Simulation-aided characterization of a versatile water condensation particle counter for atmospheric airborne research

Capturing the vertical profiles and horizontal variations of atmospheric aerosols often requires accurate airborne measurements. With the advantage of avoiding health and safety concerns related to the use of butanol or other chemicals, a water-based condensation particle counter (wCPC) has emerged to provide measurements under various environments. However, the airborne deployment of wCPC is relatively rare due to the lack of characterization of wCPC performance. This study investigates the performance of a commercial "versatile" water CPC (vWCPC Model 3789, TSI) under low-pressure conditions. The effect of conditioner temperature on wCPC performance at low pressure is examined through numerical simulation and laboratory experiments. We show that the default instrument temperature setting of 30 °C for the conditioner is not suitable for airborne measurement and that the optimal conditioner temperature for low-pressure operation is 27 °C. Additionally, we show that insufficient droplet growth becomes more significant under the low-pressure operation. The variation in the chemical composition can contribute up to 20 % uncertainty in the counting efficiency of the wCPC, but this variation is independent of pressure.

Seasonal M2 Internal Tides in the Arabian Sea

Internal tides play a crucial role in ocean mixing. To explore the seasonal features of mode-1 M2 internal tides in the Arabian Sea, we analyzed their propagation and energy distribution using along-track sea-level anomaly data collected by satellite altimeters. We identified four primary source regions of internal tides: Abd al Kuri Island, the Carlsberg Ridge, the northeastern Arabian Sea, and the Maldive Islands. The baroclinic signals that originate from Abd al Kuri Island propagate meridionally, whereas those originating from the west coast of India propagate southwestward. The strength and energy flux of the internal tides in the Arabian Sea exhibit significant seasonal and spatial variability. The internal tides generated during winter are more energetic and can propagate further than those generated in summer. Doppler shifting and horizontal variations in stratification can explain the differences in the internal tides’ seasonal distributions.

Innovative Hydrogeophysical Approaches as Aids to Assess Hungarian Groundwater Bodies

The Hungarian water management plan has lately identified 185 groundwater bodies based on the concepts given by the European Water Framework Directive. Achieving and maintaining the good quantitative and chemical status of these groundwater bodies is of primary importance. It is demonstrated how innovative hydrogeophysical methods can be applied successfully to assess the Hungarian or other international groundwater bodies. By applying geoelectric methods, horizontal layering or large uniform rock units can be well characterized by Wenner–Schlumberger array, also enabling accurate depth determination of the shallow groundwater table. Horizontal variations in the rock type or its state can be well described by dipole–dipole array or, even better, by the newly developed quasi-null arrays. Their joint application may be very straightforward to investigate different aquifer types by giving high-resolution resistivity images as input for hydrogeological modeling. In the identification of porous formations, multivariate statistical interpretation of wireline logs using cluster analysis allows reliable lithological separation of potential aquifers. Their clay content is estimated by robust factor analysis, while their hydraulic properties are directly derived from the resistivity log. For a more effective interpretation, a combination of surface and borehole geophysical methods can be recommended for meeting challenges in hydrogeology and groundwater management.

A Climatology of Marine Boundary Layer Cloud and Drizzle Properties Derived from Ground-Based Observations over the Azores

In this study, more than 4 years of ground-based observations and retrievals were collected and analyzed to investigate the seasonal and diurnal variations of single-layered MBL (with three subsets: nondrizzling, virga, and rain) cloud and drizzle properties, as well as their vertical and horizontal variations. The annual mean drizzle frequency was ~55%, with ~70% in winter and ~45% in summer. The cloud-top (cloud-base) height for rain clouds was the highest (lowest), resulting in the deepest cloud layer, i.e., 0.8 km, which is 4 (2) times that of nondrizzling (virga) clouds. The retrieved cloud-droplet effective radii rc were the largest (smallest) for rain (nondrizzling) clouds, and the nighttime values were greater than the daytime values. Drizzle number concentration Nd and liquid water content LWCd were three orders and one order lower, respectively, than their cloud counterparts. The rc and LWCc increased from the cloud base to zi ≈ 0.75 by condensational growth, while drizzle median radii rd increased from the cloud top downward the cloud base by collision–coalescence. The adiabaticity values monotonically increased from the cloud top to the cloud base with maxima of ~0.7 (0.3) for nondrizzling (rain) clouds. The drizzling process decreases the adiabaticity by 0.25 to 0.4, and the cloud-top entrainment mixing impacts as deep as upper 40% of the cloud layers. Cloud and drizzle homogeneities decreased with increased horizontal sampling lengths. Cloud homogeneity increases with increasing cloud fraction. These results can serve as baselines for studying MBL cloud-to-rain conversion and growth processes over the Azores.

