Northern Wind Research Articles

Numerical modeling of the dynamics of the spring thermal bar in Lake Dolgoe (Belarus): preliminary results

The results of numerical modeling of the dynamics of the spring thermal bar into Lake Dolgoe (Belarus), obtained using meteorological data from the Sharkovshchina station for April 2023, are presented. The dependence of the horizontal movement of the thermal bar front on the wind direction is revealed: the northern wind accelerates it, and the eastern wind slows it down. Modeled temperature distributions showed warming of water not only in the area where the channel flows from Lake Svyadovo, but also in the middle shallow part of the body of water.

Insights for Sea Outfall Turbid Plume Monitoring with High-Spatial-Resolution Satellite Imagery Application in Portugal

Coastal municipalities and industries often discharge poorly treated wastewater into proximate marine and estuarine environments. The urban and/or effluent input can lead to eutrophication and lower water quality, as it holds high concentrations of nutrients and pollutants. One widely applied tool to increase effluent dispersion and direct it away from coastal areas, thus causing fewer impacts on human activities, is sea outfall. In Aveiro, Portugal, the São Jacinto sea outfall construction was completed in 1998; however, limited literature regarding the sea outfall’s monitoring using satellite data is available. The methodology in this study involved collecting four years’ worth (2016–2019) of satellite data to investigate visible traces of the interaction between the S. Jacinto sewage water mass and the Ria de Aveiro lagoon ecosystem using ocean color and spectral analysis, and producing new qualitative data regarding sea outfall plume dispersion monitoring through high-resolution Sentinel-2 imagery. The results showed a clear spectral signature of the sewage water mass, and a seasonal pattern was observed in which the plume was more evident in winter and autumn. Additionally, the coastal longshore current and the Aveiro lagoon’s runoff were able to restrict the marine outfall’s dispersion superficially. Ocean color data were revealed to be a factual and cost-effective tool to monitor the plume water. Finally, an exchange between the marine outfall water mass and Ria de Aveiro lagoon could happen in high tide under northern wind conditions. Therefore, it is important to monitor the water quality to ensure the coastal ecosystem’s good environmental state.

The role of conventional tillage in agricultural soil erosion

Conventional tillage refers to the tillage process, especially the spring and autumn plowing process in which all the soil surface layer is disturbed, generally tilling approximately 20 cm deep. Conventional tillage is still widely used in sloping land, which leads to serious soil erosion and land degradation. The effect of tillage on soil erosion is defined by Tillage factor (T) in the model. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of conventional tillage on soil erosion and to calculate the value of the conventional tillage Factor T. The values of the conventional tillage factor (T value) were calculated for different soil and water conservation zones in China by collecting published literature and plot measurements from unpublished monitoring sites. The results showed that (1) the tillage factors of conventional tillage in China ranged from 0.27 to 0.55, with the largest being the North earth-stony region, the smallest being the Qinghai-Tibet plateau region, and the other six regions, namely, the Northeastern mollisol, the Northern wind erosion, the Northwest Loess Plateau, the South red soil, the Southwestern purple soil and the Southwestern karst region, were 0.34, 0.28, 0.53, 0.37, 0.35 and 0.29, respectively. In the regional soil erosion evaluation, the values can be taken by each of the eight main erosion type regions. (2) In the water erosion area except for the northeast, there is an obvious northsouth difference in the distribution of the T value, showing a decreasing trend from north to south. In practical use, the T value of the corresponding latitude area can be determined according to the Equation T = 0.2351φ- 0.02225, where φ is the latitude (°). (3) The T values of contour tillage, no-till, and monopoly tillage measures are significantly lower than the T values of conventional tillage, which have significant soil and water conservation benefits. The study initially determined the conventional tillage T values for each water conservation subzone, which can provide basic parameters for soil loss prediction on sloping land.

