SW Area Research Articles

Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research on Scientific Writing

Scientific knowledge has been growing continuously and rapidly in recent years. Scientific writing plays animportant role in the process of scientific knowledge. In recent years, there has been an increasing research effort on scientific writing. This research aims to reveal the growth trend of global research on scientific writing, the contributions to the field, the trending topics of the field, the main themes of the field, and the social interaction of the countries contributing to the field. For this purpose, 968 publications covering the period between 1959-2023 obtained from the Web of Science database were analysed by bibliometric analysis. According to the results of the study, scientific writing literature has shown a significant growth trend since 2010. The most productive journals in the field come from science journals such as chemistry and biology. The most productive countries are USA and UK has the highest publication impact. The countries with the highest collaboration are USA and UK respectively. The trending topic of the SW area is on the use of Chat GPT in scientific writing. The SW area is divided into four themes: scientific literacy and communication, scientific writing in medical research, scientific writing in higher education, and ethics of scientific writing. This research provided a comprehensive review of the accumulated knowledge in the field of SW and provided a holistic perspective on the field. Furthermore, some possible directions for future research are shown. This research has shown that in addition to traditional studies that provide scientific writing guidelines, SW will be shaped more by artificial intelligence developments in the coming years.

Areas of Endemism of Plants in the South-Central and Southwestern Nearctic Region

The history and connections of the flora of south-central/southwestern (SC/SW) North America have been studied and summarized in biogeographic regionalization. However, some studies show contrasting delineations of the SC/SW North American provinces that could be better determined using quantitative methods. We aimed to find spatial patterns of a set of plants in the SC/SW United States by conducting endemicity analysis (EA) on different scales. We first built a dataset with 81,965 specimen point records of 400 species from 174 genera and 61 families of angiosperms and two genera of gymnosperms using digitized specimen data from iDigBio. We then performed EA at four different scales to identify the areas of endemism (AoEs).
 We obtained 28 AoEs with different cell sizes by selecting each AoE under the grid size that yielded the highest number of high-scoring species. The study region split into two significant centers of accumulation of nested or partially overlapping AoEs: the SW and SC consensus areas. In these parts of the Nearctic region, many genera/clades, among those in the dataset, showed a geographic split into western and eastern clades. The split corresponded to an environmental and physical barrier known as Cochise Filter Barrier. The Sonora–Mojave arid center, parts of South Texas, and the Chihuahuan Desert harbor basally branching taxa of several genera and even families, based on the observations of some species, which allowed identification of the AoEs.

Quantifying the Interaction Effects of Climatic Factors on Vegetation Growth in Southwest China

Due to the complex and variable climate structure in Southwest China (SW), the impacts of climate variables on vegetation change and the interactions between climate factors remain controversial, considering the uncertainty and complexity in the relationships between climate factors and vegetation in this region. In this study, the CRU TS v. 4.02 from 1982 to 2017 and the annual maximum (P100), upper quarter quantile (P75), median (P50), lower quarter quantile (P25), minimum (P5), and mean (Mean) of GIMMS NDVI were utilized to reveal the main and interaction effects of significant climate variables on vegetation development at the level of SW and the core areas (CAs) of typical climate type (including T+ *–P+ *, T+ *–P–, T+ *–P+, and NSC) using the simple moving average method, a multivariate linear model, the slope method, and the Johnson–Neyman method. The obtained regression relationships between NDVI, temperature, and precipitation were verified successfully by constructing multiple linear models with interaction terms. Within the T+ *–P– CA, precipitation had the main impact; meanwhile, in the SW and other CAs, the temperature had the main effect. In general, most of the significant moderating effects of temperature (precipitation) on vegetation growth predominantly increased with the increase in precipitation (temperature). Nevertheless, the significant moderating effect varied in different regions and directions. In the SW area, when the temperature/precipitation was in the range of [4.73 °C, 5.13 °C]/[730.00 mm, 753.95 mm], the impact of temperature/precipitation on NDVI had a significant positive regulating effect with respect to the precipitation/temperature. Meanwhile, in the NSC/T+ *–P+ * areas, when the temperature/precipitation was in the range of [15.99 °C, 16.03 °C]/[725.17 mm, 752.82 mm], the impact of temperature/precipitation on NDVI has a significant negative moderating role with respect to the precipitation/temperature. Overall, our study provides a modern context for clearly uncovering the complexity of the effect of climate alteration on vegetation development, allowing for clarification of the alterations in vegetation development due to climate change.

