bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Collapse of the North American ice saddle 14,500 years ago caused widespread cooling and reduced ocean overturning circulation
Authors: Ivanovic Ruza F. , Gregoire Lauren J. , Wickert Andrew D. , Valdes Paul J. , Burke Andrea 
Published: December 2016

AbstractCollapse of ice sheets can cause significant sea level rise and widespread climate change. We examine the climatic response to meltwater generated by the collapse of the Cordilleran‐Laurentide ice saddle (North America) ~14.5 thousand years ago (ka) using a high‐resolution drainage model coupled to an ocean‐atmosphere‐vegetation general circulation model. Equivalent to 7.26 m global mean sea level rise in 340 years, the meltwater caused a 6 sverdrup weakening of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and widespread Northern Hemisphere cooling of 1–5°C. The greatest cooling is in the Atlantic sector high latitudes during Boreal winter (by 5–10°C), but there is also strong summer warming of 1–3°C over eastern North America. Following recent suggestions that the saddle collapse was triggered by the Bølling warming event at ~14.7–14.5 ka, we conclude that this robust submillennial mechanism may have initiated the end of the warming and/or the Older Dryas cooling through a forced AMOC weakening.
Imaging the structure of the low K‐corona
Authors: Kim I. S. , Nasonova L. P. , Lisin D. V. , Popov V. V. , Krusanova N. L. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe first 2‐D distributions of the polarization angle and of the relative color index for the K‐corona of 29 March 2006 are presented. The distributions illustrate the efficiency of the total solar eclipse approach for high‐precision measurements of the K‐corona continuum in the range < 1.4 R⊙. Natural ground and space total solar eclipses caused by external occulting the bright solar‐disk light by the Moon or Earth group planets are discussed. Calculations of the eclipse magnitude m are carried out to show ideal conditions for total solar eclipse observations in space from Lagrange point L2 for Mars (m ≈ 1.025). The illumination in Mars' shadow is estimated to equal 5.6 × 10−11 for the wavelength of 550 nm. No internal or external occulting coronagraphs are needed. Partial solar eclipses with m > 0.91 can be observed from Lagrange points L2 for Mercury, Venus, and Earth.
Magnetospheric response and reconfiguration times following IMF By reversals
Authors: Tenfjord P. , Østgaard N. , Strangeway R. , Haaland S. , Snekvik K. , Laundal K. M. , Reistad J. P. , Milan S. E. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe interaction between the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and the geomagnetic field at the dayside magnetopause leads to transfer of momentum and energy which changes the magnetospheric configuration, but only after a certain time. In this study we quantify this time, to advance our understanding of the causes for the delayed response of the magnetosphere. We study the response and reconfiguration time of the inner magnetosphere to IMF By reversals. A superposed epoch analysis of magnetic field measurements from four Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite spacecraft at different local times both for negative to positive IMF By reversals and for positive to negative reversals is presented. The magnetospheric response time at geosynchronous orbit to the sudden change of IMF By is less than 15 (∼10) min from the bow shock (magnetopause) arrival time, while the reconfiguration time is less than 46 (∼41) min. These results are consistent with a By component induced on closed magnetic field lines due to the asymmetric loading of flux following asymmetric dayside reconnection when IMF By≠0. Our results also confirm our earlier studies that nightside reconnection is not required for generating a By component on closed field lines.
A new methodology for the development of high‐latitude ionospheric climatologies and empirical models
Authors: Chisham G. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractMany empirical models and climatologies of high‐latitude ionospheric processes, such as convection, have been developed over the last 40 years. One common feature in the development of these models is that measurements from different times are combined and averaged on fixed coordinate grids. This methodology ignores the reality that high‐latitude ionospheric features are organized relative to the location of the ionospheric footprint of the boundary between open and closed geomagnetic field lines (OCB). This boundary is in continual motion, and the polar cap that it encloses is continually expanding and contracting in response to changes in the rates of magnetic reconnection at the Earth's magnetopause and in the magnetotail. As a consequence, models that are developed by combining and averaging data in fixed coordinate grids heavily smooth the variations that occur near the boundary location. Here we propose that the development of future models should consider the location of the OCB in order to more accurately model the variations in this region. We present a methodology which involves identifying the OCB from spacecraft auroral images and then organizing measurements in a grid where the bins are placed relative to the OCB location. We demonstrate the plausibility of this methodology using ionospheric vorticity measurements made by the Super Dual Auroral Radar Network radars and OCB measurements from the IMAGE spacecraft FUV auroral imagers. This demonstration shows that this new methodology results in sharpening and clarifying features of climatological maps near the OCB location. We discuss the potential impact of this methodology on space weather applications.
