Gaze-grasp coordination in obstacle avoidance: differences between binocular and monocular viewing

Most adults can skillfully avoid potential obstacles when acting in everyday cluttered scenes. We examined how gaze and hand movements are normally coordinated for obstacle avoidance and whether these are altered when binocular depth information is unavailable. Visual fixations and hand movement kinematics were simultaneously recorded, while 13 right-handed subjects reached-to-precision grasp a cylindrical household object presented alone or with a potential obstacle (wine glass) located to its left (thumb's grasp side), right or just behind it (both closer to the finger's grasp side) using binocular or monocular vision. Gaze and hand movement strategies differed significantly by view and obstacle location. With binocular vision, initial fixations were near the target's centre of mass (COM) around the time of hand movement onset, but usually shifted to end just above the thumb's grasp site at initial object contact, this mainly being made by the thumb, consistent with selecting this digit for guiding the grasp. This strategy was associated with faster binocular hand movements and improved end-point grip precision across all trials than with monocular viewing, during which subjects usually continued to fixate the target closer to its COM despite a similar prevalence of thumb-first contacts. While subjects looked directly at the obstacle at each location on a minority of trials and their overall fixations on the target were somewhat biased towards the grasp side nearest to it, these gaze behaviours were particularly marked on monocular vision-obstacle behind trials which also commonly ended in finger-first contact. Subjects avoided colliding with the wine glass under both views when on the right (finger side) of the workspace by producing slower and straighter reaches, with this and the behind obstacle location also resulting in 'safer' (i.e. narrower) peak grip apertures and longer deceleration times than when the goal object was alone or the obstacle was on its thumb side. But monocular reach paths were more variable and deceleration times were selectively prolonged on finger-side and behind obstacle trials, with this latter condition further resulting in selectively increased grip closure times and corrections. Binocular vision thus provided added advantages for collision avoidance, known to require intact dorsal cortical stream processing mechanisms, particularly when the target of the grasp and potential obstacle to it were fairly closely separated in depth. Different accounts of the altered monocular gaze behaviour converged on the conclusion that additional perceptual and/or attentional resources are likely engaged compared to when continuous binocular depth information is available. Implications for people lacking binocular stereopsis are briefly considered

A Model Study on Understanding the Influence of Arabian Sea Mini Warm Pool on Monsoon Onset Vortex Formation

The Arabian Sea Mini Warm Pool (MWP) is a zone of anomalously high Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the Arabian Sea over which the monsoon onset vortex (OV) is believed to form. In the present study it is shown that this MWP is a key parameter in the development of the onset vortex. Atmospheric model experiments are carried out with and without MWP to understand the mechanisms for the formation of the OV. The model failed to simulate the OV with the cold SST advocating the importance of the MWP for the formation of the OV. The MWP is found to favor the formation of the onset vortex in the east central Arabian Sea by increasing the horizontal shear and decreasing the vertical wind shear

On the epochal variation of intensity of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea

During recent years, an increase in the intensity of pre-monsoon tropical cyclones (TCs) is observed over the Arabian Sea. This study suggests that this increase is due to epochal variability in the intensity of TCs and is associated with epochal variability in the storm-ambient vertical wind shear and tropical cyclone heat potential (TCHP). There is a significant increase (0.53kJcm-2year-1) of TCHP during recent years. The warmer upper ocean helps TCs to sustain or increase their intensity by an uninterrupted supply of sensible and latent heat fluxes from the ocean surface to the atmosphere

On the epochal variation of intensity of tropical cyclones in the Arabian Sea

During recent years, an increase in the intensity of pre-monsoon tropical cyclones (TCs) is observed over the Arabian Sea. This study suggests that this increase is due to epochal variability in the intensity of TCs and is associated with epochal variability in the storm-ambient vertical wind shear and tropical cyclone heat potential (TCHP). There is a significant increase (0.53 kJ cm−2 year−1) of TCHP during recent years. The warmer upper ocean helps TCs to sustain or increase their intensity by an uninterrupted supply of sensible and latent heat fluxes from the ocean surface to the atmosphere

Tropical Indian Ocean response to the decay phase of El Nino in a coupled model and associated changes in south and east-Asian summer monsoon circulation and rainfall

