Statistical distributions of water content and sizes for clouds above Europe

The statistics of quantities involved in the synthesis of cloud scenes have been investigated from an original data base. Frequency distributions of ice and water content (IWC), horizontal and vertical sizes (L and H), and top temperatures (T) of clouds above Europe have been derived for nine types of clouds (As, Cb, Ci, Cg, LwCg, OrCg, Cs, Ns, Sc). It appears that the cumulated frequency plots can be well fitted with log-normal or Weibull profiles, and that for IWC and T cloud types can be split into two or three classes according to slopes in logarithmic coordinates. Cross-correlation coefficients between IWC, L, H and T have been also derived. Implications for the physics of the cloud build-up processes are briefly outlined. Critical analysis and comparison of other published results are proposed.     

A METHOD FOR PREDICTING SEASONAL PRECIPITATION ANOMALY DISTRIBUTION IN SUMMER OVER CHINA

Some main features of spatial-temporal variation of precipitation field in summer over Chinahave been analysed and a skillfull method with physical and statistical consideration for predictingprecipitation anomaly distribution in summer over China is suggested.The predictive skill forindependent sample of 1994-1998 with the method is assessed,i.e.the averaged anomalycorrelation coefficient between the observed and predicted precipitation filed over China is 0.26.     

盆地气象学及其一些概念

就盆地气象学的某些问题进行了讨论。     

BOOK REVIEWS

Books Reviewed in this article: Lob Trees in the Wilderness . Clifford and Isabel Ahlgren . Satellite Microwave Remote Sensing . T. D. Allan , ed. Sunbelt Cities: Politics and Growth Since World War II . Richard M. Bernard and Bradley R. Rice , eds. Legacy of Minneapolis: Preservation Amid Change . John R. Borchert , David Gebhard , David Lanegran , and Judith A. Martin . Bloomington, MN: Preparing a Historic Preservation Ordinance. Richard J. Roddewig . The Mountains of Northeastern Tasmania, A Study of Alpine Geomorphology . Nel Caine . Introductory Cartography . John Campbell . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Changing Climate . Manual of Remote Sensing, Second Edition . 2 Vols. Robert N. Colwell , ed.-in-chief; David S. Simonett and John E. Estes , vol. eds. Remote Sensing in Meteorology, Oceanography and Hydrology . A. P. Cracknell , ed. Multidimensional Scaling . Mark L. Davison . Environmental Karst . Percy H. Dougherty , ed. The Urban Environment . Ian Douglas . Geomorphology of Europe . Clifford Embleton , ed. An Introduction to South Asia . B. H. Farmer . Great Geological Controversies . A. Hallam . Hazardous Waste Management: In Whose Backyard? Michalann Harthill , ed. Energy for Subsistence . Margaret Haswell . Perspective on Ratzel's Political Geography . James M. Hunter . Economic Deposits and their Tectonic Setting . Charles S. Hutchison . Energy Risk Assessment . Herbert Inhaber . Discovering the Vernacular Landscape . John Brinckerhoff Jackson . Climate and Energy Systems: A Review of Their Interactions . Jill Jäger . Dilemmas in Regional Policy . Antoni Kuklinski and J. G. Lambooy , eds. California Farmland: A History of Large Agricultural Landholdings . Ellen Liebman . The Spatial Organization of New Land Settlement in Latin America . Jacob O. Maos . Dark Continent: Africa as Seen by Americans . Michael McCarthy . Westport, CT: Climatology: An Introduction . John E. Oliver and John J. Hidore . Columbus, OH: The Geography of Warfare . Patrick O'Sullivan and Jesse W. Miller . The Expanding City. Essays in Honour of Professor Jean Gottmann . John Patten , ed. Scotland's Environment During the Last 30,000 Years . Robert J. Price . Integrated Urban Models . S. H. Putman . Development and the Environmental Crisis: Red or Green Alternatives? Michael Redclift .     

