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Accurate estimation for vegetation net primary production (NPP) at high resolution is essential for ecosystem management and at local to global scales. However, no reliable methods are available to achieve fine-resolution estimation. In this study, a new NPP estimation system was developed by integrating high spatial resolution remote sensing images, tree ring measurements, and process-based model CASA. The system was illustrated by estimating the historical NPP of caragana shrublands from 2011 to 2021 in Dingbian County, China. The results showed that: (1) by employing the biomass model and tree ring measurements, an NPP-crown width model was established to enable a large number of samples for calibrating the CASA model on high spatial resolution images without continuous field measurements. The calibrated parameters, including maximum NDVI, minimum NDVI, and maximum light use efficiency, were determined to be 0.415, 0.022 and 0.025, respectively; (2) according to the estimation by the calibrated CASA model, the NPP in Dingbian County revealed an increasing trend from 2011 to 2021, and the NPP in southern hilly and gully regions was significantly higher than the other regions; (3) among the different indices, max temperature of warmest month had a significant negative effect on the NPP of cagarana shrublands, whereas annual precipitation had a positive effect. In the northern and central regions, air temperature predominantly influenced NPP, while in the southern regions, both temperature and precipitation played a joint role. The implementation in this study illustrated that the NPP estimation system could provide reliable NPP with high resolution and efficient to monitor and detect dominant factors affecting NPP for ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study estimates the trends in precipitable water vapor (PWV), atmospheric moisture budget (AMB), and the factors influencing them: air temperature, evapotranspiration (ET), convective available potential energy (CAPE), and vertical velocity (Omega) over the Indian subcontinent using ERA5 reanalysis data sets between 1980 and 2020. PWV is examined across three atmospheric layers (1000–850 hPa: lower layer; 850–500 hPa: middle layer; 500–300 hPa: upper layer), and the entire atmospheric column (EAC; 1000–300 hPa). The observed PWV trends exhibit variability within the EAC, ranging from −0.53 to 1.25 mm/decade across the study area, with the middle layer showing the most pronounced variation (–0.44 to 0.83 mm/decade), followed by the lower layer (0.10 to 0.45 mm/decade), and the upper layer (–0.02 to 0.23 mm/decade). These fluctuations in PWV are attributed to changes in air temperature, ET, CAPE, and Omega. This investigation, however, underscores the necessity of delving into the impacts of these influencing factors on PWV using finer resolution data, to enhance our comprehension of its spatial and temporal dynamics in the region. Furthermore, the annual AMB analysis reveals a declining trend in the study region. These findings collectively contribute to the understanding of regional water-energy cycles and the recent shifts in atmospheric dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional multi-cylinder drying of paper and board involves a mixture of conductive drying from steam-heated dryer cylinders and convective drying by the flow of heated air over the surface of the paper web in the pockets. Pocket ventilation is a critical component in assisting heat and mass transfer during the drying process but is the primary contributor toward removing evaporated water from the web. Air temperature, velocity, and humidity are critical parameters involved in the convective drying process. This paper covers an experimental study involving the design and development of a small lab-scale setup for convective drying of various grades of paper and board, monitoring multiple parameters like paper temperature, moisture content, air humidity, temperature, and velocity measured in situ as the drying proceeds with continuous and accurate sampling capabilities for all parameters in the sample and the system. Instantaneous drying rates, heat, and mass transfer coefficients were also deduced for every time step till the paper completely dried. Furthermore, the coefficients obtained were also reported in the form of dimensionless correlations, and the results were compared against traditional correlations used in the modeling of paper drying. This data will be useful in process development, modeling, design, and the paper drying process simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work takes inspiration from four theoretical strands: recent developments in ecological macroeconomics; the Schumpeterian framework of evolutionary economics that emphasises the entrepreneurial role of the State; the stock-flow consistent approach to macroeconomic modelling; and the supermultiplier model. Building upon these approaches, we develop a formal model that reproduces key interactions between the economy, the financial sector, the ecosystem and the society. We test and assess the effects of several fiscal policies. We find that, in principle, mission-oriented innovation policies are the most effective option in supporting innovation and growth, while reducing income inequality. However, lacking a 'green' and progressive taxation system, they are unlikely to reverse the current trend in atmospheric temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comparative simulation-based control logic design process. It uses the Control Description Language (CDL) and the ASHRAE Guideline 36 high-performing building control sequences with the Modelica Buildings Library (MBL) to demonstrate a comparative analysis of two control designs for a data center chilled water plant. Details include a description of the closed-loop plant and control design methodology, including sizing and parameterization, base and alternative (Guideline 36) control logic with software implementation structure, and outline of the simulation experimentation process. The selected control designs are paired with comparable chilled water plant configurations. The models include a chiller, a water-side economizer, and an evaporative cooling tower. The plant provides cooling at 27ºC zone supply air temperature to a data center in Sacramento, CA. The comparative simulation results examined the impacts of a selected control logic detail, and present an example model-based design application. Overall, the simulation results showed a 25% annual and a 18% summer energy use reduction for alternative controls. This shows that simulation-based control logic design performance evaluation can improve energy efficiency and resilience aspects of system controls at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-premixed combustion often occurs in practical engines, and it is affected by the coupling effects of chemical kinetics and transport. This study aims to elucidate the individual effect of chemical kinetics, molecular diffusion, and convective transport on non-premixed combustion. To this end, three types of reactive systems are investigated by numerical simulations considering detailed chemistry and transport: (1) thermochemical system: 0D homogeneous autoignition, (2) thermochemical-diffusive system: 1D non-premixed ignition in a static diffusion layer, (3) thermochemical-diffusive-convective