Significant Positive Temperature Research Articles

The Plutonium Temperature Effect Program

Various theoretical studies have shown that highly diluted plutonium solutions could have a positive temperature effect, but up to now, no experimental program has confirmed this effect. The French Plutonium Temperature Effect Experimental Program (or PU+ in short) aims to effectively show that such a positive temperature effect exists for diluted plutonium solutions. The PU+ experiments were conducted in the “Apparatus B” facility at the CEA VALDUC research center in France. It involved several sub-critical approach-type experiments using plutonium nitrate solutions with concentrations of 14.3, 15, and 20 g/L at temperatures ranging from 20 to 40 °C. Fourteen (five at 20 g/L, four at 15 g/L, and five at 14.3 g/L) phase I experiments (consisting of independent sub-critical approaches) were performed between 2006 and 2007. The impact of the uncertainties on solution acidity and plutonium concentration made it difficult to demonstrate the positive temperature effect, requiring an additional phase II experiment (with a unique plutonium solution) from 22 to 28 °C that was performed in July 2007. This phase II experiment has shown the existence of a positive temperature effect of ~+5.17 pcm/°C (from 22 to 28 °C for a plutonium concentration of 14.3 g/L). It has recently been possible to confirm the results of this program with MORET 5 calculations by generating thermal scattering data S(α,β) at the correct experimental temperatures. This paper finally presents a fully documented experimental program highlighting the Plutonium Temperature Effect theoretically described in the literature. Its high level of precision and its “one-step” approach to criticality allowed it to show a significant positive temperature effect for a rather small variation of temperature (+6 °C). The order of magnitude of the effect was confirmed with Monte Carlo calculations using thermal scattering data for hydrogen in the solution produced by IRSN for the purpose of the comparison.

High-Temperature Response Polylactic Acid Composites by Tuning Double-Percolated Structures.

Due to the properties of a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect and a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) effect, electrically conductive polymer composites (CPCs) have been widely used in polymer thermistors. A dual percolated conductive microstructure was prepared by introducing the polybutylene adipate terephthalate phase (PBAT) into graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs)-filled polylactic acid (PLA) composites, intending to develop a favorable and stable PTC material. To achieve this strategy, GNPs were selectively distributed in the PBAT phase by injection molding. In this study, we investigated the crystallization behavior, electrical conductivity, and temperature response of GNP-filled PLA/PBAT composites. The introduction of GNPs into PLA significantly increased PLA crystallization capacity, where the crystallization onset temperature (To) is raised from 116.7 °C to 134.7 °C, and the crystallization half-time (t1/2) decreases from 35.8 min to 27.3 min. The addition of 5 wt% PBAT increases the electrical conductivity of PLA/PBAT/GNPs composites by almost two orders of magnitude when compared to PLA/GNPs counterparts. The temperature of the heat treatment is also found to play a role in affecting the electrical conductivity of PLA-based composites. Increasing crystallinity is favorable for increasing electrical conductivity. PLA/PBAT/GNPs composites also show a significant positive temperature coefficient, which is reflected in the temperature-electrical resistance cycling tests.

A thermal-stable praseodymium(III) metal-organic framework from a naphthyl acylthiourea-carboxylate ligand: Synthesis, crystal structure and proton conductive properties

Compared with other traditional proton-conducting materials, the structures of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are more advantageous in terms of designability and tunability. Considering the strong and flexible coordination ability of carboxylate-based thiourea ligands, we synthesized a [3-(naphthalene-2-carbonyl)-thioureido]-acetic acid (H3L) ligand, and successfully obtained {[Pr(H2L)2(NO3)(H2O)2]·2H2O·MeOH}n (1). 1 is a 1D framework, in which the Pr(III) atoms are bridged by carboxyl oxygen, and then form a three-dimensional solid-state structure under the action of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions. AC impedance measurements uncover that proton conductivity (σ) of 1 has a significant positive temperature and humidity dependence. The σ of MOF 1 can attain 3.41 ​× ​10−4 ​S/cm under 100 ​°C and 98% RH. In addition, the proton-conductive mechanism was discussed based on the structural analysis, H2O vapor adsorption curve and the activation energies evaluated by fitting the Arrhenius equation.

