Comparing cnidocyst sizes among populations of Bunodosoma (Cnidaria: Actiniaria: Actiniidae) from the South Atlantic west coast

The simplicity of a sea anemone polyp hinders the differences between species and populations, as very few external and internal morphological characters vary enough to distinguish closely related groups. Variations in size of different cnidocyst types could be an important way to characterize populations of sea anemones. We aim to identify which cnidocyst types could be useful to distinguish the variation between sea anemone populations, tested for two species of genus Bunodosoma from the South Atlantic west coast: Bunodosoma caissarum from the Brazilian coast, and Bunodosoma cangicum from the Brazilian and Uruguayan coasts. We measured cnidocysts in several parts of the sea anemones: acrorhagi, external and internal tentacles, column, actinopharynx and filaments, comprising a total of 35,593 measured capsules. Comparisons between cnidocysts lengths from each tissue type were performed by Generalized Linear Models. In B. caissarum, basitrichs from external and internal tentacles were found to be useful for detecting differences between populations and may indicate a latitudinal gradient. For B. cangicum, these aspects should be further analyzed in basitrichs from external tentacles, holotrichs from acrorhagi and microbasic b-mastigophores from the filaments. The basitrich from tentacles were found to be the most informative cnidae type in both species for population studies in a latitudinal sense.Fil: Beneti, J. S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Garese, Agustin. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Acuña, Fabian Horacio. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Morandini, A. C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

A discussion on atmospheric parameters related to lightning activities:events from the Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment (2nd. data campaign), Brazil

In several countries the most used tools to monitor lightning activities are the cloud-to-ground lightning positioning and tracking systems (Bass, 1996; Diniz et al., 1996; Cummins et al., 1998). It is supposed that the tracking of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes could be used to help the nowcasting (Holle and Lopez, 1993). However, for this purpose it is still necessary to research the atmospheric scenario deeply and to relate it to the lightning activity, in order to establish the best methodology. Thus this work studied the lightning-atmosphere relationship during the 2nd. data collection campaign of the Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment (IPE 2), at the Pantanal Sul Matogrossense, Brazil, in 1999. IPE is part of a broad experimental program to study the characteristics of the weather and the climate of the central region of Brazil. In a site (19o 57' 43.8"S 57 o 1' 51.6"W) at this tropical region, meteorological radiosondes were launched from Sept. 14 to 23, 1999, with a 3 hour-time interval from one to another. Two events of Thunderstorm (Sept. 15 and 19, 1999) were recorded by a brazilian lightning detector network. Those data were analyzed integrated to the geo-stationary satellite data (IR, WV and VIS channels) and numerical analysis model data. The atmosphere parameters (CAPE, wind shear, cloud depth, critical isotherms, and so on) and the lightning features were calculated and discussed in order to obtain the characterization of the thunderstorm evolution

Thermo-electrodynamical analysis related to thunderstorm activities in Pantanal Sul Matogrossense, Brazil: preliminary studies

The understanding of the atmospheric thermodynamics is an important tool to forecast thunderstorm activities related to frontal, mesoscale and local convection events. The atmospheric electrical discharges help to monitor some hidden features of the instantaneous physical development of the thunderstorms. In this work two datasets of intensive campaigns are used to analyze the thermo-electrodynamical aspects in the Pantanal Sul Matogrossense region. More than 100 radiosondes were launched, about four radiosondes per day. Usually, there is a lack of atmospheric profile information in this region. This experiment were performed in two differents atmospheric seasons: (1) in September 1999 � in a transition season, and (2) in February 2002 - in a Summer season. In both cases, some cold front passages by this region were identified and in the summer mesosacle and local convection also were organized. This work studies these events in a thermodynamical and electrodynamical aspects using RIDAT stroke data, these radiosondes dataset, GOES-8 images, forecast model datasets, and calculated stability indices and critical isotherm position cloud development. Results on lightning polarity were also discussed related to the events, among other parameters This detailed knowledge could help the engineering purposes and meteorological monitoring in a several ways, specially nowcasting

Atmospheric parameters related to lightning activity: Events from the dry season Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment in Brazil.

The tracking of cloud-to-ground lightning flashes could be helpful in weather nowcasting guidance. However, for this purpose it is necessary an investigation of the atmospheric structure in depth and of its relation to the lightning activity, in order to ultimately establish a nowcasting methodology. Thus, this work studied the lightning and atmospheric relationship during the dry season of the Interdisciplinary Pantanal Experiment (IPE), that took place at the Pantanal Sul Matogrossense, Brazil, in 1999. Two events of thunderstorm, Sept. 15 and 19, 1999, were recorded by a brazilian lightning detector network. Those data were analyzed and integrated to atmospheric parameters in order to obtain the characterization of the thunderstorm. As result, a unexpected polarity ratio for lightning flashes was obtained and some questions are raised