South West Peninsula Of England Research Articles

David Barrington Shaw

We readily forget travel problems once posed to rural patients with complex cardiac problems. David Barrington Shaw, who died on 15 March 2019, brought specialist cardiology to those who lived...

The Convective Precipitation Experiment (COPE): Investigating the Origins of Heavy Precipitation in the Southwestern United Kingdom

Abstract The Convective Precipitation Experiment (COPE) was a joint U.K.–U.S. field campaign held during the summer of 2013 in the southwest peninsula of England, designed to study convective clouds that produce heavy rain leading to flash floods. The clouds form along convergence lines that develop regularly as a result of the topography. Major flash floods have occurred in the past, most famously at Boscastle in 2004. It has been suggested that much of the rain was produced by warm rain processes, similar to some flash floods that have occurred in the United States. The overarching goal of COPE is to improve quantitative convective precipitation forecasting by understanding the interactions of the cloud microphysics and dynamics and thereby to improve numerical weather prediction (NWP) model skill for forecasts of flash floods. Two research aircraft, the University of Wyoming King Air and the U.K. BAe 146, obtained detailed in situ and remote sensing measurements in, around, and below storms on several days. A new fast-scanning X-band dual-polarization Doppler radar made 360° volume scans over 10 elevation angles approximately every 5 min and was augmented by two Met Office C-band radars and the Chilbolton S-band radar. Detailed aerosol measurements were made on the aircraft and on the ground. This paper i) provides an overview of the COPE field campaign and the resulting dataset, ii) presents examples of heavy convective rainfall in clouds containing ice and also in relatively shallow clouds through the warm rain process alone, and iii) explains how COPE data will be used to improve high-resolution NWP models for operational use.

Winter daily precipitation variability over the South West Peninsula of England

Daily precipitation totals for five consecutive winters (1995–99) were obtained for 127 stations in Devon and Cornwall to explore spatial variations in rainfall. This dataset was assembled with the explicit aim of assessing the appropriateness of current arrangements for daily rainfall forecasts in the SW Peninsula of England. Firstly, the extent to which fundamental geographic variables determine precipitation was investigated by correlating each station’s mean wet day amount (WDA) and percentage of wet days (PERWET) with altitude, latitude, longitude and distance from the coast. Altitude emerged as the most important control on precipitation, with a two-variable multiple linear regression model containing altitude and latitude being able to explain 39.3% (29.8%) of the variance in WDA (PERWET) values. The main spatial modes of variability in the region’s precipitation field were identified by using S mode principal components analysis (PCA). Six PCs were statistically significant and explained 83.4% of the geographic variance in precipitation over Devon and Cornwall. The components were interpreted physically by examining the synoptic flow environment (pressure and wind anomalies) on days with high positive and negative PC scores. Explaining 25.1% of the variance, the most important pattern (PC1) depicts a location’s degree of exposure or shelter in a moist, unstable W–NW airflow. The higher PCs describe modes of variability that accentuate rainfall in East Devon (PC2), Cornwall (PC3), Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor (PC4), South Devon (PC5), and North Cornwall and NW Devon (PC6) relative to other areas of the Peninsula. Finally, a winter precipitation regionalisation was derived by applying agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis to the PC loadings of the significant components. In most cases, the six coherent precipitation regions do not reflect the familiar administrative or topographic areas used for forecasting, suggesting that forecasts issued on such a basis are likely to be insufficiently detailed and misleading.

Specification and prediction of monthly and seasonal rainfall over the south‐west peninsula of England

AbstractAn assessment of the extent to which atmospheric variables add to the specification and predictability of rainfall over the south‐west peninsula of England (SWPE), as provided by North Atlantic sea surface temperatures (SSTs), is undertaken. To this end multivariate specification and prediction models are developed, describing rainfall variations over the SWPE at monthly and seasonal time‐scales. Results reveal that synchronous variations in atmospheric circulation characteristics are the main specifiers of monthly and seasonal rainfall variability, chiefly mean monthly sea‐level pressure, vorticity and atmospheric water vapour flux. In contrast, the predictability of rainfall for one‐ and two‐months, and one‐ and two‐seasons ahead is more dependent on SST than atmospheric circulation variability. Both the tropical Atlantic and the Greenland–Iceland (Norwegian Sea) regions of the North Atlantic appear important as centres of action in terms of SST–SWPE rainfall links. Although SSTs account for the majority of variance in monthly and seasonal rainfall, a moderate improvement of rainfall prediction is achieved with the inclusion of atmospheric water vapour flux in prediction models for one‐month to two‐seasons ahead, as it acts as an atmospheric bridge between the ocean and land in terms of precipitation delivery. The empirical relationships revealed between SWPE rainfall, and atmospheric and SST variability are discussed in terms of the main components of the North Atlantic climate system. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society

A new cardiothoracic centre: 'how to do it?'.

All cardiac surgical patients, emergency and routine, from the South West peninsula of England had to travel long distances until 19 months ago, a stressful if not dangerous situation. This paper describes the planning, commissioning and start-up of a brand new cardiac surgical facility. The lessons learnt may help similar projects as provision of specialist health care decentralizes.

Allozyme variation in populations of the dog-whelkNucella lapillus (Prosobranchia: Muricacea) from the South West peninsula of England

Four populations of the predatory gastropodNucella lapillus were sampled at sites around the South West Peninsula of England in 1986, and analysed for allozyme variation at 18 enzyme loci. Two of these loci, αGpd-1 andHk-1, exhibited sex-specific phenotypes. An absolute locus association was observed between two other loci,Mdh-1 andEst-3. This association was only found at one site (Prawle), and it is suggested that the presence of chromosomal polymorphisms could explain this finding. As a measure of overall similarity, Nei's genetic identity statistic,I, was calculated; the mean for all populations was 0.989, with values ranging from 0.981 to 0.997. Although similar on this gross level, considerable interpopulation variation was evident. Observed mean heterozygosity (per locus) ranged from 0.043 to 0.104 (mean 0.074). Populations differed also in the loci at which significant heterozygote deficits were seen (of the seven deficits recorded only those at thePep-1 locus were consistent across sites) and in the presence of rare alleles undetected elsewhere. The variation observed showed no correlation to shell morphology or geographical distance and confirmed the conclusion that species of the genusNucella show considerable disjunct variation.

