The Great Hydrometer Construction Contest!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGinnis, James Randy; Padilla, Michael J.

1991-01-01

The relationship between specific gravity, salinity, and density in brine solutions is investigated. Students construct hydrometers to reinforce concepts learned in oceanography. Background information, salt requirements for the unknowns, directions, and reproducible worksheets are included. (KR)

SHORT COMMUNICATION: An image processing approach to calibration of hydrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorefice, S.; Malengo, A.

2004-06-01

The usual method adopted for multipoint calibration of glass hydrometers is based on the measurement of the buoyancy by hydrostatic weighing when the hydrometer is plunged in a reference liquid up to the scale mark to be calibrated. An image processing approach is proposed by the authors to align the relevant scale mark with the reference liquid surface level. The method uses image analysis with a data processing technique and takes into account the perspective error. For this purpose a CCD camera with a pixel matrix of 604H × 576V and a lens of 16 mm focal length were used. High accuracy in the hydrometer reading was obtained as the resulting reading uncertainty was lower than 0.02 mm, about a fifth of the usual figure with the visual reading made by an operator.

Hydrometer calibration by hydrostatic weighing with automated liquid surface positioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilera, Jesus; Wright, John D.; Bean, Vern E.

2008-01-01

We describe an automated apparatus for calibrating hydrometers by hydrostatic weighing (Cuckow's method) in tridecane, a liquid of known, stable density, and with a relatively low surface tension and contact angle against glass. The apparatus uses a laser light sheet and a laser power meter to position the tridecane surface at the hydrometer scale mark to be calibrated with an uncertainty of 0.08 mm. The calibration results have an expanded uncertainty (with a coverage factor of 2) of 100 parts in 106 or less of the liquid density. We validated the apparatus by comparisons using water, toluene, tridecane and trichloroethylene, and found agreement within 40 parts in 106 or less. The new calibration method is consistent with earlier, manual calibrations performed by NIST. When customers use calibrated hydrometers, they may encounter uncertainties of 370 parts in 106 or larger due to surface tension, contact angle and temperature effects.

A Low-Cost, Precision Hydrometer for Classroom Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Michael D.

1983-01-01

Describes a low cost hydrometer which can be assembled by students using stock laboratory items with a total retail cost of 17 cents. Includes list of required materials (with supplies) and experimental results on the instrument's accuracy. (JM)

27 CFR 30.61 - Table 1, showing the true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees... true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100... hydrometer likely to occur in practice at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be...

27 CFR 30.61 - Table 1, showing the true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees... true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100... hydrometer likely to occur in practice at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be...

27 CFR 30.61 - Table 1, showing the true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees... true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100... hydrometer likely to occur in practice at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be...

27 CFR 30.61 - Table 1, showing the true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees... true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100... hydrometer likely to occur in practice at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be...

27 CFR 30.61 - Table 1, showing the true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees... true percent of proof spirit for any indication of the hydrometer at temperatures between zero and 100... hydrometer likely to occur in practice at temperatures between zero and 100 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be...

27 CFR 30.23 - Use of precision hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... observed. Bulk spirits should be thoroughly agitated so that the test samples will be representative of the... should be inserted in the liquid and the hydrometer bulb raised and lowered from top to bottom 5 or 6...

A novel approach for estimating sugar and alcohol concentrations in wines using refractometer and hydrometer.

PubMed

Son, H S; Hong, Y S; Park, W M; Yu, M A; Lee, C H

2009-03-01

To estimate true Brix and alcoholic strength of must and wines without distillation, a novel approach using a refractometer and a hydrometer was developed. Initial Brix (I.B.), apparent refractometer Brix (A.R.), and apparent hydrometer Brix (A.H.) of must were measured by refractometer and hydrometer, respectively. Alcohol content (A) was determined with a hydrometer after distillation and true Brix (T.B.) was measured in distilled wines using a refractometer. Strong proportional correlations among A.R., A.H., T.B., and A in sugar solutions containing varying alcohol concentrations were observed in preliminary experiments. Similar proportional relationships among the parameters were also observed in must, which is a far more complex system than the sugar solution. To estimate T.B. and A of must during alcoholic fermentation, a total of 6 planar equations were empirically derived from the relationships among the experimental parameters. The empirical equations were then tested to estimate T.B. and A in 17 wine products, and resulted in good estimations of both quality factors. This novel approach was rapid, easy, and practical for use in routine analyses or for monitoring quality of must during fermentation and final wine products in a winery and/or laboratory.

Alignment of the measurement scale mark during immersion hydrometer calibration using an image processing system.

PubMed

Peña-Perez, Luis Manuel; Pedraza-Ortega, Jesus Carlos; Ramos-Arreguin, Juan Manuel; Arriaga, Saul Tovar; Fernandez, Marco Antonio Aceves; Becerra, Luis Omar; Hurtado, Efren Gorrostieta; Vargas-Soto, Jose Emilio

2013-10-24

The present work presents an improved method to align the measurement scale mark in an immersion hydrometer calibration system of CENAM, the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of Mexico, The proposed method uses a vision system to align the scale mark of the hydrometer to the surface of the liquid where it is immersed by implementing image processing algorithms. This approach reduces the variability in the apparent mass determination during the hydrostatic weighing in the calibration process, therefore decreasing the relative uncertainty of calibration.

Alignment of the Measurement Scale Mark during Immersion Hydrometer Calibration Using an Image Processing System

PubMed Central

Peña-Perez, Luis Manuel; Pedraza-Ortega, Jesus Carlos; Ramos-Arreguin, Juan Manuel; Arriaga, Saul Tovar; Fernandez, Marco Antonio Aceves; Becerra, Luis Omar; Hurtado, Efren Gorrostieta; Vargas-Soto, Jose Emilio

2013-01-01

The present work presents an improved method to align the measurement scale mark in an immersion hydrometer calibration system of CENAM, the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of Mexico, The proposed method uses a vision system to align the scale mark of the hydrometer to the surface of the liquid where it is immersed by implementing image processing algorithms. This approach reduces the variability in the apparent mass determination during the hydrostatic weighing in the calibration process, therefore decreasing the relative uncertainty of calibration. PMID:24284770

Comparison on the calibrations of hydrometers for liquids density determination between SIM laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Abed; Quiroga, Aldo; Daued, Arturo; Cantero, Diana; Sequeira, Francisco; Castro, Luis Carlos; Becerra, Luis Omar; Salazar, Manuel; Vega, Maria

2017-01-01

A supplementary comparison was made between SIM laboratories concerning the calibration of four hydrometers within the range of 600 kg/m3 to 2000 kg/m3. The main objectives of the comparison were to evaluate the degree of equivalences SIM NMIs in the calibration of hydrometers of high accuracy. The participant NMIs were: CENAM, IBMETRO, INEN, INDECOPI, INM, INTN and LACOMET. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Settling characteristics of nursery pig manure and nutrient estimation by the hydrometer method.

PubMed

Zhu, Jun; Ndegwa, Pius M; Zhang, Zhijian

2003-05-01

The hydrometer method to measure manure specific gravity and subsequently relate it to manure nutrient contents was examined in this study. It was found that this method might be improved in estimation accuracy if only manure from a single growth stage of pigs was used (e.g., nursery pig manure used here). The total solids (TS) content of the test manure was well correlated with the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the manure, with highly significant correlation coefficients of 0.9944 and 0.9873, respectively. Also observed were good linear correlations between the TN and TP contents and the manure specific gravity (correlation coefficients: 0.9836 and 0.9843, respectively). These correlations were much better than those reported by past researchers, in which lumped data for pigs at different growing stages were used. It may therefore be inferred that developing different linear equations for pigs at different ages should improve the accuracy in manure nutrient estimation using a hydrometer. Also, the error of using the hydrometer method to estimate manure TN and TP was found to increase, from +/- 10% to +/- 50%, with the decrease in TN (from 700 ppm to 100 ppm) and TP (from 130 ppm to 30 ppm) concentrations in the manure. The estimation errors for TN and TP may be larger than 50% if the total solids content is below 0.5%. In addition, the rapid settling of solids has long been considered characteristic of swine manure; however, in this study, the solids settling property appeared to be quite poor for nursery pig manure in that no conspicuous settling occurred after the manure was left statically for 5 hours. This information has not been reported elsewhere in the literature and may need further research to verify.

Manure sampling procedures and nutrient estimation by the hydrometer method for gestation pigs.

PubMed

Zhu, Jun; Ndegwa, Pius M; Zhang, Zhijian

2004-05-01

Three manure agitation procedures were examined in this study (vertical mixing, horizontal mixing, and no mixing) to determine the efficacy of producing a representative manure sample. The total solids content for manure from gestation pigs was found to be well correlated with the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the manure, with highly significant correlation coefficients of 0.988 and 0.994, respectively. Linear correlations were observed between the TN and TP contents and the manure specific gravity (correlation coefficients: 0.991 and 0.987, respectively). Therefore, it may be inferred that the nutrients in pig manure can be estimated with reasonable accuracy by measuring the liquid manure specific gravity. A rapid testing method for manure nutrient contents (TN and TP) using a soil hydrometer was also evaluated. The results showed that the estimating error increased from +/-10% to +/-30% with the decrease in TN (from 1000 to 100 ppm) and TP (from 700 to 50 ppm) concentrations in the manure. Data also showed that the hydrometer readings had to be taken within 10 s after mixing to avoid reading drift in specific gravity due to the settling of manure solids.

CCM key comparison CCM.D-K4 'Hydrometer'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorefice, S.; Becerra, L. O.; Lenard, E.; Lee, Y. J.; Lee, W. G.; Madec, T.; Meury, P. A.; Caceres, J.; Santos, C.; Vamossy, C.; Man, J.; Fen, K.; Toda, K.; Wright, J.; Bettin, H.; Toth, H.

2016-01-01

This report presents the comparison philosophy, methodology, analysis and the results of the designed CCM.D-K4 key comparison that covered the calibration of high resolution hydrometers for liquid and alcoholometers in the density range 600 kg/m3 to 2000 kg/m3 at the temperature of 20°C. The main purpose of this comparison was not only to evaluate the degree of equivalence in the calibration of high accuracy hydrometers between NMI participants, but also to link, were it is possible, the results of previous comparisons to Key Comparison Reference Values (KCRVs) of CCM.D-K4. Eleven NMI laboratories took part in the CCM.D-K4 divided in two groups (petals). With the CCM.D-K4 purpose, two similar sets consisting of three hydrometers for liquid density determinations and an alcoholometer were circulated to the NMI participants as a travelling standard in the time interval from January 2011 to April 2012. Twelve Key Comparison Reference Values (KCRVs) for each petal have been obtained at the density values related to the tested density marks of the transfer standards by the results of participants. The KCRVs and corresponding uncertainties were calculated by the weighted mean in the case of consistent results, otherwise the median was used. The degree of equivalence (DoE) with respect to the corresponding KCRV was determined for each participant and, in this particular comparison, the Weighted Least Squares (WLS) method was used to link the individual DoE of each participant by a continuous function. Significant drift of the transfer standards was not detected. This report also gives instructions on calculating pair-wise degrees of equivalence, with the addition of any information on correlations that may be necessary to estimate more accurately as well as the procedure for linking international comparisons to the CCM.D-K4. Finally an example of linkage to the CCM.D-K4 is given by dealing with the results of the bilateral comparison between INRiM and NMIA, which was

Hydrometer in the mantle: dln(Vs)/dln(Vp)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, L.; Weidner, D. J.

2010-12-01

The absorption of water into nominally non-hydrous phases is the probable storage mechanism of hydrogen throughout most of the mantle. Thus the water capacity in the mantle is greatest in the transition zone owing to the large water-solubility of ringwoodite and wadsleyite. However, the actual amount of water that is stored there is highly uncertain. Since water is probably brought down by subduction activity, it’s abundance is probably laterally variable. Thus, a metric that is sensitive to variations of water content are good candidates for hydrometers. Here we evaluate the parameter, dln(Vs)/dln(Vp), as such a parameter. It is useful to detect lateral variations of water if the effects of hydration on the parameter are different than those of temperature or composition. We compare the value of dln(Vs)/dln(Vp) due to the temperature with that due to the water content as a function of depth for the upper mantle. We have calculated dln(Vs)/dln(Vp) due to both water and temperature using a density functional theory approach, and available experimental data. Our results indicate that dln(Vs)/dln(Vp) due to water is distinguishable from dln(Vs)/dln(Vp) due to temperature or variations in iron content, particularly in ringwoodite. The difference increases with depth and making the lower part of the transition zone most identifiable as a water reservoir.

SUPPLEMENTARY COMPARISON: Report of the bilateral comparison of the calibrations of hydrometers for liquid density determination between CENAM-Mexico and INRIM-Italy: SIM.M.D-S1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becerra, Luis Omar; Lorefice, Salvatore

2009-01-01

Hydrometers are instruments usually made of glass which are widely used for different levels of precision to measure liquid density and related quantities to control different products and processes. This bilateral comparison on the calibration of hydrometers shows that results reported by CENAM-Mexico and INRIM-Italy are consistent within the claimed uncertainty in the range of 800 kg/m3 to 1200 kg/m3. This bilateral comparison is intended to link the two regional comparisons SIM.M.D-K4 and EURAMET.D-K4. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by SIM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Supplement to CCM.D-K4 'Hydrometer' report: linkage of EURAMET.M.D-K4 comparison, SIM.M.D-K4 comparison and the supplementary SIM.M.D-S2 to CCM.D-K4 'Hydrometer'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorefice, S.; Becerra, L. O.

2017-01-01

Evaluation of different types of comparisons to a common set of reference values of a CIPM key comparison is essential to satisfy the concept of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA), where the DoEs of any participant who took part in comparisons should be within the Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) section of the CIPM MRA Key Comparison Data Base. The subject of this supplementary report is therefore to present the equivalence of each National Metrological Institute (NMI) participant in the CCM.D-K4 'Hydrometer' key comparison, which was performed in the density range 600 kg/m3 to 2000 kg/m3 at the temperature of 20 °C, and the linkage of the European and Inter-American NMI results performed in the RMO.M.D-K4 comparisons as well as those of the supplementary SIM.M.D-S2 to the common set of KCRVs of the CCM.D-K4 'Hydrometer'. The linking procedure has been obtained by numerical simulation, based on the Monte Carlo method, in which the differences in the results of the different comparison between the intended laboratory and one or more linking laboratory/ies, which took part in both comparisons, are correlated with a continuous function describing the DoEs of the linking laboratory/ies with respect to the common set of KCRVs of the CCM.D-K4. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

KEY COMPARISON: EUROMET.M.D-K4/EUROMET Project 702: Comparison of the calibrations of high-resolution hydrometers for liquid density determinations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorefice, S.; Malengo, A.; Vámossy, C.; Bettin, H.; Toth, H.; do Céu Ferreira, M.; Gosset, A.; Madec, T.; Heinonen, M.; Buchner, C.; Lenard, E.; Spurny, R.; Akcadag, U.; Domostroeva, N.

2008-01-01

The main objective of the EUROMET project 702 was to compare the extent of comparability among eleven participating European national metrology institutes (INRIM (IT), OMH (HU), PTB (DE), BEV (AT), IPQ (PT), LNE (FR), MIKES (FI), GUM (PL), SMU (SK), UME (TR) and VNIIM (RU)) in performing calibrations of high-resolution hydrometers for liquid density determination in the range between 600 kg m-3 and 1300 kg m-3. By means of two groups of four similar transfer standards of excellent metrological characteristics, the participating laboratories were initially divided into two groups (petals) linked by the three density laboratories of INRIM, OMH and PTB. The results of the participating laboratories have been analyzed in this report and a good agreement was found between the results provided by most of the participants. These results allowed also determination of the degrees of equivalence of each NMI participating with the EUROMET_key comparison reference values (EU_KCRV); they will provide a basis for the review of the Calibration Measurement Capabilities (CMC) entries on hydrometer calibration, and they allowed the degree of equivalence between pairs of NMIs to be established. The Istitituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM), Italy, formerly IMGC-CNR, coordinated the project. Main text. To reach the main text of this Paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

KEY COMPARISON: Final report of comparison of the calibrations of hydrometers for liquid density determination between SIM laboratories: SIM.M.D-K4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becerra, Luis Omar

2009-01-01

This SIM comparison on the calibration of high accuracy hydrometers was carried out within fourteen laboratories in the density range from 600 kg/m3 to 1300 kg/m3 in order to evaluate the degree of equivalence among participant laboratories. This key comparison anticipates the planned key comparison CCM.D-K4, and is intended to be linked with CCM.D-K4 when results are available. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

SUPPLEMENTARY COMPARISON Bilateral comparison on the calibrations of hydrometers for liquid density between INRIM-Italy and INMETRO-Brazil: SIM.M.D-S2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorefice, Salvatore; Malta, Dalni; Julio Pinheiro, José; Marteleto, Paulo Roberto

2010-01-01

The results of the SIM.M.D-S2 bilateral comparison between INRIM-Italy and INMETRO-Brazil are summarized in this report. The aims of this comparison were to check the stated uncertainty levels and the degrees of equivalence between the two institutes on the calibration of hydrometers for liquid density in the range of 800 kg m-3 to 1000 kg m-3 at 20 ºC, by means of two transfer standards of excellent metrological characteristics. Main text. To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by SIM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Measurement of particle size distribution of soil and selected aggregate sizes using the hydrometer method and laser diffractometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzmán, G.; Gómez, J. A.; Giráldez, J. V.

2010-05-01

Soil particle size distribution has been traditionally determined by the hydrometer or the sieve-pipette methods, both of them time consuming and requiring a relatively large soil sample. This might be a limitation in situations, such as for instance analysis of suspended sediment, when the sample is small. A possible alternative to these methods are the optical techniques such as laser diffractometry. However the literature indicates that the use of this technique as an alternative to traditional methods is still limited, because the difficulty in replicating the results obtained with the standard methods. In this study we present the percentages of soil grain size determined using laser diffractometry within ranges set between 0.04 - 2000 μm. A Beckman-Coulter ® LS-230 with a 750 nm laser beam and software version 3.2 in five soils, representative of southern Spain: Alameda, Benacazón, Conchuela, Lanjarón and Pedrera. In three of the studied soils (Alameda, Benacazón and Conchuela) the particle size distribution of each aggregate size class was also determined. Aggregate size classes were obtained by dry sieve analysis using a Retsch AS 200 basic ®. Two hundred grams of air dried soil were sieved during 150 s, at amplitude 2 mm, getting nine different sizes between 2000 μm and 10 μm. Analyses were performed by triplicate. The soil sample preparation was also adapted to our conditions. A small amount each soil sample (less than 1 g) was transferred to the fluid module full of running water and disaggregated by ultrasonication at energy level 4 and 80 ml of sodium hexametaphosphate solution during 580 seconds. Two replicates of each sample were performed. Each measurement was made for a 90 second reading at a pump speed of 62. After the laser diffractometry analysis, each soil and its aggregate classes were processed calibrating its own optical model fitting the optical parameters that mainly depends on the color and the shape of the analyzed particle. As a

Evaluation of the Ott Hydromet Qliner for measuring discharge in laboratory and field conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

McVay, Jason C.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in collaboration with the University of Iowa IIHR – Hydroscience and Engineering, evaluated the use of the Ott Hydromet Qliner using laboratory flume tests along with field validation tests. Analysis of the flume testing indicates the velocities measured by the Qliner at a 40-second exposure time results in higher dispersion of velocities from the mean velocity of data collected with a 5-minute exposure time. The percent data spread from the mean of a 100-minute mean of Qliner velocities for a 40-second exposure time averaged 16.6 percent for the entire vertical, and a 5-minute mean produced a 6.2 percent data spread from the 100-minute mean. This 16.6 percent variation in measured velocity would result in a 3.32 percent variation in computed discharge assuming 25 verticals while averaging 4 bins in each vertical. The flume testing also provided results that indicate the blanking distance of 0.20 meters is acceptable when using beams 1 and 2, however beam 3 is negatively biased near the transducer and the 0.20-meter blanking distance is not sufficient. Field testing included comparing the measured discharge by the Qliner to the discharge measured by a Price AA mechanical current meter and a Teledyne RDI Rio Grande 1200 kilohertz acoustic Doppler current profiler. The field tests indicated a difference between the discharges measured with the Qliner and the field reference discharge between -14.0 and 8.0 percent; however the average percent difference for all 22 field comparisons was 0.22, which was not statistically significant.

27 CFR 30.21 - Requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... part. (b) Proprietors. Proprietors shall use only accurate hydrometers and thermometers that show... described in § 30.22. (c) Appropriate TTB officers. Appropriate TTB officers shall use only hydrometers and... hydrometer, TTB officers shall use precision grade specific gravity hydrometers conforming to the provisions...

Test Operations Procedure (TOP) 02-2-603A Vehicle Fuel Consumption

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-10

API) Hydrometer . The API Hydrometer is used for accurate determination of the density, relative density (specific gravity), or API gravity of... Hydrometer Method. 5. TOP 02-2-505, Inspection and Preliminary Operation of Vehicles, 4 February 1987. 6. TOP 02-1-003, Hybrid Electric

27 CFR 19.277 - Measuring devices and proofing instruments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... provide for their own use accurate hydrometers, thermometers, and other necessary equipment to determine proof or volume. (b) Instruments. Hydrometers and thermometers used by proprietors to gauge spirits... those prescribed in 27 CFR part 30. Proprietors shall make frequent tests of their hydrometers and...

27 CFR 30.62 - Table 2, showing wine gallons and proof gallons by weight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... spirituous liquor containing dissolved solids where the weight, apparent proof (hydrometer indication... table, from the weight of the liquid and the uncorrected reading of the hydrometer stem. An application... spirits having an uncorrected hydrometer reading of 113.0°. The full capacity of the package, 51.5 wine...

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District Contractor Performance and Reporting Controls Were Generally Effective

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-06

Figure 2 shows the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Hydromet Equipment at the Stennis Lock and Dam in Columbus. 3 Figure 2...Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Hydromet Equipment for the Waterway at the Stennis Lock and Dam • Tinker Air Force Base Project...Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, AL & MS W91278-10-C-0051 Upgrade of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition and Hydromet Equipment for the Waterway

Conflicts of Shared Resources: A Case Study of River Nile

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

as Lake Kivu. Rwanda joined the earlier Nile basin project, Hydromet , in 1967, with the support on the UNDP. 18 Although the country does not...operation Hydromet . In 1967, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Egypt...Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda launched the Hydromet Survey project to regulate the water level of the Nile.”30 Rwanda joined later while Ethiopia

Demonstration of an In-Situ Friction-Sound Probe for Mapping Particle Size at Contaminated Sediment Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

sedimentation according to the Stokes Law through pipettes (Plumb, 1981) or hydrometer (ASTM, 1988). Various optical techniques, electro-resistance (Coulter...used by the contracting laboratory (ASTM, 1998) is a combined mechanical sieving and hydrometer method. The sieves are used to quantify particle sizes...in the sand range (> 63 µm) and larger, and a sedimentation- hydrometer technique is used to quantify the silt and clay size ranges (< 63 µm

27 CFR 19.980 - Gauging.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... quantity of spirits. The proof of the spirits shall be determined using a glass cylinder, hydrometer, and... determine quantity by volume. The proprietor shall ensure that hydrometers, thermometers, and other...

27 CFR 30.1 - Gauging of distilled spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... correcting hydrometer indications at temperatures between 0 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit to true proof. If distilled spirits contain dissolved solids, temperature correction of the hydrometer reading by the use of...

7 CFR 51.3417 - Optional test for specific gravity.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... be corrected for temperature variations using Table I. (2) A hydrometer specifically designed for determining the specific gravity of potatoes. 3 3 The hydrometer is available from the Potato Chip/Snack Food...

Range Atmospheric and Oceanic Environmental Support Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

Precipitation location/intensity, thunderstorm location/intensity, rainfall/flash flood warning, hydrometer characterization, wind warnings, and...intensity, lightning monitoring, rainfall and flash flood warning, hydrometer characterization, and wind warnings. b. Satellite: MTSAT, GOES-10

27 CFR 30.32 - Determination of proof obscuration.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... added to the temperature corrected hydrometer reading will give the true proof. (c) Distillation method... use of a precision hydrometer and thermometer in accordance with the provisions of § 13.23 to the...

27 CFR 30.64 - Table 4, showing the fractional part of a gallon per pound at each percent and each tenth percent...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of the liquid and its apparent proof (hydrometer indication, corrected to 60 degrees Fahrenheit). The... of blended whisky containing added solids Temperature °F 75.0° Hydrometer reading 92.0° Apparent...

27 CFR 30.41 - Bulk spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 600 milligrams per 100 milliliters shall be ascertained by: (a) Use of a precision hydrometer and... wine gallons per pound, or (b) Use of a specific gravity hydrometer, in accordance with the provisions...

27 CFR 30.31 - Determination of proof.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... milligrams of solids per 100 milliliters of spirits shall be determined by the use of a hydrometer and...) By the use of a hydrometer and a thermometer after the spirits have been distilled in a small...

Quantitative Precipitation Nowcasting: A Lagrangian Pixel-Based Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Sorooshian, T. Bellerby, and G. Huffman, 2010: REFAME: Rain Estimation Using Forward-Adjusted Advection of Microwave Estimates. J. of Hydromet ., 11...precipitation forecasting using information from radar and Numerical Weather Prediction models. J. of Hydromet ., 4(6):1168-1180. Germann, U., and I

Z-M in Lightning Forecasting

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

hydrometers create a charge separation. Inductive processes rely on a preexisting external electric field to induce charges on polarized particles, which...frozen hydrometers . A. FLORIDA CLIMATE Florida is often referred to as the lightning capital of the United States (Hodanish et al. 1997) or

Device Comparison for Determining Field Soil Moisture Content

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

properties. Tests conducted on each soil included grain size distribution with hydrometer analysis for dissemination of silt and clay fractions, Atterberg...ER D C/G SL TR -11-42 43 Clay-G ravel (SP-SC) - --- U.S, SIEVE OPENING II’! INCHES US. STANDIIRD SIEVE NUMBERS HYDROMETER Rln 1...STANOAR!l S<Eiil: NUMBERS HYDROMETER 1~1n. ~ln. 3/8.., o\\ ’ll """ """ li14ll"""’ fH, . , .. ~in. • 100 I I I’ I I l I ~ _u I I II 0 I I ~’r- ’Ŕ

27 CFR 30.21 - Requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... thermometers furnished by the Government. However, where this part requires the use of a specific gravity hydrometer, TTB officers shall use precision grade specific gravity hydrometers conforming to the provisions... determination of specific gravity and for gauging. From time to time appropriate TTB officers shall verify the...

27 CFR 30.21 - Requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... thermometers furnished by the Government. However, where this part requires the use of a specific gravity hydrometer, TTB officers shall use precision grade specific gravity hydrometers conforming to the provisions... determination of specific gravity and for gauging. From time to time appropriate TTB officers shall verify the...

27 CFR 30.21 - Requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... thermometers furnished by the Government. However, where this part requires the use of a specific gravity hydrometer, TTB officers shall use precision grade specific gravity hydrometers conforming to the provisions... determination of specific gravity and for gauging. From time to time appropriate TTB officers shall verify the...

27 CFR 30.21 - Requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... thermometers furnished by the Government. However, where this part requires the use of a specific gravity hydrometer, TTB officers shall use precision grade specific gravity hydrometers conforming to the provisions... determination of specific gravity and for gauging. From time to time appropriate TTB officers shall verify the...

Toward Better Intraseasonal and Seasonal Prediction: Verification and Evaluation of the NOGAPS Model Forecasts

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

package developed by the Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project (CFMIP), COSP (BODAS- SALCEDO et al. 2011). COSP will convert the model hydrometers ...and infrared data at high spatial and temporal resolution. J. Hydromet ., 5, 487-503. Kay, J. E. et al., 2012: Exposing global cloud biases in the

Evaluation of a Non-Nuclear Soil Density Gauge on Fine-Grained Soils

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

U.S. STANDARD SIEVE NUMBERS HYDROMETER fY, in o/. in. 318 in #140 6 in. 3 in. 2 in. 1 in. ’A in #4 ’" #20 #30 #40 ឬ #100 #200 100 J I ’ I I I I I...1 3-20 31 C L-2 U.S. SIEVE OPENING IN INCHES U.S. STANDARD SIEVE NUMBERS HYDROMETER 1Y,in. ’/.in Un~/8 in #140 6 in 3 in. 2 in. 1in. " #4...Particle Size Distribution Reoort Fine PL 14 HYDROMETER %Fines Silt -------,---- PI Project Non-Nuclear Gau_ge Proiect 27 Area Boring No. 3 Date

Comparison of four methods to assess colostral IgG concentration in dairy cows.

PubMed

Chigerwe, Munashe; Tyler, Jeff W; Middleton, John R; Spain, James N; Dill, Jeffrey S; Steevens, Barry J

2008-09-01

To determine sensitivity and specificity of 4 methods to assess colostral IgG concentration in dairy cows and determine the optimal cutpoint for each method. Cross-sectional study. 160 Holstein dairy cows. 171 composite colostrum samples collected within 2 hours after parturition were used in the study. Test methods used to estimate colostral IgG concentration consisted of weight of the first milking, 2 hydrometers, and an electronic refractometer. Results of the test methods were compared with colostral IgG concentration determined by means of radial immunodiffusion. For each method, sensitivity and specificity for detecting colostral IgG concentration < 50 g/L were calculated across a range of potential cutpoints, and the optimal cutpoint for each test was selected to maximize sensitivity and specificity. At the optimal cutpoint for each method, sensitivity for weight of the first milking (0.42) was significantly lower than sensitivity for each of the other 3 methods (hydrometer 1, 0.75; hydrometer 2, 0.76; refractometer, 0.75), but no significant differences were identified among the other 3 methods with regard to sensitivity. Specificities at the optimal cutpoint were similar for all 4 methods. Results suggested that use of either hydrometer or the electronic refractometer was an acceptable method of screening colostrum for low IgG concentration; however, the manufacturer-defined scale for both hydrometers overestimated colostral IgG concentration. Use of weight of the first milking as a screening test to identify bovine colostrum with inadequate IgG concentration could not be justified because of the low sensitivity.

Qualitative identification of rigid gas permeable contact lens materials by densitometry.

PubMed

Arce, C G; Schuman, P D; Schuman, W P

1999-10-01

We describe a practical method to qualitatively identify polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lens materials. By progressive dilution of a saturated saline solution made with distilled or tap water and sodium chloride, we recorded comparative densitometry of rigid contact lens materials using a small hydrometer or by liquid displacement. The method was sensitive enough to separate the polymethylmethacrylate, all silicon-methacrylates, and all but two fluorine-containing silicon-methacrylates. The hydrometer had a precision of three decimals rounded to the nearest 0.005. There was only one RGP product that could have been confused with the PMMA material. Most silicon-methacrylates had lower densities than fluorine containing silicon-methacrylates. Only four of 25 products under 1.117 gm/cm3 contained fluorine. Densitometry with a hydrometer is an effective non-destructive method to identify RGP materials and to verify their quality. The method is easier when lens blanks are tested, but in spite of differences in shape, size, and weight, densitometry may also be used with new or used contact lenses. Its simplicity and low cost makes densitometry feasible for any contact lens laboratory or clinic to use on a routine basis. Only silicon-methacrylates had an inverse relationship between density and oxygen permeability. As the silicon content of the contact lens increases, the Dk increases and the density decreases.

Comparison of 3 Methods to Assess Urine Specific Gravity in Collegiate Wrestlers.

PubMed

Stuempfle, Kristin J.; Drury, Daniel G.

