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Warm Airmass Intrusions (WAIs) from the mid‐latitudes significantly impact the Arctic water budget. Here, we combine water vapor isotope measurements from the MOSAiC expedition, with a Lagrangian‐based process attribution diagnostic to track moisture transformation in the central Arctic Ocean during two WAIs, under contrasting sea‐ice concentrations (SIC). During winter with high SIC, two moisture supplies are identified. The first is Arctic moisture, locally‐sourced over the sea ice, with isotopic composition influenced by kinetic fractionation during ice‐cloud formation and vapor deposition. This moisture is rapidly overprinted by low‐latitude moisture advected poleward during WAI. In summer under low SIC, moisture is supplied through evaporation from land and ocean, with moisture removal via liquid‐cloud and dew formation. The isotopic composition reflects the influence of higher relative humidity at the evaporation sites. Given the projected increase of frequency and duration of WAIs, our study contributes to assessing process changes in the Arctic water cycle. Plain Language Summary: The movement of warm and moist airmasses from lower latitudes has a big effect on the Arctic climate system. We used data from the MOSAiC drift expedition, where we measured the isotopic composition of water vapor. Water isotopes are powerful tracers of where moisture came from and how it changed during the transport. We focused on two specific warm air intrusions, occurring in February and September 2020 respectively, when the amount of sea ice was different. During the winter, the isotopic composition of the airmasses was primarily influenced by in‐Arctic moisture exchanges over sea ice. This local moisture was swiftly replaced by isotopically‐distinct warmer and moister airmasses coming from lower latitudes during the warm intrusion. In summer, when there was less sea ice, we found that water came mainly from ocean evaporation with additional land evaporation during the air intrusion. The isotopic composition of vapor was influenced by how humid the places it came from were. As warm air intrusions are expected to happen more often and last longer in the future, our study helps us understand how they affect the Arctic water cycle. Key Points: Transformation of moist airmasses and their isotopic composition during warm air intrusions depends on sea‐ice extentIn winter, warm air intrusions suppress ice‐cloud formation and kinetic isotopic fractionation over sea iceIn summer, d‐excess is driven by vapor pressure gradients between ocean skin layer and the lower atmosphere at the evaporative sites [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current land surface models or satellite remote sensing retrievals, clear‐sky surface albedo (α) is usually assumed to be symmetrical and relies only on the solar elevation angle (SEA). Based on 1‐min high‐resolution measurements of surface radiation fluxes, this study demonstrated that the diurnal variations of clear‐sky surface albedo exhibited a significant asymmetrical pattern in both summer and winter seasons over a semi‐arid grassland of the China's Loess Plateau. The results indicated that α values in the morning were generally larger than those in the afternoon at the same SEA, and diurnal asymmetry of surface albedo was distinctly prominent with SEA <40° in summer (before 9:30 a.m.) or SEA <20° in winter (before 10:00 am), and tended to diminish at midday. The averaged morning/afternoon albedo differences under sunny days were 0.05 (30.4%) and 0.09 (37.8%) in summer and winter seasons, respectively. Air relative humidity was positively correlated with the diurnal asymmetry of surface albedo, ascribed to probable formation of dew in the morning. Depression of the dew point was negatively linked to the morning/afternoon albedo differences, which was attributed to the strong scattering of incident sunlight by dewdrops could enhance the morning surface albedo. Such diurnal asymmetry of surface albedo should be included in the parameterization scheme of mesoscale and region‐scale climate models in the semi‐arid areas of China's Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commonly comprised of cyanobacteria, algae, bacteria and fungi, hypolithic communities inhabit the underside of cobblestones and pebbles in diverse desert biomes. Notwithstanding their abundance and widespread geographic distribution and their growth in the driest regions on Earth, the source of water supporting these communities remains puzzling. Adding to the puzzle is the presence of cyanobacteria that require liquid water for net photosynthesis. Here we report results from six-year monitoring in the Negev Desert (with average annual precipitation of ~ 90 mm) during which periodical measurements of the water content of cobblestone undersides were carried out. We show that while no effective wetting took place following direct rain, dew or fog, high vapor flux, induced by a sharp temperature gradient, took place from the wet subsurface soil after rain, resulting in wet-dry cycles and wetting of the cobblestone undersides. Up to 12 wet-dry cycles were recorded following a single rain event, which resulted in vapor condensation on the undersides of the cobblestones, with the daily wet phase lasting for several hours during daylight. This 'concealed mechanism' expands the distribution of photoautotrophic organisms into hostile regions where the abiotic conditions limit their growth, and provides the driving force for important evolutionary processes not yet fully explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term trend and its spatio-temporal characteristics of dew formation over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region are still poorly understood. We examined dew and its climatic controls in BTH from 2008 to 2021 over China with the aid of model estimation based on the atmospheric data from the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS). Besides, the relevance of dew to drought was also examined. Dew amount showed a decreasing tendency from northwest to southeast over BTH for the 14 years. The average monthly accumulative dew amount ranged from 0.56 mm to 15.87 mm. The annual dew amount was highest in Bashang and lowest in Plain area. Precipitation(P), air temperature (Ta) and relative humidity (RH) all showed positive correlation with dew over the three ecoregions, and among these, RH showed the most significant correlation with dew. The BTH showed a drier trend over the study period and dew exhibited higher over the dry area. Our study can not only provide a novel understanding of dew characteristics in the BTH, but also have an important potential effect on the water resources management in the context of climate change exacerbation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Top-of-rail (TOR) lubricants are commonly used for friction control in railway operations. They aim to lower friction and reduce noise and wear while ensuring sufficient transmission of traction/braking forces. However, the wheel–rail interface is an open system, so the conditions may suddenly change due to the weather, and different contaminants may enter the contact and influence the performance of these lubricants. Thus, this study examined the effect of humidity and dew on two commercial products, as these conditions often occur on the track. A methodology based on a creep curves measurement approach was used to assess product performance under various scenarios. All measurements were conducted on a universal tribometer in the ball-on-disc configuration covered with a climate chamber. The results show a strong influence of dew on the tested products, as dew lowered their performance parameters and caused low adhesion problems. Possible mechanisms of water–oil interaction and formation of oxidic third body layers were discussed. The main findings indicate that TOR lubricants may cause traction/braking problems if used in dew conditions. The present study may be helpful in optimising friction management methods in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Commonly comprised of cyanobacteria, algae, bacteria and fungi, hypolithic communities inhabit the underside of cobblestones and pebbles in diverse desert biomes. Notwithstanding their abundance and widespread geographic distribution and their growth in the driest regions on Earth, the source of water supporting these communities remains puzzling. Adding to the puzzle is the presence of cyanobacteria that require liquid water for net photosynthesis. Here we report results from six-year monitoring in the Negev Desert (with average annual precipitation of ~ 90 mm) during which periodical measurements of the water content of cobblestone undersides were carried out. We show that while no effective wetting took place following direct rain, dew or fog, high vapor flux, induced by a sharp temperature gradient, took place from the wet subsurface soil after rain, resulting in wet-dry cycles and wetting of the cobblestone undersides. Up to 12 wet-dry cycles were recorded following a single rain event, which resulted in vapor condensation on the undersides of the cobblestones, with the daily wet phase lasting for several hours during daylight. This ‘concealed mechanism’ expands the distribution of photoautotrophic organisms into hostile regions where the abiotic conditions limit their growth, and provides the driving force for important evolutionary processes not yet fully explored.

