bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can Gender Moderate the Relationship of Mindfulness, Procrastination and Job Performance Among Telecom Employees?
Authors: Ahmad Zafar , Hussain Malik Mureed
Published: February 2021

Job demand resource model and self-determination theory is widely used for understanding procrastination, mindfulness, job performance and gender in organizational settings. The job demand resource model has been further used to understand gender as moderator among employee’s with mindfulness, procrastination and job performance. The present study focuses on gender as moderator in mindfulness, procrastination and job performance among male and female employees. The Purposive sampling technique with cross-sectional approach was applied. Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003), Tuckman’s Procrastination Scale (TPS; Tuckman, 1991), and Job Performance Scale (JP-S; Wright, Kacmar, Mcmahan, &Deleeuw, 1995) were  used to collect data from 400 employees working in telecom organizations in Rawalpindi and Islamabad city. The t-test and Hayes process were used to study correlation and moderation among study variables. It has been found female employees have mindfulness and procrastination tendencies then male employees whereas male employees were higher on job performance then female employees. Additionally, gender has non-significant effect on mindfulness, procrastination and job performance among employees. The results support the job resource demand model and self-determination theory. According to JDR model, job demands, and resources play important role in job performance of an employee in organizations and self-determination theory supports that mindfulness inhibit procrastination behavior and improve job performance of employees in organizations. These findings also suggest that procrastination could inhibit job performance among employees. Therefore, job performance could be stimulated by individual mindfulness in male and female employees.
Nexus between Total Quality Management Practices and Construction Firms’ Performance in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Wasim Jan , Alam Muhammad Bilal , Sulaiman Gohar , Ahmed Zujaj
Published: February 2021

Construction industry of any country plays a dynamic role in the prosperity and development of that country. It contributes more than any other industry in the economy growth and stability. Continual improvement firm performance can be measured through quality of work and services they provide to customers. However, for companies to compete with each other as well as in global markets they must need to adopt such techniques which are applied in the developed countries. One of the techniques is the application and evaluation of total quality management practices. As, this technique is already applied in other sectors such as manufacturing, services, health and development in the developed countries. So, this study and its findings are based on measuring the effects of total quality management practices i.e., organizational leadership, policy, and strategy, customer focus and process management on firm performance based on employee satisfaction and timely completion of projects. To check and measure the impact of TQM practices 100 construction companies were taken as sample/ These TQM practices were implemented on C-2 category construction companies of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan registered with Pakistan Engineering Council. The findings of this study concluded that all the listed practices have direct and indirect effects on the enhancement of form’s performance.
How Do Population and Urbanization Cause Environmental Degradation in South Asian Countries? A Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Safdar Noreen , Ashraf Shezza , Farooq Fatima , Qadir Junaid
Published: February 2021

The following study shows the economic consequences of population and environmental degradation in selected South Asian Countries for the time period 2000- 2018. Panel cointegration shows the long-run association among population, urbanization, environment and economic growth. By using PMG estimation technique, the results show that environmental degradation has a negative influence on economic growth while the urban population has a progressive impact on economic growth while the total population has a negative impact on economic growth. The results of causality analysis show that there is bidirectional causality among all variables which indicates that population, urbanization, environment and economic growth are causing each other. It is also noticed by the causality analysis that population, urbanization and economic growth are causing environmental degradation in south Asian countries. Further the results show that there is cross-sectional dependency among all variables in selected countries which reveals that all these countries should make collaborative strategies to increase economic growth and to cope up the problem of environmental degradation.
A Comparison Between Online and on-campus Classes: Taking University Students’ Perspective
Authors: Zulfiqar Muhammad Shahid , Siddiqui Ghazal Khalid , Mahmood Shumaila
Published: February 2021

During the current pandemic Covid-19, the universities had to start their online classes instead of traditional on-campus classes. The students are a pivotal point as well as a significant stakeholder of education, so they must be given the opportunity for expressing their perspectives in this regard. So, this study aimed to investigate university students' perceptions regarding online and on-campus classes. The students’ perspectives were further compared regarding the abovementioned to get insight into what they prefer to be taught with. The survey was conducted for this study. The sample consisted of 440 university students enrolled in the BS Program at three public whereas three private universities at Lahore. The sample includes students of both genders (male=221, female=219). The instrument for data collection was developed by the researcher which was consisted of five point Likert’s rating scale with 40 items. Based on findings, it is concluded that overall university students prefer to learn through on-campus classes as compared to online classes. Moreover, males students are more inclined towards learning through online classes, whereas female students were in favor of on-campus classes.
Organizational Creativity in the Function of Improving the Competitive Advantage of Tourism Companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Kršlak Sabina Šehić , Ljevo Nerman
Published: February 2021

