Spatial concentration and variability of rainfall in the Iguaçu River Basin,State of Paraná−Brazil

The analysis of rainfall as an environmental factor that influences landscape dynamics is an important and ongoing topic of discussion. This discussion can be centred on the discovery of impacts caused by the increase or decrease in rainfall frequency and intensity. From this perspective, this study sought to analyse the rainfall variability in the Iguaçu River basin, located in the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. The main objective was focused on the temporal-spatial rainfall distribution in the study area and its interaction with landscape dynamics (different land uses). Precipitation data for the period 1988−2018 were obtained from the ‘Águas Paraná’ Institute. To calculate the Concentration Index−CI values of the study area, data analysis was performed using the ‘R’ software with Climatol and Precindicon subroutines of the software, and analysis of Landsat 8 satellite images through ArcGIS. The results indicated that there was a well-defined spatial variability in the study area, as the CIs defined higher rainfall concentrations upstream from the river basin and lower rainfall concentrations downstream—implying that these processes may be strongly associated with land use.     

Mixed layer depth (MLD) variability in the southern Bay of Biscay. Deepening of winter MLDs concurrent with generalized upper water warming trends?

Mixed layer depth (MLD) variability from seasonal to decadal time scales in the Bay of Biscay is studied in this work. A hydrographic time series running since 1991 in the study area, a climatology of the upper layer vertical structure based on the topology of this temperature profile time series and a one-dimensional water column model have been used for this purpose. The prevailing factors driving MLD variability have been determined with detail, and agreement with observations is achieved. Tests carried out to investigate climatological profile skill to reproduce the upper layer temporal evolution have demonstrated its ability to simulate variability at seasonal time scales and reproduce the most conspicuous events observed. This has enabled us to carry out a reconstruction of the MLD variability for the last 60 years in the study area. Favourable sequence of intense mixing events explains interannual differences and cases of extraordinary deepening of winter mixed layer. The negative phase of the Eastern Atlantic pattern seems to determine important interannual variability through intense episodes of cooling and mixing as in winter 2005 in the Bay of Biscay. Low-frequency variability is also observed. A very striking and unexpected shallower winter MLD during the 1970s and 1980s than those observed from 1995 has been found. Simulation results support this counter-intuitive outcome of shallower winter mixed layers concurrent with generalized upper water warming trends reported on several occasions for the area. The long-term trends in MLD seem related with decadal variability in the North Atlantic Oscillation, being in phase and opposition with other deepening-shallowing cycles found from subtropical-to-subpolar areas in the North Atlantic.     

An Environmental Threshold of Soil Test P and Degree of P Saturation of Brazilian Oxisols

To develop P management guidelines for poultry litter application in Oxisols of Brazil, the relationship between water soluble P (WSP), soil test P (STP), and degree of P saturation (DPS) needs to be established. The study examined this relationship in Oxisols of Brazil receiving poultry litter. Soils were analyzed for Mehlich‐1 P (M1‐P), WSP, P fractions, P sorption index (PSI), and P saturation based on Mehlich‐1 extractable P, Al, Fe (DPS_M1), and PSI (DPS_PSI). Surface water bodies in the catchment area were examined for inorganic and total P. All the surface water bodies in the catchment area of the sampled plots were highly enriched in inorganic and organic P. Enrichment of soil P fractions following poultry litter application followed the order HCl‐bound > NaOH‐bound > NaHCO₃‐bound fraction. M1‐P was correlated to labile (NaHCO₃‐P_i), and stable P pools (NaOH‐P and HCl‐P) and reflected the cumulative P accumulation in these soils. P saturation indices increased with cumulative P addition and increasing M1‐P. WSP increased with increasing DPS and a change point was noticed at 23% DPS_PSI (equivalent to DPS_M1 of 16.5%) corresponding to M1‐P of 44.5 mg P kg^?1, which could be regarded as threshold for P loss in these soils.     

Tomographic Simulations of Accretion Disks in Cataclysmic Variables – Flickering and Wind

Cataclysmic Variables (CVs) are close binary systems where mass is transferred from a red dwarf star to a white dwarf star via an accretion disk. The flickering is observed as stochastic variations in the emitted radiation both in the continuum and in the emission line profiles.The main goal of our simulations is to compare synthetic Doppler maps with observed ones, aiming to constrain the flickering properties and wind parameters.A code was developed which generates synthetic emission line profiles of a geometrically thin and optically thick accretion disk. The simulation allows us to include flares in a particular disk region. The emission line flares may be integrated over arbitrary ‘`exposure’' times, producing the synthetic line profiles. Flickering Doppler maps are created using such synthetic time series. The presence of a wind inside the Roche lobe was also implemented. Radiative transfer effects in the lines where taken into account in order to reproduce the single peaked line profiles frequently seen in nova-like CVs.     

