AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-07DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080946
Francesco D’Amico, Ivano Ammoscato, Daniel Gullì, Elenio Avolio, Teresa Lo Feudo, Mariafrancesca De Pino, Paolo Cristofanelli, Luana Malacaria, Domenico Parise, Salvatore Sinopoli, Giorgia De Benedetto, Claudia Roberta Calidonna
{"title":"Integrated Analysis of Methane Cycles and Trends at the WMO/GAW Station of Lamezia Terme (Calabria, Southern Italy)","authors":"Francesco D’Amico, Ivano Ammoscato, Daniel Gullì, Elenio Avolio, Teresa Lo Feudo, Mariafrancesca De Pino, Paolo Cristofanelli, Luana Malacaria, Domenico Parise, Salvatore Sinopoli, Giorgia De Benedetto, Claudia Roberta Calidonna","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080946","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080946","url":null,"abstract":"Due to its high short-term global warming potential (GWP) compared to carbon dioxide, methane (CH4) is a considerable agent of climate change. This research is aimed at analyzing data on methane gathered at the GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch) station of Lamezia Terme (Calabria, Southern Italy) spanning seven years of continuous measurements (2016–2022) and integrating the results with key meteorological data. Compared to previous studies on detected methane mole fractions at the same station, daily-to-yearly patterns have become more prominent thanks to the analysis of a much larger dataset. Overall, the yearly increase of methane at the Lamezia Terme station is in general agreement with global measurements by NOAA, though local peaks are present, and an increase linked to COVID-19 is identified. Seasonal changes and trends have proved to be fully cyclic, with the daily cycles being largely driven by local wind circulation patterns and synoptic features. Outbreak events have been statistically evaluated depending on their weekday of occurrence to test possible correlations with anthropogenic activities. A cross analysis between methane peaks and specific wind directions has also proved that local sources may be deemed responsible for the highest mole fractions.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"198 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141944033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Carbon and Water Balances in a Watermelon Crop Mulched with Biodegradable Films in Mediterranean Conditions at Extended Growth Season Scale","authors":"Rossana M. Ferrara, Alessandro Azzolini, Alessandro Ciurlia, Gabriele De Carolis, Marcello Mastrangelo, Valerio Minorenti, Alessandro Montaghi, Mariagrazia Piarulli, Sergio Ruggieri, Carolina Vitti, Nicola Martinelli, Gianfranco Rana","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080945","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080945","url":null,"abstract":"The carbon source/sink nature and the water balance of a drip-irrigated and mulched watermelon cultivated under a semi-arid climate were investigated. Biodegradable films, plants and some fruits were left on the soil as green manure. The study spanned from watermelon planting to the subsequent crop (June–November 2023). The eddy covariance technique was employed to monitor water vapor (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes, which were partitioned into transpiration, evaporation, photosynthesis and respiration, respectively, using the flux variance similarity method.This method utilizesthe Monin–Obukhov similarity theory to separate stomatal (photosynthesis and transpiration) from non-stomatal (respiration and evaporation) processes. The results indicate that mulching films contribute to carbon sequestration in the soil (+19.3 g C m−2). However, the mulched watermelon crop presented in this study functions as a net carbon source, with a net biome exchange, representing the net rate of C accumulation in or loss from ecosystems, equal to +230 g C m−2. This is primarily due to the substantial amount of carbon exported through marketable fruits. Fixed water scheduling led to water waste through deep percolation (approximately 1/6 of the water supplied), which also contributed to the loss of organic carbon via leaching (−4.3 g C m−2). These findings recommend further research to enhance the sustainability of this crop in terms of both water and carbon balances.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141944117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-04DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080933
Ruo Chai, Weihua Yuan