Verification of the Ekman Upwelling Criterion with In Situ Temperature Measurements in the Southeastern Baltic Sea

Upwelling leads to a sharp and strong decrease in water temperature in the coastal zone of the southeastern Baltic Sea. The quality of existing hydrodynamic models cannot fully meet the requirements of accurate upwelling forecasts. This study provides insight into the applicability of the simplified Ekman upwelling criterion method for the southeastern Baltic Sea. The upwelling criterion is the ratio of the vertical velocity and the duration of the upwelling wind to the mixed layer density. The vertical velocity was determined by the divergence of the integral Ekman transport in the transverse direction. Calculation of the criterion was based on wind data from NCEP/CFSR reanalysis. The upwelling criterion was compared with in situ temperatures from direct measurements near the D-6 oil platform taken in 2015–2017. Only 46% of calculated upwelling cases were confirmed by temperature decreases in the sub-surface. It was found that more than half of the cases of strong temperature decreases were caused by a northern wind (Ekman upwelling), when the criterion exceeded the threshold value. Comparison of the hydrodynamic model results and direct measurements shows that the model’s quality is far from perfect, and the simplified methods can be used as alternatives to models. Some recommendations were made for future upwelling research.

Aerobiology in High Latitudes: Evidence of Bacteria Acting as Tracer of Warm Air Mass Advection reaching Northern Antarctic Peninsula.

Despite the extent use of geochemical tracers to track warm air mass origin reaching the Antarctic continent, we present here evidences that microorganisms being transported by the atmosphere and deposited in fresh snow layers of Antarctic ice sheets do act as tracers of air mass advection from the Southern Patagonia region to Northern Antarctic Peninsula. We combined atmospheric circulation data with microorganism content in snow/firn samples collected in two sites of the Antarctic Peninsula (King George Island/Wanda glacier and Detroit Plateau) by using flow cytometer quantification. In addition, we cultivated, isolated and submitted samples to molecular sequencing to precise species classification. Viable gram-positive bacteria were found and recovered in different snow/firn layers samples, among dead and living cells, their number concentration was compared to northern wind component, stable isotopes of oxygen, d18O, and the concentration of crustal elements (Fe, Ti and Ca). Use of satellite images combined with air mass back-trajectory analysis obtained from the NOAA/ HYSPLIT model corroborated the results.

Oxidative stress in Physella acuta: An integrative response of exposure to water from two rivers of Atlantic Mexican slope.

Freshwater pollution is a complex mixture of xenobiotics due to the wastewater and the various chemicals routinely applied to agricultural lands that are discharged into water bodies. Xenobiotics can exert damage to the aquatic biota threatening the biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. The oxidative damage and antioxidant responses have been widely investigated in freshwater organisms, mainly in fish and some invertebrates but in freshwater snails are scarce. This study aimed to assess the oxidative stress exerted by potential toxicity of water from two rivers of the Mexican Atlantic Slope (Tecolutla and Tuxpan rivers) in a freshwater mollusk Physella acuta. Lipid peroxidation level and a battery of antioxidant enzymes (Superoxide dismutase, Catalase and Glutathione peroxidase) were measured in P. acuta. The results are contextualized from an ecological point of view, associating the bioassay results with water quality characteristics. Water samples were obtained from three study sites for each river (in two seasons: Northern wind and dry). Twelve water quality variables were analyzed, and an additional water sample was used to perform a static bioassay for 96 h with snails grown in laboratory. After the exposure, we assessed lipid peroxidation level and the antioxidant responses of P. acuta exposed to water of rivers, and the Integrated Biomarker Response was computed. The highest lipid peroxidation level occurred in organisms exposed to water during the Northern wind season in both rivers. During this season, in the Tecolutla river, the superoxide dismutase activity was able to counteract the lipid peroxidation process, representing an adaptive response. In contrast, in the Tuxpan river, the superoxide dismutase was unable to counteract that process, stimulating CAT and GPx activities. The Integrated Biomarker Response showed that the Tecolutla river had higher values in the upper reaches than the Tuxpan river, showing a decreasing downstream gradient in both seasons. In the Tuxpan river, during the Dry season, the IBR score showed an increasing downstream gradient. During the Northern wind season, the IBR was higher in the upper reaches of both rivers, possibly due to the increased materials transported by runoff from the catchment, which includes a complex mixture of xenobiotics that affects the health of the sentinel species and aquatic biota in general. Based on our results, Physella acuta is proposed as sentinel species.

