Antioxidative activity, moisture retention, film formation, and viscosity stability of Auricularia fuscosuccinea, white strain water extract.

PubMed

Liao, Wayne C; Hsueh, Chiu-Yen; Chan, Chin-Feng

2014-01-01

This study showed that both water extracts (WAF-W) and ethanol extracts (EAF-W) of Auricularia fuscosuccinea (Montagne) Farlow, white strain (AF-W) demonstrated significantly stronger antioxidative effects than did commercially available Tremella fuciformis sporocarp extracts (WSK; with the exception of EAF-W in terms of superoxide radical scavenging activity levels). The moisture retention capacity of WAF-W is as potent as that of sodium hyaluronate (SHA), but less than that of WSK. No corrugation or fissures were observed in WAF-W film; only the SHA and WSK films demonstrated such effects in low-moisture conditions. The WAF-W solution also exhibited stable viscosity at high temperatures, indicating that the WAF-W film was more stable compared with the SHA and WSK films. WAF-W induced no adverse effects when a hen's egg test was performed on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). This study demonstrated that WAF-W exhibits excellent potential as a topical material for skin moisturizing and anti-aging effects.

Extraction of organic contaminants from marine sediments and tissues using microwave energy.

PubMed

Jayaraman, S; Pruell, R J; McKinney, R

2001-07-01

In this study, we compared microwave solvent extraction (MSE) to conventional methods for extracting organic contaminants from marine sediments and tissues with high and varying moisture content. The organic contaminants measured were polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, chlorinated pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Initial experiments were conducted on dry standard reference materials (SRMs) and field collected marine sediments. Moisture content in samples greatly influenced the recovery of the analytes of interest. When wet sediments were included in a sample batch, low recoveries were often encountered in other samples in the batch, including the dry SRM. Experiments were conducted to test the effect of standardizing the moisture content in all samples in a batch prior to extraction. SRM1941a (marine sediment). SRM1974a (mussel tissue), as well as QA96SED6 (marine sediment), and QA96TIS7 (marine tissue), both from 1996 NIST Intercalibration Exercise were extracted using microwave and conventional methods. Moisture levels were adjusted in SRMs to match those of marine sediment and tissue samples before microwave extraction. The results demonstrated that it is crucial to standardize the moisture content in all samples, including dry reference material to ensure good recovery of organic contaminants. MSE yielded equivalent or superior recoveries compared to conventional methods for the majority of the compounds evaluated. The advantages of MSE over conventional methods are reduced solvent usage, higher sample throughput and the elimination of halogenated solvent usage.

A new methodology for determination of macroscopic transport parameters in drying porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Attari Moghaddam, A.; Kharaghani, A.; Tsotsas, E.; Prat, M.

2015-12-01

Two main approaches have been used to model the drying process: The first approach considers the partially saturated porous medium as a continuum and partial differential equations are used to describe the mass, momentum and energy balances of the fluid phases. The continuum-scale models (CM) obtained by this approach involve constitutive laws which require effective material properties, such as the diffusivity, permeability, and thermal conductivity which are often determined by experiments. The second approach considers the material at the pore scale, where the void space is represented by a network of pores (PN). Micro- or nanofluidics models used in each pore give rise to a large system of ordinary differential equations with degrees of freedom at each node of the pore network. In this work, the moisture transport coefficient (D), the pseudo desorption isotherm inside the network and at the evaporative surface are estimated from the post-processing of the three-dimensional pore network drying simulations for fifteen realizations of the pore space geometry from a given probability distribution. A slice sampling method is used in order to extract these parameters from PN simulations. The moisture transport coefficient obtained in this way is shown in Fig. 1a. The minimum of average D values demonstrates the transition between liquid dominated moisture transport region and vapor dominated moisture transport region; a similar behavior has been observed in previous experimental findings. A function is fitted to the average D values and then is fed into the non-linear moisture diffusion equation. The saturation profiles obtained from PN and CM simulations are shown in Fig. 1b. Figure 1: (a) extracted moisture transport coefficient during drying for fifteen realizations of the pore network, (b) average moisture profiles during drying obtained from PN and CM simulations.

Supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds as a valuable component of mild cleansing compositions.

PubMed

Sikora, E; Michorczyk, P; Olszańska, M; Ogonowski, J

2015-12-01

The aim of this work was an elaboration of mild cleansing compositions, containing supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds (SC-CO2 strawberry seed oil), as a moisturizing and skin-softening agent. The influence of concentration of the oil on user properties of shower/bath products was studied. A series of products (shower/bath cosmetics) composed mainly of mild surfactants (amphoacetates, sulfosuccinates, betaines) and containing different amounts of the oil (0.5 up to 5.0%) were prepared. For the stable products (formulations containing up to 2% of the oil), the influence of the SC-CO2 strawberry seed oil addition on the products' stability, foam ability, surface tension, pH and rheological properties was studied. Moreover, the skin compatibility and moisturizing efficiency of the cleansing products were recorded in a group of 15 volunteers (including 10 women and five men, aged 20-30 years), using skin diagnosis system AramoTS, Aram Huvis Co. Additionally, characterization of CO2 extract from strawberry seeds was performed. Measurements of the oil's analytical constants, that is acid value and saponification number, were conducted according to Polish Standard PN-EN ISO 660:2010 and PN-EN ISO 3657:2013, respectively. The oil concentration influences stability of the products. Only the formulations containing 0.5-2% of the extract have shown high stability. Moreover, used in the amount up to 2% the SC-CO2, strawberry seed oil does not affect significantly the cleansing and foaming properties of the products. The obtained shower/bath cosmetics showed good user properties and additionally good skin-moisturizing effect. The supercritical CO2 extract from strawberry seeds, rich source of unsaturated fatty acid, could be successfully used in the formulation of body washing compositions as a moisturizing and skin-softening agent. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Ethanolic extract of propolis for biodegradable films packaging enhanced with chitosan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, M. I.; Roslan, A.; Saari, N. S.; Hashim, K. H.; Kalamullah, M. R.

2017-09-01

The use of industrial organic waste which are chitosan and propolis as materials for the development of biodegradable and active packaging is economical and environmentally appealing. Processing of propolis-chitosan film can minimize waste, and produce low-cost added value biopolymer packaging films for targeted applications. This aims of this research is to develop and characterize a biodegradable films by incorporating chitosan with propolis extract to enhance the functional properties for potential use as active food packaging. The film's moisture content, solubility and antimicrobial activity increase due to increasing volume of propolis extract which are 0 ml, 1.2 ml and 2.4 ml of propolis extract. Propolis-chitosan film with 2.4 ml of propolis extract is more soluble in water compared to propolis-chitosan film with 0 ml of propolis extract and 1.2 ml of propolis extract. The higher the volume of the propolis extract used, the higher the solubility of film in the water. The moisture content also will increase when higher volume of propolis extract used. Characterization of moisture content, solubility and antimicrobial activities revealed the benefits of adding propolis extract into chitosan films and the potential of using the developed film as active food packaging.

SigmaPlot 2000, Version 6.00, SPSS Inc. Computer Software Test Plan

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

HURLBUT, S.T.

2000-10-24

SigmaPlot is a vendor software product used in conjunction with the supercritical fluid extraction Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (SFE-FTIR) system. This product converts the raw spectral data to useful area numbers. SigmaPlot will be used in conjunction with procedure ZA-565-301, ''Determination of Moisture by Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Infrared Detection.'' This test plan will be performed in conjunction with or prior to HNF-6936, ''HA-53 Supercritical Fluid Extraction System Acceptance Test Plan'', to perform analyses for water. The test will ensure that the software can be installed properly and will manipulate the analytical data correctly.

Extraction of astaxanthin from Euphausia pacific using subcritical 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yuqian; Ma, Qinchuan; Wang, Lan; Xue, Changhu

2012-12-01

Euphausia pacific is an important source of natural astaxanthin. Studies were carried out to assess the extractability of astaxanthin from E. pacific using subcritical 1, 1, 1, 2-tetrafluoroethane (R134a). To examine the effects of multiple process variables on the extraction yield, astaxanthin was extracted under various conditions of pressure (30-150 bar), temperature (303-343 K), time (10-50 min), flow rate (2-10 g min-1), moisture content (5.5%-63.61%), and particle size (0.25-0.109 mm). The results showed that the extraction yield increased with temperature, pressure, time and flow rate, but decreased with moisture content and particle size. A maximum yield of 87.74% was obtained under conditions of 100 bar, 333 K, and 30 min with a flow rate of 6 g min-1 and a moisture content of 5.5%. The substantial astaxanthin yield obtained under low-pressure conditions demonstrates that subcritical R134a is a good alternative to CO2 for extraction of astaxanthin from E. pacific.

Tropical Pacific moisture variability: Its detection, synoptic structure and consequences in the general circulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcguirk, James P.

1990-01-01

Satellite data analysis tools are developed and implemented for the diagnosis of atmospheric circulation systems over the tropical Pacific Ocean. The tools include statistical multi-variate procedures, a multi-spectral radiative transfer model, and the global spectral forecast model at NMC. Data include in-situ observations; satellite observations from VAS (moisture, infrared and visible) NOAA polar orbiters (including Tiros Operational Satellite System (TOVS) multi-channel sounding data and OLR grids) and scanning multichannel microwave radiometer (SMMR); and European Centre for Medium Weather Forecasts (ECHMWF) analyses. A primary goal is a better understanding of the relation between synoptic structures of the area, particularly tropical plumes, and the general circulation, especially the Hadley circulation. A second goal is the definition of the quantitative structure and behavior of all Pacific tropical synoptic systems. Finally, strategies are examined for extracting new and additional information from existing satellite observations. Although moisture structure is emphasized, thermal patterns are also analyzed. Both horizontal and vertical structures are studied and objective quantitative results are emphasized.

Study of hydroxymethylfurfural and furfural formation in cakes during baking in different ovens, using a validated multiple-stage extraction-based analytical method.

PubMed

Petisca, Catarina; Henriques, Ana Rita; Pérez-Palacios, Trinidad; Pinho, Olívia; Ferreira, Isabel M P L V O

2013-12-15

A procedure for extraction of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and furfural from cakes was validated. Higher yield was achieved by multiple step extraction with water/methanol (70/30) and clarification with Carrez I and II reagents. Oven type and baking time strongly influenced HMF, moisture and volatile profile of model cakes, whereas furfural content was not significantly affected. No correlation was found between these parameters. Baking time influenced moisture and HMF formation in cakes from traditional and microwave ovens but not in steam oven cakes. Significant moisture decrease and HMF increase (3.63, 9.32, and 41.9 mg kg(-1)dw at 20, 40 and 60 min, respectively) were observed during traditional baking. Cakes baked by microwave also presented a significant increase of HMF (up to 16.84 mg kg(-1)dw at 2.5 min). Steam oven cakes possessed the highest moisture content and no significant differences in HMF and furfural. This oven is likely to form low HMF and furfural, maintaining cake moisture and aroma compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH AUTOMATED SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION-GC/MS FOR ANALYSIS OF SEMIVOLATILE COMPOUNDS IN HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT SOLID SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

A research project was initiated to address a recurring problem of elevated detection limits above required risk-based concentrations for the determination of semivolatile organic compounds in high moisture content solid samples. This project was initiated, in cooperation with t...

Ethanol extraction of phytosterols from corn fiber

DOEpatents

Abbas, Charles; Beery, Kyle E.; Binder, Thomas P.; Rammelsberg, Anne M.

2010-11-16

The present invention provides a process for extracting sterols from a high solids, thermochemically hydrolyzed corn fiber using ethanol as the extractant. The process includes obtaining a corn fiber slurry having a moisture content from about 20 weight percent to about 50 weight percent solids (high solids content), thermochemically processing the corn fiber slurry having high solids content of 20 to 50% to produce a hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry, dewatering the hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry to achieve a residual corn fiber having a moisture content from about 30 to 80 weight percent solids, washing the residual corn fiber, dewatering the washed, hydrolyzed corn fiber slurry to achieve a residual corn fiber having a moisture content from about 30 to 80 weight percent solids, and extracting the residual corn fiber with ethanol and separating at least one sterol.

Pore-water extraction from unsaturated tuff by triaxial and one-dimensional compression methods, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mower, Timothy E.; Higgins, Jerry D.; Yang, In C.; Peters, Charles A.

1994-01-01

Study of the hydrologic system at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, requires the extraction of pore-water samples from welded and nonwelded, unsaturated tuffs. Two compression methods (triaxial compression and one-dimensional compression) were examined to develop a repeatable extraction technique and to investigate the effects of the extraction method on the original pore-fluid composition. A commercially available triaxial cell was modified to collect pore water expelled from tuff cores. The triaxial cell applied a maximum axial stress of 193 MPa and a maximum confining stress of 68 MPa. Results obtained from triaxial compression testing indicated that pore-water samples could be obtained from nonwelded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 13 percent (by weight of dry soil). Injection of nitrogen gas while the test core was held at the maximum axial stress caused expulsion of additional pore water and reduced the required initial moisture content from 13 to 11 percent. Experimental calculations, together with experience gained from testing moderately welded tuff cores, indicated that the triaxial cell used in this study could not apply adequate axial or confining stress to expel pore water from cores of densely welded tuffs. This concern led to the design, fabrication, and testing of a one-dimensional compression cell. The one-dimensional compression cell used in this study was constructed from hardened 4340-alloy and nickel-alloy steels and could apply a maximum axial stress of 552 MPa. The major components of the device include a corpus ring and sample sleeve to confine the sample, a piston and base platen to apply axial load, and drainage plates to transmit expelled water from the test core out of the cell. One-dimensional compression extracted pore water from nonwelded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 7.6 percent; pore water was expelled from densely welded tuff cores that had initial moisture contents as small as 7.7 percent. Injection of nitrogen gas at the maximum axial stress did not produce additional pore water from nonwelded tuff cores, but was critical to recovery of pore water from densely welded tuff cores. Gas injection reduced the required initial moisture content in welded tuff cores from 7.7 to 6.5 percent. Based on the mechanical ability of a pore-water extraction method to remove water from welded and nonwelded tuff cores, one-dimensional compression is a more effective extraction method than triaxial compression. However, because the effects that one-dimensional compression has on pore-water chemistry are not completely understood, additional testing will be needed to verify that this method is suitable for pore-water extraction from Yucca Mountain tuffs.

Assimilation of SMOS Brightness Temperatures or Soil Moisture Retrievals into a Land Surface Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Lannoy, Gabrielle J. M.; Reichle, Rolf H.

2016-01-01

Three different data products from the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission are assimilated separately into the Goddard Earth Observing System Model, version 5 (GEOS-5) to improve estimates of surface and root-zone soil moisture. The first product consists of multi-angle, dual-polarization brightness temperature (Tb) observations at the bottom of the atmosphere extracted from Level 1 data. The second product is a derived SMOS Tb product that mimics the data at a 40 degree incidence angle from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. The third product is the operational SMOS Level 2 surface soil moisture (SM) retrieval product. The assimilation system uses a spatially distributed ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) with seasonally varying climatological bias mitigation for Tb assimilation, whereas a time-invariant cumulative density function matching is used for SM retrieval assimilation. All assimilation experiments improve the soil moisture estimates compared to model-only simulations in terms of unbiased root-mean-square differences and anomaly correlations during the period from 1 July 2010 to 1 May 2015 and for 187 sites across the US. Especially in areas where the satellite data are most sensitive to surface soil moisture, large skill improvements (e.g., an increase in the anomaly correlation by 0.1) are found in the surface soil moisture. The domain-average surface and root-zone skill metrics are similar among the various assimilation experiments, but large differences in skill are found locally. The observation-minus-forecast residuals and analysis increments reveal large differences in how the observations add value in the Tb and SM retrieval assimilation systems. The distinct patterns of these diagnostics in the two systems reflect observation and model errors patterns that are not well captured in the assigned EnKF error parameters. Consequently, a localized optimization of the EnKF error parameters is needed to further improve Tb or SM retrieval assimilation.

Moisturizing and Antiinflammatory Properties of Cosmetic Formulations Containing Centella asiatica Extract

PubMed Central

Ratz-Łyko, A.; Arct, J.; Pytkowska, K.

2016-01-01

Centella asiatica extract is a rich source of natural bioactive substances, triterpenoid saponins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, triterpenic steroids, amino acids and sugars. Thus, many scavenging free radicals, exhibit antiinflammatory activity and affect on the stratum corneum hydration and epidermal barrier function. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vivo moisturizing and antiinflammatory properties of cosmetic formulations (oil-in-water emulsion cream and hydrogel) containing different concentrations of Centella asiatica extract. The study was conducted over four weeks on a group of 25 volunteers after twice a day application of cosmetic formulations with Centella asiatica extract (2.5 and 5%, w/w) on their forearms. The measurement of basic skin parameters (stratum corneum hydration and epidermal barrier function) was performed once a week. The in vivo antiinflammatory activity based on the methyl nicotinate model of microinflammation in human skin was evaluated after four weeks application of tested formulations. In vivo tests formulations containing 5% of Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture by increase of skin surface hydration state and decrease in transepidermal water loss as well as exhibited antiinflammatory properties based on the methyl nicotinate model of microinflammation in human skin. Comparative tests conducted by corneometer, tewameter and chromameter showed that cosmetic formulations containing Centella asiatica extract have the moisturizing and antiinflammatory properties. PMID:27168678

Effect of hot water extracted hardwood and softwood chips on particleboard properties

Treesearch

Manuel Raul Pelaez-Samaniego; Vikram Yadama; Tsai Garcia-Perez; Eini Lowell; Thomas Amidon

2014-01-01

The affinity of particleboard (PB) to water is one of the main limitations for using PB in moisture-rich environments. PB dimensional stability and durability can be improved by reducing the available hydroxyl groups in wood through hemicellulose removal, for example, by hot water extraction (HWE), which increases wood resistance to moisture uptake. The resulting...

Experimental study and thermodynamic modeling for determining the effect of non-polar solvent (hexane)/polar solvent (methanol) ratio and moisture content on the lipid extraction efficiency from Chlorella vulgaris.

PubMed

Malekzadeh, Mohammad; Abedini Najafabadi, Hamed; Hakim, Maziar; Feilizadeh, Mehrzad; Vossoughi, Manouchehr; Rashtchian, Davood

2016-02-01

In this research, organic solvent composed of hexane and methanol was used for lipid extraction from dry and wet biomass of Chlorella vulgaris. The results indicated that lipid and fatty acid extraction yield was decreased by increasing the moisture content of biomass. However, the maximum extraction efficiency was attained by applying equivolume mixture of hexane and methanol for both dry and wet biomass. Thermodynamic modeling was employed to estimate the effect of hexane/methanol ratio and moisture content on fatty acid extraction yield. Hansen solubility parameter was used in adjusting the interaction parameters of the model, which led to decrease the number of tuning parameters from 6 to 2. The results indicated that the model can accurately estimate the fatty acid recovery with average absolute deviation percentage (AAD%) of 13.90% and 15.00% for the two cases of using 6 and 2 adjustable parameters, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topical vesicular formulations of Curcuma longa extract on recuperating the ultraviolet radiation-damaged skin.

PubMed

Kaur, Chanchal Deep; Saraf, Swarnlata

2011-12-01

  Ultraviolet radiations generate reactive oxygen species, leading to adverse effects on skin properties. Botanical extracts are multifunctional in nature having various properties like photoprotection, anti-aging, moisturizing, antioxidant, astringent, anti-irritant, and antimicrobial activity.   The aim of this study was to formulate creams having Curcuma longa extract loaded novel vesicular systems (liposomes, ethosomes, and transfersomes) and study their photoprotective effect by assessment of skin hydration (Cutometer) and sebum content (Sebumeter).   The alcoholic C. longa extract loaded liposomes, ethosomes, and transfersomes having 0.5-2.0% w/w extract were prepared, evaluated for size, entrapment efficiency, and incorporated into the cream. Their long-term interaction with skin (6 weeks) was compared in terms of their effects on skin hydration and sebum content.   Vesicular size obtained was in the range 167.3 ± 3.0 to 262.4 ± 2.4 nm with low polydispersity index (0.2-0.3) and high entrapment efficiency. The efficacy was in the order C. longa extract loaded transfersomal creams > C. longa extract loaded ethosomal creams > C. longa extract loaded liposomal creams > C. longa extract loaded creams > Empty transfersome loaded cream > Empty ethosome loaded cream > Empty liposome loaded cream > Base cream.   The photoprotective properties of the constituents of C. longa extract and hydrant, moisturizing lipid components of nano vesicles with better skin penetration resulted in improvement in skin properties like skin hydration and sebum content. The herbal extract loaded nano vesicles incorporated in cream could be used as photoprotective formulations. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Using a peanut drying monitoring system to estimate costs of nonbeneficial dryer operation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Presently, the peanut industry lacks a commercially available, industry-accepted solution for real-time kernel moisture content determination during peanut drying. Samples of unshelled peanuts are extracted from the semitrailer by an operator periodically, and the samples have to be cleaned and shel...

Antifungal effect of essential oils on southern yellow pine

Treesearch

Vina W. Yang; Carol A. Clausen

2007-01-01

Moisture management remains the most critical factor for controlling mold growth on wood and wood products during storage, construction, and while in service. When moisture management practices fail to adequately control moisture, plant extracts demonstrating antifungal properties may provide protection for these applications. The objective of this study was to...

Effect of Passion Fruit Seed Extract Rich in Piceatannol on the Skin of Women: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Trial.

PubMed

Maruki-Uchida, Hiroko; Morita, Minoru; Yonei, Yoshikazu; Sai, Masahiko

2018-01-01

Piceatannol has been reported to have a wide variety of effects on the skin, including promoting collagen production, inhibiting melanin synthesis, inducing the antioxidant glutathione, and eliminating reactive oxygen species. In this study, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial was conducted to clinically evaluate the effects of piceatannol-rich passion fruit seed extract on the skin of healthy Japanese women (age, 35-54 y). Thirty-two women with dry skin received either passion fruit seed extract (5 mg piceatannol) or a placebo (dextrin) for 8 wk. Skin hydration and other parameters on the face were assessed at 0, 4, and 8 wk by using specialized equipment. Furthermore, questionnaire interviews were conducted regarding the physical condition of subjects at 0, 4, and 8 wk. The results showed that consumption of passion fruit seed extract led to significant increases in the moisture content of human skin after 4 and 8 wk compared with that before the trial. The amount of transepidermal water loss decreased over time, although the differences were not significant. Moreover, a stratified analysis of subjects with moisture values of ≤200 μS revealed increased moisture content in the passion fruit seed extract group as compared with the placebo group. Furthermore, the results of questionnaires showed significant reductions in "perspiration" and "fatigue" in the passion fruit seed extract group as compared with the placebo group. These results indicate that oral intake of passion fruit seed extract that is rich in piceatannol could improve the moisture of dry skin and reduce fatigue.

Improvement of skin conditions by ingestion of Aspergillus kawachii (Koji) extract containing 14-dehydroergosterol in a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial.

PubMed

Sugihara, Yoshihiko; Ikushima, Shigehito; Miyake, Mika; Kirisako, Takayoshi; Yada, Yukihiro; Fujiwara, Daisuke

2018-01-01

The present study examined the effect of ingestion of Koji extract containing 14-dehydroergosterol (14-DHE), prepared from Aspergillus kawachii NBRC4308, on improvement of skin conditions among healthy volunteers. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 70 healthy adult women who felt that their skin was dry ingested either a placebo dietary supplement or Koji extract (200 mg/day) supplement containing 0.1% 14-DHE for 12 weeks. Throughout the treatment period and for 4 weeks afterward, objective indicators - including moisture content of the stratum corneum, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and skin wrinkles - were evaluated; in addition, the subjects answered a questionnaire on their skin conditions with ratings on a visual analog scale. Statistical analysis was conducted on the basis of differences from baseline scores. Compared with the placebo group, the Koji extract group showed significantly increased forearm moisture at 4, 8, and 16 weeks ( p < 0.05 on unpaired t -test). The questionnaire survey showed a marked improvement in skin conditions, particularly crow's feet, in the Koji extract group versus the placebo group at 8 weeks ( p < 0.05 by unpaired t -test). Furthermore, the Koji extract group showed a trend ( p < 0.10) toward improvement in skin moisture (at 4 weeks), dryness around the eyes/mouth (at 4 weeks), and overall skin condition (at 8 weeks) versus the placebo group. Ingestion of Koji extract containing 14-DHE was demonstrated to have positive effects toward improving skin conditions - in particular, on increasing skin moisture in the stratum corneum.

Nutrient content of some winter grouse foods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Treichler, R.R.; Stow, R.W.; Nelson, A.L.

1946-01-01

Seventeen preferred grouse foods were collected during the late winter and analyzed for nutrient content. The results include moisture, crude protein, ether extract, crude fiber, nitrogenfree extract, ash, calcium, phosphorus, and gross energy content expressed both on moisture free and fresh bases.....The preferred winter foods of grouse are characterized by a high content of dry substance and of nitrogen-free extract......On the basis of nutrient content, the foods examined are well qualified as sources of energy and other essential nutrients required for maintenance of grouse during the winter season.

The effect of air temperature on the sappan wood extract drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaeni, M.; Triyastuti, M. S.; Asiah, N.; Annisa, A. N.; Novita, D. A.

2015-12-01

The sappan wood extract contain natural colour called brazilin that can be used as a food colouring and antioxidant. The product is commonly found as a dry extract powder for consummer convenience. The spray dryer with air dehumidification can be an option to retain the colour and antioxidant agent. This paper discusses the effect of air temperature on sappan wood extract drying that was mixed with maltodextrin. As responses, the particle size, final moisture content, and extract solubility degradation were observed. In all cases, the process conducted in temperature ranging 90 - 110°C can retain the brazilin quality as seen in solubility and particle size. In addition, the sappan wood extract can be fully dried with moisture content below 2%. Moreover, with the increase of air temperature, the particle size of dry extract can be smaller.

Improvement of skin conditions by ingestion of Aspergillus kawachii (Koji) extract containing 14-dehydroergosterol in a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

PubMed Central

Sugihara, Yoshihiko; Ikushima, Shigehito; Miyake, Mika; Kirisako, Takayoshi; Yada, Yukihiro; Fujiwara, Daisuke

2018-01-01

Purpose The present study examined the effect of ingestion of Koji extract containing 14-dehydroergosterol (14-DHE), prepared from Aspergillus kawachii NBRC4308, on improvement of skin conditions among healthy volunteers. Subjects and methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, 70 healthy adult women who felt that their skin was dry ingested either a placebo dietary supplement or Koji extract (200 mg/day) supplement containing 0.1% 14-DHE for 12 weeks. Throughout the treatment period and for 4 weeks afterward, objective indicators – including moisture content of the stratum corneum, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and skin wrinkles – were evaluated; in addition, the subjects answered a questionnaire on their skin conditions with ratings on a visual analog scale. Statistical analysis was conducted on the basis of differences from baseline scores. Results Compared with the placebo group, the Koji extract group showed significantly increased forearm moisture at 4, 8, and 16 weeks (p < 0.05 on unpaired t-test). The questionnaire survey showed a marked improvement in skin conditions, particularly crow’s feet, in the Koji extract group versus the placebo group at 8 weeks (p < 0.05 by unpaired t-test). Furthermore, the Koji extract group showed a trend (p < 0.10) toward improvement in skin moisture (at 4 weeks), dryness around the eyes/mouth (at 4 weeks), and overall skin condition (at 8 weeks) versus the placebo group. Conclusion Ingestion of Koji extract containing 14-DHE was demonstrated to have positive effects toward improving skin conditions – in particular, on increasing skin moisture in the stratum corneum. PMID:29563825

Validation of a Statistical Methodology for Extracting Vegetation Feedbacks: Focus on North African Ecosystems in the Community Earth System Model

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

Yu, Yan; Notaro, Michael; Wang, Fuyao

Generalized equilibrium feedback assessment (GEFA) is a potentially valuable multivariate statistical tool for extracting vegetation feedbacks to the atmosphere in either observations or coupled Earth system models. The reliability of GEFA at capturing the terrestrial impacts on regional climate is demonstrated in this paper using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM), with focus on North Africa. The feedback is assessed statistically by applying GEFA to output from a fully coupled control run. To reduce the sampling error caused by short data records, the traditional or full GEFA is refined through stepwise GEFA by dropping unimportantmore » forcings. Two ensembles of dynamical experiments are developed for the Sahel or West African monsoon region against which GEFA-based vegetation feedbacks are evaluated. In these dynamical experiments, regional leaf area index (LAI) is modified either alone or in conjunction with soil moisture, with the latter runs motivated by strong regional soil moisture–LAI coupling. Stepwise GEFA boasts higher consistency between statistically and dynamically assessed atmospheric responses to land surface anomalies than full GEFA, especially with short data records. GEFA-based atmospheric responses are more consistent with the coupled soil moisture–LAI experiments, indicating that GEFA is assessing the combined impacts of coupled vegetation and soil moisture. Finally, both the statistical and dynamical assessments reveal a negative vegetation–rainfall feedback in the Sahel associated with an atmospheric stability mechanism in CESM versus a weaker positive feedback in the West African monsoon region associated with a moisture recycling mechanism in CESM.« less

Validation of a Statistical Methodology for Extracting Vegetation Feedbacks: Focus on North African Ecosystems in the Community Earth System Model

DOE PAGES

Yu, Yan; Notaro, Michael; Wang, Fuyao; ...

2018-02-05

Generalized equilibrium feedback assessment (GEFA) is a potentially valuable multivariate statistical tool for extracting vegetation feedbacks to the atmosphere in either observations or coupled Earth system models. The reliability of GEFA at capturing the terrestrial impacts on regional climate is demonstrated in this paper using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM), with focus on North Africa. The feedback is assessed statistically by applying GEFA to output from a fully coupled control run. To reduce the sampling error caused by short data records, the traditional or full GEFA is refined through stepwise GEFA by dropping unimportantmore » forcings. Two ensembles of dynamical experiments are developed for the Sahel or West African monsoon region against which GEFA-based vegetation feedbacks are evaluated. In these dynamical experiments, regional leaf area index (LAI) is modified either alone or in conjunction with soil moisture, with the latter runs motivated by strong regional soil moisture–LAI coupling. Stepwise GEFA boasts higher consistency between statistically and dynamically assessed atmospheric responses to land surface anomalies than full GEFA, especially with short data records. GEFA-based atmospheric responses are more consistent with the coupled soil moisture–LAI experiments, indicating that GEFA is assessing the combined impacts of coupled vegetation and soil moisture. Finally, both the statistical and dynamical assessments reveal a negative vegetation–rainfall feedback in the Sahel associated with an atmospheric stability mechanism in CESM versus a weaker positive feedback in the West African monsoon region associated with a moisture recycling mechanism in CESM.« less

MODIS-based spatiotemporal patterns of soil moisture and evapotranspiration interactions in Tampa Bay urban watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Ni-Bin; Xuan, Zhemin; Wimberly, Brent

2011-09-01

Soil moisture and evapotranspiration (ET) is affected by both water and energy balances in the soilvegetation- atmosphere system, it involves many complex processes in the nexus of water and thermal cycles at the surface of the Earth. These impacts may affect the recharge of the upper Floridian aquifer. The advent of urban hydrology and remote sensing technologies opens new and innovative means to undertake eventbased assessment of ecohydrological effects in urban regions. For assessing these landfalls, the multispectral Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) remote sensing images can be used for the estimation of such soil moisture change in connection with two other MODIS products - Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Land Surface Temperature (LST). Supervised classification for soil moisture retrieval was performed for Tampa Bay area on the 2 kmx2km grid with MODIS images. Machine learning with genetic programming model for soil moisture estimation shows advances in image processing, feature extraction, and change detection of soil moisture. ET data that were derived by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) data and hydrologic models can be retrieved from the USGS web site directly. Overall, the derived soil moisture in comparison with ET time series changes on a seasonal basis shows that spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture and ET that are confined within a defined region for each type of surfaces, showing clustered patterns and featuring space scatter plot in association with the land use and cover map. These concomitant soil moisture patterns and ET fluctuations vary among patches, plant species, and, especially, location on the urban gradient. Time series plots of LST in association with ET, soil moisture and EVI reveals unique ecohydrological trends. Such ecohydrological assessment can be applied for supporting the urban landscape management in hurricane-stricken regions.

Effect of isolation techniques on the characteristics of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) protein isolates.

PubMed

Adenekan, Monilola K; Fadimu, Gbemisola J; Odunmbaku, Lukumon A; Oke, Emmanuel K

2018-01-01

In this study, the effect of different isolation techniques on the isolated proteins from pigeon pea was investigated. Water, methanol, ammonium sulfate, and acetone were used for the precipitation of proteins from pigeon pea. Proximate composition, and antinutritional and functional properties of the pigeon pea flour and the isolated proteins were measured. Data generated were statistically analyzed. The proximate composition of the water-extracted protein isolate was moisture 8.30%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.25%, ash 0.05%, and crude fiber 0.05%. The methanol-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 7.87%, protein 91.83%, fat 0.17%, and ash 0.13%, while crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The composition of the ammonium sulfate-extracted protein isolate was moisture 7.73%, protein 91.73%, fat 0.36, ash 0.13%, and crude fiber 0.67%. The acetone-extracted protein isolate composition was moisture 8.03%, protein 91.50%, ash 0.67%, and fat 0.30%, but crude fiber and carbohydrates were not detected. The isolate precipitated with ammonium sulfate displayed the highest foaming capacity (37.63%) and foaming stability (55.75%). Isolates precipitated with methanol and acetone had the highest water absorption capacity (160%). Pigeon pea protein isolates extracted with methanol and ammonium sulfate had the highest oil absorption capacity of 145%. Protein isolates recovered through acetone and methanol had the highest emulsifying capacity of 2.23% and emulsifying stability of 91.47%, respectively. The proximate composition of the recovered protein isolates were of high purity. This shows the efficiency of the extraction techniques. The isolates had desirable solubility index. All the isolation techniques brought significant impact on the characteristics of the isolated pigeon pea protein.

An airborne study of microwave surface sensing and boundary layer heat and moisture fluxes for FIFE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gogineni, S. P.

1995-01-01

The objectives of this work were to perform imaging radar and scatterometer measurements over the Konza Prairie as a part of the First International land surface climatology project Field Experiments (EIFE) and to develop an mm-wave radiometer and the data acquisition system for this radiometer. We collected imaging radar data with the University of Kansas Side-Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) operating at 9.375 GHz and scatterometer data with a helicopter-mounted scatterometer at 5.3 and 9.6 GHz. We also developed a 35-GHz null-balancing radiometer and data acquisition system. Although radar images showed good delineation of various features of the FIFE site, the data were not useful for quantitative analysis for extracting soil moisture information because of day-to-day changes in the system transfer characteristics. Our scatterometer results show that both C and X bands are sensitive to soil moisture variations over grass-covered soils. Scattering coefficients near vertical are about 4 dB lower for unburned areas because of the presence of a thatch layer, in comparison with those for burned areas. The results of the research have been documented in reports, oral presentations, and published papers.

Production and characterization of cosmetic nanoemulsions containing Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) mill extract as moisturizing agent.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Renato Cesar de Azevedo; Barreto, Stella Maria de Andrade Gomes; Ostrosky, Elissa Aarantes; da Rocha-Filho, Pedro Alves; Veríssimo, Lourena Mafra; Ferrari, Márcio

2015-02-02

This study aimed to produce and characterize an oil in water (O/W) nanoemulsion containing Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill hydroglycolic extract, as well as evaluate its preliminary and accelerated thermal stability and moisturizing efficacy. The formulations containing 0.5% of xanthan gum (FX) and 0.5% of xanthan gum and 1% of Opuntia ficus-indica MILL extract (FXE) were white, homogeneus and fluid in aspect. Both formulations were stable during preliminary and accelerated stability tests. FX and FXE presented a pH compatible to skin pH (4.5-6.0); droplet size varying from 92.2 to 233.6 nm; a polydispersion index (PDI) around 0.200 and a zeta potential from -26.71 to -47.01 mV. FXE was able to increase the water content of the stratum corneum for 5 h after application on the forearm. The O/W nanoemulsions containing 1% of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill extract presented suitable stability for at least for 60 days. Besides, this formulation was able to increase the water content of stratum corneum, showing its moisturizing efficacy.

Data Assimilation to Extract Soil Moisture Information From SMAP Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolassa, J.; Reichle, R. H.; Liu, Q.; Alemohammad, S. H.; Gentine, P.

2017-01-01

Statistical techniques permit the retrieval of soil moisture estimates in a model climatology while retaining the spatial and temporal signatures of the satellite observations. As a consequence, they can be used to reduce the need for localized bias correction techniques typically implemented in data assimilation (DA) systems that tend to remove some of the independent information provided by satellite observations. Here, we use a statistical neural network (NN) algorithm to retrieve SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) surface soil moisture estimates in the climatology of the NASA Catchment land surface model. Assimilating these estimates without additional bias correction is found to significantly reduce the model error and increase the temporal correlation against SMAP CalVal in situ observations over the contiguous United States. A comparison with assimilation experiments using traditional bias correction techniques shows that the NN approach better retains the independent information provided by the SMAP observations and thus leads to larger model skill improvements during the assimilation. A comparison with the SMAP Level 4 product shows that the NN approach is able to provide comparable skill improvements and thus represents a viable assimilation approach.

Historical precipitation predictably alters the shape and magnitude of microbial functional response to soil moisture.

PubMed

Averill, Colin; Waring, Bonnie G; Hawkes, Christine V

2016-05-01

Soil moisture constrains the activity of decomposer soil microorganisms, and in turn the rate at which soil carbon returns to the atmosphere. While increases in soil moisture are generally associated with increased microbial activity, historical climate may constrain current microbial responses to moisture. However, it is not known if variation in the shape and magnitude of microbial functional responses to soil moisture can be predicted from historical climate at regional scales. To address this problem, we measured soil enzyme activity at 12 sites across a broad climate gradient spanning 442-887 mm mean annual precipitation. Measurements were made eight times over 21 months to maximize sampling during different moisture conditions. We then fit saturating functions of enzyme activity to soil moisture and extracted half saturation and maximum activity parameter values from model fits. We found that 50% of the variation in maximum activity parameters across sites could be predicted by 30-year mean annual precipitation, an indicator of historical climate, and that the effect is independent of variation in temperature, soil texture, or soil carbon concentration. Based on this finding, we suggest that variation in the shape and magnitude of soil microbial response to soil moisture due to historical climate may be remarkably predictable at regional scales, and this approach may extend to other systems. If historical contingencies on microbial activities prove to be persistent in the face of environmental change, this approach also provides a framework for incorporating historical climate effects into biogeochemical models simulating future global change scenarios. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identification and characterization of hydrocolloid from Cordia myxa leaf.

PubMed

Samavati, Vahid; Lorestani, Mohammad; Joolazadeh, Sajjad

2014-04-01

Hot water extraction technique was employed to extract the hydrocolloid from Cordia myxa leaf (PCM). The optimal conditions for extraction of PCM were determined using response surface methodology. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to evaluate the effects of three independent variables (extraction time (X1: 1-4 h), extraction temperature (X2: 55-95 °C), and water to raw material ratio (X3: 5-30 ml/g) on the extraction yield of PCM. The content of moisture, water-soluble and water-insoluble ash, crude protein and total phenol were determined in the extracted hydrocolloid by standard methods. The maximum hydrocolloid extraction yield (9.501±0.15%) was achieved by using extraction time of 4.94 h, extraction temperature of 94.91 °C and water to raw material ratio of 21.74 ml/g. The contents of moisture, crude protein, water-soluble and water-insoluble ash and total phenol were 21.63±0.94%, 14.27±0.55%, 3.07±0.16% and 2.61±0.19 mg galic acid/g, respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High pressure feeder and method of operating to feed granular or fine materials

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

Vimalchand, Pannalal; Liu, Guohai; Peng, Wan Wang

2014-10-07

A coal feed system to feed pulverized low rank coals containing up to 25 wt % moisture to gasifiers operating up to 1000 psig pressure is described. The system includes gas distributor and collector gas permeable pipes imbedded in the lock vessel. Different methods of operation of the feed system are disclosed to minimize feed problems associated with bridging and packing of the pulverized coal. The method of maintaining the feed system and feeder device exit pressures using gas addition or extraction with the pressure control device is also described.

High pressure feeder and method of operating to feed granular or fine materials

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

Vimalchand, Pannalal; Liu, Guohai; Peng, Wan Wang

A coal feed system to feed pulverized low rank coals containing up to 25 wt % moisture to gasifiers operating up to 1000 psig pressure is described. The system includes gas distributor and collector gas permeable pipes imbedded in the lock vessel. Different methods of operation of the feed system are disclosed to minimize feed problems associated with bridging and packing of the pulverized coal. The method of maintaining the feed system and feeder device exit pressures using gas addition or extraction with the pressure control device is also described.

[Study on process and principle of lactose grinding modification to decrease hygroscopic of Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma extract].

PubMed

Zhang, Ding-Kun; Zhang, Fang; Lin, Jun-Zhi; Han, Li; Wu, Zhen-Feng; Yang, Ying-Guang; Yang, Ming

2014-04-01

In this paper, Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma extract,with high hygroscopic,was selected as research model, while lactose was selected as modifiers to study the effect of the grinding modification method on the hygroscopic. Subsequently, particle size distribution, scannin electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and surface properties were adopted for a phase analysis. The results showed that the modified extract, prepared by Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma extract grinding 5 min with the same amount of lactose UP2, which hygroscopic initial velocity, acceleration, and critical relative humidity moisture were less than that of Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma extract and the mixture dramatically. In addition, compared with the mixture, the size distribution of modified extract was much less, the microstructure was also difference, while the infrared spectroscopy and surface properties were similar with that of lactose. It is the main principle that lactose particle adhered to the surface of Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma extract after grinding mofication to decress the moisture obviously.

Stability studies of saponins in Bacopa monnieri dried ethanolic extracts.

PubMed

Phrompittayarat, Watoo; Wittaya-areekul, Sakchai; Jetiyanon, Kanchalee; Putalun, Waraporn; Tanaka, Hiroyuki; Ingkaninan, Kornkanok

2008-11-01

Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. (Brahmi) is currently used as a drug and food supplement for memory improvement. However, studies on the physical and chemical stability of the extract components, especially on the lead compound important for pre-formulation, have not yet been reported. In this study, the stabilities of the crude extract and the diluted crude extract were investigated at various temperatures using saponin glycosides, bacopaside I and bacoside A3 as markers for quantitative analysis. The stability testing of bacopaside I and bacoside A3 standard solution was performed at various temperatures and pH values. The quantity of both compounds under all conditions was analyzed using HPLC techniques. The moisture adsorption of the crude extract was determined at 5, 40, 60 and 80 degrees C at 75 % relative humidity using gravimetric methods. The results revealed that the crude extract quickly adsorbed moisture up to 54 % w/w at both 40 and 80 degrees C, while it only slowly adsorbed moisture at 5 degrees C. The amounts of intact bacopaside I and bacoside A3 in the crude extract decreased drastically at 80 degrees C, slowly at 40 and 60 degrees C, and remained unchanged at 5 degrees C during the period of investigation. Moreover, the amount of both compounds in the standard solution dropped sharply at a pH of 1.2 but slowly at pH 6.8 and 9.0, respectively. The pre-formulation data could be further used for improvement of the final product quality.

EXTRACTION OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS FROM MARINE SEDIMENTS AND TISSUES USING MICROWAVE ENERGY

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, we compared microwave solvent extraction (MSE) to conventional methods for extracting organic contaminants from marine sediments and tissues with high and varying moisture content. The organic contaminants measured were polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, chl...

The effect of environmental conditions and soil physicochemistry on phosphate stabilisation of Pb in shooting range soils.

PubMed

Sanderson, Peter; Naidu, Ravi; Bolan, Nanthi

2016-04-01

The stabilisation of Pb in the soil by phosphate is influenced by environmental conditions and physicochemical properties of the soils to which it is applied. Stabilisation of Pb by phosphate was examined in four soils under different environmental conditions. The effect of soil moisture and temperature on stabilisation of Pb by phosphate was examined by measurement of water extractable and bioaccessible Pb, sequential fractionation and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The addition of humic acid, ammonium nitrate and chloride was also examined for inhibition or improvement of Pb stability with phosphate treatment. The effect of moisture level varied between soils. In soil MB and DA a soil moisture level of 50% water holding capacity was sufficient to maximise stabilisation of Pb, but in soil TV and PE reduction in bioaccessible Pb was inhibited at this moisture level. Providing moisture at twice the soil water holding capacity did not enhance the effect of phosphate on Pb stabilisation. The difference of Pb stability as a result of incubating phosphate treated soils at 18 °C and 37 °C was relatively small. However wet-dry cycles decreased the effectiveness of phosphate treatment. The reduction in bioaccessible Pb obtained was between 20 and 40% with the most optimal treatment conditions. The reduction in water extractable Pb by phosphate was substantial regardless of incubation conditions and the effect of different temperature and soil moisture regimes was not significant. Selective sequential extraction showed phosphate treatment converted Pb in fraction 1 (exchangeable, acid and water soluble) to fraction 2 (reducible). There were small difference in fraction 4 (residual) Pb and fraction 1 as a result of treatment conditions. X-ray absorption spectroscopy of stabilised PE soil revealed small differences in Pb speciation under varying soil moisture and temperature treatments. The addition of humic acid and chloride produced the greatest effect on Pb speciation in phosphate treated soils. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microwave drying of wood strands

Treesearch

Guanben Du; Siqun Wang; Zhiyong Cai

2005-01-01

Characteristics of microwave drying of wood strands with different initial moisture contents and geometries were investigated using a commercial small microwave oven under different power inputs. Temperature and moisture changes along with the drying efficiency were examined at different drying scenarios. Extractives were analyzed using gas chromatography=mass...

Integrating biofiltration with SVE: A case study

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

Lesley, M.P.; Rangan, C.R.

1996-12-01

A prototype integrated soil vacuum extraction/biofiltration system has been designed and installed at a gasoline contaminated LUST site in southern Delaware. The prototype system remediates contaminated moisture entrained in the air stream, employs automatic water level controls in the filters, and achieves maximum vapor extraction and VOC destruction efficiency with an optimum power input. In addition, the valving and piping layout allows the direction of air flow through the filters to be reversed at a given time interval, which minimizes biofouling, thereby increasing efficiency by minimizing the need for frequent cleaning. This integrated system achieves constant VOC destruction rates ofmore » 40 to 70% while maintaining optimal VOC removal rates from the subsurface. The modular design allows for easy mobilization, setup and demobilization at state-lead LUST sites throughout Delaware.« less

Rapid determination of moisture content in paper materials by multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography.

PubMed

Xie, Wei-Qi; Chai, Xin-Sheng

2016-04-22

This paper describes a new method for the rapid determination of the moisture content in paper materials. The method is based on multiple headspace extraction gas chromatography (MHE-GC) at a temperature above the boiling point of water, from which an integrated water loss from the tested sample due to evaporation can be measured and from which the moisture content in the sample can be determined. The results show that the new method has a good precision (with the relative standard deviation <0.96%), high sensitivity (the limit of quantitation=0.005%) and good accuracy (the relative differences <1.4%). Therefore, the method is quite suitable for many uses in research and industrial applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of the secondary drying in freeze-drying of pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Fissore, Davide; Pisano, Roberto; Barresi, Antonello A

2011-02-01

This paper is focused on the in-line monitoring of the secondary drying phase of a lyophilization process. An innovative software sensor is presented to estimate reliably the residual moisture in the product and the time required to complete secondary drying, that is, to reach the target value of the residual moisture or of the desorption rate. Such results are obtained by coupling a mathematical model of the process and the in-line measurement of the solvent desorption rate and by means of the pressure rise test or another sensors (e.g., windmills, laser sensors) that can measure the vapor flux in the drying chamber. The proposed method does not require extracting any vial during the operation or using expensive sensors to measure off-line the residual moisture. Moreover, it does not require any preliminary experiment to determine the relationship between the desorption rate and residual moisture in the product. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by means of experiments carried out in a pilot-scale apparatus: in this case, some vials were extracted from the drying chamber and the moisture content was measured to validate the estimations provided by the soft-sensor. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Prediction of Moisture Content for Congou Black Tea Withering Leaves Using Image Features and Nonlinear Method.

PubMed

Liang, Gaozhen; Dong, Chunwang; Hu, Bin; Zhu, Hongkai; Yuan, Haibo; Jiang, Yongwen; Hao, Guoshuang

2018-05-18

Withering is the first step in the processing of congou black tea. With respect to the deficiency of traditional water content detection methods, a machine vision based NDT (Non Destructive Testing) method was established to detect the moisture content of withered leaves. First, according to the time sequences using computer visual system collected visible light images of tea leaf surfaces, and color and texture characteristics are extracted through the spatial changes of colors. Then quantitative prediction models for moisture content detection of withered tea leaves was established through linear PLS (Partial Least Squares) and non-linear SVM (Support Vector Machine). The results showed correlation coefficients higher than 0.8 between the water contents and green component mean value (G), lightness component mean value (L * ) and uniformity (U), which means that the extracted characteristics have great potential to predict the water contents. The performance parameters as correlation coefficient of prediction set (Rp), root-mean-square error of prediction (RMSEP), and relative standard deviation (RPD) of the SVM prediction model are 0.9314, 0.0411 and 1.8004, respectively. The non-linear modeling method can better describe the quantitative analytical relations between the image and water content. With superior generalization and robustness, the method would provide a new train of thought and theoretical basis for the online water content monitoring technology of automated production of black tea.

Soil Moisture Estimation Using Hyperspectral SWIR Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, D.

2007-12-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is engaged with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Georgia's National Environmentally Sound Production Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL) both in Tifton, Georgia, USA, to develop transformations for medium and high resolution remotely sensed images to generate moisture indicators for soil. The Institute for Technology Development (ITD) is located at the Stennis Space Center in southern Mississippi and has developed hyperspectral sensor systems that, when mounted in aircraft, collect electromagnetic reflectance data of the terrain. The sensor suite consists of sensors for three different sections of the electromagnetic spectrum; the Ultra-Violet (UV), Visible/Near InfraRed (VNIR) and Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR). The USDA/ ARS' Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory has probes that measure and record soil moisture. Data taken from the ITD SWIR sensor and the USDA/ARS soil moisture meters were analyzed to study the informatics relationships between SWIR data and measured soil moisture. The geographic locations of 29 soil moisture meters provided by the USDA/ARS are in the vicinity of Tifton, Georgia. Using USGS Digital Ortho Quads (DOQ), flightlines were drawn over the 29 soil moisture meters. The SWIR sensor was installed into an aircraft. The coordinates for the flightlines were also loaded into the navigational system of the aircraft. This airborne platform was used to collect the data over these flightlines. In order to prepare the data set for analysis, standard preprocessing was performed. These standard processes included sensor calibration, spectral subsetting, and atmospheric calibration. All 60 bands of the SWIR data were collected for each line in the image data, 15 bands of which were stripped from the data set leaving 45 bands of information in the wavelength range of 906 to 1705 nanometers. All the image files were calibrated using the regression equations generated by using radiometer data collected over calibration tarps. Regions of Interest (ROI) were drawn over the image data set corresponding with the location of the soil moisture meters. Scripts written in ENVI's Interactive Data Language (IDL) were developed to extract the spectra from each of the processed hyperspectral image data over each soil moisture meter from its corresponding ROI. The informatics relationship between soil moisture and SWIR spectra was identified by using the resulting data set.

Evaluation of retention factor and moisture correction for determining asphalt content in asphalt concrete mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-05-01

The purpose of this report is to compare the differences in asphalt contents determined after correction of mix and extracted aggregate weights for moisture when drying with the standard oven and microwave oven. It is also intended to determine if th...

Efficacy of the combined use of a facial cleanser and moisturizers for the care of mild acne patients with sensitive skin.

PubMed

Isoda, Kenichi; Seki, Tsuyoshi; Inoue, Yosuke; Umeda, Koji; Nishizaka, Takahiro; Tanabe, Hisateru; Takagi, Yutaka; Ishida, Koichi; Mizutani, Hitoshi

2015-02-01

Acne is a common skin disease that involves the seborrheic area of the face and results from the obstruction of hair follicles followed by inflammation. Careful face washing helps to improve and prevent acne; however, intensive washing has a risk of inducing skin barrier impairment and dry skin, especially in sensitive skin. We hypothesized that skin care combining mild skin cleansing and intensive moisturizing ("combination skin care") may be effective in the care of acne in subjects with dry skin and/or sensitive skin. We developed a combination skin care with a weakly acidic foaming facial skin cleanser based on a mild detergent, an aqueous lotion with eucalyptus extract and a moisturizing gel containing pseudo-ceramide and eucalyptus extract. To optimize an ideal facial skin care system for mild acne on sensitive skin, we performed a 4-week clinical trial with 29 post-adolescent Japanese women with mild acne with dry and sensitive skin. The acne significantly decreased after this trial accompanied by the improvement of dry skin, a significantly increased endogenous ceramide level in the stratum corneum and an elongated alkyl chain length of the non-hydroxy acyl sphingosine type ceramide. No adverse events due to the test samples were observed. Based on diagnosis by a dermatologist, 97% of the subjects found the combination skin care to be "useful" or "slightly useful". Based on these findings, the combined use of a facial skin cleanser and moisturizers is safe and effective for the care of acne in post-adolescent Japanese women with sensitive skin. © 2014 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Thermogravimetric analysis for rapid assessment of moisture diffusivity in polydisperse powder and thin film matrices.

PubMed

Thirunathan, Praveena; Arnz, Patrik; Husny, Joeska; Gianfrancesco, Alessandro; Perdana, Jimmy

2018-03-01

Accurate description of moisture diffusivity is key to precisely understand and predict moisture transfer behaviour in a matrix. Unfortunately, measuring moisture diffusivity is not trivial, especially at low moisture values and/or elevated temperatures. This paper presents a novel experimental procedure to accurately measure moisture diffusivity based on thermogravimetric approach. The procedure is capable to measure diffusivity even at elevated temperatures (>70°C) and low moisture values (>1%). Diffusivity was extracted from experimental data based on "regular regime approach". The approach was tailored to determine diffusivity from thin film and from poly-dispersed powdered samples. Subsequently, measured diffusivity was validated by comparing to available literature data, showing good agreement. Ability of this approach to accurately measure diffusivity at a wider range of temperatures provides better insight on temperature dependency of diffusivity. Thus, this approach can be crucial to ensure good accuracy of moisture transfer description/prediction especially when involving elevated temperatures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research on Applicability Analysis of Drought Index in Liaoning Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xin; Ding, Hua; Shuang Sun, Li; Li, Ru Ren; Liu, Yu Mei

2018-05-01

Based on brightness temperature data of AMSR-E (advanced microwave scanning radiometer — earth observing system) in 2009 and 2011, the inversion on 8 brightness temperature ratios is performed as alternative drought indexes in this paper. The correlation analysis is made through the soil moisture extracted from inversion drought index and data itself, and 3 kinds of alternative drought that relatively coincide with soil moisture of AMSR-E data itself are selected. And then on this basis, the analysis on the change situation of 3 kinds of microwave moisture indexes in 10 pixel × 10 pixel rectangular region of Shenyang and Chaoyang is made, and the evaluation on the monitoring advantages and disadvantages of 3 kinds of indexes on soil moisture is performed, so as to obtain the optimal index PIv6.9 for drought monitoring. In the end, in order to further study PIv6.9 on soil moisture monitoring situation within the range of Liaoning province, four days with relatively large precipitation are selected according to meteorological station data in 2009, the precipitation data of 51 meteorological stations in Liaoning province are interpolated within the range of the whole province by utilizing Kriging method, and the contrastive analysis on the spatial distribution of precipitation and PIv6.9 index is made. The results show that PIv6.9 can best reflect the spatial distribution characteristics of drought status in Liaoning province.

[Bare Soil Moisture Inversion Model Based on Visible-Shortwave Infrared Reflectance].

PubMed

Zheng, Xiao-po; Sun, Yue-jun; Qin, Qi-ming; Ren, Hua-zhong; Gao, Zhong-ling; Wu, Ling; Meng, Qing-ye; Wang, Jin-liang; Wang, Jian-hua

2015-08-01

Soil is the loose solum of land surface that can support plants. It consists of minerals, organics, atmosphere, moisture, microbes, et al. Among its complex compositions, soil moisture varies greatly. Therefore, the fast and accurate inversion of soil moisture by using remote sensing is very crucial. In order to reduce the influence of soil type on the retrieval of soil moisture, this paper proposed a normalized spectral slope and absorption index named NSSAI to estimate soil moisture. The modeling of the new index contains several key steps: Firstly, soil samples with different moisture level were artificially prepared, and soil reflectance spectra was consequently measured using spectroradiometer produced by ASD Company. Secondly, the moisture absorption spectral feature located at shortwave wavelengths and the spectral slope of visible wavelengths were calculated after analyzing the regular spectral feature change patterns of different soil at different moisture conditions. Then advantages of the two features at reducing soil types' effects was synthesized to build the NSSAI. Thirdly, a linear relationship between NSSAI and soil moisture was established. The result showed that NSSAI worked better (correlation coefficient is 0.93) than most of other traditional methods in soil moisture extraction. It can weaken the influences caused by soil types at different moisture levels and improve the bare soil moisture inversion accuracy.

Investigation of Analytical Techniques for the Rapid Determination of the Moisture Content of NOL 130 Primer Mix and Lead Azide

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

the presence of NOL 130 6 Determination of moisture content of dextrinated lead azide 14 containing known amounts of water, by the Karl Fisher method...maLhiod, extraction mode 8 Determinatiov) of moisture content of special purpose and 16 dextrinated lead atide, containing known amounts of water by the...water in special purpose and dextrinated lead azides were determined by the method described in the experimen- tal section of this report, data shown

Effects of soil moisture depletion on vegetable crop uptake of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs).

PubMed

Santiago, Sergio; Roll, Deborah M; Ray, Chittaranjan; Williams, Clinton; Moravcik, Philip; Knopf, Allan

2016-10-01

Agricultural crops have a long history of being irrigated with recycled wastewater (RW). However, its use on vegetable crops has been of concern due to the potential prevalence of microcontaminants, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in the latter, which represents a possible health hazard to consumers. We investigated the uptake of three PPCPs (atenolol, diclofenac, and ofloxacin), at three different concentrations in irrigation water (0.5, 5, and 25 μg L -1 ) in relation to three varying volumetric soil moisture depletion levels of 14 % (-4.26 kPa), 10 % (-8.66 kPa), and 7 % (-18.37 kPa) by various vegetable crop species. Experiments were conducted in a split-split block completely randomized design. PPCPs were extracted using a developed method of accelerated solvent extraction and solid phase extraction and analyzed via liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS). Results indicate that all treated crops were capable of PPCP uptake at nanogram per gram concentrations independent of the applied soil moisture depletion levels and PPCP concentrations. Ofloxacin was the chemical with the highest uptake amounts, followed by atenolol and then diclofenac. Although the results were not statistically significant, higher concentrations of PPCPs were detected in plants maintained under higher soil moisture levels of 14 % (-4.26 kPa).

Is soil moisture initialization important for seasonal to decadal predictions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacke, Tobias; Hagemann, Stefan

2014-05-01

The state of soil moisture can can have a significant impact on regional climate conditions for short time scales up to several months. However, focusing on seasonal to decadal time scales, it is not clear whether the predictive skill of global a Earth System Model might be enhanced by assimilating soil moisture data or improving the initial soil moisture conditions with respect to observations. As a first attempt to provide answers to this question, we set up an experiment to investigate the life time (memory) of extreme soil moisture states in the coupled land-atmosphere model ECHAM6-JSBACH, which is part of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology's Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). This experiment consists of an ensemble of 3 years simulations which are initialized with extreme wet and dry soil moisture states for different seasons and years. Instead of using common thresholds like wilting point or critical soil moisture, the extreme states were extracted from a reference simulation to ensure that they are within the range of simulated climate variability. As a prerequisite for this experiment, the soil hydrology in JSBACH was improved by replacing the bucket-type soil hydrology scheme with a multi-layer scheme. This new scheme is a more realistic representation of the soil, including percolation and diffusion fluxes between up to five separate layers, the limitation of bare soil evaporation to the uppermost soil layer and the addition of a long term water storage below the root zone in regions with deep soil. While the hydrological cycle is not strongly affected by this new scheme, it has some impact on the simulated soil moisture memory which is mostly strengthened due to the additional deep layer water storage. Ensemble statistics of the initialization experiment indicate perturbation lengths between just a few days up to several seasons for some regions. In general, the strongest effects are seen for wet initialization during northern winter over cold and humid regions, while the shortest memory is found during northern spring. For most regions, the soil moisture memory is either sensitive to wet or to dry perturbations, indicating that soil moisture anomalies interact with the respective weather pattern for a given year and might be able to enhance or dampen extreme conditions. To further investigate this effect, the simulations will be repeated using JSBACH with prescribed meteorological forcing to better disentangle the direct effects of soil moisture initialization and the atmospheric response.

[Study on quality standards of decoction pieces of salt Alpinia].

PubMed

Li, Wenbing; Hu, Changjiang; Long, Lanyan; Huang, Qinwan; Xie, Xiuqiong

2010-12-01

To establish the quality criteria for decoction pieces of salt Alpinia. Decoction pieces of salt Alpinia were measured with moisture, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-extract and volatile oils according to the procedures recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2010. The content of Nootkatone was determined by HPLC, and NaCl, by chloridion electrode method. We obtained results of total ash, acid-insoluble ash, water-extract and volatile oils of 10 batches of decoction pieces of salt Alpinia moisture; Meanwhile we set the HPLC and chloridion electrode method. This research established a fine quality standard for decoction pieces of salt Alpinia.

Stability of spray-dried beetroot extract using oligosaccharides and whey proteins.

PubMed

Carmo, Eloá Lourenço do; Teodoro, Rhana Amanda Ribeiro; Félix, Pedro Henrique Campelo; Fernandes, Regiane Victória de Barros; Oliveira, Érica Resende de; Veiga, Taís Regina Lima Abreu; Borges, Soraia Vilela; Botrel, Diego Alvarenga

2018-05-30

The properties and stability of spray-dried beetroot extract using maltodextrin (MD), inulin (IN), and whey protein isolate (WPI) as carrier agents were evaluated. The values of moisture, betalains content, and retention were 3.33-4.24%, 348.79-385.47 mg/100 g (dry-basis), and 88.45-95.69%, respectively. Higher values of antioxidant activity were observed for the treatments using WPI. The treatment with inulin alone presented higher hygroscopicity in the moisture adsorption isotherms at 25 °C and lower thermal stability when evaluating the thermogravimetric curves. When stored at 60 °C, the use of WPI alone conferred lower stability to the beetroot extract powder. In general, the simultaneous use of IN and WPI as carrier agents resulted in good stability of the beetroot extract powder, representing an opportunity for innovation in food products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microwave-assisted extraction of pectin from cocoa peel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarah, M.; Hanum, F.; Rizky, M.; Hisham, M. F.

2018-02-01

Pectin is a polymer of d-galacturonate acids linked by β-1,4 glycosidic bond. This study isolates pectin from cocoa peel (Theobroma cacao) using citric acid as solvent by microwave-assisted extraction method. Cocoa peels (moisture content of 10%) with citric acid solution (pH of 1.5) irradiated by microwave energy at various microwave power (180, 300, 450 and 600 W) for 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 minutes respectively. Pectin obtained from this study was collected and filtrated by adding 96% ethanol to precipitate the pectin. The best results obtained from extraction process using microwave power of 180 Watt for 30 minutes. This combination of power and time yielded 42.3% pectin with moisture content, ash content, weight equivalent, methoxyl content and galacturonate levels were 8.08%, 5%, 833.33 mg, 6.51% and 58,08%, respectively. The result finding suggested that microwave-assisted extraction method has a great potency on the commercial pectin production.

Extraction and removal of caffeine from green tea by ultrasonic-enhanced supercritical fluid.

PubMed

Tang, Wei-Qiang; Li, Di-Cai; Lv, Yang-Xiao; Jiang, Jian-Guo

2010-05-01

Low-caffeine or caffeine-removed tea and its products are widely welcomed on market in recent years. In the present study, we adopt ultrasonic-enhanced supercritical fluid extraction process to remove caffeine from green tea. An orthogonal experiment (L16 (4(5))) was applied to optimize the best removal conditions. Extraction pressure, extraction time, power of ultrasound, moisture content, and temperature were the main factors to influence the removal rate of caffeine from green tea. The 5 factors chosen for the present investigation were based on the results of a single-factor test. The optimum removal conditions were determined as follows: extraction pressure of 30 MPa, temperature at 55 degrees C, time of 4 h, 30% moisture content, and ultrasound power of 100 W. Chromatogram and ultraviolet analysis of raw material and decaffeinates suggests that under optimized conditions, the caffeine of green tea was effectively removed and minished without damaging the structure of active ingredients in green tea.

Development of a Spirulina Extract/Alginate-Imbedded PCL Nanofibrous Cosmetic Patch.

PubMed

Byeon, Seon Yeong; Cho, Myung Kwon; Shim, Kyou Hee; Kim, Hye Jin; Song, Hyeon Gi; Shin, Hwa Sung

2017-09-28

Cosmetic patches have recently been developed as skin products for personal care owing to rapid advances in the technology of delivery of active ingredients, moisture, and adhesiveness to skin. Alginate and Spirulina are typical marine resources used in cosmetic products. This research involved the development of a Spirulina extract-impregnated alginate nanofiber cosmetic patch supported by a polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofiber cover ( Spi /Alg-PCL NF patch). In addition to the ability of alginate to affect moisture and adhesiveness to skin, the impregnation of Spirulina extract strengthened those abilities as well as its own bioactive effectiveness. All fabrication processing steps were undertaken in aqueous solution. The three components (alginate, Spirulina extract, and PCL) had no detected cytotoxicity in human keratinocyte cell-based examination. In addition, wetting the pre-dried patch on the skin resulted in the Spirulina extract being released within 30 min. The results indicate the excellence of the Spi /Alg-PCL NF patch as a skin-care cosmetic device.

Moisturizing effect of cosmetic formulations containing Aloe vera extract in different concentrations assessed by skin bioengineering techniques.

PubMed

Dal'Belo, Susi Elaine; Gaspar, Lorena Rigo; Maia Campos, Patrícia Maria Berardo Gonçalves

2006-11-01

The polysaccharide-rich composition of Aloe vera extracts (Aloe barbadensis Miller), often used in cosmetic formulations, may impart moisturizing properties to the product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cosmetic formulations containing different concentrations of freeze-dried Aloe vera extract on skin hydration, after a single and a 1- and 2-week period of application, by using skin bioengineering techniques. Stable formulations containing 5% (w/w) of a trilaureth-4 phosphate-based blend were supplemented with 0.10%, 0.25% or 0.50% (w/w) of freeze-dried Aloe vera extract and applied to the volar forearm of 20 female subjects. Skin conditions in terms of the water content of the stratum corneum and of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) (Corneometer CM 825 and Tewameter TM 210) were analysed before and after a single and 1- and 2-week period of daily application. After a single application, only formulations supplemented with 0.25% and 0.50% (w/w) of Aloe vera extract increased the water content of the stratum corneum, while after the 2-week period application, all formulations containing the extract (0.10%, 0.25% and 0.50%) had the same effect, in both cases as compared with the vehicle. TEWL was not modified after a single and after 1- and 2-week period of application, when compared with the vehicle. Our results show that freeze-dried Aloe vera extract is a natural effective ingredient for improving skin hydration, possibly through a humectant mechanism. Consequently, it may be used in moisturizing cosmetic formulations and also as a complement in the treatment of dry skin.

Effect of addition of ripe bananas on some physico-chemical properties of maize 'extract'.

PubMed

Okezie, U; Akanbi, C T; Otunola, E T; Adeyemi, I A

2003-11-01

Flour mixes obtained by the addition of banana pulp in various proportions (0-50%) to maize 'extracts' were evaluated for some quality characteristics. All the mixes had significantly lower values of crude protein, fat and water-holding capacity. Gelation, however, significantly increased the water-holding capacity in all cases. The ash content, titratable acidity and total sugars increased tremendously with an increase in the level of banana substitution. While both Adam's consistency values and equilibrium moisture content decreased with an increase in the level of banana substitution, the syneresis values did not show any consistent pattern. The consistently low moisture content and the results of the moisture sorption isotherms suggest a good storage stability of all the mixes, especially when kept under conditions of water activity of 0.30 and below, and their possible suitability for baked products.

[Effect of the harvest season on the composition of raw and fermented cotyledons of 2 varieties of cacao and shell fractions].