Recruitment and organising 3rd year pharmacy undergraduates into summer placements in primary care in Southwest England

Abstract Introduction Primary care is facing a workforce shortage, especially in Southwest England (SW).1 Funding for clinical pharmacist roles in GP has an impact on community pharmacy with pharmacists leaving to take up PCN positions.2 SW has higher rate of vacancies in than nationally.3 Oriel data showed that fill rate for split foundation training placements in GP is high, however, in SW is significantly low. Aim To increase recruitment of future pharmacists in SW by offering pharmacy undergraduates paid 5-week summer placements in GP or GP/community pharmacy partnership, gaining primary care experience, showcasing benefits of cross-sector working and encouraging development of partnerships for increased cross-sector training placements. Objectives Students enjoy SW area placement, Students recommend placement to other students, Students preference GP foundation placement, Supervisors express interest in a summer placement for 2022, Supervisors express interest in the GP split trainee pharmacist programme. Methods Expressions of interest (EOIs) sought from primary care placements in SW and 16 sites selected. Applicants shortlisted and interviewed online. 16 offered placements based on preference of location. Funding by HEE South reimbursed for student’s wages. Planning booklets provided to GPs, workbooks to students and online induction attended. During the placement, students completed an audit and case-based discussion, shadowed healthcare professionals, assisted administration and pharmacy tasks and practised basic procedural skills. Students attended end-of-placement event to share learning and sent questionnaire focusing on enjoyment of the placement and likelihood of returning to the Southwest and primary care for future employment. Supervisors sent questionnaire separately focusing on likelihood to partake in future. Questionnaires were sent, completed and analysed via Jisc. Ethics approval was not required. Results 10 students and 11 supervisors completed the survey. 60% students enjoyed SW. 90% students would recommend placement to other students and 90% would like to see them in other areas. 70% students very likely to or definitely would apply for GP foundation placement. 63% supervisors benefitted from having a student and 81% would recommend having summer placement student. 55% supervisors would definitely EOI in future summer placement programme and 55% would definitely EOI in GP split foundation programme. 25% students chose GP/Community placements in SW, 18% other placements in SW, 12% GP placements in other regions. Oriel fill rates in SW increased from 36.67% in 2020 to 39.30% in 2021, GP/Community placements remained the same in 2021 at 28.2% and community placements increased in from 18.14% in 2020 to 18.75% in 2021. Discussion/Conclusion The students enjoyed their placements and would recommend to other students. Supervisors found having students useful and would have a student in the future. Although some students were successful in securing a placement in SW for foundation training, due to nature of Oriel it’s not possible to determine how many preferenced SW and GP split programme, this is a limitation to the evaluation. Oriel fill rates didn’t increase for SW community/GP placements as desired, however this was a very small cohort. This pilot will be repeated summer 2022 so fill rates can be evaluated in 2023.

Classification of Aquifer Vulnerability by Using the DRASTIC Index and Geo-Electrical Techniques

Vulnerability analysis in areas vulnerable to anthropogenic pollution has become a key element of sensible resource management and land use planning. This study is intended to estimate aquifer vulnerability using the DRASTIC model and using the vertical electrical sounding (VES) and electrical conductivity (EC) outcomes. The model allows for the identification of hydrogeological environments within the scope of the research, based on a composite definition of each environment’s main geological, geoelectrical, and hydrogeological factors. The results from the DRASTIC model were divided into four equal intervals, high, medium, low, and very low drastic index values. The SW area and NE area depict drastic index values from medium to very high, making it the most vulnerable zone in the study area, while the NW and SW areas show low to very low drastic index values. In addition, the results from the VES and EC the freshwater aquifer in the NE area and brackish water in the SE area, while the rest of the area falls into the category of brackish water. Overall, it can be concluded that areas having freshwater assemblages are on the verge of becoming contaminated in the future while the rest of the NW and SW areas constitute less vulnerable zones. The validation conducted for DRASTIC and EC shows a nearly positive correlation. Wastewater treatment policies must be developed throughout the studied region to prevent contamination of the remaining groundwater.

Tracking the effect of temperature in marine demersal fish communities

Under current levels of global warming most demersal species in the Northeast Atlantic are experiencing tropicalization, meridionalization or borealization of their distributions, leading to profound changes in demersal communities. We explore these changes using the Community Weighted Mean Temperature (CWMT), an index to link the thermal preference of demersal fish communities and temperature. The CWMT is calculated as the summation of the mean temperature of each fish species distribution weighted by its relative abundance in the community. The relative abundance is based on the community composition data obtained by the International Bottom Trawl Surveys (IBTS) in the Southern Bay of Biscay between 1983 and 2015. Our analyses show that the CWMT responds to the actual temperature of the water column reproducing its space–time trends in the study area: (i) an increase from SW to NE, towards the inner Bay of Biscay, (ii) a decrease with depth, except in the SW area characterized by an intense upwelling, (iii) a general increase along the time series. Applying a k-means classification to the CWMT data we identified warm-, temperate- and cold-communities over the shelf and slope and their spatial changes in the last decades. The area occupied by warm communities has expanded 268.4 km2/yr since the 80 s, while the cold communities have retracted at a speed of −155.4 km2/yr. The CWMT was able to capture the community dynamics in relation to environmental temperature at different temporal and spatial scales, highlighting the potential of this index to explore and anticipate the effects of climate change in demersal communities under different scenarios of global warming.

Relationship between Observed Seismicity and Water Level Fluctuations in Polyphyto Dam Area (North Greece)

The spatial-temporal seismicity in Aliakmona river area is presented for the period 1974-2010 (NW Greece). This study area, which was classified as low seismicity, presents a particular interest due to the unexpected strong earthquake of Ms=6.6 which occurred between the cities of Kozani–Grevena, at a distance of 18 km from the southern edge of Polyphyto lake in 1995. According to [1], seismic hazard changes have been identified SE of the Polyphyto dam after the impoundment of the lakes. In this study, we examined the possible correlation between the impoundment and the water level fluctuations due to the three artificial lakes which are established in the region and the observed seismicity using data from the catalogues of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) (see details for seismological data on Mc, RMS, etc. in [2,3]). For the latter purpose, spatial and temporal distribution maps were developed as well as correlation diagrams between water level variations in respect to monthly seismicity for distances 10 Km, 20 Km, 30 Km, 40 Km and 50 Km around the artificial lakes using the ESRI ArcMap 10 software. A remarkable change is observed in seismic activity in the vicinity of reservoirs for the period commencing 10 years prior to the first filling in comparison with the period 10 years after. This increased seismicity is correlated to the daily rate of water level fluctuations (dh/dt) for the period 1984-2010 reveals the presence of mainly shallow seismic activity with focal depths of 0-5 km in a high percentage (67%). This protracted seismicity which is mainly located in the SW area of Polyphyto lake, has characteristics of the second type of induced seismicity according to Talwani [4], and seems to be controlled by the water level fluctuations of Polyphyto reservoir due to the mechanism of pore pressure diffusion.

