A rapid-response 2-D drag anemometer for atmospheric turbulence measurements

A rapid response drag anemometer for measuring streamwise and lateral components of horizontal windspeed is described. Theory of operation, design and calibration are discussed with emphasis on the electronic preconditioning of signals and problems associated with using a mechanically resonant system as a sensor. Field comparisons showed half-hourly means and standard deviations of the streamwise component to be within 8% and 5% of respective values obtained from a 3-dimensional sonic anemometer. The lateral component from the drag anemometer was significantly more noisy than that from the 3-D sonic due to induced oscillations arising from vortex shedding. After mechanical and electronic filtering, half-hourly standard deviation comparisons agreed to within 6% for this component. Friction velocities obtained from the drag anemometer in combination with a 1-D sonic, agreed with measurements from the 3-D sonic anemometer to within 4% over a measured range of 0.05 to 1.2 m s^-1     

Salinity-induced survival strategy of Vibrio cholerae associated with copepods in Cochin backwaters

The occurrence of Vibrio cholerae in water, sediment and copepods was studied over a wide range of salinity using conventional and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques in the Cochin backwaters. V. cholerae occurred either as culturable or non-culturable form in this tropical estuary. During the pre monsoon period when high salinity prevailed (35.5psu) V. cholerae was associated with copepods only in non-culturable form, but with the onset of monsoon when lower salinity prevailed, copepod-associated-V. cholerae reverted back to culturable form. The optimum salinity range for culturability was found to be 15-20psu. This points to the fact that salinity is a major factor that which influences V. cholerae's culturability and its association with copepods in Cochin backwaters.     

Are Taxonomic Distinctness measures compliant to other ecological indicators in assessing ecological status?

Assessing the ecological status, a concept implemented in the European Water Framework Directive [EC, 2000. Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of water policy PE-CONS 3639/1/00, p. 72], requires the application of methods capable of distinguishing different levels of ecological quality. The Average Taxonomic Distinctness has been used as tool in this context, and we tested the robustness of Taxonomic Distinctness measures applying it in different scenarios (estuarine eutrophication, organic pollution, and re-colonisation after physical disturbance), analysing simultaneously its compliance to other types of ecological indicators. Results show that, in most of the case studies, only Total Taxonomic Distinctness was relatively satisfactory in discriminating between disturbed situations. Other Taxonomic Distinctness measures have not proved to be more sensitive than other ecological indicators (Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, and Eco-Exergy indices). Therefore, this approach does not seem to be particularly helpful in assessing systems' ecological status with regard to the WFD implementation.     

对重力势二阶垂直偏导数的一种新的取样方法

从目前的研究来看，二阶垂直导数（X和Y两个方向）的求解方法较简单，它采用的五个因子的数字滤波的最小二乘法来优化数据。但是在较小区域面积时（对工程和环境应用中的重力数据），重力异常很容易放大和被区域重力场掩盖，我们认为产生的缘由是表示重力场的x和y方向上的二次多项式引起的。因此，为了逼近重力水平方向的偏导可以设计一个好的滤波器来拟合在xy平面的重力场值，再得出想要的重力垂直方向偏导，文中最后对提出的方法在前人经典模型上和野外实践进行了验证。     

Infrared Signatures of Microbreaking Wave Modulation

Infrared (IR) imagery of microbreaking waves in the ocean and laboratory showed modulation of breaking by swell and paddle-generated waves, respectively. Skin temperature also was modulated by the long waves, with the maxima occurring on the rear face of the long waves in both the laboratory and the field. The IR imagery from the ocean and laboratory showed that long-wave-induced microbreaking occurred at or near the long wave crest, and the resulting warm wakes occurred on the rear face. Thus, microbreaking waves generated near the crest of low-amplitude long waves can produce modulation with the maxima on the rear face. This mechanism was shown to be responsible for modulation of the measured in the laboratory and also likely contributed to the modulation observed in the field.