The present study, carried out in Gujarat (India) between 2005 and 2021, aims to prepare dew and rain maps of Gujarat over a long period (17 years, from 2005 to 2021) in order to evaluate the evolution of the potential for dew and rain in the state. The ratio of dew to precipitation is also determined, which is an important metric that quantifies the contribution of dew to the overall water resources. Global warming leads, in general, to a reduction in precipitation and non-rainfall water contributions such as dew. The study shows, however, a rare increase in the rainfall and dew condensation, with the latter related to an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in wind amplitudes. Rain primarily occurs during the monsoon months, while dew forms during the dry season. Although dew alone cannot resolve water scarcity, it nonetheless may provide an exigent and unignorable contribution to the water balance in time to come. According to the site, the dew–rain ratios, which are also, in general, well correlated with dew yields, can represent between 4.6% (Ahmedabad) and 37.2% (Jamnagar). The positive trend, observed since 2015–2017, is expected to continue into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background and Aims There is growing interest in the functional ecology of poikilohydric non-vascular photoautotrophs (NVPs), including 'cryptogamic' bryophytes and lichens. These organisms are structurally important in many ecosystems, contributing substantially to ecosystem function and services, while also being sensitive to climate change. Previous research has quantified the climate change response of poikilohydric NVPs using predictive bioclimatic models with standard climate variables including precipitation totals and temperature averages. This study aimed for an improved functional understanding of their climate change response based on their growth rate sensitivity to moisture and light. Methods We conducted a 24-month experiment to monitor lichen hydration and growth. We accounted for two well-known features in the ecology of poikilohydric NVPs, and exemplified here for a structurally dominant lichen epiphyte, Lobaria pulmonaria : (1) sensitivity to multiple sources of atmospheric moisture including rain, condensed dew-formation and water vapour; and (2) growth determined by the amount of time hydrated in the light, driving photosynthesis, referred to as the I wet hypothesis. Key Results First, we found that even within an oceanic high-rainfall environment, lichen hydration was better explained by vapour pressure deficit than precipitation totals. Second, growth at a monthly resolution was positively related to the amount of time spent hydrated in the light, and negatively related to the amount of time spent hydrated in the dark. Conclusions Using multimodel averaging to project growth models for an ensemble of future climate change scenarios, we demonstrated reduced net growth for L. pulmonaria by the late 21st century, explained by extended climate dryness and lichen desiccation for periods when there is otherwise sufficient light to drive photosynthesis. The results further emphasize a key issue of photoperiodism when constructing functionally relevant models to understand the risk of climate change, especially for poikilohydric NVPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the performance of dual-energy window (DEW) and triple-energy window (TEW) scatter correction methods in cardiac SPECT imaging with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) and thallium-201 (Tl-201) radioisotopes. Materials and Methods: The SIMIND Monte Carlo program was used to simulate the imaging system and produce the required projections. Two phantoms, including the simple cardiac phantom and the NCAT phantom, were used to evaluate the scatter correction methods. The simulations were repeated 5 times for each phantom and finally, the mean values obtained from these 5 tests were used in the analysis of the results. Results: The obtained results from this study show that in the case of both investigated phantoms, the use of correction methods leads to improve the contrast of the images obtained from Tc-99m and Tl-201 radioisotopes. In the case of the simple cardiac phantom, the use of DEW and TEW correction methods leads to a relative increase in image contrast of about 23.88% and 12.23% for 99mTc radioisotope and about 29.19% and 20.98% for 201Tl radioisotope, respectively. This relative increase in the case of the NCAT phantom is about 22.48% and 19.43% for 99mTc radioisotope and about 27.74% and 24.74% for 201Tl radioisotope, respectively. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, despite the higher contrast of the noncorrected images of 99mTc radioisotope, the relative increase in contrast of the corrected images of 201Tl radioisotope is more than that of 99mTc radioisotope. Furthermore, for both radioisotopes, the relative increase related to the DEW method is higher than the TEW method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐lasting hydrogen evolution and efficient dew harvest is realized via electrospinning a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane on hybrid hydrogels embedded with photocatalytic g‐C3N4/Pt nanosheets. Due to the hindrance of water evaporation by the hydrophobic PVDF membrane, the drying process of the hybrid hydrogels significantly slows down. Hence, the g‐C3N4/Pt nanosheets can continue working on photocatalytic splitting of the water molecules in the hydrogels. When the thickness of the PVDF membrane is 48 μm, the hydrogen evolution rate can reach 2,543 μmol h−1 g−1, which is 38% more than that of the hybrid hydrogel without covering. Therefore, the hybrid hydrogels covered with PVDF membrane are able to work with high efficiency for 12 h, sufficient for hydrogen evolution during the daytime. In addition, the hydrophobic PVDF membrane and hydrophilic hydrogels construct a Janus structure and induce a fast transport of water molecules from the hydrophobic to hydrophilic side. It is beneficial for the rapid collection of dew in the morning. Based on the long‐lasting hydrogen evolution and efficient dew harvest, the present hybrid hydrogels covered with PVDF membrane are very suitable for the environment rich in solar resource and lack of water supply, such as desert or prairie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global warming and the increasing scarcity of fresh water resources, it becomes significant to evaluate the contribution and evolution of non-rainfall waters such as dew. This study therefore aims to evaluate the relative dew and rain contributions in three sites of south-western of Madagascar (Ifaty, Toliara, and Andremba), a semi-arid region which suffers from a strong water deficit. The studied period is 1/1991–7/2023, with extrapolation to 7/2033. Dew is calculated from meteo data by using a well-established energy model. The extrapolation of dew and rain follows an artificial neural network approach. It is found that dew forms regularly (2–3 days on average between events), in contrast to rain (10–15 days). The evolutions of dew and rain are similar, with an increase from 1991 to 2000, a decrease up to 2020 and a further increase until 2033. These oscillations follow the Indian Ocean dipole variations and should be influenced by climate change. Dew contributions to the water balance remain modest on a yearly basis (3–4%) but is important during the dry season (Apr.