A revised method for determining the direct and diffuse components of the total short‐wave radiation

A relationship, derived by Liu and Jordan (1960), under which the total short‐wave radiation may readily be subdivided into its direct and diffuse components is shown to vary both spatially and seasonally. This variability is attributed to changes in the importance of the multiple reflection of short‐wave radiation between the earth's surface and atmosphere. A revised relationship, which incorporates the influence of this process, is shown to have applicability at a large number of Canadian locations.     

On the weakened relationship between spring Arctic Oscillation and following summer tropical cyclone frequency over the western North Pacific: A comparison between 1968–1986 and 1989–2007

This study documents a weakening of the relationship between the spring Arctic Oscillation (AO) and the following summer tropical cyclone (TC) formation frequency over the eastern part (150°-180°E) of the western North Pacific (WNP). The relationship is strong and statistically significant during 1968-1986, but becomes weak during 1989-2007. The spring AO-related SST, atmospheric dynamic, and thermodynamic conditions are compared between the two epochs to understand the possible reasons for the change in the relationship. Results indicate that the spring AO leads to an El Niño-like SST anomaly, lower-level anomalous cyclonic circulation, upper-level anomalous anticyclonic circulation, enhanced ascending motion, and a positive midlevel relative humidity anomaly in the tropical western-central Pacific during 1968-1986, whereas the AO-related anomalies in the above quantities are weak during 1989-2007. Hence, the large-scale dynamic and thermodynamic anomalies are more favorable for TC formation over the eastern WNP during 1968-1986 than during 1989-2007.     

The asymmetric effects of fossil fuel dependency on the carbon intensity of well-being: A U.S. state-level analysis, 1999–2017

The resource dependency literature argues that intensifying processes of dependency can lead to poorer socioecological outcomes, but the effects of reducing dependency remain untested. Some scholars argue that it improves socioecological conditions, while other strands of research suggest that it causes economic hardship, as evidenced by the deaths of despair crisis. Here, I examine the asymmetric effects of fossil fuel dependency (measured as the energy production-consumption ratio, the share of exports from the mining sector, and the share of GDP from the mining sector) on the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB) at the U.S. state-level. I do so by estimating dynamic asymmetric models with fixed effects estimation. I find that increases in all three measures are associated with increases in the CIWB. Decreases in the energy production-consumption ratio and the share of exports from the mining sector do not affect the CIWB, while a decrease in the share of GDP from the mining sector produces a proportional reduction in the CIWB relative to an increase. The estimated net effect of all three variables suggests that an increase in fossil fuel dependency increases the CIWB, while a decrease has no effect. When the CIWB is disaggregated, I find that changes in the energy production-consumption ratio are driving changes in emissions and that changes in the share of GDP from the mining sector are responsible for changes in health-adjusted life expectancy. Given that the net effect of a decrease in fossil fuel dependency is not statistically significant, I conclude by arguing that a planned, managed transition away from fossil fuel extraction is critical to ensuring simultaneous improvements in human and environmental well-being.