Infrared filters and coatings for the High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (6-18µm)

This paper describes the spectral design and manufacture of the narrow bandpass filters and 6-18µm broadband antireflection coatings for the 21-channel NASA EOS-AURA High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS). A method of combining the measured spectral characteristics of each filter and antireflection coating, together with the spectral response of the other optical elements in the instrument to obtain a predicted system throughput response is presented. The design methods used to define the filter and coating spectral requirements, choice of filter materials, multilayer designs and deposition techniques are discussed.

Synthesis of infrared filters for use in spaceflight systems

Progress is reported in the development of a new synthesis method for the design of filters and coatings for use in spaceborne infrared optics. This method uses the Golden Section optimization routine to make a search, using designated dielectric thin film combinations, for the coating design which fulfills the required spectral requirements. The final design is that which uses the least number of layers for the given thin film materials in the starting design. This synthesis method has successfully been used to design broadband anti-reflection coatings on infrared substrates. The 6 micrometers to 18 micrometers anti-reflection coating for the germanium optics of the HIRDLS instrument, to be flown on the NASA EOS-Chem satellite, is given as an example. By correctly defining the target function to describe any specific type of filter in the optimization part of the method, this synthesis method may be used to design general filters for use in spaceborne infrared optics.

Whether weather affects music

The creative output of composers, writers, and artists is often influenced by their surroundings. To give a literary example, it has been claimed recently that some of the characters in Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol were based on real-life people who lived near Charles Dickens in London [Richardson, 2012]. Of course, an important part of what we see and hear is not only the people with whom we interact but also our geophysical surroundings. Of all the geophysical phenomena to influence us, the weather is arguably the most significant because we are exposed to it directly and daily. The weather was a great source of inspiration for artists Claude Monet, John Constable, and William Turner, who are known for their scientifically accurate paintings of the skies [e.g., Baker and Thornes, 2006].

Aksel Wiin-Nielsen (1924–2010)

Aksel Christopher Wiin-Nielsen, professor emeritus of geophysics at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, died on 26 April 2010 at the age of 85. He was an honorary member of the American Meteorological Society, the former European Geophysical Society, and the Royal Meteorological Society. He received several awards including the 1982 Buys Ballot Medal, given by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the 1983 Wihuri International Prize, given by the Wihuri Foundation for International Prizes. He will be remembered for his impressive and outstanding leadership in meteorology.

Multiscale geostatistical analysis of AVHRR, SPOT-VGT, and MODIS global NDVI products

Global NDVI data are routinely derived from the AVHRR, SPOT-VGT, and MODIS/Terra earth observation records for a range of applications from terrestrial vegetation monitoring to climate change modeling. This has led to a substantial interest in the harmonization of multisensor records. Most evaluations of the internal consistency and continuity of global multisensor NDVI products have focused on time-series harmonization in the spectral domain, often neglecting the spatial domain. We fill this void by applying variogram modeling (a) to evaluate the differences in spatial variability between 8-km AVHRR, 1-km SPOT-VGT, and 1-km, 500-m, and 250-m MODIS NDVI products over eight EOS (Earth Observing System) validation sites, and (b) to characterize the decay of spatial variability as a function of pixel size (i.e. data regularization) for spatially aggregated Landsat ETM+ NDVI products and a real multisensor dataset. First, we demonstrate that the conjunctive analysis of two variogram properties – the sill and the mean length scale metric – provides a robust assessment of the differences in spatial variability between multiscale NDVI products that are due to spatial (nominal pixel size, point spread function, and view angle) and non-spatial (sensor calibration, cloud clearing, atmospheric corrections, and length of multi-day compositing period) factors. Next, we show that as the nominal pixel size increases, the decay of spatial information content follows a logarithmic relationship with stronger fit value for the spatially aggregated NDVI products (R2 = 0.9321) than for the native-resolution AVHRR, SPOT-VGT, and MODIS NDVI products (R2 = 0.5064). This relationship serves as a reference for evaluation of the differences in spatial variability and length scales in multiscale datasets at native or aggregated spatial resolutions. The outcomes of this study suggest that multisensor NDVI records cannot be integrated into a long-term data record without proper consideration of all factors affecting their spatial consistency. Hence, we propose an approach for selecting the spatial resolution, at which differences in spatial variability between NDVI products from multiple sensors are minimized. This approach provides practical guidance for the harmonization of long-term multisensor datasets.

An historical perspective on the development of the thermodynamic equation of seawater - 2010

Oceanography is concerned with understanding the mechanisms controlling the movement of seawater and its contents. A fundamental tool in this process is the characterization of the thermophysical properties of seawater as functions of measured temperature and electrical conductivity, the latter used as a proxy for the concentration of dissolved matter in seawater. For many years a collection of algorithms denoted the Equation of State 1980 (EOS-80) has been the internationally accepted standard for calculating such properties. However, modern measurement technology now allows routine observations of temperature and electrical conductivity to be made to at least one order of magnitude more accurately than the uncertainty in this standard. Recently, a new standard has been developed, the Thermodynamical Equation of Seawater 2010 (TEOS-10). This new standard is thermodynamically consistent, valid over a wider range of temperature and salinity, and includes a mechanism to account for composition variations in seawater. Here we review the scientific development of this standard, and describe the literature involved in its development, which includes many of the articles in this special issue.

Basic theory behind parameterizing atmospheric convection

Last fall, a network of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), called “Basic Concepts for Convection Parameterization in Weather Forecast and Climate Models” (COST Action ES0905; see http://w3.cost.esf.org/index.php?id=205&action_number=ES0905), organized a 10-day training course on atmospheric convection and its parameterization. The aim of the workshop, held on the island of Brac, Croatia, was to help young scientists develop an in-depth understanding of the core theory underpinning convection parameterizations. The speakers also sought to impart an appreciation of the various approximations, compromises, and ansatz necessary to translate theory into operational practice for numerical models.