–Oct.), up to 30%. Dew therefore appears to be a reliable and sustainable resource for plants, small animals, and the population, especially during droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is commonly believed that nonrainfall water (NRW) serves as an important and even a central source of water for biocrusts in arid and semiarid regions. Known also as biological soil crusts, they mainly consist of cyanobacteria (that dwell within the upper 2 mm of the soil) and crustose chlorolichens that commonly protrude 1–2 mm above ground. It is commonly assumed that due to the prolonged dry season in deserts, a constant source of water is required for their survival. Overestimated, nonrealistic NRW values, whether due to the use of improper measurement devices or erroneous interpretation of the recorded values as well as instances during which distillation was regarded as dewfall, supported the notion that the amounts of NRW are sufficiently high to allow for biocrust activation. In the current commentary, a short account of the reasons that led scholars to believe that NRW may be utilized by biocrusts is presented, and the findings that led to this belief are critically analysed. It is argued that the amounts of NRW reaching the surface are below the critical thresholds of 0.05 and 0.1 mm required for net photosynthesis by the chlorolichens and cyanobacteria, respectively. Moreover, it is argued that even if these thresholds are seldom reached, their duration is too short to result in net carbon gain. As shown for the dewy Negev and may be applicable for other arid and semiarid regions, biocrusts rely on rainwater for their growth and survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichomes are common in plants from dry environments, and despite their recognized role in protection and defense, little is known about their role as absorptive structures and in other aspects of leaf ecophysiology. We combine anatomical and ecophysiological data to evaluate how trichomes affect leaf gas exchange and water balance during drought. We studied two congeneric species with pubescent leaves which co‐occur in Brazilian Caatinga: Croton blanchetianus (dense trichomes) and Croton adenocalyx (sparse trichomes). We found a novel foliar water uptake (FWU) pathway in C. blanchetianus composed of stellate trichomes and underlying epidermal cells and sclereids that interconnect the trichomes from both leaf surfaces. The water absorbed by these trichomes is redistributed laterally by pectin protuberances on mesophyll cell walls. This mechanism enables C. blanchetianus leaves to absorb water more efficiently than C. adenocalyx. Consequently, the exposure of C. blanchetianus to dew during drought improved its leaf gas exchange and water status more than C. adenocalyx. C. blanchetianus trichomes also increase their leaf capacity to reflect light and maintain lower temperatures during drought. Our results emphasize the multiple roles that trichomes might have on plant functioning and the importance of FWU for the ecophysiology of Caatinga plants during drought. Summary statement: We describe a novel pathway of foliar water absorption that involves stellate trichomes, sclereids and pectin protuberances that redistribute water inside the leaf. The absorption of dew water through this pathway benefits the ecophysiological performance of Caatinga plants during drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar radiation triggers atmospheric nitrous acid (HONO) photolysis, producing OH radicals, thereby accelerating photochemical reactions, leading to severe secondary pollution formation. Missing daytime sources were detected in the extensive HONO budget studies carried out in the past. In the rural North China Plain, some studies attributed those to soil emissions and more recent studies to dew evaporation. To investigate the contributions of these two processes to HONO temporal variations and unknown production rates in rural areas, HONO and related field observations obtained at the Gucheng Agricultural and Ecological Meteorological Station during spring and autumn were thoroughly analyzed. Morning peaks in HONO frequently occurred simultaneously with those of ammonia (NH3) and water vapor both during spring and autumn, which were mostly caused by dew and guttation water evaporation. In spring, the unknown HONO production rate revealed pronounced afternoon peaks exceeding those in the morning. In autumn, however, the afternoon peak was barely detectable compared to the morning peak. The unknown afternoon HONO production rates were attributed to soil emissions due to their good relationship to soil temperatures, while NH3 soil emissions were not as distinctive as dew emissions. Overall, the relative daytime contribution of dew emissions was higher during autumn, while soil emissions dominated during spring. Nevertheless, dew emission remained the most dominant contributor to morning time HONO emissions in both seasons, thus being responsible for the initiation of daytime OH radical formation and activation of photochemical reactions, while soil emissions further maintained HONO and associated OH radial formation rates at a high level, especially during spring. Future studies need to thoroughly investigate the influencing factors of dew and soil emissions and establish their relationship to HONO emission rates, form reasonable parameterizations for regional and global models, and improve current underestimations in modeled atmospheric oxidation capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By providing water during the long dry rainless season, non‐rainfall water (NRW), principally dew and fog, is commonly thought to serve as an important water source for arid soil biocrusts, which require water threshold of 0.05 (for lichens) and 0.1 mm (for cyanobacteria) for growth. Such values are commonly reported in the literature. Moreover, values of >0.45 mm/d (considered as the practical theoretical threshold for dew) are also reported. Following an analysis of limited (29 days) dewy mornings, it was recently reported that dew is incapable of forming on the soil surface. Being of limited scope, we therefore analyse days that yielded the highest amounts of NRW during 2 years (2021–2023) of measurements (22 days with NRW ≥0.15 mm). We conducted measurements at 1 m above ground, cobbles, rocks, and the soil surface, and compared them to the cloth‐plate method. Additionally, periodical temperature measurements were conducted, and the dewpoint temperature (Td) was calculated. Our findings indicate that (a) dew yield never surpassed 0.4 mm, (b) while the water threshold amounts were reached on the rocks and especially on the cobbles, these thresholds were seldom reached on soil (a single morning with 0.1 mm and 3 days with ≥0.05 mm), (c) in comparison to air temperatures at 0.05 m and especially at 1 m‐height above ground, surface nocturnal soil temperatures were 2–3°C warmer, thus eliminating possible vapour condensation. Our data cast doubt on values of >0.45 mm reported from various deserts. Additionally, while supporting the view that NRW may provide water for the growth of rock‐dwelling lichens, NRW in the Negev does not provide the soil biocrusts with sufficient water for growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given difficulties with modelling radiation fog and the similarity of meteorological conditions linked to dewfall