Ground-based Raman-lidar for day and night measurements of water-vapor in the boundary layer

The solar-blind Raman-lidar based on a KrF laser (248 nm) developed at Lecce’s University (407 208 N, 187 68 E) is described. The lidar is currently used for day and night measurements of water vapor. The dependence of the measurement range of the lidar on the laser beam divergence is investigated and it is shown that the KrF laser beam divergence can be reduced by a factor A10 by using a quite simple unstable cavity configuration. The maximum range which was limited to approximately 500 m for a A3 mrad divergence laser beam has increased up to 1200 m with a A0.3 mrad divergence laser beam since the field of view of the telescope was of 1 mrad. Water vapor profiles retrieved from lidar measurements under different operating conditions are presented. The effect of boundary-layer ozone absorption has also been investigated

Direct radiative effects by anthropogenic particles at a polluted site: Rome (Italy)

The direct radiative effect (DRE) by all (anthropogenic plus natural) and anthropogenic aerosols is calculated at the solar (0.3–4 μm) and infrared (4–200 μm) spectral range to better address the annual cycle of the anthropogenic aerosol impact at a site (Rome, Italy) significantly affected by pollution. Aerosol optical and microphysical properties from 2003 AERONET Sun/sky-photometer measurements and solar surface albedos based on MODIS satellite sensor data constitute the necessary input to radiative transfer simulations. Clear- and all-sky conditions are investigated by adopting ISCCP monthly products for high-, mid-, and low-cloud cover. It is shown that monthly mean values of aerosol optical depths by anthropogenic particles (AODa) are on average more than 50% of the corresponding all-aerosol-optical-depth (AOD) monthly means. In particular, the AODa/AOD ratio that varies within the (0.51–0.83) on autumn-winter (AW, October-March), varies within the (0.50–0.71) range on spring-summer (SS, April-September) as a consequence of the larger contribution of natural particles on SS. The surface (sfc), all-sky DRE by anthropogenic particles that is negative all year round at solar wavelengths, represents on average 60% and 51% of the all-sky sfc-DRE by all aerosols on AW and SS, respectively. The all-sky atmospheric forcing by anthropogenic particles (AFa) that is positive all year round, is little dependent on seasons: it varies within the (1.0–4.1)W/m2 and (2.0–4.2)W/m2 range on AW and SS, respectively. Conversely, the all-sky AF by all aerosols is characterized by a marked seasonality. As a consequence, the atmospheric forcing by anthropogenic particles that on average is 50% of the AF value on AW, decreases down to 36% of the AF value on SS. Infrared aerosol DREs that are positive all year round are significantly smaller than the corresponding absolute values of solar DREs. Clouds decrease on average ToA- and sfc-DRE absolute values by anthropogenic particles of 36% and 23%, respectively and are quite responsible of the seasonal dependence of aerosol forcing efficiencies by all and anthropogenic aerosols