PubMed

de Dios Alvarado, J; Villacís, F E; Zamora, G F

1983-06-01

A study was carried out wherein during the period August 1979 to January 1980, samples of raw and fermented cacao were analyzed monthly. These included two varieties: Arriba, taken from a farm in "Quevedo", and the EET-19, grown in "Pichilingüe" by the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIAP). Taking the ear of cacao as a basis, the weight of its main parts was determined. The proximal composition was established in the cotyledons, with significant statistical differences in regard to moisture, protein, and ether extract content according to the month of harvest. As to the fermentation process, differences in moisture, ether extract and ash content were detected; differences in the ether extract and ash content were found between the two varieties. The fat extracted from the cotyledons presented different iodine, saponification and acidity index values between the raw and fermented samples, but none were determined between the varieties; as far as the month of harvest is concerned, differences in the acidity index were observed. The percentage composition of the main fatty acids is reported (palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids). In order to suggest possible industrial ways of utilizing the cacao shell by-product which is discarded by the shelling machine, the chemical characteristics of five fractions were determined based on the functioning of the shelling machine. The moisture, protein, ether extract, ash, crude fiber, theobromine, and caffeine contents varied among the fractions, and it was dependent on the broken "nibs" content. Differences in the protein, ether extract, and ash content, according to the months of production, were found. Obviously, the high fat content in fractions A (fine dust) and B (fine ground), which varied from 30 to 11 g/100 g, merits its extraction; the remainder meal has a valuable protein and alkaloid content. The chemical characteristics of the fat extracted from the shell of two fractions were similar to the fat extracted from the cotyledons.

Mitigating Groundwater Depletion in North China Plain with Cropping System that Alternate Deep and Shallow Rooted Crops

PubMed Central

Yang, Xiao-Lin; Chen, Yuan-Quan; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Pacenka, Steven; Gao, Wang-Sheng; Ma, Li; Zhang, Min; Sui, Peng

2017-01-01

In the North China Plain, groundwater tables have been dropping at unsustainable rates of 1 m per year due to irrigation of a double cropping system of winter wheat and summer maize. To reverse the trend, we examined whether alternative crop rotations could save water. Moisture contents were measured weekly at 20 cm intervals in the top 180 cm of soil as part of a 12-year field experiment with four crop rotations: sweet potato→ cotton→ sweet potato→ winter wheat-summer maize (SpCSpWS, 4-year cycle); peanuts → winter wheat-summer maize (PWS, 2-year cycle); ryegrass–cotton→ peanuts→ winter wheat-summer maize (RCPWS, 3-year cycle); and winter wheat-summer maize (WS, each year). We found that, compared to WS, the SpCSpWS annual evapotranspiration was 28% lower, PWS was 19% lower and RCPWS was 14% lower. The yield per unit of water evaporated improved for wheat within any alternative rotation compared to WS, increasing up to 19%. Average soil moisture contents at the sowing date of wheat in the SpCSpWS, PWS, and RCPWS rotations were 7, 4, and 10% higher than WS, respectively. The advantage of alternative rotations was that a deep rooted crop of winter wheat reaching down to 180 cm followed shallow rooted crops (sweet potato and peanut drawing soil moisture from 0 to 120 cm). They benefited from the sequencing and vertical complementarity of soil moisture extraction. Thus, replacing the traditional crop rotation with cropping system that involves rotating with annual shallow rooted crops is promising for reducing groundwater depletion in the North China Plain. PMID:28642779

Decay resistance of wood-plastic composites reinforced with extracted or delignified wood flour

Treesearch

Rebecca E. Ibach; Yao Chen; Nicole M. Stark; Mandla A. Tshabalala; Yongming Fan; Jianmin Gao

2014-01-01

The moisture and decay resistance of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) reinforced with extracted or delignified wood flour (WF) was investigated. Three different extractions were preformed: toluene/ethanol (TE), acetone/water (AW), and hot water (HW). Delignification (DL) was performed using a sodium chlorite/acetic acid solution. All WPCs specimens were made with 50% by...

Green bio-oil extraction for oil crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainab, H.; Nurfatirah, N.; Norfaezah, A.; Othman, H.

2016-06-01

The move towards a green bio-oil extraction technique is highlighted in this paper. The commonly practised organic solvent oil extraction technique could be replaced with a modified microwave extraction. Jatropha seeds (Jatropha curcas) were used to extract bio-oil. Clean samples were heated in an oven at 110 ° C for 24 hours to remove moisture content and ground to obtain particle size smaller than 500μm. Extraction was carried out at different extraction times 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 60 min and 120 min to determine oil yield. The biooil yield obtained from microwave assisted extraction system at 90 minutes was 36% while that from soxhlet extraction for 6 hours was 42%. Bio-oil extracted using the microwave assisted extraction (MAE) system could enhance yield of bio-oil compared to soxhlet extraction. The MAE extraction system is rapid using only water as solvent which is a nonhazardous, environment-friendly technique compared to soxhlet extraction (SE) method using hexane as solvent. Thus, this is a green technique of bio-oil extraction using only water as extractant. Bio-oil extraction from the pyrolysis of empty fruit bunch (EFB), a biomass waste from oil palm crop, was enhanced using a biocatalyst derived from seashell waste. Oil yield for non-catalytic extraction was 43.8% while addition of seashell based biocatalyst was 44.6%. Oil yield for non-catalytic extraction was 43.8% while with addition of seashell-based biocatalyst was 44.6%. The pH of bio-oil increased from 3.5 to 4.3. The viscosity of bio-oil obtained by catalytic means increased from 20.5 to 37.8 cP. A rapid and environment friendly extraction technique is preferable to enhance bio-oil yield. The microwave assisted approach is a green, rapid and environmental friendly extraction technique for the production of bio-oil bearing crops.

Classification and soil moisture determination of agricultural fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandenbroek, A. C.; Groot, J. S.

1993-01-01

During the Mac-Europe campaign of 1991 several SAR (Synthetic Aperature Radar) experiments were carried out in the Flevoland test area in the Netherlands. The test site consists of a forested and an agricultural area with more than 15 different crop types. The experiments took place in June and July (mid to late growing season). The area was monitored by the spaceborne C-band VV polarized ERS-1, the Dutch airborne PHARS with similar frequency and polarization and the three-frequency PP-, L-, and C-band) polarimetric AIRSAR system of NASA/JPL. The last system passed over on June 15, 3, 12, and 28. The last two dates coincided with the overpasses of the PHARS and the ERS-1. Comparison of the results showed that backscattering coefficients from the three systems agree quite well. In this paper we present the results of a study of crop type classification (section 2) and soil moisture determination in the agricultural area (section 3). For these studies we used field averaged Stokes matrices extracted from the AIRSAR data (processor version 3.55 or 3.56).

ACCELERATED SOLVENT EXTRACTION COMBINED WITH ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

A research project was initiated to address a recurring problem of elevated detection limits above required risk-based concentrations for the determination of semivolatile organic compounds in high moisture content solid samples. This project was initiated, in cooperation with the EPA Region 1 Laboratory, under the Regional Methods Program administered through the ORD Office of Science Policy. The aim of the project was to develop an approach for the rapid removal of water in high moisture content solids (e.g., wetland sediments) in preparation for analysis via Method 8270. Alternative methods for water removal have been investigated to enhance compound solid concentrations and improve extraction efficiency, with the use of pressure filtration providing a high-throughput alternative for removal of the majority of free water in sediments and sludges. In order to eliminate problems with phase separation during extraction of solids using Accelerated Solvent Extraction, a variation of a water-isopropanol extraction method developed at the USGS National Water Quality Laboratory in Denver, CO is being employed. The concentrations of target compounds in water-isopropanol extraction fluids are subsequently analyzed using an automated Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)-GC/MS method developed in our laboratory. The coupled approaches for dewatering, extraction, and target compound identification-quantitation provide a useful alternative to enhance sample throughput for Me

Optimization of extraction procedures for ecotoxicity analyses: Use of TNT contaminated soil as a model

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

Sunahara, G.I.; Renoux, A.Y.; Dodard, S.

1995-12-31

The environmental impact of energetic substances (TNT, RDX, GAP, NC) in soil is being examined using ecotoxicity bioassays. An extraction method was characterized to optimize bioassay assessment of TNT toxicity in different soil types. Using the Microtox{trademark} (Photobacterium phosphoreum) assay and non-extracted samples, TNT was most acutely toxic (IC{sub 50} = 1--9 PPM) followed by RDX and GAP; NC did not show obvious toxicity (probably due to solubility limitations). TNT (in 0.25% DMSO) yielded an IC{sub 50} 0.98 + 0.10 (SD) ppm. The 96h-EC{sub 50} (Selenastrum capricornutum growth inhibition) of TNT (1. 1 ppm) was higher than GAP and RDX;more » NC was not apparently toxic (probably due to solubility limitations). Soil samples (sand or a silt-sand mix) were spiked with either 2,000 or 20,000 mg TNT/kg soil, and were adjusted to 20% moisture. Samples were later mixed with acetonitrile, sonicated, and then treated with CaCl{sub 2} before filtration, HPLC and ecotoxicity analyses. Results indicated that: the recovery of TNT from soil (97.51% {+-} 2.78) was independent of the type of soil or moisture content; CaCl{sub 2} interfered with TNT toxicity and acetonitrile extracts could not be used directly for algal testing. When TNT extracts were diluted to fixed concentrations, similar TNT-induced ecotoxicities were generally observed and suggested that, apart from the expected effects of TNT concentrations in the soil, the soil texture and the moisture effects were minimal. The extraction procedure permits HPLC analyses as well as ecotoxicity testing and minimizes secondary soil matrix effects. Studies will be conducted to study the toxic effects of other energetic substances present in soil using this approach.« less

Controlled Release of Antimicrobial ClO2 Gas from a Two-Layer Polymeric Film System.

PubMed

Bai, Zhifeng; Cristancho, Diego E; Rachford, Aaron A; Reder, Amy L; Williamson, Alexander; Grzesiak, Adam L

2016-11-16

We report a two-component label system comprising a chlorite-containing polymer film and an acid-containing polymer film that can release antimicrobial ClO 2 gas upon adhering the two films together to enable a reaction of the chlorite and acid under moisture exposure. The chlorite-containing film comprises a commercial acrylate-based pressure-sensitive adhesive polymer impregnated with sodium chlorite. The acid-containing film comprises a commercial poly(vinyl alcohol) polymer loaded with tartaric acid. Both of the films were prepared on low ClO 2 -absorbing substrate films from stable aqueous systems of the polymers with high reagent loading. Rapid and sustained releases of significant amounts of ClO 2 gas from the label system were observed in an in situ quantification system using UV-vis spectroscopy. It was found that the ClO 2 release is slower at a lower temperature and can be accelerated by moisture in the atmosphere and the films. Controlled release of ClO 2 gas from the label system was demonstrated by tailoring film composition and thickness. A model was developed to extract release kinetics and revealed good conversions of the label system. This two-component system can potentially be applied as a two-part label without premature release for applications in food packaging.

9 CFR 319.721 - Fluid extract of meat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fluid extract of meat. 319.721 Section 319.721 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Beef”) shall contain not more than 50 percent of moisture. ...

9 CFR 319.721 - Fluid extract of meat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Fluid extract of meat. 319.721 Section 319.721 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Beef”) shall contain not more than 50 percent of moisture. ...

9 CFR 319.721 - Fluid extract of meat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Fluid extract of meat. 319.721 Section 319.721 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Beef”) shall contain not more than 50 percent of moisture. ...

9 CFR 319.721 - Fluid extract of meat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Fluid extract of meat. 319.721 Section 319.721 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Beef”) shall contain not more than 50 percent of moisture. ...

9 CFR 319.721 - Fluid extract of meat.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Fluid extract of meat. 319.721 Section 319.721 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Beef”) shall contain not more than 50 percent of moisture. ...

NASA Soil Moisture Data Products and Their Incorporation in DREAM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blonski, Slawomir; Holland, Donald; Henderson, Vaneshette

2005-01-01

NASA provides soil moisture data products that include observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on the Earth Observing System Aqua satellite, field measurements from the Soil Moisture Experiment campaigns, and model predictions from the Land Information System and the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System. Incorporation of the NASA soil moisture products in the Dust Regional Atmospheric Model is possible through use of the satellite observations of soil moisture to set initial conditions for the dust simulations. An additional comparison of satellite soil moisture observations with mesoscale atmospheric dynamics modeling is recommended. Such a comparison would validate the use of NASA soil moisture data in applications and support acceptance of satellite soil moisture data assimilation in weather and climate modeling.

A combination of solvent extraction and freeze thaw for oil recovery from petroleum refinery wastewater treatment pond sludge.

PubMed

Hu, Guangji; Li, Jianbing; Hou, Haobo

2015-01-01

A combination of solvent extraction and freeze thaw was examined for recovering oil from the high-moisture petroleum refinery wastewater treatment pond sludge. Five solvents including cyclohexane (CHX), dichloromethane (DCM), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), ethyl acetate (EA), and 2-propanol (2-Pro) were examined. It was found that these solvents except 2-Pro showed a promising oil recovery rate of about 40%, but the recycling of DCM solvent after oil extraction was quite low. Three solvents (CHX, MEK and EA) were then selected for examining the effect of freeze/thaw treatment on improving the quality of recovered oil. This treatment increased the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content in recovered oil from about 40% to 60% for both MEK and EA extractions, but little effect was observed for CHX extraction. Although the solid residue after oil recovery had a significantly decreased TPH content, a high concentration of heavy metals was observed, indicating that this residue may require proper management. In general, the combination of solvent extraction with freeze/thaw is effective for high-moisture oily hazardous waste treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Field measurement of moisture-buffering model inputs for residential buildings

DOE PAGES

Woods, Jason; Winkler, Jon

2016-02-05

Moisture adsorption and desorption in building materials impact indoor humidity. This effect should be included in building-energy simulations, particularly when humidity is being investigated or controlled. Several models can calculate this moisture-buffering effect, but accurate ones require model inputs that are not always known to the user of the building-energy simulation. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputs for the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model. The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative-humidity profile, measure all of the moisture-transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air-conditioner condensate), and calculate the onlymore » unmeasured term—the moisture sorption into the materials. We validated this method with laboratory measurements, which we used to measure the EMPD model inputs of two houses. After deriving these inputs, we measured the humidity of the same houses during tests with realistic latent and sensible loads and demonstrated the accuracy of this approach. Furthermore, these results show that the EMPD model, when given reasonable inputs, is an accurate moisture-buffering model.« less

Extraction Techniques for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils

PubMed Central

Lau, E. V.; Gan, S.; Ng, H. K.

2010-01-01

This paper aims to provide a review of the analytical extraction techniques for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils. The extraction technologies described here include Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic and mechanical agitation, accelerated solvent extraction, supercritical and subcritical fluid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, solid phase extraction and microextraction, thermal desorption and flash pyrolysis, as well as fluidised-bed extraction. The influencing factors in the extraction of PAHs from soil such as temperature, type of solvent, soil moisture, and other soil characteristics are also discussed. The paper concludes with a review of the models used to describe the kinetics of PAH desorption from soils during solvent extraction. PMID:20396670

Extraction and characterization of the auricularia auricular polysaccharide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q. T.

2016-07-01

To study a new protein drugs carrier, the Auricularia auricular polysaccharide (AAP) was extracted and purified from Auricularia auricular, and then characterized by the micrOTOF-Q mass spectrometer, UV/Vis spectrophotometer, moisture analyzer and SEM. The results showed that the AAP sample was water- soluble and white flocculence, its molecular weight were 20506.9 Da∼⃒63923.7 Da, and the yield, moisture, and total sugar contents of the AAP were 4.5%, 6.2% and 90.12%(w/w), respectively. The results of the SEM revealed that the AAP dried by vacuum were spherical particles with a smooth surface, and the AAP freeze-dried had continuous porous sheet shape with the loose structure.

Microwave-assisted extraction of Nigella sativa L. essential oil and evaluation of its antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Abedi, Abdol-Samad; Rismanchi, Marjan; Shahdoostkhany, Mehrnoush; Mohammadi, Abdorreza; Mortazavian, Amir Mohammad

2017-11-01

It has been previously reported that the essential oil of Nigella sativa L. seeds and its major active component, thymoquinone (TQ), possess a broad variety of biological activities and therapeutic properties. In this work, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of the essential oil from Nigella sativa L. seeds and its antioxidant activity were studied. Response surface methodology based on central composite design was used to evaluate the effects of extraction time, irradiation power and moisture content on extraction yield and TQ content. Optimal parameters obtained by CCD and RSM were extraction time 30 min, irradiation power 450 W, and moisture content 50%. The extraction yield and TQ content of the essential oil were 0.33 and 20% under the optimum conditions, respectively. In contrast, extraction yield and TQ amount of oil obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) were 0.23 and 3.71%, respectively. The main constituents of the essential oil extracted by MAE and HD were p -cymene, TQ, α-thujene and longifolene, comprising more than 60% of total peak area. The antioxidant capacity of essential oils extracted by different methods were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and Ferric reducing antioxidant power assays, and compared with traditional antioxidants. The results showed that MAE method was a viable alternative to HD for the essential oil extraction from N. sativa seeds due to the excellent extraction efficiency, higher thymoquinone content, and stronger antioxidant activity.

An oil-soluble extract of Rubus idaeus cells enhances hydration and water homeostasis in skin cells.

PubMed

Tito, A; Bimonte, M; Carola, A; De Lucia, A; Barbulova, A; Tortora, A; Colucci, G; Apone, F

2015-12-01

Raspberry plants, belonging to the species of Rubus idaeus, are known for their excellent therapeutic properties as they are particularly rich in compounds with strong antioxidant activity, which promote health and well-being of human cells. Besides their high content of phenolic compounds, Rubus plants are rich in oil-soluble compounds, which are also primary components of the hydrolipidic film barrier of the skin. As plant cell cultures represented a valuable system to produce interesting compounds and ingredients for cosmetic applications, we developed liquid suspension cultures from Rubus idaeus leaves and used them to obtain an active ingredient aimed at improving hydration and moisturization capacity in the skin. Rubus idaeus cells, grown in the laboratory under sterile and controlled conditions as liquid suspension cultures, were processed to obtain an oil-soluble (liposoluble) extract, containing phenolic compounds and a wide range of fatty acids. The extract was tested on cultured keratinocytes and fibroblasts and then on the skin in vivo, to assess its cosmetic activities. When tested on skin cell cultures, the extract induced the genes responsible for skin hydration, such as aquaporin 3, filaggrin, involucrin and hyaluronic acid synthase, and stimulated the expression and the activity of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase, involved in ceramide production. Moreover, the liposoluble extract increased the synthesis of the extracellular matrix components in cultured fibroblasts and showed a remarkable skin-hydrating capacity when tested on human skin in vivo. Thanks to these activities, the Rubus idaeus liposoluble extract has several potential applications in skin care cosmetics: it can be used as hydrating and moisturizing ingredient in face and body lotions, and as anti-ageing product in face creams specifically designed to fight wrinkle formation. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

Rapid and effective decontamination of chlorophenol-contaminated soil by sorption into commercial polymers: concept demonstration and process modeling.

PubMed

Tomei, M Concetta; Mosca Angelucci, Domenica; Ademollo, Nicoletta; Daugulis, Andrew J

2015-03-01

Solid phase extraction performed with commercial polymer beads to treat soil contaminated by chlorophenols (4-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol) as single compounds and in a mixture has been investigated in this study. Soil-water-polymer partition tests were conducted to determine the relative affinities of single compounds in soil-water and polymer-water pairs. Subsequent soil extraction tests were performed with Hytrel 8206, the polymer showing the highest affinity for the tested chlorophenols. Factors that were examined were polymer type, moisture content, and contamination level. Increased moisture content (up to 100%) improved the extraction efficiency for all three compounds. Extraction tests at this upper level of moisture content showed removal efficiencies ≥70% for all the compounds and their ternary mixture, for 24 h of contact time, which is in contrast to the weeks and months, normally required for conventional ex situ remediation processes. A dynamic model characterizing the rate and extent of decontamination was also formulated, calibrated and validated with the experimental data. The proposed model, based on the simplified approach of "lumped parameters" for the mass transfer coefficients, provided very good predictions of the experimental data for the absorptive removal of contaminants from soil at different individual solute levels. Parameters evaluated from calibration by fitting of single compound data, have been successfully applied to predict mixture data, with differences between experimental and predicted data in all cases being ≤3%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors Influencing Divergent Patterns of Phosphorus Availability in NY and PA Biogeochemical `Hotspots'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saia, S. M.; Hofmeister, K.; Regan, J. M.; Buda, A. R.; Carrick, H. J.; Walter, M. T.

2016-12-01

Anthropogenic alteration of the soil phosphorus (P) cycle leads to subsequent water quality issues in agricultural dominated watersheds. In the humid Northeastern United States (NE US), variably saturated areas can generate surface runoff that transports P and stimulates biogeochemical processes; these hydrologically dynamic locations are often called biogeochemical `hotspots'. Many studies have evaluated nitrogen and carbon cycling in biogeochemical hot spots but few have focused on P. We hypothesized seasonally wet parts of the landscape (i.e., hotspots) have smaller biologically available P pools because runoff events frequently carry away nutrients like P. To test this hypothesis, we generated soil wetness index (SWI) maps from soil (SURRGO) and elevation (LiDAR rescaled to 3 m) data and used these maps to direct seasonal soil sampling near Klingerstown, Pennsylvania (PA) and Ithaca, New York (NY). We collected 5cm deep soil samples in PA (bimonthly) and NY (monthly) along soil moisture gradients for a range of land cover types (forest, fallow, and cropped) from May through October. We measured soil moisture in the field and percent organic matter (OM), pH, and three increasingly strong soil P extractions (dilute-salt-extractable P, oxalate-extractable P, and total-extractable P) in the laboratory. Our results indicated a negative relationship between dilute-salt-extractable P concentrations and SWI in PA and no relationship between these same variables in NY. We also found positive relationships between each of the three P extractions in PA but only a positive relationship between oxalate-extractable P and total-extractable P in NY. Our findings in PA support our hypothesis; namely, less biologically available P (i.e. dilute-salt-extractable P) is found in wetter areas of the landscape. However, divergent P availability patterns in NY point to further complexities and confounding variables in our understanding in soil P processes. Further studies will look into the importance of environmental variables such as OM and pH on P patterns under changing soil moisture regimes. The knowledge gained from this study will improve our understanding of P cycling in biogeochemical hotspots and can be used to improve the effectiveness of agricultural management practices in the NE US.

Survival and growth of salmonella in high-moisture pecan nutmeats, in-shell pecans, inedible nut components, and orchard soil.

PubMed

Beuchat, Larry R; Mann, David A

2010-11-01

Outbreaks of salmonellosis associated with almonds have raised interest in better understanding the behavior of Salmonella on other tree nuts. We undertook a study to determine the survival and growth characteristics of Salmonella on high-moisture (water activity of 0.96 to 0.99) pecan nutmeats, in-shell pecans, and inedible components (shuck, shell, and middle septum tissue) of in-shell pecans. Salmonella did not grow on high-moisture nutmeat halves, pieces, or granules stored at 4°C for up to 48 h. Growth did occur, however, at 21, 30, and 37°C. Increases of 1.77 to 5.87 log CFU/g of nutmeats occurred within 48 h at 37°C; the order in which nutmeats supported growth was granules > pieces > halves. Populations of Salmonella on and in high-moisture in-shell pecans (kernel water activity of 0.94) stored at 4, 21, 30, and 37°C for 8 days decreased by 0.52 to 1.19 log CFU/g. The pathogen grew on the surface of high-moisture (water activity of 0.99) pecan shucks and shells but died on middle septum tissue stored at 21, 30, and 37°C for up to 6 days. Salmonella died in water extracts of shucks and in pecan orchard soil saturated with water or shuck extract, but survived well for at least 18 weeks in dry soil. The ability of the pathogen to grow on high-moisture nutmeats and some of the inedible components of pecans emphasizes the importance of controlling or limiting the time pecans are exposed to water in preharvest and postharvest environments.

Benefits and Pitfalls of GRACE Terrestrial Water Storage Data Assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Girotto, Manuela

2018-01-01

Satellite observations of terrestrial water storage (TWS) from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission have a coarse resolution in time (monthly) and space (roughly 150,000 sq km at midlatitudes) and vertically integrate all water storage components over land, including soil moisture and groundwater. Nonetheless, data assimilation can be used to horizontally downscale and vertically partition GRACE-TWS observations. This presentation illustrates some of the benefits and drawbacks of assimilating TWS observations from GRACE into a land surface model over the continental United States and India. The assimilation scheme yields improved skill metrics for groundwater compared to the no-assimilation simulations. A smaller impact is seen for surface and root-zone soil moisture. Further, GRACE observes TWS depletion associated with anthropogenic groundwater extraction. Results from the assimilation emphasize the importance of representing anthropogenic processes in land surface modeling and data assimilation systems.

Modeling and measurement of microwave emission and backscattering from bare soil surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saatchi, S.; Wegmuller, U.

1992-01-01

A multifrequency ground-based radiometer-scatterometer system working at frequencies between 3.0 GHz and 11.0 GHz has been used to study the effect of soil moisture and roughness on microwave emission and backscattering. The freezing and thawing effect of the soil surface and the changes of the surface roughness due to rain and erosion are reported. To analyze the combined active and passive data, a scattering model based on physical optics approximation for the low frequency and geometrical optics approximation for high frequency has been developed. The model is used to calculate the bistatic scattering coefficients from the surface. By considering the conservation of energy, the result has been integrated over a hemisphere above the surface to calculate the emissivity. The backscattering and emission model has been coupled with the observed data in order to extract soil moisture and surface roughness.

Design and Operation of Equipment to Detect and Remove Water within Used Nuclear Fuel Storage Bottles

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

C.C. Baker; T.M. Pfeiffer; J.C. Price

2013-09-01

Inspection and drying equipment has been implemented in a hot cell to address the inadvertent ingress of water into used nuclear fuel storage bottles. Operated with telemanipulators, the system holds up to two fuel bottles and allows their threaded openings to be connected to pressure transducers and a vacuum pump. A prescribed pressure rebound test is used to diagnose the presence of moisture. Bottles found to contain moisture are dried by vaporization. The drying process is accelerated by the application of heat and vacuum. These techniques detect and remove virtually all free water (even water contained in a debris bed)more » while leaving behind most, if not all, particulates. The extracted water vapour passes through a thermoelectric cooler where it is condensed back to the liquid phase for collection. Fuel bottles are verified to be dry by passing the pressure rebound test.« less

Moisture effects in heat transfer through clothing systems for wildland firefighters.

PubMed

Lawson, Lelia K; Crown, Elizabeth M; Ackerman, Mark Y; Dale, J Douglas

2004-01-01

Wildland firefighters work in unfavourable environments involving both heat and moisture. Moisture in clothing systems worn by wildland firefighters may increase or decrease heat transfer, depending on its source and location in the clothing system, location on the body, timing of application and degree of sorption. In this experiment, 4 outerwear/underwear combinations were exposed to 1 of 5 different conditions varying on amount and location of moisture. The fabric systems were then exposed to either a high-heat-flux flame exposure (83 kW/m(2)) or a low-heat-flux radiant exposure (10 kW/m(2)). Under high-heat-flux flame exposures, external moisture tended to decrease heat transfer through the fabric systems, while internal moisture tended to increase heat transfer. Under low-heat-flux radiant exposures, internal moisture decreased heat transfer through the fabric systems. The nature and extent of such differences was fabric dependent. Implications for test protocol development are discussed.

Effects of removal of different chemical components on moisture sorption property of Populus euramericana Cv. under dynamic hygrothermal conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Tiantian; Zhou, Haizhen; Ma, Erni; Wang, Jiamin

2018-09-01

Effects of chemical components on wood sorption property under dynamic condition were investigated for the first time. Hemicellulose, lignin and extractive (denoted as DHC, DL and DE, respectively) were removed from Populus euramericana Cv., 20 mm in radial (R) and tangential (T) directions with thickness of 4 mm along the grain, then the wood was subjected to cyclic tests where relative humidity (RH) varied from 45% to 75% sinusoidally at 25 °C. Based on measured data automatically, the results showed that, various chemical components had different effects on dynamic sorption behaviors of wood. The DL exhibited the largest moisture content and diffusion coefficient, followed by the DE, Control and DHC. This indicated lignin or extractive removal accelerated the dynamic sorption process and improved hygroscopicity of wood, while hemicellulose removal caused opposite effects. Theoretical sorption model was further applied and the modeled curves fitted satisfactorily with experimental data. Dynamic moisture gradient distribution inside the different treated wood was investigated and amplitude of moisture showed negative relation with wood element depth, while phase lag presented an opposite trend. Amplitude of DL was the largest while its phase lag was the least. Conditioning thickness for RH was greatest for DHC, about twice as much as the minimum of DL.

Modeling Feedbacks Between Water and Vegetation in the Climate System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, James R.; Russell, Gary L.; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Not only is water essential for life on earth, but life itself affects the global hydrologic cycle and consequently the climate of the planet. Whether the global feedbacks between life and the hydrologic cycle tend to stabilize the climate system about some equilibrium level is difficult to assess. We use a global climate model to examine how the presence of vegetation can affect the hydrologic cycle in a particular region. A control for the present climate is compared with a model experiment in which the Sahara Desert is replaced by vegetation in the form of trees and shrubs common to the Sahel region. A second model experiment is designed to identify the separate roles of two different effects of vegetation, namely the modified albedo and the presence of roots that can extract moisture from deeper soil layers. The results show that the presence of vegetation leads to increases in precipitation and soil moisture in western Sahara. In eastern Sahara, the changes are less clear. The increase in soil moisture is greater when the desert albedo is replaced by the vegetation albedo than when both the vegetation albedo and roots are added. The effect of roots is to withdraw water from deeper layers during the dry season. One implication of this study is that the insertion of vegetation into the Sahara modifies the hydrologic cycle so that the vegetation is more likely to persist than initially.

Assessment of Multi-frequency Electromagnetic Induction for Determining Soil Moisture Patterns at the Hillslope Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tromp-van Meerveld, I.; McDonnell, J.

2009-05-01

We present an assessment of electromagnetic induction (EM) as a potential rapid and non-invasive method to map soil moisture patterns at the Panola (GA, USA) hillslope. We address the following questions regarding the applicability of EM measurements for hillslope hydrological investigations: (1) Can EM be used for soil moisture measurements in areas with shallow soils?; (2) Can EM represent the temporal and spatial patterns of soil moisture throughout the year?; and (3) can multiple frequencies be used to extract additional information content from the EM approach and explain the depth profile of soil moisture? We found that the apparent conductivity measured with the multi-frequency GEM-300 was linearly related to soil moisture measured with an Aqua-pro capacitance sensor below a threshold conductivity and represented the temporal patterns in soil moisture well. During spring rainfall events that wetted only the surface soil layers the apparent conductivity measurements explained the soil moisture dynamics at depth better than the surface soil moisture dynamics. All four EM frequencies (7290, 9090, 11250, and 14010 Hz) were highly correlated and linearly related to each other and could be used to predict soil moisture. This limited our ability to use the four different EM frequencies to obtain a soil moisture profile with depth. The apparent conductivity patterns represented the observed spatial soil moisture patterns well when the individually fitted relationships between measured soil moisture and apparent conductivity were used for each measurement point. However, when the same (master) relationship was used for all measurement locations, the soil moisture patterns were smoothed and did not resemble the observed soil moisture patterns very well. In addition, the range in calculated soil moisture values was reduced compared to observed soil moisture. Part of the smoothing was likely due to the much larger measurement area of the GEM-300 compared to the Aqua-pro soil moisture measurements.

Cold-pressed and hot-pressed rapeseed oil: The effects of roasting and seed moisture on the antioxi- dant activity, canolol, and tocopherol level.

PubMed

Siger, Aleksander; Józefiak, Marta; Górnaś, Paweł

2017-01-01

The paper looks at the levels of canolol, tocopherols and antioxidant activity in cold-pressed and hot-pressed rapeseed oils produced from seeds of various moisture levels (5%, 7.5%, and 10%). The paper also considers the effects of seed roasting on the levels of these compounds. The material used for the tests was rapeseed cv. Adrianna. The quality of the oils obtained is determined using peroxide and acid values. The levels of canolol and tocopherols are analyzed using HPLC. The DPPH radical-scavenging activity method for oil samples and phenolic extract from oils was used. It has been demonstrated that the oils produced from rapeseeds with a 5% moisture content, and   in particular from cold-pressed oils, were characterized by the lowest peroxide values. Cold-pressed oils produced from rapeseeds with a 5% moisture content were characterized by higher levels of tocopherols and plastochromanol-8. In the case of hot-pressed oils, the highest levels of tocopherols were found in oils pro- duced from seeds with a 7.5% moisture content, and the greatest amount of PC-8 (more than 4 mg/100 g) was found in oils produced from seeds with a 10% moisture content. Hot-pressed oils have been shown to have higher levels of these compounds than cold-pressed oils. Both roasting and hot pressing led to an increase in the amount of canolol in the oils investigated. When analysing the antioxidant activity of the oils and phenolic extracts it was shown that phenolic compounds are responsible for approx. 10% of total antioxidant activity. Various levels of biologically active compounds were shown to be present in the rapeseed oil obtained from raw materials of a varying moisture content. The type of pressing process (cold-pressing or hot-pressing) and whether the seeds have undergone roasting has also been shown to affect the resulting oil and the level of native antioxidants it contains.

Droughts and Excessive Moisture Events in Southern Siberia in the Late XXth - Early XXIst Centuries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryazanova, A. A.; Voropay, N. N.

2017-11-01

In recent years much research has been devoted to global and regional climate changes. Special attention was paid to climate extremes, such as droughts and excessive moisture events. In this study the moisture and aridity of Southern Siberia are estimated using web-GIS called “CLIMATE”. The system “CLIMATE” is part of a hardware and software cloud storage complex for data analysis of various climatic data sets, with algorithms for searching, extracting, processing, and visualizing the data. The ECMWF ERA-Interim reanalysis data for Southern Siberia (50-65°N, 60-120°E) from 1979 to 2010 with a grid cell of 0.75×0.75° is used. Some hydrothermal conditions are estimated using the so-called Ped index (Si), which is a normalized indicator of the ratio of air temperature to precipitation. The mountain regions of Eastern Siberia are becoming more and more arid each month during the last 30 years. In Western Siberia, aridity increases in May and decreases in June, in the other months positive and negative trends are found. The greatest differences between the trends of the aridity index (Si), air temperature, and precipitation are observed in July.

Moisture content during extrusion of oats impacts the initial fermentation metabolites and probiotic bacteria during extended fermentation by human fecal microbiota.

PubMed

Brahma, Sandrayee; Weier, Steven A; Rose, Devin J

2017-07-01

Extrusion exposes flour components to high pressure and shear during processing, which may affect the dietary fiber fermentability by human fecal microbiota. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of flour moisture content during extrusion on in vitro fermentation properties of whole grain oats. Extrudates were processed at three moisture levels (15%, 18%, and 21%) at fixed screw speed (300rpm) and temperature (130°C). The extrudates were then subjected to in vitro digestion and fermentation. Extrusion moisture significantly affected water-extractable β-glucan (WE-BG) in the extrudates, with samples processed at 15% moisture (lowest) and 21% moisture (highest) having the highest concentration of WE-BG. After the first 8h of fermentation, more WE-BG remained in fermentation media in samples processed at 15% moisture compared with the other conditions. Also, extrusion moisture significantly affected the production of acetate, butyrate, and total SCFA by the microbiota during the first 8h of fermentation. Microbiota grown on extrudates processed at 18% moisture had the highest production of acetate and total SCFA, whereas bacteria grown on extrudates processed at 15% and 18% moisture had the highest butyrate production. After 24h of fermentation, samples processed at 15% moisture supported lower Bifidobacterium counts than those produced at other conditions, but had among the highest Lactobacillus counts. Thus, moisture content during extrusion significantly affects production of fermentation metabolites by the gut microbiota during the initial stages of fermentation, while also affecting probiotic bacteria counts during extended fermentation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A critical review on the spray drying of fruit extract: effect of additives on physicochemical properties.

PubMed

Krishnaiah, Duduku; Nithyanandam, Rajesh; Sarbatly, Rosalam

2014-01-01

Spray drying accomplishes drying while particles are suspended in the air and is one method in the family of suspended particle processing systems, along with fluid-bed drying, flash drying, spray granulation, spray agglomeration, spray reaction, spray cooling, and spray absorption. This drying process is unique because it involves both particle formation and drying. The present paper reviews spray drying of fruit extracts, such as acai, acerola pomace, gac, mango, orange, cactus pear, opuntia stricta fruit, watermelon, and durian, and the effects of additives on physicochemical properties such as antioxidant activity, total carotenoid content, lycopene and β-carotene content, hygroscopy, moisture content, volatile retention, stickiness, color, solubility, glass transition temperature, bulk density, rehydration, caking, appearance under electron microscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. The literature clearly demonstrates that the effect of additives and encapsulation play a vital role in determining the physicochemical properties of fruit extract powder. The technical difficulties in spray drying of fruit extracts can be overcome by modifying the spray dryer design. It also reveals that spray drying is a novel technology for converting fruit extract into powder form.

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

Woods, Jason; Winkler, Jon

Moisture adsorption and desorption in building materials impact indoor humidity. This effect should be included in building-energy simulations, particularly when humidity is being investigated or controlled. Several models can calculate this moisture-buffering effect, but accurate ones require model inputs that are not always known to the user of the building-energy simulation. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputs for the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model. The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative-humidity profile, measure all of the moisture-transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air-conditioner condensate), and calculate the onlymore » unmeasured term—the moisture sorption into the materials. We validated this method with laboratory measurements, which we used to measure the EMPD model inputs of two houses. After deriving these inputs, we measured the humidity of the same houses during tests with realistic latent and sensible loads and demonstrated the accuracy of this approach. Furthermore, these results show that the EMPD model, when given reasonable inputs, is an accurate moisture-buffering model.« less

Spatial Analysis of Stover Moisture Content During Harvest Season in the U.S.

DOE PAGES

Oyedeji, Oluwafemi A.; Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

2017-01-01

The moisture content of a maturing crop varies as the harvest season progresses. For crop residues such as corn stover, moisture content at the time of harvest can be as high as 75% (wet mass basis) to less than 20% depending on the geographic location (climate conditions) and stage of harvest. Biomass moisture content is critical for baling and extended storage. It is therefore essential to have an estimate of the quantities of corn stover available as wet or dry for various parts of the U.S. To this end, we analyzed hourly weather data (temperature, humidity, and rainfall) from themore » Typical Meteorological Year v.3 (TMY3) dataset developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. A recently published set of equations for calculating the moisture content of stover as a function of hourly temperature, humidity, and rainfall were used. The annual start and end of corn grain harvest along with annual grain production (in bushels) for each state were extracted from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports. Using these datasets and moisture sorption equations, the percentage of corn stover tonnage with moisture content less than 20%, between 20% and 40%, or greater than 40% was estimated from the length of time that the biomass was in these moisture content ranges. These calculations were carried out for several locations within each of the states for which TMY data were available. It was concluded that about 37.2% of corn stover is dry (<20% moisture content), whereas 36.5% is wet (>40% moisture content) nationwide. The remaining 27.0% of corn stover is between 20% and 40% moisture content. Keywords: Corn stover, Equilibrium moisture content, Field drying, Moisture content, Stover harvest, Typical Meteorological Year data.« less

Spatial Analysis of Stover Moisture Content During Harvest Season in the U.S.

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

Oyedeji, Oluwafemi A.; Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

The moisture content of a maturing crop varies as the harvest season progresses. For crop residues such as corn stover, moisture content at the time of harvest can be as high as 75% (wet mass basis) to less than 20% depending on the geographic location (climate conditions) and stage of harvest. Biomass moisture content is critical for baling and extended storage. It is therefore essential to have an estimate of the quantities of corn stover available as wet or dry for various parts of the U.S. To this end, we analyzed hourly weather data (temperature, humidity, and rainfall) from themore » Typical Meteorological Year v.3 (TMY3) dataset developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. A recently published set of equations for calculating the moisture content of stover as a function of hourly temperature, humidity, and rainfall were used. The annual start and end of corn grain harvest along with annual grain production (in bushels) for each state were extracted from USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports. Using these datasets and moisture sorption equations, the percentage of corn stover tonnage with moisture content less than 20%, between 20% and 40%, or greater than 40% was estimated from the length of time that the biomass was in these moisture content ranges. These calculations were carried out for several locations within each of the states for which TMY data were available. It was concluded that about 37.2% of corn stover is dry (<20% moisture content), whereas 36.5% is wet (>40% moisture content) nationwide. The remaining 27.0% of corn stover is between 20% and 40% moisture content. Keywords: Corn stover, Equilibrium moisture content, Field drying, Moisture content, Stover harvest, Typical Meteorological Year data.« less

Prediction of villages at risk for filariasis transmission in the Nile Delta using remote sensing and geographic information system technologies.

PubMed

Hassan, A N; Beck, L R; Dister, S

1998-04-01

Remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) technologies were used to discriminate between 130 villages, in the Nile Delta, at high and low risk for filariasis, as defined by microfilarial prevalence. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data were digitally processed to generate a map of landcover as well as spectral indices such as NDVI and moisture index. A Tasseled Cap transformation was also carried out on the TM data which produced three more indices: brightness, greenness and wetness. GIS functions were used to extract information on landcover and spectral indices within one km buffers around the study villages. The relationship between satellite data and prevalence was investigated using discriminant analysis. The analysis indicated that the most important landscape elements associated with prevalence were water and marginal vegetation, while wetness and moisture index were the most important indices. Discriminant functions generated for these variables were able to correctly predict 80% and 74% of high and low prevalence villages, respectively, with an overall accuracy of 77%. The present approach provides a promising tool for regional filariasis surveillance and helps direct control efforts.

Eudragit E as excipient for production of granules and tablets from Phyllanthus niruri L spray-dried extract.

PubMed

Pereira de Souza, Tatiane; Martínez-Pacheco, Ramón; Gómez-Amoza, José Luiz; Petrovick, Pedro Ros

2007-04-27

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using Eudragit E as a granulating agent for a spray-dried extract from Phyllanthus niruri to obtain tablets containing a high dose of this product. The granules were developed by wet granulation and contained 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0% Eudragit E in the final product concentration. The tablets were produced on a single-punch tablet press by direct compression of granules using 0.5% magnesium stearate as a lubricant. The tablets were elaborated following a 2 x 3 factorial design, where Eudragit E concentration and compression force were the independent variables, and tensile strength and the extract release of the tablets were the dependent variables. All granules showed better technological properties than the spray-dried extract, including less moisture sorption. The characteristics of the granules were directly dependent on the proportion of Eudragit E in the formulation. In general, all tablets showed high mechanical resistance with less than 1% friability, less moisture sorption, and a slower extract release profile. The Eudragit E concentration and compression force of the tablets significantly influenced both dependent variables studied. In conclusion, Eudragit E was efficient as a granulating agent for the spray-dried extract, but additional studies are needed to further optimize the formulations in order to achieve less water sorption and improve the release of the extract from the tablets.

Angolan Cymbopogon citratus used for therapeutic benefits: nutritional composition and influence of solvents in phytochemicals content and antioxidant activity of leaf extracts.

PubMed

Soares, Marta O; Alves, Rita C; Pires, Pedro C; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P; Vinha, Ana F

2013-10-01

Folk medicine is a relevant and effective part of indigenous healthcare systems which are, in practice, totally dependent on traditional healers. An outstanding coincidence between indigenous medicinal plant uses and scientifically proved pharmacological properties of several phytochemicals has been observed along the years. This work focused on the leaves of a medicinal plant traditionally used for therapeutic benefits (Angolan Cymbopogon citratus), in order to evaluate their nutritional value. The bioactive phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity of leaf extracts prepared with different solvents (water, methanol and ethanol) were also evaluated. The plant leaves contained ∼60% of carbohydrates, protein (∼20%), fat (∼5%), ash (∼4%) and moisture (∼9%). The phytochemicals screening revealed the presence of tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids in all extracts. Methanolic extracts also contained alkaloids and steroids. Several methods were used to evaluate total antioxidant capacity of the different extracts (DPPH·, NO·, and H₂O₂ scavenging assays, reducing power, and FRAP). Ethanolic extracts presented a significantly higher antioxidant activity (p<0.05) except for FRAP, in which the best results were achieved by the aqueous extracts. Methanolic extracts showed the lowest radical scavenging activities for both DPPH· and NO· radicals. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antioxidant capacity of 3D human skin EpiDerm model: effects of skin moisturizers.

PubMed

Grazul-Bilska, A T; Bilski, J J; Redmer, D A; Reynolds, L P; Abdullah, K M; Abdullah, A

2009-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of skin moisturizers on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of human skin using EpiDerm model. Three different skin moisturizers containing antioxidant ingredients (samples 1-3) or aloe vera extract were topically applied to EpiDerm units and incubated for 2 and 24 h to determine acute and longer-term effects of applied samples on TAC and glutathione peroxidase activity in medium and/or homogenized skin tissues. Total antioxidant capacity in medium and skin homogenates was enhanced (P < 0.0001) by gel containing antioxidant ingredients (sample 2) after 2 and 24 h of incubation. Total antioxidant capacity in medium was also enhanced (P < 0.001) by cream containing antioxidant ingredients (sample 3) after 24 h of incubation. Overall, TAC in medium was greater (P < 0.02) after 24 h than 2 h of incubation. Skin moisturizer cream with high antioxidant levels determined by using oxygen radical absorbance capacity testing (sample 1) and aloe vera extract did not affect TAC. Glutathione peroxidase activity was enhanced (P < 0.0001) in medium and skin homogenates by sample 2 but not by any other sample. These data demonstrate high potential of gel and cream (samples 2 and 3) containing antioxidant ingredients in enhancing antioxidant capacity of EpiDerm which will likely contribute to overall skin health. Results of this experiment will help to better understand mechanisms of effects of skin moisturizers containing antioxidant ingredients on skin function at the tissue level and to establish effective strategies for skin protection and clinical treatments of skin disorders and possibly healing wounds.

Organic amaranth starch: A study of its technological properties after heat-moisture treatment.

PubMed

Bet, Camila Delinski; de Oliveira, Cristina Soltovski; Colman, Tiago André Denck; Marinho, Marina Tolentino; Lacerda, Luiz Gustavo; Ramos, Augusto Pumacahua; Schnitzler, Egon

2018-10-30

Organic amaranth starch (Amaranthus caudatus) was studied after heat-moisture treatment (HMT) using different moisture contents and different times. The starch extracted by the aqueous method presented low lipid and protein content. After HMT, an increase in the thermal stability was identified. The onset and peak temperatures were higher with an increase in moisture content and the times used in the modification. The gelatinisation enthalpy varied due to the heterogeneity of the crystals formed after the structural reorganisation caused by HMT. The relative crystallinity was lower for the physically modified starches. An increase in the pasting temperature was accompanied by a decrease in the viscosity, setback and breakdown, which were proportional to the moisture and time used. The morphology of the HMT-modified samples was not altered; however, agglomerations were noted. Low levels of dispersion homogeneity and suspension stability were observed for the modified samples due to the strong presence of agglomerates. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The influence of microtopography on soil nutrients in created mitigation wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moser, K.F.; Ahn, C.; Noe, G.B.

2009-01-01

This study explores the relationship between microtopography and soil nutrients (and trace elements), comparing results for created and reference wetlands in Virginia, and examining the effects of disking during wetland creation. Replicate multiscale tangentially conjoined circular transects were used to quantify microtopography both in terms of elevation and by two microtopographic indices. Corresponding soil samples were analyzed for moisture content, total C and N, KCl-extractable NH4-N and NO3-N, and Mehlich-3 extractable P, Ca, Mg, K, Al, Fe, and Mn. Means and variances of soil nutrient/element concentrations were compared between created and natural wetlands and between disked and nondisked created wetlands. Natural sites had higher and more variable soil moisture, higher extractable P and Fe, lower Mn than created wetlands, and comparatively high variability in nutrient concentrations. Disked sites had higher soil moisture, NH4-N, Fe, and Mn than did nondisked sites. Consistently low variances (Levene test for inequality) suggested that nondisked sites had minimal nutrient heterogeneity. Across sites, low P availability was inferred by the molar ratio (Mehlich-3 [P/(Al + Fe)] < 0.06); strong intercorrelations among total C, total N, and extractable Fe, Al, and P suggested that humic-metal-P complexes may be important for P retention and availability. Correlations between nutrient/element concentrations and microtopographic indices suggested increased Mn and decreased K and Al availability with increased surface roughness. Disking appears to enhance water and nutrient retention, as well as nutrient heterogeneity otherwise absent from created wetlands, thus potentially promoting ecosystem development. ?? 2008 Society for Ecological Restoration International.

An integrated GIS application system for soil moisture data assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Di; Shen, Runping; Huang, Xiaolong; Shi, Chunxiang

2014-11-01

The gaps in knowledge and existing challenges in precisely describing the land surface process make it critical to represent the massive soil moisture data visually and mine the data for further research.This article introduces a comprehensive soil moisture assimilation data analysis system, which is instructed by tools of C#, IDL, ArcSDE, Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2005. The system provides integrated service, management of efficient graphics visualization and analysis of land surface data assimilation. The system is not only able to improve the efficiency of data assimilation management, but also comprehensively integrate the data processing and analysis tools into GIS development environment. So analyzing the soil moisture assimilation data and accomplishing GIS spatial analysis can be realized in the same system. This system provides basic GIS map functions, massive data process and soil moisture products analysis etc. Besides,it takes full advantage of a spatial data engine called ArcSDE to effeciently manage, retrieve and store all kinds of data. In the system, characteristics of temporal and spatial pattern of soil moiture will be plotted. By analyzing the soil moisture impact factors, it is possible to acquire the correlation coefficients between soil moisture value and its every single impact factor. Daily and monthly comparative analysis of soil moisture products among observations, simulation results and assimilations can be made in this system to display the different trends of these products. Furthermore, soil moisture map production function is realized for business application.

Wood variables affecting the friction coefficient of spruce pine on steel

Treesearch

Truett J. Lemoine; Charles W. McMillin; Floyd G. Manwiller

1970-01-01

Wood of spruce pine, Pinus glabra Walk., was factorially segregated by moisture content (0, 10, and 18 percent), specific gravity (less than 0.45 and more than 0.45), and extractive content (unextracted and extractive-freE), and the kinetic coefficient of friction on steel (having surface roughness of 9 microinches RMS) determined for tangential...

Landfill aeration for emission control before and during landfill mining.

PubMed

Raga, Roberto; Cossu, Raffaello; Heerenklage, Joern; Pivato, Alberto; Ritzkowski, Marco

2015-12-01

The landfill of Modena, in northern Italy, is now crossed by the new high velocity railway line connecting Milan and Bologna. Waste was completely removed from a part of the landfill and a trench for the train line was built. With the aim of facilitating excavation and further disposal of the material extracted, suitable measures were defined. In order to prevent undesired emissions into the excavation area, the aerobic in situ stabilisation by means of the Airflow technology took place before and during the Landfill Mining. Specific project features involved the pneumatic leachate extraction from the aeration wells (to keep the leachate table low inside the landfill and increase the volume of waste available for air migration) and the controlled moisture addition into a limited zone, for a preliminary evaluation of the effects on process enhancement. Waste and leachate were periodically sampled in the landfill during the aeration before the excavation, for quality assessment over time; the evolution of biogas composition in the landfill body and in the extraction system for different plant set-ups during the project was monitored, with specific focus on uncontrolled migration into the excavation area. Waste biological stability significantly increased during the aeration (waste respiration index dropped to 33% of the initial value after six months). Leachate head decreased from 4 to 1.5m; leachate recirculation tests proved the beneficial effects of moisture addition on temperature control, without hampering waste aerobization. Proper management of the aeration plant enabled the minimization of uncontrolled biogas emissions into the excavation area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manipulative experiments demonstrate how long-term soil moisture changes alter controls of plant water use

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

Grossiord, Charlotte; Sevanto, Sanna Annika; Limousin, Jean -Marc

Tree transpiration depends on biotic and abiotic factors that might change in the future, including precipitation and soil moisture status. Although short-term sap flux responses to soil moisture and evaporative demand have been the subject of attention before, the relative sensitivity of sap flux to these two factors under long-term changes in soil moisture conditions has rarely been determined experimentally. We tested how long-term artificial change in soil moisture affects the sensitivity of tree-level sap flux to daily atmospheric vapor pressure deficit ( VPD) and soil moisture variations, and the generality of these effects across forest types and environments usingmore » four manipulative sites in mature forests. Exposure to relatively long-term (two to six years) soil moisture reduction decreases tree sap flux sensitivity to daily VPD and relative extractable water ( REW) variations, leading to lower sap flux even under high soil moisture and optimal VPD. Inversely, trees subjected to long-term irrigation showed a significant increase in their sensitivity to daily VPD and REW, but only at the most water-limited site. The ratio between the relative change in soil moisture manipulation and the relative change in sap flux sensitivity to VPD and REW variations was similar across sites suggesting common adjustment mechanisms to long-term soil moisture status across environments for evergreen tree species. Altogether, our results show that long-term changes in soil water availability, and subsequent adjustments to these novel conditions, could play a critical and increasingly important role in controlling forest water use in the future.« less

Manipulative experiments demonstrate how long-term soil moisture changes alter controls of plant water use

DOE PAGES

Grossiord, Charlotte; Sevanto, Sanna Annika; Limousin, Jean -Marc; ...

2017-12-14

Tree transpiration depends on biotic and abiotic factors that might change in the future, including precipitation and soil moisture status. Although short-term sap flux responses to soil moisture and evaporative demand have been the subject of attention before, the relative sensitivity of sap flux to these two factors under long-term changes in soil moisture conditions has rarely been determined experimentally. We tested how long-term artificial change in soil moisture affects the sensitivity of tree-level sap flux to daily atmospheric vapor pressure deficit ( VPD) and soil moisture variations, and the generality of these effects across forest types and environments usingmore » four manipulative sites in mature forests. Exposure to relatively long-term (two to six years) soil moisture reduction decreases tree sap flux sensitivity to daily VPD and relative extractable water ( REW) variations, leading to lower sap flux even under high soil moisture and optimal VPD. Inversely, trees subjected to long-term irrigation showed a significant increase in their sensitivity to daily VPD and REW, but only at the most water-limited site. The ratio between the relative change in soil moisture manipulation and the relative change in sap flux sensitivity to VPD and REW variations was similar across sites suggesting common adjustment mechanisms to long-term soil moisture status across environments for evergreen tree species. Altogether, our results show that long-term changes in soil water availability, and subsequent adjustments to these novel conditions, could play a critical and increasingly important role in controlling forest water use in the future.« less

Manipulative experiments demonstrate how long-term soil moisture changes alter controls of plant water use

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

Grossiord, Charlotte; Sevanto, Sanna; Limousin, Jean-Marc

Tree transpiration depends on biotic and abiotic factors that might change in the future, including precipitation and soil moisture status. Although short-term sap flux responses to soil moisture and evaporative demand have been the subject of attention before, the relative sensitivity of sap flux to these two factors under long-term changes in soil moisture conditions has rarely been determined experimentally. We tested how long-term artificial change in soil moisture affects the sensitivity of tree-level sap flux to daily atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture variations, and the generality of these effects across forest types and environments using fourmore » manipulative sites in mature forests. Exposure to relatively long-term (two to six years) soil moisture reduction decreases tree sap flux sensitivity to daily VPD and relative extractable water (REW) variations, leading to lower sap flux even under high soil moisture and optimal VPD. Inversely, trees subjected to long-term irrigation showed a significant increase in their sensitivity to daily VPD and REW, but only at the most water-limited site. The ratio between the relative change in soil moisture manipulation and the relative change in sap flux sensitivity to VPD and REW variations was similar across sites suggesting common adjustment mechanisms to long-term soil moisture status across environments for evergreen tree species. Overall, our results show that long-term changes in soil water availability, and subsequent adjustments to these novel conditions, could play a critical and increasingly important role in controlling forest water use in the future.« less

Capacitance Based Moisture Sensing for Microgravity Plant Modules: Sensor Design and Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaber, Chad L.; Nurge, Mark; Monje, Oscar

2011-01-01

Life support systems for growing plants in microgravity should strive for providing optimal growing conditions and increased automation. Accurately tracking soil moisture content can forward both of these aims, so an attempt was made to instrument a microgravity growth module currently in development, the VEGGIE rooting pillow, in order to monitor moisture levels. Two electrode systems for a capacitance-based moisture sensor were tested. Trials with both types of electrodes showed a linear correlation between observed capacitance and water content over certain ranges of moisture within the pillows. Overall, both types of the electrodes and the capacitance-based moisture sensor are promising candidates for tracking water levels for microgravity plant growth systems.

Soil moisture from ground-based networks and the North American Land Data Assimilation System Phase 2 Model: Are the right values somewhere in between?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, T. G.; Scanlon, B. R.; Long, D.; Young, M.

2013-12-01

Soil moisture is the most enigmatic component of the water balance; nonetheless, it is inherently tied to every component of the hydrologic cycle, affecting the partitioning of both water and energy at the land surface. However, our ability to assess soil water storage capacity and status through measurement or modeling is challenged by error and scale. Soil moisture is as difficult to measure as it is to model, yet land surface models and remote sensing products require some means of validation. Here we compare the three major soil moisture monitoring networks across the US, including the USDA Soil Climate Assessment Network (SCAN), NOAA Climate Reference Network (USCRN), and Cosmic Ray Soil Moisture Observing System (COSMOS) to the soil moisture simulated using the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS) Phase 2. NLDAS runs in near real-time on a 0.125° (12 km) grid over the US, producing ensemble model outputs of surface fluxes and storage. We focus primarily on soil water storage (SWS) in the upper 0-0.1 m zone from the Noah Land Surface Model and secondarily on the effects of error propagation from atmospheric forcing and soil parameterization. No scaling of the observational data was attempted. We simply compared the extracted time series at the nearest grid center from NLDAS and assessed the results by standard model statistics including root mean square error (RMSE) and mean bias estimate (MBE) of the collocated ground station. Observed and modeled data were compared at both hourly and daily mean coordinated universal time steps. In all, ~300 stations were used for 2012. SCAN sites were found to be particularly troublesome at 5- and 10-cm depths. SWS at 163 SCAN sites departed significantly from Noah with a mean R2 of 0.38 × 0.0.23, a mean RMSE of 14.9 mm with a MBE of -13.5 mm. SWS at 111 USCRN sites has a mean R2 of 0.53 × 0.20, a mean RMSE of 8.2 mm with a MBE of -3.7 mm relative to Noah. Finally, 62 COSMOS sites, the instrument with the largest measurement footprint (0.03 km2), we calculated a mean R2 of 0.53 × 0.21, a mean RMSE of 9.7 mm with a MBE of -0.3 mm. Forcing errors and textural misclassifications correlate well with model biases, indicating that scale and structural errors are equally present in NLDAS. Scaling issues aside, these confounding errors make cal/val missions, such as NASA's upcoming Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, problematic without significant quality control and maintenance of for our monitoring networks. Land surface models, such as NLDAS-2, may provide valuable insight into our soil moisture data and somewhere in between the real values likely exist.

Effect of Water Invasion on Outburst Predictive Index of Low Rank Coals in Dalong Mine

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jingyu; Cheng, Yuanping; Mou, Junhui; Jin, Kan; Cui, Jie

2015-01-01

To improve the coal permeability and outburst prevention, coal seam water injection and a series of outburst prevention measures were tested in outburst coal mines. These methods have become important technologies used for coal and gas outburst prevention and control by increasing the external moisture of coal or decreasing the stress of coal seam and changing the coal pore structure and gas desorption speed. In addition, techniques have had a significant impact on the gas extraction and outburst prevention indicators of coal seams. Globally, low rank coals reservoirs account for nearly half of hidden coal reserves and the most obvious feature of low rank coal is the high natural moisture content. Moisture will restrain the gas desorption and will affect the gas extraction and accuracy of the outburst prediction of coals. To study the influence of injected water on methane desorption dynamic characteristics and the outburst predictive index of coal, coal samples were collected from the Dalong Mine. The methane adsorption/desorption test was conducted on coal samples under conditions of different injected water contents. Selective analysis assessed the variations of the gas desorption quantities and the outburst prediction index (coal cutting desorption index). Adsorption tests indicated that the Langmuir volume of the Dalong coal sample is ~40.26 m3/t, indicating a strong gas adsorption ability. With the increase of injected water content, the gas desorption amount of the coal samples decreased under the same pressure and temperature. Higher moisture content lowered the accumulation desorption quantity after 120 minutes. The gas desorption volumes and moisture content conformed to a logarithmic relationship. After moisture correction, we obtained the long-flame coal outburst prediction (cutting desorption) index critical value. This value can provide a theoretical basis for outburst prediction and prevention of low rank coal mines and similar occurrence conditions of coal seams. PMID:26161959

Effect of high pressure homogenization on aqueous phase solvent extraction of lipids from Nannochloris Oculata microalgae

DOE PAGES

Samarasinghe, Nalin; Fernando, Sandun; Faulkner, William B.

2012-12-01

The ability to extract lipids from high-moisture Nannochloris Oculata algal biomass disrupted with high pressure homogenization was investigated. During the first phase, the effect of high pressure homogenization (system pressure and number of passes) on disrupting aqueous algae (of different concentrations and degree of stress) was investigated. Secondly, the effect of degree of cell wall disruption on the amount of lipids extracted with three solvents, namely: hexane, dichloromethane and chloroform, were compared. Studies reveled that high pressure homogenization is effective on cell disruption while the amount of system pressure being the most significant factor affecting the degree of cell breakage.more » Although the number of passes had some impact, the level of disruption seemed to level-off after a certain number of passes. The study revealed that slightly polar solvents (such as chloroform and dichloromethane) performed better in aqueous-phase lipid extractions as compared to hexane. Also, it was revealed that it was not necessary to disrupt the algal cells completely to achieve appreciable levels of lipid yields. In fact, conditions that exerted only 20% of the cells to completely disrupt, allowed sufficient damage to liberate most of the lipids contained in the remainder of the cells.« less

Effect of high pressure homogenization on aqueous phase solvent extraction of lipids from Nannochloris Oculata microalgae

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

Samarasinghe, Nalin; Fernando, Sandun; Faulkner, William B.

The ability to extract lipids from high-moisture Nannochloris Oculata algal biomass disrupted with high pressure homogenization was investigated. During the first phase, the effect of high pressure homogenization (system pressure and number of passes) on disrupting aqueous algae (of different concentrations and degree of stress) was investigated. Secondly, the effect of degree of cell wall disruption on the amount of lipids extracted with three solvents, namely: hexane, dichloromethane and chloroform, were compared. Studies reveled that high pressure homogenization is effective on cell disruption while the amount of system pressure being the most significant factor affecting the degree of cell breakage.more » Although the number of passes had some impact, the level of disruption seemed to level-off after a certain number of passes. The study revealed that slightly polar solvents (such as chloroform and dichloromethane) performed better in aqueous-phase lipid extractions as compared to hexane. Also, it was revealed that it was not necessary to disrupt the algal cells completely to achieve appreciable levels of lipid yields. In fact, conditions that exerted only 20% of the cells to completely disrupt, allowed sufficient damage to liberate most of the lipids contained in the remainder of the cells.« less

The effectiveness of moisturizers in the management of burn scars following burn injury: a systematic review.

PubMed

Klotz, Tanja; Kurmis, Rochelle; Munn, Zachary; Heath, Kathryn; Greenwood, John E

2015-11-13

The common mantra with which patients often leave a burns unit is "moisturize and massage". Various products have been reported for use in practice including aqueous cream BP, bees wax and herbal oil creams, silicone based creams, paraffin/petroleum/mineral oil based products and aloe vera gels. Often combined with other scar management techniques such as pressure therapy, massage and contact media, moisturizers convey active properties of their own.  To date no published review on the optimal moisturizer for burn scar management has been identified via searches of recognized databases. The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of moisturizer use in the management of active burn scars following burn injury.  More specifically, this review focused on the following questions:  Does moisturizer use have an effect on scar outcomes following burn injury, including scar formation, skin breakdown, patient acceptance and water loss?  What is the optimal base composition of moisturizers used in scar management for patients who have sustained a burn injury? Types of participants:  Patients of any age who have sustained a burn injury of any size, and have been admitted to a hospital or regional burn unit or burn centre for the management of their injury.  Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest:  Studies evaluating moisturizer applied to healed skin following burn injury were considered for inclusion. Moisturizer may have been compared to usual care as defined by the individual study, other interventions, or a different type of moisturizer. Studies comparing moisturizer and massage compared to moisturizer alone were excluded.  Types of studies:  This review primarily considered experimental study designs, including randomized and pseudo-randomized controlled trials.  Types of outcomes:  Primary outcomes for examination in this review included scar formation and skin breakdown, measured by objective tools or subjective scales.  Secondary outcomes included product acceptance, patient compliance and transepidermal water loss. A search was conducted to identify published and unpublished studies via electronic databases. Reference lists of all papers selected for full text retrieval were then hand searched for potential additional citations. Articles meeting pre-determined eligibility criteria for the review were assessed by two independent reviewers using standardized checklists from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Corresponding authors were contacted where additional information was required; however this strategy did not yield additional information that altered study eligibility status. Data was extracted from the included paper using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Narrative synthesis of the included study was undertaken. One study, following a randomized controlled design, was eligible for inclusion in this review. This study investigated the effect of vitamin E cream versus a base moisturizing cream on outcomes including range of motion, scar thickness, cosmetic appearance and graft size. No significant differences between groups for all reported outcomes were observed. Despite the common practice involving moisturizers TRUNCATED AT 500 WORDS. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

Effect of Soil Moisture on Chlorine Deposition (POSTPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

obtained nd prepared for extraction (10 mL deionized water, 18 M/cm) nd subsequent analysis by ion chromatography [16] to measure l− concentrations. Ion ...Photobiol. A: Chem. 86 (1995) 1–7. 16] Determination of Inorganic Anions by Ion Chromatography , EPA Method 9056A, 2007, http://www.epa.gov/wastes/hazard...examine Cl2 eposition into soils with moisture contents from 0 to 0.2 (w/w) and ith varying organic matter contents. We use the chloride ion (Cl−) s

Physical Stability Studies of Semi-Solid Formulations from Natural Compounds Loaded with Chitosan Microspheres

PubMed Central

Acosta, Niuris; Sánchez, Elisa; Calderón, Laura; Cordoba-Diaz, Manuel; Cordoba-Diaz, Damián; Dom, Senne; Heras, Ángeles

2015-01-01

A chitosan-based hydrophilic system containing an olive leaf extract was designed and its antioxidant capacity was evaluated. Encapsulation of olive leaf extract in chitosan microspheres was carried out by a spray-drying process. The particles obtained with this technique were found to be spherical and had a positive surface charge, which is an indicator of mucoadhesiveness. FTIR and X-ray diffraction results showed that there are not specific interactions of polyphenolic compounds in olive leaf extract with the chitosan matrix. Stability and release studies of chitosan microspheres loaded with olive leaf extract before and after the incorporation into a moisturizer base were performed. The resulting data showed that the developed formulations were stable up to three months. The encapsulation efficiency was around 44% and the release properties of polyphenols from the microspheres were found to be pH dependent. At pH 7.4, polyphenols release was complete after 6 h; whereas the amount of polyphenols released was 40% after the same time at pH 5.5. PMID:26389926

Assessment of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Lignin from Corn Stover Residue Pretreated with Low-Moisture Anhydrous Ammonia and Enzymatic Hydrolysis Process.

PubMed

Guo, Mingming; Jin, Tony; Nghiem, Nhuan P; Fan, Xuetong; Qi, Phoebe X; Jang, Chan Ho; Shao, Lingxiao; Wu, Changqing

2018-01-01

Lignin accounts for 15-35% of dry biomass materials. Therefore, developing value-added co-products from lignin residues is increasingly important to improve the economic viability of biofuel production from biomass resources. The main objective of this work was to study the lignin extracts from corn stover residue obtained from a new and improved process for bioethanol production. Extraction conditions that favored high lignin yield were optimized, and antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the resulting lignin were investigated. Potential estrogenic toxicity of lignin extracts was also evaluated. The corn stover was pretreated by low-moisture anhydrous ammonia (LMAA) and then subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulase and hemicellulase. The residues were then added with sodium hydroxide and extracted for different temperatures and times for enhancing lignin yield and the bioactivities. The optimal extraction conditions using 4% (w/v) sodium hydroxide were determined to be 50 °C, 120 min, and 1:8 (w:v), the ratio between corn stover solids and extracting liquid. Under the optimal condition, 33.92 g of lignin yield per 100 g of corn stover residue was obtained. Furthermore, the extracts produced using these conditions showed the highest antioxidant activity by the hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. The extracts also displayed significant antimicrobial activities against Listeria innocua. Minimal estrogenic impacts were observed for all lignin extracts when tested using the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay. Thus, the lignin extracts could be used for antioxidant and antimicrobial applications, and improve the value of the co-products from the biomass-based biorefinery.

