Local Circulation Research Articles

Educator and Mentor Are Key Figures in Formation of Educational-Technological National Sovereignty

Introduction. The loss of the domestic education system’s world leadership has contributed to a sharp decline in the social status of a teacher. The imbalances in the sphere of upbringing-education led to the deformation of the economy and reduction of national security of the state. However, the beginning of a special military operation to protect the lives of civilians of the Donetsk and Lugansk Peopleʼs Republics in Ukraine has revised the problem of restoring and building up the educational-technological sovereignty of the country. The purpose of the article is to analyze the current problems in the sphere of education and training of young people, to identify old and new roles of the teacher-mentor and the degree of influence of the institute of mentoring on the formation of educationaltechnological sovereignty of the country. Materials and Methods. When analyzing and summarizing the most significant works devoted to both timetested and new models of modern mentoring, as well as substantiating and synthesizing the concept of “educational and technological sovereignty”, the authors relied on historical and interdisciplinary approaches, the principles of “educational education” by I. Herbart, the ideological legacy of K. D. Ushinsky on “public education”, the developments of domestic philosophical, sociological, psychological and pedagogical schools, the experience accumulated in the country in the upbringing and education of young people and adults. Results. The study of the problem of the formation of the educational and technological sovereignty of the country proves that mentoring as a developing social technology improves the conditions for the local circulation of professional information in society. Adequate to the tasks of “public education” and “educational education”, it contributes to the formation of a holistic picture of the world among young people in the course of a direct exchange of cultural, historical, scientific, technological, spiritual and moral knowledge-codes between the subjects of interaction (mentor and ward). Mentoring models work well in management, scientific, educational, industrial, technological and cultural spheres, in healthcare, social security, and the spiritual and religious environment, blocking threats to the national security of the country. Discussion and Conclusion. The obtained results contribute to the scientific analysis of the phenomenon of mentoring as an interdisciplinary problem, initiate the study of its new forms, which are adequate to the conditions of digitalization of modern society. We hope that they will contribute to the strengthening of the domestic institute of mentoring and, as a result, to building up the cultural, educational and technological sovereignty of the country.

Impact of Anthropogenic Heat on Urban Environment: A Case Study of Singapore with High-Resolution Gridded Data

Anthropogenic heat (AH) emissions have great impacts on urban climate. AH is usually spatially heterogeneous and depends on the urban land use type. Studies using high-resolution gridded data that can resolve spatially heterogeneous AH are still scarce. The present study uses AH data of a high spatial resolution of 200 m by 200 m and a temporal resolution of 1 h to investigate the impact of AH in Singapore in April 2016, particularly regarding the relative contribution of individual AH components. The WRF model coupled with a single-layer urban canopy model is employed. The WRF model can predict the 2-m air temperature and 2-m relative humidity with good agreement with the observation data, while the simulated 10-m wind speed has relatively large deviation from the observation data. The largest spatially averaged temperature increases caused by total AH (QF), AH from buildings (QB) and AH from traffic (QV) are 1.44 °C, 1.44 °C and 1.35 °C, respectively. The effects of AH on sensible heat flux and boundary layer height are largely consistent, with both QF and QB exhibiting significant effects at night, while the effects of QV are small. The effect of AH on the local circulations (sea and land breezes) in Singapore is small, while its effect on the urban heat island (UHI) circulations is more pronounced. Due to the UHI circulations, the sum of the effects on local temperatures caused by QB and QV may exceed that by QF in some areas. This finding can guide comprehensive mitigation measures of AH by not only focusing on land use type but also on the contribution of individual AH components, in order to ameliorate the impacts of urban overheating.

