Surface radiation budget for climate applications

The Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) consists of the upwelling and downwelling radiation fluxes at the surface, separately determined for the broadband shortwave (SW) (0 to 5 micron) and longwave (LW) (greater than 5 microns) spectral regions plus certain key parameters that control these fluxes, specifically, SW albedo, LW emissivity, and surface temperature. The uses and requirements for SRB data, critical assessment of current capabilities for producing these data, and directions for future research are presented

Limb-darkening functions as derived from along-track operation of the ERBE scanning radiometer for January 1985

During January 1985, the scanning radiometer aboard the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite was operated to scan along-track. These data have been analyzed to produce limb-darkening functions for Earth emitted radiation, which relate the radiance in any given direction to the radiant exitance. Limb-darkening functions are presented in tabular form and shown as figures for 10 day cases and 12 night cases, corresponding to various scene types and latitude zones. The scene types were computed using measurements within 10 deg of zenith. The limb-darkening functions have values of 1.03 to 1.09 at zenith, with 1.06 being typical. It is found that latitude causes a variation on the order of 1 percent, except for zenith angles greater than 70 deg. These limb-darkening models are about 2 percent higher at zenith than the models derived from Nimbus 7 data

Science requirements for a global change technology architecture trade study

Science requirements for a global change technology initiative (GCTI) Architecture Trade Study were established by reviewing and synthesizing results from recent studies. A scientific rationale was adopted and used to identify a comprehensive set of measureables and their priorities. Spatial and temporal requirements for a number of measurement parameters were evaluated based on results from several working group studies. Science requirements were defined using these study results in conjunction with the guidelines for investigating global changes over a time scale of decades to centuries. Requirements are given separately for global studies and regional process studies. For global studies, temporal requirements are for sampling every 1 to 12 hours for atmospheric and radiation parameters and 1 day or more for most earth surface measurements. Therefore, the atmospheric measureables provide the most critical drivers for temporal sampling. Spatial sampling requirements vary from 1 km for land and ocean surface characteristics to 50 km for some atmospheric parameters. Thus, the land and ocean surface parameters have the more significant spatial variations and provide the most challenging spatial sampling requirements

AVHRR and VISSR satellite instrument calibration results for both Cirrus and marine stratocumulus IFO periods

Accurate characterizations of some cloud parameters are dependent upon the absolute accuracy of satellite radiance measurements. Visible wavelength measurements from both the AVHRR and VISSR instruments are often used to study cloud characteristics. Both of these instruments were radiometrically calibrated prior to launch, but neither has an onboard device to monitor degradation after launch. During the FIRE/SRB cirrus Intensive Field Operation (IFO), a special effort was made to monitor calibration of these two instruments onboard the NOAA-9 and GOES-6 spacecraft. In addition, several research groups have combined their efforts to assess the long-term performance of both instruments. These results are presented, and a limited comparison is made with the ERBE calibration standard

Satellite orbit considerations for a global change technology architecture trade study

A study was conducted to determine satellite orbits for earth observation missions aimed at obtaining data for assessing data global climate change. A multisatellite system is required to meet the scientific requirements for temporal coverage over the globe. The best system consists of four sun-synchronous satellites equally spaced in local time of equatorial crossing. This system can obtain data every three hours for all regions. Several other satellite systems consisting of combinations of sun-synchronous orbits and either the Space Station Freedom or a mid-altitude equatorial satellite can provide three to six hour temporal coverage, which is sufficient for measuring many of the parameters required for the global change monitoring mission. Geosynchronous satellites are required to study atmospheric and surface processes involving variations on the order of a few minutes to an hour. One or two geosynchronous satellites can be relocated in longitude to study processes over selected regions of earth

Impoundment increases methane emissions in Phragmites‐invaded coastal wetlands

© The Author(s), 2022. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Sanders‐DeMott, R., Eagle, M., Kroeger, K., Wang, F., Brooks, T., Suttles, J., Nick, S., Mann, A., & Tang, J. Impoundment increases methane emissions in Phragmites‐invaded coastal wetlands. Global Change Biology, 28(15), (2022): 4539– 4557. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16217.Saline tidal wetlands are important sites of carbon sequestration and produce negligible methane (CH4) emissions due to regular inundation with sulfate-rich seawater. Yet, widespread management of coastal hydrology has restricted tidal exchange in vast areas of coastal wetlands. These ecosystems often undergo impoundment and freshening, which in turn cause vegetation shifts like invasion by Phragmites, that affect ecosystem carbon balance. Understanding controls and scaling of carbon exchange in these understudied ecosystems is critical for informing climate consequences of blue carbon restoration and/or management interventions. Here, we (1) examine how carbon fluxes vary across a salinity gradient (4–25 psu) in impounded and natural, tidally unrestricted Phragmites wetlands using static chambers and (2) probe drivers of carbon fluxes within an impounded coastal wetland using eddy covariance at the Herring River in Wellfleet, MA, United States. Freshening across the salinity gradient led to a 50-fold increase in CH4 emissions, but effects on carbon dioxide (CO2) were less pronounced with uptake generally enhanced in the fresher, impounded sites. The impounded wetland experienced little variation in water-table depth or salinity during the growing season and was a strong CO2 sink of −352 g CO2-C m−2 year−1 offset by CH4 emission of 11.4 g CH4-C m−2 year−1. Growing season CH4 flux was driven primarily by temperature. Methane flux exhibited a diurnal cycle with a night-time minimum that was not reflected in opaque chamber measurements. Therefore, we suggest accounting for the diurnal cycle of CH4 in Phragmites, for example by applying a scaling factor developed here of ~0.6 to mid-day chamber measurements. Taken together, these results suggest that although freshened, impounded wetlands can be strong carbon sinks, enhanced CH4 emission with freshening reduces net radiative balance. Restoration of tidal flow to impounded ecosystems could limit CH4 production and enhance their climate regulating benefits.This project was supported by USGS-NPS Natural Resources Preservation Program #2021-07, U.S. Geological Survey Coastal & Marine Hazards and Resources Program and the USGS Land Change Science Program's LandCarbon program, and NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Science Collaborative NA14NOS4190145. R Sanders-DeMott was supported by a USGS Mendenhall Fellowship and partnership with Restore America's Estuaries