Vertically resolved aerosol properties by multi-wavelength lidar measurements

An approach based on the graphical method of Gobbi and co-authors (2007) is introduced to estimate the dependence on altitude of the aerosol fine mode radius (<i>R</i>_f) and of the fine mode contribution (η) to the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from three-wavelength lidar measurements. The graphical method of Gobbi and co-authors (2007) was applied to AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) spectral extinction observations and relies on the combined analysis of the Ångstrom exponent (<i>å</i>) and its spectral curvature Δ<i>å</i>. Lidar measurements at 355, 532 and 1064 nm were used in this study to retrieve the vertical profiles of <i>å</i> and Δ<i>å</i> and to estimate the dependence on altitude of <i>R</i>_f and η(532 nm) from the <i>å</i>–Δ<i>å</i> combined analysis. Lidar measurements were performed at the Department of Mathematics and Physics of the Universita' del Salento, in south-eastern Italy. Aerosol from continental Europe, the Atlantic, northern Africa, and the Mediterranean Sea are often advected over south-eastern Italy and as a consequence, mixed advection patterns leading to aerosol properties varying with altitude are dominant. The proposed approach was applied to ten measurement days to demonstrate its feasibility in different aerosol load conditions. The selected days were characterized by AOTs spanning the 0.26–0.67, 0.15–0.39, and 0.04–0.27 range at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, respectively. Mean lidar ratios varied within the 31–83, 32–84, and 11–47 sr range at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, respectively, for the high variability of the aerosol optical and microphysical properties. <i>å</i> values calculated from lidar extinction profiles at 355 and 1064 nm ranged between 0.1 and 2.5 with a mean value &pm; 1 standard deviation equal to 1.3 ± 0.7. Δ<i>å</i> varied within the −0.1–1 range with mean value equal to 0.25 ± 0.43. <i>R</i>_f and η(532 nm) values spanning the 0.05–0.3 μm and the 0.3–0.99 range, respectively, were associated with the <i>å</i>–&Delta;<i>å</i> data points. <i>R</i>_f and η values showed no dependence on the altitude. 60% of the data points were in the &Delta;<i>å</i>–<i>å</i> space delimited by the &eta; and <i>R</i>_f curves varying within 0.80–0.99 and 0.05–0.15 μm, respectively, for the dominance of fine-mode particles in driving the AOT over south-eastern Italy. Vertical profiles of the linear particle depolarization ratio retrieved from lidar measurements, aerosol products from AERONET sun photometer measurements collocated in space and time, analytical back trajectories, satellite true colour images, and dust concentrations from the BSC–DREAM (Barcelona Super Computing Center-Dust REgional Atmospheric Model) model were used to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method

Modeling of Saharan dust outbreaks over the Mediterranean by RegCM3: case studies

Abstract. The regional climate model RegCM3 coupled with a radiatively active aerosol model with online feedback is used to investigate direct and semi-direct radiative aerosol effects over the Sahara and Europe in a test case of July 2003. The aerosol model includes dust particles in addition to sulfates, hydrophobic and hydrophilic black carbon and organic carbon. The role of the aerosol online feedback on the radiation budget and the direct radiative forcing (short-wave and long-wave) by dust particles are investigated by intercomparing results from three experiments: REF, including all interactive aerosol components, Exp1, not accounting for the aerosol radiative feedback, and Exp2 not accounting for desert dust particles. The comparison of results in the REF experiment with satellite observations, sun/sky radiometer measurements, and lidar profiles at selected Central Mediterranean sites reveals that the spatio-temporal evolution of the aerosol optical depth is reasonably well reproduced by the model during the entire month of July. Results for the dust outbreaks of 17 and 24 July, averaged over the simulation domain, show that the daily-mean SW direct radiative forcing by all particles is −24 Wm−2 and −3.4 Wm−2 on 17 July and −25 Wm−2 and −3.5 Wm−2 on 24 July at the surface and top of the atmosphere, respectively. This is partially offset by the LW direct radiative forcing, which is 7.6 Wm−2 and 1.9 Wm−2 on 17 July and 8.4 Wm−2 and 1.9 Wm−2 on 24 July at the surface and top of the atmosphere, respectively. Hence, the daily-mean SW forcing is offset by the LW forcing of ~30% at the surface and of ~50% at the ToA. It is also shown that atmospheric dynamics and hence dust production and advection processes are dependent on the simulation assumptions and may significantly change within few tens of kilometers. The comparison of REF and Exp1 shows that the aerosol online feedback on the radiation budget decreases the domain-average daily-mean value of the 2 m-temperature, aerosol column burden (CB), and short-wave (SW) atmospheric forcing by −0.52 °C, 14%, and 0.9%, respectively on 17 July and by −0.39 °C, 12% and 12%, respectively on 24 July. The comparison of REF and Exp2 reveals that on 17 July, radiatively-active dust particles decrease the daily-mean 2 m-temperature averaged over the whole simulation domain by 0.4% even if are responsible for 99.8% and 97% of the daily-mean aerosol column burden and SW atmospheric forcing, respectively

Integration of measurements and model simulations to characterize Eyjafjallajökull volcanic aerosols over south-eastern Italy