Day-to-day variability of upper troposphere and lower stratosphere temperature in response to Taal volcanic eruption inferred from COSMIC-2 RO measurements

For the first time after 43 years of its previous eruption in 1977, the Taal volcano in the Philippines (14°N, 120°.59E) erupted in the afternoon of 12 January 2020. Due to the strong anticyclonic circulation in the upper troposphere (~150 hPa), the resultant volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide (SO2) were transported to the downwind tropical central Pacific Ocean within a few days after the initial eruption. In this study, day-to-day variability of upper troposphere lower stratosphere (UTLS) temperature in response to the Taal volcanic eruption event over the source region (±5o latitude and longitude around the volcano) and the downwind Pacific region (10-20oN, 160-180°E) is delineated by using the recently launched Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC)-2 radio occultation (RO) data. The daily mean temperature over the source and downwind regions were compared with the background long-term January mean temperature (obtained from 2007 to 2019 COSMIC-1 RO data) over the respective regions. Significant positive temperature anomalies in the lower stratosphere are evident over the source (between 12 and 14 January) and downwind (between 14 and 19 January) regions after the eruption. These positive anomalies may be due to the association of absorption and local radiative heating by volcanic aerosols. The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements clearly show the presence of SO2 in the UTLS region. The presence of sulfate aerosols in the UTLS region a few days after eruption is also supported by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) images. Furthermore, we also describe the temperature structure near the volcano and away from the volcano and found a quite different structure in the UTLS region. A significant temperature inversion at ~15 km altitude is evident near the volcano, whereas it is noticed at ~16 km away from the volcano. In conclusion, in line with the previous studies, the present study provides further insights to the UTLS temperature in response to volcanic eruptions.

Аномалії температури повітря на Чернігівщині

In the context of modern climate change, the air temperature rises throughout Ukraine, while it is in the north of the country that significant positive temperature anomalies are released, the repetitiveness and duration of periods of summer heat and droughts increase. The temperature regime on the territory of Chernihiv region is investigated according to the data of seven weather stations: Nizhyn, Oster, Pokoshichi, Pryluky, Semenivka, Snovsk (Schors), Chernihiv. The purpose of the study is to determine the distribution of temperature anomalies for the period 1991–2020. The objectives of the study are to establish changes in the indicators of absolute highs and minimum air temperature and anomalies of the average monthly and average annual temperature. During the study period, the absolute maximum air temperature was exceeded at 5 stations in 2010 with an extreme in Semenivka of 41.4°; for the entire period, the absolute minimum was higher than the climatic norm at the stations by 3.4...7.2°С. The average absolute maximum and minimum air temperature increased at all stations, on average in the region by 2.6 and 1.9°C, respectively. The study of changes in air temperature for decades indicates a gradual increase in temperature every next 10 years. This is especially indicated in the distribution of average absolute minimums; average absolute highs emit the warmest decade of 2001–2010, due to abnormally hot August 2010. Comparison of the thirty years (1961–1990 and 1991–2020) clearly demonstrates the tendency for the temperature to rise. Average monthly air temperature at all stations of the region highlights positive anomalies, the largest – in January–February and March (2–3°C), the smallest – in May and autumn. The average absolute maximum temperature in all months was higher than normal, and only in Chernihiv in September corresponded to the climatological norm, the highest anomalies of 2.4–3.1°C were noted in October. The average absolute minimum allocated the largest positive anomaly in January and March (⁓3°C), only in April in the region the average minimum temperature was below the norm by 0.1°C, and in October it corresponded to the norm. MS Chernigov and Semenovka show slightly higher above zero temperature anomalies.

