Pressure image assimilation for atmospheric motion estimation

The complexity of the laws of dynamics governing 3-D atmospheric flows associated with incomplete and noisy observations make the recovery of atmospheric dynamics from satellite image sequences very difficult. In this paper, we address the challenging problem of estimating physical sound and time-consistent horizontal motion fields at various atmospheric depths for a whole image sequence. Based on a vertical decomposition of the atmosphere, we propose a dynamically consistent atmospheric motion estimator relying on a multilayer dynamic model. This estimator is based on a weak constraint variational data assimilation scheme and is applied on noisy and incomplete pressure difference observations derived from satellite images. The dynamic model is a simplified vorticity-divergence form of a multilayer shallow-water model. Average horizontal motion fields are estimated for each layer. The performance of the proposed technique is assessed using synthetic examples and using real world meteorological satellite image sequences. In particular, it is shown that the estimator enables exploiting fine spatio-temporal image structures and succeeds in characterizing motion at small spatial scales.     

An analysis of regional climate model performance over the tropical Americas. Part I: simulating seasonal variability of precipitation associated with ENSO forcing

Sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies associated with El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) constitute a major source of predictability in the tropics. We evaluate the ability of a regional climate model (the Rossby Centre Atmospheric Model; RCA) to downscale SST and large-scale atmospheric anomalies associated with ENSO. RCA is configured over the tropical east Pacific and tropical Americas and runs for the period 1979–2005, using European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) lateral and surface boundary conditions. We study the ability of RCA to represent regional patterns of precipitation, with respect to both the climatology and interannual variability associated with ENSO. The latter is achieved by grouping the simulations into El Niño and La Niña composites and studying the delayed response of precipitation to SST forcing in four regions of Central and South America.
In this paper, we concentrate on seasonal mean timescales. We find that RCA accurately simulates the main features of the precipitation climatology over the four regions and also reproduces the majority of the documented regional responses to ENSO forcing. Furthermore, the model captures the variability in precipitation anomalies between different ENSO events. The model exhibits a wet bias over the northern Amazon and slightly overestimates the magnitude of ENSO anomalies over Central America.     

RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE ATTRIBUTES ON THE LESOTHO–DRAKENSBERG ESCARPMENT EDGE, SOUTHERN AFRICA

Located near the southeastern limit of Africa, the Lesotho‐Drakensberg and associated escarpment is the highest range of African mountains south of the massifs in Tanzania. At the escarpment summit and on the adjacent high peaks, the climate is generally interpreted as marginal periglacial yet few data, specifically rainfall and temperature, exist on record at these altitudes. Climatic data from two temporary field stations on the escarpment edge, one of which is the highest rainfall station yet on record in southern Africa, provide contemporary surface‐climate conditions. Mean annual rainfall recorded between 2001 and 2005 averages 767.8 mm at Sani Pass summit (three complete years), and 753.2 mm on Sentinel Peak (two complete years); these values are less than those recorded for the same period in the mountain foothills. Even though rainfall is slightly below long‐term rainfall averages for the area due to a marginally dry spell, the data show that earlier estimates of between 1000 mm and 2000 mm rainfall per annum on the escarpment are too high. A measured mean air temperature of 5.8°C at Sani Pass, however, falls within the range estimated for the escarpment summit. Frost cycles in air and at the soil surface are frequent in winter, but absent in soil for summer, and no long‐duration surface‐soil freeze was measured. Temperatures thus confirm the marginal periglacial nature as postulated for previously, but precipitation data indicate a dryer environment than anticipated. Palaeoenvironmental scenarios, notably arguments for former glaciation based on extrapolations from somewhat exaggerated contemporary precipitation values, thus require re‐consideration.     

A New Genus and Species of Damsel-Dragonfly (Odonata: Isophlebioidea: Campterophlebiidae) in the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China

The campterophlebiid new genus and species Ctenogampsophlebia reni is described from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China. It shows close similarities with the Lower to Middle Jurassic genera Gampsophlebia, and Petrophlebia, with closed and short subdiscoidal cells, confirming the attribution of these two other genera to the Campterophlebiidae.     

Rural Self-Reliance in Bondolfi, Zimbabwe: the role of beekeeping

Community-based economic self-reliance has become critical in many African countries because of the severity of prevailing soci-economic and environmental constraints. Concerns over food security have encouraged a re-evaluation of the importance of indigenous technical knowledge. This study examines a rural area in Zimbabwe where members of the local community have established a successful beekeeping association to improve their livelihoods. The history of the initiative, its broader impact on the community and the role played by external facilitation feature in the study.     