Exploring fog as a supplementary water source in Namibia

Namibia is an arid country where many rural and urban centres depend on ephemeral rivers for their water supply. These water sources are, however, limited and display seasonal salinisation. Fog occurs along the coast and extends for some distance inland, and it could be used as a source of drinking water. Data on groundwater salinisation and fog deposition were collected at villages of the indigenous communities and at the Gobabeb Training and Research Centre (GTRC) in the Central Namib Desert. Fog collection experiments were done with Standard Fog Collectors (SFCs) and 1-m² fog collectors made from the Raschel mesh that is used in SFCs from 1996 onwards. The results indicate that fog occurs throughout the year and that it has low major ion concentrations (chemical composition). The period of high fog deposition coincides with that of high groundwater salinity and would suit mixing of the two waters to provide water of good drinking quality to people in these areas. In conclusion, fog is a viable source of water in the Namib and could supplement traditional sources in rural settlements and perhaps also in urban water supply schemes in this region as in other parts of the world where it is used as a source of drinking water.

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VASCULAR PLANTS OF MOUNTAIN TALUS SLOPES,MT. RAE AREA,ALBERTA, CANADA

The vascular flora of talus slopes in the Mt. Rae area, Canadian Rocky Mountain Front Ranges, is discussed in the context of edaphic and geomorphic conditions. Thirteen talus slopes were sampled systematically for the presence of vegetation, and vascular plants were identified to the species level. Such talus slopes are generally considered relatively sterile and too unstable for the development of distinctive flora. The presence of vegetation is usually taken as an indicator of slope stability. A total of 77 species with boreal and arctic affinities was identified. Most plants display growth forms suitable to the unstable and xeric talus substrate with Schroeter's Schuttstrecker and Schuttdecker forms being most common. Although areal coverage by plants is sparse, a large number of species with morphological characteristics suitable for the talus environment suggests that the presence of plants should not be regarded as an absolute indicator of slope stability. Rather, these plants may represent a long-term equilibrium assemblage characteristic of active talus slopes in a mountain environment.     

韶关市春季低温阴雨天气分析和预报

对1965～2004年韶关市的春季低温阴雨日数进行统计分析,结果表明,韶关市的低温阴雨年平均日数在8～14d,大部分都是湿冷型。1965—1972年韶关低温阴雨日数偏多,1973～1981年偏少,1982-1996年偏多,1997年以后偏少。韶关市逐年的平均低温阴雨日数有4个明显的周期,分别为2．5、3．5、8．3和13．9年。     

佛山市近50年降雨的时空变化特征

以佛山市3个国家气象观测站1968—2017年和60个具有代表性的区域自动气象站2008—2017年的降雨资料为基础,采用趋势分析、Morlet小波分析等方法研究佛山市降雨的时空变化特征,结果表明:佛山年均降雨量月际分布为双峰型,峰值出现在5和8月;降雨主要集中期4—9月(汛期),汛期降雨量占全年降雨量的79.2%;年降雨量和前、后汛期降雨量都呈增加趋势,但不显著;年降雨量和后汛期降雨量存在15年左右的周期变化,而前汛期降雨量则以4~8年的局部周期变化为主。佛山年、前汛期和后汛期降雨量地区差异明显,年平均降雨量最大值出现在南海城区,最小值在禅城祖庙;前汛期降雨大值区在三水西南、三水乐平、顺德城区,小值区在禅城祖庙、顺德杏坛、南海桂城。     

A NEW CHALLENGE FOR CLIMATE STUDIES IN GEOGRAPHY

Greater emphasis is being placed on large-scale (synoptic and dynamic) climatology in geography. Concurrently, climatological research as a whole has evolved to view climate as a complex, integrated and interactive global system. In this context, we review new directions in large-scale climate studies in geography. We conclude that no matter at which climatic scale geographers are working, the new challenge is to integrate their research and teaching activities into a more holistic, global-systems approach while maintaining and improving their traditional strengths.     

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ATMOSPHERIC WATER BALANCE OVER THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

An analysis of the atmospheric water balance over the Southern Hemisphere is conducted for the time period June 1980 through May 1984 that includes the 1982–1983 El Niño event. Notable spatial and temporal variations are evident in the moisture flux divergence fields, in the mean meridional transport of water vapor, and in the moisture content of portions of the tropical atmosphere that are attributable to the 1982–1983 ENSO event. Estimates of the net gain/loss of atmospheric water are provided for 10° latitude belts; although the magnitudes of the differences between evaporation and precipitation fall within the range of previous estimates, they are most probably underestimated. [Key words: atmospheric water balance, El Niño, hydrologic cycle, southern hemisphere, water vapor flux.]