An integrated approach to investigate climate-driven rockfall occurrence in high alpine slopes: the Bessanese glacial basin, Western Italian Alps

Rockfalls are one of the most common instability processes in high mountains. They represent a relevant issue, both for the risks they represent for (infra) structures and frequentation, and for their potential role as terrestrial indicators of climate change. This study aims to contribute to the growing topic of the relationship between climate change and slope instability at the basin scale. The selected study area is the Bessanese glacial basin (Western Italian Alps) which, since 2016, has been specifically equipped, monitored and investigated for this purpose. In order to provide a broader context for the interpretation of the recent rockfall events and associated climate conditions, a cross-temporal and integrated approach has been adopted. For this purpose, geomorphological investigations (last 100 years), local climate (last 30 years) and near-surface rock/air temperatures analyses, have been carried out. First research outcomes show that rockfalls occurred in two different geomorphological positions: on rock slopes in permafrost condition, facing from NW to NE and/or along the glacier margins, on rock slopes uncovered by the ice in the last decades. Seasonal thaw of the active layer and/or glacier debutressing can be deemed responsible for slope failure preparation. With regard to timing, almost all dated rock falls occurred in summer. For the July events, initiation may have been caused by a combination of rapid snow melt and enhanced seasonal thaw of the active layer due to anomalous high temperatures, and rainfall. August events are, instead, associated with a significant positive temperature anomaly on the quarterly scale, and they can be ascribed to the rapid and/or in depth thaw of the permafrost active layer. According to our findings, we can expect that in the Bessanese glacierized basin, as in similar high mountain areas, climate change will cause an increase of slope instability in the future. To fasten knowledge deepening, we highlight the need for a growth of a network of high elevation experimental sites at the basin scale, and the definition of shared methodological and measurement standards, that would allow a more rapid and effective comparison of data.

Independent Aridity and Drought Pieces of Evidence Based on Meteorological Data and Tree Ring Data in Southeast Banat, Vojvodina, Serbia

In this study, aridity data and tree ring data were collected in Northern Serbia, in Southeast (SE) Banat, a subregion within Vojvodina, and Vojvodina at large. They were each investigated independently. The De Martonne Aridity Index and the Forestry Aridity Index are derived from examining the relationship between precipitation and surface air temperature data sets sourced from seven meteorological stations in SE Banat, and from 10 meteorological stations located in Vojvodina as a whole. Vojvodina is a large territory and used as the control area, for the period 1949–2017. The Palmer Drought Severity Index was derived for the period 1927–2016, for both SE Banat and the totality of Vojvodina. The results of the Tree Ring Width Index were obtained from samples collected in or around the villages of Vlajkovac and Šušara, both located in SE Banat, for the period 1927–2017. These tree ring records were compared with three previous aridity and drought indices, and the meteorological data on the surface air temperature and the precipitation, with the objective being to evaluate the response of tree growth to climate dynamics in the SE Banat subregion. It was noted that the significant positive temperature trends recorded in both areas were too insufficient to trigger any trends in aridity or the Tree Ring Width Index, as neither displayed any change. Instead, it appears that these climatic parameters only changed in response to the precipitation trend, which remained unchanged during the investigated period, rather than in response to the temperature trend. It appears that the forest vegetation in the investigated areas was not affected significantly by climate change in response to the dominant temperature increase.