Estimation of fundamental natural period of vibration for reinforced concrete shear walls systems

This study attempts to develop new simplified approximate formulas to predict the fundamental natural periods of vibration (T) for bearing wall systems engaged with special reinforced concrete shear walls (RCSW) under seismic loads. Commonly, seismic codes suggested empirical formulas established by regression analysis of measured T for buildings during earthquake motions. These formulas depend on structure type, building height, number, height and length of SW, and ratio of SW area to base area of structure. In this study, a parametric investigation is performed for T of 110 selected models of bearing RCSW systems with varying structural height, configuration of horizontal plans including building width, number and width of bays, presence of middle corridors and core SWs. For this purpose, a 3D non-linear response time history (TH) analysis is implemented using ETABS v16.2.1. New formulas to estimate T are anticipated and compared with those obtained from formulas of IBC 2012 and ASCE/SEI 7-10. Moreover, the study examines responses of an arbitrarily two selected test model of 60 m and 80 m in height with presence of SWs having middle corridors. It is observed that the performance of the tested buildings is different through arising of considerable errors when using codes

The significance of U–Pb zircon ages in zoned plutons: the case of the Flamenco pluton, Coastal Range batholith, northern Chile

Compositionally zoned plutons, both layered and concentrically arranged, provide granitic exposures where the mechanisms and timing of the magmatic emplacement processes can be studied. The importance of in-situ geochemical differentiation and the magma replenishment rates are revealed by geochemistry and field relations, together with the increasingly accurate U–Pb geochronology, which has promoted the knowledge about the pluton incremental assembly theories.The Flamenco pluton, located in the Coastal Range of northern Chile, is part of the Upper Triassic to Early Cretaceous Andean intrusives formed in the western active margin of South America, and present a normal zoned structure with mafic magmatic facies (mostly gabbros and Qtz-diorites) close to the contacts with the host metasediments, and tonalites, granodiorites and granites in the inner areas. A combined study of the field relations, geochemistry and zircon geochronology of the magmatic facies was applied to determine the emplacement sequence of the Flamenco pluton, revealing three distinguishable domains separated by metasedimentary septa. The SW area is constituted by mostly homogeneous leucocratic granodiorites that yielded an age of 213 Ma as the best estimation for their emplacement age. Distinctive geochemical characteristics, such as the absence of an Eu anomaly, the depletion in HREE, or the highest Sr, Sr/Y and Ce/Yb values among the granodioritic facies of the pluton, involve lower T and/or higher P conditions at the magmatic source according to experimental studies. These conditions were established during an early stage of the Andean magmatic arc building that is firstly defined here as Upper Triassic. The NW and E domains of the pluton were sequentially emplaced between 194 Ma and 186 Ma and both the field relations and the detailed geochronological results suggest that the mafic facies intruded latter in the emplacement sequence. To the NW, Qtz-dioritic and gabbroic externally emplaced pulses gave a younger crystallization age of 186.3 ± 1.8 Ma, and promoted the granoblastic textures and metamorphic zircon overgrowths that characterize the granodiorites located in the contact with the intermediate and felsic inner magmas, which yielded a best estimation of their emplacement age of 192 ± 1.5 Ma. On the other hand, in the eastern domain, magma-magma relations are observed between gabbros and previously intruded tonalites and granodiorites. Both the mafic and intermediate facies show two main subgroups of ages that yielded 194.7 ± 1.5 Ma to 188.3 ± 2.1 Ma and 193.1 ± 2.2 Ma to 185.5 ± 1.4 Ma respectively. These differences are related to the variations in the magmatic addition rates, which may extend the super-solidus conditions in the eastern domain of the magmatic reservoir as is confirmed by the wider age ranges yielded by these magmatic facies. Zircon overgrowths in the host rocks yield similar ages (around 220 Ma and 205 Ma) than the oldest results obtained in the intrusive facies, indicating that metamorphism correlates with the initial stages of plutonic emplacement.Geochronological results differ between 9 Myr and 41 Myr in the eight studied samples for non-inherited ages and gave very close mean ages (within analytical uncertainty) for all the intrusive units. However, we examine other characteristics such as zircon morphology, internal structure, geochemistry and statistical data to assess if the scattering of the geochronological data may be related to the different processes involved in the construction of the Flamenco pluton. We concluded that this detailed study of U–Pb zircon ages, including individual and significative groups of analyses, is useful to determine accurately the emplacement sequence and the genetic relation between the intrusive units, together with the evidences depicted by the geochemistry and field relations.