The Benefit of the Wind: Testing the Rally Effect of North Korea Shocks during the Park Geun-hye Administration

The "rally-'round-the-flag effect" sparked by North Korea (the so-called 'Northern Wind') has been an important part of South Korean domestic politics. Despite the long history and controversy associated with politics of Northern Wind, the literature provides surprisingly little quantitative evidence on this phenomenon. In this study, we empirically investigate the relationship between North Korean-induced incidents and former President Park Geun-hye's weekly job approval ratings. Using vector autoregressions, we find that (1) President Park gained political benefits from North Korea, where negative events (e.g., armed attacks) generated a larger boost in approval than positive events (e.g., high-level talks); (2) rally effects varied across regions according to different perceptions of the North Korean regime: during security crisis, Park received the largest rallies in Gyeongnam province where the dominant image of North Korea was an 'enemy that threatens our safety'; and (3) a test of nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) did not affect approval ratings even though it captured widespread media attention.

Hydrographic variation in a tropical coral reef system: The Veracruz Reef System, Gulf of Mexico

Three thousand forty-one profiles of temperature, salinity, density, dissolved oxygen, nitrogen and chlorophyll-a were used to study their seasonal variation on a tropical coral reef system, located in the central part, of the reef corridor of the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The results revealed three seasons according to their hydrographic variations; the northerly wind season from September to April; the dry season from May to June; and the rainy season from July to August. The results of the density ratio during the dry season were ∼1.25 on average, while during the rainy season it had an average value of ∼0.62. Thus, the pycnocline was more influenced by the halocline during the rainy season and by the thermocline during the dry season. There was also an evident variation in chlorophyll-a concentration over the water column, which was not evident in the surface layer. During the summer (rainy season), dissolved oxygen was related to chlorophyll-a concentration; while, during the winter (northern wind season), these values were related to the vertical mixing of the water column due to wind stress. There was evidence of cooler ocean water intrusion into the Veracruz Reef System during the spring-summer season below ∼10 m. Finally, a second halocline, pycnocline, and nitrocline were found near ∼30 m depth during the rainy season.

Spatio-temporal Patterns and Potential Sources of Absorbing Aerosols in the Fenwei Plain

Air quality has gradually improved in many parts of China; however, air pollution is become more severe in the Fenwei Plain. Using OMI/Aura OMAERUV L2 and PM2.5 data, spatial autocorrelation analysis and back trajectory modeling were used to explore the spatio-temporal patterns of absorptive aerosols over the Fenwei Plain, and the dominant types, transmission paths, and potential source areas were identified. The main results can be summarized as follows:① Annual mean absorbing aerosol index (AAI) values increased between 2005 and 2019, with high period occurring in 2006, 2013, and 2017, with values exceeding 0.63. Xi'an and Linfen were identified as a 'high-high' cluster, with AAI showing poor spatial stability and a 15.3% increase in area over the past 15 years. In contrast, the area connecting Xi'an and Linfen, which occupies 24.2% of the total area of the region, was identified as a 'low-low' cluster, with a sharp drop of 6.2% in area; ② The Fenwei Plain has high AAI values across a large area in winter, exceeding 0.8 in Linfen and Xi'an, and 91.5% of the study area exceeding 0.6. Values were lower in spring (AAI>0.4) and autumn (AAI>0.3), with the lowest values occurring in summer. The atmospheric diffusion conditions in spring, autumn, and winter are poor, associated with anticyclonic high-pressure events. The observed high AAI values were significantly affected by atmospheric diffusion conditions, temperature, and precipitation; ③ Back trajectory and source contribution modeling showed that long-range transport of air masses from Xi'an and Linfen occurs from the northwest, and short-range transport air masses occurs from the east and south. Two long-range sand and dust source areas were determined (with northwestern and northern wind sources); two carbon source areas were identified (with eastern and southern wind sources); and one combined sand and carbon source area was identified (from the Loess Plateau). Of these sources, the northwestern wind source, the Loess Plateau, and the southern wind source have significant influence in Xi'an, and the eastern wind source and the Loess Plateau have a significant impact on Linfen. Linfen is little affected by the northwestern wind source and the dust from the northern wind source. Based on the spatial distribution of CO and its correlation with AAI, it is concluded that cardon in the dominant absorbent aerosol in Linfen dust and carbon are most important in Xi'an.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE ON THE ARCHITECTURAL AND URBAN DESIGN OF TRIPOLI