Gravity Maps of the Lithospheric Structure Beneath the Indian Ocean

The lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean is probably the most complicated, but at the same time, the least understood among world’s oceans. Results of tomographic, geochemical, magnetic and other surveys provide the evidence of its complex geological history. Seismic surveys have been a primary source of information about the lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean, but these experiments are mainly concentrated at locations of a high geophysical interest. Marine gravity data obtained from processing the satellite altimetry measurements, on the other hand, deliver a detailed image of the whole seafloor relief, advancing further the knowledge about its formation, tectonism and volcanism. In this study, we use gravitational, bathymetric, marine sediment and lithospheric density structure data to compile the Bouguer and mantle gravity maps. We then use both gravity maps to interpret the lithospheric structure beneath the Indian Ocean. The Bouguer gravity map reveals major tectonic and volcanic features that are spatially correlated with crustal thickness variations. The mantle gravity map exhibits mainly a thermal signature of the lithospheric mantle. Gravity lows in this gravity map mark distinctively active oceanic divergent tectonic margins along the Central, Southeast and Southwest Indian Ridges including also the Carlsberg Ridge. Gravity lows extend along the Red Sea–Gulf of Aden and East African Rift Systems, confirming a connection between mid-oceanic spreading ridges (in the Indian Ocean) and continental rift systems (in East Africa). The combined interpretation of the Bouguer and mantle gravity maps confirms a non-collisional origin of mountain ranges along continental rift systems in East Africa. The evidence of a southern extension of the East African Rift System and its link with the Southwest Indian Ridge in the mantle gravity map is absent. Similarly, the ongoing breakup of the composite Indo-Australian plate is not manifested. A missing thermal signature in the mantle gravity map at these two locations is explained by the fact that the southern Nubian-Somalian plate boundary (i.e., the Lwandle plate) and the Indo-Australian plate boundary (i.e., the Capricorn plate) are diffuse zones of convergence, characterized by low deformation and seismicity due to very slow rates of relative motions accommodated across these boundaries. The clear manifestation of the thermal signature of intraplate hot spots in the mantle gravity map is also absent. This finding agrees with the evidence from direct heat flow measurements that do not indicate the presence of a significant positive temperature anomaly compared to the oceanic lithosphere of a similar age.

Long-term phenoclimatic averages of the Yuganskiy Nature Reserve territory and changes for 1961-2016

In light of the observed global climate changes in recent decades, we studied the local climate indicators and explored the possible links between the spring and autumn phenophases and climate data changes in the Yuganskiy nature reserve (N 600 17’; E74054’ – N590 23’; E74000’) in 1982-2016. The collected climate data include daily average, maximum and minimum temperatures, daily precipitation amount and intensity, and number of days with precipitation of 0.1mm or more, monthly average of snow depths, dates of first and last occurrence of daily mean temperatures 0, +5, +10°С through the year. Timing of sap movement and leaf fall start were used as the spring and autumn indicators of birch (Bétula péndula ) phenology. The mean value of weather averages in the 30-year period of 1961-1990 was used as reference. Trends were calculated using linear least squares regression. Statistical significance was determined by calculating the standard error of the trend estimate.
 We found that the annual mean temperature has increased from –1.9°С (1961-1990) to –0.8° С (1982-2016), with corroborating indicators including increased temperature of the coldest night of the year from –53°С (1961-1990) to –51.3° С (1982-2016) and increased frequency of significant positive temperature anomalies from 21% (1961-1990) to 37% (1982-2016). May, June, August and October nights have become successively warmer. The air temperature increase was not accompanied by a corresponding increase in precipitation.
 Statistically significant trends toward earlier onset of spring and summer from 1982 to 2016 were observed. The date of the last spring freeze has been advancing by 6.1 days per decade since 1982. A freeze-free season has lengthened by 7.7 days per decade. Linear trend of the snowmelt timing was –3.7 days per decade. Permanent snow cover period has been shortening by 7.7 days per decade. The date of the first occurrence of the daily mean temperatures of +10° С has been advancing by 5.1 days per decade. However, the 0 -+5° С lag has been lengthening significantly by 9.2 days per decade, and the number of biologically effective degree days (base +5C) has not statistically changed.
 Sap flux and leaf fall timing of B. pendula have been advancing almost simultaneously by 4.0 and 4.2 days per decade since 1985. Sap flux beginning and last spring freeze date have been found to be linearly correlated (r=0.904). The average lag of them was 5±1 days and has been lengthening by 3 days per decade (1985–2016).