Aplication of IDW and RBF methods to develop models of temperature distribution within a spoil tip located in Wojkowice, Poland

Abstract This article describes two methods of showing the distribution of temperature on the surface and inside a spoil tip (coal mine waste dump) located in Wojkowice (in the Silesian Voivodeship). Two deterministic estimation methods were tested, i.e., Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) and Radial Basis Functions (RBF). According to isotherm maps the highest temperature on the surface of the “Wojkowice” spoil tip was in the NE area, while inside the heap the highest temperature noted was in the SW area. Better results were obtained from the application of the RBF method. A three-dimensional model (3D model) was generated by the method, which visualized the temperature distribution within the “Wojkowice” spoil tip. According to the 3D model of the temperature distribution the greatest heat centre inside the heap in Wojkowice was located in the SW part with a temperature of around 300°C. As a result, it can be concluded that the material of the “Wojkowice” spoil tip is burning out in a NW direction. On the basis of the model obtained it is possible to determine the location of potentially dangerous places which are exposed to possible deformations caused by the material burning under the surface. The results of the research presented make it possible to assess the thermal state of the spoil heap located in Wojkowice, Poland.

Exceptional discovery of a shallow-water hydrothermal site in the SW area of Basiluzzo islet (Aeolian archipelago, South Tyrrhenian Sea): An environment to preserve.

The geological, biological and geochemical features of a particular field of hydrothermal vents, discovered in the Panarea Volcanic Complex during a research survey carried out in 2015, are described for the first time. The site, located at 70–80 m depth off the South-western coast of the islet of Basiluzzo, was named Smoking Land for the presence of a large number of wide and high active chimneys and was characterized in terms of dissolved benthic fluxes, associated macrofauna and megafauna communities and preliminary mineralogy and geochemistry of chimney structures. On the whole field, a total of 39 chimneys, different in size and shape, were closely observed and described; 14 of them showed emission of low temperature hydrothermal fluids of marine origin characterized by acidified chemical conditions. The CTD and benthic chamber measurements highlighted that the Smoking Land is able to form a sea water bottom layer characterized by variable acidity and high DIC and trace elements concentrations; these characteristics weaken moving away from the chimney mouths. The SEM-EDS analysis of the collected solid samples revealed a chimney structure principally composed by amorphous and low crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides of hydrothermal origins. The ROV explorations revealed a wide coverage of red algae (Peyssonnelia spp.) colonized by the green algae Flabiella petiolata and by suspension feeders, mainly sponges, but also bryozoans, and tubicolous polychaetes. Although novent-exclusive species were identified, the benthic communities found in association to the chimneys included more taxa than those observed in the surrounding no-vent rocky areas. These first findings evidence a submarine dynamic habitat where geological, chemical and biological processes are intimately connected, making the Smoking Land an important site in terms of marine heritage that should be safeguarded and protected.

Nitrogen fixation in two coastal upwelling regions of the Taiwan Strait

Recent studies have demonstrated that dinitrogen fixation can be important in nutrient-rich coastal upwelling regions. During a cruise to the Taiwan Strait in summer 2015, we found that the nitrogen fixation rate in surface waters ranged from below detection limits to 7.51 nmol N L−1 d−1. Higher rates accompanied by low N:P ratios (1–10.4:1) associated with low temperatures occurred in the surface water where the Pingtan and the Dongshan upwelling regions met (the NE area). In contrast, insignificant rates were observed in the southwest area of the Dongshan upwelling region (the SW area) with sufficient N and deficient P, and therefore high N:P ratios (e.g., >43 at station C2) due largely to the influence of the Pearl River plume. Diatom-associated symbionts (het-1; 104–106 copies L−1) that are efficient in organic matter export were found to dominate the other diazotrophic groups that were surveyed, which may represent a direct relationship between new nitrogen input and export in the upwelling regions. Our results suggest a hydrographical influence on the diazotroph community and N2 fixation in coastal upwelling regions.

