Simulations of meteorological fields in the Amazon and Northeast Brazilian in the fall in an El Niño year

The warming in the Tropical Pacific Ocean causes changes in large scale circulation of the atmosphere, causing climatic anomalies in several regions of the globe. Thus, several sensitivity tests have been used in regional climate models with the aim of improving the representativeness these models. This study aimed to compare two sets of simulations with the same parameterizations, one with a grid spacing of 50 km and the other of 25 km, in addition to evaluating the performance of the simulations of different spatial resolutions with large scale data from the ERA-Interim. It was analyzed the average of the four synoptic timetables of the near-surface temperature, divergence, vorticity, vertical velocity, wind speed and direction, and the average of the total precipitation of 00UTC, to compare with the data of the TRMM satellite at the same time, both in an Amazon region and in the Brazilian Northeast (NEB) in the fall of a year of intense El Niño. The simulations were carried out with the version 4 of the Regional Model RegCM for May 1998. The parameterization of convective cumulus best represents the phenomena in the Amazon region, and for the Northeast, Brazilian is the of Grell in May. It is always necessary knowledge about the physics model can describe the phenomena of interest before applying improvement methods

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Impacto de um mecanismo de disparo da convecção na precipitação simulada com o modelo regional BRAMS sobre a bacia amazônica durante a estação chuvosa de 1999

O objetivo deste artigo é mostrar o impacto da implementação de uma função de disparo da convecção na parametrização convectiva de Grell e Devenyi, contida no modelo atmosférico regional BRAMS (Brazilian developments on Regional Atmospheric Model). Para verificar o ciclo de precipitação foi usado um conjunto de dados do período chuvoso de 1999 no âmbito do projetoLarge scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia(LBA). A nova função de disparo de convecção é acoplada aos fluxos de calor sensível e latente à superfície. Além disso, possui a vantagem de considerar a média dos primeiros 60 hPa da troposfera para caracterizar a ascenção pseudo adiabática da parcela. Assim, a parcela em ascenção apresenta redução daConvective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), o modelo acumula menos CAPE nas primeiras horas do dia e com isso, o máximo de precipitação é atrasado (embora dependa da região analisada). Um aspecto negativo foi que a precipitação sobre a Cordilheira dos Andes aumentou relativamente à versão original. Conclui-se que o esquema apresenta vantagens e desvantagens e que faz-se necessário avaliar outras parametrizações do modelo, principalmente a troca de energia e massa na interface solo-vegetação-atmosfera a fim de se obter resultados mais realísticos da precipitação sobe a Amazônia

Caatinga Albedo Preserved and Replaced by Pasture in Northeast Brazil

The caatinga is considered South America’s largest seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) and one of the most vulnerable endemic biomes in relation to climate change. The surface albedo in caatinga is relevant to understanding the role of this biome in the climate of the Northeast region of Brazil. Thus, a comparative analysis was conducted between the albedos of preserved and anthropized caatinga (pasture). Data were collected using CNR4-type net radiometers during the dry and rainy seasons. The mean albedo values were higher in the Pasture both in the dry and rainy season, with values of 0.181 and 0.177, respectively. In the caatinga, the mean albedo values were 0.137 in the dry season and 0.146 in the rainy season. The hourly average values for albedo, taken between 6:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., with intervals of 30 min, were also higher in the pasture. For convenience, this study uses local standard time (LST), which is 3 h behind from coordinated universal time (UTC). The greatest dispersions in the frequencies of the mean hourly albedo values occurred in the early morning and late afternoon. Some of the consequences of this study is the confirmation that there is an increase in albedo in caatinga replaced by pasture and this causes a reduction in the net radiation and also the finding that a region where there is adequate pasture management also enables albedo management and from solar radiation. And that further studies can indicate the impacts on temperature and precipitation, especially in warmer periods during the dry season

Ciclo diário da precipitação estimada através de um radar banda S e pelo algoritmo 3B42_V6 do projeto TRMM durante a estação chuvosa de 1999 no sudoeste da Amazônia Diurnal cycle of the precipitation estimated by a S-band radar, and the 3B42_V6 algorithm of the TRMM project during the rainy season of 1999 over southwestern of the Amazon

Neste artigo apresenta-se uma avaliação da precipitação estimada através do radar S-POL (banda S) e pelo algoritmo 3B42_V6 do satélite TRMM, durante o experimento do período chuvoso de 1999 do projeto TRMM-LBA na Bacia Amazônica, enfocando-se a variabilidade diária. Para tal, utilizam-se técnicas estatísticas baseadas em tabela de contingência e índices, bem como a análise harmônica. Demonstra-se que precipitação determinada com o radar é coerente com as observações de rede de pluviômetros. O ciclo diário exibe um máximo principal no final da tarde, e um pico secundário à noite, que é associado à propagação de Linhas de Instabilidades no interior da Bacia Amazônica. O algoritmo 3B42_V6 reproduz características importantes do ciclo diário de precipitação: (i) o máximo intenso às 2100 UTC (1700 HL); (ii) precipitação noturna mais intensa durante o regime de Oeste. Uma importante aplicação deste estudo é o uso dos resultados para avaliação de modelos numéricos de simulação do tempo e do clima, principalmente no que concerne à representação da convecção sobre a região.The rainfall estimated with a S-band radar, and by the 3B42_V6 TRMM satellite algorithm, is evaluated by comparing it with rain gauge measurements during the 1999 rainy season in the Amazon Basin, with focus on the diurnal cycle. Statistic analyses based on contingency tables, skill scores, and harmonic analysis were used. The radar estimation is in agreement with the rain gauges measurements. The diurnal cycle exhibits a main maximum during the afternoon and a secondary one at night, which is associated to Squall Lines propagation over the Amazon Basin. It is also shown that the 3B42_V6 algorithm captured important features of the rainfall diurnal cycle: (i) the maximum at 2100 UTC (1700 LST); (ii) the nocturnal rainfall is strongest during Westerly regimes. These results are important for numerical weather and climate prediction model evaluation, especially when concerning the convection activity over the region