2003-12-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reliability and validity of refractometry, hydrometry, and reagent strips in assessing urine specific gravity in collegiate wrestlers. DESIGN AND SETTING: We assessed the reliability of refractometry, hydrometry, and reagent strips between 2 trials and among 4 testers. The validity of hydrometry and reagent strips was assessed by comparison with refractometry, the criterion measure for urine specific gravity. SUBJECTS: Twenty-one National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III collegiate wrestlers provided fresh urine samples. MEASUREMENTS: Four testers measured the specific gravity of each urine sample 6 times: twice by refractometry, twice by hydrometry, and twice by reagent strips. RESULTS: Refractometer measurements were consistent between trials (R =.998) and among testers; hydrometer measurements were consistent between trials (R =.987) but not among testers; and reagent-strip measurements were not consistent between trials or among testers. Hydrometer (1.018 +/- 0.006) and reagent-strip (1.017 +/- 0.007) measurements were significantly higher than refractometer (1.015 +/- 0.006) measurements. Intraclass correlation coefficients were moderate between refractometry and hydrometry (R =.869) and low between refractometry and reagent strips (R =.573). The hydrometer produced 28% false positives and 2% false negatives, and reagent strips produced 15% false positives and 9% false negatives. CONCLUSIONS: Only the refractometer should be used to determine urine specific gravity in collegiate wrestlers during the weight-certification process.

Comparison of 3 Methods to Assess Urine Specific Gravity in Collegiate Wrestlers

PubMed Central

Drury, Daniel G.

2003-01-01

Objective: To investigate the reliability and validity of refractometry, hydrometry, and reagent strips in assessing urine specific gravity in collegiate wrestlers. Design and Setting: We assessed the reliability of refractometry, hydrometry, and reagent strips between 2 trials and among 4 testers. The validity of hydrometry and reagent strips was assessed by comparison with refractometry, the criterion measure for urine specific gravity. Subjects: Twenty-one National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III collegiate wrestlers provided fresh urine samples. Measurements: Four testers measured the specific gravity of each urine sample 6 times: twice by refractometry, twice by hydrometry, and twice by reagent strips. Results: Refractometer measurements were consistent between trials (R = .998) and among testers; hydrometer measurements were consistent between trials (R = .987) but not among testers; and reagent-strip measurements were not consistent between trials or among testers. Hydrometer (1.018 ± 0.006) and reagent-strip (1.017 ± 0.007) measurements were significantly higher than refractometer (1.015 ± 0.006) measurements. Intraclass correlation coefficients were moderate between refractometry and hydrometry (R = .869) and low between refractometry and reagent strips (R = .573). The hydrometer produced 28% false positives and 2% false negatives, and reagent strips produced 15% false positives and 9% false negatives. Conclusions: Only the refractometer should be used to determine urine specific gravity in collegiate wrestlers during the weight-certification process. PMID:14737213

The role of updraft velocity in temporal variability of cloud hydrometeor number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Sylvia; Nenes, Athanasios; Lee, Dong Min; Oreopoulos, Lazaros

2016-04-01

Significant effort has been dedicated to incorporating direct aerosol-cloud links, through parameterization of liquid droplet activation and ice crystal nucleation, within climate models. This significant accomplishment has generated the need for understanding which parameters affecting hydrometer formation drives its variability in coupled climate simulations, as it provides the basis for optimal parameter estimation as well as robust comparison with data, and other models. Sensitivity analysis alone does not address this issue, given that the importance of each parameter for hydrometer formation depends on its variance and sensitivity. To address the above issue, we develop and use a series of attribution metrics defined with adjoint sensitivities to attribute the temporal variability in droplet and crystal number to important aerosol and dynamical parameters. This attribution analysis is done both for the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5 and the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Atmosphere Model Version 5.1. Within the GEOS simulation, up to 48% of temporal variability in output ice crystal number and 61% in droplet number can be attributed to input updraft velocity fluctuations, while for the CAM simulation, they explain as much as 89% of the ice crystal number variability. This above results suggest that vertical velocity in both model frameworks is seen to be a very important (or dominant) driver of hydrometer variability. Yet, observations of vertical velocity are seldomly available (or used) to evaluate the vertical velocities in simulations; this strikingly contrasts the amount and quality of data available for aerosol-related parameters. Consequentially, there is a strong need for retrievals or measurements of vertical velocity for addressing this important knowledge gap that requires a significant investment and effort by the atmospheric community. The attribution metrics as a

40 CFR 92.5 - Reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., or at http://www.ansi.org. (1) ANSI B109.1-1992, Diaphragm Type Gas Displacment Meters, IBR approved..., Standard Test Method for API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Petroleum Products (Hydrometer Method), IBR...

40 CFR 92.5 - Reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., or at http://www.ansi.org. (1) ANSI B109.1-1992, Diaphragm Type Gas Displacment Meters, IBR approved..., Standard Test Method for API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Petroleum Products (Hydrometer Method), IBR...

40 CFR 92.5 - Reference materials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., or at http://www.ansi.org. (1) ANSI B109.1-1992, Diaphragm Type Gas Displacment Meters, IBR approved..., Standard Test Method for API Gravity of Crude Petroleum and Petroleum Products (Hydrometer Method), IBR...

Evaluation of Minimum Asphalt Concrete Thickness Criteria

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

9 Figure 6. Dry density versus moisture content for CH material... density measurements. ............................ 24 Figure 18. EPC installation in a crushed gravel base course layer...Construction Materials Materials Characterization Laboratory Testing Field Testing Test Section Construction Hydrometer, Modified Proctor , Specific

27 CFR 30.22 - Hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... subdivisions of degrees as follows: Type Range Subdivision Pencil type 10° to 100° 1° V-back 10° to 100° 1° Glass shell (earlier model) 40° to 100° 1/2° Glass shell (later model) 40° to 100° 1/4° (Sec. 201, Pub...

27 CFR 30.22 - Hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... subdivisions of degrees as follows: Type Range Subdivision Pencil type 10° to 100° 1° V-back 10° to 100° 1° Glass shell (earlier model) 40° to 100° 1/2° Glass shell (later model) 40° to 100° 1/4° (Sec. 201, Pub...

27 CFR 30.22 - Hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... subdivisions of degrees as follows: Type Range Subdivision Pencil type 10° to 100° 1° V-back 10° to 100° 1° Glass shell (earlier model) 40° to 100° 1/2° Glass shell (later model) 40° to 100° 1/4° (Sec. 201, Pub...

27 CFR 30.22 - Hydrometers and thermometers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 105 to 125 0.2° N 125 to 145 0.2° P 145 to 165 0.2° Q 165 to 185 0.2° R 185 to 206 0.2° Thermometers are designated by type according to range of degrees Fahrenheit and are provided in ranges and subdivisions of degrees as follows: Type Range Subdivision Pencil type 10° to 100° 1° V-back 10° to 100° 1...

Soil texture classification algorithm using RGB characteristics of soil images

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil texture has an important influence on agriculture, affecting crop selection, movement of nutrients and water, soil electrical conductivity, and crop growth. Soil texture has traditionally been determined in the laboratory using pipette and hydrometer methods that require a considerable amount o...

27 CFR 30.1 - Gauging of distilled spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... “Gauging Manual Embracing Instructions and Tables for Determining Quantity of Distilled Spirits by Proof... tables, together with their instructions, shall be used, wherever applicable, in making the necessary... distilled spirits contain dissolved solids, temperature correction of the hydrometer reading by the use of...

Use of combined radar and radiometer systems in space for precipitation measurement: Some ideas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, R. K.

1981-01-01

A brief survey is given of some fundamental physical concepts of optimal polarization characteristics of a transmission path or scatter ensemble of hydrometers. It is argued that, based on this optimization concept, definite advances in remote atmospheric sensing are to be expected. Basic properties of Kennaugh's optimal polarization theory are identified.

National Forecast Charts

Science.gov Websites

Summaries Heat Index Tropical Products Daily Weather Map GIS Products Current Watches/ Warnings Satellite and Training WPC HydroMet Testbed Development Experimental Products WPC Overview About the WPC Mission and Vision Staff WPC History About Our Products Accomplishments Other Sites FAQs Meteorological

Termite infestation associated with type of soil in pulau pinang, malaysia (isoptera: rhinotermitidae).

PubMed

Majid, Abdul Hafiz Ab; Ahmad, Abu Hassan

2013-12-01

Nine soil samples from nine buildings infested with Coptotermes gestroi in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, were tested for the type of soil texture. The soil texture analysis procedures used the hydrometer method. Four of nine buildings (44%) yielded loamy sand-type soil, whereas five of nine buildings (56%) contained sandy loam-type soil.

Dairy manure nutrient analysis using quick tests.

PubMed

Singh, A; Bicudo, J R

2005-05-01

Rapid on-farm assessment of manure nutrient content can be achieved with the use of quick tests. These tests can be used to indirectly measure the nutrient content in animal slurries immediately before manure is applied on agricultural fields. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of hydrometers, electrical conductivity meter and pens, and Agros N meter against standard laboratory methods. Manure samples were collected from 34 dairy farms in the Mammoth Cave area in central Kentucky. Regression equations were developed for combined and individual counties located In the area (Barren, Hart and Monroe). Our results indicated that accuracy in nutrient estimation could be improved if separate linear regressions were developed for farms with similar facilities in a county. Direct hydrometer estimates of total nitrogen were among the most accurate when separate regression equations were developed for each county (R2 = 0.61, 0.93, and 0.74 for Barren, Hart and Monroe county, respectively). Reasonably accurate estimates (R2 > 0.70) were also obtained for total nitrogen and total phosphorus using hydrometers, either by relating specific gravity to nutrient content or to total solids content. Estimation of ammoniacal nitrogen with Agros N meter and electrical conductivity meter/pens correlated well with standard laboratory determinations, especially while using the individual data sets from Hart County (R2 = 0.70 to 0.87). This study indicates that the use of quick test calibration equations developed for a small area or region where farms are similar in terms of manure handling and management, housing, and feed ration are more appropriate than using "universal" equations usually developed with combined data sets. Accuracy is expected to improve if individual farms develop their own calibration curves. Nevertheless, we suggest confidence intervals always be specified for nutrients estimated through quick testing for any specific region, county, or farm.

On-farm quick tests for estimating nitrogen in dairy manure.

PubMed

Van Kessel, J S; Reeves, J B

2000-08-01

Manure nutrient analyses performed rapidly on the farm could be useful for nutrient management programs. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate six quick tests for their accuracy in estimating total manure N or NH4+-N. The quick tests included the hydrometer, electrical conductivity meter and pen, reflectometer, Agros N Meter, and Quantofix-N-Volumeter. The hydrometer was used to estimate total N, while the remaining tests were used to estimate NH4+-N. Samples (107) were collected from dairy farms in five northeastern states. Samples were analyzed for total N and NH4+-N by traditional laboratory methods and using each of the quick tests. Manure compositions ranged from 1.4 to 38.6% dry matter (DM), 0.9 to 9.5 kg/m3 total N, and 0.3 to 4.7 kg/m3 NH4+-N. The estimated concentration of total N or NH4+-N determined by each quick test was regressed against laboratory-determined values. The hydrometer did not estimate total N accurately. The strongest relationship for estimation of NH4+-N was with the Quantofix-N-Volumeter followed by the Agros N Meter, the reflectometer, and the electrical conductivity meter and pen. When the samples were split into high (>12%) and low (< or =12%) DM groups, in all cases the r2 for the regression equation was higher for the low DM group than for the high DM group. The Agros N Meter, the reflectometer, and the conductivity meter and pen did not perform well for the high DM group. These data indicate that several quick tests are viable options for measuring NH4+-N concentrations in dairy slurries and solids.

Termite Infestation Associated with Type of Soil in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

PubMed Central

Majid, Abdul Hafiz Ab; Ahmad, Abu Hassan

2013-01-01

Nine soil samples from nine buildings infested with Coptotermes gestroi in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, were tested for the type of soil texture. The soil texture analysis procedures used the hydrometer method. Four of nine buildings (44%) yielded loamy sand-type soil, whereas five of nine buildings (56%) contained sandy loam-type soil. PMID:24575252

A simple formula for predicting claw volume of cattle.

PubMed

Scott, T D; Naylor, J M; Greenough, P R

1999-11-01

The object of this study was to develop a simple method for accurately calculating the volume of bovine claws under field conditions. The digits of 30 slaughterhouse beef cattle were examined and the following four linear measurements taken from each pair of claws: (1) the length of the dorsal surface of the claw (Toe); (2) the length of the coronary band (CorBand); (3) the length of the bearing surface (Base); and (4) the height of the claw at the abaxial groove (AbaxGr). Measurements of claw volume using a simple hydrometer were highly repeatable (r(2)= 0.999) and could be calculated from linear measurements using the formula:Claw Volume (cm(3)) = (17.192 x Base) + (7.467 x AbaxGr) + 45.270 x (CorBand) - 798.5This formula was found to be accurate (r(2)= 0.88) when compared to volume data derived from a hydrometer displacement procedure. The front claws occupied 54% of the total volume compared to 46% for the hind claws. Copyright 1999 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.

27 CFR 30.41 - Bulk spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... specific gravity at the temperature of the spirits is not more than 1.0) and reference to Table 4 for the wine gallons per pound, or (b) Use of a specific gravity hydrometer, in accordance with the provisions of § 30.25, to determine the specific gravity of the spirits (if the specific gravity at the...

27 CFR 30.41 - Bulk spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... specific gravity at the temperature of the spirits is not more than 1.0) and reference to Table 4 for the wine gallons per pound, or (b) Use of a specific gravity hydrometer, in accordance with the provisions of § 30.25, to determine the specific gravity of the spirits (if the specific gravity at the...

27 CFR 30.41 - Bulk spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... specific gravity at the temperature of the spirits is not more than 1.0) and reference to Table 4 for the wine gallons per pound, or (b) Use of a specific gravity hydrometer, in accordance with the provisions of § 30.25, to determine the specific gravity of the spirits (if the specific gravity at the...

27 CFR 30.41 - Bulk spirits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... specific gravity at the temperature of the spirits is not more than 1.0) and reference to Table 4 for the wine gallons per pound, or (b) Use of a specific gravity hydrometer, in accordance with the provisions of § 30.25, to determine the specific gravity of the spirits (if the specific gravity at the...

A Quality Control study of the distribution of NOAA MIRS Cloudy retrievals during Hurricane Sandy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fletcher, S. J.

2013-12-01

Cloudy radiance present a difficult challenge to data assimilation (DA) systems, through both the radiative transfer system as well the hydrometers required to resolve the cloud and precipitation. In most DA systems the hydrometers are not control variables due to many limitations. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Microwave Integrated Retrieval System (MIRS) is producing products from the NPP-ATMS satellite where the scene is cloud and precipitation affected. The test case that we present here is the life time of Hurricane and then Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. As a quality control study we shall compare the retrieved water vapor content during the lifetime of Sandy with the first guess and the analysis from the NOAA Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) system. The assessment involves the gross error check system against the first guess with different values for the observational error's variance to see if the difference is within three standard deviations. We shall also compare against the final analysis at the relevant cycles to see if the products which have been retrieved through a cloudy radiance are similar, given that the DA system does not assimilate cloudy radiances yet.

Managing Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda) Stands for the Restoration of Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) Habitat

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

hydrometer method (Milford 1997). Climate data from the study period was obtained from the National Climatic Data Center web service, with data for...season after treatment. Throughout this paper , the term “seedling” is used to refer to any loblolly pine individual that established following site... Paper land in southwestern Georgia and found that longleaf pine stands had significantly higher herbaceous richness and diversity than the other

Creep and Sliding in Clay Slopes: Mutual Effects of Interlayer Swelling and Ice Jacking.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-08-24

project, swelling and freezing, have been treated as well. The extent of swell heave of the montmorillonite clay under investigation depends on the...the amount of clay size particles: up to 70% and the amount of montmorillonite : up to 35%. 1.2. Grain Size Distribution Twelve hydrometer tests were...in physical conditions and exhibit swelling again upon subsequent wetting. Another important swelling parameter is the montmorillonite content, that

A New Inversion-Based Algorithm for Retrieval of Over-Water Rain Rate from SSM/I Multichannel Imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petty, Grant W.; Stettner, David R.

1994-01-01

This paper discusses certain aspects of a new inversion based algorithm for the retrieval of rain rate over the open ocean from the special sensor microwave/imager (SSM/I) multichannel imagery. This algorithm takes a more detailed physical approach to the retrieval problem than previously discussed algorithms that perform explicit forward radiative transfer calculations based on detailed model hydrometer profiles and attempt to match the observations to the predicted brightness temperature.

SUNRAYCE 1995: Working safely with lead-acid batteries and photovoltaic power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dephillips, M. P.; Moskowitz, P. D.; Fthenakis, V. M.

1994-05-01

This document is a power system and battery safety handbook for participants in the SUNRAYCE 95 solar powered electric vehicle program. The topics of the handbook include batteries, photovoltaic modules, safety equipment needed for working with sulfuric acid electrolyte and batteries, battery transport, accident response, battery recharging and ventilation, electrical risks on-board vehicle, external electrical risks, electrical risk management strategies, and general maintenance including troubleshooting, hydrometer check and voltmeter check.

Aerosol Attenuation in the 2-4 Micrometer Region

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-03-01

Company Model 911ir dew point hydrometer. The lithium chloride sensors will be placed on the roof where the aerosol is sampled and at the entrance...Extinction Measurement il External View of 400 Meter White Cell 13 Primary Aerosol and Gas Handlinfe Systems 14 Calibration for Extinction...Massacusetts. Aerosol-laden air will be drawn into the experimental apparatus from a point 10 ft above the roof of the building. A continuoush

Radar volume reflectivity estimation using an array of ground-based rainfall drop size detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lane, John; Merceret, Francis; Kasparis, Takis; Roy, D.; Muller, Brad; Jones, W. Linwood

2000-08-01

Rainfall drop size distribution (DSD) measurements made by single disdrometers at isolated ground sites have traditionally been used to estimate the transformation between weather radar reflectivity Z and rainfall rate R. Despite the immense disparity in sampling geometries, the resulting Z-R relation obtained by these single point measurements has historically been important in the study of applied radar meteorology. Simultaneous DSD measurements made at several ground sites within a microscale area may be used to improve the estimate of radar reflectivity in the air volume surrounding the disdrometer array. By applying the equations of motion for non-interacting hydrometers, a volume estimate of Z is obtained from the array of ground based disdrometers by first calculating a 3D drop size distribution. The 3D-DSD model assumes that only gravity and terminal velocity due to atmospheric drag within the sampling volume influence hydrometer dynamics. The sampling volume is characterized by wind velocities, which are input parameters to the 3D-DSD model, composed of vertical and horizontal components. Reflectivity data from four consecutive WSR-88D volume scans, acquired during a thunderstorm near Melbourne, FL on June 1, 1997, are compared to data processed using the 3D-DSD model and data form three ground based disdrometers of a microscale array.

Immunoglobulin concentration, specific gravity, and nitrogen fractions of colostrum from Jersey cattle.

PubMed

Quigley, J D; Martin, K R; Dowlen, H H; Wallis, L B; Lamar, K

1994-01-01

Colostrum samples from 88 Jersey cows were analyzed for concentrations of IgG, IgM, IgA, total solids, specific gravity, and N fractions. Colostrum (50 ml) was sampled from each cow as soon as possible after parturition, and specific gravity was determined immediately using a hydrometer. Samples then were frozen prior to analysis of Ig, fat, and N fractions. Mean concentrations of IgG, IgM, and IgA were 65.8, 2.4, and 1.7 g/L, respectively. Concentration of IgG was lower, and IgA was higher, in colostrum from second lactation cows than from first lactation cows or from cows in third or later lactations; IgM increased linearly as lactation number increased. Total N, protein N, noncasein N, and fat contents also were lower in second lactation cows. Regression of total Ig (grams per liter) on specific gravity was -1172 + 1180 x specific gravity (r2 = .38). Relationship of total Ig to specific gravity differed from colostrum of Holstein cattle and may have been related to differences in fat and noncasein N concentrations. Use of specific gravity hydrometer to estimate Ig concentration using equations derived from Holstein cattle appears to underestimate Ig concentration in colostrum from Jersey cattle.

Hydrometer test for estimation of immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum.

PubMed

Fleenor, W A; Stott, G H

1980-06-01

A practical field method for measuring immunoglobulin concentration in bovine colostrum has been developed from the linear relationship between colostral specific gravity and immunoglobulin concentration. Fourteen colostrums were collected within 24 h postpartum from nursed and unnursed cows and were assayed for specific gravity and major colostral constituents. Additionally, 15 colostrums were collected immediately postpartum prior to suckling and assayed for specific gravity and immunoglobulin concentration. Regression analysis provided an equation to estimate colostral immunoglobulin concentration from the specific gravity of fresh whole colostrum. From this, a colostrometer was developed for practical field use.

A retrieval algorithm of hydrometer profile for submillimeter-wave radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuli; Buehler, Stefan; Liu, Heguang

2017-04-01

Vertical profiles of particle microphysics perform vital functions for the estimation of climatic feedback. This paper proposes a new algorithm to retrieve the profile of the parameters of the hydrometeor(i.e., ice, snow, rain, liquid cloud, graupel) based on passive submillimeter-wave measurements. These parameters include water content and particle size. The first part of the algorithm builds the database and retrieves the integrated quantities. Database is built up by Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Simulator(ARTS), which uses atmosphere data to simulate the corresponding brightness temperature. Neural network, trained by the precalculated database, is developed to retrieve the water path for each type of particles. The second part of the algorithm analyses the statistical relationship between water path and vertical parameters profiles. Based on the strong dependence existing between vertical layers in the profiles, Principal Component Analysis(PCA) technique is applied. The third part of the algorithm uses the forward model explicitly to retrieve the hydrometeor profiles. Cost function is calculated in each iteration, and Differential Evolution(DE) algorithm is used to adjust the parameter values during the evolutionary process. The performance of this algorithm is planning to be verified for both simulation database and measurement data, by retrieving profiles in comparison with the initial one. Results show that this algorithm has the ability to retrieve the hydrometeor profiles efficiently. The combination of ARTS and optimization algorithm can get much better results than the commonly used database approach. Meanwhile, the concept that ARTS can be used explicitly in the retrieval process shows great potential in providing solution to other retrieval problems.

Consequences of using different soil texture determination methodologies for soil physical quality and unsaturated zone time lag estimates.

PubMed

Fenton, O; Vero, S; Ibrahim, T G; Murphy, P N C; Sherriff, S C; Ó hUallacháin, D

2015-11-01

Elucidation of when the loss of pollutants, below the rooting zone in agricultural landscapes, affects water quality is important when assessing the efficacy of mitigation measures. Investigation of this inherent time lag (t(T)) is divided into unsaturated (t(u)) and saturated (t(s)) components. The duration of these components relative to each other differs depending on soil characteristics and the landscape position. The present field study focuses on tu estimation in a scenario where the saturated zone is likely to constitute a higher proportion of t(T). In such instances, or where only initial breakthrough (IBT) or centre of mass (COM) is of interest, utilisation of site and depth specific "simple" textural class or actual sand-silt-clay percentages to generate soil water characteristic curves with associated soil hydraulic parameters is acceptable. With the same data it is also possible to estimate a soil physical quality (S) parameter for each soil layer which can be used to infer many other physical, chemical and biological quality indicators. In this study, hand texturing in the field was used to determine textural classes of a soil profile. Laboratory methods, including hydrometer, pipette and laser diffraction methods were used to determine actual sand-silt-clay percentages of sections of the same soil profile. Results showed that in terms of S, hand texturing resulted in a lower index value (inferring a degraded soil) than that of pipette, hydrometer and laser equivalents. There was no difference between S index values determined using the pipette, hydrometer and laser diffraction methods. The difference between the three laboratory methods on both the IBT and COM stages of t(u) were negligible, and in this instance were unlikely to affect either groundwater monitoring decisions, or to be of consequence from a policy perspective. When t(u) estimates are made over the full depth of the vadose zone, which may extend to several metres, errors resulting from

Assessment of different methods to estimate bovine colostrum quality on farm.

PubMed

Bartens, M-C; Drillich, M; Rychli, K; Iwersen, M; Arnholdt, T; Meyer, L; Klein-Jöbstl, D

2016-09-01

To evaluate two different hydrometers and an optical and a digital Brix refractometer for the assessment of bovine colostrum quality, in terms of accuracy and precision compared with the measurement of IgG concentrations using radial immunodiffusion (RID), and to evaluate the reliability and repeatability of the Brix refractometers. To determine reliability and repeatability, 145 colostrum samples were tested by two independent observers twice, using the optical and digital Brix refractometers. A further 193 colostrum samples from Holstein cows were collected on one commercial dairy farm at first milking and tested with two hydrometers and an optical and digital Brix refractometer. An aliquot of each sample was frozen for RID measurement of IgG concentrations and samples were classified as poor (≤50 g IgG/L) or good (>50 g IgG/L) quality colostrum. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to determine inter- and intra-observer reliability and repeatability. Optimised cut-off values for the four devices were determined using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis with the RID results as the reference. Using these cut-offs, sensitivities and specificities for determining good quality colostrum were calculated. The ICC for inter-observer reliability was 0.98 for the optical Brix refractometer, and for intra-observer repeatability was 0.97 and 0.98 for the optical and the digital Brix refractometers, respectively. For the 193 colostrum samples, 67 (34.7%) had concentrations of IgG ≤50 g/L determined by RID. Optimised cut-off values evaluated by ROC analysis were higher for all devices compared with manufacturer reference or previously published values. Using these values, the sensitivities for the two hydrometers, and the optical and the digital Brix refractometers were 0.73, 0.71, 0.56 and 0.79, respectively; specificities were 0.72, 0.61, 0.90 and 0.69, respectively. The Brix refractometers provided the most accurate assessment of

Consequences of using different soil texture determination methodologies for soil physical quality and unsaturated zone time lag estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenton, O.; Vero, S.; Ibrahim, T. G.; Murphy, P. N. C.; Sherriff, S. C.; Ó hUallacháin, D.

2015-11-01

Elucidation of when the loss of pollutants, below the rooting zone in agricultural landscapes, affects water quality is important when assessing the efficacy of mitigation measures. Investigation of this inherent time lag (tT) is divided into unsaturated (tu) and saturated (ts) components. The duration of these components relative to each other differs depending on soil characteristics and the landscape position. The present field study focuses on tu estimation in a scenario where the saturated zone is likely to constitute a higher proportion of tT. In such instances, or where only initial breakthrough (IBT) or centre of mass (COM) is of interest, utilisation of site and depth specific "simple" textural class or actual sand-silt-clay percentages to generate soil water characteristic curves with associated soil hydraulic parameters is acceptable. With the same data it is also possible to estimate a soil physical quality (S) parameter for each soil layer which can be used to infer many other physical, chemical and biological quality indicators. In this study, hand texturing in the field was used to determine textural classes of a soil profile. Laboratory methods, including hydrometer, pipette and laser diffraction methods were used to determine actual sand-silt-clay percentages of sections of the same soil profile. Results showed that in terms of S, hand texturing resulted in a lower index value (inferring a degraded soil) than that of pipette, hydrometer and laser equivalents. There was no difference between S index values determined using the pipette, hydrometer and laser diffraction methods. The difference between the three laboratory methods on both the IBT and COM stages of tu were negligible, and in this instance were unlikely to affect either groundwater monitoring decisions, or to be of consequence from a policy perspective. When tu estimates are made over the full depth of the vadose zone, which may extend to several metres, errors resulting from the use of

Abstracts of papers presented at the Eleventh International Laser Radar Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Abstracts of 39 papers discuss measurements of properties from the Earth's ocean surface to the mesosphere, made with techniques ranging from elastic and inelastic scattering to Doppler shifts and differential absorption. Topics covered include: (1) middle atmospheric measurements; (2) meteorological parameters: temperature, density, humidity; (3) trace gases by Raman and DIAL techniques; (4) techniques and technology; (5) plume dispersion; (6) boundary layer dynamics; (7) wind measurements; visibility and aerosol properties; and (9) multiple scattering, clouds, and hydrometers.

New methods of subcooled water recognition in dew point hygrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weremczuk, Jerzy; Jachowicz, Ryszard

2001-08-01

Two new methods of sub-cooled water recognition in dew point hygrometers are presented in this paper. The first one- impedance method use a new semiconductor mirror in which the dew point detector, the thermometer and the heaters were integrated all together. The second one an optical method based on a multi-section optical detector is discussed in the report. Experimental results of both methods are shown. New types of dew pont hydrometers of ability to recognized sub-cooled water were proposed.

Estimation of Microphysical and Radiative Parameters of Precipitating Cloud Systems Using mm-Wavelength Radars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matrosov, Sergey Y.

2009-03-01

A remote sensing approach is described to retrieve cloud and rainfall parameters within the same precipitating system. This approach is based on mm-wavelength radar signal attenuation effects which are observed in a layer of liquid precipitation containing clouds and rainfall. The parameters of ice clouds in the upper part of startiform precipitating systems are then retrieved using the absolute measurements of radar reflectivity. In case of the ground-based radar location, these measurements are corrected for attenuation in the intervening layer of liquid hydrometers.

Three-dimensional aspects of radiative transfer in remote sensing of precipitation: Application to the 1986 COHMEX storm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haferman, J. L.; Krajewski, W. F.; Smith, T. F.

1994-01-01

Several multifrequency techniques for passive microwave estimation of precipitation based on the absorption and scattering properties of hydrometers have been proposed in the literature. In the present study, plane-parallel limitations are overcome by using a model based on the discrete-ordinates method to solve the radiative transfer equation in three-dimensional rectangular domains. This effectively accounts for the complexity and variety of radiation problems encountered in the atmosphere. This investigation presents result for plane-parallel and three-dimensional radiative transfer for a precipitating system, discusses differences between these results, and suggests possible explanations for these differences. Microphysical properties were obtained from the Colorado State University Regional Atmospehric Modeling System and represent a hailstorm observed during the 1986 Cooperative Huntsville Meteorological Experiment. These properties are used as input to a three-dimensional radiative transfer model in order to simulate satellite observation of the storm. The model output consists of upwelling brightness temperatures at several of the frequencies on the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager. The radiative transfer model accounts for scattering and emission of atmospheric gases and hydrometers in liquid and ice phases. Brightness temperatures obtained from the three-dimensional model of this investigation indicate that horizontal inhomogeneities give rise to brightness temperature fields that can be quite different from fields obtained using plane-parallel radiative transfer theory. These differences are examined for various resolutions of the satellite sensor field of view. In adddition, the issue of boundary conditions for three-dimensional atmospheric radiative transfer is addressed.

Kinematic and Hydrometer Data Products from Scanning Radars during MC3E

DOE Data Explorer

matthews, Alyssa; Dolan, Brenda; Rutledge, Steven

2016-02-29

Recently the Radar Meteorology Group at Colorado State University has completed major case studies of some top cases from MC3E including 25 April, 20 May and 23 May 2011. A discussion on the analysis methods as well as radar quality control methods is included. For each case, a brief overview is first provided. Then, multiple Doppler (using available X-SAPR and C-SAPR data) analyses are presented including statistics on vertical air motions, sub-divided by convective and stratiform precipitation. Mean profiles and CFAD's of vertical motion are included to facilitate comparison with ASR model simulations. Retrieved vertical motion has also been verified with vertically pointing profiler data. Finally for each case, hydrometeor types are included derived from polarimetric radar observations. The latter can be used to provide comparisons to model-generated hydrometeor fields. Instructions for accessing all the data fields are also included. The web page can be found at: http://radarmet.atmos.colostate.edu/mc3e/research/

Comparison of cloud boundaries measured with 8.6 mm radar and 10.6 micrometer lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uttal, Taneil; Intrieri, Janet M.

1993-01-01

One of the most basic cloud properties is location; the height of cloud base and the height of cloud top. The glossary of meteorology defines cloud base (top) as follows: 'For a given cloud or cloud layer, that lowest (highest) level in the atmosphere at which the air contains a perceptible quantity of cloud particles.' Our studies show that for a 8.66 mm radar, and a 10.6 micrometer lidar, the level at which cloud hydrometers become 'perceptible' can vary significantly as a function of the different wavelengths, powers, beamwidths and sampling rates of the two remote sensors.

Quantification of texture match of the skin graft: function and morphology of the stratum corneum.

