Instrument wetting errors in hurricanes and a re-examination of inner-core thermodynamics

August 1999.Also issued as author's thesis (M.S.) -- Colorado State University, 1999.NSF ATM-9616818 and NOAA/CIRA NA67RJ0152 on cover.Includes bibliographical references.Thermodynamic errors caused by instrument wetting are thoroughly examined and are accurately removed from 579 radial legs of aircraft flight-level data in 27 hurricanes. Similar to previous studies, a radiometer is used to provide accurate temperatures in clouds and precipitation where immersion thermometers and cooled-mirror hygrometers typically experience large errors induced by instrument wetting. Theoretical temperature errors caused by the presence of hydrometeors in the sampled air are reviewed and discussed for each instrument. A correction method is developed to remove a time-dependent bias from the radiometer temperatures using data in clear air and adjust supersaturated dew points to the equivalent of 99 percent relative humidity. In contrast to previous studies, clear air is defined using dew point depression and aircraft roll rather than the absence of liquid water. The resulting radiometer temperatures and adjusted dew points are shown to be free of instrument wetting errors and accurate. Instrument wetting locations (IWL) are identified in roughly 50 percent of the radial legs, but are more frequent in intense (Category 3, 4, and 5) hurricanes than in minimal (Category 1 and 2) hurricanes and were comprised of larger temperature errors. The maximum temperature error, liquid water content, and radial extent of each IWL is highly variable, but the majority of IWL are located in cloudy updrafts associated with eyewall and rainband<l convection, and extend less than 15 km radially. Theoretical temperature errors are rarely achieved, however, average IWL temperature errors are significant and range with height from 1.0 to 4.5°C. The temperature errors, combined with average specific humidity (q) errors ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 g kg-1, result in virtual temperature (Tv) errors ranging from 1.5 to 5.0°C and equivalent potential temperature (Oe) errors ranging from 5 to 11 K. In the eyewall average temperature and specific humidity errors range with height from 0.5 - 2.0°C and 0.5 - 1.0 g kg-1 respectively. Errors of such magnitudes can have a significant effect upon thermodynamic calculations in a near convection. Various aspects of hurricane thermodynamics are thus re-examined. Radial composites about the eyewall Radius of Maximum Updraft (RMU) indicate that after instrument wetting errors are removed: the eyewall temperature is equivalent to 50-70 percent of the total anomaly observed from the environment; specific humidity maxima are located in the eyewall but are nearly equivalent to values in the eye; and eyewall Oe is 0-5 K lower than values in the eye. The composite eyewall is shown to be moist-adiabatic with height to a first approximation and better represented by pseudo-adiabatic, rather than reversible, ascent. Average eyewall Oe for minimal and intense hurricanes are 351 K and 360 K respectively, with maximum values near 385 K. Instrument wetting errors are shown to significantly affect calculations of thermal wind balance. Finally, surface temperatures and pressures are estimated beneath the eyewall. The ratio of eyewall surface pressure to minimum central pressure is 1.02 on average. The estimated average air-sea temperature difference (SST-Ta) beneath nearly-saturated eyewalls is 2°C with maximum values near 5°C. However, the air-sea temperature difference tends to decrease toward 1°C as hurricane intensity increases

Graphical description of the action of Clifford operators on stabilizer states

We introduce a graphical representation of stabilizer states and translate the action of Clifford operators on stabilizer states into graph operations on the corresponding stabilizer-state graphs. Our stabilizer graphs are constructed of solid and hollow nodes, with (undirected) edges between nodes and with loops and signs attached to individual nodes. We find that local Clifford transformations are completely described in terms of local complementation on nodes and along edges, loop complementation, and change of node type or sign. Additionally, we show that a small set of equivalence rules generates all graphs corresponding to a given stabilizer state; we do this by constructing an efficient procedure for testing the equality of any two stabilizer graphs.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures. Version 2 contains significant changes. Submitted to PR

Comparison of an ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer against a conventional sprayer, for foliar fertiliser and fungicide applications in turfgrass

Two field studies (I and II) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: John Seaton Anderson Turfgrass Research Facility near Mead, NE, USA, were conducted to determine if a new ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer can apply foliar nutrient, growth regulator, and fungicide treatments, in a manner similar to that of a conventional sprayer. Treatments were applied over creeping bentgrass ‘L-93’ (Agrostis stolonifera L.) managed as a fairway at 561 l · ha−1 and 47 l · ha−1 with the conventional and ULV sprayer, respectfully. Data were collected for chlorophyll content with a chlorophyll meter, and for the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) with a turf colour meter. Each plot was harvested for biomass at 21 days after treatment. Study II compared the ULV sprayer and a conventional sprayer, for the control of brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn) in creeping bentgrass. The treatments were propiconazole and azoxystrobin. Spray volume was 561 l · ha−1 for the conventional sprayer, and 19 l · ha−1 for the ULV sprayer. Statistical differences in turf quality or dry weight reductions between the conventional and ULV sprayer were not detected. Brown patch control was also similar between the two sprayers, but azoxystrobin provided better control than propiconazole. Even with a 30-fold decrease in application volume, the results indicated that the Kamterter ULV sprayer may be a useful and effective management option for foliar fertiliser and fungicide applications in turfgrass

Comparison of an ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer against a conventional sprayer, for foliar fertiliser and fungicide applications in turfgrass

Two field studies (I and II) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: John Seaton Anderson Turfgrass Research Facility near Mead, NE, USA, were conducted to determine if a new ultra-low volume (ULV) sprayer can apply foliar nutrient, growth regulator, and fungicide treatments, in a manner similar to that of a conventional sprayer. Treatments were applied over creeping bentgrass ‘L-93’ (Agrostis stolonifera L.) managed as a fairway at 561 l · ha−1 and 47 l · ha−1 with the conventional and ULV sprayer, respectfully. Data were collected for chlorophyll content with a chlorophyll meter, and for the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) with a turf colour meter. Each plot was harvested for biomass at 21 days after treatment. Study II compared the ULV sprayer and a conventional sprayer, for the control of brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn) in creeping bentgrass. The treatments were propiconazole and azoxystrobin. Spray volume was 561 l · ha−1 for the conventional sprayer, and 19 l · ha−1 for the ULV sprayer. Statistical differences in turf quality or dry weight reductions between the conventional and ULV sprayer were not detected. Brown patch control was also similar between the two sprayers, but azoxystrobin provided better control than propiconazole. Even with a 30-fold decrease in application volume, the results indicated that the Kamterter ULV sprayer may be a useful and effective management option for foliar fertiliser and fungicide applications in turfgrass

Portrayals of Overweight and Obese Individuals on Commercial Television

Objectives. This study examined the distribution and individual characteristics of body types on prime-time television. Methods. Five episodes of each of the 10 top-rated prime-time fictional programs on 6 broadcast networks during the 1999–2000 season were quantitatively analyzed. Results. Of 1018 major television characters, 14% of females and 24% of males were overweight or obese, less than half their percentages in the general population. Overweight and obese females were less likely to be considered attractive, to interact with romantic partners, or to display physical affection. Overweight and obese males were less likely to interact with romantic partners and friends or to talk about dating and were more likely to be shown eating. Conclusions. Overweight and obese television characters are associated with specific negative characteristics

Graphical description of Pauli measurements on stabilizer states

We use a graphical representation of stabilizer states to describe, simply and efficiently, the effect of measurements of Pauli products on stabilizer states. This work complements our earlier work (2008 Phys. Rev. A 77 042307), which described in graphical terms the action of Clifford operations on stabilizer states