Purpose: The goal is to research how tourism companies encourage organizational creativity and thus gain a competitive advantage. The aim of this paper is to answer the question of whether the competitive advantage of tourism companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina can be improved by encouraging organizational creativity.
Approach/ Methodology/ Design: For collecting data, a survey questionnaire was developed. The survey questionnaire was distributed electronically to tourism enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina. An econometric analysis is employed in order to prove the positive correlation between creativity and competitive advantage of tourism companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Findings: The results of the research showed that in order to achieve a competitive advantage, companies can manage creativity by encouraging: individual creativity whose existence is conditioned by the ability to think creatively, intellectual capacity, motivation and freedom of decision of employees. Based on the obtained research results, team creativity can be realized when employees develop a tendency to share knowledge, have confidence in the team, and that the organization ensures a free flow of information.
Practical Implication: A model of creativity and innovation is proposed in this study. Based on the results of the study, the model could be applied to other transition countries in the region.
Originality/Value: A special contribution of the paper is the model of integrative creativity to tourist companies.
Human Resource Management in Improving The Quality of Education
Authors: Qutni Darul , Kristiawan Muhammad , Fitriani Yessi
Published: February 2021

this study aims to determine human resource management in improving the quality of education. The formulation of the problems in this research are: (1) how is human resource management in improving the quality of education?, (2) what are the obstacles faced in the implementation of human resource management in improving quality?, (3) what are the factors in the implementation of human resource management in improving the quality of education?, (4) how is the quality of education?. This research is a qualitative research with a qualitative descriptive approach. The data obtained were collected through observation, interview and documentation techniques. The results showed that human resource management at SD Negeri 170 Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU), both in quality improvement, implementation, supporting factors and the quality of education had been running optimally
Narrativas sobre la categoría “valor” en estudiantes de bachillerato: dos estudios de caso en la ciudad de Bogotá
Authors: Burgos Acosta Juan José , Torres Barbosa John Edison , Molina Ome Yeferson
Published: February 2021

Este artículo es el resultado de una investigación del programa de Maestría en Educación de la universidad la Gran Colombia; se propuso como objetivo general determinar cómo construyen la categoría “valor” estudiantes de grado once de dos colegios de la ciudad de Bogotá, con edades que oscilan entre quince y diecinueve años respectivamente. El enfoque metodológico fue de carácter cualitativo en el cual se utilizaron las técnicas de recolección de información: grupos focales y entrevistas a profundidad, que tuvieron el propósito de recoger e interpretar la asignación de sentidos y representaciones expresadas en las narrativas de los actores participantes. Algunos de los hallazgos sugieren que las percepciones de la población objeto de estudio sobre la categoría “valor” están relacionadas con procesos de subjetivación que se construyen en la vida cotidiana en dinámicas complejas y no necesariamente lineales, como resultados de acuerdos sociales. De otra parte, existe una tendencia significativa a construir la categoría “valor” de acuerdo con las necesidades, intereses y motivaciones que se generan en el contexto escolar, lo que produce conflictos, contradicciones y valoraciones morales que muchas veces devienen en lucha de fuerza con las instituciones. Se destaca entre otras conclusiones, el juego en que se sumergen los estudiantes a partir de prácticas éticas asociadas a la categoría “valor” de carácter teleológico, porque las conductas intentan evitar un castigo o alcanzar un premio; y autotélicas porque los comportamientos producen felicidad en el hacer.
Del conocimiento moral común de la razón al conocimiento filosófico
Authors: Fajardo Fajardo Ana María
Published: February 2021

El libro de Inmanuel Kant titulado “Fundamentación de la metafísica de las costumbres”, publicado en el año de 1785, es un trabajo sobre la filosofía de la moral; consta de un prefacio y tres capítulos. Cada capítulo nos lleva por un camino de ascenso: se trata, como dice el mismo autor, de un tránsito. Comienza analizando las convicciones éticas más comunes, para hablarnos luego de un ascenso que consiste en ir del plano común al filosófico, y de éste al metafísico, lugar donde se asienta la moral. Después de determinar el lugar donde se fundamenta la moral, nos dice Kant, se ha de descender nuevamente al plano común, es decir, que se ha de señalar cómo la razón pura puede hacerse práctica, ya que conviene fundamentar primero la moral en la razón pura, y luego sí, a partir de su fundamentación, enjuiciar las acciones morales. En este artículo reflexionaremos sobre el capítulo primero que trata del tránsito del conocimiento moral común de la razón al conocimiento filosófico.
Calidad de vida en niños, adolescentes y jóvenes durante el confinamiento obligatorio familiar en Bogotá por COVID-19
Authors: Aparicio-Baquen Laura-Carolina , Aparicio-Gómez Carlos-Alfonso , Hernández Niño Jenny Fabiola
Published: February 2021

