison of t[OH] with f44 showed evidence for a systematic increase of f44 as t[OH] increased, an indication of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. To a first approximation, the f44 increase rate was (1.05 ± 0.03) × 10-9 × [OH] h-1, which is comparable to the background-corrected increase rate observed during the New England Air Quality

Open issues in hadronic interactions for air showers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierog, Tanguy

2017-06-01

In detailed air shower simulations, the uncertainty in the prediction of shower observables for different primary particles and energies is currently dominated by differences between hadronic interaction models. With the results of the first run of the LHC, the difference between post-LHC model predictions has been reduced to the same level as experimental uncertainties of cosmic ray experiments. At the same time new types of air shower observables, like the muon production depth, have been measured, adding new constraints on hadronic models. Currently no model is able to consistently reproduce all mass composition measurements possible within the Pierre Auger Observatory for instance. Comparing the different models, and with LHC and cosmic ray data, we will show that the remaining open issues in hadronic interactions in air shower development are now in the pion-air interactions and in nuclear effects.

The LAAS network observation for studying time correlations in extensive air showers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochi, Nobuaki; Iyono, A.; Kimura, Hitoomi; Konishi, Takeharu; Nakamura, Toru; Nakatsuka, Takao; Ohara, Soji; Ohmori, Nobuharu; Saito, Katsuhiko; Takahashi, Nobusuke; Tsuji, Shuhei; Wada, Tomonori; Yamamoto, Isao; Yamashita, Yoshihiko; Yanagimoto, Yukio

2003-02-01

The Large Area Air Shower (LAAS) group has been performing a network observation of extensive air showers (EAS) since 1996 in Japan. Ten compact EAS arrays are operating simultaneously at distant stations (up to ≍1000 km) and detecting EAS with mean energy of ≍1015 eV. Each station has 4--12 scintillation counters and a Global Positioning System (GPS), which provides time stamps of EAS triggers with an accuracy of 1μs. As a consequence of the comparable time stamps, uniformly-adjusted detectors and a standardized data format among all stations, we can treat the independent observations as a gigantic EAS detector system as a whole. The primary purpose of the network observation is to study large-scale correlations in ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. On the other hand, three nearby stations within 1~km distance at Okayama area have a possibility to detect extremely-high-energy EAS (≍1019 eV) as coincident triggers of the three stations. The present status of the network and some results from computer simulations are reported here.

Observations of Air Quality at the Edge of Kathmandu, Nepal, and the Diurnal Cycle of Air Pollution In and Around the Kathmandu Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panday, A. K.; Prinn, R. G.; Regmi, R. P.

2006-12-01

The Kathmandu Valley is a bowl-shaped basin in the Nepal Himalaya, with a rapidly growing city surrounded by rice fields and steep terraced and forested mountain slopes. The valley's air quality is influenced by urban and rural emissions, nocturnal pooling of cold air, slope winds, and a daily exchange of air through mountain passes. To understand these processes and to inform air pollution policy in Nepal, we have carried out the most comprehensive study of air pollution in Nepal to date. During the 9-month dry season of 2004-2005, we carried out continuous measurements every minute of carbon monoxide, ozone, PM10, wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, temperature, and humidity on the eastern edge of Kathmandu city, at a site that daily received air from both the city and rural areas. We recorded the diurnal cycle of the vertical temperature structure and stability with temperature loggers on towers and mountains. A sodar measured the mixed layer height and upper-level winds. 24-hour simultaneous bag sampling campaigns on mountain peaks, passes, the rural valley, and within the city provided glimpses of the spatial patterns of the diurnal cycle of CO -- a useful tracer of anthropogenic emissions. We measured winds on mountain passes and ozone on mountain peaks. At our main measurement site we found a daily-recurring pattern of CO and PM10, with an afternoon low showing rural background levels, even though the arriving air had traversed the city. This was followed by an evening peak starting at sunset, a second low late at night, and a morning peak enhanced by re-circulation. Pollutants emitted in the valley only traveled out of the valley between the late morning and sunset. During winter months, rush hour was outside of this period, enhancing the morning and evening peaks. Within the city, ozone dropped to zero at night. At mid-day we observed an ozone peak enhanced by photochemical production when the air mass that had been stagnant over the city swept

First observation of a mass independent isotopic fractionation in a condensation reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thiemens, M. H.; Nelson, R.; Dong, Q. W.; Nuth, Joseph A., III

1994-01-01

Thiemens and Heidenreich (1983) first demonstrated that a chemically produced mass independent isotopic fractionation process could produce an isotopic composition which is identical to that observed in Allende inclusions. This raised the possibility that the meteoritic components could be produced by chemical, rather than nuclear processes. In order to develop a mechanistic model of the early solar system, it is important that relevant reactions be studied, particularly, those which may occur in the earliest condensation reactions. The isotopic results for isotopic fractionations associated with condensation processes are reported. A large mass independent isotopic fractionation is observed in one of the experiments.

Development of portable mass spectrometer with electron cyclotron resonance ion source for detection of chemical warfare agents in air.

PubMed

Urabe, Tatsuya; Takahashi, Kazuya; Kitagawa, Michiko; Sato, Takafumi; Kondo, Tomohide; Enomoto, Shuichi; Kidera, Masanori; Seto, Yasuo

2014-01-01

A portable mass spectrometer with an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (miniECRIS-MS) was developed. It was used for in situ monitoring of trace amounts of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) in atmospheric air. Instrumental construction and parameters were optimized to realize a fast response, high sensitivity, and a small body size. Three types of CWAs, i.e., phosgene, mustard gas, and hydrogen cyanide were examined to check if the mass spectrometer was able to detect characteristic elements and atomic groups. From the results, it was found that CWAs were effectively ionized in the miniECRIS-MS, and their specific signals could be discerned over the background signals of air. In phosgene, the signals of the 35Cl+ and 37Cl+ ions were clearly observed with high dose-response relationships in the parts-per-billion level, which could lead to the quantitative on-site analysis of CWAs. A parts-per-million level of mustard gas, which was far lower than its lethal dosage (LCt50), was successfully detected with a high signal-stability of the plasma ion source. It was also found that the chemical forms of CWAs ionized in the plasma, i.e., monoatomic ions, fragment ions, and molecular ions, could be detected, thereby enabling the effective identification of the target CWAs. Despite the disadvantages associated with miniaturization, the overall performance (sensitivity and response time) of the miniECRIS-MS in detecting CWAs exceeded those of sector-type ECRIS-MS, showing its potential for on-site detection in the future. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relationship Between Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Air Pollutants Depending on the Origin and Trajectory of Air Masses in the North of Spain.

PubMed

Santurtún, Ana; Rasilla, Domingo F; Riancho, Leyre; Zarrabeitia, María T

2017-11-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common respiratory condition and one of the leading causes of death. Our aim was to analyze the association between emergency room visits due to this disease and meteorological variables and atmospheric contaminant levels in Santander, depending on the origin and trajectory of air masses. Data from emergency room visits at Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla were collected on a daily basis during an 8-year period. Data on concentrations of the main atmospheric pollutants and meteorological variables were also recorded.Retrotrajectories leading to Santander at a height of1,500 meters above sea level were then calculated. Finally, a correlation model was produced to evaluate the effect of the contaminants on emergency visitsdue to COPD. There is a direct association between PM 10 levels and the number of visits to the emergency room due to COPD. For every 10μg/m3 increase in pollutantlevels, emergency visitsincrease by3.34% (p=0.00005), and thiseffect is enhanced in individualsover 74 years of age. This effect is heightened when PM10 levels depend on air masses from the South and when air recirculation occurs. There is no association betweenother pollutants and the number of visits to the emergency room. Exposure to high levels of PM10 causes exacerbations in COPD patients. By studying the atmospheric circulation pattern, we can predict whether PM10 levels will be inappropriately high, and we can also obtain information about the particle components. Copyright © 2017 SEPAR. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Ginga observations of dipping low mass X ray binaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smale, Alan P.; Mukai, Koji; Williams, O. Rees; Jones, Mark H.; Parmar, Arvind N.; Corbet, Robin H. D.

1989-01-01

Ginga observations of several low mass X ray binaries displaying pronounced dips of variable depth and duration in their X ray light curves are analyzed. The periodic occultation of the central X ray source by azimuthal accretion disk structure is considered. A series of spectra selected by intensity from the dip data from XB1916-053, are presented. The effects of a rapidly changing column density upon the spectral fitting results are modeled. EXO0748-676 was observed in March 1989 for three days. The source was found to be in a bright state with a 1 to 20 keV flux of 8.8 x 10 (exp -10) erg/sqcms. The data include two eclipses, observed with high time resolution.

Data Assimilation of AirSWOT and Synthetically Derived SWOT Observations of Water Surface Elevation in a Multichannel River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altenau, E. H.; Pavelsky, T.; Andreadis, K.; Bates, P. D.; Neal, J. C.

2017-12-01

Multichannel rivers continue to be challenging features to quantify, especially at regional and global scales, which is problematic because accurate representations of such environments are needed to properly monitor the earth's water cycle as it adjusts to climate change. It has been demonstrated that higher-complexity, 2D models outperform lower-complexity, 1D models in simulating multichannel river hydraulics at regional scales due to the inclusion of the channel network's connectivity. However, new remote sensing measurements from the future Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission and it's airborne analog AirSWOT offer new observations that can be used to try and improve the lower-complexity, 1D models to achieve accuracies closer to the higher-complexity, 2D codes. Here, we use an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to assimilate AirSWOT water surface elevation (WSE) measurements from a 2015 field campaign into a 1D hydrodynamic model along a 90 km reach of Tanana River, AK. This work is the first to test data assimilation methods using real SWOT-like data from AirSWOT. Additionally, synthetic SWOT observations of WSE are generated across the same study site using a fine-resolution 2D model and assimilated into the coarser-resolution 1D model. Lastly, we compare the abilities of AirSWOT and the synthetic-SWOT observations to improve spatial and temporal model outputs in WSEs. Results indicate 1D model outputs of spatially distributed WSEs improve as observational coverage increases, and improvements in temporal fluctuations in WSEs depend on the number of observations. Furthermore, results reveal that assimilation of AirSWOT observations produce greater error reductions in 1D model outputs compared to synthetic SWOT observations due to lower measurement errors. Both AirSWOT and the synthetic SWOT observations significantly lower spatial and temporal errors in 1D model outputs of WSEs.

Uncertainty in air quality observations using low-cost sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castell, Nuria; Dauge, Franck R.; Dongol, Rozina; Vogt, Matthias; Schneider, Philipp

2016-04-01

Air pollution poses a threat to human health, and the WHO has classified air pollution as the world's largest single environmental health risk. In Europe, the majority of the population lives in areas where air quality levels frequently exceed WHO's ambient air quality guidelines. The emergence of low-cost, user-friendly and very compact air pollution platforms allowing observations at high spatial resolution in near real-time, provides us with new opportunities to simultaneously enhance existing monitoring systems as well as enable citizens to engage in more active environmental monitoring (citizen science). However the data sets generated by low-cost sensors show often questionable data quality. For many sensors, neither their error characteristics nor how their measurement capability holds up over time or through a range of environmental conditions, have been evaluated. We have conducted an exhaustive evaluation of the commercial low-cost platform AQMesh (measuring NO, NO2, CO, O3, PM10 and PM2.5) in laboratory and in real-world conditions in the city of Oslo (Norway). Co-locations in field of 24 platforms were conducted over a 6 month period (April to September 2015) allowing to characterize the temporal variability in the performance. Additionally, the field performance included the characterization on different monitoring urban monitoring sites characteristic of both traffic and background conditions. All the evaluations have been conducted against CEN reference method analyzers maintained according to the Norwegian National Reference Laboratory quality system. The results show clearly that a good performance in laboratory does not imply similar performance in real-world outdoor conditions. Moreover, laboratory calibration is not suitable for subsequent measurements in urban environments. In order to reduce the errors, sensors require on-site field calibration. Even after such field calibration, the platforms show a significant variability in the performance

Radar and optical observations of small mass meteors at Arecibo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michell, R.; Janches, D.; DeLuca, M. D.; Samara, M.; Chen, R. Y.

2016-12-01

Optical observations of meteors were conducted over 4 separate nights alongside the Arecibo radar. Meteors were detected in the optical imaging data and with both of the radars at Arecibo. The UHF (430 MHz) radar is the most sensitive and therefore detected the most meteors however the VHF (46.8 MHz) radar detected a higher percentage of meteors in common with the optics, due to the larger beam size and larger mass detectability threshold. The emphasis of this presentation is on meteors that were detected by the optics and one or both radars. The comparisons between the the relative sensitivities of these 3 detecting techniques will improve the meteoroid mass estimates made from the optical intensities. The overall aim would be to develop more accurate and robust methods of calculating meteoroid mass from the radar data alone.

Mass flows in a prominence spine as observed in EUV

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kucera, T. A.; Gilbert, H. R.; Karpen, J. T.

2014-07-20

We analyze a quiescent prominence observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory's Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) with a focus on mass and energy flux in the spine, measured using Lyman continuum absorption. This is the first time this type of analysis has been applied with an emphasis on individual features and fluxes in a quiescent prominence. The prominence, observed on 2010 September 28, is detectable in most AIA wavebands in absorption and/or emission. Flows along the spine exhibit horizontal bands 5''-10'' wide and kinetic energy fluxes on the order of a few times 10{sup 5} erg s{sup –1}cm{sup –2}, consistent withmore » quiet sun coronal heating estimates. For a discrete moving feature we estimate a mass of a few times 10{sup 11} g. We discuss the implications of our derived properties for a model of prominence dynamics, the thermal non-equilibrium model.« less

Improvements to the OMI Near-uv Aerosol Algorithm Using A-train CALIOP and AIRS Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres, O.; Ahn, C.; Zhong, C.

2014-01-01

The height of desert dust and carbonaceous aerosols layers and, to a lesser extent, the difficulty in assessing the predominant size mode of these absorbing aerosol types, are sources of uncertainty in the retrieval of aerosol properties from near UV satellite observations. The availability of independent, near-simultaneous measurements of aerosol layer height, and aerosol-type related parameters derived from observations by other A-train sensors, makes possible the direct use of these parameters as input to the OMI (Ozone Monitoring Instrument) near UV retrieval algorithm. A monthly climatology of aerosol layer height derived from observations by the CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) sensor, and real-time AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder) CO observations are used in an upgraded version of the OMI near UV aerosol algorithm. AIRS CO measurements are used as a reliable tracer of carbonaceous aerosols, which allows the identification of smoke layers in areas and times of the year where the dust-smoke differentiation is difficult in the near-UV. The use of CO measurements also enables the identification of elevated levels of boundary layer pollution undetectable by near UV observations alone. In this paper we discuss the combined use of OMI, CALIOP and AIRS observations for the characterization of aerosol properties, and show a significant improvement in OMI aerosol retrieval capabilities.

Seasonal Mass Changes in the Red Sea Observed By GPS and Grace

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alothman, A. O.; Fing, W.; Fernandes, R. M. S.; Bos, M. S.; Elsaka, B.

2014-12-01

The Red Sea is a semi-enclosed basin and exchanges water with the Gulf of Aden through the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb at the southern part of the sea. Its circulation is affected by the Indian Monsoon through its connection via the Gulf of Aden. Two distinctive (in summer and in winter) seasonal signals represent the water exchange. To understand the seasonal mass changes in the Red Sea, estimates of the mass changes based on two geodetic techniques are presented: from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The GRACE solutions were truncated up to spherical harmonic degree and order degree 60 to estimate the average monthly mass change in the atmosphere and ocean from models (several hours). GNSS solution is based on observations from four stations along the Red Sea that have been acquired in continuous mode starting in 2007 (having at least 5 years' data-span). The time series analysis of the observed GNSS vertical deformation of these sites has been analyzed. The results revealed that the GNSS observed vertical loading agrees with the atmospheric loading (ATML) assuming that the hydrological signal along the costs of the Red sea is negligible. Computed values of daily vertical atmospheric loading using the NCEP surface pressure data (Inverted Barometer IB) for the 4 stations for 2003 until 2013 are provided. Comparison of the GRACE and GNSS solutions has shown significant annual mass variations in the Red Sea (about 15 cm annual amplitude). After removing the atmospheric effect (ATML), the ocean loading can be observed by GNSS and GRACE estimates in the Red Sea.

A large light-mass component of cosmic rays at 10(17)-10(17.5) electronvolts from radio observations.

PubMed

Buitink, S; Corstanje, A; Falcke, H; Hörandel, J R; Huege, T; Nelles, A; Rachen, J P; Rossetto, L; Schellart, P; Scholten, O; ter Veen, S; Thoudam, S; Trinh, T N G; Anderson, J; Asgekar, A; Avruch, I M; Bell, M E; Bentum, M J; Bernardi, G; Best, P; Bonafede, A; Breitling, F; Broderick, J W; Brouw, W N; Brüggen, M; Butcher, H R; Carbone, D; Ciardi, B; Conway, J E; de Gasperin, F; de Geus, E; Deller, A; Dettmar, R-J; van Diepen, G; Duscha, S; Eislöffel, J; Engels, D; Enriquez, J E; Fallows, R A; Fender, R; Ferrari, C; Frieswijk, W; Garrett, M A; Grießmeier, J M; Gunst, A W; van Haarlem, M P; Hassall, T E; Heald, G; Hessels, J W T; Hoeft, M; Horneffer, A; Iacobelli, M; Intema, H; Juette, E; Karastergiou, A; Kondratiev, V I; Kramer, M; Kuniyoshi, M; Kuper, G; van Leeuwen, J; Loose, G M; Maat, P; Mann, G; Markoff, S; McFadden, R; McKay-Bukowski, D; McKean, J P; Mevius, M; Mulcahy, D D; Munk, H; Norden, M J; Orru, E; Paas, H; Pandey-Pommier, M; Pandey, V N; Pietka, M; Pizzo, R; Polatidis, A G; Reich, W; Röttgering, H J A; Scaife, A M M; Schwarz, D J; Serylak, M; Sluman, J; Smirnov, O; Stappers, B W; Steinmetz, M; Stewart, A; Swinbank, J; Tagger, M; Tang, Y; Tasse, C; Toribio, M C; Vermeulen, R; Vocks, C; Vogt, C; van Weeren, R J; Wijers, R A M J; Wijnholds, S J; Wise, M W; Wucknitz, O; Yatawatta, S; Zarka, P; Zensus, J A

2016-03-03

Cosmic rays are the highest-energy particles found in nature. Measurements of the mass composition of cosmic rays with energies of 10(17)-10(18) electronvolts are essential to understanding whether they have galactic or extragalactic sources. It has also been proposed that the astrophysical neutrino signal comes from accelerators capable of producing cosmic rays of these energies. Cosmic rays initiate air showers--cascades of secondary particles in the atmosphere-and their masses can be inferred from measurements of the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum (Xmax; the depth of the air shower when it contains the most particles) or of the composition of shower particles reaching the ground. Current measurements have either high uncertainty, or a low duty cycle and a high energy threshold. Radio detection of cosmic rays is a rapidly developing technique for determining Xmax (refs 10, 11) with a duty cycle of, in principle, nearly 100 per cent. The radiation is generated by the separation of relativistic electrons and positrons in the geomagnetic field and a negative charge excess in the shower front. Here we report radio measurements of Xmax with a mean uncertainty of 16 grams per square centimetre for air showers initiated by cosmic rays with energies of 10(17)-10(17.5) electronvolts. This high resolution in Xmax enables us to determine the mass spectrum of the cosmic rays: we find a mixed composition, with a light-mass fraction (protons and helium nuclei) of about 80 per cent. Unless, contrary to current expectations, the extragalactic component of cosmic rays contributes substantially to the total flux below 10(17.5) electronvolts, our measurements indicate the existence of an additional galactic component, to account for the light composition that we measured in the 10(17)-10(17.5) electronvolt range.

Potential sources of the air masses leading to warm and cold anomalies in Moscow in summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukurov, K. A.; Semenov, V. A.

2017-11-01

For summer (June-July-August) days in 1949-2016, using the NOAA trajectory model HYSPLIT_4, the 5-day backward trajectories of the air parcels (elementary air particles) were calculated. Using the daily surface air temperatures (SAT) in summer in Moscow in 1949-2016 and the results of the backward trajectories modeling by PSCF (potential source contribution function) and CWT (concentration weighted trajectories) methods the regions where the air masses most probably hit to before its arrive into the Moscow region at the days of 20%, 10%, 5% and 2% of the strongest positive and negative anomalies of SAT in summer in Moscow. For composites of days with SAT in summer in Moscow above 90th and below the 10th percentile of the distribution function of the SAT, the field of the anomaly of atmospheric pressure at sea level relative to 1981-2010 climatology and the field of average SAT in Eurasia north of 30° N are calculated. The peculiarities of the fields associated with the strong positive and negative anomalies of SAT in summer seasons in Moscow are identified. The fields of potential sources of air parcels, mean air temperature on the path of the movement of air parcels and the average height of the backward trajectory for days with strong anomalies of SAT in summer in Moscow are compared. Possible atmospheric circulation drivers of the highest and lowest anomalies of SAT in winter in Moscow are found out.

