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Topic Review
IAQ and Façade–Ventilation Systems
Poor indoor air quality affects the health of the occupants of a given structure or building. It reduces the effectiveness of learning and work efficiency. Among many pollutants, PM 2.5 and 10 dusts are extremely important. They can be eliminated using mechanical ventilation equipped with filters. Façade ventilation devices are used as a way to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in existing buildings. For their analysis, researchers used carbon dioxide as a tracer gas. They have shown that façade ventilation devices are an effective way to improve IAQ, but require further analysis due to the sensitivity of façade ventilation devices to the effects of wind and outdoor temperature. In addition, legal regulations in some countries require verification in order to enable the use of this type of solution as a way to improve IAQ in an era characterised by the effort to transform buildings into passive houses (standard for energy efficiency in a building). 
  • 864
  • 04 Mar 2021
Topic Review
PM0.1 in Southeast Asian Cities
PM0.1 (particles with a diameter ≤ 0.1 µm), nanoparticles (NPs), or ultrafine particles (UFPs) were interchangeably used in the scientific communities. PM0.1 originated from both natural and human sources.
  • 861
  • 30 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Green Parking Lots
Green infrastructure has a role to play in climate change adaptation strategies in cities. Alternative urban spaces should be designed considering new requirements in terms of urban microclimate and thermal comfort. Pervious pavements such as green parking lots can contribute to this goal through solar evaporative cooling. However, the cooling benefits of such systems remain under debate during dry and warm periods.
  • 854
  • 09 Aug 2021
Topic Review
ESA Round Robin Exercise
Motivated by the experience acquired in the ESA promoted Round Robin exercise aimed at comparing cloud detection algorithms for PROBA-V sensor, we investigate specific issues related to cloud detection when remotely sensed images comprise only a few spectral bands in the visible and near-infrared by considering a bunch of well-known classification methods. First, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a training dataset semi-automatically obtained from other accurate algorithms. In addition, we investigate the effect of ancillary information, e.g., surface type or climate, on accuracy. Then we compare the different classification methods using the same training dataset under different configurations. We also perform a consensus analysis aimed at estimating the degree of mutual agreement among classification methods in detecting Clear or Cloudy sky conditions. Results are also compared on a high-quality test dataset of 1350 reflectances and Clear/Cloudy corresponding labels prepared by ESA for the mentioned exercise.
  • 848
  • 02 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Optimal Interpolation for infrared satellite data
Thermal infrared remote sensing measurements are blinded to surface emissions under cloudiness because infrared sensors cannot penetrate thick cloud layers. Therefore, surface and atmospheric parameters can be retrieved only in clear sky conditions giving origin to spatial fields flagged with missing pieces of information. Motivated by this we present a methodology to retrieve missing values of some interesting geophysical variables retrieved from spatially scattered infrared satellite observations in order to yield level 3 (L3), regularly gridded, data. The technique is based on a 2-Dimensional (2D) Optimal Interpolation (OI) scheme. The goodness of the approach has been tested on 15-min temporal resolution Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) emissivity and surface temperature (ST) products over South Italy (land and sea), on Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentration over North Italy and carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and NH3 concentrations over China. Sea surface temperature (SST) retrievals have been compared with gridded data from MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) observations. For gases concentration, we have considered data from 3 different emission inventories, that is, Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research v3.4.2 (EDGARv3.4.2), the Regional Emission inventory in ASiav3.1 (REASv3.1) and MarcoPolov0.1, plus an independent study.
  • 844
  • 30 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Last Deglaciation Rainfall Changes
Three drier periods (lower rainfall) (i.e., before ~17, ~1513.5, and 7–3 ka BP) and three wetter periods (higher rainfall) (i.e., ~17–15, ~13.5–7, and after ~3 ka BP) were detected on Southern Indonesia (off southwest Sumba) based on geochemical element (terrigenous input) proxies (ln Ti/Ca and K/Ca). During the Last Deglaciation, AISM rainfall responded to high latitude climatic events related to the latitudinal shifts of the austral summer ITCZ. Sea level rise, solar activity, and orbitally-induced insolation were most likely the primary driver of AISM rainfall changes during the Holocene, but the driving mechanisms behind the latitudinal shifts of the austral summer ITCZ during this period are not yet understood.
