Experimental Investigation of Soil and Atmospheric Conditions on the Momentum, Mass, and Thermal Boundary Layers Above the Land Atmosphere Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trautz, A.; Smits, K. M.; Illangasekare, T. H.; Schulte, P.

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impacts of soil conditions (i.e. soil type, saturation) and atmospheric forcings (i.e. velocity, temperature, relative humidity) on the momentum, mass, and temperature boundary layers. The atmospheric conditions tested represent those typically found in semi-arid and arid climates and the soil conditions simulate the three stages of evaporation. The data generated will help identify the importance of different soil conditions and atmospheric forcings with respect to land-atmospheric interactions which will have direct implications on future numerical studies investigating the effects of turbulent air flow on evaporation. The experimental datasets generated for this study were performed using a unique climate controlled closed-circuit wind tunnel/porous media facility located at the Center for Experimental Study of Subsurface Environmental Processes (CESEP) at the Colorado School of Mines. The test apparatus consisting of a 7.3 m long porous media tank and wind tunnel, were outfitted with a sensor network to carefully measure wind velocity, air and soil temperature, relative humidity, soil moisture, and soil air pressure. Boundary layer measurements were made between the heights of 2 and 500 mm above the soil tank under constant conditions (i.e. wind velocity, temperature, relative humidity). The soil conditions (e.g. soil type, soil moisture) were varied between datasets to analyze their impact on the boundary layers. Experimental results show that the momentum boundary layer is very sensitive to the applied atmospheric conditions and soil conditions to a much less extent. Increases in velocity above porous media leads to momentum boundary layer thinning and closely reflect classical flat plate theory. The mass and thermal boundary layers are directly dependent on both atmospheric and soil conditions. Air pressure within the soil is independent of atmospheric temperature and relative humidity - wind velocity and soil

Colorimetric analysis of outdoor illumination across varieties of atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Peyvandi, Shahram; Hernández-Andrés, Javier; Olmo, F J; Nieves, Juan Luis; Romero, Javier

2016-06-01

Solar illumination at ground level is subject to a good deal of change in spectral and colorimetric properties. With an aim of understanding the influence of atmospheric components and phases of daylight on colorimetric specifications of downward radiation, more than 5,600,000 spectral irradiance functions of daylight, sunlight, and skylight were simulated by the radiative transfer code, SBDART [Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc.79, 2101 (1998)], under the atmospheric conditions of clear sky without aerosol particles, clear sky with aerosol particles, and overcast sky. The interquartile range of the correlated color temperatures (CCT) for daylight indicated values from 5712 to 7757 K among the three atmospheric conditions. A minimum CCT of ∼3600  K was found for daylight when aerosol particles are present in the atmosphere. Our analysis indicated that hemispheric daylight with CCT less than 3600 K may be observed in rare conditions in which the level of aerosol is high in the atmosphere. In an atmosphere with aerosol particles, we also found that the chromaticity of daylight may shift along the green-purple direction of the Planckian locus, with a magnitude depending on the spectral extinction by aerosol particles and the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. The data analysis showed that an extremely high value of CCT, in an atmosphere without aerosol particles, for daylight and skylight at low sun, is mainly due to the effect of Chappuis absorption band of ozone at ∼600  nm. In this paper, we compare our data with well-known observations from previous research, including the ones used by the CIE to define natural daylight illuminants.

Abundance of adverse environmental conditions during critical stages of crop production in Northern Germany.

PubMed

Strer, Maximilian; Svoboda, Nikolai; Herrmann, Antje

2018-01-01

Understanding the abundance of adverse environmental conditions e.g. frost, drought, and heat during critical crop growth stages, which are assumed to be altered by climate change, is crucial for an accurate risk assessment for cropping systems. While a lengthening of the vegetation period may be beneficial, higher frequencies of heat or frost events and drought spells are generally regarded as harmful. The objective of the present study was to quantify shifts in maize and wheat phenology and the occurrence of adverse environmental conditions during critical growth stages for four regions located in the North German Plain. First, a statistical analysis of phenological development was conducted based on recent data (1981-2010). Next, these data were used to calibrate the DSSAT-CERES wheat and maize models, which were then used to run three climate projections representing the maximum, intermediate and minimum courses of climate development within the RCP 8.5 continuum during the years 2021-2050. By means of model simulation runs and statistical analysis, the climate data were evaluated for the abundance of adverse environmental conditions during critical development stages, i.e. the stages of early crop development, anthesis, sowing and harvest. Proxies for adverse environmental conditions included thresholds of low and high temperatures as well as soil moisture. The comparison of the baseline climate and future climate projections showed a significant increase in the abundance of adverse environmental conditions during critical growth stages in the future. The lengthening of the vegetation period in spring did not compensate for the increased abundance of high temperatures, e.g. during anthesis. The results of this study indicate the need to develop adaptation strategies, such as implementing changes in cropping calendars. An increase in frost risk during early development, however, reveals the limited feasibility of early sowing as a mitigation strategy. In

Perceptual Learning of Speech under Optimal and Adverse Conditions

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xujin; Samuel, Arthur G.

2014-01-01

Humans have a remarkable ability to understand spoken language despite the large amount of variability in speech. Previous research has shown that listeners can use lexical information to guide their interpretation of atypical sounds in speech (Norris, McQueen, & Cutler, 2003). This kind of lexically induced perceptual learning enables people to adjust to the variations in utterances due to talker-specific characteristics, such as individual identity and dialect. The current study investigated perceptual learning in two optimal conditions: conversational speech (Experiment 1) vs. clear speech (Experiment 2), and three adverse conditions: noise (Experiment 3a) vs. two cognitive loads (Experiments 4a & 4b). Perceptual learning occurred in the two optimal conditions and in the two cognitive load conditions, but not in the noise condition. Furthermore, perceptual learning occurred only in the first of two sessions for each participant, and only for atypical /s/ sounds and not for atypical /f/ sounds. This pattern of learning and non-learning reflects a balance between flexibility and stability that the speech system must have to deal with speech variability in the diverse conditions that speech is encountered. PMID:23815478

Perceptual learning of speech under optimal and adverse conditions.

PubMed

Zhang, Xujin; Samuel, Arthur G

2014-02-01

Humans have a remarkable ability to understand spoken language despite the large amount of variability in speech. Previous research has shown that listeners can use lexical information to guide their interpretation of atypical sounds in speech (Norris, McQueen, & Cutler, 2003). This kind of lexically induced perceptual learning enables people to adjust to the variations in utterances due to talker-specific characteristics, such as individual identity and dialect. The current study investigated perceptual learning in two optimal conditions: conversational speech (Experiment 1) versus clear speech (Experiment 2), and three adverse conditions: noise (Experiment 3a) versus two cognitive loads (Experiments 4a and 4b). Perceptual learning occurred in the two optimal conditions and in the two cognitive load conditions, but not in the noise condition. Furthermore, perceptual learning occurred only in the first of two sessions for each participant, and only for atypical /s/ sounds and not for atypical /f/ sounds. This pattern of learning and nonlearning reflects a balance between flexibility and stability that the speech system must have to deal with speech variability in the diverse conditions that speech is encountered. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Atmospheric-radiation boundary conditions for high-frequency waves in time-distance helioseismology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fournier, D.; Leguèbe, M.; Hanson, C. S.; Gizon, L.; Barucq, H.; Chabassier, J.; Duruflé, M.

2017-12-01

The temporal covariance between seismic waves measured at two locations on the solar surface is the fundamental observable in time-distance helioseismology. Above the acoustic cut-off frequency ( 5.3 mHz), waves are not trapped in the solar interior and the covariance function can be used to probe the upper atmosphere. We wish to implement appropriate radiative boundary conditions for computing the propagation of high-frequency waves in the solar atmosphere. We consider recently developed and published radiative boundary conditions for atmospheres in which sound-speed is constant and density decreases exponentially with radius. We compute the cross-covariance function using a finite element method in spherical geometry and in the frequency domain. The ratio between first- and second-skip amplitudes in the time-distance diagram is used as a diagnostic to compare boundary conditions and to compare with observations. We find that a boundary condition applied 500 km above the photosphere and derived under the approximation of small angles of incidence accurately reproduces the "infinite atmosphere" solution for high-frequency waves. When the radiative boundary condition is applied 2 Mm above the photosphere, we find that the choice of atmospheric model affects the time-distance diagram. In particular, the time-distance diagram exhibits double-ridge structure when using a Vernazza Avrett Loeser atmospheric model.

Assessment Regarding Impact of Atmospheric Conditions on Space Shuttle Launch Delays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson D. L.; Pearson, S. D.; Vaughan, W. W.; Batts, G. W.

1998-01-01

The atmospheric environment definition has played a key role in the development and operation of the NASA Space Shuttle as it has in other NASA Space Vehicle Programs. The objective of any definition of natural environment design requirements for a space vehicle development is to insure that the vehicle will perform safely and in a timely manner relative to the mission(s) for which the vehicle is being developed. The NASA Space Shuttle has enjoyed the longest tenure of any Space Vehicle from an operational standpoint. As such, it has provided a wealth of information on many engineering aspects of a Space Vehicle plus the influence of the atmosphere on operational endeavors. The atmospheric environment associated with the NASA Space Shuttle launches at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida has been reviewed and studied over the entire NASA Space Shuttle flight history. The results of the analysis of atmospheric environment related launch delays relative to other sources of launch delays has been assessed. This paper will provide a summary of those conditions as well as mission analysis examples focused on atmospheric constraints for launch. Atmospheric conditions associated with NASA Space Shuttle launch delays will be presented to provide a reference as to the type conditions experienced which have mainly caused the delays.

Adverse weather conditions for European wheat production will become more frequent with climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trnka, Miroslav; Rötter, Reimund P.; Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita; Kersebaum, Kurt Christian; Olesen, Jørgen E.; Žalud, Zdeněk; Semenov, Mikhail A.

2014-07-01

Europe is the largest producer of wheat, the second most widely grown cereal crop after rice. The increased occurrence and magnitude of adverse and extreme agroclimatic events are considered a major threat for wheat production. We present an analysis that accounts for a range of adverse weather events that might significantly affect wheat yield in Europe. For this purpose we analysed changes in the frequency of the occurrence of 11 adverse weather events. Using climate scenarios based on the most recent ensemble of climate models and greenhouse gases emission estimates, we assessed the probability of single and multiple adverse events occurring within one season. We showed that the occurrence of adverse conditions for 14 sites representing the main European wheat-growing areas might substantially increase by 2060 compared to the present (1981-2010). This is likely to result in more frequent crop failure across Europe. This study provides essential information for developing adaptation strategies.

LEARNING TO BE BAD: ADVERSE SOCIAL CONDITIONS, SOCIAL SCHEMAS, AND CRIME

PubMed Central

Simons, Ronald L.; Burt, Callie Harbin

2011-01-01

In this paper we develop and test a new approach to explain the link between social factors and individual offending. We argue that seemingly disparate family, peer, and community conditions lead to crime because the lessons communicated by these events are similar and promote social schemas involving a hostile view of people and relationships, a preference for immediate rewards, and a cynical view of conventional norms. Further, we posit that these three schemas are interconnected and combine to form a criminogenic knowledge structure that gives rise to situational interpretations legitimating criminal behavior. Structural equation modeling with a sample of roughly 700 hundred African American teens provided strong support for the model. The findings indicated that persistent exposure to adverse conditions such as community crime, discrimination, harsh parenting, deviant peers and low neighborhood collective efficacy increased commitment to the three social schemas. The three schemas were highly intercorrelated and combined to form a latent construct that strongly predicted increases in crime. Further, in large measure the effect of the various adverse conditions on increases in crime was indirect through their impact on this latent construct. We discuss the extent to which the social schematic model presented in the paper might be used to integrate concepts and findings from several of the major theories of criminal behavior. PMID:21760641

Quality of Golden papaya stored under controlled atmosphere conditions.

PubMed

Martins, Derliane Ribeiro; de Resende, Eder Dutra

2013-10-01

This work evaluated physicochemical parameters of Golden papaya stored under refrigeration in controlled atmospheres. The fruits were kept at 13  in chambers containing either 3 or 6% O2 combined with 6%, 10% or 15% CO2. Moreover, a normal atmosphere was produced with 20.8% O2 and 0.03% CO2 with ethylene scrubbing, and a control treatment was used with ambient conditions. Evaluations were performed at the following times: before storage, after 30 days of storage in controlled atmosphere, and after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage for 7 days in the cold room. At the lower O2 levels and higher CO2 levels, the ripening rate was decreased. The drop in pulp acidity was avoided after 30 days of storage at 3% O2, but the fruits reached normal acidity after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage for 7 days in the cold room. The reducing sugars remained at a higher concentration after 30 days under 3% O2 and 15% CO2 even 7 days after removal from controlled atmosphere and storage in the cold room. This atmosphere also preserved the content of ascorbic acid at a higher level.

Causal Factors and Adverse Conditions of Aviation Accidents and Incidents Related to Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reveley, Mary S.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Evans, Joni K.; Sandifer, Carl E.; Jones, Sharon Monica

2010-01-01

The causal factors of accidents from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) database and incidents from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database associated with loss of control (LOC) were examined for four types of operations (i.e., Federal Aviation Regulation Part 121, Part 135 Scheduled, Part 135 Nonscheduled, and Part 91) for the years 1988 to 2004. In-flight LOC is a serious aviation problem. Well over half of the LOC accidents included at least one fatality (80 percent in Part 121), and roughly half of all aviation fatalities in the studied time period occurred in conjunction with LOC. An adverse events table was updated to provide focus to the technology validation strategy of the Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) Project. The table contains three types of adverse conditions: failure, damage, and upset. Thirteen different adverse condition subtypes were gleaned from the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), the FAA Accident and Incident database, and the NTSB database. The severity and frequency of the damage conditions, initial test conditions, and milestones references are also provided.

Early Life Conditions, Adverse Life Events, and Chewing Ability at Middle and Later Adulthood

PubMed Central

Watt, Richard G.; Tsakos, Georgios

2014-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine the extent to which early life conditions and adverse life events impact chewing ability in middle and later adulthood. Methods. Secondary analyses were conducted based on data from waves 2 and 3 of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), collected in the years 2006 to 2009 and encompassing information on current chewing ability and the life history of persons aged 50 years or older from 13 European countries. Logistic regression models were estimated with sequential inclusion of explanatory variables representing living conditions in childhood and adverse life events. Results. After controlling for current determinants of chewing ability at age 50 years or older, certain childhood and later life course socioeconomic, behavioral, and cognitive factors became evident as correlates of chewing ability at age 50 years or older. Specifically, childhood financial hardship was identified as an early life predictor of chewing ability at age 50 years or older (odds ratio = 1.58; 95% confidence interval = 1.22, 2.06). Conclusions. Findings suggest a potential enduring impact of early life conditions and adverse life events on oral health in middle and later adulthood and are relevant for public health decision-makers who design strategies for optimal oral health. PMID:24625140

CCN activity of secondary aerosols from terpene ozonolysis under atmospheric relevant conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Cheng; Ma, Yan; Diao, Yiwei; Yao, Lei; Zhou, Yaoyao; Wang, Xing; Zheng, Jun

2017-04-01

Gas-phase ozonolysis of terpenes is an important source of atmospheric secondary organic aerosol. The contribution of terpene-derived aerosols to the atmospheric cloud condensation nucleus (CCN) burden under atmospheric conditions, however, remains highly uncertain. The results obtained in previous studies under simple laboratory conditions may not be applicable to atmospheric relevant conditions. Here we present that CCN activities of aerosols from terpene ozonolysis can be significantly affected by atmospheric relevant species that can act as stabilized Criegee intermediate (SCI) or OH scavengers. Ozonolysis reactions of α-pinene, limonene, α-cedrene, and α-humulene were conducted in a 4.5 m3 collapsible fluoropolymer chamber at near-atmospheric concentrations in the presence of different OH scavengers (cyclohexane, 2-butanol, or CO) and SCI scavengers (CH3COOH, H2O, or SO2). The number size distribution and CCN activity of aerosol particles formed during ozonolysis were simultaneously determined. Additionally, particulate products were chemically analyzed by using a Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsols High-Resolution Time-of-Flight Chemical-Ionization Mass Spectrometer. Results showed that aerosol CCN activity following monoterpene ozonolysis was more sensitive to the choice of OH scavengers, while that from sesquiterpene ozonolysis was significantly affected by SCI scavengers. Combined with chemical analysis results, it was concluded that the unimolecular decomposition of CIs giving hygroscopic organic products can be largely suppressed by bimolecular reactions during sesquiterpene ozonolysis but was not significantly impacted in monoterpene ozonolysis. Our study underscores the key role of CIs in the CCN activity of terpene ozonolysis-derived aerosols. The effects of atmospheric relevant species (e.g., SO2, H2O, and CO) need to be considered when assessing the contribution of biogenic terpenes to the atmospheric CCN burden under ambient conditions.

Assurance of Fault Management: Risk-Significant Adverse Condition Awareness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitz, Rhonda

2016-01-01

Fault Management (FM) systems are ranked high in risk-based assessment of criticality within flight software, emphasizing the importance of establishing highly competent domain expertise to provide assurance for NASA projects, especially as spaceflight systems continue to increase in complexity. Insight into specific characteristics of FM architectures seen embedded within safety- and mission-critical software systems analyzed by the NASA Independent Verification Validation (IVV) Program has been enhanced with an FM Technical Reference (TR) suite. Benefits are aimed beyond the IVV community to those that seek ways to efficiently and effectively provide software assurance to reduce the FM risk posture of NASA and other space missions. The identification of particular FM architectures, visibility, and associated IVV techniques provides a TR suite that enables greater assurance that critical software systems will adequately protect against faults and respond to adverse conditions. The role FM has with regard to overall asset protection of flight software systems is being addressed with the development of an adverse condition (AC) database encompassing flight software vulnerabilities.Identification of potential off-nominal conditions and analysis to determine how a system responds to these conditions are important aspects of hazard analysis and fault management. Understanding what ACs the mission may face, and ensuring they are prevented or addressed is the responsibility of the assurance team, which necessarily should have insight into ACs beyond those defined by the project itself. Research efforts sponsored by NASAs Office of Safety and Mission Assurance defined terminology, categorized data fields, and designed a baseline repository that centralizes and compiles a comprehensive listing of ACs and correlated data relevant across many NASA missions. This prototype tool helps projects improve analysis by tracking ACs, and allowing queries based on project, mission

[Seed vigor evaluation based on adversity resistance index of wheat seed germination under stress conditions.

PubMed

Chen, Lei Tai; Sun, Ai Qing; Yang, Min; Chen, Lu Lu; Ma, Xue Li; Li, Mei Ling; Yin, Yan Ping

2016-09-01

A total of 16 wheat cultivars were selected to detect seed vigor of different genotypes using standard germination test, seed germination test under stress conditions and field emergence test. The adversity resistance indices of seed vigor indices and field emergence percentage under different germination conditions were used as the indices to evaluate adversity resistance. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were used for the comprehensive evaluation of seed vigor. Results showed that drought stress, artificial aging and cold soaking treatments affected seed vigor to some extent. The adversity resistance indices of the artificial aging and cold soaking tests were significantly positively correlated with the field emergence percentage, while the adversity resistance index of drought stress test had no significant correlation with the field emergence percentage. 16 wheat cultivars were classified as three groups based on the principal component analysis and cluster analysis. Yunong 949, Yumai 49-198, Luyuan 502, Zhengyumai 9987, Shimai 21, Shannong 23, and Shixin 828 belonged to high vigor seeds. Xunong 5, Yunong 982, Tangmai 8, Jimai 20, Jimai 22, Jinan 17, and Shannong 20 belonged to medium vigor seeds. The other two cultivars, Chang 4738 and Lunxuan 061, belonged to low vigor seeds.

Transport of Chemical Vapors from Subsurface Sources to Atmosphere as Affected by Shallow Subsurface and Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rice, A. K.; Smits, K. M.; Hosken, K.; Schulte, P.; Illangasekare, T. H.

2012-12-01

Understanding the movement and modeling of chemical vapor through unsaturated soil in the shallow subsurface when subjected to natural atmospheric thermal and mass flux boundary conditions at the land surface is of importance to applications such as landmine detection and vapor intrusion into subsurface structures. New, advanced technologies exist to sense chemical signatures at the land/atmosphere interface, but interpretation of these sensor signals to make assessment of source conditions remains a challenge. Chemical signatures are subject to numerous interactions while migrating through the unsaturated soil environment, attenuating signal strength and masking contaminant source conditions. The dominant process governing movement of gases through porous media is often assumed to be Fickian diffusion through the air phase with minimal or no quantification of other processes contributing to vapor migration, such as thermal diffusion, convective gas flow due to the displacement of air, expansion/contraction of air due to temperature changes, temporal and spatial variations of soil moisture and fluctuations in atmospheric pressure. Soil water evaporation and interfacial mass transfer add to the complexity of the system. The goal of this work is to perform controlled experiments under transient conditions of soil moisture, temperature and wind at the land/atmosphere interface and use the resulting dataset to test existing theories on subsurface gas flow and iterate between numerical modeling efforts and experimental data. Ultimately, we aim to update conceptual models of shallow subsurface vapor transport to include conditionally significant transport processes and inform placement of mobile sensors and/or networks. We have developed a two-dimensional tank apparatus equipped with a network of sensors and a flow-through head space for simulation of the atmospheric interface. A detailed matrix of realistic atmospheric boundary conditions was applied in a series of

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1987-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and Earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing atmospheric constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorping properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or laboratory measurements of such properties under environmental conditions which are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. Laboratory measurement of the microwave properties of atmospheric gases under simulated conditions for the outer planets were conducted. Results of these measurements are discussed.

Wood combustion particles induce adverse effects to normal and diseased airway epithelia.

PubMed

Krapf, Manuel; Künzi, Lisa; Allenbach, Sandrine; Bruns, Emily A; Gavarini, Ilaria; El-Haddad, Imad; Slowik, Jay G; Prévôt, André S H; Drinovec, Luka; Močnik, Griša; Dümbgen, Lutz; Salathe, Matthias; Baumlin, Nathalie; Sioutas, Constantinos; Baltensperger, Urs; Dommen, Josef; Geiser, Marianne

2017-04-19

Residential wood burning is a major source of poorly characterized, deleterious particulate matter, whose composition and toxicity may vary with wood type, burning condition and photochemical age. The causative link between ambient wood particle constituents and observed adverse health effects is currently lacking. Here we investigate the relationship between chemical properties of primary and atmospherically aged wood combustion particles and acute toxicity in human airway epithelial cells. Emissions from a log wood burner were diluted and injected into a smog chamber for photochemical aging. After concentration-enrichment and removal of oxidizing gases, directly emitted and atmospherically aged particles were deposited on cell cultures at the air-liquid interface for 2 hours in an aerosol deposition chamber mimicking physiological conditions in lungs. Cell models were fully differentiated normal and diseased (cystic fibrosis and asthma) human bronchial epithelia (HBE) and the bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B. Cell responses were assessed at 24 hours after aerosol exposure. Atmospherically relevant doses of wood combustion particles significantly increased cell death in all but the asthma cell model. Expression of oxidative stress markers increased in HBE from all donors. Increased cell death and inflammatory responses could not be assigned to a single chemical fraction of the particles. Exposure to primary and aged wood combustion particles caused adverse effects to airway epithelia, apparently induced by several interacting components.

Some effects of adverse weather conditions on performance of airplane antiskid braking systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horne, W. B.; Mccarty, J. L.; Tanner, J. A.

1976-01-01

The performance of current antiskid braking systems operating under adverse weather conditions was analyzed in an effort to both identify the causes of locked-wheel skids which sometimes occur when the runway is slippery and to find possible solutions to this operational problem. This analysis was made possible by the quantitative test data provided by recently completed landing research programs using fully instrumented flight test airplanes and was further supported by tests performed at the Langley aircraft landing loads and traction facility. The antiskid system logic for brake control and for both touchdown and locked-wheel protection is described and its response behavior in adverse weather is discussed in detail with the aid of available data. The analysis indicates that the operational performance of the antiskid logic circuits is highly dependent upon wheel spin-up acceleration and can be adversely affected by certain pilot braking inputs when accelerations are low. Normal antiskid performance is assured if the tire-to-runway traction is sufficient to provide high wheel spin-up accelerations or if the system is provided a continuous, accurate ground speed reference. The design of antiskid systems is complicated by the necessity for tradeoffs between tire braking and cornering capabilities, both of which are necessary to provide safe operations in the presence of cross winds, particularly under slippery runway conditions.

Oxidative stability of n-3-enriched chicken patties under different package-atmosphere conditions.

PubMed

Penko, Ana; Polak, Tomaž; Lušnic Polak, Mateja; Požrl, Tomaž; Kakovič, Damir; Žlender, Božidar; Demšar, Lea

2015-02-01

The oxidation processes were studied in chicken patties, enriched with n-3 fatty acids, after 8days of storage at 4°C, under different aerobic conditions, and following heat treatment. Significant effects were seen on lipid and cholesterol oxidation and the sensory qualities for whole flaxseed addition in the chicken feed (i.e., n-3 fatty acid enrichment), and for the different package-atmosphere conditions. For the raw chicken patties, n-3 enrichment increased the colour L(∗) values while, after the heat treatment, there were higher thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARs) and cholesterol oxidation products (COPs), and the rancidity was more pronounced. In comparison with the low O2 (<0.5%) package-atmosphere condition, O2 enrichment (80%) increased the instrumentally measured colour values, TBARs, total and individual COPs, and the rancidity became pronounced. The most suitable package-atmosphere condition of these raw n-3-enriched chicken patties is a very low O2 atmosphere, with or without an O2 scavenger. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pathways from childhood abuse and other adversities to adult health risks: The role of adult socioeconomic conditions.

PubMed

Font, Sarah A; Maguire-Jack, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including child abuse, have been linked with poor health outcomes in adulthood. The mechanisms that explain these relations are less understood. This study assesses whether associations of ACEs and health risks are mediated by adult socioeconomic conditions, and whether these pathways are different for maltreatment than for other types of adversities. Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2012 survey (N=29,229), we employ structural equation modeling to (1) estimate associations of the number and type of ACEs with five health risks-depression, obesity, tobacco use, binge drinking, and self-reported sub-optimal health; and (2) assess whether adult socioeconomic conditions-marriage, divorce and separation, educational attainment, income and insurance status-mediate those associations. Findings suggest both direct and indirect associations between ACEs and health risks. At high numbers of ACEs, 15-20% of the association between number of ACEs and adult health risks was attributable to socioeconomic conditions. Associations of three ACEs (exposure to domestic violence, parental divorce, and residing with a person who was incarcerated) with health risks were nearly entirely explained by socioeconomic conditions in adulthood. However, child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse were significantly associated with several adult health risks, beyond the effects of other adversities, and socioeconomic conditions explained only a small portion of these associations. These findings suggest that the pathways to poor adult health differ by types of ACEs, and that childhood abuse is more likely than other adversities to have a direct impact. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, P. G.

1985-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and Earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing atmospheric constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or laboratory measurements of such properties under environmental conditions which are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often lead to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. Steffes and Eshleman showed that under environmental conditions corresponding to the middle atmosphere of Venus, the microwave absorption due to atmospheric SO2 was 50 percent greater than that calculated from Van Vleck-Weiskopff theory. Similarly, the opacity from gaseous H2SO4 was found to be a factor of 7 greater than theoretically predicted for conditions of the Venus middle atmosphere. The recognition of the need to make such measurements over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the periapsis altitudes of radio occultation experiments, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements.

Mitigating Aviation Communication and Satellite Orbit Operations Surprises from Adverse Space Weather

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobiska, W. Kent

2008-01-01

Adverse space weather affects operational activities in aviation and satellite systems. For example, large solar flares create highly variable enhanced neutral atmosphere and ionosphere electron density regions. These regions impact aviation communication frequencies as well as precision orbit determination. The natural space environment, with its dynamic space weather variability, is additionally changed by human activity. The increase in orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO), combined with lower atmosphere CO2 that rises into the lower thermosphere and causes increased cooling that results in increased debris lifetime, adds to the environmental hazards of navigating in near-Earth space. This is at a time when commercial space endeavors are posed to begin more missions to LEO during the rise of the solar activity cycle toward the next maximum (2012). For satellite and aviation operators, adverse space weather results in greater expenses for orbit management, more communication outages or aviation and ground-based high frequency radio used, and an inability to effectively plan missions or service customers with space-based communication, imagery, and data transferal during time-critical activities. Examples of some revenue-impacting conditions and solutions for mitigating adverse space weather are offered.

Contribution of Atmospheric Diffusion Conditions to the Recent Improvement in Air Quality in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Kaicun; Su, Liangyuan

2016-01-01

This study analyzed hourly mass concentration observations of PM2.5 (particulate matters with diameter less than 2.5 μm) at 512 stations in China from December 2013 to May 2015. We found that the mean concentrations of PM2.5 during the winter and spring of 2015 Dec. 2014 to Feb. 2015 and Mar. 2015 to May 2015) decreased by 20% and 14% compared to the previous year, respectively. Hazardous air-quality days decreased by 11% in 2015 winter, with more frequent good to unhealthy days; and the good and moderate air-quality days in 2015 spring increased by 9% corresponding to the less occurrence of unhealthy conditions. We compared the atmospheric diffusion conditions during these two years and quantified its contribution to the improvement of air quality during the first half of 2015 over China. Our results show that during the 2015 winter and spring, 70% and 57% of the 512 stations experienced more favorable atmospheric diffusion conditions compared to those of previous year. Over central and northern China, approximately 40% of the total decrease in PM2.5 during the 2015 winter can be attributed to the favorable atmospheric diffusion conditions. The atmospheric diffusion conditions during the spring of 2015 were not as favorable as in winter; and the average contributions of the atmospheric conditions were slight. PMID:27805030

Atmospheric monitoring in MAGIC and data corrections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fruck, Christian; Gaug, Markus

2015-03-01

A method for analyzing returns of a custom-made "micro"-LIDAR system, operated alongside the two MAGIC telescopes is presented. This method allows for calculating the transmission through the atmospheric boundary layer as well as thin cloud layers. This is achieved by applying exponential fits to regions of the back-scattering signal that are dominated by Rayleigh scattering. Making this real-time transmission information available for the MAGIC data stream allows to apply atmospheric corrections later on in the analysis. Such corrections allow for extending the effective observation time of MAGIC by including data taken under adverse atmospheric conditions. In the future they will help reducing the systematic uncertainties of energy and flux.

Oblique radiation lateral open boundary conditions for a regional climate atmospheric model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabos Narvaez, William; De Frutos Redondo, Jose Antonio; Perez Sanz, Juan Ignacio; Sein, Dmitry

2013-04-01

The prescription of lateral boundary conditions in regional atmospheric models represent a very important issue for limited area models. The ill-posed nature of the open boundary conditions makes it necessary to devise schemes in order to filter spurious wave reflections at boundaries, being desirable to have one boundary condition per variable. On the other side, due to the essentially hyperbolic nature of the equations solved in state of the art atmospheric models, external data is required only for inward boundary fluxes. These circumstances make radiation lateral boundary conditions a good choice for the filtering of spurious wave reflections. Here we apply the adaptive oblique radiation modification proposed by Mikoyada and Roseti to each of the prognostic variables of the REMO regional atmospheric model and compare it to the more common normal radiation condition used in REMO. In the proposed scheme, special attention is paid to the estimation of the radiation phase speed, essential to detecting the direction of boundary fluxes. One of the differences with the classical scheme is that in case of outward propagation, the adaptive nudging imposed in the boundaries allows to minimize under and over specifications problems, adequately incorporating the external information.

The controllability of the aeroassist flight experiment atmospheric skip trajectory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, R.

1989-01-01

The Aeroassist Flight Experiment (AFE) will be the first vehicle to simulate a return from geosynchronous orbit, deplete energy during an aerobraking maneuver, and navigate back out of the atmosphere to a low earth orbit It will gather scientific data necessary for future Aeroasisted Orbitl Transfer Vehicles (AOTV's). Critical to mission success is the ability of the atmospheric guidance to accurately attain a targeted post-aeropass orbital apogee while nulling inclination errors and compensating for dispersions in state, aerodynamic, and atmospheric parameters. In typing to satisfy mission constraints, atmospheric entry-interface (EI) conditions, guidance gains, and trajectory. The results of the investigation are presented; emphasizing the adverse effects of dispersed atmospheres on trajectory controllability.

Adverse psychosocial working conditions and poor quality of life among financial service employees in Brazil.

PubMed

Silva, Luiz Sergio; Barreto, Sandhi Maria

2012-01-01

Workers in the financial services sector are exposed to great stress at work. This study investigates whether exposure to adverse psychosocial work conditions is independently associated with poor health-related physical and mental quality of life among financial services workers. We studied a nationwide representative sample of 2,054 workers of a large Brazilian state bank in 2008. Adverse psychosocial work conditions were investigated by the Effort-reward imbalance (ERI) scale and the Job content questionnaire (JCQ). Health-related quality of life (HRQL) was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-12). Poor mental and physical HRQL was defined by the lowest quartiles of the SF-12 final score distributions. Associations were investigated using multiple logistic regression analysis. In the multivariate analysis, exposures to low control and lack of social support at work (JCQ) were associated with poor HRQL in the physical domain. Increasing effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment (ERI), on the other hand, were associated with poor HRQL in the mental domain, with a significant statistical trend. Overcommitment was also associated with poor physical HRQL. The results suggest that exposure to adverse psychosocial work conditions has a negative impact on both domains of HRQL among financial service workers. They also indicate that ERI and DC models capture different aspects of job strain.

Nitration of pollen aeroallergens by nitrate ion in conditions simulating the liquid water phase of atmospheric particles.

PubMed

Ghiani, Alessandra; Bruschi, Maurizio; Citterio, Sandra; Bolzacchini, Ezio; Ferrero, Luca; Sangiorgi, Giorgia; Asero, Riccardo; Perrone, Maria Grazia

2016-12-15

Pollen aeroallergens are present in atmospheric particulate matter (PM) where they can be found in coarse biological particles such as pollen grains (aerodynamic diameter d ae >10μm), as well as fragments in the finest respirable particles (PM2.5; d ae <2.5μm). Nitration of tyrosine residues in pollen allergenic proteins can occur in polluted air, and inhalation and deposition of these nitrated proteins in the human respiratory tract may lead to adverse health effects by enhancing the allergic response in population. Previous studies investigated protein nitration by atmospheric gaseous pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and ozone. In this work we report, for the first time, a study on protein nitration by nitrate ion in aqueous solution, at nitrate concentrations and pH conditions simulating those occurring in the atmospheric aerosol liquid water phase. Experiments have been carried out on the Bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein and the recombinant Phleum pratense allergen (Phl p 2) both in the dark and under UV-A irradiation (range 4-90Wm -2 ) to take into account thermal and/or photochemical nitration processes. For the latter protein, modifications in the allergic response after treatment with nitrate solutions have been evaluated by immunoblot analyses using sera from grass-allergic patients. Experimental results in bulk solutions showed that protein nitration in the dark occurs only in dilute nitrate solutions and under very acidic conditions (pH<3 for BSA; pH<2.2 for Phl p 2), while nitration is always observed (at pH0.5-5) under UV-A irradiation, both in dilute and concentrated nitrate solutions, being significantly enhanced at the lowest pH values. In some cases, protein nitration resulted in an increase of the allergic response. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evidence for the existence of supercooled ethane droplets under conditions prevalent in Titan's atmosphere.

PubMed

Sigurbjörnsson, Omar F; Signorell, Ruth

2008-11-07

Recent evidence for ethane clouds and condensation in Titan's atmosphere raise the question whether liquid ethane condensation nuclei and supercooled liquid ethane droplets exist under the prevalent conditions. We present laboratory studies on the phase behaviour of pure ethane aerosols and ethane aerosols formed in the presence of other ice nuclei under conditions relevant to Titan's atmosphere. Combining bath gas cooling with infrared spectroscopy, we find evidence for the existence of supercooled liquid ethane aerosol droplets. The observed homogeneous freezing rates imply that supercooled ethane could be a long-lived species in ethane-rich regions of Titan's atmosphere similar to supercooled water in the Earth's atmosphere.

Alteration of municipal and industrial slags under atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafał Kowalski, Piotr; Michalik, Marek

2014-05-01

The Waste Management System in Poland is being consequently built since 1998. After important changes in legislation, local governments have taken over the duty of waste collection. New points of selective collection of wastes have been opened and new sorting and composting plants were built. The last stage of introducing the Waste Management System is construction of waste incineration power plants. From nine installations which were planned, six are now under construction and they will start operating within the next two years. It is assumed that the consumption of raw wastes for these installations will reach 974 thousand tons per year. These investments will result in increased slags and ashes production. Now in Poland several local waste incinerators are operating and predominant amount of produced incineration residues is landfilled. These materials are exposed to atmospheric conditions in time of short term storage (just after incineration) and afterwards for a longer period of time on the landfill site. During the storage of slags low temperature mineral transformations and chemical changes may occur and also some components can be washed out. These materials are stored wet because of the technological processes. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of storage in atmospheric conditions on slags from incineration of industrial and municipal wastes. The experiment started in January 2013. During this period slag samples from incineration of industrial and municipal wastes were exposed to atmospheric conditions. Samples were collected after 6 and 12 months. Within this time the pH value was measured monthly, and during the experimental period remained constant on the level of 9.5. After 6 months of exposure only slight changes in mineral compositions were observed in slags. The results of XRD analysis of municipal slags showed increase in content of carbonate minerals in comparison to the raw slag samples. In industrial slags, a decrease in

Chosen risk level during car-following in adverse weather conditions.

PubMed

Hjelkrem, Odd André; Ryeng, Eirin Olaussen

2016-10-01

This study examines how precipitation, light conditions and surface conditions affect the drivers' risk perception. An indicator CRI (Chosen Risk Index) is defined, which describes the chosen risk level for drivers in a car-following situation. The dataset contains about 70 000 observations of driver behaviour and weather status on a rural road. Based on the theory of risk homeostasis and an assumption that driving behaviour in situations with daylight, dry road and no precipitation reflects drivers' target level of risk, generalised linear models (GLM) were estimated for cars and trucks separately to reveal the effect of adverse weather conditions on risk perception. The analyses show that both car and truck drivers perceive the highest risk when driving on snow covered roads. For car drivers, a snow covered road in combination with moderate rain or light snow are the factors which lowers the CRI the most. For trucks, snow cover and partially covered roads significantly lowers the CRI, while precipitation did not seem to impose any higher risk. Interaction effects were found for car drivers only. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SIPEX 2012: Extreme sea-ice and atmospheric conditions off East Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heil, P.; Stammerjohn, S.; Reid, P.; Massom, R. A.; Hutchings, J. K.

2016-09-01

In 2012, Antarctic sea-ice coverage was marked by weak annual-mean climate anomalies that consisted of opposing anomalies early and late in the year (some setting new records) which were interspersed by near-average conditions for most of the austral autumn and winter. Here, we investigate the ocean-ice-atmosphere system off East Antarctica, prior to and during the Sea Ice Physics and Ecosystems eXperiment [SIPEX] 2012, by exploring relationships between atmospheric and oceanic forcing together with the sea-ice and snow characteristics. During August and September 2012, just prior to SIPEX 2012, atmospheric circulation over the Southern Ocean was near-average, setting up the ocean-ice-atmosphere system for near-average conditions. However, below-average surface pressure and temperature as well as strengthened circumpolar winds prevailed during June and July 2012. This led to a new record (19.48×106 km2) in maximum Antarctic sea-ice extent recorded in late September. In contrast to the weak circum-Antarctic conditions, the East Antarctic sector (including the SIPEX 2012 region) experienced positive sea-ice extent and concentration anomalies during most of 2012, coincident with negative atmospheric pressure and sea-surface temperature anomalies. Heavily deformed sea ice appeared to be associated with intensified wind stress due to increased cyclonicity as well as an increased influx of sea ice from the east. This increased westward ice flux is likely linked to the break-up of nearly 80% of the Mertz Glacier Tongue in 2010, which strongly modified the coastal configuration and hence the width of the westward coastal current. Combined with favourable atmospheric conditions the associated changed coastal configuration allowed more sea ice to remain within the coastal current at the expense of a reduced northward flow in the region around 141°-145°E. In addition a westward propagating positive anomaly of sea-ice extent from the western Ross Sea during austral winter

The Mauna Kea Weather Center: Custom Atmospheric Forecasting Support for Mauna Kea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Businger, Steven

2011-03-01

The success of operations at Mauna Kea Observatories is strongly influenced by weather conditions. The Mauna Kea Weather Center, an interdisciplinary research program, was established in 1999 to develop and provide custom weather support for Mauna Kea Observatories. The operational forecasting goals of the program are to facilitate the best possible use of favorable atmospheric conditions for scientific benefit and to ensure operational safety. During persistent clear periods, astronomical observing quality varies substantially due to changes in the vertical profiles of temperature, wind, moisture, and turbulence. Cloud and storm systems occasionally cause adverse or even hazardous conditions. A dedicated, daily, real-time mesoscale numerical modeling effort provides crucial forecast guidance in both cases. Several key atmospheric variables are forecast with sufficient skill to be of operational and scientific benefit to the telescopes on Mauna Kea. Summit temperature forecasts allow mirrors to be set to the ambient temperature to reduce image distortion. Precipitable water forecasts allow infrared observations to be prioritized according to atmospheric opacity. Forecasts of adverse and hazardous conditions protect the safety of personnel and allow for scheduling of maintenance when observing is impaired by cloud. The research component of the project continues to improve the accuracy and content of the forecasts. In particular, case studies have resulted in operational forecasts of astronomical observing quality, or seeing.

Kinetics of OH + CO reaction under atmospheric conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hynes, A. J.; Wine, P. H.; Ravishankara, A. R.

1986-01-01

A pulsed laser photolysis-pulsed laser-induced fluorescence technique is used to directly measure the temperature, pressure, and H2O concentration dependence on k1 in air. K1 is found to increase linearly with increasing pressure at pressures of not greater than 1 atm, and the pressure dependence of k1 at 299 K is the same in N2 buffer gas as in O2 buffer gas. The rate constant in the low-pressure limit and the slope of the k1 versus pressure dependence are shown to be the same at 262 K as at 299 K. The present results significantly reduce the current atmospheric model uncertainties in the temperature dependence under atmospheric conditions, in the third body efficiency of O2, and in the effect of water vapor on k1.

[Effects of atmospheric thermally stratified condition on sensible heat within forest canopy].

PubMed

Diao, Yi-Wei; Wang, An-Zhi; Guan, De-Xin; Jin, Chang-Jie; Pei, Tie-Fan

2010-01-01

By using Eulerian second-order closure model, this paper studied the source-sink distribution and flux characteristics of sensible heat within forest canopy under atmospheric thermally stratified condition. In the daytime, a notable feature for the atmospheric stratification of forest canopy was the unstable stratification above the canopy and the stable stratification under the canopy. The changes of temperature profile indicated there was a 'hot spot' at about 2/3 of canopy height. The counter-gradient fluxes within the canopy were discovered by modeling the heat flux under weak stable atmospheric condition. Simulations of the diurnal variation of sensible heat flux were consistent with the measurements (R2 = 0.9035, P < 0.01). Adding buoyancy in the sensible heat balance equation could increase the simulation accuracy of inversion model, and improve the simulation capability for heat flux balance.

Measurement of forest condition and response along the Pennsylvania atmospheric deposition gradent

Treesearch

D.D. David; J.M. Skelly; J.A. Lynch; L.H. McCormick; B.L. Nash; M. Simini; E.A. Cameron; J.R. McClenahen; R.P. Long

1991-01-01

Research in the oak-hickory forest of northcentral Pennsylvania is being conducted to detect anomalies in forest condition that may be due to atmospheric deposition, with the intent that such anomalies will be further studied to determine the role, if any, of atmospheric deposition. This paper presents the status of research along a 160-km gradient of sulfate/nitrate...

Factors that condition the spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions among nurses: an integrative review.

PubMed

De Angelis, Alessia; Colaceci, Sofia; Giusti, Angela; Vellone, Ercole; Alvaro, Rosaria

2016-03-01

To describe and synthesise previous research on factors conditioning the spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions among nurses. Spontaneous reports of adverse drug reactions by health-care providers, are a main instrument for the continuous evaluation of the risk-benefit ratio of every drug. Under-reporting of adverse drug reactions by all health-care providers, in particular by nurses, is a major limitation to this system. An integrated review of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus databases and Google Scholar. After evaluation for appropriateness related to inclusion/exclusion criteria, 16 studies were included in the final analysis and synthesis. Two factors emerged from the study: (1) intrinsic factors related to nurses' knowledge and attitudes; (2) extrinsic factors related to nurses' interaction with health-care organisations and to the relationship between nurses and physicians. Nurses' attitudes that hinder reporting include ignorance, insecurity, fear and lethargy. Nurses are not fully aware of their role in adverse drug reaction reporting. Nurses must acquire greater knowledge to implement specific skills into their daily clinical practice. To improve nurses' reporting of adverse drug reactions, it is necessary to develop management approaches that modify both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A review of low-level air pollution and adverse effects on human health: implications for epidemiological studies and public policy

PubMed Central

Olmo, Neide Regina Simões; do Nascimento Saldiva, Paulo Hilário; Braga, Alfésio Luís Ferreira; Lin, Chin An; de Paula Santos, Ubiratan; Pereira, Luiz Alberto Amador

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to review original scientific articles describing the relationship between atmospheric pollution and damage to human health. We also aimed to determine which of these studies mentioned public policy issues. Original articles relating to atmospheric pollution and human health published between 1995 and 2009 were retrieved from the PubMed database and analyzed. This study included only articles dealing with atmospheric pollutants resulting primarily from vehicle emissions. Three researchers were involved in the final selection of the studies, and the chosen articles were approved by at least two of the three researchers. Of the 84 non-Brazilian studies analyzed, 80 showed an association between atmospheric pollution and adverse effects on human health. Moreover, 66 showed evidence of adverse effects on human health, even at levels below the permitted emission standards. Three studies mentioned public policies aimed at changing emission standards. Similarly, the 29 selected Brazilian studies reported adverse associations with human health, and 27 showed evidence of adverse effects even at levels below the legally permitted emission standards. Of these studies, 16 mentioned public policies aimed at changing emission standards. Based on the Brazilian and non-Brazilian scientific studies that have been conducted, it can be concluded that, even under conditions that are compliant with Brazilian air quality standards, the concentration of atmospheric pollutants in Brazil can negatively affect human health. However, as little discussion of this topic has been generated, this finding demonstrates the need to incorporate epidemiological evidence into decisions regarding legal regulations and to discuss the public policy implications in epidemiological studies. PMID:21655765

Predictability of the atmospheric conditions leading to extreme weather events in the Western Mediterranean Region in comparison with the seasonal mean conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khodayar, Samiro; Kalthoff, Norbert

2013-04-01

Among all severe convective weather situations, fall season heavy rainfall represents the most threatening phenomenon in the western Mediterranean region. Devastating flash floods occur every year somewhere in eastern Spain, southern France, Italy, or North Africa, being responsible for a great proportion of the fatalities, property losses, and destruction of infrastructure caused by natural hazards. Investigations in the area have shown that most of the heavy rainfall events in this region can be attributed to mesoscale convective systems. The main goal of this investigation is to understand and identify the atmospheric conditions that favor the initiation and development of such systems. Insight of the involved processes and conditions will improve their predictability and help preventing some of the fatal consequences related with the occurrence of these weather phenomena. The HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean eXperiment) provides a unique framework to investigate this issue. Making use of high-resolution seasonal simulations with the COSMO-CLM model the mean atmospheric conditions of the fall season, September, October and November, are investigated in different western Mediterranean regions such as eastern Spain, Southern France, northern Africa and Italy. The precipitation distribution, its daily cycle, and probability distribution function are evaluated to ascertain the similarities and differences between the regions of interest, as well as the spatial distribution of extreme events. Additionally, the regional differences of the boundary layer and mid-tropospheric conditions, atmospheric stability and inhibition, and low-level triggering are presented. Selected high impact weather HyMeX episodes' are analyzed with special focus on the atmospheric pre-conditions leading to the extreme weather situations. These pre-conditions are then compared to the mean seasonal conditions to identify and point out possible anomalies in the atmospheric

Initial conditions and ENSO prediction using a coupled ocean-atmosphere model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larow, T. E.; Krishnamurti, T. N.

1998-01-01

A coupled ocean-atmosphere initialization scheme using Newtonian relaxation has been developed for the Florida State University coupled ocean-atmosphere global general circulation model. The initialization scheme is used to initialize the coupled model for seasonal forecasting the boreal summers of 1987 and 1988. The atmosphere model is a modified version of the Florida State University global spectral model, resolution T-42. The ocean general circulation model consists of a slightly modified version of the Hamburg's climate group model described in Latif (1987) and Latif et al. (1993). The coupling is synchronous with information exchanged every two model hours. Using ECMWF atmospheric daily analysis and observed monthly mean SSTs, two, 1-year, time-dependent, Newtonian relaxation were performed using the coupled model prior to conducting the seasonal forecasts. The coupled initializations were conducted from 1 June 1986 to 1 June 1987 and from 1 June 1987 to 1 June 1988. Newtonian relaxation was applied to the prognostic atmospheric vorticity, divergence, temperature and dew point depression equations. In the ocean model the relaxation was applied to the surface temperature. Two, 10-member ensemble integrations were conducted to examine the impact of the coupled initialization on the seasonal forecasts. The initial conditions used for the ensembles are the ocean's final state after the initialization and the atmospheric initial conditions are ECMWF analysis. Examination of the SST root mean square error and anomaly correlations between observed and forecasted SSTs in the Niño-3 and Niño-4 regions for the 2 seasonal forecasts, show closer agreement between the initialized forecast than two, 10-member non-initialized ensemble forecasts. The main conclusion here is that a single forecast with the coupled initialization outperforms, in SST anomaly prediction, against each of the control forecasts (members of the ensemble) which do not include such an initialization

'Scarlett Spur Red Delicious' apple volatile production accompanying physiological disorder development during low pO2 controlled atmosphere storage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) fruit volatile production is regulated by a variety of factors including storage conditions. Although controlled atmosphere (CA) technology extends apple fruit storage life, improper storage conditions can adversely affect volatile production and increase the risk of ...

Tracking near-surface atmospheric conditions using an infrasound network.

PubMed

Marcillo, O; Johnson, J B

2010-07-01

Continuous volcanic infrasound signal was recorded on a three-microphone network at Kilauea in July 2008 and inverted for near-surface horizontal winds. Inter-station phase delays, determined by signal cross-correlation, vary by up to 4% and are attributable to variable atmospheric conditions. The results suggest two predominant weather regimes during the study period: (1) 6-9 m/s easterly trade winds and (2) lower-intensity 2-5 m/s mountain breezes from Mauna Loa. The results demonstrate the potential of using infrasound for tracking local averaged meteorological conditions, which has implications for modeling plume dispersal and quantifying gas flux.

Field evaluation of smart sensor vehicle detectors at intersections - volume 2 : performance under adverse weather conditions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

Two microwave-based systems for vehicle detection (by Wavetronix and MS SEDCO) were evaluated at stop bar and : advance zones of a signalized intersection under three adverse weather conditions: (1) wind, (2) snow-covered roadway, : and (3) rain. Wea...

Relative Influence of Initial Surface and Atmospheric Conditions on Seasonal Water and Energy Balances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Robert J.; Marshall, Susan; Roads, John O.; Robertson, Franklin R.; Goodman, H. Michael (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We constructed and analyzed wet and dry soil moisture composites for the mid-latitude GCIP region of the central US using long climate model simulations made with the NCAR CCM3 and reanalysis products from NCEP. Using the diagnostic composites as a guide, we have completed a series of predictability experiments in which we imposed soil water initial conditions in CCM3 for the GCIP region for June 1 from anomalously wet and dry years, with atmospheric initial conditions taken from June 1 of a year with 'near-normal' soil water, and initial soil water from the near-normal year and atmospheric initial conditions from the wet and dry years. Preliminary results indicate that the initial state of the atmosphere is more important than the initial state of soil water determining the subsequent late spring and summer evolution of sod water over the GCIP region. Surprisingly, neither the composites or the predictability experiments yielded a strong influence of soil moisture on the atmosphere. To explore this further, we have made runs with extreme dry soil moisture initial anomalies imposed over the GCIP region (the soil close to being completely dry). These runs did yield a very strong effect on the atmosphere that persisted for at least three months. We conclude that the magnitude of the initial soil moisture anomaly is crucial, at least in CCM3, and are currently investigating whether a threshold exists, below which little impact is seen. In a complementary study, we compared the impact of the initial condition of snow cover versus the initial atmospheric state over the western US (corresponding to the westward extension of the GAPP program follow-on to GCIP). In this case, the initial prescription of snow cover is far more important than the initial atmospheric state in determining the subsequent evolution of snow cover. We are currently working to understand the very different soil water and snow cover results.

Atmospheric Effects on Signal Propagation in Adverse Environmental Conditions: A Validation of the Advanced Refractive Effects Prediction System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

65 Figure 30. Chiang Mai , Thailand March Climatology AREPS M-unit graphic. ..............66 Figure 31. Standard Atmosphere AREPS M-unit...experiment as a precursor to the annual capstone field experiment (May and June) at the Mae Ngat Dam north of Chiang Mai , Thailand. COASTS R&D...Motorola 802.16 network components as discussed in Chapter II. Testing occurred approximately 40 km north of Chiang Mai , Thailand, at the Mae Ngat Dam

Assessing the interplay of childhood adversities with more recent stressful life events and conditions in predicting panic pathology among adults from the general population.

PubMed

Asselmann, E; Stender, J; Grabe, H J; König, J; Schmidt, C O; Hamm, A O; Pané-Farré, C A

2018-01-01

Although research suggests that (a) childhood adversities and more recent stressful life events/conditions are risk factors for panic pathology and that (b) early life stress increases vulnerability to later psychopathology, it remains unclear whether childhood adversities amplify the association between more recent stressful life events/conditions and panic pathology. Data were derived from a general population sample (Study of Health in Pomerania, SHIP). Lifetime panic pathology was assessed with the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Childhood adversities (emotional, physical and sexual abuse; emotional and physical neglect) were assessed with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). More recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were assessed with the Stralsund Life Event List (SEL). Individuals with lifetime panic pathology (fearful spell, panic attack or panic disorder, N = 286) were compared to controls without any psychopathology (N = 286, matched for sex and age). Conditional logistic regressions revealed that childhood adversities as well as more recent separation/loss events and long-lasting stressful conditions were associated with panic pathology (OR 1.1-2.5). Moreover, more recent separation/loss events - but not long-lasting stressful conditions - interacted statistically with each of the examined childhood adversities except for sexual abuse in predicting panic pathology (OR 1.1-1.3). That is, separation/loss events were associated more strongly with panic pathology among individuals with higher childhood adversities. Data were assessed retrospectively and might be subject to recall biases. Findings suggest that early childhood adversities amplify the risk of developing panic pathology after experiencing separation or loss events. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Launch Condition Deviations of Reusable Launch Vehicle Simulations in Exo-Atmospheric Zoom Climbs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urschel, Peter H.; Cox, Timothy H.

2003-01-01

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has proposed a two-stage system to deliver a small payload to orbit. The proposal calls for an airplane to perform an exo-atmospheric zoom climb maneuver, from which a second-stage rocket is launched carrying the payload into orbit. The NASA Dryden Flight Research Center has conducted an in-house generic simulation study to determine how accurately a human-piloted airplane can deliver a second-stage rocket to a desired exo-atmospheric launch condition. A high-performance, fighter-type, fixed-base, real-time, pilot-in-the-loop airplane simulation has been modified to perform exo-atmospheric zoom climb maneuvers. Four research pilots tracked a reference trajectory in the presence of winds, initial offsets, and degraded engine thrust to a second-stage launch condition. These launch conditions have been compared to the reference launch condition to characterize the expected deviation. At each launch condition, a speed change was applied to the second-stage rocket to insert the payload onto a transfer orbit to the desired operational orbit. The most sensitive of the test cases was the degraded thrust case, yielding second-stage launch energies that were too low to achieve the radius of the desired operational orbit. The handling qualities of the airplane, as a first-stage vehicle, have also been investigated.

Documentation of Atmospheric Conditions During Observed Rising Aircraft Wakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zak, J. Allen; Rodgers, William G., Jr.

1997-01-01

Flight tests were conducted in the fall of 1995 off the coast of Wallops Island, Virginia in order to determine characteristics of wake vortices at flight altitudes. A NASA Wallops Flight Facility C130 aircraft equipped with smoke generators produced visible wakes at altitudes ranging from 775 to 2225 m in a variety of atmospheric conditions, orientations (head wind, cross wind), and airspeeds. Meteorological and aircraft parameters were collected continuously from a Langley Research Center OV-10A aircraft as it flew alongside and through the wake vortices at varying distances behind the C130. Meteorological data were also obtained from special balloon observations made at Wallops. Differential GPS capabilities were on each aircraft from which accurate altitude profiles were obtained. Vortices were observed to rise at distances beyond a mile behind the C130. The maximum altitude was 150 m above the C130 in a near neutral atmosphere with significant turbulence. This occurred from large vertical oscillations in the wakes. There were several cases when vortices did not descend after a very short initial period and remained near generation altitude in a variety of moderately stable atmospheres and wind shears.

Carbon-rich Giant Planets: Atmospheric Chemistry, Thermal Inversions, Spectra, and Formation Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhusudhan, Nikku; Mousis, Olivier; Johnson, Torrence V.; Lunine, Jonathan I.

2011-12-01

The recent inference of a carbon-rich atmosphere, with C/O >= 1, in the hot Jupiter WASP-12b motivates the exotic new class of carbon-rich planets (CRPs). We report a detailed study of the atmospheric chemistry and spectroscopic signatures of carbon-rich giant (CRG) planets, the possibility of thermal inversions in their atmospheres, the compositions of icy planetesimals required for their formation via core accretion, and the apportionment of ices, rock, and volatiles in their envelopes. Our results show that CRG atmospheres probe a unique region in composition space, especially at high temperature (T). For atmospheres with C/O >= 1, and T >~ 1400 K in the observable atmosphere, most of the oxygen is bound up in CO, while H2O is depleted and CH4 is enhanced by up to two or three orders of magnitude each, compared to equilibrium compositions with solar abundances (C/O = 0.54). These differences in the spectroscopically dominant species for the different C/O ratios cause equally distinct observable signatures in the spectra. As such, highly irradiated transiting giant exoplanets form ideal candidates to estimate atmospheric C/O ratios and to search for CRPs. We also find that the C/O ratio strongly affects the abundances of TiO and VO, which have been suggested to cause thermal inversions in highly irradiated hot Jupiter atmospheres. A C/O = 1 yields TiO and VO abundances of ~100 times lower than those obtained with equilibrium chemistry assuming solar abundances, at P ~ 1 bar. Such a depletion is adequate to rule out thermal inversions due to TiO/VO even in the most highly irradiated hot Jupiters, such as WASP-12b. We estimate the compositions of the protoplanetary disk, the planetesimals, and the envelope of WASP-12b, and the mass of ices dissolved in the envelope, based on the observed atmospheric abundances. Adopting stellar abundances (C/O = 0.44) for the primordial disk composition and low-temperature formation conditions (T <~ 30 K) for WASP-12b lead to a C

Space shuttle orbit maneuvering engine reusable thrust chamber: Adverse operating conditions test report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobin, R. D.

1974-01-01

Test hardware, facilities, and procedures are described along with results of electrically heated tube and channel tests conducted to determine adverse operating condition limits for convectively cooled chambers typical of Space Shuttle Orbit Manuevering Engine designs. Hot-start tests were conducted with corrosion resistant steel and nickel tubes with both monomethylhydrazine and 50-50 coolants. Helium ingestion, in both bubble and froth form, was studied in tubular test sections. Helium bubble ingestion and burn-out limits in rectangular channels were also investigated.

A cloud model simulation of space shuttle exhaust clouds in different atmospheric conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C.; Zak, J. A.