Constraining the mass and radius of neutron star by future observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwak, Kyujin; Lee, Chang-Hwan; Kim, Myungkuk; Kim, Young-Min

2018-04-01

The mass and radius of neutron star (NS) in the low mass X-ray binary (LMXB) can be measured simultaneously from the evolving spectra of the photospheric radius expansion (PRE) X-ray bursts (XRBs). Precise measurements require the distance to the target, information on the radiating surface, and the composition of accreted material. Future observations with large ground-based telescopes such as Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) and Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) may reduce the uncertainties in the estimation of the mass and radius of NS because they could provide information on the composition of accreted material by identifying the companion stars in LMXBs. We investigate these possibilities and present our results for selected targets.

Fragmentation uncertainties in hadronic observables for top-quark mass measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corcella, Gennaro; Franceschini, Roberto; Kim, Doojin

2018-04-01

We study the Monte Carlo uncertainties due to modeling of hadronization and showering in the extraction of the top-quark mass from observables that use exclusive hadronic final states in top decays, such as t →anything + J / ψ or t →anything + (B →charged tracks), where B is a B-hadron. To this end, we investigate the sensitivity of the top-quark mass, determined by means of a few observables already proposed in the literature as well as some new proposals, to the relevant parameters of event generators, such as HERWIG 6 and PYTHIA 8. We find that constraining those parameters at O (1%- 10%) is required to avoid a Monte Carlo uncertainty on mt greater than 500 MeV. For the sake of achieving the needed accuracy on such parameters, we examine the sensitivity of the top-quark mass measured from spectral features, such as peaks, endpoints and distributions of EB, mBℓ, and some mT2-like variables. We find that restricting oneself to regions sufficiently close to the endpoints enables one to substantially decrease the dependence on the Monte Carlo parameters, but at the price of inflating significantly the statistical uncertainties. To ameliorate this situation we study how well the data on top-quark production and decay at the LHC can be utilized to constrain the showering and hadronization variables. We find that a global exploration of several calibration observables, sensitive to the Monte Carlo parameters but very mildly to mt, can offer useful constraints on the parameters, as long as such quantities are measured with a 1% precision.

Analyses of the long-range transport of nitrogeneous species through the atmosphere from the Asian continent using observational data at Cape Hedo, Okinawa, and CMAQ postanalyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadanaga, Y.; Bandow, H.; Uno, I.; Sera, T.; Yuba, A.; Takenaka, N.; Takami, A.; Kurokawa, J.; Hatakeyama, S.

2010-12-01

The long-term monitoring of air quality has been continuing at the Cape Hedo Atmosphere and Aerosol Monitoring Station (CHAAMS) in Okinawa, Japan in terms of assessing the environmental impact and biogeochemical effect to the marine-surface activities by the economic growth of Asian continent. Among the monitoring data, total odd nitrogen oxides (NOy), HNO3, particulate nitrate (NO3-(p)), NH3, NH4+ and SO42- were analyzed for the period from 16 March to 13 April 2008 as well as the postanalyses of those species by the Community Muti-scale Air Quality model (CMAQ) of those species. NOy and total nitrate (TN = HNO3 + NO3-(p)) concentrations from China (CH) air mass origin were high during the observational period in both observed and model-calculated result. The long-range transport of odd nitrogen species from the Asian continent is supported with respect to both the CMAQ postanalyses and the observations. HNO3 and NO3-(p) concentrations from CH air mass origin were also high during the observational period. However, the HNO3 diurnal variation with daytime peak and nighttime lows suggests that HNO3 around the CHAAMS forms photochemically in situ or in areas relatively close to the CHAAMS. The maximum and minimum concentrations of NH3 were observed at Pacific Ocean (PO) and Middle China air mass origins, respectively, and the observed NH3 concentrations from PO air mass origin were highest. NH3 concentration calculated by the CMAQ failed to reproduce observed variation, this is because the horizontal resolution of CMAQ (-20km) is not sufficient to allocate the land surface/vegetation base NH3 emission. NH4+ and SO42- concentrations from CH air mass origin were high during the observational period for both the observation and the CMAQ calculation. As well as the case of NOy and TN, the long-range transport of ammonium and sulfur compounds from the Asian continent is also supported in terms of both the CMAQ postanalyses and the observations.

A measurement of time-averaged aerosol optical depth using air-showers observed in stereo by HiRes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

High Resolution Fly'S Eye Collaboration; Abbasi, R. U.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Amann, J. F.; Archbold, G.; Atkins, R.; Belov, K.; Belz, J. W.; Benzvi, S.; Bergman, D. R.; Boyer, J. H.; Cannon, C. T.; Cao, Z.; Connolly, B. M.; Fedorova, Y.; Finley, C. B.; Hanlon, W. F.; Hoffman, C. M.; Holzscheiter, M. H.; Hughes, G. A.; Hüntemeyer, P.; Jui, C. C. H.; Kirn, M. A.; Knapp, B. C.; Loh, E. C.; Manago, N.; Mannel, E. J.; Martens, K.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthews, J. N.; O'Neill, A.; Reil, K.; Roberts, M. D.; Schnetzer, S. R.; Seman, M.; Sinnis, G.; Smith, J. D.; Sokolsky, P.; Song, C.; Springer, R. W.; Stokes, B. T.; Thomas, S. B.; Thomson, G. B.; Tupa, D.; Westerhoff, S.; Wiencke, L. R.; Zech, A.

2006-03-01

Air fluorescence measurements of cosmic ray energy must be corrected for attenuation of the atmosphere. In this paper, we show that the air-showers themselves can yield a measurement of the aerosol attenuation in terms of optical depth, time-averaged over extended periods. Although the technique lacks statistical power to make the critical hourly measurements that only specialized active instruments can achieve, we note the technique does not depend on absolute calibration of the detector hardware, and requires no additional equipment beyond the fluorescence detectors that observe the air showers. This paper describes the technique, and presents results based on analysis of 1258 air-showers observed in stereo by the High Resolution Fly’s Eye over a four year span.

International system of units traceable results of Hg mass concentration at saturation in air from a newly developed measurement procedure.

PubMed

Quétel, Christophe R; Zampella, Mariavittoria; Brown, Richard J C; Ent, Hugo; Horvat, Milena; Paredes, Eduardo; Tunc, Murat

2014-08-05

Data most commonly used at present to calibrate measurements of mercury vapor concentrations in air come from a relationship known as the "Dumarey equation". It uses a fitting relationship to experimental results obtained nearly 30 years ago. The way these results relate to the international system of units (SI) is not known. This has caused difficulties for the specification and enforcement of limit values for mercury concentrations in air and in emissions to air as part of national or international legislation. Furthermore, there is a significant discrepancy (around 7% at room temperature) between the Dumarey data and data calculated from results of mercury vapor pressure measurements in the presence of only liquid mercury. As an attempt to solve some of these problems, a new measurement procedure is described for SI traceable results of gaseous Hg concentrations at saturation in milliliter samples of air. The aim was to propose a scheme as immune as possible to analytical biases. It was based on isotope dilution (ID) in the liquid phase with the (202)Hg enriched certified reference material ERM-AE640 and measurements of the mercury isotope ratios in ID blends, subsequent to a cold vapor generation step, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The process developed involved a combination of interconnected valves and syringes operated by computer controlled pumps and ensured continuity under closed circuit conditions from the air sampling stage onward. Quantitative trapping of the gaseous mercury in the liquid phase was achieved with 11.5 μM KMnO4 in 2% HNO3. Mass concentrations at saturation found from five measurements under room temperature conditions were significantly higher (5.8% on average) than data calculated from the Dumarey equation, but in agreement (-1.2% lower on average) with data based on mercury vapor pressure measurement results. Relative expanded combined uncertainties were estimated following a model based approach. They ranged from 2

Operational performance of a low cost, air mass 2 solar simulator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yass, K.; Curtis, H. B.

1975-01-01

Modifications and improvements on a low cost air mass 2 solar simulator are discussed. The performance characteristics of total irradiance, uniformity of irradiance, spectral distribution, and beam subtense angle are presented. The simulator consists of an array of tungsten halogen lamps hexagonally spaced in a plane. A corresponding array of plastic Fresnel lenses shapes the output beam such that the simulator irradiates a 1.2 m by 1.2 m area with uniform collimated irradiance. Details are given concerning individual lamp output measurements and placement of the lamps. Originally, only the direct component of solar irradiance was simulated. Since the diffuse component may affect the performance of some collectors, the capability to simulate it is being added. An approach to this diffuse addition is discussed.

Stratospheric gravity waves at southern hemisphere orographic hotspots: 2003-2014 AIRS/Aqua observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Lars; Grimsdell, Alison W.; Alexander, M. Joan

2017-04-01

Stratospheric gravity waves from small-scale orographic sources are currently not well-represented in general circulation models. This may be a reason why many simulations have difficulty reproducing the dynamical behaviour of the southern hemisphere polar vortex in a realistic manner. Here we discuss a 12-year record (2003 - 2014) of stratospheric gravity wave activity at southern hemisphere orographic hotspots as observed by the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Aqua satellite. We introduce a simple and effective approach, referred to as the 'two-box method', to detect gravity wave activity from infrared nadir sounder measurements and to discriminate between gravity waves from orographic and other sources. From austral mid fall to mid spring (April - October) the contributions of orographic sources to the observed gravity wave occurrence frequencies were found to be largest for the Andes (90%), followed by the Antarctic Peninsula (76%), Kerguelen Islands (73%), Tasmania (70%), New Zealand (67%), Heard Island (60%), and other hotspots (24 - 54%). Mountain wave activity was found to be closely correlated with peak terrain altitudes, and with zonal winds in the lower troposphere and mid stratosphere. We propose a simple model to predict the occurrence of mountain wave events in the AIRS observations using zonal wind thresholds at 3 hPa and 750 hPa. The model has significant predictive skill for hotspots where gravity wave activity is primarily due to orographic sources. It typically reproduces seasonal variations of the mountain wave occurrence frequencies at the Antarctic Peninsula and Kerguelen Islands from near zero to over 60% with mean absolute errors of 4 - 5 percentage points. The prediction model can be used to disentangle upper level wind effects on observed occurrence frequencies from low level source and other influences. The data and methods presented here can help to identify

LUT observations of the mass-transferring binary AI Dra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Wenping; Qian, Shengbang; Li, Linjia; Zhou, Xiao; Zhao, Ergang; Liu, Nianping

2016-06-01

Complete UV band light curve of the eclipsing binary AI Dra was observed with the Lunar-based Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) in October 2014. It is very useful to adopt this continuous and uninterrupted light curve to determine physical and orbital parameters of the binary system. Photometric solutions of the spot model are obtained by using the W-D (Wilson and Devinney) method. It is confirmed that AI Dra is a semi-detached binary with secondary component filling its critical Roche lobe, which indicates that a mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one should happen. Orbital period analysis based on all available eclipse times suggests a secular period increase and two cyclic variations. The secular period increase was interpreted by mass transfer from the secondary component to the primary one at a rate of 4.12 ×10^{-8}M_{⊙}/yr, which is in agreement with the photometric solutions. Two cyclic oscillations were due to light travel-time effect (LTTE) via the presence of two cool stellar companions in a near 2:1 mean-motion resonance. Both photometric solutions and orbital period analysis confirm that AI Dra is a mass-transferring binary, the massive primary is filling 69 % of its critical Roche lobe. After the primary evolves to fill the critical Roche lobe, the mass transfer will be reversed and the binary will evolve into a contact configuration.

X-shooter observations of low-mass stars in the η Chamaeleontis association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rugel, Michael; Fedele, Davide; Herczeg, Gregory

2018-01-01

The nearby η Chamaeleontis association is a collection of 4-10 Myr old stars with a disk fraction of 35-45%. In this study, the broad wavelength coverage of VLT/X-shooter is used to measure the stellar and mass accretion properties of 15 low-mass stars in the η Chamaeleontis association. For each star, the observed spectrum is fitted with a non-accreting stellar template and an accretion spectrum obtained from assuming a plane-parallel hydrogen slab. Five of the eight stars with an IR disk excess show excess UV emission, indicating ongoing accretion. The accretion rates measured here are similar to those obtained from previous measurements of excess UV emission, but tend to be higher than past measurements from Hα modeling. The mass accretion rates are consistent with those of other young star forming regions. This work is based on observations made with ESO Telescopes at the Paranal Observatory under program ID 084.C-1095.

Air-sea fluxes of momentum and mass in the presence of wind waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zülicke, Christoph

2010-05-01

An air-sea interaction model (ASIM) is developed including the effect of wind waves on momentum and mass transfer. This includes the derivation of profiles of dissipation rate, flow speed and concentration from a certain height to a certain depth. Simplified assumptions on the turbulent closure, skin - bulk matching and the spectral wave model allow for an analytic treatment. Particular emphasis was put on the inclusion of primary (gravity) waves and secondary (capillary-gravity) waves. The model was tuned to match wall-flow theory and data on wave height and slope. Growing waves reduce the air-side turbulent stress and lead to an increasing drag coefficient. In the sea, breaking waves inject turbulent kinetic energy and accelerate the transfer. Cross-reference with data on wave-related momentum and energy flux, dissipation rate and transfer velocity was sufficient. The evaluation of ASIM allowed for the analytical calculation of bulk formulae for the wind-dependent gas transfer velocity including information on the air-side momentum transfer (drag coefficient) and the sea-side gas transfer (Dalton number). The following regimes have been identified: the smooth waveless regime with a transfer velocity proportional to (wind) × (diffusion)2-3, the primary wave regime with a wind speed dependence proportional to (wind)1-4 × (diffusion)1-2-(waveage)1-4 and the secondary wave regime including a more-than-linear wind speed dependence like (wind)15-8 × (diffusion)1-2 × (waveage)5-8. These findings complete the current understanding of air-sea interaction for medium winds between 2 and 20 m s^-1.

Observations of increased tropical rainfall preceded by air passage over forests.

PubMed

Spracklen, D V; Arnold, S R; Taylor, C M

2012-09-13

Vegetation affects precipitation patterns by mediating moisture, energy and trace-gas fluxes between the surface and atmosphere. When forests are replaced by pasture or crops, evapotranspiration of moisture from soil and vegetation is often diminished, leading to reduced atmospheric humidity and potentially suppressing precipitation. Climate models predict that large-scale tropical deforestation causes reduced regional precipitation, although the magnitude of the effect is model and resolution dependent. In contrast, observational studies have linked deforestation to increased precipitation locally but have been unable to explore the impact of large-scale deforestation. Here we use satellite remote-sensing data of tropical precipitation and vegetation, combined with simulated atmospheric transport patterns, to assess the pan-tropical effect of forests on tropical rainfall. We find that for more than 60 per cent of the tropical land surface (latitudes 30 degrees south to 30 degrees north), air that has passed over extensive vegetation in the preceding few days produces at least twice as much rain as air that has passed over little vegetation. We demonstrate that this empirical correlation is consistent with evapotranspiration maintaining atmospheric moisture in air that passes over extensive vegetation. We combine these empirical relationships with current trends of Amazonian deforestation to estimate reductions of 12 and 21 per cent in wet-season and dry-season precipitation respectively across the Amazon basin by 2050, due to less-efficient moisture recycling. Our observation-based results complement similar estimates from climate models, in which the physical mechanisms and feedbacks at work could be explored in more detail.

Linking Meteorology, Air Quality Models and Observations to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Epidemiologic studies are critical in establishing the association between exposure to air pollutants and adverse health effects. Results of epidemiologic studies are used by U.S. EPA in developing air quality standards to protect the public from the health effects of air pollutants. A major challenge in environmental epidemiology is adequate exposure characterization. Numerous health studies have used measurements from a few central-site ambient monitors to characterize air pollution exposures. Relying solely on central-site ambient monitors does not account for the spatial-heterogeneity of ambient air pollution patterns, the temporal variability in ambient concentrations, nor the influence of infiltration and indoor sources. Central-site monitoring becomes even more problematic for certain air pollutants that exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity. Statistical interpolation techniques and passive monitoring methods can provide additional spatial resolution in ambient concentration estimates. In addition, spatio-temporal models, which integrate GIS data and other factors, such as meteorology, have also been developed to produce more resolved estimates of ambient concentrations. Models, such as the Community Multi-Scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, estimate ambient concentrations by combining information on meteorology, source emissions, and chemical-fate and transport. Hybrid modeling approaches, which integrate regional scale models with local scale dispersion

Measurement of toxic volatile organic compounds in indoor air of semiconductor foundries using multisorbent adsorption/thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wu, Chien-Hou; Lin, Ming-Nan; Feng, Chien-Tai; Yang, Kuang-Ling; Lo, Yu-Shiu; Lo, Jiunn-Guang

2003-05-09

A method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air of class-100 clean rooms at semiconductor fabrication facilities was developed. Air samples from two semiconductor factories were collected each hour on multisorbent tubes (including Carbopack B, Carbopack C, and Carbosieve SIII) with a 24-h automatic active sampling system and analyzed using adsorption/thermal desorption coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Experimental parameters, including thermal desorption temperature, desorption time, and cryofocusing temperature, were optimized. The average recoveries and the method detection limits for the target compounds were in the range 94-101% and 0.31-0.89 ppb, respectively, under the conditions of a 1 L sampling volume and 80% relative humidity. VOCs such as acetone, isopropyl alcohol, 2-heptanone, and toluene, which are commonly used in the semiconductor and electronics industries, were detected and accurately quantified with the established method. Temporal variations of the analyte concentrations observed were attributed to the improper use of organic solvents during operation.

[Air pollution in an urban area nearby the Rome-Ciampino city airport].

PubMed

Di Menno di Bucchianico, Alessandro; Cattani, Giorgio; Gaeta, Alessandra; Caricchia, Anna Maria; Troiano, Francesco; Sozzi, Roberto; Bolignano, Andrea; Sacco, Fabrizio; Damizia, Sesto; Barberini, Silvia; Caleprico, Roberta; Fabozzi, Tina; Ancona, Carla; Ancona, Laura; Cesaroni, Giulia; Forastiere, Francesco; Gobbi, Gian Paolo; Costabile, Francesca; Angelini, Federico; Barnaba, Francesca; Inglessis, Marco; Tancredi, Francesco; Palumbo, Lorenzo; Fontana, Luca; Bergamaschi, Antonio; Iavicoli, Ivo

2014-01-01

to assess air pollution spatial and temporal variability in the urban area nearby the Ciampino International Airport (Rome) and to investigate the airport-related emissions contribute. the study domain was a 64 km2 area around the airport. Two fifteen-day monitoring campaigns (late spring, winter) were carried out. Results were evaluated using several runs outputs of an airport-related sources Lagrangian particle model and a photochemical model (the Flexible Air quality Regional Model, FARM). both standard and high time resolution air pollutant concentrations measurements: CO, NO, NO2, C6H6, mass and number concentration of several PM fractions. 46 fixed points (spread over the study area) of NO2 and volatile organic compounds concentrations (fifteen days averages); deterministic models outputs. standard time resolution measurements, as well as model outputs, showed the airport contribution to air pollution levels being little compared to the main source in the area (i.e. vehicular traffic). However, using high time resolution measurements, peaks of particles associated with aircraft takeoff (total number concentration and soot mass concentration), and landing (coarse mass concentration) were observed, when the site measurement was downwind to the runway. the frequently observed transient spikes associated with aircraft movements could lead to a not negligible contribute to ultrafine, soot and coarse particles exposure of people living around the airport. Such contribute and its spatial and temporal variability should be investigated when assessing the airports air quality impact.

Observations of the Coronal Mass Ejection with a Complex Acceleration Profile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reva, A. A.; Kirichenko, A. S.; Ulyanov, A. S.; Kuzin, S. V.

2017-12-01

We study the coronal mass ejection (CME) with a complex acceleration profile. The event occurred on 2009 April 23. It had an impulsive acceleration phase, an impulsive deceleration phase, and a second impulsive acceleration phase. During its evolution, the CME showed signatures of different acceleration mechanisms: kink instability, prominence drainage, flare reconnection, and a CME–CME collision. The special feature of the observations is the usage of the TESIS EUV telescope. The instrument could image the solar corona in the Fe 171 Å line up to a distance of 2 {R}ȯ from the center of the Sun. This allows us to trace the CME up to the LASCO/C2 field of view without losing the CME from sight. The onset of the CME was caused by kink instability. The mass drainage occurred after the kink instability. The mass drainage played only an auxiliary role: it decreased the CME mass, which helped to accelerate the CME. The first impulsive acceleration phase was caused by the flare reconnection. We observed the two-ribbon flare and an increase of the soft X-ray flux during the first impulsive acceleration phase. The impulsive deceleration and the second impulsive acceleration phases were caused by the CME–CME collision. The studied event shows that CMEs are complex phenomena that cannot be explained with only one acceleration mechanism. We should seek a combination of different mechanisms that accelerate CMEs at different stages of their evolution.