Soil carbon consequences of historic hydrologic impairment and recent restoration in coastal wetlands

© The Author(s), 2022. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Eagle, M. J., Kroeger, K. D., Spivak, A. C., Wang, F., Tang, J., Abdul-Aziz, O. I., Ishtiaq, K. S., O’Keefe Suttles, J., & Mann, A. G. Soil carbon consequences of historic hydrologic impairment and recent restoration in coastal wetlands. The Science of the Total Environment, 848, (2022): 157682, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157682.Coastal wetlands provide key ecosystem services, including substantial long-term storage of atmospheric CO2 in soil organic carbon pools. This accumulation of soil organic matter is a vital component of elevation gain in coastal wetlands responding to sea-level rise. Anthropogenic activities that alter coastal wetland function through disruption of tidal exchange and wetland water levels are ubiquitous. This study assesses soil vertical accretion and organic carbon accretion across five coastal wetlands that experienced over a century of impounded hydrology, followed by restoration of tidal exchange 5 to 14 years prior to sampling. Nearby marshes that never experienced tidal impoundment served as controls with natural hydrology to assess the impact of impoundment and restoration. Dated soil cores indicate that elevation gain and carbon storage were suppressed 30–70 % during impoundment, accounting for the majority of elevation deficit between impacted and natural sites. Only one site had substantial subsidence, likely due to oxidation of soil organic matter. Vertical and carbon accretion gains were achieved at all restored sites, with carbon burial increasing from 96 ± 33 to 197 ± 64 g C m−2 y−1. The site with subsidence was able to accrete at double the rate (13 ± 5.6 mm y−1) of the natural complement, due predominantly to organic matter accumulation rather than mineral deposition, indicating these ecosystems are capable of large dynamic responses to restoration when conditions are optimized for vegetation growth. Hydrologic restoration enhanced elevation resilience and climate benefits of these coastal wetlands.This project was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program and the USGS Land Change Science Program's LandCarbon program, NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve Science Collaborative NA14NOS4190145, and MIT Sea Grant 2015-R/RC-141. Contributions of Abdul-Aziz were also supported by NSF CBET Environmental Sustainability Award No. 1705941. Our stakeholder partners, including the Cape Cod National Seashore, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Bringing Wetlands to Market project team, and Towns and Conservation Commissions, including Eastham, Barnstable, Brewster, Yarmouth, Denis, Sandwich and Orleans, were instrumental in providing research support and site access

Inside the eco-home: using video to understand the implications of innovative housing

As a method of qualitative research, video offers a means of looking into the world of a respondent and a means of stimulating a dialogue, both with the respondent and others. Video requires, however, the application of additional ethical procedures and may also increase refusal rates, if it is publicly disseminated. Applied to the home, the use of video reveals both practice and identity. Video records practice, showing how the spaces within a home are used at a particular time. For this reason, video is well adapted to understanding the implications of living in a home with an innovative design and technology, with all the complexities that this commonly involves. Equally, video communicates the appearance of the home and of its occupants to whoever is watching. Video is, therefore, intimately connected to identity and the home as a place

Liveable Open Public Space - From Flaneur to Cyborg

Open public spaces have always been key elements of the city. Now they are also crucial for mixed reality. It is the main carrier of urban life, place for socialization, where users rest, have fun and talk. Moreover, “Seeing others and being seen” is a condition of socialization. Intensity of life in public spaces provides qualities like safety, comfort and attractiveness. Furthermore, open public spaces represent a spatial framework for meetings and multileveled interactions, and should include virtual flows, stimulating merging of physical and digital reality. Aim of the chapter is to present a critical analysis of public open spaces, aspects of their social role and liveability. It will also suggest how new technologies, in a mixed reality world, may enhance design approaches and upgrade the relationship between a user and his surroundings. New technologies are necessary for obtaining physical/digital spaces, becoming playable and liveable which will encourage walking, cycling, standing and interacting. Hence, they will attract more citizens and visitors, assure a healthy environment, quality of life and sociability. Public space, acting as an open book of the history of the city and of its future, should play a new role, being a place of reference for the flaneur/cyborg citizen personal and social life. The key result is a framework for understanding the particular importance of cyberparks in contemporary urban life in order to better adapt technologies in the modern urban life needs

Regional Variations in Emergency Service Performance: Does Social Capital Matter?

Regional variations in emergency service performance: does social capital matter?, Regional Studies. The relationship between social capital and the performance of public organizations is currently at the top of the UK policy agenda and elsewhere. This paper examines whether social capital is associated with improved regional emergency service performance by exploring its relationship with the achievements of ambulance trusts in England. Drawing on a six-year panel dataset, ambulance response times are modelled using an index of social capital, incorporating measures of community organizational life, political efficacy and social trust, in the regions served by National Health Service (NHS) ambulance trusts. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed