Idealised simulations of cyclones with robust symmetrically-unstable sting jets

Idealised simulations of Shapiro-Keyser cyclones developing a sting jet (SJ) are presented. Thanks to an improved and accurate implementation of thermal wind balance in the initial state, it has been possible to use more realistic environments than in previous idealised studies. As a consequence, this study provides further insight in SJ evolution and dynamics and explores SJ robustness to different environmental conditions, assessed via a wide range of sensitivity experiments. The control simulation contains a cyclone that fits the Shapiro-Keyser conceptual model and develops a SJ whose dynamics are associated with the evolution of mesoscale instabilities along the airstream, including symmetric instability (SI). The SJ undergoes a strong descent while leaving the cloud-head banded tip and markedly accelerating towards the frontal-fracture region, revealed as an area of buckling of the already-sloped moist isentropes. Dry instabilities, generated by vorticity tilting via slantwise frontal motions in the cloud head, exist in similar proportions to moist instabilities at the start of the SJ descent and are then released along the SJ. The observed evolution supports the role of SI in the airstream’s dynamics proposed in a conceptual model outlined in a previous study. Sensitivity experiments illustrate that the SJ is a robust feature of intense Shapiro-Keyser cyclones, highlighting a range of different environmental conditions in which SI contributes to the evolution of this airstream, conditional on the model having adequate resolution. The results reveal that several environmental factors can modulate the strength of the SJ. However, a positive relationship between the strength of the SJ, both in terms of peak speed and amount of descent, and the amount of instability occurring along it can still be identified. In summary, the idealised simulations presented in this study show the robustness of SJ occurrence in intense Shapiro-Keyser cyclones and support and clarify the role of dry instabilities in SJ dynamics

Androgen Receptor and Vasopressin Receptor (AVPR1a) Genetic Polymorphisms are not associated with Marital Status or Fertility among Ariaal Men of Northern Kenya

A growing body of scholarship implicates testosterone and vasopressin in male reproductive behavior, including in humans. Since hormones exert their effects through their respective receptors, an open question has been whether genetic polymorphisms in the androgen receptor and vasopressin 1a receptor (AVPR1a) impact human male social behavior. Here, we sought to test for associations between polymorphisms in the coding region of the androgen receptor and promoter region of AVPR1a in relation to marital status and fertility among pastoralist Ariaal men of northern Kenya. None of the three polymorphisms were related to marital status (single, monogamously married, polygynously married) or fertility (number of current living children). We discuss these null findings in light of existing data

Adequacy of the Dicke model in cavity QED: a counter-"no-go" statement

The long-standing debate whether the phase transition in the Dicke model can be realized with dipoles in electromagnetic fields is yet an unsettled one. The well-known statement often referred to as the "no-go theorem", asserts that the so-called A-square term, just in the vicinity of the critical point, becomes relevant enough to prevent the system from undergoing a phase transition. At variance with this common belief, in this paper we prove that the Dicke model does give a consistent description of the interaction of light field with the internal excitation of atoms, but in the dipole gauge of quantum electrodynamics. The phase transition cannot be excluded by principle and a spontaneous transverse-electric mean field may appear. We point out that the single-mode approximation is crucial: the proper treatment has to be based on cavity QED, wherefore we present a systematic derivation of the dipole gauge inside a perfect Fabry-P\'erot cavity from first principles. Besides the impact on the debate around the Dicke phase transition, such a cleanup of the theoretical ground of cavity QED is important because currently there are many emerging experimental approaches to reach strong or even ultrastrong coupling between dipoles and photons, which demand a correct treatment of the Dicke model parameters

Alignment of Scores on Large-Scale Assessments and Report-Card Grades

We examined how much agreement there was between scores from large-scale mandated assessments and report-card grades for 14,776 students in grades 3, 6, and 9 of a district in which conditions were conducive to alignment of assessments. We found significant mean differences between internal and external assessments: effect sizes were .29 to .63 in grades 3-6 and .10 to.30 in grade 9. Spearman correlations were in the .32-.59 range. Chance-adjusted agreement was low. Report-card grades were consistently higher than external assessments for grades 3 and 6 students and consistently lower for grade 9 students.Les auteurs ont étudié la concordance entre les notes obtenues sur des évaluations prescrites à grande échelle et celles sur les bulletins pour 14 776 élèves en 3e, 6e et 9e année dans un district présentant des conditions favorables à une comparaison des évaluations. Les auteurs ont trouvé des différences moyennes significatives entre les évaluations internes et les évaluations externes : les valeurs de l’effet étaient de 0,29 à 0,63 en 3e et 6e année et de 0,10 à 0,30 en 9e année. Les corrélations de Spearman se situaient entre 0,32 et 0,59. Le taux de concordance dûe au hasard était bas. Les notes des bulletins étaient plus élevées de façon uniforme que les notes des évaluations externes pour les élèves en 3e et en 6e, alors que pour les élèves en 9e, ces notes étaient plus basses de façon constante