Tripoli is a city of a Mediterranean Sea climate; this has contributed with some social and religious factors to affect the architectural and urban design, which all originally has come from the Islamic content. This study argues the climatic features of Tripoli in order to show the ways followed by the Libyan Muslim architect. In other words, these ways were used to adapt with the climate and create the demanding architectural treatments, which have served the building units. This is considered as a study case that can discuss the possibility of the climatic reflection on the walls. That is to say, the walls’ thickness, the type of the used substance in building, the substance’s properties, the type of roof used in covering the building units and the architectural design of the building as treatments achieved professionally by the architect in decreasing the heat in summer and increasing the heat in winter through the mass block. Additionally, the researchers have stated that Tripoli’s building design respected the privacy of the inhabitants and their isolation from the world outside their buildings. That is because they wanted to have their own cold spaces inside which were rich of light, air and shadow. As a result of the aforementioned considerations, the architectural buildings contained the uncovered space and the broken entrance to keep the privacy from the passengers and to protect the inhabitants from wind and sand. These were regarded as final solutions for the architectural and climatic problem. Further, this study illustrates the active role of using the planning including the architectural formations and the treatments of motion path. That is according to their width, their length, their form, their guidance and their direction change in order to make shadow and isolate the front of buildings. This also contributed to give the streets the northern wind which in turn helped to keep the air moving as long as possible to tone down the climatic influences. Moreover, the planning aimed to show its turn through analytical, architectural and documentary survey for realistic examples in the archeological registrar of the potential city treatments. These architectural elements were important in making the sustainable architecture in respect to the environment and human relaxation requirements. Finally, the researchers measured the following factors temperatures, wind, rain, and ratio humidity for variety of spaces in the city. That was followed by qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis supported by graphs

Study of Urban Heat Islands Using Different Urban Canopy Models and Identification Methods

This work aims to compare the performance of the single‑(SLUCM) and multilayer (BEP-Building effect parameterization) urban canopy models (UCMs) coupled with the Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF), along with the application of two urban heat island (UHI) identification methods. The identification methods are: (1) the “classic method”, based on the temperature difference between urban and rural areas; (2) the “local method” based on the temperature difference at each urban location when the model land use is considered urban, and when it is replaced by the dominant rural land use category of the urban surroundings. The study is performed as a case study for the city of Lisbon, Portugal, during the record-breaking August 2003 heatwave event. Two main differences were found in the UHI intensity (UHII) and spatial distribution between the identification methods: a reduction by half in the UHII during nighttime when using the local method; and a dipole signal in the daytime and nighttime UHI spatial pattern when using the classic method, associated with the sheltering effect provided by the high topography in the northern part of the city, that reduces the advective cooling in the lower areas under prevalent northern wind conditions. These results highlight the importance of using the local method in UHI modeling studies to fully isolate urban canopy and regional geographic contributions to the UHII and distribution. Considerable improvements were obtained in the near‑surface temperature representation by coupling WRF with the UCMs but better with SLUCM. The nighttime UHII over the most densely urbanized areas is lower in BEP, which can be linked to its larger nocturnal turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) near the surface and negative sensible heat (SH) fluxes. The latter may be associated with the lower surface skin temperature found in BEP, possibly owing to larger turbulent SH fluxes near the surface. Due to its higher urban TKE, BEP significantly overestimates the planetary boundary layer height compared with SLUCM and observations from soundings. The comparison with a previous study for the city of Lisbon shows that BEP model simulation results heavily rely on the number and distribution of vertical levels within the urban canopy.

The environment drives Atlantic bluefin tuna availability in the Gulf of Lions

AbstractAtlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) is a migratory species whose exploitation is affected by its migratory behaviour. ABFT can be found the whole year round in the Gulf of Lions (GoL), with the exception of the May/June/July spawning season. The date at which ABFT fishing resumes in the GoL after spawning is variable and affects both the summer longline fishery and the local aerial survey used to derive a fisheries‐independent index of abundance used in the stock assessment. We investigated whether environmental conditions could explain inter‐annual variability in ABFT availability in the GoL. We focused on Sea surface temperature (SST) and northern wind events looking at changes in the ABFT summer longline fishery start date and quota completion date. Years with weaker northern wind events displayed a higher SST and were associated with a delay in ABFT catch by up to more than one month, whereas the bulk of the catch was completed earlier. A scale‐dependent analysis of the densities of ABFT schools detected during the aerial survey show consistent associations between the short‐term fluctuations in northern wind and SST and the densities of ABFT schools detected. When considering the trends these effects appeared reversed, higher SST and weaker northern wind being associated with an increase in ABFT school density. The implication of these results on the aerial survey and for the exploitation and conservation of ABFT are discussed in the light of the literature on its migratory behaviour in the context of climate change.

