The temporal variation of indoor pollutants in photocopying shop

The paper includes the identification of the main factors responsible for the temporal variations of indoor pollutants during three daily intervals in a photocopying shop. The measurements of concentration levels of total volatile organic compounds, ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ammonia, perchloroethylene and non-methane hydrocarbons were performed. The individual concentrations of target pollutants were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) using a software XLSTAT 2014.1.10. Pearson correlation model indicated the relatively weak correlation between the investigated pollutants in a photocopying environment. PCA extracted three principal components (PCs) from the indoor air pollution data set. Obtained PCs explained 56.72 % of the total variance. The summarized biplots showed which pollutants are responsible for photocopying indoor pollution per sampling day/sampling point/time interval/number of measurement. The results pointed out that the main PCs were related to the usage of toners, electrostatic discharge, heating of photocopiers as well as general intensifying of photocopying processes.     

Downdraft effects in a shallow convection adjustment

Summary The paper deals with the role of penetrative downdrafts in the convective adjustment suggested by Betts[1]. Three different types of downdraft sinking levels are used in the assessment of the reference profiles of temperature and humidity in cumulus cloud layers and these are compared with the profiles with no downdraft. It is shown that the depths of downdraft penetration may significantly influence the reference profiles mainly for clouds of vertical extents larger than one kilometre.     

A steady-state model of a cumulus cloud

nua u mam n ma aa ¶rt;mn ¶rt;u aa, ma a n¶rt;a [1]. mma m ¶rt;u aa a ¶rt;auu nauMi (uuuu n) uMa (¶rt;uauu anm), m amm u nu [2–5]. u¶rt;m mam u nu ¶rt;u ¶rt; u¶rt; mu ¶rt; u a ¶rt; ¶rt;a. mu a aa, n¶rt;ua m a aa, nua a¶rt; u u _i uu a a¶rt; z_i nu nu aa ¶rt; ¶rt;a, m ¶rt;um mua m, a¶rt;u ¶rt; a, ¶rt;m, mnam, anu ¶rt; naa, nm a an u nu. a ¶rt;mn ¶rt;u m n a nu u ¶rt;mn ¶rt;u, ma a ma n¶rt;a [1].     

Application of the restrictedD-optimal design to gravimetry

Summary The theory of the restricted D-optimal design was used for the project of gravity measurements in a pressure chamber. An example of the measurements is presented.     

A note on the effect of the ground on the convective temperature field in the atmospheric surface layer

Summary The paper presents the solution of the equation of heat conduction with density of heat sources given generally. For two special cases the computed central temperature excesses of model[5] are compared with the results of some authors[1, 6] who deal with convection in the surface layer.     

Continuous in situ measurements of volcanic gases with a diode-laser-based spectrometer: CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O concentration and soil degassing at Vulcano (Aeolian islands: Italy)

We report on a continuous-measurement campaign carried out in Vulcano (Aeolian islands, Sicily), devoted to the simultaneous monitoring of CO₂ and H₂O concentrations. The measurements were performed with an absorption spectrometer based on a semiconductor laser source emitting around a 2-μm wavelength. The emitted radiation was selectively absorbed by two molecular ro-vibrational transitions specific of the investigated species. Data for CO₂ and H₂O concentrations, and CO₂ soil diffusive flux using an accumulation chamber configuration, were collected at several interesting sampling points on the island (Porto Levante beach- PLB, Fossa Grande Crater – FOG- and Valley of Palizzi, PAL). CO₂/H₂O values, measured on the ground, are very similar (around 0.019 (± 0.006)) and comparable to the previous discrete detected values of 0.213 (Fumarole F5-La Fossa crater rim) and 0.012 (Fumarole VFS – Baia Levante beach) obtaid during the 1977–1993 heating phase of the crater fumaroles.     

Probabilistic disaggregation of a spatial portfolio of exposure for natural hazard risk assessment

In natural hazard risk assessment situations are encountered where information on the portfolio of exposure is only available in a spatially aggregated form, hindering a precise risk assessment. Recourse might be found in the spatial disaggregation of the portfolio of exposure to the resolution of the hazard model. Given the uncertainty inherent to any disaggregation, it is argued that the disaggregation should be performed probabilistically. In this paper, a methodology for probabilistic disaggregation of spatially aggregated values is presented. The methodology is exemplified with the disaggregation of a portfolio of buildings in two communes in Switzerland and the results are compared to sample observations. The relevance of probabilistic disaggregation uncertainty in natural hazard risk assessment is illustrated with the example of a simple flood risk assessment.     