PubMed

Inoue, K; Matsumoto, K

1986-01-01

In an attempt to analyze the "texture match" of grafted skin, functional and morphological aspects of the stratum corneum were studied using the Skin Surface Hydrometer (IBS Inc.) and the scanning electron microscope. The results showed that hygroscopicity and water holding capacity of the stratum corneum played a crucial role in making the skin surface soft and smooth. Morphologically there were regional differences in the surface pattern and the mean area of corneocytes, suggesting that these differences affect skin texture. It is suggested that the present functional and morphological studies of the stratum corneum can provide a quantitative measure of the "texture match".

The Impact of Assimilating Precipitation-affected Radiance on Cloud and Precipitation in Goddard WRF-EDAS Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, Xin; Zhang, Sara Q.; Zupanski, M.; Hou, Arthur Y.; Zhang, J.

2015-01-01

High-frequency TMI and AMSR-E radiances, which are sensitive to precipitation over land, are assimilated into the Goddard Weather Research and Forecasting Model- Ensemble Data Assimilation System (WRF-EDAS) for a few heavy rain events over the continental US. Independent observations from surface rainfall, satellite IR brightness temperatures, as well as ground-radar reflectivity profiles are used to evaluate the impact of assimilating rain-sensitive radiances on cloud and precipitation within WRF-EDAS. The evaluations go beyond comparisons of forecast skills and domain-mean statistics, and focus on studying the cloud and precipitation features in the jointed rainradiance and rain-cloud space, with particular attentions on vertical distributions of height-dependent cloud types and collective effect of cloud hydrometers. Such a methodology is very helpful to understand limitations and sources of errors in rainaffected radiance assimilations. It is found that the assimilation of rain-sensitive radiances can reduce the mismatch between model analyses and observations by reasonably enhancing/reducing convective intensity over areas where the observation indicates precipitation, and suppressing convection over areas where the model forecast indicates rain but the observation does not. It is also noted that instead of generating sufficient low-level warmrain clouds as in observations, the model analysis tends to produce many spurious upperlevel clouds containing small amount of ice water content. This discrepancy is associated with insufficient information in ice-water-sensitive radiances to address the vertical distribution of clouds with small amount of ice water content. Such a problem will likely be mitigated when multi-channel multi-frequency radiances/reflectivity are assimilated over land along with sufficiently accurate surface emissivity information to better constrain the vertical distribution of cloud hydrometers.

Evaluation of a colorimetric reagent strip assay for urine specific gravity.

PubMed

Kirschbaum, B B

1983-06-01

N-Multistix SG provides a convenient colorimetric assay for the determination of the specific gravity (sp. gr.) of freshly voided urine. When compared with results obtained by standard hydrometry, the colorimetric assay sp. gr. was observed to decrease by as much as 0.010 units as urine pH increased from 5 to 7. Moderate levels of proteinuria that did not alter hydrometer readings effectively raised the colorimetric sp. gr. by 0.005-0.010 units. The colorimetric assay was almost completely insensitive to clinically encountered concentrations of glucose and urea but responded appropriately to monovalent salts. The magnitude of these observed discrepancies places serious limitations on the value of the colorimetric sp. gr. measurement.

A High Resolution Hydrometer Phase Classifier Based on Analysis of Cloud Radar Doppler Spectra.

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

Luke,E.; Kollias, P.

2007-08-06

The lifecycle and radiative properties of clouds are highly sensitive to the phase of their hydrometeors (i.e., liquid or ice). Knowledge of cloud phase is essential for specifying the optical properties of clouds, or else, large errors can be introduced in the calculation of the cloud radiative fluxes. Current parameterizations of cloud water partition in liquid and ice based on temperature are characterized by large uncertainty (Curry et al., 1996; Hobbs and Rangno, 1998; Intriery et al., 2002). This is particularly important in high geographical latitudes and temperature ranges where both liquid droplets and ice crystal phases can exist (mixed-phasemore » cloud). The mixture of phases has a large effect on cloud radiative properties, and the parameterization of mixed-phase clouds has a large impact on climate simulations (e.g., Gregory and Morris, 1996). Furthermore, the presence of both ice and liquid affects the macroscopic properties of clouds, including their propensity to precipitate. Despite their importance, mixed-phase clouds are severely understudied compared to the arguably simpler single-phase clouds. In-situ measurements in mixed-phase clouds are hindered due to aircraft icing, difficulties distinguishing hydrometeor phase, and discrepancies in methods for deriving physical quantities (Wendisch et al. 1996, Lawson et al. 2001). Satellite-based retrievals of cloud phase in high latitudes are often hindered by the highly reflecting ice-covered ground and persistent temperature inversions. From the ground, the retrieval of mixed-phase cloud properties has been the subject of extensive research over the past 20 years using polarization lidars (e.g., Sassen et al. 1990), dual radar wavelengths (e.g., Gosset and Sauvageot 1992; Sekelsky and McIntosh, 1996), and recently radar Doppler spectra (Shupe et al. 2004). Millimeter-wavelength radars have substantially improved our ability to observe non-precipitating clouds (Kollias et al., 2007) due to their excellent sensitivity that enables the detection of thin cloud layers and their ability to penetrate several non-precipitating cloud layers. However, in mixed-phase clouds conditions, the observed Doppler moments are dominated by the highly reflecting ice crystals and thus can not be used to identify the cloud phase. This limits our ability to identify the spatial distribution of cloud phase and our ability to identify the conditions under which mixed-phase clouds form.« less

RAWS: The spaceborne radar wind sounder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Richard K.

1991-01-01

The concept of the Radar Wind Sounder (RAWS) is discussed. The goals of the RAWS is to estimate the following three qualities: the echo power, to determine rain rate and surface wind velocity; the mean Doppler frequency, to determine the wind velocity in hydrometers; and the spread of the Doppler frequency, to determine the turbulent spread of the wind velocity. Researchers made significant progress during the first year. The feasibility of the concept seems certain. Studies indicate that a reasonably sized system can measure in the presence of ice clouds and dense water clouds. No sensitivity problems exist in rainy environments. More research is needed on the application of the radar to the measurement of rain rates and winds at the sea surface.

Influence of multiple scattering on CloudSat measurements in snow: A model study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matrosov, Sergey Y.; Battaglia, Alessandro

2009-06-01

The effects of multiple scattering on larger precipitating hydrometers have an influence on measurements of the spaceborne W-band (94 GHz) CloudSat radar. This study presents initial quantitative estimates of these effects in “dry” snow using radiative transfer calculations for appropriate snowfall models. It is shown that these effects become significant (i.e., greater than approximately 1 dB) when snowfall radar reflectivity factors are greater than about 10-15 dBZ. Reflectivity enhancement due to multiple scattering can reach 4-5 dB in heavier stratiform snowfalls. Multiple scattering effects counteract signal attenuation, so the observed CloudSat reflectivity factors in snowfall could be relatively close to the values that would be observed in the case of single scattering and the absence of attenuation.

Water: from the source to the treatment plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baude, I.; Marquet, V.

2012-04-01

Isabelle BAUDE isa.baude@free.fr Lycee français de Vienne Liechtensteinstrasse 37AVienna As a physics and chemistry teacher, I have worked on water from the source to the treatment plant with 27 pupils between 14 and 15 years old enrolled in the option "Science and laboratory". The objectives of this option are to interest students in science, to introduce them to practical methods of laboratory analyses, and let them use computer technology. Teaching takes place every two weeks and lasts 1.5 hours. The theme of water is a common project with the biology and geology teacher, Mrs. Virginie Marquet. Lesson 1: Introduction: The water in Vienna The pupils have to consider why the water is so important in Vienna (history, economy etc.) and where tap water comes from. Activities: Brainstorming about where and why we use water every day and why the water is different in Vienna. Lesson 2: Objectives of the session: What are the differences between mineral waters? Activities: Compare water from different origins (France: Evian, Vittel, Contrex. Austria: Vöslauer, Juvina, Gasteiner and tap water from Vienna) by tasting and finding the main ions they contain. Testing ions: Calcium, magnesium, sulphate, chloride, sodium, and potassium Lesson 3: Objectives of the session: Build a hydrometer Activities: Producing a range of calibration solutions, build and calibrate the hydrometer with different salt-water solutions. Measure the density of the Dead Sea's water and other mineral waters. Lesson 4: Objectives of the session: How does a fountain work? Activities: Construction of a fountain as Heron of Alexandria with simple equipment and try to understand the hydrostatic principles. Lesson 5: Objectives of the session: Study of the physical processes of water treatment (decantation, filtration, screening) Activities: Build a natural filter with sand, stone, carbon, and cotton wool. Retrieve the filtered water to test it during lesson 7. Lesson 6: Visit of the biggest treatment

Evaluation of quick tests for phosphorus determination in dairy manures.

PubMed

Lugo-Ospina, A; Dao, Thanh H; Van Kessel, J A; Reeves, J B

2005-05-01

Nutrients in animal manure are valuable inputs in agronomic crop production. Rapid and timely information about manure nutrient content are needed to minimize the risks of phosphorus (P) over-application and losses of dissolved P (DP) in runoff from fields treated with manure. We evaluated the suitability of a commercial hand-held reflectometer, a hydrometer, and an electrical conductivity (EC) meter for determining DP and total P (TP) in dairy manures. Bulk samples (n = 107) collected from farms across CT, MD, NY, PA, and VA were highly variable in total solids (TS) concentration, ranging from 11 to 213gL(-1), in suspensions' pH (6.3-9.2), and EC (6.2-53.3 dS m(-1)). Manure DP concentrations measured using the RQFlex reflectometer (RQFlex-DP(s)) were related to molybdate-reactive P (MRP(s)) concentrations as follows: RQFlex-DP(s) = 0.471 x MRP(s) + 1102 (r2 = 0.29). Inclusion of pH and squared-pH terms improved the prediction of manure DP from RQFlex results (r2 = 0.66). Excluding five outlier samples that had pH < or = 6.9 the coefficient of determination (r2) for the MRP(s) and RQFlex-DP(s) relationship was 0.83 for 95% of the samples. Manure TS were related to hydrometer specific gravity readings (r2 = 0.53) that were in turn related to TP (r2 = 0.34), but not to either RQFlex-DP or MRP. Relationships between suspensions' EC and DP or TP were non-significant. Therefore, the RQFlex method is the only viable option for on-site quick estimates of DP that can be made more robust when complemented with TS and pH measurements. The DP quick test can provide near real-time information on soluble manure nutrient content across a wide range of handling and storage conditions on dairy farms and quick estimates of potential soluble P losses in runoff following land applications of manure.

Determination of precipitation profiles from airborne passive microwave radiometric measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kummerow, Christian; Hakkarinen, Ida M.; Pierce, Harold F.; Weinman, James A.

1991-01-01

This study presents the first quantitative retrievals of vertical profiles of precipitation derived from multispectral passive microwave radiometry. Measurements of microwave brightness temperature (Tb) obtained by a NASA high-altitude research aircraft are related to profiles of rainfall rate through a multichannel piecewise-linear statistical regression procedure. Statistics for Tb are obtained from a set of cloud radiative models representing a wide variety of convective, stratiform, and anvil structures. The retrieval scheme itself determines which cloud model best fits the observed meteorological conditions. Retrieved rainfall rate profiles are converted to equivalent radar reflectivity for comparison with observed reflectivities from a ground-based research radar. Results for two case studies, a stratiform rain situation and an intense convective thunderstorm, show that the radiometrically derived profiles capture the major features of the observed vertical structure of hydrometer density.

Use of High-Resolution Satellite Observations to Evaluate Cloud and Precipitation Statistics from Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.; Tao, W.; Hou, A. Y.; Zeng, X.; Shie, C.

2007-12-01

The cloud and precipitation statistics simulated by 3D Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model for different environmental conditions, i.e., the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX), CRYSTAL-FACE, and KAWJEX are compared with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) TMI and PR rainfall measurements and as well as cloud observations from the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments. It is found that GCE is capable of simulating major convective system development and reproducing total surface rainfall amount as compared with rainfall estimated from the soundings. The model presents large discrepancies in rain spectrum and vertical hydrometer profiles. The discrepancy in the precipitation field is also consistent with the cloud and radiation observations. The study will focus on the effects of large scale forcing and microphysics to the simulated model- observation discrepancies.

The energy requirements of an aircraft triggered discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bicknell, J. A.; Shelton, R. W.

The corona produced at aircraft surfaces requires an energy input before the corona can develop into a high current discharge and, thus, a possible lightning stroke. This energy must be drawn from the space charge field of the thundercloud and, since this is of low density, the unique propagation characteristics of positive corona streamers may be important. Estimates of the energy made available by the propagation are compared with laboratory measurements of the minimum energy input required to trigger a breakdown. The comparison indicates a minimum streamer range for breakdown of several tens of meters. Also estimated is the energy released as a consequence of streamer-hydrometer interactions; this is shown to be significant so that breakdown could depend upon the precipitation rate within the cloud. Inhibiting streamer production may therefore provide an aircraft with a degree of corona protection.

The structure and phase of cloud tops as observed by polarization lidar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinhirne, J. D.; Hansen, M. Z.; Simpson, J.

1983-01-01

High-resolution observations of the structure of cloud tops have been obtained with polarization lidar operated from a high altitude aircraft. Case studies of measurements acquired from cumuliform cloud systems are presented, two from September 1979 observations in the area of Florida and adjacent waters and a third during the May 1981 CCOPE experiment in southeast Montana. Accurate cloud top height structure and relative density of hydrometers are obtained from the lidar return signal intensity. Correlation between the signal return intensity and active updrafts was noted. Thin cirrus overlying developing turrets was observed in some cases. Typical values of the observed backscatter cross section were 0.1-5 (km/sr) for cumulonimbus tops. The depolarization ratio of the lidar signals was a function of the thermodynamic phase of cloud top areas. An increase of the cloud top depolarization with decreasing temperature was found for temperatures above and below -40 C.

Wavelet-based image analysis system for soil texture analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Yun; Long, Zhiling; Jang, Ping-Rey; Plodinec, M. John

2003-05-01

Soil texture is defined as the relative proportion of clay, silt and sand found in a given soil sample. It is an important physical property of soil that affects such phenomena as plant growth and agricultural fertility. Traditional methods used to determine soil texture are either time consuming (hydrometer), or subjective and experience-demanding (field tactile evaluation). Considering that textural patterns observed at soil surfaces are uniquely associated with soil textures, we propose an innovative approach to soil texture analysis, in which wavelet frames-based features representing texture contents of soil images are extracted and categorized by applying a maximum likelihood criterion. The soil texture analysis system has been tested successfully with an accuracy of 91% in classifying soil samples into one of three general categories of soil textures. In comparison with the common methods, this wavelet-based image analysis approach is convenient, efficient, fast, and objective.

Correlation of rapid hydrometer analysis for select material to existing procedure LDH-TR-407-66 : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-05-01

Conditions arise during construction of bases with Portland cement stabilized soils which require close programming of work. Therefore, time is of significant importance. : That is the objective of this report; to evaluate a method by which considera...

Wireless sensor node for surface seawater density measurements.

PubMed

Baronti, Federico; Fantechi, Gabriele; Roncella, Roberto; Saletti, Roberto

2012-01-01

An electronic meter to measure surface seawater density is presented. It is based on the measurement of the difference in displacements of a surface level probe and a weighted float, which according to Archimedes' law depends on the density of the water. The displacements are simultaneously measured using a high-accuracy magnetostrictive sensor, to which a custom electronic board provides a wireless connection and power supply so that it can become part of a wireless sensor network. The electronics are designed so that different kinds of wireless networks can be used, by simply changing the wireless module and the relevant firmware of the microcontroller. Lastly, laboratory and at-sea tests are presented and discussed in order to highlight the functionality and the performance of a prototype of the wireless density meter node in a Bluetooth radio network. The experimental results show a good agreement of the values of the calculated density compared to reference hydrometer readings.

Wireless Sensor Node for Surface Seawater Density Measurements

PubMed Central

Baronti, Federico; Fantechi, Gabriele; Roncella, Roberto; Saletti, Roberto

2012-01-01

An electronic meter to measure surface seawater density is presented. It is based on the measurement of the difference in displacements of a surface level probe and a weighted float, which according to Archimedes’ law depends on the density of the water. The displacements are simultaneously measured using a high-accuracy magnetostrictive sensor, to which a custom electronic board provides a wireless connection and power supply so that it can become part of a wireless sensor network. The electronics are designed so that different kinds of wireless networks can be used, by simply changing the wireless module and the relevant firmware of the microcontroller. Lastly, laboratory and at-sea tests are presented and discussed in order to highlight the functionality and the performance of a prototype of the wireless density meter node in a Bluetooth radio network. The experimental results show a good agreement of the values of the calculated density compared to reference hydrometer readings. PMID:22736986

A statistical technique for determining rainfall over land employing Nimbus-6 ESMR measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, E.; Siddalingaiah, H.; Chang, A. T. C.; Wilheit, T. T.

1978-01-01

At 37 GHz, the frequency at which the Nimbus 6 Electrically Scanning Microwave Radiometer (ESMR 6) measures upwelling radiance, it was shown theoretically that the atmospheric scattering and the relative independence on electromagnetic polarization of the radiances emerging from hydrometers make it possible to monitor remotely active rainfall over land. In order to verify experimentally these theoretical findings and to develop an algorithm to monitor rainfall over land, the digitized ESMR 6 measurements were examined statistically. Horizontally and vertically polarized brightness temperature pairs (TH, TV) from ESMR 6 were sampled for areas of rainfall over land as determined from the rain recording stations and the WSR 57 radar, and areas of wet and dry ground (whose thermodynamic temperatures were greater than 5 C) over the Southeastern United States. These three categories of brightness temperatures were found to be significantly different in the sense that the chances that the mean vectors of any two populations coincided were less than 1 in 100.

Monitoring the battery status for photovoltaic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Myungsoo; Hwang, Euijin

Photovoltaic power systems in Korea have been installed in remote islands where it is difficult to connect the utilities. Lead/acid batteries are used as an energy storage device for the stand-alone photovoltaic system. Hence, monitoring the battery status of photovoltaic systems is quite important to extend the total system service life. To monitor the state-of-charge of batteries, we adopted a current interrupt technique to measure the internal resistance of the battery. The internal resistance increases at the end of charge/discharge steps and also with cycles. The specific gravity of the electrolyte was measured in relation to the state-of-charge. A home-made optical hydrometer was utilized for automatic monitoring of the specific gravity. It is shown that the specific gravity and stratification increase with cycle number. One of the photovoltaic systems in a remote island, Ho-do, which has 90 kW peak power was checked for actual operational conditions such as solar generation, load, and battery status.

Practical methodological guide for hydrometric inter-laboratory organisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besson, David; Bertrand, Xavier

2015-04-01

Discharge measurements performed by the French governmental hydrometer team feed a national database. This data is available for general river flows knowkedge, flood forecasting, low water survey, statistical calculations flow, control flow regulatory and many other uses. Regularly checking the measurements quality and better quantifying its accuracy is therefore an absolute need. The practice of inter-laboratory comparison in hydrometry particularly developed during the last decade. Indeed, discharge measurement can not easily be linked to a standard. Therefore, on-site measurement accuracy control is very difficult. Inter-laboratory comparison is thus a practical solution to this issue. However, it needs some regulations in order to ease its practice and legitimize its results. To do so, the French government hydrometrics teams produced a practical methodological guide for hydrometric inter-laboratory organisation in destination of hydrometers community in view of ensure the harmonization of inter-laboratory comparison practices for different materials (ADCP, current meter on wadind rod or gauging van, tracer dilution, surface speed) and flow range (flood, low water). Ensure the results formalization and banking. The realisation of this practice guide is grounded on the experience of the governmental teams & their partners (or fellows), following existing approaches (Doppler group especially). The guide is designated to validate compliance measures and identify outliers : Hardware, methodological, environmental, or human. Inter-laboratory comparison provides the means to verify the compliance of the instruments (devices + methods + operators) and provides methods to determine an experimental uncertainty of the tested measurement method which is valid only for the site and the measurement conditions but does not address the calibration or periodic monitoring of the few materials. After some conceptual definitions, the guide describes the different stages of an

Estimation of nutrients and organic matter in Korean swine slurry using multiple regression analysis of physical and chemical properties.

PubMed

Suresh, Arumuganainar; Choi, Hong Lim

2011-10-01

Swine waste land application has increased due to organic fertilization, but excess application in an arable system can cause environmental risk. Therefore, in situ characterizations of such resources are important prior to application. To explore this, 41 swine slurry samples were collected from Korea, and wide differences were observed in the physico-biochemical properties. However, significant (P<0.001) multiple property correlations (R²) were obtained between nutrients with specific gravity (SG), electrical conductivity (EC), total solids (TS) and pH. The different combinations of hydrometer, EC meter, drying oven and pH meter were found useful to estimate Mn, Fe, Ca, K, Al, Na, N and 5-day biochemical oxygen demands (BOD₅) at improved R² values of 0.83, 0.82, 0.77, 0.75, 0.67, 0.47, 0.88 and 0.70, respectively. The results from this study suggest that multiple property regressions can facilitate the prediction of micronutrients and organic matter much better than a single property regression for livestock waste. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Water Resources on Baseflow River Basin in Jeju Island, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S.-K.; Jung, W.-Y.; Kang, M.-S.

2012-04-01

Jeju Island is a volcanic island located at the southernmost of Korea, and is the heaviest raining area in Korea, but due to its hydrological / geological characteristics different from those of inland areas, most streams are of the dry form, and it relies on groundwater for water resources. As for some streams, however, springwater is discharged at a point near the downstream of the final discharge to maintain the flow of the stream; this has been developed as the source for water supply since the past, but the studies on detail observations and analysis are yet inadequate. This study utilizes the ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) hydrometer to regularly observe the flow amount of base run-off stream, and the water resources of base discharge basin of Jeju Island were analyzed using the SWAT (Soil & Water Assessment Tool) model. The detail water resource analysis study using modeling and site observation with high precision for Jeju Island water resources is expected to become the foundation for efficient usage and security of water resources against future climate changes.

Millimeter wave radiative transfer studies for precipitation measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vivekanandan, J.; Evans, Frank

1989-01-01

Scattering calculations using the discrete dipole approximation and vector radiative transfer calculations were performed to model multiparameter radar return and passive microwave emission for a simple model of a winter storm. The issue of dendrite riming was addressed by computing scattering properties of thin ice disks with varying bulk density. It was shown that C-band multiparameter radar contains information about particle density and the number concentration of the ice particles. The radiative transfer modeling indicated that polarized multifrequency passive microwave emission may be used to infer some properties of ice hydrometers. Detailed radar modeling and vector radiative transfer modeling is in progress to enhance the understanding of simultaneous radar and radiometer measurements, as in the case of the proposed TRMM field program. A one-dimensional cloud model will be used to simulate the storm structure in detail and study the microphysics, such as size and density. Multifrequency polarized radiometer measurements from the SSMI satellite instrument will be analyzed in relation to dual-frequency and dual-polarization radar measurements.

Permeability and compressibility of resedimented Gulf of Mexico mudrock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betts, W. S.; Flemings, P. B.; Schneider, J.

2011-12-01

We use a constant-rate-of strain consolidation test on resedimented Gulf of Mexico mudrock to determine the compression index (Cc) to be 0.618 and the expansion index (Ce) to be 0.083. We used crushed, homogenized Pliocene and Pleistocene mudrock extracted from cored wells in the Eugene Island block 330 oil field. This powdered material has a liquid limit (LL) of 87, a plastic limit (PL) of 24, and a plasticity index (PI) of 63. The particle size distribution from hydrometer analyses is approximately 65% clay-sized particles (<2 μm) with the remainder being less than 70 microns in diameter. Resedimented specimens have been used to characterize the geotechnical and geophysical behavior of soils and mudstones independent of the variability of natural samples and without the effects of sampling disturbance. Previous investigations of resedimented offshore Gulf of Mexico sediments (e.g. Mazzei, 2008) have been limited in scope. This is the first test of the homogenized Eugene Island core material. These results will be compared to in situ measurements to determine the controls on consolidation over large stress ranges.

Inference of precipitation through thermal infrared measurements of soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetzel, P. J.; Atlas, D.

1981-01-01

The physics of microwave radiative transfer is well understood so that causal models can be assembled which relate the observed brightness temperatures to assumed distributions of hydrometeors (both liquid and ice), non-precipitating clouds, water vapor oxygen, and surface conditions. Present models assume a Marshall Palmer size distribution of liquid hydrometers from the surface to the freezing level (near the 0 C isotherm) and a variable thickness of frozen hydrometeors above that with various reasonable distribution of the other relevant constituents. The validity of such models is discussed. All uncertainties in the rain rate retrieval algorithms can be expressed in terms of specific model uncertainties which can be addressed through appropriate measurements. Those factors which must be known to achieve umambiguous results can be identified so that rainfall measuring algorithms can be developed and improved. The emissivity of the underlying surface significantly affects the contrast that may be measured between areas covered by rain and those which are dry. Sensing strategies for measuring rain over the ocean and rain over land are reviewed.

Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera Instrument Handbook

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

Stuefer, Martin; Bailey, J.

2016-07-01

The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) takes 9- to 37-micron resolution stereographic photographs of free-falling hydrometers from three angles, while simultaneously measuring their fall speed. Information about hydrometeor size, shape orientation, and aspect ratio is derived from MASC photographs. The instrument consists of three commercial cameras separated by angles of 36º. Each camera field of view is aligned to have a common single focus point about 10 cm distant from the cameras. Two near-infrared emitter pairs are aligned with the camera’s field of view within a 10-angular ring and detect hydrometeor passage, with the lower emitters configured to trigger the MASCmore » cameras. The sensitive IR motion sensors are designed to filter out slow variations in ambient light. Fall speed is derived from successive triggers along the fall path. The camera exposure times are extremely short, in the range of 1/25,000th of a second, enabling the MASC to capture snowflake sizes ranging from 30 micrometers to 3 cm.« less

Nested Tracer Studies In Catchment Hydrology: Towards A Multiscale Understanding of Runoff Generation and Catchment Funtioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soulsby, C.; Rodgers, P.; Malcolm, I. A.; Dunn, S.

Geochemical and isotopic tracers have been shown to have widespread utility in catch- ment hydrology in terms of identifying hydrological source areas and characterising residence time distributions. In many cases application of tracer techniques has pro- vided insights into catchment functioning that could not be obtained from hydromet- ric and/or modelling studies alone. This paper will show how the use of tracers has contributed to an evolving perceptual model of hydrological pathways and runoff gen- eration processes in catchments in the Scottish highlands. In particular the paper will focus on the different insights that are gained at three different scales of analysis; (a) nested sub-catchments within a mesoscale (ca. 200 square kilometers) experimen- tal catchment; (b) hillslope-riparian interactions and (c) stream bed fluxes. Nested hydrometric and hydrochemical monitoring within the mesoscale Feugh catchment identified three main hydrological response units: (i) plateau peatlands which gener- ated saturation overland flow in the catchment headwaters, (ii) steep valley hillslopes which drain from the plateaux into (iii) alluvial and drift aquifers in the valley bottoms. End Member Mixing Analysis (EMMA) in 8 nested sub-catchments indicated that that stream water tracer concentrations can be modelled in terms of 2 dominant runoff pro- cesses; overland flow from the peat and groundwater from the drift aquifers. Ground- water contributions generally increased with catchment size, though this was moder- ated by the characteristics of individual sub-basins, with drift cover being particularly important. Hillslope riparian interactions were also examined using tracers, hydromet- ric data and a semi-distributed hydrological model. This revealed that in the glaciated, drift covered terrain of the Scottish highlands, extensive valley bottom aquifers effec- tively de-couple hillslope waters from the river channel. Thus, riparian groundwater appears to significantly

Occurrence and toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa (Cyanobacteria) in the Paraná River, downstream of the Yacyretá dam (Argentina).

PubMed

Forastier, Marina Elizabet; Zalocar, Yolanda; Andrinolo, Dario; Domitrovic, Hugo Alberto

2016-03-01

Cyanobacteria constitute the main toxin producers in inland water ecosystems and have extensive global distribution. The presence of hepatotoxins in aquatic environments is hazardous to human and animal health; even though the presence and identification of hepatotoxic microcystins in rivers and reservoirs of the world have been confirmed by several studies in the last few years. Herein, we studied the abundance and toxicity of Microcystis aeruginosa in the Argentine section of the Paraná River at the beginning of the Middle Paraná (Corrientes Hydrometer), near Corrientes city (27º28´ S - 58º51´ W) and approximately 220 km downstream of the Yacyretá dam (High Paraná). The Paraná River basin, with a drainage area of 3.1 x 10(6) km(2) and 3 965 km in length, is the second largest catchment of South America, after that of the Amazon. The Paraná River is the main source of drinking water supply for the Northeastern Argentine region. Phytoplankton samples were collected and environmental variables were measured in a monthly basis (exceptionally fortnightly), from March 2004 to June 2008. Fifty-eight samples were analyzed for phytoplankton density and biomass. Five samples were used for toxicity testing; the latter were obtained during the cyanobacteria blooms from 2005 to 2008. Phytoplankton counts were performed with an inverted microscope, and biomass was expressed as biovolume. Bioassays with mice and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis were performed to evaluate the presence of cyanotoxins. Phytoplankton mainly consisted of Cryptophyta, Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta. Microcystis aeruginosa was identified during the warmer months each year (November to March). Density varied between 189 and 25 027 cells/mL (1-10 colonies/mL) and biomass from 0.34 to 44 mm(3)/L. Taking into account the number of cells, the highest abundance occurred in April 2004 (25 027 cells/mL), coinciding with the largest biovolume (44 mm(3)/L). All mice subjected to

Sediment and Phosphorus losses by Surface Runoff from a Catchment in the Humid Pampa Landscape, Argentina Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Méndez M., A.; Díaz E., L.; Lenzi M., L.; Lado, M.; Vidal-Vázquez, E.

2015-04-01

The estimation of sediment and phosphorus transfers from soil into watersheds as a result of agricultural activity is a key aspect for characterizing the sustainability of current land use systems. The objective of the present study was to quantify the temporal evolution of suspended sediment and dissolved phosphorus losses from the upper basin of the Gualeguaychú River. The studied catchment has an area of 483 Km2 and is located in the Entre Ríos province, Argentina Republic. The climate is subtropical humid with average annual rainfall of 1200 mm. Soils are characterized by very low infiltration rates. Land use was assessed by remote sensing and GIS tools, and consists of: 31% abandoned rice fields, 20% naturalized fields, 20% soybean (second cycle), 10% soybean (first cycle), 7% rice, 4% Pasture, and the remaining 7% is devoted to civil and road works, native forests and other crops. Low soil infiltration capacity, together with landscape geomorphological traits of the studied landscape and zonal rainfall regime, typically originates periods with high surface runoff volumes, mainly in autumn, spring and summer months. The study was conducted during a period of eight years. Instantaneous water flow measurements (discharge) were estimated in a control section of Gualeguaychú River from hydrometer reading and the rating curve of height-flow. In addition, 134 water samples of 2000 cm3 were collected during the study period to analyze the concentration of suspended sediments and dissolved phosphorus. The instantaneous flow was estimated with the hydrometer reading and the application of curve of height - flow. The discharge range was from 0.14 to 128 m3/sec, indicating a high variability in the response of the catchment to seasonal rainfall. On average suspended sediment and dissolved phosphorus losses of the experimental catchment were 1.42 Mg and 0.335 Kg per hectare/year, respectively. It was also shown that few events of high rainfall that generate excess

Numerical sedimentation particle-size analysis using the Discrete Element Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bravo, R.; Pérez-Aparicio, J. L.; Gómez-Hernández, J. J.

