scholarly journals Description and evaluation of the tropospheric aerosol scheme in the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS-AER, cycle 47R1) of ECMWF

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Rémy ◽  
Zak Kipling ◽  
Vincent Huijnen ◽  
Johannes Flemming ◽  
Pierre Nabat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Surface Concentration ◽  
Sulfate Production ◽  
Aerosol Emission ◽  
Tropospheric Aerosol ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Simulated Surface ◽  
Forecasting System

Abstract. This article describes the IFS-AER aerosol scheme used operationally in the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) cycle 47R1, operated by the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) in the framework of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Services (CAMS). It represents an update of the Rémy et al. (2019) article which focused on cycle 45R1 of IFS-AER. The parameterizations of sources and sinks that have been updated since cycle 45R1 are described, as well as changes in the configuration used operationally within CAMS. As compared to cycle 45R1, a greater integration of aerosol and chemistry has been achieved. Primary aerosol sources have been updated, with the implementation of new dust and seasalt aerosol emission schemes. New dry and wet deposition parameterizations have also been implemented. Sulfate production rates are now provided by the global chemistry component of the IFS. This paper aims to describe most of the updates that have been implemented since cycle 45R1 and not only the ones that are used operationally in cycle 47R1; components that are not used operationally will be clearly flagged. Cycle 47R1 of IFS-AER has been evaluated against a wide range surface and total column observations. The final simulated products such as Particulate Matter (PM) and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) generally show a significant increase in skill as compared to results obtained with cycle 45R1. Similarly, the simulated surface concentration of sulphate, organic matter and sea-salt aerosol is improved by cycle 47R1 as compared to cycle 45R1. Some imbalances persist, such as a too high surface concentration of nitrate and organic matter. The new wet and dry deposition schemes that have been implemented into cycle 47R1 have a mostly positive impact on simulated AOD, PM and speciated aerosol surface concentration.

Recent updates to the atmospheric aerosol modelling of the ECMWF IFS in support to CAMS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Remy ◽  
Zak Kipling ◽  
Vincent Huijnen ◽  
Johannes Flemming ◽  
Swen Metzger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Dry Deposition ◽  
Wet Deposition ◽  
Deposition Velocity ◽  
Surface Concentration ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Skill Scores ◽  
Simulated Surface ◽  
The Impact

<p>The Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) of ECMWF is used within the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) to provide global analyses and forecasts of atmospheric composition, including aerosols as well as reactive trace gases and greenhouse gases.</p><p>The aerosol model of the IFS, IFS-AER, is a simple sectional-bulk scheme that forecasts seven species:  dust, sea-salt, black carbon, organic matter, sulfate, and  since July 2019, nitrate and ammonium.  The main developments that have been recently carried out, tested and are now contemplated for implementation in the next operational version (known as cycle 48r1) are presented here.</p><p>The dry deposition velocities are computed as a function of roughness length, particle size and surface friction velocity, while wet deposition depends mainly on the precipitation fluxes. The parameterizations of both dry and wet deposition have been upgraded with more recent schemes, which have been shown to improve the simulated deposition fluxes for several aerosol species. The impact of this upgrade on the skill scores of simulated aerosol optical depth (AOD) and surface particulate matter concentrations against a range of observations is very positive.</p><p>The simulated surface concentration of nitrate and ammonium are frequently strongly overestimated over Europe and the  United States in the current version of the IFS. Nitrate, ammonium, and their precursors nitric acid and ammonia, were evaluated against a range of ground and remote data and it was found that the recently-implemented gas-particle partitioning scheme is too efficient in producing nitrate and ammonium particles.</p><p>A series of small-scale changes, such as adjusting nitrate dry deposition velocity, direct particulate sulphate emission, and limiting nitrate/ammonium production by the concentration of mineral cations, have been implemented and shown to be effective in improving the simulated surface concentration of  nitrate and ammonium.</p><p>The representation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) in the IFS has been overhauled with the introduction of a new SOA species, distinct from primary organic matter, with anthropogenic and biogenic components. The implementation of this new species leads to a significant improvement of the simulated surface concentration of organic carbon. An evaluation of simulated SOA concentrations at the surface against climatological values derived from observations using Positive Matrix Factorisation (PMF) techniques also shows a reasonable agreement.</p>

