Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Commons^™

Predicting General Aviation Pilots’ Weather-Related Performance Through A Scenario-Based Written Assessment, Jessica Cruit

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Weather-related accidents continue to challenge the general aviation community and with the development of advanced weather technology, GA pilots need additional education and training on how to effectively use these weather products to ensure flight safety. Currently, the literature on aviation weather suggests that there is a gap in both training and assessment strategy for GA pilots. Furthermore, several studies suggest that there needs to be more assessment of weather-related scenario/application questions for the private pilot’s written knowledge exam in order to assess a deeper level of knowledge for weather-related material. The purpose of this study is to design a …

Simulating Bottom Reflectance Retrievals Using An Analytical Solution For The Two-Flow Irradiance Models, Tyler A. Rotkiske

Theses and Dissertations

Existing analytical solutions to the two-flow irradiance equations are used to obtain new relations for simulating hyperspectral bottom reflectance signatures. Synthetic bottom reflectance signatures are compared to measured bottom reflectance signatures in order to test the model equation limitations of the formulations. Measured hyperspectral bottom reflectance signatures for a dead reef, Elkhorn coral, seagrass and sand, sand, and turtle grass are used. Estimated collimated and diffuse irradiances are inputs needed to run model formulations. Also, specific absorption, specific backscattering coefficients, and water depth for ocean, coastal, and estuarine waters are used as inputs to simulate bottom reflectance retrievals. The specific …

Photic Stress In Symbiont-Bearing Reef Organisms: Analyses Of Photosynthetic Performance, Natasha Mendez-Ferrer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Photo-oxidative stress is one of the key factors that can induce bleaching in reef organisms. With the decline of coral reefs and recurrent bleaching events, many studies have focused on understanding the mechanism behind this phenomenon. Two of the hypotheses that explain how the photosynthetic performance of the symbiont is affected and influences bleaching are: (1) disruption of the photosynthetic pathway by direct damage to the photosystem II (PSII), and (2) by inhibition of the Calvin-Benson cycle. In this dissertation I examine different aspects of photosynthetic performance in symbiont-bearing reef organisms and how this is influenced by symbiont loss and …

Applying Newton’S Law Of Cooling When The Target Keeps Changing Temperature, Such As In Stratospheric Ballooning Missions, James Flaten, Kaye Smith, Erick Agrimson

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

Newton’s Law of Cooling describes how a “small” system, such as a thermometer, comes to thermal equilibrium with a “large” system, such as its environment, as a function of time. It is typically applied when the environment is in thermal equilibrium and the conditions are such that the thermal decay time for the thermometer is a constant. Neither of these conditions are met when measuring environmental (i.e. atmospheric) temperature using a thermometer mounted in a payload lofted into the stratosphere under weather balloons. In this situation the thermometer is in motion so it encounters layer after layer of atmosphere which …

Establishing An Ecological Baseline Of Macroinfaunal Assemblages In Nearshore Sediments Of Southeast Florida, Candace Grimes

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Changes in the biosphere require ecological baselines in order to compare past, present, and future conditions and identify their effects. Establishing ecological baselines for infauna in southeastern Florida is a key component to understanding effects of current and future disturbances; however, nearshore sediment infaunal communities are neither as thoroughly investigated nor as well understood as, for example, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves. Baseline studies help assess and monitor changes due, for example, to human population growth, sea level change, and global warming. Therefore, six benthic cores were collected quarterly from six locations from May 2015 to February 2016 using …

Getting Students Excited About Science With High Altitude Ballooning, Charles F. Niederriter, Steven H. Mellema

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

Many of us dream of exploring space, but there are not many ways to do so. Although it is difficult to get into deep space, near space is within our grasp. High altitude balloons are released into the stratosphere, generally reaching between 60,000 to 120,000 feet before they burst and their payload is returned to earth by parachute. Modern balloon systems generally contain electronic equipment such as radio transmitters, cameras, and GPS receivers, as well as a variety of scientific instruments. Not only is high altitude ballooning a great way to introduce the electronics and programming skills needed to collect …

Extant Crinoidea (Echinodermata) Of Singapore, Charles Messing, Teresa S. Tay

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

The crinoid fauna of Singaporean waters now includes approximately 39 nominal species belonging to six families, all in Order Comatulida. Seventeen of the 22 species collected during the Singapore Strait Biodiversity Workshop (May-June 2013) were previously known from the area. Of the remaining five, Cenometra bella (Colobometridae) is definitely a new record for Singapore, while the taxonomic status of the other four is uncertain. Seventeen additional species, collected almost entirely in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, were not represented in the 2013 survey.

