Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS) data during the Gap,France, ozone intercomparisons of June 1981

The Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer data over Europe have been specially processed for the 2 days of the ozone sensor intercomparison balloon campaign in June 1981 at Gap, France. The 19 June TOMS map shows an elongated ozone maximum (~ 400 D.U.)extending in a NW-SE direction across central Europe and an ozone minimum (300 D.U.) in the central Atlantic. This pattern produces a 12 D.U. decrease along the balloon trajectory from the first ascent to the second descent. On 26 June a much smaller ozone maximum (400 D.U.) is centered in northern France with its main axis running in a SW-NE direction. The total ozone contours tend to lie parallel to the balloon trajectory so that the total ozone during the flight is nearly constant.     

用远场资料反演西藏玛尼地震的高阶地震矩张量

采用扩展震源模型测定出更多的震源参数 .我们把震源用高阶地震矩张量表示 .为了减少在高阶地震矩张量表达式中出现的大量项 ,采用了 Haskell断层模型 .利用 GSN台网 32个台站的宽频带体波资料 ,反演了西藏玛尼地震的震源参数 .通过实际计算表明 ,该震源是一个走滑断层 ,破裂方向 75°,断层面为=77°、δ=88°,λ=0°,辅助面为=347°、δ=90°、λ=1 78°,破裂持续时间为 1 9s,断层尺度为 47km× 2 8km.这些结果将为地球动力学研究提供新的定量资料 ,对于震源层析成像研究等有实际意义 .     

A collaborative study on temperature diurnal tide in the midlatitude mesopause region (41°N, 105°W) with Na lidar and TIMED/SABER observations

The na lidar-observed temperature diurnal tidal perturbations, based on full-diurnal-cycle observations from 2002 to 2008, are compared with tidal wave measurements by the TIMED/SABER instrument to elucidate the nature of diurnal tidal-period perturbations observed locally. The diurnal amplitude and phase profiles deduced by the two instruments are in very good agreement most of the year. However, the lidar-observed diurnal amplitudes during winter months and early spring are considerably larger than SABER observations, leading to the existence of a significant amplitude maximum of 12 K near 90 km in February and a different seasonal structure of temperature diurnal amplitude from the two instruments. The lidar-observed diurnal phase shows propagating wave characteristics during equinoctial months, but exhibit “evanescent wave” behavior in winter months, whereas SABER diurnal tidal phase exhibits propagating diurnal tidal character all year long with small seasonal variation. This anomalous tidal characteristic from the lidar observations repeats almost every winter. The exact mechanism behind this tidal feature is not fully understood, therefore further investigation and more experimental observations are necessary.     

Protecting speciality cropland from urban development: the case of the Okanagan Valley,British Columbia

Mapping from air photos reveals coinsiderable urbanization of the Okanagan fruitlands between 1966 and 1981. For a number of years reduced areas of fruitland have been compensated for by increased productivity, but the limit of increased productivity has nearly been reached and there are no significant amounts of new land to be planted to fruit. The British Columbia Land Commission Act, with its Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) programme was a bold attempt at preventing the urbanization of prime agricultural land in British Columbia. Undoubtedly the urban conversion of the Okanagan Valley fruitlands has been slowed from what would have occurred without the ALR programme. Nevertheless, sequential maps and records of appeal applications indicate that considerable urban conversion of fruitland is still occurring. There is also evidence that the current British Columbia government's commitment to the ALR programme is waning. If the future urban development patterns and political climate continue along recent trends, it is difficult to be optimistic about preserving the Okanagan fruitlands for future generations.     

The Faraday filter-based spectrometer for observing sodium nightglow and studying atomic and molecular oxygen associated with the sodium chemistry in the mesopause region

This paper describes the operational principles, design and field testing of a new, compact, Faraday filter-based spectrometer to measure the D₂ (589.158 nm) to D₁ (589.756 nm) intensity ratio of the sodium nightglow. This work was motivated by the observations of Slanger et al. (2005) who reported an annual variation in D₂/D₁ with values ranging from 1.2 to 1.8. Their proposed explanation, a modified Chapman mechanism, requires that the intensity ratio is related to the concentration ratio of atomic oxygen [O] to molecular oxygen [O₂]. Our method of measuring D₂/D₁ utilizes narrowband Na vapor Faraday filters, which can yield observations on the fractional contributions of the two chemical pathways of the modified Chapman mechanism. Since delineation of the two chemical pathways requires a spectral resolution of 0.0002 nm, this is not possible with any other existing instrument.     