{"title":"Unique Seasonal Variation in Rainfall Diurnal Features on the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau","authors":"Ruo Chai, Weihua Yuan","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080933","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080933","url":null,"abstract":"Based on hourly precipitation observations, the diurnal variation in precipitation and its seasonal evolution over the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau (YGP) were analyzed. The results indicate that the seasonal variation in hourly rainfall in the western part of the YGP is unique. The rainfall reaches its hourly maximum during the late afternoon in spring (March–April) and during nighttime in summer (July–August), which contrasts with the pattern in most of eastern China. By further classifying the rainfall into short-duration (1–3 h) and long-duration (more than 6 h) events, the unique seasonal variations in the western YGP are found to mainly be comprised of short-duration rainfall. The long-duration rainfall shares similar diurnal peaks year-round for both the western and eastern parts of the YGP. The short-duration rainfall in the western part of the YGP shows a year-round afternoon peak, which is different from that of the eastern YGP, which peaks from midnight to early morning in spring and in the late afternoon in summer. The surface maximum daily temperature and low-level instabilities reach their annual maximum in spring over the western YGP and are also higher than in other parts of the YGP, together providing favorable conditions for convection to be triggered in spring afternoons over the western YGP.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141944118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Variations in the Thermal Low-Pressure Location Index over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and Its Relationship with Summer Precipitation in China","authors":"Qingxia Xie, Mingfei Zhou, Yulei Zhu, Hongzhong Tang, Dongpo He, Jing Yang, Qingbing Pang","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080931","url":null,"abstract":"The thermal and dynamic effects of the special topography of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau have a significant impact on rainfall in China. Utilizing NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data alongside precipitation observations from 1936 monitoring stations across China spanning from 1966 to 2022, this study establishes a location index for the thermal low-pressure center situated over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Temporal variations in the location index and summer (July) precipitation patterns in China were studied. Over the past six decades, thermal low-pressure centers have been predominantly positioned near 90° E and 32.5° N within a geopotential height of 4360 gpm, with their distribution extending from east to west rather than from south to north. The longitudinal and latitudinal position indices showed the same linear trend, with a negative trend before the 21st century, and then began to turn positive. Mutation analysis highlights pronounced weakening mutations occurring in 1981 and 1973, with the longitudinal index transitioning from an interannual cycle of approximately 6–8 years, while the latitudinal index displays quasi-cyclic oscillations of 5 and 8 and 12–14 years. Strong negative correlations are evident between the location indices and precipitation along the southeastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and in southern China, contrasting with the positive correlations observed in the central-eastern plateau, northwest, north, and the Huang-Huai region of China. The center of the thermal low is located to the east and north, corresponding to the deeper surface thermal low in most areas east of China, and the stronger transport of warm and wet air from the southwest wind, leading to greater convergence of southwest wind and northwest wind in China’s northern region. The south of the Yangtze River is controlled by the strengthening West Pacific subtropical high and South Asia high, resulting in a significant decrease in precipitation, and the warm and humid air from the southwest on the west side of the West Pacific subtropical high is also transported to the north, increasing the precipitation in most parts of the north.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141944035","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of Precipitable Water Vapor, Liquid Water Path and Their Variations before Rainfall Event over Northeastern Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Mingxing Xue, Qiong Li, Zhen Qiao, Xiaomei Zhu, Suonam Kealdrup Tysa","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080934","url":null,"abstract":"A ground-based microwave radiometer (MWR) provides continuous atmospheric profiles under various weather conditions. The change in total precipitable water vapor (PWV) and liquid water path (LWP) before rainfall events is particularly important for the improvement in the rainfall forecast. However, the analysis of the PWV and LWP before rainfall event on the plateau is especially worth exploring. In this study, the MWR installed at Xining, a city located over the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, was employed during September 2021 to August 2022. The results reveal that the MWR-retrieved temperature and vapor density demonstrate reliable accuracy, when compared with radiosonde observations; PWV and LWP values during the summer account for over 70% of the annual totals in the Xining area; both PWV and LWP at the initiating time of rainfall events are higher during summer, especially after sunset (during 20-00 local solar