Initializing numerical weather prediction models with satellite-derived surface soil moisture: Data assimilation experiments with ECMWF's Integrated Forecast System and the TMI soil moisture data set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drusch, M.

2007-02-01

Satellite-derived surface soil moisture data sets are readily available and have been used successfully in hydrological applications. In many operational numerical weather prediction systems the initial soil moisture conditions are analyzed from the modeled background and 2 m temperature and relative humidity. This approach has proven its efficiency to improve surface latent and sensible heat fluxes and consequently the forecast on large geographical domains. However, since soil moisture is not always related to screen level variables, model errors and uncertainties in the forcing data can accumulate in root zone soil moisture. Remotely sensed surface soil moisture is directly linked to the model's uppermost soil layer and therefore is a stronger constraint for the soil moisture analysis. For this study, three data assimilation experiments with the Integrated Forecast System (IFS) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) have been performed for the 2-month period of June and July 2002: a control run based on the operational soil moisture analysis, an open loop run with freely evolving soil moisture, and an experimental run incorporating TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) derived soil moisture over the southern United States. In this experimental run the satellite-derived soil moisture product is introduced through a nudging scheme using 6-hourly increments. Apart from the soil moisture analysis, the system setup reflects the operational forecast configuration including the atmospheric 4D-Var analysis. Soil moisture analyzed in the nudging experiment is the most accurate estimate when compared against in situ observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet. The corresponding forecast for 2 m temperature and relative humidity is almost as accurate as in the control experiment. Furthermore, it is shown that the soil moisture analysis influences local weather parameters including the planetary boundary layer height and cloud coverage.

Contributions of Precipitation and Soil Moisture Observations to the Skill of Soil Moisture Estimates in a Land Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, Rolf H.; Liu, Qing; Bindlish, Rajat; Cosh, Michael H.; Crow, Wade T.; deJeu, Richard; DeLannoy, Gabrielle J. M.; Huffman, George J.; Jackson, Thomas J.

2011-01-01

The contributions of precipitation and soil moisture observations to the skill of soil moisture estimates from a land data assimilation system are assessed. Relative to baseline estimates from the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA), the study investigates soil moisture skill derived from (i) model forcing corrections based on large-scale, gauge- and satellite-based precipitation observations and (ii) assimilation of surface soil moisture retrievals from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). Soil moisture skill is measured against in situ observations in the continental United States at 44 single-profile sites within the Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) for which skillful AMSR-E retrievals are available and at four CalVal watersheds with high-quality distributed sensor networks that measure soil moisture at the scale of land model and satellite estimates. The average skill (in terms of the anomaly time series correlation coefficient R) of AMSR-E retrievals is R=0.39 versus SCAN and R=0.53 versus CalVal measurements. The skill of MERRA surface and root-zone soil moisture is R=0.42 and R=0.46, respectively, versus SCAN measurements, and MERRA surface moisture skill is R=0.56 versus CalVal measurements. Adding information from either precipitation observations or soil moisture retrievals increases surface soil moisture skill levels by IDDeltaR=0.06-0.08, and root zone soil moisture skill levels by DeltaR=0.05-0.07. Adding information from both sources increases surface soil moisture skill levels by DeltaR=0.13, and root zone soil moisture skill by DeltaR=0.11, demonstrating that precipitation corrections and assimilation of satellite soil moisture retrievals contribute similar and largely independent amounts of information.

Investigation of drying kinetics of tomato slices dried by using a closed loop heat pump dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coşkun, Salih; Doymaz, İbrahim; Tunçkal, Cüneyt; Erdoğan, Seçil

2017-06-01

In this study, tomato slices were dried at three different drying air temperatures (35, 40 and 45 °C) and at 1 m/s air velocities by using a closed loop heat pump dryer (HPD). To explain the drying characteristics of tomato slices, ten thin-layer drying models were applied. The drying of tomato slices at each temperature occurred in falling-rate period; no constant-rate period of drying was observed. The drying rate was significantly influenced by drying temperature. The effective moisture diffusivity varied between 8.28 × 10-11 and 1.41 × 10-10 m2/s, the activation energy was found to be 43.12 kJ/mol. Besides, at the end of drying process, the highest mean specific moisture extraction ratio and coefficient of performance of HPD system were obtained as 0.324 kg/kWh and 2.71, respectively, at the highest drying air temperature (45 °C).

Smap: A Hydrologist Goes Crazy with a New High-Quality Dataset

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal

2018-01-01

By providing global measurements of near-surface soil moisture (down to about 5 cm) with unprecedented accuracy, the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) satellite mission has opened the door to new and (in my opinion) exciting hydrological science. In this seminar, I present the results of a recent series of analyses performed with SMAP soil moisture data, covering a wide range of topics: (a) the characterization of the dynamics of near-surface soil moisture, with implications for forecasting soil moisture days into the future; (b) the multi-faceted character of the SMAP data, in the sense that different, established analysis approaches can extract information from the data that is largely (and perhaps unexpectedly) complementary; and (c) the interpretation of the data in the context of large-scale water fluxes. This final analysis is particularly exciting to me because it shows that, once the relevant algorithms are calibrated, precipitation and streamflow rates in hydrological basins can be estimated from the SMAP data alone - a reflection of the fact that the near-surface soil is a critical gateway between the atmospheric and subsurface branches of the hydrological cycle.

N2O and N2 emissions from contrasting soil environments - interactive effects of soil nitrogen, hydrology and microbial communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiansen, Jesper; Elberling, Bo; Ribbons, Relena; Hedo, Javier; José Fernández Alonso, Maria; Krych, Lukasz; Sandris Nielsen, Dennis; Kitzler, Barbara

2016-04-01

Reactive nitrogen (N) in the environment has doubled relative to the natural global N cycle with consequences for biogeochemical cycling of soil N. Also, climate change is expected to alter precipitation patterns and increase soil temperatures which in Arctic environments may accelerate permafrost thawing. The combination of changes in the soil N cycle and hydrological regimes may alter microbial transformations of soil N with unknown impacts on N2O and N2 emissions from temperate and Arctic soils. We present the first results of soil N2O and N2 emissions, chemistry and microbial communities over soil hydrological gradients (upslope, intermediate and wet) across a global N deposition gradient. The global gradient covered an N-limited high Arctic tundra (Zackenberg-ZA), a pacific temperate rain forest (Vancouver Island-VI) and an N saturated forest in Austria (Klausenleopoldsdorf-KL). The N2O and N2 emissions were measured from intact cores at field moisture in a He-atmosphere system. Extractable NH4+ and NO3-, organic and microbial C and N and potential enzyme-activities were determined on soil samples. Soil genomic DNA was subjected to MiSeq-based tag-encoded 16S rRNA and ITS gene amplicon sequencing for the bacterial and fungal community structure. Similar soil moisture levels were observed for the upslope, intermediate and wet locations at ZA, VI and KL, respectively. Extractable NO3- was highest at the N rich KL and lowest at ZA and showed no trend with soil moisture similar to NH4+. At ZA and VI soil NH4+ was higher than NO3- indicating a tighter N cycling. N2O emissions increased with soil moisture at all sites. The N2O emissions for the wet locations ranked similarly to NO3- with the largest response to soil moisture at KL. N2 emissions were remarkably similar across the sites and increased with soil wetness. Microbial C and N also increased with soil moisture and were overall lowest at the N rich KL site. The potential activity of protease enzyme was site dependent indicating different capacities for N turnover of the microbial community. These findings indicate a positive feedback between increased soil N and wetter soils that promotes N2O relative to N2. These interactions may be site specific due to differential functional diversity of the soil microbial community. Future characterization of the community structure will shed light on the link between the role of microbial groups related to soil N cycling pathways and the resultant partitioning of N2O and N2 emissions in these contrasting environments.

Design of Moisture Content Detection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, W. C.; Wang, L.

In this paper, a method for measuring the moisture content of grain was presented based on single chip microcomputer and capacitive sensor. The working principle of measuring moisture content is introduced and a concentric cylinder type of capacitive sensor is designed, the signal processing circuits of system are described in details. System is tested in practice and discussions are made on the various factors affecting the capacitive measuring of grain moisture based on the practical experiments, experiment results showed that the system has high measuring accuracy and good controlling capacity.

The effect of moisture content within multilayer protective clothing on protection from radiation and steam.

PubMed

Su, Yun; Li, Jun; Song, Guowen

2018-06-01

The moisture from skin sweat and atmospheric water affects the thermal protective performance provided by multilayer protective clothing. Four levels of moisture content were selected to evaluate the impact of moisture on thermal protection under dry (thermal radiation) and wet (thermal radiation and low-pressure steam) heat exposure. Also, the role of moisture and its relationship with exposure time were analyzed based on skin heat flux and Henriques integral value. The addition of moisture to a fabric system was found to result in differences in second-degree and third-degree skin burn times. When moisture is added to a fabric system, it both acts as a thermal conductor to present a negative effect and provides a positive effect owing to thermal storage of water and evaporative heat loss. The positive or negative effects of moisture are mainly dependent on the thermal exposure time, the moisture content and the presence of hot steam.

Comparing jack pine slash and forest floor moisture contents and National Fire Danger Rating System predictions.

Treesearch

Robert M. Loomis; William A. Main

1980-01-01

Relations between certain slash and forest floor moisture contents and the applicable estimated time lag fuel moistures of the National Fire Danger Rating System were investigated for 1-year-old jack pine fuel types in northeastern Minnesota and central Lower Michigan. Only approximate estimates of actual fuel moisture are possible fore the relations determined, thus...

Influence of soil moisture on sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from a manufactured gas plant soil.

PubMed

Gong, Zongqiang; Wilke, B-M; Alef, Kassem; Li, Peijun

2005-05-01

The influence of soil moisture on efficiency of sunflower oil extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from contaminated soil was investigated. The PAH-contaminated soil was collected from a manufactured gas plant (MGP) site in Berlin, Germany. Half of the soil was air-dried, and the other half was kept as field-moist soil. Batch experiments were performed using air-dried and field-moist soils, and sunflower oil was used as extractant at oil/soil ratios of 2:1 and 1:1 (v/m). The experimental data were fitted to a first-order empirical model to describe mass-transfer profiles of the PAHs. Column extraction experiments were also conducted. Field-moist and air-dried soils in the column were extracted using sunflower oil at an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the batch experiments, PAHs were more rapidly extracted from air-dried soil than from field-moist soil. Removal rate of total PAH increased 23% at oil/soil ratio of 1:1 and 15.5% at oil/soil ratio of 2:1 after the soil was air dried. The most favorable conditions for batch extraction were air-dried soil, with an oil/soil ratio of 2:1. In the column experiments, the removal rate of total PAH from air-dried soil was 30.7% higher than that from field-moist soil. For field-moist soil, extraction efficiencies of the batch extraction (67.2% and 81.5%) were better than that for column extraction (65.6%). However, this difference between the two methods became less significant for the air-dried soil, with a total removal rate of 96.3% for column extraction and 90.2% and 97% for batch extractions. A mass-balance test was carried out for analytical quality assurance. The results of both batch and column experiments indicated that drying the soil increased efficiency of extraction of PAHs from the MGP soil.

Soil moisture and its role in growth-climate relationships across an aridity gradient in semiarid Pinus halepensis forests.

PubMed

Manrique-Alba, Àngela; Ruiz-Yanetti, Samantha; Moutahir, Hassane; Novak, Klemen; De Luis, Martin; Bellot, Juan

2017-01-01

In Mediterranean areas with limited availability of water, an accurate knowledge of growth response to hydrological variables could contribute to improving management and stability of forest resources. The main goal of this study is to assess the temporal dynamic of soil moisture to better understand the water-growth relationship of Pinus halepensis forests in semiarid areas. The estimates of modelled soil moisture and measured tree growth were used at four sites dominated by afforested Pinus halepensis Mill. in south-eastern Spain with 300 to 609mm mean annual precipitation. Firstly, dendrochronological samples were extracted and the widths of annual tree rings were measured to compute basal area increments (BAI). Secondly, soil moisture was estimated over 20 hydrological years (1992-2012) by means of the HYDROBAL ecohydrological model. Finally, the tree growth was linked, to mean monthly and seasonal temperature, precipitation and soil moisture. Results depict the effect of soil moisture on growth (BAI) and explain 69-73% of the variance in semiarid forests, but only 51% in the subhumid forests. This highlights the fact that that soil moisture is a suitable and promising variable to explain growth variations of afforested Pinus halepensis in semiarid conditions and useful for guiding adaptation plans to respond pro-actively to water-related global challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Utility of the Real-Time NASA Land Information System Data for Drought Monitoring Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Kristopher D.; Case, Jonathan L.

2013-01-01

Measurements of soil moisture are a crucial component for the proper monitoring of drought conditions. The large spatial variability of soil moisture complicates the problem. Unfortunately, in situ soil moisture observing networks typically consist of sparse point observations, and conventional numerical model analyses of soil moisture used to diagnose drought are of coarse spatial resolution. Decision support systems such as the U.S. Drought Monitor contain drought impact resolution on sub-county scales, which may not be supported by the existing soil moisture networks or analyses. The NASA Land Information System, which is run with 3 km grid spacing over the eastern United States, has demonstrated utility for monitoring soil moisture. Some of the more useful output fields from the Land Information System are volumetric soil moisture in the 0-10 cm and 40-100 cm layers, column-integrated relative soil moisture, and the real-time green vegetation fraction derived from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) swath data that are run within the Land Information System in place of the monthly climatological vegetation fraction. While these and other variables have primarily been used in local weather models and other operational forecasting applications at National Weather Service offices, the use of the Land Information System for drought monitoring has demonstrated utility for feedback to the Drought Monitor. Output from the Land Information System is currently being used at NWS Huntsville to assess soil moisture, and to provide input to the Drought Monitor. Since feedback to the Drought Monitor takes place on a weekly basis, weekly difference plots of column-integrated relative soil moisture are being produced by the NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center and analyzed to facilitate the process. In addition to the Drought Monitor, these data are used to assess drought conditions for monthly feedback to the Alabama Drought Monitoring and Impact Group and the Tennessee Drought Task Force, which are comprised of federal, state, and local agencies and other water resources professionals.

On the assimilation of satellite derived soil moisture in numerical weather prediction models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drusch, M.

2006-12-01

Satellite derived surface soil moisture data sets are readily available and have been used successfully in hydrological applications. In many operational numerical weather prediction systems the initial soil moisture conditions are analysed from the modelled background and 2 m temperature and relative humidity. This approach has proven its efficiency to improve surface latent and sensible heat fluxes and consequently the forecast on large geographical domains. However, since soil moisture is not always related to screen level variables, model errors and uncertainties in the forcing data can accumulate in root zone soil moisture. Remotely sensed surface soil moisture is directly linked to the model's uppermost soil layer and therefore is a stronger constraint for the soil moisture analysis. Three data assimilation experiments with the Integrated Forecast System (IFS) of the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) have been performed for the two months period of June and July 2002: A control run based on the operational soil moisture analysis, an open loop run with freely evolving soil moisture, and an experimental run incorporating bias corrected TMI (TRMM Microwave Imager) derived soil moisture over the southern United States through a nudging scheme using 6-hourly departures. Apart from the soil moisture analysis, the system setup reflects the operational forecast configuration including the atmospheric 4D-Var analysis. Soil moisture analysed in the nudging experiment is the most accurate estimate when compared against in-situ observations from the Oklahoma Mesonet. The corresponding forecast for 2 m temperature and relative humidity is almost as accurate as in the control experiment. Furthermore, it is shown that the soil moisture analysis influences local weather parameters including the planetary boundary layer height and cloud coverage. The transferability of the results to other satellite derived soil moisture data sets will be discussed.

Field-scale moisture estimates using COSMOS sensors: a validation study with temporary networks and leaf-area-indices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cosmic-ray Soil Moisture Observing System (COSMOS) is a new and innovative method for estimating surface and near surface soil moisture at large (~700 m) scales. This system accounts for liquid water within its measurement volume. Many of the sites used in the early validation of the system had...

Modeling moisture content of fine dead wildland fuels: Input to the BEHAVE fire prediction system

Treesearch

Richard C. Rothermel; Ralph A. Wilson; Glen A. Morris; Stephen S. Sackett

1986-01-01

Describes a model for predicting moisture content of fine fuels for use with the BEHAVE fire behavior and fuel modeling system. The model is intended to meet the need for more accurate predictions of fine fuel moisture, particularly in northern conifer stands and on days following rain. The model is based on the Canadian Fine Fuel Moisture Code (FFMC), modified to...

A microwave systems approach to measuring root zone soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newton, R. W.; Paris, J. F.; Clark, B. V.

1983-01-01

Computer microwave satellite simulation models were developed and the program was used to test the ability of a coarse resolution passive microwave sensor to measure soil moisture over large areas, and to evaluate the effect of heterogeneous ground covers with the resolution cell on the accuracy of the soil moisture estimate. The use of realistic scenes containing only 10% to 15% bare soil and significant vegetation made it possible to observe a 60% K decrease in brightness temperature from a 5% soil moisture to a 35% soil moisture at a 21 cm microwave wavelength, providing a 1.5 K to 2 K per percent soil moisture sensitivity to soil moisture. It was shown that resolution does not affect the basic ability to measure soil moisture with a microwave radiometer system. Experimental microwave and ground field data were acquired for developing and testing a root zone soil moisture prediction algorithm. The experimental measurements demonstrated that the depth of penetration at a 21 cm microwave wavelength is not greater than 5 cm.

Attenuation of soil microwave emissivity by corn and soybeans at 1.4 and 5 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Thomas J.; O'Neill, Peggy E.

1989-01-01

Theory and experiments have shown that passive microwave radiometers can be used to measure soil moisture. However, the presence of a vegetative cover alters the measurement that might be obtained under bare conditions. Deterministically accounting for the effect of vegetation and developing algorithms for extracting soil moisture from observations of a vegetable-soil complex present significant obstacles to the practical use of this approach. The presence of a vegetation canopy reduces the sensitivity of passive microwave instruments to soil moisture variations. The reduction in sensitivity, as compared to a bare-soil relationship, increases as microwave frequency increases, implying that the longest wavelength sensors should provide the most information. Sensitivity also decreases as the amount of vegetative wet biomass increases for a given type of vegetation.

TRMM-TMI Satellite Observed Soil Moisture and Vegetation Density (1998-2005) Show Strong Connection with El Nino in Eastern Australia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Yi; van Dijk, Albert I.J.M.; Owe, Manfred

2007-01-01

Spatiotemporal patterns in soil moisture and vegetation water content across mainland Australia were investigated from 1998 through 2005, using TRMMITMI passive microwave observations. The Empirical Orthogonal Function technique was used to extract dominant spatial and temporal patterns in retrieved estimates of moisture content for the top 1-cm of soil (theta) and vegetation moisture content (via optical depth tau). The dominant temporal theta and tau patterns were strongly correlated to El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in spring (3 = 0.90), and to a progressively lesser extent autumn, summer and winter. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) index also explained part of the variation in spring 8 and z. Cluster analysis suggested that the regions most affected by ENS0 are mainly located in eastern Australia. The results suggest that the drought conditions experienced in eastern Australia since 2000 an clearly expressed in these satellite observations have a strong connection with ENSO patterns.

Real-time data acquisition and telemetry based irrigation control system

DOEpatents

Slater, John M.; Svoboda, John M.

2005-12-13

A data acquisition and telemetry based control system for use in facilitating substantially real time management of an agricultural irrigation system. The soil moisture sensor includes a reader and a plurality of probes. The probes each include an electronic circuit having a moisture sensing capacitor in operative communication with the soil whose moisture is to be measured. Each probe also includes a receive/transmit antenna and the reader includes a transmit/receive antenna, so that as the reader passes near the probe, the reader transmits a digital excitation signal to the electronic circuit of the biodegradable probe via an inductive couple formed between the transmit/receive antenna of the reader and the receive/transmit coil of the probe. The electronic circuit uses an energy component of the excitation signal to generate a digital data signal which indicates the moisture content of the soil adjacent to the moisture sensing capacitor. The probe sends the data signal to the reader which then uses the data signal to develop a corresponding set of watering instructions which are then transmitted to a control module in communication with the irrigation system. The control module sends corresponding control signals to nozzles of the irrigation system causing the irrigation system to disperse water in a manner consistent with the moisture content data transmitted by the probes to the reader. Because the irrigation system moves continuously through the field to be irrigated, the moisture content data acquisition and resultant water dispersal by the irrigation system occur substantially in real time.

Cone Storage and Seed Quality in Longleaf Pine

Treesearch

F.T. Bonner

1987-01-01

Immature cones of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) can be stored for at least 5 weeks without adversely affecting extraction or seed quality. Cone moisture should be below 50 percent before using heat to open cones.

Stoichiometric determination of moisture in edible oils by Mid-FTIR spectroscopy.

PubMed

van de Voort, F R; Tavassoli-Kafrani, M H; Curtis, J M

2016-04-28

A simple and accurate method for the determination of moisture in edible oils by differential FTIR spectroscopy has been devised based on the stoichiometric reaction of the moisture in oil with toluenesulfonyl isocyanate (TSI) to produce CO2. Calibration standards were devised by gravimetrically spiking dry dioxane with water, followed by the addition of neat TSI and examination of the differential spectra relative to the dry dioxane. In the method, CO2 peak area changes are measured at 2335 cm(-1) and were shown to be related to the amount of moisture added, with any CO2 inherent to residual moisture in the dry dioxane subtracted ratioed out. CO2 volatility issues were determined to be minimal, with the overall SD of dioxane calibrations being ∼18 ppm over a range of 0-1000 ppm. Gravimetrically blended dry and water-saturated oils analysed in a similar manner produced linear CO2 responses with SD's of <15 ppm on average. One set of dry-wet blends was analysed in duplicate by FTIR and by two independent laboratories using coulometric Karl Fischer (KF) procedures. All 3 methods produced highly linear moisture relationships with SD's of 7, 16 and 28 ppm, respectively over a range of 200-1500 ppm. Although the absolute moisture values obtained by each method did not exactly coincide, each tracked the expected moisture changes proportionately. The FTIRTSI-H2O method provides a simple and accurate instrumental means of determining moisture in oils rivaling the accuracy and specificity of standard KF procedures and has the potential to be automated. It could also be applied to other hydrophobic matrices and possibly evolve into a more generalized method, if combined with polar aprotic solvent extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The United States Army Medical Department Journal, January - March 2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

and performing routine chemistry testing for moisture, protein, fat , and solids. Chemistry methods range from simple extractions for percent fat ...States and abroad. The risk for food and waterborne disease is greatest in regions with fractured public health and veterinary infrastructure, lack of a...surgery during the deployment. Two aural hematoma repairs, an extraction of an abscessed tooth, and a root canal on a fractured canine tooth were

Evaluation of a Soil Moisture Data Assimilation System Over West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J. D.; Crow, W.; Zhan, X.; Jackson, T.; Reynolds, C.

2009-05-01

A crucial requirement of global crop yield forecasts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) International Production Assessment Division (IPAD) is the regional characterization of surface and sub-surface soil moisture. However, due to the spatial heterogeneity and dynamic nature of precipitation events and resulting soil moisture, accurate estimation of regional land surface-atmosphere interactions based sparse ground measurements is difficult. IPAD estimates global soil moisture using daily estimates of minimum and maximum temperature and precipitation applied to a modified Palmer two-layer soil moisture model which calculates the daily amount of soil moisture withdrawn by evapotranspiration and replenished by precipitation. We attempt to improve upon the existing system by applying an Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation system to integrate surface soil moisture retrievals from the NASA Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) into the USDA soil moisture model. This work aims at evaluating the utility of merging satellite-retrieved soil moisture estimates with the IPAD two-layer soil moisture model used within the DBMS. We present a quantitative analysis of the assimilated soil moisture product over West Africa (9°N- 20°N; 20°W-20°E). This region contains many key agricultural areas and has a high agro- meteorological gradient from desert and semi-arid vegetation in the North, to grassland, trees and crops in the South, thus providing an ideal location for evaluating the assimilated soil moisture product over multiple land cover types and conditions. A data denial experimental approach is utilized to isolate the added utility of integrating remotely-sensed soil moisture by comparing assimilated soil moisture results obtained using (relatively) low-quality precipitation products obtained from real-time satellite imagery to baseline model runs forced with higher quality rainfall. An analysis of root-zone anomalies for each model simulation suggests that the assimilation of AMSR-E surface soil moisture retrievals can add significant value to USDA root-zone predictions derived from real-time satellite precipitation products.

The Effect of Drycleaning Moisture on Fused Cloth Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

TECHNICAL REPORT NATICK/TR-89/024 et, THE EFFECT OF DRYCLEANING MOISTURE ON FUSED CLOTH SYSTEMS BY ELIZABETH J. MORELAND International...MOISTUP.E ON FUSED CLOTH SYSTEMS 12. PERSONAL AUTMOR(S) Elizabeth J. MorelanJ 13«. TYPE OF REPORT Final Technical Report 13b. TIME COVERED...This project was initiated to investigate the effect of moisture in drycleaning systems on preselected fused cloth structures. Adverse surface

Using Whole-House Field Tests to Empirically Derive Moisture Buffering Model Inputs

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

Woods, J.; Winkler, J.; Christensen, D.

2014-08-01

Building energy simulations can be used to predict a building's interior conditions, along with the energy use associated with keeping these conditions comfortable. These models simulate the loads on the building (e.g., internal gains, envelope heat transfer), determine the operation of the space conditioning equipment, and then calculate the building's temperature and humidity throughout the year. The indoor temperature and humidity are affected not only by the loads and the space conditioning equipment, but also by the capacitance of the building materials, which buffer changes in temperature and humidity. This research developed an empirical method to extract whole-house model inputsmore » for use with a more accurate moisture capacitance model (the effective moisture penetration depth model). The experimental approach was to subject the materials in the house to a square-wave relative humidity profile, measure all of the moisture transfer terms (e.g., infiltration, air conditioner condensate) and calculate the only unmeasured term: the moisture absorption into the materials. After validating the method with laboratory measurements, we performed the tests in a field house. A least-squares fit of an analytical solution to the measured moisture absorption curves was used to determine the three independent model parameters representing the moisture buffering potential of this house and its furnishings. Follow on tests with realistic latent and sensible loads showed good agreement with the derived parameters, especially compared to the commonly-used effective capacitance approach. These results show that the EMPD model, once the inputs are known, is an accurate moisture buffering model.« less

Benchmarking a soil moisture data assimilation system for agricultural drought monitoring

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural drought is defined as a shortage of moisture in the root zone of plants. Recently available satellite-based remote sensing data have accelerated development of drought early warning system by providing spatially continuous soil moisture information repeatedly at short-term interval. Non...

Application of Terrestrial Microwave Remote Sensing to Agricultural Drought Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crow, W. T.; Bolten, J. D.

2014-12-01

Root-zone soil moisture information is a valuable diagnostic for detecting the onset and severity of agricultural drought. Current attempts to globally monitor root-zone soil moisture are generally based on the application of soil water balance models driven by observed meteorological variables. Such systems, however, are prone to random error associated with: incorrect process model physics, poor parameter choices and noisy meteorological inputs. The presentation will describe attempts to remediate these sources of error via the assimilation of remotely-sensed surface soil moisture retrievals from satellite-based passive microwave sensors into a global soil water balance model. Results demonstrate the ability of satellite-based soil moisture retrieval products to significantly improve the global characterization of root-zone soil moisture - particularly in data-poor regions lacking adequate ground-based rain gage instrumentation. This success has lead to an on-going effort to implement an operational land data assimilation system at the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) to globally monitor variations in root-zone soil moisture availability via the integration of satellite-based precipitation and soil moisture information. Prospects for improving the performance of the USDA FAS system via the simultaneous assimilation of both passive and active-based soil moisture retrievals derived from the upcoming NASA Soil Moisture Active/Passive mission will also be discussed.

A comparison of 3 models of 1-hr timelag fuel moisture in Hawaii

Treesearch

D.R. Weise; F.M. Fujioka; R.M. Nelson

2005-01-01

The U.S. National Fire Danger Rating System currently uses a moisture diffusion model developed by Fosberg to predict fine  fuel moisture in woody fuels. Nelson recently developed a fuel moisture model that includes functions for both heat and moisture  transfer. Fuel moisture samples were collected in Hawaii hourly for up to 96 h for three litter, one herbaceous, and...

Assimilation of Spatially Sparse In Situ Soil Moisture Networks into a Continuous Model Domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruber, A.; Crow, W. T.; Dorigo, W. A.

2018-02-01

Growth in the availability of near-real-time soil moisture observations from ground-based networks has spurred interest in the assimilation of these observations into land surface models via a two-dimensional data assimilation system. However, the design of such systems is currently hampered by our ignorance concerning the spatial structure of error afflicting ground and model-based soil moisture estimates. Here we apply newly developed triple collocation techniques to provide the spatial error information required to fully parameterize a two-dimensional (2-D) data assimilation system designed to assimilate spatially sparse observations acquired from existing ground-based soil moisture networks into a spatially continuous Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) model for operational agricultural drought monitoring. Over the contiguous United States (CONUS), the posterior uncertainty of surface soil moisture estimates associated with this 2-D system is compared to that obtained from the 1-D assimilation of remote sensing retrievals to assess the value of ground-based observations to constrain a surface soil moisture analysis. Results demonstrate that a fourfold increase in existing CONUS ground station density is needed for ground network observations to provide a level of skill comparable to that provided by existing satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals.

Beyond clay - using selective extractions to improve predictions of soil carbon content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, C.; Berhe, A. A.; Blankinship, J. C.; Crow, S. E.; Druhan, J. L.; Heckman, K. A.; Keiluweit, M.; Lawrence, C. R.; Marin-Spiotta, E.; Plante, A. F.; Schaedel, C.; Schimel, J.; Sierra, C. A.; Thompson, A.; Wagai, R.; Wieder, W. R.

2016-12-01

A central component of modern soil carbon (C) models is the use of clay content to scale the relative partitioning of decomposing plant material to respiration and mineral stabilized soil C. However, numerous pedon to plot scale studies indicate that other soil mineral parameters, such as Fe- or Al-oxyhydroxide content and specific surface area, may be more effective than clay alone for predicting soil C content and stabilization. Here we directly address the following question: Are there soil physicochemical parameters that represent mineral C association and soil C content that can replace or be used in conjunction with clay content as scalars in soil C models. We explored the relationship of soil C content to a number of soil physicochemical and physiographic parameters using the National Cooperative Soil Survey database that contains horizon level data for > 62,000 pedons spanning global ecoregions and geographic areas. The data indicated significant variation in the degree of correlation among soil C, clay and Fe-/Al-oxyhydroxides with increasing moisture variability. Specifically, dry, water-limited systems (PET/MAP > 1) presented strong positive correlations between clay and soil C, that decreased significantly to little or no correlation in wet, energy-limited systems (PET/MAP < 1). In contrast, the correlation of soil C to oxalate extractable Al+Fe increased significantly with increasing moisture availability. This pattern was particularly well expressed for subsurface B horizons. Multivariate analyses indicated similar patterns, with clear climate and ecosystem level variation in the degree of correlation among soil C and soil physicochemical properties. The results indicate a need to modify current soil C models to incorporate additional C partitioning parameters that better account for climate and ecoregion variability in C stabilization mechanisms.

Integrating an embedded system in a microwave moisture meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The conversion of a PC- or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter measures the attenuation and phase shift of low power microwaves traversing the sample, from which the dielectric properties are calculated. T...

Integrating an Embedded System within a Microwave Moisture Meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper, the conversion of a PC or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter uses low-power microwaves to measure the attenuation and phase shift of the sample, from which the dielectric properties are cal...

Soil microbial community responses to antibiotic-contaminated manure under different soil moisture regimes.

PubMed

Reichel, Rüdiger; Radl, Viviane; Rosendahl, Ingrid; Albert, Andreas; Amelung, Wulf; Schloter, Michael; Thiele-Bruhn, Sören

2014-01-01

Sulfadiazine (SDZ) is an antibiotic frequently administered to livestock, and it alters microbial communities when entering soils with animal manure, but understanding the interactions of these effects to the prevailing climatic regime has eluded researchers. A climatic factor that strongly controls microbial activity is soil moisture. Here, we hypothesized that the effects of SDZ on soil microbial communities will be modulated depending on the soil moisture conditions. To test this hypothesis, we performed a 49-day fully controlled climate chamber pot experiments with soil grown with Dactylis glomerata (L.). Manure-amended pots without or with SDZ contamination were incubated under a dynamic moisture regime (DMR) with repeated drying and rewetting changes of >20 % maximum water holding capacity (WHCmax) in comparison to a control moisture regime (CMR) at an average soil moisture of 38 % WHCmax. We then monitored changes in SDZ concentration as well as in the phenotypic phospholipid fatty acid and genotypic 16S rRNA gene fragment patterns of the microbial community after 7, 20, 27, 34, and 49 days of incubation. The results showed that strongly changing water supply made SDZ accessible to mild extraction in the short term. As a result, and despite rather small SDZ effects on community structures, the PLFA-derived microbial biomass was suppressed in the SDZ-contaminated DMR soils relative to the CMR ones, indicating that dynamic moisture changes accelerate the susceptibility of the soil microbial community to antibiotics.

75 FR 68505 - National Organic Program; Proposed Amendments to the National List of Allowed and Prohibited...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... including fresh and frozen baked goods, pastas, salad dressings, confectionery, processed cheese spreads... extraction or treatment is used in its manufacture. It functions to retain moisture in baked goods, pastas...

Browsing Through Closed Books: Evaluation of Preprocessing Methods for Page Extraction of a 3-D CT Book Volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stromer, D.; Christlein, V.; Schön, T.; Holub, W.; Maier, A.

2017-09-01

It is often the case that a document can not be opened, page-turned or touched anymore due to damages caused by aging processes, moisture or fire. To counter this, special imaging systems can be used. One of our earlier work revealed that a common 3-D X-ray micro-CT scanner is well suited for imaging and reconstructing historical documents written with iron gall ink - an ink consisting of metallic particles. We acquired a volume of a self-made book without opening or page-turning with a single 3-D scan. However, when investigating the reconstructed volume, we faced the problem of a proper automatic extraction of single pages within the volume in an acceptable time without losing information of the writings. Within this work, we evaluate different appropriate pre-processing methods with respect to computation time and accuracy which are decisive for a proper extraction of book pages from the reconstructed X-ray volume and the subsequent ink identification. The different methods were tested for an extreme case with low resolution, noisy input data and wavy pages. Finally, we present results of the page extraction after applying the evaluated methods.

Cosmetic formulations containing Lithospermum erythrorhizon root extract show moisturizing effects on human skin.

PubMed

Chang, Man-Jau; Huang, Huey-Chun; Chang, Hsien-Cheh; Chang, Tsong-Min

2008-07-01

Retention of water in the stratum corneum of skin epidermis plays an important role in regulation of skin function. Loss of water may decline skin appearance gradually and lead to irregular skin disorders. The root extract of Lithospermum erythrorhizon (LES) is known for its various pharmacological activities. However, the potential skin care effect of LES is not clear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the moisturizing efficacy and skin barrier repairing activity of LES. For this study, 30 healthy Asian females (age 20-30) with healthy skin had applied the test emulsions twice daily over a period of 28 days. The skin properties were measured by skin bioengineering techniques. Our preliminary results indicated that LES show moisturizing effect on skin hydration in a time- and dose-dependent pattern, and the maximum increase in skin humidity was 11.77 +/- 1.18% for emulsion LES5.00. Particularly, LES-containing emulsions significantly improve skin barrier function by decreasing the value of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) in a time- and dose-dependent pattern, and the maximum decrease in TEWL value was 7.68 +/- 0.79% for emulsion LES5.00. Taken together, our data demonstrate that LES is more effective in increasing skin humidity and decreasing the TEWL values, indicating the potential skin care effects of LES.

Real-time monitoring of moisture levels in wound dressings in vitro: an experimental study.

PubMed

McColl, David; Cartlidge, Brian; Connolly, Patricia

2007-10-01

Retaining an appropriate level of moisture at the interface between a healing wound and an applied dressing is considered to be critical for effective wound healing. Failure to control exudate at this interface can result in maceration or drying out of the wound surface. The ability to control moisture balance at the wound interface is therefore a key aspect of wound dressing performance. To date it has not been possible to monitor in any effective manner the distribution of moisture within dressings or how this varies with time. A new measurement system is presented based on sensors placed at the wound/dressing interface which are capable of monitoring moisture levels in real time. The system comprises a model wound bed and sensor array complete with fluid injection path to mimic exudate flow. Eight monitoring points, situated beneath the test dressing, allow the moisture profile across the complete dressing to be measured both during and after fluid injection. The system has been used to evaluate the performance of four foam dressings, a composite hydrofibre dressing and a film dressing. Stark contrasts in the performance of the wound contact layer were found between the different wound dressing types. The composite hydrofibre dressing retained moisture at the wound interface throughout the experiments while areas of the foam dressing quickly became dry, even during constant injection of fluid. The abundance of sensors allowed a moisture map of the surface of the wound dressing to be constructed, illustrating that the moisture profile was not uniform across several of the dressings tested during absorption and evaporation of liquid. These results raise questions as to how the dressings behave on a wound in vivo and indicate the need for a similar clinical monitoring system for tracking wound moisture levels.

Downscaling soil moisture over East Asia through multi-sensor data fusion and optimization of regression trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Seonyoung; Im, Jungho; Park, Sumin; Rhee, Jinyoung

2017-04-01

Soil moisture is one of the most important keys for understanding regional and global climate systems. Soil moisture is directly related to agricultural processes as well as hydrological processes because soil moisture highly influences vegetation growth and determines water supply in the agroecosystem. Accurate monitoring of the spatiotemporal pattern of soil moisture is important. Soil moisture has been generally provided through in situ measurements at stations. Although field survey from in situ measurements provides accurate soil moisture with high temporal resolution, it requires high cost and does not provide the spatial distribution of soil moisture over large areas. Microwave satellite (e.g., advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on the Earth Observing System (AMSR2), the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP)) -based approaches and numerical models such as Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) and Modern- Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) provide spatial-temporalspatiotemporally continuous soil moisture products at global scale. However, since those global soil moisture products have coarse spatial resolution ( 25-40 km), their applications for agriculture and water resources at local and regional scales are very limited. Thus, soil moisture downscaling is needed to overcome the limitation of the spatial resolution of soil moisture products. In this study, GLDAS soil moisture data were downscaled up to 1 km spatial resolution through the integration of AMSR2 and ASCAT soil moisture data, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data—Land Surface Temperature, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and Land cover—using modified regression trees over East Asia from 2013 to 2015. Modified regression trees were implemented using Cubist, a commercial software tool based on machine learning. An optimization based on pruning of rules derived from the modified regression trees was conducted. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Correlation coefficients (r) were used to optimize the rules, and finally 59 rules from modified regression trees were produced. The results show high validation r (0.79) and low validation RMSE (0.0556m3/m3). The 1 km downscaled soil moisture was evaluated using ground soil moisture data at 14 stations, and both soil moisture data showed similar temporal patterns (average r=0.51 and average RMSE=0.041). The spatial distribution of the 1 km downscaled soil moisture well corresponded with GLDAS soil moisture that caught both extremely dry and wet regions. Correlation between GLDAS and the 1 km downscaled soil moisture during growing season was positive (mean r=0.35) in most regions.

Accomplishments of the NASA Johnson Space Center portion of the soil moisture project in fiscal year 1981

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paris, J. F.; Arya, L. M.; Davidson, S. A.; Hildreth, W. W.; Richter, J. C.; Rosenkranz, W. A.

1982-01-01

The NASA/JSC ground scatterometer system was used in a row structure and row direction effects experiment to understand these effects on radar remote sensing of soil moisture. Also, a modification of the scatterometer system was begun and is continuing, to allow cross-polarization experiments to be conducted in fiscal years 1982 and 1983. Preprocessing of the 1978 agricultural soil moisture experiment (ASME) data was completed. Preparations for analysis of the ASME data is fiscal year 1982 were completed. A radar image simulation procedure developed by the University of Kansas is being improved. Profile soil moisture model outputs were compared quantitatively for the same soil and climate conditions. A new model was developed and tested to predict the soil moisture characteristic (water tension versus volumetric soil moisture content) from particle-size distribution and bulk density data. Relationships between surface-zone soil moisture, surface flux, and subsurface moisture conditions are being studied as well as the ways in which measured soil moisture (as obtained from remote sensing) can be used for agricultural applications.

Aircraft scatterometer observations of soil moisture on rangeland watersheds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, T. J.; Oneill, P. E.

1983-01-01

Extensive studies conducted by several researchers using truck-mounted active microwave sensors have shown the sensitivity of these sensors to soil moisture variations. The logical extension of these results is the evaluation of similar systems at lower resolutions typical of operational systems. Data collected during a series of aircraft flights in 1978 and 1980 over four rangeland watersheds located near Chickasha, Oklahoma, were analyzed in this study. These data included scatterometer measurements made at 1.6 and 4.75 GHz using a NASA aircraft and ground observations of soil moisture for a wide range of moisture conditions. Data were analyzed for consistency and compared to previous truck and aircraft results. Results indicate that the sensor system is capable of providing consistent estimates of soil moisture under the conditions tested.

Multifrequency passive microwave observations of soil moisture in an arid rangeland environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, T. J.; Schmugge, T. J.; Parry, R.; Kustas, W. P.; Ritchie, J. C.; Shutko, A. M.; Khaldin, A.; Reutov, E.; Novichikhin, E.; Liberman, B.

1992-01-01

A cooperative experiment was conducted by teams from the U.S. and U.S.S.R. to evaluate passive microwave instruments and algorithms used to estimate surface soil moisture. Experiments were conducted as part of an interdisciplinary experiment in an arid rangeland watershed located in the southwest United States. Soviet microwave radiometers operating at wavelengths of 2.25, 21 and 27 cm were flown on a U.S. aircraft. Radio frequency interference limited usable data to the 2.25 and 21 cm systems. Data have been calibrated and compared to ground observations of soil moisture. These analyses showed that the 21 cm system could produce reliable and useful soil moisture information and that the 2.25 cm system was of no value for soil moisture estimation in this experiment.

40 CFR 75.11 - Specific provisions for monitoring SO2 emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... wood and 14.0% for natural gas (boilers, only); or (2) Install, operate, maintain, and quality assure a continuous moisture monitoring system for measuring and recording the moisture content of the flue gases, in... monitoring systems are acceptable: a continuous moisture sensor; an oxygen analyzer (or analyzers) capable of...

40 CFR 75.11 - Specific provisions for monitoring SO2 emissions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... wood and 14.0% for natural gas (boilers, only); or (2) Install, operate, maintain, and quality assure a continuous moisture monitoring system for measuring and recording the moisture content of the flue gases, in... monitoring systems are acceptable: a continuous moisture sensor; an oxygen analyzer (or analyzers) capable of...

Investigation and kinetic evaluation of the reactions of hydroxymethylfurfural with amino and thiol groups of amino acids.

PubMed

Hamzalıoğlu, Aytül; Gökmen, Vural

2018-02-01

In this study, reactions of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) with selected amino acids (arginine, cysteine and lysine) were investigated in HMF-amino acid (high moisture) and Coffee-amino acid (low moisture) model systems at 5, 25 and 50°C. The results revealed that HMF reacted efficiently and effectively with amino acids in both high and low moisture model systems. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) analyses of the reaction mixtures confirmed the formations of Michael adduct and Schiff base of HMF with amino acids. Calculated pseudo-first order reaction rate constants were in the following order; k Cysteine >k Arginine >k Lysine for high moisture model systems. Comparing to these rate constants, the k Cysteine decreased whereas, k Arginine and k Lysine increased under the low moisture conditions of Coffee-amino acid model systems. The temperature dependence of the rate constants was found to obey the Arrhenius law in a temperature range of 5-50°C under both low and high moisture conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast microwave-assisted extraction of rotenone for its quantification in seeds of yam bean (Pachyrhizus sp.).

PubMed

Lautié, Emmanuelle; Rasse, Catherine; Rozet, Eric; Mourgues, Claire; Vanhelleputte, Jean-Paul; Quetin-Leclercq, Joëlle

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to find if fast microwave-assisted extraction could be an alternative to the conventional Soxhlet extraction for the quantification of rotenone in yam bean seeds by SPE and HPLC-UV. For this purpose, an experimental design was used to determine the optimal conditions of the microwave extraction. Then the values of the quantification on three accessions from two different species of yam bean seeds were compared using the two different kinds of extraction. A microwave extraction of 11 min at 55°C using methanol/dichloromethane (50:50) allowed rotenone extraction either equivalently or more efficiently than the 8-h-Soxhlet extraction method and was less sensitive to moisture content. The selectivity, precision, trueness, accuracy, and limit of quantification of the method with microwave extraction were also demonstrated. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Evaluating humidity recovery efficiency of currently available heat and moisture exchangers: a respiratory system model study.

PubMed

Lucato, Jeanette Janaina Jaber; Adams, Alexander Bernard; Souza, Rogério; Torquato, Jamili Anbar; Carvalho, Carlos Roberto Ribeiro; Marini, John J

2009-01-01

To evaluate and compare the efficiency of humidification in available heat and moisture exchanger models under conditions of varying tidal volume, respiratory rate, and flow rate. Inspired gases are routinely preconditioned by heat and moisture exchangers to provide a heat and water content similar to that provided normally by the nose and upper airways. The absolute humidity of air retrieved from and returned to the ventilated patient is an important measurable outcome of the heat and moisture exchangers' humidifying performance. Eight different heat and moisture exchangers were studied using a respiratory system analog. The system included a heated chamber (acrylic glass, maintained at 37 degrees C), a preserved swine lung, a hygrometer, circuitry and a ventilator. Humidity and temperature levels were measured using eight distinct interposed heat and moisture exchangers given different tidal volumes, respiratory frequencies and flow-rate conditions. Recovery of absolute humidity (%RAH) was calculated for each setting. Increasing tidal volumes led to a reduction in %RAH for all heat and moisture exchangers while no significant effect was demonstrated in the context of varying respiratory rate or inspiratory flow. Our data indicate that heat and moisture exchangers are more efficient when used with low tidal volume ventilation. The roles of flow and respiratory rate were of lesser importance, suggesting that their adjustment has a less significant effect on the performance of heat and moisture exchangers.

Effects of collagen and collagen hydrolysate from jellyfish umbrella on histological and immunity changes of mice photoaging.

PubMed

Fan, Jian; Zhuang, Yongliang; Li, Bafang

2013-01-17

Jellyfish collagen (JC) was extracted from jellyfish umbrella and hydrolyzed to prepare jellyfish collagen hydrolysate (JCH). The effects of JC and JCH on UV-induced skin damage of mice were evaluated by the skin moisture, microscopic analyses of skin and immunity indexes. The skin moisture analyses showed that moisture retention ability of UV-induced mice skin was increased by JC and JCH. Further histological analysis showed that JC and JCH could repair the endogenous collagen and elastin protein fibers, and could maintain the natural ratio of type I to type III collagen. The immunity indexes showed that JC and JCH play a role in enhancing immunity of photoaging mice in vivo. JCH showed much higher protective ability than JC. These results suggest that JCH as a potential novel antiphotoaging agent from natural resources.

The use of remotely-sensed snow, soil moisture and vegetation indices to develop resilience to climate change in Kazakhstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saidaliyeva, Zarina; Davenport, Ian; Nobakht, Mohamad; White, Kevin; Shahgedanova, Maria

2017-04-01

Kazakhstan is a major producer of grain. Large scale grain production dominates in the north, making Kazakhstan one of the largest exporters of grain in the world. Agricultural production accounts for 9% of the national GDP, providing 25% of national employment. The south relies on grain production from household farms for subsistence, and has low resilience, so is vulnerable to reductions in output. Yields in the south depend on snowmelt and glacier runoff. The major limit to production is water supply, which is affected by glacier retreat and frequent droughts. Climate change is likely to impact all climate drivers negatively, leading to a decrease in crop yield, which will impact Kazakhstan and countries dependent on importing its produce. This work makes initial steps in modelling the impact of climate change on crop yield, by identifying the links between snowfall, soil moisture and agricultural productivity. Several remotely-sensed data sources are being used. The availability of snowmelt water over the period 2010-2014 is estimated by extracting the annual maximum snow water equivalent (SWE) from the Globsnow dataset, which assimilates satellite microwave observations with field observations to produce a spatial map. Soil moisture over the period 2010-2016 is provided by the ESA Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission. Vegetation density is approximated by the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) produced from NASA's MODIS instruments. Statistical information on crop yields is provided by the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Committee on Statistics. Demonstrating the link between snowmelt yield and agricultural productivity depends on showing the impact of snow mass during winter on remotely-sensed soil moisture, the link between soil moisture and vegetation density, and finally the link between vegetation density and crop yield. Soil moisture maps were extracted from SMOS observations, and resampled onto a 40km x 40km grid, and analysed to produce monthly averages. The monthly maximum snow water equivalent estimates for March were resampled onto the same grid, to approximate the total snow contributing to snowmelt. The MODIS MOD13A2 1km 16-day NDVI product was resampled onto the same 40km grid, and aggregated into 32-day averages. Annual crop yield is available in terms of kg of yield per hectare for each region in Kazakhstan between 2004 and 2015. To show the connection between the snowmelt and soil moisture, the cells within the snow and soil moisture grids were compared to calculate correlation. Data were aggregated per region. Regions in northern Kazakhstan showed the strongest correlations, because more of the soil water supply is derived from snowmelt than rain, and the southern regions showed poor correlation because of the greater influence of rainfall and irrigation. Correlations between soil moisture and vegetation density, and crop yield are ongoing, and results will be presented. It is envisaged that this research will assist the Kazakh farming community, providing real-time soil moisture data from SMOS.

Evaluating the Generalization Value of Process-based Models in a Deep-in-time Machine Learning framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C.; Fang, K.

2017-12-01

Deep Learning (DL) methods have made revolutionary strides in recent years. A core value proposition of DL is that abstract notions and patterns can be extracted purely from data, without the need for domain expertise. Process-based models (PBM), on the other hand, can be regarded as repositories of human knowledge or hypotheses about how systems function. Here, through computational examples, we argue that there is merit in integrating PBMs with DL due to the imbalance and lack of data in many situations, especially in hydrology. We trained a deep-in-time neural network, the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), to learn soil moisture dynamics from Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level 3 product. We show that when PBM solutions are integrated into LSTM, the network is able to better generalize across regions. LSTM is able to better utilize PBM solutions than simpler statistical methods. Our results suggest PBMs have generalization value which should be carefully assessed and utilized. We also emphasize that when properly regularized, the deep network is robust and is of superior testing performance compared to simpler methods.

Extraction, chemical composition, rheological behavior, antioxidant activity and functional properties of Cordia myxa mucilage.

PubMed

Dokht, Shaghayegh Keshani; Djomeh, Zahra Emam; Yarmand, Mohammad Saeid; Fathi, Morteza

2018-06-14

This paper aims to investigate chemical composition, rheological behavior, antioxidant activity and functional properties of Cordia myxa mucilage (CMM). Response surface methodology (RSM) demonstrated that optimum conditions for CMM extraction were as follow: ultrasound power of 99.37 W, extraction temperature of 88.05 °C and solid to water ratio of 16.25 w/w. CMM had, on average, 77.51% carbohydrate, 5.86% total ash, 8.90% protein, 6.90% moisture, and 1.00% fat. Due to a high level of nutrients, CMM can be suggested as a value added by-product in food and pharmaceutical systems. CMM is a low molecular weight polysaccharide containing three fractions with various molecular weights. FT-IR spectrum illustrated that this polymer had all typical bands and peaks characteristics of polysaccharides. Based on steady shear measurements, CMM can be introduced as a new source of hydrocolloid with high-temperature stability. CMM had the desirable antiradical capacity, water solubility and water/oil holding capacity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Land surface sensitivity of monsoon depressions formed over Bay of Bengal using improved high-resolution land state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajesh, P. V.; Pattnaik, S.; Mohanty, U. C.; Rai, D.; Baisya, H.; Pandey, P. C.

2017-12-01

Monsoon depressions (MDs) constitute a large fraction of the total rainfall during the Indian summer monsoon season. In this study, the impact of high-resolution land state is addressed by assessing the evolution of inland moving depressions formed over the Bay of Bengal using a mesoscale modeling system. Improved land state is generated using High Resolution Land Data Assimilation System employing Noah-MP land-surface model. Verification of soil moisture using Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and soil temperature using tower observations demonstrate promising results. Incorporating high-resolution land state yielded least root mean squared errors with higher correlation coefficient in the surface and mid tropospheric parameters. Rainfall forecasts reveal that simulations are spatially and quantitatively in accordance with observations and provide better skill scores. The improved land surface characteristics have brought about the realistic evolution of surface, mid-tropospheric parameters, vorticity and moist static energy that facilitates the accurate MDs dynamics in the model. Composite moisture budget analysis reveals that the surface evaporation is negligible compared to moisture flux convergence of water vapor, which supplies moisture into the MDs over land. The temporal relationship between rainfall and moisture convergence show high correlation, suggesting a realistic representation of land state help restructure the moisture inflow into the system through rainfall-moisture convergence feedback.

Spatial Estimation of Soil Moisture Using Synthetic Aperture Radar in Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meade, N. G.; Hinzman, L. D.; Kane, D. L.

1999-01-01

A spatially distributed Model of Arctic Thermal and Hydrologic processes (MATH) has been developed. One of the attributes of this model is the spatial and temporal prediction of soil moisture in the active layer. The spatially distributed output from this model required verification data obtained through remote sensing to assess performance at the watershed scale independently. Therefore, a neural network was trained to predict soil moisture contents near the ground surface. The input to train the neural network is synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pixel value, and field measurements of soil moisture, and vegetation, which were used as a surrogate for surface roughness. Once the network was trained, soil moisture predictions were made based on SAR pixel value and vegetation. These results were then used for comparison with results from the hydrologic model. The quality of neural network input was less than anticipated. Our digital elevation model (DEM) was not of high enough resolution to allow exact co-registration with soil moisture measurements; therefore, the statistical correlations were not as good as hoped. However, the spatial pattern of the SAR derived soil moisture contents compares favorably with the hydrologic MATH model results. Primary surface parameters that effect SAR include topography, surface roughness, vegetation cover and soil texture. Single parameters that are considered to influence SAR include incident angle of the radar, polarization of the radiation, signal strength and returning signal integration, to name a few. These factors influence the reflectance, but if one adequately quantifies the influences of terrain and roughness, it is considered possible to extract information on soil moisture from SAR imagery analysis and in turn use SAR imagery to validate hydrologic models

Assessment of viscoelasticity and hydration effect of herbal moisturizers using bioengineering techniques

PubMed Central

Kapoor, Shweta; Saraf, Swarnlata

2010-01-01

Background: A number of moisturizers are available containing natural hydrating, moisturizing, fi rming and occlusive property-imparting agent in the form of herbal extracts, juice and oils. The aim of this study is to assess the hydration and viscoelastic effect of commercially available herbal moisturizers, containing different herbs, on human skin, after a single and 3-week period of application using skin bio mechanical and electrical techniques. Materials and Methods: Twenty selected herbal moisturizers (HM) were coded as HM1-HM20. Forty volunteers, mean age of 40 ± 9 years, were participated in the short- and long-term study. Skin properties in terms of hydration and viscoelastic parameters were measured by multitester and cutometer, respectively. Measurements were done before and after 1, 2, and 3 h (single application) and for the 3-week period of daily application. Results: After single application, significant increase has been observed in both the skin electrical (P < 0.001) and mechanical properties (P < 0.01) as compared to the control, at which no products were applied. After the 3-week period, both effects are maintained and found to be significant at P < 0.001. Short-and long-term study revealed that out of 20 herbal moisturizers, HM8 and HM10 show pronounced increase in skin hydration (90-100%) and HM8, HM10, and HM11 shown marked increase in skin viscoelasticity (90-95%). Conclsuion: The possible reason of maximum effects obtained by these products is multifunctional effects of active ingredients of incorporated herbs. Combined used of both non invasive techniques is useful to substantiate the hydrating and viscoelasticity claim of herbal moisturizer. Short- and long-terms study revealed the best performing herbal moisturizer. PMID:21120032

Absolute moisture sensing for cotton bales

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With the recent prevalence of moisture restoration systems in cotton gins, more and more gins are putting moisture back into the bales immediately before the packaging operation. There are two main reasons for this recent trend, the first is that it has been found that added moisture at the bale pre...

Estimating error cross-correlations in soil moisture data sets using extended collocation analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Consistent global soil moisture records are essential for studying the role of hydrologic processes within the larger earth system. Various studies have shown the benefit of assimilating satellite-based soil moisture data into water balance models or merging multi-source soil moisture retrievals int...

Effect of Resistant Starch and β-Glucan Combination on Oxidative Stability, Frying Performance, Microbial Count and Shelf Life of Prebiotic Sausage During
Refrigerated Storage

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Summary This study aims to evaluate the performance of two types of prebiotic sausages formulated with resistant starch (RS) and β-glucan (BG) extract (in ratios of 2.22:1.33 and 2.75:1.88) during frying and chilled storage. The oxidative stability indices and microbial counts were determined. The incorporation of two types of prebiotic dietary fibre increased frying loss and oil absorption. However, the moisture content of prebiotic sausages after production was higher than of conventional sausages and it decreased significantly during storage. The use of sausage sample containing 2.22% RS and 1.33% BG as a recommended formulation can decrease fat oxidation of sausages during storage due to antioxidant properties of BG extract, but higher levels of RS and BG could not be used due to further increase in fat oxidation. Total viable count increased up to day 45 and decreased afterwards. The addition of BG extract improved the antioxidant properties of sausages. Additionally, the antimicrobial properties of BG and moisture reduction could inhibit microbial growth. Moreover, the addition of RS caused an increase in thiobarbituric acid and peroxide values. PMID:29540982

Liquid-Desiccant Vapor Separation Reduces the Energy Requirements of Atmospheric Moisture Harvesting.

PubMed

Gido, Ben; Friedler, Eran; Broday, David M

2016-08-02

An innovative atmospheric moisture harvesting system is proposed, where water vapor is separated from the air prior to cooling and condensation. The system was studied using a model that simulates its three interconnected cycles (air, desiccant, and water) over a range of ambient conditions, and optimal configurations are reported for different operation conditions. Model results were compared to specifications of commercial atmospheric moisture harvesting systems and found to represent saving of 5-65% of the electrical energy requirements due to the vapor separation process. We show that the liquid desiccant separation stage that is integrated into atmospheric moisture harvesting systems can work under a wide range of environmental conditions using low grade or solar heating as a supplementary energy source, and that the performance of the combined system is superior.

Results from Assimilating AMSR-E Soil Moisture Estimates into a Land Surface Model Using an Ensemble Kalman Filter in the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay B.; Crosson, William L.; Case, Jonathan L.; Hale, Robert

2010-01-01

Improve simulations of soil moisture/temperature, and consequently boundary layer states and processes, by assimilating AMSR-E soil moisture estimates into a coupled land surface-mesoscale model Provide a new land surface model as an option in the Land Information System (LIS)

Implementation of a global-scale operational data assimilation system for satellite-based soil moisture retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J.; Crow, W.; Zhan, X.; Reynolds, C.

2008-08-01

Timely and accurate monitoring of global weather anomalies and drought conditions is essential for assessing global crop conditions. Soil moisture observations are particularly important for crop yield fluctuations provided by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Production Estimation and Crop Assessment Division (PECAD). The current system utilized by PECAD estimates soil moisture from a 2-layer water balance model based on precipitation and temperature data from World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and US Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA). The accuracy of this system is highly dependent on the data sources used; particularly the accuracy, consistency, and spatial and temporal coverage of the land and climatic data input into the models. However, many regions of the globe lack observations at the temporal and spatial resolutions required by PECAD. This study incorporates NASA's soil moisture remote sensing product provided by the EOS Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) into the U.S. Department of Agriculture Crop Assessment and Data Retrieval (CADRE) decision support system. A quasi-global-scale operational data assimilation system has been designed and implemented to provide CADRE a daily product of integrated AMSR-E soil moisture observations with the PECAD two-layer soil moisture model forecasts. A methodology of the system design and a brief evaluation of the system performance over the Conterminous United States (CONUS) is presented.

Low-frequency oscillations of the East Asia-Pacific teleconnection pattern and their impacts on persistent heavy precipitation in the Yangtze-Huai River valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lei; Zhai, Panmao; Chen, Yang; Ni, Yunqi

2016-06-01

Based on the daily reanalysis data from NCEP-NCAR and daily precipitation data from the China National Meteorological Information Center, an ensemble empirical mode decomposition method is employed to extract the predominant oscillation modes of the East Asia-Pacific (EAP) teleconnection pattern. The influences of these low-frequency modes on persistent heavy precipitation in the Yangtze-Huai River (YHR) valley are investigated. The results indicate that the EAP pattern and rainfall in YHR valley both exhibit remarkable 10-30- and 30-60-day oscillations. The impacts of the EAP pattern on the YHR persistent heavy precipitation can be found on both the 10-30- and 30-60-day timescales—the 10-30-day scale for most cases. Composite analysis indicates that, on the 10-30-day timescale, formation of the EAP pattern in the lower and middle troposphere is determined by convective systems near the tropical western Pacific; whereas in the middle troposphere, the phase transition is jointly contributed by both the dispersion of zonal wave energies at higher latitudes and convective systems over the South China Sea. In the context of the 10-30-day EAP pattern, the anomalously abundant moisture is transported by an anomalous subtropical anticyclone system, and strong moisture convergence results from that anomalous anticyclone system and a cyclonic system in the midlatitude East Asia. Such a combination of systems persists for at least three days, contributing to the formation of persistent heavy precipitation in the YHR valley.

Multi-site assimilation of a terrestrial biosphere model (BETHY) using satellite derived soil moisture data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Mousong; Sholze, Marko

2017-04-01

We investigated the importance of soil moisture data on assimilation of a terrestrial biosphere model (BETHY) for a long time period from 2010 to 2015. Totally, 101 parameters related to carbon turnover, soil respiration, as well as soil texture were selected for optimization within a carbon cycle data assimilation system (CCDAS). Soil moisture data from Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) product was derived for 10 sites representing different plant function types (PFTs) as well as different climate zones. Uncertainty of SMOS soil moisture data was also estimated using triple collocation analysis (TCA) method by comparing with ASCAT dataset and BETHY forward simulation results. Assimilation of soil moisture to the system improved soil moisture as well as net primary productivity(NPP) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) when compared with soil moisture derived from in-situ measurements and fluxnet datasets. Parameter uncertainties were largely reduced relatively to prior values. Using SMOS soil moisture data for assimilation of a terrestrial biosphere model proved to be an efficient approach in reducing uncertainty in ecosystem fluxes simulation. It could be further used in regional an global assimilation work to constrain carbon dioxide concentration simulation by combining with other sources of measurements.

Microtensile Bond Strength of Embrace Wetbond Hydrophilic Sealant in Different Moisture Contamination: An In-Vitro Study.

PubMed

Panigrahi, Antarmayee; Srilatha, K T; Panigrahi, Rajat G; Mohanty, Susant; Bhuyan, Sanat K; Bardhan, Debojyoti

2015-07-01

Contamination of etched enamel with saliva has been shown to result in sealant failure. Recently, a hydrophilic sealant has been introduced. In absence of documented literature, this in vitro study was undertaken to ascertain the efficacy of Embrace Wet Bond without reduction of microtensile bond strength in the different moisture contamination. A 5mm block of sealant were built over prepared occlusal surface of 40 non-carious therapeutically extracted third molars which were sectioned into 1mm thick stick and tested using Zwick micro tensile tester. Obtained data were subjected to descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA and Scheffe's post-hoc tests. Mean microtensile bond strength of Embrace sealant was not significantly lowered in different moisture contamination groups except Group 3 (air drying), which showed very highly significant (p<0.001) decrease in μTBS as compared to Group 1 (non-contaminated). Mean μTBS of Embrace sealant remains largely unchanged even in presence of moisture. Owing to its hydrophilic property, this sealant can be a great help in cases where maintaining isolation is difficult.

Dehydration Effects on Imbibitional Leakage from Desiccation-Sensitive Seeds 1

PubMed Central

Becwar, Michael R.; Stanwood, Phillip C.; Roos, Eric E.

1982-01-01

Changes in electrolyte leakage and viability in response to dehydration stress were examined in two species of seeds that do not survive desiccation. Leakage from silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) seeds increased markedly as seed moisture contents decreased from 45 to 35% (fresh weight basis) and germination decreased from 97 to 5%, coincidentally. Time course curves of imbibitional leakage from areca palm (Chrysalido-carpus lutescens [Bory] Wendl.) embryos showed an increase in both initial leakage and steady-state leakage rates in response to dehydration from an original moisture content of 84 to as low as 53%. Absorbance at 530 nanometers of extracts from triphenyl tetrazolium chloride stained embryos of areca palm was used as a measure of viability. Absorbance decreased significantly in response to dehydration as embryo moisture content decreased from 80 to 30%. Collectively, the data suggest that membranes in the desiccation-sensitive seed tissues studied are damaged by dehydration below a critical moisture content, 40% in silver maple seed and 55% in areca palm embryos, and that the membrane damage contributes to loss of viability. PMID:16662357

Efficacy of a soy moisturizer in photoaging: a double-blind, vehicle-controlled, 12-week study.

PubMed

Wallo, Warren; Nebus, Judith; Leyden, James J

2007-09-01

Serine protease inhibitors (soybean trypsin inhibitor [STI] and Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor [BBI]) found in soybeans have been shown to inhibit melanosome phagocytosis by keratinocytes via protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR-2). Pre-clinical studies have confirmed the skin lightening potential of these molecules. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a novel soy moisturizer containing nondenaturated STI and BBI for the improvement of skin tone, pigmentation, and other photoaging attributes. Sixty-five women, with moderate facial photodamage, were enrolled in the 12-week, parallel, vehicle-controlled study. Efficacy was monitored through clinical observation, self-assessment, colorimetric evaluations, and digital photography. The results showed that the novel soy moisturizer was significantly more efficacious than the vehicle in improving mottled pigmentation, blotchiness, dullness, fine lines, overall texture, overall skin tone, and overall appearance. Differences were significant from week 2 to week 12 for all above parameters (except dullness which started at week 4). In this study, we found that a moisturizer containing stabilized soy extracts is safe and effective, and can be used to ameliorate overall skin tone and texture attributes of photoaging.

Hyperspectral Reflectance Imaging Technique for Visualization of Moisture Distribution in Cooked Chicken Breast

PubMed Central

Kandpal, Lalit Mohan; Lee, Hoonsoo; Kim, Moon S.; Mo, Changyeun; Cho, Byoung-Kwan

2013-01-01

Spectroscopy has proven to be an efficient tool for measuring the properties of meat. In this article, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) techniques are used to determine the moisture content in cooked chicken breast over the VIS/NIR (400–1,000 nm) spectral range. Moisture measurements were performed using an oven drying method. A partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was developed to extract a relationship between the HSI spectra and the moisture content. In the full wavelength range, the PLSR model possessed a maximum R2p of 0.90 and an SEP of 0.74%. For the NIR range, the PLSR model yielded an R2p of 0.94 and an SEP of 0.71%. The majority of the absorption peaks occurred around 760 and 970 nm, representing the water content in the samples. Finally, PLSR images were constructed to visualize the dehydration and water distribution within different sample regions. The high correlation coefficient and low prediction error from the PLSR analysis validates that HSI is an effective tool for visualizing the chemical properties of meat. PMID:24084119

Measuring moisture content in living chaparral: a field user's manual

Treesearch

Clive M. Countryman; William A. Dean

1979-01-01

This manual standardizes procedures for determining the moisture content of living chaparral for use in a proposed statewide system of monitoring living fuel moisture. The manual includes a comprehensive examination of fuel moisture variations in California chaparral, and describes techniques for sampling these variations. Equipment needed to sample and determine...

Calibration and validation of the COSMOS rover for surface soil moisture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The mobile COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Observing System (COSMOS) rover may be useful for validating satellite-based estimates of near surface soil moisture, but the accuracy with which the rover can measure 0-5 cm soil moisture has not been previously determined. Our objectives were to calibrate and va...