The Decline of the Gastropod Nucella Lapillus Around South-West England: Evidence for the Effect of Tributyltin from Antifouling Paints

A survey of the gastropod Nucella lapillus around the south-west peninsula of England has revealed that the incidence of ‘imposex’, the induction of male sex characters in the female, is widespread, that all populations are affected to some degree and that the phenomenon is most prevalent along the south (Channel) coast. Populations close to centres of boating and shipping activity show the highest degrees of imposex, especially those within the vicinities of the Helford, Fal, Salcombe and Dart estuaries and in Plymouth Sound and Tor Bay. Within Plymouth Sound the degree of imposex increased markedly between 1969 and 1985, coinciding with the introduction and increasing usage of antifouling paints containing tributyltin (TBT) compounds.

Electron Spin Resonance Studies of Iron Oxides Associated with the Surface of Kaolins

AbstractThe different types of iron oxide phases associated with the surfaces of two suites of kaolins from Georgia, U.S.A., and from the Southwest Peninsula of England, have been identified using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy combined with magnetic-filtration, thermal, and chemical treatments. It has been shown that the English kaolins are coated with a lepidocrocitelike phase, which is readily removed by de Endredy's method of deferrification, while the Georgia kaolins are coated with a hematite- or goethitelike phase, which is not removed by this treatment. Throughout the course of this study, the effects of the various physical and chemical treatments on the brightness values of the kaolins were examined.

Assessment of coastal change with the aid of photogrammetric and computer-aided techniques

The study of landforms is peculiarly placed to take advantage of photogrammetric techniques. The coast and the nearshore zone include landforms where the operation of both marine and terrestrial processes produce changes more rapidly than elsewhere. At the same time this interface between land and sea also introduces special difficulties in topographic survey and the recording of changes. The present paper gives two examples where photogrammetry has been of critical importance in recording and interpreting coastal change. Both examples are taken from the south west peninsula of England. At Bridgwater Bay, Somerset, a low marsh coast is fronted by a very wide intertidal zone in consequence of the fact that the tidal range is one of the highest in the world. This introduces problems which only photogrammetry can adequately solve. Deep mud inhibits conventional ground survey and problems of access make interpretation on foot a matter of great difficulty. In Barnstaple Bay, a rocky coast with steep cliffs and relatively narrow shore platforms cut in steeply dipping rocks, introduces contrasting problems and solutions.

Stomach Contents of the Blue Shark (Prionace GlaucaL.) Off South-West England

The blue shark is a pelagic species having a virtually circumglobal distribution in tropical and temperate seas. In the northern hemisphere, during the warmer months, they extend their range northwards in both the Pacific and Atlantic (Strasburg, 1959; Bigelow & Schroeder, 1948; Templeman, 1963). Between May and October they occur regularly and in considerable numbers around the south-west peninsula of England. Strasburg showed that in the central Pacific blue sharks are opportunistic feeders as were the other pelagic species he studied, their diet consisting mainly of squid and small fish. Bigelow & Schroeder suppose herring (Clupea harengusL.), mackerel ((Scomber scombrusL.), sardines (Sardina pilchardusWalbaum) and a variety of cephalopods to be the chief diet in northern waters, together withSqualus acanthiasL. and various bottom fish on the fishing banks. In warmer waters anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolusL.), flying fish and the occasional sea bird caught resting on the water are known to occur in their diet. Bigelow & Schroeder also quote the well-known stories of blue shark following boats for offal and feeding on the carcasses of harpooned whales. Le Brasseur (1964) examined the diet of blue sharks caught by gill net in the Gulf of Alaska and in general confirmed Strasburg's observations. However, he stated that when salmon(Oncorhynchussp.) were available in gill nets blue shark might selectively feed on them, while by-passing other readily available species occurring in their normal diet. Couch (1862) examined the stomachs of two specimens from Cornish waters, finding herring, mackerel and garfish (Belone beloneL.), as well asSqualusandConger congerL. Lo Bianco (1909) found anchovies and cephalopods in one of two specimens caught in the Bay of Naples, the other of which contained large numbers of flying-fish eggs (Exocoetussp.).

Age of Raised Beach Deposits of Southwestern Britain

FOR many years there has been a divergence of opinion concerning the age of the raised beaches which underlie glacial and periglacial deposits on the coasts of the southern Irish Sea Basin and the Bristol Channel. After the work of George1, Zeuner2 suggested that the widespread raised beaches of south Wales and southern Ireland were formed during the last Interglacial. According to this view the beaches should be of the same age as the Eemian deposits of Continental Europe and the Ipswichian of south-east England3. On the other hand, many authors have assigned the beaches to the great interglacial (Hoxnian). Mitchell4 suggested that many beaches beneath an altitude of 100 ft O.D. were formed at this time, and this interpretation has also been put forward by Stephens5 with reference to the south-west peninsula of England; Martin6 with reference to the east coast of Ireland; and Synge7,8 with reference to the Lleyn Peninsula and west Wales. More recently, Bryant9 has applied the same dating to the raised beaches of south-west Ireland, Bowen10 to the Patella beach of Gower, and Stephens and Synge11 have re-stated their views in a more comprehensive form.