High-performance computing strategies for seismic-imaging software on the cluster and cloud-computing environments

Modern subsurface imaging techniques allow obtaining high-quality images but with high computational costs. Nonetheless, depending on the amount of data, their execution is limited by memory in the current generation's hardware. However, with the advancement of new hardware and cloud-based solutions, these problems are mitigated but still with the risk of work loss and instability. To mitigate the execution problems in memory-limited and fail-prone environments, we propose two high-performance computing techniques. The first is based on independent checkpointing alongside a fault-tolerant framework to store an execution state and recover from that state in case of failures. Besides, for memory-limited graphics processing units, we present a technique to reduce the amount of memory requirement that we call the hybrid strategy. The experiments showed that the independent checkpointing alongside the fault-tolerant framework is able to mitigate the performance penalty of node failures, with the independent checkpointing technique being more relevant when multiple nodes are terminated. Furthermore, the hybrid strategy technique has shown the possibility of execution of larger models that could make the graphics processing unit run out of memory otherwise. Finally, our implementation is scalable, allowing a significant improvement in performance when adding new nodes. In conclusion, our techniques can be used to deliver fast, high-fidelity subsurface imaging in unstable and memory-limited environments, such as the cloud.     

Use of radon isotopes,gamma radiation and dye tracers to study water interactions in a small stream in Brazil

In this study, natural (²²²Rn) and fluorescent (uranin) tracers were used to investigate the interactions between surface and subsurface waters in a small hydrographical basin located in the southeast region of Brazil. Levels of ²²²Rn were measured in 117 water samples with the use of an alpha solid-state detector. After the identification of the probable discharge sections along the stream, a measurement of the natural flows, upstream and downstream of these sections, was done with the use of a fluorimeter and fluorescent tracers. Also, scanning was done to verify a correlation between the natural gamma radiation and the ²²²Rn in the areas where its activity was higher. The results showed some sections where the ²²²Rn activity is more significant and contributed to the growth of the flows along the stream. It was possible to confirm a correlation between the discharge sections and the natural gamma radiation, what can be used as a preliminary approach to finding these sections in scenarios similar to the one studied here.     

Biomass allometric equation and expansion factor for a mountain moist evergreen forest in Mozambique

Background

Worldwide, forests are an important carbon sink and thus are key to mitigate the effects of climate change. Mountain moist evergreen forests in Mozambique are threatened by agricultural expansion, uncontrolled logging, and firewood collection, thus compromising their role in carbon sequestration. There is lack of local tools for above-ground biomass (AGB) estimation of mountain moist evergreen forest, hence carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation are not adequately known. This study aimed to develop biomass allometric equations (BAE) and biomass expansion factor (BEF) for the estimation of total above-ground carbon stock in mountain moist evergreen forest.

Methods

The destructive method was used, whereby 39 trees were felled and measured for diameter at breast height (DBH), total height and the commercial height. We determined the wood basic density, the total dry weight and merchantable timber volume by Smalian’s formula. Six biomass allometric models were fitted using non-linear least square regression. The BEF was determined based on the relationship between bole stem dry weight and total dry weight of the tree. To estimate the mean AGB of the forest, a forest inventory was conducted using 27 temporary square plots. The applicability of Marzoli’s volume equation was compared with Smalian’s volume equation in order to check whether Marzoli’s volume from national forest inventory can be used to predict AGB using BEF.

Results

The best model was the power model with only DBH as predictor variable, which provided an estimated mean AGB of 291?±?141 Mg ha^?1 (mean?±?95% confidence level). The mean wood basic density of sampled trees was 0.715?±?0.182 g cm^?3. The average BEF was of 2.05?±?0.15 and the estimated mean AGB of 387?±?126 Mg ha^?1. The BAE from miombo woodland within the vicinity of the study area underestimates the AGB for all sampled trees. Chave et al.’s pantropical equation of moist forest did not fit to the Moribane Forest Reserve, while Brown’s equation of moist forest had a good fit to the Moribane Forest Reserve, having generated 1.2% of bias, very close to that generated by the selected model of this study. BEF showed to be reliable when combined with stand mean volume from Marzoli’s National Forestry Inventory equation.

Conclusion

The BAE and the BEF function developed in this study can be used to estimate the AGB of the mountain moist evergreen forests at Moribane Forest Reserve in Mozambique. However, the use of the biomass allometric model should be preferable when DBH information is available.

     

Epidemiological analysis of malaria and its relationships with hydrological variables in four municipalities of the State of Amazonas,Brazil

Abstract

This work comprises a spatial, temporal and statistical analysis of the epidemiology of malaria occurrence in four municipalities of the State of Amazonas, Brazil: Coari, Codajás, Manacapuru and Manaus, for the period 2003–2009. The number of malaria cases, precipitation, water level and temperature data were analysed in this study. The strength of the relationship between these hydrological/meteorological variables and the occurrence of malaria was determined by employing the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Seasonal peaks of malaria were registered, on average, about 1–2 months before the annual maximum temperature and after the river’s seasonal high-water level. The phenomenon called repiquete (notable variations in the water level) was observed during periods of between 9 and 56 days. The results showed a statistically significant correlation between malaria, temperature, precipitation and water level. Temperature influenced malaria occurrence the least, while rainfall was the most important factor, especially in the municipality of Coari. Water level had an important influence on the records of malarial occurrence in the municipality of Manacapuru.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Wolfarth, B.R., Filizola, N., Tadei, W.P., and Durieux, L., 2013. Epidemiological analysis of malaria and its relationships with hydrological variables in four municipalities of the State of Amazonas, Brazil. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1495–1504.