Coagulation/flocculation/ultrafiltration for natural organic matter removal in drinking water production

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 215-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.R. Costa ◽  
M.N. de Pinho
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Natural Organic Matter ◽  
Membrane Fouling ◽  
Membrane Filtration ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Water Production ◽  
Cellulose Acetate Membranes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Drinking Water Production

Membrane fouling by natural organic matter (NOM), namely by humic substances (HS), is a major problem in water treatment for drinking water production using membrane processes. Membrane fouling is dependent on membrane morphology like pore size and on water characteristics namely NOM nature. This work addresses the evaluation of the efficiency of ultrafiltration (UF) and Coagulation/Flocculation/UF performance in terms of permeation fluxes and HS removal, of the water from Tagus River (Valada). The operation of coagulation with chitosan was evaluated as a pretreatment for minimization of membrane fouling. UF experiments were carried out in flat cells of 13.2×10−4 m2 of membrane surface area and at transmembrane pressures from 1 to 4 bar. Five cellulose acetate membranes were laboratory made to cover a wide range of molecular weight cut-off (MWCO): 2,300, 11,000, 28,000, 60,000 and 75,000 Da. Severe fouling is observed for the membranes with the highest cut-off. In the permeation experiments of raw water, coagulation prior to membrane filtration led to a significant improvement of the permeation performance of the membranes with the highest MWCO due to the particles and colloidal matter removal.

scholarly journals Genetic Differentiation in Anthocyanin Content among Berry Fruits

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
Alicja Ponder ◽  
Ewelina Hallmann ◽  
Martyna Kwolek ◽  
Dominika Średnicka-Tober ◽  
Renata Kazimierczak
Keyword(s):  
Essential Role ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Skin Pigmentation ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Anthocyanin Content ◽  
Healthy Nutrition ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Berry Fruits ◽  
Red Currant

Anthocyanins are widely distributed secondary metabolites that play an essential role in skin pigmentation of many plant organs and microorganisms. Anthocyanins have been associated with a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. They are also effective agents in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Berries are particularly abundant in these compounds; therefore, their dietary intake has health-promoting effects. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the anthocyanin content in selected species and cultivars of berry fruits, such as raspberry, blackberry, red currant, blackcurrant, and highbush blueberry, widely consumed by Europeans. The concentrations of anthocyanins were determined by HPLC, identifying individual compounds: cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, and malvidin-3-O-galactoside. The experimental data showed that the selected species and cultivars of berry fruits differ significantly in the contents of anthocyanins. Among all species tested, blackberry and blackcurrant were characterized significantly by the highest content of anthocyanins (sum), while the lowest content was found in red currant fruits. Additionally, the content of individual anthocyanin compounds in particular species and cultivars was also different. Considering the high content of anthocyanins and their potential positive impact on human health and protection against disease, berries should be part of healthy nutrition.

The Effects of Technology Supports on Community Grocery Shopping Skills for Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 016264342198997
Author(s):  
Sojung Jung ◽  
Ciara Ousley ◽  
David McNaughton ◽  
Pamela Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

In this meta-analytic review, we investigated the effects of technology supports on the acquisition of shopping skills for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) between the ages of 5 and 24. Nineteen single-case experimental research studies, presented in 15 research articles, met the current study’s inclusion criteria and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards. An analysis of potential moderators was conducted, and we calculated effect sizes using Tau-U to examine the impact of age, diagnosis, and type of technology on the reported outcomes for the 56 participants. The results from the included studies provide evidence that a wide range of technology interventions had a positive impact on shopping performance. These positive effects were seen for individuals across a wide range of ages and disability types, and for a wide variety of shopping skills. The strongest effect sizes were observed for technologies that provided visual supports rather than just auditory support. We provide an interpretation of the findings, implications of the results, and recommended areas for future research.

