Turbulence structure in clear and cloudy regions of the 7 July 1987 Electra mission

The 7 July mission of the 1987 FIRE Marine Stratocumulus Intensive Field Observations was chosen for analysis because of a well-defined transition from stratocumulus to clear conditions sampled by the aircraft on this day. It is hoped that by studying this case something can be learned about the processes responsible for the maintenance and breakup of stratocumulus layers, a primary objective of FIRE. The preliminary analysis is based on data from the Electra flight of this day. The properties of turbulence elements, i.e., updrafts and downdrafts, are examined to gain information on the nature of the turbulent exchanges through the boundary layer and across the inversion. Since such exchanges in large measure determine the stability and structure of cloud layers, a study of draft properties should be informative. The results will also be useful in the development of boundary layer models that are based on draft circulations (e.g., Randall, 1988; Hanson, 1988)

A cloud classification scheme applied to the breakup region of marine stratocumulus

A major goal of the marine stratocumulus (MSc) segment of FIRE is to describe and explain the temporal and spatial variability in fractional cloud cover. The challenge from a theoretical standpoint is to correctly represent the mechanisms leading to the transitions between solid stratus, stratocumulus and trade wind cumulus. The development and testing of models accounting for fractional cloudiness require an observational data base that will come primarily from satellites. This, of course, is one of the missions of the ISCCP. There are a number of satellite cloud analysis programs that are being undertaken as part of FIRE. One that has already produced data from the FIRE MSc experiment is the spatial coherence method (COAKLEY and Baldwin, 1984). This method produces information on fractional cloud coverage and cloud heights. It may be possible, however, to extract more information on cloud structure from satellite data that might be of use in describing the transitions in the marine stratocumulus cloud deck. Potential applications are explored of a cloud analysis scheme relying on more detailed analysis of visible and infrared cloud radiance statistics. For this preliminary study, data is examined from three days during the 1987 FIRE MSc field work. These case studies provide a basis for comparison and evaluation of the technique

Brenner tumor of ovary: an incidental finding: a case report

Brenner tumor of the ovary is very rare, mostly benign, small, and unilateral. Malignant brenner tumor is much rarer. Malignant brenner tumor of ovary closely resembles the transitional cell carcinoma of ovary. These tumors are believed to arise from urothelial metaplasia of ovarian surface epithelium. However the latter has a worse prognosis. Here we present a case of Brenner tumor of ovary in a postmenopausal woman treated surgically and its features are briefly discussed

Geospatial Standards and the Knowledge Generation Lifescycle

Standards play an essential role at each stage in the sequence of processes by which knowledge is generated from geoscience observations, simulations and analysis. This paper provides an introduction to the field of informatics and the knowledge generation lifecycle in the context of the geosciences. In addition we discuss how the newly formed Earth Science Informatics Technical Committee is helping to advance the application of standards and best practices to make data and data systems more usable and interoperable

Research And Technology For Dryland Farming In India: Some Issues For The Future Strategy

The paper examines the research strategy in dryland agriculture in India during the last 15 years in the context of the rapidly changing agricultural situation in the country. The discussion is confined to issues relating to agricultural research and technology. The main factors contributing to worsening the situation of dryland agriculture, other than strains on traditional farming systems, are the uncertain future and stagnation of dryland crops, the decline of livestock herds, increasing unsuitability of traditional technologies, and the mounting natural resource scarcity. The major achievement of past research was the generation of potential for high productivity arable farming, particularly in the parts of the dry tropics with relatively dependable rainfall. Systematic research for different soil-rainfall zones should form an important part of future research and development. Other areas of major concern include yield barriers and competitiveness of dry crops, the crucial role of institutional components in new technologies, precision and high management intensity, and the cost factor. The competitiveness of dryland crops as a group is severely handicapped by the lack of HYVs in oilseeds and pulses; the imbalance generated by concentration on major crops and on grain production has not helped to strengthen the range of high productivity options; there is very little in terms of viable technological options which can help conservation and upgrading of depleted sub-marginal lands

Resource base as a determinant of cropping patterns. Economics Department Occasional Paper no.14

This report describes how a region's natural resources, the level of technology, relative commodity prices, and market infrastructure determine the cropping pattern of an area. Farm level resources are separated into two categories: (1)those for which utilization ismore or less rigidly determined by ownership and (2)those where accessibility to and utilization of the resource isnot determined by ownership. The first category includes resources such as land, while the second includes such things as labor, bullocks, and farm equipment. The topics discussed include the impact of: major resource investments, canal irrigation, tractorization, and cross sectional analysis of resource differences. Within the resource base, the land types, irrigation, and rainfall play the most important roles. These basic resources, together with the availability of crop varieties, markets and the relative prices of commodities determine the comparative advantage of different crops and crop mixes on the various soil types and also the rate of return to investment inimprovement of the resource base. Massive resource transformations which alleviate major constraints such as those indicated by canal irrigation and tractorization overshadow the impact of other resource differences and can lead to shifts incropping patterns inparticular directions for farms indifferent categories. Such resource improvements orient the cropping patterns towards high value crops and tend to reduce the importance of mixed crops. Introduction of new varieties tends to change patterns of comparative advantage of different crops and may lead to shifts incropping patterns as well as investment incentives for other capital items

Dry Farming Research : Issues And Approaches

Tbc major problems wastraining generation cf dry-farming tech. nology arc weatha variability, and low rcsoucc allocation for research. Scientists tod reswch on drylands unattractive as they are of~cnb, y training and incentive systems, accustomed to expcrimcntation in slable agr&atic environments. This paper discusses the implications of these con~traints in terms of the researcb policy-makkrs' expectation profile, recognition of location s@i6aty, divelopins of multioption technolog, and widening thc research infrastruaure. It also discusses past efforts in dryland research md some features of the present approach: (1) integration of resource and aopcenved technologies; (2) multilocational testing (3) mechanisms for farm-level testing; and (4) problem-focused rcaxrch