Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlations between sea‐surface temperatures and warm season streamflow in northwest Mexico

Previous hydroclimatological analysis of the North American Monsoon (NAM) region of northwest México revealed significant sub‐regions of coherence in seasonal precipitation and streamflow. In this work, interannual variations in regionalized streamflow and rainfall‐runoff relationships are explored. Modulation of the monsoon hydroclimatology by large‐scale forcing mechanisms such as tropical, North Pacific, and Caribbean Sea‐surface temperature perturbations results in nonlinear responses in seasonal runoff that varies by region. Analyses reveal that the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) exerts a modest but statistically significant influence on NAM streamflow. Different sea‐surface temperature and sea‐level pressure indices exhibit markedly different lag‐correlation structures in different NAM streamflow regions and these relationships vary significantly according to the decadal scale sea‐surface temperature (SST) variability in the North Pacific. The structure of correlation patterns between eastern Pacific SST and regionalized NAM streamflow anomalies complicates the application of common ENSO indices as streamflow predictors. The occurrence of ENSO also has a significant impact on regional runoff fractions and on the partitioning of streamflow between the summer and winter seasons. The summer ENSO influence is explained, in part, by changes in the lower tropospheric pressure and wind fields, which result in modest increases in atmospheric moisture over the streamflow regions during La Niña episodes versus El Niño episodes. The results suggest that improved monitoring and prediction of ENSO variability, through careful development of eastern Pacific SST indices in the pre‐monsoon period should provide useful guidance for seasonal forecasts of regional monsoon streamflow. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
Modeling northern hemisphere summer heat extreme changes and their uncertainties using a physics ensemble of climate sensitivity experiments

Abstract Changes in extreme daily temperature events are examined using a perturbed physics ensemble of global model simulations under present-day and doubled CO2 climates where ensemble members differ in their representation of various physical processes. Modeling uncertainties are quantified by varying poorly constrained model parameters that control atmospheric processes and feedbacks and analyzing the ensemble spread of simulated changes. In general, uncertainty is up to 50% of projected changes in extreme heat events of the type that occur only once per year. Large changes are seen in distributions of daily maximum temperatures for June, July, and August with significant shifts to warmer conditions. Changes in extremely hot days are shown to be significantly larger than changes in mean values in some regions. The intensity, duration, and frequency of summer heat waves are expected to be substantially greater over all continents. The largest changes are found over Europe, North and South America, and .
Diversity and temporal sequences of forms of DOC and NO3-discharge responses in an intermittent stream : Predictable or random succession?

[1] Storm events have major implications for biogeochemical cycles at local and regional scales and they provide an excellent opportunity to study the hydro-biogeochemical functioning of catchments. However, concentration-discharge (C-Q) responses have only been studied in detail for short periods or a few selected events. In consequence, it is difficult to quantify the diversity of C-Q responses in a hydrological system and impossible to assess whether the succession of forms of C-Q responses follows a predictable sequence or not. Bearing in mind these shortfalls, the variability of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO3) pulses during storms is analyzed in a detailed 4-year series from an intermittent Mediterranean stream. In this study, each DOC and NO3-Q response is synthesized by two descriptors that summarize its trend (ΔC; dilution/flushing/no change) and shape (ΔR; linear/nonlinear response). We observe that C-Q responses are widely distributed along the two-dimensional ΔR versus ΔC continuum. Furthermore, the temporal succession of forms of DOC and NO3-Q responses follow a random pattern, and only the dynamics of the ΔR(NO3) descriptor show periodicity. The long-term data set reveals that it is impossible to predict with reasonable precision the full properties of DOC and NO3-Q responses. Thus, a “typical” C-Q response does not really exist at our study site, and this apparent diversity of responses has to be handled with a probabilistic approach that allows synthesis of the complexity of the hydro-biogeochemical functioning of a specific catchment.
Geomorphology and seismicity of the Roum Fault as one of the active branches of the Dead Sea Fault System in Lebanon

To the south of Lebanon the Dead Sea Transform fault has a well-documented left-lateral displacement of about 105 km. In Lebanon, most of the movement is taken up by several major and minor faults. These are the NNE trending Yammouneh, and its NE branch Mid-Beqa'a, Serghaya, Rachaya, and Hasbaya faults, and the NNW trending Roum fault. Geophysical, geomorphological, and geological study of the Roum fault zone and its northern extension in the Chouf area has led to the following conclusions: (1) The sinistral displacement along the Roum fault, as reflected by the offset of drainage patterns, decreases northward from 8.5 km across the Litani river to ∼1 km across the Awali river. (2) In the Chouf area the lateral displacement is dispersed into a complex network of faults and fractures reflected by clearly pronounced lineaments and therefore is not entirely transmitted northward. (3) The seismicity of the Roum fault zone and the Chouf area is characterized by earthquakes of moderate magnitude with a release interval of 40–50 years. (4) The seismicity of Lebanon, in general, is characterized by strong earthquakes with very long recurrence interval. (5) The bifurcation of the Dead Sea transform fault into several faults in Lebanon has probably occurred in response to the clockwise rotation of the upper part of its crust. (6) In the future “geologic time” the Roum fault will, probably, take up more of the offset, while the significance of other fault branches will decline.
Cosmogenic nuclides in core samples of the Chico L6 chondrite - Evidence for irradiation under high shielding

