Monitoring Instrument Research Articles

Interfaith Dialogue Based on Community Action in Catalonia (Spain): Mapping, Indicators, and Conditions for a Successful Public Policy

This paper shows the outputs of a study on interfaith dialogue based on community action in Catalonia (Spain). Our hypothesis was to check to what extent interfaith dialogue is a facilitator of community action. The study was carried out between 2023 and 2024 in three phases: the first one devoted to mapping the existing practices within the research context; a second one focused on building an indicators system as well as an instrument for monitoring and assessing interfaith dialogue practices based on community action (the questionnaire QCID_CA); and a third one oriented to identify some conditions for success. We implemented qualitative methods: document analysis, individual interviews, focus groups, active participant observation from an ethnographic position, and comparative analysis. We identified the existing interfaith dialogue practices in Catalonia that are developed under community action; we raised some indicators to assess these practices to promote community action within local contexts; we validated the QCID_CA tool by contrasting it with current interfaith dialogue practices; and we confirmed the dialectical relationship between interfaith dialogue and community action. Interfaith dialogue practices based on community action print a real influence on social interactions in the contexts where they take place. This is the reason to implement a public policy based on some principles like knowledge, acknowledgement, action, and transformation. Interfaith dialogue aims to confront individualism and social fragmentation, which may be the prelude to increasing inequalities and exclusion. It also fights against a passive understanding of citizenship by inviting participants to feel like active agents in raising their standards of living. And more: interfaith dialogue based on community action creates alliances between participants to face the lack of spirituality nowadays. Some limitations were raised from the analysis, mostly related to the number of analyzed cases and the instrument’s implementation. Further research should be required to explore that.

Quantifying uncertainties in satellite NO2 superobservations for data assimilation and model evaluation

Abstract. Satellite observations of tropospheric trace gases and aerosols are evolving rapidly. Recently launched instruments provide increasingly higher spatial resolutions, with footprint diameters in the range of 2–8 km and with daily global coverage for polar orbiting satellites or hourly observations from geostationary orbits. Often the modelling system has a lower spatial resolution than the satellites used, with a model grid size in the range of 10–100 km. When the resolution mismatch is not properly bridged, the final analysis based on the satellite data may be degraded. Superobservations are averages of individual observations matching the model's resolution and are functional to reduce the data load on the assimilation system. In this paper, we discuss the construction of superobservations, their kernels, and uncertainty estimates. The methodology is applied to nitrogen dioxide tropospheric column measurements of the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) instrument on the Sentinel-5P satellite. In particular, the construction of realistic uncertainties for the superobservations is non-trivial and crucial to obtaining close-to-optimal data assimilation results. We present a detailed methodology to account for the representation error when satellite observations are missing due to, e.g., cloudiness. Furthermore, we account for systematic errors in the retrievals leading to error correlations between nearby individual observations contributing to one superobservation. Correlation information is typically missing from the retrieval products, where an error estimate is provided for individual observations. The various contributions to the uncertainty are analysed from the spectral fitting and the estimate of the stratospheric contribution to the column and the air mass factor for which we find a typical correlation length of 32 km. The method is applied to TROPOMI data but can be generalized to other trace gases such as HCHO, CO, and SO2 and other instruments such as the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), and the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of POllution (TEMPO) instrument. The superobservations and uncertainties are tested in the Multi-mOdel Multi-cOnstituent Chemical (MOMO-Chem) data assimilation ensemble Kalman filter system. These are shown to improve forecasts compared to thinning or compared to assuming fully correlated or uncorrelated uncertainties within the superobservation. The use of realistic superobservations within model comparisons and data assimilation in this way aids the quantification of air pollution distributions, emissions, and their impact on climate.