Double-detonation Sub-Chandrasekhar Supernovae: Synthetic Observables for Minimum Helium Shell Mass Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kromer, M.; Sim, S. A.; Fink, M.; Röpke, F. K.; Seitenzahl, I. R.; Hillebrandt, W.

2010-08-01

In the double-detonation scenario for Type Ia supernovae, it is suggested that a detonation initiates in a shell of helium-rich material accreted from a companion star by a sub-Chandrasekhar-mass white dwarf. This shell detonation drives a shock front into the carbon-oxygen white dwarf that triggers a secondary detonation in the core. The core detonation results in a complete disruption of the white dwarf. Earlier studies concluded that this scenario has difficulties in accounting for the observed properties of Type Ia supernovae since the explosion ejecta are surrounded by the products of explosive helium burning in the shell. Recently, however, it was proposed that detonations might be possible for much less massive helium shells than previously assumed (Bildsten et al.). Moreover, it was shown that even detonations of these minimum helium shell masses robustly trigger detonations of the carbon-oxygen core (Fink et al.). Therefore, it is possible that the impact of the helium layer on observables is less than previously thought. Here, we present time-dependent multi-wavelength radiative transfer calculations for models with minimum helium shell mass and derive synthetic observables for both the optical and γ-ray spectral regions. These differ strongly from those found in earlier simulations of sub-Chandrasekhar-mass explosions in which more massive helium shells were considered. Our models predict light curves that cover both the range of brightnesses and the rise and decline times of observed Type Ia supernovae. However, their colors and spectra do not match the observations. In particular, their B - V colors are generally too red. We show that this discrepancy is mainly due to the composition of the burning products of the helium shell of the Fink et al. models which contain significant amounts of titanium and chromium. Using a toy model, we also show that the burning products of the helium shell depend crucially on its initial composition. This leads us to

Investigating Local and Remote Terrestrial Influence on Air Masses at Contrasting Antarctic Sites Using Radon-222 and Back Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, S. D.; Choi, T.; Park, S.-J.; Williams, A. G.; Hong, S.-B.; Tositti, L.; Griffiths, A. D.; Crawford, J.; Pereira, E.

2017-12-01

We report on the first summer of high-sensitivity radon measurements from a two-filter detector at Jang Bogo Station (Terra Nova Bay) and contrast them with simultaneous observations at King Sejong Station (King George Island). King Sejong radon concentrations were characteristic of a marine baseline station (0.02-0.3 Bq m-3), whereas Jang Bogo values were highly variable (0.06-5.2 Bq m-3), mainly due to emissions from exposed coastal ground (estimated mean flux 0.09-0.11 atoms cm-2 s-1) and shallow atmospheric mixing depths. For wind speeds of ≤3.5 m s-1 the influence of local radon emissions became increasingly more prominent at both sites. A cluster analysis of back trajectories from King Sejong (62°S) revealed a fairly even distribution between air masses that had passed recently over South America, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica, whereas at Jang Bogo (75°S) 80% of events had recently passed over the Ross Ice Shelf and West Antarctica, 12% were synoptically forced over Cape Adare, and 8% were associated with subsidence over the Antarctic interior and katabatic flow to the station. When cross-checked against radon concentrations, only half of the back trajectories ending at Jang Bogo that had indicated distant contact with nonpolar southern hemisphere continents within the past 10 days showed actual signs of terrestrial influence. A simple-to-implement technique based on high-pass filtered absolute humidity is developed to distinguish between predominantly katabatic, oceanic, and near-coastal air masses for characterization of trace gas and aerosol measurements at coastal East Antarctic sites.

Non-proximate mass spectrometry using a heated 1-m long PTFE tube and an air-tight APCI ion source.

PubMed

Usmanov, Dilshadbek T; Hiraoka, Kenzo; Wada, Hiroshi; Matsumura, Masaya; Sanada-Morimura, Sachiyo; Nonami, Hiroshi; Yamabe, Shinichi

2017-06-22

Direct and rapid trace-level gas analysis is highly needed in various fields such as safety and security, quality control, food analysis, and forensic medicine. In many cases, the real samples are bulky and are not accessible to the space-limited ion source of the mass spectrometer. In order to circumvent this problem, we developed an airtight atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) ion source equipped with a flexible 1-m-long, 2-mm-i.d. PTFE sniffing tube. The ambient air bearing sample gas was sucked into the heated PTFE tube (130 °C) and was transported to the air-tight ion source without using any extra pumping system or a Venturi device. Analytes were ionized by an ac corona discharge located at 1.5 mm from the inlet of the mass spectrometer. By using the airtight ion source, all the ionized gas in the ion source was introduced into the vacuum of the mass spectrometer via only the evacuation of the mass spectrometer (1.6 l min -1 ). Sub-pg limits of detection were obtained for carbaryl and trinitrotoluene. Owing to its flexibility and high sensitivity, the sniffing tube coupled with a mass spectrometer can be used as the stethoscope for the high-sensitive gas analysis. The experimental results obtained for drugs, hydrogen peroxide and small alkanes were discussed by DFT calculations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of air quality with numerical simulation (CMAQ), and observations of trace gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellanos, Patricia

Ozone, a secondary pollutant, is a strong oxidant that can pose a risk to human health. It is formed from a complex set of photochemical reactions involving nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Ambient measurements and air quality modeling of ozone and its precursors are important tools for support of regulatory decisions, and analyzing atmospheric chemical and physical processes. I worked on three methods to improve our understanding of photochemical ozone production in the Eastern U.S.: a new detector for NO2, a numerical experiment to test the sensitivity to the timing to emissions, and comparison of modeled and observed vertical profiles of CO and ozone. A small, commercially available cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) NO2 detector suitable for surface and aircraft monitoring was modified and characterized. The CRDS detector was run in parallel to an ozone chemiluminescence device with photolytic conversion of NO2 to NO. The two instruments measured ambient air in suburban Maryland. A linear least-squares fit to a direct comparison of the data resulted in a slope of 0.960+/-0.002 and R of 0.995, showing agreement between two measurement techniques within experimental uncertainty. The sensitivity of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model to the temporal variation of four emissions sectors was investigated to understand the effect of emissions' daily variability on modeled ozone. Decreasing the variability of mobile source emissions changed the 8-hour maximum ozone concentration by +/-7 parts per billion by volume (ppbv). Increasing the variability of point source emissions affected ozone concentrations by +/-6 ppbv, but only in areas close to the source. CO is an ideal tracer for analyzing pollutant transport in AQMs because the atmospheric lifetime is longer than the timescale of boundary layer mixing. CO can be used as a tracer if model performance of CO is well understood. An evaluation of CO model performance in CMAQ was

Observed OH and HO2 concentrations in the upper troposphere inside and outside of Asian monsoon influenced air.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marno, D. R.; Künstler, C.; Hens, K.; Tatum Ernest, C.; Broch, S.; Fuchs, H.; Martinez, M.; Bourtsoukidis, E.; Williams, J.; Holland, F.; Hofzumahaus, A.; Tomsche, L.; Fischer, H.; Klausner, T.; Schlager, H.; Eirenschmalz, L.; Stratmann, G.; Stock, P.; Ziereis, H.; Roiger, A.; Bohn, B.; Zahn, A.; Wahner, A.; Lelieveld, J.; Harder, H.

2016-12-01

The Asian monsoon convectively transports pollutants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), NOx, and SO2 from the boundary layer over South Asia into the upper troposphere where they can potentially enter the stratosphere, or be dispersed globally. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the oxidizing capacity of this system regarding the rate of aerosol formation, and conversion of pollutants into compounds that have much shorter atmospheric lifetimes. OH plays a central role in this oxidation process. During the OMO-ASIA campaign in the summer of 2015, OH and HO2 were measured onboard the High Altitude Long-Range (HALO) Research Aircraft. Two laser-induced fluorescence instruments based on the fluorescence assay by gas expansion technique (LIF-FAGE) had been deployed, the AIR-LIF instrument from Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and the HORUS instrument from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz. To measure the chemical background of OH potentially produced inside the HORUS instrument from highly oxidized VOCs, atmospheric OH is scavenged by an Inlet Pre-injector (IPI) system. This was the first time an IPI system was implemented within an airborne LIF-FAGE instrument measuring OH and HO2. Throughout this campaign OH and HO2 were measured at 12 to 15km within the Asian monsoon anticyclone. These measurements have been contrasted by probing air outside the anticyclone in air masses influenced by North American emissions, and in very clean air masses originated from the southern hemisphere.

Improving UK Air Quality Modelling Through Exploitation of Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pope, Richard; Chipperfield, Martyn; Savage, Nick

2014-05-01

In this work the applicability of satellite observations to evaluate the operational UK Met Office Air Quality in the Unified Model (AQUM) have been investigated. The main focus involved the AQUM validation against satellite observations, investigation of satellite retrieval error types and of synoptic meteorological-atmospheric chemistry relationships simulated/seen by the AQUM/satellite. The AQUM is a short range forecast model of atmospheric chemistry and aerosols up to 5 days. It has been designed to predict potentially hazardous air pollution events, e.g. high concentrations of surface ozone. The AQUM has only been validated against UK atmospheric chemistry recording surface stations. Therefore, satellite observations of atmospheric chemistry have been used to further validate the model, taking advantage of better satellite spatial coverage. Observations of summer and winter 2006 tropospheric column NO2 from both OMI and SCIAMACHY show that the AQUM generally compares well with the observations. However, in northern England positive biases (AQUM - satellite) suggest that the AQUM overestimates column NO2; we present results of sensitivity experiments on UK emissions datasets suspected to be the cause. In winter, the AQUM over predicts background column NO2 when compared to both satellite instruments. We hypothesise that the cause is the AQUM winter night-time chemistry, where the NO2 sinks are not substantially defined. Satellite data are prone to errors/uncertainty such as random, systematic and smoothing errors. We have investigated these error types and developed an algorithm to calculate and reduce the random error component of DOAS NO2 retrievals, giving more robust seasonal satellite composites. The Lamb Weather Types (LWT), an objective method of classifying the daily synoptic weather over the UK, were used to create composite satellite maps of column NO2 under different synoptic conditions. Under cyclonic conditions, satellite observed UK column NO2 is

Meteorological control of lower stratospheric minor species variations - An observational example

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alyea, F. N.; Cunnold, D. M.

1978-01-01

Lower stratospheric air trajectories entering the region over Alaska at the approximately 125 mb level during late May, 1975 indicate a substantial shift in the geographical source regions for the air masses present during that time. This shift coincides with an approximately 25% decrease in the observed halocarbon mixing ratios at the 125 mb level as determined from a daily sequence of halocarbon profiles. Since the halocarbon species measured are essentially chemically inactive at this level, the observed variation is linked to the changing meteorological pattern.

Piecewise mass flows within a solar prominence observed by the New Vacuum Solar Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hongbo; Liu, Yu; Tam, Kuan Vai; Zhao, Mingyu; Zhang, Xuefei

2018-06-01

The material of solar prominences is often observed in a state of flowing. These mass flows (MF) are important and useful for us to understand the internal structure and dynamics of prominences. In this paper, we present a high resolution Hα observation of MFs within a quiescent solar prominence. From the observation, we find that the plasma primarily has a circular motion and a downward motion separately in the middle section and legs of the prominence, which creates a piecewise mass flow along the observed prominence. Moreover, the observation also shows a clear displacement of MF's velocity peaks in the middle section of the prominence. All of these provide us with a detailed record of MFs within a solar prominence and show a new approach to detecting the physical properties of prominence.

Observation of regional air pollutant transport between the megacity Beijing and the North China Plain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yingruo; Ye, Chunxiang; Liu, Jun; Zhu, Yi; Wang, Junxia; Tan, Ziqiang; Lin, Weili; Zeng, Limin; Zhu, Tong

2016-11-01

Megacities have strong interactions with the surrounding regions through transport of air pollutants. It has been frequently addressed that the air quality of Beijing is influenced by the influx of air pollutants from the North China Plain (NCP). Estimations of air pollutant cross-boundary transport between Beijing and the NCP are important for air quality management. However, evaluation of cross-boundary transport using long-term observations is very limited. Using the observational results of the gaseous pollutants SO2, NO, NO2, O3, and CO from August 2006 to October 2008 at the Yufa site, a cross-boundary site between the megacity Beijing and the NCP, together with meteorological parameters, we explored a method for evaluating the transport flux intensities at Yufa, as part of the "Campaign of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region 2006-2008" (CAREBeijing 2006-2008). The hourly mean ± SD (median) concentration of SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, O3, Ox, and CO was 15 ± 16 (9) ppb, 12 ± 25 (3) ppb, 24 ± 19 (20) ppb, 36 ± 39 (23) ppb, 28 ± 27 (21) ppb, 52 ± 24 (45) ppb, and 1.6 ± 1.4 (1.2) ppm during the observation period, respectively. The bivariate polar plots showed the dependence of pollutant concentrations on both wind speed and wind direction, and thus inferred their dominant transport directions. Surface flux intensity calculations further demonstrated the regional transport influence of Beijing and the NCP on Yufa. The net surface transport flux intensity (mean ± SD) of SO2, NO, NO2, NOx, O3, Ox, and CO was 6.2 ± 89.5, -4.3 ± 29.5, -0.6 ± 72.3, -4.9 ± 93.0, 14.7 ± 187.8, 14.8 ± 234.9, and 70 ± 2830 µg s-1 m-2 during the observation period, respectively. For SO2, CO, O3, and Ox the surface flux intensities from the NCP to Yufa surpassed those from Beijing to Yufa in all seasons except winter, with the strongest net fluxes largely in summer, which were about 4-8 times those of other seasons. The surface transport flux intensity of NOx

Optimization of solar cells for air mass zero operation and a study of solar cells at high temperatures, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hovel, H.; Woodall, J. M.

1976-01-01

Crystal growth procedures, fabrication techniques, and theoretical analysis were developed in order to make GaAlAs-GaAs solar cell structures which exhibit high performance at air mass 0 illumination and high temperature conditions.

Boundary layers at a dynamic interface: air-sea exchange of heat and mass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szeri, Andrew

2017-11-01

Exchange of mass or heat across a turbulent liquid-gas interface is a problem of critical interest, especially in air-sea transfer of natural and man-made gases involved in climate change. The goal in this research area is to determine the gas flux from air to sea or vice versa. For sparingly soluble non-reactive gases, this is controlled by liquid phase turbulent velocity fluctuations that act on the thin species concentration boundary layer on the liquid side of the interface. If the fluctuations in surface-normal velocity and gas concentration differences are known, then it is possible to determine the turbulent contribution to the gas flux. However, there is no suitable fundamental direct approach in the general case where neither of these quantities can be easily measured. A new approach is presented to deduce key aspects about the near-surface turbulent motions from remote measurements, which allows one to determine the gas transfer velocity, or gas flux per unit area if overall concentration differences are known. The approach is illustrated with conceptual examples.

Ring waves as a mass transport mechanism in air-driven core-annular flows.

PubMed

Camassa, Roberto; Forest, M Gregory; Lee, Long; Ogrosky, H Reed; Olander, Jeffrey

2012-12-01

Air-driven core-annular fluid flows occur in many situations, from lung airways to engineering applications. Here we study, experimentally and theoretically, flows where a viscous liquid film lining the inside of a tube is forced upwards against gravity by turbulent airflow up the center of the tube. We present results on the thickness and mean speed of the film and properties of the interfacial waves that develop from an instability of the air-liquid interface. We derive a long-wave asymptotic model and compare properties of its solutions with those of the experiments. Traveling wave solutions of this long-wave model exhibit evidence of different mass transport regimes: Past a certain threshold, sufficiently large-amplitude waves begin to trap cores of fluid which propagate upward at wave speeds. This theoretical result is then confirmed by a second set of experiments that show evidence of ring waves of annular fluid propagating over the underlying creeping flow. By tuning the parameters of the experiments, the strength of this phenomenon can be adjusted in a way that is predicted qualitatively by the model.

Methods, fluxes and sources of gas phase alkyl nitrates in the coastal air.

PubMed

Dirtu, Alin C; Buczyńska, Anna J; Godoi, Ana F L; Favoreto, Rodrigo; Bencs, László; Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja S; Godoi, Ricardo H M; Van Grieken, René; Van Vaeck, Luc

2014-10-01

The daily and seasonal atmospheric concentrations, deposition fluxes and emission sources of a few C3-C9 gaseous alkyl nitrates (ANs) at the Belgian coast (De Haan) on the Southern North Sea were determined. An adapted sampler design for low- and high-volume air-sampling, optimized sample extraction and clean-up, as well as identification and quantification of ANs in air samples by means of gas chromatography mass spectrometry, are reported. The total concentrations of ANs ranged from 0.03 to 85 pptv and consisted primarily of the nitro-butane and nitro-pentane isomers. Air mass backward trajectories were calculated by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to determine the influence of main air masses on AN levels in the air. The shorter chain ANs have been the most abundant in the Atlantic/Channel/UK air masses, while longer chain ANs prevailed in continental air. The overall mean N fluxes of the ANs were slightly higher for summer than those for winter-spring, although their contributions to the total nitrogen flux were low. High correlations between AN and HNO₂ levels were observed during winter/spring. During summer, the shorter chain ANs correlated well with precipitation. Source apportionment by means of principal component analysis indicated that most of the gas phase ANs could be attributed to traffic/combustion, secondary photochemical formation and biomass burning, although marine sources may also have been present and a contributing factor.

Analysis of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect mass-observable relations using South Pole Telescope observations of an X-ray selected sample of low-mass galaxy clusters and groups

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, J.; Mohr, J.; Saro, A.

2015-02-25

We use microwave observations from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) to examine the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect (SZE) signatures of a sample of 46 X-ray selected groups and clusters drawn from ~6 deg 2 of the XMM–Newton Blanco Cosmology Survey. These systems extend to redshift z = 1.02 and probe the SZE signal to the lowest X-ray luminosities (≥10 42 erg s -1) yet; these sample characteristics make this analysis complementary to previous studies. We develop an analysis tool, using X-ray luminosity as a mass proxy, to extract selection-bias-corrected constraints on the SZE significance and Y_500 mass relations. The former is in good agreement with anmore » extrapolation of the relation obtained from high-mass clusters. However, the latter, at low masses, while in good agreement with the extrapolation from the high-mass SPT clusters, is in tension at 2.8σ with the Planck constraints, indicating the low-mass systems exhibit lower SZE signatures in the SPT data. We also present an analysis of potential sources of contamination. For the radio galaxy point source population, we find 18 of our systems have 843 MHz Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey sources within 2 arcmin of the X-ray centre, and three of these are also detected at significance >4 by SPT. Of these three, two are associated with the group brightest cluster galaxies, and the third is likely an unassociated quasar candidate. We examine the impact of these point sources on our SZE scaling relation analyses and find no evidence of biases. We also examine the impact of dusty galaxies using constraints from the 220 GHz data. The stacked sample provides 2.8σ significant evidence of dusty galaxy flux, which would correspond to an average underestimate of the SPT Y_500 signal that is (17 ± 9)per cent in this sample of low-mass systems. Finally, we explore the impact of future data from SPTpol and XMM-XXL, showing that it will lead to a factor of 4 to 5 tighter constraints on these SZE mass–observable

Internal hydraulic control in the Little Belt, Denmark - observations of flow configurations and water mass formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holtegaard Nielsen, Morten; Vang, Torben; Chresten Lund-Hansen, Lars

2017-12-01

Internal hydraulic control, which occurs when stratified water masses are forced through an abrupt constriction, plays an enormous role in nature on both large and regional scales with respect to dynamics, circulation, and water mass formation. Despite a growing literature on this subject surprisingly few direct observations have been made that conclusively show the existence of and the circumstances related to internal hydraulic control in nature. In this study we present observations from the Little Belt, Denmark, one of three narrow straits connecting the Baltic Sea and the North Sea. The observations (comprised primarily of along-strait, detailed transects of salinity and temperature; continuous observations of flow velocity, salinity, and temperature at a permanent station; and numerous vertical profiles of salinity, temperature, fluorescence, and flow velocity in various locations) show that internal hydraulic control is a frequently occurring phenomenon in the Little Belt. The observations, which are limited to south-going flows of approximately two-layered water masses, show that internal hydraulic control may take either of two configurations, i.e. the lower or the upper layer being the active, accelerating one. This is connected to the depth of the pycnocline on the upstream side and the topography, which is both deepening and contracting toward the narrow part of the Little Belt. The existence of two possible flow configurations is known from theoretical and laboratory studies, but we believe that this has never been observed in nature and reported before. The water masses formed by the intense mixing, which is tightly connected with the presence of control, may be found far downstream of the point of control. The observations show that these particular water masses are associated with chlorophyll concentrations that are considerably higher than in adjacent water masses, showing that control has a considerable influence on the primary production and

HIRDLS Observations and Simulation of a Lower Stratospheric Intrusion of Tropical Air to High Latitudes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Mark A.; Douglass, Anne R.; Newman, Paul A.; Gille, John C.; Nardi, Bruno; Yudin, Valery A.; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Khosravi, Rashid

2008-01-01

On 26 January 2006, the High Resolution Dynamic Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) observed low mixing ratios of ozone and nitric acid in an approximately 2 km vertical layer near 100 hPa extending from the subtropics to 55 degrees N over North America. The subsequent evolution of the layer is simulated with the Global Modeling Initiative (GMI) model and substantiated with HIRDLS observations. Air with low mixing ratios of ozone is transported poleward to 80 degrees N. Although there is evidence of mixing with extratropical air and diabatic descent, much of the tropical intrusion returns to the subtropics. This study demonstrates that HIRDLS and the GMI model are capable of resolving thin intrusion events. The observations combined with simulation are a first step towards development of a quantitative understanding of the lower stratospheric ozone budget.

