A simultaneous interpretation,by wind speed and direction,of ambient air negative ion density in Athens,Greece

A recently developed data presentation technique, the rectangular wind frequency isopleth diagram, has been applied to examine the effect of wind speed and direction, acting simultaneously, on ambient air negative ion densities. The large negative ion concentration decreases in the majority of directions and wind speed intervals, while that of the small ions increases, as the wind speed increases. The local maxima and minima, occurring in some sectors, are properly discussed.     

Plume rise and spread in a linearly stratified environment

We present analyses of plume rise into a linearly stratified environment, either with or without a uniform horizontal flow. In the case of a still ambient, we collate results on plume spreading height and volume flux, enabling the speed of the spreading intrusion in the buoyancy-inertia regime to be expressed in terms of the fundamental parameters of plume buoyancy flux and ambient buoyancy frequency. A theoretical expression for the final volume flux emanating from the plume-rise region, in terms of maximum rise height, is also derived. Hence it is shown that the ratio of the intrusion radius to the maximum rise height is a simple function of ambient buoyancy frequency and time. In the case of a wind, we analyse the theoretical model for a rising plume to obtain predictions for the downwind volume flux, and subsequent lateral spread, in the limits of strong and weak wind. We identify a regime of very weak wind, which may be modelled as a passive advection of plume flow in the still case as a first approximation. Numerical solutions of a general model are presented which show that it predicts a peak in entrainment, and hence volume-flux growth, in the case of intermediate wind strength. We verify the crosswind model predictions of lateral spread, upwind penetration and entrainment by comparison with large-eddy simulations.     

Stochastic dynamic stiffness of a surface footing for offshore wind turbines: Implementing a subset simulation method to estimate rare events

The purpose of this study, which concerns the stochastic dynamic stiffness of foundations for large offshore wind turbines, is to quantify uncertainties related to the first natural frequency of a turbine supported by a surface footing and to estimate the low event probabilities. Herein, a simple model of a wind turbine structure with equivalent coupled springs at the base is calibrated with the mean soil property values. A semianalytical solution, based on the Green׳s function for a layered half-space is utilized for estimation of foundation responses. Soil elastic modulus and layer depth are considered as random variables with lognormal distributions. The uncertainties are quantified, and the estimation of rare events of the first natural frequency is discussed through an advanced reliability approach based on subset simulation. This analysis represents a first step in the estimation of the safety with respect to the failure of a turbine in the fatigue limit state.     

Remote and local forcing of a coastal lagoon: The Virginia Coast Reserve

The effects of local and remote wind forcing of water level heights in the Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR) are examined in order to determine the significant forces governing estuarine motions over subtidal time scales. Recent (1996–2008) data from tide and wind stations in the lagoon, a tide station to the north at Sandy Hook, NJ, and one offshore wind station at the Chesapeake Light Tower are examined. Sea surface height spectrum calculations reveal significant diurnal and semidiurnal tidal effects along with subtidal variations, but a suppressed inertial signal. Sea-surface heights (SSH) with 2–5 day periods at Wachapreague, VA are coherent with those at Sandy Hook and lag them in time, suggesting that southward-propagating continental shelf waves provide subtidal variability within the lagoon. The coherence between lagoon winds and sea surface height, as well as between winds and cross-lagoon sea height gradient, were significant at a relatively small number of frequency and wind direction combinations. The frequencies at which this wind forcing occurs are the tidal and subtidal bands present to the north, so that lagoon winds selectively augment existing SSH signals, but do not generate them. The impact of the wind direction is closely related to the geometry of the lagoon and bounding landmasses. The effect of wind stress is also constrained by geometry in affecting the cross-lagoon water height gradient. Water levels at subtidal frequencies are likely forced by a combination of local wind forcing, remote wind forcing and oceanic forcing modified by the complex topography of the lagoon, shelf, and barrier islands.     

A three-dimensional finite-element model of wind effects upon higher harmonics of the internal tide

A non-linear three-dimensional unstructured grid model of the M₂ tide in the shelf edge area off the west coast of Scotland is used to examine the spatial distribution of the M₂ internal tide and its higher harmonics in the region. In addition, the spatial variability of the tidally induced turbulent kinetic energy and associated mixing in the area are considered. Initial calculations involve only tidal forcing, although subsequent calculations are performed with up-welling and down-welling favourable winds to examine how these influence the tidal distribution (particularly the higher harmonics) and mixing in the region. Both short- and long-duration winds are used in these calculations. Tidal calculations show that there is significant small-scale spatial variability particularly in the higher harmonics of the internal tide in the region. In addition, turbulence energy and mixing exhibit appreciable spatial variability in regions of rapidly changing topography, with increased mixing occurring above seamounts. Wind effects significantly change the distribution of the M₂ internal tide and its higher harmonics, with appreciable differences found between up- and down-welling winds and long- and short-duration winds because of differences in mixing and the presence of wind-induced flows. The implications for model validation, particularly in terms of energy transfer to higher harmonics, and mixing are briefly discussed.     

