Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pollen Response-Surface Estimates of Late-Quaternary Changes in the Moisture Balance of the Northeastern United States

Abstract Quantitative estimates of late-Quaternary climate in the northeastern United States are reconstructed from fossil pollen data to evaluate changes in the regional moisture balance inferred from water-level fluctuations. We use environmental response surfaces to calibrate modern pollen data (for 17 different taxa) to an index of effective soil moisture and mean annual precipitation. We apply these response surfaces to fossil pollen data from 60 sites in the region to reconstruct changes in soil moisture and mean annual precipitation at 3000-yr intervals from 12,000 yr B.P. to present. The mapped reconstructions of soil moisture and mean annual precipitation illustrate how the regional moisture balance of the Northeast may have changed over the last 12,000 yr in response to changing climate. Reconstructions of annual precipitation show a gradual increase from 30% below modern values at 12,000 yr B.P. to near-modern values by 6000 yr B.P. and then remain relatively constant thereafter. Reconstructed changes in the index of effective soil moisture, however, show a pattern of near-modern values at 12,000, 6000, and 3000 yr B.P., with significantly lower values estimated for 9000 yr B.P., the time of maximum pine pollen abundances in the Northeast. This pattern of change is similar to the change in regional moisture balance inferred from stratigraphic records of water-level fluctuations. These results confirm previous interpretations, based on records of water-level fluctuations, that conditions in the Northeast were significantly drier during the early to middle Holocene than at other times during the last 12,000 yr.
The adiabatic gradient and the melting point gradient in the core of the Earth

The melting gradient and the adiabatic gradient throughout the core of the earth are compared. The temperature of melting of iron at pressures equivalent to the inner core-outer core boundary is estimated to be circa 4250°C with a melting point gradient of approximately 500° through the outer core. The adiabatic gradient through the outer core is estimated to be circa 1250°; therefore, for the outer core to be liquid, its temperature must be considerably above the temperature in adiabatic equilibrium with the inner-outer core boundary. The temperature distribution throughout the outer core is deduced to follow a melting point curve. This temperature distribution should provide a substantial inhibition to radial components of convection in the outer core.
Topographic waves in a stratified elliptical basin, with application to the Lake of Lugano

A theory is presented for the wind generation of topographic waves in a stratified, elongated lake. The stratification is modelled by a two-layer fluid with upper layer thickness D1, < D2, the characteristic lower layer depth. It is shown by means of scale analysis that to O(D1/D2), the governing pair of equations for the barotropic stream function ]s and interfacial displacement £ decouple, with Jr satisfying the linearized potential vorticity equation, which includes wind stress forcing. The solution of this equation is then substituted into the governing equation for £, which can now be solved in terms of the known forcing x]s. The solutions for Jr and £ are next used to find u1 and u2, the upper and lower layer velocities respectively. To O(D1/D2) the velocity field u2 is barotropic, whereas u1 consists of a barotropic part, a baroclinic part, and a directly forced wind component. The horizontal currents are generally surface intensified. The general theory described is applied to an elliptically shaped basin in which the shoreline and depth contours form a family ofconfocal ellipses. For an exponential depth profile, simple solutions for the radial and azimuthal barotropic modes describing free, elliptically travelling waves are obtained by using a variational method. The corresponding solutions for £, u1 and u2 can be expressed in terms of elementary functions provided r21 < L2, where r1 is the two-layer internal Rossby radius of deformation and L is the half-length of the lake. The theory is applied to the Lake of Lugano, Switzerland, where a distinct 74 h oscillation in both the temperature and current records was observed during summer 1979. It is shown that the period, direction of phase propagation, isotherm-depth amplitude distribution along the lake, and horizontal current motion associated with this signal are consistent with the model of a free, fundamental-mode topographic wave that travels anticlockwise around an elliptical basin representative of the Lake of Lugano. From scaling arguments and cross-spectral analysis it is also demonstrated that the energy source for this wave is probably the wind along the shore at the southern end of the lake. However, a complete solution to the forced problem with the observed wind spectrum as input is not given. The existence of topographic waves (rotational modes) in the Lake of Lugano is surprising, considering the small horizontal dimensions of this Alpine lake (approximately 17 km x 1.5 km). Thus it would be of considerable interest to apply the theory developed here to other intermontane lakes to see whether low-frequency topographic waves of this scale are a common occurrence in nature.
Dust storms in Middle Asia: spatial and temporal variations.