time); and notably, PWV and LWP anomalies are enhanced abruptly 8 and 28 min prior to the initiating time, respectively. Furthermore, the mean of LWP anomaly rises after the turning time (the moment rises abruptly) to the initiating time; as the intensity of rainfall events increases, the occurrence of the turning time is delayed, especially for PWV anomalies; while the occurrence of the turning time is similar for both convective cloud and stratiform cloud rainfall events, the PWV and LWP anomalies jump more the initiating time; as the intensity of rainfall events increases, the occurrence of the turning time is delayed, especially for PWV anomalies; while the occurrence of the turning time is similar for both convective cloud and stratiform cloud rainfall events, the PWV and LWP anomalies jump more dramatically after the turning time in convective cloud events. This study aims are to analyze the temporal characteristics of PWV and LWP, and assess their potential in predicting rainfall event.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141944120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-03DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080928
Jia Wang, Qin Mei, Haixia Mei, Jun Guo, Tongchang Liu
{"title":"Evaluation of the Forecasting Performance of Supercooled Clouds for the Weather Modification Model of the Cloud and Precipitation Explicit Forecasting System","authors":"Jia Wang, Qin Mei, Haixia Mei, Jun Guo, Tongchang Liu","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080928","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080928","url":null,"abstract":"Through the application of cloud top temperature data and the extraction of supercooled cloud information in cloud-type data from the next-generation Himawari-8 geostationary satellite with high spatial–temporal resolution, a quantitative evaluation of the forecasting performance of the weather modification model named the Cloud and Precipitation Explicit Forecasting System (CPEFS) was conducted. The evaluation, based on selected forecast cases from 8 days in September and October 2018 initialized at 00 and 12 UTC every day, focused especially on the forecasting performance in supercooled clouds (vertical integrated supercooled liquid water, VISL > 0), including the comprehensive spatial distribution of cloud top temperature (CTT) and 3 h precipitation over 0.1 mm (R3 > 0.1). The results indicated that the forecasting performance for VISL > 0 was relatively good, with the Threat Score (TS) ranging from 0.46 to 0.67. The forecasts initialized at 12 UTC slightly outperformed the forecasts initialized at 00 UTC. Additionally, the corresponding spatial Anomaly Correlation Coefficient (ACC) of CTT between forecasts and observations was 0.23, and the TS for R3 > 0.1 reached as high as 0.87. For a mix of cold and warm cloud systems, there was a correlation between the forecasting performance of VISL > 0 and CTT. The trends in the TS for VISL > 0 and the ACC of CTT aligned with the forecast lead-time.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"2672 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-03DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080927
Soo-Yong Lee, Sang-Hun Lim, Hee-Seok Kim
{"title":"Assessing the Radon Exposure Variability and Lifetime Health Effects across Indoor Microenvironments and Sub-Populations","authors":"Soo-Yong Lee, Sang-Hun Lim, Hee-Seok Kim","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080927","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080927","url":null,"abstract":"To assess the health impacts of radon exposure over a lifetime, in the present study, the annual effective dose (AED) and cumulative excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR-C) were evaluated by considering various indoor microenvironmental exposures based on age-specific time–activity patterns using Monte Carlo simulations. Significant regional variations in indoor radon concentrations across the Republic of Korea were observed, with the highest levels found in schools and single detached houses. Based on the standard annual total of 8760 h spent indoors and outdoors, the AED varied by age group and dwelling type, with the ELCR-C for single detached houses being approximately 1.36 times higher than that for apartments on average. The present study highlights the importance of comprehensive health risk assessments that consider differences across indoor environments and age groups, indicating that limited evaluations of specific sites or areas may distort actual exposure levels.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-03DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080930
Rositsa Miteva, Mohamed Nedal, Astrid Veronig, Werner Pötzi
