Change in future tropical cyclone activity over the western North Pacific under global warming scenario

Differences in atmospheric and oceanic environments which affect the tropical cyclone (TC) activity between the late twenty-first century (2071?C2100, A1B) and the late twentieth century (1971?C2000, 20C3M) are analyzed using multi-model ensemble from 15 general circulation models. Six factors (vertical wind shear, 700?hPa relative humidity, 850?hPa relative vorticity, outgoing longwave radiation, precipitation, and sea surface temperature) related to TC genesis predicts that more TCs in the future will occur than in the present. The result of maximum potential intensity analysis shows the frequency of occurrence and influence of stronger TCs will increase over the western North Pacific in the future. Anomalous northerly in the mid-latitudes of East Asia due to the strengthening of west-high and east-low pressure system pattern in the future plays an important role in blocking TC from moving toward mid-latitudes of East Asia. The multiple linear regression model (MLRM) developed using six predictors (independent variables) analyzed from NCEP-NCAR reanalysis data predicts that total TC genesis frequency during July to October (JASO), which predicted using data of 20C3M, will have more (2?C3) TCs than in the present.     

Cluster analysis of tropical cyclone tracks around Korea and its climatological properties

After the fuzzy clustering method (FCM) that analyzes the tracks of the tropical cyclones (TCs) struck the Korean peninsula (hereafter, K-TC) for a 60-year period (1951?C2010), it is found that both frequency and intensity of K-TC have been increased in recent years. In the order of the cluster number, both K-TC track pattern and its full-track pattern tended to shift southward. That is, while the passage frequency of TC in mainland China and the Manchurian regions decreased, it instead over the sea. Due to this decrease in the topographic effect on TC before reaching Korea, TC intensity around Korea became stronger. The vertical wind shear well reflected a TC intensity around Korea, which became weaker in mid-latitudes of East Asia. On the other hand, the peak month of K-TC frequency lags in the order of the cluster number. The two clusters that most TCs pass through the Korean Peninsula showed a stronger intensity and higher frequency before the 1970s. Meanwhile, another two clusters that most TCs pass through the Straits of Korea or the western region of the Japanese Islands showed those characteristics from the 1980s onward. Consequently, the changes in TC track, recurvature, frequency, and intensity around Korea were related to the southward shift of the western North Pacific high in the order of the cluster number.     

Power spectral analysis of Jupiter’s clouds and kinetic energy from Cassini

We present suggestive evidence for an inverse energy cascade within Jupiter’s atmosphere through a calculation of the power spectrum of its kinetic energy and its cloud patterns. Using Cassini observations, we composed full-longitudinal mosaics of Jupiter’s atmosphere at several wavelengths. We also utilized image pairs derived from these observations to generate full-longitudinal maps of wind vectors and atmospheric kinetic energy within Jupiter’s troposphere. We computed power spectra of the image mosaics and kinetic energy maps using spherical harmonic analysis. Power spectra of Jupiter’s cloud patterns imaged at certain wavelengths resemble theoretical spectra of two-dimensional turbulence, with power-law slopes near −5/3 and −3 at low and high wavenumbers, respectively. The slopes of the kinetic energy power spectrum are also near −5/3 at low wavenumbers. At high wavenumbers, however, the spectral slopes are relatively flatter than the theoretical prediction of −3. In addition, the image mosaic and kinetic energy power spectra differ with respect to the location of the transition in slopes. The transition in slope is near planetary wavenumber 70 for the kinetic energy spectra, but is typically above 200 for the image mosaic spectra. Our results also show the importance of calculating spectral slopes from full 2D velocity maps rather than 1D zonal mean velocity profiles, since at large wavenumbers the spectra differ significantly, though at low wavenumbers, the 1D zonal and full 2D kinetic energy spectra are practically indistinguishable. Furthermore, the difference between the image and kinetic energy spectra suggests some caution in the interpretation of power spectrum results solely from image mosaics and its significance for the underlying dynamics. Finally, we also report prominent variations in kinetic energy within the equatorial jet stream that appear to be associated with the 5 μm hotspots. Other eddies are present within the flow collar of the Great Red Spot, suggesting caution when interpreting snapshots of the flow inside these features as representative of a time-averaged state.     

