bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Ocean Sentinel Instrumentation Buoy for Wave Energy Testing
Authors: Jouanne Annette von , Lettenmaier Terry , Amon Ean , Brekken Ted , Phillips Reo
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper presents a novel Ocean Sentinel instrumentation buoy that the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC) has developed with AXYS Technologies for the testing of wave energy converters (WECs). NNMREC is a Department of Energy-sponsored partnership
among Oregon State University (OSU), the University of Washington (UW), and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The Ocean Sentinel instrumentation buoy is a surface buoy based on the 6-m NOMAD (Navy Oceanographic Meteorological Automatic Device) design. The Ocean Sentinel provides
power analysis, data acquisition, and environmental monitoring, as well as an active converter interface to control power dissipation to an onboard electrical load. The WEC being tested and the instrumentation buoy are moored with approximately 125 meters separation; connected by a power and
communication umbilical cable. The Ocean Sentinel was completed in 2012 and was deployed for the testing of a WEC at the NNMREC open-ocean test site, north of Newport, OR, during August and September of 2012.
Multichannel Cathodic Protection Monitoring System for Offshore Structures
Authors: Wang Xiutong , Lan Zhigang , Song Jiwen , Wang Zaifeng , Chen Shengli , Hou Baorong
Published: March 2013

AbstractA cathodic protection (CP) monitoring system with multichannel technology has been used for an offshore oil jacket. The design, installation, data transfer, and processing have been described. The monitoring potential and current from the anodes showed that the system
is in good operating condition and that the offshore jacket has adequate protection.
Kidney and Tuberculosis
Authors: Zumrutdal Aysegul
Published: March 2013

Genitourinary tuberculosis is the second most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis after lymph node involvement. It can involve any part of the genitourinary system and presentation may vary from vague urinary symptoms to chronic kidney disease. The kidney is usually the primary organ infected in the genitourinary system and renal involvement of tuberculosis often does not present with classic symptoms of fever, weight loss, or night sweats. Tuberculosis of the urinary tract is, therefore, easily overlooked. In patients with a diagnosis of genitourinary tuberculosis, only 10% show signs of active pulmonary tuberculosis and the latency period between the initial tuberculosis infection and diagnosis with renal disease may be as long as 5–40 years. Direct infection of the kidney and lower urinary tract, and secondary amyloidosis are major forms of well-documented renal involvement. However, in recent years, an increasing number of data have reported that, independent of drug therapy, tuberculosis itself can cause glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions, and patients may present with either acute or chronic renal failure with proteinuria. The most frequent renal biopsy finding in patients with renal involvement is chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis. Progression to end-stage renal failure may be higher than currently believed because there is little evidence as to the extent to which tuberculosis is a cause of end-stage renal failure worldwide. Tuberculosis should be considered as a possible origin of both acute and chronic renal failure, especially in countries where the incidence of tuberculosis is high. Timely diagnosis and treatment may prevent acute forms of renal disease and late sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis. Kidney biopsy should be considered in the clinical evaluation of kidney dysfunction with tuberculosis and also in cases with unusual presentations.
Skin Manifestations associated with Mantle cell Lymphoma: a case report
Authors: Singh Avinash Kumar , Dixit Gaurav , Sharma Sanjeev , Yadav Rajni , Agrawaal Narendra , Sarkar Chitra , Mishra Pravas , Seth Tulika , Mahapatra Manoranjan , Saxena Renu
Published: March 2013

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a distinct type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that commonly affects extra nodal sites. The most commonly affected sites are bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and Waldeyer’s ring, however, skin is rarely involved. We report a case of 56 year-old gentleman with MCL; exhibiting multiple large maculopapular skin rashes and skin ulcers. Histopathological examination had not shown direct infiltration by any atypical cells. He had significant improvement of skin lesions with combination chemotherapy and debridement. Awareness of skin manifestations of MCL is essential for dermatologists and haematologists to establish the early diagnosis and timely administration of appropriate treatment.
Atrazine and Nitrate in Public Drinking Water Supplies and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Nebraska, USA
Authors: Rhoades Martha G. , Meza Jane L. , Beseler Cheryl L. , Shea Patrick J. , Kahle Andy , Vose Julie M. , Eskridge Kent M. , Spalding Roy F.
Published: March 2013

A secondary analysis of 1999-2002 Nebraska case-control data was conducted to assess the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) associated with exposure to nitrate- and atrazine-contaminated drinking water. Water chemistry data were collected and weighted by well contribution and proximity of residence to water supply, followed by logistic regression to determine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). We found no association between NHL risk and exposure to drinking water containing atrazine or nitrate alone. Risk associated with the interaction of nitrate and atrazine in drinking water was elevated (OR, 2.5; CI, 1.0-6.2). Risk of indolent B-cell lymphoma was higher than risk of aggressive B-cell lymphoma (indolent: OR, 3.5; CI, 1.0-11.6 vs. aggressive: OR, 1.9; CI, 0.6-5.58). This increased risk may be due to in vivo formation and subsequent metabolism of N-nitrosoatrazine. A larger study is warranted to confirm our findings.
Genomics Insights: The DNA Habitat and its RNA Inhabitants: At the Dawn of RNA Sociology
Authors: Villarreal Luis P. , Witzany Guenther
Published: March 2013