An Association Between A Cusk Eel (Bassozetus Sp.) And A Black Coral (Schizopathes Sp.) In The Deep Western Indian Ocean, Andrew R. Gates, Kirsty J. Morris, Daniel O. Jones, Kenneth J. Sulak

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Detailed observations in the deep sea can reveal previously unknown behaviour, species interactions and fine-scale habitat heterogeneity. Here, the first in situ images of the black coral Schizopathes sp. (Anthozoa: Antipatharia) in the deep western Indian Ocean have been obtained from remotely operated vehicle video footage and time-lapse photography. In these images, there appears to be an association with the cusk eel Bassozetus (Family: Ophidiidae). In the primary observation, chance encounters revealed the fish interacted with the anitpatharian on multiple occasions over several days. Subsequent time-lapse camera footage showed the fish remained almost exclusively underneath the antipatharian for the duration …

Modeling And Satellite Remote Sensing Of The Meteorological Impacts Of Irrigation During The 2012 Central Plains Drought, Clint Aegerter

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

As irrigation is increasingly needed for agricultural production, it is becoming progressively more important to understand not only how irrigation impacts water availability, but how the introduction of this water into the soil impacts weather and climate through land-atmosphere interactions. In the summer of 2012, the Central Plains of the United States experienced one of its most severe droughts on record. This study examines the meteorological impacts of irrigation during this drought through observations and model simulations using the Community Land Model (CLM) coupled to the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. A simple parameterization of irrigation processes is added …

Searching For Troposphere-Mesosphere Connections Using The Alo-Usu Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar, David K. Moser, Vincent B. Wickwar, Joshua P. Herron

Posters

The paucity of whole-atmosphere data introduces significant challenges that hinder the study of atmospheric couplings. The mesosphere in particular is a low-information void between the lower and upper atmosphere, which may prevent us from a complete realization of vertical interactions. The Rayleighscatter lidar at Utah State University’s Atmospheric Lidar Observatory (ALO-USU; 41.74° N, 111.81° W), operated with little interruption from 1993 to 2004, providing a valuable temporal and spatial (45 – 90 km) resource in this realm. When studied alongside a multitude of other atmospheric data sources, possible unforeseen connections or insights may result. In this study, an adaptive fit …

Simultaneous, Collocated Rayleigh And Sodium Lidar Temperature Comparison, Leda Sox, Vincent B. Wickwar, Tao Yuan, Neal Criddle

Posters

There are relatively few instruments that have the capabilities to make near continuous measurements of the mesosphere-lower-thermosphere (MLT) region. Rayleigh-scatter (RS) and resonance lidars, particularly sodium (Na) 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 and long-term temperature trends of the MLT region can be studied. For the first time, we will present simultaneous, night-time averaged temperatures acquired from the same observational site, on the campus of Utah State University (USU), using these two lidar techniques. This comparison is also …

Reestablishing Observations Throughout The Mesosphere With The Alo-Usu Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar, Shayli Elliott, Bryant Ward, Benjamin Lovelady, Jessica Gardiner, Lucas Priskos, Matthew T. Emerick, Vincent B. Wickwar

Posters

In the last few years, the Rayleigh-scatter lidar at the Atmospheric Lidar Observatory at Utah State University (ALO-USU; 41.74° N, 111.81° W) has been upgraded to extend observations from 70 km up to 115 km. This project describes a student project to build and use a complementary Rayleigh-scatter lidar to go from 40 to 90 km, from the upper stratosphere to the upper mesosphere. At the upper end, this new lidar overlaps with the high-altitude lidar. This was done in a period of just over two months. This lidar shares the same lasers, but introduces a 44-cm mirror and a …