Dust/sand storms are common events, and one of the most important manifestations of desertification to occur in the arid and semi-arid regions of Middle Asia. Middle Asian deserts are characterized by strong winds, scarcity of vegetation cover, a continental and Mediterranean type of climate with long dry summers, lack of soil moisture and relatively low air moisture, frequent repetition of soil and atmospheric droughts, susceptibility of soils to erosion. Systematic studies of dust storms in the middle Asian region started in the 1930s when “black” and “white” storms increased in frequency. Most of the scientific observations of natural phenomena, including dust storms, in the region ended after the collapse of the USSR, during the 1990s. The main objectives of this study are to monitor and assess the spatial and temporal distribution and activity of dust events over the Middle Asian region. The frequency and spatial distribution of dust storms for three periods of time: 1936-1960, 1936-1980, and 1970-2000 will be shown using meteorological data from almost 500 ground stations and Geographic Information System, (GIS) software. Dust storm activities during these three periods show significant decrease in frequency and considerable changes in the source areas. Temperature and rainfall trends also show significant changes across the region as well as remarkable changes in the annual and inter-annual trends. For the 1936-2000, temperature and rainfall annual trends show three periods of decreases and increases – periods, which correspond to the different atmospheric circulation epochs. This is a future challenge which will be studied in detail. An important goal is to reveal the correlation between the atmospheric circulation patterns (meridional, zonal), synoptic processes and dust storms.
Summary of Coastal Geologic Evidence for past Great Earthquakes at the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Earthquakes in the past few thousand years have left signs of land-level change, tsunamis, and shaking along the Pacific coast at the Cascadia subduction zone. Sudden lowering of land accounts for many of the buried marsh and forest soils at estuaries between southern British Columbia and northern California. Sand layers on some of these soils imply that tsunamis were triggered by some of the events that lowered the land. Liquefaction features show that inland shaking accompanied sudden coastal subsidence at the Washington-Oregon border about 300 years ago. The combined evidence for subsidence, tsunamis, and shaking shows that earthquakes of magnitude 8 or larger have occurred on the boundary between the overriding North America plate and the downgoing Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates. Intervals between the earthquakes are poorly known because of uncertainties about the number and ages of the earthquakes. Current estimates for individual intervals at specific coastal sites range from a few centuries to about one thousand years.
DISCOVERER: a tool for solving semi-algebraic systems

where P,G1,G2 and H stand for [p1, · · · , ps], [g1, · · · ,gr], [gr+1, · · · ,gt ] and [h1, · · · ,hm], respectively. Herein, x = (x1, · · · ,xn) are variables and u = (u1, · · · ,ud) are parameters whose values are in R and pi, g j, hk are polynomials in Q[u,x] with n,s≥ 1, d,r, t,m≥ 0. An SAS is called a constant semi-algebraic system if it contains no parameters, i.e., d = 0, otherwise a parametric semialgebraic system. We are interested in the following problems concerning the real solutions of an SAS S. If S is a constant SAS,
Carbon sequestration in western Canadian peat highly sensitive to Holocene wet-dry climate cycles at millennial timescales

