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USGS2020

Operational global actual evapotranspiration: Development, evaluation, and dissemination

Satellite-based actual evapotranspiration (ETa) is becoming increasingly reliable and available for various water management and agricultural applications from water budget studies to crop performance monitoring. The Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) model is currently used by the US Geological Survey (USGS) Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) to routinely produce and post multitemporal ETa and ETa anomalies online for drought monitoring and early warning purposes. Implementation of the global SSEBop using the Aqua satellite’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature and global gridded weather datasets is presented. Evaluation of the SSEBop ETa data using 12 eddy covariance (EC) flux tower sites over six continents indicated reasonable performance in capturing seasonality with a correlation coefficient up to 0.87. However, the modeled ETa seemed to show regional biases whose natures and magnitudes require a comprehensive investigation using complete water budgets and more quality-controlled EC station datasets. While the absolute magnitude of SSEBop ETa would require a one-time bias correction for use in water budget studies to address local or regional conditions, the ETa anomalies can be used without further modifications for drought monitoring. All ETa products are freely available for download from the USGS FEWS NET website.

Article↗

USGS2014

Establishing the Antarctic Dome C community reference standard site towards consistent measurements from Earth observation satellites

Establishing satellite measurement consistency by using common desert sites has become increasingly more important not only for climate change detection but also for quantitative retrievals of geophysical variables in satellite applications. Using the Antarctic Dome C site (75°06′S, 123°21′E, elevation 3.2 km) for satellite radiometric calibration and validation (Cal/Val) is of great interest owing to its unique location and characteristics. The site surface is covered with uniformly distributed permanent snow, and the atmospheric effect is small and relatively constant. In this study, the long-term stability and spectral characteristics of this site are evaluated using well-calibrated satellite instruments such as the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS). Preliminary results show that despite a few limitations, the site in general is stable in the long term, the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model works well, and the site is most suitable for the Cal/Val of reflective solar bands in the 0.4–1.0 µm range. It was found that for the past decade, the reflectivity change of the site is within 1.35% at 0.64 µm, and interannual variability is within 2%. The site is able to resolve calibration biases between instruments at a level of ~1%. The usefulness of the site is demonstrated by comparing observations from seven satellite instruments involving four space agencies, including OrbView-2–SeaWiFS, Terra–Aqua MODIS, Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) – Hyperion, Meteorological Operational satellite programme (MetOp) – Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR), Envisat Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) – dvanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR), and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). Dome C is a promising candidate site for climate quality calibration of satellite radiometers towards more consistent satellite measurements, as part of the framework for climate change detection and data quality assurance for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing↗

USGS2009

Preliminary results of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project, northeast United States and Maritime Provinces of Canada

The results of a soil geochemical survey of the Canadian Maritime provinces and the northeast states of the United States are described. The data presented are for the <2-mm fraction of the surface layer (0-5 cm depth) and C horizons of the soil. Elemental determinations were made by ICP-MS following two digestions, aqua regia (partial dissolution) and a strong 4-acid mixture (near-total dissolution). The preliminary results show that Hg and Pb exhibit elevated abundances in the surface layer, while As and Ni exhibit abundances that can be attributed to the geological provenance of the soil parent materials.

Conference Paper↗

USGS1977

Chemical dissolution of sulfide minerals

Chemical dissolution treatments involving the use of aqua regia, 4 N HNO 3 , H 2 O 2 -ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, KClO 3 +HCl, and KClO 3 +HCl followed by 4 N HNO 3 were applied to specimens of nine common sulfide minerals (galena, chalcopyrite, cinnabar, molybdenite, orpiment, pyrite, stibnite, sphalerite, and tetrahedrite) mixed individually with a clay loam soil. The resultant decrease in the total sulfur content of the mixture, as determined by using the Leco induction furnace, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of each chemical treatment. A combination of KClO 3 +HCl followed by 4 N HNO 3 boiling gently for 20 min has been shown to be very effective in dissolving all the sulfide minerals. This treatment is recommended to dissolve metals residing in sulfide minerals admixed with secondary weathering products, as one step in a fractionation scheme whereby metals in soluble and adsorbed forms, and those associated with organic materials and secondary oxides, are first removed by other chemical extractants.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗

USGS1973

Rapid determination of sulfur in rocks

Sulfur is determined turbidimetrically as barium sulfate after an aqua regia attack. The turbidity is formed in an ammoniacal solution from which R2O3 has been centrifuged. Reproducibility of turbidity is obtained by adding barium chloride as a solid rather than as a solution. Sulfur is determined in the range 0.01-4 percent within ±0.02 absolute, or approximately 5 percent of the amount present, whichever is larger. A 100-mg sample is used for sulfur concentrations of up to 0.50 percent S, a 20-mg sample for higher levels. A determination requires about 5 minutes.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗

USGS1976

Effects of air injection at Prompton Lake, Wayne County, Pennsylvania

Air injected into the hypolimnion of Prompton Lake at a maximum rate of 210 cubic feet per minute (6 cubic metres per minute) during a 65-day period (July 27 to September 30, 1973) produced the following results: (1) With cooler air temperatures prevailing, the mean subsurface temperature increased by 4.0° C compared with the same period in 1972, (2) although chemical and thermal destratiflcation was incomplete, 6 weeks of air injection increased the dissolved-oxygen concentration of the entire tropholytic zone to more than 4 milligrams per litre, (3) concentrations of nitrogen increased in the trophogenic zone during air injection, and (4) Anabaena flos-aquae attained cell concentrations in excess of 4,500 per millilitre during air injection.

Pennsylvania↗

USGS1974

Comparison of bacterial and phytoplankton populations under natural and laboratory conditions

Bacteria and blue-green algae were isolated from Oneida Lake, N.Y., and other sources. The blue-green algae Anabaena flos-aquae , Anabaena spiroides , Gloeotrichia echinulata , and Microcystis aeruginosa were grown under laboratory conditions and were separated into unialgal cultures. The bacterial population living in association with the unialgal blue-green algae differed significantly from the bacterial flora of Oneida Lake. Bacillus , Pseudomonas , Aeromonas , and Zoogloea were the most frequently occurring genera of bacteria from the lake, whereas Flavobacterium , Achromobacter , and Pseudomonas were the most common bacteria isolated from laboratory blue-green cultures. Nutritional and physiological characteristics of bacteria isolated in the laboratory were more uniform than those isolated from the lake.

Journal of Research of the U.S. Geological Survey↗

USGS2019

The circumtropical swarm population of the longspined porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus Linnaeus)

Evidence is presented that Diodon holocanthus is a circumtropical swarm (not a hybrid swarm because the individuals are not hybrids). Some individuals are so different from one another in both color and morphology that they appear to be different species. Thirty undersea and aquarium photographs from different global localities are provided to demonstrate the variability. The worldwide distribution is achieved by the juvenile that has been found more than 1,000 km offshore as large as 90 mm SL. How can it feed on zooplankton with jaws and dentition designed to crush shelled invertebrates? We believe it draws the prey into the mouth with the same mechanism that it uses to expand its body when threatened; the water with prey is diverted to the pharyngeal cavity, then released from the gill opening on each side. Larger juveniles may seek concentrations of zooplankton for feeding, perhaps collectively. A confirming experiment in an aquarium is advised. Aggregations of pelagic juveniles have been observed at the surface outside barrier reefs and found inshore the following morning, indicating that settlement took place at night to minimize predation. The juveniles soon disperse to inshore habitats of mangrove and sea grass to coral reef. The hybrid Diodon holocanthus x D. hystrix from South Africa is illustrated. The narrative for the present research on D. holocanthus is presented chronologically to show how increasing evidence failed to support the multitude of apparent new species of Diodon , leading to the conclusion of a swarm.

Aqua↗