Seasonal Temperatures From The Upper Mesosphere To The Lower Thermosphere Obtained With The Large, Alo-Usu, Rayleigh Lidar, Vincent B. Wickwar, Leda Sox, Matthew T. Emerick, Joshua P. Herron

Posters

Observations have been made with the large, Rayleigh-scatter lidar at the Atmospheric Lidar Observatory at Utah State University (ALO-USU; 41.74° N, 111.81° W) from summer 2014 to summer 2015. During this first operational year, the lidar acquired nearly 100 nights of observations between 70 and 115 km altitude, i.e., from the upper mesosphere, through the mesopause, and into the lower thermosphere. This was possible because of the large 4.9 m2 collecting area of the mirrors and the 42 W of 532 nm emission at 30 Hz. These two factors produce a figure of merit, the power-aperture-product, of 206 Wm2, making …

Obtaining Continuous Observations From The Upper Stratosphere To The Lower Thermosphere Using The Alo-Usu Rayleigh-Scatter Lidar., Jonathan L. Price, Vincent B. Wickwar, Leda Sox, Matthew T. Emerick, Joshua P. Herron, Shayli Elliott, Bryant Ward, Benjamin Lovelady

Posters

The Rayleigh-scatter lidar at the Atmospheric Lidar Observatory at Utah State University (ALO-USU; 41.74° N, 111.81° W) started observations in 1993. In 2012 the original lidar system was upgraded with an array of larger mirrors and two lasers to enable observations of the upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere from 70 km to about 115 km in altitude. (Continued refinement should provide data to above 120 km.) Recently, the original system was reconfigured [Elliott et al., 2016] to again observe the lower mesosphere between 40 km and 90 km. Initial data collected by these two parts of the Rayleigh system have …

A Spatio-Temporal Comparison Of Avian Migration Phenology Using Citizen Science Data, Ali Arab, Jason R. Courter, Jessica Zelt

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

The effects of climate change have wide-ranging impacts on wildlife species and recent studies indicate that birds’ spring arrival dates are advancing in response to changes in global climates. In this paper, we propose a spatio-temporal approach for comparing avian first arrival data for multiple species. As an example, we analyze spring arrival data for two long-distance migrants (Rubythroated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris; and Purple Martin Progne subis) in eastern North America from 2001–2010 using Citizen Science data. The proposed approach provides researchers with a tool to compare mean arrival dates while accounting for spatial and temporal variability. Our results show …

Trajectory Analysis Of Black Carbon In The Arctic Region, Kimberly Gottschalk

PSU McNair Scholars Online Journal

Black carbon (BC) is a troubling particulate. Commonly known as soot, BC forms through the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass. It has a very low albedo compared to natural particulates making it a very efficient absorber of solar radiation. As BC is deposited on snow and ice, albedo is decreased - enhancing solar heating and increasing meltwater production. With rising air temperatures, melting rates of polar ice are increasing and are being enhanced by BC, leading to accelerated global sea level rise.

This study aimed to document sources and deposition areas of BC in the Arctic. Utilizing …

Steinhilber Outlines Odu's Multidisciplinary Sea Level Rise Research At Virginia Beach Forum, Brendan O'Hallarn

News Items

No abstract provided.

Diversity, Structure And Convergent Evolution Of The Global Sponge Microbiome, Torsten Thomas, Lucas Moitinho-Silva, Miguel Lurgi, Johannes R. Bjork, Cole Easson, Carmen Astudillo-Garcia, Julie B. Olson, Patrick M. Erwin, Susanna Lopez-Legentil, Heidi Luter, Andia Chaves Fonnegra, Rodrigo Costa, Peter J. Schupp, Laura Steindler, Dirk Erpenbeck, Jack Gilbert, Rob Knight, Gail Ackermann, Jose V. Lopez, Michael W. Taylor, Robert W. Thacker, Jose M. Montoya, Ute Hentschel, Nicole S. Webster

