scholarly journals Variability and Trends in U.S. Cloud Cover: ISCCP, PATMOS-x, and CLARA-A1 Compared to Homogeneity-Adjusted Weather Observations

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 4373-4389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bomin Sun ◽  
Melissa Free ◽  
Hye Lim Yoo ◽  
Michael J. Foster ◽  
Andrew Heidinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Cover ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Weather Station ◽  
Surface Solar Radiation ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Station Data ◽  
Weather Observations ◽  
Avhrr Data

Abstract Variability and trends in total cloud cover for 1982–2009 across the contiguous United States from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP), AVHRR Pathfinder Atmospheres–Extended (PATMOS-x), and EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring Clouds, Albedo and Radiation from AVHRR Data Edition 1 (CLARA-A1) satellite datasets are assessed using homogeneity-adjusted weather station data. The station data, considered as “ground truth” in the evaluation, are generally well correlated with the ISCCP and PATMOS-x data and with the physically related variables diurnal temperature range, precipitation, and surface solar radiation. Among the satellite products, overall, the PATMOS-x data have the highest interannual correlations with the weather station cloud data and those other physically related variables. The CLARA-A1 daytime dataset generally shows the lowest correlations, even after trends are removed. For the U.S. mean, the station dataset shows a negative but not statistically significant trend of −0.40% decade−1, and satellite products show larger downward trends ranging from −0.55% to −5.00% decade−1 for 1984–2007. PATMOS-x 1330 local time trends for U.S. mean cloud cover are closest to those in the station data, followed by the PATMOS-x diurnally corrected dataset and ISCCP, with CLARA-A1 having a large negative trend contrasting strongly with the station data. These results tend to validate the usefulness of weather station cloud data for monitoring changes in cloud cover, and they show that the long-term stability of satellite cloud datasets can be assessed by comparison to homogeneity-adjusted station data and other physically related variables.

Arctic Cloud Changes from Surface and Satellite Observations

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (15) ◽  
pp. 4233-4242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Eastman ◽  
Stephen G. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Cloud Cover ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Interannual Variations ◽  
Infrared Observation ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Surface Data ◽  
Avhrr Data ◽  
Very High

Abstract Visual cloud reports from land and ocean regions of the Arctic are analyzed for total cloud cover. Trends and interannual variations in surface cloud data are compared to those obtained from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Television and Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) satellite data. Over the Arctic as a whole, trends and interannual variations show little agreement with those from satellite data. The interannual variations from AVHRR are larger in the dark seasons than in the sunlit seasons (6% in winter, 2% in summer); however, in the surface observations, the interannual variations for all seasons are only 1%–2%. A large negative trend for winter found in the AVHRR data is not seen in the surface data. At smaller geographic scales, time series of surface- and satellite-observed cloud cover show some agreement except over sea ice during winter. During the winter months, time series of satellite-observed clouds in numerous grid boxes show variations that are strangely coherent throughout the entire Arctic.

Stability and Change in Emotional Intelligence: Exploring the Transition to Young Adulthood

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 100-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D.A. Parker ◽  
Donald H. Saklofske ◽  
Laura M. Wood ◽  
Jennifer M. Eastabrook ◽  
Robyn N. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Postsecondary Education ◽  
Life Transition ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Major Life ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Transition From High School

Abstract. The concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has attracted growing interest from researchers working in various fields. The present study examined the long-term stability (32 months) of EI-related abilities over the course of a major life transition (the transition from high school to university). During the first week of full-time study, a large group of undergraduates completed the EQ-i:Short; 32 months later a random subset of these students (N = 238), who had started their postsecondary education within 24 months of graduating from high school, completed the measures for a second time. The study found EI scores to be relatively stable over the 32-month time period. EI scores were also found to be significantly higher at Time 2; the overall pattern of change in EI-levels was more than can be attributed to the increased age of the participants.