Turbulent and numerical mixing in a salt wedge estuary: Dependence on grid resolution, bottom roughness, and turbulence closure
Authors: Ralston David K. , Cowles Geoffrey W. , Geyer W. Rockwell , Holleman Rusty C. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe Connecticut River is a tidal salt wedge estuary, where advection of sharp salinity gradients through channel constrictions and over steeply sloping bathymetry leads to spatially heterogeneous stratification and mixing. A 3‐D unstructured grid finite‐volume hydrodynamic model (FVCOM) was evaluated against shipboard and moored observations, and mixing by both the turbulent closure and numerical diffusion were calculated. Excessive numerical mixing in regions with strong velocities, sharp salinity gradients, and steep bathymetry reduced model skill for salinity. Model calibration was improved by optimizing both the bottom roughness (z0), based on comparison with the barotropic tidal propagation, and the mixing threshold in the turbulence closure (steady state Richardson number, Rist), based on comparison with salinity. Whereas a large body of evidence supports a value of Rist ∼ 0.25, model skill for salinity improved with Rist ∼ 0.1. With Rist = 0.25, numerical mixing contributed about 1/2 the total mixing, while with Rist = 0.10 it accounted for ∼2/3, but salinity structure was more accurately reproduced. The combined contributions of numerical and turbulent mixing were quantitatively consistent with high‐resolution measurements of turbulent mixing. A coarser grid had increased numerical mixing, requiring further reductions in turbulent mixing and greater bed friction to optimize skill. The optimal Rist for the fine grid case was closer to 0.25 than for the coarse grid, suggesting that additional grid refinement might correspond with Rist approaching the theoretical limit. Numerical mixing is rarely assessed in realistic models, but comparisons with high‐resolution observations in this study suggest it is an important factor.
Monitoring remote ocean waves using P‐wave microseisms
Authors: Neale Jennifer , Harmon Nicholas , Srokosz Meric 
Published: December 2016

AbstractOceanic microseisms are generated by the interaction of opposing ocean waves and subsequent coupling with the seabed, so microseisms should contain information on the ocean conditions that generated them. This leads to the possibility of using seismic records as a proxy for the ocean gravity wavefield. Here we investigate the P‐wave component of microseisms, which has previously been linked to areas of high wave interaction intensity in mid‐ocean regions. We compare modeled P‐wave microseismic sources with those observed at an array in California, and also investigate the relationship between observed sources and significant wave height. We found that the time‐varying location of microseism sources in the North Pacific, mapped from beamforming and backprojection of seismic data, was accurate to ≤10° in 90% of cases. The modeled sources were found to dominate at ∼0.2 Hz which was also reflected in the seismic observations. An empirical relationship between observed beampower and modeled source power allowed sources during an independent data period to be estimated with a correlation coefficient of 0.63. Likewise, significant wave height was also estimated with a correlation coefficient of 0.63. Our findings suggest that with improvements in resolution and amplitude retrieval from beamforming, correlations up to 0.78 should be possible between observed P‐wave microseisms and significant wave height in remote ocean regions.