system: 1D non-premixed ignition in a counterflow and 2D lifted flame in a coflow. The simulations are carried out for diluted dimethyl ether and hot air under engine-relevant conditions with a pressure of 40 atm and hot air temperatures of 700∼1500 K. First, homogeneous ignition process of DME/air premixture is investigated. It is found that, apart from the low- and high-temperature chemistry which are essential in the typical two-stage ignition, the intermediate-temperature chemistry can also play an important role, especially for slow reaction process in fuel rich regions. Then, the effects of thermochemical conditions and molecular diffusion are assessed for non-premixed ignition process in the 1D diffusion layer. The results show that, the reaction front always initiates from local autoignition in most reactive regions; then it propagates either in sequential auto-ignition mode or in diffusion-driven mode as a deflagration wave. With various thermochemical conditions, the chemical kinetics behave differently and produce complex multibrachial (tetrabrachial, pentabrachial and hexbrachial) structures during the reaction front propagation. Decreasing the diffusion layer thickness generally delays the reaction front initiation but enhances its transition into a diffusion-driven flame. Finally, it is shown that 1D diffusion layer simulations can qualitatively reproduce the complex multibrachial structures in 1D counterflow and 2D coflow at certain conditions. A regime diagram is proposed to separate the effects of chemical kinetics, molecular diffusion, and convective transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated crystal violet removal by modifying the chestnut shell with a chemical activation method. For this purpose, H2SO4 and NaOH pretreatments were applied to the chestnut shell and the pretreatment method that gave the best performance under the same conditions was determined. The best adsorption efficiency was achieved with the NaOH pretreatment (99.06%) and the crystal violet adsorption reached equilibrium within 60 min. After selecting the best chemical activation method, the modified chestnut shell was characterized before and after adsorption (FTIR and SEM). Furthermore, the effects of parameters such as pH, initial crystal violet concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and contact time were observed. Moreover, isotherm, kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process were researched in detail. The best results were obtained with the Langmuir isotherm model (R2=0.99) and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2=0.99). Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption process is spontaneous, endothermic and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to investigate the effect of temperature on air drying kinetics of coconut residue in a fluidized bed dryer (FBD), to fit the drying curves with six empirical models, and to calculate the diffusivity coefficients and the activation energy. The Midilli model is the best for explaining the drying behavior. It is possible to predict the moisture content of the product with a generalized model showing the effect of a drying air temperature of 70–100°C and a velocity of 1.07 m/s. The Midilli model has shown an excellent fit to predict the drying behavior and best fit for the experimental data since it yielded the highest R2 and the lowest Chi square (χ2) and RSME values for all runs. The experimental data were also modeled using Fick's diffusion equation..The activation energy value for the drying temperature of dried coconut residue in an FBD is 26.09 kJ/mol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides a comprehensive overview of weather conditions in the United States during November and December 2023. It highlights areas of heavy precipitation, such as the Pacific Northwest and Gulf Coast, as well as regions experiencing dry weather, like the upper Midwest. The article also mentions temperature anomalies, record-setting highs and lows, and significant precipitation events throughout both months. It notes improvements and worsening of drought conditions in different areas. Additionally, the article provides information about specific weather events, such as storms, flooding, and a blizzard, that occurred in various parts of the country. It also mentions the warmest December on record in several states and the fifth-warmest year on record for the United States as a whole. The text also includes details about weather conditions in Alaska during December. [Extracted from the article]

A solar eclipse in April could affect local weather by causing a drop in temperatures, wind speeds, and humidity. During the 2017 eclipse, wind speeds dropped by an average of 6 mph. Additionally, a significant temperature drop can reduce cloud cover. In other news, Maureen Sweeney, an Irish woman whose weather forecast helped determine the date for the D-Day invasion in World War II, passed away at the age of 100. Lastly, a study found that thunderstorm-induced straight-line winds are covering a larger area in the central United States, causing significant damage. Extreme weather events were ranked as the second-highest risk factor for major catastrophic events in a survey conducted by the World Economic Forum. [Extracted from the article]

The importance of adsorption in water purification and the need to guard against erroneous conclusions often associated with the use of equilibrium adsorption model studies in adsorption systems informed this work. Water purification by adsorption of Congo red (CR) from synthetic aqueous solution to acid treated corncob charcoal (ATCC) was carried out at three different pH values (8.0, 10.5, and 12.0) and at temperatures 10–40 °C. The maximum adsorption capacity of ATCC for CR was 85.8 mg/g at pH 12. The resulting data from the batch adsorption studies were plotted at different temperatures and were fitted to linear form of three isotherm models; Freundlich, Langmuir, and Temkin. Though all three models fitted the experimental data linearly, only Langmuir model was able to account for the observed thermodynamic behavior of the adsorbent–adsorbate systems under the pH conditions. The standard enthalpy values for the adsorption of CR on ATCC at pH 8.0, 10.5, and 12.0 were −5.010 ± 0.312, −7.024 ± 0.440, and −71.426 ± 3.130 kJ mol−1, respectively. The corresponding entropies at pH 8.0, 10.5, and 12.0 were 98.7 ± 1.0, 87.8 ± 1.5, and 129.0 ± 10.5 J mol−1 K−1, respectively. The effect of pH on the thermodynamic quantities were rationalized on the basis of the type of interaction between the CR and the adsorbent. To determine the most suitable model, it was important to juxtapose the observed dependence of adsorption affinity on temperature with the thermodynamic information of the adsorption studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid-phase diffusion bonding was performed in air at a bonding temperature of 400 °C, a bonding pressure of 20 MPa, and a heat holding time of 15 min. The specimens for liquid-phase diffusion bonding were AC2C and ADC12, aluminum alloy for casting. After liquid-phase diffusion bonding, solution annealing and aging treatments were also performed on the joints. As a result, the joint strength was improved by about 2 times and the joint efficiency was 90% by using the 3-layer insert material as compared with the Zn single-layer insert material. This