Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Comparison Of Coincident Rayleigh-Scatter And Sodium Resonance Lidar Temperature Measurements From The Mesosphere-Lower-Thermosphere Region, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Neal R. Criddle, Tao Yuan

All Physics Faculty Presentations

There are relatively few instruments that have the capabilities to make near continuous measurements of the mesosphere-lower-thermosphere (MLT) region. Rayleigh scatter and resonance lidars, particularly sodium resonance lidar, have been the two dominant ground-based techniques for acquiring mesosphere and MLT vertical temperature profiles, respectively, for more than two decades. With these measurements, the dynamics (gravity waves, tides) and long-term temperature trends (upper atmosphere cooling) of the MLT region can be studied. The Utah State University (USU; 41.7º N, 111.8º W) campus hosts a unique upper atmospheric observatory which houses both a high-power, large-aperture Rayleigh lidar and a sodium resonance Doppler …

Comparison Of Coincident Rayleigh-Scatter And Sodium Resonance Lidar Temperature Measurements From The Mesosphere-Lower-Thermosphere Region, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Neal R. Criddle, Tao Yuan

All Physics Faculty Publications

There are relatively few instruments that have the capabilities to make near continuous measurements of the mesosphere-lower-thermosphere (MLT) region. Rayleigh scatter and resonance lidars, particularly sodium resonance lidar, have been the two dominant ground-based techniques for acquiring mesosphere and MLT vertical temperature profiles, respectively, for more than two decades. With these measurements, the dynamics (gravity waves, tides) and long-term temperature trends (upper atmosphere cooling) of the MLT region can be studied. The Utah State University (USU; 41.7º N, 111.8º W) campus hosts a unique upper atmospheric observatory which houses both a high-power, large-aperture Rayleigh lidar and a sodium resonance Doppler …

Dynamics Of Density Cavities Generated By Frictional Heating: Formation, Distortion, And Instability, M. D. Zettergren, J. L. Semeter, H. Dahlgren

Publications

A simulation study of the generation and evolution of mesoscale density cavities in the polar ionosphere is conducted using a time-dependent, nonlinear, quasi-electrostatic model. The model demonstrates that density cavities, generated by frictional heating, can form in as little as 90 s due to strong electric fields of ∼120 mV/m, which are sometimes observed near auroral zone and polar cap arcs. Asymmetric density cavity features and strong plasma density gradients perpendicular to the geomagnetic field are naturally generated as a consequence of the strong convection and finite extent of the auroral feature. The walls of the auroral density cavities are …

Odu, William & Mary Seek Funds For Joint Center On Sea-Level Rise, Dave Mayfield

News Items

No abstract provided.

Three-Dimensional Wind Speed And Flux Measurements Over A Rain-Fed Soybean Field Using Orthogonal And Non-Orthogonal Sonic Anemometer Designs, Taylor Thomas

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The eddy covariance method for estimating fluxes of trace gases, energy and momentum in the constant flux layer above a plant canopy fundamentally relies on accurate measurements of the vertical wind speed. This wind speed is typically measured using a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer. Previous studies comparing anemometers with orthogonal transducer sets to those with non-orthogonal transducer sets suggest differences in measured 3D wind speed components, particularly for a vertical component. These differences, attributed to additional flow distortion caused by the non-orthogonal transducer arrangement and support structure, directly affect fluxes of trace gases, energy and momentum. A field experiment was conducted …

Development And Evaluation Of A Multi-Year Fractional Surface Water Data Set Derived From Active/Passive Microwave Remote Sensing Data, Ronny Schroeder, Kyle C. Mcdonald, Bruce D. Chapman, Katherine Jensen, Erika Podest, Zachary D. Tessler, Theodore J. Bohn, Reiner Zimmermann

Publications and Research

The sensitivity of Earth’s wetlands to observed shifts in global precipitation and temperature patterns and their ability to produce large quantities of methane gas are key global change questions. We present a microwave satellite-based approach for mapping fractional surface water (FW) globally at 25-km resolution. The approach employs a land cover-supported, atmospherically-corrected dynamic mixture model applied to 20+ years (1992–2013) of combined, daily, passive/active microwave remote sensing data. The resulting product, known as Surface WAter Microwave Product Series (SWAMPS), shows strong microwave sensitivity to sub-grid scale open water and inundated wetlands comprising open plant canopies. SWAMPS’ FW compares favorably (R2 …

