Stationary Eddies and Zonal Variations of the Global Hydrological Cycle in a Changing Climate

<p>This thesis advances our physical understanding of the sensitivity of the hydrological cycle to global warming. Specifically, it focuses on changes in the longitudinal (zonal) variation of precipitation minus evaporation (P - E), which is predominantly controlled by planetary-scale stationary eddies. By studying idealized general circulation model (GCM) experiments with zonally varying boundary conditions, this thesis examines the mechanisms controlling the strength of stationary-eddy circulations and their role in the hydrological cycle. The overarching goal of this research is to understand the cause of changes in regional P - E with global warming. An understanding of such changes can be useful for impact studies focusing on water availability, ecosystem management, and flood risk.p> <p>Based on a moisture-budget analysis of ERA-Interim data, we establish an approximation for zonally anomalous P - E in terms of surface moisture content and stationary-eddy vertical motion in the lower troposphere. Part of the success of this approximation comes from our finding that transient-eddy moisture fluxes partially cancel the effect of stationary-eddy moisture advection, allowing divergent circulations to dominate the moisture budget. The lower-tropospheric vertical motion is related to horizontal motion in stationary eddies by Sverdrup and Ekman balance. These moisture- and vorticity-budget balances also hold in idealized and comprehensive GCM simulations across a range of climates.p> <p>By examining climate changes in the idealized and comprehensive GCM simulations, we are able to show the utility of the vertical motion P - E approximation for splitting changes in zonally anomalous P - E into thermodynamic and dynamic components. Shifts in divergent stationary-eddy circulations dominate changes in zonally anomalous P - E. This limits the local utility of the "wet gets wetter, dry gets drier” idea, where existing P - E patterns are amplified with warming by the increase in atmospheric moisture content, with atmospheric circulations held fixed. The increase in atmospheric moisture content manifests instead in an increase in the amplitude of the zonally anomalous hydrological cycle as measured by the zonal variance of P - E. However, dynamic changes, particularly the slowdown of divergent stationary-eddy circulations, limit the strengthening of the zonally anomalous hydrological cycle. In certain idealized cases, dynamic changes are even strong enough to reverse the tendency towards "wet gets wetter, dry gets drier” with warming.p> <p>Motivated by the importance of stationary-eddy vertical velocities in the moisture budget analysis, we examine controls on the amplitude of stationary eddies across a wide range of climates in an idealized GCM with simple topographic and ocean-heating zonal asymmetries. An analysis of the thermodynamic equation in the vicinity of topographic forcing reveals the importance of on-slope surface winds, the midlatitude isentropic slope, and latent heating in setting the amplitude of stationary waves. The response of stationary eddies to climate change is determined primarily by the strength of zonal surface winds hitting the mountain. The sensitivity of stationary-eddies to this surface forcing increases with climate change as the slope of midlatitude isentropes decreases. However, latent heating also plays an important role in damping the stationary-eddy response, and this damping becomes stronger with warming as the atmospheric moisture content increases. We find that the response of tropical overturning circulations forced by ocean heat-flux convergence is described by changes in the vertical structure of moist static energy and deep convection. This is used to derive simple scalings for the Walker circulation strength that capture the monotonic decrease with warming found in our idealized simulations.p> <p>Through the work of this thesis, the advances made in understanding the amplitude of stationary-waves in a changing climate can be directly applied to better understand and predict changes in the zonally anomalous hydrological cycle.p>

Measurements of mantle velocities of P waves with a large array

A large array has been used to investigate the P-wave velocity structure of the lower mantle. Linear array processing methods are reviewed and a method of nonlinear processing is presented. Phase velocities, travel times, and relative amplitudes of P waves have been measured with the large array at the Tonto Forest Seismological Observatory in Arizona for 125 earthquakes in the distance range of 30 to 100 degrees. Various models are assumed for the upper 771 km of the mantle and the Wiechert-Herglotz method applied to the phase velocity data to obtain a velocity depth structure for the lower mantle. The phase velocity data indicates the presence of a second-order discontinuity at a depth of 840 km, another at 1150 km, and less pronounced discontinuities at 1320, 1700 and 1950 km. Phase velocities beyond 85 degrees are interpreted in terms of a triplication of the phase velocity curve, and this results in a zone of almost constant velocity between depths of 2670 and 2800 km. Because of the uncertainty in the upper mantle assumptions, a final model cannot be proposed, but it appears that the lower mantle is more complicated than the standard models and there is good evidence for second-order discontinuities below a depth of 1000 km. A tentative lower bound of 2881 km can be placed on the depth to the core. The importance of checking the calculated velocity structure against independently measured travel times is pointed out. Comparisons are also made with observed PcP times and the agreement is good. The method of using measured values of the rate of change of amplitude with distances shows promising results.