Nitrogen fixation in the eastern Atlantic reaches similar levels in the Southern and Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Fonseca‐Batista Debany , Dehairs Frank , Riou Virginie , Fripiat François , Elskens Marc , Deman Florian , Brion Natacha , Quéroué Fabien , Bode Maya , Auel Holger 
Published: December 2016

AbstractEuphotic layer dinitrogen (N2) fixation and primary production (PP) were measured in the eastern Atlantic Ocean (38°N–21°S) using 15N2 and 13C bicarbonate tracer incubations. This region is influenced by Saharan dust deposition and waters with low nitrogen to phosphorus (N/P) ratios originating from the Subantarctic and the Benguela upwelling system. Depth‐integrated rates of N2 fixation in the north (0°N–38°N) ranged from 59 to 370 µmol N m−2 d−1, with the maximal value at 19°N under the influence of the northwest African upwelling. Diazotrophic activity in the south (0°S–21°S), though slightly lower, was surprisingly close to observations in the north, with values ranging from 47 to 119 µmol N m−2 d−1. Our North Atlantic N2 fixation rates correlate well with dust deposition, while those in the South Atlantic correlate strongly with excess phosphate relative to nitrate. There, the necessary iron is assumed to be supplied from the Benguela upwelling system. When converting N2 fixation to carbon uptake using a Redfield ratio (6.6), we find that N2 fixation may support up to 9% of PP in the subtropical North Atlantic (20°N–38°N), 5% in the tropical North Atlantic (0°N–20°N), and 1% of PP in the South Atlantic (0°S–21°S). Combining our data with published data sets, we estimate an annual N input of 27.6 ± 10 Tg N yr−1 over the open Atlantic Ocean, 11% of which enters the region between 20°N and 50°N, 71% between 20°N and 10°S, and 18% between 10°N and 45°S.
Interannual variability of tropical Pacific sea level from 1993 to 2014
Authors: Zhu Xiaoting , Greatbatch Richard J. , Claus Martin 
Published: December 2016

AbstractA multimode, linear reduced‐gravity model, driven by ERA‐Interim monthly mean wind stress anomalies, is used to investigate interannual variability in tropical Pacific sea level as seen in satellite altimeter data. The model output is fitted to the altimeter data along the equator, in order to derive the vertical profile for the model forcing, showing that a signature from modes higher than mode 6 cannot be extracted from the altimeter data. It is shown that the model has considerable skill at capturing interannual sea level variability both on and off the equator. The correlation between modeled and satellite‐derived sea level data exceeds 0.8 over a wide range of longitudes along the equator and readily captures the observed ENSO events. Overall, the combination of the first, second, third, and fifth modes can provide a robust estimate of the interannual sea level variability, the second mode being dominant. A remarkable feature of both the model and the altimeter data is the presence of a pivot point in the western Pacific on the equator. We show that the westward displacement of the pivot point from the center of the basin is strongly influenced by the fact that most of the wind stress variance is found in the western part of the basin. We also show that the Sverdrup transport is not fundamental to the dynamics of the recharge/discharge mechanism in our model, although the spatial structure of the wind forcing does play a role in setting the amplitude of the “warm water volume.”
Using remotely sensed data from AIRS to estimate the vapor flux on the Greenland ice sheet: Comparisons with observations and a regional climate model
Authors: Boisvert Linette N. , Lee Jae N. , Lenaerts Jan T. M. , Noël Brice , van den Broeke Michiel R. , Nolin Anne W. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractMass loss from the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) in recent years has been dominated by runoff from surface melt. It is currently being studied extensively, while little interest has been given to the smallest component of surface mass balance (SMB): the vapor flux. Although poorly understood, it is not negligible and could potentially play a larger role in SMB in a warming climate where temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation changes remain uncertain. Here we present an innovative approach to estimate the vapor flux using the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) version 6 data and a modified vapor flux model (BMF13) over the GrIS between 2003 and 2014. One modification to the BMF13 model includes a new Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer surface aerodynamic roughness product, which likely produces more accurate estimates of the drag coefficient on the ice sheet. When comparing AIRS data with GC‐Net and Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet automatic weather station observations of skin temperature, near‐surface air temperature, and humidity, they agree within 2 K, 2.68 K, and 0.34 g kg−1. Largest differences occur in the ablation zone where there is significant subgrid heterogeneity. Overall, the average vapor flux from the GrIS between 2003 and 2014 was found to be 14.6 ± 3.6 Gt yr−1. No statistically significant trends were found during the data record. This data set is compared to the Regional Atmospheric Climate Model (RACMO2.3) vapor flux, and BMF13 produced smaller vapor fluxes in the summer (~0.05 Gt d−1) and slightly more deposition in the winter (~9.4 × 10−3 Gt d−1). Annually, differences between BMF13 and RACMO2.3 were only 30 ± 15%.