La presente investigación está orientada a analizar la calidad de vida en niños, adolescentes y jóvenes (Aparicio-Gómez, 2020) durante el tiempo de confinamiento obligatorio familiar en Bogotá por COVID-19. En primer lugar, se busca identificar las condiciones de calidad de vida en niños escolarizados durante el tiempo de confinamiento obligatorio familiar en Bogotá por COVID-19; posteriormente se pretende reconocer las condiciones de calidad de vida en adolescentes escolarizados durante el tiempo de confinamiento obligatorio familiar en Bogotá por COVID-19. Por último, se trata de describir las condiciones de calidad de vida en jóvenes universitarios durante el tiempo de confinamiento obligatorio familiar en Bogotá por COVID-19.
Aseismic strain episodes at Campi Flegrei Caldera, Italy
Authors: Di Lieto Bellina , Romano Pierdomenico , Bilham Roger , Scarpa Roberto
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Since 2004 a research project has been developed to monitor subsurface deformation of Italian volcanoes using borehole strainmeters and long-baseline tiltmeters. Six Sacks-Evertson dilatometers were installed around Campi Flegrei caldera and Vesuvius during 2004–2005 (Scarpa et al., 2007), and in 2008 these instruments were supplemented by two arrays of 28–280 m long water-tube tiltmeters in underground tunnels. Relevant strainmeter and tiltmeter data have been collected and analysed from the instruments installed near Campi Flegrei caldera during the recent unrest episodes. In the period 2004–2005 strain, tilt and GPS data from Campi Flegrei indicate the onset of surface deformation that accompanied a low rate of vertical displacement that continued to 2006, corresponding to an increase of CO2 emission. This strain episode preceded caldera microseismic activity by a few months, as was observed also during a significant inflation episode in 1982. Other transient strain episodes occurred in October 2006, which were accompanied by a swarm of VT (Volcano-Tectonic) and LP (Long Period) events, in 2009, at the time of renewed gas emission activity at Solfatara, and again in March 2010, several minutes before a seismic swarm. The time scale of these transient strain events ranges from some hours to several days, putting tight constraints on the origin of ground uplifts at Campi Flegrei. Their location is compatible with a source inferred from long term deformation signals, located about 4 km beneath Pozzuoli. A proposed mechanism for these aseismic strain episodes is that they are associated with magma growth in reservoirs with occasional pressure relief associated with the leakage of gas.
Towards accurate and practical drone-based wind measurements with an ultrasonic anemometer
Authors: Thielicke William , Hübert Waldemar , Müller Ulrich , Eggert Michael , Wilhelm Paul
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Wind data collection in the atmospheric boundary layer benefits from short-term wind speed measurements using unmanned aerial vehicles. Fixed-wing and rotary-wing devices with diverse anemometer technology have been used in the past to provide such data, but the accuracy still has the potential to be increased. A lightweight drone for carrying an industry-standard precision sonic anemometer was developed. Accuracy tests have been performed with the isolated anemometer at high tilt angles in a calibration wind tunnel, with the drone flying in a large wind tunnel and with the full system flying at different heights next to a bistatic lidar reference. The propeller-induced flow deflects the air to some extent, but this effect is compensated effectively. The data fusion shows a substantial reduction of crosstalk (factor of 13) between ground speed and wind speed. When compared with the bistatic lidar in very turbulent conditions, with a 10 s averaging interval and with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) constantly circling around the measurement volume of the lidar reference, wind speed measurements have a bias between −2.0 % and 4.2 % (root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 4.3 % to 15.5 %), vertical wind speed bias is between −0.05 and 0.07 m s−1 (RMSE of 0.15 to 0.4 m s−1), elevation bias is between −1 and 0.7∘ (RMSE of 1.2 to 6.3∘), and azimuth bias is between −2.6 and 7.2∘ (RMSE of 2.6 to 8.0∘). Key requirements for good accuracy under challenging and dynamic conditions are the use of a full-size sonic anemometer, a large distance between anemometer and propellers, and a suitable algorithm for reducing the effect of propeller-induced flow. The system was finally flown in the wake of a wind turbine, successfully measuring the spatial velocity deficit and downwash distribution during forward flight, yielding results that are in very close agreement to lidar measurements and the theoretical distribution. We believe that the results presented in this paper can provide important information for designing flying systems for precise air speed measurements either for short duration at multiple locations (battery powered) or for long duration at a single location (power supplied via cable). UAVs that are able to accurately measure three-dimensional wind might be used as a cost-effective and flexible addition to measurement masts and lidar scans.
Determination of equivalent black carbon mass concentration from aerosol light absorption using variable mass absorption cross section
Authors: Zhao Weilun , Tan Wangshu , Zhao Gang , Shen Chuanyang , Yu Yingli , Zhao Chunsheng
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Atmospheric black carbon (BC) is the strongest solar radiative
absorber in the atmosphere, exerting significant influences on the earth's
radiation budget. The mass absorption cross section (MAC) is a crucial
parameter for converting the light absorption coefficient (σab) to the
equivalent BC mass concentration (EBC). Traditional filter-based instruments,
such as the AE33, use a constant MAC of 7.77 m2/g at 880 nm to derive the EBC,
which may lead to uncertainty in the EBC. In this paper, a new method of
converting σab to the EBC is proposed by incorporating the
variations of the MAC attributed to the influences of the aerosol coating state. A Mie
simulation showed that the MAC varied dramatically with different core sizes and
shell thicknesses. We compared our new method with the traditional method during
a field measurement at a site on the North China Plain. The results showed that
the MAC at 880 nm was smaller (larger) than 7.77 m2/g for particles
smaller (larger) than 280 nm, resulting in an EBC mass size distribution
derived from the new method that was higher (lower) than the traditional method for
particles smaller (larger) than 280 nm. The size-integrated EBC derived from the
new method was 16 % higher than that derived from the traditional method. Sensitivity analysis
indicated that the uncertainty in the EBC caused by the refractive index (RI) was
within 35 %, and the imaginary part of the RI had dominant influence on the
derived EBC. This study emphasizes the necessity to take variations of the MAC
into account when deriving the EBC from σab and can help constrain
the uncertainty in EBC measurements.
Demonstrating change from a drop-in space soundscape exhibit by using graffiti walls both before and after
Authors: Archer Martin O. , Day Natt , Barnes Sarah
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Impact evaluation in public engagement necessarily requires measuring change. However, this is extremely challenging for drop-in activities due to their very nature. We present a novel method of impact evaluation which integrates graffiti walls into the experience both before and after the main drop-in activity. The activity in question was a soundscape exhibit, where young families experienced the usually inaudible sounds of near-Earth space in an immersive and accessible way. We apply two analysis techniques to the captured before and after data – quantitative linguistics and thematic analysis. These analyses reveal significant changes in participants' responses after the activity compared to before, namely an increased diversity in language used to describe space and altered conceptions of what space is like. The results demonstrate that the soundscape was surprisingly effective at innately communicating key aspects of the underlying science simply through the act of listening. The impacts also highlight the power of sonification in stimulating public engagement, which, through reflection, can lead to altered associations, perceptions, and understanding. Therefore, we show that this novel approach to drop-in activity evaluation, using graffiti walls both before and after the activity and applying rigorous analysis to this data, has the power to capture change and, thus, have a short-term impact. We suggest that commonly used evaluation tools suitable for drop-in activities, such as graffiti walls, should be integrated both before and after the main activity in general, rather than only using them afterwards as is typically the case.
Accretion, retreat and transgression of coastal wetlands experiencing sea-level rise
Authors: Breda Angelo , Saco Patricia M. , Sandi Steven G. , Saintilan Neil , Riccardi Gerardo , Rodríguez José F.
Published: February 2021