2015-12-01

Sedimentation tests are widely used to determine the particle size distribution of a granular sample. In this work, the Discrete Element Method interacts with the simulation of flow using the well known one-way-coupling method, a computationally affordable approach for the time-consuming numerical simulation of the hydrometer, buoyancy and pipette sedimentation tests. These tests are used in the laboratory to determine the particle-size distribution of fine-grained aggregates. Five samples with different particle-size distributions are modeled by about six million rigid spheres projected on two-dimensions, with diameters ranging from 2.5 ×10-6 m to 70 ×10-6 m, forming a water suspension in a sedimentation cylinder. DEM simulates the particle's movement considering laminar flow interactions of buoyant, drag and lubrication forces. The simulation provides the temporal/spatial distributions of densities and concentrations of the suspension. The numerical simulations cannot replace the laboratory tests since they need the final granulometry as initial data, but, as the results show, these simulations can identify the strong and weak points of each method and eventually recommend useful variations and draw conclusions on their validity, aspects very difficult to achieve in the laboratory.

Effect on physical properties of laterite soil with difference percentage of sodium bentonite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasim, Nur Aisyah; Azmi, Nor Azizah Che; Mukri, Mazidah; Noor, Siti Nur Aishah Mohd

2017-08-01

This research was carried out in an attempt to know the physical properties of laterite soil with the appearance of difference percentage of sodium bentonite. Lateritic soils usually develop in tropical and other regions with similar hot and humid climate, where heavy rainfall, warm temperature and well drainage lead to the formation of thick horizons of reddish lateritic soil profiles rich in iron and aluminium. When sodium predominates, a large amount of water can be absorbed in the interlayer, resulting in the remarkable swelling properties observed with hydrating sodium bentonite. There are some basic physical properties test conducted in this research which are Specific Gravity Test, pH Test, Sieve Analysis, Hydrometer Test, Shrinkage Limit and Atterberg Limit. The test will be conducted with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% of sodium bentonite. Each test will be repeated three times for the accuracy of the result. From the physical properties test the soil properties characteristic react with the sodium bentonite can be determine. Therefore the best percentage of sodium bentonite admixture can be determined for laterite soil. The outcomes of this study give positive results due to the potential of sodium bentonite to improve the laterite soil particle.

Ice Nucleation in Deep Convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, Eric; Ackerman, Andrew; Stevens, David; Gore, Warren J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The processes controlling production of ice crystals in deep, rapidly ascending convective columns are poorly understood due to the difficulties involved with either modeling or in situ sampling of these violent clouds. A large number of ice crystals are no doubt generated when droplets freeze at about -40 C. However, at higher levels, these crystals are likely depleted due to precipitation and detrainment. As the ice surface area decreases, the relative humidity can increase well above ice saturation, resulting in bursts of ice nucleation. We will present simulations of these processes using a large-eddy simulation model with detailed microphysics. Size bins are included for aerosols, liquid droplets, ice crystals, and mixed-phase (ice/liquid) hydrometers. Microphysical processes simulated include droplet activation, freezing, melting, homogeneous freezing of sulfate aerosols, and heterogeneous ice nucleation. We are focusing on the importance of ice nucleation events in the upper part of the cloud at temperatures below -40 C. We will show that the ultimate evolution of the cloud in this region (and the anvil produced by the convection) is sensitive to these ice nucleation events, and hence to the composition of upper tropospheric aerosols that get entrained into the convective column.

Orbit and sampling requirements: TRMM experience

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, Gerald

1993-01-01

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) concept originated in 1984. Its overall goal is to produce datasets that can be used in the improvement of general circulation models. A primary objective is a multi-year data stream of monthly averages of rain rate over 500 km boxes over the tropical oceans. Vertical distributions of the hydrometers, related to latent heat profiles, and the diurnal cycle of rainrates are secondary products believed to be accessible. The mission is sponsored jointly by the U.S. and Japan. TRMM is an approved mission with launch set for 1997. There are many retrieval and ground truth issues still being studied for TRMM, but here we concentrate on sampling since it is the single largest term in the error budget. The TRMM orbit plane is inclined by 35 degrees to the equator, which leads to a precession of the visits to a given grid box through the local hours of the day, requiring three to six weeks to complete the diurnal cycle, depending on latitude. For sampling studies we can consider the swath width to be about 700 km.

W-band spaceborne radar observations of atmospheric river events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matrosov, S. Y.

2010-12-01

While the main objective of the world first W-band radar aboard the CloudSat satellite is to provide vertically resolved information on clouds, it proved to be a valuable tool for observing precipitation. The CloudSat radar is generally able to resolve precipitating cloud systems in their vertical entirety. Although measurements from the liquid hydrometer layer containing rainfall are strongly attenuated, special retrieval approaches can be used to estimate rainfall parameters. These approaches are based on vertical gradients of observed radar reflectivity factor rather than on absolute estimates of reflectivity. Concurrent independent estimations of ice cloud parameters in the same vertical column allow characterization of precipitating systems and provide information on coupling between clouds and rainfall they produce. The potential of CloudSat for observations atmospheric river events affecting the West Coast of North America is evaluated. It is shown that spaceborne radar measurements can provide high resolution information on the height of the freezing level thus separating areas of rainfall and snowfall. CloudSat precipitation rate estimates complement information from the surface-based radars. Observations of atmospheric rivers at different locations above the ocean and during landfall help to understand evolutions of atmospheric rivers and their structures.

Investigation of a Hydrostatic Weighing Method for a 1 kg Mass Comparator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Probst, R.; Kochsiek, M.

1984-01-01

A mass comparator for the comparison of 1 kg weights was built according to a hydrostatic weighing principle, where the buoyancy in a liquid serves to compensate the force due to gravity. In accordance with the method known for hydrometers or areometers, the immersion depth of a float is measured as a function of the force due to gravity, using a laser interferometer. The substitution principle can thus be quite simply realized at constant load. An essential advantage of this weighing method compared with the mechanical beam balance results from the frictionless and vibration-resistant bearing of the float in the liquid. For achieving a high accuracy with this technique, two prerequisites were important: the reduction of the influence of temperature by adapting the coefficients of expansion of buoyant body and liquid to each other, and the improvement of the wetting property of the liquid by adding a surfactant. The accuracy was further improved by the use of an electromagnetic feedback control to keep the immersion depth constant. By this method, a relative standard deviation of the weighings of better than 5 × 10-9 could be achieved.

QA/QC requirements for physical properties sampling and analysis

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

Innis, B.E.

1993-07-21

This report presents results of an assessment of the available information concerning US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) requirements and guidance applicable to sampling, handling, and analyzing physical parameter samples at Comprehensive Environmental Restoration, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) investigation sites. Geotechnical testing laboratories measure the following physical properties of soil and sediment samples collected during CERCLA remedial investigations (RI) at the Hanford Site: moisture content, grain size by sieve, grain size by hydrometer, specific gravity, bulk density/porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, and permeability of rocks by flowing air. Geotechnical testing laboratories alsomore » measure the following chemical parameters of soil and sediment samples collected during Hanford Site CERCLA RI: calcium carbonate and saturated column leach testing. Physical parameter data are used for (1) characterization of vadose and saturated zone geology and hydrogeology, (2) selection of monitoring well screen sizes, (3) to support modeling and analysis of the vadose and saturated zones, and (4) for engineering design. The objectives of this report are to determine the QA/QC levels accepted in the EPA Region 10 for the sampling, handling, and analysis of soil samples for physical parameters during CERCLA RI.« less

Basic and Morphological Properties of Bukit Goh Bauxite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Muzamir; Nor Azmi, Ahmad Amirul Faez Ahmad; Tam, Weng Long; Phang, Biao Yu; Azizul Moqsud, M.

2018-03-01

Investigation conducted by International Maritime Organization (IMO) concluded that the loss of the Bulk Jupiter that carrying bauxite from Kuantan has uncovered evidence to suggest liquefaction led to loss of stability. This research analysed Bukit Goh bauxite and comparison was made with International Maritime Solid Bulk Cargoes (IMSBC Code) standard. To analyse these characteristics of the bauxite, four samples were selected at Bukit Goh, Kuantan ; two of the samples from the Bukit Goh mine and two samples from the stock piles were tested to identify the bauxite basic and morphological properties by referring to GEOSPEC 3 : Model Specification for Soil Testing ; particle size distribution, moisture content and specific gravity and its morphological properties. Laboratory tests involved including Hydrometer test, Small Pycnometer test, Dry Sieve test and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscop (FESEM) test. The results show that the average moisture content of raw Bukit Goh bauxite is 20.64% which exceeded the recomended value of maximum 10%. Average fine material for raw bauxite is 37.75% which should not be greater than 30% per IMSBC standard. By that, the bauxite from Bukit Goh mine do not achieved the minimum requirements and standards of the IMSBC standard and need to undergo beneficiation process for better quality and safety.

Dual-Polarization Radar Observations of Upward Lightning-Producing Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lueck, R.; Helsdon, J. H.; Warner, T.

2013-12-01

The Upward Lightning Triggering Study (UPLIGHTS) seeks to determine how upward lightning, which originates from the tips of tall objects, is triggered by nearby flash activity. As a component of this study we analyze standard and dual-polarization weather radar data. The Correlation Coefficient (CC) in particular can be used to identify and quantify the melting layer associated with storms that produce upward lightning. It has been proposed that positive charge generation due to aggregate shedding at the melting layer results in a positive charge region just above the cloud base. This positive charge region may serve as a positive potential well favorable for negative leader propagation, which initiate upward positive leaders from tall objects. We characterize the horizontal coverage, thickness and height of the melting layer in addition to cloud base heights when upward lightning occurs to determine trends and possible threshold criteria relating to upward lightning production. Furthermore, we characterize storm type and morphology using relevant schemes as well as precipitation type using the Hydrometer Classification Algorithm (HCA) for upward lightning-producing storms. Ice-phase hydrometeors have been shown to be a significant factor in thunderstorm electrification. Only a small fraction of storms produce upward lightning, so null cases will be examined and compared as well.

Probing aerosol indirect effect on deep convection using idealized cloud-resolving simulations with parameterized large-scale dynamics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anber, U.; Wang, S.; Gentine, P.; Jensen, M. P.

2017-12-01

A framework is introduced to investigate the indirect impact of aerosol loading on tropical deep convection using 3-dimentional idealized cloud-system resolving simulations with coupled large-scale circulation. The large scale dynamics is parameterized using a spectral weak temperature gradient approximation that utilizes the dominant balance in the tropics between adiabatic cooling and diabatic heating. Aerosol loading effect is examined by varying the number concentration of nuclei (CCN) to form cloud droplets in the bulk microphysics scheme over a wide range from 30 to 5000 without including any radiative effect as the radiative cooling is prescribed at a constant rate, to isolate the microphysical effect. Increasing aerosol number concentration causes mean precipitation to decrease monotonically, despite the increase in cloud condensates. Such reduction in precipitation efficiency is attributed to reduction in the surface enthalpy fluxes, and not to the divergent circulation, as the gross moist stability remains unchanged. We drive a simple scaling argument based on the moist static energy budget, that enables a direct estimation of changes in precipitation given known changes in surfaces enthalpy fluxes and the constant gross moist stability. The impact on cloud hydrometers and microphysical properties is also examined and is consistent with the macro-physical picture.

Role of mixed precipitating cloud systems on the typhoon rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, C. J.; Krishna Reddy, K.; Lai, H. C.; Yang, S. S.

2010-01-01

L-band wind profiler data are utilized to diagnose the vertical structure of the typhoon precipitating cloud systems in Taiwan. For several typhoons, a pronounced bright band (BB) around 5 km is commonly observed from the observation. Since strong convection within typhoon circulation may disturb and/or disrupt the melting layer, the BB shall not appear persistently. Hence, an understanding of the vertical structure of the BB region is important because it holds extensive hydrometeors information on the type of precipitation and its variability. Wind profiler observational results suggest that the mixture of convective and stratiform (embedded type) clouds are mostly associated with typhoons. In the case of one typhoon, BB is appeared around 5.5 km with embedded precipitation and also BB height of 1 km higher than ordinary showery precipitation. This is evident from the long-term observations of wind profiler and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The Doppler velocity profiles show hydrometers (ice/snow) at 6 km but liquid below 5 km for typhoons and 4 km for showery precipitation. In the BB region the melting particles accelerations of 5.8 ms-1 km-1 and 3.2 ms-1 km-1 are observed for typhoon and showery precipitation, respectively.

All-Elastomer-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerator as a Keyboard Cover To Harvest Typing Energy.

PubMed

Li, Shengming; Peng, Wenbo; Wang, Jie; Lin, Long; Zi, Yunlong; Zhang, Gong; Wang, Zhong Lin

2016-08-23

The drastic expansion of consumer electronics (like personal computers, touch pads, smart phones, etc.) creates many human-machine interfaces and multiple types of interactions between human and electronics. Considering the high frequency of such operations in our daily life, an extraordinary amount of biomechanical energy from typing or pressing buttons is available. In this study, we have demonstrated a highly flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) solely made from elastomeric materials as a cover on a conventional keyboard to harvest biomechanical energy from typing. A dual-mode working mechanism is established with a high transferred charge density of ∼140 μC/m(2) due to both structural and material innovations. We have also carried out fundamental investigations of its performance dependence on various structural factors for optimizing the electric output in practice. The fully packaged keyboard-shaped TENG is further integrated with a horn-like polypyrrole-based supercapacitor as a self-powered system. Typing in normal speed for 1 h, ∼8 × 10(-4) J electricity could be stored, which is capable of driving an electronic thermometer/hydrometer. Our keyboard cover also performs outstanding long-term stability, water resistance, as well as insensitivity to surface conditions, and the last feature makes it useful to research the typing behaviors of different people.

Improving medium-range ensemble streamflow forecasts through statistical post-processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Pablo; Wood, Andy; Clark, Elizabeth; Nijssen, Bart; Clark, Martyn; Ramos, Maria-Helena; Nowak, Kenneth; Arnold, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

Probabilistic hydrologic forecasts are a powerful source of information for decision-making in water resources operations. A common approach is the hydrologic model-based generation of streamflow forecast ensembles, which can be implemented to account for different sources of uncertainties - e.g., from initial hydrologic conditions (IHCs), weather forecasts, and hydrologic model structure and parameters. In practice, hydrologic ensemble forecasts typically have biases and spread errors stemming from errors in the aforementioned elements, resulting in a degradation of probabilistic properties. In this work, we compare several statistical post-processing techniques applied to medium-range ensemble streamflow forecasts obtained with the System for Hydromet Applications, Research and Prediction (SHARP). SHARP is a fully automated prediction system for the assessment and demonstration of short-term to seasonal streamflow forecasting applications, developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Washington, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The suite of post-processing techniques includes linear blending, quantile mapping, extended logistic regression, quantile regression, ensemble analogs, and the generalized linear model post-processor (GLMPP). We assess and compare these techniques using multi-year hindcasts in several river basins in the western US. This presentation discusses preliminary findings about the effectiveness of the techniques for improving probabilistic skill, reliability, discrimination, sharpness and resolution.

Pattern recognition of the targets with help of polarization properties of the signal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponomaryov, Volodymyr I.; de Rivera, Luis N.; Castellanos, Aldo B.; Popov, Anatoly V.

1999-10-01

We proposed to use the possibility of recognition of the targets on background of the scattering from the surface, weather objects with the help of polarimetric 3-cm radar. It has been investigated such polarization characteristics: the amplitudes of the polarization matrix elements; an anisotropy coefficient; depolarization coefficient; asymmetry coefficient; the energy section was less than 1 dB at ranges up to 15 km and less than 1.5 dB at ranges up to 100 km. During the experiments urban objects and 6 various ships of small displacement having the closest values of the backscattering cross-section were used. The analysis has shown: the factor of the polarization selection for anisotropy objects and weather objects had the values about 0.02-0.08 Isotropy had the values of polarimetric correlation factor for hydrometers about 0.7-0.8, for earth surface about 0.8-0.9, for sea surface - from 0.33 to 0.7. The results of the work of recognition algorithm of a class 'concrete objects', and 'metal objects' are submitted as example in the paper. The result of experiments have shown that the probability of correct recognition of the identified objects was in the limits from 0.93 to 0.97.

Using High Frequency Passive Microwave, A-train, and TRMM Data to Evaluate Hydrometer Structure in the NASA GEOS-5 Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robertson, Franklin; Bacmeister, Julio; Bosilovich, Michael; Pittman, Jasna

2007-01-01

Validating water vapor and prognostic condensate in global models remains a challenging research task. Model parameterizations are still subject to a large number of tunable parameters; furthermore, accurate and representative in situ observations are very sparse, and satellite observations historically have significant quantitative uncertainties. Progress on improving cloud / hydrometeor fields in models stands to benefit greatly from the growing inventory ofA-Train data sets. ill the present study we are using a variety of complementary satellite retrievals of hydrometeors to examine condensate produced by the emerging NASA Modem Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, MERRA, and its associated atmospheric general circulation model GEOS5. Cloud and precipitation are generated by both grid-scale prognostic equations and by the Relaxed Arakawa-Schubert (RAS) diagnostic convective parameterization. The high frequency channels (89 to 183.3 GHz) from AMSU-B and MRS on NOAA polar orbiting satellites are being used to evaluate the climatology and variability of precipitating ice from tropical convective anvils. Vertical hydrometeor structure from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and CloudSat radars are used to develop statistics on vertical hydrometeor structure in order to better interpret the extensive high frequency passive microwave climatology. Cloud liquid and ice water path data retrieved from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS, are used to investigate relationships between upper level cloudiness and tropical deep convective anvils. Together these data are used to evaluate cloud / ice water path, gross aspects of vertical hydrometeor structure, and the relationship between cloud extent and surface precipitation that the MERRA reanalysis must capture.

Statistical prediction of seasonal discharge in Central Asia for water resources management: development of a generic (pre-)operational modeling tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apel, Heiko; Baimaganbetov, Azamat; Kalashnikova, Olga; Gavrilenko, Nadejda; Abdykerimova, Zharkinay; Agalhanova, Marina; Gerlitz, Lars; Unger-Shayesteh, Katy; Vorogushyn, Sergiy; Gafurov, Abror

2017-04-01

The semi-arid regions of Central Asia crucially depend on the water resources supplied by the mountainous areas of the Tien-Shan and Pamirs. During the summer months the snow and glacier melt dominated river discharge originating in the mountains provides the main water resource available for agricultural production, but also for storage in reservoirs for energy generation during the winter months. Thus a reliable seasonal forecast of the water resources is crucial for a sustainable management and planning of water resources. In fact, seasonal forecasts are mandatory tasks of all national hydro-meteorological services in the region. In order to support the operational seasonal forecast procedures of hydromet services, this study aims at the development of a generic tool for deriving statistical forecast models of seasonal river discharge. The generic model is kept as simple as possible in order to be driven by available hydrological and meteorological data, and be applicable for all catchments with their often limited data availability in the region. As snowmelt dominates summer runoff, the main meteorological predictors for the forecast models are monthly values of winter precipitation and temperature as recorded by climatological stations in the catchments. These data sets are accompanied by snow cover predictors derived from the operational ModSnow tool, which provides cloud free snow cover data for the selected catchments based on MODIS satellite images. In addition to the meteorological data antecedent streamflow is used as a predictor variable. This basic predictor set was further extended by multi-monthly means of the individual predictors, as well as composites of the predictors. Forecast models are derived based on these predictors as linear combinations of up to 3 or 4 predictors. A user selectable number of best models according to pre-defined performance criteria is extracted automatically by the developed model fitting algorithm, which includes a test

Drop size distribution comparisons between Parsivel and 2-D video disdrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thurai, M.; Petersen, W. A.; Tokay, A.; Schultz, C.; Gatlin, P.

2011-05-01

Measurements from a 2-D video disdrometer (2DVD) have been used for drop size distribution (DSD) comparisons with co-located Parsivel measurements in Huntsville, Alabama. The comparisons were made in terms of the mass-weighted mean diameter, Dm, the standard deviation of the mass-spectrum, σm, and the rainfall rate, R, all based on 1-min DSD from the two instruments. Time series comparisons show close agreement in all three parameters for cases where R was less than 20 mm h-1. In four cases, discrepancies in all three parameters were seen for "heavy" events, with the Parsivel showing higher Dm, σm and R, when R reached high values (particularly above 30 mm h-1). Possible causes for the discrepancies include the presence of a small percentage of non-fully melted hydrometers, with higher than expected fall velocity and with very different axis ratios as compared with rain, indicating small hail or ice pellets or graupel. We also present here Parsivel-to-Parsivel comparisons as well as comparisons between two 2DVD instruments, namely a low-profile unit and the latest generation, "compact unit" which was installed at the same site in November 2009. The comparisons are included to assess the variability between the same types of instrument. Correlation coefficients and the fractional standard errors are compared.

Evaluating Cloud Initialization in a Convection-permit NWP Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jia; Chen, Baode

2015-04-01

In general, to avoid "double counting precipitation" problem, in convection permit NWP models, it was a common practice to turn off convective parameterization. However, if there were not any cloud information in the initial conditions, the occurrence of precipitation could be delayed due to spin-up of cloud field or microphysical variables. In this study, we utilized the complex cloud analysis package from the Advanced Regional Prediction System (ARPS) to adjust the initial states of the model on water substance, such as cloud water, cloud ice, rain water, et al., that is, to initialize the microphysical variables (i.e., hydrometers), mainly based on radar reflectivity observations. Using the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model, numerical experiments with/without cloud initialization and convective parameterization were carried out at grey-zone resolutions (i.e. 1, 3, and 9 km). The results from the experiments without convective parameterization indicate that model ignition with radar reflectivity can significantly reduce spin-up time and accurately simulate precipitation at the initial time. In addition, it helps to improve location and intensity of predicted precipitation. With grey-zone resolutions (i.e. 1, 3, and 9 km), using the cumulus convective parameterization scheme (without radar data) cannot produce realistic precipitation at the early time. The issues related to microphysical parametrization associated with cloud initialization were also discussed.

Monitoring Snow Using Geostationary Satellite Retrievals During the SAAWSO Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabin, Robert M.; Gultepe, Ismail; Kuligowski, Robert J.; Heidinger, Andrew K.

2016-09-01

The SAAWSO (Satellite Applications for Arctic Weather and SAR (Search And Rescue) Operations) field programs were conducted by Environment Canada near St. Johns, NL and Goose Bay, NL in the winters of 2012-13 and 2013-14, respectively. The goals of these programs were to validate satellite-based nowcasting products, including snow amount, wind intensity, and cloud physical parameters (e.g., cloud cover), over northern latitudes with potential applications to Search And Rescue (SAR) operations. Ground-based in situ sensors and remote sensing platforms were used to measure microphysical properties of precipitation, clouds and fog, radiation, temperature, moisture and wind profiles. Multi-spectral infrared observations obtained from Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-13 provided estimates of cloud top temperature and height, phase (water, ice), hydrometer size, extinction, optical depth, and horizontal wind patterns at 15 min intervals. In this work, a technique developed for identifying clouds capable of producing high snowfall rates and incorporating wind information from the satellite observations is described. The cloud top physical properties retrieved from operational satellite observations are validated using measurements obtained from the ground-based in situ and remote sensing platforms collected during two precipitation events: a blizzard heavy snow storm case and a moderate snow event. The retrieved snow precipitation rates are found to be comparable to those of ground-based platform measurements in the heavy snow event.

Specific gravity of bovine colostrum immunoglobulins as affected by temperature and colostrum components.

PubMed

Mechor, G D; Gröhn, Y T; McDowell, L R; Van Saun, R J

1992-11-01

The effects of temperature and colostrum components on specific gravity in bovine colostrum were investigated. Thirty-nine first milking colostrum samples were collected from Holstein cows. The samples were assayed for alpha-tocopherol, fat, protein, total solids, and IgG. The concentrations of total solids, total protein, total IgG, and fat in colostrum were 26.6, 12.5, 3.7, and 9.4 g/100 g, respectively. A range of 1.8 to 24.7 micrograms/ml for alpha-tocopherol was measured in the colostrum samples. Specific gravity of the colostrum was measured using a hydrometer in increments of 5 degrees C from 0 to 40 degrees C. Specific gravity explained 76% of the variation in colostral total IgG at a colostrum temperature of 20 degrees C. The regression model was improved only slightly with the addition of protein, fat, and total solids. The model for samples at 20 degrees C was IgG (milligrams per milliliter) = 958 x (specific gravity) - 969. Measurement of specific gravity at variable temperatures necessitated inclusion of temperature in the model for estimation of IgG. Inclusion of the other components of colostrum into the model slightly improved the fit. The regression model for samples at variable temperatures was as follows: IgG (milligrams per milliliter) = 853 x (specific gravity) + .4 x temperature (Celsius degrees) - 866.

Using High-Resolution Satellite Observations for Evaluation of Cloud and Precipitation Statistics from Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations. Part I: South China Sea Monsoon Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.; Hou, A.; Lau, W. K.; Shie, C.; Tao, W.; Lin, X.; Chou, M.; Olson, W. S.; Grecu, M.

2006-05-01

The cloud and precipitation statistics simulated by 3D Goddard Cumulus Ensemble (GCE) model during the South China Sea Monsoon Experiment (SCSMEX) is compared with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) TMI and PR rainfall measurements and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) single scanner footprint (SSF) radiation and cloud retrievals. It is found that GCE is capable of simulating major convective system development and reproducing total surface rainfall amount as compared with rainfall estimated from the soundings. Mesoscale organization is adequately simulated except when environmental wind shear is very weak. The partitions between convective and stratiform rain are also close to TMI and PR classification. However, the model simulated rain spectrum is quite different from either TMI or PR measurements. The model produces more heavy rains and light rains (less than 0.1 mm/hr) than the observations. The model also produces heavier vertical hydrometer profiles of rain, graupel when compared with TMI retrievals and PR radar reflectivity. Comparing GCE simulated OLR and cloud properties with CERES measurements found that the model has much larger domain averaged OLR due to smaller total cloud fraction and a much skewed distribution of OLR and cloud top than CERES observations, indicating that the model's cloud field is not wide spread, consistent with the model's precipitation activity. These results will be used as guidance for improving the model's microphysics.

Modeling Water Temperature in the Yakima River, Washington, from Roza Diversion Dam to Prosser Dam, 2005-06

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voss, Frank D.; Curran, Christopher A.; Mastin, Mark C.

2008-01-01

A mechanistic water-temperature model was constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey for use by the Bureau of Reclamation for studying the effect of potential water management decisions on water temperature in the Yakima River between Roza and Prosser, Washington. Flow and water temperature data for model input were obtained from the Bureau of Reclamation Hydromet database and from measurements collected by the U.S. Geological Survey during field trips in autumn 2005. Shading data for the model were collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in autumn 2006. The model was calibrated with data collected from April 1 through October 31, 2005, and tested with data collected from April 1 through October 31, 2006. Sensitivity analysis results showed that for the parameters tested, daily maximum water temperature was most sensitive to changes in air temperature and solar radiation. Root mean squared error for the five sites used for model calibration ranged from 1.3 to 1.9 degrees Celsius (?C) and mean error ranged from ?1.3 to 1.6?C. The root mean squared error for the five sites used for testing simulation ranged from 1.6 to 2.2?C and mean error ranged from 0.1 to 1.3?C. The accuracy of the stream temperatures estimated by the model is limited by four errors (model error, data error, parameter error, and user error).

Variability of extreme climate events in the territory and water area of Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Serykh, Ilya; Kostianoy, Andrey

2016-04-01

The Fourth (2007) and Fifth (2014) Assessment Reports on Climate Change of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) state that in the XXI century, climate change will be accompanied by an increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme nature events such as: extreme precipitation and extreme high and low air temperatures. All these will lead to floods, droughts, fires, shallowing of rivers, lakes and water reservoirs, desertification, dust storms, melting of glaciers and permafrost, algal bloom events in the seas, lakes and water reservoirs. In its turn, these events will lead to chemical and biological contamination of water, land and air. These events will result in a deterioration of quality of life, significant financial loss due to damage to the houses, businesses, roads, agriculture, forestry, tourism, and in many cases they end in loss of life. These predictions are confirmed by the results of the studies presented in the RosHydromet First (2008) and Second (2014) Assessment Reports on Climate Change and its Consequences in Russian Federation. Scientists predictions have been repeatedly confirmed in the last 15 years - floods in Novorossiysk (2002), Krymsk and Gelendzhik (2012), the Far East (2013), heat waves in 2010, unusually cold winter (February) of 2012 and unusually warm winter of 2013/2014 in the European territory of Russia. In this regard, analysis and forecasting of extreme climate events associated with climate change in the territory of Russia are an extremely important task. This task is complicated by the fact that modern atmospheric models used by IPCC and RosHydromet badly reproduce and predict the intensity of precipitation. We are analyzing meteorological reanalysis data (NCEP/NCAR, 20th Century Reanalysis, ERA-20C, JRA-55) and satellite data (NASA and AVISO) on air, water and land temperature, rainfall, wind speed and cloud cover, water levels in seas and lakes, index of vegetation over the past 30-60 years

Factors associated with colostral specific gravity in dairy cows.

PubMed

Morin, D E; Constable, P D; Maunsell, F P; McCoy, G C

2001-04-01

The objectives of this study were to identify factors associated with colostral specific gravity in dairy cows, as measured by a commercially available hydrometer (Colostrometer). Colostral specific gravity was measured in 1085 first-milking colostrum samples from 608 dairy cows of four breeds on a single farm during a 5-yr period. Effects of breed, lactation number, and month and year of calving on colostral specific gravity were determined, as were correlations between colostral specific gravity, nonlactating period length, and 305-d yields of milk, protein, and fat. For 75 multiparous Holstein cows, relationships between colostral specific gravity, colostral IgG1, protein, and fat concentrations, and season of calving were determined. Colostral specific gravity values were lower for Brown Swiss and Ayrshire cows than for Jersey and Holstein cows, and lower for cows entering first or second lactation than third or later lactations. Month of calving markedly affected colostral specific gravity values, with highest values occurring in autumn and lowest values in summer. In multiparous Holstein cows, colostral specific gravity was more strongly correlated with colostral protein concentration (r = 0.76) than IgG1 concentration (r = 0.53), and colostral protein concentration varied seasonally (higher in autumn than summer). Our results demonstrate that colostral specific gravity more closely reflects colostral protein concentration than IgG1 concentration and is markedly influenced by month of calving. These results highlight potential limitations of using colostral specific gravity as an indicator of IgG1 concentration.

Validation of estimation algorithm of dual frequency precipitation radar (DPR) onboard on the GPM satellite, using in situ data over the Mantaro valley, Peruvian Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Y.; Villalobos, E.; Chavez, S. P.

2016-12-01

The measurement of precipitation by remote sensing requires comparison and validation with in situ observations. Therefore, in the present study we validate the estimation of precipitation from the dual frequency radar (DPR) onboard the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite, in particular the parameters a and b used by the empirical relationship between the measured reflectivity factor (Z) by the DPR and estimated rate rain (R) and we compare them with the parameters calculated from an optical disdrometer and filter paper technique. The product level is 2A from the DPR which consists of two radars of precipitation and cloud (Ku and Ka band) which provides three-dimensional information of hydrometers with high horizontal resolution (0.05 degrees). The analyzed data was from November 2014 to March 2015, the wet season in the study region. The rainfall measured by the filter paper constrain the analysis to the stratiform type, so we have selected the same type of rainfall for the DPR and the disdrometer, based in rainfall intensity less than 1 mm/h. The obteined parameter values are: for the Ku-band radar (a=0.200 and b=0.669), Ka-band radar (a=0.015 and b=0.675), for filter paper technique (a=0.017 and b=0.671) and disdrometer (a=0.027 and b=0.698). These results show that there are a slight differences in the b parameter, while the differences are greater for the a parameter.

Rating Curve Estimation from Local Levels and Upstream Discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franchini, M.; Mascellani, G.