A high-resolution fen peat record and 79 basal peat dates from paludified peatlands in continental western Canada provide evidence for cyclic change in moisture conditions and in peat carbon accumulation. The ash-free bulk density, a proxy for degree of peat decomposition and thus moisture conditions, shows periodicities at both millennial (from 1500 to 2190 yr, with a mean of 1785 yr) and century scales (386 yr and 667 yr). Wet periods of 200–600 yr in duration, especially at ~6900, 5500 and 4000 cal. BP, correlate with rapid peat accumulation, new peatland initiation and declines in the rate of increase of atmospheric CO2 concentrations. The wet periods in western North America are coeval with warm periods in the North Atlantic, a phasing relationship that has been documented in other published palaeorecords for the glacial period and late Holocene, probably in response to variations in solar activity. These results indicate a strong connection between climate and the global carbon cycle at the millennial scale, mediated in part by peatland dynamics. This is the first demonstration that peatland carbon sequestration rates are highly sensitive even to minor climatic fluctuations, which are too small to produce detectable changes in major species in the peatland. That global atmospheric CO2 concentrations have in the past responded to these changes in peatland dynamics implies a strong potential for peatlands to be a major player in affecting future global change.
Variations of the Dust Storm in China and its Climatic Control

Abstract In previous studies, limited meteorological observations were used to investigate the temporal–spatial changes of dust storms in China. Here, the authors use the daily 850-hPa geopotential height of NCEP–NCAR reanalysis for 1948–99 to examine the vortex fluctuations, which represent daily cyclone activity in east Asia. They also use the 1000-hPa air temperature data to explain the decadal change of the cyclone activity. In addition, the grid cyclone frequency for 1948–99 and the temperature and precipitation for 1950–98 are used to calculate the correlation with the dust weather frequency (for 1954–98) in China. Results show that the interannual variability and long-term trend among dust storm frequency, dust weather frequency, air temperature, and cyclone frequency exist in northern China. In the eastern part of China, the frequencies of dust storms and dust weather in the 1950s–70s were about twice that after the mid-1980s. The reason for this feature may be due to the warming in Mongolia and c.
Impacts of rapid sea‐level rise on mangrove deposit erosion: application of taraxerol and Rhizophora records

We investigated a well‐dated marine sediment core from the tropical SE Atlantic covering the last 25 kyr, applying taraxerol and Rhizophora pollen as organic geochemical and palynological proxies for mangrove, respectively. Taraxerol records are positively correlated with Rhizophora pollen records, showing an enhanced supply of mangrove materials into deep‐sea environments during the last deglaciation (Termination I). Sedimentation rates peaked during Meltwater Pulses 1A and 1B, which were associated with the maxima of taraxerol and Rhizophora pollen. This study supports the view that mangrove input was dominantly controlled by erosion of mangrove‐rich shelf sediments during the transgressions. Whether reworked materials were penecontemporaneous or from much older deposits formed during previous sea‐level cycles is discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On ELF pulses from remote lightnings triggering sprites

ELF waveforms at large distances from strong CG (cloud‐to‐ground) discharges are evaluated in the framework of Greifinger's night‐time propagation model. It is shown that if the CG discharges triggering red sprites involve, as now generally accepted, ≳10² C of charge, then they should generate remote ELF atmospherics with considerably larger magnitudes than measured in the upper ELF (> 300 Hz) range.
Crouching Theropods in Taxonomic Jungles: Ichnological and Ichnotaxonomic Investigations of Footprints with Metatarsal and Ischial Impressions

Tracks and traces of crouching theropods are rare, known from only three specimens from the Lower Jurassic of New England and the Lower to ? mid Jurassic of China. The New England specimens reveal manus, metatarsal and sub-crescentic ischial callosity impressions associated with Grallator-like tracks. The Chinese traces reveal metatarsal traces and a sub-triangular ischial callosity impression associated with Eubrontes-like tracks. All reveal symmetrical crouching postures. Theropod crouching traces should not be confused with ornithopod crouching traces, often assigned to Anomoepus. The ichnotaxonomy surrounding all these traces and associated footprints is very complex, and over split. Suggestions for simplification allow recognition that the North American and Chinese ichnofaunas have many similarities. The ichnotaxonomy is not as complex and confused as it may at first appear.
Effect of Rebar Array on IPT System for Structural Health Monitoring Sensor Supply