Ice‐Front Retreat Controls on Ocean Dynamics Under Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica

AbstractIceberg A‐68 separated from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in July 2017 and the impact of this event on the local ocean circulation has yet to be assessed. Here, we conduct numerical simulations of ocean dynamics near and below the ice shelf pre‐ and post‐calving. Results agree with in situ and remote observations of the area as they indicate that basal melt is primarily controlled by wintertime sea‐ice formation, which in turn produces High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW). After the calving event, we simulate a 50% increase in HSSW intrusion under the ice shelf, enhancing ocean heat delivery by 30%. This results in doubling of the melt rate under Gipps Ice Rise, suggesting a positive feedback for further retreat that could destabilize the Larsen C Ice Shelf. Assessing the impact of ice‐front retreat on the heat delivery under the ice is crucial to better understand ice‐shelf dynamics in a warming environment.

Sensitivity of Antarctic Shelf Waters and Abyssal Overturning to Local Winds

Abstract Winds around the Antarctic continental margin are known to exert a strong control on the local ocean stratification and circulation. However, past work has largely focused on the ocean response to changing winds in limited regional sectors and the circumpolar dynamical response to polar wind change remains uncertain. In this work, we use a high-resolution global ocean–sea ice model to investigate how dense shelf water formation and the temperature of continental shelf waters respond to changes in the zonal and meridional components of the polar surface winds. Increasing the zonal easterly wind component drives an enhanced southward Ekman transport in the surface layer, raising sea level over the continental shelf and deepening coastal isopycnals. The downward isopycnal movement cools the continental shelf, as colder surface waters replace warmer waters below. However, in this model the zonal easterly winds do not impact the strength of the abyssal overturning circulation, in contrast to past idealized model studies. Instead, increasing the meridional wind speed strengthens the abyssal overturning circulation via a sea ice advection mechanism. Enhanced offshore meridional wind speed increases the northward export of sea ice, resulting in decreased sea ice thickness over the continental shelf. The reduction in sea ice coverage leads to increased air–sea heat loss, sea ice formation, brine rejection, dense shelf water formation, and abyssal overturning circulation. Increasing the meridional winds causes warming at depth over most of the continental shelf, due to a heat advection feedback associated with the enhanced overturning circulation.

Extreme precipitation over complex terrain using multiple remote sensing observation: A case study in the Great Bandung, Indonesia

Intense precipitation events are the main cause triggering hydrometeorological hazards over complex terrain. Two extreme precipitation (EP) events led to major flooding on 23–25 March 2021 and produced a rain-hail mixture (RHM) on 11 April 2021 in the Greater Bandung (GB) basin area, Indonesia. We investigated the spatial and vertical structure of precipitating cloud systems and the plausible mechanism triggering the two case studies with combined multiple remote sensing observations using an X-band polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar (Xpol) and X-band rain scanner radar (RSR) network, supported by rain gauges and satellite observation. The local processes controlling the intense rainfall events over the complex topography were quantified for the first time using an observational campaign in Indonesia. During the first EP event (23–25 March 2021), the modified satellite algorithm successively confirmed that the mesoscale convective system triggered the local anomalous circulation. The RSR network reveals that the EP in eastern GB contributed to the overflow of the Citarum River alongside the basin, coinciding with the eastward propagating convective system that produced oblate-shaped water droplets without hail. Nevertheless, during the second EP event on 11 April 2021, the strengthening of mountain-based convection played a main role in producing RHM, confirmed by a hail differential reflectivity larger than 12 dB and exhibited hail early stage over two height levels in different locations (981 m and 1033 m) in the GB. Our study also found Doppler vorticity-based and rain sizes combination indicators using RSR data networks in capturing such extreme weather events over complex topography with 35 min early times to support the early warning system of hydrometeorological disaster mitigation over GB, Indonesia.

A new climatology of South American extratropical cyclogenesis with an intercomparison among ERA5, JRA55 and the Brazilian Navy

AbstractIn South America, the most destructive extratropical cyclones occur over the southeastern quadrant of the continent, a region that includes some of the world's largest population centres. However, there are few studies of cyclogenesis in this region, and little is known about how the varying origins of these storms impact subsequent behaviour. By supplementing an observational record with current reanalysis data, this study reveals the general characteristics of cyclones that develop in the lee regions of the Andes and those that develop nearer the Atlantic coast. The comparative climatologies demonstrate that cyclone development in these separate contexts is driven by topography, local atmospheric circulations and basin‐scale climate oscillations. The analysis further reveals a low‐frequency seesaw of lee and coastal cyclogenesis, with cross‐basin ocean temperature differences playing a teleconnectional role.