Luminescence Characterization of the Green Synthesized Terbium Doped Titanium Oxide

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to prepare Titanium Oxide (TiO₂) with eco-friendly synthesis and also to study on structural, morphological, photoluminescence properties on Tb doped TiO₂. Methodology: Titanium Oxide was prepared by orange fruit aqueous extract as a reducing agent with addition of terbium as its dopant. Characterization of the synthesized TiO₂ was done by XRD proving that the TiO₂ was in the structural form of rutile as evidenced by the sharp peaks. The relationship between the concentration of Tb dopant and the grain size of the film layer was studied. SEM Morphological analysis indicated the formation of particle cluster at 1100°C. EDX spectroscopy was employed to determine the position of elements of the samples while FTIR spectroscopy was in agreement with carbonyl and hydroxyl groups being absent in the prepared samples. Optical characteristics of the samples were evaluated by photoluminescence measurements under the excitation of 400 nm wavelength. Findings: The results obtained in the present study pointed out how the terbium doping affected the structural and optical characterization of the TiO₂. An increase in the Tb concentration led to an increase in the grain size of the synthesized spherical film. Photoluminescence spectroscopy results showed two separate green and red emissions and was measured to have the highest intensity at 4% terbium concentration. From these results we can see the prospect of using Tb-doped TiO₂ in applications that require certain changes in the optical parameter. Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This work contributes to the body of knowledge on green synthesis methods for nanostructures and the effect of RE doping in improving the properties of a material. The results provide insight for green synthesis of photo luminescent materials, optoelectronic devices, and monitoring instruments, identifying ways to pursue environmentally friendly material design.

Soil moisture partitioning strategies in blowouts in the Hulunbeier grassland and response to rainfall

IntroductionSoil moisture and soil water retention capacity are key influencing factors for the normal growth and development of vegetation. Understanding the dynamic change characteristics of soil moisture in blowouts and soil water retention capacity is of great significance for the management of blowouts.MethodsThis study employs drying and in situ monitoring methods to select typical blowouts in different regions (sand pits, fringe zones, sand accumulation zones, and sand-grass transition zones) on the Hulunbuir Grassland. A large area of natural grassland surrounding these regions was chosen as the control (CK). Soil moisture at depths of 20, 40, 60, 100 and 200 cm below the surface was measured along the soil profile using the ECH2O-10HS soil moisture automatic monitoring instrument. The HOBO-RG3-M self-recording rain gauge was used to monitor rainfall. Soil water storage, coefficient of variation, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were calculated to study the differences in soil moisture and the dynamic change regularity in soil moisture under different rainfall conditions. This research provides important theoretical support for the soil moisture distribution and vegetation restoration in the blowouts of the Hulunbuir Grassland.Results and discussionThe volumetric water content of the soil in the blowouts was 15.95%, the volumetric soil water content in different parts of the soil varied from low to high as follows: sand pit-I < sand-grass transition zone-IV < fringe zone-II < CK < sand accumulation zone-III. The soil volumetric water content of the 0–40 cm soil layer of the blowout was higher than 17.47%, and the soil volumetric water content of the 40–200 cm soil layer ranged from 12.13% to 17.47%. The volumetric water content of soil in various parts of the blowouts under different rainfall amounts had significant differences, with rainstorms and heavy rainfall effectively recharging the blowouts to a depth of 200 cm, and the blowouts responded strongly to heavy rainfall (71.5 mm). A gradual recovery of the pre-rainfall volumetric soil moisture content was seen approximately a week after rainstorms. The water retention and storage capacity of blowout soils was significantly higher than that of CK, the soil water storage capacity of different zones ranked in descending order as the sand accumulation zone (1875.38 mm) > edge zone (1373.22 mm) > CK (1188.36 mm) > sand pit (1000.39 mm) > sand–grass transition zone (803.90 mm). The correlation coefficient of sand pits and sand cover was 0.5612, and that of sand accumulation zones and sand cover was 0.5845, which confirmed that sand cover enhanced the water retention capacity of the localized area of blowouts (sand accumulation zones).

The Efficiency of the New Extended EWMA Control Chart for Detecting Changes Under an Autoregressive Model and Its Application