Mapping average annual runoff: a hierarchical approach applying a stochastic interpolation scheme

Abstract

A novel approach for mapping river runoff is presented. It is based on a disaggregation of the mean annual streamflow measured at the outlet of a basin to estimate water depths on elements of an exact partition of this basin. The developed technique is based on geostatistical interpolation procedures to which a global constraint of water balance has been added. The methodology is illustrated by a case study from a tributary to the Rhône River, France. The results were compared to an established method-the nested approach, and a cross-validation was performed for each mapping technique. The disaggregation approach appears to give the most consistent results. Finally, two gridded maps were derived by applying the disaggregation twice to assess water depth on an increasingly finer grid mesh. The global constraint of water balance was applied to each element of the coarser mesh to give estimates for the finer one.     

Mesozoic Evaniidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) in Spanish Amber: Reanalysis of the Phylogeny of the Evanioidea

<正>One new genus and five new species of the family Evaniidae are described from the Early Cretaceous (Albian)Spanish amber of Penacerrada-Ⅰ(Province of Burgos),San Just and Arroyo de la Pascueta(both in the Province of Teruel):Cretevania alonsoi sp.nov.,C.montoyai sp.nov.,C.alcalai sp.nov.,C.rubusensis sp.nov.,and Iberoevania roblesi gen.and sp.nov.Taxonomic changes include Cretevania pristina(Zhang and Zhang,2000) comb.nov.,C.exquisita(Zhang,Rasmtsyn,Wang and Zhang,2007)comb.nov.,C.vesca(Zhang,Rasnitsyn,Wang and Zhang,2007)comb.nov.,and C.cyrtocerca(Deans,2004)comb.nov.,as a result of the reinterpretation of the genera Procretevania and Eovernevania.The new well preserved specimens of the genus Cretevania,together with the characters shown by the type specimens of the synonymized genera,give new information about their anatomical characters of taxonomical importance,and the genus Cretevania Rasnitsyn,1975 is re-diagnosed.The holotypes of the Russian species in amber have been revised.A cladistic analysis of fossil and extant groups of the superfamily Evanioidea is included.Cretevania had a wide palaeogeographic distribution,with the highest diversity known from Spain.The 13 known Cretevania species show a high interspecific variation mainly in wing characteristics,and a wide range of body and wing size.     

The Role of the Solar Cycle in the Relationship Between the North Atlantic Oscillation and Northern Hemisphere Surface Temperatures

The North Atlantic Oscillation （NAO） is one of the leading modes of climate variability in the Northern Hemisphere. It has been shown that it clearly relates to changes in meteorological variables, such as surface temperature, at hemispherical scales. However, recent studies have revealed that the NAO spatial pattern also depends upon solar forcing. Therefore, its effects on meteorological variables must vary depending upon this factor. Moreover, it could be that the Sun affects climate through variability patterns, a hypothesis that is the focus of this study. We find that the relationship between the NAO/AO and hemispheric temperature varies depending upon solar activity. The results show a positive significant correlation only when solar activity is high. Also, the results support the idea that solar activity influences tropospheric climate fluctuations in the Northern Hemisphere via the fluctuations of the stratospheric polar vortex .     

THE EFFECT OF SYNOPTIC SCALE WEATHER SYSTEMS ON SUB‐SURFACE SOIL TEMPERATURES IN A DIURNAL FROST ENVIRONMENT: PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS FROM SUB‐ANTARCTIC MARION ISLAND

Marion Island in the South Indian Ocean has a maritime climate dominated by diurnal frost processes in the landscape. We test the hypothesis that synoptic time‐scale measurements are essential in understanding the drivers of diurnal frost processes. Preliminary results from automated microclimate measurements in a polar desert habitat show that diurnal soil surface temperatures on Marion Island are influenced by a complex interaction of radiation balance, air mass circulation, cloud cover and snow. The passage of synoptic scale weather systems influences soil thermal characteristics through changes in dominance of the radiation budget. Soil frost on Marion appears to be dependent on clear skies, while synoptic weather systems affect the duration and intensity of soil frost processes and non‐radiative heat fluxes. Air circulation patterns at Marion Island influence diurnal scale temperature fluctuations and its direct and indirect interactions with ecosystem processes. The data suggest that in a maritime sub‐Antarctic environment the climatic drivers of soil frost occur at a finertemporal resolution than for seasonal and permafrost environments and needs to be measured at a diurnal time‐scale to be meaningful.     

First Psocodean (Psocodea,Empheriidae) from the Cretaceous Amber of New Jersey

<正>Representatives of the extinct psocid family Empheriidae are known from Eocene Baltic amber, Lowermost Eocene French amber(Oise),and Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber(Alava).We report herein the first discovery of an empheriid psocid from the Cretaceous amber of New Jersey as Jerseyempheria grimaldii gen.et sp. nov.The fossil is figured and described.The new species is distinguished from related taxa.A discussion and checklist of Empheriidae are provided.