Planetary boundary layer and surface layer sensitivity to land surface parameters

The sensitivity of the development of the convective planetary boundary layer (PBL) and the surface layer are examined using a coupled surface parameterization and detailed PBL model. First, the coupling is verified against observations from the First ISLSCP (International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project) Field Experiment (FIFE). Results of the sensitivity experiments indicate that the PBL is most sensitive to the amount of soil water content, and the proximity of the soil water content to critical soil texture values (field capacity and wilting point). While vegetation cover is not the most sensitive parameter at the surface, its influence on the surface energy and hydrologic balance is crucial. Model sensitivity to minimum stomatal resistance, type of soil parameterization and canopy height (surface roughness and displacement depth) is also discussed.     

Global comparison of the regional rainfall results of enhanced greenhouse coupled and mixed layer ocean experiments: Implications for climate change scenario development

The extent of agreement amongst current global climate models (GCMs) on the global pattern of rainfall change simulated under enhanced greenhouse conditions is assessed. We consider the results of five experiments which use a simple mixed layer ocean formulation and five which use a fully dynamic ocean model (coupled experiments). For many regions of the northern hemisphere there is strong agreement amongst both mixed layer and coupled experiments on the sign of simulated rainfall change. However, in the southern hemisphere there are large, and apparently systematic, differences between the coupled and mixed layer experiments. In particular, whereas the mixed layer experiments agree on simulated rainfall increase in summer in the tropics and subtropics of the Australian sector, the coupled experiments agree (although more weakly) on rainfall decreases. These differences appear to relate to the much reduced warming simulated by the coupled experiments in the high latitudes of the southern hemisphere. However, recent oceanographie evidence suggests that this suppressed warming may be considerably overestimated. We conclude therefore that despite the in-principle advantages of coupled models, it may be too soon to base some regionally specific climate change scenarios solely on the results of coupled experiments.     

Evolution of cool skin and direct air-sea gas transfer coefficient during daytime

Absorption of solar radiation within the thermal molecular sublayer of the ocean can modify the temperature difference across the cool skin as well as the air-sea gas transfer. Our model of renewal type is based on the assumption that the thermal and diffusive molecular sublayers below the ocean surface undergo cyclic growth and destruction, the heat and gas transfer between the successive burst events are performed by molecular diffusion. The model has been upgraded to include heating due to solar radiation. The renewal time is parameterized as a function of the surface Richardson number and the Keulegan number. A Rayleigh number criterion characterizes the convective instability of the cool skin under solar heating. Under low wind speed conditions, the solar heating can damp the convective instability, strongly increasing the renewal time and correspondingly decreasing the interfacial gas exchange. In the ocean, an additional convective instability caused by salinity flux due to evaporation becomes of importance in such cases. The new parameterization is compared with the cool skin data obtained in the western equatorial Pacific during the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Response Experiment in February 1993. In combination with a model of the diurnal thermocline it describes main features of the field data both in nighttime and daytime. Under low wind speed conditions (< 5 m s^-1) diurnal variations of the sea surface temperature due to the formation of a diurnal thermocline were substantially larger than those across the cool skin. Under wind speeds > 5 m s^-1, diurnal variations of the surface temperature due to the variations of the thermal molecular sublayer become more important.     

On AGV's navigation in 3-dimensional space

This paper deals with position estimation and path control for Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV). To enable a vehicle or a mobile robot in following a continuous virtual path without human control, these techniques play an important role. The relationship between the vehicle's motion in 3-dimensional space and the shape of a curved surface is described. In particular, the introduction of a digital terrain model in dead reckoning is considered. Moreover, a possible nonlinear control is developed based on curvilinear path coordinates, and the proof for global stability is given. To achieve general validity, these topics are treated here independently of the cart's special mechanization (the configuration of steered wheels and driven wheels). Simulation studies are presented to illustrate the investigations.     

