Clear sky ultraviolet-B radiation in the English Midlands: A comparison of measured and modelled values

Summary Spectral measurements were made of solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) irradiance at Sutton Bonington (52° 50N, 1° 15W) under cloudless skies using a Licor LI 1800 scanning spectroradiometer. The finite bandpass of the instrument and the steep shape of the UVB spectra caused overestimation of irradiance at short wavelengths. Spectra were corrected mathematically for these effects.The corrected spectra were compared to estimates of global UVB irradiance as a function of zenith angle and amount of ozone. Comparisons were made at 300 nm, 310 nm and 320 nm. Estimates were significantly greater (p = 0.05) than the measurements except at 320 nm where differences were not significant. The differences may have been the result of overestimation of UVB at short wavelengths, since some of the assumptions on which the estimates were based may not be valid for Sutton Bonington conditions.

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Zusammenfassung Unter wolkenlosem Himmel wurden in Sutton Bonington (52° 50N, 1° 15W) mittels eines Licor LI 1800 Spektroradiometer-Scanners Spektralmessungen von Ultraviolett-B (UVB)-Strahlung durchgeführt. Die endliche Bandbreite des Instruments und der steile Anstieg der UVB-Spektren führten zu einer Überschätzung der Strahlung im kurzwelligen Bereich. Die Spektren wurden in dieser Hinsicht mathematisch korrigiert.Die korrigierten Spektren wurden mit den Schätzwerten der globalen UVB-Strahlung — als Funktion von Zenithwinkel und Ozonmenge — bei 300nm, 310nm und 320nm verglichen. Hiebei erwiesen sich die Schätzwerte wesentlich höher (p = 0,05) als die Meßwerte, nur bei 320nm waren die Unterschiede nicht signifikant. Die Unterschiede könnten aus der Überschätzung von UVB im kurzwelligen Bereich resultieren, da einige der Schätzungsvoraussetzungen auf die Bedingungen in Sutton Bonington nicht zutreffen dürften.

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On leave from Department of Agronomy and Soils, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, U.S.A.

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With 4 Figures     

Terrestrial analogs of the hellespontus dunes,Mars

Geomorphic features in the Hellespontus region, Mars, were compared with dunes of the crescentic ridge type in numerous terrestrial sand seas quantitatively by dimensional analysis of dune lengths, widths, and wavelengths. Mean values for the Hellespontus dunes are close to mean values derived from measurements of all sampled terrestrial sand seas. Terrestrial analogs of form and areal distribution of the Hellespontus dunes are shown by comparison of scale ratios derived from the measurements. Dunes of similar form occur in South West Africa, in Pakistan, in the southeastern Arabian peninsula, in the Sahara, in eastern USSR and northern China, and in western North America. Terrestrial analogs closest to form and areal distribution of the Hellespontus dunes are in the Kara Kum Desert, Turkmen SSR, and in the Ala Shan (Gobi) Desert, China.     

Report of the International Astronomical Union Division I Working Group on Precession and the Ecliptic

The IAU Working Group on Precession and the Equinox looked at several solutions for replacing the precession part of the IAU 2000A precession–nutation model, which is not consistent with dynamical theory. These comparisons show that the (Capitaine et al., Astron. Astrophys., 412, 2003a) precession theory, P03, is both consistent with dynamical theory and the solution most compatible with the IAU 2000A nutation model. Thus, the working group recommends the adoption of the P03 precession theory for use with the IAU 2000A nutation. The two greatest sources of uncertainty in the precession theory are the rate of change of the Earth’s dynamical flattening, ΔJ₂, and the precession rates (i.e. the constants of integration used in deriving the precession). The combined uncertainties limit the accuracy in the precession theory to approximately 2 mas cent⁻². Given that there are difficulties with the traditional angles used to parameterize the precession, z_A, ζ_A, and θ_A, the working group has decided that the choice of parameters should be left to the user. We provide a consistent set of parameters that may be used with either the traditional rotation matrix, or those rotation matrices described in (Capitaine et al., Astron. Astrophys., 412, 2003a) and (Fukushima Astron. J., 126, 2003). We recommend that the ecliptic pole be explicitly defined by the mean orbital angular momentum vector of the Earth–Moon barycenter in the Barycentric Celestial Reference System (BCRS), and explicitly state that this definition is being used to avoid confusion with previous definitions of the ecliptic. Finally, we recommend that the terms precession of the equator and precession of the ecliptic replace the terms lunisolar precession and planetary precession, respectively.     

