Download or read book The Impact of Saharan Dust on Atlantic Convective Systems written by Jianyu Liang and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tropical weather systems such as the African Easterly Waves (AEWs), the African Easterly Jet (AEJ), and tropical cyclones usually interact with the Saharan Air Layer (SAL) and mineral dust aerosols embedded in the SAL. Previous studies have debates about the strength and even the direction of the impact from the dust and SAL on the development of the tropical systems. In this study, the sole impact from the dust on a hurricane is quantified using carefully designed numerical experiments. Hurricane Earl (2010) was originated from an AEW disturbance over Africa. It was influenced by the dusty SAL especially in its early development stage. We conduct numerical experiments using the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to simulate Hurricane Earl (2010) starting from a weak disturbance. Experiments with 36-km resolution show that without moist convection, dust slightly weakens the low-pressure system in North Africa by cooling the atmosphere. This scenario mainly results from a reduction of the boundary layer heating during the daytime and from the enhancement of the outgoing longwave radiative cooling during the nighttime. The zonal mean of the AEJ is intensified slightly (less than 1m/s) in its southern part and weakened in its northern part when dust is included in the model. Adding dust weakens the AEWs at 850 hPa and 600 hPa levels and the tropical cyclone. High-resolution (4-km) cloud-resolving model experiments show that dust deepens the system slightly but does not affect the track. In the tropical low stage, dust increases the low-level cloud at 1-2 km height. It reduces rainfall in the outer edge of SAL region between 250 km to 350 km radii while it increases rainfall in the inner edge at around 200 km. The associated latent heat release shifts the updraft radially inward. The dynamical consequence is the acceleration of the tangential wind and the mid-level circulation. In the tropical depression stage, adding dust increases the number of cloud droplets in most of the regions and enhances the convection around the center, which generates more ice, snow, and rain. Overall, the impact of dust aerosols on Earl is small, the center minimum sea-level pressures only differ by less than 1 hPa at the end of the simulation. This suggests that pure meteorological model may be sufficiently accurate to forecast hurricanes if the dynamical and thermodynamical features of the SAL are properly described. In order to predict aerosols, one can use a simple chemistry model such as GOCART which only has aerosol direct effects. Using the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) to assimilate conventional observations and MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) data, both forecasts of the track of the storm and the aerosol can be improved.
Download or read book Atmospheric Aerosols written by Guillaume A. D'Almeida and published by A. Deepak Publishing. This book was released on 1991 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mineral Dust written by Peter Knippertz and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-09-01 with total page 526 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents state-of-the-art research about mineral dust, including results from field campaigns, satellite observations, laboratory studies, computer modelling and theoretical studies. Dust research is a new, dynamic and fast-growing area of science and due to its multiple roles in the Earth system, dust has become a fascinating topic for many scientific disciplines. Aspects of dust research covered in this book reach from timescales of minutes (as with dust devils, cloud processes and radiation) to millennia (as with loess formation and oceanic sediments), making dust both a player and recorder of environmental change. The book is structured in four main parts that explore characteristics of dust, the global dust cycle, impacts of dust on the Earth system, and dust as a climate indicator. The chapters in these parts provide a comprehensive, detailed overview of this highly interdisciplinary subject. The contributions presented here cover dust from source to sink and describe all the processes dust particles undergo while travelling through the atmosphere. Chapters explore how dust is lifted and transported, how it affects radiation, clouds, regional circulations, precipitation and chemical processes in the atmosphere and how it deteriorates air quality. The book explores how dust is removed from the atmosphere by gravitational settling, turbulence or precipitation, how iron contained in dust fertilizes terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and about the role that dust plays in human health. We learn how dust is observed, simulated using computer models and forecast. The book also details the role of dust deposits for climate reconstructions. Scientific observations and results are presented, along with numerous illustrations. This work has an interdisciplinary appeal and will engage scholars in geology, geography, chemistry, meteorology and physics, amongst others with an interest in the Earth system and environmental change. body>
Download or read book Saharan Dust Deposition in the Equatorial North Atlantic Ocean and Its Impact on Particle Export Fluxes written by Laura Franziska Korte and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Parameterization Schemes written by David J. Stensrud and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-05-03 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contents: 1.
Download or read book Desert Dust in the Global System written by Andrew S. Goudie and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-09-05 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dust storms are a vital component of the environment. This book explores and summarises recent research on where dust storms originate, why dust storms are generated, where dust is transported and deposited, the nature of dust deposits and the changing frequency of dust storms over a range of time-scales. It is the first global study of causes and effects of dust storms, which are one of the increasing nature catastrophes.
Download or read book Climate Change Science written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2001-06-28 with total page 41 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The warming of the Earth has been the subject of intense debate and concern for many scientists, policy-makers, and citizens for at least the past decade. Climate Change Science: An Analysis of Some Key Questions, a new report by a committee of the National Research Council, characterizes the global warming trend over the last 100 years, and examines what may be in store for the 21st century and the extent to which warming may be attributable to human activity.