Assessing changes in stratospheric mean age of air and fractional release using historical trace gas observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laube, Johannes; Bönisch, Harald; Engel, Andreas; Röckmann, Thomas; Sturges, William

2014-05-01

Large-scale stratospheric transport is pre-dominantly governed by the Brewer-Dobson circulation. Due to climatic change a long-term acceleration of this residual stratospheric circulation has been proposed (e.g. Austin et al.,2006). Observational evidence has revealed indications for temporary changes (e.g. Bönisch et al., 2011) but a confirmation of a significant long-term trend is missing so far (e.g. Engel et al., 2009). A different aspect is a possible long-term change in the break-down of chemically important species such as chlorofluorocarbons as proposed by Butchart et al. 2001. Recent studies show significant differences adding up to more than 20 % in the chlorine released from such compounds (Newman et al., 2007; Laube et al., 2013). We here use a data set of three long-lived trace gases, namely SF6, CF2Cl2, and N2O, as measured in whole-air samples collected during balloon and aircraft flights between 1975 and 2011, to assess changes in stratospheric transport and chemistry. For this purpose we utilise the mean stratospheric transit times (or mean ages of air) in combination with a measure of the chemical decomposition (i.e. fractional release factors). We also evaluate the influence of different trend correction methods on these quantities and explore their variability with latitude, altitude, and season. References Austin, J. & Li, F.: On the relationship between the strength of the Brewer-Dobson circulation and the age of stratospheric air, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L17807, 2006. Bönisch, H., Engel, A., Birner, Th., Hoor, P., Tarasick, D. W., and Ray, E. A.: On the structural changes in the Brewer-Dobson circulation after 2000, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 3937-3948, 2011. Butchart, N. & Scaife, A. A. Removal of chlorofluorocarbons by increased mass exchange between the stratosphere and troposphere in a changing climate. Nature, 410, 799-802, 2001. Engel, A., Möbius, T., Bönisch, H., Schmidt, U., Heinz, R., Levin, I., Atlas, E., Aoki, S., Nakazawa, T

Coronal Mass Ejections and Dimmings: A Comparative Study using MHD Simulations and SDO Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, M.; Cheung, C. M. M.; DeRosa, M. L.; Nitta, N.; Schrijver, K.

2017-12-01

Solar coronal dimmings have been observed extensively in the past two decades. Due to their close association with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), there is a critical need to improve our understanding of the physical processes that cause dimmings and determine their relationship with CMEs. In this study, we investigate coronal dimmings by combining simulation and observational efforts. By utilizing a data-driven global magnetohydrodynamics model (AWSoM: Alfven-wave Solar Model), we simulate coronal dimmings resulting from different CME energetics and flux rope configurations. We synthesize the emissions of different EUV spectral bands/lines and compare with SDO/AIA and EVE observations. A detailed analysis of simulation and observation data suggests that although the transient dimming / brightening patterns could relate to plasma heating processes (either by adiabatic compression or reconnection), the long-lasting "core" and "remote" (also known as "secondary") dimmings both originate from regions with open/quasi-open fields and are caused by mass loss process. The mass loss in the remote dimming region is induced by CME-driven shock. Using metrics such as dimming depth, dimming slope, and recovery time, we investigate the relationship between dimmings and CME properties (e.g., CME mass, CME speed) in the simulation. Our result suggests that coronal dimmings encode important information about CME energetics, CME-driven shock properties, and magnetic configuration of erupting flux ropes. We also discuss how our knowledge about solar coronal dimmings could be extended to the study of stellar CMEs, which may prove important for exoplanet atmospheres and habitability but which are currently not observable.

Influence of ambient air pressure on effervescent atomization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, S. K.; Lefebvre, A. H.; Rollbuhler, J.

1993-01-01

The influence of ambient air pressure on the drop-size distributions produced in effervescent atomization is examined in this article. Also investigated are the effects on spray characteristics of variations in air/liquid mass ratio, liquid-injection pressure, and atomizer discharge-orifice diameter at different levels of ambient air pressure. It is found that continuous increase in air pressure above the normal atmospheric value causes the mean drop-size to first increase up to a maximum value and then decline. An explanation for this characteristic is provided in terms of the various contributing factors to the overall atomization process. It is also observed that changes in atomizer geometry and operating conditions have little effect on the distribution of drop-sizes in the spray.

Fγ: A new observable for photon-hadron discrimination in hybrid air shower events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niechciol, M.; Risse, M.; Ruehl, P.; Settimo, M.; Younk, P. W.; Yushkov, A.

2018-01-01

To search for ultra-high-energy photons in primary cosmic rays, air shower observables are needed that allow a good separation between primary photons and primary hadrons. We present a new observable, Fγ, which can be extracted from ground-array data in hybrid events, where simultaneous measurements of the longitudinal and the lateral shower profile are performed. The observable is based on a template fit to the lateral distribution measured by the ground array with the template taking into account the complementary information from the measurement of the longitudinal profile, i.e. the primary energy and the geometry of the shower. Fγ shows a very good photon-hadron separation, which is even superior to the separation given by the well-known Xmax observable (the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum). At energies around 1 EeV (10 EeV), Fγ provides a background rejection better than 97.8 % (99.9 %) at a signal efficiency of 50 %. Advantages of the observable Fγ are its technical stability with respect to irregularities in the ground array (i.e. missing or temporarily non-operating stations) and that it can be applied over the full energy range accessible to the air shower detector, down to its threshold energy. Furthermore, Fγ complements nicely to Xmax such that both observables can well be combined to achieve an even better discrimination power, exploiting the rich information available in hybrid events.

The Mass-dependent Star Formation Histories of Disk Galaxies: Infall Model Versus Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, R. X.; Hou, J. L.; Shen, S. Y.; Shu, C. G.

2010-10-01

We introduce a simple model to explore the star formation histories of disk galaxies. We assume that the disk originate and grows by continuous gas infall. The gas infall rate is parameterized by the Gaussian formula with one free parameter: the infall-peak time tp . The Kennicutt star formation law is adopted to describe how much cold gas turns into stars. The gas outflow process is also considered in our model. We find that, at a given galactic stellar mass M *, the model adopting a late infall-peak time tp results in blue colors, low-metallicity, high specific star formation rate (SFR), and high gas fraction, while the gas outflow rate mainly influences the gas-phase metallicity and star formation efficiency mainly influences the gas fraction. Motivated by the local observed scaling relations, we "construct" a mass-dependent model by assuming that the low-mass galaxy has a later infall-peak time tp and a larger gas outflow rate than massive systems. It is shown that this model can be in agreement with not only the local observations, but also with the observed correlations between specific SFR and galactic stellar mass SFR/M * ~ M * at intermediate redshifts z < 1. Comparison between the Gaussian-infall model and the exponential-infall model is also presented. It shows that the exponential-infall model predicts a higher SFR at early stage and a lower SFR later than that of Gaussian infall. Our results suggest that the Gaussian infall rate may be more reasonable in describing the gas cooling process than the exponential infall rate, especially for low-mass systems.

The Effect of the Saharan Air Layer on the Formation of Hurricane Isabel (2003) Simulated with AIRS Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, iguang; Braun, Scott A.; Qu, John J.

2006-01-01

The crucial physics of how the atmosphere really accomplishes the tropical cyclogenesis process is still poorly understood. The presence of the Saharan Air Layer (SAL), an elevated mixed layer of warm and dry air that extends from Africa to the tropical Atlantic and contains a substantial amount of mineral dust, adds more complexity to the tropical cyclogenesis process in the Atlantic basin. The impact of the SAL on tropical cyclogenesis is still uncertain. Karyampudi and Carlson (1988) conclude that a strong SAL can potentially aid tropical cyclone development while Dunion and Velden (2004) argue that the SAL generally inhibits tropical cyclogenesis and intensification. Advancing our understanding of the physical mechanisms of tropical cyclogenesis and the associated roles of the SAL strongly depends on the improvement in the observations over the data-sparse ocean areas. After the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), and the microwave Humidity Sounder of Brazil (HSB) were launched with the NASA Aqua satellite in 2002, new data products retrieved from the AIRS suite became available for studying the effect of the warm, dry air mass associated with the SAL (referred to as the thermodynamic effect). The vertical profiles of the AIRS retrieved temperature and humidity provide an unprecedented opportunity to examine the thermodynamic effect of the SAL. The observational data can be analyzed and assimilated into numerical models, in which the model thermodynamic state is allowed to relax to the observed state from AIRS data. The objective of this study is to numerically demonstrate that the thermodynamic effect of the SAL on the formation of Hurricane Isabel (2003) can be largely simulated through nudging of the AIRS data.

Observational Signatures of Mass-loading in Jets Launched by Rotating Black Holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O’ Riordan, Michael; Pe’er, Asaf; McKinney, Jonathan C.

2018-01-01

It is widely believed that relativistic jets in X-ray binaries (XRBs) and active-galactic nuclei are powered by the rotational energy of black holes. This idea is supported by general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations of accreting black holes, which demonstrate efficient energy extraction via the Blandford–Znajek mechanism. However, due to uncertainties in the physics of mass loading, and the failure of GRMHD numerical schemes in the highly magnetized funnel region, the matter content of the jet remains poorly constrained. We investigate the observational signatures of mass loading in the funnel by performing general-relativistic radiative transfer calculations on a range of 3D GRMHD simulations of accreting black holes. We find significant observational differences between cases in which the funnel is empty and cases where the funnel is filled with plasma, particularly in the optical and X-ray bands. In the context of Sgr A*, current spectral data constrains the jet filling only if the black hole is rapidly rotating with a ≳ 0.9. In this case, the limits on the infrared flux disfavor a strong contribution from material in the funnel. We comment on the implications of our models for interpreting future Event Horizon Telescope observations. We also scale our models to stellar-mass black holes, and discuss their applicability to the low-luminosity state in XRBs.

The influence of air temperature inversions on snowmelt and glacier mass-balance simulations, Ammassalik island, SE Greenland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mernild, Sebastian Haugard; Liston, Glen

2009-01-01

In many applications, a realistic description of air temperature inversions is essential for accurate snow and glacier ice melt, and glacier mass-balance simulations. A physically based snow-evolution modeling system (SnowModel) was used to simulate eight years (1998/99 to 2005/06) of snow accumulation and snow and glacier ice ablation from numerous small coastal marginal glaciers on the SW-part of Ammassalik Island in SE Greenland. These glaciers are regularly influenced by inversions and sea breezes associated with the adjacent relatively low temperature and frequently ice-choked fjords and ocean. To account for the influence of these inversions on the spatiotemporal variation of airmore » temperature and snow and glacier melt rates, temperature inversion routines were added to MircoMet, the meteorological distribution sub-model used in SnowModel. The inversions were observed and modeled to occur during 84% of the simulation period. Modeled inversions were defined not to occur during days with strong winds and high precipitation rates due to the potential of inversion break-up. Field observations showed inversions to extend from sea level to approximately 300 m a.s.l., and this inversion level was prescribed in the model simulations. Simulations with and without the inversion routines were compared. The inversion model produced air temperature distributions with warmer lower elevation areas and cooler higher elevation areas than without inversion routines due to the use of cold sea-breeze base temperature data from underneath the inversion. This yielded an up to 2 weeks earlier snowmelt in the lower areas and up to 1 to 3 weeks later snowmelt in the higher elevation areas of the simulation domain. Averaged mean annual modeled surface mass-balance for all glaciers (mainly located above the inversion layer) was -720 {+-} 620 mm w.eq. y{sup -1} for inversion simulations, and -880 {+-} 620 mm w.eq. y{sup -1} without the inversion routines, a difference of 160 mm w

Snow mass and river flows modelled using GRACE total water storage observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S.

2017-12-01

Snow mass and river flow measurements are difficult and less accurate in cold regions due to the hash environment. Floods in cold regions are commonly a result of snowmelt during the spring break-up. Flooding is projected to increase with climate change in many parts of the world. Forecasting floods from snowmelt remains a challenge due to scarce and quality issues in basin-scale snow observations and lack of knowledge for cold region hydrological processes. This study developed a model for estimating basin-level snow mass (snow water equivalent SWE) and river flows using the total water storage (TWS) observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission. The SWE estimation is based on mass balance approach which is independent of in situ snow gauge observations, thus largely eliminates the limitations and uncertainties with traditional in situ or remote sensing snow estimates. The model forecasts river flows by simulating surface runoff from snowmelt and the corresponding baseflow from groundwater discharge. Snowmelt is predicted using a temperature index model. Baseflow is predicted using a modified linear reservoir model. The model also quantifies the hysteresis between the snowmelt and the streamflow rates, or the lump time for water travel in the basin. The model was applied to the Red River Basin, the Mackenzie River Basin, and the Hudson Bay Lowland Basins in Canada. The predicted river flows were compared with the observed values at downstream hydrometric stations. The results were also compared to that for the Lower Fraser River obtained in a separate study to help better understand the roles of environmental factors in determining flood and their variations with different hydroclimatic conditions. This study advances the applications of space-based time-variable gravity measurements in cold region snow mass estimation, river flow and flood forecasting. It demonstrates a relatively simple method that only needs GRACE TWS

Source contributions to black carbon mass fractions in aerosol particles over the northwestern Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koga, Seizi; Maeda, Takahisa; Kaneyasu, Naoki

Aerosol particle number size distributions above 0.3 μm in diameter and black carbon mass concentrations in aerosols were observed on Chichi-jima of the Ogasawara Islands in the northwestern Pacific from January 2000 to December 2002. Chichi-jima is suitable to observe polluted air masses from East Asia in winter and clean air masses over the western North Pacific in summer. In winter, aerosols over Chichi-jima were strongly affected by anthropogenic emissions in East Asia. The form of energy consumption in East Asia varies in various regions. Hence, each source region is expected to be characterized by an individual black carbon mass fraction. A three-dimensional Eulerian transport model was used to estimate contribution rates to air pollutants from each source region in East Asia. Because the Miyake-jima eruption began at the end of June 2000, the influence of smokes from Miyake-jima was also considered in the model calculation. The results of model calculations represent what must be noticed about smokes from volcanoes including Miyake-jima to interpret temporal variations of sulfur compounds over the northwestern Pacific. To evaluate black carbon mass fractions in anthropogenic aerosols as a function of source region, the relationships between the volume concentration of aerosol particles and the black carbon mass concentration in the winter were classified under each source region in East Asia. Consequently, the black carbon mass fractions in aerosols from China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula, and other regions were estimated to be 9-13%, 5-7%, and 4-5%, respectively.

Determination of trichloroanisole and trichlorophenol in wineries' ambient air by passive sampling and thermal desorption-gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Camino-Sánchez, F J; Bermúdez-Peinado, R; Zafra-Gómez, A; Ruíz-García, J; Vílchez-Quero, J L

2015-02-06

The present paper describes the calibration of selected passive samplers used in the quantitation of trichlorophenol and trichloroanisole in wineries' ambient air, by calculating the corresponding sampling rates. The method is based on passive sampling with sorbent tubes and involves thermal desorption-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis. Three commercially available sorbents were tested using sampling cartridges with a radial design instead of axial ones. The best results were found for Tenax TA™. Sampling rates (R-values) for the selected sorbents were determined. Passive sampling was also used for accurately determining the amount of compounds present in the air. Adequate correlation coefficients between the mass of the target analytes and exposure time were obtained. The proposed validated method is a useful tool for the early detection of trichloroanisole and its precursor trichlorophenol in wineries' ambient air while avoiding contamination of wine or winery facilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical and chemical processes of air masses in the Aegean Sea during Etesians: Aegean-GAME airborne campaign.

PubMed

Tombrou, M; Bossioli, E; Kalogiros, J; Allan, J D; Bacak, A; Biskos, G; Coe, H; Dandou, A; Kouvarakis, G; Mihalopoulos, N; Percival, C J; Protonotariou, A P; Szabó-Takács, B

2015-02-15

High-resolution measurements of gas and aerosols' chemical composition along with meteorological and turbulence parameters were performed over the Aegean Sea (AS) during an Etesian outbreak in the framework of the Aegean-GAME airborne campaign. This study focuses on two distinct Etesian patterns, with similarities inside the Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL) and differences at higher levels. Under long-range transport and subsidence the pollution load is enhanced (by 17% for CO, 11% for O3, 28% for sulfate, 62% for organic mass, 47% for elemental carbon), compared to the pattern with a weaker synoptic system. Sea surface temperature (SST) was a critical parameter for the MABL structure, turbulent fluxes and pollutants' distribution at lower levels. The MABL height was below 500 m asl over the eastern AS (favoring higher accumulation), and deeper over the western AS. The most abundant components of total PM1 were sulfate (40-50%) and organics (30-45%). Higher average concentrations measured over the eastern AS (131 ± 76 ppbv for CO, 62.5 ± 4.1 ppbv for O3, 5.0 ± 1.1 μg m(-3) for sulfate, 4.7 ± 0.9 μg m(-3) for organic mass and 0.5 ± 0.2 μg m(-3) for elemental carbon). Under the weaker synoptic system, cleaner but more acidic air masses prevailed over the eastern part, while distinct aerosol layers of different signature were observed over the western part. The Aitken and accumulation modes contributed equally during the long-range transport, while the Aitken modes dominated during local or medium range transport. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observation of Multi-TeV Gamma Rays from the Crab Nebula using the Tibet Air Shower Array.

PubMed

Amenomori; Ayabe; Cao; Danzengluobu; Ding; Feng; Fu; Guo; He; Hibino; Hotta; Huang; Huo; Izu; Jia; Kajino; Kasahara; Katayose; Labaciren; Li; Lu; Lu; Luo; Meng; Mizutani; Mu; Nanjo; Nishizawa; Ohnishi; Ohta; Ouchi; Ren; Saito; Sakata; Sasaki; Shi; Shibata; Shiomi; Shirai; Sugimoto; Taira; Tan; Tateyama; Torii; Utsugi; Wang; Wang; Xu; Yamamoto; Yu; Yuan; Yuda; Zhang; Zhang; Zhang; Zhang; Zhang; Zhaxisangzhu; Zhaxiciren; Zhou; Collaboration)

1999-11-10

The Tibet experiment, operating at Yangbajing (4300 m above sea level), is the lowest energy air shower array, and the new high-density array constructed in 1996 is sensitive to gamma-ray air showers at energies as low as 3 TeV. With this new array, the Crab Nebula was observed in multi-TeV gamma-rays and a signal was detected at the 5.5 sigma level. We also obtained the energy spectrum of gamma-rays in the energy region above 3 TeV which partially overlaps those observed with imaging atmospheric Cerenkov telescopes. The Crab spectrum observed in this energy region can be represented by the power-law fit dJ&parl0;E&parr0;&solm0;dE=&parl0;4.61+/-0.90&parr0;x10-12&parl0;E&solm0;3 TeV&parr0;-2.62+/-0.17 cm-2 s-1 TeV-1. This is the first observation of gamma-ray signals from point sources with a conventional air shower array using scintillation detectors.

EMISSIONS OF ORGANIC AIR TOXICS FROM OPEN ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A detailed literature search was performed to collect and collate available data reporting emissions of toxic organic substances into the air from open burning sources. Availability of data varied according to the source and the class of air toxics of interest. Volatile organic compound (VOC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) data were available for many of the sources. Data on semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that are not PAHs were available for several sources. Carbonyl and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/F) data were available for only a few sources. There were several sources for which no emissions data were available at all. Several observations were made including: 1) Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less VOCs than open burning sources with anthropogenic fuels on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, particularly those where polymers were concerned; 2) Biomass open burning sources typically emitted less SVOCs and PAHs than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis. Burning pools of crude oil and diesel fuel produced significant amounts of PAHs relative to other types of open burning. PAH emissions were highest when combustion of polymers was taking place; and 3) Based on very limited data, biomass open burning sources typically produced higher levels of carbonyls than anthropogenic sources on a mass emitted per mass burned basis, probably due to oxygenated structures r

Measurement of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air by thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Cai, Xiao-Ming; Xu, Xiu-Xiu; Bian, Lei; Luo, Zong-Xiu; Chen, Zong-Mao

2015-12-01

Determination of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air is important to understand chemical communication between plants and insects and will aid the development of semiochemicals from plants for pest control. In this study, a thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) method was developed to measure ultra-trace levels of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air. The desorption parameters of TD, including sorbent tube material, tube desorption temperature, desorption time, and cold trap temperature, were selected and optimized. In GC-MS analysis, the selected ion monitoring mode was used for enhanced sensitivity and selectivity. This method was sufficiently sensitive to detect part-per-trillion levels of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air. Laboratory and field evaluation revealed that the method presented high precision and accuracy. Field studies indicated that the background odor of tea plantations contained some common volatile plant compounds, such as (Z)-3-hexenol, methyl salicylate, and (E)-ocimene, at concentrations ranging from 1 to 3400 ng m(-3). In addition, the background odor in summer was more abundant in quality and quantity than in autumn. Relative to previous methods, the TD-GC-MS method is more sensitive, permitting accurate qualitative and quantitative measurements of volatile plant compounds in field ambient air.

