Various studies reported an elevation dependent precipitation and temperature changes in mountainous regions of the world including the Himalayas. Various mechanisms are proposed to link the possible ...dependence of the precipitation and temperature on elevation with other variables, including, long- and short-wave radiation, albedo, clouds, humidity, etc. In the present study changes and trends of precipitation and temperature at different elevation ranges in the Indian Himalayan region (IHR) is assessed. Observations and modelling fields during the period 1970–2099 are used. Modelling simulations from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment-South Asia experiments (CORDEX-SA) suites are considered. In addition, four seasons—winter (Dec, Jan, Feb: DJF), pre-monsoon (Mar, Apr, May: MAM), monsoon (Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep: JJAS) and post-monsoon (Oct, Nov: ON)—are considered to detect the possible seasonal response of elevation dependency. Firstly, precipitation and temperature fields, separately, as well as the diurnal temperature range (DTR) are assessed. Following, their long-term trends are investigated, if varying, at different elevational ranges in the IHR. To explain plausible physical mechanisms due to elevation dependency, trend of other variables viz., surface downward longwave radiation (DLR), total cloud faction, soil moisture, near surface specific humidity, surface snow melt and surface albedo, etc. are investigated. Results point towards an decreased (increased) precipitation in higher (lower) elevation. And amplified warming signals at higher elevations (above 3000 m), both in daytime and nighttime temperatures, during all seasons except the monsoon, are noticed. Increased DLR trends at higher elevation are also simulated well by the model and are likely the main elevation dependent driver in the IHR.
Observed climate change hotspots Turco, M.; Palazzi, E.; von Hardenberg, J. ...
Geophysical research letters,
16 May 2015, Volume:
42, Issue:
9
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
We quantify climate change hotspots from observations, taking into account the differences in precipitation and temperature statistics (mean, variability, and extremes) between 1981–2010 and ...1951–1980. Areas in the Amazon, the Sahel, tropical West Africa, Indonesia, and central eastern Asia emerge as primary observed hotspots. The main contributing factors are the global increase in mean temperatures, the intensification of extreme hot‐season occurrence in low‐latitude regions and the decrease of precipitation over central Africa. Temperature and precipitation variability have been substantially stable over the past decades, with only a few areas showing significant changes against the background climate variability. The regions identified from the observations are remarkably similar to those defined from projections of global climate models under a “business‐as‐usual” scenario, indicating that climate change hotspots are robust and persistent over time. These results provide a useful background to develop global policy decisions on adaptation and mitigation priorities over near‐time horizons.
Key Points
We determine climatic hotspots based on observations
Observed hotspots are remarkably consistent with those from future projections
Climate variability has not changed substantially during the period 1951–2010
Quantifying rates of climate change in mountain regions is of considerable interest, not least because mountains are viewed as climate “hotspots” where change can anticipate or amplify what is ...occurring elsewhere. Accelerating mountain climate change has extensive environmental impacts, including depletion of snow/ice reserves, critical for the world's water supply. Whilst the concept of elevation‐dependent warming (EDW), whereby warming rates are stratified by elevation, is widely accepted, no consistent EDW profile at the global scale has been identified. Past assessments have also neglected elevation‐dependent changes in precipitation. In this comprehensive analysis, both in situ station temperature and precipitation data from mountain regions, and global gridded data sets (observations, reanalyses, and model hindcasts) are employed to examine the elevation dependency of temperature and precipitation changes since 1900. In situ observations in paired studies (using adjacent stations) show a tendency toward enhanced warming at higher elevations. However, when all mountain/lowland studies are pooled into two groups, no systematic difference in high versus low elevation group warming rates is found. Precipitation changes based on station data are inconsistent with no systematic contrast between mountain and lowland precipitation trends. Gridded data sets (CRU, GISTEMP, GPCC, ERA5, and CMIP5) show increased warming rates at higher elevations in some regions, but on a global scale there is no universal amplification of warming in mountains. Increases in mountain precipitation are weaker than for low elevations worldwide, meaning reduced elevation‐dependency of precipitation, especially in midlatitudes. Agreement on elevation‐dependent changes between gridded data sets is weak for temperature but stronger for precipitation.