1989-01-01

A three-dimensional cloud model was used to characterize the dominant influence of the environment on the Space Shuttle exhaust cloud. The model was modified to accept the actual heat and moisture from rocket exhausts and deluge water as initial conditions. An upper-air sounding determined the ambient atmosphere in which the cloud could grow. The model was validated by comparing simulated clouds with observed clouds from four actual Shuttle launches. The model successfully produced clouds with dimensions, rise, decay, liquid water contents and vertical motion fields very similar to observed clouds whose dimensions were calculated from 16 mm film frames. Once validated, the model was used in a number of different atmospheric conditions ranging from very unstable to very stable. In moist, unstable atmospheres simulated clouds rose to about 3.5 km in the first 4 to 8 minutes then decayed. Liquid water contents ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 g kg-1 mixing ratios and vertical motions were from 2 to 10 ms-1. An inversion served both to reduce entrainment (and erosion) at the top and to prevent continued cloud rise. Even in the most unstable atmospheres, the ground cloud did not rise beyond 4 km and in stable atmospheres with strong low level inversions the cloud could be trapped below 500 m. Wind shear strongly affected the appearance of both the ground cloud and vertical column cloud. The ambient low-level atmospheric moisture governed the amount of cloud water in model clouds. Some dry atmospheres produced little or no cloud water. One case of a simulated TITAN rocket explosion is also discussed.

Efficacy of passive sampler collection for atmospheric NO2 isotopes under simulated environmental conditions.

PubMed

Coughlin, Justin G; Yu, Zhongjie; Elliott, Emily M

2017-07-30

Nitrogen oxides or NO x (NO x = NO + NO 2 ) play an important role in air quality, atmospheric chemistry, and climate. The isotopic compositions of anthropogenic and natural NO 2 sources are wide-ranging, and they can be used to constrain sources of ambient NO 2 and associated atmospheric deposition of nitrogen compounds. While passive sample collection of NO 2 isotopes has been used in field studies to determine NO x source influences on atmospheric deposition, this approach has not been evaluated for accuracy or precision under different environmental conditions. The efficacy of NO 2 passive sampler collection for NO 2 isotopes was evaluated under varied temperature and relative humidity (RH) conditions in a dynamic flux chamber. The precision and accuracy of the filter NO 2 collection as nitrite (NO 2 - ) for isotopic analysis were determined using a reference NO 2 gas tank and through inter-calibration with a modified EPA Method 7. The bacterial denitrifer method was used to convert 20 μM of collected NO 2 - or nitrate (NO 3 - ) into N 2 O and was carried out on an Isoprime continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer. δ 15 N-NO 2 values determined from passive NO 2 collection, in conditions of 11-34 °C, 1-78% RH, have an overall accuracy and precision of ±2.1 ‰, and individual run precision of ±0.6 ‰. δ 18 O-NO 2 values obtained from passive NO 2 sampler collection, under the same conditions, have an overall precision of ± 1.3 ‰. Suitable conditions for passive sampler collection of NO 2 isotopes are in environments ranging from 11 to 34 °C and 1 to 78% RH. The passive NO 2 isotope measurement technique provides an accurate method to determine variations in atmospheric δ 15 N-NO 2 values and a precise method for determining atmospheric δ 18 O-NO 2 values. The ability to measure NO 2 isotopes over spatial gradients at the same temporal resolution provides a unique perspective on the extent and seasonality of fluctuations in atmospheric NO 2

Assessment of the State of the Art of Flight Control Technologies as Applicable to Adverse Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reveley, Mary s.; Briggs, Jeffrey L.; Leone, Karen M.; Kurtoglu, Tolga; Withrow, Colleen A.

2010-01-01

Literature from academia, industry, and other Government agencies was surveyed to assess the state of the art in current Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) aircraft technologies. Over 100 papers from 25 conferences from the time period 2004 to 2009 were reviewed. An assessment of the general state of the art in adaptive flight control is summarized first, followed by an assessment of the state of the art as applicable to 13 identified adverse conditions. Specific areas addressed in the general assessment include flight control when compensating for damage or reduced performance, retrofit software upgrades to flight controllers, flight control through engine response, and finally test and validation of new adaptive controllers. The state-of-the-art assessment applicable to the adverse conditions include technologies not specifically related to flight control, but may serve as inputs to a future flight control algorithm. This study illustrates existing gaps and opportunities for additional research by the NASA IRAC Project

The effect of atmospheric thermal conditions and urban thermal pollution on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Burkart, Katrin; Schneider, Alexandra; Breitner, Susanne; Khan, Mobarak Hossain; Krämer, Alexander; Endlicher, Wilfried

2011-01-01

This study assessed the effect of temperature and thermal atmospheric conditions on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Bangladesh. In particular, differences in the response to elevated temperatures between urban and rural areas were investigated. Generalized additive models (GAMs) for daily death counts, adjusted for trend, season, day of the month and age were separately fitted for urban and rural areas. Breakpoint models were applied for determining the increase in mortality above and below a threshold (equivalent) temperature. Generally, a 'V'-shaped (equivalent) temperature-mortality curve with increasing mortality at low and high temperatures was observed. Particularly, urban areas suffered from heat-related mortality with a steep increase above a specific threshold. This adverse heat effect may well increase with ongoing urbanization and the intensification of the urban heat island due to the densification of building structures. Moreover, rising temperatures due to climate change could aggravate thermal stress. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PBMC: Pre-conditioned Backward Monte Carlo code for radiative transport in planetary atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García Muñoz, A.; Mills, F. P.

2017-08-01

PBMC (Pre-Conditioned Backward Monte Carlo) solves the vector Radiative Transport Equation (vRTE) and can be applied to planetary atmospheres irradiated from above. The code builds the solution by simulating the photon trajectories from the detector towards the radiation source, i.e. in the reverse order of the actual photon displacements. In accounting for the polarization in the sampling of photon propagation directions and pre-conditioning the scattering matrix with information from the scattering matrices of prior (in the BMC integration order) photon collisions, PBMC avoids the unstable and biased solutions of classical BMC algorithms for conservative, optically-thick, strongly-polarizing media such as Rayleigh atmospheres.

Atmospheric conditions measured by a wireless sensor network on the local scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengfeld, K.; Ament, F.

2010-09-01

Atmospheric conditions close to the surface, like temperature, wind speed and humidity, vary on small scales because of surface heterogeneities. Therefore, the traditional measuring approach of using a single, highly accurate station is of limited representativeness for a larger domain, because it is not able to determine these small scale variabilities. However, both the variability and the domain averages are important information for the development and validation of atmospheric models and soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer (SVAT) schemes. Due to progress in microelectronics it is possible to construct networks of comparably cheap meteorological stations with moderate accuracy. Such a network provides data in high spatial and temporal resolution. The EPFL Lausanne developed such a network called SensorScope, consisting of low cost autonomous stations. Each station observes air and surface temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed, incoming solar radiation, precipitation, soil moisture and soil temperature and sends the data via radio communication to a base station. This base station forwards the collected data via GSM/GPRS to a central server. The first measuring campaign took place within the FLUXPAT project in August 2009. We deployed 15 stations as a twin transect near Jülich, Germany. To test the quality of the low cost sensors we compared two of them to more accurate reference systems. It turned out, that although the network sensors are not highly accurate, the measurements are consistent. Consequently an analysis of the pattern of atmospheric conditions is feasible. The transect is 2.3 km long and covers different types of vegetation and a small river. Therefore, we analyse the influence of different land surfaces and the distance to the river on meteorological conditions. For example, we found a difference in air temperature of 0.8°C between the station closest to and the station farthest from the river. The decreasing relative humidity with

Fretting Wear Damage Mechanism of Uranium under Various Atmosphere and Vacuum Conditions

PubMed Central

Li, Zhengyang; Wu, Yanping; Meng, Xiandong; Zhang, Dongxu

2018-01-01

A fretting wear experiment with uranium has been performed on a linear reciprocating tribometer with ball-on-disk contact. This study focused on the fretting behavior of the uranium under different atmospheres (Ar, Air (21% O2 + 78% N2), and O2) and vacuum conditions (1.05 and 1 × 10−4 Pa). Evolution of friction was assessed by coefficient of friction (COF) and friction-dissipated energy. The oxide of the wear surface was evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. The result shows that fretting wear behavior presents strong atmosphere and vacuum condition dependence. With increasing oxygen content, the COF decreases due to abrasive wear and formation of oxide film. The COF in the oxygen condition is at least 0.335, and it has a maximum wear volume of about 1.48 × 107 μm3. However, the COF in a high vacuum condition is maximum about 1.104, and the wear volume is 1.64 × 106 μm3. The COF in the low vacuum condition is very different: it firstly increased and then decreased rapidly to a steady value. It is caused by slight abrasive wear and the formation of tribofilm after thousands of cycles. PMID:29659484

Stepping towards new parameterizations for non-canonical atmospheric surface-layer conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calaf, M.; Margairaz, F.; Pardyjak, E.

2017-12-01

Representing land-atmosphere exchange processes as a lower boundary condition remains a challenge. This is partially a result of the fact that land-surface heterogeneity exists at all spatial scales and its variability does not "average" out with decreasing scales. Such variability need not rapidly blend away from the boundary thereby impacting the near-surface region of the atmosphere. Traditionally, momentum and energy fluxes linking the land surface to the flow in NWP models have been parameterized using atmospheric surface layer (ASL) similarity theory. There is ample evidence that such representation is acceptable for stationary and planar-homogeneous flows in the absence of subsidence. However, heterogeneity remains a ubiquitous feature eliciting appreciable deviations when using ASL similarity theory, especially in scalars such moisture and air temperature whose blending is less efficient when compared to momentum. The focus of this project is to quantify the effect of surface thermal heterogeneity with scales Ο(1/10) the height of the atmospheric boundary layer and characterized by uniform roughness. Such near-canonical cases describe inhomogeneous scalar transport in an otherwise planar homogeneous flow when thermal stratification is weak or absent. In this work we present a large-eddy simulation study that characterizes the effect of surface thermal heterogeneities on the atmospheric flow using the concept of dispersive fluxes. Results illustrate a regime in which the flow is mostly driven by the surface thermal heterogeneities, in which the contribution of the dispersive fluxes can account for up to 40% of the total sensible heat flux. Results also illustrate an alternative regime in which the effect of the surface thermal heterogeneities is quickly blended, and the dispersive fluxes provide instead a quantification of the flow spatial heterogeneities produced by coherent turbulent structures result of the surface shear stress. A threshold flow

Laboratory Evaluation and Application of Microwave Absorption Properties Under Simulated Conditions for Planetary Atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1997-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or using laboratory measurements of such properties under environmental conditions which are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. Laboratory measurements completed under this grant (NAGW-533), have shown that the opacity from, SO2 under simulated Venus conditions is best described by a different lineshape than was previously used in theoretical predictions. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres.

Climate Change and Crop Exposure to Adverse Weather: Changes to Frost Risk and Grapevine Flowering Conditions.

PubMed

Mosedale, Jonathan R; Wilson, Robert J; Maclean, Ilya M D

2015-01-01

The cultivation of grapevines in the UK and many other cool climate regions is expected to benefit from the higher growing season temperatures predicted under future climate scenarios. Yet the effects of climate change on the risk of adverse weather conditions or events at key stages of crop development are not always captured by aggregated measures of seasonal or yearly climates, or by downscaling techniques that assume climate variability will remain unchanged under future scenarios. Using fine resolution projections of future climate scenarios for south-west England and grapevine phenology models we explore how risks to cool-climate vineyard harvests vary under future climate conditions. Results indicate that the risk of adverse conditions during flowering declines under all future climate scenarios. In contrast, the risk of late spring frosts increases under many future climate projections due to advancement in the timing of budbreak. Estimates of frost risk, however, were highly sensitive to the choice of phenology model, and future frost exposure declined when budbreak was calculated using models that included a winter chill requirement for dormancy break. The lack of robust phenological models is a major source of uncertainty concerning the impacts of future climate change on the development of cool-climate viticulture in historically marginal climatic regions.

Climate Change and Crop Exposure to Adverse Weather: Changes to Frost Risk and Grapevine Flowering Conditions

PubMed Central

Mosedale, Jonathan R.; Wilson, Robert J.; Maclean, Ilya M. D.

2015-01-01

The cultivation of grapevines in the UK and many other cool climate regions is expected to benefit from the higher growing season temperatures predicted under future climate scenarios. Yet the effects of climate change on the risk of adverse weather conditions or events at key stages of crop development are not always captured by aggregated measures of seasonal or yearly climates, or by downscaling techniques that assume climate variability will remain unchanged under future scenarios. Using fine resolution projections of future climate scenarios for south-west England and grapevine phenology models we explore how risks to cool-climate vineyard harvests vary under future climate conditions. Results indicate that the risk of adverse conditions during flowering declines under all future climate scenarios. In contrast, the risk of late spring frosts increases under many future climate projections due to advancement in the timing of budbreak. Estimates of frost risk, however, were highly sensitive to the choice of phenology model, and future frost exposure declined when budbreak was calculated using models that included a winter chill requirement for dormancy break. The lack of robust phenological models is a major source of uncertainty concerning the impacts of future climate change on the development of cool-climate viticulture in historically marginal climatic regions. PMID:26496127

Solar Wind Interaction with the Martian Upper Atmosphere at Early Mars/Extreme Solar Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, C.; Bougher, S. W.; Ma, Y.; Toth, G.; Lee, Y.; Nagy, A. F.; Tenishev, V.; Pawlowski, D. J.; Combi, M. R.

2014-12-01

The investigation of ion escape fluxes from Mars, resulting from the solar wind interaction with its upper atmosphere/ionosphere, is important due to its potential impact on the long-term evolution of Mars atmosphere (e.g., loss of water) over its history. In the present work, we adopt the 3-D Mars cold neutral atmosphere profiles (0 ~ 300 km) from the newly developed and validated Mars Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model (M-GITM) and the 3-D hot oxygen profiles (100 km ~ 5 RM) from the exosphere Monte Carlo model Adaptive Mesh Particle Simulator (AMPS). We apply these 3-D model output fields into the 3-D BATS-R-US Mars multi-fluid MHD (MF-MHD) model (100 km ~ 20 RM) that can simulate the interplay between Mars upper atmosphere and solar wind by considering the dynamics of individual ion species. The multi-fluid MHD model solves separate continuity, momentum and energy equations for each ion species (H+, O+, O2+, CO2+). The M-GITM model together with the AMPS exosphere model take into account the effects of solar cycle and seasonal variations on both cold and hot neutral atmospheres. This feature allows us to investigate the corresponding effects on the Mars upper atmosphere ion escape by using a one-way coupling approach, i.e., both the M-GITM and AMPS model output fields are used as the input for the multi-fluid MHD model and the M-GITM is used as input into the AMPS exosphere model. In this study, we present M-GITM, AMPS, and MF-MHD calculations (1-way coupled) for 2.5 GYA conditions and/or extreme solar conditions for present day Mars (high solar wind velocities, high solar wind dynamic pressure, and high solar irradiance conditions, etc.). Present day extreme conditions may result in MF-MHD outputs that are similar to 2.5 GYA cases. The crustal field orientations are also considered in this study. By comparing estimates of past ion escape rates with the current ion loss rates to be returned by the MAVEN spacecraft (2013-2016), we can better constrain the

Field evaluation of smart sensor vehicle detectors at railroad grade crossings - volume 4 : performance in adverse weather conditions.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-01-01

The performance of a microwave radar system for vehicle detection at a railroad grade crossing with quadrant gates was evaluated in : adverse weather conditions: rain (light and torrential), snow (light and heavy), dense fog, and wind. The first part...

Risk of Adverse Cognitive or Behavioral Conditions and Psychiatric Disorders

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slack, Kelley J.; Schneiderman, Jason S.; Leveton, Lauren B.; Whitmire, Alexandra M.; Picano, James J.

2015-01-01

The NASA commitment to human space flight includes continuing to fly astronauts on the ISS until it is decommissioned as well as possibly returning astronauts to the moon or having astronauts venture to an asteroid or Mars. As missions leave low Earth orbit and explore deeper space, BHP supports and conducts research to enable a risk posture that considers the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric disorders “acceptable given mitigations,” for pre-, in, and post-flight.The Human System Risk Board (HSRB) determines the risk of various mission scenarios using a likelihood (per person per year) by consequences matrix examining those risks across two categories—long term health and operational (within mission). Colors from a stoplight signal are used by HSRB and quickly provide a means of assessing overall perceived risk for a particular mission scenario. Risk associated with the current six month missions on the ISS are classified as “accepted with monitoring” while planetary missions, such as a mission to Mars, are recognized to be a “red” risk that requires mitigation to ensure mission success.Currently, the HSRB deems that the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric outcomes requires mitigation for planetary missions owing to long duration isolation and radiation exposure (see Table 1). While limited research evidence exists from spaceflight, it is well known anecdotally that the shift from the two week shuttle missions to the six month ISS missions renders the psychological stressors of space as more salient over longer duration missions. Shuttle astronauts were expected just to tolerate any stressors that arose during their mission and were successful at doing so (Whitmire et al, 2013). While it is possible to deal with stressors such as social isolation and to live with incompatible crewmembers for two weeks on shuttle, “ignoring it” is much less likely to be a successful coping mechanism

Pyroconvection Risk in Australia: Climatological Changes in Atmospheric Stability and Surface Fire Weather Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowdy, Andrew J.; Pepler, Acacia

2018-02-01

Extreme wildfires with strong convective processes in their plumes have recently led to disastrous impacts on various regions of the world. The Continuous Haines index (CH) is used in Australia to represent vertical atmospheric stability and humidity measures relating to pyroconvective processes. CH climatology is examined here using reanalysis data from 1979 to 2016, revealing large spatial and seasonal variations throughout Australia. Various measures of severity are investigated, including regionally specific thresholds. CH is combined with near-surface fire weather conditions, as a type of compound event, and is examined in relation to environmental conditions associated with pyroconvection. Significant long-term changes in CH are found for some regions and seasons, with these changes corresponding to changes in near-surface conditions in some cases. In particular, an increased risk of pyroconvection is identified for southeast Australia during spring and summer, due to decreased vertical atmospheric stability and humidity combined with more severe near-surface conditions.

Laboratory Evaluation and Application of Microwave Absorption Properties under Simulated Conditions for Planetary Atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

2002-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments, entry probe radio signal absorption measurements, and earth-based or spacecraft-based radio astronomical (emission) observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or the use of laboratory measurements of such properties taken under environmental conditions that are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. Laboratory measurements have shown that the centimeter-wavelength opacity from gaseous phosphine (PH3) under simulated conditions for the outer planets far exceeds that predicted from theory over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. This fundamentally changed the resulting interpretation of Voyager radio occultation data at Saturn and Neptune. It also directly impacts planning and scientific goals for study of Saturn's atmosphere with the Cassini Radio Science Experiment and the Rossini RADAR instrument. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both spacecraft entry probe and orbiter (or flyby) radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations

Impact of atmosphere and land surface initial conditions on seasonal forecast of global surface temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Materia, Stefano; Borrelli, Andrea; Bellucci, Alessio; Alessandri, Andrea; Di Pietro, Pierluigi; Athanasiadis, Panagiotis; Navarra, Antonio; Gualdi, Silvio

2014-05-01

The impact of land surface and atmosphere initialization on the forecast skill of a seasonal prediction system is investigated, and an effort to disentangle the role played by the individual components to the global predictability is done, via a hierarchy of seasonal forecast experiments performed under different initialization strategies. A realistic atmospheric initial state allows an improved equilibrium between the ocean and overlying atmosphere, mitigating the coupling shock and possibly increasing the model predictive skill in the ocean. In fact, in a few regions characterized by strong air-sea coupling, the atmosphere initial condition affects the forecast skill for several months. In particular, the ENSO region, the eastern tropical Atlantic and the North Pacific benefit significantly from the atmosphere initialization. On mainland, the impact of atmospheric initial conditions is detected in the early phase of the forecast, while the quality of land surface initialization affects the forecast skill in the following lead seasons. The winter forecast in the high latitude plains of Siberia and Canada benefit from the snow initialization, while the impact of soil moisture initial state is particularly effective in the Mediterranean region, in central Asia and Australia. However, initialization through land surface reanalysis does not systematically guarantee an enhancement of the predictive skill: the quality of the forecast is sometimes higher for the non-constrained model. Overall, the introduction of a realistic initialization of land surface and atmosphere substantially increases skill and accuracy. However, further developments in the operating procedure for land surface initialization are required for more accurate seasonal forecasts.

Assessing the Impacts of Atmospheric Conditions under Climate Change on Air Quality Profile over Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hei Tong, Cheuk

2017-04-01

Small particulates can cause long term impairment to human health as they can penetrate deep and deposit on the wall of the respiratory system. Under the projected climate change as reported by literature, atmospheric stability, which has strong effects on vertical mixing of air pollutants and thus air quality Hong Kong, is also varying from near to far future. In addition to domestic emission, Hong Kong receives also significant concentration of cross-boundary particulates that their natures and movements are correlated with atmospheric condition. This study aims to study the relation of atmospheric conditions with air quality over Hong Kong. Past meteorological data is based on Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis data. Radiosonde data provided from HKO are also adopted in testing and validating the data. Future meteorological data is simulated by the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF), which dynamically downscaled the past and future climate under the A1B scenario simulated by ECHAM5/MPIOM. Air quality data is collected on one hand from the ground station data provided by Environment Protection Department, with selected stations revealing local emission and trans-boundary emission respectively. On the other hand, an Atmospheric Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), which operates using the radar principle to detect Rayleigh and Mie scattering from atmospheric gas and aerosols, has also been adopted to measure vertical aerosol profile, which has been observed tightly related to the high level meteorology. Data from scattered signals are collected, averaged or some episode selected for characteristic comparison with the atmospheric stability indices and other meteorological factors. The relation between atmospheric conditions and air quality is observed by statistical analysis, and statistical models are built based on the stability indices to project the changes in sulphur dioxide, ozone and particulate

Laboratory Evaluation and Application of Microwave Absorption Properties Under Simulated Conditions for Planetary Atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1998-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments, entry probe radio signal absorption measurements, and earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically-derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or using laboratory measurements of such properties taken under environmental conditions which are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. For example, laboratory measurements completed recently by Kolodner and Steffes (ICARUS 132, pp. 151-169, March 1998, attached as Appendix A) under this grant (NAGS-4190), have shown that the opacity from gaseous H2SO4 under simulated Venus conditions is best described by a different formalism than was previously used. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both spacecraft entry probe and orbiter radio occultation experiments and by radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in such experiments, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres.

Land-Sea-Atmosphere Interaction and Their Association with Drought Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, R. P.; Nath, A.

2017-12-01

Detailed analysis of satellite data for the period 2002-2016 provides an understanding of the land-sea interaction and its association with the vegetation conditions over the Indian continent. The Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) phenomenon is also considered to understand the atmospheric dynamics and meteorological parameters. GPS water vapor and meteorological parameters (relative humidity and water vapor) from the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore have been considered for meteorological data for the period 2008-2016. Atmospheric parameters (water vapor, precipitation rate, land temperature, total ozone column) have been considered using through NASA Giovanni portal and GPS water vapor through SoumiNet data to study relation between Sea Surface temperature (SST) from Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Our detailed analysis shows that SST has strong impact on the NDVI at different locations, the maximum impact of SST is observed at lower latitudes. The NDVI over the central and northern India (Indo-Gangetic plains (IGP) is not affected. The SST and NDVI shows high correlation in the central and northern parts, whereas the correlation is poor in the southern parts i.e. close to the ocean. The detailed analysis of NDVI data provides progression of the drought conditions especially in the southern parts of India and also shows impact of the El Nino during 2015-2016.

Operational implications of a cloud model simulation of space shuttle exhaust clouds in different atmospheric conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zak, J. A.

1989-01-01

A three-dimensional cloud model was used to characterize the dominant influence of the environment on the Space Shuttle exhaust cloud. The model was modified to accept the actual heat and moisture from rocket exhausts and deluge water as initial conditions. An upper-air sounding determined the ambient atmosphere in which the cloud would grow. The model was validated by comparing simulated clouds with observed clouds from four actual Shuttle launches. Results are discussed with operational weather forecasters in mind. The model successfully produced clouds with dimensions, rise, decay, liquid water contents, and vertical motion fields very similar to observed clouds whose dimensions were calculated from 16 mm film frames. Once validated, the model was used in a number of different atmospheric conditions ranging from very unstable to very stable. Wind shear strongly affected the appearance of both the ground cloud and vertical column cloud. The ambient low-level atmospheric moisture governed the amount of cloud water in model clouds. Some dry atmospheres produced little or no cloud water. An empirical forecast technique for Shuttle cloud rise is presented and differences between natural atmospheric convection and exhaust clouds are discussed.

Evaluation of video detection systems, volume 4 : effects of adverse weather conditions in the performance of video detection systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-01

The performance of three video detection systems (VDS): Iteris, Autoscope, and Peek, was evaluated : using a side-by-side installation at a signalized intersection under various adverse weather conditions including : rain and snow in both day and nig...

Initial Results from SQUID Sensor: Analysis and Modeling for the ELF/VLF Atmospheric Noise

PubMed Central

Hao, Huan; Wang, Huali; Chen, Liang; Wu, Jun; Qiu, Longqing; Rong, Liangliang

2017-01-01

In this paper, the amplitude probability density (APD) of the wideband extremely low frequency (ELF) and very low frequency (VLF) atmospheric noise is studied. The electromagnetic signals from the atmosphere, referred to herein as atmospheric noise, was recorded by a mobile low-temperature superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) receiver under magnetically unshielded conditions. In order to eliminate the adverse effect brought by the geomagnetic activities and powerline, the measured field data was preprocessed to suppress the baseline wandering and harmonics by symmetric wavelet transform and least square methods firstly. Then statistical analysis was performed for the atmospheric noise on different time and frequency scales. Finally, the wideband ELF/VLF atmospheric noise was analyzed and modeled separately. Experimental results show that, Gaussian model is appropriate to depict preprocessed ELF atmospheric noise by a hole puncher operator. While for VLF atmospheric noise, symmetric α-stable (SαS) distribution is more accurate to fit the heavy-tail of the envelope probability density function (pdf). PMID:28216590

Initial Results from SQUID Sensor: Analysis and Modeling for the ELF/VLF Atmospheric Noise.

PubMed

Hao, Huan; Wang, Huali; Chen, Liang; Wu, Jun; Qiu, Longqing; Rong, Liangliang

2017-02-14

In this paper, the amplitude probability density (APD) of the wideband extremely low frequency (ELF) and very low frequency (VLF) atmospheric noise is studied. The electromagnetic signals from the atmosphere, referred to herein as atmospheric noise, was recorded by a mobile low-temperature superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) receiver under magnetically unshielded conditions. In order to eliminate the adverse effect brought by the geomagnetic activities and powerline, the measured field data was preprocessed to suppress the baseline wandering and harmonics by symmetric wavelet transform and least square methods firstly. Then statistical analysis was performed for the atmospheric noise on different time and frequency scales. Finally, the wideband ELF/VLF atmospheric noise was analyzed and modeled separately. Experimental results show that, Gaussian model is appropriate to depict preprocessed ELF atmospheric noise by a hole puncher operator. While for VLF atmospheric noise, symmetric α -stable (S α S) distribution is more accurate to fit the heavy-tail of the envelope probability density function (pdf).

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1992-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing atmospheric constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The use of theoretically derived microwave absorption properties for such atmospheric constituents, or using laboratory measurements of such properties under environmental conditions which are significantly different than those of the planetary atmosphere being studied, often leads to significant misinterpretation of available opacity data. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. The goal of this investigation was to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres.

Preservation of fresh meat with active and modified atmosphere packaging conditions.

PubMed

Skandamis, Panagiotis N; Nychas, George-John E

2002-11-15

The sensory, microbiological and physicochemical attributes of fresh meat stored at 5 and 15 degrees C were affected by the combined effect of volatile compounds of oregano essential oil and modified atmosphere packaging conditions (40% CO2/30% N2/30% O2, 100% CO2, 80% CO2/20% air, vacuum pack and air). It was found that the extension of shelf life of meat samples depended on the packaging conditions and augmented in the order: air < vacuum pack < 40% CO2/30% N2/30% O2 < 80% CO2/ 20% air < 100% CO2. Longer shelf life was observed in samples supplemented with the volatile compounds of oregano essential oil and stored under the same packaging conditions mentioned above. The extension of shelf life may be due to the synergistic effect of volatile compounds of oregano essential oil and the modified atmosphere packaging used on the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of meat. Indeed, both these hurdles can prolong and delay microbial growth or suppress the final counts of the spoilage microorganisms in comparison with the 'control' samples. The effect of essential oil volatile compounds was even more pronounced on the physicochemical changes of meat samples caused by microbial association. Oregano essential oil delayed glucose and lactate consumption, both indicators of meat spoilage aerobically as well as under 40% CO2/30% N2/30% O2, and 100% CO2. Finally, changes in other metabolites such as formic acid were also observed.

Determination and representation of electric charge distributions associated with adverse weather conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rompala, John T.

1992-01-01

Algorithms are presented for determining the size and location of electric charges which model storm systems and lightning strikes. The analysis utilizes readings from a grid of ground level field mills and geometric constraints on parameters to arrive at a representative set of charges. This set is used to generate three dimensional graphical depictions of the set as well as contour maps of the ground level electrical environment over the grid. The composite, analytic and graphic package is demonstrated and evaluated using controlled input data and archived data from a storm system. The results demonstrate the packages utility as: an operational tool in appraising adverse weather conditions; a research tool in studies of topics such as storm structure, storm dynamics, and lightning; and a tool in designing and evaluating grid systems.

Comparison of Dynamic Characteristics for an Inflatable Solar Concentrator in Atmospheric and Thermal Vacuum Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slade, Kara N.; Tinker, Michael L.; Lassiter, John O.; Engberg, Robert

2000-01-01

Dynamic testing of an inflatable solar concentrator structure in a thermal vacuum chamber as well as in ambient laboratory conditions is described in detail. Unique aspects of modal testing for the extremely lightweight inflatable are identified, including the use of a noncontacting laser vibrometer measurement system. For the thermal vacuum environment, mode shapes and frequency response functions are compared for three different test article inflation pressures at room temperature. Modes that persist through all the inflation pressure regimes are identified, as well as modes that are unique for each pressure. In atmospheric pressure and room temperature conditions, dynamic measurements were obtained for the expected operational inflation pressure of 0.5 psig. Experimental mode shapes and frequency response functions for ambient conditions are described and compared to the 0.5 psig results from the thermal vacuum tests. Only a few mode shapes were identified that occurred in both vacuum and atmospheric environments. This somewhat surprising result is discussed in detail, and attributed at least partly to 1.) large differences in modal damping, and 2.) significant differences in the mass of air contained by the structure, in the two environments. Results of this investigation point out the necessity of testing inflatable space structures in vacuum conditions before they can be launched. Ground testing in atmospheric pressure is not sufficient for predicting on-orbit dynamics of non-rigidized inflatable systems.

Carbon-rich Planets: Atmospheric Spectra, Thermal Inversions, And Formation Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhusudhan, Nikku; Mousis, O.; Lunine, J.; Johnson, T.

2011-05-01

Carbon-rich planets (CRPs) are the exotic new members in the repertoire of extrasolar planets. The first CRP atmosphere was discovered recently, for the extremely irradiated hot Jupiter WASP-12b. In this work, we report several candidate carbon-rich planets amongst the known sample of transiting exoplanets, along with follow-up theoretical and observational efforts that aim at confirming these candidates. We also discuss the atmospheric chemistry and temperature structure of carbon-rich giant planets, their formation via core accretion, and the chemistry and apportionment of ices, rock, and volatiles in their envelopes. Our results show that CRP atmospheres probe a unique region in composition space, especially at high T. For C/O ≥ 1, most of the oxygen is occupied by CO for T > 1400 K and P < 1bar, causing a substantial depletion in water vapor, and an overabundance of methane compared to equilibrium chemistry with solar abundances. Adopting gas phase elemental abundances in the disk similar to those estimated in the star gives a C/O ratio in planetesimals and then in the envelope of WASP-12b similar to or below the solar C/O. Under these conditions, a C/O ratio of 1 in WASP-12b would require that the oxygen abundance in the disk is depleted by a factor of 0.41.

The Formation of Teacher Work Teams under Adverse Conditions: Towards a More Realistic Scenario for Schools in Distress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mintrop, Rick; Charles, Jessica

2017-01-01

Group formation studies are rare in the literature on teacher professional learning communities (PLCs). But they are needed to render realistic scenarios and design interventions for practitioners who work in schools where teachers encounter distress and social adversity. Under these conditions, we may need approaches to PLC development that are…

Response of the water level in a well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading under unconfined conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rojstaczer, Stuart; Riley, Francis S.

1990-01-01

The response of the water level in a well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading under unconfined conditions can be explained if the water level is controlled by the aquifer response averaged over the saturated depth of the well. Because vertical averaging tends to diminish the influence of the water table, the response is qualitatively similar to the response of a well under partially confined conditions. When the influence of well bore storage can be ignored, the response to Earth tides is strongly governed by a dimensionless aquifer frequency Q′u. The response to atmospheric loading is strongly governed by two dimensionless vertical fluid flow parameters: a dimensionless unsaturated zone frequency, R, and a dimensionless aquifer frequency Qu. The differences between Q′u and Qu are generally small for aquifers which are highly sensitive to Earth tides. When Q′u and Qu are large, the response of the well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading approaches the static response of the aquifer under confined conditions. At small values of Q′u and Qu, well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by water table drainage. When R is large relative to Qu, the response to atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by attenuation and phase shift of the pneumatic pressure signal in the unsaturated zone. The presence of partial penetration retards phase advance in well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading. When the theoretical response of a phreatic well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is fit to the well response inferred from cross-spectral estimation, it is possible to obtain estimates of the pneumatic diffusivity of the unsaturated zone and the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer.

Response of the Water Level in a Well to Earth Tides and Atmospheric Loading Under Unconfined Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rojstaczer, Stuart; Riley, Francis S.

1990-08-01

The response of the water level in a well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading under unconfined conditions can be explained if the water level is controlled by the aquifer response averaged over the saturated depth of the well. Because vertical averaging tends to diminish the influence of the water table, the response is qualitatively similar to the response of a well under partially confined conditions. When the influence of well bore storage can be ignored, the response to Earth tides is strongly governed by a dimensionless aquifer frequency Q'u. The response to atmospheric loading is strongly governed by two dimensionless vertical fluid flow parameters: a dimensionless unsaturated zone frequency, R, and a dimensionless aquifer frequency Qu. The differences between Q'u and Qu are generally small for aquifers which are highly sensitive to Earth tides. When Q'u and Qu are large, the response of the well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading approaches the static response of the aquifer under confined conditions. At small values of Q'u and Qu, well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by water table drainage. When R is large relative to Qu, the response to atmospheric loading is strongly influenced by attenuation and phase shift of the pneumatic pressure signal in the unsaturated zone. The presence of partial penetration retards phase advance in well response to Earth tides and atmospheric loading. When the theoretical response of a phreatic well to Earth tides and atmospheric loading is fit to the well response inferred from cross-spectral estimation, it is possible to obtain estimates of the pneumatic diffusivity of the unsaturated zone and the vertical hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer.

Does the Size of the Effect of Adverse Events at High Ages on Daily-Life Physical Functioning Depend on the Economic Conditions Around Birth?

PubMed

Scholte, Robert; van den Berg, Gerard J; Lindeboom, Maarten; Deeg, Dorly J H

2017-01-01

This paper considers determinants of physical functional limitations in daily-life activities at high ages. Specifically, we quantify the extent to which the impact of adverse life events on this outcome is larger in case of exposure to adverse economic conditions early in life. Adverse life events include bereavement, severe illness in the family, and the onset of chronic diseases. We use a longitudinal data set of individuals born in the first decades of the 20th century. The business cycle around birth is used as an indicator of economic conditions early in life. We find that the extent to which functional limitations suffer from the onset of chronic diseases is larger if the individual was born in a recession. The long-run effect of economic conditions early in life on functional limitations at high ages runs primarily via this life event. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1991-01-01

Laboratory measurements of microwave and millimeter wave properties of the simulated atmosphere of the outer planets and their satellites has continued. One of the focuses is on the development of a radiative transfer model of the Jovian atmosphere at wavelengths from 1 mm to 10 cm. This modeling effort led to laboratory measurements of the millimeter wave opacity of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) under simulated Jovian conditions. Descriptions of the modeling effort, the Laboratory experiment, and the observations are presented. Correlative studies of measurements with Pioneer-Venus radio occultation measurements with longer wavelength emission measurements have provided new ways for characterizing temporal and spatial variations in the abundance of both gases H2SO4 and SO2, and for modeling their roles in the subcloud atmosphere. Laboratory measurements were conducted on 1.35 cm (and 13 cm) opacity of gaseous SO2 and absorptivity of gaseous SO2 at the 3.2 mm wavelength under simulated Venus conditions. Laboratory measurements were completed on millimeter wave dielectric properties of liquid H2SO4, in order to model the effects of the opacity of the clouds of Venus onto millimeter wave emission spectrum.

Improving Optical Absorption Models for Harsh Planetary Atmospheres: Laboratory Spectroscopy at Venus Surface Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Ryan Kenneth; Schroeder, Paul James; Diego Draper, Anthony; Rieker, Gregory Brian

2018-06-01

Modelling absorption spectra in high pressure, high temperature environments is complicated by the increased relevance of higher order collisional phenomena (e.g. line mixing, collision-induced absorption, finite duration of collisions) that alter the spectral lineshape. Accurate reference spectroscopy in these conditions is of interest for mineralogy and radiative transfer studies of Venus as well as other dense planetary atmospheres. We present a new, high pressure, high temperature absorption spectroscopy facility at the University of Colorado Boulder. This facility employs a dual frequency comb absorption spectrometer to record broadband (500nm), high resolution (~0.002nm) spectra in conditions comparable to the Venus surface (730K, 90bar). Measurements of the near-infrared spectrum of carbon dioxide at high pressure and temperature will be compared to modeled spectra extrapolated from the HITRAN 2016 database as well as other published models that include additional collisional physics. This comparison gives insight into the effectiveness of existing absorption databases for modeling the lower Venus atmosphere as well as the need to expand absorption models to suit these conditions.

Study and Optimization on graft polymerization under normal pressure and air atmospheric conditions, and its application to metal adsorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueki, Yuji; Chandra Dafader, Nirmal; Hoshina, Hiroyuki; Seko, Noriaki; Tamada, Masao

2012-07-01

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto non-woven polyethylene (NWPE) fabric was achieved under normal pressure and air atmospheric conditions, without using unique apparatus such as glass ampoules or vacuum lines. To attain graft polymerization under normal pressure and air atmospheric conditions, the effects of the pre-irradiation dose, pre-irradiation atmosphere, pre-irradiation temperature, de-aeration of GMA-emulsion, grafting atmosphere in a reactor, and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in GMA-emulsion on the degree of grafting (Dg) were investigated in detail. It was found that the DO concentration had the strongest influence, the pre-irradiation dose, de-aeration of emulsion and grafting atmosphere had a relatively strong impact, and the pre-irradiation atmosphere and pre-irradiation temperature had the least effect on Dg. The optimum DO concentration before grafting was 2.0 mg/L or less. When a polyethylene bottle was used as a reactor instead of a glass ampoule, graft polymerization under normal pressure and air atmospheric conditions could be achieved under the following conditions; the pre-irradiation dose was more than 50 kGy, the volume ratio of GMA-emulsion to air was 50:1 or less, and the DO concentration in GMA-emulsion during grafting was below 2.0 mg/L. Under these grafting conditions, Dg was controlled within a range of up to 362%. The prepared GMA-grafted NWPE (GMA-g-NWPE) fabric was modified with a phosphoric acid to obtain an adsorbent for heavy metal ions. In the column-mode adsorption tests of Pb(II), the adsorption performance of the produced phosphorylated GMA-g-NWPE fabric (fibrous metal adsorbent) was not essentially dependent on the flow rate of the feed. The breakthrough points of 200, 500, and 1000 h-1 in space velocity were 483, 477 and 462 bed volumes, and the breakthrough capacities of the three flow rates were 1.16, 1.15 and 1.16 mmol-Pb(II)/g-adsorbent.

Conditional vulnerability of plant diversity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across the United States

Treesearch

Samuel M. Simkin; Edith B. Allen; William D. Bowman; Christopher M. Clark; Jayne Belnap; Matthew L. Brooks; Brian S. Cade; Scott L. Collins; Linda H. Geiser; Frank S. Gilliam; Sarah E. Jovan; Linda H. Pardo; Bethany K. Schulz; Carly J. Stevens; Katharine N. Suding; Heather L. Throop; Donald M. Waller

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has been shown to decrease plant species richness along regional deposition gradients in Europe and in experimental manipulations. However, the general response of species richness to N deposition across different vegetation types, soil conditions, and climates remains largely unknown even though responses may be contingent on these...

Inferring atmospheric weather conditions in volcanic environments using infrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz, H. D.; Johnson, J. B.; Ruiz, M. C.

2015-12-01

We use infrasound produced by Tungurahua Volcano (Ecuador) to infer local time-varying atmospheric conditions, which can be used to improve gas flux measurements and tephra dispersal modeling. Physical properties of the atmosphere, including wind and temperature (which controls adiabatic sound speed), can be quantified by studying the travel times of acoustic waves produced during volcanic activity. The travel times between Tungurahua's vent and five infrasound stations located in a network configuration over an area of 90 km2 were used in this study. We are able to quantify the arrival time differences of acoustic waves for ten unique station pairs and use this information to model the average speed of sound between source and receiver. To identify what parameters best fit the observed arrival times, we perform a grid search for a homogeneous two-dimensional wind velocity as well as for air temperature. Due to travel time dependence on the specific path taken by waves, we account for topography using a 5 meter resolution digital elevation model of Tungurahua. To investigate the time-varying atmospheric structure we use data recorded at Tungurahua volcano, during a strombolian eruptive phase in August 2012, however the methodology can be applied to continuous network infrasound data collected since July 2006 as part of the Japanese-Ecuadorian Cooperation Project: "Enhancement of the Volcano Monitoring Capacity in Ecuador". We propose that the computation of wind velocities will help to improve gas flux measurements that are based on remote sensing techniques like Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS), resulting in better estimates of sulfur fluxes that can then be related to magma fluxing into the volcanic system. Further, wind field quantification close to the volcano can improve numerical models that are used to forecast tephra deposits, thereby helping to mitigate their effect on inhabitants, infrastructure, livestock, and crops.

Atmospheric propagation of high power laser radiation at different weather conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pargmann, Carsten; Hall, Thomas; Duschek, Frank; Handke, Jürgen

2016-05-01

Applications based on the propagation of high power laser radiation through the atmosphere are limited in range and effect, due to weather dependent beam wandering, beam deterioration, and scattering processes. Security and defense related application examples are countermeasures against hostile projectiles and the powering of satellites and aircrafts. For an examination of the correlations between weather condition and laser beam characteristics DLR operates at Lampoldshausen a 130 m long free transmission laser test range. Sensors around this test range continuously monitor turbulence strength, visibility, precipitation, temperature, and wind speed. High power laser radiation is obtained by a TruDisk 6001 disk laser (Trumpf company) yielding a maximum output power of 6 kW at a wavelength of 1030 nm. The laser beam is expanded to 180 mm and focused along the beam path. Power and intensity distribution are measured before and after propagation, providing information about the atmospheric transmission and alterations of diameter and position of the laser beam. Backscattered laser light is acquired by a photo receiver. As a result, measurements performed at different weather conditions show a couple of correlations to the characteristics of the laser beam. The experimental results are compared to a numerical analysis. The calculations are based on the Maxwell wave equation in Fresnel approximation. The turbulence is considered by the introduction of phase screens and the "von Karman" spectrum.

Description of atmospheric conditions at the Pierre Auger Observatory using the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierre Auger Collaboration; Abreu, P.; Aglietta, M.; Ahlers, M.; Ahn, E. J.; Albuquerque, I. F. M.; Allard, D.; Allekotte, I.; Allen, J.; Allison, P.; Almela, A.; Alvarez Castillo, J.; Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Ambrosio, M.; Aminaei, A.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andringa, S.; Antiči'C, T.; Aramo, C.; Arganda, E.; Arqueros, F.; Asorey, H.; Assis, P.; Aublin, J.; Ave, M.; Avenier, M.; Avila, G.; Bäcker, T.; Badescu, A. M.; Balzer, M.; Barber, K. B.; Barbosa, A. F.; Bardenet, R.; Barroso, S. L. C.; Baughman, B.; Bäuml, J.; Beatty, J. J.; Becker, B. R.; Becker, K. H.; Bellétoile, A.; 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.; Bruijn, R.; Buchholz, P.; Bueno, A.; Burton, R. E.; Caballero-Mora, K. S.; Caccianiga, B.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, R.; Castellina, A.; Catalano, O.; Cataldi, G.; Cazon, L.; Cester, R.; Chauvin, J.; Cheng, S. H.; Chiavassa, A.; Chinellato, J. A.; Chirinos Diaz, J.; Chudoba, J.; Clay, R. W.; Coluccia, M. R.; Conceição, R.; Contreras, F.; Cook, H.; Cooper, M. J.; Coppens, J.; Cordier, A.; Coutu, S.; Covault, C. E.; Creusot, A.; Criss, A.; Cronin, J.; Curutiu, A.; Dagoret-Campagne, S.; Dallier, R.; Daniel, B.; Dasso, S.; Daumiller, K.; Dawson, B. R.; de Almeida, R. M.; de Domenico, M.; de Donato, C.; 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.; Del Río, M.; Deligny, O.; Dembinski, H.; Dhital, N.; di Giulio, 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.; D'Urso, D.; Dutan, I.; Ebr, J.; Engel, R.; Erdmann, M.; Escobar, C. O.; Espadanal, J.; Etchegoyen, A.; Facal San Luis, P.; Fajardo Tapia, I.; Falcke, H.; Farrar, G.; Fauth, A. C.; Fazzini, N.; Ferguson, A. P.; Fick, B.; Filevich, A.; Filipčič, A.; Fliescher, S.; 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.; Gascon, A.; Gemmeke, H.; Ghia, P. L.; Giaccari, U.; Giller, M.; Glass, H.; Gold, M. S.; Golup, G.; Gomez Albarracin, F.; Gómez Berisso, M.; Gómez Vitale, P. F.; Gonçalves, P.; Gonzalez, D.; Gonzalez, J. G.; Gookin, B.; Gorgi, A.; Gouffon, P.; Grashorn, E.; Grebe, S.; Griffith, N.; Grigat, M.; Grillo, A. F.; Guardincerri, Y.; Guarino, F.; Guedes, G. P.; Guzman, A.; Hansen, P.; Harari, D.; Harrison, T. A.; Harton, J. L.; Haungs, A.; Hebbeker, T.; Heck, D.; Herve, A. E.; Hojvat, C.; Hollon, N.; Holmes, V. C.; Homola, P.; Hörandel, J. R.; Horneffer, A.; Horvath, P.; Hrabovský, M.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Insolia, A.; Ionita, F.; Italiano, A.; Jarne, C.; Jiraskova, S.; Josebachuili, M.; Kadija, K.; Kampert, K. H.; Karhan, P.; Kasper, P.; Kégl, B.; Keilhauer, B.; Keivani, A.; Kelley, J. L.; Kemp, E.; Kieckhafer, R. M.; Klages, H. O.; Kleifges, M.; Kleinfeller, J.; Knapp, J.; Koang, D.-H.; Kotera, K.; Krohm, N.; Krömer, O.; Kruppke-Hansen, D.; Kuehn, F.; Kuempel, D.; Kulbartz, J. K.; Kunka, N.; La Rosa, G.; Lachaud, C.; Lahurd, D.; Latronico, L.; Lauer, R.; 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.; Macolino, C.; Maldera, S.; Mandat, D.; Mantsch, P.; Mariazzi, A. G.; Marin, J.; Marin, V.; Maris, I. C.; Marquez Falcon, H. R.; Marsella, G.; Martello, D.; Martin, L.; Martinez, H.; Martínez Bravo, O.; Mathes, H. J.; Matthews, J.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthiae, G.; Maurel, D.; Maurizio, D.; Mazur, P. O.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Melissas, M.; Melo, D.; Menichetti, E.; Menshikov, A.; Mertsch, P.; Meurer, C.; Mi'Canovi'C, S.; Micheletti, M. I.; Minaya, I. A.; Miramonti, L.; Molina-Bueno, L.; Mollerach, S.; Monasor, M.; Monnier Ragaigne, D.; Montanet, F.; Morales, B.; Morello, C.; Moreno, E.; 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.; Nierstenhoefer, N.; Nitz, D.; Nosek, D.; Nožka, L.; Oehlschläger, J.; Olinto, A.; Ortiz, M.; Pacheco, N.; Pakk Selmi-Dei, D.; Palatka, M.; Pallotta, J.; Palmieri, N.; Parente, G.; Parizot, E.; Parra, A.; Pastor, S.; Paul, T.; Pech, M.; Pȩkala, J.; Pelayo, R.; Pepe, I. M.; Perrone, L.; Pesce, R.; Petermann, E.; Petrera, S.; Petrinca, P.; Petrolini, A.; Petrov, Y.; Pfendner, C.; Piegaia, R.; Pierog, T.; Pieroni, P.; Pimenta, M.; Pirronello, V.; Platino, M.; Ponce, V. H.; Pontz, M.; Porcelli, A.; Privitera, P.; Prouza, M.; Quel, E. J.; Querchfeld, 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, G.; Rodriguez Martino, J.; Rodriguez Rojo, J.; Rodriguez-Cabo, I.; Rodríguez-Frías, M. D.; Ros, G.; Rosado, J.; Rossler, T.; Roth, M.; Rouillé-D'Orfeuil, B.; Roulet, E.; Rovero, A. C.; Rühle, C.; Saftoiu, A.; Salamida, F.; Salazar, H.; Salesa Greus, F.; Salina, G.; Sánchez, F.; Santo, C. E.; Santos, E.; Santos, E. M.; Sarazin, F.; Sarkar, B.; Sarkar, S.; Sato, R.; Scharf, N.; Scherini, V.; Schieler, H.; Schiffer, P.; Schmidt, A.; Scholten, O.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Schovancova, J.; Schovánek, P.; Schröder, F.; Schulte, S.; Schuster, D.; Sciutto, S. J.; Scuderi, M.; Segreto, A.; Settimo, M.; Shadkam, A.; Shellard, R. C.; Sidelnik, I.; Sigl, G.; Silva Lopez, H. H.; Sima, O.; 'Smiałkowski, A.; Šmída, R.; Snow, G. R.; Sommers, P.; Sorokin, J.; Spinka, H.; Squartini, R.; Srivastava, Y. N.; Stanic, S.; Stapleton, J.; Stasielak, J.; Stephan, 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.; Tavera Ruiz, C. G.; Tcaciuc, R.; Thao, N. T.; Thomas, D.; Tiffenberg, J.; Timmermans, C.; Tkaczyk, W.; Todero Peixoto, C. J.; Toma, G.; Tomankova, L.; Tomé, B.; Tonachini, A.; Travnicek, P.; Tridapalli, D. B.; Tristram, G.; Trovato, E.; Tueros, M.; Ulrich, R.; Unger, M.; Urban, M.; Valdés Galicia, J. F.; Valiño, I.; Valore, L.; van den Berg, A. M.; Varela, E.; Vargascárdenas, B.; 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.; Wommer, M.; Wundheiler, B.; Yamamoto, T.; Yapici, T.; Younk, P.; Yuan, G.; Yushkov, A.; Zamorano, B.; Zas, E.; Zavrtanik, D.; Zavrtanik, M.; Zaw, I.; Zepeda, A.; Zhu, Y.; Zimbres Silva, M.; Ziolkowski, M.

2012-04-01

Atmospheric conditions at the site of a cosmic ray observatory must be known for reconstructing observed extensive air showers. The Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) is a global atmospheric model predicated on meteorological measurements and numerical weather predictions. GDAS provides altitude-dependent profiles of the main state variables of the atmosphere like temperature, pressure, and humidity. The original data and their application to the air shower reconstruction of the Pierre Auger Observatory are described. By comparisons with radiosonde and weather station measurements obtained on-site in Malargüe and averaged monthly models, the utility of the GDAS data is shown.

Description of Atmospheric Conditions at the Pierre Auger Observatory using the Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS)

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

Abreu, P.; /Lisbon, IST; Aglietta, M.

2012-01-01

Atmospheric conditions at the site of a cosmic ray observatory must be known for reconstructing observed extensive air showers. The Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) is a global atmospheric model predicated on meteorological measurements and numerical weather predictions. GDAS provides altitude-dependent profiles of the main state variables of the atmosphere like temperature, pressure, and humidity. The original data and their application to the air shower reconstruction of the Pierre Auger Observatory are described. By comparisons with radiosonde and weather station measurements obtained on-site in Malargue and averaged monthly models, the utility of the GDAS data is shown.

A 'Quad-Disc' static pressure probe for measurement in adverse atmospheres - With a comparative review of static pressure probe designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishiyama, Randall T.; Bedard, Alfred J., Jr.

1991-09-01

There are many areas of need for accurate measurements of atmospheric static pressure. These include observations of surface meteorology, airport altimeter settings, pressure distributions around buildings, moving measurement platforms, as well as basic measurements of fluctuating pressures in turbulence. Most of these observations require long-term observations in adverse environments (e.g., rain, dust, or snow). Currently, many pressure measurements are made, of necessity, within buildings, thus involving potential errors of several millibars in mean pressure during moderate winds, accompanied by large fluctuating pressures induced by the structure. In response to these needs, a 'Quad-Disk' pressure probe for continuous, outdoor monitoring purposes was designed which is inherently weather-protected. This Quad-Disk probe has the desirable features of omnidirectional response and small error in pitch. A review of past static pressure probes contrasts design approaches and capabilities.

Impact of urban atmospheric environment on hospital admissions in the elderly.

PubMed

Silva, Edelci Nunes da; Ribeiro, Helena

2012-08-01

To analyze the impact of intra-urban atmospheric conditions on circulatory and respiratory diseases in elder adults. Cross-sectional study based on data from 33,212 hospital admissions in adults over 60 years in the city of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, from 2003 to 2007. The association between atmospheric variables from Congonhas airport and bioclimatic index, Physiological Equivalent Temperature, was analyzed according to the district's socioenvironmental profile. Descriptive statistical analysis and regression models were used. There was an increase in hospital admissions due to circulatory diseases as average and lowest temperatures decreased. The likelihood of being admitted to the hospital increased by 12% with 1ºC decrease in the bioclimatic index and with 1ºC increase in the highest temperatures in the group with lower socioenvironmental conditions. The risk of admission due to respiratory diseases increased with inadequate air quality in districts with higher socioenvironmental conditions. The associations between morbidity and climate variables and the comfort index varied in different groups and diseases. Lower and higher temperatures increased the risk of hospital admission in the elderly. Districts with lower socioenvironmental conditions showed greater adverse health impacts.

The ISLSCP initiative I global datasets: Surface boundary conditions and atmospheric forcings for land-atmosphere studies

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

Sellers, P.J.; Collatz, J.; Koster, R.

1996-09-01

A comprehensive series of global datasets for land-atmosphere models has been collected, formatted to a common grid, and released on a set of CD-ROMs. This paper describes the motivation for and the contents of the dataset. In June of 1992, an interdisciplinary earth science workshop was convened in Columbia, Maryland, to assess progress in land-atmosphere research, specifically in the areas of models, satellite data algorithms, and field experiments. At the workshop, representatives of the land-atmosphere modeling community defined a need for global datasets to prescribe boundary conditions, initialize state variables, and provide near-surface meteorological and radiative forcings for their models.more » The International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP), a part of the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment, worked with the Distributed Active Archive Center of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center to bring the required datasets together in a usable format. The data have since been released on a collection of CD-ROMs. The datasets on the CD-ROMs are grouped under the following headings: vegetation; hydrology and soils; snow, ice, and oceans; radiation and clouds; and near-surface meteorology. All datasets cover the period 1987-88, and all but a few are spatially continuous over the earth`s land surface. All have been mapped to a common 1{degree} x 1{degree} equal-angle grid. The temporal frequency for most of the datasets is monthly. A few of the near-surface meteorological parameters are available both as six-hourly values and as monthly means. 26 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Evaporation from soils subjected to natural boundary conditions at the land-atmospheric interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, K.; Illngasekare, T.; Ngo, V.; Cihan, A.

2012-04-01

Bare soil evaporation is a key process for water exchange between the land and the atmosphere and an important component of the water balance in semiarid and arid regions. However, there is no agreement on the best methodology to determine evaporation under different boundary conditions at the land surface. This becomes critical in developing models that couples land to the atmosphere. Because it is difficult to measure evaporation from soil, with the exception of using lysimeters, numerous formulations have been proposed to establish a relationship between the rate of evaporation and soil moisture and/or soil temperature and thermal properties. Different formulations vary in how they partition available energy. A need exists to systematically compare existing methods to experimental data under highly controlled conditions not achievable in the field. The goal of this work is to perform controlled experiments under transient conditions of soil moisture, temperature and wind at the land/atmospheric interface to test different conceptual and mathematical formulations for the soil surface boundary conditions to develop appropriate numerical models to be used in simulations. In this study, to better understand the coupled water-vapor-heat flow processes in the shallow subsurface near the land surface, we modified a previously developed theory by Smits et al. [2011] that allows non-equilibrium liquid/gas phase change with gas phase vapor diffusion to better account for dry soil conditions. The model did not implement fitting parameters such as a vapor enhancement factor that is commonly introduced into the vapor diffusion coefficient as an arbitrary multiplication factor. In order to experimentally test the numerical formulations/code, we performed a two-dimensional physical model experiment under varying boundary conditions using test sand for which the hydraulic and thermal properties were well characterized. Precision data under well-controlled transient heat and

Influence of different land surfaces on atmospheric conditions measured by a wireless sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lengfeld, Katharina; Ament, Felix

2010-05-01

Atmospheric conditions close to the surface, like temperature, wind speed and humidity, vary on small scales because of surface heterogeneities. Therefore, the traditional measuring approach of using a single, highly accurate station is of limited representativeness for a larger domain, because it is not able to determine these small scale variabilities. However, both the variability and the domain averages are important information for the development and validation of atmospheric models and soil-vegetation-atmosphere-transfer (SVAT) schemes. Due to progress in microelectronics it is possible to construct networks of comparably cheap meteorological stations with moderate accuracy. Such a network provides data in high spatial and temporal resolution. The EPFL Lausanne developed such a network called SensorScope, consisting of low cost autonomous stations. Each station observes air and surface temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed, incoming solar radiation, precipitations, soil moisture and soil temperature and sends the data via radio communication to a base station. This base station forwards the collected data via GSM/GPRS to a central server. Within the FLUXPAT project in August 2009 we deployed 15 stations as a twin transect near Jülich, Germany. One aim of this first experiment was to test the quality of the low cost sensors by comparing them to more accurate reference measurements. It turned out, that although the network is not highly accurate, the measurements are consistent. Consequently an analysis of the pattern of atmospheric conditions is feasible. For example, we detect a variability of ± 0.5K in the mean temperature at a distance of only 2.3 km. The transect covers different types of vegetation and a small river. Therefore, we analyzed the influence of different land surfaces and the distance to the river on meteorological conditions. On the one hand, some results meet our expectations, e.g. the relative humidity decreases with increasing

Ultraviolet light propagation under low visibility atmospheric conditions and its application to aircraft landing aid.

PubMed

Lavigne, Claire; Durand, Gérard; Roblin, Antoine

2006-12-20

Light scattering in the atmosphere by particles and molecules gives rise to an aureole surrounding the source image that tends to reduce the contrast of the source with respect to the background. However, UV scattering phase functions of the haze droplets present a very important forward peak. The spreading of a detected signal in the UV is not as important as in the case of a clear atmosphere where Rayleigh scattering predominates. This physical property has to be taken into account to evaluate the potential of UV radiation as an aircraft landing aid under low visibility conditions. Different results characterizing UV runway lights, simulations of UV radiation propagation in the atmosphere, and the use of a simple detection algorithm applied to one particular sensor are presented.