Discerning the conformation of G-quadruplex forming DNA

Terahertz power transmission spectroscopy (TPTS) measurements have been carried out to detect a difference between the hydration shells of G-quadruplex forming DNA sequences in strand and quadruplex configuration. Evidence of a change in hydration shell was observed.

The case for transient magnetopause reconnection

Recent studies indicate that magnetopause reconnection can, at times, occur exclusively as a series of separated, short bursts. Reconnection generates “open” magnetic flux that threads the magnetospheric boundary, the magnetopause, and so connects the magnetosphere with interplanetary space. The rate at which open flux is generated by a line of unit length in the magnetopause is called the reconnection rate. By Faraday's induction law, the reconnection rate is a boundary-tangential electric field, Et, along that line (called an X-line).

Transient reconnection: Search for ionospheric signatures

The concept of magnetic reconnection originated with the suggestion by Giovanelli [1946] that particles could be energized during solar flares near nulls in the magnetic field. Hoyle [1949] subsequently proposed that such a process could also act at nulls between the geomagnetic field and the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) to generate the energized particles responsible for auroral displays. However, the idea of the interconnection of the two magnetic fields, as we know it today, was first presented by Hoyle's student, Dungey [1953, 1961].

Communicating uncertainties in sea surface temperature

A project on sea surface temperature is generating new climate data records from satellite observations. The data are independent of in situ observations and are harmonious across satellite sensors to maximize stability and have realistic, context-sensitive uncertainty estimates at all spatial and temporal scales. The project, part of the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative (SST CCI), now seeks to establish a useful method for communicating uncertainty in sea surface temperatures. This goal was the impetus for a workshop held in November 2014 in Exeter in the United Kingdom, summarised in this article.

Effects of inhaled Linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behavior in mice

Aromatherapy uses essential oils (EOs) for several medical purposes, including relaxation. The association between the use of aromas and a decrease in anxiety could be a valuable instrument in managing anxiety in an ever increasing anxiogenic daily life style. Linalool is a monoterpene commonly found as the major volatile component of EOs in several aromatic plant species. Adding to previously reported sedative effects of inhaled linalool, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inhaled linalool on anxiety, aggressiveness and social interaction in mice. Additionally, we investigated the effects of inhaled linalool on the acquisition phase of a step-down memory task in mice. Inhaled linalool showed anxiolytic properties in the light/dark test, increased social interaction and decreased aggressive behavior; impaired memory was only seen the higher dose of linalool. These results strengthen the suggestion that inhaling linalool rich essential oils can be useful as a mean to attain relaxation and counteract anxiety. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Desenvolvimento industrial em espaços organizados: uma análise dos fatores de competitividade nos distritos industriais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro

O desenvolvimento industrial no Espaço Organizado (EO) tem se dado através de políticas públicas e iniciativas privadas, atendendo, em alguns casos, aos fatores de competitividade para sua respectiva implementação, outras vezes nem tanto. O principal objetivo desse trabalho foi realizar uma análise dos fatores de competitividade dos distritos industriais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, contribuindo, dessa forma, através dos resultados apresentados ao final do trabalho, para subsidiar novas políticas públicas e/ou suporte às iniciativas privadas, quando da atração, implantação, retenção e ampliação de indústrias e empresas correlacionadas, nesses espaços. A delimitação da amostra dos Espaços Organizados (EOs) foi definida em função da disponibilidade dos dados e homogeneidade da amostra, no caso, distritos industriais no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Na execução das etapas do projeto para o cumprimento do seu objetivo principal, foram realizadas etapas intermediárias na seguinte forma: identificação da nomenclatura disponível para os tipos de EOs existentes; elaboração de proposta para a caracterização dos EOs; identificação dos fatores de competitividade dos EOs existentes no Estado do Rio de Janeiro; validação desses fatores de competitividade junto ao grupo entrevistado de representantes do governo, municípios, instituições de fomento e executivos das empresas em operação nas áreas estudadas; mapeamento dos EOs existentes no Estado do Rio de Janeiro e análise dos fatores de competitividade desses espaços, com suas correlações quanto a geração de emprego e atração de empresas. Por fim, após análise dos resultados, a discussão e as considerações finais apontaram tendências que poderão ser aprofundadas em futuros trabalhos de apoio na elaboração das estratégias públicas e/ou privadas que visam melhor aproveitamento e utilização dos EOs destinados ao desenvolvimento industrial.

Supercritical fluid extraction from Lippia alba: global yields, kinetic data, and extract chemical composition

In this work, experimental data for the system Lippia alba + CO2 is presented. The major constituents of the L. alba volatile oil are limonene and carvone. Thus, literature data for the systems limonene + CO2 and carvone + CO2, and the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PR-EOS) were used to select the operating temperature and pressure, which maximize the global yield in L. alba extract. Global yields were determined at 80, 100, and 120 bar and 40, 45, and 50 degrees C. L. alba extracts were also obtained by conventional processes (hydrodistillation, low-pressure ethanol extraction and Soxhlet ethanol). The chemical compositions of the extracts were determined by gas and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The secretor structures of L. alba were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after supercritical extraction. The largest yield (similar to 7%, mass of extract/mass of dry solid) of the CO2-extract was obtained at 318 K and 100 bar. The chemical compositions of the CO2-extracts were different from those of the extracts obtained by Soxhlet and low-pressure solvent extraction (LPSE) because of the co-extraction of heavy substances by ethanol. The operating conditions that maximized the carvone and limomene yields were 80 bar and 323 K (80 mass%) and 120 bar and 323 K (17 mass%), respectively. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.