bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimum Dispersion Technique of Carbon Nanotubes in Epoxy Resin as a Function of the Desired Behaviour
Authors: Prolongo S.G. , Jiménez-Suárez Alberto , Melitón B.G. , Campo M. , Ureña A.
Published: December 2013

The use of carbon nanostructures for epoxy matrices modification has been widely studied, nevertheless there are several alternative methods for manufacturing that try to avoid difficulties related to their tendency to keep entangled. The use of the calendering approach and high shear mixing alternatives is common for dispersing these nanoreinforcements. The present article compares these two methods as well as possible synergies from the use of the two alternatives together. It has been found that the dispersion technique used modifies the final dispersion level reached as well as on the final properties of the different nanocomposites. Nevertheless, this effect depends on the type of nanoreinforcement (structure and functionalization) and the property measured. Results suggest that each carbon nanostructure requires an individual design of the dispersion stage to get the optimum properties. Thus, the optimum technique may be different depending on the final desired properties, and the dispersion cycle should be designed carefully depending of the final material aim and the nanostructure used. Nevertheless, typical dispersion cycles are currently applied for different type of nanoreinforcements.
The Growth of ZnO Nanoparticles by Solution-Immersion Method on Various Types of Seeded Template
Authors: Abdullah Nurul Afaah , Aziz Aadila , Asib N.A.M. , Mohamed Ruziana , Mamat Mohamad Hafiz , Rusop M. , Khusaimi Zuraida
Published: December 2013

Synthesis of nanostructured ZnO by an environmentally-friendly method thus applying water as the major media is the aim in solution-immersion method. In this paper, the effect of three types of seeded template to the structural and optical properties of ZnO nanostructures grown by the Solution-Immersion method is investigated. The primary template is glass, seeded with three types of thin films i.e. TiO2 by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering at 200 W (ZnO/TiO2), a layer of PMMA by spin-coating (ZnO/PMMA) and ZnO grown by the mist-atomization method (ZnO/ZnO). The morphology and optical properties will be investigated by FESEM, PL and UV-Vis.
Diffusion of CO2 in Polymer Nanocomposites Containing Different Types of Carbon Nanoparticles for Solid-State Microcellular Foaming Applications
Authors: Antunes Marcelo , Realinho Vera , Gedler Gabriel , Arencón David , Velasco Jose Ignacio
Published: December 2013

This work considers the study of the diffusion of carbon dioxide in polypropylene and amorphous polymers containing carbon nanoparticles, particularly carbon nanofibres and graphene, as well as nanoclays, to be used in microcellular foaming. The diffusion of CO2out and into the nanocomposites was studied during high pressure CO2dissolution, as the amount of CO2dissolved into the nanocomposite and CO2desorption rate are crucial in order to have a proper control of foaming. Comparatively, platelet-like nanoparticles slowed down the desorption of CO2out of the nanocomposites by means of a physical barrier effect, enabling a higher concentration of CO2to remain in the polymer and be used in foaming. As a consequence of the higher amount of CO2retained in the polymer and the cell nucleation effect promoted by the nanoparticles, polymer nanocomposite foams presented finer microcellular structures, in the case of PMMA even sub-microcellular, and higher specific moduli and electrical conductivities when compared to their pure counterparts.
Bibliografia di Mario Enrico Franciscolo
Authors: Poggi Roberto
Published: December 2013

Si fornisce l’elenco completo delle pubblicazioni scientifiche stilate da Mario E. Franciscolo e dei nuovi taxa da lui descritti.
Adephagan water beetles of Elba Island (Tuscany) (Coleoptera Haliplidae, Dytiscidae, Noteridae, Gyrinidae)
Authors: Dettner Konrad
Published: December 2013

The author provides a survey of the Hydradephaga (51 species) of Elba Island (Tyrrhenian sea, Tuscany, Italy) based on literature and on personal research. The total number of species collected by the author during 1998-2006 is 39 (1,468 specimens: 1,272/196 adults/larvae). Fifteen species are new for the island: Haliplus guttatus (Haliplidae), Liopterus haemorrhoidalis, Hygrotus impressopunctatus, Hydroporus jonicus jonicus, H. memnonius, H. discretus, Graptodytes bilineatus, G. granularis, Agabus guttatus guttatus, Ilybius pederzanii, Melanodytes pustulatus, Rhantus suturalis, Hydaticus leander, H. seminiger and Stictotarsus procerus (Dytiscidae). This last species is also new for Tuscany. Agabus (“Metronectes”) aubei, a Tyrrhenian (Corsica and Elba) species, is recorded for the first time since 1963. For each species faunistic and zoogeographic data are provided and possible conservation aspects are discussed
Contributo alla conoscenza della coleotterofauna acquatica dell’Appennino parmense e reggiano (Coleoptera Hydradephaga, Hydrophiloidea, Hydraenidae, Byrrhoidea, Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Rocchi Saverio , Terzani Fabio
Published: December 2013