Synoptic circulation patterns of urban floods for the city of Hyderabad

AbstractSynoptic fingerprinting of flood driving rainfall events over the Hyderabad city, India were assessed through an unsupervised machine learning technique—self‐organizing maps (SOM) for the period 1979–2020. Flood dates were identified using nonscientific data sources, and then large‐scale climate variables, that is, integrated vapour transport (IVT) and geopotential height at 500 hPa (Z500) along with rainfall at daily scale were considered. SOM was applied on IVT and results indicated large spatial scale‐ and season‐specific mechanisms in addition to local circulation systems—this highlights SOM's ability to cluster circulation mechanisms as per the relevance. The rainy seasons, that is, monsoon and postmonsoon showed well‐known moisture pathways. While synoptic systems can be easily linked with monsoon and postmonsoon mechanisms, it is interesting to note that the local systems exist even during the monsoon and postmonsoon season in addition to the summer season. Spatial patterns of Z500 corresponding to SOM nodes of IVT showed the presence of low‐pressure systems (LPSs), tropical cyclones and trough systems. Further analysis was performed, and a total of 35 atmospheric rivers (ARs) were identified. Plots of back trajectories for the selected AR events indicated that Arabian Sea is the main source of moisture in the monsoon season followed by Bay of Bengal for postmonsoon and tropical cyclones in summer season events. Additionally, moisture from land is also observed as another source of moisture. Back‐trajectory analysis further indicated AR‐LPS interaction during the monsoon and ARs feeding moisture to LPSs. Overall, well‐known and season‐specific synoptic systems that brought significant rainfall to the study region were identified by the SOM. The proposed framework is adaptable for different locations, and as floods in cities across the globe are on the rise, these findings will have a prominent role in urban flood forecasting and management.

Determination of Grid-Wise Monsoon Onset and Its Spatial Analysis for India (1901–2019)

Monsoon onset in India has always been a topic of interest for the research fraternity and various stakeholders. This study aimed to determine the monsoon onset date at the grid point scale, to obtain the trend of monsoon onset, and to unravel the spatial distribution of monsoon onset during the period 1901–2019 (especially in different climate modes). Based on observed cumulative rainfall, the piecewise linear regression model (PLRM), which employs least-squares principles, finds changepoints that signify the beginning of the monsoon season with the onset of monsoon. In this study, monsoon onset is examined with respect to several climate modes to evaluate their impact on monsoon onset. Monsoon onset is delayed in El Niño and drought years due to strong negative anomalies that are revealed by a spatial examination of monsoon onset. However, because of local atmospheric circulation impacts, there are outliers. The study also reveals areas with notable monotonic tendencies in monsoon onset, suggesting future changes in onset dates. These areas need more sophisticated frameworks for developing mitigation strategies since they should be viewed as susceptible. The comparison of the PLRM outcomes with objective methods reveals a strong correlation, confirming the accuracy of the PLRM method. Overall, the PLRM has been shown to be a useful tool for predicting the start of the monsoon on fine spatial scales and may be used in conjunction with regional climate models to anticipate the start of the monsoon in various regions of India. The results of this study could have a significant impact on regional planning and policy initiatives for sustainable development.