Control charts are frequently used instruments for process quality monitoring. Another name for the NEEWMA control chart is the new extended exponentially weighted moving average (new extended EWMA) control chart. The lower control limit (LCL) and upper control limit (UCL) are equally spaced from the center line, giving it a symmetrical design. Because of its symmetry, the NEEWMA chart is very good at identifying even the tiniest changes in operation by detecting deviations from the target in both upward and downward directions. This study derives an explicit formula for the average run length (ARL) of the NEEWMA control chart based on the autoregressive (AR) model with exponential white noise. The focus is on the zero-state performance of the NEEWMA control chart, which is derived using explicit formulas. Banach’s fixed-point theorem was used to prove existence and uniqueness of this formula. The accuracy of this formula is validated by comparing it to the numerical integral equation (NIE) method using percentage accuracy (%Acc). The results show that the NEEWMA control chart is more efficient than the ARL evaluated by the NIE method, particularly regarding computation time. The performance of the NEEWMA control chart is compared with the EWMA and extended EWMA control charts by evaluating both the ARL and standard deviation run length (SDRL). The NEEWMA control chart outperforms the others in detection performance, followed by the extended EWMA and EWMA control charts. Further verification of its superior performance is provided through comparisons using the average extra quadratic loss (AEQL) and the performance comparison index (PCI), which confirm that it outperforms both the EWMA and extended EWMA control charts across various parameters and shift sizes. Finally, an illustrative example using real-life economic data demonstrates its efficiency.

Cable Force Correction Method for Cable-Stayed Buckle-Cable Hoisting Incorporating Environmental and Construction Factors

Arch ribs in long-span, concrete-filled steel tube arch bridges are fabricated in segments and assembled on site via cable-stayed buckle-cable hoisting systems. The hoisting process involves a high risk, and monitoring systems have mainly been built to monitor the state of stress or deformation. However, instrumentation for stress monitoring, such as through-hole sensors, is expensive and has installation problems. Overreliance on instruments also leads to a disregard for the impact of environmental and construction factors on the actual state. To overcome these limitations, a cost-effective instrumentation system was developed, and a real-time monitoring program was implemented. In addition, a cable force correction method was proposed to increase the calculation accuracy by incorporating environmental and construction factors. The temperature difference is the controlling factor for the cable force; a value of 7.9°C yields a change in the cable force of 50.1 kN, which accounts for 21.1% of the total cable force. By incorporating the reverse friction at the saddles and the effect of temperature, a new correction equation for the cable force was proposed, in which the overall deviation between the measured results and the calculated results was reduced to 2%, providing a template for cable force evaluation in the engineering community.

Geotechnical Assessment of Foundation Stability for Preserving the Agrippa Monument at the Acropolis of Athens.

This study focuses on the geotechnical evaluation of the foundation conditions of the Agrippa Monument at the Acropolis of Athens, aiming to propose interventions to improve stability and reduce associated risks. The assessment reveals highly uneven foundation conditions beneath the monument. A thorough collection of bibliographic references and geotechnical surveys was conducted, classifying geomaterials into engineering-geological units and evaluating critical parameters for geotechnical design. Geotechnical models were developed and 3D finite element analyses were performed. The qualitative evaluation of the foundation under static conditions indicates no immediate risk of failure, as no accelerated movement has been observed and the monument's tilt remains well below critical values. Time-dependent settlements are not expected from any clay layers in the artificial fills. However, further soil compaction could occur due to seismic events, water action (causing erosion or voids), or changes in the monument's weight or tilt under static conditions. The study also proposes instrumental monitoring, foundation soil improvement, and water management strategies to enhance the monument's stability and mitigate potential risks.

Voxel Volumes and Biomass: Estimating Vegetation Volume and Litter Accumulation of Exotic Annual Grasses Using Automated Ultra-High-Resolution SfM and Advanced Classification Techniques.

In much of the northern Great Basin of the western United States, rangelands, and semi-arid ecosystems invaded by exotic annual grasses such as cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) are experiencing an increasingly short fire cycle, which is compounding and persistent. Improving and expanding ground-based field methods for measuring the above-ground biomass (AGB) may enable more sample collections across a landscape and over succession regimes and better harmonize with other remote sensing techniques. Developments and increased adoption of unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) and instrumentation for vegetation monitoring enable greater understanding of vegetation in many ecosystems. Research to understand the relationship of traditional field measurements with remotely sensed data in rangeland environments is growing rapidly, and there is increasing interest in the use of aerial platforms to quantify AGB and fine-fuel load at pasture and landscape scales. Our study uses relatively inexpensive handheld photography with custom quadrat sampling frames to collect and automatically reconstruct 3D models of the vegetation within 0.2 m2 quadrats (n = 288). Next, we examine the relationship between volumetric estimates of vegetation with biomass. We found that volumes calculated with 0.5 cm voxel sizes (0.125 cm3) most closely represented the range of biomass weights. We further develop methods to classify ground points, finding a 2% reduction in predictive ability compared with validation ground surface reconstructions. This finding is significant given that our study site is characterized by a dense litter layer covering the ground surface, making reconstruction challenging. Overall, our best reconstruction workflow had an R2 of 0.42, further emphasizing the importance of high-resolution imagery and reconstruction techniques. Ultimately, we conclude that more work is needed of increasing extents (such as from UAS) to better understand and constrain uncertainties in volumetric estimations of biomass in ecosystems with high amounts of invasive annual grasses and fine-fuel litter.