This study investigates the response of tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) sea surface temperature (SST) to El Niño decay phase and its impacts on South and East Asian summer monsoon in the National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System version 2 free run. The TIO basin-wide warming induced by El Niño at its peak phase (winter; DJF) and next spring (MAM + 1) are reasonably well captured by the model but with weak magnitude. This TIO basin-wide SST warming persists until summer (JJA + 1) and exert strong impact on summer monsoon rainfall and circulation as revealed in the observations. However, TIO SST anomalies are very weak in the model during the El Niño decaying summers. Though El Niño decay is delayed by 2 months in the model, decay of TIO SST warming is faster than the observations. Anomalous latent heat loss from ocean and a feeble southern TIO Rossby waves associated with weak wind response to El Niño are mainly accountable for rapid decay of TIO SST warming by mid-summer in the model. This suggests that JJA + 1 TIO SST response to El Niño decay phase in the model is poorly represented. The model is able to capture the SST anomalies associated with the northwest Pacific anticyclone at the peak phase of El Niño but fail to maintain that during the decay phase in MAM + 1 and JJA + 1. It is found that precipitation and circulation anomalies associated with TIO SST warming over the South and East Asian regions are disorganized in the model during the decay phase of El Niño. Rainfall anomalies over the southwest TIO, west coast of India, northern flank of northwest Pacific anticyclone and over Japan in JJA + 1 are poorly represented by the model. Analysis of lower troposphere stream function and rotational wind component reveals that northwest Pacific anticyclone shifted far eastward to the date line in the model during JJA + 1 unlike in the observations. Anomalous divergence observed over the western TIO and convergence in the northwest Pacific are absent in the model during JJA + 1. Extension of anomalous tropospheric warming from TIO region to equatorial western Pacific is also very weak in the model due to poor representation of TIO SSTs and the subsequent absence of any Kelvin wave response. Anomalous Walker circulation persisted from DJF to JJA + 1 due to El Niño late decay in the model unlike in the observations. This is also found to be responsible for the redundant changes in SST, rainfall and circulation over the Indo-western Pacific in the model. This study demonstrates that it is essential to represent the decay phase of El Niño and the associated TIO response accurately to have realistic simulations of summer monsoon in the decaying year

International research in graphene-oxide based materials for net-zero energy, military and aeronautic applications catalysed by Tamaulipas, Mexico: A Mini Review

Graphene oxide, as a nanoscopic platform for functional materials, has been extensively studied for several applications. The present Mini Review stresses the collaborative research in graphene-oxide materials pivoted from the Group of Materials and Technologies for Energy, Health, and Environment at an Instituto Politecnico Nacional unit in Tamaulipas, in Northeastern Mexico, with Mexican, Turkish, and British collaborators. This review covers the recent works on photovoltaic and photocatalytic materials, coatings for thermonuclear reactors, and composites and metamaterials for military and aeronautic applications.</p

International research in graphene-oxide based materials for net-zero energy, military and aeronautic applications catalysed by Tamaulipas, Mexico: a Mini Review

Graphene oxide, as a nanoscopic platform for functional materials, has been extensively studied for several applications. The present Mini Review stresses the collaborative research in graphene-oxide materials pivoted from the Group of Materials and Technologies for Energy, Health, and Environment at an Instituto Politecnico Nacional unit in Tamaulipas, in Northeastern Mexico, with Mexican, Turkish, and British collaborators. This review covers the recent works on photovoltaic and photocatalytic materials, coatings for thermonuclear reactors, and composites and metamaterials for military and aeronautic applications.</p

What's New at JGR‐Oceans? Confronting Bias, Burn Out, and Big Data

JGR‐Oceans receives many more submissions from a broader demographic of authors than in the past and burnout among reviewers as well as potential bias among editors is threatening excellence and equity at the journal. To confront these issues, we have implemented some new editorial strategies that are anticipated to provide a fairer and more rewarding peer‐review experience for authors, as well as alleviate pressure on reviewers and deliver high quality science for readers. First, we have recruited a dozen new editors from across the world who better reflect our author demographic and who can make wiser and more inclusive decisions about the running of the journal. Second, we now require that each manuscript clearly communicate new understanding about the ocean before we send it out for review. This simple rubric deflects potentially biased editorial decisions based on author attributes and brings us closer to the original scope of JGR‐Oceans. Third, we are facilitating a culture of collaboration among reviewers and among ourselves, the editors, that brings more balanced decision‐making to reviews and manuscripts and provides authors more feedback. Our aim is to better help authors communicate their science with confidence and clarity. Finally, JGR‐Oceans has always been a multi‐disciplinary journal and we are encouraging more submissions that convey new understanding of biogeochemical processes and human interact ocean variability and change. Key Points JGR‐Oceans has diversified the editorial board and implemented new editorial strategie

Thank You to Our 2022 Peer Reviewers

Plain Language Summary Thank you to the 1528 reviewers who provided 2647 reviews during 2022 to ensure the high quality and integrity of JGR‐Oceans manuscripts. Key Points The editors thank the 2022 peer reviewers New editorial practices reduce pressure on reviewers Co‐reviewer tool allows collaboration with students and postdoc