Trends in surface temperature variability over Mumbai

izs{k.kkRed izek.kksa ls HkweaMy ij lrg rkiekuksa esa m".k izo`fRr dk irk pyrk gSA bl 'kks/k i= esa eqacbZ ds vf/kdre vkSj U;wure rkiekuksa dh izo`fRr;ksa dks Li"V fd;k x;k gSA blesa ,d n’kd ls ysdj izfrnu rd ds fofHkUu dkfyd ekiØeksa ij rkieku izo`fRr;ksa dh tk¡p dh xbZ gSA fo"ke ?kVukvksa ds ?kfVr gksus dh vko`fRr esa izo`fRr;ksa ds fy, ekSle ds leku xq.kksa ds rRoksa dh Hkh tk¡p dh xbZ gSA lkekU;r% eqacbZ esa rkieku dh c<+rh gqbZ izo`fRr ikbZ xbZ gS ftlesa U;wure rkiekuksa dh vis{kk vf/kdre rkieku vf/kd ik;k x;k gS rFkk ;g 95 izfr’kr dh fo’oLrrk Lrj ij lkaf[;dh; :i ls egRoiw.kZ gSA tk¡p dh varj&okf"kZd vkSj varjk ekSle ekuksa nksuksa ij ekWulwu iwoZ vkSj ekWulwu _rqvksa dh vis{kk 'khr _rq vkSj ekWulwuksRrj _rqvksa esa m".krk lfgr ekSleh fHkUurk Li"V :i ls vf/kd ns[kh xbZ gSA pje rkieku ds fo’ys"k.k esa ekSleh fHkUurk Hkh Li"Vr% ns[kh xbZ gSA xeZ fnuksa vkSj xeZ jkrksa esa ?kVukvksa dh vko`fRr 'khr_rq vkSj ekWulwuksRrj _rqvksa dh vis{kk ekWulwu iwoZ vkSj ekWulwu _rqvksa esa vf/kd Li"V :i ls ns[kh xbZ gSA lHkh _rqvksa esa nksuksa LVs’kuksa ij fnu vkSj jkr nksuksa ds le; ds rkiekuksa esa larqfyr m".k izo`fRr ikbZ xbZ gS gk¡ykfd ekWulwuksRrj _rq esa lkarkØqt esa ;g fHkUurk lkaf[;dh; :i ls ux.; ikbZ xbZ gSA Observational evidence points to a warming trend in surface temperatures over the globe. This paper focuses on the trends in Maximum and Minimum temperatures over Mumbai. The temperature trends were investigated at different temporal scales from decadal to daily. The seasonal series were also investigated for trends in frequency of occurrences of extreme events. In general an increasing trend is observed over Mumbai, with the increase in Maximum temperatures more than the Minimum temperatures and statistically significant at 95% confidence level. A seasonal distinction is evident with the warming more in the Winter and Post Monsoon seasons as compared to the Pre Monsoon and Monsoon seasons at both the inter-annual and intra-seasonal scales of investigation. The seasonal distinction was also evident in the extreme temperature analysis. The frequency of occurrences in the hot days and hot nights were more pronounced in the Pre Monsoon and Monsoon seasons as compared to the Winter and Post Monsoon seasons. Symmetric warming trend was observed for both the daytime and nighttime temperatures at both the stations in all the seasons though the variations at Santacruz are statistically insignificant in the Post-Monsoon season

A pathway towards healthy and naturally ventilated indoor built environment through phase change material and insulation techniques for office buildings in India

The thermal comfort of occupants is a necessary requirement for any building. The present pandemic demands us to opt for natural ventilation over air-conditioned spaces to reduce the spread of the infection. This work aims to prevent air-conditioner usage in a commercial building in India during daytime office hours while simultaneously enhancing the thermal comfort of the building occupants through natural ventilation/Phase Change Material (PCM)/insulation techniques. Four building configurations, such as Building A (conventional building with no PCM and no insulation), Building B (building-integrated with PCM), Building C (building-integrated with insulation) and Building D (building-integrated with PCM and insulation) were analysed for various locations using DesignBuilder software. From the results, it is understood that insulation integration is recommended for locations with average nighttime temperatures greater than 27°C, while PCM integration is recommended for locations with an average nighttime temperature less than 27°C during the summer season. Also, nighttime cooling of the building through an air-conditioner is necessary for all locations during summer to maintain adequate thermal comfort with natural ventilation in the daytime. Finally, an appropriate PCM/insulation technique is recommended for an office building located in each location that falls under each type of climate. Hence, the selection of PCM/insulation technique is to be made based on the specific site conditions.