Il contributo riguarda la coleotterofauna acquatica dell’Appennino parmense e reggiano. Le specie elencate sono 139 (3 Gyrinidae, 4 Haliplidae, 1 Noteridae, 35 Dytiscidae, 12 Helophoridae, 1 Georissidae, 2 Hydrochidae, 21 Hydrophilidae, 30 Hydraenidae, 12 Elmidae, 5 Dryopidae, 1 Limnichidae, 3 Heteroceridae, 9 Chrysomelidae Donaciinae), di queste 59 sono nuove per la zona in esame e 11 sono nuove per la regione Emilia-Romagna. Un confronto è effettuato con la coleotterofauna acquatica del Parco Nazionale delle Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona e Campigna.
Making Sense of Shakespeare: a Cultural Icon for Contemporary Audiences
Authors: Olsson Michael
Published: December 2013

The works of William Shakespeare are more popular in the 21st century than ever before, Why are theatre and audiences around the globe still drawn to his work? How do they make sense of these texts in ways that resonate with their cosmopolitan, contemporary audiences? This article uses the findings of a study interviewing 35 theatre professionals in Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom to explore these issues. Theoretically and methodologically, it is a bricollage, drawing on a range of approaches including Foucault’s discourse analysis, Hobsbawm’s invented traditions and Dervin’s Sense-Making to understand participants sense-making as an affective, embodied social practice. It argues that attempting to understand the significance of a major cultural icon such as Shakespeare in contemporary cosmopolitan civil society needs to recognise the many meanings, roles and significances that surround him and that this complexity makes it unlikely that any one theoretical lens will prove adequate on its own. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5130/ccs.v5i3.3640
Toxicity Bioassay Validation as a Support for Monitoring Effluent Discharge
Authors: Campos de Sousa Cristiane , Padula Lissa , Fernandes Silva Lucas , Irazusta Silvia Pierre
Published: December 2013