scholarly journals A Review on Biosensors and Recent Development of Nanostructured Materials-Enabled Biosensors

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1109
Author(s):  
Varnakavi. Naresh ◽  
Nohyun Lee
Keyword(s):  
High Surface ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Biological Response ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Recent Decade ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Electrical Signal ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Color Tunability

A biosensor is an integrated receptor-transducer device, which can convert a biological response into an electrical signal. The design and development of biosensors have taken a center stage for researchers or scientists in the recent decade owing to the wide range of biosensor applications, such as health care and disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, water and food quality monitoring, and drug delivery. The main challenges involved in the biosensor progress are (i) the efficient capturing of biorecognition signals and the transformation of these signals into electrochemical, electrical, optical, gravimetric, or acoustic signals (transduction process), (ii) enhancing transducer performance i.e., increasing sensitivity, shorter response time, reproducibility, and low detection limits even to detect individual molecules, and (iii) miniaturization of the biosensing devices using micro-and nano-fabrication technologies. Those challenges can be met through the integration of sensing technology with nanomaterials, which range from zero- to three-dimensional, possessing a high surface-to-volume ratio, good conductivities, shock-bearing abilities, and color tunability. Nanomaterials (NMs) employed in the fabrication and nanobiosensors include nanoparticles (NPs) (high stability and high carrier capacity), nanowires (NWs) and nanorods (NRs) (capable of high detection sensitivity), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (large surface area, high electrical and thermal conductivity), and quantum dots (QDs) (color tunability). Furthermore, these nanomaterials can themselves act as transduction elements. This review summarizes the evolution of biosensors, the types of biosensors based on their receptors, transducers, and modern approaches employed in biosensors using nanomaterials such as NPs (e.g., noble metal NPs and metal oxide NPs), NWs, NRs, CNTs, QDs, and dendrimers and their recent advancement in biosensing technology with the expansion of nanotechnology.

A generally applicable pedotransfer function that estimates field capacity and permanent wilting point from soil texture and bulk density

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 761-774 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. P. Pollacco
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
The United States ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Pedotransfer Function ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fitting Parameters

Hydrological models require the determination of fitting parameters that are tedious and time consuming to acquire. A rapid alternative method of estimating the fitting parameters is to use pedotransfer functions. This paper proposes a reliable method to estimate soil moisture at -33 and -1500 kPa from soil texture and bulk density. This method reduces the saturated moisture content by multiplying it with two non-linear functions depending on sand and clay contents. The novel pedotransfer function has no restrictions on the range of the texture predictors and gives reasonable predictions for soils with bulk density that varies from 0.25 to 2.16 g cm-3. These pedotransfer functions require only five parameters for each pressure head. It is generally accepted that the introduction of organic matter as a predictor improves the outcomes; however it was found by using a porosity based pedotransfer model, using organic matter as a predictor only modestly improves the accuracy. The model was developed employing 18 559 samples from the IGBP-DIS soil data set for pedotransfer function development (Data and Information System of the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme) database that embodies all major soils across the United States of America. The function is reliable and performs well for a wide range of soils occurring in very dry to very wet climates. Climatical grouping of the IGBP-DIS soils was proposed (aquic, tropical, cryic, aridic), but the results show that only tropical soils require specific grouping. Among many other different non-climatical soil groups tested, only humic and vitric soils were found to require specific grouping. The reliability of the pedotransfer function was further demonstrated with an independent database from Northern Italy having heterogeneous soils, and was found to be comparable or better than the accuracy of other pedotransfer functions found in the literature. Key words: Pedotransfer functions, soil moisture, soil texture, bulk density, organic matter, grouping

scholarly journals One year of Raman lidar observations of free-tropospheric aerosol layers over South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 5429-5442 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Giannakaki ◽  
A. Pfüller ◽  
K. Korhonen ◽  
T. Mielonen ◽  
L. Laakso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Optical Properties ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
Aerosol Layer ◽  
Raman Lidar ◽  
Tropospheric Aerosol ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
532 Nm