Effects on Growth and Metabolism of Difference between Day and Night Temperatures (DIF) and Supplementation with Rare Earth Elements (REE) in Micropropagated Dendrobium aphyllum (Roxb.) C. E. Fischer

Dendrobium aphyllum (Roxb.) C. E. Fischer is an ornamental plant with certain medicinal values from the Orchidaceae family. Currently, micropropagation is the main means through which it is propagated. In this research, the effects of different daytime and nighttime temperatures (DIF) and medium supplementation with rare earth elements (REE) on the growth and metabolism of D. aphyllum during a micropropagation period were investigated. Three kinds of REE nitrates, La(NO₃)₃, Ce(NO₃)₃ and Nd(NO₃)₃, at four concentrations, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μM, were added to the culture medium. Three DIFs, 0, 6 and 12 °C, with an identical mean daily temperature of 20 °C, were used with photoperiod/dark period temperatures of 20/20 °C, 23/17 °C and 26/14 °C, respectively. After four weeks of culture, both supplemental REE and DIF treatments promoted growth of the plant compared with the control group. With increased REE concentration and DIF, the growth of the plants was suppressed and symptoms of stress response occurred. At the same concentration, Ce(NO₃)₃ had a more significant promotional effect on plant growth. In general, the medium supplemented with 100 μM Ce(NO₃)₃ combined with a 6 °C DIF was the most optimal for the vegetative growth of the plant. A 12 °C DIF promoted synthesis of more primary metabolites such as total proteins and polysaccharides. From the perspective of improving the medicinal values of this plant, increasing the DIF for an optimal growth environment is a valuable reference. This study can provide a technical basis for the propagation and production of Dendrobium aphyllum in the future.

Nighttime Temperatures and Sunlight Intensities Interact to Influence Anthocyanin Biosynthesis and Photooxidative Sunburn in “Fuji” Apple

Light and low temperatures induce anthocyanin accumulation, but intense sunlight causes photooxidative sunburn. Nonetheless, there have been few studies of anthocyanin synthesis under different sunlight intensities and low nighttime temperatures. Here, low nighttime temperatures followed by low light intensity were associated with greater anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes in “Fuji” apple peel. UDP-glucose flavonoid-3-O-glucosyltransferase (UFGT) activity was positively associated with anthocyanin enrichment. Ascorbic acid can be used as an electron donor of APX to scavenge H2O2 in plants, which makes it play an important role in oxidative defense. Exogenous ascorbate altered the anthocyanin accumulation and reduced the occurrence of high light–induced photooxidative sunburn by removing hydrogen peroxide from the peel. Overall, low light intensity was beneficial for the accumulation of anthocyanin and did not cause photooxidative sunburn, whereas natural light had the opposite effect on the apple peel at low nighttime temperatures. This study provides an insight into the mechanisms by which low temperatures induce apple coloration and high light intensity causes photooxidative sunburn.

Foliar Growth Regulator Sprays Induced Tolerance to Combined Heat Stress by Enhancing Physiological and Biochemical Responses in Rice

Rice yield has decreased due to climate variability and change in Colombia. Plant growth regulators have been used as a strategy to mitigate heat stress in different crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of foliar applications of four growth regulators [auxins (AUX), brassinosteroids (BR), cytokinins (CK), or gibberellins (GA)] on physiological (stomatal conductance, total chlorophyll content, Fv/Fm ratio, plant canopy temperature, and relative water content) and biochemical (Malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents) variables in two commercial rice genotypes exposed to combined heat stress (high day and nighttime temperatures). Two separate experiments were carried out using plants of two rice genotypes, Fedearroz 67 (“F67”) and Fedearroz 2000 (“F2000”) for the first and second experiments, respectively. Both trials were analyzed together as a series of experiments. The established treatments were as follows: absolute control (AC) (rice plants grown under optimal temperatures (30/25°C day/nighttime temperatures), heat stress control (SC) [rice plants only exposed to combined heat stress (40/30°C)], and stressed rice plants and sprayed twice (5 days before and after heat stress) with a plant growth regulator (stress+AUX, stress+BR, stress+CK, or stress+GA). The results showed that foliar CK sprays enhanced the total chlorophyll content in both cultivars (3.25 and 3.65 mg g−1 fresh weight for “F67” and “F2000” rice plants, respectively) compared to SC plants (2.36 and 2.56 mg g−1 fresh weight for “F67,” and “F2000” rice plants, respectively). Foliar CK application also improved stomatal conductance mainly in “F2000” rice plants compared to their heat stress control (499.25 vs.150.60 mmol m−2s−1). Foliar BR or CK sprays reduced plant canopy temperature between 2 and 3°C and MDA content in plants under heat stress. The relative tolerance index suggested that foliar CK (97.69%), and BR (60.73%) applications helped to mitigate combined heat stress mainly in “F2000” rice plants. In conclusion, foliar BR or CK applications can be considered an agronomic strategy to help to ameliorate the negative effect of combined heat stress conditions on the physiological behavior of rice plants.