High-Resolution Analysis of Wind Flow Behavior on Ship Stacks Configuration: A Portuguese Case Study

Atmospheric emissions related to harbor-related activities can significantly contribute to air pollution of coastal urban areas and so, could have implications to the citizens’ health that live in those areas. Of great concern is the local impact of the emissions that are generated while ships are at berth, since not all types of ships switch off the main engines. This paper intends to investigate the influence of the stack configuration for generic cargo ships on the exhaust smoke dispersion, using the Port of Leixões as a case study and a series of wind tunnel experiments with support of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. For that, different configurations of the stack of a cargo ship (in terms of height, geometry and diameter) were simulated under the typical wind conditions of the study area. The PIV results indicate negligible differences between the medium and long stack height, with the short stack height presenting a strong impact on the flow field around the stack. For the short stack height, the flow field is not only disturbed by the stack, but also by the cargo ship bridge, with both obstacles promoting disturbances on the flow field and creating a large wake turbulence effect, which is important for the downwash phenomena. Regarding the effects linked with two distinct geometries (straight or curved), the results show that the straight chimney led to higher perturbation of wind field when compared with the curved geometry. The curved stack presents an increase of vorticity, indicating the generation of more turbulent structures. The PIV results also confirmed that higher wind velocity at the inlet conducts to higher vorticity levels, as well as a higher number of Kelvin–Helmholtz structures. For distinct wind conditions the PIV measurements point out different patterns, indicating the northern wind direction as the most favorable condition for the exposure of dock workers to pollutants. Overall, the results showed that a ship stack with a curved end, medium length and smaller diameter has the capability to promote the behaviors in the flow that are coherent with increased pollutant dispersion.

Old-Russian Stribog and his Ancient Greek Brother Astray

The essay analyses the name of a pagan God of the Ancient Rus Stribog, who was mentioned in “The Russian Primary Chronicle” and “The Tale of the Igor’s Campaign” and its connection with the ancient Greek mythology. The article suggests that an old-Russian god Stribog is similar to the ancient Greek god Astray, the father of the famous gods of winds, Boreas — the god of cold northern wind, Zephyr — the god of warm western wind, Anemoi — the god of hot southern wind and Eurus — the god of unstable eastern or south-eastern wind, who are often associated with the winds they symbolize in Russian poetry. The similarity of Stribog and Astray lays not only in their origins, but in the common root str-. The article concludes that because god Astray is not only the farther of the gods of the winds, but also the father of Venus and other stars, it is arguable that Stribog is both the grandfather of the winds and the Slavic god of the night sky.

Wind turbine performance analysis for energy cost minimization

The use of wind energy worldwide has overgrown in recent years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind power is free, but the installation and maintenance of wind turbines remain very costly. The size of the installation of the wind turbine is not only determined by wind statistics at a given location, but also by turbine infrastructure and maintenance costs. The payback time of the turbine is dependent on turbine energy costs. This study estimates the wind power generation capacity of Northern and Southern Oman and discusses the selection of the most economical, efficient and reliable wind turbines in Oman. HOMER Pro Software was used in this paper to evaluate the wind energy data in the north and south of Oman and to provide well-informed guidance on the most suitable turbines for the power needs of each area. Six different standard wind turbines were measured and compared in terms of the cost of energy and performance. The simulation analysis reveals that the DW54 turbine is the best possible turbine to generate electricity in northern Oman at $0.119/kW. Due to the difference in the wind regime between the north and the south of Oman, the simulation showed that the Hummer H25.0–200 kW turbine is the best option for south Oman with power generation at $0.070/kW. The northern wind turbine plant can efficiently contribute to decarbonization of the energy sector in Oman, with a potential reduction of CO2 emission approximately 19,000 tons/year in comparison to natural gas and 28,000 tons/year in comparison to diesel. In the Southern Power Plant, carbon emissions are reduced by 18,000 and 12,000 tons/year compared to diesel and natural gas.