Modified atmosphere packaging for fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mango under common retail display conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A modified atmosphere package (MAP) was designed to optimize the quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut ‘Kent’ mango during exposure to common retail display conditions. The synergism between the MAP system and an antioxidant treatment (calcium ascorbate and citric acid) was also investigated. Mango sl...

Geospatial Strategy for Adverse Impact of Urban Heat Island in upper atmospheres of the earth Mountain Areas using LANDSAT ETM+ Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Amit; Vandana, Vandana

2016-07-01

We are living in the age of the rapidly growing population and changing environmental conditions with advanced technical capacity. This has been resulting in widespread land cover change. Among several human-induced environmental and urban thermal problems are reported to be negatively affecting urban residents in many ways. Urban Heat Islands exist in many large cities especially metropolitan cities and can significantly affect the permafrost layer in mountain areas. The adverse effect of urban heat island has become the subject of numerous studies in recent decades and is reflected in many major mountain cities around the world. The built-up structures in urbanized areas considerably alter land cover thereby affecting thermal energy flow which leads to the development of elevated surface and air temperature. The phenomenon Urban Heat Island implies 'island' of high temperature in cities, surrounded by relatively lower temperature in rural areas. The Urban Heat Island for the temporal period is estimated using geospatial techniques which are then utilized for the impact assessment of the climate of the surrounding regions and how it reduce the sustainability of the natural resources like air, vegetation. The knowledge of surface temperature is important for the study of urban climate and human health. The rapid growth of industries in peri-urban areas results in excessive warming and variations in weather conditions. It leads to soil degradation in frozen areas due to high temperature which leads to melting of snow in mountain areas Remotely sensed data of thermal infrared band in the region of 10.4-12.5 µm of EMR spectrum, available from LANDSAT- ETM+ is proved to be very helpful to identify urban heat islands. Thermal infrared data acquired during the daytime and night time can be used to monitor the heat island associated with urban areas as well as atmospheric pollution. The present paper describes the methodology and resolution dynamic urban heat island

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1987-01-01

Laboratory measurements were conducted to evaluate properties of atmospheric gases under simulated conditions for the outer planets. A significant addition to this effort was the capability to make such measurements at millimeter wavelengths. Measurements should soon be completed on the millimeter wave absorption from ammonia under Jovian conditions. Also studied will be the feasibility of measuring the microwave and millimeter wave properties of phosphine (PH3) under simulated Jovian conditions. Further analysis and application of the laboratory results to microwave and millimeter wave absorption data for the outer planet, such as Voyager Radio Occultation experiments, will be pursued.

Filter Media Tests Under Simulated Martian Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Agui, Juan H.

2016-01-01

Human exploration of Mars will require the optimal utilization of planetary resources. One of its abundant resources is the Martian atmosphere that can be harvested through filtration and chemical processes that purify and separate it into its gaseous and elemental constituents. Effective filtration needs to be part of the suite of resource utilization technologies. A unique testing platform is being used which provides the relevant operational and instrumental capabilities to test articles under the proper simulated Martian conditions. A series of tests were conducted to assess the performance of filter media. Light sheet imaging of the particle flow provided a means of detecting and quantifying particle concentrations to determine capturing efficiencies. The media's efficiency was also evaluated by gravimetric means through a by-layer filter media configuration. These tests will help to establish techniques and methods for measuring capturing efficiency and arrestance of conventional fibrous filter media. This paper will describe initial test results on different filter media.

Atmospheric optical calibration system

DOEpatents

Hulstrom, R.L.; Cannon, T.W.

1988-10-25

An atmospheric optical calibration system is provided to compare actual atmospheric optical conditions to standard atmospheric optical conditions on the basis of aerosol optical depth, relative air mass, and diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio. An indicator can show the extent to which the actual conditions vary from standard conditions. Aerosol scattering and absorption properties, diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio, and precipitable water vapor determined on a real-time basis for optical and pressure measurements are also used to generate a computer spectral model and for correcting actual performance response of a photovoltaic device to standard atmospheric optical condition response on a real-time basis as the device is being tested in actual outdoor conditions. 7 figs.

Atmospheric optical calibration system

DOEpatents

Hulstrom, Roland L.; Cannon, Theodore W.

1988-01-01

An atmospheric optical calibration system is provided to compare actual atmospheric optical conditions to standard atmospheric optical conditions on the basis of aerosol optical depth, relative air mass, and diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio. An indicator can show the extent to which the actual conditions vary from standard conditions. Aerosol scattering and absorption properties, diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio, and precipitable water vapor determined on a real-time basis for optical and pressure measurements are also used to generate a computer spectral model and for correcting actual performance response of a photovoltaic device to standard atmospheric optical condition response on a real-time basis as the device is being tested in actual outdoor conditions.

30 CFR 285.816 - What must I do if environmental or other conditions adversely affect a cable, pipeline, or facility?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Environmental Effects § 285.816 What must I do if environmental or other conditions adversely affect a cable... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What must I do if environmental or other... EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Management, Inspections, and...

Visible spectroscopy as a tool for the assessment of storage conditions of fresh pork packaged in modified atmosphere.

PubMed

Spanos, Dimitrios; Christensen, Mette; Tørngren, Mari Ann; Baron, Caroline P

2016-03-01

The storage conditions of fresh meat are known to impact its colour and microbial shelf life. In the present study, visible spectroscopy was evaluated as a method to assess meat storage conditions and its optimisation. Fresh pork steaks (longissimus thoracis et lumborum and semimembranosus) were placed in modified atmosphere packaging using gas mixtures containing 0, 40, 50, and 80% oxygen, and stored with or without light for up to 9days. Principal component analysis of visible reflectance spectra (400-700nm) showed that the colour of the different meat cuts was affected by presence of oxygen, illumination, and storage time. Differences in the oxygen levels did not contribute to the observed variance. Predictive models based on partial least squares regression-discriminant analysis exhibited high potency in the classification of the storage parameters of meat cuts packaged in modified atmosphere. The study demonstrates the applicability of visible spectroscopy as a tool to assess the storage conditions of meat cuts packaged in modified atmosphere. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weather forecasting by insects: modified sexual behaviour in response to atmospheric pressure changes.

PubMed

Pellegrino, Ana Cristina; Peñaflor, Maria Fernanda Gomes Villalba; Nardi, Cristiane; Bezner-Kerr, Wayne; Guglielmo, Christopher G; Bento, José Maurício Simões; McNeil, Jeremy N

2013-01-01

Prevailing abiotic conditions may positively or negatively impact insects at both the individual and population levels. For example while moderate rainfall and wind velocity may provide conditions that favour development, as well as movement within and between habitats, high winds and heavy rains can significantly decrease life expectancy. There is some evidence that insects adjust their behaviours associated with flight, mating and foraging in response to changes in barometric pressure. We studied changes in different mating behaviours of three taxonomically unrelated insects, the curcurbit beetle, Diabrotica speciosa (Coleoptera), the true armyworm moth, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Lepidoptera) and the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Hemiptera), when subjected to natural or experimentally manipulated changes in atmospheric pressure. In response to decreasing barometric pressure, male beetles exhibited decreased locomotory activity in a Y-tube olfactometer with female pheromone extracts. However, when placed in close proximity to females, they exhibited reduced courtship sequences and the precopulatory period. Under the same situations, females of the true armyworm and the potato aphid exhibited significantly reduced calling behaviour. Neither the movement of male beetles nor the calling of armyworm females differed between stable and increasing atmospheric pressure conditions. However, in the case of the armyworm there was a significant decrease in the incidence of mating under rising atmospheric conditions, suggesting an effect on male behaviour. When atmospheric pressure rose, very few M. euphorbiae oviparae called. This was similar to the situation observed under decreasing conditions, and consequently very little mating was observed in this species except under stable conditions. All species exhibited behavioural modifications, but there were interspecific differences related to size-related flight ability and the diel periodicity of mating activity. We

Erosion processes in molassic cliffs: the role of the rock surface temperature and atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carrea, Dario; Abellán, Antonio; Guerin, Antoine; Jaboyedoff, Michel; Voumard, Jérémie

2014-05-01

The morphology of the Swiss Plateau is modeled by numerous steep cliffs of Molasse. These cliffs are mainly composed of sub-horizontal alternated layers of sandstone, shale and conglomerates deposed in the Alps foreland basin during the Tertiary period. These Molasse cliffs are affected by erosion processes inducing numerous rockfall events. Thus, it is relevant to understand how different external factors influence Molasse erosion rates. In this study, we focus on analyzing temperature variation during a winter season. As pilot study area we selected a cliff which is formed by a sub-horizontal alternation of outcropping sandstone and shale. The westward facing test site (La Cornalle, Vaud, Switzerland), which is a lateral scarp of a slow moving landslide area, is currently affected by intense erosion. Regarding data acquisition, we monitored both in-situ rock and air temperatures at 15 minutes time-step since October 2013: (1) on the one hand we measured Ground Surface Temperature (GST) at near-surface (0.1 meter depth) using a GST mini-datalogger M-Log5W-Rock model; (2) On the other hand we monitored atmospheric conditions using a weather station (Davis Vantage pro2 plus) collecting numerous parameters (i.e. temperature, irradiation, rain, wind speed, etc.). Furthermore, the area was also seasonally monitored by Ground-Based (GB) LiDAR since 2010 and monthly monitored since September 2013. In order to understand how atmospheric conditions (such as freeze and thaw effect) influence the erosion of the cliff, we modeled the temperature diffusion through the rock mass. To this end, we applied heat diffusion and radiation equation using a 1D temperature profile, obtaining as a result both temperature variations at different depths together with the location of the 0°C isotherm. Our model was calibrated during a given training set using both in-situ rock temperatures and atmospheric conditions. We then carried out a comparison with the rockfall events derived from the

Ozonation of isoproturon adsorbed on silica particles under atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pflieger, Maryline; Grgić, Irena; Kitanovski, Zoran

2012-12-01

The results on heterogeneous ozonation of a phenylurea pesticide, isoproturon, under atmospheric conditions are presented for the first time in the present study. The study was carried out using an experimental device previously adopted and validated for the heterogeneous reactivity of organics toward ozone (Pflieger et al., 2011). Isoproturon was adsorbed on silica particles via a liquid-to-solid equilibrium with a load far below a monolayer (0.02% by weight/surface coverage of 0.5%). The rate constants were estimated by measuring the consumption of the organic (dark, T = 26 °C, RH < 1%). The experimental data were fitted by both the modified Langmuir-Hinshelwood and the Eley-Rideal patterns, resulting in atmospheric lifetimes of heterogeneous ozonation of 4 and 6 days, respectively (for 40 ppb of O3). Parameters, such as the number and the quantity of pesticides adsorbed on the solid support, which can significantly influence the heterogeneous kinetics, were investigated as well. The results obtained suggest that the organic compound is adsorbed in multilayer aggregates on the aerosol even though submonolayer coverage is assumed. The presence of a second herbicide, trifluralin, together with isoproturon on the aerosol surface does not affect the kinetics of ozonation, indicating that both compounds are adsorbed on different surface sites of silica particles.

Atmospheric conditions create freeways, detours and tailbacks for migrating birds.

PubMed

Shamoun-Baranes, Judy; Liechti, Felix; Vansteelant, Wouter M G

2017-07-01

The extraordinary adaptations of birds to contend with atmospheric conditions during their migratory flights have captivated ecologists for decades. During the 21st century technological advances have sparked a revival of research into the influence of weather on migrating birds. Using biologging technology, flight behaviour is measured across entire flyways, weather radar networks quantify large-scale migratory fluxes, citizen scientists gather observations of migrant birds and mechanistic models are used to simulate migration in dynamic aerial environments. In this review, we first introduce the most relevant microscale, mesoscale and synoptic scale atmospheric phenomena from the point of view of a migrating bird. We then provide an overview of the individual responses of migrant birds (when, where and how to fly) in relation to these phenomena. We explore the cumulative impact of individual responses to weather during migration, and the consequences thereof for populations and migratory systems. In general, individual birds seem to have a much more flexible response to weather than previously thought, but we also note similarities in migratory behaviour across taxa. We propose various avenues for future research through which we expect to derive more fundamental insights into the influence of weather on the evolution of migratory behaviour and the life-history, population dynamics and species distributions of migrant birds.

Risk from drought and extreme heat in Russian wheat production and its relation to atmospheric blocking and teleconnection patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannakaki, Paraskevi; Calanca, Pierluigi

2017-04-01

Russia has become one of the leading wheat exporters worldwide. Major breakdowns in Russian wheat production induced by extreme weather events are therefore of high significance not only for the domestic but also for the global market. Wheat production in south-western Russia, the main growing area, suffers in particular from the adverse effects of drought and heat waves. For this reason knowledge of the occurrence of this type of extreme events and of the processes that lead to adverse conditions is of paramount importance for risk management. The negative impacts of heat waves and drought are particularly severe when anomalous conditions persist in time. As an example, a blocking event in summer 2010 resulted in one of the warmest and worst drought conditions in Russia's recent history. The latter caused a decline in Russian wheat production by more than 30%, which in turn prompted the Russian government to issue an export ban that lasted until summer 2011. In view of this, the question of course arises of how much of the negative variations in Russian wheat production levels can be explained by blocking events and other features of the large-scale atmospheric circulation. Specific questions are: how often are blocking events over Russia associated with extreme high temperatures and dry conditions? Which of the teleconnection patterns are correlated with drought and heat stress conditions in the area? Answering these questions can contribute to a develop strategies for agricultural risk management. In this contribution we present results of a study that aims at characterizing the occurrence of adverse weather conditions in south-western Russia in relation to atmospheric blocking and teleconnection patterns such as East Atlantic/Western Russia pattern, the Polar/Eurasia pattern, the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Scandinavia pattern. The analysis relies on weather data for 1980-2014 from 130 stations distributed across the wheat production area. The account

Atmospheric optical calibration system

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

Hulstrom, R.L.; Cannon, T.W.

1988-10-25

An atmospheric optical calibration system is provided to compare actual atmospheric optical conditions to standard atmospheric optical conditions on the basis of aerosol optical depth, relative air mass, and diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio. An indicator can show the extent to which the actual conditions vary from standard conditions. Aerosol scattering and absorption properties, diffuse horizontal skylight to global horizontal photon flux ratio, and precipitable water vapor determined on a real-time basis for optical and pressure measurements are also used to generate a computer spectral model and for correcting actual performance response of a photovoltaic devicemore » to standard atmospheric optical condition response on a real-time basis as the device is being tested in actual outdoor conditions. 7 figs.« less

Functions of Nitric Oxide (NO) in Roots during Development and under Adverse Stress Conditions

PubMed Central

Corpas, Francisco J.; Barroso, Juan B.

2015-01-01

The free radical molecule, nitric oxide (NO), is present in the principal organs of plants, where it plays an important role in a wide range of physiological functions. Root growth and development are highly regulated by both internal and external factors such as nutrient availability, hormones, pattern formation, cell polarity and cell cycle control. The presence of NO in roots has opened up new areas of research on the role of NO, including root architecture, nutrient acquisition, microorganism interactions and the response mechanisms to adverse environmental conditions, among others. Additionally, the exogenous application of NO throughout the roots has the potential to counteract specific damages caused by certain stresses. This review aims to provide an up-to-date perspective on NO functions in the roots of higher plants. PMID:27135326

A comparison between atmospheric/humidity and vacuum cyanoacrylate fuming of latent fingermarks.

PubMed

Farrugia, Kevin J; Fraser, Joanna; Friel, Lauren; Adams, Duncan; Attard-Montalto, Nicola; Deacon, Paul

2015-12-01

detection rate than the double process with Lumicyano 4%. Furthermore, the double process with conventional cyanoacrylate did not provide any benefit. Scanning electron microscopy was also performed to investigate the morphology of the cyanoacrylate polymer under different conditions. The atmospheric/humidity process appears to be superior to the vacuum process for both the two-step and one-step cyanoacrylate fuming, although the two-step process performed better in comparison to the one-step process under vacuum conditions. Nonetheless, the use of vacuum cyanoacrylate fuming may have certain operational advantages and its use does not adversely affect subsequent cyanoacrylate fuming with atmospheric/humidity conditions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of a surface-layer parameterization scheme in an atmospheric model for varying meteorological conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anurose, T. J.; Bala Subrahamanyam, D.

2014-06-01

The performance of a surface-layer parameterization scheme in a high-resolution regional model (HRM) is carried out by comparing the model-simulated sensible heat flux (H) with the concurrent in situ measurements recorded at Thiruvananthapuram (8.5° N, 76.9° E), a coastal station in India. With a view to examining the role of atmospheric stability in conjunction with the roughness lengths in the determination of heat exchange coefficient (CH) and H for varying meteorological conditions, the model simulations are repeated by assigning different values to the ratio of momentum and thermal roughness lengths (i.e. z0m/z0h) in three distinct configurations of the surface-layer scheme designed for the present study. These three configurations resulted in differential behaviour for the varying meteorological conditions, which is attributed to the sensitivity of CH to the bulk Richardson number (RiB) under extremely unstable, near-neutral and stable stratification of the atmosphere.

Thermophysical Properties Measurement of High-Temperature Liquids Under Microgravity Conditions in Controlled Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watanabe, Masahito; Ozawa, Shumpei; Mizuno, Akotoshi; Hibiya, Taketoshi; Kawauchi, Hiroya; Murai, Kentaro; Takahashi, Suguru

2012-01-01

Microgravity conditions have advantages of measurement of surface tension and viscosity of metallic liquids by the oscillating drop method with an electromagnetic levitation (EML) device. Thus, we are preparing the experiments of thermophysical properties measurements using the Materials-Science Laboratories ElectroMagnetic-Levitator (MSL-EML) facilities in the international Space station (ISS). Recently, it has been identified that dependence of surface tension on oxygen partial pressure (Po2) must be considered for industrial application of surface tension values. Effect of Po2 on surface tension would apparently change viscosity from the damping oscillation model. Therefore, surface tension and viscosity must be measured simultaneously in the same atmospheric conditions. Moreover, effect of the electromagnetic force (EMF) on the surface oscillations must be clarified to obtain the ideal surface oscillation because the EMF works as the external force on the oscillating liquid droplets, so extensive EMF makes apparently the viscosity values large. In our group, using the parabolic flight levitation experimental facilities (PFLEX) the effect of Po2 and external EMF on surface oscillation of levitated liquid droplets was systematically investigated for the precise measurements of surface tension and viscosity of high temperature liquids for future ISS experiments. We performed the observation of surface oscillations of levitated liquid alloys using PFLEX on board flight experiments by Gulfstream II (G-II) airplane operated by DAS. These observations were performed under the controlled Po2 and also under the suitable EMF conditions. In these experiments, we obtained the density, the viscosity and the surface tension values of liquid Cu. From these results, we discuss about as same as reported data, and also obtained the difference of surface oscillations with the change of the EMF conditions.

Periodic variations of atmospheric electric field on fair weather conditions at YBJ, Tibet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bin; Zou, Dan; Chen, Ben Yuan; Zhang, Jin Ye; Xu, Guo Wang

2013-05-01

Observations of atmospheric electric field on fair weather conditions from the plateau station, YBJ, Tibet (90°31‧50″ E, 30°06‧38″ N), over the period from 2006 to 2011, are presented in this work. Its periodic modulations are analyzed in frequency-domain by Lomb-Scargle Periodogram method and in time-domain by folding method. The results show that the fair weather atmospheric electric field intensity is modulated weakly by annual cycle, solar diurnal cycle and its several harmonic components. The modulating amplitude of annual cycle is bigger than that of solar diurnal cycle. The annual minimum/maximum nearly coincides with spring/autumn equinox. The detailed spectrum analysis show that the secondary peaks (i.e. sidereal diurnal cycle and semi-sidereal diurnal cycle) nearly disappear along with their primary peaks when the primary signals are subtracted from electric field data sequence. The average daily variation curve exhibits dual-fluctuations, and has obviously seasonal dependence. The mean value is bigger in summer and autumn, but smaller in spring and winter. The daytime fluctuation is affected by the sunrise and sunset effect, the occurring time of which have a little shift with seasons. However, the nightly one has a great dependence on season conditions.

Alloiococcus otitidis Forms Multispecies Biofilm with Haemophilus influenzae: Effects on Antibiotic Susceptibility and Growth in Adverse Conditions.

PubMed

Chan, Chun L; Richter, Katharina; Wormald, Peter-John; Psaltis, Alkis J; Vreugde, Sarah

2017-01-01

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is a biofilm driven disease and commonly accepted otopathogens, such as Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Moraxella catarrhalis , have been demonstrated to form polymicrobial biofilms within the middle ear cleft. However, Alloiococcus otitidis ( A. otitidis ), which is one of the most commonly found bacteria within middle ear aspirates of children with OME, has not been described to form biofilms. The aim of this study was to investigate whether A. otitidis can form biofilms and investigate the impact on antibiotic susceptibility and survivability in polymicrobial biofilms with H. influenzae in vitro . The ability of A. otitidis to form single-species and polymicrobial biofilms with H. influenzae was explored. Clinical and commercial strains of A. otitidis and H. influenzae were incubated in brain heart infusion with and without supplementation. Biofilm was imaged using confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Quantification of biofilm biomass and viable bacterial number was assessed using crystal violet assays and viable cell counting in both optimal growth conditions and in adverse growth conditions (depleted media and sub-optimal growth temperature). Antimicrobial susceptibility and changes in antibiotic resistance of single-species and multi-species co-culture were assessed using a microdilution method to assess minimal bactericidal concentration and E-test for amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin. A. otitidis formed single-species and polymicrobial biofilms with H. influenzae . Additionally, whilst strain dependent, combinations of polymicrobial biofilms decreased antimicrobial susceptibility, albeit a small magnitude, in both planktonic and polymicrobial biofilms. Moreover, A. otitidis promoted H. influenzae survival by increasing biofilm production in depleted media and at suboptimal growth temperature. Our findings suggest that A. otitidis may play an indirect pathogenic role in otitis

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, P. G.

1986-01-01

The recognition of the need to make laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressure which correspond to the altitudes probed by radio occultation experiments, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. Construction was completed of the outer planets simulator and measurements were conducted of the microwave absorption and refraction from nitrogen under simulated Titan conditions. The results of these and previous laboratory measurements were applied to a wide range of microwave opacity measurements, in order to derive constituent densities and distributions in planetary atmospheres such as Venus.

Risk-Significant Adverse Condition Awareness Strengthens Assurance of Fault Management Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitz, Rhonda

2017-01-01

As spaceflight systems increase in complexity, Fault Management (FM) systems are ranked high in risk-based assessment of software criticality, emphasizing the importance of establishing highly competent domain expertise to provide assurance. Adverse conditions (ACs) and specific vulnerabilities encountered by safety- and mission-critical software systems have been identified through efforts to reduce the risk posture of software-intensive NASA missions. Acknowledgement of potential off-nominal conditions and analysis to determine software system resiliency are important aspects of hazard analysis and FM. A key component of assuring FM is an assessment of how well software addresses susceptibility to failure through consideration of ACs. Focus on significant risk predicted through experienced analysis conducted at the NASA Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) Program enables the scoping of effective assurance strategies with regard to overall asset protection of complex spaceflight as well as ground systems. Research efforts sponsored by NASAs Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) defined terminology, categorized data fields, and designed a baseline repository that centralizes and compiles a comprehensive listing of ACs and correlated data relevant across many NASA missions. This prototype tool helps projects improve analysis by tracking ACs and allowing queries based on project, mission type, domain/component, causal fault, and other key characteristics. Vulnerability in off-nominal situations, architectural design weaknesses, and unexpected or undesirable system behaviors in reaction to faults are curtailed with the awareness of ACs and risk-significant scenarios modeled for analysts through this database. Integration within the Enterprise Architecture at NASA IV&V enables interfacing with other tools and datasets, technical support, and accessibility across the Agency. This paper discusses the development of an improved workflow process utilizing

Risk-Significant Adverse Condition Awareness Strengthens Assurance of Fault Management Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fitz, Rhonda

2017-01-01

As spaceflight systems increase in complexity, Fault Management (FM) systems are ranked high in risk-based assessment of software criticality, emphasizing the importance of establishing highly competent domain expertise to provide assurance. Adverse conditions (ACs) and specific vulnerabilities encountered by safety- and mission-critical software systems have been identified through efforts to reduce the risk posture of software-intensive NASA missions. Acknowledgement of potential off-nominal conditions and analysis to determine software system resiliency are important aspects of hazard analysis and FM. A key component of assuring FM is an assessment of how well software addresses susceptibility to failure through consideration of ACs. Focus on significant risk predicted through experienced analysis conducted at the NASA Independent Verification Validation (IVV) Program enables the scoping of effective assurance strategies with regard to overall asset protection of complex spaceflight as well as ground systems. Research efforts sponsored by NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance defined terminology, categorized data fields, and designed a baseline repository that centralizes and compiles a comprehensive listing of ACs and correlated data relevant across many NASA missions. This prototype tool helps projects improve analysis by tracking ACs and allowing queries based on project, mission type, domaincomponent, causal fault, and other key characteristics. Vulnerability in off-nominal situations, architectural design weaknesses, and unexpected or undesirable system behaviors in reaction to faults are curtailed with the awareness of ACs and risk-significant scenarios modeled for analysts through this database. Integration within the Enterprise Architecture at NASA IVV enables interfacing with other tools and datasets, technical support, and accessibility across the Agency. This paper discusses the development of an improved workflow process utilizing this

Adverse childhood experiences and disability in U.S. adults.

PubMed

Schüssler-Fiorenza Rose, Sophia Miryam; Xie, Dawei; Stineman, Margaret

2014-08-01

To assess relationships between adverse childhood experiences and self-reported disabilities in adult life. Cross-sectional, random-digit-dialed, state-population-based survey (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System). Fourteen states and the District of Columbia. Noninstitutionalized adults ages ≥18 years surveyed in 2009 and/or in 2010 (n = 81,184). The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Module asks about abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), family dysfunction (exposures to domestic violence, living with mentally ill, substance abusing, or incarcerated family member(s), and/or parental separation and/or divorce) that occurred before age 18 years. The ACE score sums affirmed ACE categories (range, 0-8). We controlled for demographic characteristics (age, race, education, income, and marital status) and self-reported physical health conditions (stroke, myocardial infarction, diabetes, coronary heart disease, asthma). Five states asked participants about mental health conditions (anxiety, depression). A subset analysis of participants in these states evaluated the effect of adjusting for these conditions. The primary outcome was disability (self-reported activity limitation and/or assistive device use). More than half of participants (57%) reported at least 1 adverse childhood experience category, and 23.2% reported disability. The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of disability increased in a graded fashion from odds ratio 1.3 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-1.4) among those who experienced 1 adverse experience to odds ratio 5.8 (95% confidence interval, 4.6-7.5) among those with 7-8 adverse experiences compared with those with no such experiences when adjusting for demographic factors. The relationship between adverse experiences and disability remained strong after adjusting for physical and mental health conditions. There is a strong graded relationship between childhood exposure to abuse and household

Adverse Perinatal Conditions Associated With Prenatally Detected Fetal Echogenic Bowel in Nova Scotia.

PubMed

Findley, Rachelle; Allen, Victoria M; Brock, Jo-Ann K

2018-05-01

This study sought to estimate the association of adverse perinatal outcomes with pregnancies complicated by fetal echogenic bowel. Data for pregnancies complicated with echogenic bowel identified in the second trimester were derived from the tertiary referral IWK Health Centre (Halifax, NS) Viewpoint Ultrasound Database augmented by medical chart review. The study was undertaken between 2003 and 2014. Rates of positive cytomegalovirus and toxoplasmosis infection were determined using maternal serology and amniocentesis results. Rates of intrauterine growth restriction, abnormal karyotype, cystic fibrosis, antenatal bleeding, and bowel abnormalities were also determined. Neonatal information included newborn urine culture results and postnatal genetic testing. Univariate analyses compared rates of infection with isolated echogenic bowel and echogenic bowel with other ultrasound findings, with statistical significance set at P <0.05. There were 422 pregnancies identified prenatally with echogenic bowel (82% had isolated echogenic bowel). Of these, 92 (22%) had at least one of the foregoing associated abnormalities. Three percent of women had serologic test results positive for cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis, with <1% documented newborn infections. Cystic fibrosis and other genetic diagnoses were observed in 8%, intrauterine growth restriction in 14%, antenatal bleeding in 19%, and bowel abnormalities in 3% of the cases of echogenic bowel. Pregnancies with isolated echogenic bowel had an 80% reduction in risk for these significant outcomes, in contrast to a four- to 11-fold increased risk of specific outcomes when additional ultrasound findings were present. An overall rate of adverse conditions of 22% with prenatally detected echogenic bowel serves to inform women and health care providers and emphasizes the importance of careful screening fetal ultrasound studies and timely referral for comprehensive assessment with findings of echogenic bowel for evaluation for

On the analytic and numeric optimisation of airplane trajectories under real atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalo, J.; Domínguez, D.; López, D.

2014-12-01

From the beginning of aviation era, economic constraints have forced operators to continuously improve the planning of the flights. The revenue is proportional to the cost per flight and the airspace occupancy. Many methods, the first started in the middle of last century, have explore analytical, numerical and artificial intelligence resources to reach the optimal flight planning. In parallel, advances in meteorology and communications allow an almost real-time knowledge of the atmospheric conditions and a reliable, error-bounded forecast for the near future. Thus, apart from weather risks to be avoided, airplanes can dynamically adapt their trajectories to minimise their costs. International regulators are aware about these capabilities, so it is reasonable to envisage some changes to allow this dynamic planning negotiation to soon become operational. Moreover, current unmanned airplanes, very popular and often small, suffer the impact of winds and other weather conditions in form of dramatic changes in their performance. The present paper reviews analytic and numeric solutions for typical trajectory planning problems. Analytic methods are those trying to solve the problem using the Pontryagin principle, where influence parameters are added to state variables to form a split condition differential equation problem. The system can be solved numerically -indirect optimisation- or using parameterised functions -direct optimisation-. On the other hand, numerical methods are based on Bellman's dynamic programming (or Dijkstra algorithms), where the fact that two optimal trajectories can be concatenated to form a new optimal one if the joint point is demonstrated to belong to the final optimal solution. There is no a-priori conditions for the best method. Traditionally, analytic has been more employed for continuous problems whereas numeric for discrete ones. In the current problem, airplane behaviour is defined by continuous equations, while wind fields are given in a

An Analytical Approach for Performance Enhancement of FSO Communication System Using Array of Receivers in Adverse Weather Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagpal, Shaina; Gupta, Amit

2017-08-01

Free Space Optics (FSO) link exploits the tremendous network capacity and is capable of offering wireless communications similar to communications through optical fibres. However, FSO link is extremely weather dependent and the major effect on FSO links is due to adverse weather conditions like fog and snow. In this paper, an FSO link is designed using an array of receivers. The disparity of the link for very high attenuation conditions due to fog and snow is analysed using aperture averaging technique. Further effect of aperture averaging technique is investigated by comparing the systems using aperture averaging technique with systems not using aperture averaging technique. The performance of proposed model of FSO link has been evaluated in terms of Q factor, bit error rate (BER) and eye diagram.

Exchange of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) between plants and the atmosphere under laboratory and field conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuninger, C.; Meixner, F. X.; Thielmann, A.; Kuhn, U.; Dindorf, T.; Kesselmeier, J.

2012-04-01

Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), often denoted as nitrogen oxides (NOx), and ozone (O3) are considered as most important compounds in atmospheric chemistry. In remote areas NOx concentration is related to biological activities of soils and vegetation. The emitted NOx will not entirely be subject of long range transport through the atmosphere. Aside oxidation of NO2 by the OH radical (forming HNO3), a considerable part of it is removed from the atmosphere through the uptake of NO2 by plants. The exchange depends on stomatal activity and on NO2 concentrations in ambient air. It is known that NO2 uptake by plants represents a large NO2 sink, but the magnitude and the NO2 compensation point concentration are still under discussion. Our dynamic chamber system allows exchange measurements of NO2 under field conditions (uncontrolled) as well as studies under controlled laboratory conditions including fumigation experiments. For NO2 detection we used a highly NO2 specific blue light converter (photolytic converter) with subsequent chemiluminescence analysis of the generated NO. Furthermore, as the exchange of NO2 is a complex interaction of transport, chemistry and plant physiology, in our field experiments we determined fluxes of NO, NO2, O3, CO2 and H2O. For a better knowledge of compensation point values for the bi-directional NO2 exchange we investigated a primary representative of conifers, Picea abies, under field and laboratory conditions, and re-analyzed older field data of the deciduous tree Quercus robur.

Flexible ion conduit for use under rarefied atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hars, Gyorgy; Meuzelaar, Henk LC.

1997-09-01

A tubular ion conduit has been constructed, which transports ions by convection by means of a carrier gas. Typical inlet pressures are in the 10-100 Torr range, with outlet pressures as low as 10-3 Torr. The 20-30 cm, 1-2-mm-i.d., capillary tube, made of an electrically insulating material, is surrounded by a specifically configured pair of helical electrodes ("helical dipole"), which are supplied with symmetrical voltages in the tens of volt amplitude and in 1 MHz frequency range. The vibrational average force field generated reduces the tendency of ions to hit the inner wall of the tube. This way ions can be transported with minimal loss. Previously, known ion guides are operated under molecular flow (high vacuum) conditions only, as opposed to the method described here, where the carrier gas enters under viscous flow conditions and exits as molecular flow. In addition, existing ion guides are stiff in contrast to the flexible construction described here, which can be easily and inexpensively manufactured. The ion conduit is expected to have important applications in connecting ambient or near-ambient pressure electrospray ionization or atmospheric pressure ionization type ion sources to mass spectrometers, while reducing pumping requirements, e.g., field portable equipment. Furthermore, the device may provide a means for connecting electron multiplier detectors to near ambient pressure analyzers such as ion mobility spectrometers.

Atmospheric-Fade-Tolerant Tracking and Pointing in Wireless Optical Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ortiz, Gerardo; Lee, Shinhak

2003-01-01

An acquisition, tracking, and pointing (ATP) system, under development at the time of reporting the information for this article, is intended to enable a terminal in a free-space optical communication system to continue to aim its transmitting laser beam toward a receiver at a remote terminal when the laser beacon signal from the remote terminal temporarily fades or drops out of sight altogether. Such fades and dropouts can be caused by adverse atmospheric conditions (e.g., rain or clouds). They can also occur when intervening objects block the line of sight between terminals as a result of motions of those objects or of either or both terminals

Trans-boundary air pollution in a city under various atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Luo, Ming; Hou, Xiangting; Gu, Yefu; Lau, Ngar-Cheung; Yim, Steve Hung-Lam

2018-03-15

Trans-boundary air pollution (TAP) is a crucial factor affecting air quality, and its contribution may vary over time and differ under various atmospheric conditions. This study firstly applies an integrated statistical scheme to estimate the contributions of TAP and local sources to air pollutants in a city, and then investigate the influences of tropical cyclones (TC) on TAP. Hong Kong is chosen as an example because of its significant and special TAP characteristics. This study focuses on four major air pollutants, namely, respirable and fine suspended particulates (RSP/PM 10 and FSP/PM 2.5 ), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), from 2002 to 2013. Our results show that, on average, TAP is the major contributor of the annual RSP, FSP, SO 2 , and NO 2 in Hong Kong. We estimate that when a TC is approaching, the increase in pollutant concentration in Hong Kong is mainly due to the increase in TAP contribution by the strengthened northerly wind at higher level of atmosphere (≥900hPa). These changes are accompanied by decreases in precipitation and increases in northerly/north-easterly wind, which may prolong the lifetime of pollutants, enhancing pollutant transport from mainland China to Hong Kong. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implications of atmospheric conditions for analysis of surface temperature variability derived from landscape-scale thermography.

PubMed

Hammerle, Albin; Meier, Fred; Heinl, Michael; Egger, Angelika; Leitinger, Georg

2017-04-01

Thermal infrared (TIR) cameras perfectly bridge the gap between (i) on-site measurements of land surface temperature (LST) providing high temporal resolution at the cost of low spatial coverage and (ii) remotely sensed data from satellites that provide high spatial coverage at relatively low spatio-temporal resolution. While LST data from satellite (LST sat ) and airborne platforms are routinely corrected for atmospheric effects, such corrections are barely applied for LST from ground-based TIR imagery (using TIR cameras; LST cam ). We show the consequences of neglecting atmospheric effects on LST cam of different vegetated surfaces at landscape scale. We compare LST measured from different platforms, focusing on the comparison of LST data from on-site radiometry (LST osr ) and LST cam using a commercially available TIR camera in the region of Bozen/Bolzano (Italy). Given a digital elevation model and measured vertical air temperature profiles, we developed a multiple linear regression model to correct LST cam data for atmospheric influences. We could show the distinct effect of atmospheric conditions and related radiative processes along the measurement path on LST cam , proving the necessity to correct LST cam data on landscape scale, despite their relatively low measurement distances compared to remotely sensed data. Corrected LST cam data revealed the dampening effect of the atmosphere, especially at high temperature differences between the atmosphere and the vegetated surface. Not correcting for these effects leads to erroneous LST estimates, in particular to an underestimation of the heterogeneity in LST, both in time and space. In the most pronounced case, we found a temperature range extension of almost 10 K.

Extinction of CO2 Laser Radiation Under Adverse Weather Conditions

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-06-01

System Design 60 a, Gaussian Optics 60 b, Laser Transmissometer 61 4. Measurement Errors 68 VI DISCUSSION OF RESULTS 69 1, Introduction...water soluble aerosols (a 1 106 AFWAL-TR-81 -.1280 TABLE 17 EXTINCTION OF CO2 LASER LINES FOR A CONSTANI RAIN RATE OF 1.82 mm/HR, 22 APRIL, 1935 HOURS...number) Laser Propagation Rain Laser Extinction CO2 Lasers Adverse Weather Aerosol s - 20 RACT (Continue on reverse side If necessary

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, P. G.

1986-01-01

After long arduous work with the simulator, measurements of the refractivity and absorptivity of nitrogen under conditions similar to those for Titan were completed. The most significant measurements, however, were those of the microwave absorption from gaseous ammonia under simulated conditions for the Jovian atmospheres over wavelengths from 1.3 to 22 cm. The results of these measurements are critical in that they confirm the theoretical calculation of the ammonia opacity using the Ben-Reuven lineshape. The application of both these results, and results obtained previously, to planetary observations at microwave frequencies were especially rewarding. Applications of the results for ammonia to radio astronomical observations of Jupiter in the 1.3 to 20 cm wavelength range and the application of results for gaseous H2SO4 under simulated Venus conditions are discussed.

Soil-plant-atmosphere conditions regulating convective cloud formation above southeastern US pine plantations.

PubMed

Manoli, Gabriele; Domec, Jean-Christophe; Novick, Kimberly; Oishi, Andrew Christopher; Noormets, Asko; Marani, Marco; Katul, Gabriel

2016-06-01

Loblolly pine trees (Pinus taeda L.) occupy more than 20% of the forested area in the southern United States, represent more than 50% of the standing pine volume in this region, and remove from the atmosphere about 500 g C m-2 per year through net ecosystem exchange. Hence, their significance as a major regional carbon sink can hardly be disputed. What is disputed is whether the proliferation of young plantations replacing old forest in the southern United States will alter key aspects of the hydrologic cycle, including convective rainfall, which is the focus of the present work. Ecosystem fluxes of sensible (Hs) and latent heat (LE) and large-scale, slowly evolving free atmospheric temperature and water vapor content are known to be first-order controls on the formation of convective clouds in the atmospheric boundary layer. These controlling processes are here described by a zero-order analytical model aimed at assessing how plantations of different ages may regulate the persistence and transition of the atmospheric system between cloudy and cloudless conditions. Using the analytical model together with field observations, the roles of ecosystem Hs and LE on convective cloud formation are explored relative to the entrainment of heat and moisture from the free atmosphere. Our results demonstrate that cloudy-cloudless regimes at the land surface are regulated by a nonlinear relation between the Bowen ratio Bo=Hs/LE and root-zone soil water content, suggesting that young/mature pines ecosystems have the ability to recirculate available water (through rainfall predisposition mechanisms). Such nonlinearity was not detected in a much older pine stand, suggesting a higher tolerance to drought but a limited control on boundary layer dynamics. These results enable the generation of hypotheses about the impacts on convective cloud formation driven by afforestation/deforestation and groundwater depletion projected to increase following increased human population in the

Livestock farming and atmospheric emissions.

PubMed

Zicari, Giuseppe; Soardo, Vincenzo; Rivetti, Daniela; Cerrato, Elena; Russo, Domenico

2013-01-01

Livestock farming produces atmospheric emissions that may pose a risk to workers and a disturbance to the population. Emissions into the atmosphere produced by livestock farming consist of gases such as ammonia, dust, compounds such as aliphatic hydrocarbons and bio-aerosols formed by microorganisms. Some gases, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide, have foul odours and are thus potentially annoying to the population. Gaseous or volatile molecules produced by livestock installations and related activities may have several adverse effects on health and environment. The most significant exposure certainly relates to workers in the confined spaces of farms, rather than to residents in the surrounding areas. In this article we examine potential hazards to farm workers and to the population living in the vicinity of livestock farms, arising from emissions into the atmosphere.

A bacterial bioreporter panel to assay the cytotoxicity of atmospheric particulate matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessler, Nivi; Schauer, James J.; Yagur-Kroll, Sharon; Melamed, Sahar; Tirosh, Ofir; Belkin, Shimshon; Erel, Yigal

2012-12-01

Numerous studies have demonstrated that elevated concentrations of suspended atmospheric particulate matter (PM) are associated with adverse health effects. In order to minimize the adverse public health effects of atmospheric PM by exposure management, there is a need for a greater understanding of the toxic mechanisms and the components that are responsible for the toxic effects. The aim of this study was to utilize bioassay techniques to investigate these aspects. For this purpose a reporter panel of 9 genetically engineered bacterial (Escherichia coli) strains was composed. Each panel member was designed to report on a different stress condition with a measurable light signal produced by the luciferase enzyme. Toxic mechanisms and components were studied using six anthropogenic PM source samples, including two vehicle combustion particles, three coal fly ash (CFA) samples and an urban dust sample. The most prominent outcome of the panel exposure results were broad panel responses observed for two of the CFA samples, indicating oxidative stress, respiration inhibition and iron deficiency. These responses were relieved when the samples were treated with EDTA, a non-specific metal chelator, suggesting the involvement of metals in the observed effects. Bioavailability analysis of the samples suggests that chromium was related to the toxic responses induced by two of the CFA samples. Oxidative stress was also observed in several samples of ambient atmospheric aerosols and excess metal toxicity in an urban dust sample collected in a parking lot. The reporter panel approach, as demonstrated in this study, has the potential of providing novel insights as to the mechanisms of atmospheric PM toxicity. Furthermore, combining the panel's results with bioavailability data can enlighten about the role of different PM components in the observed toxicity.

Adverse environments and children's creativity development: transforming the notion of "success in adversity" in China.

PubMed

Cheng, Li; Tan, Mei; Liu, Zhengkui

2015-01-01

China has been undergoing great social change due to its new focus on urbanization and globalization. Such change has had a tremendous adverse impact on the living conditions of millions of young children, simultaneously generating new interest in children's creativity development. The intersection of these two issues has important implications for China's future as it brings together one of China's core cultural values-"success in adversity"-the importance of creativity, and very real social and economic needs. "Success in adversity" reflects the strongly held belief that individuals who suffer adverse environments can rise to excellence and success through persistence, effort, and creativity. In this article, we briefly explore the historical sources of this belief and how it is closely related to the Chinese conception of creativity. We then present some studies on the creativity of some of China's migrant children. Findings show that while migrant children as a group may not generally exhibit higher creativity than their urban peers as hypothesized, indications of resilience and creative potential suggest that the notion of success in adversity may contribute to the positive development of China's migrant children more substantially when it is informed by research and augmented by research-supported policy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Atmospheric production of glycolaldehyde under hazy prebiotic conditions.

PubMed

Harman, Chester E; Kasting, James F; Wolf, Eric T

2013-04-01

The early Earth's atmosphere, with extremely low levels of molecular oxygen and an appreciable abiotic flux of methane, could have been a source of organic compounds necessary for prebiotic chemistry. Here, we investigate the formation of a key RNA precursor, glycolaldehyde (2-hydroxyacetaldehyde, or GA) using a 1-dimensional photochemical model. Maximum atmospheric production of GA occurs when the CH4:CO2 ratio is close to 0.02. The total atmospheric production rate of GA remains small, only 1 × 10(7) mol yr(-1). Somewhat greater amounts of GA production, up to 2 × 10(8) mol yr(-1), could have been provided by the formose reaction or by direct delivery from space. Even with these additional production mechanisms, open ocean GA concentrations would have remained at or below ~1 μM, much smaller than the 1-2 M concentrations required for prebiotic synthesis routes like those proposed by Powner et al. (Nature 459:239-242, 2009). Additional production or concentration mechanisms for GA, or alternative formation mechanisms for RNA, are needed, if this was indeed how life originated on the early Earth.

Severity of statin-induced adverse effects on muscle and associated conditions: data from the DAMA study.

PubMed

Pedro-Botet, Juan; Millán Núñez-Cortés, Jesús; Chillarón, Juan J; Flores-Le Roux, Juana A; Rius, Joan

2016-12-01

Statins are generally well tolerated, but muscular adverse effects appear to be the most common obstacle limiting their use. Our objective was to describe the severity of muscle injury (myalgia, myositis and rhabdomyolysis) and associated conditions related to statin therapy that may be clinically significant. A cross-sectional one-visit, non-interventional, national multicenter study including patients of both sexes over 18 years of age referred for past or present muscle symptoms associated with statin therapy was conducted. Clinical, biochemical and drug therapy characteristics were obtained at the initial evaluation. 3,845 patients were recruited from a one-day record from 2,001 physicians. Myalgia was present in 78.2% of patients, myositis in 19.3% and rhabdomyolysis in 2.5%. The prevalence of different comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and coronary heart disease increased as the severity of myopathy rose. High-intensity statin therapy was used in 33.4% of patients. Concomitant drugs metabolized by the CYP450 3A4 pathway were taken by 9.3% of patients, and statins with this metabolic route by 75%. Independent variables associated with myositis or rhabdomyolysis compared with myalgia alone in the multivariate model were excessive alcohol consumption and pravastatin therapy. Myalgia was the most common muscle adverse effect associated with statin therapy. Excessive alcohol consumption and pravastatin were independently associated with myositis or rhabdomyolysis.

Cost-sharing, physician utilization, and adverse selection among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Hoffman, Geoffrey

2015-02-01

Pooled data from the 2007, 2009, and 2011/2012 California Health Interview Surveys were used to compare the number of self-reported annual physician visits among 36,808 Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 in insurance groups with differential cost-sharing. Adjusted for adverse selection and a set of health covariates, Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) only beneficiaries had similar physician utilization compared with HMO enrollees but fewer visits compared with those with supplemental (1.04, p = .001) and Medicaid (1.55, p = .003) coverage. FFS only beneficiaries in very good or excellent health had fewer visits compared with those of similar health status with supplemental (1.30, p = .001) or Medicaid coverage (2.15, p = .002). For subpopulations with several chronic conditions, FFS only beneficiaries also had fewer visits compared with beneficiaries with supplemental or Medicaid coverage. Observed differences in utilization may reflect efficient and necessary physician utilization among those with chronic health needs. © The Author(s) 2014.

Probiotics production and alternative encapsulation methodologies to improve their viabilities under adverse environmental conditions.

PubMed

Coghetto, Chaline Caren; Brinques, Graziela Brusch; Ayub, Marco Antônio Záchia

2016-12-01

Probiotic products are dietary supplements containing live microorganisms producing beneficial health effects on the host by improving intestinal balance and nutrient absorption. Among probiotic microorganisms, those classified as lactic acid bacteria are of major importance to the food and feed industries. Probiotic cells can be produced using alternative carbon and nitrogen sources, such as agroindustrial residues, at the same time contributing to reduce process costs. On the other hand, the survival of probiotic cells in formulated food products, as well as in the host gut, is an essential nutritional aspect concerning health benefits. Therefore, several cell microencapsulation techniques have been investigated as a way to improve cell viability and survival under adverse environmental conditions, such as the gastrointestinal milieu of hosts. In this review, different aspects of probiotic cells and technologies of their related products are discussed, including formulation of culture media, and aspects of cell microencapsulation techniques required to improve their survival in the host.

Land surface and atmospheric conditions associated with heat waves in the South Central United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eungul; Bieda, Rahama; Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Richter, Heather

2017-04-01

Exposure to extreme heat was reconstructed based on regional land-atmosphere processes from 1979 to 2010 in the South Central U.S. The study region surrounds the Chickasaw Nation (CN), a predominantly Native American population with a highly prevalent burden of climate-sensitive chronic diseases. Land surface and atmospheric conditions for summer heat waves were analyzed during spring (March-April-May, MAM) and summer (June-July-August, JJA) based on the Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability, and Change maximum temperature definition for heat wave frequency (HWF). The spatial-temporal pattern of HWF was determined using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the corresponding principle component time series of the first EOF of HWF. Statistically significant analyses of observed conditions indicated that sensible heat increased and latent heat fluxes decreased with high HWF in the South Central U.S. The largest positive correlations of sensible heat flux to HWF and the largest negative correlations of latent heat flux to HWF were specifically observed over the CN. This is a significantly different energy transfer regime due to less available soil moisture during the antecedent MAM and JJA. The higher sensible heat from dry soil could cause significant warming from the near surface (> 2.0°C) to the lower troposphere (> 1.5°C), and accumulated boundary layer heat could induce the significant patterns of higher geopotential height and enhance anticyclonic circulations (negative vorticity anomaly) at the midtroposphere. Results suggested a positive land-atmosphere feedback associated with heat waves and called attention to the need for region-specific climate adaptation planning.

Active imaging systems to see through adverse conditions: Light-scattering based models and experimental validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riviere, Nicolas; Ceolato, Romain; Hespel, Laurent

2014-10-01

Onera, the French aerospace lab, develops and models active imaging systems to understand the relevant physical phenomena affecting these systems performance. As a consequence, efforts have been done on the propagation of a pulse through the atmosphere and on target geometries and surface properties. These imaging systems must operate at night in all ambient illumination and weather conditions in order to perform strategic surveillance for various worldwide operations. We have implemented codes for 2D and 3D laser imaging systems. As we aim to image a scene in the presence of rain, snow, fog or haze, we introduce such light-scattering effects in our numerical models and compare simulated images with measurements provided by commercial laser scanners.

Atmosphere self-cleaning under humidity conditions and influence of the snowflakes and artificial light interaction for water dissociation simulated by the means of COMSOL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cocean, A.; Cocean, I.; Cazacu, M. M.; Bulai, G.; Iacomi, F.; Gurlui, S.

2018-06-01

The self-cleaning of the atmosphere under humidity conditions is observed due to the change in emission intensity when chemical traces are investigated with DARLIOES - the advanced LIDAR based on space- and time-resolved RAMAN and breakdown spectroscopy in conditions of consistent humidity of atmosphere. The determination was performed during the night, in the wintertime under conditions of high humidity and snowfall, in urban area of Iasi. The change in chemical composition of the atmosphere detected was assumed to different chemical reactions involving presence of the water. Water dissociation that was registered during spectral measurements is explained by a simulation of the interaction between artificial light and snowflakes - virtually designed in a spherical geometry - in a wet air environment, using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The aim of the study is to explain the decrease or elimination of some of the toxic trace chemical compounds in the process of self-cleaning in other conditions than the sun light interaction for further finding application for air cleaning under artificial conditions.

Learning from adverse incidents involving medical devices.

PubMed

Amoore, John; Ingram, Paula

While an adverse event involving a medical device is often ascribed to either user error or device failure, the causes are typically multifactorial. A number of incidents involving medical devices are explored using this approach to investigate the various causes of the incident and the protective barriers that minimised or prevented adverse consequences. User factors, including mistakes, omissions and lack of training, conspired with background factors--device controls and device design, storage conditions, hidden device damage and physical layout of equipment when in use--to cause the adverse events. Protective barriers that prevented or minimised the consequences included staff vigilance, operating procedures and alarms.

CANOPY CONDUCTANCE OF PINUS TAEDA, LIQUIDAMBAR STYRACIFLUA AND QUERCUS PHELLOS UNDER VARYING ATMOSPHERIC AND SOIL WATER CONDITION

EPA Science Inventory

Sap flow, and atmospheric and soil water data were collected in closed-top chambers under conditions of high soil water potential for saplings of Liquidambar styraciflua L., Quercus phellos L., and Pinus taeda L., three co-occurring species in the southeastern USA. Responses of c...

Atmospheric conditions during high ragweed pollen concentrations in Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Prtenjak, Maja Telišman; Srnec, Lidija; Peternel, Renata; Madžarević, Valentina; Hrga, Ivana; Stjepanović, Barbara

2012-11-01

We examined the atmospheric conditions favourable to the occurrence of maximum concentrations of ragweed pollen with an extremely high risk of producing allergy. Over the 2002-2009 period, daily pollen data collected in Zagreb were used to identify two periods of high pollen concentration (> 600 grains/m(3)) for our analysis: period A (3-4 September 2002) and period B (6-7 September 2003). Synoptic conditions in both periods were very similar: Croatia was under the influence of a lower sector high pressure system moving slowly eastward over Eastern Europe. During the 2002-2009 period, this type of weather pattern (on ~ 70% of days), in conjunction with almost non-gradient surface pressure conditions in the area (on ~ 30% of days) characterised days when the daily pollen concentrations were higher than 400 grains/m(3). Numerical experiments using a mesoscale model at fine resolution showed successful multi-day simulations reproducing the local topographic influence on wind flow and in reasonable agreement with available observations. According to the model, the relatively weak synoptic flow (predominantly from the eastern direction) allowed local thermal circulations to develop over Zagreb during both high pollen episodes. Two-hour pollen concentrations and 48-h back-trajectories indicated that regional-range transport of pollen grains from the central Pannonian Plain was the cause of the high pollen concentrations during period A. During period B, the north-westward regional-range transport in Zagreb was supplemented significantly by pronounced horizontal recirculation of pollen grains. This recirculation happened within the diurnal local circulation over the city, causing a late-evening increase in pollen concentration.

Atmospheric conditions during high ragweed pollen concentrations in Zagreb, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prtenjak, Maja Telišman; Srnec, Lidija; Peternel, Renata; Madžarević, Valentina; Hrga, Ivana; Stjepanović, Barbara

2012-11-01

We examined the atmospheric conditions favourable to the occurrence of maximum concentrations of ragweed pollen with an extremely high risk of producing allergy. Over the 2002-2009 period, daily pollen data collected in Zagreb were used to identify two periods of high pollen concentration (> 600 grains/m3) for our analysis: period A (3-4 September 2002) and period B (6-7 September 2003). Synoptic conditions in both periods were very similar: Croatia was under the influence of a lower sector high pressure system moving slowly eastward over Eastern Europe. During the 2002-2009 period, this type of weather pattern (on ~ 70% of days), in conjunction with almost non-gradient surface pressure conditions in the area (on ~ 30% of days) characterised days when the daily pollen concentrations were higher than 400 grains/m3. Numerical experiments using a mesoscale model at fine resolution showed successful multi-day simulations reproducing the local topographic influence on wind flow and in reasonable agreement with available observations. According to the model, the relatively weak synoptic flow (predominantly from the eastern direction) allowed local thermal circulations to develop over Zagreb during both high pollen episodes. Two-hour pollen concentrations and 48-h back-trajectories indicated that regional-range transport of pollen grains from the central Pannonian Plain was the cause of the high pollen concentrations during period A. During period B, the north-westward regional-range transport in Zagreb was supplemented significantly by pronounced horizontal recirculation of pollen grains. This recirculation happened within the diurnal local circulation over the city, causing a late-evening increase in pollen concentration.

Atmospheric control on ground and space based early warning system for hazard linked to ash injection into the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudron, Corentin; Taisne, Benoit; Whelley, Patrick; Garces, Milton; Le Pichon, Alexis

2014-05-01

' or 'defened' by adverse atmospheric conditions. According to its location, each volcanic zone will be associated with a threshold value (minimum VEI detectable) depending on the seasonality of the wind velocity profile in the region and the cloud cover.

Damage induced to DNA by low-energy (0-30 eV) electrons under vacuum and atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Brun, Emilie; Cloutier, Pierre; Sicard-Roselli, Cécile; Fromm, Michel; Sanche, Léon

2009-07-23

In this study, we show that it is possible to obtain data on DNA damage induced by low-energy (0-30 eV) electrons under atmospheric conditions. Five monolayer films of plasmid DNA (3197 base pairs) deposited on glass and gold substrates are irradiated with 1.5 keV X-rays in ultrahigh vacuum and under atmospheric conditions. The total damage is analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The damage produced on the glass substrate is attributed to energy absorption from X-rays, whereas that produced on the gold substrate arises from energy absorption from both the X-ray beam and secondary electrons emitted from the gold surface. By analysis of the energy of these secondary electrons, 96% are found to have energies below 30 eV with a distribution peaking at 1.4 eV. The differences in damage yields recorded with the gold and glass substrates is therefore essentially attributed to the interaction of low-energy electrons with DNA under vacuum and hydrated conditions. From these results, the G values for low-energy electrons are determined to be four and six strand breaks per 100 eV, respectively.

Assessment of capabilities of lidar systems in day-and night-time under different atmospheric and internal-noise conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agishev, Ravil; Comerón, Adolfo

2018-04-01

As an application of the dimensionless parameterization concept proposed earlier for the characterization of lidar systems, the universal assessment of lidar capabilities in day and night conditions is considered. The dimensionless parameters encapsulate the atmospheric conditions, the lidar optical and optoelectronic characteristics, including the photodetector internal noise, and the sky background radiation. Approaches to ensure immunity of the lidar system to external background radiation are discussed.