Evidence for Predictive Skill of High‐Latitude Climate Due to Midsummer Sea Ice Extent Anomalies

AbstractPrevious work has explored the linkages between Arctic sea ice extent (SIE) anomalies at the end of the summer melt season and high‐latitude climate. Here we show that Arctic midsummer SIE anomalies provide predictive skill on time scales of ~2–3 months for high‐latitude climate. Midsummers characterized by low SIE are associated with significant positive temperature and easterly wind anomalies throughout the high‐latitude troposphere through September and significant positive temperature anomalies at the Arctic surface into October. The inferred predictive skill for autumn climate derives from the persistence of the sea ice field. It is robust throughout the Arctic basin and is supported in climate models from the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project archive and in prediction experiments from the Arctic Predictability and Prediction on Seasonal to Interannual Time scales project. It is theorized that the predictive skill derives from (1) the anomalous storage of heat in the Arctic Ocean during periods of low summertime SIE and (2) the delayed formation of sea ice during the following autumn months.

Dental pain induced by an ambient thermal differential: pathophysiological hypothesis.

Dental pain triggered by temperature differential is a misrecognized condition and a form of dental allodynia. Dental allodynia is characterized by recurrent episodes of diffuse, dull and throbbing tooth pain that develops when returning to an indoor room temperature after being exposed for a long period to cold weather. The pain episode may last up to few hours before subsiding. Effective treatment is to properly shield the pulpal tissue of the offending tooth by increasing the protective layer of the dentin/enamel complex. This review underscores the difference in dentin hypersensitivity and offers a mechanistic hypothesis based on the following processes. Repeated exposure to significant positive temperature gradients (from cold to warm) generates phenotypic changes of dental primary afferents on selected teeth with subsequent development of a “low-grade” neurogenic inflammation. As a result, nociceptive C-fibers become sensitized and responsive to innocuous temperature gradients because the activation threshold of specific TRP ion channels is lowered and central sensitization takes place. Comprehensive overviews that cover dental innervation and sensory modalities, thermodynamics of tooth structure, mechanisms of dental nociception and the thermal pain are also provided.

Effects of carbon black content and size on conductive properties of filled high‐density polyethylene composites

AbstractThe high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites filled with four kinds of carbon blacks (CB) were prepared to investigate the effects of the size and content of the CB on the electrical properties of the HDPE/CB composites. It was found that the composites presented conductive percolation behavior, the CB with different size filled‐systems had different percolation thresholds; the higher the structure property of the CB, the larger the particle surface area, and the smaller the particle size, the better was the conductivity, and the lower was the percolation threshold of the composites. In addition, the HDPE/CB composites showed significant positive temperature coefficient (PTC) effect and negative temperature coefficient effect. The bigger the filler particle diameter, the higher was the PTC intensity of the HDPE composite systems under the same CB weight fraction.

Pentad Evolution of Wintertime Impacts of the Madden–Julian Oscillation over the Contiguous United States

Abstract Lagged pentad composites of surface air temperature and precipitation are analyzed for the winter season (December–February) to assess the influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on the climate of the contiguous United States. Composites are based on the Wheeler and Hendon MJO index as well as an index developed and maintained at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), which is based on extended empirical orthogonal function analysis of upper-level velocity potential. Significant positive temperature anomalies develop in the eastern United States 5–20 days following Wheeler and Hendon MJO index phase 3, which corresponds to enhanced convection centered over the eastern Indian Ocean. At the same lag, positive precipitation anomalies are observed from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes region. Negative temperature anomalies appear in the central and eastern United States 10–20 days following Wheeler and Hendon MJO phase 7. These impacts are supported by an analysis of the evolution of 200-hPa geopotential height and zonal wind anomalies. Composites based on the CPC velocity potential MJO index generally yield similar results; however, they capture more cases since the index contains both interannual and subseasonal variability. There are some cases where the CPC index differs from that of WH in both MJO phase identification and its North American impacts, especially near the West Coast. This analysis suggests that MJO-related velocity potential anomalies can be used without the Wheeler and Hendon MJO index to predict MJO impacts.