Part I: Total yield measurements for the ^(21)Ne(α,n)^)(24)Mg reaction. Part II: A study of the ^(12)C(He,p)^(14)N reaction

<p>PART Ip> <p>The total cross-section for the reaction p>21p>Ne(α, n)p>24p>Mg has been measured in the energy range 1.49 Mev ≤ E_cm ≤ 2.6 Mev. The cross-section factor, S(O), for this reaction has been determined, by means of an optical model calculation, to be in the range 1.52 x 10p>12p> mb-Mev to 2.67 x 10p>12p> mb-Mev, for interaction radii in the range 5.0 fm to 6.6 fm. With S(O) ≈ 2 x 10p>12p> mb-Mev, the reaction p>21p>Ne(α, n)p>24p>Mg can produce a large enough neutron flux to be a significant astrophysical source of neutrons.p> <p>PART IIp> <p>The reactionp>12p>C(p>3p>He, p)p>14p>N has been studied over the energy range 12 Mev ≤ E_lab ≤ 18 Mev. Angular distributions of the proton groups leading to the lowest seven levels in p>14p>N were obtained.p> <p>Distorted wave calculations, based on two-nucleon transfer theory, were performed, and were found to be reliable for obtaining the value of the orbital angular momentum transferred. The present work shows that such calculations do not yield unambiguous values for the spectroscopic factors.p>

Inelastic K+p reactions at incident momenta from 1.37 GeV/c to 2.17 GeV/c

<p>A number of recent experiments have suggested the possibility of a highly inelastic resonance in Kp>+p>p scattering. To study the inelastic Kp>+p>p reactions, a 400 K exposure has been taken at the L.R.L. 25 inch bubble chamber. The data are spread over seven Kp>+p> momenta between 1.37 and 2.17 GeV/c.p> <p>Cross-sections have been measured for the reaction Kp>+p>p → pK°π+ which is dominated by the quasi-two body channels K∆ and K*N. Both these channels are strongly peripheral, as at other momenta. The decay of the ∆ is in good agreement with the predictions of the rho-photon analogy of Stodolsky and Sakurai. The data on the K*p channel show evidence of both pseudo scalar and vector exchange.p> <p>Cross-sections for the final state pKp>+p>π+π- shows a strong contribution from the quasi-two body channel K*∆. This reaction is also very peripheral even at threshold. The decay angular distributions indicate the reaction is dominated as at higher momenta by a pion exchange mechanism. The data are also in good agreement with the quark model predictions of Bialas and Zalewski for the K* and ∆ decay.p>

偏振分配角θp对高功率激光三倍频波形的影响

使用四阶龙格-库塔算法数值求解Ⅱ类-Ⅱ类偏振失配方案的三倍频稳态耦合波方程组。针对“神光Ⅱ”激光驱动器的三倍频系统，在二倍频匹配角吼和三倍频匹配角只均处于最佳匹配情况下，以1°为单位改变偏振分配角郇的偏离量，得到对应的三倍频波形特性的变化。研究表明，偏振分配角θp处于最佳理论匹配位时，对应的三倍频波形半峰全宽最窄，且波形上升沿抬起也最快；θp从最佳匹配位增加比从最佳匹配位减小对应的半峰全宽变宽更快，对应的上升沿抬起更慢。根据所得理论结果，在实验中调节偏振分配角θp，达到了改变三倍频输出波形特性，进而实现八

激光热处理对化学沉积Ni-P合金薄膜性能的影响

用扫描电镜(SEM)观察了化学沉积Ni-P合金薄膜/单晶硅基体的结构与颗粒度,利用X射线衍射(XRD)技术测试了其化学沉积后的残余应力,测量了激光热处理后残余应力的变化规律,分析了残余应力对磨损性能及界面结合强度的影响。实验结果表明,化学沉积Ni-P合金薄膜/硅基体的残余应力均表现为拉应力,经过激光热处理后残余应力发生了变化,由高值的拉应力变为低值的拉应力或压应力；薄膜残余应力对其磨损性能有明显的影响,其磨损量随着残余应力的减小而减小；薄膜与基体结合强度随着残余应力的增大而减小,合理地选择激光热处理参数可

Análise da composição da dieta de seis espécies de peixes coexistentes em um reservatório tropical (Reservatório de Ribeirão das Lajes, Piraí-RJ)