The present work aimed evaluating the impact of precipitation with sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, that clearly reduce the chemical contaminants of the effluent, leading to toxicity reduction. Metal analysis by ICP/AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma/Atomic Emission Spectroscopy), physicochemical analysis (pH) and toxicological analysis (by measuring the production of micronuclei in Allium cepa) were performed in the effluent studied before and after the precipitation. The analysis before treatment showed the extreme acidity of the effluent (pH<1,0), metals above the acceptable level for discharging according to the standards (especially zinc and iron) and significant mutagenicity. After precipitation with sodium sulfide, there was enough reduction in metals concentration to allow the effluent discharging within the limits specified by Conama Resolutions 357/2005 and 430/2011, and with both precipitants the discharging was possible according to the limits specified by 8468/76 Decree (São Paulo State/Brazil) (for the elements studied). There was also significant reduction in mutagenicity after treatment. The use of mutagenicity bioassay with A. cepa as a supplementary protocol to the ones already recommended for effluent analysis is emphasized in the present work.
Modeling and evaluation of the global sea-salt aerosol distribution: sensitivity to size-resolved and sea-surface temperature dependent emission schemes
Authors: Spada M. , Jorba O. , Pérez García-Pando C. , Janjic Z. , Baldasano J. M.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. One of the major sources of uncertainty in model estimates of the global sea-salt aerosol distribution is the emission parameterization. We evaluate a new sea-salt aerosol life cycle module coupled to the online multiscale chemical transport model NMMB/BSC-CTM. We compare 5 yr global simulations using five state-of-the-art sea-salt open-ocean emission schemes with monthly averaged coarse aerosol optical depth (AOD) from selected AERONET sun photometers, surface concentration measurements from the University of Miami's Ocean Aerosol Network, and measurements from two NOAA/PMEL cruises (AEROINDOEX and ACE1). Model results are highly sensitive to the introduction of sea-surface-temperature (SST)-dependent emissions and to the accounting of spume particles production. Emission ranges from 3888 Tg yr−1 to 8114 Tg yr−1, lifetime varies between 7.3 h and 11.3 h, and the average column mass load is between 5.0 Tg and 7.2 Tg. Coarse AOD is reproduced with an overall correlation of around 0.5 and with normalized biases ranging from +8.8% to +38.8%. Surface concentration is simulated with normalized biases ranging from −9.5% to +28% and the overall correlation is around 0.5. Our results indicate that SST-dependent emission schemes improve the overall model performance in reproducing surface concentrations. On the other hand, they lead to an overestimation of the coarse AOD at tropical latitudes, although it may be affected by uncertainties in the comparison due to the use of all-sky model AOD, the treatment of water uptake, deposition and optical properties in the model and/or an inaccurate size distribution at emission.
Evaluating global emission inventories of biogenic bromocarbons
Authors: Hossaini R. , Mantle H. , Chipperfield M. P. , Montzka S. A. , Hamer P. , Ziska F. , Quack B. , Krüger K. , Tegtmeier S. , Atlas E. , Sala S. , Engel A. , Bönisch H. , Keber T. , Oram D. , Mills G. , Ordóñez C. , Saiz-Lopez A. , Warwick N. , Liang Q. , Feng W. , Moore F. , Miller B. R. , Marécal V. , Richards N. A. D. , Dorf M. , Pfeilsticker K.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Emissions of halogenated very short-lived substances (VSLS) are poorly constrained. However, their inclusion in global models is required to simulate a realistic inorganic bromine (Bry) loading in both the troposphere, where bromine chemistry perturbs global oxidising capacity, and in the stratosphere, where it is a major sink for ozone (O3). We have performed simulations using a 3-D chemical transport model (CTM) including three top-down and a single bottom-up derived emission inventory of the major brominated VSLS bromoform (CHBr3) and dibromomethane (CH2Br2). We perform the first concerted evaluation of these inventories, comparing both the magnitude and spatial distribution of emissions. For a quantitative evaluation of each inventory, model output is compared with independent long-term observations at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) ground-based stations and with aircraft observations made during the NSF (National Science Foundation) HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations (HIPPO) project. For CHBr3, the mean absolute deviation between model and surface observation ranges from 0.22 (38%) to 0.78 (115%) parts per trillion (ppt) in the tropics, depending on emission inventory. For CH2Br2, the range is 0.17 (24%) to 1.25 (167%) ppt. We also use aircraft observations made during the 2011 Stratospheric Ozone: Halogen Impacts in a Varying Atmosphere (SHIVA) campaign, in the tropical western Pacific. Here, the performance of the various inventories also varies significantly, but overall the CTM is able to reproduce observed CHBr3 well in the free troposphere using an inventory based on observed sea-to-air fluxes. Finally, we identify the range of uncertainty associated with these VSLS emission inventories on stratospheric bromine loading due to VSLS (BryVSLS). Our simulations show BryVSLS ranges from ~4.0 to 8.0 ppt depending on the inventory. We report an optimised estimate at the lower end of this range (~4 ppt) based on combining the CHBr3 and CH2Br2 inventories which give best agreement with the compilation of observations in the tropics.
Statistical study of foreshock cavitons
Authors: Kajdič P. , Blanco-Cano X. , Omidi N. , Meziane K. , Russell C. T. , Sauvaud J.-A. , Dandouras I. , Lavraud B.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. In this work we perform a statistical analysis of 92 foreshock cavitons observed with the Cluster spacecraft 1 during the period 2001–2006. We analyze time intervals during which the spacecraft was located in the Earth's foreshock with durations longer than 10 min. Together these amount to ~ 50 days. The cavitons are transient structures in the Earth's foreshock. Their main signatures in the data include simultaneous depletions of the magnetic field intensity and plasma density, which are surrounded by a rim of enhanced values of these two quantities. Cavitons form due to nonlinear interaction of transverse and compressive ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves and are therefore always surrounded by intense compressive ULF fluctuations. They are carried by the solar wind towards the bow shock. This work represents the first systematic study of a large sample of foreshock cavitons. We find that cavitons appear for a wide range of solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field conditions and are therefore a common feature upstream of Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock with an average occurrence rate of ~ 2 events per day. We also discuss their observational properties in the context of other known upstream phenomena and show that the cavitons are a distinct structure in the foreshock.
Evidence from "Köppen signatures" of fossil plant assemblages for effective heat transport of Gulf Stream to subarctic North Atlantic during Miocene cooling
Authors: Denk T. , Grimm G. W. , Grímsson F. , Zetter R.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Shallowing of the Panama Sill and the closure of the Central American Seaway initiated the modern Loop Current–Gulf Stream circulation pattern during the Miocene, but no direct evidence has yet been provided for effective heat transport to the northern North Atlantic during that time. Climatic signals from 11 precisely dated plant-bearing sedimentary rock formations in Iceland, spanning 15–0.8 million years (Myr), resolve the impacts of the developing Miocene global thermohaline circulation on terrestrial vegetation in the subarctic North Atlantic region. "Köppen signatures" were implemented to express climatic properties of fossil plant taxa and their potential modern analogues using the principal concept of the generic Köppen–Geiger climate system, which is based on plant distribution patterns. Using Köppen signatures and the correlation between Köppen climate zones and major global vegetation zones, fossil assemblages were used to trace major vegetation shifts. This evidence was combined with evidence from tectonics and palaeoceanography. In contrast to the global climatic trend, the vegetation record reveals no cooling between ~ 15 and 12 Myr, whereas periods of climatic deterioration between 12 and 10 Myr, 8 and 4 Myr, and in the Pleistocene are in phase with increased pulses of ice-rafted debris in the Northern Hemisphere. The observed sequence of climate change in the northern North Atlantic can most likely be explained by an effective Gulf Stream-mediated heat transport from the middle Miocene onwards.
Shifting environmental controls on CH4 fluxes in a sub-boreal peatland
Authors: Pypker T. G. , Moore P. A. , Waddington J. M. , Hribljan J. A. , Chimner R. C.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. We monitored CO2 and CH4 fluxes using eddy covariance from 19 May to 27 September 2011 in a poor fen located in northern Michigan. The objectives of this paper are to: (1) quantify the flux of CH4 from a sub-boreal peatland, and (2) determine which abiotic and biotic factors were the most correlated to the flux of CH4 over the measurement period. Net daily CH4 fluxes increased from 70 mg CH4 m−2 d−1 to 220 mg CH4 m−2 d−1 from mid May to mid July. After July, CH4 losses steadily declined to approximately 50 mg CH4 m−2 d−1 in late September. During the study period, the peatland lost 17.4 g CH4 m−2. Both abiotic and biotic variables were correlated with CH4 fluxes. When the different variables were analyzed together, the preferred model included mean daily soil temperature at 20 cm, daily net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and the interaction between mean daily soil temperature at 20 cm and NEE (R2 = 0.47, p value < 0.001). The interaction was important because the relationship between daily NEE and mean daily soil temperature with CH4 flux changed when NEE was negative (CO2 uptake from the atmosphere) or positive (CO2 losses to the atmosphere). On days when daily NEE was negative, 25% of the CH4 flux could be explained by correlations with NEE, however on days when daily NEE was positive, there was no correlation between daily NEE and the CH4 flux. In contrast, daily mean soil temperature at 20 cm was poorly correlated to changes in CH4 when NEE was negative (17%), but the correlation increased to 34% when NEE was positive. The interaction between daily NEE and mean daily soil temperature at 20 cm indicates shifting environmental controls on the CH4 flux throughout the growing season.