Evaluating Humidity Recovery Efficiency of Currently Available Heat and Moisture Exchangers: A Respiratory System Model Study

PubMed Central

Lucato, Jeanette Janaina Jaber; Adams, Alexander Bernard; Souza, Rogério; Torquato, Jamili Anbar; Carvalho, Carlos Roberto Ribeiro; Marini, John J

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare the efficiency of humidification in available heat and moisture exchanger models under conditions of varying tidal volume, respiratory rate, and flow rate. INTRODUCTION: Inspired gases are routinely preconditioned by heat and moisture exchangers to provide a heat and water content similar to that provided normally by the nose and upper airways. The absolute humidity of air retrieved from and returned to the ventilated patient is an important measurable outcome of the heat and moisture exchangers’ humidifying performance. METHODS: Eight different heat and moisture exchangers were studied using a respiratory system analog. The system included a heated chamber (acrylic glass, maintained at 37°C), a preserved swine lung, a hygrometer, circuitry and a ventilator. Humidity and temperature levels were measured using eight distinct interposed heat and moisture exchangers given different tidal volumes, respiratory frequencies and flow-rate conditions. Recovery of absolute humidity (%RAH) was calculated for each setting. RESULTS: Increasing tidal volumes led to a reduction in %RAH for all heat and moisture exchangers while no significant effect was demonstrated in the context of varying respiratory rate or inspiratory flow. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that heat and moisture exchangers are more efficient when used with low tidal volume ventilation. The roles of flow and respiratory rate were of lesser importance, suggesting that their adjustment has a less significant effect on the performance of heat and moisture exchangers. PMID:19578664

Mechanisms of deterioration of intermediate moisture food systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labuza, T. P.

1972-01-01

A study of shelf stability in intermediate moisture foods was made. Major efforts were made to control lipid oxidation and nonenzymatic browning. In order to determine means of preventing these reactions, model systems were developed having the same water activity content relationship of intermediate moisture foods. Models were based on a cellulose-lipid and protein-lipid system with glycerol added as the humectant. Experiments with both systems indicate that lipid oxidation is promoted significantly in the intermediate moisture range. The effect appeared to be related to increased mobility of either reactants or catalysts, since when the amount of water in the system reached a level where capillary condensation occurred and thus free water was present, the rates of oxidation increased. With added glycerol, which is water soluble and thus increases the amount of mobile phase, the increase in oxidation rate occurs at a lower relative humidity. The rates of oxidation were maximized at 61% RH and decreased again at 75% RH probably due to dilution. No significant non-enzymatic browning occurred in the protein-lipid systems. Prevention of oxidation by the use of metal chelating agents was enhanced in the cellulose system, whereas, with protein present, the lipid soluble chain terminating antioxidants (such as BHA) worked equally as well. Preliminary studies of foods adjusted to the intermediate moisture range bear out the results of oxidation in model systems. It can be concluded that for most fat containing intermediate moisture foods, rancidity will be the reaction most limiting stability.

Study of process variables in supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of soybeans.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Nikolas; Hilton, Ramsey; Hendry, Doug; Venkitasamy, Chandrasekar; Jacoby, William

2014-01-01

Soybean flakes were extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide at 48.3 MPa and 80 °C, which is a higher temperature than previously reported. Several operational parameters were explored to determine their effect on extractions. Flakes, as typically used in this industry, provided the best extraction performance. Particle size distributions were created through grinding. Reducing average particle diameters smaller than 0.069 mm had no appreciable effect on increasing extraction efficiencies. Exploration of flow rate indicated that a residence time of less than 60 s for the supercritical carbon dioxide would be sufficient for complete extractions. A solvent mass to load mass ratio of 10:1 was found to be sufficient for extraction of oils from soybean flakes. Increasing moisture in the soybeans led to decreasing extraction efficiency of oils. Finally, soybean hulls had no effect on extraction efficiency. Thus, the de-hulling procedure can be removed from the extraction process without decreasing extraction efficiency.

Soil Moisture Dynamics under Corn, Soybean, and Perennial Kura Clover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochsner, T.; Venterea, R. T.

2009-12-01

Rising global food and energy consumption call for increased agricultural production, whereas rising concerns for environmental quality call for farming systems with more favorable environmental impacts. Improved understanding and management of plant-soil water interactions are central to meeting these twin challenges. The objective of this research was to compare the temporal dynamics of soil moisture under contrasting cropping systems suited for the Midwestern region of the United States. Precipitation, infiltration, drainage, evapotranspiration, soil water storage, and freeze/thaw processes were measured hourly for three years in field plots of continuous corn (Zea mays L.), corn/soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation, and perennial kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum M. Bieb.) in southeastern Minnesota. The evapotranspiration from the perennial clover most closely followed the temporal dynamics of precipitation, resulting in deep drainage which was reduced up to 50% relative to the annual crops. Soil moisture utilization also continued later into the fall under the clover than under the annual crops. In the annual cropping systems, crop sequence influenced the soil moisture dynamics. Soybean following corn and continuous corn exhibited evapotranspiration which was 80 mm less than and deep drainage which was 80 mm greater than that of corn following soybean. These differences occurred primarily during the spring and were associated with differences in early season plant growth between the systems. In the summer, soil moisture depletion was up to 30 mm greater under corn than soybean. Crop residue also played an important role in the soil moisture dynamics. Higher amounts of residue were associated with reduced soil freezing. This presentation will highlight key aspects of the soil moisture dynamics for these contrasting cropping systems across temporal scales ranging from hours to years. The links between soil moisture dynamics, crop yields, and nutrient leaching will also be examined.

Potential for wind extraction from 4D-Var assimilation of aerosols and moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaplotnik, Žiga; Žagar, Nedjeljka

2017-04-01

We discuss the potential of the four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) to retrieve the unobserved wind field from observations of atmospheric tracers and the mass field through internal model dynamics and the multivariate relationships in the background-error term for 4D-Var. The presence of non-linear moist dynamics makes the wind retrieval from tracers very difficult. On the other hand, it has been shown that moisture observations strongly influence both tropical and mid-latitude wind field in 4D-Var. We present an intermediate complexity model that describes nonlinear interactions between the wind, temperature, aerosols and moisture including their sinks and sources in the framework of the so-called first baroclinic mode atmosphere envisaged by A. Gill. Aerosol physical processes, which are included in the model, are the non-linear advection, diffusion and sources and sinks that exist as dry and wet deposition and diffusion. Precipitation is parametrized according to the Betts-Miller scheme. The control vector for 4D-Var includes aerosols, moisture and the three dynamical variables. The former is analysed univariately whereas wind field and mass field are analysed in a multivariate fashion taking into account quasi-geostrophic and unbalanced dynamics. The OSSE type of studies are performed for the tropical region to assess the ability of 4D-Var to extract wind-field information from the time series of observations of tracers as a function of the flow nonlinearity, the observations density and the length of the assimilation window (12 hours and 24 hours), in dry and moist environment. Results show that the 4D-Var assimilation of aerosols and temperature data is beneficial for the wind analysis with analysis errors strongly dependent on the moist processes and reliable background-error covariances.

Thermodynamic analysis on heavy metals partitioning impacted by moisture during the MSW incineration

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

Zhang Yanguo; Li Qinghai; Jia Jinyan

2012-12-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Partitioning of HMs affected by moisture was investigated by thermodynamic analysis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Increase in moisture and in temperature was opposite impact on HMs contribution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The extent of temperature decreased by increase in moisture determines the impact. - Abstract: A thermodynamic calculation was carried out to predict the behavior and speciation of heavy metals (HMs), Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd, during municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration with the different moisture levels. The calculation was based on the minimization of the total Gibbs free energy of the multi-components and multi-phases closed system reaching chemical equilibrium. The calculation also indicatedmore » the reaction directions and tendencies of HMs components. The impacts of chlorine additives (No PVC, 1%PVC, and 5%PVC) and moisture on the behavior of HMs were investigated at different temperature levels in the system (750 Degree-Sign C, 950 Degree-Sign C, and 1150 Degree-Sign C). Furthermore, because the incineration temperature falls down with the increase in moisture in waste, the co-influence of moisture and temperature in combusting MSW on the HMs was also studied with the given chlorine (as 1%PVC + 0.5%NaCl). The results showed that in the non-chlorine system, the impact of the moisture on Pb, Zn, and Cu was not significant, and the ratio of compound transformation was less than 10%, except the Cd compounds at 950 Degree-Sign C and 1150 Degree-Sign C. In the system with low chlorine (as 1%PVC) at constant temperature, the chlorides of HMs (Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu) transferred to oxides, and when the content of chlorine rose up (as 5%PVC), the ratio of the chlorides of HMs (Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu) transferring to oxides fell down noticeably. When the moisture varied together with the temperature, the Zn and Cu compounds transferred from chlorides to oxides with increase in moisture as well as decrease in temperature. At the temperature of 700-1000 Degree-Sign C, the impact of temperature on Pb and Cd was little and the moisture was the main factor; while at the temperature of 1000-1200 Degree-Sign C, the impact of increase in moisture and decrease in temperature on Pb and Cd was almost equal and reversed.« less

Biodegradation of Jatropha curcas phorbol esters in soil.

PubMed

Devappa, Rakshit K; Makkar, Harinder Ps; Becker, Klaus

2010-09-01

Jatropha curcas seed cake is generated as a by-product during biodiesel production. Seed cake containing toxic phorbol esters (PEs) is currently used as a fertiliser and thus it is of eco-toxicological concern. In the present study the fate of PEs in soil was studied. Two approaches for the incorporation of PEs in soil were used. In the first, silica was bound to PEs, and in the second, seedcake was used. At day 0, the concentration of PEs in soil was 2.6 and 0.37 mg g(-1) for approach 1 and 2 respectively. PEs from silica bound PEs were completely degraded after 19, 12, 12 days (at 130 g kg(-1) moisture) and after 17, 9, 9 days (at 230 g kg(-1) moisture) at room temperature, 32 degrees C and 42 degrees C respectively. Similarly at these temperatures PEs from seed cake were degraded after 21, 17 and 17 days (at 130 g kg(-1) moisture) and after 23, 17, and 15 days (at 230 g kg(-1) moisture). Increase in temperature and moisture increased rate of PEs degradation. Using the snail (Physa fontinalis) bioassay, mortality by PE-amended soil extracts decreased with the decrease in PE concentration in soil. Jatropha PEs are biodegradable. The degraded products are innocuous. Copyright 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

The different behaviors of glyphosate and AMPA in compost-amended soil.

PubMed

Erban, Tomas; Stehlik, Martin; Sopko, Bruno; Markovic, Martin; Seifrtova, Marcela; Halesova, Tatana; Kovaricek, Pavel

2018-09-01

The broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate is one of the most widely used pesticides. Both glyphosate and its major metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), persist in waters; thus, their environmental fates are of interest. We investigated the influence of compost dose, sampling depth, moisture and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ) on the persistence of these substances. The amounts of AMPA quantified by triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS/MS) using isotopically labeled extraction standards were higher than those of glyphosate and differed among the samples. Both glyphosate and AMPA showed gradually decreasing concentrations with soil depth, and bootstrapped ANOVA showed significant differences between the contents of glyphosate and AMPA and their behavior related to different compost dosages and sampling depths. However, the compost dose alone did not cause significant differences among samples. Bayesian statistics revealed that the amounts of glyphosate and AMPA were both dependent on the sampling depth and compost dose, but differences were found when considering the physical factors of K s and moisture. Glyphosate was influenced by moisture but not K s , whereas AMPA was influenced by K s but not moisture. Importantly, we found behavioral differences between glyphosate and its major metabolite, AMPA, related to the physical properties of K s and moisture. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National fire-danger rating system fine-fuel moisture content tables—an Alaskan adaptation.

Treesearch

Richard J. Barney

1969-01-01

Fine-fuel moisture content tables, using dry bulb and dewpoint temperatures as entry data, have been developed for use with the National Fire-Danger Rating System in Alaska. Comparisons have been made which illustrate differences resulting from danger-rating calculations based on these new fine-fuel moisture content tables for the cured, transition, and green...

Assimilating soil moisture into an Earth System Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacke, Tobias; Hagemann, Stefan

2017-04-01

Several modelling studies reported potential impacts of soil moisture anomalies on regional climate. In particular for short prediction periods, perturbations of the soil moisture state may result in significant alteration of surface temperature in the following season. However, it is not clear yet whether or not soil moisture anomalies affect climate also on larger temporal and spatial scales. In an earlier study, we showed that soil moisture anomalies can persist for several seasons in the deeper soil layers of a land surface model. Additionally, those anomalies can influence root zone moisture, in particular during explicitly dry or wet periods. Thus, one prerequisite for predictability, namely the existence of long term memory, is evident for simulated soil moisture and might be exploited to improve climate predictions. The second prerequisite is the sensitivity of the climate system to soil moisture. In order to investigate this sensitivity for decadal simulations, we implemented a soil moisture assimilation scheme into the Max-Planck Institute for Meteorology's Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). The assimilation scheme is based on a simple nudging algorithm and updates the surface soil moisture state once per day. In our experiments, the MPI-ESM is used which includes model components for the interactive simulation of atmosphere, land and ocean. Artificial assimilation data is created from a control simulation to nudge the MPI-ESM towards predominantly dry and wet states. First analyses are focused on the impact of the assimilation on land surface variables and reveal distinct differences in the long-term mean values between wet and dry state simulations. Precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff are larger in the wet state compared to the dry state, resulting in an increased moisture transport from the land to atmosphere and ocean. Consequently, surface temperatures are lower in the wet state simulations by more than one Kelvin. In terms of spatial pattern, the largest differences between both simulations are seen for continental areas, while regions with a maritime climate are least sensitive to soil moisture assimilation.

Assimilation of SMOS Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay; Case, Jonathan; Zavodsky, Bradley; Jedlovec, Gary

2014-01-01

Soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) instrument are assimilated into the Noah land surface model (LSM) within the NASA Land Information System (LIS). Before assimilation, SMOS retrievals are bias-corrected to match the model climatological distribution using a Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) matching approach. Data assimilation is done via the Ensemble Kalman Filter. The goal is to improve the representation of soil moisture within the LSM, and ultimately to improve numerical weather forecasts through better land surface initialization. We present a case study showing a large area of irrigation in the lower Mississippi River Valley, in an area with extensive rice agriculture. High soil moisture value in this region are observed by SMOS, but not captured in the forcing data. After assimilation, the model fields reflect the observed geographic patterns of soil moisture. Plans for a modeling experiment and operational use of the data are given. This work helps prepare for the assimilation of Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) retrievals in the near future.

Synoptic Conditions and Moisture Sources Actuating Extreme Precipitation in Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohlinger, Patrik; Sorteberg, Asgeir; Sodemann, Harald

2017-12-01

Despite the vast literature on heavy-precipitation events in South Asia, synoptic conditions and moisture sources related to extreme precipitation in Nepal have not been addressed systematically. We investigate two types of synoptic conditions—low-pressure systems and midlevel troughs—and moisture sources related to extreme precipitation events. To account for the high spatial variability in rainfall, we cluster station-based daily precipitation measurements resulting in three well-separated geographic regions: west, central, and east Nepal. For each region, composite analysis of extreme events shows that atmospheric circulation is directed against the Himalayas during an extreme event. The direction of the flow is regulated by midtropospheric troughs and low-pressure systems traveling toward the respective region. Extreme precipitation events feature anomalous high abundance of total column moisture. Quantitative Lagrangian moisture source diagnostic reveals that the largest direct contribution stems from land (approximately 75%), where, in particular, over the Indo-Gangetic Plain moisture uptake was increased. Precipitation events occurring in this region before the extreme event likely provided additional moisture.

Effects of Collagen and Collagen Hydrolysate from Jellyfish Umbrella on Histological and Immunity Changes of Mice Photoaging

PubMed Central

Fan, Jian; Zhuang, Yongliang; Li, Bafang

2013-01-01

Jellyfish collagen (JC) was extracted from jellyfish umbrella and hydrolyzed to prepare jellyfish collagen hydrolysate (JCH). The effects of JC and JCH on UV-induced skin damage of mice were evaluated by the skin moisture, microscopic analyses of skin and immunity indexes. The skin moisture analyses showed that moisture retention ability of UV-induced mice skin was increased by JC and JCH. Further histological analysis showed that JC and JCH could repair the endogenous collagen and elastin protein fibers, and could maintain the natural ratio of type I to type III collagen. The immunity indexes showed that JC and JCH play a role in enhancing immunity of photoaging mice in vivo. JCH showed much higher protective ability than JC. These results suggest that JCH as a potential novel antiphotoaging agent from natural resources. PMID:23344251

Benchmarking a Soil Moisture Data Assimilation System for Agricultural Drought Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hun, Eunjin; Crow, Wade T.; Holmes, Thomas; Bolten, John

2014-01-01

Despite considerable interest in the application of land surface data assimilation systems (LDAS) for agricultural drought applications, relatively little is known about the large-scale performance of such systems and, thus, the optimal methodological approach for implementing them. To address this need, this paper evaluates an LDAS for agricultural drought monitoring by benchmarking individual components of the system (i.e., a satellite soil moisture retrieval algorithm, a soil water balance model and a sequential data assimilation filter) against a series of linear models which perform the same function (i.e., have the same basic inputoutput structure) as the full system component. Benchmarking is based on the calculation of the lagged rank cross-correlation between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and soil moisture estimates acquired for various components of the system. Lagged soil moistureNDVI correlations obtained using individual LDAS components versus their linear analogs reveal the degree to which non-linearities andor complexities contained within each component actually contribute to the performance of the LDAS system as a whole. Here, a particular system based on surface soil moisture retrievals from the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM), a two-layer Palmer soil water balance model and an Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is benchmarked. Results suggest significant room for improvement in each component of the system.

Developing a Soil Moisture Index for California Grasslands from Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flamme, H. E.; Roberts, D. A.; Miller, D. L.

2016-12-01

Soil moisture is a key environmental factor controlling vegetation diversity and productivity, evaporation, transpiration, and rainfall runoff. Despite the contribution of soil moisture to ecological productivity, the hydrologic cycle, and erosion, it is currently not being monitored as accurately or as frequently as other environmental factors. Traditional soil moisture monitoring techniques rely on in situ measurements, which become costly when evaluating areas of unevenly distributed soil characteristics and varying topography. Alternatively, satellite remote sensing, such as passive microwave from SMAP, can provide soil moisture but only at very coarse spatial resolutions. Imagery from the Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has the potential to allow better spatial and temporal monitoring of soil moisture. This study established a relationship between plant available water and hyperspectral reflectance via linear regressions of data from 2013-2015 for two grassland field sites: 1) near Santa Barbara, California, at Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR) and 2) Airstrip station (AIRS) at UC Santa Barbara's Sedgwick Reserve near Santa Ynez, California. Volumetric soil moisture measurements at 10 cm and 20 cm depths were provided by meteorological stations situated in COPR and AIRS while reflectance data were extracted from AVIRIS. We found strong correlations between plant available water and bands centered at wavelengths 704 nm and 831 nm, which we used to create Hyperspectral Soil Moisture Index (HSMI): 0.38((ρ831-ρ704)/(ρ831+ρ704))-0.02. HSMI demonstrated a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.71 for linear regressions of reflectance versus plant available water with a lag time of 28 days. We applied HSMI to the AIRS and COPR grasslands for 2011 AVIRIS scenes. Plant available water values predicted by HSMI were 0.039 higher at AIRS and 0.048 higher at COPR than the field measurements at the sites. Differences in grass species, soil composition, and climate between COPR and AIRS likely contributed to the errors in the soil moisture predicted by HSMI.

Partial liquid ventilation: effects of closed breathing systems, heat-and-moisture-exchangers and sodalime absorbers on perfluorocarbon evaporation.

PubMed

Wilms, C T; Schober, P; Kalb, R; Loer, S A

2006-01-01

During partial liquid ventilation perfluorocarbons are instilled into the airways from where they subsequently evaporate via the bronchial system. This process is influenced by multiple factors, such as the vapour pressure of the perfluorocarbons, the instilled volume, intrapulmonary perfluorocarbon distribution, postural positioning and ventilatory settings. In our study we compared the effects of open and closed breathing systems, a heat-and-moisture-exchanger and a sodalime absorber on perfluorocarbon evaporation during partial liquid ventilation. Isolated rat lungs were suspended from a force transducer. After intratracheal perfluorocarbon instillation (10 mL kg(-1)) the lungs were either ventilated with an open breathing system (n = 6), a closed breathing system (n = 6), an open breathing system with an integrated heat-and-moisture-exchanger (n = 6), an open breathing system with an integrated sodalime absorber (n = 6), or a closed breathing system with an integrated heat-and-moisture-exchanger and a sodalime absorber (n = 6). Evaporative perfluorocarbon elimination was determined gravimetrically. When compared to the elimination half-life in an open breathing system (1.2 +/- 0.07 h), elimination half-life was longer with a closed system (6.4 +/- 0.9 h, P 0.05) when compared to a closed system. Evaporative perfluorocarbon loss can be reduced effectively with closed breathing systems, followed by the use of sodalime absorbers and heat-and-moisture-exchangers.

Design, development and method validation of a novel multi-resonance microwave sensor for moisture measurement.

PubMed

Peters, Johanna; Taute, Wolfgang; Bartscher, Kathrin; Döscher, Claas; Höft, Michael; Knöchel, Reinhard; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2017-04-08

Microwave sensor systems using resonance technology at a single resonance in the range of 2-3 GHz have been shown to be a rapid and reliable tool for moisture determination in solid materials including pharmaceutical granules. So far, their application is limited to lower moisture ranges or limitations above certain moisture contents had to be accepted. Aim of the present study was to develop a novel multi-resonance sensor system in order to expand the measurement range. Therefore, a novel sensor using additional resonances over a wide frequency band was designed and used to investigate inherent limitations of first generation sensor systems and material-related limits. Using granule samples with different moisture contents, an experimental protocol for calibration and validation of the method was established. Pursuant to this protocol, a multiple linear regression (MLR) prediction model built by correlating microwave moisture values to the moisture determined by Karl Fischer titration was chosen and rated using conventional criteria such as coefficient of determination (R 2 ) and root mean square error of calibration (RMSEC). Using different operators, different analysis dates and different ambient conditions the method was fully validated following the guidance of ICH Q2(R1). The study clearly showed explanations for measurement uncertainties of first generation sensor systems which confirmed the approach to overcome these by using additional resonances. The established prediction model could be validated in the range of 7.6-19.6%, demonstrating its fit for its future purpose, the moisture content determination during wet granulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vacuum leak detector and method

DOEpatents

Edwards, Jr., David

1983-01-01

Apparatus and method for detecting leakage in a vacuum system involves a moisture trap chamber connected to the vacuum system and to a pressure gauge. Moisture in the trap chamber is captured by freezing or by a moisture adsorbent to reduce the residual water vapor pressure therein to a negligible amount. The pressure gauge is then read to determine whether the vacuum system is leaky. By directing a stream of carbon dioxide or helium at potentially leaky parts of the vacuum system, the apparatus can be used with supplemental means to locate leaks.

The soil moisture active passive experiments (SMAPEx): Towards soil moisture retrieval from the SMAP mission

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, scheduled for launch in 2014, will carry the first combined L-band radar and radiometer system with the objective of mapping near surface soil moisture and freeze/thaw state globally at near-daily time step (2-3 days). SMAP will provide three soil ...

Microbiology and Moisture Uptake of Desert Soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kress, M. E.; Bryant, E. P.; Morgan, S. W.; Rech, S.; McKay, C. P.

2005-12-01

We have initiated an interdisciplinary study of the microbiology and water content of desert soils to better understand microbial activity in extreme arid environments. Water is the one constituent that no organism can live without; nevertheless, there are places on Earth with an annual rainfall near zero that do support microbial ecosystems. These hyperarid deserts (e.g. Atacama and the Antarctic Dry Valleys) are the closest terrestrial analogs to Mars, which is the subject of future exploration motivated by the search for life beyond Earth. We are modeling the moisture uptake by soils in hyperarid environments to quantify the environmental constraints that regulate the survival and growth of micro-organisms. Together with the studies of moisture uptake, we are also characterizing the microbial population in these soils using molecular and culturing methods. We are in the process of extracting DNA from these soils using MoBio extraction kits. This DNA will be used as a template to amplify bacterial and eukaryotic ribosomal DNA to determine the diversity of the microbial population. We also have been attempting to determine the density of organisms by culturing on one-half strength R2A agar. The long-range goal of this research is to identify special adaptations of terrestrial life that allow them to inhabit extreme arid environments, while simultaneously quantifying the environmental parameters that enforce limits on these organisms' growth and survival.

Field trial of a new aeration system for enhancing biodegradation in a biopile.

PubMed

Li, L; Cunningham, C J; Pas, Valerie; Philp, J C; Barry, D A; Anderson, P

2004-01-01

The influence of a new aeration system on the biopile performance was investigated. The purpose was to increase biodegradation efficiency by optimising airflow through the pile. During a 1-month field trial, the performance of a new system using two perforated vertical pipes with wind-driven turbines was compared with that of a standard pile configuration with two horizontal perforated pipes. Both piles were composed of a similar mix of diesel-contaminated soils, woodchips, compost and NPK fertiliser. Hydrocarbons were recovered using solvent extraction, and determined both gravimetrically and by gas chromatography. Total heterotrophs, pH and moisture content were also assessed. Air pressure measurements were made to compare the efficiency of suction in the pipes. Results at the end of the experiment showed that there was no significant difference between the two piles in the total amount of hydrocarbon biodegradation. The normalised degradation rate was, however, considerably higher in the new system than in the standard one, suggesting that the vertical venting method may have improved the efficiency of the biological reactions in the pile. The pressure measurements showed a significant improvement in the suction produced by the new aeration system. However, many factors other than the airflow (oxygen supply) may influence and limit the biodegradation rates, including moisture content, age of contaminants and the climatic conditions. Additional experiments and modelling need to be carried out to explore further the new aeration method and to develop criteria and guidelines for engineering design of optimal aeration schemes in order to achieve maximum biodegradation in biopiles.

Heat and moisture exchanger: importance of humidification in anaesthesia and ventilatory breathing system.

PubMed

Parmar, Vandana

2008-08-01

Adequate humidification is vital to maintain homeostasis of the airway. Heat and moisture exchangers conserve some of the exhaled water, heat and return them to inspired gases. Many heat and moisture exchangers also perfom bacterial/viral filtration and prevent inhalation of small particles. Heat and moisture exchangers are also called condenser humidifier, artificial nose, etc. Most of them are disposable devices with exchanging medium enclosed in a plastic housing. For adult and paediatric age group different dead space types are available. Heat and moisture exchangers are helpful during anaesthesia and ventilatory breathing system. To reduce the damage of the upper respiratory tract through cooling and dehydration inspiratory air can be heated and humidified, thus preventing the serious complications.

Improving Water Level and Soil Moisture Over Peatlands in a Global Land Modeling System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bechtold, M.; De Lannoy, G. J. M.; Roose, D.; Reichle, R. H.; Koster, R. D.; Mahanama, S. P.

2017-01-01

New model structure for peatlands results in improved skill metrics (without any parameter calibration) Simulated surface soil moisture strongly affected by new model, but reliable soil moisture data lacking for validation.

The Effects of the Heat and Moisture Exchanger on Humidity, Airway Temperature, and Core Body Temperature

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-10-01

measurement was made a heat and moisture exchanger was added to the experimental group. Three more measurements were recorded at 10, 30 and 60 minutes after...system was insufficient, but the addition of a heat and moisture exchanger provided adequate humidification of the inspired gases. In the experimental ...of these patients had a heat and moisture exchanger incorporated in the ventilator Heat and Moisture Exchangers 16 circuit (the experimental group

SMERGE: A multi-decadal root-zone soil moisture product for CONUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crow, W. T.; Dong, J.; Tobin, K. J.; Torres, R.

2017-12-01

Multi-decadal root-zone soil moisture products are of value for a range of water resource and climate applications. The NASA-funded root-zone soil moisture merging project (SMERGE) seeks to develop such products through the optimal merging of land surface model predictions with surface soil moisture retrievals acquired from multi-sensor remote sensing products. This presentation will describe the creation and validation of a daily, multi-decadal (1979-2015), vertically-integrated (both surface to 40 cm and surface to 100 cm), 0.125-degree root-zone product over the contiguous United States (CONUS). The modeling backbone of the system is based on hourly root-zone soil moisture simulations generated by the Noah model (v3.2) operating within the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2). Remotely-sensed surface soil moisture retrievals are taken from the multi-sensor European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative soil moisture data set (ESA CCI SM). In particular, the talk will detail: 1) the exponential smoothing approach used to convert surface ESA CCI SM retrievals into root-zone soil moisture estimates, 2) the averaging technique applied to merge (temporally-sporadic) remotely-sensed with (continuous) NLDAS-2 land surface model estimates of root-zone soil moisture into the unified SMERGE product, and 3) the validation of the SMERGE product using long-term, ground-based soil moisture datasets available within CONUS.

Inferring Land Surface Model Parameters for the Assimilation of Satellite-Based L-Band Brightness Temperature Observations into a Soil Moisture Analysis System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, Rolf H.; De Lannoy, Gabrielle J. M.

2012-01-01

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite mission provides global measurements of L-band brightness temperatures at horizontal and vertical polarization and a variety of incidence angles that are sensitive to moisture and temperature conditions in the top few centimeters of the soil. These L-band observations can therefore be assimilated into a land surface model to obtain surface and root zone soil moisture estimates. As part of the observation operator, such an assimilation system requires a radiative transfer model (RTM) that converts geophysical fields (including soil moisture and soil temperature) into modeled L-band brightness temperatures. At the global scale, the RTM parameters and the climatological soil moisture conditions are still poorly known. Using look-up tables from the literature to estimate the RTM parameters usually results in modeled L-band brightness temperatures that are strongly biased against the SMOS observations, with biases varying regionally and seasonally. Such biases must be addressed within the land data assimilation system. In this presentation, the estimation of the RTM parameters is discussed for the NASA GEOS-5 land data assimilation system, which is based on the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and the Catchment land surface model. In the GEOS-5 land data assimilation system, soil moisture and brightness temperature biases are addressed in three stages. First, the global soil properties and soil hydraulic parameters that are used in the Catchment model were revised to minimize the bias in the modeled soil moisture, as verified against available in situ soil moisture measurements. Second, key parameters of the "tau-omega" RTM were calibrated prior to data assimilation using an objective function that minimizes the climatological differences between the modeled L-band brightness temperatures and the corresponding SMOS observations. Calibrated parameters include soil roughness parameters, vegetation structure parameters, and the single scattering albedo. After this climatological calibration, the modeling system can provide L-band brightness temperatures with a global mean absolute bias of less than 10K against SMOS observations, across multiple incidence angles and for horizontal and vertical polarization. Third, seasonal and regional variations in the residual biases are addressed by estimating the vegetation optical depth through state augmentation during the assimilation of the L-band brightness temperatures. This strategy, tested here with SMOS data, is part of the baseline approach for the Level 4 Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture data product from the planned Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite mission.

Extracting and identifying concrete structural defects in GPR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Qiling; Jiao, Liangbao; Liu, Chuanxin; Cao, Xuehong; Huston, Dryver; Xia, Tian

2018-03-01

Traditionally most GPR data interpretations are performed manually. With the advancement of computing technologies, how to automate GPR data interpretation to achieve high efficiency and accuracy has become an active research subject. In this paper, analytical characterizations of major defects in concrete structures, including delamination, air void and moisture in GPR images, are performed. In the study, the image features of different defects are compared. Algorithms are developed for defect feature extraction and identification. For validations, both simulation results and field test data are utilized.

Fuel agglomerates and method of agglomeration

DOEpatents

Wen, Wu-Wey

1986-01-01

Solid fuel agglomerates are prepared of particulate coal or other carbonaceous material with a binder having a high humic acid or humate salt content. The humic acid is extracted from oxidized carbonaceous material with a mild aqueous alkali solution of, for instance, ammonia. The particulate material is blended with the extract which serves as the binder for the agglomerates. The water-resistant agglomerates are formed such as by pelletizing, followed by drying to remove moisture and solidify the humic acid binder throughout the agglomerate.

Formation of Sclerotic Hydrate Deposits in a Pipe for Extraction of a Gas from a Dome Separator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urazov, R. R.; Chiglinstev, I. A.; Nasyrov, A. A.

2017-09-01

The theory of formation of hydrate deposits on the walls of a pipe for extraction of a gas from a dome separator designed for the accident-related collection of hydrocarbons on the ocean floor is considered. A mathematical model has been constructed for definition of a steady movement of a gas in such a pipe with gas-hydrate deposition under the conditions of changes in the velocity, temperature, pressure, and moisture content of the gas flow.

A Time Series Analysis of Global Soil Moisture Data Products for Water Cycle Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, X.; Yin, J.; Liu, J.; Fang, L.; Hain, C.; Ferraro, R. R.; Weng, F.

2017-12-01

Water is essential for sustaining life on our planet Earth and water cycle is one of the most important processes of out weather and climate system. As one of the major components of the water cycle, soil moisture impacts significantly the other water cycle components (e.g. evapotranspiration, runoff, etc) and the carbon cycle (e.g. plant/crop photosynthesis and respiration). Understanding of soil moisture status and dynamics is crucial for monitoring and predicting the weather, climate, hydrology and ecological processes. Satellite remote sensing has been used for soil moisture observation since the launch of the Scanning Multi-channel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) on NASA's Nimbus-7 satellite in 1978. Many satellite soil moisture data products have been made available to the science communities and general public. The soil moisture operational product system (SMOPS) of NOAA NESDIS has been operationally providing global soil moisture data products from each of the currently available microwave satellite sensors and their blends. This presentation will provide an update of SMOPS products. The time series of each of these soil moisture data products are analyzed against other data products, such as precipitation and evapotranspiration from other independent data sources such as the North America Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). Temporal characteristics of these water cycle components are explored against some historical events, such as the 2010 Russian, 2010 China and 2012 United States droughts, 2015 South Carolina floods, etc. Finally whether a merged global soil moisture data product can be used as a climate data record is evaluated based on the above analyses.

Development of a prototype spatial information processing system for hydrologic research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sircar, Jayanta K.

1991-01-01

Significant advances have been made in the last decade in the areas of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis technology, both in hardware and software. Science user requirements are so problem specific that currently no single system can satisfy all of the needs. The work presented here forms part of a conceptual framework for an all-encompassing science-user workstation system. While definition and development of the system as a whole will take several years, it is intended that small scale projects such as the current work will address some of the more short term needs. Such projects can provide a quick mechanism to integrate tools into the workstation environment forming a larger, more complete hydrologic analysis platform. Described here are two components that are very important to the practical use of remote sensing and digital map data in hydrology. Described here is a graph-theoretic technique to rasterize elevation contour maps. Also described is a system to manipulate synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data files and extract soil moisture data.

On-line moisture determination of ore concentrates 'a review of traditional methods and introduction of a novel solution'.

PubMed

Cancilla, P A; Barrette, P; Rosenblum, F

2002-12-01

The manual gravimetric drying moisture determination methods currently employed by most mineral processing plants fail to provide timely and accurate information required for automatic control. The costs associated with transporting and handling concentrates still represent a major portion of the overall treatment price. When considering the cash flow of a mining operation that is governed by both the smelter contract, with moisture penalties and the quantity and quality of the concentrates shipped, an efficient method of on-line moisture content would be a welcome tool. A novel on-line determination system for ore concentrate moisture content would replace the tedious manual procedure. Since the introduction of microelectronic-based control systems, operators have strived to reduce the treatment costs to the minimum. Therefore, a representative and timely determination of on-line moisture content becomes vital for control set points and timely feedback. Reliable sensors have long been on the 'wish list' of mineral processors since the problem has always been that you can only control what you can measure. Today, the task of moisture determination is still done by the classical technique of loss in weight utilizing uncontrolled procedures. These same methods were introduced in the earliest base metal concentrators. Generally, it is acceptable to have ore concentrate moisture content vary within a range of 7-9%, but controlling the moisture content below 8% is a difficult task with a manually controlled system. Many times, delays in manually achieving reliable feedback of the moisture content results in the moisture varying from 5-12% before corrective actions can be made. This paper first reviews the traditional and widely available methods for determining moisture content in granular materials by applying physical principles and properties to measure moisture content. All methods are in some form affected when employed on mineral ore concentrates. This paper introduces and describes a novel on-line moisture sensor employed for mineral processing de-watering applications, which not only automates the tedious tasks but also results in reliable moisture feedback that can be used in the optimization of the de-watering process equipment such as pressure or vacuum filters and fuel-fired driers. Finally, two measurement applications will be presented which indicate the usefulness and summarizes the measurement requirements for the proposed method of employing drag force and mechanical properties of the material itself to determine the moisture content. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Agriculture, forestry, range, and soils, chapter 2, part C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The feasibility of using microwave systems in agriculture, forestry, range, and soil moisture measurements was studied. Theory and preliminary results show the feasibility of measuring moisture status in the soil. For vegetational resources, crop identification for inventory and for yield and production estimates is most feasible. Apart from moisture- and water-related phenomena, microwave systems are also used to record structural and spatial data related to crops and forests.

USE OF COAL DRYING TO REDUCE WATER CONSUMED IN PULVERIZED COAL POWER PLANTS

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

Edward Levy; Harun Bilirgen; Ursla Levy

2006-01-01

This is the twelfth Quarterly Report for this project. The background and technical justification for the project are described, including potential benefits of reducing fuel moisture using power plant waste heat, prior to firing the coal in a pulverized coal boiler. During this last Quarter, the development of analyses to determine the costs and financial benefits of coal drying was continued. The details of the model and key assumptions being used in the economic evaluation are described in this report and results are shown for a drying system utilizing a combination of waste heat from the condenser and thermal energymore » extracted from boiler flue gas.« less

Moisture content prediction in poultry litter using artificial intelligence techniques and Monte Carlo simulation to determine the economic yield from energy use.

PubMed

Rico-Contreras, José Octavio; Aguilar-Lasserre, Alberto Alfonso; Méndez-Contreras, Juan Manuel; López-Andrés, Jhony Josué; Cid-Chama, Gabriela

2017-11-01

The objective of this study is to determine the economic return of poultry litter combustion in boilers to produce bioenergy (thermal and electrical), as this biomass has a high-energy potential due to its component elements, using fuzzy logic to predict moisture and identify the high-impact variables. This is carried out using a proposed 7-stage methodology, which includes a statistical analysis of agricultural systems and practices to identify activities contributing to moisture in poultry litter (for example, broiler chicken management, number of air extractors, and avian population density), and thereby reduce moisture to increase the yield of the combustion process. Estimates of poultry litter production and heating value are made based on 4 different moisture content percentages (scenarios of 25%, 30%, 35%, and 40%), and then a risk analysis is proposed using the Monte Carlo simulation to select the best investment alternative and to estimate the environmental impact for greenhouse gas mitigation. The results show that dry poultry litter (25%) is slightly better for combustion, generating 3.20% more energy. Reducing moisture from 40% to 25% involves considerable economic investment due to the purchase of equipment to reduce moisture; thus, when calculating financial indicators, the 40% scenario is the most attractive, as it is the current scenario. Thus, this methodology proposes a technology approach based on the use of advanced tools to predict moisture and representation of the system (Monte Carlo simulation), where the variability and uncertainty of the system are accurately represented. Therefore, this methodology is considered generic for any bioenergy generation system and not just for the poultry sector, whether it uses combustion or another type of technology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecohydrological drought monitoring and prediction using a land data assimilation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawada, Y.; Koike, T.

2017-12-01

Despite the importance of the ecological and agricultural aspects of severe droughts, few drought monitor and prediction systems can forecast the deficit of vegetation growth. To address this issue, we have developed a land data assimilation system (LDAS) which can simultaneously simulate soil moisture and vegetation dynamics. By assimilating satellite-observed passive microwave brightness temperature, which is sensitive to both surface soil moisture and vegetation water content, we can significantly improve the skill of a land surface model to simulate surface soil moisture, root zone soil moisture, and leaf area index (LAI). We run this LDAS to generate a global ecohydrological land surface reanalysis product. In this presentation, we will demonstrate how useful this new reanalysis product is to monitor and analyze the historical mega-droughts. In addition, using the analyses of soil moistures and LAI as initial conditions, we can forecast the ecological and hydrological conditions in the middle of droughts. We will present our recent effort to develop a near real time ecohydrological drought monitoring and prediction system in Africa by combining the LDAS and the atmospheric seasonal prediction.

[Effects of different drying methods on processing performance and quality in bulbus of Tulipa edulis].

PubMed

Yang, Xiao-hua; Guo, Qiao-sheng; Zhu, Zai-biao; Chen, Jun; Miao, Yuan-yuan; Yang, Ying; Sun, Yuan

2015-10-01

Effects of different drying methods including sun drying, steamed, boiled, constant temperature drying (at 40, 50, 60 °C) on appearance, hardness, rehydration ratio, dry rate, moisture, total ash, extractive and polysaccharides contents were studied to provide the basis of standard processing method for Tulipa edulis bulbus. The results showed that the treatments of sun drying and 40 °C drying showed higher rehydration ratios, but lower dry rate, higher hardness, worse color, longer time and obvious distortion and shrinkage in comparison with other drying methods. The treatments of 60 °C constant temperature drying resulted in shorter drying time, lower water and higher polysaccharides content. Drying time is shorter and appearance quality is better in the treatment of steaming and boiling compared with other treatments, but the content of extractive and polysaccharides decreased significantly. The treatments of 50 °C constant temperature drying led to similar appearance quality of bulb to commercial bulb, and it resulted in lowest hardness and highest dry rate as well as higher rehydration ratio, extractive and polysaccharides content, moderate moisture and total ash contents among these treatments. Based on the results obtained, 50 °C constant temperature drying is the better way for the processing of T. edulis bulbus.

Factors affecting transport of bacteria and microspheres through biochar-amended soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We have investigated the role of biochar feedstock type (poultry litter extract and pine chips), biochar pyrolysis temperature (350 and 700 oC), biochar application rate (1, 2, and 10%), soil moisture content (saturated and 50% saturation), soil texture (1 and 12 % clay content), and surface propert...

Data Assimilation using observed streamflow and remotely-sensed soil moisture for improving sub-seasonal-to-seasonal forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arumugam, S.; Mazrooei, A.; Lakshmi, V.; Wood, A.

2017-12-01

Subseasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) forecasts of soil moisture and streamflow provides critical information for water and agricultural systems to support short-term planning and mangement. This study evaluates the role of observed streamflow and remotely-sensed soil moisture from SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) mission in improving S2S streamflow and soil moisture forecasting using data assimilation (DA). We first show the ability to forecast soil moisture at monthly-to-seaasonal time scale by forcing climate forecasts with NASA's Land Information System and then compares the developed soil moisture forecast with the SMAP data over the Southeast US. Our analyses show significant skill in forecasting real-time soil moisture over 1-3 months using climate information. We also show that the developed soil moisture forecasts capture the observed severe drought conditions (2007-2008) over the Southeast US. Following that, we consider both SMAP data and observed streamflow for improving S2S streamflow and soil moisture forecasts for a pilot study area, Tar River basin, in NC. Towards this, we consider variational assimilation (VAR) of gauge-measured daily streamflow data in improving initial hydrologic conditions of Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. The utility of data assimilation is then assessed in improving S2S forecasts of streamflow and soil moisture through a retrospective analyses. Furthermore, the optimal frequency of data assimilation and optimal analysis window (number of past observations to use) are also assessed in order to achieve the maximum improvement in S2S forecasts of streamflow and soil moisture. Potential utility of updating initial conditions using DA and providing skillful forcings are also discussed.

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nadimi-Goki, Mandana; Bini, Claudio; Haefele, Stephan; Abooei, Monireh

2013-04-01

Evaluation of soil quality indicators in paddy soils under different crop rotation systems Soil quality, by definition, reflects the capacity to sustain plant and animal productivity, maintain or enhance water and air quality, and promote plant and animal health. Soil quality assessment is an essential issue in soil management for agriculture and natural resource protection. This study was conducted to detect the effects of four crop rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) on soil quality indicators (soil moisture, porosity, bulk density, water-filled pore space, pH, extractable P, CEC, OC, OM, microbial respiration, active carbon) in paddy soils of Verona area, Northern Italy. Four adjacent plots which managed almost similarly, over five years were selected. Surface soil samples were collected from each four rotation systems in four times, during growing season. Each soil sample was a composite of sub-samples taken from 3 points within 350 m2 of agricultural land. A total of 48 samples were air-dried and passed through 2mm sieve, for some chemical, biological, and physical measurements. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Statistical results revealed that frequency distribution of most data was normal. The lowest CV% was related to pH. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and comparison test showed that there are significant differences in soil quality indicators among crop rotation systems and sampling times. Results of multivariable regression analysis revealed that soil respiration had positively correlation coefficient with soil organic matter, soil moisture and cation exchange capacity. Overall results indicated that the rice rotation with legumes such as bean and soybean improved soil quality over a long time in comparison to rice-fallow rotation, and this is reflected in rice yield. Keywords: Soil quality, Crop Rotation System, Paddy Soils, Italy

Utilization of remotely-sensed data in the management of inland wetlands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, V.; Smith, D. G.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 data and aerial photography are proving to be a useful tool for the inventory and management of inland wetlands. Two examples of the application of remotely-sensed data to specific wetland management needs or requirements are discussed. Studies of the Great Dismal Swamp are utilizing ERTS-1 imagery and color IR photography in: (1) study area selection; (2) field inspection; (3) vegetation mapping; (4) identification of drainage characteristics and moisture regime; (5) location of intensive study areas; and (6) detection of change. Thematic extractions of ERTS-1 data made using the United States Geological Survey's Autographic Theme Extraction System are aiding analyses of swamp hydrologic regime and providing information pertinent to quick recognition and inventory of wetlands from ERTS-1. DCP'S in south Florida wetlands provide near-real time data for water resources managers. Data relayed by satellite can be entered into models to provide predictive data and water storage information for long-term and short-term decision making.

Hibiscus sabdariffa L extract drying with different carrier agent: Drying rate evaluation and color analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Djaeni, M.; Utari, F. D.; Kumoro, A. C.

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different carrier agents on roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa L.extract drying. Carrier agent was used for reducing stickiness of material and avoiding agglomeration as well as improving stability. The method consisted of two steps involving roselle extraction and drying process. The liquid roselle extract was mixed with carrier agent (maltodextrin-arabic gum) in various composition. The mixture was then dried at different air temperature ranging 40 - 80°C. As a response, moisture content in the extract was observed by gravimetry every 10 minutes during90 minutes. The procedurewas repeated for the drying without carrieragent. The result showed that constant rate of drying with carrier agent was higher up to l.7 times than that of without carrier agent. Based on the color analysis,roselle extract drying with carrier agent also showed reasonable quality.

Moisture damage in home associates with systemic inflammation in children.

PubMed

Mustonen, K; Karvonen, A M; Kirjavainen, P; Roponen, M; Schaub, B; Hyvärinen, A; Frey, U; Renz, H; Pfefferle, P I; Genuneit, J; Vaarala, O; Pekkanen, J

2016-06-01

This study investigated the association between confirmed moisture damage in homes and systemic subclinical inflammation in children. Home inspections were performed in homes of 291 children at the age of 6 years. Subclinical inflammation at the age of 6 years was assessed by measuring the circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocytes in peripheral blood and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured in unstimulated, and in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin (PI), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or peptidoglycan (PPG)-stimulated whole blood. Major moisture damage in the child's main living areas (living room, kitchen, or child's bedroom) and moisture damage with mold in the bathroom were associated with increased levels of CRP and stimulated production of several proinflammatory cytokines. There were no significant associations between moisture damage/visible mold and leukocyte or FeNO values. The results suggest that moisture damage or mold in home may be associated with increased systemic subclinical inflammation and proinflammatory cytokine responsiveness. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantifying the influence of deep soil moisture on ecosystem albedo: The role of vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Mejia, Zulia Mayari; Papuga, Shirley Anne; Swetish, Jessica Blaine; van Leeuwen, Willem Jan Dirk; Szutu, Daphne; Hartfield, Kyle

2014-05-01

As changes in precipitation dynamics continue to alter the water availability in dryland ecosystems, understanding the feedbacks between the vegetation and the hydrologic cycle and their influence on the climate system is critically important. We designed a field campaign to examine the influence of two-layer soil moisture control on bare and canopy albedo dynamics in a semiarid shrubland ecosystem. We conducted this campaign during 2011 and 2012 within the tower footprint of the Santa Rita Creosote Ameriflux site. Albedo field measurements fell into one of four Cases within a two-layer soil moisture framework based on permutations of whether the shallow and deep soil layers were wet or dry. Using these Cases, we identified differences in how shallow and deep soil moisture influence canopy and bare albedo. Then, by varying the number of canopy and bare patches within a gridded framework, we explore the influence of vegetation and soil moisture on ecosystem albedo. Our results highlight the importance of deep soil moisture in land surface-atmosphere interactions through its influence on aboveground vegetation characteristics. For instance, we show how green-up of the vegetation is triggered by deep soil moisture, and link deep soil moisture to a decrease in canopy albedo. Understanding relationships between vegetation and deep soil moisture will provide important insights into feedbacks between the hydrologic cycle and the climate system.

Moisture origin and transport processes in Colombia, northern South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyos, I.; Dominguez, F.; Cañón-Barriga, J.; Martínez, J. A.; Nieto, R.; Gimeno, L.; Dirmeyer, P. A.

2018-02-01

We assess the spatial structure of moisture flux divergence, regional moisture sources and transport processes over Colombia, in northern South America. Using three independent methods the dynamic recycling model (DRM), FLEXPART and the Quasi-isentropic back-trajectory (QIBT) models we quantify the moisture sources that contribute to precipitation over the region. We find that moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and terrestrial recycling are the most important sources of moisture for Colombia, highlighting the importance of the Orinoco and Amazon basins as regional providers of atmospheric moisture. The results show the influence of long-range cross-equatorial flow from the Atlantic Ocean into the target region and the role of the study area as a passage of moisture into South America. We also describe the seasonal moisture transport mechanisms of the well-known low-level westerly and Caribbean jets that originate in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, respectively. We find that these dynamical systems play an important role in the convergence of moisture over western Colombia.

Brief communication: Using averaged soil moisture estimates to improve the performances of a regional-scale landslide early warning system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Segoni, Samuele; Rosi, Ascanio; Lagomarsino, Daniela; Fanti, Riccardo; Casagli, Nicola

2018-03-01

We communicate the results of a preliminary investigation aimed at improving a state-of-the-art RSLEWS (regional-scale landslide early warning system) based on rainfall thresholds by integrating mean soil moisture values averaged over the territorial units of the system. We tested two approaches. The simplest can be easily applied to improve other RSLEWS: it is based on a soil moisture threshold value under which rainfall thresholds are not used because landslides are not expected to occur. Another approach deeply modifies the original RSLEWS: thresholds based on antecedent rainfall accumulated over long periods are substituted with soil moisture thresholds. A back analysis demonstrated that both approaches consistently reduced false alarms, while the second approach reduced missed alarms as well.

Moisture Forecast Bias Correction in GEOS DAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dee, D.

1999-01-01

Data assimilation methods rely on numerous assumptions about the errors involved in measuring and forecasting atmospheric fields. One of the more disturbing of these is that short-term model forecasts are assumed to be unbiased. In case of atmospheric moisture, for example, observational evidence shows that the systematic component of errors in forecasts and analyses is often of the same order of magnitude as the random component. we have implemented a sequential algorithm for estimating forecast moisture bias from rawinsonde data in the Goddard Earth Observing System Data Assimilation System (GEOS DAS). The algorithm is designed to remove the systematic component of analysis errors and can be easily incorporated in an existing statistical data assimilation system. We will present results of initial experiments that show a significant reduction of bias in the GEOS DAS moisture analyses.

Improved Prediction of Quasi-Global Vegetation Conditions Using Remotely-Sensed Surface Soil Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolten, John; Crow, Wade

2012-01-01

The added value of satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals for agricultural drought monitoring is assessed by calculating the lagged rank correlation between remotely-sensed vegetation indices (VI) and soil moisture estimates obtained both before and after the assimilation of surface soil moisture retrievals derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) into a soil water balance model. Higher soil moisture/VI lag correlations imply an enhanced ability to predict future vegetation conditions using estimates of current soil moisture. Results demonstrate that the assimilation of AMSR-E surface soil moisture retrievals substantially improve the performance of a global drought monitoring system - particularly in sparsely-instrumented areas of the world where high-quality rainfall observations are unavailable.

Spatial and temporal structure within moisture measurements of a stormwater control system

EPA Science Inventory

Moisture sensing is a mature soil research technology commonly applied to agriculture. Such sensors may be appropriated for use in novel stormwater research applications. Knowledge of moisture (with respect to space and time) in infiltration based stormwater control measures (SCM...

The Soil Moisture Active/Passive Mission (SMAP)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) mission will deliver global views of soil moisture content and its freeze/thaw state that are critical terrestrial water cycle state variables. Polarized measurements obtained with a shared antenna L-band radar and radiometer system will allow accurate estima...

Detection of entrapped moisture in honeycomb sandwich structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallmark, W. B.

1967-01-01

Thermal neutron moisture detection system detects entrapped moisture in intercellular areas of bonded honeycomb sandwich structures. A radium/beryllium fast neutron source bombards a specimen. The emitted thermal neutrons from the target nucleus are detected and counted by a boron trifluoride thermal neutron detector.

A rule-based expert system applied to moisture durability of building envelopes

DOE PAGES

Boudreaux, Philip R.; Pallin, Simon B.; Accawi, Gina K.; ...

2018-01-09

The moisture durability of an envelope component such as a wall or roof is difficult to predict. Moisture durability depends on all the construction materials used, as well as the climate, orientation, air tightness, and indoor conditions. Modern building codes require more insulation and tighter construction but provide little guidance about how to ensure these energy-efficient assemblies remain moisture durable. Furthermore, as new products and materials are introduced, builders are increasingly uncertain about the long-term durability of their building envelope designs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy’s Building America Program are applying a rule-based expert systemmore » methodology in a web tool to help designers determine whether a given wall design is likely to be moisture durable and provide expert guidance on moisture risk management specific to a wall design and climate. Finally, the expert system is populated with knowledge from both expert judgment and probabilistic hygrothermal simulation results.« less

A rule-based expert system applied to moisture durability of building envelopes

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

Boudreaux, Philip R.; Pallin, Simon B.; Accawi, Gina K.

The moisture durability of an envelope component such as a wall or roof is difficult to predict. Moisture durability depends on all the construction materials used, as well as the climate, orientation, air tightness, and indoor conditions. Modern building codes require more insulation and tighter construction but provide little guidance about how to ensure these energy-efficient assemblies remain moisture durable. Furthermore, as new products and materials are introduced, builders are increasingly uncertain about the long-term durability of their building envelope designs. Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy’s Building America Program are applying a rule-based expert systemmore » methodology in a web tool to help designers determine whether a given wall design is likely to be moisture durable and provide expert guidance on moisture risk management specific to a wall design and climate. Finally, the expert system is populated with knowledge from both expert judgment and probabilistic hygrothermal simulation results.« less

Physiology-phenology interactions in a productive semi-arid pine forest.

PubMed

Maseyk, Kadmiel S; Lin, Tongbao; Rotenberg, Eyal; Grünzweig, José M; Schwartz, Amnon; Yakir, Dan

2008-01-01

This study explored possible advantages conferred by the phase shift between leaf phenology and photosynthesis seasonality in a semi-arid Pinus halepensis forest system, not seen in temperate sites. Leaf-scale measurements of gas exchange, nitrogen and phenology were used on daily, seasonal and annual time-scales. Peak photosynthesis was in late winter, when high soil moisture, mild temperatures and low leaf vapour pressure deficit (D(L)) allowed high rates associated with high water- and nitrogen-use efficiencies. Self-sustained new needle growth through the dry and hot summer maximized photosynthesis in the following wet season, without straining carbon storage. Low rates of water loss were associated with increasing sensitivity of stomatal conductance (g(s)) to soil moisture below a relative extractable water (REW) of 0.4, and decreased g(s )sensitivity to D(L) below REW of approx. 0.2. This response was captured by the modified Ball-Berry (Leuning) model. While most physiological parameters and responses measured were typical of temperate pines, the photosynthesis-phenological phasing contributed to high productivity under warm-dry conditions. This contrasts with reported effects of short-term periodical droughts and could lead to different predictions of the effect of warming and drying climate on pine forest productivity.

Can we Ecohydrologically Rehabilitate Disturbed Peatlands? From "Wetlands of Mass Decomposition" to "Yes We Can"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waddington, J. M.; Cagampan, J.; Lucchese, M.; Thompson, D. K.; Duval, T. P.

2009-05-01

The natural carbon storage function of peatland ecosystems can be severely affected by human and natural disturbances such as drainage, peat extraction, drought and wildfire. Cutover peatands, for example, become a large and persistent source of atmospheric CO2 following peat extraction. The recovery (rehabilitation, re- establishment, restoration) of disturbed peatlands to a net carbon sink depends to a large extent on the rate of recovery of the surface peat layer referred to as the acrotelm. The acrotelm serves to stabilize water table variation providing ideal conditions for vegetation re-establishment, particularly peat forming Sphagnum moss. Here we present results from several ecosystem-scale field experiments where we examined the change in hydrophysical properties of peat following peat extraction and subsequent restoration and discuss how this affects peatland-atmosphere CO2. We found that moisture retention properties of a new peat layer at a restored peatland were distinct from near- by natural and naturally regenerated sites. Despite considerable biomass accumulation and increase in peat thickness, the new peat layer differed with respect to its moisture retention properties, an indication that factors other than growth have an impact on the restoration of the returning moss layer. Similarly in an acrotelm transplant experiment we determined that the restored peatland experienced high variability in volumetric moisture content (VMC) in the capitula zone (upper 2 cm) where large diurnal changes in VMC (~30%) were observed, suggesting possible disturbance to the peat matrix structure during the extraction-restoration process. However, soil - water retention analysis and physical peat properties (porosity and bulk density) suggest that no significant differences existed between the natural and restored sites. A simple hydrologic model demonstrated that the new peat layer will become an acrotelm in ~20 years when ~20 cm of peat has accumulated, an approach which may aid in designing a long-term sampling strategy for assessing the long- term effects of restoration of disturbed peatlands on peatland hydrology and ecology. Applications of these findings to a new research collaboration on the effects of wildfire on peatland ecohydrology will be discussed.

Relations between soil moisture and satellite vegetation indices in the U.S. Corn Belt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adegoke, Jimmy O.; Carleton, A.M.

2002-01-01

Satellite-derived vegetation indices extracted over locations representative of midwestern U.S. cropland and forest for the period 1990–94 are analyzed to determine the sensitivity of the indices to neutron probe soil moisture measurements of the Illinois Climate Network (ICN). The deseasoned (i.e., departures from multiyear mean annual cycle) soil moisture measurements are shown to be weakly correlated with the deseasoned full resolution (1 km × 1 km) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and fractional vegetation cover (FVC) data over both land cover types. The association, measured by the Pearson-moment-correlation coefficient, is stronger over forest than over cropland during the growing season (April–September). The correlations improve successively when the NDVI and FVC pixel data are aggregated to 3 km × 3 km, 5 km × 5 km, and 7 km × 7 km areas. The improved correlations are partly explained by the reduction in satellite navigation errors as spatial aggregation occurs, as well as the apparent scale dependence of the NDVI–soil moisture association. Similarly, stronger relations are obtained with soil moisture data that are lagged by up to 8 weeks with respect to the vegetation indices, implying that soil moisture may be a useful predictor of warm season satellite-derived vegetation conditions. This study suggests that a “long-term” memory of several weeks is present in the near-surface hydrological characteristics, especially soil water content, of the Midwest Corn Belt. The memory is integrated into the satellite vegetation indices and may be useful for predicting crop yield estimates and surface temperature anomalies.

Challenges in Interpreting and Validating Satellite Soil Moisture Information

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Global soil moisture products are now being generated routinely using microwave-based satellite observing systems. These include the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. In order to fully exploit these observations they must be integrated with both in situ measurements and model-based e...

40 CFR 75.37 - Missing data procedures for moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Missing data procedures for moisture... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.37 Missing... system shall substitute for missing moisture data using the procedures of this section. (b) Where no...

40 CFR 75.37 - Missing data procedures for moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Missing data procedures for moisture... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.37 Missing... system shall substitute for missing moisture data using the procedures of this section. (b) Where no...

40 CFR 75.37 - Missing data procedures for moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Missing data procedures for moisture... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.37 Missing... system shall substitute for missing moisture data using the procedures of this section. (b) Where no...

40 CFR 75.37 - Missing data procedures for moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Missing data procedures for moisture... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.37 Missing... system shall substitute for missing moisture data using the procedures of this section. (b) Where no...

40 CFR 75.37 - Missing data procedures for moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Missing data procedures for moisture... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTINUOUS EMISSION MONITORING Missing Data Substitution Procedures § 75.37 Missing... system shall substitute for missing moisture data using the procedures of this section. (b) Where no...

The Impact of Rainfall on Soil Moisture Dynamics in a Foggy Desert.

PubMed

Li, Bonan; Wang, Lixin; Kaseke, Kudzai F; Li, Lin; Seely, Mary K

2016-01-01

Soil moisture is a key variable in dryland ecosystems since it determines the occurrence and duration of vegetation water stress and affects the development of weather patterns including rainfall. However, the lack of ground observations of soil moisture and rainfall dynamics in many drylands has long been a major obstacle in understanding ecohydrological processes in these ecosystems. It is also uncertain to what extent rainfall controls soil moisture dynamics in fog dominated dryland systems. To this end, in this study, twelve to nineteen months' continuous daily records of rainfall and soil moisture (from January 2014 to August 2015) obtained from three sites (one sand dune site and two gravel plain sites) in the Namib Desert are reported. A process-based model simulating the stochastic soil moisture dynamics in water-limited systems was used to study the relationships between soil moisture and rainfall dynamics. Model sensitivity in response to different soil and vegetation parameters under diverse soil textures was also investigated. Our field observations showed that surface soil moisture dynamics generally follow rainfall patterns at the two gravel plain sites, whereas soil moisture dynamics in the sand dune site did not show a significant relationship with rainfall pattern. The modeling results suggested that most of the soil moisture dynamics can be simulated except the daily fluctuations, which may require a modification of the model structure to include non-rainfall components. Sensitivity analyses suggested that soil hygroscopic point (sh) and field capacity (sfc) were two main parameters controlling soil moisture output, though permanent wilting point (sw) was also very sensitive under the parameter setting of sand dune (Gobabeb) and gravel plain (Kleinberg). Overall, the modeling results were not sensitive to the parameters in non-bounded group (e.g., soil hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil porosity (n)). Field observations, stochastic modeling results as well as sensitivity analyses provide soil moisture baseline information for future monitoring and the prediction of soil moisture patterns in the Namib Desert.

The Impact of Rainfall on Soil Moisture Dynamics in a Foggy Desert

PubMed Central

Li, Bonan; Wang, Lixin; Kaseke, Kudzai F.; Li, Lin; Seely, Mary K.

2016-01-01

Soil moisture is a key variable in dryland ecosystems since it determines the occurrence and duration of vegetation water stress and affects the development of weather patterns including rainfall. However, the lack of ground observations of soil moisture and rainfall dynamics in many drylands has long been a major obstacle in understanding ecohydrological processes in these ecosystems. It is also uncertain to what extent rainfall controls soil moisture dynamics in fog dominated dryland systems. To this end, in this study, twelve to nineteen months’ continuous daily records of rainfall and soil moisture (from January 2014 to August 2015) obtained from three sites (one sand dune site and two gravel plain sites) in the Namib Desert are reported. A process-based model simulating the stochastic soil moisture dynamics in water-limited systems was used to study the relationships between soil moisture and rainfall dynamics. Model sensitivity in response to different soil and vegetation parameters under diverse soil textures was also investigated. Our field observations showed that surface soil moisture dynamics generally follow rainfall patterns at the two gravel plain sites, whereas soil moisture dynamics in the sand dune site did not show a significant relationship with rainfall pattern. The modeling results suggested that most of the soil moisture dynamics can be simulated except the daily fluctuations, which may require a modification of the model structure to include non-rainfall components. Sensitivity analyses suggested that soil hygroscopic point (sh) and field capacity (sfc) were two main parameters controlling soil moisture output, though permanent wilting point (sw) was also very sensitive under the parameter setting of sand dune (Gobabeb) and gravel plain (Kleinberg). Overall, the modeling results were not sensitive to the parameters in non-bounded group (e.g., soil hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil porosity (n)). Field observations, stochastic modeling results as well as sensitivity analyses provide soil moisture baseline information for future monitoring and the prediction of soil moisture patterns in the Namib Desert. PMID:27764203

ERT to aid in WSN based early warning system for landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

T, H.

2017-12-01

Amrita University's landslide monitoring and early warning system using Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) consists of heterogeneous sensors like rain gauge, moisture sensor, piezometer, geophone, inclinometer, tilt meter etc. The information from the sensors are accurate and limited to that point. In order to monitor a large area, ERT can be used in conjunction with WSN technology. To accomplish the feasibility of ERT in landslide early warning along with WSN technology, we have conducted experiments in Amrita's landslide laboratory setup. The experiment was aimed to simulate landslide, and monitor the changes happening in the soil using moisture sensor and ERT. Simulating moisture values from resistivity measurements to a greater accuracy can help in landslide monitoring for large areas. For accomplishing the same we have adapted two mathematical approaches, 1) Regression analysis between resistivity measurements and actual moisture values from moisture sensor, and 2) Using Waxman Smith model to simulate moisture values from resistivity measurements. The simulated moisture values from Waxman Smith model is compared with the actual moisture values and the Mean Square Error (MSE) is found to be 46.33. Regression curve is drawn for the resistivity vs simulated moisture values from Waxman model, and it is compared with the regression curve of actual model, which is shown in figure-1. From figure-1, it is clear that there the regression curve from actual moisture values and the regression curve from simulated moisture values, follow the similar pattern and there is a small difference between them. Moisture values can be simulated to a greater accuracy using actual regression equation, but the limitation is that, regression curves will differ for different sites and different soils. Regression equation from actual moisture values can be used, if we have conducted experiment in the laboratory for a particular soil sample, otherwise with the knowledge of soil properties, Waxman model can be used to simulate moisture values. The promising results assure that, ERT measurements when used in conjunction with WSN technique, vital paramters triggering landslides like moisture can be simulated for a large area, which will help in providing early warning for large areas.

MOISTURE MOVEMENT (WICKING) WITHIN GYPSUM WALLBOARD

EPA Science Inventory

Gypsum wallboard with repeated or prolonged exposure to water or excess moisture can lose its structural integrity and provide a growth medium for biological contaminants. Poorly sealed buildings, leaking or failed plumbing systems, or improperly constructed HVAC systems can all ...

An experimental operative system for shallow landslide and flash flood warning based on rainfall thresholds and soil moisture modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brigandı, G.; Aronica, G. T.; Basile, G.; Pasotti, L.; Panebianco, M.

2012-04-01

On November 2011 a thunderstorms became almost exceptional over the North-East part of the Sicily Region (Italy) producing local heavy rainfall, mud-debris flow and flash flooding. The storm was concentrated on the Tyrrhenian sea coast near the city of Barcellona within the Longano catchment. Main focus of the paper is to present an experimental operative system for alerting extreme hydrometeorological events by using a methodology based on the combined use of rainfall thresholds, soil moisture indexes and quantitative precipitation forecasting. As matter of fact, shallow landslide and flash flood warning is a key element to improve the Civil Protection achievements to mitigate damages and safeguard the security of people. It is a rather complicated task, particularly in those catchments with flashy response where even brief anticipations are important and welcomed. It is well known how the triggering of shallow landslides is strongly influenced by the initial soil moisture conditions of catchments. Therefore, the early warning system here applied is based on the combined use of rainfall thresholds, derived both for flash flood and for landslide, and soil moisture conditions; the system is composed of several basic component related to antecedent soil moisture conditions, real-time rainfall monitoring and antecedent rainfall. Soil moisture conditions were estimated using an Antecedent Precipitation Index (API), similar to this widely used for defining soil moisture conditions via Antecedent Moisture conditions index AMC. Rainfall threshold for landslides were derived using historical and statistical analysis. Finally, rainfall thresholds for flash flooding were derived using an Instantaneous Unit Hydrograph based lumped rainfall-runoff model with the SCS-CN routine for net rainfall. After the implementation and calibration of the model, a testing phase was carried out by using real data collected for the November 2001 event in the Longano catchment. Moreover, in order to test the capability of the system to forecast thise event, Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting provided by the SILAM (Sicily Limited Area Model), a meteorological model run by SIAS (Sicilian Agrometeorological Service) with a forecast horizon up to 144 hours, have been used to run the system.

