Fractionation of atmospheric acid and base components within storm events by precipitation scavenging processes

Concentrations of ions in storm rainwater in Texas have been monitored for each 0.254 mm increment of precipitation. The changes in concentrations have been analyzed to investigate the role of differential rates of scavenging of particulate matter of differing particle size, and especially the major acid and base components. The empirical trend at the onset of rainfall is a chemical fractionation of acids and bases with correspondingly wide pH variations. These results are confirmed by model calculations, which show a significant preferential scavenging of calcium relative to sulfate in the first 10 mm of rainfall, resulting in fractionation of bases and acids from their atmospheric concentrations. Previous studies, using Target Transformation Factor Analysis of ion concentrations in storm precipitation and regional ambient aerosol data, statistically determined the average source for acidic secondary species and alkaline particulate matter. Two types of crustal sources were identified as western and eastern soil dust. In this study, an alternate physical explanation for these two soil dust factors is offered. As a storm progresses, the elements in the local soil dust are fractionated as a result of their differential rates of precipitation scavenging, enriching species predominantly in the fine particle size and depleting elements predominantly in the coarse particle size. This fractionation process results in a single source having different elemental ratios at the beginning and at the end of a rain event. For Austin, Dallas, and Tyler, Texas, the soil dust previously identified as being from eastern sources could, instead, be a fractionated form of the western soil source.     

Towards an assessment of the influence of climate on wet acidic deposition in Europe

The EMEP precipitation composition network is used to examine relationships between non-marine SO4(2-), NO3-, NH4+, H+ concentrations and precipitation amount and a local zonal pressure index (an index of the atmospheric circulation). The pattern of the relationships changes across Europe with the zonal pressure gradient explaining more of the variance in ion concentrations in the west, and precipitation amount explaining relatively more of the variance in the east. There is some predictive capability for precipitation composition in the zonal pressure gradient for restricted regions in Europe; R2 values are up to 40% on a daily basis but in some seasons/months attain >60%. The zonal pressure gradient is an index which appears to include pertinent information on transport and wet removal. Preliminary analysis indicates that this approach can be useful in assessing the contributions of changing atmospheric circulation to time-trends of wet acidic deposition in an area stretching from the UK over the North Sea to Denmark. The zonal pressure gradient is known to have varied on time-scales of decades, and the simple index may be one appropriate approach to assessing future deposition patterns from future climate projections.     

Hunger, poverty and food aid in Sub-Saharan Africa: Retrospect and potential

Frustrations and failures will continue to mount if we do not immediately summon the courage to revise the ways we think and take action-as well as maintaining essential services to support life and health … Saving hundreds of thousands … who are at risk of dying from malnutrition or infection is an immediate imperative. But it must be only one stage in the progress toward other activities, and one element in the truly comprehensive approach… The main intent of this paper is to explore aspects of the nature and evolution of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa with special reference to food and hunger and their interaction with macro-economic policy. An attempt is made to outline the overall context within which food aid needs to be used in order to have a greater developmental impact. Following an Introductory Section I, Section II provides a sketch map of how recession and lagging food production - with cyclical weather crises superimposed - affect the human condition of poor people. Section III reviews die interaction between "standard" IMF stabilization and World Bank structural adjustment strategies and poverty/hunger. Improvements in the design of stabilization and adjustment programmes, and of the inter-relationship with them of emergency programmes, can be identified. A number turn on the broadened and more innovative or catalytic use of food aid. Section IV reviews aspects of facing a continuing series of emergencies and of designing life support programmes to facilitate rehabilitation of the households directly affected as well as of the national economies. From this base it explores a series of elements in achieving renewed development. The concluding Section seeks to explore the strengths, limitations and potentials of food aid in the context set by the previous sections. The standard criticisms of food aid appear to be overstated and/or to relate to particular modalities or approaches rather than to anything intrinsic. A number of criteria for improving the effectiveness of food aid - especially in respect to rehabilitation, recovery and renewed development - are set out.     

Study on the regional atomized dust suppression technological system based on the measured law of dust concentration distribution in longwall fully mechanized mining faces

Environment, Development and Sustainability - In order to reveal the distribution and migration law of downwind and upwind coal cutting, total dust (TD) and respirable dust (RD) concentration...     

