Research highlights of the global modeling and simulation branch for 1986-1987

This document provides a summary of the research conducted in the Global Modeling and Simulation Branch and highlights the most significant accomplishments in 1986 to 1987. The Branch has been the focal point for global weather and climate prediction research in the Laboratory for Atmospheres through the retrieval and use of satellite data, the development of global models and data assimilation techniques, the simulation of future observing systems, and the performance of atmospheric diagnostic studies

A study for systematic errors of the GLA forecast model in tropical regions

From the sensitivity studies performed with the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) analysis/forecast system, it was revealed that the forecast errors in the tropics affect the ability to forecast midlatitude weather in some cases. Apparently, the forecast errors occurring in the tropics can propagate to midlatitudes. Therefore, the systematic error analysis of the GLA forecast system becomes a necessary step in improving the model's forecast performance. The major effort of this study is to examine the possible impact of the hydrological-cycle forecast error on dynamical fields in the GLA forecast system

The Control and Manipulation of Silage Fermentation

A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the mechanisms of the control and manipulation of silage fermentation. Preliminary experiments, using silage additives conventionally described as fermentation inhibitors and fermentation stimulants, demonstrated the extent to which the chemical composition of silage may be manipulated (Chapter 3). In Experiment 1, high levels of addition of formic acid or a mixture of ammonium hexaformate, ammonium hexapropionate and caprylic acid (more than 6 1/t) inhibited fermentation and preserved 78- 81 % of the water soluble carbohydrate content of the forage ensiled. These additives at lower levels of addition and mixed ammonium tri-hydrogen tetraformate and anmionium tri-hydrogen tetrapropionate encouraged ethanol accumulation, presumably by yeasts, in the later stages of ensilage. In Experiment 2, an inoculant of Lactobacillus plantarum encouraged a rapid homolactic fermentation in the early stages of ensilage and appeared to deter undesirable micro-organisms but adding sucrose (40 kg/t grass) with the inoculant resulted in the accumulation of 61 g ethanol/kg dry matter (DM) silage, suggesting that yeasts assumed a more prominent role in the fermentation. Addition of sodium bicarbonate with the inoculant and sucrose sustained the homolactic fermentation (maximum 194 g lactic acid/kg DM after 120d) by encouraging a relatively high pH, and this vigorous lactic fermentation seemed to be effective against yeast activity (maximum 13 g ethanol/kg DM). In Experiment 3, the effects of some of these manipulations on microbial numbers were examined. Microbial numbers were not a reliable indication of the chemical composition of the silage

A4_6 Longest Candle Alarm

In this paper, the longest amount of time a candle could take to burn is calculated using a previously determined burn rate for a taper candle and by finding the tallest a candle could possibly be. This amount of time was found to be approximately 5.92 years for a candle of height 1100 m, restricted by the availability of oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere

A4_1 Blowing Up Earth

In this paper, the time it takes to blow up an inflatable ball, the size of earth, on different planets is calculated. It was determined it would take the least amount of time on Mars with a time of 3.139 ± 0.0564 Trillion years. It would take the longest on Venus with a time of 17.89 ± 3.215 Trillion years

A4_7 Spinning Worlds

In this paper how the centripetal force changes over latitude is investigated for the different planets in our solar system. It is found that Venus has the smallest centripetal force, while Earth has the largest centripetal force. For all the planets the centripetal force is found to be at a maximum at the equator and decreasing to a minimum at the pole

A4_11 Pokémon: The Twin Bird Takes Flight!

This paper investigates the physics of the Twin Bird Pokémon, Doduo, to determine the angular velocity required for such a flightless bird to achieve lift via the spinning of its two heads. It was found that the required rotational speed would be 1,430 rads^(-1) or 12,800 rpm. to lift its body off of the ground