Plain Language SummaryMountains cover a large part of the Earth's surface and harbor distinct ecosystems, hold most of snow and ice outside the polar regions, and provide water for billions of people. This research looks at recent climate changes in mountains and compares them with simultaneous changes in lowland regions using weather station data, large global data sets, and climate models. We examine changes since 1900, but also concentrate on the last 40 years since this is when many changes have started to accelerate. Nearly all regions of the globe are getting warmer. When we make local comparisons, mountain sites are usually warming faster than lower areas nearby. However, when we average data from all global mountains and compare them with those from all lowland areas, there is no significant difference. Rainfall/snowfall on the other hand is decreasing in some areas, and increasing in others. In nearly all cases the strongest increase is occurring in the lowland areas, with increases in the mountains being more subdued (if at all). One consequence of our findings is that stores of mountain snow and ice may decline even faster than previously assumed due to the combination of enhanced mountain warming and reduced elevation dependency of rainfall/snowfall.
Key PointsUsing station and gridded data sets, we compare global precipitation and temperature trends by elevationLocal comparisons of paired stations and regional comparisons using gridded data often show faster mountain than lowland warmingPrecipitation differences between mountains and adjacent lowlands are reducing, often driven by stronger precipitation increase in lowlands
ABSTRACT
Multimessenger astronomy received a great boost following the discovery of kilonova (KN) AT2017gfo, the optical counterpart of the gravitational wave source GW170817 associated with the ...short gamma-ray burst GRB 170817A. AT2017gfo was the first KN that could be extensively monitored in time using both photometry and spectroscopy. Previously, only few candidates have been observed against the glare of short GRB afterglows. In this work, we aim to search the fingerprints of AT2017gfo-like KN emissions in the optical/NIR light curves of 39 short GRBs with known redshift. For the first time, our results allow us to study separately the range of luminosity of the blue and red components of AT2017gfo-like kilonovae in short GRBs. In particular, the red component is similar in luminosity to AT2017gfo, while the blue KN can be more than 10 times brighter. Finally, we exclude a KN as luminous as AT2017gfo in GRBs 050509B and 061201.
We study the properties of precipitation in the Hindu‐Kush Karakoram Himalaya (HKKH) region using currently available data sets. We consider satellite rainfall estimates (Tropical Rainfall Measuring ...Mission), reanalyses (ERA‐Interim), gridded in situ rain gauge data (Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources, Climate Research Unit, and Global Precipitation Climatology Centre), and a merged satellite and rain gauge climatology (Global Precipitation Climatology Project). The data are compared with simulation results from the global climate model EC‐Earth. All data sets, despite having different resolutions, coherently reproduce the mean annual cycle of precipitation in the western and eastern stretches of the HKKH. While for the Himalaya only a strong summer precipitation signal is present, associated with the monsoon, the data indicate that the Hindu‐Kush Karakoram, which is exposed to midlatitude “western weather patterns”, receives water inputs in winter. Time series of seasonal precipitation confirm that the various data sets provide a consistent measurement of interannual variability for the HKKH. The longest observational data sets indicate a statistically significant decreasing trend in Himalaya during summer. None of the data sets gives statistically significant precipitation trends in Hindu‐Kush Karakoram during winter. Precipitation data from EC‐Earth are in good agreement with the climatology of the observations (rainfall distribution and seasonality). The evolution of precipitation under two different future scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) reveals an increasing trend over the Himalaya during summer, associated with an increase in wet extremes and daily intensity and a decrease in the number of rainy days. Unlike the observations, the model shows an increasing precipitation trend also in the period 1950–2009, possibly as a result of the poor representation of aerosols in this type of GCMs.