Observational analysis of air-sea fluxes and sea water temperature offshore South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, X.; Huang, J.; Gao, Z.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

This paper investigates the air-sea fluxes (momentum flux, sensible heat flux and latent heat flux) from eddy covariance method based on data collected at an offshore observation tower in the South China Sea from January 2009 to December 2016 and sea water temperature (SWT) on six different levels based on data collected from November 2011 to June 2013. The depth of water at the tower over the sea averages about 15 m. This study presents the in-situ measurements of continuous air-sea fluxes and SWT at different depths. Seasonal and diurnal variations in air-sea fluxes and SWT on different depths are examined. Results show that air-sea fluxes and all SWT changed seasonally; sea-land breeze circulation appears all the year round. Unlike winters where SWT on different depths are fairly consistent, the difference between sea surface temperature (SST) and sea temperature at 10 m water depth fluctuates dramatically and the maximum value reaches 7 °C during summer.

Surface mass balance contributions to acceleration of Antarctic ice mass loss during 2003-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Ki-Weon; Wilson, Clark R.; Scambos, Ted; Kim, Baek-Min; Waliser, Duane E.; Tian, Baijun; Kim, Byeong-Hoon; Eom, Jooyoung

2015-05-01

Recent observations from satellite gravimetry (the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission) suggest an acceleration of ice mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). The contribution of surface mass balance changes (due to variable precipitation) is compared with GRACE-derived mass loss acceleration by assessing the estimated contribution of snow mass from meteorological reanalysis data. We find that over much of the continent, the acceleration can be explained by precipitation anomalies. However, on the Antarctic Peninsula and other parts of West Antarctica, mass changes are not explained by precipitation and are likely associated with ice discharge rate increases. The total apparent GRACE acceleration over all of the AIS between 2003 and 2013 is -13.6 ± 7.2 Gt/yr2. Of this total, we find that the surface mass balance component is -8.2 ± 2.0 Gt/yr2. However, the GRACE estimate appears to contain errors arising from the atmospheric pressure fields used to remove air mass effects. The estimated acceleration error from this effect is about 9.8 ± 5.8 Gt/yr2. Correcting for this yields an ice discharge acceleration of -15.1 ± 6.5 Gt/yr2.

Surface Mass Balance Contributions to Acceleration of Antarctic Ice Mass Loss during 2003- 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, K. W.; Wilson, C. R.; Scambos, T. A.; Kim, B. M.; Waliser, D. E.; Tian, B.; Kim, B.; Eom, J.

2015-12-01

Recent observations from satellite gravimetry (the GRACE mission) suggest an acceleration of ice mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). The contribution of surface mass balance changes (due to variable precipitation) is compared with GRACE-derived mass loss acceleration by assessing the estimated contribution of snow mass from meteorological reanalysis data. We find that over much of the continent, the acceleration can be explained by precipitation anomalies. However, on the Antarctic Peninsula and other parts of West Antarctica mass changes are not explained by precipitation and are likely associated with ice discharge rate increases. The total apparent GRACE acceleration over all of the AIS between 2003 and 2013 is -13.6±7.2 GTon/yr2. Of this total, we find that the surface mass balance component is -8.2±2.0 GTon/yr2. However, the GRACE estimate appears to contain errors arising from the atmospheric pressure fields used to remove air mass effects. The estimated acceleration error from this effect is about 9.8±5.8 GTon/yr2. Correcting for this yields an ice discharge acceleration of -15.1±6.5 GTon/yr2.

Copernicus ultraviolet observations of mass-loss effects in O and B stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snow, T. P., Jr.; Morton, D. C.

1976-01-01

Far-UV spectra of 47 O, B, and A stars obtained with the Copernicus satellite are examined for P Cygni profiles. For all 40 stars with displaced absorption lines, values are given for the velocities of the short-wavelength edge, the line center, and the emission peak (if present). Parts of the spectra of 42 stars are reproduced, evidence for mass motions in ground-based spectra is discussed, and the best available data are summarized on the wavelengths and oscillator strengths of most lines likely to show mass-loss effects in either visual or UV spectra. The main conclusions are that: (1) the far-UV transitions, especially resonance lines, show that mass flow is present over a much wider group of stars than revealed by visible data on subordinate lines; (2) most of the line shifts imply mass motion away from the stars; (3) mass flow occurs in all but one star brighter than a bolometric magnitude of -6.0; and (4) the observed terminal velocities generally exhibit no significant correlation with temperature, luminosity, gravity, rotational velocity, or line strength.

Hurricane Alex as Observed by NASA's Spaceborne Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

Carolina, traveling northeast at 6 mph.

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] August 1, 2004, 1:30am ET Daylight snapshot from AIRS visible/near-infrared. At the time AIRS made this observation, Alex was still a tropical depression and just getting organized.

Movies Slice down the atmosphere with the AIRS infrared sensor.

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] August 3, 2004, 1:30am ET Alex becomes the first hurricane of the 2004 North Atlantic season with sustained winds at 75 mph.

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] August 2, 2004, 1:30pm ET Alex is located about 120 miles southeast of Charleston, South Carolina. Alex has now begun to move to the northeast and a general northeastward track is expected the next couple of days with a gradual acceleration in forward speed as it begins to interact with stronger upper level winds.

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] August 2, 2004, 1:30am ET Alex now has sustained winds of 35 knots.

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] August 1, 2004, 1:30pm ET Alex is tropical depression and beginning to get organized.

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Experiment, with its visible, infrared, and microwave detectors, provides a three-dimensional look at Earth's weather. Working in tandem, the three instruments can make simultaneous observations all the way down to the Earth's surface, even in the presence of heavy clouds. With more than 2,000 channels sensing different regions of the atmosphere, the system creates a global, 3-D map of atmospheric temperature and humidity and provides information on clouds, greenhouse gases, and many other atmospheric phenomena. The AIRS Infrared Sounder Experiment flies onboard NASA's Aqua spacecraft and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., under contract to NASA. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Sea-to-air flux of dimethyl sulfide in the South and North Pacific Ocean as measured by proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry coupled with the gradient flux technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omori, Yuko; Tanimoto, Hiroshi; Inomata, Satoshi; Ikeda, Kohei; Iwata, Toru; Kameyama, Sohiko; Uematsu, Mitsuo; Gamo, Toshitaka; Ogawa, Hiroshi; Furuya, Ken

2017-07-01

Exchange of dimethyl sulfide (DMS) between the surface ocean and the lower atmosphere was examined by using proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry coupled with the gradient flux (PTR-MS/GF) system. We deployed the PTR-MS/GF system and observed vertical gradients of atmospheric DMS just above the sea surface in the subtropical and transitional South Pacific Ocean and the subarctic North Pacific Ocean. In total, we obtained 370 in situ profiles, and of these we used 46 data sets to calculate the sea-to-air flux of DMS. The DMS flux determined was in the range from 1.9 to 31 μmol m-2 d-1 and increased with wind speed and biological activity, in reasonable accordance with previous observations in the open ocean. The gas transfer velocity of DMS derived from the PTR-MS/GF measurements was similar to either that of DMS determined by the eddy covariance technique or that of insoluble gases derived from the dual tracer experiments, depending on the observation sites located in different geographic regions. When atmospheric conditions were strongly stable during the daytime in the subtropical ocean, the PTR-MS/GF observations captured a daytime versus nighttime difference in DMS mixing ratios in the surface air overlying the ocean surface. The difference was mainly due to the sea-to-air DMS emissions and stable atmospheric conditions, thus affecting the gradient of DMS. This indicates that the DMS gradient is strongly controlled by diurnal variations in the vertical structure of the lower atmosphere above the ocean surface.

GW151226: Observation of Gravitational Waves from a 22-Solar-Mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, B. P.; Abbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Abernathy, M. R.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adams, T.; Addesso, P.; Camp, Jordan B.;

Opposed jet diffusion flames of nitrogen-diluted hydrogen vs air - Axial LDA and CARS surveys; fuel/air rates at extinction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pellett, G. L.; Northam, G. B.; Wilson, L. G.; Jarrett, Olin, Jr.; Antcliff, R. R.

1989-01-01

An experimental study of H-air counterflow diffusion flames (CFDFs) is reported. Coaxial tubular opposed jet burners were used to form dish-shaped CFDFs centered by opposing laminar jets of H2/N2 and air in an argon bath at 1 atm. Jet velocities for extinction and flame restoration limits are shown versus input H2 concentration. LDA velocity data and CARS temperature and absolute N2, O2 density data give detailed flame structure on the air side of the stagnation point. The results show that air jet velocity is a more fundamental and appropriate measure of H2-air CFDF extinction than input H2 mass flux or fuel jet velocity. It is proposed that the observed constancy of air jet velocity for fuel mixtures containing 80 to 100 percent H2 measure a maximum, kinetically controlled rate at which the CFDF can consume oxygen in air. Fuel velocity mainly measures the input jet momentum required to center an H2/N2 versus air CFDF.

Observed Temporal Evolution of Global Mean Age of Stratospheric Air for the 2002 to 2010 Period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiller, G. P.; von Clarmann, T.; Haenel, F.; Funke, B.; Glatthor, N.; Grabowski, U.; Kellmann, S.; Kiefer, M.; Linden, A.; Lossow, S.; Lopez-Puertas, M.

2011-12-01

According to model calculations, the meridional circulation is expected to intensify as a result of climate change, and mean age of stratospheric air is expected to decrease. However, an observational data set presented recently (Engel et al., 2009) and consisting of 27 balloon samples of the age of air tracers carbon dioxide and sulfur hexafluoride covering the years 1975 to 2005 did not confirm the model predictions. As a contribution to the ongoing discussion, an extensive observational data set, consisting of more than 1 Million SF6 vertical profiles distributed globally is presented here. It has been derived from the MIPAS instrument covering the period 2002 to 2010 and has been converted into mean age of stratospheric air by referring to a combined data set of in-situ and flask global mean tropospheric SF6 measurements provided by NOAA/ESRL. During conversion into age of air, the non-linearity of tropospheric SF6 increase has been corrected for by convolution with the age spectrum within an iterative approach. Monthly zonal means of mean age of air, binned at 10 deg latitude and 1-2 km altitude, were analyzed with respect to their temporal variation by fitting a regression model consisting of a constant and a linear increase term, 2 proxies for the QBO variation, sinusoidal terms for the seasonal and semi-annual variation and overtones for the correction of the shapes to the observed data set. The impact of subsidence of mesospheric SF6-depleted air and in-mixing into non-polar latitudes on mid-latitudinal absolute age of air and the age-of-air linear increase was assessed and found to be small. The linear increase of mean age of stratospheric air was found to be positive and partly larger than the trend derived by Engel et al. (2009) for most of the Northern mid-latitudes, the middle stratosphere in the tropics, and parts of the Southern mid-latitudes, as well as for the Southern polar upper stratosphere. Multi-year decrease of age of air was found for the

Non-Methane Hydrocarbon Measurements Aboard the NOAA Research Vessel Ronald H. Brown during the 2002 New England Air Quality Study (NEAQS 2002)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldan, P. D.; Kuster, W. C.; Williams, E.; Fehsenfeld, F. C.

2003-12-01

During the NEAQS 2002 study, in-situ NMHC measurements were made aboard the NOAA research vessel Ronald H. Brown by a two channel automated gas chromatograph using both flame ionization and mass-spectrometric detection techniques. Five minute average samples were cryogenically trapped each 1/2 hour and analyzed immediately for C2 through C10 alkanes, C2 through C5 alkenes, C6 through C9 aromatics, C2 through C8 aldehydes and ketones, C1 through C5 alcohols and a variety of compounds of biogenic origin including 6 monoterpenes, isoprene and its primary oxidation products methacrolein and methylvinyl ketone. The relative contributions of these classes of compounds to OH photochemistry has been determined for air masses ranging from those showing significant anthropogenic influence to clean marine air. For the most anthropogenically influenced air masses, alkenes were observed to play a dominant role whereas oxy-hydrocarbons, principally acetaldehyde, were observed to dominate under clean marine conditions. Both the NMHC measurements and back trajectory analyses indicated periods of significant influx into the New England coastal region of urban air masses showing elevated ozone levels from the Boston/Providence urban corridor. About as frequently, less photochemically mature air masses, depleted in ozone but laden with light reactive alkenes, were observed coming from the Portsmouth NH/Kittery ME coastal urban complex. Even in the presence of these anthropogenic plumes, biogenic hydrocarbons appear to dominate OH photochemistry in the New England region much of the time. Data demonstrating all of these conclusions will be shown.

Mass balance of Djankuat Glacier, Central Caucasus: observations, modeling and prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rybak, Oleg; Mariia, Kaminskaia; Stanislav, Kutuzov; Ivan, Lavrentiev; Polina, Morozova; Victor, Popovnin; Elena, Rybak

2017-04-01

Djankuat is a typical valley glacier on the northern slope of the main Caucasus chain. Its present day area is approximately 2.5 square km with the characteristic ice thickness of several tens of meters. As well as other glaciers in the region, Djankuat has been shrinking during the last several decades, its cumulative mass balance in 1968-2016 was equal to -13.6 m w.e. In general, Caucasus' glaciers lost approximately one-third of their area and half of the volume. Prediction of further deradation of glaciers in changing environment is a challenging task because rivers fed by glacier melt water provide from 40 to 70% of the total river run-off in the adjacent piedmont territories. Growing demand in fresh water is rather critical for the local economy development and for growing population, motivating elaboration of an effitient instrument for evaluation and forecasting of the glaciation in the Greater Caucasus. Unfortunately, systematic observations are sparse limiting possibilities for proper model development for the most of the glaciers. Under these circumstances, we have to rely on the models developed for the few well-studied ones, like Djankuat, which is probably one of the most explored glaciers in the world. Accumulation and ablation rates have been observed here systematically and uninterruptedly since mid 60-ies using dense stake network. Together with the mass balance components, changes in flow velocity, ice thickness and geometry were regularly evaluated. During the last several ablation seasons, direct meteorological observations were carried out using an AMS. Long series of meteorological observations at the nearest weather station allow making assessment of the glacier response to climate change in the second half of the 20th century. Abundant observation data gave us the opportunity to elaborate, calibrate and validate an efficient mathematical model of surface mass balance of a typical glacier in the region. Since many glaciers in the Caucasus

Observational Needs for Four-Dimensional Air Quality Characterization

EPA Science Inventory

Surface-based monitoring programs provide the foundation for associating air pollution and causal effects in human health studies, and they support the development of air quality standards and the preparation of emission reduction strategies. While surface oriented networks remai...

Assessment of COSMIC radio occultation and AIRS hyperspectral IR sounder temperature products in the stratosphere using observed radiances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feltz, M. L.; Knuteson, R. O.; Revercomb, H. E.

2017-08-01

Upper air temperature is defined as an essential climate variable by the World Meteorological Organization. Two remote sensing technologies being promoted for monitoring stratospheric temperatures are GPS radio occultation (RO) and spectrally resolved IR radiances. This study assesses RO and hyperspectral IR sounder derived temperature products within the stratosphere by comparing IR spectra calculated from GPS RO and IR sounder products to coincident IR observed radiances, which are used as a reference standard. RO dry temperatures from the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) mission are compared to NASA Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) retrievals using a previously developed profile-to-profile collocation method and vertical temperature averaging kernels. Brightness temperatures (BTs) are calculated for both COSMIC and AIRS temperature products and are then compared to coincident AIRS measurements. The COSMIC calculated minus AIRS measured BTs exceed the estimated 0.5 K measurement uncertainty for the winter time extratropics around 35 hPa. These differences are attributed to seasonal UCAR COSMIC biases. Unphysical vertical oscillations are seen in the AIRS L2 temperature product in austral winter Antarctic regions, and results imply a small AIRS tropical warm bias around 35 hPa in the middle stratosphere.

Variations of PM2.5, PM10 mass concentration and health assessment in Islamabad, Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Memhood, Tariq; Tianle, Z.; Ahmad, I.; Li, X.; Shen, F.; Akram, W.; Dong, L.

2018-04-01

Sparse information appears in lack of awareness among the people regarding the linkage between particulate matter (PM) and mortality in Pakistan. The current study is aimed to investigate the seasonal mass concentration level of PM2.5 and PM10 in ambient air of Islamabad to assess the health risk of PM pollution. The sampling was carried out with two parallel medium volume air samplers on Whatman 47 mm quartz filter at a flow rate of 100L/min. Mass concentration was obtained by gravimetric analysis. A noticeable seasonal change in PM10 and PM2.5 mass concentration was observed. In case of PM2.5, the winter was a most polluted and spring was the cleanest season of 2017 in Islamabad with 69.97 and 40.44 μgm‑3 mean concentration. Contrary, highest (152.42 μgm‑3) and lowest (74.90 μgm‑3) PM10 mass concentration was observed in autumn and summer respectively. Air Quality index level for PM2.5 and PM10 was remained moderated to unhealthy and good to sensitive respectively. Regarding health risk assessment, using national data for mortality rates, the excess mortality due to PM2.5 and PM10 exposure has been calculated and amounts to over 198 and 98 deaths annually for Islamabad. Comparatively estimated lifetime risk for PM2.5 (1.16×10-6) was observed higher than PM10 (7.32×10-8).

Heat and mass transfer analogy for condensation of humid air in a vertical channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desrayaud, G.; Lauriat, G.

This study examines energy transport associated with liquid film condensation in natural convection flows driven by differences in density due to temperature and concentration gradients. The condensation problem is based on the thin-film assumptions. The most common compositional gradient, which is encountered in humid air at ambient temperature is considered. A steady laminar Boussinesq flow of an ideal gas-vapor mixture is studied for the case of a vertical parallel plate channel. New correlations for the latent and sensible Nusselt numbers are established, and the heat and mass transfer analogy between the sensible Nusselt number and Sherwood number is demonstrated.

Spectral Longwave Cloud Radiative Forcing as Observed by AIRS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blaisdell, John M.; Susskind, Joel; Lee, Jae N.; Iredell, Lena

2016-01-01

AIRS V6 products contain the spectral contributions to Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), clear-sky OLR (OLR(sub CLR)), and Longwave Cloud Radiative Forcing (LWCRF) in 16 bands from 100 cm(exp -1) to 3260 cm(exp -1). We show climatologies of selected spectrally resolved AIRS V6 products over the period of September 2002 through August 2016. Spectrally resolved LWCRF can better describe the response of the Earth system to cloud and cloud feedback processes. The spectral LWCRF enables us to estimate the fraction of each contributing factor to cloud forcing, i.e.: surface temperature, mid to upper tropospheric water vapor, and tropospheric temperature. This presentation also compares the spatial characteristics of LWCRF from AIRS, CERES_EBAF Edition-2.8, and MERRA-2. AIRS and CERES LWCRF products show good agreement. The OLR bias between AIRS and CERES is very close to that of OLR(sub CLR). This implies that both AIRS and CERES OLR products accurately account for the effect of clouds on OLR.

The masses of retired A stars with asteroseismology: Kepler and K2 observations of exoplanet hosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

North, Thomas S. H.; Campante, Tiago L.; Miglio, Andxsrea; Davies, Guy R.; Grunblatt, Samuel K.; Huber, Daniel; Kuszlewicz, James S.; Lund, Mikkel N.; Cooke, Benjamin F.; Chaplin, William J.

2017-12-01

We investigate the masses of 'retired A stars' using asteroseismic detections on seven low-luminosity red-giant and sub-giant stars observed by the NASA Kepler and K2 missions. Our aim is to explore whether masses derived from spectroscopy and isochrone fitting may have been systematically overestimated. Our targets have all previously been subject to long-term radial velocity observations to detect orbiting bodies, and satisfy the criteria used by Johnson et al. to select survey stars which may have had A-type (or early F-type) main-sequence progenitors. The sample actually spans a somewhat wider range in mass, from ≈ 1 M⊙ up to ≈ 1.7 M⊙. Whilst for five of the seven stars the reported discovery mass from spectroscopy exceeds the mass estimated using asteroseismology, there is no strong evidence for a significant, systematic bias across the sample. Moreover, comparisons with other masses from the literature show that the absolute scale of any differences is highly sensitive to the chosen reference literature mass, with the scatter between different literature masses significantly larger than reported error bars. We find that any mass difference can be explained through use of different constraints during the recovery process. We also conclude that underestimated uncertainties on the input parameters can significantly bias the recovered stellar masses, which may have contributed to the controversy on the mass scale for retired A stars.