The New Pelagic Operational Observatory of the Catalan Sea (OOCS) for the Multisensor Coordinated Measurement of Atmospheric and Oceanographic Conditions

PubMed Central

Bahamon, Nixon; Aguzzi, Jacopo; Bernardello, Raffaele; Ahumada-Sempoal, Miguel-Angel; Puigdefabregas, Joan; Cateura, Jordi; Muñoz, Eduardo; Velásquez, Zoila; Cruzado, Antonio

2011-01-01

The new pelagic Operational Observatory of the Catalan Sea (OOCS) for the coordinated multisensor measurement of atmospheric and oceanographic conditions has been recently installed (2009) in the Catalan Sea (41°39′N, 2°54′E; Western Mediterranean) and continuously operated (with minor maintenance gaps) until today. This multiparametric platform is moored at 192 m depth, 9.3 km off Blanes harbour (Girona, Spain). It is composed of a buoy holding atmospheric sensors and a set of oceanographic sensors measuring the water conditions over the upper 100 m depth. The station is located close to the head of the Blanes submarine canyon where an important multispecies pelagic and demersal fishery gives the station ecological and economic relevance. The OOCS provides important records on atmospheric and oceanographic conditions, the latter through the measurement of hydrological and biogeochemical parameters, at depths with a time resolution never attained before for this area of the Mediterranean. Twenty four moored sensors and probes operating in a coordinated fashion provide important data on Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs; UNESCO) such as temperature, salinity, pressure, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll fluorescence, and turbidity. In comparison with other pelagic observatories presently operating in other world areas, OOCS also measures photosynthetic available radiation (PAR) from above the sea surface and at different depths in the upper 50 m. Data are recorded each 30 min and transmitted in real-time to a ground station via GPRS. This time series is published and automatically updated at the frequency of data collection on the official OOCS website (http://www.ceab.csic.es/~oceans). Under development are embedded automated routines for the in situ data treatment and assimilation into numerical models, in order to provide a reliable local marine processing forecast. In this work, our goal is to detail the OOCS multisensor architecture in relation to the

Laboratory measurements of the 3.7-20 cm wavelength opacity of sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide under simulated conditions for the deep atmosphere of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steffes, Paul G.; Shahan, Patrick; Christopher Barisich, G.; Bellotti, Amadeo

2015-01-01

In the past two decades, multiple observations of Venus have been made at X-Band (3.6 cm) using the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and maps have been created of the 3.6 cm emission from Venus (see, e.g., Devaraj, K. [2011]. The Centimeter- and Millimeter-Wavelength Ammonia Absorption Spectra under Jovian Conditions. PhD Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA). Since the emission morphology is related both to surface features and to deep atmospheric absorption from CO2 and SO2 (see, e.g., Butler, B.J., Steffes, P.G., Suleiman, S.H., Kolodner, M.A., Jenkins, J.M. [2001]. Icarus 154, 226-238), knowledge of the microwave absorption properties of sulfur dioxide in a carbon dioxide atmosphere under conditions for the deep atmosphere of Venus is required for proper interpretation. Except for a single measurement campaign conducted at a single wavelength (3.2 cm) over 40 years ago (Ho, W., Kaufman, I.A., Thaddeus, P. [1966]. J. Geophys. Res. 71, 5091-5108), no measurements of the centimeter-wavelength properties of any Venus atmospheric constituent have been conducted under conditions characteristic of the deep atmosphere (pressures from 10 to 92 bars and temperatures from 400 to 700 K). New measurements of the microwave properties of SO2 and CO2 at wavelengths from 3.7 to 20 cm have been conducted under simulated conditions for the deep atmosphere of Venus, using a new high-pressure system. Results from this measurement campaign conducted at temperatures from 430 K to 560 K and at pressures up to 92 bars are presented. Results indicate that the model for the centimeter-wavelength opacity from pure CO2 (Ho, W., Kaufman, I.A., Thaddeus, P. [1966]. J. Geophys. Res. 71, 5091-5108), is valid over the entire centimeter-wavelength range under simulated conditions for the deep atmosphere of Venus. Additionally, the laboratory results indicate that both of the models for the centimeter-wavelength opacity of SO2 in a CO2 atmosphere from Suleiman et al. (Suleiman, S

Low-energy-electron interactions with DNA: approaching cellular conditions with atmospheric experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizadeh, Elahe; Sanche, Léon

2014-04-01

A novel technique has been developed to investigate low energy electron (LEE)-DNA interactions in the presence of small biomolecules (e.g., N2, O2, H2O) found near DNA in the cell nucleus, in order to simulate cellular conditions. In this technique, LEEs are emitted from a metallic surface exposed by soft X-rays and interact with DNA thin films at standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP). Whereas atmospheric N2 had little effect on the yields of LEE-induced single and double strand breaks, both O2 and H2O considerably modified and increased such damage. The highest yields were obtained when DNA is embedded in a combined O2 and H2O atmosphere. In this case, the amount of additional double strand breaks was supper-additive. The effect of modifying the chemical and physical stability of DNA by platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents (Pt-drugs) including cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin was also investigated with this technique. The results obtained provide information on the role played by subexcitation-energy electrons and dissociative electron attachment in the radiosensitization of DNA by Pt-drugs, which is an important step to unravel the mechanisms of radiosensitisation of these agents in chemoradiation cancer therapy.

Cumulative early life adversity predicts longevity in wild baboons

PubMed Central

Tung, Jenny; Archie, Elizabeth A.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

2016-01-01

In humans and other animals, harsh circumstances in early life predict morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Multiple adverse conditions are thought to be especially toxic, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested in a prospective, longitudinal framework, especially in long-lived mammals. Here we use prospective data on 196 wild female baboons to show that cumulative early adversity predicts natural adult lifespan. Females who experience ≥3 sources of early adversity die a median of 10 years earlier than females who experience ≤1 adverse circumstances (median lifespan is 18.5 years). Females who experience the most adversity are also socially isolated in adulthood, suggesting that social processes partially explain the link between early adversity and adult survival. Our results provide powerful evidence for the developmental origins of health and disease and indicate that close ties between early adversity and survival arise even in the absence of health habit and health care-related explanations. PMID:27091302

Effect of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone on Atmospheric Condition and Distribution of Rainfall in Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lumbangaol, A.; Serhalawan, Y. R.; Endarwin

2017-12-01

Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone is an atmospheric phenomenon that has claimed many lives in the Philippines. This super-typhoon cyclone grows in the Western Pacific Ocean, North of Papua. With the area directly contiguous to the trajectory of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone growth, it is necessary to study about the growth activity of this tropical cyclones in Indonesia, especially in 3 different areas, namely Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong. This study was able to determine the impact of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone on atmospheric dynamics and rainfall growth distribution based on the stages of tropical cyclone development. The data used in this study include Himawari-8 IR channel satellite data to see the development stage and movement track of Tropical Cyclone Nock-Ten, rainfall data from TRMM 3B42RT satellite product to know the rain distribution in Gorontalo, Ternate, and Sorong, and reanalysis data from ECMWF such as wind direction and speed, vertical velocity, and relative vorticity to determine atmospheric conditions at the time of development of the Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone. The results of data analysis processed using GrADS application showed the development stage of Nock-Ten Tropical Cyclone has effect of changes in atmospheric dynamics condition and wind direction pattern. In addition, tropical cyclones also contribute to very light to moderate scale intensity during the cycle period of tropical cyclone development in all three regions.

Effect of Shadowing on Survival of Bacteria under Conditions Simulating the Martian Atmosphere and UV Radiation▿ †

PubMed Central

Osman, Shariff; Peeters, Zan; La Duc, Myron T.; Mancinelli, Rocco; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2008-01-01

Spacecraft-associated spores and four non-spore-forming bacterial isolates were prepared in Atacama Desert soil suspensions and tested both in solution and in a desiccated state to elucidate the shadowing effect of soil particulates on bacterial survival under simulated Martian atmospheric and UV irradiation conditions. All non-spore-forming cells that were prepared in nutrient-depleted, 0.2-μm-filtered desert soil (DSE) microcosms and desiccated for 75 days on aluminum died, whereas cells prepared similarly in 60-μm-filtered desert soil (DS) microcosms survived such conditions. Among the bacterial cells tested, Microbacterium schleiferi and Arthrobacter sp. exhibited elevated resistance to 254-nm UV irradiation (low-pressure Hg lamp), and their survival indices were comparable to those of DS- and DSE-associated Bacillus pumilus spores. Desiccated DSE-associated spores survived exposure to full Martian UV irradiation (200 to 400 nm) for 5 min and were only slightly affected by Martian atmospheric conditions in the absence of UV irradiation. Although prolonged UV irradiation (5 min to 12 h) killed substantial portions of the spores in DSE microcosms (∼5- to 6-log reduction with Martian UV irradiation), dramatic survival of spores was apparent in DS-spore microcosms. The survival of soil-associated wild-type spores under Martian conditions could have repercussions for forward contamination of extraterrestrial environments, especially Mars. PMID:18083857

Comparative evaluation of thermal decomposition behavior and thermal stability of powdered ammonium nitrate under different atmosphere conditions.

PubMed

Yang, Man; Chen, Xianfeng; Wang, Yujie; Yuan, Bihe; Niu, Yi; Zhang, Ying; Liao, Ruoyu; Zhang, Zumin

2017-09-05

In order to analyze the thermal decomposition characteristics of ammonium nitrate (AN), its thermal behavior and stability under different conditions are studied, including different atmospheres, heating rates and gas flow rates. The evolved decomposition gases of AN in air and nitrogen are analyzed with a quadrupole mass spectrometer. Thermal stability of AN at different heating rates and gas flow rates are studied by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, paired comparison method and safety parameter evaluation. Experimental results show that the major evolved decomposition gases in air are H 2 O, NH 3 , N 2 O, NO, NO 2 and HNO 3 , while in nitrogen, H 2 O, NH 3 , NO and HNO 3 are major components. Compared with nitrogen atmosphere, lower initial and end temperatures, higher heat flux and broader reaction temperature range are obtained in air. Meanwhile, higher air gas flow rate tends to achieve lower reaction temperature and to reduce thermal stability of AN. Self-accelerating decomposition temperature of AN in air is much lower than that in nitrogen. It is considered that thermostability of AN is influenced by atmosphere, heating rate and gas flow rate, thus changes of boundary conditions will influence its thermostability, which is helpful to its safe production, storage, transportation and utilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adverse Environments and Children's Creativity Development: Transforming the Notion of "Success in Adversity" in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Li; Tan, Mei; Liu, Zhengkui

2015-01-01

China has been undergoing great social change due to its new focus on urbanization and globalization. Such change has had a tremendous adverse impact on the living conditions of millions of young children, simultaneously generating new interest in children's creativity development. The intersection of these two issues has important implications…

Estimations of Atmospheric Conditions for Input to the Radar Performance Surface

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

timely atmospheric and ocean surface descriptions on features that impact radar and electro-optical sensor systems . The first part of this study is an...Navy’s Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS®) are compared to in-situ data to assess the sensitivities of air-sea...temperature measurements to make direct comparisons to the Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS®) as a prime source of input to the

Measurements of Atmospheric CO2 Column in Cloudy Weather Conditions using An IM-CW Lidar at 1.57 Micron

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Bing; Obland, Michael; Harrison, F. Wallace; Nehrir, Amin; Browell, Edward; Campbell, Joel; Dobler, Jeremy; Meadows, Bryon; Fan, Tai-Fang; Kooi, Susan;

Optical aging observation in suspended core tellurite microstructured fibers under atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strutynski, C.; Mouawad, O.; Picot-Clémente, J.; Froidevaux, P.; Désévédavy, F.; Gadret, G.; Jules, J.-C.; Kibler, B.; Smektala, F.

2017-11-01

Tellurite glasses are good candidates for the development of broadband supercontinuum (SC) laser sources in the 1-5 μm range. At the moment, beside very few exceptions, SC generation in TeO2-based microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) is limited to 3 μm in the mid-infrared (MIR). We present here an observation of an optical aging occurring in six-hole suspended-core tellurite MOFs. When exposed to atmospheric conditions, such fibers show an alteration of their transmission between 3 and 4 μm. This aging phenomenon leads to the growth of strong additional losses in this wavelengths range over time. Impact of the transmission degradation on spectral broadening is studied through numerical simulations of SC generation.

Response of near-surface currents in the Indian Ocean to the anomalous atmospheric condition in 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utari, P. A.; Nurkhakim, M. Y.; Setiabudidaya, D.; Iskandar, I.

2018-05-01

Anomalous ocean-atmosphere conditions were detected in the tropical Indian Ocean during boreal spring to boreal winter 2015. It was suggested that the anomalous conditions were characteristics of the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (pIOD) event. The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the response of near-surface currents in the tropical Indian Ocean to the anomalous atmospheric condition in 2015. Near-surface current from OSCAR (Ocean Surface Current Analyses Real Time) reanalysis data combined with the sea surface temperature (SST) data from OISST – NOAA, sea surface height (SSH) and surface winds from the ECMWF were used in this investigation. The analysis showed that the evolution of 2015 pIOD started in June/July, peaked in the September and terminated in late November 2015. Correlated with the evolution of the pIOD, easterly winds anomalies were detected along the equator. As the oceanic response to these easterly wind anomalies, the surface currents anomalously westward during the peak of the pIOD. It was interesting to note that the evolution of 2015 pIOD event was closely related to the ocean wave dynamics as revealed by the SSH data. Downwelling westward propagating Rossby waves were detected in the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean. Once reached the western boundary of the Indian Ocean, they were redirected back into interior Indian Ocean and propagating eastward as the downwelling Kelvin waves.

Acoustic properties and durability of liner materials at non-standard atmospheric conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahuja, K. K.; Gaeta, R. J., Jr.; Hsu, J. S.

1994-01-01

This report documents the results of an experimental study on how acoustic properties of certain absorbing liner materials are affected by nonstandard atmospheric conditions. This study was motivated by the need to assess risks associated with incorporating acoustic testing capability in wind tunnels with semicryogenic high Reynolds number aerodynamic and/or low pressure capabilities. The study consisted of three phases: 1) measurement of acoustic properties of selected liner materials at subatmospheric pressure conditions, 2) periodic cold soak and high pressure exposure of liner materials for 250 cycles, and 3) determination of the effect of periodic cold soak on the acoustic properties of the liner materials at subatmospheric conditions and the effect on mechanical resiliency. The selected liner materials were Pyrell foam, Fiberglass, and Kevlar. A vacuum facility was used to create the subatmospheric environment in which an impedance tube was placed to measure acoustic properties of the test materials. An automated cryogenic cooling system was used to simulate periodic cold soak and high pressure exposure. It was found that lower ambient pressure reduced the absorption effectiveness of the liner materials to varying degrees. Also no significant change in the acoustic properties occurred after the periodic cold soak. Furthermore, mechanical resiliency tests indicated no noticeable change.

Mimicking Atmospheric Flow Conditions to Examine Mosquito Orientation Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yi-Chun; Vickers, Neil; Hultmark, Marcus

2017-11-01

Host-seeking female mosquitoes utilize a variety of sensory cues to locate potential hosts. In addition to visual cues, other signals include CO2 , volatile skin emanations, humidity, and thermal cues, each of which can be considered as passive scalars in the environment, primarily distributed by local flow conditions. The behavior of host-seeking female mosquito vectors can be more thoroughly understood by simulating the natural features of the environment through which they navigate, namely the atmospheric boundary layer. Thus, an exploration and understanding of the dynamics of a scalar plume will not only establish the effect of fluid environment on scalar coherence and distribution, but also provide a bioassay platform for approaches directed at disrupting or preventing the cycle of mosquito-vectored disease transmission. In order to bridge between laboratory findings and the natural, ecologically relevant setting, a unique active flow modulation system consisting of a grid of 60 independently operated paddles was developed. Unlike static grids that generate turbulence within a predefined range of scales, an active grid imposes variable and controllable turbulent structures onto the moving air by synchronized rotation of the paddles at specified frequencies.

The impact of childhood adversities on anxiety and depressive disorders in adulthood.

PubMed

Marackova, Marketa; Prasko, Jan; Matousek, Stanislav; Latalova, Klara; Hruby, Radovan; Holubova, Michaela; Slepecky, Milos; Vrbova, Kristyna; Grambal, Ales

2016-12-01

The childhood adversities model is generally accepted as a predictor of adult psychopathology vulnerability. It stems from child development theories, but the question remains as of how well solid research supports it. The aim of this article is to give a review of the studies concerning childhood adversities and their impact on the development of anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder in adulthood. A computerized search of the MEDLINE database of publications up to 31 March 2016 was done, using the keywords "childhood adversities, abuse, maltreatment, bullying" and "anxiety disorders, depressive disorder". No backward time constraints were used. Non-original studies, conference abstracts, books and book chapters, commentaries, and dissertations were excluded. The influence of childhood adversities on later age psychopathology is examined in five categories: the negative family atmosphere, abuse, loss of a close person, the social difficulties, and problems at school (including, most importantly bullying). The majority of studies confirmed the connection between childhood adversities and anxiety and depression disorders in adulthood. The character of the adversities is not, apparently, a specific predictor for a concrete psychopathology. Multiple adversities are more frequently connected with depressive and anxiety disorders in adulthood, cumulating together in broader adverse context. Childhood adversities were found to increase vulnerability to the distress, depression, fear and anxiety later in the life. However, specific correlations between a given childhood adversity and a specific form of depression or anxiety disorder were either not found or weak. This is in line with the generally accepted view considering each of these factors a non-specific stressor increasing vulnerability to mood and affect disorders later in life.

Molecular dynamics simulation of the local concentration and structure in multicomponent aerosol nanoparticles under atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Karadima, Katerina S; Mavrantzas, Vlasis G; Pandis, Spyros N

2017-06-28

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the local structure and local concentration in atmospheric nanoparticles consisting of an organic compound (cis-pinonic acid or n-C 30 H 62 ), sulfate and ammonium ions, and water. Simulations in the isothermal-isobaric (NPT) statistical ensemble under atmospheric conditions with a prespecified number of molecules of the abovementioned compounds led to the formation of a nanoparticle. Calculations of the density profiles of all the chemical species in the nanoparticle, the corresponding radial pair distribution functions, and their mobility inside the nanoparticle revealed strong interactions developing between sulfate and ammonium ions. However, sulfate and ammonium ions prefer to populate the central part of the nanoparticle under the simulated conditions, whereas organic molecules like to reside at its outer surface. Sulfate and ammonium ions were practically immobile; in contrast, the organic molecules exhibited appreciable mobility at the outer surface of the nanoparticle. When the organic compound was a normal alkane (e.g. n-C 30 H 62 ), a well-organized (crystalline-like) phase was rapidly formed at the free surface of the nanoparticle and remained separate from the rest of the species.

Creating Indices Representing the Atmospheric Conditions throughout Japan by Using Frontal Zone Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, N.

2015-12-01

The climate of Japan exhibits mid-latitude and east coast condition characteristics within the continent, which leads to the large meridional range of the frontal migration and the resultant large annual seasonal change. Therefore, describing the long-term behavior of frontal zones is important for understanding the seasonal, interannual, and long-term variations of the Japanese climate. The purpose of this work is to create indices representing the atmospheric conditions throughout Japan by using frontal zone data created by an objective method at pentad intervals for the period 1948-2013. The indexation was conducted by principal component analyses on the distribution maps of the frontal frequencies near frontal zones, which are defined as the latitude indicating the maximum of the frontal frequencies along each longitude in the climatological mean field. This work focuses on the first four factors, PC1-4, which indicate high contribution rates. The distribution maps of factor loadings were interpreted in the following manner as variations of the frontal zone: PC1, north-south variations in the locations of the frontal zone; PC2, frontal frequencies around the frontal zone; PC3, the running direction of the frontal zone, whether northwest-southeast or southwest-northeast; and PC4, west-east variations of the frontal frequencies. These factors could be regarded as the indices representing the atmospheric conditions throughout Japan. The result of correlation analysis among the indices in this work and those representing global climatic phenomena such as Niño3 sea surface temperature (SST), in addition to Pacific decadal and Arctic oscillations, indicated the comprehensive relationships revealed in previous research. Furthermore, several long-term trend characteristics were exhibited, such as the southward shift of frontal zones in mid- and late spring and the increase of frontal frequencies around frontal zones in mid- and late summer. Thus, the simple indices

A high-temperature furnace for in situ synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy under controlled atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Eeckhout, Sigrid Griet; Gorges, Bernard; Barthe, Laurent; Pelosi, Orietta; Safonova, Olga; Giuli, Gabriele

2008-09-01

A high-temperature furnace with an induction heater coil has been designed and constructed for in situ X-ray spectroscopic experiments under controlled atmospheric conditions and temperatures up to 3275 K. The multi-purpose chamber design allows working in backscattering and normal fluorescence mode for synchrotron X-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy. The use of the furnace is demonstrated in a study of the in situ formation of Cr oxide between 1823 K and 2023 K at logPO(2) values between -10.0 and -11.3 using X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy. The set-up is of particular interest for studying liquid metals, alloys and other electrically conductive materials under extreme conditions.

A study of different indicators of Maillard reaction with whey proteins and different carbohydrates under adverse storage conditions.

PubMed

Leiva, Graciela E; Naranjo, Gabriela B; Malec, Laura S

2017-01-15

This study examined different indicators of each stage of Maillard reaction under adverse storage conditions in a system with whey proteins and lactose or glucose. The analysis of lysine loss by the o-phthaldialdehyde method can be considered a good indicator of the early stage, showing considerable differences in reactivity when systems with mono and disaccharides were analyzed. Capillary electrophoresis proved to be a sensitive method for evaluating the extent of glycosylation of the native proteins, providing valuable information when the loss of lysine was not significant. The estimation of the Amadori compound from the determination of total 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde would have correlate well with reactive lysine content if the advanced stages of the reaction had not been reached. For assessing the occurrence of the intermediate and final stages, the measurement of free 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde and color, proved not to be suitable for storage conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Specific interaction between negative atmospheric ions and organic compounds in atmospheric pressure corona discharge ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Sekimoto, Kanako; Sakai, Mami; Takayama, Mitsuo

2012-06-01

The interaction between negative atmospheric ions and various types of organic compounds were investigated using atmospheric pressure corona discharge ionization (APCDI) mass spectrometry. Atmospheric negative ions such as O(2)(-), HCO(3)(-), COO(-)(COOH), NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-), and NO(3)(-)(HNO(3)) having different proton affinities served as the reactant ions for analyte ionization in APCDI in negative-ion mode. The individual atmospheric ions specifically ionized aliphatic and aromatic compounds with various functional groups as atmospheric ion adducts and deprotonated analytes. The formation of the atmospheric ion adducts under certain discharge conditions is most likely attributable to the affinity between the analyte and atmospheric ion and the concentration of the atmospheric ion produced under these conditions. The deprotonated analytes, in contrast, were generated from the adducts of the atmospheric ions with higher proton affinity attributable to efficient proton abstraction from the analyte by the atmospheric ion.

Thermal Band Atmospheric Correction Using Atmospheric Profiles Derived from Global Positioning System Radio Occultation and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pagnutti, Mary; Holekamp, Kara; Stewart, Randy; Vaughan, Ronald D.

2006-01-01

TRANsmittance) radiative transport software to separate out the atmospheric component of measured top of atmosphere radiance. Simulated water bodies across a variety of MODTRAN model atmospheres including desert, mid-latitude, tropical and sub-artic conditions provide test bed conditions. Atmospherically corrected radiance and surface temperature results were compared to those obtained using traditional radiosonde balloon data and models. In general, differences between the different techniques were less than 2 percent indicating the potential value satellite derived atmospheric profiles have to atmospherically correct thermal imagery.

Adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood.

PubMed

Reiser, Sarah J; McMillan, Katherine A; Wright, Kristi D; Asmundson, Gordon J G

2014-03-01

Childhood experiences are thought to predispose a person to the development of health anxiety later in life. However, there is a lack of research investigating the influence of specific adverse experiences (e.g., childhood abuse, household dysfunction) on this condition. The current study examined the cumulative influence of multiple types of childhood adversities on health anxiety in adulthood. Adults 18-59 years of age (N=264) completed a battery of measures to assess adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs (i.e., negative affect and trait anxiety). Significant associations were observed between adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicted that adverse childhood experiences were predictive of health anxiety in adulthood; however, the unique contribution of these experience were no longer significant following the inclusion of the other variables of interest. Subsequently, mediation analyses indicated that both negative affect and trait anxiety independently mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood. Increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with higher levels of health anxiety in adulthood; this relationship is mediated through negative affect and trait anxiety. Findings support the long-term negative impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences and emphasize the importance of addressing negative affect and trait anxiety in efforts to prevent and treat health anxiety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of parental education, childhood adversities, and current living conditions on daily smoking in early adulthood.

PubMed

Kestilä, Laura; Koskinen, Seppo; Martelin, Tuija; Rahkonen, Ossi; Pensola, Tiina; Pirkola, Sami; Patja, Kristiina; Aromaa, Arpo

2006-12-01

To assess the association of parental education, childhood living conditions and adversities with daily smoking in early adulthood and to analyse the effect of the respondent's own education, main economic activity, and current family structure on these associations. The study is based on a representative two-stage cluster sample (N = 1894, participation rate 79%) of young adults aged 18-29, in 2000, in Finland. The outcome measure is daily smoking. Parental smoking and the respondent's own education had the strongest effects on daily smoking. If both parents of the respondent were smokers, then the respondent was most likely to be a smoker too (for men OR (odds ratio) = 3.01, for women OR = 2.41 after all adjustments). Young adults in the lowest educational category had a much higher risk of daily smoking than those in the highest category (OR = 5.88 for women, 4.48 for men). For women parental divorce (OR = 2.31) and current family structure also determined daily smoking. Parental education had a strong gradient in daily smoking and the effect appeared to be mediated largely by the respondent's own educational level. Childhood living conditions are strong determinants of daily smoking. Much of their influence seems to be mediated through current living conditions, which are also determined by childhood conditions. Determinants of smoking behaviour are developed throughout the life course. The findings stress the importance of the respondent's education and parental smoking as determinants of smoking behaviour. Our results support the notion that intervention on smoking initiation and cessation should be considered throughout the life course. Parental involvement in fostering non-smoking would be important.

[Atmospheric Influences Analysis on the Satellite Passive Microwave Remote Sensing].

PubMed

Qiu, Yu-bao; Shi, Li-juan; Shi, Jian-cheng; Zhao, Shao-jie

2016-02-01

Passive microwave remote sensing offers its all-weather work capabilities, but atmospheric influences on satellite microwave brightness temperature were different under different atmospheric conditions and environments. In order to clarify atmospheric influences on Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-Earth Observing System (AMSR-E), atmospheric radiation were simulated based on AMSR-E configuration under clear sky and cloudy conditions, by using radiative transfer model and atmospheric conditions data. Results showed that atmospheric water vapor was the major factor for atmospheric radiation under clear sky condition. Atmospheric transmittances were almost above 0.98 at AMSR-E's low frequencies (< 18.7 GHz) and the microwave brightness temperature changes caused by atmosphere can be ignored in clear sky condition. Atmospheric transmittances at 36.5 and 89 GHz were 0.896 and 0.756 respectively. The effects of atmospheric water vapor needed to be corrected when using microwave high-frequency channels to inverse land surface parameters in clear sky condition. But under cloud cover or cloudy conditions, cloud liquid water was the key factor to cause atmospheric radiation. When sky was covered by typical stratus cloud, atmospheric transmittances at 10.7, 18.7 and 36.5 GHz were 0.942, 0.828 and 0.605 respectively. Comparing with the clear sky condition, the down-welling atmospheric radiation caused by cloud liquid water increased up to 75.365 K at 36.5 GHz. It showed that the atmospheric correction under different clouds covered condition was the primary work to improve the accuracy of land surface parameters inversion of passive microwave remote sensing. The results also provided the basis for microwave atmospheric correction algorithm development. Finally, the atmospheric sounding data was utilized to calculate the atmospheric transmittance of Hailaer Region, Inner Mongolia province, in July 2013. The results indicated that atmospheric transmittances were close to 1

Condition of the upper atmosphere of the Earth at the final stage of flight manned orbital facility (MOF) "Mir". The modeling description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyarchuk, K. A.; Ivanov-Kholodny, G. S.; Kolomiitsev, O. P.; Surotkin, V. A.

At flooding MOF ``Mir'' the information on forecasting a condition of the upper atmosphere was used. The forecast was carried out on the basis of numerical model of an atmosphere, which was developed in IZMIRAN. This model allows reproducing and predicting a situation in an Earth space, in an atmosphere and an ionosphere, along an orbit of flight of a space vehicle in the various periods of solar-geophysical conditions. Thus preliminary forecasting solar and geomagnetic activity was carried out on the basis of an individual technique. Before the beginning of operation on flooding MOF ``Mir'' it was found out, that solar activity began to accrue catastrophically. The account of the forecast of its development has forced to speed up the moment of flooding to avoid dangerous development of events. It has allowed minimizing a risk factor - ``Mir'' was flooded successful in the commanded area of Pacific Ocean.

Adverse life events and health: a population study in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Karatzias, Thanos; Yan, Elsie; Jowett, Sally

2015-02-01

Although the effects of adverse life events on mental health have been well documented in the literature, there has never been a population based study that investigated systematically the association between history of adverse life events and physical health (objective and subjective) in adults. Cross-sectional, face-to-face household population based survey of adults (18+) in Hong Kong (N=1147). Participants were asked if they had a diagnosis of six health conditions including hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, eyesight degeneration, and hearing loss. They were also asked if they had experienced five adverse life events including death of a partner or spouse, abuse, natural disaster, life threatening illness or injury, and family disruption. Interviews also included the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (SFHS-12) and the short version of the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Overall, results indicate that specific adverse life events may be associated with specific health conditions. However, all tested life events were associated with subjective physical and mental health. Death of partner or parent and life threatening illness or injury were found to have the strongest association with physical health problems. A dose-response relationship between adverse life events and physical health in general was evident but more so for heart disease and eyesight degeneration. Considering the high prevalence of traumatic events and how common the conditions associated with such events are in the general population, screening for adverse life events as part of comprehensive assessment will allow a deeper understanding of patients' needs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling large wind farms in conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers under varying initial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allaerts, Dries; Meyers, Johan

2014-05-01

Atmospheric boundary layers (ABL) are frequently capped by an inversion layer limiting the entrainment rate and boundary layer growth. Commonly used analytical models state that the entrainment rate is inversely proportional to the inversion strength. The height of the inversion turns out to be a second important parameter. Conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layers (CNBL) are ABLs with zero surface heat flux developing against a stratified free atmosphere. In this regime the inversion-filling process is merely driven by the downward heat flux at the inversion base. As a result, CNBLs are strongly dependent on the heating history of the boundary layer and strong inversions will fail to erode during the course of the day. In case of large wind farms, the power output of the farm inside a CNBL will depend on the height and strength of the inversion above the boundary layer. On the other hand, increased turbulence levels induced by wind farms may partially undermine the rigid lid effect of the capping inversion, enhance vertical entrainment of air into the farm, and increase boundary layer growth. A suite of large eddy simulations (LES) is performed to investigate the effect of the capping inversion on the conventionally neutral atmospheric boundary layer and on the wind farm performance under varying initial conditions. For these simulations our in-house pseudo-spectral LES code SP-Wind is used. The wind turbines are modelled using a non-rotating actuator disk method. In the absence of wind farms, we find that a decrease in inversion strength corresponds to a decrease in the geostrophic angle and an increase in entrainment rate and geostrophic drag. Placing the initial inversion base at higher altitudes further reduces the effect of the capping inversion on the boundary layer. The inversion can be fully neglected once it is situated above the equilibrium height that a truly neutral boundary layer would attain under the same external conditions such as

Effect of thermal stability/complex terrain on wind turbine model(s): a wind tunnel study to address complex atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guala, M.; Hu, S. J.; Chamorro, L. P.

2011-12-01

Turbulent boundary layer measurements in both wind tunnel and in the near-neutral atmospheric surface layer revealed in the last decade the significant contribution of the large scales of motions to both turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stresses, for a wide range of Reynolds number. These scales are known to grow throughout the logarithmic layer and to extend several boundary layer heights in the streamwise direction. Potentially, they are a source of strong unsteadiness in the power output of wind turbines and in the aerodynamic loads of wind turbine blades. However, the large scales in realistic atmospheric conditions deserves further study, with well controlled boundary conditions. In the atmospheric wind tunnel of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, with a 16 m long test section and independently controlled incoming flow and floor temperatures, turbulent boundary layers in a range of stability conditions, from the stratified to the convective case, can be reproduced and monitored. Measurements of fluctuating temperature, streamwise and wall normal velocity components are simultaneously obtained by an ad hoc calibrated and customized triple-wire sensor. A wind turbine model with constant loading DC motor, constant tip speed ratio, and a rotor diameter of 0.128m is used to mimic a large full scale turbine in the atmospheric boundary layer. Measurements of the fluctuating voltage generated by the DC motor are compared with measurements of the blade's angular velocity by laser scanning, and eventually related to velocity measurements from the triple-wire sensor. This study preliminary explores the effect of weak stability and complex terrain (through a set of spanwise aligned topographic perturbations) on the large scales of the flow and on the fluctuations in the wind turbine(s) power output.

Rugged, no-moving-parts windspeed and static pressure probe designs for measurements in planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bedard, A. J., Jr.; Nishiyama, R. T.

1993-01-01

Instruments developed for making meteorological observations under adverse conditions on Earth can be applied to systems designed for other planetary atmospheres. Specifically, a wind sensor developed for making measurements within tornados is capable of detecting induced pressure differences proportional to wind speed. Adding strain gauges to the sensor would provide wind direction. The device can be constructed in a rugged form for measuring high wind speeds in the presence of blowing dust that would clog bearings and plug passages of conventional wind speed sensors. Sensing static pressure in the lower boundary layer required development of an omnidirectional, tilt-insensitive static pressure probe. The probe provides pressure inputs to a sensor with minimum error and is inherently weather-protected. The wind sensor and static pressure probes have been used in a variety of field programs and can be adapted for use in different planetary atmospheres.

Soil occupation and atmospheric variations over Sobradinho Lake area. Part two: a regional modeling study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correia, M. F.; da Silva Dias, M. A. F.; da Silva Aragão, M. R.

2006-11-01

The impact of the changes on soil cover and land use brought about by the construction of the Sobradinho Dam in the semi-arid region of the São Francisco River Hydrographic Basin is analyzed by means of a numerical model RAMS. Disregarding the influence of a large scale flow, a set of factors were responsible for the creation of a rather complex circulation system that includes mountain-valley winds, lake breeze (LB) and non-conventional circulation all induced by the surface non-homogeneous aspect. Results have demonstrated that the implementation of works of such magnitude brings about environmental changes in an area that stretches far beyond the surroundings of the reservoir. The soil cover alterations due to the ever increasing development of the area with the presence of irrigated crops in a sparsely vegetated region ( caatinga) does affect land surface characteristics, occasioning for that matter the splitting of the available energy into latent and sensible heat fluxes. LB behavior varies in accordance with atmospheric conditions and also in view of the type of vegetation found in the lake surrounding areas. Hydro availability in root zones, even under adverse atmospheric conditions (high temperature and low air humidity) brings up the high rates of evaporation and plant transpiration that contribute towards the increase of humidity and the fall of temperature in lower atmospheric layers.

Novel sampling methods for atmospheric semi-volatile organic compounds (SOCs) in a high altitude alpine environment.

PubMed

Offenthaler, I; Jakobi, G; Kaiser, A; Kirchner, M; Kräuchi, N; Niedermoser, B; Schramm, K-W; Sedivy, I; Staudinger, M; Thanner, G; Weiss, P; Moche, W

2009-12-01

High- and low-volume active air samplers as well as bulk deposition samplers were developed to sample atmospheric SOCs under the adverse conditions of a mountain environment. Active sampling employed separate filters for different European source regions. Filters were switched depending on daily trajectory forecasts, whose accuracy was evaluated post hoc. The sampling continued on three alpine summits over five periods of four months. The prevailing trajectories varied stronger between sampling periods than between stations. The sampling equipment (active and bulk deposition) proved dependable for operation in a mountain environment, with idle times being mainly due to non-routine manipulations and connectivity.

Convective transport in ATM simulations and its relation to the atmospheric stability conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusmierczyk-Michulec, Jolanta

2017-04-01

The International Monitoring System (IMS) developed by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) is a global system of monitoring stations, using four complementary technologies: seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide. Data from all stations, belonging to IMS, are collected and transmitted to the International Data Centre (IDC) in Vienna, Austria. The radionuclide network comprises 80 stations, of which more than 60 are certified. The aim of radionuclide stations is a global monitoring of radioactive aerosols and radioactive noble gases, in particular xenon isotopes, supported by the atmospheric transport modeling (ATM). One of the important noble gases, monitored on a daily basis, is radioxenon. It can be produced either during a nuclear explosion with a high fission yield, and thus be considered as an important tracer to prove the nuclear character of an explosion, or be emitted from nuclear power plants (NPPs) or from isotope production facilities (IPFs). To investigate the transport of xenon emissions, the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) operates an Atmospheric Transport Modelling (ATM) system based on the Lagrangian Particle Dispersion Model FLEXPART. To address the question whether including the convective transport in ATM simulations will change the results significantly, the differences between the outputs with the convective transport turned off and turned on, were computed and further investigated taking into account the atmospheric stability conditions. For that purpose series of 14 days forward simulations, with convective transport and without it, released daily in the period January 2011 to February 2012, were analysed. The release point was at the ANSTO facility in Australia. The unique opportunity of having access to both daily emission values for ANSTO as well as measured Xe-133 activity concentration (AC) values at the IMS stations, gave a chance to validate the simulations.

MRS proof-of-concept on atmospheric corrections. Atmospheric corrections using an orbital pointable imaging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slater, P. N. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The feasibility of using a pointable imager to determine atmospheric parameters was studied. In particular the determination of the atmospheric extinction coefficient and the path radiance, the two quantities that have to be known in order to correct spectral signatures for atmospheric effects, was simulated. The study included the consideration of the geometry of ground irradiance and observation conditions for a pointable imager in a LANDSAT orbit as a function of time of year. A simulation study was conducted on the sensitivity of scene classification accuracy to changes in atmospheric condition. A two wavelength and a nonlinear regression method for determining the required atmospheric parameters were investigated. The results indicate the feasibility of using a pointable imaging system (1) for the determination of the atmospheric parameters required to improve classification accuracies in urban-rural transition zones and to apply in studies of bi-directional reflectance distribution function data and polarization effects; and (2) for the determination of the spectral reflectances of ground features.

Using smartphone technology to reduce health impacts from atmospheric environmental hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, F. H.; Wheeler, A. J.; Williamson, G. J.; Campbell, S. L.; Jones, P. J.; Koolhof, I. S.; Lucani, C.; Cooling, N. B.; Bowman, D. M. J. S.

2018-04-01

Background: Global environmental change is exacerbating human vulnerability to adverse atmospheric conditions including air pollution, aeroallergens such as pollen, and extreme weather events. Public information and advisories are a central component of responses to mitigate the human impacts of environmental hazards. Digital technologies are emerging as a means of providing personalised, timely and accessible warnings. Method: We describe AirRater, an integrated online platform that combines symptom surveillance, environmental monitoring, and notifications of changing environmental conditions via a free smartphone app. It was developed and launched in Tasmania, Australia (population 510 000), with the aim of reducing health impacts and improving quality of life in people with conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis. We present environmental data, user uptake and results from three online evaluation surveys conducted during the first 22 months of operation, from October 2015 through August 2017. Results: There were 3,443 downloads of the app from all regions of Tasmania. Of the 1,959 individuals who registered, 79% reported having either asthma or allergic rhinitis. Downloads increased during adverse environmental conditions and following publicity. Symptom reports per active user were highest during spring (72%), lowest in autumn (37%) and spiked during periods of reduced air quality. In response to online surveys, most users reported that the app was useful and had improved their understanding of how environmental conditions affect their health, and in some cases had prompted action such as the timely use of medication. Conclusion: Active engagement and consistent positive feedback from users demonstrates the potential for considerable individual, clinical and wider public health benefits from integrated and personalised monitoring systems such as AirRater. The perceived health benefits require objective verification, and such systems need to address

Adverse drug event-related emergency department visits associated with complex chronic conditions.

PubMed

Feinstein, James A; Feudtner, Chris; Kempe, Allison

2014-06-01

Outpatient adverse drug events (ADEs) can result in serious outcomes requiring emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. The incidence and severity of ADEs in children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs), who often take multiple medications, is unknown. We sought to describe the characteristics of ADE-related ED visits, including association with CCC status; determine the implicated medications; and determine if CCC status increased the risk of ADE-related admission. Retrospective cohort study of ED visits by patients aged 0 to 18 years using a national sample. ADEs were identified by external cause of injury codes; cases with overdose, wrongful administration, self-harm, or diagnosis of malignancy were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test outcomes of having an ADE-related ED visit and of subsequent admission. All statistics accounted for the complex survey design. Of 144 million ED visits, 0.5% were associated with ADEs. Adjusting for age, gender, insurance type, day of week, and location of hospital, ADEs were associated with the presence of a CCC (odds ratio 4.76; 95% confidence interval: 4.45-5.10). The implicated medications differed significantly by CCC status. Adjusting for the same variables, ADEs were associated with subsequent inpatient admission (odds ratio 2.18; 95% confidence interval: 2.04-2.32) for all children; an interaction between ADE and CCC status was not significant. ED visits associated with ADEs were more likely to occur for children with CCCs, and the implicated drugs differed, but ADE-related admissions were not differentially affected by CCC status. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Pressure and Humidity Measurements at the MSL Landing Site Supported by Modeling of the Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harri, A.; Savijarvi, H. I.; Schmidt, W.; Genzer, M.; Paton, M.; Kauhanen, J.; Atlaskin, E.; Polkko, J.; Kahanpaa, H.; Kemppinen, O.; Haukka, H.

2012-12-01

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) called Curiosity Rover landed safely on the Martian surface at the Gale crater on 6th August 2012. Among the MSL scientific objectives are investigations of the Martian environment that will be addressed by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument. It will investigate habitability conditions at the Martian surface by performing a versatile set of environmental measurements including accurate observations of pressure and humidity of the Martian atmosphere. This paper describes the instrumental implementation of the MSL pressure and humidity measurement devices and briefly analyzes the atmospheric conditions at the Gale crater by modeling efforts using an atmospheric modeling tools. MSL humidity and pressure devices are based on proprietary technology of Vaisala, Inc. Humidity observations make use of Vaisala Humicap® relative humidity sensor heads and Vaisala Barocap® sensor heads are used for pressure observations. Vaisala Thermocap® temperature sensors heads are mounted in a close proximity of Humicap® and Barocap® sensor heads to enable accurate temperature measurements needed for interpretation of Humicap® and Barocap® readings. The sensor heads are capacitive. The pressure and humidity devices are lightweight and are based on a low-power transducer controlled by a dedicated ASIC. The transducer is designed to measure small capacitances in order of a few pF with resolution in order of 0.1fF (femtoFarad). The transducer design has a good spaceflight heritage, as it has been used in several previous missions, for example Mars mission Phoenix as well as the Cassini Huygens mission. The humidity device has overall dimensions of 40 x 25 x 55 mm. It weighs18 g, and consumes 15 mW of power. It includes 3 Humicap® sensor heads and 1 Thermocap®. The transducer electronics and the sensor heads are placed on a single multi-layer PCB protected by a metallic Faraday cage. The Humidity device has measurement range

Hyperspectral material identification on radiance data using single-atmosphere or multiple-atmosphere modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariano, Adrian V.; Grossmann, John M.

2010-11-01

Reflectance-domain methods convert hyperspectral data from radiance to reflectance using an atmospheric compensation model. Material detection and identification are performed by comparing the compensated data to target reflectance spectra. We introduce two radiance-domain approaches, Single atmosphere Adaptive Cosine Estimator (SACE) and Multiple atmosphere ACE (MACE) in which the target reflectance spectra are instead converted into sensor-reaching radiance using physics-based models. For SACE, known illumination and atmospheric conditions are incorporated in a single atmospheric model. For MACE the conditions are unknown so the algorithm uses many atmospheric models to cover the range of environmental variability, and it approximates the result using a subspace model. This approach is sometimes called the invariant method, and requires the choice of a subspace dimension for the model. We compare these two radiance-domain approaches to a Reflectance-domain ACE (RACE) approach on a HYDICE image featuring concealed materials. All three algorithms use the ACE detector, and all three techniques are able to detect most of the hidden materials in the imagery. For MACE we observe a strong dependence on the choice of the material subspace dimension. Increasing this value can lead to a decline in performance.

Do Geriatric Conditions Increase Risk of Adverse Drug Reactions in Ambulatory Elders? Results From the VA GEM Drug Study

PubMed Central

Hanlon, Joseph T.; Sloane, Richard J.; Boscardin, W. John; Schmader, Kenneth E.

2011-01-01

Background. Many clinicians prescribe cautiously to older adults with common geriatric conditions for fear of causing adverse drug reactions (ADRs). However, little is known about the association between these conditions and risk of ADRs. Methods. Using data from the VA Geriatric Evaluation and Management Drug Study, we determined any, preventable, and serious ADRs in 808 elders for 12 months after hospital discharge using a validated process involving patient self-report and chart review adjudicated by two health care professionals. Eight common geriatric conditions (activities of daily living, dementia, incontinence, falls, difficulty ambulating, malnourishment, depression, and prolonged bed rest) were evaluated at study baseline through self-report and structured assessments. We used Poisson regression to model the relationship between these geriatric conditions and ADRs. Results. Participants had a mean of 2.9 ± 1.2 geriatric conditions. Over the 12-month follow-up period, 497 ADRs occurred in 269 participants, including 187 ADRs considered preventable and 127 considered severe. On multivariable analyses, participants with dependency in one or more activities of daily living were less likely to suffer ADRs than those who were fully independent (incidence rate ratio: 0.78, 95% confidence interval = 0.62–1.00). None of the other seven geriatric conditions assessed were associated with ADR risk. Results were similar for preventable and serious ADRs, although participants with a history of falls were more likely to develop serious ADRs (incidence rate ratio: 1.49, 95% confidence interval = 1.00–2.21). Conclusions. Many geriatric conditions were not associated with risk of ADRs. Although it is prudent to prescribe judiciously in patients with these conditions, excessive caution may not be warranted. PMID:21321003

Super Clausius-Clapeyron scaling of extreme hourly precipitation and its relation to large-scale atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenderink, Geert; Barbero, Renaud; Loriaux, Jessica; Fowler, Hayley

2017-04-01

Present-day precipitation-temperature scaling relations indicate that hourly precipitation extremes may have a response to warming exceeding the Clausius-Clapeyron (CC) relation; for The Netherlands the dependency on surface dew point temperature follows two times the CC relation corresponding to 14 % per degree. Our hypothesis - as supported by a simple physical argument presented here - is that this 2CC behaviour arises from the physics of convective clouds. So, we think that this response is due to local feedbacks related to the convective activity, while other large scale atmospheric forcing conditions remain similar except for the higher temperature (approximately uniform warming with height) and absolute humidity (corresponding to the assumption of unchanged relative humidity). To test this hypothesis, we analysed the large-scale atmospheric conditions accompanying summertime afternoon precipitation events using surface observations combined with a regional re-analysis for the data in The Netherlands. Events are precipitation measurements clustered in time and space derived from approximately 30 automatic weather stations. The hourly peak intensities of these events again reveal a 2CC scaling with the surface dew point temperature. The temperature excess of moist updrafts initialized at the surface and the maximum cloud depth are clear functions of surface dew point temperature, confirming the key role of surface humidity on convective activity. Almost no differences in relative humidity and the dry temperature lapse rate were found across the dew point temperature range, supporting our theory that 2CC scaling is mainly due to the response of convection to increases in near surface humidity, while other atmospheric conditions remain similar. Additionally, hourly precipitation extremes are on average accompanied by substantial large-scale upward motions and therefore large-scale moisture convergence, which appears to accelerate with surface dew point. This

Use of Ensemble Numerical Weather Prediction Data for Inversely Determining Atmospheric Refractivity in Surface Ducting Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenway, D. P.; Hackett, E.

2017-12-01

Under certain atmospheric refractivity conditions, propagated electromagnetic waves (EM) can become trapped between the surface and the bottom of the atmosphere's mixed layer, which is referred to as surface duct propagation. Being able to predict the presence of these surface ducts can reap many benefits to users and developers of sensing technologies and communication systems because they significantly influence the performance of these systems. However, the ability to directly measure or model a surface ducting layer is challenging due to the high spatial resolution and large spatial coverage needed to make accurate refractivity estimates for EM propagation; thus, inverse methods have become an increasingly popular way of determining atmospheric refractivity. This study uses data from the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System developed by the Naval Research Laboratory and instrumented helicopter (helo) measurements taken during the Wallops Island Field Experiment to evaluate the use of ensemble forecasts in refractivity inversions. Helo measurements and ensemble forecasts are optimized to a parametric refractivity model, and three experiments are performed to evaluate whether incorporation of ensemble forecast data aids in more timely and accurate inverse solutions using genetic algorithms. The results suggest that using optimized ensemble members as an initial population for the genetic algorithms generally enhances the accuracy and speed of the inverse solution; however, use of the ensemble data to restrict parameter search space yields mixed results. Inaccurate results are related to parameterization of the ensemble members' refractivity profile and the subsequent extraction of the parameter ranges to limit the search space.

Atmospheric Prebiotic Chemistry and Organic Hazes.

PubMed

Trainer, Melissa G

2013-08-01

Earth's atmospheric composition at the time of the origin of life is not known, but it has often been suggested that chemical transformation of reactive species in the atmosphere was a significant source of prebiotic organic molecules. Experimental and theoretical studies over the past half century have shown that atmospheric synthesis can yield molecules such as amino acids and nucleobases, but these processes are very sensitive to gas composition and energy source. Abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is more productive in reduced atmospheres, yet the primitive Earth may not have been as reducing as earlier workers assumed, and recent research has reflected this shift in thinking. This work provides a survey of the range of chemical products that can be produced given a set of atmospheric conditions, with a particular focus on recent reports. Intertwined with the discussion of atmospheric synthesis is the consideration of an organic haze layer, which has been suggested as a possible ultraviolet shield on the anoxic early Earth. Since such a haze layer - if formed - would serve as a reservoir for organic molecules, the chemical composition of the aerosol should be closely examined. The results highlighted here show that a variety of products can be formed in mildly reducing or even neutral atmospheres, demonstrating that contributions of atmospheric synthesis to the organic inventory on early Earth should not be discounted. This review intends to bridge current knowledge of the range of possible atmospheric conditions in the prebiotic environment and pathways for synthesis under such conditions by examining the possible products of organic chemistry in the early atmosphere.

Atmospheric Prebiotic Chemistry and Organic Hazes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trainer, Melissa G.

2012-01-01

Earth's atmospheric composition at the time of the origin of life is not known, but it has often been suggested that chemical transformation of reactive species in the atmosphere was a significant source of pre biotic organic molecules. Experimental and theoretical studies over the past half century have shown that atmospheric synthesis can yield molecules such as amino acids and nucleobases, but these processes are very sensitive to gas composition and energy source. Abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is more productive in reduced atmospheres, yet the primitive Earth may not have been as reducing as earlier workers assumed, and recent research has reflected this shift in thinking. This work provides a survey of the range of chemical products that can be produced given a set of atmospheric conditions, with a particular focus on recent reports. Intertwined with the discussion of atmospheric synthesis is the consideration of an organic haze layer, which has been suggested as a possible ultraviolet shield on the anoxic early Earth. Since such a haze layer - if formed - would serve as a reservoir for organic molecules, the chemical composition of the aerosol should be closely examined. The results highlighted here show that a variety of products can be formed in mildly reducing or even neutral atmospheres, demonstrating that contributions of atmospheric synthesis to the organic inventory on early Earth should not be discounted. This review intends to bridge current knowledge of the range of possible atmospheric conditions in the prebiotic environment and pathways for synthesis under such conditions by examining the possible products of organic chemistry in the early atmosphere.

Improvement in Simulation of Eurasian Winter Climate Variability with a Realistic Arctic Sea Ice Condition in an Atmospheric GCM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Young-Kwon; Ham, Yoo-Geun; Jeong, Jee-Hoon; Kug, Jong-Seong

2012-01-01

The present study investigates how much a realistic Arctic sea ice condition can contribute to improve simulation of the winter climate variation over the Eurasia region. Model experiments are set up using different sea ice boundary conditions over the past 24 years (i.e., 1988-2011). One is an atmospheric model inter-comparison (AMIP) type of run forced with observed sea-surface temperature (SST), sea ice, and greenhouse gases (referred to as Exp RSI), and the other is the same as Exp RSI except for the sea ice forcing, which is a repeating climatological annual cycle (referred to as Exp CSI). Results show that Exp RSI produces the observed dominant pattern of Eurasian winter temperatures and their interannual variation better than Exp CSI (correlation difference up to approx. 0.3). Exp RSI captures the observed strong relationship between the sea ice concentration near the Barents and Kara seas and the temperature anomaly across Eurasia, including northeastern Asia, which is not well captured in Exp CSI. Lagged atmospheric responses to sea ice retreat are examined using observations to understand atmospheric processes for the Eurasian cooling response including the Arctic temperature increase, sea-level pressure increase, upper-level jet weakening and cold air outbreak toward the mid-latitude. The reproducibility of these lagged responses by Exp RSI is also evaluated.

The OH-initiated atmospheric chemical reactions of polyfluorinated dibenzofurans and polychlorinated dibenzofurans: A comparative theoretical study.

PubMed

Zeng, Xiaolan; Chen, Jing; Qu, Ruijuan; Pan, Xiaoxue; Wang, Zunyao

2017-02-01

The atmospheric chemical reactions of some polyfluorinated dibenzofurans (PFDFs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), initiated by OH radical, were investigated by performing theoretical calculations using density functional theory (DFT) and B3LYP/6-311++G(2df,p) method. The obtained results indicate that OH addition reactions of PFDFs and PCDFs occurring at C 1∼4 and C A sites are thermodynamic spontaneous changes and the branching ratio of the PF(C)DF-OH adducts is decided primarily by kinetic factor. The OH addition reactions of PFDFs taking place at fluorinated C 1∼4 positions are kinetically comparable with those occurring at nonfluorinated C 1∼4 positions, while OH addition reactions of PCDFs occurring at chlorinated C 1∼4 sites are negligible. The total rate constants of the addition reactions of PFDFs or PCDFs become smaller with consecutive fluorination or chlorination, and substituting at C 1 position has more adverse effects than substitution at other sites. The succedent O 2 addition reactions of PF(C)DF-OH adducts are thermodynamic nonspontaneous processes under the atmospheric conditions, and have high Gibbs free energies of activation (Δ r G ≠ ). The substituted dibenzofuranols are the primary oxidation products for PCDFs under the atmospheric conditions. However, other oxidative products may also be available for PFDFs besides substituted dibenzofuranols. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studying urban land-atmospheric interactions by coupling an urban canopy model with a single column atmospheric models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, J.; Wang, Z.

2013-12-01

Studying urban land-atmospheric interactions by coupling an urban canopy model with a single column atmospheric models Jiyun Song and Zhi-Hua Wang School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, PO Box 875306, Tempe, AZ 85287-5306 Landuse landcover changes in urban area will modify surface energy budgets, turbulent fluxes as well as dynamic and thermodynamic structures of the overlying atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). In order to study urban land-atmospheric interactions, we coupled a single column atmospheric model (SCM) to a cutting-edge single layer urban canopy model (SLUCM). Modification of surface parameters such as the fraction of vegetation and engineered pavements, thermal properties of building and pavement materials, and geometrical features of street canyon, etc. in SLUCM dictates the evolution of surface balance of energy, water and momentum. The land surface states then provide lower boundary conditions to the overlying atmosphere, which in turn modulates the modification of ABL structure as well as vertical profiles of temperature, humidity, wind speed and tracer gases. The coupled SLUCM-SCM model is tested against field measurements of surface layer fluxes as well as profiles of temperature and humidity in the mixed layer under convective conditions. After model test, SLUCM-SCM is used to simulate the effect of changing urban land surface conditions on the evolution of ABL structure and dynamics. Simulation results show that despite the prescribed atmospheric forcing, land surface states impose significant impact on the physics of the overlying vertical atmospheric layer. Overall, this numerical framework provides a useful standalone modeling tool to assess the impacts of urban land surface conditions on the local hydrometeorology through land-atmospheric interactions. It also has potentially far-reaching implications to urban ecohydrological services for cities under future expansion and climate challenges.

Atmosphere: Change is in the Air

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Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1988-01-01

In the first half of this grant year, laboratory measurements were conducted on the millimeter-wave properties of atmospheric gases under simulated conditions for the outer planet. Significant improvements in the current system have made it possible to accurately characterize the opacity from gaseous NH3 at longer millimeter wavelengths (7 to 10 mm) under simulated Jovian conditions. In the second half of the grant year, it is hoped to extend such measurements to even shorter millimeter-wavelengths. Further analysis and application of the laboratory results to microwave and millimeter-wave absorption data for the outer planets, such as results from Voyager Radio Occultation experiments and earth-based radio astronomical observations will be continued. The analysis of available multispectral microwave opacity data from Venus, including data from the most recent radio astronomical ovservations in the 1.3 to 3.6 cm wavelength range and newly obtained Pioneer-Venus Radio Occulatation measurements at 13 cm, using the laboratory measurements as an interpretative tool will be pursued.

Neutral molecular cluster formation of sulfuric acid–dimethylamine observed in real time under atmospheric conditions

PubMed Central

Kürten, Andreas; Jokinen, Tuija; Simon, Mario; Sipilä, Mikko; Sarnela, Nina; Junninen, Heikki; Adamov, Alexey; Almeida, João; Amorim, Antonio; Bianchi, Federico; Breitenlechner, Martin; Dommen, Josef; Donahue, Neil M.; Duplissy, Jonathan; Ehrhart, Sebastian; Flagan, Richard C.; Franchin, Alessandro; Hakala, Jani; Hansel, Armin; Heinritzi, Martin; Hutterli, Manuel; Kangasluoma, Juha; Kirkby, Jasper; Laaksonen, Ari; Lehtipalo, Katrianne; Leiminger, Markus; Makhmutov, Vladimir; Mathot, Serge; Onnela, Antti; Petäjä, Tuukka; Praplan, Arnaud P.; Riccobono, Francesco; Rissanen, Matti P.; Rondo, Linda; Schobesberger, Siegfried; Seinfeld, John H.; Steiner, Gerhard; Tomé, António; Tröstl, Jasmin; Winkler, Paul M.; Williamson, Christina; Wimmer, Daniela; Ye, Penglin; Baltensperger, Urs; Carslaw, Kenneth S.; Kulmala, Markku; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Curtius, Joachim

2014-01-01

For atmospheric sulfuric acid (SA) concentrations the presence of dimethylamine (DMA) at mixing ratios of several parts per trillion by volume can explain observed boundary layer new particle formation rates. However, the concentration and molecular composition of the neutral (uncharged) clusters have not been reported so far due to the lack of suitable instrumentation. Here we report on experiments from the Cosmics Leaving Outdoor Droplets chamber at the European Organization for Nuclear Research revealing the formation of neutral particles containing up to 14 SA and 16 DMA molecules, corresponding to a mobility diameter of about 2 nm, under atmospherically relevant conditions. These measurements bridge the gap between the molecular and particle perspectives of nucleation, revealing the fundamental processes involved in particle formation and growth. The neutral clusters are found to form at or close to the kinetic limit where particle formation is limited only by the collision rate of SA molecules. Even though the neutral particles are stable against evaporation from the SA dimer onward, the formation rates of particles at 1.7-nm size, which contain about 10 SA molecules, are up to 4 orders of magnitude smaller compared with those of the dimer due to coagulation and wall loss of particles before they reach 1.7 nm in diameter. This demonstrates that neither the atmospheric particle formation rate nor its dependence on SA can simply be interpreted in terms of cluster evaporation or the molecular composition of a critical nucleus. PMID:25288761

Future changes in atmospheric condition for the baiu under RCP scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okada, Y.; Takemi, T.; Ishikawa, H.

2015-12-01

This study focuses on atmospheric circulation fields during the baiu in Japan with global warming projection experimental data conducted using a 20-km mesh global atmospheric model (MRI-AGCM3.2) under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios. This model also used 4 different sea surface temperature (SST) initial conditions. Support of this dataset is provided by the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI). The baiu front indicated by the north-south gradient of moist static energy moves northward in present-day climate, whereas this northward shift in future climate simulations is very slow during May and June. In future late baiu season, the baiu front stays in the northern part of Japan even in August. As a result, the rich water vapor is transported around western Japan and the daily precipitation amount will increase in August. This northward shift of baiu front is associated with the westward expansion of the enhanced the North Pacific subtropical high (NPSH) into Japan region. However, the convective activity around northwest Pacific Ocean is inactive and is unlikely to occur convective jump (CJ). These models show that the weak trough exists in upper troposphere around Japan. Therefore, the cold advection stays in the northern part of Japan during June. In July, the front due to the strengthening of the NPSH moves northward, and then it stays until August. This feature is often found between the clustered SSTs, Cluster 2 and 3. The mean field of future August also show the inflow of rich water vapor content to Japan islands. In this model, the extreme rainfall suggested tends to almost increase over the Japan islands during future summer. This work was conducted under the Program for Risk Information on Climate Change supported by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology-Japan (MEXT).

Middle atmosphere NO/x/ production due to ion propulsion induced radiation belt proton precipitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aikin, A. C.; Jackman, C. H.

1980-01-01

The suggestion that keV Ar(+) resulting from ion propulsion operations during solar power satellite construction could cause energetic proton precipitation from the inner radiation belt is examined to determine if such precipitation could cause significant increases in middle atmosphere nitric oxide concentrations thereby adversely affecting stratospheric ozone. It is found that the initial production rate of NO (mole/cu cm-sec) at 50 km is 130 times that due to nitrous oxide reacting with excited oxygen. However, since the time required to empty the inner belt of protons is about 1 sec and short compared to the replenishment time due to neutron decay, precipitation of inner radiation belt protons will have no adverse atmospheric environmental effect.

Vaccine Adverse Events

MedlinePlus

... use in the primary immunization series in infants Report Adverse Event Report a Vaccine Adverse Event Contact FDA (800) 835- ... back to top Popular Content Home Latest Recalls Report an Adverse Event MedWatch Safety Alerts News Releases ...

Photochemistry of the Martian atmosphere (mean conditions)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasnopolsky, V. A.