  • 823
  • 27 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Atmospheric Models
Static atmospheric models describe how the ideal gas properties (namely: pressure, temperature, density, and molecular weight) of an atmosphere change, primarily as a function of altitude. The World Meteorological Organization defines a standard atmosphere as "a hypothetical vertical distribution of atmospheric temperature, pressure and density which, by international agreement, is roughly representative of year-round, midlatitude conditions. Typical usages are as a basis for pressure altimeter calibrations, aircraft performance calculations, aircraft and rocket design, ballistic tables, and meteorological diagrams." For example, the U.S. Standard Atmosphere derives the values for air temperature, pressure, and mass density, as a function of altitude above sea level. Other static atmospheric models may have other outputs, or depend on inputs besides altitude.
  • 814
  • 08 Oct 2022
Topic Review
Mediterranean Drought: Regional Exceptional Datasets
To define such drought events and their characteristics, separate analyses based on three drought indices were performed at 12-month timescale: the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI). A multivariate combined drought index (DXI) was developed by merging the previous three indices for more understanding of droughts’ features at the country and subregional levels. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify five different drought subregions based on DXI-12 values for 312 Mediterranean stations and a new special score was defined to classify the multi-subregional exceptional drought events across the Mediterranean Basin (MED). The results indicated that extensive drought events occurred more frequently since the late 1990s, showing several drought hotspots in the last decades in the southeastern Mediterranean and northwest Africa. In addition, the results showed that the most severe events were more detected when more than single drought index was used. 
  • 802
  • 11 Aug 2021
Topic Review
Long-Term Trends of Heat Stress for South Africa
Increasing air temperature coupled with high humidity due to ongoing climate change across most parts of South Africa is likely to induce and intensify heat exposure, particularly in densely populated areas. The adverse health implications, including heatstroke, are expected to be common and more severe during extreme heat and heat wave events.
  • 800
  • 17 Dec 2021
Topic Review
Atmospheric Sciences
Atmospheric sciences are the study of the Earth's atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather forecasting. Climatology is the study of atmospheric changes (both long and short-term) that define average climates and their change over time, due to both natural and anthropogenic climate variability. Aeronomy is the study of the upper layers of the atmosphere, where dissociation and ionization are important. Atmospheric science has been extended to the field of planetary science and the study of the atmospheres of the planets of the solar system. Experimental instruments used in atmospheric sciences include satellites, rocketsondes, radiosondes, weather balloons, and lasers. The term aerology (from Greek ἀήρ, aēr, "air"; and -λογία, -logia) is sometimes used as an alternative term for the study of Earth's atmosphere. Early pioneers in the field include Léon Teisserenc de Bort and Richard Assmann.
  • 792
  • 04 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Pollution in the Air
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were widely used in industrial and commercial applications, until they were banned in the late 1970s as a result of their significant environmental pollution. PCBs in the environment gained scientific interest because of their persistence and the potential threats they pose to humans. Traditionally, human exposure to PCBs was linked to dietary ingestion.
  • 791
  • 15 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Climatic Indices over Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea, strategically situated across a dynamic frontier line that separates two regions with different climates (Europe and North Africa), has been the focus of attention of many studies dealing with its thermohaline circulation, deep water formation processes or heat and freshwater budgets. Large-scale atmospheric forcing has been found to play an important role in these topics and attention has been renewed in climatic indices that can be used as a proxy for atmospheric variability. This overview summarizes the recent advances that have been achieved in the understanding of the climatic indices and their influence on the functioning of the Mediterranean from a physical point of view
  • 769
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Iberian Peninsula under Climate Change
This entry presents the results of a systematic review of temperature and precipitation extremes over the Iberian Peninsula, focusing on observed changes in temperature and precipitation during the past years and what are the projected changes by the end of the 21st century. The purpose of this entry is to assess the current literature about extreme events and their change under global warming. Observational and climate modeling studies from the past decade were considered in this entry.
  • 768
  • 18 Feb 2022
Topic Review
E-Region Auroral Ionosphere Model
E-region Auroral Ionosphere Model (AIM-E) is a numerical model involving both solar EUV radiation and electron precipitation as ionization sources. The AIM-E model allows to evaluate the concentration of the main ionospheric ions N+, N2+, NO+, O2+, O+(4S), O+(2D), O+(2P), electrons and  minor neutral components NO, N(4S), N(2D), for quiet and disturbed geomagnetic conditions at specified date, time and geographic location. The model design allows to  calculate the ionospheric composition in the entire high-latitude E-region in the retrospective, nowcast and forecast modes and shows good agreement with measurements.