Most molecular biological concepts derive from physical chemical assumptions about the genetic code that are basically more than 40 years old. Additionally, systems biology, another quantitative approach, investigates the sum of interrelations to obtain a more holistic picture of nucleotide sequence order. Recent empirical data on genetic code compositions and rearrangements by mobile genetic elements and noncoding RNAs, together with results of virus research and their role in evolution, does not really fit into these concepts and compel a reexamination. In this review, we try to find an alternate hypothesis. It seems plausible now that if we look at the abundance of regulatory RNAs and persistent viruses in host genomes, we will find more and more evidence that the key players that edit the genetic codes of host genomes are consortia of RNA agents and viruses that drive evolutionary novelty and regulation of cellular processes in all steps of development. This agent-based approach may lead to a qualitative RNA sociology that investigates and identifies relevant behavioral motifs of cooperative RNA consortia. In addition to molecular biological perspectives, this may lead to a better understanding of genetic code evolution and dynamics.
An economic study of controlled release urea and split applications of nitrogen as compared with non-coated urea under conventional and reduced tillage management
Authors: Khakbazan M. , Grant C. A. , Finlay G. , Wu R. , Malhi S. S. , Selles F. , Clayton G. W. , Lupwayi N. Z. , Soon Y. K. , Harker K. N.
Published: March 2013

Khakbazan, M., Grant, C. A., Finlay, G., Wu, R., Malhi, S. S., Selles, F., Clayton, G. W., Lupwayi, N. Z., Soon, Y. K. and Harker, K. N. 2013. An economic study of controlled release urea and split applications of nitrogen as compared with non-coated urea under conventional and reduced tillage management. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 523–534. To evaluate the use of controlled-release urea (CRU) as a beneficial management practice for nitrogen management of wheat, barley, and canola, a multi-location study was conducted from 2004 to 2006 in a range of agro-environments across western Canada. The objective was to evaluate the relative economic performance of CRU and non-coated urea (NCU) for their effects on seed yield and quality, costs and net revenue (NR) using conventional tillage (CT) and reduced tillage (RT) management under varying environmental conditions. The NR was estimated as the income remaining after paying for all cash costs, ownership costs on machinery and buildings, and labour. The main factor affecting crop yield and NR was N application rate. In general, application of NCU produced similar or higher net revenues than that of CRU, split fertilizer applications or a blend of NCU and CRU. There were some limited situations where the use of split applications, CRU or CRU in a blend with the NCU increased crop yield as compared with NCU; however, the increased yield was not sufficient to cover the extra costs of CRU or the split application. The impact of tillage system on crop yield and NR was not consistent. Net revenue was higher under CT than RT for certain crops in some regions, but not in all regions or for all crops. Overall, NR analysis indicated that use of CRU did not provide an economic benefit over the use of NCU.
Seeding date and location affect winter wheat infection by common bunt (Tilletia tritici and T. laevis) in western Canada
Authors: Gaudet D. A. , Puchalski B. J. , Despins T. , McCartney C. , Menzies J. G. , Graf R. J.
Published: March 2013

Gaudet, D. A., Puchalski, B. J., Despins, T., McCartney, C., Menzies, J. G. and Graf, R. J. 2013. Seeding date and location affect winter wheat infection by common bunt (Tilletia tritici and T. laevis) in western Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 93: 483–489. The majority of western Canadian winter wheat varieties are susceptible to common bunt (Tilletia tritici and T. laevis) and the risk to production, particularly in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where the majority of production occurs, is unknown. Inoculated trials were employed to determine the effects of fall seeding date on bunt infection levels on one resistant and two susceptible winter wheat varieties at three locations in western Canada during three growing seasons from 2007/2008 to 2009/2010. Among the three locations, average infection levels were highest in Lethbridge, AB, followed by Glenlea, MB, and Saskatoon, SK. Later seeding resulted in high infection levels at all three locations in the susceptible varieties, particularly in Lethbridge, but high infection levels were observed in the earliest seeded treatments at both the Saskatchewan and Manitoba locations. The resistant variety Blizzard consistently exhibited infection levels of less than 3% infection across all environments. In a second test at conducted at Lethbridge, 10 of the 11 currently grown winter wheat varieties were susceptible to common bunt. These results indicate that there is a general risk of common bunt infection to winter wheat production across western Canada and that control measures must be taken until resistant varieties are developed.
Representation Theory of Rational Cherednik Algebras of Type $\mathbb Z/l \mathbb Z$ via Microlocal Analysis
Authors: Kuwabara Toshiro
Published: March 2013

Based on the methods developed in [KR], we consider microlocalization of rational Cherednik algebras of type

\mathbb Z/l \mathbb Z

. Our goal is to construct irreducible modules and standard modules of these rational Cherednik algebras by using microlocalization. As a consequence, we obtain sheaves corresponding to holonomic systems with regular singularities.
Neighborhood Environment and Urban Schoolchildren's Risk for Being Overweight
Authors: Whitaker Damiya , Milam Adam J. , Graham Camelia M. , Cooley-Strickland Michele , Belcher Harolyn M. , Furr-Holden C. Debra
Published: March 2013

Purpose.