Marine & Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles

Sponges (phylum Porifera) are early-diverging metazoa renowned for establishing complex microbial symbioses. Here we present a global Porifera microbiome survey, set out to establish the ecological and evolutionary drivers of these host–microbe interactions.We show that sponges are a reservoir of exceptional microbial diversity and major contributors to the total microbial diversity of the world’s oceans. Little commonality in species composition or structure is evident across the phylum, although symbiont communities are characterized by specialists and generalists rather than opportunists. Core sponge microbiomes are stable and characterized by generalist symbionts exhibiting amensal and/or commensal interactions. Symbionts that are phylogenetically unique to …

Meeting The Dod’S Tactical Weather Needs Using Cubesats, Shayna K. Mckenney

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates a CubeSat design that uses Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) components to capture, store, process, and downlink collected terrestrial weather data at resolutions near stat-of-the-art. The weather phenomena to be detected and transmitted in a timely manner are cloud formations, wind profiles, ocean currents, sea state, lightning, temperature profiles, and precipitation. It is hypothesized and shown that the proposed design will provide an improvement on the current U.S. tactical weather collection satellites because of the anticipated increased reliability and lowered cost to build and maintain the proposed CubeSat constellation. The methodology employed a multi-phase approach through the collective research of …

Concentration Trends For Lead And Calcium-Normalized Lead In Fish Fillets From The Big River, A Mining-Contaminated Stream In Southeastern Missouri Usa, Christopher J. Schmitt, Michael J. Mckee

United States Geological Survey: Staff Publications

Lead (Pb) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were measured in fillet samples of longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and redhorse suckers (Moxostoma spp.) collected in 2005–2012 from the Big River, which drains a historical mining area in southeastern Missouri and where a consumption advisory is in effect due to elevated Pb concentrations in fish. Lead tends to accumulated in Ca-rich tissues such as bone and scale. Concentrations of Pb in fish muscle are typically low, but can become elevated in fillets from Pb-contaminated sites depending in part on how much bone, scale, and skin is included in the sample. We used analysis-of-covariance …

Slides: The Colorado And Murray-Darling Panel Discussion, Brad Udall

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Brad Udall, Senior Scientist/Scholar, Colorado State University

12 slides

Slides: Dam Operations: Does A Changing World Call For Changing Plans?, Reed D. Benson

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Reed D. Benson, University of New Mexico School of Law

13 slides

Slides: Learning From Drought Crises In Federations: Principles, Indicators And Lessons Learned, Lucia De Stefano, Dustin Garrick, Daniel Connell

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenters:

Lucia De Stefano, Complutense Universidad de Madrid

Dustin Garrick, McMaster University/University of Oxford

Daniel Connell, Australia National University

27 slides

Slides: Data Sharing And River Basin Modelling: From The Colorado To The Nile, Kevin Wheeler

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Kevin Wheeler, University of Oxford

29 slides

Slides: Water Allocation And Water Markets In Spain, Nuria Hernández-Mora

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Nuria Hernández Mora, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain

22 slides

Slides: Drought In The Murray Darling Basin: A 100 Year Perspective, Daniel Connell

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Daniel Connell, Australian National University

22 slides

Slides: Drought In Federations: The Rio Grande, Adrian Oglesby

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Adrian Oglesby, Director, Utton Transboundary Resources Center, University of New Mexico School of Law

4 slides

Slides: The Era Of River Anthropology: Social And Eco-Hydrological Science Connections And Capacity For Environmental Flows: Us Case Studies, Joseph E. Flotemersch, Lisa-Perras Gordon

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Joe Flotemersch, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development

21 slides

Slides: Politics Of Interstate Water Cooperation And Conflicts: The Case Of Krishna River, India, Srinivas Chokkakula

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Srinivas Chokkakula, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi; Research Fellow, SOAS, University of London

16 slides

Slides: The São Francisco Water Basin - Brazil, Vanessa Empinotti

Coping with Water Scarcity in River Basins Worldwide: Lessons Learned from Shared Experiences (Martz Summer Conference, June 9-10)

Presenter: Vanessa Empinotti, Federal University of ABC – UFABC, Brazil

20 slides