Effect of Moisture Exchange on Interface Formation in the Repair System Studied by X-ray Absorption

PubMed Central

Lukovic, Mladena; Ye, Guang

2015-01-01

In concrete repair systems, material properties of the repair material and the interface are greatly influenced by the moisture exchange between the repair material and the substrate. If the substrate is dry, it can absorb water from the repair material and reduce its effective water-to-cement ratio (w/c). This further affects the hydration rate of cement based material. In addition to the change in hydration rate, void content at the interface between the two materials is also affected. In this research, the influence of moisture exchange on the void content in the repair system as a function of initial saturation level of the substrate is investigated. Repair systems with varying level of substrate saturation are made. Moisture exchange in these repair systems as a function of time is monitored by the X-ray absorption technique. After a specified curing age (3 d), the internal microstructure of the repair systems was captured by micro-computed X-ray tomography (CT-scanning). From reconstructed images, different phases in the repair system (repair material, substrate, voids) can be distinguished. In order to quantify the void content, voids were thresholded and their percentage was calculated. It was found that significantly more voids form when the substrate is dry prior to application of the repair material. Air, initially filling voids and pores of the dry substrate, is being released due to the moisture exchange. As a result, air voids remain entrapped in the repair material close to the interface. These voids are found to form as a continuation of pre-existing surface voids in the substrate. Knowledge about moisture exchange and its effects provides engineers with the basis for recommendations about substrate preconditioning in practice. PMID:28787801

Short-term soil nutrient impact in a real-time drain field soil moisture controlled SDI wastewater disposal system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Alabama Black Belt area is widespread of Vertisols that are generally unsuitable for conventional septic systems; nonetheless, systems of this type have been widely used in this region for decades. In order to explore alternatives for these conventional septic systems, a real-time soil moisture ...

Method and apparatus for maintaining multi-component sample gas constituents in vapor phase during sample extraction and cooling

DOEpatents

Farthing, William Earl [Pinson, AL; Felix, Larry Gordon [Pelham, AL; Snyder, Todd Robert [Birmingham, AL

2008-02-12

An apparatus and method for diluting and cooling that is extracted from high temperature and/or high pressure industrial processes. Through a feedback process, a specialized, CFD-modeled dilution cooler is employed along with real-time estimations of the point at which condensation will occur within the dilution cooler to define a level of dilution and diluted gas temperature that results in a gas that can be conveyed to standard gas analyzers that contains no condensed hydrocarbon compounds or condensed moisture.

Method and apparatus maintaining multi-component sample gas constituents in vapor phase during sample extraction and cooling

DOEpatents

Farthing, William Earl; Felix, Larry Gordon; Snyder, Todd Robert

2009-12-15

An apparatus and method for diluting and cooling that is extracted from high temperature and/or high pressure industrial processes. Through a feedback process, a specialized, CFD-modeled dilution cooler is employed along with real-time estimations of the point at which condensation will occur within the dilution cooler to define a level of dilution and diluted gas temperature that results in a gas that can be conveyed to standard gas analyzers that contains no condensed hydrocarbon compounds or condensed moisture.

Embedded solution for a microwave moisture meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper, the conversion of a PC or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter is based on the free-space transmission measurement technique and uses low-intensity microwaves to measure the attenuation and p...

An approach to constructing a homogeneous time series of soil mositure using SMOS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Overlapping soil moisture time series derived from two satellite microwave radiometers (SMOS, Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity; AMSR-E, Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System) are used to generate a soil moisture time series from 2003 to 2010. Two statistical methodologies f...

Can the normalized soil moisture index improve the prediction of soil organic carbon based on hyperspectral remote sensing data?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wesemael, Bas; Nocita, Marco

2016-04-01

One of the problems for mapping of soil organic carbon (SOC) at large-scale based on visible - near and short wave infrared (VIS-NIR-SWIR) remote sensing techniques is the spatial variation of topsoil moisture when the images are collected. Soil moisture is certainly an aspect causing biased SOC estimations, due to the problems in discriminating reflectance differences due to either variations in organic matter or soil moisture, or their combination. In addition, the difficult validation procedures make the accurate estimation of soil moisture from optical airborne a major challenge. After all, the first millimeters of the soil surface reflect the signal to the airborne sensor and show a large spatial, vertical and temporal variation in soil moisture. Hence, the difficulty of assessing the soil moisture of this thin layer at the same moment of the flight. The creation of a soil moisture proxy, directly retrievable from the hyperspectral data is a priority to improve the large-scale prediction of SOC. This paper aims to verify if the application of the normalized soil moisture index (NSMI) to Airborne Prima Experiment (APEX) hyperspectral images could improve the prediction of SOC. The study area was located in the loam region of Wallonia, Belgium. About 40 samples were collected from bare fields covered by the flight lines, and analyzed in the laboratory. Soil spectra, corresponding to the sample locations, were extracted from the images. Once the NSMI was calculated for the bare fields' pixels, spatial patterns, presumably related to within field soil moisture variations, were revealed. SOC prediction models, built using raw and pre-treated spectra, were generated from either the full dataset (general model), or pixels belonging to one of the two classes of NSMI values (NSMI models). The best result, with a RMSE after validation of 1.24 g C kg-1, was achieved with a NSMI model, compared to the best general model, characterized by a RMSE of 2.11 g C kg-1. These results confirmed the advantage to controlling the effect of soil moisture on the detection of SOC. The NSMI proved to be a flexible concept, due to the possible use of different SWIR wavelengths, and ease of use, because measurements of soil moisture by other techniques are not needed. However, in the future, it will be important to assess the effectiveness of the NSMI for different soil types, and other hyperspectral sensors.

Understanding tree growth in response to moisture variability: Linking 32 years of satellite based soil moisture observations with tree rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrecht, Franziska; Dorigo, Wouter; Gruber, Alexander; Wagner, Wolfgang; Kainz, Wolfgang

2014-05-01

Climate change induced drought variability impacts global forest ecosystems and forest carbon cycle dynamics. Physiological drought stress might even become an issue in regions generally not considered water-limited. The water balance at the soil surface is essential for forest growth. Soil moisture is a key driver linking precipitation and tree development. Tree ring based analyses are a potential approach to study the driving role of hydrological parameters for tree growth. However, at present two major research gaps are apparent: i) soil moisture records are hardly considered and ii) only a few studies are linking tree ring chronologies and satellite observations. Here we used tree ring chronologies obtained from the International Tree ring Data Bank (ITRDB) and remotely sensed soil moisture observations (ECV_SM) to analyze the moisture-tree growth relationship. The ECV_SM dataset, which is being distributed through ESA's Climate Change Initiative for soil moisture covers the period 1979 to 2010 at a spatial resolution of 0.25°. First analyses were performed for Mongolia, a country characterized by a continental arid climate. We extracted 13 tree ring chronologies suitable for our analysis from the ITRDB. Using monthly satellite based soil moisture observations we confirmed previous studies on the seasonality of soil moisture in Mongolia. Further, we investigated the relationship between tree growth (as reflected by tree ring width index) and remotely sensed soil moisture records by applying correlation analysis. In terms of correlation coefficient a strong response of tree growth to soil moisture conditions of current April to August was observed, confirming a strong linkage between tree growth and soil water storage. The highest correlation was found for current April (R=0.44), indicating that sufficient water supply is vital for trees at the beginning of the growing season. To verify these results, we related the chronologies to reanalysis precipitation and temperature datasets. Precipitation was important during both the current and previous growth season. Temperature showed the strongest correlation for previous (R=0.12) and current October (R=0.21). Hence, our results demonstrated that water supply is most likely limiting tree growth during the growing season, while temperature is determining its length. We are confident that long-term satellite based soil moisture observations can bridge spatial and temporal limitations that are inherent to in situ measurements, which are traditionally used for tree ring research. Our preliminary results are a foundation for further studies linking remotely sensed datasets and tree ring chronologies, an approach that has not been widely investigated among the scientific community.

Atmospheric rivers and past hydrometeorological extremes: Challenges and opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sodemann, Harald

2017-04-01

Atmospheric rivers are a key term for describing water vapour transport in extratropical regions. The concept has become particularly valuable for linking meteorological process understanding with research focused on the impacts of heavy precipitation. Atmospheric rivers are narrow, elongated features of high integrated water vapour and water vapour flux can lead to severe precipitation and flooding if moisture is extracted efficiently. The orographic rises at the West Coast of the United States and Western Norway are regions where Atmospheric Rivers are one of the prime mechanisms for moisture delivery and precipitation extremes in the present climate. Due to the small horizontal scales of some of the processes climate models are challenged to represent this important transport process between mid-latitudes and the subtropics faithfully. Recent aircraft data and regional tracer model studies provide new insight into the formation and moisture transport mechanisms. In this study I review the concept and pertinent processes of Atmospheric Rivers, thereby focusing on caveats, challenges and opportunities for understanding past hydrometeorological extremes.

Analysis of the dielectric properties of trunk wood in dominant conifer species from New England and Siberia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranson, K. J.; Rock, B. N.; Salas, W. A.; Smith, K.; Williams, D. L.

1992-01-01

Data were collected for dominant conifer species. Dielectric properties of trunk wood were measured using a C-band dielectric probe. For certain specimens, electrical resistance was also measured using a shigometer. The water status of the trees studies was determined either by use of a Scholander pressure chamber on branch samples collected simultaneously with dielectric measurements or by fresh-weight/dry-weight assessment of wood core samples extracted and analyzed with the dielectric probe and shigometer. Diurnal delectric properties and xylem water column tension are inversely correlated such that real and imaginary dielectric values drop as tension increases. The dielectric properties were positively correlated with wood core moisture content while electrical resistance was poorly correlated with wood core moisture content in one species studied. Results support the view that dielectric properties are strongly correlated with moisture status in trunk wood, and possibly ion concentrations associated with decay processes in damaged specimens.

Evaluation of Solubility and Microleakage of Glass Carbomer Sealant.

PubMed

Subramaniam, P; Girish Babu, K L; Jayasurya, S

2015-01-01

This study was carried out to evaluate and compare solubility and microleakage of the newly introduced moisture tolerant glass carbomer sealant. For evaluation of solubility, 20 specimens of glass carbomer and conventional glass ionomer were prepared and immersed in artificial saliva of pH 4 and 6 for seven days. The difference between initial and final weight was calculated. For evaluation of microleakage, glass carbomer was compared with a conventional resin sealant. 20 premolar teeth indicated for orthodontic extraction were collected and divided into two groups and the respective sealants were applied. It was subjected to thermocycling and then kept immersed in methylene blue for 24 hours. Dye penetration was scored. The glass carbomer specimens were less soluble than the conventional glass ionomer at both pH values. There was no significant difference in the microleakage. Being moisture resistant, glass carbomer can be used as an alternative fissure sealant material; especially in young children with partially erupted teeth and where obtaining moisture control is difficult.

BOREAS HYD-6 Ground Gravimetric Soil Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, Thomas; Knapp, David E. (Editor); Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Peck, Eugene L.; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-6 team collected several data sets related to the moisture content of soil and overlying humus layers. This data set contains percent soil moisture ground measurements. These data were collected on the ground along the various flight lines flown in the Southern Study Area (SSA) and Northern Study Area (NSA) during 1994 by the gamma ray instrument. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The HYD-06 ground gravimetric soil moisture data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission Level 4 Carbon (L4_C) Product Specification Document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glassy, Joe; Kimball, John S.; Jones, Lucas; Reichle, Rolf H.; Ardizzone, Joseph V.; Kim, Gi-Kong; Lucchesi, Robert A.; Smith, Edmond B.; Weiss, Barry H.

2015-01-01

This is the Product Specification Document (PSD) for Level 4 Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture (L4_SM) data for the Science Data System (SDS) of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) project. The L4_SM data product provides estimates of land surface conditions based on the assimilation of SMAP observations into a customized version of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System, Version 5 (GEOS-5) land data assimilation system (LDAS). This document applies to any standard L4_SM data product generated by the SMAP Project.

Systems and methods for generation of hydrogen peroxide vapor

DOEpatents

Love, Adam H; Eckels, Joel Del; Vu, Alexander K; Alcaraz, Armando; Reynolds, John G

2014-12-02

A system according to one embodiment includes a moisture trap for drying air; at least one of a first container and a second container; and a mechanism for at least one of: bubbling dried air from the moisture trap through a hydrogen peroxide solution in the first container for producing a hydrogen peroxide vapor, and passing dried air from the moisture trap into a headspace above a hydrogen peroxide solution in the second container for producing a hydrogen peroxide vapor. A method according one embodiment includes at least one of bubbling dried air through a hydrogen peroxide solution in a container for producing a first hydrogen peroxide vapor, and passing dried air from the moisture trap into a headspace above the hydrogen peroxide solution in a container for producing a second hydrogen peroxide vapor. Additional systems and methods are also presented.

Microencapsulation of grape (Vitis labrusca var. Bordo) skin phenolic extract using gum Arabic, polydextrose, and partially hydrolyzed guar gum as encapsulating agents.

PubMed

Kuck, Luiza Siede; Noreña, Caciano Pelayo Zapata

2016-03-01

Bordo grape skin extract was microencapsulated by spray-drying and freeze-drying, using gum arabic (GA), partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), and polydextrose (PD) as encapsulating agents. Total phenolics and total monomeric anthocyanin, antioxidant activity, color, moisture, water activity (aw), solubility, hygroscopicity, glass transition temperature (Tg), particle size, and microstructure of the powders were evaluated. The retention of phenolics and anthocyanins ranged from 81.4% to 95.3%, and 80.8% to 99.6%, respectively, while the retention of antioxidant activity ranged from 45.4% to 83.7%. Treatments subjected to spray-drying had lower moisture, aw, and particle size, and greater solubility, while the freeze-dried samples were less hygroscopic. Tg values ranged from 10.1 to 52.2°C, and the highest values corresponded to the spray-dried microparticles. The spray-dried particles had spherical shape, while the freeze-dried powders showed irregular structures. The spray drying technique and the use of 5% PHGG and 5% PD has proven to be the best treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pulverizing processes affect the chemical quality and thermal property of black, white, and green pepper (Piper nigrum L.).

PubMed

Liu, Hong; Zheng, Jie; Liu, Pengzhan; Zeng, Fankui

2018-06-01

In this study, the effects of different pulverizing methods on the chemical attributes and thermal properties of black, white and green pepper were evaluated. Cryogenic grinding minimally damaged the lipid, moisture, crude protein, starch, non-volatile ether extract, piperine, essential oil and the typical pepper essential oil compounds of the spices. The pulverizing methods and storage significantly affected the compositions of the fatty acid in the peppers, except for palmitic acid and lignoceric acid. The amino acid contents and the thermo-gravimetric analysis curve were hardly influenced by the grinding techniques. The use of cryogenic grinding to prepare pepper ensured the highest quality of pepper products. Regardless of grinding technique, the values of moisture, piperine, unsaturated fatty acids, essential oil, monoterpenes, and the absolute concentrations of typical pepper essential oil constituents (except caryophyllene oxide) decreased, whereas the amino acid, lipid, protein, starch, and non-volatile ether extract content as well as the thermal properties were insignificantly changed after storage at 4 °C for 6 months.

Accelerated Stability Studies on Dried Extracts of Centella asiatica Through Chemical, HPLC, HPTLC, and Biological Activity Analyses.

PubMed

Kaur, Ishtdeep; Suthar, Nancy; Kaur, Jasmeen; Bansal, Yogita; Bansal, Gulshan

2016-10-01

Regulatory guidelines recommend systematic stability studies on a herbal product to establish its shelf life. In the present study, commercial extracts (Types I and II) and freshly prepared extract (Type III) of Centella asiatica were subjected to accelerated stability testing for 6 months. Control and stability samples were evaluated for organoleptics, pH, moisture, total phenolic content (TPC), asiatic acid, kaempherol, and high-performance thin layer chromatography fingerprints, and for antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Markers and TPC and both the activities of each extract decreased in stability samples with respect to control. These losses were maximum in Type I extract and minimum in Type III extract. Higher stability of Type III extract than others might be attributed to the additional phytoconstituents and/or preservatives in it. Pearson correlation analysis of the results suggested that TPC, asiatic acid, and kaempferol can be taken as chemical markers to assess chemical and therapeutic shelf lives of herbal products containing Centella asiatica. © The Author(s) 2016.

Application of Inverse Modeling to Estimate Groundwater Recharge under Future Climate Scenario

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbariyeh, S.; Wang, T.; Bartelt-Hunt, S.; Li, Y.

2016-12-01

Climate variability and change will impose profound influences on groundwater systems. Accurate estimation of groundwater recharge is extremely important for predicting the flow and contaminant transport in the subsurface, which, however, remains as one of the most challenging tasks in the field of hydrology. Using an inverse modeling technique and HYDRUS 1D software, we predicted the spatial distribution of groundwater recharge across the Upper Platte basin in Nebraska, USA, based on 5-year projected future climate and soil moisture data (2057-2060). The climate data was obtained from Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model under RCP 8.5 scenario, which was downscaled from global CCSM4 model to a resolution of 24 by 24 km2. Precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, and soil moisture data were extracted from 76 grids located within the Upper Platte basin to perform the inverse modeling. Hargreaves equation was used to calculate the potential evapotranspiration according to latitude, maximum and minimum temperature, and leaf area index (LAI) data at each node. Van-Genuchten parameters were optimized using the inverse algorithm to minimize the error between input and modeled soil moisture data. The groundwater recharge was calculated as the amount of water that passed the lower boundary of the best fitted model. The year of 2057 was used as a spin-up period to minimize the impact of initial conditions. The model was calibrated for years 2058 to 2059 and validation was performed for 2060. This work demonstrates an efficient approach to estimating groundwater recharge based on climate modeling results, which will aid groundwater resources management under future climate scenarios.

Optimality in Data Assimilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nearing, Grey; Yatheendradas, Soni

2016-04-01

It costs a lot more to develop and launch an earth-observing satellite than it does to build a data assimilation system. As such, we propose that it is important to understand the efficiency of our assimilation algorithms at extracting information from remote sensing retrievals. To address this, we propose that it is necessary to adopt completely general definition of "optimality" that explicitly acknowledges all differences between the parametric constraints of our assimilation algorithm (e.g., Gaussianity, partial linearity, Markovian updates) and the true nature of the environmetnal system and observing system. In fact, it is not only possible, but incredibly straightforward, to measure the optimality (in this more general sense) of any data assimilation algorithm as applied to any intended model or natural system. We measure the information content of remote sensing data conditional on the fact that we are already running a model and then measure the actual information extracted by data assimilation. The ratio of the two is an efficiency metric, and optimality is defined as occurring when the data assimilation algorithm is perfectly efficient at extracting information from the retrievals. We measure the information content of the remote sensing data in a way that, unlike triple collocation, does not rely on any a priori presumed relationship (e.g., linear) between the retrieval and the ground truth, however, like triple-collocation, is insensitive to the spatial mismatch between point-based measurements and grid-scale retrievals. This theory and method is therefore suitable for use with both dense and sparse validation networks. Additionally, the method we propose is *constructive* in the sense that it provides guidance on how to improve data assimilation systems. All data assimilation strategies can be reduced to approximations of Bayes' law, and we measure the fractions of total information loss that are due to individual assumptions or approximations in the prior (i.e., the model uncertainty distribution), and in the likelihood (i.e., the observation operator and observation uncertainty distribution). In this way, we can directly identify the parts of a data assimilation algorithm that contribute most to assimilation error in a way that (unlike traditional DA performance metrics) considers nonlinearity in the model and observation and non-optimality in the fit between filter assumptions and the real system. To reiterate, the method we propose is theoretically rigorous but also dead-to-rights simple, and can be implemented in no more than a few hours by a competent programmer. We use this to show that careful applications of the Ensemble Kalman Filter use substantially less than half of the information contained in remote sensing soil moisture retrievals (LPRM, AMSR-E, SMOS, and SMOPS). We propose that this finding may explain some of the results from several recent large-scale experiments that show lower-than-expected value to assimilating soil moisture retrievals into land surface models forced by high-quality precipitation data. Our results have important implications for the SMAP mission because over half of the SMAP-affiliated "early adopters" plan to use the EnKF as their primary method for extracting information from SMAP retrievals.

ELBARA II, an L-band radiometer system for soil moisture research.

PubMed

Schwank, Mike; Wiesmann, Andreas; Werner, Charles; Mätzler, Christian; Weber, Daniel; Murk, Axel; Völksch, Ingo; Wegmüller, Urs

2010-01-01

L-band (1-2 GHz) microwave radiometry is a remote sensing technique that can be used to monitor soil moisture, and is deployed in the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). Performing ground-based radiometer campaigns before launch, during the commissioning phase and during the operative SMOS mission is important for validating the satellite data and for the further improvement of the radiative transfer models used in the soil-moisture retrieval algorithms. To address these needs, three identical L-band radiometer systems were ordered by ESA. They rely on the proven architecture of the ETH L-Band radiometer for soil moisture research (ELBARA) with major improvements in the microwave electronics, the internal calibration sources, the data acquisition, the user interface, and the mechanics. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of the instruments and the main characteristics that are relevant for the user.

ELBARA II, an L-Band Radiometer System for Soil Moisture Research

PubMed Central

Schwank, Mike; Wiesmann, Andreas; Werner, Charles; Mätzler, Christian; Weber, Daniel; Murk, Axel; Völksch, Ingo; Wegmüller, Urs

2010-01-01

L-band (1–2 GHz) microwave radiometry is a remote sensing technique that can be used to monitor soil moisture, and is deployed in the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). Performing ground-based radiometer campaigns before launch, during the commissioning phase and during the operative SMOS mission is important for validating the satellite data and for the further improvement of the radiative transfer models used in the soil-moisture retrieval algorithms. To address these needs, three identical L-band radiometer systems were ordered by ESA. They rely on the proven architecture of the ETH L-Band radiometer for soil moisture research (ELBARA) with major improvements in the microwave electronics, the internal calibration sources, the data acquisition, the user interface, and the mechanics. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of the instruments and the main characteristics that are relevant for the user. PMID:22315556

Combined evaluation of optical and microwave satellite dataset for soil moisture deficit estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Prashant K.; Han, Dawei; Islam, Tanvir; Singh, Sudhir Kumar; Gupta, Manika; Gupta, Dileep Kumar; Kumar, Pradeep

2016-04-01

Soil moisture is a key variable responsible for water and energy exchanges from land surface to the atmosphere (Srivastava et al., 2014). On the other hand, Soil Moisture Deficit (or SMD) can help regulating the proper use of water at specified time to avoid any agricultural losses (Srivastava et al., 2013b) and could help in preventing natural disasters, e.g. flood and drought (Srivastava et al., 2013a). In this study, evaluation of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Surface Temperature (LST) and soil moisture from Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellites are attempted for prediction of Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD). Sophisticated algorithm like Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) is used for prediction of SMD using the MODIS and SMOS dataset. The benchmark SMD estimated from Probability Distributed Model (PDM) over the Brue catchment, Southwest of England, U.K. is used for all the validation. The performances are assessed in terms of Nash Sutcliffe Efficiency, Root Mean Square Error and the percentage of bias between ANFIS simulated SMD and the benchmark. The performance statistics revealed a good agreement between benchmark and the ANFIS estimated SMD using the MODIS dataset. The assessment of the products with respect to this peculiar evidence is an important step for successful development of hydro-meteorological model and forecasting system. The analysis of the satellite products (viz. SMOS soil moisture and MODIS LST) towards SMD prediction is a crucial step for successful hydrological modelling, agriculture and water resource management, and can provide important assistance in policy and decision making. Keywords: Land Surface Temperature, MODIS, SMOS, Soil Moisture Deficit, Fuzzy Logic System References: Srivastava, P.K., Han, D., Ramirez, M.A., Islam, T., 2013a. Appraisal of SMOS soil moisture at a catchment scale in a temperate maritime climate. Journal of Hydrology 498, 292-304. Srivastava, P.K., Han, D., Rico-Ramirez, M.A., Al-Shrafany, D., Islam, T., 2013b. Data fusion techniques for improving soil moisture deficit using SMOS satellite and WRF-NOAH land surface model. Water Resources Management 27, 5069-5087. Srivastava, P.K., Han, D., Rico-Ramirez, M.A., O'Neill, P., Islam, T., Gupta, M., 2014. Assessment of SMOS soil moisture retrieval parameters using tau-omega algorithms for soil moisture deficit estimation. Journal of Hydrology 519, 574-587.

Exploratory Study of Basement Moisture During Operation of Active Soil Depressurization Radon Control Systems

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As part of an exploratory study, three houses were monitored for moisture indicators, radon levels, building operations, and other environmental parameters while ASD systems were cycled on and off. December 6, 2007, Revised 3/10/08.

Designing basin-customized combined drought indices via feature extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaniolo, Marta; Giuliani, Matteo; Castelletti, Andrea

2017-04-01

The socio-economic costs of drought are progressively increasing worldwide due to the undergoing alteration of hydro-meteorological regimes induced by climate change. Although drought management is largely studied in the literature, most of the traditional drought indexes fail in detecting critical events in highly regulated systems, which generally rely on ad-hoc formulations and cannot be generalized to different context. In this study, we contribute a novel framework for the design of a basin-customized drought index. This index represents a surrogate of the state of the basin and is computed by combining the available information about the water available in the system to reproduce a representative target variable for the drought condition of the basin (e.g., water deficit). To select the relevant variables and how to combine them, we use an advanced feature extraction algorithm called Wrapper for Quasi Equally Informative Subset Selection (W-QEISS). The W-QEISS algorithm relies on a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to find Pareto-efficient subsets of variables by maximizing the wrapper accuracy, minimizing the number of selected variables (cardinality) and optimizing relevance and redundancy of the subset. The accuracy objective is evaluated trough the calibration of a pre-defined model (i.e., an extreme learning machine) of the water deficit for each candidate subset of variables, with the index selected from the resulting solutions identifying a suitable compromise between accuracy, cardinality, relevance, and redundancy. The proposed methodology is tested in the case study of Lake Como in northern Italy, a regulated lake mainly operated for irrigation supply to four downstream agricultural districts. In the absence of an institutional drought monitoring system, we constructed the combined index using all the hydrological variables from the existing monitoring system as well as the most common drought indicators at multiple time aggregations. The soil moisture deficit in the root zone computed by a distributed-parameter water balance model of the agricultural districts is used as target variable. Numerical results show that our framework succeeds in constructing a combined drought index that reproduces the soil moisture deficit. Moreover, this index represents a valuable information for supporting appropriate drought management strategies, including the possibility of directly informing the lake operations about the drought conditions and improve the overall reliability of the irrigation supply system.

Global Soil Moisture Estimation through a Coupled CLM4-RTM-DART Land Data Assimilation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, L.; Yang, Z. L.; Hoar, T. J.

2016-12-01

Very few frameworks exist that estimate global-scale soil moisture through microwave land data assimilation (DA). Toward this goal, we have developed such a framework by linking the Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) and a microwave radiative transfer model (RTM) with the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART). The deterministic Ensemble Adjustment Kalman Filter (EAKF) within the DART is utilized to estimate global multi-layer soil moisture by assimilating brightness temperature observations from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). A 40-member of Community Atmosphere Model version 4 (CAM4) reanalysis is adopted to drive CLM4 simulations. Spatial-specific time-invariant microwave parameters are pre-calibrated to minimize uncertainties in RTM. Besides, various methods are designed in consideration of computational efficiency. A series of experiments are conducted to quantify the DA sensitivity to microwave parameters, choice of assimilated observations, and different CLM4 updating schemes. Evaluation results indicate that the newly established CLM4-RTM-DART framework improves the open-loop CLM4 simulated soil moisture. Pre-calibrated microwave parameters, rather than their default values, can ensure a more robust global-scale performance. In addition, updating near-surface soil moisture is capable of improving soil moisture in deeper layers, while simultaneously updating multi-layer soil moisture fails to obtain intended improvements. We will show in this presentation the architecture of the CLM4-RTM-DART system and the evaluations on AMSR-E DA. Preliminary results on multi-sensor DA that integrates various satellite observations including GRACE, MODIS, and AMSR-E will also be presented. ReferenceZhao, L., Z.-L. Yang, and T. J. Hoar, 2016. Global Soil Moisture Estimation by Assimilating AMSR-E Brightness Temperatures in a Coupled CLM4-RTM-DART System. Journal of Hydrometeorology, DOI: 10.1175/JHM-D-15-0218.1.

Profiling of soil volatile organic compounds after long-term application of inorganic, organic and organic-inorganic mixed fertilizers and their effect on plant growth.

PubMed

Raza, Waseem; Mei, Xinlan; Wei, Zhong; Ling, Ning; Yuan, Jun; Wang, Jichen; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2017-12-31

The complexity of soil processes involved in the production, consumption and accumulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) makes hard to access the overall dynamics of VOCs in the soil. In this study, the field soil, applied with inorganic (CF), organic (OF) and inorganic-organic mixed (CFOF) fertilizers for ten years was evaluated for the emission of VOCs at different temperature and moisture levels. We identified 30-50 soil emitted VOCs representing the most common soil VOCs groups by using the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The highest total emission of VOCs was found in OF treatment, but it was non-significantly different with CF treatment. The emission of VOCs was significantly increased with the decrease in moisture contents and increase in the temperature of the soil. Among different fertilizer treatments, the emission of VOCs was significantly higher in OF treatment at 5% moisture, and in CF and OF treatments at 35°C. Further, the VOCs emitted from soil treated with CFOF showed the highest increase in plant growth while CF and OF treatments showed similar results. The VOCs were also extracted from the soil using methanol to better understand the dynamics of VOCs. The abundance of VOCs extracted from the soil was 44-61%, while the richness was 65-70% higher than the VOCs emitted from the soil in different treatments. Taken together the results of emitted and extracted VOCs from the soil, we conclude that the fertilizers are able to discriminate among the VOC patterns of soil. In addition, most of the VOCs are retained in the soil and the emission of VOCs from soil depends on the type of VOCs, soil properties and environmental conditions; however, more research is required to find out better soil VOCs analysis methods. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

UV radiation-induced skin aging in hairless mice is effectively prevented by oral intake of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruit blend for 6 weeks through MMP suppression and increase of SOD activity.

PubMed

Hwang, In Sik; Kim, Ji Eun; Choi, Sun Il; Lee, Hye Ryun; Lee, Young Ju; Jang, Min Ju; Son, Hong Ju; Lee, Hee Seob; Oh, Chung Hun; Kim, Bae Hwan; Lee, Sang Hak; Hwang, Dae Youn

2012-08-01

Oxidative stress and oxidative photodamage induced by UV radiation can cause serious skin damage that is characterized by wrinkling, roughness, laxity and pigmentation. The effects of a sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) fruit blend (SFB) containing sea buckthorn fruit extract, blueberry extract and collagen on UV-induced skin aging were examined by treating hairless mice for 6 weeks with UV irradiation and SFB administered orally. The effects of SFB were measured in the skin of these mice by phenotypical and histological analysis and western blotting. According to wrinkle formation analysis, the oral intake of SFB induced a decrease in wrinkle formation in the damaged skin of UV-irradiated mice. The thickness of the epidermis and dermis in the vitamin extracts (Vit)- and SFB-treated group was lower than that in the vehicle-treated group, but the group treated with SFB50 was the most effective group. The mice treated with the Vit- or SFB solution maintained a normal moisture content through the inhibition of transdermal water loss (TEWL) and an increase in skin moisture content. Furthermore, the levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and collagen protein expression were assessed in five groups to examine the mechanisms underlying the effects of SFB oral intake. The application of SFB induced a decrease in MMP-1 and -9 expression to the levels observed in the vehicle-treated group, but MMP-9 expression showed a much larger decrease than MMP-1. Furthermore, the expression of collagen-1 in the skin corresponded to MMP expression except for the SFB30-treated group, whereas the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was increased dramatically in the SFB50-treated group. These results suggest that SFB has potential as a protective and therapeutic drug candidate against skin aging that functions by regulating the moisture content, MMP expression levels and SOD activity.

A Real-time Irrigation Forecasting System in Jiefangzha Irrigation District, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Z.

2015-12-01

In order to improve the irrigation efficiency, we need to know when and how much to irrigate in real time. If we know the soil moisture content at this time, we can forecast the soil moisture content in the next days based on the rainfall forecasting and the crop evapotranspiration forecasting. Then the irrigation should be considered when the forecasting soil moisture content reaches to a threshold. Jiefangzha Irrigation District, a part of Hetao Irrigation District, is located in Inner Mongolia, China. The irrigated area of this irrigation district is about 140,000 ha mainly planting wheat, maize and sunflower. The annual precipitation is below 200mm, so the irrigation is necessary and the irrigation water comes from the Yellow river. We set up 10 sites with 4 TDR sensors at each site (20cm, 40cm, 60cm and 80cm depth) to monitor the soil moisture content. The weather forecasting data are downloaded from the website of European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The reference evapotranspiration is estimated based on FAO-Blaney-Criddle equation with only the air temperature from ECMWF. Then the crop water requirement is forecasted by the crop coefficient multiplying the reference evapotranspiration. Finally, the soil moisture content is forecasted based on soil water balance with the initial condition is set as the monitoring soil moisture content. When the soil moisture content reaches to a threshold, the irrigation warning will be announced. The irrigation mount can be estimated through three ways: (1) making the soil moisture content be equal to the field capacity; (2) making the soil moisture saturated; or (3) according to the irrigation quota. The forecasting period is 10 days. The system is developed according to B2C model with Java language. All the databases and the data analysis are carried out in the server. The customers can log in the website with their own username and password then get the information about the irrigation forecasting and other information about the irrigation. This system can be expanded in other irrigation districts. In future, it is even possible to upgrade the system for the mobile user.

Effects of water addition to total mixed ration on water intake, nutrient digestibility, wool cortisol and blood indices in Corriedale ewes.

PubMed

Nejad, Jalil Ghassemi; Kim, Byong-Wan; Lee, Bae-Hun; Kim, Ji-Yung; Sung, Kyung-Il

2017-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of adding water to total mixed ration (TMR) on fresh water intake, nutrient digestibility, wool cortisol, and blood indices in Corriedale ewes under hot and humid conditions. Nine non-pregnant Corriedale ewes (ave. body weight = 41±3.5 kg) were individually fed diets based on maintenance requirements in metabolic crates. Ewes were assigned to three treatment groups according to a triplicate 3×3 Latin Square design for 3 periods of 21 days duration each (9 ewes per treatment, 27 replications). Treatments were TMR (crude protein [CP] = 16.1, total digestible nutrients = 69.1%) moisture levels for 40%, 50%, and 60%. No differences were found in body weight gain among all treatment groups (p>0.05). Nitrogen balance including digestible N, retained N, and urinary and fecal N showed no change among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Fresh water intake was the lower in 50% TMR moisture group than in the other groups (p<0.05). Other than ether extract which was higher in 60% TMR moisture group (p<0.05) the differences among nutrient digestibilities including CP, organic matter, dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and non-fiber carbohydrate were not significant (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed for serum protein, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, and triglyceride among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Wool and blood cortisol were not different among the treatment groups (p>0.05). Blood hematology including red blood cell, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, basophils, and eosinophils were not different among the treatment groups (p>0.05). It is concluded that TMR moisture at 40%, 50%, and 60% had no effects on N balance parameters, and nutrient digestibilities except for the ether extract under hot and humid conditions. Additionally there were no effects on stress conditions include wool cortisol, as well as blood cortisol levels of ewes.

Drying characteristics of pumpkin ( Cucurbita moschata) slices in convective and freeze dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caliskan, Gulsah; Dirim, Safiye Nur

2017-06-01

This study was intended to determine the drying and rehydration kinetics of convective and freeze dried pumpkin slices (0.5 × 3.5 × 0.5 cm). A pilot scale tray drier (at 80 ± 2 °C inlet temperature, 1 m s-1 air velocity) and freeze drier (13.33 kPa absolute pressure, condenser temperature of -48 ± 2 °C) were used for the drying experiments. Drying curves were fitted to six well-known thin layer drying models. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to evaluate the parameters of the selected models by using statistical software SPSS 16.0 (SPSS Inc., USA). For the convective and freeze drying processes of pumpkin slices, the highest R2 values, and the lowest RMSE as well as χ2 values were obtained from Page model. The effective moisture diffusivity (Deff) of the convective and freeze dried pumpkin slices were obtained from the Fick's diffusion model, and they were found to be 2.233 × 10-7 and 3.040 × 10-9 m2s-1, respectively. Specific moisture extraction rate, moisture extraction rate, and specific energy consumption values were almost twice in freeze drying process. Depending on the results, moisture contents and water activity values of pumpkin slices were in acceptable limits for safe storage of products. The rehydration behaviour of [at 18 ± 2 and 100 ± 2 °C for 1:25, 1:50, 1:75, 1:100, and 1:125 solid:liquid ratios (w:w)] dried pumpkin slices was determined by Peleg's model with the highest R2. The highest total soluble solid loss of pumpkin slices was observed for the rehydration experiment which performed at 1:25 solid: liquid ratio (w:w). Rehydration ratio of freeze dried slices was found 2-3 times higher than convective dried slices.

Correlation of spacecraft passive microwave system data with soil moisture indices (API). [great plains corridor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, B. J.; Mcfarland, M. J.; Theis, S.; Richter, J. G.

1981-01-01

Electrical scanning microwave radiometer brightness temperature, meteorological data, climatological data, and winter wheat crop information were used to estimate that soil moisture content in the Great Plains region. Results over the predominant winter wheat areas indicate that the best potential to infer soil moisture occurs during fall and spring. These periods encompass the growth stages when soil moisture is most important to winter wheat yield. Other significant results are reported.

[Spatial heterogeneity of soil moisture of mountain apple orchards with rainwater collection and infiltration (RWCI) system in the Loess Plateau, China].

PubMed

Song, Xiao Lin; Zhao, Xi Ning; Gao, Xiao Dong; Wu, Pu Te; Ma, Wen; Yao, Jie; Jiang, Xiao Li; Zhang, Wei

2017-11-01

Water scarcity is a critical factor influencing rain-fed agricultural production on the Loess Plateau, and the exploitation of rainwater is an effective avenue to alleviate water scarcity in this area. This study was conducted to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of soil moisture in the 0-300 cm under a 21-year-old apple orchard with the rainwater collection and infiltration (RWCI) system by using a time domain reflectometer (TDR) probe on the Loess Plateau. The results showed that there was a low soil moisture zone in the 40-80 cm under the CK, and the RWCI system significantly increased soil moisture in this depth interval. Over this depth, the annual average soil moisture under RWCI 40 , RWCI 60 and RWCI 80 was 39.2%, 47.2% and 29.1% higher than that of bare slope (BS) and 75.3%, 85.4% and 62.7% higher than that of CK, respectively. The maximum infiltration depth of water under RWCI 40 , RWCI 60 and RWCI 80 was 80 cm, 120 cm and 180 cm, respectively, and the soil moisture in the 0-60, 0-100 and 0-120 cm was more affected by RWCI 40 , RWCI 60 and RWCI 80 , respectively. Over the whole growth period of apple tree, the maximum value of soil moisture content in the 0-300 cm existed in the RWCI 80 treatment, followed by the RWCI 40 and RWCI 60 treatments. Overall, the RWCI system is an effective meaning of transforming rainwater to available water resources and realizing efficient use of agricultural water on the Loess Plateau.

Version 3 of the SMAP Level 4 Soil Moisture Product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, Rolf; Liu, Qing; Ardizzone, Joe; Crow, Wade; De Lannoy, Gabrielle; Kolassa, Jana; Kimball, John; Koster, Randy

2017-01-01

The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level 4 Soil Moisture (L4_SM) product provides 3-hourly, 9-km resolution, global estimates of surface (0-5 cm) and root zone (0-100 cm) soil moisture as well as related land surface states and fluxes from 31 March 2015 to present with a latency of 2.5 days. The ensemble-based L4_SM algorithm is a variant of the Goddard Earth Observing System version 5 (GEOS-5) land data assimilation system and ingests SMAP L-band (1.4 GHz) Level 1 brightness temperature observations into the Catchment land surface model. The soil moisture analysis is non-local (spatially distributed), performs downscaling from the 36-km resolution of the observations to that of the model, and respects the relative uncertainties of the modeled and observed brightness temperatures. Prior to assimilation, a climatological rescaling is applied to the assimilated brightness temperatures using a 6 year record of SMOS observations. A new feature in Version 3 of the L4_SM data product is the use of 2 years of SMAP observations for rescaling where SMOS observations are not available because of radio frequency interference, which expands the impact of SMAP observations on the L4_SM estimates into large regions of northern Africa and Asia. This presentation investigates the performance and data assimilation diagnostics of the Version 3 L4_SM data product. The L4_SM soil moisture estimates meet the 0.04 m3m3 (unbiased) RMSE requirement. We further demonstrate that there is little bias in the soil moisture analysis. Finally, we illustrate where the assimilation system overestimates or underestimates the actual errors in the system.

Seasonal-to-Interannual Variability and Land Surface Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal

2004-01-01

Atmospheric chaos severely limits the predictability of precipitation on subseasonal to interannual timescales. Hope for accurate long-term precipitation forecasts lies with simulating atmospheric response to components of the Earth system, such as the ocean, that can be predicted beyond a couple of weeks. Indeed, seasonal forecasts centers now rely heavily on forecasts of ocean circulation. Soil moisture, another slow component of the Earth system, is relatively ignored by the operational seasonal forecasting community. It is starting, however, to garner more attention. Soil moisture anomalies can persist for months. Because these anomalies can have a strong impact on evaporation and other surface energy fluxes, and because the atmosphere may respond consistently to anomalies in the surface fluxes, an accurate soil moisture initialization in a forecast system has the potential to provide additional forecast skill. This potential has motivated a number of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) studies of soil moisture and its contribution to variability in the climate system. Some of these studies even suggest that in continental midlatitudes during summer, oceanic impacts on precipitation are quite small relative to soil moisture impacts. The model results, though, are strongly model-dependent, with some models showing large impacts and others showing almost none at all. A validation of the model results with observations thus naturally suggests itself, but this is exceedingly difficult. The necessary contemporaneous soil moisture, evaporation, and precipitation measurements at the large scale are virtually non-existent, and even if they did exist, showing statistically that soil moisture affects rainfall would be difficult because the other direction of causality - wherein rainfall affects soil moisture - is unquestionably active and is almost certainly dominant. Nevertheless, joint analyses of observations and AGCM results do reveal some suggestions of land-atmosphere feedback in the observational record, suggestions that soil moisture can affect precipitation over seasonal timescales and across certain large continental areas. The strength of this observed feedback in nature is not large but is still significant enough to be potentially useful, e.g., for forecasts. This talk will address all of these issues. It will begin with a brief overview of land surface modeling in atmospheric models but will then focus on recent research - using both observations and models - into the impact of land surface processes on variability in the climate system.

Wide-Area Soil Moisture Estimation Using the Propagation of Lightning Generated Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Signals 1977

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land surface moisture measurements are central to our understanding of the earth’s water system, and are needed to produce accurate model-based weather/climate predictions. Currently, there exists no in-situ network capable of estimating wide-area soil moisture. In this paper, we explore an alterna...

Assimilation of SMOS (and SMAP) Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay; Zavodsky, Bradley; Case, Jonathan; Stano, Geoffrey

2016-01-01

Goal: Accurate, high-resolution (approx.3 km) soil moisture in near-real time. Situational awareness (drought assessment, flood and fire threat). Local modeling applications (to improve sfc-PBL exchanges) Method: Assimilate satellite soil moisture retrievals into a land surface model. Combines high-resolution geophysical model data with latest satellite observations.

A COUPLED LAND-SURFACE AND DRY DEPOSITION MODEL AND COMPARISON TO FIELD MEASUREMENTS OF SURFACE HEAT, MOISTURE, AND OZONE FLUXES

EPA Science Inventory

We have developed a coupled land-surface and dry deposition model for realistic treatment of surface fluxes of heat, moisture, and chemical dry deposition within a comprehensive air quality modeling system. A new land-surface model (LSM) with explicit treatment of soil moisture...

Information and Complexity Measures Applied to Observed and Simulated Soil Moisture Time Series

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Time series of soil moisture-related parameters provides important insights in functioning of soil water systems. Analysis of patterns within these time series has been used in several studies. The objective of this work was to compare patterns in observed and simulated soil moisture contents to u...

Prolongation of SMAP to Spatio-temporally Seamless Coverage of Continental US Using a Deep Learning Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, K.; Shen, C.; Kifer, D.; Yang, X.

2017-12-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission has delivered high-quality and valuable sensing of surface soil moisture since 2015. However, its short time span, coarse resolution, and irregular revisit schedule have limited its use. Utilizing a state-of-the-art deep-in-time neural network, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), we created a system that predicts SMAP level-3 soil moisture data using climate forcing, model-simulated moisture, and static physical attributes as inputs. The system removes most of the bias with model simulations and also improves predicted moisture climatology, achieving a testing accuracy of 0.025 to 0.03 in most parts of Continental United States (CONUS). As the first application of LSTM in hydrology, we show that it is more robust than simpler methods in either temporal or spatial extrapolation tests. We also discuss roles of different predictors, the effectiveness of regularization algorithms and impacts of training strategies. With high fidelity to SMAP products, our data can aid various applications including data assimilation, weather forecasting, and soil moisture hindcasting.

The role of free and bound water in irradiation preservation: Free radical damage as a function of the physical state of water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedemeyer, Gary; Dollar, A.M.

1964-01-01

English sole fillets previously equilibrated with aqueous 0.1% cysteine were dehydrated by three methods to moisture levels ranging from 2 to 72%. Model systems using cellulose to replace the fish tissue were also used. The samples were irradiated at 1 Mrad in an air, nitrogen, or oxygen atmosphere. The destruction of −SH groups was measured and related to the amount and physical state of the tissue water. As free water was removed, destruction steadily increased, reaching a maximum at about 20% moisture. Destruction decreased markedly at moisture levels below 10%, and calorimetric measurements confirmed that 10% moisture was about the level of bound water in this species. These data suggest that dehydration favors the reaction of solute molecules with free radicals formed in the free water of muscle cells. At moisture levels greater than about 20%, simple free radical recombination is more likely than reaction with solute molecules, while below 20% moisture the reverse is true. The calculated α values support this conclusion, as do the results from model systems using cellulose.

Characterization of Soil Moisture Level for Rice and Maize Crops using GSM Shield and Arduino Microcontroller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gines, G. A.; Bea, J. G.; Palaoag, T. D.

2018-03-01

Soil serves a medium for plants growth. One factor that affects soil moisture is drought. Drought has been a major cause of agricultural disaster. Agricultural drought is said to occur when soil moisture is insufficient to meet crop water requirements, resulting in yield losses. In this research, it aimed to characterize soil moisture level for Rice and Maize Crops using Arduino and applying fuzzy logic. System architecture for soil moisture sensor and water pump were the basis in developing the equipment. The data gathered was characterized by applying fuzzy logic. Based on the results, applying fuzzy logic in validating the characterization of soil moisture level for Rice and Maize crops is accurate as attested by the experts. This will help the farmers in monitoring the soil moisture level of the Rice and Maize crops.

Soil Moisture Memory in Climate Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Suarez, Max J.; Zukor, Dorothy J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Water balance considerations at the soil surface lead to an equation that relates the autocorrelation of soil moisture in climate models to (1) seasonality in the statistics of the atmospheric forcing, (2) the variation of evaporation with soil moisture, (3) the variation of runoff with soil moisture, and (4) persistence in the atmospheric forcing, as perhaps induced by land atmosphere feedback. Geographical variations in the relative strengths of these factors, which can be established through analysis of model diagnostics and which can be validated to a certain extent against observations, lead to geographical variations in simulated soil moisture memory and thus, in effect, to geographical variations in seasonal precipitation predictability associated with soil moisture. The use of the equation to characterize controls on soil moisture memory is demonstrated with data from the modeling system of the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project.

Potential application of waste from castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) for production for xylanase of interest in the industry.

PubMed

Herculano, Polyanna Nunes; Moreira, Keila Aparecida; Bezerra, Raquel Pedrosa; Porto, Tatiana Souza; de Souza-Motta, Cristina Maria; Porto, Ana Lúcia Figueiredo

2016-12-01

Xylanases activity (XY) from Aspergillus japonicus URM5620 produced by Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) of castor press cake (Ricinus communis) on different conditions of production and extraction by PEG/citrate aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) were investigated. XY production was influenced by substrate amount (5-10 g), initial moisture (15-35 %), pH (4.0-6.0) and temperature (25-35 °C), obtaining the maximum activity of 29,085 ± 1808 U g ds -1 using 5.0 g of substrate with initial moisture of 15 % at 25 °C and pH 6.0, after 120 h of fermentation. The influence of PEG molar mass (1000-8000 g mol -1 ), phase concentrations (PEG 20.0-24.0 % w/w and sodium citrate 15-20 % w/w) and pH (6.0-8.0) on partition coefficient, purification factor, yield and selectivity of XY were determinate. Enzyme partitioning into the PEG rich phase was favored by M PEG 8000 (g mol -1 ), C PEG 24 % (w/w), C C 20 % (w/w) and pH 8.0, resulting in partition coefficient of 50.78, activity yield of 268 %, 7.20-fold purification factor and selectivity of 293. A. japonicus URM5620 has a potential role in the development of a bioprocess for the XY production using low-cost media. In addition, the present study proved it is feasible to extract xylanase from SSF by adopting the one step ATPS consisting of PEG/citrate.

Near infrared spectroscopy for high-throughput characterization of Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) nut fat profiles.

PubMed

Davrieux, Fabrice; Allal, François; Piombo, Georges; Kelly, Bokary; Okulo, John B; Thiam, Massamba; Diallo, Ousmane B; Bouvet, Jean-Marc

2010-07-14

The Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is a major tree species in African agroforestry systems. Butter extracted from its nuts offers an opportunity for sustainable development in Sudanian countries and an attractive potential for the food and cosmetics industries. The purpose of this study was to develop near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) calibrations to characterize Shea nut fat profiles. Powders prepared from nuts collected from 624 trees in five African countries (Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Uganda) were analyzed for moisture content, fat content using solvent extraction, and fatty acid profiles using gas chromatography. Results confirmed the differences between East and West African Shea nut fat composition: eastern nuts had significantly higher fat and oleic acid contents. Near infrared reflectance spectra were recorded for each sample. Ten percent of the samples were randomly selected for validation and the remaining samples used for calibration. For each constituent, calibration equations were developed using modified partial least squares (MPLS) regression. The equation performances were evaluated using the ratio performance to deviation (RPD(p)) and R(p)(2) parameters, obtained by comparison of the validation set NIR predictions and corresponding laboratory values. Moisture (RPD(p) = 4.45; R(p)(2) = 0.95) and fat (RPD(p) = 5.6; R(p)(2) = 0.97) calibrations enabled accurate determination of these traits. NIR models for stearic (RPD(p) = 6.26; R(p)(2) = 0.98) and oleic (RPD(p) = 7.91; R(p)(2) = 0.99) acids were highly efficient and enabled sharp characterization of these two major Shea butter fatty acids. This study demonstrated the ability of near-infrared spectroscopy for high-throughput phenotyping of Shea nuts.

Enhanced Soil Moisture Initialization Using Blended Soil Moisture Product and Regional Optimization of LSM-RTM Coupled Land Data Assimilation System.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, A. S.; Indu, J.

2017-12-01

Prediction of soil moisture dynamics is high priority research challenge because of the complex land-atmosphere interaction processes. Soil moisture (SM) plays a decisive role in governing water and energy balance of the terrestrial system. An accurate SM estimate is imperative for hydrological and weather prediction models. Though SM estimates are available from microwave remote sensing and land surface model (LSM) simulations, it is affected by uncertainties from several sources during estimation. Past studies have generally focused on land data assimilation (DA) for improving LSM predictions by assimilating soil moisture from single satellite sensor. This approach is limited by the large time gap between two consequent soil moisture observations due to satellite repeat cycle of more than three days at the equator. To overcome this, in the present study, we have performed DA using ensemble products from the soil moisture operational product system (SMOPS) blended soil moisture retrievals from different satellite sensors into Noah LSM. Before the assimilation period, the Noah LSM is initialized by cycling through seven multiple loops from 2008 to 2010 forcing with Global data assimilation system (GDAS) data over the Indian subcontinent. We assimilated SMOPS into Noah LSM for a period of two years from 2010 to 2011 using Ensemble Kalman Filter within NASA's land information system (LIS) framework. Results show that DA has improved Noah LSM prediction with a high correlation of 0.96 and low root mean square difference of 0.0303 m3/m3 (figure 1a). Further, this study has also investigated the notion of assimilating microwave brightness temperature (Tb) as a proxy for SM estimates owing to the close proximity of Tb and SM. Preliminary sensitivity analysis show a strong need for regional parameterization of radiative transfer models (RTMs) to improve Tb simulation. Towards this goal, we have optimized the forward RTM using swarm optimization technique for direct Tb assimilation. The results indicate an improvement in Tb simulations based on the multi polarization difference index approach with a correlation of 0.81 (figure 1b (e)) and bias of < 5 K with respect to the SMOS Tb.

Early age exposure to moisture damage and systemic inflammation at the age of 6 years.

PubMed

Karvonen, A M; Tischer, C; Kirjavainen, P V; Roponen, M; Hyvärinen, A; Illi, S; Mustonen, K; Pfefferle, P I; Renz, H; Remes, S; Schaub, B; von Mutius, E; Pekkanen, J

2018-05-01

Cross-sectional studies have shown that exposure to indoor moisture damage and mold may be associated with subclinical inflammation. Our aim was to determine whether early age exposure to moisture damage or mold is prospectively associated with subclinical systemic inflammation or with immune responsiveness in later childhood. Home inspections were performed in children's homes in the first year of life. At age 6 years, subclinical systemic inflammation was measured by serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and blood leukocytes and immune responsiveness by ex vivo production of interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in whole blood cultures without stimulation or after 24 hours stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin (PI), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or peptidoglycan (PPG) in 251-270 children. Moisture damage in child's main living areas in infancy was not significantly associated with elevated levels of CRP or leukocytes at 6 years. In contrast, there was some suggestion for an effect on immune responsiveness, as moisture damage with visible mold was positively associated with LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α and minor moisture damage was inversely associated with PI-stimulated IL-1β. While early life exposure to mold damage may have some influence on later immune responsiveness, it does not seem to increase subclinical systemic inflammation in later life. © 2018 National Institute for Health and Welfare, Finland Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A high resolution method for soil moisture mapping at large spatial and temporal scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

moreno, D.; Sayde, C.; Ochsner, T. E.; Sorin, C.; Selker, J. S.

2013-12-01

Soil moisture is a critical component of the planet's water budget, yet precise measurement of its dynamics across the critical scales of 0.1-1,000 m continues to be an area of great uncertainty. Here we present the preliminary results for a large scale installation of soil moisture quantification based on the work of Sayde et al. (2010) using actively heated fiber optic with a DTS system capable of soil moisture measurements at high spatial (reporting every 0.125 m) and temporal resolution (read as frequently as each 15 min)). The fiber optic (FO) sensing cables were installed in 2 sections: 1) a highly resolved multi-scale spiral 75m x 65m in size, 530 m total path length, and 2) a 770 m transect in the foot print of the cosmos cosmic ray probe installed at the site. In each of those 2 sections, the FO cables were deployed at 3 depths: 5, 10, and 15 cm. In this system the FO sensing system provides measurements of soil moisture at >39,000 locations simultaneously for each heat pulse. In addition, six soil monitoring stations along the fiber optic path were installed to provide additional validation and calibration of the DTS data. Finally, gravimetric soil moisture and soil thermal samplings were performed periodically to provide additional distributed validation and calibration of the DTS data. The ability of this DTS FO system to provide soil moisture measurements over four orders of magnitude in spatial scale (0.1 - 1,000m) will allow better understanding of the spatio-temporal variability in soil moisture in the field, which is essential to develop protocols for calibration and validation of large scale soil moisture remote sensing data (such as NASA airMOSS soil moisture air flights). The material is based upon work supported by NASA under award NNX12AP58G, with equipment and assistance also provided by CTEMPs.org with support from the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 1129003. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASA or the National Science Foundation.. Sayde, C., C. Gregory, M. Gil-Rodriguez, N. Tufillaro, S. Tyler, N. van de Giesen, M. English, R. Cuenca, and J.S. Selker (2010), Feasibility of soil moisture monitoring with heated fiber optics, Water Resour. Res., 46, W06201, doi:10.1029/2009WR007846.

Extraction of soil solution by drainage centrifugation-effects of centrifugal force and time of centrifugation on soil moisture recovery and solute concentration in soil moisture of loess subsoils.

PubMed

Fraters, Dico; Boom, Gerard J F L; Boumans, Leo J M; de Weerd, Henk; Wolters, Monique

2017-02-01

The solute concentration in the subsoil beneath the root zone is an important parameter for leaching assessment. Drainage centrifugation is considered a simple and straightforward method of determining soil solution chemistry. Although several studies have been carried out to determine whether this method is robust, hardly any results are available for loess subsoils. To study the effect of centrifugation conditions on soil moisture recovery and solute concentration, we sampled the subsoil (1.5-3.0 m depth) at commercial farms in the loess region of the Netherlands. The effect of time (20, 35, 60, 120 and 240 min) on recovery was studied at two levels of the relative centrifugal force (733 and 6597g). The effect of force on recovery was studied by centrifugation for 35 min at 117, 264, 733, 2932, 6597 and 14,191g. All soil moisture samples were chemically analysed. This study shows that drainage centrifugation offers a robust, reproducible and standardised way for determining solute concentrations in mobile soil moisture in silt loam subsoils. The centrifugal force, rather than centrifugation time, has a major effect on recovery. The maximum recovery for silt loams at field capacity is about 40%. Concentrations of most solutes are fairly constant with an increasing recovery, as most solutes, including nitrate, did not show a change in concentration with an increasing recovery.

Composting of high moisture content swine manure with corncob in a pilot-scale aerated static bin system.

PubMed

Zhu, Nengwu

2006-10-01

Pilot composting experiments of swine manure with corncob were conducted to evaluate the performance of the aerated static bin composting system. Effects of temperature control (60 and 70 degrees C) and moisture content (70% and 80%) were monitored on the composting by measuring physical and chemical indexes. The results showed that (1) the composting system could destroy pathogens, converted nitrogen from unstable ammonia to stable organic forms, and reduced the volume of waste; (2) significant difference of NH(4)(+)-N (P(12) = 0.074), and (NO(3)(-) + NO(2)(-))-N (P(12) = 0.085) was found between the temperature control treatments; (3) anaerobic reaction in the treatment with 80% moisture content resulted in significant difference of pH (P(23) = 0.006), total organic matter (P(23) = 0.003), and germination index (P(23) = 0.040) between 70% and 80%. Therefore, the optimum initial moisture content was less than 80% with the composting of swine manure and corncob by using the composting system.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Durable Interior Foundation Insulation Retrofits for Cold Climates, Cloquet, Minnesota

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

None

Thermal and moisture problems in existing basements create a unique challenge as the exterior face of the wall is not easily or inexpensively accessible. This approach by the NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team addresses thermal and moisture management from the interior face of the wall without disturbing the exterior soil and landscaping. It is effective at reducing energy loss through the wall principally during the heating season. The team conducted experiments at the Cloquet Residential Research Facility to test the heat and moisture performance of four hollow masonry block wall systems and two rim-joist systems. These systems were retrofitted withmore » interior insulation in compliance with the 2012 IECC. The research showed for the first time that, for masonry block walls in a cold climate, a solid bond beam or equivalent provides adequate resistance to moisture transport from a hollow core to the rim-joist cavity. Thus, a solid top course is a minimum requirement for an interior retrofit insulation system.« less

Fabrication of Refractive Index Tunable Coating with Moisture-Resistant Function for High-Power Laser Systems Based on Homogeneous Embedding of Surface-Modified Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Lei, Xiangyang; Hui, Haohao; Zhang, Qinghua; Deng, Xueran

2018-05-07

Moisture-resistant silicone coatings were prepared on the surface of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal by means of spin-coating, in which hydrophobic-modified SiO₂ nanoparticles were embedded in a certain proportion. The refractive index of such coating can be tuned arbitrarily in the range of 1.21⁻1.44, which endows the KDP optical component with excellent transmission capability as well as the moisture proof effect. A dual-layer anti-reflective coating system was obtained by covering this silicone coating with a porous SiO₂ coating which is specially treated to enhance the moisture resistance. Transmittance of such a dual-layer coating system could reach 99.60% and 99.62% at 1064 nm and 532 nm, respectively, by precisely matching the refractive index of both layers. Furthermore, the long-term stability of this coating system has been verified at high humidity ambient of 80% RH for 27 weeks.

Evaluating the influence of antecedent soil moisture on variability of the North American Monsoon precipitation in the coupled MM5/VIC modeling system

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

Zhu, Chunmei; Leung, Lai R.; Gochis, David

2009-11-29

The influence of antecedent soil moisture on North American monsoon system (NAMS) precipitation variability was explored using the MM5 mesoscale model coupled with the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) land surface model. Sensitivity experiments were performed with extreme wet and dry initial soil moisture conditions for both the 1984 wet monsoon year and the 1989 dry year. The MM5-VIC model reproduced the key features of NAMS in 1984 and 1989 especially over northwestern Mexico. Our modeling results indicate that the land surface has memory of the initial soil wetness prescribed at the onset of the monsoon that persists over most ofmore » the region well into the monsoon season (e.g. until August). However, in contrast to the classical thermal contrast concept, where wetter soils lead to cooler surface temperatures, less land-sea thermal contrast, weaker monsoon circulations and less precipitation, the coupled model consistently demonstrated a positive soil moisture – precipitation feedback. Specifically, anomalously wet premonsoon soil moisture always lead to enhanced monsoon precipitation, and the reverse was also true. The surface temperature changes induced by differences in surface energy flux partitioning associated with pre-monsoon soil moisture anomalies changed the surface pressure and consequently the flow field in the coupled model, which in turn changed moisture convergence and, accordingly, precipitation patterns. Both the largescale circulation change and local land-atmospheric interactions in response to premonsoon soil moisture anomalies play important roles in the coupled model’s positive soil moisture monsoon precipitation feedback. However, the former may be sensitive to the strength and location of the thermal anomalies, thus leaving open the possibility of both positive and negative soil moisture precipitation feedbacks.« less

Chitinolytic and chitosanolytic activities from crude cellulase extract produced by A. niger grown on apple pomace through Koji fermentation.

PubMed

Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Kaur, Surinder; Valero, Jose R; Verma, Mausam

2011-12-01

Enzyme extracts of cellulase [filter paper cellulase (FPase) and carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase)], chitinase, and chitosanase produced by Aspergillus niger NRRL-567 were evaluated. The interactive effects of initial moisture and different inducers for FP cellulase and CMCase production were optimized using response surface methodology. Higher enzyme activities [FPase 79.24+/- 4.22 IU/gram fermented substrate (gfs) and CMCase 124.04+/-7.78 IU/gfs] were achieved after 48 h fermentation in solid-state medium containing apple pomace supplemented with rice husk [1% (w/w)] under optimized conditions [pH 4.5, moisture 55% (v/w), and inducers veratryl alcohol (2 mM/kg), copper sulfate (1.5 mM/kg), and lactose 2% (w/w)] (p<0.05). Koji fermentation in trays was carried out and higher enzyme activities (FPase 96.67+/-4.18 IU/gfs and CMCase 146.50+/-11.92 IU/gfs) were achieved. The nonspecific chitinase and chitosanase activities of cellulase enzyme extract were analyzed using chitin and chitosan substrates with different physicochemical characteristics, such as degree of deacetylation, molecular weight, and viscosity. Higher chitinase and chitosanase activities of 70.28+/-3.34 IU/gfs and 60.18+/-3.82 to 64.20+/-4.12 IU/gfs, respectively, were achieved. Moreover, the enzyme was stable and retained 92-94% activity even after one month. Cellulase enzyme extract obtained from A. niger with chitinolytic and chitosanolytic activities could be potentially used for making low-molecular-weight chitin and chitosan oligomers, having promising applications in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, food, and agricultural industries, and in biocontrol formulations.

The advanced qualtiy control techniques planned for the Internation Soil Moisture Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xaver, A.; Gruber, A.; Hegiova, A.; Sanchis-Dufau, A. D.; Dorigo, W. A.

2012-04-01

In situ soil moisture observations are essential to evaluate and calibrate modeled and remotely sensed soil moisture products. Although a number of meteorological networks and field campaigns measuring soil moisture exist on a global and long-term scale, their observations are not easily accessible and lack standardization of both technique and protocol. Thus, handling and especially comparing these datasets with satellite products or land surface models is a demanding issue. To overcome these limitations the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN; http://www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/insitu/) has been initiated to act as a centralized data hosting facility. One advantage of the ISMN is that users are able to access the harmonized datasets easily through a web portal. Another advantage is the fully automated processing chain including the data harmonization in terms of units and sampling interval, but even more important is the advanced quality control system each measurement has to run through. The quality of in situ soil moisture measurements is crucial for the validation of satellite- and model-based soil moisture retrievals; therefore a sophisticated quality control system was developed. After a check for plausibility and geophysical limits a quality flag is added to each measurement. An enhanced flagging mechanism was recently defined using a spectrum based approach to detect spurious spikes, jumps and plateaus. The International Soil Moisture Network has already evolved to one of the most important distribution platforms for in situ soil moisture observations and is still growing. Currently, data from 27 networks in total covering more than 800 stations in Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and Africa is hosted by the ISMN. Available datasets also include historical datasets as well as near real-time measurements. The improved quality control system will provide important information for satellite-based as well as land surface model-based validation studies.

Distributed fiber optic moisture intrusion sensing system

DOEpatents

Weiss, Jonathan D.

2003-06-24

Method and system for monitoring and identifying moisture intrusion in soil such as is contained in landfills housing radioactive and/or hazardous waste. The invention utilizes the principle that moist or wet soil has a higher thermal conductance than dry soil. The invention employs optical time delay reflectometry in connection with a distributed temperature sensing system together with heating means in order to identify discrete areas within a volume of soil wherein temperature is lower. According to the invention an optical element and, optionally, a heating element may be included in a cable or other similar structure and arranged in a serpentine fashion within a volume of soil to achieve efficient temperature detection across a large area or three dimensional volume of soil. Remediation, moisture countermeasures, or other responsive action may then be coordinated based on the assumption that cooler regions within a soil volume may signal moisture intrusion where those regions are located.

Influence of pin and hammer mill on grinding characteristics, thermal and antioxidant properties of coriander powder.

PubMed

Barnwal, P; Singh, K K; Sharma, Alka; Choudhary, A K; Saxena, S N

2015-12-01

In present study, influence of grinding (hammer and pin mills) and moisture content (range: 6.4-13.6 % dry basis) on the quality traits of coriander powder were investigated. These include grinding parameters, colour parameters, specific heat, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, glass transition temperature, essential oil, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and DPPH scavenging (%) of coriander powder. For coriander seed, the geometric properties such as major, medium, minor dimensions, geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter, sphericity, surface area and volume of coriander seeds increased significantly with increasing moisture (6.4-13.6 % db). For coriander powder, the grinding parameters such as average particle size, volume surface mean diameter and volume mean diameter increased significantly with increasing moisture (6.4-13.6 % db). With the grinding method, the colour attributes of coriander powder such as L-value, a-value, b-value, hue angle and browning index varied significantly. It was observed that the specific heat followed second order polynomial relationship with temperature and moisture whereas thermal conductivity varied linearly with temperature and moisture content. The variation of glass transition temperature with moisture can be best represented in quadratic manner. Total flavonoid content (mg QE/g crude seed extract) and DPPH scavenging % activity of coriander powder is significantly affected by grinding methods. A lower value of specific heat was observed for hammer ground coriander powder as compared to pin mill ground coriander powder. The thermal conductivity of hammer mill ground coriander powder was higher as compared to pin mill ground coriander. It was observed that hammer mill yields more fine coriander powder in comparison to pin mill. The browning index was more in hammer mill ground coriander powder.

Stability and anti-glycation properties of intermediate moisture apple products fortified with green tea.

PubMed

Lavelli, Vera; Corey, Mark; Kerr, William; Vantaggi, Claudia

2011-07-15

Intermediate moisture products made from blanched apple flesh and green tea extract (about 6mg of monomeric flavan 3-ols added per g of dry apple) or blanched apple flesh (control) were produced, and their quality attributes were investigated over storage for two months at water activity (a(w)) levels of 0.55 and 0.75, at 30°C. Products were evaluated for colour (L(∗), a(∗), and b(∗) Hunter's parameters), phytochemical contents (flavan 3-ols, chlorogenic acid, dihydrochalcones, ascorbic acid and total polyphenols), ferric reducing antioxidant potential, 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl radical-scavenging activity and ability to inhibit formation of fructose-induced advanced glycation end-products. During storage of the fortified and unfortified intermediate moisture apples, water availability was sufficient to support various chemical reactions involving phytochemicals, which degraded at different rates: ascorbic acid>flavan 3-ols>dihydrochalcones and chlorogenic acid. Colour variations occurred at slightly slower rates after green tea addition. In the intermediate moisture apple, antioxidant and anti-glycoxidative properties decreased at similar rates (half-life was about 80d at a(w) of 0.75, 30°C). In the green tea-fortified intermediate moisture apple, the antioxidant activity decreased at a slow rate (half-life was 165d at a(w) of 0.75, 30°C) and the anti-glycoxidative properties did not change, indicating that flavan 3-ol degradation involved the formation of derivatives that retained the properties of their parent compounds. Since these properties are linked to oxidative- and advanced glycation end-product-related diseases, these results suggest that green tea fortification of intermediate moisture apple products could be a valuable means of product innovation, to address consumers' nutritional needs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Chemical and sensory characterization of tea (Thea sinensis) consumed in Chile].