Abstract. The vulnerability of coastal wetlands to future sea-level
rise (SLR) has been extensively studied in recent years, and models of
coastal wetland evolution have been developed to assess and quantify the
expected impacts. Coastal wetlands respond to SLR by vertical accretion and
landward migration. Wetlands accrete due to their capacity to trap sediments
and to incorporate dead leaves, branches, stems and roots into the soil, and they migrate driven by the preferred inundation conditions in terms of
salinity and oxygen availability. Accretion and migration strongly interact, and they both depend on water flow and sediment distribution within the
wetland, so wetlands under the same external flow and sediment forcing but
with different configurations will respond differently to SLR. Analyses of
wetland response to SLR that do not incorporate realistic consideration of
flow and sediment distribution, like the bathtub approach, are likely to
result in poor estimates of wetland resilience. Here, we investigate how
accretion and migration processes affect wetland response to SLR using a
computational framework that includes all relevant hydrodynamic and sediment
transport mechanisms that affect vegetation and landscape dynamics, and it
is efficient enough computationally to allow the simulation of long time
periods. Our framework incorporates two vegetation species, mangrove and
saltmarsh, and accounts for the effects of natural and manmade features like
inner channels, embankments and flow constrictions due to culverts. We apply
our model to simplified domains that represent four different settings found
in coastal wetlands, including a case of a tidal flat free from obstructions
or drainage features and three other cases incorporating an inner channel,
an embankment with a culvert, and a combination of inner channel, embankment
and culvert. We use conditions typical of south-eastern Australia in terms of vegetation, tidal range and sediment load, but we also analyse situations
with 3 times the sediment load to assess the potential of biophysical feedbacks to produce increased accretion rates. We find that all wetland
settings are unable to cope with SLR and disappear by the end of the
century, even for the case of increased sediment load. Wetlands with good
drainage that improves tidal flushing are more resilient than wetlands with
obstacles that result in tidal attenuation and can delay wetland submergence by 20 years. Results from a bathtub model reveal systematic
overprediction of wetland resilience to SLR: by the end of the century, half
of the wetland survives with a typical sediment load, while the entire
wetland survives with increased sediment load.
Uncertainty of simulated groundwater recharge at different global warming levels: a global-scale multi-model ensemble study
Authors: Reinecke Robert , Müller Schmied Hannes , Trautmann Tim , Andersen Lauren Seaby , Burek Peter , Flörke Martina , Gosling Simon N. , Grillakis Manolis , Hanasaki Naota , Koutroulis Aristeidis , Pokhrel Yadu , Thiery Wim , Wada Yoshihide , Yusuke Satoh , Döll Petra
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Billions of people rely on groundwater as being an accessible source of drinking water and for irrigation, especially in times of drought. Its importance will likely increase with a changing climate. It is still unclear, however, how climate change will impact groundwater systems globally and, thus, the availability of this vital resource. Groundwater recharge is an important indicator for groundwater availability, but it is a water flux that is difficult to estimate as uncertainties in the water balance accumulate, leading to possibly large errors in particular in dry regions. This study investigates uncertainties in groundwater recharge projections using a multi-model ensemble of eight global hydrological models (GHMs) that are driven by the bias-adjusted output of four global circulation models (GCMs). Pre-industrial and current groundwater recharge values are compared with recharge for different global warming (GW) levels as a result of three representative concentration pathways (RCPs). Results suggest that projected changes strongly vary among the different GHM–GCM combinations, and statistically significant changes are only computed for a few regions of the world. Statistically significant GWR increases are projected for northern Europe and some parts of the Arctic, East Africa, and India. Statistically significant decreases are simulated in southern Chile, parts of Brazil, central USA, the Mediterranean, and southeastern China. In some regions, reversals of groundwater recharge trends can be observed with global warming. Because most GHMs do not simulate the impact of changing atmospheric CO2 and climate on vegetation and, thus, evapotranspiration, we investigate how estimated changes in GWR are affected by the inclusion of these processes. In some regions, inclusion leads to differences in groundwater recharge changes of up to 100 mm per year. Most GHMs with active vegetation simulate less severe decreases in groundwater recharge than GHMs without active vegetation and, in some regions, even increases instead of decreases are simulated. However, in regions where GCMs predict decreases in precipitation and where groundwater availability is the most important, model agreement among GHMs with active vegetation is the lowest. Overall, large uncertainties in the model outcomes suggest that additional research on simulating groundwater processes in GHMs is necessary.
Historical development of water-powered mechanical clocks
Authors: Hwang Zheng-Hui , Yan Hong-Sen , Lin Tsung-Yi
Published: February 2021