Differential response of planktonic primary, bacterial, and dimethylsulfide production rates to static vs. dynamic light exposure in upper mixed-layer summer sea waters
Authors: Galí M. , Simó R. , Pérez G. L. , Ruiz-González C. , Sarmento H. , Royer S.-J. , Fuentes-Lema A. , Gasol J. M.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Microbial plankton experience short-term fluctuations in total solar irradiance and in its spectral composition as they are vertically moved by turbulence in the oceanic upper mixed layer (UML). The fact that the light exposure is not static but dynamic may have important consequences for biogeochemical processes and ocean–atmosphere fluxes. However, most biogeochemical processes other than primary production, like bacterial production or dimethylsulfide (DMS) production, are seldom measured in sunlight and even less often in dynamic light fields. We conducted four experiments in oligotrophic summer stratified Mediterranean waters, where a sample from the UML was incubated in ultraviolet (UV)-transparent bottles at three fixed depths within the UML and on a vertically moving basket across the same depth range. We assessed the response of the phyto- and bacterioplankton community with physiological indicators based on flow cytometry singe-cell measurements, fast repetition rate fluorometry (FRRf), phytoplankton pigment concentrations and particulate light absorption. Dynamic light exposure caused a subtle disruption of the photoinhibition and photoacclimation processes associated with ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which slightly alleviated bacterial photoinhibition but did not favor primary production. Gross DMS production (GPDMS) decreased sharply with depth in parallel to shortwave UVR, and displayed a dose-dependent response that mixing did not significantly disrupt. To our knowledge, we provide the first measurements of GPDMS under in situ UV-inclusive optical conditions.
Changes in soil organic carbon storage predicted by Earth system models during the 21st century
Authors: Todd-Brown K. E. O. , Randerson J. T. , Hopkins F. , Arora V. , Hajima T. , Jones C. , Shevliakova E. , Tjiputra J. , Volodin E. , Wu T. , Zhang Q. , Allison S. D.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Soil is currently thought to be a sink for carbon; however, the response of this sink to increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate change is uncertain. In this study, we analyzed soil organic carbon (SOC) changes from 11 Earth system models (ESMs) under the historical and high radiative forcing (RCP 8.5) scenarios between 1850 and 2100. We used a reduced complexity model based on temperature and moisture sensitivities to analyze the drivers of SOC losses. ESM estimates of SOC change over the 21st century (2090–2099 minus 1997–2006) ranged from a loss of 72 Pg C to a gain 253 Pg C with a multi-model mean gain of 63 Pg C. All ESMs showed cumulative increases in both NPP (15% to 59%) and decreases in SOC turnover times (15% to 28%) over the 21st century. Most of the model-to-model variation in SOC change was explained by initial SOC stocks combined with the relative changes in soil inputs and decomposition rates (R2 = 0.88, p<0.01). Between models, increases in decomposition rate were well explained by a combination of initial decomposition rate, ESM-specific Q10-factors, and changes in soil temperature (R2 = 0.80, p<0.01). All SOC changes depended on sustained increases in NPP with global change (primarily driven by increasing CO2) and conversion of additional plant inputs into SOC. Most ESMs omit potential constraints on SOC storage, such as priming effects, nutrient availability, mineral surface stabilization and aggregate formation. Future models that represent these constraints are likely to estimate smaller increases in SOC storage during the 21st century.
Investigating the consistency between proxy-based reconstructions and climate models using data assimilation: a mid-Holocene case study
Authors: Mairesse A. , Goosse H. , Mathiot P. , Wanner H. , Dubinkina S.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. The mid-Holocene (6 kyr BP; thousand years before present) is a key period to study the consistency between model results and proxy-based reconstruction data as it corresponds to a standard test for models and a reasonable number of proxy-based records is available. Taking advantage of this relatively large amount of information, we have compared a compilation of 50 air and sea surface temperature reconstructions with the results of three simulations performed with general circulation models and one carried out with LOVECLIM, a model of intermediate complexity. The conclusions derived from this analysis confirm that models and data agree on the large-scale spatial pattern but the models underestimate the magnitude of some observed changes and that large discrepancies are observed at the local scale. To further investigate the origin of those inconsistencies, we have constrained LOVECLIM to follow the signal recorded by the proxies selected in the compilation using a data-assimilation method based on a particle filter. In one simulation, all the 50 proxy-based records are used while in the other two only the continental or oceanic proxy-based records constrain the model results. As expected, data assimilation leads to improving the consistency between model results and the reconstructions. In particular, this is achieved in a robust way in all the experiments through a strengthening of the westerlies at midlatitude that warms up northern Europe. Furthermore, the comparison of the LOVECLIM simulations with and without data assimilation has also objectively identified 16 proxy-based paleoclimate records whose reconstructed signal is either incompatible with the signal recorded by some other proxy-based records or with model physics.
A 24-variable low-order coupled ocean–atmosphere model: OA-QG-WS v2
Authors: Vannitsem S. , De Cruz L.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. A new low-order coupled ocean–atmosphere model for mid-latitudes is derived. It is based on quasi-geostrophic equations for both the ocean and the atmosphere, coupled through momentum transfer at the interface. The systematic reduction of the number of modes describing the dynamics leads to an atmospheric low-order component of 20 ordinary differential equations, already discussed in Reinhold and Pierrehumbert (1982), and an oceanic low-order component of 4 ordinary differential equations, as proposed by Pierini (2012). The coupling terms for both components are derived and all the coefficients of the ocean model are provided. Its dynamics is then briefly explored, through the analysis of its mean field, its variability and its instability properties. The wind-driven ocean displays a decadal variability induced by the atmospheric chaotic wind forcing. The chaotic behavior of the coupled system is highly sensitive to the ocean–atmosphere coupling, for low values of the thermal forcing affecting the atmosphere (corresponding to a weakly chaotic coupled system). But it is less sensitive for large values of the thermal forcing (corresponding to a highly chaotic coupled system). In all the cases explored, the number of positive exponents is increasing with the coupling. A Fortran code of the model integration is provided as Supplement.
Comment on the application of the Szilagyi–Jozsa advection–aridity model for estimating actual terrestrial evapotranspiration in "Estimating actual, potential, reference crop and pan evaporation using standard meteorological data: a pragmatic synthesis" by McMahon et al. (2013)
Authors: McMahon T. A. , Peel M. C. , Szilagyi J.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. In the paper by McMahon et al. (2013, supplementary sections S8 and S19, worked example 8), the Szilagyi–Jozsa advection–aridity model (Szilagyi, 2007; Szilagyi and Jozsa, 2008) was not applied in the worked example as intended by author J. Szilagyi. This commentary seeks to clarify the issue and provide the correct procedure.
Should we use a simple or complex model for moisture recycling and atmospheric moisture tracking?
Authors: van der Ent R. J. , Tuinenburg O. A. , Knoche H.-R. , Kunstmann H. , Savenije H. H. G.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. This paper compares state-of-the-art atmospheric moisture tracking models. Such models are typically used to study the water component of coupled land and atmosphere models, in particular quantifying moisture recycling and the source-sink relations between evaporation and precipitation. There are several atmospheric moisture tracking methods in use. However, depending on the level of aggregation, the assumptions made and the level of detail, the performance of these methods may differ substantially. In this paper, we compare three methods. The RCM-tag method uses highly accurate 3-D water tracking (including phase transitions) directly within a regional climate model (online), while the other two methods (WAM and 3D-T) use a posteriori (offline) water vapour tracking. The original version of WAM is a single-layer model, while 3D-T is a multi-layer model, but both make use the "well-mixed" assumption for evaporation and precipitation. The a posteriori models are faster and more flexible, but less accurate than online moisture tracking with RCM-tag. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the a posteriori models, we tagged evaporated water from Lake Volta in West Africa and traced it to where it precipitates. It is found that the strong wind shear in West Africa is the main cause of errors in the a posteriori models. The number of vertical layers and the initial release height of tagged water in the model are found to have the most significant influences on the results. With this knowledge small improvements have been made to the a posteriori models. It appeared that expanding WAM to a 2-layer model, or a lower release height in 3D-T, led to significantly better results. Finally, we introduced a simple metric to assess wind shear globally and give recommendations about when to use which model. The "best" method, however, very much depends on the research question, the spatial extent under investigation, as well as the available computational power.