2003-04-01

Current technology allows for low cost and easy level measurements while the discharge measurements are still difficult and expensive. Thus, these are rarely performed and usually not in flood conditions because of lack of safety and difficulty in activating the measurement team in due time. As a consequence, long series of levels are frequently available without the corresponding discharge values. However, for the purpose of planning, management of water resources and real time flood forecasting, discharge is needed and it is therefore essential to convert local levels into discharge values by using the appropriate rating curve. Over this last decade, several methods have been proposed to relate local levels at a site of interest to data recorded at a river section located upstream where a rating curve is available. Some of these methods are based on a routing approach which uses the Muskingum model structure in different ways; others are based on the entropy concepts. Lately, fuzzy logic has been applied more and more frequently in the framework of hydraulic and hydrologic problems and this has prompted to the authors to use it for synthesising the rating curves. A comparison between all these strategies is performed, highlighting the difficulties and advantages of each of them, with reference to a long reach of the Po river in Italy, where several hydrometers and the relevant rating curves are available, thus allowing for both a parameterization and validation of the different strategies.

Can homemade alcohol (Raksi) be useful for preserving dead bodies? An experiment on wistar albino rats.

PubMed

Dhungel, S; Maskey, D; Jha, C B; Bhattacharya, S; Paudel, B H; Shrestha, R N

2007-01-01

Embalming is the through disinfection and art of preserving bodies after death using chemical substances. It keeps a body life like in appearance during the time it lies in a state prior to funeral. This study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of Raksi in sacrificed rats in arresting postmortem changes and establishing scientific fact whether Raksi can be an alternative to standard embalming constituent if it is not available. 50 albino rats were systematically randomized into control and experiment groups. Raksi and distilled water were injected for embalming purpose intraventricularly in experiment and control groups of rats respectively and kept for 48 to 96 hours for observation for postmortem changes. Observations made at 48 and 72 hours of embalming revealed that Raksi can arrest postmortem changes in the rats up to 72 hours (3rd day) successfully in the experimental group whereas moderate to severe postmortem changes were seen in the control group. The experimental group showed mild degree of putrefactive changes, liberation of gases and liquefaction of tissues only at 96 hours (4th day) of embalming. The Raksi used in this experiment contained 34% of alcohol, which was determined by an alcohol hydrometer. Experiment clearly demonstrated from its result that raksi can be utilised temporarily for embalming since it contains alcohol and has preservative, bactericidal and disinfectant properties. It is concluded from the study that this knowledge if applied to dead human subjects, may preserve dead bodies temporarily allowing delayed funeral.

Influence of bulk microphysics schemes upon Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) version 3.6.1 nor'easter simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicholls, Stephen D.; Decker, Steven G.; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lang, Stephen E.; Shi, Jainn J.; Mohr, Karen I.

2017-03-01

This study evaluated the impact of five single- or double-moment bulk microphysics schemes (BMPSs) on Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations of seven intense wintertime cyclones impacting the mid-Atlantic United States; 5-day long WRF simulations were initialized roughly 24 h prior to the onset of coastal cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coastline. In all, 35 model simulations (five BMPSs and seven cases) were run and their associated microphysics-related storm properties (hydrometer mixing ratios, precipitation, and radar reflectivity) were evaluated against model analysis and available gridded radar and ground-based precipitation products. Inter-BMPS comparisons of column-integrated mixing ratios and mixing ratio profiles reveal little variability in non-frozen hydrometeor species due to their shared programming heritage, yet their assumptions concerning snow and graupel intercepts, ice supersaturation, snow and graupel density maps, and terminal velocities led to considerable variability in both simulated frozen hydrometeor species and radar reflectivity. WRF-simulated precipitation fields exhibit minor spatiotemporal variability amongst BMPSs, yet their spatial extent is largely conserved. Compared to ground-based precipitation data, WRF simulations demonstrate low-to-moderate (0.217-0.414) threat scores and a rainfall distribution shifted toward higher values. Finally, an analysis of WRF and gridded radar reflectivity data via contoured frequency with altitude diagrams (CFADs) reveals notable variability amongst BMPSs, where better performing schemes favored lower graupel mixing ratios and better underlying aggregation assumptions.

Numerical Hindcast Experiments for Study Tropical Convections and MJO Events during Year of Tropical Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chern, J.; Tao, W.; Shen, B.

2011-12-01

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) is the dominant component of intraseasonal variability in the tropic. It interacts and influences a wide range of weather and climate phenomena across different temporal and spatial scales. Despite the important role the MJO plays in the weather and climate system, past multi-model MJO intercomparison studies have shown that current global general circulation models (GCMs) still have considerable shortcomings in representing and forecasting this phenomenon. To improve representation of MJO and tropical convective cloud systems in global model, an Multiscale Modeling Framework (MMF) in which a cloud-resolving model takes the place of the sing-column cumulus parameterization used in convectional GCMs has been successfully developed at NAAS Goddard (Tao et al. 2009). To evaluate and improve the ability of this modeling system in representation and prediction of the MJO, several numerical hindcast experiments of a few selected MJO events during YOTC have been carried out. The ability of the model to simulate the MJO events is examined using diagnostic and skill metrics developed by the CLIVAR MJO Working Group Project as well as comparisons with a high-resolution global mesoscale model simulations, satellite observations, and analysis dataset. Several key variables associated with the MJO are investigated, including precipitation, outgoing longwave radiation, large-scale circulation, surface latent heat flux, low-level moisture convergence, vertical structure of moisture and hydrometers, and vertical diabatic heating profiles to gain insight of cloud processes associated with the MJO events.

Microphysical characteristics of squall-line stratiform precipitation and transition zones inferred using an ice particle property-evolving model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, A. A.; Harrington, J. Y.; Morrison, H.

2017-12-01

A quasi-idealized 3D squall line (based on a June 2007 Oklahoma case) is simulated using a novel bulk microphysics scheme called the Ice-Spheroids Habit Model with Aspect-ratio Evolution (ISHMAEL). In ISHMAEL, the evolution of ice particle properties, such as mass, shape, maximum diameter, density, and fall speed, are tracked as these properties evolve from vapor growth, sublimation, riming, and melting. Thus, ice properties evolve from various microphysical processes without needing separate unrimed and rimed ice categories. Simulation results show that ISHMAEL produces both a squall-line transition zone and an enhanced stratiform precipitation region. The ice particle properties produced in this simulation are analyzed and compared to observations to determine the characteristics of ice that lead to the development of these squall-line features. It is shown that rimed particles advected rearward from the convective region produce the enhanced stratiform precipitation region. The development of the transition zone results from hydrometer sorting: the evolution of ice particle properties in the convective region produces specific fall speeds that favor significant ice advecting rearward of the transition zone before reaching the melting level, causing a local minimum in precipitation rate and reflectivity there. Microphysical sensitivity studies, for example turning rime splintering off, that lead to changes in ice particle properties reveal that the fall speed of ice particles largely determines both the location of the enhanced stratiform precipitation region and whether or not a transition zone forms.

Adsorption coefficients for TNT on soil and clay minerals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Rosángela; Pabón, Julissa; Pérez, Omarie; Muñoz, Miguel A.; Mina, Nairmen

2007-04-01

To understand the fate and transport mechanisms of TNT from buried landmines is it essential to determine the adsorption process of TNT on soil and clay minerals. In this research, soil samples from horizons Ap and A from Jobos Series at Isabela, Puerto Rico were studied. The clay fractions were separated from the other soil components by centrifugation. Using the hydrometer method the particle size distribution for the soil horizons was obtained. Physical and chemical characterization studies such as cation exchange capacity (CEC), surface area, percent of organic matter and pH were performed for the soil and clay samples. A complete mineralogical characterization of clay fractions using X-ray diffraction analysis reveals the presence of kaolinite, goethite, hematite, gibbsite and quartz. In order to obtain adsorption coefficients (K d values) for the TNT-soil and TNT-clay interactions high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used. The adsorption process for TNT-soil was described by the Langmuir model. A higher adsorption was observed in the Ap horizon. The Freundlich model described the adsorption process for TNT-clay interactions. The affinity and relative adsorption capacity of the clay for TNT were higher in the A horizon. These results suggest that adsorption by soil organic matter predominates over adsorption on clay minerals when significant soil organic matter content is present. It was found that, properties like cation exchange capacity and surface area are important factors in the adsorption of clayey soils.

Total Lightning and Radar Storm Characteristics Associated with Severe Storms in Central Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodman, Steven J.; Raghavan, Ravi; Ramachandran, Rahul; Buechler, Dennis; Hodanish, Stephen; Sharp, David; Williams, Earle; Boldi, Bob; Matlin, Anne; Weber, Mark

1998-01-01

A number of prior studies have examined the association of lightning activity with the occurrence of severe weather and tornadoes, in particular. High flash rates are often observed in tornadic storms (Taylor, 1973; Johnson, 1980; Goodman and Knupp, 1993) but not always. Taylor found that 23% of nontornadic storms and 1% of non-severe storms had sferics rates comparable to the tornadic storms. MacGorman (1993) found that storms with mesocyclones produced more frequent intracloud (IC) lightning than cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning. MacGorman (1993) and others suggest that the lightning activity accompanying tomadic storms will be dominated by intracloud lightning-with an increase in intracloud and total flash rates as the updraft increases in depth, size, and velocity. In a recent study, Perez et al. (1998) found that CG flash rates alone are too variable to be a useful predictor of (F4, F5) tornado formation. Studies of non-tomadic storms have also shown that total lightning flash rates track the updraft, with rates increasing as the updraft intensities and decreasing rapidly with cessation of vertical growth or downburst onset (Goodman et al., 1988; Williams et al., 1989). Such relationships result from the development of mixed phase precipitation and increased hydrometer collisions that lead to the efficient separation of charge. Correlations between updraft strength and other variables such as cloud-top height, cloud water mass, and hail size have also been observed.

Influence of Bulk Microphysics Schemes upon Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Version 3.6.1 Nor'easter Simulations.

PubMed

Nicholls, Stephen D; Decker, Steven G; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lang, Stephen E; Shi, Jainn J; Mohr, Karen I

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the impact of five, single- or double- moment bulk microphysics schemes (BMPSs) on Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations of seven, intense winter time cyclones impacting the Mid-Atlantic United States. Five-day long WRF simulations were initialized roughly 24 hours prior to the onset of coastal cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coastline. In all, 35 model simulations (5 BMPSs and seven cases) were run and their associated microphysics-related storm properties (hydrometer mixing ratios, precipitation, and radar reflectivity) were evaluated against model analysis and available gridded radar and ground-based precipitation products. Inter-BMPS comparisons of column-integrated mixing ratios and mixing ratio profiles reveal little variability in non-frozen hydrometeor species due to their shared programming heritage, yet their assumptions concerning snow and graupel intercepts, ice supersaturation, snow and graupel density maps, and terminal velocities lead to considerable variability in both simulated frozen hydrometeor species and radar reflectivity. WRF-simulated precipitation fields exhibit minor spatio-temporal variability amongst BMPSs, yet their spatial extent is largely conserved. Compared to ground-based precipitation data, WRF-simulations demonstrate low-to-moderate (0.217-0.414) threat scores and a rainfall distribution shifted toward higher values. Finally, an analysis of WRF and gridded radar reflectivity data via contoured frequency with altitude (CFAD) diagrams reveals notable variability amongst BMPSs, where better performing schemes favored lower graupel mixing ratios and better underlying aggregation assumptions.

Influence of Bulk Microphysics Schemes upon Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Version 3.6.1 Nor'easter Simulations

PubMed Central

Nicholls, Stephen D.; Decker, Steven G.; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lang, Stephen E.; Shi, Jainn J.; Mohr, Karen I.

2018-01-01

This study evaluated the impact of five, single- or double- moment bulk microphysics schemes (BMPSs) on Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations of seven, intense winter time cyclones impacting the Mid-Atlantic United States. Five-day long WRF simulations were initialized roughly 24 hours prior to the onset of coastal cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coastline. In all, 35 model simulations (5 BMPSs and seven cases) were run and their associated microphysics-related storm properties (hydrometer mixing ratios, precipitation, and radar reflectivity) were evaluated against model analysis and available gridded radar and ground-based precipitation products. Inter-BMPS comparisons of column-integrated mixing ratios and mixing ratio profiles reveal little variability in non-frozen hydrometeor species due to their shared programming heritage, yet their assumptions concerning snow and graupel intercepts, ice supersaturation, snow and graupel density maps, and terminal velocities lead to considerable variability in both simulated frozen hydrometeor species and radar reflectivity. WRF-simulated precipitation fields exhibit minor spatio-temporal variability amongst BMPSs, yet their spatial extent is largely conserved. Compared to ground-based precipitation data, WRF-simulations demonstrate low-to-moderate (0.217–0.414) threat scores and a rainfall distribution shifted toward higher values. Finally, an analysis of WRF and gridded radar reflectivity data via contoured frequency with altitude (CFAD) diagrams reveals notable variability amongst BMPSs, where better performing schemes favored lower graupel mixing ratios and better underlying aggregation assumptions. PMID:29697705

Influence of Bulk Microphysics Schemes upon Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Version 3.6.1 Nor'easter Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nicholls, Stephen D.; Decker, Steven G.; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Lang, Stephen E.; Shi, Jainn J.; Mohr, Karen Irene

2017-01-01

This study evaluated the impact of five single- or double-moment bulk microphysics schemes (BMPSs) on Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations of seven intense wintertime cyclones impacting the mid-Atlantic United States; 5-day long WRF simulations were initialized roughly 24 hours prior to the onset of coastal cyclogenesis off the North Carolina coastline. In all, 35 model simulations (five BMPSs and seven cases) were run and their associated microphysics-related storm properties (hydrometer mixing ratios, precipitation, and radar reflectivity) were evaluated against model analysis and available gridded radar and ground-based precipitation products. Inter-BMPS comparisons of column-integrated mixing ratios and mixing ratio profiles reveal little variability in non-frozen hydrometeor species due to their shared programming heritage, yet their assumptions concerning snow and graupel intercepts, ice supersaturation, snow and graupel density maps, and terminal velocities led to considerable variability in both simulated frozen hydrometeor species and radar reflectivity. WRF-simulated precipitation fields exhibit minor spatiotemporal variability amongst BMPSs, yet their spatial extent is largely conserved. Compared to ground-based precipitation data, WRF simulations demonstrate low-to-moderate (0.217 to 0.414) threat scores and a rainfall distribution shifted toward higher values. Finally, an analysis of WRF and gridded radar reflectivity data via contoured frequency with altitude (CFAD) diagrams reveals notable variability amongst BMPSs, where better performing schemes favored lower graupel mixing ratios and better underlying aggregation assumptions.

The new PARIOTM device for determining continuous particle-size distributions of soils and sediments.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Alina; Pertassek, Thomas; Steins, Andreas; Durner, Wolfgang; Göttlein, Axel; Petrik, Wolfgang; von Unold, Georg

2017-04-01

The particle-size distribution (PSD) is a key property of soils. The reference method for determining the PSD is based on gravitational sedimentation of particles in an initially homogeneous suspension. Traditional methods measure manually (i) the uplift of a floating body in the suspension at different times (Hydrometer method) or (ii) the mass of solids in extracted suspension aliquots at predefined sampling depths and times (Pipette method). Both methods lead to a disturbance of the sedimentation process and provide only discrete data of the PSD. Durner et al. (2017) recently developed a new automated method to determine particle-size distributions of soils and sediments from gravitational sedimentation (Durner, W., S.C. Iden, and G. von Unold: The integral suspension pressure method (ISP) for precise particle-size analysis by gravitational sedimentation, Water Resources Research, doi:10.1002/2016WR019830, 2017). The so-called integral suspension method (ISP) method estimates continuous PSD's from sedimentation experiments by recording the temporal evolution of the suspension pressure at a certain measurement depth in a sedimentation cylinder. It requires no manual interaction after start and thus no specialized training of the lab personnel and avoids any disturbance of the sedimentation process. The required technology to perform these experiments was developed by the UMS company, Munich and is now available as an instrument called PARIO, traded by the METER Group. In this poster, the basic functioning of PARIO is shown and key components and parameters of the technology are explained.

Development of lidar sensor for cloud-based measurements during convective conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vishnu, R.; Bhavani Kumar, Y.; Rao, T. Narayana; Nair, Anish Kumar M.; Jayaraman, A.

2016-05-01

Atmospheric convection is a natural phenomena associated with heat transport. Convection is strong during daylight periods and rigorous in summer months. Severe ground heating associated with strong winds experienced during these periods. Tropics are considered as the source regions for strong convection. Formation of thunder storm clouds is common during this period. Location of cloud base and its associated dynamics is important to understand the influence of convection on the atmosphere. Lidars are sensitive to Mie scattering and are the suitable instruments for locating clouds in the atmosphere than instruments utilizing the radio frequency spectrum. Thunder storm clouds are composed of hydrometers and strongly scatter the laser light. Recently, a lidar technique was developed at National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), a Department of Space (DOS) unit, located at Gadanki near Tirupati. The lidar technique employs slant path operation and provides high resolution measurements on cloud base location in real-time. The laser based remote sensing technique allows measurement of atmosphere for every second at 7.5 m range resolution. The high resolution data permits assessment of updrafts at the cloud base. The lidar also provides real-time convective boundary layer height using aerosols as the tracers of atmospheric dynamics. The developed lidar sensor is planned for up-gradation with scanning facility to understand the cloud dynamics in the spatial direction. In this presentation, we present the lidar sensor technology and utilization of its technology for high resolution cloud base measurements during convective conditions over lidar site, Gadanki.

Fertility status of cultivated floodplain soils in the Zambezi Valley, northern Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chimweta, M.; Nyakudya, I. W.; Jimu, L.

2018-06-01

Flood-recession cropping improves smallholder farmers' household food security. The objective of this study was to determine the fertility status of cultivated Zambezi Valley floodplain soils, in northern Zimbabwe. The study was conducted at three sites, along tributaries of Musengezi River. Soil samples were taken at 0.20 m depth increments to 0.60 m from hydromorphologically stratified fields, during the cropping season. Sampling points were replicated twice in each stratum at points equidistant from river edges. Relative elevations of sampling points were measured using levelling equipment. Soil was analysed using: core method for bulk density, hydrometer method for texture, loss on ignition for soil organic carbon (SOC), Kjeldahl procedure for total nitrogen (N), 0.01 M CaCl2 for pH, and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) for Mehlich 3 extractable elements. Data from soil analyses were subjected to One Way Analysis of Variance and Pearson's correlation analysis. Bulk density ranged from 1.2 to 1.4 g cm-3 and it was negatively related to distance from river; and positively related to elevation at two sites. Highest values for SOC and total N were 2.04% and 0.36% respectively. Soil pH ranged from 7.70 to 8.60. Soil organic carbon and N were positively related to distance from river but negatively related to elevation. Threshold concentrations for deficiency: < 12 ppm for K, and <39 ppm for Mg, were exceeded. Calcium, Na, and micronutrients in most cases exceeded concentrations reported for floodplains. Practices that slow down flowing water and fertilizer microdosing are among possible fertility management options.

Snowfall Retrivals Using a Video Disdrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, A. J.; Kucera, P. A.

2004-12-01

A video disdrometer has been recently developed at NASA/Wallops Flight Facility in an effort to improve surface precipitation measurements. One of the goals of the upcoming Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is to provide improved satellite-based measurements of snowfall in mid-latitudes. Also, with the planned dual-polarization upgrade of US National Weather Service weather radars, there is potential for significant improvements in radar-based estimates of snowfall. The video disdrometer, referred to as the Rain Imaging System (RIS), was deployed in Eastern North Dakota during the 2003-2004 winter season to measure size distributions, precipitation rate, and density estimates of snowfall. The RIS uses CCD grayscale video camera with a zoom lens to observe hydrometers in a sample volume located 2 meters from end of the lens and approximately 1.5 meters away from an independent light source. The design of the RIS may eliminate sampling errors from wind flow around the instrument. The RIS operated almost continuously in the adverse conditions often observed in the Northern Plains. Preliminary analysis of an extended winter snowstorm has shown encouraging results. The RIS was able to provide crystal habit information, variability of particle size distributions for the lifecycle of the storm, snowfall rates, and estimates of snow density. Comparisons with coincident snow core samples and measurements from the nearby NWS Forecast Office indicate the RIS provides reasonable snowfall measurements. WSR-88D radar observations over the RIS were used to generate a snowfall-reflectivity relationship from the storm. These results along with several other cases will be shown during the presentation.

Dry skin (xerosis) in patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis: the role of decreased sweating of the eccrine sweat gland.

PubMed

Park, T H; Park, C H; Ha, S K; Lee, S H; Song, K S; Lee, H Y; Han, D S

1995-12-01

The aetiology and the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development of dry skin in uraemia are still unclear, but the hydration status of stratum corneum clearly influences the appearance of skin. The xerotic skin texture is often referred to as 'dry skin' and has been suggested as a cause of uraemic pruritus. To understand the aetiology of dry skin in uraemia we measured the status of skin surface hydration of uraemic patients with the corneometer and skin surface hydrometer, the functional capacity and the urea concentration of stratum corneum and the response of eccrine sweat gland to sudorific agent (0.05% pilocarpine HCL) in 18 age-matched haemodialysis patients and 10 healthy volunteers. We also performed the water sorption-desorption test to uraemic and control subjects after application of urea in various concentrations. Uraemic patient's skin showed decreased water content compared to control subjects. However, we found no correlation between dry skin and pruritus. Although the urea concentration of the horny layer in uraemic patients was elevated compared to control subjects (28.2 microgram/cm2 vs 5.04 micrograms/cm2, P < 0.05), its moisturizing effect to relieve pruritus is questionable because its artificial application revealed no improvement of the functional capacity of horny layer in concentration 5 times higher than the physiological concentration. Uraemic patients showed decreased sweating response to sudorific agent. In conclusion, the functional abnormalities of eccrine sweat glands may be account for dry skin in uraemic patients at least in part, but there is no correlation between xerosis and pruritus.

Multiple Convective Cell Identification and Tracking Algorithm for documenting time-height evolution of measured polarimetric radar and lightning properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenfeld, D.; Hu, J.; Zhang, P.; Snyder, J.; Orville, R. E.; Ryzhkov, A.; Zrnic, D.; Williams, E.; Zhang, R.

2017-12-01

A methodology to track the evolution of the hydrometeors and electrification of convective cells is presented and applied to various convective clouds from warm showers to super-cells. The input radar data are obtained from the polarimetric NEXRAD weather radars, The information on cloud electrification is obtained from Lightning Mapping Arrays (LMA). The development time and height of the hydrometeors and electrification requires tracking the evolution and lifecycle of convective cells. A new methodology for Multi-Cell Identification and Tracking (MCIT) is presented in this study. This new algorithm is applied to time series of radar volume scans. A cell is defined as a local maximum in the Vertical Integrated Liquid (VIL), and the echo area is divided between cells using a watershed algorithm. The tracking of the cells between radar volume scans is done by identifying the two cells in consecutive radar scans that have maximum common VIL. The vertical profile of the polarimetric radar properties are used for constructing the time-height cross section of the cell properties around the peak reflectivity as a function of height. The LMA sources that occur within the cell area are integrated as a function of height as well for each time step, as determined by the radar volume scans. The result of the tracking can provide insights to the evolution of storms, hydrometer types, precipitation initiation and cloud electrification under different thermodynamic, aerosol and geographic conditions. The details of the MCIT algorithm, its products and their performance for different types of storm are described in this poster.

Improving Radar Snowfall Measurements Using a Video Disdrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, A. J.; Kucera, P. A.

2005-05-01

A video disdrometer has been recently developed at NASA/Wallops Flight Facility in an effort to improve surface precipitation measurements. The recent upgrade of the UND C-band weather radar to dual-polarimetric capabilities along with the development of the UND Glacial Ridge intensive atmospheric observation site has presented a valuable opportunity to attempt to improve radar estimates of snowfall. The video disdrometer, referred to as the Rain Imaging System (RIS), has been deployed at the Glacial Ridge site for most of the 2004-2005 winter season to measure size distributions, precipitation rate, and density estimates of snowfall. The RIS uses CCD grayscale video camera with a zoom lens to observe hydrometers in a sample volume located 2 meters from end of the lens and approximately 1.5 meters away from an independent light source. The design of the RIS may eliminate sampling errors from wind flow around the instrument. The RIS has proven its ability to operate continuously in the adverse conditions often observed in the Northern Plains. The RIS is able to provide crystal habit information, variability of particle size distributions for the lifecycle of the storm, snowfall rates, and estimates of snow density. This information, in conjunction with hand measurements of density and crystal habit, will be used to build a database for comparisons with polarimetric data from the UND radar. This database will serve as the basis for improving snowfall estimates using polarimetric radar observations. Preliminary results from several case studies will be presented.

Intraabdominal pressure after full abdominoplasty in obese multiparous patients.

PubMed

Al-Basti, Habib B; El-Khatib, Hamdy A; Taha, Ahmed; Sattar, Hisham Abdul; Bener, Abdulbari

2004-06-01

This study measured intraabdominal pressure in morbidly obese and multiparous patients who underwent abdominoplasty with musculoaponeurotic plication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate any potential adverse effect on pulmonary function by virtue of pulmonary function tests and measurement of peak airway pressure. The study included 43 multiparous, morbidly obese women (mean body mass index, 35.8 kg/m2) with a mean age (+/- SD) of 38.6 +/- 7 years. All had full abdominoplasty and repair of the musculoaponeurotic system during the period from June of 1999 to May of 2002. Forty-three morbidly obese multiparous patients were seen over a period of 24 months. Their intraabdominal pressure was estimated by measuring the intravesical pressure before and after repair of severe diastases (divarication) of the rectus abdominis muscles with severely flaccid myofascial component before using a hydrometer connected to a Foley catheter both before and after repair. All patients had pulmonary function checked before and 2 months after the repair. The study confirmed that there are minimal changes on the intraabdominal pressure parameters compared with measurement before and after full abdominoplasty with plication of the rectus muscles, with minimal to negligible changes in the intrathoracic pressure. These changes are clinically and statistically significant (p < 0.0001). The study also recommended the safety of full abdominoplasty and repair of the musculoaponeurotic system in multiparous and morbidly obese patients. Furthermore, no statistically significant difference was found in pulmonary function parameters before and after surgery in patients with a history of bronchial asthma.

Steeply dipping heaving bedrock, Colorado: Part 2 - Mineralogical and engineering properties

USGS Publications Warehouse

Noe, D.C.; Higgins, J.D.; Olsen, H.W.

2007-01-01

This paper describes the mineralogical and engineering properties of steeply dipping, differentially heaving bedrock, which has caused severe damage near the Denver area. Several field sites in heave-prone areas have been characterized using high sample densities, numerous testing methodologies, and thousands of sample tests. Hydrometer testing shows that the strata range from siltstone to claystone (33 to 66 percent clay) with occasional bentonite seams (53 to 98 percent clay mixed with calcite). From X-ray diffraction analyses, the claystone contains varying proportions of illite-smectite and discrete (pure) smectite, and the bentonite contains discrete smectite. Accessory minerals include pyrite, gypsum, calcite, and oxidized iron compounds. The dominant exchangeable cation is Ca2+, except where gypsum is prevalent, and Mg2+ and Na1+ are elevated. Scanning electron microscope analyses show that the clay fabric is deformed and porous and that pyrite is absent within the weathered zone. Unified Soil Classification for the claystone varies from CL to CH, and the bentonite is CH to MH. Average moisture content values are 17 percent for claystone and 32 percent for bentonite, and these are typically 0 to 5 percent lower than the plastic limit. Swell-consolidation and suction testing shows a full range of swelling potentials from low to very high. These findings confirm that type I (bed-parallel, symmetrical to asymmetrical) heave features are strongly associated with changes in bedrock composition and mineralogy. Composition changes are not necessarily a factor for type II (bed-parallel to bed-oblique, strongly asymmetrical) heave features, which are associated with movements along subsurface shear zones.

Parameterizing Aggregation Rates: Results of cold temperature ice-ash hydrometeor experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Courtland, L. M.; Dufek, J.; Mendez, J. S.; McAdams, J.

2014-12-01

Recent advances in the study of tephra aggregation have indicated that (i) far-field effects of tephra sedimentation are not adequately resolved without accounting for aggregation processes that preferentially remove the fine ash fraction of volcanic ejecta from the atmosphere as constituent pieces of larger particles, and (ii) the environmental conditions (e.g. humidity, temperature) prevalent in volcanic plumes may significantly alter the types of aggregation processes at work in different regions of the volcanic plume. The current research extends these findings to explore the role of ice-ash hydrometeor aggregation in various plume environments. Laboratory experiments utilizing an ice nucleation chamber allow us to parameterize tephra aggregation rates under the cold (0 to -50 C) conditions prevalent in the upper regions of volcanic plumes. We consider the interaction of ice-coated tephra of variable thickness grown in a controlled environment. The ice-ash hydrometers interact collisionally and the interaction is recorded by a number of instruments, including high speed video to determine if aggregation occurs. The electric charge on individual particles is examined before and after collision to examine the role of electrostatics in the aggregation process and to examine the charge exchange process. We are able to examine how sticking efficiency is related to both the relative abundance of ice on a particle as well as to the magnitude of the charge carried by the hydrometeor. We here present preliminary results of these experiments, the first to constrain aggregation efficiency of ice-ash hydrometeors, a parameter that will allow tephra dispersion models to use near-real-time meteorological data to better forecast particle residence time in the atmosphere.

Intercomparison of microphysical datasets collected from CAIPEEX observations and WRF simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattnaik, S.; Goswami, B.; Kulkarni, J.

2009-12-01

In the first phase of ongoing Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) program of Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), intensive cloud microphysical datasets are collected over India during the May through September, 2009. This study is designed to evaluate the forecast skills of existing cloud microphysical parameterization schemes (i.e. single moment/double moments) within the WRF-ARW model (Version 3.1.1) during different intensive observation periods (IOP) over the targeted regions spreading all across India. Basic meteorological and cloud microphysical parameters obtained from the model simulations are validated against the observed data set collected during CAIPEEX program. For this study, we have considered three IOP phases (i.e. May 23-27, June 11-15, July 3-7) carried out over northern, central and western India respectively. This study emphasizes the thrust to understand the mechanism of evolution, intensification and distribution of simulated precipitation forecast upto day four (i.e. 96 hour forecast). Efforts have also been made to carryout few important microphysics sensitivity experiments within the explicit schemes to investigate their respective impact on the formation and distribution of vital cloud parameters (e.g. cloud liquid water, frozen hydrometeors) and model rainfall forecast over the IOP regions. The characteristic features of liquid and frozen hydrometers in the pre-monsoon and monsoon regimes are examined from model forecast as well as from CAIPEEX observation data set for different IOPs. The model is integrated in a triply nested fashion with an innermost nest explicitly resolved at a horizontal resolution of 4km.In this presentation preliminary results from aforementioned research initiatives will be introduced.

Quantitative estimation of Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission precipitation radar signals from ground-based polarimetric radar observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolen, Steven M.; Chandrasekar, V.

2003-06-01

The Tropical Rainfall Mapping Mission (TRMM) is the first mission dedicated to measuring rainfall from space using radar. The precipitation radar (PR) is one of several instruments aboard the TRMM satellite that is operating in a nearly circular orbit with nominal altitude of 350 km, inclination of 35°, and period of 91.5 min. The PR is a single-frequency Ku-band instrument that is designed to yield information about the vertical storm structure so as to gain insight into the intensity and distribution of rainfall. Attenuation effects on PR measurements, however, can be significant and as high as 10-15 dB. This can seriously impair the accuracy of rain rate retrieval algorithms derived from PR signal returns. Quantitative estimation of PR attenuation is made along the PR beam via ground-based polarimetric observations to validate attenuation correction procedures used by the PR. The reflectivity (Zh) at horizontal polarization and specific differential phase (Kdp) are found along the beam from S-band ground radar measurements, and theoretical modeling is used to determine the expected specific attenuation (k) along the space-Earth path at Ku-band frequency from these measurements. A theoretical k-Kdp relationship is determined for rain when Kdp ≥ 0.5°/km, and a power law relationship, k = a Zhb, is determined for light rain and other types of hydrometers encountered along the path. After alignment and resolution volume matching is made between ground and PR measurements, the two-way path-integrated attenuation (PIA) is calculated along the PR propagation path by integrating the specific attenuation along the path. The PR reflectivity derived after removing the PIA is also compared against ground radar observations.