Heat Pipes and Vertical Tectonics in Terrestrial Planets

<p>Terrestrial planet mantles cannot transport the very high heat production in their early stages through subsolidus convection and instead produce voluminous melt that makes its way to the surface to transport the heat. This heat-pipe mode of heat transport implies a very different tectonics than either the rigid or mobile-lid tectonics driven by subsolidus convection. Although  similar to rigid-lid convection in that there is relatively little horizontal motion, heat-pipe lithospheres are by no means stagnant. Vertical transport through the continuous eruption of new material on the surface reaches rates of several mm/year (with significant spatial and temporal variations). This strongly impacts the shape of the geotherm, producing a cold and strong lid (despite the high heat flow). In addition, this vertical transport produces global compressional stresses as old surfaces are buried and forced downward to smaller radii. The horizontal variations in burial rates will lead to stress concentrations and ultimately plastic failure and thrusting (see Io’s numerous tectonic uplifts as an example). The transition from the advectively dominated heat-pipe lithosphere to a thin conductive lithosphere reverses this process, resulting in a period of global extension (again with large horizontal variations) as global volcanism wanes. An additional aspect of vertical transport in the heat-pipe lithosphere is the cycling of water and other volatiles into the lithosphere and mantle as surface materials are buried. This material is available for metamorphic reactions and will interact with rocks at the wet solidus, producing evolved rock compositions and volatile by-products (e.g. methane) that will contribute to the early atmospheres of these planets. Evidence of vertical transport in ancient Earth rocks has generally been attributed to subduction but heat-pipe advection provides a more global opportunity for such cycling.</p>

The impact of culture, evaluation of store image and satisfaction on purchase intention at supermarkets

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of culture in terms of individualism and collectivism (I-C), store image and customer satisfaction, on purchase intention at supermarkets. Design/methodology/approach In order to carry out the descriptive and quantitative research, the authors applied 443 questionnaires to consumers in two Brazilian supermarket chains. The authors used structured equation modeling for data analysis. Findings Customers’ satisfaction and the evaluation of store image positively affect purchase intention; however, I-C did not show any effect. The cultural dimension slightly influenced the assessment of store image by only 2 percent. Store image positively affects consumer satisfaction. Research limitations/implications This study used convenience sampling and omission of vertical and horizontal variations of I-C in data analyses. The authors suggested the use of probabilistic sampling and the inclusion of vertical and horizontal variations of I-C. The relationships investigated herein can still be analyzed in other contexts. Practical implications In order to increase satisfaction and purchase intention, it is necessary to prioritize aspects related to layout, service and products’ variety and quality. Still, managers should not worry about I-C, since it does not affect purchase intention. Originality/value The authors observed the relevance of the study after carrying out a literature review on the subject. There is a lack of studies that investigate the relationship between I-C, evaluation of store image, consumer satisfaction and purchase intention, either together or in the context of supermarkets.

The heavy metals/trace elements contents of sediments from Owalla Reservoir, Osun State, Southwest Nigeria

The heavy metals/trace elements contents of sediment samples from Owalla Reservoir were analyzed every three months in two annual cycles (March 2011 – February 2013). The main aim was to measure concentrations of selected elements in sediment samples, their variations in space and seasons and the level of pollution and/or contamination. The bottom sediment samples were collected with a Van Veen Grab and the elemental analysis in the laboratory was based on air-dried samples following standard methods. The overall hierarchy of heavy metals/trace elements in the sediments of the reservoir was in the decreasing order of concentrations: Fe > Mn > As > Zn > Ni > Co > Cr > Cu > Pb > Cd. The concentrations of the heavy metals did not follow any definite pattern from the upstream-downstream basin, although most of them (Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Co) showed significant differences (P<0.05) in their horizontal variations. Mn, Pb, Co, Fe, Ni, and Zn were significantly (P<0.05) higher at the open water region than in the littoral region. All the elements except Ni did not show significant seasonal variations (P>0.05). Most of the elements in the reservoir sediment have concentrations within the background levels and concentrations defined in environmental regulations and guidelines, except for As and Cd. The contamination factors (Cf) for most metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) suggested low contamination in the sediments (Cf < 1.0). Conversely, the sediments were moderately contaminated with Cd (Cf = 2.41) and very highly contaminated with As (Cf = 19.33).

Major factors in the development of political attitudes

When studying the political development of young people, level of education matters. However, instead of concentrating on the amount of education and how it affects one’s political attributes (vertical effects of education), we consider the effects of characteristics of one’s education, specifically one’s college major, among people with similar levels of education (horizontal effects). Our study demonstrates that the discipline in which one majors affects one’s political development, over and above the expected self-selection effects. While our results are modest, they suggest that there is much to be gained from exploring horizontal variations in education and its effects on political attributes.