Investigation of the Large-Scale Atmospheric Moisture Field over the Midwestern United States in relation to Summer Precipitation. Part I: Relationships between Moisture Budget Components on Different Timescales

We model the costs of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in subsurface geological formations for emissions from 138 northeastern and midwestern electricity-generating power plants. The analysis suggests coal-sourced CO 2 emissions can be stored in this region at a cost of $52–$60 ton −1 , whereas the cost to store emission from natural-gas-fired plants ranges from approximately $80 to $90. Storing emissions offshore increases the lowest total costs of CCS to over $60 per ton of CO 2 for coal. Because there apparently is sufficient onshore storage in the northeastern and midwestern United States, offshore storage is not necessary or economical unless there are additional costs or suitability issues associated with the onshore reservoirs. For example, if formation pressures are prohibitive in a large-scale deployment of onshore CCS, or if there is opposition to onshore storage, offshore storage space could probably store emissions at an additional cost of less than $10 ton −1 . Finally, it is likely that more than 8 Gt of total CO 2 emissions from this region can be stored for less $60 ton −1 , slightly more than the $50 ton −1 Section 45Q tax credits incentivizing CCS.

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Investigation of Large-Scale Atmospheric Moisture Budget and Land Surface Interactions over U.S. Southern Great Plains including for CLASIC (June 2007)

Journal of Hydrometeorology ◽

10.1175/jhm-d-12-01.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1719-1738 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Peter J. Lamb ◽

Diane H. Portis ◽

Abraham Zangvil

Keyword(s):

Great Plains ◽

Land Surface ◽

Large Scale ◽

Limited Range ◽

Surface Interactions ◽

Moisture Budget ◽

Atmospheric Moisture ◽

Flux Divergence ◽

Southern Great Plains ◽

Atmospheric Moisture Budget

Abstract The atmospheric moisture budget and surface interactions for the southern Great Plains are evaluated for contrasting May–June periods (1998, 2002, 2006, and 2007) as background for the Cloud and Land Surface Interaction Campaign (CLASIC) of (wet) 7–30 June 2007. Budget components [flux divergence (MFD), storage change (dPW), and inflow (IF/A)] are estimated from North American Regional Reanalysis data. Precipitation (P) is calculated from NCEP daily gridded data, evapotranspiration (E) is obtained as moisture budget equation residual, and the recycling ratio (PE/P) is estimated using a new equation. Regional averages are presented for months and five daily P categories. Monthly budget results show that E and E − P are strongly positively related to P; E − P generally is positive and balanced by positive MFD that results from its horizontal velocity divergence component (HD, positive) exceeding its horizontal advection component (HA, negative). An exception is 2007 (CLASIC), when E − P and MFD are negative and supported primarily by negative HA. These overall monthly results characterize low P days (≤0.6 mm), including for nonanomalous 2007, but weaken as daily P approaches 4 mm. In contrast, for 4 < P ≤ 8 mm day−1 E − P and MFD are moderately negative and balanced largely by negative HD except in 2007 (negative HA). This overall pattern was accentuated (including for nonanomalous 2007) when daily P > 8 mm. Daily PE/P ratios are small and of limited range, with P category averages 0.15–0.19. Ratios for 2007 are above average only for daily P ≤ 4 mm. CLASIC wetness principally resulted from distinctive MFD characteristics. Solar radiation, soil moisture, and crop status/yield information document surface interactions.

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Erratum to: Observed and CMIP5 modeled influence of large-scale circulation on summer precipitation and drought in the South-Central United States

Climate Dynamics ◽

10.1007/s00382-017-3805-8 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 49 (11-12) ◽

pp. 4311-4311

Author(s):

Jung-Hee Ryu ◽

Katharine Hayhoe

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Large Scale ◽

Summer Precipitation ◽

The South ◽

Large Scale Circulation ◽

South Central ◽

Central United States

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Welfare Assessment of 30 Dairy Goat Farms in the Midwestern United States

Frontiers in Veterinary Science ◽

10.3389/fvets.2021.646715 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Melissa N. Hempstead ◽

Taylor M. Lindquist ◽

Jan K. Shearer ◽

Leslie C. Shearer ◽

Vanessa M. Cave ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Large Scale ◽