PubMed

Wittig de Penna, Emma; José Zúñiga, María; Fuenzalida, Regina; López-Planes, Reinaldo

2005-03-01

By means of descriptive analysis four varieties of tea (Thea sinensis) were assesed: Argentinean OP (orange pekoe) tea (black), Brazilian OP tea (black), Ceylan OP tea (black) and Darjeeling OP tea (green). The appearance of dry tea leaves were qualitatively characterized comparing with dry leaves standard. The attributes: colour, form, regularity of the leaves, fibre and stem cutting were evaluated The differences obtained were related to the differences produced by the effect of the fermentation process. Flavour and aroma descriptors of the tea liqueur were generated by a trained panel. Colour and astringency were evaluated in comparison with qualified standards using non structured linear scales. In order to relate the sensory analysis and the chemical composition for the different varieties of tea, following determinations were made: chemical moisture, dry material, aqueous extract, tannin and caffeine. Through multifactor regression analysis the equations in relation to the following chemical parameters were determined. Dry material, aqueous extract and tannins for colour and moisture, dry material and aqueous extract for astringency, respectively. Statistical analysis through ANOVA (3 variation sources: samples, judges and replications) showed for samples four significant different groups for astringency and three different groups for colour. No significant differences between judges or repetitions were found. By multifactor regression analysis of both, colour and astringency, on their dependence of chemist results were calculated in order to asses the corresponding equations.

Preparation of a solid-in-oil nanosuspension containing L-ascorbic acid as a novel long-term stable topical formulation.

PubMed

Piao, Hongyu; Kamiya, Noriho; Cui, Fude; Goto, Masahiro

2011-11-25

L-Ascorbic acid (AA, vitamin C) easily decomposes into inactive compounds in aqueous solutions and this has limited its topical use. This work reports the preparation of a solid-in-oil nanosuspension (SONS) containing AA and validation of its basic storage stability. Although AA itself is water-soluble, it can readily be nanosuspended in squalane via complex formation involving a combination of sucrose erucate (i.e. lipophilic surfactant) and sucrose monolaureate (i.e. hydrophilic surfactant) to yield SONS with a very low moisture content (<500 ppm). To extract encapsulated AA, a lipase-based enzymatic degradation technique was used to degrade a formulation phase making it easier for AA to distribute into an extraction solution. Our results demonstrate that almost all the encapsulated AA (95.3%) was readily extracted from the SONS upon addition of medium-chain triglyceride, which offers the possibility of degrading the formulation phase using lipase. Finally, its storage stability study was investigated at 25°C over 90 days under protection from light. An aqueous solution containing AA was used as a control. Compared with the control, the SONS markedly increased the stability of AA due to its low moisture content and, thus, the potential usefulness SONSs as a novel long-term stable topical formulation of AA has been proved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of physicochemical and functional properties of flour and starch extract in different methods from Africa locust bean (Parkia biglobosa) seeds.

PubMed

Sankhon, Abdoulaye; Amadou, Issoufou; Yao, Wei-Rong; Wang, Heya; Qian, He; Sangare, Moustapha

2014-01-01

African locust bean tree is an important food tree for both human and livestock such as husks and pods. It plays a very vital role in the rural areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate some physicochemical, mineral characteristics and functional properties of flour and starch extract produced from Parkia biglobosa seeds, using different methods. Three different methods were used for starch extraction in other to get the Starch yield (%),composition analysis for; moisture, protein, fat, ash and fiber contents of flour and starch extracts from Parkia biglobosa were determined on dry basis (db), by AACC method, color and PH value measurements was carried out using color flex spectrocolorimeter, and the official method of AOAC respectively. Pasting properties was determined and X-ray powder starch diffraction was used to examine the crystalline property of flour and starch extract. Gelatinization characteristics and in vitro starch digestibility were also determined, test results were processed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Flour showed higher (P < 0.05), moisture content, fat, carbohydrate, amylopectine, and protein content than starch, while amylose content of this starch was higher (P<0.05). Phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, and potassium minerals content were higher in flour than starch. Pasting properties, gelatinisation, color, pH values, water and oil absorption capacity content of the flour were found to be higher than that of starch. The pasting characteristics showed a decrease of viscosity, final viscosity, set back value, breakdown, and pasting temperature of flour when compared to that of starch. From our results, we speculate that flour from native Parkia biglobosa grown in Guinea under controlled environmental conditions could be considered as an ideal RS material, whereas the extract Parkia starch could be an ideal SDS material. Therefore, these may offer an interesting alternative for food developers, depending on their characteristics and functional properties.

Global Soil Moisture Estimation from L-Band Satellite Data: The Impact of Radiative Transfer Modeling in Assimilation and Retrieval Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Lannoy, Gabrielle; Reichle, Rolf; Gruber, Alexander; Bechtold, Michel; Quets, Jan; Vrugt, Jasper; Wigneron, Jean-Pierre

2018-01-01

The SMOS and SMAP missions have collected a wealth of global L-band Brightness temperature (Tb) observations. The retrieval of surface Soil moisture estimates, and the estimation of other geophysical Variables, such as root-zone soil moisture and temperature, via data Assimilation into land surface models largely depends on accurate Radiative transfer modeling (RTM). This presentation will focus on various configuration aspects of the RTM (i) for the inversion of SMOS Tb to surface soil moisture, and (ii) for the forward modeling as part of a SMOS Tb data assimilation System to estimate a consistent set of geophysical land surface Variables, using the GEOS-5 Catchment Land Surface Model.

The Impact of AMSR-E Soil Moisture Assimilation on Evapotranspiration Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Kumar, Sujay; Mocko, David; Tian, Yudong

2012-01-01

An assessment ofETestimates for current LDAS systems is provided along with current research that demonstrates improvement in LSM ET estimates due to assimilating satellite-based soil moisture products. Using the Ensemble Kalman Filter in the Land Information System, we assimilate both NASA and Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) soil moisture products into the Noah LSM Version 3.2 with the North American LDAS phase 2 CNLDAS-2) forcing to mimic the NLDAS-2 configuration. Through comparisons with two global reference ET products, one based on interpolated flux tower data and one from a new satellite ET algorithm, over the NLDAS2 domain, we demonstrate improvement in ET estimates only when assimilating the LPRM soil moisture product.

THERMALLY SHIELDED MOISTURE REMOVAL DEVICE

DOEpatents

Miller, O.E.

1958-08-26

An apparatus is presented for removing moisture from the air within tanks by condensation upon a cartridge containing liquid air. An insulating shell made in two halves covers the cartridge within the evacuated system. The shell halves are hinged together and are operated by a system of levers from outside the tank with the motion translated through a sylphon bellows to cover and uncover the cartridge. When the condensation of moisture is in process, the insulative shell is moved away from the liquid air cartridge, and during that part of the process when there is no freezing out of moisture, the shell halves are closed on the cell so thnt the accumulated frost is not evaporated. This insulating shell greatly reduces the consumption of liquid air in this condensation process.

Thermal insulation materials for inside applications: Hygric and thermal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jerman, Miloš; Černý, Robert

2017-11-01

Two thermal insulation materials suitable for the application on the interior side of historical building envelopes, namely calcium silicate and polyurethane-based foam are studied. Moisture diffusivity and thermal conductivity of both materials, as fundamental moisture and heat transport parameters, are measured in a dependence on moisture content. The measured data will be used as input parameters in computer simulation studies which will provide moisture and temperature fields necessary for an appropriate design of interior thermal insulation systems.

Efficient low-power wireless communication setup for an autonomous soil moisture sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surducan, Vasile; Surducan, Emanoil

2017-12-01

During July 2016 - September 2017, a micro-irrigation system was set up and tested in field and greenhouse-like conditions, using eight inexpensive soil moisture sensors designed and manufactured in our institute. Each sensor was powered by accumulators charged by an (8 × 14) cm2 solar panel. The energy budget was carefully managed to allow long operating time for both the moisture sensor and the irrigation automation. We present here the hardware-software setup implemented in our proprietary moisture sensor for wireless communication, using Bluetooth Low Energy modules (BLE). The autonomy of the system may reach 4-5 cloudy days without the need of recharging the accumulators from the sun. Over the entire operating period, the moisture sensors send data wirelessly every sampling time (15 to 30 minutes) following water drips on the soil for the next 30 seconds, pushed by a low power micro pump. The micro-irrigation process is repeated every sampling time, until the soil moisture threshold is reached. In between the operating states, the sensor and watering automation go to sleep. The software algorithm ensures low energy (max. 2.8 mWh) consumption for the moisture sensor and 20 mWh for the irrigation automation, substantially increasing the accumulators discharge cycle.

Validation of Distributed Soil Moisture: Airborne Polarimetric SAR vs. Ground-based Sensor Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagdhuber, T.; Kohling, M.; Hajnsek, I.; Montzka, C.; Papathanassiou, K. P.

2012-04-01

The knowledge of spatially distributed soil moisture is highly desirable for an enhanced hydrological modeling in terms of flood prevention and for yield optimization in combination with precision farming. Especially in mid-latitudes, the growing agricultural vegetation results in an increasing soil coverage along the crop cycle. For a remote sensing approach, this vegetation influence has to be separated from the soil contribution within the resolution cell to extract the actual soil moisture. Therefore a hybrid decomposition was developed for estimation of soil moisture under vegetation cover using fully polarimetric SAR data. The novel polarimetric decomposition combines a model-based decomposition, separating the volume component from the ground components, with an eigen-based decomposition of the two ground components into a surface and a dihedral scattering contribution. Hence, this hybrid decomposition, which is based on [1,2], establishes an innovative way to retrieve soil moisture under vegetation. The developed inversion algorithm for soil moisture under vegetation cover is applied on fully polarimetric data of the TERENO campaign, conducted in May and June 2011 for the Rur catchment within the Eifel/Lower Rhine Valley Observatory. The fully polarimetric SAR data were acquired in high spatial resolution (range: 1.92m, azimuth: 0.6m) by DLR's novel F-SAR sensor at L-band. The inverted soil moisture product from the airborne SAR data is validated with corresponding distributed ground measurements for a quality assessment of the developed algorithm. The in situ measurements were obtained on the one hand by mobile FDR probes from agricultural fields near the towns of Merzenhausen and Selhausen incorporating different crop types and on the other hand by distributed wireless sensor networks (SoilNet clusters) from a grassland test site (near the town of Rollesbroich) and from a forest stand (within the Wüstebach sub-catchment). Each SoilNet cluster incorporates around 150 wireless measuring devices on a grid of approximately 30ha for distributed soil moisture sensing. Finally, the comparison of both distributed soil moisture products results in a discussion on potentials and limitations for obtaining soil moisture under vegetation cover with high resolution fully polarimetric SAR. [1] S.R. Cloude, Polarisation: applications in remote sensing. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010. [2] Jagdhuber, T., Hajnsek, I., Papathanassiou, K.P. and Bronstert, A.: A Hybrid Decomposition for Soil Moisture Estimation under Vegetation Cover Using Polarimetric SAR. Proc. of the 5th International Workshop on Science and Applications of SAR Polarimetry and Polarimetric Interferometry, ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, January 24-28, 2011, p.1-6.

Phytoextraction of nitrogen and phosphorus by crops grown in a heavily manured Dark Brown Chernozem under contrasting soil moisture conditions.

PubMed

Agomoh, Ikechukwu; Hao, Xiying; Zvomuya, Francis

2018-01-02

Phytoextraction of excess nutrients by crops in soils with a long history of manure application may be a viable option for reducing the nutrient levels. This greenhouse study examined the effectiveness of six growth cycles (40 d each) of barley, canola, corn, oat, pea, soybean, and triticale at extracting nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from a Dark Brown Chernozem that had received 180 Mg ha -1 (wet wt.) of beef cattle feedlot manure annually for 38 years. Moisture content during the study was maintained at either 100% or 50% soil field capacity (SFC). Repeated cropping resulted in an overall decrease in dry matter yield (DMY). The decrease in N and P uptake relative to Cycle 1 was fastest for the cereal grains and less pronounced for the two legumes. However, cumulative N uptake values were significantly greater for corn than the other crops under both moisture regimes. The reduction in soil N was greater under the 100% than the 50% SFC. These results indicate that repeated cropping can be a useful management practice for reducing N and P levels in a heavily manured soil. The extent of reduction will be greater for crops with high biomass production under adequate moisture supply.

Automatic Detection of Regions in Spinach Canopies Responding to Soil Moisture Deficit Using Combined Visible and Thermal Imagery

PubMed Central

Raza, Shan-e-Ahmed; Smith, Hazel K.; Clarkson, Graham J. J.; Taylor, Gail; Thompson, Andrew J.; Clarkson, John; Rajpoot, Nasir M.

2014-01-01

Thermal imaging has been used in the past for remote detection of regions of canopy showing symptoms of stress, including water deficit stress. Stress indices derived from thermal images have been used as an indicator of canopy water status, but these depend on the choice of reference surfaces and environmental conditions and can be confounded by variations in complex canopy structure. Therefore, in this work, instead of using stress indices, information from thermal and visible light imagery was combined along with machine learning techniques to identify regions of canopy showing a response to soil water deficit. Thermal and visible light images of a spinach canopy with different levels of soil moisture were captured. Statistical measurements from these images were extracted and used to classify between canopies growing in well-watered soil or under soil moisture deficit using Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Gaussian Processes Classifier (GPC) and a combination of both the classifiers. The classification results show a high correlation with soil moisture. We demonstrate that regions of a spinach crop responding to soil water deficit can be identified by using machine learning techniques with a high accuracy of 97%. This method could, in principle, be applied to any crop at a range of scales. PMID:24892284

Detection of Landmines by Neutron Backscattering: Effects of Soil Moisture on the Detection System

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

Baysoy, D. Y.; Subasi, M.

2010-01-21

Detection of buried land mines by using neutron backscattering technique (NBS) is a well established method. It depends on detecting a hydrogen anomaly in dry soil. Since a landmine and its plastic casing contain much more hydrogen atoms than the dry soil, this anomaly can be detected by observing a rise in the number of neutrons moderated to thermal or epithermal energy. But, the presence of moisture in the soil limits the effectiveness of the measurements. In this work, a landmine detection system using the NBS technique was designed. A series of Monte Carlo calculations was carried out to determinemore » the limits of the system due to the moisture content of the soil. In the simulations, an isotropic fast neutron source ({sup 252}Cf, 100 mug) and a neutron detection system which consists of five {sup 3}He detectors were used in a practicable geometry. In order to see the effects of soil moisture on the efficiency of the detection system, soils with different water contents were tested.« less

Predicting root zone soil moisture with soil properties and satellite near-surface moisture data across the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, D.; Manfreda, S.; Keller, K.; Smithwick, E. A. H.

2017-03-01

Satellite-based near-surface (0-2 cm) soil moisture estimates have global coverage, but do not capture variations of soil moisture in the root zone (up to 100 cm depth) and may be biased with respect to ground-based soil moisture measurements. Here, we present an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) hydrologic data assimilation system that predicts bias in satellite soil moisture data to support the physically based Soil Moisture Analytical Relationship (SMAR) infiltration model, which estimates root zone soil moisture with satellite soil moisture data. The SMAR-EnKF model estimates a regional-scale bias parameter using available in situ data. The regional bias parameter is added to satellite soil moisture retrievals before their use in the SMAR model, and the bias parameter is updated continuously over time with the EnKF algorithm. In this study, the SMAR-EnKF assimilates in situ soil moisture at 43 Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) monitoring locations across the conterminous U.S. Multivariate regression models are developed to estimate SMAR parameters using soil physical properties and the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) evapotranspiration data product as covariates. SMAR-EnKF root zone soil moisture predictions are in relatively close agreement with in situ observations when using optimal model parameters, with root mean square errors averaging 0.051 [cm3 cm-3] (standard error, s.e. = 0.005). The average root mean square error associated with a 20-fold cross-validation analysis with permuted SMAR parameter regression models increases moderately (0.082 [cm3 cm-3], s.e. = 0.004). The expected regional-scale satellite correction bias is negative in four out of six ecoregions studied (mean = -0.12 [-], s.e. = 0.002), excluding the Great Plains and Eastern Temperate Forests (0.053 [-], s.e. = 0.001). With its capability of estimating regional-scale satellite bias, the SMAR-EnKF system can predict root zone soil moisture over broad extents and has applications in drought predictions and other operational hydrologic modeling purposes.

Calculating crop water requirement satisfaction in the West Africa Sahel with remotely sensed soil moisture

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNally, Amy; Gregory J. Husak,; Molly Brown,; Carroll, Mark L.; Funk, Christopher C.; Soni Yatheendradas,; Kristi Arsenault,; Christa Peters-Lidard,; Verdin, James

2015-01-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission will provide soil moisture data with unprecedented accuracy, resolution, and coverage, enabling models to better track agricultural drought and estimate yields. In turn, this information can be used to shape policy related to food and water from commodity markets to humanitarian relief efforts. New data alone, however, do not translate to improvements in drought and yield forecasts. New tools will be needed to transform SMAP data into agriculturally meaningful products. The objective of this study is to evaluate the possibility and efficiency of replacing the rainfall-derived soil moisture component of a crop water stress index with SMAP data. The approach is demonstrated with 0.1°-resolution, ~10-day microwave soil moisture from the European Space Agency and simulated soil moisture from the Famine Early Warning Systems Network Land Data Assimilation System. Over a West Africa domain, the approach is evaluated by comparing the different soil moisture estimates and their resulting Water Requirement Satisfaction Index values from 2000 to 2010. This study highlights how the ensemble of indices performs during wet versus dry years, over different land-cover types, and the correlation with national-level millet yields. The new approach is a feasible and useful way to quantitatively assess how satellite-derived rainfall and soil moisture track agricultural water deficits. Given the importance of soil moisture in many applications, ranging from agriculture to public health to fire, this study should inspire other modeling communities to reformulate existing tools to take advantage of SMAP data.

SoilNet - A Zigbee based soil moisture sensor network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogena, H. R.; Weuthen, A.; Rosenbaum, U.; Huisman, J. A.; Vereecken, H.

2007-12-01

Soil moisture plays a key role in partitioning water and energy fluxes, in providing moisture to the atmosphere for precipitation, and controlling the pattern of groundwater recharge. Large-scale soil moisture variability is driven by variation of precipitation and radiation in space and time. At local scales, land cover, soil conditions, and topography act to redistribute soil moisture. Despite the importance of soil moisture, it is not yet measured in an operational way, e.g. for a better prediction of hydrological and surface energy fluxes (e.g. runoff, latent heat) at larger scales and in the framework of the development of early warning systems (e.g. flood forecasting) and the management of irrigation systems. The SoilNet project aims to develop a sensor network for the near real-time monitoring of soil moisture changes at high spatial and temporal resolution on the basis of the new low-cost ZigBee radio network that operates on top of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The sensor network consists of soil moisture sensors attached to end devices by cables, router devices and a coordinator device. The end devices are buried in the soil and linked wirelessly with nearby aboveground router devices. This ZigBee wireless sensor network design considers channel errors, delays, packet losses, and power and topology constraints. In order to conserve battery power, a reactive routing protocol is used that determines a new route only when it is required. The sensor network is also able to react to external influences, e.g. such as rainfall occurrences. The SoilNet communicator, routing and end devices have been developed by the Forschungszentrum Juelich and will be marketed through external companies. We will present first results of experiments to verify network stability and the accuracy of the soil moisture sensors. Simultaneously, we have developed a data management and visualisation system. We tested the wireless network on a 100 by 100 meter forest plot equipped with 25 end devices each consisting of 6 vertically arranged soil moisture sensors. The next step will be the instrumentation of two small catchments (~30 ha) with a 30 m spacing of the end devices. juelich.de/icg/icg-4/index.php?index=739

State of the Art in Large-Scale Soil Moisture Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochsner, Tyson E.; Cosh, Michael Harold; Cuenca, Richard H.; Dorigo, Wouter; Draper, Clara S.; Hagimoto, Yutaka; Kerr, Yan H.; Larson, Kristine M.; Njoku, Eni Gerald; Small, Eric E.;

Extraction optimization and characterization of gelatine from fish dry skin of Spanish mackerel (Scomberromorus commersoni)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumaningrum, I.; Pranoto, Y.; Hadiwiyoto, S.

2018-04-01

This work was to optimized gelatin extraction from dry skin of Spanish mackerel (Scomberromorus commersoni) using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The aim of this study was to determine the optimal condition of temperature and time for extraction process and properties of the gelatin extracted from dry mackerel skin. The optimal condition for extraction was 59.71°C for 4.25 hours. Results showed that predicted yield by RSM was 13.69% and predicted gel strength was 291.93 Bloom, whereas the actual experiment for yield and gel strength were 13.03% and 291.33 Bloom, respectively. The gelatin extracted from dried skin were analyzed for their proximate composition, yield, gel strength, viscosity, color, and amino acid composition. The results of dried skin gelatin properties compared to the commercial gelatin. Gelatin extracted from the dried skin gave content lower moisture, ash and protein content but higher fat compared to commercial gelatin. This study also shows that the gelatin extracted from the dried skin gave higher gel strength and pH but the lower amino acid composition compared to commercial gelatin.

Effect of Caesalpinia sappan L. extract on physico-chemical properties of emulsion-type pork sausage during cold storage.

PubMed

Jin, Sang-Keun; Ha, So-Ra; Choi, Jung-Seok

2015-12-01

This study was performed to investigate the effect of extract from heart wood of Caesalpinia sappan on the physico-chemical properties and to find the appropriate addition level in the emulsion-type pork sausage during cold storage. The pH of treatments with C. sappan extract was significantly lower than control and T1 during cold storage periods (P<0.05). Also, the reduction of moisture content, and the increase of cooking loss significantly occurred by the addition of 0.2% C. sappan extract. Also, the texture properties and sensory of sausages containing C. sappan extract were decreased compared to control. Inclusion of the C. sappan extract in sausages resulted in lower lightness and higher yellowness, chroma and hue values. However, the antioxidant, antimicrobial activity, and volatile basic nitrogen in the emulsion-type pork sausages with C. sappan extract showed increased quality characteristics during cold storage. In conclusion, the proper addition level of C. sappan extract was 0.1% on the processing of emulsion-type pork sausage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Moisture effect on interfacial integrity of epoxy-bonded system: a hierarchical approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tam, Lik-ho; Lun Chow, Cheuk; Lau, Denvid

2018-01-01

The epoxy-bonded system has been widely used in various applications across different scale lengths. Prior investigations have indicated that the moisture-affected interfacial debonding is the major failure mode of such a system, but the fundamental mechanism remains unknown, such as the basis for the invasion of water molecules in the cross-linked epoxy and the epoxy-bonded interface. This prevents us from predicting the long-term performance of the epoxy-related applications under the effect of the moisture. Here, we use full atomistic models to investigate the response of the epoxy-bonded system towards the adhesion test, and provide a detailed analysis of the interfacial integrity under the moisture effect and the associated debonding mechanism. Molecular dynamics simulations show that water molecules affect the hierarchical structure of the epoxy-bonded system at the nanoscale by disrupting the film-substrate interaction and the molecular interaction within the epoxy, which leads to the detachment of the epoxy thin film, and the final interfacial debonding. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental results of the epoxy-bonded system. Through identifying the relationship between the epoxy structure and the debonding mechanism at multiple scales, it is shown that the hierarchical structure of the epoxy-bonded system is crucial for the interfacial integrity. In particular, the available space of the epoxy-bonded system, which consists of various sizes ranging from the atomistic scale to the macroscale and is close to the interface facilitates the moisture accumulation, leading to a distinct interfacial debonding when compared to the dry scenario.

Moldicidal properties of seven essential oils

Treesearch

Vina W. Yang; Carol A. Clausen

2006-01-01

When wood and wood products are exposed to moisture during storage, construction or while in-service, mold growth can occur in 24 to 48 hours. Mold growth could be suppressed or prevented if wood was treated with an effective mold inhibitor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the mold inhibiting properties of natural plant extracts such as essential oils....

Assessment of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of lignin from corn stover residue pretreated with low-moisture anhydrous ammonia and enzymatic hydrolysis process

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To improve the economic viability of biofuel production from biomass resources, it is increasingly important to develop value-added lignin co-products from this process. The main objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the lignin extracts obtained b...

The PRESSCA operational early warning system for landslide forecasting: the 11-12 November 2013 rainfall event in Central Italy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciabatta, Luca; Brocca, Luca; Ponziani, Francesco; Berni, Nicola; Stelluti, Marco; Moramarco, Tommaso

2014-05-01

The Umbria Region, located in Central Italy, is one of the most landslide risk prone area in Italy, almost yearly affected by landslides events at different spatial scales. For early warning procedures aimed at the assessment of the hydrogeological risk, the rainfall thresholds represent the main tool for the Italian Civil Protection System. As shown in previous studies, soil moisture plays a key-role in landslides triggering. In fact, acting on the pore water pressure, soil moisture influences the rainfall amount needed for activating a landslide. In this work, an operational physically-based early warning system, named PRESSCA, that takes into account soil moisture for the definition of rainfall thresholds is presented. Specifically, the soil moisture conditions are evaluated in PRESSCA by using a distributed soil water balance model that is recently coupled with near real-time satellite soil moisture product obtained from ASCAT (Advanced SCATterometer) and from in-situ monitoring data. The integration of three different sources of soil moisture information allows to estimate the most accurate possible soil moisture condition. Then, both observed and forecasted rainfall data are compared with the soil moisture-based thresholds in order to obtain risk indicators over a grid of ~ 5 km. These indicators are then used for the daily hydrogeological risk evaluation and management by the Civil Protection regional service, through the sharing/delivering of near real-time landslide risk scenarios (also through an open source web platform: www.cfumbria.it). On the 11th-12th November, 2013, Umbria Region was hit by an exceptional rainfall event with up to 430mm/72hours that resulted in significant economic damages, but fortunately no casualties among the population. In this study, the results during the rainfall event of PRESSCA system are described, by underlining the model capability to reproduce, two days in advance, landslide risk scenarios in good spatial and temporal agreement with the occurred actual conditions. High-resolution risk scenarios (100mx100m), obtained by coupling PRESSCA forecasts with susceptibility and vulnerability layers, are also produced. The results show good relationship between the PRESSCA forecast and the reported landslides to the Civil Protection Service during the rainfall event, confirming the system robustness. The good forecasts of PRESSCA system have surely contributed to start well in advance the Civil Protection operations (alerting local authorities and population).

Brick Paving Systems in Expeditionary Environments: Field Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

specific gravity of 2.7, optimum moisture content of 2.6 percent, and a maximum dry density of 114.2 pcf. Figure 5 shows the Proctor curve developed by...4  Figure 3. Dry density versus moisture content for CH material...6  Figure 5. Dry density versus moisture content for blended GM base course. ..................................... 7  Figure 6

Fine fuel moisture measured and estimated in dead Andropogon virginicus in Hawaii

Treesearch

Francis M. Fujioka

1976-01-01

Fuel moisture estimates generated by the National Fire-Danger Rating System procedure were compared with actual fuel moisture measurements determined from laboratory analysis. Meteorological data required for the NFDRS procedure were collected at two heights to assess the effect of temperature and humidity lapse rates. Standard measurements gave the best results, but...

Predicting duff and woody fuel consumed by prescribed fire in the Northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

James K. Brown; Michael A. Marsden; Kevin C. Ryan; Elizabeth D. Reinhardt

1985-01-01

Relationships for predicting duff reduction, mineral soil exposure, and consumption of downed woody fuel were determined to assist in planning prescribed fires. Independent variables included lower and entire duff moisture contents, loadings of downed woody fuels, duff depth, National Fire-Danger Rating System 1,000-hour moisture content, and Canadian Duff Moisture...

Antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of kordoi (Averrhoa carambola) fruit juice and bamboo (Bambusa polymorpha) shoot extract in pork nuggets.

PubMed

Thomas, R; Jebin, N; Saha, R; Sarma, D K

2016-01-01

Pork nuggets with 'very good' acceptability was processed by incorporating kordoi (Averrhoa carambola) fruit juice and bamboo (Bambusa polymorpha) shoot extract, and their physical, chemical, microbiological and sensorial characteristics were evaluated during 35 days storage under refrigeration. Addition of kordoi fruit juice (4%) and bamboo shoot extract (6%) had a significant effect on the pH, moisture, protein, fat, fiber, instrumental color values and texture profiles of nuggets. Nuggets with juice and extract had significantly lower TBARS values towards the end of the storage period compared to the control. Microbial and sensory qualities of nuggets were significantly improved by the addition of juice and extract. Incorporation of juice and extract at 4% and 6% levels, respectively, increased the storage life of pork nuggets by at least two weeks, i.e. from 21 days to 35 days at 4 ± 1 °C compared to the control. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimated content percentages of volatile liquids and fat extractables in ready-to-eat foods.

PubMed

Daft, J L; Cline, J K; Palmer, R E; Sisk, R L; Griffitt, K R

1996-01-01

Content percentages of volatile liquids and fat extractables in 340 samples of ready-to-eat foods were determined gravimetrically. Volatile liquids were determined by drying samples in a microwave oven with a self-contained balance; results were printed out automatically. Fat extractables were extracted from the samples with mixed ethers; extracts were dried and weighed manually. The samples, 191 nonfat and 149 fatty (containing ca 2% or more fat) foods, represent about 5000 different food items and include infant and toddler, ethnic, fast, and imported items. Samples were initially prepared for screening of essential and toxic elements and chemical contamination by chopping and mixing into homogenous composites. Content determinations were then made on separate portions from each composite. Content results were put into a database for evaluation. Overall, mean results from both determinations agree with published data for moisture and fat contents of similar food items. Coefficients of variation, however, were lower for determination of volatile liquids than for that of fat extractables.

Effect of solvent addition sequence on lycopene extraction efficiency from membrane neutralized caustic peeled tomato waste.

PubMed

Phinney, David M; Frelka, John C; Cooperstone, Jessica L; Schwartz, Steven J; Heldman, Dennis R

2017-01-15

Lycopene is a high value nutraceutical and its isolation from waste streams is often desirable to maximize profits. This research investigated solvent addition order and composition on lycopene extraction efficiency from a commercial tomato waste stream (pH 12.5, solids ∼5%) that was neutralized using membrane filtration. Constant volume dilution (CVD) was used to desalinate the caustic salt to neutralize the waste. Acetone, ethanol and hexane were used as direct or blended additions. Extraction efficiency was defined as the amount of lycopene extracted divided by the total lycopene in the sample. The CVD operation reduced the active alkali of the waste from 0.66 to <0.01M and the moisture content of the pulp increased from 93% to 97% (wet basis), showing the removal of caustic salts from the waste. Extraction efficiency varied from 32.5% to 94.5%. This study demonstrates a lab scale feasibility to extract lycopene efficiently from tomato processing byproducts. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Elevated moisture stimulates carbon loss from mineral soils by releasing protected organic matter.

PubMed

Huang, Wenjuan; Hall, Steven J

2017-11-24

Moisture response functions for soil microbial carbon (C) mineralization remain a critical uncertainty for predicting ecosystem-climate feedbacks. Theory and models posit that C mineralization declines under elevated moisture and associated anaerobic conditions, leading to soil C accumulation. Yet, iron (Fe) reduction potentially releases protected C, providing an under-appreciated mechanism for C destabilization under elevated moisture. Here we incubate Mollisols from ecosystems under C 3 /C 4 plant rotations at moisture levels at and above field capacity over 5 months. Increased moisture and anaerobiosis initially suppress soil C mineralization, consistent with theory. However, after 25 days, elevated moisture stimulates cumulative gaseous C-loss as CO 2 and CH 4 to >150% of the control. Stable C isotopes show that mineralization of older C 3 -derived C released following Fe reduction dominates C losses. Counter to theory, elevated moisture may significantly accelerate C losses from mineral soils over weeks to months-a critical mechanistic deficiency of current Earth system models.

Vis-NIR hyperspectral imaging in visualizing moisture distribution of mango slices during microwave-vacuum drying.

PubMed

Pu, Yuan-Yuan; Sun, Da-Wen

2015-12-01

Mango slices were dried by microwave-vacuum drying using a domestic microwave oven equipped with a vacuum desiccator inside. Two lab-scale hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems were employed for moisture prediction. The Page and the Two-term thin-layer drying models were suitable to describe the current drying process with a fitting goodness of R(2)=0.978. Partial least square (PLS) was applied to correlate the mean spectrum of each slice and reference moisture content. With three waveband selection strategies, optimal wavebands corresponding to moisture prediction were identified. The best model RC-PLS-2 (Rp(2)=0.972 and RMSEP=4.611%) was implemented into the moisture visualization procedure. Moisture distribution map clearly showed that the moisture content in the central part of the mango slices was lower than that of other parts. The present study demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging was a useful tool for non-destructively and rapidly measuring and visualizing the moisture content during drying process. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of a high-throughput shoot imaging system to examine the dynamic phenotypic responses of a C4 cereal crop plant to nitrogen and water deficiency over time

PubMed Central

Neilson, E. H.; Edwards, A. M.; Blomstedt, C. K.; Berger, B.; Møller, B. Lindberg; Gleadow, R. M.

2015-01-01

The use of high-throughput phenotyping systems and non-destructive imaging is widely regarded as a key technology allowing scientists and breeders to develop crops with the ability to perform well under diverse environmental conditions. However, many of these phenotyping studies have been optimized using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. In this study, The Plant Accelerator® at The University of Adelaide, Australia, was used to investigate the growth and phenotypic response of the important cereal crop, Sorghum bicolor L. Moench and related hybrids to water-limited conditions and different levels of fertilizer. Imaging in different spectral ranges was used to monitor plant composition, chlorophyll, and moisture content. Phenotypic image analysis accurately measured plant biomass. The data set obtained enabled the responses of the different sorghum varieties to the experimental treatments to be differentiated and modelled. Plant architectural instead of architecture elements were determined using imaging and found to correlate with an improved tolerance to stress, for example diurnal leaf curling and leaf area index. Analysis of colour images revealed that leaf ‘greenness’ correlated with foliar nitrogen and chlorophyll, while near infrared reflectance (NIR) analysis was a good predictor of water content and leaf thickness, and correlated with plant moisture content. It is shown that imaging sorghum using a high-throughput system can accurately identify and differentiate between growth and specific phenotypic traits. R scripts for robust, parsimonious models are provided to allow other users of phenomic imaging systems to extract useful data readily, and thus relieve a bottleneck in phenotypic screening of multiple genotypes of key crop plants. PMID:25697789

Physical and hydrological properties of the soil after Pine harvesting in Maule, Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández Raga, María; Fuentes Espoz, Juan Pablo

2014-05-01

The south of Chile has been under great pressure for about 150 years, with the replacement of native forests by agricultural crops and subsequently by plantations with fast-growing exotic species. Historically, it was considered that these plantations have stopped the degradation process of the ground. However, the restoration of the soil system can be considered as very limited or even null because of three reasons: the rotations of these artificial forest systems are too short (just 25 years ), the chosen areas are already degraded land, and after the harvesting it is common to get fire to clean. The objective of this research was to evaluate current forest management practices of these forest systems to make them more sustainable, mainly studying the effect of harvesting and waste management planting some physical - hydrological properties of the soil. This research was done in "Las Brisas", a degraded soil characterized by different planting practices of forest species, which have been harvested and, after that, burnt for taking out the residual waste. The study tried to determine the variations in the water content of the soil after fire at different depths, obtaining moisture profiles that reflect the change in soil moisture while simulating rain occurs. temperature of the fire. Several samples were taken and divided into four different experiments of management practices: some of them were dry, others were burnt, others suffered both processes and the last no process at all. Some analysis were done to determine the behavior of the main hydrological properties (ie particle size distribution, aggregate stability , hydrophobicity , infiltration ). The information collected was analyzed by the hydrologic model Hydrus -2D, to fully assess the impact of the extraction of the forest from a highly sensitive system erosive phenomena. The information obtained will be published.

Evaporative cooling enhanced cold storage system

DOEpatents

Carr, Peter

1991-01-01

The invention provides an evaporatively enhanced cold storage system wherein a warm air stream is cooled and the cooled air stream is thereafter passed into contact with a cold storage unit. Moisture is added to the cooled air stream prior to or during contact of the cooled air stream with the cold storage unit to effect enhanced cooling of the cold storage unit due to evaporation of all or a portion of the added moisture. Preferably at least a portion of the added moisture comprises water condensed during the cooling of the warm air stream.

Evaporative cooling enhanced cold storage system

DOEpatents

Carr, P.

1991-10-15

The invention provides an evaporatively enhanced cold storage system wherein a warm air stream is cooled and the cooled air stream is thereafter passed into contact with a cold storage unit. Moisture is added to the cooled air stream prior to or during contact of the cooled air stream with the cold storage unit to effect enhanced cooling of the cold storage unit due to evaporation of all or a portion of the added moisture. Preferably at least a portion of the added moisture comprises water condensed during the cooling of the warm air stream. 3 figures.

An Evaluation of Soil Moisture Retrievals Using Aircraft and Satellite Passive Microwave Observations during SMEX02

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolten, John D.; Lakshmi, Venkat

2009-01-01

The Soil Moisture Experiments conducted in Iowa in the summer of 2002 (SMEX02) had many remote sensing instruments that were used to study the spatial and temporal variability of soil moisture. The sensors used in this paper (a subset of the suite of sensors) are the AQUA satellite-based AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer- Earth Observing System) and the aircraft-based PSR (Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer). The SMEX02 design focused on the collection of near simultaneous brightness temperature observations from each of these instruments and in situ soil moisture measurements at field- and domain- scale. This methodology provided a basis for a quantitative analysis of the soil moisture remote sensing potential of each instrument using in situ comparisons and retrieved soil moisture estimates through the application of a radiative transfer model. To this end, the two sensors are compared with respect to their estimation of soil moisture.

Indian Monsoon Low-Pressure Systems Feed Up-and-Over Moisture Transport to the Southwestern Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Wenhao; Lin, Yanluan; Wright, Jonathon S.; Xie, Yuanyu; Xu, Fanghua; Xu, Wenqing; Wang, Yan

2017-11-01

As an integral part of the South Asian summer monsoon system, monsoon low-pressure systems (LPSs) bring large amounts of precipitation to agrarian north and central India during their passage across the subcontinent. In this study, we investigate the role of LPSs in supplying moisture from north and central India to the southwestern Tibetan Plateau (SWTP) and quantify the contribution of these systems to summer rainfall over the SWTP. The results show that more than 60% of total summer rainfall over the SWTP is related to LPS occurrence. LPSs are associated with a 15% rise in average daily rainfall and a 10% rise in rainy days over the SWTP. This relationship is maintained primarily through up-and-over transport, in which convectively lifted moisture over the Indian subcontinent is swept over the SWTP by southwesterly winds in the middle troposphere. LPSs play two roles in supplying up-and-over moisture transport. First, these systems elevate large amounts of water vapor and condensed water to the midtroposphere. Second, the circulations associated with LPSs interact with the background westerlies to induce southwesterly flow in the midtroposphere, transporting elevated moisture and condensate over the Himalayan Mountains. Our findings indicate that LPSs are influential in extending the northern boundary of the South Asian monsoon system across the Himalayas into the interior of the SWTP. The strength of this connection depends on both LPS characteristics and the configuration of the midtropospheric circulation, particularly the prevailing westerlies upstream of the SWTP.

Fuzzy logic control of rotating drum bioreactor for improved production of amylase and protease enzymes by Aspergillus oryzae in solid-state fermentation.

PubMed

Sukumprasertsri, Monton; Unrean, Pornkamol; Pimsamarn, Jindarat; Kitsubun, Panit; Tongta, Anan

2013-03-01

In this study, we compared the performance of two control systems, fuzzy logic control (FLC) and conventional control (CC). The control systems were applied for controlling temperature and substrate moisture content in a solidstate fermentation for the biosynthesis of amylase and protease enzymes by Aspergillus oryzae. The fermentation process was achieved in a 200 L rotating drum bioreactor. Three factors affecting temperature and moisture content in the solid-state fermentation were considered. They were inlet air velocity, speed of the rotating drum bioreactor, and spray water addition. The fuzzy logic control system was designed using four input variables: air velocity, substrate temperature, fermentation time, and rotation speed. The temperature was controlled by two variables, inlet air velocity and rotational speed of bioreactor, while the moisture content was controlled by spray water. Experimental results confirmed that the FLC system could effectively control the temperature and moisture content of substrate better than the CC system, resulting in an increased enzyme production by A. oryzae. Thus, the fuzzy logic control is a promising control system that can be applied for enhanced production of enzymes in solidstate fermentation.

Quality and sensory characteristics of hard red wheat after residential storage for up to 32 y.

PubMed

Rose, Devin J; Ogden, Lynn V; Dunn, Michael L; Jamison, Rachel G; Lloyd, Michelle A; Pike, Oscar A

2011-01-01

Samples of hard red wheat packaged for long-term storage, ranging in age from 0 to 32 y, were obtained from donors in residential households. All samples had been stored under nonabusive conditions (7% to 10% moisture, 13 to 27 °C). Selected quality parameters of the wheat (moisture, thiamin, free fatty acids, flour extraction rate, bread loaf volume, and bread firmness) and sensory properties of bread made from the stored wheat (aroma, appearance, texture, flavor, overall liking, acceptance for use as part of the regular diet, and acceptance for use in emergency situations) were evaluated. Free fatty acids increased significantly from 0.897 to 11.8 μmol/g, and flour extraction rate decreased significantly from 76.5% to 69.9% over time. None of the other quality parameters measured (moisture, thiamin, bread loaf volume, and bread firmness) were significantly correlated with wheat storage time. Panelists who frequently or occasionally consume whole wheat bread rated all breads made from the stored wheat with hedonic scores (9-point scale) of at least 6.4 (like slightly to moderately). Consumer ratings of bread texture, flavor, and overall acceptability were negatively correlated with storage time (P < 0.001); however, at least 70% of panelists indicated that they would consume the bread as part of their regular diet even after 32 y of wheat storage, while over 97% would do so in an emergency. These data indicate that wheat maintains nutritional quality and makes acceptable bread when stored up to 32 y at 13 to 27 °C and 7% to 10% moisture. Practical Application: Wheat stored for the purposes of disaster relief has the potential of being stored for extremely long periods of time, which may result in undesirable changes in milling and baking quality. Therefore, we tested wheat that had been stored under residential conditions for up to 32 y to determine its functional quality and consumer acceptability. Our results indicate that wheat of low moisture (7% to 10%) packaged in sealed cans and stored for up to 32 y at or below typical room temperature retains quality and can be made into bread that is well accepted by consumers. Thus, whole wheat has good long-term storage stability and can be recommended for emergency food supplies.

Prolongation of SMAP to Spatiotemporally Seamless Coverage of Continental U.S. Using a Deep Learning Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Kuai; Shen, Chaopeng; Kifer, Daniel; Yang, Xiao

2017-11-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission has delivered valuable sensing of surface soil moisture since 2015. However, it has a short time span and irregular revisit schedules. Utilizing a state-of-the-art time series deep learning neural network, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), we created a system that predicts SMAP level-3 moisture product with atmospheric forcings, model-simulated moisture, and static physiographic attributes as inputs. The system removes most of the bias with model simulations and improves predicted moisture climatology, achieving small test root-mean-square errors (<0.035) and high-correlation coefficients >0.87 for over 75% of Continental United States, including the forested southeast. As the first application of LSTM in hydrology, we show the proposed network avoids overfitting and is robust for both temporal and spatial extrapolation tests. LSTM generalizes well across regions with distinct climates and environmental settings. With high fidelity to SMAP, LSTM shows great potential for hindcasting, data assimilation, and weather forecasting.

Rainfall Morphology in Semi-Tropical Convergence Zones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepherd, J. Marshall; Ferrier, Brad S.; Ray, Peter S.

2000-01-01

Central Florida is the ideal test laboratory for studying convergence zone-induced convection. The region regularly experiences sea breeze fronts and rainfall-induced outflow boundaries. The focus of this study is the common yet poorly-studied convergence zone established by the interaction of the sea breeze front and an outflow boundary. Previous studies have investigated mechanisms primarily affecting storm initiation by such convergence zones. Few have focused on rainfall morphology yet these storms contribute a significant amount precipitation to the annual rainfall budget. Low-level convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture have both been shown to correlate with rainfall amounts in Florida. Using 2D and 3D numerical simulations, the roles of low-level convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture in rainfall evolution are examined. The results indicate that time-averaged, vertical moisture flux (VMF) at the sea breeze front/outflow convergence zone is directly and linearly proportional to initial condensation rates. This proportionality establishes a similar relationship between VMF and initial rainfall. Vertical moisture flux, which encompasses depth and magnitude of convergence, is better correlated to initial rainfall production than surface moisture convergence. This extends early observational studies which linked rainfall in Florida to surface moisture convergence. The amount and distribution of mid-tropospheric moisture determines how rainfall associated with secondary cells develop. Rainfall amount and efficiency varied significantly over an observable range of relative humidities in the 850- 500 mb layer even though rainfall evolution was similar during the initial or "first-cell" period. Rainfall variability was attributed to drier mid-tropospheric environments inhibiting secondary cell development through entrainment effects. Observationally, 850-500 mb moisture structure exhibits wider variability than lower level moisture, which is virtually always present in Florida. A likely consequence of the variability in 850-500 moisture is a stronger statistical correlation to rainfall, which observational studies have noted. The study indicates that vertical moisture flux forcing at convergence zones is critical in determining rainfall in the initial stage of development but plays a decreasing role in rainfall evolution as the system matures. The mid-tropospheric moisture (e.g. environment) plays an increasing role in rainfall evolution as the system matures. This suggests the need to improve measurements of magnitude/depth of convergence and mid-tropospheric moisture distribution. It also highlights the need for better parameterization of entrainment and vertical moisture distribution in larger-scale models.

Soil Moisture and Temperature Measuring Networks in the Tibetan Plateau and Their Hydrological Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kun; Chen, Yingying; Qin, Jun; Lu, Hui

2017-04-01

Multi-sphere interactions over the Tibetan Plateau directly impact its surrounding climate and environment at a variety of spatiotemporal scales. Remote sensing and modeling are expected to provide hydro-meteorological data needed for these process studies, but in situ observations are required to support their calibration and validation. For this purpose, we have established two networks on the Tibetan Plateau to measure densely two state variables (soil moisture and temperature) and four soil depths (0 5, 10, 20, and 40 cm). The experimental area is characterized by low biomass, high soil moisture dynamic range, and typical freeze-thaw cycle. As auxiliary parameters of these networks, soil texture and soil organic carbon content are measured at each station to support further studies. In order to guarantee continuous and high-quality data, tremendous efforts have been made to protect the data logger from soil water intrusion, to calibrate soil moisture sensors, and to upscale the point measurements. One soil moisture network is located in a semi-humid area in central Tibetan Plateau (Naqu), which consists of 56 stations with their elevation varying over 4470 4950 m and covers three spatial scales (1.0, 0.3, 0.1 degree). The other is located in a semi-arid area in southern Tibetan Plateau (Pali), which consists of 25 stations and covers an area of 0.25 degree. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the former network were analyzed, and a new spatial upscaling method was developed to obtain the regional mean soil moisture truth from the point measurements. Our networks meet the requirement for evaluating a variety of soil moisture products, developing new algorithms, and analyzing soil moisture scaling. Three applications with the network data are presented in this paper. 1. Evaluation of Current remote sensing and LSM products. The in situ data have been used to evaluate AMSR-E, AMSR2, SMOS and SMAP products and four modeled outputs by the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). 2. Development of New Products. We developed a dual-pass land data assimilation system. The essential idea of the system is to calibrate a land data assimilation system before a normal data assimilation. The calibration is based on satellite data rather than in situ data. Through this way, we may alleviate the impact of uncertainties in determining the error covariance of both observation operator and model operation, as it is always tough to determine the covariance. The performance of the data assimilation system is presented through comparison against the Tibetan Plateau soil moisture measuring networks. And the results are encouraging. 3. Estimation of Soil Parameter Values in a Land Surface Model. We explored the possibility to estimate soil parameter values by assimilating AMSR-E brightness temperature (TB) data. In the assimilation system, the TB is simulated by the coupled system of a land surface model (LSM) and a radiative transfer model (RTM), and the simulation errors highly depend on parameters in both the LSM and the RTM. Thus, sensitive soil parameters may be inversely estimated through minimizing the TB errors. The effectiveness of the estimated parameter values is evaluated against intensive measurements of soil parameters and soil moisture in three grasslands of the Tibetan Plateau and the Mongolian Plateau. The results indicate that this satellite data-based approach can improve the data quality of soil porosity, a key parameter for soil moisture modeling, and LSM simulations with the estimated parameter values reasonably reproduce the measured soil moisture. This demonstrates it is feasible to calibrate LSMs for soil moisture simulations at grid scale by assimilating microwave satellite data, although more efforts are expected to improve the robustness of the model calibration.

Hyphenation of Raman spectroscopy with gravimetric analysis to interrogate water-solid interactions in pharmaceutical systems.

PubMed

Gift, Alan D; Taylor, Lynne S

2007-01-04

A moisture sorption gravimetric analyzer has been combined with a Raman spectrometer to better understand the various modes of water-solid interactions relevant to pharmaceutical systems. A commercial automated moisture sorption balance was modified to allow non-contact monitoring of the sample properties by interfacing a Raman probe with the sample holder. This hybrid instrument allows for gravimetric and spectroscopic changes to be monitored simultaneously. The utility of this instrument was demonstrated by investigating different types of water-solid interactions including stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric hydrate formation, deliquescence, amorphous-crystalline transformation, and capillary condensation. In each of the model systems, sulfaguanidine, cromolyn sodium, ranitidine HCl, amorphous sucrose and silica gel, spectroscopic changes were observed during the time course of the moisture sorption profile. Analysis of spectroscopic data provided information about the origin of the observed changes in moisture content as a function of relative humidity. Furthermore, multivariate data analysis techniques were employed as a means of processing the spectroscopic data. Principle components analysis was found to be useful to aid in data processing, handling and interpretation of the spectral changes that occurred during the time course of the moisture sorption profile.

Contrasting effects of plant species traits and moisture on the decomposition of multiple litter fractions.

PubMed

Riggs, Charlotte E; Hobbie, Sarah E; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine; Savage, Jessica A; Wei, Xiaojing

2015-10-01

Environmental variation in moisture directly influences plant litter decomposition through effects on microbial activity, and indirectly via plant species traits. Whether the effects of moisture and plant species traits are mutually reinforcing or counteracting during decomposition are unknown. To disentangle the effects of moisture from the effects of species traits that vary with moisture, we decomposed leaf litter from 12 plant species in the willow family (Salicaceae) with different native habitat moisture preferences in paired mesic and wetland plots. We fit litter mass loss data to an exponential decomposition model and estimated the decay rate of the rapidly cycling litter fraction and size of the remaining fraction that decays at a rate approaching zero. Litter traits that covaried with moisture in the species' native habitat significantly influenced the decomposition rate of the rapidly cycling litter fraction, but moisture in the decomposition environment did not. In contrast, for the slowly cycling litter fraction, litter traits that did not covary with moisture in the species' native habitat and moisture in the decomposition environment were significant. Overall, the effects of moisture and plant species traits on litter decomposition were somewhat reinforcing along a hydrologic gradient that spanned mesic upland to wetland (but not permanently surface-saturated) plots. In this system, plant trait and moisture effects may lead to greater in situ decomposition rates of wetland species compared to upland species; however, plant traits that do not covary with moisture will also influence decomposition of the slowest cycling litter fraction.

Designed drug-release systems having various breathable polyurethane film-backed hydrocolloid acrylated adhesive layers for moisture healing.

PubMed

Chang, Ching-Hsien; Liu, Hsia-Wei; Huang, Ching-Cheng

2014-01-01

A series of designed drug-release systems were prepared and established for clear moisture healing. These systems were designed to have an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structure, which contained a breathable polyurethane film, hydrocolloidlayer, and polyacrylate adhesive layer. Breathable polyurethane film (2000 g/m(2)/24 hr) with high moisture permeability was employed as a base for new drug-release systems or wound dressings. All drug-release systems having a polyurethane film-backed hydrocolloid acrylated adhesive layer showed an increase of water uptakes with increasing time. After 114 hours, high water uptakes of drug-release systems with 20% hydrocolloid components were observed in the values of 160, 1100, and 1870% for different additional hydrocolloid components of carboxymethylcellulose, sodium alginate, and carbomer U10, respectively. New drug-release systems of polyurethane film-backed hydrocolloid/adhesive layers could be designed and established for wound care managements.

Real-time process monitoring in a semi-continuous fluid-bed dryer - microwave resonance technology versus near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Peters, Johanna; Teske, Andreas; Taute, Wolfgang; Döscher, Claas; Höft, Michael; Knöchel, Reinhard; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2018-02-15

The trend towards continuous manufacturing in the pharmaceutical industry is associated with an increasing demand for advanced control strategies. It is a mandatory requirement to obtain reliable real-time information on critical quality attributes (CQA) during every process step as the decision on diversion of material needs to be performed fast and automatically. Where possible, production equipment should provide redundant systems for in-process control (IPC) measurements to ensure continuous process monitoring even if one of the systems is not available. In this paper, two methods for real-time monitoring of granule moisture in a semi-continuous fluid-bed drying unit are compared. While near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has already proven to be a suitable process analytical technology (PAT) tool for moisture measurements in fluid-bed applications, microwave resonance technology (MRT) showed difficulties to monitor moistures above 8% until recently. The results indicate, that the newly developed MRT sensor operating at four resonances is capable to compete with NIR spectroscopy. While NIR spectra were preprocessed by mean centering and first derivative before application of partial least squares (PLS) regression to build predictive models (RMSEP = 0.20%), microwave moisture values of two resonances sufficed to build a statistically close multiple linear regression (MLR) model (RMSEP = 0.07%) for moisture prediction. Thereby, it could be verified that moisture monitoring by MRT sensor systems could be a valuable alternative to NIR spectroscopy or could be used as a redundant system providing great ease of application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Round Robin evaluation of AMSR-E soil moisture retrievals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mittelbach, Heidi; Hirschi, Martin; Nicolai-Shaw, Nadine; Gruber, Alexander; Dorigo, Wouter; de Jeu, Richard; Parinussa, Robert; Jones, Lucas A.; Wagner, Wolfgang; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2014-05-01

Large-scale and long-term soil moisture observations based on remote sensing are promising data sets to investigate and understand various processes of the climate system including the water and biochemical cycles. Currently, the ESA Climate Change Initiative for soil moisture develops and evaluates a consistent global long-term soil moisture data set, which is based on merging passive and active remotely sensed soil moisture. Within this project an inter-comparison of algorithms for AMSR-E and ASCAT Level 2 products was conducted separately to assess the performance of different retrieval algorithms. Here we present the inter-comparison of AMSR-E Level 2 soil moisture products. These include the public data sets from University of Montana (UMT), Japan Aerospace and Space Exploration Agency (JAXA), VU University of Amsterdam (VUA; two algorithms) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). All participating algorithms are applied to the same AMSR-E Level 1 data set. Ascending and descending paths of scaled surface soil moisture are considered and evaluated separately in daily and monthly resolution over the 2007-2011 time period. Absolute values of soil moisture as well as their long-term anomalies (i.e. removing the mean seasonal cycle) and short-term anomalies (i.e. removing a five weeks moving average) are evaluated. The evaluation is based on conventional measures like correlation and unbiased root-mean-square differences as well as on the application of the triple collocation method. As reference data set, surface soil moisture of 75 quality controlled soil moisture sites from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN) are used, which cover a wide range of vegetation density and climate conditions. For the application of the triple collocation method, surface soil moisture estimates from the Global Land Data Assimilation System are used as third independent data set. We find that the participating algorithms generally display a better performance for the descending compared to the ascending paths. A first classification of the sites defined by geographical locations show that the algorithms have a very similar average performance. Further classifications of the sites by land cover types and climate regions will be conducted which might result in a more diverse performance of the algorithms.

Soil CO2 flux in alley-cropping systems composed of black locust and poplar trees, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medinski, Tetiana; Freese, Dirk; Boehm, Christian

2013-04-01

The understanding of soil carbon dynamics after establishment of alley-cropping systems is crucial for mitigation of greenhouse CO2 gas. This study investigates soil CO2 fluxes in alley-cropping systems composed of strips of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and poplar (Max 1) trees and adjacent to them crop strips (Lupinus). Soil CO2 flux was measured monthly over a period from March to November 2012, using a LI-COR LI-8100A automated device. Concurrently with CO2 flux measurements, soil and air temperature and soil moisture were recorded within 10 cm of each collar. Soil samples were collected nearby each soil collar for microbial C and hot water-extractable C analyses. At each study plot, root biomass was measured to a depth of 15 cm. In all vegetation types, soil CO2 flux increased from May to August, showing a significant positive correlation with air and soil temperature, which can be a reflection of increase in photosynthesis over the warm summer months. CO2 flux was the highest in poplar followed by black locust and lupines. The relationships between CO2 flux, microbial biomass and hot water-extractable carbon were not straightforward. Among the measured parameters, root density was found to be the main factor to explain the higher CO2 flux in tree strips.

[Research about effect of spray drying conditions on hygroscopicity of spray dry powder of gubi compound's water extract and its mechanism].

PubMed

Zong, Jie; Shao, Qi; Zhang, Hong-Qing; Pan, Yong-Lan; Zhu, Hua-Xu; Guo, Li-Wei

2014-02-01

To investigate moisture content and hygroscopicity of spray dry powder of Gubi compound's water extract obtained at different spray drying conditions and laying a foundation for spray drying process of Chinese herbal compound preparation. In the paper, on the basis of single-factor experiments, the author choose inlet temperature, liquid density, feed rate, air flow rate as investigated factors. The experimental absorption rate-time curve and scanning electron microscopy results showed that under different spray drying conditions the spray-dried powders have different morphology and different adsorption process. At different spray-dried conditions, the morphology and water content of the powder is different, these differences lead to differences in the adsorption process, at the appropriate inlet temperature and feed rate with a higher sample density and lower air flow rate, in the experimental system the optimum conditions is inlet temperature of 150 degrees C, feed density of 1.05 g x mL(-1), feed rate of 20 mL x min(-1) air flow rate of 30 m3 x h(-1).

SMOS Soil Moisture Data Assimilation in the NASA Land Information System: Impact on LSM Initialization and NWP Forecasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley

2015-01-01

Land surface models are important components of numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, partitioning incoming energy into latent and sensitive heat fluxes that affect boundary layer growth and destabilization. During warm-season months, diurnal heating and convective initiation depend strongly on evapotranspiration and available boundary layer moisture, which are substantially affected by soil moisture content. Therefore, to properly simulate warm-season processes in NWP models, an accurate initialization of the land surface state is important for accurately depicting the exchange of heat and moisture between the surface and boundary layer. In this study, soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite radiometer are assimilated into the Noah Land Surface Model via an Ensemble Kalman Filter embedded within the NASA Land Information System (LIS) software framework. The output from LIS-Noah is subsequently used to initialize runs of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) NWP model. The impact of assimilating SMOS retrievals is assessed by initializing the WRF model with LIS-Noah output obtained with and without SMOS data assimilation. The southeastern United States is used as the domain for a preliminary case study. During the summer months, there is extensive irrigation in the lower Mississippi Valley for rice and other crops. The irrigation is not represented in the meteorological forcing used to drive the LIS-Noah integration, but the irrigated areas show up clearly in the SMOS soil moisture retrievals, resulting in a case with a large difference in initial soil moisture conditions. The impact of SMOS data assimilation on both Noah soil moisture fields and on short-term (0-48 hour) WRF weather forecasts will be presented.

Soil Tillage Management Affects Maize Grain Yield by Regulating Spatial Distribution Coordination of Roots, Soil Moisture and Nitrogen Status.

PubMed

Wang, Xinbing; Zhou, Baoyuan; Sun, Xuefang; Yue, Yang; Ma, Wei; Zhao, Ming

2015-01-01

The spatial distribution of the root system through the soil profile has an impact on moisture and nutrient uptake by plants, affecting growth and productivity. The spatial distribution of the roots, soil moisture, and fertility are affected by tillage practices. The combination of high soil density and the presence of a soil plow pan typically impede the growth of maize (Zea mays L.).We investigated the spatial distribution coordination of the root system, soil moisture, and N status in response to different soil tillage treatments (NT: no-tillage, RT: rotary-tillage, SS: subsoiling) and the subsequent impact on maize yield, and identify yield-increasing mechanisms and optimal soil tillage management practices. Field experiments were conducted on the Huang-Huai-Hai plain in China during 2011 and 2012. The SS and RT treatments significantly reduced soil bulk density in the top 0-20 cm layer of the soil profile, while SS significantly decreased soil bulk density in the 20-30 cm layer. Soil moisture in the 20-50 cm profile layer was significantly higher for the SS treatment compared to the RT and NT treatment. In the 0-20 cm topsoil layer, the NT treatment had higher soil moisture than the SS and RT treatments. Root length density of the SS treatment was significantly greater than density of the RT and NT treatments, as soil depth increased. Soil moisture was reduced in the soil profile where root concentration was high. SS had greater soil moisture depletion and a more concentration root system than RT and NT in deep soil. Our results suggest that the SS treatment improved the spatial distribution of root density, soil moisture and N states, thereby promoting the absorption of soil moisture and reducing N leaching via the root system in the 20-50 cm layer of the profile. Within the context of the SS treatment, a root architecture densely distributed deep into the soil profile, played a pivotal role in plants' ability to access nutrients and water. An optimal combination of deeper deployment of roots and resource (water and N) availability was realized where the soil was prone to leaching. The correlation between the depletion of resources and distribution of patchy roots endorsed the SS tillage practice. It resulted in significantly greater post-silking biomass and grain yield compared to the RT and NT treatments, for summer maize on the Huang-Huai-Hai plain.

Soil Tillage Management Affects Maize Grain Yield by Regulating Spatial Distribution Coordination of Roots, Soil Moisture and Nitrogen Status

PubMed Central

Wang, Xinbing; Zhou, Baoyuan; Sun, Xuefang; Yue, Yang; Ma, Wei; Zhao, Ming

2015-01-01

The spatial distribution of the root system through the soil profile has an impact on moisture and nutrient uptake by plants, affecting growth and productivity. The spatial distribution of the roots, soil moisture, and fertility are affected by tillage practices. The combination of high soil density and the presence of a soil plow pan typically impede the growth of maize (Zea mays L.).We investigated the spatial distribution coordination of the root system, soil moisture, and N status in response to different soil tillage treatments (NT: no-tillage, RT: rotary-tillage, SS: subsoiling) and the subsequent impact on maize yield, and identify yield-increasing mechanisms and optimal soil tillage management practices. Field experiments were conducted on the Huang-Huai-Hai plain in China during 2011 and 2012. The SS and RT treatments significantly reduced soil bulk density in the top 0–20 cm layer of the soil profile, while SS significantly decreased soil bulk density in the 20–30 cm layer. Soil moisture in the 20–50 cm profile layer was significantly higher for the SS treatment compared to the RT and NT treatment. In the 0-20 cm topsoil layer, the NT treatment had higher soil moisture than the SS and RT treatments. Root length density of the SS treatment was significantly greater than density of the RT and NT treatments, as soil depth increased. Soil moisture was reduced in the soil profile where root concentration was high. SS had greater soil moisture depletion and a more concentration root system than RT and NT in deep soil. Our results suggest that the SS treatment improved the spatial distribution of root density, soil moisture and N states, thereby promoting the absorption of soil moisture and reducing N leaching via the root system in the 20–50 cm layer of the profile. Within the context of the SS treatment, a root architecture densely distributed deep into the soil profile, played a pivotal role in plants’ ability to access nutrients and water. An optimal combination of deeper deployment of roots and resource (water and N) availability was realized where the soil was prone to leaching. The correlation between the depletion of resources and distribution of patchy roots endorsed the SS tillage practice. It resulted in significantly greater post-silking biomass and grain yield compared to the RT and NT treatments, for summer maize on the Huang-Huai-Hai plain. PMID:26098548

Moisture adsorption in optical coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macleod, H. Angus

1988-01-01

The thin film filter is a very large aperture component which is exceedingly useful because of its small size, flexibility and ease of mounting. Thin film components, however, do have defects of performance and especially of stability which can cause problems in systems, particularly where long-term measurements are being made. Of all of the problems, those associated with moisture absorption are the most serious. Moisture absorption occurs in the pore-shaped voids inherent in the columnar structure of the layers. Ion-assisted deposition is a promising technique for substantially reducing moisture adsorption effects in thin film structures.

Downscaling Satellite Data for Predicting Catchment-scale Root Zone Soil Moisture with Ground-based Sensors and an Ensemble Kalman Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, H.; Baldwin, D. C.; Smithwick, E. A. H.

2015-12-01

Predicting root zone (0-100 cm) soil moisture (RZSM) content at a catchment-scale is essential for drought and flood predictions, irrigation planning, weather forecasting, and many other applications. Satellites, such as the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), can estimate near-surface (0-5 cm) soil moisture content globally at coarse spatial resolutions. We develop a hierarchical Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) data assimilation modeling system to downscale satellite-based near-surface soil moisture and to estimate RZSM content across the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory at a 1-m resolution in combination with ground-based soil moisture sensor data. In this example, a simple infiltration model within the EnKF-model has been parameterized for 6 soil-terrain units to forecast daily RZSM content in the catchment from 2009 - 2012 based on AMSRE. LiDAR-derived terrain variables define intra-unit RZSM variability using a novel covariance localization technique. This method also allows the mapping of uncertainty with our RZSM estimates for each time-step. A catchment-wide satellite-to-surface downscaling parameter, which nudges the satellite measurement closer to in situ near-surface data, is also calculated for each time-step. We find significant differences in predicted root zone moisture storage for different terrain units across the experimental time-period. Root mean square error from a cross-validation analysis of RZSM predictions using an independent dataset of catchment-wide in situ Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) measurements ranges from 0.060-0.096 cm3 cm-3, and the RZSM predictions are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with TDR measurements [r = 0.47-0.68]. The predictive skill of this data assimilation system is similar to the Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Modeling (PIHM) system. Uncertainty estimates are significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to cross validation error during wet and dry conditions, but more so in dry summer seasons. Developing an EnKF-model system that downscales satellite data and predicts catchment-scale RZSM content is especially timely, given the anticipated release of SMAP surface moisture data in 2015.

Multi-model perspectives and inter-comparison of soil moisture and evapotranspiration in East Africa—an application of Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pervez, M. S.; McNally, A.; Arsenault, K. R.

2017-12-01

Convergence of evidence from different agro-hydrologic sources is particularly important for drought monitoring in data sparse regions. In Africa, a combination of remote sensing and land surface modeling experiments are used to evaluate past, present and future drought conditions. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS) routinely simulates daily soil moisture, evapotranspiration (ET) and other variables over Africa using multiple models and inputs. We found that Noah 3.3, Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) 4.1.2, and Catchment Land Surface Model based FLDAS simulations of monthly soil moisture percentile maps captured concurrent drought and water surplus episodes effectively over East Africa. However, the results are sensitive to selection of land surface model and hydrometeorological forcings. We seek to identify sources of uncertainty (input, model, parameter) to eventually improve the accuracy of FLDAS outputs. In absence of in situ data, previous work used European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative Soil Moisture (CCI-SM) data measured from merged active-passive microwave remote sensing to evaluate FLDAS soil moisture, and found that during the high rainfall months of April-May and November-December Noah-based soil moisture correlate well with CCI-SM over the Greater Horn of Africa region. We have found good correlations (r>0.6) for FLDAS Noah 3.3 ET anomalies and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) ET over East Africa. Recently, SSEBop ET estimates (version 4) were improved by implementing a land surface temperature correction factor. We re-evaluate the correlations between FLDAS ET and version 4 SSEBop ET. To further investigate the reasons for differences between models we evaluate FLDAS soil moisture with Advanced Scatterometer and SMAP soil moisture and FLDAS outputs with MODIS and AVHRR normalized difference vegetation index. By exploring longer historic time series and near-real time products we will be aiding convergence of evidence for better understanding of historic drought, improved monitoring and forecasting, and better understanding of uncertainties of water availability estimation over Africa

Role of Subsurface Physics in the Assimilation of Surface Soil Moisture Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, R. H.