Child and adolescent obesity is increasingly prevalent and predisposes risk for poor physical and psychosocial health. Physical and social factors in the environment, such as neighborhood disorder, may be associated with childhood obesity. This study examines the association between living in a disordered neighborhood and being overweight among a sample of urban schoolchildren.

Design.

Baseline interview data, including height, weight, and hip circumference, were obtained from 313 elementary school–aged participants in a community-based epidemiologic study.

Setting.

The setting was Baltimore, Maryland, a large metropolitan city.

Subjects.

Subjects were elementary school students ages 8 to 12 years.

Measures.

To assess neighborhood characteristics, independent evaluators conducted objective environmental assessments using the Neighborhood Inventory for Environmental Typology instrument on the block faces (defined as one side of a city block between two intersections) where the children resided.

Analysis.

Logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between neighborhood disorder and children being overweight.

Results.

Neighborhood disorder showed a trend toward a statistically significant association with being overweight during childhood (odds ratio [OR], 1.03; confidence interval [CI], .99–1.07; p = .07) in the unadjusted model. Gender was significantly associated with being overweight, with female gender increasing the odds of being overweight by 50% in the sample (OR, 1.50; CI, 1.18–1.92; p < .01). After controlling for race, age, and comparative time spent on a sport, multivariable analyses revealed that gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.42; CI, 1.63–3.59; p < .01) and neighborhood disorder (AOR, 1.09; CI, 1.03–1.15; p < .01) were associated with being overweight. Further, an examination of interactions revealed girls (AOR, 2.40; CI, 1.65–3.49; p < .01) were more likely to be overweight compared with boys (AOR, 2.20; CI, 1.57–3.11; p < .01) living in neighborhoods with the same level of neighborhood disorder.

Conclusion.

Results suggest neighborhood hazards warrant additional consideration for their potential as obesogenic elements affecting gender-based disparities in weight among urban schoolchildren. Future studies in this area should include longitudinal examinations.
Smoke-Free Workplace Ballot Campaigns: Case Studies from Missouri and Lessons for Policy and Media Advocacy
Authors: Bach Laura E. , Shelton Sarah C. , Moreland-Russell Sarah , Israel Kendre
Published: March 2013

Purpose.

To assess the key components of smoke-free campaigns that may have influenced voting outcomes in three communities.

Design.

Community case studies with content analysis of tobacco-related newspaper articles.

Setting.

Three semiurban Missouri communities.

Subjects.

One hundred eighty-one articles referencing tobacco published during the campaigns and five key informant interviews.

Measures.

Articles were coded for type, community referenced, tobacco control position, source of quotations, use of evidence, and frame. Semistructured interviews with key informants collected additional information.

Analysis.

Descriptive statistics were utilized to examine media coverage in each community. Key themes and events for each campaign were identified from qualitative interviews.

Results.

The only community that failed to pass its initiative had the highest proportion of letters to the editor (81.1%), anti–tobacco control articles (34.2%), use of a rights frame (28.8%), no evidence used (36.9%), no neighboring communities with policies, strong Tea Party presence, and no support from the chamber of commerce. Across all communities, more articles incorporating health frames were pro–tobacco control (70.7%) and more articles with a rights frame were anti–tobacco control (62.0%), compared to other positions.

Conclusion.

Several factors can influence the policy process. Tobacco control policy advocates facing strong opposition should consider the many factors (demographics, proximity to other adopting localities, politics) driving the debate and use media as an avenue to influence the discussion, connect with the public and policymakers, and mobilize proponents.
Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Weight Outcomes: Does Every Minute Count?
Authors: Fan Jessie X. , Brown Barbara B. , Hanson Heidi , Kowaleski-Jones Lori , Smith Ken R. , Zick Cathleen D.
Published: March 2013

Purpose.

The purpose of this study was to test if moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in less than the recommended ≥ 10-minute bouts related to weight outcomes.

Design.

Secondary data analysis.

Setting.

Random sample from the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Participants.

A total of 4511 adults aged 18 to 64 years from the 2003–2006 NHANES.

Method.

