Occasional Rain Research Articles

Clustered stone forest in Pu Dou Chun (Yunnan, China)

One of the unique examples of the development of subsoil karren into a stone forest on the varied geological bedrock of the Lunan surface is revealed to us. Originally of subsoil formation and later denuded, the rounded hills that dissect the karst surface have transformed into a clustered stone forest whose central part usually consists of a larger dissected rock mass with individual stone pillars and teeth at the edge. The geologic profile contains beds of dense, homogeneous and compact fine-grained limestones that alternate with beds of mostly coarse-grained and just as compact dolomitised limestones. These bed properties are also reflected in the exterior of the rock as a diverse relief. The average calcium carbonate content in both types of rocks combined is 97.3%. The rock is thickly bedded to massive; beds are mainly positioned subhorizontally. The contacts between the beds of limestone and dolomitised limestone are sharp and clearly visible, especially in the bottom part of the geologic profile, whereas in the central part, they are often blurred and one type of rock grades continuously into the other. In the areas containing limestone, individual bedding planes are especially visible. As can be inferred, the slightly more porous dolomitised rock, made up of larger particles, disintegrates faster in a more permanently waterlogged acid subsoil environment, where the moisture penetrates it deeper. However, as it takes longer to dissolve, it protrudes from the surface of the dolomitic limestone rock when exposed to moisture from occasional rain. The composition and fracturing of the diverse rock strata decisively influences the shape of the pillars and their rock relief. Larger subsoil rock forms (channels, notches, half-bells) have developed on all rock strata. The diversity of the rock is also reflected by the notches that have formed under the soil along the more rapidly soluble partly dolomite rock strata. Denuded subsoil-shaped pillars are reshaped by rainwater and trickling water. Smaller rock forms carved by rainwater have formed mostly only on evenly composed, fine- grained limestone rock. The tops on such rock are more distinctly conical and blade-like and wider on more slowly soluble rock.

Photosynthetic recovery in drought-rehydrated grapevines is associated with high demand from the sinks, maximizing the fruit-oriented performance.

To understand how grapevine sinks compete with each other during water stress and subsequent rehydration, carbon (C) allocation patterns in drought-rehydrated vines (REC) at the beginning of fruit ripening were compared with control vines maintained under drought (WS) or fully irrigated (WW). In the 30 days following rehydration, the quantity and distribution of newly fixed C between leaves, roots and fruits was evaluated through 13 CO2 pulse-labeling and stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry. REC plants diverted the same percentage of fixed C towards the berries as the WS plants, although the percentage was higher than that of WW plants. Net photosynthesis (measured simultaneously with root respiration in a multichamber system for analysis of gas exchange above- and below-ground) was approximately two-fold greater in REC compared to WS treatment, and comparable or even higher than in WW plants. Maximizing C assimilation and delivery in REC plants led to a significantly higher amount of newly fixed C compared to both control treatments, already 2 days after rehydration in root, and 2 days later in the berries, in line with the expression of genes responsible for sugar metabolism. In REC plants, the increase in C assimilation was able to support the requests of the sinks during fruit ripening, without affecting the reserves, as was the case in WS. These mechanisms clarify what is experienced in fruit crops, when occasional rain or irrigation events are more effective in determining sugar delivery towards fruits, rather than constant and satisfactory water availabilities.

Automated Monitoring of a High-Speed Flocculation Flat-Bottomed Sludge Blanket Clarifier Pond during Drought and Flood Conditions

The occasional rains that occur during dry seasons often stir up the bottom sediment of reservoirs, which leads to high turbidity and electrical conductivity in raw waters received by water utility companies. A newly developed real-time precision multi-layer sensor (RPMS) system was used to monitor a high-speed flocculation flat-bottomed sludge blanket clarifier (HFSBC) pond in real time to solve the water quality problems caused by drought and flood conditions. The RPMS is capable of monitoring the thickness of a sludge blanket; if the coagulation and sedimentation processes of the HFSBC are not working well, the sludge blanket will be thin and have a low sludge concentration. Conversely, if the HFSBC is working properly, the sludge blanket will have a thick and highly concentrated layer of sludge. Any heavy metals that are not removed by water treatment processes will enter the water supply network, which will result in poor water quality for end users. Against the backdrop of intensifying climate change, the enhancement of automated monitoring systems and adaptation processes will be an important part of efforts to minimize and resolve acute changes in water quality.