Canopy Urban Heat Island and Its Association with Climate Conditions in Dubai, UAE

The impact that climate change and urbanization are having on the thermal-energy balance of the built environment is a major environmental concern today. Urban heat island (UHI) is another phenomenon that can raise the temperature in cities. This study aims to examine the UHI magnitude and its association with the main meteorological parameters (i.e., temperature, wind speed, and wind direction) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Five years of hourly weather data (2014–2018) obtained from weather stations located in an urban, suburban, and rural area, were post-processed by means of a clustering technique. Six clusters characterized by different ranges of wind directions were analyzed. The analysis reveals that UHI is affected by the synoptic weather conditions (i.e., sea breeze and hot air coming from the desert) and is larger at night. In the urban area, air temperature and night-time UHI intensity, averaged on the five year period, are 1.3 °C and 3.3 °C higher with respect to the rural area, respectively, and the UHI and air temperature are independent of each other only when the wind comes from the desert. A negative and inverse correlation was found between the UHI and wind speed for all the wind directions, except for the northern wind where no correlation was observed. In the suburban area, the UHI and both temperatures and wind speed ranged between the strong and a weak negative correlation considering all the wind directions, while a strong negative correlation was observed in the rural area. This paper concludes that UHI intensity is strongly associated with local climatic parameters and to the changes in wind direction.

Comprehensive study of regional haze in the North China Plain with synergistic measurement from multiple mobile vehicle-based lidars and a lidar network

Recently, haze pollution has emerged as a regional characteristic that needs to be monitored and mitigated sensibly in China, particularly in the North China Plain (NCP). Clarifying the distribution and source characteristics of haze is necessary to better understand its formation mechanism on a regional scale. In this study, a comprehensive study of regional haze using synergistic measurement from multiple mobile vehicle-based lidars, a ground-based lidar network, and in suit instruments is presented. To investigate the distribution and source characteristics of regional haze in the NCP during the winter of 2017, simultaneous measurements of aerosol under different wind conditions are conducted. The regional distribution characteristics of the aerosol were observed using three sets of mobile vehicle-based lidars, and the source characteristics were achieved using an analysis of transport flux (with the ground-based lidar network and the WRF-Chem model). High aerosol extinction was observed on the southwest pathway under a southern wind. Backward trajectories also indicated that the air masses at 500 m were primarily from the southwest. The transport flux at the boundary of Beijing (BJ) and Baoding (BD) on the southwest pathway was calculated. Below 500 m, the transport flux from BD to BJ was positive under a southern wind and negative under a northern wind. In addition to the transport layer below 500 m, an upper transport layer was observed both on November 6, 2017 and January 15, 2018. The upper transport layer from 500 m to 1500 m on November 6, 2017 was obviously noticeable, which decreased dramatically with a maximum transport flux of 539.53 μg m2 s. The significant transport layer at 1250 m with a maximum flux of 614.93 μg m2 s was observed on January 15, 2018, while it had no impact on the ground because it had not yet fallen.

Macroalgas de la laguna "El Carmen", Tabasco, México

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Debido a la escasez de conocimiento sobre macroalgas en lagunas costeras de Tabasco, en este trabajo se determina la diversidad ficoflorística de macroalgas asociadas a la laguna El Carmen, municipio de Cárdenas, y se contribuye al conocimiento biológico y ecológico en el estado de Tabasco. Métodos: Se realizaron tres muestreos en un ciclo anual de 2015 a 2016 durante la época de lluvias, la de nortes y la de secas. Los organismos se recolectaron manualmente, se fijaron con agua marina y formol al 4%, se identificaron y se depositaron en los herbarios FCME (UNAM) y UJAT. Resultados clave: Se reportan 21 especies de macroalgas marinas, tres de las cuales son nuevos registros para el estado de Tabasco. La división Rhodophyta con las familias Gracilariaceae y Rhodomelaceae tiene la mayor riqueza de especies; Gracilaria blodgetti es la más abundante. La temporada de nortes obtuvo la mayor riqueza y abundancia. Conclusiones: Se incrementó a 125 el número de registros de Rhodophyta y 28 de Ochrophyta para Tabasco. Se sugiere ampliar el número de muestreos sistemáticos en un ciclo anual con la finalidad de tener una mejor representación de la diversidad y la estacionalidad de las macroalgas en la laguna El Carmen.