Effects of boundary layer variations on physicochemical characteristics of aerosols in mid-low-altitude regions

Variations in the height of the boundary layer have a critical impact on the vertical transport of near-surface aerosols. Variations can affect the interactions between aerosols and clouds/fog by altering the scattering and absorption of solar radiation, significantly changing radiative forcing, convective precipitation, and regional climate. In this study, we simultaneously monitored air pollution and meteorological factors in a flat urban area (YunTech site, 50 m asl) and its peripheral mountainous region (MeiShan site, 980 m asl), analyzed the characteristics of pollutants under different atmospheric conditions, and explored the differences in the chemical reaction mechanisms of aerosols at various altitudes, aiming to clarify the evolution of the boundary layer in urban and suburban areas and its impact on the transport of pollutants. The results show that even without anthropogenic emissions, urban ground-level pollutants could be transported to peripheral mountainous areas through boundary layer height variations and local circulations, such as mountain-valley breezes. The PM2.5 concentration was higher at the urban site (average 31.14 ± 14.82μgm−3) and could be transported aloft by valley winds, leading to the gradual accumulation of daytime PM2.5 with an afternoon peak at the mountain site. Moreover, the nitrogen oxidation rate (NOR = [NO3−]/[NO3−] + [NO2]) exhibited clear site variations, the mountain site (average 0.41 ± 0.20) was higher than the urban site (average 0.19 ± 0.07), likely due to the atmospheric environment with thick clouds/fog and strong oxidation capacity in the mountain area. Our study has verified that aerosol characteristics, origins, formation pathways and transport mechanisms at the two measurement sites are significantly different under different conditions, which provides a theoretical basis for future air pollution prevention and regional climate research.

The Image of the Arab World in the Spanish and Latin American Journalistic Discourse: Immigration as an Example

Spain's and Latin America's perception of Arabs is conditioned by a set of labels. This article aims to study the (re)presentation of the figure of the Arab immigrant in both Spanish and Latin American journalistic discourse. The researchers, through the use of a series of lexical and rhetorical resources, demonstrate that, this discourse effectively contributes to the generation of labels about the population of the study in question. Our corpus of analysis is essentially made up of newspaper articles with national and local circulation (El Mundo, El Diario de Sevilla, El Tiempo, Libertad Digital, etc.). The methodology followed in the analysis is based on the theories of Van Dijk about discourse and racism in Spain and Latin America.

In vivo laser speckle contrast imaging of 4-aminopyridine- or pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures.

Clinical and preclinical studies on epileptic seizures are closely linked to the study of neurovascular coupling. Obtaining reliable information about cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the area of epileptic activity through minimally invasive techniques is crucial for research in this field. In our studies, we used laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to gather information about the local blood circulation in the area of epileptic activity. We used two models of epileptic seizures: one based on 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) and another based on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ). We verified the duration of an epileptic seizure using electrocorticography (ECoG). We applied the antiepileptic drug topiramate (TPM) to both models, but its effect was different in each case. However, in both models, TPM had an effect on neurovascular coupling in the area of epileptic activity, as shown by both LSCI and ECoG data. We demonstrated that TPM significantly reduced the amplitude of 4-AP-induced epileptic seizures (4-AP+TPM: 0.61 ± 0.13 mV vs 4-AP: 1.08 ± 0.19 mV; p < 0.05), and it also reduced gamma power in ECoG in PTZ-induced epileptic seizures (PTZ+TPM: 38.5% ± 11.9% of the peak value vs PTZ: 59.2% ± 3.0% of peak value; p < 0.05). We also captured the pattern of CBF changes during focal epileptic seizures induced by 4-AP. Our data confirm that the system of simultaneous cortical LSCI and registration of ECoG makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological agents in various types of epileptic seizures in in vivo models and provides spatial and temporal information on the process of ictogenesis.

A CASE STUDY ON DUSTAVRANA

Background: Dusta vrana is the severe complication of untreated ulcers caused by varicose vein, Thromboangiitis Obliterans, atherosclerosis, trauma, etc. vrana with poothi gandha, vivarnata, bahu srava, maha ruja is known as dusta vrana. Such ulcers can be managed with Panchakarma chikitsa by following the bahya and abhyantara shodhana management line. Brief case report: A 75 years old male patient came with pain, swelling and ulcer over the left foot for six months with a history of trauma; he was a known case of Thromboangiitis Obliterans, having undergone amputation of 1st, 2nd, and 4th and 5th toes of left lower limb. The patient had a 60-70 % block of distal Anterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery. Bahya shodhana was done by dhara with gomutra, sphatika jala panchavalkala kwatha and abhyantara shodhana by Manjistadi kshara basti in yoga basti pattern. Conclusion: Significant reduction was seen in slough and pain. The appearance of granulation tissue was observed. Sthanika dhara with gomutra, which has ushna, teekshna, and lekhana properties, removes slough and improves local circulation. Sphatika jala does lekhana and shodhana. Panchavalkala kwatha has vrana ropana property. Manjistadi kshara basti does srotoshodhana and enhances circulation by virtue of its kshareeya guna and acts as rakta prasadaka and vrana ropaka.