Cloud Ice: A Climate Model Challenge With Signs and Expectations of Progress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, F.; Waliser, D.; Bacmeister, J.; Chern, J.; Del Genio, T.; Jiang, J.; Kharitondov, M.; Liou, K.; Meng, H.; Minnis, P.; Rossow, B.; Stephens, G.; Sun-Mack, S.; Tao, W.; Vane, D.; Woods, C.; Tompkins, A.; Wu, D.

2007-12-01

Global climate models (GCMs), including those assessed in the IPCC AR4, exhibit considerable disagreement in the amount of cloud ice - both in terms of the annual global mean as well as their spatial variability. Global measurements of cloud ice have been difficult due to the challenges involved in remotely sensing ice water content (IWC) and its vertical profile - including complications associated with multi-level clouds, mixed-phases and multiple hydrometer types, the uncertainty in classifying ice particle size and shape for remote retrievals, and the relatively small time and space scales associated with deep convection. Together, these measurement difficulties make it a challenge to characterize and understand the mechanisms of ice cloud formation and dissipation. Fortunately, there are new observational resources recently established that can be expected to lead to considerable reduction in the observational uncertainties of cloud ice, and in turn improve the fidelity of model representations. Specifically, these include the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Earth Observing System (EOS) Aura satellite, and the CloudSat and Calipso satellite missions, all of which fly in formation in what is referred to as the A-Train. Based on radar and limb-sounding techniques, these new satellite measurements provide a considerable leap forward in terms of the information gathered regarding upper-tropospheric cloud IWC as well as other macrophysical and microphysical properties. In this presentation, we describe the current state of GCM representations of cloud ice and their associated uncertainties, the nature of the new observational resources for constraining cloud ice values in GCMs, the challenges in making model-data comparisons with these data resources, and prospects for near-term improvements in model representations.

The integral suspension pressure method (ISP) for precise particle-size analysis by gravitational sedimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durner, Wolfgang; Iden, Sascha C.; von Unold, Georg

2017-01-01

The particle-size distribution (PSD) of a soil expresses the mass fractions of various sizes of mineral particles which constitute the soil material. It is a fundamental soil property, closely related to most physical and chemical soil properties and it affects almost any soil function. The experimental determination of soil texture, i.e., the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay-sized particles, is done in the laboratory by a combination of sieving (sand) and gravitational sedimentation (silt and clay). In the latter, Stokes' law is applied to derive the particle size from the settling velocity in an aqueous suspension. Traditionally, there are two methodologies for particle-size analysis from sedimentation experiments: the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Both techniques rely on measuring the temporal change of the particle concentration or density of the suspension at a certain depth within the suspension. In this paper, we propose a new method which is based on the pressure in the suspension at a selected depth, which is an integral measure of all particles in suspension above the measuring depth. We derive a mathematical model which predicts the pressure decrease due to settling of particles as function of the PSD. The PSD of the analyzed sample is identified by fitting the simulated time series of pressure to the observed one by inverse modeling using global optimization. The new method yields the PSD in very high resolution and its experimental realization completely avoids any disturbance by the measuring process. A sensitivity analysis of different soil textures demonstrates that the method yields unbiased estimates of the PSD with very small estimation variance and an absolute error in the clay and silt fraction of less than 0.5%.

The integral suspension pressure method (ISP) for precise particle-size analysis by gravitational sedimentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durner, Wolfgang; Iden, Sascha C.; von Unold, Georg

2017-04-01

The particle-size distribution (PSD) of a soil expresses the mass fractions of various sizes of mineral particles which constitute the soil material. It is a fundamental soil property, closely related to most physical and chemical soil properties and it affects almost any soil function. The experimental determination of soil texture, i.e., the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay-sized particles, is done in the laboratory by a combination of sieving (sand) and gravitational sedimentation (silt and clay). In the latter, Stokes' law is applied to derive the particle size from the settling velocity in an aqueous suspension. Traditionally, there are two methodologies for particle-size analysis from sedimentation experiments: the pipette method and the hydrometer method. Both techniques rely on measuring the temporal change of the particle concentration or density of the suspension at a certain depth within the suspension. In this paper, we propose a new method which is based on the pressure in the suspension at a selected depth, which is an integral measure of all particles in suspension above the measuring depth. We derive a mathematical model which predicts the pressure decrease due to settling of particles as function of the PSD. The PSD of the analyzed sample is identified by fitting the simulated time series of pressure to the observed one by inverse modeling using global optimization. The new method yields the PSD in very high resolution and its experimental realization completely avoids any disturbance by the measuring process. A sensitivity analysis of different soil textures demonstrates that the method yields unbiased estimates of the PSD with very small estimation variance and an absolute error in the clay and silt fraction of less than 0.5%

Skin temperature changes induced by strong static magnetic field exposure.

PubMed

Ichioka, Shigeru; Minegishi, Masayuki; Iwasaka, Masakazu; Shibata, Masahiro; Nakatsuka, Takashi; Ando, Joji; Ueno, Shoogo

2003-09-01

High intensity static magnetic fields, when applied to the whole body of the anesthetized rat, have previously been reported to decrease skin temperature. The hypothesis of the present study was that in diamagnetic water, molecules in the air play significant roles in the mechanism of skin temperature decrease. We used a horizontal cylindrical superconducting magnet. The magnet produced 8 T at its center. A thermistor probe was inserted in a subcutaneous pocket of the anesthetized rats to measure skin temperature. Animals (n=10) were placed in an open plastic holder in which the ambient air was free to move in any direction (group I). Animals (n=10) were placed in a closed holder in which the air circulation toward the direction of weak magnetic field was restricted (group II). Each holder was connected to a hydrometer to measure humidity around the animal in the holder. The data acquisition phase consisted of a 5 min baseline interval, followed by inserting the animal together with the holder into the center of the magnet bore for a 5 min exposure and a 5 min postexposure period outside the bore. In group I, skin temperature and humidity around the animal significantly decreased during exposure, followed by recovery after exposure. In group II, skin temperature and humidity did not decrease during the measurement. The skin temperature decrease was closely related to the decrease in humidity around the body of the animal in the holder, and the changes were completely blocked by restricting the air circulation in the direction of the bore entrance. Possible mechanisms responsible for the decrease in skin temperature may be associated with magnetically induced movement of water vapor at the skin surface, leading to skin temperature decrease. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A database of microwave and sub-millimetre ice particle single scattering properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekelund, Robin; Eriksson, Patrick

2016-04-01

Ice crystal particles are today a large contributing factor as to why cold-type clouds such as cirrus remain a large uncertainty in global climate models and measurements. The reason for this is the complex and varied morphology in which ice particles appear, as compared to liquid droplets with an in general spheroidal shape, thus making the description of electromagnetic properties of ice particles more complicated. Single scattering properties of frozen hydrometers have traditionally been approximated by representing the particles as spheres using Mie theory. While such practices may work well in radio applications, where the size parameter of the particles is generally low, comparisons with measurements and simulations show that this assumption is insufficient when observing tropospheric cloud ice in the microwave or sub-millimetre regions. In order to assist the radiative transfer and remote sensing communities, a database of single scattering properties of semi-realistic particles is being produced. The data is being produced using DDA (Discrete Dipole Approximation) code which can treat arbitrarily shaped particles, and Tmatrix code for simpler shapes when found sufficiently accurate. The aim has been to mainly cover frequencies used by the upcoming ICI (Ice Cloud Imager) mission with launch in 2022. Examples of particles to be included are columns, plates, bullet rosettes, sector snowflakes and aggregates. The idea is to treat particles with good average optical properties with respect to the multitude of particles and aggregate types appearing in nature. The database will initially only cover macroscopically isotropic orientation, but will eventually also include horizontally aligned particles. Databases of DDA particles do already exist with varying accessibility. The goal of this database is to complement existing data. Regarding the distribution of the data, the plan is that the database shall be available in conjunction with the ARTS (Atmospheric

A physically based algorithm for non-blackbody correction of the cloud top temperature for the convective clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.; Luo, Z. J.; Chen, X.; Zeng, X.; Tao, W.; Huang, X.

2012-12-01

Cloud top temperature is a key parameter to retrieval in the remote sensing of convective clouds. Passive remote sensing cannot directly measure the temperature at the cloud tops. Here we explore a synergistic way of estimating cloud top temperature by making use of the simultaneous passive and active remote sensing of clouds (in this case, CloudSat and MODIS). Weighting function of the MODIS 11μm band is explicitly calculated by feeding cloud hydrometer profiles from CloudSat retrievals and temperature and humidity profiles based on ECMWF ERA-interim reanalysis into a radiation transfer model. Among 19,699 tropical deep convective clouds observed by the CloudSat in 2008, the averaged effective emission level (EEL, where the weighting function attains its maximum) is at optical depth 0.91 with a standard deviation of 0.33. Furthermore, the vertical gradient of CloudSat radar reflectivity, an indicator of the fuzziness of convective cloud top, is linearly proportional to, d_{CTH-EEL}, the distance between the EEL of 11μm channel and cloud top height (CTH) determined by the CloudSat when d_{CTH-EEL}<0.6km. Beyond 0.6km, the distance has little sensitivity to the vertical gradient of CloudSat radar reflectivity. Based on these findings, we derive a formula between the fuzziness in the cloud top region, which is measurable by CloudSat, and the MODIS 11μm brightness temperature assuming that the difference between effective emission temperature and the 11μm brightness temperature is proportional to the cloud top fuzziness. This formula is verified using the simulated deep convective cloud profiles by the Goddard Cumulus Ensemble model. We further discuss the application of this formula in estimating cloud top buoyancy as well as the error characteristics of the radiative calculation within such deep-convective clouds.

Quantifying Sediment Transport in a Premontane Transitional Cloud Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waring, E. R.; Brumbelow, J. K.

2013-12-01

Quantifying sediment transport is a difficult task in any watershed, and relatively little direct measurement has occurred in tropical, mountainous watersheds. The Howler Monkey Watershed (2.2 hectares) is located in a premontane transitional cloud forest in San Isidro de Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica. In June 2012, a V-notch stream-gaging weir was built in the catchment with a 8 ft by 6 ft by 4 ft concrete stilling basin. Sediment captured by the weir was left untouched for an 11 month time period. To collect the contents of the weir, the stream was rerouted and the weir was drained. The stilling basin contents were systematically sampled, and samples were taken to a lab and characterized using sieve and hydrometer tests. The wet volume of the remaining sediment was obtained, and dry mass was estimated. Particle size distribution of samples were obtained from lab tests, with 96% of sediment trapped by the weir being sand or coarser. The efficiency of the weir as a sediment collector was evaluated by comparing particle fall velocities to residence time of water in the weir under baseflow conditions. Under these assumptions, only two to three percent of the total mass of soil transported in the stream is thought to have been suspended in the water and lost over the V-notch. Data were compared to the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE), a widely accepted method for predicting soil loss in agricultural watersheds. As expected, application of the USLE to a tropical rainforest was problematic with uncertainty in parameters yielding a soil loss estimate varying by a factor of 50. Continued monitoring of sediment transport should yield data for improved methods of soil loss estimation applicable to tropical mountainous forests.

Toward Improving Ice Water Content and Snow Rate Retrievals from Spaceborne Radars, Emphasizing Ku and Ka-Bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heymsfield, A.; Bansemer, A.; Tanelli, S.; Poellot, M.

2015-12-01

This study uses a data set from either overflying aircraft or ground-based radars operating at Ku and Ka bands, combined with in-situ microphysical measurements to develop radar reflectivity (Ze)-ice water content (IWC) and Ze-snowfall rate (S) relationships that are suited for retrieval of snowfall rate from the GPM radars. During GCPEX, the NASA DC-8 aircraft, carrying the JPL APR-2 KU and KA band radars overflew the UND Citation aircraft, making microphysical measurements in the ice clouds below. On two days, 19 and 28 January 2011, there are a total of almost 7000 1-sec colocations of the aircraft, where a collocation was defined as having a combination of a spatial separation of less than 3 km and a time separation of less than 10 minutes. During the NASA GPM Mid-latitude Continental Convective Cloud Experiment (MC3E), the Citation aircraft made in-situ observations over Oklahoma in 2011. We evaluated the data from two types of collocations. First, there were two Citation spirals on 27 April 2011, over the NPOL radar. At the same time, the UHF-band KUZR radar was collecting data in a vertically-pointing mode. Also, the Ka band KAZR Doppler radar was operating in a zenith orientation. Reflectivities and Doppler velocities, without and with appreciable Mie-scattering effects of the hydrometers (for KUZR and KAZR, respectively), are thus available during the spirals. Also during MC3E, six deep convective clouds with a total of more than 5000 5-sec samples and a range of temperatures from -40 to 0C were sampled by the Citation at the same time that NEXRAD reflectivities were measured at about the same position. These data allows us to evaluate various backscatter models and to develop multi-wavelength Z-IWC and Z-S relationships. We will present the results of this study.

Balloon borne measurements of aerosol and cloud particles over Japan during PACDEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, T.; Orikasa, N.; Nagai, T.; Murakami, M.; Tajiri, T.; Saito, A.; Yamashita, K.

2007-12-01

This paper presents the preliminary result of the balloon borne measurements of the aerosol and cloud microphysical properties over Tsukuba (36.1°N, 140.1°E), Japan, on 10 and 22 May 2007. The purpose of the measurement is to study the influence of Asian mineral dust on ice clouds formation in the middle and upper troposphere. The balloon measured the vertical distributions of aerosol number size distribution (0.13 to 3.9 μm in threshold radius, 8 sizes) by use of the optical particle counter, cloud size (10 μ m to 5 mm in the longest dimension), shape, and number concentration by use of the hydrometer videosonde, humidity by use of SnowWhite hygrometer, and temperature and pressure by use of Meisei RS-01G radiosonde between altitudes of 0 and 16 km. The aerosol size distribution showed bimodal distribution with mode radii of <0.13 μm (fine mode) and about 0.8 μm (coarse mode) over the troposphere (0-13.5 km in altitude). The number concentrations ranged from 150 to 1 cm-3 in the fine mode and from 3 to 0.1 cm-3 in the coarse mode. High depolarization ratio (>10%) obtained from the ground-based Raman lidar measurement revealed the presence of nonspherical dust in the coarse mode. Columnar, bullet-like, and irregular ice crystals with 10-400 μm in size were detected between altitudes of 8 and 13 km on 10 May and 10 and 13 km on 22 May. The maximum crystal concentration was 0.15 cm-3. We discuss the possibility of the formation of the ice cloud from the dust based on the result of the measurements.

How Well do we Measure Precipitation? 'Wind-Induced Undercatch' Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollock, M.; Colli, M.; Dutton, M.; O'Donnell, G. M.; Wilkinson, M.; Black, A.; Kilsby, C. G.; Quinn, P. F.; Lanza, L. G.; Stagnaro, M.; O'Connell, P. E.

2016-12-01

Data from precipitation gauges are critical for flood forecasting and flood risk management; radar calibration and numerical weather prediction models; and water resource management and hydrological modelling. They are often considered to provide the most accurate practicable measure of precipitation at a point in space and time, but remain subject to considerable errors. Inaccuracies in measurements are compounded in modelling applications by producing potentially misleading or incorrect results; it is therefore of utmost importance to understand uncertainty in observations. All precipitation gauges mounted above the ground surface present an obstruction to the prevailing wind. This causes an acceleration of wind above the orifice of a gauge resulting in what is commonly referred to as `wind-induced undercatch'. This is where precipitation is deflected away from the orifice and lands 'downstream' of the area represented by the gauge measurement, which reduces its collection efficiency (CE). The physical shape of a gauge bears a significant impact on its CE. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations are used to investigate how different shapes of precipitation gauge are affected by the wind. The CFD modelling is supported by high-resolution field measurements at several exposed `Hydro-Met' research stations in the UK. These sites are occupied by a range of precipitation gauges, scrutinised in the CFD analysis, which have different shapes and are mounted at varying heights. The wind-induced undercatch present within a number of large UK storms, which is not captured by operational gauge networks in the UK, is quantified and presented in this study. The combination of results from CFD modelling and the field studies show that gauge shape and mounting height significantly affect the extent of the `undercatching'. `Aerodynamic' gauges following a `champagne flute' or a `funnel' profile were demonstrated by both to have significant advantages over conventional gauge

A Physically Based Algorithm for Non-Blackbody Correction of Cloud-Top Temperature and Application to Convection Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Chunpeng; Lou, Zhengzhao Johnny; Chen, Xiuhong; Zeng, Xiping; Tao, Wei-Kuo; Huang, Xianglei

2014-01-01

Cloud-top temperature (CTT) is an important parameter for convective clouds and is usually different from the 11-micrometers brightness temperature due to non-blackbody effects. This paper presents an algorithm for estimating convective CTT by using simultaneous passive [Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)] and active [CloudSat 1 Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO)] measurements of clouds to correct for the non-blackbody effect. To do this, a weighting function of the MODIS 11-micrometers band is explicitly calculated by feeding cloud hydrometer profiles from CloudSat and CALIPSO retrievals and temperature and humidity profiles based on ECMWF analyses into a radiation transfer model.Among 16 837 tropical deep convective clouds observed by CloudSat in 2008, the averaged effective emission level (EEL) of the 11-mm channel is located at optical depth; approximately 0.72, with a standard deviation of 0.3. The distance between the EEL and cloud-top height determined by CloudSat is shown to be related to a parameter called cloud-top fuzziness (CTF), defined as the vertical separation between 230 and 10 dBZ of CloudSat radar reflectivity. On the basis of these findings a relationship is then developed between the CTF and the difference between MODIS 11-micrometers brightness temperature and physical CTT, the latter being the non-blackbody correction of CTT. Correction of the non-blackbody effect of CTT is applied to analyze convective cloud-top buoyancy. With this correction, about 70% of the convective cores observed by CloudSat in the height range of 6-10 km have positive buoyancy near cloud top, meaning clouds are still growing vertically, although their final fate cannot be determined by snapshot observations.

Rip current monitoring using GPS buoy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, DongSeob; Kim, InHo; Kang, DongSoo

2014-05-01

The occurrence of rip current in the Haeundae beach, which is one of the most famous beaches in South Korea, has been threatening beach-goers security in summer season annually. Many coastal scientists have been investigating rip currents by using field observations and measurements, laboratory measurements and wave tank experiments, and computer and numerical modeling. Rip current velocity is intermittent and may rapidly increase within minutes due to larger incoming wave groups or nearshore circulation instabilities. It is important to understand that changes in rip current velocity occur in response to changes in incoming wave height and period as well as changes in water level. GPS buoys have been used to acquire sea level change data, atmospheric parameters and other oceanic variables in sea for the purposes of vertical datum determination, tide correction, radar altimeter calibration, ocean environment and marine pollution monitoring. Therefore, we adopted GPS buoy system for an experiment which is to investigate rip current velocity; it is sporadic and may quickly upsurge within minutes due to larger arriving wave groups or nearshore flow uncertainties. In this study, for high accurate positioning of buy equipment, a Satellite Based Argumentation System DGPS data logger was deployed to investigate within floating object, and it can be acquired three-dimensional coordinate or geodetic position of buoy with continuous NMEA-0183 protocol during 24 hours. The wave height measured by in-situ hydrometer in a cross-shore array clearly increased before and after occurrence of rip current, and wave period also was lengthened around an event. These results show that wave height and period correlate reasonably well with long-shore current interaction in the Haeundae beach. Additionally, current meter data and GPS buoy data showed that rip current velocities, about 0.2 m/s, may become dangerously strong under specific conditions. Acknowledgement This research was

Inner Core Structure of Hurricane Alicia from Airborne Doppler Radar Observations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, Frank D., Jr.; Houze, Robert A., Jr.

1987-05-01

Airborne Doppler radar measurements are used to determine the horizontal winds, vertical air motions, radar reflectivity and hydrometer fallspeeds over much of the inner-core region (within 40 km of the eye) of Hurricane Alicia (1983). The reconstructed flow field is more complete and detailed than any obtained previously. The data show both the primary (azimuthal) and secondary (radial-height) circulations. The primary circulation was characterized by an outward sloping maximum of tangential wind. The secondary circulation was characterized by a deep layer of radial inflow in the lower troposphere and a layer of intense outflow above 10 km altitude. The rising branch of the secondary circulation was located in the eyewall and sloped radially outward. Discrete convective-scale bubbles of more intense upward motion were superimposed on this mean rising current, and convective-scale downdrafts were located throughout and below the core of maximum precipitation in the eyewall.Precipitation particles in the eyewall rainshaft circulated 18-20 km downwind as they fell, consistent with the typical upwind slope with increasing altitude of eyewall precipitation cores Outside the eyewall, the precipitation was predominantly stratiform. A radar bright band was evident at the melting level. Above the melting level, ice particles were advected into the stratiform region from the upper levels of the eyewall and drifted downward through a mesoscale region of ascent. Hypothetical precipitation particle trajectories showed that as these particles fell slowly through the mesoscale updraft toward the melting level, they were carried azimuthally as many as 1 1/2 times around the storm. During this spiraling descent, the particles evidently grew vigorously. The amount of water condensed by the ambient mesoscale ascent exceeded that transported into the stratiform region by the eyewall outflow by a factor of 3. As the particles fell into the lower troposphere, they entered a mesoscale

Evaluating The Indirect Effect of Cirrus Clouds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dobbie, S.; Jonas, P. R.

What effect would an increase in nucleating aerosols have on the radiative and cloud properties? What error would be incurred by evaluating the indirect effect by taking an evolved cloud and fixing the integrated water content and vary the number of ice crystals? These questions will be addressed in this work. We will use the UK LES cloud resolving model to perform a sensitivity study for cirrus clouds to the indirect effect, and will evaluate approximate methods in the process. In this work, we will initialize the base (no increase of aerosol) cirrus clouds so that the double moment scheme is constrained to agree with observations through the ef- fective radius. Effective radius is calculated using the local concentration and the ice water content. We then perform a sensitivity experiment to investigate the dependence of the average IWC, effective size, and radiative properties (including heating rates) to variations in the nucleation rate. Conclusions will be draw as to the possible ef- fect of changes in aerosol amounts on cirrus. We will determine how sensitive the cloud and radiative properties are to various aerosol increases. We will also discuss the applicability of the Meyer et al. (1992) nucleation formulae for our simulations. It is important to stress that in this work we only change the nucleation rate for the newly forming cloud. By doing this, we are not fixing the total water content and redistributing the water amongst increased ice crystals. We increase the number of aerosols available to be nucleated and allow the model to evolve the size distributions. In this way, there is competition for the water vapour, the ice particles are evolved dynamically with different fall speeds, the conversion rates to other hydrometers (such as aggregates) are affected, and the heating rates are different due to the different size distributions that evolve. We will look at how the water content, the distribution of water, and the radiative properties are affected

Improving and Understanding Climate Models: Scale-Aware Parameterization of Cloud Water Inhomogeneity and Sensitivity of MJO Simulation to Physical Parameters in a Convection Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Xin

Microphysics and convection parameterizations are two key components in a climate model to simulate realistic climatology and variability of cloud distribution and the cycles of energy and water. When a model has varying grid size or simulations have to be run with different resolutions, scale-aware parameterization is desirable so that we do not have to tune model parameters tailored to a particular grid size. The subgrid variability of cloud hydrometers is known to impact microphysics processes in climate models and is found to highly depend on spatial scale. A scale- aware liquid cloud subgrid variability parameterization is derived and implemented in the Community Earth System Model (CESM) in this study using long-term radar-based ground measurements from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. When used in the default CESM1 with the finite-volume dynamic core where a constant liquid inhomogeneity parameter was assumed, the newly developed parameterization reduces the cloud inhomogeneity in high latitudes and increases it in low latitudes. This is due to both the smaller grid size in high latitudes, and larger grid size in low latitudes in the longitude-latitude grid setting of CESM as well as the variation of the stability of the atmosphere. The single column model and general circulation model (GCM) sensitivity experiments show that the new parameterization increases the cloud liquid water path in polar regions and decreases it in low latitudes. Current CESM1 simulation suffers from the bias of both the pacific double ITCZ precipitation and weak Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO). Previous studies show that convective parameterization with multiple plumes may have the capability to alleviate such biases in a more uniform and physical way. A multiple-plume mass flux convective parameterization is used in Community Atmospheric Model (CAM) to investigate the sensitivity of MJO simulations. We show that MJO simulation is sensitive to entrainment rate

Assessing the Relative Mobility of Submarine Landslides from Deposit Morphology and Physical Properties: an Example from Nankai Trough, Offshore Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawyer, D.; Moore, Z. T.

2014-12-01

A prominent landslide deposit in the Slope Basin seaward of the Megasplay Fault in the Nankai Trough was emplaced by a high-mobility landslide based on analysis of physical properties and seismic geomorphology. Slide acceleration is a critical variable that determines amplitude of slide-generated tsunami but is many times a variable with large uncertainty. In controlled laboratory experiments, the ratio of the shear stress to yield strength, defined as the Flow Factor, controls a wide spectrum of mass movement styles from slow, retrogressive failure to rapid, liquefied flows. We apply the laboratory Flow Factor approach to a natural landslide in the Nankai Trough by constraining pre-failure particle size analysis and porosity. Several mass transport deposits (MTDs), were drilled and cored at Site C0021 in the Nankai Trough during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 338. The largest, MTD-6, occurs at 133-176 meters below seafloor and occurred approximately 0.87 Mya. Slide volume is 2 km3, transport distance is 5 km, and average deposit thickness is 50 m (maximum 180 m). Pre-failure water content was estimated from shallow sediments at Site C0018 (porosity = 72%). The average grain size distribution is 39% clay-sized, 58% silt-sized, and 3% sand-size particles as determined by hydrometer analyses of the MTD. Together, the porosity and clay fraction predict a Flow Factor of approximately 4, which corresponds to a relatively high mobility slide. We interpret this result to indicate the landslide that created MTD-6 was a single event that transported the slide mass relatively rapidly as opposed to a slow, episodic landslide event. This is supported by the observation of a completely evacuated source area with no remnant blocks or retrogressive headscarp and the internally chaotic seismic facies with large entrained blocks. Future works will focus on the tsunamigenic potential of this high mobility slide. This approach can be extended to other field

Adaptability of laser diffraction measurement technique in soil physics methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barna, Gyöngyi; Szabó, József; Rajkai, Kálmán; Bakacsi, Zsófia; Koós, Sándor; László, Péter; Hauk, Gabriella; Makó, András

2016-04-01

There are intentions all around the world to harmonize soils' particle size distribution (PSD) data by the laser diffractometer measurements (LDM) to that of the sedimentation techniques (pipette or hydrometer methods). Unfortunately, up to the applied methodology (e. g. type of pre-treatments, kind of dispersant etc.), PSDs of the sedimentation methods (due to different standards) are dissimilar and could be hardly harmonized with each other, as well. A need was arisen therefore to build up a database, containing PSD values measured by the pipette method according to the Hungarian standard (MSZ-08. 0205: 1978) and the LDM according to a widespread and widely used procedure. In our current publication the first results of statistical analysis of the new and growing PSD database are presented: 204 soil samples measured with pipette method and LDM (Malvern Mastersizer 2000, HydroG dispersion unit) were compared. Applying usual size limits at the LDM, clay fraction was highly under- and silt fraction was overestimated compared to the pipette method. Subsequently soil texture classes determined from the LDM measurements significantly differ from results of the pipette method. According to previous surveys and relating to each other the two dataset to optimizing, the clay/silt boundary at LDM was changed. Comparing the results of PSDs by pipette method to that of the LDM, in case of clay and silt fractions the modified size limits gave higher similarities. Extension of upper size limit of clay fraction from 0.002 to 0.0066 mm, and so change the lower size limit of silt fractions causes more easy comparability of pipette method and LDM. Higher correlations were found between clay content and water vapor adsorption, specific surface area in case of modified limit, as well. Texture classes were also found less dissimilar. The difference between the results of the two kind of PSD measurement methods could be further reduced knowing other routinely analyzed soil parameters

Hindrance Velocity Model for Phase Segregation in Suspensions of Poly-dispersed Randomly Oriented Spheroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faroughi, S. A.; Huber, C.

2015-12-01

Crystal settling and bubbles migration in magmas have significant effects on the physical and chemical evolution of magmas. The rate of phase segregation is controlled by the force balance that governs the migration of particles suspended in the melt. The relative velocity of a single particle or bubble in a quiescent infinite fluid (melt) is well characterized; however, the interplay between particles or bubbles in suspensions and emulsions and its effect on their settling/rising velocity remains poorly quantified. We propose a theoretical model for the hindered velocity of non-Brownian emulsions of nondeformable droplets, and suspensions of spherical solid particles in the creeping flow regime. The model is based on three sets of hydrodynamic corrections: two on the drag coefficient experienced by each particle to account for both return flow and Smoluchowski effects and a correction on the mixture rheology to account for nonlocal interactions between particles. The model is then extended for mono-disperse non-spherical solid particles that are randomly oriented. The non-spherical particles are idealized as spheroids and characterized by their aspect ratio. The poly-disperse nature of natural suspensions is then taken into consideration by introducing an effective volume fraction of particles for each class of mono-disperse particles sizes. Our model is tested against new and published experimental data over a wide range of particle volume fraction and viscosity ratios between the constituents of dispersions. We find an excellent agreement between our model and experiments. We also show two significant applications for our model: (1) We demonstrate that hindered settling can increase mineral residence time by up to an order of magnitude in convecting magma chambers. (2) We provide a model to correct for particle interactions in the conventional hydrometer test to estimate the particle size distribution in soils. Our model offers a greatly improved agreement with

Soil Inorganic Carbon Formation: Can Parent Material Overcome Climate?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanbery, C.; Will, R. M.; Seyfried, M. S.; Benner, S. G.; Flores, A. N.; Guilinger, J.; Lohse, K. A.; Good, A.; Black, C.; Pierce, J. L.

2014-12-01

Soil carbon is the third largest carbon reservoir and is composed of both organic and inorganic constituents. However, the storage and flux of soil carbon within the global carbon cycle are not fully understood. While organic carbon is often the focus of research, the factors controlling the formation and dissolution of soil inorganic carbon (SIC) are complex. Climate is largely accepted as the primary control on SIC, but the effects of soil parent material are less clear. We hypothesize that effects of parent material are significant and that SIC accumulation will be greater in soils formed from basalts than granites due to the finer textured soils and more abundant calcium and magnesium cations. This research is being conducted in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed (RCEW) in southwestern Idaho. The watershed is an ideal location because it has a range of gradients in precipitation (250 mm to 1200 mm), ecology (sagebrush steppe to juniper), and parent materials (a wide array of igneous and sedimentary rock types) over a relatively small area. Approximately 20 soil profiles will be excavated throughout the watershed and will capture the effects of differing precipitation amounts and parent material on soil characteristics. Several samples at each site will be collected for analysis of SIC content and grain size distribution using a pressure calcimeter and hydrometers, respectively. Initial field data suggests that soils formed over basalts have a higher concentration of SIC than those on granitic material. If precipitation is the only control on SIC, we would expect to see comparable amounts in soils formed on both rock types within the same precipitation zone. However, field observations suggest that for all but the driest sites, soils formed over granite had no SIC detected while basalt soils with comparable precipitation had measurable amounts of SIC. Grain size distribution appears to be a large control on SIC as the sandier, granitic soils promote

Synergies Between Grace and Regional Atmospheric Modeling Efforts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusche, J.; Springer, A.; Ohlwein, C.; Hartung, K.; Longuevergne, L.; Kollet, S. J.; Keune, J.; Dobslaw, H.; Forootan, E.; Eicker, A.