Nebkhas: An essay in aeolian biogeomorphology

Nebkhas are a type of anchored dune that forms by sediment accumulation around grasses, shrubs or trees. This paper outlines their importance, their distribution at global and local scales, summarises what is known about their morphology, discusses those plants with which they are associated, draws attention to the materials of which they are composed, and then concludes with a discussion of their ages. Nebkhas are very widespread in dry and coastal environments. They have considerable importance because they can be ‘islands of fertility’ and have major hydrological and biological effects. They can, if eroded, be major sources of dust emission. Examples of coastal nebkhas are known from both temperate areas and from lower latitude drylands, as along the Caspian shoreline in Iran, Kuwait, northern Peru, Namibia, Western Sahara, the Makran, southwest Madagascar, and Mauritania. Dryland nebkhas have been described from numerous areas, with concentrations of studies in Kuwait, the southwest USA, northwest China, and Iran. Within an area with suitable climatic conditions, nebkhas do not occur everywhere. Certain conditions need to be met for their development and these are illustrated with examples from the Tarim and Qaidam basins of China, the Lut of Iran, northwest Argentina, and the Namib. For this, Google Earth was employed. The heights of these features range from a matter of centimeters to as much as 20 m. There is a considerable quantity of data on the plants that are associated with the development of nebkhas. They have to have certain qualities for this role: ability to withstand drought, tolerate salt, thrive on sand burial, have wide shallow rooting systems to obtain water from fog and occasional rain events, extract moisture from groundwater, withstand sand abrasion, and develop adventitious roots. Although nebkhas are normally thought of as a type of sand dune, and most nebkhas are indeed composed of sand-sized material, largely consisting of quartz, there are many nebkhas which contain appreciable amounts of silt and clay, as well as salts such as gypsum. Although some nebkhas are ephemeral features, various dating techniques have shown that they can be decades, centuries and even millennia old.

Optimization of seed rate and nutrient management levels can reduce lodging damage and improve yield, quality and energetics of subtropical flax

Subtropical flax crop often faces an acute problem of lodging owing to having medium to severe winds coupled with occasional rains during its maturity time. To address this problem an experiment was conducted with three different seed rates and six different nutrient managements for two consecutive years during 2019–20 and 2020–21 at Pantnagar. From this two-year study, it was observed that the higher seed rate of 100 kg ha−1 resulted in the maximum plant population, plant height, fibre yield as well as quality among the different seed rate levels. However, lower stem diameter, higher fresh weight of the stem, centre of gravity and poor tensile performance with higher seed rate exhibited lower values of lodging safety indicators. Considering the different nutrient managements, application of 90 kg ha−1 nitrogen (N), 30 kg ha−1 phosphate (P2O5) and 45 kg ha−1 potassium (K) was found to be the best in terms of reduction of lodging vulnerability with better yield, quality and net energy output of fibre production with saving about 25% of the N input. The seed rate of 100 kg ha−1 when combined with 90 kg ha−1 N, 30 kg ha−1 P2O5 and 45 kg ha−1 K2O resulted in optimum crop performance and the lowest lodging under subtropical humid region. The calculated lodging indicators were found exponentially related with actual lodging. The experiment further reveled that lodging damage directly impacts fibre quality and proportion of long fibre in the total fibre yield.