Climatic and environmental characteristics of Moscow megalopolis according to the data of the Moscow State University Meteorological Observatory over 60 years

Analyzed are the results of meteorological and environmental measurements performed over the 60-year period (1954–2013) at the Meteorological Observatory of Lomonosov Moscow State University. The significant positive temperature trend (0.04°C/year for 1954–2013) was obtained; it increased up to 0.07°C/year in 1976–2012. Considered are the features of seasonal variations of different atmospheric characteristics. Discussed are the type and causes of low-frequency changes in meteorological parameters, radiation balance components, radiation in different spectral ranges, and chemical composition of precipitation. Demonstrated are possible mechanisms of the more significant increase observed in air temperature in Moscow as compared with that in Central Federal District and their connection with the greenhouse effect in the urban atmosphere.

First measurements of formaldehyde integral content in the atmosphere using MAX-DOAS in the Moscow region

We present the first observations of formaldehyde (HCHO) atmospheric column performed for Zvenigorod, Moscow region, Russia. The data were retrieved from UV spectra of the scattered solar radiation measured by the multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) instrument developed by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. We developed an algorithm for the HCHO retrieval from these spectra. For retrieval of the HCHO differential slant column densities, we used the DOAS settings used as baseline in the Cabauw Intercomparison Campaign of Nitrogen Dioxide Measuring Instruments (CINDI). The slant column densities of HCHO were converted to vertical column densities (VCDs) using the air mass factors calculated by a radiative transfer model. The determination of HCHO in the reference spectrum used multi-axis measurements.The variability of the HCHO vertical column in 2010 is analysed. The HCHO vertical column density is larger during east wind directions than during non-east wind directions. This can be associated with the Moscow Megacity influence on air quality at Zvenigorod. The estimation of the Moscow Megacity influence on HCHO abundance at Zvenigorod is around 2.5 × 1014 molec cm−2 per 1 km length of trajectory path inside the Moscow Ring Road.A temperature effect is noticeable in the HCHO VCD. Our data show a statistically significant positive temperature effect in HCHO for the background condition for temperatures from −5°C to +33°C. The temperature trend in HCHO data at Zvenigorod Scientific Station is about (8.9 ± 2.3) × 1014 molec cm−2 (°C)−1. The increase of the HCHO VCD during increase of the air temperature can be explained by the HCHO formation from non-methane biogenic volatile organic compounds (e.g. isoprene) for which more emission is expected at higher temperatures, and by growth of areas of forest and turf fires.

Air Temperature Variability in Illinois Based on Weather Station Records and the North American Regional Reanalysis from 1979 to 2006

Spatial and temporal near-surface air temperature variabilities and trends were analyzed for 30 locations in Illinois based on annual data derived from station records and the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) dataset from 1979 to 2006. A high correlation was found between the two datasets for interannual variability at most locations. Temperatures were generally higher at urban stations than non-urban stations, while non-urban NARR data points showed higher temperatures than urban data points. Differences in medians were not statistically significant in either dataset. Significant positive temperature trends were found in the majority of the weather stations and in all NARR data points, with generally stronger trends in the NARR data. Observed trends from the station records were generally stronger in metropolitan areas and weaker for non-urban areas, but the reanalysis data did not show a remarkable difference between urban and non-urban trends.