Calcium promotes cadmium elimination as vaterite grains by tobacco trichomes

In tobacco plants, elimination of Zn and Cd via the production of Ca-containing grains at the top of leaf hairs, called trichomes, is a potent detoxification mechanism. This study examines how Cd is incorporated in these biominerals, and how calcium growth supplement modifies their nature. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (SEM-EDX), microfocused X-ray diffraction (μ-XRD), and microfocused X-ray absorption near edge structure (μ-XANES) spectroscopy were used to image the morphology of the grains, identify the crystallized mineral phases, and speciate Cd, respectively. The mineralogy of the grains and chemical form of Cd varied with the amount of Ca. When tobacco plants were grown in a nutrient solution containing 25 μM Cd and low Ca supplement (Ca/Cd = 11 mol ratio), most of the grains were oblong-shaped and low-Cd-substituted calcite. When exposed to the same amount of Cd and high Ca supplement (Ca/Cd = 131 mol ratio), grains were more abundant and diverse in compositions, and in total more Cd was eliminated. Most grains in the high Ca/Cd experiment were round-shaped and composed predominantly of Cd-substituted vaterite, a usually metastable calcium carbonate polymorph, and subordinate calcite. Calcium oxalate and a Ca amorphous phase were detected occasionally in the two treatments, but were devoid of Cd. The biomineralization of cadmium and implications of results for Cd exposure of smokers and phytoremediation are discussed.     

Age Estimation and Growth Performance of the Blackthroat Seaperch,Doederleinia berycoides (Hilgendorf, 1879), in Korean Waters

Ocean Science Journal - Age and growth estimations are important fisheries management tools to gain insight into the population structures of commercially important fish species. Despite their...     

Application of a fuzzy operator to susceptibility estimations of coal mine subsidence in Taebaek City,Korea

Quantitative determination of locations vulnerable to ground subsidence at mining regions is necessary for effective prevention. In this paper, a method of constructing subsidence susceptibility maps based on fuzzy relations is proposed and tested at an abandoned underground coal mine in Korea. An advantage of fuzzy combination operators over other methods is that the operation is mathematically and logically easy to understand and its implementation to GIS software is simple and straightforward. A certainty factor analysis was used for estimating the relative weight of eight major factors influencing ground subsidence. The relative weight of each factor was then converted into a fuzzy membership value and integrated as a subsidence hazard index using fuzzy combination operators, which produced coal mine subsidence susceptibility maps. The susceptibility maps were compared with the reported ground subsidence areas, and the results showed high accuracy between our prediction and the actual subsidence. Based on the root mean square error and accuracy in terms of success rates, fuzzy γ-operator with a low γ value and fuzzy algebraic product operator, specifically, are useful for ground subsidence prediction. Comparing the results of a fuzzy γ-operator and a conventional logistic regression model, the performance of the fuzzy approach is comparative to that of a logistic regression model with improved computational. A field survey done in the area supported the method’s reliability. A combination of certainty factor analysis and fuzzy relations with a GIS is an effective method to determine locations vulnerable to coal mine subsidence.     

Transport phenomena in kaolinite clay: Molecular simulation,homogenization analysis and similitude law

Kaolinite is a common clay mineral. It is a nanomaterial with a platelet crystalline structure. In order to analyze the behavior of kaolinite, its microscopic structure and material properties must be specified correctly. A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is used for determining the microscale properties of hydrated kaolinite, and these properties are introduced into a multiscale homogenization analysis (HA). We previously developed such an MD/HA technique to investigate seepage, diffusion, sorption and consolidation in bentonite clay (Proceedings of the Science Basis for Nuclear Waste Management, Davos, Switzerland, vol. XXI. Material Research Society: Warrendale, PA, 1997; 359–366; Eng. Geol. 1999; 54 :21–31; Eng. Geol. 2001; 60 :127–138; Coupled Thermo‐Hydro‐Mechanical‐Chemical Processes in Geo‐systems. Elsevier: Amsterdam, 2005; 457–464). We here apply the method to kaolinite clay to investigate the permeability, diffusion and related similitude law. The obtained results are supported by existing experimental data. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.