Abstract. Raman lidar data obtained over a 1 year period has been analysed in relation to aerosol layers in the free troposphere over the Highveld in South Africa. In total, 375 layers were observed above the boundary layer during the period 30 January 2010 to 31 January 2011. The seasonal behaviour of aerosol layer geometrical characteristics, as well as intensive and extensive optical properties were studied. The highest centre heights of free-tropospheric layers were observed during the South African spring (2520 ± 970 m a.g.l., also elsewhere). The geometrical layer depth was found to be maximum during spring, while it did not show any significant difference for the rest of the seasons. The variability of the analysed intensive and extensive optical properties was high during all seasons. Layers were observed at a mean centre height of 2100 ± 1000 m with an average lidar ratio of 67 ± 25 sr (mean value with 1 standard deviation) at 355 nm and a mean extinction-related Ångström exponent of 1.9 ± 0.8 between 355 and 532 nm during the period under study. Except for the intensive biomass burning period from August to October, the lidar ratios and Ångström exponents are within the range of previous observations for urban/industrial aerosols. During Southern Hemispheric spring, the biomass burning activity is clearly reflected in the optical properties of the observed free-tropospheric layers. Specifically, lidar ratios at 355 nm were 89 ± 21, 57 ± 20, 59 ± 22 and 65 ± 23 sr during spring (September–November), summer (December–February), autumn (March–May) and winter (June–August), respectively. The extinction-related Ångström exponents between 355 and 532 nm measured during spring, summer, autumn and winter were 1.8 ± 0.6, 2.4 ± 0.9, 1.8 ± 0.9 and 1.8 ± 0.6, respectively. The mean columnar aerosol optical depth (AOD) obtained from lidar measurements was found to be 0.46 ± 0.35 at 355 nm and 0.25 ± 0.2 at 532 nm. The contribution of free-tropospheric aerosols on the AOD had a wide range of values with a mean contribution of 46%.

Increasing Hardness of Surface Layer of Low-Carbon Steel by Account of Plasma Treatment of Coating Modification

2021 ◽  
Vol 316 ◽  
pp. 794-802
Author(s):  
Andrey E. Balanovsky ◽  
Van Trieu Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Surface Layer ◽  
Thermal Treatment ◽  
Plasma Treatment ◽  
Plasma Heating ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Surface Hardness ◽  
High Hardness ◽  
Diffusion Region ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Wide Range

The Purpose of paper is to conduct studies to assess the possibility of increasing the hardness of the surface layer of steel St3 grade by plasma heating of the applied surface coating containing powder alloy PR-N80X13S2R. Mixtures of pasta were divided into 2 groups: for furnace chemical-thermal treatment and plasma surface melting. The study of the microstructure showed a difference in the depth of the saturated layer, depending on the processing method, during chemical-thermal treatment-1 mm, plasma fusion - 2 mm. The results of measuring the surface micro-hardness showed that, the obtained coating from a mixture of PR-N80X13S2R + Cr2O3 + NH4Cl has a uniform high surface hardness (31-64 HRC), from a mixture of only PR-N80X13S2R - the surface hardness varies in a wide range (15-60 HRC). The study of the microhardness of the cross section of the surface layer showed that, the diffusion region: from a mixture of powder PR-N80X13S2R + Cr2O3 + NH4Cl has uniform hardness (450-490 HV); from a mixture of PR-N80X13S2R - hardness increases in the depth of the molten region (from 300 to 600 HV), and sharply decreases in the heat affected zone (210-170 HV). The use of PR-N80X13S2R alloy powder as the main component in the composition of the paste deposited on the St3 surface during plasma treatment leads to the formation of a doped surface layer with high hardness.