Language and Nature in Southern and Eastern Arabia

This paper examines the relationship between language and nature in southern and eastern Arabia. The work is the result of a two-year interdisciplinary network between the University of Leeds and Qatar University, with partners in the UK, Oman, Canada, the United States, and Russia. Our hypothesis is that local languages and ecosystems enjoy a symbiotic relationship, and that the demise of local ecosystems will adversely affect local languages. In this paper, we examine some of the language–nature effects in Qatar and Dhofar, southern Oman. Our regions differ in that Qatar has two seasons, summer and winter, and is predominantly arid, with occasional rain, while Dhofar together with al-Mahrah in eastern Yemen has four distinct seasons, receiving the monsoon rains between June and September, and, as a result, is home to hundreds of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Since the 1970s, in particular, both regions have experienced some of the most rapid socio-economic changes in the world. We ask what affect this socio-economic change has had on the language–nature relationship, and suggest that decoupling of the human–nature relationship as a result of socio-economic change is contributing in these regions to language attrition. We consider spatial terminology, traditional terminology for weather, the traditional measurement of time by narratives around key climatic events, and the role of stars in determining the weather and their role in folklore.

Automated, robotic dry-cleaning of solar panels in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia using a silicone rubber brush

The challenge of mitigating power loss in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems—due to dust—is critical to the economical deployment of solar in arid regions. These areas suffer from high aerosol concentration levels and frequent sand storms that lead to an accumulation of a layer of dust on the surface of solar arrays. The dust stays in place due to only slight and occasional rain fall. This paper presents the results from a study conducted on the effectiveness of dry cleaning solar panels, using an automated robotic cleaning system. The robotic cleaning system is part of a research program related to robotic dust mitigation technologies for solar panels, and includes a new type of brush, which uses silicone rubber foam flaps mounted onto an aluminum core. The study found that the robotic system, using this silicone rubber foam brush, was able to effectively minimize the impact of dust on the solar panels’ power output, providing an increase in power output versus the weekly-cleaned controls. This new brush shows promise for use in solar panel dust mitigation due to its effective cleaning performance and low cost, and does not induce any damage to the surface of the solar panels.

Editorial

July 2018 issue of Volume 51 of Indian Welding Journal is now ready to publish. With occasional rain, the all-round green surrounding takes a lovely look. The Indian Institute of Welding, even after crossing the 50 years of its journey, is taking newer steps to expand itself to remain pretty young and dynamic. This year a Welder Competition Exclusively for Ladies is being held first time the history of the institute. Surely, girls and ladies are coming up to take the challenge at any level of a task. After the successful organization of the National Welding Meet 2018 (NWN-2018) organized nicely by the Baroda Branch on August 03-04 2018. The next big event N WS-2018 is now knocking the door. The annual mega event, National Welding Seminar 2018 (NWS-2018) is rescheduled to be held on December 13-15, 2018 at Kochi, Kerala. Hope welding fraternity in and around India will participate in the same to make it a grand success.

The First Finding of Six Instars of Larvae in Heteroptera and the Negative Correlation between Precipitation and Number of Individuals Collected in Sea Skaters of Halobates (Heteroptera: Gerridae).

This study, conducted during a scientific cruise, MR15-04, aims, first, to examine species and larval/adult components of Halobates (Heteroptera: Gerridae) inhabiting the tropical Indian Ocean of 4°00′ S–7°00′ S, 101°00′ E–103°00′ E and, second, to examine the correlative relationship between precipitation just before collection and the number of sea skaters collected in November and December 2015. Near Sumatra (50 km south-west), larvae and adults of four species of Halobates (Halobates germanes White, 1883; Halobates micans Eschscholtz, 1822; Halobates princeps White, 1883; undescribed species: Halobates sp.) were collected. Adults of an undescribed species had about a 5 mm long body in a gourd-like shape. One male adult specimen of H. princeps was collected. Body length, body width, and head width was measured in all specimens of Halobates. Six larval stages were detected in all three species of sea skaters as the first finding for Heteropteran insects. There was a negative correlation between amount of precipitation for 19 h before collection and the number of Halobates individuals collected by the neuston net. Death or (positive or passive) sinking by sea skaters could be due to occasional rain fall on the sea surface.