No Reef Is An Island: Integrating Coral Reef Connectivity Data Into The Design Of Regional-Scale Marine Protected Area Networks, Steven R. Schill, George T. Raber, Jason J. Roberts, Eric A. Treml, Jorge Brenner, Patrick N. Halpin

Faculty Publications

We integrated coral reef connectivity data for the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico into a conservation decision-making framework for designing a regional scale marine protected area (MPA) network that provides insight into ecological and political contexts. We used an ocean circulation model and regional coral reef data to simulate eight spawning events from 2008–2011, applying a maximum 30-day pelagic larval duration and 20% mortality rate. Coral larval dispersal patterns were analyzed between coral reefs across jurisdictional marine zones to identify spatial relationships between larval sources and destinations within countries and territories across the region. We applied our results in Marxan, …

Rear-Flank Outflow Dynamics And Thermodynamics In The 10 June 2010 Last Chance, Colorado Supercell, Curtis J. Riganti

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

On 10 June 2010, the second Verification of the Origins of Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX2) armada observed the non-tornadic phase of a supercell thunderstorm near Last Chance, Colorado. Tempest unmanned aircraft system (UAS) data collected in the rear-flank outflow revealed what appeared to be an elevated outflow head, turbulent wake, and a cold secondary outflow surge. Surface thermodynamic and kinematic data collected by StickNets and mobile mesonets suggested that the outflow wake may have extended to or very near the surface, perhaps cutting off the leading edge of the outflow at times. Single-Doppler data collected by the NOAA X-Pol Mobile Polarimetric …

Umphlett Qci 2015, Natalie A. Umphlett

HPRCC Personnel Publications

Highlights for the Basin

Temperature and Precipitation Anomalies

Late Hard Freeze

Late Freezes Extended Growing Season

Warm Fall Delays Bird Migrations

Monitoring Water Resources Across the Basin

3-Month Precipitation and Temperature Outlooks

Evaluation Of Large‑Scale Meteorological Patterns Associated With Temperature Extremes In The Narccap Regional Climate Model Simulations, Paul C. Loikith, Duane E. Waliser, Huikyo Lee, J. David Neelin, Benjamin Lintner, Seth Mcginnis, Linda Mears, Jinwon Kim

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

Large-scale meteorological patterns (LSMPs) associated with temperature extremes are evaluated in a suite of regional climate model (RCM) simulations contributing to the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program. LSMPs are characterized through composites of surface air temperature, sea level pressure, and 500 hPa geopotential height anomalies concurrent with extreme temperature days. Six of the seventeen RCM simulations are driven by boundary conditions from reanalysis while the other eleven are driven by one of four global climate models (GCMs). Four illustrative case studies are analyzed in detail. Model fidelity in LSMP spatial representation is high for cold winter extremes near …

Validation Of The Global Distribution Of Co2 Volume Mixing Ratio In The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere From Saber, L. Rezac, Y. Jian, J. Yue, J. M. Russell Iii, A. Kutepov, R. Garcia, K. Walker, P. Bernath

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry (SABER) instrument on board the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite has been measuring the limb radiance in 10 broadband infrared channels over the altitude range from ~ 400 km to the Earth's surface since 2002. The kinetic temperatures and CO₂ volume mixing ratios (VMRs) in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere have been simultaneously retrieved using SABER limb radiances at 15 and 4.3 μm under nonlocal thermodynamic equilibrium (non-LTE) conditions. This paper presents results of a validation study of the SABER CO₂ VMRs obtained with a two-channel, self-consistent …

Semi-Automated Object-Based Classification Of Coral Reef Habitat Using Discrete Choice Models, Steven Saul, Samuel J. Purkis

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

As for terrestrial remote sensing, pixel-based classifiers have traditionally been used to map coral reef habitats. For pixel-based classifiers, habitat assignment is based on the spectral or textural properties of each individual pixel in the scene. More recently, however, object-based classifications, those based on information from a set of contiguous pixels with similar properties, have found favor with the reef mapping community and are starting to be extensively deployed. Object-based classifiers have an advantage over pixel-based in that they are less compromised by the inevitable inhomogeneity in per-pixel spectral response caused, primarily, by variations in water depth. One aspect of …