Reply to Discussion of “Perceptual models of uncertainty for socio-hydrological systems: a flood risk change example”*

ABSTRACT

Ertsen discusses the representation of reality and uncertainty in our paper, raising three critical points. In response to the first, we agree that discussion of different interpretations of the concept of uncertainty is important when developing perceptual models – making different uncertainty interpretations explicit was a key motivation behind our method. Secondly, we do not, as Ertsen suggests, deny anyone who is not a “certified” scientist to have relevant knowledge. The elicitation of diverse views by discussing perceptual models is a basis for open discussion and decision making. Thirdly, Ertsen suggests that it is not useful to treat socio-hydrological systems as if they exist. We argue that we act as “pragmatic realists” in most practical applications by treating socio-hydrological systems as an external reality that can be known. But the uncertainty that arises from our knowledge limitations needs to be recognized, as it may impact on practical decision making and associated costs.     

Anterior dental microwear texture analysis of the Krapina Neandertals

Some Neandertal anterior teeth show unusual and excessive gross wear, commonly explained by non-dietary anterior tooth use, or using the anterior dentition as a tool, clamp, or third hand. This alternate use is inferred from aboriginal arctic populations, who used their front teeth in this manner. Here we examine anterior dental microwear textures of the Krapina Neandertals to test this hypothesis and further analyze tooth use in these hominins. Microwear textures from 17 Krapina Dental People were collected by white-light confocal profilometry using a 100x objective lens. Four adjacent scans were generated, totaling an area of 204x276 ??m, and were analyzed using Toothfrax and SFrax SSFA software packages. The Neandertals were compared to six bioarchaeological/ethnographic samples with reported variation in diet, abrasive load, and non-dietary anterior tooth use. Results indicate that Krapina anterior teeth lack extreme microwear textures expected of hominins exposed to heavy abrasives or those that regularly generated high stresses associated with intense use of the front teeth as tools. Krapina hominins have microwear attributes in common with Coast Tsimshian, Aleut, and Puye Pueblo samples. Collectively, this suggests that the Krapina Neandertals faced moderate abrasive loads and only periodically used their anterior teeth as tools for non-diet related behaviors.     

A GCSS Boundary-Layer Cloud Model Intercomparison Study Of The First Astex Lagrangian Experiment

Three single-column models (all with an explicit liquid water budget and compara-tively high vertical resolution) and three two-dimensional eddy-resolving models (including one with bin-resolved microphysics) are compared with observations from the first ASTEX Lagrangian experiment. This intercomparison was a part of the second GCSS boundary-layer cloud modelling workshop in August 1995.In the air column tracked during the first ASTEX Lagrangian experiment, a shallow subtropical drizzling stratocumulus-capped marine boundary layer deepens after two days into a cumulus capped boundary layer with patchy stratocumulus. The models are forced with time varying boundary conditions at the sea-surface and the capping inversion to simulate the changing environment of the air column.The models all predict the observed deepening and decoupling of the boundary layer quite well, with cumulus cloud evolution and thinning of the overlying stratocumulus. Thus these models all appear capable of predicting transitions between cloud and boundary-layer types with some skill. The models also produce realistic drizzle rates, but there are substantial quantitative differences in the cloud cover and liquid water path between models. The differences between the eddy-resolving model results are nearly as large as between the single column model results. The eddy resolving models give a more detailed picture of the boundary-layer evolution than the single-column models, but are still sensitive to the choice of microphysical and radiative parameterizations, sub-grid-scale turbulence models, and probably model resolution and dimensionality. One important example of the differences seen in these parameterizations is the absorption of solar radiation in a specified cloud layer, which varied by a factor of four between the model radiation parameterizations.     

Perceptual models of uncertainty for socio-hydrological systems: a flood risk change example

Characterizing, understanding and better estimating uncertainties are key concerns for drawing robust conclusions when analyzing changing socio-hydrological systems. Here we suggest developing a perceptual model of uncertainty that is complementary to the perceptual model of the socio-hydrological system and we provide an example application to flood risk change analysis. Such a perceptual model aims to make all relevant uncertainty sources – and different perceptions thereof – explicit in a structured way. It is a first step to assessing uncertainty in system outcomes that can help to prioritize research efforts and to structure dialogue and communication about uncertainty in interdisciplinary work.