不同城市化水平地区农户农地收入分析——基于浙江省农户的问卷调查

用SPSS13.0单因素方差分析和均值比较方法,对浙江省不同城市化地区的农户农地收入比重进行比较分析。认为城市化不同,农户农地收入比重不同,城市化程度高的地区农户农地利用经济收入比值的平均值低于城市化程度低的地区,但城市化程度高的地区农户农地收入比值标准差大于城市化低的地区,其中主要原因是城市化不同导致农户兼业时间不同。提出要创造条件促进资源集中型农户兼业化,使农户农地利用经济效率得到提高,缩小城乡收入差距。     

中国北方农牧交错区交通用地风蚀个例分析-以河北丰宁县坝上大滩镇东沟村为例

对中国北方农牧交错区风蚀变化最为明显的地区进行定点研究,并选取一个小流域作为研究对象。测量了农村交通用地的土壤风蚀状况,计算结果表明：交通工具对十壤作用加速了土壤风蚀过程．扣除车轮挤压地面下降外,交通工具引起的土壤风蚀速率在2．9～3．8cm／a之间。由此可见。在减缓农牧交错区土壤风蚀方面。农村交通道路风蚀问题必须予以考虑。根据社会经济的发展．对交通道路进行固化可减缓这类用地的风蚀状况。     

Numerical Modelling Of Turbulent Airflow Over Water Waves

A nonlinear numerical model is developed for turbulent boundary-layer flowover a train of water waves of finite amplitude or slope. The airflow isassumed to be steady, two-dimensional, and neutrally-stratified. The wavesurface is assumed to be aerodynamically rough and flow conditions at thewave surface are prescribed. The numerical model used in this study adoptsthree turbulence closure schemes with different degrees of physicalcompleteness. Two of these are second-order schemes, whichare believed to describe turbulent flow more completely than thesimpler closures used in most previous studies. Although models with all turbulence closures agree qualitatively in the prediction of the amplitude of the surface normal stress perturbation, the lower- and higher-order closures differ significantly in predictions of phase, and hence the form drag and energy transfer rate between wind and waves. Our model results are in reasonable agreement with field and laboratory measurements, although predicted energy transfer rates are generally at the low end of the range of experimental values. Cases with airflow at various angles to the wave direction are also considered.     

BOOK REVIEWS

Books reviewed in this article: Boundary Control and Legal Priniciples . Curtis M. Brown , Walter G. Robillard and Donald A. Wilson . Lost Initiatives: Canada's Forest Industries, Forest Policy, and Forest Conservation . R. Peter Gillis and Thomas R. Roach . The Navajo Atlas: Resources, People, and History of the Dine Bikeyah . James M. Goodman . The City and the Sign . M. Gottdiener AND Alexandros Ph . Lagopoulos , EDS. The Comfortable House: North American Suburban Architecture 1890–1930 . Alan Gowans . Arabic-Islamic Cities. Building and Planning Principles . Besim Salim Hakim . Contemporary Climatology . Ann Henderson -Sellers and Peter J. Robinson . A Trace of Desert Waters . Samuel G. Houghton . Geography, Resources and Environment. Vol. 1: Selected Writings of Gilbert F. White. Vol. 2: Themes from the Work of Gilbert F. White . Robert W. Kates AND Ian Burton , ED. Spatial Dimensions of Unemployment and Underemployment (A Case Study of Rural Punjab) . Gopal Krishan . Maps of the Holy Land: Cartobibliography of Printed Maps, 1475–1900 . Compiled by Eran Laor , assisted by Shoshana Klein . The Geography of Third World Cities . Stella Lowder . A Perspective on U.S. Farm Problems and Agricultural Policy . Lance Mc Kinzie , Timothy G. Baker AND Wallace E. Tyner . Soil Erosion and Its Control. R.P.C . Morgan , ED Geopolitics . Patrick O'Sullivan . Landscape, Meanings and Values . Edmund C. Penning -Rowsell AND David Lowenthal , EDS.     

A parameterisation for the threshold shear velocity to initiate deflation of dry and wet sediment

A new parameterisation for the threshold shear velocity to initiate deflation of dry and wet particles is presented. It is based on the balance of moments acting on particles at the instant of particle motion. The model hence includes a term for the aerodynamic forces, including the drag force, the lift force and the aerodynamic-moment force, and a term for the interparticle forces. The effect of gravitation is incorporated in both terms. Rather than using an implicit function for the effect of the aerodynamic forces as reported earlier in literature, a constant aerodynamic coefficient was introduced. From consideration of the van der Waals force between two particles, it was further shown that the effect of the interparticle cohesion force between two dry particles on the deflation threshold should be inversely proportional to the particle diameter squared. The interparticle force was further extended to include wet bonding forces. The latter were considered as the sum of capillary forces and adhesive forces. A model that expresses the capillary force as a function of particle diameter squared and the inverse of capillary potential was deduced from consideration of the well-known model of Fisher and the Young–Laplace equation. The adhesive force was assumed to be equal to tensile strength, and a function which is proportional to particle diameter squared and the inverse of the potential due to adhesive forces was derived. By combining the capillary-force model and the adhesive force model, the interparticle force due to wet bonding was simplified and written as a function of particle diameter squared and the inverse of matric potential. The latter was loglinearly related to the gravimetric moisture content, a relationship that is valid in the low-moisture content range that is important in the light of deflation of sediment by wind. By introducing a correction to force the relationship to converge to zero moisture content at oven dryness, the matric potential–moisture content relationship contained only one unknown model parameter, viz. moisture content at −1.5 MPa. Working out the model led to a rather simple parameterisation containing only three coefficients. Two parameters were incorporated in the term that applies to dry sediment and were determined by using experimental data as reported by Iversen and White [Sedimentology 29 (1982) 111]. The third parameter for the wet-sediment part of the model was determined from wind-tunnel experiments on prewetted sand and sandy loam aggregates. The model was validated using data from wind-tunnel experiments on the same but dry sediment, and on data obtained from simulations with the model of Chepil [Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 20 (1956) 288]. The experiments showed that soil aggregates should be treated as individual particles with a density equal to their bulk density. Furthermore, it was shown that the surface had to dry to a moisture content of about 75% of the moisture content at −1.5 MPa before deflation became sustained. The threshold shear velocities simulated with our model were found to be in good agreement with own observations and with simulations using Chepil's model.