Dual polarization radar Lagrangian parameters: a statistics-based probabilistic nowcasting model

The aim of this study is to present a statistics-based Lagrangian nowcasting model to predict intense rainfall convective events based on dual polarization radar parameters. The data employed in this study are from X-band radar collected during the CHUVA-Vale campaign from November 2011 to March 2012 in southeast Brazil. The model was designed to catch the important physical characteristics of storms, such as the presence of supercooled water above 0 °C isotherm, vertical ice crystals in high levels, graupel development in the mixed-phase layer and storm vertical growth, using polarimetric radar in the mixed-phase layer. These parameters are based on different polarimetric radar quantities in the mixed phase, such as negative differential reflectivity (Z _DR) and specific differential phase (K _DP), low correlation coefficient (ρ _hv) and high reflectivity Z _h values. Storms were tracked to allow the Lagrangian temporal derivation. The model is based on the estimation of the proportion of radar echo volume in the mixed phase that is likely to be associated with intense storm hydrometeors. Thirteen parameters are used in this probabilistic nowcasting model, which is able to predict the potential for future storm development. The model distinguishes two different categories of storms, intense and non-intense rain cell events by determining how many parameters reach the “intense” storm threshold.     

Coupled modes of large-scale climatic variables and regional precipitation in the western Mediterranean in autumn

The variability of autumn precipitation in the western Mediterranean and its relationship to the large-scale atmospheric variability during the period 1948 to 1989 is assessed. A singular value decomposition analysis is used to establish modes of coupled variability between regional precipitation and geopotential height (Z300), zonal (U-wind) and meridional (V-wind) wind components at the 300 hPa level. The Z300/precipitation coupling, which accounts for 52% of the total squared covariance, is strong during the autumn. The first Z300 coupled mode, in its positive phase, is characterised by a dipole structure with negative anomalies over Scandinavia and positive anomalies over the Iberian Peninsula in the Z300 and negative precipitation anomalies in the western Mediterranean. In its negative phase, a coupled pattern is found showing a high-over-low block and positive precipitation anomalies over the Mediterranean area. The coupling depicted by the second mode is weaker than that found in the first mode. The second coupled mode (21% of the total squared covariance) is characterised by negative anomalies in the eastern North Atlantic and positive ones over North Africa and the central Mediterranean in the Z300 and negative anomalies in the regional precipitation. Consistent with the results of the two first modes mentioned, the coupled patterns of either U-wind/precipitation or V-wind/precipitation are found to be coherent with those for Z300/precipitation. Composite maps were obtained to give a representation of the average circulation associated with coherent precipitation variability in the western Mediterranean. The regional impacts of both modes are investigated and the large-scale dynamic patterns presented are important modes of variability. Taking into account data for the whole of the twentieth century, results show that the first singular mode is responsible for the decadal trends and long term changes in precipitation. The late 1970s and 1980s is shown as the drier period and the late 1950s and early 1960s as the wettest years of the century.     

Stabilization of lateritic soils with phosphoric acid

Summary This paper describes a laboratory study on the stabilization of lateritic soils with phosphoric acid-H₃PO₄. This method is most promising for road and airport pavement construction in tropical regions where fine textured lateritic soils (red clays and silts) occur over large areas. The iron and aluminum phosphates formed are hard and insoluble. The main source of iron is free iron oxide, and the aluminum sources are free aluminum oxide, exchangeable cations and clay minerals (hydrated aluminum silicates). Four different soil samples were studied, but the most comprehensive study was carried out with a lateritic soil evolved from weathered basaltic bedrock. The variables of the test specimens were: percentage of acid, moulding water content, compaction energy, and curing time. Strength tests performed were the axial or unconfined compression test and the indirect tensile or diametrical compression test. With 5% of phosphoric acid to dry weight of soil, values of compressive strength around 4.0 MPa were obtained after 28 days curing.