and frost we investigated the formation of dew, frost and fog. For a site in the UK seven years of data were analysed representing high‐resolution atmospheric profiles and dew meter measurements for radiation nights with stable conditions. Classical dewfall occurs by condensation when the surface is below the dew point and cooler than the air above. However, the profiles show that, in the absence of fog, typically dew and frost form with the surface warmer than the immediately overlying air due to lifted temperature minima (LTMs) at about 0.15 m. Observations of aerosol number density and average hydrated radii show that aerosol optical extinction (and hence their radiative effect) is weakly but significantly correlated with the intensity of LTMs. Low wind speed on stable nights allows settling of aerosols which radiatively cool the air near the ground more quickly than the surface cools – thus creating LTMs. In the presence of LTMs typically dew and frost form not by condensation, but by occult deposition of water droplets onto the canopy and ground. Among radiation fog observations, 91% are associated with light near‐surface winds and LTMs. When the rate of removal of suspended water droplets by occult deposition generating dew or frost is too slow, then build‐up of droplets in the air just above the surface leads to the formation of radiation fog. Future modelling should allow for the accumulation of near‐surface aerosols and their radiative effects during stable nights to represent the formation of LTMs. Modelling of typical dew and frost will require representation of occult deposition. Assessing rates of occult deposition compared to rates of generation of suspended water droplets is needed to forecast the onset of radiation fog formed near the ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the widespread use of mobile and IoT devices, coupled with their continually expanding processing capabilities, dew computing environments have become a significant focus for researchers. These environments enable resource-constrained devices to contribute computing power to a local network. One major challenge within these environments revolves around task scheduling, specifically determining the optimal distribution of jobs across the available devices in the network. This challenge becomes particularly pronounced in dynamic environments where network conditions constantly change. This work proposes integrating the "reliability" concept into cutting-edge human-design job distribution heuristics named ReleSEAS and RelBPA as a means of adapting to dynamic and ever-changing network conditions caused by nodes' mobility. Additionally, we introduce a reinforcement learning (RL) approach, embedding both the notion of reliability and real-time network status into the RL agent. Our research rigorously contrasts our proposed algorithms' throughput and job completion rates with their predecessors. Simulated results reveal a marked improvement in overall throughput, with our algorithms potentially boosting the environment's performance. They also show a significant enhancement in job completion within dynamic environments compared to baseline findings. Moreover, when RL is applied, it surpasses the job completion rate of human-designed heuristics. Our study emphasizes the advantages of embedding inherent network characteristics into job distribution algorithms for dew computing. Such incorporation gives them a profound understanding of the network's diverse resources. Consequently, this insight enables the algorithms to manage resources more adeptly and effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known from arid and semi-arid ecosystems that atmospheric water vapor can directly be adsorbed by the soil matrix. Soil water vapor adsorption was typically neglected and only recently received attention because of improvements in measurement techniques. One technique rarely explored for the measurement of soil water vapor adsorption is eddy covariance (EC). Soil water vapor adsorption may be detectable as downwardly directed (i.e., negative) EC latent heat (λE) flux measurements under dry conditions, but a systematic assessment of the use of negative λE fluxes from EC flux stations to characterize adsorption is missing. We propose a classification method to characterize soil water vapor adsorption, excluding conditions of dew and fog when λE derived from EC is not trustworthy due to stable atmospheric conditions. We compare downwardly directed λE fluxes from EC with measurements from weighing lysimeters for 4 years in a Mediterranean savanna ecosystem and 3 years in a temperate agricultural site. Our aim is to assess if overnight water inputs from soil water vapor adsorption differ between ecosystems and how well they are detectable by EC. At the Mediterranean site, the lysimeters measured soil water vapor adsorption each summer, whereas at the temperate site, soil water vapor adsorption was much rarer and was measured predominantly under an extreme drought event in 2018. During 30 % of nights in the 4-year measurement period at the Mediterranean site, the EC technique detected downwardly directed λE fluxes of which 88.8 % were confirmed to be soil water vapor adsorption by at least one lysimeter. At the temperate site, downwardly directed λE fluxes were only recorded during 15 % of the nights, with only 36.8 % of half hours matching simultaneous lysimeter measurement of soil water vapor adsorption. This relationship slightly improved to 61 % under bare-soil conditions and extreme droughts. This underlines that soil water vapor adsorption is likely a much more relevant process in arid ecosystems compared to temperate ones and that the EC method was able to capture this difference. The comparisons of the amounts of soil water vapor adsorption between the two methods revealed a substantial underestimation of the EC compared to the lysimeters. This underestimation was, however, comparable with the underestimation in evaporation by the eddy covariance and improved in conditions of higher turbulence. Based on a random-forest-based feature selection, we found the mismatch between the methods being dominantly related to the site's inherent variability in soil conditions, namely soil water status, and soil (surface) temperature. We further demonstrate that although the water flux is very small with mean values of 0.04 or 0.06 mm per night for EC or lysimeter, respectively, it can be a substantial fraction of the diel soil water balance under dry conditions. Although the two instruments substantially differ with regard to the measured ratio of adsorption to evaporation over 24 h with 64 % and 25 % for the lysimeter and EC methods, they are in either case substantial. Given the usefulness of EC for detecting soil water vapor adsorption as demonstrated here, there is potential for investigating adsorption in more climate regions thanks to the greater abundance of EC measurements compared to lysimeter observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel sound event detection (SED) system for rare events occurring in an open environment. Wavelet multiresolution analysis (MRA) is used to decompose the input audio clip of 30 seconds into five levels. Wavelet denoising is then applied on the third and fifth levels of MRA to filter out the background. Significant transitions, which may represent the onset of a rare event, are then estimated in these two levels by combining