Can MODIS cloud fraction fully represent the diurnal and seasonal variations at DOE ARM SGP and Manus sites?
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhao Chuanfeng 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThough cloud fraction (CF) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has been widely used, it remains unclear whether it can fully represent the diurnal variations. This study evaluates the time representation (i.e., satellite passes' mean value per day to represent daily average value) error in MODIS CF by using daytime‐only total sky cover and continuous day‐and‐night radar/lidar CF (Active Remote Sensing of Clouds product, ARSCL) from 2000 to 2010 for two Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program climate regime sites of Southern Great Plains (SGP) and Manus. By comparing the daily averaged CFs from ARSCL between using all hourly and using the MODIS‐passing‐time observations, it shows a correlation coefficient of 0.93 (0.88) and root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 12.68% (13.27%) over SGP (Manus) site for daily averaged CFs. Differently, it shows a better correlation coefficient of 0.97 (0.97) and smaller RMSD of 2.98% (3.97%) over SGP (Manus) site for monthly averaged CFs. These suggest that considerable errors could be introduced while using the MODIS CF observed at several fixed time points a day to represent average CF at different time scales. Monthly time representation errors have also been evaluated for daytime only and nighttime only, which show even larger values. A further analysis shows that uncertainties caused by the time representation account for about 23% (21%) of the total differences between surface and MODIS CFs over SGP (Manus) site at monthly time scale.
Development of a discrete‐continuum VDFST‐CFP numerical model for simulating seawater intrusion to a coastal karst aquifer with a conduit system
Authors: Xu Zexuan , Hu Bill X. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractA hybrid discrete‐continuum numerical model, Variable‐Density Flow and Solute Transport—Conduit Flow Process (VDFST‐CFP), is developed to simulate seawater intrusion to a coastal karst aquifer with a conduit network. The Darcy‐Weisbach equation is applied to simulate the nonlaminar groundwater flow in the conduit system that is conceptualized as pipes, while the Darcy equation is used for laminar groundwater flow in the continuum porous medium. Density‐dependent groundwater flow with appropriate additional density terms in the conduit is analytically derived. The flow and transport equations are coupled, and numerically solved by the finite difference method with an implicit iteration procedure. Two synthetic benchmarks are developed to compare the VDFST‐CFP model results with other numerical models, such as the variable‐density SEAWAT, constant‐density continuum MODFLOW/MT3DMS, and constant‐density discrete‐continuum CFPv2/UMT3D models. The VDFST‐CFP model compares reasonably well with the other model results in both conduit and porous medium domains, and well describes water and salt exchange between the two systems. Under turbulent flow conditions within the conduit, the Darcy‐Weisbach equation calculates the flow rate more accurately without overestimation by the Darcy equation. Sensitivity analysis indicates that conduit diameter, friction factor, matrix hydraulic conductivity, and effective medium porosity are important parameters in the VDFST‐CFP model. The pros and cons of the VDFST‐CFP model are discussed, including the model assumptions and simplifications, limitations of the discrete‐continuum modeling method, and the convergence criteria. In general, the newly developed VDFST‐CFP model provides a new numerical modeling method for simulating seawater intrusion in a coastal karst aquifer with conduits.