Download or read book Deep Sea Sediments written by H. Huneke and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2011-02-08 with total page 865 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Deep-Sea Sediments' focuses on the sedimentary processes operating within the various modern and ancient deep-sea environments. The chapters track the way of sedimentary particles from continental erosion or production in the marine realm, to transport into the deep sea, to final deposition on the sea floor.
Download or read book The Impact of Desert Dust Across the Mediterranean written by Stefano Guerzoni and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 1996-11-30 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The atmosphere is an important pathway for the transport of continentally-derived material to the oceans. In this respect the Mediterranean Sea is of special importance because its atmosphere receives inputs of anthropogenic aerosols from the north and desert- derived Saharan dusts from the south. The dusts, much of which is transported in the form of seasonal `pulses', have important effects on climate, marine chemistry and sedimentation in the Mediterranean Sea. This volume brings together reviews and specific-topic papers on the following aspects of Saharan dust transport to the Mediterranean Sea: (i) the modelling of Saharan dust transport, (ii) the chemistry and mineralogy of the dusts and their effect on precipitation, (iii) the contribution of the dusts to marine sedimentation, (iv) the aerobiology of the dusts, and (v) climatic implications of Saharan dust transport. The volume is aimed at students and researchers with an interest in the climate, biogeochemistry and geology of the Mediterranean Sea.
Download or read book Meteorology of Tropical West Africa written by Douglas J. Parker and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-04-24 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meteorology of tropical West Africa: the Forecasters’ Handbook presents the science and practice of weather forecasting for an important region of the tropics. Connecting basic theory with forecasting practice, the book provides a unique training volume for operational weather forecasters, and is also suitable for students of tropical meteorology. The West African region contains a number of archetypal climatic zones, meaning that the science of its weather and climate applies to many other tropical regions. West Africa also exhibits some of the world’s most remarkable weather systems, making it an inspiring region for students to investigate. The weather of West Africa affects human livelihoods on a daily basis, and can contribute to hardship, poverty and mortality. Therefore, the ability to understand and predict the weather has the potential to deliver significant benefits to both society and economies. The book includes comprehensive background material alongside documentation of weather forecasting methods. Many examples taken from observations of West African weather systems are included and online case-studies are referenced widely.
Download or read book The Regional Impacts of Climate Change written by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Working Group II. and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cambridge, UK : Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Download or read book Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2013-12-31 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate is changing, forced out of the range of the past million years by levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases not seen in the Earth's atmosphere for a very, very long time. Lacking action by the world's nations, it is clear that the planet will be warmer, sea level will rise, and patterns of rainfall will change. But the future is also partly uncertain-there is considerable uncertainty about how we will arrive at that different climate. Will the changes be gradual, allowing natural systems and societal infrastructure to adjust in a timely fashion? Or will some of the changes be more abrupt, crossing some threshold or "tipping point" to change so fast that the time between when a problem is recognized and when action is required shrinks to the point where orderly adaptation is not possible? Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change is an updated look at the issue of abrupt climate change and its potential impacts. This study differs from previous treatments of abrupt changes by focusing on abrupt climate changes and also abrupt climate impacts that have the potential to severely affect the physical climate system, natural systems, or human systems, often affecting multiple interconnected areas of concern. The primary timescale of concern is years to decades. A key characteristic of these changes is that they can come faster than expected, planned, or budgeted for, forcing more reactive, rather than proactive, modes of behavior. Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change summarizes the state of our knowledge about potential abrupt changes and abrupt climate impacts and categorizes changes that are already occurring, have a high probability of occurrence, or are unlikely to occur. Because of the substantial risks to society and nature posed by abrupt changes, this report recommends the development of an Abrupt Change Early Warning System that would allow for the prediction and possible mitigation of such changes before their societal impacts are severe. Identifying key vulnerabilities can help guide efforts to increase resiliency and avoid large damages from abrupt change in the climate system, or in abrupt impacts of gradual changes in the climate system, and facilitate more informed decisions on the proper balance between mitigation and adaptation. Although there is still much to learn about abrupt climate change and abrupt climate impacts, to willfully ignore the threat of abrupt change could lead to more costs, loss of life, suffering, and environmental degradation. Abrupt Impacts of Climate Change makes the case that the time is here to be serious about the threat of tipping points so as to better anticipate and prepare ourselves for the inevitable surprises.