2014-12-01

In the meteorological community, efforts converge towards implementation of high-resolution (< 12km) data-assimilating regional climate modelling/monitoring systems based on numerical weather prediction (NWP) cores. This is driven by requirements of improving process understanding, better representation of land surface interactions, atmospheric convection, orographic effects, and better forecasting on shorter timescales. This is relevant for the GRACE community since (1) these models may provide improved atmospheric mass separation / de-aliasing and smaller topography-induced errors, compared to global (ECMWF-Op, ERA-Interim) data, (2) they inherit high temporal resolution from NWP models, (3) parallel efforts towards improving the land surface component and coupling groundwater models; this may provide realistic hydrological mass estimates with sub-diurnal resolution, (4) parallel efforts towards re-analyses, with the aim of providing consistent time series. (5) On the other hand, GRACE can help validating models and aids in the identification of processes needing improvement. A coupled atmosphere - land surface - groundwater modelling system is currently being implemented for the European CORDEX region at 12.5 km resolution, based on the TerrSysMP platform (COSMO-EU NWP, CLM land surface and ParFlow groundwater models). We report results from Springer et al. (J. Hydromet., accept.) on validating the water cycle in COSMO-EU using GRACE and precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff data; confirming that the model does favorably at representing observations. We show that after GRACE-derived bias correction, basin-average hydrological conditions prior to 2002 can be reconstructed better than before. Next, comparing GRACE with CLM forced by EURO-CORDEX simulations allows identifying processes needing improvement in the model. Finally, we compare COSMO-EU atmospheric pressure, a proxy for mass corrections in satellite gravimetry, with ERA-Interim over Europe at

Assessing the viability of `over-the-loop' real-time short-to-medium range ensemble streamflow forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, A. W.; Clark, E.; Mendoza, P. A.; Nijssen, B.; Newman, A. J.; Clark, M. P.; Arnold, J.; Nowak, K. C.

2016-12-01

Hydromet Analysis, Research, and Prediction' (SHARP) to implement, assess and demonstrate real-time over-the-loop forecasts. We present early hindcast and verification results from SHARP for short to medium range streamflow forecasts in a number of US case study watersheds.

Streamflow forecasting and data assimilation: bias in precipitation, soil moisture states, and groundwater fluxes.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCreight, J. L.; Gochis, D. J.; Hoar, T.; Dugger, A. L.; Yu, W.

2014-12-01

Cajina. "Real-time variational assimilation of hydrologic and hydrometeorological data into operational hydrologic forecasting." J Hydromet (2003). Steiner, Matthias, JA Smith, SJ Burges, CV Alonso, and RW Darden. "Effect of bias adjustment and rain gauge data quality control on radar rainfall estimation." WRR (1999).

Practical implementation of a particle filter data assimilation approach to estimate initial hydrologic conditions and initialize medium-range streamflow forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Elizabeth; Wood, Andy; Nijssen, Bart; Mendoza, Pablo; Newman, Andy; Nowak, Kenneth; Arnold, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

In an automated forecast system, hydrologic data assimilation (DA) performs the valuable function of correcting raw simulated watershed model states to better represent external observations, including measurements of streamflow, snow, soil moisture, and the like. Yet the incorporation of automated DA into operational forecasting systems has been a long-standing challenge due to the complexities of the hydrologic system, which include numerous lags between state and output variations. To help demonstrate that such methods can succeed in operational automated implementations, we present results from the real-time application of an ensemble particle filter (PF) for short-range (7 day lead) ensemble flow forecasts in western US river basins. We use the System for Hydromet Applications, Research and Prediction (SHARP), developed by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in collaboration with the University of Washington, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. SHARP is a fully automated platform for short-term to seasonal hydrologic forecasting applications, incorporating uncertainty in initial hydrologic conditions (IHCs) and in hydrometeorological predictions through ensemble methods. In this implementation, IHC uncertainty is estimated by propagating an ensemble of 100 temperature and precipitation time series through conceptual and physically-oriented models. The resulting ensemble of derived IHCs exhibits a broad range of possible soil moisture and snow water equivalent (SWE) states. The PF selects and/or weights and resamples the IHCs that are most consistent with external streamflow observations, and uses the particles to initialize a streamflow forecast ensemble driven by ensemble precipitation and temperature forecasts downscaled from the Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS). We apply this method in real-time for several basins in the western US that are important for water resources management, and perform a hindcast

Relative density of urine: methods and clinical significance.

PubMed

Pradella, M; Dorizzi, R M; Rigolin, F

1988-01-01

The physical properties and chemical composition of urine are highly variable and are determined in large measure by the quantity and the type of food consumed. The specific gravity is the ratio of the density to that of water, and it is dependent on the number and weight of solute particles and on the temperature of the sample. The weight of solute particles is constituted mainly of urea (73%), chloride (5.4%), sodium (5.1%), potassium (2.4%), phosphate (2.0%), uric acid (1.7%), and sulfate (1.3%). Nevertheless, urine osmolality depends only on the number of solute particles. The renal production of maximally concentrated urine and formation of dilute urine may be reduced to two basic elements: (1) generation and maintenance of a renal medullary solute concentration hypertonic to plasma and (2) a mechanism for osmotic equilibration between the inner medulla and the collecting duct fluid. The interaction of the renal medullary countercurrent system, circulating levels of antidiuretic hormone, and thirst regulates water metabolism. Renin, aldosterone, prostaglandins, and kinins also play a role. Clinical estimation of the concentrating and diluting capacity can be performed by relatively simple provocative tests. However, urinary specific gravity after taking no fluids for 12 h overnight should be 1.025 or more, so that the second urine in the morning is a useful sample for screening purposes. Many preservation procedures affect specific gravity measurements. The concentration of solids (or water) in urine can be measured by weighing, hydrometer, refractometry, surface tension, osmolality, a reagent strip, or oscillations of a capillary tube. These measurements are interrelated, not identical. Urinary density measurement is useful to assess the disorders of water balance and to discriminate between prerenal azotemia and acute tubular necrosis. The water balance regulates the serum sodium concentration, therefore disorders are revealed by hypo- and hypernatremia. The

Results of an online questionnaire to survey calf management practices on dairy cattle breeding farms in Austria and to estimate differences in disease incidences depending on farm structure and management practices.

PubMed

Klein-Jöbstl, Daniela; Arnholdt, Tim; Sturmlechner, Franz; Iwersen, Michael; Drillich, Marc

2015-08-19

Calf disease may result in great economic losses. To implement prevention strategies it is important to gain information on management and to point out risk factors. The objective of this internet based survey was to describe calf management practices on registered dairy breeding farms in Austria and to estimate differences in calf disease incidences depending on farm structure and management practices. A total of 1287 questionnaires were finally analysed (response rate 12.2 %). Herd characteristics and regional distribution of farms indicated that this survey gives a good overview on calf management practices on registered dairy farms in Austria. The median number of cows per farm was 20 (interquartile range 13-30). Significant differences regarding farm characteristics and calf management between small and large farms (≤20 vs >20 cows) were present. Only 2.8 % of farmers tested first colostrum quality by use of a hydrometer. Storing frozen colostrum was more prevalent on large farms (80.8 vs 64.2 %). On 85.1 % of the farms, whole milk, including waste milk, was fed to the calves. Milk replacer and waste milk were more often used on large farms. In accordance with similar studies from other countries, calf diarrhoea was indicated as the most prevalent disease. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that herd size was associated with calf diarrhoea and calf respiratory tract disease, with higher risk of disease on large farms. Furthermore, feeding waste milk to the calves was associated with increasing calf diarrhoea incidence on farm. In the final model with calf respiratory tract disease as outcome, respondents from organic farms reported less often a respiratory tract disease incidence of over 10 % compared with conventional farms [odds ratio (OR) 0.40, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.21-0.75] and farmers that housed calves individually or in groups after birth significantly reported more often to have an incidence of respiratory tract

Bimodal Distributions of Ozone in Relation to Water Vapor, Cloud Hydrometeors, and Other Chemical Tracers Over the Tropical Western Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinmann, K. M.; Diao, M.

2017-12-01

The main objective of this work is to use the in-situ observations from the 2014 NSF Convective Transport of Active Species in the Tropics (CONTRAST) campaign to analyze the relationships among the distributions of ozone, water vapor, relative humidity, cloud hydrometers, and other chemical tracers in the Tropical Western Pacific. Previous analysis by Pan et al.(2015) observed a bimodal distribution of ozone: The first mode was observed around 20 ppbv and the second mode was observed around 60 ppbv. When RH was restricted to between 45% and 100%, the second mode was no longer observed, leaving only the first mode. Based on those results, this study looks at the distributions of different chemical tracers, RH, and water vapor. Preliminary analysis shows an increased concentration of ozone around a pressure of 150 hPa for "clear-sky" conditions, while the ozone concentration at the same pressure level for "in-cloud" conditions was around 40 ppbv lower. The differences between "clear-sky" and "in-cloud" average ozone concentrations become much smaller when restricting the analyzing RH to above 45%, indicating that ozone distributions have a stronger relationship with the magnitudes of RH than with the existence of clouds. The contrast between "clear-sky" and "in-cloud" conditions was not clearly observed for carbon monoxide (CO), CH3CN, or HCN. An anti-correlation is clearly observed in a ΔO3 vs. ΔLog10Q plot (where Q stands for water vapor mixing ratio), where larger ΔO3 values are observed at lower ΔLog10Q values. In addition, a weak anti-correlation is also observed in plots for ozone vs. Log10Q. When analyzing CO concentrations, only a weak anti-correlation is observed in a CO vs. Log10Q, while no strong correlation was observed in ΔCO vs. ΔLog10Q. For two biomass burning tracers, CH3CN and HCN, a positive correlation is observed between CH3CN and Log10Q, but an anti-correlation is observed between HCN and Log10Q. Analysis of vertical velocity, updraft

Evaluation of simulated tropical convective updraft hydrometeor properties using aircraft observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanford, McKenna W.

The High Altitude Ice Crystals - High Ice Water Content (HAIC-HIWC) field campaign produced aircraft retrievals of total condensed water content (TWC), hydrometeor particle size distributions, and vertical velocity (w) in high ice water content regions of tropical mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). These observations are used to evaluate deep convective updraft properties in high-resolution nested Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) simulations of observed MCSs. Because simulated hydrometeor properties are highly sensitive to the parameterization of microphysics, three commonly used microphysical parameterizations are tested, including two bulk schemes (Thompson and Morrison) and one bin scheme (Fast Spectral Bin Microphysics). A commonly documented bias in cloud-resolving simulations is the exaggeration of simulated radar reflectivities aloft in tropical MCSs. This may result from overly strong convective updrafts that loft excessive condensate mass and from simplified approximations of hydrometeor size distributions, properties, species separation, and microphysical processes. The degree to which the reflectivity bias is a separate function of convective dynamics, condensate mass, and hydrometeor size has yet to be addressed. This research untangles these components by comparing simulated and observed relationships between w, TWC, and hydrometer size as a function of temperature. All microphysics schemes produce median mass diameters that are generally larger than observed for temperatures between -10 °C and -40 °C and TWC > 1 g m-3. Observations produce a prominent mode in the composite mass size distribution around 300 microm, but under most conditions, all schemes shift the distribution mode to larger sizes. Despite a much greater number of samples, all simulations fail to reproduce observed high TWC or high w conditions between -20 °C and -40 °C in which only a small fraction of condensate mass is found in relatively large particle sizes. Increasing

Investigating the Influence of Clay Mineralogy on Stream Bank Erodibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambers, R. K.; Stine, M. B.

2005-12-01

Soil scientists concerned with erosion of agricultural fields and geotechnical engineers concerned with the mechanical behavior of soils under different conditions have both examined the role of clay mineralogy in controlling soil/sediment properties. Fluvial geomorphologists studying stream channel erosion and stability have focused more on the effects of particle-size distribution, vegetation and rooting. The clay mineralogy of bed and bank sediment has the potential to influence cohesiveness and erodibility, however. The goal of this study is to determine the influence of clay mineralogy on the erodibility of natural stream bank sediment, utilizing techniques drawn from pedology and soil mechanics. Bank samples were collected from eleven sites in small watersheds in central and western Virginia. To obtain sediment containing a range of different clay minerals, watersheds with different types of bedrock were chosen for sampling. Rock types included mafic to felsic metamorphic and igneous rocks, shale, sandstone, and limestone. Where stream bank materials were clearly stratified, different layers were sampled separately. X-ray diffraction of the clay-fraction of the sediment indicates the presence of kaolinite, illite, vermiculite, and mixed-layer clay minerals in various abundances in the different samples. Clay content is 9-46%, as determined by the hydrometer method, and textures range from silty clay and silt loam to clay loam and sandy loam. Organic mater contents range from 1-5% by the loss-on-ignition method. Bulk density of intact sediment samples averages 1.5 g/cc. Liquid limits range from 23-41 with one sample having a value of 65; plasticity indices range from 15-22. While these tests predict that the samples would show a range of mechanical behaviors, the channel morphology at the sampling sites was not strikingly different, all having steep cut banks eroded primarily by scour with no evidence of mass movement and most having a width/depth ratio around

BOOK REVIEW: Practical Density Measurement and Hydrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, S. V.

2003-01-01

Density determinations are very important not only for science and production but also in everyday life, since very often a product is sold by mass but the content of the package is measured by volume (or vice versa) so that the density is needed to convert the values. In production processes the density serves as a measure of mixing ratios and other properties. In science, the determination of Avogadro's constant using silicon single crystals and the potential replacement of the kilogram prototype boost density determination to an extremely low relative uncertainty of 10-7 or less. The book by S V Gupta explains in detail the foundations of any density measurement, namely the volume determination of solid artefacts in terms of the SI base unit of length and the density of water and mercury. Both the history and the actual state of science are reported. For practical density measurements, these chapters contain very useful formulae and tables. Water is treated in detail since it is most widely used as a standard not only for density determination but also to gravimetrically calibrate the capacity of volumetric glassware. Two thirds of the book are devoted to the practical density measurement of solids and liquids, mainly using classical instruments like pycnometers and hydrometers. Methods using free flotation of samples in a liquid without suspension are especially useful for small samples. Also, density determinations of powders and granular or porous samples are explained. Unfortunately, modern density meters of the oscillation type are dealt with in only a few pages. The book is clearly written and easy to understand. It contains a lot of evaluations of formulae that for practical measurements are represented in detailed tables. Methods and measurement procedures are described in detail, including also the calculation of uncertainty. Listings of the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are very helpful. S V Gupta has written a book that will be

Composition of Unrecorded Distilled Alcohol (bai jiu) Produced in Small Rural Factories in Central China.

PubMed

Newman, Ian; Qian, Ling; Tamrakar, Niran; Feng, Yonghua; Xu, Ganrong

2017-01-01

Unrecorded traditional distilled spirits (bai jiu, ) are made and used throughout rural China for everyday use and special occasions. Nearly every town or village has a distiller to supply the demand. In rural China, distilling bai jiu is legal and regulated lightly or not at all. The World Health Organization estimates that as much as 25% of all alcohol consumed in China is unrecorded alcohol, of which an unknown portion is unrecorded bai jiu. Little is known about the composition of unrecorded Chinese spirits from rural parts of the country. This study focused on white spirits because the high ethanol (EtOH) concentration makes them more likely to contribute to health risks compared to other types of lower alcohol by volume (ABV) Chinese unrecorded alcohol. Researchers purchased samples of Chinese white spirits from small-factory distillers in central China. An independent laboratory conducted the analysis. Alcohol strength (ABV) was determined by hydrometer. Gas chromatography was used to determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds: EtOH, methanol, acetaldehyde, ethyl acetate, and higher alcohols. Samples were tested for 3 heavy metals-arsenic, cadmium, and lead. We used the guidelines developed by the Alcohol Measures for Public Health Research Alliance (AMPHORA) of the European Commission to assess risk. ABV ranged from 35.7 to 61.4%, and 58 of the 61 samples exceeded 40% ABV. The concentration of methanol, ethyl acetate, lead, arsenic, and cadmium was below AMPHORA guideline. The sum of higher alcohols exceeded the AMPHORA maximum in just 1 sample. Forty of the 61 samples had acetaldehyde levels beyond the AMPHORA guideline. The unrecorded Chinese alcohols we analyzed had a high EtOH concentration-a public health concern that is also presented by recorded alcohols. The high percentage of samples (65.5%) that had elevated acetaldehyde suggests the need to investigate the causes for this result and the need for steps to reduce acetaldehyde levels

Biophysical Controls over Carbon and Nitrogen Stocks in Desert Playa Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, O. P.; Sala, O. E.

2014-12-01

Playas are ephemeral desert wetlands situated at the bottom of closed catchments. Desert playas in the Southwestern US have not been intensively studied despite their potential importance for the functioning of desert ecosystems. We want to know which geomorphic and ecological variables control of the stock size of soil organic carbon, and soil total nitrogen in playas. We hypothesize that the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen stocks depends on: (a) catchment size, (b) catchment slope, (d) catchment vegetation cover, (e) bare-ground patch size, and (f) catchment soil texture. We chose thirty playas from across the Jornada Basin (Las Cruces, NM) ranging from 0.5-60ha in area and with varying catchment characteristics. We used the available 5m digital elevation map (DEM) to calculate the catchment size and catchment slope for these thirty playas. We measured percent cover, and patch size using the point-intercept method with three 10m transects in each catchment. We used the Bouyoucos-hydrometer soil particle analysis to determine catchment soil texture. Stocks of organic carbon and nitrogen were measured from soil samples at four depths (0-10 cm, 10-30 cm, 30-60 cm, 60-100 cm) using C/N combustion analysis. In terms of nitrogen and organic carbon storage, we found soil nitrogen values in the top 10cm ranging from 41.963-214.365 gN/m2, and soil organic carbon values in the top 10cm ranging from 594.339-2375.326 gC/m2. The results of a multiple regression analysis show a positive relationship between catchment slope and both organic carbon and nitrogen stock size (nitrogen: y= 56.801 +47.053, R2=0.621; organic carbon: y= 683.200 + 499.290x, R2= 0.536). These data support our hypothesis that catchment slope is one of factors controlling carbon and nitrogen stock in desert playas. We also applied our model to the 69 other playas of the Jornada Basin and estimated stock sizes (0-10cm) between 415.07-447.97 Mg for total soil nitrogen and 4627.99-5043.51 Mg for soil organic

Analysis of Fluvial Bed Sediments Along the Apalachicola River, Florida through Field Reconnaissance Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passeri, D.; Hagen, S. C.; Daranpob, A.; Smar, D. E.

2011-12-01

River competence is an important parameter in understanding sediment transport in fluvial systems. Competence is defined as the measure of a stream's ability to transport a certain maximum grain size of sediment. Studies have shown that bed sediment particle size in rivers and streams tends to vary spatially along the direction of stream flow. Over a river section several reaches long, variability of sediment particle sizes can be seen, often becoming finer downstream. This phenomenon is attributed to mechanisms such as local control of stream gradient, coarse tributary sediment supply or particle breakdown. Average particle size may also be smaller in tributary sections of rivers due to river morphology. The relationship between river mean velocity and particle size that can be transported has also been explored. The Hjulstrom curve classifies this relationship by relating particle size to velocity, dividing the regions of sedimentation, transportation, and erosion. The curve can also be used to find values such as the critical erosion velocity (the velocity required to transport particles of various sizes in suspension) and settling velocity (the velocity at which particles of a given size become too heavy to be transported and fall out of suspension, consequently causing deposition). The purpose of this research is to explore the principles of river competence through field reconnaissance collection and laboratory analysis of fluvial sediment core samples along the Apalachicola River, FL and its distributaries. Sediment core samples were collected in the wetlands and estuarine regions of the Apalachicola River. Sieve and hydrometer analyses were performed to determine the spatial distribution of particle sizes along the river. An existing high resolution hydrodynamic model of the study domain was used to simulate tides and generate river velocities. The Hjulstrom curve and the generated river velocities were used to define whether sediment was being transported

Climate related natural hazards management in the vulnerable regions of Uzbekistan - experiences in the frame of projects Climate Risk Management in Uzbekistan (CRM-Uz) and Water in Central Asia (CAWa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merkushkin, Alexander; Gafurov, Abror; Agaltseva, Natalya; Pak, Alexander; Mannig, Birgit; Paeth, Heiko; Vorogushyn, Sergiy; Unger-Shayesteh, Katy

2014-05-01

the Drought Monitoring Centre at UzHydromet. The upgrade of the DEWS withMODSNOW strengthens DEWS's capacity in terms of improvement the hydrological forecasting. Moreover, based on climate scenarios provided within the CAWa project by the University of Würzburg, the regional hydrological model AISHF was used to asses medium and long term water availability in the Kashkadarya River which indicates a reduction of water resources in the selected basin in the future.

Observations to support adaptation: Principles, scales and decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pulwarty, R. S.

2012-12-01

including overcoming unrealistically precise information demands. While monitoring systems design and operation should be guided by the standards and requirements of management, those who provide information to the system (e.g. hydromet services) should also derive benefits. Drawing on identified information needs to support climate risk management (in drought, water resources and other areas) we outline principles of effective monitoring and develop preliminary strategic guidance for information systems being developed through the GEO, GCOS and Global and national frameworks for climate services. The efficacy of such services are improved by a problem-solving orientation, participatory planning, extension management and improvements in the use and value of existing data to legitimize new investments.

Towards The Operational Oceanographic Model System In Estonian Coastal Sea, Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kõuts, T.; Elken, J.; Raudsepp, U.

An integrated system of nested 2D and 3D hydrodynamic models together with real time forcing data asquisition is designed and set up in pre-operational mode in the Gulf of Finland and Gulf of Riga, the Baltic Sea. Along the Estonian coast, implicit time-stepping 3D models are used in the deep bays and 2D models in the shallow bays with ca 200 m horizontal grid step. Specific model setups have been verified by in situ current measurements. Optimum configuration of initial parameters has been found for certain critical locations, usually ports, oil terminals, etc. Operational system in- tegrates also section of historical database of most important hydrologic parameters in the region, allowing use of certain statistical analysis and proper setup of initial conditions for oceanographic models. There is large variety of applications for such model system, ranging from environmental impact assessment at local coastal sea pol- lution problems to forecast of offshore blue algal blooms. Most probable risk factor in the coastal sea engineering is oil pollution, therefore current operational model sys- tem has direct custom oriented output the oil spill forecast for critical locations. Oil spill module of the operational system consist the automatic weather and hydromet- ric station (distributed in real time to internet) and prognostic model of sea surface currents. System is run using last 48 hour wind data and wind forecast and estimates probable oil deposition areas on the shoreline under certain weather conditions. Cal- culated evolution of oil pollution has been compared with some real accidents in the past and there was found good agreement between model and measurements. Graphi- cal user interface of oil spill model is currently installed at location of port authorities (eg. Muuga port), so in case of accidents it could be used in real time supporting the rescue operations. In 2000 current pre-operational oceanographic model system has been sucessfully used to

A granulometry and secondary mineral fingerprint of chemical weathering in periglacial landscapes and its application to blockfield origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodfellow, Bradley W.

2012-12-01

A review of published literature was undertaken to determine if there was a fingerprint of chemical weathering in regoliths subjected to periglacial conditions during their formation. If present, this fingerprint would be applied to the question of when blockfields in periglacial landscapes were initiated. These blocky diamicts are usually considered to represent remnants of regoliths that were chemically weathered under a warm, Neogene climate and therefore indicate surfaces that have undergone only a few metres to a few 10s of metres of erosion during the Quaternary. Based on a comparison of clay and silt abundances and secondary mineral assemblages from blockfields, other regoliths in periglacial settings, and regoliths from non-periglacial settings, a fingerprint of chemical weathering in periglacial landscapes was identified. A mobile regolith origin under, at least seasonal, periglacial conditions is indicated where clay(%) ≤ 0.5*silt(%) + 8 across a sample batch. This contrasts with a mobile regolith origin under non-periglacial conditions, which is indicated where clay(%) ≥ 0.5*silt(%) - 6 across a sample batch with clay(%) ≥ 0.5*silt(%) + 8 in at least one sample. A range of secondary minerals, which frequently includes interstratified minerals and indicates high local variability in leaching conditions, is also commonly present in regoliths exposed to periglacial conditions during their formation. Clay/silt ratios display a threshold response to temperature, related to the freezing point of water, but there is little response to precipitation or regolith residence time. Lithology controls clay and silt abundances, which increase from felsic, through intermediate, to mafic compositions, but does not control clay/silt ratios. Use of a sedigraph or Coulter Counter to determine regolith granulometry systematically indicates lower clay abundances and intra-site variability than use of a pipette or hydrometer. In contrast to clay/silt ratios, secondary

A search for model parsimony in a real time flood forecasting system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossi, G.; Balistrocchi, M.

2009-04-01

As regards the hydrological simulation of flood events, a physically based distributed approach is the most appealing one, especially in those areas where the spatial variability of the soil hydraulic properties as well as of the meteorological forcing cannot be left apart, such as in mountainous regions. On the other hand, dealing with real time flood forecasting systems, less detailed models requiring a minor number of parameters may be more convenient, reducing both the computational costs and the calibration uncertainty. In fact in this case a precise quantification of the entire hydrograph pattern is not necessary, while the expected output of a real time flood forecasting system is just an estimate of the peak discharge, the time to peak and in some cases the flood volume. In this perspective a parsimonious model has to be found in order to increase the efficiency of the system. A suitable case study was identified in the northern Apennines: the Taro river is a right tributary to the Po river and drains about 2000 km2 of mountains, hills and floodplain, equally distributed . The hydrometeorological monitoring of this medium sized watershed is managed by ARPA Emilia Romagna through a dense network of uptodate gauges (about 30 rain gauges and 10 hydrometers). Detailed maps of the surface elevation, land use and soil texture characteristics are also available. Five flood events were recorded by the new monitoring network in the years 2003-2007: during these events the peak discharge was higher than 1000 m3/s, which is actually quite a high value when compared to the mean discharge rate of about 30 m3/s. The rainfall spatial patterns of such storms were analyzed in previous works by means of geostatistical tools and a typical semivariogram was defined, with the aim of establishing a typical storm structure leading to flood events in the Taro river. The available information was implemented into a distributed flood event model with a spatial resolution of 90m

Principles and practical implementation for high resolution multi-sensor QPE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, C. V.; Lim, S.; Cifelli, R.

2011-12-01

The multi-sensor Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (MPE) is a principle and a practical concept and is becoming a well-known term in the scientific circles of hydrology and atmospheric science. The main challenge in QPE is that precipitation is a highly variable quantity with extensive spatial and temporal variability at multiple scales. There are MPE products produced from satellites, radars, models and ground sensors. There are MPE products at global scale (Heinemann et al. 2002), continental scale (Seo et al. 2010; Zhang et al. 2011) and regional scale (Kitzmiller et al. 2011). Lots of the MPE products are used to alleviate the problems of one type of sensor by another. Some multi-sensor products are used to move across scales. This paper looks at a comprehensive view of the "concept of multi sensor precipitation estimate", from different perspectives. This paper delineates the MPE problem into three categories namely, a) Scale based MPE, b) MPE for accuracy enhancement and coverage and c) Integrative across scales. For example, by introducing dual polarization radar data to the MPE system, QPE can be improved significantly. In last decade, dual polarization radars are becoming an important tool for QPE in operational networks. Dual polarization radars offer an advantage to interpret more accurate physical models by providing information of the size, shape, phase and orientation of hydrometers (Bringi and Chandrasekar 2001). In addition, these systems have the ability to provide measurements that are immune to absolute radar calibration and partial beam blockage as well as help in data quality enhancement. By integrating these characteristics of dual polarization radar, QPE performance can be improved in comparison of single polarization radar based QPE (Cifelli and Chandrasekar 2010). Dual-polarization techniques have been applied to S and C band radar systems for several decades and higher frequency system such as X band are now widely available to the

Topographic Controls on Spatial Patterns of Soil Texture and Moisture in a Semi-arid Montane Catchment with Aspect-Dependent Vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehman, B. M.; Niemann, J. D.

2008-12-01

Soil moisture exerts significant control over the partitioning of latent and sensible energy fluxes, the magnitude of both vertical and lateral water fluxes, the physiological and water-use characteristics of vegetation, and nutrient cycling. Considerable progress has been made in determining how soil characteristics, topography, and vegetation influence spatial patterns of soil moisture in humid environments at the catchment, hillslope, and plant scales. However, understanding of the controls on soil moisture patterns beyond the plant scale in semi-arid environments remains more limited. This study examines the relationships between the spatial patterns of near surface soil moisture (upper 5 cm), terrain indices, and soil properties in a small, semi-arid, montane catchment. The 8 ha catchment, located in the Cache La Poudre River Canyon in north-central Colorado, has a total relief of 115 m and an average elevation of 2193 m. It is characterized by steep slopes and shallow, gravelly/sandy soils with scattered granite outcroppings. Depth to bedrock ranges from 0 m to greater than 1 m. Vegetation in the catchment is highly correlated with topographic aspect. In particular, north-facing hillslopes are predominately vegetated by ponderosa pines, while south-facing slopes are mostly vegetated by several shrub species. Soil samples were collected at a 30 m resolution to characterize soil texture and bulk density, and several datasets consisting of more than 300 point measurements of soil moisture were collected using time domain reflectometry (TDR) between Fall 2007 and Summer 2008 at a 15 m resolution. Results from soil textural analysis performed with sieving and the ASTM standard hydrometer method show that soil texture is finer on the north-facing hillslope than on the south-facing hillslope. Cos(aspect) is the best univariate predictor of silts, while slope is the best predictor of coarser fractions up to fine gravel. Bulk density increases with depth but shows no

Deep convection in the tropical area: Hector a case study using TRMM data and high resolution model simulation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentile, Sabrina; Ferretti, Rossella; Silvio Marzano, Frank

2010-05-01

The tropics are one of the most important regions for the exchange and transport of water vapor and chemical species from the upper troposphere to the lower stratosphere; changes in emissions of chemicals at the ground or how quickly they are carried aloft could cause the chemistry of the stratosphere to change and as a consequence the net radiative balance. The tropical storms are one of the main devices for this type of interaction. In Australia, the tropical thunderstorms have different possible sources; in particular the development of equatorial events is related to convergence zones typical of the ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone). One of the deepest convective systems of the globe is the tropical thunderstorm Hector that develops almost daily in the Tiwi Islands, near Darwin city (tropical northern Australia), during the pre-monsoon period and break monsoon. The thunderstorm Hector has been observed to reach to altitudes of 20 km and thus potentially in the lower stratosphere, so it represents one of processes for exchange between the troposphere and the stratosphere. Hector is the topics of numerous campaigns because of difficulties in its predictability: during the SCOUT-O3 project (Stratosphere-Climate Links with emphasis on the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere), a campaign was held on Tiwi Islands to the purposes of improving the understanding of the interaction between convection and the tropical tropopause layer. In the framework of this UE project a study of Hector tropical thunderstorm is performed to the aim of evaluating the vertical transport. The triggering factor together with the microphysical structure of this deep tropical cyclone has been investigated using MM5V3 and the new model WRF with data from the TRMM Precipitation Radar and from TRMM Microwave Imager. A comparison between the hydrometers retrieved by the TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) and the one detected by the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) has been carried out. The model

A real-time evaluation and demonstration of strategies for 'Over-The-Loop' ensemble streamflow forecasting in US watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, Andy; Clark, Elizabeth; Mendoza, Pablo; Nijssen, Bart; Newman, Andy; Clark, Martyn; Nowak, Kenneth; Arnold, Jeffrey

2017-04-01

Many if not most national operational streamflow prediction systems rely on a forecaster-in-the-loop approach that require the hands-on-effort of an experienced human forecaster. This approach evolved from the need to correct for long-standing deficiencies in the models and datasets used in forecasting, and the practice often leads to skillful flow predictions despite the use of relatively simple, conceptual models. Yet the 'in-the-loop' forecast process is not reproducible, which limits opportunities to assess and incorporate new techniques systematically, and the effort required to make forecasts in this way is an obstacle to expanding forecast services - e.g., though adding new forecast locations or more frequent forecast updates, running more complex models, or producing forecast and hindcasts that can support verification. In the last decade, the hydrologic forecasting community has begun develop more centralized, 'over-the-loop' systems. The quality of these new forecast products will depend on their ability to leverage research in areas including earth system modeling, parameter estimation, data assimilation, statistical post-processing, weather and climate prediction, verification, and uncertainty estimation through the use of ensembles. Currently, many national operational streamflow forecasting and water management communities have little experience with the strengths and weaknesses of over-the-loop approaches, even as such systems are beginning to be deployed operationally in centers such as ECMWF. There is thus a need both to evaluate these forecasting advances and to demonstrate their potential in a public arena, raising awareness in forecast user communities and development programs alike. To address this need, the US National Center for Atmospheric Research is collaborating with the University of Washington, the Bureau of Reclamation and the US Army Corps of Engineers, using the NCAR 'System for Hydromet Analysis Research and Prediction Applications

A UK portrait of wind-induced undercatch in rainfall measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollock, Michael; Quinn, Paul; O'Donnell, Greg; Colli, Matteo; Dutton, Mark; Black, Andrew; Wilkinson, Mark; Kilsby, Chris; Stagnaro, Mattia; Lanza, Luca; O'Connell, Enda

2017-04-01

Rainfall is vital to life; civilisation depends upon it. Changing local and regional rainfall regimes toward more intense storm events (e.g. in the UK), increases the existing challenge of accurately measuring and modelling rainfall. Data from rain gauges, often considered to provide the most accurate practicable measure of precipitation at a point in space in time, play a critical role. They are used for, inter alia, flood forecasting and flood risk management; radar calibration and numerical weather prediction models; urban planning and drainage; and water resource management and hydrological modelling. Despite the key importance of these measurements, they remain susceptible to fundamental sources of systematic error which are often not considered when rainfall data are used. Inaccuracies in measurements are compounded in modelling applications by producing potentially misleading or incorrect results; it is therefore of great importance to understand and present uncertainty in observations. Standard practice is to mount rain gauges above the ground surface. This configuration obstructs the prevailing wind which causes an acceleration of airflow above the orifice. Precipitation is deflected away from the orifice and lands 'downstream' of the area represented by the gauge measurement, reducing its collection efficiency (CE). This phenomenon is commonly referred to as 'wind-induced undercatch'. The physical shape of a gauge bears a significant impact on its CE. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations are used to investigate how different shapes of precipitation gauge are affected by the wind. CFD modelling is supported by high-resolution field measurements at several exposed 'Hydro-Met' research stations in the UK. These sites are occupied by rain gauges which are scrutinised in the CFD analyses. The reference measurements at all sites are made within a WMO reference pit, where the rain gauge is mounted with its orifice at ground level and surrounded by an

Noninvasive measuring methods for the investigation of irritant patch test reactions. A study of patients with hand eczema, atopic dermatitis and controls.