中国当代土地利用对区域气候影响的数值模拟

使用RegCM3区域气候模式，嵌套欧洲数值预报中心(ECMWF)ERA40再分析资料，分别进行了中国区域在实际植被和理想植被分布情况下各15年时间长度（1987-2001）的积分试验，以研究我国土地利用状况对气候的影响。通过两个试验结果的对比，研究了我国土地利用状况对气候的影响。分析主要集中于气温、降水等的变化上，并对结果进行了统计显著性检验。结果表明，当代土地利用/植被覆盖变化加强了中国地区冬、夏季的季风环流，同时改变了地表能量平衡状况，从而对各气候要素产生重要影响。冬季，植被改变引起长江以南降水减少、气温降低，长江以北降水增加。夏季，植被改变显著影响了南方地区的气候，使得这里降水增多，黄淮、江淮气温降低，华南气温上升；同时引起中国北方降水减少，气温在西北部分植被退化地区升高。植被变化对日最低、最高气温的影响更大。总体来说，土地利用引起了年平均降水在南方增加、北方减少，年平均气温在南方显著降低。     

A note on a pseudo-natural SSI frequency for coupled soil–pile–structure systems

The notion of a pseudo-natural SSI frequency was introduced in a recent publication by the authors, as the frequency where foundation motion is minimized with respect to the free field surface motion. This frequency is determined analytically in this paper, for a single-degree-of-freedom structure supported on a pile foundation. The analytical solution is compared to numerical results from rigorous finite element analyses for different pile and structural configurations. The relationship between pseudo-natural (f_pSSI) and effective natural SSI frequency (f_SSI) of the coupled system is also analytically quantified. It is concluded that f_pSSI may deviate substantially from f_SSI when a stiff squatty structure is founded on a stiff and/or short end-bearing pile for which foundation translation prevails. Conversely, when a flexible tall structure is supported on a flexible pile, f_pSSI and f_SSI nearly coincide due to dominant base rocking effects. In the latter case the effective natural SSI frequency can be predicted by standard identification procedures even when free-field recordings are missing. Effective damping effects are also discussed.     

A review of the numerical modelling of salt mobilization from groundwater-surface water interactions

Salinization of land and water is a significant challenge in most continents and particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The need to accurately forecast surface and groundwater interactions has promoted the use of physically-based numerical modelling approaches in many studies. In this regard, two issues can be considered as the main research challenges. First, in contrast with surface water, there is generally less observed level and salinity data available for groundwater systems. These data are critical in the validation and verification of numerical models. The second challenge is to develop an integrated surface-groundwater numerical model that is capable of salt mobilization modelling but which can be validated and verified against accurate observed data. This paper reviews the current state of understanding of groundwater and surface water interactions with particular respect to the numerical modelling of salt mobilization. 3D physically-based fully coupled surface-subsurface numerical model with the capability of modelling density-dependent, saturated-unsaturated solute transport is an ideal tool for groundwater-surface water interaction studies. It is concluded that there is a clear need to develop modelling capabilities for the movement of salt to, from, and within wetlands to provide temporal predictions of wetland salinity which can be used to assess ecosystem outcomes.     

Derivation of a curve number and kinematic-wave based flood frequency distribution

Abstract

The physically-based flood frequency models use readily available rainfall data and catchment characteristics to derive the flood frequency distribution. In the present study, a new physically-based flood frequency distribution has been developed. This model uses bivariate exponential distribution for rainfall intensity and duration, and the Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number (SCS-CN) method for deriving the probability density function (pdf) of effective rainfall. The effective rainfall-runoff model is based on kinematic-wave theory. The results of application of this derived model to three Indian basins indicate that the model is a useful alternative for estimating flood flow quantiles at ungauged sites.     

The role of sediment specific gravity and availability on cluster evolution

The objective of this experimental study was to account for the role of sediment availability and specific gravity on cluster formation and cluster geometric characteristics (spacing and size). To isolate the effects of sediment availability and specific gravity on cluster evolution, mono‐sized spheres were used to simulate the cluster evolutionary cycle. Overall, twelve experimental runs were carried out in the laboratory flume. Six of these tests were performed by using glass spheres (specific gravity, SG = 2·58) and the other six by employing an equal combination of glass and Teflon spheres (SG = 2·12) of the same diameter to evaluate the role of specific gravity on cluster evolution. The three sediment availability conditions that were investigated here simulated isolated gravel elements, pool–riffle sequences and densely packed gravel‐bed. An advanced image analysis technique was employed to track the evolution of cluster microforms and provide quantitative information about the size and shape of clusters and the number of clusters per unit area. The results of this study showed that: (1) sediment availability affects the architecture and size of cluster microforms; and (2) clusters consisting of mono‐sized sediments start disintegrating at twice the incipient conditions. By performing complementary tests for the isolated gravel elements case, it was found that the evolutionary cycle of individual clusters could be described as follows, in order of increasing stress: no cluster→two particle cluster→comet→triangle→rhomboid→break up. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Index of Australian meteorites

A new compilation of Australian meteorite discoveries suggests that many meteorites remain to be discovered by field geologists and others, in outback areas of Australia.     

Statistics-based outlier detection for wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor network (WSN) applications require efficient, accurate and timely data analysis in order to facilitate (near) real-time critical decision-making and situation awareness. Accurate analysis and decision-making relies on the quality of WSN data as well as on the additional information and context. Raw observations collected from sensor nodes, however, may have low data quality and reliability due to limited WSN resources and harsh deployment environments. This article addresses the quality of WSN data focusing on outlier detection. These are defined as observations that do not conform to the expected behaviour of the data. The developed methodology is based on time-series analysis and geostatistics. Experiments with a real data set from the Swiss Alps showed that the developed methodology accurately detected outliers in WSN data taking advantage of their spatial and temporal correlations. It is concluded that the incorporation of tools for outlier detection in WSNs can be based on current statistical methodology. This provides a usable and important tool in a novel scientific field.