1993-02-01

An attempt is made to develop the simplest model of the photochemistry to the Martian atmosphere which fits experimental data without adjustment of the reaction rate coefficients. Based on gas phase models of CO2-H2O chemistry, it is concluded that odd hydrogen reactions are effective enough to provide smaller amounts of CO and O3 than measured. Nitrogen chemistry may be important and should be taken into account. Even the very low sulfur amount of 10 exp -8 can contribute substantially to the Martian photochemistry. Ozone turns out to be the best tracer of the photochemistry.

Atmospheric Prebiotic Chemistry and Organic Hazes

PubMed Central

Trainer, Melissa G.

2013-01-01

Earth’s atmospheric composition at the time of the origin of life is not known, but it has often been suggested that chemical transformation of reactive species in the atmosphere was a significant source of prebiotic organic molecules. Experimental and theoretical studies over the past half century have shown that atmospheric synthesis can yield molecules such as amino acids and nucleobases, but these processes are very sensitive to gas composition and energy source. Abiotic synthesis of organic molecules is more productive in reduced atmospheres, yet the primitive Earth may not have been as reducing as earlier workers assumed, and recent research has reflected this shift in thinking. This work provides a survey of the range of chemical products that can be produced given a set of atmospheric conditions, with a particular focus on recent reports. Intertwined with the discussion of atmospheric synthesis is the consideration of an organic haze layer, which has been suggested as a possible ultraviolet shield on the anoxic early Earth. Since such a haze layer – if formed – would serve as a reservoir for organic molecules, the chemical composition of the aerosol should be closely examined. The results highlighted here show that a variety of products can be formed in mildly reducing or even neutral atmospheres, demonstrating that contributions of atmospheric synthesis to the organic inventory on early Earth should not be discounted. This review intends to bridge current knowledge of the range of possible atmospheric conditions in the prebiotic environment and pathways for synthesis under such conditions by examining the possible products of organic chemistry in the early atmosphere. PMID:24143126

Estimation of southern resident killer whale exposure to exhaust emissions from whale-watching vessels and potential adverse health effects and toxicity thresholds.

PubMed

Lachmuth, Cara L; Barrett-Lennard, Lance G; Steyn, D Q; Milsom, William K

2011-04-01

Southern resident killer whales in British Columbia and Washington are exposed to heavy vessel traffic. This study investigates their exposure to exhaust gases from whale-watching vessels by using a simple dispersion model incorporating data on whale and vessel behavior, atmospheric conditions, and output of airborne pollutants from the whale-watching fleet based on emissions data from regulatory agencies. Our findings suggest that current whale-watching guidelines are usually effective in limiting pollutant exposure to levels at or just below those at which measurable adverse health effects would be expected in killer whales. However, safe pollutant levels are exceeded under worst-case conditions and certain average-case conditions. To reduce killer whale exposure to exhaust we recommend: vessels position on the downwind side of whales, a maximum of 20 whale-watching vessels should be within 800 m at any given time, viewing periods should be limited, and current whale-watch guidelines and laws should be enforced. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Early life adversity and telomere length: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ridout, K K; Levandowski, M; Ridout, S J; Gantz, L; Goonan, K; Palermo, D; Price, L H; Tyrka, A R

2018-04-01

Early adversity, in the form of abuse, neglect, socioeconomic status and other adverse experiences, is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. To understand the biologic mechanisms underlying these associations, studies have evaluated the relationship between early adversity and telomere length, a marker of cellular senescence. Such results have varied in regard to the size and significance of this relationship. Using meta-analytic techniques, we aimed to clarify the relationship between early adversity and telomere length while exploring factors affecting the association, including adversity type, timing and study design. A comprehensive search in July 2016 of PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science identified 2462 studies. Multiple reviewers appraised studies for inclusion or exclusion using a priori criteria; 3.9% met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured form; the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed study quality, validity and bias. Forty-one studies (N=30 773) met inclusion criteria. Early adversity and telomere length were significantly associated (Cohen's d effect size=-0.35; 95% CI, -0.46 to -0.24; P<0.0001). Sensitivity analyses revealed no outlier effects. Adversity type and timing significantly impacted the association with telomere length (P<0.0001 and P=0.0025, respectively). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that medication use, medical or psychiatric conditions, case-control vs longitudinal study design, methodological factors, age and smoking significantly affected the relationship. Comprehensive evaluations of adversity demonstrated more extensive telomere length changes. These results suggest that early adversity may have long-lasting physiological consequences contributing to disease risk and biological aging.

Adversity in Preschool-Aged Children: Effects on Salivary Interleukin-1β

PubMed Central

Tyrka, Audrey R.; Parade, Stephanie H.; Valentine, Thomas R.; Eslinger, Nicole M.; Seifer, Ronald

2016-01-01

Exposure to early life adversity is linked to impaired affective, cognitive, and behavioral functioning and increases risk for various psychiatric and medical conditions. Stress-induced increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines may be a biological mechanism of these effects. Few studies have examined cytokine levels in children experiencing early life adversity, and very little research has investigated cytokines or other markers of inflammation in saliva. In the present study, we examined salivary IL-1β and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in relation to stress exposure in 40 children aged 3 to 5 years who were enrolled in a larger study of early life adversity. Childhood maltreatment status was assessed via review of child welfare records, and contextual stress exposure, traumatic life event history, and symptoms of psychopathology were assessed via caregiver interviews at a home visit. In a subsequent visit, salivary IL-1β and CRP were obtained before and after participation in four emotion-eliciting tasks. Number of past month contextual stressors, lifetime contextual stressors, and traumatic life events each demonstrated a significant main effect on IL-1β. Baseline IL-1β was positively associated with each of the significant main-effect adversities. Post-challenge IL-1β displayed positive associations with each adversity variable, but were not significant. CRP was not significantly associated with any of the adversity variables. Given evidence suggesting involvement of IL-1β in the neuropathology of psychiatric conditions, these results may have important implications for developmental outcomes. PMID:25997772

Local-Rapid Evaluation of Atmospheric Conditions (L-REAC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-15

installation available 24/7 to all forms of browser-based access such as mobile blackberry browser. In 2006, the ARL presented data at an International...Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)/Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Wind Tunnel study with tens-of-meter-scaled measurements sampled around...urban flow in wind tunnels , as well as articles from professional urban meteorological journals. The need to maintain a visual sensor for persons who

Modified atmosphere treatments as a potential disinfestation technique for arthropod pests in greenhouses.

PubMed

Held, D W; Potter, D A; Gates, R S; Anderson, R G

2001-04-01

Incidental transport of arthropods on plant material can be a significant mode of pest entry into greenhouses. We evaluated the use of controlled atmosphere treatments as a potential way to eliminate arthropod pests on plant propagules (i.e., cuttings or small rooted plants). Lethal exposures to CO2 or N2 were determined for common greenhouse pests including fungus gnat larvae, Bradysia sp.; green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer); sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia sp.; twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch; and western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande). We also studied the effect of pest species, life stage, and presence or absence of plants on efficacy of modified atmosphere treatments. Finally, effects of modified atmospheres on plant quality were evaluated for several bedding plant species including begonia, Begonia semperflorens-cultorum Hort. 'Cocktail Series', chrysanthemum, Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev., geranium, Pelargonium X hortorum L.H. Bailey, and impatiens, Impatiens wallerana Hook f., and among cultivars of geranium and chrysanthemum. Exposure for 12-18 h to >99% N2 or CO2 caused complete mortality of aphids, mites, thrips, and whiteflies. Fungus gnat larvae were more tolerant of hypoxic conditions. Adult mites and eggs were equally susceptible. For most pests, there was no difference in response to atmospheres modified by CO2 or N2. However, there was variation in response among plant species and cultivars, with effects ranging from delayed flowering to mortality. Despite the possibility of adverse effects on some plants, this work indicates that use of modified atmospheres has potential to eliminate arthropod pests on plant propagules before they are introduced into greenhouses.

Adverse effects of aromatherapy: a systematic review of case reports and case series.

PubMed

Posadzki, Paul; Alotaibi, Amani; Ernst, Edzard

2012-01-01

This systematic review was aimed at critically evaluating the evidence regarding the adverse effects associated with aromatherapy. Five electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant case reports and case series. Forty two primary reports met our inclusion criteria. In total, 71 patients experienced adverse effects of aromatherapy. Adverse effects ranged from mild to severe and included one fatality. The most common adverse effect was dermatitis. Lavender, peppermint, tea tree oil and ylang-ylang were the most common essential oils responsible for adverse effects. Aromatherapy has the potential to cause adverse effects some of which are serious. Their frequency remains unknown. Lack of sufficiently convincing evidence regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy combined with its potential to cause adverse effects questions the usefulness of this modality in any condition.

The use of an atmospheric dispersion model to determine influence regions in the Prince George, B.C. airshed from the burning of open wood waste piles.

PubMed

Ainslie, B; Jackson, P L

2009-06-01

A means of determining air emission source regions adversely influencing the city of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada from potential burning of isolated piles of mountain pine beetle-killed lodge pole pine is presented. The analysis uses the CALPUFF atmospheric dispersion model to identify safe burning regions based on atmospheric stability and wind direction. Model results show that the location and extent of influence regions is sensitive to wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric stability and a threshold used to quantify excessive concentrations. A concentration threshold based on the Canada Wide PM(2.5) Standard is used to delineate the influence regions while Environment Canada's (EC) daily ventilation index (VI) is used to quantify local atmospheric stability. Results from the analysis, to be used by air quality meteorologists in assessing daily requests for burning permits, are presented as a series of maps delineating acceptable burning locations for sources placed at various distances from the city center and under different ventilation conditions. The results show that no burning should be allowed within 10 km of the city center; under poor ventilation conditions, no burning should be allowed within 20 km of the city center; under good ventilation conditions, burning can be allowed within 10-15 km of the city center; under good to fair ventilation conditions, burning can be allowed beyond 15 km of the city center; and if the wind direction can be reliably forecast, burning can be allowed between 5 and 10 km downwind of the city center under good ventilation conditions.

Optical remote sensing of atmospheric compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vazquez, Gabriel J.

1996-02-01

Human activities are altering the earth system at the local, regional, and global scales. It is therefore of the utmost importance to track the workings of mother earth in order to detect any changes at their early stages so that appropriate actions are taken to understand, assess, control or prevent the adverse effects. A number of deleterious effects to the environment can, at least in part, be ascribed to air pollution, namely, the thinning of the ozone layer, the related increase in the occurrence of skin cancer, the warming of the earth system, photochemical smog, acid rain/fog, acidification of soils and waters, forest decline, etc. It is therefore necessary to monitor the most relevant processes of the earth's atmosphere, namely, the energy input, the dynamics and the chemistry. In this contribution I mainly focus on the latter, specifically, on the measurement/monitoring of atmospheric compounds. To understand atmospheric chemistry and air pollution it is necessary to have reliable and accurate values of the mixing ratios of the numerous atmospheric gases and of their diurnal/seasonal variations and long-term trends. In this contribution I present an overview of the most relevant optical remote sensing techniques that are rapidly becoming the methods of choice to probe the chemical composition and physical state of the atmosphere, especially when high selectivity, sensitivity and fast-time response are required.

The Skylab concentrated atmospheric radiation project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, P. M.; Marlatt, W. E.; Whitehead, V. S. (Principal Investigator)

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Comparison of several existing infrared radiative transfer models under somewhat controlled conditions and with atmospheric observations of Skylab's S191 and S192 radiometers illustrated that the models tend to over-compute atmospheric attenuation in the window region of the atmospheric infrared spectra.

Instrumentation for surveying the lower part of the atmosphere in extremes conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobinddass, Marie-Line; Molinie, Jack; Richard, Sandrine; Jean-Louis, Sabrina

To observe atmospheric phenomena such as clouds, precipitation and wind in order to understand how they form and evolve meteorologists use few instruments which allows to measure parameters as temperature, pressure and humidity. In the specific case of Kourou region where the French Space Agency is located the environment and safeguard group works on protecting biodiversity in and around the center. By considering a few scientific challenges in atmospheric science one of the main topics of this work consists on the understanding of the fluctuation of the atmosphere due to natural or industrials perturbations. We have considered a few experiences with many instruments in a large space of more than 1200 km per square. To differentiate and try to quantify industrial cloud from natural cloud or from natural atmosphere, the idea of using a drone has been experimented. The ratio of the cost of such experimentation with the relevance of the results which can be obtained will be discussed here. It is necessary to take into account the turbulence in the atmosphere due to industrial acid cloud or hot cloud. Finally, instead of taking the risk of having airbone measurements with a pilot we have thought of the tetherball due to it lower cost and for security reason. The technical experiment and few type of results will be presented here.

Evidence of weak land-atmosphere coupling under varying bare soil conditions: Are fully coupled Darcy/Navier-Stokes models necessary for simulating soil moisture dynamics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illangasekare, T. H.; Trautz, A. C.; Howington, S. E.; Cihan, A.

2017-12-01

It is a well-established fact that the land and atmosphere form a continuum in which the individual domains are coupled by heat and mass transfer processes such as bare-soil evaporation. Soil moisture dynamics can be simulated at the representative elementary volume (REV) scale using decoupled and fully coupled Darcy/Navier-Stokes models. Decoupled modeling is an asynchronous approach in which flow and transport in the soil and atmosphere is simulated independently; the two domains are coupled out of time-step via prescribed flux parameterizations. Fully coupled modeling in contrast, solves the governing equations for flow and transport in both domains simultaneously with the use of coupling interface boundary conditions. This latter approach, while being able to provide real-time two-dimensional feedbacks, is considerably more complex and computationally intensive. In this study, we investigate whether fully coupled models are necessary, or if the simpler decoupled models can sufficiently capture soil moisture dynamics under varying land preparations. A series of intermediate-scale physical and numerical experiments were conducted in which soil moisture distributions and evaporation estimates were monitored at high spatiotemporal resolutions for different heterogeneous packing and soil roughness scenarios. All experimentation was conducted at the newly developed Center for Experimental Study of Subsurface Environmental Processes (CESEP) wind tunnel-porous media user test-facility at the Colorado School of. Near-surface atmospheric measurements made during the experiments demonstrate that the land-atmosphere coupling was relatively weak and insensitive to the applied edaphic and surface conditions. Simulations with a decoupled multiphase heat and mass transfer model similarly show little sensitivity to local variations in atmospheric forcing; a single, simple flux parameterization can sufficiently capture the soil moisture dynamics (evaporation and redistribution

Adverse childhood experiences, dispositional mindfulness, and adult health.

PubMed

Whitaker, Robert C; Dearth-Wesley, Tracy; Gooze, Rachel A; Becker, Brandon D; Gallagher, Kathleen C; McEwen, Bruce S

2014-10-01

To determine whether greater dispositional mindfulness is associated with better adult health across a range of exposures to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). In 2012, a web-based survey of 2160 Pennsylvania Head Start staff was conducted. We assessed ACE score (count of eight categories of childhood adversity), dispositional mindfulness (Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised), and the prevalence of three outcomes: multiple health conditions (≥ 3 of 7 conditions), poor health behavior (≥ 2 of 5 behaviors), and poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) (≥ 2 of 5 indicators). Respondents were 97% females, and 23% reported ≥ 3 ACEs. The prevalences of multiple health conditions, poor health behavior, and poor HRQOL were 29%, 21%, and 13%, respectively. At each level of ACE exposure, health outcomes were better in those with greater mindfulness. For example, among persons reporting ≥ 3 ACEs, those in the highest quartile of mindfulness had a prevalence of multiple health conditions two-thirds that of those in the lowest quartile (adjusted prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval)=0.66 (0.51, 0.86)); for those reporting no ACEs, the ratio was 0.62 (0.41, 0.94). Across a range of exposures to ACEs, greater dispositional mindfulness was associated with fewer health conditions, better health behavior, and better HRQOL. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Numerical Study of Wind-Turbine Wakes for Three Atmospheric Stability Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Shengbai; Archer, Cristina L.

2017-10-01

The effects of atmospheric stability on wind-turbine wakes are studied via large-eddy simulations. Three stability conditions are considered: stable, neutral, and unstable, with the same geostrophic wind speed aloft and the same Coriolis frequency. Both a single 5-MW turbine and a wind farm of five turbines are studied. The single-turbine wake is strongly correlated with stability, in terms of velocity deficit, turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and temperature distribution. Because of the Coriolis effect, the wake shape deviates from a Gaussian distribution. For the wind-farm simulations, the separation of the core region and outer region is clear for the stable and neutral cases, but less distinct for the unstable case. The unstable case exhibits strong horizontal variations in wind speed. Local accelerations such as related to aisle jets are also observed, whose features depend on stability. The added TKE in the wind farm increases with stability. The highest power extraction and lowest power deficit are observed for the unstable case.

Impact of Martian atmosphere parameter uncertainties on entry vehicles aerodynamic for hypersonic rarefied conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fei, Huang; Xu-hong, Jin; Jun-ming, Lv; Xiao-li, Cheng

2016-11-01

An attempt has been made to analyze impact of Martian atmosphere parameter uncertainties on entry vehicle aerodynamics for hypersonic rarefied conditions with a DSMC code. The code has been validated by comparing Viking vehicle flight data with present computational results. Then, by simulating flows around the Mars Science Laboratory, the impact of errors of free stream parameter uncertainties on aerodynamics is investigated. The validation results show that the present numerical approach can show good agreement with the Viking flight data. The physical and chemical properties of CO2 has strong impact on aerodynamics of Mars entry vehicles, so it is necessary to make proper corrections to the data obtained with air model in hypersonic rarefied conditions, which is consistent with the conclusions drawn in continuum regime. Uncertainties of free stream density and velocity weakly influence aerodynamics and pitching moment. However, aerodynamics appears to be little influenced by free stream temperature, the maximum error of what is below 0.5%. Center of pressure position is not sensitive to free stream parameters.

Reliability of Undergraduate Student in a Research on the Relations between Behavior and Days of the Week or Atmospheric Conditions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vachon, Jean

The influence of atmospheric conditions and the day of the week on school children's behavior was investigated by undergraduates. The college students were told either that their participation in the research was compulsory and would be graded, or that their participation was voluntary and ungraded. Fifty teachers observed their pupils' behavior…

Economic Conditions During Pregnancy and Adverse Birth Outcomes Among Singleton Live Births in the United States, 1990-2013.

PubMed

Margerison-Zilko, Claire E; Li, Yu; Luo, Zhehui

2017-11-15

We know little about the relationship between the macroeconomy and birth outcomes, in part due to the methodological challenge of distinguishing effects of economic conditions on fetal health from effects of economic conditions on selection into live birth. We examined associations between state-level unemployment rates in the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, using natality data on singleton live births in the United States during 1990-2013. We used fixed-effect logistic regression models and accounted for selection by adjusting for state-level unemployment before conception and maternal characteristics associated with both selection and birth outcomes. We also tested whether associations between macroeconomic conditions and birth outcomes differed during and after (compared with before) the Great Recession (2007-2009). Each 1-percentage-point increase in the first-trimester unemployment rate was associated with a 5% increase in odds of preterm birth, while second-trimester unemployment was associated with a 3% decrease in preterm birth odds. During the Great Recession, however, first-trimester unemployment was associated with a 16% increase in odds of preterm birth. These findings increase our understanding of the effects of the Great Recession on health and add to growing literature suggesting that macro-level social and economic factors contribute to perinatal health. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adverse experiences in childhood, adulthood neighbourhood disadvantage and health behaviours.

PubMed

Halonen, Jaana I; Vahtera, Jussi; Kivimäki, Mika; Pentti, Jaana; Kawachi, Ichiro; Subramanian, S V

2014-08-01

Early life adversities may play a role in the associations observed between neighbourhood contextual factors and health behaviours. We examined whether self-reported adverse experiences in childhood (parental divorce, long-term financial difficulties, serious conflicts, serious/chronic illness or alcohol problem in the family, and frequent fear of a family member) explain the association between adulthood neighbourhood disadvantage and co-occurrence of behavioural risk factors (smoking, moderate/heavy alcohol use, physical inactivity). Study population consisted of 31 271 public sector employees from Finland. The cross-sectional associations were analysed using two-level cumulative logistic regression models. Childhood adverse experiences were associated with the sum of risk factors (cumulative OR 1.32 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.40) among those reporting 3-6 vs 0 adversities). Adverse experiences did not attenuate the association between neighbourhood disadvantage and risk factors; this cumulative OR was 1.52 (95% CI 1.43 to 1.62) in the highest versus lowest quartile of neighbourhood disadvantage when not including adversities, and 1.50 (95% CI 1.40 to 1.60) when adjusted for childhood adversities. In adversity-stratified analyses those reporting 3-6 adversities had 1.60-fold (95% CI 1.42 to 1.80) likelihood of risk factors if living in the neighbourhood of the highest disadvantage, while in those with fewer adversities this likelihood was 1.09-1.34-fold (95% CI 0.98 to 1.53) (p interaction 0.07). Childhood adverse experiences and adulthood neighbourhood disadvantage were associated with behavioural risk factors. Childhood experiences did not explain associations between neighbourhood disadvantage and the risk factors. However, those with more adverse experiences may be susceptible for the socioeconomic conditions of neighbourhoods. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The Influence of Meteorological Factors and Atmospheric Pollutants on the Risk of Preterm Birth.

PubMed

Giorgis-Allemand, Lise; Pedersen, Marie; Bernard, Claire; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Beelen, Rob M J; Chatzi, Leda; Cirach, Marta; Danileviciute, Asta; Dedele, Audrius; van Eijsden, Manon; Estarlich, Marisa; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Fernández, Mariana F; Forastiere, Francesco; Gehring, Ulrike; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Gruzieva, Olena; Heude, Barbara; Hoek, Gerard; de Hoogh, Kees; van den Hooven, Edith H; Håberg, Siri E; Iñiguez, Carmen; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Korek, Michal; Lertxundi, Aitana; Lepeule, Johanna; Nafstad, Per; Nystad, Wenche; Patelarou, Evridiki; Porta, Daniela; Postma, Dirkje; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Rudnai, Peter; Siroux, Valérie; Sunyer, Jordi; Stephanou, Euripides; Sørensen, Mette; Eriksen, Kirsten Thorup; Tuffnell, Derek; Varró, Mihály J; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Wijga, Alet; Wright, John; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J; Pershagen, Göran; Brunekreef, Bert; Kogevinas, Manolis; Slama, Rémy

2017-02-15

Atmospheric pollutants and meteorological conditions are suspected to be causes of preterm birth. We aimed to characterize their possible association with the risk of preterm birth (defined as birth occurring before 37 completed gestational weeks). We pooled individual data from 13 birth cohorts in 11 European countries (71,493 births from the period 1994-2011, European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE)). City-specific meteorological data from routine monitors were averaged over time windows spanning from 1 week to the whole pregnancy. Atmospheric pollution measurements (nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) were combined with data from permanent monitors and land-use data into seasonally adjusted land-use regression models. Preterm birth risks associated with air pollution and meteorological factors were estimated using adjusted discrete-time Cox models. The frequency of preterm birth was 5.0%. Preterm birth risk tended to increase with first-trimester average atmospheric pressure (odds ratio per 5-mbar increase = 1.06, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.11), which could not be distinguished from altitude. There was also some evidence of an increase in preterm birth risk with first-trimester average temperature in the -5°C to 15°C range, with a plateau afterwards (spline coding, P = 0.08). No evidence of adverse association with atmospheric pollutants was observed. Our study lends support for an increase in preterm birth risk with atmospheric pressure. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

SWiFT site atmospheric characterization

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

Kelley, Christopher Lee; Ennis, Brandon Lee

2016-01-01

Historical meteorological tall tower data are analyzed from the Texas Tech University 200 m tower to characterize the atmospheric trends of the Scaled Wind Farm Technologies (SWiFT) site. In this report the data are analyzed to reveal bulk atmospheric trends, temporal trends and correlations of atmospheric variables. Through this analysis for the SWiFT turbines the site International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) classification is determined to be class III-C. Averages and distributions of atmospheric variables are shown, revealing large fluctuations and the importance of understanding the actual site trends as opposed to simply using averages. The site is significantly directional with themore » average wind speed from the south, and particularly so in summer and fall. Site temporal trends are analyzed from both seasonal (time of the year) to daily (hour of the day) perspectives. Atmospheric stability is seen to vary most with time of day and less with time of year. Turbulence intensity is highly correlated with stability, and typical daytime unstable conditions see double the level of turbulence intensity versus that experienced during the average stable night. Shear, veer and atmospheric stability correlations are shown, where shear and veer are both highest for stable atmospheric conditions. An analysis of the Texas Tech University tower anemometer measurements is performed which reveals the extent of the tower shadow effects and sonic tilt misalignment.« less

Influence of preonset land atmospheric conditions on the Indian summer monsoon rainfall variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rai, Archana; Saha, Subodh K.; Pokhrel, Samir; Sujith, K.; Halder, Subhadeep

2015-05-01

A possible link between preonset land atmospheric conditions and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) is explored. It is shown that, the preonset positive (negative) rainfall anomaly over northwest India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran is associated with decrease (increase) in ISMR, primarily in the months of June and July, which in turn affects the seasonal mean. ISMR in the months of June and July is also strongly linked with the preonset 2 m air temperature over the same regions. The preonset rainfall/2 m air temperature variability is linked with stationary Rossby wave response, which is clearly evident in the wave activity flux diagnostics. As the predictability of Indian summer monsoon relies mainly on the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the found link may further enhance our ability to predict the monsoon, particularly during a non-ENSO year.

A massive early atmosphere on Triton

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lunine, Jonathan I.; Nolan, Michael C.

1992-01-01

The idea of an early greenhouse atmosphere for Triton is presented and the conditions under which it may have been sustained are quantified. The volatile content of primordial Triton is modeled, and tidal heating rates are assessed to set bounds on the available energy. The atmospheric model formalism is presented, and it is shown how a massive atmosphere could have been raised by modest tidal heating fluxes. The implications of the model atmospheres for the atmospheric escape rates, the chemical evolution, and the cratering record are addressed.

Observational Simulation of Icing in Extreme Weather Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gultepe, Ismail; Heymsfield, Andrew; Agelin-Chaab, Martin; Komar, John; Elfstrom, Garry; Baumgardner, Darrel

2017-04-01

Observations and prediction of icing in extreme weather conditions are important for aviation, transportation, and shipping applications, and icing adversely affects the economy. Icing environments can be studied either in the outdoor atmosphere or in the laboratory. There have been several aircraft based in-situ studies related to weather conditions affecting aviation operations, transportation, and marine shipping that includes icing, wind, and turbulence. However, studying severe weather conditions from aircraft observations are limited due to safety and sampling issues, instrumental uncertainties, and even the possibility of aircraft producing its own physical and dynamical effects. Remote sensing based techniques (e.g. retrieval techniques) for studying severe weather conditions represent usually a volume that cannot characterize the important scales and also represents indirect observations. Therefore, laboratory simulations of atmospheric processes can help us better understand the interactions among microphysical and dynamical processes. The Climatic Wind Tunnel (CWT) in ACE at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has a large semi-open jet test chamber with flow area 7-13 m2 that can precisely control temperatures down to -40°C, and up to 250 km hr-1 wind speeds, for heavy or dry snow conditions with low visibility, similar to ones observed in the Arctic and cold climate regions, or at high altitude aeronautical conditions. In this study, the ACE CWT employed a spray nozzle array suspended in its settling chamber and fed by pressurized water, creating various particle sizes from a few microns up to mm size range. This array, together with cold temperature and high wind speed, enabled simulation of severe weather conditions, including icing, visibility, strong wind and turbulence, ice fog and frost, freezing fog, heavy snow and blizzard conditions. In this study, the test results will be summarized, and their application to aircraft

Atmospheric conditions, lunar phases, and childbirth: a multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochiai, Angela Megumi; Gonçalves, Fabio Luiz Teixeira; Ambrizzi, Tercio; Florentino, Lucia Cristina; Wei, Chang Yi; Soares, Alda Valeria Neves; De Araujo, Natalucia Matos; Gualda, Dulce Maria Rosa

2012-07-01

Our objective was to assess extrinsic influences upon childbirth. In a cohort of 1,826 days containing 17,417 childbirths among them 13,252 spontaneous labor admissions, we studied the influence of environment upon the high incidence of labor (defined by 75th percentile or higher), analyzed by logistic regression. The predictors of high labor admission included increases in outdoor temperature (odds ratio: 1.742, P = 0.045, 95%CI: 1.011 to 3.001), and decreases in atmospheric pressure (odds ratio: 1.269, P = 0.029, 95%CI: 1.055 to 1.483). In contrast, increases in tidal range were associated with a lower probability of high admission (odds ratio: 0.762, P = 0.030, 95%CI: 0.515 to 0.999). Lunar phase was not a predictor of high labor admission ( P = 0.339). Using multivariate analysis, increases in temperature and decreases in atmospheric pressure predicted high labor admission, and increases of tidal range, as a measurement of the lunar gravitational force, predicted a lower probability of high admission.

Land surface and atmospheric conditions associated with heat waves over the Chickasaw Nation in the South Central United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Eungul; Bieda, Rahama; Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Basara Richter, Heather

2016-06-01

Exposure to extreme heat was reconstructed based on regional land-atmosphere processes from 1979 to 2010 in the South Central U.S. The study region surrounds the Chickasaw Nation (CN), a predominantly Native American population with a highly prevalent burden of climate-sensitive chronic diseases. Land surface and atmospheric conditions for summer heat waves were analyzed during spring (March-April-May, MAM) and summer (June-July-August, JJA) based on the Climate and Ocean: Variability, Predictability, and Change maximum temperature definition for heat wave frequency (HWF). The spatial-temporal pattern of HWF was determined using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis and the corresponding principle component time series of the first EOF of HWF. Statistically significant analyses of observed conditions indicated that sensible heat increased and latent heat fluxes decreased with high HWF in the South Central U.S. The largest positive correlations of sensible heat flux to HWF and the largest negative correlations of latent heat flux to HWF were specifically observed over the CN. This is a significantly different energy transfer regime due to less available soil moisture during the antecedent MAM and JJA. The higher sensible heat from dry soil could cause significant warming from the near surface (>2.0°C) to the lower troposphere (>1.5°C), and accumulated boundary layer heat could induce the significant patterns of higher geopotential height and enhance anticyclonic circulations (negative vorticity anomaly) at the midtroposphere. Results suggested a positive land-atmosphere feedback associated with heat waves and called attention to the need for region-specific climate adaptation planning.

Simulating super earth atmospheres in the laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Claudi, R.; Erculiani, M. S.; Galletta, G.; Billi, D.; Pace, E.; Schierano, D.; Giro, E.; D'Alessandro, M.

2016-01-01

Several space missions, such as JWST, TESS and the very recently proposed ARIEL, or ground-based experiments, as SPHERE and GPI, have been proposed to measure the atmospheric transmission, reflection and emission spectra of extrasolar planets. The planet atmosphere characteristics and possible biosignatures will be inferred by studying planetary spectra in order to identify the emission/absorption lines/bands from atmospheric molecules such as water (H2O), carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), etc. In particular, it is important to know in detail the optical characteristics of gases in the typical physical conditions of the planetary atmospheres and how these characteristics could be affected by radiation driven photochemical and biochemical reaction. The main aim of the project `Atmosphere in a Test Tube' is to provide insights on exoplanet atmosphere modification due to biological intervention. This can be achieved simulating planetary atmosphere at different pressure and temperature conditions under the effects of radiation sources, used as proxies of different bands of the stellar emission. We are tackling the characterization of extrasolar planet atmospheres by mean of innovative laboratory experiments described in this paper. The experiments are intended to reproduce the conditions on warm earths and super earths hosted by low-mass M dwarfs primaries with the aim to understand if a cyanobacteria population hosted on a Earth-like planet orbiting an M0 star is able to maintain its photosynthetic activity and produce traceable signatures.

Interaction Between CO2-Rich Sulfate Solutions and Carbonate Reservoir Rocks from Atmospheric to Supercritical CO2 Conditions: Experiments and Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cama, J.; Garcia-Rios, M.; Luquot, L.; Soler Matamala, J. M.

2014-12-01

A test site for CO2 geological storage is situated in Hontomín (Spain) with a reservoir rock that is mainly composed of limestone. During and after CO2 injection, the resulting CO2-rich acid brine gives rise to the dissolution of carbonate minerals (calcite and dolomite) and gypsum (or anhydrite at depth) may precipitate since the reservoir brine contains sulfate. Experiments using columns filled with crushed limestone or dolostone were conducted under different P-pCO2 conditions (atmospheric: 1-10-3.5 bar; subcritical: 10-10 bar; and supercritical: 150-34 bar), T (25, 40 and 60 ºC) and input solution compositions (gypsum-undersaturated and gypsum-equilibrated solutions). We evaluated the effect of these parameters on the coupled reactions of calcite/dolomite dissolution and gypsum/anhydrite precipitation. The CrunchFlow and PhreeqC (v.3) numerical codes were used to perform reactive transport simulations of the experiments. Under the P-pCO2-T conditions, the volume of precipitated gypsum was smaller than the volume of dissolved carbonate minerals, yielding an increase in porosity (Δporosity up to ≈ 4%). A decrease in T favored limestone dissolution regardless of pCO2 owing to increasing undersaturation with decreasing temperature. However, gypsum precipitation was favored at high T and under atmospheric pCO2 conditions but not at high T and under 10 bar of pCO2 conditions. The increase in limestone dissolution with pCO2 was directly attributed to pH, which was more acidic at higher pCO2. Increasing pCO2, carbonate dissolution occurred along the column whereas it was localized in the very inlet under atmospheric conditions. This was due to the buffer capacity of the carbonic acid, which maintains pH at around 5 and keeps the solution undersaturated with respect to calcite and dolomite along the column. 1D reactive transport simulations reproduced the experimental data (carbonate dissolution and gypsum precipitation for different P-pCO2-T conditions). Drawing

Uncertainty Comparison of Visual Sensing in Adverse Weather Conditions†

PubMed Central

Lo, Shi-Wei; Wu, Jyh-Horng; Chen, Lun-Chi; Tseng, Chien-Hao; Lin, Fang-Pang; Hsu, Ching-Han

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on flood-region detection using monitoring images. However, adverse weather affects the outcome of image segmentation methods. In this paper, we present an experimental comparison of an outdoor visual sensing system using region-growing methods with two different growing rules—namely, GrowCut and RegGro. For each growing rule, several tests on adverse weather and lens-stained scenes were performed, taking into account and analyzing different weather conditions with the outdoor visual sensing system. The influence of several weather conditions was analyzed, highlighting their effect on the outdoor visual sensing system with different growing rules. Furthermore, experimental errors and uncertainties obtained with the growing rules were compared. The segmentation accuracy of flood regions yielded by the GrowCut, RegGro, and hybrid methods was 75%, 85%, and 87.7%, respectively. PMID:27447642

Pre-conditioned backward Monte Carlo solutions to radiative transport in planetary atmospheres. Fundamentals: Sampling of propagation directions in polarising media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García Muñoz, A.; Mills, F. P.

2015-01-01

Context. The interpretation of polarised radiation emerging from a planetary atmosphere must rely on solutions to the vector radiative transport equation (VRTE). Monte Carlo integration of the VRTE is a valuable approach for its flexible treatment of complex viewing and/or illumination geometries, and it can intuitively incorporate elaborate physics. Aims: We present a novel pre-conditioned backward Monte Carlo (PBMC) algorithm for solving the VRTE and apply it to planetary atmospheres irradiated from above. As classical BMC methods, our PBMC algorithm builds the solution by simulating the photon trajectories from the detector towards the radiation source, i.e. in the reverse order of the actual photon displacements. Methods: We show that the neglect of polarisation in the sampling of photon propagation directions in classical BMC algorithms leads to unstable and biased solutions for conservative, optically-thick, strongly polarising media such as Rayleigh atmospheres. The numerical difficulty is avoided by pre-conditioning the scattering matrix with information from the scattering matrices of prior (in the BMC integration order) photon collisions. Pre-conditioning introduces a sense of history in the photon polarisation states through the simulated trajectories. Results: The PBMC algorithm is robust, and its accuracy is extensively demonstrated via comparisons with examples drawn from the literature for scattering in diverse media. Since the convergence rate for MC integration is independent of the integral's dimension, the scheme is a valuable option for estimating the disk-integrated signal of stellar radiation reflected from planets. Such a tool is relevant in the prospective investigation of exoplanetary phase curves. We lay out two frameworks for disk integration and, as an application, explore the impact of atmospheric stratification on planetary phase curves for large star-planet-observer phase angles. By construction, backward integration provides a better

Early life adversity influences stress response association with smoking relapse.

PubMed

al'Absi, Mustafa; Lemieux, Andrine; Westra, Ruth; Allen, Sharon

2017-11-01

We examined the hypothesis that stress-related blunting of cortisol in smokers is particularly pronounced in those with a history of severe life adversity. The two aims of this study were first to examine hormonal, craving, and withdrawal symptoms during ad libitum smoking and after the first 24 h of abstinence in smokers who experienced high or low levels of adversity. Second, we sought to examine the relationship between adversity and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) hormones to predict relapse during the first month of a smoking cessation attempt. Hormonal and self-report measures were collected from 103 smokers (49 women) during ad libitum smoking and after the first 24 h of abstinence. HPA hormones were measured during baseline rest and in response to acute stress in both conditions. All smokers were interested in smoking cessation, and we prospectively used stress response measures to predict relapse during the first 4 weeks of the smoking cessation attempt. The results showed that high adversity was associated with higher distress and smoking withdrawal symptoms. High level of early life adversity was associated with elevated HPA activity, which was found in both salivary and plasma cortisol. Enhanced adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stress response was evident in high-adversity but not in low-adversity relapsers. This study demonstrated that early life adversity is associated with stress-related HPA responses. The study also demonstrated that, among smokers who experienced a high level of life adversity, heightened ACTH and cortisol responses were linked with increased risk for smoking relapse.

Oceanic and atmospheric conditions associated with the pentad rainfall over the southeastern peninsular India during the North-East Indian Monsoon season

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shanmugasundaram, Jothiganesh; Lee, Eungul

2018-03-01

The association of North-East Indian Monsoon rainfall (NEIMR) over the southeastern peninsular India with the oceanic and atmospheric conditions over the adjacent ocean regions at pentad time step (five days period) was investigated during the months of October to December for the period 1985-2014. The non-parametric correlation and composite analyses were carried out for the simultaneous and lagged time steps (up to four lags) of oceanic and atmospheric variables with pentad NEIMR. The results indicated that NEIMR was significantly correlated: 1) positively with both sea surface temperature (SST) led by 1-4 pentads (lag 1-4 time steps) and latent heat flux (LHF) during the simultaneous, lag 1 and 2 time steps over the equatorial western Indian Ocean, 2) positively with SST but negatively with LHF (less heat flux from ocean to atmosphere) during the same and all the lagged time steps over the Bay of Bengal. Consistently, during the wet NEIMR pentads over the southeastern peninsular India, SST significantly increased over the Bay of Bengal during all the time steps and the equatorial western Indian Ocean during the lag 2-4 time steps, while the LHF decreased over the Bay of Bengal (all time steps) and increased over the Indian Ocean (same, lag 1 and 2). The investigation on ocean-atmospheric interaction revealed that the enhanced LHF over the equatorial western Indian Ocean was related to increased atmospheric moisture demand and increased wind speed, whereas the reduced LHF over the Bay of Bengal was associated with decreased atmospheric moisture demand and decreased wind speed. The vertically integrated moisture flux and moisture transport vectors from 1000 to 850 hPa exhibited that the moisture was carried away from the equatorial western Indian Ocean to the strong moisture convergence regions of the Bay of Bengal during the same and lag 1 time steps of wet NEIMR pentads. Further, the moisture over the Bay of Bengal was transported to the southeastern peninsular

Halophila stipulacea: survival under adverse conditions.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, C. R., Jr.; Primack, A. G.; Wyllie-Echeverria, S.

2016-02-01

Halophila stipulacea is an invasive seagrass species originally native to the Indian Ocean. It invaded the Mediterranean Sea shortly after the opening of the Suez Canal, and has recently been found in the Caribbean. It has been suggested that it arrived in the Mediterranean attached to small pleasure craft, fishing craft, or small cargo vessels. This research examines the feasibility of these methods of transport and the possibility that arrived transported by ocean currents. To investigate potential transport vectors, we collected rooted samples of H. stipulacae from Brewers Bay on the island of Saint Thomas, USVI, and exposed them to conditions that would be experienced under each alternative method of transport. The health of the samples was monitored using a FLOURPEN FP 100 portable fluorometer. Rhizomes, and associated leaf pairs declined rapidly when exposed to air, submersed in freshwater, or kept damp in a towel soaked in seawater, but survived for more than 5 weeks when left floating in a bucket submersed in a seawater tank. Water temperature ranged between 27C and 30C during the experiment. This suggests that it might be possible for H. stipulacae to cross the Atlantic aided by currents.

Greenhouse effect in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, B. M.

2016-04-01

Average optical atmospheric parameters for the infrared spectrum range are evaluated on the basis of the Earth energetic balance and parameters of the standard atmosphere. The average optical thickness of the atmosphere is u ≈ 2.5 and this atmospheric emission is originated at altitudes below 10 km. Variations of atmospheric radiative fluxes towards the Earth and outward are calculated as a function of the concentration of \\text{CO}2 molecules for the regular model of molecular spectrum. As a result of doubling of the \\text{CO}2 concentration the change of the global Earth temperature is (0.4 +/- 0.2) \\text{K} if other atmospheric parameters are conserved compared to the value (3.0 +/- 1.5) \\text{K} under real atmospheric conditions with the variation of the amount of atmospheric water. An observed variation of the global Earth temperature during the last century (0.8 ^\\circ \\text{C}) follows from an increase of the mass of atmospheric water by 7% or by conversion of 1% of atmospheric water in aerosols.

The calculated influence of atmospheric conditions on solar cell ISC under direct and global solar irradiances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, Robert L.

1987-01-01

Calculations of the influence of atmospheric conditions on solar cell short-circuit current (Isc) are made using a recently developed computer model for solar spectral irradiance distribution. The results isolate the dependence of Isc on changes in the spectral irradiance distribution without the direct influence of the total irradiance level. The calculated direct normal irradiance and percent diffuse irradiance are given as a reference to indicate the expected irradiance levels. This method can be applied to the calibration of photovoltaic reference cells. Graphic examples are provided for amorphous silicon and monocrystalline silicon solar cells under direct normal and global normal solar irradiances.

Cumulative Effects of Neighborhood Social Adversity and Personal Crime Victimization on Adolescent Psychotic Experiences

PubMed Central

Newbury, Joanne; Arseneault, Louise; Caspi, Avshalom; Moffitt, Terrie E; Odgers, Candice L

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Little is known about the impact of urbanicity, adverse neighborhood conditions and violent crime victimization on the emergence of adolescent psychotic experiences. Methods: Participants were from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally-representative cohort of 2232 British twins who were interviewed about adolescent psychotic experiences at age 18. Urbanicity, neighborhood characteristics, and personal victimization by violent crime were measured during childhood and adolescence via geocoded census data, surveys of over 5000 immediate neighbors of the E-Risk participants, and interviews with participants themselves. Results: Adolescents raised in urban vs rural neighborhoods were significantly more likely to have psychotic experiences (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.21–2.30, P = .002). This association remained significant after considering potential confounders including family socioeconomic status, family psychiatric history, and adolescent substance problems (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.01–2.03, P = .042), but became nonsignificant after considering adverse social conditions in urban neighborhoods such as low social cohesion and high neighborhood disorder (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.94–1.92, P = .102). The combined association of adverse neighborhood social conditions and personal crime victimization with adolescent psychotic experiences (adjusted OR = 4.86, 95% CI = 3.28–7.20, P < .001) was substantially greater than for either exposure alone, highlighting a potential interaction between neighborhood conditions and crime victimization (interaction contrast ratio = 1.81, 95% CI = −0.03 to 3.65) that was significant at the P = .054 level. Conclusions: Cumulative effects of adverse neighborhood social conditions and personal victimization by violent crime during upbringing partly explain why adolescents in urban settings are more likely to report psychotic experiences. Early intervention efforts for psychosis could be

Cumulative Effects of Neighborhood Social Adversity and Personal Crime Victimization on Adolescent Psychotic Experiences.

PubMed

Newbury, Joanne; Arseneault, Louise; Caspi, Avshalom; Moffitt, Terrie E; Odgers, Candice L; Fisher, Helen L

2018-02-15

Little is known about the impact of urbanicity, adverse neighborhood conditions and violent crime victimization on the emergence of adolescent psychotic experiences. Participants were from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a nationally-representative cohort of 2232 British twins who were interviewed about adolescent psychotic experiences at age 18. Urbanicity, neighborhood characteristics, and personal victimization by violent crime were measured during childhood and adolescence via geocoded census data, surveys of over 5000 immediate neighbors of the E-Risk participants, and interviews with participants themselves. Adolescents raised in urban vs rural neighborhoods were significantly more likely to have psychotic experiences (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.21-2.30, P = .002). This association remained significant after considering potential confounders including family socioeconomic status, family psychiatric history, and adolescent substance problems (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.01-2.03, P = .042), but became nonsignificant after considering adverse social conditions in urban neighborhoods such as low social cohesion and high neighborhood disorder (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 0.94-1.92, P = .102). The combined association of adverse neighborhood social conditions and personal crime victimization with adolescent psychotic experiences (adjusted OR = 4.86, 95% CI = 3.28-7.20, P < .001) was substantially greater than for either exposure alone, highlighting a potential interaction between neighborhood conditions and crime victimization (interaction contrast ratio = 1.81, 95% CI = -0.03 to 3.65) that was significant at the P = .054 level. Cumulative effects of adverse neighborhood social conditions and personal victimization by violent crime during upbringing partly explain why adolescents in urban settings are more likely to report psychotic experiences. Early intervention efforts for psychosis could be targeted towards victimized youth living in urban and socially

How Well Can Infrared Sounders Observe the Atmosphere and Surface Through Clouds?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu; Smith, William L.; Strow, L. Larrabee; Yang, Ping

2010-01-01

Infrared sounders, such as the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), and the Cross-track Infrared sounder (CrIS), have a cloud-impenetrable disadvantage in observing the atmosphere and surface under opaque cloudy conditions. However, recent studies indicate that hyperspectral, infrared sounders have the ability to detect cloud effective-optical and microphysical properties and to penetrate optically thin clouds in observing the atmosphere and surface to a certain degree. We have developed a retrieval scheme dealing with atmospheric conditions with cloud presence. This scheme can be used to analyze the retrieval accuracy of atmospheric and surface parameters under clear and cloudy conditions. In this paper, we present the surface emissivity results derived from IASI global measurements under both clear and cloudy conditions. The accuracy of surface emissivity derived under cloudy conditions is statistically estimated in comparison with those derived under clear sky conditions. The retrieval error caused by the clouds is shown as a function of cloud optical depth, which helps us to understand how well infrared sounders can observe the atmosphere and surface through clouds.

The Titan Sky Simulator ™ - Testing Prototype Balloons in Conditions Approximating those in Titan's Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nott, Julian

This paper will describe practical work flying prototype balloons in the "The Titan Sky Simulator TM " in conditions approximating those found in Titan's atmosphere. Saturn's moon, Titan, is attracting intense scientific interest. This has led to wide interest in exploring it with Aerobots, balloons or airships. Their function would be similar to the Rovers exploring Mars, but instead of moving laboriously across the rough terrain on wheels, they would float freely from location to location. To design any balloon or airship it is essential to know the temperature of the lifting gas as this influences the volume of the gas, which in turn influences the lift. To determine this temperature it is necessary to know how heat is transferred between the craft and its surroundings. Heat transfer for existing balloons is well understood. However, Titan conditions are utterly different from those in which balloons have ever been flown, so heat transfer rates cannot currently be calculated. In particular, thermal radiation accounts for most heat transfer for existing balloons but over Titan heat transfer will be dominated by convection. To be able to make these fundamental calculations, it is necessary to get fundamental experimental data. This is being obtained by flying balloons in a Simulator filled with nitrogen gas at very low temperature, about 95° K / minus 180° C, typical of Titan's temperatures. Because the gas in the Simulator is so cold, operating at atmospheric pressure the density is close to that of Titan's atmosphere. "The Titan Sky Simulator TM " has an open interior approximately 4.5 meter tall and 2.5 meters square. It has already been operated at 95° K/-180° C. By the time of the Conference it is fully expected to have data to present from actual balloons flying at this temperature. Perhaps the most important purpose of this testing is to validate numerical [computational fluid dynamics] models being developed by Tim Colonius of Caltech. These numerical

Lipid oxidation and color changes of goose meat stored under vacuum and modified atmosphere conditions.

PubMed

Orkusz, A; Haraf, G; Okruszek, A; Werenska-Sudnik, M

2017-03-01

The objective of the work was to investigate the color and lipid oxidation changes of goose breast meat packaged in vacuum and modified atmosphere (MA) conditions consisting of 80% O2, 20% CO2, and stored in refrigerated conditions at 4°C. Color stability was monitored by determining total heme pigments concentration; relative concentration of myoglobin, oxymyoglobin, and metmyoglobin; parameters of color L*, a*, b*, and sensory evaluation of the surface color. Lipid stability was measured by determining thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The samples were examined in 24 h after slaughter (unpacked muscles) and on d 4, 7, 9, 11 of storage (muscles packed in vacuum and in MA). Through the time of storage, samples packed in MA had higher TBARS values in comparison to the meat packed in vacuum. For samples packed in two types of atmospheres, the total pigments concentration decreased gradually within 11 d of storage. It was observed that relative metmyoglobin concentration increased whereas relative oxymyoglobin concentration decreased in total heme pigments in the MA stored muscle. The relative concentration of all three myoglobin forms sample packed in vacuum remained unchanged. The color parameters (L*, a*, b*) did not change for 11 d of storage for the vacuum packed meat. The value of the color parameter a* decreased and the value of the color parameters L* and b* increased in the samples packaged in MA. The data prove that if you store goose meat in MA (consisting of 80% O2, 20% CO2) or vacuum, the unchanged surface color is preserved for 9 and 11 day, respectively.Vacuum appears to be a better method as regards the maintaining of lipid stability in goose meat. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Precipitation Phase Partitioning during Inland Penetrating Atmospheric River events: Role of Initial Land Surface Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudisill, W. J.; Flores, A. N.; FitzGerald, K.; Masarik, M. T.

2017-12-01

In the Western US, the occurrence (or lack thereof) of a handful of cool-season Atmospheric River (AR) events exerts significant controls on the seasonal water budget in many watersheds. The occurrence of these ARs can serve to alleviate drought and can also lead to significant flooding. In winter seasons, ARs typically bring warmer than average conditions and both rain and snow. To date, there has been little effort to understand how the land surface hydrological states prior to and during the arrival of ARs, acting on the surface water and energy balance, impact the onset, extent, and evolution of precipitation intensity and phase during AR events. While precipitation arriving as snow can contribute to seasonal snowpacks that lead to runoff later in hot/dry seasons, liquid precipitation can contribute to more rapid runoff or deplete existing snowpacks. The latter case, in which latent and advected heat from fallen rain causes snowmelt, is a key mechanism of flood and landslide-producing runoff in the Western United States. Motivated by an extensive, flood producing AR in 2010, we examine the sensitivity of hydrometeor phase to land surface forcings (sensible/latent heating, short/longwave radiation) using the WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model in Central Idaho. Specifically, we evaluate whether pre-existing snow covered area extent, snow water equivalent (SWE), and cold-content influence the partitioning of precipitation into solid and liquid phases during inland AR events. Our experimental design leverages a long-term coupled land-atmosphere simulation with WRF over the study domain in order to evaluate how a set of particular AR events evolve when exposed to initial land surface states capturing a broad range of climatological conditions during the past 30 years.

Dietary Supplement Adverse Event Report Data From the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS), 2004-2013.

PubMed

Timbo, Babgaleh B; Chirtel, Stuart J; Ihrie, John; Oladipo, Taiye; Velez-Suarez, Loy; Brewer, Vickery; Mozersky, Robert

2018-05-01

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) oversees the safety of the nation's foods, dietary supplements, and cosmetic products. To present a descriptive analysis of the 2004-2013 dietary supplement adverse event report (AER) data from CAERS and evaluate the 2006 Dietary Supplements and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act as pertaining to dietary supplements adverse events reporting. We queried CAERS for data from the 2004-2013 AERs specifying at least 1 suspected dietary supplement product. We extracted the product name(s), the symptom(s) reported, age, sex, and serious adverse event outcomes. We examined time trends for mandatory and voluntary reporting and performed analysis using SAS v9.4 and R v3.3.0 software. Of the total AERs (n = 15 430) received from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2013, indicating at least 1 suspected dietary supplement product, 66.9% were mandatory, 32.2% were voluntary, and 0.9% were both mandatory and voluntary. Reported serious outcomes included death, life-threatening conditions, hospitalizations, congenital anomalies/birth defects and events requiring interventions to prevent permanent impairments (5.1%). The dietary supplement adverse event reporting rate in the United States was estimated at ~2% based on CAERS data. This study characterizes CAERS dietary supplement adverse event data for the 2004-2013 period and estimates a reporting rate of 2% for dietary supplement adverse events based on CAERS data. The findings show that the 2006 Dietary Supplements and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Protection Act had a substantial impact on the reporting of adverse events.

Atmospheric Photochemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Massey, Harrie; Potter, A. E.

1961-01-01

The upper atmosphere offers a vast photochemical laboratory free from solid surfaces, so all reactions take place in the gaseous phase. At 30 km altitude the pressure has fallen to about one-hundredth of that at ground level, and we shall, rather arbitrarily, regard the upper atmosphere as beginning at that height. By a little less than 100 km the pressure has fallen to 10(exp -3) mm Hg and is decreasing by a power of ten for every 15 km increase in altitude. Essentially we are concerned then with the photochemistry of a nitrogen-oxygen mixture under low-pressure conditions in which photo-ionization, as well as photodissociation, plays an important part. Account must also be taken of the presence of rare constituents, such as water vapour and its decomposition products, including particularly hydroxyl, oxides of carbon, methane and, strangely enough, sodium, lithium and calcium. Many curious and unfamiliar reactions occur in the upper atmosphere. Some of them are luminescent, causing the atmosphere to emit a dim light called the airglow. Others, between gaseous ions and neutral molecules, are almost a complete mystery at this time. Similar interesting phenomena must occur in other planetary atmospheres, and they might be predicted if sufficient chemical information were available.

Synoptic-scale atmospheric conditions associated with flash flooding in watersheds of the Catskill Mountains, New York, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teale, N. G.; Quiring, S. M.

2015-12-01

Understanding flash flooding is important in unfiltered watersheds, such as portions of the New York City water supply system (NYCWSS), as water quality is degraded by turbidity associated with flooding. To further understand flash flooding in watersheds of the NYCWSS, synoptic-scale atmospheric conditions most frequently associated with flash flooding between 1987 and 2013 were examined. Flash floods were identified during this time period using USGS 15-minute discharge data at the Esopus Creek near Allaben, NY and Neversink River at Claryville, NY gauges. Overall, 25 flash floods were detected, occurring over 17 separate flash flood days. These flash flood days were compared to the days on which flash flood warnings encompassing the study area was issued by the National Weather Service. The success rate for which the flash flood warnings for Ulster County coincided with flash flood in the study watershed was 0.09, demonstrating the highly localized nature of flash flooding in the Catskill Mountain region. The synoptic-scale atmospheric patterns influencing the study area were characterized by a principal component analysis and k-means clustering of NCEP/NCAR 500 mb geopotential height reanalysis data. This procedure was executed in Spatial Synoptic Typer Tools 4.0. While 17 unique synoptic patterns were identified, only 3 types were strongly associated with flash flooding events. A strong southwesterly flow suggesting advection of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico is shown in composites of these 3 types. This multiscalar study thereby links flash flooding in the NYCWSS with synoptic-scale atmospheric circulation.Understanding flash flooding is important in unfiltered watersheds, such as portions of the New York City water supply system (NYCWSS), as water quality is degraded by turbidity associated with flooding. To further understand flash flooding in watersheds of the NYCWSS, synoptic-scale atmospheric conditions most frequently associated with

Relationship between Air Pollution and Weather Conditions under Complicated Geographical conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Q.; Jiang, P.; Li, M.

2017-12-01

Air pollution is one of the most serious issues all over the world, especially in megacities with constrained geographical conditions for air pollution diffusion. However, the dynamic mechanism of air pollution diffusion under complicated geographical conditions is still be confused. Researches to explore relationship between air pollution and weather conditions from the perspective of local atmospheric circulations can contribute more to solve such problem. We selected three megacities (Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou) under different geographical condition (mountain-plain transition region, coastal alluvial plain and coastal hilly terrain) to explore the relationship between air pollution and weather conditions. RDA (Redundancy analysis) model was used to analyze how the local atmospheric circulation acts on the air pollutant diffusion. The results show that there was a positive correlation between the concentration of air pollutants and air pressure, while temperature, precipitation and wind speed have negative correlations with the concentration of air pollutants. Furthermore, geographical conditions, such as topographic relief, have significant effects on the direction, path and intensity of local atmospheric circulation. As a consequence, air pollutants diffusion modes in different cities under various geographical conditions are diverse from each other.

Evolution of a Planar Wake in Adverse Pressure Gradient

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Driver, David M.; Mateer, George G.

2016-01-01

In the interest of improving the predictability of high-lift systems at maximum lift conditions, a series of fundamental experiments were conducted to study the effects of adverse pressure gradient on a wake flow. Mean and fluctuating velocities were measured with a two-component laser-Doppler velocimeter. Data were obtained for several cases of adverse pressure gradient, producing flows ranging from no reversed flow to massively reversed flow. While the turbulent Reynolds stresses increase with increasing size of the reversed flow region, the gradient of Reynolds stress does not. Computations using various turbulence models were unable to reproduce the reversed flow.

Modelling exoplanet atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauer, Heike

While the number of known extrasolar planets is steadily increasing recent years have shown the beginning of a new phase of our understanding of exoplanets due to the spectroscopic determi-nation of their atmospheric composition. Atmospheres of hot extrasolar giant gas planets have already been investigated by UV, optical and IR spectroscopy today. In future, spectroscopy of large, terrestrial planets ("super-Earth"), in particular planets in the habitable zone of their parent star, will be a major goal of investigation. Planning future space satellite observations of super-Earths requires modelling of atmospheres of terrestrial planets in different environments, such as e.g. central star type, orbital distance, as well as different atmospheric compositions. Whether planets able to support life "as we know it" exist outside our solar system is one of the most profound questions today. It can be addressed by characterizing the atmospheres of ter-restrial extrasolar planets searching for spectroscopic absorption bands of biomarker molecules. An overview of expected planetary conditions in terms of their habitability will be presented for several model scenarios of terrestrial extrasolar planets.

Do atmospheric conditions influence the first episode of primary spontaneous pneumothorax?

PubMed

Heyndrickx, Maxime; Le Rochais, Jean-Philippe; Icard, Philippe; Cantat, Olivier; Zalcman, Gérard

2015-09-01

Several studies suggest that changes in airway pressure may influence the onset of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of atmospheric changes on the onset of the first episode of PSP. We retrospectively analysed cases of pneumothorax admitted to our department between 1 January 2009 and 31 October 2013. Patients with recurrent pneumothorax, traumatic pneumothorax, older than 35 years or presenting history of underlying pulmonary disease were excluded. Meteorological data were collected from the Météo-France archives. Variation (Δ) of mean atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity, were calculated for each day between the day at which symptoms began (D-day), the day before first symptoms (D-1), 2 days before the first symptoms (D-2) and 3 days before the first symptoms (D-3). Six hundred and thirty-eight cases of pneumothorax were observed during the period of this study; 106 of them (16.6%) were a first episode of PSP. We did not observe any significant differences between days with or without PSP admission for any of the weather parameters that we tested. We could not find any thresholds in the variation of atmospheric pressure that could be used to determine the probability of PSP occurrence. Variation of atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, rainfall, wind speed and temperature were not significantly related to the onset of the first episode of PSP in healthy patients. These results suggest that the scientific community should focus on other possible aetiological factors than airway pressure modifications. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Impact of erosion testing aspects on current and future flight conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohardani, Omid

2011-05-01

High speed of aero vehicles including commercial and military aircraft, missiles, unmanned air vehicles, as well as conceptual aircraft of the future are imposing larger restrictions on the materials of these vehicles and highlight the importance of adequate quantification of material behavior and performance during different flight conditions. Erosion due to weather conditions and other present particles such as hydrometeors; rain, hail and ice, as well as sand, volcanic ash and dust resulting from residues in the atmosphere are eminent as hazardous on the structure of a flying vehicle and may adversely influence the lifecycle of the structure. This study outlines an extensive review of research efforts on erosion in aviation and provides a basis for comparison between different apparatus simulating rain erosion and their usage within the aerospace industry. The significant aspects of erosion testing and future prospects for erosion impact are further addressed for forthcoming generations of flying vehicles.