the peak-finding algorithm with the K-medoids clustering algorithm. The small portions of one-second duration, called 'chunks' are cropped from the input audio signal corresponding to the estimated locations of the significant transitions. Features from these chunks are extracted by the wavelet scattering network (WSN) and are given as input to a support vector machine (SVM) classifier, which classifies them. The proposed SED framework produces an error rate comparable to the SED systems based on convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture. Also, the proposed algorithm is computationally efficient and lightweight as compared to deep learning models, as it has no learnable parameter. It requires only a single epoch of training, which is 5, 10, 200, and 600 times lesser than the models based on CNNs and deep neural networks (DNNs), CNN with long short-term memory (LSTM) network, convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN), and CNN respectively. The proposed model neither requires concatenation with previous frames for anomaly detection nor any additional training data creation needed for other comparative deep learning models. It needs to check almost 360 times fewer chunks for the presence of rare events than the other baseline systems used for comparison in this paper. All these characteristics make the proposed system suitable for real-time applications on resource-limited devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a non-precipitation water source, dew is important for plant and animal survival and crop production in arid and water-scarce areas. This study assessed the amount of dew in a dry zone in a long-term (2016 to 2022) field observation experiment at the Ansai Experimental Station, a typical loess hilly area in China. Dew primarily occurred in summer and autumn, with a frequency of >50%. The average annual dew amount was 29.20 mm, with an average annual rainfall of 641.8 mm. The average annual dew-to-rain ratio was 4.58%, and the average annual number of dew days was 143.6 d/a. The surface soil moisture content increased by approximately 1.02% with increasing dew amounts. The change in the soil moisture at a 5 cm depth was 0.14% on average and lagged substantially by 1 h. Using the Beysens model, the annual estimated and measured dew amounts in 2022 were 25.27 and 29.84 mm, respectively, and the annual normalized root mean square deviation (NRMSD) was 0.17. Thus, the Beysens model evaluated the dew amount in the study area well at the monthly and annual scales. The quantification of dew resources can provide support for the development, utilization, and management of limited water resources in arid areas, promoting more accurate decision-making for the sustainable development of water resources in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vehicular networks, some edge servers may not function properly due to the time-varying load condition and the uneven computing resource distribution, resulting in a low quality of caching services. To overcome this challenge, we develop a Vehicular dew computing (VDC) architecture for the first time by combining dew computing with vehicular networks, which can achieve wireless communication between vehicles in a resource-constrained environment. Consequently, it is crucial to develop an adaptive caching scheme that empowers vehicles to form efficient cooperation in VDC. In this paper, we propose an intelligent caching scheme based on VDC architecture, which includes two parts. First, to meet the dynamic nature of VDC, a spatiotemporal vehicle clustering algorithm is proposed to establish adaptive cooperation to assist content caching for vehicles. Second, the multi-armed bandit algorithm is employed to select suitable content for caching in vehicles based on real-time file popularity, and a model is established to dynamically update each vehicle's request preferences. Extensive experiments are conducted to demonstrate that the proposed scheme has excellent performance in terms of cluster head stability and cache hit rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores cross-modal iconic relations in nine diverse Western-music songs ranging from 1600 to 2015, all of them thematizing dysphoric weeping. Initial input comes from five recurrent features observed in ancient Greek texts associated with performative events, including the prominence of sound, interjections and strong self-referentiality, repetitions and refrains, the motif of endlessness, and tears associated with streams of water, dew, and libation liquids. The analysis adopts Peirce's conceptual distinction between image, diagram, and metaphor iconicity, although the continuum reading proposed by several scholars is ultimately favored. The sample turns out to offer plenty of evidence of iconic relations. Interjections, falsetto, verbal repetitions, musical repetitions, musical rendering of sighs and endlessness, ostinato patterns, downward notes, and water images (rain and rivers), all of this is shown to substantiate cross-modal iconicity encompassing weeping, lyrics, music (including musical notation), and images, in different combinations. Quantitative investigations confirming/disconfirming and adding iconicity patterns, and comparative analyses linking Western and non-Western lament traditions constitute desiderata for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence, duration, and amount of surface canopy water (SCW) is important in microwave remote sensing for agricultural applications. Our current understanding of the effect of SCW on total backscatter and the underlying mechanisms is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of SCW on backscatter as a function of frequency and polarization, and to understand the underlying mechanisms. For this purpose, the radiative transfer model developed at the Tor Vergata University was used to simulate the total backscatter at L-, C-, and X-band. First, simulations from the standard Tor Vergata model were compared to L-band observations. Then, two additional implementations of the model were developed to account for the effect of SCW and the presence of water on the soil surface on radar backscatter. Representing SCW by the inclusion of additional water in the vegetation leads to an increase in vegetation volume scattering and a reduction in the contribution from double bounce and direct scattering from the ground. This increases total backscatter, particularly at lower frequencies. Results suggest that the difference between backscatter in the presence and absence of SCW can be up to around 2.5 dB in L-band and likely less at higher frequencies. The effect of water on the canopy (SCW) reaches its maximum during the mid and late season as the crop reached its maximum biomass. The influence of dew on the reflectivity of the soil surface resulted in a difference of up to 3.8 dB between backscatter in the presence and absence of SCW. In particular, at low frequencies and low vegetation cover, the presence of water on the soil surface needs to be taken into account to correctly capture the sub-daily dynamics in backscatter. The findings of this study are relevant for current and future SAR missions including Sentinel-1, ROSE-L, NISAR, SAOCOM, ALOS, CosmoSkyMed, TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X and constellations such as those of ICEYE, and Capella which have dawn/dusk overpasses or multiple overpasses per day.