O presente estudo analisou o conteúdo digestório de 221 indivíduos de seis espécies de peixes, do reservatório de Ribeirão das Lajes (Piraí-RJ), sendo 44 exemplares da espécie Loricariichthys castaneus, 56 de Parauchenipterus striatulus, 46 de Metynnis maculatus, 40 de Astyanax bimaculatus, 31 de Astyanax parahybae e 4 de Rhamdia quelen. O intuito foi o de estabelecer suas dietas, através do emprego do índice de importância alimentar (IAi), verificar a existência de diferenças na alimentação entre épocas seca e chuvosa e ainda as suas relações tróficas no ambiente aquático em questão. Não foram observadas grandes alterações da dieta das espécies estudadas entre épocas do ano. Foi evidenciada uma utilização de recursos alimentares semelhantes entre as espécies, que puderam ser divididas em dois grupos: um composto por espécies de hábitos onívoros com tendência a insetivoria e que empregaram recursos alóctones em suas dietas, formado por A. bimaculatus, A. parahybae e P. striatulus e outro contendo L. castaneus, R. quelen e M. maculatus que apresentaram uma maior amplitude de itens ingeridos, sendo muitos itens associados ao substrato e alguns a coluna dágua. Existiu uma sobreposição alimentar entre as espécies onívoras, todavia a ampla disponibilidade de recursos alimentares passíveis de serem explorados pelos peixes no reservatório faz com que esta sobreposição não se converta em possível competição por alimentos. Além disso, as espécies exploraram secundariamente itens alimentares diferenciados em suas dietas.

Social structure and underwater behavior of harbor seals in southern Monterey Bay, California

To understand harbor seal social and mating strategies, I examined site fidelity, seasonal abundance and distribution, herd integrity, and underwater behavior of individual harbor seals in southern Monterey Bay. Individual harbor seals (n = 444) were identified by natural markings and represented greater than 80% of an estimated 520 seals within this community. Year to year fidelity of individual harbor seals to southern Monterey Bay coastline was 84% (n = 388), and long-term associations (>2 yrs) among individuals were common (>40%). Consistent with these long-term associations, harbor seals were highly social underwater throughout the year. Underwater social behavior included three primary types: (1) visual and acoustic displays, such as vocalizing, surface splashing, and bubble-blowing; (2) playful or agonistic social behavior such as rolling, mounting, attending, and biting; and (3) signal gestures such as head-thrusting, fore-flipper scratch~ng, and growling. Frequency of these types of behavior was related to seal age, gender, season, and resource availability. Underwater behavior had a variety of functions, including promotion of learning and social development, reduction of aggression and preservation of social bonds by maintaining social hierarchy, and facilitation of mate selection during breeding season. Social behavior among adult males was significantly correlated with vocalization characteristics (r = 0.99, X2 = 37.7, p = 0.00087), indicating that seals may assess their competition based on underwater vocalization displays and adopt individual strategies for attracting females during breeding season based on social status. Individual mating strategies may include defending underwater territories, using scramble tactics, and developing social alliances. (PDF contains 105 pages)

Contributions to High-Throughput Computing Based on the Peer-to-Peer Paradigm

XII, 116 p.

Correlação da resposta clínica à vardenafila em dois regimes terapêuticos com parâmetros vasculares e escore de risco cardiovascular em hipertensos com disfunção erétil vasculogênica