Small Impacts on Mars: Atmospheric Effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, Ronald; Nemtchinov, Ivan V.

2002-01-01

The objectives of this investigation were to study the interaction of the atmosphere with the surface of Mars through the impact of small objects that would generate dust and set the dust into motion in the atmosphere. The approach involved numerical simulations of impacts and experiments under controlled conditions. Attachment: Atmospheric disturbances and radiation impulses caused by large-meteoroid impact in the surface of Mars.

Demonstration of intradyne BPSK optical free-space transmission in representative atmospheric turbulence conditions for geostationary uplink channel.

PubMed

Surof, Janis; Poliak, Juraj; Calvo, Ramon Mata

2017-06-01

Binary phase-shift keying optical transmission in the C-band with coherent intradyne reception is demonstrated over a long-range (10.45 km) link through the atmosphere. The link emulates representative channel conditions for geostationary optical feeder uplinks in satellite communications. The digital signal processing used in recovering the transmitted data and the performed measurements are described. Finally, the bit error rate results for 10 Gbit/s, 20 Gbit/s, and 30 Gbit/s of the outdoor experiments are presented and compared with back-to-back measurements and theory.

Environmental adversities and psychotic symptoms: The impact of timing of trauma, abuse, and neglect.

PubMed

Schalinski, Inga; Breinlinger, Susanne; Hirt, Vanessa; Teicher, Martin H; Odenwald, Michael; Rockstroh, Brigitte

2017-11-13

Trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) occur more often in mental illness, including psychosis, than in the general population. Individuals with psychosis (cases) report a higher number and severity (dose) of adversities than healthy controls. While a dose-dependent increase of adversities has been related to more severe psychopathology, the role of type and timing is still insufficiently understood on the exacerbation of positive and negative psychotic symptoms. Moreover, dissociative symptoms were examined as potential mediator between adversities and severity of psychotic symptoms. Exposure to adversities were assessed by interviews in n=180 cases and n=70 controls. In cases, symptom severities were obtained for psychotic symptoms and dissociation. Conditioned random forest regression determined the importance of type and timing of ACE for positive and negative symptom severity, and mediator analyses evaluated the role of dissociative symptoms in the relationship between adversities and psychotic symptoms. Cases experienced substantially more abuse and neglect than controls. Adversities were related in a dose-dependent manner to psychotic disorder. An array of adversities was associated with more severe positive symptoms, while the conditioned random forest regression depicted neglect at age 10 as the most important predictor. Dissociative symptoms mediated the small relation of trauma load in childhood and positive symptoms. The role of trauma and ACE on psychotic symptoms can be specified by neglect during frontocortical development in the exacerbation of positive symptoms. The mediating role of dissociation is restricted to the relation of childhood trauma and positive symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Associations of early childhood adversities with mental disorders, psychological functioning, and suitability for psychotherapy in adulthood.

PubMed

Heinonen, Erkki; Knekt, Paul; Härkänen, Tommi; Virtala, Esa; Lindfors, Olavi

2018-06-01

Childhood adversities frequently precede adulthood depression and anxiety. Yet, how they impact needed treatment duration, type or focus in these common disorders, is unclear. For developing more individualized and precise interventions, we investigated whether specific early adversities associate with patients' distinct psychiatric problems, psychological vulnerabilities, and suitability for psychotherapy. A total of 221 depressed and anxious adult outpatients (excluding psychotic, severe personality, bipolar, and substance abuse disorders) referred from community, student, occupational, and private healthcare services filled the Childhood Family Atmosphere Questionnaire (CFAQ). They also filled self-reports on interpersonal behavior and problems, perceived competence, dispositional optimism, sense of coherence, defenses, and psychiatric history. Clinicians assessed the patients' symptomatology, personality, object relations, cognitive performance, and psychotherapy suitability. Regression analyses were conducted. Childhood adversities predicted both worse current psychological functioning (e.g., interpersonal problems), and better clinician-rated capacities for benefiting from psychotherapy (e.g. self-reflection, capacity for interaction). Parental problems had the most numerous negative associations to psychological functioning. Best capacities for psychotherapy were predicted by recollected family unhappiness. Associations with psychiatric criteria were, however, largely non-significant. In conclusion, for psychosocial treatment planning, patients' early adversities may indicate both vulnerability and resources. As childhood adversities are frequent among treatment-seekers, further studies examining how early adversities predict psychotherapy outcome are needed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Brief Report: Examining the Association of Autism and Adverse Childhood Experiences in the National Survey of Children's Health: The Important Role of Income and Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerns, Connor Morrow; Newschaffer, Craig J.; Berkowitz, Steven; Lee, Brian K.

2017-01-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are risk factors for mental and physical illness and more likely to occur for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study aimed to clarify the contribution of poverty, intellectual disability and mental health conditions to this disparity. Data on child and family characteristics, mental…

Developmental psychoneuroendocrine and psychoneuroimmune pathways from childhood adversity to disease.

PubMed

Kuhlman, Kate Ryan; Chiang, Jessica J; Horn, Sarah; Bower, Julienne E

2017-09-01

Childhood adversity has been repeatedly and robustly linked to physical and mental illness across the lifespan. Yet, the biological pathways through which this occurs remain unclear. Functioning of the inflammatory arm of the immune system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis are both hypothesized pathways through which childhood adversity leads to disease. This review provides a novel developmental framework for examining the role of adversity type and timing in inflammatory and HPA-axis functioning. In particular, we identify elements of childhood adversity that are salient to the developing organism: physical threat, disrupted caregiving, and unpredictable environmental conditions. We propose that existing, well-characterized animal models may be useful in differentiating the effects of these adversity elements and review both the animal and human literature that supports these ideas. To support these hypotheses, we also provide a detailed description of the development and structure of both the HPA-axis and the inflammatory arm of the immune system, as well as recent methodological advances in their measurement. Recommendations for future basic, developmental, translational, and clinical research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinetics of the heterogeneous photo oxidation of the pesticide bupirimate by OH-radicals and ozone under atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Bouya, H; Errami, M; Chakir, A; Roth, E

2015-09-01

This article is concerned with the study of the photochemical degradation of bupirimate adsorbed on a quartz surface by atmospheric oxidants, namely ozone and OH radicals. OH oxidation experiments were conducted relative to two reference compounds, terbuthylazine and (4-chlorophenyl)(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl) methanone. Meanwhile, ozone oxidation experiments were performed in the absolute mode and were interpreted by both, the Surface Layer Reaction and the Gas Surface Reaction models of heterogeneous reactions. The obtained results show that the rate constants for the reactions between bupirimate and OH radicals and ozone are (cm(3)molecule(-1)s(-1)): (1.06 ± 0.87) × 10(-12) and (5.4 ± 0.3) × 10(-20), respectively. As a consequence, for the experimental conditions used in this study, the lifetime of bupirimate at quartz like surface/atmosphere interfaces is several months against ozone and a tenth of days against OH-radical. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The association between adverse childhood experiences and adult traumatic brain injury/concussion: a scoping review.

PubMed

Ma, Zechen; Bayley, Mark T; Perrier, Laure; Dhir, Priya; Dépatie, Lana; Comper, Paul; Ruttan, Lesley; Lay, Christine; Munce, Sarah E P

2018-01-12

Adverse childhood experiences are significant risk factors for physical and mental illnesses in adulthood. Traumatic brain injury/concussion is a challenging condition where pre-injury factors may affect recovery. The association between childhood adversity and traumatic brain injury/concussion has not been previously reviewed. The research question addressed is: What is known from the existing literature about the association between adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury/concussion in adults? All original studies of any type published in English since 2007 on adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury/concussion outcomes were included. The literature search was conducted in multiple electronic databases. Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al.'s scoping review frameworks were used. Two reviewers independently completed screening and data abstraction. The review yielded six observational studies. Included studies were limited to incarcerated or homeless samples, and individuals at high-risk of or with mental illnesses. Across studies, methods for childhood adversity and traumatic brain injury/concussion assessment were heterogeneous. A positive association between adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury occurrence was identified. The review highlights the importance of screening and treatment of adverse childhood experiences. Future research should extend to the general population and implications on injury recovery. Implications for rehabilitation Exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with increased risk of traumatic brain injury. Specific types of adverse childhood experiences associated with risk of traumatic brain injury include childhood physical abuse, psychological abuse, household member incarceration, and household member drug abuse. Clinicians and researchers should inquire about adverse childhood experiences in all people with traumatic brain injury as pre-injury health conditions can

Atmospheric conditions and weather regimes associated with extreme winter dry spells over the Mediterranean basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raymond, Florian; Ullmann, Albin; Camberlin, Pierre; Oueslati, Boutheina; Drobinski, Philippe

2018-06-01

Very long dry spell events occurring during winter are natural hazards to which the Mediterranean region is extremely vulnerable, because they can lead numerous impacts for environment and society. Four dry spell patterns have been identified in a previous work. Identifying the main associated atmospheric conditions controlling the dry spell patterns is key to better understand their dynamics and their evolution in a changing climate. Except for the Levant region, the dry spells are generally associated with anticyclonic blocking conditions located about 1000 km to the Northwest of the affected area. These anticyclonic conditions are favourable to dry spell occurrence as they are associated with subsidence of cold and dry air coming from boreal latitudes which bring low amount of water vapour and non saturated air masses, leading to clear sky and absence of precipitation. These extreme dry spells are also partly related to the classical four Euro-Atlantic weather regimes are: the two phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation, the Scandinavian "blocking" or "East-Atlantic", and the "Atlantic ridge". Only the The "East-Atlantic", "Atlantic ridge" and the positive phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation are frequently associated with extremes dry spells over the Mediterranean basin but they do not impact the four dry spell patterns equally. Finally long sequences of those weather regimes are more favourable to extreme dry spells than short sequences. These long sequences are associated with the favourable prolonged and reinforced anticyclonic conditions

Time-varying Atmospheric Circulation Patterns Caused by N2 Condensation Flows on a Simulated Triton Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, C.; Chanover, N.; Murphy, J. R.; Zalucha, A. M.

2011-12-01

Triton and Pluto are two members of a possible class of bodies with an N2 frost covered surface in vapor-pressure equilibrium with a predominately N2 atmosphere. Modeling the dynamics of such an atmosphere is useful for several reasons. First, winds on Triton were inferred from images of surface streaks and active plumes visible at the time of the Voyager 2 flyby in August 1989. Dynamic atmospheric simulations can reveal the seasonal conditions under which such winds would arise and therefore how long before the Voyager 2 encounter the ground streaks may have been deposited. Second, atmospheric conditions on Pluto at the time of the New Horizons flyby are expected to be similar to those on Triton. Therefore, a dynamical model of a cold, thin N2 atmosphere can be used to predict wind speed and direction on Pluto during the New Horizons encounter with the Pluto/Charon system in July 2015. We used a modified version of the NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model, version 2.0, to model an N2 atmosphere in contact with N2 surface frosts. We altered the Ames GCM to simulate conditions found on Triton. These alterations included changing the size, rotation rate, orbital inclination, surface gravity, and distance to the Sun of the parent body to model the proper time-varying insolation. We defined the gas properties for an N2 atmosphere, including values for latent heat, specific heat, and the vapor pressure-temperature relationship for N2 frosts. Our simulations assumed an N2 atmosphere with an initial average surface pressure of 18 microbars and we chose N2 frost albedo and emissivity values that resulted in a stable surface pressure over time. We incorporated a 190-meter deep ten-layer water-ice subsurface layer covered with a 20-centimeter global layer of N2 frost. Our simulations did not include atmospheric radiative heat transfer, but did include conduction, convection, and surface-boundary layer heating. We ran simulations of 100 Triton days at 10 points along

Smallpox vaccination and adverse reactions. Guidance for clinicians.

PubMed

Cono, Joanne; Casey, Christine G; Bell, David M

2003-02-21

The guidance in this report is for evaluation and treatment of patients with complications from smallpox vaccination in the preoutbreak setting. Information is also included related to reporting adverse events and seeking specialized consultation and therapies for these events. The frequencies of smallpox vaccine-associated adverse events were identified in studies of the 1960s. Because of the unknown prevalence of risk factors among today's population, precise predictions of adverse reaction rates after smallpox vaccination are unavailable. The majority of adverse events are minor, but the less-frequent serious adverse reactions require immediate evaluation for diagnosis and treatment. Agents for treatment of certain vaccine-associated severe adverse reactions are vaccinia immune globulin (VIG), the first-line therapy, and cidofovir, the second-line therapy. These agents will be available under Investigational New Drug (IND) protocols from CDC and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Smallpox vaccination in the preoutbreak setting is contraindicated for persons who have the following conditions or have a close contact with the following conditions: 1) a history of atopic dermatitis (commonly referred to as eczema), irrespective of disease severity or activity; 2) active acute, chronic, or exfoliative skin conditions that disrupt the epidermis; 3) pregnant women or women who desire to become pregnant in the 28 days after vaccination; and 4) persons who are immunocompromised as a result of human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, autoimmune conditions, cancer, radiation treatment, immunosuppressive medications, or other immunodeficiencies. Additional contraindications that apply only to vaccination candidates but do not include their close contacts are persons with smallpox vaccine-component allergies, women who are breastfeeding, those taking topical ocular steroid medications, those with moderate-to-severe intercurrent illness, and

Understanding Natural Gas Methane Leakage from Buried Pipelines as Affected by Soil and Atmospheric Conditions - Field Scale Experimental and Modeling Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, K. M.; Mitton, M.; Moradi, A.; Chamindu, D. K.

2017-12-01

Reducing the amount of leaked natural gas (NG) from pipelines from production to use has become a high priority in efforts to cut anthropogenic emissions of methane. In addition to environmental impacts, NG leakage can cause significant economic losses and safety failures such as fires and explosions. However, tracking and evaluating NG pipeline leaks requires a better understanding of the leak from the source to the detector as well as more robust quantification methods. Although recent measurement-based approaches continue to make progress towards this end, efforts are hampered due to the complexity of leakage scenarios. Sub- surface transport of leaked NG from pipelines occurs through complex transport pathways due to soil heterogeneities and changes in soil moisture. Furthermore, it is affected by variable atmospheric conditions such as winds, frontal passages and rain. To better understand fugitive emissions from NG pipelines, we developed a field scale testbed that simulates low pressure gas leaks from pipe buried in soil. The system is equipped with subsurface and surface sensors to continuously monitor changes in soil and atmospheric conditions (e.g. moisture, pressure, temperature) and methane concentrations. Using this testbed, we are currently conducting a series of gas leakage experiments to study of the impact of subsurface (e.g. soil moisture, heterogeneity) and atmospheric conditions (near-surface wind and temperature) on the detected gas signals and establish the relative importance of the many pathways for methane migration between the source and the sensor location. Accompanying numerical modeling of the system using the multiphase transport simulator TOUGH2-EOS7CA demonstrates the influence of leak location and direction on gas migration. These findings will better inform leak detectors of the leak severity before excavation, aiding with safety precautions and work order categorization for improved efficiency.

Transboundary atmospheric lead pollution.

PubMed

Erel, Yigal; Axelrod, Tamar; Veron, Alain; Mahrer, Yitzak; Katsafados, Petros; Dayan, Uri

2002-08-01

A high-temporal resolution collection technique was applied to refine aerosol sampling in Jerusalem, Israel. Using stable lead isotopes, lead concentrations, synoptic data, and atmospheric modeling, we demonstrate that lead detected in the atmosphere of Jerusalem is not only anthropogenic lead of local origin but also lead emitted in other countries. Fifty-seven percent of the collected samples contained a nontrivial fraction of foreign atmospheric lead and had 206Pb/207Pb values which deviated from the local petrol-lead value (206Pb/207Pb = 1.113) by more than two standard deviations (0.016). Foreign 206Pb/207Pb values were recorded in Jerusalem on several occasions. The synoptic conditions on these dates and reported values of the isotopic composition of lead emitted in various countries around Israel suggest that the foreign lead was transported to Jerusalem from Egypt, Turkey, and East Europe. The average concentration of foreign atmospheric lead in Jerusalem was 23 +/- 17 ng/m3, similar to the average concentration of local atmospheric lead, 21 +/- 18 ng/ m3. Hence, the load of foreign atmospheric lead is similar to the load of local atmospheric lead in Jerusalem.

Impact of local environmental conditions on atmospheric electrical potential gradient measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzás, Attila; Barta, Veronika; Steinbach, Péter; Bór, József

2017-04-01

The atmospheric electrical potential gradient (PG) is a fundamental parameter of the global electric circuit (GEC) which comprises all large scale quasi-static electrical processes occurring in between the surface of the Earth and the lower ionosphere. The observation of PG near the Earth's surface plays a pivotal role in surveying our atmospheric electrical environment. The PG shows high variability in different temporal and spatial scales and it is especially sensitive to local effects. Therefore, obtaining a PG value which represents the general state of the GEC over a larger area rather than various effects due to measuring site-specific local factors is a challenging task. PG measurements are going on in the Széchenyi István Geophysical Observatory (NCK, 47°38' N, 16°43' E) of the Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences near Nagycenk, Hungary since 1961. PG sensors are set up in NCK in an open area surrounded by buildings and trees within 20 m distance. The effect of the changing vegetation on the long-term trend observed in the PG variation at NCK has been subject of debates [1,2,3]. In order to examine the possible bias in the measured PG values due to the relatively close buildings and trees at NCK, two sets of simultaneous PG measurements from two EFM-100 field mills were compared. One field mill was kept at a fixed location while the other was moved to grid points covering the open area around the fixed field mill. The measurement was done in fair weather conditions in summer and was repeated during the winter. The poster demonstrates the performance of this method in surveying the effect of various objects and the state of vegetation on the measured PG values by comparing the measured PG differences to those obtained from electrostatic models calculated by the finite element method using the FEMM 4.2 software package. [1] F. Märcz and R. G. Harrison, 2003, Annales Gephysicae, 21: 2193-2200 [2] F. Märcz and R

Analysis of atmospheric flow over a surface protrusion using the turbulence kinetic energy equation with reference to aeronautical operating systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frost, W.; Harper, W. L.

1975-01-01

Flow over surface obstructions can produce significantly large wind shears such that adverse flying conditions can occur for aeronautical systems (helicopters, STOL vehicles, etc.). Atmospheric flow fields resulting from a semi-elliptical surface obstruction in an otherwise horizontally homogeneous statistically stationary flow are modelled with the boundary-layer/Boussinesq-approximation of the governing equation of fluid mechanics. The turbulence kinetic energy equation is used to determine the dissipative effects of turbulent shear on the mean flow. Iso-lines of turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence intensity are plotted in the plane of the flow and highlight regions of high turbulence intensity in the stagnation zone and sharp gradients in intensity along the transition from adverse to favourable pressure gradient. Discussion of the effects of the disturbed wind field in CTOL and STOL aircraft flight path and obstruction clearance standards is given. The results indicate that closer inspection of these presently recommended standards as influenced by wind over irregular terrains is required.

The vertical structure of convectively-driven cloud microphysics and its dependency on atmospheric conditions: An investigation through observations and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Diedenhoven, B.; Fridlind, A. M.; Sinclair, K.; Ackerman, A. S.

2016-12-01

It is generally observed that ice crystal sizes decrease as a function of altitude within clouds. This dependency is often explained as resulting from size sorting owing to the greater fall speeds of larger particles, but may also be related to dependence of ice diffusional growth on available water vapor and temperature, or other factors. Furthermore, the vertical variation of ice sizes is expected to be affected by the glaciation temperature of convectively-driven clouds. Realistic modeling of ice formation, growth and sedimentation is crucial to reliably represent vertical structures of ice clouds and cloud evolution in general. In this presentation we use remote sensing observations of glaciation temperature and ice effective radius obtained with airborne instruments to explore how their vertical dependencies vary with atmospheric conditions, such as humidity and wind profiles. Our focus will be on convectively-driven clouds. Subsequently, we test the ability of a quasi-idealized cloud permitting model to reproduce these dependencies of ice formation and size to atmospheric conditions, applying various ice growth and multiplication assumptions. The goal of this study is to identify variables that determine the vertical structure of cold clouds that can be used to evaluate model simulations.

Adverse childhood exposures and reported child health at age 12.

PubMed

Flaherty, Emalee G; Thompson, Richard; Litrownik, Alan J; Zolotor, Adam J; Dubowitz, Howard; Runyan, Desmond K; English, Diana J; Everson, Mark D

2009-01-01

The relationship between adverse childhood exposures and poor health, illness, and somatic complaints at age 12 was examined. LONGSCAN (Consortium for Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect) tracks a group of children with variable risk for maltreatment. Of the participating child-caregiver dyads, 805 completed an interview when the child was age 4 or age 6, as well as interviews at age 8 and 12. The relationships between 8 categories of childhood adversity (psychological maltreatment, physical abuse, sexual abuse, child neglect, caregiver's substance/alcohol use, caregiver's depressive symptoms, caregiver's being treated violently, and criminal behavior in the household) and child health at age 12 were analyzed. The impact of adversity in the first 6 years of life and adversity in the second 6 years of life on child health were compared. Only 10% of the children had experienced no adversity, while more than 20% had experienced 5 or more types of childhood adversity. At age 12, 37% of the children sampled had some health complaint. Exposure to 5 or more adversities, particularly exposure in the second 6 years of life, was significantly associated with increased risks of any health complaint (odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.02-4.96), an illness requiring a doctor (OR 3.69, 95% CI 1.02-15.1), and caregivers' reports of child's somatic complaints (OR 3.37, 95% CI 1.14-1.0). There was no association between adverse exposures and self-rated poor health or self-rated somatic complaints. A comprehensive assessment of children's health should include a careful history of their past exposure to adverse conditions and maltreatment. Interventions aimed at reducing these exposures may result in better child health.

Prenatal Adversities and Latino Children’s Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity Trajectories from 6 Months to 5 Years of Age

PubMed Central

Alkon, Abbey; Boyce, W. Thomas; Tran, Linh; Harley, Kim G.; Neuhaus, John; Eskenazi, Brenda

2014-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine whether mothers’ adversities experienced during early pregnancy are associated with offspring’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity trajectories from 6 months to 5 years of age. This cohort study of primarily Latino families included maternal interviews at 13–14 weeks gestation about their experience of a range of adversities: father’s absence, general social support, poverty level, and household density. ANS measures of heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (parasympathetic nervous system) and preejection period (sympathetic nervous system) were collected during resting and challenging conditions on children at 6 months and 1, 3.5 and 5 years of age. Reactivity measures were calculated as the mean of the responses to challenging conditions minus a resting condition. Fixed effects models were conducted for the 212 children with two or more timepoints of ANS measures. Interactions between maternal prenatal adversity levels and child age at time of ANS protocol were included in the models, allowing the calculation of separate trajectories or slopes for each level of adversity. Results showed no significant relations between mothers’ prenatal socioeconomic or social support adversity and offspring’s parasympathetic nervous system trajectories, but there was a statistically significant relationship between social support adversity and offspring’s heart rate trajectories (p<.05) and a borderline significant relationship between socioeconomic adversity and offspring’s sympathetic nervous system trajectories (p = .05). Children whose mothers experienced one, not two, social support adversity had the smallest increases in heart rate reactivity compared to children whose mothers experienced no adversity. The children whose mothers experienced no social support and no socioeconomic adversity had the largest increases in heart rate and preejection period respectively from 6 months to 5 years showing the

Direct measurements of the atmospheric conduction current

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burke, H. K.; Few, A. A.

1978-01-01

A method of measuring the atmospheric conduction current above the ground has been employed to obtain data for 12 weeks during the first half of 1974. The instrument consists of a split aluminum sphere suspended by insulated wires to a wooden frame. The measuring electronics and the transmitter are enclosed within the spherical structure. The interaction of the instrument with its atmospheric electrical environment is analyzed, and it is shown that in steady state conditions, predictable differences in the instrumentally measured currents and the atmospheric conduction current will be less than 5% and in the nonsteady state situations the difference is less than 20%. Diurnal variations, a probable winter-summer variation, sunrise, and fog effects were observed for the data obtained during fair-weather conditions. Disturbed weather data are interpreted for the effects of low clouds on the atmospheric current. The charge concentrations within overcast clouds sufficient to produce the observed reversed atmospheric currents are estimated to be small in relation to values in thunderclouds.

Large-eddy simulations of adverse pressure gradient turbulent boundary layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobke, Alexandra; Vinuesa, Ricardo; Örlü, Ramis; Schlatter, Philipp

2016-04-01

Adverse pressure-gradient (APG) turbulent boundary layers (TBL) are studied by performing well-resolved large-eddy simulations. The pressure gradient is imposed by defining the free-stream velocity distribution with the description of a power law. Different inflow conditions, box sizes and upper boundary conditions are tested in order to determine the final set-up. The statistics of turbulent boundary layers with two different power-law coefficients and thus magnitudes of adverse pressure gradients are then compared to zero pressure-gradient (ZPG) data. The effect of the APG on TBLs is manifested in the mean flow through a much more prominent wake region and in the Reynolds stresses through the existence of an outer peak. The pre-multiplied energy budgets show that more energy is transported from the near-wall region to farther away from the wall.

Incidence and economic burden of suspected adverse events and adverse event monitoring during AF therapy.

PubMed

Kim, M H; Lin, J; Hussein, M; Battleman, D

2009-12-01

Rhythm- and rate-control therapies are an essential part of atrial fibrillation (AF) management; however, the use of existing agents is often limited by the occurrence of adverse events. The aim of this study was to evaluate suspected adverse events and adverse event monitoring, and associated medical costs, in patients receiving AF rhythm-control and/or rate-control therapy. This retrospective cohort study used claims data from the Integrated Healthcare Information Systems National Managed Care Benchmark Database from 2002-2006. Patients hospitalized for AF (primary diagnosis), and who had at least 365 days' enrollment before and after the initial (index) AF hospitalization, were included in the analysis. Suspected AF therapy-related adverse events and function tests for adverse event monitoring were identified according to pre-specified diagnosis codes/procedures, and examined over the 12 months following discharge from the index hospitalization. Events/function tests had to have occurred within 90 days of a claim for AF therapy to be considered a suspected adverse event/adverse event monitoring. Of 4174 AF patients meeting the study criteria, 3323 received AF drugs; 428 received rhythm-control only (12.9%), 2130 rate-control only (64.1%), and 765 combined rhythm/rate-control therapy (23.0%). Overall, 50.1% of treated patients had a suspected adverse event and/or function test for adverse event monitoring (45.5% with rate-control, 53.5% with rhythm-control, and 61.2% with combined rhythm/rate-control). Suspected cardiovascular adverse events were the most common events (occurring in 36.1% of patients), followed by pulmonary (6.1%), and endocrine events (5.9%). Overall, suspected adverse events/function tests were associated with mean annual per-patient costs of $3089 ($1750 with rhythm-control, $2041 with rate control, and $6755 with combined rhythm/rate-control). As a retrospective analysis, the study is subject to potential selection bias, while its reliance on

16 CFR 1112.51 - What are the procedures relevant to adverse actions?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... assessment body, the CPSC may establish conditions for the reacceptance of the accreditation of the third party conformity assessment body, under section 14(e)(2)(B)(ii) of the CPSA. Any such conditions would... SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO THIRD PARTY CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT BODIES Adverse...

Modelling the adverse effects associated with ecstasy use.

PubMed

Fisk, John E; Murphy, Philip N; Montgomery, Catharine; Hadjiefthyvoulou, Florentia

2011-04-01

Ecstasy, the street name for 3,4-meththylenedioxymethamphetamine, has been associated with a range of psychiatric symptoms and impaired psychological health in both problem and recreational users. The purpose of the present paper is to determine how these impairments are related to the history of polydrug use, and the conditions under which individuals ingest ecstasy. Associations between the variables of interest were investigated utilizing negative binomial regression. Liverpool and Preston in the North West of England. A convenience sample of 159 recreational ecstasy/polydrug users (80 males, 79 females). The sample was composed primarily of undergraduates. The dependent variable was the number of reported ecstasy-related adverse effects. Independent variables included quantitative aspects of ecstasy and other drug use, and the various beliefs and behaviours associated with ecstasy use. The number of adverse effects was associated positively with life-time exposure to ecstasy and negatively with period of abstinence from the drug. Adverse effects were more common among those who consumed ecstasy and alcohol concurrently, but were unrelated to other aspects of polydrug use. They were unaffected by whether the user took precautions when using the drug, and only weakly related to prior beliefs concerning the effects of ecstasy. Greater life-time exposure to ecstasy and consuming the drug concurrently with alcohol increase the likelihood of experiencing adverse effects, including paranoia, poor general health, irritability, confusion and moodiness. Adverse effects decrease with the period of abstinence from the drug. © 2010 The Authors, Addiction © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Early origins of inflammation: An examination of prenatal and childhood social adversity in a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Slopen, Natalie; Loucks, Eric B; Appleton, Allison A; Kawachi, Ichiro; Kubzansky, Laura D; Non, Amy L; Buka, Stephen; Gilman, Stephen E

2015-01-01

Children exposed to social adversity carry a greater risk of poor physical and mental health into adulthood. This increased risk is thought to be due, in part, to inflammatory processes associated with early adversity that contribute to the etiology of many adult illnesses. The current study asks whether aspects of the prenatal social environment are associated with levels of inflammation in adulthood, and whether prenatal and childhood adversity both contribute to adult inflammation. We examined associations of prenatal and childhood adversity assessed through direct interviews of participants in the Collaborative Perinatal Project between 1959 and 1974 with blood levels of C-reactive protein in 355 offspring interviewed in adulthood (mean age=42.2 years). Linear and quantile regression models were used to estimate the effects of prenatal adversity and childhood adversity on adult inflammation, adjusting for age, sex, and race and other potential confounders. In separate linear regression models, high levels of prenatal and childhood adversity were associated with higher CRP in adulthood. When prenatal and childhood adversity were analyzed together, our results support the presence of an effect of prenatal adversity on (log) CRP level in adulthood (β=0.73, 95% CI: 0.26, 1.20) that is independent of childhood adversity and potential confounding factors including maternal health conditions reported during pregnancy. Supplemental analyses revealed similar findings using quantile regression models and logistic regression models that used a clinically-relevant CRP threshold (>3mg/L). In a fully-adjusted model that included childhood adversity, high prenatal adversity was associated with a 3-fold elevated odds (95% CI: 1.15, 8.02) of having a CRP level in adulthood that indicates high risk of cardiovascular disease. Social adversity during the prenatal period is a risk factor for elevated inflammation in adulthood independent of adversities during childhood. This

Using Mesoscale Weather Model Output as Boundary Conditions for Atmospheric Large-Eddy Simulations and Wind-Plant Aerodynamic Simulations (Presentation)

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

Churchfield, M. J.; Michalakes, J.; Vanderwende, B.

Wind plant aerodynamics are directly affected by the microscale weather, which is directly influenced by the mesoscale weather. Microscale weather refers to processes that occur within the atmospheric boundary layer with the largest scales being a few hundred meters to a few kilometers depending on the atmospheric stability of the boundary layer. Mesoscale weather refers to large weather patterns, such as weather fronts, with the largest scales being hundreds of kilometers wide. Sometimes microscale simulations that capture mesoscale-driven variations (changes in wind speed and direction over time or across the spatial extent of a wind plant) are important in windmore » plant analysis. In this paper, we present our preliminary work in coupling a mesoscale weather model with a microscale atmospheric large-eddy simulation model. The coupling is one-way beginning with the weather model and ending with a computational fluid dynamics solver using the weather model in coarse large-eddy simulation mode as an intermediary. We simulate one hour of daytime moderately convective microscale development driven by the mesoscale data, which are applied as initial and boundary conditions to the microscale domain, at a site in Iowa. We analyze the time and distance necessary for the smallest resolvable microscales to develop.« less

Timescale Correlation between Marine Atmospheric Exposure and Accelerated Corrosion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Eliza L.; Calle, Luz Marina; Curran, Jerone C.; Kolody, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Evaluation of metal-based structures has long relied on atmospheric exposure test sites to determine corrosion resistance in marine environments. Traditional accelerated corrosion testing relies on mimicking the exposure conditions, often incorporating salt spray and ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and exposing the metal to continuous or cyclic conditions of the corrosive environment. Their success for correlation to atmospheric exposure is often a concern when determining the timescale to which the accelerated tests can be related. Accelerated laboratory testing, which often focuses on the electrochemical reactions that occur during corrosion conditions, has yet to be universally accepted as a useful tool in predicting the long term service life of a metal despite its ability to rapidly induce corrosion. Although visual and mass loss methods of evaluating corrosion are the standard and their use is imperative, a method that correlates timescales from atmospheric exposure to accelerated testing would be very valuable. This work uses surface chemistry to interpret the chemical changes occurring on low carbon steel during atmospheric and accelerated corrosion conditions with the objective of finding a correlation between its accelerated and long-term corrosion performance. The current results of correlating data from marine atmospheric exposure conditions at the Kennedy Space Center beachside corrosion test site, alternating seawater spray, and immersion in typical electrochemical laboratory conditions, will be presented. Key words: atmospheric exposure, accelerated corrosion testing, alternating seawater spray, marine, correlation, seawater, carbon steel, long-term corrosion performance prediction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Laser Doppler systems in atmospheric turbulence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murty, S. S. R.

1976-01-01

The loss of heterodyne signal power for the Marshall Space Flight Center laser Doppler system due to the random changes in the atmospheric index of refraction is investigated. The current status in the physics of low energy laser propagation through turbulent atmosphere is presented. The analysis and approximate evaluation of the loss of the heterodyne signal power due to the atmospheric absorption, scattering, and turbulence are estimated for the conditions of the January 1973 flight tests. Theoretical and experimental signal to noise values are compared. Maximum and minimum values of the atmospheric attenuation over a two way path of 20 km range are calculated as a function of altitude using models of atmosphere, aerosol concentration, and turbulence.

Upper limits to the fractionation of isotopes due to atmospheric escape: Implications for potential 14N/15N in Pluto's atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandt, K.; Mousis, O.

2014-12-01

Formation and evolution of the solar system is studied in part using stable isotope ratios that are presumed to be primordial, or representative of conditions in the protosolar Nebula. Comets, meteorites and giant planet atmospheres provide measurements that can reasonably be presumed to represent primordial conditions while the terrestrial planets, Pluto and Saturn's moon Titan have atmospheres that have evolved over the history of the solar system. The stable isotope ratios measured in these atmospheres are, therefore, first a valuable tool for evaluating the history of atmospheric escape and once escape is constrained can provide indications of conditions of formation. D/H ratios in the atmosphere of Venus provide indications of the amount of water lost from Venus over the history of the solar system, while several isotope ratios in the atmosphere of Mars provide evidence for long-term erosion of the atmosphere. We have recently demonstrated that the nitrogen ratios, 14N/15N, in Titan's atmosphere cannot evolve significantly over the history of the solar system and that the primordial ratio for Titan must have been similar to the value recently measured for NH3 in comets. This implies that the building blocks for Titan formed in the protosolar nebula rather than in the warmer subnebula surrounding Saturn at the end of its formation. Our result strongly contrasts with works showing that 14N/15N in the atmosphere of Mars can easily fractionate from the terrestrial value to its current value due to escape processes within the lifetime of the solar system. The difference between how nitrogen fractionates in Mars and Titan's atmospheres presents a puzzle for the fractionation of isotopes in an atmosphere due to atmospheric escape. Here, we present a method aiming at determining an upper limit to the amount of fractionation allowed to occur due to escape, which is a function of the escape flux and the column density of the atmospheric constituent. Through this

Risk of Adverse Health Outcomes and Decrements in Performance Due to In-flight Medical Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antonsen,Erik

2017-01-01

The drive to undertake long-duration space exploration missions at greater distances from Earth gives rise to many challenges concerning human performance under extreme conditions. At NASA, the Human Research Program (HRP) has been established to investigate the specific risks to astronaut health and performance presented by space exploration, in addition to developing necessary countermeasures and technology to reduce risk and facilitate safer, more productive missions in space (NASA Human Research Program 2009). The HRP is divided into five subsections, covering behavioral health, space radiation, habitability, and other areas of interest. Within this structure is the ExMC Element, whose research contributes to the overall development of new technologies to overcome the challenges of expanding human exploration and habitation of space. The risk statement provided by the HRP to the ExMC Element states: "Given that medical conditions/events will occur during human spaceflight missions, there is a possibility of adverse health outcomes and decrements in performance in mission and for long term health" (NASA Human Research Program 2016). Within this risk context, the Exploration Medical Capabilities (ExMC) Element is specifically concerned with establishing evidenced-based methods of monitoring and maintaining astronaut health. Essential to completing this task is the advancement in techniques that identify, prevent, and treat any health threats that may occur during space missions. The ultimate goal of the ExMC Element is to develop and demonstrate a pathway for medical system integration into vehicle and mission design to mitigate the risk of medical issues. Integral to this effort is inclusion of an evidence-based medical and data handling system appropriate for long-duration, exploration-class missions. This requires a clear Concept of Operations, quantitative risk metrics or other tools to address changing risk throughout a mission, and system scoping and system

Inhibitory effect of high-strength ammonia nitrogen on bio-treatment of landfill leachate using EGSB reactor under mesophilic and atmospheric conditions.

PubMed

Liu, Jianyong; Luo, Jinghuan; Zhou, Jizhi; Liu, Qiang; Qian, Guangren; Xu, Zhi Ping

2012-06-01

The inhibitory effect of high-strength NH(3)-N on anaerobic biodegradation of landfill leachates in an EGSB bioreactor has been investigated. The research compared start-up performance of the reactor treating the landfill leachate with NH(3)-N in 242-1200 mg/l to that treating the compost leachate with NH(3)-N in 38-410 mg/l. The observations showed that the performance of the reactor treating the landfill leachate was only marginally worse than that treating the compost leachate at the mesophilic temperature when NH(3)-N concentration was under 1500 mg/l. We also noted that NH(3)-N at the concentration of 1500-3000 mg/l inhibited the biodegradation. The comparative biodegradation performance at the mesophilic and atmospheric temperature demonstrated that the maximal OLR of atmospheric digestion was only reduced to 44 kg COD/m(3)d. These findings indicate that landfill leachates with NH(3)-N less than 1500 mg/l could be efficiently treated in the EGSB bioreactor even under the atmospheric condition with methane generated. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Influence of Dust Loading on Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norman, Ryan B.; Gronoff, Guillaume; Mertens, Christopher J.

2014-01-01

Measuring the radiation environment at the surface of Mars is the primary goal of the Radiation Assessment Detector on the NASA Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover. One of the conditions that Curiosity will likely encounter is a dust storm. The objective of this paper is to compute the cosmic ray ionization in different conditions, including dust storms, as these various conditions are likely to be encountered by Curiosity at some point. In the present work, the Nowcast of Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety model, recently modified for Mars, was used along with the Badhwar & O'Neill 2010 galactic cosmic ray model. In addition to galactic cosmic rays, five different solar energetic particle event spectra were considered. For all input radiation environments, radiation dose throughout the atmosphere and at the surface was investigated as a function of atmospheric dust loading. It is demonstrated that for galactic cosmic rays, the ionization depends strongly on the atmosphere profile. Moreover, it is shown that solar energetic particle events strongly increase the ionization throughout the atmosphere, including ground level, and can account for the radio blackout conditions observed by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding instrument on the Mars Express spacecraft. These results demonstrate that the cosmic rays' influence on the Martian surface chemistry is strongly dependent on solar and atmospheric conditions that should be taken into account for future studies.

Pathways towards risk: syndemic conditions mediate the effect of adversity on HIV risk behaviors among young men who have sex with men (YMSM).

PubMed

Herrick, Amy; Stall, Ron; Egan, James; Schrager, Sheree; Kipke, Michele

2014-10-01

Research shows that young men who have sex with men (YMSM) engage in higher rates of health risk behaviors and experience higher rates of negative health outcomes than their peers. The purpose of this study is to determine if the effects of adversity on HIV risk are mediated by syndemics (co-occurring health problems). Participants were 470 ethnically diverse YMSM ages 18 to 24 recruited between 2005 and 2006 and surveyed every 6 months for 24 months. Regression analyses examined the impact of adversity on syndemics (emotional distress, substance use, and problematic alcohol use) and the effects of both adversity and syndemics on HIV risk behaviors over time. Gay-related discrimination and victimization-among other adversity variables-were significantly associated with syndemics and condomless sex (CS). Syndemics mediated the effects of adversity on CS in all models. Adverse events impact HIV risk taking among YMSM through syndemics. These findings suggest that prevention programs aimed at reducing adversity may reduce both the synergistic effect of multiple psychosocial health problems and HIV risk taking.

Mass wasting triggered by seasonal CO2 sublimation under Martian atmospheric conditions: Laboratory experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sylvest, Matthew E.; Conway, Susan J.; Patel, Manish R.; Dixon, John C.; Barnes, Adam

2016-12-01

Sublimation is a recognized process by which planetary landscapes can be modified. However, interpretation of whether sublimation is involved in downslope movements on Mars and other bodies is restricted by a lack of empirical data to constrain this mechanism of sediment transport and its influence on landform morphology. Here we present the first set of laboratory experiments under Martian atmospheric conditions which demonstrate that the sublimation of CO2 ice from within the sediment body can trigger failure of unconsolidated, regolith slopes and can measurably alter the landscape. Previous theoretical studies required CO2 slab ice for movements, but we find that only frost is required. Hence, sediment transport by CO2 sublimation could be more widely applicable (in space and time) on Mars than previously thought. This supports recent work suggesting CO2 sublimation could be responsible for recent modification in Martian gullies.

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1988-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing atmospheric constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. The key activity for this grant year has continued to be laboratory measurements of the microwave and millimeter-wave properties of the simulated atmospheres of the outer planets and their satellites. A Fabry-Perot spectrometer system capable of operation from 32 to 41 GHz was developed. Initially this spectrometer was used to complete laboratory measurements of the 7.5 to 9.3 mm absorption spectrum of ammonia. Laboratory measurements were begun at wavelengths near 3.2 mm, where a large number of observations of the emission from the outer planets were made. A description of this system is presented.

Oceanographic and atmospheric conditions on the continental shelf north of the Monterey Bay during August 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramp, Steven R.; Lermusiaux, Pierre F. J.; Shulman, Igor; Chao, Yi; Wolf, Rebecca E.; Bahr, Frederick L.

2011-09-01

A comprehensive data set from the ocean and atmosphere was obtained just north of the Monterey Bay as part of the Monterey Bay 2006 (MB06) field experiment. The wind stress, heat fluxes, and sea surface temperature were sampled by the Naval Postgraduate School's TWIN OTTER research aircraft. In situ data were collected using ships, moorings, gliders and AUVs. Four data-assimilating numerical models were additionally run, including the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS ®) model for the atmosphere and the Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS), the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), and the Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM) for the ocean. The scientific focus of the Adaptive Sampling and Prediction Experiment (ASAP) was on the upwelling/relaxation cycle and the resulting three-dimensional coastal circulation near a coastal promontory, in this case Point Año Nuevo, CA. The emphasis of this study is on the circulation over the continental shelf as estimated from the wind forcing, two ADCP moorings, and model outputs. The wind stress during August 2006 consisted of 3-10 day upwelling favorable events separated by brief 1-3 day relaxations. During the first two weeks there was some correlation between local winds and currents and the three models' capability to reproduce the events. During the last two weeks, largely equatorward surface wind stress forced the sea surface and barotropic poleward flow occurred over the shelf, reducing model skill at predicting the circulation. The poleward flow was apparently remotely forced by mesoscale eddies and alongshore pressure gradients, which were not well simulated by the models. The small, high-resolution model domains were highly reliant on correct open boundary conditions to drive these larger-scale poleward flows. Multiply-nested models were no more effective than well-initialized local models in this respect.

The Italian Pharmacovigilance Program: An Observational Study of Adverse Effects of Natalizumab in Multiple Sclerosis Therapy.

PubMed

Giacoppo, Sabrina; Ruscica, Maria; Grimaldi, Luigi Maria; Bramanti, Placido; Mazzon, Emanuela

2017-09-02

BACKGROUND This study shows the results of a regional pharmacovigilance program on Natalizumab therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) patients after 3 years of experience. MATERIAL AND METHODS The primary objectives of this study were to estimate the incidence of expected and unexpected adverse effects correlated to Natalizumab therapy in a cohort of 88 RR-MS patients from Sicily, Italy, and to investigate the procedures adopted by the physicians to minimize the risk of developing severe adverse reactions correlated to Natalizumab therapy. Secondary objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of Natalizumab therapy for a careful examination of the risk/benefit ratio and to assess the actions undertaken in case of adverse reactions. RESULTS Among 88 RR-MS patients, 55.68% did not report any type of adverse reaction, 35.22% showed expected adverse reactions (58.70% slight, 22.58% moderate, and 19.35% severe), and 9.10% showed unexpected adverse effects (62.50% slight, 25.00% moderate, and 12.50% severe). Approximately 4.54% of the patients treated with Natalizumab interrupted the therapy. Overall, among all patients, 56.62% showed ameliorated condition, 32.53% had stable disease condition, and 10.85% worsened. CONCLUSIONS We provide a short overview of evidence, which may be useful to better characterize the efficacy and potential adverse effects correlated to Natalizumab therapy.

The Italian Pharmacovigilance Program: An Observational Study of Adverse Effects of Natalizumab in Multiple Sclerosis Therapy

PubMed Central

Giacoppo, Sabrina; Ruscica, Maria; Grimaldi, Luigi Maria; Bramanti, Placido; Mazzon, Emanuela

2017-01-01

Background This study shows the results of a regional pharmacovigilance program on Natalizumab therapy in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RR-MS) patients after 3 years of experience. Material/Methods The primary objectives of this study were to estimate the incidence of expected and unexpected adverse effects correlated to Natalizumab therapy in a cohort of 88 RR-MS patients from Sicily, Italy, and to investigate the procedures adopted by the physicians to minimize the risk of developing severe adverse reactions correlated to Natalizumab therapy. Secondary objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of Natalizumab therapy for a careful examination of the risk/benefit ratio and to assess the actions undertaken in case of adverse reactions. Results Among 88 RR-MS patients, 55.68% did not report any type of adverse reaction, 35.22% showed expected adverse reactions (58.70% slight, 22.58% moderate, and 19.35% severe), and 9.10% showed unexpected adverse effects (62.50% slight, 25.00% moderate, and 12.50% severe). Approximately 4.54% of the patients treated with Natalizumab interrupted the therapy. Overall, among all patients, 56.62% showed ameliorated condition, 32.53% had stable disease condition, and 10.85% worsened. Conclusions We provide a short overview of evidence, which may be useful to better characterize the efficacy and potential adverse effects correlated to Natalizumab therapy. PMID:28864818

Long term effects of early adversity on cognitive function.

PubMed

Richards, M; Wadsworth, M E J

2004-10-01

To investigate long term effects of early adverse circumstances on cognitive function. Associations between early material home circumstances, parental divorce, maternal management and understanding, and cognitive function in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood were analysed using multiple linear regression, controlling for sex, parental SES, and birth order in 1339 males and females from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Early adverse circumstances were strongly associated with lower cognitive ability in childhood and adolescence, and were detectable on measures of verbal ability, memory, and speed and concentration in midlife. However, these long term effects were mostly explained by the effects of adversity on childhood or adolescent cognitive ability or by differences in educational attainment and adult social class. An exception was the effect of poor material home conditions on visual search speed at 53 years, which was maintained after controlling for adolescent ability, as well as further control for educational attainment, adult social class, physical growth, cigarette smoking, and affective state. There was no evidence of more rapid decline in memory and psychomotor function across middle age in those exposed to early adversity. The effect of early adversity on cognitive function tracks across the life course at least as far as middle age, although there was little evidence from this study of effect amplification over this interval. Nevertheless, in view of the persistence of child poverty in the industrialised world, these findings give cause for concern.

[Adverse effects of oxcarbazepine].

PubMed

Fang, Shu; Gong, Zhi-Cheng

2015-04-01

Oxcarbazepine is a new antiepileptic drug. The results of clinical trials suggest that oxcarbazepine is well tolerated and has less drug interactions. It is being used more and more widely in clinical practice, but its adverse effects should not be ignored. The most common adverse effects of oxcarbazepine are usually related to the central nervous system and digestive system, including fatigue, drowsiness, diplopia, dizziness, nausea and vomit. The common skin adverse reaction is rash. Long-term use of oxcarbazepine may also cause hyponatremia. This article reviews the literature from China and overseas about the adverse effets of oxcarbazepine over the last 10 years in order to find information about rational clinical use of oxcarbazepine.

Laboratory evaluation and application of microwave absorption properties under simulated conditions for planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1989-01-01

Radio absorptivity data for planetary atmospheres obtained from spacecraft radio occultation experiments and earth-based radio astronomical observations can be used to infer abundances of microwave absorbing atmospheric constituents in those atmospheres, as long as reliable information regarding the microwave absorbing properties of potential constituents is available. Work performed has shown that laboratory measurements of the millimeter-wave opacity of ammonia between 7.5 mm and 9.3 mm and also at the 3.2 mm wavelength require a different lineshape to be used in the theoretical prediction for millimeter-wave ammonia opacity than was previously used. The recognition of the need to make such laboratory measurements of simulated planetary atmospheres over a range of temperatures and pressures which correspond to the altitudes probed by both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, and over a range of frequencies which correspond to those used in both radio occultation experiments and radio astronomical observations, has led to the development of a facility at Georgia Tech which is capable of making such measurements. It has been the goal of this investigation to conduct such measurements and to apply the results to a wide range of planetary observations, both spacecraft and earth-based, in order to determine the identity and abundance profiles of constituents in those planetary atmospheres.

A thick placenta: a predictor of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

PubMed

Miwa, Ichiro; Sase, Masakatsu; Torii, Mayumi; Sanai, Hiromi; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Ueda, Kazuyuki

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an ultrasonographic measurement of placental thickness and the correlation of a thick placenta with adverse perinatal outcome. Placental thickness was measured in single gravidas, 16 to 40 weeks of gestation, between 2005 and 2009. Placentas were considered to be thick if their measured thickness were above the 95th percentile for gestational age. The incidence of thick placentas was 4.3% (138/3,183). Perinatal morbidity and neonatal conditions were worse in cases with thick placenta rather than without thick placenta. Ultrasonographic measurement of placental thickness is a simple method to estimate placental size. Thick placenta may be a useful predictor of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The role of hydrological initial conditions on Atmospheric River floods in the Russian River basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Q.; Mehran, A.; Ralph, M.; Cannon, F.; Lettenmaier, D. P.

2017-12-01

A body of work over the last decade or so has demonstrated that most major floods along the U.S. West Coast are attributable to Atmospheric Rivers (ARs). Antecedent hydrological conditions play an important part in the natural links between precipitation and floods, and this is especially the case in the Pacific Coastal region where precipitation is strongly winter-dominant, and many potentially flood-inducing events occur relatively early in the wet season. The Russian River Basin has these characteristics, the result of which is mostly dry soils at the onset of the fall precipitation season. There is therefore a tradeoff in terms of flood potential between the strength of AR events, and the time history of previous precipitation that has begun to wet soils and raise local water tables. In order to examine flood responses associated with varying precursor hydrological conditions, we first constructed a data set of AR events that were coincident with Peaks Over Threshold (POT) extreme discharge events at selected USGS stream gauges throughout the Russian River basin. We investigated the role of antecedent soil moisture and water table conditions on historical AR flooding, initially using an exploratory data analysis approach. We then implemented the Distributed Hydrology-Soil-Vegetation Model (DHSVM) over the entire basin and conducted modeling experiments for each of the POT events under climatological and extreme antecedent conditions. We reconstructed climatological soil moisture by assimilating in situ observations into long-term soil moisture simulations from the UCLA Western U.S. Drought Monitoring System. We explore an envelope of frequency distributions of floods given a range of AR-related extreme precipitation and various initial hydrologic conditions, which eventually should have implications for flood management decision-making.

Analysis and experimental study on formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse atmospheric pressure air plasmas in repetitive pulse mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lee; Liu, Lun; Liu, Yun-Long; Bin, Yu; Ge, Ya-Feng; Lin, Fo-Chang

2014-01-01

Atmospheric air diffuse plasmas have enormous application potential in various fields of science and technology. Without dielectric barrier, generating large-scale air diffuse plasmas is always a challenging issue. This paper discusses and analyses the formation mechanism of cold homogenous plasma. It is proposed that generating stable diffuse atmospheric plasmas in open air should meet the three conditions: high transient power with low average power, excitation in low average E-field with locally high E-field region, and multiple overlapping electron avalanches. Accordingly, an experimental configuration of generating large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas is designed. Based on runaway electron theory, a low duty-ratio, high voltage repetitive nanosecond pulse generator is chosen as a discharge excitation source. Using the wire-electrodes with small curvature radius, the gaps with highly non-uniform E-field are structured. Experimental results show that the volume-scaleable, barrier-free, homogeneous air non-thermal plasmas have been obtained between the gap spacing with the copper-wire electrodes. The area of air cold plasmas has been up to hundreds of square centimeters. The proposed formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas are proved to be reasonable and feasible.

Associations of adverse childhood experiences with depression and alcohol abuse among Korean college students.

PubMed

Kim, Yeon Ha

2017-05-01

This study investigated adverse childhood experiences of Korean college students and the impact such experiences have on students' depression and alcohol abuse. Using an online questionnaire, 939 college students were surveyed regarding their adverse childhood experiences, depressive symptoms and alcohol use habits. About half of the participants claimed to have experienced at least one adversity in their childhood. Eight percent of participants reported experiencing four or more categories of adversity. The correlations between adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms, alcohol abusive behaviors, and the comorbid condition of the two outcomes were significant when students' gender, geographical regions, maternal and paternal education, and family incomes were adjusted. Graded associations of cumulated adverse childhood experiences with the outcome variables were evident. These findings strengthen the link between child maltreatment and adult public health issues carrying socioeconomic burdens, two matters that have not been extensively studied in Korean contexts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced Atmospheric Modeling for Emergency Response.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fast, Jerome D.; O'Steen, B. Lance; Addis, Robert P.

1995-03-01

Atmospheric transport and diffusion models are an important part of emergency response systems for industrial facilities that have the potential to release significant quantities of toxic or radioactive material into the atmosphere. An advanced atmospheric transport and diffusion modeling system for emergency response and environmental applications, based upon a three-dimensional mesoscale model, has been developed for the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site so that complex, time-dependent flow fields not explicitly measured can be routinely simulated. To overcome some of the current computational demands of mesoscale models, two operational procedures for the advanced atmospheric transport and diffusion modeling system are described including 1) a semiprognostic calculation to produce high-resolution wind fields for local pollutant transport in the vicinity of the Savannah River Site and 2) a fully prognostic calculation to produce a regional wind field encompassing the southeastern United States for larger-scale pollutant problems. Local and regional observations and large-scale model output are used by the mesoscale model for the initial conditions, lateral boundary conditions, and four-dimensional data assimilation procedure. This paper describes the current status of the modeling system and presents two case studies demonstrating the capabilities of both modes of operation. While the results from the case studies shown in this paper are preliminary and certainly not definitive, they do suggest that the mesoscale model has the potential for improving the prognostic capabilities of atmospheric modeling for emergency response at the Savannah River Site. Long-term model evaluation will be required to determine under what conditions significant forecast errors exist.

Water Dimer Concentrations in The Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saykally, R. J.

2000-03-01

The water dimer concentration present in water vapor under equilibrium conditions is rigorously determined as a function of temperature, pressure, and relative humidity via explicit calculations of partition functions on the VRT (ASP-W) potential surface using the SWPS method. Dimer vapor fractions as large as 4.6x10*3 are calculated under tropospheric conditions, and should have observable consequences on chemistry and physical properties of the atmosphere. There has been much recent interest and speculation regarding possible effects of water clusters on the chemistry and radiation balance of the atmosphere. For example, it has been proposed that vibrational overtones of the water dimer absorb solar radiation and account for a significant part of the *anomalous absorption* of the atmosphere, although recent measurements do not support this claim. Similarly, the presence of water dimers has been predicted to accelerate the formation of acid rain, and homogeneous nucleation of raindrops. In all of these contexts, the crucial unknown is the concentration of water dimers present under the specified conditions of temperature, pressure, and relative humidity.

Large-scale atmospheric conditions associated with heavy rainfall episodes in Southeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima, Kellen Carla; Satyamurty, Prakki; Fernández, Júlio Pablo Reyes

2010-07-01

Heavy rainfall events in austral summer are responsible for almost all the natural disasters in Southeast Brazil. They are mostly associated with two types of atmospheric perturbations: Cold Front (53%) and the South Atlantic Convergence Zone (47%). The important question of what synoptic characteristics distinguish a heavy rainfall event (HRE) from a normal rainfall event (NRE) is addressed in this study. Here, the evolutions of such characteristics are identified through the anomalies with respect to climatology of the composite fields of atmospheric variables. The anomalies associated with HRE are significantly more intense than those associated with NRE in all fundamental atmospheric variables such as outgoing long-wave radiation, sea-level pressure, 500-hPa geopotential, lower and upper tropospheric winds. The moisture flux convergence over Southeast Brazil in the HRE composites is 60% larger than in the NRE composites. The energetics calculations for the HRE that occurred in the beginning of February 1988 strongly suggest that the barotropic instability played an important role in the intensification of the perturbation. These results, especially the intensities of the wind, pressure anomalies, and the moisture convergence are useful for the meteorologists of the Southeast Brazil for forecasting heavy precipitation.

French national survey of inpatient adverse events prospectively assessed with ward staff.

PubMed

Michel, Philippe; Quenon, Jean Luc; Djihoud, Ahmed; Tricaud-Vialle, Sophie; de Sarasqueta, Anne Marie

2007-10-01

To estimate the incidence of adverse events in medical and surgical activity in public and private hospitals, and to assess the clinical situation of patients and the active errors. Prospective assessment of adverse events by external senior nursing and doctor investigators with ward staff. Random three-stage stratified cluster sampling of stays or fractions of stay in a 7-day observation period for each ward. 8754 patients observed in 292 wards in 71 hospitals, over 35,234 hospitalisation days. Number of adverse events in relation to number of days of hospitalisation. The incidence density of adverse events was 6.6 per 1000 days of hospitalisation (95% CI 5.7 to 7.5), of which 35% were preventable. Invasive procedures were the source of half the adverse events, of which 20% were preventable. Adverse events related to the psychological sphere and pain were mostly considered as preventable. Ward staff found it difficult to assess the role of care management in the occurrence of adverse events: 41% of adverse events were expected because of the disease itself, and could have occurred in the absence of the related medical management. At the national level in France, every year 120,000-190,000 adverse events during hospitalisation can be considered as preventable. Areas such as perioperative period and geriatric units should receive closer attention. As adverse events occurred more commonly in vulnerable patients, who are not specifically targeted by clinical guidance, practising evidence-based medicine is not likely to prevent all cases. Therefore clinical risk management should prioritize empowerment of local staff, provision of favourable conditions within the organisation, and staff training based on simple tools appropriate for ward-level identification and analysis of adverse events.

Chemistry and evolution of Titan's atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Strobel, D. F.