was because the Si concentration in the liquid phase decreased by using the 3-layer insert material and Si was discharged to the outer circumference of the joint. By using the 3-layer insert material, the interfacial fracture factor after T6 heat treatment changed from Si particles to Mg oxides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little empirical data in the published literature on occupant thermal comfort in buildings from the Modern Movement in architecture. We present a field survey of occupant thermal comfort and indoor environmental conditions in Mies van der Rohe's modern S. R. Crown Hall (1956) on the campus of Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, IL. Surveys were deployed to 557 student participants on four separate days, including two days in the cooling season and two days in the heating season, to assess their perceptions of thermal comfort throughout the space. Indoor air temperature, relative humidity and mean radiant temperature were measured concurrently in several locations throughout the space. Occupants reported high levels of dissatisfaction with comfort in the space (percent dissatisfied ranging 37%–54%), with somewhat counterintuitive results for this building type. Overcooling was apparent during warm weather and a combination of both over- and under-heating occurred during cold weather, contrary to what was expected in this building with a high thermal transmittance enclosure. There was also high spatial variability in comfort responses and measured indoor environmental conditions. Findings highlight the need to develop contextual approaches to meeting occupant comfort needs in this building while preserving architectural aesthetics/intent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The configuration of balconies can affect the indoor environmental performance of dwellings, but there is not enough knowledge regarding how a balcony simultaneously impacts all the parameters of indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Therefore, this study aims to evaluate, for the first time, the impacts of different balcony configurations on IEQ. A comprehensive in-situ campaign was carried out on ten balconies and their contiguous rooms in a building in Porto. Air temperature, relative humidity, CO2, PM2.5 and TVOCs concentration, illuminance and sound pressure level were simultaneously monitored. The results show that an open balcony has a positive impact on hygrothermal conditions, controlled daylight illuminance, and reduced traffic noise by up to 10 dBa. The presence of a glazed balcony improved hygrothermal conditions in winter and increased the noise reduction by up to 15 dBA, but caused a reduction in the daylight of up to 64%. The rooms, in which the balcony was eliminated presented the worst hygrothermal conditions, lost the benefits of noise reduction and had an increase in daylight illuminance of up to 136%. It was also found that the impacts are interrelated and that a balcony influences the occupants' behaviour by enhancing window opening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot air puffing is the simplest, hazard- and contamination-free, and quickest method, wherein grains are suddenly exposed to a high temperature short time (HTST) process to get puffed. In this study, the continuous hot air puffing system was developed, comprising of grain feeder, heating chamber, puffing chamber, cyclone separator, and recirculation pipe. The experiments were conducted using Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD), on pre-processed rice (cv. MTU 1010), with one pre-heating pass of 11.50 s at 150 °C. The results showed that the puffed rice can be produced optimally at a pre-fixed whirling air velocity of 4.75 (± 0.25) m/s, puffing air temperature of 260 °C and with a feed rate of 6500 g/h, resulting in final moisture content (% db), expansion ratio, puffing percentage (%), whiteness index, hardness (kg) and crispness (+ve peaks) as 3.71, 5.68, 95.87, 69.82, 32.12 and 89.81, respectively. Further study on increased time of preheating upto 46 s (4 passes) at 150 °C keeping all other puffing parameters unchanged, showed that final moisture content (% db), expansion ratio, puffing percentage (%), and whiteness index were further improved like final moisture content reduced upto 2.68% db and expansion ratio, puffing percentage, whiteness index increased upto 7.35, 99.58% and 87.76, respectively. Thus, the rice puffing using a continuous hot air puffing system can be accomplished using 4 pre-heating passes (accumulative retention heating time of 46 s) at 150 °C, puffed using a hot air puffing system with whirling velocity of 4.75 m/s at a puffing temperature and feed rate of 260 °C and 6500 g/h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to reduce the energetic consumption and greenhouse emissions, integrating the energy-intensive dryer to a solar loop constitutes the optimum solution. This paper investigates the feasibility to integrate a bench scale flash dryer to a solar heating source. Initially, the choice of the best heating source was made and the design was realized. Then, the best configuration of the gas/liquid heat exchanger was selected to design the exchange surface. Finally, the solar flash dryer was mathematically modeled to simulate the dryer performances at various conditions. The parabolic through collectors were selected, with a nominal power of 29kWth, were coupled to a spiral finned tube exchanger with 24 kW capacity. The integration showed a significant dependency of the drying air temperature on the climatic conditions (DNI and incidence angle). The drying tests, realized at the most favorable and unfavorable conditions, showed an important decrease in the moisture fraction to be eliminated, increasing from 1.8% to 3.5% when the air temperature drops from 155 °C to 110 °C. It was hence necessary to develop a regulation system to ensure a continuous solid flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BaBi4Zr2Sn2O15, a modified ceramic sample belonging to the oxide family of layered ferroelectrics, is synthesized using the mixed oxide process after firing for calcination at 810 °C for 6 hrs. XRD study of the compound exhibits the growth of an orthorhombic single-phase structure at atmospheric temperature. The electrical properties of the sample are investigated in a broad temperature range (30–500 °C) and frequency range (100 Hz - 106 Hz). The dielectric properties recommend the transition from ferro to paraelectric state at 410 °C which is much more than room temperature. The impact of frequency and temperature on complex immittance parameters (impedance and modulus) are analyzed by an impedance analyzer in broad frequencies and temperature ranges. The electrical properties show; (i) the existence of semiconductor-like negative temperature coefficients of resistance behavior, (ii) evidence of electrical relaxation phenomena as a function of temperature, and (iii) the existence of single electrical relaxation ascribed to the existence of grain contribution to the electric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal contamination is a major concern, and the adsorption process is regarded as one of the most efficient water remediation processes to deal with it. Herein, we modified fly ash by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal process to enhance its adsorption capacity and tested the material