基于两种再分析资料的一次四川盆地大气污染过程气象要素数值模拟研究

利用ECMWF-ERA5和NCEP-FNL再分析资料作为中尺度气象模式WRF（The Weather Research and Forecasting）初始场,对四川盆地2018年1月一次大气污染过程气象要素进行了模拟,对比分析了气温、风速、风向、相对湿度、边界层高度、温廓线的模拟效果,并结合大气超级站观测数据对模拟结果进行评估.结果表明：两种资料均能较好地模拟出气象要素的变化情况,但由于两套资料时空分辨率、采用的模式、同化方案、数据来源和质量控制方案存在一定区别,导致各要素模拟效果并不一致.与NCEP-FNL相比,ECMWF-ERA5模拟的平均相对湿度（59.23%）与观测值差异更小,且均方根误差、偏差较小,分别为9.83%和-0.83%,但NCEP-FNL模拟的平均气温（8.99℃）更接近观测值,且偏差值较小,为-0.04℃.两组模拟结果均显示盆地内部为模拟区域的低风速区,相对湿度模拟值在60%以上,气温高于西部山地地区.NCEP-FNL模拟的盆地内部气温、相对湿度、风速小于ECMWF-ERA5模拟值,但边界层高度模拟值较大.ECMWF-ERA5模拟的逆温强度相比较小,且温度露点差较小.此次污染过程PM_2.5和PM₁₀日均浓度最大值分别为190.1 μg·m^-3和261.0 μg·m^-3,相对湿度增大引发的颗粒物吸湿增长是导致PM_2.5和PM₁₀质量浓度突增的主要原因.     

稻壳与聚氯乙烯共热解的特性及动力学

在热重分析仪中进行了稻壳和聚氯乙烯（PVC）的共热解实验,结果显示:在共热解时稻壳开始剧烈热解的温度相比单独热解时大幅度降低,由350℃降至300℃,表明掺入PVC降低了稻壳的热解温度。在升温速率为20℃/min,稻壳和PVC比例为2∶1（质量比）时,混合热解协同效应最明显。3种动力学分析方法均证明共热解现象的存在。利用Coats-Redfern法进行动力学分析,发现共热解活化能普遍较单独热解时低,表明PVC与稻壳共热解有明显的相互作用。利用Ozawa法进行分析,发现转化率为20%~60%阶段下共热解平均活化能值为37.60 kJ/mol,低于稻壳单独热解的平均活化能41.45 kJ/mol。Friedman法分析结果显示对应转化率下共热解活化能均低于稻壳单独热解活化能。稻壳和PVC共热解倾向于反应动力学控制。     

对低影响开发与海绵城市的再认识

海绵城市建设是在继承我国古代先贤智慧和参考国外经验,系统总结我国雨洪管理领域长期研究和实践经验的基础上,结合我国城市水系统实际问题提出的城市发展方式,其核心是构建基于绿灰结合的现代城市雨洪控制系统,通过"渗、滞、蓄、净、用、排"综合措施,实现"治涝"与"治黑"等多重目标。低影响开发是海绵城市建设的重要指导思想,也是海绵城市核心技术体系的重要组成部分。正确认识低影响开发与海绵城市的内涵与联系,对于进一步在全国范围内落实低影响开发建设模式,科学推进海绵城市建设具有重要意义。     

基于洪涝风险分析的纽约市城市绿地规划设计及其对中国的启示

1968年美国开始推行洪涝保险计划,不断完善对洪涝风险的研究,并逐步形成了一套相对完善的洪泛区管理体系,而洪涝风险分析在洪涝保险、城市规划、土地开发、应急管理等领域广泛应用。纽约市在经历了多次飓风侵害,尤其是2012年飓风桑迪（Sandy）之后,意识到城市绿地在极端暴雨事件时对雨洪调蓄的重要作用,经过持续的研究实践,提出了基于洪涝风险分析的城市绿地规划设计要求。基于总结美国纽约市在飓风桑迪影响下对洪涝风险图的调整,及其对城市绿地规划设计相关要求,提出其对我国洪涝风险管控及城市绿地规划设计的启示。