Abstract. This article examines the historical development of ancient water-powered mechanical clocks. The study begins with a comprehensive analysis and comparison of the different types of ancient clepsydra, their use and development and the development of their feedback systems, power systems, and time-reporting systems. Before becoming mechanized, water clocks (clepsydra) were mainly used for astronomical timekeeping, during religious sacrifices, for military affairs, court litigation timekeeping, and the time allocation of water rights. The invention of the feedback system in the 3rd century before common era (BCE) opened the door to the mechanization of water clocks. The float is the earliest power-driven element. In the 8th century, the emergence of waterwheels with timing functions in water-powered mechanical clocks prompted ancient China to develop water-powered mechanical clocks with waterwheel steelyard clepsydra devices, time-reporting devices, astronomical demonstration devices, and multiple time-reporting wooden pavilions. After the 13th century, mechanical clocks started to integrate elements from Chinese and Western cultures. In addition to the development of new styles of water-powered mechanical clocks in ancient China, the Western mercury wheels with timing functions evolved into compartmented cylindrical mercury clocks.
Structure and drivers of ocean mixing north of Svalbard in summer and fall 2018
Authors: Koenig Zoe , Kolås Eivind H. , Fer Ilker
Published: February 2021

Abstract. The Arctic Ocean is a major sink for heat and salt for the global ocean. Ocean mixing contributes to this sink by mixing the Atlantic- and Pacific-origin waters with surrounding waters. We investigate the drivers of ocean mixing north of Svalbard, in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic, based on observations collected during two research cruises in summer and fall 2018. Estimates of vertical turbulent heat flux from the Atlantic Water layer up to the mixed layer reach 30 W m−2 in the core of the boundary current, and average to 8 W m−2, accounting for ∼1 % of the total heat loss of the Atlantic layer in the region. In the mixed layer, there is a nonlinear relation between the layer-integrated dissipation and wind energy input; convection was active at a few stations and was responsible for enhanced turbulence compared to what was expected from the wind stress alone. Summer melting of sea ice reduces the temperature, salinity and depth of the mixed layer and increases salt and buoyancy fluxes at the base of the mixed layer. Deeper in the water column and near the seabed, tidal forcing is a major source of turbulence: diapycnal diffusivity in the bottom 250 m of the water column is enhanced during strong tidal currents, reaching on average 10−3 m2 s−1. The average profile of diffusivity decays with distance from the seabed with an e-folding scale of 22 m compared to 18 m in conditions with weaker tidal currents. A nonlinear relation is inferred between the depth-integrated dissipation in the bottom 250 m of the water column and the tidally driven bottom drag and is used to estimate the bottom dissipation along the continental slope of the Eurasian Basin. Computation of an inverse Froude number suggests that nonlinear internal waves forced by the diurnal tidal currents (K1 constituent) can develop north of Svalbard and in the Laptev and Kara seas, with the potential to mix the entire water column vertically. Understanding the drivers of turbulence and the nonlinear pathways for the energy to turbulence in the Arctic Ocean will help improve the description and representation of the rapidly changing Arctic climate system.
Estimating fractional snow cover from passive microwave brightness temperature data using MODIS snow cover product over North America
Authors: Xiao Xiongxin , Liang Shunlin , He Tao , Wu Daiqiang , Pei Congyuan , Gong Jianya
Published: February 2021

Abstract. The dynamic characteristics of seasonal snow cover are critical for
hydrology management, the climate system, and the ecosystem functions. Optical
satellite remote sensing has proven to be an effective tool for monitoring
global and regional variations in snow cover. However, accurately capturing
the characteristics of snow dynamics at a finer spatiotemporal resolution
continues to be problematic as observations from optical satellite sensors are
greatly impacted by clouds and solar illumination. Traditional methods of
mapping snow cover from passive microwave data only provide binary information
at a spatial resolution of 25 km. This innovative study applies the