toward Cd(II) and Cu(II). Characterization of the adsorbents was performed by several techniques in detail to elucidate considerable structural changes such as cracking of spherical morphology, increase in surface area and changing of the chemical composition. Then batch adsorption was performed under different conditions to investigate the equilibrium, kinetics, and thermodynamics of the process. NaOH-modified fly ash considerably has a higher adsorption performance than that of the as-received sample for both ions. The highest adsorption capacity of modified fly ash was achieved as 133.8 and 95.7 mg/g for Cd(II) and Cu(II), respectively. The kinetics and isotherms could be perfectly reflected by a pseudo-second-order rate equation and the Freundlich model, while thermodynamics confirmed the endothermicity of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature plays a critical role in atmospheric research. A measurement system based on Rayleigh scattering Lidar was developed in this study to detect mid and upper-level atmospheric temperature. To analyze the error introduced by the calibration point temperature, the echo signal was simulated. The continuously measured atmospheric temperature structure is stable. The measured atmospheric temperature profile follows the same trend as the atmospheric mode, as shown by comparison with different modes and balloons. The mean difference between the measured atmospheric temperature and the balloon temperature is 2.59 K, with the error mostly concentrated below 5 K. Continuous observation of atmospheric temperature using the system revealed the occurrence of temperature-induced gravity waves at a vertical wavelength from 2 to 3 km at an altitude between 30 and 45 m. Partial fragmentation occurs when energy dissipation is performed in the low-frequency mode from 38 to 45 km. This system was demonstrated to effectively detect temperature and continuously observe gravity waves, with its accuracy confirmed by comparison with balloon temperature measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intense ultraviolet radiation and large amount of saline-alkali soil in the Golmud region of Province, China, have deteriorated the performance of asphalt pavement. Given the effect of adverse conditions in this area, this paper investigated the collective and interaction effects of salt chemicals, air temperature, and ultraviolet radiation on asphalt and asphalt mixture through laboratory experiments under controlled conditions. In particular, using different concentrations of Na2SO4 and NaCl solutions, simulated salt chemicals for asphalt and asphalt mixture performance impact. The mechanism of performance deterioration of the asphalt mixture suffered from salt attack was explored. The results show that the original asphalt's storage and loss modulus are higher than the modified asphalt at different temperatures with the multi-factors effect. In addition, the modified asphalt's phase angle is 5%∼10% higher than the original asphalt below −2°C. At the same time, strength loss rates of asphalt mixture increase with the cycles and solution concentration, varying from 20%−40%. Wet-dry cycles and the concentration of salt solution are positively correlated with the deterioration of asphalt mixture strength. This research provides the durability prediction and the more reasonable composition design of the asphalt mixture applied in salt enrichment regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meteorological factors like air and dew point temperature and relative humidity levels influence a pavement surface's response to rapidly increasing air temperature combined with freezing conditions. This scenario can result in black ice. Black ice is dangerous due to its thinness and transparency. Understanding the conditions for black ice development benefits winter pavement maintenance by limiting chemical overuse and forming a basis for warning systems. However, limited experimental data on this weather scenario exists. A fully instrumented model column was built using soil and a concrete pavement slab obtained from the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) airport. The column duplicated the airport pavement structure and subgrade. The system was placed in a freezer box and wrapped in insulation. The weather scenarios simulated historic airport weather involving freezing temperatures followed by rapid temperature increases and high relative humidity. After multiple baseline tests, two successfully replicated the rapid temperature increase scenario. The formation of frost on the pavement surface occurred 40 min after condensation developed combined with a surface temperature of −2°C and dew point temperatures above 0°C. The results of this study provide insight into frost development on pavement and is useful in implementing proactive winter pavement maintenance for black ice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural performance of an asphalt pavement is substantially affected by its temperature state. The in-depth temperature is usually measured through drilling a hole in the pavement. As an alternative, researchers have proposed temperature prediction models considering attributes like air temperature, depth, time, location, solar intensity, wind speed, and relative humidity. But procuring data on many attributes is tedious for the field professionals and at times is not available locally in developing countries. It was observed that most of the existing models predict maximum and minimum temperatures, whereas few models predict the temperature at a fixed depth. This paper presents a pavement temperature prediction model which uses air temperature of preceding hours, time in a day, and depth of the measurement. These attributes are easily available in developing countries. Data were collected through an instrumented track and from a weather station. Contrary to the use of 1–5-day air temperature, it was found that the average air temperature of the preceding few hours is sufficient in predicting the pavement temperature. The prediction accuracy and validation results of the model were found good as compared to some prevailing models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the repeatability of locked-wheel skid trailer (LWST) and sideway-force coefficient routine investigation machine (SCRIM) measurements and investigate the influences of test speed and test temperature on the friction measurements. This study selected 14 test sections from the NCAT Test Track with different surface texture and friction characteristics. The LWST and SCRIM tests were conducted at different test speeds and test times (or temperatures) on the two consecutive days. The repeatability analysis indicates that both LWST skid number (SN) and SCRIM reading (SR) measurements were most repeatable at a test speed of 50 mph and tangent section. The SN measured in the late afternoon and SR measured at noon were more repeatable than those measured at other times. This study recommended an acceptable precision of friction measurement be within 2.5 SN or 3 SR units. In addition, this study concluded that the SN and SR had a good linear correlation. The statistical regression analysis demonstrates that test speed, air temperature, pavement mean profile depth, and pavement type were significant variables affecting asphalt pavement friction. The developed regression models for SN and SR were helpful