Recent Coastal Geomorphological Evolution in the Negro River's Mouth (41°S), Argentinean Patagonia

ABSTRACT Vergara Dal Pont, I.P.; Caselli, A.T.; Moreiras, S.M., and Lauro, C., 2017. Recent coastal geomorphological evolution in the Negro River's mouth (41°S), Argentinean Patagonia. This paper analyzes the geomorphological evolution of the Negro River's mouth to understand how aerodynamic and hydrodynamic states of the Atlantic coast have developed to this date. Accordingly, the morphometry of the beach and the historical river flow record were studied. The results indicate a dichotomous state for this coast. The SW area is characterized by cliffs with an average recession rate of 0.69 m/y during the 1959–2011 period, whereas the NE area is characterized by beaches in stable and accretion states. In the latter zone, a relatively fast coastal accretion was corroborated with the advance of a berm of up to 170 m between 1986 and 2014; furthermore, the beach extension grew to 760 m during 1986–2004. Since 1936, a completely new phenomenon was observed at the Negro River's mouth: the displacement and accret...

Success in Competition for Space in Two Invasive Coral Species in the western Atlantic - Tubastraea micranthus and T. coccinea.

Invasion success by an alien species is dependent upon rate of reproduction, growth, mortality, physical characteristics of the environment, and successful competition for resources with native species. For sessile, epibenthic marine species, one critical resource is space. We examined competitive success in two invasive Indo-Pacific corals involved in competition for space in the northern Gulf of Mexico—Tubastraea coccinea and T. micranthus—on up to 13 offshore oil/gas platforms south of the Mississippi River. Still-capture photos of thousands of overgrowth interactions between the target corals and other sessile epibenthic fauna were analyzed from ROV videos collected at 8–183 m depth. T. micranthus was observed overgrowing >90% of all sessile epibenthic species which it encountered. Frequencies of competitive success varied significantly between platforms. T. coccinea was competitively superior to all competitors pooled, at the 60% level. There was little variability between T. coccinea populations. T. coccinea encountered the following species most frequently—the encrusting sponges Xestospongia sp. (with the commensal Parazoanthus catenularis), X. carbonaria, Dictyonella funicularis, Mycale carmigropila, Phorbas amaranthus, and Haliclona vansoesti—and was found to be, on average, competitively superior to them. Both T. micranthus and T. coccinea appear to be good competitors for space against these species in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Competitive success in T. micranthus was highest in the NE part of the study area, and lowest in the SW area near the Mississippi River plume. T. coccinea’s competitive success peaked in the SW study area. This suggests that variation in competitive success both within and between populations of these species may be due to differences in local environmental factors.

Impact of currents on surface flux computations and their feedback on dynamics at regional scales

Abstract. A twin numerical experiment was conducted in the seas around the island of Sardinia (Western Mediterranean) to assess the impact, at regional and coastal scales, of the use of relative winds (i.e., taking into account ocean surface currents) in the computation of heat and momentum fluxes through standard (Fairall et al., 2003) bulk formulas. The Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) was implemented at 3 km resolution in order to well resolve mesoscale processes, which are known to have a large influence in the dynamics of the area. Small changes (few percent points) in terms of spatially averaged fluxes correspond to quite large differences of such quantities (about 15 %) in spatial terms and in terms of kinetics (more than 20 %). As a consequence, wind power input P is also reduced by ~ 14 % on average. Quantitative validation with satellite SST suggests that such a modification of the fluxes improves the model solution especially in the western side of the domain, where mesoscale activity (as suggested by eddy kinetic energy) is stronger. Surface currents change both in their stable and fluctuating part. In particular, the path and intensity of the Algerian Current and of the Western Sardinia Current (WSC) are impacted by the modification in fluxes. Both total and eddy kinetic energies of the surface current field are reduced in the experiment where fluxes took into account the surface currents. The main dynamical correction is observed in the SW area, where the different location and strength of the eddies influence the path and intensity of the WSC. Our results suggest that, even at local scales and in temperate regions, it would be preferable to take into account such a contribution in flux computations. The modification of the original code, substantially cost-less in terms of numerical computation, improves the model response in terms of surface fluxes (SST validated) and it also likely improves the dynamics as suggested by qualitative comparison with satellite data.