Clinically measured body mass index (BMI) and overweight/obese status were regressed on accelerometer measures of minutes per day in higher-intensity long bouts (≥ 10 minutes, ≥ 2020 accelerometer counts per minute [cpm]), higher-intensity short bouts (< 10 minutes, ≥ 2020 cpm), lower-intensity long bouts (≥ 10 minutes, 760–2019 cpm), and lower-intensity short bouts (< 10 minutes, 760–2019 cpm). Socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were controlled.

Results.

Both higher-intensity short bouts and long bouts of PA related to lower BMI and risk of overweight/obesity. Neither lower-intensity short bouts nor long bouts related to BMI or risk of overweight/obesity

Conclusion.

The current ≥ 10-minute MVPA bouts guideline was based on health benefits other than weight outcomes. Our findings showed that for weight gain prevention, accumulated higher-intensity PA bouts of < 10 minutes are highly beneficial, supporting the public health promotion message that “every minute counts.”
Dimensionality reduction in Bayesian estimation algorithms
Authors: Petty G. W.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. An idealized synthetic database loosely resembling 3-channel passive microwave observations of precipitation against a variable background is employed to examine the performance of a conventional Bayesian retrieval algorithm. For this dataset, algorithm performance is found to be poor owing to an irreconcilable conflict between the need to find matches in the dependent database versus the need to exclude inappropriate matches. It is argued that the likelihood of such conflicts increases sharply with the dimensionality of the observation space of real satellite sensors, which may utilize 9 to 13 channels to retrieve precipitation, for example. An objective method is described for distilling the relevant information content from N real channels into a much smaller number (M) of pseudochannels while also regularizing the background (geophysical plus instrument) noise component. The pseudochannels are linear combinations of the original N channels obtained via a two-stage principal component analysis of the dependent dataset. Bayesian retrievals based on a single pseudochannel applied to the independent dataset yield striking improvements in overall performance. The differences between the conventional Bayesian retrieval and reduced-dimensional Bayesian retrieval suggest that a major potential problem with conventional multichannel retrievals – whether Bayesian or not – lies in the common but often inappropriate assumption of diagonal error covariance. The dimensional reduction technique described herein avoids this problem by, in effect, recasting the retrieval problem in a coordinate system in which the desired covariance is lower-dimensional, diagonal, and unit magnitude.
The relationship between the magnetosphere and magnetospheric/auroral substorms
Authors: Akasofu S.-I.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. On the basis of auroral and polar magnetic substorm studies, the relationship between the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo (the DD dynamo) current and the substorm dynamo (the UL dynamo) current is studied. The characteristics of both the DD and UL currents reveal why auroral substorms consist of the three distinct phases after the input power ε is increased above 1018 erg s−1. (a) The growth phase; the magnetosphere can accumulate magnetic energy for auroral substorms, when the ionosphere cannot dissipate the power before the expansion phase. (b) The expansion phase; the magnetosphere releases the accumulated magnetic energy during the growth phase in a pulse-like manner in a few hours, because it tries to stabilize itself when the accumulated energy reaches to about 1023 erg s−1. (c) The recovery phase; the magnetosphere becomes an ordinary dissipative system after the expansion phase, because the ionosphere becomes capable of dissipating the power with the rate of 1018 ~ 1019 erg s−1. On the basis of the above conclusion, it is suggested that the magnetosphere accomplishes the pulse-like release process (resulting in spectacular auroral activities) by producing plasma instabilities in the current sheet, thus reducing the current. The resulting contraction of the magnetic field lines (expending the accumulated magnetic energy), together with break down of the "frozen-in" field condition at distances of less than 10 RE, establishes the substorm dynamo that generates an earthward electric field (Lui and Kamide, 2003; Akasofu, 2011). It is this electric field which manifests as the expansion phase. A recent satellite observation at a distance of as close as 8.1 RE by Lui (2011) seems to support strongly the occurrence of the chain of processes suggested in the above. It is hoped that although the concept presented here is very crude, it will serve in providing one way of studying the three phases of auroral substorms. In turn, a better understanding of auroral substorms will also be useful in studying the magnetosphere, because various auroral activities can be the visible guide for this endeavor.
Modulation of Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic climate by variable drawdown of atmospheric pCO2 from weathering of basaltic provinces on continents drifting through the equatorial humid belt
Authors: Kent D. V. , Muttoni G.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The small reservoir of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (pCO2) that modulates climate through the greenhouse effect reflects a delicate balance between large fluxes of sources and sinks. The major long-term source of CO2 is global outgassing from sea-floor spreading, subduction, hotspot activity, and metamorphism; the ultimate sink is through weathering of continental silicates and deposition of carbonates. Most carbon cycle models are driven by changes in the source flux scaled to variable rates of ocean floor production, but ocean floor production may not be distinguishable from being steady since 180 Ma. We evaluate potential changes in sources and sinks of CO2 for the past 120 Ma in a paleogeographic context. Our new calculations show that decarbonation of pelagic sediments by Tethyan subduction contributed only modestly to generally high pCO2 levels from the Late Cretaceous until the early Eocene, and thus shutdown of this CO2 source with the collision of India and Asia at the early Eocene climate optimum at around 50 Ma was inadequate to account for the large and prolonged decrease in pCO2 that eventually allowed the growth of significant Antarctic ice sheets by around 34 Ma. Instead, variation in area of continental basalt terranes in the equatorial humid belt (5° S–5° N) seems to be a dominant factor controlling how much CO2 is retained in the atmosphere via the silicate weathering