Habitat Utilization And Vertical Distribution Of The Great Barracuda Sphyraena Barracuda (Edwards 1771) In The Western North Atlantic Using Electronic Archival Tags, Noah R. Hansen, David W. Kerstetter

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The Great Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda is a large predatory teleost commonly seen in the tropics of the Western North Atlantic. Using pop-up satellite archival tags (PSATs), two large Great Barracuda (101 and 104 cm FL) were tagged off South Florida for a 15-day deployment period. Great Barracuda 88094 traveled 471 km minimum straight-line distance (MSLD) over the deployment duration, while Great Barracuda 88095 traveled 1231 km MSLD. Great barracuda 88094 achieved a maximum depth of 145.2 m, while 88095 to a maximum depth of 186.9 m, although such movements were for short time durations. The data obtained indicate significant differences …

Southeast Florida Large Coral Assessment 2015, Brian K. Walker, Katelyn Klug

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Reports

The 2013 nearshore mapping project conducted by Walker and Klug expanded the previous knowledge on the amount, location, and species type of ecologically important large (>2 m) coral colonies in southeast Florida. They discovered over 110 previously undocumented large corals of which 60 were dead and 50 were still alive; 40 of the living corals were larger than 2 m wide and up to 5 m in diameter. Because these corals are the largest and oldest organisms on our reefs, they deserve special attention.

Currently there is unprecedented disease and bleaching in the northern portion of the Florida Reef …

Utilizing Humidity And Temperature Data To Advance Monitoring And Prediction Of Meteorological Drought, Ali Behrangi, Paul C. Loikith, Eric J. Fetzer, Hai M. Nguyen, Stephanie L. Granger

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

The fraction of land area over the Continental United States experiencing extreme hot and dry conditions has been increasing over the past several decades, consistent with expectation from anthropogenic climate change. A clear concurrent change in precipitation, however, has not been confirmed. Vapor pressure deficit (VPD), combining temperature and humidity, is utilized here as an indicator of the background atmospheric conditions associated with meteorological drought. Furthermore, atmospheric conditions associated with warm season drought events are assessed by partitioning associated VPD anomalies into the temperature and humidity components. This approach suggests that the concurrence of anomalously high temperature and low humidity …

Pelagic Habitat Use By Juvenile Reef Fishes In The Gulf Of Mexico, Katie Bowen, Tracey Sutton

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

The assemblage composition, abundance, frequency of occurrence, and vertical distribution of juvenile reef fishes in the offshore pelagic habitat of the northern Gulf of Mexico are described. This study, a component of the NOAA-supported Offshore Nekton Sampling and Analysis Program, is the first to examine juvenile reef fish distributions across the oceanic northern Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Results presented here are derived from a 3-month, spring/summer research cruise in 2011 on the M/V Meg Skansi. A 10-m² MOCNESS midwater trawl was used to sample 45 stations from the surface to a depth of …

Models Describing The Sea Level Rise In Key West, Florida, Karm-Ervin Jean

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lately, we have been noticing an unusual rise in the sea level near many Floridian cities. By 2060, scientists believe that the sea level in the city of Key West will reach between 22.86 to 60.96 centimeters (Strauss et al. 2012). The consequences of sea level rise are unpleasant by gradually tearing away our beaches and natural resources, destroying our homes and businesses, etc. Definitively, a continual increase of the sea level will affect everyone either directly or indirectly.

In this study, the sea level measurements of four Floridian coastal cities (including Key West) are collected in order to describe …

Spin Exchange Interaction In Substituted Copper Phthalocyanine Crystalline Thin Films, Naveen Rawat, Zhenwen Pan, Cody J. Lamarche, Anthony Wetherby, Rory Waterman, Takahisa Tokumoto, Judy G. Cherian

College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Publications

All rights reserved. The origins of spin exchange in crystalline thin films of Copper Octabutoxy Phthalocyanine (Cu-OBPc) are investigated using Magnetic Circular Dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy. These studies are made possible by a solution deposition technique which produces highly ordered films with macroscopic grain sizes suitable for optical studies. For temperatures lower than 2K, the contribution of a specific state in the valence band manifold originating from the hybridized lone pair in nitrogen orbitals of the Phthalocyanine ring, bears the Brillouin-like signature of an exchange interaction with the localized d-shell Cu spins. A comprehensive MCD spectral analysis coupled with a molecular …