— Core samples were obtained from various locations of the ∼ 105-kg Chico, NM, L6 chondrite in order to study the effects of large shielding on the production rates of cosmic-ray-produced nuclides. Relations between measured abundances of cosmogenic nuclides (10Be, 26Al, and stable isotopes of He, Ne, and Ar) and the cosmogenic 22Ne/21Ne ratio were determined and compared with recent model predictions of production rates. The measured 22Ne/21Ne ratios (1.06-1.08) and significant variations observed in concentrations of cosmogenic 21Ne and 3He suggest an ∼40-cm shielding gradient across Chico and irradiation within a large object (> 100-cm radius). Noble gas data indicate that Chico experienced greater shielding than chondrites Knyahinya or Keyes and similar to Jilin. Values of 10Be (average = 20.7 dpm/kg) and 26Al (average = 71.1 dpm/kg) are nearly constant, however, and show no correlation with either 22Ne/21Ne or 21Ne. Activities of 10Be and 26Al suggest irradiation in a smaller object (∼40–80 cm radius). The 26Al activity and the 26Al/10Be ratio (average value = 3.42) are both significantly larger than values for most other chondrites. These results could indicate a two-stage irradiation with t1 ∼ 104 Ma and t2 ∼ 4 Ma and a second-stage body the size of Knyahinya. The single stage, 10Be/21Ne exposure age for Chico is 65 Ma. The 22Ne/21Ne ratio apparently becomes insensitive to shielding for objects the size of Chico. No substantial evidence exists for chondrites with 22Ne/21Ne ratios significantly less than ∼ 1.055.
Évolutions locales de l'industrie 1982-1992 et convergence régionale

[fre] Evolutions locales de l'industrie 1982-1992 et convergence regionale par Francoise Maurel . A partir de donnees sectorielles et regionales, cet article etudie l'influence des caracteristiques passees et presentes de l'industrie et plus generalement de l' environnement des entreprises sur la croissance locale de l'emploi entre 1 982 et 1 992, dans differents secteurs industriels. L'analyse menee a partir du modele classique de convergence conditionnelle confirme dans un premier temps la faiblesse du processus de convergence de l'emploi entre zones geographiques. Ceci conduit a rechercher des facteurs explicatifs de la persistance des disparites locales. Parmi les facteurs d'agglomeration mis en evidence, tant le niveau local du capital humain que des facteurs propres au tissu industriel se revelent significatifs dans l'explication de la croissance de l'emploi des secteurs, relativement a leur niveau initial. Les resultats empiriques obtenus valident egalement l'importance des economies de localisation en faisant notamment de la concurrence locale un facteur de croissance des industries, ainsi qu'un facteur de convergence. [eng] Local Changes in Industry 1982-1992 and Regional Convergence: . Some Empirical Findings from French Data . by Francoise Maurel . This article uses sectoral and regional data to examine the influence of the past and present characteristics of industry and, more generally, the business environment, on the growth of local employment in various industrial sectors between 1982 and 1992. The analysis first uses a classical conditional convergence model to show the weak convergence of employment levels between different geographical areas. Then, it identifies the factors that explain the persistence of local disparities. Of the geographical concentration factors brought to light, both the level of local human capital and the factors specific to the industrial structures turn out to be significant, in relation to their initial levels, in explaining the growth of employment in the sectors. The empirical findings also validate the important role of external economies in location choices, showing that local competition is a growth factor for industrial sectors and a convergence factor.
Reed wetland extraction in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve based on knowledge inference technology

With the reduction of sediments into the sea, the area of reed wetland, which is the key habitat of red-crowned crane, has been shrinking in the Yellow River Delta Nature Reserve, China. With Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images and field observations, we mapped the reed wetland using the knowledge inference technology. Six wetland types were extracted using a supervised classification method. To resolve the confusions between reeds and other wetland types, a set of rules were established. Firstly, reed wetland was separated from mudflat wetland, rearing and shrimp pond and water body by using the normalized digital vegetation index (NDVI). Secondly, reed wetland was distinguished from paddy field by using image texture information. Thirdly, the reed wetland was separated from the Chinese tamarisk by using the principal transformation. All these rules were built by using ERDAS Imagine's knowledge engineer. Reed wetland classification was conducted by using the neighbor analysis technology. The accuracy assessment shows that the knowledge-based classification obtained an overall accuracy of 89.02% and kappa coefficient of 0.89, which was better than the traditional supervised classification.
University of Huddersfield Repository Corporate Governance and Performance in Socially Responsible Corporations: New Empirical Insights from a Neo-Institutional Framework

Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: This paper investigates the relationship between corporate governance (CG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR), and consequently, examines whether CG can positively moderate the association between corporate financial performance (CFP) and CSR. Research Findings/Insights: Using a sample of large listed corporations from 2002 to 2009, we find that, on average, better-governed corporations tend to pursue a more socially responsible agenda through increased CSR practices. We also find that a combination of CSR and CG practices has a stronger positive effect on CFP than CSR alone, implying that CG positively influences the CFP-CSR relationship. Our results are robust to controlling for different types of endogeneities, as well as alternative CFP, CG and CSR proxies. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The paper generally contributes to the literature on CG, CSR and CFP. Specifically, we make two main new contributions to the extant literature by drawing on new insights from an overarching neo-institutional framework. First, we show why and how better-governed corporations are more likely to pursue a more socially responsible agenda. Second, we provide evidence on why and how CG might strengthen the link between CFP and CSR. Practical/Policy Implications: Our findings have important implications for corporate regulators and policy-makers. Since our evidence suggests that better-governed corporations are more likely to be more socially responsible with a consequential positive effect on CFP, it provides corporate regulators, managers and policy-makers with a new impetus to develop a more explicit agenda of jointly pursuing CG and CSR reforms, instead of merely considering CSR as a peripheral component of CG or as an independent corporate activity.
An estimate of motion between the spin axis and the hotspots over the past century

Estimates of the motion of the spin axis over the past century either neglect plate motion or are relative to the mean lithosphere. To understand the response of the spin axis to mass changes, it is more useful to estimate spin axis motion relative to the hotspots because the hotspots well represent the solid earth. The hotspots originate in the lower mantle, which comprises 2/3 of the earth's volume. Relative to the lower mantle the plates and the upper mantle move in opposite directions, to a large extent canceling each other out. The mean lithosphere moves quickly relative to the hotspots and poorly represents the solid earth. The spin axis has moved relative to the hotspots over the past century along the 68.4°W meridian at 4.03 milliarcsecond/yr. This motion is 11° counterclockwise of, 0.5 milliarcsecond/yr faster than, and 25% different than spin axis motion relative to the mean lithosphere.
Collaborative technology for young children's outdoor education

Children participating in classroom field trips learn first hand in an authentic context. However, activities during these trips are often limited to observation and data collection. Children synthesize their knowledge later, in classroom discussions and in the collaborative construction of a representational artifact. But the classroom is removed from the authentic context in which the knowledge was gained. My research investigated how mobile technology can bridge this gap by supporting and encouraging young children (grades K-4) to collaboratively construct knowledge artifacts, while simultaneously exploring open, educational environments. Three key elements are addressed; creating a concrete connection between digital information and the real world, supporting awareness of collaborative opportunities in an open environment, and promoting face-to-face collaboration. This dissertation details the conception, design, implementation, and evaluation of the Tangible Flags technology; a tangible interface that is developmentally appropriate for children (grades K-4) to embed and access digital information through their physical environment and multi-user tools that support collaboration in open environments. Tangible Flags are simple for children to attach to the environment and promote an awareness of artifact creation and exploration activities because they are visually apparent. An interface that provides an awareness of changes to digital artifacts and enables concurrent and remote access to these artifacts further enhances collaboration. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the concepts of Tangible Flags. A case study was conducted in an authentic outdoor learning environment, a National Park. A second study compares children's use of the Tangible Flags technology to a roughly equivalent paper system. Quantitative and qualitative analysis indicates that children using Tangible Flags participated in more asynchronous collaborative activity and were more engaged than those who did not. It also showed that awareness of peer activity combined with remote and concurrent access to digital artifacts resulted in increased face-to-face collaborative activity and examines the impact of artifact awareness and access on children's focus on the environment. These contributions will be useful to educators, designers of educational environments and researchers in the field of children's educational technology.
Effect of fluid, confining pressure, and temperature on absolute permeabilities of low-permeability sandstones