A disfunção erétil (DE) tem alta prevalência entre hipertensos e tem sido considerada marcador precoce de risco cardiovascular. A presença e gravidade da DE bem como a resposta clínica aos inibidores da fosfodiesterase tipo 5 (PDE5) parecem depender da biodisponibilidade do óxido nítrico (NO) endotelial e da extensão da doença aterosclerótica. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a resposta clínica da vardenafila usada em dois regimes terapêuticos em hipertensos com DE vasculogênica e sem doença cardiovascular maior, correlacionando a gravidade da DE e a eficácia da vardenafila com dados antropométricos, laboratoriais, escore de risco cardiovascular e parâmetros vasculares funcionais e estruturais. A resposta clínica à vardenafila nos dois regimes foi avaliada conforme o percentual de respostas positivas à questão 3 do Perfil do Encontro Sexual (PES3). Os parâmetros vasculares considerados foram a espessura médio-intimal (EMI) da carótida comum, a dilatação mediada pelo fluxo (DMF) da artéria braquial e a dilatação nitrato-mediada (DNM). Foram incluídos 100 homens hipertensos com idade entre 50 e 70 anos, sendo 74 portadores de DE vasculogênica e 26 com função erétil normal que serviram de grupo controle. Nos pacientes com DE, o índice de massa corporal, relação cintura-quadril, EMI da carótida, níveis séricos de triglicerídeos, colesterol total e LDL foram significativamente maiores que no grupo controle. Após o uso de vardenafila on demand (fase 1), os pacientes com mais de 50% de respostas positivas ao PES3 ou 50% de respostas afirmativas e um incremento de 6 pontos ou mais em relação ao Índice Internacional de Função Erétil (IIEF-FE) basal e/ou resposta positiva a Questão de Avaliação Global (QAG), foram considerados respondedores. O escore do IIEF-FE basal se correlacionou negativamente com a EMI da carótida (r=-0,48, P<0,001) e com o escore de Framingham (r= -0,41, P<0,001) no grupo com DE. Houve forte correlação positiva entre a resposta clínica à vardenafila com a DMF (r= 0,70, P<0,001), que não se observou entre o sub-grupo de diabéticos. Os 35 pacientes considerados não-respondedores na fase 1 foram randomizados e, em desenho duplo-cego, receberam vardenafila ou placebo diariamente durante cinco semanas, podendo usar 10 mg de vardenafila uma hora antes da atividade sexual (fase2). Houve resposta clínica positiva em 38,8% dos que receberam a vardenafila na fase 2 e esta resposta se correlacionou com a frequência sexual (r= 0,68, P<0,01) e com o escore de Framingham (r= -0,65, P<0,01), com a EMI da carótida (r= -0,61, P=0,01) e com o LDL-colesterol (r= -0,64, P<0,01). A vardenafila foi bem tolerada em ambos os regimes terapêuticos. Concluímos que nessa amostra de hipertensos, a gravidade da DE foi relacionada a parâmetros vasculares estruturais (EMI), enquanto a resposta clínica à vardenafila on demand foi mais diretamente dependente da função vascular momentânea (DMF). Houve benefício na utilização de vardenafila diariamente com o objetivo de resgatar a eficácia do inibidor quanto à melhora do desempenho sexual. A falta de eficácia clínica ao inibidor da PDE5 em ambos os regimes terapêuticos pode servir como marcador clínico que identifica homens hipertensos com um risco cardiovascular aumentado.

Estudio de la Calidad Experimentada (QoE) en el Servicio de Navegación Web: Contribución a la Validación de las Recomendaciones ITU-T P.1501 e ITU-T G.1031

Muchos de los servicios que hasta hace relativamente poco tiempo eran ofertados únicamente por los operadores de telecomunicaciones, han pasado en la actualidad a ser prestados por terceros gracias al modelo de servicios en la nube, impulsando el auge de este modelo frente al tradicional. Esto trae consigo un incremento en la complejidad en la implantación por parte del proveedor de políticas para la gestión de la QoS demandada por el cliente.En este nuevo escenario, el concepto de calidad de servicio ha venido evolucionando desde su definición clásica, entendida como el análisis objetivo de los indicadores intrínsecos de calidad que definen el rendimiento de un servicio, hacia una visión subjetiva centrada en el punto de vista del cliente respecto a dicho servicio. En este contexto, organismos de estandarización como la ITU, a través de sus grupos de trabajo, están fomentando el interesante planteamiento de abordar los servicios de telecomunicaciones ampliamente asentados y más que estudiados desde la vertiente clásica de la QoS, desde este nuevo prisma enfocado al cliente, en el que poder establecer una metodología de estudio de la QoE en dichos servicios. En particular, el trabajo presentado en este documento se asienta en la validación del draft de la recientemente aprobada recomendación ITU-T P.1501 (Metodología de test subjetiva para el servicio de navegación web), así como en la contribución a la recomendación G.1031 (Factores de QoE en el servicio de navegación web).

The relationship between aquatic macrophytes and water quality in Nta-Wogba Stream, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

An empirical survey of macrophytes distribution and biomass from four stations, along Nta-wogba stream in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was conducted between April and December 2007, to quantify the relationship between biomass, in stream nutrients and dissolved ions. The correlation analysis indicated that the biomass of the aquatic macrophytes under consideration, Einochloa pyramidalis; Diplazum sammatii; Cyperus difformis; Alternathera sessilis and Ludwigia decurrens were significantly (P<0.05) related to the nutrients: sulphate, ammonium; nitrate, and phosphate in all the stations. The measurement of total dissolved solid, which is correlated to ionic concentrations and turbidity, provided a rough indication of in stream light availability.