ERA-Interim/Land: a global land water resources dataset
Authors: Balsamo G. , Albergel C. , Beljaars A. , Boussetta S. , Cloke H. , Dee D. , Dutra E. , Muñoz-Sabater J. , Pappenberger F. , de Rosnay P. , Stockdale T. , Vitart F.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. The ERA-Interim/Land is a global land-surface dataset covering the period 1979–2010 and describing the evolution of the soil (moisture and temperature) and snowpack. ERA-Interim/Land is the result of a single 32 yr simulation with the latest ECMWF land surface model driven by meteorological forcing from the ERA-Interim atmospheric reanalysis and precipitation adjustments based on GPCP v2.1. ERA-Interim/Land preserves closure of the water balance and includes a number of parameterisations improvements in the land surface scheme with respect to the original ERA-Interim dataset, which makes it suitable for climate studies involving land water resources. The quality of ERA-Interim/Land, assessed by comparing with ground-based and remote sensing observations is discussed. In particular, estimates of soil moisture, snow depth, surface albedo, turbulent latent and sensible fluxes, and river discharges are verified against a large number of sites measurements. ERA-Interim/Land provides a global integrated and coherent water resources estimate that is used also for the initialization of numerical weather prediction and climate models.
On the reliability of analytical models to predict solute transport in a fracture network
Authors: Cherubini C. , Giasi C. I. , Pastore N.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. In hydrogeology, the application of reliable tracer transport model approaches is a key issue to derive the hydrodynamic properties of aquifers. Laboratory and field-scale tracer dispersion breakthrough curves (BTC) in fractured media are notorious for exhibiting early time arrivals and late-time tailing that are not captured by the classical advection–dispersion equation (ADE). These "non-Fickian" features are proved to be better explained by a mobile–immobile (MIM) approach. In this conceptualization the fractured rock system is schematized as a continuous medium in which the liquid phase is separated into flowing and stagnant regions. The present study compares the performances and reliabilities of classical Mobile–Immobile Model (MIM) and the Explicit Network Model (ENM) that takes expressly into account the network geometry for describing tracer transport behavior in a fractured sample at bench scale. Though ENM shows better fitting results than MIM, the latter remains still valid as it proves to describe the observed curves quite well. The results show that the presence of nonlinear flow plays an important role in the behaviour of solute transport. Firstly the distribution of solute according to different pathways is not constant but it is related to the flow rate. Secondly nonlinear flow influences advection, in that it leads to a delay in solute transport respect to the linear flow assumption. Whereas nonlinear flow does not show to be related with dispersion. However the interpretation with the ENM model shows a weak transitional regime from geometrical dispersion to Taylor dispersion for high flow rates. The experimental results show that in the study case the geometrical dispersion dominates the Taylor dispersion. Incorporating the description of the flowpaths in the analytical modeling has proved to better fit the curves and to give a more robust interpretation of the solute transport.
Assessment of flash floods taking into account climate change scenarios in the Llobregat River basin
Authors: Velasco M. , Versini P. A. , Cabello A. , Barrera-Escoda A.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Global change may imply important changes in the future occurrence and intensity of extreme events. Climate scenarios characterizing these plausible changes were previously obtained for the Llobregat River basin (NE Spain). This paper presents the implementation of these scenarios in the HBV (Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning) hydrological model. Then, the expected changes in terms of flash flood occurrence and intensity are assessed for two different sub-basins: the Alt Llobregat and the Anoia (Llobregat River basin). The assessment of future flash floods has been done in terms of the intensity and occurrence of extreme events, using a peak over threshold (POT) analysis. For these two sub-basins, most of the simulated scenarios present an increase of the intensity of the peak discharge values. On the other hand, the future occurrence follows different trends in the two sub-basins: an increase is observed in Alt Llobregat but a decrease occurs in Anoia. Despite the uncertainties that appear in the whole process, the results obtained can shed some light on how future flash floods events may occur.
Rockfall hazard assessment along a road on Peloritani Mounts (northeastern Sicily, Italy)
Authors: Pappalardo G. , Mineo S. , Rapisarda F.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. A hazard assessment has been performed on rock slopes impending over a segment of the Taorminese Road, which connects two popular tourist destinations in northeastern Sicily: the urban centers of Taormina and Castelmola. The road crosses steep, rock slopes, with a complex geological and tectonic history. The section of the road close to Castelmola is often affected by rockfall phenomena, causing injury to people and serious damage to buildings and traffic. The study analyzes the geostructural setting of the unstable rock masses, by evaluating their mechanical properties and the kinematics of potential failures. Rockfall simulations confirm that falling rocks would involve the Taorminese Road with different kinetic energy rates and prove useful for suggesting the most suitable mitigation technologies for future remedial works. The modified Rockfall Hazard Rating System has been applied to highlight the different levels of hazard along the road. The compiled hazard map shows that the slopes need urgent remedial works, especially because Taorminese is the only access road to Castelmola and its interruption would lead to the isolation of the entire village.
Brief communication: Earthquake–cloud coupling through the global atmospheric electric circuit
Authors: Harrison R. G. , Aplin K. L. , Rycroft M. J.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. We illustrate how coupling could occur between surface air and clouds via the global electric circuit – through Atmospheric Lithosphere–Ionosphere Charge Exchange (ALICE) processes – in an attempt to develop physical understanding of possible relationships between earthquakes and clouds.
Supercooled interfacial water in fine-grained soils probed by dielectric spectroscopy
Authors: Lorek A. , Wagner N.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Water substantially affects nearly all physical, chemical and biological processes on the Earth. Recent Mars observations as well as laboratory investigations suggest that water is a key factor of current physical and chemical processes on the Martian surface, e.g. rheological phenomena. Therefore it is of particular interest to get information about the liquid-like state of water on Martian analogue soils for temperatures below 0 °C. To this end, a parallel plate capacitor has been developed to obtain isothermal dielectric spectra of fine-grained soils in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 1.1 MHz at Martian-like temperatures down to −70 °C. Two Martian analogue soils have been investigated: a Ca-bentonite (specific surface of 237 m2 g−1, up to 9.4% w / w gravimetric water content) and JSC Mars 1, a volcanic ash (specific surface of 146 m2 g−1, up to 7.4% w / w). Three soil-specific relaxation processes are observed in the investigated frequency–temperature range: two weak high-frequency processes (bound or hydrated water as well as ice) and a strong low-frequency process due to counter-ion relaxation and the Maxwell–Wagner effect. To characterize the dielectric relaxation behaviour, a generalized fractional dielectric relaxation model was applied assuming three active relaxation processes with relaxation time of the ith process modelled with an Eyring equation. The real part of effective complex soil permittivity at 350 kHz was used to determine ice and liquid-like water content by means of the Birchak or CRIM equation. There are evidence that bentonite down to −70 °C has a liquid-like water content of 1.17 monolayers and JSC Mars 1 a liquid-like water content of 1.96 monolayers.
SMOS derived sea ice thickness: algorithm baseline, product specifications and initial verification
Authors: Tian-Kunze X. , Kaleschke L. , Maaß N. , Mäkynen M. , Serra N. , Drusch M. , Krumpen T.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Following the launch of ESA's Soil Moisture and Ocean salinity (SMOS) mission it has been shown that brightness temperatures at a low microwave frequency of 1.4 GHz (L-band) are sensitive to sea ice properties. In a first demonstration study, sea ice thickness has been derived using a semi-empirical algorithm with constant tie-points. Here we introduce a novel iterative retrieval algorithm that is based on a sea ice thermodynamic model and a three-layer radiative transfer model, which explicitly takes variations of ice temperature and ice salinity into account. In addition, ice thickness variations within a SMOS footprint are considered through a statistical thickness distribution function derived from high-resolution ice thickness measurements from NASA's Operation IceBridge campaign. This new algorithm has been used for the continuous operational production of a SMOS based sea ice thickness data set from 2010 on. This data set is compared and validated with estimates from assimilation systems, remote sensing data, and airborne electromagnetic sounding data. The comparisons show that the new retrieval algorithm has a considerably better agreement with the validation data and delivers a more realistic Arctic-wide ice thickness distribution than the algorithm used in the previous study.
Seasonal thaw settlement at drained thermokarst lake basins, Arctic Alaska
Authors: Liu L. , Schaefer K. , Gusmeroli A. , Grosse G. , Jones B. M. , Zhang T. , Parsekian A. D. , Zebker H. A.
Published: December 2013

