Climatic factors that

Site-specific climatic factors that are important to selection of landfill cover type and to design of ET landfill covers include daily measurements of precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, total solar radiation, and wind run.6 45 55 If all of the data are not available, one can make useful—but less accurate—estimates of cover performance using only daily precipitation and maximum and minimum temperature measurements. 

Thus, the Martonne aridity index defines not only climatic parameters but also vegetational ones. Seasonality of precipitation is another climatic factor that affects desert and steppe boundaries. For a given mean annual temperature, the boundary of a steppe will extend into wetter climates if its precipitation falls mainly in the summer. This is because summer evapotranspiration depletes soil moisture more thoroughly than winter evapotranspiration. For similar reasons, the size of a desert will be larger if its precipitation falls in the summer rather than in the winter (Monger et al., 2004). 

One primary aim of laboratory tests is to mimic specific field exposures under accelerated conditions. This requires that the exposure conditions of the laboratory test trigger the same corrosion processes as the actual field exposure does. In view of the multitude of different air constituents and climatic factors that may influence the corrosion behavior during exposure in any natural environment, one may ask whether the laboratory test really can be represented by only a few parameters present. To explore this question, a comprehensive study has been performed in which the corrosion effects of nickel have been compared in the field and laboratory, respectively [13]. 

Climate and weather are closely related and both are believed to influence debris flow activity. The influence of rainfall has already been discussed and tends to be of immediate concern on the short term time scale over which debris flows occur. Because climate describes average weather over a long period of time it is not always considered as a factor in the analysis of debris flow occurrence. Climatic factors that are likely to influence debris-flow initiation are seasonality of precipitation, storm types, and dominant storm tracks (Wilson, 1997, Wilson, R.C., 1997). Other climatic factors that should also be considered are water budget, record rainfall for any recorded storm, maximum observed precipitation intensity, and average wind direction. 

Climate and Environmental Factors. The biomass species selected for energy appHcations and the climate must be compatible to faciUtate operation of fuel farms. The three primary climatic parameters that have the most influence on the productivity of an iadigenous or transplanted species are iasolation, rainfall, and temperature. Natural fluctuations ia these factors remove them from human control, but the information compiled over the years ia meteorological records and from agricultural practice suppHes a valuable data bank from which to develop biomass energy appHcations. Ambient carbon dioxide concentration and the availabiHty of nutrients are also important factors ia biomass production. 

Both primary factors and lesser secondary factors affect our sense of satisfac tion with the thermal environment. The primaiy factors have significant reproducible effects and directly affect heat transfer and the occupant s thermal state, Secondar factors that may affect one s sense of satisfaction with a space are conditions such as color and ambiance, local climate, age, physical fitness, sound, food, and illness. These secondary factors have smaller to negligible effects on one s thermal state and will not be discussed here, but such information is available. ... 

Many of the factors that influence the c.xtcnt of contamination are site specific, cither climatic or hydrogeological. Other factors that influence the extent of contamintition relate to land surface features such as topography or dcNclopmcnt, which determine exposure routes. Additional important... 

The concept of global radiative equilibrium is useful in identifying the various factors that govern climatic variability. At radiative equilibrium, the flux of solar radiation absorbed by the planet equals the flux of infrared radiation to space. That is. 

Taken together. Figs 17-2, 4-13, 17-3, and 1-2 constitute a complex image of the Earth s climate system, including most of the factors that are known to be involved. However, such diagrams fail to adequately represent the dynamical nature of the totality of interactions of all of the parts. In order to explore these interactions, the natural variability of climate, and changes due to external perturbations, we must now introduce the key notions of forcings, feedbacks, and responses. 

While this feedback may or may not be climatically relevant, it does serve to illustrate the nature of biogeochemical feedbacks. It seems likely that many such complex systems exist, and that they may indeed be factors that influence climate. To return to the introduction to this chapter, it is not possible to rule out biogeochemical feedbacks as factors that have stabilized climate over the past ca. 10 years. 

Indeed, the most important factor that affects the future estimates of climate is the (anthropogenic) emissions of greenhouse gases and all kind of aerosols. The amount of these products released into the atmosphere depends upon the socio-economical and technological development of humankind. Thus, different hypotheses about these evolutions are assumed, resulting in several emission scenarios. The scenarios used in the IPCC AR4 derive from a Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) published earlier [2]. All these scenarios can be grouped in four families (storylines) that are named Al, A2, Bl, and B2. 

Isotopic variation in European human remains is caused by a combination of environmental, biological and cultural factors. For carbon, the main influence is the dominance of C3 photosynthesis in all vegetation types. The factors that can cause deviations from this general trend are the climatic effect,... 

The role of meteorological and climatic factors and their variability. Ambient air quality (e.g., oxidant concentrations) and deposition that can affect the emissions to indicator relationship. Sampling frequency is also an important attribute of a monitoring program that strongly influences the ability to detect trends. 

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