Playa Soil Moisture and Evaporation Dynamics During the MATERHORN Field Program

We present an analysis of field data collected over a desert playa in western Utah, USA in May 2013, the most synoptically active month of the year, as part of the Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) program. The results show that decreasing surface albedo, decreasing Bowen ratio and increasing net radiation with increasing soil moisture sustained a powerful positive feedback mechanism promoting large evaporation rates immediately following rain events. Additionally, it was found that, while nocturnal evaporation was negligible during dry periods, it was quite significant (up to 30 % of the daily cumulative flux) during nights following rain events. Our results further show that the highest spatial variability in surface soil moisture is found under dry conditions. Finally, we report strong spatial heterogeneities in evaporation rates following a rain event. The cumulative evaporation for the different sampling sites over a five-day period varied from \(\approx \)0.1 to \(\approx \)6.6 mm. Overall, this study allows us to better understand the mechanisms underlying soil moisture dynamics of desert playas as well as evaporation following occasional rain events.

Lowered Salinity Tolerance in Sea SkatersHalobates micans,Halobates sericeus, andHalobatessp. (Heteroptera: Gerridae)

Adult specimens of three species of oceanic sea skater, Halobates sericeus Eschscholtz, Halobates micans Eschscholtz, and Halobates sp. were placed in one of four solutions of different salinity (sea water [35-36‰], sea water : fresh water = 2:1 [23-24‰], sea water : fresh water = 1:2 [11-13‰], and fresh water [0‰]) after collection from the temperate and subtropical Pacific Ocean, tropical Indian Ocean, and Tomini Gulf in Indonesia, and observed in 2-h intervals until they died. H. micans collected from the tropical Indian Ocean survived twice a long (80-100 h) on average as H. sericeus collected from the temperate and subtropical Pacific Ocean (35-45 h) under salinities of 12-36‰. Paralysis from freshwater treatment occurred within 2-9 h in all specimens of both species of H. sericeus from the Pacific Ocean and H. micans from the Indian Ocean, and all insects died within 2 hr of starting the paralysis. In fresh water, oceanic sea skaters of H. sp. collected from the inner water of Tomini Gulf survived for ≍24 h on average, significantly longer than those collected from the open ocean. Significantly longer length of survival was shown by the three species on one-thirds, two-thirds brackish, and 100‰ sea water than on fresh water. The long length of survival shown by oceanic sea skaters even in brackish water may be an adaptation to the occasional rain fall on the sea water film.

Do vegetative and reproductive phenophases of deciduous tropical species respond similarly to rainfall pulses?

Deciduous trees with high-density wood that occur in dry seasonal tropical regions respond to rainfall seasonality with synchrony in phenophases. However, they may exhibit interannual differences in synchrony and intensity of phenophases, as strategy for large variations in duration and intensity of rainfall pulses. Nevertheless, it remains unknown how phenophases of deciduous trees of the Brazilian semi-arid region respond to rainfall variations. The phenology of Cordia oncocalyx was monitored in deciduous thorny woodland (Caatinga), from April 2009 to March 2011, and was correlated with rainfall, soil humidity, temperature, and photoperiod. The rainy years 2009 and 2011 exhibited higher duration of rainfall pulses and lower frequency of interpulses, but in 2010 pulse duration and total rainfall were lower. Circular statistics showed leaf flush followed by flowering and fruiting in the rainy season, and leaf fall and seed dispersal in the dry season. Both the vegetative and reproductive phenophases respond similarly to variations in rain pulses, with adjustments in time, duration, and intensity, which were correlated with variations in rainfall and soil humidity, excluding photoperiod as a trigger. Total defoliation occurred in the driest months of each year, November to December 2009 and August to October 2010. A sporadic leaf flush in November 2010 was triggered by occasional rains. Vegetative and reproductive synchronies were high in rainy years, but in 2010 synchrony was low, flowering was delayed and reduced, and, despite the low fruiting, we recorded high density in the seed bank. Lower synchrony, temporal separation of phenophases, and storage of fruits on the ground were risk-spreading strategies used by the population in the dry year, which suggest intrapopulation variability in responses to hydric stress. We believe that this plasticity contributes to high species density in the Caatinga.