feedback. The arrival of the highly weatherable Deccan Traps in the equatorial humid belt at around 50 Ma was decisive in initiating the long-term slide to lower atmospheric pCO2, which was pushed further down by the emplacement of the 30 Ma Ethiopian Traps near the equator and the southerly tectonic extrusion of SE Asia, an arc terrane that presently is estimated to account for 1/4 of CO2 consumption from all basaltic provinces that account for ~1/3 of the total CO2 consumption by continental silicate weathering (Dessert et al., 2003). A negative climate-feedback mechanism that (usually) inhibits the complete collapse of atmospheric pCO2 is the accelerating formation of thick cation-deficient soils that retard chemical weathering of the underlying bedrock. Nevertheless, equatorial climate seems to be relatively insensitive to pCO2 greenhouse forcing and thus with availability of some rejuvenating relief as in arc terranes or thick basaltic provinces, silicate weathering in this venue is not subject to a strong negative feedback, providing an avenue for ice ages. The safety valve that prevents excessive atmospheric pCO2 levels is the triggering of silicate weathering of continental areas and basaltic provinces in the temperate humid belt. Excess organic carbon burial seems to have played a negligible role in atmospheric pCO2 over the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic.
On the Milankovitch sensitivity of the Quaternary deep-sea record
Authors: Berger W. H.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The response of the climate system to external forcing has become an item of prime interest in the context of global warming, especially with respect to the rate of melting land-based ice masses. The deep-sea record of ice-age climate change has been useful in assessing the sensitivity of the climate system to such forcing, notably to orbital forcing, which is well-known for the last several million years. When comparing response and forcing, one finds that sensitivity varies greatly through time, apparently in dependence on the state of the system. The changing stability of ice masses presumably is the underlying cause for the changing state of the system. A buildup of vulnerable ice masses within the latest Tertiary, when going into the ice ages, is conjectured to cause a stepwise increase of climate variability since the early Pliocene.
Northward advection of Atlantic water in the eastern Nordic Seas over the last 3000 yr: a coccolith investigation of volume transport and surface water changes
Authors: Dylmer C. V. , Giraudeau J. , Eynaud F. , Husum K. , De Vernal A.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Three marine sediment cores distributed along the Norwegian (MD95-2011), Barents Sea (JM09-KA11-GC), and Svalbard (HH11-134-BC) continental margins have been investigated in order to reconstruct changes in the poleward flow of Atlantic Waters (AW) and in the nature of upper surface water masses within the eastern Nordic Seas over the last 3000 yr. These reconstructions are based on a limited set of coccolith proxies: the abundance ratio between Emiliania huxleyi and Coccolithus pelagicus, an index of Atlantic vs. Polar-Arctic surface water masses; and Gephyrocapsa muellerae, a drifted coccolith species from the temperate North Atlantic, whose abundance changes are related to variations in the volume transport of the North Atlantic Current and its northernmost extension (the West Spitsbergen Current – WSC) off western Svalbard. The entire investigated area, from 66 to 77° N, was affected by an overall increase in volume flow of AW from 3000 cal yr BP to Present. The long-term modulation of westerlies strength and location which are essentially driven by the dominant mode of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), is thought to explain the observed dynamics of poleward AW flow. The same mechanism also reconciles the recorded opposite zonal shifts in the location of the Arctic Front between the area off western Norway and the Barents Sea-eastern Fram Strait region. The Little Ice Age was governed by deteriorating conditions, with Arctic/Polar waters dominating in the surface off western Svalbard and western Barents Sea, possibly associated with both severe sea-ice conditions and a strongly reduced AW volume flow. A sudden short pulse of resumed high WSC flow interrupted this cold spell in eastern Fram Strait from 330 to 410 cal yr BP, with a a magnitude only surpassed by the one which characterizes the Modern Period. Our dataset not only confirms the high amplitude warming of surface waters at the turn of the 19th century off western Svalbard, it also shows that such a warming was primarily induced by an excess volume flow of AW which stands as unprecedented over the last 3000 yr.
Evaluation of the carbon cycle components in the Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM)
Authors: Tjiputra J. F. , Roelandt C. , Bentsen M. , Lawrence D. M. , Lorentzen T. , Schwinger J. , Seland Ø. , Heinze C.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The recently developed Norwegian Earth System Model (NorESM) is employed for simulations contributing to the CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5) experiments and the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-AR5). In this manuscript, we focus on evaluating the ocean and land carbon cycle components of the NorESM, based on the preindustrial control and historical simulations. Many of the observed large scale ocean biogeochemical features are reproduced satisfactorily by the NorESM. When compared to the climatological estimates from the World Ocean Atlas (WOA), the model simulated temperature, salinity, oxygen, and phosphate distributions agree reasonably well in both the surface layer and deep water structure. However, the model simulates a relatively strong overturning circulation strength that leads to noticeable model-data bias, especially within the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW). This strong overturning circulation slightly distorts the structure of the biogeochemical tracers at depth. Advancements in simulating the oceanic mixed layer depth with respect to the previous generation model particularly improve the surface tracer distribution as well as the upper ocean biogeochemical processes, particularly in the Southern Ocean. Consequently, near-surface ocean processes such as biological production and air–sea gas exchange, are in good agreement with climatological observations. The NorESM adopts the same terrestrial model as the Community Earth System Model (CESM1). It reproduces the general pattern of land-vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) when compared to the observationally based values derived from the FLUXNET network of eddy covariance towers. While the model simulates well the vegetation carbon pool, the soil carbon pool is smaller by a factor of three relative to the observational based estimates. The simulated annual mean terrestrial GPP and total respiration are slightly larger than observed, but the difference between the global GPP and respiration is comparable. Model-data bias in GPP is mainly simulated in the tropics (overestimation) and in high latitudes (underestimation). Within the NorESM framework, both the ocean and terrestrial carbon cycle models simulate a steady increase in carbon uptake from the preindustrial period to the present-day. The land carbon uptake is noticeably smaller than the observations, which is attributed to the strong nitrogen limitation formulated by the land model.
