Water Vapor

Data Collection 5 processing for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) Terra and Aqua spacecraft includes an algorithm for detecting multilayered clouds in daytime. The main objective of this algorithm is to detect multilayered cloud scenes, specifically optically thin ice cloud overlying a lower-level water cloud, that present difficulties for retrieving cloud effective radius using single-layer plane-parallel cloud models. The algorithm uses the MODIS 0.94-μm water vapor band along with CO2 bands to obtain two above-cloud precipitable water retrievals, the difference of which, in conjunction with additional tests, provides a map of where multilayered clouds might potentially exist. The presence of a multilayered cloud results in a large difference in retrievals of above-cloud properties between the CO2 and the 0.94-μm methods. In this paper the MODIS multilayered cloud algorithm is described, results of using the a...

The goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of different storage temperatures on the quality maintenance of fresh-cut 'Fortuna' avocado (Persea americana Mill.). The fruit was selected, washed and sanitized with sodium hypochlorite solution (190 ppm total residual chlorinee) for 15 minutes. After that, the tip was cut and the fruit was also cut in halves, peeled and the pit removed, manually. Then the halves were immersed in 0.5% calcium chlorite + 0.5% cysteine solution for 2 minutes, to avoid darkening and packed in rigid plastic covered with 20 micrometer thick plastic wrap (PVC film) with a permeability to O2, CO2 and water vapor of 15,000, 80,000 and 390 cm³/m²/day, respectively. The product was stored under 3 different temperatures 0, 5, 10ºC and evaluated at 5 different storege periods of 0, 2, 3, 5 and 6 days, in a randomized design in a 3x5 factorial. The storage of fresh-cut avocado at 5ºC is the best alternative because it determines better maintenance of qua...

A hybrid model for nowcasting of storms has been developed by employing predicted Integrated Water Vapor (IWV) with light Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) on Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver data collected at Gadanki (13.46°N, 79.17°E) and estimated thresholds for three storm predictors. Utilization of predicted IWV allows more lead time for disaster preparedness. The efficacy of light GBM technique in predicting IWV has been tested on 54 stormy days (from the year 2020), identified with a collocated polarimetric weather radar observations. The predicted IWV agrees very well with observed IWV with rms errors <1.2 mm (correlation coefficient >0.85) for predictions with a lead time up to 2 hours. Among several predictors considered for nowcasting, IWV is found to have a great predictive potential, as the moisture buildup is seen few hours (1-4 hours) prior to the occurrence of storm/rainfall. Thresholds for chosen predictors (magnitude of IWV, change in IWV and change in brightness temperature (Tb)) are finalized using the data from known stormy days (65 days from the years 2018 and 2019). The sensitivity analysis of the predictors independently and in combination in predicting storms reveals that 1 and 2 parameter-based predictions detects storms accurately but produce large false alarm rates. The three-parameter scheme reduced the false alarm rate drastically to 5% and improved the model accuracy to 97%, which is much better than the existing methods.

A new approach is proposed to quantify the evaporative vapor generation based on real parking activity data. As compared to the existing methods, two improvements are applied in this new approach to reduce the uncertainties: First, evaporative vapor generation from diurnal parking events is usually calculated based on estimated average parking duration for the whole fleet, while in this study, vapor generation rate is calculated based on parking activities distribution. Second, rather than using the daily temperature gradient, this study uses hourly temperature observations to derive the hourly incremental vapor generation rates. The parking distribution and hourly incremental vapor generation rates are then adopted with Wade-Reddy&#39;s equation to estimate the weighted average evaporative generation. We find that hourly incremental rates can better describe the temporal variations of vapor generation, and the weighted vapor generation rate is 5-8% less than calculation without con...

To fully understand atmospheric dynamics, climate studies, energy transfer and weather prediction, the wind field is one of the most important atmospheric state variables. Studies indicate that a global determination of the tropospheric wind field to an accuracy of 0.5 m/s is critical for improved numerical weather forecasting. LEOSPHERE recently developed a long range compact, eye safe and transportable wind

A review of the literature and discussions with plant operators has been undertaken to establish present knowledge and understanding of the chemistry of the condensates formed on steam turbines and the link to system operation. This has been supplemented by an overview of the effect of test variables on environment assisted cracking.

Reanalysis data sets are widely used to understand atmospheric processes and past variability, and are often used to stand in as “observations” for comparisons with climate model output. Because of the central role of water vapour (WV) and ozone (O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt;) in climate change, it is important to understand how accurately and consistently these species are represented in existing global reanalyses. In this paper, we present the results of WV and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; intercomparisons that have been performed as part of the SPARC (Stratosphere-troposphere Processes and their Role in Climate) Reanalysis Intercomparison Project (S-RIP). The comparisons cover a range of timescales and evaluate both inter-reanalysis and observation-reanalysis differences. We also provide a systematic documentation of the treatment of WV and O&lt;sub&gt;3&lt;/sub&gt; in current reanalyses to aid future research and guide the interpretation of differences amongst reanalysis fields. &lt;br...

We have analyzed responses of the surface energy budgets and hydrologic cycles of 19 atmospheric general circulation models to an imposed, globally uniform sea surface temperature perturbation of 4 K. The responses of the simulated surface energy budgets are extremely diverse and are closely linked to the responses of the simulated hydrologic cycles. The response of the net surface energy flux is not controlled by cloud effects; instead, it is determined primarily by the response of the latent heat flux. The prescribed warming of the oceans leads to major increases in the atmospheric water vapor content and the rates of evaporation and precipitation. The increased water vapor amount drastically increases the downwelling infrared radiation at the Earth&#39;s surface, but the amount of the change varies dramatically from one model to another.

This work was aimed at preparing hard candy from arazá (a fruit tree from the Amazon rainforest) using a sugar solution consisting of glucose syrup and invert sugar; this was cooked with fruit pulp to concentrate it. Temperature, time, soluble solids and viscosity were measured when cooking the mixture. Heat transfer was studied in an agitated steam jacketed kettle using the experimental data. The best arazá hard candy formulation consisted of 15% fruit pulp, 2% pectin regarding the amount of pulp and 85% sugar solution (glucose syrup and invert sugar mixed 1:1 (w/w)). The experimental data gave 266 W/m2ºC average overall heat transfer coefficient whereas theoretical data gave a 421.8 W/m2ºC overall heat transfer coefficient. Heat transfer speed was 3,140 W.