On-site PV characterization and the effect of soiling on their performance

This paper presents a study of the characteristics of three types of PV panels: monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous silicon and the effects of soiling on their performance using on-site measurements. The total system consists of the three types of panels in pairs. Initially, the characterization of the PV panels is carried out to prove the similarity of the two pairs. Another test performed is the degradation of PV's performance under extreme soiling conditions caused by the artificial deposition of dust on the panels when their surface was dry and when it was wet before the dust deposition. The results showed that especially the artificial soiling on the wet PV surface presents a serious degradation of the PV performance. Finally, the effect of natural dust deposition on the panel's surfaces for a year is investigated. During this period a total of three dust episodes were recorded. These dust episodes concern the transfer of dust from the Sahara desert and these episodes usually end with a light rain which sticks the dust on exposed surfaces including PVs. Due to the exceptionally wet weather that we had during the testing period all episodes were followed by heavy rain, but even in this case a serious degradation of the performance of about 13% of the affected PV panels was recorded. The first finding of this study is that in winter the occasional rain is adequate to keep the PV surfaces clean whereas when a dust episode occurs, the panels should be cleaned manually. This is not the case for the summer time, which for Cyprus lasts for more than 8 months. The recommended cleaning is immediately after a dust episode and every 2–3 weeks in summer time according to how much loss the owner of the PV is willing to accept and the associated cleaning cost.

Tourist weather preferences in Europe’s Arctic

CR Climate Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials CR 50:31-42 (2011) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01033 Tourist weather preferences in Europe’s Arctic Jens Kr. Steen Jacobsen1,*, Jon Martin Denstadli1, Martin Lohmann2, Eirik J. Førland3 1Institute of Transport Economics, Gaustadalléen 21, 0349 Oslo, Norway 2Institut für Tourismus- und Bäderforschung in Nordeuropa, Fleethörn 23, 24103 Kiel, Germany 3Climate Department, Norwegian Meteorological Institute, PO Box 43 Blindern, 0313 Oslo, Norway *Email: jsj@toi.no ABSTRACT: Numerous high-latitude locations in northern Scandinavia receive many summer vacationers, even though cool weather conditions there are at odds with some expert-based literature on tourist weather preferences. Surveys in 2 climatically different Arctic archipelagos demonstrate that most tourists perceive the summer weather as better than expected. However, weather preferences and tolerances deviate between high and low Arctic destinations, illuminating diverging and subjective ideas of what constitutes ‘good’, ‘bad’, and ‘acceptable’ weather. The study shows an overall preference for clear sky, in contrast to some earlier research emphasizing temperature as the most important tourism weather variable. Most tourists are indifferent to occasional rain, and a majority accepts frequently changing weather. Main dislikes are frequent rain and low visibility, the latter accentuating visual tourism aspects such as sightseeing. KEY WORDS: Weather preference · Weather tolerance · Adverse weather · Tourism · Sightseeing · Outdoor recreation · Arctic Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Steen Jacobsen JK, Denstadli JM, Lohmann M, Førland EJ (2011) Tourist weather preferences in Europe’s Arctic. Clim Res 50:31-42. https://doi.org/10.3354/cr01033 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in CR Vol. 50, No. 1. Online publication date: December 01, 2011 Print ISSN: 0936-577X; Online ISSN: 1616-1572 Copyright © 2011 Inter-Research.

Hamlet (review)