δ18O water isotope in the iLOVECLIM model (version 1.0) – Part 1: Implementation and verification
Authors: Roche D. M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. A new 18O stable water isotope scheme is developed for three components of the iLOVECLIM coupled climate model: atmospheric, oceanic and land surface. The equations required to reproduce the fractionation of stable water isotopes in the simplified atmospheric model ECBilt are developed consistently with the moisture scheme. Simplifications in the processes are made to account for the simplified vertical structure including only one moist layer. Implementation of these equations together with a passive tracer scheme for the ocean and a equilibrium fractionation scheme for the land surface leads to the closure of the (isotopic-)water budget in our climate system. Following the implementation, verification of the existence of usual δ18O to climatic relationships are performed for the Rayleigh distillation, the Dansgaard relationship and the δ18O–salinity relationship. Advantages and caveats of the approach taken are outlined.
δ18O water isotope in the iLOVECLIM model (version 1.0) – Part 2: Evaluation of model results against observed δ18O in water samples
Authors: Roche D. M. , Caley T.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The H218O stable isotope was previously introduced in the three coupled components of the Earth System Model iLOVECLIM: atmosphere, ocean and vegetation. The results of a long (5000 yr) pre-industrial equilibrium simulation are presented and evaluated against measurement of H218O abundance in present-day water for the atmospheric and oceanic components. For the atmosphere, it is found that the model reproduces the observed spatial distribution and relationships to climate variables with some merit, though limitations following our approach are highlighted. Indeed, we obtain the main gradients with a robust representation of the Rayleigh distillation but caveats appear in Antarctica and around the Mediterranean region due to model limitation. For the oceanic component, the agreement between the modelled and observed distribution of water δ18O is found to be very good. Mean ocean surface latitudinal gradients are faithfully reproduced as well as the mark of the main intermediate and deep water masses. This opens large prospects for the applications in paleoclimatic context.
δ18O water isotope in the iLOVECLIM model (version 1.0) – Part 3: A paleoperspective based on present-day data-model comparison for oxygen stable isotopes in carbonates
Authors: Caley T. , Roche D. M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Oxygen stable isotopes (18O) are among the most usual tools in paleoclimatology/paleoceanography. Simulation of oxygen stable isotopes allows testing how the past variability of these isotopes in water can be interpreted. By modelling the proxy directly in the model, the results can also be directly compared with the data. Water isotopes have been implemented in the global three-dimensional model of intermediate complexity iLOVECLIM allowing fully coupled atmosphere-ocean simulations. In this study, we present the validation of the model results for present day climate against global database for oxygen stable isotopes in carbonates. The limitation of the model together with the processes operating in the natural environment reveal the complexity of use the continental calcite 18O signal of speleothems for a data-model comparison exercise. On the contrary, the reconstructed surface ocean calcite δ18O signal in iLOVECLIM does show a very good agreement with late Holocene database (foraminifers) at the global and regional scales. Our results indicate that temperature and the isotopic composition of the seawater are the main control on the fossil δ18O signal recorded in foraminifer shells and that depth habitat and seasonality play a role but have secondary importance. We argue that a data-model comparison for surface ocean calcite δ18O in past climate, such as the last glacial maximum (≈21 000 yr), could constitute an interesting tool for mapping the potential shifts of the frontal systems and circulation changes throughout time. Similarly, the potential changes in intermediate oceanic circulation systems in the past could be documented by a data (benthic foraminifers)-model comparison exercise whereas future investigations are necessary in order to quantitatively compare the results with data for the deep ocean.
Data expansion: the potential of grey literature for understanding floods
Authors: Uhlemann S. , Bertelmann R. , Merz B.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Sophisticated methods have been developed and become standard in analysing floods as well as for assessing flood risk. However, increasingly critique of the current standards and scientific practice can be found both in the flood hydrology community as well as in the risk community who argue that the considerable amount of information already available on natural disasters has not been adequately deployed and brought to effective use. We describe this phenomenon as a failure to synthesize knowledge that results from barriers and ignorance in awareness, use and management of the entire spectrum of relevant content, that is, data, information and knowledge. In this paper we argue that the scientific community in flood risk research ignores event-specific analysis and documentations as another source of data. We present results from a systematic search that includes an intensive study on sources and ways of information dissemination of flood-relevant publications. We obtain 186 documents that contain information on the sources, pathways, receptors and/or consequences for any of the 40 strongest trans-basin floods in Germany in the period 1952–2002. This study therefore provides the most comprehensive metadata collection of flood documentations for the considered geographical space and period. A total of 87.5% of all events have been documented, and especially the most severe floods have received extensive coverage. Only 30% of the material has been produced in the scientific/academic environment, and the majority of all documents (about 80%) can be considered grey literature (i.e. literature not controlled by commercial publishers). Therefore, ignoring grey sources in flood research also means ignoring the largest part of knowledge available on single flood events (in Germany). Further, the results of this study underpin the rapid changes in information dissemination of flood event literature over the last decade. We discuss the options and obstacles of incorporating this data into the knowledge-building process in light of the current technological developments and international, interdisciplinary debates for data curation.
