Executive summary climate change and the East Midlands economy

This report examines the way in which the weather has influenced the East Midlands economy in recent years and considers how climate change may influence this relationship during the 21st century. It considers how changing weather patterns will impact upon energy, water and flood risk, transport, agriculture, the built environment, tourism and health in the region

Modélisations de la Topique chez Francis Ponge

Les grands modèles rhétoriques, topiques et gnomiques sont au coeur de la réflexion et de la pratique de Francis Ponge. L'exemple de La Seine (1947-48), rapproché en amont comme en aval d'un chapelet de textes, en particulier « Bords de mer » (1933-34) et «Texte sur TÉlectricité » (1954), où dominent des questions tantôt de liminalité et de métapoéticité, tantôt de sources et de plagiat, permet de dégager un lieu commun fondamental entre rhétorique et géométrie, ainsi qu'une dialectique constante du propre et de l'universel. Plus largement, il apparaît que c'est en confrontant et/ou en produisant différents paradigmes esthétiques que Ponge parvient à inventer sa propre topique.Francis Ponge's theorical and practical approach to poetry has always been infused with rhetorical, topical and gnomic concerns. La Seine (1947-48J is a case in point, particularly when it is read against other earlier or later texts such as "Bords de mer" (1933-34) and "Texte sur l'Électricité" (1954) where the emphasis is either on liminality and metapoeticity or on sources of plagiarism. An essential common place bringing together geometry and rhetoric is thus delineated, along with an ongoing dialectic of the peculiar and the general. More largely, the invention of Ponge's own Topic appears to stem from a comparison with and/or a production of various aesthetic paradigms

Atmospheric boundary layer characteristics from ceilometer measurements. Part 1: a new method to track mixed layer height and classify clouds

The use of Automatic Lidars and Ceilometers (ALC) is increasingly extended beyond monitoring cloud base height to the study of atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) dynamics. Therefore, long-term sensor networks observations require robust algorithms to automatically detect the mixed layer height (ZML). Here, a novel automatic algorithm CABAM (Characterise the Atmospheric Boundary layer based on ALC Measurements) is presented . CABAM is the first, non-proprietary mixed layer height algorithm specifically designed for the commonly deployed Vaisala CL31 ceilometer. The method: tracks ZML, takes into account precipitation, classifies the ABL based on cloud cover and cloud type, and determines the relation between ZML and cloud base height. CABAM relies solely on ALC measurements. Results perform well against independent reference (AMDAR: Aircraft Meteorological Data Relay) measurements and supervised ZML detection. AMDAR derived temperature inversion heights allow ZML evaluation throughout the day. Very good agreement is found in the afternoon when the mixed layer height extends over the full ABL. However, during night or the morning transition the temperature inversion is more likely associated with the top of the residual layer. From comparison with SYNOP reports, the ABL classification scheme generally correctly distinguishes between convective and stratiform boundary layer clouds, with slightly better performance during daytime. Applied to six years of ALC observations in central London, Kotthaus and Grimmond (2018) demonstrate CABAM results are valuable to characterise the urban boundary layer over London, UK, where clouds of various types are frequent

An ecological evaluation approach for dam project development in Malaysia

Dams are built to provide water for irrigated agriculture, domestic or industrial use, to generate hydropower or help control floods. Decisions to build dams are made, as human knowledge and experiences expand and new technologies develop, parallel with the fact that the decision-making process is also increasingly becoming more open, inclusive and transparent. Despite the benefits provided by the dams to humankind, much environmental damage has occurred as a consequence of these projects. In particular, dam projects often lead to considerable changes in the natural ecosystem. As the changes are related to the fundamental ecological issues, ecological input should be mandatory and play a major role in all dam project decisions. This paper looks into various studies on the application of ecological evaluation methods in regards to the EIA for the land-use development projects, particularly the dam projects. It details the limitation and challenges faced by the ecological evaluation. Alternative approaches are considered and elucidated as the way forward to enhance the ecological evaluation framework. Towards this end, an ecological evaluation method for the EIA of dams based on ecosystem rarity is proposed. This method allows the loss and fragmentation of the ecosystem of the alternative dam site to be determined in an objective and replicable way

Oxybelus Brandesii Blkr. Eene Nieuwe Soort Van Ophidini Van Banda Neira

v. ; 27 cm.Publication suspended Mar. 1942-May 1946

Evaluation of the Plant–Craig stochastic convection scheme (v2.0) in the ensemble forecasting system MOGREPS-R (24 km) based on the Unified Model (v7.3)

The Plant–Craig stochastic convection parameterization (version 2.0) is implemented in the Met Office Regional Ensemble Prediction System (MOGREPS-R) and is assessed in comparison with the standard convection scheme with a simple stochastic scheme only, from random parameter variation. A set of 34 ensemble forecasts, each with 24 members, is considered, over the month of July 2009. Deterministic and probabilistic measures of the precipitation forecasts are assessed. The Plant–Craig parameterization is found to improve probabilistic forecast measures, particularly the results for lower precipitation thresholds. The impact on deterministic forecasts at the grid scale is neutral, although the Plant–Craig scheme does deliver improvements when forecasts are made over larger areas. The improvements found are greater in conditions of relatively weak synoptic forcing, for which convective precipitation is likely to be less predictable

Projected impacts on heat-related mortality from changes in the mean and variability of temperature with climate change

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of changing temperature variability with climate change in assessments of future heat-related mortality. Previous studies have only considered changes in the mean temperature. Here we present estimates of heat-related mortality resulting from climate change for six cities: Boston, Budapest, Dallas, Lisbon, London and Sydney. They are based on climate change scenarios for the 2080s (2070-2099) and the temperature-mortality (t-m) models constructed and validated in Gosling et al. (2007). We propose a novel methodology for assessing the impacts of climate change on heat-related mortality that considers both changes in the mean and variability of the temperature distribution

Friction in mid-latitude cyclones: an Ekman-PV mechanism

The mechanism by which the atmospheric boundary layer reduces the intensity of mid-latitude cyclones is investigated. It is demonstrated that two alternative theories, Ekman pumping and the baroclinic potential vorticity (PV) mechanism, in fact act in union to maximize the spin-down. Ekman pumping aids the ventilation of PV from the boundary layer, and shapes the resulting PV anomaly into one of increased static stability. PV inversion techniques are used to demonstrate how this anomaly reduces the coupling between the upper- and lower-levels within the cyclone, reducing the growth rate

Long Term Monitoring of CFA Energy Pile Schemes in the UK

Energy pile schemes involve the use of structural foundations as heat exchangers in a ground source heat pump system. Such schemes are attractive, as they reduce energy consumption compared with traditional building heating and cooling systems. As energy prices increase and governments introduce subsidies they are also proving increasingly economically attractive. Additionally, energy piles can contribute to reducing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with a development. However, this approach to heating and cooling building remains relatively novel and the lack of published long term performance data remains a barrier to further implementation. Two issues remain to be addressed by long term monitoring. First, the need for a database of operational energy piles schemes were the energy performance is proven over many years. Secondly, availability of long term datasets of pile thermal behavior that can be used to validate design approaches and tools and hence encourage less conservative design practices. This paper presents the initial results from a study aimed at tackling these issues through long term instrumentation and monitoring of two energy pile schemes in the United Kingdom