Global Climate Impacts of Land‐Surface and Atmospheric Processes Over the Tibetan Plateau

AbstractThe Tibetan Plateau (TP) impacts local and remote atmospheric circulations, wherein it mechanically and thermally affects air masses or airflows. Moreover, the TP provides a key channel for substance transport between the troposphere and the stratosphere. This study reviews recent advances in research regarding land–atmosphere coupling processes over the TP. The TP experiences climate warming and wetting. Climate warming has caused glacier retreat, permafrost degradation, and a general increase in vegetation density, while climate wetting has led to a significant increase in the number of major lakes, primarily through increased precipitation. Local and regional climates are affected by interactions between the land and the atmosphere. Namely, the TP drives surface pollutants to the upper troposphere in an Asian summer monsoon (ASM) anticyclone circulation, before spreading to the lower stratosphere. Further, the thermal forcing of the TP plays an essential role in the ASM. TP forcing can modulate hemispheric‐scale atmospheric circulations across all seasons. The TP interacts with remote oceans through a forced atmospheric response and is substantially affected by the evolution of the Earth's climate via promoting Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and eliminating Pacific meridional overturning circulation. The extensive influence of the TP is facilitated by its coupling with the ASM in the summer; whereas its winter influence on climate mainly occurs through Rossby waves. The observed increasing trends of temperature and precipitation over the TP are projected to continue throughout the 21st century.

Dynamic panoramic presentation of skin function after fractional CO2 laser treatment

Fractional CO2 laser, as a typical ablative laser, has been used to assist in the treatment of many skin diseases, such as photoaging, atrophic scar, hypertrophic scar, superficial pigmentation, vitiligo, and so on. However, the dynamic changes in skin function after fractional CO2 laser treatment are still unclear. This study explored the changes in local skin function and possible regulatory mechanisms after fractional CO2 laser treatment for 1, 3, 5, and 7days through transcriptome high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that fractional CO2 laser tended to transform the "lesions" into "normal skin", regulate the skin barrier, coordinate the rearrangement of collagen, enhance the local microvascular circulation, activate the immune system to secrete a large number of cytokines, and act as an auxiliary tool to assist drug transport. In conclusion, according to the basic principle of destruction before reconstruction, fractional CO2 laser plays a key role of balancer in skin reconstruction.

Atlantic Multidecadal Variability modulates the climate impacts of El Niño–Southern Oscillation in Australia

Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) modulates El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) dynamics. Here, we explore the effect of warm (AMV+) and cold (AMV−) AMV conditions on the austral summer teleconnection of ENSO to Australia using idealized simulations performed with the NCAR-CESM1 model. AMV+ strengthens the mean and extreme precipitation and temperature responses to El Niño in south-western Australia and weakens the mean precipitation and temperature impacts in north-eastern Australia. The modulation of La Niña impacts by AMV is asymmetric to El Niño, with a weakening of the mean and extreme precipitation and temperature responses in eastern Australia. Decomposing the total difference in ENSO response between AMV phases, we find that the signals are mainly explained by the direct AMV modulation of ENSO and its teleconnections rather than by changes in background climate induced by AMV. The exception is ENSO-driven fire impacts, where there is a significant increase in burned area in south-eastern Australia only when El Niño and AMV+ co-occur. However, modulation of ENSO between AMV+ and AMV− does offset ∼37% of the decrease in burned area extent during La Niña summers. The altered surface climate response to ENSO in Australia by AMV is attributed to variations in large-scale atmospheric circulation. Under AMV+, there is increased subsidence over western Australia during El Niño associated with a westward shift of the local Walker circulation. A weakening of the upwelling branch of the local Hadley circulation over north-eastern Australia is responsible for the weakening of La Niña impacts in AMV+, accompanied by a strengthening of subsidence in south central Australia due to a weakening of the local Hadley circulation, amplifying La Niña impacts over this region. The results suggest the potential for AMV to drive multidecadal variability in ENSO impacts over Australia.