Application of the self-calibrated palmer drought severity index and standardized precipitation index for estimation of drought impact on maize grain yield in Pannonian part of Croatia

Recent global warming and more frequent droughts are causing significant damage to maize production. A reliable estimate of drought intensity and duration is essential for testing maize hybrids to drought tolerance. For this purpose, the self-calibrating 10-day palmer drought severity index (scPDSI) and standardized precipitation index (SPI) for 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 27, and 36 10-day scales were used to estimate the effects of drought on grain yield of 32 maize hybrids evaluated in 2017 and 2018 at eight experimental locations in the Pannonian part of Croatia. Time series of observed 10-day mean air temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation totals for a set of “reference” weather stations of the croatian meteorological and hydrological service (DHMZ) for the period 1981–2018 were used to calculate the scPDSI and SPI indices. According to the 10-day scPDSI and SPI for different time scales, 2018 proved to be a “normal year,” while 2017 experienced a “mild to moderate drought,” which resulted in a 13% reduction in maize grain yield at eight experimental locations compared to 2018. The correlation between grain yield and drought indices for summer months was the highest for the 10-day scPDSI. To some extent, correlations between summer months’ SPI for the 3 10-day time scale and maize grain yield were comparable to the corresponding correlations for the 10-day scPDSI. However, for other SPI time scales considered, the corresponding correlations were weaker and less informative. The dependence of grain yield on scPDSI values was not the same for all hybrids, indicating their different tolerance to drought. The reduction in grain yield due to drought was primarily caused by insufficient grain filling (lower 1000-grain weight) and, to some extent, by a reduction in the number of grains. In this study, application of 10-day scPDSI data proved to be more relevant in detecting effects of drought on agronomic traits than application of SPI data for the most time scales.

     

Assessing the Impact of a Heated Basement on Groundwater Temperatures in Bratislava,Slovakia

Groundwater temperature is a useful hydrogeological parameter that is easy to measure and can provide much insight into groundwater flow systems, but can be difficult to interpret. For measuring temperature directly in the ground, dedicated specifically designed monitoring wells are recommended since conventional groundwater wells are not optimal for temperature monitoring. Multilevel monitoring of groundwater temperature is required to identify contributions of different possible heat inputs (sources) on measured temperature signals. Interpreting temperature data as a cosine function, including period, average temperature, amplitude, and phase offset, is helpful. Amplitude dampening and increasing phase shift with distance from a boundary can be used for estimation of transport parameters. Temperature measurements at different depths can be used for evaluation of unknown parameters of analytical functions by optimization of regression fits in Python. These estimated parameters can be used to calculate temperatures at known water table depths which can be applied as a fixed transient boundary condition in MT3DMS to overcome the limitations of MT3DMS heat transport modeling in the unsaturated zone. In this study, temperature monitoring and modeling was used to evaluate the influence of a department store's heated basement foundation on groundwater temperature within a green space (city park), with the main outcome that 17 years after construction, the department store foundation has increased the mean groundwater temperature by 3.2 °C. Heat input evaluated by the MT3DMS model varied from 0.1 W/m² at a distance of 100 m up to 12 W/m² next to the building.     

Comparative reproductive biology of two southwestern Atlantic populations of the hermit crab Pagurus exilis (Crustacea: Anomura: Paguridae)

Pagurus exilis (Benedict, 1892) is an endemic South Atlantic hermit crab with a distribution ranging from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, to Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The present study analyzed the reproduction of two populations at the extremes of this geographical distribution, and compared their reproductive period, fecundity, and changes in egg size and egg volume during the incubation period in order to assess the variability over this latitudinal range. Hermit crabs were collected monthly over a 2‐year period. In total, 108 females were analyzed for Brazil (44 non‐ovigerous and 64 ovigerous), and 141 for Argentina (87 non‐ovigerous and 54 ovigerous). Reproduction in Brazil occurs year‐round, with peaks in the fall and winter seasons; in Argentina reproduction occurs only in spring and summer. The Brazilian ovigerous females were significantly larger than the Argentina ones (Brazil: SL = 5.33 ± 1.45 mm; Argentina: SL = 4.15 ± 0.52 mm; P < 0.001). The fecundity was 1447 ± 831 eggs (317 to 2885) in Brazil and 987 ± 711 eggs (114 to 2665) in Argentina, with a trend towards higher fecundity in Brazil. Eggs in the Argentina population were larger than those in Brazil for all the three stages investigated, and no changes in egg volume were found during egg development for both populations. The reproductive traits of the two populations showed some important differences, which may reflect adaptations to local environmental conditions, demonstrating a high plasticity of reproductive features of the species in Brazilian and Argentine waters. The strategy adopted by the Argentina population involves a lower production of larger eggs compared to the population in Brazil; this lower production is associated with reproduction in cold‐water regions.