Moisture is an inherent constituent of air present across the world. The relative humidity varies with the change in temperature and climate specific to a region. In some regions of the world, there may be a relatively inadequate number of grains of moisture in the air in comparison with other regions. These factors widen the scope for the deployment of decentralized technology to capture water. The effectiveness in capturing moisture gains significance in these regions. Among the numerous forms of moisture, fog and dew are studied in depth. Over time, flora and fauna in different ecosystems have adapted to capture moisture as well as repel excesses of it according to their requirements. Therefore, bio-inspired studies and tailored engineering strategies have been incorporated in this review. Since efficient technologies are required at moisture-scarce locations, active moisture harvesting has also been studied. The use of innovative materials along with different energy sources to capture water is elaborated. The effects of climate change and environmental contamination on harvested moisture are therefore assessed. Community participation and economical use of harvested fog or dew influence the sustainability of moisture-capture projects. Therefore, this article also provides an insight into the services of decentralized water-harvesting projects run by diverse organizations and researchers across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydathodes are usually associated with water exudation in plants. However, foliar water uptake (FWU) through the hydathodes has long been suspected in the leaf‐succulent genus Crassula (Crassulaceae), a highly diverse group in southern Africa, and, to our knowledge, no empirical observations exist in the literature that unequivocally link FWU to hydathodes in this genus. FWU is expected to be particularly beneficial on the arid western side of southern Africa, where up to 50% of Crassula species occur and where periodically high air humidity leads to fog and/or dew formation. To investigate if hydathode‐mediated FWU is operational in different Crassula species, we used the apoplastic fluorescent tracer Lucifer Yellow in combination with different imaging techniques. Our images of dye‐treated leaves confirm that hydathode‐mediated FWU does indeed occur in Crassula and that it might be widespread across the genus. Hydathodes in Crassula serve as moisture‐harvesting structures, besides their more common purpose of guttation, an adaptation that has likely played an important role in the evolutionary history of the genus. Our observations suggest that ability for FWU is independent of geographical distribution and not restricted to arid environments under fog influence, as FWU is also operational in Crassula species from the rather humid eastern side of southern Africa. Our observations point towards no apparent link between FWU ability and overall leaf surface wettability in Crassula. Instead, the hierarchically sculptured leaf surfaces of several Crassula species may facilitate FWU due to hydrophilic leaf surface microdomains, even in seemingly hydrophobic species. Overall, these results confirm the ecophysiological relevance of hydathode‐mediated FWU in Crassula and reassert the importance of atmospheric humidity for some arid‐adapted plant groups. Summary Statement: This study demonstrates that foliar water uptake (FWU) through hydathodes, previously suspected but unconfirmed, is indeed operational in most Crassula species. This phenomenon occurs across different habitats and highlights the ecophysiological relevance of atmospheric humidity for these plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentalism has been defined in multiple ways across the literature from a global perspective, both as an ideology and as a movement. However, the definitions of environmentalism have been either vaguely defined or broad with the most common characterization being that of conservation and preservation being at the heart of environmentalism. While there is considerable research on environmentalism in the industrialized world context, there is still limited research in developing regions, with a dearth of research in the Caribbean, hence the rationale for this research. The physical environments of former colonial states have always been subjected to exploitation, yet the way in which this resource has been used by local populations have not been characterized. This paper begins to examine the ways in which local populations of former colonized states view environmentalism. Taking a case study approach, Jamaica is used as the beginning point of reference. Using interviews with self-identified environmental activists, results indicate that there is, what is uniquely referred to in this paper, a decolonial environmental worldview (DEW) that exists among environmental activists. This worldview is grounded in a number of principles that are tied to the way in which the decolonization process continues to proceed in the Caribbean region. The paper postulates that this DEW framework has elasticity and should be applied to other postcolonial societies to determine its salience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable early detection of dew condensation can efficiently protect target solid surfaces from numerous negative effects such as surface fogging and corrosion. Achieving this goal beneficially requires a specially designed moisture sensor whose surface needs to be thermally identical with the target surface via a thermal conductor. However, the effect of the geometrical shape of the thermal conductor on the thermal conduction process is yet to be experimentally emphasized. In this study, we examined the potential detection of dew condensation events at our recently developed moisture sensor chip (MSC) under an effective control of its surface temperature via an attachment with Al-based thermal conductors. Precise and practical dew condensation detections were carried out in a multi-step and a one-step temperature-controlling modes, respectively. The experimental results revealed that the MSC response current (as a measure of dew condensation detection) increased when its surface temperature was dropped below the dew point. Moreover, the geometrical shape of thermal conductor attached to the backside of MSC can affect its thermal resistivity leading to a remarkable improvement in dew condensation detection. Therefore, it can be concluded that the geometrically designed thermal conductor can work effectively to minimize the temperature difference between MSC and target surface. This finding is believed to enable MSC to detect the target surface condition precisely in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an ecological factor of wetland ecosystems, dew condenses frequently and in large amounts. In the process of marsh wetland restoration, the differences in water depth and plant types in different restoration years may affect dew condensation and evaporation. In this study, by monitoring dew in natural marshes, unrestored marshes (farmlands), and marshes restored 15, 10, and 5 years ago in the plant growth period of 2022 in the Sanjiang Plain, China, it was found that the "cold and wet effect" of marshes was conducive to dew condensation and could prolong the evaporation time of dew. In the process of marsh restoration, the number of dew days increased from 106 days (farmland) to 122 days (15-year marsh restoration), and the duration increased from 791.1 ± 90.3 min (farmland) to 869.4 ± 100.5 min (15-year marsh restoration). The dew intensity increased from 0.06 ± 0.02 mm (farmland) to 0.13 ± 0.04 mm (15-year marsh restoration), and the annual dew amount increased from 35.10 mm/y (farmland) to 44.86 mm/y (15-year marsh restoration). The number of dew days and the duration were similar to those of natural marshes after 15 years of restoration. SO42−, Ca2+, NH4+ and NO3− were the main ions of dew in marsh in each restoration year and farmland. There was no significant difference in the ion concentration (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, NH4+, F−, Cl−, NO2−, and SO42−) of natural marsh dew compared with that 15 years after restoration (p > 0.05), except for NO3−. The marsh restored after 15 years had basically restored the characteristics of natural marsh in terms of the quality and quantity of dew. This study showed that marsh restoration increased dew, and dew was a good indicator of the restoration effect of marshes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant canopies divert a portion of precipitation to the base of their stems through "stemflow", a phenomenon that influences the canopy water balance, soil microbial ecology, and intrasystem nutrient cycling. However, a comprehensive integration of stemflow into theoretical and numerical models in natural science remains limited. This perspective examines three unresolved, fundamental questions hindering this integration, spanning the canopy to the soil. First, the precise source area within the canopy that generates