Abstract. Volcanic aerosols resulting from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption were detected in south-eastern Italy from 20 to 22 April 2010, at a distance of approximately 4000 km from the volcano, and have been characterized by lidar, sun/sky photometer, and surface in-situ measurements. Volcanic particles added to the pre-existing aerosol load and measurement data allow quantifying the impact of volcanic particles on the aerosol vertical distribution, lidar ratios, the aerosol size distribution, and the ground-level particulate-matter concentrations. Lidar measurements reveal that backscatter coefficients by volcanic particles were about one order of magnitude smaller over south-eastern Italy than over Central Europe. Mean lidar ratios at 355 nm were equal to 64 ± 5 sr inside the volcanic aerosol layer and were characterized by smaller values (47 ± 2 sr) in the underlying layer on 20 April, 19:30 UTC. Lidar ratios and their dependence with the height reduced in the following days, mainly because of the variability of the volcanic particle contributions. Size distributions from sun/sky photometer measurements reveal the presence of volcanic particles with radii r > 0.5 μm on 21 April and that the contribution of coarse volcanic particles increased from 20 to 22 April. The aerosol fine mode fraction from sun/sky photometer measurements varied between values of 0.85 and 0.94 on 20 April and decreased to values between 0.25 and 0.82 on 22 April. Surface measurements of particle size distributions were in good accordance with column averaged particle size distributions from sun/sky photometer measurements. PM1/PM2.5 mass concentration ratios of 0.69, 0.66, and 0.60 on 20, 21, and 22 April, respectively, support the increase of super-micron particles at ground. Measurements from the Regional Air Quality Agency show that PM10 mass concentrations on 20, 21, and 22 April 2010 were enhanced in the entire Apulia Region. More specifically, PM10 mass concentrations have on average increased over Apulia Region 22%, 50%, and 28% on 20, 21, and 22 April, respectively, compared to values on 19 April. Finally, the comparison of measurement data with numerical simulations by the FLEXPART dispersion model demonstrates the ability of FLEXPART to model the advection of the volcanic ash over the 4000 km from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano to Southern Italy

Pinch Grip per SE Is Not an Occupational Risk Factor for the Musculoskeletal System: An Experimental Study on Field

Introduction: Some ergonomic evaluation methods define pinch grip as a risk factor independent of the exerted force. The present experimental study was performed with the main aim of objectively measuring the muscle engagement during the execution of pinch grip. Methods: the participants of the study were healthy workers occupationally involved in a high-intensity repetitive job related to the sorting of letters and small packages. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to study the activity of the abductor pollicis brevis and first dorsal interosseous fibers related to the execution of the required working tasks, while the force exerted during voluntary muscle contraction for pinch grip was measured by a portable acquisition system. The subjects were specifically asked to exert the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and further voluntary isometric contractions with a spontaneous force (SF) equal to 10%,20% and 50% of the MVIC; finally, the workers were asked to hold in pinch grip two types of envelopes, weighing 100 g and 500 g, respectively. Results: The force required to pinch 100 and 500 g envelopes by the fifteen subjects of the study corresponded to 4 and 5% MVIC, respectively. The corresponding sEMG average rectified values (ARV) were approximately 6% of that at MVIC for first dorsal interosseus (FDI) fibers and approximately 20-25% of MVIC for abductor pollicis brevis (ABP) fibers. Bivariate correlation analysis showed significant relationships between force at MVIC and FDI ARV at MCV. Conclusions: The obtained results demonstrate that muscle recruitment during pinch grip varies as a function of the SF: not only the position but also the exerted force should be considered when assessing the pinch grip as risk factor for biomechanical overload of the upper limb

Growth factor-binding compounds and methods of use

Growth factor binding compounds having a plurality of acyclic isophthalic acid groups attached to a non-peptide organic scaffold and pharmaceutical compositions of the same are disclosed. Methods of administering and using the growth factor binding compounds or the growth factor binding compositions are also taught. These novel growth factor binding compounds are useful for treating angiogenesis, excessive cellular proliferation, tumor growth, and a combination thereof as well as inhibiting growth factor binding to cells and phosphorylation

monthly averaged anthropogenic aerosol direct radiative forcing over the mediterranean based on aeronet aerosol properties