to correct the friction measurements to a reference speed or temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frost growth on cold surfaces is a transient process with coupled heat and mass transfer. Due to multiple factors such as humidity, temperature, flow velocity, and constantly changing thermal properties as frost grows, precise prediction can be challenging. Especially when the geometry of the frosting surfaces gets complicated, it requires a balance of computing accuracy and efficiency. In this work, a numerical model is developed to predict frost growth considering the effect of the above parameters. Mixture model is adapted to improve computational efficiency and the unstructured grids add the flexibility to extend the model to complex geometries. The predicted frost growth rate matches well with the experimental data reported in the literature under similar conditions. The model predicts a reasonable growth trend of frost as the surface temperature, air temperature, humidity, and flow velocity vary. The surface wettability effect is well captured at the early stage of frosting and it shows a higher frost growth rate on surfaces with a higher wettability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precisely forecasting air temperature as a significant meteorological parameter has a critical role in environment quality management. Hence, this study employs a hybrid intelligent model for accurately monthly temperature forecasting for one to three times ahead in the hottest and coldest regions of the world. The hybrid model contains the artificial neural network (ANN) hybridized with the powerful hetaeristic Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA-ANN). The average mutual information (AMI) technique is employed to find the optimal time delay values for the temperature variable for different time horizons. Finally, the performance of the developed hybrid model is compared with the classical ANN and the Gene Expression Programming (GEP) using some statistical criteria, and the Taylor and scatter diagrams. Results indicated that in each time horizon, the HBA-ANN model with the lowest distance from observation points based on Taylor diagram, high values for NSE and R², and low values for RMSE, MAE, and RSR outperformed the ANN and GEP models in both training and testing phases. Hence, using the Honey Badger Algorithm could increase the accuracy of the model. This model's precise performance supports the case for it to be employed to forecast other environmental parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change on asphalt pavement infrastructure has become increasingly apparent. This paper investigated how climate change impacts the selection of asphalt binder for freeway pavement in China. The climate data predicted by the Global Climate Model were employed to select the appropriate performance grade for asphalt binder. The predicted air temperature converted pavement temperature, and performance grade distribution of the country was analysed. It is suggested that the performance grade of asphalt binder for freeways' pavement should be determined based on ten years' predicted climate data. This study concluded the following four major findings. Firstly, the selection of the appropriate asphalt binder performance grade needs to take into account the effects of future climate change. Secondly, the change in the standard deviation of temperature has a greater impact on the change in asphalt performance grade, as compared to the change in average air temperature. Thirdly, climate change affects the low-temperature performance grade more than the high-temperature performance grade in China. Finally, by 2050s, 15.2% of freeway asphalt pavement needs to upgrade high-temperature performance grade limit, and 17.3% of freeway asphalt pavement needs to upgrade to low-temperature performance grade limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher temperature is one of the key reasons for thermal distresses in asphalt pavement. It also adds to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect as it influences the near-surface air temperature. To design cooler pavements, phase change materials (PCMs) can be incorporated into asphalt pavements. However, considering the negative effects of PCM leakage on the physical and rheological properties of asphalt binder, a cent-percent effective core-shell encapsulated PCM suitable for asphalt pavement applications was developed under this study. With the incorporation of two organic mixture (OM) based PCMs, i.e., OM-35 and OM-42, a peak decrease in the pavement surface temperature of 3.05 °C and 4.36 °C, respectively were observed under the field condition. Furthermore, from the long-term thermal performance assessment, it was found that the magnitude of temperature reduction depends on the phase change temperature and latent heat of PCM. The season of occurrence of the peak temperature reduction depends on the phase change temperature of the PCM. Due to PCM solidification, the increase in night-time pavement surface temperature was observed to be about half of that during day time. Further, the statistical analysis reveals that the decrease in pavement surface temperature due to PCM incorporation is significant and consistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is increasing mean winter temperatures and the frequency of short-term high temperatures. Winter-emerging aquatic insects require an extended cold period to develop and may be negatively impacted by high winter air temperatures. Diamesa mendotae Muttkowski, 1915 is a cold-adapted, winter-emerging chironomid common in groundwater-dominated streams in Minnesota. Previous studies have found constant exposure to high air temperatures reduced adult D. mendotae survivorship, but not how short-term high temperature exposure may affect D. mendotae survivorship and reproduction. We found short-term exposure (24 or 48h) to 22 °C decreased adult D. mendotae longevity and reduced egg laying and larval hatch success, which may reduce future D. mendotae population sizes. Disruptions in D. mendotae and other cold-adapted insect populations may have broad ramifications for groundwater-fed stream ecosystems. Our study highlights the need for further research on cold-adapted insect survivorship after short-term winter temperature spikes to understand impacts of climate change beyond mean annual temperature increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, a granular Eulerian multiphase model coupled with heat and mass transfer was used to simulate the convective drying process of iron ore fines. The CFD model was validated with experimental data for different air temperatures and air velocities. Convective drying experiments were performed using laboratory-scale equipment in order to obtain drying kinetics data for iron ore fines at air temperatures up to 140 °C and air velocities up to 15 m/s. The drying system had combined characteristics of fluidized bed and pneumatic transport. Numerical results showed good agreement with experimental data (average RMSE of 3.9 × 10−3) for the moisture content for nine drying air conditions. Since the coupled momentum, heat and mass transfer model could accurately and validly estimate the drying rate for iron ore fines according to the local conditions of the drying air in laboratory-scale equipment, it has potential for application in CFD simulations of