1982-01-01

The chemistry and evolution of Titan's atmosphere are reviewed, in light of the scientific findings from the Voyager mission. It is argued that the present N2 atmosphere may be Titan's initial atmosphere, rather than one photochemically derived from an original NH3 atmosphere. The escape rate of hydrogen from Titan is controlled by photochemical production from hydrocarbons. CH4 is irreversibly converted to less hydrogen-rich hydrocarbons, which over geologic time accumulate on the surface to a layer thickness of about 0.5 km. Magnetospheric electrons interacting with Titan's exosphere may dissociate enough N2 into hot, escaping N atoms to remove about 0.2 of Titan's present atmosphere over geologic time. The energy dissipation of magnetospheric electrons exceeds solar EUV energy deposition in Titan's atmosphere by an order of magnitude, and is the principal driver of nitrogen photochemistry. The environmental conditions in Titan's upper atmosphere are favorable to building up complex molecules, particularly in the north polar cap region.

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions.

PubMed

Ryu, JiHyeon; Lee, HeeYoung; Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary's teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010-2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton's preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001), and more likely to be type A reactions (73.5% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001). Females were over-represented among drug-induced adverse reactions (68.1%, p < 0.001) but not among contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p < 0.001). We found differences in sex, preventability, severity, and type A/B reactions between spontaneously reported drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. The World Health Organization

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions

PubMed Central

Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

Objective We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Methods Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary’s teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010–2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton’s preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Results Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001), and more likely to be type A reactions (73.5% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001). Females were over-represented among drug-induced adverse reactions (68.1%, p < 0.001) but not among contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization–Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p < 0.001). Conclusions We found differences in sex, preventability, severity, and type A/B reactions between spontaneously reported drug and contrast media-induced adverse

Lidar and Electro-Optics for Atmospheric Hazard Sensing and Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Ivan O.

2012-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the research and development efforts of the Lidar and Electro-Optics element of NASA's Aviation Safety Program. This element is seeking to improve the understanding of the atmospheric environments encountered by aviation and to provide enhanced situation awareness for atmospheric hazards. The improved understanding of atmospheric conditions is specifically to develop sensor signatures for atmospheric hazards. The current emphasis is on kinetic air hazards such as turbulence, aircraft wake vortices, mountain rotors, and windshear. Additional efforts are underway to identify and quantify the hazards arising from multi-phase atmospheric conditions including liquid and solid hydrometeors and volcanic ash. When the multi-phase conditions act as obscurants that result in reduced visual awareness, the element seeks to mitigate the hazards associated with these diminished visual environments. The overall purpose of these efforts is to enable safety improvements for air transport class and business jet class aircraft as the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System occurs.

Childhood Adversity and Pain Sensitization.

PubMed

You, Dokyoung Sophia; Meagher, Mary W

Childhood adversity is a vulnerability factor for chronic pain. However, the underlying pain mechanisms influenced by childhood adversity remain unknown. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of childhood adversity on dynamic pain sensitivity in young adults. After screening for childhood adverse events and health status, healthy individuals reporting low (below median; n = 75) or high levels of adversity (the top 5%; n = 51) were invited for pain testing. Both groups underwent heat pain threshold and temporal summation of second pain (TSSP) testing after reporting depressive symptoms. TSSP refers to a progressive increase in pain intensity with repetition of identical noxious stimuli and is attributed to central sensitization. Changes in pain ratings over time (slope) were computed for TSSP sensitization and decay of subsequent aftersensations. The high-adversity group showed greater TSSP sensitization (meanslope, 0.75; SDpositive slope, 1.78), and a trend toward a slower decay (meanslope, -11.9; SD, 3.4), whereas the low-adversity group showed minimal sensitization (meanslope, 0.07; SDnear-zero slope, 1.77), F(1,123) = 5.84, p = .017 and faster decay (meanslope, -13.1; SD, 3.4), F(1,123) = 3.79, p = .054. This group difference remained significant even after adjusting for adult depressive symptoms (p = .033). No group difference was found in heat pain threshold (p = .85). Lastly, the high-adversity group showed blunted cardiac and skin conductance responses. These findings suggest that enhancement of central sensitization may provide a mechanism underlying the pain hypersensitivity and chronicity linked to childhood adversity.

The Impact of Ensemble Kalman Filter Assimilation of Near-Surface Observations on the Predictability of Atmospheric Conditions over Complex Terrain: Results from Recent MATERHORN Field Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pu, Z.; Zhang, H.

2013-12-01

Near-surface atmospheric observations are the main conventional observations for weather forecasts. However, in modern numerical weather prediction, the use of surface observations, especially those data over complex terrain, remains a unique challenge. There are fundamental difficulties in assimilating surface observations with three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR). In our early study[1] (Pu et al. 2013), a series of observing system simulation experiments was performed with the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and compared with 3DVAR for its ability to assimilate surface observations with 3DVAR. Using the advanced research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, results demonstrate that the EnKF can overcome some fundamental limitations that 3DVAR has in assimilating surface observations over complex terrain. Specifically, through its flow-dependent background error term, the EnKF produces more realistic analysis increments over complex terrain in general. Over complex terrain, the EnKF clearly performs better than 3DVAR, because it is more capable of handling surface data in the presence of terrain misrepresentation. With this presentation, we further examine the impact of EnKF data assimilation on the predictability of atmospheric conditions over complex terrain with the WRF model and the observations obtained from the most recent field experiments of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) Program. The MATERHORN program provides comprehensive observations over mountainous regions, allowing the opportunity to study the predictability of atmospheric conditions over complex terrain in great details. Specifically, during fall 2012 and spring 2013, comprehensive observations were collected of soil states, surface energy budgets, near-surface atmospheric conditions, and profiling measurements from multiple platforms (e.g., balloon, lidar, radiosondes, etc.) over Dugway Proving Ground (DPG), Utah

Perception of Native English Reduced Forms in Adverse Environments by Chinese Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Simpson W. L.; Tsui, Jenny K. Y.; Chow, Bonnie Wing-Yin; Leung, Vina W. H.; Mok, Peggy; Chung, Kevin Kien-Hoa

2017-01-01

Previous research has shown that learners of English-as-a-second-language (ESL) have difficulties in understanding connected speech spoken by native English speakers. Extending from past research limited to quiet listening condition, this study examined the perception of English connected speech presented under five adverse conditions, namely…

Thermal Conductivity of the Multicomponent Neutral Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlov, A. V.

2017-12-01

Approximate expressions for the thermal conductivity coefficient of the multicomponent neutral atmosphere consisting of N2, O2, O, He, and H are analyzed and evaluated for the atmospheric conditions by comparing them with that given by the rigorous hydrodynamic theory. The new approximations of the thermal conductivity coefficients of simple gases N2, O2, O, He, and H are derived and used. It is proved that the modified Mason and Saxena approximation of the atmospheric thermal conductivity coefficient is more accurate in reproducing the atmospheric values of the rigorous hydrodynamic thermal conductivity coefficient in comparison with those that are generally accepted in atmospheric studies. This approximation of the thermal conductivity coefficient is recommended to use in calculations of the neutral temperature of the atmosphere.

Remote Raman - laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) geochemical investigation under Venus atmospheric conditions

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

Clegg, Sanuel M; Barefield, James E; Humphries, Seth D

2010-12-13

The extreme Venus surface temperatures ({approx}740 K) and atmospheric pressures ({approx}93 atm) create a challenging environment for surface missions. Scientific investigations capable of Venus geochemical observations must be completed within hours of landing before the lander will be overcome by the harsh atmosphere. A combined remote Raman - LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) instrument is capable of accomplishing the geochemical science goals without the risks associated with collecting samples and bringing them into the lander. Wiens et al. and Sharma et al. demonstrated that both analytical techniques can be integrated into a single instrument capable of planetary missions. The focusmore » of this paper is to explore the capability to probe geologic samples with Raman - LIBS and demonstrate quantitative analysis under Venus surface conditions. Raman and LIBS are highly complementary analytical techniques capable of detecting both the mineralogical and geochemical composition of Venus surface materials. These techniques have the potential to profoundly increase our knowledge of the Venus surface composition, which is currently limited to geochemical data from Soviet Venera and VEGA landers that collectively suggest a surface composition that is primarily tholeiitic basaltic with some potentially more evolved compositions and, in some locations, K-rich trachyandesite. These landers were not equipped to probe the surface mineralogy as can be accomplished with Raman spectroscopy. Based on the observed compositional differences and recognizing the imprecise nature of the existing data, 15 samples were chosen to constitute a Venus-analog suite for this study, including five basalts, two each of andesites, dacites, and sulfates, and single samples of a foidite, trachyandesite, rhyolite, and basaltic trachyandesite under Venus conditions. LIBS data reduction involved generating a partial least squares (PLS) model with a subset of the rock powder

Midlatitude atmosphere-ocean interaction during El Nino. Part II. The northern hemisphere atmosphere

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

Alexander, M.A.

The influence of midlatitude air-sea interaction on the atmospheric anomalies associated with El Nino is investigated by coupling the Community Climate Model to a mixed-layer ocean model in the North Pacific. Prescribed El Nino conditions, warm sea surface temperatures (SST) in the tropical Pacific, cause a southward displacement and strengthening of the Aleutian Low. This results in enhanced (reduced) advection of cold Asian air over the west-central (northwest) Pacific and northward advection of warm air over the eastern Pacific. Allowing air-sea feedback in the North Pacific slightly modified the El Nino-induced near-surface wind, air temperature, and precipitation anomalies. The anomalousmore » cyclonic circulation over the North Pacific is more concentric and shifted slightly to the east in the coupled simulations. Air-sea feedback also damped the air temperature anomalies over most of the North Pacific and reduced the precipitation rate above the cold SST anomaly that develops in the central Pacific. The simulated North Pacific SST anomalies and the resulting Northern Hemisphere atmospheric anomalies are roughly one-third as large as those related to the prescribed El Nino conditions in a composite of five cases. The composite geopotential height anomalies associated with changes in the North Pacific SSTs have an equivalent barotropic structure and range from -65 m to 50 m at the 200-mb level. Including air-sea feedback in the North Pacific tended to damp the atmospheric anomalies caused by the prescribed El Nino conditions in the tropical Pacific. As a result, the zonally elongated geopotential height anomalies over the West Pacific are reduced and shifted to the east. However, the atmospheric changes associated with the North Pacific SST anomalies vary widely among the five cases.« less

The two sides of adversity: the effect of distant versus recent adversity on updating emotional content in working memory.

PubMed

Levens, Sara M; Armstrong, Laura Marie; Orejuela-Dávila, Ana I; Alverio, Tabitha

2017-09-01

Previous research suggests that adversity can have both adaptive and maladaptive effects, yet the emotional and working memory processes that contribute to more or less adaptive outcomes are unclear. The present study sought to investigate how updating emotional content differs in adolescents who have experienced past, recent, or no adversity. Participants who had experienced distant adversity (N = 53), no adversity (N = 58), or recent adversity only (N = 20) performed an emotion n-back task with emotional facial expressions. Results revealed that the distant adversity group exhibited significantly faster reaction times (RTs) than the no adversity and recent adversity only groups. In contrast, the recent adversity only group exhibited significantly slower RTs and more errors than the distant adversity and no adversity groups. These results suggest an emotion and executive control pathway by which both the benefits and negative effects of adversity may be conferred. Results also highlight the importance of time in assessing the impact of adversity.

Conditional vulnerability of plant diversity to atmospheric nitrogen deposition across the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simkin, Samuel M.; Allen, Edith B.; Bowman, William D.; Clark, Christopher M.; Belnap, Jayne; Brooks, Matthew L.; Cade, Brian S.; Collins, Scott L.; Geiser, Linda H.; Gilliam, Frank S.; Jovan, Sarah E.; Pardo, Linda H.; Schulz, Bethany K.; Stevens, Carly J.; Suding, Katharine N.; Throop, Heather L.; Waller, Donald M.

2016-01-01

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has been shown to decrease plant species richness along regional deposition gradients in Europe and in experimental manipulations. However, the general response of species richness to N deposition across different vegetation types, soil conditions, and climates remains largely unknown even though responses may be contingent on these environmental factors. We assessed the effect of N deposition on herbaceous richness for 15,136 forest, woodland, shrubland, and grassland sites across the continental United States, to address how edaphic and climatic conditions altered vulnerability to this stressor. In our dataset, with N deposition ranging from 1 to 19 kg N⋅ha−1⋅y−1, we found a unimodal relationship; richness increased at low deposition levels and decreased above 8.7 and 13.4 kg N⋅ha−1⋅y−1 in open and closed-canopy vegetation, respectively. N deposition exceeded critical loads for loss of plant species richness in 24% of 15,136 sites examined nationwide. There were negative relationships between species richness and N deposition in 36% of 44 community gradients. Vulnerability to N deposition was consistently higher in more acidic soils whereas the moderating roles of temperature and precipitation varied across scales. We demonstrate here that negative relationships between N deposition and species richness are common, albeit not universal, and that fine-scale processes can moderate vegetation responses to N deposition. Our results highlight the importance of contingent factors when estimating ecosystem vulnerability to N deposition and suggest that N deposition is affecting species richness in forested and nonforested systems across much of the continental United States.

Changes in atmospheric circulation between solar maximum and minimum conditions in winter and summer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jae Nyung

2008-10-01

Statistically significant climate responses to the solar variability are found in Northern Annular Mode (NAM) and in the tropical circulation. This study is based on the statistical analysis of numerical simulations with ModelE version of the chemistry coupled Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model (GCM) and National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis. The low frequency large scale variability of the winter and summer circulation is described by the NAM, the leading Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) of geopotential heights. The newly defined seasonal annular modes and its dynamical significance in the stratosphere and troposphere in the GISS ModelE is shown and compared with those in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis. In the stratosphere, the summer NAM obtained from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis as well as from the ModelE simulations has the same sign throughout the northern hemisphere, but shows greater variability at low latitudes. The patterns in both analyses are consistent with the interpretation that low NAM conditions represent an enhancement of the seasonal difference between the summer and the annual averages of geopotential height, temperature and velocity distributions, while the reverse holds for high NAM conditions. Composite analysis of high and low NAM cases in both the model and observation suggests that the summer stratosphere is more "summer-like" when the solar activity is near a maximum. This means that the zonal easterly wind flow is stronger and the temperature is higher than normal. Thus increased irradiance favors a low summer NAM. A quantitative comparison of the anti-correlation between the NAM and the solar forcing is presented in the model and in the observation, both of which show lower/higher NAM index in solar maximum/minimum conditions. The summer NAM in the troposphere obtained from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis has a dipolar zonal structure with maximum

OAE: The Ontology of Adverse Events.

PubMed

He, Yongqun; Sarntivijai, Sirarat; Lin, Yu; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Guo, Abra; Zhang, Shelley; Jagannathan, Desikan; Toldo, Luca; Tao, Cui; Smith, Barry

2014-01-01

A medical intervention is a medical procedure or application intended to relieve or prevent illness or injury. Examples of medical interventions include vaccination and drug administration. After a medical intervention, adverse events (AEs) may occur which lie outside the intended consequences of the intervention. The representation and analysis of AEs are critical to the improvement of public health. The Ontology of Adverse Events (OAE), previously named Adverse Event Ontology (AEO), is a community-driven ontology developed to standardize and integrate data relating to AEs arising subsequent to medical interventions, as well as to support computer-assisted reasoning. OAE has over 3,000 terms with unique identifiers, including terms imported from existing ontologies and more than 1,800 OAE-specific terms. In OAE, the term 'adverse event' denotes a pathological bodily process in a patient that occurs after a medical intervention. Causal adverse events are defined by OAE as those events that are causal consequences of a medical intervention. OAE represents various adverse events based on patient anatomic regions and clinical outcomes, including symptoms, signs, and abnormal processes. OAE has been used in the analysis of several different sorts of vaccine and drug adverse event data. For example, using the data extracted from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), OAE was used to analyse vaccine adverse events associated with the administrations of different types of influenza vaccines. OAE has also been used to represent and classify the vaccine adverse events cited in package inserts of FDA-licensed human vaccines in the USA. OAE is a biomedical ontology that logically defines and classifies various adverse events occurring after medical interventions. OAE has successfully been applied in several adverse event studies. The OAE ontological framework provides a platform for systematic representation and analysis of adverse events and of the factors (e

Adversity and psychosis: a 10-year prospective study investigating synergism between early and recent adversity in psychosis.

PubMed

Lataster, J; Myin-Germeys, I; Lieb, R; Wittchen, H-U; van Os, J

2012-05-01

Recent studies have suggested that early adverse events, such as childhood trauma, may promote enduring liability for psychosis whereas more recent adverse events may act as precipitants. Examination of these environmental dynamics, however, requires prospective studies in large samples. This study examines whether the association between recent adverse events and psychosis is moderated by exposure to early adversity. A random regional representative population sample of 3021 adolescents and young adults in Munich, Germany, was assessed three times over a period of up to 10 years, collecting information on sociodemographic factors, environmental exposures, and measures of psychopathology and associated clinical relevance. Evidence of statistical non-additivity between early adversity (two levels) and more recent adversity (four levels) was assessed in models of psychotic symptoms. Analyses were a priori corrected for age, gender, cannabis use, and urbanicity. Early and recent adversity were associated with each other (RR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.66; P = 0.014) and displayed statistical non-additivity at the highest level of exposure to recent adversity (χ(2) = 4.59; P = 0.032). The findings suggest that early adversity may impact on later expression of psychosis either by increasing exposure to later adversity and/or by rendering individuals more sensitive to later adversity if it is severe. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The influence of the built environment on adverse birth outcomes.

PubMed

Woods, N; Gilliland, J; Seabrook, J A

2017-01-01

Adverse birth outcomes are associated with neonatal morbidity and mortality, and higher risk for coronary heart disease, non-insulin-dependent diabetes and hypertension in adulthood. Although there has been considerable research investigating the association between maternal and environmental factors on adverse birth outcomes, one risk factor, not fully understood, is the influence of the built environment. A search of MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane was conducted to find articles assessing the influence of the built environment on preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and small-for-gestational-age (SGA). In total, 41 studies met our inclusion criteria, and were organized into nine categories: Roadways, Greenness, Power Plants, Gas Stations/Wells, Waste Management, Power Lines, Neighborhood Conditions, Food Environment, and Industry. The most common built environmental variable was roads/traffic, encompassing 17/41 (41%) of the articles reviewed, of which 12/17 (71%) found a significant small to moderate association between high traffic exposure and adverse birth outcomes.

Health surveillance under adverse ergonomics conditions--validity of a screening method adapted for the occupational health service.

PubMed

Jonker, Dirk; Gustafsson, Ewa; Rolander, Bo; Arvidsson, Inger; Nordander, Catarina

2015-01-01

A new health surveillance protocol for work-related upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders has been validated by comparing the results with a reference protocol. The studied protocol, Health Surveillance in Adverse Ergonomics Conditions (HECO), is a new version of the reference protocol modified for application in the Occupational Health Service (OHS). The HECO protocol contains both a screening part and a diagnosing part. Sixty-three employees were examined. The screening in HECO did not miss any diagnosis found when using the reference protocol, but in comparison to the reference protocol considerable time savings could be achieved. Fair to good agreement between the protocols was obtained for one or more diagnoses in neck/shoulders (86%, k = 0.62) and elbow/hands (84%, k = 0.49). Therefore, the results obtained using the HECO protocol can be compared with a reference material collected with the reference protocol, and thus provide information of the magnitude of disorders in an examined work group. Practitioner Summary: The HECO protocol is a relatively simple physical examination protocol for identification of musculoskeletal disorders in the neck and upper extremities. The protocol is a reliable and cost-effective tool for the OHS to use for occupational health surveillance in order to detect workplaces at high risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders.

Spatial Patterns of Atmospherically Deposited Organic Contaminants at High Elevation in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospherically deposited contaminants in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California have been implicated as adversely affecting amphibians and fish, yet the distributions of contaminants within the mountains are poorly known, particularly at high elevation. We tested the hypothe...

Spatial Patterns of Atmospherically Deposited Organic Contaminants at High Elevation in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospherically deposited contaminants in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California have been implicated as a factor adversely affecting biological resources such as amphibians and fish, yet the distributions of contaminants within the mountains are poorly known, particularly at...

Childhood adversity and insomnia in adolescence.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Raffeld, Miriam R; Slopen, Natalie; Hale, Lauren; Dunn, Erin C

2016-05-01

The study aims to evaluate the association between exposure to childhood adversity and insomnia, with an emphasis on the role of adversity type, timing, and accumulation (i.e., the number of specific types of adversities the child reported being exposed to). Our analytic sample comprised 9582 adolescents from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a nationally representative population-based sample. We examined the association between 18 different types of retrospectively reported adversities (capturing interpersonal violence, accidents and injuries, social network or witnessing events, and other adverse events) and risk of self-reported past-year insomnia. We also examined whether the age at first exposure to adversity was associated with the risk of insomnia, and whether exposure to a greater number of different types of adversities (ie, accumulation) conferred an elevated risk of insomnia. In addition, we performed a sensitivity analysis excluding adolescents with a past-year diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or generalized anxiety disorder. Almost one-third of adolescents reported insomnia, with a higher prevalence among girls and those from racial/ethnic minority groups. Adolescents exposed to at least one childhood adversity of any type (59.41%) were more likely than their nonexposed peers to experience insomnia (across adversities, prevalence ratios (PRs) ranged from 1.31 to 1.89). Risk of insomnia differed based on the age at first exposure to adversity as well as the type of adversity. Adolescents exposed to a greater number of different types of adversities had a higher risk of insomnia compared to those experiencing fewer adversities. These results were similar, by and large, to those obtained after excluding adolescents with at least one of the four past-year psychiatric disorders. Exposure to adversity confers an elevated risk of insomnia. This association varied by type

3-D laser confocal microscopy study of the oxidation of NdFeB magnets in atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meakin, J. P.; Speight, J. D.; Sheridan, R. S.; Bradshaw, A.; Harris, I. R.; Williams, A. J.; Walton, A.

2016-08-01

Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets are used in a number of important applications, such as generators in gearless wind turbines, motors in electric vehicles and electronic goods (e.g.- computer hard disk drives, HDD). Hydrogen can be used as a processing gas to separate and recycle scrap sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets from end-of-life products to form a powder suitable for recycling. However, the magnets are likely to have been exposed to atmospheric conditions prior to processing, and any oxidation could lead to activation problems for the hydrogen decrepitation reaction. Many previous studies on the oxidation of NdFeB magnets have been performed at elevated temperatures; however, few studies have been formed under atmospheric conditions. In this paper a combination of 3-D laser confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy have been used to assess the composition, morphology and rate of oxidation/corrosion on scrap sintered NdFeB magnets. Confocal microscopy has been employed to measure the growth of surface reaction products at room temperature, immediately after exposure to air. The results showed that there was a significant height increase at the triple junctions of the Nd-rich grain boundaries. Using Raman spectroscopy, the product was shown to consist of Nd2O3 and formed only on the Nd-rich triple junctions. The diffusion coefficient of the triple junction reaction product growth at 20 °C was determined to be approximately 4 × 10-13 cm2/sec. This value is several orders of magnitude larger than values derived from the diffusion controlled oxide growth observations at elevated temperatures in the literature. This indicates that the growth of the room temperature oxidation products are likely defect enhanced processes at the NdFeB triple junctions.

Microwave boundary conditions on the atmosphere and clouds of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossow, W. B.; Sagan, C.

1975-01-01

The dielectric properties of H2O/H2SO4 mixtures are deduced from the Debye equations and, for a well-mixed atmosphere, the structure of H2O and H2O/H2SO4 clouds is calculated. Various data on the planet together set an upper limit on the mixing ratio by number for H2O of about 0.001 in the lower Venus atmosphere, and for H2SO4 of about 0.00001. The polarization value of the real part of the refractive index of the clouds, the spectroscopic limits on the abundance of water vapor above the clouds, and the microwave data together set corresponding upper limits on H2O of approximately 0.0002 and on H2SO4 of approximately 0.000009. Upper limits on the surface density of total cloud constituents and of cloud liquid water are, respectively, about 0.1 g/sq cm and about 0.01 g/sq cm. The infrared opacities of 90 bars of CO2, together with the derived upper limits to the amounts of water vapor and liquid H2O/H2SO4, may be sufficient to explain the high surface temperatures through the greenhouse effect.

Atmospheric Visibility Monitoring for planetary optical communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cowles, Kelly

1991-01-01

The Atmospheric Visibility Monitoring project endeavors to improve current atmospheric models and generate visibility statistics relevant to prospective earth-satellite optical communications systems. Three autonomous observatories are being used to measure atmospheric conditions on the basis of observed starlight; these data will yield clear-sky and transmission statistics for three sites with high clear-sky probabilities. Ground-based data will be compared with satellite imagery to determine the correlation between satellite data and ground-based observations.

Atmospheric Correction of High-Spatial-Resolution Commercial Satellite Imagery Products Using MODIS Atmospheric Products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pagnutti, Mary; Holekamp, Kara; Ryan, Robert E.; Vaughan, Ronand; Russell, Jeff; Prados, Don; Stanley, Thomas

2005-01-01

Remotely sensed ground reflectance is the foundation of any interoperability or change detection technique. Satellite intercomparisons and accurate vegetation indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), require the generation of accurate reflectance maps (NDVI is used to describe or infer a wide variety of biophysical parameters and is defined in terms of near-infrared (NIR) and red band reflectances). Accurate reflectance-map generation from satellite imagery relies on the removal of solar and satellite geometry and of atmospheric effects and is generally referred to as atmospheric correction. Atmospheric correction of remotely sensed imagery to ground reflectance has been widely applied to a few systems only. The ability to obtain atmospherically corrected imagery and products from various satellites is essential to enable widescale use of remotely sensed, multitemporal imagery for a variety of applications. An atmospheric correction approach derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) that can be applied to high-spatial-resolution satellite imagery under many conditions was evaluated to demonstrate a reliable, effective reflectance map generation method. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Neighborhood Conditions and Psychosocial Outcomes Among Middle-Aged African Americans.

PubMed

Tabet, Maya; Sanders, Erin A; Schootman, Mario; Chang, Jen Jen; Wolinsky, Fredric D; Malmstrom, Theodore K; Miller, Douglas K

2017-04-01

We examined associations between observed neighborhood conditions (good/adverse) and psychosocial outcomes (stress, depressive symptoms, resilience, and sense of control) among middle-aged and older African Americans. The sample included 455 middle-aged and older African Americans examined in Wave 10 of the African American Health (AAH) study. Linear regression was adjusted for attrition, self-selection into neighborhoods, and potential confounders, and stratified by the duration at current address (<5 vs ≥5 years) because of its hypothesized role as an effect modifier. Among individuals who lived at their current address for ≥5 years, residing in neighborhoods with adverse versus good conditions was associated with significantly less stress (standardized β = -0.18; P = .002) and depressive symptoms (standardized β = -0.12; P = .048). Among those who lived at their current address for <5 years, residing in neighborhoods with adverse versus good conditions was not significantly associated with stress (standardized β = 0.18; P = .305) or depressive symptoms (standardized β = 0.36; P = .080). Neighborhood conditions appear to have significant, complex associations with psychosocial factors among middle-aged and older African Americans. This holds important policy implications, especially since adverse neighborhood conditions may still result in adverse physical health outcomes in individuals with >5 years at current residence despite being associated with better psychosocial outcomes.

Modeling the atmospheric chemistry of TICs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henley, Michael V.; Burns, Douglas S.; Chynwat, Veeradej; Moore, William; Plitz, Angela; Rottmann, Shawn; Hearn, John

2009-05-01

An atmospheric chemistry model that describes the behavior and disposition of environmentally hazardous compounds discharged into the atmosphere was coupled with the transport and diffusion model, SCIPUFF. The atmospheric chemistry model was developed by reducing a detailed atmospheric chemistry mechanism to a simple empirical effective degradation rate term (keff) that is a function of important meteorological parameters such as solar flux, temperature, and cloud cover. Empirically derived keff functions that describe the degradation of target toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) were derived by statistically analyzing data generated from the detailed chemistry mechanism run over a wide range of (typical) atmospheric conditions. To assess and identify areas to improve the developed atmospheric chemistry model, sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were performed to (1) quantify the sensitivity of the model output (TIC concentrations) with respect to changes in the input parameters and (2) improve, where necessary, the quality of the input data based on sensitivity results. The model predictions were evaluated against experimental data. Chamber data were used to remove the complexities of dispersion in the atmosphere.

Field induced disintegration of glycerol solutions under vacuum and atmospheric pressure conditions studied by optical microscopy and mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lüttgens, U.; Dülcks, Th.; Röllgen, F. W.

1992-04-01

The ion formation in both electrohydrodynamic (EH) and electrospray (ES) mass spectrometry (MS) is based on the electrohydrodynamic disintegration of sample solutions which are passed through a capillary biased at high potential. Vacuum is applied in EH and atmospheric pressure in ES MS. For glycerol applied as solvent in EH MS optical studies of its disintegration behavior revealed a change from axial spray modes to a rim emission mode in vacuum and a change from axial spray modes to a droplet ejection mode at atmospheric pressure conditions with increasing potential. EH MS investigations of the ion emission from only one or a few emission sites at the rim of the capillary showed a pulsed ion emission whose frequency increased with applied potential. The pulsed ion emission is attributed to an imbalance between the supply and loss of liquid at an emission site. By lowering the surface tension of glycerol with dodecyl sulfate sodium salt an increase of mass spectral ion intensity by more than one order of magnitude could be observed.

Atmospheric monitoring and model applications at the Pierre Auger Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keilhauer, Bianca

2015-03-01

The Pierre Auger Observatory detects high-energy cosmic rays with energies above ˜1017 eV. It is built as a multi-hybrid detector measuring extensive air showers with different techniques. For the reconstruction of extensive air showers, the atmospheric conditions at the site of the Observatory have to be known quite well. This is particularly true for reconstructions based on data obtained by the fluorescence technique. For these data, not only the weather conditions near ground are relevant, most important are altitude-dependent atmospheric profiles. The Pierre Auger Observatory has set up a dedicated atmospheric monitoring programme at the site in the Mendoza province, Argentina. Beyond this, exploratory studies were performed in Colorado, USA, for possible installations in the northern hemisphere. In recent years, the atmospheric monitoring programme at the Pierre Auger Observatory was supplemented by applying data from atmospheric models. Both GDAS and HYSPLIT are developments by the US weather department NOAA and the data are freely available. GDAS is a global model of the atmospheric state parameters on a 1 degree geographical grid, based on real-time measurements and numeric weather predictions, providing a full altitude-dependent data set every 3 hours. HYSPLIT is a powerful tool to track the movement of air masses at various heights, and with it the aerosols. Combining local measurements of the atmospheric state variables and aerosol scattering with the given model data, advanced studies about atmospheric conditions can be performed and high precision air shower reconstructions are achieved.

Characterizing "Adversity" of Pathology Findings in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The identification of adverse health effects has a central role in the development and risk/safety assessment of chemical entities and pharmaceuticals. There is currently a need for better alignment in the toxicologic pathology community regarding how nonclinical adversity is determined and characterized. The European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (ESTP) therefore coordinated a workshop in June 2015 to review available definitions of adversity, weigh determining and qualifying factors of adversity based on case examples, and recommend a practical approach to define and characterize adversity in toxicology reports. The international group of expert pathologists and toxicologists emphasized that a holistic, weight-of-evidence, case-specific approach should be followed for each adversity assessment. It was recommended that nonclinical adversity should typically be determined at a morphological level (most often the organ) in the pathology report and should refer specifically to the test species. Final adversity calls, integration of target pharmacology/pathway information, and consideration of human translation should generally be made in toxicology overview reports. Differences in interpretation and implications of adversity calls between (agro)chemical and pharmaceutical industries and among world regions were highlighted. The results of this workshop should serve a valuable prerequisite for future organ- or lesion-specific workshops planned by the ESTP. This

Separation and Conditioning of Mars Atmospheric Gases via TSA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finn, John E.; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Space and planetary exploration almost always presents interesting and unusual engineering challenges. Separations engineering for chemical processes that are critical to humans working in space is no exception. The challenges are becoming clearer as we make the transition from concepts and planning to hardware development, and as we understand better the constraints and environments in which the processes must perform. The coming decade will see a robotic Mars exploration program that has recovered from recent setbacks and is building a knowledge and technology base for human exploration. One of the missions will carry a small chemical pilot plant for demonstrating the manufacture of rocket propellants and life support consumables from the low-pressure (0.01 atm) Martian atmosphere. By manufacturing and storing the fuel and consumables needed for human-return missions in situ, launch mass and landed mass are reduced by tons and missions become far less expensive. The front-end to the pilot plant is a solid-state atmosphere acquisition and separation unit based on temperature-swing adsorption (TSA). The unit produces purified and pressurized (to 1.0 atm) carbon dioxide to downstream reactors that will make methane and oxygen. The unit also produces a nitrogen-argon mixture as a valuable by-product for life support, inflatable structures, and propellant pressurization. With nighttime temperatures falling to -100 degrees C, power availability restricted to a few watts, and flawless operation critical to success, the dusty Martian surface is a difficult place to operate a remote plant. This talk will focus on how this TSA separation process is designed and implemented for this application, and how it might be used in the more distant future for human exploration.

Study of the atmospheric conditions affecting infrared astronomical measurements at White Mountain, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Field, G. B.

1974-01-01

Measurements are described of atmospheric conditions affecting astronomical observations at White Mountain, California. Measurements were made at more than 1400 times spaced over more than 170 days at the Summit Laboratory and a small number of days at the Barcroft Laboratory. The recorded quantities were ten micron sky noise and precipitable water vapor, plus wet and dry bulb temperatures, wind speed and direction, brightness of the sky near the sun, fisheye lens photographs of the sky, description of cloud cover and other observable parameters, color photographs of air pollution astronomical seeing, and occasional determinations of the visible light brightness of the night sky. Measurements of some of these parameters have been made for over twenty years at the Barcroft and Crooked Creek Laboratories, and statistical analyses were made of them. These results and interpretations are given. The bulk of the collected data are statistically analyzed, and disposition of the detailed data is described. Most of the data are available in machine readable form. A detailed discussion of the techniques proposed for operation at White Mountain is given, showing how to cope with the mountain and climatic problems.

Perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA) atmospheric formation and transport to the Arctic.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pike-thackray, C.; Selin, N. E.

2015-12-01

Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) are highly persistent and toxic environmental contaminants that have been found in remote locations such as the Arctic, far from emission sources. These persistent organic pollutants are emitted directly to the atmosphere as well as being produced by the degradation of precursor compounds in the atmosphere, but recent trends towards increasing precursor emissions and decreasing direct emissions raise the importance of production in the atmosphere. Our work aims to improve understanding of the atmospheric degradation of fluorotelomer precursor compounds to form the long-chain PFCAs PFOA (C8) and PFNA (C9).Using the atmospheric chemical transport model GEOS-Chem, which uses assimilated meteorology to simulate the atmospheric transport of trace gas species, we investigate the interaction of the atmospheric formation of PFCAs and the atmospheric transport of their precursor species. Our simulations are a first application of the GEOS-Chem framework to PFCA chemistry. We highlight the importance of the spatial and temporal variability of background atmospheric chemical conditions experienced during transport. We find that yields and formation times of PFOA and PFNA respond differently and strongly to the photochemical conditions of the atmosphere, such as the abundance of NO, HO2, and other photochemical species.

Earth's earliest atmospheres.

PubMed

Zahnle, Kevin; Schaefer, Laura; Fegley, Bruce

2010-10-01

Earth is the one known example of an inhabited planet and to current knowledge the likeliest site of the one known origin of life. Here we discuss the origin of Earth's atmosphere and ocean and some of the environmental conditions of the early Earth as they may relate to the origin of life. A key punctuating event in the narrative is the Moon-forming impact, partly because it made Earth for a short time absolutely uninhabitable, and partly because it sets the boundary conditions for Earth's subsequent evolution. If life began on Earth, as opposed to having migrated here, it would have done so after the Moon-forming impact. What took place before the Moon formed determined the bulk properties of the Earth and probably determined the overall compositions and sizes of its atmospheres and oceans. What took place afterward animated these materials. One interesting consequence of the Moon-forming impact is that the mantle is devolatized, so that the volatiles subsequently fell out in a kind of condensation sequence. This ensures that the volatiles were concentrated toward the surface so that, for example, the oceans were likely salty from the start. We also point out that an atmosphere generated by impact degassing would tend to have a composition reflective of the impacting bodies (rather than the mantle), and these are almost without exception strongly reducing and volatile-rich. A consequence is that, although CO- or methane-rich atmospheres are not necessarily stable as steady states, they are quite likely to have existed as long-lived transients, many times. With CO comes abundant chemical energy in a metastable package, and with methane comes hydrogen cyanide and ammonia as important albeit less abundant gases.

(abstract) Line Mixing Behavior of Hydrogen-Broadened Ammonia Under Jovian Atmospheric Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spilker, Thomas R.

1994-01-01

Laboratory spectral data reported last year have been used to investigate the line mixing behavior of hydrogen-broadened ammonia inversion lines. The data show that broadening parameters appearing in the modified Ben-Reuven opacity formalism of Berge and Gulkis (1976) cannot maintain constant values over pressure ranges that include low to moderate pressures and high pressures. Also, they cannot change drastically in value, as in the Spilker (1990) revision of the Berge and Gulkis formalism. It has long been recognized that at low pressures, less than about 1 bar of a Jovian atmospheric mixture, a VVW formalism yields more accurate predictions of ammonia opacity than Ben-Reuven formalisms. At higher pressures the Ben-Reuven formalisms are more accurate. Since the Ben-Reuven lineshape collapses to a VVW lineshape in the low pressure limit, this low pressure inaccuracy of the Ben-Reuven formalisms is surprising. By incorporating various behavior, a new formalism is produced that is more accurate than previous formalisms, particularly in the critical 'transition region' from 0.5 to 2 bars, and that can be used without discontinuity from pressures of zero to hundreds of bars. The new formalism will be useful in such applications as interpretation of radio astronomical and radio occultation data on giant planet atmospheres, and radiative transfer modeling of those atmospheres.

Regional climatic effects of atmospheric SO2 on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Postawko, S. E.; Fanale, F. P.

1992-01-01

The conditions under which the valley networks on Mars may have formed remains controversial. The magnitude of an atmospheric greenhouse effect by an early massive CO2 atmosphere has recently been questioned by Kasting. Recent calculations indicate that if solar luminosity were less than about 86 percent of its current value, formation of CO2 clouds in the Martian atmosphere would depress the atmospheric lapse rate and reduce the magnitude of surface warming. In light of recent revisions of magma generation on Mars during each Martian epoch, and the suggestions by Wanke et al. that the role of liquid SO2 should be more carefully explored, we have recalculated the potential greenhouse warming by atmospheric SO2 on Mars, with an emphasis on more localized effects. In the vicinity of an active eruption, the concentration of atmospheric SO2 will be higher than if it is assumed that the erupted SO2 is instantaneously globally distributed. The local steady-state concentration of SO2 is a function of the rate at which it is released, its atmospheric lifetime, and the rate at which local winds act to disperse the SO2. We have made estimates of eruption rates, length of eruption, and dispersion rates of volcanically released SO2, for a variety of atmospheric conditions and atmospheric lifetimes of SO2 to explore the maximum regional climatic effect of SO2.

Differential cardiac effects in rats exposed to atmospheric ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The results of this study demonstrate that atmospheric smog generated from both isoprene and toluene cause cardiac effects in rats. In addition, it appears that smog from toluene is more toxic in terms of cardiac arrhythmogenicity. Smog, which is a complex mixture of particulate matter and gaseous irritants (ozone, sulfur dioxide, reactive aldehydes), as well as components which react with sunlight to form secondary pollutants, has recently been linked to increased risk of adverse cardiac responses. The components, and therefore health effects, of atmospheric smog are determined by the fuel used to generate them. In this study we examined the difference between isoprene- and toluene-generated smog in causing cardiac effects in rats and hypothesized that both atmospheres would cause cardiac electrical and functional changes in rats. Male Wistar-Kyoto rats were exposed to either atmospheric smog generated by the USEPA’s mobile reaction chamber using either isoprene or toluene, or filtered air for four hours. One day later, rats were anesthetized and left ventricular functional responses to dobutamine were measured using a Millar probe and arrhythmia sensitivity to aconitine. Baseline left ventricular pressure (LVP) was lower in toluene-exposed animals but not isoprene when compared to air. Increases in LVP with increasing doses of dobutamine were impaired only in toluene-exposed rats. Both isoprene and toluene impaired the rate of ventri

Impact of multiconstellation satellite signal reception on performance of satellite-based navigation under adverse ionospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Ashik; Paul, Krishnendu Sekhar; Das, Aditi

2017-03-01

Application of multiconstellation satellites to address the issue of satellite signal outages during periods of equatorial ionospheric scintillations could prove to be an effective tool for maintaining the performance of satellite-based communication and navigation without compromise in accuracy and integrity. A receiver capable of tracking GPS, Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), and Galileo satellites is operational at the Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics, University of Calcutta, Calcutta, India, located near the northern crest of the equatorial ionization anomaly in the Indian longitude sector. The present paper shows increased availability of satellites combining GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo constellations from Calcutta compared to GPS-only scenario and estimates intense scintillation-free (S4 < 0.6) satellite vehicle look angles at different hours of the postsunset period 19:00-01:00 LT during March 2014. A representative case of 1 March 2014 is highlighted in the paper and overall statistics for March 2014 presented to indicate quantitative advantages in terms of scintillation-free satellite vehicle look angles that may be utilized for planning communication and navigation channel spatial distribution under adverse ionospheric conditions. The number of satellites tracked and receiver position deviations has been found to show a good correspondence with the occurrence of intense scintillations and poor user receiver-satellite link geometry. The ground projection of the 350 km subionospheric points corresponding to multiconstellation shows extended spatial coverage during periods of scintillations (0.2 < S4 < 0.6) compared to GPS.

Within-Hospital Variation in 30-Day Adverse Events: Implications for Measuring Quality.

PubMed

Burke, Robert E; Glorioso, Thomas; Barón, Anna K; Kaboli, Peter J; Ho, P Michael

Novel measures of hospital quality are needed. Because quality improvement efforts seek to reduce variability in processes and outcomes, hospitals with higher variability in adverse events may be delivering poorer quality care. We sought to evaluate whether within-hospital variability in adverse events after a procedure might function as a quality metric that is correlated with facility-level mortality rates. We analyzed all percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) performed in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system from 2007 to 2013 to evaluate the correlation between within-hospital variability in 30-day postdischarge adverse events (readmission, emergency department visit, and repeat revascularization), and facility-level mortality rates, after adjustment for patient demographics, comorbidities, PCI indication, and PCI urgency. The study cohort included 47,567 patients at 48 VHA hospitals. The overall 30-day adverse event rate was 22.0% and 1-year mortality rate was 4.9%. The most variable sites had relative changes of 20% in 30-day rates of adverse events period-to-period. However, within-hospital variability in 30-day events was not correlated with 1-year mortality rates (correlation coefficient = .06; p = .66). Thus, measuring within-hospital variability in postdischarge adverse events may not improve identification of low-performing hospitals. Evaluation in other conditions, populations, and in relationship with other quality metrics may reveal stronger correlations with care quality.

Baseline glucose level is an individual trait that is negatively associated with lifespan and increases due to adverse environmental conditions during development and adulthood.

PubMed

Montoya, Bibiana; Briga, Michael; Jimeno, Blanca; Moonen, Sander; Verhulst, Simon

2018-05-01

High baseline glucose levels are associated with pathologies and shorter lifespan in humans, but little is known about causes and consequences of individual variation in glucose levels in other species. We tested to what extent baseline blood glucose level is a repeatable trait in adult zebra finches, and whether glucose levels were associated with age, manipulated environmental conditions during development (rearing brood size) and adulthood (foraging cost), and lifespan. We found that: (1) repeatability of glucose levels was 30%, both within and between years. (2) Having been reared in a large brood and living with higher foraging costs as adult were independently associated with higher glucose levels. Furthermore, the finding that baseline glucose was low when ambient temperature was high, and foraging costs were low, indicates that glucose is regulated at a lower level when energy turnover is low. (3) Survival probability decreased with increasing baseline glucose. We conclude that baseline glucose is an individual trait negatively associated with survival, and increases due to adverse environmental conditions during development (rearing brood size) and adulthood (foraging cost). Blood glucose may be, therefore, part of the physiological processes linking environmental conditions to lifespan.

[Atmospheric parameter estimation for LAMOST/GUOSHOUJING spectra].

PubMed

Lu, Yu; Li, Xiang-Ru; Yang, Tan

2014-11-01

It is a key task to estimate the atmospheric parameters from the observed stellar spectra in exploring the nature of stars and universe. With our Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopy Telescope (LAMOST) which begun its formal Sky Survey in September 2012, we are obtaining a mass of stellar spectra in an unprecedented speed. It has brought a new opportunity and a challenge for the research of galaxies. Due to the complexity of the observing system, the noise in the spectrum is relatively large. At the same time, the preprocessing procedures of spectrum are also not ideal, such as the wavelength calibration and the flow calibration. Therefore, there is a slight distortion of the spectrum. They result in the high difficulty of estimating the atmospheric parameters for the measured stellar spectra. It is one of the important issues to estimate the atmospheric parameters for the massive stellar spectra of LAMOST. The key of this study is how to eliminate noise and improve the accuracy and robustness of estimating the atmospheric parameters for the measured stellar spectra. We propose a regression model for estimating the atmospheric parameters of LAMOST stellar(SVM(lasso)). The basic idea of this model is: First, we use the Haar wavelet to filter spectrum, suppress the adverse effects of the spectral noise and retain the most discrimination information of spectrum. Secondly, We use the lasso algorithm for feature selection and extract the features of strongly correlating with the atmospheric parameters. Finally, the features are input to the support vector regression model for estimating the parameters. Because the model has better tolerance to the slight distortion and the noise of the spectrum, the accuracy of the measurement is improved. To evaluate the feasibility of the above scheme, we conduct experiments extensively on the 33 963 pilot surveys spectrums by LAMOST. The accuracy of three atmospheric parameters is log Teff: 0.006 8 dex, log g: 0.155 1 dex

The association between cumulative adversity and mental health: considering dose and primary focus of adversity.

PubMed

Keinan, Giora; Shrira, Amit; Shmotkin, Dov

2012-09-01

The study addressed the dose-response model in the association of cumulative adversity with mental health. Data of 1,725 participants aged 50+ were drawn from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. Measures included an inventory of potentially traumatic events, distress (lifetime depression, depressive symptoms), and well-being (quality of life, optimism/hope). The maximal effect of cumulative trauma emerged in the contrast between 0-2 and 3+ events, where the higher number of events related to higher distress but also to higher well-being. While self-oriented adversity revealed no, or negative, association with well-being, other-oriented adversity revealed a positive association. The study suggests an experiential dose of cumulative adversity leading to a co-activation of distress and well-being. The source of this co-activation seems to be other-oriented adversity.

Interior and its implications for the atmosphere. [effects of Titan interior structure on its atmospheric composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, J. S.

1974-01-01

The bulk composition and interior structure of Titan required to explain the presence of a substantial methane atmosphere are shown to imply the presence of solid CH4 - 7H2O in Titan's primitive material. Consideration of the possible composition and structure of the present atmosphere shows plausible grounds for considering models with total atmospheric pressures ranging from approximately 20 mb up to approximately 1 kb. Expectations regarding the physical state of the surface and its chemical composition are strongly conditioned by the mass of atmosphere believed to be present. A surface of solid CH4, liquid CH4 solid, CH4 hydrate, H2O ice, aqueous NH3 solution, or even a non-surface of supercritical H2O-NH3-CH4 fluid could be rationalized.

Atmospheric conditions related to blowup fires

Treesearch

George M. Byram

1954-01-01

Occasionally a forest fire burns with an intensity that seems far out of proportion to apparent burning conditions. Sometimes it multiplies its rate of energy output many times in a short space of time. Although infrequent, these unusual fires have over a long period of time been responsible for the major loss of life in forest fires and a large part of the losses in...

Synoptic evolution of Atmospheric River landfalls in Northern California and the pre-conditioning of their characteristics by the climate state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gershunov, A.; Guirguis, K.; Shulgina, T.; Clemesha, R.; Ralph, M.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) contribute the lion's share of water resources for California, but can also cause flooding and draw heavily on emergency resources of state and local governments. Comprehensive probabilistic tools relating landfalling ARs to pre-existing weather/climate conditions could be useful for subseasonal forecasting, emergency preparedness and water resource management. We examine ARs targeting the Northern California coast using long-term observations of synoptic-scale circulation, high-resolution precipitation, and a seven-decade-long catalog of AR landfalls to quantify distinct orientations of landfalling ARs. Using a probabilistic approach to relate these historic events to precursor weather patterns, we identify synoptic circulation patterns that precede AR landfalls at various lead times in the range of 0-30 days. Examination of the evolution of these precursor patterns reveals subtle but important differences in the atmospheric states that lead to AR landfalls versus those that don't. Synoptic precursors can also differentiate between orientations of ARs at landfall, which produce rather different precipitation patterns over the region's complex topography. Moreover, low-frequency climate forcing appears to modulate the likelihood of AR landfalls, as well as their preferred orientations. These results provide a link between seasonal and subseasonal timescales and suggest a new approach toward extended-range prediction of land-falling atmospheric rivers and their related precipitation.

Investigation of potential interferences in the detection of atmospheric ROx radicals by laser-induced fluorescence under dark conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, H.; Tan, Z.; Hofzumahaus, A.; Broch, S.; Dorn, H.-P.; Holland, F.; Künstler, C.; Gomm, S.; Rohrer, F.; Schrade, S.; Tillmann, R.; Wahner, A.

2015-11-01

Direct detection of highly reactive, atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) is widely accomplished by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) instruments. The technique is also suitable for the indirect measurement of HO2 and RO2 peroxy radicals by chemical conversion to OH. It requires sampling of ambient air into a low pressure cell, where OH fluorescence is detected after excitation by 308 nm laser radiation. Although the residence time of air inside the fluorescence cell is typically only on the order of milliseconds, there is potential that additional OH is internally produced, which would artificially increase the measured OH concentration. Here, we present experimental studies investigating potential interferences in the detection of OH and peroxy radicals for the LIF instruments of Forschungszentrum Jülich for nighttime conditions. For laboratory experiments, the inlet of the instrument was overflown by excess synthetic air containing one or more reactants. In order to distinguish between OH produced by reactions upstream of the inlet and artificial signals produced inside the instrument, a chemical titration for OH was applied. Additional experiments were performed in the simulation chamber SAPHIR where simultaneous measurements by an open-path differential optical absorption spectrometer (DOAS) served as reference for OH to quantify potential artifacts in the LIF instrument. Experiments included the investigation of potential interferences related to the nitrate radical (NO3, N2O5), related to the ozonolysis of alkenes (ethene, propene, 1-butene, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, α-pinene, limonene, isoprene), and the laser photolysis of acetone. Experiments studying the laser photolysis of acetone yield OH signals in the fluorescence cell, which are equivalent to 0.05 × 106 cm-3 OH for a mixing ratio of 5 ppbv acetone. Under most atmospheric conditions, this interference is negligible. No significant interferences were found for atmospheric concentrations of reactants

Investigation of potential interferences in the detection of atmospheric ROx radicals by laser-induced fluorescence under dark conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Hendrik; Tan, Zhaofeng; Hofzumahaus, Andreas; Broch, Sebastian; Dorn, Hans-Peter; Holland, Frank; Künstler, Christopher; Gomm, Sebastian; Rohrer, Franz; Schrade, Stephanie; Tillmann, Ralf; Wahner, Andreas

2016-04-01

Direct detection of highly reactive, atmospheric hydroxyl radicals (OH) is widely accomplished by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) instruments. The technique is also suitable for the indirect measurement of HO2 and RO2 peroxy radicals by chemical conversion to OH. It requires sampling of ambient air into a low-pressure cell, where OH fluorescence is detected after excitation by 308 nm laser radiation. Although the residence time of air inside the fluorescence cell is typically only on the order of milliseconds, there is potential that additional OH is internally produced, which would artificially increase the measured OH concentration. Here, we present experimental studies investigating potential interferences in the detection of OH and peroxy radicals for the LIF instruments of Forschungszentrum Jülich for nighttime conditions. For laboratory experiments, the inlet of the instrument was over flowed by excess synthetic air containing one or more reactants. In order to distinguish between OH produced by reactions upstream of the inlet and artificial signals produced inside the instrument, a chemical titration for OH was applied. Additional experiments were performed in the simulation chamber SAPHIR where simultaneous measurements by an open-path differential optical absorption spectrometer (DOAS) served as reference for OH to quantify potential artifacts in the LIF instrument. Experiments included the investigation of potential interferences related to the nitrate radical (NO3, N2O5), related to the ozonolysis of alkenes (ethene, propene, 1-butene, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene, α-pinene, limonene, isoprene), and the laser photolysis of acetone. Experiments studying the laser photolysis of acetone yield OH signals in the fluorescence cell, which are equivalent to 0.05 × 106 cm-3 OH for a mixing ratio of 5 ppbv acetone. Under most atmospheric conditions, this interference is negligible. No significant interferences were found for atmospheric concentrations of reactants

Extracting atmospheric turbulence and aerosol characteristics from passive imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhardt, Colin N.; Wayne, D.; McBryde, K.; Cauble, G.

2013-09-01

Obtaining accurate, precise and timely information about the local atmospheric turbulence and extinction conditions and aerosol/particulate content remains a difficult problem with incomplete solutions. It has important applications in areas such as optical and IR free-space communications, imaging systems performance, and the propagation of directed energy. The capability to utilize passive imaging data to extract parameters characterizing atmospheric turbulence and aerosol/particulate conditions would represent a valuable addition to the current piecemeal toolset for atmospheric sensing. Our research investigates an application of fundamental results from optical turbulence theory and aerosol extinction theory combined with recent advances in image-quality-metrics (IQM) and image-quality-assessment (IQA) methods. We have developed an algorithm which extracts important parameters used for characterizing atmospheric turbulence and extinction along the propagation channel, such as the refractive-index structure parameter C2n , the Fried atmospheric coherence width r0 , and the atmospheric extinction coefficient βext , from passive image data. We will analyze the algorithm performance using simulations based on modeling with turbulence modulation transfer functions. An experimental field campaign was organized and data were collected from passive imaging through turbulence of Siemens star resolution targets over several short littoral paths in Point Loma, San Diego, under conditions various turbulence intensities. We present initial results of the algorithm's effectiveness using this field data and compare against measurements taken concurrently with other standard atmospheric characterization equipment. We also discuss some of the challenges encountered with the algorithm, tasks currently in progress, and approaches planned for improving the performance in the near future.

Identifying crash-prone traffic conditions under different weather on freeways.

PubMed

Xu, Chengcheng; Wang, Wei; Liu, Pan

2013-09-01

Understanding the relationships between traffic flow characteristics and crash risk under adverse weather conditions will help highway agencies develop proactive safety management strategies to improve traffic safety in adverse weather conditions. The primary objective is to develop separate crash risk prediction models for different weather conditions. The crash data, weather data, and traffic data used in this study were collected on the I-880N freeway in California in 2008 and 2010. This study considered three different weather conditions: clear weather, rainy weather, and reduced visibility weather. The preliminary analysis showed that there was some heterogeneity in the risk estimates for traffic flow characteristics by weather conditions, and that the crash risk prediction model for all weather conditions cannot capture the impacts of the traffic flow variables on crash risk under adverse weather conditions. The Bayesian random intercept logistic regression models were applied to link the likelihood of crash occurrence with various traffic flow characteristics under different weather conditions. The crash risk prediction models were compared to their corresponding logistic regression model. It was found that the random intercept model improved the goodness-of-fit of the crash risk prediction models. The model estimation results showed that the traffic flow characteristics contributing to crash risk were different across different weather conditions. The speed difference between upstream and downstream stations was found to be significant in each crash risk prediction model. Speed difference between upstream and downstream stations had the largest impact on crash risk in reduced visibility weather, followed by that in rainy weather. The ROC curves were further developed to evaluate the predictive performance of the crash risk prediction models under different weather conditions. The predictive performance of the crash risk model for clear weather was better

Detection techniques for tenuous planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoenig, S. A.; Summerton, J. E.; Kirchner, J. D.; Allred, J. B.

1974-01-01

The development of new types of detectors for analysis of planetary atmospheres is discussed. Initially, the interest was in detectors for use under partial vacuum conditions; recently, the program has been extended to include detectors for use at one atmosphere and adsorption systems for control and separation of gases. Results to date have included detector for O2 and H2 under partial vacuum conditions. Experiments on detectors for use at high pressures began in 1966; and systems for CO, H2, and O2 were reported in 1967 and 1968. In 1968 studies began on an electrically controlled adsorbent. It was demonstrated that under proper conditions a thin film of semiconductor material could be electrically cycled to absorb and desorb a specific gas. This work was extended to obtain quantitative data on the use of semiconductors as controllable adsorbents.

Health consequences of adverse childhood experiences: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kalmakis, Karen A; Chandler, Genevieve E

2015-08-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with negative health outcomes, but the evidence has had limited application in primary care practice. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the research on associations between ACEs and adult health outcomes to inform nurse practitioners (NPs) in primary care practice. The databases PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Social Abstracts were searched for articles published in English between 2008 and 2013 using the search term "adverse childhood experiences." Forty-two research articles were included in the synthesis. The evidence was synthesized and is reported following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis procedure (PRISMA). ACEs have been associated with health consequences including physical and psychological conditions, risk behaviors, developmental disruption, and increased healthcare utilization. Generalization of the results is limited by a majority of studies (41/42) measuring childhood adversity using self-report measures. NPs are encouraged to incorporate assessment of patients' childhood history in routine primary care and to consider the evidence that supports a relationship between ACEs and health. Although difficult, talking about patient's childhood experiences may positively influence health outcomes. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Exoplanetary Atmospheres—Chemistry, Formation Conditions, and Habitability

PubMed Central

Agúndez, Marcelino; Moses, Julianne I; Hu, Yongyun

2016-01-01

Characterizing the atmospheres of extrasolar planets is the new frontier in exoplanetary science. The last two decades of exoplanet discoveries have revealed that exoplanets are very common and extremely diverse in their orbital and bulk properties. We now enter a new era as we begin to investigate the chemical diversity of exoplanets, their atmospheric and interior processes, and their formation conditions. Recent developments in the field have led to unprecedented advancements in our understanding of atmospheric chemistry of exoplanets and the implications for their formation conditions. We review these developments in the present work. We review in detail the theory of atmospheric chemistry in all classes of exoplanets discovered to date, from highly irradiated gas giants, ice giants, and super-Earths, to directly imaged giant planets at large orbital separations. We then review the observational detections of chemical species in exoplanetary atmospheres of these various types using different methods, including transit spectroscopy, Doppler spectroscopy, and direct imaging. In addition to chemical detections, we discuss the advances in determining chemical abundances in these atmospheres and how such abundances are being used to constrain exoplanetary formation conditions and migration mechanisms. Finally, we review recent theoretical work on the atmospheres of habitable exoplanets, followed by a discussion of future outlook of the field. PMID:28057962

Exoplanetary Atmospheres—Chemistry, Formation Conditions, and Habitability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madhusudhan, Nikku; Agúndez, Marcelino; Moses, Julianne I.; Hu, Yongyun

2016-12-01

Characterizing the atmospheres of extrasolar planets is the new frontier in exoplanetary science. The last two decades of exoplanet discoveries have revealed that exoplanets are very common and extremely diverse in their orbital and bulk properties. We now enter a new era as we begin to investigate the chemical diversity of exoplanets, their atmospheric and interior processes, and their formation conditions. Recent developments in the field have led to unprecedented advancements in our understanding of atmospheric chemistry of exoplanets and the implications for their formation conditions. We review these developments in the present work. We review in detail the theory of atmospheric chemistry in all classes of exoplanets discovered to date, from highly irradiated gas giants, ice giants, and super-Earths, to directly imaged giant planets at large orbital separations. We then review the observational detections of chemical species in exoplanetary atmospheres of these various types using different methods, including transit spectroscopy, Doppler spectroscopy, and direct imaging. In addition to chemical detections, we discuss the advances in determining chemical abundances in these atmospheres and how such abundances are being used to constrain exoplanetary formation conditions and migration mechanisms. Finally, we review recent theoretical work on the atmospheres of habitable exoplanets, followed by a discussion of future outlook of the field.