Seasonal variations and trends in solar UV spectral irradiances based on data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument at solar noon in Southern Amazonas, Brazil

Seasonal variations and trends in solar UV spectral irradiances based on data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument at solar noon in Southern Amazonas, Brazil

Spatio-temporal Variation and Trend Analysis of Ground-Level Ozone in Major Indian Metropolitan Cities: A Geospatial Approach

Air pollution refers to any chemical, physical, or biological contamination that contaminates an interior or outdoor environment and modifies the intrinsic qualities of the atmosphere. It can be produced by natural or anthropogenic activities. Among those pollutants mentioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), ground-level ozone, also known as tropospheric ozone, possesses a significant impact on human life. The current study was developed in response to the need to study ground-level ozone concentrations around India and metropolitan cities. Using geospatial methods, the spatiotemporal variation of India was discovered. Using trend tests, trend analysis of the main metropolises in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai was presented. 18 years of data (2005–2022) from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) were used to conduct the test. According to geospatial research results, the northern region of India has a higher concentration of ozone than other locations. Delhi has a higher ozone rate than other metropolitan cities, ranging from 0.1219 to 0.1567 mol/m2, followed by Kolkata (0.1085 to 0.1418 mol/m2). In these cities, summertime is often the time of year when the ground-level ozone concentration is at its maximum. Trend analysis using the Mann-Kendall and modified Mann-Kendall tests from 2005 to 2022 shows that the concentration increases with each year that goes by, even though there isn't a significant trend (p <0.05) across all of the monthly, seasonal, or annual periods. The research identifies high ozone areas and seasons, guiding policies, health advisories, urban planning, and accurate pollution forecasts.

Accelerating forest landscape restoration monitoring in Africa: informing tangible actions from a practical perspective

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is purported to achieve socio‐ecological outcomes in addressing the interlinked crises of deforestation and land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. While several instruments exist to substantiate progress toward such outcomes and the effectiveness of FLR interventions, various challenges hinder monitoring. This study uses a proposed analytical framework that articulates elements of restoration monitoring feasibility to examine the realistic application and convenience of proposed restoration monitoring instruments, focusing on Africa, where continental‐level flagships are scaling up restoration actions. We applied a critical content analysis guided by our analytical lens to secondary data collected from top‐down and bottom‐up monitoring instruments. A survey was also used to explore the level of knowledge and identify the tools and guiding frameworks used by restoration practitioners, which we analyze using descriptive statistics. Our analysis reveals 34 restoration monitoring indicators spanning biophysical, socio‐economic, and institutional realms, along with 196 related metrics. The strong emphasis on biophysical metrics relative to socio‐economic and institutional ones reflects unbalanced attention to sustainability dimensions. Our analysis of the identified 39 monitoring tools and guiding frameworks indicates that most require essential (super)infrastructural capacities, appropriate knowledge, and tailored skills for their effective use. Confirming this, the survey reveals low awareness and use of these monitoring instruments, with the three most cited limiting reasons being inadequate funding, infrastructure deficits, and inadequate technical expertise. Overall, the results reaffirm the need for pragmatic, low‐cost, and accessible instruments to advance FLR monitoring in Africa, and we offer actionable suggestions for some limiting challenges.