random forest regression technique to enhanced-resolution passive microwave
brightness temperature data (6.25 km) to estimate fractional snow
cover over North America in winter months (January and February). Many
influential factors, including land cover, topography, and location information,
were incorporated into the retrieval models. Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow cover products between 2008 and 2017 were used
to create the reference fractional snow cover data as the “true”
observations in this study. Although overestimating and underestimating around two
extreme values of fractional snow cover, the proposed retrieval algorithm
outperformed the other three approaches (linear regression, artificial neural
networks, and multivariate adaptive regression splines) using independent
test data for all land cover classes with higher accuracy and no out-of-range
estimated values. The method enabled the evaluation of the estimated
fractional snow cover using independent datasets, in which the root mean square error of evaluation results ranged from 0.189 to 0.221. The snow cover
detection capability of the proposed algorithm was validated using
meteorological station observations with more than 310 000 records. We
found that binary snow cover obtained from the estimated fractional snow cover
was in good agreement with ground measurements (kappa: 0.67). There was
significant improvement in the accuracy of snow cover identification using our
algorithm; the overall accuracy increased by 18 % (from 0.71 to 0.84),
and the omission error was reduced by 71 % (from 0.48 to 0.14) when the
threshold of fractional snow cover was 0.3. The experimental results show that
passive microwave brightness temperature data may potentially be used to
estimate fractional snow cover directly in that this retrieval strategy offers
a competitive advantage in snow cover detection.
First investigation of perennial ice in Winter Wonderland Cave, Uinta Mountains, Utah, USA
Authors: Munroe Jeffrey S.
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Winter Wonderland Cave is a solution cave at an elevation
of 3140 m above sea level in Carboniferous-age Madison Limestone on the
southern slope of the Uinta Mountains (Utah, USA). Temperature data loggers
reveal that the mean annual air temperature (MAAT) in the main part of the
cave is −0.8 ∘C, whereas the entrance chamber has a MAAT of
−2.3 ∘C. In contrast, the MAAT outside the cave entrance was
+2.8 ∘C between August 2016 and August 2018. Temperatures in
excess of 0 ∘C were not recorded inside the cave during that
2-year interval. About half of the accessible cave, which has a mapped
length of 245 m, is floored by perennial ice. Field and laboratory
investigations were conducted to determine the age and origin of this ice
and its possible paleoclimate significance. Ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) surveys
with a 400 MHz antenna reveal that the ice has a maximum thickness of
∼ 3 m. Samples of rodent droppings obtained from an
intermediate depth within the ice yielded radiocarbon ages from 40±30 to 285±12 years. These results correspond with median calibrated
ages from CE 1560 to 1830, suggesting that at least some of the ice
accumulated during the Little Ice Age. Samples collected from a
∼ 2 m high exposure of layered ice were analyzed for stable
isotopes and glaciochemistry. Most values of δ18O and δD plot subparallel to the global meteoric waterline with a slope of 7.5
and an intercept of 0.03 ‰. Values from some individual
layers depart from the local waterline, suggesting that they formed during
closed-system freezing. In general, values of both δ18O and
δD are lowest in the deepest ice and highest at the top. This trend
is interpreted as a shift in the relative abundance of winter and summer
precipitation over time. Calcium has the highest average abundance of
cations detectable in the ice (mean of 6050 ppb), followed by Al (2270 ppb),
Mg (830 ppb), and K (690 ppb). Most elements are more abundant in the
younger ice, possibly reflecting reduced rates of infiltration that
prolonged water–rock contact in the epikarst. Abundances of Al and Ni likely
reflect eolian dust incorporated in the ice. Liquid water appeared in the
cave in August 2018 and August 2019, apparently for the first time in many
years. This could be a sign of a recent change in the cave environment.
Trends and spatial variation in rain-on-snow events over the Arctic Ocean during the early melt season
Authors: Dou Tingfeng , Xiao Cunde , Liu Jiping , Wang Qiang , Pan Shifeng , Su Jie , Yuan Xiaojun , Ding Minghu , Zhang Feng , Xue Kai , Bieniek Peter A. , Eicken Hajo
Published: February 2021