Abstract. The all-sky direct radiative effect by anthropogenic aerosol (DREa) is calculated in the solar (0.3–4 μm) and infrared (4–200 μm) spectral ranges for six Mediterranean sites. The sites are differently affected by pollution and together reflect typical aerosol impacts that are expected over land and coastal sites of the central Mediterranean basin. Central to the simulations are aerosol optical properties from AERONET sun-/sky-photometer statistics for the year 2003. A discussion on the variability of the overall (natural + anthropogenic) aerosol properties with site location is provided. Supplementary data include MODIS satellite sensor based solar surface albedos, ISCCP products for high- mid- and low cloud cover and estimates for the anthropogenic aerosol fraction from global aerosol models. Since anthropogenic aerosol particles are considered to be smaller than 1 μm in size, mainly the solar radiation transfer is affected with impacts only during sun-light hours. At all sites the (daily average) solar DREa is negative all year round at the top of the atmosphere (ToA). Hence, anthropogenic particles produce over coastal and land sites of the central Mediterranean a significant cooling effect. Monthly DREa values vary from site to site and are seasonally dependent as a consequence of the seasonal dependence of available sun-light and microphysical aerosol properties. At the ToA the monthly average DREa is −(4±1) W m−2 during spring-summer (SS, April–September) and −(2±1) W m−2 during autumn-winter (AW, October–March) at the polluted sites. In contrast, it varies between −(3±1) W m−2 and −(1±1) W m−2 on SS and AW, respectively at the less polluted site. Due to atmospheric absorption the DREa at the surface is larger than at the ToA. At the surface the monthly average DREa varies between the most and the least polluted site between −(7±1) W m−2 and −(4±1) W m−2 during SS, and between −(4±3) W m−2 and −(1±1) W m−2 during AW. The DREa at infrared wavelengths is positive but negligible, especially at the ToA (<0.3 W m−2). The average of DREa monthly-means referring to all sites has allowed getting a ToA- and sfc-DREa yearly-mean value of −(3±2) and −(5±3) W m−2, respectively at solar wavelengths. Last data, even if refer to a particular year, indicate that the radiative energy-balance of Central Mediterranean land and coastal sites is quite affected by anthropogenic particles

Self-averaging in many-body quantum systems out of equilibrium. II. Approach to the localized phase

The self-averaging behavior of interacting many-body quantum systems has been mostly studied at equilibrium. The present work addresses what happens out of equilibrium, as the increase of the strength of onsite disorder takes the system to the localized phase. We consider two local and two non-local quantities of great experimental and theoretical interest. In the delocalized phase, self-averaging depends on the observable and on the time scale, but the picture simplifies substantially when localization is reached. In the localized phase, the local observables become self-averaging at all times, while the non-local quantities are throughout non-self-averaging. These behaviors are explained and scaling analysis are provided using the $\ell$-bits model and a toy model.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures; new title, new section, scaling analysis and analytical result

In Situ Samplings and Remote Sensing Measurements to Characterize Aerosol Properties over Southeast Italy

Abstract Ground-based particulate matter (PM) samplers, an XeF Raman lidar operating in the framework of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET), and a sun/sky radiometer operating in the framework of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) have been used to characterize vertical profiles, optical and microphysical properties, and chemical composition of aerosols during the 29 June–1 July 2005 dust outbreak that occurred over the central-eastern Mediterranean. Aerosol backscatter coefficient, total depolarization, and lidar ratio vertical profiles revealed that a well-mixed dust layer extending from ∼0.5 to 6 km was present over southeastern Italy on 30 June. Sun/sky radiometer measurements revealed a bimodal lognormal size distribution during all measurement days. The particle volume distribution was found to be well correlated either to the PM mass distribution measured at ground by a seven-stage cascade impactor and to the fine to total suspended PM mass ratio measured by ground-based PM samplers. Scanning electron microscopy and ion chromatography analyses on PM samples revealed that coarse-mode aerosols were mainly made of carbonate, aluminum-silicate, and sea salt particles. Carbon, sulfate, and nitrate particles were the main components of fine-mode aerosols representing more than 50% of the total aerosol load; the significant role of fine-mode anthropogenic particles during a dust event is highlighted. Finally, the potential capabilities of complementary measurements by passive and active remote sensing techniques and in situ observations to retrieve the vertical distribution of the particle number and mass concentration are analyzed and discussed