Modeling the effect of hypothetical chlorine leakage from Malay-Sino Chemical Industries using ALOHA software and development of an emergency evacuation route around Teluk Kalong industrial area

Malay-Sino Chemical Industries in Teluk Kalong is the largest chlor-alkali manufacturer in Malaysia, which may potentially affect the safety of plant workers and nearby residential area in the event accidental chlorine leakage. The dispersion of a hypothetical chlorine leakage from Malay-Sino Chemical Industries in Teluk Kalong industrial area was modelled using ALOHA. The effect of different wind direction, wind speed and time in the meteorological mesoscale area was evaluated. The wind speed ranging from 1.55 to 11.1 m/s obtained from a local weather station was considered. Heavy gas dispersion model was used to determine the concentration of chlorine plume within the area of concern. The leakage rate was set at 702 kg/h. The result showed that the residential area R5 (Kampung Bukit Kuang, and Kampung Sungai Terjun) is affected by the plume dispersed by northern wind at night. A greater hazard zone can be formed under the wind speed below 1.55 m/s. A suitable safety evacuation routes were proposed to reduce the risk of exposure to hazardous gas. Finding from this work is useful to understand the risk of hazardous gas dispersion around Teluk Kalong industrial area.

Spring Training at the End of the World

Spring Training at the End of the World Richard Black (bio) Baseball is the only sport I know that begins each year at its peak and goes downhill from there. —Furman Bisher, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 1981 The mother on the airport shuttle was wearing a tank top. I first noticed the tattoo on her shoulder as we waited curbside in a brisk, north wind for the Parking Spot van to arrive. The sky was spring-gray, and her brood surrounded her. One daughter in particular caught my eye. She was wearing sunglasses and what seemed like a long, blue fleecy robe. In her hands was a toy ukulele. When we boarded the bus I studied the family in some detail. The dad was military, I judged, by his tattoos and close crop and the way in which he seemed to hold their five children in check purely through his presence. There was one young boy, around eleven, the eldest child, and four girls. My eye kept returning to the youngest, clad in that comfy oversized blue fleece sweatshirt that looked like a robe on her small frame. Her sunglasses. That ukulele. "Will we see Natasha tomorrow?" she asked her mother. "No sweetie. And school is cancelled for a little while. And we may not see Nana for a few weeks either," her mother replied. "Because Nana could get sick?" another daughter asked. Her mother nodded. "See. Even if you get it you'll be okay, because you're young and strong. But Nana doesn't have the immune system you have. That's why we can't see her for a little bit." I was impressed by the way the kids seemed to take this news in such easy stride, like if they'd first learned how to skip, and also by the way their mother was able to communicate so clearly and yet honestly with them. I looked out the bus window. It was going to snow. About a decade ago I attended an academic conference in Albuquerque at the end of February. It was in the seventies and sunny all weekend. I had only packed a light fleece for the desert nights. My car had eight inches of snow on [End Page 59] it when I arrived back home to Kansas City on Saturday evening. The jacket I'd packed was no match for the raw northern wind, and my bare hands chapped and cracked in the cold as I had to brush the wet, heavy snow off my car and scrape the windshield. I thought of that trip when I saw the mother in her tank top and her daughter in the fleece robe and sunglasses, desperately clutching her ukulele like some totem of a sun-god they'd just abandoned. I knew from experience what it was like to return to a cold gray home after a stint in a sunny paradise. I knew it this day, as well, for I had to retrieve and don my Braves hoodie when I exited the plane and entered the chilly KCI terminal. The red and yellow of the script "A" logo-within-a-logo on my cap seemed incredibly muted in the dim slant of afternoon light after days of illumination in the spring training grandstands. I felt as if launched from sun-ripe Florida onto the gray and barren surface of the moon, stepping foot off of one planet and into an entirely different atmosphere, for this was the week that COVID-19 caused the sky to fall. ________ Daylight Savings Time began at 2 a.m. on March 8, 2020. This would mean a lost hour of sleep for an already-early drive from the northwest corner of Missouri to Kansas City International Airport to catch a 10 a.m. flight to Sarasota-Bradenton. My dad and I were going to spring training with the Atlanta Braves. We wouldn't be alone, though. We were joining the inaugural Road Scholar program entitled "Atlanta Braves Spring Training in Sarasota County." I was somewhat familiar with the Road Scholar outfit: my former colleague Jeff, a Tennessee Williams scholar, had recently completed a tour called "Ohio: Cradle of Presidents...