A calibration approach for compensating hysteresis and nonlinearity error in an MEMS based instrument for porewater pressure monitoring

AbstractMicro‐electro‐mechanical system (MEMS) technology is becoming increasingly popular in geotechnical and hydrological monitoring due to their distinct features, including its small size, low cost, low energy consumption, and resistance to vibration shock. Due to the nature of design, they exhibit a series of errors, and most importantly, hysteresis and nonlinearity, which should be compensated before any practical application in order to achieve the highest degree of accuracy and precision. This article proposes a practical approach to enhance the accuracy of a newly developed MEMS instrument for groundwater monitoring. The hysteresis and nonlinearity errors were compensated using an integrated two‐step approach with an optimized Preisach model and an optimized spline approximation, respectively. A hybrid differential evolution‐hill climbing algorithm was utilized to achieve optimum models. This optimization algorithm integrates global and local search, offering higher accuracy and computational stability with a lower calibration point requirement. Analysing the results indicates that the nonlinearity error shows an improvement of more than 94% and hysteresis decreased up to 67%. The results illustrate that the compensation can be performed very well using the proposed methodology with lower uncertainty, mean square error, and standard deviation compared to non‐optimized models.

VARIATIONS IN NO2 CONCENTRATIONS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN IN THE WILAYA OF ALGIERS

Unplanned urbanization and industrialization are among the leading causes of air pollution in urban environments, with significant economic, social, and environmental consequences, posing threats to human health. Atmospheric pollution has been the subject of multiple studies worldwide, especially in developed countries. However, developing countries, including Algeria, face difficulties in taking appropriate measures to preserve air quality due to the lack of sufficient monitoring data. To address this problem, satellite remote sensing technology has been used to monitor the spatio-temporal evolution of pollutant emissions. This study focused on identifying high-pollution areas in the wilaya (province) of Algiers, characterized by intense urbanization and increasing economic and industrial activities. The impact of reductions in anthropogenic emissions during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown on air quality was also examined. For this purpose, variations in NO2 concentrations in Algiers before, during, and after the lockdown were analyzed using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and data from the TROPOMI tropospheric monitoring instrument. The study focused on 11 selected sites across the wilaya, revealing that the highest NO2 concentrations were observed in densely populated and industrial areas such as Oued Smar, El Harrach, and Baraki, where heavy traffic combines with significant industrial activity. Reductions in NO2 levels were observed across the wilaya during the lockdown, attributed to the considerable decrease in mobility and industrial activities during the Covid- 19 pandemic.

Ethical and Deontological Violations as a Side Effect in Value-Based Healthcare: Monitoring Instruments

It is important to adhere to ethical standards of medical care at any stage or level of societal development. Since healthcare systems have widely integrated digital technologies and the principle of value-based healthcare has been firmly embedded in the practice of healthcare organizations, the ethical challenges have become highly relevant.Paradoxically, the defects related to violations of medical ethics and deontology by healthcare professionals are not listed in the current order of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation regulating the quality control of medical care for compulsory medical insurance. As a result, there are no mechanisms for applying financial sanctions to healthcare organizations. Also, some issues, such as violation recoding and a possible subjective patient’s assessment of doctors’ actions, are still to be addressed.The author considered the doctor-patient relationship and the mechanism for recording violations of ethics and deontology defined by the order of Moscow Healthcare Department.

Study on Splitting Intensity and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Brazilian Deep Gray Sandstone at Different Scales

In order to determine the influence of size on the mechanical properties of sandstone and acoustic emission damage characteristics, the Brazilian splitting test of 6 sandstone samples with diameters of 25mm, 37mm, 50mm, 69mm, 80mm and 100mm was carried out by using the rock weak surface direct shear instrument and acoustic emission monitoring system The effects of size change on the splitting strength, deformation, acoustic emission activity and damage characteristics of rock samples are discussed. The results show that the larger the specimen size is, the more original defects are contained in the specimen, which has a great influence on the development trend of stress-strain curve, peak strength and peak strain during loading. With the increase of sample size, the peak strength and peak strain become smaller and smaller, and the ratio of peak compressive strain to peak tensile strain remains in the range of 2~4 times. According to the development characteristics of acoustic emission signals, the whole process of rock damage is divided into four stages: micro-crack compaction stage, new crack generation and expansion stage, crack rapid expansion stage and failure stage. The diameter sample of 69mm~100mm showed almost no AE signal at the beginning of test loading, and the activity of acoustic emission signal is intense at the moment of failure.The larger the specimen size, the larger the stress value and b value corresponding to the fracture entering the instability expansion stage. Tensile microcracks are the main types of cracks in the splitting test, and with the increase of the size, the shear microcracks gradually decrease, and the tensile microcracks increase.