Abstract. Drained thermokarst lake basins (DTLBs) are ubiquitous landforms on arctic tundra lowlands, but their present-day dynamic states are seldom investigated. Here we report results based on high-resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) measurements using space-borne data for a study area located near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska where we focus on the seasonal thaw settlement within DTLBs, averaged between 2006 and 2010. The majority (14) of the 18 DTLBs in the study area analyzed exhibited seasonal thaw settlement of 3–4 cm. However, four of the DTLBs analyzed exceeded 4 cm of thaw settlement, with one basin experiencing up to 12 cm. Combining the InSAR observations with the in situ active layer thickness measured using ground penetrating radar and mechanical probing, we calculated thaw strain, an index of thaw settlement strength along a transect across the basin that underwent large thaw settlement. We found thaw strains of 10–35% at the basin center, suggesting the seasonal melting of ground ice as a possible mechanism for the large settlement. These findings emphasize the dynamic nature of permafrost landforms, demonstrate the capability of the InSAR technique to remotely monitor surface deformation of individual DTLBs, and illustrate the combination of ground-based and remote sensing observations to estimate thaw strain. Our study highlights the need for better description of the spatial heterogeneity of landscape-scale processes for regional assessment of surface dynamics on arctic coastal lowlands.
False Confessions and the Use of Incriminating Evidence
Authors: Cole Tim , Teboul JC Bruno , Zulawski David E , Wicklander Douglas E , Sturman Shane G
Published: December 2013