stemflow is undefined. Thus, we asked, "whence stemflow?" Current common assumptions equate it to the entire tree canopy, a potentially misleading simplification that could affect our interpretation of stemflow variability. Second, we asked what are the various conditions contributing to stemflow generation—beyond rain, to dew and intercepted ice melt—and could the exclusion of these volumes consequently obscure an understanding of the broader implications of stemflow? Third, we explored "whither stemflow?" This question extends beyond how much stemflow infiltrates where, into what uptakes it and from where. Addressing these questions is constrained by current observational and analytical methods. Nevertheless, by confronting these challenges, the stemflow research community stands to make significant strides in comprehending this unique hydrological component and situating it within the broader context of natural science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water infiltration into fractures is ubiquitous in crustal rocks. However, little is known about how such a progressive wetting process affects fracture stiffness and seismic wave propagation, which are highly relevant for characterizing fracture systems in situ. We study the acousto‐mechanical behavior of a free‐standing fractured granite subjected to gradual water infiltration with a downward‐moving wetting front over 12 days. We observe significant differences (i.e., by an order of magnitude) in wave amplitudes across the fractured granite compared to an intact granite, with both cases showing a strong correlation between wave amplitudes and wetting front movement. Effects of water infiltration into the fracture and surrounding matrix on seismic attenuation are captured by a numerical model with parameters constrained by experimental data. Back‐calculated fracture stiffness decreases exponentially with the wetting front migration along the fracture. We propose that moisture‐induced matrix expansion around the fracture increases asperity mismatch, leading to reduced fracture stiffness. Plain Language Summary: In the shallow layers of the Earth, hydrological cycles such as snowmelt, fog, dew, and rain have been shown to change the moisture content of crustal rocks, which can alter the elastic properties of natural fractures and affect the propagation of seismic waves. Understanding how seismic waves propagate in the near‐surface environment is crucial for the assessment of earthquake hazards and the characterization of geologic heterogeneities. In this work, we perform well‐controlled laboratory experiments to study the acousto‐mechanical behavior of a single fracture in granitic rock subjected to progressive wetting over 12 days. We report that the fracture stiffness decreases exponentially as the wetting front advances along the fracture. Our research sheds light on an important question in fracture characterization: how elastic waves propagate across a fracture undergoing moisture‐induced expansion. Key Points: A laboratory study establishes a relationship among water imbibition, seismic attenuation, and stiffness evolution in a wetted fractureWave amplitudes across a fracture correlate strongly with the wetting front movement of infiltrated water within the fractureFracture stiffness exponentially decreases with the advance of the wetting front along the fracture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the quantity and quality of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) and hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fibers obtained depending on the fiber extraction method. The extraction methods used in this study were osmotic degumming, dew retting, and water retting. The degummed straw was analyzed for fiber content, while the metrological, chemical, and physical properties were determined for the fibers obtained. It was shown that these properties change based on the method of fiber extraction used. The highest fiber content in the straw was obtained using the osmotic degumming method. These fibers are characterized by a light color, no unpleasant odor, low linear mass, good tenacity, lowest hygroscopicity, and reduced flammability compared to fibers obtained via the dew and water retting of straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spinal structures found on Copiapoa cinerea var. haseltoniana, an efficient dew-harvesting cactus, were fabricated and evaluated both in a climate chamber and outdoors in dewy conditions. A mix of aluminium and steel was used to fabricate these surfaces, with aluminium being used for everything but the replicated spine features, which were constructed from steel. Each surface was entirely coated with a highly emissive paint containing an alumina–silicate OPUR additive. Three replica versions (stem only, spine only, and stem & spine) were compared to a flat planar reference surface. Experimental results demonstrated that all three biomimetic macro-structured surfaces significantly enhanced dew harvesting compared to the reference surface. It was established that the stem & spine replica, spine replica, and stem replica all demonstrated significantly more dew harvesting, with mean efficiency ratios in respect of the reference surface of 1.08 ± 0.03, 1.08 ± 0.02, and 1.02 ± 0.01, respectively. Furthermore, the method of surface water collection was found to influence the water collection rate. The diagonal run-off flow across a flat planar surface was 34% more efficient than the parallel run-off flow on the same surface. These findings provide valuable insights for the construction and installation of biomimetic-inspired dew-harvesting devices, particularly in regions that are most challenged by decreasing dew yields as a result of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of research, writing, and new spaces for exhibitions, film-showings, dialogue, and exchange elucidate rich and diverse forms of cultural production by Zainichi Koreans across generations. The first section of this paper introduces selected collaborative research and curatorial projects conducted from 2000 to the present that have engaged artists, scholars, and activists concerned with Korean diaspora and postcolonial studies, intergenerational memory and contemporary art in Japan. Over the last two decades, a younger generation of artists and curators and new possibilities to hold exhibitions have helped make contemporary art works by Zainichi Koreans more visible in Japan. At the same time, in a context where the history and political struggles faced by Zainichi Koreans are still not well-understood and as tensions in the East Asian region and polarizing right-wing media generating hate speech are again on the rise, many of these artists are finding ways to make personal family histories that are entangled with colonial history visible; these histories have often been invisible in official historical and mainstream media narratives. The second section focuses on Soni Kum's Morning Dew: The Stigma of Being "Brainwashed" (2020), a collaborative project supported by the Kawamura Arts and Cultural Foundation, Socially Engaged Art Support Center, that has opened up a space for dialogue about Zainichi Koreans impacted by the North Korean Repatriation Project (1959–1984). Through their works, Soni Kum and other participating Japanese artists engage with "ex-returnees" deeply affected by their cross-border migrations and present-day struggles, as they explore themes of visibility and invisibility, voices and silence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cost of water transport for irrigating drought-endurable plants in desertification areas makes it important to develop other water sources. Research shows that freshwater produced by dewing could satisfy the water requirement during germination of desert plants, therefore, functional materials that promote dew formation provide solutions for reduction of plant irrigation costs in desertification regions. In this review, feasibility of utilizing trace irrigation for ensuring survival of desert plants has been demonstrated. The technologies of preparing water harvesting materials with modified microstructure and wettability arrangement have been introduced, it has been shown that surface embedded with a bump array which has counter wettability compared with its plane section is a common morphology adopted by current works. After comparing climates in desertification regions with those in dewing chambers, it has been found that currently, the expected values of dew productivities of most water harvesting materials in deserted areas will not be as efficient as they performed in experiments due to low relative humidity. However, hydrophobic surface with submicron scale hydrophilic spherical cavity array produced by nanosphere lithography has shown reliable prospects in reducing the energy barrier of heterogeneous nucleation and thus become a more potential medium in dew water production. HIGHLIGHTS Water supply is the key to guarantee the survival of desert plants.; Water consumption of some desert plants can be satisfied by trace water produced from dewing.; Low moisture is an obstacle that limits the dew productivity of current dewing materials.; Nanosphere lithography has the potential for upgrading the dry-adaptation of dewing materials.; Nano-/submicron cavity is critical for realizing early nucleation.;