2010-01-01

Root zone soil moisture controls the land-atmosphere exchange of water and energy and exhibits memory that may be useful for climate prediction at monthly scales. Assimilation of satellite-based surface soil moisture observations into a land surface model is an effective way to estimate large-scale root zone soil moisture. The propagation of surface information into deeper soil layers depends on the model-specific representation of subsurface physics that is used in the assimilation system. In a suite of experiments we assimilate synthetic surface soil moisture observations into four different models (Catchment, Mosaic, Noah and CLM) using the Ensemble Kalman Filter. We demonstrate that identical twin experiments significantly overestimate the information that can be obtained from the assimilation of surface soil moisture observations. The second key result indicates that the potential of surface soil moisture assimilation to improve root zone information is higher when the surface to root zone coupling is stronger. Our experiments also suggest that (faced with unknown true subsurface physics) overestimating surface to root zone coupling in the assimilation system provides more robust skill improvements in the root zone compared with underestimating the coupling. When CLM is excluded from the analysis, the skill improvements from using models with different vertical coupling strengths are comparable for different subsurface truths. Finally, the skill improvements through assimilation were found to be sensitive to the regional climate and soil types.

Assimilation of spatially sparse in situ soil moisture networks into a continuous model domain

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Growth in the availability of near-real-time soil moisture observations from ground-based networks has spurred interest in the assimilation of these observations into land surface models via a two-dimensional data assimilation system. However, the design of such systems is currently hampered by our ...

Correlation between near infrared spectroscopy and electrical techniques in measuring skin moisture content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, M.; Sabbri, A. R. M.; Mat Jafri, M. Z.; Omar, A. F.

2014-11-01

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technique serves as an important tool for the measurement of moisture content of skin owing to the advantages it has over the other techniques. The purpose of the study is to develop a correlation between NIR spectrometer with electrical conventional techniques for skin moisture measurement. A non-invasive measurement of moisture content of skin was performed on different part of human face and hand under control environment (temperature 21 ± 1 °C, relative humidity 45 ± 5 %). Ten healthy volunteers age between 21-25 (male and female) participated in this study. The moisture content of skin was measured using DermaLab® USB Moisture Module, Scalar Moisture Checker and NIR spectroscopy (NIRQuest). Higher correlation was observed between NIRQuest and Dermalab moisture probe with a coefficient of determination (R2) above 70 % for all the subjects. However, the value of R2 between NIRQuest and Moisture Checker was observed to be lower with the R2 values ranges from 51.6 to 94.4 %. The correlation of NIR spectroscopy technique successfully developed for measuring moisture content of the skin. The analysis of this correlation can help to establish novel instruments based on an optical system in clinical used especially in the dermatology field.

Solid state fermentation of carinata (Brassica carinata) meal using various fungal strains to produce a protein-rich product for feed application

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, the efficacy of several fungal strains to reduce GLS (GLS) content and enhance protein content during solid state fermentation (SSF) of carinata meal was evaluated. Solid state fermentation of hexane extracted (HE) and cold pressed (CP) carinata meals were performed at 50% moisture co...

Time-domain NMR study of the drying of hemicellulose extracted aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)

Treesearch

Thomas Elder; Carl Houtman

2013-01-01

The effect of hot water on aspen chips has been evaluated using time-domain low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. At moisture contents above fiber saturation point, treated chips exhibit relaxation times of free water longer than for the control. This is consistent with the removal of hemicelluloses given the hydrophilicity of these polysaccharides....

SigmaPlot 2000, Version 6.00, SPSS Inc. Computer Software Project Management, Requirements, and Design Document

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

HURLBUT, S.T.

2000-10-24

SigmaPlot is a vendor software product that will be used to convert the area under an absorbance curve generated by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) to a relative area. SigmaPlot will be used in conjunction with procedure ZA-565-301, ''Determination of Moisture by Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Infrared Detection.''

Ultrasonic Clothes Drying Technology

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

Patel, Viral; Momen, Ayyoub

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers Ayyoub Momen and Viral Patel demonstrate a direct contact ultrasonic clothes dryer under development by ORNL in collaboration with General Electric (GE) Appliances. This novel approach uses high-frequency mechanical vibrations instead of heat to extract moisture as cold mist, dramatically reducing drying time and energy use. Funding for this project was competitively awarded by DOE’s Building Technologies Office in 2014.

Multifrequency remote sensing of soil moisture. [Guymon, Oklahoma and Dalhart, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Theis, S. W.; Mcfarland, M. J.; Rosenthal, W. D.; Jones, C. L. (Principal Investigator)

1982-01-01

Multifrequency sensor data collected at Guymon, Oklahoma and Dalhart, Texas using NASA's C-130 aircraft were used to determine which of the all-weather microwave sensors demonstrated the highest correlation to surface soil moisture over optimal bare soil conditions, and to develop and test techniques which use visible/infrared sensors to compensate for the vegetation effect in this sensor's response to soil moisture. The L-band passive microwave radiometer was found to be the most suitable single sensor system to estimate soil moisture over bare fields. In comparison to other active and passive microwave sensors the L-band radiometer (1) was influenced least by ranges in surface roughness; (2) demonstrated the most sensitivity to soil moisture differences in terms of the range of return from the full range of soil moisture; and (3) was less sensitive to errors in measurement in relation to the range of sensor response. L-band emissivity related more strongly to soil moisture when moisture was expressed as percent of field capacity. The perpendicular vegetation index as determined from the visible/infrared sensors was useful as a measure of the vegetation effect on the L-band radiometer response to soil moisture.

The effects of beta-adrenergic blockade on body composition in free-fed and diet-restricted rats.

PubMed

Ji, L L; Doan, T D; Lennon, D L; Nagle, F J; Lardy, H A

1987-04-01

The effects of the non-selective beta-adrenergic blocking agent propranolol (known for its anti-lipolytic activity) on body composition were investigated in growing male rats on normal unrestricted diet (N = 7) and on diet restriction (N = 7, 95% of controls). Three animals in each group were injected i.p. with 30 mg propranolol per kg body weight (bw) dissolved in saline, 5 days/week. This dose attenuates exercising heart rate by 25% and exercise training-induced enzyme activity. The remaining animals received saline. Fat, glycogen, moisture and non-ether extractable residue were determined in the homogenized residue of the whole animal. After 9 weeks on the experimental regimen, bw gain was significantly lower in the diet restricted rats, whereas propranolol had no effect on the bw gain. The percentage of fat, moisture and non-ether extractable residue were unchanged by either propranolol or diet restriction. However, glycogen content was significantly lower in the beta-blocked rats either with or without diet restriction. These data indicated that neither beta-adrenergic blockade nor minimal diet restriction influences the percentage body fat, whereas body glycogen content is decreased under both conditions.

Large area mapping of soil moisture using the ESTAR passive microwave radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, T. J.; Levine, D. M.; Swift, C. T.; Schmugge, T. J.

1994-01-01

Investigations designed to study land surface hydrologic-atmospheric interactions, showing the potential of L band passive microwave radiometry for measuring surface soil moisture over large areas, are discussed. Satisfying the data needs of these investigations requires the ability to map large areas rapidly. With aircraft systems this means a need for more beam positions over a wider swath on each flightline. For satellite systems the essential problem is resolution. Both of these needs are currently being addressed through the development and verification of Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) technology. The ESTAR L band radiometer was evaluated for soil moisture mapping applications in two studies. The first was conducted over the semiarid rangeland Walnut Gulch watershed located in south eastern Arizona (U.S.). The second was performed in the subhumid Little Washita watershed in south west Oklahoma (U.S.). Both tests showed that the ESTAR is capable of providing soil moisture with the same level of accuracy as existing systems.

Nondestructive and Real-time Measurement of Moisture in Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Yuichi; Kawase, Kodo; Mizuno, Maya; Yamashita, Masatsugu; Otani, Chiko

We constructed a THz transillumination system for water content monitoring, and we succeeded in measuring the moisture level in plants. Our measurement system uses a widely tunable coherent THz parametric oscillator source. As target we chose for this experiment a leaf of Japanese basil. The time variation of the water content in the leaf was monitored in two situations: a leaf freshly cut which is left to dry out, and the leaf of a water stressed plant. We found by real-time measurements that the water content of a cut leaf does not decrease uniformly in time. Also, the response to water stress is delayed by about 5-10 minutes. Furthermore, we demonstrated a moisture measurement using a transillumination THz imaging system. As target we chose for this experiment a leaf of Hedera helix held between two thin plastic sheets. The change of the moisture distribution is clearly visible. These results show that the method described here can be applied to nondestructive and real-time monitoring of water content in plants.

Evaluation of a Soil Moisture Data Assimilation System Over the Conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J. D.; Crow, W. T.; Zhan, X.; Reynolds, C. A.; Jackson, T. J.

2008-12-01

A data assimilation system has been designed to integrate surface soil moisture estimates from the EOS Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) with an online soil moisture model used by the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service for global crop estimation. USDA's International Production Assessment Division (IPAD) of the Office of Global Analysis (OGA) ingests global soil moisture within a Crop Assessment Data Retrieval and Evaluation (CADRE) Decision Support System (DSS) to provide nowcasts of crop conditions and agricultural-drought. This information is primarily used to derive mid-season crop yield estimates for the improvement of foreign market access for U.S. agricultural products. The CADRE is forced by daily meteorological observations (precipitation and temperature) provided by the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The integration of AMSR-E observations into the two-layer soil moisture model employed by IPAD can potentially enhance the reliability of the CADRE soil moisture estimates due to AMSR-E's improved repeat time and greater spatial coverage. Assimilation of the AMSR-E soil moisture estimates is accomplished using a 1-D Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) at daily time steps. A diagnostic calibration of the filter is performed using innovation statistics by accurately weighting the filter observation and modeling errors for three ranges of vegetation biomass density estimated using historical data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Assessment of the AMSR-E assimilation has been completed for a five year duration over the conterminous United States. To evaluate the ability of the filter to compensate for incorrect precipitation forcing into the model, a data denial approach is employed by comparing soil moisture results obtained from separate model simulations forced with precipitation products of varying uncertainty. An analysis of surface and root-zone anomalies is presented for each model simulation over the conterminous United States, as well as statistical assessments for each simulation over various land cover types.

Influences of Moisture Regimes and Functional Plant Types on Nutrient Cycling in Permafrost Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCaully, R. E.; Arendt, C. A.; Newman, B. D.; Heikoop, J. M.; Wilson, C. J.; Sevanto, S.; Wales, N. A.; Wullschleger, S.

2017-12-01

In the permafrost-dominated Arctic, climatic feedbacks exist between permafrost, soil moisture, functional plant type and presence of nutrients. Functional plant types present within the Arctic regulate and respond to changes in hydrologic regimes and nutrient cycling. Specifically, alders are a member of the birch family that use root nodules to fix nitrogen, which is a limiting nutrient strongly linked to fertilizing Arctic ecosystems. Previous investigations in the Seward Peninsula, AK show elevated presence of nitrate within and downslope of alder patches in degraded permafrost systems, with concentrations an order of magnitude greater than that of nitrate measured above these patches. Further observations within these degraded permafrost systems are crucial to assess whether alders are drivers of, or merely respond to, nitrate fluxes. In addition to vegetative feedbacks with nitrate supply, previous studies have also linked low moisture content to high nitrate production. Within discontinuous permafrost regions, the absence of permafrost creates well-drained regions with unsaturated soils whereas the presence of permafrost limits vertical drainage of soil-pore water creating elevated soil moisture content, which likely corresponds to lower nitrate concentrations. We investigate these feedbacks further in the Seward Peninsula, AK, through research supported by the United States Department of Energy Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment (NGEE) - Arctic. Using soil moisture and thaw depth as proxies to determine the extent of permafrost degradation, we identify areas of discontinuous permafrost over a heterogeneous landscape and collect co-located soilwater chemistry samples to highlight the complex relationships that exist between alder patches, soil moisture regimes, the presence of permafrost and available nitrate supply. Understanding the role of nitrogen in degrading permafrost systems, in the context of both vegetation present and soil moisture, is crucial to understand the impacts of a warming climate on biogeochemical cycling in permafrost regions.

Soil moisture dynamics modeling considering multi-layer root zone.

PubMed

Kumar, R; Shankar, V; Jat, M K

2013-01-01

The moisture uptake by plant from soil is a key process for plant growth and movement of water in the soil-plant system. A non-linear root water uptake (RWU) model was developed for a multi-layer crop root zone. The model comprised two parts: (1) model formulation and (2) moisture flow prediction. The developed model was tested for its efficiency in predicting moisture depletion in a non-uniform root zone. A field experiment on wheat (Triticum aestivum) was conducted in the sub-temperate sub-humid agro-climate of Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India. Model-predicted soil moisture parameters, i.e., moisture status at various depths, moisture depletion and soil moisture profile in the root zone, are in good agreement with experiment results. The results of simulation emphasize the utility of the RWU model across different agro-climatic regions. The model can be used for sound irrigation management especially in water-scarce humid, temperate, arid and semi-arid regions and can also be integrated with a water transport equation to predict the solute uptake by plant biomass.

Joint microwave and infrared studies for soil moisture determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Njoku, E. G.; Schieldge, J. P.; Kahle, A. B. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

The feasibility of using a combined microwave-thermal infrared system to determine soil moisture content is addressed. Of particular concern are bare soils. The theoretical basis for microwave emission from soils and the transport of heat and moisture in soils is presented. Also, a description is given of the results of two field experiments held during vernal months in the San Joaquin Valley of California.

Synergistic Utilization of Microwave Satellite Data and GRACE-Total Water Storage Anomaly for Improving Available Water Capacity Prediction in Lower Mekong Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, M.; Bolten, J. D.; Lakshmi, V.

2015-12-01

The Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia and the world's eighth largest in discharge with draining an area of 795,000 km² from the eastern watershed of the Tibetan Plateau to the Mekong Delta including three provinces of China, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam. This makes the life of people highly vulnerable to availability of the water resources as soil moisture is one of the major fundamental variables in global hydrological cycles. The day-to-day variability in soil moisture on field to global scales is an important quantity for early warning systems for events like flooding and drought. In addition to the extreme situations the accurate soil moisture retrieval are important for agricultural irrigation scheduling and water resource management. The present study proposes a method to determine the effective soil hydraulic parameters directly from information available for the soil moisture state from the recently launched SMAP (L-band) microwave remote sensing observations. Since the optimized parameters are based on the near surface soil moisture information, further constraints are applied during the numerical simulation through the assimilation of GRACE Total Water Storage (TWS) within the physically based land surface model. This work addresses the improvement of available water capacity as the soil hydraulic parameters are optimized through the utilization of satellite-retrieved near surface soil moisture. The initial ranges of soil hydraulic parameters are taken in correspondence with the values available from the literature based on FAO. The optimization process is divided into two steps: the state variable are optimized and the optimal parameter values are then transferred for retrieving soil moisture and streamflow. A homogeneous soil system is considered as the soil moisture from sensors such as AMSR-E/SMAP can only be retrieved for the top few centimeters of soil. To evaluate the performance of the system in helping improve simulation accuracy and whether they can be used to obtain soil moisture profiles at poorly gauged catchments the root mean square error (RMSE) and Mean Bias error (MBE) are used to measure the performance of the simulations.

Phase Sensitiveness to Soil Moisture in Controlled Anechoic Chamber: Measurements and First Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ben Khadhra, K.; Nolan, M.; Hounam, D.; Boerner, T.

2005-12-01

To date many radar methods and models have been reported for the estimation of soil moisture, such as the Oh-model or the Dubois model. Those models, which use only the magnitude of the backscattered signal, show results with 5 to 10 % accuracy. In the last two decades SAR Interferometry (InSAR) and differential InSAR (DInSAR), which uses the phase of the backscattered signal, has been shown to be a useful tool for the creation of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs), and temporal changes due to earthquakes, subsidence, and other ground motions. Nolan (2003) also suggested the possibility to use DINSAR penetration depth as a proxy to estimate the soil moisture. The principal is based on the relationship between the penetration depth and the permittivity, which varies as a function of soil moisture. In this paper we will present new interferometric X-band laboratory measurements, which have been carried out in the Bistatic Measurement Facility at the DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, Microwaves and Radar Institute in Germany. The bistatic geometry enables us to have interferometric pairs with different baseline and different soil moistures controlled by a TDR (Time Domain Reflectivity) system. After calibration of the measuring system using a large metal plate, the sensitivity of phase and reflectivity with regard to moisture variation and therefore the penetration depth was evaluated. The effect of the surface roughness has been also reported. Current results demonstrate a non-linear relationship between the signal phase and the soil moisture, as expected, confirming the possibility of using DInSAR to measure variations in soil moisture.

Assessment of the physical, mechanical, and moisture-retention properties of pullulan-based ternary co-blended films.

PubMed

Pan, Hongyang; Jiang, Bo; Chen, Jie; Jin, Zhengyu

2014-11-04

Multi-component substances made through direct blending or blending with co-drying can form films on the surfaces of intermediate moisture foods (IMFs), which help retain moisture and protect food texture and flavor. An IMF film system based on pullulan, with glycerol serving as the plasticizer, was studied using alginate and four different types of polysaccharides (propyleneglycol alginate, pectin, carrageenan, and aloe polysaccharide) as the blend-modified substances. The physical, mechanical, color, transparency, and moisture-retention properties of the co-blended films with the polysaccharides were assessed. A new formula was established for the average moisture retention property, water barrier, tensile strength, elongation at break, and oxygen barrier property of the ternary co-blended films using the Design Expert software. The new model established for moisture content measurement used an indirect method of film formation on food surfaces by humectants, which should expedite model validation and allow a better comprehension of moisture transfer through edible films. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vivo automated quantification of quality of apples during storage using optical coherence tomography images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Vishal; Dalal, Devjyoti; Kumar, Anuj; Prakash, Surya; Dalal, Krishna

2018-06-01

Moisture content is an important feature of fruits and vegetables. As 80% of apple content is water, so decreasing the moisture content will degrade the quality of apples (Golden Delicious). The computational and texture features of the apples were extracted from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. A support vector machine with a Gaussian kernel model was used to perform automated classification. To evaluate the quality of wax coated apples during storage in vivo, our proposed method opens up the possibility of fully automated quantitative analysis based on the morphological features of apples. Our results demonstrate that the analysis of the computational and texture features of OCT images may be a good non-destructive method for the assessment of the quality of apples.

Production of laccase from Trametes versicolor by solid-state fermentation using olive leaves as a phenolic substrate.

PubMed

Aydinoğlu, Tuğba; Sargin, Sayit

2013-02-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether olive leaves were feasible as a substrate for laccase production by the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor FPRL 28A INI under solid-state fermentation conditions. Different experiments were conducted to select the variables that allow obtaining high levels of laccase activity. In particular, the effects of the initial moisture content, substrate particle size, supplementation with inorganic and organic nitrogen sources were evaluated. Highest laccase activity (276.62 ± 25.67 U/g dry substrate) was achieved with 80 % initial moisture content and 1.4-1.6 mm particle size of the substrate supplemented with yeast extract (1 % (w/w) nitrogen). Such a high activity was obtained without any addition of inducers.

Evaluating the efficacy of a centrifugation-flotation method for extracting Ascaris ova from soil.

PubMed

Cranston, Imogen; Teoh, Penelope J; Baker, Sarah M; Sengupta, Mita E; Ensink, Jeroen H J

2016-07-01

Soil transmitted helminths (STH) continue to be associated with high burdens of disease, with an estimated 1.45 billion people infected with STH globally. The promotion and construction of latrines is considered the first barrier to prevent transmission of STH. The absence of a reliable method to extract STH ova from soil makes it challenging to examine whether the use of latrines may or may not have an effect on environmental contamination with ova. The present study evaluated the recovery rate of a method developed to extract STH ova from soil. The adapted centrifugation and flotation technique was applied to 15 soil types, which were seeded with Ascaris suum ova. Soil type, soil moisture content, soil texture and organic matter content were assessed for each soil sample. The average ova recovery rate was 28.2%, with the recovery rate of the method decreasing with increasing soil moisture content, particle size and organic matter content. The association between recovery rate and organic matter content was statistically significant. The present study identified a low recovery rate for an adapted centrifugation-flotation method, although this was similar to the recovery rate demonstrated by other methods developed for soil. Soil organic matter content was significantly associated with ova recovery rates. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Looking inside out: tracing internal moisture and salinity changes in dunes on the west coast of Ireland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nash, Ciaran; Bourke, Mary

2017-04-01

Coastal sand dune systems are some of the most physically dynamic landscapes; their susceptibility to geomorphic change is rooted in a host of interconnected processes and feedbacks. Soil moisture and salinity are two fundamental environmental variables capable of exerting a geomorphic influence but have not been thoroughly investigated in coastal dunes. In northwest Europe, coastal dunes are predominantly sediment-limited systems with reduced capacities to avoid severe morphological changes arising from storms. Climatic changes over the next century are predicted to manifest in more frequent and intense storms with the potential to enact severe geomorphic change in coastal settings. A lack of data pertaining to internal dune hydrosaline dynamics suggests we are missing part of the bigger picture. We conducted a pilot study of moisture and salinity dynamics within the upper 50 cm of the vadose zone in a vegetated dune system at Golden Strand, Achill Island on the west coast of Ireland. Golden Strand is a roughly 800 m long embayed sandy beach, backed by vegetated dunes that protect a low-lying machair grassland. A study transect was established across this dune-machair system, perpendicular to the shore. Innovative instrumentation in the form of capacitance probes and internal dune thermochrons were deployed to sample at 10 cm depth intervals at a sampling rate of 10 minutes and coupled with on-site rainfall data. Results indicate that dune moisture tracks rainfall inputs up to 30 cm depth. Antecedent moisture at depth was found to influence infiltration of water through the dune profile. Salinity within the study transect decreased with distance from the beach, suggesting that salt spray is the primary salt delivery mechanism in the dune system. We also noted that moisture and salinity below 30 cm depth failed to respond to rainfall events of varying intensities. Relatively constant moisture and salinity were observed at all depths within the machair. Predictions of climatic change for Ireland suggest more intense short-period precipitation events, this may increase infiltration depth. Baseline data collected will prove informative in predicting the response of Irish coastal dunes via changes in vegetation and dune stability.

Assimilating remote sensing observations of leaf area index and soil moisture for wheat yield estimates: An observing system simulation experiment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We develop a robust understanding of the effects of assimilating remote sensing observations of leaf area index and soil moisture (in the top 5 cm) on DSSAT-CSM CropSim-Ceres wheat yield estimates. Synthetic observing system simulation experiments compare the abilities of the Ensemble Kalman Filter...

Storage stability and improvement of intermediate moisture foods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labuza, T. P.

1973-01-01

The rates of chemical reactions which deteriorate foods prepared to an intermediate moisture content and water activity (A sub w 0.6 to 0.9) were studied. The phenomenon of sorption hysteresis was used to prepare model systems and foods to similar A sub w's but different moisture levels so that the separate effects of water binding and water content could be elucidated. It was found that water content is the controlling factor for lipid oxidation in model systems comprised of a solid support and an oxidizable liquid. It was proposed that metal chelating agents like EDTA should give good protection to oxidation. EDTA exhibited the highest efficacy, about 10-15 times better than BHA which is a radical scavenger when studied in the model systems.

Soil moisture variations in remotely sensed and reanalysis datasets during weak monsoon conditions over central India and central Myanmar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Sourabh; Kar, Sarat C.; Sharma, Anu Rani

2017-07-01

Variation of soil moisture during active and weak phases of summer monsoon JJAS (June, July, August, and September) is very important for sustenance of the crop and subsequent crop yield. As in situ observations of soil moisture are few or not available, researchers use data derived from remote sensing satellites or global reanalysis. This study documents the intercomparison of soil moisture from remotely sensed and reanalyses during dry spells within monsoon seasons in central India and central Myanmar. Soil moisture data from the European Space Agency (ESA)—Climate Change Initiative (CCI) has been treated as observed data and was compared against soil moisture data from the ECMWF reanalysis-Interim (ERA-I) and the climate forecast system reanalysis (CFSR) for the period of 2002-2011. The ESA soil moisture correlates rather well with observed gridded rainfall. The ESA data indicates that soil moisture increases over India from west to east and from north to south during monsoon season. The ERA-I overestimates the soil moisture over India, while the CFSR soil moisture agrees well with the remotely sensed observation (ESA). Over Myanmar, both the reanalysis overestimate soil moisture values and the ERA-I soil moisture does not show much variability from year to year. Day-to-day variations of soil moisture in central India and central Myanmar during weak monsoon conditions indicate that, because of the rainfall deficiency, the observed (ESA) and the CFSR soil moisture values are reduced up to 0.1 m3/m3 compared to climatological values of more than 0.35 m3/m3. This reduction is not seen in the ERA-I data. Therefore, soil moisture from the CFSR is closer to the ESA observed soil moisture than that from the ERA-I during weak phases of monsoon in the study region.

Influence of Moisture Content and Compression Axis on Physico-mechanical Properties of Shorea robusta Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashikumar, C.; Pradhan, R. C.; Mishra, S.

2018-06-01

Shorea robusta (Sal) is mainly harvested and processed for its seed oil, which has diverse application in commercial food and non-food based industries. Before extraction of its oil, seeds undergo into various post-harvest unit operations. Physical and mechanical properties play an important role in the handling and other processing activity. In this study influence of moisture content and compression axis of sal seed on physico-mechanical properties were studied and their application are highlighted. The experiments were conducted at five different moisture levels of 6.38, 10.49, 13.63, 17.64, and 21.95% (d.b) at two different orientations. The first orientation is on major axis (LEN) of the seed, and the other orientation is on intermediate or minor axis (WID), which is right angle to the major axis. It was observed that 68% of sal seeds were of medium size group at initial moisture content of 10.49% (d.b). The mean length and width of sal seed was found to be 26.7 mm and 12.8 mm, respectively. It was found that values of hardness, deformation at hardness, deformation at hardness percentage and energy for rupture were higher in minor axis (WID) as compared to the major axis (LEN). The results provide necessary data that may be useful to engineers, scientists, industries in the design of a suitable post-harvest processing machine.

Preliminary experiments on quantification of skin condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitajima, Kenzo; Iyatomi, Hitoshi

2014-03-01

In this study, we investigated a preliminary assessment method for skin conditions such as a moisturizing property and its fineness of the skin with an image analysis only. We captured a facial images from volunteer subjects aged between 30s and 60s by Pocket Micro (R) device (Scalar Co., Japan). This device has two image capturing modes; the normal mode and the non-reflection mode with the aid of the equipped polarization filter. We captured skin images from a total of 68 spots from subjects' face using both modes (i.e. total of 136 skin images). The moisture-retaining property of the skin and subjective evaluation score of the skin fineness in 5-point scale for each case were also obtained in advance as a gold standard (their mean and SD were 35.15 +/- 3.22 (μS) and 3.45 +/- 1.17, respectively). We extracted a total of 107 image features from each image and built linear regression models for estimating abovementioned criteria with a stepwise feature selection. The developed model for estimating the skin moisture achieved the MSE of 1.92 (μS) with 6 selected parameters, while the model for skin fineness achieved that of 0.51 scales with 7 parameters under the leave-one-out cross validation. We confirmed the developed models predicted the moisture-retaining property and fineness of the skin appropriately with only captured image.

Influence of Moisture Content and Compression Axis on Physico-mechanical Properties of Shorea robusta Seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shashikumar, C.; Pradhan, R. C.; Mishra, S.

2018-02-01

Shorea robusta (Sal) is mainly harvested and processed for its seed oil, which has diverse application in commercial food and non-food based industries. Before extraction of its oil, seeds undergo into various post-harvest unit operations. Physical and mechanical properties play an important role in the handling and other processing activity. In this study influence of moisture content and compression axis of sal seed on physico-mechanical properties were studied and their application are highlighted. The experiments were conducted at five different moisture levels of 6.38, 10.49, 13.63, 17.64, and 21.95% (d.b) at two different orientations. The first orientation is on major axis (LEN) of the seed, and the other orientation is on intermediate or minor axis (WID), which is right angle to the major axis. It was observed that 68% of sal seeds were of medium size group at initial moisture content of 10.49% (d.b). The mean length and width of sal seed was found to be 26.7 mm and 12.8 mm, respectively. It was found that values of hardness, deformation at hardness, deformation at hardness percentage and energy for rupture were higher in minor axis (WID) as compared to the major axis (LEN). The results provide necessary data that may be useful to engineers, scientists, industries in the design of a suitable post-harvest processing machine.

A quantitative comparison of soil moisture inversion algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zyl, J. J. van; Kim, Y.

2001-01-01

This paper compares the performance of four bare surface radar soil moisture inversion algorithms in the presence of measurement errors. The particular errors considered include calibration errors, system thermal noise, local topography and vegetation cover.

An online tool for Operational Probabilistic Drought Forecasting System (OPDFS): a Statistical-Dynamical Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarekarizi, M.; Moradkhani, H.; Yan, H.

2017-12-01

The Operational Probabilistic Drought Forecasting System (OPDFS) is an online tool recently developed at Portland State University for operational agricultural drought forecasting. This is an integrated statistical-dynamical framework issuing probabilistic drought forecasts monthly for the lead times of 1, 2, and 3 months. The statistical drought forecasting method utilizes copula functions in order to condition the future soil moisture values on the antecedent states. Due to stochastic nature of land surface properties, the antecedent soil moisture states are uncertain; therefore, data assimilation system based on Particle Filtering (PF) is employed to quantify the uncertainties associated with the initial condition of the land state, i.e. soil moisture. PF assimilates the satellite soil moisture data to Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) land surface model and ultimately updates the simulated soil moisture. The OPDFS builds on the NOAA's seasonal drought outlook by offering drought probabilities instead of qualitative ordinal categories and provides the user with the probability maps associated with a particular drought category. A retrospective assessment of the OPDFS showed that the forecasting of the 2012 Great Plains and 2014 California droughts were possible at least one month in advance. The OPDFS offers a timely assistance to water managers, stakeholders and decision-makers to develop resilience against uncertain upcoming droughts.

SMAP Data Assimilation at NASA SPoRT

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay B.; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.

2016-01-01

The NASA Short-Term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center maintains a near-real- time run of the Noah Land Surface Model within the Land Information System (LIS) at 3-km resolution. Soil moisture products from this model are used by several NOAA/National Weather Service Weather Forecast Offices for flood and drought situational awareness. We have implemented assimilation of soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active/ Passive (SMAP) satellites, and are now evaluating the SMAP assimilation. The SMAP-enhanced LIS product is planned for public release by October 2016.

Microwave remote sensing of soil moisture, volume 1. [Guymon, Oklahoma and Dalhart, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfarland, M. J. (Principal Investigator); Theis, S. W.; Rosenthal, W. D.; Jones, C. L.

1982-01-01

Multifrequency sensor data from NASA's C-130 aircraft were used to determine which of the all weather microwave sensors demonstrated the highest correlation to surface soil moisture over optimal bare soil conditions, and to develop and test techniques which use visible/infrared sensors to compensate for the vegetation effect in this sensor's response to soil moisture. The L-band passive microwave radiometer was found to be the most suitable single sensor system to estimate soil moisture over bare fields. The perpendicular vegetation index (PVI) as determined from the visible/infrared sensors was useful as a measure of the vegetation effect on the L-band radiometer response to soil moisture. A linear equation was developed to estimate percent field capacity as a function of L-band emissivity and the vegetation index. The prediction algorithm improves the estimation of moisture significantly over predictions from L-band emissivity alone.

In-line moisture monitoring in fluidized bed granulation using a novel multi-resonance microwave sensor.

PubMed

Peters, Johanna; Bartscher, Kathrin; Döscher, Claas; Taute, Wolfgang; Höft, Michael; Knöchel, Reinhard; Breitkreutz, Jörg

2017-08-01

Microwave resonance technology (MRT) is known as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for moisture measurements in fluid-bed granulation. It offers a great potential for wet granulation processes even where the suitability of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy is limited, e.g. colored granules, large variations in bulk density. However, previous sensor systems operating around a single resonance frequency showed limitations above approx. 7.5% granule moisture. This paper describes the application of a novel sensor working with four resonance frequencies. In-line data of all four resonance frequencies were collected and further processed. Based on calculation of density-independent microwave moisture values multiple linear regression (MLR) models using Karl-Fischer titration (KF) as well as loss on drying (LOD) as reference methods were build. Rapid, reliable in-process moisture control (RMSEP≤0.5%) even at higher moisture contents was achieved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Remediating pesticide contaminated soils using solvent extraction

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

Sahle-Demessie, E.; Meckes, M.C.; Richardson, T.L.

Bench-scale solvent extraction studies were performed on soil samples obtained from a Superfund site contaminated with high levels of p,p{prime}-DDT, p,p{prime}-DDE and toxaphene. The effectiveness of the solvent extraction process was assessed using methanol and 2-propanol as solvents over a wide range of operating conditions. It was demonstrated that a six-stage methanol extraction using a solvent-to-soil ratio of 1.6 can decrease pesticide levels in the soil by more than 99% and reduce the volume of material requiring further treatment by 25 times or more. The high solubility of the pesticides in methanol resulted in rapid extraction rates, with the systemmore » reaching quasi-equilibrium state in 30 minutes. The extraction efficiency was influenced by the number of extraction stages, the solvent-to-soil ratio, and the soil moisture content. Various methods were investigated to regenerate and recycle the solvent. Evaporation and solvent stripping are low cost and reliable methods for removing high pesticide concentrations from the solvent. For low concentrations, GAC adsorption may be used. Precipitating and filtering pesticides by adding water to the methanol/pesticide solution was not successful when tested with soil extracts. 26 refs., 10 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Actinomycetales from Corn

PubMed Central

Lyons, A. J.; Pridham, T. G.; Rogers, R. F.

1975-01-01

Mesophilic Actinomycetales were isolated from whole corn, brewer's grits, and break flour received from three different mills. In addition, strains were isolated from high-moisture (27%) field corn; high-moisture, silo-stored corn (untreated); and high-moisture corn treated with ammonia, ammonium isobutyrate, or propionic-acetic acid. According to standard techniques, 139 strains were extensively characterized and 207 additional strains were partially characterized. On the basis of these characterizations, the streptomycete strains were identified by both the systems of Pridham et al. and Hütter because these systems are rapid and accurate. In general, only Streptomyces griseus (Krainsky) Waksman and Henrici was isolated from high-moisture whole corn (treated or untreated) except from grain exposed to ammonium isobutyrate. Strains isolated from high-moisture corn subjected to that treatment represented both S. griseus and S. albus (Rossi Doria) Waksman and Henrici. The strains isolated from corn and corn products from the three mills were identified with a number of streptomycete species. Of all Actinomycetales isolated, only three were not streptomycetes—two from brewer's grits and one from break flour. Images PMID:803819

Radar for Measuring Soil Moisture Under Vegetation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moghaddam, Mahta; Moller, Delwyn; Rodriguez, Ernesto; Rahmat-Samii, Yahya

2004-01-01

A two-frequency, polarimetric, spaceborne synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system has been proposed for measuring the moisture content of soil as a function of depth, even in the presence of overlying vegetation. These measurements are needed because data on soil moisture under vegetation canopies are not available now and are necessary for completing mathematical models of global energy and water balance with major implications for global variations in weather and climate.

Practical Considerations of Moisture in Baled Biomass Feedstocks

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

William A. Smith; Ian J. Bonner; Kevin L. Kenney

2013-01-01

Agricultural residues make up a large portion of the immediately available biomass feedstock for renewable energy markets. Current collection and storage methods rely on existing feed and forage practices designed to preserve nutrients and properties of digestibility. Low-cost collection and storage practices that preserve carbohydrates across a range of inbound moisture contents are needed to assure the economic and technical success of the emerging biomass industry. This study examines the movement of moisture in storage and identifies patterns of migration resulting from several on-farm storage systems and their impacts on moisture measurement and dry matter recovery. Baled corn stover andmore » energy sorghum were stored outdoors in uncovered, tarp-covered, or wrapped stacks and sampled periodically to measure moisture and dry matter losses. Interpolation between discrete sampling locations in the stack improved bulk moisture content estimates and showed clear patterns of accumulation and re-deposition. Atmospheric exposure, orientation, and contact with barriers (i.e., soil, tarp, and wrap surfaces) were found to cause the greatest amount of moisture heterogeneity within stacks. Although the bulk moisture content of many stacks remained in the range suitable for aerobic stability, regions of high moisture were sufficient to support microbial activity, thus support dry matter loss. Stack configuration, orientation, and coverage methods are discussed relative to impact on moisture management and dry matter preservation. Additionally, sample collection and data analysis are discussed relative to assessment at the biorefinery as it pertains to stability in storage, queuing, and moisture carried into processing.« less

Congo Basin precipitation: Assessing seasonality, regional interactions, and sources of moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyer, Ellen L. E.; Jones, Dylan B. A.; Nusbaumer, Jesse; Li, Harry; Collins, Owen; Vettoretti, Guido; Noone, David

2017-07-01

Precipitation in the Congo Basin was examined using a version of the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model (CESM) with water tagging capability. Using regionally defined water tracers, or tags, the moisture contribution from different source regions to Congo Basin precipitation was investigated. We found that the Indian Ocean and evaporation from the Congo Basin were the dominant moisture sources and that the Atlantic Ocean was a comparatively small source of moisture. In both rainy seasons the southwestern Indian Ocean contributed about 21% of the moisture, while the recycling ratio for moisture from the Congo Basin was about 25%. Near the surface, a great deal of moisture is transported from the Atlantic into the Congo Basin, but much of this moisture is recirculated back over the Atlantic in the lower troposphere. Although the southwestern Indian Ocean is a major source of Indian Ocean moisture, it is not associated with the bulk of the variability in precipitation over the Congo Basin. In wet years, more of the precipitation in the Congo Basin is derived from Indian Ocean moisture, but the spatial distribution of the dominant sources is shifted, reflecting changes in the midtropospheric circulation over the Indian Ocean. During wet years there is increased transport of moisture from the equatorial and eastern Indian Ocean. Our results suggest that reliably capturing the linkages between the large-scale circulation patterns over the Indian Ocean and the local circulation over the Congo Basin is critical for future projections of Congo Basin precipitation.

Observations of a two-layer soil moisture influence on surface energy dynamics and planetary boundary layer characteristics in a semiarid shrubland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Mejia, Zulia Mayari; Papuga, Shirley A.

2014-01-01

We present an observational analysis examining soil moisture control on surface energy dynamics and planetary boundary layer characteristics. Understanding soil moisture control on land-atmosphere interactions will become increasingly important as climate change continues to alter water availability. In this study, we analyzed 4 years of data from the Santa Rita Creosote Ameriflux site. We categorized our data independently in two ways: (1) wet or dry seasons and (2) one of the four cases within a two-layer soil moisture framework for the root zone based on the presence or absence of moisture in shallow (0-20 cm) and deep (20-60 cm) soil layers. Using these categorizations, we quantified the soil moisture control on surface energy dynamics and planetary boundary layer characteristics using both average responses and linear regression. Our results highlight the importance of deep soil moisture in land-atmosphere interactions. The presence of deep soil moisture decreased albedo by about 10%, and significant differences were observed in evaporative fraction even in the absence of shallow moisture. The planetary boundary layer height (PBLh) was largest when the whole soil profile was dry, decreasing by about 1 km when the whole profile was wet. Even when shallow moisture was absent but deep moisture was present the PBLh was significantly lower than when the entire profile was dry. The importance of deep moisture is likely site-specific and modulated through vegetation. Therefore, understanding these relationships also provides important insights into feedbacks between vegetation and the hydrologic cycle and their consequent influence on the climate system.

An algorithm for temperature correcting substrate moisture measurements: aligning substrate moisture responses with environmental drivers in polytunnel-grown strawberry plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodchild, Martin; Janes, Stuart; Jenkins, Malcolm; Nicholl, Chris; Kühn, Karl

2015-04-01

The aim of this work is to assess the use of temperature corrected substrate moisture data to improve the relationship between environmental drivers and the measurement of substrate moisture content in high porosity soil-free growing environments such as coir. Substrate moisture sensor data collected from strawberry plants grown in coir bags installed in a table-top system under a polytunnel illustrates the impact of temperature on capacitance-based moisture measurements. Substrate moisture measurements made in our coir arrangement possess the negative temperature coefficient of the permittivity of water where diurnal changes in moisture content oppose those of substrate temperature. The diurnal substrate temperature variation was seen to range from 7° C to 25° C resulting in a clearly observable temperature effect in substrate moisture content measurements during the 23 day test period. In the laboratory we measured the ML3 soil moisture sensor (ThetaProbe) response to temperature in Air, dry glass beads and water saturated glass beads and used a three-phase alpha (α) mixing model, also known as the Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM), to derive the permittivity temperature coefficients for glass and water. We derived the α value and estimated the temperature coefficient for water - for sensors operating at 100MHz. Both results are good agreement with published data. By applying the CRIM equation with the temperature coefficients of glass and water the moisture temperature coefficient of saturated glass beads has been reduced by more than an order of magnitude to a moisture temperature coefficient of

SMAP Soil Moisture Disaggregation using Land Surface Temperature and Vegetation Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, B.; Lakshmi, V.

2016-12-01

Soil moisture (SM) is a key parameter in agriculture, hydrology and ecology studies. The global SM retrievals have been providing by microwave remote sensing technology since late 1970s and many SM retrieval algorithms have been developed, calibrated and applied on satellite sensors such as AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System), AMSR-2 (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2) and SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity). Particularly, SMAP (Soil Moisture Active/Passive) satellite, which was developed by NASA, was launched in January 2015. SMAP provides soil moisture products of 9 km and 36 km spatial resolutions which are not capable for research and applications of finer scale. Toward this issue, this study applied a SM disaggregation algorithm to disaggregate SMAP passive microwave soil moisture 36 km product. This algorithm was developed based on the thermal inertial relationship between daily surface temperature variation and daily average soil moisture which is modulated by vegetation condition, by using remote sensing retrievals from AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), SPOT (Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre), as well as Land Surface Model (LSM) output from NLDAS (North American Land Data Assimilation System). The disaggregation model was built at 1/8o spatial resolution on monthly basis and was implemented to calculate and disaggregate SMAP 36 km SM retrievals to 1 km resolution in Oklahoma. The SM disaggregation results were also validated using MESONET (Mesoscale Network) and MICRONET (Microscale Network) ground SM measurements.

Global Soil Moisture from the Aquarius/SAC-D Satellite: Description and Initial Assessment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bindlish, Rajat; Jackson, Thomas; Cosh, Michael; Zhao, Tianjie; O'Neil, Peggy

2015-01-01

Aquarius satellite observations over land offer a new resource for measuring soil moisture from space. Although Aquarius was designed for ocean salinity mapping, our objective in this investigation is to exploit the large amount of land observations that Aquarius acquires and extend the mission scope to include the retrieval of surface soil moisture. The soil moisture retrieval algorithm development focused on using only the radiometer data because of the extensive heritage of passive microwave retrieval of soil moisture. The single channel algorithm (SCA) was implemented using the Aquarius observations to estimate surface soil moisture. Aquarius radiometer observations from three beams (after bias/gain modification) along with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction model forecast surface temperatures were then used to retrieve soil moisture. Ancillary data inputs required for using the SCA are vegetation water content, land surface temperature, and several soil and vegetation parameters based on land cover classes. The resulting global spatial patterns of soil moisture were consistent with the precipitation climatology and with soil moisture from other satellite missions (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System and Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity). Initial assessments were performed using in situ observations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Little Washita and Little River watershed soil moisture networks. Results showed good performance by the algorithm for these land surface conditions for the period of August 2011-June 2013 (rmse = 0.031 m(exp 3)/m(exp 3), Bias = -0.007 m(exp 3)/m(exp 3), and R = 0.855). This radiometer-only soil moisture product will serve as a baseline for continuing research on both active and combined passive-active soil moisture algorithms. The products are routinely available through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration data archive at the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Effects of Achyrocline satureioides Inflorescence Extracts against Pathogenic Intestinal Bacteria: Chemical Characterization, In Vitro Tests, and In Vivo Evaluation

PubMed Central

Silveira, Alexandre Kleber; Correa, Ana Paula Folmer; Oliveria, Rafael R.; Borges, Adriana Giongo; Grun, Lucas; Barbé-Tuana, Florencia; Zmozinski, Ariane; Brandelli, Adriano; Vale, Maria Goretti Rodrigues; Bassani, Valquiria Linck; Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca

2017-01-01

Three Achyrocline satureioides (AS) inflorescences extracts were characterized: (i) a freeze-dried extract prepared from the aqueous extractive solution and (ii) a freeze-dried and (iii) a spray-dried extract prepared from hydroethanol extractive solution (80% ethanol). The chemical profile, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial activity against intestinal pathogenic bacteria of AS extracts were evaluated. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by the total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) assay. In vivo analysis and characterization of intestinal microbiota were performed in male Wistar rats (saline versus treated animals with AS dried extracts) by high-throughput sequencing analysis: metabarcoding. Antimicrobial activity was tested in vitro by the disc diffusion tests. Moisture content of the extracts ranged from 10 to 15% and 5.7 to 17 mg kg−1 of fluorine. AS exhibited antioxidant activity, especially in its freeze-dried form which also exhibited a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against intestinal pathogenic bacteria greater than those observed by the antibiotic, amoxicillin, when tested against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of AS extracts seemed to be positively correlated with the present amount of flavonoids. These findings suggest a potential use of AS as a coadjuvant agent for treating bacterial-induced intestinal diseases with high rates of antibiotic resistance. PMID:29853943

Effects of Achyrocline satureioides Inflorescence Extracts against Pathogenic Intestinal Bacteria: Chemical Characterization, In Vitro Tests, and In Vivo Evaluation.

PubMed

Moresco, Karla Suzana; Silveira, Alexandre Kleber; Zeidán-Chuliá, Fares; Correa, Ana Paula Folmer; Oliveria, Rafael R; Borges, Adriana Giongo; Grun, Lucas; Barbé-Tuana, Florencia; Zmozinski, Ariane; Brandelli, Adriano; Vale, Maria Goretti Rodrigues; Gelain, Daniel Pens; Bassani, Valquiria Linck; Moreira, José Cláudio Fonseca

2017-01-01

Three Achyrocline satureioides (AS) inflorescences extracts were characterized: (i) a freeze-dried extract prepared from the aqueous extractive solution and (ii) a freeze-dried and (iii) a spray-dried extract prepared from hydroethanol extractive solution (80% ethanol). The chemical profile, antioxidant potential, and antimicrobial activity against intestinal pathogenic bacteria of AS extracts were evaluated. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by the total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP) assay. In vivo analysis and characterization of intestinal microbiota were performed in male Wistar rats (saline versus treated animals with AS dried extracts) by high-throughput sequencing analysis: metabarcoding. Antimicrobial activity was tested in vitro by the disc diffusion tests. Moisture content of the extracts ranged from 10 to 15% and 5.7 to 17 mg kg -1 of fluorine. AS exhibited antioxidant activity, especially in its freeze-dried form which also exhibited a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity against intestinal pathogenic bacteria greater than those observed by the antibiotic, amoxicillin, when tested against Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus . Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of AS extracts seemed to be positively correlated with the present amount of flavonoids. These findings suggest a potential use of AS as a coadjuvant agent for treating bacterial-induced intestinal diseases with high rates of antibiotic resistance.

Selected physical and chemical properties of Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) extracts important for formulated product quality and performance.

PubMed

Jin, Ping; Madieh, Shadi; Augsburger, Larry L

2008-01-01

The objectives of this research are: (1) to assess selected formulation-relevant physical properties of several commercial Feverfew extracts, including flowability, hygroscopicity, compressibility and compactibility (2) to develop and validate a suitable extraction method and HPLC assay, and (3) to determine the parthenolide content of several commercial Feverfew extracts. Carr's index, minimum orifice diameter and particle-particle interaction were used to evaluate powder flowability. Hygroscopicity was evaluated by determining the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) after storage at various % relative humidities. Heckle analysis and compression pressure-radial tensile strength relationship were used to represent compression and compaction properties of feverfew extracts. An adapted analytical method was developed based on literature methods and then validated for the determination of parthenolide in feverfew. The commercial extracts tested exhibited poor to very poor flowability. The comparatively low mean yield pressure suggested that feverfew extracts deformed mainly plastically. Hygroscopicity and compactibility varied greatly with source. No commercial feverfew extracts tested contained the label claimed parthenolide. Even different batches from the same manufacturer showed significantly different parthenolide content. Therefore, extract manufactures should commit to proper quality control procedures that ensure accurate label claims, and supplement manufacturers should take into account possible differences in physico-chemical properties when using extracts from multiple suppliers.

BOREAS HYD-6 Moss/Humus Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Knapp, David E. (Editor); Carroll, Thomas; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-6 team collected several data sets related to the moisture content of soil and overlying humus layers. This data set contains water content measurements of the moss/humus layer, where it existed. These data were collected along various flight lines in the Southern Study Area (SSA) and Northern Study Area (NSA) during 1994. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The HYD-06 moss/humus moisture data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Optimization and characterization of gelatin and chitosan extracted from fish and shrimp waste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ait Boulahsen, M.; Chairi, H.; Laglaoui, A.; Arakrak, A.; Zantar, S.; Bakkali, M.; Hassani, M.

2018-05-01

Fish and seafood processing industries generate large quantities of waste which are at the origin of several environmental, economic and social problems. However fish waste could contain high value-added substances such as biopolymers. This work focuses on optimizing the gelatin and chitosan extraction from tilapia fish skins and shrimp shells respectively. The gelatin extraction process was optimized using alkali acid treatment prior to thermal hydrolysis. Three different acids were tested at different concentrations. Chitosan was obtained after acid demineralization followed by simultaneous hydrothermal deproteinization and deacetylation by an alkali treatment with different concentrations of HCl and NaOH. The extracted gelatin and chitosan with the highest yield were characterized by determining their main physicochemical properties (Degree of deacetylation, viscosity, pH, moisture and ash content). Results show a significant influence of the acid type and concentration on the extraction yield of gelatin and chitosan, with an average yield of 12.24% and 3.85% respectively. Furthermore, the obtained physicochemical properties of both extracted gelatin and chitosan were within the recommended standard values of the commercial ones used in the industry.

Optimization of conditions of solvent-free microwave extraction and study on antioxidant capacity of essential oil from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.

PubMed

Ma, Chun-hui; Yang, Lei; Zu, Yuan-gang; Liu, Ting-ting

2012-10-15

In this article, solvent-free microwave extraction (SFME) of essential oil from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill was studied. A multivariate study based on central composite design (CCD) was used to evaluate the influence of three major variables affecting the performance of SFME. The optimum parameters were extraction time 30 min, irradiation power 385 W and moisture content of the fruits was 68%. The extraction yield of essential oil was 11 ml/kg under the optimum conditions. The antioxidant capacity of essential oils extracted by different methods were determined, and compared with traditional antioxidants. GC-MS showed the different composition of essential oil extracted by hydro-distillation (HD), steam-distillation (SD) and SFME. S. chinensis materials treated by different methods were observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Micrographs and thermo gravimetric loss provided more evidences to prove SFME of essential oil is more completed than HD and SD. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecohydrological Consequences of Critical Zone Structure in the Franciscan Formation, Northern California Coast Ranges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hahm, W. J.; Dietrich, W. E.; Dawson, T. E.; Lovill, S.; Rempe, D.

2016-12-01

Water availability regulates ecosystem function, particularly in seasonally dry climates where lack of moisture in the growing season acts as an ecological bottleneck. Water within hillslopes is extracted by plants during transpiration and also delivered to streams to support baseflow for riparian ecosystems and human use. How water is stored and then released from hillslopes is strongly influenced by the structure of the critical zone (CZ) that emerges from the complex interaction of lithology, climate, and tectonics. Here we show how contrasting CZ development has extreme ecohydrological consequences in the seasonally dry climate of the Northern California Coast Ranges. To explore how the CZ transmits and stores water, we studied hydrologic dynamics at two sites with similar climate across belts of the Franciscan Formation in the Eel River CZO. We monitored plant water use, precipitation inputs and stream runoff, groundwater and vadose zone moisture dynamics and documented near-surface hydraulic conductivity and runoff-generation processes. We investigated CZ structure via boreholes and geophysical methods. We find that CZ thickness determines the extent to which hillslopes `shed' or `store' wet season precipitation, and fundamentally controls the structure of plant communities and summer low-flows. In a climate where winter precipitation regularly exceeds 2000 mm, the thin CZ of the sheared argillite matrix Central belt rapidly fills, resulting in wet-season saturation overland flow that drives flashy winter runoff in channels that then quickly run dry in the early summer. The maximum unsaturated moisture storage of approximately 200 mm is sufficient to host an ecologically diverse yet sparsely forested oak savanna. In contrast, the thick CZ of the interbedded argillite and greywacke Coastal belt stores up to 600 mm of winter precipitation in the unsaturated zone and a seasonal groundwater system within fractured bedrock provides year-round flow to channels, supporting dense mixed coniferous-broadleaf evergreen forest and native resident salmonids. These findings underscore the importance of understanding how the structure of the CZ develops by directly pairing hillslope moisture storage and release to the composition and resilience of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Multi-instrument Method to Map Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Snowmelt Infiltration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, K.; Beverly, D.; Thayer, D.; Speckman, H. N.; Parsekian, A.; Kelleners, T.

2015-12-01

Mapping spatial patterns of relative soil moisture over time may improve understanding of snowmelt infiltration processes in heterogeneous systems. Conventional soil water measurement methods disturb soil properties and rocky materials generally limit installation of monitoring instruments to shallow depths in mountainous landscapes with snowmelt dominated hydrology. Modifications to existing technology combined with low impact installation methods provide high temporal and spatial resolution of relative soil moisture as well as a temperature profile and water table level. Closely spaced (10cm) electrical resistance pads are combined in a small diameter (2.54 cm) tube with temperature probes each 50cm, a pressure transducer, and a tube to extract groundwater for stable isotope analysis. This vertical probe array (VPA) extends 3.2m and is installed in a small diameter (4 cm) bore using a backpack drill limiting soil disturbance. Two VPAs are installed in the Snowy Range of Wyoming, one in a forested mountainous environment impacted by mortality by insects and disease and the other (limited to resistance pads only) in recently burned sagelands. Each VPA is co-located with meteorological stations. Eddy-covariance, sap flux, electrical resistivity, snowpack survey, and other hillslope eco-hydrology measurements accompany the fully instrumented VPA. Data are sampled and recorded at 5 or 15 minute intervals starting in December 2014. Over the winter both sites exhibit highly variable patterns of relatively dry soils with steady increase in wetness. Abrupt increases in relative wetness occurred with short periods of warming temperatures in Spring. Following a temperature increase in the forested site the relative moisture dramatically increased over a period of several hours at all depths as water level rose 1m within 8 hours. In contrast, following snowmelt relative moisture in the sageland site increased gradually and systematically with depth over a period of two weeks. The sage area also demonstrates sensitivity to rainfall events where the forested hillslope is insensitive to rain inputs. Long term monitoring at high temporal frequency will likely reveal other patterns expected to advance understanding of snowmelt infiltration processes at previously inaccessible depths within the vadose zone.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Trackbed Moisture Sensor System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-02-01

In this initial phase, conducted from March 2015 through December 2016, Vista Clara and its subcontractor Zetica Rail successfully developed and tested a man-portable, non-invasive spot-check nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) moisture sensor that dire...

NASA Sees Post-Patricia Moisture, Winds Stalking the Mid-Atlantic

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

The remnant moisture from what was once Hurricane Patricia and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico were being transported north by a trough of low pressure over Wisconsin. The clouds and moisture were streaming into the Eastern third of the U.S. on October 28, 2015. The hybrid system was generating windy conditions which were seen from NASA's RapidScat instrument, while NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of the impressive and sizeable cloud cover. Read more: www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/patricia-eastern-pacific-2015 Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

The global distribution and dynamics of surface soil moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McColl, Kaighin A.; Alemohammad, Seyed Hamed; Akbar, Ruzbeh; Konings, Alexandra G.; Yueh, Simon; Entekhabi, Dara

2017-01-01

Surface soil moisture has a direct impact on food security, human health and ecosystem function. It also plays a key role in the climate system, and the development and persistence of extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and heatwaves. However, sparse and uneven observations have made it difficult to quantify the global distribution and dynamics of surface soil moisture. Here we introduce a metric of soil moisture memory and use a full year of global observations from NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive mission to show that surface soil moisture--a storage believed to make up less than 0.001% of the global freshwater budget by volume, and equivalent to an, on average, 8-mm thin layer of water covering all land surfaces--plays a significant role in the water cycle. Specifically, we find that surface soil moisture retains a median 14% of precipitation falling on land after three days. Furthermore, the retained fraction of the surface soil moisture storage after three days is highest over arid regions, and in regions where drainage to groundwater storage is lowest. We conclude that lower groundwater storage in these regions is due not only to lower precipitation, but also to the complex partitioning of the water cycle by the surface soil moisture storage layer at the land surface.

Analysis of factors affecting volatile compound formation in roasted pumpkin seeds with selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and sensory analysis.

PubMed

Bowman, T; Barringer, S

2012-01-01

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo and maxima) seeds are uniquely flavored and commonly consumed as a healthy roasted snack. The objective was to determine dominant volatiles in raw and roasted pumpkin seeds, and the effect of seed coat, moisture content, fatty acid ratio, total lipids, reducing sugars, and harvest year on volatile formation. Sensory was conducted to evaluate overall liking of seed variety and texture. Seed processing included extraction from the fruit, dehydration, and roasting (150 °C). Oil extraction was done using soxhlet, fatty acid profile using Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector, and reducing sugars using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid and UV-spectroscopy. Headspace analysis of seeds was performed by selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). Volatiles dominating in raw pumpkin seeds were lipid aldehydes, ethyl acetate, 2,3-butandione, and dimethylsulfide. Compounds contributing to roasted aroma include alkylpyrazines and Strecker and lipid aldehydes. Overall, hull-less seeds had higher volatile lipid aldehydes and Strecker aldehydes. Seeds dehydrated to a moisture content of 6.5% before roasting had higher initial and final volatile concentrations than seeds starting at 50% moisture. Higher oil content resulted in higher lipid aldehyde formation during roasting with a moderate correlation between free fatty acid ratio and corresponding lipid aldehyde. Harvest year (2009 compared with 2010) had a significant impact on volatile formation in hull-less seeds, but not as much as variety differences. No significant correlation was found between reducing sugars and volatile formation. Sensory showed that hull-less seeds were liked significantly more than hulled seeds. Elucidation of aromatic flavor development during roasting with SIFT-MS provides information on flavor release and offers better control during processing. Knowledge of volatiles in raw and roasted pumpkin seeds and effects of seed coat, moisture content, seed composition, and harvest date will allow for better control over the production/storage/transportation process and a more educated decision during selection of a variety for production of pumpkin seeds in the snack food industry. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Bioreactor Yields Extracts for Skin Cream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2015-01-01

Johnson Space Flight Center researchers created a unique rotating-wall bioreactor that simulates microgravity conditions, spurring innovations in drug development and medical research. Renuèll Int'l Inc., based in Aventure, Florida, licensed the technology and used it to produce a healing skin care product, RE`JUVEL. In a Food and Drug Administration test, RE`JUVEL substantially increased skin moisture and elasticity while reducing dark blotches and wrinkles.

Ultrasonic Clothes Drying Technology

ScienceCinema

Patel, Viral; Momen, Ayyoub

2018-01-16

Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers Ayyoub Momen and Viral Patel demonstrate a direct contact ultrasonic clothes dryer under development by ORNL in collaboration with General Electric (GE) Appliances. This novel approach uses high-frequency mechanical vibrations instead of heat to extract moisture as cold mist, dramatically reducing drying time and energy use. Funding for this project was competitively awarded by DOE’s Building Technologies Office in 2014.

Impact of SMOS soil moisture data assimilation on NCEP-GFS forecasts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhan, X.; Zheng, W.; Meng, J.; Dong, J.; Ek, M.

2012-04-01

Soil moisture is one of the few critical land surface state variables that have long memory to impact the exchanges of water, energy and carbon between the land surface and atmosphere. Accurate information about soil moisture status is thus required for numerical weather, seasonal climate and hydrological forecast as well as for agricultural production forecasts, water management and many other water related economic or social activities. Since the successful launch of ESA's soil moisture ocean salinity (SMOS) mission in November 2009, about 2 years of soil moisture retrievals has been collected. SMOS is believed to be the currently best satellite sensors for soil moisture remote sensing. Therefore, it becomes interesting to examine how the collected SMOS soil moisture data are compared with other satellite-sensed soil moisture retrievals (such as NASA's Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer -AMSR-E and EUMETSAT's Advanced Scatterometer - ASCAT)), in situ soil moisture measurements, and how these data sets impact numerical weather prediction models such as the Global Forecast System of NOAA-NCEP. This study implements the Ensemble Kalman filter in GFS to assimilate the AMSR-E, ASCAT and SMOS soil moisture observations after a quantitative assessment of their error rate based on in situ measurements from ground networks around contiguous United States. in situ soil moisture measurements from ground networks (such as USDA Soil Climate Analysis network - SCAN and NOAA's U.S. Climate Reference Network -USCRN) are used to evaluate the GFS soil moisture simulations (analysis). The benefits and uncertainties of assimilating the satellite data products in GFS are examined by comparing the GFS forecasts of surface temperature and rainfall with and without the assimilations. From these examinations, the advantages of SMOS soil moisture data products over other satellite soil moisture data sets will be evaluated. The next step toward operationally assimilating soil moisture and other land observations into GFS will also be discussed.

Assessing the uncertainty of soil moisture impacts on convective precipitation using a new ensemble approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henneberg, Olga; Ament, Felix; Grützun, Verena

2018-05-01

Soil moisture amount and distribution control evapotranspiration and thus impact the occurrence of convective precipitation. Many recent model studies demonstrate that changes in initial soil moisture content result in modified convective precipitation. However, to quantify the resulting precipitation changes, the chaotic behavior of the atmospheric system needs to be considered. Slight changes in the simulation setup, such as the chosen model domain, also result in modifications to the simulated precipitation field. This causes an uncertainty due to stochastic variability, which can be large compared to effects caused by soil moisture variations. By shifting the model domain, we estimate the uncertainty of the model results. Our novel uncertainty estimate includes 10 simulations with shifted model boundaries and is compared to the effects on precipitation caused by variations in soil moisture amount and local distribution. With this approach, the influence of soil moisture amount and distribution on convective precipitation is quantified. Deviations in simulated precipitation can only be attributed to soil moisture impacts if the systematic effects of soil moisture modifications are larger than the inherent simulation uncertainty at the convection-resolving scale. We performed seven experiments with modified soil moisture amount or distribution to address the effect of soil moisture on precipitation. Each of the experiments consists of 10 ensemble members using the deep convection-resolving COSMO model with a grid spacing of 2.8 km. Only in experiments with very strong modification in soil moisture do precipitation changes exceed the model spread in amplitude, location or structure. These changes are caused by a 50 % soil moisture increase in either the whole or part of the model domain or by drying the whole model domain. Increasing or decreasing soil moisture both predominantly results in reduced precipitation rates. Replacing the soil moisture with realistic fields from different days has an insignificant influence on precipitation. The findings of this study underline the need for uncertainty estimates in soil moisture studies based on convection-resolving models.

[Root system distribution and biomechanical characteristics of Bambusa oldhami].

PubMed

Zhou, Ben-Zhi; Xu, Sheng-Hua; An, Yan-Fei; Xu, Sheng-Hua

2014-05-01

To determine the mechanism of soil stabilizing through Bambusa oldhami root system, the vertical distribution of B. oldhami root system in soil was investigated, and the tensile strength of individual root and soil shear strength were measured in B. oldhami forest. The dry mass, length, surface area and volume of the B. oldhami root system decreased with the increasing soil depth, with more than 90% of the root system occurring in the 0-40 cm soil layer. The root class with D 1 mm occupied the highest percentage of the total in terms of root length, accounting for 79.6%, but the lowest percentage of the total in terms of root volume, accounting for 8.2%. The root class with D >2 mm was the opposite, and the root class with D= 1-2 mm stayed in between. The maximum tensile resistance of B. oldhami root, either with 12% moisture content or a saturated moisture content, increased with the increasing root diameter, while the tensile strength decreased with the increasing root diameter in accordance with power function. Tensile strength of the root, with either of the two moisture contents, was significantly different among the diameter classes, with the highest tensile strength occurring in the root with D < or = 1 mm and the lowest in the root with D > or = 2 mm. The tensile strength of root with 12% moisture content was significantly higher than that with the saturated moisture content, and less effect of moisture content on root tensile strength would occur in thicker roots. The shear strengths of B. oldhami forest soil and of bare soil both increased with the increasing soil depth. The shear strength of B. oldhami forest soil had a linear positive correlation with the root content in soil, and was significantly higher than that of bare soil. The shear strength increment in B. oldhami forest was positively correlated with the root content in soil according to an exponential function, but not related significantly with soil depth.

Quality Evaluation of Biscuits Supplemented with Alfalfa Seed Flour

PubMed Central

Ullah, Fahim; Ahmad, Sajjad; Wahab, Said; Zeb, Alam; Khan Khattak, Mansoor; Khan, Saleem; Kang, Min

2016-01-01

The effect of alfalfa seed flour supplementation on the quality characteristics of refined wheat flour-based biscuits was studied. The proximate composition of refined wheat flour and alfalfa seed flour was determined. Refined wheat flour contained 12.43% moisture, 11.52% crude protein, 1.61% crude fat, 0.71% crude fiber, 1.43% ash and 70.83% nitrogen free extract, while alfalfa seed flour contained 5.79%, 29.49%, 12.71%, 5.53%, 4.80% and 41.73% moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash and nitrogen free extract correspondingly. Alfalfa seed flour at 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% supplementation levels was incorporated in refined wheat flour to produce composite flour. The biscuits prepared were subjected to quality evaluation. Physical analysis of biscuits disclosed that supplementation of alfalfa seed flour decreased the width from 47.25 to 42 mm and the spread factor from 62.7 to 53.12, while it increased the thickness from 7.53 to 8.10 mm. Supplementation of refined wheat flour–based biscuits with alfalfa seed flour at different inclusion levels significantly (p < 0.05) increased the crude protein content from 10.19% to 15.30%, the crude fiber content from 0.73% to 1.62%, the crude fat content from 17.46% to 21.59% and the ash content from 1.37% to 1.92%, whereas it decreased the moisture content from 3.57% to 3.26% and the nitrogen free extract from 66.90% to 59.32%. The effect of supplementation on the mineral contents of biscuits was also significant (p < 0.05). Potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and zinc contents increased from 105.30, 14.65, 43.91, 3.74 and 0.94 to 145.00, 26.64, 79.60, 7.93 and 1.60 mg/100 g, respectively. Sensory evaluation revealed that the quality score of biscuits in terms of color, taste, texture and overall acceptability decreased with increased supplementation. The present research work confirmed that a maximum of 10% alfalfa seed flour supplementation in refined wheat flour could produce acceptable biscuits with an appropriate nutritional profile. PMID:28231168

Evaluating industrial drying of cellulosic feedstock for bioenergy: A systems approach

DOE PAGES

Sokhansanj, Shahab; Webb, Erin

2016-01-21

Here, a large portion of herbaceous and woody biomass must be dried following harvest. Natural field drying is possible if the weather cooperates. Mechanical drying is a certain way of reducing the moisture content of biomass. This paper presents an engineering analysis applied to drying of 10 Mg h –1 (exit mass flow) of biomass with an initial moisture content ranging from 25% to 70% (wet mass basis) down to 10% exit moisture content. The requirement for hog fuel to supply heat to the dryer increases from 0.5 dry Mg to 3.8 dry Mg h –1 with the increased initialmore » moisture of biomass. The capital cost for the entire drying system including equipment for biomass size reduction, pollution control, dryer, and biomass combustor sums up to more than 4.7 million dollars. The operating cost (electricity, labor, repair, and maintenance) minus fuel cost for the dryer alone amount to 4.05 Mg –1 of dried biomass. For 50% moisture content biomass, the cost of fuel to heat the drying air is 7.41 dollars/ dry ton of biomass for a total 11.46 dollars per dry ton at 10% moisture content. The fuel cost ranges from a low of 2.21 dollars to a high of 18.54 dollars for a biomass at an initial moisture content of 25% to 75%, respectively. This wide range in fuel cost indicates the extreme sensitivity of the drying cost to initial moisture content of biomass and to ambient air humidity and temperature and highlights the significance of field drying for a cost effective drying operation.« less

A Comparison of Methods for a Priori Bias Correction in Soil Moisture Data Assimilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kumar, Sujay V.; Reichle, Rolf H.; Harrison, Kenneth W.; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Yatheendradas, Soni; Santanello, Joseph A.

2011-01-01

Data assimilation is being increasingly used to merge remotely sensed land surface variables such as soil moisture, snow and skin temperature with estimates from land models. Its success, however, depends on unbiased model predictions and unbiased observations. Here, a suite of continental-scale, synthetic soil moisture assimilation experiments is used to compare two approaches that address typical biases in soil moisture prior to data assimilation: (i) parameter estimation to calibrate the land model to the climatology of the soil moisture observations, and (ii) scaling of the observations to the model s soil moisture climatology. To enable this research, an optimization infrastructure was added to the NASA Land Information System (LIS) that includes gradient-based optimization methods and global, heuristic search algorithms. The land model calibration eliminates the bias but does not necessarily result in more realistic model parameters. Nevertheless, the experiments confirm that model calibration yields assimilation estimates of surface and root zone soil moisture that are as skillful as those obtained through scaling of the observations to the model s climatology. Analysis of innovation diagnostics underlines the importance of addressing bias in soil moisture assimilation and confirms that both approaches adequately address the issue.

