The California heat island: seasonal trends in maximum and minimum temperatures

This paper summarizes progress in an ongoing study of California's temperature trends. It supplements studies reported at PACLIM in 1984, 1986, and 1987. ... Objectives of this study are twofold: to examine and map the trends in maximum and minimum temperatures for the warm and cool seasons separately, and to examine regional differences in maximum and minimum temperature trends in California.

Climatology of the seasonal precipitation maximum in the western United States

The western United States is characterized by heterogeneous patterns of seasonal precipitation regimes due to the hierarchy of climatic controls that operate at different spatial scales. A climatology of intermonthly precipitation changes, using data from more than 4,000 stations including high-elevation sites, illustrate how different climatic controls explain the spatial distribution of the seasonal precipitation maximum. These results indicate that smaller-scale climatic controls must be considered along with larger-scale ones to explain patterns of spatial climate heterogeneity over mountainous areas. The results also offer important implications for scholars interested in assessing spatial climatic variations of the western United States at different timescales.

Estimation of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) of hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha Ham.) in the Meghna river of Bangladesh

MSY per recruit of Tenualosa ilisha in the Meghna river was predicted as 112 g per recruit at the F(msy)=0.6/yr and at T(c)=0.6/yr. But Y/R=95 g per recruit was obtained at the existing fishing level, F=1.14/yr and at T(c)=0.6/yr. Existing F level was nearly double than the F(msy) level. Fishing pressure should be reduced immediately from F=1.14/yr to F(msy)=0.6/yr. F(msy)=1.14/yr was the same at first capture, T(c)=1.0, 1.2 and 1.4/yr, and MSY could be obtained as 142 g, 162 g and 176 g per recruit respectively. It is easier to change the first capture age (Tc) rather than changing off level. So, hilsa fishery manager may adopt F(msy)=1.14/yr while age at first capture must be increased from T(c)=0.6/yr (3 cm size group) to T(c)=1.4/yr (25 cm size group), by which 1.8 times production could be increased than the present production. MSY also possible to obtain as 201 g and 210 g per recruit at F(msy)=2.0/yr and 4.0/yr at T(c)=1.7/yr and 1.9/yr respectively. Under both the situations, hilsa production could be increased 2 times than the present production. To obtain the MSY=210 g per recruit the fishing level could be increased up to F=4.0/yr at T(c)=1.9/yr (34 cm size group). Economic point of view, hilsa fishery managers may choose to obtain the economic MSY as 201 g per recruit at F(msy)=2.0/yr and T(c)=1.7yr (31 cm size group) in the Meghna river of Bangladesh.

Estimations of maximum sustainable fish yields and stocking densities of inland reservoirs of Sri Lanka

The Maximum Sustainable Yields of all fish species for 9 man-made reservoirs in Sri Lanka were calculated by the simplified version of Schaefer Model. The relationship between the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and Morpho-edaphic Index, (MEI) for Sri Lankan reservoirs was found to be: Log sub(e) MSY = 0.9005 log sub(e) MEI + 1.9220. MSY for these reservoirs were estimated using this relationship. The number of Tilapia) juveniles needed to be recruited to the fisheries of some reservoirs in addition to the present recruitment to increase the fish production to the level estimated by MEI relationship were calculated mathematically.

Nanoindentation measurements of bone viscoelasticity as a function of hydration state

Bone is an anisotropic material, and its mechanical properties are determined by its microstructure as well as its composition. Mechanical properties of bone are a consequence of the proportions of, and the interactions between, mineral, collagen and water. Water plays an important role in maintaining the mechanical integrity of the composite, but the manner in which water interacts within the ultrastructure is unclear. Dentine being an isotropic two-dimensional structure presents a homogenous composite to examine the dehydration effects. Nanoindentation methods for determining the viscoelastic properties have recently been developed and are a subject of great interest. Here, one method based on elastic-viscoelastic correspondence for 'ramp and hold' creep testing (Oyen, J. Mater. Res., 2005) has been used to analyze viscoelastic behavior of polymeric and biological materials. The method of 'ramp and hold' allows the shear modulus at time zero to be determined from fitting of the displacement during the maximum load hold. Changes in the viscoelastic properties of bone and dentine were examined as the material was systematically dehydrated in a series of water:solvent mixes. Samples of equine dentine were sectioned and cryo-polished. Shear modulus was obtained by nanoindentation using spherical indenters with a maximum load hold of 120s. Samples were tested in different solvent concentrations sequentially, 70% ethanol to 50% ethanol, 70 % ethanol to 100% ethanol, 70% ethanol to 70% methanol to 100% methanol, and 70% ethanol to 100% acetone, after storage in each condition for 24h. By selectively removing and then replacing water from the composite, insights in to the ultrastructure of the tissue can be gained from the corresponding changes in the experimentally determined moduli, as well as an understanding of the complete reversibility of the dehydration process. © 2006 Materials Research Society.