Understanding Micro-Droplet Interface Bilayers for Developing Bioinspired Sensors

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guru Venkatesan ◽  
Andy Sarles
Keyword(s):  
Water Droplet ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
High Surface ◽  
High Surface Area ◽  
Material System ◽  
Modes Of Operation ◽  
New Class ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Droplet Sizes ◽  
The Stability

Droplet-based biomolecular arrays form the basis for a new class of bioinspired material system, whereby decreasing the sizes of the droplets and increasing the number of droplets can lead to higher functional density for the array. In this paper, we report on a non-microfluidic approach to form and connect nanoliter-to-femtoliter, lipid-coated aqueous droplets in oil to form micro-droplet interface bilayers (μDIBs). Two different modes of operation are reported for dispensing a wide range of droplet sizes (2–200μm radius). Due to the high surface-area-to-volume ratios of microdroplets at these length scales, droplet shrinking is prominent, which affects the stability and lifetime of the bilayer. To better quantify these effects, we measure the shrinkage rates for 8 different water droplet/oil compositions and study the effect of lipid placement and lipid type on morphological changes to μDIBs.

scholarly journals Facile Fabrication of Multifunctional ZnO Urchins on Surfaces

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abinash Tripathy ◽  
Patryk Wąsik ◽  
Syama Sreedharan ◽  
Dipankar Nandi ◽  
Oier Bikondoa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Water Contact Angle ◽  
Surface Density ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Secondary Growth ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Growth Step ◽  
Si Substrates ◽  
Wide Range

Functional ZnO nanostructured surfaces are important in a wide range of applications. Here we report the simple fabrication of ZnO surface structures at near room temperature with morphology resembling that of sea urchins, with densely packed, μm-long, tapered nanoneedles radiating from the urchin center. The ZnO urchin structures were successfully formed on several different substrates with high surface density and coverage, including silicon (Si), glass, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and copper (Cu) sheets, as well as Si seeded with ZnO nanocrystals. Time-resolved SEM revealed growth kinetics of the ZnO nanostructures on Si, capturing the emergence of “infant” urchins at the early growth stage and subsequent progressive increases in the urchin nanoneedle length and density, whilst the spiky nanoneedle morphology was retained throughout the growth. ε-Zn(OH)2 orthorhombic crystals were also observed alongside the urchins. The crystal structures of the nanostructures at different growth times were confirmed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. On seeded Si substrates, a two-stage growth mechanism was identified, with a primary growth step of vertically aligned ZnO nanoneedle arrays preceding the secondary growth of the urchins atop the nanoneedle array. The antibacterial, anti-reflective, and wetting functionality of the ZnO urchins—with spiky nanoneedles and at high surface density—on Si substrates was demonstrated. First, bacteria colonization was found to be suppressed on the surface after 24 h incubation in gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) culture, in contrast to control substrates (bare Si and Si sputtered with a 20 nm ZnO thin film). Secondly, the ZnO urchin surface, exhibiting superhydrophilic property with a water contact angle ~ 0°, could be rendered superhydrophobic with a simple silanization step, characterized by an apparent water contact angle θ of 159° ± 1.4° and contact angle hysteresis ∆θ < 7°. The dynamic superhydrophobicity of the surface was demonstrated by the bouncing-off of a falling 10 μL water droplet, with a contact time of 15.3 milliseconds (ms), captured using a high-speed camera. Thirdly, it was shown that the presence of dense spiky ZnO nanoneedles and urchins on the seeded Si substrate exhibited a reflectance R < 1% over the wavelength range λ = 200–800 nm. The ZnO urchins with a unique morphology fabricated via a simple route at room temperature, and readily implementable on different substrates, may be further exploited for multifunctional surfaces and product formulations.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document