Sting jets in extratropical cyclones: a review

This paper reviews the current state of knowledge of sting jets in extratropical cyclones. Sting jets were formally identified in 2004 by the pioneering work of Keith Browning. Reviewing this and subsequent studies, we define the sting jet as a coherent air flow that descends from mid-levels inside the cloud head into the frontal-fracture region of a Shapiro-Keyser cyclone over a period of a few hours leading to a distinct region of near-surface stronger winds. It therefore lies above the cold conveyor belt during some stage its life, but, at least in some cases, descends to reach the top of boundary layer ahead of the cold conveyor belt. It is not attributed to a specific mechanism in this definition. We conclude that it is likely that a continuum of sting jet descent and speed-up mechanisms exists. At one extreme is balanced descent partly associated with frontolysis in the frontal-fracture region. More horizontally small-scale and stronger frontolytic descent may occur associated with weak stability to slantwise convective downdraughts. Instability to slantwise convective downdraughts may occur in some systems, leading to multiple slantwise convective downdraughts associated with the release of conditional symmetric instability and even, possibly, symmetric instability. The global climatology of sting jets and the interaction between the atmospheric boundary layer and sting jets are revealed as specific areas where more research is needed. Finally, we describe eight myths and misunderstandings that exist in the current literature with the aim of guiding future research into the sting jet phenomenon

Chukchis

This chapter is about the 'Chukchis' the indigenous people of the far northeast of Russia. Historically engaged in reindeer herding and sea mammal hunting. Published in the "Supplement to the Modern Encyclopedia of Russian, Soviet and Eurasian History" published by Academic International Pres

The Chukchis and Siberian Yupiks of the Russian Far East.

The Chukotka Autonomous Region of the Russian Federation is inhabited by several Native and non-Native peoples. The Chukchis and Siberian Yupiks constitute the two most numerous Native groups in the region, while ethnic Russians and Ukrainians dominate among the non-Native population. According to the last census of 1989, there were approx. 15,000 Chukchis and 1,700 Yupiks living within Russia. More than 90% of the Yupiks and most of the Chukchis live within the borders of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Some Chukchis also live in the Sakha Republic to the west and in the Magadan Province to the south. Historically, significant cultural differences developed between the coastal Chukchis and Yupiks in eastern Chukotka (on the Chukchi Peninsula, roughly coinciding with Providenskii and Chukotskii districts) and the tundra or reindeer Chukchi of western Chukotka. Thus, the similarities among coastal Chukchis and Yupiks were often more pronounced than among coastal and reindeer Chukchis. Commensurate with the ethnographic expertise of the authors, our account will focus on the Yupiks and Chukchis of the Chukchi Peninsula and the Chukchis of the Anadyr River Basin (Anadyrskii District)

The Chukchis and Siberian Yupiks of the Russian Far East.

The Chukotka Autonomous Region of the Russian Federation is inhabited by several Native and non-Native peoples. The Chukchis and Siberian Yupiks constitute the two most numerous Native groups in the region, while ethnic Russians and Ukrainians dominate among the non-Native population. According to the last census of 1989, there were approx. 15,000 Chukchis and 1,700 Yupiks living within Russia. More than 90% of the Yupiks and most of the Chukchis live within the borders of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Some Chukchis also live in the Sakha Republic to the west and in the Magadan Province to the south. Historically, significant cultural differences developed between the coastal Chukchis and Yupiks in eastern Chukotka (on the Chukchi Peninsula, roughly coinciding with Providenskii and Chukotskii districts) and the tundra or reindeer Chukchi of western Chukotka. Thus, the similarities among coastal Chukchis and Yupiks were often more pronounced than among coastal and reindeer Chukchis. Commensurate with the ethnographic expertise of the authors, our account will focus on the Yupiks and Chukchis of the Chukchi Peninsula and the Chukchis of the Anadyr River Basin (Anadyrskii District)

Developmental habitat.

70 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.The existence of ontogenetic shifts in habitat by marine turtles, and of immature-dominated assemblages in "developmental habitat," were important concepts first proposed by Archie Carr in 1956. Results of long-term, in-water capture programs in Caribbean Panama (17 yr) and Bermuda (37 yr) allow the testing and refinement of these ideas, in particular the developmental habitat hypothesis for Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, and Caretta caretta. A literature survey reviews worldwide studies on these species, and also incorporates Lepidochelys kempii. The studies in Panama and Bermuda reported in this paper use netting, mark/recapture, laparoscopy, and satellite telemetry to investigate size distributions, maturity status, residency, site fidelity, and developmental migrations of three species of sea turtles at three study sites. Characteristics of benthic developmental habitat of C. mydas, E. imbricata, L. kempii, and, to a lesser extent, C. caretta in the Atlantic Ocean usually include benthic feeding; exclusive or nearly exclusive occupation by immature animals; seasonal or multiyear residency and site fidelity in specific areas; developmental migration from the habitat before maturation; and high genetic diversity. Variation of these traits worldwide, contradictory evidence regarding the concept of developmental habitat, and evolution of this life stage are presented. Laparoscopic data provide information concerning the process of sexual maturation; mean size and size range are presented for three maturity stages of C. mydas from Panama and Bermuda, and for size at onset of puberty and maturity for Eretmochelys and Caretta in the West Atlantic. Nicaragua is the primary site of recovery of immature green turtles tagged in Bermuda, representing a developmental migration of at least 2800 km. To the extent that tag returns and stranding data represent good proxies for mortality, transitions between life stages appear to be periods of decreased survivorship