Abstract. Rain-on-snow (ROS) events can accelerate the surface
ablation of sea ice, thus greatly influencing the ice–albedo feedback.
However, the variability of ROS events over the Arctic Ocean is poorly
understood due to limited historical station data in this region. In this
study early melt season ROS events were investigated based on four
widely used reanalysis products (ERA-Interim, JRA-55, MERRA, and ERA5) in
conjunction with available observations at Arctic coastal stations. The
performance of the reanalysis products in representing the timing of ROS
events and the phase change of precipitation was assessed. Our results show
that ERA-Interim better represents the onset date of ROS events in spring,
and ERA5 better represents the phase change of precipitation associated with
ROS events. All reanalyses indicate that ROS event timing has shifted to
earlier dates in recent decades (with maximum trends up to −4 to −6 d per decade in some regions in ERA-Interim) and that sea ice melt onset in
the Pacific sector and most of the Eurasian marginal seas is correlated with
this shift. There has been a clear transition from solid to liquid
precipitation, leading to more ROS events in spring, although large
discrepancies were found between different reanalysis products. In ERA5, the
shift from solid to liquid precipitation phase during the early melt season
has directly contributed to a reduction in spring snow depth on sea ice by
more than −0.5 cm per decade averaged over the Arctic Ocean since 1980, with the
largest contribution (about −2.0 cm per decade) in the Kara–Barents seas and
Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
The Impact of Trade Openness and Foreign Direct Investment on Economic Welfare in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Adegboye Folasade Bosede , Adesina Olumide Sunday , Olokoyo Felicia Omowunmi , Ojeka Stephen Aanu , Akinjare Victoria Abosede
Published: February 2021

The sub-Saharan African region is characterized by a high relative degree of openness to trade. The region is also identified with increased inflows of foreign investments with no significant welfare improvement. Economic development emphasizes that the lack of domestic investment in the developing economies could be boosted by trade openness and inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for impactful enhancement of capital formation. In this article, the impact of trade openness and foreign capital inflow on economic welfare was examined on a sub-regional analysis for sub-Saharan Africa. The study also appraised the effect of openness to trade and FDI inflow on the region's economic welfare. The data for 30 countries from 2000 to 2018 were collected and analyzed, with the Generalized Least Square (GLS) technique to fit the model developed. The study showed that openness to trade has a significant impact on economic welfare for all sub-Saharan Africa regions, while FDI is only significant for the Western sub-region. Hence, the study recommends that the government of the countries in the sub-Saharan Africa region should boost trade openness to enhance efficiency in productivity, and improve industrial development.
How a Fundamentally Different and New Glacial History Paradigm Explains North America Glaciated Prairie Region Erosional Escarpments and Drainage Patterns
Authors: Clausen Eric
Published: February 2021