Robust Modeling And Predictions Of Greenhouse Gas Fluxes From Forest And Wetland Ecosystems, Khandker S. Ishtiaq

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The land-atmospheric exchanges of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) are major drivers of global warming and climatic changes. The greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes indicate the dynamics and potential storage of carbon in terrestrial and wetland ecosystems. Appropriate modeling and prediction tools can provide a quantitative understanding and valuable insights into the ecosystem carbon dynamics, while aiding the development of engineering and management strategies to limit emissions of GHGs and enhance carbon sequestration. This dissertation focuses on the development of data-analytics tools and engineering models by employing a range of empirical and semi-mechanistic approaches to robustly …

Spectral Aerosol Extinction (Spex): A New Instrument For In Situ Ambient Aerosol Extinction Measurements Across The Uv/Visible Wavelength Range, C. E. Jordan, B E. Anderson, A J. Beyersdorf, C A. Corr, Jack E. Dibb, Margaret E. Greenslade, R F. Martin, R H. Moore, Eric Scheuer, M A. Shook, Kenn L. Thornhill, D Troop, Luke D. Ziemba, E L. Winstead

Earth Sciences

We introduce a new instrument for the measurement of in situ ambient aerosol extinction over the 300– 700 nm wavelength range, the spectral aerosol extinction (SpEx) instrument. This measurement capability is envisioned to complement existing in situ instrumentation, allowing for simultaneous measurement of the evolution of aerosol optical, chemical, and physical characteristics in the ambient environment. In this work, a detailed description of the instrument is provided along with characterization tests performed in the laboratory. Measured spectra of NO2 and polystyrene latex spheres (PSLs) agreed well with theoretical calculations. Good agreement was also found with simultaneous aerosol extinction measurements at …

Commonwealth Center For Recurrent Flooding Resiliency, Elizabeth Kersey

Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency (CCRFR): Presentations

PDF of a powerpoint presentation about the purpose for the Commonwealth Center for Recurrent Flooding Resiliency, November 9, 2015

Linkages Among Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter, Dissolved Amino Acids And Lignin-Derived Phenols In River-Influenced Ocean Margins, Youhei Yamashita, Cédric G. Fichot, Yuan Shen, Rudolf Jaffé, Ronald Benner

Faculty Publications

Excitation emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) is commonly used to investigate the dynamics of dissolved organic matter (DOM). However, a lack of direct comparisons with known biomolecules makes it difficult to substantiate the molecular composition of specific fluorescent components. Here, coincident surface-water measurements of EEMs, dissolved lignin, and total dissolved amino acids (TDAA) acquired in the northern Gulf of Mexico were used to investigate the relationships between specific fluorescent components and DOM biomolecules. Two terrestrial humic-like components identified by EEM-PARAFAC using samples obtained from river to offshore waters were strongly linearly correlated with dissolved …

Neither Dust Nor Black Carbon Causing Apparent Albedo Decline In Greenland's Dry Snow Zone: Implications For Modis C5 Surface Reflectance, Chris Polashenski, Jack E. Dibb, Mark G. Flanner, Justin Y. Chen, Zoe R. Courville, Alexandra M. Lai, James J. Schauer, Martin M. Shafer, Mike Bergin

Earth Sciences

Remote sensing observations suggest Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) albedo has declined since 2001, even in the dry snow zone. We seek to explain the apparent dry snow albedo decline. We analyze samples representing 2012–2014 snowfall across NW Greenland for black carbon and dust light-absorbing impurities (LAI) and model their impacts on snow albedo. Albedo reductions due to LAI are small, averaging 0.003, with episodic enhancements resulting in reductions of 0.01–0.02. No significant increase in black carbon or dust concentrations relative to recent decades is found. Enhanced deposition of LAI is not, therefore, causing significant dry snow albedo reduction or driving …

Street-Level Predictive Modeling Of Nuisance Flooding Verified Via Crowdsourced App Data In Norfolk, Va, J. D. Loftis, H. V. Wang, D R. Forrest