The relationship between zooplankton,conductivity and lake-water ionic composition in 111 lakes from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia,Canada

Zooplankton collected from vertical net tows were related to the environmental variables from 98 lakes from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that both salinity and ionic composition (pH and Mg) of the lake-water made major and significant contributions to the first two ordination axes (=0.42 and 0.11 respectively,P<0.05). BothArtemia franciscana andMoina hutchinsoni had their highest relative abundance in meso-hypersaline waters. However,Artemia franciscana preferred waters that were higher in Mg and Ca, whileMoina hutchinsoni was found in waters that were lower in Mg and Ca. Similarly, at intermediate salinities,Daphnia pulex and the calanoid copepods preferred waters slightly lower in Mg and Ca, whereasCeriodaphnia laticaudata andSimocephalus spp. were relatively more common in waters higher in Mg and Ca. Because the freshest lakes studied varied much less in ionic composition, the zooplankton in these lakes did not show a preference to ionic composition. As expected, multi-generic groups, such as the calanoid copepods, cyclopoid copepods and nauplii, had wider tolerances to conductivity than groups identified to lower taxonomic levels. Significant weighted-averaging regression and calibration models of conductivity were developed based on zooplankton species composition from the study lakes (r ²=0.56,P<0.05). Samples composed largely of multi-generic taxa yielded the worst estimates of salinity in the reconstruction model. This study suggests that zooplankton community composition may be developed into a useful proxy for paleosalinity reconstruction.     

Asia on the move: research challenges for population geography

This paper "summarises some of the major changes which have occurred in international migration to, from, and within Asia in the last two decades....A number of theoretical challenges are put forward regarding the complex interrelationships between international population movements, economic development and social change. The employment of systems approaches, neoclassical economic theory, social networks and institutional approaches, and the potential role of population geography in developing a more comprehensive explanation of the changing dynamics of international migration in the region, are discussed. Also considered are the gender dimension in migration, remittance flows and their consequences, and policy issues."     

Migration trends in British rural areas from the 18th to the 20th centuries

"Longitudinal residential histories are used to examine the extent to which three rural areas in Britain had distinctive migration histories from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Migration flows into and out of the regions are used to examine the extent to which the regions were integrated into the British migration system, and the relative importance of rural to urban migration is assessed.... Analysis reveals a high degree of short-distance mobility within regions and emphasises the dominance of London in longer-distance migration.... It is also suggested that the role of towns in the migration system has previously been overemphasised, with much migration taking place between small settlements and some movement from large cities to smaller towns and villages.... The analysis challenges some accepted notions about migration in the past, and contributes to the debate about the extent to which British regions became part of a national economic and social system from the 18th century."     

A quantitative bifurcation analysis of Hénon-like 2D maps

We numerically study the bifurcations of two nonlinear maps, with the same linear part, which depend on a parameter namely the Hénon quadratic map and the so called beam-beam map. Many families of periodic orbits which bifurcate from the central family, are studied. Each family undergoes a sequence of period doubling bifurcations in the quadratic map, But the behavior of the beam-beam map is completely different. Inverse bifurcations occur in both maps. But some families of the same type which bifurcate inversely in the quadratic map do not bifurcate inversely in the beam-beam map, even though both maps have common linear part.     

Spectroscopic observations of parsamian 21

This work presents spectroscopic observations of Parsamian 21, which has been shown recently by Staude and Neckel to be a fuor-type star. A list of identified absorption lines is given. The results are compared with previous spectroscopic observations over the period 1966–1990. It is shown that the H line profile changed during this period; according to the observations of 1986, the center of the H absorption line was shifted by –140 km/sec from ₀ and reached –600 km/sec at the line edge. It follows from the presented lightcurve that the star has undergone brightness variations of nearly three magnitudes and most likely became a fuor before 1902.Translated fromAstrofizika, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 227–235, April–June, 1996.     

Sediment oxygen profiles in a super-oxygenated antarctic lake

Perennially ice-covered lakes are found in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. In contrast to temperate lakes that have diurnal photic periods, antarctic (and arctic) lakes have a yearly photic period. An unusual feature of the antarctic lakes is the occurrence of O2 at supersaturated levels in certain portions of the water column. Here we report the first sediment O2 profiles obtained using a microelectrode from a perennially ice-covered antarctic lake. Sediment cores collected in January and October 1987 from Lake Hoare in Taylor Valley show oxygenation down to 15, and in some cases, 25 cm. The oxygenation of sediments several centimeters below the sediment-water interface is atypical for lake sediments and may be characteristic of perennially ice-covered lakes. There is a significant difference between the observed January and October sediment O2 profiles. Several explanations may account for the difference, including seasonality. A time-dependent model is presented which tests the feasibility of a seasonal cycle resulting from the long photoperiod and benthic primary production in sediments overlain by a highly oxygenated water column.