{"title":"Parameter Study of Geoeffective Active Regions","authors":"Rositsa Miteva, Mohamed Nedal, Astrid Veronig, Werner Pötzi","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080930","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080930","url":null,"abstract":"Geomagnetic storms (GSs) are major disturbances in the terrestrial atmosphere caused by the reconnection process between the incoming plasma ejecta in the solar wind and the planetary magnetosphere. The strongest GSs can lead to auroral displays even at lower latitudes, and cause both satellite and ground-based infrastructure malfunctions. The early recognition of geoeffective events based on specific features on the solar photosphere is crucial for the development of early warning systems. In this study, we explore 16 magnetic field parameters provided by the Space-weather HMI Active Region Patch (SHARP) database from the SDO/HMI instrument. The analysis includes 64 active regions that produced strong GS during solar cycle (SC) 24 and the ongoing SC25. We present the statistical results between the SHARP and solar parameters, in terms of Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, and discuss their space weather potential.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-03DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080929
Ijaz Fazil Syed Ahmed Kabir, Mohan Kumar Gajendran, Prajna Manggala Putra Taslim, Sethu Raman Boopathy, Eddie Yin-Kwee Ng, Amirfarhang Mehdizadeh
{"title":"An XAI Framework for Predicting Wind Turbine Power under Rainy Conditions Developed Using CFD Simulations","authors":"Ijaz Fazil Syed Ahmed Kabir, Mohan Kumar Gajendran, Prajna Manggala Putra Taslim, Sethu Raman Boopathy, Eddie Yin-Kwee Ng, Amirfarhang Mehdizadeh","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080929","url":null,"abstract":"Renewable energy sources are essential to address climate change, fossil fuel depletion, and stringent environmental regulations in the subsequent decades. Horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) are particularly suited to meet this demand. However, their efficiency is affected by environmental factors because they operate in open areas. Adverse weather conditions like rain reduce their aerodynamic performance. This study investigates wind turbine power prediction under rainy conditions by integrating Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory with explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). The S809 airfoil’s aerodynamic characteristics, used in NREL wind turbines, were analyzed using ANSYS FLUENT and symbolic regression under varying rain intensities. Simulations at a Reynolds number (Re) of 1 × 106 were performed using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) and k–ω SST turbulence model, with liquid water content (LWC) values of 0 (dry), 10, 25, and 39 g/m3. The lift and drag coefficients were calculated at various angles of attack for all the conditions. The results indicated that rain led to reduced lift and increased drag. The innovative aspect of this research is the development of machine learning models predicting changes in the airfoil coefficients under rain with an R2 value of 0.97. The proposed XAI framework models rain effects at a lower computational time, enabling efficient wind farm performance assessment in rainy conditions compared to conventional CFD simulations. It was found that a heavy rain LWC of 39 g/m3 could reduce power output by 5.7% to 7%. These findings highlight the impact of rain on aerodynamic performance and the importance of advanced predictive models for optimizing renewable energy generation.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AtmospherePub Date : 2024-08-02DOI: 10.3390/atmos15080926
Yuhong Lei, Muxi Cheng, Bruce McCarl, Jerry Cessna
{"title":"A Review of Options and Costs for Mitigating GHG Emissions from the U.S. Dairy Sector","authors":"Yuhong Lei, Muxi Cheng, Bruce McCarl, Jerry Cessna","doi":"10.3390/atmos15080926","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15080926","url":null,"abstract":"The U.S. dairy sector is a significant emitter of methane and nitrous oxide, with the US EPA estimating it produced around 90 Tg CO2 eq. in 2021. This paper reviews the literature on and evaluates various mitigation actions for reducing GHG emissions in the U.S. dairy sector, focusing on both direct and indirect emission sources. We conducted a narrative literature review based on the cradle to gate life-cycle assessment method, covering the entire dairy supply chain up until milk enters retail establishments, including dairy and feed producing farm practices, processing, transportation, and their associated emissions/costs. The papers included were selected over a three year process depending on discussions with experts and issues mentioned in the emerging literature. We review significant opportunities for the U.S. dairy sector to reduce emissions, particularly through improved enteric fermentation and manure management practices. Additionally, we cover the potential for mitigating indirect emissions from feed production, processing, and transportation, areas less frequently covered in existing studies. This review also covers a gap in the literature by integrating economic findings including cost analysis and incentives to mitigate based on the social value of emissions reductions.","PeriodicalId":8580,"journal":{"name":"Atmosphere","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141885137","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}