Key Points
Precipitation
Hydrological cycle
Himalaya
EC‐Earth
The merger of two neutron stars is predicted to give rise to three major detectable phenomena: a short burst of γ-rays, a gravitational-wave signal, and a transient optical-near-infrared source ...powered by the synthesis of large amounts of very heavy elements via rapid neutron capture (the r-process). Such transients, named 'macronovae' or 'kilonovae', are believed to be centres of production of rare elements such as gold and platinum. The most compelling evidence so far for a kilonova was a very faint near-infrared rebrightening in the afterglow of a short γ-ray burst at redshift z = 0.356, although findings indicating bluer events have been reported. Here we report the spectral identification and describe the physical properties of a bright kilonova associated with the gravitational-wave source GW170817 and γ-ray burst GRB 170817A associated with a galaxy at a distance of 40 megaparsecs from Earth. Using a series of spectra from ground-based observatories covering the wavelength range from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared, we find that the kilonova is characterized by rapidly expanding ejecta with spectral features similar to those predicted by current models. The ejecta is optically thick early on, with a velocity of about 0.2 times light speed, and reaches a radius of about 50 astronomical units in only 1.5 days. As the ejecta expands, broad absorption-like lines appear on the spectral continuum, indicating atomic species produced by nucleosynthesis that occurs in the post-merger fast-moving dynamical ejecta and in two slower (0.05 times light speed) wind regions. Comparison with spectral models suggests that the merger ejected 0.03 to 0.05 solar masses of material, including high-opacity lanthanides.
We report the results of an extensive radio-continuum observing campaign of host galaxies of short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The goal of this survey was to search for optically obscured star ...formation, possibly indicative of a population of young short-GRB progenitors. Our sample comprises the hosts and host-galaxy candidates of 16 short-GRBs from 2005 to 2015, corresponding to roughly one-third of the presently known ensemble of well-localized short bursts. Eight GRB fields were observed with ATCA (at 5.5 and 9.0 GHz), and eight fields with the VLA (mostly at 5.5 GHz). The observations typically achieved a 1 rms of 5-8 Jy. In most cases, they were performed years after the corresponding burst. No new short-GRB host with optically obscured star formation was found. Only one host galaxy was detected: that of GRB 100206A at z = 0.407. However, its starburst nature was already known from optical/IR data. Its measured radio flux can be interpreted as being due to a star formation rate of about 60 M yr−1. This is in good agreement with earlier expectations based on the observed broad-band spectral energy distribution of this galaxy. The 15 nondetections constrain the SFRs of the suspected host galaxies and provide upper limits on late-time luminosities of the associated radio afterglows and predicted kilonova radio flares. The nondetection of radio emission from GRB explosion sites confirms the intrinsically low luminosity of short-GRB afterglows and places significant constraints on the parameter space of magnetar-powered radio flares. Luminous radio flares from fiducial massive magnetars have not been found.
ABSTRACT
We report observations and analysis of the nearby gamma-ray burst GRB 161219B (redshift z = 0.1475) and the associated Type Ic supernova (SN) 2016jca. GRB 161219B had an isotropic gamma-ray ...energy of ∼1.6 × 1050 erg. Its afterglow is likely refreshed at an epoch preceding the first photometric points (0.6 d), which slows down the decay rates. Combined analysis of the SN light curve and multiwavelength observations of the afterglow suggest that the GRB jet was broad during the afterglow phase (full opening angle ∼42° ± 3°). Our spectral series shows broad absorption lines typical of GRB supernovae (SNe), which testify to the presence of material with velocities up to ∼0.25c. The spectrum at 3.73 d allows for the very early identification of an SN associated with a GRB. Reproducing it requires a large photospheric velocity ($35\, 000 \pm 7000$ km s−1). The kinetic energy of the SN is estimated through models to be Ekin≈4 × 1052 erg in spherical symmetry. The ejected mass in the explosion was Mej≈6.5 ± 1.5 M⊙, much less than that of other GRB-SNe, demonstrating diversity among these events. The total amount of 56Ni in the explosion was 0.27 ± 0.05 M⊙. The observed spectra require the presence of freshly synthesized 56Ni at the highest velocities, at least three times more than a standard GRB-SN. We also find evidence for a decreasing 56Ni abundance as a function of decreasing velocity. This suggests that SN 2016jca was a highly aspherical explosion viewed close to on-axis, powered by a compact remnant. Applying a typical correction for asymmetry, the energy of SN 2016jca was ∼(1–3) × 1052 erg, confirming that most of the energy produced by GRB-SNe goes into the kinetic energy of the SN ejecta.