Aerosol optical depths over the Atlantic derived from shipboard sunphotometer observations during the 1988 Global Change Expedition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, Patrick J.; Kreiner, Fred W.; Deluisi, John J.; Kim, Young

1990-09-01

Aerosol optical depths and values for the Angstrom exponent, alpha, were retrieved from carefully calibrated sunphotometer measurements which were made during the Global Change Expedition (GCE) of the NOAA ship Mt. Mitchell in July, August, and September 1988. Sunphotometer observations were acquired at wavelengths of 380, 500, 675, and 778 nm. Optical depths and alphas have been segregated into five categories associated with probable air mass source regions determined through back trajectories at the 1000-, 850-, 700-, and 500-mbar levels. The results for the three most distinct air mass types are summarized here. The mean 500- nm aerosol optical depth for North American air is 0.56 (±0.32), the mean for Atlantic air is 0.16 (±0.02), and the mean for Saharan air is 0.39 (±0.12). Alpha for mean GCE aerosol optical depth data for predominantly North American air masses is 1.15 (± 0.11), alpha for Atlantic air is 1.00 (±0.40), and for Saharan air, alpha is 0.37 (±0.18). There is a significant difference between alpha for Saharan air and alpha for North American or Atlantic air. There is also a significant difference between the mean 500-nm optical depth for North American aerosols and Atlantic aerosols.

A Year-round Observation of Size Distribution of Aerosol Particles at the Cape Ochiishi, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, K.; Mukai, H.; Hashimoto, S.; Uematsu, M.

2010-12-01

New particle formation by nucleation of gas-phase compounds emitted from marine biogenic sources is very important for climate change. To clarify the mechanism of the formation, size distributions of submicron aerosols have been measured at the Cape Ochiishi, facing the North Western Pacific Ocean where primary productivity is high. A test observation was done from 22nd May to 18th June 2008 and a year-round observation has been performed from 16th October 2009 to 7th September 2010. The size distribution from 10 nm to 487 nm in diameter was measured with a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS, TSI 3034). Sample air was dried to lower than 40%. Transport of sulfate, organic carbon (OC), and black carbon (BC) was estimated with Chemical weather FORecasting System (CFORS), developed by Prof. Uno, Kyushu University, Japan. Existence of inversion layer was estimated with temperature profile measured at surface, 10m, 30m, and 50m in altitude. The burst of the particles smaller than 20nm in diameter continuing longer than 3 hrs was observed ten times until 3rd November 2009. Two were observed in early summer and the other was in autumn. Banana shape was faintly observed five times. Transport of sulfate, OC, and BC was observed 3, 8, 9 times, respectively. Source of air mass was estimated with these elements, weather map, and wind direction. Five air masses were estimated to continental. Clearly nucleation related to marine sources was not observed. The size distribution of burst evens of maritime and continental air mass showed the shift of mode to larger diameter. Strong inversion of temperature was observed once. The value of size distribution did not show high. Minimum value of size distribution was observed in the strong rain on 27th October. Acknowledgments This study was partly supported by the Grant-in-Aids for Scientific Research on Priority Areas from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (18067005). The observation was

High Lapse Rates in AIRS Retrieved Temperatures in Cold Air Outbreaks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fetzer, Eric J.; Kahn, Brian; Olsen, Edward T.; Fishbein, Evan

2004-01-01

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) experiment, on NASA's Aqua spacecraft, uses a combination of infrared and microwave observations to retrieve cloud and surface properties, plus temperature and water vapor profiles comparable to radiosondes throughout the troposphere, for cloud cover up to 70%. The high spectral resolution of AIRS provides sensitivity to important information about the near-surface atmosphere and underlying surface. A preliminary analysis of AIRS temperature retrievals taken during January 2003 reveals extensive areas of superadiabatic lapse rates in the lowest kilometer of the atmosphere. These areas are found predominantly east of North America over the Gulf Stream, and, off East Asia over the Kuroshio Current. Accompanying the high lapse rates are low air temperatures, large sea-air temperature differences, and low relative humidities. Imagery from a Visible / Near Infrared instrument on the AIRS experiment shows accompanying clouds. These lines of evidence all point to shallow convection in the bottom layer of a cold air mass overlying warm water, with overturning driven by heat flow from ocean to atmosphere. An examination of operational radiosondes at six coastal stations in Japan shows AIRS to be oversensitive to lower tropospheric lapse rates due to systematically warm near-surface air temperatures. The bias in near-surface air temperature is seen to be independent of sea surface temperature, however. AIRS is therefore sensitive to air-sea temperature difference, but with a warm atmospheric bias. A regression fit to radiosondes is used to correct AIRS near-surface retrieved temperatures, and thereby obtain an estimate of the true atmosphere-ocean thermal contrast in five subtropical regions across the north Pacific. Moving eastward, we show a systematic shift in this air-sea temperature differences toward more isothermal conditions. These results, while preliminary, have implications for our understanding of heat flow from ocean to

Probing the low-stellar-mass domain with Kepler and APOGEE observations of eclipsing binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prsa, Andrej; Hambleton, Kelly

2018-01-01

Observations of low-mass stars (M < 0.5 Msun) have been shown to systematically disagree with the predictions of stellar evolutionary models, where observed radii can be inflated by as much as 5-15% as compared to model predictions. One of the proposed explanations for this discrepancy that is gaining traction are stellar magnetic fields impeding the onset of convection and the subsequent bloating of the star. Here we present modeling analysis results of two benchmark eclipsing binaries, KIC 3003991 and KIC 2445134, with low mass companions (M ~ 0.2 MSun and M ~ 0.5 MSun, respectively). The models are based on Kepler photometry and APOGEE spectroscopy. APOGEE is a part of the Sloan spectroscopic survey that observes in the near-infrared, providing greater sensitivity towards fainter, red companions. We combine the binary modeling software PHOEBE with emcee, an affine invariant Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler; celerite, a Gaussian process library; and our own codes to create a modeling suite capable of modeling correlated noise, shot noise, nuisance astrophysical signals (such as spots) and the full set of eclipsing binary parameters. The results are obtained within a probabilistic framework, with robust mass and radius uncertainties ~1-4%. We overplot the derived masses, radii and temperatures over evolutionary models and note stellar size bloating w.r.t. model predictions for both systems. This work has been funded by the NSF grant #1517460.

Simultaneous, multi-wavelength flare observations of nearby low-mass stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thackeray, Beverly; Barclay, Thomas; Quintana, Elisa; Villadsen, Jacqueline; Wofford, Alia; Schlieder, Joshua; Boyd, Patricia

2018-01-01

Low-mass stars are the most common stars in the Galaxy and have been targeted in the tens-of-thousands by K2, the re-purposed Kepler mission, as they are prime targets to search for and characterize small, Earth-like planets. Understanding how these fully convective stars drive magnetic activity that manifests as stochastic, short-term brightenings, or flares, provides insight into the prospects of planetary habitability. High energy radiation and energetic particle emission associated with these stars can erode atmospheres, and impact habitability. An innovative campaign to study low mass stars through simultaneous multi-wavelength observations is currently underway with observations ongoing in the X-ray, UV, optical, and radio. I will present early results of our pilot study of the nearby M-Dwarf star Wolf 359 (CN Leo) using K2, SWIFT, and ground based radio observatories, forming a comprehensive picture of flare activity from an M-Dwarf, and discuss the potential impact of these results on exoplanets. "This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under Grant No. DGE1322106. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation."

Air-sea fluxes and satellite-based estimation of water masses formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabia, Roberto; Klockmann, Marlene; Fernandez-Prieto, Diego; Donlon, Craig

2015-04-01

Recent work linking satellite-based measurements of sea surface salinity (SSS) and sea surface temperature (SST) with traditional physical oceanography has demonstrated the capability of generating routinely satellite-derived surface T-S diagrams [1] and analyze the distribution/dynamics of SSS and its relative surface density with respect to in-situ measurements. Even more recently [2,3], this framework has been extended by exploiting these T-S diagrams as a diagnostic tool to derive water masses formation rates and areas. A water mass describes a water body with physical properties distinct from the surrounding water, formed at the ocean surface under specific conditions which determine its temperature and salinity. The SST and SSS (and thus also density) at the ocean surface are largely determined by fluxes of heat and freshwater. The surface density flux is a function of the latter two and describes the change of the density of seawater at the surface. To obtain observations of water mass formation is of great interest, since they serve as indirect observations of the thermo-haline circulation. The SSS data which has become available through the SMOS [4] and Aquarius [5] satellite missions will provide the possibility of studying also the effect of temporally-varying SSS fields on water mass formation. In the present study, the formation of water masses as a function of SST and SSS is derived from the surface density flux by integrating the latter over a specific area and time period in bins of SST and SSS and then taking the derivative of the total density flux with respect to density. This study presents a test case using SMOS SSS, OSTIA SST, as well as Argo ISAS SST and SSS for comparison, heat fluxes from the NOCS Surface Flux Data Set v2.0, OAFlux evaporation and CMORPH precipitation. The study area, initially referred to the North Atlantic, is extended over two additional ocean basins and the study period covers the 2011-2012 timeframe. Yearly, seasonal

The role of size in synchronous air breathing of Hoplosternum littorale.

PubMed

Sloman, Katherine A; Sloman, Richard D; De Boeck, Gudrun; Scott, Graham R; Iftikar, Fathima I; Wood, Chris M; Almeida-Val, Vera M F; Val, Adalberto L

2009-01-01

Synchronized air breathing may have evolved as a way of minimizing the predation risk known to be associated with air breathing in fish. Little is known about how the size of individuals affects synchronized air breathing and whether some individuals are required to surface earlier than necessary in support of conspecifics, while others delay air intake. Here, the air-breathing behavior of Hoplosternum littorale held in groups or in isolation was investigated in relation to body mass, oxygen tensions, and a variety of other physiological parameters (plasma lactate, hepatic glycogen, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and size of heart, branchial basket, liver, and air-breathing organ [ABO]). A mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension of first surfacing was seen when fish were held in isolation; smaller individuals surfaced at higher oxygen tensions. However, this relationship was lost when the same individuals were held in social groups of four, where synchronous air breathing was observed. In isolation, 62% of fish first surfaced at an oxygen tension lower than the calculated P(crit) (8.13 kPa), but in the group environment this was reduced to 38% of individuals. Higher oxygen tensions at first surfacing in the group environment were related to higher levels of activity rather than any of the physiological parameters measured. In fish held in isolation but denied access to the water surface for 12 h before behavioral testing, there was no mass-specific relationship with oxygen tension at first surfacing. Larger individuals with a greater capacity to store air in their ABOs may, therefore, remain in hypoxic waters for longer periods than smaller individuals when held in isolation unless prior access to the air is prevented. This study highlights how social interaction can affect air-breathing behaviors and the importance of considering both behavioral and physiological responses of fish to hypoxia to understand the survival mechanisms they employ.

Fine particle number and mass concentration measurements in urban Indian households.

PubMed

Mönkkönen, P; Pai, P; Maynard, A; Lehtinen, K E J; Hämeri, K; Rechkemmer, P; Ramachandran, G; Prasad, B; Kulmala, M

2005-07-15

Fine particle number concentration (D(p)>10 nm, cm(-3)), mass concentrations (approximation of PM(2.5), microg m(-3)) and indoor/outdoor number concentration ratio (I/O) measurements have been conducted for the first time in 11 urban households in India, 2002. The results indicate remarkable high indoor number and mass concentrations and I/O number concentration ratios caused by cooking. Besides cooking stoves that used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or kerosene as the main fuel, high indoor concentrations can be explained by poor ventilation systems. Particle number concentrations of more than 300,000 cm(-3) and mass concentrations of more than 1000 microg m(-3) were detected in some cases. When the number and mass concentrations during cooking times were statistically compared, a correlation coefficient r>0.50 was observed in 63% of the households. Some households used other fuels like wood and dung cakes along with the main fuel, but also other living activities influenced the concentrations. In some areas, outdoor combustion processes had a negative impact on indoor air quality. The maximum concentrations observed in most cases were due to indoor combustion sources. Reduction of exposure risk and health effects caused by poor indoor air in urban Indian households is possible by improving indoor ventilation and reducing penetration of outdoor particles.

Extratropical Stratosphere-Troposphere Mass Exchange

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schoeberl, Mark R.

2004-01-01

Understanding the exchange of gases between the stratosphere and the troposphere is important for determining how pollutants enter the stratosphere and how they leave. This study does a global analysis of that the exchange of mass between the stratosphere and the troposphere. While the exchange of mass is not the same as the exchange of constituents, you can t get the constituent exchange right if you have the mass exchange wrong. Thus this kind of calculation is an important test for models which also compute trace gas transport. In this study I computed the mass exchange for two assimilated data sets and a GCM. The models all agree that amount of mass descending from the stratosphere to the troposphere in the Northern Hemisphere extra tropics is approx. 10(exp 10) kg/s averaged over a year. The value for the Southern Hemisphere by about a factor of two. ( 10(exp 10) kg of air is the amount of air in 100 km x 100 km area with a depth of 100 m - roughly the size of the D.C. metro area to a depth of 300 feet.) Most people have the idea that most of the mass enters the stratosphere through the tropics. But this study shows that almost 5 times more mass enters the stratosphere through the extra-tropics. This mass, however, is quickly recycled out again. Thus the lower most stratosphere is a mixture of upper stratospheric air and tropospheric air. This is an important result for understanding the chemistry of the lower stratosphere.

Observing and simulating the impact of growing urbanization on air quality and climate in the Eastern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanakidou, Maria; Myriokefalitakis, Stelios; Mihalopoulos, Nikos; Vrekoussis, Mihalis; Daskalakis, Nikos; Sfakianaki, Maria; Hatziannastassiou, Nikos; Im, Ulas

2016-07-01

The Mediterranean, and particularly its east basin, is a crossroad of air masses coming from Europe, Asia and Africa. Over this area, anthropogenic emissions, mainly from Europe, Balkans and the Black Sea, meet with natural emissions from Sahara (Saharan dust), vegetation and the ocean as well as from biomass burning, overall presenting a strong seasonal pattern. As a consequence of its unique location and emissions, the Mediterranean region is climatically very sensitive and often exposed to multiple stresses, such as a simultaneous water shortage and elevated air pollution exposure. During the last decades, the Eastern Mediterranean, following the general trend, has experienced a rapid growth in urbanization, including increased vehicle circulation, and industrialization, all impacting pollutant emissions in the atmosphere. Air pollution is one of the challenging environmental problems for Istanbul and Cairo megacities but also for the whole Eastern Mediterranean region. The recent financial crisis resulted in changes in human habits, energy production and subsequently air pollution. This resulted in changes in tropospheric composition that reflect changes in natural emissions and in human behavior have been detected by satellites and simulated by chemistry transport models. The results are presented and their robustness is discussed.

An historical experiment: Los Angeles smog evolution observed by blimp.

PubMed

Hidy, G M

2018-02-12

Observations of smog over the Los Angeles Basin (LAB) links high oxidant mixing ratios with poor visibility, sometimes <5 km. By the 1970s, investigators recognized that most of the aerosol affecting visibility was from gaseous oxidation products, sulfate, nitrate, and organic carbon. This led to the 1972-1973 Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACHEX), which included observations at the ground and from aircraft. Part of ACHEX was the measurement of smog by blimp in a Lagrangian-like format. The experiment on September 6, 1973, demonstrated that a blimp could travel with the wind across the LAB, observing ozone (O 3 ) and precursors, and particles of different size ranges. These included condensation nuclei (CN) concentrations dominated by particles of ≤ 0.1 µm diameter and light scattering coefficient (b sc ) representing mainly particles of 0.1-2.0 µm diameter. The results indicated a pollutant variation similar to that measured at a fixed site. Ozone was produced in an air mass, reaching a maximum of ~400 ppb in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) and nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), then declined. Although the photochemistry was developing, b sc grew with O 3 mixing ratio to a quasi-steady state at ~9-10 × 10 -4  m -1 , decreasing in value much later with decease in O 3 . The light scattering coefficient was found to be positively associated with the O 3 mixing ratio, whereas CN concentrations were negatively proportional to O 3 mixing ratio. The blimp experiment was supported with aircraft vertical profiles and ground-level observations from a mobile laboratory. The blimp flight obtained combined gas and particle changes aloft that could not be obtained by ground or fixed-wing aircraft measurements alone. The experiment was partially successful in achieving a true Lagrangian characterization of smog chemistry in a constrained or defined "open" air mass. The Los Angeles experiment demonstrated the use of a blimp as a platform for measurement of

Occupational Exposure to Cobalt and Tungsten in the Swedish Hard Metal Industry: Air Concentrations of Particle Mass, Number, and Surface Area

PubMed Central

Bryngelsson, Ing-Liss; Pettersson, Carin; Husby, Bente; Arvidsson, Helena; Westberg, Håkan

2016-01-01

Exposure to cobalt in the hard metal industry entails severe adverse health effects, including lung cancer and hard metal fibrosis. The main aim of this study was to determine exposure air concentration levels of cobalt and tungsten for risk assessment and dose–response analysis in our medical investigations in a Swedish hard metal plant. We also present mass-based, particle surface area, and particle number air concentrations from stationary sampling and investigate the possibility of using these data as proxies for exposure measures in our study. Personal exposure full-shift measurements were performed for inhalable and total dust, cobalt, and tungsten, including personal real-time continuous monitoring of dust. Stationary measurements of inhalable and total dust, PM2.5, and PM10 was also performed and cobalt and tungsten levels were determined, as were air concentration of particle number and particle surface area of fine particles. The personal exposure levels of inhalable dust were consistently low (AM 0.15mg m−3, range <0.023–3.0mg m−3) and below the present Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 10mg m−3. The cobalt levels were low as well (AM 0.0030mg m−3, range 0.000028–0.056mg m−3) and only 6% of the samples exceeded the Swedish OEL of 0.02mg m−3. For continuous personal monitoring of dust exposure, the peaks ranged from 0.001 to 83mg m−3 by work task. Stationary measurements showed lower average levels both for inhalable and total dust and cobalt. The particle number concentration of fine particles (AM 3000 p·cm−3) showed the highest levels at the departments of powder production, pressing and storage, and for the particle surface area concentrations (AM 7.6 µm2·cm−3) similar results were found. Correlating cobalt mass-based exposure measurements to cobalt stationary mass-based, particle area, and particle number concentrations by rank and department showed significant correlations for all measures except for particle

Mass transfer and benzene removal from air using latex rubber tubing and a hollow-fiber membrane module.

PubMed

Fitch, Mark; Neeman, Jeffrey; England, Ellen

2003-03-01

A dense-phase latex rubber tube and a polyporous propylene hollow-fiber membrane module (HFMM) were investigated for control of benzene-contaminated gas streams. The abiotic mass flux observed through the latex tube was 3.9 13 mg/(min.m(2)) for 150 ppm of benzene at various gas and liquid flow rates, while a 100-fold lower mass flux was observed in the HFMM. After seeding with an aromatic-degrading culture enriched from activated sludge, the observed removal was 80% of 150 ppm, corresponding to a mass flux of 45 mg/(min.m(2)). The observed mass flux through the HFMM during biofiltration also rose, to 0.4 mg/(min.m(2)). Because the HFMM had a 50-fold higher surface area than the latex tube, the observed benzene removal was 99.8%. Compared to conventional biofilters, the two reactors had modest elimination capacities, 2.5 18 g/(m(3).h) in the latex tube membrane bioreactor and 4.8 58 g/(m(3).h) in the HFMM. Although the HFMM had a higher elimination capacity, the gas-phase pressure drop was much greater.

Updating Sea Spray Aerosol Emissions in the Community Multiscale Air Quality Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gantt, B.; Bash, J. O.; Kelly, J.

2014-12-01

Sea spray aerosols (SSA) impact the particle mass concentration and gas-particle partitioning in coastal environments, with implications for human and ecosystem health. In this study, the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model is updated to enhance fine mode SSA emissions, include sea surface temperature (SST) dependency, and revise surf zone emissions. Based on evaluation with several regional and national observational datasets in the continental U.S., the updated emissions generally improve surface concentrations predictions of primary aerosols composed of sea-salt and secondary aerosols affected by sea-salt chemistry in coastal and near-coastal sites. Specifically, the updated emissions lead to better predictions of the magnitude and coastal-to-inland gradient of sodium, chloride, and nitrate concentrations at Bay Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (BRACE) sites near Tampa, FL. Including SST-dependency to the SSA emission parameterization leads to increased sodium concentrations in the southeast U.S. and decreased concentrations along the Pacific coast and northeastern U.S., bringing predictions into closer agreement with observations at most Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environments (IMPROVE) and Chemical Speciation Network (CSN) sites. Model comparison with California Research at the Nexus of Air Quality and Climate Change (CalNex) observations will also be discussed, with particular focus on the South Coast Air Basin where clean marine air mixes with anthropogenic pollution in a complex environment. These SSA emission updates enable more realistic simulation of chemical processes in coastal environments, both in clean marine air masses and mixtures of clean marine and polluted conditions.