Estimating water discharge from large radar altimetry datasets
Authors: Getirana A. C. V. , Peters-Lidard C.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of large altimetry datasets as a complementary gauging network capable of providing water discharge in ungauged regions. A rating curve-based methodology is adopted to derive water discharge from altimetric data provided by the Envisat satellite at 475 virtual stations (VS) within the Amazon basin. From a global-scale perspective, the stage–discharge relations at VS are built based on radar altimetry and outputs from a modeling system composed of a land surface model and a global river routing scheme. In order to quantify the impact of model uncertainties on rating-curve based discharges, a second experiment is performed using outputs from a simulation where daily observed discharges at 135 gauging stations are introduced in the modeling system. Discharge estimates at 90 VS are evaluated against observations during the curve fitting calibration (2002–2005) and evaluation (2006–2008) periods, resulting in mean normalized RMS errors as high as 39 and 15% for experiments without and with direct insertion of data, respectively. Without direct insertion, uncertainty of discharge estimates can be mostly attributed to forcing errors at smaller scales, generating a positive correlation between performance and drainage area. Mean relative streamflow volume errors (RE) of altimetry-based discharges varied from 15 to 84% for large and small drainage areas, respectively. Rating curves produced a mean RE of 51% versus 68% from model outputs. Inserting discharge data into the modeling system decreases the mean RE from 51 to 18%, and mean NRMSE from 24 to 9%. These results demonstrate the feasibility of applying the proposed methodology to the continental or global scales.
A century of ice retreat on Kilimanjaro: the mapping reloaded
Authors: Cullen N. J. , Sirguey P. , Mölg T. , Kaser G. , Winkler M. , Fitzsimons S. J.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. A new and consistent time series of glacier retreat on Kilimanjaro over the last century has been established by re-interpreting two historical maps and processing nine satellite images, which removes uncertainty about the location and extent of past and present ice bodies. Three-dimensional visualization techniques were used in conjunction with aerial and ground-based photography to facilitate the interpretation of ice boundaries over eight epochs between 1912 and 2011. The glaciers have retreated from their former extent of 11.40 km2 in 1912 to 1.76 km2 in 2011, which represents a total loss of about 85% of the ice cover over the last 100 yr. The total loss of ice cover is in broad agreement with previous estimates, but to further characterize the spatial and temporal variability of glacier retreat a cluster analysis using topographical information (elevation, slope and aspect) was performed to segment the ice cover as observed in 1912, which resulted in three glacier zones being identified. Linear extrapolation of the retreat in each of the three identified glacier assemblages implies the ice cover on the western slopes of Kilimanjaro will be gone before 2020, while the remaining ice bodies on the plateau and southern slopes will most likely disappear by 2040. It is highly unlikely that any body of ice will be present on Kilimanjaro after 2060 if present-day climatological conditions are maintained. Importantly, the geo-statistical approach developed in this study provides us with an additional tool to characterize the physical processes governing glacier retreat on Kilimanjaro. It remains clear that, to use glacier response to unravel past climatic conditions on Kilimanjaro, the transition from growth to decay of the plateau glaciers must be further resolved, in particular the mechanisms responsible for vertical cliff development.
Sensitivity of lake ice regimes to climate change in the nordic region
Authors: Gebre S. , Boissy T. , Alfredsen K.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. A one-dimensional process-based multi-year lake ice model, MyLake, was used to simulate lake ice phenology and annual maximum lake ice thickness for the Nordic region comprising Fennoscandia and the Baltic countries. The model was first tested and validated using observational meteorological forcing on a candidate lake (Lake Atnsjøen) and using downscaled ERA-40 reanalysis data set. To simulate ice conditions for the contemporary period of 1961–2000, the model was driven by gridded meteorological forcings from ERA-40 global reanalysis data downscaled to a 25 km resolution using the Rossby Center Regional Climate Model (RCA). The model was then forced with two future climate scenarios from the RCA driven by two different GCMs based on the SRES A1B emissions scenario. The two climate scenarios correspond to two future time periods namely the 2050s (2041–2070) and the 2080s (2071–2100). To take into account the influence of lake morphometry, simulations were carried out for four different hypothetical lake depths (5 m, 10 m, 20 m, 40 m) placed at each of the 3708 grid cells. Based on a comparison of the mean predictions in the future 30 yr periods with the control (1961–1990) period, ice cover durations in the region will be shortened by 1 to 11 weeks in 2041–2070, and 3 to 14 weeks in 2071–2100. Annual maximum lake ice thickness, on the other hand, will be reduced by a margin of up to 60 cm by 2041–2070 and up to 70 cm by 2071–2100. The simulated changes in lake ice characteristics revealed that the changes are less dependent on lake depths though there are slight differences. The results of this study provide a~regional perspective of anticipated changes in lake ice regimes due to climate warming across the study area by the middle and end of this century.
Uncertainties and re-analysis of glacier mass balance measurements
Authors: Zemp M. , Thibert E. , Huss M. , Stumm D. , Rolstad Denby C. , Nuth C. , Nussbaumer S. U. , Moholdt G. , Mercer A. , Mayer C. , Joerg P. C. , Jansson P. , Hynek B. , Fischer A. , Escher-Vetter H. , Elvehøy H. , Andreassen L. M.
Published: March 2013