Rainfall: Features and Variations over Saudi Arabia, A Review

The Saudi Arabia (SA) climate varies greatly, depending on the geography and the season. According to K ppen and Geiger, the climates of SA is “desert climate”. The analysis of the seasonal rainfall detects that spring and winter seasons have the highestrainfall incidence, respectively. Through the summer,small quantities of precipitation are observed, while autumn received more precipitation more than summer season considering the total annual rainfall. In all seasons, the SW area receives rainfall, with a maximum in spring, whereas in the summer season, the NE and NW areas receive very little quantities of precipitation. The Rub Al-Khali (the SE region) is almost totally dry. The maximum amount of annual rainfall does not always happen at the highest elevation. Therefore, the elevation is not the only factor in rainfall distribution.A great inter-annual change in the rainfall over the SA for the period (1978–2009) is observed. In addition, in the same period, a linear decreasing trend is found in the observed rainfall, whilst in the recent past (1994–2009) a statistically significant negative trend is observed. In the Southern part of the Arabian Peninsula (AP) and along the coast of the Red Sea, it is interesting to note that rainfall increased, whilst it decreased over most areas of SA during the 2000–2009 decade, compared to 1980–1989.Statistical and numerical models are used to predict rainfall over Saudi Arabia (SA). The statistical models based on stochastic models of ARIMA and numerical models based on Providing Regional Climates for Impact Studies of Hadley Centre (PRECIS). Climate and its qualitative character and quantified range of possible future changes are investigated. The annual total rainfall decreases in most regions of the SA and only increases in the south. The summertime precipitation will be the highest between other seasons over the southern, the southwestern provinces and Asir mountains, while the wintertime rainfall will remain the lowest.The climate in the SA is instructed by the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other circulations such as centers of high and low pressure, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and SOI. Strength and oscillation of subtropical jet stream play a big role in pulling hot, dry air masses of SA.

Bayesian inference for ultralow velocity zones in the Earth's lowermost mantle: Complex ULVZ beneath the east of the Philippines

AbstractUltralow velocity zones (ULVZs) are small‐scale structures with a sharp decrease in S and P wave velocity, and an increase in the density on the top of the Earth's core‐mantle boundary. The ratio of S and P wave velocity reduction and density anomaly are important to understanding whether ULVZs consist of partial melt or chemically distinct material. However, existing methods such as forward waveform modeling that utilize 1‐D and 2‐D Earth‐structure models face challenges when trying to uniquely quantify ULVZ properties because of inherent nonuniqueness and nonlinearity. This paper develops a Bayesian inversion for ULVZ parameters and uncertainties with rigorous noise treatment to address these challenges. The posterior probability density of the ULVZ parameters (the solution to the inverse problem) is sampled by the Metropolis‐Hastings algorithm. To improve sampling efficiency, parallel tempering is applied by simulating a sequence of tempered Markov chains in parallel and allowing information exchange between chains. First, the Bayesian inversion is applied to simulated noisy data for a realistic ULVZ model. Then, measured data sampling the lowermost mantle under the Philippine Sea are considered. Cluster analysis and visual waveform inspection suggest that two distinct classes of ScP (S waves converted to, and reflected as, P waves) waves exist in this region. The distinct waves likely correspond to lateral variability in the lowermost mantle properties in a NE‐SW direction. For the NE area, Bayesian model selection identifies a two‐layer model with a gradual density increase as a function of depth as optimal. This complex ULVZ structure can be due to the percolation of iron‐enriched, molten material in the lowermost mantle. The results for the SW area are more difficult to interpret, which may be due to the limited number of data available (too few waveforms to appropriately reduce noise) and/or complex 2‐D and 3‐D structures that cannot be explained properly by the 1‐D models required by our inversion approach. In particular, the complex waveforms require highly layered 1‐D models to fit the data. These models appear physically unreasonable and suggest that the SW region cannot be explained by 1‐D structure.

Bacterial composition in a metropolitan drinking water distribution system utilizing different source waters.