industrial-scale equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal variations of surface urban heat island (SUHI) and canopy urban heat island (CUHI) are compared in this study for the arid city of Isfahan, Iran, using two datasets for land surface temperature (LST) and air temperature (AT), and three different indices: urban-rural LST difference, urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI) and urban-rural AT difference. The inverted SUHI intensity was shown to vary between −13.9 °C in summer and −1.5 °C in winter, while the hourly average CUHI intensity ranged between −4.4 °C in summer and 6.3 °C in autumn. The spatial variation of CUHI showed significant differences in UHI intensity between urban sites (p < 0.05). Based on UTFVI variation, the non-SUHI and strongest SUHI were dominant phenomena in urban sites. In contrast, SUHI intensities were negative, representing only the non-SUHI phenomenon. The correlation between SUHI and CUHI values was not significant, indicating that intensities of CUHI and corresponding SUHI are not comparable in arid climates. These results demonstrate that for arid climates, determining UHI based on UTFVI, and the urban-rural AT difference, can provide detailed information about spatiotemporal variations of UHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outdoor thermal comfort of an urban area gets affected by different aspects, such as the urban materials and urban morphology (building-canopy & trees-canopy). This paper aims to investigate the effect of such different aspects on urban surface thermal performance using in-situ measurements and to predict the same by coupling a simple single-layer urban canopy model (SLUCM) with a surface energy balance model (SEBM). The asphalt road is the hottest (45°C), with a heating rate of 5.26°C/hour during the day. The building canopy shading creates a 2.8°C between the air temperatures. The results indicate the importance of green areas for cooling urban spaces due to their lower warming and surface shading from tree canopy as 7.3°C of the temperature difference between surface and air temperature reduced to 3.2°C. Averaging all the analysis, the model evaluates the surface temperature with R2 = 0.8824, mean bias = 1.86°C, MAE = 2.59°C, and RMSE = 5.13°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crop water stress index is receiving significant attention these days, especially in arid and semiarid regions, for quantifying water stress and effective irrigation scheduling. Nowadays, machine learning techniques such as neural networks are being widely used to determine CWSI. In the present study, Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) and Feed Forward-Back Propagation Artificial Neural Networks (FF-BP-ANN) are compared while determining the CWSI of rice crop. Irrigation field experiments with varying degrees of irrigation were conducted at the irrigation field laboratory of the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, during the growing season of the rice crop. The CWSI of rice was computed empirically by measuring key meteorological variables (relative humidity, air temperature, and canopy temperature). The empirically computed CWSI was compared with SOM and FF-BP-ANN predicted CWSI. For the lower CWSI baseline of rice, a linear relationship between air and canopy temperature difference (Tc-Ta) and, air vapour pressure deficit (AVPD) was developed, whereas air temperature plus 3°C was taken for the upper CWSI baselines. The performance of SOM and FF-BP-ANN were compared by computing Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), index of agreement (d), root mean squared error (RMSE), and coefficient of correlation (R2). It is found that FF-BP-ANN (R2 = 0.97, NSE = 0.92, d = 0.95, RMSE = 0.006) performs better than SOM (R2 = 0.88, NSE = 0.87, d = 0.9, RMSE = 0.075). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities host more than half of the world's population and due to global warming and land use change their vulnerability to deadly heat waves has increased. A healthy vegetated landscape can abate heat wave severity and diminish the related urban heat island through the process of evapotranspiration. This research aimed to develop a methodology for cities to use publicly available Copernicus land cover maps within the i-Tree Cool Air water and energy balance model to map air temperature and humidity. The manuscript presents proof of concept using Naples, Italy with its Mediterranean climate characterized by limited soil water for cooling via evapotranspiration. The approach achieved strong correlations between predicted and observed air temperatures across the city (r ≥ 0.89). During the warm season of 2020, forested land cover was 5°C cooler than land cover dominated by impervious cover. Simulated land cover change, limited to a 10% increase or decrease in tree cover, generated an inverse change of 0.2°C in maximum hourly air temperature, with more trees obtaining cooler air. Soil water limited the cooling, with the generally wetter spring season enabling greater cooling of air temperatures, and summer droughts without irrigation had constrained cooling. Sustainable urban design will likely require an increase in plant cover along with a reduction of impervious surfaces that absorb and reradiate heat in order to improve community resilience to heat waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to fall-transplanted onions (Allium cepa L.) grown in temperate zones overwinter, cultivars and agricultural practices have been developed to decrease bolting. Because of climate change, there frequently occur warm winters and low temperatures in spring. Physiological disorders, previously not shown often, deteriorate quality and yield of onion bulbs. This study evaluated the effects of spring temperature on bulb development and inflorescence initiation of intermediate-day onions. Thirty plants (3 replicates of 10 plants) were randomly collected at approximately 5-day intervals from 16 March to 5 June. Plant growth and bolter characteristics were measured, ad the number of lateral leaves and centers, and number of bulb scales in bolted and unbolted onion were counted. Bolting incidence increased three times, first in mid-March, second in mid-April, and last in early-May. Mean daily air temperature preceding increases in bolting incidence were 6.8°C (0.8–13.1°C, min.