Topology and seasonal evolution of the network of extreme precipitation over the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka

This paper employs a complex network approach to determine the topology and evolution of the network of extreme precipitation that governs the organization of extreme rainfall before, during, and after the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) season. We construct networks of extreme rainfall events during the ISM (June-September), post-monsoon (October-December), and pre-monsoon (March-May) periods from satellite-derived (Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission, TRMM) and rain-gauge interpolated (Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards the Evaluation of Water Resources, APHRODITE) data sets. The structure of the networks is determined by the level of synchronization of extreme rainfall events between different grid cells throughout the Indian subcontinent. Through the analysis of various complex-network metrics, we describe typical repetitive patterns in North Pakistan (NP), the Eastern Ghats (EG), and the Tibetan Plateau (TP). These patterns appear during the pre-monsoon season, evolve during the ISM, and disappear during the post-monsoon season. These are important meteorological features that need further attention and that may be useful in ISM timing and strength prediction

Unified functional network and nonlinear time series analysis for complex systems science: The pyunicorn package

We introduce the \texttt{pyunicorn} (Pythonic unified complex network and recurrence analysis toolbox) open source software package for applying and combining modern methods of data analysis and modeling from complex network theory and nonlinear time series analysis. \texttt{pyunicorn} is a fully object-oriented and easily parallelizable package written in the language Python. It allows for the construction of functional networks such as climate networks in climatology or functional brain networks in neuroscience representing the structure of statistical interrelationships in large data sets of time series and, subsequently, investigating this structure using advanced methods of complex network theory such as measures and models for spatial networks, networks of interacting networks, node-weighted statistics or network surrogates. Additionally, \texttt{pyunicorn} provides insights into the nonlinear dynamics of complex systems as recorded in uni- and multivariate time series from a non-traditional perspective by means of recurrence quantification analysis (RQA), recurrence networks, visibility graphs and construction of surrogate time series. The range of possible applications of the library is outlined, drawing on several examples mainly from the field of climatology.Comment: 28 pages, 17 figure

Indian summer monsoon onset forecast skill in the UK Met Office initialized coupled seasonal forecasting system (GloSea5-GC2)

Accurate and precise forecasting of the Indian monsoon is important for the socio-economic security of India, with improvements in agriculture and associated sectors from prediction of the monsoon onset. In this study we establish the skill of the UK Met Office coupled initialized global seasonal forecasting system, GloSea5-GC2, in forecasting Indian monsoon onset. We build on previous work that has demonstrated the good skill of GloSea5 at forecasting interannual variations of the seasonal mean Indian monsoon using measures of large-scale circulation and local precipitation. We analyze the summer hindcasts from a set of three springtime start-dates in late April/early May for the 20-year hindcast period (1992-2011). The hindcast set features at least fifteen ensemble members for each year and is analyzed using five different objective monsoon indices. These indices are designed to examine large and local-scale measures of the monsoon circulation, hydrological changes, tropospheric temperature gradient, or rainfall for single value (area-averaged) or grid-point measures of the Indian monsoon onset. There is significant correlation between onset dates in the model and those found in reanalysis. Indices based on large-scale dynamic and thermodynamic indices are better at estimating monsoon onset in the model rather than local-scale dynamical and hydrological indices. This can be attributed to the model's better representation of large-scale dynamics compared to local-scale features. GloSea5 may not be able to predict the exact date of monsoon onset over India, but this study shows that the model has a good ability at predicting category-wise monsoon onset, using early, normal or late tercile categories. Using a grid-point local rainfall onset index, we note that the forecast skill is highest over parts of central India, the Gangetic plains, and parts of coastal India - all zones of extensive agriculture in India. El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) forcing in the model improves the forecast skill of monsoon onset when using a large-scale circulation index, with late monsoon onset coinciding with El Niño conditions and early monsoon onset more common in La Niña years. The results of this study suggest that GloSea5's ensemble-mean forecast may be used for reliable Indian monsoon onset prediction a month in advance despite systematic model errors

Updating the Graphic Education of Construction Students

Today’s major challenge facing the construction industry is a widespread implementation of building information modeling technologies (BIM-technologies). In order achieve this goalthe task of training personnel with new thinking should be solved. The paper discusses the requirements to specialists capable of promoting information modeling technologies in the construction industry. When preparing students majoring in “Construction” it is necessary to introduce innovative educational technologies aimed at developing students ‘ teamwork skills, IT competencies, as well asreadiness to carry out design based on spatial modeling. Graphic training is the first academic major for construction students. As a part of professional training, it is important to create a learning environment that is close to real working conditions. The authors adduce the examples of practice-oriented learning tasks based on the project method that students are suggested to perform in the course of self-dependent work. An innovative aspect in thedevelopment of individual tasks is the ability to carry out projects using 3D modelin