We investigated the bacterial composition of water samples from two service areas within a drinking water distribution system (DWDS), each associated with a different primary source of water (groundwater, GW; surface water, SW) and different treatment process. Community analysis based on 16S rRNA gene clone libraries indicated that Actinobacteria (Mycobacterium spp.) and α-Proteobacteria represented nearly 43 and 38% of the total sequences, respectively. Sequences closely related to Legionella, Pseudomonas, and Vibrio spp. were also identified. In spite of the high number of sequences (71%) shared in both areas, multivariable analysis revealed significant differences between the GW and SW areas. While the dominant phylotypes where not significantly contributing in the ordination of samples, the populations associated with the core of phylotypes (1-10% in each sample) significantly contributed to the differences between both service areas. Diversity indices indicate that the microbial community inhabiting the SW area is more diverse and contains more distantly related species coexisting with local assemblages as compared with the GW area. The bacterial community structure of SW and GW service areas were dissimilar, suggesting that their respective source water and/or water quality parameters shaped by the treatment processes may contribute to the differences in community structure observed.

Using electrical resistivity tomography to differentiate sapwood from heartwood: application to conifers

Estimating sapwood area is one of the main sources of error when upscaling point scale sap flow measurements to whole-tree water use. In this study, the potential use of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) to determine the sapwood-heartwood (SW-HW) boundary is investigated for Pinus elliottii Engelm var. elliottii × Pinus caribaea Morelet var. hondurensis growing in a subtropical climate. Specifically, this study investigates: (i) how electrical resistivity is correlated to either wood moisture content, or electrolyte concentration, or both, and (ii) how the SW-HW boundary is defined in terms of electrical resistivity. Tree cross-sections at breast height are analysed using ERT before being felled and the cross-section surface sampled for analysis of major electrolyte concentrations, wood moisture content and density. Electrical resistivity tomography results show patterns with high resistivities occurring in the inner part of the cross-section, with much lower values towards the outside. The high-resistivity areas were generally smaller than the low-resistivity areas. A comparison between ERT and actual SW area measured after felling shows a slope of the linear regression close to unity (=0.96) with a large spread of values (R(2) = 0.56) mostly due to uncertainties in ERT. Electrolyte concentrations along sampled radial transects (cardinal directions) generally showed no trend from the centre of the tree to the bark. Wood moisture content and density show comparable trends that could explain the resistivity patterns. While this study indicates the potential for application of ERT for estimating SW area, it shows that there remains a need for refinement in locating the SW-HW boundary (e.g., by improvement of the inversion method, or perhaps electrode density) in order to increase the robustness of the method.

Reconstruction of a regional drought index in southern Sweden since AD 1750

We used a network of eight pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L.) sites ( ntrees = 70) and one Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) site ( ntrees = 53) to develop drought-sensitive master chronologies for the two areas in southern Scandinavia: a SW-area centred on 57°N 12.7°E and a NE-area centred on 58.8°N 18.2°E. The ratio of actual to equilibrium evapotranspiration (AET/EET) was used as a measure of drought during the growing season defined as the period with average daily temperatures above 9°C. Instrumental data were used to parameterize the relationship between tree-ring data and the drought index (DI) over 1922—2000 for the SW area and over 1922—1995 for the NE area. The DI reconstructions explained 29.7% (SW area) and 43.7% (NE area) of the variance in the observed DI index in the calibration period, and were extended back to AD 1770 for the SW area and to AD 1750 for the NE area. Reconstructed drought dynamics suggested strong decadal- and century-scale temporal variability and limited regional synchronicity over 1770—2000. Large variations in DI were observed in both regions in the second half of the 1700s. Dry conditions were synchronously reconstructed in both sub-regions during 1781—1784, 1853—1855, and, to a lesser degree, during 1974—1978. Over the 1945—1975 period the SW area exhibited a trend towards drier growing seasons, whereas no such trend could be identified for the NE area. Analysis of correlation maps indicated that regional DI dynamics reflected two different climate regimes, associated with the Kattegat area (SW reconstruction) and southeastern Swedish coast of the Baltic sea (NE reconstruction).