Search

Global precipitation observations have been realized through the development of satellite remote-sensing technology. However, there is a lack of evaluation of remote-sensing precipitation products in complex tropical island terrains. This study used hourly rain gauge data to conduct a multi-scale systematic evaluation of common precipitation products, such as CMORPH, CHIRPS, GsMAP, GPM, MSWEP, ERA5-Land, and PERSIANN, over Hainan Island, providing an in-depth analysis of the precipitation detection capabilities of various products in this region. The main conclusions are: (1) In a multi-temporal scale evaluation, GPM and GsMAP outperformed the other products across all time scales. On a 3-hour scale, GPM and GsMAP showed the highest correlation coefficients (0.53 and 0.52, respectively). On a daily scale, except for PERSIANN, all products showed correlation coefficients above 0.56, with GPM and GsMAP showing the best performance (R = 0.73 and 0.74, respectively). (2) In comparing annual precipitation, Hainan Island's average-annual precipitation over the past 20 years showed a fluctuating trend, with a mean of 1,776.4 mm/a. The CMORPH annual average of 1,765.1 mm/a was the closest to the CHM-PRE dataset, with minimal error. ERA5-Land and MSWEP significantly overestimated (2,504.3 mm/a) and underestimated (1,662.2 mm/a) the average-annual precipitation, respectively. (3) Spatial distribution pattern analysis revealed that the observed multi-year annual precipitation in Hainan Island ranges from 996.9 to 2,368.9 mm, exhibiting an annular-distribution pattern with higher precipitation in the east than in the west and the southwestern mountainous areas than in the northeastern plains. The precipitation range of 1,337.9‒2,287.0 mm observed in GsMAP was the closest to the rain gauge data and particularly matched that of the high-value center in the southeast of the island. (4) In a precipitation trend analysis, CMORPH, ERA5-Land, GPM, MSWEP, CHIRPS, and PERSIANN showed an increasing trend in local areas of Hainan Island, while GsMAP showed a stronger increasing trend. (5) In an analysis of extreme precipitation events, GsMAP, CMORPH, and GPM reproduced the spatiotemporal evolution of extreme precipitation events on a daily scale in Hainan relatively well. GPM better reproduced the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of typhoon precipitation events in Hainan Island. However, the accuracy of the precipitation estimation still requires improvement. The results of this study not only contribute to our understanding of precipitation products applicable to Hainan but also provide insights for improving satellite-based precipitation products in tropical island environments. These findings underscore the importance of regional validation and the potential of multi-product fusion approaches for enhancing precipitation estimates in complex terrains.

Extreme precipitation events induced by tropical cyclones have increased frequency and intensity, significantly impacting human socioeconomic activities and ecological environments. This study systematically examines the spatiotemporal characteristics of these events across Hainan Island and their influencing factors using GsMAP satellite precipitation data and tropical cyclone track data. The results indicate that while the frequency of typhoon events in Hainan decreased by 0.3 events decade−1 from 1949 to 2020, extreme precipitation events have increased significantly since 2000, especially in the eastern and central regions. Different typhoon tracks have distinct impacts on the island, with Track 1 (Northeastern track) and Track 2 (Central track) primarily affecting the western and central regions and Track 3 (Southern track) impacting the western region. The impact of typhoon precipitation on extreme events increased over time, being the greatest in the eastern region, followed by the central and western regions. Incorporating typhoon precipitation data shortened the recurrence interval of extreme precipitation in the central and eastern regions. Diurnal peaks occur in the early morning and late evening, primarily affecting coastal areas. Typhoon duration (CC_max = 0.850) and wind speed (CC_max = 0.369) positively correlated with extreme precipitation, while the pressure was negatively correlated. High sea surface temperature areas were closely associated with extreme precipitation events. The atmospheric circulation indices showed a significant negative correlation with extreme precipitation, particularly in the western and central regions. ENSO events, especially sea surface temperature changes in the Niño 1 + 2 region (−0.340 to −0.406), have significantly influenced typhoon precipitation characteristics. These findings can inform region-specific disaster prevention and mitigation strategies for Hainan Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an alternative fund rating approach based on the Expected Utility-Entropy (EU-E) decision model, in which the measure of risk for a risky action was axiomatically developed by Luce et al. We examine the ability of this approach as an alternative fund rating approach for its ability to potentially mitigate the drawbacks of the risk measure used in Morningstar ratings, and investigate the ability of the EU-E model based and Morningstar ratings to predict mutual fund performance. Overall, we find that the risk measure used in both models plays a defining role in their ability to predict future fund performance, and that the EU-E model can effectively consider the behavioral decisions of an investor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yang and Qiu proposed and reframed an expected utility–entropy (EU-E) based decision model. Later on, a similar numerical representation for a risky choice was axiomatically developed by Luce et al. under the condition of segregation. Recently, we established a fund rating approach based on the EU-E decision model and Morningstar ratings. In this paper, we apply the approach to US mutual funds and construct portfolios using the best rating funds. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of the fund ratings based on the EU-E decision model against Morningstar ratings by examining the performance of the three models in portfolio selection. The conclusions show that portfolios constructed using the ratings based on the EU-E models with moderate tradeoff coefficients perform better than those constructed using Morningstar. The conclusion is robust to different rebalancing intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnSe semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) with a size comparable to their Bohr radius are synthesized, and the native capping agents with long hydrocarbon tails are replaced with short thiocyanate (SCN) ligands through a ligand exchange method. The structural dynamics of SCN ligands on the surface of ZnSe NCs in solution is investigated by ultrafast infrared spectroscopy. Vibrational population relaxation of SCN ligands is accelerated due to the specific interaction with the positively charged sites on the surface of NCs. The orientational anisotropy of the bound SCN ligands decayed at a rate much faster than that in the control solution containing Zn 2+ cations. From the wobbling-in-the-cone model analysis, we found that the SCN ligand undergoes wobbling orientational diffusion with a relatively large cone semiangle on the surface of ZnSe NCs, and the overall orientational diffusion of bound SCN is found to be strongly dependent on the size of ZnSe NCs.