Scientific paradigms are frameworks of ideas governing how a discipline conducts its research. Paradigms by themselves are neither correct nor incorrect, but are judged on their ability to explain evidence and to open up research opportunities. The commonly accepted glacial history paradigm requires North American glaciated prairie region erosional landform features, such as erosional escarpments and abandoned valleys associated with the north-oriented Bell River drainage system, to be pre-glacial in origin. While considerable literature is based on such interpretations those escarpments and abandoned valleys are formed in easily eroded bedrock and should not have survived continental ice sheet erosion. In addition to defying common sense logic the pre-glacial origin of those erosional escarpments and abandoned valleys is not well understood. A new paradigm requiring at least one continental ice sheet to have occupied a deep North American “hole” (formed by deep ice sheet erosion and ice sheet caused crustal warping) offers geomorphologists an opportunity to explain the erosional escarpments as remnants of canyon walls originally formed when supra-glacial rivers sliced ice-walled and bedrock-floored canyons into a decaying continental ice sheet’s surface and the abandoned north-oriented Bell River drainage system valleys to have been eroded as the ice-walled and bedrock-floored canyon network captured and diverted massive melt water floods onto and then across the decaying ice sheet’s floor and then in northeast and north directions between detached and semi-detached ice sheet remnants. The diversion of immense melt water floods from the Gulf of Mexico to the North Atlantic Ocean triggered climatic change that ended the first ice sheet’s melting. Water in the newly formed north-oriented drainage systems then froze between the detached and semi-detached (and greatly thinned) ice sheet remnants to create a second and much thinner ice sheet and to complete creation of the glaciated prairie region glacial features seen today.
Use of Topographic Map Evidence From Drainage Divides Surrounding Wyoming’s Great Divide Basin to Compare Two Fundamentally Different Regional Geomorphology Paradigms
Authors: Clausen Eric
Published: February 2021

Divide crossings (or low points or gaps) notched into the North American east-west continental divide segments completely encircling Wyoming’s Great Divide Basin interior drainage region (as observed on detailed topographic maps) are used to compare the commonly accepted regional geomorphology paradigm with a fundamentally different and new regional geomorphology paradigm. Paradigms are sets of rules governing how a scientific discipline conducts its research and are judged on their ability to explain observed evidence. Published literature is used to contrast an accepted paradigm interpretation that east-oriented drainage previously flowed across what is now the Great Divide Basin with the new paradigm basic requirement that mountain range and continental divide uplift occurred while immense south-oriented floods flowed across them. Numerous divide crossings are notched into the continental divide segments now completely encircling the relatively flat-floored Great Divide Basin interior drainage area and divide crossings observed along each of the Great Divide Basin’s north, east, south, and west margins are described and interpreted first from the accepted paradigm perspective (using published literature interpretations to the extent possible) and second from the new paradigm perspective. The published literature does not mention most of the described divide crossings, much less provide explanations for their origins, perhaps because the accepted paradigm cannot satisfactorily explain those origins. In contrast the new paradigm successfully explains most if not all of the described (and observed, but undescribed) divide crossings, although the new paradigm requires a completely different middle and late Cenozoic regional geologic history than what most published regional geology literature describes.
The Effect of Motivation on Students Studying in Sports Departments
Authors: Özdemir Kübra
Published: February 2021

This study aims to analyze participation motivation of the students studying in the department of Physical education and Sports teaching. The study population consists of 160 students from the Department of Physical Education and Sports Teaching in Kazım Karabekir Faculty of Education at Atatürk University in the 2019-2020 academic year. The study sample is 99 students out of 160 students by choosing the random sampling method. A form consisting of two parts has been used as a data collection tool in the study. In the first part of the data collection tool, there is a personal information form, including the students’ age, gender, and sports information branch. In the second part, participation motivation questionnaire has been used. Normal distribution criteria have been controlled using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk tests in the obtained data. Non-parametric tests have been used in the next stage’s statistical analysis. While comparisons of gender and sports type have been fulfilled with the Mann Whitney-U test, the Kruskal Wallis test has been used for the age variable. Consequently, it has been observed that the most crucial reason directing students to sports is “skill development” and the least important reason is “friends”. When looking at the values obtained from the Participation Motivation Questionnaire by gender, it is evident that there is no statistically significant difference according to the scores obtained by male and female students from the sub-dimensions of the scale.
Health Information Seeking Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Among Young People: An Online Survey
Authors: Jalilian Mohsen , Kakaei Hojatollah , Nourmoradi Heshmatollah , Bakhtiyari Salar , Mazloomi Sajad , Mirzaei Amin
Published: February 2021

Background: COVID-19 is a communicable disease that is preventable by accessing valid health information. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate health information seeking behaviors (HISB) related to COVID-19 in young people. Materials and Methods: A total of 258 young people participated in this online study through a convenience sampling method who filled out the HISBC-19 questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19 software by the chi-square test with considering α = 0.05 as the significance level. Results: Out of 258 participants,105 (40.7%) had very good internet search skills, 77 (29.8%) were good, and 76 (29.5%) were poor. Besides, 194 (75.2%) people started searching for health information from search engines and virtual social media. The highest use of health information sources was related to virtual social media. Also, 243 (94.2%) people reported behavioral improvement after achieving health information. The chi-square test showed a significant difference between men and women in receiving information from visiting the physician or other treatment staff, asking questions from family members, watching satellite channels, and attending workshops and meetings on health (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The use of internet-based media is one of the most important sources of health information related to COVID-19. Planning to provide accurate health information through reliable sources plays an important role in improving health information in young people.