Inductive power transfer (IPT) has become a popular supply of sensors in structural health monitoring systems due to its non-contact nature. However, the presence of a rebar array in concrete structures may affect the performance of IPT systems by changing the mutual inductance between the transmitter and receiver coils. Moreover, as a ferromagnetic material, the relative permeability of rebar is a complex function of frequency. In this paper, the approximate relative permeability of rebars at different frequencies is obtained by inductance approximation of finite element simulation and test results. Based on this, we study the influence of the magnetic properties of rebars and eddy current shielding on mutual inductance through simulation and testing. The results indicate that the eddy current shielding effect of rebar loops plays a dominant role in reducing mutual inductance within the frequency range commonly used in IPT systems. An expression for the equivalent mutual inductance of IPT systems with rebars is also derived and validated with experimental results. An expression for the equivalent mutual inductance of IPT systems with rebar array is also derived and validated with experimental results. The findings of this study are expected to assist in designing IPT systems in the presence of rebar obstructions.
Winter convection continues in the warming southern Adriatic

During winters in the eastern Mediterranean, cold winds blow over the waters of the southern portion of the Adriatic Sea, resulting in heat loss of the ocean. This cold surface water becomes denser than surrounding waters and sinks into the deep reaches of the Mediterranean Sea. This forms ‘deep water,’ or water once at the ocean's surface that now has sunk to depths of 1500 meters and more. The Southern Adriatic Pit (SAP) is the convection site and source for the Eastern Mediterranean Deep Water (EMDW). Since the late 1980s, the SAP has been monitored almost every year because of its importance in driving the eastern Mediterranean deep circulation convection cell.
Climatology of columnar aerosol properties and the influence of synoptic conditions: First-time results from the northeastern region of India

[1] Six years of spectral aerosol optical depths (AODs), from the northeastern part of India (Dibrugarh), are used to evolve a climatology for this region. The results indicate that the seasonal mean AODs at 500 nm go as high as 0.45 ± 0.05 during premonsoon season (March to May), decrease gradually through the monsoon (June to September) to reach the lowest value of 0.19 ± 0.06 during the retreating-monsoon season (October and November), and increase to 0.31 ± 0.04 in winter (December to February). The AOD spectra are generally flatter than those seen typically over continental sites of India (and elsewhere in the neighboring regions) with Angstrom exponent α remaining below 1.0 during February through August, indicating a relatively low abundance of fine and accumulation mode aerosols. The columnar size distributions (CSD) retrieved from spectral AODs are, in general, bimodal with primary mode at ∼ 0.1 μm and secondary mode at ∼ 1.0 μm. High mass loading (∼309.5 ± 65.9 mg m−2) and effective radius (∼0.40 ± 0.09 μm) occur during premonsoon and are attributed to significant abundance of coarse (natural) aerosols. Cluster analysis of air mass back trajectories indicate significant transport of mineral dust from the arid regions of west Asia and northwest India across the Indo-Gangetic plains and marine aerosols advected from the Bay of Bengal contributing largely to the coarse mode aerosols during this season. On the other hand, the peculiar topography combined with the local conditions and the widespread rainfall lead to a more pristine environment during retreating-monsoon season with quite low AODs and columnar loading.
Growth, physiological, yield and quality response in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under wastewater irrigation and different levels of phosphorus