Reviewed by: Hamlet Adrienne L. Eastwood Hamlet Presented by the We Players on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, California, October 2-November 21, 2010. Directed by Ava Roy. Assistant Direction by Steve Boss. Costumes by Julia Rose Meeks. Lighting by Alehandro Acosta. Fight Choreography by Tim Brown. Music by Jenna Brace, Danny Cao, Eric Drake, Todd Grady, Henry Hung, Sam Hernandez, Josh Tower, Thomas Trono, and Rob Woodcock. With Andrus Nichols (Hamlet), Misti Boettiger (Ophelia), Carly Cioffi (Gertrude), Scott D. Phillips (Claudius), Jack Halton (Polonius), Steve Boss (Player King, Guide, Fortinbras), Benjamin [End Page 463] Stowe (Laertes), Nicholas Trengove (Horatio), Kevin Singer (Barnardo, Rosencrantz), Ross Travis (Marcellus, Guildenstern), Rebecca Longworth (Player Queen, Player), Sallie Romer (Player), and Cara Zeisloft (Player). Alcatraz Island—known familiarly as "The Rock"—is a unique place. Historically, it has served as an army fortress and military prison, but it is most well known as the maximum-security federal penitentiary from which very few prisoners ever managed to escape. Although the prison closed in 1963, many of the buildings and structures remain, in various stages of decay. Now, it is a nationally protected park that serves as the breeding ground for flocks of endangered birds. Because of its history, Alcatraz has an eerie atmosphere. The empty cell-blocks and towers, the morgue and recreation yard, seem haunted by the ghosts of the men who lived out their dismal and desperate lives there. The air smells of bird excrement and the bay. It is a place that seems halfway between this living world and one that exists somehow beyond death. What better setting for Hamlet, Shakespeare's brooding meditation on death, madness, grief, and revenge? Early in the play, Hamlet tells Guildenstern, "Denmark's a prison." It seems that he means this metaphorically, as he goes on to explain, " . . . there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. To me, it's a prison." This notion, that the mind can imprison itself, is one of the central themes in Hamlet. But in a play that constantly oscillates between conviction and un-decidability, larger questions about humanity loom: What are the contours of these dungeons of the mind? How much do we ourselves control our own enslavement? Ava Roy's idea to stage a Hamlet using the ruined prison buildings on Alcatraz—and the island itself—as its set, enlivened and invigorated such questions. On a blustery, rainy day in late October, the ferry pulled into Sally Port and a Shakespearean adventure began. Before we had disembarked from the boat, the frantic opening scene of Hamlet unfolded. Led by docents and strolling musicians, the audience followed the players off the ferry and around the island, pausing at various sites (including some areas normally off-limits to regular visitors) to experience the performance. We craned our necks to glimpse the ghost, which was eerily rendered by several actors identically dressed in dark suits with white stockings over their faces. The audience's attention constantly shifted from one ghost to another as they seemed to appear and disappear around the railings of the decrepit cell-blocks and guard towers, creating the supernatural [End Page 464] effect that the ghost could materialize at will. "After Hamlet!" the docent cried. And the audience of about 60 members eagerly trotted along behind the character as he chased the ghost. At one point, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, played exuberantly by Kevin Singer and Ross Travis, made their entrances by bounding through the crowd, greeting the audience. All of this infused the play with excitement—the audience eager to see what would happen next and thinking about how they might best position themselves to enjoy whatever that would be. Through much of the play, actors and audience alike contended not only with wind and occasional rain, but the curious stench of this island—populated now only by flocks of cormorants and terns. Something was indeed "rotten" in this Denmark. Visitors not expecting to walk into a Shakespeare play also proved a minor distraction. But these challenges and distractions were braved phenomenally well by the actors—particularly Andrus Nichols, who played the Danish Prince. Appropriately, the graveyard scene was rendered in a soaking rain, the...

Dengue Transmission

Dengue Transmission

Meteorological parameters contributing to variability in 222Rn activity concentrations in soil gas at a site in Sapporo, Japan

Continuous 222Rn monitoring in soil gas since November 22, 2004 has revealed variability in activity concentration with time in the semi-natural woods on the campus of Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. Among various factors affecting soil radon levels and variability, temperature was found to be dominant during three seasons when activity concentrations of 222Rn showed a diurnal high and nocturnal low with a boundary around 10 o'clock in the morning. This pattern was disturbed by low pressure fronts with occasional rain. The activity gradually decreased as soil temperatures decreased from late November to mid-December. After the ground surface was completely covered with snow, soil radon levels became low with a small fluctuation. There were several peaks of 222Rn on the time-series chart in winter. Those peaks appearing in early winter and early spring may be interpreted by considering meteorological parameters. In a few cases, the radon activity suddenly increased with increasing pressure in the soil at a depth of 10 cm, which may be associated with subsurface events such as seismic activity in the area.