Despite recent studies emphasising the dual human and physical nature of droughts, there is a lag in advancing this insight in drought monitoring and early warning systems (DEWS). These systems mainly depend on physical indices and often overlook the experiences of affected communities, resulting in a drought-monitoring gap. This study introduces the Monitoring Efficacy Matrix (MEM) to assess the alignment between officially monitored data, relevant to drought impacts, and the actual experiences of a rural community in Northeast Brazil, which we investigated through interviews. The MEM revealed 'drought-monitoring challenges', composed of mismatches and blindspots between the official data and local experiences. Mismatches stem from varying spatial and temporal levels; blindspots arise from the diversity of local resilience strategies, or vulnerabilities, influencing drought impacts. What we define as a 'drought-monitoring gap' results from the tendency to prioritise specific indices and pragmatic spatial and temporal levels over a comprehensive drought-monitoring approach. We posit that a first step to bridge this gap can draw inspiration from recent drought-impact-monitoring initiatives, which are focused on the continuous monitoring of non-extreme events by municipal technical extension officers. However, ultimately bridging the drought-monitoring gap remains conditional on the adaptation of DEWS frameworks to accommodate the integration of qualitative and local data representing the relevant drought-related local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known from arid and semi-arid ecosystems that atmospheric water vapor is directly adsorbed by the soil matrix during the night. Soil water vapor adsorption was typically neglected and only recently got attention because of improvements in measurement techniques. One technique rarely explored is eddy covariance (EC). EC nighttime measurements are usually discarded, but soil water vapor adsorption may be detectable as downwards-directed EC latent heat (λ E) flux measurements under dry conditions. We propose a classification method to exclude conditions of dew and fog when λ E derived from EC is not trustworthy due to stable atmospheric conditions. We compare downwards-directed λ E fluxes from EC with measurements from weighable lysimeters for four years in a Mediterranean Savannah ecosystem and three years in a temperate agricultural site. Our aim is to assess if overnight water inputs from soil water vapor adsorption differ between ecosystems and how well they are detectable by EC. At the Mediterranean site, the lysimeters measured soil water vapor adsorption each summer whereas at the temperate site soil water vapor adsorption was much rarer, and measured predominantly under extreme drought. In 30 % of nights in the four-year measurement period at the Mediterranean site, the EC technique detected downward-directed λ E fluxes of which 88.8 % were confirmed to be soil water vapor adsorption by at least one lysimeter. At the temperate site, downward-directed λ E fluxes were only recorded during 15 % of the nights, with only 36.8 % of half-hours matching simultaneous lysimeter measurement of soil water vapor adsorption. Although this relationship slightly improved to 60% under bare soil conditions and extreme droughts, this underlines that soil water vapor adsorption is likely a much more relevant process in arid ecosystems compared to temperate ones and that the EC method was able to capture this difference. The comparisons of the magnitudes between the two methods revealed a substantial underestimation of soil water vapor adsorption with EC. This underestimation was, however, on par with the underestimation in evaporation. Based on a random forest-based feature selection we found the mismatch between the techniques being dominantly related to the site's inherent spatiotemporal variations in soil conditions, namely soil water status, and soil (surface) temperature. We further demonstrate that although the water flux is very small with mean values of 0.04 or 0.06 mm per night depending on either EC or lysimeter detection it can be a substantial fraction of the diel soil water balance under dry conditions. Although the two instruments substantially differ with regard to the evaporative fraction with 64% and 25% for the lysimeter and EC methods, they are in either case substantial. Given the usefulness of EC for detecting soil water vapor adsorption as demonstrated here, there is potential for investigating adsorption in more climate regions at longer timescales thanks to the greater abundance of EC measurements compared to lysimeter observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The text is a research report titled "Afghanistan Drought Early Warning Decision Support (AF-DEWS) Tool" by Giriraj Amarnath, Surajit Ghosh, and Niranga Alahacoon. It discusses the development of an online platform called the AF-DEWS Tool, which aims to provide decision-makers with maps and data to support drought resilience efforts in Afghanistan. The tool combines satellite-based Earth observation data with weather forecasting to provide services such as precipitation and temperature forecasts, near real-time drought indicators, and a comprehensive composite drought index. The report emphasizes the importance of early warning systems and the use of remote sensing technology in monitoring and mitigating drought impacts. [Extracted from the article]

The performance of solar photovoltaic systems tends to decline if the operating conditions change from the nominal operating cell temperature due to environmental factors. The major factors include temperature and humidity variations, which cause thermal losses and open-circuit voltage drops in photovoltaic panels. This study investigates the correlations between solar photovoltaic performance and environmental factors by quantifying the real-time variables including temperature, humidity, dewpoint temperature, and heat index. Furthermore, the study investigates the difference between real-time measured and theoretically calculated temperature values with the help of weather station data to investigate the impact of temperature difference on the overall percentage power loss of the systems. The panels were installed at three distinct sites (rooftop, parking shed, and ground-mounted) connected to the same grid-tied system. Results reveal that the photovoltaic panel temperature has an inverse relation with the dew temperature and the humidity of the surrounding environment. The heat index value was found slightly less at the peak solar hours during the 24 h cycle of the measurement. The difference and relationship between temperature and humidity are measured and losses are highlighted based on the instantaneous occurrence of variables. Based on a difference between measured and calculated temperature values, results reveal that PV systems faced 27.95%, 5.41%, and 0.82% power losses for ground, roof, and parking installed PV systems, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid and semi-arid lands throughout the world suffer from problems like low and erratic rainfall, high temperature, low amount of nutrients and salinity/alkalinity of soil and water. In addition to that, some other factors like composition of bedrock and sea water intrusion exaggerate the problem. The paper gives information about various remediation processes like green remediation, phytoremediation, biochar application, herbal treatment for improvement in soil and water quality. In addition to these methods, some management techniques are also highlighted like water harvesting by tankas, khadin system, watershed management, check dams, the implication of Bhungroo and Zai technology, dew and rain ridge collection system, drip and sprinkler method of irrigation and soil moisture conservation practices. Due to intense heat in the region, the agriculture and farming also get affected. The plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) in the rhizosphere get affected due to insufficient moisture. These PGPR help in root growth, prevention of plant disease and increase availability of nutrients. It has been found that some of the PGPR strains in the arid lands involve in the metabolism and growth of plants by withstanding the unfavorable condition. Integrated farming system and new land use technologies like agroforestry approach are used for better benefits. These techniques will result in the overall uses of resources and restoration of ecological diversity. This paper enumerates various arid regions in India, their adverse soil conditions, water management practices and possible solutions for ecorestoration of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]