Comparison of long-term trends and interannual variations of the NO₂ content in the atmosphere according to satellite (OMI) and ground-based spectrometric measurements at NDACC stations

Results of analysis of long-term trends and interannual variations of the NO₂ content in the atmosphere according to measurements with the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard the EOS-Aura satellite in 2004–2020 are compared to the results of a similar analysis of the NO₂ content derived from independent spectrometric twilight NO₂ measurements by zenith-scattered solar radiation at stations of the Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Composition Change (NDACC)). According to both the data, seasonally dependent estimates of linear NO₂ trends and variations of the NO₂ content under the influence of the 11-year cycle of solar activity and large-scale circulation factors such as the Arctic and Antarctic Oscillations, variations in ocean surface temperature in the Niño 3.4 zone, and the quasi-biennial oscillation in zonal wind in the equatorial stratosphere have been obtained. In general, a good qualitative and, in some cases, quantitative correspondence between estimates of interannual variations of NO₂ has been obtained. For interannual variations of stratospheric NO₂, not a bad correspondence between estimates based on satellite and ground-based data has been obtained on average for all stations, but the correspondence between trend estimates is noticeably worse. The best correspondence between the analysis results has been obtained for Zvenigorod station. For stratospheric NO₂, it was noted in 80–90% of cases, and the correspondence for tropospheric NO₂ is practically 100%.

Another way? An investigation into an institution's use of the Wayson stain in re-evaluating "no organisms seen" on Gram stain smears from positive blood cultures.

Automated continuous monitoring blood culture instruments identify metabolism byproducts and flag blood culture bottles as "positive." A Gram stain is used to visualize and characterize the microbial growth in the broth and initiate additional testing. When no organisms are seen (NOS) on Gram stain, in our laboratory, bottles are reevaluated with a Wayson stain, a rapid one-step stain that provides contrast between organisms and the background, especially in Gram-negative organisms. In this study, we assess the performance of the Wayson stain on reevaluation of Gram stain NOS blood culture bottles. The study period, August 2022 to July 2023, includes blood cultures that were flagged as positive by the automated blood culture instrument (BACTEC) with accompanying Gram and Wayson stain interpretations and organism identification. 133,463 blood cultures were performed during the study period, and 20,129 cultures were flagged as positive by BACTEC. 601 NOS Gram stain cultures were identified of which 76 had a positive Wayson. The Wayson stain procedure increased the sensitivity of direct organism visualization from 99.32% to 99.71% by identifying 55% (76 of 137) of NOS Gram stain blood culture bottles. Of blood cultures that were positive by BACTEC with NOS Gram and Wayson stains (475), 414 were finalized as no growth and 61 had an isolate (false negatives) of which 49% (30) were yeasts. The Wayson stain aided in detecting gram-negative genera such as Capnocytophaga, Campylobacter, and Fusobacterium species and other rarely identified species.IMPORTANCEThe Wayson stain, a rapid one-step stain that provides contrast between microorganisms and the background, was historically used for the presumptive diagnosis of Yersinia pestis from bubo specimen. In our laboratory, the Wayson stain has long been used to reevaluate blood culture Gram-stained smears from bottles that were flagged as positive by the automated continuous monitoring instrument but where no organisms are seen. In this study, we show that the Wayson stain provides an easily implemented and interpreted technique, other than a repeat Gram stain or acridine orange, to increase the sensitivity of direct organism visualization from blood culture bottles, particularly for Gram-negative organisms.

Monthly and annual oscillation of methane and ozone in eastern India using Sentinel-5P TROPOMI: assessment and validation.