Intervehicular communication (IVC) is an important emerging research area that is expected to considerably contribute to traffic safety and efficiency. In this context, many possible IVC applications ...share the common need for fast multihop message propagation, including information such as position, direction, and speed. However, it is crucial for such a data exchange system to be resilient to security attacks. Conversely, a malicious vehicle might inject incorrect information into the intervehicle wireless links, leading to life and money losses or to any other sort of adversarial selfishness (e.g., traffic redirection for the adversarial benefit). In this paper, we analyze attacks to the state-of-the-art IVC-based safety applications. Furthermore, this analysis leads us to design a fast and secure multihop broadcast algorithm for vehicular communication, which is proved to be resilient to the aforementioned attacks.
Context.
Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy has rapidly reached maturity, becoming a fundamental observing window for modern astrophysics. The coalescences of a few tens of black hole (BH) binaries ...have been detected, while the number of events possibly including a neutron star (NS) is still limited to a few. On 2019 August 14, the LIGO and Virgo interferometers detected a high-significance event labelled S190814bv. A preliminary analysis of the GW data suggests that the event was likely due to the merger of a compact binary system formed by a BH and a NS.
Aims.
In this paper, we present our extensive search campaign aimed at uncovering the potential optical and near infrared electromagnetic counterpart of S190814bv. We found no convincing electromagnetic counterpart in our data. We therefore use our non-detection to place limits on the properties of the putative outflows that could have been produced by the binary during and after the merger.
Methods.
Thanks to the three-detector observation of S190814bv, and given the characteristics of the signal, the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations delivered a relatively narrow localisation in low latency – a 50% (90%) credible area of 5 deg
2
(23 deg
2
) – despite the relatively large distance of 267 ± 52 Mpc. ElectromagNetic counterparts of GRAvitational wave sources at the VEry Large Telescope collaboration members carried out an intensive multi-epoch, multi-instrument observational campaign to identify the possible optical and near infrared counterpart of the event. In addition, the ATLAS, GOTO, GRAWITA-VST, Pan-STARRS, and VINROUGE projects also carried out a search on this event. In this paper, we describe the combined observational campaign of these groups.
Results.
Our observations allow us to place limits on the presence of any counterpart and discuss the implications for the kilonova (KN), which was possibly generated by this NS–BH merger, and for the strategy of future searches. The typical depth of our wide-field observations, which cover most of the projected sky localisation probability (up to 99.8%, depending on the night and filter considered), is
r
∼ 22 (resp.
K
∼ 21) in the optical (resp. near infrared). We reach deeper limits in a subset of our galaxy-targeted observations, which cover a total ∼50% of the galaxy-mass-weighted localisation probability. Altogether, our observations allow us to exclude a KN with large ejecta mass
M
≳ 0.1
M
⊙
to a high (> 90%) confidence, and we can exclude much smaller masses in a sub-sample of our observations. This disfavours the tidal disruption of the neutron star during the merger.
Conclusions.
Despite the sensitive instruments involved in the campaign, given the distance of S190814bv, we could not reach sufficiently deep limits to constrain a KN comparable in luminosity to AT 2017gfo on a large fraction of the localisation probability. This suggests that future (likely common) events at a few hundred megaparsecs will be detected only by large facilities with both a high sensitivity and large field of view. Galaxy-targeted observations can reach the needed depth over a relevant portion of the localisation probability with a smaller investment of resources, but the number of galaxies to be targeted in order to get a fairly complete coverage is large, even in the case of a localisation as good as that of this event.
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