Aims: India is one of the most densely populated, developing and industrially fast growing country of the earth that not only facing the problem of water scarcity, but also the mismanagement of tremendous amount of wastewater (WW) produced every day. Therefore a study was conducted in the Aligarh city of India on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) cv. Pusa Sadabahar to observe the suitability of wastewater for irrigation along with different levels of phosphorus and how minimize the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture by supplementing mineral nutrients through wastewater. Study Design: Factorial randomized block design Place and Duration of Study: The pot experiment was conducted during 2011-2012 in the net house of the Plant Physiology, Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Methodology: Three levels of water, 50% wastewater, 100% wastewater and groundwater (GW) were used along with four basal doses of phosphorus at the rates of 0, 20, 40 and 60kgPha with a uniform basal dose of nitrogen and potassium with the rates of 60kgNha and 50kgKha Original Research Article Iqbal et al.; AJEA, 5(1): 70-81, 2015; Article no. AJEA.2015. 009 71 respectively. Fertilizers were applied one day before sowing. Both the waters and soil were analyzed for various physico-chemical characteristics. Results: All the growth, physiological, yields as well as quality parameters were recorded at 60 days after sowing. Results revealed that wastewater irrigation significantly increases the growth, photosynthesis, yield and quality of the chilli. Lower dose of phosphorus fertilizer at the rate of 40kg ha together with wastewater proved optimum and gave greater shoot and root length, shoot fresh and dry mass, leaf area, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, nitrate raductase, carbonic anhydrase, ascorbic acid and leaf nitrogen content than control and even to higher nitrogen doses along with groundwater. Conclusion: The wastewater proved an effective source of essential nutrients and even it could not be supplemented the whole nutrient requirement of the chilli but it can reduced the quantity of fertilizers because wastewater also a source of nutrients.
New State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood

His ethical framework needs more fine-tuning for at least two reasons. First, this ethical framework seems to be disconnected from the issues discussed in the book. Instead of showing how the ethical framework can guide us to better cope with issues such as authenticity, privacy, surveillance, and digital divide, the author indulges in a rather abstract philosophical discussion for its own sake in the final chapter. And second, although the pleasure of mapping cannot be denied, it is a stretch to elevate ‘‘pleasure’’ to be a guiding ethical principle directing our mapping practices in the real world. In weaving his argument about the pleasure principle applied to mapping, Crampton draws heavily on McWhorter’s (1999) work on societal pressure for sexual normalization. The political parallel between mapping versus sexual practices is tenuous at best, or may not even exist. If our future mapping effort is indeed guided by the pleasure principle, those with power and privilege may well indulge themselves to meet their own idiosyncratic psychological needs for the sake of pleasures, which will result in the perpetuation of inequity and divide what the framework aims to eradicate. Therefore, the proposed ethical framework has perhaps created a new set of problematics (if I can borrow from the Foucauldian vocabulary). However, we are reminded by Crampton that ‘‘as long as cyberspace is a problem, we will always have something to do’’ (p. 15), which is indeed a comforting thought for all of us in academia.
Wind speed retrieval from RADARSAT-2 quad-polarization images using a new polarization ratio model

This paper presents a first attempt to analyze C-band RADARSAT-2 measurements of the normalized radar cross sections (NRCS) in quad-polarization acquisition mode (HH, VV, HV, and VH) over the ocean. NRCS in copolarizations and cross-polarizations are found to be different; the latter is independent of radar incidence angles and wind directions, but is quite linear with respect to wind speeds. We also investigate the properties of the polarization ratio, denoted PR, and show that it is dependent on incidence angle and azimuth angle as well as wind speed. It also correlates well with wave steepness and significant wave height. Moreover, the polarization difference shows a linear relationship with wind speed. Two new analytical models are proposed to estimate PR; one is a function of incidence angle only, while the other has additional dependence on wind speed. Comparisons are presented with theoretical and empirical PR models from the literature; the new PR model which includes wind speed dependence is shown to best compare with observed RADARSAT-2 data. An assessment of this PR model is given using different CMOD algorithms and RADARSAT-2 images. Results show that the wind speeds retrieved from this PR model and CMOD5. N are in good agreement with buoy measurements (standard deviation, 1.37 m/s). This joint GMF-PR approach constitutes a promising hybrid model for wind speed retrievals from HH-polarized RADARSAT-2 images.
Effect of global warming on the length‐of‐day

The anthropogenic increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the Earth atmosphere will probably induce important modifications of the global circulation in the atmosphere and ocean. Due to the angular momentum conservation of the Earth‐atmosphere‐ocean system, variation of the length‐of‐day (LOD) can be expected. By using the outputs of the models participating to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP‐2), we reach the following conclusions: (1) the models globally agree to an increase of the LOD of the order of 1 μs/year, (2) the effect is mostly associated with an increase of the mean zonal wind, of which about one third is compensated by a change in mass repartition.