Skin Lesions ◽

Median Number ◽

Two Dimensions ◽

Dairy Goat ◽

Human Consumption ◽

Dairy Goats ◽

Midwestern United States ◽

Welfare Assessment

Dairy goat animal welfare assessment protocols have been developed and conducted in Europe and the United Kingdom for dairy goats; however, there are no published reports of large-scale welfare assessment for dairy goats on farms in the Midwestern United States (US). Therefore, the objective of this study was to perform welfare assessment of lactating dairy goats and identify the most prevalent welfare issues on 30 farms across the Midwestern US. Thirty dairy goat farms (self-selected) were enrolled in the study if they shipped milk for human consumption (regardless of herd size). The number of lactating does on each farm ranged from 34 to 6,500 goats, with a median number of 158 lactating does (mean ± SD: 602 ± 1,708 lactating does). The protocol used was developed from available literature on goat welfare assessment but modified for use in the Midwestern US. Observations were made without handling the animals and included 22 animal-based indicators evaluated at the group- and individual-level. The observations were conducted during ~3–5 h during a milking session (either morning or afternoon) and time in the home pen. Principal components analysis (PCA) was carried out on the welfare assessment data from each farm. The first two dimensions of the PCA explained 34.8% of the variation. The PCA biplot indicated correlations between indicators. The most prevalent conditions observed across the 30 farms included any knee calluses (80.9%), any claw overgrowth (51.4%), poor hygiene (14.9%), skin lesions (8.9%), poor hair coat condition (8.3%) and any ear pathology (8.0%). These results are the first to provide the Midwestern US dairy goat industry with information to improve commercial dairy goat welfare.

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Observational Evidence that Great Plains Irrigation Has Enhanced Summer Precipitation Intensity and Totals in the Midwestern United States

Journal of Hydrometeorology ◽

10.1175/jhm-d-14-0115.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 1717-1735 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Ross E. Alter ◽

Ying Fan ◽

Benjamin R. Lintner ◽

Christopher P. Weaver

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Summer Precipitation ◽

Precipitation Intensity ◽

Intensity Change ◽

Monthly Precipitation ◽

Total Precipitation ◽

Precipitation Frequency ◽

Midwestern United States ◽

Spatiotemporal Trends ◽

Central United States

Abstract Significant increases in summer precipitation have occurred in the midwestern United States over the last century for reasons that remain unclear. It is postulated that the expansion of irrigation and cropland in the central United States over the past 60 yr has been a major contributor to these observed increases in precipitation. As a first step toward attribution of these precipitation changes, a detailed analysis of observed daily summer precipitation frequency and intensity is conducted for the contiguous United States over multiple spatial scales and time periods from 1895 to 2011. Robust increases in precipitation frequency, total precipitation, and moderate to heavy precipitation intensity are identified during July and August in the midwestern United States. Analysis of changes in mean monthly precipitation from the early to late twentieth century initially points to increasing frequency as the source of increasing monthly precipitation in the midwestern United States during the summer, especially during August; however, these large frequency increases are not unique to the summer. On the other hand, changes in precipitation intensity and total precipitation are both greatest during July and August and coincide spatially in the midwestern United States. Additionally, the greatest intensity change occurs downwind of the most heavily irrigated regions, especially for the period between 1950 and 1980 when irrigation rapidly intensified. Thus, the seasonality and location of these regional signatures of increasing precipitation intensity (and total precipitation) are found to be broadly consistent with spatiotemporal trends in irrigation and cropland in the central United States and may be indicative of a causal link.

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Convergence of agricultural intensification and climate change in the Midwestern United States: implications for soil and water conservation

Marine and Freshwater Research ◽

10.1071/mf12164 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 64 (5) ◽

pp. 423 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

J. L. Hatfield ◽

R. M. Cruse ◽

M. D. Tomer

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Food Supply ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Large Scale ◽

Agricultural Sector ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Soil Resource ◽

Midwestern United States ◽

Hypoxic Conditions ◽

The Face

Society faces substantial challenges to expand food production while adapting to climatic changes and ensuring ecosystem services are maintained. A convergence of these issues is occurring in the Midwestern United States, i.e. the ‘cornbelt’ region that provides substantial grain supplies to world markets but is also well known for its contribution to hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico due to agricultural nutrient losses. This review examines anticipated trends in climate and possible consequences for grain production and soil resource management in this region. The historic climate of this region has been ideal for large-scale agriculture, and its soils are among the world’s most productive. Yet under current trends, degradation of the soil resource threatens our capacity to ensure a stable food supply and a clean environment in the face of a changing climate. A set of strategies and practices can be implemented to meet these challenges by maintaining and improving hydrologic and plant-growth functions of soil, which will improve outcomes for aquatic ecosystems and for the agricultural sector. Soil management ensures our long-term capacity to provide a reliable food supply, and mitigates pressures to expand agricultural practices into marginal croplands that would lead to further environmental degradation.

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