The eastern India has greater Global Warming Potential with increased greenhouse gases emissions due to extensive rice production, coal burning, and rapid urbanization. The present study aimed to assess the monthly and annual dynamics of methane and ozone over the eastern Indian sates from February, 2019 to February, 2024 using Sentinel-5P Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI). Chhattisgarh recorded the lowest concentration in most of the years. Chhattisgarh experienced the maximum growth in methane content by 3.41% followed by Bihar with 2.44% growth from 2019 to 2023. Although West Bengal recorded the highest average annual methane concentration, the methane growth is the minimum over the state with 1.87%. Periodical oscillation of methane concentration was characterized by the pre-monsoon (March-May) low and post-monsoon (September-November) high. Cloud interference during monsoon months caused data gap. In all the districts except Bihar, ozone concentration increased from 2019 and continued to rise up to 2022 followed by a subsequent decline in 2023. Linear trend of annual mean ozone concentration revealed a non-significant rising trend. Ozone concentration was found to be the minimum during post-monsoon months and the maximum during pre-monsoon months indicating a seasonal oscillation. Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) generated datasets were used to validate the methane and ozone concentration respectively obtained from TROPOMI observations. AIRS and TROPOMI datasets exhibited a good agreement with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.45 and coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.204. On the other hand, OMI and TROPOMI showed an excellent agreement with an r value of 0.99 and an R2 value of 0.978. The study assessed the spatial and temporal pattern of methane and ozone content in the recent times which helps the planners and policy makers to understand the trends and to develop effective mitigation strategies.

Deep-Sea Borehole Fluid Pressure and Temperature Observations at Subduction Zones and their Geodynamic Implications

Seafloor and subseafloor temperature and pressure monitoring has been carried out with CORK (“Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit”) sealed deep-ocean borehole observatories since their original design and deployments in 1991 in hydrologically and tectonically active settings. In this paper, we review results from twenty installations at six subduction zones that have provided novel insights into the thermal and hydrologic state, time-dependent deformation, and elastic properties of the subseafloor. Monitoring depths reached the levels of the megathrust faults beneath the outer subduction prisms at Nankai, Costa Rica, and Barbados, but only at the last were substantially elevated average pressures observed (excess fluid-pressure ratios of ~ 0.3 and 0.5). Otherwise, all records are characterized by fluid pressures only slightly super-hydrostatic. Transient pressure anomalies are observed to be common within both the subduction prisms and the incoming subducting plates. These reflect deformation (volumetric strain changes) caused by distant seismogenic fault slip at the time of large earthquakes, and by more local slow slip that is seen to propagate to the outermost reaches of the prisms from greater depths at rates of several kilometers per day. No such activity is seen at the Cascadia prism site, however, suggesting that its subduction fault is more completely locked. Where CORK observatories are co-located with or near seismometers and other seafloor monitoring instruments and are connected to cable systems for power, real-time high-rate data acquisition and precise timing, the observations allow relationships among seismic ground motion, seafloor pressure, and formation pressure to be defined. These, in turn, constrain formation elastic properties, and confirm the efficiency and fidelity with which strain is converted to formation pressure.

The Characterization of the Alcoholic Fermentation Process in Wine Production Based on Acoustic Emission Analysis

The present experimental study assessed the viability of utilizing an acoustic emission signal as a monitoring instrument to predict the chemical characteristics of wine throughout the alcoholic fermentation process. The purpose of this study is to acquire the acoustic emission signals generated by CO₂ bubbles to calculate the must density and monitor the kinetics of the alcoholic fermentation process. The kinetics of the process were evaluated in real time using a hydrophone immersed in the liquid within the fermentation tank. The measurements were conducted in multiple fermentation tanks at a winery engaged in the production of wines bearing the Rioja Denomination of Origin (D.O.) designation. Acoustic signals were acquired throughout the entirety of the fermentation process, via a sampling period of five minutes, and stored for subsequent processing. To validate the results, the measurements obtained manually in the laboratory by the winemaker were collected during this stage. Signal processing was conducted to extract descriptors from the acoustic signal and evaluate their correlation with the experimental data acquired during the process. The results of the analyses confirm that there is a high linear correlation between the density data obtained from the acoustic analysis and the density data obtained at the laboratory level, with determination coefficients exceeding 95%. The acoustic emission signal is a valuable decision-making tool for technicians and winemakers due to its sensitivity when describing variations in kinetics and density during the alcoholic fermentation process.