Multi-Center Calibration of the Second Reference Material for Thromboplastin, Rabbit, Plain, Coded CRM 149R

1991 ◽  
Vol 65 (03) ◽  
pp. 263-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M H P van den Besselaar ◽  
R M Bertina
Keyword(s):  
Reference Material ◽  
Standard Error ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
Sensitivity Index ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Significant Bias ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
International Sensitivity Index

SummaryIn a collaborative trial of eleven laboratories which was performed mainly within the framework of the European Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), a second reference material for thromboplastin, rabbit, plain, was calibrated against its predecessor RBT/79. This second reference material (coded CRM 149R) has a mean International Sensitivity Index (ISI) of 1.343 with a standard error of the mean of 0.035. The standard error of the ISI was determined by combination of the standard errors of the ISI of RBT/79 and the slope of the calibration line in this trial.The BCR reference material for thromboplastin, human, plain (coded BCT/099) was also included in this trial for assessment of the long-term stability of the relationship with RBT/79. The results indicated that this relationship has not changed over a period of 8 years. The interlaboratory variation of the slope of the relationship between CRM 149R and RBT/79 was significantly lower than the variation of the slope of the relationship between BCT/099 and RBT/79. In addition to the manual technique, a semi-automatic coagulometer according to Schnitger & Gross was used to determine prothrombin times with CRM 149R. The mean ISI of CRM 149R was not affected by replacement of the manual technique by this particular coagulometer.Two lyophilized plasmas were included in this trial. The mean slope of relationship between RBT/79 and CRM 149R based on the two lyophilized plasmas was the same as the corresponding slope based on fresh plasmas. Tlowever, the mean slope of relationship between RBT/79 and BCT/099 based on the two lyophilized plasmas was 4.9% higher than the mean slope based on fresh plasmas. Thus, the use of these lyophilized plasmas induced a small but significant bias in the slope of relationship between these thromboplastins of different species.

The Stability of the WHO Reference Thromboplastin NIBS & C 67/40

1979 ◽  
Vol 42 (04) ◽  
pp. 1135-1140 ◽  
Author(s):  
G I C Ingram
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Collaborative Study ◽  
Calibration Constant ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Freeze Dried ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Human Material ◽  
Reference Preparation ◽  
The Stability

SummaryThe International Reference Preparation of human brain thromboplastin coded 67/40 has been thought to show evidence of instability. The evidence is discussed and is not thought to be strong; but it is suggested that it would be wise to replace 67/40 with a new preparation of human brain, both for this reason and because 67/40 is in a form (like Thrombotest) in which few workers seem to use human brain. A �plain� preparation would be more appropriate; and a freeze-dried sample of BCT is recommended as the successor preparation. The opportunity should be taken also to replace the corresponding ox and rabbit preparations. In the collaborative study which would be required it would then be desirable to test in parallel the three old and the three new preparations. The relative sensitivities of the old preparations could be compared with those found in earlier studies to obtain further evidence on the stability of 67/40; if stability were confirmed, the new preparations should be calibrated against it, but if not, the new human material should receive a calibration constant of 1.0 and the new ox and rabbit materials calibrated against that.The types of evidence available for monitoring the long-term stability of a thromboplastin are discussed.

Use of Transparent Conductive Oxide Materials with Low Indices of Refraction in Amorphous Silicon-Based Solar Cell Technology

2005 ◽  
Vol 862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott J. Jones ◽  
Joachim Doehler ◽  
Tongyu Liu ◽  
David Tsu ◽  
Jeff Steele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Transparent Conductive Oxide ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
Back Reflectors ◽  
Stability Issues ◽  
Silicon Based ◽  
Solar Cell Technology

AbstractNew types of transparent conductive oxides with low indices of refraction have been developed for use in optical stacks for the amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cell and other thin film applications. The alloys are ZnO based with Si and MgF added to reduce the index of the materials through the creation of SiO2 or MgF2, with n=1.3-1.4, or the addition of voids in the materials. Alloys with 12-14% Si or Mg have indices of refraction at λ=800nm between 1.6 and 1.7. These materials are presently being used in optical stacks to enhance light scattering by Al/multi-layer/ZnO back reflectors in a-Si based solar cells to increase light absorption in the semiconductor layers and increase open circuit currents and boost device efficiencies. In contrast to Ag/ZnO back reflectors which have long term stability issues due to electromigration of Ag, these Al based back reflectors should be stable and usable in manufactured PV products. In this manuscript, structural properties for the materials will be reported as well as the performance of solar cell devices made using these new types of materials.

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