PubMed

Agner, T

1992-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the susceptibility of clinically normal skin to a standard irritant trauma under varying physiological and patophysiological conditions. Evaluation of skin responses to patch tests with sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) was used for assessment of skin susceptibility. The following noninvasive measuring methods were used for evaluation of the skin before and after exposure to irritants: measurement of transepidermal water loss by an evaporimeter, measurement of electrical conductance by a hydrometer, measurement of skin blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry, measurement of skin colour by a colorimeter and measurement of skin thickness by ultrasound A-scan. The studies were carried out on healthy volunteers and patients with eczema. In the first studies the standard irritant patch test for assessment of skin susceptibility was characterized and validated. SLS was chosen among other irritants because of its ability to penetrate and impair the skin barrier. The implications of use of different qualities of SLS was investigated. The applied noninvasive measuring methods were evaluated, and for quantification of SLS-induced skin damage measurement of TEWL was found to be the most sensitive method. Application of the standard test on clinically normal skin under varying physiological and patophysiological conditions lead to the following main results: Seasonal variation in skin susceptibility to SLS was found, with increased susceptibility in winter, when the hydration state of the stratum corneum was also found to be decreased. A variation in skin reactivity to SLS during the menstrual cycle was demonstrated, with an increased skin response at day 1 as compared to days 9-11 in the menstrual cycle. The presence of active eczema distant from the test site increased skin susceptibility to SLS, indicating a generalized hyperreactivity of the skin. Taking these sources of variation into account healthy volunteers and patients with hand eczema and

An Observationally-Based Evaluation of Cloud Ice and Liquid Water in CMIP3 and CMIP5 GCMs and Contemporary Reanalyses Using Contemporary Satellite Data (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, J. F.; Waliser, D. E.; Chen, W.; Deng, M.; Lebsock, M. D.; Stephens, G. L.; Guan, B.; Christensen, M.; Teixeira, J.

2013-12-01

Representing clouds and cloud climate feedbacks in global climate models (GCMs) remains a pressing challenge to reduce and quantify uncertainties associated with climate change projection. Vertical structures of clouds simulated by present-day models have not been extensively examined using vertically-resolved cloud hydrometers such as cloud ice water (CIW) content and cloud liquid water (CLW) content. The gap in available observations for cloud mass was clearly evident from the wide disparity in the CIW path [Waliser et al., 2009] and CLW path [Li et al., 2008;2011] values exhibited in the CMIP3 GCMs. We present an observationally-based evaluation of the CIW and CLW of present-day GCMs, notably 20th century CMIP5 simulations, and compare these results to the CMIP3 and two recent reanalyses (ECMWF and MERRA). We use three different CloudSat+CALIPSO CIW products as well as three different observation CLW products, CloudSat, MODIS and AMSRE and their combined product for CLW with methods to remove the contribution from the convective core ice mass and/or precipitating cloud hydrometeors with variable sizes and falling speeds so that a robust observational estimate with uncertainty can be obtained for model evaluations. Note, considering the CloudSat's limitations of CLW retrievals due to contamination from the precipitation and from radar clutter near the surface, an alternative CLW is synergistically constructed using MODIS CLW and CloudSat CLW. The results show that for annual mean CIW path, there are factors of 2-10 in the differences between observations and models for a majority of the GCMs and for a number of regions. Based on a number of metrics, the ensemble behavior of CMIP5 has improved considerably relative to CMIP3 (~ 50%), although neither the CMIP5 ensemble mean nor any individual model performs particularly well, and there are still a number of models that exhibit very large biases despite the availability of relevant observations. For CLW, most of the

Precipitation from the GPM Microwave Imager and Constellation Radiometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kummerow, Christian; Randel, David; Kirstetter, Pierre-Emmanuel; Kulie, Mark; Wang, Nai-Yu

2014-05-01

Satellite precipitation retrievals from microwave sensors are fundamentally underconstrained requiring either implicit or explicit a-priori information to constrain solutions. The radiometer algorithm designed for the GPM core and constellation satellites makes this a-priori information explicit in the form of a database of possible rain structures from the GPM core satellite and a Bayesian retrieval scheme. The a-priori database will eventually come from the GPM core satellite's combined radar/radiometer retrieval algorithm. That product is physically constrained to ensure radiometric consistency between the radars and radiometers and is thus ideally suited to create the a-priori databases for all radiometers in the GPM constellation. Until a robust product exists, however, the a-priori databases are being generated from the combination of existing sources over land and oceans. Over oceans, the Day-1 GPM radiometer algorithm uses the TRMM PR/TMI physically derived hydrometer profiles that are available from the tropics through sea surface temperatures of approximately 285K. For colder sea surface temperatures, the existing profiles are used with lower hydrometeor layers removed to correspond to colder conditions. While not ideal, the results appear to be reasonable placeholders until the full GPM database can be constructed. It is more difficult to construct physically consistent profiles over land due to ambiguities in surface emissivities as well as details of the ice scattering that dominates brightness temperature signatures over land. Over land, the a-priori databases have therefore been constructed by matching satellite overpasses to surface radar data derived from the WSR-88 network over the continental United States through the National Mosaic and Multi-Sensor QPE (NMQ) initiative. Databases are generated as a function of land type (4 categories of increasing vegetation cover as well as 4 categories of increasing snow depth), land surface temperature and

Coastal Hazard due to Tropical Cyclones in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva-Casarin, R.; Mendoza-Baldwin, E.; Marino-Tapia, I.; Enriquez, C.; Ruiz, G.; Escalante-MAncera, E.; Ruíz-Rentería, F.

2013-05-01

The Mexican coast is hit every year by at least 3 cyclones and it is affected for nearly 59 hours a year on average; this induces undesirable consequences, such as coastal erosion and flooding. To evaluate the hazard to which the coastal zone is exposes, a historical characterization of atmospheric conditions (surface winds and pressure conditions of the storms), waves (wave heights and their associated wave periods) and flooding levels due to tropical storms for more than 60 years is presented. The atmospheric and wave conditions were evaluated using a modification of the original parametric Hydromet-Rankin Vortex Model by Bretschneider (1990) and Holland (1980) as presented by Silva, et al. (2002). The flooding levels caused by hurricanes were estimated using a two-dimensional, vertically averaged finite volume model to evaluate the storm surge, Posada et al. (2008). The cyclone model was compared to the data series of 29 cyclones recorded by buoys of the National Data Buoy Center-NOAA and some data recorded in shallow waters near Cancun, Mexico and the flooding model was compared with observed data from Cancun, Mexico; both models gave good results. For the extreme analyses of wind, wave heights and maximum flooding levels on the Mexican coasts, maps of the scale and location parameters used in the Weibull cumulative distribution function and numerical results for different return periods are provided. The historical occurrence of tropical storms is also revised as some studies indicate that the average intensity of tropical cyclones is increasing; no definite trends pointing to an increase in storm frequency or intensity were found. What was in fact found is that although there are more cyclones in the Pacific Ocean and these persist longer, the intensity of the cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean is greater affecting. In any case, the strong necessity of avoiding storm induced coastal damage (erosion and flooding) is reflected in numerous works, such as this one

Development of a database-driven system for simulating water temperature in the lower Yakima River main stem, Washington, for various climate scenarios

USGS Publications Warehouse

Voss, Frank; Maule, Alec

2013-01-01

A model for simulating daily maximum and mean water temperatures was developed by linking two existing models: one developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and one developed by the Bureau of Reclamation. The study area included the lower Yakima River main stem between the Roza Dam and West Richland, Washington. To automate execution of the labor-intensive models, a database-driven model automation program was developed to decrease operation costs, to reduce user error, and to provide the capability to perform simulations quickly for multiple management and climate change scenarios. Microsoft© SQL Server 2008 R2 Integration Services packages were developed to (1) integrate climate, flow, and stream geometry data from diverse sources (such as weather stations, a hydrologic model, and field measurements) into a single relational database; (2) programmatically generate heavily formatted model input files; (3) iteratively run water temperature simulations; (4) process simulation results for export to other models; and (5) create a database-driven infrastructure that facilitated experimentation with a variety of scenarios, node permutations, weather data, and hydrologic conditions while minimizing costs of running the model with various model configurations. As a proof-of-concept exercise, water temperatures were simulated for a "Current Conditions" scenario, where local weather data from 1980 through 2005 were used as input, and for "Plus 1" and "Plus 2" climate warming scenarios, where the average annual air temperatures used in the Current Conditions scenario were increased by 1degree Celsius (°C) and by 2°C, respectively. Average monthly mean daily water temperatures simulated for the Current Conditions scenario were compared to measured values at the Bureau of Reclamation Hydromet gage at Kiona, Washington, for 2002-05. Differences ranged between 1.9° and 1.1°C for February, March, May, and June, and were less than 0.8°C for the remaining months of the year

On the measure of large woody debris in an alpine catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Agostino, V.; Bertoldi, G.; Rigon, E.

2012-04-01

and indicates the floating as primary origin of LWD presence in the river bed. The total amount of LWD at the basin outlet resulted 1300 cubic meters corresponding to about 12 cubic meters per square kilometer of drainage area. Additional data about in-channel dynamics and threshold discharges to move LWD are in progress. These will be obtained through an innovative monitoring approach based on active transponders (RFID, Radio Frequency Identification). 70 transponder have been inserted in selected LWD samples and 70 transponders will be inserted in standardized artificial LWD to carry out experiments during the snowmelt season. A fixed antenna is located at the outlet section on a check-dam together with a video-camera and a hydrometer. The overall arrangement of the LWD monitoring system under test is then presented.

Testing the ISP method with the PARIO device: Accuracy of results and influence of homogenization technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durner, Wolfgang; Huber, Magdalena; Yangxu, Li; Steins, Andi; Pertassek, Thomas; Göttlein, Axel; Iden, Sascha C.; von Unold, Georg

2017-04-01

The particle-size distribution (PSD) is one of the main properties of soils. To determine the proportions of the fine fractions silt and clay, sedimentation experiments are used. Most common are the Pipette and Hydrometer method. Both need manual sampling at specific times. Both are thus time-demanding and rely on experienced operators. Durner et al. (Durner, W., S.C. Iden, and G. von Unold (2017): The integral suspension pressure method (ISP) for precise particle-size analysis by gravitational sedimentation, Water Resources Research, doi:10.1002/2016WR019830) recently developed the integral suspension method (ISP) method, which is implemented in the METER Group device PARIOTM. This new method estimates continuous PSD's from sedimentation experiments by recording the temporal evolution of the suspension pressure at a certain measurement depth in a sedimentation cylinder. It requires no manual interaction after start and thus no specialized training of the lab personnel. The aim of this study was to test the precision and accuracy of new method with a variety of materials, to answer the following research questions: (1) Are the results obtained by PARIO reliable and stable? (2) Are the results affected by the initial mixing technique to homogenize the suspension, or by the presence of sand in the experiment? (3) Are the results identical to the one that are obtained with the Pipette method as reference method? The experiments were performed with a pure quartz silt material and four real soil materials. PARIO measurements were done repetitively on the same samples in a temperature-controlled lab to characterize the repeatability of the measurements. Subsequently, the samples were investigated by the pipette method to validate the results. We found that the statistical error for silt fraction from replicate and repetitive measurements was in the range of 1% for the quartz material to 3% for soil materials. Since the sand fractions, as in any sedimentation method, must

Interpretation of heavy rainfall spatial distribution in mountain watersheds by copula functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossi, Giovanna; Balistrocchi, Matteo

2016-04-01

hydro-meteorological network, consisting of about 30 rain gauges and 10 hydrometers, monitors this medium-size watershed. A decade of rainfall-runoff event observations are available. Severe rainfall events were identified with reference to a main raingauge station, by using an interevent time definition and a depth threshold. Rainfall depths were thus derived and the spatial variability of their association degree was represented by using the Kendall coefficient. A unique copula model based on Gumbel copula function was finally found to be suitable to represent the dependence structure relating to rainfall depths observed in distinct raingauges. Bardossy A., Pegram G. (2009), Copula based multisite model for daily precipitation simulation, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 13, 2299-2314. Genest C., Rémilland B., Beaudoin D. (2009), Goodness-of-fit tests for copulas: a review and a power study, Insur. Math. Econ., 44(2), 199-213. Joe H. (1997), Multivariate models and dependence concepts, Chapman and Hall, London. Nelsen R. B. (2006), An introduction to copulas, second ed., Springer, New York. Salvadori G., De Michele C., Kottegoda N. T., Rosso R. (2007), Extremes in nature: an approach using copulas, Springer, Dordrecht, The Nederlands.

Field Experiments Aimed To The Analysis of Flood Generation Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carriero, D.; Iacobellis, V.; Oliveto, G.; Romano, N.; Telesca, V.; Fiorentino, M.

F. Terribile. 1999. Interpretation of the spa- tial variability of soil hydraulic properties using a land system analysis. In Modelling of Transport Processes in Soils, J. Feyen and K. Wiyo, eds., p. 491-500, Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, The Netherlands.]. A soil-landscape map was set-up and undis- turbed soil cores, spaced 50 m apart, were regularly collected from the uppermost soil horizons along transects located at the two sides of the river. All cores were subjected to laboratory measurements to determine bulk density, particle-size distribution, or- ganic carbon content, and unsaturated soil hydraulic characteristics. Other field exper- iment have been performed through a non-invasive method of monitoring the spatial 1 and temporal variations of soil water content by using soil resistivity data from elec- trical resistivity tomography and relating the soil resistivity to soil water content. The presence of two pluviometers and a hydrometer permits the evaluation of watershed inflows and outflows at different timescale. 2

COSMO-SkyMed measurements in precipitation over the sea: analysis of Louisiana summer thunderstorms by simultaneous weather radar observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberto, N.; Baldini, L.; Gorgucci, E.; Facheris, L.; Chandrasekar, V.

2012-04-01

Radar signatures of rain cells are investigated using X-band synthetic aperture radar (X-SAR) images acquired from COSMO-SkyMed constellation over oceans off the coast of Louisiana in summer 2010 provided by ASI archive. COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) monitoring of Deepwater Horizon oil spill provided a big amount of data during the period April-September 2010 and in July-August when several thunderstorms occurred in that area. In X-SAR images, radar signatures of rain cells over the sea usually consist of irregularly shaped bright and dark patches. These signatures originate from 1) the scattering and attenuation of radiation by hydrometers in the rain cells and 2) the modification of the sea roughness induced by the impact of raindrops and by wind gusts associated with rain cell. However, the interpretation of precipitation signatures in X-SAR images is not completely straightforward, especially over sea. Coincident measurements from ground based radars and an electromagnetic (EM) model predicting radar returns from the sea surface corrugated by rainfall are used to support the analysis. A dataset consisting of 4 CSK images has been collected over Gulf of Mexico while a WSR-88D NEXRAD S-band Doppler radar (KLIX) located in New Orleans was scanning the nearby portion of ocean. Terrestrial measurements have been used to reconstruct the component of X-SAR returns due to precipitation by modifying the known technique applied on measurements over land (Fritz et al. 2010, Baldini et al. 2011). Results confirm that the attenuation signature in X-SAR images collected over land, particularly pronounced in the presence of heavy precipitation cells, can be related to the S-band radar reflectivity integrated along the same path. The Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS) of land is considered to vary usually up to a few dBs in case of rain but with strong dependency on the specific type and conditions of land cover. While the NRCS of sea surface in clear weather condition can be

A new chemistry option in WRF/Chem v. 3.4 for the simulation of direct and indirect aerosol effects using VBS: evaluation against IMPACT-EUCAARI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuccella, P.; Curci, G.; Grell, G. A.; Visconti, G.; Crumeroylle, S.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Mensah, A. A.

2015-02-01

one day) are 0.38 ± 0.12 and 0.42 ± 0.10 for MODIS and WRF/Chem data, respectively. Cloud water path (CWP) is overestimated on average by a factor of 1.7, whereas modelled cloud optical thickness (COT) agrees with observations within 10%. In a sensitivity test where the SOA was not included, simulated CWP is reduced by 40%, and its distribution function shifts toward lower values with respect to the reference run with SOA. The sensitivity test exhibits also 10% more optically thin clouds (COT < 40) and an average COT roughly halved. Moreover, the run with SOA shows convective clouds with an enhanced content of liquid and frozen hydrometers, and stronger updrafts and downdrafts. Considering that the previous version of WRF/Chem coupled with a modal aerosol module predicted very low SOA content (SORGAM mechanism) the new proposed option may lead to a better characterization of aerosol-cloud feedbacks.

Chelant extraction of heavy metals from contaminated soils.

PubMed

Peters, R W

1999-04-23

The current state of the art regarding the use of chelating agents to extract heavy metal contaminants has been addressed. Results are presented for treatability studies conducted as worst-case and representative soils from Aberdeen Proving Ground's J-Field for extraction of copper (Cu), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The particle size distribution characteristics of the soils determined from hydrometer tests are approximately 60% sand, 30% silt, and 10% clay. Sequential extractions were performed on the 'as-received' soils (worst case and representative) to determine the speciation of the metal forms. The technique speciates the heavy metal distribution into an easily extractable (exchangeable) form, carbonates, reducible oxides, organically-bound, and residual forms. The results indicated that most of the metals are in forms that are amenable to soil washing (i.e. exchangeable+carbonate+reducible oxides). The metals Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr have greater than 70% of their distribution in forms amenable to soil washing techniques, while Cd, Mn, and Fe are somewhat less amenable to soil washing using chelant extraction. However, the concentrations of Cd and Mn are low in the contaminated soil. From the batch chelant extraction studies, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric acid, and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) were all effective in removing copper, lead, and zinc from the J-Field soils. Due to NTA being a Class II carcinogen, it is not recommended for use in remediating contaminated soils. EDTA and citric acid appear to offer the greatest potential as chelating agents to use in soil washing the Aberdeen Proving Ground soils. The other chelating agents studied (gluconate, oxalate, Citranox, ammonium acetate, and phosphoric acid, along with pH-adjusted water) were generally ineffective in mobilizing the heavy metals from the soils. The chelant solution removes the heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cr, As, and Hg) simultaneously. Using a multiple-stage batch extraction

Evaluation of the Hydrolab HL4 water-quality sonde and sensors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Snazelle, Teri T.

2017-12-18

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility evaluated three Hydrolab HL4 multiparameter water-quality sondes by OTT Hydromet. The sondes were equipped with temperature, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and turbidity sensors. The sensors were evaluated for compliance with the USGS National Field Manual for the Collection of Water-Quality Data (NFM) criteria for continuous water-quality monitors and to verify the validity of the manufacturer’s technical specifications. The conductivity sensors were evaluated for the accuracy of the specific conductance (SC) values (conductance at 25 degrees Celsius [oC]), that were calculated by using the vendor default method, Hydrolab Fresh. The HL4’s communication protocols and operating temperature range along with accuracy of the water-quality sensors were tested in a controlled laboratory setting May 1–19, 2016. To evaluate the sonde’s performance in a surface-water field application, an HL4 equipped with temperature, conductivity, pH, DO, and turbidity sensors was deployed June 20–July 22, 2016, at USGS water-monitoring site 02492620, Pearl River at National Space Technology Laboratories (NSTL) Station, Mississippi, located near Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi, and compared to the adjacent well-maintained EXO2 site sonde.The three HL4 sondes met the USGS temperature testing criteria and the manufacturer’s technical specifications for temperature based upon the median room temperature difference between the measured and standard temperatures, but two of the three sondes exceeded the allowable difference criteria at the temperature extremes of approximately 5 and 40 ºC. Two sondes met the USGS criteria for SC. One of the sondes failed the criteria for SC when evaluated in a 100,000-microsiemens-per-centimeter (μS/cm) standard at room temperature, and also failed in a 10,000-μS/cm standard at 5, 15, and 40 ºC. All three sondes met the USGS criteria for pH and DO at room temperature

Weak constrained localized ensemble transform Kalman filter for radar data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janjic, Tijana; Lange, Heiner

2015-04-01

algorithm, the good estimates of the fields were obtained. The alternative to strong constraint formulation in Janjic et al. 2014 is to modify LETKF algorithm to take into the account physical properties only approximately. In this work we will include the weak constraints in the LETKF algorithm for estimation of hydrometers. The benefit on prediction is illustrated in an idealized setup (Lange and Craig, 2013). This setup uses the non hydrostatic COSMO model with a 2 km horizontal resolution, and the LETKF as implemented in KENDA (Km-scale Ensemble Data Assimilation) system of German Weather Service (Reich et al. 2011). Due to the Gaussian assumptions that underline the LETKF algorithm, the analyses of water species will become negative in some grid points of the COSMO model. These values are set to zero currently in KENDA after the LETKF analysis step. The tests done within this setup show that such a procedure introduces a bias in the analysis ensemble with respect to the true, that increases in time due to the cycled data assimilation. The benefits of including the constraints in LETKF are illustrated on the bias values during assimilation and the prediction.

Investigation of wintertime cold-air pools and aerosol layers in the Salt Lake Valley using a lidar ceilometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Joseph Swyler

This thesis investigates the utility of lidar ceilometers, a type of aerosol lidar, in improving the understanding of meteorology and air quality in persistent wintertime stable boundary layers, or cold-air pools, that form in urbanized valley and basin topography. This thesis reviews the scientific literature to survey the present knowledge of persistent cold-air pools, the operating principles of lidar ceilometers, and their demonstrated utility in meteorological investigations. Lidar ceilometer data from the Persistent Cold-Air Pool Study (PCAPS) are then used with meteorological and air quality data from other in situ and remote sensing equipment to investigate cold-air pools that formed in Utah's Salt Lake Valley during the winter of 2010-2011. The lidar ceilometer is shown to accurately measure aerosol layer depth and aerosol loading, when compared to visual observations. A linear relationship is found between low-level lidar backscatter and surface particulate measurements. Convective boundary layer lidar analysis techniques applied to cold-air pool ceilometer profiles can detect useful layer characteristics. Fine-scale waves are observed and analyzed within the aerosol layer, with emphasis on Kelvin-Helmholz waves. Ceilometer aerosol backscatter profiles are analyzed to quantify and describe mixing processes in persistent cold-air pools. Overlays of other remote and in-situ observations are combined with ceilometer particle backscatter to describe specific events during PCAPS. This analysis describes the relationship between the aerosol layer and the valley inversion as well as interactions with large-scale meteorology. The ceilometer observations of hydrometers are used to quantify cloudiness and precipitation during the project, observing that 50% of hours when a PCAP was present had clouds or precipitation below 5 km above ground level (AGL). Then, combining an objective technique for determining hourly aerosol layer depths and correcting this

A new chemistry option in WRF-Chem v. 3.4 for the simulation of direct and indirect aerosol effects using VBS: evaluation against IMPACT-EUCAARI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuccella, P.; Curci, G.; Grell, G. A.; Visconti, G.; Crumeyrolle, S.; Schwarzenboeck, A.; Mensah, A. A.

2015-09-01

condensation nuclei (CCN) are also overestimated, but the bias is more contained with respect to that of CN. The CCN efficiency, which is a characterization of the ability of aerosol particles to nucleate cloud droplets, is underestimated by a factor of 1.5 and 3.8 in the PBL and FT, respectively. The comparison with MODIS data shows that the model overestimates the aerosol optical thickness (AOT). The domain averages (for 1 day) are 0.38 ± 0.12 and 0.42 ± 0.10 for MODIS and WRF-Chem data, respectively. The droplet effective radius (Re) in liquid-phase clouds is underestimated by a factor of 1.5; the cloud liquid water path (LWP) is overestimated by a factor of 1.1-1.6. The consequence is the overestimation of average liquid cloud optical thickness (COT) from a few percent up to 42 %. The predicted cloud water path (CWP) in all phases displays a bias in the range +41-80 %, whereas the bias of COT is about 15 %. In sensitivity tests where we excluded SOA, the skills of the model in reproducing the observed patterns and average values of the microphysical and optical properties of liquid and all phase clouds decreases. Moreover, the run without SOA (NOSOA) shows convective clouds with an enhanced content of liquid and frozen hydrometers, and stronger updrafts and downdrafts. Considering that the previous version of WRF-Chem coupled with a modal aerosol module predicted very low SOA content (secondary organic aerosol model (SORGAM) mechanism) the new proposed option may lead to a better characterization of aerosol-cloud feedbacks.

Radar Observations of Convective Systems from a High-Altitude Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymsfield, G.; Geerts, B.; Tian, L.

1999-01-01

Reflectivity data collected by the precipitation radar on board the tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, orbiting at 350 km altitude, are compared to reflectivity data collected nearly simultaneously by a doppler radar aboard the NASA ER-2 flying at 19-20 km altitude, i.e. above even the deepest convection. The TRMM precipitation radar is a scanning device with a ground swath width of 215 km, and has a resolution of about a4.4 km in the horizontal and 250 m in the vertical (125 m in the core swath 48 km wide). The TRMM radar has a wavelength of 217 cm (13.8 GHz) and the Nadir mirror echo below the surface is used to correct reflectivity for loss by attenuation. The ER-2 Doppler radar (EDOP) has two antennas, one pointing to the nadir, 34 degrees forward. The forward pointing beam receives both the normal and the cross-polarized echos, so the linear polarization ratio field can be monitored. EDOP has a wavelength of 3.12 cm (9.6 GHz), a vertical resolution of 37.5 m and a horizontal along-track resolution of about 100 m. The 2-D along track airflow field can be synthesized from the radial velocities of both beams, if a reflectivity-based hydrometer fall speed relation can be assumed. It is primarily the superb vertical resolution that distinguishes EDOP from other ground-based or airborne radars. Two experiments were conducted during 1998 into validate TRMM reflectivity data over convection and convectively-generated stratiform precipitation regions. The Teflun-A (TEXAS-Florida Underflight) experiment, was conducted in April and May and focused on mesoscale convective systems mainly in southeast Texas. TEFLUN-B was conducted in August-September in central Florida, in coordination with CAMEX-3 (Convection and Moisture Experiment). The latter was focused on hurricanes, especially during landfall, whereas TEFLUN-B concentrated on central; Florida convection, which is largely driven and organized by surface heating and ensuing sea breeze circulations

FOREWORD: Special issue on density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujii, Kenichi

2004-04-01

This special issue on density was undertaken to provide readers with an overview of the present state of the density standards for solids, liquids and gases, as well as the technologies developed for measuring density. This issue also includes topics on the refractive index of gases and on techniques used for calibrating hydrometers so that almost all areas concerned with density standards are covered in four review articles and seven original articles, most of which describe current research being conducted at national metrology institutes (NMIs). A review article was invited from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum to highlight research on the magnetic suspension densimeters. In metrology, the determinations of the volume of a weight and the density of air are of primary importance in establishing a mass standard because the effect of the buoyancy force of air acting on the weight must be known accurately to determine the mass of the weight. A density standard has therefore been developed at many NMIs with a close relation to the mass standard. Hydrostatic weighing is widely used to measure the volume of a solid. The most conventional hydrostatic weighing method uses water as a primary density standard for measuring the volume of a solid. A brief history of the determination of the density of water is therefore given in a review article, as well as a recommended value for the density of water with a specified isotopic abundance. The most modern technique for hydrostatic weighing uses a solid density standard instead of water. For this purpose, optical interferometers for measuring the diameters of silicon spheres have been developed to convert the length standard into the volume standard with a small uncertainty. A review article is therefore dedicated to describing the state-of-the-art optical interferometers developed for silicon spheres. Relative combined standard uncertainties of several parts in 108 have been achieved today for measuring the volume and density of

Influence of forest management on the changes of organic soil properties in border part of Kragle Mokradlo Peatland (Stolowe Mountains National Park, Poland)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogacz, A.; Roszkowicz, M.

2009-04-01

from study areas using a 6.0 cm diameter Instorfu peat auger (HORAWSKI 1987). Soil horizons were determined on the basis of colour, degree of organic matter decomposition and the quality of vegetation remains. Cores were taken to the depth where underlying mineral material was encountered. The cores ware sectioned to subsamples at intervals at major stratigrafic breaks. Some physical, chemical properties and botanical composition of peat were determined in this material. Differentiation in botanical composition of peat was analyzed by the microscopic method and subsequently classified according to the Polish standards (Oznaczanie gatunku...1977). Peat humification degree was measured using two methods: SPEC method and half syringe method (LYNN at all. 1974). Ash content was estimated by combusting the material in a muffle furnace at 500oC for 4 hours. The texture of mineral horizons was determined using the Bouyoucos hydrometer method (GEE AND BOUNDER 1986). The specific gravity (W) and bulk density (Z) of organic soils were calculated using the following formula's (ZAWADZKI 1970): W=0.11A+1.451, (1.451) represents the specific gravity of humus, Z =0.004A+0.0913, A is a ash content and constant (0.0913) represents the bulk density of humus. The following chemical properties of organic soil horizons were analyzed: content of total carbon and nitrogen, acidity in H2O and 1mol dm-3 KCl and CECe in CH3COONH4 at pH 7. Base saturation (BS) of soil sorption complex was calculated. The soils were classified to reference groups in WRB Classification System (WRB 2006). RESULTS AND DISSCUSION Based on the cores, -the soils in the border part of Kragle Mokradlo Peatland area were classified as Sapric Histosols Dystric or Sapric Gleysols Histic (WRB 2006). Soils represented ombrogenic type of hydrological conditions. In that site, an ombrogenic type of hydrological input is the predominant mechanism of soil evolution. Soil examined in this study have developed in oligotrophic type