To date, few experimental studies have looked at the factors that influence people’s willingness to confess to something they did not do.  One widely cited experiment on the topic (i.e., Kassin & Kiechel, 1996) has suggested that false confessions are easy to obtain and that the use of false incriminating evidence increases the likelihood of obtaining one.  The present research attempted to replicate Kassin and Kiechel’s (1996) work using a different experimental task.  In the present experiment, unlike Kassin and Kiechel’s (1996) study, the participants were completely certain that they were not responsible for what had happened, thereby providing a different context for testing the idea that false incriminating evidence increases the likelihood of obtaining a false confession.  The results are discussed with respect to factors that may or may not increase individuals’ willingness to offer a false admission of guilt.
ILER: A Web-Accessible Resource for Research in Forensic Linguistics
Authors: Chaski Carole E
Published: December 2013

ILER is a web-accessible platform for empirical research in forensic linguistics. It enables new researchers and practitioners to conduct mature research from literature review, experimental design, experiment review and approval, subject recruitment, human subjects protection and confidentiality agreement, subject demographic information collection, data collection, to data analysis.
‘You’re virtually there’: Mobile communication practices, locational information sharing and place attachment
Authors: Ozkul Didem
Published: December 2013

Mobility is a fact of contemporary everyday life. Especially, in big metropolises everyday life revolves around a continuous movement, which serve the need of catching up with the fast pace of metropolitan life. Such mobilities can alter our perception of space and time, leading us to think of distances as shrinking and places becoming closer. This leads to material, social and cultural reconfigurations (Bærenholdt and Granås, 2008) and reinforces the question of distance and proximity in maintaining social and familial relationships. Today, face–to–face social interactions are supplemented with what Urry (2007) calls imagined presence. This imagined presence, or “the transport to a virtual place” is ‘affected through the images of places and peoples appearing on, and moving across, multiple print and visual media’.. This paper discusses what happens to imagined presence when those images are mobile, geo–tagged and shared within a network. Do mobile and locative media practices enhance our sense of place by triggering a “nostalgic ode to home” and displacing us from the co–present situation? Or, do they foster bonding with places by creating a sense of belonging and by enabling us to carry our existing social relationships wherever we go? In order to answer these questions in this article, the relationships among social production of space, mobility, imagined presence and sense of place (place attachment) are analysed drawing on the findings of two studies conducted in 2011 and 2012, in London.
Wireless organizing in Detroit: Churches as networked sites in under–resourced urban areas
Authors: Byrum Greta , Breitbart Joshua
Published: December 2013