-max.) in the first 10 days of March, 10.8°C(2.8–18.5°C) from 5 April to 15 April, and 11.8°C (4.7–18.2°C) from 17 April to 28 April. Inflorescences induced after onset of bulbing did not develop into normal spathes and flowers but degenerated into immature umbels and did not produce individual florets. When temperatures after inflorescence induction or bulb initiation, was lower than the temperature required for bulb or inflorescence development, the lateral bud occasionally developed into leaves with leaf blades or swollen sheaths. These results provide information on onion bulb development and inflorescence physiology and to predict onion bolting or splitting in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein denaturation during spray drying is critical for high-quality food powders. This study investigated the influence of particle size on protein denaturation using phycocyanin as a marker. The effect of particle size was investigated at three different air outlet temperatures, with the inlet air temperature held constant. For each temperature combination, different nozzles were utilized to obtain varying particle sizes. Denaturation increased with higher outlet air temperature and larger particle size, up to a size of 40 μm. This increase in denaturation with particle size was attributed to faster drying rates and the absence of denaturation once particles are dry. Particle size had a similar magnitude of effect as outlet air temperature. For larger particles, a plateau in denaturation was observed due to a prolonged constant drying rate regime. It can be assumed that conditions that retain phycocyanin are also suited for the retention for less thermolabile proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the extreme temperature variations of asphalt pavement structures. First, this study established a thermal analysis model using finite element methods to investigate the temperature profile of asphalt pavements. Thereafter, the significant factors affecting the pavement temperature were determined using the grey correlation method. Finally, linear prediction models for maximum, minimum, and average temperatures of asphalt layers at any depth were developed. The results indicated that the pavement and air temperature change trends were similar, and that the temperature decreased with increasing depth. The maximum temperature occurred on the road surface during the daytime and moved from the asphalt layer to the base layer during the night. The maximum temperature difference on the road surface was 26.8 °C. The most significant factors affecting the asphalt pavement temperature were air temperature and solar radiation. The maximum, minimum, and average temperatures of the asphalt layers had good linear relationships with air temperature, solar radiation, and depth of concern, and the R2 of these predicted models were all greater than 0.94. In addition, a comparison between the predicted and actual measured pavement temperature of Beijing's RIOHTRACK road in 2019 found that the R2 between the measured and predicted values was greater than 0.90 and the root-mean-squared error was less than 5 °C. Using this model, the maximum, minimum, and average temperatures of the asphalt layer at any depth can be determined if the air temperature is known. These results will be beneficial for analyzing the stresses and strains resulting from temperature differences and calibrating the structural design methods for asphalt pavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-chloroaniline (3CA) concentrations were measured in aqueous solution by UV/Vis spectrophotometer. Validation of the calibration curve's linearity, instrumental precision (RSD%), limits of detection and quantification were accomplished. The coefficient of calibration curve (1.0–10.0 mgL−1 3CA) had a high correlation (R2 = 0.9997) and the instrumental precision was in the range (RSD% = 0.50–0.74%, n = 10). The LOD and LOQ from the regression analysis were 0.20 mgL−1 and 0.61 mgL−1, respectively. A treated coffee waste adsorbent was utilised for 3-chloroaniline removal by process of sorption from aqueous solution. The major components of the coffee waste are the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. The temperature effect (25°C, 35°C and 45°C) on sorption was evaluated, with sorption decreasing by increasing of temperature which reached 87%, 75% and 54%, respectively. Isotherms type L were found and associated with monolayer sorption. The parameters of sorption were examined by employing Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich sorption models. The isotherm models of Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich had acceptable correlation coefficients (R2 = 0.87–0.88). The Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich sorption capacities of 3-chloroaniline were found to be 44 to 50 mgg−1. The values of separation factor (RL) were ranging from (0–1) which indicated a favourable sorption. In thermodynamic study the physical sorption process was confirmed by van't Hoff equation. In addition, the free energy ∆G° (−19.1 kJmol−1) and enthalpy ∆H° (−56.6 kJmol−1) had negative values which suggested that the sorption was spontaneous, and the process was exothermic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb(II) doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (Pb-ZnONPs) was synthesised using the co-precipitation method. The average size distribution of the Pb-ZnONPs is 42.8 nm and further used as an adsorbent to remove Erichrome Black T (EBT) from wastewater. The adsorption of EBT onto the Pb-ZnONPs was best fitted for pseudo-second-order kinetics model, indicating that the adsorption phenomena depend on EBT and Pb-ZnONPs, showing chemisorption phenomenon. The maximum adsorption potential of Pb-ZnONPs (qmax = 200 mgg−1) for EBT is far better than that of the already available adsorbents. The high regression coefficient of freundlich shows that the adsorption can be shown by multi-layer process. The value of ΔG° is negative and temperature increases with an increase in the absolute value increases, suggesting the adsorption of dye onto the Pb-ZnONPs is spontaneous. The decrease in the concentration of adsorbed monolayer (Q0 = nNM) from 411 to 43.55 mg/g with the change in temperature revealed that the adsorption process is exothermic in nature. The Pb-ZnONPs have exhibited a variation of about 7–8% of adsorption compared to the fresh sample after 5th regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, primarily caused by human activities, leads to persistent alterations in Earth's long-term weather patterns and temperatures, resulting in substantial regional climate disparities that significantly impact agricultural output. In the realm of sustainable citriculture, climate change poses a notable challenge by inducing abiotic stresses within citrus-producing regions. Projections suggest rising air temperatures by 2.2-5.1 °C, heightened instances of temperatures exceeding 30 °C during dry spells, freezing events, a reduction in rainfall by at least 4%, and amplified monsoonal precipitations. Such changes will inevitably affect citrus tree physiology and yield quality. The intricate connection between external climatic conditions and crucial physiological processes underscores the profound influence of climate change. Temperature fluctuations can disrupt leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, flower and fruit development, fruit sugar production, coloration, abscission, carbohydrate accumulation, and ultimate fruit yield. This comprehensive review delves into the specific repercussions of climate change on citrus cultivation, focusing on variables like temperature variations, water availability, light intensity, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and salinity stress. Our exploration elucidates the adverse impact of these stressors on citrus crops, while highlighting innovative tactics and emerging technologies, including advanced monitoring systems, precision irrigation, automated climate regulation, molecular priming through biostimulants, shade netting, and particle film technologies. By mitigating the adverse effects of environmental stressors, these strategies empower citrus growers to navigate challenges like excessive solar radiation, temperature fluctuations, soil moisture management, erosion prevention, and enhanced soil quality. These combined efforts forge a path toward a more resilient citriculture