  • 768
  • 02 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Potential Ozone Impacts of Landfills
Landfill gas produces ozone precursors such as nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde when combusted in flares or stationary engines. Solid waste landfills are also the third largest anthropogenic source of methane in the United States. Methane is both a greenhouse gas and a tropospheric ozone precursor. Despite its low photochemical reactivity, methane may noticeably affect urban ozone if released in large quantities along with other organic compounds in landfill gas. A fine-scale 3D Eulerian chemical transport model was used to demonstrate that, under meteorological and background chemical conditions conducive to high ozone concentrations, typical emissions of ozone precursors from a single hypothetical landfill may result in persistent daytime additions to ozone of over 1 part per billion (ppb) by volume tens of kilometers downwind.
  • 761
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Nanoparticle Number Concentration
The entry analyzes suspended particles number concentrations of 61 size fractions (184 nm to 17,165 nm) in the air at a traffic location. The average course of the individual fractions was analyzed at various intervals – daily, weekly, monthly and annually, in the period between 2017 and 2019. The data was then used to calculate the arithmetic mean for all the fractions (MS Excel, R) and then using a proprietary web application, heatmaps were constructed. The obtained results showed significant differences in both the annual and daily variation of number concentrations between the individual fractions differing in particle size. In the case of the annual variation, one can see a greater variability of smaller particles, which is most likely due to the source of the actual suspended particles. Meteorological and dispersion conditions are found as important factors for suspended particle concentrations. These can lead to significant differences from year to year. However, a comparison between 2018 and 2019 showed that even though the average absolute number concentrations can differ between years, the actual relative number concentrations, i.e. the ratios between the individual fractions remain very similar. In conclusion it can be said that the difference between the number concentration variation of the size fractions depends on both the actual pollution sources (especially in the long-term, i.e. the annual variation) and the actual size of the particles, which plays a role especially in the short-term (daily, weekly variation).
  • 752
  • 27 Oct 2020
Topic Review
Indoor Air Quality
Along with the penetration of outside air pollutants, contaminants are produced in indoor environments due to different activities such as heating, cooling, cooking, and emissions from building products and the materials used. As people spend most of their lives in indoor environments, this has a significant influence on human health and productivity. Despite the two decades of indoor air quality (IAQ) research from different perspectives, there is still a lack of comprehensive evaluation of peer-reviewed IAQ studies that specifically covers the relationship between the internal characteristics of different types of building environments with IAQ to help understand the progress and limitations of IAQ research worldwide.
  • 738
  • 17 May 2021
Topic Review
Air Quality and Shipping Emissions
Maritime transport has been recognized as an essential driver for economic and social development, especially for coastal regions. However, shipping and in-port activities pose public health issues and environmental pressures, exposing coastal population to associated emissions (i.e., particulate matter and gaseous pollutants). In the last decades, several policies have been implemented at local/regional and international level, reducing the content of sulphur in marine fuels. This work provides a brief comment of some recent results regarding the impacts of maritime emissions on air quality, health effects and future projections, taking into account the current implementation of the IMO-2020 legislation. Finally, future perspectives and potential mitigation strategies are discussed.
  • 729
  • 18 Feb 2021
Topic Review
Application of CMAQ during SOAS
Formation of aerosol from biogenic hydrocarbons relies heavily on anthropogenic emissions since they control the availability of species such as sulfate and nitrate, and through them, aerosol acidity (pH). To elucidate the role that acidity and emissions play in regulating Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA), we utilize the 2013 Southern Oxidant and Aerosol Study (SOAS) dataset to enhance the extensive mechanism of isoprene epoxydiol (IEPOX)-mediated SOA formation implemented in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model (Pye et al., 2013), which was then used to investigate the impact of potential future emission controls on IEPOX OA.
  • 710
  • 29 Jun 2021
Topic Review
Global View of Machine Learning and Forest Fire
Utilising machine learning techniques in aiding forest fire detection, analysis, and prediction is not new, and these techniques have been successfully adopted in many other countries as they have been gaining more attention. Hence, this is probably a potential research direction to be delved into in the near future.
  • 710
  • 22 Sep 2022
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