ANALYTICAL MODELS OF EXOPLANETARY ATMOSPHERES. I. ATMOSPHERIC DYNAMICS VIA THE SHALLOW WATER SYSTEM

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

Heng, Kevin; Workman, Jared, E-mail: kevin.heng@csh.unibe.ch, E-mail: jworkman@coloradomesa.edu

2014-08-01

Within the context of exoplanetary atmospheres, we present a comprehensive linear analysis of forced, damped, magnetized shallow water systems, exploring the effects of dimensionality, geometry (Cartesian, pseudo-spherical, and spherical), rotation, magnetic tension, and hydrodynamic and magnetic sources of friction. Across a broad range of conditions, we find that the key governing equation for atmospheres and quantum harmonic oscillators are identical, even when forcing (stellar irradiation), sources of friction (molecular viscosity, Rayleigh drag, and magnetic drag), and magnetic tension are included. The global atmospheric structure is largely controlled by a single key parameter that involves the Rossby and Prandtl numbers. Thismore » near-universality breaks down when either molecular viscosity or magnetic drag acts non-uniformly across latitude or a poloidal magnetic field is present, suggesting that these effects will introduce qualitative changes to the familiar chevron-shaped feature witnessed in simulations of atmospheric circulation. We also find that hydrodynamic and magnetic sources of friction have dissimilar phase signatures and affect the flow in fundamentally different ways, implying that using Rayleigh drag to mimic magnetic drag is inaccurate. We exhaustively lay down the theoretical formalism (dispersion relations, governing equations, and time-dependent wave solutions) for a broad suite of models. In all situations, we derive the steady state of an atmosphere, which is relevant to interpreting infrared phase and eclipse maps of exoplanetary atmospheres. We elucidate a pinching effect that confines the atmospheric structure to be near the equator. Our suite of analytical models may be used to develop decisively physical intuition and as a reference point for three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of atmospheric circulation.« less

Atmospheric oxygen and other conditions affecting the production of cereulide by Bacillus cereus in food.

PubMed

Jääskeläinen, E L; Häggblom, M M; Andersson, M A; Salkinoja-Salonen, M S

2004-10-01

Factors influencing the production of cereulide, the emetic toxin of Bacillus cereus in food and laboratory media were investigated, using liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry and sperm motility inhibition bioassay for detection and quantitation. Oxygen was essential for production of the emetic toxin by B. cereus. When beans, rice or tryptic soy broth were inoculated with cereulide producing strains B203, B116 (recent food isolates) or the strain F-4810/72, high amounts (2 to 7 microg ml(-1) or g(-1) wet wt) of cereulide accumulated during 4-day storage at room temperature. In parallel cultures and foods, stored under nitrogen atmosphere (> 99.5% N2), less than 0.05 microg of cereulide ml(-1) or g(-1) wet wt accumulated. The outcome of the bioassay matched that of the chemical assay, with no indication of interference by substances in the rice or beans. Boiling for 20 to 30 min did not inactivate cereulide or cereulide producing strains in rice or the beans. Adding l-leucine and l-valine (0.3 g l(-1)) stimulated cereulide production 10- to 20-fold in R2A and in rice water agar. When the B. cereus strains were grown on agar media under permissive conditions (air, room temperature), cereulide was produced overnight with little or no increase when the incubation was extended to 4 days. In broth culture, the production of cereulide started later than 16-24 h. Anoxic storage prevented cereulide production also when the amino acids had been supplied. Packaging with modified atmosphere low in oxygen may thus be used to reduce the risk of cereulide formation during storage of food. Copyright 2004 Elsevier B.V.

[Turbulent characteristics in forest canopy under atmospheric neutral condition].

PubMed

Diao, Yi-Wei; Guan, De-Xin; Jin, Chang-Jie; Wang, An-Zhi; Pei, Tie-Fan

2010-02-01

Based on the micrometeorological data of broad-leaved Korean pine forest in Changbai Mountain in 2003, a second-order closure model was employed to calculate and analyze the turbulent characteristics within and above the canopy of the forest. The calculated mean wind profile was coincident with the measured one. The Reynolds stress within the forest was significantly attenuated. The turbulent strength, velocity flux, and skew were the largest at forest-atmosphere interface, as well the wind shear. With the increase of velocity skew, the turbulent intermittence became more significant, and the downward turbulent eddy within the canopy was limited. Most of the turbulent deeply within the forest canopy was produced by the non-local contributions above the canopy.

A multi-center analysis of adverse events among two thousand, three hundred and seventy two adult patients undergoing adult autologous stem cell therapy for orthopaedic conditions.

PubMed

Centeno, Christopher J; Al-Sayegh, Hasan; Freeman, Michael D; Smith, Jay; Murrell, William D; Bubnov, Rostyslav

2016-08-01

The purpose of the present investigation is to report on detailed complications among a much larger group of 2372 orthopaedic patients treated with stem cell injections who were followed in a treatment registry for up to nine years. All patients underwent an MSC-based, percutaneous injection treatment of an orthopaedic condition between December 2005 and September 2014 at one of 18 clinical facilities. Treated areas of the body included the knee, hip, ankle/foot, hand/wrist, elbow, shoulder, and spine. The patients were followed prospectively via enrollment in a treatment registry. Patients were followed prospectively at one, three, six and 12 months, and annually thereafter, using an electronic system, ClinCapture software. A total of 3012 procedures were performed on 2372 patients with follow-up period of 2.2 years. A total of 325 adverse events were reported. The majority were pain post-procedure (n = 93, 3.9 % of the study population) and pain due to progressive degenerative joint disease (n = 90, 3.8 % of the study population). Seven cases reported neoplasms, a lower rate than in the general population. The lowest rate of adverse events was observed among patients injected with BMC alone. Lowest rate of adverse events was among those patients receiving BMC injections alone, but the higher rate of AEs for BMC plus adipose and cultured cells was readily explained by the nature of the therapy or the longer follow-up. There was no clinical evidence to suggest that treatment with MSCs of any type in this study increased the risk of neoplasm.

Numerical study of heating the upper atmosphere by acoustic-gravity waves from a local source on the Earth's surface and influence of this heating on the wave propagation conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpov, I. V.; Kshevetskii, S. P.

2017-11-01

The propagation of acoustic-gravity waves (AGW) from a source on the Earth's surface to the upper atmosphere is investigated with methods of mathematical modeling. The applied non-linear model of wave propagation in the atmosphere is based on numerical integration of a complete set of two-dimensional hydrodynamic equations. The source on the Earth's surface generates waves with frequencies near to the Brunt-Vaisala frequency. The results of simulation have revealed that some region of heating the atmosphere by propagated upward and dissipated AGWs arises above the source at altitudes nearby of 200 km. The horizontal scale of this heated region is about 1000 km in the case of the source that radiates AGWs during approximately 1 h. The appearing of the heated region has changed the conditions of AGW propagation in the atmosphere. When the heated region in the upper atmosphere has been formed, further a waveguide regime of propagation of waves with the periods shorter the Brunt-Vaisala period is realized. The upper boundary of the wave-guide coincides with the arisen heated region in the upper atmosphere. The considered mechanism of formation of large-scale disturbances in the upper atmosphere may be useful for explanation of connections of processes in the upper and lower atmospheric layers.

Transcriptomic analysis of fruit stored under cold conditions using controlled atmosphere in Prunus persica cv. "Red Pearl".

PubMed

Sanhueza, Dayan; Vizoso, Paula; Balic, Iván; Campos-Vargas, Reinaldo; Meneses, Claudio

2015-01-01

Cold storage (CS) can induce a physiological disorder known as chilling injury (CI) in nectarine fruits. The main symptom is mealiness that is perceived as non-juicy fruit by consumers. Postharvest treatments such as controlled atmosphere (CA; a high CO2 concentration and low O2) have been used under cold conditions to avoid this disorder. With the objective of exploring the mechanisms involved in the CA effect on mealiness prevention, we analyzed transcriptomic changes under six conditions of "Red Pearl" nectarines by RNA-Seq. Our analysis included just harvested nectarines, juicy non-stored fruits, fruits affected for CI after CS and fruits stored in a combination of CA plus CS without CI phenotype. Nectarines stored in cold conditions combined with CA treatment resulted in less mealiness; we obtained 21.6% of juice content compared with just CS fruits (7.7%; mealy flesh). RNA-Seq data analyses were carried out to study the gene expression for different conditions assayed. During ripening, we detected that nectarines exposed to CA treatment expressed a similar number of genes compared with fruits that were not exposed to cold conditions. Firm fruits have more differentially expressed genes than soft fruits, which suggest that most important changes occur during CS. On the other hand, gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment mainly in metabolic and cellular processes. Differentially expressed genes analysis showed that low O2 concentrations combined with cold conditions slows the metabolic processes more than just the cold storage, resulting mainly in the suppression of primary metabolism and cold stress response. This is a significant step toward unraveling the molecular mechanism that explains the effectiveness of CA as a tool to prevent CI development on fruits.

Chasing Neoproterozoic Atmospheric Oxygen Ghosts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bjerrum, C. J.; Canfield, D. E.; Dahl, T. W.

2016-12-01

Increasing atmospheric oxygen has been considered a necessary condition for the evolution of animal life for over half a century. While direct proxies for atmospheric oxygen are difficult to obtain, a number of indirect proxies have been giving us a ghost image of rising atmospheric oxygen at the close of the Precambrian. In this context, redox sensitive elements and isotopes represent the hallmark for a significant reduction in anoxic areas of the world ocean, implicating a significant rise of atmospheric oxygen during the Neoproterozoic. Here, we test to what degree redox sensitive elements in ancient marine sediments are proxies of atmospheric oxygen. We model the redox-chemical evolution of the shelf seas and ocean using a combination of 3D high resolution shelf sea models and a simpler global ocean biogeochemical model including climate weathering feedbacks, a free sea level and parameterized icecaps. We find that ecosystem evolution would have resulted in reorganization of the nutrient and redox balance of the shelf-ocean system causing a significant increase in oxygenated areas that permitted a boosting of trace metal concentrations in the remaining anoxic areas. While this reorganization takes place there is limited net change in the modelled atmospheric oxygen, warning us against interpreting changing trace metal concentrations and isotopes as reflecting a rise in atmospheric oxygen.

Atmospheric characterization on the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Jonathan; Coffaro, Joseph; Wu, Chensheng; Paulson, Daniel; Davis, Christopher

2017-08-01

Large temperature gradients are a known source of strong atmospheric turbulence conditions. Often times these areas of strong turbulence conditions are also accompanied by conditions that make it difficult to conduct long term optical atmospheric tests. The Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) provides a prime testing environment that is capable of generating strong atmospheric turbulence yet is also easily accessible for well instrumented testing. The Shuttle Landing Facility features a 5000 m long and 91 m wide concrete runway that provides ample space for measurements of atmospheric turbulence as well as the opportunity for large temperature gradients to form as the sun heats the surface. We present the results of a large aperture LED scintillometer, a triple aperture laser scintillometer, and a thermal probe system that were used to calculate a path averaged and a point calculation of Cn2. In addition, we present the results of the Plenoptic Sensor that was used to calculate a path averaged Cn2 value. These measurements were conducted over a multi-day continuous test with supporting atmospheric and weather data provided by the University of Central Florida.

A Mechanism for Land-Atmosphere Feedback Involving Planetary Wave Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Chang, Yehui; Schubert, Siegfried D.

2014-01-01

While the ability of land surface conditions to influence the atmosphere has been demonstrated in various modeling and observational studies, the precise mechanisms by which land-atmosphere feedback occurs are still largely unknown particularly the mechanisms that allow land moisture state in one region to affect atmospheric conditions in another. Such remote impacts are examined here in the context of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) simulations, leading to the identification of one potential mechanism: the phase-locking and amplification of a planetary wave through the imposition of a spatial pattern of soil moisture at the land surface. This mechanism, shown here to be relevant in the AGCM, apparently also operates in nature, as suggested by supporting evidence found in reanalysis data.

H20 and CH4 abundances under non-LTE conditions from MIPAS upper atmosphere measurements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koukouli, M. E.; Imk-Iaa Mipas/Envisat Team

Vertical profiles of water vapour and methane have been retrieved from measurements of the Earth's Upper Atmosphere made by the Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) on board the polar orbiting ENVISAT satellite. The spectral range targeted is 685-2410 cm-1 (4.1-14.6 μm) and the retrieval altitude range is ˜25-80 km. The Generic RAdiative traNsfer AnD non-LTE population Algorithm (GRANADA), jointly developed by IAA and IMK, has been used to analyse two days' worth of upper atmosphere orbits, from July 2002 and June 2003. The vertical profiles retrieved are compared and calibrated against other known water vapour experiments (e.g. HALOE) in the corresponding vertical and spacial co-locations. Global three-dimensional maps are also presented and validated against modelling results (e.g. Garcia and Solomon). The total hydrogen content of the Earth's middle atmosphere will also be investigated as means of identifying possible sinks or sources in the water vapour and methane day-night variability. A comprehensive systematic error analysis will complement the presentation of the results.

High Vertically Resolved Atmospheric State Revealed with IASI Single FOV Retrievals under All-weather Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Liu, Xu; Larar, Allen M.; Smith, William L.; Taylor, Jonathan P.; Schluessel, L. Peter; Strow, Larrybee; Mango, Stephen A.

2008-01-01

The Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp satellite was launched on October 19, 2006. The Joint Airborne IASI Validation Experiment (JAIVEx) was conducted during April 2007 mainly for validation of the IASI on the MetOp satellite. IASI possesses an ultra-spectral resolution of 0.25 cm(exp -1) and a spectral coverage from 645 to 2760 cm(exp -1). Ultra-spectral resolution infrared spectral radiance obtained from near nadir observations provide atmospheric, surface, and cloud property information. An advanced retrieval algorithm with a fast radiative transfer model, including cloud effects, is used for atmospheric profile and cloud parameter retrieval. Preliminary retrievals of atmospheric soundings, surface properties, and cloud optical/microphysical properties with the IASI observations are obtained and presented. These retrievals are further inter-compared with those obtained from airborne FTS system, such as the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed - Interferometer (NAST-I), dedicated dropsondes, radiosondes, and ground based Raman Lidar. The capabilities of satellite ultra-spectral sounder such as the IASI are investigated to benefit future NPOESS operation.

Atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source

DOEpatents

McLuckey, Scott A.; Glish, Gary L.

1989-01-01

An atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source that can be used in combination with an analytical instrument which operates at high vacuum, such as a mass spectrometer. The atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source comprises a chamber with at least one pair of electrodes disposed therein, an inlet for a gaseous sample to be analyzed and an outlet communicating with an analyzer which operates at subatmospheric pressure. The ionization chamber is maintained at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, and a voltage difference is applied across the electrodes to induce a glow discharge between the electrodes, so that molecules passing through the inlet are ionized by the glow discharge and directed into the analyzer. The ionization source accepts the sample under atmospheric pressure conditions and processes it directly into the high vacuum instrument, bridging the pressure gap and drawing off unwanted atmospheric gases. The invention also includes a method for analyzing a gaseous sample using the glow discharge ionization source described above.

Atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source

DOEpatents

McLuckey, S.A.; Glish, G.L.

1989-07-18

An atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source that can be used in combination with an analytical instrument which operates at high vacuum, such as a mass spectrometer. The atmospheric sampling glow discharge ionization source comprises a chamber with at least one pair of electrodes disposed therein, an inlet for a gaseous sample to be analyzed and an outlet communicating with an analyzer which operates at subatmospheric pressure. The ionization chamber is maintained at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, and a voltage difference is applied across the electrodes to induce a glow discharge between the electrodes, so that molecules passing through the inlet are ionized by the glow discharge and directed into the analyzer. The ionization source accepts the sample under atmospheric pressure conditions and processes it directly into the high vacuum instrument, bridging the pressure gap and drawing off unwanted atmospheric gases. The invention also includes a method for analyzing a gaseous sample using the glow discharge ionization source described above. 3 figs.

Model atmospheres for cool stars. [varying chemical composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, H. R.

1974-01-01

This report contains an extensive series of model atmospheres for cool stars having a wide range in chemical composition. Model atmospheres (temperature, pressure, density, etc.) are tabulated, along with emergent energy flux distributions, limb darkening, and information on convection for selected models. The models are calculated under the usual assumptions of hydrostatic equilibrium, constancy of total energy flux (including transport both by radiation and convection) and local thermodynamic equilibrium. Some molecular and atomic line opacity is accounted for as a straight mean. While cool star atmospheres are regimes of complicated physical conditions, and these atmospheres are necessarily approximate, they should be useful for a number of kinds of spectral and atmospheric analysis.

Severity of mental illness as a result of multiple childhood adversities: US National Epidemiologic Survey.

PubMed

Curran, Emma; Adamson, Gary; Stringer, Maurice; Rosato, Michael; Leavey, Gerard

2016-05-01

To examine patterns of childhood adversity, their long-term consequences and the combined effect of different childhood adversity patterns as predictors of subsequent psychopathology. Secondary analysis of data from the US National Epidemiologic Survey on alcohol and related conditions. Using latent class analysis to identify childhood adversity profiles; and using multinomial logistic regression to validate and further explore these profiles with a range of associated demographic and household characteristics. Finally, confirmatory factor analysis substantiated initial latent class analysis findings by investigating a range of mental health diagnoses. Latent class analysis generated a three-class model of childhood adversity in which 60 % of participants were allocated to a low adversity class; 14 % to a global adversities class (reporting exposures for all the derived latent classes); and 26 % to a domestic emotional and physical abuse class (exposed to a range of childhood adversities). Confirmatory Factor analysis defined an internalising-externalising spectrum to represent lifetime reporting patterns of mental health disorders. Using logistic regression, both adversity groups showed specific gender and race/ethnicity differences, related family discord and increased psychopathology. We identified underlying patterns in the exposure to childhood adversity and associated mental health. These findings are informative in their description of the configuration of adversities, rather than focusing solely on the cumulative aspect of experience. Amelioration of longer-term negative consequences requires early identification of psychopathology risk factors that can inform protective and preventive interventions. This study highlights the utility of screening for childhood adversities when individuals present with symptoms of psychiatric disorders.

Adverse events associated with acupuncture: three multicentre randomized controlled trials of 1968 cases in China.

PubMed

Zhao, Ling; Zhang, Fu-wen; Li, Ying; Wu, Xi; Zheng, Hui; Cheng, Lin-hao; Liang, Fan-rong

2011-03-24

In order to evaluate the safety of acupuncture in China objectively, we investigated the adverse events associated with acupuncture based on three multicentre randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the safety of acupuncture, identifying the common types of acupuncture adverse events, and analysing the related risk factors for their occurrence. This observational study included patients who received acupuncture from three multicentre RCTs respectively for migraine, functional dyspepsia and Bell's palsy. The 1968 patients and their acupuncturists documented adverse events associated with acupuncture after treatment. We collected data about adverse events due to acupuncture treatment from their case report forms. We analysed the incidence and details of the adverse effects, and studied the risk factors for acupuncture adverse events with non-conditional logistic regression analysis. Among the 1968 patients, 74 patients (3.76%) suffered at least one adverse event throughout the treatment period. We did not observe the occurrence of serious adverse events. 73 patients with adverse events recovered within 2 weeks through effective treatment such as physiotherapy or self-treatment. A total of 3 patients withdrew because of adverse events. There were 9 types of adverse events related to acupuncture, including subcutaneous haematoma, bleeding, skin bruising and needle site pain. Subcutaneous haematoma and haemorrhage in the needling points were the most common adverse events. Age and gender were related to the occurrence of acupuncture adverse events. The older the patients were, the higher the risk of adverse events was. In addition, male patients had slightly higher risk of an adverse event than female patients. Acupuncture is a safe therapy with low risk of adverse events in clinical practice. The risk factors for adverse events (AEs) were related to the patients' gender and age and the local anatomical structure of the acupoints. AEs could be reduced and

Adverse Childhood Experiences Are Linked to Age of Onset and Reading Recognition in Multiple Sclerosis.

PubMed

Shaw, Michael T; Pawlak, Natalie O; Frontario, Ariana; Sherman, Kathleen; Krupp, Lauren B; Charvet, Leigh E

2017-01-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) exert a psychological and physiological toll that increases risk of chronic conditions, poorer social functioning, and cognitive impairment in adulthood. To investigate the relationship between childhood adversity and clinical disease features in multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixty-seven participants with MS completed the ACE assessment and neuropsychological assessments as part of a larger clinical trial of cognitive remediation. Adverse childhood experience scores, a measure of exposure to adverse events in childhood, significantly predicted age of MS onset ( r  = -0.30, p  = 0.04). ACEs were also linked to reading recognition (a proxy for premorbid IQ) ( r  = -0.25, p  = 0.04). ACE scores were not related to age, current disability, or current level of cognitive impairment measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT). Childhood adversity may increase the likelihood of earlier age of onset and poorer estimated premorbid IQ in MS.

Martian atmospheric radiation budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindner, Bernhard Lee

1994-01-01

A computer model is used to study the radiative transfer of the martian winter-polar atmosphere. Solar heating at winter-polar latitudes is provided predominately by dust. For normal, low-dust conditions, CO2 provides almost as much heating as dust. Most heating by CO2 in the winter polar atmosphere is provided by the 2.7 micron band between 10 km and 30 km altitude, and by the 2.0 micron band below 10 km. The weak 1.3 micron band provides some significant heating near the surface. The minor CO2 bands at 1.4, 1.6, 4.8 and 5.2 micron are all optically thin, and produce negligible heating. O3 provides less than 10 percent of the total heating. Atmospheric cooling is predominantly thermal emission by dust, although CO2 15 micron band emission is important above 20 km altitude.

Wave-mean flow interactions in the upper atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindzen, R. S.

1973-01-01

The nature of internal gravity waves is described with special emphasis on their ability to transport energy and momentum. The conditions under which these fluxes interact with the mean state of the atmosphere are described and the results are applied to various problems of the upper atmosphere, including the quasi-biennial oscillation, the heat budget of the thermosphere, the general circulation of the mesosphere, turbulence in the mesosphere, and the 4-day circulation of the Venusian atmosphere.

Parameterization and scaling of arctic ice conditions in the context of ice-atmospheric processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, R. G.; Steffen, K.; Heinrichs, J. F.; Key, J. R.; Maslanik, J. A.; Serreze, M. C.; Weaver, R. L.

1995-01-01

The goals of this project are to observe how the open water/thin ice fraction in a high-concentration ice pack responds to different short-period atmospheric forcings, and how this response is represented in different scales of observation. The objectives can be summarized as follows: determine the feasibility and accuracy of ice concentration and ice typing by ERS-1 SAR backscatter data, and whether SAR data might be used to calibrate concentration estimates from optical and massive-microwave sensors; investigate methods to integrate SAR data with other satellite data for turbulent heat flux parameterization at the ocean/atmosphere interface; determine how the development and evolution of open water/thin ice areas within the interior ice pack vary under different atmospheric synoptic regimes; compare how open-water/thin ice fractions estimated from large-area divergence measurements differ from fractions determined by summing localized openings in the pack; relate these questions of scale and process to methods of observation, modeling, and averaging over time and space.

Parameterization and scaling of Arctic ice conditions in the context of ice-atmosphere processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barry, R. G.; Heinrichs, J.; Steffen, K.; Maslanik, J. A.; Key, J.; Serreze, M. C.; Weaver, R. W.

1994-01-01

This report summarizes achievements during year three of our project to investigate the use of ERS-1 SAR data to study Arctic ice and ice/atmosphere processes. The project was granted a one year extension, and goals for the final year are outlined. The specific objects of the project are to determine how the development and evolution of open water/thin ice areas within the interior ice pack vary under different atmospheric synoptic regimes; compare how open water/thin ice fractions estimated from large-area divergence measurements differ from fractions determined by summing localized openings in the pack; relate these questions of scale and process to methods of observation, modeling, and averaging over time and space; determine whether SAR data might be used to calibrate ice concentration estimates from medium and low-rate bit sensors (AVHRR and DMSP-OLS) and the special sensor microwave imager (SSM/I); and investigate methods to integrate SAR data for turbulent heat flux parametrization at the atmosphere interface with other satellite data.

Laboratory measurements of microwave and millimeter-wave properties of planetary atmospheric constituents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steffes, Paul G.

1989-01-01

Accurate data on microwave and millimeter-wave properties of potential planetary atmospheric constituents is critical for the proper interpretation of radio occultation measurements, and of radio astronomical observations of both continuum and spectral line emissions. Such data is also needed to correct for atmospheric effects on radar studies of surface reflectivity. Since the refractive and absorptive properties of atmospheric constituents often vary drastically from theoretically-predicted profiles, especially under the extreme conditions characteristic of the planetary atmosphere, laboratory measurements under simulated planetary conditions are required. This paper reviews the instrumentation and techniques used for laboratory measurement of the refractivity and absorptivity of atmospheric constituents at wavelengths longward of 1 mm, under simulated planetary conditions (temperature, pressure, and broadening gases). Techniques for measuring both gases and condensates are considered. Also reviewed are the relative accuracies of the various techniques. Laboratory measurements are reviewed which have already been made, and additional measurements which are needed for interpretation of data from Venus and the outer planets, are highlighted.

Pharmacy student perceptions of adverse event reporting.

PubMed

Kalari, Sirisha; Dormarunno, Matthew; Zvenigorodsky, Oleg; Mohan, Aparna

2011-09-10

To assess US pharmacy students' knowledge and perceptions of adverse event reporting. To gauge pharmacy students' impressions of adverse event reporting, a 10-question survey instrument was administered that addressed student perceptions of the reporting procedures of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as student understanding of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its relationship to adverse event reporting. Two hundred twenty-eight pharmacy students responded to the survey. The majority of respondents believed that the FDA is more likely than a pharmaceutical company to take action regarding an adverse event. There were misconceptions relating to the way adverse event reports are handled and the influence of HIPAA regulations on reporting. Communication between the FDA and pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding adverse event reports is not well understood by pharmacy students. Education about adverse event reporting should evolve so that by the time pharmacy students become practitioners, they are well acquainted with the relevance and importance of adverse event reporting.

Direct and indirect effects of atmospheric conditions and soil moisture on surface energy partitioning revealed by a prolonged drought at a temperate forest site

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

Gu, Lianhong; Meyers, T. P.; Pallardy, Stephen G.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mechanism that controls the variation of surface energy partitioning between latent and sensible heat fluxes at a temperate deciduous forest site in central Missouri, USA. Taking advantage of multiple micrometeorological and ecophysiological measurements and a prolonged drought in the middle of the 2005 growing season at this site, we studied how soil moisture, atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and net radiation affected surface energy partitioning. We stratified these factors to minimize potential confounding effects of correlation among them. We found that all three factors had direct effects on surface energy partitioning,more » but more important, all three factors also had crucial indirect effects. The direct effect of soil moisture was characterized by a rapid decrease in Bowen ratio with increasing soil moisture when the soil was dry and by insensitivity of Bowen ratio to variations in soil moisture when the soil was wet. However, the rate of decrease in Bowen ratio when the soil was dry and the level of soil moisture above which Bowen ratio became insensitive to changes in soil moisture depended on atmospheric conditions. The direct effect of increased net radiation was to increase Bowen ratio. The direct effect of VPD was very nonlinear: Increased VPD decreased Bowen ratio at low VPD but increased Bowen ratio at high VPD. The indirect effects were much more complicated. Reduced soil moisture weakened the influence of VPD but enhanced the influence of net adiation on surface energy partitioning. Soil moisture also controlled how net radiation influenced the relationship between surface energy partitioning and VPD and how VPD affected the relationship between surface energy partitioning and net radiation. Furthermore, both increased VPD and increased net radiation enhanced the sensitivity of Bowen ratio to changes in soil moisture and the effect of drought on surface energy partitioning. The direct and

Whole Atmosphere Simulation of Anthropogenic Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Stanley C.; Liu, Han-Li; Marsh, Daniel R.; McInerney, Joseph M.; Qian, Liying; Vitt, Francis M.

2018-02-01

We simulated anthropogenic global change through the entire atmosphere, including the thermosphere and ionosphere, using the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model-eXtended. The basic result was that even as the lower atmosphere gradually warms, the upper atmosphere rapidly cools. The simulations employed constant low solar activity conditions, to remove the effects of variable solar and geomagnetic activity. Global mean annual mean temperature increased at a rate of +0.2 K/decade at the surface and +0.4 K/decade in the upper troposphere but decreased by about -1 K/decade in the stratosphere-mesosphere and -2.8 K/decade in the thermosphere. Near the mesopause, temperature decreases were small compared to the interannual variation, so trends in that region are uncertain. Results were similar to previous modeling confined to specific atmospheric levels and compared favorably with available measurements. These simulations demonstrate the ability of a single comprehensive numerical model to characterize global change throughout the atmosphere.

Selenium Cycling Across Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Interfaces: A Critical Review

PubMed Central

Winkel, Lenny H.E.; Vriens, Bas; Jones, Gerrad D.; Schneider, Leila S.; Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth; Bañuelos, Gary S.

2015-01-01

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals, which occurs ubiquitously in the environment. It is present in trace amounts in both organic and inorganic forms in marine and freshwater systems, soils, biomass and in the atmosphere. Low Se levels in certain terrestrial environments have resulted in Se deficiency in humans, while elevated Se levels in waters and soils can be toxic and result in the death of aquatic wildlife and other animals. Human dietary Se intake is largely governed by Se concentrations in plants, which are controlled by root uptake of Se as a function of soil Se concentrations, speciation and bioavailability. In addition, plants and microorganisms can biomethylate Se, which can result in a loss of Se to the atmosphere. The mobilization of Se across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces is thus of crucial importance for human Se status. This review gives an overview of current knowledge on Se cycling with a specific focus on soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces. Sources, speciation and mobility of Se in soils and plants will be discussed as well as Se hyperaccumulation by plants, biofortification and biomethylation. Future research on Se cycling in the environment is essential to minimize the adverse health effects associated with unsafe environmental Se levels. PMID:26035246

Selenium cycling across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces: a critical review.

PubMed

Winkel, Lenny H E; Vriens, Bas; Jones, Gerrad D; Schneider, Leila S; Pilon-Smits, Elizabeth; Bañuelos, Gary S

2015-05-29

Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals, which occurs ubiquitously in the environment. It is present in trace amounts in both organic and inorganic forms in marine and freshwater systems, soils, biomass and in the atmosphere. Low Se levels in certain terrestrial environments have resulted in Se deficiency in humans, while elevated Se levels in waters and soils can be toxic and result in the death of aquatic wildlife and other animals. Human dietary Se intake is largely governed by Se concentrations in plants, which are controlled by root uptake of Se as a function of soil Se concentrations, speciation and bioavailability. In addition, plants and microorganisms can biomethylate Se, which can result in a loss of Se to the atmosphere. The mobilization of Se across soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces is thus of crucial importance for human Se status. This review gives an overview of current knowledge on Se cycling with a specific focus on soil-plant-atmosphere interfaces. Sources, speciation and mobility of Se in soils and plants will be discussed as well as Se hyperaccumulation by plants, biofortification and biomethylation. Future research on Se cycling in the environment is essential to minimize the adverse health effects associated with unsafe environmental Se levels.

An Experimental and Modeling Study of Evaporation from Bare Soils Subjected to Natural Boundary Conditions at the Land-Atmospheric Interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smits, K. M.; Ngo, V. V.; Cihan, A.; Sakaki, T.; Illangasekare, T. H.; kathleen m smits

2011-12-01

Bare soil evaporation is a key process for water exchange between the land and the atmosphere and an important component of the water balance in semiarid and arid regions. However, there is no agreement on the best methodology to determine evaporation under different boundary conditions. Because it is difficult to measure evaporation from soil,with the exception of using lysimeters, numerous formulations have been proposed to establish a relationship between the rate of evaporation and soil moisture and/or soil temperature and thermal properties. Different formulations vary in how they partition available energy and include, among others, a classical bulk aerodynamic formulation which requires knowledge of the relative humidity at the soil surface and a more non-traditional heat balance method which requires knowledge of soil temperature and soil thermal properties. A need exists to systematically compare existing methods to experimental data under highly controlled conditions not achievable in the field. The goal of this work is to perform controlled experiments under transient conditions of soil moisture, temperature and wind at the land/atmospheric interface to test different conceptual and mathematical formulations for evaporation rate estimates and to develop appropriate numerical models to be used in simulations. In this study, to better understand the coupled water-vapor-heat flow processes in the shallow subsurface near the land surface, we modified a previously developed theory that allows non-equilibrium liquid/gas phase change with gas phase vapor diffusion to better account for evaporation under dry soil conditions. This theory was used to compare estimates of evaporation based on different formulations of the bulk aerodynamic and heat balance methods. In order to experimentally validate the numerical formulations/code, we performed a series of two-dimensional physical model experiments under varying boundary conditions using test sand for which the

Renal-related adverse effects of intravenous contrast media in computed tomography

PubMed Central

Leow, Kheng Song; Wu, Yi Wei; Tan, Cher Heng

2015-01-01

Renal-related adverse effects of intravascular contrast media (CM) include contrast-induced nephropathy in computed tomography and angiography. While large retrospective studies have been published, the exact pathogenesis of this condition is still unknown. We review the main international guidelines, including the American College of Radiology white paper and the guidelines of European Society of Urogenital Radiology, Royal College of Radiologists and Canadian Association of Radiologists, as well as their references, regarding this subject. We present a simplified, concise approach to renal-related adverse effects of CM, taking into consideration the basis for each recommendation in these published guidelines. This will allow the reader to better understand the rationale behind appropriate patient preparation for cross-sectional imaging. PMID:25917468

Local Infrasound Variability Related to In Situ Atmospheric Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Keehoon; Rodgers, Arthur; Seastrand, Douglas

2018-04-01

Local infrasound is widely used to constrain source parameters of near-surface events (e.g., chemical explosions and volcanic eruptions). While atmospheric conditions are critical to infrasound propagation and source parameter inversion, local atmospheric variability is often ignored by assuming homogeneous atmospheres, and their impact on the source inversion uncertainty has never been accounted for due to the lack of quantitative understanding of infrasound variability. We investigate atmospheric impacts on local infrasound propagation by repeated explosion experiments with a dense acoustic network and in situ atmospheric measurement. We perform full 3-D waveform simulations with local atmospheric data and numerical weather forecast model to quantify atmosphere-dependent infrasound variability and address the advantage and restriction of local weather data/numerical weather model for sound propagation simulation. Numerical simulations with stochastic atmosphere models also showed nonnegligible influence of atmospheric heterogeneity on infrasound amplitude, suggesting an important role of local turbulence.

Using weather prediction data for simulation of mesoscale atmospheric processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bart, Andrey A.; Starchenko, Alexander V.

2015-11-01

The paper presents an approach to specify initial and boundary conditions from the output data of global model SLAV for mesoscale modelling of atmospheric processes in areas not covered by meteorological observations. From the data and the model equations for a homogeneous atmospheric boundary layer the meteorological and turbulent characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer are calculated.

21 CFR 606.170 - Adverse reaction file.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Adverse reaction file. 606.170 Section 606.170... Adverse reaction file. (a) Records shall be maintained of any reports of complaints of adverse reactions... thorough investigation of each reported adverse reaction shall be made. A written report of the...

Early childhood adversity potentiates the adverse association between prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure and child IQ: The CHAMACOS cohort.

PubMed

Stein, Lauren J; Gunier, Robert B; Harley, Kim; Kogut, Katherine; Bradman, Asa; Eskenazi, Brenda

2016-09-01

Previous studies have observed an adverse association between prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticide (OPs) and child cognition, but few studies consider the potential role of social stressors in modifying this relationship. We seek to explore the potential role of early social adversities in modifying the relationship between OPs and child IQ in an agricultural Mexican American population. Participants from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a prospective longitudinal pre-birth cohort study, include 329 singleton infants and their mothers followed from pregnancy through age 7. Dialkyl phosphate metabolite concentrations (DAPs), a biomarker of organophosphate pesticide exposure, were measured in maternal urine collected twice during pregnancy and averaged. Child cognitive ability was assessed at 7 years using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition. Demographic characteristics and adversity information were collected during interviews and home visits at numerous time points from pregnancy until age 7. Among low-income Latina mothers and their children in the Salinas Valley, total adversity and specific domains of adversity including poor learning environment and adverse parent-child relationships were negatively associated with child cognition. Adverse associations between DAP concentrations and IQ were stronger in children experiencing greater adversity; these associations varied by child sex. For example, the association between prenatal OP exposure and Full-Scale IQ is potentiated among boys who experienced high adversity in the learning environment (β=-13.3; p-value <0.01). Greater total and domain-specific adversity modifies negative relationships between prenatal OP exposure and child IQ differently among male and female children. These findings emphasize the need to consider plausible interactive pathways between social adversities and environmental exposures. Copyright �

Climate and atmosphere simulator for experiments on ecological systems in changing environments.

PubMed

Verdier, Bruno; Jouanneau, Isabelle; Simonnet, Benoit; Rabin, Christian; Van Dooren, Tom J M; Delpierre, Nicolas; Clobert, Jean; Abbadie, Luc; Ferrière, Régis; Le Galliard, Jean-François

2014-01-01

Grand challenges in global change research and environmental science raise the need for replicated experiments on ecosystems subjected to controlled changes in multiple environmental factors. We designed and developed the Ecolab as a variable climate and atmosphere simulator for multifactor experimentation on natural or artificial ecosystems. The Ecolab integrates atmosphere conditioning technology optimized for accuracy and reliability. The centerpiece is a highly contained, 13-m(3) chamber to host communities of aquatic and terrestrial species and control climate (temperature, humidity, rainfall, irradiance) and atmosphere conditions (O2 and CO2 concentrations). Temperature in the atmosphere and in the water or soil column can be controlled independently of each other. All climatic and atmospheric variables can be programmed to follow dynamical trajectories and simulate gradual as well as step changes. We demonstrate the Ecolab's capacity to simulate a broad range of atmospheric and climatic conditions, their diurnal and seasonal variations, and to support the growth of a model terrestrial plant in two contrasting climate scenarios. The adaptability of the Ecolab design makes it possible to study interactions between variable climate-atmosphere factors and biotic disturbances. Developed as an open-access, multichamber platform, this equipment is available to the international scientific community for exploring interactions and feedbacks between ecological and climate systems.

Exoplanet atmosphere highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García Muñoz, A.

2017-03-01

In only two decades since the first identification of a planet outside the Solar System,and about one since the pioneering detection of an atmosphere, exoplanet science has established itself as a mature field of astrophysics. As the search of as-of-yet undiscovered planets goes on, the field is steadily expanding its focus from detection only to detection and characterization. The information to be grasped from exoplanet atmospheres provides valuable insight into the formation and evolution of the planets and, in turn, into how unique our Solar System is. Ultimately, a dedicated search for life in these distant worlds will have to deal with the information encoded in their atmospheres. In recent years there has been rapid progress on both the theoretical and observational fronts in the investigation of exoplanet atmospheres. Theorists are predicting the prevailing conditions (temperature, chemical composition, cloud occurrence, energy transport) in these objects' envelopes, and are building the frameworks with which to approach the interpretation of observables. In parallel, observers have consolidated the remote sensing techniques that were utilized during the early years, and are now venturing into techniques that hold great promise for the future. With a number of space missions soon to fly and ground-based telescopes and instruments to be commissioned, all of them conceived during the exoplanet era, the field is set to experience unprecedented progress.

Childhood adversity and personality disorders: results from a nationally representative population-based study.

PubMed

Afifi, Tracie O; Mather, Amber; Boman, Jonathon; Fleisher, William; Enns, Murray W; Macmillan, Harriet; Sareen, Jitender

2011-06-01

Although, a large population-based literature exists on the relationship between childhood adversity and Axis I mental disorders, research on the link between childhood adversity and Axis II personality disorders (PDs) relies mainly on clinical samples. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between a range of childhood adversities and PDs in a nationally representative sample while adjusting for Axis I mental disorders. Data were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; n=34,653; data collection 2004-2005); a nationally representative sample of the United States population aged 20 years and older. The results indicated that many types of childhood adversity were highly prevalent among individuals with PDs in the general population and childhood adversity was most consistently associated with schizotypal, antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic PDs. The most robust childhood adversity findings were for child abuse and neglect with cluster A and cluster B PDs after adjusting for all other types of childhood adversity, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, other PD clusters, and sociodemographic variables (Odd Ratios ranging from 1.22 to 1.63). In these models, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance use disorders also remained significantly associated with PD clusters (Odds Ratios ranging from 1.26 to 2.38). Further research is necessary to understand whether such exposure has a causal role in the association with PDs. In addition to preventing child maltreatment, it is important to determine ways to prevent impairment among those exposed to adversity, as this may reduce the development of PDs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased atmospheric ammonia over the world's major agricultural areas detected from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, J. X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Wei, Z.; Strow, L. L.; Wang, Y.; Liang, Q.

2017-03-01

This study provides evidence of substantial increases in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations (14 year) over several of the worlds major agricultural regions, using recently available retrievals from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The main sources of atmospheric NH3 are farming and animal husbandry involving reactive nitrogen ultimately derived from fertilizer use; rates of emission are also sensitive to climate change. Significant increasing trends are seen over the U.S. (2.61% yr-1), the European Union (EU) (1.83% yr-1), and China (2.27% yr-1). Over the EU, the trend results from decreased scavenging by acid aerosols. Over the U.S., the increase results from a combination of decreased chemical loss and increased soil temperatures. Over China, decreased chemical loss, increasing temperatures, and increased fertilizer use all play a role. Over South Asia, increased NH3 emissions are masked by increased SO2 and NOx emissions, leading to increased aerosol loading and adverse health effects.

Estimating atmospheric visibility using synergy of MODIS data and ground-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komeilian, H.; Mohyeddin Bateni, S.; Xu, T.; Nielson, J.

2015-05-01

Dust events are intricate climatic processes, which can have adverse effects on human health, safety, and the environment. In this study, two data mining approaches, namely, back-propagation artificial neural network (BP ANN) and supporting vector regression (SVR), were used to estimate atmospheric visibility through the synergistic use of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Level 1B (L1B) data and ground-based observations at fourteen stations in the province of Khuzestan (southwestern Iran), during 2009-2010. Reflectance and brightness temperature in different bands (from MODIS) along with in situ meteorological data were input to the models to estimate atmospheric visibility. The results show that both models can accurately estimate atmospheric visibility. The visibility estimates from the BP ANN network had a root-mean-square error (RMSE) and Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) of 0.67 and 0.69, respectively. The corresponding RMSE and R from the SVR model were 0.59 and 0.71, implying that the SVR approach outperforms the BP ANN.

Increased Atmospheric Ammonia over the World's Major Agricultural Areas Detected from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warner, J. X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Wei, Z.; Strow, L. L.; Wang, Y.; Liang, Q.

2017-01-01

This study provides evidence of substantial increases in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations (14-year) over several of the worlds major agricultural regions, using recently available retrievals from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The main sources of atmospheric NH3 are farming and animal husbandry involving reactive nitrogen ultimately derived from fertilizer use; rates of emission are also sensitive to climate change. Significant increasing trends are seen over the U.S. (2.61%?per yr), the European Union (EU) (1.83%?per yr), and China (2.27%?per yr). Over the EU, the trend results from decreased scavenging by acid aerosols. Over the U.S., the increase results from a combination of decreased chemical loss and increased soil temperatures. Over China, decreased chemical loss, increasing temperatures, and increased fertilizer use all play a role. Over South Asia, increased NH3 emissions are masked by increased SO2 and NOX emissions, leading to increased aerosol loading and adverse health effects.

Adverse cutaneous reactions induced by TNF-alpha antagonist therapy.

PubMed

Borrás-Blasco, Joaquín; Navarro-Ruiz, Andrés; Borrás, Consuelo; Casterá, Elvira

2009-11-01

To review adverse cutaneous drug reactions induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) antagonist therapy. A literature search was performed using PubMed (1996-March 2009), EMBASE, and selected MEDLINE Ovid bibliography searches. All language clinical trial data, case reports, letters, and review articles identified from the data sources were used. Since the introduction of TNF-alpha antagonist, the incidence of adverse cutaneous drug reactions has increased significantly. A wide range of different skin lesions might occur during TNF-alpha antagonist treatment. New onset or exacerbation of psoriasis has been reported in patients treated with TNF-alpha antagonists for a variety of rheumatologic conditions. TNF-alpha antagonist therapy has been associated with a lupus-like syndrome; most of these case reports occurred in patients receiving either etanercept or infliximab. Serious skin reactions such as erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported rarely with the use of TNF-alpha antagonists. As the use of TNF-alpha antagonists continues to increase, the diagnosis and management of cutaneous side effects will become an increasingly important challenge. In patients receiving TNF-alpha antagonist treatment, skin disease should be considered, and clinicians need to be aware of the adverse reactions of these drugs.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, the Medical Home, and Child Well-Being.

PubMed

Balistreri, Kelly Stamper

2015-11-01

To examine the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACE), access to a medical home and a global measure of well-being among children ages 6-17 using the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health. Multivariate linear regressions assessed the associations between each adverse experience and an index of child well-being with and without the impact of other events. The number of ACE was summed for each respondent and the analyses were repeated with the cumulative score as a continuous variable. The cumulative model was repeated with the addition of an interaction term between ACE score and medical home access. All analyses were conducted separately for children ages 6-11 and adolescents 12-17. Over half (53 %) of US children ages 6-17 have experienced some adverse experience during childhood. Over a quarter (28 %) has experienced at least two adverse experiences, while 15 % have experienced three or more hardships. Results suggest that the accumulation of ACE reduces well-being in children. The associations remained significant after controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, age, parental education, special health condition, and medical home access. Medical home access was consistently associated with higher levels of child well-being and was a significant moderator of the relationship between the total ACE and child well-being among children ages 6-11. Children with ACE exposure and access to a medical home have higher levels of well-being than comparable children without access to a medical home. Children exposed to adverse experiences have measurably lower levels of well-being, although younger children with access to a medical home are protected at increasing exposure.

Numerical Modelling of Fire-Atmosphere Interactions and the 2003 Canberra Bushfires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, C.; Sturman, A.; Zawar-Reza, P.

2010-12-01

It is well known that the behaviour of a wildland fire is strongly associated with the conditions of its surrounding atmosphere. However, the two-way interactions between fire behaviour and the atmospheric conditions are not well understood. A numerical model is used to simulate wildland fires so that the nature of these fire-atmosphere interactions, and how they might affect fire behaviour, can be further investigated. The 2003 Canberra bushfires are used as a case study due to their highly destructive and unusual behaviour. On the 18th January 2003, these fires spread to the urban suburbs of Canberra, resulting in the loss of four lives and the destruction of over 500 homes. Fire-atmosphere interactions are believed to have played an important role in making these fires so destructive. WRF-Fire is used to perform real data simulations of the 2003 Canberra bushfires. WRF-Fire is a coupled fire-atmosphere model, which combines a semi-empirical fire spread model with an atmospheric model, allowing it to directly simulate the two-way interactions between a fire and its surrounding atmosphere. These simulations show the impact of the presence of a fire on conditions within the atmospheric boundary layer. This modification of the atmosphere, resulting from the injection of heat and moisture released by the fire, appears to have a direct feedback onto the overall fire behaviour. The bushfire simulations presented in this paper provide important scientific insights into the nature of fire-atmosphere interactions for a real situation. It is expected that they will also help fire managers in Australia to better understand why the 2003 Canberra bushfires were so destructive, as well as to gain improved insight into bushfire behaviour in general.

21 CFR 606.170 - Adverse reaction file.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2011-04-01 2010-04-01 true Adverse reaction file. 606.170 Section 606.170 Food... reaction file. (a) Records shall be maintained of any reports of complaints of adverse reactions regarding... investigation of each reported adverse reaction shall be made. A written report of the investigation of adverse...

Instrument intercomparison of glyoxal, methyl glyoxal and NO2 under simulated atmospheric conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thalman, R.; Baeza-Romero, M. T.; Ball, S. M.; Borrás, E.; Daniels, M. J. S.; Goodall, I. C. A.; Henry, S. B.; Karl, T.; Keutsch, F. N.; Kim, S.; Mak, J.; Monks, P. S.; Muñoz, A.; Orlando, J.; Peppe, S.; Rickard, A. R.; Ródenas, M.; Sánchez, P.; Seco, R.; Su, L.; Tyndall, G.; Vázquez, M.; Vera, T.; Waxman, E.; Volkamer, R.

2015-04-01

The α-dicarbonyl compounds glyoxal (CHOCHO) and methyl glyoxal (CH3C(O)CHO) are produced in the atmosphere by the oxidation of hydrocarbons and emitted directly from pyrogenic sources. Measurements of ambient concentrations inform about the rate of hydrocarbon oxidation, oxidative capacity, and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. We present results from a comprehensive instrument comparison effort at two simulation chamber facilities in the US and Europe that included nine instruments, and seven different measurement techniques: broadband cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy (BBCEAS), cavity-enhanced differential optical absorption spectroscopy (CE-DOAS), white-cell DOAS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, two separate instruments), laser-induced phosphorescence (LIP), solid-phase micro extraction (SPME), and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-ToF-MS, two separate instruments; for methyl glyoxal only because no significant response was observed for glyoxal). Experiments at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) compare three independent sources of calibration as a function of temperature (293-330 K). Calibrations from absorption cross-section spectra at UV-visible and IR wavelengths are found to agree within 2% for glyoxal, and 4% for methyl glyoxal at all temperatures; further calibrations based on ion-molecule rate constant calculations agreed within 5% for methyl glyoxal at all temperatures. At the European Photoreactor (EUPHORE) all measurements are calibrated from the same UV-visible spectra (either directly or indirectly), thus minimizing potential systematic bias. We find excellent linearity under idealized conditions (pure glyoxal or methyl glyoxal, R2 > 0.96), and in complex gas mixtures characteristic of dry photochemical smog systems (o-xylene/NOx and isoprene/NOx, R2 > 0.95; R2 ∼ 0.65 for offline SPME measurements of methyl glyoxal). The correlations are more variable in humid ambient air mixtures (RH

Sea-ice, clouds and atmospheric conditions in the arctic and their interactions as derived from a merged C3M data product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, Bappaditya

The polar regions of the world constitute an important sector in the global energy balance. Among other effects responsible for the change in the sea-ice cover like ocean circulation and ice-albedo feedback, the cloud-radiation feedback also plays a vital role in modulation of the Arctic environment. However the annual cycle of the clouds is very poorly represented in current global circulation models. This study aimed to explore the atmospheric conditions in the Arctic on an unprecedented spatial coverage spanning 70°N to 80°N through the use of a merged data product, C3MData (derived from NASA's A-Train Series). The following three topics provide outline on how this dataset can be used to accomplish a detailed analysis of the Arctic environment and provide the modelling community with first information to update their models aimed at better forecasts. (1)The three properties of the Arctic climate system to be studied using the C3MData are sea-ice, clouds, and the atmospheric conditions. The first topic is to document the present states of the three properties and also their time evolutions or their seasonal cycles. (2)The second topic is aimed at the interactions or the feedbacks processes among the three properties. For example, the immediate alteration in the fluxes and the feedbacks arising from the change in the sea-ice cover is investigated. Seasonal and regional variations are also studied. (3)The third topics is aimed at the processes in native spatial resolution that drive or accompany with sea ice melting and sea ice growth. Using a composite approach based on a classification due to surface type, it is found that limitation of the water vapour influx from the surface due to change in phase at the surface featuring open oceans or marginal sea-ice cover to complete sea-ice cover is a major determinant in the modulation of the atmospheric moisture. The impact of the cloud-radiative effects in the Arctic is found to vary with sea-ice cover and seasonally

GCM simulations of cold dry Snowball Earth atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voigt, A.; Held, I.; Marotzke, J.

2009-12-01

We use the full-physics atmospheric general circulation model ECHAM5 to investigate cold and virtually dry Snowball Earth atmospheres. These result from specifying sea ice as the surface boundary condition everywhere, corresponding to a frozen aquaplanet, while keeping total solar irradiance at its present-day value of 1365 Wm-2 and setting atmospheric carbon dioxide to 300 ppmv. Here, we present four simulations corresponding to the four possible combinations of enabled or disabled diurnal and seasonal cycles. The aim of this study is twofold. First, we focus on the zonal-mean circulation of Snowball Earth atmospheres, which, due to missing moisture, might constitute an ideal though yet unexplored testbed for theories of atmospheric dynamics. Second, we investigate tropical surface temperatures with an emphasis on the impact of the diurnal and seasonal cycles. This will indicate whether the presence of the diurnal or seasonal cycle would facilitate or anticipate the escape from Snowball Earth conditions when total solar irradiance or atmospheric CO2 levels were increased. The dynamics of the tropical circulation in Snowball Earth atmospheres differs substantially from that in the modern atmosphere. The analysis of the mean zonal momentum budget reveals that the mean flow meridional advection of absolute vorticity is primarily balanced by vertical diffusion of zonal momentum. The contribution of eddies is found to be even smaller than the contribution of mean flow vertical advection of zonal momentum, the latter being usually neglected in theories for the Hadley circulation, at least in its upper tropospheric branch. Suppressing vertical diffusion of horizontal momentum above 850 hPa leads to a stronger Hadley circulation. This behaviour cannot be understood from axisymmetric models of the atmosphere, nor idealized atmospheric general circulation models, which both predict a weakening of the Hadley circulation when the vertical viscosity is decreased globally. We

Optimized method for atmospheric signal reduction in irregular sampled InSAR time series assisted by external atmospheric information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, W.; Meyer, F. J.

2013-12-01

It is well known that spatio-temporal the tropospheric phase signatures complicate the interpretation and detection of smaller magnitude deformation signals or unstudied motion fields. Several advanced time-series InSAR techniques were developed in the last decade that make assumptions about the stochastic properties of the signal components in interferometric phases to reduce atmospheric delay effects on surface deformation estimates. However, their need for large datasets to successfully separate the different phase contributions limits their performance if data is scarce and irregularly sampled. Limited SAR data coverage is true for many areas affected by geophysical deformation. This is either due to their low priority in mission programming, unfavorable ground coverage condition, or turbulent seasonal weather effects. In this paper, we present new adaptive atmospheric phase filtering algorithms that are specifically designed to reconstruct surface deformation signals from atmosphere-affected and irregularly sampled InSAR time series. The filters take advantage of auxiliary atmospheric delay information that is extracted from various sources, e.g. atmospheric weather models. They are embedded into a model-free Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) approach that was selected to accommodate non-linear deformation patterns that are often observed near volcanoes and earthquake zones. Two types of adaptive phase filters were developed that operate in the time dimension and separate atmosphere from deformation based on their different temporal correlation properties. Both filter types use the fact that atmospheric models can reliably predict the spatial statistics and signal power of atmospheric phase delay fields in order to automatically optimize the filter's shape parameters. In essence, both filter types will attempt to maximize the linear correlation between a-priori and the extracted atmospheric phase information. Topography-related phase components, orbit

Investigation of Health Risks and Their Prevention in the Rapid Climate Changes and the Rise of Pollution of the Atmosphere in the Mountain Region of the North Caucasus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babyakin, Alexander; Polozkov, Igor; Golitsyn, Georgy; Efimenko, Natalia; Zherlitsina, Liubov; Povolotskaya, Nina; Senik, Irina; Chalaya, Elena; Artamonova, Maria; Pogarski, Fedor

2010-05-01

The current global climate change is determined by changes in the structure of weather conditions, whose impact on the health of various regions of the planet has not been studied sufficiently. To study this effect on the low-altitude mountains resort of Kislovodsk (southern Russia) multi-factor assessment of the impact of the environment on human health is carried out. There were taking in account atmosphere condition, atmospheric aerosol pollution relationship with atmospheric circulation, the level of pollution matching with different types of weather, and, on the base of analysis of meteopathic reactions (MPR), the extent of their biotropism was revealed. Two sides of weather-climatic influences - specific and nonspecific - are interconnected. They manifest themselves differently in humans with different levels of regulation of vital activity and the adaptive capacity of the organism to the complex environmental effects. This complicates the precise physiological basis of quantitative criteria for the prediction of "biotropic" (adverse) weathers. Nevertheless, clinical observations have shown the existence of the "limiting" physiological bound on the size of medical-meteorological modules (MMM). The reactions of the organism to unfavorable weather factors on the results of a questionnaire monitoring surveillance of patients treated in clinics of Federal State Institution "Pyatigorsk State Research Institute of Curortology, FMBA of Russia" (PSRIC), in comparison with clinical data, have identified various MPR of the organism, the clinical manifestation of which depends on age, sex of the patient, the availability of principal and attendant pathology, reactivity, etc. Analysis of the results of clinical observation, cases of medical aid appealability to the station an ambulance at the sudden ill health, as well as the uptake of advice of sick people among immigrants during their short stay at the resort, and the local population, allowed the first approximation

Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions: The Pharmacogenomics from Research to Clinical Implementation

PubMed Central

Su, Shih-Chi; Hung, Shuen-Iu; Fan, Wen-Lang; Dao, Ro-Lan; Chung, Wen-Hung

2016-01-01

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), previously thought to be idiosyncratic or unpredictable, are a deadly form of adverse drug reactions with skin manifestations. Current pharmacogenomic studies of SCARs have made important strides, as the prevention of SCARs, to some extent, appears attainable with the identification of genetic variants for genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes and human leukocyte antigens (HLAs). Despite the improvement of incidence, a treatment guideline for this devastating condition is still unavailable, highlighting the inadequacy of contemporary accepted therapeutic interventions. As such, prompt withdrawal of causative drugs is believed to be a priority of patient management. In this review, we discuss recent cutting-edge findings concerning the discovery of biomarkers for SCARs and their clinical utilities in the better prediction and early diagnosis of this disease. The knowledge compiled herein provides clues for future investigations on deciphering additional genetic markers for SCARs and the design of clinical trials for the prospective identification of subjects at genetic risk for this condition, ultimately personalizing the medicine. PMID:27854302

Pyrite Stability Under Venus Surface Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, E.; Craig, P.; Port, S.; Chevrier, V.; Johnson, N.

2015-12-01

Radar mapping of the surface of Venus shows areas of high reflectivity in the Venusian highlands, increasing to 0.35 ± 0.04 to 0.43 ± 0.05 in the highlands from the planetary average of 0.14 ± 0.03. Iron sulfides, specifically pyrite (FeS2), can explain the observed high reflectivity. However, several studies suggest that pyrite is not stable under Venusian conditions and is destroyed on geologic timescales. To test the stability of pyrite on the Venusian surface, pyrite was heated in the Venus simulation chamber at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to average Venusian surface conditions, and separately to highland conditions under an atmosphere of pure CO2 and separately under an atmosphere of 96.5% CO2, 3.5% N2 and 150 ppm SO2. After each run, the samples were weighed and analyzed using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) to identify possible phase changes and determine the stability of pyrite under Venusian surface conditions. Under a pure CO2 atmosphere, the Fe in pyrite oxidizes to form hematite which is more stable at higher temperatures corresponding to the Venusian lowlands. Magnetite is the primary iron oxide that forms at lower temperatures corresponding to the radar-bright highlands. Our experiments also showed that the presence of atmospheric SO2 inhibits the oxidation of pyrite, increasing its stability under Venusian conditions, especially those corresponding to the highlands. This indicates that the relatively high level of SO2 in the Venusian atmosphere is key to the stability of pyrite, making it a possible candidate for the bright radar signal in the Venusian highlands.

Atmospheric environment for Space Shuttle (STS-51D)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jasper, G. L.; Johnson, D. L.; Hill, C. K.; Batts, G. W.

1985-01-01

A summary of selected atmospheric conditions observed near the space shuttle STS-51D launch time on April 12, 1985, at Kennedy Space Center Florida is presented. Values of ambient pressure, temperature, moisture, ground winds, visual observations (cloud), and winds aloft are included. The sequence of prelaunch Jimsphere measured vertical wind profiles is given in this report. The final atmospheric tape, which consists of wind and thermodynamic parameters versus altitude, for STS-51D vehicle ascent is constructed. The STS-51D ascent atmospheric data tape is compiled by Marshall Space Flight Center's Atmospheric Sciences Division to provide an internally consistent data set for use in post-flight performance assessments.

Adverse weather impacts on arable cropping systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gobin, Anne

2016-04-01