Evaluation of a low‐cost temperature measurement system for environmental applications

Thermochron iButtons incorporate the latest in digital technology, making them smaller, less expensive, durable and potentially more reliable than many other temperature logging devices. The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of an inexpensive air temperature measurement system, composed of a Thermochron iButton and radiation shield. Sixty‐one iButtons were subjected to a sequence of two water baths (0 °C and 24·9 °C) to assess the absolute accuracy of the sensors. Five solar radiation shields were tested in a greenhouse setting to evaluate the reduction in radiative heating. Significant differences (p < 0·05) were detected between instruments subsequent to both water‐bath treatment analyses. The accuracy of the sensors was well within the manufacturer's stated specification of ±1·0 °C with a collective temperature variance of ±0·21 °C. Temperature responses generated by the Thermochron iButtons in different radiation shields were consistent, but varied significantly (p < 0·05) from 28 to 44 °C based on diurnal temperature ranges. Results indicate that the Thermochron iButton is an accurate, inexpensive alternative to more expensive temperature data‐logging systems, and is well suited for obtaining quality spatially distributed data for hydrologic and water quality investigations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synoptic climatology of nuisance flooding along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts,USA

Natural Hazards - Nuisance flooding (NF; also known as high-tide, or “sunny day” flooding) is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon afflicting coastal developments worldwide. NF often...     

Analysis of loess landslide mechanism and numerical simulation stabilization on the Loess Plateau in Central China

Natural Hazards - Loess landslides have complicated deformation mechanisms. Accurately describing the internal failure deformation of loess landslides and establishing a theoretical method of...     

Integrating international linguistic minorities in emergency planning at institutions of higher education

Natural Hazards - Research concerning the behavior of international linguistic minorities at institutions of higher education during disasters is very limited. Many international groups suffer from...     

Experimental constraints on the mobility of Rhenium in silicate liquids

The volatization of Rhenium (Re) from melts of natural basalt, dacite and a synthetic composition in the CaO-MgO-Al₂O₃-SiO₂ system has been investigated at 0.1 MPa and 1250-1350 °C over a range of fO₂ conditions from log fO₂ = −10 to −0.68. Experiments were conducted using open top Pt crucibles doped with Re and Yb. Analysis of quenched glasses by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) normal to the melt/gas interface showed concentration profiles for Re, to which a semi-infinite one-dimensional diffusion model could be applied to extract diffusion coefficients (D). The results show Re diffusivity in basalt at 1300 °C in air is log D_Re = −7.2 ± 0.3 cm²/s and increases to log D_Re = −6.6 ± 0.3 cm²/s when trace amounts of Cl were added to the starting material. At fO₂ conditions below the nickel-nickel oxide (NNO) buffer Re diffusivity decreases to and to in dacitic melt. In the CMAS composition, . The diffusivity of Re is comparable to Ar and CO₂ in basalt at 500 MPa favoring its release as a volatile. Our results support the contention that subaerial degassing is the cause of lower Re concentrations in arc-type and ocean island basalts compared to mid-ocean ridge basalts.