PM2.5 chemical composition at a rural background site in Central Europe, including correlation and air mass back trajectory analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Jaroslav; Cusack, Michael; Karban, Jindřich; Chalupníčková, Eva; Havránek, Vladimír; Smolík, Jiří; Ždímal, Vladimír

2016-07-01

of fresh, local aerosol and aged, long-range transport aerosol. The influences of different air masses were also investigated. The lowest concentrations of PM2.5 were recorded under the influence of marine air masses from the NW, which were also marked by increased concentrations of marine aerosol. In contrast, the highest concentrations of PM2.5 and most major chemical components were measured during periods when continental easterly air masses were dominant.

The mass function of black holes 1observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natarajan, Priyamvada; Volonteri, Marta

2012-05-01

In this paper, we compare the observationally derived black hole mass function (BHMF) of luminous (>1045-1046 erg s-1) broad-line quasars (BLQSOs) at 1 < z < 4.5 drawn from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) presented by Kelly et al., with models of merger-driven black hole (BH) growth in the context of standard hierarchical structure formation models. In these models, we explore two distinct black hole seeding prescriptions at the highest redshifts: 'light seeds'- remnants of Population III stars and 'massive seeds' that form from the direct collapse of pre-galactic discs. The subsequent merger triggered mass build-up of the black hole population is tracked over cosmic time under the assumption of a fixed accretion rate as well as rates drawn from the distribution derived by Merloni & Heinz. Four model snapshots at z= 1.25, 2, 3.25 and 4.25 are compared with the SDSS-derived BHMFs of BLQSOs. We find that the light seed models fall short of reproducing the observationally derived mass function of BLQSOs at MBH > 109 M⊙ throughout the redshift range; the massive seed models with a fixed accretion rate of 0.3 Edd, or with accretion rates drawn from the Merloni & Heinz distribution provide the best fit to the current observational data at z > 2, although they overestimate the high-mass end of the mass function at lower redshifts. At low redshifts, a drastic drop in the accretion rate is observed and this is explained as arising due to the diminished gas supply available due to consumption by star formation or changes in the geometry of the inner feeding regions. Therefore, the overestimate at the high-mass end of the black hole mass function for the massive seed models can be easily modified, as the accretion rate is likely significantly lower at these epochs than what we assume. For the Merloni & Heinz model, examining the Eddington ratio distributions fEdd, we find that they are almost uniformly sampled from fEdd= 10-2 to 1 at z≃ 1, while at high redshift

Application of High Resolution Air-Borne Remote Sensing Observations for Monitoring NOx Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Souri, A.; Choi, Y.; Pan, S.; Curci, G.; Janz, S. J.; Kowalewski, M. G.; Liu, J.; Herman, J. R.; Weinheimer, A. J.

2017-12-01

Nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) are one of the air pollutants, responsible for the formation of tropospheric ozone, acid rain and particulate nitrate. The anthropogenic NOx emissions are commonly estimated based on bottom-up inventories which are complicated by many potential sources of error. One way to improve the emission inventories is to use relevant observations to constrain them. Fortunately, Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is one of the most successful detected species from remote sensing. Although many studies have shown the capability of using space-borne remote sensing observations for monitoring emissions, the insufficient sample number and footprint of current measurements have introduced a burden to constrain emissions at fine scales. Promisingly, there are several air-borne sensors collected for NASA's campaigns providing high spatial resolution of NO2 columns. Here, we use the well-characterized NO2 columns from the Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) onboard NASA's B200 aircraft into a 1×1 km regional model to constrain anthropogenic NOx emissions in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria area. Firstly, in order to incorporate the data, we convert the NO2 slant column densities to vertical ones using a joint of a radiative transfer model and the 1x1 km regional model constrained by P3-B aircraft measurements. After conducting an inverse modeling method using the Kalman filter, we find the ACAM observations are resourceful at mitigating the overprediction of model in reproducing NO2 on regular days. Moreover, the ACAM provides a unique opportunity to detect an anomaly in emissions leading to strong air quality degradation that is lacking in previous works. Our study provides convincing evidence that future geostationary satellites with high spatial and temporal resolutions will give us insights into uncertainties associated with the emissions at regional scales.

Coronal mass ejection kinematics deduced from white light (Solar Mass Ejection Imager) and radio (Wind/WAVES) observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiner, M. J.; Jackson, B. V.; Webb, D. F.; Mizuno, D. R.; Kaiser, M. L.; Bougeret, J.-L.

2005-09-01

White-light and radio observations are combined to deduce the coronal and interplanetary kinematics of a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) that was ejected from the Sun at about 1700 UT on 2 November 2003. The CME, which was associated with an X8.3 solar flare from W56°, was observed by the Mauna Loa and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Large-Angle Spectrometric Coronograph (LASCO) coronagraphs to 14 R⊙. The measured plane-of-sky speed of the LASCO CME was 2600 km s-1. To deduce the kinematics of this CME, we use the plane-of-sky white light observations from both the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) all-sky camera on board the Coriolis spacecraft and the SOHO/LASCO coronagraph, as well as the frequency drift rate of the low-frequency radio data and the results of the radio direction-finding analysis from the WAVES experiment on the Wind spacecraft. In agreement with the in situ observations for this event, we find that both the white light and radio observations indicate that the CME must have decelerated significantly beginning near the Sun and continuing well into the interplanetary medium. More specifically, by requiring self-consistency of all the available remote and in situ data, together with a simple, but not unreasonable, assumption about the general characteristic of the CME deceleration, we were able to deduce the radial speed and distance time profiles for this CME as it propagated from the Sun to 1 AU. The technique presented here, which is applicable to mutual SMEI/WAVES CME events, is expected to provide a more complete description and better quantitative understanding of how CMEs propagate through interplanetary space, as well as how the radio emissions, generated by propagating CME/shocks, relate to the shock and CME. This understanding can potentially lead to more accurate predictions for the onset times of space weather events, such as those that were observed during this unique period of intense solar activity.

An Observational and modeling strategy to investigate the impact of remote sources on local air quality: A Houston, Texas case study from the Second Texas Air Quality Study (TEXAQS II)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McMillan, W. W.; Pierce, R.; Sparling, L. C.

2010-01-05

Quantifying the impacts of remote sources on individual air quality exceedances remains a significant challenge for air quality forecasting. One goal of the 2006 Texas Air Quality Study (TEXAQS II) was to assess the impact of distant sources on air quality in east Texas. From 23-30 August 2006, retrievals of tropospheric carbon monoxide (CO) from NASA’s Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) reveal the transport of CO from fires in the United States Pacific Northwest to Houston, Texas. This transport occurred behind a cold front and contributed to the worst ozone exceedance period of the summer in the Houston area. We presentmore » supporting satellite observations from the NASA A-Train constellation of the vertical distribution of smoke aerosols and CO. Ground-based in situ CO measurements in Oklahoma and Texas track the CO plume as it moves south and indicate mixing of the aloft plume to the surface by turbulence in the nocturnal boundary layer and convection during the day. Ground-based aerosol speciation and lidar observations do not find appreciable smoke aerosol transport for this case. However, MODIS aerosol optical depths and model simulations indicate some smoke aerosols were transported from the Pacific Northwest through Texas to the Gulf of Mexico. Chemical transport and forward trajectory models confirm the three major observations: (1) the AIRS envisioned CO transport, (2) the satellite determined smoke plume height, and (3) the timing of the observed surface CO increases. Further, the forward trajectory simulations find two of the largest Pacific Northwest fires likely had the most significant impact.« less

Six years of surface remote sensing of stratiform warm clouds in marine and continental air over Mace Head, Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preißler, Jana; Martucci, Giovanni; Saponaro, Giulia; Ovadnevaite, Jurgita; Vaishya, Aditya; Kolmonen, Pekka; Ceburnis, Darius; Sogacheva, Larisa; de Leeuw, Gerrit; O'Dowd, Colin

2016-12-01

A total of 118 stratiform water clouds were observed by ground-based remote sensing instruments at the Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station on the west coast of Ireland from 2009 to 2015. Microphysical and optical characteristics of these clouds were studied as well as the impact of aerosols on these properties. Microphysical and optical cloud properties were derived using the algorithm SYRSOC (SYnergistic Remote Sensing Of Clouds). Ground-based in situ measurements of aerosol concentrations and the transport path of air masses at cloud level were investigated as well. The cloud properties were studied in dependence of the prevailing air mass at cloud level and season. We found higher cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNC) and smaller effective radii (reff) with greater pollution. Median CDNC ranged from 60 cm-3 in marine air masses to 160 cm-3 in continental air. Median reff ranged from 8 μm in polluted conditions to 10 μm in marine air. Effective droplet size distributions were broader in marine than in continental cases. Cloud optical thickness (COT) and albedo were lower in cleaner air masses and higher in more polluted conditions, with medians ranging from 2.1 to 4.9 and 0.22 to 0.39, respectively. However, calculation of COT and albedo was strongly affected by liquid water path (LWP) and departure from adiabatic conditions. A comparison of SYRSOC results with MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) observations showed large differences for LWP and COT but good agreement for reff with a linear fit with slope near 1 and offset of -1 μm.

Observations and modelling of the boundary layer using remotely piloted aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cayez, Gregoire; Dralet, Jean-Philippe; Seity, Yann; Momboisse, Geraud; Hattenberger, Gautier; Bronz, Murat; Roberts, Greg

2014-05-01

Over the past decade, the scientific community considers the RPAS (remotely piloted aircraft system) as a tool which can help to improve their knowledge of climate and atmospheric phenomena. RPAS equipped with instruments can now conduct measurements in areas that are too hazardous or remote for a manned plane. RPAS are especially adapted system for observing the atmospheric boundary layer processes at high vertical and temporal resolution. The main objectives of VOLTIGE (Vecteur d'Observation de La Troposphère pour l'Investigation et la Gestion de l'Environnement) are to study the life cycle of fog with micro-RPAS, encourage direct participation of the students on the advancement and development of novel observing systems, and assess the feasibility of deploying RPAS in Météo-France's operational network. The instrumented RPAS flights successfully observed the evolution of small-scale meteorological events. Before the arrival of the warm pseudo-front, profiles show a temperature inversion of a hundred meters, which overlaps a cold and wet atmospheric layer. Subsequent profiles show the combination of the arrival of a marine air mass as well as the arrival of a higher level warm pseudo-front. A third case study characterizes the warm sector of the disturbance. Two distinct air masses are visible on the vertical profiles, and show a dry air above an air almost saturated and slightly colder. The temperature and the relative humidity profiles show < 1 meter vertical resolution with a difference between ascent and descent profiles within ± 0.5°C and ± 6 % RH. These results comply with the Météo-France standard limits of quality control. The RPAS profiles were compared with those of the Arome forecast model (an operational model at Météo France). The temperature and wind in the Arome model profiles generally agree with those of the RPAS (less for relative humidity profiles). The Arome model also suggests transitions between air masses occurred at a higher

Mass Fluxes of Ice and Oxygen Across the Entire Lid of Lake Vostok from Observations of Englacial Radiowave Attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winebrenner, D. P.; Kintner, P. M. S.; MacGregor, J. A.

2017-12-01

Over deep Antarctic subglacial lakes, spatially varying ice thickness and the pressure-dependent melting point of ice result in areas of melting and accretion at the ice-water interface, i.e., the lake lid. These ice mass fluxes drive lake circulation and, because basal Antarctic ice contains air-clathrate, affect the input of oxygen to the lake, with implications for subglacial life. Inferences of melting and accretion from radar-layer tracking and geodesy are limited in spatial coverage and resolution. Here we develop a new method to estimate rates of accretion, melting, and the resulting oxygen input at a lake lid, using airborne radar data over Lake Vostok together with ice-temperature and chemistry data from the Vostok ice core. Because the lake lid is a coherent reflector of known reflectivity (at our radar frequency), we can infer depth-averaged radiowave attenuation in the ice, with spatial resolution 1 km along flight lines. Spatial variation in attenuation depends mostly on variation in ice temperature near the lid, which in turn varies strongly with ice mass flux at the lid. We model ice temperature versus depth with ice mass flux as a parameter, thus linking that flux to (observed) depth-averaged attenuation. The resulting map of melt- and accretion-rates independently reproduces features known from earlier studies, but now covers the entire lid. We find that accretion is dominant when integrated over the lid, with an ice imbalance of 0.05 to 0.07 km3 a-1, which is robust against uncertainties.

Drop size distribution and air velocity measurements in air assist swirl atomizer sprays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mao, C.-P.; Oechsle, V.; Chigier, N.

1987-01-01

Detailed measurements of mean drop size (SMD) and size distribution parameters have been made using a Fraunhofer diffraction particle sizing instrument in a series of sprays generated by an air assist swirl atomizer. Thirty-six different combinations of fuel and air mass flow rates were examined with liquid flow rates up to 14 lbm/hr and atomizing air flow rates up to 10 lbm/hr. Linear relationships were found between SMD and liquid to air mass flow rate ratios. SMD increased with distance downstream along the center line and also with radial distance from the axis. Increase in obscuration with distance downstream was due to an increase in number density of particles as the result of deceleration of drops and an increase in the exposed path length of the laser beam. Velocity components of the atomizing air flow field measured by a laser anemometer show swirling jet air flow fields with solid body rotation in the core and free vortex flow in the outer regions.

AIRS Observations Based Evaluation of Relative Climate Feedback Strengths on a GCM Grid-Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molnar, G. I.; Susskind, J.

2012-12-01

Climate feedback strengths, especially those associated with moist processes, still have a rather wide range in GCMs, the primary tools to predict future climate changes associated with man's ever increasing influences on our planet. Here, we make use of the first 10 years of AIRS observations to evaluate interrelationships/correlations of atmospheric moist parameter anomalies computed from AIRS Version 5 Level-3 products, and demonstrate their usefulness to assess relative feedback strengths. Although one may argue about the possible usability of shorter-term, observed climate parameter anomalies for estimating the strength of various (mostly moist processes related) feedbacks, recent works, in particular analyses by Dessler [2008, 2010], have demonstrated their usefulness in assessing global water vapor and cloud feedbacks. First, we create AIRS-observed monthly anomaly time-series (ATs) of outgoing longwave radiation, water vapor, clouds and temperature profile over a 10-year long (Sept. 2002 through Aug. 2012) period using 1x1 degree resolution (a common GCM grid-scale). Next, we evaluate the interrelationships of ATs of the above parameters with the corresponding 1x1 degree, as well as global surface temperature ATs. The latter provides insight comparable with more traditional climate feedback definitions (e. g., Zelinka and Hartmann, 2012) whilst the former is related to a new definition of "local (in surface temperature too) feedback strengths" on a GCM grid-scale. Comparing the correlation maps generated provides valuable new information on the spatial distribution of relative climate feedback strengths. We argue that for GCMs to be trusted for predicting longer-term climate variability, they should be able to reproduce these observed relationships/metrics as closely as possible. For this time period the main climate "forcing" was associated with the El Niño/La Niña variability (e. g., Dessler, 2010), so these assessments may not be descriptive of longer

Size distributions of air showers accompanied with high energy gamma ray bundles observed at Mt. Chacaltaya

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matano, T.; Machida, M.; Tsuchima, I.; Kawasumi, N.; Honda, K.; Hashimoto, K.; Martinic, N.; Zapata, J.; Navia, C. E.; Aquirre, C.

1985-01-01

Size distributions of air showers accompanied with bundle of high energy gamma rays and/or large size bursts under emulsion chambers, to study the composition of primary cosmic rays and also characteristics of high energy nuclear interaction. Air showers initiated by particles with a large cross section of interaction may develop from narrow region of the atmosphere near the top. Starting levels of air showers by particles with smaller cross section fluctuate in wider region of the atmosphere. Air showers of extremely small size accompanied with bundle of gamma rays may be ones initiated by protons at lower level after penetrating deep atmosphere without interaction. It is determined that the relative size distribution according to the total energy of bundle of gamma rays and the total burst size observed under 15 cm lead absorber.

Surface mass balance contributions to acceleration of Antarctic ice mass loss during 2003-2013.

PubMed

Seo, Ki-Weon; Wilson, Clark R; Scambos, Ted; Kim, Baek-Min; Waliser, Duane E; Tian, Baijun; Kim, Byeong-Hoon; Eom, Jooyoung

2015-05-01

Recent observations from satellite gravimetry (the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission) suggest an acceleration of ice mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). The contribution of surface mass balance changes (due to variable precipitation) is compared with GRACE-derived mass loss acceleration by assessing the estimated contribution of snow mass from meteorological reanalysis data. We find that over much of the continent, the acceleration can be explained by precipitation anomalies. However, on the Antarctic Peninsula and other parts of West Antarctica, mass changes are not explained by precipitation and are likely associated with ice discharge rate increases. The total apparent GRACE acceleration over all of the AIS between 2003 and 2013 is -13.6 ± 7.2 Gt/yr 2 . Of this total, we find that the surface mass balance component is -8.2 ± 2.0 Gt/yr 2 . However, the GRACE estimate appears to contain errors arising from the atmospheric pressure fields used to remove air mass effects. The estimated acceleration error from this effect is about 9.8 ± 5.8 Gt/yr 2 . Correcting for this yields an ice discharge acceleration of -15.1 ± 6.5 Gt/yr 2 .

Direct observation of aqueous secondary organic aerosol from biomass-burning emissions

PubMed Central

Massoli, Paola; Paglione, Marco; Giulianelli, Lara; Carbone, Claudio; Rinaldi, Matteo; Decesari, Stefano; Sandrini, Silvia; Costabile, Francesca; Gobbi, Gian Paolo; Pietrogrande, Maria Chiara; Visentin, Marco; Scotto, Fabiana; Fuzzi, Sandro; Facchini, Maria Cristina

2016-01-01

The mechanisms leading to the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) are an important subject of ongoing research for both air quality and climate. Recent laboratory experiments suggest that reactions taking place in the atmospheric liquid phase represent a potentially significant source of SOA mass. Here, we report direct ambient observations of SOA mass formation from processing of biomass-burning emissions in the aqueous phase. Aqueous SOA (aqSOA) formation is observed both in fog water and in wet aerosol. The aqSOA from biomass burning contributes to the “brown” carbon (BrC) budget and exhibits light absorption wavelength dependence close to the upper bound of the values observed in laboratory experiments for fresh and processed biomass-burning emissions. We estimate that the aqSOA from residential wood combustion can account for up to 0.1–0.5 Tg of organic aerosol (OA) per y in Europe, equivalent to 4–20% of the total OA emissions. Our findings highlight the importance of aqSOA from anthropogenic emissions on air quality and climate. PMID:27551086

Analysis of air-, moisture- and solvent-sensitive chemical compounds by mass spectrometry using an inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe.

PubMed

Mosely, Jackie A; Stokes, Peter; Parker, David; Dyer, Philip W; Messinis, Antonis M

2018-02-01

A novel method has been developed that enables chemical compounds to be transferred from an inert atmosphere glove box and into the atmospheric pressure ion source of a mass spectrometer whilst retaining a controlled chemical environment. This innovative method is simple and cheap to implement on some commercially available mass spectrometers. We have termed this approach inert atmospheric pressure solids analysis probe ( iASAP) and demonstrate the benefit of this methodology for two air-/moisture-sensitive chemical compounds whose characterisation by mass spectrometry is now possible and easily achieved. The simplicity of the design means that moving between iASAP and standard ASAP is straightforward and quick, providing a highly flexible platform with rapid sample turnaround.

Inter-annual variability of air mass and acidified pollutants transboundary exchange in the north-eastern part of the EANET region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gromov, Sergey A.; Trifonova-Yakovleva, Alisa; Gromov, Sergey S.

2016-04-01

]. This dataset provides comprehensive monthly statistics on the wind meteorological regime at the stations of interest in a given range of altitudes. Based on long-term source observational data, the dataset is assumed being representative up to date, which allowed us to estimate monthly pollutant fluxes for the years 2006-2008 over segments of the Russian border and its whole [4]. In the current phase of our study, we calculate the inter-annual variations in the transboundary pollutant fluxes for 2000-2012 using longer-term EANET data and transient changes in air mass fluxes derived from the meteorological wind fields from ERA INTERIM re-analysis [5]. We gauge similar average air transport terms and dynamics from the statistical and reanalysis data, which bolsters our earlier findings. The reanalysis data, being naturally more variable, convolutes the variations in net air fluxes and pollutant concentrations into several episodes we emphasise, in addition to the integral pollutant transfer terms we estimate. At last, we discuss on the possibility of climate change effect on the flux strength and dynamics together with regional air quality tendencies in North-East Asia countries. References: Izrael, Yu.A., et al.: Monitoring of the Transboundary Air Pollution Transport. Gidrometeoizdat, Leningrad, 303 p., 187 (in Russian). Akimoto H., et al.: Periodic Report of the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia. Part I: Regional Assessment. EANET-UNEP/RRC.AP-ADORC, 258 p., 2006. Brukhan, F.F.: Aeroclimatic Characteristics of the Mean Winds over USSR (ed. Ignatjushina E.N.). Gidrometeoizdat, Moscow, 54 p., 1984 (in Russian). Gromov S.A., et al.: First-order evaluation of transboundary pollution fluxes in areas of EANET stations in Eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East. EANET Science Bulletin, vol. 3, pp. 195-203, 2013. Dee, D. P., et al.: The ERA-Interim reanalysis: configuration and performance of the data assimilation system, Quart. J. Royal Met. Soc., 137, 553-597, doi: 10

Improving Estimates of Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Mass Balance with Satellite Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, K.