capable of effectively countering the abiotic stresses stemming from climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid industrialization of nations in Southeast Asia (SEA) has led to a decline in these countries' air quality, including high levels of particulate matter (PM). Monitoring these air pollutants is crucial to understanding the pollution status of the area and developing management plans for improvement. The metrological conditions in the region present challenges as high temperature and high humidity have been known to cause errors in the measurements. This study investigated the performance of five PM monitoring instruments with different working principles. The air temperature was mostly over 25 °C with relative humidity usually remaining above 80%, which is typical of SEA weather. Measurements from all instruments had good correlations with each other as their linear regressions yielded slopes of 1 ± 0.15 and R2 > 0.65. Moreover, this study found that depending on the chosen reference instrument, not all factors affect the devices equally. In particular, using Partisol as a reference, the PM2.5 concentration, air temperature, and relative humidity had less impact upon the relative bias level compared to using Leckel as a reference. In addition, the high cost of monitoring instruments also poses financial constraints on how many monitoring stations can be deployed. To tackle this issue, this study presents ManPMS whose design is based on that of the USEPA Title 40 Part 50 with slight modifications. The cost to manufacture and assemble the instrument was only 2/3 the price of a typical instrument with similar performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is one of the most important spring pollen allergens widespread in the Czech Republic. This study evaluates the changes in Carpinus betulus flowering and the length of the blooming period in the Czech Republic during 1991-2020. Temporal and spatial evaluations in the timing of the flowering and the length of the blooming period were investigated at different altitudinal levels. Moreover, the changes in mean air temperature and precipitation total in spring months (March-April-May) were assessed, including the correlation with phenological data. Geographic Information System methods, the Mann-Kendall test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for processing. The flowering of Carpinus betulus changed significantly over time during the 1991-2020 period. The linear models predicted early flowering in Carpinus betulus at different altitudes (27 days at > 701 m; 18 days at 501-700 m; and 13 days at 301-500 m) significantly (p<0.001) over the last three decades. Furthermore, the length of the blooming period of Carpinus betulus has been shortened (4 days) at the 301-500 m a.s.l. altitudinal level significantly (p<0.05). The strongest correlation was predominantly observed between flowering and the mean air temperature (March-April-May). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideal Adsorbed Solution Theory (IAST) is a common method for modelling mixture adsorption isotherms based on pure component isotherms. When the adsorbent has distinct adsorption sites, the segregated version of IAST (SIAST) provides improved adsorbed loadings compared to IAST. We have adopted the concept of SIAST and applied it to an explicit isotherm model which takes into account the different sizes of the adsorbates: the so called Segregated Explicit Isotherm (SEI). The purpose of SEI is to have an explicit adsorption model that can consider both size-effects of the co-adsorbed molecules and surface heterogeneities. In sharp contrast to IAST and SIAST, no iterative scheme is required in case of SEI, which leads to much faster simulations. A comparative study has been performed to analyse the adsorption isotherms calculated using these three methods. The adsorbed loadings predicted by SEI and SIAST are in excellent agreement with the Grand-Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulation data. The loadings estimated by IAST show considerable deviations from the GCMC data at high pressures. Breakthrough curve modelling is used to compare the effects of these three models at dynamic conditions. The explicit model (SEI) leads to the fastest simulation run time, followed by SIAST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the problems of high energy consumption and heavy pollution in the drying process of large-scale multi-stage tower coal-fired corn in Northeast China, combined with the high cold characteristics of the regions, a multi-stage series dehumidification heat pump tower corn drying system was proposed, and a demonstration application project was established. The performance and life-cycle costs of the system were experimentally evaluated and compared to a traditional coal-fired corn drying tower. The results show that the system can achieve a supply air temperature above 68 °C under the ambient temperature of −20 °C. The total energy consumption of the system per hour is 595.5 kWh, and the specific moisture extraction rate reaches 3.39 kg/kWh. Moreover, the coefficient of performance of heat pump units reaches 3.0 − 6.3. Due to the attractive energy-saving potential, the operational cost-effectiveness of the multi-stage series dehumidification heat pump tower corn drying system can contribute to cut-down of life-cycle cost. It has been found that the life-cycle cost of the multi-stage series dehumidification heat pump tower corn drying system is 40.5% lower than that of the traditional coal-fired corn drying tower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is a major cash crop that is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the globe. Cotton leaf curl virus disease is a major threat to lower the cotton yield in Pakistan. The present study aimed to predict the disease severity at different potassium (K) dosses based on abiotic environmental factors with respect to two sowing times. Three potassium (K) doses (90, 60, and 30 kg acre−1) were applied to observe the impact on disease severity. In control, no extra K was applied. Two sowings were done at 15 days intervals. Data was recorded using at seven days intervals after the appearance of the disease. A significant difference in disease severity was observed in K applied cotton plants and between the two sowing times. Maximum disease severity was noticed in control plants and was found maximum where 90 kg acre−1 K was applied. Maximum air temperature, minimum air temperature, rainfall, and windspeed exhibited a negative relationship with disease severity. A positive relationship was seen between disease severity and relative humidity irrespective to sowing times. In 1st sowing, maximum air temperature (35–38 °C), minimum air temperature (23–24 °C), relative humidity (65–75%), rainfall (1–2 mm), and windspeed (1.5–2.5 km/h) significantly contributed in disease progression. In second sowing, maximum air temperature (34–36 °C), minimum air temperature (19–21 °C), relative humidity (75–78%), rainfall (0.5–1.5 mm), and windspeed (1.5–2.5 km/h) favoured the disease development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Miller extended his maximum wind speeds to a sea temperature of about 90°F, Table 1 includes sea surface temperature only to 86°F which is about the highest temperature I've ever observed in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean. HT