CARDIOPROTECTIVE PROPERTIES OF PROGESTINES: INFLUENCE OF DROSPIRENONE ON MYOCARD IN EXPERIMENTAL HEART FAILURE

Aim. To assess the influence of synthetic progesterone — drospirenone, on remodeling of the left ventricle myocardium (LV) in ovariectomized (OE) female rats under circumstances of experimental heart failure (EHF).Material and methods. The study was done on 25 female Wistar rats, mass 260-300 g. Twenty animals (in 2 months after bilateral ovariectomy) underwent modeling of EHF by subcutaneous load of 0,1% mesaton solution for 14 days with following swimming to profound exhaustion. Four rats were removed on 14th day of EHF. Sixteen experimental animals with EHF were selected to 3 groups: 10 underwent 14 days subcutaneous load of drospirenon (Sigma-Aldrich, USA), dose 2 mg/kg (n=5) and 0,5 mg/kg (n=5), 6 were being loaded saline 0,2 mL daily. On 28th day the animals were removed from the experiment. With light microscopy method, immune cytochemistry, morphometry the LV myocardium was investigated.Results. In OE rodents on the 14th day of EHF there was clear and significant heteromorphism of contractile cardiomyocytes (CMC) with the signs of hypertrophy and dystrophy; increase of the volume density (VD) of stroma, reorganized extracellular matrix (EM), expression of metalloproteases-2,9 (MMP-2,9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteases-1 (TIMP-1), CMC with apoptosis. After remodeling of EHF at 28th day in myocardium there was further increase of CMC number with significantly changed morphology and tinctorial properties, degradation of EM components. In rats receiving 14 days drospirenon, regardless of dosage, there was regression of pathological changes, decrease of CMC hypertrophy grade, as the nuclei, decrease of CMC with the signs of apoptosis, and stabilized EM components.Conclusion. The cardioprotective properties of drospirenon are discussed, that even in minimal therapeutic concentrations facilitates structural and functional rehabilitation of myocardium under conditions of gonade hormones deficiency and EHF

Profile Aspects of Graphic Education at Polytechnic University

Availability of qualified engineering personnel for high-tech industries is a topical problem today. To close the gap between the practice of polytechnic education and real engineering activities, it is necessary to introduce innovative educational technologies aimed at developing students’ ability to work in a team, competences in the field of modern information and communication technologies, as well as a willingness to carry out design based on spatial modeling.Within the framework of subject training, it is necessary to ensure the unity of fundamental (generalized, theoretical) knowledge and special knowledge corresponding to the profile of the training area. An appropriate construction of the training program contributes to the adaptation and concretization of subject competencies in the direction required for this engineering specialty.Graphic training is the first professionally oriented discipline at technical university. Within the framework of subject training, it is important to create a learning environment that is close to professional. The authors adduce the examples of educational tasks based on the method of projects and corresponding to the profile of the educational program that students perform in the course of self-directed work. An innovative aspect in the development of individual tasks is the ability to perform projects in 3d

Preliminary results of the first scientific drilling on Lake Baikal, Buguldeika site, southeastern Siberia

The Baikal Drilling Project (BDP) is a multinational effort to investigate the paleoclimatic history and tectonic evolution of the Baikal sedimentary basin during the Late Neogene. In March 1993 the Baikal drilling system was successfuly deployed from a barge frozen into position over a topographic high, termed the Buguldeika saddle, in the southern basin of Lake Baikal. The BDP-93 scientific team, made up of Russian, American and Japanese scientists, successfully recovered the first long (\u3e100 m) hydraulic piston cores from two holes in 354 m of water. High quality cores of 98 m (Hole 1) and 102 m (Hole 2), representing sedimentation over the last 500,000 years, were collected in 78 mm diameter plastic liners with an average recovery of 72% and 90%, respectively. Magnetic susceptibility logging reveals an excellent hole-to-hole correlation. In this report the scientific team describes the preliminary analytical results from BDP-93 hole 1 cores. Radiocarbon dating by accelerator mass spectrometry provides an accurate chronology for the upper portion of Hole 1. Detailed lithologic characteristics, rock magnetic properties and inorganic element distributions show a significant change to the depositional environment occuring at 50 m subbottom depth, approximately 250,000 BP. This change may be due to uplift and rotation of the horst block in the Buguldeika saddle. The sedimentary section above 50 m is pelitic with varve-like laminae, whereas the section below 50 m contains a high proportion of sand and gravel horizons often organized into turbidite sequences. Accordingly, high resolution seismic records reveal a change in sonic velocity at this depth. It is inferred that sedimentation prior to 250 ka BP was from the west via the Buguldeika river system. After 250 ka BP the Buguldeika saddle reflects an increase in hemipelagic sediments admixed with fine-grained material from the Selenga River drainage basin, east of Lake Baikal. Variations in the spore-pollen assemblage, diatoms, biogenic silica content, rock magnetic properties, clay mineralogy and organic carbon in the upper 50 m of BDP-93-1 reveal a detailed record of climate change over approximately the last 250,000 years. These variables alternate in a pattern characteristic of glacial/interglacial climatic fluctuations. The present age model suggests that the climate signal recorded in Lake Baikal sediments is similar to Late Quaternary signals recorded in Chinese loess sections and in marine sediments. Copyright © 1996 INQUA/ Elsevier Science Ltd