Molecular epidemiology of Canine circovirus in domestic dogs and wildlife in Namibia, Africa.

Canine circovirus (CanineCV) is a DNA virus affecting domestic dogs and other wild carnivore species. Despite the potential implications for dogs' health and wildlife conservation, data on CanineCV presence, epidemiology and genetic features from Africa is still poor. In the present study, biological specimens collected between 2020 and 2022 from a total of 32 jackals and 575 domestic dogs were tested for the presence of CanineCV DNA to evaluate its frequency. Furthermore, sequencing was conducted on positive samples to characterize the strains and compare them with publicly available sequences through phylogenetic analysis. A high CanineCV prevalence was observed both in jackals (43.75%; 95 CI: 28.17% - 60.67%) and domestic dogs (27.13%; 95 CI: 23.66% - 30.91%). All aside from one Namibian strain formed an independent clade, suggestive of extremely rare introduction events, followed by local persistence, circulation, and evolution. Remarkably, different recombination events were observed involving strains from both jackals and domestic dogs, which testify to the likely strain exchange between these populations. Distinctive amino acid residues were also observed in jackals. The limitations of the considered host populations however prevent a definitive conclusion on host adaptation, biological, and clinical features. Further studies should be performed to expand our current knowledge of the CanineCV disease scenario in Namibia, other African regions, and associated host species in Africa.

NEUROPLASTICITY IN CEREBRAL VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Introduction. The field of pediatric stroke has developed rapidly and has reached the stage where focused funding prioritization is required to make further advances including understanding mechanisms and optimal treatments. The existence of highly motivated and collaborative researchers in this field provides tremendous potential for leveraging research productivity. In recent years, research has been expanding in the direction of studying central hemodynamics, general and local intracerebral circulation, as well as orbital and intraocular hemodynamics when studying the dynamics of cerebral visual impairment (CVI) in children with pre- and perinatal encephalopathy. The aim of the study was studying the mechanisms of the relationship between neuroplasticity and cerebral visual impairment at the recovery stages of intracranial hemodynamic and liquor dynamic disturbances in children with NE. Materials and methods. Over the past 10 years, out of 3,500 children aged from 3 months to 6 years examined by us, with the help and cooperation of the children's neurological hospital, the Republican Perinatal Center and the Research Institute of Pediatrics, 1,500 children were diagnosed with acute cerebrovascular accident in the neonatal period of life. Homeostasis indicators-catecholamines in the blood, excretion in the urine, the sugar and cortisol in the blood, electrolytes in plasma and erythrocytes. NSG, MRI, CDU. The reactivity of BP, of the pulse and respiration to vegetotropic drugs and PA.EEG (sleep rhythm, emotional and motor activity) Results. It has been proven that the decisive mechanisms of recovery options depend on the orientation of the hypothalamic-pituitary relationship and the nature of homeostatic aberrations. The overwhelming majority of these children have experienced catecholamine excite dumping syndrome over these long years and had a clinical picture of both cerebral pathology and CVI. By compiling histograms, it was possible to establish that the effect of cholinergic mechanisms on general hemodynamics was less pronounced than on intraorbital blood circulation. In other words, the assessment of hemodynamic responsiveness to the stimulus revealed a more significant fluctuation in the index of intracranial rather than general hemodynamics. Conclusion. Analysis of variance proves that the stability of the mean dynamic blood pressure is one of the leading mechanisms for stabilization of adaptive homeostatic neuroplasticity of the CNS and visual analyzer.