Abstract. Glacier-wide mass balance has been measured for more than sixty years and is widely used as an indicator of climate change and to assess the glacier contribution to runoff and sea level rise. Until present, comprehensive uncertainty assessments have rarely been carried out and mass balance data have often been applied using rough error estimation or without error considerations. In this study, we propose a framework for re-analyzing glacier mass balance series including conceptual and statistical toolsets for assessment of random and systematic errors as well as for validation and calibration (if necessary) of the glaciological with the geodetic balance results. We demonstrate the usefulness and limitations of the proposed scheme drawing on an analysis that comprises over 50 recording periods for a dozen glaciers and we make recommendations to investigators and users of glacier mass balance data. Reanalysis of glacier mass balance series needs to become a standard procedure for every monitoring programme to improve data quality and provide thorough uncertainty estimates.
Spatial Patterns of Change in Agriculture and the Role of the Common Agricultural Policy
Authors: Viaggi Davide , Raggi Meri , Bartolini Fabio , Sardonini Laura
Published: March 2013

This paper identifies and analyses the role of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in affecting the spatial location of agricultural activities in an area of northern Italy. The study is based on survey data (300 observations) regarding the stated intentions of farm households under two CAP scenarios, and uses statistical analysis to identify the potential determinants of different farm reactions, using explicit spatial information (altitude, Less Favoured Area status, agrarian regions). The study demonstrates the relevance of explicitly addressing the differentiated spatial effect of the CAP on different dimensions of agricultural activities. However, the work also highlights the limitations of such a location-based analysis compared with both non-spatial variables and more ‘functional’ spatial variables.
Agricultural Extension in India – The Effectiveness of the Agricultural Technology Management Agency
Authors: Venu Lenin , Singh Baldeo , Kumar Pramod , Vijayaragavan K.
Published: March 2013

This paper assesses the effectiveness of India's Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) through a study of the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state and the Dahod district of Gujarat state. Fifty ATMA farmers and fifty non-ATMA farmers were randomly selected from each district. In Ahmednagar, the beneficiary farmers recorded a high increase in yield, returns and income from their wheat crop, and thus there was a high effectiveness index compared with that of the non-beneficiary farmers. In Dahod, where ATMA had been operational for a shorter time, there was a very low increase in yield, returns and income for the maize crop of beneficiary farmers, and thus the effectiveness index of ATMA was low. The authors assess the programme in the light of such findings and offer recommendations for future extension strategies.