Warm nights disrupt transcriptome rhythms in field-grown rice panicles

In rice, a small increase in nighttime temperature reduces grain yield and quality. How warm nighttime temperatures (WNT) produce these detrimental effects is not well understood, especially in field conditions where the typical day-to-night temperature fluctuation exceeds the mild increase in nighttime temperature. We observed genome-wide disruption of gene expression timing during the reproductive phase in field-grown rice panicles acclimated to 2 to 3 °C WNT. Transcripts previously identified as rhythmically expressed with a 24-h period and circadian-regulated transcripts were more sensitive to WNT than were nonrhythmic transcripts. The system-wide perturbations in transcript levels suggest that WNT disrupt the tight temporal coordination between internal molecular events and the environment, resulting in reduced productivity. We identified transcriptional regulators whose predicted targets are enriched for sensitivity to WNT. The affected transcripts and candidate regulators identified through our network analysis explain molecular mechanisms driving sensitivity to WNT and identify candidates that can be targeted to enhance tolerance to WNT.

Regional Geologic Mapping of the Oxia Planum Landing Site for the Exomars Mission

&lt;p&gt;In 2023, the ExoMars mission will deploy a stationary surface platform and a rover in Oxia Planum (OP), a region at the transition between the heavily cratered highlands of Mars and the ancient and filled impact basin, Chryse Planitia. While the fundamental geologic characteristics of the area have been investigated during the landing site selection process, detailed geologic or morpho-stratigraphic mapping is still missing. To fill this knowledge gap, two complementary mapping approaches were initiated by the ExoMars RSOWG: (1) Local HiRISE-scale mapping of the landing ellipse(s) area (reported elsewhere: Sefton-Nash et al., &lt;em&gt;LPSC 2021&lt;/em&gt;, #1947). (2) Regional mapping at ~CTX-scale [this study] will provide a synoptic view of the wider landing site within OP, enabling the contextualization of the units within the stratigraphy of western Arabia Terra and Chryse Planitia, and a comparison to other sites with similar key geologic and physiographic characteristics. It is also expected that this map will serve as a geologic reference throughout the mission and subsequent data analysis. The study area is located between 16.5&amp;#176;N and 19.5&amp;#176;N, and 334&amp;#176;E to 338&amp;#176;E. The data sets used for mapping include HRSC, THEMIS IR (day and night), CTX, and CaSSIS. Mapping scale in a GIS environment is 1:100,000, which will result in a final printable map at a scale of 1:1M.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mapping started in mid-October 2019. Overall, the identified map units are very similar to those described by Quantin et al. (&lt;em&gt;Astrobiology&lt;/em&gt;, vol. &lt;strong&gt;21&lt;/strong&gt;, 2021): The spatially most widespread units are the phyllosilicate-bearing unit that is the prime ExoMars target (with distinctly enhanced THEMIS nighttime temperatures when compared to its surroundings), a dark resistant unit of possibly volcanic or sedimentary origin, and a mantling unit that was likely emplaced by eolian processes. Multiple channels of various morphology and degradation state as well as sedimentary fan-shaped deposits (with low nighttime temperatures) imply a diverse and possibly long-lived history of surface runoff, perhaps accompanied or replaced by groundwater processes such as sapping. Inverted landforms (channels, impact craters) are the result of intense erosion. Additional mapped features include tectonic structures such as wrinkle ridges and lobate scarps (delineating a basin-like depression in the central mapping area), remnant erosional buttes in the northwestern portion of the mapping area (i.e. towards Chryse Planitia), craters and their ejecta blankets, and fields of eolian bedforms and secondary craters.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At the time of writing, the mapping is in its final stage, but some contacts still need to be refined. Overall, the mapping confirms previous geologic analyses. However, some features (e.g., contractional structures, channels, possible sapping landforms) need further attention as the may provide important constraints on the tectonic and aqueous evolution of the ExoMars landing area. A comparison to a distant, but geologically very similar site in Xanthe Terra, southeast of the Hypanis fan-shaped deposits, may enable testing of hypotheses raised by the geologic mapping of OP (Fr&amp;#252;h et al., &lt;em&gt;LPSC 2021&lt;/em&gt;, #1977).&lt;/p&gt;