Superimposed effects of typical local circulations driven by mountainous topography and aerosol–radiation interaction on heavy haze in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei central and southern plains in winter

Abstract. Although China's air quality has substantially improved in recent years due to the vigorous emissions reduction, the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region, especially its central and southern plains at the eastern foot of the Taihang Mountains, has been the most polluted area in China, with persistent and severe haze in winter. Combining meteorology–chemistry coupled model simulations and multiple observations, this study explored the causes of several heavy haze events in this area in January 2017, focusing on local circulations related to mountain terrain. The study results showed that on the weather scale, the configuration of the upper, middle, and lower atmosphere provided favorable weather and water vapor transport conditions for the development of haze pollution. Under the weak weather-scale systems, local circulation played a dominant role in the regional distribution and extreme values of PM2.5. Influenced by the Taihang and Yanshan mountains, vertical circulations and wind convergence zone were formed between the plain and mountain slopes. The vertical distribution of pollutants strongly depended on the intensity and location of the circulation. The circulation with high intensity and low altitude was more unfavorable for the vertical and horizontal diffusion of near-surface pollutants. More importantly, we found that the aerosol–radiation interaction (ARI) significantly amplified the impacts of local vertical circulations on heavy haze by two mechanisms. First, the ARI strengthened the vertical circulations at the lower levels, with the zonal wind speeds increasing by 0.3–0.8 m s−1. Meanwhile, the ARI could cause a substantial downward shift in the vertical circulations (∼ 100 m). Second, the ARI weakened the horizontal diffusion of pollutants by reducing the westerly winds and enhancing wind convergence and southerly winds. Under these two mechanisms, pollutants could only recirculate in a limited space. This superposition of the typical local circulation and the ARI eventually contributed to the accumulation of pollutants and the consequent deterioration of haze pollution in the region.

How Loud Does the Watchdog Bark? A Reconsideration of Losing Local Journalism, News Nonprofits, and Political Corruption

Journalism has long been presumed to serve as a check on the powerful, shedding light on wrongdoing; however, as local newspapers reach market failure, extant theory predicts corruption will go unchecked. We operationalize corruption as federal prosecutions for public corruption (PPCs), defined by the US Department of Justice as crimes involving the abuse of public trust by federal, state, and local public officials. We examine changes in the local news media ecosystems: first, whether declines in local newspaper employment and circulation are associated with changes in PPCs; and second, whether efforts to supplement watchdog journalism with nonprofit journalism might mitigate associated declines in federal PPC. Our findings suggest nonprofit interventions in failing local commercial news markets may be an important safeguard for keeping public officials accountable.

Effects of anthropogenic aerosols on the evolution of Indian summer monsoon

The NCAR Community Earth System Model is used to study the influences of anthropogenic aerosols on the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). We perform two sets of 30-year simulations subject to the prescribed perpetual SST annual cycle. One is triggered by the year 2000 climatology anthropogenic aerosol emissions data over the Indian Peninsula (referred to as AERO), and the other one is by the year 1850 (referred to as CTL). Only aerosol direct effects are included in the experiments. In our results, the transition of ISM in AERO relative to the CTL exhibits a similar ensemble-mean onset date with a larger spread, and more abrupt onset in late spring, and an earlier but more gradual withdrawal in early fall. The aerosols-induced circulation changes feature an upward motion over the northeastern Indian Peninsula and strengthened anticyclonic circulation over the Arabia Sea in the pre-monsoon season, and a northward shift of monsoon flow in the developed monsoon period along with strengthened local meridional circulation over northern India. The strengthened anticyclonic circulation over Arabia Sea caused a 16% increase in natural dust transport from the Middle East in the pre-monsoon season. The elevated aerosol heating over Tibet causes stronger ascending motion in the pre-monsoon period that leads to earlier and more abrupt ISM onset. The earlier monsoon withdrawal is attributed to the aerosol-induced anticyclonic flow within 10°–25°N and cyclonic flow within 0°–10°N over eastern India and Bay of Bengal that resemble the ISM seasonal transition in September.