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Abundance, Stable Isotopic Composition, And Export Fluxes Of Doc, Poc, And Dic From The Lower Mississippi River During 2006-2008, Yihua Cai, Laodong Guo, Xuri Wang, George Aiken

Faculty Publications

Sources, abundance, isotopic compositions, and export fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved and colloidal organic carbon (DOC and COC), and particulate organic carbon (POC), and their response to hydrologic regimes were examined through monthly sampling from the Lower Mississippi River during 2006–2008. DIC was the most abundant carbon species, followed by POC and DOC. Concentration and δ¹³C of DIC decreased with increasing river discharge, while those of DOC remained fairly stable. COC comprised 61 ± 3% of the bulk DOC with similar δ¹³C abundances but higher percentages of hydrophobic organic acids than DOC, suggesting its …

Wintertime Weather-Climate Variability And Its Links To Early Spring Ice-Out In Maine Lakes, Mussie Beyene, Shaleen Jain

Publications

In recent decades, Maine lakes have recorded their earliest ice-out dates in over a century. In temperate regions, seasonal lake ice-cover is a critical phenomenon linking climate, aquatic ecosystem and society. And the lengthening of the ice-free period due to warmer climate has been linked to increased algal growth and declining lake water quality, warming of water temperatures leading to alterations in aquatic biodiversity, and the shortening of ice-fishing period and other traditional winter activities over lakes. In this study, historical record of eight lakes and six benchmarked meteorological stations in Maine for the period 1950–2010 were analyzed to (1) …

8000 Years Of Environmental Evolution Of Barrier–Lagoon Systems Emplaced In Coastal Embayments (Nw Iberia), Rita González-Villanueva, Marta Pérez-Arlucea, Susana Costas, Roberto Bao, Xose L. Otero, Ronald J. Goble

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

The rocky and indented coast of NW Iberia is characterized by the presence of highly valuable and vulnerable, small and shallow barrier– lagoon systems structurally controlled. The case study was selected to analyse barrier–lagoon evolution based on detailed sedimentary architecture, chronology, geochemical and biological proxies. The main objective is to test the hypothesis of structural control and the significance at regional scale of any highenergy event recorded. This work is also aimed at identifying general patterns and conceptualizing the formation and evolution of this type of coastal systems. The results allowed us to establish a conceptual model of Holocene evolution …

Perceptions Of Tornadoes, Tornado Warnings, Safety Actions, And Risk: Effects On Warning Response Among Undergraduates In Nebraska, Sabrina T. Jauernic

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Few studies show how university students perceive and respond to tornado warnings, or how they gain tornado-related knowledge. Lacking in the literature are investigations of how perceptions of tornado risk may influence actions. Using two separate surveys and two large samples of undergraduates enrolled in the University of Nebraska, the author determined significant relationships between student demographics, perceptions, and response actions. Incorrect perceptions were found, such as overpasses and southwest corners of buildings being safe, and cities being invulnerable to tornadoes. International students, especially, assumed cities were safe from tornadoes. Students had a tendency to confirm their risk instead of …

Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Preparedness And Resilience Intergovernmental Pilot Project. Phase 1 Report: Accomplishments And Lessons Learned, Emily E. Steinhilber, John Whitelaw, Carol Considine

Hampton Roads Intergovernmental Pilot Project: Reports

Executive Summary

Initiated in June 2014, the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise Preparedness and Resilience Intergovernmental Pilot Project (Intergovernmental Pilot Project or IPP) convened at Old Dominion University is an effort to use the knowledge skills and expertise of all regional stakeholders to create a framework or template for intergovernmental strategic planning that can be used outside the region; and, to implement that integrated strategy in Hampton Roads, Virginia creating an effective and efficient method for planning holistically for sea level rise and recurrent flooding.

With active stakeholders from the Department of Defense, federal agencies and the White House as …

Reproductive Parameters Of Two Coastal Pelagic Fishes Off Southeast Florida: Blackfin Tuna, Thunnus Atlanticus, And Little Tunny, Euthynnus Alletteratus, Sonia Ahrabi-Nejad, David Kerstetter, Nancy J. Brown-Peterson, Patricia Blackwelder, Dorothy-Ellen A. Renegar

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Proceedings, Presentations, Speeches, Lectures

No abstract provided.