Download or read book Climate Impacts on Energy Systems written by Jane O. Ebinger and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2011 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "While the energy sector is a primary target of efforts to arrest and reverse the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and lower the carbon footprint of development, it is also expected to be increasingly affected by unavoidable climate consequences from the damage already induced in the biosphere. Energy services and resources, as well as seasonal demand, will be increasingly affected by changing trends, increasing variability, greater extremes and large inter-annual variations in climate parameters in some regions. All evidence suggests that adaptation is not an optional add-on but an essential reckoning on par with other business risks. Existing energy infrastructure, new infrastructure and future planning need to consider emerging climate conditions and impacts on design, construction, operation, and maintenance. Integrated risk-based planning processes will be critical to address the climate change impacts and harmonize actions within and across sectors. Also, awareness, knowledge, and capacity impede mainstreaming of climate adaptation into the energy sector. However, the formal knowledge base is still nascent?information needs are complex and to a certain extent regionally and sector specific. This report provides an up-to-date compendium of what is known about weather variability and projected climate trends and their impacts on energy service provision and demand. It discusses emerging practices and tools for managing these impacts and integrating climate considerations into planning processes and operational practices in an environment of uncertainty. It focuses on energy sector adaptation, rather than mitigation which is not discussed in this report. This report draws largely on available scientific and peer-reviewed literature in the public domain and takes the perspective of the developing world to the extent possible."
Download or read book The Atmosphere and Climate of Mars written by Robert M. Haberle and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-29 with total page 613 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humanity has long been fascinated by the planet Mars. Was its climate ever conducive to life? What is the atmosphere like today and why did it change so dramatically over time? Eleven spacecraft have successfully flown to Mars since the Viking mission of the 1970s and early 1980s. These orbiters, landers and rovers have generated vast amounts of data that now span a Martian decade (roughly eighteen years). This new volume brings together the many new ideas about the atmosphere and climate system that have emerged, including the complex interplay of the volatile and dust cycles, the atmosphere-surface interactions that connect them over time, and the diversity of the planet's environment and its complex history. Including tutorials and explanations of complicated ideas, students, researchers and non-specialists alike are able to use this resource to gain a thorough and up-to-date understanding of this most Earth-like of planetary neighbours.
Download or read book Natural Disasters and Extreme Events in Agriculture written by Mannava VK Sivakumar and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-12-06 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Agricultural production is highly sensitive to weather and climate-related disasters such as drought, storm and flood. While it is not possible to prevent the occurrence of natural disasters, the resultant disastrous effects can be reduced mitigated through proper planning and effective preparation. This book, based on a gathering of experts in Beijing, discusses ways to reduce the vulnerability of agriculture to disaster and extreme events, both by accurate and timely warning, and by impact-reducing countermeasures.
Download or read book Abrupt Climate Change written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-04-23 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The climate record for the past 100,000 years clearly indicates that the climate system has undergone periodic-and often extreme-shifts, sometimes in as little as a decade or less. The causes of abrupt climate changes have not been clearly established, but the triggering of events is likely to be the result of multiple natural processes. Abrupt climate changes of the magnitude seen in the past would have far-reaching implications for human society and ecosystems, including major impacts on energy consumption and water supply demands. Could such a change happen again? Are human activities exacerbating the likelihood of abrupt climate change? What are the potential societal consequences of such a change? Abrupt Climate Change: Inevitable Surprises looks at the current scientific evidence and theoretical understanding to describe what is currently known about abrupt climate change, including patterns and magnitudes, mechanisms, and probability of occurrence. It identifies critical knowledge gaps concerning the potential for future abrupt changes, including those aspects of change most important to society and economies, and outlines a research strategy to close those gaps. Based on the best and most current research available, this book surveys the history of climate change and makes a series of specific recommendations for the future.
Download or read book Natural and Human Induced Hazards and Disasters in Africa written by Simelane, Thokozani and published by Africa Institute of South Africa. This book was released on 2019-02-25 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Natural and human-induced environmental hazards are becoming increasingly prominent. The frequency of recorded natural disasters rose markedly during the last century, from about 100 per in the years up to 1940 to nearly 2800 during the 1990s. Africa is the only continent whose share of reported disasters has increased over the past decade. Several factors contribute to Africa’s high vulnerability to disasters. These include the high rate of population growth, food insecurity, high levels of poverty, inappropriate use of natural resources, and failures of policy and institutional frameworks. Despite the huge negative impact of natural and human-induced hazards on Africa’s development, little is done to prevent them. Disaster prevention contributes to lasting improvement in safety and sustainable livelihoods and is essential as part of integrated disaster management strategies. The provision of effective scientific input to policy formulation on various issues related to hazards and disasters is an ambitious undertaking. It requires the collaborative effort of the African scientific community to develop comprehensive long-term strategies and human capacity-building initiatives that will enable science to benefit society. This will further require: a) Building strong research and training institutions in Africa at national and regional levels; b) Facilitating the exchange of scientific information and sharing of ideas across borders; c) Strengthening the link between scientific research and policy making; d) Promoting outreach activities to build resilience to disaster risk; and e) Tapping the knowledge base of rural and urban communities. In this volume, the ICSU ROA has brought together selected African scientific researchers to share their views on policy direction for facing challenges linked to natural and human-induced hazards. The book is intended for policy advisers, environmental scientists, government officials and members of the general public with a special interest in environmental issues.