Decadal solar signal in ozone and temperature through the mesosphere of Northern tropics

To investigate the effects of decadal solar variability on ozone and temperature in the mesosphere of the Northern tropics, data obtained from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) aboard Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) during the period 1992–2005 are analyzed using a multifunctional regression model. The inferred annual-mean solar signal in ozone is found to be insignificant in the lower mesosphere whereas it is of the order of 5%/100sfu in the upper mesosphere. Seasonal variation of ozone response to solar variability indicates a strong positive response (22–30%/100sfu) during summer and autumn between 5E-3 and 0.01mb pressure levels (∼80–85km). The annual mean temperature response is found to be of the order of 0.5–1K/100sfu. Significant positive temperature response is observed during winter and autumn in the lower mesosphere and during summer and spring in the upper mesosphere. Results obtained in the present study are also compared with the results obtained by other workers.

Temperature dependence of electric and dielectric behaviors of Ni/polyvinylidene fluoride composites

Composites of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) filled with metallic particles of nickel (Ni) were prepared via a blending and hot-molding technique. Rescaled temperature dependence of electric and dielectric behaviors of Ni/PVDF composites were studied at wide content ranges. Results show that there is significant positive temperature coefficient effect and giant dielectric constant as the concentration of Ni is near the percolation threshold. The nonuniform distribution of filler particles in PVDF host is observed from the scanning electron microscope micrograph since they are aggregated in amorphous regions of PVDF and form a network of conducting chains. Two relaxation peak regions of dielectric constant are observed from −10 to 40 °C and from 100 to 150 °C, which can be attributed to the contribution of polar effect of PVDF. The percolation theory, the thermal expansion model, and the simple concept of polarization in the capacitors are employed to explain these experimental results.

Long-term variability of growth and recruitment of cod (Gadus morhua) off Greenland

Abstract Growth variation was estimated from mean lengths-at-ages 4 and 5 for Atlantic cod off Greenland based on 52 973 fish taken from commercial and scientific catches from 1955 to 2002. Mean length-at-age values were corrected for area and seasonal effects, and significant growth reductions occurred during the 1960s and from the mid-1970s until the mid-1980s. Annual growth rates of cod in Greenland waters during the most recent decade (1993–2002) were consistently among the highest recorded. Statistical growth models accounting for temperature, fishing mortality, and stock abundance effects were constructed. Multiple linear regressions revealed significant positive temperature effects on growth of both age groups and a significant negative stock density effect on length-at-age 4. Correlations between exploitation intensity and length-at-age were statistically insignificant. During the period 1955–2002, the number of recruits at age 3 was significantly correlated with the Greenland cod spawning-stock biomass, June water temperature on top of Fyllas Bank (West Greenland), and Iceland cod recruitment. All factors had a positive effect on the number of Greenland recruits and, combined, accounted for 60% of the observed variation. Spawning stock size was, by far, the most important factor contributing to recruitment variability, while June water temperature below 1°C and Iceland recruits below 150 million never coincided with high year-class strength in Greenland during the past 50 years. Thus, previous conclusions regarding a close relation between the Greenland and Icelandic cod stocks might need to be reconsidered in the light of a continued recruitment failure in Greenland waters over the two most recent decades, despite the improved environmental conditions and near-average recruitment of the Icelandic stock. The low precision of the recruitment model, however, prevents reliable predictions in the short or medium term, but a substantial short-term recovery of the Greenland cod stock remains unlikely.

A Pronounced Upper-Tropospheric Warm Anomaly Encountered by the NOAA G-IV Aircraft in the Vicinity of Deep Convection

Abstract Recent flights near deep convection by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Gulfstream-IV surveillance aircraft have occasionally experienced significant positive temperature anomalies that sometimes impact the aircraft performance. One such event occurred over the Bahamas on 23 August 1999. During a 20-s time period, when the plane was cruising at an altitude of 175 hPa, the flight-level ambient temperature rose 15°C and returned to ambient values, concurrent with significant fluctuations in the horizontal and vertical winds. Large temperature anomalies such as that reported here can cause the avionics on the aircraft to compensate with a sudden decrease in air speed and a loss of altitude. Possible explanations for this anomaly include instrument error and convectively forced gravity waves or upper-level subsidence.