Access to the Internet is a vital resource in low supply in low–income urban communities in the U.S., and the community development and relationship–building potentials of increased Internet connectivity align strategically with the historical and present–day outreach and social service missions of urban churches. Based on the geographic, demographic and environmental patterns of both Internet adoption rates and the high concentration of churches as built–environment features in older American cities, we propose a model of church–based Internet sharing. Using four case studies drawn from our work in Detroit’s urban core, we illustrate potential benefits and drawbacks of church–anchored neighborhood wireless networks. It is clear that churches offer advantages for neighborhood–scale communications infrastructure build–out; yet the impact of these efforts on churches and their communities is diffuse and hard to measure. Current evidence points toward the lack of defined physical impact of digital networks on surrounding neighborhoods, though this may change as current and future efforts progress. The intangible social impact of church–based Internet sharing is much more discernible in the short–term.
Retreatment with Ozurdex for Macular Edema Secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion
Authors: Coscas Gabriel , Augustin Albert , Bandello Francesco , de Smet Marc D. , Lanzetta Paolo , Staurenghi Giovanni , Parravano Maria Cristina , Udaondo Patricia , Moisseiev Elad , Soubrane Gisele , Yatziv Yossi , Loewenstein Anat
Published: December 2013

Purpose

To review the current practice of retreatment with Ozurdex injections in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and to recommend simple guidelines for Ozurdex reinjection in management of RVO.

Methods

This was a multicenter retrospective study of patients who received more than 2 Ozurdex injections for the treatment of ME in RVO. Recorded parameters included percent of patients with a 15-letter gain, visual acuity (VA) improvement from baseline, change in central macular thickness (CMT), time to reinjection, and occurrence of any complications.

Results

A total of 128 patients were included, 58 (45.3%) with central RVO (CRVO) and 70 (54.7%) with branch RVO (BRVO). Mean interval for Ozurdex reinjection was 5.9 months following the first injection and 8.7 months following the second. A >15-letter gain in VA was observed in 34 (48.8%) patients with CRVO and 16 (28%) patients with BRVO. Mean overall VA improvement at month 6 did not show significance (p>0.05); however, a significantly better mean VA improvement was seen in treatment-naïve eyes (p<0.03). The CMT was significantly reduced compared to baseline. The mean CMT decreased by 214.6 μm in eyes with BRVO (n = 53) and by 355.1 μm in eyes with CRVO (n = 63) (p = 0.002). Complication rates were very low.

Conclusions

Repeated injections of Ozurdex are effective and have a favorable safety profile. In current practice, the retreatment interval with Ozurdex injections might be too long, precluding the full therapeutic potential of this treatment modality. A strategy for managing RVO patients treated with Ozurdex on an as-needed basis is provided.
Design and development of a chickpea stripper harvester
Authors: Golpira H. , Tavakoli T. , Baerdemaeker J. D.
Published: December 2013

Saving cost and time was a motivation to develop a mechanized harvesting system for chickpeas, which are manually uprooted on fallow fields in developing countries. A tractor-pulled harvester with a modified stripper header was designed and fabricated, in which passive fingers with V-shaped slots removes chickpea pods from anchored plant; batted reel sweeps the pods across the platform. Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of slot width and reel speed on machine performance in terms of harvesting losses. Minimal losses were found when the design was configured with a slot width of 4 cm, reel speed of 50 rpm and reel kinematic index of 1.6. The prototype harvester with a 1 m working width produced the work rate of 0.18 ha h-1 and exhibited acceptable working quality. The main conclusion is that the modified stripper harvester can work in unevenness ground where other machines cannot operate.