2016-12-01

Mass losses from the Greenland Ice Sheet have been accelerating over recent years (e.g. McMillan et al., 2016; Velicogna et al., 2014). This acceleration has predominantly been linked to increasing rates of negative surface mass balance, and in particular, increasing ice surface melt rates (e.g. McMillan et al., 2016; Velicogna et al., 2014). At the ice sheet scale, SMB is assessed using SMB model outputs, which in addition to enabling understanding of the origin of mass balance signals, are required as ancillary data in mass balance assessments from altimetry and the mass budget method. Due to the importance of SMB for mass balance over Greenland and the sensitivity of mass balance assessments to SMB model outputs, high accuracy of these models is crucial. A critical limiting factor in SMB modeling is however, a lack of in-situ data that is required for model constraint and evaluation. Such data is limited in time and space due to inherent logistical and financial constraints. Remote sensing datasets, being spatially extensive and relatively densely sampled in both space and time, do not suffer such constraints. Here, we show satellite observations of Greenland SMB. McMillan, M., Leeson, A., Shepherd, A., Briggs, K., Armitage, T. W.K., Hogg, A., Kuipers Munneke, P., van den Broeke, M., Noël, B., van de Berg, W., Ligtenberg, S., Horwath, M., Groh, A. , Muir, A. and Gilbert, L. 2016. A high resolution record of Greenland Mass Balance. Geophysical Research Letters. 43, doi:10.1002/2016GL069666 Velicogna, I., Sutterley, T. C. and van den Broeke, M. R. 2014. Regional acceleration in ice mass loss from Greenland and Antarctica using GRACE time-variable gravity data. Geophysical Research Letters. 41, 8130-8137, doi:10.1002/2014GL061052

Using nonlinear programming to correct leakage and estimate mass change from GRACE observation and its application to Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Jingshi; Cheng, Haowen; Liu, Lin

2012-11-01

The Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission has been providing high quality observations since its launch in 2002. Over the years, fruitful achievements have been obtained and the temporal gravity field has revealed the ongoing geophysical, hydrological and other processes. These discoveries help the scientists better understand various aspects of the Earth. However, errors exist in high degree and order spherical harmonics, which need to be processed before use. Filtering is one of the most commonly used techniques to smooth errors, yet it attenuates signals and also causes leakage of gravity signal into surrounding areas. This paper reports a new method to estimate the true mass change on the grid (expressed in equivalent water height or surface density). The mass change over the grid can be integrated to estimate regional or global mass change. This method assumes the GRACE-observed apparent mass change is only caused by the mass change on land. By comparing the computed and observed apparent mass change, the true mass change can be iteratively adjusted and estimated. The problem is solved with nonlinear programming (NLP) and yields solutions which are in good agreement with other GRACE-based estimates.

Eye Injuries from Air Bags with Seamless Module Covers

PubMed Central

Duma, Stefan M.; Crandall, Jeff R.

1999-01-01

Air bag deployment through a seamless module cover may release foam particles at high velocities that could result in eye injuries. This paper presents the results of twenty-one (n = 21) tests in which foam particles, similar to those observed from air bag deployments, were impacted onto porcine eyes. A pneumatic cannon was designed to propel the foam disks at speeds representative of actual foam particle velocities as observed in prototype air bag deployments. Five foam types, which varied in density and stiffness, were used. All tests were recorded with high speed video (1000 fps). The mass of the impacting particles varied from 0.155 g to 0.653 g with velocities from 18 m/s to 87.6 m/s. Injury analysis was performed using three techniques: fluorescein dye to reveal corneal abrasions, ophthalmic ultrasound to determine lens displacements and retinal detachments, and necropsy to examine tissue damage. As seen in case reports of air bag induced eye injuries, corneal abrasions were the most recorded injuries in the porcine eye impact tests. A logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the combination of mass and velocity in the form of kinetic energy was the most significant contributor to injury (p = 0.0023). An injury risk curve was generated based on kinetic energy which gave a 50% risk of corneal abrasion at 0.183 J. Over the range of materials used, the foam type was a poor contributor to the model (p = 0.45). The injury risk function presented for the kinetic energy of the particles offers a design guide to minimize corneal abrasions, if the production of foam particles during air bag deployment is unavoidable.

Cumulative ventilation air drying potential as an indication of dry mass content in wastewater sludge in a thin-layer solar drying facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krawczyk, Piotr

2013-12-01

Controlling low-temperature drying facilities which utilise nonprepared air is quite difficult, due to very large variability of ventilation air parameters - both in daily and seasonal cycles. The paper defines the concept of cumulative drying potential of ventilation air and presents experimental evidence that there is a relation between this parameter and condition of the dried matter (sewage sludge). Knowledge on current dry mass content in the dried matter (sewage sludge) provides new possibilities for controlling such systems. Experimental data analysed in the paper was collected in early 2012 during operation of a test solar drying facility in a sewage treatment plant in Błonie near Warsaw, Poland.

Community air monitoring for pesticides-part 2: multiresidue determination of pesticides in air by gas chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hengel, Matt; Lee, P

2014-03-01

Two multiresidue methods were developed to determine pesticides in air collected in California. Pesticides were trapped using XAD-4 resin and extracted with ethyl acetate. Based on an analytical method from the University of California Davis Trace Analytical Laboratory, pesticides were detected by analyzing the extract by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to determine chlorothalonil, chlorthal-dimethyl, cycloate, dicloran, dicofol, EPTC, ethalfluralin, iprodione, mefenoxam, metolachlor, PCNB, permethrin, pronamide, simazine, trifluralin, and vinclozolin. A GC with a flame photometric detector was used to determine chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon, diazinon, diazinon oxon, dimethoate, dimethoate oxon, fonophos, fonophos oxon, malathion, malathion oxon, naled, and oxydemeton. Trapping efficiencies ranged from 78 to 92 % for low level (0.5 μg) and 37-104 % for high level (50 and 100 μg) recoveries. Little to no degradation of compounds occurred over 31 days; recoveries ranged from 78 to 113 %. In the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) method, pesticides were detected by analyzing the extract by GC-MS to determine chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, dichlorvos, dicofol, endosulfan 1, endosulfan sulfate, oxyfluorfen, permethrin, propargite, and trifluralin. A liquid chromatograph coupled to a MS was used to determine azinphos-methyl, chloropyrifos oxon, DEF, diazinon, diazinon oxon, dimethoate, dimethoate oxon, diuron, EPTC, malathion, malathion oxon, metolachlor, molinate, norflurazon, oryzalin, phosmet, propanil, simazine and thiobencarb. Trapping efficiencies for compounds determined by the CDFA method ranged from 10 to 113, 22 to 114, and 56 to 132 % for 10, 5, and 2 μg spikes, respectively. Storage tests yielded 70-170 % recovery for up to 28 days. These multiresidue methods represent flexible, sensitive, accurate, and cost-effective ways to determine residues of various pesticides in ambient air.

Injection of Lightning-Produced NOx, Water Vapor, Wildfire Emissions, and Stratospheric Air to the UT/LS as Observed from DC3 Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntrieser, H.; Lichtenstern, M.; Scheibe, M.; Aufmhoff, H.; Schlager, H.; Minikin, A.; Weinzierl, B.; Pollack, I. B.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Honomichl, S.; Ridley, B. A.; Hair, J. W.; Schwartz, M. J.; Rappenglück, B.; Pickering, K. E.; Cummings, K.; Biggerstaff, M. I.; Heimerl, K.; Pucik, T.; Fütterer, D.; Ackermann, L.; Betten, D.; Butler, C. F.; Barth, M. C.

2015-12-01

In summer 2012 the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Project (DC3) field campaign investigated a number of severe thunderstorms over the Central U.S. and their impact on the upper tropospheric (UT) - lower stratospheric (LS) composition and chemistry. In addition, during DC3 some of the largest and most destructive wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado state history were burning, influencing the air quality in the DC3 thunderstorm inflow and outflow region. Besides three instrumented aircraft platforms measuring a variety of trace species in-situ and remotely (e.g. CO, O3, SO2, NOx, VOC, CN, and black carbon), dense networks of ground-based instruments (e.g. radar and lightning) complemented the airborne measurements. Satellite measurements (e.g. GOES, MODIS, and GOME-2) and model forecasts (e.g. WRF-Chem and FLEXPART) were used to monitor the rapid development of the thunderstorms (which frequently developed huge anvils with overshooting tops) and the spread of smoke plumes in the vicinity of the storms. In-situ probing of fresh and aged (12-24 h) anvil outflows showed injection of lightning-produced NOx and wildfire emissions into the UTLS. Vertical cross sections of lidar and Doppler radar measurements supported these observations and gave detailed information on dynamical processes within and in the vicinity of the storms. Besides very strong updrafts in the storm core, surrounding downdrafts caused a direct in-mixing of O3-rich LS air masses into the boundaries of the anvil outflow. The wrapping of O3-rich LS air masses around and below the anvil outflow was also a prominent feature in several storms. The in-situ probing of the aged anvil outflow showed a pronounced influence on the UT composition and chemistry with average O3 enhancements in the range of 20-50 nmol mol-1 and evidence of new particle formation. A 10-year global climatology of H2O data from Aura-MLS confirms that the Central U.S. is a preferred region for convective injection into the LS.

Injection of Lightning-Produced NOx, Water Vapor, Wildfire Emissions, and Stratospheric Air to the UT/LS as Observed from DC3 Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntrieser, H.; Lichtenstern, M.; Scheibe, M.; Aufmhoff, H.; Schlager, H.; Minikin, A.; Weinzierl, B.; Pollack, I. B.; Peischl, J.; Ryerson, T. B.; Weinheimer, A. J.; Honomichl, S.; Ridley, B. A.; Hair, J. W.; Schwartz, M. J.; Rappenglück, B.; Pickering, K. E.; Cummings, K.; Biggerstaff, M. I.; Heimerl, K.; Pucik, T.; Fütterer, D.; Ackermann, L.; Betten, D.; Butler, C. F.; Barth, M. C.

2014-12-01

In summer 2012 the Deep Convective Clouds and Chemistry Project (DC3) field campaign investigated a number of severe thunderstorms over the Central U.S. and their impact on the upper tropospheric (UT) - lower stratospheric (LS) composition and chemistry. In addition, during DC3 some of the largest and most destructive wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado state history were burning, influencing the air quality in the DC3 thunderstorm inflow and outflow region. Besides three instrumented aircraft platforms measuring a variety of trace species in-situ and remotely (e.g. CO, O3, SO2, NOx, VOC, CN, and black carbon), dense networks of ground-based instruments (e.g. radar and lightning) complemented the airborne measurements. Satellite measurements (e.g. GOES, MODIS, and GOME-2) and model forecasts (e.g. WRF-Chem and FLEXPART) were used to monitor the rapid development of the thunderstorms (which frequently developed huge anvils with overshooting tops) and the spread of smoke plumes in the vicinity of the storms. In-situ probing of fresh and aged (12-24 h) anvil outflows showed injection of lightning-produced NOx and wildfire emissions into the UTLS. Vertical cross sections of lidar and Doppler radar measurements supported these observations and gave detailed information on dynamical processes within and in the vicinity of the storms. Besides very strong updrafts in the storm core, surrounding downdrafts caused a direct in-mixing of O3-rich LS air masses into the boundaries of the anvil outflow. The wrapping of O3-rich LS air masses around and below the anvil outflow was also a prominent feature in several storms. The in-situ probing of the aged anvil outflow showed a pronounced influence on the UT composition and chemistry with average O3 enhancements in the range of 20-50 nmol mol-1 and evidence of new particle formation. A 10-year global climatology of H2O data from Aura-MLS confirms that the Central U.S. is a preferred region for convective injection into the LS.

The effect of secondary inorganic aerosols, soot and the geographical origin of air mass on acute myocardial infarction hospitalisations in Gothenburg, Sweden during 1985–2010: a case-crossover study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The relative importance of different sources of air pollution for cardiovascular disease is unclear. The aims were to compare the associations between acute myocardial infarction (AMI) hospitalisations in Gothenburg, Sweden and 1) the long-range transported (LRT) particle fraction, 2) the remaining particle fraction, 3) geographical air mass origin, and 4) influence of local dispersion during 1985–2010. Methods A case-crossover design was applied using lag0 (the exposure the same day as hospitalisation), lag1 (exposure one day prior hospitalisation) and 2-day cumulative average exposure (CA2) (mean of lag0 and lag1). The LRT fractions included PMion (sum of sulphate, nitrate and ammonium) and soot measured at a rural site. The difference between urban PM10 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm) and rural PMion was a proxy for locally generated PM10 (PMrest). The daily geographical origin of air mass was estimated as well as days with limited or effective local dispersion. The entire year was considered, as well as warm and cold periods, and different time periods. Results In total 28 215 AMI hospitalisations occurred during 26 years. PM10, PMion, PMrest and soot did not influence AMI for the entire year. In the cold period, the association was somewhat stronger for PMrest than for urban PM10; the strongest associations were observed during 1990–2000 between AMI and CA2 of PMrest (6.6% per inter-quartile range (IQR), 95% confidence interval 2.1 to 11.4%) and PM10 (4.1%, 95% CI 0.2% − 8.2%). Regarding the geographical air mass origins there were few associations. Days with limited local dispersion showed an association with AMI in the cold period of 2001–2010 (6.7%, 95% CI 0.0% − 13.0%). Conclusions In the cold period, locally generated PM and days with limited local dispersion affected AMI hospitalisations, indicating importance of local emissions from e.g. traffic. PMID:25069830

Observational Analyses of Dramatic Developments of A Severe Air Pollution Event in the Beijing Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, J.; Li, J.; Zhou, M.; Cheng, Z.; Li, Q.; Cao, X.; Zhang, J.

2017-12-01

A rapid development of a severe air pollution event at the end of November, 2015 was investigated with in situ and remote sensing observations. The analyses indicate that the high PM2.5 air was transported over the urban area by the southwesterly flow above 500 m under the nighttime stable condition with its high concentration centered southeast of Beijing. As the daytime convective turbulent mixing developed over the Beijing urban area in the morning and it transported the upper polluted air downward, leading to the dramatic increase of the PM2.5 concentration in the urban area. Meanwhile, the convective turbulent mixing transported the highly polluted air upward upstream of Beijing, resulting in the horizontal transport of high PM2.5 air into Beijing especially in the afternoon when the stable boundary layer started to develop near the surface. As a result of both turbulent mixing and advection processes with possible aerosol growth from secondary aerosol formation under the low wind and high humidity condition, the PM2.5 concentration reached over 700 µg m-3 at Beijing by the end of the day.

Measurement of spatial and temporal variation in volatile hazardous air pollutants in Tacoma, Washington, using a mobile membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) system.

PubMed

Davey, Nicholas G; Fitzpatrick, Cole T E; Etzkorn, Jacob M; Martinsen, Morten; Crampton, Robert S; Onstad, Gretchen D; Larson, Timothy V; Yost, Michael G; Krogh, Erik T; Gilroy, Michael; Himes, Kathy H; Saganić, Erik T; Simpson, Christopher D; Gill, Christopher G

2014-09-19

The objective of this study was to use membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS), implemented on a mobile platform, in order to provide real-time, fine-scale, temporally and spatially resolved measurements of several hazardous air pollutants. This work is important because there is now substantial evidence that fine-scale spatial and temporal variations of air pollutant concentrations are important determinants of exposure to air pollution and adverse health outcomes. The study took place in Tacoma, WA during periods of impaired air quality in the winter and summer of 2008 and 2009. Levels of fine particles were higher in winter compared to summer, and were spatially uniform across the study area. Concentrations of vapor phase pollutants measured by membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS), notably benzene and toluene, had relatively uniform spatial distributions at night, but exhibited substantial spatial variation during the day-daytime levels were up to 3-fold higher at traffic-impacted locations compared to a reference site. Although no direct side-by-side comparison was made between the MIMS system and traditional fixed site monitors, the MIMS system typically reported higher concentrations of specific VOCs, particularly benzene, ethylbenzene and naphthalene, compared to annual average concentrations obtained from SUMA canisters and gas chromatographic analysis at the fixed sites.

F γ: A new observable for photon-hadron discrimination in hybrid air shower events

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Niechciol, M.; Risse, M.; Ruehl, P.

To semore » arch for ultra-high-energy photons in primary cosmic rays, air shower observables are needed that allow a good separation between primary photons and primary hadrons. In this paper, we present a new observable, F γ, which can be extracted from ground-array data in hybrid events, where simultaneous measurements of the longitudinal and the lateral shower profile are performed. The observable is based on a template fit to the lateral distribution measured by the ground array with the template taking into account the complementary information from the measurement of the longitudinal profile, i.e. the primary energy and the geometry of the shower. F γ shows a very good photon-hadron separation, which is even superior to the separation given by the well-known X max observable (the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum). At energies around 1 EeV (10 EeV), F γ provides a background rejection better than 97.8 % (99.9 %) at a signal efficiency of 50 %. Advantages of the observable F γ are its technical stability with respect to irregularities in the ground array (i.e. missing or temporarily non-operating stations) and that it can be applied over the full energy range accessible to the air shower detector, down to its threshold energy. Finally and furthermore, F γ complements nicely to X max such that both observables can well be combined to achieve an even better discrimination power, exploiting the rich information available in hybrid events.« less

F γ: A new observable for photon-hadron discrimination in hybrid air shower events

DOE PAGES

Niechciol, M.; Risse, M.; Ruehl, P.; ...

2017-10-21

To semore » arch for ultra-high-energy photons in primary cosmic rays, air shower observables are needed that allow a good separation between primary photons and primary hadrons. In this paper, we present a new observable, F γ, which can be extracted from ground-array data in hybrid events, where simultaneous measurements of the longitudinal and the lateral shower profile are performed. The observable is based on a template fit to the lateral distribution measured by the ground array with the template taking into account the complementary information from the measurement of the longitudinal profile, i.e. the primary energy and the geometry of the shower. F γ shows a very good photon-hadron separation, which is even superior to the separation given by the well-known X max observable (the atmospheric depth of the shower maximum). At energies around 1 EeV (10 EeV), F γ provides a background rejection better than 97.8 % (99.9 %) at a signal efficiency of 50 %. Advantages of the observable F γ are its technical stability with respect to irregularities in the ground array (i.e. missing or temporarily non-operating stations) and that it can be applied over the full energy range accessible to the air shower detector, down to its threshold energy. Finally and furthermore, F γ complements nicely to X max such that both observables can well be combined to achieve an even better discrimination power, exploiting the rich information available in hybrid events.« less

Is mudflow in Sidoarjo, East Java due to the pumping mechanism of hot air bubbles? : Laboratory simulations and field observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurhandoko, Bagus Endar B.

2015-09-01

Extraordinary mudflow has happened in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia since 2006. This mud comes from the giant crater that is located close to the BJP - 01. Thousands of homes have been submerged due to mudflow. Till today this giant mud crater is still has great strength despite the mud flowing over 8 years. This is a very rare phenomenon in the world. This mud flow mechanism raises big questions, because it has been going on for years, naturally the mudflow will stop by itself because the pressure should be reduced. This research evaluates all aspects of integrated observations, laboratory tests and field observations since the beginning of this ongoing mudflow. Laboratory tests were done by providing hot air bubbles into the fluid inside the inverted funnel showed that the fluid can flow with a high altitude. It is due to the mechanism of buoyant force from air bubbles to the water where the contrast density of the water and the air is quite large. Quantity of air bubbles provides direct effect to the debit of fluid flow. Direct observation in the field, in 2006 and 2007, with TIMNAS and LPPM ITB showed the large number of air bubbles on the surface of the mud craters. Temperature observation on the surface of mud crater is around 98 degree C whereas at greater depth shows the temperature is increasingly rising. This strengthens the hypothesis or proves that the mud pumping mechanism comes from buoyant force of hot air bubbles. Inversion gravity images show that the deep subsurface of main crater is close to volcanic layers or root of Arjuna mountain. Based on the simulation laboratory and field observation data, it can be concluded that the geothermal factor plays a key role in the mudflow mechanism.