Drainage and nitrate leaching under processing tomato growth with drip irrigation and plastic mulching

Abstract Irrigated agricultural areas are particularly susceptible to groundwater pollution because irrigated crops are abundantly fertilized and occasionally overwatered. Our goal was to evaluate the close link between crop production and groundwater protection. The specific objective of our research was to quantify the effect of three irrigation strategies on yield, drainage and nitrate leaching in processing tomato grown using drip irrigation and plastic mulch. We also assess the effect of high soil mineral N content on nitrate leaching. The study was conducted in a field cropped with tomato ( Lycopersicum esculentum Mill), cultivated under three different irrigation strategies during 2001 and 2002 in the Ebro Valley. The strategies were combinations of two rates and two frequencies of water application. During the establishment period, water was either applied continuously for 8 h, or as 8 applications of 15 min. During the growth period, water was applied either as a one single daily irrigation of 100% ET c , or as 4–8 daily irrigations to 80% ET c . Monitoring transects, composed of 6 TDR probe access tubes inserted into the soil, provided measurements of soil water content in each treatment. Drainage was calculated weekly by applying the water balance to all tubes located in each transect. Nitrate leaching was evaluated as the drainage volume multiplied by the nitrate concentration of the soil solution extracted in 6 porous ceramic cups located in each treatment. At harvest, total and marketable production were recorded for each plot, and the dry weight of the component aboveground plant parts (stems, leaves and fruits) were determined. Crop N uptake for the plant parts was calculated as the product of total biomass and N concentration. Our results showed that excessive irrigation during the crop establishment period may cause large nitrogen losses. High irrigation frequency ensured appropriate soil water content at planting, and reduced both the amount of water applied and lost by drainage. Treatments receiving water at 80% of ET c , recorded almost no drainage during the growth period and no reduction in crop yield. This suggests that further studies are required to adjust crop coefficients to the actual needs of drip-irrigated tomato under plastic mulching conditions. When soil mineral N content before planting is high, nitrate leaching during the growth period can be relevant due to occasional rain events, even if water application is adjusted to crop requirements.

Moored buoy observations in Arabian Sea warm pool

Time series observations from four moored data buoys in the south eastern Arabian Sea for a period of four months (March - June 2003) are utilized to study the characteristics of warm pool. The moored buoy observations show fair weather conditions in the pre-monsoon period with weak variable winds and calm sea conditions. High SST has been observed during the pre-monsoon warming phase. Surface met observation shows comparatively low-pressure in the region for a period of two weeks starting from the last week of April 2003. Increased wind speed and wave height with a clockwise rotation in wind direction and occasional rains are reported during that period. An interesting observation is the cooling of SST in response to the May 2003 cyclone in Bay of Bengal. Another feature during the warming phase is an oscillation of the order of 14 days observed in SST. Time series observations of salinity in the month of March show the presence of low saline water in the warm pool. A sudden drop of 0.4 psu in surface salinity was observed on 2nd April, which may be due to the advection of low saline plumes in the warm pool region and/or the local pre-monsoon showers. The onset of southwest monsoon and the associated monsoon currents dissipated the warm pool and thereafter the monsoon conditions with high winds, rough sea and frequent rains prevailed in the region.

Epidemic dermatits by Paederus irritans in Piura, Perú at 1999, related to El Niño phenomenon

The phenomen El Niño that affected Peru at 1998, made possible the growth of copious vegetation in traditionally dry places. On this way, Paederus irritans, dipterous of the order Coleoptera that produces dermatitis when croushed on the skin, found substract that allowed the natural growth of its population. The coming of occasional rains on the months of February to April 1999, attacked the habitat of this insect, that looked for urban areas, exposing seriously the general population of Piura on north Perú to the contact. During February and May 1,451 cases of dermatitis caused by Paederus irritans, called latigazo because of its linear and eritematous characteristic lesions on the skin, were notified at Piura. The more affected body areas were head (56.6%) and neck (30.9%), but there were also cases of conjunctivitis and genital injuries, because of hands contamination.