Mixed populations and annual flood frequency estimates in the western United States: The role of atmospheric rivers
Authors: Barth Nancy A. , Villarini Gabriele , Nayak Munir A. , White Kathleen 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe Bulletin 17B framework assumes that the annual peak flow data included in a flood frequency analysis are from a homogeneous population. However, flood frequency analysis over the western United States is complicated by annual peak flow records that frequently contain annual flows generated from distinctly different flood generating mechanisms. These flood series contain multiple zero flows and/or potentially influential low floods (PILFs) that substantially deviate from the overall pattern in the data. Moreover, they often also contain extreme flood events representing different hydrometeorologic agents. Among the different flood generating mechanisms, atmospheric rivers (ARs) are responsible for large, regional‐scale floods. The spatial and fractional contribution of ARs in annual peak flow data is examined based on 1375 long‐term U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) streamgage sites with at least 30 years of data. Six main areas in which flooding is impacted by ARs at varying degrees were found throughout the western United States. The Pacific Northwest and the northern California coast have the highest fraction of AR‐generated peaks (∼80–100%), while eastern Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico have nearly no impacts from ARs. The individual regions of the central Columbia River Basin in the Pacific Northwest, the Sierra Nevada, the central and southern California coast, and central Arizona all show a mixture of 30–70% AR‐generated flood peaks. Analyses related to the largest flood peaks on record and to the estimated annual exceedance probabilities highlight the strong impact of ARs on flood hydrology in this region, together with marked regional differences.
The moving‐boundary approach for modeling gravity‐driven stable and unstable flow in soils
Authors: Brindt Naaran , Wallach Rony 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe Richards equation is unsuccessful at describing gravity‐driven unstable flow with nonmonotonic water content distribution. This shortcoming is resolved in the current study by introducing the moving‐boundary approach. Following this approach, the flow domain is divided into two subdomains with a sharp change in fluid saturation between them (moving boundary). The upper subdomain consists of water and air, whose relationship varies with space and time following the imposed boundary condition at the soil surface calculated by the Richards equation. The lower subdomain consists of an initially dry soil that remains constant. The location of the boundary between the two subdomains is part of the solution, rendering the problem nonlinear. The moving boundary solution was used after verification to demonstrate the effect of contact angle, soil characteristic curves and incoming flux on the dynamic water‐entry pressure of the soil, which depends on the soil's wettability, incoming flux at the soil surface and the wetting front's propagation rate. Lower soil wettability hinders spontaneous invasion of the dry pores and, together with a higher input flux, induces water accumulation behind the wetting front (saturation overshoot). The wetting front starts to propagate once the pressure building up behind it exceeds the dynamic water‐entry pressure. To conclude, the physically based novel moving‐boundary approach for solving stable and gravity‐driven unstable flow in soils was developed and verified. It supports the conjecture that saturation overshoot is a prerequisite for gravity‐driven fingering.
Statistical distributions for monthly aggregations of precipitation and streamflow in drought indicator applications
Authors: Svensson Cecilia , Hannaford Jamie , Prosdocimi Ilaria 
Published: December 2016

AbstractDrought indicators are used as triggers for action and so are the foundation of drought monitoring and early warning. The computation of drought indicators like the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized streamflow index (SSI) require a statistical probability distribution to be fitted to the observed data. Both precipitation and streamflow have a lower bound at zero, and their empirical distributions tend to have positive skewness. For deriving the SPI, the Gamma distribution has therefore often been a natural choice. The concept of the SSI is newer and there is no consensus regarding distribution. In the present study, twelve different probability distributions are fitted to streamflow and catchment average precipitation for four durations (1, 3, 6, and 12 months), for 121 catchments throughout the UK. The more flexible three‐ and four‐parameter distributions generally do not have a lower bound at zero, and hence may attach some probability to values below zero. As a result, there is a censoring of the possible values of the calculated SPIs and SSIs. This can be avoided by using one of the bounded distributions, such as the reasonably flexible three‐parameter Tweedie distribution, which has a lower bound (and potentially mass) at zero. The Tweedie distribution has only recently been applied to precipitation data, and only for a few sites. We find it fits both precipitation and streamflow data nearly as well as the best of the traditionally used three‐parameter distributions, and should improve the accuracy of drought indices used for monitoring and early warning.