Effect of moisture on dental enamel in the interaction of two orthodontic bonding systems.

PubMed

Bertoz, André Pinheiro de Magalhães; de Oliveira, Derly Tescaro Narcizo; Gimenez, Carla Maria Melleiro; Briso, André Luiz Fraga; Bertoz, Francisco Antonio; Santos, Eduardo César Almada

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) the remaining adhesive interface after debonding orthodontic attachments bonded to bovine teeth with the use of hydrophilic and hydrophobic primers under different dental substrate moisture conditions. Twenty mandibular incisors were divided into four groups (n = 5). In Group I, bracket bonding was performed with Transbond MIP hydrophilic primer and Transbond XT adhesive paste applied to moist substrate, and in Group II a bonding system comprising Transbond XT hydrophobic primer and adhesive paste was applied to moist substrate. Brackets were bonded to the specimens in Groups III and IV using the same adhesive systems, but on dry dental enamel. The images were qualitatively assessed by SEM. The absence of moisture in etched enamel enabled better interaction between bonding materials and the adamantine structure. The hydrophobic primer achieved the worst micromechanical interlocking results when applied to a moist dental structure, whereas the hydrophilic system proved versatile, yielding acceptable results in moist conditions and excellent interaction in the absence of contamination. The authors assert that the best condition for the application of primers to dental enamel occurs in the absence of moisture.

Heat and moisture exchangers and breathing system filters: their use in anaesthesia and intensive care. Part 2 - practical use, including problems, and their use with paediatric patients.

PubMed

Wilkes, A R

2011-01-01

Heat and moisture exchangers and breathing system filters are intended to replace the normal warming, humidifying and filtering functions of the upper airways. The first part of this review considered the history, principles of operation and efficiency of these devices. The aim of this part of the review is to summarise recent guidelines on the use of these devices and outline the problems that can occur. In particular, the effect of these devices on gas analysis, dead space, resistance to gas flow and blockage of the breathing system is considered. In children, it is important to consider the addition of dead space and resistance to gas flow. A body weight of 2.5 kg is probably the lower weight limit for use with heat and moisture exchangers, and 3 kg for filters. The resistance to gas flow of a heat- and moisture-exchanging filter added to a Mapleson F breathing system can cause a delay in the induction of anaesthesia. © 2010 The Author. Anaesthesia © 2010 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Development of Solar Powered Irrigation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelkerim, A. I.; Sami Eusuf, M. M. R.; Salami, M. J. E.; Aibinu, A.; Eusuf, M. A.

2013-12-01

Development of a solar powered irrigation system has been discussed in this paper. This system would be SCADA-based and quite useful in areas where there is plenty of sunshine but insufficient water to carry out farming activities, such as rubber plantation, strawberry plantation, or any plantation, that requires frequent watering. The system is powered by solar system as a renewable energy which uses solar panel module to convert Sunlight into electricity. The development and implementation of an automated SCADA controlled system that uses PLC as a controller is significant to agricultural, oil and gas monitoring and control purpose purposes. In addition, the system is powered by an intelligent solar system in which solar panel targets the radiation from the Sun. Other than that, the solar system has reduced energy cost as well as pollution. The system is equipped with four input sensors; two soil moisture sensors, two level detection sensors. Soil moisture sensor measures the humidity of the soil, whereas the level detection sensors detect the level of water in the tank. The output sides consist of two solenoid valves, which are controlled respectively by two moistures sensors.

Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission Level 4 Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture (L4_SM) Product Specification Document

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, Rolf H.; Ardizzone, Joseph V.; Kim, Gi-Kong; Lucchesi, Robert A.; Smith, Edmond B.; Weiss, Barry H.

2015-01-01

This is the Product Specification Document (PSD) for Level 4 Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture (L4_SM) data for the Science Data System (SDS) of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) project. The L4_SM data product provides estimates of land surface conditions based on the assimilation of SMAP observations into a customized version of the NASA Goddard Earth Observing System, Version 5 (GEOS-5) land data assimilation system (LDAS). This document applies to any standard L4_SM data product generated by the SMAP Project. The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission will enhance the accuracy and the resolution of space-based measurements of terrestrial soil moisture and freeze-thaw state. SMAP data products will have a noteworthy impact on multiple relevant and current Earth Science endeavors. These include: Understanding of the processes that link the terrestrial water, the energy and the carbon cycles, Estimations of global water and energy fluxes over the land surfaces, Quantification of the net carbon flux in boreal landscapes Forecast skill of both weather and climate, Predictions and monitoring of natural disasters including floods, landslides and droughts, and Predictions of agricultural productivity. To provide these data, the SMAP mission will deploy a satellite observatory in a near polar, sun synchronous orbit. The observatory will house an L-band radiometer that operates at 1.40 GHz and an L-band radar that operates at 1.26 GHz. The instruments will share a rotating reflector antenna with a 6 meter aperture that scans over a 1000 km swath.

Application of the Nelson model to four timelag fuel classes using Oklahoma field observations: Model evaluation and comparison with national Fire Danger Rating System algorithms

Treesearch

J. D. Carlson; Larry S. Bradshaw; Ralph M. Nelson; Randall R Bensch; Rafal Jabrzemski

2007-01-01

The application of a next-generation dead-fuel moisture model, the 'Nelson model', to four timelag fuel classes using an extensive 21-month dataset of dead-fuel moisture observations is described. Developed by Ralph Nelson in the 1990s, the Nelson model is a dead-fuel moisture model designed to take advantage of frequent automated weather observations....

SMAP Level 4 Surface and Root Zone Soil Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, R.; De Lannoy, G.; Liu, Q.; Ardizzone, J.; Kimball, J.; Koster, R.

2017-01-01

The SMAP Level 4 soil moisture (L4_SM) product provides global estimates of surface and root zone soil moisture, along with other land surface variables and their error estimates. These estimates are obtained through assimilation of SMAP brightness temperature observations into the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS-5) land surface model. The L4_SM product is provided at 9 km spatial and 3-hourly temporal resolution and with about 2.5 day latency. The soil moisture and temperature estimates in the L4_SM product are validated against in situ observations. The L4_SM product meets the required target uncertainty of 0.04 m(exp. 3)m(exp. -3), measured in terms of unbiased root-mean-square-error, for both surface and root zone soil moisture.

The Potential Use of Polarized Reflected Light in the Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture

DTIC Science & Technology

to 89% for saturated soil, indicating that the polarization method may be viable as a remote sensing system for determining soil moistures. Background on the methods and implications of the results are presented.

Improved Assimilation of Streamflow and Satellite Soil Moisture with the Evolutionary Particle Filter and Geostatistical Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hongxiang; Moradkhani, Hamid; Abbaszadeh, Peyman

2017-04-01

Assimilation of satellite soil moisture and streamflow data into hydrologic models using has received increasing attention over the past few years. Currently, these observations are increasingly used to improve the model streamflow and soil moisture predictions. However, the performance of this land data assimilation (DA) system still suffers from two limitations: 1) satellite data scarcity and quality; and 2) particle weight degeneration. In order to overcome these two limitations, we propose two possible solutions in this study. First, the general Gaussian geostatistical approach is proposed to overcome the limitation in the space/time resolution of satellite soil moisture products thus improving their accuracy at uncovered/biased grid cells. Secondly, an evolutionary PF approach based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), the so-called EPF-MCMC, is developed to further reduce weight degeneration and improve the robustness of the land DA system. This study provides a detailed analysis of the joint and separate assimilation of streamflow and satellite soil moisture into a distributed Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model, with the use of recently developed EPF-MCMC and the general Gaussian geostatistical approach. Performance is assessed over several basins in the USA selected from Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX) and located in different climate regions. The results indicate that: 1) the general Gaussian approach can predict the soil moisture at uncovered grid cells within the expected satellite data quality threshold; 2) assimilation of satellite soil moisture inferred from the general Gaussian model can significantly improve the soil moisture predictions; and 3) in terms of both deterministic and probabilistic measures, the EPF-MCMC can achieve better streamflow predictions. These results recommend that the geostatistical model is a helpful tool to aid the remote sensing technique and the EPF-MCMC is a reliable and effective DA approach in hydrologic applications.

On the Choice of Variable for Atmospheric Moisture Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dee, Dick P.; DaSilva, Arlindo M.; Atlas, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The implications of using different control variables for the analysis of moisture observations in a global atmospheric data assimilation system are investigated. A moisture analysis based on either mixing ratio or specific humidity is prone to large extrapolation errors, due to the high variability in space and time of these parameters and to the difficulties in modeling their error covariances. Using the logarithm of specific humidity does not alleviate these problems, and has the further disadvantage that very dry background estimates cannot be effectively corrected by observations. Relative humidity is a better choice from a statistical point of view, because this field is spatially and temporally more coherent and error statistics are therefore easier to obtain. If, however, the analysis is designed to preserve relative humidity in the absence of moisture observations, then the analyzed specific humidity field depends entirely on analyzed temperature changes. If the model has a cool bias in the stratosphere this will lead to an unstable accumulation of excess moisture there. A pseudo-relative humidity can be defined by scaling the mixing ratio by the background saturation mixing ratio. A univariate pseudo-relative humidity analysis will preserve the specific humidity field in the absence of moisture observations. A pseudorelative humidity analysis is shown to be equivalent to a mixing ratio analysis with flow-dependent covariances. In the presence of multivariate (temperature-moisture) observations it produces analyzed relative humidity values that are nearly identical to those produced by a relative humidity analysis. Based on a time series analysis of radiosonde observed-minus-background differences it appears to be more justifiable to neglect specific humidity-temperature correlations (in a univariate pseudo-relative humidity analysis) than to neglect relative humidity-temperature correlations (in a univariate relative humidity analysis). A pseudo-relative humidity analysis is easily implemented in an existing moisture analysis system, by simply scaling observed-minus background moisture residuals prior to solving the analysis equation, and rescaling the analyzed increments afterward.

Development of an Objective High Spatial Resolution Soil Moisture Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavodsky, B.; Case, J.; White, K.; Bell, J. R.

2015-12-01

Drought detection, analysis, and mitigation has become a key challenge for a diverse set of decision makers, including but not limited to operational weather forecasters, climatologists, agricultural interests, and water resource management. One tool that is heavily used is the United States Drought Monitor (USDM), which is derived from a complex blend of objective data and subjective analysis on a state-by-state basis using a variety of modeled and observed precipitation, soil moisture, hydrologic, and vegetation and crop health data. The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center currently runs a real-time configuration of the Noah land surface model (LSM) within the NASA Land Information System (LIS) framework. The LIS-Noah is run at 3-km resolution for local numerical weather prediction (NWP) and situational awareness applications at select NOAA/National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices over the Continental U.S. (CONUS). To enhance the practicality of the LIS-Noah output for drought monitoring and assessing flood potential, a 30+-year soil moisture climatology has been developed in an attempt to place near real-time soil moisture values in historical context at county- and/or watershed-scale resolutions. This LIS-Noah soil moisture climatology and accompanying anomalies is intended to complement the current suite of operational products, such as the North American Land Data Assimilation System phase 2 (NLDAS-2), which are generated on a coarser-resolution grid that may not capture localized, yet important soil moisture features. Daily soil moisture histograms are used to identify the real-time soil moisture percentiles at each grid point according to the county or watershed in which the grid point resides. Spatial plots are then produced that map the percentiles as proxies to the different USDM categories. This presentation will highlight recent developments of this gridded, objective soil moisture index, comparison to subjective analyses, and application examples.

Land Data Assimilation of Satellite-Based Soil Moisture Products Using the Land Information System Over the NLDAS Domain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mocko, David M.; Kumar, S. V.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.; Tian, Y.

2011-01-01

This presentation will include results from data assimilation simulations using the NASA-developed Land Information System (LIS). Using the ensemble Kalman filter in LIS, two satellite-based soil moisture products from the AMSR-E instrument were assimilated, one a NASA-based product and the other from the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM). The domain and land-surface forcing data from these simulations were from the North American Land Data Assimilation System Phase-2, over the period 2002-2008. The Noah land-surface model, version 3.2, was used during the simulations. Changes to estimates of land surface states, such as soil moisture, as well as changes to simulated runoff/streamflow will be presented. Comparisons over the NLDAS domain will also be made to two global reference evapotranspiration (ET) products, one an interpolated product based on FLUXNET tower data and the other a satellite- based algorithm from the MODIS instrument. Results of an improvement metric show that assimilating the LPRM product improved simulated ET estimates while the NASA-based soil moisture product did not.

Effectiveness of Humidification with Heat and Moisture Exchanger-booster in Tracheostomized Patients.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Isabel; Jimenez, Pilar; Valdivia, Jorge; Esquinas, Antonio

2017-08-01

The two most commonly used types of humidifiers are heated humidifiers and heat and moisture exchange humidifiers. Heated humidifiers provide adequate temperature and humidity without affecting the respiratory pattern, but overdose can cause high temperatures and humidity resulting in condensation, which increases the risk of bacteria in the circuit. These devices are expensive. Heat and moisture exchanger filter is a new concept of humidification, increasing the moisture content in inspired gases. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the heat and moisture exchanger (HME)-Booster system to humidify inspired air in patients under mechanical ventilation. We evaluated the humidification provided by 10 HME-Booster for tracheostomized patients under mechanical ventilation using Servo I respirators, belonging to the Maquet company and Evita 4. There was an increase in the inspired air humidity after 1 h with the humidifier. The HME-Booster combines the advantages of heat and moisture exchange minimizing the negatives. It increases the amount of moisture in inspired gas in mechanically ventilated tracheostomized patients. It is easy and safe to use. The type of ventilator used has no influence on the result.

The Potential of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) for Producing Important Components of Renewable Energy and Agricultural Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gwata, E.

2012-04-01

In agricultural systems, sustainable crop production is critical in meeting both environmental requirements and the limitations of drought imposed by the effects of global warming. The inputs for crop production and end use of the products should determine the choice of a crop particularly in environments prone to droughts. The objective of this paper is to highlight why a multi-purpose grain legume such as pigeonpea is an ideal crop that can be utilized for producing renewable energy. Firstly, it is highly tolerant to drought and does not require additional soil moisture after the seedling growth stage. The deep tape root extracts moisture and nutrients from deep layers of the soil concomitantly allowing for efficient nutrient recycling. The piscidic acid which is exuded from the roots enhances the solubilization of phosphorus in order to make it available for plant uptake. Secondly, the grain of pigeonpea is suitable for both human food and feedstocks. The grain is rich in oil, vitamins, minerals and protein. The grain can also be used for producing biofuel. In many countries particularly in the developing world, the stover is used as fuel wood or building (roofing) material, thus alleviating pressure on forest products. The crop is grown without the application of inorganic fertilizers as it can fix atmospheric nitrogen symbiotically in its root nodules. Pigeonpea is also ratoonable, producing two or more harvests per season. In addition, it is grown in mixed cropping systems thus optimizing land use. In these regards, pigeonpea is sustainable and environmentally friendly choice for agricultural production of food and energy balance.

Microcoulometric measurement of water in minerals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cremer, M.; Elsheimer, H.N.; Escher, E.E.

1972-01-01

A DuPont Moisture Analyzer is used in a microcoulometric method for determining water in minerals. Certain modifications, which include the heating of the sample outside the instrument, protect the system from acid gases and insure the conversion of all hydrogen to water vapor. Moisture analyzer data are compared to concurrent data obtained by a modified Penfield method. In general, there is a positive bias of from 0.1 to 0.2% in the moisture analyzer results and a similarity of bias in minerals of the same kind. Inhomogeneity, sample size, and moisture pick-up are invoked to explain deviations. The method is particularly applicable to small samples. ?? 1972.

A pavement Moisture Accelerated Distress (MAD) identification system, volume 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carpenter, S. H.; Darter, M. I.; Dempsey, B. J.

1981-09-01

A users manual is designed which provides the engineer with a rational method of examining a pavement and determining rehabilitation needs that are related to the causes of the existing distress, particularly moisture related distress. The key elements in this procedure are the MAD Index developed in Volume 1, the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and the Moisture Distress Index (MDI). Step by step procedures are presented for calculating each parameter. Complete distress identification manuals are included for asphalt surfaced highways and jointed reinforced concrete highways with pictures and descriptions of all major distress types. Descriptions of the role moisture plays in the development of each distress type are included.

Survey of methods for soil moisture determination

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmugge, T. J.; Jackson, T. J.; Mckim, H. L.

1979-01-01

Existing and proposed methods for soil moisture determination are discussed. These include: (1) in situ investigations including gravimetric, nuclear, and electromagnetic techniques; (2) remote sensing approaches that use the reflected solar, thermal infrared, and microwave portions of the electromagnetic spectrum; and (3) soil physics models that track the behavior of water in the soil in response to meteorological inputs (precipitation) and demands (evapotranspiration). The capacities of these approaches to satisfy various user needs for soil moisture information vary from application to application, but a conceptual scheme for merging these approaches into integrated systems to provide soil moisture information is proposed that has the potential for meeting various application requirements.

IN VIVO STUDIES AND STABILITY STUDY OF CLADOPHORA GLOMERATA EXTRACT AS A COSMETIC ACTIVE INGREDIENT.

PubMed

Fabrowska, Joanna; Kapuscinska, Alicja; Leska, Boguslawa; Feliksik-Skrobich, Katarzyna; Nowak, Izabela

2017-03-01

Marine algae are widely used as cosmetics raw materials. Likewise, freshwater alga Cladophora glomerata may be a good source of fatty acids and others bioactive agents. The aims of this study was to find out if the addition of the extract from the freshwater C. glonerata affects the stability of prepared cosmetic emulsions and to investigate in vivo effects of the extract in cosmetic formulations on hydration and elasticity of human skin. Extract from the freshwater C. glonierata was obtained using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Two forms of O/W emulsions were prepared: placebo and emulsion containing 0.5% of Cladophora SFE extract. The stability of obtained emulsions was investigated by using Turbiscan Lab Expert. Emulsions were applied by .volunteers daily. Corneometer was used to evaluate skin hydration and cutometer to examine skin elasticity. Measurements were conducted at reference point (week 0) and after 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of application. The addition of Cladophora extract insignificantly affected stability of the emulsion. The extract from C. glomerata in the emulsion influenced the improvement of both skin hydration and its elasticity. Thus, freshwater C. glonierata extract prepared via SFE method may be considered as an effective cosmetic raw material used as a moisturizing and firming agent.

Sono-assisted extraction of alcohol-insoluble extract from Althaea rosea: purification and chemical analysis.

PubMed

Eskandari, Meghdad; Samavati, Vahid

2015-01-01

A Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to evaluate the effects of ultrasonic power, extraction time, extraction temperature, and water to raw material ratio on extraction yield of alcohol-insoluble polysaccharide of Althaea rosea leaf (ARLP). Purification was carried out by dialysis method. Chemical analysis of ARLP revealed contained 12.69 ± 0.48% moisture, 79.33 ± 0.51% total sugar, 3.82 ± 0.21% protein, 11.25 ± 0.37% uronic acid and 3.77 ± 0.15% ash. The response surface methodology (RSM) showed that the significant quadratic regression equation with high R(2) (=0.9997) was successfully fitted for extraction yield of ARLP as function of independent variables. The overall optimum region was found to be at the combined level of ultrasonic power 91.85 W, extraction time 29.94 min, extraction temperature 89.78 °C, and the ratio of water to raw material 28.77 (mL/g). At this optimum point, extraction yield of ARLP was 19.47 ± 0.41%. No significant (p>0.05) difference was found between the actual and predicted (19.30 ± 0.075%) values. The results demonstrated that ARLP had strong scavenging activities on DPPH and hydroxyl radicals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of modular control system for grain dryers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Gaoqing; Liu, Yanhua; Zu, Yuan

In order to effectively control the temperature of grain drying bin, grain ,air outlet as well as the grain moisture, it designed the control system of 5HCY-35 which is based on MCU to adapt to all grains drying conditions, high drying efficiency, long life usage and less manually. The system includes: the control module of the constant temperature and the temperature difference control in drying bin, the constant temperature control of heating furnace, on-line testing of moisture, variety of grain-circulation speed control and human-computer interaction interface. Spatial curve simulation, which takes moisture as control objectives, controls the constant temperature and the temperature difference in drying bin according to preset parameter by the user or a list to reduce the grains explosive to ensure the seed germination percentage. The system can realize the intelligent control of high efficiency and various drying, the good scalability and the high quality.

Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity in Yogurt Fortified with Red Ginseng Extract.

PubMed

Jung, Jieun; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Yoon, Hyun Joo; Jang, Hye Ji; Jeewanthi, Renda Kankanamge Chaturika; Jee, Hee-Sook; Li, Xiang; Lee, Na-Kyoung; Lee, Si-Kyung

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate characteristics and functionality of yogurt applied red ginseng extract. Yogurts added with red ginseng extract (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) were produced using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus and stored at refrigerated temperature. During fermentation, pH was decreased whereas titratable aicidity and viable cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were increased. The composition of yogurt samples was measured on day 1, an increase of red ginseng extract content in yogurt resulted in an increase in lactose, protein, total solids, and ash content, whereas fat and moisture content decreased. The pH value and cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were declined, however titratable acidity was increased during storage period. The antioxidant capacity was measured as diverse methods. During refrigerated storage time, the value of antioxidant effect was decreased, however, yogurt fortified with red ginseng extract had higher capacity than plain yogurt. The antioxidant effect was improved in proportion to concentration of red ginseng extract. These data suggests that red ginseng extract could affect to reduce fermentation time of yogurt and enhance antioxidant capacity.

Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity in Yogurt Fortified with Red Ginseng Extract

PubMed Central

Jung, Jieun; Paik, Hyun-Dong; Yoon, Hyun Joo; Jang, Hye Ji; Jeewanthi, Renda Kankanamge Chaturika; Jee, Hee-Sook; Lee, Na-Kyoung

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate characteristics and functionality of yogurt applied red ginseng extract. Yogurts added with red ginseng extract (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) were produced using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus and stored at refrigerated temperature. During fermentation, pH was decreased whereas titratable aicidity and viable cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were increased. The composition of yogurt samples was measured on day 1, an increase of red ginseng extract content in yogurt resulted in an increase in lactose, protein, total solids, and ash content, whereas fat and moisture content decreased. The pH value and cell counts of L. acidophilus and S. thermophilus were declined, however titratable acidity was increased during storage period. The antioxidant capacity was measured as diverse methods. During refrigerated storage time, the value of antioxidant effect was decreased, however, yogurt fortified with red ginseng extract had higher capacity than plain yogurt. The antioxidant effect was improved in proportion to concentration of red ginseng extract. These data suggests that red ginseng extract could affect to reduce fermentation time of yogurt and enhance antioxidant capacity. PMID:27433113

The SWEX at the area of Eastern Poland: Comparison of soil moisture obtained from ground measurements and SMOS satellite data*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usowicz, J. B.; Marczewski, W.; Usowicz, B.; Lukowski, M. I.; Lipiec, J.; Slominski, J.

2012-04-01

Soil moisture, together with soil and vegetation characteristics, plays an important role in exchange of water and energy between the land surface and the atmospheric boundary layer. Accurate knowledge of current and future spatial and temporal variation in soil moisture is not well known, nor easy to measure or predict. Knowledge of soil moisture in surface and root zone soil moisture is critical for achieving sustainable land and water management. The importance of SM is so high that this ECV is recommended by GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) to any attempts of evaluating of effects the climate change, and therefore it is one of the goals for observing the Earth by the ESA SMOS Mission (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity), globally. SMOS provides its observations by means of the interferometric radiometry method (1.4 GHz) from the orbit. In parallel, ten ground based stations are kept by IA PAN, in area of the Eastern Wall in Poland, in order to validate SMOS data and for other ground based agrophysical purposes. Soil moisture measurements obtained from ground and satellite measurements from SMOS were compared using Bland-Altman method of agreement, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and total deviation index (TDI). Observed similar changes in soil moisture, but the values obtained from satellite measurements were lower. Minor differences between the compared data are at higher moisture contents of soil and they grow with decreasing soil moisture. Soil moisture trends are maintained in the individual stations. Such distributions of soil moisture were mainly related to soil type. * The work was financially supported in part by the ESA Programme for European Cooperating States (PECS), No.98084 "SWEX-R, Soil Water and Energy Exchange/Research", AO3275.

Value of Available Global Soil Moisture Products for Agricultural Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenova, Iliana; Bolten, John; Crow, Wade; de Jeu, Richard

2016-04-01

The first operationally derived and publicly distributed global soil moil moisture product was initiated with the launch of the Advanced Scanning Microwave Mission on the NASA's Earth Observing System Aqua satellite (AMSR-E). AMSR-E failed in late 2011, but its legacy is continued by AMSR2, launched in 2012 on the JAXA Global Change Observation Mission-Water (GCOM-W) mission. AMSR is a multi-frequency dual-polarization instrument, where the lowest two frequencies (C- and X-band) were used for soil moisture retrieval. Theoretical research and small-/field-scale airborne campaigns, however, have demonstrated that soil moisture would be best monitored using L-band-based observations. This consequently led to the development and launch of the first L-band-based mission-the ESA's Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission (2009). In early 2015 NASA launched the second L-band-based mission, the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP). These satellite-based soil moisture products have been demonstrated to be invaluable sources of information for mapping water stress areas, crop monitoring and yield forecasting. Thus, a number of agricultural agencies routinely utilize and rely on global soil moisture products for improving their decision making activities, determining global crop production and crop prices, identifying food restricted areas, etc. The basic premise of applying soil moisture observations for vegetation monitoring is that the change in soil moisture conditions will precede the change in vegetation status, suggesting that soil moisture can be used as an early indicator of expected crop condition change. Here this relationship was evaluated across multiple microwave frequencies by examining the lag rank cross-correlation coefficient between the soil moisture observations and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). A main goal of our analysis is to evaluate and inter-compare the value of the different soil moisture products derived using L-band (SMOS) versus C-/X-band (AMSR2) observations. The soil moisture products analyzed here were derived using the Land Parameter Retrieval Model.

Polymer Composite Wrapping and Cathodic Protection System for Reinforced Concrete Piles in Marine Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

vicinity of new patches. Fiber -reinforced polymer (FRP) composite wrapping systems have been evolving over the last 20 years and are now a viable...material is a woven glass fiber pre-impregnated with moisture-activated resins that cure underwater after being put in place. Figure 4. ICPW...wrap system The FRP composite wrap material that was selected is Aqua Wrap Type G- 05, a woven glass fiber pre-impregnated with moisture-activated

Mathematical model development and simulation of heat pump fruit dryer

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

Achariyaviriya, S.; Soponronnarit, S.; Terdyothin, A.

2000-01-01

A mathematical model of a heat pump fruit dryer was developed to study the performance of heat pump dryers. Using the moisture content of papaya glace drying, the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator and condenser and the performance, was verified. It was found that the simulated results using closed loop heat pump dryer were close to the experimental results. The criteria for evaluating the performance were specific moisture extraction rate and drying rate. The results showed that ambient conditions affected significantly on the performance of the open loop dryer and the partially closed loop dryer. Also, the fraction of evaporatormore » bypass air affected markedly the performance of all heat pump dryers. In addition, it was found that specific air flow rate and drying air temperature affected significantly the performance of all heat pump dryers.« less

Medium Optimization for the Production of Fibrinolytic Enzyme by Paenibacillus sp. IND8 Using Response Surface Methodology

PubMed Central

Prakash Vincent, Samuel Gnana

2014-01-01

Production of fibrinolytic enzyme by a newly isolated Paenibacillus sp. IND8 was optimized using wheat bran in solid state fermentation. A 25 full factorial design (first-order model) was applied to elucidate the key factors as moisture, pH, sucrose, yeast extract, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate. Statistical analysis of the results has shown that moisture, sucrose, and sodium dihydrogen phosphate have the most significant effects on fibrinolytic enzymes production (P < 0.05). Central composite design (CCD) was used to determine the optimal concentrations of these three components and the experimental results were fitted with a second-order polynomial model at 95% level (P < 0.05). Overall, 4.5-fold increase in fibrinolytic enzyme production was achieved in the optimized medium as compared with the unoptimized medium. PMID:24523635

The NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Mission - Science and Data Product Development Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nloku, E.; Entekhabi, D.; O'Neill, P.

2012-01-01

The Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission, planned for launch in late 2014, has the objective of frequent, global mapping of near-surface soil moisture and its freeze-thaw state. The SMAP measurement system utilizes an L-band radar and radiometer sharing a rotating 6-meter mesh reflector antenna. The instruments will operate on a spacecraft in a 685 km polar orbit with 6am/6pm nodal crossings, viewing the surface at a constant 40-degree incidence angle with a 1000-km swath width, providing 3-day global coverage. Data from the instruments will yield global maps of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state at 10 km and 3 km resolutions, respectively, every two to three days. The 10-km soil moisture product will be generated using a combined radar and radiometer retrieval algorithm. SMAP will also provide a radiometer-only soil moisture product at 40-km spatial resolution and a radar-only soil moisture product at 3-km resolution. The relative accuracies of these products will vary regionally and will depend on surface characteristics such as vegetation water content, vegetation type, surface roughness, and landscape heterogeneity. The SMAP soil moisture and freeze/thaw measurements will enable significantly improved estimates of the fluxes of water, energy and carbon between the land and atmosphere. Soil moisture and freeze/thaw controls of these fluxes are key factors in the performance of models used for weather and climate predictions and for quantifYing the global carbon balance. Soil moisture measurements are also of importance in modeling and predicting extreme events such as floods and droughts. The algorithms and data products for SMAP are being developed in the SMAP Science Data System (SDS) Testbed. In the Testbed algorithms are developed and evaluated using simulated SMAP observations as well as observational data from current airborne and spaceborne L-band sensors including data from the SMOS and Aquarius missions. We report here on the development status of the SMAP data products. The Testbed simulations are designed to capture various sources of errors in the products including environment effects, instrument effects (nonideal aspects of the measurement system), and retrieval algorithm errors. The SMAP project has developed a Calibration and Validation (Cal/Val) Plan that is designed to support algorithm development (pre-launch) and data product validation (post-launch). A key component of the Cal/Val Plan is the identification, characterization, and instrumentation of sites that can be used to calibrate and validate the sensor data (Level l) and derived geophysical products (Level 2 and higher).

Evaluation of fine soil moisture data from the IFloodS (NASA GPM) Ground Validation campaign using a fully-distributed ecohydrological model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastola, S.; Dialynas, Y. G.; Arnone, E.; Bras, R. L.

2014-12-01

The spatial variability of soil, vegetation, topography, and precipitation controls hydrological processes, consequently resulting in high spatio-temporal variability of most of the hydrological variables, such as soil moisture. Limitation in existing measuring system to characterize this spatial variability, and its importance in various application have resulted in a need of reconciling spatially distributed soil moisture evolution model and corresponding measurements. Fully distributed ecohydrological model simulates soil moisture at high resolution soil moisture. This is relevant for range of environmental studies e.g., flood forecasting. They can also be used to evaluate the value of space born soil moisture data, by assimilating them into hydrological models. In this study, fine resolution soil moisture data simulated by a physically-based distributed hydrological model, tRIBS-VEGGIE, is compared with soil moisture data collected during the field campaign in Turkey river basin, Iowa. The soil moisture series at the 2 and 4 inch depth exhibited a more rapid response to rainfall as compared to bottom 8 and 20 inch ones. The spatial variability in two distinct land surfaces of Turkey River, IA, reflects the control of vegetation, topography and soil texture in the characterization of spatial variability. The comparison of observed and simulated soil moisture at various depth showed that model was able to capture the dynamics of soil moisture at a number of gauging stations. Discrepancies are large in some of the gauging stations, which are characterized by rugged terrain and represented, in the model, through large computational units.

Empirical relationships between soil moisture, albedo, and the planetary boundary layer height: a two-layer bucket model approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez-Mejia, Z. M.; Papuga, S. A.

2013-12-01

In semiarid regions, where water resources are limited and precipitation dynamics are changing, understanding land surface-atmosphere interactions that regulate the coupled soil moisture-precipitation system is key for resource management and planning. We present a modeling approach to study soil moisture and albedo controls on planetary boundary layer height (PBLh). We used data from the Santa Rita Creosote Ameriflux site and Tucson Airport atmospheric sounding to generate empirical relationships between soil moisture, albedo and PBLh. We developed empirical relationships and show that at least 50% of the variation in PBLh can be explained by soil moisture and albedo. Then, we used a stochastically driven two-layer bucket model of soil moisture dynamics and our empirical relationships to model PBLh. We explored soil moisture dynamics under three different mean annual precipitation regimes: current, increase, and decrease, to evaluate at the influence on soil moisture on land surface-atmospheric processes. While our precipitation regimes are simple, they represent future precipitation regimes that can influence the two soil layers in our conceptual framework. For instance, an increase in annual precipitation, could impact on deep soil moisture and atmospheric processes if precipitation events remain intense. We observed that the response of soil moisture, albedo, and the PBLh will depend not only on changes in annual precipitation, but also on the frequency and intensity of this change. We argue that because albedo and soil moisture data are readily available at multiple temporal and spatial scales, developing empirical relationships that can be used in land surface - atmosphere applications are of great value.

An analysis of soil moisture and vegetation conditions during a period of rapid subseasonal oscillations between drought and pluvials over Texas during 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunt, E. D.; Otkin, J.; Zhong, Y.

2017-12-01

Flash drought, characterized by the rapid onset of abnormally warm and dry weather conditions that leads to the rapid depletion of soil moisture and rapid deteriorations in vegetation health. Flash recovery, on the other hand, is characterized by a period(s) of intense precipitation where drought conditions are quickly eradicated and may be replaced by saturated soils and flooding. Both flash drought and flash recovery are closely tied to the rapid depletion or recharge of root zone soil moisture; therefore, soil moisture observations are very useful for monitoring their evolution. However, in-situ soil moisture observations tend to be concentrated over small regions and thus other methods are needed to provide a spatially continuous depiction of soil moisture conditions. One option is to use top soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) sensor. SMAP provides routine coverage of surface soil moisture (0-5 cm) over most of the globe, including the timespan (2015) and region of interest (Texas) that are the focus of our study. This region had an unusual sequence of flash recovery-flash drought-flash recovery during an six-month period during 2015 that provides a valuable case study of rapid transitions between extreme soil moisture conditions. During this project, SMAP soil moisture retrievals are being used in combination with in-situ soil moisture observations and assimilated into the Land Information System (LIS) to provide information about soil moisture content. LIS also provides greenness vegetation fraction data over large regions. The relationship between soil moisture and vegetation conditions and the response of the vegetation to the rapidly changing conditions are also assessed using the satellite thermal infrared based Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) that depicts anomalies in evapotranspiration, along with other vegetation datasets (leaf area index, greenness fraction) derived using MODIS observations. Preliminary results with the Noah land surface model (inside of LIS) shows that it broadly captured the soil moisture evolution during the 2015 sequence but tended to underestimate the magnitude of soil moisture anomalies. The ESI also showed negative anomalies during the drought. These and other results will be presented at the annual meeting.

Fate of 14C-labeled dissolved organic matter in paddy and upland soils in responding to moisture.

PubMed

Chen, Xiangbi; Wang, Aihua; Li, Yang; Hu, Lening; Zheng, Hua; He, Xunyang; Ge, Tida; Wu, Jinshui; Kuzyakov, Yakov; Su, Yirong

2014-08-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) content in paddy soils is higher than that in upland soils in tropical and subtropical China. The dissolved organic matter (DOM) concentration, however, is lower in paddy soils. We hypothesize that soil moisture strongly controls the fate of DOM, and thereby leads to differences between the two agricultural soils under contrasting management regimens. A 100-day incubation experiment was conducted to trace the fate and biodegradability of DOM in paddy and upland soils under three moisture levels: 45%, 75%, and 105% of the water holding capacity (WHC). (14)C labeled DOM, extracted from the (14)C labeled rice plant material, was incubated in paddy and upland soils, and the mineralization to (14)CO2 and incorporation into microbial biomass were analyzed. Labile and refractory components of the initial (14)C labeled DOM and their respective half-lives were calculated by a double exponential model. During incubation, the mineralization of the initial (14)C labeled DOM in the paddy soils was more affected by moisture than in the upland soils. The amount of (14)C incorporated into the microbial biomass (2.4-11.0% of the initial DOM-(14)C activity) was less affected by moisture in the paddy soils than in the upland soils. At any of the moisture levels, 1) the mineralization of DOM to (14)CO2 within 100 days was 1.2-2.1-fold higher in the paddy soils (41.9-60.0% of the initial DOM-(14)C activity) than in the upland soils (28.7-35.7%), 2) (14)C activity remaining in solution was significantly lower in the paddy soils than in the upland soils, and 3) (14)C activity remaining in the same agricultural soil solution was not significantly different among the three moisture levels after 20 days. Therefore, moisture strongly controls DOM fate, but moisture was not the key factor in determining the lower DOM in the paddy soils than in the upland soils. The UV absorbance of DOM at 280 nm indicates less aromaticity of DOM from the paddy soils than from the upland soils. At any of the moisture levels, much more labile DOM was found in paddy soils (34.3-49.2% of the initial (14)C labeled DOM) compared with that in upland soils (19.4-23.9%). This demonstrates that the lower DOM content in the paddy soil compared with that in the upland soil is probably determined by the less complex components and structure of the DOM. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process for improving moisture resistance of epoxy resins by addition of chromium ions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St.clair, A. K.; Stoakley, D. M.; St.clair, T. L.; Singh, J. J. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

A process for improving the moisture resistance properties of epoxidized TGMDA and DGEBA resin system by chemically incorporating chromium ions is described. The addition of chromium ions is believed to prevent the absorption of water molecules.

Operational Evaluation of the Root Modules of the Advanced Plant Habitat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monje, O.

2014-01-01

Photosynthetic and growth data were collected on APH Root Module. Described Stand pipe system for active moisture control. Tested germination in wicks. Evaluated EC-5 moisture sensors. Demonstrated that Wheat plants can grow in the APH Root Module.

The suitability of remotely sensed soil moisture for improving operational flood forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanders, N.; Karssenberg, D.; de Roo, A.; de Jong, S. M.; Bierkens, M. F. P.

2013-11-01

We evaluate the added value of assimilated remotely sensed soil moisture for the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) and its potential to improve the prediction of the timing and height of the flood peak and low flows. EFAS is an operational flood forecasting system for Europe and uses a distributed hydrological model for flood predictions with lead times up to 10 days. For this study, satellite-derived soil moisture from ASCAT, AMSR-E and SMOS is assimilated into the EFAS system for the Upper Danube basin and results are compared to assimilation of discharge observations only. To assimilate soil moisture and discharge data into EFAS, an Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is used. Information on the spatial (cross-) correlation of the errors in the satellite products, is included to ensure optimal performance of the EnKF. For the validation, additional discharge observations not used in the EnKF, are used as an independent validation dataset. Our results show that the accuracy of flood forecasts is increased when more discharge observations are assimilated; the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of the ensemble mean is reduced by 65%. The additional inclusion of satellite data results in a further increase of the performance: forecasts of base flows are better and the uncertainty in the overall discharge is reduced, shown by a 10% reduction in the MAE. In addition, floods are predicted with a higher accuracy and the Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS) shows a performance increase of 5-10% on average, compared to assimilation of discharge only. When soil moisture data is used, the timing errors in the flood predictions are decreased especially for shorter lead times and imminent floods can be forecasted with more skill. The number of false flood alerts is reduced when more data is assimilated into the system and the best performance is achieved with the assimilation of both discharge and satellite observations. The additional gain is highest when discharge observations from both upstream and downstream areas are used in combination with the soil moisture data. These results show the potential of remotely sensed soil moisture observations to improve near-real time flood forecasting in large catchments.

The suitability of remotely sensed soil moisture for improving operational flood forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanders, N.; Karssenberg, D.; de Roo, A.; de Jong, S. M.; Bierkens, M. F. P.

2014-06-01

We evaluate the added value of assimilated remotely sensed soil moisture for the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) and its potential to improve the prediction of the timing and height of the flood peak and low flows. EFAS is an operational flood forecasting system for Europe and uses a distributed hydrological model (LISFLOOD) for flood predictions with lead times of up to 10 days. For this study, satellite-derived soil moisture from ASCAT (Advanced SCATterometer), AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - Earth Observing System) and SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) is assimilated into the LISFLOOD model for the Upper Danube Basin and results are compared to assimilation of discharge observations only. To assimilate soil moisture and discharge data into the hydrological model, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is used. Information on the spatial (cross-) correlation of the errors in the satellite products, is included to ensure increased performance of the EnKF. For the validation, additional discharge observations not used in the EnKF are used as an independent validation data set. Our results show that the accuracy of flood forecasts is increased when more discharge observations are assimilated; the mean absolute error (MAE) of the ensemble mean is reduced by 35%. The additional inclusion of satellite data results in a further increase of the performance: forecasts of baseflows are better and the uncertainty in the overall discharge is reduced, shown by a 10% reduction in the MAE. In addition, floods are predicted with a higher accuracy and the continuous ranked probability score (CRPS) shows a performance increase of 5-10% on average, compared to assimilation of discharge only. When soil moisture data is used, the timing errors in the flood predictions are decreased especially for shorter lead times and imminent floods can be forecasted with more skill. The number of false flood alerts is reduced when more observational data is assimilated into the system. The added values of the satellite data is largest when these observations are assimilated in combination with distributed discharge observations. These results show the potential of remotely sensed soil moisture observations to improve near-real time flood forecasting in large catchments.

A Methodology for Soil Moisture Retrieval from Land Surface Temperature, Vegetation Index, Topography and Soil Type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradhan, N. R.

2015-12-01

Soil moisture conditions have an impact upon hydrological processes, biological and biogeochemical processes, eco-hydrology, floods and droughts due to changing climate, near-surface atmospheric conditions and the partition of incoming solar and long-wave radiation between sensible and latent heat fluxes. Hence, soil moisture conditions virtually effect on all aspects of engineering / military engineering activities such as operational mobility, detection of landmines and unexploded ordinance, natural material penetration/excavation, peaking factor analysis in dam design etc. Like other natural systems, soil moisture pattern can vary from completely disorganized (disordered, random) to highly organized. To understand this varying soil moisture pattern, this research utilized topographic wetness index from digital elevation models (DEM) along with vegetation index from remotely sensed measurements in red and near-infrared bands, as well as land surface temperature (LST) in the thermal infrared bands. This research developed a methodology to relate a combined index from DEM, LST and vegetation index with the physical soil moisture properties of soil types and the degree of saturation. The advantage in using this relationship is twofold: first it retrieves soil moisture content at the scale of soil data resolution even though the derived indexes are in a coarse resolution, and secondly the derived soil moisture distribution represents both organized and disorganized patterns of actual soil moisture. The derived soil moisture is used in driving the hydrological model simulations of runoff, sediment and nutrients.

Modeling topographic influences on fuel moisture and fire danger in complex terrain to improve wildland fire management decision support

Treesearch

Zachary A. Holden; W. Matt Jolly

2011-01-01

Fire danger rating systems commonly ignore fine scale, topographically-induced weather variations. These variations will likely create heterogeneous, landscape-scale fire danger conditions that have never been examined in detail. We modeled the evolution of fuel moistures and the Energy Release Component (ERC) from the US National Fire Danger Rating System across the...

Behavior of an epoxy-polysulfide adhesive in wood joints exposed to moisture content changes

Treesearch

Gordon P. Krueger

1965-01-01

The mechanical behavior of a flexible epoxy-resin adhesive system was observed in joints of plywood to lumber. The joints were subjected to internal swelling stresses caused by an increase in moisture content. Previous experimental work at the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory has shown that this adhesive system acts as a strain-absorbing cushion and thus has a...

Concept of turbines for ultrasupercritical, supercritical, and subcritical steam conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhailov, V. E.; Khomenok, L. A.; Pichugin, I. I.; Kovalev, I. A.; Bozhko, V. V.; Vladimirskii, O. A.; Zaitsev, I. V.; Kachuriner, Yu. Ya.; Nosovitskii, I. A.; Orlik, V. G.

2017-11-01

The article describes the design features of condensing turbines for ultrasupercritical initial steam conditions (USSC) and large-capacity cogeneration turbines for super- and subcritical steam conditions having increased steam extractions for district heating purposes. For improving the efficiency and reliability indicators of USSC turbines, it is proposed to use forced cooling of the head high-temperature thermally stressed parts of the high- and intermediate-pressure rotors, reaction-type blades of the high-pressure cylinder (HPC) and at least the first stages of the intermediate-pressure cylinder (IPC), the double-wall HPC casing with narrow flanges of its horizontal joints, a rigid HPC rotor, an extended system of regenerative steam extractions without using extractions from the HPC flow path, and the low-pressure cylinder's inner casing moving in accordance with the IPC thermal expansions. For cogeneration turbines, it is proposed to shift the upper district heating extraction (or its significant part) to the feedwater pump turbine, which will make it possible to improve the turbine plant efficiency and arrange both district heating extractions in the IPC. In addition, in the case of using a disengaging coupling or precision conical bolts in the coupling, this solution will make it possible to disconnect the LPC in shifting the turbine to operate in the cogeneration mode. The article points out the need to intensify turbine development efforts with the use of modern methods for improving their efficiency and reliability involving, in particular, the use of relatively short 3D blades, last stages fitted with longer rotor blades, evaporation techniques for removing moisture in the last-stage diaphragm, and LPC rotor blades with radial grooves on their leading edges.

Instruments for measuring the amount of moisture in the air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, D. L.

1978-01-01

A summarization and discussion of the many systems available for measuring moisture in the atmosphere is presented. Conventional methods used in the field of meteorology and methods used in the laboratory are discussed. Performance accuracies, and response of the instruments were reviewed as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. Methods of measuring humidity aloft by instrumentation onboard aircraft and balloons are given, in addition to the methods used to measure moisture at the Earth's surface.

Coupled Land-Atmosphere Dynamics Govern Long Duration Floods: A Pilot Study in Missouri River Basin Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najibi, N.; Lu, M.; Devineni, N.

2017-12-01

Long duration floods cause substantial damages and prolonged interruptions to water resource facilities and critical infrastructure. We present a novel generalized statistical and physical based model for flood duration with a deeper understanding of dynamically coupled nexus of the land surface wetness, effective atmospheric circulation and moisture transport/release. We applied the model on large reservoirs in the Missouri River Basin. The results indicate that the flood duration is not only a function of available moisture in the air, but also the antecedent condition of the blocking system of atmospheric pressure, resulting in enhanced moisture convergence, as well as the effectiveness of moisture condensation process leading to release. Quantifying these dynamics with a two-layer climate informed Bayesian multilevel model, we explain more than 80% variations in flood duration. The model considers the complex interaction between moisture transport, synoptic-to-large-scale atmospheric circulation pattern, and the antecedent wetness condition in the basin. Our findings suggest that synergy between a large low-pressure blocking system and a higher rate of divergent wind often triggers a long duration flood, and the prerequisite for moisture supply to trigger such event is moderate, which is more associated with magnitude than duration. In turn, this condition causes an extremely long duration flood if the surface wetness rate advancing to the flood event was already increased.

Assimilation of SMOS Retrievals in the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay B.; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.; Crosson, William L.

2016-01-01

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite provides retrievals of soil moisture in the upper 5 cm with a 30-50 km resolution and a mission accuracy requirement of 0.04 cm(sub 3 cm(sub -3). These observations can be used to improve land surface model soil moisture states through data assimilation. In this paper, SMOS soil moisture retrievals are assimilated into the Noah land surface model via an Ensemble Kalman Filter within the NASA Land Information System. Bias correction is implemented using Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) matching, with points aggregated by either land cover or soil type to reduce sampling error in generating the CDFs. An experiment was run for the warm season of 2011 to test SMOS data assimilation and to compare assimilation methods. Verification of soil moisture analyses in the 0-10 cm upper layer and root zone (0-1 m) was conducted using in situ measurements from several observing networks in the central and southeastern United States. This experiment showed that SMOS data assimilation significantly increased the anomaly correlation of Noah soil moisture with station measurements from 0.45 to 0.57 in the 0-10 cm layer. Time series at specific stations demonstrate the ability of SMOS DA to increase the dynamic range of soil moisture in a manner consistent with station measurements. Among the bias correction methods, the correction based on soil type performed best at bias reduction but also reduced correlations. The vegetation-based correction did not produce any significant differences compared to using a simple uniform correction curve.

Assimilation of SMOS Retrievals in the Land Information System

PubMed Central

Blankenship, Clay B.; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.; Crosson, William L.

2018-01-01

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite provides retrievals of soil moisture in the upper 5 cm with a 30-50 km resolution and a mission accuracy requirement of 0.04 cm3 cm−3. These observations can be used to improve land surface model soil moisture states through data assimilation. In this paper, SMOS soil moisture retrievals are assimilated into the Noah land surface model via an Ensemble Kalman Filter within the NASA Land Information System. Bias correction is implemented using Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) matching, with points aggregated by either land cover or soil type to reduce sampling error in generating the CDFs. An experiment was run for the warm season of 2011 to test SMOS data assimilation and to compare assimilation methods. Verification of soil moisture analyses in the 0-10 cm upper layer and root zone (0-1 m) was conducted using in situ measurements from several observing networks in the central and southeastern United States. This experiment showed that SMOS data assimilation significantly increased the anomaly correlation of Noah soil moisture with station measurements from 0.45 to 0.57 in the 0-10 cm layer. Time series at specific stations demonstrate the ability of SMOS DA to increase the dynamic range of soil moisture in a manner consistent with station measurements. Among the bias correction methods, the correction based on soil type performed best at bias reduction but also reduced correlations. The vegetation-based correction did not produce any significant differences compared to using a simple uniform correction curve. PMID:29367795

Further experimentation on bubble generation during transformer overload

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

Oommen, T.V.

1992-03-01

This report covers additional work done during 1990 and 1991 on gas bubble generation under overload conditions. To improve visual bubble detection, a single disc coil was used. To further improve detection, a corona device was also used which signaled the onset of corona activity in the early stages of bubble formation. A total of fourteen model tests were conducted, half of which used the Inertaire system, and the remaining, a conservator (COPS). Moisture content of paper in the coil varied from 1.0% to 8.0%; gas (nitrogen) content varied from 1.0% to 8.8%. The results confirmed earlier observations that themore » mathematical bubble prediction model was not valid for high gas content model with relatively low moisture levels in the coil. An empirical relationship was formulated to accurately predict bubble evolution temperatures from known moisture and gas content values. For low moisture content models (below 2%), the simple Piper relationship was sufficient to predict bubble evolution temperatures, regardless of gas content. Moisture in the coil appears to be the key factor in bubble generation. Gas blanketed (Inertaire) systems do not appear to be prone to premature bubble generation from overloads as previously thought. The new bubble prediction model reveals that for a coil with 2% moisture, the bubble evolution temperature would be about 140{degrees}C. Since old transformers in service may have as much as 2% moisture in paper, the 140{degrees}C bubble evolution temperature may be taken as the lower limit of bubble evolution temperature under overload conditions for operating transformers. Drier insulation would raise the bubble evolution temperature.« less

Assimilation of SMOS Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay B.; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.

2014-01-01

Soil moisture is a crucial variable for weather prediction because of its influence on evaporation and surface heat fluxes. It is also of critical importance for drought and flood monitoring and prediction and for public health applications such as monitoring vector-borne diseases. Land surface modeling benefits greatly from regular updates with soil moisture observations via data assimilation. Satellite remote sensing is the only practical observation type for this purpose in most areas due to its worldwide coverage. The newest operational satellite sensor for soil moisture is the Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS) instrument aboard the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite. The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center (SPoRT) has implemented the assimilation of SMOS soil moisture observations into the NASA Land Information System (LIS), an integrated modeling and data assimilation software platform. We present results from assimilating SMOS observations into the Noah 3.2 land surface model within LIS. The SMOS MIRAS is an L-band radiometer launched by the European Space Agency in 2009, from which we assimilate Level 2 retrievals [1] into LIS-Noah. The measurements are sensitive to soil moisture concentration in roughly the top 2.5 cm of soil. The retrievals have a target volumetric accuracy of 4% at a resolution of 35-50 km. Sensitivity is reduced where precipitation, snowcover, frozen soil, or dense vegetation is present. Due to the satellite's polar orbit, the instrument achieves global coverage twice daily at most mid- and low-latitude locations, with only small gaps between swaths.

Enhancing the USDA Global Crop Assessment Decision Support System Using SMAP Soil Moisture Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J. D.; Mladenova, I. E.; Crow, W. T.; Reynolds, C. A.

2016-12-01

The Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) is a subdivision of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that is in charge with providing information on current and expected crop supply and demand estimates. Knowledge of the amount of water in the root zone is an essential source of information for the crop analysts as it governs the crop development and crop growth, which in turn determine the end-of-season yields. USDA FAS currently relies on root zone soil moisture (RZSM) estimates generated using the modified two-layer Palmer Model (PM). PM is a simple water-balance hydrologic model that is driven by daily precipitation observations and minimum and maximum temperature data. These forcing data are based on ground meteorological station measurements from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), and gridded weather data from the former U.S. Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA), currently called U.S. Air Force 557th Weather Wing. The PM was extended by adding a data assimilation (DA) unit that provides the opportunity to routinely ingest satellite-based soil moisture observations. This allows us to adjust for precipitation-related inaccuracies and enhance the quality of the PM soil moisture estimates. The current operational DA system is based on a 1-D Ensample Kalman Filter approach and relies on observations obtained from the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity Mission (SMOS). Our talk will demonstrate the value of assimilating two satellite products (i.e. a passive and active) and discuss work that is done in preparation for ingesting soil moisture observations from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission.

The Impact of Model and Rainfall Forcing Errors on Characterizing Soil Moisture Uncertainty in Land Surface Modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maggioni, V.; Anagnostou, E. N.; Reichle, R. H.

2013-01-01

The contribution of rainfall forcing errors relative to model (structural and parameter) uncertainty in the prediction of soil moisture is investigated by integrating the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM), forced with hydro-meteorological data, in the Oklahoma region. Rainfall-forcing uncertainty is introduced using a stochastic error model that generates ensemble rainfall fields from satellite rainfall products. The ensemble satellite rain fields are propagated through CLSM to produce soil moisture ensembles. Errors in CLSM are modeled with two different approaches: either by perturbing model parameters (representing model parameter uncertainty) or by adding randomly generated noise (representing model structure and parameter uncertainty) to the model prognostic variables. Our findings highlight that the method currently used in the NASA GEOS-5 Land Data Assimilation System to perturb CLSM variables poorly describes the uncertainty in the predicted soil moisture, even when combined with rainfall model perturbations. On the other hand, by adding model parameter perturbations to rainfall forcing perturbations, a better characterization of uncertainty in soil moisture simulations is observed. Specifically, an analysis of the rank histograms shows that the most consistent ensemble of soil moisture is obtained by combining rainfall and model parameter perturbations. When rainfall forcing and model prognostic perturbations are added, the rank histogram shows a U-shape at the domain average scale, which corresponds to a lack of variability in the forecast ensemble. The more accurate estimation of the soil moisture prediction uncertainty obtained by combining rainfall and parameter perturbations is encouraging for the application of this approach in ensemble data assimilation systems.

[Differentiation between moisture lesions and pressure ulcers using photographs in a critical area].

PubMed

Valls-Matarín, Josefa; Del Cotillo-Fuente, Mercedes; Pujol-Vila, María; Ribal-Prior, Rosa; Sandalinas-Mulero, Inmaculada

2016-01-01

To identify difficulties for nurses in differentiating between moisture lesions and pressure ulcers, proper classification of pressure ulcers to assess the adequate classification of the Grupo Nacional para el Estudio y Asesoramiento de Úlceras por Presión y Heridas Crónicas (GNEAUPP) and the degree of agreement in the correct assessment by type and category of injury. Cross-sectional study in a critical area during 2014. All nurses who agreed to participate were included. They performed a questionnaire with 14 photographs validated by experts of moisture lesions or pressure ulcers in the sacral area and buttocks, with 6 possible answers: Pressure ulcer category I, II, III, IV, moisture lesions and unknown. Demographics and knowledge of the classification system of the pressure ulcers were collected according to GNEAUPP. It involved 98% of the population (n=56); 98.2% knew the classification system of the GNEAUPP; 35.2% of moisture lesions were considered as pressure ulcers, most of them as a category II (18.9%). The 14.8% of the pressure ulcers photographs were identified as moisture lesions and 16.1% were classified in another category. The agreement between nurses earned a global Kappa index of .38 (95% CI: .29-.57). There are difficulties differentiating between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions, especially within initial categories. Nurses have the perception they know the pressure ulcers classification, but they do not classify them correctly. The degree of concordance in the diagnosis of skin lesions was low. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Remote sensing monitoring the spatio-temporal changes of aridification in the Mongolian Plateau based on the general Ts-NDVI space, 1981-2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Xiaoming; Feng, Yiming; Wang, Juanle

2017-06-01

This paper has developed a general Ts-NDVI triangle space with vegetation index time-series data from AVHRR and MODIS to monitor soil moisture in the Mongolian Plateau during 1981-2012, and studied the spatio-temporal variations of drought based on the temperature vegetation dryness index (TVDI). The results indicated that (1) the developed general Ts-NDVI space extracted from the AVHRR and MODIS remote sensing data would be an effective method to monitor regional drought, moreover, it would be more meaningful if the single time Ts-NDVI space showed an unstable condition; (2) the inverted TVDI was expected to reflect the water deficit in the study area. It was found to be in close negative agreement with precipitation and 10 cm soil moisture; (3) in the Mongolian Plateau, TVDI presented a zonal distribution with changes in land use/land cover types, vegetation cover and latitude. The soil moisture is low in bare land, construction land and grassland. During 1981-2012, drought was widely spread throughout the plateau, and aridification was obvious in the study period. Vegetation degradation, overgrazing, and climate warming could be considered as the main reasons.

The Soil Moisture Dependence of TRMM Microwave Imager Rainfall Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyyedi, H.; Anagnostou, E. N.

2011-12-01

This study presents an in-depth analysis of the dependence of overland rainfall estimates from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI) on the soil moisture conditions at the land surface. TMI retrievals are verified against rainfall fields derived from a high resolution rain-gauge network (MESONET) covering Oklahoma. Soil moisture (SOM) patterns are extracted based on recorded data from 2000-2007 with 30 minutes temporal resolution. The area is divided into wet and dry regions based on normalized SOM (Nsom) values. Statistical comparison between two groups is conducted based on recorded ground station measurements and the corresponding passive microwave retrievals from TMI overpasses at the respective MESONET station location and time. The zero order error statistics show that the Probability of Detection (POD) for the wet regions (higher Nsom values) is higher than the dry regions. The Falls Alarm Ratio (FAR) and volumetric FAR is lower for the wet regions. The volumetric missed rain for the wet region is lower than dry region. Analysis of the MESONET-to-TMI ratio values shows that TMI tends to overestimate for surface rainfall intensities less than 12 (mm/h), however the magnitude of the overestimation over the wet regions is lower than the dry regions.

Agricultural Decision Support Through Robust Assimilation of Satellite Derived Soil Moisture Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, V.; Cruise, J.; Mecikalski, J. R.

2012-12-01

Soil Moisture is a key component in the hydrological process, affects surface and boundary layer energy fluxes and is the driving factor in agricultural production. Multiple in situ soil moisture measuring instruments such as Time-domain Reflectrometry (TDR), Nuclear Probes etc. are in use along with remote sensing methods like Active and Passive Microwave (PM) sensors. In situ measurements, despite being more accurate, can only be obtained at discrete points over small spatial scales. Remote sensing estimates, on the other hand, can be obtained over larger spatial domains with varying spatial and temporal resolutions. Soil moisture profiles derived from satellite based thermal infrared (TIR) imagery can overcome many of the problems associated with laborious in-situ observations over large spatial domains. An area where soil moisture observation and assimilation is receiving increasing attention is agricultural crop modeling. This study revolves around the use of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop model to simulate corn yields under various forcing scenarios. First, the model was run and calibrated using observed precipitation and model generated soil moisture dynamics. Next, the modeled soil moisture was updated using estimates derived from satellite based TIR imagery and the Atmospheric Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) model. We selected three climatically different locations to test the concept. Test Locations were selected to represent varied climatology. Bell Mina, Alabama - South Eastern United States, representing humid subtropical climate. Nabb, Indiana - Mid Western United States, representing humid continental climate. Lubbok, Texas - Southern United States, representing semiarid steppe climate. A temporal (2000-2009) correlation analysis of the soil moisture values from both DSSAT and ALEXI were performed and validated against the Land Information System (LIS) soil moisture dataset. The results clearly show strong correlation (R = 73%) between ALEXI and DSSAT at Bell Mina. At Nabb and Lubbock the correlation was 50-60%. Further, multiple experiments were conducted for each location: a) a DSSAT rain-fed 10 year sequential run forced with daymet precipitation; b) a DSSAT sequential run with no precipitation data; and c) a DSSAT run forced with ALEXI soil moisture estimates alone. The preliminary results of all the experiments are quantified through soil moisture correlations and yield comparisons. In general, the preliminary results strongly suggest that DSSAT forced with ALEXI can provide significant information especially at locations where no significant precipitation data exists.

Moisture harvesting and water transport through specialized micro-structures on the integument of lizards.

PubMed

Comanns, Philipp; Effertz, Christian; Hischen, Florian; Staudt, Konrad; Böhme, Wolfgang; Baumgartner, Werner

2011-01-01

Several lizard species that live in arid areas have developed special abilities to collect water with their bodies' surfaces and to ingest the so collected moisture. This is called rain- or moisture-harvesting. The water can originate from air humidity, fog, dew, rain or even from humid soil. The integument (i.e., the skin plus skin derivatives such as scales) has developed features so that the water spreads and is soaked into a capillary system in between the reptiles' scales. Within this capillary system the water is transported to the mouth where it is ingested. We have investigated three different lizard species which have developed the ability for moisture harvesting independently, viz. the Australian thorny devil (Moloch horridus), the Arabian toadhead agama (Phrynocephalus arabicus) and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum). All three lizards have a honeycomb like micro ornamentation on the outer surface of the scales and a complex capillary system in between the scales. By investigation of individual scales and by producing and characterising polymer replicas of the reptiles' integuments, we found that the honeycomb like structures render the surface superhydrophilic, most likely by holding a water film physically stable. Furthermore, the condensation of air humidity is improved on this surface by about 100% in comparison to unstructured surfaces. This allows the animals to collect moisture with their entire body surface. The collected water is transported into the capillary system. For Phrynosoma cornutum we found the interesting effect that, in contrast to the other two investigated species, the water flow in the capillary system is not uniform but directed to the mouth. Taken together we found that the micro ornamentation yields a superhydrophilic surface, and the semi-tubular capillaries allow for an efficient passive - and for Phrynosoma directed - transport of water.

Bacterial cellulose skin masks-Properties and sensory tests.

PubMed

Pacheco, Guilherme; de Mello, Carolina Véspoli; Chiari-Andréo, Bruna Galdorfini; Isaac, Vera Lucia Borges; Ribeiro, Sidney José Lima; Pecoraro, Édison; Trovatti, Eliane

2017-09-29

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a versatile material produced by microorganisms in the form of a membranous hydrogel, totally biocompatible, and endowed with high mechanical strength. Its high water-holding capacity based on its highly porous nanofibrillar structure allows BC to incorporate and to release substances very fast, thus being suitable for the preparation of skincare masks. The preparation and characterization of cosmetic masks based on BC membranes and active cosmetics. The masks were prepared by the simple incorporation of the cosmetic actives into BC membranes, used as a swelling matrix. The masks were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), sensory tests, and skin moisture tests on volunteers. The results of sensory tests revealed the good performance of BC, being considered effective by the panel of volunteers, specially for adhesion to the skin (7.7 at the score scale), and improvement of the skin moisture (the hydration effect increased 76% in 75% of the volunteers that used vegetable extract mask formulation [VEM]), or a decrease in skin hydration (80% of the volunteers showed 32.6% decrease on skin hydration using propolis extract formulation [PEM] treatment), indicating the BC nanofiber membranes can be used to skincare applications. The results demonstrate the BC can be used as an alternative support for cosmetic actives for skin treatment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Key physical parameters of hawthorn leaf granules by stepwise regression analysis method].

PubMed

Jiang, Qie-Ying; Zeng, Rong-Gui; Li, Zhe; Luo, Juan; Zhao, Guo-Wei; Lv, Dan; Liao, Zheng-Gen

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of key physical properties of hawthorn leaf granule on its dissolution behavior. Hawthorn leaves extract was utilized as a model drug. The extract was mixed with microcrystalline cellulose or starch with the same ratio by using different methods. Appropriate amount of lubricant and disintegrating agent was added into part of the mixed powder, and then the granules were prepared by using extrusion granulation and high shear granulation. The granules dissolution behavior was evaluated by using equilibrium dissolution quantity and dissolution rate constant of the hypericin as the indicators. Then the effect of physical properties on dissolution behavior was analyzed through the stepwise regression analysis method. The equilibrium dissolution quantity of hypericin and adsorption heat constant in hawthorn leaves were positively correlated with the monolayer adsorption capacity and negatively correlated with the moisture absorption rate constant. The dissolution rate constants were decreased with the increase of Hausner rate, monolayer adsorption capacity and adsorption heat constant, and were increased with the increase of Carr index and specific surface area. Adsorption heat constant, monolayer adsorption capacity, moisture absorption rate constant, Carr index and specific surface area were the key physical properties of hawthorn leaf granule to affect its dissolution behavior. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Vegetation classification and soil moisture calculation using land surface temperature (LST) and vegetation index (VI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Liangyun; Zhang, Bing; Xu, Genxing; Zheng, Lanfen; Tong, Qingxi

2002-03-01

In this paper, the temperature-missivity separating (TES) method and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are introduced, and the hyperspectral image data are analyzed using land surface temperature (LST) and NDVI channels which are acquired by Operative Module Imaging Spectral (OMIS) in Beijing Precision Agriculture Demonstration Base in Xiaotangshan town, Beijing in 26 Apr, 2001. Firstly, the 6 kinds of ground targets, which are winter wheat in booting stage and jointing stage, bare soil, water in ponds, sullage in dry ponds, aquatic grass, are well classified using LST and NDVI channels. Secondly, the triangle-like scatter-plot is built and analyzed using LST and NDVI channels, which is convenient to extract the information of vegetation growth and soil's moisture. Compared with the scatter-plot built by red and near-infrared bands, the spectral distance between different classes are larger, and the samples in the same class are more convergent. Finally, we design a logarithm VIT model to extract the surface soil water content (SWC) using LST and NDVI channel, which works well, and the coefficient of determination, R2, between the measured surface SWC and the estimated is 0.634. The mapping of surface SWC in the wheat area are calculated and illustrated, which is important for scientific irrigation and precise agriculture.

Resistance mechanisms in Pieris taxa (Ericaceae) to Stephanitis takeyai (Hemiptera: Tingidae).

PubMed

Nair, Shakunthala; Braman, S Kristine; Knauft, D A

2012-10-01

This study examines some of the potential mechanisms of resistance in selected Pieris (Ericaceae) taxa to the Andromeda lace bug, Stephanitis takeyai Drake and Maa, based on differences in resistance to lace bug feeding, and the possible role of leaf parameters such as leaf wax, toughness, nutrient composition, and stomatal characters in plant resistance. Experiments with extracts of leaf-surface lipids revealed that Pieris leaf wax did not have a role in resistance to lace bug feeding. Leaf wax extracts from a resistant species P. phillyreifolia (Hook.) DC. applied to leaves of a susceptible cultivar P. japonica (Thunb.) D.Don ex G.Don 'Temple Bells' did not affect feeding, oviposition, or survival of S. takeyai; and neither the extracts from Temple Bells induce susceptibility in P. phillyreifolia. Leaf penetrometer measurements indicated that significantly higher force was required to puncture P. phillyreifolia leaves, which also had higher fiber, lignin, and cellulose, and lower leaf moisture contents. Ultrastructural examination of leaves of Pieris taxa revealed significant differences in the number and size of stomata. P. phillyreifolia leaves had the highest number of stomata per unit area but these were the smallest in size, whereas P. japonica (Thunb.) D.Don ex G.Don Temple Bells leaves had the fewest and largest stomata. Resistance in Pieris taxa to S. takeyai may be attributed to a combination of different factors including leaf toughness, moisture, and stomatal characters. The type of resistance may be described as antixenosis combined with antibiosis, because reduced adult survival and reproduction were observed on the taxa resistant to lace bug feeding.