Total ozone and surface temperature correlations during 1972 - 1981

Ten years of Dobson spectrophotometer total ozone measurements and surface temperature observations were used to construct monthly mean values of the two parameters. The variability of both parameters is greatest in the months of January and February. Indeed, in January there is an apparent correlation between high total ozone values and abnormally low surface temperatures. However, the correlation does not hold in February. By reviewing the history of stratospheric warmings during this period, it is argued that the ozone and surface temperature correlation is influenced by the advection or lack of advection of ozone rich arctic air resulting from sudden stratospheric warmings

Determining the operating characteristics of an ultraviolet interferometric spectrometer

A prototype interferometric spectrometer system is being built by NASA to explore the potential of the technique for applications involving the visible and near ultraviolet portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The system is limited only by the frequency bandpass of the optical components used in the system, the quality of the optical components, and ultimately by the memory capacity of the computer; tradeoffs between the wavenumber resolution of the produced spectrum, the bandpass limits of the optics, and the number of samples obtained from the interferogram must be delineated explicitly. The prototype Ultraviolet Interferometric Spectrometer (UVIS) instrument is expected to be configured several different ways to ascertain its suitability for various applications. To exploit its inherent flexibility, this reference document describes these parameter tradeoffs

FINANCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRADEOFFS OF PHOSPHORUS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON VERMONT DAIRY FARMS

FLIPSim is combined with GISPLM to provide policymakers and dairy farmers estimated farm financial impacts on the implementation of 8 Best Management Practices (BMP) designed to reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Champlain. Financial performance indicators are derived for three Vermont dairy farms (60, 150, and 350 cows). Results indicate that feed reformulation and nutrient management are the least cost BMPs but that a combination of 4 BMPs cannot meet the 8% reduction goal. Additional, less effective but more costly BMPs will have to be implemented to meet the goal. None of the individual BMPs cause any of the farms to go out of business. However, the initial declining financial position of the small farm is hastened by the implementation of all BMP's except the row crop field buffer and feed reformulation. The medium farm is also threatened by several costly BMPs. Achieving the desired goal will have an adverse financial impact on watershed farms.Environmental Economics and Policy, Livestock Production/Industries,

An evaluation of in situ ozone sensor performance during a cold frontal passage

The capabilities of the electrochemical concentration cell ozonesonde for measuring the vertical profile of atmospheric ozone were studied during a three day experiment at Wallops Island, Virginia, and Norfolk, Virginia. Using ancillary measurements at the surface and the spectrophotometer, it was concluded that the ozonesonde measures the total ozone overburden to within 10% of the real value. By releasing the balloon-borne instruments at a rate of four per day at each of the two sites, an indication was obtained of the temporal and spatial scales of atmospheric ozone variability. No significant effects of a weak cold front passage or of the loss of insolation at night were seen. An isolated incident of anomalously high ozone concentration at the peak of the profile was attributed to sporadic instrument performance effects. The data base currently available is not adequate for determining an exact cause of the anomaly

Correlative Measurements Program

The GSFC Correlative Measurements Program at the Wallops Flight Facility was represented on the Satellite/Satellite Intercomparisons Working Group. The Correlative Measurements Program uses the Rocket Ozonesonde (ROCOZ-A) and the Electrochemical Concentration Cell (ECC) balloon borne ozonesonde to measure the vertical profile of ozone amount in the atmosphere. The balloon work is described in a separate report. The ROCOZ-A instrument was used for many years to provide in situ truth data for various satellite ozone measuring systems, such as SBUV on Nimbus-7, SAGE-II, SBUV-II on the NOAA series of polar orbiting satellites, SME, LIMS, etc. The particular data sets of interest to the Ozone Trends Panel Working Group were collected at Natal, Brazil. The major results produced for and used by the Ozone Trends Panel are shown. The ROCOZ-A average ozone density profile is plotted versus altitude on the left. ECC ozonesondes were used for the portion of the profile below 20 km, the lower limit for ROCOZ-A. The difference between SAGE-II and ROCOZ-A average density profiles is shown

\u3ci\u3eHippodamia Variegata\u3c/i\u3e (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Detected in Michigan Soybean Fields

Since its initial detection near Montreal, Canada in 1984, the variegated lady beetle Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae) has spread throughout the northeastern United States. In 2005, this immigrant Old World species was detected in Michigan for the first time. Twenty-nine adults were found in soybean fields in 4 counties: Ingham, Gratiot, Kalamazoo, and Saginaw.The first individuals were found in Gratiot County on 22 June 2005; we continued to detect individuals until 18 Aug 2005 (2 individuals collected in Saginaw Co.) when sampling ended. Prior to this study, H. variegata had not been known to prey on the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Homoptera: Aphididae). The establishment of soybean aphid throughout the north-central U.S. may aid the spread of H. variegata throughout the region

FINANCIAL IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE PHOSPHORUS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES: THE CASE OF VERMONT DAIRY FARMS

The Farm Level Income and Policy Simulation Modeling System (FLIPSim) is used to provide policymakers and dairy farmers estimated farm financial impact on the implementation of five field related Best Management Practices (BMP) designed to reduce phosphorus loading in Lake Champlain. Financial performance indicators are derived from deterministic and stochastic FLIPSim analyses for three Vermont dairy farms (60, 150, and 350 cows). Results indicate that residual management and conservation cropping incur the greatest financial impacts. Nutrient management increases income for the large and medium farms. None of the BMP's caused the farms to go out of business. However, the initial declining financial position of the small farm was hastened by the implementation of all BMP's except the row crop field buffer.Livestock Production/Industries,