The combined effect of temperature, confining pressure, and test fluid on absolute permeabilities of low-permeability sandstones has been investigated. Absolute permeabilities to liquids were dependent on polarity but were always significantly less than Klinkenberg permeabilities for gases. Differences are ascribed to swelling and dispersion of fine particles. Changes in state of dispersion caused by ultrasonication were investigated by measurement of resulting changes in permeabilities. Nitrogen, brine, and distilled water were used as test fluids in a main series of tests for which temperatures ranged form 0 to 90/sup 0/C (32 to 199/sup 0/F) and confining pressures from 3.45 to 34.47 MPa (500 to 5,000 psi). Absolute permeabilities of five formation samples of various origins differed by up to three orders of magnitude, with the highest permeability being a few millidarcies. All specimens showed marked reduction in permeability with increase in confining pressure. For all cores, however, absolute permeabilities to gas were essentially independent of temperature at all levels of confining pressure. Comparable measurements of brine permeability were made for two core samples and, as with gas flow results, no significant temperature effect was found. Klinkenberg slip factors, B, were found to vary linearly with absolute temperature, but gave positive interceptsmore » on the temperature axis of B vs. T plots. The intercepts were larger for gases of higher boiling point. This deviation is shown to be mainly a result of the nonideal effect of temperature on gas viscosities. « less
Detection of Surface Breaking Cracks in Concrete Members Using Rayleigh Waves

This study examines the use of Rayleigh waves for the detection and sizing of surface-breaking cracks in concrete members. First, finite element simulations are performed to define the conditions for Rayleigh wave propagation in members with rectangular cross-section followed by an experimental study with a concrete beam. Time histories recorded at different locations are 2D Fourier transformed into the frequency-wavenumber domain to enhance interpretation and data analysis. Rayleigh waves form at depths less than half the beam depth. With the introduction of a slot, Rayleigh waves are not observed behind the slot, except for the shortest slot depth, and the slot depth cannot be estimated in the frequency-wavenumber domain. Autospectrum calculations reveal strong Rayleigh wave reflections in front of the slot and by can be used to estimate slot depth when the wavelength is less than half the beam depth.
Wind‐induced microseisms from Lake Ontario

Abstract The characteristics of microseisms measured in four vaults of the Southern Ontario Seismic Network within 30 km of the shore of Lake Ontario are analysed. It is shown that the rms values in the 1–3 Hz band are coherent between the stations, indicating a common generative mechanism. A distinct onshore intermittent flux of Rayleigh‐like wave energy was detected at a site near the shore. Microseismic energy in this band is distinctly correlated with the wind speed. The incremental microseismic energy above an absolute minimum activity as a function of wind direction, for a given fixed wind speed, correlates with the average fetch of the wind over the lake, indicating that the source of microseisms is the lake itself. The sensitivity to fetch effects is similar for both onshore and offshore stations indicating that shoaling is probably not a source. Niagara Falls, which also can have a wind‐dependent flow from Lake Erie, causes a measurable effect to at least 25 km but does not significantly affect s.
Three‐dimensional simulation of stratospheric trace gas distributions measured by CRISTA

The Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere (CRISTA) experiment has been flown on two space shuttle missions (STS 66 and STS 85). During these missions, global trace gas distributions have been measured with high spatial resolution. The first flight was performed in early November 1994 during a period of disturbed dynamical conditions characterized by relatively large wave activity and associated exchange of tropical and extratropical air. As a result, numerous small- and medium-scale structures were present in the trace gas distributions measured by CRISTA. The detailed structure of the constituent distributions has been modeled with the National Center for Atmospheric Research Research on Ozone in the Stratosphere and Its Evolution (ROSE) model, which is driven by assimilated winds and temperatures provided by the U.K. Meteorological Office. The modeled trace gas distributions capture much of the measured structures. Very good agreement is found in the lower stratosphere of the northern hemisphere, with the exception of unrealisticly high variability of the modeled trace gas fields at equatorial and subtropical latitudes. In this paper, model results of two specific tracers, CFC-11 and N2O, are compared to respective CRISTA measurements. For quantitative comparisons of trace gas transport in the ROSE model and trace gas transport associated with the measurements, CRISTA version 1 (level 2) data have been assimilated into the model by using a simple sequential technique. The trace gas assimilation system interpolated the measured distributions of long-lived tracers onto the model grid and yields synoptic fields that are consistent with the CRISTA measurements, at each time step of the model (20 min). Horizontal eddy fluxes of CFC-11 (31.6 mbar) calculated from the assimilated trace gas concentrations are in reasonable agreement with respective fluxes calculated from modeled trace gas fields without data assimilation. Both data sets indicate a large degree of temporal cancellation of eddy transport during the time period of the CRISTA measurements. The assimilated trace gas distributions represent a value-added level 3 product, which has been used for transport and budget studies of CFC-11 (31.6 mbar) and CH4 (4.6 mbar). The study indicates that irreversible transport processes are rather important at the 4.6 mbar pressure level during the time period of the CRISTA measurements. Most interesting is a pronounced mixing event from midlatitudes into the tropics, which is also evident in measured and calculated zonal mean CH4 mixing ratio tendencies.